IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPLYING ARMOUR PLATING TO WAR SHIPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Laurence Hill, of Port Glasgow, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Shipbuilder, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPLYING ARMOUR PLATING TO WAR SHIPS."
Sealed the 25th July 1862, and dated the 3rd February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Laurence Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with 'his Petition, on the 3rd
February 1862.
I, LAURENCE HILL, of Port Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING ARMOUR PLATING TO WAR SHIPS," to be as follows,
that is to say-
This Invention of improvements in applying armour plating to war ships
is designed to obviate the weakening of the armour plates by bolt holes, the
means adopted also protecting the edges of the plates; and the Invention
consists in employing fastening bars between the longitudinal edges of the
plates, and also if desirable between the butt edges. The fastening bars
are made of greater depth than the thickness of the armour plates, and they
are formed with an enlargement at their outer edges, such enlargement
being shaped to overlap, secure, and protect the edges of the adjacent
armour plates. The outer rib or enlargement may be made either angular
or rounded, with the view of deflecting shot. The fastening bars are them-

page_text: selves fixed to, the vessel's side or framework by means of screw bolts tapped
into them from the inside, but not entering so far as to weaken the outer
rib or enlargement. It is preferred, instead of applying a teak or wooden
backing between the armour plates and the inner skin of the vessel, rather
to give an increased thickness to the plates, and to apply them immediately
against the inner skin, and the holding bolts are by preference formed with
enlarged shoulders, the better to resist transverse strains that might otherwise
loosen the plates.
The improved mode of fastening is applicable with the armour plates
arranged either in horizontal or in vertical lines, and in the former case the
fastening bars are used in long lengths, so as to give increased strength to
the structure, whilst if they are arranged vertically, say, for example, at the
bow or stern of the ship, the improved arrangement will permit of the armour
plates being easily removed and stowed in the vessel's hold, or of their being
replaced, as circumstances may require.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Laurence Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LAURENCE
HILL, of Port Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Ship-
builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the. twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Laurence Hill, Her special licence that I, the said Laurence
Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Laurence Hill, 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 "IMPROVE-
IN APPLYING ARMOUR PLATING TO WAR SHIPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Laurence Hill, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
Lands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of

page_text: 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 Laurence Hill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention of improvements in applying armour plating to wari
ships is designed to obviate the weakening of the armour plates by bolt holes,
the means adopted also protecting the edges of the plates. The improvements
are applicable where the ship's side is composed principally of iron, and also
where armour plates are applied to wooden ships.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two Sheets
of explanatory Drawings, representing convenient modifications of my im-
proved arrangements.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the side of a war ship with iron frames
and side. In carrying out the Invention in this case, the armour plates A
are held in position by fastening bars B, fitting between the longitudinal
edges of the plates, and also, if desirable, between the butt edges. The
fastening bars B are made of greater depth than the thickness of the armour
plates A, and they are formed with an enlargement at their outer edges,
such enlargement being shaped, as shown, to overlap, secure, and protect
the edges of the adjacent armour plates. The outer rib or enlargement
may be made either rounded as shown, or angular with the view of deflecting
shot. Between the armour plates A and the skin D of the vessel there
is interposed a thickness C of wood, and the fastening bars are fixed to the
vessel's side or framework by means of screw bolts E, tapped into them from
the inside, as shown, but not entering so far as to weaken the outer rib or
enlargement. A washer F is inserted between the head of the bolt E and
the skin D of the vessel, to cause the bolt to bear on a larger surface. It
is, however, in some cases preferred, instead of applying a teak or wooden
backing C between the armour plates A, and the inner skin D of the vessel,
rather to give an increased thickness to the armour plates, and to apply them
immediately against the inner skin.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of a wooden-sided ship, showing the
improved more of applying the armour plates thereto. The same reference

page_text: letters mark the same parts as in Figure 1. The bolts E have in the case
of the wooden-sided ship to be of increased length to pass through the
planking C, the frame G, and the inner skin or ceiling H. The screw
bolts may also require a greater range for tightening up than in the iron-
sided ship, and to provide for this both ends of the bolt E are screwed, and
a nut e. and jam nut e'. are screwed upon the inner end against the large
washer F. For further security the bolt E may have a right-handed
screw thread at one end, and a left-handed screw thread at the other end.
The improved mode of fastening is applicable with the armour plates
arranged either in horizontal or in vertical lines, and in the former case the
fastening bars are used in long lengths, so as to give increased strength to
the structure, whilst if they are arranged vertically, say, for example, at
the bow or stern of the ship, the improved arrangement will permit of the
armour plates being easily removed and stowed in the vessel's hold, or of
their being replaced, as circumstances may require. In Figure 1 the hori-
zontal arrangement is shown, and in Figure 2 the vertical one, but of course,
either arrangement may be used whether the ship's side is of wood or iron.
To facilitate the lifting of the plates, one or more small sockets I, Figure 2,
may be formed in the top edge of each to receive lewises, such as is shown
in Figure 3, and to which the hoisting tackle may be easily connected.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I
consider to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the securing of
armour plates upon the sides of war ships means of fastening bars formed
to overlap and protect the edges of the plates, and themselves fixed by
screw bolts tapped into them from the inside substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Laurence Hill, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
LAUR. HILL. (L.S.)