IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Horsfall Watson and Samuel Joseph Woodhouse,
both of Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Horsfall Watson
and Samuel Joseph Woodhouse at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 8th April 1878.
THOMAS HORSFALL WATSON and SAMUEL JOSEPH WOODHOUSE, both of Leeds,
in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFAC-
TURE OF ARMOUR PLATES."
This Invention has for its object an improved construction and manufacture of
armour plates to be employed for protecting gunboats, ships, forts, and other
similar purposes, and consists in so constructing the plate that great resiliency and
elasticity is imparted thereto, thereby causing the shot, shell, or other missile
launched against it to fly off at a tangent on striking the same, without inflicting
any material injury, and so considerably increasing the value of such armour plates
for naval and military defensive purposes.
In order to carry out our Invention we proceed as follows:-Between the outer
skin or shield of the armour plate and its teaking or backing, we place any suitable
number of stout spiral springs, each of which are coiled around the shanks of the
vertical bolts which secure the various thicknesses of the armour plate together,
and the heads of such springs are left loose so as to allow them free play against the
back of the shield, whilst they are fastened to the teaking at the bottom by means
of iron plates bolted thereto, or in any other safe and convenient manner.
The vertical bolts before montioned are made without heads, but the tops of the
shanks are tapped and threaded into convenient cavities or spaces formed for their
reception on the inner surface of the outer skin or shield. The object of so fastening
the heads of the shanks is to increase the flexibility, and consequently the resistanco

page_text: of the outer skin or shield. This is done by avoiding the piercing of the outer
surface, which would otherwise be necessary if the screws were provided with
heads in the ordinary manner, and in this way we reduce all risk of fracture to a
minimum.
Towards the lower ends of the shanks of such vertical bolts conveniently shaped,
metal feet are fastened by means of cotters and washers, or in any other suitable
manner. These feet work up and down in suitably shaped metal shoes, which are
fastened to the teaking or backing of the armour plate in any convenient and
suitable manner, and are placed so closely together, as to afford each other mutual
support, and prevent their being displaced by any shock they may receive.
We fill such shoes with a flexible packing of cork, india-rubber, or any other
elastic material, so that when the surface of the outer skin or shield is depressed
by a blow from a missile, the spiral springs situate in the immediate neighbourhood
of the shock collapse and permit the foot or cap of each vertical bolt to be pressed
down against the flexible packing in the shoc, which, rebounding, forces the foot of
the vertical bolt upwards, and thereby compresses the spiral spring against the
outer skin or shield, thus restoring the outward surface of the same to its original
form, or nearly so.
In order to additionally secure the lower part of the shank of the vertical bolt,
so that the same may not be liable to be displaced, we provide a stout horizontal
bar or bolt, which, passing through a suitable slot formed in the shank of the
vertical bolt, is firmly secured on either side to the metal foot attached to the lower
end of the shank as before mentioned. The slot in the shank of the vertical bolt is
made of a sufficient length and width to allow of the bolt working easily up and
down over such horizontal bar or bolt.
In order also to provide for the contingency of the shank and foot of the bolt
being forced out above the head of the shoe or recess by the strength of the
rebound of the flexible packing, wherein it works, and so becoming displaced we
firmly fix around the head of such shoe by bolts and nuts, or in any other con-
venient manner, a stout metal shoulder or flange, and we forge or otherwise form
around the head, or foot, or cap fastened to the lower end of the vertical bolt, as
before mentioned, a corresponding shoulder or flange, so that when such foot is
.caused to rebound upwards by the flexible packing, as before described, such shoulder
or flange strikes against and is met by the shoulder or flange formed around the
head of the shoe, thus effectually preventing the displacement of the vertical bolt
and shoe therefrom.
The lower end of the shank of each of such vertical bolts passes through the entire
thickness of the teaking and metal backing of the plate, and projecting therethrough
is secured at its base by means of a suitable nut and washer, thus holding all the
parts of the plate securely and firmly together.
The great advantage of our improved construction of armour plate is, that by the
telescopic action of each vertical bolt and foot within the shoe or recess so filled
with flexible packing as aforesaid, great resiliency and elasticity is imparted to the
entire structure of the plate, but more particularly to the external surface of the
outer shield, thus rendering it admirably adapted to lessen the impact of any
missile which may be directed against it by causing the same to glance off and
leave the surface comparatively, if not totally uninjured.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Horsfall Watson and Samuel Joseph Woodhouse in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 7th October 1878.
THOMAS HORSFALL, WATSON and SAMUEL JOSEPH WOODHOUSE, both of Leeds,
in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFAC-
TURE OF ARMOUR PLATES."
This Invention has for its object an improved construction and manufacture of
armour plates to be employed for protecting gunboats, ships, forts, and other
similar purposes, and consists in so constructing the plate that great resiliency and
elasticity is imparted thereto, thereby causing the shot, shell, or other missile
launched against it to fly off at a tangent on striking the same, without inflicting
any material injury, and so considerably increasing the value of such armour plates
for naval and military defensive purposes.
And in order that our said Invention may be better understood and more readily
carried into effect, we will now with the aid of the accompanying Drawings
(whereon similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts), proceed more
particularly to describe and ascertain the same.
Figure 1 of such Drawings shows a side sectional elevation of our improved
armour plate.
Figure 2 shews a skeleton elevation thereof, with the vertical bolts and nuts as
they appear, previous to being fitted with feet or caps and sockets, or shoes, as
hereafter described.
Figure 3 is a plan view shewing the method of fastening the sockets or shoes to
the teaking or backing B, and one mode of arranging the same.
Figure 4 is a sectional view in side elevation, showing the shot in the vertical
bolt or bar,
And, Figure 5 shews an external view in side elevation of one of such vertical
bars when fitted complete.
We proceed as follows:-Between the outer skin or shield (A) of the armour
plate and its teaking or backing (B), we place any suitable number of stout spiral
springs (C), ench of which are coiled around the shanks of the vertical bolts (D)
which secure the various thicknesses of the armour plate together, and the heads of
such springs (indicated at C¹ in the accompanying Drawings) are left loose so as to
allow them free play against the back (A³) of the shield, whilst they are fastened to
the teaking or backing B at the bottom, by means of iron plates bolted thereto, or
in any other safe and convenient manner.
The vertical bolts D before mentioned are made without heads, but the tops of
the shanks are tapped and threaded into convenient cavities or spaces formed for
their reception on the inner surface of the outer skin or shield A, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings. The object of so fastening the
heads of the shanks is to increase the flexibility, and consequently the resistance of
the outer skin or shield. This is done by avoiding the piercing of the outer surface
which would otherwise be necessary, if the screws were provided with heads in the
ordinary manner, and in this way we reduce the risk of fracture to a minimum.
Towards the lower ends of the shanks of such vertical bolts (D) conveniently
shaped metal feet or caps (E) are fastened by means of cotters and washers, or in
any other suitable manner. These feet or caps work up and down in suitably
shaped metal shoes or sockets which are fastened to the teaking or backing B of
the armour plate in any convenient and suitable manner, and are placed so closely
together as to afford each other mutual support, and prevent their being displaced
by any shock they may receive.
One method of arranging the same is illustrated at Figure 3 of the accompanying
Drawings, but we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to this
particular method of arrangement.

page_text: Wo fill such shoes or sockets F with a flexible packing of cork, india-rubber, or
auy other suitable elastic material as indicated at F in Figures 1 and 4 of the
accompanying Drawings, so that when the surface of the outer skin or shield A is
depressed by a blow from a missile, the spiral springs C situate in the immediate
neighbourhood of the shock, collapse, and permit the foot or cap E of each vertical
bolt to be pressed down against the flexible packing in the shoe or socket F, which,
rebounding, forces the foot of the vertical bolt D upwards, and thereby compresses
the spiral spring C against the outer skin or shield (A), thus restoring the outward
surface of the same to its original form, or nearly so.
In order to additionally secure the lower part of the shank of the vertical bolt
(D), so that the same may not be liable to be displaced, we provide a stout
horizontal bar or bolt (G), which, passing through a suitable slot (G³) formed in the
shank of the vertical bolt (D) is firmly secured on either side to the metal foot or
cap
E attached to the lower ond of the shank as before mentioned. The slot (G¹)
in the shank of the vertical bolt is made of a sufficient length and width to allow
of the bolt working easily up and down over such horizontal bar or bolt G.
In order also to provide for the contingency of the shank and foot of the bolt
being forced out above the head of the shoe or socket, by the strength of the
rebound of the flexible packing wherein it works, and so becoming displaced, we
firmly fix around the head of such screw or socket by bolts and nuts, or in any
other convenient manner, a stout metal shoulder or flange (H, Figures 1 and 3),
and we forge or otherwise form around the base of the foot or cap fastened to the
lower end of the vertical bolt, as before mentioned, a corresponding shoulder or
flange H¹, Figures 1 and 4, so that when such foot or cap is caused to rebound
upwards by the flexible packing as before described, such shoulder or flange H¹
strikes against and is met by the shoulder or flange H formed around the head of
the shoe or socket as just described, and thus effectually prevents the displacement
of the vertical bolt and cap therefrom.
The lower end of the shank of each of such vertical bolts passes through the
entire thickness of the toaking and metal backing of the plate, as shewn in Figures
1 and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, and projecting therethrough, is secured at
its base by means of a suitable nut and washer, thus holding all the parts of the
plate securely and firmly together. In order also to impart greater strength and
security, we prefer to form or fix in any suitable manner around the base of the
shoe or socket F a stout rim or flange, through which we pass supplementary bolts
I, I, secured by nuts and screws as indicated in Figures 1 and 4 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Another important feature of our Invention is, that in order to increase the
flexibility of the armour plate, we insert between the outer skin A and the inner
skin A3 a layer or packing of india-rubber or other suitable substance A³, which
thus considerably increases the resiliency of the armour plate, and diminishes the
risk of injury thereto.
The great advantage of our improved construction of armour plate is, that by the
telescopic action of each vertical bolt and foot within the shoe or recess so filled
with flexible packing as aforesaid, great resiliency and elasticity is imparted to the
entire structure of the plate, but more particularly to the external surface of the
outer shield, thus rendering it admirably adapted to lesson the impact of any missile
which may be directed against it, by causing the same to glance off and leave the
surface comparatively, if not totally uninjured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said In-
vention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, we would have it under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details of construction herein-
before set forth, as the same may be varied without departing from the principle of
our Invention, what we claim is,-
Firstly. The so constructing armour plates as to impart thereto great flexibility
and resiliency, thus considerably increasing their powers of resistance, and reducing

page_text: all risk of injury to a minimum, substantially in the manner and by the means
herein-before described and illustrated, or any mere modification thereof.
Secondly. We claim the use and application of such improved flexible armour
plates for all defensive purposes, whether naval, military, or otherwise, as well by
sea as on land.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Horsfall Watson and Samuel Joseph
Woodhouse, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of
October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight.
T. H. WATSON.
(L.S.)
SAMUEL JOSEPH WOODHOUSE. (L.S.)