IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP- BUILDING, AND IN RENDERING SHIPS SHOT-PROOF
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Betteley, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP-
BUILDING, AND IN RENDERING SHIPS SHOT-PROOF."
Sealed the 3rd October 1862, and dated the 31st May 1862.
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Joseph Betteley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 31st May 1862, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN that I, JOSEPH BETTELEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, Iron Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIP-BUILDING, AND IN RENDERING SHIPS SHOT-PROOF," and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say: -
This Invention has for its object improvements in ship building, and in-
rendering ships shot-proof. For these purposes, in constructing the ribs or
framing of ships or vessels when iron is used planked over with wood, in place.
of using the sections of iron heretofore employed for the ribs or framing, I
employ iron of the following section, generally known as grooved iron, viz.,
that is, iron bars formed flat on the outer side or surface against which the
wood is to be fixed, and formed on the inner side or surface with flanges at

page_text: the edges so as to give strength to the bars, and so as at the same time to
render the inner side or surface suitable to receive the heads or ends of the
bolts by which the wood planking is fixed to the ribs or framing, or in place
of the above section, iron of the following description, generally known as bulb
iron, may be employed.
The iron ribs are placed transversely across the vessel, so that they run in
a vertical direction from the keel upwards. The planks at the outside of this
framing are fixed in a direction from stem to-stern, or fore and aft; in the
space between the ribs a further planking is used, such second planking being
parallel with the ribs, thus running in a vertical direction from the keel
upwards. This planking is fixed to the previous planking by bolts, or in any
convenient manner, and the seams of both the plankings may be caulked.
Figure 1 shews a transverse section of a vessel constructed as above
described; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the keel; and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the side of the vessel. In
each of these Figures the same letters of reference refer to the same parts.
a, a, are the vertical iron ribs'; these ribs are shown to be of the section
first mentioned, but in place of employing ribs of this section the ribs may be
formed of what is known as bulb iron. On the outside of each of these ribs
is a plank a¹ bent to the form of the ribs, or in place of interposing a wooden
plank running in the direction of the length of the rib or frame, between the
rib and the wooden planking of the ship or vessel, a soft metal not liable to
be corroded may be interposed in place thereof, and the thus interposing a
wooden plank or layer of soft metal between the iron ribs and the wooden
planking of a ship or vessel, is an important part of my Invention. b, b, are
the planks running in a direction from stem to stern; these planks are con-
nected to the ribs by bolts, as shewn at Figure 3. Interior of these planks,
and between the ribs, are other planks c, c, parallel with the ribs; these planks
are connected to the planks b, b, by bolts or otherwise.
In Figures 1 and 2 some of the ribs a, a, are shewn to come down to and
pass over the top of the wooden floor timbers d, and other of the ribs a, a, are
shown to come down to the top of the keel e, and to be bolted to; it; but in
place of the ribs or frames being arranged in this way, all the ribs or frames
may pass over the top of the floor timbers, or they may all be made to pass
between the timbers, and to come down on to the keel, and be bolted to it.
In the sections of the vessel shewn at Figures 1 and 2, the keelson is.
shewn to rest on the top of those beams that are received on the top of the
floor timbers, and also on wooden filling pieces 9, 9, placed between the keel
and keelson, the keelson being retained in its place by bolts passing through

page_text: the keelson and through the filling pieces and keel, as shown at Figure 2. In
place of employing planking c, c, between the ribs, two layers of planking may
be employed exterior of the ribs, as shown at Figure 4, the outer layer of planks
covering over the joints of the first layer, or one layer only of planks running
longitudinally of the vessel may be employed, as shown at Figure 5.
In order to construct a vessel capable of resisting shot, I employ iron frames.
or ribs such as are above described, and to these ribs or frames I bolt iron
plates running longitudinally of the vessel, the edges of the plates which are
bolted to the ribs being provided with flanges, as shewn at Figure 6. Between
the iron plates I place wooden planks a, a, as shown, the outer edges of the
planks being flush with the outer edges of the iron plates, so that each iron
plate is separated by a wooden plank from the iron plate above and below it;
the wooden planking should, however, be of small thickness, so as not to allow
a shot, to pass between the plates to the exterior edges of the planks and the
longitudinal iron plates. A coating of iron plates may be fixed
so as to form.
an outer skin to the vessel, bolts being passed through the skin into the
wooden planks. Each of the longitudinal iron plates has holes formed
through it, so that as the ship being bolted spikes or bolts may be driven
through them and into the wooden plank below, and also after passing through,
the plank into holes in the longitudinal iron plate below, the plank. In place
of employing iron plates, such as those shown at Figure 6, the outer edges of
the iron plates may be formed with flanges in addition to the inner edges of
the iron plates which are bolted to the ribs; being so formed, the flanges on
the outer edges of the iron plates will thus form an outer skin to the vessel,
or the iron plates may be provided with flanges on their outer edges, only, as,
shewn at Fig. 7. In some cases, in building ships, I also place such iron.
plates between the longitudinal planking at the bottom or side of the vessel
to give increased longitudinal strength. Iron plates placed in this manner are
shewn at a, a, Figure 1.
In constructing deck beams and fastenings for wood ships, it is preferred to
employ two plates of angle iron kept at a distance apart by hollow distance
pieces fixed by passing bolts or rivets through them at intervals along the
beam. At each end of a beam the two plates are turned outwards from each
other, and between the two plates of which a beam is constructed an iron
knee is introduced at each end of a beam, and is fixed thereto by rivets or screw
bolts. In place of constructing the middle portion of a deck beam with two
plates as before stated kept apart, as above explained, the middle portion of a
beam may consist of a single plate, the two ends of the beam being composed
of two plates suitably kept apart, and bent outwards at their ends one from

page_text: the other, as before explained, iron knees, as before stated, being intro-
duced and fastened between the two plates, where the beam is fixed to a
ship's side.
The deck beams, shown at Figures 1 and 6*, 7, 8, and 9, are constructed
of two plates h, h, kept at a distance apart by hollow filling pieces i; each of
the plates his furnished at its upper edge with a flange, the flanges of the
two plates composing the beam standing outwards, as shown. The end of
each plate is also turned outwards at right angles to the rest of the plate, as
shewn at h¹, h, and the portions h¹ of the plates are bolted to the ship's side.
At each end of the beam an iron knee k is introduced between the plates, and
is connected to them by rivets, as shown, In place of making the entire
length of the beam of two plates kept at a distance apart, as above described,.
the centre portion of the beam may be made of a single piece of bulb or angle
iron, the two ends being composed of two plates kept apart and bent outwards
at their ends, as above described.
· Another part of this Invention consists in employing iron bolts coated with
lead, or lead combined with other metals, for connecting together the different
parts of ships. For this purpose the iron bolts are first coated with solder or
tin, and are then coated with lead. I also use steel bolts for fastening iron
frames to wood planking.
In some cases, in constructing vessels, I also combine with them longi-
tudinal iron stringer or tie rods, as shown at Figure 10, and intermediate of
the length of the rod I provide means for tightening the rod, as shewn, the
rod being divided at its centre, and having formed on the adjacent ends right
and left-handed screws, on to which is screwed a tube y, also formed with
interior right and left-handed screws..
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Betteley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOSEPH BETTELEY. (L.B.)