Tuesday, June 14, 2022

Theodore Ruggles Timby

From Prabook.

He was born  on April 5, 1822,  in Dutchess County, New York,.  He was the son of George W. and Sarah (Johnson) Timby, formerly of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

He grew up on his father's farm and attended common schools.

During his teens, he is said to have invented a form of floating drydock.  As early as 1841, he exhibited a model and plans for a revolving  battery for coast desfense to the War Department in Washington, D.C..  He siad he came up with the idea from Castle William on Governors Island in New York.

He seems to have come up with a similar idea for ships of low freeboard (the Monitor was a ship of low freeboard).

On January 18, 1843,  he filed a caveat covering the invention of  the revolving turret for use on land or sea.  It appears that  in the spring of the same year, he sent a model to China by Caleb Cushing, the United States minister there.  In June he exhibited a model to President  Tyler and his cabinet.

Nothing came of these efforts.

--Old B-Runner


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