IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR PLATES OR SHIELDS
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN TONKIN COCKING of 58 Welbeck Street in the County of Middlesex,
Felt Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR PLATES OR SHIELDS" to be as follows:-
i
This invention relates to armour plates or shields, intended as a protection
against shot, shell, and torpedo attacks, and adapted for both naval and land
service. Various forms of plates have been hitherto employed, such as iron, steel
and what are known as compound plates, but all so far as I am aware have been
intended to offer a rigid resistance to the passage of the projectile, which has either
penetrated the plate, if of soft material such as wrought iron, or cracked it if of
friable material such as steel.
The object of my invention is to produce a compound plate or shield composed
of a series of layers of material which will offer an elastic or yielding resistance to
the passage of the projectile and such compound plate or shield may be formed
with an exterior or exposed surface of toughened iron of a homogenous character,
behind which is placed a layer of hard felt, then a net of steel filled in with felt,
then another layer of felt, and again a steel net such layers and nets being
alternated until the innermost solid plate is reached, and this is preferably slightly
inclined, and elastically supported or backed, the felt employed being waterproofed
and used in blocks or slabs of suitable size.
A compound shield so constructed will offer an elastically yielding resistance,
will diffuse over a wide surface the shock of the blow, and after the projectile has
passed through the alternate layers of steel nets and felt, its impact on the inner
plate will be much modified and less destructive. In fact the kind of resistance
(while much superior to) is more nearly allied to that offered by earthworks whilst
the rigid plates now used may be compared to the old granite and brickwork.
The steel net and felt shield would be much lighter than the armour plating now
used, thus the armour belt could be lengthened, or widened, or both, without
increasing displacement. Further the interior armoured lines in a vessel so
constructed, may be made without following closely the exterior lines of con-
struction. The outer may be made to fulfil all ship requirements-the inner skin
D

page_text: with reference to resistance and convenience only, and as the space between the
outer and inner skins would be divided into convenient water tight compartments,
and need not be filled with the nets and felt until needed for active service, a vessel
may be constructed which will be very useful in times of peace.
Improvements in Armour Plates or Shields.
I, MARIANNA COCKING of 58 Welbeck Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Widow and sole executrix of John Tonkin Cocking, Felt Manufacturer, deceased
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 relates to armour plates or shields, intended as a protection 1
against shot, shell, and torpedo attacks, and adapted for both naval and land
service. Various forms of plates have been hitherto employed, such as iron, steel,
and what are known as compound plates, but all so far as I am aware have been
intended to offer a rigid resistance to the passage of the projectile, which has either
penetrated the plate, if of soft material such as wrought iron, or cracked it if of
friable material such as steel.
The object of my invention is to produce a compound plate or shield composed
of a series of layers of material which will offer an elastic or yielding resistance
to the passage of the projectile and such compound plate or shield may be formed
with an exterior or exposed surface of toughened iron of a homogeneous character,
behind which is placed a layer of hard felt, then a net of steel filled in with felt,
then another layer of felt, and again a steel net such layers and nets being
alternated until the innermost solid plate is reached, and this is preferably slightly
inclined, and elastically supported or backed, the felt employed being waterproofed
and used in blocks or slabs of suitable size.
A compound shield so constructed will offer an elastically yielding resistance,
will diffuse over a wide surface the shock of the blow, and after the projectile has
passed through the alternate layers of steel nets and felt, its impact on the inner
plate will be much modified and less destructive. In fact the kind of resistance
(while much superior to) is more nearly allied to that offered by earth works whilst
the rigid plates now used may be compared to the old granite and brick work.

page_text: The steel net and felt shield would be much lighter than the armour plating now
used, thus the armour belt could be lengthened, or widened, or both, without
increasing displacement. Further the interior armoured lines in a vessel so con-
structed, may be made without following closely the exterior 'lines of construction.
The outer may be made to fulfil all ship requirements, the inner skin with reference
to resistance and convenience only, and as the space between the outer and inner
skins would be divided into convenient water tight compartments, and need not be
filled with the nets and felt until needed for active service, a vessel may be
constructed which will be very useful in times of peace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The hereinbefore described improvements in armour plates or shields, said plate
or shield consisting of a series of layers of material substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Dated the 21st day of November 1885.
Witness,
HAROLD MILES,
Clerk to Messrs. Radford & Frankland,
of 40, Chancery Lane, Solicitors.
MARIANNA COCKING.