An Improved Protective Asphalt Composition or Covering.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec.. 1895-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Protective Asphalt Composition or Covering.
I, RICHARD DANA UPHAM, of 337 West Fifty-eighth Street, in the City,
County, and State, of New York, United States of America, Expert in and
Refiner of Asphalt, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to compositions of matter of a plastic character when first
formed, but adapted to subsequently harden or set, and of a waterproof character,
so as to be especially adapted for use as a protective covering or sheathing for
iron or wooden ships, and also as a covering or roofing composition, as a lining or
coating for reservoirs or tanks, or in any connection in which a waterproof
protection is required.
It is the object of my invention to provide a composition of matter of the
foregoing general character, composed of bituminous matter such as tar, pitch,
asphaltum or the like upon the one hand, and of particles or minute portions of
metal or of metal combined with mineral matter upon the other.
I have found that these ingredients when intimately commingled, form a heavy
and solid plastic mass, which, when set, constitutes a body of very great toughness
and durability, and yet of a nature so elastic, that it will readily adapt itself to the
expansion and contraction arising from changes in temperatures of the articles to
which it may be applied.
In the ship building art, it has been found necessary to protect the hulls of
wooden vessels from the attacks of the Teredo Navalis, and from the excessive growth
of barnacles and other forms of marine life. Many kinds of paint have, with
more or less success, been tried, but the life of paint upon the hulls of vessels is, on
account of the violent attrition of the water, very short, and experience has proven
that a sheathing formed of copper, is the most desirable for the purpose.
Copper, however, as applied in a commercially pure state, owing to the large
quantity necessarily used, and to the expense incident to attaching it to the hull,
adds greatly to the cost of the vessel.
It is, moreover, open to the objection that, when applied in sheets, the water is
apt to penetrate, the interspaces between the sheets, and that it is subject to
injurious galvanic action.
With respect to iron and steel ships, this last objection, coupled with the
difficulty of attaching the copper sheets to the iron hull, has made it necessary to
abandon the use of copper, and rely upon paint to prevent fouling, and to keep the
iron bull from destruction by rust. Paint, however, being a mere film, must
frequently be renewed, and the vast expense of docking, scraping, and repainting,
with the consequent costly delay, must be frequently incurred.
In the case of warships, this expense is enormous, and yet it is impossible to
keep them at sea for more than nine months or a year, as their speed is materially
decreased by marine growth, and their plates attacked by rust.
It is the especial object of my invention to provide a composition of matter,
compounded of copper, or other suitable metal, in a subdivided condition, and of
asphaltum, adapted to be used as a sheathing material for ships.
In the manufacture of my improved composition, I prefer to use asphaltum, or

page_text: an asphaltic cement, although of course, other bituminous substances such as tar
or pitch, may, for some uses to which the composition may be applicable, answer
the purpose.
I prefer, furthermore, to employ metal filings or finely subdivided particles of
any character, in connection with the asphaltum, and for some uses metal filings
of one particular metal will be preferred to filings of some other metal. I may,
however, use metal filings of any character, according to the end had in view.
The proportions of the respective ingredients, that is to say, the bituminous
ingredient, and the metallic ingredient, will depend upon the nature or condition
of the bituminous ingredient, the character of the metallic ingredient, and the use
to which the particular composition of matter formed at any time is to be put.
When my improved composition of matter is to be employed as a sheathing for
ships, I prefer to employ an asphaltic cement that will be practically unaffected
by water, or asphaltum properly manipulated and treated or tempered with a
suitable flux such, for instance, as liquid asphalt, and filings or sawdust of copper,
that is to say, copper in a finely divided condition, or of aluminium, or other
suitable metal.
In forming the composition of these two ingredients, I find that a good result is
obtained by using 70 lbs. of copper filings to 30 lbs. of asphaltic cement; the
asphaltic cement being composed of: 43 lbs. pure refined asphalt, 7 lbs. flux, and
50 lbs. pulverized silica. I do not, however, confine myself to these proportions,
and they can be varied to suit the end in view.
The two ingredients, namely, the asphaltic cement and the metallic filings are
brought together and while heated thoroughly admixed and commingled in any
selected mixing or stirring apparatus.
The composition of matter thus formed, may be applied while hot to the surface
of the vessel in any desired manner, as, for instance, by painting it on with a brush,
or laying it on with a plasterer's trowel; it may then he compressed by rolling,
tamping, or in any other manner, and when set, may, if desired, be polished.
The surface of the iron may, moreover, be first painted with asphaltic cement
before the coating is applied, to the end of securing a more perfect bond.
The composition formed of asphaltic cement and copper filings, will when
applied, harden or set as soon as it is cold, and will form upon the exterior of a
vessel, a facing or sheathing of any desired thickness, which will adhere firmly to
the surface of the vessel, whether the latter be of wood or iron.
It will, moreover, be non-oxidizable, not subject to galvanic action, capable of
taking and retaining a high degree of polish, and possessing, equally with copper
itself, the characteristics which prevent the excessive growth of barnacles and other
forms of marine life. As, moreover, it is free from joints or interstices, and is
absolutely water-proof, it affords a perfect protective covering which will prevent
the rapid oxidization due to the action of salt water upon iron.
As will be obvious, a sheathing for ships composite of asphaltum and copper
filings, or copper in a finely divided or pulverized condition, will, while answering
all the purposes of a sheathing formed of pure copper, be not only less expensive
in first cost, but also less expensive in cost of application to and maintenance upon
the vessel, and is a practical and economical solution of the problem of attaching
copper sheathing to steel and iron ships.
It is also advantageous in that repairs can easily be made, it being simply
necessary to beat the damaged surface, scrape off the softened material, and
re-apply new material to re-coat the scraped surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A waterproof composition of matter cousisting of a bituminous substance, and
of a metallic substance in a finely divided condition, intimately admixed and

page_text: 2. A waterproof composition of matter for use as a coating or sheathing for
vessels, consisting of asphaltum or asphaltic cement, and of copper in a finely
divided condition, intimately admixed and commingled, as specified.
Dated the Ninth day of December A.D. 1895.
RICHARD DANA UPHAM.