Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Tubes and Wires.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Tubes and Wires.
I, SALOMON FRANK, of 4, Blücherplatz, Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the German
Empire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention has for its object to so manufacture metal tubes and wires
that they possess greater density, homogeneousness of texture and strength than
do tubes or wires as ordinarily made.
According to my invention I place a cold block of the metal to be operated
upon in a press mould constructed after the style of a press for making rods
or rails, and act upon it by high pressure through the medium of a stamp or die.
The metal will then leave the mould in the shape of a tube or wire according
to the configuration of the mouth piece employed.
The apparatus may be made for example as follows.-The press consists of a
mould with a downward extension or legs terminating in a cross-piece from which
a core-piece reaches up to the lower mouth or orifice of the mould; the length of
ne extension and core piece corresponding to the maximum length of tubes to
be produced. A stamp or die which is made to fit the aperture of the mould,
is operated by means of any suitable pressure exerting device such as a hand
or machine press. The block of metal to be converted into a tube, and preferably
bored lengthwise through the centre beforehand, is inserted cold into the aperture,
and then subjected to the requisite high pressure through the agency of the die.
Under this pressure the metal becomes uniformly distributed around the conical
end of the core piece and is forced in the shape of a tube through the annular
space between the said core-piece and the mould.
The apparatus may be operated by hydraulic power; the pressure fluid entering
the bore, and there exercising pressure upon the metal to be operated upon,
preferably through the medium of a loose piston or plunger placed in the said
bore.
The core-piece may be supported from above the aforesaid extension from the
mould in this case extending upwards, and upon its end there rests a cross-piece
from which the core piece is suspended; the lower end of such core piece being
fitted with a tapering head at the lower end corresponding to the tapered lower
opening of the bore. The lower end of the die is of tubular shape, so that it
wul envelope or surround the core-piece, while at top it is forked. The metal
block to be operated upon has a bore corresponding to the thickness of the die;
the effect being the same as that produced by the arrangement last described.
For manufacturing wire the piece of metal is forced by the die in the shape
of wire through an orifice which is contracted in a conical manner according to
the size of wire required.
in order to enable the metal to slide readily along the walls of the mould, some
thick lubricant may, at the same time as such metal, be forced through the mould.
This process of manufacture of tubes or wire has the advantage over the

page_text: familiar drawing process, of not stretching the metal or tearing asunder the
molecules of its texture but, on the contrary, of rendering it more dense or
compact than it was originally.
Moreover in drawing tubes or wire, the metal has to pass through a number
of draw-plates and the diameter of aperture of each successive draw-plate can only
be made just a trifle smaller than that of the plate immediately preceding, lest
the wire or tube should break in the process of stretching.
For the purposes of the present process the cylinder and metal block may be of
any size, and the aperture or gauge may be reduced at will, without its involving
the necessity of passing the metal through the press more than once, if adequate
pressure be applied.
Dated this 18th day of February 1899
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincolns Inn Field, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Tubes and Wires.
I, SALOMON FRANK, of 4, Blücherplatz, Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the German
Empire, Engineer, 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:-
This invention has for its object to so manufacture metal tubes and wires
that they possess greater density, homogeneousness of texture and strength than
do tubes or wires as ordinarily made.
According to my invention I place a cold block of the metal to be operated
upon in a press mould constructed after the style of a press for making rods
or rails and act upon it by high pressure through the medium of a stamp or dic.
The metal will then leave the mould in the shape of a tube or wire according
to the configuration of the mouth-piece employed.
Several forms of press-moulds of this description are represented by way of
example in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figures 1 and 2 are sections of a press-mould adapted for the manufacture of
tubes.
Figure I shews the press empty while in Figure 2 it is supposed to be in
operation. The press consists of a mould a with downward extensions or legs b
terminating in a cross-piece from which a core-piece d projects upwards to the
lower mouth or orifice e of the mould a; the length of the legs or extensions b
and core-piece d corresponding to the maximum length of tubes to be produced.
A stamp or die g which is made to fit the aperture f of the mould a is operated
by means of any suitable pressure exerting device such as a hand or machine
press. The block of metal to be converted into a tube, and preferably bored
lengthwise through the centre beforehand, is inserted cold into the orifice or bore f
and then subjected to the requisite high pressure through the agency of the die g.
Under this pressure the metal becomes uniformly distributed around the conical
end of the core piece d and is forced in the shape of a tube through the annular
space between the said core piece and the mould a as illustrated in Figure 2.
Figure 3 is a section shewing an arrangement for exerting the requisite force by
hydraulic power; the liquid under pressure entering the orifice or bore f at i,
and there exercising pressure upon the metal h to be operated upon, preferably
through the medium of a loose piston or plunger 9 placed in the said orifice or
bore f.

page_text: Figure 4 represents an arrangement wherein the core-piece d is supported from
above, the legs or extensions in this case extending upwards; and upon its end
there rests a cross piece e from which the core piece d is suspended the said
core-piece being fitted with a tapering head k at the lower end corresponding to
the tapered lower opening of the bore. The lower end of the die g is tubular the
core piece passing through it, while at top it is forked as shewn. The metal
block to be opegated upon has a bore corresponding to the thickness of the
core d; the effect being when pressure is exerted on the die g the same as that
produced by the arrangements herein before described.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of an arrangement whereby wire can be manu-
factured the piece of metal being forced, by the die g, into the shape of wire h¹ by
passing through an orifice which is conically formed in the mould a as shewn
the smallest part of the orifice being the size and shape of the wire required.
In order to enable the metal to slide readily along the walls of the mould some
thick lubricant may at the same time as such metal be forced through the mould.
This process of manufacture of tubes or wire has the advantage over the familiar
drawing process, of not stretching the metal or tearing asunder the molecules of
its texture, but on the contrary, of rendering it more dense or compact, than it
was originally. In drawing tubes or wire as hitherto has been customary, the
metal has to pass through a number of draw-plates, and the diameter of aperture
of each successive draw plate can only be made just a trifle smaller than that of
the plate immediately preceding, lest the wire or tube should break in the process of
stretching, but according to the present invention the orifice or bore and the block
of metal operated upon may be of any size and there is no necessity for passing the
metal through the press more than once, if adequate pressure be applied however
small the aperture or gauge through which the metal is forced may be. I am
aware that lead tubes or pipes have already been produced by the metal being
forced through a rod press; but to do this it has been necessary first to heat the
lead to a temperature just below the point of fusion, so that it was still intensely
hot on issuing from the mould, and I do not lay any claim to this method.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
The manufacture of tubes and wire from metal in the cold state consisting in
forcing a block of cold metal through a rod press fitted with a suitable orifice
or mouth piece substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Sth day of November 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincolns Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.