IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PRESERVING IRON SHIPS OR VESSELS OR IRON USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Ransome, of Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PRESERVING
IRON SHIPS OR VESSELS OR IRON USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 16th October 1863, and dated the 2nd July 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Ransome at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd July 1868.
I, FREDERICK RANSOME, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COATING OR PRE-
SERVING IRON SHIPS OR VESSELS OR IRON USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in the employment of a soluble silicate mixed with
other substances which will convert the soluble silicate into an insoluble-one,
and thus form a coating upon the surface of the iron for the purpose of pro-
tecting the same from oxidation, or for the purpose of preventing radiation of
heat, or for the purpose of otherwise protecting or preserving the same. In
some cases where it may be desirable to form merely a thin coating as a sub-
stitute for paint, I first apply a soluble silicate of soda or potash, or a soluble
soda or potash silicate of some earth or metal, with or without the admixture
of coloring or other matter (which can be done with a brush), and afterwards
wash over the surface with chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing

page_text: agent, by means of which the soluble silicate becomes.converted into an
insoluble silicate. Or where it is desired to produce a thicker coating or sub-
stance upon the iron, either for preventing radiation of heat or otherwise, I
mix a soluble silicate of soda or potash, or a soluble soda or potash silicate of
some earth or metal, with sand, powdered chalk, glass, or other suitable mineral
or earthy substance, and apply the same with a trowel, or pressing sticks, or
rammers until the surface is coated to the thickness required, and afterwards
wash it over with a solution of chloride of calcium or other suitable decom-
posing agent for the purpose of converting the soluble silicate into an insoluble
silicate, which agglutinates the several particles together into an insoluble mass.
Or in some cases I mix and incorporate with the soluble silicate, sand, powdered
chalk, glass, or other suitable mineral or earthy substance, some decomposing
agent in the state of powder, as, for instance, carbonate or oxide of lead, or
carbonate or oxide of zinc, or alumina, which by combining with or by decom-
posing the soluble silicate will produce an insoluble silicate, my object being
to coat or preserve iron ships or vessels or iron used for other purposes by
means of a soluble silicate with or without admixture with other matters, and
by converting the soluble silicate into an insoluble one or not, as may be
desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Ransome in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd January 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
RANSOME, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, 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 Frederick Ransome, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Ransome, my executors, administrators, and assigns,. or such others as I, the
said Frederick Ransome, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
COATING OR PRESERVING IRON SHIPS. OR VESSELS OR IRON USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Ransome, 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
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Ransome, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in the employment of a soluble silicate mixed with
other substances which will convert the soluble silicate into an insoluble one,
and thus form a coating upon the surface of the iron for the purpose of
protecting the same from oxidation, or for the purpose of preventing radiation
of heat, or for the purpose of otherwise protecting or preserving the same.
In some cases, where it may be desirable to form merely a thin coating for
merely preserving the iron, or as a substitute for paint, I first-apply a soluble
silicate of soda or potash, or a soluble soda or potash oilicate of some earth or
metal (as nearly neutral as possible), with or without the mixture of coloring
or other matter (which can be done with a brush), and after the same has
been done a sufficient length of time to allow a slight amount of evaporation
to take place at ordinary temperature, I wash the surface over with a solution
of chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing agent, at about the same
temperature as the surrounding atmosphere, and as soon as convenient after-
wards, when the soluble silicate has become partially decomposed, I again
wash over the surface with or immerse the iron thus coated, where more .con-
venient, in a solution of chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing
agent at a boiling temperature, or as near thereto as possible, by means of
which the soluble silicate becomes converted into an insoluble silicate. I
prefer, generally, that the specific gravity of the solution of soluble silicate,
and also of the solution of chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing
agent, should be 1.450, or thereabouts, at a temperature of 60°. Where it is
desired to produce a thicker coating or substance upon the iron, either for
preventing radiation of heat or otherwise, or as a silicious paint for covering
or preserving iron, I sometimes mix powdered chalk, powdered dry white
carbonate of lead, with a solution of a soluble silicate of soda or potash, or
a soluble silicate of some earth or metal, with or without coloring or other
matter, to the consistence of ordinary. paint (this mixture may be effected

page_text: either by means of an ordinary paint mill, or by hand with a stone muller:
or trowel), which I afterwards apply it by a brush or in any other convenient.
manner, and after allowing it to remain a sufficient time to become partially
set or dry, I wash the surface over with or immerse the iron, &c. in a solution
of chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing agent in the manner
before described. The proportions of powdered chalk, powdered dry white-
carbonate of lead, as also of the coloring and other matter may be varied at
pleasure, according to the circumstances of the case, and the length of time
it is desirable the mixture should remain of a given consistency before
setting, but for ordinary purposes I find that the following proportions are
applicable:-1 lb. of dry white carbonate of lead; 4 lbs. of dry powdered:
chalk, or carbonate of lime, 1½ pints of solution of silicate of soda,
specific gravity, 1.450; and afterwards, by application of the solution of
chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing agent, the soluble silicate
becomes converted into an insoluble silicate, which agglutinates the several
substances together into an insoluble mass. Where a still thicker coating.
is desired than can conveniently be applied in the form of a paint or by means
of a brush,..I mix a soluble silicate. of soda or potash, or a soluble soda or
potash silicate of some earth or metal, with sand, powdered chalk, powdered
glass, or other suitable mineral or earthy substance, and apply the same with
a trowel or with pressing sticks or rammers until the surface is coated to the.
thickness required, and afterwards wash the mixture or saturate it with a
solution of chloride of calcium or other suitable decomposing agent in the
manner before described. The several ingredients, as well as the proportions
thereof, may be varied according to convenience or circumstance, but I find
the following will produce a good hard stone covering, viz., 1 bushel clean dry
sand, peck finely powdered chalk, 1 gallon of solution of silicate of soda,
specific gravity, 1.750. These require to be thoroughly incorporated together
by means of a suitable mixing mill or otherwise before being applied to the
iron. It is also desirable that the surface of the iron should in all cases be
clean and free from any extraneous matter, and before applying the last-
mentioned mixture, I prefer to prepare the iron by coating the surface to be
covered with a plain solution of soluble silicate of soda or potash, &c., of a
specific gravity of 1.600 or thereabouts; or in some cases, where desireable, I
mix and incorporate with a soluble silicate, sand, powdered chalk, powdered
glass, or other suitable mineral or earthy substance, some decomposing agent
in the state of powder, as, for instance, carbonate or oxide of lead, or carbonate
or oxide of zinc, or alumina, which, by combining with or by decomposing the
soluble silicate, will produce an insoluble silicate. The proportions of such

page_text: decomposing agents will vary according to the result desired to be effected and
the rapidity with which the materials are required to set or become hard.
What I claim is, the coating or preserving iron ships or vessels, also iron for
other purposes, by the use of a soluble silicate, with or without other matters,
and converting the same into an insoluble silicate or otherwise as desired.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Ransome, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
FRED. RANSOME. (L.S.)