IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF PIPES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bewicke Blackburn, of Clapham Common, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PIPES."
Sealed the 28th August 1855, and dated the 28th February 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bewicke Blackburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1855.
I, BEWICKE BLACKBURN, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PIPES" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in forming pipes by constructing tubular frames
with thin pieces of wood bent spirally and crossing each other diagonally, the
interstices between the pieces of wood being filled up with, and the whole of
the framework cemented together and completely enveloped in, a matrix
of asphalte or other suitable cement.
The method of forming these pipes which is preferred is as follows:―The
pieces of wood are steamed or otherwise treated, so as to render them flexible,
and are bent spirally round a cylindrical sheet-iron mould of the same
diameter and length as the intended pipe. One layer of these pieces having
been bent round the mould, another layer is then bent spirally in the contrary

page_text: direction over the first layer, so that the grain of the wood in one layer shall
cross the grain of the wood in the other diagonally at about right angles; other
succeeding layers, when necessary, are then laid on in a similar manner; a
cylindrical casing of thin sheet iron is then bound round the whole. In laying
these pieces of wood, a space of about a quarter of an inch, more or less, is
left between the first layer and the iron mould, and a similar space between
each succeeding layer, and also between the last layer and the outer casing, by
interposing at intervals small pieces of earthenware or other suitable substance.
The whole is then heated to about two hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit,
and fluid asphalte or other suitable cement is poured or pressed in between the
casings, so that it may fill up all the spaces and interstices between and around
the pieces of wood, and cement them together and completely imbed them.
When cold, the inner and outer casings of iron are removed, and the pipe is
complete. It is preferred to creozote the wood, or prepare it by some other
approved preserving process. These pipes are joined the one to the other by
means of iron sockets or collars; and when side junctions are required, circular
pieces are cut out of the pipe by crown saws, and iron sockets inserted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Bewicke Blackburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th August 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BEWICKE
BLACKBURN, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Bewicke Blackburn, Her special licence that I, the said Bewicke
Blackburn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Bewicke Blackburn, 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 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 PIPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Bewicke Blackburn, by an instrument in writing under my hand and

page_text: seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-.
tion, 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 the said Bewicke Blackburn, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in forming pipes by constructing tubular frames with
thin pieces of wood bent spirally and crossing each other diagonally, the
interstices between the pieces of wood being filled up with, and the whole of
the framework cemented together and completely enveloped in, a matrix of
asphalte or other suitable cement.
The method of forming these pipes which is preferred is as follows:-A
sheet of strong wire web or other suitable material of the form a, b, c, d, is
laid on a platform P, P, which is heated to about 212° Fahrenheit.
A layer
of the laths of wood is then laid upon this sheet, their ends being tacked
together by nailing them to pieces of hoop iron. One end of the sheet is
then attached at a to the sheet-iron cylindrical mould e, f. A layer of hot
asphalte, with which fragments of slate or other suitable material that will
just pass through a quarter of an inch mesh has been mixed, is then spread
over the laths about a quarter of an inch thick, and whilst the laths and
asphalte are hot the mould e, f, is rolled along in the direction a, b, and winds
the sheet a, b, c, d, together with the laths and asphalte spirally round itself.
When cool, the sheet is stripped off, and another layer of wood and asphalte,
laid in the direction of g, h, i, j, is then similarly wound outside the last layer,
and others, if necessary, may be similarly wound round, and finally a layer of
asphalte mixed with coarsely pounded material without laths is wound round
it. When cold, the inner mould and outer sheet are stripped off and the pipe
is complete. Or, in place of the method above described, the pieces of wood
are steamed or otherwise treated, so as to render them flexible, and are bent
spirally round a cylindrical sheet-iron mould of the same diameter and length
as the intended pipe. One layer of these pieces having been bent round the
mould, another layer is then bent spirally in the contrary direction over the
first layer, so that the grain of the wood in one layer shall cross the grain of
the wood in the other diagonally at about right angles; other succeeding
layers, when necessary, are then laid on in a similar manner. A cylindrical
casing of thin sheet iron is then bound round the whole. In laying these
pieces of wood, a space of about a quarter of an inch, more or less, is left

page_text: between the first layer and the iron mould, and a similar space between each
succeeding layer, and also between the last layer and the outer casing, by
interposing at intervals small pieces of carthenware or other suitable substance.
The whole is then heated to about 220° Fahrenheit, and fluid asphalte or other
suitable cement is poured or pressed in between the casings, so that it may
fill up all the spaces and interstices between and around the pieces of wood,
and cement them together and completely imbed them. When cold, the inner
and outer casings of iron are removed, and the pipe is complete. It is
preferred to creozote the wood, or prepare it by some other approved preserving
process. These pipes are joined the one to the other by means of iron sockets
or collars; and when side junctions are required, circular pieces are cut out
of the pipe by crown saws, and iron sockets inserted.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for performing the same, I would have it understood that
what I claim is, the manufacture of pipes by employing thin' pieces of wood
bent spirally and crossing each other diagonally, the interstices being filled
up and the whole of the framework cemented together by asphalte or other
suitable cement.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bewicko Blackburn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
JNO. ALCOCK.
BEWICKE BLACKBURN. (L.S.)