IMPROVEMENTS IN BUOYS, BEACONS FLOATS OR PONTOONS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO FLOATING BODIES GENERALLY
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Atherton and Amherst Hawker Renton, both
of 5, Whitehall, in the City of Westminster, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUOYS, BEACONS,
Sealed the 4th August 1865, and dated the 11th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Atherton and
Amherst Hawker Renton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 11th February 1865.
We, CHARLES ATHERTON and AMHERST HAWKER RENTON, both of 5, White-
hall, in the City of Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engi-
neers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUOYS, BEACONS, FLOATS, OR PONTOONS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO FLOATING BODIES GENERALLY," to be as follows:
Our improvements have for their object the construction of buoys, beacons,
floats, pontoons, and floating bodies generally in such manner that they shall
be rendered permanently buoyant and unsinkable howsoever damaged by any
casualty; and this we effect by using in their construction such quantity of
suitable composite material or substance the mean density or specific gravity
of which shall be less than water. The composite material which we prefer
Price 8d.1

page_text: to use is a mixture of cork or other light bark, light woods, or other natural
or artificial substance of small specific gravity, suitably prepared by crushing
or otherwise, for its intimate incorporation with bituminous, resinous,
oleaginous, or such other convenient adhesive material, which when combined
therewith shall form a mass impermeable to water, and of a mean specific
gravity less than water, and such that when placed in the interior of a floating
body shall cause it (howsoever perforated or damaged by collision or other-
wise) to preserve its buoyancy under the casualties to which floating bodies
are subject at sea.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Atherton and Amherst Hawker Renton in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 10th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME we, CHARLES
ATHERTON and AMHERST HAWKER RENTON, both of 5, Whitehall, in the City of
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Charles Atherton and Amherst Hawker Renton, Her special licence
that we, the said Charles Atherton and Amherst Hawker Renton, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles
Atherton and Amherst Hawker Renton, our 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 BUOYS, BEACONS. FLOATS, OR PONTOONS, WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO FLOATING BODIES GENERALLY," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that we, the said Charles Atherton and Amherst
Hawker Renton, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW IE, mat we, the said Charles Atherton anu Ammerst
Hawker Renton, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our improvements have for their object the construction of buoys, beacons,
floats or pontoons, and floating bodies generally in such manner that they shall
be rendered permanently buoyant or unsinkable however damaged by any.
casualty; and this we effect by using in their construction a quantity of
suitable composite material or substance the mean specific gravity of which
shall be less than that of water. The composite material which we prefer to
use is a mixture of cork or other light bark, light woods, or other natural or.
artificial substances of small specific gravity suitably prepared for intimate
incorporation with bituminous, resinous, oleaginous, or such other adhesive
matter which when combined therewith shall form a mass impermeable to
water, and of a mean specific gravity less than water, and such that when.
placed in the interior of the floating body shall cause it (howsoever perforated
or damaged by collision or otherwise) to preserve its buoyancy under the
casualties to which floating bodies are subject at sea.
Our Invention is applicable to buoys, beacons, floats, pontoons, floating
lights, floating bridges, ships, and in fact to floating bodies generally which are
exposed to damage by the action of the sea, by straining and consequent
leakage, by accidental collision, by shot, by striking on rocks, by accidental
or malicious scuttling, or by any of the many casualties to which floating
bodies are subject. The efficiency of floating bodies depends upon their
unimpaired buoyancy, to maintain which in the case of buoys and beacons,
floats, and such like structures entails frequent supervision to prevent their
becoming waterlogged, and thus rendered useless for their intended purpose.
By employing a material or substance impermeable to water for either
wholly or partially filling up the interior of the structure so that no interval
be left for the accumulation of water, howsoever leaky the shell of the
structure may be, the structure will continue to float under any of the circum-
stances before enumerated. For sea marks, as buoys, beacons, and the like,
this property is of considerable importance, as their temporary disappearance
from the rocks or other impediments to navigation they were intended to
mark or point out might result in the wreck of vessels and the sacrifice of life.
For ships, whether war vessels liable to be perforated by shot or otherwise
disabled, or mercantile vessels exposed to the casualties to which such are
liable at sea, it is purposed that such quantity of buoyant material shall be
incorporated with or included in their hulls as will cause them to float though

page_text: waterlogged. In war vessels, in addition to saving the lives of the crew, they
will be enabled to work the guns with effect, although the hold and the
engine room may be flooded, and the ship sunk down to her logged line.
Merchant vessels, although damaged and waterlogged, may be thus prevented
from foundering, and be safely navigated should the hull be so damaged as
would under other circumstances sink the ship. In both cases it would be
prudent to place a surplus quantity of the buoyant material equivalent to say
20 per cent. above what is absolutely necessary to float the vessel and its
cargo, which surplus will admit of that amount of the buoyant material being
destroyed and rendered unavailable without endangering the safety of the
vessel. In mercantile ships, specially adapted for carrying passengers, specie,
bullion, metallic ores, or other costly and rare cargoes, the greatest possible
immunity from danger will thus be obtained. In the event of accidental or
malicious scuttling the vessel may sink down to her logged line of floatation,
but will still remain navigable, or in the event of fire in the hold the ship may
be flooded to her logged line and the fire drowned out.
Having stated the general character of our Invention, and the results we
propose to effect thereby, the principle which we desire to be prominently kept
in view is, that the specific gravity of the buoyant material shall be less than
that of water, it being manifest that the lighter the material the greater will
be its buoyant power, and therefore better adapted to fulfil the various objects
in view.
We will now state the manner in which it is proposed to apply the buoyant
material to the prevention' of floating bodies from foundering.
With reference to buoys, floating beacons, and the like, which are moored
as sea marks, and liable to straining, collision, and other casualties causing
leakage, we propose to fill up the interior of the shell with the buoyant
material, which may be, for example, of cork, that being one of the lightest
solid substances known and well suited to the intended purpose. It will pro-
bably be found that bitumen prepared in the following manner will be most
advantageous for cementing the pieces of cork or other light material together
so as to form a coherent mass. To facilitate the union of the materials the
bitumen may be melted in a suitable cauldron, and rendered sufficiently fluid.
by the addition of tar, or the viscid oil of tar, so that the cork or other material
employed in the form of shavings or fragments, may be made to combine
with it and be distributed uniformly through the mass. Every part of the cork
or other material will thus be completely coated with bitumen and rendered
impermeable to water. It may be found desirable before applying the cork
or other material to the melted bitumen to add a portion of pulverized chalk

page_text: to give toughness to the mixture. When the whole of the materials are suf-
ficiently incorporated, the mixture may either be employed in its heated state at
once to the structure, or it may be formed into blocks or slabs as may be found
most convenient for use. It may be found there is no absolute necessity for
filling up the whole of the interior of the shell of a buoy or floating beacon in
order to prevent its foundering, but as buoys or beacons are exposed to
collision and other casualties producing leaks, if the interior space be entirely
occupied by the buoyant material it will be better able to withstand such
shocks, and would present a sea mark of greater permanency than one liable
to become waterlogged. If there be no space in the interior of a buoy for the -
lodgement of water there would be no necessity for periodical pumping out,
and it would retain its uniformity of position. Where the buoyant material is
used in the form of blocks or slabs it will be convenient to place them in
layers or courses, and to set them in place by dipping each block or slab in
the melted liquified bitumen and building them in the structure, course upon
course, carefully grouting each course with the liquefied bitumen until the
whole space to be occupied is filled. Other cenients than bitumen may in like
manner be used for this purpose, but it is desirable that they be of small specific
gravity. It may be desirable in some cases to apply blocks or slabs perforated
with holes similar to perforated bricks, by which reduced weight will be
attained. Light wood or other substances may be treated in the same
manner as cork, and may be cut or shaped into convenient forms for the
intended purpose.
It may sometimes be found convenient to apply the
material in the form of hollow blocks or boxes, and to coat them with bitu-
minous or other adhesive waterproof and insoluble cement or matter previously
to their being applied to the structure, and then finally grouted in place with
melted bitumen or other cement so as to form an united mass. In the appli-
cation of the buoyant material to ships and structures liable to accident from
fire it would be desirable to prepare the whole of the materials in such
manner as would render them uninflammable, and this may be cheaply and
efficaciously done by impregnating them with any of the well known prepara-
tions, such as sulphate of ammonia, tungstate of ammonia, and other salts
either separately or combined. This process should be effected previously to
the materials being combined. The usual method of so treating materials is to
place them in a close tank from which the air can be exhausted, and to which
the chemical preparations for effecting the desired object may be admitted.
The absorption may be facilitated by either heating the material or by intro-
ducing the chemical preparation in a heated state. The same process may be
adopted for charging the materials with the viscid oil of tar or other suitable

page_text: matter to render them impermeable to water when so required. In large struc-
tures, such as ships, it will be desirable to render the continuity of the buoyant
mass both longitudinally and transversely as perfect as possible, for which
purpose laths of wood or iron may be laid in alternate courses so as to bond
together the entire mass. In the application of hollow or perforated blocks it
must be borne in mind that it is desirable the cellular spaces of the blocks or
boxes be closed by the adhesive matter or cement in which they are enveloped,
whereby the entrance of water from without may be prevented. Ships of war
being liable to the displacement and loss of a portion of the buoyant material
by the explosion of shells which may effect a lodgement in the mass a surplus
quantity to such extent as may be thought advisable to meet the character of
the vessel should be provided, which would admit of the vessel and its arma-
ment being effective though deprived of such portion of its buoyant material.
We propose to construct the hold of the ship, whether for war or mercantile
purposes, in such manner that in case of fire occurring to the coals or cargo
therein contained the whole or any portion of the said hold may be flooded up
to the logged line without endangering the safety of the vessel from founder-
ing. This may be effected by constructing the hull with longitudinal bulk-
heads connected with the stem and stern posts of the ship and transverse
bulkheads introduced as shewn in the Drawing, by which arrangements the
strength of the ship longitudinally and transversely will be secured. It is
obvious that the heavier weights of the ship should be placed as low as possible
in the hold so as to obviate the necessity for extraneous ballast to place the
centre of gravity of the vessel and her cargo most favorably for stability and sea-
worthiness. In armour plated vessels it has been found necessary to increase
the size of the ships so protected for the especial purpose of carrying the
additional weight for protecting the armament and crew, but should such
vessels be perforated by shot or shell simultaneously in several parts so as to
admit the sea water into the ship an imminent danger of foundering is
manifestly incurred. Such a contingency is provided for by this Invention,
the buoyant material preoccupies the ship, the hold may be flooded, but the
ship cannot sink below her logged line, leaving the crew and armament still
effective.
The Drawings hereunto annexed will illustrate the means by which our
Invention may be conveniently carried into effect, in all of which the same
letters of reference denote similar parts.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical buoy filled with the buoyant material; Fig. 2
shews an ordinary buoy similarly packed; Fig. 3 shews a beacon or enlarged
decked buoy, the hull of which is filled with the buoyant material; Figs. 4, 5, 6,

page_text: are transverse and longitudinal sections and hold-plan of a vessel illustrating
the mode of applying the buoyant material; Fig. 7 a floating light with the
hull packed with buoyant material. This vessel may be of any form best
suited to the object.
A is the structure divided into water-tight compartments, and made of any
suitable form or materials; B, the buoyant material; C, Figs. 4, 5, 6, bulk-
heads connected with the ship's side by decks c, c, and the stem and stern
posts so as to enclose and confine the buoyant material; D, the hold; E, the
load water line of the ship; F, the logged line or line of floatation when the
vessel has become waterlogged from damage to the hull; G, ballast.
Having now described the nature and objects of our Invention, and the
manner of applying it we would have it understood that we do not claim any
of the materials or combination of materials in so far as they may have been
heretofore employed for the same purposes and for the same objects as those
herein set forth, nor do we limit ourselves to precise proportions or any specific
mode or modes of preparing or incorporating the several materials, as they
may be varied to suit the particular circumstances under which our Invention
may be carried out without departing from the principle of the Invention. But
in the construction of floating structures generally we claim the application and
use of materials as herein described, naturally or artificially produced, either
separately or combined, and used either in a solid or cellular form as circum-
stances may determine, such materials, whether in a solid or cellular form,
being of a specific gravity or mean specific gravity less than that of water, by
which means water being excluded from the space preoccupied by the buoyant
material, which in quantity shall be sufficient to float the structure and its
load, floating structures so packed may thereby be rendered buoyant though
damaged by the casualties to which floating bodies are subject.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Atherton and Amherst Hawker
Renton have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
of
day
in the year of our Lord One. thousand eight hundred