IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING, DRAWING, AND ROLLING METALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Christoph, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
William Hawksworth, of Linlithgow, North Britain, Steel Manufacturer,.
and Gustavus Palmer Harding, of Paris, Merchant, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING, DRAWING, AND ROLLING METALS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
Sealed the 2nd June 1863; and dated. the 5th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Christoph, William
Hawksworth, and Gustavus Palmer Harding at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th December'
1862.
We, LOUIS CHRISTOPH, of Paris, in the Empire of France, WILLIAM
HAWKSWORTH, of Linlithgow, North Britain, Steel Manufacturer, and Gus-
TAVUS PALMER HARDING, of Paris, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRILLING, DRAWING, AND ROLLING
METALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as
follows:
This Invention relates, firstly, to the drilling of metals, and consists in the
application and use of a number of stationary drills made to operate upon
several pieces of metal simultaneously, such pieces of metal having a rotatory.
motion imparted to them whilst under the action of the drills in lieu of the
rotatory motion being given to the drills themselves, as heretofore. The drills;

page_text: are so shaped in any well-known manner as to clear themselves readily from
the fragments of metal or drillings during the drilling operation, and any
convenient or well-known means are employed for feeding the metal onward
as fast as the operation proceeds.; the speed varies according to the size o
bore under operation.
Another portion of this Invention relates to the drawing of metals either in
a hot or cold state, and consists in the employment for that purpose of a screw
spindle in lieu of the traversing chains hitherto employed in draw benches. In
drawing tubes, it is proposed to use, in combination with ordinary mandrils
wordles or draw plates having conical apertures therein, and of greater thickness
than is ordinarily employed, the object of such extra thickness being to give better
support to the metal whilst under the action of the draw plate and mandril.
The ends of the tubes may be held by screw grippers, which are screwed to
the interior or exterior of the tube at the end. When tubular articles of any
kind requiring great strength are requisite, as, for example, the bore or coils
of ordnance, it is proposed to draw one tube inside an outer tube by the
aid of an internal mandril, the expansion of the inner tube causing it to be
forcibly held inside the outer one without the necessity for heating either tube,
as in the ordinary method. The same system is obviously applicable in a
variety of cases where an external tube socket or other attachment is required
to be fixed on to an internal tube which it is intended to embrace. It is
further proposed to manufacture tubes by drawing or rolling them over and
with an internal metal core, which core should be of such a nature as to be
capable of subsequent, extension and contraction in diameter for the purpose
of enabling it to be readily withdrawn from the tube. By this system metal
tubes of the smallest size can be readily produced.
Another form of draw bench, which may be applied to the drawing two
sets or series of tubes or rods alternately, consists of a horizontal double-action
hydraulic press provided with two cylinders and one ram working in both
cylinders at each end. When one cylinder is in action the other is out of
action, and vice versa, so that the process of drawing is continuous, there
being no loss of time in running the grippers back after each traverse. The
wordles are. fitted into flanges on each of the cylinders, and the grippers are
secured to a flange in the centre of the ram; there are, consequently, two
sets of wordles, grippers, and mandrils, and whilst one set is drawing the
tubes, the blanks are being fitted into the other set in readiness for the next
traverse of the ram in the contrary direction.
The improvements in apparatus for rolling metals consists in making the
rolls of a number of suitably-shaped discs strung on to one common axis in

page_text: lieu of making the entire roll in one piece. This construction facilitates the
use of tempered steel rolls, and saves expense in case of injury to the roll, as
by removing the damaged disc, and replacing it by a new one, the entire roll
is made perfect again.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Louis Christoph, William Hawksworth, and Gustavus
Palmer Harding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June 1863!
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, LOUIS
CHRISTOPH, of Paris, in the Empire of France, WILLIAM HAWKSWORTH, of
Linlithgow, North Britain, Steel Manufacturer, and GUSTAVUS PALMER
HARDING, of Paris, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Louis Christoph, William Hawksworth, and Gustavus Palmer Harding, Her
special license that we, the said Louis Christoph, William Hawksworth, and
Gustavus Palmer Harding, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said Louis Christoph, William Hawksworth, and Gustavus
Palmer Harding, our executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, 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
DRILLING, DRAWING, AND ROLLING METALS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Louis Christoph, William Hawksworth, and Gustavus Palmer Harding, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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 Louis Christoph, William Hawks-
worth, and Gustavus Palmer Harding, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be

page_text: particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:―
Our said Invention relates, firstly, to the drilling of metals, and consists in
the application and use of a number of stationary drills made to operate upon
several pieces of metal simultaneously, such pieces of metal having a rotatory
motion imparted to them whilst under the action of the drills in lieu of the
rotatory motion being given to the drills themselves, as heretofore. The
drills are so shaped in any well-known manner as to clear themselves readily
from the fragments of metal or drillings during the drilling operation, and the
ordinary well-known means are employed for feeding the drills or the metal
onwards as fast as the operation proceeds, the speed varying according to the
size of bore under operation.
Another portion of this Invention relates to the drawing of metals either in
a hot or cold state, and consists in the employment for that purpose of a
screw spindle in lieu of the traversing chains hitherto employed in draw
benches. In drawing tubes, it is proposed to use, in combination with
ordinary mandrils, wordles or draw plates having conical apertures therein,
and of greater thickness than is ordinarily employed, the object of such extra
thickness being to give better support to the metal whilst under the action of
the draw plate and mandril. The ends of the tubes may be held by screw
grippers which are screwed to the interior or exterior of the tube at the end.
When tubular articles of any kind requiring great strength are required, as,
for example, the bore or coils of ordnance, it is proposed to draw one tube
inside an outer tube by the aid of an internal mandril, the expansion of the
inner tube causing it to be 'forcibly held inside the outer one without the
necessity for heating either tube, as in the ordinary method. The same
system is obviously applicable in a variety of cases where an external tube,
socket, or other attachment is required to be fixed on to an internal tube
which it is intended to embrace. It is further proposed to manufacture
tubes by drawing or rolling them over and with an internal metal core, which
core should be of such a nature as to be capable of subsequent extension and
contraction in diameter for the purpose of enabling it to be readily withdrawn
from the tube. By this system metal tubes of the smallest size can be readily
produced.
Another form of draw bench, which may be applied to the drawing two sets
or series of tubes or rods alternately, consists of a horizontal double-action
hydraulic press provided with two cylinders and one ram working in both
cylinders at each end. When one cylinder is in action the other is out of

page_text: action, and vice versa, so that the process of drawing is continuous, there being
no loss of time in running the grippers' back after each traverse. The wordles
are fitted into flanges on each of the cylinders, and the grippers are secured
to a flange in the centre of the ram; there are, consequently, two sets of
wordles, grippers, and mandrils, and whilst one set is drawing the tubes the
blanks are being fitted into the other set in readiness for the next traverse of
the ram in the contrary direction.
The improvements in apparatus for rolling metals consists in making the
rolls of a number of suitably-shaped discs strung on to one common axis in
lieu of making the entire roll in one piece. This construction facilitates the
use of tempered steel rolls, and saves expense in case of injury to the roll, as
by removing the damaged disc, and replacing it by a new one, the entire
roll is made perfect again.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose we
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of our Drawings represents a side elevation of our
improved drilling machine adapted to the drilling of steel gun barrels; Figure 2
is a transverse section of the same; and Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to
Figure 1.
A are the main bearers or supporting beams of the machine, upon which
beams are fixed the poppet head B and stationary bracket C. The poppet head
carries a tubular driving shaft D, fitted with ordinary fast-and-loose driving
pullies E, E. Near one end of this shaft is keyed a spur wheel F (shown by
a red circle in Figure 2), which gears into a number of spur pinions G, G,
each keyed on to a rotating socket H contained in the circular plate I of the
poppet head.
Into each of these rotating sockets is secured by a set screw,
or otherwise, the end of a tube K intended to be drilled or bored to form a
gun barrel or other tube. The opposite ends of these tubes are supported in
holes in the stationary bracket C. On rotating the wheel F the whole of the
sockets with their tubes will be rotated on their several axes. L, L, are a
series of drills which are secured to fixed sockets M, M, by set screws or
otherwise contained in the traversing bracket N. The longitudinal position
of each drill is adjusted by an adjusting screw O, so as to ensure their points,
being all in the same plane. The traversing bracket N slides along the planed
edges of the beams or bearers A, A. P is a screw spindle extending the entire.
length of the machine, and passing through the centre of the bracket N, which

page_text: is free to move along the screw without being in actual contact therewith.
A nut Q fitting the screw, and inade in two parts so as to be capable of
opening by the action of the lever R when required, is situate behind the
bracket N, and bears against the back of the same. S is a fixed bearing for
supporting one end of the screw spindle, the opposite end being supported by
passing through the tubular shaft D. On the rear end of the tubular driving
shaft there is keyed a spur pinion T, which gears into a spur wheel U, working
loose on a stud centre V. On the boss of this wheel U is formed or secured
à second pinion W, which gears into a spur wheel X keyed on to the pro-
truding end of the screw spindle P. By the aid of this train of wheels and
pinions a slow rotatory motion is transmitted to the screw spindle from the
driving shaft, and this motion causes a correspondingly slow traverse to be
imparted to the nut Q along the screw spindle, which nut by bearing against
the bracket N pushes it forward so as to keep the several drills always up to
their work as the drilling proceeds. The operation of this machine is as
follows: As many tubes as the machine is capable of holding are first
adjusted into their several holding sockets H, H, and into the corresponding
holes or bushes in the stationary bracket C. The corresponding drills having
been also adjusted in their holders the machine is set in motion, causing a
rapid rotatory motion to be imparted to the several tubes; whilst the drills
themselves remain stationary as regards rotation. So soon as the tubes
commence to revolve however, a slow forward feed motion is transmitted to
the drills through the screw spindle and nut Q, which continues as fast as the
drilling proceeds, keeping the drills up to their work. When the drills are
required to be withdrawn for clearing out the drillings, or for any other pur-
pose, the divided nut Q is opened by the lever handle R so as to. release itself
from the thread of the screw spindle, when the forward traverse or feed of
the drills will instantly cease, and the bracket N may be run back along its
slides by hand, thus withdrawing the drills. In lieu of using a divided nut Q
for the purpose above referred to, we propose in some cases to employ an
ordinary nut, and to adapt a hand fly wheel to the screw spindle, whereby such
spindle may be turned by hand in the contrary direction so as to draw back
the drills. In such an arrangement it will be necessary to throw out of gear
the pinion T or W by means of the ordinary well-known clutch mechanism,
so as to admit of the-reversal of the screw spindle without interference with
the rest of the gearing.
Figure 1 on Sheet 2 of our Drawings represents a side elevation of one form
of improved draw bench wherein a screw shaft or spindle is substituted for
the endless chain hitherto employed for drawing the metal; Figure 2 is a

page_text: corresponding plan of the same; and Figure 3 is a transverse section of the
draw bench.
In Figures 1 and 2, the centre portion of the draw bench is broken away.
A is the main driving shaft fitted with fast-and-loose driving pullies B, B¹,
and provided with an ordinary sliding clutch box C, which engages with the
boss of the spur pinion D loose upon the driving shaft. This pinion gears into
a large spur wheel E fast on the second motion shaft F, which also carries a
smaller spur wheel or pinion G, gearing into a large spur wheel H fast on
the shaft I. Motion is transmitted from this shaft I to the screw shaft K. by
means of a pair of friction discs L, so that in the event of any great extra
strain the risk of breakage of the machinery is prevented, as the friction discs
will allow of slip. The screw K rotates in suitable bearings at each end of
the framing M of the draw bench, and bears against a set screw at N. Upon
this screw spindle K works a cross head O, which slides along guide grooves
at P, P, made inside the two side frames of the draw bench,, as shown more
clearly in Figure 3. To this crosshead are fitted the gripper bars Q, Q, which
are screwed at one end so as to screw inside the ends of the tubes R, R, to
be drawn. S, S, are the wordles or draw plates constructed as herein-before
described, and fitted into recesses in the end of the draw bench. Inside these
wordles are situate the expanded or bulbous heads of the mandrils T, T, which
mandrils are secured at their opposite ends to a stationary bracket or frame U
mounted upon a base plate V, and capable of adjustment, so as to take longer
or shorter mandrils. On rotating the screw spindle K, the cross head O slowly
travels along the entire length of the bench, drawing with it the tubes or
other articles to be drawn through the wordles and over the mandrils if tubular
articles are required, the drawing taking place both internally and externally
at the same time.
Figure 1 on Sheet 3 represents a side elevation and partial section of an
improved hydraulic draw bench, and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the
same, also partially in section. This bench is made double acting, so as to
perform the operation at each backward and forward stroke, thereby saving
considerable time, hitherto lost in the ordinary draw benches, whilst running
back the gripper bars.
A, A¹, are two hydraulic cylinders placed horizontally in the same axial line
with each other, and B is a double ram or plunger, each end of which works
in its own cylinder. The gripper bars C, C, are screwed at both ends so as
to enable them to be coupled with tubular articles at each extremity alternately;
they are fitted into a flange or collar D formed in the middle of the double
ram B. The two inner flanges or collars E, E¹, of the cylinders A; A', contain

page_text: the wordles or draw plates a, a, a number of which are fitted into each flange
or collar. The outer flanges or collars F, F¹, of the two cylinders serve to
hold the ends of the two series of mandrils G, G. H, H, are guide bars for
supporting the flange or collar D of the plungers whilst. travelling to and fro.
In using this double-acting draw bench in the drawing of a number of tubes,
whether of the same or different sizes, the mandrils are first inserted into the
tube blanks b, b, which are contracted at one end slightly so as to admit of
their ends passing through their respective wordles. The ends of the gripper
bars are then screwed into the protruding ends of the tubes, when the apparatus
is ready for action. By forcing fluid into the cylinder A, for example, the
ram B is forced outwards, drawing with it the several tubes b, b, through
their wordles a, a. On the ram arriving at the end of its course the
drawn tubes are removed, and a fresh set of blanks, previously placed upon
the second set of mandrils G¹, and passed through their respective draw
plates, are secured to the opposite end of the gripper bars, when the fluid is
forced into the cylinder A¹, and allowed to escape at the same time from the
cylinder A, which has last operated. In this way two sets of tubes are drawn
at each double stroke of the ram.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, on Sheet 4 of our Drawings, represent our improved
construction of rolls for rolling tubes or other articles. These rolls, in place
of being each made in one piece, are composed of a number of separate
discs A, A, A, of chilled cast iron or tempered steel, which are strung on to a
square or other suitably shaped shaft B, and held together by end nuts, keys, or
otherwise. Figures 1 and 3 represent transverse sections of rolls adapted
for the rolling of tapered tubes suitable for gun barrels. In Figure 1 the
central portion of the roll or that part which forms the bottom of the groove
is turned circular but eccentric to the periphery of the roll, this form being
Rolls so made will
easy of construction, as it may be made in the lathe.
produce two tapered tubes at each revolution for every groove they contain,
and consequently their diameter must be larger than where only one length
of tube is rolled in each groove at every revolution, as will be the case with the
form of groove shewn in Figure 3. As this latter construction is however
more expensive to carry out, we prefer to use the rolls shewn in Figure 1.
The standards, driving gear, and mandril supports may all be constructed
and arranged in the manner well known to engineers, and are not therefore
illustrated in our Drawings. After the tubes are rolled or drawn, if intended
for gun barrels they may, if found requisite, be subjected to a process called
trueing," the object of which is to remove any warp or twist they may contain
on leaving the rolling mill or draw bench, and to render them perfectly straight
46

page_text: and fit for the subsequent operation of trueing by the ordinary method; but we
make no claim to this part of our Invention. The operation of "trueing"
may be effected in the ordinary manner, but we prefer to place them separately
in a strong cast-iron matrix A (Figures 4 and 5 on Sheet 4). This matrix
is made to open longitudinally down the centre on suitable hinges B, B,
clamps or straps C, C, and key bolts D, D, being provided for locking the
same when closed. In each half of the matrix a tapered groove E is formed
corresponding in section and size to the tube to be operated upon. A tube F
is laid in one of these grooves, and its smaller end brought to bear against the
shoulder a formed at one end of the grooves, which shoulder acts as a stop or
end-bearing surface to the tube when under the action of the straightening
mandril. The tube having been laid in the groove in one-half of the matrix,
the latter is closed over it and firmly clamped to keep it closed. The stem of
a mandril G provided with an enlarged head is now passed through the tube,
and secured in any convenient manner to a traversing cross head in a screw
or other draw bench, as, for example, to the cross head O in the screw draw.
bench herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of the Drawings.
The matrix itself should be firmly secured to one end of the bench, so as to
withstand the strain of the mandril whilst it is being drawn through the
tube.
We further propose to employ an internal traversing mandril for the purpose
of uniting a series of tubes placed one within another in lieu of the ordinary
process of shrinking, the inner tube being held in any suitable matrix or holder,
and expanded by the action of the internal mandril, and made to form a perfect
metallic contact with the interior of the outer tube, with which it becomes
permanently united. This operation may be accomplished either with cold
or heated tubes, but the cold drawing is preferred, as the heated tubes join
less perfectly in consequence of the oxidised surfaces amalgamating less
completely.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that what we consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery
or apparatus for drilling metals substantially as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use to and in draw benches of a screw spindle
and travelling cross head in lieu of an endless chain substantially as herein-
before described.

page_text: Third, the general construction and arrangement of double-acting hydraulic
draw bench as herein-before described.
Fourth, the peculiar mode or method of uniting or securing one tube or
socket over another in a cold state by the aid of an internal mandril substan-
tially as herein-before described.
Fifth, the drawing or rolling of tubes over a soft or extensible metal core
for the purpose herein-before described.
Sixth, the making of metal rolls of a number of discs strung on to an axis
in lieu of making such rolls in one piece as heretofore.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustavus Palmer Harding, on behalf
of myself and the said Louis Christoph and William Hawksworth,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
G. P. HARDING. (L.S.)