IMPROVEMENTS IN COM- POSITIONS FOR PREVENTING THE FOULING OF THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS, FLOATING DOCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF APPLYING THE SAID COMPOSITIONS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Augustus Frederick Fowke, of the Con-
servative Club, St. James' Street, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COM-
POSITIONS FOR PREVENTING THE FOULING OF THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS, FLOATING
DOCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF
APPLYING THE SAID COMPOSITIONS."
Sealed the 81st December 1867, and dated the 2nd July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Augustus Frederick
Fowke at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
on the 2nd July 1867.
I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK FOWKE, of the Conservative Club, St.
James' Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COM-
POSITIONS FOR PREVENTING THE FOULING OF THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS, FLOATING
DOCKS, AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF APPLYING
THE SAID COMPOSITIONS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the manufacture of new or improved compositions
or mixtures for the coating, and thereby more effectually preserving the
bottoms of iron and wooden ships, floating docks, and other such like

page_text: structures from fouling, and in the mode of applying the said compositions
or mixtures to the surface or surfaces which it is desired to protect.
I. In order to carry out my Invention I take the following ingredients in
or about the following relative proportions or quantities, namely, of pitch,
three parts of resin, one part; of plumbago, five parts; of tallow or other
grease, three-fourths of a part; and of cement one part. I melt these
ingredients in a metal or other vessel capable of withstanding great heat,
and thoroughly mix them together. I spread the mixture whilst in a warm
state over the surface to be coated, and I smooth or thin the coat applied
with hot irons so as to make it uniform in thickness.
II. I next prepare a composition or mixture of the same ingredients (with
the exception of the tallow) and in or about the same relative proportions or
quantities, and I prepare this composition and use it in identically the same
manner as that first herein-above described (I.), but as a second coating over
or above the first.
III. I now take of the following ingredients in or about the following
proportions, namely, of sulphur, eight parts; of black lead, five, parts; and
of cement as may be required. I melt these materials and thoroughly
mixing them together I run this composition into moulds so as to form
plates of any thickness or form that may be desired; I roll these plates, if
necessary, for the purpose of rendering them of sufficient density; I propose
to make the edges bevelled. I coat the plates thus made with a dressing of
both or either of the compositions or mixtures herein-before described (I.
and II.). The composition already spread upon the ship being warmed, and
that upon the plates being also warmed, the plates are pressed into their
places on the surface to be coated, where they adhere, and the interstices
between the plates are carefully filled up at the bevilled edges with the
composition (III.) in a soft state. I propose in some cases to apply the
plates directly on to the composition first described, that with the tallow,
and dispense with the use of the second composition. I propose also in
some cases to make these compositions or some or any of them without the
cement; the cement being added, if required, for the purpose of giving
solidity so as to prevent the composition from running. I use the resin
for the purpose of giving hardness.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
AUGUSTUS FREDERICK FOWKE, of the Conservative Club, St. James' Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Augustus Frederick Fowke, Her special licence that I, the said
George Augustus Frederick Fowke, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke, my exe-
cutors, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS
FOR PREVENTING THE FOULING OF THE BOTTOMS OF SHIPS, FLOATING DOCKS, AND
OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES, AND IN THE MODE OR MEANS OF APPLYING THE SAID
COMPOSITIONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Augustus Frederick Fowke, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 calender months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke,
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:-
My Invention consists in the manufacture of new or improved compositions.
or mixtures for the coating and thereby more effectually preserving the
bottoms of iron and wooden ships, floating docks, and other such like-
structures from fouling, and protecting piers, piles, or other woodwork from
the ravages of the worm, and in the mode of applying the said compositions
or mixtures to the surface or surfaces which it is desired to protect..
1. In order to carry out my Invention I take the following ingredients in

page_text: or about the following relative proportions or quantities, namely, of pitch,
three parts; of resin, one part; of plumbago, five parts; of tallow or other
grease, one-third of a part; and of cement one part. I melt these ingredients
in a metal vessel, which I find it convenient to have of considerable thickness,
so that the heat can be kept uniform, and the sulphur does not so readily
take fire as in a thin vessel.
II. I next prepare in a similar manner a composition or mixture of the
same ingredients (with the exception of the tallow) and in or about the
same relative proportions or quantities, and I prepare this composition and
use it in identically the same manner as that herein-before described (I.)
but as a second coating over and above the first.
III. I now take of the following ingredients in or about the following
proportions, namely, of sulphur, eight parts; of plumbago, five parts; and
of cement, generally in the proportion of about one-third of the quantity of
plumbago; I melt these ingredients in a similar manner to the composition
first described in that part of this Specification marked I. and thoroughly
mixing them together I run this composition into moulds so as to form
plates of any thickness or form that may be desired, rolling or pressing it during
the process for the purpose of rendering the plates of sufficient density, and
forcing it into the moulds; I propose to make the edges of these plates
bevelled. I coat the plates thus made with a dressing of both or either of
the compositions or mixtures first described (I. and II.). The composition
already spread upon the ship being warmed, and that upon the plates being
also warmed, the plates are pressed on to their places on the surface to be
coated, where they adhere, and the interstices between the plates are carefully
filled up at the bevelled edges with the composition (III.) in a soft state;
this I press in with hot irons or small rollers, making a perfect joint, and
forming one homogeneous surface without any seam, the bevelled edges
being themselves slightly melted in the process. I propose in some cases
to apply the plates directly on to the composition first described, that with
the tallow, and dispense with the use of the second composition. Instead of
moulding the composition III. into plates, I propose where more convenient
to apply the composition in a soft state to the surface to be protected with
a trowel, or any similar kind of spreading tool, and I next use a smoothing
iron of a cylindrical shape, having at about its midlength a tang or tongue
by means of which it is fixed to a handle of wood. With this iron, after it
has been made hot, I spread the composition uniformly over the surface, and
I give the requisite finish to the outer surface of the composition by means
of a somewhat similar and similarly fitted tool, but which instead of being

page_text: round is square in section, and has the angle at the operating edge slightly
rounded. Although I thus particularly describe these tools as those which
I have at present found most convenient for the purpose, it will be obvious
that many other descriptions of tools may be used for the purpose of spreading,
smoothing, and finishing the composition. I propose also in some cases to
make these compositions, or some or any of them, without the cement, the
cement being added if required for the purpose of giving stiffness in the
cases of compositions I. and II., so as to prevent the composition from running,
and greater hardness in the case of composition III. The resin also in cases
of compositions I. and II. is added for the purpose of giving greater firmness,
the quantity used depending upon the quality of the pitch.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,
the composition in its forms I., II., and III., and its application and use as
herein-before in this Specification described for the purpose of coating the
bottoms of iron and wooden ships, floating docks, and other similar structures
and submarine works, and thereby preventing them fouling and from the
ravages of the worm.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Augustus Frederick Fowke,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERICK FOWKE. (L.B.)