IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bethell, of Parliament Street, in the City of
Westminster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bethell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th July 1857.
I, JOHN BETHELL, of Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster, Gen-
tleman, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows, that is to
say:-
My Invention consists in constructing ships and other vessels with the
keel and the deck, one or both of them, or one or more of the several decks
(if there are more decks than one) adapted, made use of, or employed to
constitute the lower and upper portions respectively of a girder (running
longitudinally through the centre of the vessel) by connecting together the
said portions with diagonal or other ties or struts, or both, (either of iron or of
wood, and whether disposed as latticework or otherwise,) so as to supply the
principal or all of the remaining portions necessary to constitute and complete
the girder.

page_text: And my Invention further consists in constructing not only the above parts,
but also the hull or body of ships and other vessels of wood and of wrought
iron, secured or fastened together with marine glue, or with a composition
formed of gutta percha and pitch or other cement. And the manner in which
I propose to carry the same into effect is as follows:-I form the ribs of
wrought iron, of the shape of a T, or other suitable section, and bent to the
required shape of the intended ship or vessel, and with the top of the T out-
wards, and I lay planks, previously creosoted or otherwise upon or against the
outer side of such ribs, the outer side of the ribs and the inner side of the
planks being well covered with the glue, composition, or cement; and I then
fill up the
space between the ribs with short lengths of planking, also pre-
•viously creosoted or otherwise, and well covered with the glue, composition, or
cement. And in cases where more strength is required, or sometimes for
other reasons, I apply a ceiling, inner lining, or third layer of planking, also
previously creosoted or otherwise, and well covered with the glue, composition,
or cement, so as to cover over the short lengths of planking, and also the edges
of the iron ribs. The marine glue, or composition, or cement upon the surfaces
of the planking and the iron is to be warmed, immediately before and at the
time of applying cach separate plank or piece of planking, by a current of
heated air, by the flame of naptha or gas, or other flame directed on to or
upon it. When the planks or planking is of hard wood, I use only a small
quantity of creosote, but when of soft wood, such as pine or larch, I thoroughly
impregnate the same with creosote, by my present well-known process, of
creosoting timber. And each layer of planking may be laid either longi-
tudinally or diagonally, or partly in one direction and partly in another, as
preferred. And I would remark that I intend to use bolts or trenails, or both
of them, in certain cases where required.
It will be evident that other forms of iron ribs besides the T-form, such as
the double T, can be used for this Invention.
I prefer having all the wood creosoted in order to preserve it and render it
waterproof, so that the side of the ship may be composed of imperishable and
waterproof materials, but for the purposes of my Invention it is not absolutely
necessary; and the wood may be used either not creosoted or prepared at all,
or prepared with any other preserving substance, but then the ship will not
Jast 'so long as it will if the wood is creosoted.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Bethell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, JOHN BETHELL,
of Number 8, Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster, Gentleman,
sends greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Bethell, Her special licence that I, the said John Bethell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Bethell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "-IN-..
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the'
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Bethell, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my or their or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within'
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Bethell, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying illustrative Sheet of
Drawings, and the figures and letters marked thereon for the purposes of
such reference, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in building ships and other vessels of a combination
of iron ribs and wooden planks fixed together by metal bolts and screws, and
further cemented together by the composition or glue hereafter described, so
that all, the iron ribs and planks are firmly combined together into one-solių.
mass. And the improvements further comprise the connecting or joining the.
deck or decks of ships or vessels, or the main timbers supporting the deck or
decks to and with the keel or keels. by means of lattice or other framing,

page_text: whereby considerable stiffness and strength arc obtained, the deck or decks
and the framing, and the keel or keels, being firmly connected together, and
thereby constituting a girder running longitudinally through the ship or vessel,
or through portions of the same.
The accompanying Drawing illustrates the improvements referred to. The
ribs to be employed may be formed either of rolled bar angle iron or T iron,
of the forms at a and b, in the Figures 3 and 6 respectively; and a number
of such iron ribs are to be placed at short distances apart from each other
throughout the length of the intended vessel, with the head of the T or the flat
face of the angle iron rib presented towards the exterior, each rib being pre-
viously or at the time of construction bent into the required curve or form, in
accordance with the intended variation of transverse section.
In large vessels, when two or more lengths of bar are required for one rib;
they are to be evenly and securely welded together, or joined together by means
of a lap joint or cover plate, and rivetting or otherwise, as may be preferred,
and the several, ribs should be so arranged that the joints of no two adjoining
ribs should be close or near to each other.
The skeleton of the vessel being thus formed, wooden planks, previously
creosoted, according to the process now well known as Bethell's creosoting
process, are to be rivetted, bolted, screwed, or secured to and against the exterior
of the iron ribs, in accordance either with the mode represented at d, as shewn
in the Figure 8 (in the case of angle iron being employed for the ribs), and
also in the Figures 6 (in the case of T-iron being so employed, or else in
accordance with the modo represented at e, in Figure 3, the rivets, bolts, or
screws according to this mode passing not only through the ribs a and planking
c, but also through an inner wooden planking f now to be described, or any
other form of bolt or fastening can be used. This planking f, which is to be
employed in both of the cases referred to, and which may be creosoted or not,
consists of short lengths of plank cut to fit exactly between the ribs a, a, or
b, b, as shewn in the Figures before referred to, and also cut or notched_out,
so as not to interfere with the bolts or fastenings d. And the said inner
planking is to be placed and secured against the inner surface of the outer
planking c, and against the interior of the ribs, that is to say, against the
inner surface or under sido of the head of the T or corresponding surface of
the angle iron, so as to cover over the joints between the outer planking c
tle short pieces of inner planking f being fastened to the outer planking by
cementing or glueing, in manner herein-after described, and also, if desired,
being further secured by screws g, 9, as represented in the Drawing.
The Figures shew also an interior ceiling or lining h of wooden planking

page_text: which is not intended to be creosoted, and this may be fixed to the planking f
by spikes or nails, or in any convenient manner.
This ceiling or lining may
be dispensed with if not judged necessary.
The Figure 7 shews a transverse section of a ship, constructed in accord->
ance with the first part of the foregoing improvements, and also shews the
description of keel m which it is preferred to employ, namely, a length or
lengths welded or secured together of bar irou, rolled to the shape shewn. It
will readily be understood that the keel should be bent or curved upwards at
and towards the stem (fore part) of the vessel, and likewise at and towards
the stern, if desired, in accordance with the intended form.
The creosoting process is that ordinarily employed, and I use either of the
two glue compositions or cements for joining the planking together hereafter
described, which may be preferred, and the method of applying the same is as
follows, that is to say:-One of the glue compositions or cements consists of
a mixture of shell lac and the fluid creosote oil used for preserving wood, and is
made by dissolving shell lac in that portion of the oil obtained by distilling coal
tar, which is heavier than and sinks in water. This oil is heated slowly in an
iron pot over the fire, and the shell lac is added to it by degrees, stirring it all
the time, until a glue is formed of sufficient consistency for use, and the other
glue or composition is made by heating together in an iron pot or other suit
able vessel two parts of pitch with one part of gutta percha. Either of these
compositions or glues is to be applied in a heated state by spreading it with a
brush upon one of the intended surfaces of planking, and generally on the
inside of planks c, upon which it may be allowed to cool. But previously to
the two surfaces being united in the process of building or constructing the
vessel the glue is to be brushed over with coarse alcohol or some other suitable
solvent, which will render it adhesive or sticky, and whilst in this state the
short lengths of inuer planking f are to be screwed on, as before mentioned,
or otherwise pressed closely to and against the outer planking c, whereby any
surplus glue will become expelled, and the two plankings f and c become
firmly secured and fixed together. The glue will also form a waterproof film
between and protected by the two plankings, which will keep the ship water-
proof. The edges of all the planks are to be glued together by this gluo
instead of caulking.
The further improvement comprehended by this Invention is also repre-
sented in the Figure 8, but more distinctly in the Figure 9, which is the
longitudinal or side elevation of a portion of the length of the keel and of the
deck beams, and of certain other parts, showing them framed or fitted together
so as to constitute a girder, passing through the middle of the ship, and which

page_text: may be either continuous throughout its length, or not continuous, as shewn
in the Drawing. In the Figures referred to m is the keel; p, the beam of the
upper deck, and q, the beam of the lower deck. ', s, are diagonal pieces of
wood or iron, arranged as struts, and tenoned into the longitudinal timbers,
and t, t, are tie rods, holding the several parts together. It is, however, to
be understood that plates or sheets of iron, or keels of wood only, may be
employed to constitute or make up the girder or portions of the same, instead
of the compound iron and wooden framing represented.
When the planks or planking is of hard wood, I use only a small quantity
of creosote, but when of soft wood, such as pine or larch, I thoroughly im-
pregnate the same with creosote by my present well-known process of
creosoting timber. And each layer of planking may be laid longitudinally or
diagonally, or partly in one direction and partly in another, as preferred. And
I would remark that I intend to use bolts or trenails, or both of them in certain.
cases, where required.
. It will be evident that other forms of iron ribs besides the T-form, such as
rectangular or other angle iron, or the double T can be used for this Inven
tion.
I prefer having all the wood creosoted, in order to preserve it and render it
waterproof, so that the side of the ship may be composed of imperishable and
waterproof materials, but for the purposes of my Invention it is not absolutely
necessary; and the wood may be used either not creosoted or prepared at all,
or prepared with any other preserving substance, but then the ship will not
last so long as it will if tho wood is creosoted.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bethell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JNO. BETHELL. (L.S.)