AN IMPROVED INVENTION FOR CONSTRUCTING HULLS OF VESSELS
Year: 1855

page_text: Sealed the 13th July 1855, and dated the 5th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux
Bellford at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th February 1855.
I, AUGUSTE EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 32, Essex Street, Strand,
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED INVENTION FOR CONSTRUCTING HULLS OF VESSELS," a communi-
cation from Virgil Putnam Corbett, of Corbettsville, Broome County, and State
of New York, to be as follows, viz. :--
It consists in the employment of a lining of india-rubber, or any elastic
waterproof composition formed in part of india-rubber, between the timber and
planking of the vessel, extending over the whole of the vessel from the keel up
to any desired height above the water line. The elastic composition may be
placed between two layers of canvass or other strong fabric.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTE
EDOUARD LORADOUX BELLFORD, of 32, Essex Street, Strand, London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, Her special licence that I, the
said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford; my executors, administrators, and
.assigns, or such others as I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, 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 "AN IMPROVED INVENTION FOR
CONSTRUCTING HULLS OF VESSELS," a communication from Virgil Putman Corbett,
of Corbetsville, Broome County, State of New York, upon the condition
(amongst others) that-I,-the said Auguste-Edouard-Loradoux Bellford, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say:--
This Invention consists in the employment of a lining of india-rubber, or any
elastic waterproof composition formed in part of india-rubber, between the
timbers and planking of the vessel. This lining will extend over the whole of
the vessel from the keel up to any desired height above the water line and
make it water-tight, and prevent leaks being sprung by the straining of the
vessel, and in case of collisions, which break through the planking and
timbers, will in most cases yield and stretch without being cut or torn, or if
cut or torn through would close up again. It is peculiarly well adapted for

page_text: vessels of war, both on account of the great resistance it would offer to shot,
and of the property it possesses of re-closing after it has been perforated, the
latter property obviating in a certain degree the necessity of shot plugs.
Fig. 1 in the accompanying Drawing is a sheer plan or side view of a vessel
constructed according to my Invention, a portion of the side being represented
broken away to show the construction; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the
same; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a portion of one side, on a somewhat
enlarged scale. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
several Figs.
The best method of applying the lining, which is indicated by a in the
Drawing, is to apply it between the timbers b, b, and the inner planking c, c, of
the vessel, and to place it between two layers d, d', of canvas, or other strong
fabric of similar character, which would to some extent protect it from the
eflects of salt water, or from any destructive substance which might form part
of the cargo. The india-rubber should be in sheets of as large a size as can
be obtained or conveniently applied, and its thickness will depend in a great
measure on the size of the vessel; but in all vessels of war it should be of great
thickness, in order that it may resist shot as much as possible. In building
the vessel, the outer layer of canvas d should first be nailed or otherwise
secured to the timbers b, b, then the india-rubber applied and secured, next the
inner layer of canvas d', and finally the planking c, c, is to be applied.
If no canvas be employed, the india-rubber is nailed or otherwise secured to
the to the timbers, and the planking applied directly upon it.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood
that what I claim is,―
First, the employment of a layer of india-rubber, or other elastic waterproof
material composed in part of india-rubber, between the timbers and planking
of the vessel, substantially as herein set forth.
Second, protecting the inner and outer sides of the india-rubber lining with
canvas, or other fabric of similar character, substantially in the manner set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Auguste Edouard Loradoux Bellford,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 23rd day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
A. E. LORADOUX BELLFORD.
(L.S.)