CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRON SHIPS, BOATS, AND OTHER VESSELS; AND ALSO IN MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE SAME FOUNDERING; THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME IMPROVEMENTS, OR PARTS THEREOF, TO OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
DAUBNEY HOLMES, of Lambeth Square, Surrey, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-third day of November, in the third year of Her reign,
did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Daubney Holmes, Her especial licence that I, the said William
Daubney Holmes; my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Daubney Holmes, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
and also in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRON SHIPS, BOATS, AND
OTHER VESSELS; AND ALSO IN MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE SAME FOUNDERING;
THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME IMPROVEMENTS, OR PARTS THEREOF,
TO OTHER VESSELS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
obliging me, the said William Daubney Holmes, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal,, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said

page_text: in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Daubney Holmes, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
to consist,―
First, as regards iron ships, particularly in the introduction of iron framing
within the outer skin of the vessel, and the particular mode of fastening or
putting the same together, as also the forming of the outer skin or other parts
of iron ships in panels, or with rabbetted ribs, plates, or bars of iron, so that
in case of injury the injured parts may be easily removed; and in the intro-
duction of iron framework to support the deck planks.
Secondly, in forming certain parts of the ship or vessel air and water tight,
either by making the hatches and decks so, or by means of air and water
tight chambers for the cargo, and the application of an air-pump, or other the
like apparatus, and water cocks to fill the same with air or water, in order,
under certain circumstances, to make the vessel draw more or less water, by
letting in water as ballast, or expelling it by the air-pump, at pleasure.
Thirdly, as regards vessels generally, in the application of air-tight bags to
various parts of the vessel, ready to be inflated as occasion may require.
Fourthly, in the application of cold water pipes to cool a cargo likely to
heat, such as corn or other material in bulk or otherwise. And,
Fifthly, in a flexible connection for canal boats, filling up the space between
them so as to produce the effect of one long boat when passing through water,
and thereby reduce the amount of resistance which would otherwise be created.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said William
Daubney Holmes, do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention
is to be performed by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
5

page_text: in case of springing a leak or damage being done so as to let in water to any
of the air-tight chambers, by the application of the force pump it may be
expelled, and a man admitted to repair the damage through a man-hole such
as shown at H in this Figure. M, N, are cocks for the letting in of water to
the air-tight compartments, in order to trim the vessel; and as these may be
opened into the compartments either fore or aft, so the vessel may be trimmed
more by the head or by the stern at pleasure, while the air, properly applied,
will expel the water again when required.
Figures 2 and 2* are side elevations of the internal framing of the ship
before alluded to, which gives such strength to the vessel as to admit of much
thinner plates being used for the outer skin. These Figures show my plan of
diagonal bracing and fastening.
Figure 3 is a plan of a stringer, angle iron, beams, and ribs, showing my
mode of attaching the same to the outer skin; and as similar letters are used
to denote similar parts in all the Figures, no further explanation will be
necessary of this Figure, merely observing that by my mode of fastening shown
at Figures 3 and 3* I fix vertical bulkheads for dividing the ship (longitudinally
or transversely, into air or, water tight compartments.
Figures 4 and 4 show my mode of constructing the outer skin, in some
cases in panels, or with rabbetted ribs, plates, or bars of iron, whereby I
am enabled to remove any injured panel or panels without disturbing the
remainder, particularly applicable to men-of-war liable to receive injury
from shot.
Figures 5 and 5* represent an iron framework for receiving a wooden deck,
under which an air-tight ceiling may be constructed.
The foregoing Figures refer to iron ships or vessels more particularly, but
the remainder to any vessels of any construction.
Figure 6 represents an air-tight bag made of india rubber cloth or other
like material, which I fold up and fasten under the decks, or in or about any
other part of the vessel, so, as to be ready at any time to attach the hose or
air pipe to, and fill with air, to add to the buoyancy of the vessel in time of
danger. L is the screw or union joint by which the pipe or hose is attached
to the bag.
Figure 7 represents the section of a vessel fitted with straight pipes athwart
her hold, open at each end of the water in which the vessel floats, and below
the water line, the object of which is, when the vessel is laden with corn or
other heating cargo in bulk, for, the flowing of the cold water through the
pipes to keep the cargo cool. Figure 8 is a plan of the said vessel and pipes,
and boxes or chambers, through or around which the water may flow; or,

page_text: instead of water pipes, a serpentine air pipe, open at one end to the
atmosphere, and communicating at the other end, by means of a union joint,
with the pipe or hose of the air pump; may be used, whereby a continued
supply of cold air may be kept up to cool the cargo, as before mentioned.
Figure 9 is a plan of an air pipe for that purpose, which, it will be seen, has
no communication with the external part of the ship.
Figure 10 represents an india-rubber cloth case fitted to two frames, one at
each end, so as to be water-tight. I propose to introduce this between the
stern of the first boat proceeding along canals or rivers and the bow of the
second, which bow, in the case of all but the first boat, I propose to make
like the stern (square) as shown in Figure 11. The object of this is to make
the resistance equal to only that of one long boat, and yet to provide for
passing locks, and allow of a flexibility in the line of boats, accommodating
itself to the bends or curves of the canals or rivers on which they are
employed.
Figure 12 represents a hatchway made air and water tight by gasket or
grummet, and should be introduced in the deck over every air-tight chamber
intended for the deposit of cargo, in order to load and unload the same.
Now whereas I do not claim as a principle the making of air and water
tight vertical bulkheads, but,-
First, as regards iron ships or vessels, I hereby claim the making of air-tight
compartments or horizontal divisions, and the combination of these with
longitudinal and transverse air and water tight bulkheads, for the purpose of
forming air and water tight chambers or compartiments in vessels for the pur-
poses aforesaid; as also the application to iron and other vessels of separate
air and water tight boxes or cases for holding cargo as aforesaid.
Secondly, the application of an air-forcing apparatus to the said chambers
and boxes, in order to force out any water that may get into the same through
any fracture or external injury to the ship, or to lighten the ship when the
aforesaid chambers, boxes, or compartments have been purposely filled or
partly filled with water for ballast.
Thirdly, the application of the air-tight passage or man-hole for repairing
such damage, and also the internal framing herein-before described, and the
mode of panelling and rabbitting also herein-before described.
Fourthly, as regards iron and other ships and vessels, the application of air-
tight bags fitted by means of the said air-forcing apparatus, in order to add
buoyancy to a ship or vessel when necessary.
Fifthly, the application of pipes for cooling a cargo, whether by water or air,
as aforesaid.

page_text: Sixthly, the application of the flexible connection between boats as herein-
before described. And,
Seventhly, the application of iron framework for laying wooden decks upon.
And such my Invention being, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her said Majesty's
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, Her Domi-
nion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, or any of Her said Majesty's
Colonies or Plantations abroad, I do hereby declare this to be my Specification
of the same, and that I do verily believe that my said Specification doth
comply in all respects, fully and without reserve or disguise, with the proviso
in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained, wherefore
I do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to my said
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Daubney Holmes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and forty.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of May, in
the year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid William Daubney Holmes came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty.