Improvements in the Manufacture and Production of Iron or Steel Tubes and Pipes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 6th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture and Production of Iron or Steel
Tubes and Pipes.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
London Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by Jean Pierre Serve of Caluire-et-Cuire
Rhône Department in the French Republic Engineer) to be as follows :--
This invention relates to the manufacture of iron or steel tubes and such pipes
as are generally used for conducting water, gas, steam or the like its object being
to provide simple and economical means for making tubes and pipes of less thickness
than those hitherto made, and without materially altering the methods hitherto
usually adopted in the manufacture of pipes and tubes. It is well known that for
the purposes of this manufacture bands of sheet metal of suitable widths are bent
by the hot process, in the longitudinal direction, so that their edges meet and may
be soldered or welded together, the pipe or tube being for the purpose caused to
pass through stocks and dies, after having been heated to a white welding heat. It
will be understood that this welding or soldering process, which can be carried out
only after the edges of the blank have been brought together, requires in
consequence the employment of blanks of far greater thickness (i.e. consisting of a
far greater quantity of metal) than would be necessary if the strength to the pipe
or tube only had to be considered. This objection is removed by the present
invention in the following manner.
In the manufacture of a pipe or tube, I employ a band or strip of iron or steel,
produced by means of a rolling mill and the thin body of which has the thickness
which it is required to give to, the wall of the pipe or tube, while its edges are
enlarged or flanged so as to facilitate the subsequent longitudinal soldering or
welding operation. This band or blank is heated and bent into tubular shape in
the ordinary manner and after its flanged edges have been brought into contact
with each other, it is heated to white welding heat in a suitable furnace and then
passed through stocks and dies in the usual way, for the welding to be completed
therein.
To avoid the formation of any rib or projection, on the outside of the tube or
pipe, I preferably employ metal bands or blanks, with edges projecting or flanged
on one side only, so that when these edges are brought together in bending the
blank into tubular shape, their projecting parts are situated within the pipe or tube.
The pipe or tube thus formed, after having passed through the stocks and dies,
will consequently present a smooth and even outer surface, while the internal rib in
no way interferes with the free passage of the fluid or gas passing through the
tube or pipe when it is put to practical use.
In order to impart to the thin portion of the blank as it issues from the furnace,
after being heated to a very high temperature, a resistance sufficient to enable it to
bear the pressure of the gripping device of the carriage of the draw frame, and in
order that it may retain its circular shape, while it is held by the said gripping
device, I interpose between the furnace and the stocks and dies a cooling device
such as a hollow gutter or trough, through which is sent a current or jet of cold
water so as sufficiently to cool the thin portion of the tube or pipe to give it
the requisite power of resistance, whilst the enlarged or ribbed portion, which
cannot come into contact with the said gutter, retains the high temperature
required for welding.

page_text: Or my invention may be carried out by preparing metal strips or blanks in
such a manner as to have ribs or projections on one side, which, in the completed
tube, shall serve to strengthen it, extending longitudinally either within or without
such tube. This method of manufacture, will be found particularly suitable in
those cases where the completed lengths of tube. are to be coupled or fitted
together by means of screwed sleeves. It will be understood that in those cases
the screw-thread with which the tube, ends have to be provided would unduly
weaken the thin wall of the tube, unless the same were strengthened by ribs such
as are herein referred to..
To provide for those cases where the tube or pipe is to be placed underground
and covered with a protecting coating; there may be formed upon the metal plates
or blanks used in the manufacturer of such, tube or pipe, a suitable, number of
longitudinal. ribs or projections. of small size and light structure, which, shall
constitute, all around the completed pipe or tube,,convenient points of support to
properly retain the protective coating throughout the length of the pipe or tube.
Dated the 5th day of June 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,.
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.
Improvements in the Manufacture and Production of Iron or Steel
Tubes and Pipes.
.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of: 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
London Gentleman do hereby declares the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated. to me from abroad by: Jean Pierre Serve of Caluire-et-Cuire,
Rhône Department in the French Republic, Engineer) and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of iron or steel tubes and such pipes
as are generally used for conducting water gas steam, or the like, its, object being
to provide simple and economical means for making tubes and pipes of less thickness
than those hitherto-made, and without materially altering the methods hitherto
usually adopted in the manufacture of tubes and pipes. It is well known that for
the purposes of manufacturing tubes and pipes bands of sheet metal of suitable
widths are bent by the hot process; in such a direction that their longitudinal edges
meet and may be soldered or welded together, the pipe or tube being for the purpose
caused to pass through stocks and dies, after having been heated 'to a. white welding
heat. It will be understood that this welding, or soldering, process, which can be
carried out. only after-the edges of the blank have been brought together, requires,
in consequence, the employment of blanks of far greater thickness, (.e. consisting
of a far greater quantity of metal) than would be necessary if the strength to the
pipe or tube only had to be considered: This objection is removed by the present
invention in the following manner which 1. will describe with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Figures 1. 2 and 3 shew in transverse sections, respectively a blank, band, or
strip, from. which the tube or pipe is to be formed; the blank in its bent position
prior to welding and the tube or pipe when formed after the edges of the blank
have been welded together.
.
;
Figures 4.5 and 6 shew similar views of a modified form.
Figures 7 and 8 shew a blank in transverse section, before and after the bending
has taken place, provided with ribs for strengthening the same, applicable in
cases where the completed lengths of the tube or pipe are to be coupled or fitted
together by means of screwed sleeves.

page_text: longitudinal edges strengthened by an increased thickness or flange for facilitating
the longitudinal welding or soldering of the said pipe after the edges of the band
or strip have been brought together substantially as described.
2. The manufacture of iron or steel tubes and pipes from a metal band or strip
with its longitudinal edges projecting or flanged on one side only so that when the
said edges are brought together their projecting parts are situated within the pipe
or tube substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 4. 5 and 6
of the accompanying drawings.
3. The manufacture of iron or steel tubes and pipes from a metal band or strip
with enlarged or flanged longitudinal edges and provided on one side with ribs or
projections constituting longitudinal ribs on the finished tube or pipe substantially
as described.
4. In the manufacture of iron or steel tubes and pipes from metal bands or strips
having enlarged or flanged longitudinal edges the employment of a hollow gutter
or trough through which a cooling medium is caused to pass substantially as and for
the purpose bereinbefore described.
5. The improved iron or steel tubes and pipes produced in the manner herein-
before described and illustrated by the examples shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 5th day of March 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.

page_text: Figures 9 and 10 shew in transverse section a blank before and after bending
provided with ribs or projections of. a small size constituting,supports for properly
retaining a protective coating on the pipe or tube.
Figure 11 illustrates a cooling device employed in the manufacture of the said
pipes or tubes.
In the manufacture of a pipe or tube, I employ a band or strip a. (Figure 1)
of iron or steel,. produced by means of a rolling mill. the thin body of which has
the thickness which it is required to give to the wall of the pipe or tube, while
its edges b are enlarged or flanged .so as to facilitate the subsequent: longitudinal
soldering or welding operation. This band or blank is heated and bent into
tubular shape in the ordinary manner, and after its flanged edges. 6 have been
brought into contact with each other as shewn in Figure 2 it is heated to white
welding heat in. a suitable furnace and then passed through stocks and. dies in the
usual way, for effecting the welding of the edges and the pipe or tube finally
assumes the form shewn in Figure 3.
To avoid the formation of any rib or projection such as at c Fig. 3 on the
outside of the tube or pipe, I preferably employ. metal bands or blanks such as
shewn in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings with edges projecting or flanged
on one side only, so that when these edges are brought together in bending the
blank into tubular shape, their projecting parts are situated within the pipe or
tube as shewn in Figure 5. The pipe or tube thus formed, after having passed
through the stocks and. dies, will consequently present a smooth and even outer
surface (Figure 6) while the internal rib c does not practically interfere with
the free passage of the fluid or gas passing through the tube or pipe when it is
put to practical use.
In order to impart to the thin portion a of the blank, as it issues from the
furnace, after being heated to a very high temperature, a resistance sufficient to
enable it to bear the pressure of the gripping device of the carriage of the draw-
frame, and in order that it may retain its circular shape, while it is held by the
said gripping device, I interpose between the furnace and the stocks and dies a
cooling device such as a hollow gutter or trough as at M Figure 11 through which
is sent a current or jet of cold water so as sufficiently to cool the thin portion of
the tube or pipe to give it the requisite power of resistance, whilst the enlarged or
ribbed portion which cannot come into contact with the said gutter M retains the
high temperature required for welding.
Or my invention may be carried out as shewn in Figure by preparing metal
strips or blanks a in such a manner as to have ribs or projections don one side,
which, in the completed tube, shall serve to strengthen it, extending longitudinally
either within or without such tube as in Figure 8. This method of manufacture
will be found particularly suitable in those cases where the completed lengths of
tube are to be coupled or fitted together by means of screwed sleeves. It will be
understood that in those cases the screw-thread with which the tube ends have to
be provided would unduly weaken the thin wall of the tube, unless the same were
strengthened by ribs such as are herein referred to.
To provide for those cases where for example the tube or pipe is to be placed
underground and covered with a protecting coating there may be formed upon the
metal plates or blanks used in the manufacture of such tube or pipe as indicated in
Figures 9 and 10, a suitable number of small and light longitudinal ribs or
projections e which shall constitute, all around the completed pipe or tube,
convenient points of support to properly retain the protective coating throughout
the length of the pipe or tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The manufacture of iron or steel tubes and pipes from a metal band or strip
corresponding in thickness to the wall of the finished pipe or tube and having its