IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING OR FINISHING TURES FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Potts, of the Firm of F. Potts & Co.,
Patent Tube Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF MANUFACTURING
OR FINISHING TURES FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Potts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
December 1859
1, FERDINAND POTTS, of the Firin of F. Potts & Co., Patent Tube
Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MODE OF
MANUFACTURING OR FINISHING TUBES FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES," to be as follows
(that is to say):-
My Invention relates to a particular class of tubes that I purpose forming
or making of one kind of metal or metallic alloys, and coating or finishing
them with one of more of other kinds of metal or metals, as, for instance,
tubes for locomotive, marine, or other tubular boilers may be made of any
suitable alloy of metals that when made shall be hard for the better resisting
the action of the grit and ashes that is driven through them when in use, and
the outside of such tubes I purpose finishing with a deposit of copper, which
will better resist the action of the acids generated in steam boilers. Tubes
thus covered may be further finished by being drawn through a hole at a
common draw bench or otherwise. By this principle I obtain all the strength
and hardness of brass on the inside and body of the tube with the advantage
of copper on the outside, giving to the tube when finished all the appearance
of a solid copper tube; and this mode of finishing tubes is also applicable to
many other purposes, producing a novel and useful effect.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ferdinand Potts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th June 1860:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINAND
POTTS, of the Firm of F. Potts & Co., Patent Tube Manufacturers, of Bir-
mingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Ferdinand Potts, Her special license that I, the said
Ferdinand Potts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Ferdinand Potis, my executors, administrators, or 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 MODE OF MANUFACTURING OR FINISHING TUBES FOR
CERTAIN PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Ferdinand Potts, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 Ferdinand Potts, 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 relates to the mode of finishing certain descriptions of tubes
for particular purposes that hitherto have not been so treated, and which
consists in coating them with copper or brass or zinc, or other suitable metal
or metals, according to the purpose for which they may be desired, as, for
instance, the tubes commonly used for locomotives, marine, or other tubular
boilers, are made of a mixture known as "Muntz's metal," or other metallic
compound generally designated as brass, and which is found, from its great
hardness, to wear better and longer resist the action of the grit constantly
from the quick action of the
passing through their interior (while in use
draft) than if such tubes had been made wholly of copper, but nevertheless

page_text: the action of some kinds of water used for the generation of steam in such
boilers is found to act injuriously to the outer surface of such tubes, to
counteract which I purpose to cover such tubes with copper by depositing
such copper by any of the approved and most economic modern methods of
electro-depositing; and as copper so deposited is found to be in a crystalized
state, or, in other words, deposited in small grains or particles, I purpose in a
general way drawing such tubes through a smooth steel finishing hole of, the
proper size in the same way and by the same appliances in which such tubes
may have been originally made or formed. This final drawing process hardens
and laminates the particles of copper, however thin, into a compact hard
surface, thereby preventing the acid in the water acting injuriously on, the
metal below; and if deposited with proper or ordinary care, perfect amalga-
mation with the metal forming the tube will take place, rendering it not
liable to peel off even with beating and working. Nothwithstanding I have
found that the copper so deposited will form a good finish, and protect the
metal of the tube from the action of the water without the final process of
drawing before described. The use of iron tubes for tubular boilers has been
found objectionable, and which objection has principally arisen from the
tendency of the water working in between the metal forming the fire-box and
the outer surface of the tubes inducing rapid oxidation and consequent
leakage. But iron tubes properly treated, first for the removal of grease or
oil from their outer surface, and submerged in properly diluted sulphuric acid
for the removal of all scale or oxide, and in this condition, coated with copper,
as before stated, such tubes will be found possessing additional strength,
hardness, and rigidity (essential in such tubes when used for tubular boilers)
than is possessed by the brass tubes now generally used, while their outer
surface will be protected from the oxidising tendency of their position. And
in applying them to boilers, the copper coating being brought in close contact
with the copper of the fire-box, the iron will be at this part completely pro-
tected from the action of the water, and will wear for a long time without
leakage taking place, as the oxidation that otherwise would take place is
entirely prevented, thus rendering an iron tube (so treated) as applicable and
enduring as if metal tubes had been used.
The rapid condensation of steam has occupied much of the attention of
scientific men, and must always be of the first consideration to any new use or
employment of steam as a motive power, and I believe that tubular condensers
will ere long be a frequent appendage to the steam engine; and, as condensa-
tion more rapidly takes place on smooth than rough surfaces, the application of
my treatment to iron tubes for tubular condensers will be (from its economy)

page_text: of the greatest importance. And in applying the process of electro-depositing
to iron tubes for this purpose (and which tubes may be brazed, welded, or
otherwise made), 1 prefer; after cleaning and pickling, to draw them through
a hole sufficiently small as to compress the entire outer surface of the tube
concentrically with the steel surface of the hole, thereby producing a uniform
smooth surface, from which condition I purpose to immediately clean and
deposit the desired coating of brass, copper, or other metal or metals, after
which, for the sake of improving the smoothness of the tubes so treated, I
purpose to again pull them through a hole, as before described, which will
leave the coating on the tube hard and smooth. Tubes thus treated will be
found, as before stated, highly beneficial for tubular condensers; the tendency
to leakage where such tubes are fitted and brought in contact with the metal
forming the ends of the condenser will be to a great extent prevented, as all
tendency to oxidation, as far as the tubes are concerned, is prevented or con-
siderably reduced; and this mode of finishing tubes I also purpose applying
for the hand-railing and other parts in and about locomotive and marine
engines and other fittings where great strength is required, and where, on
account of the expense, stout iron or iron-cased tubing has been hitherto
used.
And having now described the nature of my Invention, I wish it understood
that I do not claim anything new in the process of coating metals, nor in the
metal or metallic compounds used; but what I claim, and wish protected by
these my in part recited Letters Patent, is the application and treatment of tubes
herein-before described for the various purposes named, and to which such
application and treatment is new and beneficial.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinand Potts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKING, C. E.,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
FERDINAND POTTS. (L.S.)