CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PILING, FAGOTTING, AND FORGING IRON FOR PLATES, BARS, SHAFTS, AXLES, TYRES, CANNONS, ANCHORS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
COWPER, of Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the thirteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Heir heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Cowper, my exors, adññors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles
Cowper, my exors, admñňors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Cowper, my exors, adiñors, or asssigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of
Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PILING, FAGOTTING, AND FORGING IRON FOR PLATES, BARS, SHAFTS, AXLES, TYRES,
CANNONS, ANCHORS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," communicated to me from
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Charles Cowper, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: Hollow shafts, crucibles, imortars, cannons, plates, &c.-In manufacturing
iron plates, a pile is formed by placing together the bars A and B, so that
their inclined faces a, b, come in contact with one another. The bars in each
layer are placed at right angles to those in the preceding layer, so that the
bars which form the first layer c, are at right angles to those forming the
second layer d, but parallel to those of the third layer c', and to those of the
fifth layer c". It will be readily perceived that, by this method of con-
structing the pile, the joints of the bars in each layer not being perpendicular,
but oblique in the direction of the lines a, b, the successive blows of the ham-
mer do not cause the bars to separate from one another, as is often the case

page_text: In fact by em-
with piles of the ordinary form, which is shewn in Figure 4.
ploying this ordinary form the rectangular bars A', B', present their joints
a', b', in a perpendicular position, so that the blows of the hammer, which tend
to diminish the height of the pile also, tend to open all the perpendicular
joints. To remedy this defect as much as possible, it is customary to hammer
the pile on the sides as well as on the top, but notwithstanding every possible
care in hammering the pile on the top and on the sides, there are very often
portions which remain imperfectly welded, and merely, as it were, adhering
together. It will be seen that this defect is obviated by the improved bars
and piles, and the heavier the blows of the hammer, the more perfect is the
welding, while with the ordinary piles it is necessary to diminish the first blows
of the hammer, to prevent the bars from being separated too much from one
another.
Figure 5 represents a section of a pile or faggot, suitable for being forged
into a cranked axle, the bars are of the trapezoidal form, and so placed that
their joints a, b, are inclined to the surfaces of the superposed layers of bars.
It is easy to perceive that this arrangement will produce a very sound and
perfectly welded mass of iron.
Figure 6 shews the form of a pile or faggot for a wrought iron mortar.
The axis of the mortar is in the direction. m, n, and by enveloping the first
central mass composed of the bars A, B, by successive layers A¹, E¹, a perfectly
sound and strong mass of iron is obtained, since all the joints are crossed, and
the iron acts in the direction of its greatest strength, or nearly so. The shaded
part of this figure represents the form of the mortar thus made after the
welding and forging of the mass.
Figure 7 represents a form of pile for producing a cannon, the form of which
is shewn by the shaded part, the trunnions being in the direction of the line
C, D.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a hollow shaft A, which is supposed to
be round or square, with the corners rounded both in the interior and on the
exterior, and forged with different enlargements of various diameters and forms.
Figure 10 shews a transverse section of a faggot for producing this shaft, with
the form of the swages employed in forging it. The faggot B is formed of bars
of a peculiar curvilinear section, as shewn in the Figure, and arranged in the
form of a hollow cylinder. This hollow faggot is welded together by means of
large swages of the proper form. A cast iron core or mandril is prepared of
the proper form to produce the various enlargements in the interior of the
shaft. This mandril can be casily introduced into the hollow faggot, which is
made of sufficiently large diameter for that purpose. The faggot is now heated

page_text: to a white heat and the mandril is quickly slipped into it, and it is then forged
under the hammer by means of dies or swages of the proper shape to give the
required form to the exterior of the shaft, while the interior adapts itself closely
to the cast iron mandril in every part. The mandril is removed from the shaft by
placing it in a furnace in a slightly inclined position, and gradually heating it.
As cast iron melts at a lower temperature than wrought iron; it is easy to
arrive at a temperature which melts the cast iron mandril, leaving the hollow
wrought iron shaft, which is now withdrawn from the furnace, and which is
shewn in section at Figure 8.
Figures 11 and 12 represent a new method of manufacturing wrought iron
crucibles in one piece. A plate of iron is first formed from a pile of wedge
shaped or traperzoidal bars, as already described, taking care to break the
joints, as in the manufacture of boiler plates. This plate is then drawn out
under the hammer to a thickness greater than that which the crucible is to
have when finished. The plate is then cut to a circular form, care having
been taken to leave the central portion of a greater thickness than the rest to
serve as the bottom of the crucible, as shewn in the side view of the plate A,
in Figure 11. The plate is now reheated in the furnace to a white heat, and
carried to the hollow die B, on which it is placed as centrically as possible.
The die or mandril C is now placed upon it, and gradually driven down by
repeated small blows of the hammer, and the plate is thus forced into the
lower die B, the form of which it takes. This operation is repeated several
times, with a series of dies of suitable dimensions, until a crucible is obtained
of the required diameter, as shown in the section, Figure 12. The operation
is thus commenced on a plate of larger diameter than the crucible, which is
brought in to the proper dimension by means of the dies.
Figures 13 and 14 represent transverse sections of faggots adapted for the
forging of wrought iron cannons. These faggots are formed of bars of a
peculiar curvilinear section, all the joints being curved. These bars are easily
formed in the rolling mill by means of rolls with grooves of a suitable form.
A central round bar of iron shewn at O, in Figure 13, of about six inches
diameter, more or less, according to the dimensions of the cannon which is to be
made, is surrounded with a first series or layer of bars A of the above mentioned
curvilinear section. This is then covered with a second layer of similar bars B,
arranged so as to break joint with the first layer. The faggot is now heated
to a welding heat, and hammered between two hollow dies or swages C and D,
which form the face of the hammer and the anvil. A perfect welding is thus
obtained, the junctions being imperceptible, the fibres of the iron are united
and interlaced in such a manner as to present much of the advantage of a

page_text: twisted barrel. Great strength is obtained from the joints being all in fact
lap welded or scarfed to one another. When the first faggot, Figure 13, has
been thus welded it is surrounded with a new layer of bars E, Figure 14, or
even with several successive layers, according to the size of the piece which is
to be produced, taking care to arrange all the bars so that the joints may not
correspond with those of the preceding layers, and the whole is then welded up
as before. The position of the joints in the first faggot may be ascertained by
examining the ends, where they will be visible from the slight differences in
the length and form of the ends of the bars. By this means pieces of large
diameter are readily manufactured. With these forms of bars and faggots it
is easy to weld on the trunnions as will be presently explained. These forms
of faggots are well adapted for the manufacture of bars, shafts, axles, anchors,
and a great variety of other articles.
.. Figure 15 shows a section of a faggot formed of bars of a slightly different
section, two of their sides being straight; the same principle, however, is.
preserved, of sloping the joints so as to obtain the effect of a lap welding.
I will now proceed to describe a still farther improvement, applicable to the
inanufacture of wrought iron cannons and other purposes, which consists in
surrounding a central mass or faggot with bars of a trapezoidal section laid
round it in the form of a helix or screw, and again surrounding this first layer,
with several others, applied by mechanical means, and in then submitting the
new faggot thus obtained to the action of the hammer between swages or dies
of the proper form and dimensions.
Sheet 2, Figures 1 and 2, represent a side view and section of a cylindrical
faggot, composed of firstly a central bar or axis a, of small diameter, and pro-
longed at the end G to serve as a handle in moving the faggot about. Secondly,
a series of bars 6 rolled of a curvilinear section. Thirdly, a second series
of bars c, of similar section, covering the first series, and so arranged that the
joints may be in different positions, and in contrary directions to those of the
first series. All these bars, being united in the form of a large cylinder, are
bound together at one end by a screw clip m, made in two pieces, and at the
other end by an iron band put on hot. The faggot thus prepared is heated
in a furnace, and transported by means of a crane to the hammer, where it is
forged between two hollow swages. It is easy to perceive that in this operation
the joints of each of the bars which compose the faggot, being of a circular form
curving away from the axis, they become very perfectly welded together in all
parts, and are adapted for resisting very great internal strain or pressure. The
first welding produces a strong cylinder of iron A, the extremities of which P, P',
are drawn out more or less, as shewn in Figure 3, to serve as bearings, and

page_text: their extreme ends are forged square to receive a toothed pinion B, and a
driving pulley by means of which the mass of iron is caused to revolve upon
its axis.
Figure 3 represents a plan of the machine for surrounding the cylindrical
mass or core with strong bars or ribbons of iron laid round it in a helical or
screw form; Figure 4 is an end view shewing the wheel-work; Figure 5 is a
vertical section through the line 1, 2; and Figure 6 is an elevation of the
travelling support or rest, which serves to conduct the iron ribbons on to the
central mass or core. The construction of this machine is very simple; it con-
sists of two strong cast iron frames S, which on one side receive the bearings
P, P', of the central core A, and on the other side those of the large double
thre crew V. This screw traverses a long nut g, the upper part of which
forms a sort of horizontal table n, for the purpose of supporting the iron bar
or ribbon L, which is to be wound on the core, and which is kept in its place
by the blocks q, which fit the form of the bar, whether it is placed as shewn
in Figure 6, or in the reverse position, in which case the blocks q are also
reversed. These blocks are, moreover, tied together by
strong flat bar of
iron n', hinged to the support o, which is fixed to the table n on one side, and
which is locked by the catch p, hinged to the table on the other side. The
nut g is, moreover, guided in its rectilinear course by the fixed bar h, which
serves as a stay to the two frames S, and is placed parallel to the axis of the
screw. On the end of the screw is fixed a toothed wheel B', which gears with
the pinion B fixed on the square end of the central core A. The clip m', which
is attached to the end of core, carries a sort of hook o', which keeps the end of
the ribbon in contact with the core during the operation of winding it on.
The action of the machine will now be readily understood. A rotary motion
being given to the core A, by means of the driving pulley on the extremity a¹,
this motion is communicated by means of the wheel-work B, B', to the screw V,
which, being confined at its two ends, compels the nut g, and all that it carries,
to move in a direction parallel to the axis of the screw.
The consequence is
that the bar or ribbon L' being held at one end in contact with the core by
the hook o', and being guided by the travelling rest n, n¹, is laid on the revolv-
core A in a helical form like the thread of a screw. In this manner the first
ribbon L is laid on. Its section is a trapezium, and it is laid with its broadest
base in contact with the core. The second ribbon L is then laid on in a
similar manner, but its position is reversed, so that its broadest base is out-
wards, and its narrowest base towards the core. It thus fills up the spaces left
between the convolutions of the first ribbon. These two operations being per-
formed with the assistance of heat, the result is a cylindrical faggot consisting

page_text: of a central core A, and a casing of two helical ribbons. This faggot is now
heated and well hammered between swages, and from the obliquity of the
joints produced by the peculiar form of the ribbons it becomes perfectly welded
in every part. When this first layer of ribbons has been thus welded on the
faggot, it is replaced in the machine and encased with a second similar layer
after having replaced the screw V by another screw, the threads of which
lie in the contrary direction. The ribbons of this second series are
The new faggot thus
thus made to cross those of the first series.
formed is again welded between dies or swages by means of the hammer.
This operation is repeated until a cylindrical mass of iron of the required size
is obtained, and thus cannons of large size may be manufactured with ribbons
crossing each other and fulfilling all the requirements of soundness and
strength. It will at once be evident that this process of manufacture is
far preferable to that in which all the bars are laid parallel to the axis of the
cannon, because the fibres of the iron being laid round in the helical form the
internal strain tends rather to press the joints closer together than to open
them, whereas when the joints are all parallel to the axis of the cannon the
imperfection of a single welding may be the cause of the bursting of the
cannon. The application of bars of trapezoidal and curvilinear section is of
itself a great improvement in this manufacture, but the addition of the system
of helical ribbons above described is a still farther improvement, for it.
completes the manufacture of large wrought iron ordnance, leaving nothing to
be desired as regards strength, notwithstanding the severe proofs to which
they are subjected.
Figure 7, Sheet 2, represents a side view of the faggot A prepared as
above described, after having received the different layers of helical ribbons
which have been successively welded and hammered between dies or
swages. A slight depression is now forged at the part a, b, c, for attaching
the trunnions, which are forged in one piece with a sort of saddle A', of the
form shewn in Figures 8, 9, and 10. This saddle is placed on the depression
, b, c, Figure 7, and the whole being heated in the furnace is welded together
under the hammer by means of the dies or swages M and N, Figures 11
and 12. As many heats are taken as are found necessary to obtain a perfect
welding. The trunnions being thus firmly united in one piece with the
cannon and reduced to the proper form and size by the dies, the chase and
breech of the cannon are drawn out and forged, thus completing the forging
of the cannon, which is afterwards bored out and finished in the ordinary
a
manner.

page_text: MANUFACTURE OF TYRES AND WHEELS.
The improved method of manufacturing tyres consists of three distinet
operations :-
Firstly, the coiling round of the bars, an operation which consists in forming
a cylindrical ring by winding up in a helical form on a mandril a flat bar of
iron, placed on edge and of sufficient length and size for the tyre which is to
be produced. This bar being first heated to a cherry red heat, or coming at
once from the rolls in which it is formed, at that temperature is presented to
the mandril, on which it is wound up, making several successive coils.
Secondly, the hammering or welding of the rings formed as above mentioned,
which consists in placing the ring in a die with a circular groove of a proper
form and submitting it to the action of the hammer, which squeezes it into
every part of the die, so that a ring is thus obtained cylindrical in the interior
and with a flange on 'the exterior similar to that required on the finished tyre.
This operation may be performed at one or more heats according to the
dimensions of the ring, which is 'thus welded regularly and perfectly
throughout.
Thirdly, the rolling of the rings obtained as above described, an 'operation
which consists in enlarging the diameter of the ring or tyre by submitting it
to the action of two 'cylinders or rolls, one of which is of the form of the
interior of the tyre and the other of the form of the exterior of the tyre.
These rolls may be constructed and arranged in various manners, and form no
part of the present Invention.
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 3, represent a side view and an end view of
the machine for coiling round or winding up the bars. This machine consists
of two frames of cast iron A, A', carrying the bearings of a strong shaft B,
which extends beyond the frames on one side to receive the coupling C, which
connects it to the driving shaft, and on the other side to form a slightly conical
mandril B', upon which is wound up the bar of iron which is to form
the thick ring R. To the exterior face of the largest frame A¹ is fixed a stop
c for confining the end of the bar H, when it is first placed on the mandril to
be wound up. Four strong rods or pillars E are also fixed to this frame to
carry the guide D, by means of which the bar is compelled to apply itself
successively against the coils produced by the rotation of the mandril. A flat
bar of iron G is hinged at its lower part to the guide D, and fastened at its
upper part by the catch d, so that when open it admits of the bar H being
easily introduced and placed on edge on the cylinder, and when closed' it
affords a firm support to the bar H, and guides it perfectly as it is wound up

page_text: on the mandril. By this means the bar is compelled to lap itself round
the mandril in a succession of coils very close together, forming, when it is all
wound up, a thick ring R, which is shewn by the part shaded blue in Figure 1.
The guide D being now removed the ring R is slipped off the mandril, which
being slightly conical facilitates the removal of the ring. The bar employed
being of the proper weight and dimensions, it is evident that the ring thus
obtained may be employed for producing a tyre, or the outer ring of a wheel,
without requiring any transverse welding as in the ordinary method of making
tyres. The ring is now heated in a furnace and placed in a die under a
steam hammer, and is well hammered and welded in every part. For this
purpose the die has an annular groove sufficiently large in diameter to receive
the ring and to leave a little play all round it; but the thickness of the ring
being greater than the depth of the groove, the ring projects above the die
and receives the blows of the hammer, by which it is compressed and com-
pelled to fill every part of the groove in the die. The tyre thus forged and
shaped is finished by rolling it between rollers as described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to John George Bodmer, on or about the Eighth day
of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
forty-two.
I will now proceed to describe the manufacture of wrought iron wheels.
The first process which I shall describe consists in forming one large ring for
the outer part of the wheel, and another smaller and thicker one for the
central part. The inner edges of the large ring being rounded a little, the
smaller one is placed within and submitted to the hammer, which causes
the inner ring to spread and become perfectly welded to the outer ring. It is
then easy to finish the wheel under the hammer by means of a series of rings
or swages, which serve as dies to give the required form to the various parts.
A still further improvement on this process consists in making the wheel of a
single ring instead of making it of two rings, and I will therefore give a more
detailed description of the mode of operating on a single ring, after first
describing the mode of proceeding with two rings.
Figure 3, Sheet 3, represents the first ring A, made as already described,
by winding up into a helix on a cylindrical or conical mandril a flat bar of
iron a, Figure 4; and it is preferable to employ a bar of-trapezoidal or wedge
shaped section, or in other words, a bar thicker at one edge than at the other,
in place of employing a rectangular bar. This form has the advantage of
bringing the outer edges of the coils into closer contact with each other. The
ring A, Figure 3, being heated and placed under the hammer, is partially
flattened and welded throughout, and at the same time the inner edges

page_text: are rounded, as shewn in Figure 5, which is a section of the ring.
Figure
is a plan of the same. A second ring, shewn at B, Figure 7, is now prepared
in a similar manner to the first, by winding a flat bar on a mandril. The
external diameter of this ring does not exceed the internal diameter of the first
ring, so that it can be placed within it, and as it is thicker than the first ring
it projects beyond it on both sides, and on being submitted to the action of a
haminer of the form shewn at D, Figure 8, it is caused to spread and become
welded to the first ring. The nave and other parts of the wheel are now
forged by means of suitable swages of various sizes, such as that shewn in
Figures 9 and 10. By applying this process to a single ring, such as that
shewn in Figures 11 and 12, and formed from the bar of the section shewn in
Figure 13, still more satisfactory results are obtained. This ring being formed
as above described, and heated to a welding heat, is enlarged in diameter under
the hammer by means of the iron ring or annular swage E', Figure 14, and
the anvil or die J, or a flat anvil may be employed with another ring or swage
placed under the wheel instead of the die J. The diameter of the wheel is
thus gradually increased as much as is required by means of a series of
annular swages with corresponding anvils K, Figure 15, in which are rounded
grooves to form the arms or ribs on the flat part or disc of the wheel when
such ribs are required. The last dies or anvils are of the proper form for
producing the external ring of the wheel, which is finished by a last die N,
Figure 16, and a hammer M, Figures 16, 17, and 18. The last die N has a
number of holes in its outer circumference for inserting a bar, by which it may
be easily turned round. The number and size of the arms or ribs on the disc
of the wheel may evidently be varied as required by forming the dies
accordingly. In the same way the disc which unites the nave and the tyre
may be formed in the centre of the thickness of the wheel or on one side of it.
In the section Figure 19, it is supposed to be in the centre, and in Figures
15 and 16 it is a little on one side, so that one face of the disc corresponds to
the centre of the width, and in Figure 20 is shewn the section of a wheel
without ribs. The ribs have the advantage of giving greater stiffness to
the wheel and admit of the disc being reduced in thickness. They also give a
more agreeable and lighter appearance to the wheel, being placed on the
outer surface. This system of manufacturing wheels in one piece of iron from
one or more rings produced by winding up a bar into a helix unites all the
necessary conditions of strength, lightness, and economy. These wheels may
be made plain on the outside and may have a tyre shrunk on in the ordinary
manner, or they may be made with a flange as shewn in the Drawings, in
which case the thickness of the ring should be about the same as the combined

page_text: thickness of the ring and tyre in ordinary wheels, and they will then admit of
being worn down much more before requiring the application of a tyre than
the ordinary wheels, in which the ring is weak and only supported at intervals
by the spokes.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details hereinbefore described, so long as the
peculiar character of either part of the Invention be retained; but what I
claim is,
Firstly, the formation of piles and faggots of an assemblage of several bars
of a trapezoidal or wedge shaped section, as above described.
Secondly, I claim the different methods herein-before described of employing
these trapezoidal bars for the manufacture of plates, crucibles, mortars,
cannons, tyres, and other purposes.
Thirdly, I claim the method of manufacturing wrought iron crucibles, by
stamping or hammering a plate of iron in dies, as above described.
Fourthly, I claim the formation of faggots by surrounding a central rod or
core with bars of curvilinear or other section, so that the joints may be in
curved lines or in straight lines not radiating from the centre as above
described and shewn in Figures 13, 14, and 15, Sheet 1. And I also claim
the formation of hollow faggots by the use of these bars for the forging
of hollow shafts as above described; but I do not claim the formation of solid
faggots of bars of curvilinear section, except when the same are used in
combination with a central rod or core.
Fifthly, I claim the forging of hollow shafts on a cast iron mandril, which
is afterwards removed by melting it out, as above described.
Sixthly, I claim the processes of manufacturing twisted wrought iron
ordnance, by coiling trapezoidal bars on a central core and welding them to it,
as above described, and I also claim the application of the machine above
described for that purpose; but I do not claim the manufacture of twisted
wrought iron ordnance generally, it having already been proposed to make
twisted cannons by welding up a hollow helix by blows directed on the end.
Seventhly, I claim the method herein-before described for welding the
trunnions to wrought iron cannons and other ordnance.
Eighthly, I claim the manufacture of tyres by welding a bar of iron
previously wound up into a helical form. and rolling it to the proper form and
size as above described; but I make no claim to the rolling of tyres when
such tyres are not formed by welding a helical bar of iron.
Ninthly, I claim the manufacture of wheels with or without ribs by forging

page_text: between dies or swages a ring of iron formed by winding up a bar into a
helical form as above described; but I do not claim the forming of the nave,
only of a wheel of a helical bar; nor do I claim the manufacture of wheels
by forging between dies a pile of iron made in the ordinary manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Cowper, have hereunto set my 5
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
year
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of May, in
the of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Charles Cowper came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty.