AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER VESSELS CAPABLE OF RESISTING PRESSURE, AND IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF PLATES FOR THE SAME
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Alton, of the Town and County of Derby,
Boiler Maker, and John Fernie, of the same Place, Engineer, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF STEAM BOILERS
AND OTHER VESSELS CAPABLE OF RESISTING PRESSURE, AND IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PLATES FOR THE SAME."
Scaled the 26th October 1858, and dated the 25th May 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Alton and John
Fernic at the Office of the Cominissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th May 1858.
We, GEORGE ALTON, of the Town and County of Derby, Boiler Maker.
and JOHN FERNIE, of the same Place, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER VESSELS CAPABLE OF RESISTING PRESSURE, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PLATES FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in manufacturing steam boilers and other vessels
capable of resisting pressure, without the necessity of using angle iron in their
construction, and in such manner that they shall be stronger at those parts
where angle iron is now used than if constructed according to the ordinary
method. This we accomplish by the employment of plates rolled of the

page_text: required thickness in the body thereof, but of increased thickness towards the
end or ends or side or sides, and then flanged or turned to form an angle at
one or both ends or sides, according to the structure to be produced. The
metal is sufficiently thick at the bend to prevent any weakening consequent
upon the bending; not only is the usual angle iron dispensed with, but also
one set of rivets and rivet holes, and at the same time a better and stronger
joint is the result.
Another object accomplished by our Invention is the prevention of the wear
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Alton and John Fernic in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
ALTON, of the Town and County of Derby, Boiler Maker, and JouN FERNIE,
of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing-date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
George Alton and John Fernie, Her special licence that we, the said
George Alton and John Fernic, our exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said George Alton and John Fernie, our exccu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, 'from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
STEAM BOILERS AND OTHER VESSELS CAPABLE OF RESISTING PRESSURE, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PLATES FOR THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said George Alton and John Fernie, or one of us, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Alton and John Fernic,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Our Invention consists in manufacturing steam boilers and other vessels
capable of resisting pressure (either internal or external) without the necessity
of using that description of iron usually called angle iron in their construction,
and in such manner that the boilers or other vessels shall be stronger at those
parts where angle iron has hitherto been used in their formation, according to
the ordinary method. This we accomplish by the employment of metal plates
rolled of the required thickness in the body thereof, but of increased thickness
towards the end or ends, side or sides, and then flanged or turned to
form an angle at one or both ends or sides, according to the structure to be
produced.
We make the metal plates sufficiently thick at the part or parts where
they are to be flanged or turned, to prevent any weakening becoming conse
quent upon the flanging or bending.
By this mode of constructing boilers and vessels, the usual angle iron is
dispensed with, and one set of rivets and rivet holes only is necessary to secure
joint, the joint at the same time being better and stronger.
a
Another object of our Invention is the prevention or diminution of the usual
wear in the plates of a boiler at or near to the parts where they have been
hitherto united to the angle iron.
The plates suitable for the above purposes are prepared as follows:-
The slab of metal from which the plate is to be rolled is forged of nearly the
same length as the width of the intended plate. If the plate is to have only
one side thickened we make a corresponding thickening on one end of the slab
which is to form one side of the plate, and if the plate is to have two thickened
sides, we make two thickenings on the ends of the slab which are to form the
thick sides of the plate.
A slab thus made with the requisite thickening or thickenings is passed
between the rolls of a rolling mill, one or both of the rolls having the surface
or surfaces of a section adapted to form the slab into a plate having one or
both of its sides thicker than the other parts of it, as may be required.
While under the action of the rolls the slab is drawn out in the direction of
its with only, and so that the ends of the slab form the sides of the rolled
plate.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a section of a slab with a

page_text: thickening upon the upper side of it at one end, and so as to make the slab
thicker at that end than in the other parts.
Figure is a section of a slab having a similar projection at each end.
Figure 3 is a section of a plate which has been rolled with one of its sides
thicker than the other parts of the plate.
Figure is section of a plate which has been rolled with each of its sides
thicker than the body of the plate.
Figure 5 is section of a plate similar to that shewn in Figuro 3, but having
a portion of its thicker side flanged or bent to a right angle with the surface
of the body of the plate.
Figure 6 is a section of a plate similar to that shewn in Figuro 4, but
having a portion of each of its thick sides flanged or bent to a right angle
with the body of the plate. Although we have shewn the flanges bent to a
right angle only, the angle may be varied according to the position and
form of the joint, in the making of which a flange is to be used, for instance,
as shewn in the section of a dome or steam chamber at Figure 7.
When no flange is required, we employ such plates as are represented in
Figures 3 and 4.
If it be desired to produce a plate with thickened end or ends as well as
thickened side or sides, the rolling may be effected by means of rollers having
the usual reversing motion, the plate being rolled backwards and forwards
without passing completely through between the rollers, and so as gradually to
diminish the thickness of the plate as required.
Any extra thickness left at the corners of a plate thus rolled may be rolled
down or taken off in any convenient manner, and the plate, before the flange
or flanges is or are bent, may be sheared so as to make the edges straight
in the usual manner.
In Figure 8 we have shewn in section, by way of illustration, a portion of a
steam boiler made with our improved plates at an angle of the boiler, where
the flange of a plate is rivetted to the side of another plate.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not claim as of
our Invention, or the exclusive use of, the modes above described or referred to;
except when the same are employed in and for the application or manufacture
of plates thickened at the sides or ends, and suitable for the purposes above
described; but we claim,-
First, constructing steam boilers and other vessels capable of resisting
pressure, with plates thickened at the sides or ends, or one of them, and flanged
so as to dispense with angle iron, all as above described.

page_text: And second, the manufacture of plates thickened at the ends or sides, or
either, and suitable for the construction of boilers and other vessels capable of
resisting pressure, as herein-before described and represented in the accom-
panying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Fernie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JOHN FERNIE. (L.S.)