IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TAPER OR CONICAL AND OTHER FORMS OF WROUGHT-IRON AND STEEL TUBES, AND IN FORMING FLANCHES THEREON
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Plant, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Boiler Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TAPER OR CONICAL
AND OTHER FORMS OF WROUGHT-IRON AND STEEL TUBES, AND IN FORMING
FLANCHES THEREON."
Sealed the 28th September 1866, and dated the 18th July 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Plant, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th July 1866.
I, GEORGE PLANT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TAPER OR
CONICAL AND OTHER FORMS OF WROUGHT-IRON AND STEEL TUBES, AND IN FORMING
FLANCHES THEREON," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference more particularly to the manufacture of
flanched wrought-iron and steel taper or conical tubes, such as are employed
in the construction of steam boilers described in the Specification to certain
Letters Patent granted to William and John Galloway, and bearing date the
11th March 1851, No 18,552; the Invention is, however, also applicable
to other forms of tubes. For forming such tubes I place the skelp, after it

page_text: has been bent into the required form and heated to a welding heat, upon a
strong horizontal or nearly horizontal overhanging mandril carried by a
suitable fiaming Upon the top of this mandril is placed a roller, the peri-
phery of which is made concave to suit the curvature of the tube to be
formed; this roller is caused to travel backwards and forwards along the
mandril either by means of connecting rods actuated by cranks carried by
the framing and caused to revolve by means of suitable gearing, or by other
suitable means The roller in moving backwards and forwards passes over
the overlapping edges of the skelp, which being at a welding heat become
perfectly welded together by the pressure of the roller. The requisite pressure
may be produced either simply by the weight of the roller itself, if of sufficient
size, or one or more smaller rollers may be mounted in a frame working
backwards and forwards in strong guides on either side of the mandril, and
the rollers may be either pressed down upon the mandril by means of strong
springs, screws, or other means, or the guides may be constructed so as to hold
the roller or rollers rigidly such a distance from the surface of the mandril as
will correspond exactly with the required thickness of the joint of the tube
when completely welded; or, in place of welding the tube by means of a
rolling pressure, the mandril and frame without the roller, may be mounted
upon wheels, and when the skelp has been placed thereon it may be brought
underneath a steam or other hammer, which is caused to act successively upon
the entire length of the joint to be welded by gradually moving the mandril
underneath the hamme
It will be evident that the before described mode of and apparatus for
welding conical or taper tubes may also be employed for other forms of tubes
employed for other purposes than for steam boilers.
The end of the tube is
Another part of my Invention has reference to the forming of flanches upon
the ends of conical or taper tubes. For this purpose after the joint of the
tube has been formed in the before described or any other suitable known
manner I heat the end thereof required to be flanched to the requisite degree,
and I introduce the same into a die, which may be made to open out for
facilitating the introduction and removal of the tube.
made to project through the die to the extent required for forming the flanch,
and a conical or tapering plug or wedge, or two or more of such plugs or
wedges in succession, attached to the hammer block of a steam or other
hammer, or to the ram of a hydraulic press, is or are forced into the end of
the tube, so as to open it out to a sufficient extent for it to be worked down
to the requisite flat or curved form by a suitably shaped swage under the
same hammer that carries the plugs or wedges. If the flanch requires to be

page_text: curved to suit the curvature of the boiler flue to which it is to be had the
face of the die is also curved in a corresponding manner In order to insure
the flanch of the tube, as also the length of the tube when flanched, being of
the exact required dimension, the end of the tube not being acted upon iests
upon an adjustable base, which can be moved either by a hydraulic ram oi
by other suitable mechanism to the exact required distance from the before
mentioned die, and, furthermore, as in some cases the flanches have to be
formed obliquely on the tubes, the position of the end of the tube upon the
adjustable base is also capable of being so adjusted by means of screws,
wedges, or other mechanism that the tube shall have the equued obliquo
position to the face of the dio while the flanch is being formed on the
tube
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Plant, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
PLANT, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Boiler Maker, send
greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victona, by He Lotters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
eign, did, for Llerself, Ier heirs and successors, givo and grant unto me,
the sand George Plant, Her special licence that I, the said George Plant, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Plant, my executois, 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, excicise, and
send, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS
AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TAPER OR CONICAL AND
OTHER FORMS OF WROUGHT-IRON AND STEEL TUBES, AND IN FORMING FLANCHES
THEREON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Plant, 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, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Plant, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference more particularly to the manufacture of
flanched wrought-iron and steel taper or conical tubes, such as are employed
in the construction of steam boilers described in the Specification to certain
Letters Patent granted to William and John Galloway, and bearing date the
11th March 1851, No. 13,552; the Invention is, however, also applicable to
other forms of tubes. For forming such tubes I place the skelp, after it has
been bent into the required form and heated to a welding heat, upon a strong
horizontal or nearly horizontal overhanging mandril carried by a suitable
framing. This framing with the mandil is mounted upon wheels, and when
the skelp has been placed thereon it is brought underneath a steam or other
hammer, which is caused to act successively upon the entire length of the
joint to be welded by gradually moving the mandil underneath the hammer
by suitable mechanism.
It will be evident that the before described mode of and apparatus for
welding conical or taper tubes may also be employed for other forms of tubes
employed for other purposes than for steam boilers.
Another part of my Invention has reference to the forming of flanches upon
the ends of conical or taper and other forms of tubes. For this purpose, after
the joint of the tube has been formed in the before described or any other
suitable known manner,
I heat the end thereof required to be flanched to the
1equisite degree, and I introduce the same into a die, which may be made to
open out for facilitating the introduction and removal of the tube. The end
of the tube is made to project through the die to the extent required for
forming the flanch, and a conical or tapering plug or wedge, or two or more
of such plugs on wedges, connected in succession to or acted upon in succession
by the hammer block of a steam or other hammer, or the jam of a hydraulic
press, is or are forced into the end of the tube, so as to open it out to a
sufficient extent for it to be worked down to the requisite flat or curved form
by one or more other suitably shaped plugs or swages under the same hammer
or ram that cannes or acts upon the first-named plugs or wedges. If tho
flanch requires to be curved to suit the curvature of the boiler flue to which
it is to be fixed, the face of the die is also curved in a corresponding manner.

page_text: In order to insure the flanch of the tube, as also the length of the tube when
flanched, being of the exact required dimensions, the end of the tube not being
acted upon rests upon an adjustable base, which can be moved either by a
hydraulic ram or by other suitable mechanism to the exact required distance
from the before-mentioned die; and furthermore, as the flanches in some
cases have to be formed obliquely on the tubes, the position of the end of
the tube upon the adjustable base is also capable of being so adjusted by
means of screws, wedges, or other mechanism, that the tube shall have the
required oblique position to the face of the die while the flanch is being
fored on the tube.
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings show my before
described improved apparatus for welding conical and other tubes; Figure 1
shows a fiont elevation, and Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the same.
Similar letters of reference indicato similar parts in both Figures.
A is a strong iron framing or carnage mounted on wheels B and running
on a tramway C, either to and from the heating furnace, or merely to and fro
beneath the hammer. Projecting from this fiaming is a strong mandril D,
upon which is placed the skelp E for the tube when heated to a welding heat.
When this has been done the framing or carriage is run underneath the steam
or other hammer F, the face G of which is curved somewhat to suit tho
curvature of the tube, as is also the upper surface of the mandril D. The
carriage is first brought into the position shown at Figure 2, so that the
hammer commences welding up the seam of the tube at the extreme end.
As this proceeds, the carnage A is gradually pushed back by means of a screw
spindle II, carried by a fixed pedestal I, the spindle being for this purpose
provided with a cross head J pushing against the front wheels B, and made to
move forwards by means of the capstan wheel K, carrying a screw nut L,
working on the spindle II, between the two bushes M, M, on the pedestal
through which the spindle passes. The attendant gradually screws the spindle
forward so as to move the carnage backward, and thus to bring successively
the entire length of the seam of the tube E under the action of the hammer.
The weight of the carnage and position of the wheels relatively to the
mandul D is so arranged as to be sufficiently stable when the hammer is
acting upon the extreme end of the mandril. It will be evident that other
known arrangements of mechanism may be employed in place of that described
for moving the carriage beneath the hammer.
On Sheet II of the accompanying Drawings is shown my improved mode
of forming flanches upon the ends of conical or taper and other forms of

page_text: Figure 8 shows a front elevation of the apparatus with the tube in position
ready to have the flanch formed thereon; Figure 4 shows a plan of the same;
Figures 5 and 6 show respectively an elevation and a section of the form of
plug or wedge I employ by preference for forming the flanch on the large
end of the tube, as also the mode in which this is effected thereby; and
Figures 7 and 8 show respectively an elevation and a section, as also the
mode of action, of a similar plug or wedge for forming the flanch on the small
end of the tube. Figure 9 shows a transverse section, and Figure 10 shows
a sectional plan of the apparatus arranged for forming flanches obliquely on
the tube; Figure 11 shows a sectional front elevation, Figure 12 shews a
part side elevation, and Figure 18 shows a plan of the apparatus with a
modified arrangement of the collar for holding the tube in position while the
flanch is made thereon.
A, A, is a strong framing situated beneath either the hammer block of a
steam or other hammer or the ram of a hydraulic press. At the top this
framing carries a table B, on which is fixed a collar or die C for holding the
tube D while the flanch is being formed thereon. This collar is removable
from the table, in order that different sized collars may be placed thereon to
suit different sized tubes to be flanched Both the collar C and the table B
are made in two halves to open out for removing and inserting the tube,
being arranged for this purpose either as shown at Figures 3 and 4, so as to
open out on a binge at E, and when closed up to be fixed by a pin and cotter,
or by a suitable catch at F, or both halves of the collar and table may
be made to open out, as shown at Figures 11 to 18, by means of right
and left-handed screws G, G, working in tapped bushes H, II, fixed to
the under sides of the halves of the table B, and worked simultaneously
by means of a crank handle on the spindle I and geaung J. The lower
end of the tube Diests upon an adjustable base plate K, fixed to oi
formed in one with the 1am L, by the raising or lowering of which the exact
length of tube and the height which it is required to project above the
collar C for forming the flanch is determined The position of the end of the
tube upon the base plate is also rendered adjustable by being carried upon a
sliding frame N, which can be moved by the screw M into any required
position, so that if it is required to form an oblique flanch upon the tube, as
shown at Figure 9, the fiame is moved to the required extent on one side,
and a wedge-shaped piece O is placed beneath the lower end of the tube to
give it the requisite support. The end of the tube to be flanched having been
heated to the requisite degree, and the tube fixed in the above described
manner, the projecting end is then acted upon by the conical plugs or wedges

page_text: P or Q. according as it is the large or the small end of the tube to be acted
upon. The first conical plug or wedge employed for slightly widening out
the end of the tube may be fixed to the hammer block or tam, but the
operation is by preference completed by double plugs or wedges P or Q,
separate from the hammer or ram, of which the parts p or 9 are first diiven in
by the hammer or ram, so as to widen out the end of the tube as shown in
Figures 6 and 8, after which the plug is turned over by hand, and the parts
por q, having shoulders at x and y, inserted so that on receiving blows from
the hammer they complete the flattening down of the flanches, as at Figures
5 and 7.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise details of mechanism shown on the
accompanying Diawings, as these may be variously modified without departing
from the nature of my Invention, nor do I claim generally the forming of
flanches upon tubes by bending over the ends thereof, as I am aware that this
has already been done; but what I claim is,-
First, the before described arrangement for welding the seams of conical or
taper and other forms of tubes, wherein the shelp for forming such tubes is
placed upon an overhanging mandril fixed to a carnage, which is made to
move forwards and backwards beneath a steam or other hammer in order to
bring the whole length of the seam of the tube successively under the action
of the hammer, substantially as herem-before described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2 on Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings.
Second, forming flanches upon the ends of taper or conical and other forms
of tubes by fixing such ends of the tubes in a collai or die, and forcing into such
ends two or more wedges or plugs in succession, one or more of which serves
or seive to widen out the said end, while the other or others serves or serve
to flatten the end down so as to form the flange, substantially as heicin-before
described with reference to Figures 3 to 13 on Sheet II. of the accompanying
Drawings.
Third, the arrangement herein-before described for regulating the exact
length of the tube and size of the flanch by means of an adjustable bed plato
upon which the tube stands, and which is raised or lowered by a hydraulic
ram or other suitable contrivance.
Fourth, the arrangement herein-before described for adjusting the lateral
position of the lower end of the tube, and holding it in an oblique position
while being flanched.
Fifth. I claim, in combination, the general arrangement of apparatus for

page_text: flanching tubes herein-before described with reference to Figures 8 to 13 on
Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Plant, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
GEORGE PLANT. (L.S.)