IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IRON SKIPS AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bourne, of Port Glasgow, in the County
of Renfrew, in Scotland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IRON SKIPS AND OTHER SIMILAR
STRUCTURES."
Sealed the 30th May 1854, and dated the 9th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bourne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th December 1853.
I, JOHN BOURNE, of Port Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, in
Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF IRON SHIPS AND OTHER SIMILAR
STRUCTURES" to be as follows:-
Instead of punching the plates one by one at the punching press,
and carrying them to the ship where they are fitted in their places, and
finally rivetted with hand hammers, I apply a moveable punching and
rivetting machine to the vessel, which punches and rivets the plates in
their places, so that the vessel is both punched and rivetted on the
stocks by machinery applied for that purpose. There are various
kinds of punching and rivetting machines which may be applied in

page_text: the manner I propose, but I prefer to employ a species of press worked
by hydraulic pressure. To carry the weight of the press a travelling
crane of any ordinary construction is raised over the vessel, and travels
from stem to stern either on rails laid along pillars on each side of the
vessel or along the ground, but in the latter case the crane must be
provided on cach side with strong legs reaching to the ground, and
furnished with wheels at the foot for running along the rails. From
a beam attached to this travelling crane the punching and rivetting
machine, which is best made of a horse-shoc form, is suspended by
trunnions, and through these trunnions the water proceeds which is to
work the machine. A small portable engine and boiler is placed upon
any convenient part of the travelling crane, and this engine works a
pump or pumps of such a construction as to be adapted for producing
a large hydraulic pressure. From the pump or pumps a pipe passes
to the machine through which the water is transmitted, and this pipe
is made with swivel joints, so that the machine may be raised or
lowered on the ship without interfering with the flow of water
through the pipe. The raising or lowering of the machine upon the
ship may be effected by raising or lowering the beam from which it is
suspended. This beam. extends across the ship between the legs of
the travelling crane, and the machine may be moved sideways or
athwartships by being suspended from a carriage susceptible of motion
along the top of the beam. The beam is suspended by chains passing
over pullies to the opposite ends of which counter weights are attached,
and the beam is guided vertically by suitable guides; this beam being
kept in equilibrium by the counterweights may be easily raised and
lowered by any ordinary mechanism applied for that purpose, and in
the act of rising or falling the pipe will adjust itself by means of the
swivelling joints to the proper length required to connect the forcing
pump with the punching and rivetting machine. The punch or die is
forced outwards by a ram on which the water presses, when a cock or
valve provided for that purpose is opened, and the ram is sucked
inwards by reversing the cock or valve, and which puts the space
through which the ram moves into communication with the sucking
part of the pump. To feed on the machine a piston is placed in a

page_text: barrel near the pump, and is forced forward by the water when a cock
provided for the purpose is opened. This piston by means of appro-
priate ratchet work or gearing carries forward the travelling crane
through a definite distance when a stroko has been made, and thus
advances the punch or die to the point proper for the next stroke.
In proceeding to build a ship by the aid of this instrument the first
stroke of plates is attached to the keel, and the second stroke is affixed
in a temporary manner by clamps or otherwise to the first stroke.
The punching machine is then brought into operation, and is carried
along one side of the vessel from stem to stern, punching through the
landing or joining of the first and second strokes at once. The
landing of the strokes on the other side of the vessel is then punched
through in like manner, and then the butt ends and straps are punched
through by bringing the punching machine to the proper situations,
and raising or lowering it in the manner required. The holes are
countersunk by suitable expedients. The punch is then removed,
rivets are introduced into the holes, and rivetting dics into the machine,
which then goes over the same ground once again, rivetting up the
holes it had punched before. The longitudinal ribs are introduced as
the work proceeds, and holes are pierced and rivets inserted to attach
the ribs to the plates in precisely the same manner as in the case of the
punching and rivetting of the landings of plates, as already described,
but the ribs may be omitted altogether, or vertical ribs may be intro-
duced after the plating of the vessel is completed. A marginal plate
has to be left out of each bulk head to allow the machine to pass, unless
the bulk heads be introduced after the vessel is plated, which may also
be done. The machine is so balanced upon its trunnions that it will
stand in any position, and instead of the punching and rivetting-being
performed by the one machine, two machines may be employed, and the
rivetting machine will in such case follow the punching machine at a
convenient distance. The machine also may be hung by a chain or
rope, by which it is raised or lowered, instead of being carried upon, a
counterbalanced beam. Such is the species of punching and rivetting
apparatus which I prefer to use in the production of ships, and which
being worked by water in the manner of a common hydraulic press, the

page_text: details of which are well known, will be readily understood by mechanics
from the foregoing explanation. But I do not restrict myself to the
use of this particular species of press or machine, for any kind of
punching or rivetting machine, whether moved by the direct pressure of
steam, or driven by gearing or otherwise, will answer the purpose if
applied to the vessel in the manner described, the difference between
this machinery and that commonly employed being mainly this, that
whereas in common machinery the plates have to be taken to the
machine to be punched or rivetted, in this machinery the machine is
portable, and is applied to the plating of the ship upon the stocks.
My next improvement in the machinery for the production of ships
consists in the use of circular clippers for clipping the edges of the
plates, the plates being set upon a swivelling table, which may be
turned wholly or partially round by appropriate mechanisin, by which
means any curved or circular outline may be cut. The plate to be cut is
carried forward between rollers, which grip and propel it with the velocity
of the clippers. These rollers are set upon the swivelling table, so that
when it swivels, the rollers also swivel and carry the plate with them.
My next improvement in the machinery for-the production of iron
ships consists in the employment of rollers to bend the angle iron beams,
and also the frames. These rollers are arranged in an iron box in a
similar manner to that of the ordinary plate bending rollers, but to give
a concave bend, or to compress the angle iron flange the upper roller is
set obliquely, and has a triangular periphery, whereas to give a convex
bend or to extend the angle iron flange the rollers lie in parallel planes,
and grooves are cut in the two lower rollers for the reception of the
flange.
And whereas most of the machinery and apparatus above described
is applicable not merely to the production of ships, but also to the pro-
duction of boilers, tubular bridges, and other structures of large size in
which iron plates have to be rivetted together, I contemplate their use
and employment in those cases, also in all others in wich the same
may be advantageously employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Bourne in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 2nd June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN BOURNE, of Port Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, in Scot-
land, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Bourne, Her special licenco
that I, the said John Bourne, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Bourne, 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 MACHINERY FOR
THE PRODUCTION OF IRON SHIPS AND OTHER SIMILAR STRUCTURES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Bourne, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describo
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 John Bourne, 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):-
The design of my present improvements is to enable iron ships and
other similar structures to be built by machinery. Instead of punching
tho plates of a ship one by one at the punching press, and carrying
them to the ship, where they are fitted in their places, and finally
rivetted with hand hammers, I apply a moveable punching and rivetting

page_text: machine to the vessel, which punches and rivets the plates in their
places, so that a vessel is both punched and rivetted on the stocks by
machinery applied for that purpose. There are various kinds of punch-
ing and rivetting machines which may be applied in the manner I
propose, but I prefer to employ a species of press worked by hydraulic
pressure. To carry the weight of the press a travelling crane of any
ordinary construction is raised over the vessel, and travels from stem to
stern either on rails laid upon pillars set on cach side of the vessel, or
on rails laid along the ground; but in the latter case the crane must be
provided on cach side with strong legs reaching to the ground, and in
either case the crane must be furnished with wheels for running upon
the rails.
The punching and rivetting machine, which is best made of tho
horse-shoe form, is suspended from the crane by trunnions, and through
these trunnions the water passes which gives motion to the machine.
A small portable engine and boiler are placed upon any convenient
part of the travelling crane, and this engine works a pump or pumps
of such a construction as to be adapted to tho-production_of_a largo
bydraulic pressure. From the pump or pumps a pipe for the trans-
mission of water proceeds to the punching and rivetting machine.
This pipe is made with swivel joints at the ends and at intermediate
points, so that the machine may be raised or wered or moved trans-
versely on the ship without interfering with the flow of water through
the pipe. The machine may either be hung from a pulley running on
a transverso beam, which is kept in suspension across the ship by
chains and counterweights so as to be susceptible of an upward and
downward movement, or it may be hung by a chain proceeding from a
small carriage resting on a transverse beam which connects the legs of
the travelling crane; but in the latter case the chain must be capable
of being raised or lowered to bring the machine to any desired altitude
on the ship's side, and a counterweight to balance the weight of the
machine must also be applied. The machine being kept in equi-
librium by the counterweight may be easily raised or lowered by any
ordinary mechanism applied for that purpose. It may also be easily
moved from the centre to the side of the ship by being wheeled along.

page_text: the transverse beam. Since, morcover, it is hung by trunnions, it
may be moved so as to set the horse-shoe in a vertical or horizontal
or any intermediate position, and a counterbalance is applied at the
back of the horse-shoe to bring the two parts of it into equilibrium
upon its trunnions as a centre, in order that the machine may stand in
any position. Besides all these motions, the machine is susceptible of
being put into partial rotation so as to adapt itself to the round of the
bow or stern, and the pipe for the transmission of the water will, by
means of the swivelling joints, adapt itself to all these positions, and
also contract or clongate itself to the length required. The punch or
dic is forced outward by a ram on which the water presses, when a
cock or valve provided for that purpose is opened, and the ram is
sucked inwards by reversing the cock or valve, and which puts the
space through which the ram moves into communication with the
sucking part of the pump. To feed forward the machine a piston is
placed in a barrel near the pump, and is forced forward by the water
when a cock provided for that purpose is opened. This piston by means
of appropriate ratchet work or gearing carries forward the travelling
crane through a definite distance, and thus advances the punch or dio
to the point proper for the next stroke.
In proceeding to build a ship by the aid of this machine the first
strake of plates may be attached in the first place to the keel, and
the second strake may be affixed to the first strake in a temporary
manner by clamps or otherwise. The punching machine is then
brought into operation, and is carried along one side of the vessel from
stem to stern, punching through the landing or joining of the first and
second strakes at once. The plates on the other side of the vessel arc
then punched through in like manner, and then the butt ends and
straps are punched through by bringing the machine to the proper
situations, and raising or lowering it in the manner required. The
punch is then removed; the holes may be countersunk, if required, in
any convenient manner; rivets are introduced into the holes, and
rivetting dies into the machine, which then goes over the same ground
once again, rivetting up the holes it had punched before. Longitudinal
ribs running from bulkhead to bulkhead may be introduced as the work

page_text: proceeds, and the holes necessary for attaching them to the plating
will be pierced, and the requisite rivets will be inserted in precisely tho
same manner as that pursued in fixing the plates to one another. The
ribs, however, may be omitted altogether if that course be preferred, or
vertical ribs of the usual description may be introduced after the plating
of the vessel is completed. A marginal plate has to be left out of each
bulkhead to allow the machine to pass, unless the bulkheads are
introduced after the vessel is plated, which may also be done. It is
obvious that instead of the punching and rivetting being performed by
the one machine, two machines may, if deemed preferable, be employed.
And the rivetting machine will, in such case, follow the punching
machine at a convenient distance, rivets being inserted in the holes
after the punching machine has passed and before the rivetting machine
has come up. It is also obvious that similar machines may be applied
on the other side of the ship, so that the two sides will be proceeding
at the same time.
I will now proceed to explain moro in detail the structure of the
particular species of punching and rivetting machine which I prefer to
employ.
Figure 1, Sheet I., of the accompanying Drawings represents the
frame or horse-shoe part of the machine, and the same letters refer to
the same parts in all the Figures of this Sheet. a, a, are the trunnions
by which this part of the machine hangs; b is a counterweight for
balancing the horse-shoe, so that it will stand in any position; c is the
punch; and d, the bolster with which the operation of punching is per-
formed; but in the operation of rivetting these parts are removed and
suitable dies substituted. e is a catch piece for the retention of the
punch, shown also in plan in Figure 4. f is the ram to which the
punch is affixed, and which is pressed outward by hydrostatic pressure.
9,9, are spaces for the reception of leather collars to make the ram
tight in its containing cylinder. h is the opening into the cylinder
above the ram for the transmission of the water received from the
strong pipe k. i is a small screw to regulate the influx or efflux of air
beneath the ram, and which air may act like an air cushion or elastic
spring, to assist in returning the ram when the hydrostatic pressure is

page_text: removed. is the pipe for conveying the water through one of the
trunnions, from whence it is transmitted to the ram through the pipe k.
Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 a vertical transverse section of the
parts shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a plan of the bolster or lower
die, showing the mode of its removal.
In Sheet II. is represented the pump for producing the hydrostatic
pressure required for the operation of the machine, and various con-
trivances of apparatus connected therewith. The same letters refer to
the same parts in all the Figures of this Shect. In Figure 1, a is a
vacuum chamber or chamber connected with the sucking part of the
hydrostatic pump, and b is a pressure chamber or chamber connected
with the forcing part of the hydrostatic pump. c represents the level of
the water in the chamber a. f is an iron disc or piston resting upon
dises of india-rubber 9, 9, 9. h is a chamber containing the pump.
valves. i is an equilibrium cock for connecting the pipe r either with
the chamber a or the chamber 6, depending on the position into which
the cock is turned. is a cock for enabling more water to be drawn
into the vacuum chamber to replace that lost by leakage or otherwise.
If the cock i be kept shut, then the water which is drawn out of tho
chamber a by the pump n is forced into the chamber b, where it
presses upon the piston f, and compresses the india-rubber discs 9, 9, 9,
until such a pressure has been attained as suffices to lift the safety
valve, when the water passing through the orifice d lifts the safety valve,
and escapes through c into the chamber a, to be again used for the pur-
poses of the machine; but if the cock i be opened the water will pass
through it to the ram on which the punch or dio is affixed, and will
force the ram out with the amount of thrust required. Figure 2 is a
plan, and Figure 3 a vertical transverse section of the apparatus repre-
sented in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a section of the safety or escape valvo
and pipe, and Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the con-
trivance for feeding on the carriage and machine upon the rails. lis
the pipe which contains the safety valve, and which receives the water
at one end and discharges it at the other. m is a cock, also of equili-
brium construction, which when opened forces up the piston g, which
operates on ratchet work, and carries forward the carriage and machine-

page_text: upon the rails; n is the hydrostatic pump already referred to, by which
the necessary water pressure is produced, and which, by means of the
cross head u, is worked by a small steam engine affixed to the carriage
or travelling crane v, being an attachment for the pump required to
feed the boiler of the said small engine. o is a spiral spring for keeping
down the safety valve p. s is the handle of the cock for giving motion
to the ratchet work which moves the carriage; and t is the handle of
the cock for giving motion to the ram, and the ram makes a stroke
every time this cock. is opened and shut. When it is turned in one
direction the pressure of the water being communicated to the ram
forces it outward; and when turned in the other direction, the ram is
sucked inward by being put into communication on the one side with
the vacuum chamber: while on the other side of the ram-the-atmo-
sphere presses.The equilibrium cocks are so constructed that when
one side of the plug is exposed to pressure, the other side receives an
equal and opposite pressure by a passage or pipe being made through
the centre of the cock, and a recess being cut out of the side opposite
to the pressing port of the same area as the port itself. The pressure
being transmitted through this central passage establishes an equilibrium
between the two sides of the plug, which is consequently moveable
with facility in the manner required.
.
The whole of the apparatus represented in Sheet II. of the accom-
panying Drawings is fixed upon the platform which carries the steam
engine and boiler, and which forms a part of the travelling crane.
In Sheet III. the general arrangement of the complete apparatus is
represented. Figure, 1 is an elevation of the travelling cranc and its
appendages; Figure 2 is a ground plan of the saine; and Figure 3, a
transverse section. The same numbers refer to the same parts in all the
Figures of this Sheet. 1, 1, is the travelling crane carrying the horse-
shoe punching or rivetting machines 2; 2, which are suspended by the
trunnions with chains, the other ends of which are furnished with
counterweights 3, 3, to enable the machines to stand in, any position in
which they may be set on the sides of the ship 13; 13. The chains
pass over the roller carriages 4, 4, which may be moved transversely
across the vessel on the top of the travelling crane by a rack and

page_text: pinion, or any of the other usual arrangements for that purpose. 5, 5,
are the boilers of the two small steam engines, which travel with the
crane on the rails 6, 6. 7, 7, aro the vessels containing the pressure
and vacuum chambers, and the hydrostatic force pumps and their
appendages, represented in detail in Sheet II.; and 8, 8, aro the cylin-
ders of the small steam engines which give motion to the forcing pumps
by which the hydrostatic pressure necessary for the punching and
rivetting is produced. 9, 9, are the flexible or swivelling pipes by
which the water is conveyed from the forcing pumps to the rams of the
machines; and 10, 10, ȧre counterweights for supporting these pipes
in any required position. 11, 11, are the wheels of the travelling crane,
which rest upon the rails 6,6; and 12, is the ratchet work by which
the crane and all attached to it are propelled forward on the rails
tlirough a distance equal to the pitch of the rivets on each occasion on
which the cock is opened that permits the water to feed forward a
stroke. 15, 15, are the platforms on which the boilers of the small
engines and the hydrostatic apparatus already described are set. The
small engines are attached to the boilers, the cylinders are inverted,
and are fixed immediately over the forcing pumps of the hydrostatic
apparatus, and are kept in continual action in forcing in the water;
the power when the rams of the machines are shut off being expended
in compressing the india-rubber discs at the bottom of the pressure
chambers, which again give out the power so accumulated when the
machines are required to make a stroke.
Having now explained the nature of my Invention, and having
shown the manner in which the same may be usefully applied, I have
to state that I ain aware that the punching and rivetting of metals by
hydrostatic pressure is not a new or immature idea, and I am also
aware that it has been proposed to apply punching and rivetting
machinery to the side of a ship, though no workable mechanism for
this purpose has yet been devised. I do not claim, therefore, the ex-
clusive use of hydrostatic pressure for punching or rivetting metals;
but what I claim the exclusive right of, as being new, useful, and
of my Invention, is, the poising of a punching and rivetting machine
upon trunnions, so that it may be swivelled in any way, and yet retain

page_text: its efficiency; the power, whether imparted by water, by steam, by
shafting or otherwise, being introduced by one or both of the trunnions,
whereby its introduction is prevented from impeding the free movement
of the machine. I also claim the combination of such a machine,
whether driven by water, by steam or otherwise, with a travelling crane
which admits of motion to the punching or rivetting machine in any
required direction, so that the machine may by the action of the crane
be brought over any part of the ship or structure which requires to be
punched or rivetted. I further claim the combination of a swivelling,
punching, and rivetting machine, and a travelling crane for bringing it
into any required position, with a moveable steam engine and boiler or
any other moveable source of motive power, whereby the difficulty is
obviated of transmitting the power requisite for the operation of the
machine from any fixed or external source of power. I further claim
the general arrangement and configuration of the machinery represented
in the accompanying Drawings, and herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bourne, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
JAMES CURRIE, of Greenock.
JOHN BOURNE. (L.S.)