Improved Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Streng Metal Capsules or Containers Capable of Sustaining Great Internal Pressure, and Provided with Small Necks Having Fine Inlet Apertures.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Streng
Metal Capsules or Containers Capable of Sustaining Great
Internal Pressure, and Provided with Small Necks Having Fine
Inlet Apertures.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from Emile Stern, of 3bis Rue d'Athènes, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Civil Engineer) to be as follows:-
The invention relates to an improved process or combination of processes and
apparatus employed in the manufacture of that class of strong-metal capsules or
containers which are capable of sustaining great internal pressure and are provided
with necks having fine apertures, which are intended to be hermetically closed by
the compression or crushing together of the material forming the neck.
In carrying the invention into effect a blank or disc of metal is, in the well
known manner, by the aid of a series of dies and punches in what is known as a
"drawing press," formed first into a comparatively broad and shallow cup or cap,
and then into successively narrower and deeper cups or caps until the final
diameter and length are obtained, previous to the subsequent processes of shaping
and indenting the base and forming the neck.
°
Then, by the aid of a die to support the bottom of said cup or cap, and by the
aid of a punch of suitable shape acting within the same and having a central
recess in its end, the closed end of the cup or cap is forced into the die and the
base of the capsule thus shaped, which base is then indented and, if desired,.
lettered, by a supplemental external punch or tool, which is formed with a pointed
end to press the metal into the recess of the main punch and, if desired, with
suitable lettering. Having thus formed and indented the bottom of the capsule,
the part of the cap or cup which is to form the neck and shoulder of the capsule or
container is annealed, and when cool it is placed in a die having a central hole of
the exact size of the body of the cap or cup and provided with a plunger whose
end is formed exactly to fit the base of the capsule or container and, by the aid of
a co-acting die of shape to form the shoulder of the capsule or container, the open
end of the cap or cup is forced, by means of the said plunger, by a quick motion
into the conical recess in the co-acting die, and the metal at such is thereby
part
compressed into the form of the latter. After this a plunger in said co-acting die
forces the capsule out therefrom. The capsule is again annealed at the part to be
reduced to form the neck and, by the aid of similar dies and plungers, the co-acting
dies of which are of gradually smaller dimensions in the recess acting to reduce
the neck of the capsule or container, and by annealing only that part of the neck
which has to be reduced between successive reductions, the neck is gradually
reduced and lengthened until the desired minuteness of diameter is obtained, after
which the end of the neck is trimined off to the extent required. This process of
trimming the end of the neck may also be performed at several previous stages.
The intermediate annealings of only such part of the neck of the capsule as is to
be reduced by the various dies, are adopted for the following reason.
capsule were annealed after each operation, it would not have rigidity enough to
If the entire

page_text: resist the action of the dies thereon and would consequently give way and buckle
in the body thereof by the pressure of the dies, but by adopting this sectional
annealing the rigidity of the other parts is not impaired, whilst the action of the
dies thereon is quite as effective.
The construction and operation of the tools employed for shaping the bottom and
shoulder and neck are as follows. One die is a fixture and the other die is movable ;
or they may be both movable. They are separated from each other to enable a
cup or cap to be placed in position in the die formed to receive its base; the two
dies are then forced together so as to completely enclose and support the body of
the cap; the forcing plunger is then caused to force the capsule fully home in the
die, after which the dies are again separated from each other and the forcing
plunger withdrawn from the bottom of the capsule, when the discharging plunger
will push the capsule out of the die acting to form the shoulder and neck
thereof.
Dated this 6th day of May 1896
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Strong
Metal Capsules or Containers Capable of Sustaining Great
Internal Pressure, and Provided with Small Necks Having Fine
Inlet Apertures.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
(a communication to me from Emile Stern, of 3 Rue d'Athènes, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Civil Engineer,) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention relates to an improved process or combination of processes and
apparatus employed in the manufacture of metallic capsules or containers from a
single piece of hard strong metal, which are capable of sustaining great internal
pressure and are provided with fine necks of thicker material than the base or
body of the capsule having narrow inlet appertures to enable them to be
hermetically closed by the compression or crushing together of the material
forming the neck without requiring special closing means such as valves or
the like.
The process is as follows:-After having formed by suitable means a cup from
a disc or blank of metal to submit the said cup to a series of neck-forming
operations by the aid of suitable dies and matrices which in a succession of
operations give the open cylindrical end of the cup a conical or preferably an oval
shoulder with a fine neck, having a narrow inlet aperture, and at the same time
produces a gradual strengthening of the walls of the shoulder and neck. For this
purpose it is necessary to anneal the part of the capsule to be operated upon,
namely, the upper part of the neck, previous to each operation.
The shoulder and neck are gradually reduced to the desired form by the use of
successively narrower matrices.
Contrary to the process in use for making cartridge cases in which the lower
part has to be strengthened, it will be found that in the present process the
bottom part of the capsule retains its original thickness while the upper parts

page_text: receive a gradually increased thickness, whereby the strength of the capsules is
greatly increased.
Under the present process the molecular deformation of the material is obviated,
and its nature remains the same, so that its strength will remain unaltered,
especially as, through the process adopted for forming the neck, simultaneously
with the increase in the thickness a greater hom ogeneity is obtained in the material
at those parts.
The process is illustrated in the accompanying drawings by the aid of
diagrammatic representations which also show the capsule in various stages of
progress.
In carrying the invention into effect a blank or disc of metal is, in the well-
known manner by the aid of a series of dies and punches formed first into a
comparatively brund and shallow cup such as that shown at Fig. 1 and then into
successively narrower and deeper cups until the final diameter and length are
obtained as represented at Fig. 2, previous to the subsequent processes of shaping
and indenting the base and forming the neck. Then, as represented at Fig. 3, by
the aid of a die b, to support the bottom of said cup a, and by the aid of a punch e
of suitable shape acting within the same and having a central recess e' in its end,
the closed end of the cup a is forced into the die b, and the base of the capsule
thus shaped into a more or less oval form as may be desired, which base is then
indented by a supplemental external punch or tool d, in the centre of the die b,
which is formed with a pointed end di to press the metal into the recess c² at the
lower end of the main punch c, and if desired the cup may be stamped by a special
tool with suitable lettering or other marks or indication. Having thus formed
and indented the bottom of the capsule to the form shown at Fig. 4, the process of
forming the shoulder and neck by the aid of apparatus such as that shown at
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 is commenced; the open end of the cap is first annealed
which when cool is placed as shown at Fig. 5 in a die e, having a central hole
fitting the bi dy of the cup a, and provided with a plunger f, the end of which is
formed exnetly to fit the base of the capsule or container a; a co-acting die g of
shape to form the shoulder of the capsule or container, and having a central
plunger & being used in combination with the die e and plunger. The die is
next moved forward into contact with the die g as shown at Fig. 6. while the
plunger remains at rest within the same. After this is done the plunger f by a
quick movement forces the open end of the cup a into the conical recess in the
die g, as shown at Fig. 7, and thereby compresses the metal at such part into
the form of the latter, when the capsule will assume the form shown at Fig. 9.
This operation also at the same time increases the thickness and homogeneity of
the material at such part.
The die e and plunger are then separated from the die g as shown at Fig. 8
after which the capsule is ejected from the die g by means of the plunger h.
The open end of the capsule a is again annealed and by the aid of similar dies e,
plungers, dies g having conical or oval recesses of gradually smaller dimensions
and ejecting plungers à (one eet of which is shown at Fig. 10) and by anucaling
only that part of the neck which has to be reduced between successive reductions
the neck is gradually reduced and lengthened and a corresponding increase is
obtained in the thickness of the material at such parts until the desired diameter of
neck is obtained as represented at Figures 11 and 12 after which the end of the
neck is trimmed off to the extent required, say, about the line .c. x. This process
of trimming the end of the neck may also be performed at several previous stages.
Fig. 13 is a side elevation, Fig. 14 is a plan, and Fig. 15 is a cross section of
apparatus whereby the auccessive operations of annealing the necks of the partiall
formed capsules or containers may be readily effected.
According to this arrangement the partially formed capsules or containers i are
placed in recesses formed in a holder or carrier j, which may consist of straight
bars of given length mounted in guides k. k. and pushed slowly through the
annealing chamber or furnace, or such holder or carrier j inay consist of shorter

page_text: lengths jointed together to form an endless chain, or carried by an endless bani,
to which a slow progressive forward motion is given by any suitable arrangement
of gearing.
The beating means consist of main gas tubes 4, branch tubes or nozzles
connected thereto, main air tubes m, and branch air tubes or nozzles m¹ connected
thereto which latter pass through the main gas tubes and are located centrally
within the branch gas tubes or nozzles .
The main air and gas tubes are fixed together by the branch air tubes or
nozzles m', and are carried by clamps n n, by means of which the angle of the
branch tubes or nozzles l'm' may be adjusted in such manner as to cause the
flames to impinge upon the necks of the partially formed capsules or containers i
to the required extent. The branch gas tubes or nozzles are preferably formed
telescopic in order to afford facility for adjustment of their orifices in due relation
with the orifices of the branch air tubes or nozzles m', and the clamps n n are
adjustably fixed to the bed plate o in order that the nozzles m¹ may be capable
of adjustinent as to distance from the necks of the partially formed capsules or
containers.
The annealing chamber or furnace consists of a cover p, sides p' and bottom p
formed preferably of asbestos, porcelain or fire clay. The branch pipes or
nozzles pass through vertically slotted holes p in the sides and the
bottom p is so formed and longitudinally slotted as to protect the bodies of
the partially formed capsules or containers i from the heat of the flames and
at the same time enable their necks to protrude the required distance to enable the
flames to act thereon. In the drawings the top, sides and bottom of the annealing
furnace or chamber are shown formed in one piece, but it may be advisable to
form these parts separate from each other and to provide them with means of
adjustment in relation to each other and to the partially formed capsules or
containers.
It may here be remarked that the construction of the various parts of the
annealing apparatus may be varied so long as the flame is allowed to play upon
only that part of the neck which is required to be annealed.
In the annealing apparatus above described, the partially formed capsules or
containers are passed through the annealing chainber or furnace at such a
speed that on issuing therefrom the annealing operation shall have been properly
effected.
The successive annealings of only such part of the neck of the capsule as is to
he reduced by the various dies is adopted for the following reason :-If the entire
capsule were annealed after each operation it would not have rigidity enough to
resist the strain of the dies thereon, especially as the lower part of the capsule is
thinner than the shoulder and neck, which would produce at least irregularities in
the form, if not the total collapse of the capsule, whilst all fear of buckling or
deformation is effectually obviated by limiting the annealing strictly to the part to
be operated upon.
The dies used as shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 may have only the part g
fixed while the part e is movable, or both parts may be movably arranged. The
dies must in any case be moved sufficiently far apart to allow the capsules to be
easily inserted and removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of capsules or containers of hard strong metal capable of
sustaining great internal pressure and having fine necks with small inlet
by the combination of processes and apparatus herein set forth and consisting of
apertures
first; forming a cup from a blank by the ordinary process: secondly, shaping the
base of the capsule by the aid of a suitably shaped die to receive the closed end of
the cup, a centrally recessed punch acting within the latter, and an external punch

page_text: or tool indenting the said base; thirdly, by the aid of a series of suitable dies,.
co-acting dies, and forcing and expelling plungers, and intermediate annealing of
only such part as is to be reduced, forcing the open end of the cup into the
co-acting dies, thus first forming the shoulder of the capsule or container and
then gradually reducing the neck to the desired dimensions substantially as herein
set forth.
2. In the manufacture of capsules or containers of hard strong metal, capable of
sustaining great internal pressure and having fine necks with small inlet apertures
by first forming a cup from a blank by the usual method; secondly, shaping the.
base of the capsule and indenting the same by the aid of specially formed die,.
plunger and co-acting punch or tool; third, forming the shoulder of the capsule
and gradually reducing the part to form the neck by the use of a series of specially
formed dies, co-acting dies and forcing and ejecting plungers combined with inter-
mediate annealing of only that part which is to be reduced at each operation,
substantially as herein set forth.
3. In the manufacture of capsules or containers of hard strong metal capable
of sustaining great internal pressure and having fine necks with narrow inlet
apertures the process of annealing from time to time only so much of the part
to form the shoulder and neck as is operated on at each action of the dies and
plungers substantially as herein set forth and for the purpose stated.
4. The process of manufacturing capsules or containers of hard strong metal
capable of sustaining great internal pressure and having fine necks with narrow
inlet apertures, by a succession of graduated operations on a previously prepared
cup, to form the shoulder and neck of the capsule, and by annealing previous to
each operation only such part of the material, hardened by the previous operation,
as is to be operated upon whereby the material at the upper part of the capsule
towards the neck receives a gradually increasing thickness, thereby enabling a
thin neck with narrow inlet aperture to be formed and materially increasing the
resistance of the capsule against great internal pressure, substantially as herein set
forth.
Dated this 6th day of February 1897
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents..