IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS NAVIGATING ON WATER
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews Ayles, junior,
of Weymouth, in the County of Dorset, Ship Builders, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
NAVIGATING ON WATER."
Sealed the 21st July 1857, and dated the 24th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Ayles and Robert
Andrews Ayles at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 24th January 1857.
We, THOMAS AYLES and ROBERT ANDREWS AYLES, junior, of Weymouth, in
the County of Dorset, Ship Builders, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
NAVIGATING ON WATER," to be as follows:-
In constructing the framework of ships and other vessels, we strengthen
the timbers, or some of them, used in the framework, by attaching thereto a
plate or bar of iron, to one or both sides of each, or any of the ribs,
keelsons, knees, deck, or other timbers, whereby the said timbers being much
strengthened, can be made of smaller dimensions than those used in the
ordinary way, and thereby allow more stowage room for cargo.
The frames, with the iron plates or bars attached thereto, cross the vessel

page_text: under the keelson, and the spaces between the said frames, and of the width
of such keelson, are filled up solid and made water-tight, so as to prevent
any water that may be in that part of the vessel from shifting from one side
to the other.
The wood keelson has a plate or bar of iron attached to one or both sides
of its length, going forward and aft on both the dead wood knees.
The timber deck beams have iron plates or bars attached to one or both
sides, and are supported at each end by iron hanging knees.
Any or all of the iron bars or plates may be galvanized or coated with any
other preservative material.
The planking may be fastened with galvanized iron, copper, or other metal
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews Ayles in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
AYLES and ROBERT ANDREWS AYLES, junior, of Weymouth, in the County of
Dorset, Ship Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews Ayles, junior, Her special
licence that we, the said Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews Ayles, junior,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews Ayles, junior, our executors, adminis-
trators, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND
OTHER VESSELS NAVIGATING ON WATER," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews Ayles, junior, 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 Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, 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 we, the said Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews
Ayles, junior, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Our Invention consists in strengthening and making of smaller dimensions
than usual the framework of ships and other vessels navigating on water, by
applying or attaching to one or both sides of all, or any of the several timbers,
iron plates or bars of iron, whereby the said timbers are much strengthened,
and can be made of smaller dimensions than those used in the ordinary
manner, and thereby allowing more stowage room for cargo.
Another part of my Invention consists in filling in, solid and water-tight,
the spaces between the several ribs or frames of the vessel in certain places,
so as to prevent any water that may accumulate between the outer and inner
planking of the sides or walls and bottom of the vessel from flowing from one
part of the same into another.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood, I have annexed a
Sheet of Drawings, with letters of reference marked thereon, corresponding
with letters of reference in this Specification. The same letters refer to the
same parts in the several Figures.
Figure 1 represents the deck plan, showing the several timbers F with iron
plates or bars G attached to one side of each of them.
Figure 2, midship section, showing the ribs or frames A and deck
beams F, with iron plates or bars B attached to sides of ribs, and iron
stancheons Q.
Figure 3, sheer plan, showing keelson M and knees M¹ with iron
plate N attached to side of same, and the spaces O filled up between the
ribs from keel to keelson.
Figure 4, details to a larger scale, showing wood ribs A with iron plates B
attached by bolts C to one side of each, outside planking D, inside
planking E, deck beams F, with iron plates G attached to one side of
same.
Figure 5, plan of spirketting I filled in between the ribs A.
Figure 6, section of deck beam F and elevation of ribs A with iron
plates B and G on each, secured together with iron bolts C'.
Figure 7, section through part of the side or wall and deck of the vessel,
showing rib A with iron plate B on one side of same, deck beams F,

page_text: deck planking 1, outside planking D, inside planking E, bolts C, and iron
knee K.
Figure 8, elevation of keel L, keelson M, iron plate N on side of
keelson, spaces O filled up between ribs or frames A.
Figure 9, section of keel L, keelson M, iron plates N, N¹, on sides of
keelson, and filling in pieces O; also side elevation of rib A; and iron plate
on same B.
Figure 10, section of one of the joints B¹ of the iron plates, with iron
strap P and bolt C" to connect them together.
Figure 11, plan of top of ditto.
The plates or bars of iron are secured to the several timbers by the
bolts C, and where the deck beams have the plates on one side the ribs or
frames have them on the other or opposite side, as seen in Figures 4, 6, & 7,
in which case they are secured together at the ends by the bolts C¹. Iron
knees K are attached or fixed by bolts R to hold up and secure the deck
beams F to the ribs A. Where joints are required to the several iron
plates or bars, as at B¹, Figure 2, the plates or bars are connected
together with straps P bolted over them, as shown in Figures 10 and 11.
I usually attach one plate or bar only to each deck beam, rib, or frame,
but to main timbers, or where extra strength is required, such as to the
keelson, I fix a plate or bar on each side and bolt them together, as shown in
Figures 2, 3, 8, and 9.
In order to prevent any water that may accumulate between the planking
in one part of the vessel from flowing into any other part, I fill in solid, with
pieces of plank or deal, the spaces between the several ribs or frames in
different parts in the walls or sides and bottom of the vessel, particularly
between the keel and keelson at O, and at or about the water line H, as
shown in Figures 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that what
I claim is,-
First, the application, attaching, and fixing iron plates or bars of iron, as
shown and described herein, to one or both sides of all or any of the beams,
keelsons, ribs, or frames of a ship or other vessel navigating on water, for
the purposes of strengthening and reducing the size of the framework or
timbers of such ships or other vessels navigating on water.
Second, the filling in and making solid and water-tight the spaces between
the several ribs and frames and the outer and inner planking, particularly
between the keel and kcelson of the vessel, in certain places, as are hercin

page_text: shown and described, so as to prevent any water that may accumulate
between the outer and inner planking in one part of the vessel from flowing
or passing into the same in another part of the vessel.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Ayles and Robert Andrews
Ayles, junior,, hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first
day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven.
10 Witness,
WH. SAMWAYS,
THOMAS AYLES.
(L.S.)
ROBERT ANDREWS AYLES, JUNIOR. (L.S.)
Hope Street, Weymouth.