AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF AXLES AND SHAFTING
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jonathan Saunders, of St. John's Wood, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF AXLES AND SHAFTING."
Sealed the 3rd July 1855, and dated the 16th January 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jonathan Saunders at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th January 1855.
I, JONATHAN SAUNDERS, of St. John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF AXLES AND SHAFTING" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of folding or bending sheet or plate iron into a
volute pile, thus
and then to apply around such volute pile segmental
or other form of bars exterior thereof, so that the volute portion of the pile
or mass forms the interior or central portion of an axle or shaft, and then
heating and rolling or hammering such pile to lengthen the same into an axle,

page_text: or shaft; and where it is desired that the inner bends or folds should not be
welded or caused to adhere one to the other, a suitable coating is to be
applied to such surfaces, in order to prevent them welding when heated, and
extended by rolling or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jonathan Saunders in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JONATHAN
SAUNDERS, of St. John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of January; in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her-heirs and--successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Jonathan Saunders, Her special licence that I, the said Jonathan
Saunders; my executors, administrators,,, and, assigns, or such others as
I, the said Jonathan Saunders, ny 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN.. THE MANUFACTURE-OF-AXLES AND SHAFTING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jonathan Saunders, 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 Jonathan Saunders, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof (that is to say):-
This Invention consists of folding or bending sheet or plate iron into a
volute pile, thus
and then to apply around such volute pile segmental
.
or other form of bars exterior thereof, so that the volute portion of the pile

page_text: or mass forms the interior or. central portion of an axle or shaft, and then
heating and rolling or hammering such pile to lengthen the same into an axle
or shaft; and where it is desired that the, inner bends or folds should not
be welded or caused to adhere one to the other, a suitable coating is to be
applied to such surfaces in order to prevent them welding when heated, and
extended by rolling or otherwise.
How the stated the natura of
soid Invention Tl rooood
to
up when combining parts in order to carry out my Invention. a, a, is a plate.
formed with tapering edges, and bent or folded up into a coil or volute, as
shown. b, b, c, c, and d, d, are three layers of segment pieces which surround
and inclose the volute or coiled plate a, a. The several layers of segment
pieces may be composed of the number of pieces shewn in each case, or the
number of pieces used in each case may be varied.
And although I have shown three such rings or layers of segment pieces, I
do not confine myself to that number, as axles may be constructed according
to my Invention with a greater or less number of layers or rings of segment
pieces, so long as there is in each axle a bent or volute plate interior of such
segment pieces; and I would state that the interior coil or volute a, a, may
occupy a larger or different relative space in the "pile" than that shown in
the Drawing. The interior surfaces of the coil a, a, may be prevented welding
together by a coating, such as is used when it is desired to prevent surfaces of
iron in contact becoming welded, as is well understood; or these surfaces may
be left uncoated, so that they, as well as the surfaces of the segment pieces,
may become welded. The Drawing shows the centre of the pile hollow, and I
prefer that it should be so, but the plate a may be filled, or bent, or rolled up
close in the centre, if desired. Having "piled" the parts together which are
to form an axle or shaft, I cause the pile to be hooped at the two ends, and
then heated and rolled, hammered or swaged into the form desired.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim the
making of axles or shafts by employing bent or volute plates, such as shewn
at a, a, when separately used; nor do I claim the making of shafts or axles
by the means of segment pieces when separately used; but what I claim is, the

page_text: manufacture of axles and shafts by combining, as herein described, volute or
bent plates a interior of segment pieces.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jonathan Saunders, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
JON. SAUNDERS. (L.S.)