AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ADAPTING AND EMPLOYING LEAD AND IRON IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND BALLASTING OF SHIPS OR VESSELS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harvey, of Wivenhoe, in the County of
Essex, Naval Architect and Shipbuilder, and George Pryer, of the
same Place, Naval Draughtsman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF ADAPTING AND EMPLOYING LEAD AND IRON IN THE CONSTRUCTION
AND BALLASTING OF SHIPS OR VESSELS."
Sealed the 9th December 1873, and dated the 13th October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harvey and
George Pryer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 13th October 1873.
We, JOHN HARVEY, of Wivenhoe, in the County of Essex, Naval
Architect and Shipbuilder, and GEORGE PRYER, of the same Place, Naval
Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ADAPTING AND EMPLOYING LEAD AND IRON IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND BALLASTING OF SHIPS OR VESSELS," to be as follows:—
The framing of the ship or vessel instead of being made as heretofore
of either wood or iron will according to our Invention be made to
consist of lead (or spelter) or other suitable metal in combination with

page_text: angle or other iron of suitable shape, which will be inserted, let in, or
contained within the lead, or spelter, or other metal through the same being
run or fixed on the outside of such angle iron, or otherwise attached and
secured to the timber or iron forming the other portion or portions of
the framing or construction of the framing of the ship or vessel; and
the employment of the lead or spelter will at the same time have the
effect of acting as ballast in the ship or vessel.
The main features and advantages of this Invention are, that the
centre of gravity of the construction of the ship or vessel will be lowered,
and that the fastenings of the planking and other fastenings, whether
made of iron, wood, copper, or other metal, will not be injured or
deteriorated by passing through the metal used in the construction of
the floors or other cross or fore-and-aft timbers forming the construction
of the framing, thereby avoiding corrosion or other waste or injury
known to affect ships' bottoms or hulls built or constructed in the usual
way; and should it be necessary to alter the form or shape of any part
or parts of the above constructed framing this can be more readily done
than if constructed of either wood or iron, and there will be considerable
saving of outlay in constructing ships or vessels according to our Inven-
tion, as an ordinary skilled artizan could both bend the iron and run the
metal forming the floors, or other timber, or framing, the whole of which
could be accomplished at much less expence than if constructed with
the ordinary cast or malleable iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Harvey and George Pryer in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 13th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
HARVEY, of Wivenhoe, in the County of Essex, Naval Architect and
Shipbuilder, and GEORGE PRYER, of the same Place, Naval Draughtsman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto us, the said John Harvey and George Pryer,
Her special licence that we, the said John Harvey and George Pryer,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said John Harvey and George Pryer, 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ADAPTING AND
EMPLOYING LEAD AND IRON IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND BALLASTING OF SHIPS OR
VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others), that we, the said John
Harvey and George Pryer, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 we, the said John Harvey and George Pryer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, and on reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to an improved method of adapting and
employing lead and iron in the construction and ballasting of ships or
vessels, and is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings in
Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 1 is a vertical cross section, Figure 2 a
vertical longitudinal section, and Figure 3 a longitudinal section of
Figures 1 and 2, through A, B. These Figures represent the floor
framing of a ship or vessel when completed and fixed to form a part of
her construction; the arrangement of the component parts however can
be variously modified or shaped to any form desired.
According to this Invention the framing of the ship or vessel instead
of being made as heretofore of either wood or iron is made of lead,
spelter, or other suitable metal (or alloy of metal), in combination with
angle or other iron of suitable shape, which is inserted, let in, or con-
tained within the lead or other metal which is run or fixed on the outside
of the said angle or other iron, or is otherwise attached and secured to
the lead and iron framing and to the timber or iron forming the other

page_text: portion or portions of the framing or construction of the framing of the
ship or vessel; and which employment of the lead or other metal and
angle or other shaped iron will have the effect of acting as ballast in the
ship or vessel, and also of giving the required strength to the framing of
the vessel, as before explained, by inserting or otherwise applying angle
iron or iron of another shape with the lead.
The main features and advantages of this Invention are, that the
centre of gravity of the construction of the ship or vessel is lowered,
and that the fastenings of the planking and other fastenings, whether
made of wood, or of iron, copper, or other metal, are not injured or
deteriorated by passing through the metal or metals used in the con-
struction of the floors, or other cross or fore-and-aft timbers forming the
construction of the framing, thereby avoiding corrosion or other waste or
injury known to affect ships' bottoms or hulls built or constructed as
hitherto, and should it be necessary the form or shape of any part or
parts of the above described framing can be more readily altered than if
constructed of either wood or iron; moreover there will be a considerable
saving of outlay in the construction of ships or vessels, as an ordinary
skilled artizan can both bend the iron and run the metal forming the
floors, or other timber, or framing, the whole of which can be accom-
plished at much less expense than if constructed with the ordinary cast
or malleable iron.
In the accompanying Drawings D show an angle iron, and E lead;
the combination forming a portion of the construction of a ship.
Figures 1 and 2 also show a keelson, in which the angle irons are
lettered F, and the portion which is load is lettered G. The form or
shape of these portions of a ship or vessel is determined as required by
the shipbuilder, and to this form or shape a pattern or template of the
desired framing is made by which the angle irons D and F can be shaped
to give the required strength to the framing; the floor framing angle
iron is strengthened vertically by a gusset plate H, Figuro 1, and well
rivetted to the webs of the angle iron D. The angle irons D and F are
then placed in a cavity formed of sand and of the desired shape the floor,
or keelson, or other parts of the framing of the ship or vessel is to be
when completed, and so suspended therein that the lead going into the
cavity thus formed in the sand shall completely envelope or cover all
portions of the angle irons. It will thus be seen that the said cavity is

page_text: filled with lead, which can thus be adapted to any shape required for
the construction of a ship, and can be used in any portion of the con-
struction of the framing of a ship or vessel. It will be seen that
provision is made for the fastenings necessary to attach these floors, or
keelson, or other framing to other portions of the ship by the angle
iron D being provided with holes for the frame bolts K to pass through,
and Figure 3 also shows that the fastenings L necessary to attach the
planking of the ship or vessel can pass through the lead portion of the
floor or other framing without touching the angle iron inserted therein,
and that the bolts M necessary to fasten the keelson can pass through
the same between the angle irons used in its construction, as shown in
Figures 1 and 2; the holes for the bolts are formed in the lead whilst
being cast. The iron thus used being completely covered with lead any
kind of fastening, whether of wood, or of copper, or other metal, can be
passed through the framing without injurious effect to such fastening, or
to the keelson, floor, or other framing.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention
for "An Improved Method of Adapting and Employing Lead and Iron
in the Construction and Ballasting of Ships or Vessels," together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit
ourselves to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of our said
Invention; and we would remark in conclusion that we claim as our
Invention, the improved method or system of adapting, and employing,
and applying lead and iron in the construction and ballasting of ships
or vessels, substantially as above described, and as illustrated on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Harvey and George Pryer,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
JOHN HARVEY.
(L.S.)
GEORGE PRYER. (L.S.)