CERTAIN MEANS OF PRODUCING DESIGNS IN IRON. AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME. OR DESIGNS FORMED IN LIKE MANNER OF OTHER; METALS. TO TH MANUFACTURING AND ORNAMENTING OF BEDSTEADS AND OTHER METAL ARTICLE OF FURNITURE
Year: 1862

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to John Key, of the Firm of Key, Hoskins & Co., Brass
and Iron Bedstead Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and Ferdinand Potts, of the Firm of F. Potts & Co., Tube
Manufacturers, also of Birmingham aforesaid; for the Invention of
CERTAIN MEANS OF PRODUCING DESIGNS IN IRON. AND IN THE APPLICATION
OF THE SAME. OR DESIGNS FORMED IN LIKE MANNER OF OTHER; METALS. TO
TH MANUFACTURING AND ORNAMENTING OF BEDSTEADS AND OTHER METAL
ARTICLE OF FURNITURE,"
ealed the 28th November 1862, and dated the 2nd June: 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Key and Ferdinand
Potts, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 2nd June 1862.
We, JOIN KEY, of the Firm of Key,Hoskins & Co., Brass and Iron Bedstead
Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and FERDINAND
Porrs, of the Firm of F. Potts & Co., Tube Manufacturers, also of Birmingham
aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN
MEANS OF PRODUCING DESIGNS IN IRON AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME, OR
DESIGNS FORMED IN LIKE MANNER OF OTHER METALS, TO THE MANUFACTURING AND
ORNAMENTING OF BEDSTEADS AND OTHER METAL ARTICLES OF FURNITURE," to be
as follows (that is to say):-
In the manufacturing of metal bedsteads and other articles of metallic furni-
ture hitherto it has been the practice of using wrought iron for the head and foot
rails, and other parts rolled plain to the particular section desired, and also to
make the posts of tubes and rods formed of smooth flat sheet or rod iron rolled
Price Sal

page_text: or otherwise formed. And our improvements consist in finishing metallic rods,
bars, or strips to be used for the manufacture of bedsteads, and other metallic
articles of furniture, by forming suitable designs or otherwise on the peripheries
of the rolls through which the metal passes to be finally finished so that after
such metal has been reduced by the common and ordinary process of rolling
to as near the shape required to assume when finished, we then, while yet
hot or after it has been again heated, pass such rods, strips, or sheets
through rolls ornamented on their peripheries or surfaces, that as the metal is
passed between them the design so formed on the rolls shall be reversely
transmitted to the metal so treated and of which we make or form the suitable
parts that it may be desirable to ornament of bedsteads and other metallic
articles of furniture to which metal so treated may be applicable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Key and Ferdinand Potts, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOIN KEY,
of the Firm of Key, Hoskins & Co., Brass and Iron Bedstead Manufacturers,
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and FERDINAND POTTS, of the
Firm of F. Potts & Co., Tube Manufacturers, also of Birmingham, afore-
said, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Key and Ferdinand Potts, Her special license, that we, the said
John Key and Ferdinand Potts, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said John Key and Ferdinand Potts, 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 ex-
pressed, 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 "CERTAIN MEANS OF PRODUCING DESIGNS IN IRON
AND IN THE APPLICATION OF THE SAME, OR DESIGNS FORMED IN LIKE MANNER OF OTHER
METALS, TO THE MANUFACTURING AND ORNAMENTING OF BEDTEADS AND OTHER METAL
ARTICLES OF FURNITURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said John Key and Ferdinand Potts, by an instrument in writing under

page_text: our hands and seals, 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 we, the said John Key and Ferdinand l'otts, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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):-
In the manufacturing of metal bedsteads and other articles of metallic
furniture hitherto it has been the practice of using wrought iron for the head
and foot rails and other parts rolled plain to the particular section desired, and
also to make the posts of tubes and rods formed of smooth flat sheet orrod iron
of any desired section rolled or otherwise formed. And our improvements
consist in finishing iron rods, bars or strips, to be used in the manufacture of
bedsteads and other metallic articles of furniture by forming suitable designs
or otherwise on the peripheries of the rolls through or between which the
iron passes at right angles to the axis of the said rolls to be finally finished,
so that after such rods, bars, or strips, of any section have been reduced by
the common and ordinary process of rolling to as near the shape required
to assume when finished, we then, while yet hot, or after it has been again
heated, pass such rods, bars, or strips, through rolls ornamented on their
peripheries or surfaces that as the heated iron is being passed between them
the design so formed on the roll or rolls shall be reversely transmitted to
the iron so treated, and of which we purpose making or forming the suitable
parts that it may be desirable to ornament of bedsteads and other metallic
articles to which iron so treated may be applicable.
In our Provisional Specification we have referred to the ornamenting of
metals generally, by the process of rolling for the purposes therein stated, and
as the term furniture may be considered vague we wish to add that since
applying for our Patent we have discovered that pecious and alloyed metals
for jewellery have been ornamented by the process of rolling, and that German
silver, brass, and such like alloyed or composition metals have been extensively
used by silversmiths in the manufacture of plated goods, such as cruet frames
Liquor stands, borders and the like, the same having been drawn or formed
into a strip and then ornamented by being passed between a pair of rolls
having the reverse of the said ornament engraved or formed on their
peripheries, and in consequence of this discovery we do hereby restrict the
operation of our Invention to the use of iron only as described.

page_text: From the above it will be seen that the character or style of the ornament
may be varied as good taste may direct, as for instance, say we require iron
shaped and ornamented as suitable for rails or frames for the head and feet
for bedsteads or other purposes, we break down a rod of iron through rolls or
otherwise until it assumes or nearly so, say the sectional form as exhibited at
Fig. 1 of the Drawings hereunto attached; we then purpose while yet hot
running it through a pair of rolls as exhibited at Fig. 2, the journeys or
bearings of the bottom roll being represented broken off for convenience of
space, and the largest portion of the top roll omitted from the same cause;
the bottom or top rail is so fashioned that a part of it making up the pattern
as drawn fits into the top or bottom roll, and by this means the iron is so
confined that in the process of rolling no fins are produced at the meeting of
the rolls, and the iron is forced into the reverse portions forming the ornament
around the periphery of the top or bottom roll, so that when finished it will
assume the form as exhibited in a side and top view at Figs. 3 and 4; but if
lightness is desired this may be composed of two parts as exhibited in section
at Fig. 5, the top part being ornamented, say by the top roll A, the under roll B
being shaped to correspond with its under or concave sides, the remainder
portion may be drawn or rolled into the shape here showu, the two being
united by a subsequent process, either by rolling, drawing, or otherwise, well
understood by artizans accustomed to such kinds of work, and this same
combined application we have exhibited in a front view at Fig. 6, and in a
sectional view at Fig. 7, but iron rolled into the section shown in the last
Figure may be used with or without the top beading, and if used with the
bead may be formed of iron, brass, or other metal where diversity may be
required or preferred. Fig. 8 represents a front and sectional view of a strip
of iron that has undergone the process of rolling to produce the gothic pattern
there exhibited, which of course may be diversified as taste may direct for the
top or front of rails or other parts of metallic furniture or fittings, the thick-
ness or size of the iron being diversified according to the purpose for which it
may be required, or made angular if desired, and thereby suitable for the
sides and top and bottom rails for metal bedsteads or other such like metallic
articles or purposes for which it may be suitable, and in this case only re-
quiring the ornament to be sunk on one roll and the other left plain. For
forming the scroll work in foot and head rails of bedsteads, or backs of
couches, chairs, flowerstands, out-door seats, or other purposes to which iron
so treated may be applicable, the design exhibited in a side and sectional view
at Figs. 9 and 10 is in our opinion very appropriate, and for the sake of diversity
the design exhibited in Fig. 11 may be used for the same purpose, and which

page_text: is exhibited in a reverse view at Fig. 12, the swell parts in the one view
corresponding with the thin parts of the other, and so on in its length, but in
the forming of this design, as also the one last described, between the peri-.
pheries of the rolls a slight fin more or less would be formed, which, forthesake.
of finish, should be dressed off. Figs. 13 and 14 represent a side and end
view of a thin piece of iron having undergone the operation of ornamenting,
by passing between the surfaces of rolls, the both being the counterpart of
each other, with the difference between for the thickness of the iron; thin
iron thus treated may be done in lengths and united by soldering or otherwise
so as to form the posts, feet, or other parts of metallic furniture or purposes
for which it would be applicable, not that we purpose limiting ourselves to the
use of two rolls, as some designs would be made with greater facility if inade
in sections of three or more, the same being finished by painting, varnishing,
japaning, or otherwise, as metallic articles are usually treated, or wholly or
partly enamelled, plated, polished, or otherwise, as preferred; nor does this
principle of ornamenting iron for the purposes herein before stated prevent us
from producing designs of an irregular shape, such as a taper form or oue
portion being larger in circumference than the other, as the same may be
effected by using rolls of a given circumference to complete the length re-
quired, as for instance a pair of rolls a foot in diameter would admit at one
revolution of rolling an article three feet long or thereabout, and by sinking
corresponding grooves in each roll commencing the groovesay one inch wide,
and terminating it at two inches would permit of a properly shaped hot piece
of iron being applied to the large end of the groove and the rolls being put
in motion they would roll the iron out of a corresponding taper form as the
grooves, this of itself is not new as the same has been extensively used for
the formation of gun barrels, taper tubes, and other articles possessing a plain
surface when finished, but with the appliances herein stated, without regard
to the number of rolls used' we are enabled to indent or compress suitable
designs on such articles as we wish to be of a taper form. This we have
exhibited at Fig. 15, and in a transverse form at Fig. 16, and may be made
solid as here represented, or hollow, using a mandril or other convenient
internal support during the process of going through or between the rolls.
This form has been imparted by the rolls, as exhibited at Fig. 17, the lower
one being partially removed, as well as the bearings of both for convenience
of space; and Fig. 18 is an end view of one of the rolls, the irregular groove
being indicated by the dotted line beginning at C and ending at D. We do
not think it necessary to further elaborate or diversify the desigus applicable
to the development of ourInvention, as its extension for a variety of purposes

page_text: not before referred to or particularized will occur to any practical mindwhere
iron so treated could be beneficially used, but will further add that it will be
found generally of advantage in effecting an increased strength with lightness
and durability for awariety of uses where the ornamentation is now obtained
by casting, or the advantages may be combined, as iron oramented according
to the process of our Invention may be united, where occasion requires, by
casting additional ornaments thereto of iron or any other desired metal, and
further,as an illustration, iron welded tubes while yet hot from the process of
welding, or reheated, if required, may with great advantage be passed
through rolls to be ornamented, and such kinds of tubes are used extensively
for lighting and other purposes in public buildings; the same may be suitably
ornamented and worked in with the buildings, either as a cornice, moulding,
or otherwise, and such tubing thus treated may be used for a variety of
purposes.
Having now given a general description of our Invention and the manner
in which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it understood that
wedonot purpose claiming the ornamenting of iron, as that has been effected
in many ways, but what we claim and wish to protect by these our in part
recited Letters l'atent is, the application of the process of rolling to the pro-
duction of designs in wrought iron, the same to be used for the manufacture
of metallic bedsteads, couches, chairs, flower stands, out-door seats, and the
like, or other purposes to which the said ornamented iron is or may be appli-
cable, without regard to character or extent of the design so produced, as
herein illustrated and described.
In witness. whereof, we, the said John Key and Ferdinand Potts, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C. E.,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JOHN KEY.
(L.B.)
FERDINAND POTTS. (L.S.)