IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUN BARRELS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Faulkner and David Faulkner, trading.
under the Style or Firm of Faulkner Brothers, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gun Barrel Manufacturers, James Fairley, also
of Birmingham, aforesaid, Commercial Agent, and William Charles
Stiff, of Edgbaston, near Birmingham, also in the County of Warwick,
Military Gun Iron Inspector, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF GUN BARRELS."
Sealed the 7th July 1863, and dated the 4th February 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Faulkner,
David Faulkner, James Fairley, and William Charles Stiff at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 4th
February 1863.
We, CHARLES FAULKNER and DAVID FAULKNER, trading under the Style
or Firm of Faulkner Brothers, of Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, Gun Barrel Manufactures, JAMES FAIRLEY, also of Birmingham,
aforesaid, Commercial Agent, and WILLIAM CHARLES STIFF, of Edgbaston,
near Birmingham, also in the County of Warwick, Military Gun Iron'
Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GUN BARRELS," to be as follows (that is to say):-

page_text: Our Invention consists in taking moulds for military and other gun
barrels formed in the ordinary way, and of the usual or various qualities of
iron, these moulds we weld and partially elongate by passing them through
rolls, in this state we convert the partially formed iron gun barrel into steel
by the ordinary process, and in this condition we complete the operation of
rolling the barrel by the usual process, using internal and external pressure,
or the conversion may be effected after the barrel has been nearly at completely
rolled. As great uniformity in the condition of our metal is desirable we may
in some instances form our moulds of cast steel, and before welding putting
the same through a process that shall partially decarbonize it in order that
the process of welding shall be made complete, and after partially elongating
it we again convert or restore it to its former condition, but we will observe
that by preference we allow that portion of the barrel intended for the extreme
breech end not to be converted in the case when iron is used, and to be de-
carbonized when cast steel is employed.
The advantage derived from our Invention is the superior quality and
condition of steel for the purposes of gun barrels over that of ordinary iron,
not that the use of steel is new in its application to gun barrels, but the mode
herein-before described of treating the iron, and converting it during the process
of formation with the subsequent process of internal and external pressure is
new and of great importance as it so condenses the steel as to render it in a
highly advantageous condition for the purposes herein stated as its superior
density will render such barrels, whether rifled or otherwise, more enduring,
and less liable to injury than gun barrels as ordinarily made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2.
filed by the said Charles Faulkner, David Faulkner, James Fairley,
and William Charles Stiff in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
August 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
FAULKNER, and DAVID FAULKNER, trading under the Style or Firm of 3
Faulkner Brothers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Barrel
Manufacturers, JAMES FAIRLEY, also of Birmingham, aforesaid, Commercial
Agent, and WILLIAM CHARLES STIFF, of Edgbaston, near Birmingham, also
in the County of Warwick, Military Gun Iron Inspector, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Charles Faulkner, David Faulkner, James Fairley, and William
Charles Stiff, Her special license, that we, the said Charles Faulkner, David
Faulkner, James Fairley, and William Charles Stiff, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles Faulkner,
David Faulkner, James Fairley, and William Charles Stiff, 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, usc, exereise, 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 GUN BARRELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Charles Faulkner, David Faulkner, James Fairley, and William Charles Stiff
by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly des-
cribe 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 Charles Faulkner, David Faulkner,
James Fairley, and William Charles Stiff, do hereby declare the nature of
our 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)
Our improvements in the manufacture of gun barrels will be understood from
the following description:-We take what are technically called "möülds,"
made in the ordinary way, of various sizes or forms, and of any suitable or
desired quality of iron according to the purpose for which they may be applied,
whether military or otherwise. These "moulds" we weld at the joint
or meeting of the metal, by heating them to a welding heat in a suitable
furnace, and pass them through a pair of grooved rolls, which has the effect
of welding, and also partially elongating them; in this state we convert the
tube or partially formed gun barrel, from the condition of iron to that of steel
by the ordinary or common process or processes now generally used in the
conversion of iron into steel; and in this converted condition we complete the
operation of rolling or elongating the tube to the desired length by the
ordinary or common process, using by preference internal as well as external
pressure, for it is of essential importance that we should convert the iron into

page_text: steel at the stage above named, or prior to the full elongation or form being
imparted as the process of finishing or fully elongating (whether by rolling or
otherwise,) will have the effect of condensing and equalising the metal, which
is so essential for gun barrels, and to obtain this is essentially the object of
our Invention, and which could not be obtained if the cementation or con-
version were effected after the tube or barrel had been fully formed, and
although we used the term "completely rolled" in our Provisional
Specification it must be understood that barrels in such condition must be
subjected to a further process of hammering or otherwise with internal pressure
to obtain the density desirable in the metal of such converted barrels. But
instead of commencing with a mould as herein-before described we may
take one formed of cast, or any other kind of steel, and before effecting or
performing the operation of welding put the mould through the ordinary
process of decarbonizing in order that the process of welding may be throughly
effected, and after the welding and partially elongating has been performed
we may again restore it to its former condition by recarbonizing, and then
completely elongating or finishing the tube or barrel, but we will observe that
by preference we protect that portion of the barrel intended for the breech
end, from undergoing the process of conversion, or carbonizing, whether the
barrel be formed from an iron or steel mould.
The great and important advantages derived from our Invention are the
superior quality and condition of a gun barrel thus formed or treated over
that of gun barrels as ordinarily manufactured, not that the use of steel is new
in its application to gun barrels, but the mode herein described of treating
and converting during the process of formation with internal and external
pressure so condenses the steel as to render it in a highly advantageous con-
dition for the purposes herein stated, as such compact and condensed condition
will render gun barrels thus produced, whether rifled or otherwise, more
enduring and less liable to injury than gun barrels as ordinarily made.
Having thus given a general description of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it understood that we
do not purpose limiting - ourselves to the exact details herein described, as
the same may be varied, as explained, without affecting the spirit and object
of our Invention, as for instance "moulds" for gun barrels may be made of
homogeneous metal, and in a solid or tubular form, by casting, coiling, or
otherwise, and after punching, or drilling (in the case of solid "moulds"
being used) may be converted and rolled or otherwise elongated to the size
and length required for gun barrels, hence it follows that what we claim as

page_text: new and of our Invention, and wish protected by these our in part recited
Letters Patent, is, for converting, or carbonizing partially formed tubes of
iron or steel for gun barrels, technically called "moulds," whether the same
be formed by coiling, welding, drilling, punching, or casting, and then elon-
gating or finishing the same in the ordinary way as now commonly pursued.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Faulkner, David Faulkner,
James Fairley, and William Charles Stiff, have hereunto set our hands
and seals, this First day of August, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-three.
(L.B.)
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C.E.
JAMES FAIRLEY.
(L.B.)
WILLIAM CHARLES STIFF. (LS.)
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.