Improvements in or relating to the Protection of Ships and other Navigable Vessels against Fouling, Corrosion, and Decay.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1890-Accepted, 5th July. 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Protection of Ships and other
Navigable Vessels against Fouling, Corrosion, and Decay.
I ROBERT AUGUSTUS CHESEBROUGH of No. 17 East Forty-fifth Street, in the City
of New York, in the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention consists in the protection of the bottoms and other parts of ships
and other navigable vessels against marine animals and plants, and against the
corrosive action of sea water, and against rot, by means of a coating of ozocerite,
applied to such parts of the vessel as it may be desired to so protect.
The ozocerite may be prepared for use by simply melting it, or heating it to a
temperature of, say, from 140° to 150° F., to bring it to a sufficiently fluid state to
permit it to be applied to the surface of the ship or other vessel with a brush. It
should preferably be first purified of the volatile matters which are generally
contained in it, by subjecting it to a temperature of, say, 350° to 400° F., at which
such volatile matters will be evaporated. It may afterwards be further purified by
filtration through bone black.
It should not be refined by distillation, because distillation destroys its structure,
and it would be converted into paraffine wax, and would then be unfit for the purpose
described, because, being in a crystalline condition, it would easily scale off, and could
be easily removed, while owing to its amorphous condition, the ozocerite clings with
great tenacity to the metal or wood to which it is applied, and cannot be easily washed
off or rubbed off.
I have found, by experiments of considerable duration, that ozocerite applied to an
iron or wooden vessel affords an efficient protection against marine insects and plants,
and also prevents the corroding action of sea water upon the iron, and protects the
wood from rot. The ozocerite also gives a smooth surface, that makes the vessel slip
so easily through the water, that for yachts, what is called pot-leading may be
dispensed with.
I have bereinabove mentioned that the ozocerite, when brought to a melted or
sufficiently soft state by heat, may be applied to the parts of the ship or vessel to be
protected by means of a bruslí. A brush such as is commonly used for white-washing
will serve the purpose.
The ozocerite which I use is either that formed in a natural state in the earth, or
such as is known as rod wax obtained from the sucker rods of oil wells, and from the
settlings in tanks containing crude petroleum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
As a protection for the bottoms and other parts of ships and other navigable vessels
against marine animals and plants, and the corrosive action of sea water, and against
rot, a coating of ozocerite applied to the parts to be protected, substantially as
herein described.
Dind 1: 2 C T1800
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.