CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS."
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Croft Reid, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Master Mariner, and William Milner, of the same Place,
Manufacturer, for the Invention of
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS."
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Sealed the 18th March 1859, and dated the 20th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Croft Reid and
William Milner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 20th January 1859.
We, JAMES CROFT REID, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Master
Mariner, and WILLIAM MILNER, of the same Place, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention. relates to those parts of ships and vessels, and more
particularly of iron built steam vessels" called "bulkheads," and which are
now commonly employed for the purpose of dividing the ship into separate
compartments, with the view of making such compartments entirely indepen-
dent of each other, so as to prevent ingress of water, so that in the event of
accidental rupture from the exterior, the water is confined to one compart-
ment only, as well understood.
Our improvements consists in so constructing the "bulkheads" that such
separate compartments into which ships or vessels may be divided may also
be secured against the extension or communication of fire, and that in the
event of any accidental occurrence of fire in one division or compartment in a
[Price Sd.]

page_text: ship, it may be confined thereto, and prevented from extending to any other
compartment for almost any length of time that it might continue. The
"bulkheads" of ships and vessels, (and we now allude more particularly to
large ocean steam vessels built of iron,) are to be constructed of two walls or
plates of iron (instead of one as usual), and placed or built across the vessel)
in parallel positions and a suitable distance apart, so as to form a hollow wall
or chamber stayed and secured as may be desired; this chamber is to be
filled with a "fire-resisting""
fire-resisting" or fire-proof composition or combination of
materials in a similar manner as fire-proof safes, chests, et cetera, now well
known, and commonly called "Milner's principle," and which consists in the
introduction or application of the combined effect in such "chambers." or
bulkheads" of a combination of materials known and used as "Milner's fire
resisting filling," and composed of absorbent material or composition such as
dust of wood and other similar substances in which are mixed or distributed
ground crystals of soda, alum, or any other matter or vehicle containing water
or liquid which will evolve steam or moisture on the application of heat, such
steam being discharged into the surrounding absorbent matter, which thus
pervaded with moisture is rendered most difficult of destruction by fire, and
will thus prevent any communication from one compartment of the vessel to
another.
In order to render such improvements available for a much longer time if re-
quired, we insert in many places in these chambered bulkheads" pipes or tubes
perforated and in connection with pumps and hose on deck or elsewhere, so that
in case of the near exhaustion of the moisture of the "filling" of the chamber
of the "bulkhead" by long continued fire, the absorbent material may be
again recharged, or as it were refreshed with moisture if found necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Croft Reid and William Milner in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES.
CROFT REID, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Master Mariner
and WILLIAM MILNER, of 'the same Place, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant

page_text: unto us, the said James Croft Reid and William Milner, Her special licence
that we, the said James Croft Reid and William Milner, our executors.
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said James Croft Reid
and William Milner, our 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS AND VESSELS," upon the condition,
amongst others, that we, the said James Croft Reid and William Milner, by
an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or the hand and seal
of one of us, 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 months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Milner, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement and accompanying Drawing (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates to those parts of ships and vessels, and more particu
larly of iron built steam vessels called "bulkheads," and which are now
commonly used or employed for the purposes of dividing the ship into separate
compartments, with the view of making such compartments entirely inde-
pendent of each other, so as to prevent ingress of water, so that in the event
of accidental rupture from the exterior, the water is confined to one compart-
ment only, as is well understood.
Our improvements consist in so constructing the bulkheads, that such
separate compartments into which ships or vessels may be divided may be
also secured against the extension or communication of fire, and that in the
event of fire in one division or compartment in a ship, it may be confined
thereto, and prevented from extending to any other compartment for almost
any length of time that it might continue. The bulkheads of ships and'
vessels (and we now allude more particularly to large ocean steam vessels built
of iron) are to be constructed of two walls or plates of iron (instead of one, as
usual,) and placed or built across the vessel in parallel positions, and at a suitable
distance apart, so as to form a hollow wall or chamber (say, from six to twelve
inches in thickness), stayed and secured as may be desired; this "chamber"
is to be filled with a "fire resisting" or fire-proof composition or combination

page_text: or
of materials in a similar manner as fire-proof safes, chests, &c., now all well
known and commonly called "Milner's principle," and which consists in the
introduction or application of the combined effect in such "chambers"
"bulkheads" of a combination of materials known and used as "Milner's fire
resisting filling, and composed of absorbent material or composition, such as
dust of wood and other similar substances in which are mixed or distributed
in proportion of about one-fourth in bulk of ground crystals of soda, alum, or
any other matter or vehicle containing water or liquid which will evolve
steam or moisture on the application of heat, such steam being discharged
into the surrounding absorbent material, which thus pervaded with moisture is
rendered most diflicult of destruction by fire, and will thus prevent any
communication from one compartment of the vessel to another, and further to
prevent communication above the deck, sliding partitions or shutters may be
provided to be raised in the event of fire, and so confine it above deck to the
space of the one compartment on fire.
In order to render such improvements available for a much longer time if
required, we insert in many places in these chambered "bulkheads" pipes or
tubes, or inner chambers perforated and in connection with hose and pumps
on deck or elsewhere, so that in case of the near exhaustion of the moisture of
the filling of the chamber of the bulkhead by long continued fire, the
absorbent material may be again recharged, or as it were refreshed with
moisture if found necessary.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, we have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, similar letters of
reference being placed upon corresponding parts of the Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of a vessel fitted with four double
fire and water-proof bulkheads a, a, a, a, dividing the vessel into five fire-
proof and water-tight compartments or divisions, each double bulkhead
extending from the bottom plating of the vessel to the main deck, and is
secured by rivets and angle irons to the sides and decks of the ship; Fig. 2
is a transverse section of a vessel shewing a front view of part of a bulkhead, a
portion being removed to shew the arrangement of the beams, staunchions.
and also the man-holes which are provided in one side of each double bulk-
head to admit of the bulkheads being emptied and refilled after the occurrence
of fire, &c.; Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a cross section and side view of a
portion of the bulkhead shewn on an enlarged scale, the more clearly to
illustrate the method of its construction; Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of the
double bulkhead, also enlarged, and Fig. 6 is an extended application and
form thereof, wherein two double bulkheads are employed, secured together

page_text: in a parallel position, a space being left between them, which may be filled
with water, so as to form two fire-proof walls with a body of water between
them, such arrangements being calculated to withstand a most severe or long
protracted fire. In Figs. 1. 2, 3, 4, and 5, a, a, a, are the iron plates
securely fastened to the sides b, b, and bottom of the vessel by the angle irons
d, and to the deck c by other angle irons marked e, e; these plates are not
stiffened by angle irons as is required when only one thickness of plate is used
as in the ordinary bulkhead, but are bound firmly together by long rivets f,
passing through thimbles which are rivetted over on the outside, and keep the
plates equidistant from each other. The space between these double walls or
bulkheads is filled with the now well-known "fire-resisting material "
I, g, and
the top of them is closed by a plate of iron h, extending from side to side
of the ship over the bulkhead, and secured by screws to the angle irons at
the top of it over this the deck planks c are laid and secured to the
beams in the ordinary manner. In Fig. 6 there is a double wall of the
fire-resisting material g, enclosed between two double bulkheads, having an
intermediate space between them, which may be filled with water in the event
of long duration of fire, and so confine the fire for almost any length of time
in any one compartment, bounded by or enclosed between two fire-proof walls,
which also serve the purpose of making such compartments water-tight, as the
ordinary single bulkheads. The man-holes a, a, are provided at suitable
distances in one side only of the double bulkhead, and secured by plates
bolted on, so as to be removed when necessity requires, as after fire, when the
bulkhead requires refilling.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with
the method of performing the same, we wish it to be distinctly understood
that we claim preventing the extension of fire in ships or vessels by
dividing them into compartments with double bulkheads or partitions filled
with a fire-resisting material, evolving moisture on the application of heat, and
thereby forming walls, either in the direction of the length or across the
vessel, impervious to and impassable by fire.
In witness whereof, I the said William Milner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
WILLIAM MILNER (L.S.)