IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTING THE BOTTOMS AND SIDES OF SHIPS AND OTHER ENTIRELY OR PARTIALLY SUBMERGED SURFACES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Brown, of Aldgate, in the City of
London, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROTECTING
THE BOTTOMS AND SIDES OF SHIPS AND OTHER ENTIRELY OR PARTIALLY
SUBMERGED SURFACES."
Scaled the 9th January 1872, and dated the 13th July 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th July 1871.
I, JAMES BROWN, of Aldgate, in the City of London, Chemist, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROTECTING THE BOTTOMS AND SIDES OF SHIPS AND OTHER ENTIRELY OR PARTIALLY
SUBMERGED SURFACES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in protecting the bottoms and
sides of ships and other entirely or partially submerged surfaces, and
consists,-
Firstly. In so shaping or forming the enamelled iron or other metallic
plates employed for such purpose as that they may be made to adhere

page_text: or be retained in position by tonguing the same into and with the
adjacent plate or plates.
Secondly. In the employment of a cement composed of asphalte,
pitch, or oils in combination with silicates of magnesia, such for
example as tale or French chalk in a fine state of division.
Thirdly. In the preparation of enamelled iron or other metal
enamelled plates to be employed for protecting the bottoms and sides
of ships and other entirely or partially--submerged surfaces by firstly
cutting through or causing the enamelled surface to be grooved or
incised by means of a diamond or other cutting instrument, so that the
plate may be bent and be so moulded as to fit the curved surfaces of
ships' bottoms without destroying the enamel, and after having. so
moulded and adjusted the same filling the interstices in the plate
with either the before-mentioned cement or with other adherent and
impervious compounds.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention I cause the iron or
metallic plates, either before or after having been enamelled, to be so
arranged as that the tongue or tongues formed upon one plate shall be
capable of being inserted into the slot or opening in the neighbouring
plate or plates in order that attachment may be made and the suspension
and retention of the plate or plates be effected.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention I prepare a cement
which is to be employed in order to effect the adhesion of the enamelled
metallic plate to the surface of the ship by mixing together, by pre-
ference in a heated and fluid condition, either asphalte, pitch, or oils,
or mixtures of the same, with silicates of magnesia, such for example,
as talc or French chalk, which I incorporate with the before-mentioned
materials in about the proportion of about eighty parts by weight of
asphalte, pitch, or oils, or mixtures of the same, and about twenty parts
by weight of silicates of magnesia, talc, or French chalk, and after
having thoroughly incorporated the same the result when in a heated
condition is suitable for application either, firstly, to the ships' bottoms
or sides of ships or other entirely or partially submerged surfaces, or to
the plates so as to cause them to become firmly attached.
In carrying out the third part of my Invention I cause the enamel of
the iron or other metallic plates which have been previously enamelled

page_text: to be cut, grooved, or incised, so that the plate may be adjusted to any
curved surface upon the ships' bottom, and after having effected such
adjustment causing the interstices to be filled with the cement before-
mentioned or with any adhesive and impervious solid compound.
The enamelled plates may be further attached to the ships' sides and
bottom by means of nails or otherwise, as is well understood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 13th January 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, James
BROWN, of Aldgate, in the City of London, Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the 35th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said James Brown, Her special license, that I, the
said James Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said James Brown, my executors, administrators, or
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 PROTECTING THE
BOTTOMS AND SIDES OF SHIPS AND OTHER ENTIRELY OR PARTIALLY SUBMERGED
SURFACES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James.
Brown, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my hand and seal, 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 monthis next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James. Brown, 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 tho

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
-
My said Invention relates to improvements in protecting the bottoms
and sides of ships and of other entirely or partially submerged surfaces
and consists,―
Firstly. In so shaping or forming the enamelled iron or other metallic
plates employed for such purpose as that they may be locked together
at their edges and be thereby retained in position by forming tongues.
and slots or dovetails thereon.
Secondly. In the employment of a cement composed of asphalte, pitch,
and oils in combination with silicates of magnesia, such for example as
tale or French chalk in a fine state of division.
Thirdly. In the preparation of enamelled iron or other metal
enamelled plates to be employed for protecting the bottoms and sides of
ships and of other entirely or partially submerged surfaces by, firstly,
cutting through or causing the enamelled surface to be grooved or
incised by means of a diamond or other suitable cutting instrument, so
that the plate may be bent and be so moulded as to fit the curved
surfaces of ships' bottoms without destroying the enamel, and after
having so moulded and adjusted the same filling the interstices left in
the enamelled surface of the plate with either the before-mentioned
cement or with other adherent and impervious compounds.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention I form the iron or
metallic plates A, A, (shewn at Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed
Sheet of Drawings, either before or after having been enamelled) with
dovetailed tongues a and with corresponding slots or notches on their
edges (as shewn in Figure 1), or I form them with bent or hooked
tongues a and with corresponding openings 1 (as shewn in Figures 2
and 3) the tongues or projections on one plate being capable of being
inserted into the slots or openings in the neighbouring plate or plates
in order that they may be securely connected to each other and the
suspension and retention of the plate or plates be ensured.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention I prepare a cement
which is to be employed in order to effect the adhesion of the enamelled
metallic plate to the surface of the ship by mixing together, by pre-
ference in a heated and fluid condition, with a mixture of asphalte,
pitch, and oil (by preference cotton seed oil) with silicates of magnesia,

page_text: such for example as talc or French chalk, which I incorporate with the
before-mentioned materials in about the proportion of eighty parts by
weight of the mixture of asphalte, pitch, and oil with about twenty parts
by weight of silicates of magnesia (talc, or French chalk) and after
having thoroughly incorporated the same the mixture when in a heated
condition will be found suitable for application cither, firstly, to the
ships' bottoms or to the sides of ships or to other entirely or partially
submerged surfaces, or to the plates themselves so as to cause them to
become firmly attached.
The proportions of the before-mentioned agglutinating substances
which I have found to give good results are about twenty parts by
weight of asphalte, forty parts of pitch, and five parts of cotton seed oil.
In carrying out the third part of my Invention I cause the enamel of
the iron or other metallic plates which have been previously enamelled
to be cut, grooved, or incised, so that the plate may be adjusted to any
curved surface upon the ship's bottom, and after having effected such
adjustment causing the interstices to be filled with the cement before
mentioned or with any other adhesive and impervious solid compound.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The joining the edges of enamelled metal plates when applied
to the bottoms and sides of ships and other entirely or partially sub-
merged surfaces by the aid of interlocking tongues or projections and
their edges, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by my Drawings.
slots on
Second. The manufacture of cement for the attachment of enamelled
metal plates to ships' bottoms and other surfaces to be protected from
the action of water by combining or mixing together silicate of magnesia
with a mixture of asphalte, pitch, and oil, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. The mode or method of facilitating the bending of enamelled
metal plates, for the purpose herein set forth, without injury to the
enamel by cutting, grooving, or incising, by means of a diamond or

page_text: otherwise, the coating of enamel upon such plates before bending the
same.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Brown, have to this my
Specification set my hand and scal, the Tenth day of January
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
JAMES BROWN. (L.S.)