IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Jordan, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Ship Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 28th May 1861, and dated the 6th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Jordan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6t
December 1860..
6th
I, HENRY JORDAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Ship Builder,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows (that is to say):-
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing ships or vessels in which the
frame is to be formed of wood and iron, in combination, the lower part of the
horizontal framing being of timber up to the bilge, and the remainder thereof
of horizontal angle iron frames up to the gunwale, the whole of the beams
being of iron; this description of ship may be planked with timber, either
vertically or diagonally or vertically in midships, and radiating forward and
aft to an angle of forty-five degrees in either one or two thicknesses of plank-
ing, diagonal iron straps being introduced outside the frame from the gunwale
to the lower part of the bilge to take the necessary bolts, the said straps being
rivetted to each angle iron frame and bolted to each wooden frame.
Secondly, in constructing wooden ships or vessels as mentioned and referred
to in a Patent granted to me on the 20th day of November 1858, I prefer to
employ an inner keel to which the stem, stern post, and dead woods are attached

page_text: in all cases in which it is desirable not to carry up the mid-feather; the
horizontal frame may then be commenced, placed about two-thirds the size
of the timbers apart chocked under every beam from keel to gunwales, and
bolted to each other fore and aft up to the gunwales, the floors being placed
transversely on the top of the horizontal frames inside for about two-thirds the
length of the vessel in midships, being one floor under each beam in
midships. I then place an entire iron frame in the shape of iron knees inside,
one under every beam in the lower hold, and staple knees in the between
decks, the lower knee taking the floor with at least four bolts in each knee
through the floors and horizontal frames; by this plan the ship is hooped
inside in the wake of every floor, a chock being caused to go between
every floor to make a solid bed for the keelson, which may be either of iron
or wood; the outside plank may be wrought in one or two thicknesses
-diagonally or vertically, or vertical in midships, for about one-third the ship's
length passing round the bottom from gunwale to gunwale and radiating to
an angle of forty-five degrees fore and aft, the keel being put on after the
ship is caulked on the principle of a false keel.
And, thirdly, in constructing iron ships or vessels on the above principle the
internal transverse framing is to be formed of angle iron or T-iron, floor plates
(of sufficient size and strength to suit the tonnage) being run across the ship
when necessary, and rivetted to the mid-feather in midships, which may stop
at the top of the floor plates, and be rivetted to the reverse horizontal frames;
an angle iron may be run horizontally in the centre of the plates overlapping
the centre of the butt of every plate fore and aft, or may stop at foreward and
and after bulkheads or thereabouts. In introducing the transverse water-tight
bulkheads I turn or bend two angle irons back to back round the inside in
wake of every bulkhead, rivetted to the reverse frame to receive the bulkheads
in between them, and to be rivetted through the two flanges. In order to make
these bulkheads water-tight, wooden chocks are to be driven firmly between
the horizontal frames and secured with wooden screw bolts to the transverse
angle irons.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Jordan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY 3
JORDAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Ship Builder, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Jordan, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Jordan, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Jordan, 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Jordan, my executors or administrators,.
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 calender
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Jordan, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement, and the Drawings therein referred to (that is to say):-
My Invention consists, firstly, in constructing ships or vessels in which the
frame is to be formed of wood and iron in combination, the lower part of the-
longitudinal framing being of timber up to the bilge, and the remainder
thereof of longitudinal angle iron frames up to the gunwale; the whole of
the beams being of iron, diagonal straps may be introduced outside the
the frame from the gunwale to the lower part of the bilge to take the
necessary bolts for connecting the timber and iron longitudinal frames together,-
the said straps being rivetted to each angle iron frame, and bolted to each
wooden frame, or in lieu of the said diagonal iron straps, an iron girder form--
ing a segment of a circle from the rounding of the quarter up to the rounding
of the bow, and down to the upper side of the bilge, may be secured in like
manner to the horizontal frame, or if necessary, the said iron straps and iron.
girder may both be employed.
Secondly, in constructing wooden ships or vessels as mentioned and referred
to in a Patent granted to me on the 20th day of November 1858, I prefer
to employ an inner keel to which the stem, stern post, and dead woods
are attached in all cases in which it is desirable not to carry up the mid-

page_text: feather; the longitudinal frame may then be commenced, placed about two-
thirds the size of the timbers apart, chocked under every beam from keel to
gunwales, and bolted to each other fore and aft up to the gunwales, the floors
being placed transversely on the top of the horizontal frames inside for two-
thirds the length of the vessel in midships, or thereabouts, being about one
floor under each beam in midships; I then place an entire iron frame in the
shape of iron knees inside, one under every beam in the lower hold, and staple
knees in the between decks, the lower knee taking the floor with at least three
or four bolts in each knee through the floors and horizontal frames; by this
plan the ship is hooped inside in the wake of every floor, or in place thereof
iron straps may be introduced either diagonally or vertically clear of the
beams; a chock being caused to go between every floor to make a solid bed
for the keelson, which may be either of iron, of wood, and the keel put on after
the ship is caulked on the principle of a false keel; either of the above des-
criptions of ship is to be planked with timber, either vertically in one or two
thicknesses, or diagonally in two thicknesses, or vertically in midships, and
radiating forward and aft to an angle of forty-five degrees, in either one or
two thicknesses of planking.
And, thirdly, in constructing iron ships or vessels on the above principle
floor plates (of sufficient size and strength to suit the tonnage) are to be run
across the ship when necessary and rivetted to the midfeather in midships,
which may stop at the top of the floor plates, and be rivetted to the reverse
longitudinal frames; angle irons may be run longitudinally in the centre of the
plates overlapping the centre of the butt of every plate, fore and aft, or may
stop at forward and after bulkheads or thereabouts. In introducing the trans-
verse water-tight bulkheads to any of the above descriptions of vessel, I turn
or bend two angle irons back to back round the inside in wake of every
bulkhead rivetted to the reverse frame to receive the bulkheads in between
them, and to be rivetted through the two flanges. In order to render these
bulkheads water-tight, wooden chocks are to be driven firmly between the
longitudiual frames, and secured with wood screw bolts to the transverse frame.
And in order that my said Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect I now proceed to describe it by the aid of the accom-
panying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures thereon
marked (that is to say):-
Fig. 1 represents a tranverse vertical section of a portion of a vessel con-
structed according to the first head of my Invention; Fig. 2, a corresponding
view, having reference to the second head of my Invention; Fig. 3, a side
elevation upon a reduced scale of a portion of a ship, showing the application

page_text: of the diagonal planking in two thicknesses to vessels constructed in accord-
ance with the first or second head of my Invention; Fig. 4, a transverse
vertical section of the lower portion of an iron vessel, showing the method of
applying the floors thereto, and Fig. 5, a detached inner portion of one of the
sides of the same, showing a central angle iron applied thereto. In each
Figure the same letters of reference denote similar corresponding parts. A, A',
the longitudinal timber framing; B, B, the longitudinally angle iron framing;
C, C, beams; D, D, inner keel; E, E, iron knees; F, F, bolts for securing
the same; G, G, planking; H, H, floors; I, I, plates forming the hull of the
iron vessel; J, J, angle irons running longitudinally in the centre of the plates;
K, K, keel; L, L, keelson; M, M, hogg; N, N, stanchions.
Having now described the nature of this my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed and carried into effect, I would have it
clearly understood, that I do not claim as of my Invention the exclusive use
of the several parts herein-before described, except when the same are employed
in and for the purposes of my said Invention which I hereby declare to
consist,――
Firstly, in the construction of ships or vessels in which the longitudinal
frame is formed of wood and iron in combination.
Secondly, in the construction of wooden ships or vessels as herein-before
mentioned, and referred to under the second head of my Invention.
Thirdly, in the construction of iron ships or vessels with overlapping longi.
tudinal angle irons and transverse floors in the manner and for the purposes
herein-before set forth and described.
And, fourthly, in the mode herein described of securing the transverse
water-tight bulkheads.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Jordan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
HENRY JORDAN. (L.S.)
Witness,
F. R. DARKIN CAMPBELL,
Clerk to Messrs Weatherdon & Co.,
77, Chancery Lane.