IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES AND BARS OF WROUGHT IRON OR STEEL, OR IRON AND STEEL COMBINED
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES AND BARS OF WROUGHT
IRON OR STEEL, OR IRON AND STEEL COMBINED."-A communication from
abroad by Elbridge Wheeler, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.
Sealed the 18th March 1873, and dated the 23rd October 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd October 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES AND BARS OF
WROUGHT IRON OR STEEL, OR IRON AND STEEL COMBINED," a communication
to me from abroad by Elbridge Wheeler, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, to be as follows:-

page_text: my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
.IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBES AND BARS OF WROUGHT IRON OR STEEL, OR IRON
AND STEEL COMBINED," a communication to me from abroad by Elbridge
Wheeler, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
.my executors or administrators, by an instrumment in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
This Invention consists, first, in making tubes of wrought iron or
steel, or of wrought iron and steel combined of any section, and is
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 is a section of a tubular pile composed of an external layer
of segmental bars b, and an internal layer of two or more similar bars d.
In the present instance cach layer is composed of but two semi-tubular
bars, but there may be any desired number of bars in each layer. The
two outer bars of the layer overlap cach other at the edges, as shown,
and it is best to observe this plan with the outer layer in all cases and
to take care that the joints of the bars of one layer are midway or
thereabouts between those of the bars of the other layer. The bars of
the pile are secured by rivets x, which occur at sufficient intervals (seo
Figure 3) to hold the bars of the pile securely together.
Figure 2 represents a pile composed of three layers of bars secured by
the riveted rods y, which are shown in dotted lines and which in this
instance extend entirely through the pile.

page_text: homogeneous character, but the pile possesses the special advantage of
advantageously combining in one bar iron of different qualities. For
instance, when a rolled bar is required, in which the quality of the iron
in the interior is immaterial, but a superior metal is demanded at or
near the surface, the outer layer of bars may be of the best material, so
that the rolled bar will have an uninterrupted and uniform exterior
thickness of good metal. The number of annular layers surrounding
the solid central bar may be varied in accordance with the size and
character of the rolled bar to be produced, but it is preferable to have at
least two such layers. It is not necessary that the pile should be
cylindrical it may be of a square or other sectional form.
Solid homogeneous bars of wrought iron or steel or iron and steel
combined may also be made by forming a tubular pile similar to that
first described, which is in the first instance reduced to a welding heat
and then by a first pass between rolls crushed and shaped to a trough
form, then by another pass through the rolls the turned up edges are
closed towards each other and the bar reduced to a round section, after
which it may be reduced by further rolling to a solid round bar or square
bar, or to a bar of any other shape desired. Bars produced in accordance
with this plan have been found to be extremely solid and otherwise
perfect in structure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,

page_text: my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
.In The ManufacTURE OF TUBES AND BARS OF WROUGHT IRON OR STEEL, OR IRON
AND STEEL COMBINED," a communication to me from abroad by Elbridge
Wheeler, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson,
.my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:-
This Invention consists, first, in making tubes of wrought iron or
steel, or of wrought iron and steel combined of any section, and is
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 is a section of a tubular pile composed of an external layer
of segmental bars b, and an internal layer of two or more similar bars d.
In the present instance each layer is composed of but two semi-tubular
bars, but there may be any desired number of bars in each layer. The
two outer bars of the layer overlap each other at the edges, as shown,
and it is best to observe this plan with the outer layer in all cases and
to take care that the joints of the bars of one layer are midway or
thereabouts between those of the bars of the other layer. The bars of
the pile are secured by rivets x, which occur at sufficient intervals (sec
Figure 3) to hold the bars of the pile securely together.
Figure 2 represents a pile composed of three layers of bars secured by
the riveted rods y, which are shown in dotted lines and which in this
instance extend entirely through the pile.

page_text: It has been ascertained that a tubular pile made in accordance with
this plan can not only be reduced to a welding heat rapidly and at a
small expense of fuel and without losing its shape but that the pile can
be rolled without the aid of an internal former into an homogeneous
tube of superior quality, and having a true interior concentric with the
exterior. It is essential however in carrying out the Invention that
the bars composing the pile, whatever may be their shape, should be
accurately adapted to each other and accurately fitted together, and so
secured that they cannot be readily displaced. It is also essential that
the pile should consist of one internal and one external layer at least,
but as many layers may be added as the desired thickness of the metal
demands.
The above described mode of manufacturing tubes admits of making
them of varying thickness; thus the pile, Figure 4, having its main
body composed of semi-tubular bars, as shown in Figure 1, is reinforced
in thickness at the opposite ends by short tubes or segments 9, 9, and it
may be further reinforced at intermediate intervals by rings h, h, both
bars and rings being effectually united by welding and rolling. This
feature of the Invention is especially applicable to the manufacture of
tubular axles, in which the metal has to be thicker at the journals than
elsewhere. It may also be applied with advantage to the manufacture
of wrought-iron columns, which demand increased thickness of metal at
given points.
It is not essential that the tubes should be of cylindrical form for
they may be made by this process of any desired sectional shape, either
by forming a cylindrical tube first and converting it by rolling into a
tube of square or other form or by making the pile in the first instance
of a form corresponding to that of the desired tube, Figure 5, for
instance, illustrates the section of a square pile for a square tube.
The second part of this Invention relates to the manufacture of solid
homogeneous bars of wrought iron or steel, or of combined iron and
steel, and consists in making the pile in the manner illustrated in
Figure 6, that is, with a central solid core surrounded by layers of
bars b and d of a character similar to those in Figure 1, the several
bars being fitted accurately to each other and so secured that they
cannot be displaced during the process of heating the pile. A bar
rolled from this pile is of a peculiarly solid and homogeneous character,
but the pile possesses the special advantage of advantageously combining

page_text: in one bar iron of different qualities. For instance, when a rolled bar
is required, in which the quality of the iron in the interior is immaterial,
but a superior metal is demanded at or near the surface, the outer layer
of bars may be of the best material, so that the rolled bar will have
an uninterrupted and uniform exterior thickness of good metal. The
number of annular layers surrounding the solid central bar may be
varied in accordance with the size and character of the rolled bar to bo
produced, but it is preferable to have at least two such layers. It is not
necessary that the pile should be cylindrical; it may be of a square or
other sectional form.
The third part of the Invention relates to another mode of making
solid homogeneous bars of wrought iron or steel, or iron and steel
combined, and is represented in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10. A tubular pile
similar to that shown in Figure 1, or that represented in Figure 2 or
Figure 5, is in the first instance reduced to a welding heat, and then by
a first pass between rolls crushed and shaped to the condition shown
in Figure 7, then by another pass through the rolls the turned up edges
are closed towards cach other and the bar reduced to the condition
shown in Figure 8, after which it may be reduced by further rolling to
a solid round bar, Fig. 9, or square bar, Figure 10, or to a bar of any
other shape desired. Bars produced in accordance with this plan have
been found to be extremely solid and otherwise perfect in structure.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may
be used or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the
Invention secured to me by the bercin-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
First. Manufacturing tubes by rolling and welding without the aid
of an internal former a tubular pile composed of external and internal
layers of rolled bars fitted and connected together, all as set forth and
illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5 of the Drawing annexed.
Second. A tubular pile composed of layers of rolled bars and internal
shorter bars, tubes, or rings as herein specified, and as illustrated in
Figure 4 of the Drawing annexed.
Third. A rolled tube varying in thickness at different points, as herein-
before described.

page_text: Fourth. The manufacture of solid bars from piles consisting of a solid
core surrounded by layers of rolled bars, all substantially as described
and illustrated in Figure 6 of the Drawing annexed.
Fifth. The manufacture of solid bars by welding, crushing, and
folding a tubular pile, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 7 and 8 of the Drawing annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day
of April One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.