An Improved Manufacture of Material to be employed in the Manufacture of Armour Plates, and for other purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CARL SCARNES, of No. 12--16, Mariahilferstrasse,
Vienna, Austria, Engineer.]
An Improved Manufacture of Material to be employed in the
Manufacture of Armour Plates, and for other purposes.
I, ERNEST ZAPPERT, of the Manchester Hotel, Aldersgate Street in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of a new material, suitable for ship-
building and for armour plates, which consists essentially in peculiarly combined
and grouped animal or vegetable fibres or pulverised minerals, which may be
employed either alone or in combination and with or without other materials for
producing a shot or thrust proof coating or armour plate.
Slabs or blocks are for this purpose prepared of any desired dimensions
composed of the above named materials such as hemp, flax, wool, looffha, bass or
other vegetable or animal fibre such as sinews etc., or substances such as pumice
stone, larva, clay, infusorial carth, kieselguhr or other pulverised materials.
These slabs or blocks are secured by sewing by means of suitable needle and
thread and are subjected to pressure, preferentially hydraulic, to a high degree,
until they are formed into a tough but not hard mass, which is then advantageously
enclosed in strong waterproof canvas and again sewn through so that the stitches
cross each other in every direction. The thread or cord must not be drawn too
tightly in order that the material may not become too dense.
For slabs blocks or bolsters which are made of fibres these must be laid in strands
or hanks of thickness about equal to the thumb, first lengthwise and then
transversely, being either placed in layers or coiled, so that the fibres are always
made to cross each other. These bundles or strands are secured by stitching
through every layer, and a succession of layers is thus secured until the desired
thickness is obtained.
When using pulverised materials it is necessary first to prepare a canvas sack of
a size corresponding to that of the desired armour plate, into which this mineral
powder is introduced and in which it is then secured in position by stitching through
with long stitches as described. After pressing, this slab or bolster is provided on
one or both sides with a thin layer of fibrous, material also stitched on, whereupon
the whole is again subjected to hydraulic pressure for from 10 to 12 hours. Lastly,
the crosswise stitching is effected in the same way as with the slabs or bolsters
made entirely of fibre. By this mode of construction, the slab or bolster has a
great degree of elasticity imparted to it, which, in combination with the toughness
it acquires, enables it to effectually resist the penetration of projectiles.
In order to save weight in slabs or bolsters which are required to withstand
large projectiles or projectiles moving at a high rate of speed, there may be
advantageously combined with the above method of manufacture the use of a
metallic structure. For this purpose, metal wires or strips, preferably steel, and
from about 2 to 3 m.m. wide andm.m. thick are placed edgewise closely against
each other, which can be conveniently effected by tyeing with string. The gratings
thus produced are laid one upon the other so that the wires alternately cross each
other with the interposition of hemp, wool etc., and this structure is then sewn
either upon or into the before described slabs or bolsters. The wire or strips may
also be inade somewhat wider and instead of being placed on edge may be laid flat

page_text: upon the bolster in which case they are not tied, but are arranged closely side by
side, overlapping like scales, and are then sewn on.
For resisting lead projectiles, the last described construction is more suitable,
while for resisting iron or steel projectiles, the first described construction is best.
For resisting pistol, revolver or sporting gun projectiles, as also for resisting cuts
and thrusts, a bolster or slab of about 1 c.m. in thickness is sufficient. For resisting
military fire arms with lead projectiles, a thickness of about 5 c.m. with a weight
of about 30 kg. to the square metre is sufficient. For resisting steel cased
projectiles of 8 in.m. slabs or bolsters with the above described gratings are used
and such slabs or bolsters, when placed upright upon wheels, may be used as
transportable shields on the battle field. For resisting projectiles of 37 and 47 m.m.
of ships machine guns, simple slabs or bolsters, without metal construction, of a
thickness of about 10 to 15 c.m. are sufficient; and to resist projectiles of large
guns a thickness of from 1 to 15 m., with broad metal construction, is advisable.
It is advantageous to place the metal bars or strips at a slight angle in order
that they may have the effect of deflecting the projectile on striking the slab.
In employing the above slabs or bolsters in the structure of ships, considerable
advantages are obtained as regards the safety of the ship against breaking up on
grounding or striking on rocks, or in collisions, in addition to which they have the
great advantage of lightness. Such slabs may also be used with advantage as
coatings for doors, walls etc. for preventing the penetration of sound.
Dated this 15th day of August 1890.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Manufacture of Material to be employed in the
Manufacture of Armour Plates, and for other purposes.
1, ERNEST ZAPPERT, of the Manchester Hotel, Aldersgate Street in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to the manufacture of a new material, suitable for armour
plates, which consists essentially in peculiarly combined and grouped animal or
vegetable fibres or pulverised minerals which may be employed either alone or in
combination and with or without other materials for producing a shot or thrust
proof coating or armour plate.
Slabs or blocks are for this purpose prepared of any desired dimensions composed
of the above named materials such as hemp, flax, wool, looff'ha, bass, or other
vegetable or animal fibre, such as sinews etc., or substances such as pumice stone,
lava, clay, infusorial earth, kieselguhr or other pulverised materials.
These slabs or blocks are secured by sewing by means of suitable needle and
thread and are subjected to pressure, preferentially hydraulic, to a high degree,
until they are formed into a tough but not hard mass, which is then advantageously
enclosed in strong waterproof canvas and again sewn through so that the stitches
cross each other in every direction. The thread or cord must not be drawn too
tightly in order that the material may not become too dense.
For slabs blocks or bolsters which are made of fibres, these must be laid in
strands or hanks of thickness about equal to the thumb, first lengthwise and
then transversely, being either placed in layers or coiled, so that the fibres are
always made to cross each other. These bundles or strands are secured by
stitching through every layer, and a succession of layers is thus secured until the
desired thickness is obtained.
When using pulverised materials it is necessary first to prepare a canvas sack

page_text: of a size corresponding to that of the desired armour plate, into which this
mineral powder is introduced and in which it is then secured in position by stitching
through with long stitches as described. After pressing, this slab or bolster is
provided on one or both sides with a thin layer of fibrous material also stitched
on, whereupon the whole is again subjected to hydraulic pressure for from 10
to 12 hours. Lastly, the crosswise stitching is effected in the same way as with
the slabs or bolsters made entirely of fibre. By this mode of construction, the
slab or bolster has a great degree of elasticity imparted to it, which, in combination
with the toughness it acquires, enables it to effectually resist the penetration of
projectiles.
In order to save weight in slabs or bolsters which are required to withstand
large projectiles or projectiles moving at a high rate of speed, there may be
advantageously combined with the above method of manufacture the use of a
metallic structure. For this purpose, metal wires or strips, preferably steel, and
from about 2 to 3 m.m. wide andm.m. thick are placed edgewise closely against
each other, which can be conveniently effected by tyeing with string. The
laminated surfaces thus produced are laid one upon the other so that the wires
alternately cross cach other with the interposition of hemp, wool etc., and this
structure is then sewn either upon or into the before described slabs or bolsters.
The wire or strips may also be made somewhat wider and instead of being placed
on edge may be laid flat upon the bolster in which case they are not tied,
but are arranged closely side by side, overlapping like scales, and are then sewn on.
For resisting lead projectiles, the last described construction is more suitable,
while for resisting iron or steel projectiles, the first described construction is best.
For resisting pistol, revolver or sporting gun projectiles, as also for resisting cuts
and thrusts, a bolster or slab of about 1 c.m. in thickness is sufficient.
resisting military fire arms with lead projectiles, a thickness of about 5 c.m. with a
weight of about 30 kg. to the square metre is sufficient. For resisting steel cased
projectiles of 8 m.m. slabs or bolsters with the above described gratings are used
and such slabs or bolsters, when placed upright upon wheels, may be used as trans-
portable shields on the battle field. For resisting projectiles of 37 and 47 m.m. of
ships machine guns, simple slabs or bolsters without metal construction, of a
thickness of about 10 to 15 c.m. are sufficient; and to resist projectiles of large guns
a thickness of from 1 to 15 m. with broad metal construction, is advisable. It is
advantageous to place the metal bars or strips at a slight angle in order that they
may have the effect of deflecting the projectile on striking the slab.
For
In employing the above slabs or bolsters as armour for ships, considerable
advantages are obtained as regards the safety of the ship against breaking up on
grounding or striking on rocks, or in collisions, in addition to which they have the
great advantage of lightness. Such slabs may also be used with advantage as
coatings for doors, walls etc., for preventing the penetration of sound.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A. manufacture of material for ships' armour, and other purposes, consisting
of slabs or blocks composed of animal or vegetable fibre or pulverised minerals or
combinations of these, constructed substantially as herein described.
2. A manufacture of blocks or slabs for ships armour, and other purposes,
consisting of separate layers composed of strands or hanks of animal or vegetable
fibre, the fibres of each layer being made to cross those of the contiguous layers,
and the layers being stitched together and subjected to pressure, which slabs or
blocks are enclosed in a waterproof casing of canvas or other strong pliable material,
which is also secured thereto by stitching, substantially as described.
3. A manufacture of slabs or blocks for ships' armour, and other purposes
consisting of a strong casing of canvas or other suitable pliable material which is
filled with mineral powder, secured in a flat or slab form by stitching through the

page_text: casing, a layer of fibrous, material being secured to, one or both sides of such
slab by stitching; and the whole, being then subjected to pressure,. substantially, as
described.
4., The, use in combination with the slabs, or blocks referred to in the preceding
claims, of metal wires or strips arranged to overlap each other or to form laminated
surfaces, suitably secured, to the surfaces of the said slabs or blocks, substantially as
described.
1
1
CT
1001
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.