Improvements in connection with the Manufacture of Armour Plates.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 19th June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with the Manufacture of Armour
Plates.
1, JOHN EDWIN ROGERSON of Wolsingham i Darlington in the County of
Durham Steel Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be
as follows:-
:-
.
This invention relates to improvements in casting armour plates and readily
effecting the cementation or annealing thereof.
According to my invention the steel or other metal or alloy from which the
armour plates are to be made is melted and poured into a mould an inner face or
surface of which is composed of highly carbonaceous material, thereby giving
increased hardness to the plate due to the absorption of carbon from the mould.
The sides and opposite face or cover of the mould may be formed of refractory
material or of iron or the like.
The hardness of the carbonized face may be intensified and that of the opposite
face reduced, by subjecting the plate after casting to a further cementation process
without removal from the mould or bed upon which it is cast.
The molten metal being in absolute contact with the carbon, thus utilises its own
initial heat whereby its power of taking carbon up due to the excessive heat at
which it is cast is facilitated and may be maintained until the required temper is
attained. In order to impart a soft backing to the plate the cover of the mould
may be removed and replaced by oxide of iron or any other suitable reducing agent
or agents. The length of time allowed for the process depends on the thickness of
the plate and the depth of carburization required from the surface face to the back
thereof. This method of manufacture obviates the necessity for any liquid
tempering.
Bars of iron or steel may be inserted into the mould previous to casting, around
which bars the molten metal or alloy will flow and become united therewith and
so form a portion of the solid plate.
The plates may be cast to any form required thereby obviating the necessity
for sething or bending by mechanical means.
The moulding apparatus can be so arranged that the plates may be compressed
in their initial state to prevent any irregularity on the upper or uncarburized
surface, due to the shrinkage of the metal from the molten to the solid state.
The cementation or annealing furnace employed with this invention may be of
the ordinary type or may be specially designed for casting the armour plates in or
about the position for effecting the cementation.
Dated the 19th day of June 1894
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.

page_text: Improvements in connection with the Manufacture of Armour
Plates.
1 JOHN EDWIN ROGERSON of Wolsingham cia Darlington in the County of
Durham Steel Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in casting armour plates and readily
effecting the cementation or annealing thereof, subsequent rolling or forging not
being necessary.
According to my invention the steel or other metal or alloy capable of carburiza-
tion from which the armour plates are to be made is melted and poured into a mould
an inner face or surface of which is composed of highly carbonaceous material
thereby giving increased hardness to part of the plate which comes in contact with
the said carbonaceous material due to the absorption of carbon from the said
carbonaceous material of the mould. The sides and opposite face or cover of the
mould may be formed of refractory material or of iron or the like.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are sections at right angles to
each other of a mould suitable for the purposes of this invention. A. Bare the
two parts of the easing of the mould Crepresents carbonaceous matter and
D non-carbonaceous matter. Figure 3 shews the mould placed in a furance E
ready for the cementation process. Fshews the ladle with the molten metal
being introduced therefrom into the mould. G shews the east plate.
The molten metal being in absolute contact with the carbon at C thus utilises its
own initial heat in the carburizing or cementation process whereby its power of
taking up carbon due to the excessive heat at which it is cast is facilitated and
may be maintained until the required temper is attained. In order to impart a
soft bucking to the plate the cover of the mould may be removed and replaced by
oxide of iron or any other suitable reducing agent or agents.
The hardness of the carbonized face may be intensified and that of the opposite
face reduced by subjecting the plate after casting to a further cementation process
by heating it without removal from the mould or bed upon which it is cast.
The length of time allowed for the process depends on the thickness of the
plate and the depth of carburization required from the surface face to the back
thereof. This method of manufacture obviates the necessity for any liquid
tempering.
Bars of iron or steel may be inserted into the mould previous to casting around
which bars the molten metal or alloy will flow and become united therewith and so
form a portion of the solid plate.
The plates may be enst to any form required thereby obviating the necessity for
sething or bending by mechanical means."
The moulding apparatus can be so arranged that the plates may be compressed in
their initial state by the movement of one part of the mould such as the cover
relatively to the other by bydraulic pressure or other suitable means to prevent any
irregularity on the upper or uncarburized surface, due to the shrinkage of the
metal from the molten to the solid state.
The cementation or annealing furnace employed in carrying out this invention
may be of the ordinary type or may be specially designed for casting the armour
plates in or about the position for effecting the cementation.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In the manufacture of armour plates the introduction of the molten metal
into a mould having an internal surface composed of carbonaceous material
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. In the manufacture of armour plates the introduction of the molten metal
into a mould having an internal surface composed of carbonaceous material and
then applying a reducing agent to the metal whilst in the mould substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. In the manufacture of armour plates the introduction of the molten metal
into a mould having an internal surface of carbonaceous material and having
inserted in it bars of iron or steel substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
4. In the manufacture of armour plates according to either of the preceding
claiming clauses the use of a mould which can be caused to compress the casting
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 19th day of March 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.