OR IMPROVED APPLICATIONS OF A METAL FABRIC, AND IN THE MECHANISM OR APPLIANCES USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carter Ramsden, of Ilkley, near Leeds, in the County
of York, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED APPLICATIONS OF A METAL
FABRIC, AND IN THE MECHANISM OR APPLIANCES USED IN CONNECTION
THEREWITH.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carter Ramsden at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th May 1876.
"NEW
JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN, of Ilkley, near Leeds, in the County of York
OR IMPROVED APPLICATIONS OF A METAL FABRIC, AND IN THE MECHANISM OR
APPLIANCES USED IN CONNEXION THEREWITH."
The object of this Invention is the application of a fabric constructed (or partially
so) of metal for the purpose of giving increased strength and increased protection.
The fabric is constructed in inanner as described in the Provisional Specification
lodged by me, and for which Provisional Protection was granted, bearing date the
4th day of September 1875, No. 3110, that is to say, metal rods or bars are twisted
into a helical or spiral forn, some with a right-hand twist or spiral, and some with
a left-hand hand twist or spiral. The strength, shape, and composition of the
rods or bars, and the diameter, shape, and length of the spirals is determined by the
purpose for which they are required.
In putting together this fabric a left-hand twist and a right-hand twist or helic
are interlaced alternately, and held in that position by locking pins passing through
them, which pins may either be of metal, wood, or some fibrous substance.
When used as an
The useful applications of this fabric arc most numerous.
external jacket, to give increased strength or increased protection, or when used as
an internal core or skeleton, into or upon which melted metal can be run, or any
kind of cement or composition which will set hard, or when used as an internal
strengthener in conjunction with outside coverings, such as wood, leather, india-
rubber, paper, gutta percha, or any other suitable substance it will be found most
invaluable in some or one of its applications to the manufacture of guns, armour
plating, cylinders, wheel tyres, large tubes, landing stages, platforms, bridges, fire-proof
[Price 6d.]

page_text: floors or walls, strong rooms, beams, girders, ships, carriages, and a host of other
kindred purposes.
In the construction of bridges it will be found peculiarly valuable when used in
conjunction with beams or girders constructed upon the lever principle. The
fulcrums of these levers are placed upon firm foundations at each side of the space
intended to be spanned, the longer arms project over the space and meet in the
centre thereof, the short arms are made of such as weight as to counterpoise the
longer arins. The platform of the bridge, which is a fabric constructed as described,
is placed upon the levers and passed round the shorter ends, and by means of screws
or other suitable apparatus fixed to the foundations or other convenient place a
sufficient strain is put on necessary for the purpose required. The platform may
then be planked over, or asphalted, or covered in any suitable manner, and the
weight of a load passing over a bridge of this description will increase the tension
of the fabric, and thereby cause the platform to be better able to resist the action
of the weight placed thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Carter Ramsden in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 27th
November 1876.
JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN, of Ilkley, near Leeds, in the County of York. "NEW
OR IMPROVED APPLICATIONS OF A METAL FABRIC, AND IN THE MECHANISM OR
APPLIANCES USED IN CONNEXION THEREWITH."
The object of this Invention is the application of a fabric constructed (or partially
so) of metal for the purpose of giving increased strength and increased protection.
The fabric is constructed in manner as described in the Provisional Specification
lodged by me, and for which Provisional Protection was granted bearing date
the Fourth day of September One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
Number 3110, that is to say, metal rods or bars are twisted into a helical or spiral
form, some with a right-hand twist or spiral, and some with a left-hand twist or
spiral. The strength, shape, and composition of the rods or bars, and the diameter,
shape, and lenght of the spirals is determined by the purpose for which they are
required.
In putting together this fabric a left-hand twist and a right twist are
interlaced alternately, and held in the position by locking pins passing through
then, which pins may either be of notal, wood, or soine fibrous substance.
The useful applications of this fabric are most numerous. When used as au
external jacket to give increased strength or increased protection, or when used as
an internal core or skeleton into or upon which melted metal can be run or any
kind of cement or composition which will set hard, or when used as an internal
strengthener in conjunction with outside coverings, such as wood, leather, india-
rubber, paper, gutta percha, or any other suitable substance, it will be found most
invaluable in some or one of its applications to the manufacture of guns, armour
plating, cylinders, wheel tyres, large tubes, landing stages, platforms, bridges, fire-
proof floors or walls, strong rooms, beams, girders, ships, carriages, and a host of
other kindred purposes.
In the construction of bridges it will be found peculiarly valuable when used in
conjunction with beams or girders constructed upon the lever principle. The
fulcrums of these levers are placed upon firm foundations at each side of the space
intended to be spanned, the longer arms project over the space and meet in
centre thereof, the short arms are made of such a weight as to counterpoise the
longer arms. The platform of the bridge, which is a fabric constructed as described,
is placed upon the levers and passed round the shorter ends, and by means of screws
or other suitable apparatus fixed to the foundations or other convenient place a
suflicient strain is put on necessary for the purpose required. The platform may

page_text: then be planked over, or asphalted, or covered in any suitable manner, and the
weight of a load passing over a bridge of this description will increase the tension
of the fabric, and thereby cause the platform to be better able to resist the action
of the weight placed thercon.
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood I have hereunto annexed
Drawings, and have marked the same with figures and letters of reference; and I
wish it to be clearly understood that I by no means confine myself to the Drawings
and Figures herein shown, nor are the said Figures drawn to any scale, they are
simply illustrations to better enable the reader to understand the language of this
Specification. When it is known that this fabric can be constructed from the finest
wire it is possible to draw, or from the strongest bars it is possible to roll, and can
likewise be manufactured from a variety of metals, and coiled in a variety of shapes,
and used for a variety of purposes, it will be seen how futile any attempt would be
to give more than general Drawings. Any practical mind will readily understand
that when forming the said coils the strength, quality, and composition of the metal
employed, together with the size and shape of the coils, will be determined by the
nature of the purpose for which they are required.
The only general rule to be observed as regards the coiling is as follows, viz. :-
The coils must be of such a diameter that when interlaced they will admit of the
locking pins; and if it is intended to insert blocks of metal or any other substance
into the said coils previous to interlacing them the diameter of the coils must be
sufficiently large for the purpose.
The advantage to be obtained by using the metal in coils is manifold. It is a
well ascertained fact that a two-inch steel bar hammered down from a six-inch
ingot will possess about one third more tensile strength and ductility than the ingot
possessed in its original state, and further hammering or drawing down will so
increase the strength and ductility that it will be more than double what was
originally possessed by the ingot; hence much increased strength and safety are
obtained by being able to use metal in this form; second, each twist or spiral in the
coil will bear its own quoto and no more of the weight to be carried, and this will
be found of great service when applied to the construction of girders, bridges, and
structures of a similar character.
In its application as a resisting medium another principle (arising from the
manipulation of the bars) comes into action, and that is, whatever amount of force
is expended in twisting a bar of metal into a coil at least the same amount must be
used in taking it out again; hence a large amount of "resisting force" can be
generated in the workshop and utalised elsewhere, as for armour plate and other
purposes; or the said fabric can be constructed with coils of considerable size, and
applied as cages, into which specially prepared metal possessing great power of
resistance can be inserted, the metal can have projecting pieces to pass through and
fill up the spaces between the coils and form as it were one sold plate; the front
part of the said plate can be constructed to present a V-shaped front to enable
them to baffle or throw off any projectile; in this case the elastic and extra
"resisting force" imparted by the manipulation of the coils will become nullified by
reason of the metal in the internal core of the coils making the whole mass solid.
In order to preserve the elasticity of the coils and give the fabric greater resisting
force I attach a metal plate to the front and a metal plate to the back of the coils,
the front plate having V-shaped projections for the purpose before explained, the
back plate can be made to any shape desired; by these means the extra resisting
force imparted by the coiling of the metal is preserved; this force is of an elastic
yielding nature, and much more likely to resist penetration than a solid plate by
reason of the elasticity of the coils, and the force of impact being distributed around
the same.
I will now proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed, premising that
the same figures and letters of reference denote the same or similar parts
throughout.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a view of two spiral coils the one marked A having a right-hand twist,
and B a left-hand twist. C is the end view of a locking pin used for the purpose
of securing the coils together when interlaced, which will be observed on reference
to Figure 2, which is an end view of the coils or spirals of a circular formi interlaced
with each other and held in that position by the locking pins C passing through the
space formed by the inside diameter of the coils interlacing each other.
principle applies throughont whatever the shape of the coil and whatever the
purpose for which the fabric is to be used. This fabric can be made any length by
the simple addition of coil after coil, similar to adding links to a chain, it can like-
wise be made of considerable width.
This
Figure 3 is an end view of a series of coils interlaced and secured together by means
of a locking pin C of a different section to that before described, being stronger and
fitting the inner diameters of the coils, these coils are of larger diameter than Figure
2, the right-hand coils are marked A and the left-hand B as before, the space D
between A¹ and B' is filled by a metal or wood block D, shown in section, by adopt-
ing packing blocks of this description the fabric is rendered firmer and is applicable
for forming the platform of a bridge, girders, fire-proof flooring, and a variety of
other purposes. Another mode of applying the packing block is shown at D', which
is formed with teeth or projections the same pitch as the coil and with a right-hand
twist or screw or left-hand twist to fit the respective coils, these blocks formed as
D will have to be screwed into the coils before the same are interlaced, when the
locking pin is forced into position between the coils the teeth or projections on the
blocks will fill up the spaces between the coils, which would be left open if a packing
block were used the same as D.
Figure 4 is an end view of packing block D', shown in position in Figure 3, the
convex teeth E, E, screw into the coils before the same are interlaced and fill up the
spaces at the external diameter that will not be occupied by the adjoining coils, the
concave teeth F, F, will fill the internal spaces not occupied by the coils when
interlaced, by adopting blocks of this description the fabric is made into one solid
inass. The convex teeth E or the concave teeth F of the block can be dispensed
with, as the case may be, in order to make it suitable for the purpose required.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal view of block D¹, showing the convex teeth E that fit
into the external diameter of the coils and the concave teeth F which are not drawn
geometrically true, but simply, as before stated, to give an idea to the reader of this
Specification.
Figure 6 is an end view, and Figure 7 a side view of coils or spirals of a trian-
gular form. It will be observed this is a double fabric, the points of which are all
interlaced and held in that position by locking pins C which pass through the
plates or washers G, C, placed on each side of the fabric. The application of this
construction is very good for girders and structures of a similar purpose, and
will possess an immense strength for the weight, will be firm, and not flexible.
Figure 8 represents the end view of the fabric which can be used for a variety of
purposes when put together, as shewn, in a circle, for instance, when the fabric is
composed of strong materials and made of large diameter and locked together by 4
suitable pins the intervening spaces of the fibre can be filled with concrete or other
material, it will thus form a tube or barrel arch, it can also be placed round the peri-
phery of a wheel for giving increased strength thereto. If locking pins and blocks are
used of the description shown in Figures 3 and 4, the convex teeth E on one side of
the block next the centre of the circle or arch when the block is in position will be 5
required to be made narrower in proportion to the varying diameters of the inner
and outer circles of the fabric forming the arch or tube. When constructed from
rods of a suitable thickness this fabric will be found of great utility when formed
into a tube of small diameter, which can be made to any length, down this tube
forined of the fabric can be forced by hydraulic or other pressure a steel or gun 5
metal tube, by which means a gun or cannon can be manufactured which would

page_text: possess enormous resisting powers, or the said fabric tube can be filled with melted
gun metal and bored out, a gun of this description will possess much more resistance
than one inade entirely of gun metal, if additional strength is required at the breech
another tube of this fabric can be placed on to the outside of the first-named tubo,
which will greatly increase the strength of the same.
Figure 9 shows the fabric made with strong bars with plates attached to the front and
back which renders this fabric useful for armour plates. According to calculation the
fabric when manufactured from two-inch steel bars, one yard of this plate will have
imparted to it (by reason of the force expended in coiling the bars) upwards of ten
thousand tons of extra resisting force of an elastic yielding nature, it will be under-
stood that the strongest bars manufactured can be coiled. If put together in a
proper manner and secured by locking pins, as described and shown in Figure 3, it
will be stiff, as it will be observed that the locking pins are shaped to fill the spaces
between the coils solid, and is adapted for the construction of armour plates, which
can be made any length straight or curved. If made, as shown in Figure 8, either as
an arch, cylinder, or tube, a vessel of war could be arched over with a fabric of this
construction, or turrets in one piece can be manufactured of any diameter, if put
together by means of packing blocks before described the diameter of the turret will
determine the shape of the block, and if made the proper shape and put together in
a suitable manner the fabric will form a true curve and be as firm as a piece of solid
metal with greater resisting force.
Figure 10 shows this fabric K as used for the platform of a bridge in connection
with girders L upon the lever principle. Figures 11 and 12 shows one method of
attaching this fabric to other structures. Upon referring to Figure 2 it will be
observed the locking pins are simply round rods of sufficient thickness to fill the
spaces one way into which they are put, by adopting pins of this description the
fabric is made flexible and will roll up when construced of light steel or other metal
wire, it will be found of great utility when placed between coverings of leather, india-
rubber, gutta percha, wool, or paper, or other flexible materials, and can be used for
a variety of purposes when increased strength and increased protection are required.
The locking pins in some cases may be made of some fibious substance, or wire rope,
or of wood, in accordance with the purpose for which the fabric is required, when
made of stronger wire it will be found of great utility for platforms, fire-proof floors
or walls, strong rooins, and a host of kindred purposes where increased strength and
increased protection is required. This fabric can likewise be made and used in a
light form for purposes of protection, and will be found particularly valuable in pro-
tecting gunners and others from the effects of rifle bullets. It can also be hung as a
curtain and be bullet proof, and by means of suitable locking pins can be made to
rell into a small compass on a roller the same as an ordinary curtain. This fabric
will also be of great utility when employed in the formation of temporary tramways
or roads over soft ground.
Having now given a description of the Drawings accompanying this Specification,
and the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature and
characteristic feature of the said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Carter Rainsden, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and corrente sie
Signed and scaled in the presence of
JOHN WAUGH,
Engineer and Patent Agent,
Bradford, Yorks.
JOHN CARTER RAMSDEN. (L.S.)