IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CAST-STEEL TUBES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Russell, of Wednesbury, Patent Tube
Manufacturer, and Joseph Bennett Howell, of Sheffield, Steel. Manu-
'facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS, IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CAST-STEEL TUBES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Russell and
Joseph Bennett Howell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 25th September 1856.
We, JOHN JAMES RUSSELL, of Wednesbury, Patent Tube Manufacturer,
and JOSEPH BENNETT HOWELL, of Sheffield, Steel Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CAST-STEEL TUBES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the manufacture of tubes from sheets or strips of
cast steel. For this purpose, when making a lap-joint tube, the strip of cast
steel is bent to the form of a tube over a mandril by a bending machine, as is
usual when making iron tubes, and it is then brought to a welding heat, and
passed between grooved rollers over a mandril, so as to weld up the tube,
which is afterwards finished by drawing through dies, or passing between
finishing rollers. When making a butt-joint tube, the strip of cast steel is
bent to the form of a tube by drawing through dies, is then brought to a
welding heat, and drawn through other dies which weld up to elongate the
tube.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John James Russell and Joseph Bennett Howell in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
JAMES RUSSELL, of Wednesbury, Patent Tube Manufacturer, and JOSEPII
BENNETT HOWELL, of Sheffield, Steel Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
Ono thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John James Russell and Joseph Bennett Howell, Her special license that we,
the said John James Russell. and Joseph Bennett Howell, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John James
Russell and Joseph Bennett Howell, our 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 CAST-STEEL TUBES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John James Russell
and Joseph Bennett Howell, our exécutors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing, under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us or them, 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 Scal 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 James Russell, on behalf of
myself and the said Joseph Bennett Howell, 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 consists in making tubes from sheets or strips of cast steel
previously rolled or formed to the thickness and sizes desired. To make
lap-jointed tubes of cast steel, we take a strip of cast steel of the required
dimensions, and bevil or scarf the edges to form the joint, then bend it into
the shape of a tube, with the edges overlapping each other, as when making
lap-welded iron tubes. The steel skelp or tube thus prepared is then placed
in a furnace, and when heated to the proper or welding heat, it is passed

page_text: between rollers over a mandril, so as to unite or weld the bevelled edges
together, and thus form a cast-steel tube, which is then finished by being
passed between rollers, or drawn through holes or dies to reduce
proper size.
To make a butt-jointed tube, we take a strip of cast steel of the required
dimensions, and bend it so as to bring the edges together, or nearly so. It is
then placed in a furnace, and when at a welding heat, it is passed between
rollers (either without or over a mandril), or drawn through holes or dies, by
which means the edges are pressed together, and thus produce a perfect cast
steel butt-jointed tube. In order to insure good welds to butt joints, we pass
a cutting or scraping tool between the edges of the strip before the welding is
effected, so as to clean the elges from dirt or other matter, and thus permit
them, when pressed together in the welding process, to touch and meet in
every part, by which means a much firmer weld will be effected, and after
heating the so prepared turned up strip in a furnace to a welding heat, passing
them through dies or holes, or between rollers over a mandril, whereby a more
perfect tube will be obtained.
We would remark, that we are aware that it has before been proposed to
make cast-steel tubes by casting hollow ingots, or by drilling solid ingots of
cast steel, and then extending the same in length by means of rollers or dies.
We do not, therefore, claim generally to manufacture cast-steel tubes; but
what we claim is, the manufature of cast-steel tubes by welding the edges
of sheets or strips by the aid of rollers and dies, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Russell, on behalf of myself
and the said Joseph Bennett Howell, have hereunto set my band and
seal, this Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JOSEPH SMITH,
Handsworth.
J. J. RUSSELL. (L.S.)