IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS."-A communication from
abroad by William Keld Whytehead, residing at Asuncion, in the
Renublic of Paraguay.
Sealed the 29th April 1864, and dated the 9th November 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th November 1863.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of ships and vessels composed
partly of wood and partly of iron, and the improvement consists in so con-
structing such ships and vessels that while the ironwork is defended from
contact with the water by a covering of wood the whole of the parts are
accessible for cleaning, painting, and repairs.
In iron vessels as usually constructed an outer skin of iron plate is fastened
to ribs and floors of iron, and to these ribs and floors an inner skin of wood is
fastened. In this improved system this arrangement is reversed, that is,
a vessel is constructed with an outer skin of wood and a inner skin of iron,

page_text: both skins being made water-tight, and being separated a sufficient distance
the one from the other by iron ribs and floors to allow of a workman passing
between the skins. The wood planking may be applied in one or more
thicknesses longitudinally or diagonally, as is well understood by ship builders.
There is a man-hole on every space on each side of the keel. Provision is
made in each man-hole door to attach a pump to clear out any leakage
through the wooden skin.
This Invention is peculiarly applicable to vessels of war, whether coated
with armour or not.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of November, 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 George Tomlinson Bousfield, Her special licence that I, the said
George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS," a com-
munication to me from abroad by William Keld Whytehead, a person resident
at Asuncion, in the Republic of Paraguay, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 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 YE, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the construction of ships and vessels composed
partly of wood and partly of iron, and the improvement consists in so con-
structing such ships and vessels that while the ironwork is defended from
contact with the water by a covering of wood the whole of the parts are
accessible for cleaning, painting, and repairs.
In iron vessels as usually constructed an outer skin of iron plate is
fastened to ribs and floors of iron, and to these ribs and floors an inner skin
of wood is fastened. In this improved system this arrangement is reversed;
that is, a vessel is constructed with an outer skin of wood and an inner skin
of iron, both skins being made water-tight, and being separated a sufficient
distance the one from the other by iron ribs and floors to allow of a workman
passing between the skins. The wood planking may be applied in one or
more thicknesses longitudinally or diagonally, as is well understood by ship
builders. There is a man-hole in every space on each side of the keel. Pro-
vision is made in each man-hole door to attach a pump to clear out any
leakage through the wooden skin.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a midship section of a vessel built according to this improved
system, such details only being shown as are necessary to explain the pecu-
liarities of this mode of construction; Figure 2 is a transverse section of a
portion of the ship's bottom to an enlarged scale; Figure 3 is a longitudinal
section of Figure 2. In all these Figures the same letters refer to the same
parts.
a, a, is the inner skin of the vessel, formed of plates of iron running fore
and aft and rivetted to the angle irons b, b, and made water-tight; c, c, are
the kelsons running fore and aft, and rivetted to angle irons b, b; d, d, are
floors or ribs crossing the kelsons at right angles, and divided at their
intersection, the junction between the floor and kelson being effected by the
angle irons e, e, forming a series of rectangular compartments which communi-
cate with each other across the ship by means of the man-holes 9, g, but which
have no communication with each other fore and aft. h, h, are angle irons in
alternate compartments rivetted to the floors and kelsons; i, i, wood planking

page_text: secured by iron bolts and nuts m, m, to the angle irons h, h, and carried up to
about the water line; k, k, wood dowels over the heads of the bolts to exclude
water; n, n, iron plating, of which it is preferred to form the side of the
vessel above the water line, since in that position the iron can be easily pro-
tected from corrosion and is more durable than timber. o, o, man-holes on
the main deck or at any other convenient point above the water line between
each row of ribs, which with the man-holes g, 9, afford means of entering the
compartments and passing between the inner and outer skins as far as the
keel, which cuts off the communication between the two sides of the ship.
The man-holes also afford facility for passing the suction pipe of a pump down to
the keel so as to lay dry any of the compartments in case of a leak, the same
pumping apparatus serving to change the air respired by the men employed
in making repairs, painting, &c. inside the compartments. If it be desired
to ballast the ship any or all of the compartments may be filled with water
and the man-holes be closed with temporary covers to prevent the water
moving when the ship rolls. The wooden planking is shown in one thickness,
but it can be laid on in two or more thicknesses worked diagonally and
longitudinally as in diagonally-built timber vessels, and can be caulked and
coppered and treated precisely as an ordinarily built vessel of timber.
What is claimed is, first, the constructing vessels with an inner skin of iron
and an outer skin of wood, both being made water-tight, with room between
them for cleaning, painting, and repairing the skins, and so that every part of
the vessel may be inspected.
Second, cutting off all communication between the compartments in the
lengthways of the vessel, so that if a leak takes place its effect will be confined
to the shortest space possible in the length of the ship.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (LS.)