AN IMPROVED METHOD OF SHEATHING IRON OR METAL SHIPS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wright, of 42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, City
of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
SHEATHING IRON OR METAL SHIPS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE
"
Sealed the 14th November 1862, and dated the 19th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wright at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
May 1862.
I, JAMES WRIGHT, of 42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, City of London, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF SHEATHING IRON OR METAL SHIPS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE
ACTION OF SALT WATER, FOULING, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE INFLUENCES," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
Hitherto no success has attended the covering the skin of iron ships with a
sheathing of copper or sheathing metal, owing chiefly to the impossibility of
preventing the chemical action induced between the metals arising from the
difficulty of completely isolating them from each other. In order to obviate
and to completely isolate the iron skin from the sheathing metal I
propose to
introduce a sheeting of wood planks between the two metals, and the parti-
cular mode-in. which I can do this constitutes the peculiarity of my Invention.
Having decided upon the kind of plank to be used, and its width and thick-

page_text: ness, I line off the bottom and sides of the skin plate to which it is to be
applied, marking out the bolt holes to which it is to be affixed, keeping clear
of the seams and butts. These holes are drilled through the skin plate and
tipped, according to the size of the bolts to be used. The wood planking,
being now carefully cut and fitted to the skin, is held there while holes are
bored from the inside of the vessel through those cut in the skin plate so as
to accurately coincide and correspond with them. The position of the holes in
the planking might be determined without fixing it to the skin plate and boring
them from within, but this seems the most easy and practical way.. Previously
to fixing the planking permanently I cover the whole of the skin plate with a
sheet or coating of vulcanized india-rubber or other similar insulating water-
proof compound, which I attach to it, taking care to withdraw the air from
between. The planking is now fixed to the skin by means of a screw bolt
passed through the skin plate, the head of the bolt being countersunk within
a recess on the planking. I then tighten and draw home the bolt by a nut
on its inner end in the inside of the ship, placing an india-rubber and an iron
washer between the skin and the nut, so as to form a perfect water-tight joint;
also, to prevent any chance of the water entering, I place another india-rubber
washer under the head of the bolt in the plank, and one over the head of the
bolt, so as to completely isolate the latter from the sheeting metal. This being
done, I then nail on the copper or other sheathing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Wright in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WRIGHT, of 42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, City of London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Wright, Her special. licence that I, the said James Wright,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Wright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OP SHEATHING IRON OR METAL SHIPS IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM FROM THE
ACTION OF SALT WATER, FOULING, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE INFLUENCES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Wright, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 James Wright, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Hitherto little success has attended covering the skins of iron ships with a
sheathing of copper or sheathing metal, owing chiefly to the impossibility of
preventing chemical action between the metals arising from the difficulty of
completely isolating them from each other. In order to obviate this, and
completely to isolate the iron skin from the sheathing motal, I propose to
introduce a sheathing, of wood planks between the two metals, and the way
in which I combine these forms the chief feature of my Invention; that is to
say, I propose to isolate the metal skin of the ship from the copper or other
sheathing by means of a layer of planks, or a layer of planks supplemented by
a layer of india-rubber or felt or other such gummy water-tight substance ;
and the gist of my Invention consists in the particular mode by which I attach
and bind the said substance to the iron skin and to one another. This I effect
by passing screw bolts through the wood and water-tight sheathing into the
similarly tapped bolt hole in the iron skin, and after screwing it home holding
it tight up by means of a nut and washer inside. The mode in which I prefer
to effect this is as follows:-Different methods of carrying cut the plan may,
however, be adopted, according to varying circumstances. Having decided
upon the kind of planks to be used and its width and thickness, I line off the
bottom and sides of the skin plate to which it is to be applied, marking out
the bolt holes by which it is to be affixed, keeping clear of the seams and
butts. These holes are drilled through the skin plate and tapped, according
to the size of the bolts to be used. The wood planking, being now
carefully cut and fitted to the skin, is held there while holes are bored from
the inside of the vessel through those cut in the skin plate so as to accurately
coincide and correspond with them. The position of the holes in the planking

page_text: might be determined without fixing it to the skin plate and boring them from
within, but this seems the easiest and most practical way. Previous to fixing
the planking permanently I cover the whole of the skin plate with a sheet or
coating of vulcanized india-rubber or other similar insulating waterproof com-
pound, which I attach or glue to it, taking care to withdraw the air from
between. The planking is now fixed to the skin by means of a screw bolt
passed through the skin plate, the head of the bolt being countersunk within
a recess formed in the planking. I then tighten and draw home the bolt by
a nut on its inner end in the inside of the ship, placing an india-rubber and
an iron washer between the skin and the nut, so as to form a perfectly water-
tight joint; also, to prevent any chance of the water entering, I place another
india-rubber washer under the head of the bolt in the plank and one over the
head of the bolt, so as to completly isolate the latter from the sheathing
metal. This being done, I then nail on the copper or other sheathing in the
usual manner.
Having now described my Invention, what it consists of, and how the same
is constructed and combined, I wish it understood that I do not claim nor wish
secured to me by the before in part recited Letters Patent, the mode of placing
a lining of wood, or wood and india-rubber combined, on the metal skin of a
ship preparatory to coating it with sheathing metal, but what I claim is, the
method of combining and attaching these said linings to the iron skin of the
ship and to each other by means of screw bolts, substantially as herewithin
described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wright, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES WRIGHT. (L.S.)