IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Catlin, of the City of New York, in the
United States of America, but now residing at Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES.
Sealed the 26th November 1860, and dated the 12th June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Catlin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th June 1860.
I, GEORGE CATLIN, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America, but now residing at Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES,"
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct vessels with unsinkable hulls,
by which the lives of passengers may be protected as on a raft in cases of
shipwreck.
These hulls or rafts it is proposed to build somewhat in the form of ordinary
steamers, with seasoned pine or other squared timbers, and entirely solid up
to or above the water line, with the exception of such part or parts of the
said hulls as may be necessarily required for the free and advantageous action
of the engines and other machinery, and their communications with the pro-
peller acting on the water. The floating and lifting powers of the hulls or

page_text: rafts will be due to the buoyancy of the timbers, instead of as in ordinary
steamers from the buoyancy of a hold, but assisted by the formation therein
of a central longitudinal bore of greater or less diameter extending through a
portion or the whole length of the hull or raft, the end or ends of the bore
being blocked up and hermetically sealed. The timbers used to form the
bottom and deck of the hull are to be laid longitudinally in the direction of
the length of the vessel, and bound with planks which cross them at right
angles. The hull is built up with transverse horizontal compact layers
of timbers, bored or unbored, as may be expedient, crossing each other
diagonally, and secured together with iron and wooden bolts obliquely driven,
and laid in heated tar or pitch or cement.
This solid mass of timbers perfectly shaped into the intended form of the
hull of a vessel, but as yet without siding ribs or casing of any kind is, after
effectual caulking, to be paid over with several coats of boiling tar or pitch,
in order to hermetically seal the pores of the timbers ends and the joints
between them; and on this a covering of coarse felt saturated with heated tar
is to be applied, and over all a double planking. The first a vertical layer
(also laid in heated tar or pitch) (of planks (or ribs) extending above the
deck of the hull, of sufficient strength and thickness to form a part (and
strengthen the sides) of the superstructure and the bulwarks. And the
second, a longitudinal layer of less thickness, and covered (if advisable) with
sheathing iron, thus rendering it entirely impervious to water and to fire.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Catlin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
CATLIN, of the City of New York, in the United States of America, but now
residing at Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Catlin, Her special license that I, the said George Catlin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Catlin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time. agree

page_text: hull of a vessel, but as yet without siding, ribs, or casing of any kind, after
effectually caulking I would give several coats of boiling tar or pitch,
hermetically sealing the pores of the timber's ends and the joints between
them, (c, c, in Fig. 2,) and on that, if expedient, a covering of coarse felt
saturated with heated tar, and over which a double planking; the first a
vertical layer, (d, d, in Fig. 2,) also laid in heated tar or pitch, of planks or
ribs firmly bolted to the timber's ends, extending above the deck of the hull
(e, e, in Fig. 2,) of sufficient strength and thickness to form a part (and
strengthen the sides) of the superstructure (f, f, in Fig. 2,) and the bulwarks
(g, g, in Fig. 2); and the second, a longitudinal layer of less thickness, (h, h,
in Fig. 2), or in lieu thereof, to cover the vertical planking with sheathing
iron, thus rendering it entirely impervious to water and to fire.
My Invention, therefore, which I believe to be new and unused, consists in
the construction of solid and unsinkable hulls, with large sized, squared, and
seasoned timbers, a greater or less proportion of which (as may be required)
to be bored as aforesaid, and all to be laid and bolted down in the manner
above described. And from its great superiority in stiffness and strength and
durability to any other system, and believing it calculated to be of great public
utility in the protection of property and preservation of human life, I claim
the exclusive right of constructing unsinkable hulls, and of rendering hulls
unsinkable with such timbers, bored and unbored, as aforesaid, and laid in
such form, and of all laying of such timbers in that manner whatsoever in the
construction of unsinkable hulls, intended either for ocean passenger steamers,
for emigrant or troop ships; naval magazines or tenders, gun-boats or other
vessels of war, floating batteries or rams, or any other navigating or floating
crafts. The said diagonal layers of timbers crossing each other and the hull
at more or less obtuse or acute angles as may be expedient; and the said hulls
being constructed in such form, size, and proportions, and to be propelled by
such application of motive power, as circumstances may demand.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Catlin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
GEORGE CATLIN. (L.S.)

page_text: with, and no- others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER FLOATING BODIES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Catlin, by an instrument in writing
under my band and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Catlin, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
"
I propose to construct unsinkable hulls or rafts somewhat in the form of the
hulls of ordinary steamers, entirely solid, with seasoned pine or other squared
timbers (and their improved powers) to or above the water line, with the
exception of such part or parts of the said hulls as may be necessarily
excavated for the free and advantageous action of the engine and other
machinery, and their communications with the propeller acting on the water;
the said hulls or rafts, getting their floating and lifting powers from the
buoyancy of the timbers and their improved powers, instead of getting it in
the usual way of ordinary steamers; from the buoyancy of a hold, and the said
improved powers of the timbers to consist in a central longitudinal
bore (j,j, in Fig. 3,) with a steam auger or drill of greater or less diameter
through a portion or whole length of the same. The end or ends of the bore
being blocked up and hermetically sealed (K, in Fig. 3,).when laid in the
hull, thus diminishing the weight and increasing the lifting power without
lessening the strength of the timbers, they being by. the boring process con-
verted into cylinders filled with air, and air and water tight; and with the
exception of such timbers as may be required at the bottom and the deck of
the hull to be laid longitudinally, (a, a, in Fig. 1,) the hulls to be built up with
transverse horizontal compact layers of such timbers, bored and unbored, in
such proportions as may be expedient, crossing each other and the hull
diagonally, (b, b, b, in Fig. 1,) put together in both cases with iron and wooden
bolts of large size, obliquely driven, and laid in heated tar or pitch.
To this solid mass of timbers, perfectly shaped into the intended form of the