IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Campbell Evans, of East Greenwich, in the
County of Kent, Engineer, and John Calvin Thompson, of the same
Place, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING
THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND VESSELS."
Sealed the 7th October 1864, and dated the 13th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Campbell Evans
and John Calvin Thompson at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th April 1864.
We, JOHN CAMPBELL EVANS, of East Greenwich, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, and JOHN CALVIN THOMPSON, of the same Place, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
PRESERVING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention consists in protecting or preserving the bottoms of iron and
other ships and vessels by applying thereto a composition composed of finely
divided or powdered copper and zinc mixed together, and incorporated with
drying oils, varnishes, or bituminous or other adhesive materials or compounds
capable of resisting the action of water.
When applying this composition to iron ships or vessels the surface to be.
preserved should be first coated with any well-known suitable non-conducting
material, over which the preservative metallic composition of the consistency.
of paint is to be applied with a brush or otherwise, or if preferred the drying

page_text: oils, varnishes, or bituminous or other adhesive materials or compounds may
be laid on first, and the powdered copper and zinc applied afterwards before
the surface is dry.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Campbell Evans and John Calvin Thompson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
CAMPBELL EVANS, of East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Engineer,
and JOHN CALVIN THOMPSON, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Campbell Evans and John Calvin Thompson; Her special licence that
we, the said John Campbell Evans and John Calvin Thompson, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Campbell
Evans and John Calvin Thompson, our 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING THE BOTTOMS OF IRON AND OTHER SHIPS AND
VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Camp-
bell, Evans and John Calvin Thompson, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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. :. Loub
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Campbell Evans and John
Calvin, Thompson, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed; to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is, to say
Our said Invention consists in protecting or preserving the bottoms of iron
and other ships and vessels by applying. thereto a composition composed of
finely divided or powdered copper and zinc,. mixed together in any suitable,

page_text: proportions, and incorporated with drying oils, varnishes, or bituminous or
other adhesive materials or compounds capable of resisting the action of water.
The proportions which we have found to answer well in practice are, sixty
parts by weight of copper and forty parts by weight of zinc, mixed with
shell-lac and spirit to the consistency of ordinary paint; but these proportions
may be varied if desired.
When applying this composition to iron ships or vessels the surface to be
preserved should be first coated with any well-known suitable non-conducting
material, such, for example, as pitch or naptha varnish, over which the pre-
servative metallic) composition of the consistency of paint is to be applied,
either in a hot or cold state, with a brush or otherwise; or, if preferred, the
drying oils, varnishes, or bituminous or other suitable adhesive compounds or
materials, herein-before referred to, may be laid on to the surface to be pro-
tected, and the copper and zinc applied afterwards in the form of a dry powder,
by sprinkling or dredging it over the surface before such surface has become
dry.
Having described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be used or carried into effect, we would observe,
in conclusion, that what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First, the mode or method of preserving the bottoms of iron and other ships
and vessels, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use to and in the preserving of the bottoms of
iron and other ships and vessels of a preservative coating or composition
composed substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Campbell Evans, for myself
and on behalf of the said John Calvin Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN CAMPBELL EVANS. (L.S.)