First, in the rolling of iron I make claim to the construction of rollers, which are pressed into and kept in close contact, by the application of small rollers at their back side, and forced up by screws or wedges, which enables me to form bars of very equal size and figure throughout their length.

Second, in the making of wire, which is only another application of my before-mentioned rollers, pressed into contact in a similar manner, the only variation being in the form of the edge of the rollers, which is hollowed out to a semicircle or nearly so.

Third, in the making of nails and brads, one part of this is also a modification of my improved rollers, and consists simply in forming a number of indentations round one of the rollers of the form which the brads are intended to be, so that when a piece of metal is passed through between them, it is forced into the indentations by the plain edge of the other roller, and forms nails or brads according to the form of the indentations round the roller.

My next improvement in brad-making consists in the means of feeding or introducing the fillets of metal to a double brad-cutting machine. I make use of the bradcutting machines placed side by side, and the fillet of metal has such a movement given to it, that it first passes under one cutter and then under the other, at the same time it is pushed forward under the cutters by a weight or spring, instead of turning the fillet over on each cut, as is usually practised in brad-cutting.

Another of my improvements consists in a particular form given to the cutters, which enables them to produce a brad with a head and point, although cut from a fillet or metal in the same manner as the former. This will be understood by inspecting Fig. 10 of the annexed VOL. XXXV.-SECOND SERIES.

D

draw

drawing; C shews a section of a cutter which always presents the same form of edge, though the section be taken any where through its length, as the form is grooved out lengthways on its face, as seen at Fig. 11, and is sharpened or ground upon the end only. The fixed and moving cutters are similar in their section, so that their edges move by each other to cut in the same manner as a straight edged pair of shears would do; any desired form may be given to them, but the form of Fig. 10 is, I consider, a very good one, as brads made by such cutters would not be liable to split the wood into which they are driven.

Fourth, my improvement in the making of screws consits in applying a revolving cutter or saw to take out the substance of the threads, whilst it is advanced forwards regularly by a pattern screw, and immediately after passing the cutter it enters a pair of dies closed by a weight or spring which clears out and finishes the thread, thereby forming a very neat and regular screw in a short space of time. In witness whereof, &c.

Specification of the Patent granted to WILLIAM ANNËSLEY, of Belfast, Ireland, Architect; for certain Improvements in constructing Ships, Boats, and other Vessels. Dated April 8, 1818.

With an Engraving.

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c. Now KNOW YE, that in compliance with the aforesaid proviso, I the said William Annesley do declare that my improvements in constructing ships, boats, and other vessels, are fully decribed and ascertained as follows; that is to say: The first part of my said improvements consists in making the hull of the ship, boat, or

other

other vessel, of three or more layers of planks, the direction of the grain of the alternate layers, proceeding from bow to stern of the vessel; and the direction of the grain of the intermediate layer or layers, passing from one gunwale, around and under the vessel, to the other gunwale, without being cut or separated by the keel; the whole of these planks being well pinned, treenailed, or bolted together, without frame timbers, beams, knees, breast-hooks, or stem. The thickness, and number of layers of plank, must depend on the strength required for the tonnage of the vessel, and the service in which she is intended to be employed.

For small boats, where great strength is not required, I sometimes make use of only two courses of planking, that is to say, one outside longitudinal layer, and one inner transverse layer, continuing round from gunwale to gunwale, and producing an equality of thickness and strength throughout: the whole of the inner course of planking, presenting a continued curved surface, uninterrupted by the keel or other timbers; and this continuity of surface, and equality of strength throughout, renders the vessel much better able to resist a shock, than any mode of construction, where the planks terminate in an angle, against a piece or pieces of stout timber, as upon my plan the effect of a shock would be, merely to cause a general vibration of the whole, but no partial strain in any part, because no part would be weaker than another.

The second part of my improvements, consists in making the keel in three thicknesses: that is to say, a middle thickness of timber keyed together, and lying, horizontally, fore and aft, which I term the core of the keel; and a casing of vertical planks on each side, crossing the core, together with a horizontal plank under the whole,

which I call the sole, to protect the ends of the cross planking.

The third part of said improvements, consists in producing, from a given model on a small scale, a set of temporary frames or moulds, for the purpose of giving to the hull of the vessel, the same figure and relative proportions as the model. To effect which object, I make a model out of a solid piece of timber to the shape required for the service of the vessel, and affix a keel and cutwater to it, capable of being detached from the hull. I then cut the model transversely, at right angles to the bottom of the keel, in as many places as I wish to have vertical temporary frames, to give the layers of planking the proper support and figure, while building the vessel. And I also make two or more horizontal sections, in the bow of the model, in order to ascertain the proper curvature of two or more horizontal moulds, for giving the bow of the vessel its proper shape; or, instead of those horizontal sections, I sometimes make two or more oblique sections, each perpendicular to a tangent to that part of the cutwater at which the mould is to be placed. All these sections are made through the model of the hull, but not through the cutwater or keel. I then draw a line on one of the surfaces produced by each section, perpendicular to the centre of the keel and cutwater, which line will, of course, divide the surface of the section into two equal and opposite parts; and from a centre at the top of this line, or that end of it which is opposite to the keel or cutwater, I describe a quarter of a circle on one half of the surface of the section; this quarter of a circle I divide into a convenient number of equal parts, and draw lines from the centre, through each of those divisions, and produce them to the extremity of the surface. I then measure the length of each line, and

make points at the same relative distances, upon corresponding lines, on the enlarged scale, which I determine for the dimensions of my ship, boat, or other vessel; then by drawing a line through all these points, I obtain a curve, on an enlarged scale, precisely similar to the curve of one side of the model, which, by being reversed, of course, gives the curvature of the other half. Now by making temporary frames to the figure of each section, and by erecting and supporting all the frames, at the same proportionate distances as the sections are in the model, I obtain a correct frame work, or set of moulds, on which to bend and secure, by screws from the inside, my first or inner course of fore and aft planking.

To obtain the curvature of the upper part of the keel or run of the vessel, I divide the length of it into a convenient number of parts, on the model, and draw perpendicular lines at each division; then by measuring the lines and transferring them by the scale, a number of points are found, through which the curve will pass. These, my said improvements, and the manner of carrying them into effect, are exemplified by the drawings hereunto annexed, and explained by the following references:

Fig. 1, (Plate III.) the model; a a, the vertical sections; bb, the horizontal sections, at the bow; cc, dotted lines, representing the oblique sections, that may be used instead of the horizontal ones; d, the cutwater; e e, the keel; ff, lines drawn on the keel, to ascertain, by their lengths, the curve of the run.

Fig. 2, the surface of one of the sections; a b, the line dividing the surface into two equal and opposite parts; cc, the quarter of a circle drawn from the centre a; d d, the lines drawn from the centre, through the points,