IMPROVE. MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL RODS, BARS, AND TUBES, TOGETHER WITH A NEW OR IMPROVED MOTIVE POWER FOR COMMUNICATING MOTION TO THE SAME
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Gibson and Edward Ellis, both of West
Hartlepool, in the County of Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL RODS,
BARS, AND TUBES, TOGETHER WITH A NEW OR IMPROVED MOTIVE POWER FOR
COMMUNICATING MOTION TO THE SAME."
Sealed the 23rd November 1866, and dated the 25th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Gibson and
Edward Ellis at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th May 1866.
We, WILLIAM GIBSON and EDWARD ELLIS, both of West Hartlepool, in the
County of Durham, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL
RODS, BARS, AND TUBES, TOGETHER WITH A NEW OR IMPROVED MOTIVE POWER POR
COMMUNICATING MOTION TO THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The primary object of our Invention is to materially simplify and con-
siderably reduce the different operations by which wire rods, bars, and tubes
are now made.
The Invention essentially consists in forcing the iron or other metal through
a cylinder or cylinders and die or dies, instead of working the same through
or between rolls as at present done, all as hereafter described.
[Price 8d.]

page_text: The machinery or apparatus consists of a hollow cylinder or cylinders, and
according to cne arrangement this cylinder is parallel a portion of its length;
the second portion is tapered to near the end of the die, and the remaining
portion is parallel. A die is placed within the cylinder, fitting close thereto,
and the inner part of which is shaped to suit the rods or bars. There is an
outer cylinder and there is a water space, the water in which keeps the
inner cylinder and die from getting red hot. The two cylinders may be
fastened together at each end by rims with bolts.
A pipe supplies the
cylinder with water, and there is another pipe for the escape of steam; or for
the sake of economy the two pipes may be connected to a steam boiler. The
part which receives the bloom or ingots of steel or other metal is on its inner
part of the same size as the inner cylinder, the top being open to receive the
metal. There is a ram for forcing the bloom or other metals into the cylinder
and through the die, and which has motion communicated to it by an
hydraulic cylinder. The ram is supplied with water in order to keep it
cool from a cistern at its rear. When tubes are to be manufactured a tube
of the required size is passed through the tube which supplies the ram with
water through the ram and die, which thus answers as a mandril, and leaving
a space between the tube and die for that which is to be manufactured.
Where we work the apparatus or machinery by hand power we use a hand
wheel instead of the hydraulic, and cut a screw thread on the ram. After
the ram has worked the iron tight up in the cylinder a hand pump comes
into operation. A cap is screwed into the end of the ram containing a valve,
the spindle of which is fitted with a spiral spring to keep the valve in its seat.
The working of the pump brings into action a new motive power, or a new
method of applying it. After the ram has forced the iron or other metals
tight in the cylinder the ram may be slightly released, and then the pump is
worked, which forces a few drops of water by the valve, the heat from the
valve and cup generates these few drops of water into steam as it passes into
the cylinder, which steam is superheated by the heat of the metal to a high
pressure, and forces the metals gradually through the die. The pump is only
worked according to the speed of the metal passing through the die. The
same motive power may be applied in the first arrangement by connecting the
pump to the tube inside the ram. When tubes are to be made a hollow
pump ram is made to work on the tube mandril worked by the pump lever,
and water is thus forced along the tube inside the ram and the small valve.
We did not bind ourselves to use this motive power in all cases, as when metal
in a liquid state or nearly so is used the hydraulic pressure will be sufficient
When making wire the ram may be forced up to its full length, which will

page_text: leave a portion of "billet" in the tapered part; the ram is forced back, and
another "billet" is put in and forced into the former "billet” one after
another, by which means wire may be made a mile in length or more.
By our Invention wire is made direct from the bloom, saving the expense
of pickling and annealing.
To apply this new motive power to the manufacture of wire, first the
"billet" is put into the receiver; the ram is then applied, which forces the
"billet" tight into the cylinder by hydraulic pressure, then the pump is
applied, which forces the iron through the die, or nearly so, as may be
required; the ram is reversed, and another "billet" is put in and forced in
the same way; by this means tubes can be made of any length from different
metals. For making cast-steel tubes we prefer having the steel cast into
ingots of a suitable size for the apparatus, with a hole through it,and to place
it into the apparatus as soon as it will bear lifting; the same with brass and
copper; or the ingots may be cooled and reheated before being put into the
apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Gibson and Edward Ellis in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
GIESON and EDWARD ELLIS, both of West Hartlepool, in the County of
Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Gibson and Edward Ellis, Her special licence that we,
the said William Gibson and Edward Ellis, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said William Gibson and Edward
Ellis, 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 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL RODS, BARS, AND
TUBES, TOGETHER WITH A NEW OR IMPROVED MOTIVE POWER FOR COMMUNICATING

page_text: MOTION TO THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said William Gibson and Edward Ellis, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our, or their, cr one of their hands and
scals, 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 William Gibson and Edward Ellis,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
The primary object of our Invention is to materially simplify and con-
siderably reduce the different operations by which wire rods, bars; and tubes
are now made.
The Invention essentially consists in forcing the iron or other metal through
a cylinder or cylinders and die or dies, instead of working the same through
or between rolls as at present done, all as hereafter described.
The machinery orapparatus consists ofa hollow cylinder or cylinders, and and
according to one arrangement this cylinder is parallel a portion of its length;
the second portion is tapered to near the end of the dic, and the remaining
portion is parallel. A die is placed within the cylinder fitting close thereto,
and the inner part of which is shaped to suit the rods or bars. There is an
outer cylinder and there is a water space, the water in which keeps the inner
cylinder and die from getting red hot. The two cylinders may be fastened
together at each end by rims with bolts. A pipe supplies the cylinder with
water, and there is another pipe for the escape of steam; or for the sake of
economy the two pipes may be connected to a steam boiler. The part which
receives the blcom or ingots of steel or other metal is on its inner part of the
same size as the inner cylinder, the top being open to receive the metal.
There is a ram for forcing the bloom or other metals into the cylinder and
through the die, and which has motion communicated to it by an hydraulic
cylinder. The ram is supplied with water in order to keep it cool from a
cistern at its rear. When tubes are to be manufactured a tube of the
required size is passed through the tube which supplies the ram with water
through the ram and die, which thus answers as a mandril, and leaving a
space between the tube and die for that which is to be manufactured.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation, and Figure 2
is a horizontal section of so much of a machine or apparatus for the manu

page_text: facture of metal rods, bars, and tubes as will be necessary to illustrate tho
manner in which we carry our Invention into effect.
a, b, c, d, is the hollow cylinder, which is made parallel from a to b, or
about half its length; the second part from 6 to c is tapered or conical, and
the third from c to dis parallel, or nearly so, and the size of this latter is
regulated by the size of the rods or wires to be made. There may be several
small apertures formed in the end of the cylinder when very small wire or
rods are required to be made for the said wire or rods to pass through; or a
die may be inserted in the cylinder with apertures in it to suit the dio
coming against the tapered part, and the part of the first plate bed which
stands up at the end of the cylinder keeps the cylinder in its place; e, e, is
an outer cylinder, which is screwed to the inner cylinder a, b, c, d; and,
are collars round the inner cylinder to strengthen the same, and theso collars
are turned down to fit the outer cylinder; 9, 9, are water spaces to prevent
the inner cylinder from getting red hot; h is a metal case or frame open at
top, on which the blooms or ingots are laid. We do not limit ourselves to
work the copper or brass in a bot state, as the ingots may be put into the
cylinder cold and forced through by the ram. i is the hydraulic cylinder;
is the piston rod or ram, which is hollow throughout its length, as shown
with a cap 1 at one end screwed therein; m is a tube inserted in the piston
rod; n is a water cistern to supply water to the tube m; and o is a handle
and rod for working the slide to admit the water, the slide and port ways
being similar to those in a steam engiúe; p is a vice for keeping the tube m
in position. When tubes are to be made the cap 2 is taken off, and a cap
with an aperture in it the size of the tube required to be made is screwed
into the ram; the tube m is taken out, and a tube of the same diameter
as the inner part of the tube to be made is inserted through the ram, thus
leaving a space between the tube and the die for the thickness of the tube to
be made. The metal for making the tubes may be cast into a hollow ingot
or it may be cast in two sections, and as soon as they will bear lifting they
must be placed into the case and forced through the cylinder. Where we
work the apparatus or machinery by hand power we use a hand wheel instead
of the hydraulic, and cut a screw thread on the ram. Figure 3 is a view in
longitudinal section of this arrangement. is the ram; n is the water
cistern; m is the tube; s is the screw thread on the ram working through
a boss t; u is the hand wheel for communicating motion to the ram instead
of the hydraulic, as in the previous arrangement. After the ram has worked
the iron tight up in the cylinder a hand pump o comes into operation. A
cap is screwed into the end of the ram containing a valve, the spindle of

page_text: which is fitted with a spiral spring to keep the valve in its seat. The working
of the pump brings into action a new motive power, or a new method of
applying it. After the ram has forced the iron or other metals tight up in
the cylinder the ram may be slightly released, and then the pump is worked,
which forces a few drops of water by the valve v; the heat from the valve
and cup generates those few drops of water into steam as it passes into the
cylinder, which steam is superheated by the heat of the metal to a high
pressure, and forces the metals gradually through the die. The pump is only
worked according to the speed of the metal passing through the die. The
same motive power may be applied in the first arrangement by connecting the
pump to the tube m inside the ram. When tubes are to be made, a hollow
pump ram is made to work on the tube mandril worked by the pump lever,
and the water is thus forced along the tube inside the ram and the small valve v.
We do not bind ourselves to use this motive power in all cases, as when metal
in a liquid state or nearly so is used the hydraulic pressure will be sufficient
when making wire the ram may be forced up to its full length, which will
leave a portion of "billet" in the tapered part; the ram is forced back, and
another "billet" is put in and forced into the former" billet"one after another.
by which means wire may be made a mile in length or more if required.
By our Invention wire is made direct from the bloom, saving the expense
of pickling and annealing.
'
To apply this new motive power to the manufacture of wire, first the
"billet" is put into the receiver; the ram is then applied, which forces the
"billet" tight into the cylinder by hydraulic pressure, then the pump is
applied, which forces the iron through the die, or nearly so, as may be
required; the ram is reversed, and another "billet" is put in and forced in
the same way; by this means tubes can be made of any length from different
metals. For making cast-steel tubes we prefer having the steel cast into
ingots of a suitable size for the apparatus, with a hole through it, and to place
it into the apparatus as soon as it will bear lifting; the same with brass and
copper or the ingots may be cooled and reheated before being put into tho
apparatus.
Aud having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to bo performed, we declare that we claim,-
First, the forcing of iron or other metals through a cylinder or cylinders
and a die or dies to make wire rods, bars, and tubes, substantially in manner
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second, the construction, arrangement, and method of action of machinery
or apparatus worked by hydraulic power for the manufacture of wire rods,

page_text: ars, and tubes, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
ccompanying Drawings.
Third, the new or improved motive power caused by water coming into
contact with red-hot metals, the generation of steam thereby, and the super-
eating thereof, all substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Gibson and Edward Ellis,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-first day of
November, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
(L.B.)
EDWARD ELLIS.
(L.S.)