IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GRIDIRON & OTHER STEPS & LAMP SOCKETS FOR CARRIAGES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Barons Northcote, of Finch Villa, Heathfield
Road, Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Civil Engineer, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GRIDIRON & OTHER STEPS
& LAMP SOCKETS FOR CARRIAGES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barons Northcote at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1880.
GEORGE BARONS NORTHCOTE, of Finch Villa, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, in the
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
County of Stafford, Civil Engineer.
GRIDIRON & OTHER STEPS & LAMP SOCKETS FOR CARRIAGES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of gridiron
and other steps and lamp sockets for carriages.
The gridiron step was ordinarily manufactured by fixing the ends of a series of
bars into a rectangular or other shaped frame of the step tread, the ends of the
bars being made of a dovetailed figure, and fitting into recesses of a corresponding
figure in the frame. The said bars are fixed in place by a rivetting process. In
wear these bars work loose and rattle, or get detached from the frame.
Some gridiron steps are now stamped out of wrought iron, as described in
Patent No. 1625, 1873, but it is an expensive process, and requires several expensive
tools for each pattern. Another objection to this mode of manufacture is that part
of the frame or bars must be on the cross grain of the iron, thus rendering them
liable to break.
Other step treads are stamped and cut or forged out of wrought iron.
Another method of making step treads grid iron pattern and others is to cast
them in ordinary malleable cast iron, and secure them to the shank by rivetting or
wedging them on. Some of these treads are formed with a kind of dovetailed slot
or groove, casting them, into which is fitted an iron shank, secured by rivetting or
some similar process. These are very liable to work loose and rattle; also, they
have the serious objection that if the tread gets broken it cannot be welded, and
should a smith, thinking they are wrought iron, attempt to do so he is sure to
destroy them.

page_text: Lamp sockets are now forged out of wrought iron, the ring being formed, and
then the shank welded on; this process is expensive if any ornament is desired, or
extra finish.
Having now described the way by which steps and lamp sockets are ordinarily
made, I proceed to describe my Invention, which has for its object improvements
in the manufacture of gridiron and other steps and lamp sockets for carriages.
First. Patterns are made of the steps or lamp sockets required, these are made in
the usual way for casting from, so as to leave the moulding sand properly.
Having got the desired pattern I have it moulded in the sand for casting, and it
is then cast with a mixture that will weld and forge; we thus get a step or lamp
socket cast that will weld the same as if made of wrought iron without the expense
of stamping tools, and equally strong, and there is no chance of any part getting
loose to rattle.
There are so many cast mixtures that will forge and weld that it would be
impossible to describe them all; one I used consisted of 8lbs. of wrought iron to
8 lbs. of spiegeleisen melted together, and afterwards annealed; this made a strong
step; or 6 lbs. steel, 6 lbs. wrought iron, 5 lbs. spiegeleisen.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Barons Northcote in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1880.
GEORGE BARONS NORTHCOTE, of Finch Villa, Heathfield Road, Handsworth, in
the County of Stafford, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF GRIDIRON AND OTHER STEPS AND LAMP SOCKETS FOR CARRIAGES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of gridiron
and other steps and lamp sockets for carriages.
The gridiron step was ordinarily manufactured by fixing the ends of a series of
bars into a rectangular or other shaped frame of the step tread, the ends of the bars
being made of a dovetail figure, and fitting into recesses of a corresponding figure
in the frame. The said bars are fixed in place by a rivetting process. In wear these
bars work loose and rattle, or get detached from the frame.
Some gridiron steps are now stamped out of wrought iron, as described in
Patent No. 1625, 1873, but it is an expensive process, and requires several expensive
tools for each pattern. Another objection to this mode of manufacture is that part
of the frame or bars must be on the cross grain of the iron, thus rendering them
liable to break.
Other step treads are stamped and cut or forged out of wrought iron.
Another method of making step treads gridiron pattern and others is to cast them in
ordinary malleable cast iron, and secure them to the shank by rivetting or wedging
them on.
Some of these treads are formed with a kind of dovetail slot or groove
cast in them, into which is fitted an iron shank secured by rivetting or some
similar process. These are very liable to work loose and rattle; also, they have
the serious objection that if the tread gets broken it cannot be welded, and should
a smith, thinking they are wrought iron, attempt to do so he is sure to destroy
them.
Lamp sockets are now forged out of wrought iron, the ring being formed, and
then the shank welded on; this process is expensive if any ornament is desired,
or extra finish.
Having now described the way by which steps and lamp sockets are ordinarily
made, I proceed to describe my Invention, which has for its object improvements
in the manufacture of gridiron and other steps and lamp sockets for carriages.
First. Patterns are made of the steps or lamp sockets required, these are made in
the usual way for casting from, so as to leave the moulding sand properly. Having
got the desired pattern I have it moulded in the sand for casting, and it is then
cast with a mixture that will weld and forge; I thus get a step or lamp socket cast
that will weld the same as if made of wrought iron without the expense of
stamping tools, and equally strong, and there is no chance of any part getting loose
to rattle.
There are so many cast mixtures that will forge and weld that it would be
impossible to describe them all; one I used consisted of eight pounds of wrought
iron to eight pounds of spiegeleisen melted together, and afterwards annealed; this
made a strong step; or six pounds steel, six pounds wrought iron, five pounds
spiegeleisen.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not claim the casting of gridiron and other steps and lamp

page_text: sockets for carriages that have to be rivetted or screwed to their shanks, but what
I do claim is, the casting of them in metal that will weld to wrought iron, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barons Northcote, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GEORGE BARONS NORTHCOTE. (L.S.)