IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES OF METAL TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBULAR TELEGRAPH POLES, MASTS AND SPARS. STEAM TUBES, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Newton Gisborne, Engineer. and
Electrician, of 445, West Strand, Londou, and Herbert Allman,
Consulting Engineer, of Ampthill Square, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES OF METAL TO BE
EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBULAR TELEGRAPH POLES, MASTS AND
SPARS. STEAM TUBES, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 31st August 1869, and dated the 2nd March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Newton
Gisborne and Herbert Allman at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 2nd March 1869.
We, FREDERIC NEWTON GISBORNE, Engineer and Electrician, of
445, West Strand, London, and HERBERT ALLMAN, Consulting: En-
gineer, of Ampthill Square, London, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES OF
METAL TO
BE EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBULAR TELEGRAPH POLES,
MASTS AND SPARS. STEAM TUBES. AND SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be
follows:-
as
Our Invention consists in an improved method of making tubes for

page_text: 1st. In manufacturing tubes we use strips of metal coiled spiraly
around so as to form a spiral lap joint, which joints are either rivetted,
welded, soldered, brazed, or by dipping fastened by the process known as
galvanizing or tinning. It is this spiral process which we claim for
all similar purposes herein-before set forth as combining a maximum
amount of strength with a minimum weight of material.
2dly. For telegraphic. purposes we construct our poles in two lengths,
the base being made of galvanized strips of iron, and having a foot plate
of larger diameter keyed on thereto so that when sunk into the ground
it can be filled internally with earth or other material previous to fitting
the upper tube thereto. The upper length is provided with an inner piece
of ebonite or other non-conducting substance from which the telegraph
wire is suspended and insulated from the metal pole through which the
said wire passes either by apertures cut in the tube or from arms
projecting from the internal insulating substance. The hollow pole as
herein-before described being a defence from moisture, the said strips
may be made plain, corrugated, or ornamental, and form the tube by
being wound round a revolving mauudrel, and united as herein-before
described at the edges. We sometimes wind two or more strips around the
tube, being wound right and left alternately so as to obtain greater
strength.
Finally we wish it to be understood that our Invention consists of
forming tubes by winding strips of metal or other materials around an
axis in a spiral form. These said strips vary from inch wide upwards
according to the diameter of the tube.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederic Newton Gisborne and Herbert Allman
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERIC
NEWTON GISBORNE, Engineer and Electrician, of 445, West. Strand,
London, and HERBERT ALLMAN, Consulting Engineer, of Ampthill
Square, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-

page_text: second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Frederick Newton Gisborne and
Herbert Allman, Her special licence that we, the said Frederick Newton
Gisborne and Herbert Allman, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Frederick Newton Gisborne
and Herbert Allmau, our executors, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES
OF METAL TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TUBULAR TELEGRAPH POLES,
MASTS AND SPARS, STEAM TUBES, AND SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Frederick Newton Gisborne and
Herbert Allinan, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us or them, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Herbert Allman, on behalf of
myself and the said Frederick Newton Gisborne, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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, that is to say :-
In manufacturing tubes according to our Invention we employ strips
of metal coiled spirally around so as to form a spiral lap joint. These
joints or laps we either rivet, weld, solder, or braze, or they may be
fastened by the process known as galvanizing or tinning. By forming
tubes as described we obtain a maximum amount of strength with a
minimum weight of material.
In constructing posts or poles for telegraphic purposes we form each
post or pole of two parts in the following manner:-The base we by
preference make of strips of galvanized iron, and we affixed a plate of
larger diameter thereto so that when it is sunk into the ground it may
be filled internally with earth previously to the upper portion of the tube
being fitted thereto. The upper tube is provided with an inner piece of
ebonite, wood, or other non-conducting substance to which the metal

page_text: arms are attached. These metal arms pass through openings in the tubė.
At the outer extremities of these arms the telegraph wires are carried.
Hollow poles constructed as described form a defence from moisture.
The strips of metal for forming the tubes may be made plain, or they
may be corrugated or otherwise ornamented and strengthened, and the
tubes may be formed by the strips of metal being wound around a
revolving mandril and the laps united as already described.
Sometimes in forming tubes or tubular articles according to our
Invention we wind two strips of metal the one over the other, such strips
being then wound in opposite directions, that is, the one is wound by
revolving the mandril in a right-hand direction, and the other strip by
revolving the mandril in the opposite direction; by this means we are
enabled to obtain tubes of a very great strength. The width of strips
which we employ vary from one-half inch upwards according to the
diameter of the tube required.
Tubes made according to our Invention may be employed as masts for
ships, spars, telegraph posts or poles, steam boilers, and in fact for all
purposes where tubes are employed.
And in order that our Invention may be most fully understood we will
proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a telegraph post constructed in
accordance with our Invention; it is composed of two parts A and B.
The upper part A is at its lower end fitted with a socket A¹ which fits
on to the upper end of the part B of the telegraph post. The parts
A and B are tubes composed of strips of metal a and b wound spirally
on a mandril, and the strips a and b are in this case as they are wound
lapped slightly the one over the other, and these laps it is preferred
to connect by rivetting, although they may be brazed, soldered, or other-
wise held together. The lower end of the tube B is provided with a
flange or plate extending outwards beyond the width of the tube; it
serves to give additional strength as well as to steady the lower part
which is embedded in the ground.
Sometimes we construct tubes according to our Invention without
lapping the strips as they are wound upon the mandril. In this case we
prefer to employ two or more strips of metal wound spirally, but in
opposite directions the one to the other, care being taken that the one

page_text: strip comes opposite the joints of the other and so breaking joint.
According to this latter plan tubes of great strength and lightness may
be constructed. At the upper portion of the part A of the telegraph
post arms are mounted; the outer ends of these arms carry the tele-
graph wires. The arins are insulated from metal posts as shown by the
Drawing, Figures 2, 3, and 4, which show respectively a side view, a
sectional elevation, and a horizontal section of the upper part of the
telegraph post A upon an enlarged scale. a is the strip of metal of
which the post is formed by lapping, as shown at a¹, with a top or cover a³.
Arms b, b, are supported by an insulating block c, c, of wood or other
suitable material connected to the tube A by screws or otherwise, and
fitting into openings formed in this block are tubes or insulating pieces
of vulcanite d, d; into these the supporting arms b, b, are placed, their
ends being secured by keys, as shown, or by nuts.
The telegraph
wires e, e, are carried by the arms b, b, at their outer ends, as the
Drawing shows, where they are secured by wires f, f, to a cross pin g or
otherwise. The holes i, i, in the tube A are sufficiently large to allow
of a clear space around the arms b, b, so as to ensure perfect insulation
to the telegraph wires from the metal posts.
Having thus described our Invention, and the mode of carrying the
same into practice, we wish it to be understood that what we claim
is, the constructing tubes in manner and for the purpose as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Allman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
nine.
HERBERT ALLMAN. (L.S.)