A NEW METHOD OF DEFENDING THE SHEATHING OF SHIPS AND OF PROTECTING THE SIDES AND BOTTOMS
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
JEFFERY, late of Prospect Place, New Hampton, in the County of Middlesex,
but now of No. 8, Lloyd Street, Pentonville, in the same County, Gentlemen,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty hath granted unto me
Her Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-ninth day of
April, in the fourth year of Her reign, for making, using, exercising, and
vending, within that part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also within Her said Majesty's Colonies and Platations abroad,
my Invention of "A NEW METHOD OF DEFENDING THE SHEATHING OF SHIPS AND
OF PROTECTING THE SIDES AND BOTTOMS;" subject to the usual proviso, obliging
me to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in the High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Alfred Jeffery, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my, said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as follows (that is
to say):-
My Invention consists in defending the sheathing and protecting the sides
and bottoms of ships, by coating or covering them with materials which render
them more durable, and protect them from much of the injury which they.
sustain from salt water and animalculæ, and by caulking and paying the seams
of the sides. and bottoms of ships with materials better adapted to resist.

page_text: the effects of climate, and by their elasticity, the effects of pressure, than
the materials hitherto used for those purposes. And the manner in which my
said Invention is to be performed, is as follows:-
In carrying my Invention into effect, I use several solutions of caoutchouc,
which I call for the purpose of reference " my turpentine caoutchouc solu-
tion," "my naphtha caoutchouc solution," and "my coal oil caoutchouc
solution," and several mixtures which I call for the purpose of reference
65
my asphalte mixture No. 1," "my asphalte mixture No. 2,"
my lac mix-
ture No. 1," and "my lac mixture No. 2." In making my said solutions I
use caoutchouc of good quality, and cut it into thin shreds or strips. To make
"my turpentine caoutchouc solution," I take one part by weight of such
caoutchouc, and twelve parts by weight of spirit of turpentine; I put these
into a cask or other closed vessel, and agitate the mixture occasionally until
the caoutchouc and turpentine are well mixed and the caoutchouc dissolved.
To make "my naptha caoutchouc solution;" I proceed in the same manner
and with the same proportions of the ingredients as in making the turpentine
caoutchouc solution, substituting only rectified coal naphtha (which should be
from five to ten above proof) for the spirit of turpentine. To make "my
coal oil caoutchouc solution," I proceed in the same manner and with the
same proportions of the ingredients as in making my turpentine caoutchouc
solution, substituting only coal oil (sometimes called heavy oil or dead oil)
instead of the spirit of turpentine. To make "my asphalte mixture No. 1,"
I mix two parts by weight of foreign asphalte, similar to that used in
japanning, which I reduce into a state of fine powder, with one part by weight
of my naptha caoutchouc solution, in an iron vessel, and apply heat to such
vessel, and I stir the mixture occasionally, and continue the application of heat
until the asphalte is dissolved, but it is desirable not to raise the temperature
of the mixture beyond three hundred degrees of Fahrenheit. To make "my
lac mixture No. 1,". I proceed in the same manner and with the same pro-
portions of the ingredients as in making my asphalte mixture No. 1, substi-
tuting only lac for the asphalte; shel lac is preferable, but seed lac or lump lac
may be used. To make "my asphalte mixture No. 2," I first prepare a
solution, which for reference I call the solution of corrosive sublimate. For
this purpose I mix two parts by weight of corrosive sublimate (which is first
to be reduced to a state of fine powder) with three parts by weight of white
naphtha, in a glazed earthenware vessel, and cover the vessel; I then stir the
mixture occasionally to facilitate the dissolving of the sublimate, and so soon
as the sublimate is dissolved I add three like parts by weight of coal oil
(sometimes called heavy or dead oil, as aforesaid), and stir the whole until the
several ingredients are well-mixed; I then take two parts by weight of such

page_text: asphalte, as aforesaid, and one like part by weight of my aforesaid coal oil
caoutchouc solution, and mix them, and dissolve the asphalte in the same
manner as I have described in reference to the preparation of "my asphalte
mixture No. 1;" immediately after discontinuing the application of heat to the
mixture of the asphalte and coal oil caoutchouc solution, I add to it such
solution of corrosive sublimate as aforesaid, in the proportion of one part by
weight of such solution to four like parts by weight of the mixture, and I
mix the whole well together, by stirring them with any convenient iron, or
wooden instrument. "To make my lac mixture No. 2," I proceed in the
same manner and with the same several ingredients and in the same propor-
tions as in preparing my asphalte mixture No. 2, substituting only lac instead
of the asphalte, and giving the preference to shel lac, as aforesaid.
Note. The only use I make of the coal oil caoutchouc solution is. for the
mixtures above described; I use or apply my other caoutchouc solutions and
my mixtures respectively, before described, for the purpose of defending the
sheathing of ships and of protecting their sides and bottoms, in manner
following, viz-I use or apply these solutions for preparing oakum for
caulking by soaking or saturating it in my said turpentine caoutchouc solution,
or my said naphtha caoutchouc solution, and afterwards pressing it moderately
to drain off the superfluous solution, and by then separating the fibres of the
oakum in order to bring them as nearly as may be into the same state of
separation as before they were soaked or saturated, and subsequently exposing
the oakum to the atmosphere or to artificial heat, so as to render it nearly
dry, and in this state it is to be used for caulking in the ordinary way. The
oakum may be treated in the same manner twice, or more frequently, if it is
thought desirable that it should retain a larger quantity of solution, but I
have not found this necessary; I use or apply my asphalte mixture No. 1,
and my lac mixture No. 1, respectively, (that is, either one or the other,) for
paying the scams, and coating or covering the sheathing and sides and bottoms
of ships; I prefer the lac mixture for paying the seams; in paying the seam³,
they may be dressed and cleaned off in the usual way. I use or apply the
asphalte mixture 'No. 1, or the lac mixture No. 1, and the asphalte mixture
No. 2, or the lac mixture No. 2, (two mixtures of the same number not
being used in the same operation, but asphalte or lac mixture being used
indifferently,) for coating or covering the sheathing or the sides or bottoms of
ships in the following manner, viz-Several coats of mixture must be applied
until the coating or covering is of the thickness of about the eighth of an inch,
and such coating should be laid on at intervals of about a week, in order that
cach preceding coat may be sufficiently dry before the succeeding coat is
applied, and sufficient time-should be allowed for the last coat to become dry

page_text: before the ship is floated. In coating or covering those parts of the sides of
ships which are above the water, mixture No. 1 must be used; and in coating
or covering those parts of the sheathing or the sides or bottoms which are below
the water, one of the mixtures No.. I must be used for the first coating or
covering, and one of the mixtures No. 2 must be used for the subsequent
coatings or coverings of those parts. In the operations with the mixtures, they
are to be used in a hot state, and in the same manner as pitch is usually
applied for the same purpose. I prefer flat stiff paint brushes for the coating
or covering. The mixtures may be thinned, if required, to make them work
freely, as to mixtures No. 1, by adding coal oil; and as to the mixtures No. 2,
by adding such rectified coal naphtha, as before mentioned, in small quantities.
When the last coat has been applied I smooth the surface by the application
of heat, but care should be taken not to apply a greater degree of heat than
will be sufficient for this purpose. In covering metal sheathing, the adhesion
of the mixtures would be increased by slightly roughening the surface of the
sheathing, and by warming the sheathing immediately before the mixture is
applied sufficiently to remove any damp or moisture..
I claim as my Invention the method (by the means herein described) of
defending the sheathing of ships and of protecting their sides and bottoms.
I claim in particular the application of caoutchouc for such purpose..
And I claim also the application of lac for that purpose.
I do not intend to describe, as essential to my said Invention, the proportions
of the materials stated herein, but I have given those which I consider the:
best for the objects.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-
ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand oight.
hundred and forty-one.
ALFRED (L.s.) JEFFERY.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-ninth day of
October, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Alfred Jeffery came
before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-