IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR METAL RAIL RODS OR BARS FOR BALCONIES, GATES, RAILINGS, PILLARS, STANDARDS, OR COLUMNS, AND OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES. AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Tuddenham, of Lower Marsh, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR METAL RAIL RODS OR BARS FOR
BALCONIES, GATES, RAILINGS, PILLARS, STANDARDS, OR COLUMNS, AND OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES. AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 10th December 1867, and dated the 14th June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Tuddenham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th June 1867.
I, STEPHEN TUDDENHAM, of Lower Marsh, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR METAL RAIL RODS OR BARS FOR
BALCONIES, GATES, RAILINGS, PILLARS, STANDARDS, OR COLUMNS, AND OTHER
USEFUL PURPOSES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction and manu-
facture of twisted metal rods or bars, suitable for rails of balconies, stair-
cases, gates, railings, pillars, standards, columns, and other such like purposes,
and also to improvements in the machinery or apparatus whereby such rods
or bars are twisted.
I propose, firstly, to roll the bars or rods of any form or section required,

page_text: so as to present a variety of pattern, for example, a raised ledge or lip,
having on one side a convex or fluted form, and on the other a concave or
hollow, and within the hollow a semicircular raised beading, or any other
ornamental series of curves. Of course these patterns when rolled are all
parallel, but by twisting the bar either in a cold state or heated, if necessary,
according to the quality of the metal, an extremely ornamental form is
effected, superior to any that can be produced from casting, and moreover the
rails are of greater toughness and strength than when cast, and cannot
be broken or damaged by a blow. Although iron would be the metal chiefly
used I propose to employ steel in some cases, and also to combine with iron
or steel ornamental rolled bars of copper, gun metal, or brass, or other metal,
so as to produce a more ornamental article. Beyond the various sectional
forms of bars similar to those described the surfaces may have devices such
as scrolls, flowers, leaves, or other projecting bas-reliefs, all of which can be
produced by rolling, and then by giving the metal or metals the requisite
twist the appearance of rod or rail will be greatly improved. I am aware
that bars have been twisted heretofore and that square iron has been so
operated upon, also that a combination of rod iron has been twisted so as to
produce a pattern limited to such extent; but my Invention consists in first
rolling the metal with any form or section so as to produce by twisting an
endless variety of patterns, such as it would be impossible to produce by any
combination of rods not so treated.
The machinery consists, firstly, of a clamp or holder in which one end of
the bar or rod is held firmly, the other end being turned by a grip and lever;
or the bar may be placed in a grip at one end of a bench like a lathe bench,
and the other end set in a grip in a wheel turned by steam or manual power.
if by steam a fast and loose pulley is applied to the shaft, so that the twist
can be regulated and stopped at a moment's notice; any lengths or dimensions
of rods or bars may be operated upon according to the purpose required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 3
by the said Stephen Tuddenham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
TUDDENHAM, of Lower Marsh, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Stephen Tuddenham, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen Tuddenham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Stephen
Tuddenham, 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
CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR METAL RAILS, RODS, OR BARS FOR
BALCONIES, GATES, RAILINGS, PILLARS, STANDARDS, OR COLUMNS, AND OTHER USEFUL
PURPOSES, AND ALSO IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Stephen Tuddenham, 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 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 Stephen Tuddenham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to "Improvements in the Construction and Manufacture
of Iron or Metal Rails, Rods, or Bars for Balconies, Gates, Railings, Pillars,
Standards, or Columns, and other Useful Purposes, and also in the Machinery
employed therein."
In carrying my Invention into effect I propose, firstly, to roll straight bars
or rods of wrought iron or other ductile metal of such form or cross section as
may be required in order to produce a twisted bar or rod of the required.
ornamental figure. When the bar or rod has been prepared by making it of
the required sectional figure I twist it by means of the machinery herein-after
described, the bar or rod being either in a cold state or if necessary heated,
according to the quality of metal or form of the cross section. By this process
I produce extremely ornamental helical devices, superior in appearance to and
much stronger and tougher than any that can be produced direct in cast metal.

page_text: by moulding from patterns, because by properly designing the outline of the
section of the prepared bars I am able to produce by the after process of
twisting various ornamental devices, the "members" of which may be much
more "undercut," the hollows much deeper, and the edges much sharper than
the casting process will admit of, and the effect produced is consequently
more artistic. In some cases the various sectional forms of the prepared rods
or bars may have formed upon their surfaces such ornamental devices as
scrolls, flowers, leaves, or other projecting "bas-reliefs," and then by giving
the metal the requisite twist the appearance of the rods or rails will be greatly
improved. I also propose to employ for some purposes prepared bars or rods
of steel, copper, or other metals, or their alloys, and likewise to combine with
iron or steel ornamental rolled bars of cepper, gun metal, or brass, or other
metal so as to produce a still more ornamental article. Although I have
referred to the production of the straight bars or rods of ornamental section,
as being proposed to be effected by the direct process of rolling, I sometimes
employ prepared bars or reds made by casting them in moulds made from
straight patterns of the desired ornamental form. or section, which rods may or
may not have cast with them ornamental heads or pedestals, also flowers
and other ornamental devices. When I employ cast iron in this manner I
anneal the straight bars or rods so as to convert them into a sufficiently
ductile material to admit of their being afterwards twisted, while in the case
of castings of gun metal or other soft alloys or metals the metal may be cast
sufficiently ductile to enable it to be twisted without such process. The rolled
rods first referred to may likewise have ornamental heads, pedestals, &c. cast
on to them either before or after twisting, any of which modifications of my
Invention can be made to produce very highly ornamental articles. In cases
where it is advisable to economise the metal, er avoid unnecessary weight in
the complete twisted bar, I make the prepared bar or rod tubular, and form on
its surface the required ornamental device or devices, and then I twist the
prepared tubular bar or rod by the machinery herein-after described. In
some cases before or after twisting the ornamental solid or hollow bars or
rods, I for some purposes twist one or more of them round a mandril, or
otherwise, or twist one or more of them together, so as to produce an
ornamental hollow or solid helical column or standard.
Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents examples of the devices
produced by this process. Figs. 1, 3, 5, and 7-shew elevations of straight rods
before twisting. Each of the ornamental section shewn at 1*, 3*, 5*, and 7*;
respectively, Figs. 2, 4, 6, 8, shew the effect produced by twisting the said straight

page_text: bars respectively, from which it will be seen that an immense variety of
designs may be produced by varying the outline of the section of the straight
bars.
Sheet 2 represents the machinery employed by me in carrying out my
Invention. Fig. I is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a transverse section at line
1, 2, looking right; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section through centre of machine;
Fig. 4, a transverse section at 3, 4, looking left; and Fig. 5, a plan view.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in each of the Figures.
A is a cast-iron bed fixed on standards B, B. To the bed A is fixed &
strong headstock C in bearings, in which the hollow shaft D is free to revolve.
The hollow shaft D carries fixed to or formed with it at one end a chuck E
provided with suitable holding or gripping pieces F, F, adjustable by screws
G, G; on the other end of the hollow shaft D is keyed a large spur wheel H
gearing with a pinion I keyed on the back shaft J, which revolves in the
bearings K cast to the bed A; motion is communicated to the back shaft J
by a strap taking on to the fast and loose pullies L, L; or by a cranked
handle, when manual power is sufficient to perform the work of twisting. M
is a moveable clamp holder free to slide longitudinally on the bed A, while
the dovetail shape of the bed prevents it from being overturned when the
twisting action is in progress; N, N, are two steel clamps mounted on the
holder M, and secured by nuts and screws.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The bar to be twisted is placed
in the machine, with the portion of its length it is intended to twist extended
between the holders or gripping pieces in the chuck E, and those in the
moveable holder M; the respective holders or clamps being then screwed up,
so as to tightly grip the bar, the hollow shaft is put in motion by the gearing
H, I, until the desired amount of twist is imparted to the bar, the moveable
clamp holder M sliding along the bed as the bar shortens by the twisting,
and exerts sufficient resistance by its frietion on the bed to keep the bar
distended and therefore straight during the twisting operation; the holders or
clamps are then relaxed, and if the bar is to be further operated upon at
another portion of its length by twisting either in the same or a contrary
direction it is adjusted so that that portion shall extend between the two sets
of clamps F, F, and N, N, the hollow shaft admitting of the bar being passed
partly into it if necessary, and motion being again given to the hollow shaft that
other portion will be twisted as may be desired, and so on for any required number
of portions; or if required the whole length of a bar may be twisted at one
operation, when it is desired to have a regular twist throughout its length. The

page_text: holders or clamps F, F, and N, N, will require in cases of a delicate or complex
form of section of the bar to be shaped so as to approximate somewhat to the
form of such section, in order to avoid injury to sharp arrisses when it is
necessary to grip the bar at some intermediate portion of its length. When
it is desired to twist bars of large section gearing of a more powerful nature
will be required than that shewn in the Drawing; but it will be readily
understood that double or treble gearing can easily be arranged in the
headstock similarly to that used in the heavier class of turning lathes.
•
Another modification of the machine may be made by which two bars may
be twisted at the same time by extending the bed A to an equal distance on
both sides of the headstock, the hollow shaft having a chuck fixed or formed
at each end, the gearing being arranged so as to be wholly included between
the headstock bearings, and a moveable clamp holder, similar to that shewn at
M on Drawing, being placed on the bed opposite each chuck on the hollow
spindle; this arrangement will be found advantageous when a number of bars
are required to be twisted right handed, and an equal number left handed.
When it is required to twist one half of the length of a bar right handed and
the other half left handed a similar modification of the machine to that last
described may be used by clamping each end of the bar in one of the moveable
clamps, and by gripping the bar in the centre by one chuck on the hollow
shaft, leaving the other loose, the revolution of said hollow shaft will cause
the bar to be twisted in the manner desired. When it is required to twist
bars both right and left handed in a single machine it will be necessary to
adapt thereto a reversing motion by means of an open and a crossed strap,
with the necessary driving and loose pullies, in a manner well understood as
applied to certain machine tools, such as planing machines, &c.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, I would have it understood that I
am aware that square or other simple sections of wrought iron having plain
unornamented surfaces have been twisted heretofore; also that combinations of
rod iron of such simple sections have been twisted so as to produce patterns of
limited extent; but bars and rods prepared with devices that are subservient to
the ornaments intended to be given to the completed bar or rod have not been
twisted in the manner described by me; what I do claim as my Invention is,
First, producing ornamental bars or rods of the kind described by twisting
prepared bars or rods having their surfaces so prepared or ornamented as to
produce a twisted bar or rod of a given ornamental section or surface, as
herein described.

page_text: Second, the use of machinery constructed and arranged as herein described
or the purpose of twisting metal bars, substantially as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Tuddenham, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
STEPHEN TUDDENHAM. (L.B.)
No. 4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.