ROVEMENTS IN FORMING WROUGHT-IRON WHEELS, AND IN THE TOOLS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Fletcher, senior, and John
Fletcher, junior, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 29th October 1862.
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We, JOHN FLETCHER, senior. of Leeds, and JOHN FLETCHER, junior, of
Newcastle-on-Tyne; do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN FORMING WROUGHT-IRON WHEELS, AND IN THE TOOLS AND
APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
In forming wrought-iron wheels according to this Invention, we make
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cacli spoke piece of such a length as by bending it over to form part or
portion of the circumference of the wheel frame, and thinning and bending
the point over, so that when the several pieces are assembled, the extreme end
of one bent spoke piece is brought in contact with the back of the rounded
Corner or outside angle of the next bent spoke piece, and the curved space
left between them is closed or made good by an angular filling piece, the
requisite number of which being inserted round the wheel frame, they are
then welded up, and so make the ring complete. The inner ends of each of
the spokes are brought together to form the boss, and wedge pieces are intro-
duced between them. On one face of the wedge piece a groove is formed,
there is also a corresponding groove on the inner edge of the spoke, so that
when the pieces are brought together, these grooves form a square or round
rivet hole. On each side of the boss a washer is laid, and having holes cor-
071

page_text: responding to those made through the boss, rivets are inserted, and the two
washers and the boss are securely rivetted together, and afterwards welded and
forged.
For welding the bosses of wheels we construct a furnace in the following
manner Within an iron case or shell we form a fire-brick cylinder or
cylindrical furnace built up of fire-brick, or brick and fire-clay, of suitable
diameter and height, according to the size of the wheels to be welded. From
one side of the furnace at a convenient height from the ground, and below
the level at which the wheel to be welded is applied, a box-like projection is
formed, within which fuel is charged, and from which it can be discharged into
the body of the welding furnace. At the bottom of the furnace there is an
opening or cleaning hole, the hearth being well rammed in with ashes for
receiving the fuel for combustion, and at a suitable height from the bottom,
tuyere holes are made through the shell for the purpose of enabling the blast
to be applied. The furnace has a removable hollow cover of fire-brick carried
in an iron frame, and moveable by means of slings, or in any other conve-
nient manner, for the purpose of introducing the wheel, or removing it from
the furnace. The upper part of the cover has a number of holes for the
escape of the gases and products of combustion. The interior of the furnace
is of a diameter slightly larger than the boss of the wheel. The cover is
removed, and the wheel to be welded is laid upon the top of the furnace, and
between the spokes or arms fire-brick or fire-clay are filled in, so as to prevent
the escape of the gases and the burning of the armis, the hollow cover is, then
put on, and luted or made tight. The body of the furnace being charged
with coke or other fuel to a suitable depth, but so as not to come in contact
with the boss of the wheel, and the fire lighted, the blast is then turned on,
and the blowing is continued until the boss is brought to a welding heat by
the heat of the gases of combustion acting upon the under side, passing through
the eye of the boss, and around it. The close furnace or oven projecting
from the sides of the welding furnace is charged with fresh coke or green fuel,
and during the combustion of the first charge it becomes ignited, and when
additional fuel is required to be added to the body of the furnace it is charged
in from the close furnace or oven, and its being in an ignited condition does
not reduce the temperature of the welding furnace, or retard the operation.
When the boss of the wheel is brought to a proper welding heat, the cover is
removed, and the welding process is then finished.
For the purpose of forging or welding the bosses of wheels instead of
hand hammering the paris together, we construct "swages," which consist of

page_text: a series of dies, one between every two arms or spokes of the wheel, and so
form them, that when driven down to the bottom of the die holder they form
the boss and portion of the spokes of the desired shape. The swage bed
or block with the moveable die pieces, rings, and hollow cone centre. are
placed below a steam hammer, or other powerful hammer, and the wheel
when heated is placed on the "swage," the dies adjusted, and after a few blows
of the hammer on the one side of the boss, the wheel is turned over, and a few
more blows complete the welding. Upon a wrought-iron ring resting upon
the "
swage block, the die pieces are made to fit, and they rest thereon when
raised up to receive the wheel, or when driven down by the hammer to form
the boss, the raising of the die pieces, and their radial expansion is effecied
by means of levers applied beneath the wrought-iron ring, the interior faces
of the block or die holder being formed to correspond with the inverted cone, so
that upon the ring being pressed up, the dies are forced out. By this arrange-
ment the wheel can be readily removed, and likewise be placed with facility
on the swage," when brought from the furnace. In addition to the levers
wedges may be introduced for driving up the ring in case of its sticking. The
die pieces are guided radially by suitably formed recesses in the "swage'
block. The diameter of the boss before welding should be about the same as
when finished, but the thickness should be greater, so that when under the
hammer a flat round tool is used to receive the blow, and force the boss on to
the dies, and by working down the superfluous thickness of iron to its proper
Incasurement, the metal is forced toward the centre, making a
much more
sound and secure weld than by the ordinary method.
described may be employed for other purposes besides
wrought-iron wheels, and when employed for welding the bosses of wheels
constructed or put together in the ordinary way, we surround the wheel with
a wrought-iron clip or hoop attached to a staff or bar for the convenience of
lifting or handing it, the hoop or clip being intended to firmly clasp the wheel
whilst it is being heated and welded together.
,,
The welding furnace
welding the bosses of
For the purpose of welding the several parts of the wheel frame together at
its circumference, we construct a furnace generally the same as that described
for welding wheel bosses, but insert an inverted cone of fire-brick in the
middle of the furnace, or invert an arched dome over the fuel to protect the
centre of the wheel, and leave openings around the interior of the furnace
beneath the parts required to be welded, or when the welding of a ring or
tyre is required, a series of openings are made between the cone and the sides
of the furnace through which the flame or heated gases come in contact with

page_text: the surface to be heated or welded; in all these cases the contact of the fuel
with the iron to be welded is avoided.
The improved "swage," and manner of welding up the bosses of wheels
may be applied to wheels not formed or constructed according to our Inven-
tion, as it is equally applicable thereto.