IM- PROVEMENTS IN SHEATHING OR PROTECTING SHIPS, VESSELS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Henson Henson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 80th August
1864.
I, HENRY HENSON HENSON, of Parliament Street, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SHEATHING OR PROTECTING SHIPS, VESSELS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the application of improved materials and methods
for the purpose of more completely protecting the external surface of a ship,
vessel, or other structure from the injurious consequences commonly resulting
from the action of river and sea water upon the materials of which the ship,
vessel, or other structure is constructed, especially if of iron or other metal. I
am aware that it has been proposed to cover or sheath the metal surface of
ships with sheets or plates of glass which have been previously bent and
otherwise expensively prepared to suit the shape of the ship, and for the pur-
pose of fixing the same upon the external surface of the ship.
Now my Invention has for its object a cheaper and improved application of
certain pieces of glass as a means of protection to the surface of ships, of what-
ever materials such ships may be built, and consists in the application of cast,
blown, flatted, or otherwise manufactured glass or materials containing the
constituents, ingredients, or combination of materials necessary for the produc-
tion of any commercial product if called glass; the glass may be applied to the
ship in small or large pieces, and generally quite flat and without holes in the
same, and may be of a smooth surface on one or both sides. In most cases I

page_text: prefer the use and application of pieces of glass of small dimensions for the
sake of security and cheapness, for the lesser damage which may happen to the
pieces, and for facility of repair if damaged, as I propose to avoid the use of
large bent sheets of glass, with holes in the same for the reception of the screw's
required to fix the plates to the ship, and also the trouble and expense of
drilling corresponding holes in the iron plates which form the ship's surface,
and in order to most effectually secure the small plates or pieces of glass to
the outer surface of the ship, vessel, or other structure, I cause to be heated to
a proper degree, for application to the same, such repellant or waterproof
materials as marine or Hay's glue, or the like or any other compound
suitable for the purpose of securing the pieces of glass to the surface of the
ship, vessel, or other structure. To accomplish this, I coat or cover thoso
parts of the ship intended for the reception of the pieces of glass with some of
the heated glue or compound already mentioned, and at the same timo I also
dip, coat, or cover the surface of one side only of the pieces of glass intended
to be used as sheathing in the same glue or compound while in its heated
state, and having done so I immediataly place or fix the piece of glass on the
surface of the heated glue or compound previously applied to the surface of
the ship, care being taken always to form a level, flush, butt-joint with each
piece of glass applied to the ship, so that the whole may present a uniformity
of level on the surface of the glass while following the surface shape of the
ship.
Another process consists in covering or laying upon the surface of the heated
glue or compound previously laid upon the surface of the ship some fibrous,
feltel, or woven fabric, or open canvas, such as scrim. When that part of tho
process is completed, and the scrim is found to be firmly attached to the ship,
the outer surface of the same is also to be coated or covered with the heate
glue or compound before mentioned, upon the surface of which the pieces of
prepared glass are to be placed and securely fixed in the manner before ex-
plained, or the pieces of glass may be treated with the heated glue or other
compound on one side only, alone or in combination with the scrim or other
liko material, the surface of which is to be in like manner treated or coated
with the heated glue or other compound before being brought into contact
with the prepared surface of the like material alrealy laid upon the surface of
the ship while in a heated state, thereby affording the means of securely fixing
the pieces of glass which are to form the sheathing of the ship. The sheathing
of the ship may be composed of one or more layers of the prepared pieces of
glass, and the under or outer covering of glass may differ in. thickness and
dimensions if desirable. This mode of sheathing will cover and protect all tho

page_text: joints in the under coating or sheathing of glass, and necessarily prove of much
value as an increased means of protection to all metal or other surfaces.
Another process consists in the the use and application of large or small
pieces of colored eathenware having one outer smooth and one inner or under
rough surface, the pieces may be of any convenient thickness or shape suit-
able for the covering or sheathing of a ship's surface, the several parts of which
may be secured to the ship by some of the before-mentioned modes, or by any
suitable mechanical means; in some cases I unite in the same material the
properties of a siliceous compound or glass with the advantages of earthen-
ware by making thin slabs or pieces of rough carthenware, and before the pro-
cess of hardening by means of heat takes place, instead of the common mode
of enamelling or glazing the surface of earthenware generally, I prepare and
amalgamate the ingredients or combination of siliceous materials necessary for
the production of bottle and other kinds of glass, these are laid upon one only
of the rough surfaces of the earthenware, and then subjected to such a degree
of heat as will fuse the same and cause a vitrified surface to be produced.