IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BEAMS, GIRDERS, SHIPS' RIBS OR FRAMES, AND OTHER STRUCTURES OF WROUGHT IRON
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David William Warder, of 4, Caroline Place,
Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, Draughtsman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BEAMS, GIRDERS, SHIPS' RIBS
OR FRAMES, AND OTHER STRUCTURES OF WROUGHT IRON."
Sealed the 21st January 1859, and dated the 22nd July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David William Warder
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd July 1858.
I, DAVID WILLIAM WARDER, of 4, Caroline Place, Chelsea, in the County
of Middlesex, Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of the. said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BEAMS, GIRDERS, SHIPS' RIBS
OR FRAMES, AND OTHER STRUCTURES OF WROUGHT IRON," to be as follows:-
My Invention of improvements in the construction of articles in wrought
iron relates principally to beams or girders, and also to the frames or ribs used
in shipbuilding, but it is also applicable to wrought-iron structures used for
other purposes. In forming wrought-iron beams or girders, heretofore the
ordinary method has been to unite the several plates or parts forming the
structure by means of rivets; using angle iron where it is necessary to throw
out flanges, or to connect the upper and lower parts of the girder to the web
or central piece; ships' frames or ribs and other structures have also been
similarly connected. Some attempts have also been made to roll such beams
or girders and ribs in one piece, but which has, to a certain extent, failed on
י

page_text: account of the difficulty experienced in rolling the shapes required. Now, my
Invention consists in rolling such structures in parts, and uniting the parts
together throughout their length by welding, whereby it has the appearance of
being rolled in one piece; by this means the parts are easily rolled, and to a
certain extent are similar to the ordinary parts of which such structures are
composed. For instance, in forming a girder I form the top flange or rib with
a small part of the web, or it may be half of the web, and the bottom flange
or rib in like manner. I then unite the two parts of the web throughout the
length of the girder by welding, which forms the girder complete. Instead of
welding the two parts of the rib together a plate may intervene between the
two parts (top and bottom), and be similarly united thereto if a girder with
a deep web or centre piece is required. The ribs of ships may be similarly
formed; or I take two angle irons and place them in similar relation to each
other as at present disposed, but instead of rivetting them together throughout
their length, I weld them, rendering them one picce throughout. In this
manner I form various like structures, which may be difficult, or it may be
impossible, to produce by rolling in one piece.
In welding, I merely heat the edges or parts to be united, using for the
purpose a concentrated flame impinging upon the parts to be heated, as in
Bertram's furnace, according to his Patent No. 2692, 1854, which may be
employed for the purpose, or it may be any other suitable furnace. The
welding is effected by passing the heated parts through rollers, or between
pressing or hammering surfaces, when at the proper heat for the purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David William Warder in the Great Seal Patent Office on 2
the 22nd January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID.
WILLIAM WARDER, of 4, Caroline Place, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,
Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David William Warder, Her special licence that I, the said David
William Warder, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
-I, the said David William Warder, my 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BEAMS, GIRDERS, SHIPS' RIBS OR FRAMES,
AND OTHER STRUCTURES OF WROUGHT IRON," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said David William Warder, 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 David William Warder, 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, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of a method of forming and constructing beams,
girders, joists, or bars of malleable or wrought iron, to be used in structures
generally; and also of the wrought-iron beams, bars, frames, or ribs employed
in shipbuilding.
Heretofore, in forming wrought-iron beams, girders, frames, and ribs, it bas
been usual to construct them in several parts, and then combine them, so as
to form a whole, by uniting the various parts to each other by means of rivets
or bolts; for instance, in constructing an ordinary T girder, two pieces of
angle or V iron are placed so that two of their sides form the horizontal or
flange piece, the other two sides being placed one on each side of a plato
which forms the vertical or web piece, are bolted or rivetted to the latter,
forming the complete beam or girder. In like manner the ribs or frames of
ships are constructed, consisting of two pieces of angle or V iron, having the
side of one bolted or rivetted to the other in such a way as to give the
sectional form known as Z iron.
The great objection to this method of constructing beams consists in the loss
of strength resulting from the formation of perforations or rivet holes in the
metal along the various lines of junction, as well as the unfavourable dis-
tribution of the material in the beam, which is in many cases necessitated by
the mode of construction; added to these is a defect inherent to all. rivetted
beams or frames, which is even more fatal than the other,. that is, the
liability, in many cases, of the rivets to start and become loose, this rendering
unsecure the stability of the whole structure.

page_text: The only method yet adopted to obviate these defects in beams or girders
has been to roll them in one piece in the rolling mill, and thus obtain a solid
beam; but as it is well known that the dimensions of beams thus formed are
necessarily so limited as to preclude its application to manufacturing beams of
large or even moderate sizes, for this reason the method of rolling them is
only valuable so far as it goes. The peculiarity of my Invention, therefore,
consists in forming malleable iron beams, girders, bars, ships' frames or ribs in
such a manner as to give them the appearance, form, strength, lightness,
rigidity, and durability of the same when formed in one piece by the
rolling mill.
To effect this, I construct or build up my beam, or girder, or frame in two
or more pieces, as the case may be, each part being rolled of the form I
require. I then temporarily bind the several parts together, and unite them
one to the other by welding them in the direction of their length, forming a
beam the same as if produced from the rolls. I am, thus enabled to make
beams, or girders, or frames in one piece of much larger dimensions than can
ever be produced by rolling mills, while at the same time I can, by preparing
and combining the various parts, and uniting them by the method just stated;
dispose the material in the beam in a far more advantageous manner than can
in general be effected by the method of rivetting.
In order more clearly to shew the nature of my Invention, and the mode by
which I effect it, I have appended the accompanying Drawings to this Speci-
fication; I wish it understood, however, that the intention of these is more
particularly to illustrate generally the principles of combination and con-
struction in the manufacture of the foresaid beams, girders, bars, ships' frames
or ribs, which I claim as being new, and to point out the means by which the
may be carried into effect. Also, to shew the particular application of
these principles of combination and construction to certain forms of beams,
girders, joists, bars, ribs, or frames more exactly defined in the different
figures therein, and more fully described herein-after in this Specification.
So that the difference between the form and mode of constructing beams
and frames as at present practised by the method of rivetting, and the mode I
propose to adopt in combining and constructing my forms of the same, may be
compared and clearly understood, 1 have introduced Figures 1, 2, and 3,
shewing respectively sections of a girder, a beam, and ship's rib or frame as
made by the former method; and Figures 1, 2, and 3ª, shewing similar
sections of the same constructed after my mode, and united by the process of

page_text: welding; thus it will be seen that Figure 1 is formed by rivetting two pieces
of angle iron at the top and bottom sides of a sheet or plate of the same metal;
Fig. 2 being formed nearly similar, but with a bulb instead of a bottom
flange; while Fig. 3 shews the form and mode of constructing a ship's rib
or frame. Figure 1 shews my mode of forming a beam of the same outline
as Fig. 1 of the rivetted system; in this case my beam is formed of two
parts or Tirons, as they are technically called, a and b, and welded together at
; Figures 2 and 3 are similarly constructed of two pieces, and united as
beam in Fig. 1. It will be apparent that the size, dimensions, and form
of the parts a and b will depend upon the peculiar application of the beam,
and also upon the kind of rolling machinery we possess to produce them. It
will also be seen, that when the beams are of large dimensions, then they must
be formed of three or more pieces, an example of which is shewn at Figure 4,
which is composed of two T pieces welded on to the web c, at the joints a, a;
this would generally require to be the process when the depth of the beam
becomes large, the limit between the two being the sizes which the T pieces
can conveniently be rolled. As it is both expensive and difficult to roll large
Tiron, I propose in some cases to enlarge the size of the flange by welding a
The form
piece on each side of the latter, as shewn in Figure 5 by d and c.
which the edges of the parts to be welded should possess may either be what
is called a scarf joint, or a butt joint, or a lap joint; the choice of these
depending upon the particular form and application of the beam; but for
beams in general I prefer the square or butt joint. Figure 1 shews the scarf
joint, and Figures 2" and 3" the square or butt joint, the line a indicating the
form of junction.
Next, with regard to the means by which I propose to effect the welding or
uniting of the various parts of the beams together, and here I wish it fully
understood that I do not claim, as part of my Invention, any peculiar means
of welding, as I am well aware that such can be done in a variety of ways, and
by furnaces of different forms; for instance, a welding heat may be produced
by inserting the beam in an ordinary blast or forge furnace, but for obvious
reasons this would not be an advantageous method; generally, however, the
mode I prefer and adopt is as follows:-The parts of which the beam is com-
posed are bound or held together by clamps or other simple suitable means;
then place it on a carriage, or on rollers, or in some cases suspend it, and
bring it close between the mouths of two blast furnaces in such a manner that
the joint to be welded is nearly in contact on each side with the mouth of the
blast, so that when the blast is directed upon it, the heat is raised to a welding
point; the beam is then withdrawn, and the parts made to unite either by
I

page_text: A, A are the furnaces
passing them between rolls, or by bammers, or such like means. Another
portion of the beam is then submitted to the furnaces, and is acted upon in a
similar manner, and thus by degrees is welded throughout its entire length;
the space welded at each beat will depend of course upon the size of the
furnaces. In order to carry on the process more rapidly and economically, I
would suggest the use of a number of pairs of furnaces, so arranged that one
portion of the beam may be heating when the other is being welded. With
regard to the internal shape of the furnaces, that which I prefer (but do not
claim as part of my Invention) is the one figured in Nos. 6 and 7 of the
Drawings, which shew an end sectional view and a side view, and also illustrate
the mode of moving the beam between the furnaces.
receiving the blast at f, the heat issuing at the mouth g, and impinging on the
joint K placed between them; the fuel is supplied at the top, and the mouth
of the blast should be formed so as to allow the fuel to come to its outer
extremity and almost touch the face of the beam; for this reason the mouth
should form a sharp cone inwards; the apperture for feeding, and all others
but those for the entrance and exit of the blast, should be completely closed.
In Figure 7 the arrangement for carrying the beam backwards and forwards
between the furnaces is shewn; this is effected by means of rollers, and either
rolls or hammers may be used for uniting the joints. The furnaces should,
preferably, either be mounted on carriages or slung, so as to be casily removed
to and from the beam.
In order to shew the application of these principles of combination and
construction, before particularly described, the Figures 8, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10",
11, 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16, 17, 17, 18, 18, 19, 19, 20,
21, 22, 22, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 26, 27, and 28, are given as sectional forms
of beams I particularly claim wben made by the process of uniting or joining
the parts by the method of welding.
Figures 8 up to 13 shew forms of girders or beams I claim when made by
the process of welding, and suitable for various applications to engineering,
architectural, and shipbuilding purposes.
Figures 13, 13, and 13" shew different-forms-of-a-hollow-flanged-beam,
which I claim particularly as possessing many advantages.
Figs. 14 is a hollow angle flanged beam of useful application, and which
may be modified similarly to Figures 13ª and 136.
Figures 16 and 17 are particular forms of beams which can be made by
my method, and which I make use of to form hollow beams or girders in the
manner shewn in Figures 16 and 17, the additional parts being added so as
to complete the beam.

page_text: The remainder of the Figures up to 26* are sections of beams, all of which
have particular applications both in shipbuilding and other constructions.
Figures 27 and 28 shew forms where a part of the web may be stamped
or cut out, which has the effect of diminishing the metal where it is not much
required, and at the same time lessening the space to be welded.
The lines across the sections indicate the particular where the joints may
be made; but it will be evident from what was before stated that this will
vary from several reasons.
Having now particularly described the nature of my Invention, and how
the same is or may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that what I
claim as new, and wish secured by the before in part recited Letters Patent,
is,-
First, the novel combination of parts by which I construct or form malle-
able or wrought-iron girders, beams, joists, bars, ship frames or ribs, and such
like similar objects, and the general application of the method of welding by
means of heat, so as to unite the various parts, so as to form the prementioned
girders, beams, joists, bars, ships' ribs or frames of one piece of metal, sub-
stantially as described in this Specification, and more fully illustrated in the
Drawings appended thereto.
Second, the particular application of these principles of novel combination
and construction to the formation of beams, girders, and frames similar
generally to the form illustrated in the Drawings from Figure No. 8 to
Figure No. 28 inclusive, being applicable to the various purposes before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David William Warder, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
0
DAVID WILLIAM WARDER. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES WRIGHT,
21, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, London.