IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES AND PROJECTILES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Watson Spencer, of Newburn, in the County of
Northumberland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF ARMOUR PLATES AND PROJECTILES."
Sealed the 12th March 1880, and dated the 28th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Watson Spencer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1879.
JOHN WATSON SPENCER, of Newburn, in the County of Northumberland.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES AND PROJECTILES."
Whercas certain failures have occurred in the use of armour plates and projectiles
by reason of their not combining the properties of hardness to resist penetration or
to penetrate respectively, and toughness to prevent them from breaking or splitting
up; now my Invention consists in the following methods of manufacture to over-
come these difficulties :-I make the armour plates or projectiles by any ordinary
process either of malleable iron or steel, and then submit them to a process of
carburization by embedding them in charcoal or other carbonaceous substances in
suitable furnaces, and subjecting them to heat for such time as is requisite to give
the necessary depth of carburization; also, if required, and by preference, I prepare
and harden them by any known process. By applying the said process of carburi-
zation to armour plates and projectiles the defects therein above referred to will be
obviated, and by my process of manufacture masses can be readily hardened without
any great risk, at the same time giving the maximum of hardness outside and great
ductility inside where required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Watson Spencer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
May 1880.
JOHN WATSON SPENCER, of Newburn, in the County of Northumberland.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARMOUR PLATES AND PROJECTILES."
My Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of Armour Plates and
Projectiles" consists in the combination of the two processes hereinafter referred
to, or the addition of the process of carburization, in order to give to the armour
plates and projectiles the qualities or properties secured thereby.
Whereas certain failures have occurred in the use of armour plates and projectiles
by reason of their not combining the properties of hardness to resist penetration
or to penetrate respectively, and toughness to prevent them from breaking or
splitting up; now my Invention consists in the following methods of manufacture
to overcome the difficulties:-I make the armour plates or projectiles by any
ordinary process either of malleable iron or steel, and then submit them to a process
of carburization by embedding them in charcoal or other carbonaceous substance or
substances in suitable furnaces, and subjecting them to heat for such time as is
requisite to give the necessary depth of carburization; also, if required, and by
preference, I preparo and harden them by any known process.
By applying the said process of carburization to armour plates and projectiles
the defects therein above referred to will be obviated, and by my process of manu-
facture masses can be readily hardened without any great risk, at the same time
giving the maximum of hardness outside and great ductility inside where required.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I do not claim as of my Invention
the carburization of articles or masses of iron or steel except as intended to be
made into armour plates and projectiles, neither do I claim the process of hardening
armour plates or projectiles; but what I do claim as of my Invention is, the
application to armour plates and projectiles made either of malleable iron or steel
by the ordinary process or processes of the process of carburization either with or
without hardening, as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said John Watson Spencer, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty first day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty
TATHAT 177 CATIANC
Gol
Witness,
War. C. RITSON,
Newburn on Tyne,
Clerk.
JOHN W. SPENCER. (L.)
Newburn, Northd.,
Engineer, M.I.M.E., etc.