IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING IRON SHIPS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE RIVETTING OF BOLLER PLATES AND OTHERS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Rae, of New Cross, in the County of Kent,
Shipbuilder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING IRON
SHIPS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE RIVETTING OF
BOLLER PLATES AND OTHERS."
Sealed the 3rd September 1860, and dated the 10th March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Rae at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th March
1860.
I, JAMES RAE, of New Cross, in the County of Kent, Shipbuilder, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTING IRON SHIPS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE
RIVETTING OF BOILER PLATES AND OTHERS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention relates to the method of fixing and securing
the bulkheads, and to the strengthening of the ship where the bulkheads are
fixed. Instead of connecting the bulkhead plates to one angle iron on one
side, or with two angle irons, one on each side, and punching a row of rivet
holes in a straight line round the ship, whereby the vessel is weakened, I
employ one broad flanged T-iron of any width necessary according to cir-
cumstances; the arms of the T extend an equal distance on each side of the
bulkhead, and are sufficiently broad to allow of the rivets being placed a

page_text: considerable distance apart in a zig-zag position. I roll the flange or body
part of the T which stands athwart-ships, say, three times the usual thick-
ness, and cut a groove in the centre sufficiently wide to receive the bulkhead
plate; the sides of the groove form two flanges to rivet the bulkhead plate to
instead of one, whereby strength and stability are secured. The bulkhead is
of one uniform thickness from bottom to top; the plates instead of lapping
each other are made to butt horizontally as well as vertically, and form a flush
surface; they are connected with butt straps on one side and stiffening bars
on the other. For bulkheads which are required to diminish gradually from
bottom to top, I roll the T-iron flanges all one thickness, and make the bulk-
heads either with butt or lap joints. To strengthen ship's sides opposite the
bulkheads, instead of using the usual kind of strip commonly called "liners,"
which are intended to fill up the space between the plates, I use a plate the
whole width of the space, which extends along the ship's sides as far as the
second or third frame on each side of the bulkhead, and in like manner on the
outside of the ship; with the exception that the outside plates are drawn down
in a tapering form to a thin edge, thereby offering as little obstruction as
possible in passing through the water. These strengthening plates are con-
tinued all round the ship's body from gunwale to gunwale. The bulkheads
are rivetted through the inside stringers and skin of the vessel, then the
outside strengthening plates, and are properly rivetted to the skin of the ship,
forming a double thickness of plates all round the ship opposite the bulkheads,
thus making the ship at the bulkheads than at any
other part.
The second part of my Invention relates to a method of rivetting the plates
together in constructing iron ships, which method is also applicable to the
rivetting of boiler plates and others. It consists in forming two countersinks,
one on each plate; I prefer that the countersinks should not extend entirely,
but only partially through the plates, say; to the extent of about two-thirds of
their thickness. I form the rivets with a head on one end to fit the counter-
sink; and for some purposes I form the end or top of the bead slightly
curved; the other end of the rivet is formed as a simple bolt, and after the
plates have been brought together and the rivet inserted, bolt end first, the
head is supported by the dolly or other tool while the bolt end is hammered
out and made to fit into the countersink made for its reception in the plate.
For ships the curved head of the rivet would be on the inside, while on the
outside the head would be hammered into the countersink flush with the
surface of the plate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Rae in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
RAE, of New Cross, in the County of Kent, Shipbuilder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Rae, Her special licence that I, the said James Rae,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Rae, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONSTRUCTING IRON SHIPS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE
TO THE RIVETTING OF BOILER PLATES AND OTHERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Rac, 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 performed, 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 James Rae, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
The first part of my Invention relates to the method of fixing and securing
the bulkheads, and to the strengthening of the ship where the bulkheads are
fixed. Instead of connecting the bulkhead plates to one angle iron on one
side, or with two angle irons, one on each side, and punching a row of rivet
holes in a straight line round the ship, whereby the vessel is weakened, I
employ one broad flanged T-iron of any width necessary according to cir-
cumstances; the arms of the T extend an equal distance on each side of the
bulkhead, and are sufficiently broad to allow of the rivets being placed a
considerable distance apart in a zig-zag position. I roll the flange or body

page_text: part of the T which stands athwart-ships, say, three times the usual thick-
ness, and cut a groove in the centre sufficiently wide to receive the bulkhead
plate; the sides of the groove form two flanges to rivet the bulkhead plate to
instead of one, whereby strength and stability are secured. The bulkhead is
of one uniform thickness from bottom to top; the plates instead of lapping
each other are made to butt horizontally as well as vertically, and form a flush
surface; they are connected with butt straps on one side and stiffening bars
on the other. For bulkheads which are required to diminish gradually from
bottom to top, I roll the T-iron flanges all one thickness, and make the bulk-
'heads either with butt or lap joints. To strengthen ship's sides opposite the
bulkheads, instead of using the usual kind of strip commonly called " liners,"
which are intended to fill up the space between the plates, I use a plate the
whole width of the space, which extends along the ship's sides as far as the
second or third frame on each side of the bulkhead, and in like manner on the
outside of the ship, with the exception that the outside plates are drawn down
in a tapering form to a thin edge, thereby offering as little obstruction as
possible in passing through the water. These strengthening plates are con-
tinued all round the ship's body from gunwale to gunwale. The bulkheads
are rivetted through the inside stringers and skin of the vessel, then the
outside strengthening plates, and are properly rivetted to the skin of the ship,
forming a double thickness of plates all round the ship opposite the bulkheads,
thus making the ship stronger at the bulkheads than at any other part.
The second part of my Invention relates to a method of rivetting the plates
together in constructing iron ships, which method is also applicable to the
rivetting of boiler plates and others. It consists in forming two countersinks,
one in each plate; I prefer that the countersinks should not extend entirely,
but only partially through the plates, say, to the extent of about two-thirds of
their thickness. I form the rivets with a head on one end to fit the counter-
sink; and for some purposes I forni the end or top of the head slightly
curved; the other end of the rivet is formed as a simple bolt, and after the
plates have been brought together and the rivet inserted, bolt end first, the
head is supported by the dolly or other tool while the bolt end is hammered
out and made to fit in the countersink formed for its reception in the plate.
For ships the curved end of the rivet would be on the inside, while on the
outside the head would be hammered into the countersink flush with the
surface of the plate.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a vertical section of a ship's skin
plates, showing my method of connecting the bulkheads to a vessel's side by
means of the single and grooved T-irons before referred to, instead of by one

page_text: or two angle irons, as is generally used. C, C, are additional strengthening
plates, which are made to fill up the space between the inside strakes of the
skin plates round the ship's body from gunwale to gunwale. These plates may
be extended to the first, second, or third frames on each side of the bulkheads,
and are made the same thickness as the inside strake of the skin plates; thus
there are two thicknesses of plates every alternate strake, doubling the strength
where it is most required, and affording à perfectly smooth surface for the
bulkhead frame to rest against. It also affords the means of making the bulk-
head perfectly water-tight. In no case do I pass any of the bulkhead rivets
through the outer strake plates, except at the joint holes.
i
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of part of a ship's side, showing part of a bulk-
head, and the mode of connecting the same by means of double or single
T-irous. These T-irons answer as frames or timbers, having a broad base
embracing a large portion of the ship's side, thereby greatly strengthening the
plates opposite the bulkhead. The rivets which connect the bulkhead to tho
vessel's skin run, as before stated, in a zig-zag direction. I also use T-irons
for the ship's frames or timbers where double angle-iron timbers are required.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken at the bulkhead; Figure 4 is a section
on a larger scale, also taken at the bulkhead. In this case I use an ordinary
T-iron, and connect it in the same manner to the skin plates by means of my
double countersunk rivets D, D. Figure 5 is another section taken at the
bulkhead, showing the bulkhead plates B let into the grooved T-iron, which is
connected to the additional strengthening plate C by means of my double
countersunk rivets D, D. Figure 6 is an elevation of a double-rivetted seam
on my double countersink method, applicable to iron shipbuilding, boiler
making, and other purposes; Figure 7 is a section through the line E, E, of
the preceding Figure, showing the double countersink of or about three-
fourths the thickness of the plates, leaving a portion of the rivet parallel in
the middle. The head of the rivet is slightly curved, for the purpose of
placing a tool thereon while the rivetting is being performed at the other end.
Although I prefer the countersink to be made three-fourths the thickness of
the plates, still I do not limit myself to any particular form of countersink.
Figure 8 is an elevation of single-seam rivetting, for the same purposes
as those before described; Figure 9 is a section of the same through the
line F, F. Figure 10 is a section of a single seam, showing the countersink
continued the whole thickness of the plates, instead of being only three-fourths
the thickness. Figure 11 is an elevation of a butt joint, showing the strap
connected with double countersunk rivets; Figure 12 is a section of the same
through the line G, G.

page_text: And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the method of fixing and securing the bulkheads of iron ships, and
otherwise strengthening the ship where the bulkheads are fixed, as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the method of rivetting the plates of iron ships, boiler plates, and
others, herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Rae, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty.
JAMES RAE. (L.S.)
JAMES RAE. (L.S.)