IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP BUILDING
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Lungley, of Poplar, in the County
of Middlesex, Ship Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHIP BUILDING."
Sealed the 22nd December 1853; and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said. Charles Lungley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st October 1852...
I, CHARLES LUNGLEY, of Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, ship
builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SHIP BUILDING" to be as follows:-
The improvements consist,-
Firstly, in constructing ships with diagonal iron plates laid on the
inner longitudinal skin of wood (which skin is placed on the outside
of the frames or ribs in the ordinary manner), and between the inner
and outer skins of wood. The iron plates are disposed diagonally
crossing each other; and are fastened to the inner frames, and the outer
skin of planking is screwed to the inner skin.

page_text: Secondly, in constructing ships with an inner skin of diagonal planks
laid on the ribs or frame, then with iron plates laid diagonally across
the diagonal wood skin, and with an outer skin of longitudinal planking
screwed to the inner skin.
Thirdly, in constructing ships with the frames or ribs placed dia-
gonally, and a skin of wood laid longitudinally on the frames, and iron
plates placed diagonally outside the wood, but in an opposite direction
to that in which the frames are placed. A longitudinal skin of wood
is laid outside the diagonal plates, and screwed to the inner skin.
Fourthly, in constructing ships with the frames or ribs placed dia-
gonally, then a skin of wood diagonally across the frames, with iron
plates vertically or longitudinally outside the diagonal wood skin, and
an exterior skin of wood-screwed to the inner skin.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Lungley in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES LUNGLEY, of Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, Ship Builder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Lungley, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Lungley, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Lungley, 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 SHIP BUILDING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Lungley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 Charles Lungley, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed:
My Invention consists in certain new arrangements and combi-
nations of wood and iron in the construction of the hulls and parts of
ships, and in strengthening ships already built by the addition of
diagonal plates or strips of metal; and my new arrangements and com-
binations consist,-
First, in constructing ships with diagonal metal plates laid on the
inner longitudinal skin of wood (which skin is placed on the outside of
the franes or ribs in the ordinary manner), and between the inner and
outer skin of wood. The metal plates are arranged diagonally crossing
each other, and fastened to the inner frames, the outer skin of planking
is screwed to the inner skin. Figure 1, of the Drawings hereunto
annexed is an external elevation with parts of the planking removed
of a portion of the hull of a ship constructed according to this part of
my Invention; and Figure 2, a section thereof. A, A, is the keel; B, B,
ribs or frames of angle iron, or other suitable metal, on which the longi-
tudinal skin is placed; D, D, arc diagonal plates, or strips of iron, or
other suitable metal, crossing each other, as shewn in Figure 1, and
bolted, screwed, or rivetted to the frames or ribs B, B, for giving addi-
tional strength and solidity. The diagonal plates or strips are fastened
at top and bottom to the longitudinal metal plates or strips E, E.
They may be also fastened at the sides to similar metal plates placed
vertically. F, F, are the outer planks laid over all, and secured to the
inner skin, or, if need be, to the ribs or frames B, B, by screws, rivets,
or other suitable fastenings. In ships so constructed, as well as in the
several modifications herein-after described, felt, tarred, or other suitable
preserving material may be placed between the skin and planking.

page_text: Second, in constructing ships with an inner skin of diagonal planks
laid on the ribs or frames, with iron or other suitable metal strips or
plates laid diagonally across the diagonal wooden skin, and with outer
longitudinal planking secured to the inner skin. Figure 3, is an eleva-
tion with parts removed of sufficient of the hull of a ship to exemplify
this part of my Invention. A, A, is the keel; B, B, ribs or frames of
iron or other suitable metal; C, C, a skin of diagonal planking, over
which strips of iron or other suitable metal D, D, are laid diagonally,
and in the reverse direction to that of the diagonal planking. Outside
of these strips D, D, the longitudinal planks E, E, are placed; the whole
being firmly secured together by screws, bolts, rivets, or otherwise.
Third, in constructing ships with the frames or ribs placed diagonally,
over which a longitudinal wooden skin is laid, and diagonal iron or
other metal strips or plates again placed on this skin in the reverse
direction to that of the ribs, the whole being covered by an outer longi-
tudinal planking. Figure 4, is an elevation of so much of the parts of a
hull of a ship as are necessary to exem plify this head of: my Invention.
A, A, is the keel; B, B, diagonal metal ribs or frames; C, C, skin of
longitudinal planking crossed diagonally by the metal plates or strips
D, D, over which the outer longitu dinal planking is laid, the whole
being secured and held firmly together by means of screws, bolts, rivets,
or other suitable fastenings.
Fourth, in constructing ships with frames or ribs placed diagonally,
next a skin of wood diagonally in the reverse direction, then vertical or
longitudinal metal plates or strips covered with longitudinal planking,
the whole secured and held firmly together by screws, rivets, or other
suitable means. Figure 5, is an elevation of parts of so much of the
hull of a vessel as is necessary to shew this head of my Invention.
A, A, is the keel; B, B, diagonal metal ribs or frames; C, C, diagonal
skin of wood in the reverse direction to that of the ribs B, B; D, D,
strips of metal shewn vertically in the Figure, but they may be placed
longitudinally; E, E, external coats of planking laid longitudinally;
and the whole firmly secured and held together by screws, bolts, rivets,
or other suitable means.
Figure 6, shews a modification of my Invention, where the metal 8

page_text: plates or strips are applied between the wooden ribs and longitudinal
timbers or planking for the purpose of strengthening such ships. A, A,
is the keel; B, B, the wooden ribs or frames, between which at
intervals I sometimes insert metal ribs C, C. I then attach the
diagonal and longitudinal strips or plates of metal D, D, over which I
place the longitudinal planks E, E, and bolt, screw, or rivet the whole
firmly together. Figure 8, is another modification of my improvements
in constructing or strengthening the sides of ships. A, A, are vertical
ribs; B, B, diagonal strips of plates thereon, upon which the skin C, C,
is laid; over it the diagonal metal strips or plates, and outside of all the
planking D, D. Figures 9, and 9, shew my Invention applied to
strengthening the floors. It may also be applied in all parts of ships
where strength and solidity are required. And in order to apply the
metal strips or plates I affix to the ships' timbers chocks or blocks of
wood, as shewn at A, A, Figure 7, whereby I am enabled to work, fit,
and fasten the work herein-before described with facility. The vertical
and diagonal plates may in every case be fastened laterally, as at top
and bottom, to a strip or plate of metal, so as to give increased stability
to the whole mass.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the
construction of ships by the several combinations and arrangements of
metal and wood herein-before represented and described, whereby the
hull is built of great strength and solidity.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Lungley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES LUNGLEY. (L.S.)