AN IMPROVED CONCAVE KEY NAIL FASTENING FOR USE IN SHIP BUILDING."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of AN IMPROVED
CONCAVE KEY NAIL FASTENING FOR USE IN SHIP BUILDING." A communi-
cation from abroad by Thomas Waters Kirby, of Grand Haven, County of
Ottawa, State of Michigan, United States of America.
Sealed the 28th November 1879, and dated the 21st June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED CONCAVE KEY NAIL FASTENING FOR USE IN SHIP-
BUILDING." [A communication from abroad by Thomas Waters Kirby, of Grand
Haven, County of Ottawa, State of Michigan, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to an improvement in fastening together the streaks of
the ship's ceiling and the fastening of the ceiling to the ship's timbers, the object
whereof is to bind the streaks together in a solid ceiling and thus strengthen the
sides of the vessel. The Invention consists in fastening the streaks together at the
edges and to the timbers by nails having concave sides and trunnels at the end,
which are driven through mortices with convex sides made through the streaks at
the seam, and into holes in the timbers, whereby a dovetailed connection is made
between the streaks, and they are thus securely fastened together.
The nails are composed of blocks of wood with concave sides and flat top and
bottom, and on one end is turned a trunnel. The nails are used to fasten the
streaks together at the seams and also fasten them to the timbers, and they are
employed in the following manner :-Holes are bored through the ship's ceiling at
the seams where they cross the timbers and into the timbers. A mold is then
taken, cast expressly for the purpose and of the exact size of the concave key to be
used, and with a suitable tool the holes in the ceiling are cut out so as to have
convex sides and square tops and bottoms so as to adapt them to receive the con-
cave key. One half of each of the holes is in one streak and the other half in the
adjoining one, the seam forming the dividing line. The holes in the timbers
Price Gidl

page_text: remain round. The key of the same dimensions precisely as the hole is then entered
with its trunnel end forward and the concave sides next the convex sides of the
hole and it is driven home. In this way the streaks are firmly dovetailed together
and fastened to the timbers, thus forming substantially a solid ceiling from stem to
stern and from the bilges to the deck beams, whereby the sides of the vessel are
greatly strengthened. In case of the shrinkage of the ceiling and the opening of
the seams this concave nail fastener will cause the streaks to draw more closely to
them, and thus form a stiffer and more compact ceiling, and thus it will be impos-
sible for a ship to strain her sides when this fastening is used. The nails are not
put through the ceiling at the crossing of every timber, but alternately. The
trunnels may be round or square as inay be preferred, and the holes in the ship's
timbers inade to receive them of a corresponding shape.
This manner of fastening may be applied with equally good results to iron ships
with wooden ceilings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th December 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVED CONCAVE KEY NAIL FASTENING FOR USE IN SHIP
BUILDING." A communication from abroad by Thomas Waters Kirby, of Grand
Haven, County of Ottawa, State of Michigan, United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improvement in fastening together the streaks of
the ship's ceiling and the fastening of the ceiling to the ship's timbers, the object
whereof is to bind the streaks together in a solid ceiling and thus strengthen the
sides of the vessel.
The Invention consists in fastening the streaks together at the edges and to the
timbers by nails having concave sides and trunnels on the end, which are driven
through mortices with convex sides made through the streaks at the seam, and into
holes in the timbers, whereby a dovetailed connection is made between the streaks,
and they are thus securely fastened together.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a
vessel with the ceiling fastened by the improvement; Figure 2 is a cross section of
the same on line x, x, and Figure 3 represents the fastening. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts. Referring to the Drawings, A designates
the ship's timbers, and B the streaks of the ceiling; C are the nails, composed of
blocks of wood with concave sides a, a, and flat top and bottom b, b, and on one
end is turned a trunnel c. These nails are used to fasten the streaks B together at
the seams and also fasten them to the timbers, and they are employed in the
following manner :-Holes are bored through the ship's ceiling at the seams where
they cross the timbers and into the timbers. A mould is then taken, cast expressly
for the purpose and of the exact size of the concave key to be used, and with a
suitable tool the holes in the ceiling are cut out so as to have convex sides and flat
tops and bottoms so as to admit them to receive the concave key. One half of each
of the holes is in one streak and the other half in the adjoining one, the seam
forming the dividing line. The holes in the timbers romain round. The key, of
the same dimensions precisely as the hole, is then entered with its trunnel end
forward and the concave sides next the convex sides of the hole, and it is driven
home.
In this way the streaks are firmly dovetailed together and fastened to the
timbers, thus forming substantially a solid ceiling from stem to stern and from the
bilges to the deck beams, whereby the sides of the vessel are greatly strengthened.
In case of the shrinkage of the ceiling and the opening of the seams, this concave
nail fastener will cause the streaks to draw more closely to them, and thus form a
stiffer and more compact ceiling, and thus it will be impossible for a ship to strain
her sides when this fastening is used.
The nails are not put through the ceiling at the crossing of every timber but
alternately, as shown in the Drawing. The trunnel c may be round or squaro, as
may be preferred, and the holes in the ship's timbers made to receive them of a
corresponding shape. This manner of fastening may be applied with equally good
results to iron ships with wooden ceilings.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. As an improved concave key nail fastener for ships, the nail C with concave
sides and flat top and bottom, and having a trunnel c on the end, whereby a

page_text: fastener is provided for dovetailing the streaks of the ceiling together at the seams,
and also fastening the ceiling to the timber, substantially as described.
2nd. In combination with the ceiling and timbers of a ship, the concave sided
key nails C with trunnels c for the purpose of fastening the streaks of the ceiling
together and to the ship's timbers, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
T