Improvements in Tube Manufacture and in Machinery for Tube Making.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1897
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Oath Cab
1908
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tube Manufacture and in Machinery for Tube
Making.
I, JOHN ARTHUR HAMPTON, of 97, Birmingham Road, West Bromwich,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the treatment of solid billets for metal tubes & new
and improved forms & dispositions of rolls & mandrels & machinery for driving
rolls & for manipulating the solid billets from which I form tubes.
My invention consists in a process of treating the billet, by which I rotate the
billet at a suitable speed and at the same time pass it through a pair of grooved
rolls revolving at right angles to the direction in which the billet is revolving.
These rolls grip the billet & force it over a suitable mandrel which is fixed between
the rolls & in line with the centre of the billet. While passing over the mandrel
the external surface of the crude tube is acted upon by the rolls, which tend to
elongate the tube in proportion to the reduction in area of the metal caused by the
introduction of the mandrel, while the circular movement of the billet & tube tends
to produce an even distribution of metal in the walls of the tube & also to produce
a well finished surface.
I have several methods of causing the rotation of the billet, which will be used
according to the size strength & other qualities of the metal under treatment.
The simplest form consists of a hollow headstock with suitable clutch to self-
centre the billet & with a traversing motion to feed up to the rolls.
The second form consists of a compound revolving & rolling block which contains
a pair of grooved rolls revolving in one direction & an outer housing which revolves
at a higher speed at right angles to the grooved rolls.
The outer casing governs the rotation of the billet & the interior rolls carry it
forward & over the mandrel.
For very high speeds & where the previous arrangements are unsuitable, I
obtain the necessary speed of rotation by friction rollers with parallel axes & in
the same plane, provided with mechanical feeding arrangements to force the billet
up to the rolls & mandrel, or alternatively I use friction rollers whose axes are
parallel but not in the same plane.
I provide adjusting gear to the friction rollers & grooved rolls & also suitable
spur bevel worm belt or rope drive gearing to the whole of the above apparatus.
I provide suitable arrangements for cutting the tube off, in lengths either before
or behind the grooved rolls & I also apply friction rollers or grooved rolls in front
of the primary grooved rolls to act upon the tube either to increase or reduce its
dimensions.
The mandrels may be made conical or in the form of a drill or rhymer & may
be fixed, or geared to revolve in either direction.
The mandrel bars will be supported by sliding rests & a suitable back bench.

page_text: The billets may be worked at any temperature suitable to the composition of the
metal under treatment.
Dated this 28th day of Anril 1907
Improvements in Tube Manufacture and in Machinery for Tube
Making.
I, JOHN ARTHUR HAMPTON, of 97, Birmingham Road, West Bromwich,
in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 treatment of solid billets for metal tubes and new
and improved forms and dispositions of rolls and mandrels and machinery for
manipulating the solid billet from which I form tubes..
My invention consists in rotating the billet at a suitable speed and at the same
time passing it through a pair of grooved rolls revolving at right angles to the
direction in which the billet is revolved, these rolls grip the billet and force it
over a suitable mandril which is fixed between the rolls and in line with the centre
of the billet. While passing over the mandrel the external surface of the crude
tube is acted upon by the rolls, which tend to elongate the tube in proportion to
the reduction in area of the metal caused by the introduction of the mandrel,
while the circular movement of the billet and tube tends to produce an even distri-
bution of metal in the walls of the tube and also to produce a well finished surface.
In order to more clearly explain this my invention, I have appended hereunto
sheets of drawings upon which are figures and numbers of reference, similar
numbers referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1, is a plan view, and Fig. 2, an elevation of this my invention.
Fig. 3, is a detailed front view of the roller die.
Fig. 4, is an end view, showing relative positions of the friction feeding rollers,
the roller die and mandrel, and one method by which the friction feeding rollers
may be driven.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, are suggested types of mandrel; Fig. 7 being a sectional
view on line A-B of Fig. 6.
Fig. 9, shows one way in which the rotary motion may be imparted both to the
inner and outer mandrels.
7, is the solid billet, to which is given a rapid rotary motion, and at the same
time it is also forced forward longitudinally. This may be done in various well
known ways, but that shown is preferred, in which 8, 8, are comparatively large
friction rollers driven at a suitable speed, and which grip between their peripheries
the solid billet 7. These rollers rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows 9, 9,
and with their axis inclined from each other in the horizontal plane (see Fig. 2)
but are parallel or thereabouts, in the vertical plane (see Fig. 1). By this means a
very high speed of rotation to the billet may be imparted, with a very forcible
forward movement of the billet, or other additional forcing forward means may be
used if necessary. The method of rotating the billet as shown appears to answer
best, but other means may be used if desired or in some cases may be more con-
venient as for instance I may use a hollow headstock with suitable clutch or chuck
to self centre the billet and with a traversing motion to feed it up to the rolls.
Another form may consist of a compound revolving and rolling block, which
contains a pair of grooved rolls revolving in one direction and an outer 'housing

page_text: which revolves at a higher speed at right angles to the grooved rolls. The outer
casing governs the rotation of the billet and the interior rolls carry it forward
and over the mandrel. Near to the said rollers 8, 8, are placed the two die
rollers 10, 10, having semicircular grooves which combined form the die. These
rollers are carried upon shafts 11, 11, and may be driven with a positive rotating
motion or such rotation may be merely due to the passing therethrough of the
billet. Centrally with the said die rollers is the mandrel 12, having any desirable
shaped end for piercing the billet. This mandrel is held rigidly and prevented
from longitudinal movement after the usual manner, but may or may not have a
rotating movement. Thus the revolving billet is forced upon the mandrel, giving
the latter the penetrating action, while at the same time the external surface of
the crude tube is simultaneously acted upon by the die rollers, which elongate the
tube in proportion to the reduction in area of the metal caused by the introduction
of the mandrel, while the circular movement of the billet and tube tends to produce
an even distribution of metal in the walls of the tube to produce a well finished
surface.
I further provide a simultaneous secondary arrangement of feeding and operating
mechanism in front of the primary grooved rolls, which shall continue the rotating
and forward motion of the billet, and which also further reduces, enlarges, or
otherwise alters its dimensions, as follows:-
Upon the, mandrel 12, is placed a further mandrel 13, (which may if desired be
in one with the mandrel 12), and in conjunction with such mandrel are friction
rollers 14, 14, whose peripheries are arranged to suit the said mandrel 13. These
rollers 14, 14, are also similarly inclined as already described for rollers 8, 8, in
order to obtain the necessary forward longitudinal motion of the tube passing
between them upon the mandrel 13. By these means the continuation of the
rotary and forward movement of the billet is ensured to the very end, that is, even
after the rear end has left the rollers 8, 8, while the thickness of the walls of the
now formed tube are reduced &c. Further sets of rollers 14, 14, and mandrels 13,
may be used if desired.
The shapes of the mandrels used are those of ordinary use or such others as may
be found most suitable. In Fig. 5 for instance a plain circular pointed end 20
may be used with circular shank 21. In this case it will be further seen that when
in use, the end 20 would be free to revolve if the billet gave it a sufficient tendency
to do so; while in Fig. 6 by making the grooves 22 in the mandrel end, they would
splay out the metal in being forced forward. In this case of course the shank 21*
is square and the mandrel nonrotative, or if rotative, such rotation would be at a
speed varying with that of the billet. In some cases instead of making the
mandrel 13, as shown in Fig. 1, I may make it shorter as seen at 13" in Fig. 8, in
the form of a sleeve with its end resting against the shoulder 23 of the mandrel 12".
In this case the point 20" is attached by a shank 21. The mandrels may be
rotative or nonrotative as may be desired, and when rotative and in the form shown
in Fig. 1, the two mandrels may revolve in opposite directions.
In Fig. 9, I have shown one way in which such rotation may be imparted to the
mandrels. 13b represents the outer mandrel, or preferably a spindle which may
be coupled to the outer mandrel. 12b represents the inner (first) mandrel or
preferably a spindle which is coupled to the said mandrel. 24 and 25 are wheels
upon shafts 26 and 27, gearing with wheels 28 and 29 secured respectively to the
spindles 12 and 13. These spindles &c. are carried in suitable bearings 30, 31.
It will be therefore readily seen that the wheels 24 and 25 may be driven as desired
both as to speed and direction, and thereby the spindles 126 and 13b and conse-
quently the mandrels.
I do not however lay any claim to the shapes of mandrels shown nor to the
manner of driving &c. same; nor have I shown nor do I claim any particular
method or means of driving the rollers or die, as any convenient well known
mechanical contrivance may be adopted as for instance the rollers 8, 8, and 14, 11,
may be driven by means of belt running over pulleys 15, 15, and idle tension

page_text: pulley 16, also the die rollers 10, 10, may be driven by pinions 17, 17, and worm
wheel 18, and worm 19.
The various parts are provided with suitable adjustment as required; also suitable
cutting off mechanism is provided for cutting the tube off in lengths either before
or behind the grooved die rollers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In the manufacture of tubes from the solid billet the combination of the
forward forcing and revolving billet mechanism and the revolvable roller die and
central mandrel substantially as set forth and shown and for the purposes
specified.
2. In the manufacture of tubes from the solid billet, the combination of the
forward forcing and revolving billet mechanism, the revolvable roller die and
central mandrel, and the secondary set of operating and continuing feed mechanism
all substantially as set forth and shown and for the purposes specified.
noted this 22nd day of Documber 1807
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent, 12, Cherry Street, Birmingham.