IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR PLATES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Watson Spencer of the Newburn Steel Works
near Newcastle on Tyne and Washington Bagshawe of 27 Westgate Road,
Newcastle on Tyne for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMOUR
PLATES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Watson Spencer and
Washington Bagshawe at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
16th April 1883.
"
JOHN WATSON SPENCER of the Newburn Steel Works near Newcastle on Tyne
and WASHINGTON BAGSHAWE of 27 Westgate Road Newcastle on Tyne "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ARMOUR PLATES"
The object of the Invention is to make Armour Plates capable of increased
resistance to penetration by shot and shell or other projectiles
This we effect by making the main body of the plate of mild steel cast to the
shape and curve required, the surface of which is more or less covered with chilled
iron pieces or studs of varying shapes and dimensions; these chilled pieces by their
barder surface being presented to the projectiles tend to break them up and further.
have the effect of diminishing the extent of the starring to which steel plates are
liable when struck by a projectile.
In cases where the armour plates are to be fixed above the water line in vessels
or wherever the uneven surface would not tend to diminish the speed of vessels,
or for land batteries, the resistance of the plates to penetration may be further
considerably increased by causing the above mentioned chilled iron pieces or studs
to project beyond the surface of the plates in various forms and directions for the
purpose of deflecting the projectile. The deflection of the projectile may be still
more increased by casting the walls of steel surrounding the chilled iron studs also
with raised surfaces, so as to cause the projectiles to come in contact with the
harder chilled iron studs or penetrate the plate more obliquely and so cause less
fracture.
In order to carry out this invention we cast a steel plate with suitable recesses
and after its removal from the mould iron chills are fitted over the recesses which
are then filled up by a suitable mixture of cast iron being poured in, this is chilled
.מ.

page_text: partly by the chilled plate under it and partly by the superimposed chills the
whole being then annealed in an ordinary annealing furnace.
Or providing the thickness of the steel plate is not so great that the heat of the
molten steel would melt the chilled iron parts if introduced into the mould in the
cold state, in preparing the mould for the steel plate instead of the cores to produce
the aforesaid recesses, we insert the chilled iron parts themselves in the mould,
these baving been previously cast in chills in the ordinary way, the moulten steel is
then poured into the mould embedding the chilled iron parts in the plate
thus formed, which is then removed from the mould and annealed in the
ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Watson Spencer and Washington Bagshawe in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th October 1883.
JOHN WATSON SPENCER of the Newburn Steel Works near Newcastle on Tyne
and WASHINGTON BAGSHAWE of 27 Westgate Road Newcastle on Tyne
"IMPROVE- 1
MENTS IN ARMOUR PLATES
The object of our Invention of "Improvements in Armour Plates " is to make
Armour plates capable of increased resistance to penetration by shot and shell or
other projectiles
This we effect by making the main body of the plate of mild steel cast to the
shape and curve required the surface of which is more or less covered with chilled
iron pieces or studs of varying shapes and dimensions; these chilled pieces by their
harder surface being presented to the projectiles tend to break them up and further
have the effect of diminishing the extent of the starring to which steel plates are
liable when struck by a projectile
In cases wherein the armour plates are to be fixed above the water line in
vessels or wherever the uneven surface would not tend to diminish the speed of
vessels or for land batteries the resistance of the plates may be further considerably
increased by causing the above mentioned chilled iron pieces or studs to project
beyond the surface of the plates in various forms and directions for the purpose of
deflecting the projectile.
The deflection of the projectile may be still more increased by casting the walls
of steel surrounding the chilled iron studs also with raised surfaces so as to cause
the projectiles to come in contact with the chilled iron studs or penetrate the plate
more obliquely and so cause less fracture.
In order to carry out this Invention we cast a steel plate with suitable recesses
which is afterwards annealed and after its removal from the mould, iron chills are
fitted over the recesses which are then filled up by a suitable mixture of cast
iron being poured in, this is chilled partly by the steel plate under it and partly by
the superimposed chills.

page_text: or providing the thickness of a place
molten steel would melt the chilled iron parts if introduced into the mould in the
cold state in preparing the mould for the steel plate instead of the cores to produce
the aforesaid recesses we insert the chilled iron parts themselves in the mould
these having been previously cast in chills in the ordinary way; the molten
steel is then poured into the mould embedding the chilled iron parts in the
plate thus formed which is then removed from the mould and annealed in the
ordinary way.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention we will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying drawings in which are represented by way of illustration several
different constructions of plates above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig: 1 represents in vertical section and plan a steel cast plate A in which are
inserted chilled iron pieces B B circular in plan the upper surfaces of which are
level with the upper or outer surface of the plate.
Fig 2 shows a similar steel plate A with chilled iron pieces BB hexagonal in
plan. Fig 3 shows a similar steel plate A with chilled iron pieces B B oblong
in plan.
Fig: 4 represents in vertical section and plan a steel cast plate A with chilled
iron pieces B B projecting beyond the outer surface of the plate in order that they
may act as deflecting surfaces to a projectile striking against them.-Fig: 5 shows
a similar steel plate A with chilled iron pieces B B oblong in form projecting
beyond the outer surface of the plate.
Fig 6 shows a steel cast plate A with chilled iron pieces B B spherical in
form but with a portion of the sphere projecting beyond the outer surface of the
plate which also is cast with projections C C as shewn in order to act as deflecting
surfaces.
Fig 7 shows a steel cast plate A with chilled iron pieces B B partly projecting
beyond the outer surface of the plate A which is cast with projections on its
surface between the chilled iron pieces
Fig: 8 shows in section an arrangement of the chilled iron pieces in the form of
rings with flat surfaces.-Fig: 9 is a similar section with the chilled iron pieces
having curved surfaces and Fig: 10 is a plan of the same drawn to half the scale
of Figures 8 and 9.-In these cases the chilled iron pieces cover the whole surface
of the steel plate.
In the constructions of plates shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the main body of
the plate of mild steel A is cast to the shape and curve required the surface of
which is more or less covered with chilled iron pieces or studs B B of varying
shapes and dimensions.-These chilled pieces by their harder surface presented to
the projectiles tend to break them up and moreover have the effect of
diminishing the extent of the starring common to steel plates when struck by
projectiles.
In the constructions of plates shown in Figures 4 and 5 the power of
resistance of the plates to penetration is increased by causing the chilled iron
pieces B B to project beyond the surface of the plates A thereby serving to deflect
the projectile (if not broken up on impact) to an angle at which the plate offers
greater resistance to penetration.
In Figures 6 and 7 are shown plates in which the walls of steel surrounding
the chilled iron pieces B B are cast with raised surfaces or projections C O so as to
cause the projectile to come in contact with the harder chilled iron pieces B B or
strike the plate more obliquely and so produce less effect thereon.
This mode of construction is applicable to cases wherein armour plates are to be
fixed above the water line in vessels or for land batteries or wherever an uneven
surface would not tend to diminish the speed of vessels

page_text: The forms of the said chilled iron pieces when isolated and also the form of the
intervening surface of the steel plate may be varied in order to increase the
power of deflection as required. And the chilled iron pieces when covering
the whole surface of the steel plate may also be varied in form as found
desirable.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed we hereby declare that what We claim as of our
Invention is :
First: The manufacture of armour plates composed of plates of mild steel cast
with recesses to receive pieces of chilled iron and the combination of such steel
plates with such chilled iron pieces substantially as and for the purpose or purposes
described.
Secondly: The combination of steel plates and chilled iron pieces having raised
surfaces or projections for deflecting projectiles substantially as described.
And lastly: The combination of steel plates and chilled iron deflecting pieces
such plates having also. raised surfaces or projections cast in them substantially as
and for the purpose described.
.
In witness whereof we the said John Watson Spencer and Washington
Bagshawe have hereunto set our hands and seals the twelfth day: of October
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
E
JOHN W. SPENCER.
(L.S.)