Improvements in the Manufacture of Armour Plates and Projectiles.
Year: 1896

page_text: rate of Application, 4th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Armour Plates and
Projectiles.
1, JOHN WATSON SPENCER, of Newburn, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County
of Northumberland, Steel Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
The armour plates and projectiles can be made by any ordinary process either of
iron or steel of such a quality as to provide the necessary ductility and rigidity as
may be found necessary to resist breaking up on one hand and toughness to assist
the resistance to penetration of the hardened faces or setting up of projectiles as
hereinafter described.
I then cover the surface or surfaces as may be required, by means of electric
welding or fusing, with a coating, of any desired depth or thickness, of an alloy of
steel or any other metal whereby intense hardness can be imparted such as any
chromium alloy and carbon.
This can then be subjected to any mechanical treatment, necessary to meet the
position, shape and form etc. of the plate, or if necessary this mechanical treatment
can be done before the electric coating of the plate.
The plates can then be hardened, to ensure (as may be found desirable to meet
the particular conditions) the various degrees of hardness as may be found most.
suitable.
The projectiles made by any ordinary process of iron or steel can then be easily
coated on the points, or other part of the surface if desired to any required depth
and afterwards may be hardened.
By means of electrically welding or fusing a coating of metal or alloy of such a
nature that when hardened or otherwise a maximum degree of hardness can be
ensured for the purpose of resisting armour piercing projectiles-or of assisting the
power of penetration of the projectiles themselves as the case may be, in a way
that can at present not otherwise be performed.
The difficulty of fusing or welding or otherwise obtaining a combination of iron
or mild steel, with alloys or metals of great hardness and resistance and especially
of enabling the surface to be hardened while the parts retain their ductility is
well known.
My process of manufacture will enable combinations of metals or metals and
alloys of the greatest variation to be made, whereby if necessary adamantiue or
great hardness can be combined at will with the greatest ductility.
By this means armour plates can probably be made of much less weight, as the
great resistance imparted to the surface will either break up the projectile or
greatly retard its penetration.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Armour Plates and
Projectiles.
I JOHN WATSON SPENCER of Newburn, Newcastle-on-Tyne, in the County
of Northumberland, Steel Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The armour plates and projectiles can be made by any ordinary process either of
iron or steel of such a quality as to provide the necessary ductility and rigidity as
may be found necessary to resist breaking up on the one hand and toughness to
assist the resistance to penetration of the hardened faces or setting up of projectiles
as hereinafter described. I then cover the surface or surfaces as may be required,
by means of electric welding or fusing, with a coating, of any desired depth or
thickness, of an alloy of steel or any other metal whereby intense hardness can be
imparted such as any chromium alloy and carbon.
This can then be subjected to any mechanical treatment necessary to meet the
position, shape and form etc., of the plate or if necessary this mechanical treatment
can be done before the electric coating of the plate.
The plates can then be hardened, to ensure (as may be found desirable to meet
the particular conditions) the various degrees of hardness as may be found most
suitable.
The projectiles made by any ordinary process of iron or steel can then be
electrically coated on the points, or other part of the surface if desired to any
required depth and afterwards may be hardened.
By means of electricity welding or fusing a coating of metal or alloy of such a
nature that when hardened or otherwise a maximum degree of hardness can be
ensured for the purpose of resisting armour piercing projectiles or of assisting the
power of penetration of the projectiles themselves as the case may be, in a way
that can at present not otherwise be performed.
The difficulty of fusing or welding or otherwise obtaining a combination of iron
or mild steel, with alloys or metals of great hardness and resistance, and especially
of enabling the surface to be hardened while the parts retain their ductility is well
known.
My process of manufacture will enable combinations of metals or metals and
alloy of the greatest variation to be made, whereby if necessary adamantine or
great hardness can be combined at will with the greatest ductility.
By these means armour plates can probably be made of much less weight and
the great resistance imparted to the surface will either break up the projectile or
greatly retard its penetration.
In carrying out this invention if for armour plates-upon a plate of the required
thickness and ductility, either plain or shaped a surface of the required thickness is
built up by the electric are which fuses or melts the surface of the plate and while
so fused or melted the metal or alloy is added from time to time and fused forming
a perfect unity with the material of the plate until the required thickness and
surface is obtained, or if necessary and convenient the metal or alloys previously
melted can he poured upon the surface of the plate which has already been
brought to the state of fusion by the electric are. The plate can then again be
subject to mechanical treatment if required and hardened to the desired degree of
hardness.
In the manufacture of projectiles the body is formed of any ordinary suitable
material cast forged or rolled etc., having the necessary ductility and stiffness it is
then fused or melted at the end for penetration by the are and the metal or alloys

page_text: gradually added and built up as before described until the requisite thickness and
surface is obtained when it can then be hammered pressed and swaged down, if
necessary, to consolidate the material and ensure accurate dimensions and good
surface.
To facilitate the work the body can be heated previously by ordinary means.
previous to being operated upon by the electric arc and addition of metals or-
alloys. When completed the projectile can he hardened and treated to secure the
necessary degree of hardness from the point to the body.
In carrying out the operations care must be taken in the use of the are so that
the metal is not oxidized, and a fusible flux provided to ensure the melted metal
being cleansed from earths and oxides providing also a protection from oxidation.
It is important to see that clean metallic surfaces are operated upon and that
perfect fusion of the material of the body of the plate or projectile takes place
before the addition of the metals or alloys for the surface are added.
The use of the arc alone in fusing the surface and subsequent cooling is sufficient.
to ensure a very hard face without any further addition when cast iron and its.
different variations are used.
By the adoption of my said invention the following advantages over ordinary
processes are attained.
(a) The production of armour plates capable of great resistance to penetration
with the least thickness said armour having the hardest possible outer surface
whilst retaining a ductile body, so that plates thinner than those heretofore used
for the same amount of resistance may be utilized.
(b) Armour piercing projectiles can be manufactured at much less cost than at
present, giving the full advantages of the costly and risky projectiles now used and
securing much greater rapidity of production whilst the risk of fracture after much.
costly work has been expended upon them is reduced to a minimum,
Having row particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In the manufacture of armour plates and projectiles by fusing or melting the
surface of the plate or projectile with the aid of the electric are and whilst the
surface of the plate or projectile is so fused or melted adding and building up..
thereon further metal or alloy to the desired thickness or until the desired substance
or surface is attained, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The herein described process of manufacturing armour plates and projectiles
which consists in fusing the surface of the body or foundation of the armour plate
or projectile, and whilst such surface is in a state of fusion, or melting, adding or
building up thereon with the aid of the electric are further quantities of suitable
metal, or alloy of metals, by pouring electrically fused or melted metal or alloy
thereon or by melting or fusion thereto by the electric arc ready for such further-
treatment (if any) as may be required, all substantially as and for the purposes set.
forth.