IMPROVEMENTS IN SIDE LIGHTS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF THE SAME
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hays, Wilson, of the Firm of John Hays
Wilson and Company, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass.
Founders and Ships' Ironmongers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SIDE LIGHTS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF THE SAME."
Sealed the 4th March 1864, and dated the 10th September 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hays Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
September 1868.
I, JOHN HAYS WILSON, of the Firm of John Hays Wilson and Company, of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founders and Ships' Ironmongers,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SIDE LIGHTS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF THE SAME," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is certain improvements in the form and mode
of combining the several parts used in the construction of side lights for ships
and other navigable vessels, and in the peculiar mode of manufacturing the
same so as to reduce the cost of production on the method now generally
practised, and consists in a means for fastening the glass and frame surrounding
the glass, and the clastic packing of india-rubber or other material at one

page_text: operation; and in casting the frame carrying the glass and surrounding frame
with an undercut groove or flange to receive the india-rubber or other elastic
packing in place of turning it out as now generally practised, and casting
the main or fixed frame with an external flange which will, when in position,
bring the closing plate flush with the vessel's side; and in jointing the frame
carrying the glass and surrounding frame and the india-rubber or other elastic
packing to the same hinge as the internal shutter, and using the same folding
screw to secure both, that one handled nut will be sufficient to hold closed one
or both as required.
An ordinary side light constructed according to these improvements may be
made as follows:-The frame plate which is attached to the vessel's side is
cast with a collar surrounding the outside of the circular opening so as to
extend sufficiently outwards that its outer edge will be flush with the vessel's
side, and is provided with an inner lip or collar to receive the metallic cover,
which is formed so that the external face will be flush with the outer edge of
the circular flange and the vessel's side. And where the depth of the flange
is sufficient, as in the case of wooden vessels, it may be locked in position by a
screw lock joint, or its mechanical equivalent; but in the case of (say) an iron
vessel, the jointed frame, carrying the glass and so forth, is arranged so as to abut
against it and hold it in position. The back of the fixed-plate is formed with a
circular ridge surrounding the opening in the plate, against which the india-
rubber or other elastic packing abuts when closed against it, and with a pair
of projecting lugs on each side, one pair being used to form the fixed butt of
the hinge joint attaching the frame carrying the glass and its surrounding
frame, and the india-rubber or other packing, as well as the inner metallic
cover thereto, and the other pair of projections constitute the fixed part of
the hinge of the jointed screw fastener, the nut of which screw fastener is
screwed down upon lateral projecting lugs on the sides of the frame carrying
the glass, its surrounding frame, and the elastic packing, and the inner closing
shutter. The swinging frame carrying the india-rubber or other elastic
packing ring, the glass, and its surrounding collar, consists of a flat circular
ring of brass or other suitable material, cast with an undercut flange on the
outer edge of the front thereof, and on to the face of which is laid a washer or
flat slip of india-rubber or other suitable packing, on the top of which is fixed
the glass surrounded by a flanged ring undercut on its outer edge to receive
the inner edge of the elastic packing, and is of a less external diameter than
the principal frame, so as to leave a portion of the packing between the
undercut flange and the outer edge of the ring surrounding the glass exposed.
The glass and its surrounding frame, and the ring of elastic packing,

page_text: are held securely in position by means of screws connecting the principal frame
and the ring surrounding the glass, one side of the swinging frame is provided
with a pair of projections forming the upper and lower portions of the moving
parts of the binge. The internal metallic shutter is formed with a single
hinged lug which works in between the two fixed butt lugs of the hinge on
the fixed frame plate. When it is required to keep closed the glass carrying
frame, the short screwed rod is turned into the recess formed by the two lugs
or horns, and the screwed nut turned round untill it bears thereon; when it is
required to close and secure the inner metallic shutter, all that is necessary is
to ease the nut and turn the rod upon which it works to one side, close the
shutter, then again bring forward the screw fastener in between the lateral
lugs or horns on the edges of the shutter and glazed frame, screw down the
nut, then the side light is securely closed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hays Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th March 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAYS WILSON, of the Firm of John Hays Wilson and Company, of Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Brass Founders and Ships' Ironmongers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, 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 Hays Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said John Hays Wilson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John.
Hays Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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 SIDE LIGHTS
FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hays.
Wilson, 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

page_text: 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:
late of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hays Wilson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement (that is to say):
The object of this my said Invention is certain improvements in the form
and mode of combining the several parts used in the construction of side lights
for ships and other navigable vessels, and in the peculiar mode of manufac-
turing the same so as to reduce the cost of production on the method now
generally practised, and consists in a means for fastening the glass and frame
surrounding the glass, and the elastic packing of india-rubber or other material
at one operation; and in casting the frame carrying the glass and surrounding
frame with an undercut groove or flange to receive the india-rubber or other
elastic packing in place of turning it out as now generally practised; and-
casting the main or fixed frame with an external flange, which will, when
in position, bring the closing plate flush with the vessel's side; and in
jointing the frame carrying the glass and surrounding frame, and the india-
rubber or other elastic packing to the same hinge as the internal shutter, which
I also prefer to fit with an india-rubber or other packing so as to make the
joint good, in the same way as that of the frame in which the glass is fixed,
and using the same folding screw to secure both, that one-handled nut will be
sufficient to hold closed one, or both, as required.
An ordinary side light constructed according to these improvements may be
made as follows:-The frame plate, which is attached to the vessel's side, is
cast with a collar surrounding the outside of the circular opening so as to
extend sufficiently outwards that its outer edge will be flush with the vessel's
side, and is provided with an inner lip or collar to receive the metallic cover,
which is formed so that the external face will be flush with the outer edge of
the circular flange and the vessel's side. And where the depth of the flange
is sufficient, as in the case of wooden vessels, it may be locked in position by a
screw-lock joint, or its mechanical equivalent; but in the case of (say) an iron
vessel, the jointed frame carrying the glass and so forth, is arranged so as to
abut against it, and hold it in position. The back of the fixed plate is formed
with a circular ridge surrounding the opening in the plate against which the
india-rubber or other elastic-packing abuts when closed against it, and with a
pair of projecting lugs on each side, one pair being used to form the fixed butt
of the hinge joint attaching the frame carrying the glass, and its surrounding

page_text: .
frame the india-rubber or other packing, as well as the inner metallic cover
thereto, and the other pair of projections constitute the fixed part of the hinge
of the jointed screw fastener, the nut of which screw fastener is screwed down
upon lateral projecting lugs on the sides of the frame carrying the glass; its.
surrounding frame, and the elastic packing, and the inner closing shutter."
The swinging frame, carrying the india-rubber or other elastic packing ring,
the glass, and its surrounding collar, consists of a flat circular ring of brass or
other suitable material, cast with an undercut flange on the outer edge of the.
front thereof, and on to the face of which is laid a washer or flat slip of india-
rubber or other suitable packing, on the top of which is fixed the glass surrounded
by a flanged. ring, undercut on its outer edge to receive the inner edge of the
elastic packing, and is of a less external diameter than the principal frame, so
as to leave a portion of the packing between the undercut flange and the
outer edge of the ring surrounding the glass exposed. The glass and its sur-
rounding frame, and the ring of elastic packing are held securely in position
by means of screws connecting the principle frame and the ring surrounding
the glass. One side of the swinging frame is provided with a pair of projec-
tions forming the upper and lower portion of the moving parts of the hinge.
The internal metallic shutter is formed with a single hinge lug, which works
in between the two fixed butt lugs of the hinge on the fixed frame plate, and
I prefer in most cases to form the outer face of this internal shutter with an
undercut groove to receive an india-rubber or other suitable packing, which
when closed, will abut against an annular flanch on the back of the glass
carrying frame. When it is required to keep closed the glass carrying frame.
the short screwed rod is turned into the recess formed. by the: two lugs.or
horns, and the screwed nut turned round untill it bears thereon: When it is
required to close secure the inner metallic shutter, all that is necessary is to
ease the nut, and turn the rod upon which it works to one side, close the
shutter, then again bring forward the screw fastener in between the lateral
lugs or horns on the edge of the shutter and glazed frame, screw down the nut;
then the side-light is secured closed. The external covering lid which closes
the side opening entirely, and comes flush with the outside of the vessel's hull
is intended to be used when it is desired for. a time to completely close the
side opening, and admits of these side lights being placed in the side of a
vessel even below the deep load line.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily understood, I have
hereunto annexed Drawings in illustration of one of my improved side lights. :
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2 a top view or plan; Figure 3 a
vertical section, taken from y to z, Figures 1 and 2.
.
'

page_text: A is the main stationery frame plate, which may be of iron, brass, or other
metal, cast with 6, an external flange projecting outwards, so as to be in line.
with the external surface of the hull of the vessel, and which is provided with
c, an annular internal collar, to receive the circular closing plate (H); d, a
circular projection on the inner face of the plate (A), against which abuts the
elastic packing (e); f and f', fixed lugs for jointing the frame carrying the
glass, annular ring, elastic packing, and internal closing shutter plate to the
stationary frame plate (A); 9, joint lugs, fixed or cast on to the stationery
frame plate (A), to which is jointed j, a folding screwed rod, on which works
the thumbscrew locking nut (k); B, the circular frame, which is cast with
h and h³, hinge joint lugs, and i; projections or horns, between which folds a
screwed rod (), carrying a locking nut k, which upon being screwed down on
to the horns, holds the frame closed; C, a plate of glass, fitted into the frame.
(B), and which, with m, an annular india-rubber or other elastic packing, is
held in position by D, an annular ring, having an undercut flange to receive
the elastic packing, this undercut flange being formed in the casting in place
of being turned out as heretofore commonly practised, and is attached to the
annular india-rubber or other. elastic packing (m), and is attached to the.
folding frame (B) by screws seen.in dotted line, Figure 8 ; E, the inner shutter
plate, which is cast with an undercut circular groove to receive F, a washer of
india-rubber or other suitable elastic packing, and with 1, a joint lug for
connecting it to the stationery frame plate (A), and n, horns, between which
the folding screwed rod and on to which the thumbscrew presses when closed;
p, the hinge pin, connecting the inner shutter plate (E), and glazed swinging
frame (B) with the main stationery frame plate (A); G, the outer closing
plate; g, holes in main frame plate (A), for attaching the side light to the side
of the vessel.
Having now fully described the nature of this my said Invention, and how
I believe the same would be best carried into practical effect, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details, relative propor-
tions or dimensions, as it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably
varied without departing from the Invention; but what I claim is,-
Firstly, casting the several parts with undercut dovetailed grooves to receive
the elastic packing, in place of turning them out in the lathe, as heretoforo
generally practised.
Secondly, jointing the glazed frame and inner closing shutter plate to the
main stationery frame, so as to work on one joint pin.
Thirdly, the use of a single screwed rod and thumbscrew, for holding
closed the glazed frame, and also the inner shutter when required.

page_text: And, lastly, the general arrangement, form, and combination, and mode of
manufacturing side lights for ships and other navigable vessels, as herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modification of the same.
In witness wereof, I, the said John Hays Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle street,
Liverpool.
JOHN HAYS (L.s.) WILSON.