AN IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING FORGED IRON
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clay, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron Merchant, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
MANUFACTURING FORGED IRON."
Sealed the 18th September 1855, and dated the 4th July 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clay at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4tli
July 1855.
I, WILLIAM CLAY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Iron Mer-
chant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF MANUFACTURING FORGED IRON " to be as follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is to economize metal in the manufacture
of shafts, bars, and other like articles by the forging process, and that without
detracting from their strength and durability. The following will illustrate
the mode of carrying out my Invention:-In the manufacture of large shafts,
for example, I propose to pile together lengths of wrought iron of a zig-zag or
other such sectional figure as will admit of their interlocking with each other,
and forming together a hollow cylinder. This cylinder I fill with sand,
charcoal dust, or other suitable granulated substance to form a core, and
chaving closed the ends by welding plugs thereto, I-bring the cylinder to a

page_text: welding heat, and subject it to the action of a forge hammer, for the purpose
of uniting the several pieces together, and reducing the piled cylinder to the
required shape.
In some cases, instead of employing the granulated substance, I may find it
desirable to weld the pile pieces together without the use of a core.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William "Clay in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, J, WILLIAM
CLAY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Iron Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, "Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clay, Her Special license that I, the said William Clay, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clay, my 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
MANUFACTURING FORGED IRON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Clay, 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. William Clay, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being. had to the: Drawing hereunto, annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked, thereon (that is to say):-
The chief object of this Invention. is to economize metal in the manufacture
of shafts, bar's, and other articles by the forging process.
The following will. illustrate the mode. of carrying out my Invention:-In
the manufacture: of large shafts, for example, I propose to pile. together lengths

page_text: of wrought iron, of a zig-zag or other such sectional figure; as will admit of
their interlocking.with and being joined to each other, and forming together
a hollow cylinder. This cylinder I fill with sand, charcoal dust; or other
suitable granulated substance to form a core, and having closed the ends by
welding plugs therein, I bring the cylinder thus composed. of separate pieces to
a welding heat, and subject it to the action of a hammer, for the purpose of
uniting the several pieces together, and reducing the piled. cylinder to the
required shape. In some cases, instead of employing the granulated substance,
I may find it desirable to weld the piled pieces together without the use
of a core.
In the accompanying Drawing I have. shewn at Figures. 1. and 2.sectional
views of the mode of manufacturing shafts according to my. improved plan,
the only difference in the two Figures being in the sectional form of the
lengths of wrought-iron bars of which the shaft is to be composed. In Fig. 1
the wrought-iron bars are made of a Z shape form, as shewn in the detached
Figure, Fig. 1. In Fig. 2 the bars are rolled or made of a wedge form, as
shewn in the detached view, Fig. 2.. When it is required to manufacture a
shaft or bar of large diameter, a suitable number of the sectional bars are
assembled together, and temporarily held together with hoops of iron, so, that
the mass may be conveniently placed in the furnace or fire in order to be
brought to a welding heat, and when sufficiently heated it may be submitted to .
the process of hammering and working into the required shape.
When I intend to use a sand or other core to form the central part of
shafts or bars, I first secure the sectional bars in their respective places by
means of the hoops of iron as aforesaid, and I then fill the interior of the
cylinder with sand, charcoal dust, or other suitable granulated substance, and
when these materials are rammed in very tightly I close the ends by means of
plugs of iron, which should be welded on; it will then be found that the sand
core inside the cylinder will support the external bars while they are subjected
to hammering in the subsequent process of welding. Sometimes I find it con-
venient to enclose the sand or other granulated substance in a thin cylinder of
sheet iron, properly closed at the ends, and on this cylinder I pile the radial
bars, as shewn at Fig. 2. By this means the sand or other granular substance
is prevented from entering the interior or joints between the radial bars.
I propose to dispense with the use of the sand core; but when this is the
case I prefer to use bars of the shape or section shewn in Figures 1 and 12,
or some other form that will interlock with the contiguous bars, so that the
bars may assist in supporting each other, and make better joints than if a
simple wedge-shaped-bar-were employed.---

page_text: Having described my Invention of an improved mode of manufacturing
forged iron, and the means of carrying the same into effect, I would observe,
that although I have shewn in the accompanying Drawing the forms of iron
bars which I prefer to use in manufacturing shafts by my improved process as
aforesaid, I do not mean or intend to confine myself rigidly thereto, as other
sections of iron may be employed to effect the same object; but that which I
consider to be new in the above-described improved mode of manufacturing
forged iron, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by.
Letters Patent as aforesaid, is, making shafts, bars, or other articles by the
forging process, by piling together lengths of wrought iron of any suitable
section to form a cylinder, as above shewn and described; I also claim the use
of a core previously prepared as aforesaid, and on which the lengths of bar
iron may be piled as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clay, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Second day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand-eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
JOSEPH S. KING,
43, Berkley St., Toxh Park,
n³ Liverpool.
ILLIAM CLAY. (L.S.)