A NEW METHOD OF MAKING CIRCULAR WOODEN SASH FRAMES, SASHES & SOFFITS, FANLIGHTS, DOORS, MOULDINGS, AND HAND RAILS FOR STAIRS
Year: 1791

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BEVANS, of Red Lion Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, Joiner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the
Fourth day of April instant, hath given and granted unto me, the said John
Bevans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Bevans, my exors,
admors, and assigns, and every of them, from time to time and at all times
hereafter during the term of years therein expressed, shall and lawfully may
make, use, exercise, and vend my Invention of "A NEW METHOD OF MAKING
CIRCULAR WOODEN SASH FRAMES, SASHES & SOFFITS, FANLIGHTS, DOORS, MOULDINGS,
AND HAND RAILS FOR STAIRS," within that part of His said Majesty Kingdom
of Great Britain called England, His Majestic's Dominion of Wales, and
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, the said John Bevans,
my exors, adiiors, or assigns, or any of them, shall seem meet. In which said
Letters Patent is contained, among other provisoes, a proviso that if T, the
said John Bevans, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
inrolled in His said Majestie's High Court of Chancery, within one calendar
month next and immediately after the date of the said now reciting Letters

page_text: Patent, then the said Letters Patent and all liberties and advantages whatso-
ever thereby granted should utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in
and by the said in part recited Letters Patent, reference being thereunto
hud, will more fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the aforesaid proviso in the
said Letters Patent contained, and for particularly describing and ascertaining
the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, T, the said John Bevans, by this Instrument in writing under my
hand and scal, intended to be forthwith inrolled in His said Majestic's High
Court of Chancery, do testify :-
That as
to making circular wooden sash frames, my said Invention
consists in bending the pulley stiles and head of the frame in one intire
piece of wood, without cutting or groving, except the length of wood
required to do so excludes the possibility of procuring wood of sufficient
length, in which case the head of the frame and only part of the pulley
stiles are bent in one piece, and the circular part of beads required for
circular head sash frames, and sash frames circular on the plan or plane,
is for each also bent in one piece of wood. And as to circular wooden
sashes and fanlights, my said Invention consists in making the same by
bending the head and stiles or outside rim in one intire piece of wood,
except as before excepted, in which case the head and only part of the stiles
or straight part, if any, can be bent in one piece, and also in bending each
inside rim in one piece of wood, and each rail and bar of sashes and fanlights
circular on the plan or plane, in one piece of wood, except wood cannot
be procured of sufficient length, in which case they are bent to the proper
curve in two or more pieces, and joined together at the ends with keys or
tennons. And as to circular wooden soffits, my said Invention consists in
making the same by bending each stile or circular part, if framed, in one solid
piece of wool to the proper curve, or if plain, in bending the whole soffit in
one piece to the proper curve, except the length and width of wood required
cannot be procured, in which case it must be bent in two or more pieces and
joined together. And as to circular wooden doors, my said Invention consists
in bending each rail or circular part thereof, in one solid piece of wood, to the
proper curve. And as to circular wooden mouldings, my said Invention consists
in bending the piece of wood to the proper curve required for such moulding
in on solid piece, provided wood can be got of sufficient length; for if not, the
wood must be bent in two or more lengths, and joined together with glue, keys,
or tennons. And as to circular wooden hand rails for stairs, my said Invention
consists in making or forming the sanic by bending each circular part, and, if

page_text: necessary, part of the strait, if any, in one piece of solid wood, if one piece.
can be procured of sufficient length; but if not, then in two or more pieces,
and joined together at the ends with glue, screws, &c.
And I do hereby further declare, that my said Invention, in case the
curves are regular, is done and performed in manner following, that is to
say:-
First, a strong platform or bench is erected in a large room or workshop, in
the center of which platform is fixed a strong perpendicular pin or axle, then
a cylinder or template is made to the proper curve and thickness, in the centre
of which is fixed a bush or collar applicable to the perpendicular pin or axle
in the platform, round which pin the cylinder revolves by means of a lever
fixed to the same in a paralel to, at the required distance from a perpendicular
roller fixed in the platform; then the wood to be bent for the purposes aforesaid
being prepared to the length, width, and thickness required, is to be put into
a large tube, affixed to a vessel of boiling water; the steam of which renders
it pliant, and to remain therein for a proper time, that is, from twenty to thirty
minutes, for every inch in thickness, according to the quality of the wood. It
is then taken out, and one part of it, with a strong hoop at the back or
external part, is fixed to one part of the cylinder by a screw; then the cylinder,
which is turned by means of the lever, presses the wood required to be bent
against the perpendicular roller, which returns the pressure against and bends
the wood to the cylinder. It is then to be taken off the cylinder, and put in
a warm room until it is sufficiently dry to make up.
And I do hereby further testify and declare, that my said Invention, as to
all such pieces of wood as are required to be bent to an irregular curve for
any of the purposes aforesaid, is done and performed in manner following, that
is to say:-
A platform or bench is erected in the first place, as before described and
directed, on which two springs are placed in a parallel to each other; one end
of each spring is fastened to a piece of wood, which is fixed to the said
platform; the other end of each spring contains a perpendicular roller; then a
cylinder or template is made to the curve and thickness required; next, a nut
for a screw is fixed on the platform parallel to and at the required distance
from the perpendicular rollers in the ends of the springs. After which, the
cylinder is placed between the said nut and the rollers, with the crown pointing
directly between the rollers, having sufficient room between the rollers and
crown of the cylinder to admit the wood required to be bent, which being
prepared and put in a tube, and properly steamed as before directed, must be
taken out, and placed between the cylinder and rollers, with a strong hoop at

page_text: the back or external part, and then a screw is worked through the said mut
against the bottom of the cylinder, which forces the cylinder and piece of wood
between the two springs, the strength of which returns the force, and bends
the piece of wood to the cylinder, after which the wood is taken off the cylinder
and dried, as before directed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bevans, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the thirty-first year of the
reign of King George the Third, and in the year One thousand seven
hundred and ninety-one.