AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND IMPROVED APPARATUS HAVING FOR OBJECT TO PRESERVE PROM OXYDATION IRON SHIPS AND METALLIC SURFACES, OR THOSE OF COPPER OR IRON WITH WHICH WOODEN SHIPS ARE SHEATHED, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR TESTING THE QUALITIES AND HOMOGENEITY OF METALS
Year: 1869

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John
Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS AND IMPROVED APPARATUS HAVING FOR OBJECT TO PRESERVE PROM
OXYDATION IRON SHIPS AND METALLIC SURFACES, OR THOSE OF COPPER OR
IRON WITH WHICH WOODEN SHIPS ARE SHEATHED, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
TESTING THE QUALITIES AND HOMOGENEITY OF METALS."-A communica-
tion from abroad by Ernest Demance and Georges Jean Bertin, both
of 39, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris, France.
Sealed the 8th June 1869, and dated the 5th March 1869.

page_text: Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, ratent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS AND IMPROVED APPARATUS HAVING FOR OBJECT TO PRESERVE FROM
OXYDATION IRON SHIPS AND METALLIC SURFACES, OR THOSE OF COPPER OR IRON
WITH WHICH WOODEN SHIPS ARE SHEATHED, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR TESTING THE
QUALITIES AND THE HOMOGENEITY OF METALS," and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her
Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration
that the same is a communication to me from abrod by Ernest Domance
and Georges Jean Bertin, both of 39, Faubourg St. Martin, Paris,
France.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed :-
The first part of this Invention consists in transforming the ship into
a vast electric battery, nearly similar to a trough battery, and is
effected as follows:-
Firstly. On the inner sides of a ship are established zinc reservoirs,
either in the form of cases, the position of which will be regulated by
the interior arrangement of the vessel, or in the form of a tube, making
a complete or incomplete circuit round the ship.
. Secondly. These reservoirs which may vary in form are constructed
exclusively of zinc, leaving a small section which can be filled either
up
by the inner side of the ship, if it is of iron, or by a sheet or band of
the same metallic nature as the sheathing to be preserved if the vessel
be sheathed.
Thirdly. These reservoirs are in perfect electric communication with
the metal to be preserved by means of bolts, rivets, or other contrivance,
always however of the same nature as this metal.
Fourthly. The various parts of the reservoirs will be connected
together at certain distances by bands of zinc crossed diagonally by other
bands of the same metal, so as to render the whole body of the ship
uniformly subject to the same action. These bands should be also in
perfect electric communication with each other and with the metal
intended to be preserved..

page_text: Fifthly. Some sheets of zinc in communication with the reservoirs
are placed on the exterior a little below the float or water line, but so
that they may be easily changed or removed when required.
Sixthly. At the upper portion of the reservoir apertures are formed
5 of sufficient size to give vent; if necessary, to the gases which may be
disengaged in the interior.
Seventhly. The reservoirs are filled daily with sea water, acidulated
water, or with any liquid possessing identical properties.
Eighthly. A cock placed upon the lowest part will serve as an escape
for the waste water.
Ninthly. By the aid of a current of water all the apparatus may then
be washed.
:
Tenthly. A moveable cover of sufficient section is also placed at a
certain point of the reservóir, so that from time to time a cleansing can
be made by any mechanical contrivance.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal and vertical section taken at C, D, Figs. 2
and 3 of the hull of a ship with this Invention applied; Fig. 2 a trans-
verse vertical section of same at A, B, Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 3 a
horizontal projection; and Figs. 2*, 4, and 4* sections of part of hull.
a indicates a tube case or conduit of any kind made of zinc, containing
the liquid designated in the preceding description, and running round
the ship parallel with the gunnel rail, either above the deck or at any
suitable height, it is fixed to the hull of the vessel if it be an iron one
(see Figs. 2 and 2*), and on a band K of the same metal as the sheathing
to be preserved if the vessel be a wooden one (see Figs. 4 and 4*), and
in either case in such a manner as to be in perfect contact with this
hull or with this band as well as with the strips of zinc b, placed within
the hull and secured by bolts, screws, or in any way permitting casy
removal, they are placed following the direction of the timbers, in other
words, the transverse sections, and at distances apart regulated by
experience.
The tube a may be arranged in two different ways, namely,―
Firstly, as shewn at Figs. 2 and 4, that is to say, the liquid which it
contains being placed in direct contact with the hull or with 'the
aforesaid band K of the same metal as the sheathing.

page_text: Secondly, as shewn at Figs. 2* and 4* on a band of zinc I interposing
between the contents of the tube and the hull or of the aforesaid band K
of the same metal as the sheathing.
In both of these arrangements the semi-cylindrical tube a will be
constructed in manageable lengths, and will be fixed, as also the inter-
vening band of zinc I, by bolts or screws of the same metal as that to be
preserved, and permitting their being readily taken to pieces for cleaning.
It is desirable that the tube be provided with a few holes to permit
escape of gases in case of need. C, longitudinal bands of zinc crossing
those above or below, but strictly in contact with them, and in the
interval between them in equally close contact with the hull of the
ship. d, transverse bands of zinc fixed on the outside of the ship by
bolts, screws, or other fastenings permitting easy removal, at the upper
part they bend over the rail and come in contact with the tube a; they
descend to just above the water line of the vessel when light, and end
against zinc plates e fixed to the hull in like manner; they are always
immersed even when the vessel is light, but not deeply, so that they
may be replaced when required by simply giving the ship a slight list
over to the side opposite to that on which it is desired to change the zinc
bands or plates, but without the necessity of docking the ship or hauling
it on a dry slip, or even entirely inclining it as for complete calking.
The bands d and the plates C are not so numerous as the inner ones. f
cock with superposed vase intended for pouring in the water with which
the contents of the tube is to be renewed about every two days; g,
cocks fixed to the tube a on each side of the ship at the lower part of
this tube or case, in order to thoroughly empty it when it is desired to
renew its contents; this water may be poured at will on to the deck
to the hold or into the sea by fitting conducting pipes on to the
The zinc being more electro-positive than the iron, the electro-negative
bodies, oxygen, chlorine, or other haloid bodies, acids, et cetera, proceeding
either from the decomposition of the water, or from that of the sub-
stances dissolved in the sea or from the atmospheric humidity are directed
towards it. The reservoirs full of sea water or acidulated water then
produce a very considerable electric action, and the humid bodies which
wash the zinc are charged with positive electricity, while the iron or
the copper in contact with the zinc are charged by conductibility with

page_text: negative electricity proceeding from the oxydation of the zinc. These
iron or copper bodies becoming electro-negative will be in consequence
preserved by this property from the corrosive action of the sea water.
There is not properly speaking a closed circuit, yet an electric current
exists, and the arrangement of this apparatus may be compared to that
of apparatus employed on telegraphic lines worked by a single line.
The negative fluid instead of accumulating on the iron passes into the
water which bathes the ship, while the positive fluid is spread through
the numerous bands of zinc established on the ship, and is dissipated
by degrees into the humid atmosphere, so that the result is the same as
that which would be obtained if the circuit. were closed.
Another arrangement might be adopted, consisting as previously stated
in placing on the exterior at rather distant intervals some bands of zinc
in communication with the reservoir and plunging into the water. These
bands would act as true positive electrodes, while the body of the ship
or the sheathing would form the negative electrode, then the water
which bathes the ship closes the circuit.
This second contrivance has the following advantage:-The metallic
portions of the ship which receive successively the action of the air and
water may become covered with some spots of oxydation, but the action
of the electric current being cultivated, the hydrogen which goes to the
negative electrode would finish by reducing the oxide, so that after
being immersed for some time the ship would be found cleaned or
deoxydated, as the Inventors have proved by numerous experiments.
If it be feared that the earthy oxides (lime, magnesia,) would be
deposited on the iron, it is easy to demonstrate that these fears are
without foundation, for the difference between the electro-positive pro-
perties of the iron and the zine being very small, the developed current
is weak (a fact again demonstrated by the galvanometer), further the
agitation of the sea water and the motion of the ship would suffice to
prevent these slight deposits; and lastly, the ship would not be assimi-
lated when arranged as just stated to the apparatus imagined by
M. Becquerel for studying the slow actions of electricity.
If, however, and contrary to the above-mentioned considerations,
deposits should appear, all that is required to destroy them and to stop
their formation is to diminish the number of exterior plates, which may
even be altogether removed, and thus come under the conditions of the
first-named contrivance, in which the metallic exterior part in contact

page_text: with the water being only charged with negative fluid, the decomposition
of the saline matters could not possibly take place.
This apparatus, and the process above described, may also be used for
researches on the qualities of iron, cast iron, or of copper, of which the
homogeneity would be at once shewn by the greater or less wear produced
by an electric current, a homogeneity important to be ascertained in
armour plates of metal for ships, forts, and for other purposes; and we
therefore claim this application in conjunction with that herein-before
described and illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing.
To sum up, the essential part of our process consists in placing on a
non-immersed part of the ship, and in perfect communication with the
metal to be protected, a body more electro-positive than this metal, and
submitted to a forced oxydation of continuous action, and that it may be
profitably employed for preserving metal from the long continued action
of waters, the armour plates of ships or forts for example.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)