IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES."
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Russell, of Wednesbury, in the County
of Stafford, Metal Tube Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Russell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th March 1857.
I, JOHN JAMES RUSSELL, of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, Metal
Tube Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates chiefly to iron, steel, and cast steel tubes, and I make
such tubes with a compound of the "butt" and "lap" joint, by inserting
strip or bar of or or other angular-shaped metal between the edges.
of the previously prepared skelp or partly-formed tube before welding it.
To secure a more perfect welding, a scraper or cutting tool may be passed.
between the edges of the skelp to give the required shape to the opening or
joint, and to clear it of dirt or other injurious matter previous to inserting the
strip or bar, or the skelp or strip may be rolled with the edges scarfed to the
shape required to receive the bar; and in the case of steel tubes or of cast

page_text: steel tubes, a flux may be applied for a like purpose, and I prefer to use a
flux of calcined sandstone, or the refuse or powdered silicate obtained from
the inside of steel-converting or refining furnaces, but other fluxes may be
used according to the nature of the material to be operated upon, or the
article to be produced.
In making lap-jointed tubes of large diameters (either of iron, steel, or cast
steel), from one piece or in sections, I submit them to the action of heat from
a closed furnace, provided with a blast and an opening for the emission of
flame, before which that portion of the partly prepared tube to be operated
upon is placed, and when at a welding heat is hammered or pressed so as to
close the joint; an inside mandril forming the point of resistance.
If more heat be required than can be easily obtained from the furnace, gas
may be used to heat the interior of the tube, by inserting a perforated gas pipe
so as to obtain a continuous flame, which (by the aid of a blow-pipe, suitably
arranged) may be raised to any degree of heat required.
SPECIFICATION filed, in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said John James
Russell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
JAMES RUSSELL, of Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John James Russell, Her special licence, that I, the said John James
Russell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John James Russell, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES AND AXLES OR SHAFTS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John James Russell, 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,

page_text: and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office on or before the
Twelfth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John James Russell, 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 :-
This Invention relates chiefly to iron, steel, and cast steel tubes, and I make
such tubes with a compound of the "butt" and "lap-joint," by inserting a
strip or bar of V or T or other angular-shaped metal between the edges of the
previously prepared skelp or partly-formed tube before welding it.
To secure a more perfect welding, a scraper or cutting tool may be passed
between the edges of the skelp to give the required shape to the opening or
joint, and to clear it of dirt or other injurious matter previous to inserting the
strip or bar, or the skelp or strip may be rolled with the edges scarfed to the
shape required to receive the bar; and in the case of steel tubes or of cast
steel tubes, a flux may be applied for a like purpose, and I prefer to use a
flux of calcined sandstone, or the powdered silicate obtained from the inside of
steel-converting or refining furnaces, but other fluxes may be used according
to the nature of the material to be operated upon, or the article to be
produced.
In making lap-jointed tubes of large diameters (either of iron, steel, or cast
steel) from one piece or in sections, I submit them to the action of heat from
a closed furnace, provided with a blast and an opening for the emission of
flame, before which that portion of the partly prepared tube to be operated
upon is placed, and when at a welding heat is hammered or pressed so as to
close the joint, an inside mandril forming the point of resistance.
In order more fully to explain the said improvements, reference is made to
the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing the
mandril to weld the joint upon when heated; this can be done either with
hammer or pressure by means of a roller or stamp.
Figure 2, sectional plan at C, D, shows plan at the centre of the tube, also
the opening from the furnace for the flame to pass through the tube to be
welded.
Figure 3, section at A, B, shows furnace, blast pipe, mandril head on man-
dril, roller to carry the tube to be welded, damper and chimney to carry off
the superfluous smoke.
A, A, A, tube to be welded; B, B, blast pipe to the furnace; C, C, chimney
to carry off the superfluous smoke; D, D, damper to regulate the furnace;
F, F, furnace for the fire; H, H, head on the mandril to weld the joint of

page_text: tubes on when it is hot; the tube must be turned up from the flame where it
has been heated, then allowed to rest on the head to be welded down with
hammers or pressure from a roller or stamp; M, M, M, mandril fixed on a
pillar so as to project into the tube to carry the head; P, P, pillar carrying
the mandril; R, R, R, rollers to carry the tube to be welded; these rollers
are to be made to rise and fall to any height required during the process of
heating and welding.
Figs. 4 & 5 show the mode of filling up the space and welding the longi-
tudinal joints of the tubes.
In witness whereof, I, the said John James Russell, have hereunto set my
JOHN JAMES RUSSELL. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the