Improvements in the Method of and the Mechanism for, the Manufac ture of Tubes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and the Mechanism for, the Manufac
ture of Tubes.
We, JOHN ARTHUR HAMPTON, of 97, Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, in
the County of Stafford, Consulting Engineer, and HENRY KEATES, of Eastleigh,
Moseley, in the County of Worcester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows;-
-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of making tubes, and
also in the combination and arrangement of mechanism for the said manufacture,
and its object is to make such tubes from solid billets having a non-circular cross
section.
In the manufacture of billets, it is well known that billets of a non-circular
section are produced very much cheaper than round ones. Such billets usually
approximate an octagonal section. Any other non-circular shape-near to that
of an octagon--may be adopted which may admit of cheap production.
This billet is now subjected to similar treatment as that described in Specifica-
tion No. 10647 of 1897, "for which letters patent have been granted to one of us
present applicants, that is to say, in a heated state it is revolved at a high speed,
and propelled forward on to a mandrel which latter is centrally situated in a
roller die, which said roller die may or may not have a revolving motion imparted
thereto. Thus the metal of the solid billet is made to flow forward between the
mandrel and the interior of the die in a tubular form. As in the specification
hereinbefore cited riz. No. 10647 of 1897, ere the rear end of the billet has left
its rotating mechanism, the forward end has been seized by secondary rotating
mechanism which continues the forwarding and rotating motion until the whole
of the billet has been carried over the mandrel.
In order to afford the necessary rotary movement of the billet, we provide a
rotatable hollow spindle or sleeve having a straight through hole of a section
similar to that of the billet, and sufficiently large to permit ready insertion and
travel, but at the same time such that with the rotation of the sleeve, the billet
shall also be revolved. The said sleeve is suitably carried in bearings and may
be revolved by any suitable mechanism, such as rope gearing, belt gearing or
spur wheel gearing or a combination of any, by which a high rotary speed may
be obtained. Thus upon the exterior of the said sleeve- or in one therewith-
may be formed frictional grooves, or other shaped surfaces for frictional contact
driving, or for ropes or belts, or teeth for spur gearing, and from which the
speed may be regulated.
At the rear end of the sleeve is an advancing and receding rod, which may be
pushed forward by hydraulic means or by screw &c. mechanism, but probably the
former. At the point of this rod we provide a loose or rotatable nose which in
its forward movement rests against and forces forward the billet, the said nose
and rod entering and travelling along the interior of the sleeve, and continuing
to force forward the billet until the before named secondary rotating mechanisma

page_text: has seized the partly formed tube. The said rod is then drawn back for a repeat
operation.
Thus by these means non-circular billets, such as octagon billets, which are
comparatively cheap in production can be readily and directly converted into a
properly shaped round tube.
Dated this 12th dove of T
1000
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent.
CALL DIE DIUINICATION.
Improvements in the Method of, and the Mechanism for, the Manufac-
ture of Tubes.
We, JOHN ARTHUR HAMPTON, of 97, Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, in
the County of Stafford, Consulting Engineer, and HENRY KEATES, of Eastleigh,
Moseley, in the County of Worcester, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of making tubes, and
also in the combination and arrangement of mechanism for the said manufacture,
and its object is to make such tubes from solid billets having a non-circular cross
section.
In the manufacture of billets, it is well known that billets of a non-circular
section are produced very much cheaper than round ones. Such billets usually
approximate an octagonal section. Any other non-circular shape-near to that
of an octagon may be adopted which may admit of cheap production.
This billet is now subjected to similar treatment as that described in Specifica.
tion No. 10647 of 1897, for which letters patent have been granted to one of us
present applicants, that is to say, in a heated state it is revolved at a high speed,
and propelled toward on to a mandrel which latter is centrally situated in a
roller die, which said roller die may or may not have a revolving motion imparted
thereto. Thus the metal of the solid billet is made to flow forward between the
mandrel and the interior of the die in a tubular torm. As in the specification
hereinbefore cited riz. No. 10647 of 1897, ere the rear end of the billet has left
its rotating mechanism, the forward end is seized by secondary rotating mech-
anism which.continues the forwarding and rotating motion until the whole of
the billet has been carried over the mandrel.
In order to afford the necessary rotary movement of the billet, we provide a
protatable hollow spindle or sleeve having a straight through hole of a section
similar to that of the billet, and sufficiently large to permit ready insertion and
travel, but at the same time such that with the rotation of the sleeve, the billet
shall also be revolved. The said sleeve is suitably carried in bearings and may
be revolved by any suitable mechanism, such as rope gearing, belt gearing or
spur gearing or a combination of any, by which a high rotary speed may
be obtained. Thus upon the exterior of the said sleeve or in one therewith--
may be formed frictional grooves, or other shaped surfaces for frictional contact
driving, or for ropes or belts, or teeth for spur gearing, and from which the
speed may be regulated.
At the rear end of the sleeve is an advancing and receding rod, which may be
pushed forward by hydraulic means or by screw &c. mechanism, but probably the
former. At the point of this rod we provide a loose or rotatable nose which in
its forward movement rests against and forces forward the billet, the said nose
and rod entering and travelling along the interior of the sleeve, and continuing

page_text: to force forward the billet until the before named secondary rotating mechanism
has seized the partly formed tube. The said rod is then drawn back for a
repeat operation.
In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated how this our invention
may be carried into effect.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of apparatus by which the tube may be made from
the octagonal billet.
Fig. 2, is a plan view of the said apparatus.
Fig. 3. is a part sectional view of the apparatus on line A-B Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, is a view in elevation of the roller die.
Fig. 5, is a sectional view of octagon billet from which the tube is made.
Tpon reference to the drawings it will be seen that 10, 10, are the rollers
forming the die or gauge, which govern the exterior diameter of the tube, and
prevent undue expansion of the billet, when passing over the piercing mandrel 11,
which latter is carried on bar 12, and fixed centrally between the gauge
rollers 10, 10. These die rollers are preferably rotatively connected to each other
by pinions 13, which in their turn are driven by worm gearing 14 and 15, and
actuated by friction wheel 16. 17, is a rope driving pulley mounted on shaft 18.
carried in carriages 19, 19. Upon this shaft is further mounted friction pulley 20,
which gears into pulley 21: the carriages 19 being pushed forward for the
required contact. by hydraulic or other suitable means. 22, 22, are long bear-
ings to carry hollow spindle 23, upon which is formed (or secured) the friction
wheel 21. The hole in the spindle 23, is made to loosely fit the billet so that
the latter will be forcibly rotated while passing therethrough. If desired the
hole in the spindle may be made larger and a removable bush secured therein
having the necessary central noncircular hole.
24. is a hydraulic cylinder working from an accumulator in the usual manner,
and having the plunger rod 25, with loosely revolvable head 26, the size of
which is such as to enter the central hole in the hollow spindle 23.
We have shown frictional gearing for driving the hollow spindle 23 &c., as
it appears to be the most convenient, but it will be clear that other well known
methods may be used if desired.
Again. 27, 27, are skew rollers of ordinary construction by which the tube
is seized as it proceeds along the bar 12, and drawn forward completely over
the mandrel 11.
In some cases we may dispense with the skew rollers 27, 27, so that when the
billet has been pushed as far as possible on to the mandrel 11. it is removed
and the unfinished end is sawn off thus leaving a complete tube, but shorter
than produced by the aforesaid arrangement.
It will also be readily seen that the hollow spindle 23, may be modified
without departure from the nature of this our invention, as for instance, the
head 26 of the rod 25, may be enlarged, and a noneircular hole made in its
end, to receive the billet and the exterior of the said head made to agree with
the noncircular hole in the spindle, so that the loose head 26, would be revolved.
by the spindle and the billet revolved by the heads: but the means illustrated
annear to answer best.
Its action will therefore be somewhat as follows: The heated billet is placed
in the hole in the spindle 23. and revolved at a high speed, and while thus
revolving it is forced forward by the plunger rod 25, through the hollow
spindle 23 on to the mandrel 11, when the tube is formed, whose forward end
is at length taken hold of by the skew rolls 27. 27, which continues forward
the rotation and pulls it over the mandrel to complete the tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. The art of producing a circular section tube from a noneireular billet, such

page_text: as of an octagonal shape, by subjecting it to a high revolving motior, by means
of a revolving hollow spindle or its equivalent, having an accommodating
central hole, said billet being pushed therethrough on to mandrel 11, situated
between gauge rollers 10, 10, substantially as set forth and shown.
2. The making of tubes by means of the combination of suitably driven
revolving hollow spindle 23, or its equivalent, gauge rollers 10, 10, having
centrally disposed mandrel 11, and pushing up device as characterized by the
plunger rod 25, all substantially as set forth and shown.
3. In making tubes the combination of suitably driven revolving hollow
spindle 23, or its equivalent, gauge rollers 10, 10, having centrally disposed
mandrel 11, pushing up device, and completing skew rollers 27, 27, all substan-
tially as set forth and shown.
Dated this 13th day of October 1899.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent,
158, Edmund Street, Birmingham.