IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF PROTECTING SHIPS' BOTTOMS FROM FOULING, AND IN MATERIALS TO BE USED THEREFOR
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lillie, of Duke Street, Adelphi, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF PROTECTING SHIPS' BOTTOMS FROM FOULING, AND IN MATERIALS TO
BE USED THEREFOR."
Sealed the 8th July 1862, and dated the 27th January 1862...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Lillie at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
January 1862.
I, JOSEPH LILLIE, of Duke Street, Adelphi, in the County of, Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF PROTECTING SHIPS' BOTTOMS FROM FOULING,, AND IN
MATERIALS TO BE USED THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the protection of the bottoms of sea-going
and other vessels by preventing the adhesion thereto of all animal or vegetable
matter. For this purpose the bottoms of the vessels are covered with: a
sheathing composed of earthenware tiles adapted to the form of the said
bottoms, such tiles having an enamelled or glazed surface on the. exterior,
and a roughened or indented surface on the interior. These tiles may be
varied in size and form, and are secured to the hull of the vessel, by means
of cement, marine glue, or.. other suitable: adhesive material, the joints being
pointed or filled in with hydraulic cement. The tiles may also be secured to

page_text: the hull of the vessel by means of metallic ribs fixed at intervals, such ribs
being formed with flanges capable of holding the ends of the tiles, their
opposite ends being dovetailed so as to receive correspondingly-formed tiles
between the ribs, and the space between the inner surfaces of the tiles and
the hull of the vessel being filled with cement.
Another mode by which I propose to protect the bottoms of ships and-
vessels is by the use of marine glue or other suitable adhesive material applied
thereto, with an admixture of fine sea gravel or sand, in order to produce a
roughened surface for the better adhesion of an outside coating of hydraulic-
cement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Lillie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
LILLIE, of Duke Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
r
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Lillie, Her special license that I, the said Joseph Lillie, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Lillie, 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
METHOD OF PROTECTING SHIPS' BOTTOMS FROM FOULING, AND IN. MATERIALS TO BE
USED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Lillie, 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 Joseph Lillie, do hereby declare. the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and, ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say): _
My Invention of "Improvements in the Method of Protecting Ships'
Bottoms from Fouling, and in Materials to be used therefor," has for its
object the protection of the bottoms of sea-going and other vessels by pre-
venting the adhesion thereto of animal or vegetable matter.
One of these improvements consists in applying a sheathing of tiles com-
posed of earthy matters of such a quality and texture as to render the same,
when manufactured, close in grain and non-porous. The tiles for this purpose
are manufactured so as to correspond to the form of the bottoms and sides of
the vessel to be sheathed or covered, and with an enamelled or glazed surface
on the exterior, and a roughened or indented surface on the interior. The
tiles are varied in size and shape, and are secured to the hull of the vessel by
means of cement, marine glue, or other suitable adhesive material, for which
purpose I find Portland cement, Hay's glue, and the Japanese wax extremely
suitable, the joints being pointed or filled in with hydraulic cement. The
tiles may also be secured to the hull of the vessel by means of metallic ribs
fixed at intervals, such ribs being formed with flanges capable of holding the
ends of the tiles, their opposite ends being dovetailed so as to receive cor-
respondingly formed tiles between the ribs, the space between the inner
surfaces of the tiles and the hull of the vessel being filled with cement; but
I find the fixing the tiles by a suitable adhesive material, such as above
mentioned, to be the preferable method.
Another improvement consists in protecting the bottoms of ships and vessels
from fouling by the application of the wax known as the Japanese wax, which
is of a whitish color and of vegetable production, more especially that known
in the London market by the name of "saucer wax." This wax may be
applied as a coating or covering, of from one-sixteenth to a quarter of an inch
in thickness, with or without an admixture of chalk or other calcareous
matter, being laid on to cover the surface of the hulls, when in a melted state,
in one or more layers until the requisite thickness is attained.
Another improvement consists in laying a coating of Portland cement, of
a thickness, say, three-quarters of an inch, or thereabouts, on to the external
portion of the hull of the vessel, with an outer thinner covering of Japanese
or other suitable wax laid on and over the outer surface.
Another improvement consists in applying a mixture of fine sea sand or
gravel, so as to form a sort of concrete with a roughened surface, well adapted
to adhere to the vessels, and to receive a coating of the said Japanese wax or
other wax capable of hardening under water. In furtherance of the above

page_text: objects I employ strychnine, arsenic, and other similar deleterious substances
for the destruction of animal matter usually adhering to vessels.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that what I claim as
of my Invention is,-
First, the covering the hulls of vessels with a sheathing of non-porous
and enamelled tiles, constructed and applied in the manner and for the
purpose above described..
Secondly, the covering or coating the hulls of vessels with Japanese wax,
with or without any admixture, such as chalk, applied in the manner and for
the purpose above described.
Thirdly, the covering or coating the hulls of vessels with cement and wax
in combination, in the manner and for the purpose above described..
Fourthly, the covering or coating the hulls of vessels with a species of
concrete and wax in combination, in the manner and for the purpose above
described..
And, lastly, the use of strychnine, arsenic, or other poisonous substances,.
for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lillie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two..
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
50, Chancery Lane,
.Patent Agent.
JOSEPH LILLIE. (L.S.)