IMPROVEMENTS IN BATTERIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF WAR
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Sievier, of Guilford Street, Russell
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
non
DenniRO
An WA"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William Sievier at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th October 1861.
I, ROBERT WILLIAM SIEVIER, of Guilford Street, Russell Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATTERIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF WAR," to be
as follows:-
My improvements consist in offering to the enemy a face difficult to destroy
and also a covering to protect the men engaged, and to render vessels fire-
proof and independent of the air around. In this Provisional Specification I
explain in a general way how I propose to construct a floating battery, the
land battery being only a more simple arrangement. I form the floating
vessel of a shape somewhat resembling a very long egg steam boiler, and if
cut crosswise the section midships represents a long oval, these forms being so
arranged as to present an angular surface to the enemy. The vessel is so
constructed so as to entirely close up the crew when desired, and arrangements
are made for feeding the same with fresh air for any length of time.
vessel is not built like any other ship; she is first made of plates or planks of
[Pric: 8d.]
The

page_text: iron in the same way as an ordinary steam boiler, which may or may not be
ribbed inside; she is provided with a cut water or prow to cut down any
shipping in her way and another is placed at her stern, if thought fit; she has
a deep keel and carries guns, mortars, and any other missiles of war. She is
not built in the ordinary way of iron ships, but she has long plates or planks
of iron laid over the first made shape, for instance, the first. I prefer to lay at
an angle of 45° with her keel, say, from the keel, laying at that angle towards
the stern, the next layer of the planks from the keel towards the stern; she is
then plated or planked lengthwise, the plates or planks altogether being of the
thickness thought most desirable to resist the missiles that may be projected
at her. These plates may be all made of iron, or they may be made of different
metals, or they may have between them any other body to resist the force
used against them, or there may be more layers of plates than stated. These
three plates are not put all over the vessel, they are only placed upon that
part where the enemy's shots may be most effective. Where the shots will
have (on account of the angle it shows to the enemy) less power, I place less
plates, where it is still more unlikely to be injured another less plate; by this
means I do not require so much weight of iron. By having the whole vessel
or battery built of plates or planks of metal riveted and bolted together, it is
much stronger than when fitted together in large blocks, which must be
comparatively weak at the joints and difficult to hold together unless well
backed by some heavy and strong material. I do not require any framing of
wood, and should prefer the whole of the gun deck and lower divisions of iron.
It is necessary just to case the inner side of the vessel which is inhabited by
the crew with wood or any other non-conducting material. If of wood I
purpose that to be of as little bulk as possible for its requirements, and that
wood to be rendered indestructible in itself by fire, that is, it shall not in itself
produce flame. The distance between the wood and the iron should be filled
with sawdust, straw, or any non-conducting material that may be made non-
conibustible to the same extent as the wood; by this means if incendiary shells
should at any time enter the vessel, no fire may be apprehended. She is so
made as to be readily completely closed, and defy any sea. She is supplied
with air or ventilated by machinery, and artificially warmed in cold weather,
and can be lighted up with gas; and if laying under a battery offers a surface
nearly impregnable, and of a form something similar to that of a boat keel
upwards. The fires of the engines I cause to be fed when necessary by a
blast of air passing through them by the action of machinery, that no funnel
may appear. I also make arrangements that should the vessel be surrounded
with any pernicious vapours caused by asphyxia shells or other incendiary

page_text: compounds that she may close all openings and get free, or remain until the
whole is passed away. I use the ordinary screw, either simply or compound,
that is, two or more screws, or other mode of propulsion.
This is a general description which will be properly set out in the full
Specification with Drawing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert William Sievier in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th April 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I, ROBERT
WILLIAM SIEVIER, of Guilford Street, Russell Square, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert William Sievier, Her special licence that 1, the said Robert
William Sievier, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Robert William Sievier, 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 "IM
PROVEMENTS IN BATTERIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF WAR," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert William Sievier, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly described 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, I, the said Robert William Sievier, 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 following
statement and the Drawings hereunto annexed.
My improvements relate chiefly to the framework and skin of the vessel or
battery, so many disastrous accidents having happened from iron vessels

page_text: breaking into two parts, in the manner of the "Birkenhead" and "Royal
Charter," that it is necessary to build them stronger, and more particularly
vessels or batteries of war used as steam rams. It is well known that a simple
lattice bridge consisting of a small amount of ironwork will support enormous
spans and great weights passing over them. I build my vessels or batteries
upon the same general principle, by first putting together a latticework
Fig. 1. This latticework is made of separate bars of iron; one rolled straight,
Fig. 2, and one rolled with sunken spaces, see edge view, Fig. 3. When
these two rods are placed crosswise and rivetted together, as seen in Fig. 1,
they form a flat surface on one side, so that the plates of iron which form the
sides of the vessel or battery may be rivetted to them, see Fig. 4. I give
this example of latticework, but 1 adopt other well known suitable forms and
constructions of latticework, the principle being the same. I rivet the plates
to the lattice in a diagonal or oblique position, the second layer crossing the
first in a reversed direction, as shewn in Fig. 4. If a third layer of plates is
required, as in Fig. 5 a, I prefer laying those plates longitudinally, and if
more plates are required they may take any other direction. The only plates
which I desire to rivet securely to prevent leakage are the plates next the
lattice, pointed out by the course of rivets marked b, Fig. 4. The other
rivets may be at longer intervals, and a few in the centre of the plates where
they cross at c, c. A little felt or a sheet of lead may be placed between the
plates g, g, Fig. 6.
Fig. 7 is a section shewing the method of building the floating battery,
decreasing or increasing the numbers of plates according to the service such
battery is to perform. a, a, represent shots striking such battery, the parts
being thicker where the shots strike at a less angle. I find that sheet lead
laid on a piece of iron will turn the shot easily away; the lead acts as any
unctuous or greasy matter or substance will act when a body strikes it at an
angle, & coated on an iron surface; but such fatty matters are of little use
when struck with such force as that of a shot, nor would lead be of much use
if struck lightly. I therefore prefer placing a covering of lead on the outside
of the battery, and which may be easily pinned down by small holes being
drilled in the iron. In this Figure are also seen two cupolas b, b. for heating to
redness shot, which cupolas must be supplied with air by a blast cylinder, the
blast from which can be regulated by a supply cock, the extreme pressure to
be regulated by a valve on the pipe from the blast cylinder; c shews the air
vessel which is to supply the crew with air when the battery is closed. This
air reservoir must be made of wrought iron of a strength suflicient to bear a
pressure of some 10 atmospheres, and of sufficient dimensions to supply the

page_text: crew for some time with air, when the battery is entirely closed, to enable the
crew to remain in safety, although surrounded by a poisonous atmosphere
when such should be the situation of the battery.
Fig. 8, d, are tanks which are filled with hydrocarbons or volatile oils,
having tar, resin, pitch, or any other incendiary body dissolved therein; but
in all cases to have volatile oils, or spirits of sufficient quality, that if flame is
communicated to any one part it rapidly runs over the whole. These tanks
are supplied, when required, by pipes to the upper deck; there are also two
pipes, one of them e, e, will go to an air vessel, which is kept filled at a proper
pressure regulated by a valve, that when the cock f, f, is opened it will give
pressure sufficient to eject the fluid in a stream upon the object as required,
say, a dockyard or a ship; a pipe g communicates with the bottom, and leads
up to the deck h; at the end of the pipe there is a hose, which has a pipe
attached to play over the decks, masts, and sails of the enemy at a not less rate
than some 2 tons per minute; some small guns discharge upon it a shower of
rocket or roman candle stars to cause ignition to the volatile liquid, causing
general destruction. The upper part of the pipe, as well as the lower, is fur-
nished with a stop-cock that it may be used only as desired.
In forming the shell of a battery with masts in the usual way of building a
ship, I do not build her with ribs in the usual manner, nor do I think that a
latticework is necessary, as she could be built on a woodwork framing, which
could be removed; such vessel would be only a simple battery, but for
carrying troops or stores, as room is required for such conveyance, Fig. 9
shows the section of such a ship, without the latticework, as she would be
strong enough; the mode of constructing her sides is shewn at Fig. 10.
The thickness of the iron should be increased gradually towards the bottom;
she should have a partial rib b, b, from her kelson, a short distance up her
sides to give her strength at that part; and I also should strengthen her with
bands at c, c, c. Fig. 10 is a partial side view of Fig. 9. d, d, the top rail;
e, e, e, e, strips of iron to which the two plates or planks of iron and gare
rivetted, so that no leak may take place at the joints; c, c, c, are the bands.
The form I prefer for building batteries without masts is shewn at Fig. 11,
being a side view, and Fig. 12, a plan view; the form being like a wedge.
similar to our quick-swimming fish. a, a, a, a, the situation of the guns under
water; b, b, guns near the water line; c, c, c, c, guns arranged on the upper
deck; the dots d, d, d, are bull's-eyes, to give light; e, e, c, e, are trap doors to
admit air and for ingress and egress, which may be closed at pleasure; at f is
shewn the anchor, which I prefer being placed at a short distance from the
bow, first, because it is secure from damage by shot, and secondly that it can

page_text: be drawn up into a well in a similar way to the ordinary screw propener, and
again, because the vessel will ride a little easier with less strain on the cable,
as her bow will rise a little to the sea to ease the blow. The shafts of the
screws I place at an angle with the keel, see dotted lines g, g. Fig. 12, and by
arranging the angle of. the blades of the screws to suit the angle of the shafts,
they form a very powerful propeller. The engines h, h, must be placed at right
angles with the shafts of the screws, as seen, whatever angle they may be
placed at; these screws and the rudder are protected by an extended projec-
tion of the stern of the battery; h, k, are the flues of the engine fires.
Figs. 14, 15, are mere sections of the battery, taken through the lines
drawn.
Fig. 13 shows the prow of the vessel with her battery as she would approach
an enemy. At her contact with an enemy the guns a, a, would be discharged
by electricity, as hereafter described, and the four guns b, b, b, b, are arranged
so as to concentrate their fire just below water mark with those marked c, c, c,
by which means, a ship composed of wood would be sunk by one discharge. If
she should be composed of iron on a wood bottom, the guns under water would
sink her. The battery should, by preference, at the bow, consist of 2 ten-inch
under-water guns a, a, 4 100 lb. Armstrong guns b, b, b, b, loading at the
breech, and 2 60 lbs. ditto c; these guns with the blow of the ram would
nearly cut a wooden vessel in two.
Fig. 16 shews a temporary arrangenient of standards and ropes 1, to enable
the crew to take exercise on the top of the battery; they can be removed
before action. The dotted line d shews an arrangement for strengthening the
vessel, to enable her to stand the blow caused by her action as a battering
ram. Upright plates d, d, extend from the keel and continue, as seen by the
dotted lines, Fig. 16. c, c, Fig. 17, are cross pieces which must be so laid as
not to interfere seriously with the decks; e shews the planks of the deck; and
f, a covering of iron plate.
manner
To mast any floating vessel to carry a battery formed in the
described, resort to the following means:-It would be useless for her to
carry standing masts for the service she is destined, room might be found a
the top of the floating battery, as seen at Fig. 18. The two masts a, a, ar
represented lying lengthwise under the upper part of the vessel and covere
over, and shewn by the dotted lines b, b, as elevated; they will have to be sup
ported by ropes attached at places purposely arranged for them, and rigged a
desired; such an arrangement would be useful when coals were deficient.
Fig. 19 represents two telescope iron masts, which must be raised and fidde
and steadied by ropes.

page_text: In prepelling the battery it is necessary that in some cases great speed
should be attained to enable a floating battery to get close, or to act as a ram
against an enemy; I therefore adopt the 2 screws protected by the overhanging
stern, as before described, see dotted lines g, g, Fig. 12; also a double screw,
as seen at a, a, Fig. 16. The screw may be 2 or 3-bladed, and placed one
before the other; the blades of the two screws should not be placed in a line
with one another, but so as to throw the water from the first upon the second,
that it may act beneficially; the rudder b will be out of reach of injury.
Fig. 20 shows a method of propulsion by a screw. There have been many
attempts at pumping the water out at the stern or sides by pumps, and letting
it enter at the bow; in all those cases a slow speed of the vessel is caused by the
small outlet and inlet of the water, as also from the small amount of water which
could be thrown by pumps, as the apertures have not been more than 14
inches diameter. In a battery or a battery and fire-ship combined, I am
enabled to adopt a screw of large diameter in a channel at the stern of the
vessel, as seen at a, a, Fig. 20; this channel b gradually diminishes to c, but
where it branches out into two channels d, d, which pass out at the bow, these
apertures should have a few bars across to prevent extraneous matter of any
size from entering. It is quite necessary to arrange vessels for action in parts
or places where a great mass of matter may be floating, so as to prevent en-
tanglement of the screw. The screws in Figs. 20, 21, are fixed as shewn at an
angle, and may be moved at the lower part by a bevil wheel from the engine,
the arrangement of which would be useless to describe. These Figs. 20, 21,
merely represent the shell of the vessel; this mode of propulsion may be applied
to any vessel.
Fig. 22 is a view of the vessel as seen at the bow, and Fig. 23 is a sectional
view at the stern; Fig. 24 is a sectional view of a vessel having the screw in
the channel above described, suitable for shallow water.
With respect to guns or missiles of war to make the battery complete, I use
guns or mortars arranged for projecting shot or missiles of war with or without.
the use of gunpowder, and arrange them accordingly; those with gunpowder
I will first describe:-Fig. 25 is a view of a gun, which can be discharged
under water, and loaded also; Fig. 26, a section of the same. a represents
the barrel of the gun, which is separate from the loading chamber, as in Colt's
pistols; it is easily attached to the side of the ship b by the bolts c, c; the
revolving chamber e moves upon the trunnions f, by means of force being
applied to the handle fixed upon the shaft of the pinion h, which enters into
the teeth of the segment of a wheel on the revolving chamber c. Suppose the
gun to have been fired, the winch g is turned until the part i comes into the

page_text: situation marked by the dots k, k, the water is then sponged out, and the
chamber is again loaded with powder as at m, and ball as at 1; the powder is
placed in a waterproof casing having two small wires, which pass through a
case containing an explosive powder, such as is used in the explosion of works
under water, and the wires pass through the vent e*, and communicate with
a galvanic battery to be used for firing the gun by the person appointed on
the upper deck, when he is close to the enemy; there are two stops I, I, that
regulate the adjustment of the revolving chamber; n, n, is a screw to tighten
up the revolving chamber, or loosen it to a very small extent, that it may be
easily moved; o, o, are small rings of elastic packing, to prevent the water
from entering the vessel.
Fig. 27 represents a plan I adopt to allow a recoil to the gun; the
barrel a in this case is fixed to the carriage b; the gun in every other respect
is as Fig. 25; this carriage bruns in a gudgeon or guides on each side, which
cannot be shewn in the section, but it is well understood being adopted to
carronade and other guns; the muzzle fits easily into the side of the vessel.
and is only closely pressed by the vulcanized india-rubber rings placed around
it, seen at d, d, d. The part b has motion backwards and forwards when the
gun is discharged, by reason of the elastic bed of vulcanized india-rubber e.
or springs, but. I prefer india-rubber; when the gun is fired the india-rubber
bed allows the gun to recoil, and the elasticity of the india-rubber forces it
back into its place: it is received against a small packing g of the same
material; the buffers attached to railroad carriages have been made of the
same material for years, and are found very effective in relieving the shock.
Fig. 28 is a view of one of the four guns, before mentioned, at the bow of
the vessel, which I prefer should be Armstrong guns loading at the breech;
these 4 guns, as before stated, are to concentrate their fire at a short distance,
and do not require trunnions; and as the water may frequently rise up to the
muzzles, I use waterproof casing for the powder; these guns may also be
fired by electricity. I close the port until they are required for action; these
guns being for a particular purpose are fixtures, as regards position. a, repre-
sents the gun; b, the carriage; c, a strap, to keep the gun in place; d, the
india-rubber, to allow the recoil; e, the lower part of the carriage, which runs
in a gudgeon, as before described; g, g, the rings of india-rubber, which close
round the gun; h, the sliding door, by which I close the port, which fits upon
a piece of india-rubber i, and is enclosed all round by the same material, so that
no water may enter. Fig. 28* is a front sectional view, shewing the gudgeons
or guides a, a, and friction rollers b, b, upon which the gun carriage moves at
the time it recoils; d is the revolving chamber; and e, the barrel.
:

page_text: Fig. 29 represents a gun having the trunnions near the muzzle at a, by
which means the ports need not be much larger than the muzzle of the gun,
the motion being very little at that point; under and in a line with the muzzle
is the pin b, upon which the gun is moved from right to left; the gun is cle-
vated by means of the screw c; a wheel or roller placed at d assists the
moving of the gun cither way; this roller might be a toothed wheel working
into a rack, which should form the segment of a circle to suit the purpose;
this gun is on the non-recoil principle, and should load at the breech; the
porthole is covered by a plate, which can be moved up by the rack f.
Fig. 30 is a gun on the india-rubber recoil principle, as before described.
a represents the gun, and is one on Armstrong's principle, loading at the
breech; it is fixed to a moveable piece b, which slides up or down the car-
riage c; as the screw d is lowered or raised the front of the gun rests upon a
roller e; pieces of india-rubber are seen at g, g, to keep the water, the smoke.
and poisonous vapour out of the vessel; i is a levelling telescope or cyc
glass, or a tube which is attached in a true line with the gun (the same appli-
cation must be put to all guns where the port is closed), it passes out at a
hole in the side of the vessel; this tube moves whichever way the gun is
moved, and the marksman orders the gun to be placed in the manner he
requires, and at the proper time discharges the gun; the handle is turned to
elevate or depress the gun, which is accomplished by the pinions m, and the
bevil wheel n; as you raise the gun at the breech the moveable pieces brise
also in grooves made in the carriage c. c, therefore the muzzle of the gun
hardly changes its position; the port may be of small dimensions, and nearly
closed against the effect of small arms, which kill or disable the gunners.
Fig. 31 is a plan of cutting away the muzzle of the gun at about the angle
of the side of the vessel, so that it may cause the shot to glance off. a represents
the muzzle of the gun; b, the ball; c, the lower part of the muzzle, which is cut
away to allow a vent for the blast, when fired, that the ball may not be effected
by being longer in the gun on one side than the other. The shot projected
under water may be made hollow, as seen at a, Fig. 42, having a plate c
placed between it and the powder c, or it may be a shell shot, as shewn in
section, Fig. 43, with lead ring seen at a'.
Fig. 32 represents a vessel and battery of air and other guns; it is a lon-
gitudinal sectional general view of a battery carrying but few guns, and a
large quantity of incendiary matter, more particularly for the destruction
of vessels building in dockyards, and dockyards themselves; these vessels
do not require much speed. a, a, a, represent three mortars, firmly fixed
in a sunken place at the top of the vessel, and therefore not liable to

page_text: injury; these mortars are shewn on a larger scale at Figs. 33 and 34,
being sectional side views; these mortars I purpose being of 14 to 20 inches
or more in diameter; they are to project missiles containing inflammable
oils or compounds, or any other materials, see Figs. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39,
and 40; these missiles may be composed of thin sheet iron on the sides
and top, a, b, Fig. 35 and 36, and of the same material stronger at the
bottom, c, c; these missiles could not safely be projected with gunpowder, as
the sharpness of the discharge would rupture them; I, therefore, use air, as
will be described. These missiles I fill with any suitable inflammable matter,
and into each I introduce a case containing a small charge of gunpowder,
amongst which I put a few rocket star balls, so that when it bursts it should
rupture the case if it has not done so by falling, and the inflammable matter
would then be ignited. A fuse, see a, Fig. 37, is placed in the tube at the
upper part of the missile containing the inflammable matter, and lighted
before the missile is projected. The mode of operation is as follows:-In the
battery, Fig. 32, the egg-shaped iron vessel axis made to contain air at a
pressure of 300 or more pounds to the inch; this vessel is furnished with a
safety valve, and also to prevent accident by explosion with a weaker piece of
metal than any other part of the vessel, placed at b, surrounded by the tube c,
which has an outlet at the top; this I call a security plate, as it will give way
first, and the vessel will expend itself harmlessly up the tube c; from this vessel
tubes pass to each of the reservoirs d, d, Figs. 33 and 34, for the service of
the guns; the compressed air is admitted into the reservoir d by a cock g, or
any other convenient means, and then shut off, it is kept in there by the slide
valve e; the mortar is loaded, say, with the missile Fig. 35, or any of the
others; at the opening of the door h, it is let down into the mortar by the
handles i, the fuse is then lighted, and the door h, Fig. 33, shut, the lever k is
then depressed, and the compressed air rushes into the tube and behind the
missile d, and projects it some few hundred yards. These guns are used and
most useful when near dock-yards and shipping in progress, or in basins to set
them on fire; the batteries can be brought close to them at high-water.
Fig. 34, has a casing outside the air ball, into which I propose to pass steam,
which at 212° Fahrt, will increase the pressure from 300 to 450 pounds to the
inch, the force of which when suddenly ejected under or behind the projectile
in the mortar will be equal to many tons, and will not burst the casing, on
account of its elasticity. Fig. 41 shows a means of suddenly opening the
communication between the vessel n and the reservoir d. Suppose the tube o
is connected with the reservoir d, and the tube m to be connected with the
mortar at its under side, p is a slide valve; q, the stuffing box of the rod of

page_text: the side valve; 7, a sman cynnder, which will allow a pistons in 1 of 4 inches
diameter and 3 inch stroke; stuffing box for rod in steam cylinder; this
cylinder must be furnished with induction and eduction valves of large size, as
in locomotives, in communication with the air vessel or steam, so that by a lever,
either side of the piston s can be acted upon for the purpose of opening or
shutting the passage of the pipe o; the valve p is shewn open, the piston s
being up; this is a more certain way of opening the valve very quickly, which
will give a greater impetus to the missile a when ejected from the mortar.
The projectiles may be charged with any compounds, or with a hundredweight
of gunpowder or poisonous compound, as at Fig. 38b. The battery, Fig. 32,
may be thus generally described. The air vessels, boilers, and tanks may be
placed in any convenient situations; d, the boilers; e, the engines to turn the
screw there must also be a small engine to pump the air by an air pump
into the vessel a, as also into another vessel, where a less pressure is desired
for the purpose of ejecting the volatile oils and other inflammable liquids from
the vessels e, e; g. 9, are tubes for a passage way to the guns which fire under
water; they are of plate iron, and made water-tight, in case any accident
might happen to the gun, that no water should come into the vessel herself, it
would then only fill the tube g to water-line; h is a metal tube for the anchors,
one of which should be placed at a short distance on each side of the keel:
i is the flue of the boiler; these are mere indications as to where such objects
may be placed. As speed is not required for a vessel to the duty assigned
to this battery, an ordinary screw would be sufficient.
For land batteries, I arrange a shield of metallic plates of any desired
superficies in a series of layers, diagonally if desired, so as to constitute the
requisite thickness and strength, and I then bolt them together with nuts and
screws, after which I apply a coating or sheet of lead to the exterior of the
shield. Batteries or shields thus constructed can be readily moved from place
to place, or any damaged part can be renewed. Fig. 44 represents a
transverse vertical section of the battery cut through at the embrasure;
there are two cannon placed as near one another as can be easily worked,
they are both on the same travelling frame, and are moved by a screw at a, to
one side or the other, as in a self-acting lathe, or then can be moved by a rack
and pinion; there is only one embrasure for two guns, one gun being loaded
as the other is brought up for firing; the same men load both guns, which I
wish to be the Armstrong breech-loaders; one man, the marksman and firer
of the guns is the only man really exposed, and he very little. The plates of
the shield are propped up by strong sloping supports c, which are bolted to
foundation plates d, and support the upper part of the shield; the parts

page_text: marked g. g, g, should be masonry faced with iron at i; at a short distance
from the embrasure there should be sloping plates k to still further protect the
shield. The guns recoil on the india-rubber m, as before explained; n, n, are
wheels which run on an iron surface laid on the stone, which facilitates the
moving of the guns.
I claim the method of constructing the hull or shell of iron marine batteries
on a latticework frame, as shewn in Figs. 1. 2, and 3, or on any other suitable
form or construction of latticework. and plated obliquely or diagonally, as
shewn at Fig. 4, and further plated horizontally, as shewn at Fig. 5, for the
purposes described; and also the means described and shewn at Fig. 8. for
the purpose of discharging volatile oils or other incendiary liquids.
I also claim the method and arrangement of the plates of iron forming the
vessel or shell of a battery in their diagonal position relatively to each other.
as shewn in Fig. 10, together with the coating horizontally, as shewn in the
same and other Figures.
I do not confine myself to any number or courses of plates in different
directions, as they may be laid on to any thickness in places where such may
be required without departing from the principle of the Invention.
I claim the general form or construction of the vessel or shell which forms
part of the battery, as shewn at Fig. 11, and the arrangement of her port.
holes, both above and below the water line, for preventing the entrance of the
water or smoke, as described and shewn in Figs. 27, 28, and 30, together with
the arrangements respecting the anchor, as described.
I also claim the system of propelling the battery as described, as shewn in
Figs. 11 and 12, and the novel arrangement of parts likewise described, and
also the method of arranging the gun or guns at the bow of the battery, to
concentrate their fire above the water line, see Fig. 28.
I claim the arrangements for propulsion to batteries or vessels, as described
and shewn in Figs. 16 and 17, with the means I adopt to strengthen the bow
of the battery, as shewn in Fig. 17, to resist the shock such vessel may be
subjected to.
I claim the system of masting batteries, whereby the masts may be placed
out of danger in action, as shewn in Figs. 18 and 19, and also the novel
methods of propulsion for batteries or vessels, as described and shewn in
Figs. 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24.
I also claim the application to any portion of the exterior of batteries of a
coating or surface of lead for the purpose herein described.
I also claim the general arrangement and application of cannon to batteries.
as described and shewn at Figs. 25, 26, and 27, with special reference to the

page_text: protection from recoil and the entrance of the external water, when the
muzzle of the guns may be underneath it, and also the method of closing
the port, as shewn at Figs. 28 and 28*.
I also claim the system, as described and shewn in Fig. 29, whereby the
gun may be directed to various positions from the battery without requiring a
large port hole, by which means the crew are more protected.
I also claim the arrangements, shewn at Fig. 30, for taking aim when the
port hole is closed up by the muzzle of the gun and india-rubber packing,
and for elevating, depressing, or otherwise changing the position of the gun;
together with the improvements in connection therewith, and also the cutting
away of the muzzle of the gun in an oblique direction, as and for the purposes
described and shewn at Fig. 31.
I also claim the parts as generally arranged at Fig. 32, and especially the
methods of discharging from batteries, by compressed air, of missiles or pro-
jectiles, or volatile or inflammable liquids of any kind, and also the apparatus,
as described and shewn in Fig. 33 and in Fig. 34, by the application of heat
to the compressed air in the air vessel by means of a jacket or casing con-
taining steam, as and for the purposes described and shewn; as also the method
of opening the communication between the air reservoir and projectile, as
described and shewn in Fig. 41.
I also claim the various new constructions and arrangements of projectiles,
as described and shewn in Figs. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 42, and 43.
And, finally, I claim the general arrangements of land batteries and shields
with their guns, as described and shewn in Fig. 44.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Sievier, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
R. W. SIEVIER. (L.S.)