IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRON SHIPS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Westwood and Robert Baillie, both of
Poplar, in the County of Middlesex, Iron Ship Builders, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRON SHIPS."
Sealed the 9th August 1853, and dated the 10th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Westwood
and Robert Baillic, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 10th June 1853.
We, JOSEPH WESTWOOD and ROBERT BAILLIE, both of Poplar, in the
County of Middlesex, Iron Ship Builders, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRON
SHIPS" to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in constructing the stem, stern post or stern
frame, keel and kelson, of plates of iron rivetted or otherwise fastened
together so as to form one solid mass, in lieu of constructing such parts
of one thickness of metal. We form the kelson by carrying up one,
two, or more of the central keel plates above the level of the keel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Westwood and Robert Baillie, in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 14th September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
JOSEPH WESTWOOD and ROBERT BAILLIE, both of Poplar, in the County
of Middlesex, Iron Ship Builders, send greeting.
WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto us, the said Joseph Westwood and Robert Baillie, Her special
licence that we, the said Joseph Westwood and Robert Baillie, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Joseph Westwood and Robert Baillie, 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 "IMPROVELIENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF IRON SHIPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Joseph Westwood and Robert Baillie, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, 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 we, the said Joseph Westwood and Robert
Baillie, 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 thereof, that is
to say:
Our Invention consists in constructing the stem, sternpost, or stern
frame (where screw propellers are used), keel and keelson, of iron
ships, of plates of iron rivetted or otherwise fastened together so as to

page_text: of metal.
form one solid mass, in lieu of constructing such parts of one thickness
We adopt the same dimensions in the construction of these
parts of iron ships as are commonly followed by ship builders, and we
employ plates of greater or less thickness and length, according to the
amount of strength desired to be obtained. We form the keelson by
carrying up one, two, or more of the central keel plates above the level
of the keel, and rivetting or otherwise fastening thereto side plates of
iron, until the keelson is formed of the required dimensions.
As the construction of iron ships is generally well understood, and as
our Invention applies only to the particulars above mentioned, and
involves in other respects no novel methods of building, we have not
thought it necessary to illustrate our description by reference to draw-
ings, the explanation above given being sufficient to enable our Inven-
tion to be put in practice with complete efficiency.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is,
The construction of the stem, sternpost or sternframe, keel and
keelson, of iron ships, from plates of iron rivetted or otherwise fastened
together, as before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Westwood and Robert
Baillie, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth
day of September, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOSEPH WESTWOOD. (L.S.)
ROBERT BAILLIE. (L.S.)