Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug.; 1836.
Complete Left, 28th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted; 12th Aug., 1887.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal pipes with
folded and interlocked longitudinal joints, and more especially to such machinery
when employed for the manufacture of that description of pipe from comparatively
thick sheets of iron or steel, which require to be treated in a more or less heated
condition. Various machines have been devised from time to time, for the
manufacture of such pipes from sheet metal in a cold state, but they have not been
practically successful, so far as I am aware, when dealing with cold sheets of iron or
steel of more than about one sixteenth of an inch thickness, or in making pipes from
such material of more than five inches diameter. When sheets of iron or steel,
thicker than one sixteenth of an inch, have to be dealt with, it is found necessary to
heat them to a red heat to enable them to be bent at their edges to the required shape
to form the interlocking folded joint without cracking the sheets and without causing
undue strain on, and wear and tear of the parts of the machinery concerned in, the
said bonding of the sheets and the subsequent closing or pressing down of the
interlocked folds, and that the machinery, suitable for dealing with cold thin sheets,
is not suitable to deal with hot and comparatively thick sheets. In treating thick
sheets, it has been the practice heretefore, so far as I am aware, to pass the sheets,
heated to a red heat, through a machine containing a train of rollers adapted to bend
the edges to the form necessary for producing the folded interlocked joint, then to
bend the sheet, when cold, to the desired cylindrical form in another machine, and to
effect the interlocking of the joint, and its closing or pressing down, by other separate
tools or machines. This process is costly and tedious, and the object of my present
invention is to produce machinery which will not only bend the edges of the hot
sheet to the required shape for forming the joint, but will bend the sheet up into the
cylindrical form, interlock the folds of the joint with each other, and close down, or

page_text: press and consolidate, the folded joint while the sheet is still hot, and at one continuous
operation; that is to say, the hot flat sheet is passed in at one end of the machine,
and issues at the other as a complete circular pipe with a folded interlocked
longitudinal joint.
In order to effect this object, I employ the following arrangements:
I employ an edge bending machine of the kind above mentioned, provided with a
suitable train of bending rollers for the purpose of bending the edges of the hot
sheets to the proper form for being interlocked into one another when the sheet is
hent into the cylindrical form; but I prefer to make the edge bending machine
adjustable so that it can easily be adapted to operate upon sheets of the different
widths necessary to form pipes of various diameters. For this purpose, I mount the
side frames of the machino on transverse cast iron beds with planed tops, and fitted
with right and left hand traversing screws which take into nuts secured to the feet of
the side frames; these traversing screws are geared together by suitable worm wheel,
or other gearing, so that they shall revolve together, and thereby move the side
frames to, or from, each other, but always parallel to themselves and to the centre
line of the machine. The rollers and the gearing driving them, move with the
frames, sliding for that purpose on feathers in their respectivo shafts, and the rollers
are kept in place by split collars, or other suitable means. The roller shafts are kept
central, so that the frames slide over them to equal distances on both sides of the
centre line by means of central bearing frames which take between collars on the
middle of each shaft. The distance of the frames apart, when the latter are set in
their proper positions, is maintained by transverse screwed rods fitted with lock nuts.
In line with the edge bending mechanism is placed a series of hollow and round
hending rollers, placed horizontally, the profile of each successive pair of such
rollers being made to a smaller diameter than the pair preceding it. The sheet, on
leaving the edge bending machine, passes immediately to these bending rollers and
is, by the first two or three pairs of them, bent gradually into a more or less
semicylindrical form; it then passes to another similar pair of rollers having a pair
of side rollers working in connection with them by which the sheet is bent over
into something more than a semi-circle. The side frames of these bending rollers
may be fixed, as any alteration or adjustment of the binding rollers to suit various
diameters of pipes, can only be effected by changing the rollers themselves, and I
propose to facilitate this changing of the rollers by mounting each pair, with their
bearings, in a kind of frame which, together with the rollers in, it can be put into,
or removed from, the side frames with comparative ease.
In continuation of the horizontal bending rollers, I provide a series of vertical or
side rollers which act externally to the partially bent sheet, and bend it still more into
the cylindrical form, until the folded edges approach near to each other, when one of
the said vertical rollers, or other rollers appropriately placed for that purpose, causes
the folded edge of the sheet, which is intended to receive the other folded edge, to be
pressed down so as to allow the latter to come over the former; other rollers then
press the folds into one another so that they interlock, and two pairs of horizontal
finishing rollers, placed in continuation of the vertical bending rollers, then close
down, or compress, the folds so as to form the joint, and complete the cylindrical
formation of the pipe. A suitable mandril is employed to resist the pressure of the two
last, or finishing, rolls, and in some cases, such mandril may be extended back to the
vertical bending and the interlocking rollers. The finishing rollers may be mounted
in separate frames in the same way as described for the horizontal bending rollers, in
order to facilitate their being changed when it is required to make pipes of another
size. Bending and finishing rollers, suitable for each size of pipe intended to be
made in the machine, may be kept in stock, ready mounted in their frames in
readiness to be put into the machine when required. But the rollers for the edge
bending part of the machine do not require to be changed for each size of pipe,
because the same size of fold will serve for several diameters of pipes, and the same
edge bending rolls will serve for various thicknesses of sheets within certain narrow
limits.

page_text: In making pipes the circumferences of which are larger than the maximum width
of sheet obtainable, or larger than the machine has been designed to make from one
sheet, two or more sheets, bent to the segment of a circle, are sometimes united
together by the longitudinal folded joints in order to form a pipe. The above described
machinery may be used for the preparation of such segmental plates with their edges
folded ready to be put together subsequently, by arranging the part of the machine
carrying the vertical bending rollers and the joint closing and finishing rollers so,
that it may be traversed to one side on cast iron beds, by screw gear or otherwise,
out of line with the edging and bending parts of the machine, so that the segmental
plates, edged and bent to the proper curvature by such edging and bending parts,
may be delivered from the last bending roller without being submitted to the action
of the side or finishing rollers.
Dated this oil
1000
W. H. BECK,
115, Cannon Street, London,
Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machinery for the Manufacture of Sheet Metal Pipes.
I WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, ('onsulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement: reference being had to the accompanying eight
sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :- 5
My invention relates to machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal pipes with
folded and interlocked longitudinal joints, and more especially to such machinery
when employed for the manufacture of that description of pipe from comparatively
thick sheets of iron or steel, which require to be treated in a more or less heated
condition. Various machines have been devised from time to time for the manufacture 1
of such pipes from sheet metal in a cold state; but they have not been practically
successful, so far as I am aware, when dealing with cold sheets of iron or steel of more
than about one sixteenth of an inch thickness, or in making pipes from such material
of more than five inches diametor. When sheets of iron or steel thicker than one
sixteenth of an inch have to be dealt with it is found necessary to heat them to a red 1
'heat to enable them to be bent at their edges to the required shape to form the
interlocking folded joint without cracking the sheets, and without causing undue
strain on, and wear and tear of the parts of the machinery concerned in the said
bonding of the sheets, and the subsequent closing or pressing down of the interlocked
folds, and that the machinery suitable for dealing with cold thin sheets, is not suitable
to deal with hot and comparatively thick sheets. In treating thick sheets it has been
the practice heretofore, so far as I am aware, to pass the sheets, heated to a red heat,
through a machine containing a train of rollers adapted to bend the edges to the form
necessary for producing the folded interlocked joint, then to bend the sheet, when
cold, to the desired cylindrical form in another machine, and to effect the interlocking
of the joint, and its closing or pressing down, by other separate tools or machines.
This process is costly and tedious, and the object of my present invention is to produce
machinery which will not only bend the edges of the hot sheet to the required shape
for forming the joint but will bend the sheet up into the cylindrical forin, interlock
the folds of the joint with each other, and close down or press and consolidate the
folded joint while the sheet is still hot, and at one continuous operation; that is to
say, the hot, flat sheet is passed in at one end of the machine, and issues at the other
as a complete circular pipe with a folded interlocked longitudinal joint.
In order to effect this object I employ the arrangements shown in the Drawings

page_text: hereto annexed in which Figure 1 is a plan of the mechanism for bending the edges
of the hot sheets to the required shape, Figure 14 is a side elevation of saine, Figure 2
is a plan of part of the mechanism for bending the sheet up into the cylindrical form,
and Figure 24 is a side elevation of same. Figure 3 is a plan of the remainder of the
mechanism for bending the sheet into the cylindrical form and of the mechanism for
interlocking the folds of the joint with each other, and for closing down or pressing
and consolidating the folded joint, and Figure 3 is a side elevation of same.
It must be understood that the machinery indicated in plan by Figures 1, 2 and 3,
and in elevation by Figures 1, 2 and 3 are supposed to be arranged en suite,*
that is to say, the edge bending machine, Figure 1, is placed at one end, the sheet
bending machinery, Figure 2, next in order, and the interlocking and closing
machinery, Figure 3, at the other end, each machine being fixed with its centre line
exactly in line with that of each of the others. This centre-line is indicated in the
Drawings by a fine dotted line. The distance between each machine longitudinally
must be such as will enable the sheet of inetal being operated upon to engage between
the rollers of the second machine before it leaves those of the first, and with those of
the third before it leaves those of the second.
The edge bending machine shown in Figures 1 and 14 is of the kind already
known and used, provided with a suitable train of bending rollers 1-1, 2-2, 3-3
and 4-4 for the purpose of bending the edges of the hot sheets to the proper form
for being interlocked into one another when tho sheet is bent into the cylindrical form.
Figure is a diagram showing the various forms the sheet assumes in cross section
as it passes through the machines. As the flat sheet is passed through the edge
bending machine the first set of rollers 1-1" bend the edges to the shape shown at
1-1 of Figure 4; the second set of rollers 2-2 bend the edges to the shape shown
at 2-2 of Figure 4; the third set of rollers 3-3 bend the edges to the shape shown
at 3-3 of Figure 4 and the fourth set of rollers 4-4ª close in the hooks at 3-3*
somewhat more closely than they are shown at 3-3 in Figure 4.
I prefer to make the edge bending machine adjustable so that it can easily be
adapted to operate upon sheets of the different widths necessary to form pipes of
various diameters. For this purpose I mount the side frames A. A of the machine on
transverse cast iron beds B B with planed tops and fitted with right and left hand
traversing screws CC which take into nuts secured to the feet of the side frames A A ;
these traversing screws are geared together by suitable worm wheel or other gearing D
so that they shall revolve together, and thereby move the side frames to or from each
other, but always parallel to themselves and to the centre line of the machine. The
rollers 1-1, 2-2, and 3-3, and the gearing E, F, G driving them, move with the .
frames, sliding for that purpose on feathers on their respective shafts E¹ F¹ G¹ and the
rollers are kept in place by split collars or other suitable means. The spur gearing
EFG is caused to move with the frame A by being enclosed between the frame A
and the guard plates E secured to the frame A by the pillars E. The roller shafts
E F G are kept central, so that the frames slide over them to equal distances on
both sides of the centre line, by means of central bearing frames H and I which take
between collars J on the middle of each shaft. The bearing frame H supporting
the shafts of the lower rollers is secured to the ground and the bearing frame I for the
shafts of the upper rollers is carried by bars K which pass through holes in the
frames A and are prevented from moving endwise with such frames by being
connected at one end to the brackets L fixed on the beds B B or otherwise. The
distance of the frames A A apart, when the latter are set in their proper positions, is
maintained by transverse screwed rods M fitted with lock nuts N N and the whole is
then secured to the beds B B by T bolts O passing through the feet of the frames A A.
In line with the edge bending mechanisin is placed the sheet bending mechanisın,
Figures 2 and 24, consisting of a series of hollow and round bending rollers placed
horizontally, the profile of each successive pair of such rollers 5-5, 6-6 and 7—7
being made to a smaller diameter than the pair preceding it. The sheet on leaving
the edge bending machine passes immediately to these bending rollers and is, by the

page_text: first two pairs of them, namely 5-5 and 6-6, bent up gradually into a more or less
semicylindrical form as shown at 5-5 and 6-6 in Figure 4, it then passes to the
similar pair of rollers 7-7 having a pair of vertical side rollers 7* 7* working in
connection with them by which the sheet is bent over into something more than a
isemicircle as shown at 7-7 Figure 4. The side frames Q of these bending rollers
may be fixed, as any alteration or adjustinent of the bending rollers to suit various
diameters of pipes can only be effected by changing the rollers themselves, and 1
propose to facilitate this changing of the rollers by mounting each pair with their
bearings in a pair of moveable frames P fitted and sliding vertically, in openings in
the side frames Q. These frames P together with the rollers, their shafts and the
driving wheels can be lifted into or out of the openings in the side frames Q with
comparative ease, so that instead of having to take out and replace cach roller, its
bearings, shaft and wheels separately; each pair is taken ont bodily by an overhead
traveller, and a fresh pair with their shafts, whools and bearings already mounted in
another pair of moveable frames P put and secured in their place. The interlocking
and closing mechanism, Figures 3 and 34, consists, firstly, of a pair of vertical
or side rollers 8-8 which act externally to the partially bent sheet, and bend
it still more into the cylindrical form, until the folded edges approach near to
'each other as shown at 8-8 in Figure 4; secondly, of a pair of vertical
rollers 99, the latter of which together with a roller 10 appropriately placed
for that purpose, causes the folded edge of the sheet which is intended to receive
the other folled or hooked edge, to be pressed down so as to allow the latter to come
I over the former as shown in Figure 5. A roller 11 then presses the upper hook or
fold down into the lower so that they interlock as shown in Figure 6, and two pairs
of horizontal finishing rollers 12-12 and 13-13 placed in continuation of the
vertical bending rollers, then close down or compress the folds so as to form the joint,
and complete the cylindrical formation of the pipe as shown in Figure 7. A suitable
mandril R, preferably fitted with anti-friction rollers well understood in connection
with this kind of machinery, is employed to resist the pressure of the two last or
finishing rolls, and in some cases such mandril may be extended back to the vertical
bending and the interlocking rollers. The finishing rollers may be mounted in
separate removeable frames, as shown in Figuros 3 and 3^, in the same way as
described for the horizontal bending rollers, Figures 2 and 24, in order to facilitate
their being changed when it is required to make pipes of another size. Bending and
finishing rollers suitable for each size of pipe intended to be made in the machine
may be kept in stock ready mounted in their frames in readiness to be put into the
machine when required. But the rollers for the edge bending part of the machine do
not require to be changed for each size of pipe, because the same size of fold will serve
for several diameters of pipes, and the same edge bending rolls will serve for various
thicknesses of sheets within certain limits.
In passing from the rollers 5-5 to the roller 6-6, and from the latter to the
rollers 7-7 the sheet is guided by open frames fixed transversely between the frames Q
and provided with guide rollers by means of which the sheet is held central
and its leading end guided from one pair of rollers to the next. Figure 8 is an
elevation of the transverse frame placed between the pair of rollers 6-6 and the
pair 7-7. V is the transverse frame bolted between the side frames QQ. W is an
opening through the frame V of approximately the form of the transverse section of
the sheet of metal X at that part of the machine. Y is a friction roller turning in
bearings in brackets Y' fixed to, or cast with the transverse frame V, and supporting
the lower part of the sheet. Y is a friction roller also turning in bearings in
.brackets Ya fixed to or cast with the frame V; this roller prevents the sheet X from
rising. Y are friction rollers turning on spindles Y the lower ends of which turn
on studs Y to enable the said rollers Y to be adjusted to suit the various curvatures
of different sizes of pipes; for this purpose the upper ends of the spindles Y may be
secured by bolts passing through links Y to which they are connected, and through.
slots Ye in the frame V. Z is a shaft turning in bearings adjustable vertically by

page_text: the slots 2 in the frame V. are grooved guide rollers secured by set screws or
otherwise on the shaft Z at any required distance from the centre line of the machine
to suit the size of sheet being passed through; the edges of the sheet take into the
grooves in the rollers and the sheet is thereby, and by the rollers Y, Y' and Y,
guided and kept central during its passage through the sheet bending part of the
machinery.
In making pipes the circumferences of which are larger than the maximum width
of sheets obtainable, or larger than the machine has been designed to make from one
sheet, two or more sheets, bent to the segment of a circle, are sometimes united
together by the longitudinal folled joints in order to form a pipe. The above
described machinery may be used for the preparation of such segmental sheets or
plates with their edges folded ready to be put together subsequently, by arranging
the part of the machine carrying the vertical bending rollers and the joint closing
and finishing rollers so that it may be traversed to one side on cast iron beds S
see Figures 3 and 3ª by scrows T operated simultaneously by worm gear U or
otherwise, and be thereby moved out of line with the edging and bending parts of
the machine so that the segmental sheets or plates, edged and bent to the proper
curvature by the edging and bending parts, Figures 1, 1, 2 and 24, may be delivered
from the last bending rollers without being submitted to the action of the side or
finishing rollers.
The edge bending, longitudinal bending, and finishing rollers may be operated by
any suitable arrangement of gearing, such gearing forms no part of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I
make no claim to the edge hending machine, to the longitudinal bending machine, or
to the finishing machine separately, as I am aware that machines of the same character
have before been employed separately from one another, but I declare that what I
do claim is :-
First The improved machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal pipes with
folded and interlocked longitudinal joints, consisting of a series of rollers for bending
the edges of the sheets to the shapes necessary for forming the longitudinal joints, a
series of rollers for bonding the sheets longitudinally into the cylindrical form, means
for interlocking the bent or folded edges of the sheet, and rollers for closing down
or compressing the interlocked folds, and for completing the cylindrical formation of
the pipe, all combined, arranged and co-operating together as herein before described,
and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second-The, construction of the edge bending machinery with side frames
adjustable laterally, on beds provided with right and left hand adjusting screws,
operated simultaneously by worm or other gearing in combination with transverse
screwed rods fitted with lock nuts, for the purpoen adjusted by the said screws, as
of maintaining the side frames ut
the distance apart to which they may have
herein before described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 1 of the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Third The construction of the edge bending machinery with means for causing
the toothed gearing, for driving the edge bending rollers, to be moved inwards or
outwards along with the adjustable side frame, as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in Figures 1 and 14 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth-The construction of the edge bending machinery with central bearing
pieces for holding the edge bending roller shafts central while the side frames slide
over them to equal distances on both sides of the centre line, as herein before
described, and illustrated in Figures 1, 1ª and 1º of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fifth The construction of the fixed side frames of the longitudinal bending and
finishing machinery with moveable frames fitted and secured in openings in the said
fixed side frames, and carrying each pair of rollers with their shafts, bearings and
gearing complete, whereby the said rollers can readily be changed according to the

page_text: size of pipe to be made, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 2, 2ª, 3
and 3 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Sixth The arrangement of rollers for pressing down one of the folded edges of
the sheet below the other, and for afterwards pressing the latter down, and interlocking
it in the former, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 3, 5 and 6 of
the Drawings hereto annexed.
Seventh In the longitudinal bending machinery the transverse frames having
slots therein approximating to the shape of the cross section of the sheet at that part
of the machine, and provided with adjustable and fixed guide rollers for the purpose
of guiding the sheet of metal from one pair of bending rollers to the next, as
hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figure 8 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Daid thin 50th day of June 1887
W. H. BECK,
115, Cannon Street, London,
Applicant.