IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Ridley Oswald, of Sunderland, Ship Builder,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS."
Sealed the 27th October 1859, and dated the 12th May 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Ridley Oswald
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th May 1859.
I, THOMAS RIDLEY OSWALD, of Sunderland, Ship Builder, do hereby declare
the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in building ships and other
vessels. For these purposes the body of a ship or vessel consists of lattice-
work, the bars composing which are fixed at an angle of about 45° to the
keel, and they are rivitted together at their intersections. The keel, cutwater,
and stern post are hollow, consisting of angle iron at the four angles, with
plates rivitted thereto, and the bars composing the latticework are rivetted or
bolted to the lower plate of the keel, which extends sufficiently beyond the
sides for that purpose. In making the latticework, it is preferred to use angle
iron bars in one direction, and flat iron bars in the opposite direction.
some cases the body frame of a ship or vessel thus constructed is planked on
the outside, and ceiled on the inside with wood, the spaces between being filled
up with chocks of wood running horizontally in a direction fore and aft, which
In

page_text: woodwork is bolted together through and through. In other cases the lattice
body is plated over with sheets of iron on the outside, the sheets being fixed
by rivits to the diagonal bars of the frame. In some cases wood keels, cut-
waters, and stern posts are fixed externally of the hollow metal parts above
described when wood planking is used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Ridley Oswald in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th November 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
RIDLEY OSWALD, of Sunderland, Ship Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Ridley Oswald, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Ridley Oswald, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas Ridley Oswald, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUILDING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Ridley Oswald, 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 Thomas Ridley Oswald, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in building ships and other
vessels. For these purposes the body of a ship or vessel consists of lattice-
work, the bars composing which are fixed at an angle of about 45° to the

page_text: direction.
keel, and they are rivitted together at their intersections. The keel, cut-
water, and stern post are hollow, consisting of angle iron at the four angles,
with plates rivetted thereto, and the bars composing the latticework are
rivitted or bolted to the lower plate of the keel, which extends sufficiently
beyond the sides for that purpose. In making the latticework, it is preferred
to use angle iron bars in one direction, and flat iron bars in the opposite
In some cases the body frame of a ship or vessel thus constructed
is planked on the outside, and ceiled on the inside with wood, the spaces
between being filled up with chocks of wood running horizontally in a direction
fore and aft, which woodwork is bolted together through and through. In
other cases the lattice body is plated over with sheets of iron on the outside, the
sheets being fixed by rivits to the diagonal bars of the frame. In some cases
wood keels, cutwaters, and stern posts are fixed externally of the hollow metal
parts above described when wood planking is used.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The frame is of iron, constructed as is usually adopted in the formation of
iron ships, namely, with angle iron frame, floors, reverse bars, and floors and
iron beams, box or other keelson, &c.; but instead of making such frame to
be placed vertically across the ship, it is laid off and constructed so as to be
placed at an angle of 45° across the ship from a perpendicular line, as at A,
Figure 2. Each frame is placed in this position right fore and aft the vessel;
the foot of each frame being connected with the lower iron keelson and side
plate, and iron stem and stern post, as at B, Figure 1 and Figure 2, and the
heads of each frame by a plate, girting the vessel at the gunwale, as at C
and B, Figures 1 and 2. The frames in this position are recrossed by flat bars
of iron, proportionate to the size of the frames in the opposite direction at the
same angle of 45°, as at D, Figure 2, whereon these bars intersect the frames.
They are rivetted together, and thus form a complete latticework. The
keelson is of the box form, made of iron, as at E, Figure 1; also the inner
stem and stern post to which it is connected, as at Figures 3 and 4, being one
continuous connection from the head of the post to stem head, the two latter
being again connected by the iron plate C, Figure 2, which girts the vessel.
By this means the entire inner body or frame of the vessel is of iron, and
independent in every way, both for strength and connection, of the outer vessel
of wood. This inner body or frame of the vessel it is proposed shall be
planked with wood or plated with iron; if with the former, a wood stem, stern
post, and keel is fitted on (and connected with inner stem, stern post, and
keelson), into which the plank ends rabbit. It is further proposed that the

page_text: space between the outside plank and ceiling shall be fitted up and made solid,
as at F, Figure 5, and thus forming a solid shell. The fastenings for the
plank and ceilings are by either wood trenails, or by iron or copper bolts,
which are driven in and clenched between the frames and flat bars, as at G,
Figure 5, thus having no connection at all with the iron framework.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Ridley Oswald, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
T. R. OSWALD. (L.S.)