IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICA- TION OF PRESERVATIVE COATINGS OR COMPOSITIONS TO THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hornby Maw, of Broseley, in the County
of Salop, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICA-
TION OF PRESERVATIVE COATINGS OR COMPOSITIONS TO THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS
AND VESSELS."
Sealed the 26th April 1864, and dated the 4th November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hornby Maw at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th November 1863.
I, JOHN HORNBY MAW, of Broseley, in the County of Salop; Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
APPLICATION OF PRESERVATIVE COATINGS OR COMPOSITIONS TO THE BOTTOMS OF
SHIPS AND VESSELS," to be as follows:-
Those parts of ships and vessels which are subjected to the action of the sea
or other water, or of the contents of such water, are found to be thereby
corroded or otherwise injured, and the ships or vessels are found to be
deteriorated and impeded by reason of animal and vegetable beings and other
things attaching themselves to their surfaces, or penetrating into their
substance.
Now it has been found beneficial to cover the surfaces of ships and vessels;

page_text: especially when they consist of iron, with cements, paints, unguents, or other
such like matters or compositions repellant of such beings or things; but it is
found that the said protective compositions have little permanence by reason
of their unsufficient hold upon the surfaces. Now my Invention consists in the
following means of giving increased permanency to such protective compositions
or matters where applied to the surfaces of ships or vessels :-
I cover such surfaces with indentations, grooves, or other hollows for the
reception and firm retention of the compositions used for repelling injurious
and impeding beings and things. I make the said indentations or hollows
sufficiently close to each other to give increased holding to that part of the
protective matter which is on the spaces between the holes, and also sufficiently
close to each other that even in case of the said matter being rubbed off or
removed from the spaces between the holes or indentations, there is no sufficient
interval or interstice to which the injurious beings or things can attach them-
selves so as to grow into serious impediments, because the repellant matter
will not be removed from the holes by what might remove it from the spaces
between them. The holes being filled, the ship or vessel would present a
smooth surface to the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hornby Maw in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HORNBY MAW, of Broseley, in the County of Salop, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Hornby Maw, Her special licence that I, the said John
Hornby Maw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Hornby Maw, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF PRESERVATIVE COATINGS OR
COMPOSITIONS TO THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS AND VESSELS," upon the condition

page_text: (amongst others) that I, the said John Hornby Maw, 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 John Hornby Maw, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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, that is to say :-
Those parts of ships and vessels which are subjected to the action of the sea
or other water, or of the contents of such water, are found to be thereby
corroded or otherwise injured, and the ships or vessels are found to be
deteriorated and impeded by reason of animal and vegetable beings and other
things attaching themselves to their surfaces, or penetrating into their
substance.
Now it has been found beneficial to cover the surfaces of ships and vessels
(especially when they consist of iron) with cements, paints, unguents, or other
such like matters or compositions repellant of such beings or things; but it is
found that the said protective compositions have little permanence by reason
of their insufficient hold upon the surfaces. Now my Invention consists in the
following means of giving increased permanency to such protective compositions
or matters when applied to the surfaces of ships or vessels :-
I cover such surfaces with indentations, grooves, or other hollows for the
reception and firm retention of the compositions used for repelling injurious
and impeding beings and things. I make the said indentations or hollows
sufficiently close to each other to give increased holding to that part of the
protective matter which is on the spaces between the holes, and also sufficiently
close to each other that even in case of the said matter being rubbed off or
removed from the spaces between the holes or indentations there is no sufficient
interval or interstice to which the injurious beings or things can attach them-
selves so as to grow into serious impediments, because the repellant matter
will not be removed from the holes by what might remove it from the spaces
between them. The holes being filled, the ship or vessel will present a smooth
surface to the water.
I prepare the surfaces by punching or chiselling, or after the manner of file
cutting, or by pressure, whilst hot or when cold, or by means of the planing
machine, or any other means. And also whether the materials have their

page_text: surfaces so prepared before or after their application to such ships or vessels,
as aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hornby Maw, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
J. H. MAW. (L.S.)