IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW VESSELS, AND DISHED, SUNKEN, OR TUBULAR SHARES OR FORMS IN METAL OR OTHER MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BEING MOULDED."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Watts, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Metal Dealer, and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood, of
the same Place, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW VESSELS, AND DISHED, SUNKEN, OR TUBULAR
SHARES OR FORMS IN METAL OR OTHER MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BEING MOULDED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Watts
and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood at the Office of the Commissioners of,
Patents, with their Petition, on the 25th June 1867.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS WATTS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Metal Dealer, and DANIEL JOSEPH FLEETWOOD, of the same Place, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW VESSELS, AND DISHED, SUNKEN, OR TUBULAR
SHAPES OR FORMS, IN METAL OR OTHER MATERIAL CAPABLE OF BEING MOULDED," to
be as follows, that is to say:-
.This Invention consists, firstly, in, the employment of water or other fluid,
or semi-fluid, semi-plastic body as a,mandril, core, cushion, or packing medium
upon which to shape various forms in metal or other material capable of being
moulded. A cylindrical or hollow vessel or blank having been first produced.

page_text: by any suitable means is fitted with a plug, hydraulic gland, and safety valve,
the vessel being charged with water, by preference; it is then subjected to
the action or pressure of suitable tools, dies, or moulds applied externally, by
which any desired shape or contour may be produced. The pressure or
action of these tools, dies, or moulds may be applied by any convenient
mechanical means, or we place the cylindrical or hollow vessel or blank
within suitable moulds or dies, and force through the plug a plunger or
displacer, by the action of which the water or other packing medium is caused
to force the metal or other material to be moulded into the mould. Or by
another process we place the cylindrical or hollow vessel or blank within
suitable moulds or dies, and pump into the interior of the vessel air until by
high compression of the air the metal or other material to be moulded is
forced into the mould; or in order to avoid the loss of time involved by this
process the interior of the vessel or blank may be filled or partially filled with
water or other fluid, and air being pumped in internal pressure is thus
obtained. Or by another process the vessel or blank within the mould may
be charged with or filled partly with air, partly with water, and closed, and
then submitted to heat, which expanding the confined air forces the material
of the inner vessel into the mould and thus produces the shape. In either
of these processes suitable valves and glands govern the pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed'
by the said William Thomas Watts and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
THOMAS WATTS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Metal Dealer,
and DANIEL JOSEPH FLEETWOOD, of the same Place, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven; in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Thomas Watts and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood, Her special
license that we, the said William Thomas Watts and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
William Thomas Watts and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,

page_text: 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF HOLLOW VESSELS,
AND DISHED, SUNKEN, OR TUBULAR SHAPES, OR FORMS, IN METAL OR OTHER MATERIAL!
CAPABLE OF BEING MOULDED," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
said William Thomas Watts and Daniel Joseph Fleetwood, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, 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 Thomas Watts and Daniel
Joseph Fleetwood, 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, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked 'thereon
(that is to say):
:
This Invention consists, firstly, in the employment of water or other fluid,
or semi-fluid, semi-plastic body as a mandril, core, cushion, or packing
medium upon which to shape various forms in metal or other material capable
of being moulded. A cylindrical or hollow vessel or blank having been first
produced by any suitable means is fitted with a plug, hydraulic gland, and
safety valve, the vessel being charged with water by preference; it is then
subjected to the action or pressure of suitable tools, dies, or moulds applied
externally, by which any desired shape or contour may be produced. The
pressure or action of these tools, dies, or moulds may be applied by any
convenient mechanical means, or we place the cylindrical or hollow vessel or
blank within suitable molds or dies, and force through the plug a plunger or
displacer, by the action of which the water or other packing medium is
caused to force the metal or other material to be moulded into the mould.
Or by another process we place the cylindrical or hollow vessel or blank
within suitable moulds or dies, and pump into the interior of the vessel air
until by high compression of the air the metal or other material to be moulded
is forced into the mould; or in order to avoid the loss of time involved by this
process the interior of the vessel or blank may be filled or partially filled with
water or other fluid, and air 'being pumped in internal pressure is thus
obtained. Or by another process the vessel or blank within the mould may
be charged with air or filled partly with air, partly with water, and closed, and

page_text: then submitted to heat, which expanding the confined air forces the material
of the inner vessel into the mould, and thus produces the shape. In either
of these processes suitable valves and glands govern the pressure.
We will now proceed to describe our Invention more fully in detail and by
the aid of the Drawings hereunto attached.
Referring to Sheet A, Figures 1, 2, and 3 illustrate a method of moulding,
shaping, or contracting or gathering in the mouth of a vessel or tubular form
which may have been previously made of a cylindrical shape of sheet metal or
other material capable of being moulded. In Figure 1 (a) is the bottom die or
forming block; having its interior partly conical as at (6), and partly parallel as
at (c), the latter part containing a ram or plunger (d) which is packed as 'at
(e) in the usual manner; (f) is the upper die of a suitable size and shape to
contain the vessel or tubular shape (9) under operation, and (h) is one of two
or. more. latches or book catches by which the two dies are held together;
() is a double-acting ram working from the top of the press in which the dies
arė. placed; (k) being another ram working in the body of the same press.
At the commencement of the process the vessel (9) and the die (a) are filled
or partially so with water or other fluid or semi-fluid, semi-plastic or plastic
body as a mandril; core, cushion, or packing medium, herein-after termed the
mandril or core, and which also supports the metal, preventing the puckers or
creases which would otherwise be formed during the compression of the
material of the vessel or tubular form under operation; and here we would
remark that the course of our experiments leads us to prefer a semi-plastic or
plastic body instead of water or fluid on account of the reduced difficulty of
keeping tight joints. The upper ram (i) is brought down upon the vessel (9),
when its motion is arrested until the lower ram (k) and plunger (d) have been
forced upwards so as to compress the mandril or core into every part of the
vessel and dies, also pressing the sides or material of the vessel (9) firmly
against the inner sides of the dies (f) and (a); the upper ram (i) is now
caused.to descend, and the vessel (9) is forced downwards into a lower conical
or.incurvated die (6) as at Figure 2, shewing the operation thus far completed.
During the process the plunger (d) and ram (k) retire before the compressed
mandril or core, and their resistance may be regulated by a loaded safety or
escape valve in connection with the ram (k). The stroke of the plunger (d)
may be long enough to provide by its retirement space for the mandril or core
which the diminished capacity of the vessel under operation expresses from the
vessel and upper die (f); or part of the mandril or core may be allowed to escape
through a passage (2) provided with means for regulation, such as a governing
screw (m); the motion of the plunger (d) is alternately that which is requisite

page_text: to compress the mandril or core into the vessel and dies as before described,
and upon retiring to allow of its partial escape.
If the internal pressure be
insufficient another mode of increasing such pressure may be adopted by
forcing in semi-plastic or plastic material from a reservoir in communication
with the passage (1). To make dished or sunken forms we employ a blank
laid between the lower die (a) and upper die (f), Figure 1, and. by
pressure from the mandril or core acting upon the surface of the blank we
force the material into suitably formed dies, which for undercut forms must be
in parts suitable for removal. These dies are either formed upon or attached
to the plunger (i). To prevent the escape of the mandril or core at the
junction of the dies (a and f) suitable packing must be employed. The ram
(i) having been lifted the dies may be drawn out upon a table (n), the
completed or partly completed vessel removed, and the process repeated;
(0, 0,) are rollers upon which the die (a) travels; they are provided with
springs which yield when the pressure of the ram (i) is applied, and allow the'
die (a) to bear upon the press table whilst under pressure.
Figure 3 shews the vessel (g) forced still lower into a die (a), and also
shews a recess (p) into which the neck (r) of the vessel (9) may be forced
so as to form a parallel sided portion if required, in which case the plunger
(d) becomes the mandril for the neck of the vessel. In the Figures already
described the vessel under operation is shewn inverted, but it may have its
mouth uppermost, or be placed horizontally if preferred, and as may be found
most convenient in the handling and working of the dies employed.
Referring to Sheet B, Figures 4 and 5 represent in vertical section.
and sectional plan another method of moulding and shaping a vessel or
other tubular form which may have been previously made of a cylindrical
shape.
(a) is a circular face plate similar to that of an ordinary lathe represented
as revolving horizontally instead of vertically; it is mounted upon a vertical
spindle (b) which runs in suitable bearings at (c, c), and is supported by a
step at (d) not shewn in the Drawings; (e) is a circular clamp plate held by
the bolts (f) and divided radially into two or more: segments, so as to be
readily withdrawn from the finished article or vessel (9). The dotted lines(h).
represent the originally cylindrical form of the article when first introduced
into the machine, and (i, i), shew its external flange, upon which the clamp
plate (e) obtains its hold; (k) is a leather or other suitable packing gland
between the flange (i) and the plate (a). The cylindrical vessel is filled with'
the mandril or core before being bolted down, and the filling of every crevice
is ensured by forcing upwards. the plunger or rod (1) which passes through

page_text: the vertical spindle (6) and face plate (a), and is packed at (m); (n) is a
portion of the hydraulic press by which the plunger or rod (l) is forced up.
The face plate and the article (h) a
are now caused to revolve rapidly, and the
rollers (o) shewn to be three in number in Figure 5, are gradually caused to
press simultaneously against the article (h). The pressure of the rollers (0)
may be caused by screws or bydraulic rams, or by any other suitable or well
known means, and they revolve upon pins or studs (p) and are shaped ex-
ternally so as to produce the required form of neck, as at (r). The com-
pression of the neck (r) will, through the medium of the mandril or core,
cause the material of the article under operation to bulge outwards at its
unsupported parts; namely, as at (s). In order to prevent the closed end of
the article from bulging without control a plate or die (u) is held against it
by an adjustable set screw (v) passing through a part of the partially shewn
framing (w) and locked in position by the handle (x). The shape of the closed
end of the article (t) may be varied by altering the contour of the plate or
die (u). Should a less outward bulging be required than is due to the dis-
placement of the mandril or core in the neck of the vessel the plunger or
rod (1) may be allowed to retire before the mandril or core, its resistance
being determined by a loaded escape or safety valve in connection with the
bydraulic press (n), or by a steelyard arrangement.
When it is required to form a triangular, square, polygonal, reeded,
fluted, or irregular sided vessel or tubular form we substitute for the
rollers (o) suitable dies, and give to such dies a reciprocating action, the face
plate (a) and vessel (9) being moved during the interval between such recipro-
cations through the number of degrees of a circle necessary to produce the
required number of sides.
Figures 6 and 7 shew in plan and vertical section another method of shaping
vessels or tubular forms out of sheet metal or other material capable of being
moulded.
(a) is a die of the desired shape, and having if required an ornamental
pattern engraved or sunk in relief upon its interior surface, and it may be
divided radially into two or more parts, as shewn by the dotted lines (6), or
horizontally; (g) is an unfinished article which has been filled with the
mandril or core before mentioned and enclosed in the die (a), the several
parts of which are held together by the ring or hoop (c). A plunger (d)
slides and works through a collar or plate (e) which is firmly secured to the
die (a) by suitable means, such as the bolts (f), or by the latches (i) shewn
in Figure 8. A cupped leather packing (h) is placed in the mouth of the
vessel, and upon pressure being applied to the plunger (d) the material of the

page_text: vessel (9) is forced against the internal surface of the die (a), and the desired
shape or pattern is thus imparted to it.
Instead of placing the cupped leather packing (h) in the mouth of the
vessel (g), Figure 7, we sometimes prefer to place it in a recess within the
collar or plate (e) so as to be removed at the same time as the plate (e)
itself, in which case the mouth of the vessel (9) and the junction between
the plate (e) and die (a) are packed by leather washers or other equivalent
means.
For many purposes we use merely dies within which we enclose a vessel or
form charged with the core or mandril and hermetically closed, and removing
the dies with their contents to any description of press; the article by such
pressure is shaped upon the core or mandril, which acts as a cushion, and in
cases where by reason of the height of the article it is desirable to operate
upon open tubular forms we turn one end of the tube down inwards and
insert a loose bottom plate protected if requisite by a suitable leather or other
packing.
For the ornamentation of open tubular forms it is necessary that each end
of the tube should be protected by suitable hydraulic glands, or closed in any
other convenient manner.
We have described our Invention as carried out by the aid of hydraulic
power; we do not intend to limit ourselves to its use, as other power of
suitable description may be employed.
We claim the improvements in the manufacture of hollow vessels and
dished, sunken, or tubular shapes or forms in metal or other material capable
of being moulded, substantially in the manner and by the various processes
herein-before more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Thomas Watts and Daniel
Joseph Fleetwood, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM THOMAS WATTS.
(L.S.)
DANIEL JOSEPH FLEETWOOD.
(L.S.)