IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Devonshire Ellis, of the Atlas Works, Sheffield,
Ironmaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
ARMOUR PLATES."
Sealed the 19th March 1878, and dated the 1st October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Devonshire Ellis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st October 1877.
JOHN DEVONSHIRE ELLIS, of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, Ironmaster.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES."
"IMPROVE-
My Invention has for its object an increased facility in the manufacture of
armour plates, composed of iron and steel combined or united; and also in the
subsequent planing and finishing of the edges of such plates. And my Invention
consists in first making a plate of the usual quality of wrought iron, and afterwards
fixing thereon round the edges of the same a wrought-iron frame, of such width as
may be required to enclose the steel to be added to the wrought-iron plate. This
plate with its frame thereon is then to be placed in an ordinary plate-heating
furnace, and heated to a welding heat, and a suitable quantity of molten steel, made
by the Bessemer or other process, poured on to the surface of the plate, thereby
filling the enclosure within the wrought-iron frame with steel of the depth or
thickness required. The plate is then allowed to cool, so that the steel and iron
composing the same may become welded, and it is afterwards rolled into an armour
plate of any required thickness.
By the above-described process is manufactured an armour plate of iron and
steel, with the steel surrounded by an edge of wrought iron, thereby making the
plate easier of manipulation.

page_text: In some cases also it may be found desirable to insert longitudinally or trans-
versely, or both, bars of wrought iron, in order that the same may intersect the
steel, for the purpose of reducing the lengths of the cracks in the steel when
penetrated by shot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Devonshire Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th March 1878.
JOHN DEVONSHIRE ELLIS, of the Atlas Works, Sheffield, Ironmaster. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES."
My Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of Armour Plates" has for
its object an increased facility in the manufacture of armour plates, composed of
iron and steel, combined or united; and also in the subsequent planing and finishing
of the edges of such plates. And my Invention consists in first making a plate of
the usual quality of wrought iron, and afterwards fixing thereon, round the edges
of the same, a wrought-iron frame or frames, of such width as may be required to
enclose the steel to be added to the wrought-iron plate. This plate with its frame
thereon is then to be placed in an ordinary plate-heating furnace and heated to a
welding heat, and a suitable quantity of molten steel, made by the Bessemer or
other process, poured on to the surface of the plate, thereby filling the enclosure
within the wrought-iron frame with steel of the depth or thickness required. The
plate is then allowed to cool, so that the steel and iron composing the same may
become welded, and it is afterwards rolled into an armour plate of any required
thickness.
By the above-described process is manufactured an armour plate of iron and steel,
with the steel surrounded by an edge of wrought iron, thereby making the plate
easier of manipulation.
In some cases also it may be found desirable to insert longitudinally or trans-
versely, or both, bars of wrought iron, in order that the same may intersect the
steel, for the purpose of reducing the lengths of the cracks in the steel when
penetrated by shot.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which is represented a mode or modes of carrying my
Invention into effect in the manner above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a vertical section, showing a plate with an iron framing
on it.
Fig. 3 is a plan shewing a plate with an iron framing and a longitudinal and
transverse bar thereon.
Fig. 4 is a section shewing the frame and bars of uniform depth; and Fig. 5 shews.
the frame of greater depth than the bars. .
:

page_text: Fig. 6 is a transverse elevation, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view, shewing the
plate and frame thereon.
In these several Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the plate, made of the usual quality of wrought iron; B is a wrought-iron
frame, fixed on the plate, thereby enclosing a portion of the surface of the plate,
on to which a suitable quantity of molten steel (made by the Bessemer or other
suitable process) is to be poured, in order to fill the said enclosure with steel of the
depth or thickness required. The height or depth, and also the length and breadth,
of the frame B will be varied as required to suit the dimensions of the finished
plate of combined iron and steel.
This frame is or may be fixed together in its parts before heating in the furnace
by dovetailing, as shewn in the Figures, or the parts may be otherwise fixed
together.
C, C, are longitudinal bars; and D, D, are transverse bars, fitted into the frame B
by dovetailing, as shewn in Fig. 3 (or they may be otherwise fitted), so as to divide
the enclosure within the frame, and form additional cells E, E, for the reception of
molten steel, in order that the steel in the finished plate may be intersected by the
said bars of wrought iron.
In Fig. 3 the bars C, C, and D, D, are arranged so as to form four cells for the
steel to be poured into, but this number may be varied.
In Fig. 4 the bars C, C, and D, D, are shewn of the same height or depth as the
frame B;
and in Fig. 5 they are shewn of less height or depth than the frame.
In Fig. 3 also the cells E, E, are shewn as rectangular, but they may be otherwise
formed so long as the bars or partitions C, C, and D, D, are arranged in such a
manner as to divide into suitable cells the surface of the plate enclosed within the
frame B, and thereby correspondingly divide the steel portions of the compound
plate.
With reference to the mode of manufacturing the entire armour plate the iron
portion thereof is made by the ordinary method of manufacturing wrought-iron
armour plates, and the bars forming the walls both of the frame and the cells are
composed of a similar quality of iron. After the iron plate with the frame or
framing and bars have been heated in the furnace (which only differs in size from
the ordinary reverberating iron-heating furnace) the steel may be poured on while
the plate is in the furnace; but it is preferred to take the iron plate with its frame,
or frame and bars, from the furnace, and then pour the steel on to it. The combined
iron and steel plate is then allowed to cool and solidify, after which it is re-heated
in an ordinary furnace and reduced to the thickness required either by forging,
pressing, or rolling, or by all or any of these processes in combination.
In finishing the compound plate the outside frame or framing may be either
removed entirely or so as to leave a portion of it on the edges of the said plate.
By manufacturing in the manner above described armour plates of iron and steel
in combination the result is the production of a plate in which the steel is capable
of presenting the greatest resistance to the penetration of shot, and the iron has
the least liability to fracture or cracking, the combination of the two in the com-
pound plate affording the best means of protection either for ships or other purposes.
The advantage of the wrought-iron frame (when that is left on the plate) consists
also in the facility which it affords in planing and slotting the edges.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would remark that although in describing my Invention
I have found it necessary for the sake of clearness to refer to certain well-known
modes of operation as being adopted in the course of manufacture of my improved
compound armour plate, yet I do not claim as of my Invention any of the said
modes of operation, except when used in the manufacture of armour plates in the
manner described; but I hereby declare that what I claim as of my Invention is,-
First. The manufacture of armour plates composed of iron and steel combined,
in the manner described, by means of a frame or framing of wrought iron applied

page_text: to a wrought-iron plate, and adapted to form an enclosure for the steel, as herein-
before described.
And, Secondly. The manufacture of such compound armour plates with inter-
secting bars or partitions of wrought iron in combination with the said frame or
framing, as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Devonshire Ellis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
JOHN C. DUNCAN,
Atlas Works,
Sheffield.
Secretary of John Brown & Co., Ld.
JOHN DEVONSHIRE ELLIS. (LS.)