IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF FLANGED WROUGHT-IRON OR STEEL PLATES, AND OF WROUGHT-IRON BEAMS AND FRAMES OF A TROUGH-SHAPED SECTION, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gay Newton Alleyne, of the Butterley Iron
Works, Alfreton, in the County of Derby, and Julius Roberts, of No. 3,
Essex Court, Temple, in the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal
Marine Artillery, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF FLANGED WROUGHT-IRON OR STEEL PLATES, AND OF WROUGHT-IRON
BEAMS AND FRAMES OF A TROUGH-SHAPED SECTION, AND IN THE APPARATUS
EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Sealed the 4th November 1868, and dated the 1st September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gay Newton Alleyne
and Julius Roberts at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition on the 1st September 1862.
We, JOHN GAY NEWTON ALLEYNE, of the Butterley Iron Works, Alfreton,
in the County of Derby, and JULIUS ROBERTS, of No. 3, Essex Court,
Temple, in the County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Marine Artillery,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF FLANGED WROUGHT-IRON OR STEEL PLATES, AND OF
WROUGHT-IRON BEAMS AND FRAMES OF A TROUGH-SHAPED SECTION, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
Our Invention has for its object the formation of wrought-iron or steel
plates having more or less vertical flanges at their sides, and of wrought-iron
beams and frames of a more or less rectangular trough-shaped section, and
more particularly when such plates are of considerable dimensions and thick-
ness by such a process of manufacture that the difficulties and imperfections
attendant on their manufacture by processes at present known or proposed are to

page_text: a considerable extent overcome. Such flanged plates or trough-shaped beams or
frames have been made, when of thin metal, by rolling out a flat plate to the
required thickness, and then gradually "setting up" such a width on either side
of the plate as is to form the vertical sides, longitudinal projecting ridges being
first formed on the under side of the plate at the positions where the right
angles are subsequently formed on the same. Trough-shaped beams and frames
when of small dimensions, have also been formed by gradually working the
trough shape out of a thick slab in passing the same through a series of
grooves in the rolling mill, or by a system of forging the said flanges from the
solid or by piling the metal so as to form flanges, and then welding the same
together by forging or rolling. Neither of these methods are, however, appli-
cable to the manufacture of flanged plates of considerable dimensions and
thickness, such as are proposed to be employed for armour plates for ships of
Such plates have been proposed to be manufactured either by joining
the flanges on to the body of the plate by a process of welding, dowelling, or
tongueing, or by rolling a plate to the required thickness with thin side pieces
which are subsequently "set up as in the first-named process, and partially
welded to the main portion of the plate. Such a process would, however, only
Field defective plates, firstly, by reason of the seams or welds being always
liable to imperfection, and, secondly, by reason of the process of welding or
hammering destroying the essential qualities required of such plates when
destined to be employed as armour plates.
war.
"
Now our present Invention consists in producing such flanged plates or
trough-shaped beams and frames, particularly when of considerable dimensions
and thickness, by the following process of manufacture :-
We first form a flat slab by any known process of rolling or forging, or by
the combined process of forging and rolling.
Secondly, when the plate has by this means been reduced in thickness until
it is somewhat in excess of the eventual thickness required for the finished
plate, if necessary, we reheat the same to a welding heat, and pass it between
a pair of rolls or consecutively through a series of rolls, having grooves of such
a form that the plate is reduced to its final thickness, and is at the same time
brought into the following shape (and which we shall refer to as the second
process).
The central portion of the transverse section is curved upwards in that
direction which is subsequently to be the inside of the plate whilst the
portions on either side which are to form the flanges of the plate or the sides
of the trough, are bent sharply up in the same direction, being made thereby
to form such an angle with the curved central portion as the flange shall be

page_text: required to assume when the process shall have been completed. The kind
of angle, whether a right angle or otherwise, will depend upon the nature of the
work to which the plate, beam, or frame is to be adapted. The two sides by
this means, although brought by one or more operations into their definite
position relatively to the ends of the face of the plate, or nearly so, yet diverge
by a considerable angle from one another owing to the curvature of the central
portion, and the position thus given to them in the rolls allows of the free
passage into their grooves of the metal, which is pressed into them by the
simultaneous reduction of the thickness of the plate. It is by this simul-
taneous reduction of the thickness of the plate, beam, or frame, whilst imparting
to it the above-described transverse sectional form, that we are enabled
without detriment to the same to form the abrupt angles of the sides with the
curved face of the same as before described, (as the metal is readily squeezed
into the sharp angles of the grooves in the rolls) and at the same time to
act with the requisite force upon the portions forming the body of the plate,
and those forming the flanges, so as to produce uniform density in all the
parts.
Thirdly, having brought the plate into the above-described form, we then
pass the same through a pair of rolls or series of rolls so formed as simply to
flatten down the curved portion of the plate without at all pressing upon the
flanges, which, by the act of flattening the face of the plate of themselves
assume the more or less vertical and parallel position required.
Fourthly, when required, we take the plates, beams, or frames, to a finishing
groove or set of grooves to straighten up or finish off the section. The
formation of the flanged plate or trough-shaped beam or frame is then com-
pleted. Instead of forming the plates, beams, or frames in the manner herein-
before described by the process of rolling alone, they may be first brought into
the before described peculiar shape, having the central part of the plate curved
and the sides set up to the required angle to such curvature by forging under
the hammer, the anvil, as also the hammer block, being formed in a corre-
sponding manner to produce that shape, and the curved portion may then be
straightened by rolling in the manner herein-before described. By this
process of forging the plates, as well as by rolling the same with the described
inclination of the flanges, we are enabled to act upon the flanges to the same
extent as upon the central portion, and thus effect a uniform solidity and
strength in all the parts; or the plates, beams, or frames having been first
rolled into the peculiar form described, the central portion may be straightened
under the hammer. When required, we make the flattening rolls or another
pair of rolls of such a form that the plate, beam, or frame, on being passed

page_text: through is made somewhat convex on its outer surface, or, when required, we
do not flatten the same quite, but leave it somewhat concave. We also
curve the plate, beam, or frame longitudinally when necessary by submitting it
to a plate-bending machine where the proper curvature is given.
When it is required to form flanges on all four sides of the plate, beam, or
frame, or to make it of a box shape, we form two such side flanges upon the
same in the manner herein-before described, and then we either smith up the
ends so as to form the end flanges, and weld them to the side flanges, or we
weld in separate pieces to form the end flanges either with or without "glut
pieces" inserted for forming more perfect welds.
When it is required to connect together the ends of two or more of such
flanged plates or trough-shaped beams or frames that have no end flanges, we
either bolt separate pieces for forming the end flanges to each plate, beam, or
frame, or we connect the plates, beams, or frames together by means of fish
pieces o any suitable form.
Although we have stated that our improved process of manufacturing
flanged plates or trough-shaped beams or frames is particularly applicable
when they are of considerable dimensions and thickness, it will be evident
that the same process of manufacture may be applied to flanged plates or
trough-shaped beams or frames of all dimensions and thicknesses, to be
employed for any purposes, and we in no way limit ourselves to the manu-
facture of such large plates beams or frames only
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gay Newton Alleyne and Julius Roberts in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 27th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN GAY
NEWTON ALLEYNE, of the Butterley Iron Works, Alfreton, in the County of
Derby, and JULIUS ROBERTS, of No. 3, Essex Court, Temple, in the County of
Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Marine Artillery, send greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 8
Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Gay Newton Alleyne and Julius Roberts, Her special licence
that we, the said John Gay Newton Alleyne and Julius Roberts, our execu- 8
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Gay
Newton Alleyne and Julius Roberts, our executors, administrators, and assigns,

page_text: 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 "In-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FLANGED WROUGHT-IRON OR STEEL PLATES
AND OF WROUGHT-IRON BEAMS AND FRAMES OF A TROUGH-SHAPED SECTION, AND IN
THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said John Gay Newton Alleyne and Julius Roberts
our executors 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Gay Newton Alleyne and
Julius Roberts, 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, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
Our Invention has for its object the formation of wrought iron or steel
plates, having more or less vertical flanges at their sides, and of wrought-iron
beams and frames of a more or less rectangular trough-shaped section, and
more particularly when such plates are of considerable dimensions and thick-
ness, by such a process of manufacture that the difficulties and imperfections
attendant on their manufacture by processes at present known or proposed are
to a considerable extent overcome. Such flanged plates or trough-shaped
beams or frames have been made, when of thin metal, by rolling out a flat
plate to the required thickness, and then gradually "setting up" such a width
on either side of the plate as is to form the vertical sides, longitudinal pro-
jecting ridges being first formed on the under side of the plate at the positions
where the right angles are subsequently formed on the same. Trough-shaped
beams and frames, when of small dimensions, have also been formed by
gradually making the trough shape out of a thick slab in passing the same
through a series of grooves in the rolling mill, or by a system of forging the
said flanges from the solid, or by piling the metal so as to form flanges, and
then welding the same together by forging or rolling. Neither of these methods
are, however, applicable to the manufacture of flanged plates of considerable
dimensions and thickness, such as are proposed to be employed for armour

page_text: plates for ships of war; and the last-named method has the great objection
that the grain of the iron in the flanges is thereby placed in the wrong direc-
tion for the strength of the iron. Such plates have been proposed to be
manufactured either by joining the flanges on to the body of the plate by a
process of welding, dowelling, or tongueing, or by rolling a plate to the required!
thickness with thin side pieces, which are subsequently "set up" as in the first
named process, and partially welded to the main portion of the plate. Such a
process would, however, only yield defective plates; first, by reason of the
scams or welds being always liable to imperfection, and, secondly, by reason
of the process of welding, destroying the essential qualities required of such
plates when destined to be employed as armour plates.
Now, our present Invention consists in producing such flanged plates or
trough-shaped beams and frames, particularly when of considerable dimensions
and thickness, by the following process of manufacture :-
We first form a slab by any known process of rolling or forging, or by the
combined process of forging and rolling.
Secondly, when the plate has by this process been reduced in thickness until
it is somewhat in excess of the eventual thickness required of the finished
plate, if necessary, we reheat the same to a welding heat, and pass it either at
once through a pair of rolls having grooves, as shewn at C, Figure 1, on
Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, by which the plate is reduced more
or less to its final thickness, and is at the same time brought into the shape,
as shewn in transverse section at Figure 4, the central portion a being curved,
as shewn, whilst the two side portions intended to form the flanges are set up
to the required angle relatively to the ends of the curved portion a; or if the
plate be of considerable thickness, we prefer to pass it first consecutively
through rolls having grooves, as shewn at A and B, Figure 1, so as to bring
the flat plate by successive operations consecutively into the forms, as shewn
in transverse section at Figures 2 and 3, and then into the form as shewn
at Figure 4, the central portion a being curved, as shewn, whilst the two side
portions b, b, which are subsequently to form the flanges of the plate or the
sides of the trough are bent sharply up, being made to form such an angle with
the extremities of the curved central portion a as the flanges shall be required
to assume when the process shall have been completed. The kind of angle,
whether a right angle or otherwise, will depend upon the nature of the work
to which the plate, beam, or frame is to be adapted. We shall refer to the
before-described peculiar formation of the plate as the "second process."
The two sides b, b, of the plate, although brought by the above process into
their definite position relatively to the ends of the part a, or nearly so, yet

page_text: diverge by a considerable angle from one another, owing to the curvature of
the central portion, and the position thus given to them in the rolls allows of
the free passage into their grooves of the metal which is pressed into them by
the simultaneous reduction of the thickness of the plate. It is by this simul-
taneous reduction of the thickness of the plate, beam, or frame, whilst
imparting to it the above-described transverse sectional form, that we are
enabled without detriment to the same to form the abrupt angles of the sides.
as described (as the metal is readily squeezed into the sharp angles of the
grooves in the rolls), and at the same time to act with the requisite force upon
the portions forming the body of the plate and those forming the flanges, so as
to produce uniform density in all the parts. In some cases we commence from
the block, bloom, or pile at once, to form the plate into a form approaching
more or less to that shewn at Figure 4, the object being to form the angles of
the flanges in the early stages of the process, and to avoid entirely the necessity
of bending them in the latter stages. In some cases we form the pile itself of
a number of plates each having the sectional form corresponding to that
shewn at Figure 4 already imparted to it, as shewn at the transverse section,
Figure 10, by which, in manufacturing thick plates, beams, or frames, the
bending of the pile to produce the form as at Figure 4, would be entirely
dispensed with.
Thirdly, having brought the plate into the form as shewn at Figure 4, we then
pass the same through a pair of rolls as shewn at D, Figure 5, which are so
formed as simply to flatten down the curved portion a of the plate, without at
all pressing upon the flanges b, b, which, by the act of flattening the portion a,
of themselves assume the more or less vertical and parallel position required,
as shewn in the transverse section at Figure 6; or if the curvature of the.
central portion a of the plate is such that it cannot be readily flattened down
so as to assume the form as shewn at Figure 6 by one single operation, wo
effect this by several successive operations, either by means of one and tho
same pair of rolls D, which are for that purpose set successively at different
distances apart, or by means of one or more pairs of other similar rolls which
are arranged with different spaces between them. We shall refer to this
process as the "third process."
Fourthly, when required, we take the plates, beams, or frames, after having
been brought by the third process into the required form, as shewn at Figure 6,
to a pair of finishing rolls, as shewn at E, Figure 5, or consecutively to two or
more such pairs of rolls, in order to straighten up or finish off the transverse
section and reduce it to the exact thickness required, as shewn at the trans-
verse section at Figure 7. The formation of the flanged plate or trough-shaped

page_text: beam or frame is then completed, with the exception of trimming the ends of
the same.
Although we prefer to put collars on the rolls of the rolling mills in the
usual manner as shewn on the Drawing, nevertheless, in some cases, we find it
advisable to dispense with the same.
Instead of forming the plates, beams, or frames in the manner herein-before
described by the process of rolling alone, they may be first brought into the
peculiar shape as herein-before described under the second process, and shewn
at Figures 2, 3, and 4, by forging under the hammer, the anvil as also the
hammer block being formed in a corresponding manner to produce that shape,
and the curved portion a may then be straightened by rolling, in the manner
herein-before described. Or, the preliminary operations may be performed by
rolling and the final operations by forging under the hammer, or in some cases
we carry out the entire operation by the process of forging alone.
On Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings are shewn a series of hammer
blocks and anvils, arranged with dies to produce consecutively the different
forms of the plate, beam, or frame, as shewn on Sheet I., though the number
of differently formed hammer dies which are consecutively brought to act upon
the plate will naturally depend upon the size or form of the latter which it
may be required to produce. The hammer and anvil shewn in the part
elevation of an ordinary steam hammer at Figure 11 will produce the
preliminary form of the plate corresponding to that shewn at Figure 2, Sheet I.
The hammer at Figure 12 will produce the form as at Figure 3, and the
hammer at Figure 18 will produce the form as at Figure 4. The hammer
at Figure 14 corresponds in its action with that of the set of rolls at D,
Figure 5, that is to say, it flattens down the central curved portion a of the
plate, as at Figure 4, and brings it into the final form, as at Figure 6. If it
be required to straighten up and finish off the plate still further under the
hammer, after it has been brought into this form, it may then be subjected to
the combined action of one vertical and two opposite horizontal steam
hammers, as shewn respectively at X and Y, Y', in Figure 15, for which
arrangement of steam hammers certain Letters Patent have already been
granted to one of us, and bearing date the 26th day of April 1862, No. 1228,
and which therefore forms no part of the Invention comprised in the present
Letters Patent. By this process of forging the plates, as well as by that of
rolling the same, with the described inclination of the flanges as shewn at
Figure 4, we are enabled to act most effectually upon the flanges, as well as
upon the central portion, and thus effect a uniform solidity and strength in all
the parts.

page_text: When required, we pass the plate, beam, or frame through a pair of
rolls, formed as shewn at Figure 8, Sheet I., so as to form the plate somewhat
convex on its outer surface, as shewn in transverse section at Figure 9. If it
be required that the flanges b, b, shall remain at right angles, or nearly so,
to the face of the plate, as shewn, the roller A', Figure 8, must be made of
such a width as to clear the edges of the side flanges when these are made to
approach each other by the bending of the plate, as shewn at Figure 8. In
some cases the top roll A¹ may be formed so as to press upon the outside of
the flanges of the plate, in order to assist in bringing them into the requisite
position. This form of plate may also be readily produced by means of a
hammer and anvil, as at Figure 16, Sheet II. When required, the plate,
beam, or frame is not quite flattened down from the shape, as shewn at
Figure 4, but is left somewhat concave on the face. We also curve the plate,
beam, or frame longitudinally when necessary, by submitting it to a plate-
bending machine, where the proper curvature is given in a manner well
understood.
When it is required to form flanges on all four sides of the plate, beam, or
frame, or to make it of a box shape, we form two such side flanges upon the
same in the manner herein-before described, and then we either smith up the
ends, so as to form the end flanges, and weld them to the side flanges, or wo
weld in separate pieces to form the end flanges either with or without " glut
pieces" inserted for forming more perfect welds, for the use of which "
pieces" former Letters Patent were granted to one of us, and bearing date
the 8th day of December 1859, No. 2779.
glut
When it is required to connect the ends of two or more of such flanged
plates or trough-shaped beams or frames that have no end flanges, we either
bolt separate pieces for forming the end flanges to each plate, beam, or frame,
or we connect the plates, beams, or frames together by means of fish pieces of
any suitable form.
Although we have stated that our improved process of manufacturing
flanged plates or trough-shaped beams or frames is particularly applicable
when these are of considerable dimensions and thickness, it will be evident
that the same process of manufacture may be applied to flanged plates or
trough-shaped beams or frames of all dimensions and thicknesses, to bo
employed for all purposes, and we in no way limit ourselves to the manu-
facture of such large plates, beams, or frames only, nor to the particular form
or proportions of the flanged plates, beams, or frames, as shewn on the
accompanying Drawings, as these only serve to illustrate the process of
manufacture.

page_text: Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the best manner
we are acquainted with of performing the same, we wish it to be understood
that we do not limit ourselves to the precise arrangements of rolls or hammers
as shewn on the accompanying Drawings, as these may be of any known
form or arrangement suitable for the purpose; nor do we claim generally the
manufacture of flanged plates, beams, or frames, by the process of rolling or
hammering, or by the processes of hammering and rolling combined; nor do
we claim any one of the herein-before described processes or apparatus as
being separate and apart from the combination thereof, any part of the
Invention comprised in the said Letters Patent; but what we claim is,―
Firstly, the manufacture of flanged wrought iron or steel plates, and of
wrought-iron beams and frames of a trough-shaped section, by the combination
of the two processes herein-before described, and designated as the second and
third processes, whether such processes be carried out by the operation of
rolling, or by that of hammering, or by the combined operation of hammering
and rolling.
Secondly, the manufacture of flanged wrought-iron or steel plates and of
wrought-iron beams and frames of a trough-shaped section, by the combination
of the processes herein-before designated as the second and third processes
together with any of the other processes herein-before set forth.
Thirdly, the employment of a combination of machinery or apparatus for the
manufacture of flanged wrought iron or steel plates, and of wrought-iron
beams and frames of a trough-shaped section, by which the plate, beam, or
frame is first brought by one or more operations from the form of a bloom or
slab into the form as shewn in transverse section at Figure 4 on the accom-
panying Drawings, and is then brought by one or more operations from the
sectional form, as shown at Figure 4, into the sectional form, as shewn at
Figure 6, by flattening down the curved central portion a.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Gay Newton Alleyne and Julius
Roberts, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-fifth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three.
J. G. N. ALLEYNE. (L.8.)
JULIUS ROBERTS. (L.S.)