AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR MAKING STEEL WHEELS, AND FOR COMBINING STEEL OR MONIC"> PROVISIONAL SPATION WROUGHT IRON WITH CAST IRON OR OTHER SIMILAR METAL
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATÈNT to Robert Hadfield, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Steel Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR MAKING STEEL WHEELS, AND FOR COMBINING STEEL OR
MONIC">
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Hadfield at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th August 1872.
I, ROBERT HADFIELD, of, Sheffield, in the County of York, Steel
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR MAKING STEEL WHEELS, AND FOR COMBINING STEEL
OR WROUGHT IRON WITH CAST IRON OR OTHER SIMILAR METAL," to be as
follows:
·
-
This-Invention has for its object the combining of crucible steel with
pig iron or other similar metal, and is more particularly applicable,
firstly, to the repairing and cementing of the necks, tenors, or wabblers

page_text: of broken rolls or other similar articles; secondly, to economizing the
manufacture of wheels for railways, tramways, traction engines, omnibuses,
and other carriages; and, thirdly, to the formation of an improved
combined steel and metal wheel.
Firstly. As to the repairing and cementing of the necks, tenors, or
wabblers of broken rolls or other similar articles. For this purpose I
apply crucible steel whilst in a molten state to the roll or other similar
article requiring repair, whereby I unite in one solid weldless homogenous
mass steel necks or tenors to broken metal rolls, pinions, or other articles.
By this process the broken rolls are repaired with steel and made
stronger than ever, without entering the lathe or loss of time, and are
at once ready for use instead of as now being broken up and sold for
old metal. When the rolls are very large I place them in a deep pit
and mould them in the ordinary way by pouring steel thereon until the
same are united.
Secondly. As to improving and economising the manufacture of
wheels for railways, tramways, traction engines, omnibuses, and other
carriages; I take a wheel model of varying form and configuration
preferably with circular arms or spokes thereto, containing a hole so
constructed through the nave that the bush can afterwards be inserted
therein; I then mould the same in a casting box containing composition,
sand, or other usual material; I then pour or otherwise introduce molten
crucible cast steel into the before-mentioned casting mould, whereby I
obtain at one operation a solid (or hollow cored) weldless skeleton steel
wheel, such wheel being complete in itself and having a nave, circular
spokes, and tire or rim thereto; this last-named tire or rim being cast
with a hollow groove or channel therein, in the form of the letter V or U
the better to retain the wood felloe liereafter described. I afterwards
place such wheel in an annealing furnace, taking great care to heat,
temper, anneal, and cool the same gradually in the ordinary manner
practised. The bush is afterwards fastened thereto. This wheel although
complete in itself is afterwards felloed with wood or other material, and
a steel or iron tyre is heated and placed thereon in the ordinary way.
Wheels constructed on this principle will be found economical, homo-
genous, of great strength, lightness and clasticity, the combination
rendering them free from such defects as strains, jarring, and concussion,
existing in ordinary wheels. Their wearing and lasting qualities cannot
be estimated, as when the outer tyre is worn out it simply requires new

page_text: felloeing and tyre to be as useful as ever.
This wheel is suitable for
railways, tramways, traction engines, omnibuses, and carriages of all
descriptions.
Thirdly. As to the formation of an improved combined steel and metal
wheel; I construct another kind of wheel as follows:-I take an
ordinary rolled crucible or Bessemer steel or other tyre and heat it as
hot as possible (without burning the same) in a suitable furnace; I then
place the heated tyre in a mould and pour thercon molten crucible steel,
or iron, or other metal, whereby it becomes united altogether in one
solid homogenous weldless wheel; thus obtaining a combined uniform
wheel of great strength, elasticity, and tenacity, freo from the defects
and liability to breakage of those in ordinary use. I afterwards anneal
the said wheel as previously described. These wheels are suitable for
railways, traction engines, tramway, and other purposes, and are free
from the jarring and concussion, as well as being more economical than
ordinary wheels, and they are not so liable to such sudden expansion and
contraction.
› SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Hadfield in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
HADFIELD, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Steel Manufacturer,
5 send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of August, 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 Robert Hadfield, Her special license
that I, the said Robert Hadfield, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Hadfield, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term

page_text: 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 "AN IMPROVED.
PROCESS FOR MAKING STEEL WHEELS, AND FOR COMBINING STEEL OR WROUGHT
IRON WITH CAST IRON OR OTHER SIMILAR METAL," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Hadfield, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
naturo 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
Offico within six calendar months next and immediately after the dato
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Hadfield, 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 thereof, that is to say :→
This Invention has for its object an improved process for making
steel wheels, and for. combining steel or wrought iron with cast iron
or other similar metal, and is more particularly applicable, firstly, to
the repairing and cementing of the necks, tenors, or wabblers of broken
rolls or other similar articles; secondly, to economising the maṇu-.
facture of wheels for tramways, traction engines, omnibuses, and other
carriages; and thirdly, to the formation of an improved combined steel
and metal wheel.
Firstly. As to the repairing and cementing of the necks, tenors, or 2
wabblers of broken rolls or other similar. articles. For this purpose
I apply crucible steel whilst in a molten state to the roll or other..
similar article requiring repair, whereby I unite in one solid, weldless,
homogenous mass steel necks or tenors to broken metal rolls, pinions,
or other articles. By this process the broken rolls are repaired with 3
steel and made stronger than ever-without entering the lathe, or loss
of time, and are at once ready for use instead of as now being broken
up and sold for old metal. When the rolls are very large I place
them in a deep pit and mould them in the ordinary way by pouring
steel thereon until the same are united.
Secondly. As to improving and economizing the manufacture of
wheels for tramways, traction engines, omnibuses, and other carriages,
3

page_text: I take a wheel model of varying form and configuration, preferably
with circular arms or spokes thereto containing a hole so constructed
through the nave that the bush can afterwards be inserted therein.
I then mould the same in a casting box containing composition, sand,
or other usual material, I then pour or otherwise introduce molten
crucible cast steel into the before-mentioned casting mould; whereby.
I obtain at one operation a solid (or hollow cored) weldless skeleton
steel wheel, such wheel being. complete in itself and having a nave,
_circular spokes, and tyre or rim thereto; this last-named tyre or rim
being cast with a hollow groove or channel therein in the form of
the letter V or. U the better to retain the wood felloe hereafter de.
scribed. I afterwards place such wheel in an annealing furnace, taking
great care to heat, temper, anneal, and cool the same gradually in the
ordinary manner practised. The bush is afterwards fastened thereto.
This wheel although complete in itself is afterwards felloed with wood
or other material, and a steel or iron tyre is heated and placed thereon
in the ordinary way. Wheels constructed on this principle will be
found economical, homogeneous, of great strength, lightness, and clas-
ticity. The combination rendering them free from such- defects-as-
strains, jarring, and concussion existing in ordinary wheels, their
wearing and lasting qualities cannot be estimated as when the outer
tyre is worn out, it simply requires new felloeing and tyre to be as
useful as ever. This wheel is suitable for tramways, traction engines,
omnibuses, and carriages of all descriptions.
.
Thirdly. As to the formation of an improved combined steel and
metal wheel I proceed as follows:-I take an ordinary rolled crucible
or Bessemer steel, iron, or other tyre, and heat it as hot as possible
(without burning the same) in a suitable furnace. I then place the
heated tyre in a casting box, having first placed-the nave in the centre,
and mould thereto in the ordinary way. I then pour therein molten
crucible steel or iron or other metal, whereby it becomes united' to-
gether in one solid or hollow homogeneous weldless wheel, thus
obtaining a combined uniform wheel of great strength, elasticity,
and tenacity, free from the defects and liability to breakage of those
in ordinary use. I afterwards if requisite anneal the said wheel as
previously described.
When making. wheels of a similar construction to those at present

page_text: confine myself particularly to the details above described; but what
I claim is, the principle of combining steel or wrought iron with cast
iron or other similar metal, and its several applications by means of
the processes. substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Hadfield, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.