The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
MIXING LEAD PIPE.
Powerful Presses or wonderful simplicity and
Effectiveness Used In IL. Manufacture.

Pow errui Presses or wonderful simplicity and
Effectiveness Used In Its Manufacture.
Lead pipe Is made by means OF powerful
presses. whose method OF operation Is extreme
ly simple. Before the Invention OF the lead
Pipe press the ri pe was made In various ways.
Lead WAS cast on u bar In lengths of n foot or
two. which were then rolled out between
Rrooved rollers into lengths OF about ten feet,
such lengths being then soldered together to
mako n still longer pipe. By another method
sheet lead was cut Oft in lenuths, rolled no
and soldered at the Joint TO form n pipe. BY
still another method lead pipe was drawn. in
something the same manner that wire is
drawn now. All these methods. requiring
much more labor. we're much mo .e costly than
the present way. The lead pipe press 10 not
ncw-thc first one used In this country was
brought from Scotland about. seventy five
years ago. The presses now used are the same
IN principle as those rsed then. VARYING only
in details aud In the manner OF applying the
power. B,,ieiy stated, a piston working In a
cylinder which has been previously filled with
molten load forces the lead through an o pen
ing, in the centre of which a core is held. In
and the piston moved down into 1t. but in most
presses the piston. or %plunger, or lead ram. rs
that Is made to move. In some presses tho
die. or opening through. which the lead Is
forced o form the pipe. Is In the bottom Of the
Z y VI AHo plUt Nolhta Jul ~ ia "
the press. In other presses The die Is placed in
the lead ram. or plunger, and the pipe comes
press 10 now the one more commonly used.
The lead c~ylinder. OF a press employed In
making. pipe OF the sizes most con monty used
would be perhaps eighteen ineles In height
and eighteen inches In outside diameter. an:
II would have ablr~ six or eight inches In
diameter: the cylinder is made OF steel. II has
a stoim Jacket by means OF which IL is heated
btfore work Is begun after that the molten
metal poured into II keeps y hot. Tho cIlin.
ia 1 q q q y RFNIV IN n nEat ahl. ~hNNh
rests upon tho upper end OF tho piston OF u
hydraulic press.
nlaced a. tho bottom OF the cylinder. The
opening then Is reduced b. the adjustment OF
y number Of attachments designed for the pur-
LoSc. and. finally, In the centre Is placed the
die OF Whatever sire IL may be desired TO use.
When pressure !, applied the lead in the Cyl.
inder 10 forced ont through this die. IL fills
the opening, whatever It may be; 80 that the
outside diameter OF the p pe Il the same as the
Inside dsameter Of the die; the die forms the
Above the lead cylinder. and concentrlc
with It. is SUSPENDED. in a fixed position. the
hts into the bore In tho lead cylinder. When
the press 70 not in operation. and the cylinder Is
end OF the lead ram and the upper edge OF the
lead chamber In the top OF the lead cylinder.
Rising from e!ths- side OF the lead cS Under is
a steel rod; these two rods. rising opposite each
other aud parallel. run through and above
the frame OF the press; above the frame the
cro,shead Is attached a long. hollow steel rod
called the core holder. The core holder goes
down through the centre OF the lead ram and
down through the interlor of the lead pipe
The die. The ,fssd ram, When. the press is in
inder; tho core holder works like a piston
through the lead ram. In tho lower end OF
tho core holder a thread is cut. and Into this
thread Is screwed the core. projecting down
within the die. The, core Is 10 form the m
terror surface OF the lead pipe, ana the space
terror OF the die determinc, the thickness, OF
Adjacent. to tho press is 4 lead furnace.
When the press Is ready and the die and core
arc in place tho cylinder is filled with molten
lead, run from tho furnace. Tn. hydraulic
bearing the lead cyiindsr 5 lifted SLOWLY. with
tremendous With tho cylini.r. Of
e sSS i+sm s,ss Of the the ' Machine Ss,: , ana s run ,o up sh. .snys
by the crosshead, and the crosshead carrie
with IL. Of course. tho core holder; In fact
that. though the cylinder is in motion. tn,
core. carried by the core holder. 10 always IN
enters It and is brought into contact with IN,
lead at some pressure. The press Is ther
lead works better for the very slight cooling
and the pressure makes the mass more uni
III. cooling pressure had been OF about aoC
tens; tIe working pressure In making pipe II
up To 400. possibly nm, 10 500 tons. The press
urc Is tremendous and continuous; IL there |.
an opening IN the cylinder any whore the LEAD
must 20 under that pressure. 1t cannot es
cylinder is oe,upied entirely by the ie,.d ram
but there Is an opening at the bottom OF n,
cylinder, the annular space between the cor,
and the die, and the lead Is forced out through
that. II II were a V-shaped opening or an VI
shaped. or whatever IL might he. the press
shape, for, while IL remains very hot for
time after. IL leaves tho press. II becomes Der
fectly fixed In shape the moment IL leaves tn,
mass Of melted metal and the die. Forced
through the annular open'n steadily and con
tinuous!y,. 1t Issues forth in the form OF pipe
couldn't do anything else.
Fresh lead pipe has almost the frosty rlister
OF. silver. As H. comes, from tho press It Il
led away in an inclined, wooden, trough, to b
reeied up on dtnms, In tho coils In which lenC
pipe Is so commonly seen. or H. may BIO "a "
or In lengths for other uses or To order. The
pads which serve as gloves. and are activ'
while tie press Is In operation. for the pine
keep coming steadily.
plunger. remains RNed. and the lead cylinder
rises, Just a. In the bottom delivery press: bu
situation. The die Is placed in the lower nnt
OF the lead ram, and the lower end OF the core
the head; as Il iS called Is 20, In The bottom
for It there. and is centred and held In place
by set screws. The core rises no in the centre
edge. Tho bottom OF tho cylinder Is closed
There is IN opening up through the lead ran
When In Operating the press the lead cylinde
core goes up through the die. Tho bottom o
the cylinder being closed. the lead 10 OF cours
crowded out through the opening In the d!
ut the top. In the under delivery press tn,
core Is held suspended IN the die; here the cor
moves up through the die, with the motisn o
the cylinder. IN which its base Is set. but II 1
OF course rlways at the same distance from
the die. all around, and the lead. formed int,
pipe, Is crowded up all around IL.
When first seen coming out at the top o
tho press tho lead pipe seems almost to shoe
up. 1t rises so rapidly. One man operates I'll
press; two more men handle the pipe. On
OF tho mon bends the rising pipe over 30 that
lies Ia the groove of wooden wheel set Ut
right over tho press; after II Is we'll started IL
own weight Is sufficient TO keep It on tn
wheel, and II Is led thence to drums. The TO
delivery press works with about 3 per cent. les
power and 10 mors convenient In operation.
Lead pipe Is made In many standard sizei
warning In calibre from ope-eighth OF AZ inp
slzes Is made In pipe OF different degrees Q
thickuess.