IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING AND APPLYING A CERTAIN MATERIAL ON THE HULLS OF. IRON OR WOODEN SHIPS, OR ON THE SURFACES OF MATERIALS FOR BUILDING THE SAME, ALSO FOR PRE- VENTING OXIDATION AND TUBERCLES IN IRON WATER PIPES
Year: 1861

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Gerard Ralston, of 21, Tokenhouse Yard, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING AND
APPLYING A CERTAIN MATERIAL ON THE HULLS OF. IRON OR WOODEN SHIPS, OR
ON THE SURFACES OF MATERIALS FOR BUILDING THE SAME, ALSO FOR PRE-
VENTING OXIDATION AND TUBERCLES IN IRON WATER PIPES."-A com-
munication from abroad by Jacob Snider, júnior, of Pennsylvania,
United States of America, now residing at Paris, Empire of France.
.
Sealed the 30th May: 1862, and dated the 2nd December 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gerard Ralston at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
December 1861.
I, GERARD RALSTON, of 21, Tokenhouse Yard, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF PREPARING
AND APPLYING A CERTAIN MATERIAL ON THE HULLS OF IRON OR WOODEN SHIPS, OR
ON THE SURFACES OF MATERIALS FOR BUILDING THE SAME, ALSO FOR PREVENTING.
OXIDATION AND TUBERCLES IN IRON WATER PIPES," to be as follows:-
I first také amorphous graphite and reduce it to fine powder, and free it as
much as possible from impurities. The powdered graphite is then mixed
with oil in a mixer. in the following manner: Slightly warm the mixer
by a coil of pipe heated by steam, so that the powdered graphite shall not be

page_text: allowed to cool and take up moisture, then put pure crude or raw linseed oil
therein, in the proportions of one pound of oil to three pounds of the dry
powdered graphite, and when these have been gradually mixed or combined in
the "mixer," there must be added hot pure yellow beeswax, in the proportion of
about one pound of beeswax to every ten pounds of the powdered graphite; the
whole must then be well and thoroughly incorporated together therein pre-
vious to being ground cold in a stone paint mill, wherein it must be ground to
a consistence equal to white lead ground in oil, to preserve it for readily com-
bining with additional oil when needed for use. To apply the same, iron, steel,
or other metal plates for building ships, or for casing ships outside, or other-
wise, a requiste quantity of the prepared "graphite composition" must be
reduced to the consistence at which paint is ordinarily used, by the admixture
of raw pure linseed oil; any "dryer" or other substance must not be added. The
plates as made, and whilst yet so hot as to preclude the atmospheric moisture
causing any incipient oxidation taking place are to receive a coat of the
graphitic composition;" a most efficacious mode would be to plunge the hot
plates into a bath of the graphitic mixture. The plates thus prepared with
this preliminary coating, must be left under cover a sufficient time to dry for
the composition to "sett." The plates thus prepared may be handled and
worked, or their strength proved by firing cannon balls against them, without
detriment to the final process they undergo when forming a ship's hull
or a part thereof.
"
All holes drilled into or through any such plates, in the process of joining or
attaching them subsequently, should be. well lubricated with a thick coating of.
the "graphitic composition, and all rivets or bolts penetrating into or through
said plates should be immersed in said "graphitic composition;" and where
red hot rivets or bolts are used, the hole into which they enter should be well
coated with the "graphitic composition," for the hot rivet or bolt entering
therein cannot affect injuriously the graphite, and the composition, which thus
gets packed into the joint, can never oxidize, and does not contract or expand
-by-the-change-of temperature. The protruding heads or ends of all such bolts
or rivets should be immediately covered with a coat of the "graphitic compo-
sition, and if the bolt or rivet be not still hot, it will be best to apply the
composition hot to said ends or heads of bolts or rivets, so that their external
surfaces shall conform to the condition the plates are then in. All joints
between plates, or wherever the metal joins, should receive an additional coating
of it at the time of joining.
The hull of a ship constructed with plates thus prepared, is painted with
a graphite paint, made substantially as herein-before described, with the excep-

page_text: tion that the beeswax is omitted. This paint I reduce with pure raw linseed
oil to a proper consistence for applying on the prepared plates forming the
hull of the ship. Previous to applying the graphite paint the faces of the
plates of the ship must be well rubbed with hard band brushes or other suit-
able means, until the "graphitic composition" thereon assumes a bright
polished surface; then apply the "graphite paint," and give the same ample
time to get thoroughly dry. Should there be, after the surface generally is well
dried, spots or places a little "tacky," rub on a small quantity of dry powdered
graphite; then have the entire surface well rubbed until the same assumes
a hard metallic polish, when it is ready for a second coat, if necessary;
this must be treated in a similar manner, should it be required to apply a
third coat; if not, allow it to get thoroughly dry, when the operation is com-
plete. In time, when the water and weather has acted upon the oil contained
in the paint, and so caused the external surface to assume a "flat" slate color,
it will be only necessary to rub the surface with brushes to give it a brilliant
black polish.
For preserving wooden ships and preventing them from fouling, the wood
must be perfectly dry and the surface be entirely freed of all dirt or any other.
paint or composition whatever, so that the grain or pores of the wood may
directly receive a coat of the "graphitic composition" laid on as hot as it can
be put on. This must be left to get perfectly dry, when it must be rubbed
similarly to iron, and one or more coats of the graphite paint applied in the
manner already described in the case of iron ships.
For preserving iron ships already built from oxidation and "fouling," their
surfaces must be thoroughly and entirely freed from all previous paints, com-
positions, or coverings; when this is effectually done, by scraping and then
rubbing with coarse sand paper, all dust must be carefully brushed from off
the surfaces; then apply as hot as possible a coating of the "graphitic compo-
sition. When perfectly dry, rub the entire surface well to a polish,. and apply
and treat respectively one or more coats of the graphite paint, as herein-before
described.
In constructing or repairing wooden ships, where holes are bored and bolts
let in, if the holes bé coated with and the bolts dipped into the "graphitic
composition," no oxidation of the bolt nor rot of the wood at the surfaces of
junction with the iron or metal bolt will ever take place.
In preserving iron pipes. against oxidation and "tubercles," I propose to
take the pipes hot from the casting, as soon as they can be freed from the sand,
and, before they cool sufficient to allow any atmospheric moisture to set upon
then, to plunge them into a bath of the " graphitic composition," When cold,

page_text: and the coat of the graphitic: composition has "sett" dry, they should receive
a stout coating of the graphite paint.
I reject entirely the use of any "crystalline" graphite in combination with.
any or either of my processes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Gerard Ralston in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd June 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GERARD
RALSTON, of 21, Tokenhouse Yard, London, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Gerard Ralston, Her special licence that I, the said Gerard Ralston, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Gerard
Ralston, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF PREPARING AND APPLYING A CERTAIN MATERIAL ON THE HULLS OF
IRON OR WOODEN SHIPS, OR ON THE SURFACES OF MATERIALS FOR BUILDING THE
SAME, ALSO FOR PREVENTING OXIDATION AND TUBERCLES IN IRON WATER PIPES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Gerard Ralston, 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 per-
formed, 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 Gerard Ralston, 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:-
J
I first take amorphose graphite and reduce it to fine powder, and free it as
much as possible from impurities. The powdered graphite is then mixed with

page_text: "6
"
oil in a mixer in the following manner :-Slightly warm the mixer by a coil
of pipe heated by steam, so that the powdered graphite shall not be allowed
to cool and take up atmospheric moisture. Then put pure crude or raw
linseed oil therein, in the-proportion of one pound of oil to three pounds of
the dry powdered graphite, and when these have been gradually mixed or
combined in the "mixer," there must be added hot pure yellow beeswax in
the proportion of about one pound of beeswax to every ten pounds: of the
powdered graphite, the whole must then be well and thoroughly incorporated
together therein previous to being ground cold or at a suitable temperature
in a paint mill, wherein it must be ground to a consistence equal to white lead
ground in oil, to preserve it for readily combining with additional oil when
needed for use. Graphite" thus prepared with linseed oil and beeswax in
any proportion, either as herein described or otherwise, according as desired,
or by any other process of incorporating the same together, I claim as the
graphitic composition" of my Invention for the purposes named. To apply
the same to iron, steel, or other metal plates for building ships or for casing
ships outside or otherwise, or any other. purpose, a requisite quantity of the
prepared "graphitic composition," must be reduced to the consistence at
which paint is ordinarily used by the admixture of raw pure linseed oil.
I do not recommend any "dryer" or other substance to be added. The plates
as made, and whilst yet so hot as to preclude the atmospheric moisture causing
any incipient oxidation taking place, are to receive a coat of the "graphitic
composition;" a most efficacious mode would be to plunge the hot plates
into a bath of the "graphitic composition." The plates thus prepared with
this preliminary coating, must be left under cover a sufficient time to dry, or
for the composition to "set." The plates thus prepared may be handled and
worked, or their strength proved by firing cannon balls against them, without
detriment to the final process they are to undergo when forming a.ship's hull
or a part thereof..
..
All holes drilled into or through any such plates, in the process of joining
or attaching them subsequently, should be well lubricated with a thick coating.
of the "graphitic composition," and all rivets or bolts penetrating into or
through said plates should be immersed in said "graphitic composition ;" and
where red hot rivets or bolts are used the hole into which they enter should
be well coated or swabbed with the "graphitic composition," for the hot rivet
or bolt entering therein cannot effect injuriously the "graphitic composition,"
and the composition which thus gets packed into the joint, can never oxidize,
and does not contract or expand. by any change of temperature. The pro-
truding heads or ends of all such bolts or rivets should be immediately.covered

page_text: with a coat of the "graphitic composition," and if the bolt or rivet be not still
hot it will be best to apply the composition hot to said ends, or beads of bolts
or rivets, so that their external surfaces shall conform to the condition the
plates are then in. All joints between plates, or wherever the metal joins,
should receive an additional coating or swabbing of the "graphitic composition"
at the time of joining.
The hull of a ship constructed with plates thus prepared, is afterwards to
be painted with a "graphite paint" made substantially as herein-before des-
cribed with the exception that the beeswax is omitted. This paint I reduce
with pure raw linseed oil to a proper consistence for applying on the prepared
plates forming the hull of the ship, or to any part of a ship of vessel or iron or
wood. Previous to applying the graphite paint, the faces of the plates of the
ship must be well rubbed with hard hand brushes or other suitable means until
the "graphitic composition" previously applied thereon assumes a bright or
smooth polished surface. Then apply the "graphite paint," and give the same
ample time to get thoroughly dry. Should there be, after the surface generally
is well dried, spots or places a little "tacky," rub on a small quantity of dry
finely powdered graphite. Then have the entire surface well rubbed until
the same assumes a hard metallic polish, when it is ready for a second coat,
if necessary. This second coat must be treated in a similar manner as the
previous coat, should it be required to apply a third coat; if not, allow it to get
thoroughly dry, when the operation is complete. In time, when the water and
weather has acted upon the oil contained in the paint and so caused the
external surface to assume a "flat" slate color, it will be only necessary to
rub the surface with brushes to give it a brilliant black polish.
For preserving wooden ships, and preventing them from getting foul, the
wood must be perfectly dry, and its surface be entirely freed of all dirt, or
any other paint or composition whatever, so that the grain or pores of the
wood may directly receive a coat of the "graphitic composition" laid on as
hot as possible. This must be left to get perfectly dry, when it must be rubbed
similarly as is described for treating it on iron plates, and one or more coats
of the graphite paint afterwards applied-in-tho-manner-already-described_in_
the case of iron ships.
For preserving iron ships already built from oxidation and "fouling," their
surfaces must be thoroughly and entirely freed from all previous paints, com-
positions, or coverings. When this is effectually done, by scraping and then
rubbing with coarse sand paper; all dust must be carefully brushed from off the
surfaces. The iron to be coated with the "graphitic composition" may then
be heated by means of braziers of live coals slung over it, and when thus

page_text: warmed so as to enable the expanded granulation of the iron the more freely
to absorb the "graphitic composition," then apply, as hot as possible, a
coating of the graphitic composition" and continue its application so long
as the iron will continue to absorb it and until the iron cools. When perfectly
dry, rub the entire surface well to a polish, and apply and treat respectively
one or more coats of the "graphite paint," as herein-before described in its
application to iron ships.
In constructing or repairing wooden ships, where holes are bored and bolts
let in, if the holes be coated with and the bolts dipped into the "graphitic
composition "no oxidation of the bolt nor rot of the wood at the surfaces of
junction with the iron or metal bolt will ever take place.
For preserving iron pipes against oxidation and "tubercles," I propose to
take the pipes hot from the casting, as soon as they can be freed from the
sand, and, before they cool sufficiently to allow any atmospheric moisture to
set upon them, to plunge them into a bath of the "graphitic composition."
When cold, and the coat of the graphitic composition has "set" dry, they
should receive a stout coating of the "graphite paint."
In witness whereof, I, the said. Gerard Ralston, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
(L.S.) GERARD RALSTON.