AN IMPROVEMENT IN CONCHING VESSELS OF WAR AND FORTIFICATIONS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Langham, of No. 149, Holborn, in the
City of London, Tobacconist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN
CONCHING VESSELS OF WAR AND FORTIFICATIONS."
Sealed the 10th January 1865, and dated the 5th September 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Langham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th September 1864.
I, WILLIAM LANGHAM, of No. 149, Holborn, in the City of London,
Tobacconist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTING VESSELS OF WAR AND FORTIFICATIONS," to be
as follows:-
The Invention consists in constructing the sides of a vessel of war or a
fortification of a series of acute angles on both sides of the vessel, or the side
or front of the fortification, of iron or steel of suitable thickness, the angles
terminating in apertures or passages through the vessel or fortification, which
1 denominate shot passages, such passages to be lined with iron or steel of

page_text: suitable thickness, so that the shot on striking the inclined sides will pass
through the passages into the water on the opposite side of the vessel or
through the fortification. The angles of the inclined sides, as shewn in the
Drawing-annexed, are about forty-five degrees. The passages at the inner
part of the angles, as shewn in that Drawing, are eight feet high and four feet
wide. Between each of the passages there is a gun room eight feet wide less
the thickness of the sides and eight feet high as shewn, in which a gun may
be placed to be projected (for the purpose of being discharged) at the point
of each angle. The opening for the gun may be closed whilst being loading
by an iron or steel plate or doors of sufficient thickness, and the gun when
loaded may be forced forward. But in constructing a vessel or fortification
upon this principle, the height and width of the gun rooms and the height and
width of the passages may be increased or diminished according to circum-
stances and in the discretion of the builder, it being obvious that in pro-
portion to the height and width of the gun rooms would depend the height
and width of the shot passages and the thickness of their sides. It is equally
obvious that the wider and higher the gun rooms, the wider and higher would
be the angles. As regards fortifications; at a sufficient distance behind the
passages proper and sufficient.sand-banks should be constructed to receive the
enemy's shot after passing through the passages.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Langham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LANGHAM, of No. 149, Holborn, in the City of London, Tobacconist, send
greeting.
T
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Langhami, Her special licence that I, the said William
Langham,.my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William. Langham,, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all

page_text: times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
night 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 IMPROVEMENT IN. THE CONSTRUCTING VESSELS OF WAR AND FORTIFICATIONS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Langham, 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 Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Langham, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement, that is to say:-
:
The Invention consists in constructing the sides of a vessel of war or the
side or front of a fortification of a series of acute angles on both sides of the
vessel, or the side or front of the fortification, of iron or steel of suitable thick-
ness, the angles terminating in apertures or passages through the vessel or
fortification, which I denominate shot passages, such passages to be lined
with iron or steel of suitable thickness, so that the shot on striking the inclined
sides will pass through the passages into the water on the opposite side of
the vessel or through the fortification. The angles of the inclined sides, as
shewn in the Drawings No. 1 and No. 2 annexed, are about forty-five degrees.
The passages at the inner part of the angles, as shewn in those Drawings, are
eight feet high and four feet wide. Between each of the passages there is a
gun room eight feet wide less the thickness of the sides and eight feet high as
shewn, in which a gun may be placed to be projected (for the purpose of being
discharged) at the point of each angle. The opening for the gun may be closed
whilst being loaded by an iron or steel plate or doors of sufficient thickness, and
the gun when loaded may be forced forward. But in constructing a vessel or
fortification upon this principle, the height and width of the gun rooms and
the height and width of the passages may be increased or diminished according
to circumstances and in the discretion of the builder, it being obvious that in
proportion to the height and width of the gun rooms would depend the height
and width of the shot passages and the thickness of their sides. It is equally
obvious that the wider and higher the gun rooms, the wider and higher would
be the angles. As regards fortifications, at a sufficient distance behind the

page_text: passages proper and sufficient sand banks should be constructed to receive
the enemy's shot after passing through the passages.
In witness whereof, I, the said William' Langham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our. Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
WILLIAM LANGHAM. (L.s.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
said William Langham, in the
presence of
SAM. F. LANGḤAM;
10, Bartlett's Buildings,
Holborn, Sol:-