AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RENDERING OR MAKING SHIPS AND VESSELS, AND FLOATING AND SHORE BATTERIES OR, AMBULANT OR STATIONARY DEFENCES IMPENETRABLE TO SHOT AND SHELL, AND. TO OTHER MISSILES AND PROJECTILES, AND WAR RAMS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Adderley Willcocks Sleigh at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th December 1862.
I, ADDERLEY WILLCOCKS SLEIGH, Knight of the Ancient and Most Noble
Order of the Tower and Sword, Captain late R.N., and in H.M. Military
Transport Corps, of 73, Harley Street, Cavendish Square, London, now
residing at 16, Rue de Chateaubriand, Champs Elysees, Paris, France, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
RENDERING OR MAKING SHIPS AND VESSELS, AND FLOATING AND SHORE BATTERIES
OR, AMBULANT OR STATIONARY DEFENCES IMPENETRABLE TO SHOT AND SHELL, AND.
TO OTHER MISSILES AND PROJECTILES, AND WAR RAMS," to be as follows:-
My improved method consists in the employment and use of elasticity and
reaction obtained by the mode of arranging, placing in a certain direction, and
fixing the herein-after mentioned materials in the following manner :-My
improved method is to construct elastic or reactionary metal plates, or timber
slabs, of any required thickness or extent; this is done by placing between each
of those plates or slabs (of equal size, but of much less thickness), a metal plate
or timber slab, or several slabs or plates, thickly and closely studded with tufts
of thin fine fibres of vegetable, or metallic, or animal production, such as fine
fine springing metal wires, or bristles, or whalebone, or a fibre called drafts; those
materials may be used singly or combined. Tufts of those are to be firmly

page_text: inserted into perforations or holes standing perpendicular to the plane of the
plates or slabs, into which those tufts are inserted; each plate or slab is to be
of any required shape and thickness. The first or inner plate or slab, which
lies next to the side of the ship or battery, is to be of such a thickness ordinarily
as will be equivalent to the strength of a metal plate of about half an inch
thick, and has around its edges a raised flange on the outer side of about one
inch high; the second outermost plato is formed in two equal parts with a
strong hinge and bolt passing thro' it, and is constructed on the principle of
the "toggle joint;" the width of this plate, parallel to the hinge, is to be one-
fourth longer than the No. 1, or inner plate, so that when its edges are placed
against the flange of No. 1 plate, the hinge will be raised about four inches
from the outer face of the No. 1 or inner plate, thus forming on it a broad
obtuse angle between the elevated flange of No. 1 plate, and the obtuse angle
ends of the No. 2 or toggle-jointed plate there is to be placed one or more
layers of the elastic reactionary packing, and between these plates there are to
be several layers of the before-mentioned elastic reactionary packing and
filling-up the whole angular space on the outer side of No. 2 or the toggle-
jointed plate there are to be several layers of the elastic packing, and outside
of this packing there is to be a metal plate of any required thickness, but
about two inches square on even side than the No. 1 or inner plate. This
No. 3 or outer plate has a metal flange all round it of two inches thick, which
flange descends towards the inner or No. 1 plate, one-third of the thickness of
the elastic packing round, and to which it is closely and smoothly fitted, so that
when it [that is No. 3 plate], is pressed or struck on the outer surface it yields
towards the No. 1 or inner plate next the side of the ship or battery, and
when the pressure or blow is removed it returns immediately, or expands to
its former position by the elasticity and reaction of the vertical fibres, and the
toggle-jointed plate. The The No. 1 or inner plate is firmly bolted and
screwed to the side of the ship or battery, and forms a base or frame plate for
all the outer plates and for the elastic packing, which latter is also secured
by the No. 3 or outer plate, and this No. 3 plate is secured by strong bolts
passing thro' the elastic packing, the toggle-jointed plate and the No. 1 plate
into the side of the ship or battery; the outer heads of those bolts are round
and countersunk into spherical hollows in the inner surface of the outer or
No. 3 plate, and the rounded heads of those bolts are secured in their sockets
by large metal flange pieces or collars, having spherical hollows to correspond
with those in the No. 3 plate, therefore those bolts revolve every way in their
sockets, and pass through all into the side of the ship or battery into sockets;

page_text: those bolts have inner screw collars, which bear on the inner part of the ship
or battery, and thus screw up firmly and securely the plates and packing to the
ships' or batteries' sides, so that when struck on the outer or No. 3 plate, they
are pressed into their sockets, which are surrounded by a thin layer of elastic
packing, and are covered by a water-tight cylinder. I claim the originality of
elasticity and reaction being produced as herein described, and also the mode
of securing the plates by round headed bolts, as herein explained.