Improvements in the Lacquering or otherwise Coating of Tubular and other Lengths, and in Machinery to be used in connection therewith.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb, 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Lacquering or otherwise Coating of Tubular
and other Lengths, and in Machinery to be used in connection
therewith.
We, JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS, Managing Director of Hoskins and Sewell,
Limited, of Bordesley, in the City of Birmingham, and CHARLES HARVEY, of
Floodgate Street, Birmingham aforesaid, Manager of Works, 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:-
Invention has elation to machinery or appliances to be used in connection
with the lacquering of, or application of other coatings to metallic tubes and
other lengths, and is an amplification or development of the invention described
in the Specification of a former application for Letters Patent filed by Charles
Harvey, one of the present applicants and bearing date the 21st day of June 1898
No. 1-3756. The present invention has for its objects, principally, to facilitate the
operation of coating long and heavy articles or lengths of tube or the like, to
dispense with the necessity of manipulating the lengths by hand, and to provide
convenient means for uniformly heating the whole surface of such articles or
lengths prior to serving the same with lacquer and by means of radiated heat
instead of heating the said lengths by the passing of steam therethrough as has
heretofore been the practice.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a topside plan of a machine
embodving our improvements and particularly adapted to be employed in connec
tion with the lacquering of brass and brass cased tubes up to thirteen feet or more
in length
Figure 2 (Sheet 2) represents a longitudinal vertical section of the said machine
upon the dotted line, Figure 1.
Figure 3 (Sheet 1) is a transverse vertical section of the machine upon the
dotted line, Figure 2, and
Figure is a transverse vertical section upon the dotted line, Figure 2.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figuies
of the drawings.
The machine or apparatus as represented in the drawings consists essentially
of a heating stove and a pair of adjustable head stocks or chucks, between the
centres of which the tube to be coated is held, and with the said head stocks
mounted on wheeled trollies or carriages running upon a tramway or railed track
to admit of the tube being traversed longitudinally through the heating chambei
or heating space of the said stove. Means are also provided for adjusting the
distance between the head stocks to suit varying lengths of tube, for securing
the said head stocks and their trollies together at their adjusted distances apart
so that they may move to and fro in unison and for supporting the tube at one or
more points intermediate of the chuck centres to prevent it sagging.
The stove a, is supported upon the bed plate b¹. of a frame b, and consists of an

page_text: outer casing a¹, preferably cylindrical in figure and of suitable length, and having
arranged longitudinally and axially within it, an open ended and tubular
passage a², whose outer walls are separated from the surrounding walls of the
casing a by a cylindrical chamber or space ³, into which flame jets from a
burner tube c, disposed along on below an opening a, in the said casing pass and
play upon the outside of the said passage a², through which a tubular or other
length is traversed and uniformly heated by the heat radiated from the surround-
ing walls prior to being served with lacquer. The ends, of the outer casing are
closed and constitute supports for the inner and open-ended paassage, as shown in
Figure 2.
d, e are head-stocks which carry the opposite centies d, e, by and between
which the length under treatment is supported, with the said centies being axially
lignable with the open-ended heating passage of the stove, whilst the head stocks
themselves are respectively carried by suitable castings or cross pieces (³, t',
mounted upon the summits or upper parts of vertical supports or frames d. c²,
proceeding from wheeled trollies or carriages d', e', the flanged wheels d, e, of
which run upon and are guided by the rails fo, of a tramway laid along the floor
of the workshop, underneath and in the longer direction of the stove and extending
for a distance from each end of the stove equal at least to the greatest length of
tube to be operated upon. The said tramway or track preferably has threa
parallel rails, with the outer wheels, et, of the respective trollies running upon
the outer ones and the double flanged wheel e, of the carriage e, which is sup-
ported upon three wheels, running upon the middle one, which also forms the
guide for the intermediate double flanged wheel f'. of a middle support f, of a
longitudinal bottom stay or tie bar f, by which the head stock frames and their
trollies are tied together and made to move in unison to and fro along the tram-
way as hereinafter described. The trolley frames are also connected together
at their upper parts by a pair of parallel rods g, and the whole of the said the bars
oi connecting rods f, g, are of an extent about equal to the longest length of tube
which the machine is to take and are or may be permanently secured at their
ends f, g, to the head stock support or frame d², by nuts f, g, or otherwise.
whilst the other head stock support or frame e³, whose trollies runs upon three
wheels, is longitudinally adjustable upon the end parts f, g, of the said rods
for the purpose of altering the distance between the centres of the head stocks
to suit varying lengths of tube, and is locked in its adjusted position preferably
by the means represented in vertical section in Figure 4, from which it will be
seen that the tie bars pass through eyes or sleeves e, at the ends of the cross
piece, and has similar eye es, in the support, which is hollow and has withi
it a bolt or clamping rod h, with its lower end ', impinging against the tie bar f,
whilst its upper part is provided with a plate such as h², set edgewise, or with a
cross pin or a pair of pegs or the like, whose ends extend through slots or gaps e",
in the support and constitute abutments for taking the thrust of an outside screwed
sleeve, mounted upon the upper part of the said pillar in such a manner as to
admit of vertical movement upon the same but without rotation. Taking upon
the said sleeve is a nut 4, provided with handles or other means for effecting
its rotation upon the sleeve, and having its upper edge arranged to come against
a locking on pressure plate h, or equivalent means disposed between it and the
undersides of the parallel connecting rods g. These parts are so arranged that
when this nut is rotated or screwed up in one direction, the said parallel rods g.
are clamped to the cross piece e', by the upward thrust imparted by the nut and
pressure plate, whilst the support e, and bottom tie rod are clamped or locked
together by means of the bolt h, which is forced downwards by the said nut
causing the sliding sleeve to impinge against and exert a thrust upon the abut-
ment. On the other hand, the unscrewing of the nut by rotating it in the
reverse direction releases the head stock frame from its three tie bars and admits
of it being adjusted to a different position relative to the other head stock sup-
port d.

page_text: It will thus be understood that the head stock carrier frames, with the several
longitudinal tie rods to which they are connected together constitute an elongated
frame or structure, which is mounted and is capable of being un backwards or
forwards along the tram way in order to pass a tube clamped between the centres
of the said head stocks through the heating stove.
The centie c of the head stock e. is carried by and is free to rotate within tde
end of, a mandril on carrier bar e, adjustably secured in position by the set
pin c, with the part wards of the head stock being of a length equal to that of
the open ended passage of the stove, whilst the centre of the head stock, is
carried by a spindle, terminating in a handle or handle wheel ", by which
the tube held between the centres may be rotated to admit of the whole surface
being effectually served with lacquer. It is also longitudinally adjustable in
order to take its nose end into or away from a tube to be held on released by
providing the sleeve, within which it is mounted with a rack ", gearing
with a pinion, carried upon a shaft d, directed across this end of the machine
and provided with a hand wheel, or the like. Means are also provided for
effecting this rotation of the centres with the tube between them from any part
of the machine, consisting of a shaft, running from end to end and turning in
bearings d¹³, e¹³, of the head stock supports. The sand shaft has hand wheels such
as, disposed in one or more convenient positions upon it and its end, has upon
it a sleeve, fitted with a spur wheel, geating with a like spur wheel, made
fast to the centre spindle 778, whilst in order that the gear wheels, may
always remain in tooth in whatever position the spindle 8, may be, the said
sleeve, is capable of sliding upon the shaft, together with the wheel, this
said movement being effected by a rack upon the sleeve being engaged by a
second pinion, on the shaft, the rotation of which thus imparts a Corre-
sponding traverse to both the sleeves, and their gear wheels.
A tube supporting, and guide rollet, is mounted upon a bracket 2, bolted or
secured to the stove frame near to one of the open mouth ends thereof, whilst in
order to prevent the middle of a tube from sagging downwards and by its own
flexibility causing the ends to drop away from the centres or supports, the tie
rod f, is provided with an adjustable support, consisting of a lifting and falling
sleeve or tube, fitting onto a rod ², carried by a sleeve or bracket k', capable of
being secured in any adjusted position on the tie rod f. by means of a set pin .
The upper end of the sleeve ¹, is fitted with a knife edge and concaved rest ³,
removable from a socket P, to admit of the rests being changed to suit tubes of
different diameters, whilst the lower end of the rod has a vertical gap or
clearance, adapted to receive the long arm 18, of a bell cranked lever . pivoted
at 10, to the bracket or eye k, whilst its short arm is cranked out of the plane
of the tie bar f. When supporting a tube, the sleeve and rest are held in the
position represented in dotted lines Figure 1 by the lower edge of the sleeve resting
upon the top end of the arm 1, which is turned thereunder by hand, whilst the said
rest is caused to fall into the position shown by the full lines in the said Figure 1
to admit of it cleating or passing under the stove during the traverse or running
back of the carrier frame by the impingement of the cranked short arm A, against
a fixed and preferably inclined projection ", secured to a part of the stove frame
coming within its path, whereby the double aimed lever is rocked back upon its
joint and its support removed from the sleeve or tube ', which falls accordingly.
In operation, the headstock carriers are first adjusted and made fast upon the
connecting or tie rods at distances apart corresponding to the length of tube to
be operated upon.
One such length is then passed through the heating passage of
the stove and placed between and made fast by the centres, after which the
wheeled frame made by the head stock supports and their tie rods is run back to
the full extent along the tramway, leaving only a portion of the tube equal to the
length of the stove within the heating passage and when the surface of this part
is sufficiently heated to a umform temperature, the trolley frame is moved in the
opposite direction sufficient to remove the heated part of the tube out of the stove

page_text: for lacquering which is effected by a brush in the ordinary way, the tube being
meantime rotated in order to obtain an even coating The second portion of the
length which has meantime been getting hot, is now diawn out and lacquered
and so on until the whole length has been treated. When about half the tube
has been coated, the middle supporting rest is lifted by hand so as to prevent
sagging, whilst by the time that the whole of the tube has been finished, the full
length of the mandril or bar es, lies within the heating passage with its centie e¹,
extending beyond the open end, which admits of the finished tube being easily re-
moved by the means of nippers taking hold of the two ends and of a new one being
introduced between the centres
My invention is applicable to the serving of tubes, rods, bars and other lengths
of metal or other material with japan, enamel, varnish and like protective coat-
ings
I wish it to be understood that instead of the trollies or canages of the head
stocks or equivalent tube or length holders running upon wheels, they may slide
upon suitable guides, or as an alternative the head stocks may be relatively
stationary and the stove or heating apparatus may be arranged to move to and fro
between them for the purpose of heating the successive parts of a tube or length
progressively from end to end. We also wish it to be understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the particular arrangement of the connecting rods and the
clamping mechanism, as other means may be employed for the purpose, and in-
stead of employing head stocks with centres for holding the tube or length we may
employ any other known means which will permit of the rotation of the said tube
dung rotation. The mechanism and geaung for effecting the rotation and
adjustment of the said centres may also be varied without departing from the
nature of our invention
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and m what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
First In the lacquering or otherwise coating of tubes and other lengths or
articles, passing the same endwise and longitudinally through an open ended
passage or heater, from the walls of which heat is iadiated and by which the
successive parts of the article or length are progressively and uniformly heated
prior to the serving of the same with coating material. substantially as herem
described and set forth.
Secondly —In the lacquering or otherwise coating of tubes and other lengths
or articles, supporting the length or article to be coated between the centres of
their equivalent of head stocks mounted on trollies cr frames, tunning or sliding
in the longer direction of the heating or stoving apparatus, substantially as de-
scribed and set forth.
Thudly Machinery or appliances to be used in connection with the lacquering
or otherwise ccating of tubes and other lengths or articles, consisting of a pair
of adjustably connected running or sliding frames or trollies provided with head-
stocks whose centres are disposed in line with an open ended heating passage
and between which the length or article is supported, substantially as described
and set forth.
Fourthly In machinery for use in connection with the lacquering or other-
wise coating of tubes and other lengths or articles, as referred to in the preceding
claims, clamping the head stock supports or frames to their connecting or tie
rods by the arrangement represented in Figures 1 and 4, comprising a locking
rod h, with abutment ², sliding and screwed sleeve ³, rotating nut and pres-
sure plate h, arranged and operating substantially as described and set forth
Fifthly In machinery for use in connection with the lacquering or other-
wise coating of tubes and other lengths as referred to in the preceding claims,
the means for rotating the tube or the like during the process of coating, con-

page_text: sisting of a rotatable shaft directed between the head stocks and provided at one
end or part with a toothed wheel meshing with another toothed wheel on or con-
nected with the rotating spindle of one of the head stocks, substantially as de-
scribed and set forth.
Sixthly: A machine for use in connection with the lacquering or otherwise
coating of tubular and other lengths and articles, comprising a heating stove with
an open-ended passage through which the articles are passed end-wise, a pair
of headstocks between the centres of which the article is supported, trolley frames
or carriages on which the said head stocks are mounted, à series of the bars or
rods to which the said trollies or carriages are adjustably, secured, and thereby
connected together to form a traversing fiame and means for rotating and ad-
Justing the spindles or centres of the said head stocks and keeping the toothed
wheels constantly in gear, with the whole of the said parts being a ranged, com-
bined and operating substantially as described and set forth in the several
figures of the drawings
Seventhly
In machinery for use in connection with the lacquering or coating
of long lengths of tubing on the like, the employment of a suppuit for preventing
the length from sagging, adapted to be lifted into position by hand and to be
automatically lowered in order to clear or pass under the framing of the heating
stove, with the parts aanged. combined and operating substantially as described
and set forth in Figures 1 and 3.
JOHN EBENEZER HOSKINS.
CHARLES HARVEY,
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.