US34151A - Means for covering and repairing- iron ships and other navigable - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIC.

RICHARD F. LOPER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MEANS FOR COVERING AND REPAIRING- IRON vSHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGAIBLE VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 34,151, dated January 14, 1862.

To all whom it may cof/warn.'

Be it known that I, R. F. LOPER, of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented va certain new and useful Improvement in Covering and Renovating Old Iron Boats and other Vessels of Freight or Passage; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.

All vessels constructed of iron and designed to be used for conveying passengers or carrying freight, either on the ocean or on rivers or lakes, propelled by steam or driven by sails may become subjects of my invention. Such vessels or boats are liable to have the iron on the outside of their hulls become so thin by wear or rust as to render the vessel leaky and unsafe. Repairing such Vessels by riveting metal plates over the unsound `parts has been found not to answer, or to be serviceable, and it has been customary, previous to the use of my invention, to regard such vessels as of little or no value. Vhen renovated under my invention such vessels are stronger and of greater practical value than a new vessel of wood or of iron.

By the drawings forming part of this specification my invention is shown applied to an old iron vessel, Figure 1 thereof being la view by transverse vertical section between midship and stern-post, and Fig. 2 a view by longitudinal vertical section of the keel, keelson, stemwpost and stern post.

In each of these figures where like parts are shown like marks and letters are used to indicate the parts.

In carrying out my invention I take from the water and place in suitable condition to be operated upon, the boat or vessel, the iron on the outside of the hull of which has become so thin by wear or rust that the vessel may leak or be unsafe, and with wooden timber form a keel (a), stem-post (b), and stern-post (c), to fit the iron keel (d), sternpost (e) and stern-post (f). A rabbet should be out in the wooden keel for the garboard streak and in the stem-post and stern-post for the wood ends. I-Ioles should be cut in the old iron hull (g) to receive the fastenings of the outside plank Put on the planking for the bends and then the garboard streak and plank up the sides in the usual manner, or plank in any other way the shipbuilder may think proper. The plank may be secured to the iron hull by means of screw-bolts or in any other suitable manner. I prefer fastening by screw-bolts in the following manner: Cuta hole in the iron hull in every part where you wish to fasten the planking, fit the plank to the bottom or sides of the vessel, then go on the inside and placing the auger in the hole through the iron hull bore through the wooden plank, ream out the hole in the outside plank to a proper size to receive the wooden plug (le) which covers the head of the bolt (Z) that fastens the plank to the iron hull. This being done, and the bolt being a good fit, put a nut (m) on the end of the bolt inside of the vessel and screw the plank firm against the iron hull; then put in the plug on the outside planking in the same manner as plugs are put in t-he deck of the vessel.

I recommend that the bolts and plugs should be dipped in thick white lead or paint before they are put in the planking or driven in the vessel; this will prevent the bolt rusting and leaking.

I had on hand two iron steamers and a barge that became unsafe, owing to wear and rust. I have had them planked as described in this specification and I would rather have them when finished in this way than a new iron boat or a new wooden boat of the same size.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The planking of old iron boats or secondhand vessels as set forth, whereby a safe and good vessel or boat can be made out of any iron vessel or boat after the iron has become thin by wear or rust as described.

This specification signed this 1st day of March 1861.

R. F. LOPER.

Witnesses:

T. T. EVERETT, F. S. MYER.

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