IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS FOR PROTECTING OR PRESERVING SHIPS' BOTTOMS AND OTHER SUBMERGED SURFACES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO STONE AND OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Straker Falch Edwards, of South Shields, in the
County of Durham, Dock Owner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMPOSITIONS FOR PROTECTING OR PRESERVING SHIPS' BOTTOMS AND OTHER
SUBMERGED SURFACES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO STONE AND OTHER BUILDING
MATERIALS."
Sealed the 13th April 1880, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 22nd September 1870
Sealed the 13th April 1880, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 22nd September 1870
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Straker Falch
Edwards at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd September
1879.
"
GEORGE STRAKER FALCH EDWARDS, of South Shields, in the County of Durham,
Dock Owner. IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS FOR PROTECTING OR PRESERVING
SHIPS BOTTOMS AND OTHER SUBMERGED SURFACES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO STONE
AND OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS."
Hitherto paints used for colouring and preserving ships' bottoms have been
found to have many objectionable qualities; they are either injurious to the material
to which they are applied to preserve it from the ravages of animalculæ and the.
growth of vegetable life, or the paint undergoing the repeated change of climate to
which most ships are exposed scales off and becomes almost useless for its original
purpose.
To remedy these and many other concomitant evils is the object of my Invention,
to attain which I manufacture the paint or composition with which I intend to
coat the surface of the material to be protected of the ingredients and in the manner
following, that is to say. For the first coat the paint consists of the following
ingredients, viz. :—
No. 1, boiled linseed oil.
"
2, amber resin.
"
3, baryta and lime compounds.
"
4, oxides of iron.

page_text: are ground through a pair of heavy stones. The grinding is again repeated in
order to get the ingredients as fine and smooth as possible, and after leaving the
stones for the second time they are placed in a separate vessel, when a quantity of
No. 6 is added. The whole is then thoroughly inixed and allowed to stand some
time. No. 2 is now heated in a suitable vessel over a slack fire until thoroughly
dissolved, when it is added to Nos. 1, 4, 5, and 6, and the whole thoroughly stirred
and mixed. Nos. 7 & 8 are mixed in another separate vessel with a portion of
No. 3; they are then added to Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, and when thoroughly incor-
porated the paint is ready for use.
The surface treated with the above composition quickly dries, and is ready without
further preparation to receive the second coat, or composition No. 2, and is composed
of the following ingredients, viz.::—
"
13, ground litharge.
For the second coat the above are combined together in the following way, viz. :—
Nos. 1, 4, 6, 7, and 13 are thoroughly mixed and put through stones, as described
for No. 1 coating, and are then placed in a separate vessel, when a quantity
of No. 9 is added, and thoroughly mixed with Nos. 1, 4, 6, 7; and 13, and the whole
allowed to stand for a short time. No. 2, having been gradually heated over a slack
fire and thoroughly dissolved, is added to No. 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 13, and the whole
well incorporated. Nos. 10 and 11 are mixed in a separate vessel with a portion of
Nos. 3, 8, and 12, and the whole added to and thoroughly mixed with Nos. 1, 4, 6,
7, 9, and 13; a quantity of No. 5 is then added, and when thoroughly incorporated
with the whole the paint is ready for use.
Paint or composition made up as above described, and applied for experimental
purposes to a proper surface, have been found by me to dry almost instantaneously,
and to present an exterior equal in appearance to enamel; consequently exercising
when the ship is in motion less surface friction, the result being an increase of speed.
The exterior is also harder and more durable than ordinary paint, and less liable
to suffer from friction.
The two mixtures or compositions are of different colours; it can therefore be
readily ascertained whether the surface treated has been once or twice coated with
my improved compositions, thus preventing frauds, mistakes, or omissions.
For commercial transit I stow each paint or composition in a separate cask, and
add to each a small quantity of ordinary washing soda to prevent any sedimentary
deposits.
:.
My Invention may be used for coating or painting buildings or marine works;
for instance, the submerged ironwork of piers and lighthouses.

page_text: mixed and added to the ingredients above mentioned, and thoroughly incorporated
therewith, when the paint is ready for use.
The surface treated with the above composition quickly dries, and is ready without
further preparation to receive the second coat, or composition number 2, and is
composed of the following ingredients, viz. :-
No. 1. boiled and refined linseed oil.
"
16, corrosive sublimate.
Number 2
For the second coat the above ingredients are combined together in the following
way, viz. Number 1 and 3 ingredients are treated as before described for No. Ỉ
coating, also number 1, 4, and 5 ingredients, the proportions being the same as in 5
No. 1 coating. I then take 15 pounds of No. 1 and 3 ingredients, also fifteen
pounds of number 1, 4, and 5 ingredients, after being treated as described for
coating No. 1, and add 6 gallons of number 6 ingredients, and also from half
to one gallon of No. 11 ingredient, and about half gallon of No. 12 ingredient,
and these are thoroughly mixed and allowed to stand for a short time.
and 10 ingredients are treated as in No. 1 coating, and the whole mixed as before.
Number 14 ingredient is mixed together with number 1 ingredient, and thoroughly
ground through heavy stones, the proportions being about 3 gallons to the
hundred weight of number 14 ingredient. About seven pounds of number 1 and 14
ingredients after being thus treated are added to all the before named ingredients,
when one pound of number 13 ingredient is added. Numbers 7, 8, and 9
ingredients are treated as in No. 1 coating, and added together with half to one
gallon of number 15 ingredient, and the whole thoroughly mixed and incorporated,
after which from 1 to 2 per cent. of number 16 ingredient is added.
Paint or composition made up as above described and applied for experimental
purposes to a proper surface have been found by me to dry very quickly, and to
present an exterior equal in appearance to enamel, consequently exercising when
the ship is in motion less surface friction, the result being an increase of speed.
The exterior is also tougher and more durable than ordinary paint, and less liable
to suffer from friction.
The two mixtures or compositions are of different colours; it can therefore be
readily ascertained whether the surface treated has been once or twice coated with
my improved composition, thus preventing frauds, mistakes, or omissions.
For commercial transit I stow each paint or composition in a separate cask.
My Invention may be used for coating or painting buildings or marine works;
for instance, the submerged iron work of piers and light houses.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention I would wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself precisely to the quantity of the ingredients
herein set forth, but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the above in
part recited Letters Patent is, the Invention for " Improvements in Compositions for

page_text: Protecting or Preserving Ships' Bottoms and other Submerged Surfaces, also
applicable to Stone and other Building Materials," substantially as herein set forth,
or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Straker Falch Edwards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GEO. STRAKER F. EDWARDS. (L.S.)