AN IMPROVED MODE OF TURNING UP OR BENDING FLAT PLATES OF MALLEABLE METALS OR MIXTURES OF METALS, BY AID OF MACHINERY, INTO THE FORM OF TUBES
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
TAYLOR, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanist, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that I had invented "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF TURNING UP OR BENDING FLAT PLATES OF MALLEABLE METALS OR MIXTURES OF
METALS, BY AID OF MACHINERY, INTO THE FORM OF TUBES ;" and Her said Majesty,
being willing to give encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be
for the public good, was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent,
under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
bearing date at Westminster, the Eighteenth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-eight, in the eleventh year of Her reign, for Ierself, Her
heirs and successors, to give and grant unto me, the said William Taylor,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I or they, by myself or themselves, or by
my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as I or they should
agree with, and no others, during the term of fourteen years from the date of
the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend my said Invention within that part of Her said Majesty's Dominions
called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,

page_text: in such manner as to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem
meet, and that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising
by reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years: And
whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso obliging me, the said
William Taylor, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the same to be enrolled
in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the
same (reference being thereunto had), will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Taylor, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following, and by aid of the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, with the writing thereon, that is to say :-
The flat plates of metal, which (according to my said improved mode) are to
be turned up or bended by aid of machinery into the form of tubes, are to be
prepared by rolling the metal, in the usual manner, into long, flat, narrow
plates, of suitable length, breadth, and thickness for the intended tubes, the
two edges of each such plate being either what is termed feather-edged, suitable
for overlapping at the junction of the two edges when the plate is turned up,
or else the said two edges being of the full thickness of the plate, suitably for
meeting edge to edge at their junction when the plate is turned up, according
as the intended tubes are to be what are called lap-jointed tubes or butt-jointed
tubes, the said edges of the plates being duly formed as aforesaid either by
the operation of rolling or else by subsequent dressing or cutting the said
edges, so as in either case to render them as truly straight and parallel as may
be requisite for the tubes intended to be made; all which, being the same as
usually practised in the making of tubes of malleable metal, does not require
further description. And it is to be understood that the flat plates which are
to be turned up by my improved mode are to be prepard for being so turned
up in the same manner as they would be prepared for being turned up by
any of the usual modes of performing such operation. And, according to my
said improved mode, the flat plate of metal is to be laid flatways upon a
long narrow bed of iron, which has a semicylindrical concave groove formed
in its upper surface along the middle of its breadth, and extending all its
length from end to end, the concavity of the groove being of a proper size for
the exterior of that form of a tube into which the flat plate is intended to be
turned up. The said grooved bed is fastened on a sliding carriage, which is

page_text: fitted upon and between the straight edges of the fixed framework of the
machinery, so as to be capable of being moved endways in the direction of its
length, with a slow and steady motion, by action and power of the machinery;"
and in such motion the flat plate which is laid upon the said bed over the
concavity of the aforesaid groove therein will be carried along with the bed, in
order that the plate may be passed endways forwards beneath different
operative parts of the machinery by which the turning up is to be performed,
at progressive stages of bending or turning up, by the said operative parts in
succession, from the state of a flat plate first to the form of a shallow gutter
and then to a deeper gutter, the sides of which are afterwards turned inwards
and then downwards, so as to be ultimately closed. together around a mandril:
into the intended form of a cylindrical tube. That one of the said operative
parts of the machinery. beneath which the foremost end of the flat plate is first:
carried in the course of its onward motion along with the moving bed is a
revolving convex roller, which is adapted for bearing upon and bending down
the middle part of the width of the plate into part of the depth of the aforesaid
concave.groove in the bed, which groove is beneath the midde of the width of
the plate; and by such partial bending down of the middle part the two
borders of the plate become turned upwards from their original horizontal
position iuto angular directions thereto, giving the foremost end of the plate
the form of a shallow trough or concave gutter at so much of the foremost end
of the plate as may have arrived at or may have passed beneath the said.
convex roller. And the next one of the aforesaid operative parts of the
machinery beneath which the foremost end of the flat plate will be carried in
the further progress of the same onward motion is another revolving convex
roller similar to the former, but adapted for a further and complete bending
down of the middle part of the already partially bended plate into the whole
depth of the concave groove aforesaid, so that the said middle part will
assume the semi-cylindrical form of the concavity of the groove, which, as
already stated, is the proper size for the exterior of the intended tube; and
such bending, will cause the aforesaid two borders of the plate to becomo
turned further up, nearly into parallel vertical planes, at each side of the roller,
thus giving the plate the form of a deep trough or gutter with a semi-
cylindrical bottom, and: nearly upright sides at so much of the foremost end
of the plate as may have arrived at or may have passed beneath the last-
mentioned convex roller. The bending operations of the said two rollers are
very similar, except as to the extent of bending and turning up that they
produce, the first roller bending the middle part of the plate only partially
down into the depth of the concave groove in the bed, and only partially

page_text: turning up the borders of the plate, but the second roller completes the
bending down to the bottom of the concave, and the turning up of the borders
nearly to upright positions; and as the foremost end of the plate proceeds
onwards along with the bed beyond the second roller, the said end arrives at
the point or tapering end of a fixed mandril, the bulb or full-sized part of
which mandril is lying motionless at the bottom of the groove in the bed,.
being kept stationary therein by means of a long stem to the mandril, which
stem extends onwards to a fixed support at a distance, and in progressing
further onwards the said foremost end of the plate, which, as already stated,
has been, turned up to the form of a deep gutter, gathers the bulb of
the mandril into the concavity at the bottom of that gutter, the size of the
bulb being suitable to the said concavity, and having thus become lodged
therein, the bulb will keep open the interior capacity or bore of the intended
form of a tube during the further operations, whereby the borders of the
plate are to be turned over, and then their edges brought together, either with
those edges overlapping or merely meeting edge to edge, as the case may be.
The operative parts by which the said turning over is to be performed are a
pair of rollers, whereof one roller is situated at each side of the bed, but
above the same, with their circumferences meeting, or nearly meeting, over the
middle of the width of the bed, and the axes of the two rollers are inclined
from vertical positions in contrary directions one to the other, and the edges
of the rollers are conical, but concave to a quadrant of a circle of the same
size as that of the groove in the bed, so as to leave a semicircular aperture
between the conical and-concave circumferences of the two rollers at the
meeting of those circumferences, which meeting is over the middle of the bed,
and so low down as that, owing to the contrary inclinations of the axes of the
two rollers, the said semicircle will conform with the semicircle of the groove
in the bed, in order (between the two rollers and the groove) to surround the
whole circumference of a circle of the proper size for the exterior of the intended
tube, whilst the bulb or full-sized part of the mandril is occupying a circle of
the proper size for the interior thereof; and when the foremost end of the plate,
in its motion onwards with the moving bed, arrives at the said pair of rollers
(that end being in the state of a deep gutter with the mandril lodged in the
bottom thereof), those rollers operate laterally, against the outsides of the two
nearly upright sides. or. borders of the deep gutter, to bend those sides inwards
one towards the other; and, owing to the inclining positions and conical forms
of the said two rollers, the directions in which their said lateral operations
press the sides of the plate inwards are directions of contrary obliquity down
wards towards the mandril, which occupies thesemi-cylindric bottom of the deep

page_text: gutter; and the consequence is, that the two borders of the plate become
turned over and bended down upon the mandril nearly in conformity there-
with and with the aforesaid semicircular aperture that is left between the
meeting edges of the two rollers, that semicircle being at the upper half of the
intended form of a tube, and the lower half thereof being the semi-cylindric
groove in the bed. Wherefore, as the plate has previously had its middle
part bended down to conformity with that groove, the whole breadth of the
plate has become turned up nearly into the intended form of a tube, after its
two border parts have been turned over and bended down as aforesaid nearly
to conformity with the mandril by action of the said two rollers; but, in order
to complete such bending down, and render the same more effectual and
permanent, the foremost end of the plate, in its further progress onwards
beyond the said pair of rollers (that end being nearly in the intended form
of a tube, with the mandril in the interior thereof), the said end is carried
along with the bed beneath the concave grooved circumference of another
revolving roller, which presses forcibly downward upon the plate, to complete
the bending down of the two edges thereof into a more exact conformity to
the mandril, which is lying motionless within the said form of a tube which the
foremost end of the plate has assumed, and the mandril gives internal
support thereto to prevent the plate being bended inwards, so as to encroach
upon the interior of the intended form of a tube, but the mandril keeps that
interior fully open to the intended size; and as fast as the foremost end of
the plate passes onwards beyond the last-mentioned revolving grooved roller,
so much of the length of the plate as has so passed will have been turned up
into the form of a tube, and when the whole length of the plate has so passed
beyond the said roller the operation of turning up the plate into the form of a
tube by aid of the machinery will have been completed. It will be understood
from the foregoing description respecting the progressive stages of bending and
turning up of the plate from its flat state to that of the form of a tube, that
although the said stages follow one after another in due succession, as already
described, yet the description relates chiefly to the bending of the foremost
end of the plate to each one of those stages in due succession; nevertheless,
the bending of other succeeding parts of the length of the same plate to
other earlier stages of the bending is going on at the same time, and in fact all
the stages may be going at once; for instance, at the same time that the last
concave grooved roller is finally completing the bending of some one part of
the length of the plate at or near the foremost end of that length, the aforesaid
pair of conical grooved rollers are in the act of turning over and bending down
the borders of the same plate at another part of the length thereof further

page_text: behind the foremost end, also the aforesaid second convex roller is bending down
the middle part of the plate to the bottom of the groove in the bed at another
part of the length of the same plate, still further behind the foremost end,
and in like manner the first convex roller is partially bending down the said
middle part of the plate to part of the depth of the said groove at another
part of the length of the same plate still further behind the foremost end; and
the hindniost end of the plate is remaining in its original flat state. And
note, in case the edges of the plate which is to be turned up in manner afore-
said are required to overlap for making lap-jointed tubes, then two or more
fixed guides may be applied, in order to ensure that one of the two edges shall
be within the other of those edges before the pair of conical-grooved rollers
begin to act laterally for bending the two borders of the plate inwards one
towards the other, and downwards towards the mandril, in the manner already
described. The said fixed guides are the extreme ends of strong pieces of
metal fixed fast to the framework of the machinery in the interval between
the second convex roller and the pair of conical grooved rollers; and the said
extreme ends stand up from the framework, in order to reach upwards and
over the moving bed, so that the sides of the deep gutter form into which the
plate is bended will be brought into contact with the said ends during the
onward motion of the said deep gutter along with the moving bed. The
extreme end of one of the said fixed guides will be thus in contact with the
outside of the plate at one of the said sides of the gutter; and, in consequence
of a suitable oblique direction that is given to such end, it will cause that side
of the gutter to be bended somewhat inwards before the action of the conical
grooved roller belonging to the same side against the outside thereof begins
to bend the same inwards, and thereby the said fixed guide, facilitating the
bending operation of the last-mentioned roller, causes the same to bend down
that side sooner than the opposite side can be bended down by the opposite
conical roller, the bending operation of which roller is somewhat retarded by
the end of the opposite fixed guide being in contact with the inside of plate at
the opposite side of the gutter: Or, instead of such fixed guides as aforesaid,
small rollers mounted on fixed centre pins may be applied so as to operate
against the two sides of the deep gutter for commencing the turning in of
those sides before they arrive at the pair of conical rollers; and, still further to
ensure that one edge of the said deep gutter shall overlap the other edge as
aforesaid, one of the two conical grooved rollers already described should be
situated somewhat in advance of the opposite roller in the direction of the
motion of the carriage, in order that one side of the said deep gutter in
moving along with the carriage may be brought into contact with the afore

page_text: said advanced roller, and be thereby bended down upon the mandril at a some-
what earlier period than the opposite side of the gutter will be bended down
by the opposite conical roller. The several revolving rollers mentioned in the
foregoing description (or some of those rollers) are turned round by means of
suitable toothed wheelwork belonging to the machinery, and connected with
the pinion and rack or other suitable means by which the bed and the plate
are moved endway forwards. And note, although the mandril in the fore-
going description is a stationary mandril, with only part of the length thereof
of the full size, nevertheless a cylindrical mandril of the full length of the
intended form of a tube, and tapered at the foremost end, may be used, if
preferred, such mandril being carried endway's along with the plate, instead of
being kept stationary in respect to the plate, as above described. But, before
entering into further explanation of the mode of using such a long cylindrical
mandril, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed, for more
full explanation of the details of the mode herein-before described, and of the
machinery by which it is to be performed, first premising that the construction
and arrangement of the parts of such machinery may be varied without
materially altering the manner of its operation in turning up the plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a horizontal plan of the whole machinery.; Figure 2 is a cor-
responding vertical section along the middle of the width of the machinery;
and Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are transverse. vertical sections of the machinery
at the several places in the length thereof where the different stages of the
bending and turning up are performed; that is to say, Figure 3. exhibits the
first convex roller by which the middle part of the plate is partially bended
down into the groove in the bed to the form of a shallow gutter; Figure 4
exhibits the second convex roller, by which tlie same middle part is bended
quite down to the bottom of that groove to the form of a deep gutter;
Figure 5 exhibits the pair of concave conical rollers, which turn over and
bend down the two borders of the plate upon the stationary mandril; and
Figure 6 exhibits the last concave roller, by which the aforesaid bending down
of the borders is finally completed. In all the Figures the same parts aro
marked with the same letters and numeral character for reference. A, A, is
the fixed framework of the machinery, being a long casting of iron with its
two sides in one piece, supported horizontally on suitable legs, and having a
long groove extending along its upper side from one end to the other, and all
the edges of that groove are planed straight and parallel.one edge to another,
the whole being very similar to the fixed bed of a modern slide lathe. or

page_text: planing machine.
B, b, B, is the sliding carriage accurately fitted to the
said groove in the frame A, A, so as to slide freely therein with a horizontal
rectilinear motion endways backwards and forwards, that motion being com-
municated to the carriage B, B, by means of a toothed rack d at the under
side of it, and a toothed pinion D, Figure 4, on a horizontal axis E, which
extends across the framework A, A, and when that axis E, together with the
pinion D, is turned round, by power of millwork, the carriage B, B, will be
moved endways with a slow and forcible motion. either backwards or for-
wards along the groove in the framework A, A, according as the pinion D
is turned round in one direction or in a contrary direction; and the millwork
must be adapted to turn the said pinion D (together with other revolving parts
of the machinery). first in one direction and then in a contrary direction, as
is the case in modern planing machines for planing metal work.. The length
of the endway motion that the carriage B, B, will have to perform will be
considerably more than the length of the longest plate that is required to be
turned up to the form of a tube; and the framework A, A, together with suit-
able prolongations at the ends thereof, must be adapted to, sustain the carriage
B, B, firmly during the whole of such an extent, of endway motion. The
upper side of the carriage B, B, is formed with a straight parallel groove
along the middle of its width, and extending all its length from end to end,
suitably for the reception of the bed b, b, which has the straight semi-cylindric
groove along the middle of its upper side all its length, that groove being, as
already stated; the exact size for the exterior of the lower half of the form of a
tube, to which the plate is to be. turned up... The bed b. is firmly fastened into
the groove in the carriage B, B, and the bed 6 performs as if it were in one
piece of metal with the carriage, and might be so, but for the convenience of
occasionally changing the bed 6 for another like bed, but with a larger or smaller
semi-cylindric, groove suitable for turning up plates to a different size or form of
tubes, the several operative rollers: being also changed for other like rollers,
but with the convexities. and concavities. of their circumferences suited to the
size and form of the groove in the bed that is to be used. along with those
rollers. G. is the first convex roller (see Fig. 3). Its axis e, e, is disposed
horizontally across..over the carriage, being firmily supported in bearings I, J,
erected upon the framework. A,.A, at each, side of the carriage B, B; and on
one end of the axis ea spur, wheel. H is fastened, and its teeth are turned
by those of another spur wheel I, on the liorizontal axis K of a-pinion F;
which, although, represented without teeth in Figures 1 and 3, may be
similar to the pinion D, with teeth to act in the teeth of the rack d of the
carriage B; and, the number of teeth in the wheel H. bearing nearly the

page_text: same proportion to the number of teeth in the wheel I as the acting diameter
of the roller G bears to the acting diameter of the pinion F, the consequence,
is, that the acting circumference of G will accompany (or nearly accompany).
the endway motion of the bed 6 and of the metal plate z, which is laid thereon,
so as to bear with a proper action upon the upper surface of the plate at the
middle of the breadth thereof, for bending down that middle into part of the
depth of the cylindrical groove in the bed b, which groove being beneath the
middle of the plate leaves the same unsupported, in order that it may be so
bended down; and the said action of bending down the middle also causes
the two borders to become turned upwards, with contrary inclinations to the
original flat state of the plate, as is shewn in Figure 3, where it is also shewn
that the axis e, e, of the rollers G, is of a conical form, which will allow the
said two borders to turn upwards to the contrary inclinations before mentioned,
but will prevent either border from turning up further than the other border,
and thereby a regular form of a shallow gutter is given to the plate, as appears
in Figure 3. The axis e, e, of the roller G, has also a prominent shield f near
each end of it, and the space between the two shields f. f, being equal to the
original width of the flat plate, they tend to guide the edges of the plate.
The plate must be laid down flatways upon the bed b, with the middle of the
width of the plate exactly over the middle of the groove along the bed. And
to enable that to be done with facility suitable guide pieces (not shewn in
the Drawing) are applied to the carriage B, B, so as to rise up high enough
therefrom to apply against one or both edges of the flat plate, in order to
guide the plate laterally into its proper intended place on the bed. There
should be one or two such lateral guide pieces for the two edges of the plate at
its foremost end, and one or two other like guide pieces for its hindermost end.
Also two stop pieces must be applied to the bed b, so as to rise up therefrom,
and act behind that hindermost end of the plate, in order to compel it to
accompany the motion of the bed 6, when the same is moving endways for-
wards. And the last-mentioned stop pieces may be so formed as also to serve
the purpose of the aforesaid lateral guide pieces for the hindmost end of the
plate. But note, the said lateral guide pieces and stop pieces must be so
applied by means of springs as that they can be easily pressed into suitable
recesses cut out for their reception in the surface of the bed 6 (or of the car-
riage B), in order that all such guide pieces or stop pieces may be qualified
for passing readily beneath the pair of conical rollers, Figure 5, without
catching. Such guide pieces and stop pieces may, for that reason, be formed
at the end of springs, which are fastened at their opposite ends to the bed b,
or to the carriage B within the said recesses, and the elasticity of the springs

page_text: will cause those ends at which the guide or stop pieces are formed to protrude
out of those recesses suitably for their intended purpose of lateral guiding,
and of carrying forward the plate; but when such springs arrive at the conical
rollers they will be thereby pressed into their recesses out of the way; or
such guide pieces and stop pieces may be applied within their recesses by
ineans of hinges, together with springs for moving them upon such hinges,
so that their acting ends will protrude as aforesaid, but will be easily pressed
into their recesses out of the way of the rollers. The aid of such lateral
guiding pieces can only be requisite for placing the plate properly on the bed b
in the first instance, because after the foremost end of the plate has passed
under the first roller G the partial bending down of the middle part of the
plate into the groove in the bed 6 will effectually keep the plate laterally in
place on the bed, or, instead of applying such lateral guiding pieces to the
bed or to the carriage (which are moving parts, and the plate is to accom-
pany them in their motion), the lateral guides might be fixed pieces projecting
from any suitable parts of the fixed framework of the machinery, so as to
apply their fixed ends against one or both of the edges of the plate, which
edges would in such case have to move along in contact with the said fixed
guides with a rubbing action, which would not be objectionable if the said
edges were of the full thickness of the plate for making tubes with butt joints,
but in case of the plate having feathered edges for making lap-jointed tubes,
such a rubbing action might be injurious to the sharpness of the feathered
edges, and hence it would be preferable that the lateral guides should be
applied to the bed b, or to the carriage B, so as to accompany the plate in the
endway motion thereof, as first described.
In Figure 4, L is the second convex roller; 1, 1, its horizontal axis;
m, m, the bearings therefor. M is a large spur wheel on one end of the
axis 7, and N is a small spur wheel on the axis E of the pinion D, already
described. All those parts, and the manner of their operation, are very similar
to what has been already described respecting the first roller G, the only
difference being that the middle part of the plate is bended further down by
the roller L, so as to touch the bottom of the semi-cylindrical groove in the
bed b, and thereby the borders,, of the plate become turned nearly upright,
so as to give a deep gutter form to the plate, as shown in Figure 4. The
pair of conical rollers are shewn in Figure 5 at 0, 0, and P, P, is the frame
in which they are included, and by which their inclined axes p, p, are sup-
ported. That Figure shews the forms of their grooved circumferences, and
the mauner in which those circumferences leave between them a semicircular
aperture at their place of meeting, for turning over and bending down the

page_text: borders of the plate upon the mandril Q, and how that aperture conforms to
the semi-cylindric form of the groove in the bed. The inandril Q is seen
laterally in Figure 2. Its tapered-pointed end r reaches towards the place of
action of the second convex roller L, and the bulb or full-sized part of the
mandril is at the place of action of the pair of conical rollers O, O. The said
bulb or full-sized part of the mandril also extends as far as the place of action
of the concave finishing roller R; and the long stem s, s, of the mandril, which
is of smaller size, reaches onwards to any convenient fixed support S, the
length of the said stem s being fully equal to that of the longest plates which
are intended to be turned up by the machinery. The fixed support S for the end
of the stem s. s, of the mandril, may be kept secured at its intended distance
by a long tye bolt or bolts from the end of the framework A; A.
In Figure 6, R is the concave finishing roller; v, its horizontal axis;
w, w, the bearings therefor. T is a large spur wheel on one end of its axis v,
and Vis a small spur wheel on the horizontal axis W of a pinion X, which
is similar to the pinion D, with teeth acting in the teeth of the long rack d
of the carriage B, B. The operation of the roller R is similar to that of the
rollers G and L, except as to being concave, and pressing down the two borders
of the plate upon the stationary mandril Q, for finishing and completing the
operation that has been begun by the pair of conical rollers O, O. And note,
although the conical rollers O, O, are represented in Figure 5 as if their
inclined axis p, p, were fixed centre pins, supported at the two ends of each
pin in the frame P, P, nevertheless each roller 0, 0, may be formed with
an axis which will revolve with it, and having pivots at each end to be received
in suitable bearings formed in the frame P, P, and with such axes, the conical
rollers O, O, will have greater steadiness of revolving motion. But a small
yielding of those rollers is not of much importance, because if they should, in con-
sequence, fail to turn the borders of the plate closely down upon the mandril Q
or to press the overlapping edges closely down one upon the other, the last
concave roller R will complete the pressing down closely. And note, in the
Plan, Figure 1, the centres of the two conical rollers 0, 0, are represented
exactly in a line across the lengthway of the bed b, at right angles thereto;
but, as herein-before mentioned, in case the edges of the plate are to be over-
lapping, the centre of that roller O which is to operate on that side of the deep
gutter which is to be the innermost side should be situated somewhat in
advance of the centre of the other roller O, that is to say, a little nearer
towards the second convex roller L, the positions of the two rollers O, O,
being in such case as represented in Figure 7, which is a horizontal plan of
part of the machinery. And as to the fixed guides, which, as herein-before

page_text: explained, are requisite in case of overlapping edges, to insure that one of the
two edges shall be within the other edge, those fixed guides may either
be fastened to the framework A, A, or else to the frame P, P, so as to project
out therefrom towards the second convex roller L, and so that the extreme
ends of those guides will be held fast in suitable positions for acting against
the nearly upright sides of the deep gutter form into which the plate will
have been bended, at that part of its length which has just passed beneath
the roller L. Those extreme ends of the guides should be of steel, and-suit-
ably shaped for the plate to rub laterally against them with oblique actions
as the plate moves onwards. The end of one of the guides applies itself in
an oblique direction to the outside of the plate at that nearly upright side of
the gutter whereof the edge is to be the innermost edge, and, the said end
acts to bend that side a little inwards at an earlier period of operation than
the conical roller O at that side can do, thereby facilitating and accelerating
the bending action of that roller when such action does begin. But the
end of the other of the guides applies in an oblique direction to the inside of
the plate at that other side of the gutter whereof the edge is to be the outer-
most or overlapping edge, and the said end tends to prevent or retard the
bending inwards of that edge by action of the other conical roller O, so that
the bending inwards and downwards of one edge by one of the rollers O being
somewhat accelerated, and the corresponding bending inwards and downwards
of the other edge by the opposite roller O being somewhat retarded, it is
insured that the first mentioned of the two edges will be-within the other or
overlapping edge, after both edges have been pressed closely, down by the full
action of both rollers O, O, and of the last concave roller T. It has been
already mentioned that the machinery is to be put in motion by the power of
millwork, applied to turn round the axis E; but such power may be equally
applied to turn the axes K and W, provided that they are all three turned
with an exactly similar and concurrent motion, which may be done by means
of a bevelled wheel U', U, Us, fastened on the end of each of the axes E, K,
and W, and actuated by as many corresponding bevelled wheel Z, Z, Z³, on one
long horizontal axis Y, which is supported in bearings y, y, Figure 1, and that
axis Y being turned round by the power of the millwork will give simulta
neous motions to all the three pinions D, F, and X, which work in the rack d,
and by means of the pairs of wheels I, H, M, N, and T, V, will give motion
to the rollers G, L, and R, which are to operate upon the plate.. But note, as
it is not necessary to have three pinions D, F, and X, in order to cause the
requisite endway motion of the carriage B, the pinion F may be without teeth
(as is represented in Figure 8), and the pinion X might be also without teeth,
'

page_text: leaving the pinion D alone to act in the rack d for giving the requisite endway
motion to the carriage B. The pinion D is represented in Figure 4 as having
circular shields n, n, on each side of its teeth, those shields being of the same
diameter as the pitch circle of the teeth of the pinion, and the rack d has
straight edges at each side of the teeth of the rack, which edges bear upon the
circumferences of the said circular shields n, n, of the pinion, so as to sustain
the carriage B, B, in the manner of bearing rollers, which, although they do
not actually raise up the carriage B, B, from contact with the fixed framework
A whereon the carriage is to slide endways, nevertheless the said shields and
straight edges serve to resist the downward pressure occasioned by the action
of the roller L. And in like manner the other pinions F and X have such
circular shields; and if those pinions are made without teeth (as already
mentioned and represented at F, Figure 3), they must nevertheless have such
circular shields as aforesaid, in order to act as rollers for sustaining the carriage
B against the downward pressure of the rollers G and R. Also; with the
same object, a similar pinion i, with shields (but either with or without teeth)
is applied beneath the pair of conical roller O, O, as is shewn in Figure 5,
that pinion being on a horizontal 'cross axis k, as is there shewn. And
although, as already mentioned, the power of millwork may be applied to the
long horizontal axis Y of the bevil wheels Z1, Z2, R3, it will be more conve-
nient to apply such power to one or other of the three cross axes E, or K, or
W, provided that the pinion D, or F, or X of that axis to which the power is
so applied is a toothed pinion for acting in the teeth of the rack d. Note,
Figure 8 shews the manner of applying a pair of small conical rollers 4, 4,
in the interval between the roller L and the pair of conical rollers O, O, so
that the circumferences of the two rollers 4, 4, will apply. to outsides of the
plate, at each of the sides of the deep gutter form 2, Figure 4, in order to
begin to bend those sides a little inwards one towards the other, as a prepara-
tion for the more complete turning in of the same sides by the operation of
the rollers O, O, and thereby facilitating that operation. The centre pins of
the rollers 4, 4, are fixed to two bars 5, 5, which extend across over the
carriage B, and are fastened at each end of each bar 5 by screw bolts to
upright fixed standards 6, 6, which stand up from the fixed framework A, A,
and according as the bars 5, 5, are so fastened the positions of the two rollers
4, 4, can be adjusted as will best suit for performing their intended action on
the two sides of the deep gutter. The horizontal direction of the bars 5, 5,
across the lengthway of the carriage B, B, is not to be at right angles to
that length, but so that the positions of the two rollers-4, 4, will be as is repre-
sented in the horizontal plan, Figure 7, in order that one roller 4 may act

page_text: somewhat in advance of the other roller 4, as already explained respecting the
two rollers,O, O. The rollers 4, 4, may perform the office of the two fixed guides
already described. And as to the manner of applying the power of millwork
to one or other of the cross axes E, or W, or K, (E, for instance,) that may be
done in various ways, which are well known, being commonly used in planing
machines, the moving bed in such machines requiring a similar motion end-
ways, backwards and forwards alternately through a distance greater than that
of the length of the work to be planed, in like manner as the carriage B, B,
requires to be moved endways forwards further than the length of the plate
that is to be turned up into the form of a tube, and then brought back again
in preparation for operating, on another plate. But note, the plate is not
brought back again with the carriage B, for after it has passed endway foremost
through the machinery, as already. described, so that all its length has been
turned up into the form of a tube, the same is then removed, together with the
mandril Q, the long stem s of which is drawn out from the interior of the
newly turned up plate, and the carriage B is moved back again by the
machinery to its original position. Then the. mandril is replaced, and another.
flat plate is laid down on the bed. 6, in readiness for being turned up. The
motion to be communicated to the carriage B only differs from that required
to be given to a planing machine in the circumstance that the reversing of the
motion is not self-acting, but is to be brought into action by the hand of the
attendant, who must put into action the machinery by which the carriage is to
be moved endways forwards as soon as the-plate has been laid in place on the
bed 6, and when thus put in action the machinery will move the carriage and
bed endway forwards, so as to carry the plate. all its length (and more)
through the machinery, in order to perform the turning up in the manner
already described, and the carriago will stop of itself, without the attendant,
when it has so moved the proper distance.. But the machinery will not begin
the returning motion of itself (as is the case in planing. machines); for tho
attendant must put the machinery in action for returning the carriage as.soon
as the newly turned up plate and the mendril are removed, and the carriage
is ready for returning; and when that machinery has moved the carriage back
to its proper place for laying down another plate on the bed b, then the
returning motion will stop of itself without the attendant, but the carriage
will not start again in the opposite direction for moving forward (as is the case
in planing machines,) until the attendant puts the machinery in action for
moving forward, which he will not do until after another plate has been laid
down, and the mandril replaced ready for operation. And note, the millwork
may be made to move the carriage during its backward or returning direction

page_text: with a more rapid rate of motion than in the forward direction, as is the case
in some planing machines. And, by way of example of one of the various
modes whereby the requisite endway motion of the carriage backwards and
forwards may be given thereto by the power of millwork, the spur wheel N;
Figure 4, (or else the spur wheel V, Figure 6,) may have its teeth engaged
with those of a spur pinion, which is fitted loose on a horizontal axis that
extends across beneath the framework. A, A;. that axis being turned round
continually by the power of the millwork. And whenever the said loose
pinion is connected with its said axis by means of a suitable sliding clutch
thereon, so that the said pinion will be turned round with its said, axis, then
all the machinery will be put in motion in the proper direction for .moving
the carriage endway backwards, in the manner already described, and with a
quick motion; and when the carriage has so moved backwards-its-intended-
extent, then the said sliding clutch is disengaged by self-action of suitable
parts for casting out of gear. (as in planing machines), and the machinery will
stand still until the attendant casts into gear another sliding clutch of another
spur pinion, which is fitted loose, on the same horizontal axis aforesaid, and
then that other spur pinion will begin to turn round with its said. axis, and
by so doing will cause the carriage to begin to be moved endway forwards with.
a-slow rate of motion, because the teeth of that last-mentioned pinion work
into the teeth of a spur wheel of twice its size, which spur wheel is fastened on
another horizontal cross axis (also beneath the framework), and which.axis
has a spur pinion (of the same size as the first-mentioned-spur pinion) fastened
on the end of it, and working into the teeth of the spur wheel N (or V), but
which last-mentioned spur pinion, owing to the double size, of the spur:wheel
on its axis, will only be turned round, half as quick as the first-mentioned spur
pinion, and in a contrary direction thereto, suitably for giving the slow inotion
to the wheel N for the forward motion of the carriage; and when the carriage
has been so moved forwards its intended extent then the last-mentioned
sliding clutch is disengaged by self-action of suitable parts for casting out of
gear (as. in planing machines), and the machinery will stand-still until tho
attendant casts into gear the first-mentioned. sliding clutch.. And: note, the
length of the framework A, A, must be sufficient to afford effectual support to
so much of the length of the carriage B, B, as can be subject at any one time
to the downward pressure of the action of the several rollers G; L, and R, or
any or either of them, and supporting rollers may be provided for so much of
the length of the carriage B; B, as can at any period of its motion. extend
beyond the support afforded by the framework A, or the prolongations at the
ends thereof. Such rollers may be similar to the roller i and axis k, Figure 5,

page_text: but lighter, and with the bearings for the pivots at the ends of the axis
sustained at the proper hight on legs. And in case it is preferred to use a
long cylindrical mandril of the full length of or rather longer than the plate
that is to be turned up, which long mandril will be carried endways along
with the plate, instead of being kept stationary in respect of the motion of the
plate, as is the case with the mandril Q, the machinery may in such case be
nearly the same as already described and represented in the Drawing, except
that the two first rollers G and L, instead of being convex, are to be formed
with concave grooves around their circumferences, and the concavities suited
to a portion of the circumference of the long cylindrical mandril, so that the
said mandril, being laid down along the middle part of the width of the flat
plate that is laid on the bed b, may be passed, together with the plate and the
bed, beneath the said concave circumferences of the rollers G and L, in order that
those rollers may press the mandril downwards upon the plate so as to bend
down the middle of the plate into the groove in the bed b, that is, beneath it,
in a similar manner to what has been already described respecting the bending
down of the middle part of the plate by the convex circumferences of the
roller G.and L, but in the present case the downward pressure of the concave
circumferences of those rollers will act by intervention of the long, cylindrical
mandril to bend down the plate; and in order that the foremost end of such
mandril may be able to effect its entrance beneath the said concave rollers
G and L, that foremost end is tapered nearly to a point (similarly to the end
r, Q, Figure 2 of the stationary mandril), but so much of the length of the long
cylindrical mandril as is thus tapered is an excess beyond the length of the
plate that is to be turned up, the cylindrical part of the long mandril being as
long or longer than the whole length of the plate, so that after the flat plate
has been laid down along the bed 6 over the semi-cylindric groove therein, in the
manner already described, then the long cylindrical mandril is to be laid down
along over the middle of the flat plate, with the tapering end of the mandril
projecting beyond the foremost end of the plate. Then the carriage B and
the bed b, being put in motion, will carry the mandril and the plate endway
forwards with the bed, and the point-at the foremost end of the mandril will
make its entrance beneath the concave circumference of the first roller
G, and as fast as the tapering part of that foremost end passes onward
beneath the said circumference the foremost end of the mandril will be
pressed downwards on the plate, so as to commence the intended bending down
of the middle of the plate, and by the time that the beginning of the cylindri-
cal part of the mandril and the foremost end of the plate have arrived beneath
the concave circumference of the first roller G, the partial bending down of

page_text: the plate into a part of the depth of the grove in the bed will have com-
menced at the foremost end of the plate, so as to bend that end to the form of
the shallow gutter shewn at 2, Figure 3, and already described as being
bended by the action of the convexity of the roller G, bu it is now
performed by the concavity of the roller G, with the intervention of the
cylindric mandril beneath that concavity; and as the pointed end of the
mandril advances onwards with the plate and with the bed b, and arrives
beneath the concavity of the second roller L, the said end is thereby pressed
lower down, so that by the time when the beginning of the cylindrical part of
the mandril (and the foremost end of the plate) have arrived beneath the
concave circumference of the second roller L, then the complete bending down
of the plate to the bottom of the grove in the bed into the deep gutter form z,
Figure 4, will have commenced at the foremost end of the plate, and as the
plate, together with the mandril upon it, proceed further onwards beneath the
concavity of the roller L, the whole of the length of the plate will be progres-
sively bended down to the deep gutter form, such as z, Figure 4, but produced
by the pressing down of the long cylindric mandril upon the plate by downward
action of the concavity of the roller L, instead of by direct downward action of
the convexity of the roller L upon the plate. The further actions of turning
over the two sides of the deep gutter form by means of the small rollers 4, 4,
Figures 7 and 8, or of the fixed guides (if either are used), and of the pair of
conical rollers O, O, and of pressing down the edges by the concave roller R,
are all the same as already described, except that such turning over and press-
ing down is performed upon the long cylindrical mandril which is moving
endways along with the plate, instead of upon the stationary mandril Q, over
which the plate is moving at the time of such turning over and pressing down.
And after the plate has passed all its length through the machinery and
beneath the last roller R thereof, the whole length of the plate will have been
turned up or bended into the form of a tube, having the long cylindrical
mandril enclosed within it, and then the mandril is to be withdrawn from the
interior of the turned-up plate.
And another mode of using a long cylindrical mandril, to be carried end-
ways along with the plate, is as follows:-The machinery may be nearly
the same as herein-before described and represented in the Drawing, but
without the pair of rollers 0, 0, and their frame P, P, and without the two
small rollers 4, 4, Figures 7 and 8, or the two fixed guides for overlapping
edges (if either are used), also without the last concave roller R, and its bear-
ings w, w, and spur wheels T, V, and without the mandril Q and support S,

page_text: with its tye-bolts; so that the operative parts of the machinery will only be the
bed b, and the two convex rollers G and L. And the flat plate being laid
down on the bed b, and passed endways through the machinery, it will become
bended or turned up by action of the two convex rollers G and L, in the
manner already described, to the deep gutter form 2, Figure 4; throughout
the whole length of the plate from end to end; and afterwards the turning up
of such deep gutter forms to the forms of tubes is to be completed by aid of
other machinery, which will be nearly the same as herein-before described and
represented in the Drawing, but without the rollers G and L, and their bear-
ings g, g, m, m, and spur wheels H, I, M, N, and without the mandril Q and
its support S, and the tye-bolts; so that the operative parts of the machinery
will only be the bed b, and the pair of rollers 0, 0, with the two small
rollers 4, 4, Figures 7 and 8, or the two fixed guides for overlapping edges: (if
either are used), and the last concave roller R, also a long cylindrical
mandril, rather longer than the whole length of the plates, and a plate which
has been already turned up in manner aforesaid into a deep gutter form
throughout the whole of its length, being laid in the semi-cylindrical groove
along the bed b, and the long cylindrical 'mandril being laid in the hollow of
the said deep gutter, and occupying the whole length thereof from end to end,
then such gutter, with the long mandril within it, being passed endways
through the machinery, the two sides of the gutter will become bended
inwards, one towards the other, and turned downwards closely upon the
mandril, by action of the small rollers 4, 4, Figures 7 and 8, or the fixed guides
aforesaid (if either are used), and by action of the pair of conical rollers 0, 0,
and of the last concave roller R, so as to complete the intended form of a tube
in the manner already described, except as to being so turned down upon the
long mandril which is moving endways along with the plate, instead of being a
stationary mandril; and after having so passed all its length through the
machinery, the plate which has become turned up into the form of a tube, with
the long mandril in the interior thereof, is removed from the groove in the bed,
and the mandril withdrawn by aid of any sort of simple draw-bench or other-
wise. When it is required to turn up broader or narrower plates to different
sized forms of tubes, by aid of the machinery hercin-before described, the
rollers G, L, 4, 4, 0, 0, and R, must all be removed, and also the bed b; and
then another like bed, but with a semi-cylindric groove of a different size, is to
be put into its place in the groove of the carriage B, B, and other rollers are
to be put in, precisely like G, L, 4, 4, 0, 0, and R, but with circumferences
formed to correspond with the said semi-cylindric groove; also a mandril-Q, of

page_text: suitable size, is to be used, the full diameter of the mandril being in all cases a
very little less than the diameter of the interior of the intended form of tube
that is to be turned up, and the diameter of the semi-cylindrical groove in the
bed being equal to the diameter of the exterior of the said form of tube.
And note, although the groove in the bed has been herein-before described as
semi-cylindrical, and. the convexities and concavities of the grooved circumfer-
ences. of the several rollers as portions of circles, nevertheless that is only true
in case of the plates being required to be turned up to the form of cylindrical
tubes, but the same machinery is applicable for turning up plates to the form
of tubes of any other section that may be required as well as circular, such as
oval or polygonal, the groove in the bed, and the concavities and convexities
of the several rollers and the mandril, being in all cases formed to suit tho
form as well as size of the section that may be required. And note, although
the several rollers G, L, and R, have been herein-before described as being
turned round by means of wheelwork H, I, M, N, and T, V, and although
such wheelwork may in some cases be requisite, nevertheless part of the said
wheelwork may be omitted in cases of operating upon thin plate or soft metal,
or in any other case when the action of the plate (or of a mandril) beneath the
circumferences of the rollers, or any one or more of them, will be sufficient to
turn such rollers or roller round without the aid of wheelwork. The mode
herein-before described of turning up or bending flat plates of malleablo
metals or mixtures of metals by aid of machinery into the form of tubes is
applicable to such turning up or bending of flat plates of rolled iron, or copper,
or brass, or zinc, or lead, or other malleable metal, or mixtures of metals,
or plates of rolled iron, copper, or. brass, tinned or zinced on their surfaces.
And the metal plates. which have been turned up or bended in manner afore-
said into, the form of tubes may afterwards be finished by any of the modes
usually practised in making tubes of metal plate; for instance, the meeting
or overlapping edges may be united together, either by welding in the case
of the metal-being. iron, or by brazing with hard. solder in case of the metal
being iron, copper, or .brass, or else by: soldering with soft solder in case
of the metal being zinc or lead, or being iron,. brass, or copper tinned or
zinced; or the said edges. may, if preferred, be left without being united
otherwise than by the turning up, and the plates which have been so
turned up into the form of tubes may be drawn through holes by the
power of a drawbench, in the usual manner of drawing tubes, in order to
render them smooth and even, either in case the edges are not to be united,
or else in preparation for the edges being welded, or brazed, or soldered
5

page_text: together, or for finishing the tubes after such welding, brazing, or soldering;
all which treatment of tubes being well known need not be described, as my
Invention is limited to the said improved mode of turning up or bending
plates of malleable metal or mixtures of metals by aid of machinery to the
form of tubes, without regard to the subsequent treatment or use that may
be made of the plates which have been so turned up. And note, in case of
the metal being malleable iron the plates may be heated and subjected to the
operation of the machinery whilst the iron remains in a heated state, in order
that the turning up or bending may be more easily performed than it would be
without heat; but when the plate is of a moderate thickness such heating may
not be necessary. In other cases the metal of the plates should be well
annealed previous to being submitted to the operation of the machinery.
And, in conclusion, I, the said William Taylor, do hereby declare that the
new Invention, whereof the exclusive use is granted to me by the Letters
Patent herein-before recited, consists in the improved mode herein-before
described of turning up or bending flat plates of malleable metals or mixtures
of metals into the form of tubes, by aid of machinery of the kind herein-
before described. And although most of the several parts of that machinery
have been heretofore used in other machinery, the combination of those parts
one with another for the purpose aforesaid, and the manner whereby the turning
up or bending is performed by such combination, constitute my new Invention,
the peculiarity and novelty of the said combination of parts, and of their said
manner of turning up or bending, being, that the flat plate is laid upon a bed
over a long groove therein, which bed, together with the plate, is moved end-
way forwards, beneath a series of rollers, by action of some of which rollers
(either direct action or by the intervention of a mandril,) the middle part of
the plate is bended down into such groove, first to a part of the depth thereof
so as to bend the plate to a shallow gutter form; and next to the bottom
thereof, so as to bend the plate to a deep gutter form, the two sides of which
deep gutter form are (by action of other of the said rollers) afterwards turned
inwards one towards the other, and downwards upon a mandril, either
stationary or moveable with the plate, the two sides of the said deep gutter
which are turned down either meeting edge to edge, or with the edges
overlapping, as may be required.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Taylor, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-eight
WILLIAM (L.S.) TAYLOR.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of November,
in the twelfth year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said
William Taylor came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Seventeenth day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-eight.