IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND FORM OF METAL TUBES AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Kesterton, of 39, Hagley Road, Bir-
mingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND FORM OF METAL TUBES AND
IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Kesterton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 5th August 1875.
I, HENRY KESTERTON, of 39, Hagley Road, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND FORM OF
METAL TUBES AND IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture
and form of metal tubes and in the machinery employed therein.
In making tubes from plates of iron I shape the edges of the plates
by passing them through a pair of rolls, so that a bevelled edge weld
or lap weld may be effected. The plate is then bent under a press into
a U shaped mould by forcing a round mandril down upon it. This
mandril is formed with a projecting collar at its back end equal (or
nearly equal) to the thickness of the bent plate; the mandril is now
forced or drawn forward by hydraulic or other power carrying the U
plate with it through a matrix fixed at the front end of the mould,

page_text: the matrix being U shaped at its entrance, and gradually altering
to the finished shape of the tube required at its other end; this
matrix turns the edges of the plate downwards and brings them into
position for welding. The tube is then heated in a suitable furnace,
which I effect by covering the body of the tube with sand to such a
depth as to allow only the edges of the plate being raised to the welding
heat, I then draw or force the tube into a strong cylindrical or other
shaped mould having a suitable slot or opening cut the whole length
of the mould, through any part of its circumference (the top of the
mould by preference), to admit an external roller to the edges of the
tube. An internal piston is also formed, partly with solid circumference
and partly by one or more rollers, which act in connection with the
outside roller. The outside roller runs in suitable guides in the slot
or opening formed at the circumference of the mould as aforesaid, and
is attached to the piston at a distance from it equal to the thickness of
the finished tube required, and both are made to reciprocate by hydraulic
or other power which forces the two edges of the tube together, making
a perfect weld whilst the tube is kept quite straight and in shape by the
outside mould and internal piston.
Sometimes I prefer to make the slot in the mould only a portion of
its length, and to fix a roll at the entrance to or in the slot of the
mould; also an internal mandril or piston carrying a roller or rollers as
aforesaid, and the tube to be welded is either drawn in by turning the
said roller in the slot or at the entrance, or by forcing the tube forward,
in either case the pressure caused by the roller and internal mandril
produces a perfect weld. I also make wrought metal tubes with a rib
or ribs running along the tube lengthwise, thus making the metal
thicker at that part for the purpose of screwing in smaller pipes; this
rib or extra thickness is partly formed by the plate rolls, and partly in
the mould.
These methods of making tubes are most applicable to those of
large diameter, but are suitable for producing such from any metal,
and tubes of any shape may be produced by these means.
The plate may be bent into a circular form in the usual manner, and
then heated in an ordinary tube furnace, then welded in the mould by
rolling

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Kesterton in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 5th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
KESTERTON, of 39, Hagley Road, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Kesterton, Her
special licence, that I, the said Henry Kesterton, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Kesterton,
my executors, administrators, and 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 THE MANUFACTURE AND FORM OF METAL TUBES AND IN THE
MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN,” upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry Kesterton, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their 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 monthis next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Kesterton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
This Invention has for its object "Improvements in the Manufacture
and Form of Metal Tubes and in the Machinery employed therein."
In making tubes from plates of iron I shape the edges of the plates
by passing them through a pair of rolls, so that a bevelled edge weld
or a lap weld may be effected. The plate is then bent under a press into

page_text: a U shaped mould by forcing a round mandril down upon it. This
mandril is formed with a projecting collar at its back end equal (or
nearly equal) to the thickness of the bent plate; the mandril is now
forced or drawn forward by hydraulic or other power carrying the U
plate with it through a matrix fixed at the front end of the mould,
the matrix being U shaped at its entrance and gradually altering to
the finished shape of the tube required at its other end; this matrix
turns the edges of the plate downwards and brings them into position
for welding. The tube is then heated in a suitable furnace which
I effect by covering the body of the tube with sand to such a depth
as to allow only the edges of the plate being raised to the welding
hcat, I then draw or force the tube into a strong cylindrical or other
shaped mould having a suitable slot or opening cut the whole length of
the mould, through any part of its circumference (the top of the mould
by preference), to admit an external roller to the edges of the tube.
An internal piston is also formed, partly with solid circumference and
partly by one or more rollers which act in connection with the outside
roller. The outside roller runs in suitable guides in the slot or opening
formed at the circumference of the mould, as aforesaid, and is attached
to the piston at a distance from it equal to the thickness of the finished
tube required, and both are made to reciprocate by hydraulic or other
power, which forces the two edges of the tube together, making a
perfect weld whilst the tube is kept quite straight and in shape by the
outside mould and internal piston.
Sometimes I prefer to make the slot in the mould only a portion of
its length, and to fix a roll at the entrance or in the slot of the mould ;
also an internal mandril or piston carrying a roller or rollers, as
aforesaid, and the tube to be welded is either drawn in by turning the
said roller in the slot or at the entrance, or by forcing the tube forward,
in either case the pressure caused by the roller and internal mandril
produces a perfect weld. I also make wrought metal tubes with a rib
(or ribs) running along the tube lengthwise, thus making the metal
thicker at that part for the purpose of screwing in smaller pipes; this
rib or extra thickness is partly formed by the plate rolls, and partly in
the mould.
These methods of making tubes are most applicable to those of large
diameter, but are suitable for producing such from any metal, and tubes
of any shapes may be produced by these means.

page_text: The plate may be bent into a circular form in the usual manner,.
and then heated in an ordinary tube furnace, then welded in the mould
by rolling.
Such being the nature of my Invention I now proceed to describe the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, as illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Sheet 1, Figure 1, is a front clevation of a pair of rolls for preparing
the edges of the plates previous to welding them together, and Figure 2
is an end clevation of the same rolls. The plate is passed into the rolls
from the left hand, and is delivered on the table A, which is provided
with friction rolls a, a, a, so that the plate may move freely along the
table until it arrives under the press (Figure 3), which is raised and
lowered by the hydraulic cylinders B¹, B². Figure 4 is an end cleva-
tion of this press, showing the plate b, b, in its position ready to be bent.
Figure 5 is an end elevation showing the plate bent up into a U shape
by forcing the press down upon it.
Figure 6 is also an end elevation of the press with the upper part o
lifted from the mandril d. C, C, is a hydraulic cylinder under the
table A, and attached to the rod of this cylinder is the socket e (see plan),
which when brought forward fits over the projection on the end of
the mandril and forces forward the mandril, and the collar on its back
end carries the plate onward and through the matrix D which is
U shaped at its entrance, gradually altering to the finished shape
required, the one shown, for example, being round, and thus the bent
plate (or skelp) E is delivered through the matrix with the edges
brought together ready for welding. Figure 7 is a plan of the rolls,
and Figure S is a plan of the press.
Sheet 2, Figure 9, is a side elevation, and Figure 10 is a plan of the
mould for welding tubes; Figure 11 is a section through the mould, and
Figure 12 is an end elevation of the mould. The bent plate or skelp E is
now placed in a suitable furnace and heated to a welding heat at the two
edges; it is then brought forward into the mould, Figure 9, with its
edges to be welded in the slot g. F is a hydraulic cylinder connected
by a cross head and pair of rods to the friction roller and piston or
mandril i. The roller is carried in the guides j, j, and the piston
slightly less than the internal diameter of the tube required, and also

page_text: carrying a friction roller or rollers when necessary, is brought forward
the whole length of the tube, once or more times as the circumstances
require, and the edges are thus pressed together.
Figure 13 is a plate bent round ready to form a tube with thickened
side to receive smaller pipes, as shown by Figure 14. The thickened
side may be produced by welding a separate piece on, as shown by
Figure 15. This extra thickness would be formed by the top roll when
required. I am aware that cast-iron pipes have been made previously
with a rib running along one side for this purpose.
Sheets Nos. 3 and 4, illustrate the arrangement for drawing the tubes
by the ordinary draw table. Figure 16 is a side elevation, and Figure
17 is a plan. In this case the plate is passed into the rolls from left
to right, the rolls forcing the plate into and partly through the matrix G
(the matrix may be in one or more pieces), which curls the plate into
the skelp H; the tongues k, l, k, then lay hold of the skelp, and with
the aid of any ordinary draw table or other arrangement, the skelp is
pulled through the remaining distance. Figure 18 is an end elevation.
of the matrix G showing how the gradual alteration in the shape of
the plate is effected; first, to the U shape, as at line 1, 1, Figure 19,
being a section at that part. Figure 20 is also a section on linc m, m,
and this part of the matrix may either be loose and removable for
renewal or in one piece. The skelps may be partly bent by the press
(as shown on Drawing 1. Figure 3), and then placed in a matrix
modified for that purpose, and drawn through, the skelp in this case
being partly turned in each. Figure 21 is an elevational section, and
Figure 22 is a plan showing one arrangement for welding the tubes.
when the rollers and piston or mandril are fixed. Here I is the furnace
for heating the skelp, the furnace door n, n, being lifted, the skelp is
drawn out sufficiently for the tongues o, o, to grip (or the tongues may
come forward and enter the furnace). These tongues are connected to
the draw table by the rods p, p, passing along the sides of the mould J
through which the skelp is drawn, the weld being effected by the edges
passing between the top fixed roller Q and the piston 1, 1, which also
carries a friction roller or rollers when required, the piston in this case
being fixed and the thrust taken by the removable cross bolt 8, 8, at the
end of the mould J. Figure 23 is a part section at t, t, and Figure 24 is
an end elevation at u, u.

page_text: In cross welding tubes or joining one tube to another, the friction
roll or rolls are arranged crosswise. The end of one tube is slightly
countersunk, and the other made slightly conical, as per Figure 25, or
the ends may be brought together square and a ring welded over, as
shown by Figure 26.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and tho
manner of carrying the same into practice, I would have it understood
that what I claim as my Invention of "Improvements in the Manu-
facture and Form of Metal Tubes and in the Machinery employed
therein, is,―
First. The manufacture of metal tubes of large diameters by forming
the skelp with a matrix, and in welding the edges together in a mould,
or as entering the mould.
Second. Forming wrought metal tubes with the edges so lapped as to
make the weld thicker for the purpose of drilling and tapping smaller
pipes into them, or with a separate piece welded over the lap or other
part.
Third. The arrangement of apparatus for welding the tubes in a mould,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Kesterton, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this First day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witnessed by
GEORGE BARKER,
Patent Agent,
27, Colmore Row,
Birmingham.
HENRY KESTERTON. (L.S.)