Improvements in Apparatus for Making Lead Pipe or Covering Insulated Electrical Conductors with Lead Sheaths.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making Lead Pipe or Covering
Insulated Electrical Conductors with Lead Sheaths.
We, LEWIS WOOD TRACY Mechanical Engineer, of No. 221 East 105th Street
New York City United States of America and JAMES ELNATHAN GRANNISS
Gentleman, of No. 661 Fifth Avenue New York aforesaid both citizens of the
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In our invention, the core-bar is formed in or carried by a block which is seated
in the lower end of the lead cylinder; that is to say, an ordinary vertical lead cylinder
is bored transversely and concentrically from opposite sides. A block placed on the
head of the press occupies the lower end of the cylinder. In one form of the
invention this block is shaped so as to form a core-bar, the larger opening of which
coincides with one of the transverse openings in the walls of the cylinder, or it may
be merely a holder for the core-bar, and the core-bar may be inserted through said
transverse opening into the holder. The die corresponding with the core-bar may
be mounted in the wall of the cylinder in the opposite transverse opening. By this
construction we do away entirely with the usual die-block that is located between
the head of the press and the cylinder. The block occupying the lower end of the
cylinder may be retained in accurate position by dowels thereupon entering sockets
in the head of the press, or in a plate lying on the head of the press and supporting
the block and cylinder, or, the block may be seated in a dovetail groove in the face
of said plate, or any other construction to securely hold the block in its true
position with reference to the cylinder may be adopted.
In another form of the invention the cylinder is bored transversely as already
described, and the block occupies the lower end of the cylinder, but in this instance
the die as well as the core-bar is carried by the block. which is formed with 'two
vertical portions next the walls of the cylinder, with a space between them. Each
vertical portion is bored to coincide with the transverse openings in the walls of the
cylinder. The core-bar is inserted through one of said openings and through one
of the vertical portions of the block, so as to project into the intermediate space,
while the die is mounted in the face of the opposite vertical portion, concentrically
with reference to the core-bar, and the opposite transverse opening in the wall of the
cylinder. The lead introduced into the cylinder of course, occupies also the space
between the two vertical portions of the block, and when pressure is applied by the
plunger, the lead is forced around the core-bar and out of the die in the usual manner,
the conductor to be covered being carried transversely through the hollow core-bar
and through the opposite opening in the wall of the cylinder.
If desired, I may connect the two vertical portions of the block at their tops by
a cross piece so that the lead would have to enter the intermediate space more from
the sides than from the top, or instead of running the cross piece entirely over it
may project more or less from one of the vertical portions toward the other.
The principal feature of the invention as will be obvious from the foregoing
description, is that the block is arranged directly in the end of a transversely bored
cylinder, whereby the ordinary intermediate die-block is dispensed with.
Dated this 16th day of June 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Making Lead Pipe or Covering
Insulated Electrical Conductors with Lead Sheaths.
We, LEWIS WOOD TRACY, Mechanical Engineer, a citizen of the United States of
America, residing at No. 221 East 105th Street, in the City, County and State of
New York, U.S.A. and JAMES ELNATHAN GRANNISS, Gentleman, a citizen of the
United States of America, residing at No. 661 Fifth Avenue, in the City, County
and State of New York, U.S.A. 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 :-
In our invention, the core-bar is formed in or carried by a block which is seated
in the lower end of the lead cylinder; that is to say, an ordinary vertical lead
cylinder is bored transversely and concentrically from opposite sides. A block
placed on the head of the press occupies the lower end of the cylinder. In one form
of the invention, this block is shaped so as to form a core-bar, the larger opening of
which coincides with one of the transverse openings in the walls of the cylinder, or
it may be merely a holder for the core-bar, and the core-bar may be inserted through
said transverse opening into the holder. The die corresponding with the core-bar
may be mounted in the wall of the cylinder in the opposite transverse opening. By
this construction we do away entirely with the usual die-block that is located between
the head of the press and the cylinder. The block occupying the lower end of the
cylinder may be retained in accurate position by dowels thereupon entering sockets
in the head of the press, or in a plate lying on the head of the press and supporting
the block and cylinder, or, the block may be seated in a dovetailed groove in the
face of said plate, or any other construction, to securely hold the block in its true
position with reference to the cylinder, may be adopted.
In another form of the invention, the cylinder is bored transversely, as already
described, and the block occupies the lower end of the cylinder, but in this instance
the die, as well as the core-bar, is carried by the block which is formed with two
vertical portions next the walls of the cylinder, with a space between them. Each
vertical portion is bored to coincide with the transverse openings in the walls of the
cylinder. The core-bar is inserted through one of said openings, and through one
of the vertical portions of the block, so as to project into the intermediate space,
while the die is mounted in the face of the opposite vertical portion, concentrically
with reference to the core-bar, and the opposite transverse opening in the wall of
the cylinder. The lead introduced into the cylinder of course occupies also the space
between the two vertical portions of the block, and, when pressure is applied by the
plunger, the lead is forced around the core-bar and out of the die in the usual
manner, the conductor to be covered being carried transversely through the hollow
core-bar and through the opposite opening in the wall of the cylinder.
If desired, we may connect the two vertical portions of the block at their tops by
a cross-piece so that the lead would have to enter the intermediate space more from
the sides than from the top, or instead of running the cross-piece entirely over it may
project more or less from one of the vertical portions towards the other.
The principal feature of the invention, as will be obvious from the foregoing
description, is that the block is arranged directly in the end of a transversely bored
cylinder, whereby the ordinary intermediate die-block is dispensed with.
The accompanying drawings show, on Sheet 1, Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, one form
of the apparatus and modifications, thereof, and, on Sheet 2, Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive,
another form.
In the drawings, Sheet 1,-
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through an apparatus, embodying one form
of the invention;..
Fig. 2. an end elevation of the block in which the core-bar or core-bar holder

page_text: Fig. 3, a plan view of the same, and
Fig. 4, a vertical section of a slightly different construction.
A represents the head of the press, and B the lead-cylinder. Between the cylinder
and the head of the press, we, by preference, place a block C, and upon this block
mount the core-bar holder D, though in some cases the part D may constitute the
core-bar itself. Of course the core-bar holder D, might be mounted immediately upon
the head A, of the press.
The core-bar or core-bar holder D is formed with a base d, which rests upon the
block C, and may be seated in a dovetailed groove therein, as shown. One end
of this core-bar holder is of conical form and tapering after the manner of an
ordinary core-bar, while its opposite enlarged end is turned or ground to exactly
fit the circular wall of the lead-cylinder, and the base d is similarly ground or turned
to exactly fit within the cylinder.
When the block C, carrying the core-bar holder is placed upon the head of the
press, and the cylinder placed in position, the core-bar holder occupies the lower
end of the cylinder in exact and proper relation to two transverse concentric
openings B1, B2, formed in opposite walls of the cylinder. One of these
openings B¹ communicates with and forms a continuation of the bore of the
core-bar holder, while within the other and opposite the end of the core-holder
or core-bar is seated the die E. The die may be adjusted in its seat in the wall
of the cylinder by means of a screw-threaded follower E'.
If the part D constitutes the core-bar proper, all the conditions exist for the
manufacture of pipe or the covering of a cable or conductor with lead. The
insulated conductor is led in through the hollow core-bar and through the die E,
and the press being operated, the lead sheath is formed around it as it emerges
from the machine through the hollow follower B². By preference a sleeve Fis
passed through the opening B¹ in the wall of the cylinder, and screws into the
core-bar holder, as shown both in Figs. 1 and 4, and when a core-bar G is seated
within the holder D, the sleeve F serves as a follower, by means of which it
may be adjusted.
The purpose of inserting the core-bar G, as shown in Fig. 1, is to reduce the
diameter to adapt the machine for covering a smaller conductor. By removing
the part G and employing a die E, of proper size, a larger conductor or cable
may be covered, the part D serving as the core-bar proper; but, in any event, it
is preferred to use the sleeve F, because, in the event of a minute quantity of
lead flowing through the joint between the rear of the part D and the wall of
the cylinder, it could not reach the insulated conductor or cable.
As shown in Fig. 4, instead of mounting the part D in a dovetailed groove
in the block C, it may be seated thereupon and its accurate position assured by a
dowel-pin H, on the base d, entering a socket in the block C, and similarly the
exact position of the cylinder B may be insured by means of dowel-pins b, on the
under face of the cylinder, which enter corresponding sockets in the block C.
Referring to Sheet 2,-
Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of so much of the apparatus as is necessary
to illustrate the second part of the invention;
Fig. 6, a plan view of same, with the cylinder B removed;
Fig. 7, a transverse section of the block in which the core-bar and die are
seated, and
Fig. 8, a longitudinal section of the same.
A is the head of the press or a block or plate resting thereon, B, the lead-
cylinder, and C, the block mounted upon the head of the press and located in the
lower end of the cylinder. The block C has two vertical portions C₁, C, with an
intervening space D, which constitutes the lead-pipe-forming chamber. Each
portion C, 0, of the block is apertured, as shown, and openings EE are formed
in the walls of the lead-cylinder coinciding with the openings in the block. If
desired, the parts C¹³ may be connected at the top by a cross-piece C³. This is
shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, or the part C³ may be omitted and the lead-chamber D

page_text: be entirely open at the top. The core-bar F is inserted through the opening in
the wall of the cylinder, and preferably has a screw-threaded seat in the portion C
of the block, by means of which it may be adjusted. The die G is seated in the
opposite portion C³, of the block.
By withdrawing the core-bar and removing the lead from the chamber D, the
die G may be pushed from its seat and removed through the lead-chamber D. At
the close of the day's work, or whenever it is desired to change the die and
core-bar, or if it is wished to substitute a different block C, the block may be
pressed out of the cylinder by the operation of a hydraulic press. To ensure the
proper placement of the block D, with reference to the lead-cylinder, a dowel-pin b,
on the under side of the block, may enter a corresponding socket in the head of
the press. The block B is turned or ground to accurately fit the lower end of the
cylinder, and there is no danger of the escape of lead between the circumferential
wall of the block and the interior wall of the cylinder. If there should be any such
leakage above the core-bar, the lead would merely flow out through the opening E.
around the core-bar and could not come in contact, with the insulated conducter
passing through the machine.
;
By the apparatus just described, it is obvious that there can be no possible displace-
ment of the end of the core-bar, with reference to the die, since the core-bar and
the die are both mounted in or form part of the solid block C. For instance,
the uneven seating of the block Cupon the head of the press would not change the
relation of the core-bar and die, and the openings E in the wall of the lead-
press being made of sufficient diameter, any slight displacement of the block with
reference to the lead-cylinder would not interfere with the entrance and exit of the
cable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the vertical cylinder, a
horizontal core-bar arranged within the lower end of the cylinder opposite con-
centric transverse openings in the walls of the cylinder, one of which communicates
with the interior of the core-bar, and a die located in the opposite opening.
2. The combination, substantially as set forth, with the cylinder, of a core-bar
or core-bar holder which accurately fits within the lower end of the cylinder, the
transverse opening through the wall of the cylinder communicating with the
interior of the core-bar holder, and a sleeve passing through said opening and
seated in the core-bar holder, an opposite concentric opening in the wall of the
cylinder, and a die seated therein.
3. The combination of the head of the press A, the cylinder B, the interposed
block C, the core-bar or core-bar holder D, seated upon the said block, and fitting
within the lower end of the cylinder, and transverse concentric passages in the
walls of the cylinder, one of which communicates with the interior core-bar, and
a die arranged in the other; substantially as described, with reference to Sheet 1
of the drawings.
4. The combination of a lead-cylinder with a core-bar holder having a base, and
a conical core-bar. portion, the holder being adapted to fit accurately in the lower
end of the cylinder, substantially as described.
3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the lead-cylinder and a block
occupying the end thereof, said block carrying both the core-bar and die, and the
walls of the cylinder being formed with corresponding openings.
6. The combination of the vertical lead-cylinder having openings in the walls
thereof, and the block C, fitting in one end of the lead-cylinder and having a
pipe-forming chamber D, and portions C1, C2, respectively, supporting the horizontal
core-bar and die, substantially as described with reference to Sheet 2 of the
drawings.
:
7. The combination, with the vertical lead-cylinder, of. a. block C, fitting, within

page_text: the end thereof, and having portions (20², respectively, supporting the horizontal
core-bar and die, and a cross-piece C³, connecting the parts CC2, substantially as
described with reference to Sheet 2 of the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of October 1890.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.