GB1600120A

GB1600120A - Hull of a water-borne vessel

Info

Publication number: GB1600120A
Application number: GB5083576A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Nesling H E
Current assignee: Nesling H E
Priority date: 1978-03-02
Filing date: 1978-03-02
Publication date: 1981-10-14

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE HULL OF A WATER-BORNE VESSEL (71) I, HUBERT EDWARD NESLING of Four Winds, 65 Blacketts Wood Drive, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, England, a British subject do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it Is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a method of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel and also includes within its scope a said hull when made by the said method; a water-borne vessel having a said hull.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a said hull which is more resistant to fouling by marine growth than the hulls of such vessels which are presently in use.

According to the invention, in a first aspect thereof, there is provided a method of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel, such that said hull will resist fouling by marine growth, wherein a metal comprising copper or a copper alloy in particulate form is mixed with a settable medium, and the mixture so formed is applied to the face of a mould defining the shape of said hull and allowed to set such that a layer, comprising the exterior surface of said hull and consisting substantially of said copper or coppper alloy, is formed at said face.

The mixture is preferably applied to the tace ot the mould as a gel coat.

The settable medium is preferably a resin mixed with a setting catalyst. The resin is preferably a polyester resin but may alternatively be an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, or other suitable thermo-setting resin.

The said layer is preferably backed by a strong non-brittle backing material, such as for example glass reinforced plastics.

After removal of the hull from the mould, said exterior surface may be subjected to an abrasion process (which may comprise a polishing process) to expose the copper or copper alloy at said exterior surface.

The copper or copper alloy particles may be spherical or of irregular shape and of a variety of particle sizes, an atomized copper powder being preferred.

The ratio of copper or copper alloy to resin in a said mixture can be varied, and the thickness of the said gel coat can also be varied to provide sufficient thickness to enable frequent polishing of the hull after it has been manufactured without detriment to the hull during its normal life.

One method embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a greatly enlarged fragmentary section through the hull of a water-borne vessel.

In the manufacture of the hull, an atomised copper powder, is mixed with a medium 2 containing a polyester resin and a setting catalyst, and the mixture is applied to the face of a mould (not shown) as a gel coat.

This coat, which is typically 1/32" thick, is left to harden and the particles 1 tend to congregate near the exterior surface 3 of the hull, due to gravity, the composition at the surface 3 being typically 80% copper and 20% resin. When this coat has hardened, more medium 2 is applied to the layer in the mould together with some glass fibre and this is allowed to harden. The process of adding layers of medium 2 and glass fibre is repeated to build up a backing layer 4 for the hull until the required thickness of the hull is attained.

After the hull is removed from the mould, the surface 3 is subjected to a mild abrasion process such as to produce a polished copper surface.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A method of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel, such that said hull will resist fouling by marine growth, wherein a metal comprising copper or a copper alloy in particulate form is mixed with a settable medium, and the mixture so formed is applied to the face of a mould defining the shape of said hull and allowed to set such that a layer, comprising the exterior surface of said hull and consisting substantially of said copper or copper alloy, is formed at said face.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied to the face

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. (54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE HULL OF A WATER-BORNE VESSEL (71) I, HUBERT EDWARD NESLING of Four Winds, 65 Blacketts Wood Drive, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, England, a British subject do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it Is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a method of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel and also includes within its scope a said hull when made by the said method; a water-borne vessel having a said hull. It is an object of the present invention to provide a said hull which is more resistant to fouling by marine growth than the hulls of such vessels which are presently in use. According to the invention, in a first aspect thereof, there is provided a method of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel, such that said hull will resist fouling by marine growth, wherein a metal comprising copper or a copper alloy in particulate form is mixed with a settable medium, and the mixture so formed is applied to the face of a mould defining the shape of said hull and allowed to set such that a layer, comprising the exterior surface of said hull and consisting substantially of said copper or coppper alloy, is formed at said face. The mixture is preferably applied to the tace ot the mould as a gel coat. The settable medium is preferably a resin mixed with a setting catalyst. The resin is preferably a polyester resin but may alternatively be an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, or other suitable thermo-setting resin. The said layer is preferably backed by a strong non-brittle backing material, such as for example glass reinforced plastics. After removal of the hull from the mould, said exterior surface may be subjected to an abrasion process (which may comprise a polishing process) to expose the copper or copper alloy at said exterior surface. The copper or copper alloy particles may be spherical or of irregular shape and of a variety of particle sizes, an atomized copper powder being preferred. The ratio of copper or copper alloy to resin in a said mixture can be varied, and the thickness of the said gel coat can also be varied to provide sufficient thickness to enable frequent polishing of the hull after it has been manufactured without detriment to the hull during its normal life. One method embodying the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a greatly enlarged fragmentary section through the hull of a water-borne vessel. In the manufacture of the hull, an atomised copper powder, is mixed with a medium 2 containing a polyester resin and a setting catalyst, and the mixture is applied to the face of a mould (not shown) as a gel coat. This coat, which is typically 1/32" thick, is left to harden and the particles 1 tend to congregate near the exterior surface 3 of the hull, due to gravity, the composition at the surface 3 being typically 80% copper and 20% resin. When this coat has hardened, more medium 2 is applied to the layer in the mould together with some glass fibre and this is allowed to harden. The process of adding layers of medium 2 and glass fibre is repeated to build up a backing layer 4 for the hull until the required thickness of the hull is attained. After the hull is removed from the mould, the surface 3 is subjected to a mild abrasion process such as to produce a polished copper surface. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A method of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel, such that said hull will resist fouling by marine growth, wherein a metal comprising copper or a copper alloy in particulate form is mixed with a settable medium, and the mixture so formed is applied to the face of a mould defining the shape of said hull and allowed to set such that a layer, comprising the exterior surface of said hull and consisting substantially of said copper or copper alloy, is formed at said face.

2. A method according to Claim 1 wherein said mixture is applied to the face of the mould as a gel coat.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said metal is in the form of atomized copper powder.

4. A mothed according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said settable medium is a resin mixed with a setting catalyst.

5. A method according to Claim 4, wherein said resin is a polyester resin.

6. A method according to Claim 4, wherein said resin is an epoxy resin.

7. A method according to Claim 4, wherein said resin is a phenolic resin.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said layer is backed by a strong non-brittle backing material.

9. A method according to Claim 8, wherein the backing material is glass reinforced plastics.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said exterior surface is, after removal of the hull from the mould, subjected to an abrasion process to expose the copper or copper alloy at said exterior surface.

11. A method according to Claim 10, wherein said abrasion process comprises a polishing process.

12. A method according to Claim 1 of manufacturing the hull of a water-borne vessel, said method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

13. A hull of a water-borne vessel when made by a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

14. A water-borne vessel having a hull according to Claim 13.