Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-14
MAKING LEAD PIPE.
Powerful Presses of Wonderful Sim
pIicity and Effectiveness Used.
(New York SUM-


Lead-pipe is made by means Of power
full presses, whose method Of operation
is extremely simple. Before the inven-
ton Of the lead-pipe press the pipe was
made In various ways. Lead was cast
on a bar, in lengths OF a foot or two,
which were then rolled out between
grooved rollers, into lengths OF about ten
feet, such lengths being then sodered
together to make a still longer pipe. BY
another method, sheet-lead was cut off
in lengths. rolled up. and soldered at the
joint to form a pipe. BY still another
method lead-pipe was drawn, I'm some
thing the same manner that wire Is
drawn now. AL these methods, requir-
ing much more labor, were much more
costly than the present way. The lead
pipe press is not new-the first one used
IN this country was brought from Scot
land, about seventy-five years ago. The
presses now used are the same I'm prin-
ciple as those used then, varying only
in details and in the manner Of apply
ing the power. Briefly stated, piston.
working in a cylinder, which has been
previously filed with molten lead, forces
the lead through an opening, in the CEN
tire of which core IS held. In some
early machines the cylinder was fixed
and the piston moved down into it. bat
in most presses the piston, or plunger
or lead ram, as 1t is called,
is held fixed, and 1t IS the cylinder that
IS made TO move. In some presses the
die. or opening through which the lead
is forced 70 form the pipe, is in the bot
tom of the cylinder; the pipe comes out
at the bottom Of the press. In other
presses the die IS placed in the lead-ram,
or plunger, and the pipe comes out at
the top Of the press. The top-delivery
press is now the one more commonly
used.
The lead cylinder Of a press employed
I'm making pipe OF the sizes most COM
monty used would be perhaps Is inches
in height and is inches IN outside dame
ter, and II would have bore or inches
I'm diameter; the cylinder is made OF
eteel 1t has steam-jacket. by means
of which II Is heated before work Is be-
gun: after that the molten metal poured
into IL keeSs il hot. The cylinder Is Sc
cured firmly TO a massive table, which
tests upon the upper end OF the piston
OF a hydraulic press.
In an under-delivery lead-press the die
Is placed at the bottom or the cylinder.
The opening then is reduced by the ad-
iustment of a number OF attachments,
designed for the purpose, and, tnaily, in
the centre is placed the die, Of whatever
size 1t may be desired to use. When ,
pressure is applied the lead In the cylin-
der is forced out through this die. IT
fills the opening, whatever IL may be;
co that the outside diameter Of the pipe
Is the same as the inside diameter OF
the die: the die forms the outer surface
Of the pipe.
Above the lead cylinder. and concen-
trio with II, is suspended, in a fixed po-
sition. the lead-ram, steel. pdston-like
cylinder. which Just fits into the bore
in the lead cylinder. When the press Is
not in operation, and tho cylinder Is
lowered. there is clear space between the
lower end OF the lead-ram and the
unner edge of the lead-chamber. In the
ION OF the lead-cylinder. Rising from
either side Of the lead-cylinder Is steel
rod. these two rods. rising opposite each
cher and parallel. run through and above
the frame OF the press; above the
frame the two rods are united by a
crosshead. To the crosshead Is attached
a long hollow steel rod. called the core
holder. The core-holder goes down