Improvements in Tube Expanders.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 15th Sept.. 1894
Improvements in Tube Expanders.
1, PHILLIP BROWNE, of 45 Rimrose Road, Bootle, near Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Boilermaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My present invention has reference to tube expanders, used for expanding the
ends of boiler tubes and the like, where they fit against the tube plates.
In the case of high pressure boilers, especially of the marine class, it is found
very difficult, by the ordinary process of expanding, to keep the joints, where the
tubes fit the tube plates, staunch, and the object of my invention is to provide a
handy and efficient tool adapted at one operation to expand the tube within the
tube plate, to slightly bell-mouth or flare the tube end at the outer side of the tube
plate, and to swell the tube slightly for a short length close against the inner side
of the tube plate. The flaring and swelling of the tubes in this way, not only
increases the initial staunchness of the joints, but by thus giving the tubes a
longitudinal hold upon the tube plates, the longitudinal movement of the tubes in
the plates, due to differential expansion and contraction, and which is a great cause
of leakiness, is obviated. According to my invention, each of the expanding
rollers is made with a central cylindrical portion a little longer than the thickness
of the tube plate; this part of the roller does the ordinary work of expanding the
part of the tube embraced by the tube plate. At each end of the said cylindrical
portion, the roller has a short swelled portion of curved contour, adapted to flare
and swell the tube in the manner described. On account of these projecting
portions, it is not desirable to let the rollers bear directly against the central taper
mandrel as in the ordinary expander; the bearing surface would be so small that
the surfaces both of the rollers and the mandrel would be damaged by the intense
pressures which occur in using the tool. I accordingly mount each roller, of
which there are, say, three, in bearings on its own frame, which fits against the
central mandrel. These three frames, when in position round the mandrel, assume
the form of a thick tube divided longitudinally by three equidistant cuts.
external diameter thereof is a little less than the internal diameter of the smallest
tube to be expanded, and the rollers are housed in recesses in the frames, just
projecting sufficiently to keep the frames clear of the inside of the tube to be
expanded. The rollers extend a short distance at each end beyond the swelled
portions already mentioned; these ends are reduced in diameter and form the
journals, and in addition, if desired, the central cylindrical part of each roller
nay also be supported so as to be used as an additional journal. In order to
prevent the rollers from dropping out of their bearings, they are located loosely at
their ends by steel centre points, housed below the surface of the frames.
The
The central mandrel is taper and provided with a head adapted to rotate the
mandrel and to receive the blows of a hammer, as in the ordinary expander. The
mandrel has three key ways cut along its whole length which are adapted to engage
with corresponding longitudinal feathers on the inner sides of the frames, and to
rotate the latter along with the mandrel.
The frames are elastically clasped round the mandrel by an encircling spring at
one end, fitting in a recess, so as to lie below the surface. At the other end, the
frames are flanged, and an encircling guard with a removable annular cover-plate
engages loosely with the said flanges. This guard has feet which are adapted to
bear against the outer side of the tube plate and locate the expander longitudinally;
when the expander is to be used close to the edge or.corner of the tube plate, or in

page_text: other positions where the guard would be in the way, the latter may be removeď
and the expander used without it.
In some cases I make the expander without rollers. In this case, the construction
is similar to that already described, except that I omit the rollers, and form the
frames, already described, with swelled portions corresponding in contour with the
surface which would be swept out by the rollers in the revolution of the expander.
Dated this 14th day of November 1893.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26, Castle Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tube Expanders.
I, PHILLIP BROWNE, of 45 Rimrose Road, Bootle, near Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, Boilermaker, 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 :-
My present invention has reference to tube expanders, used for expanding the
ends of boiler tubes and the like, where they fit against the tube plates.
In the case of high pressure boilers, especially of the marine class, it is found
very difficult, by the ordinary process of expanding, to keep the joints, where the
tubes fit the tube plates, staunch, and the object of my invention is to provide a
handy and efficient tool adapted at one operation to expand the tube within the
tube plate, to slightly bell-mouth or flare the tube end at the outer side of the tube
plate, and to swell the tube slightly for a short length close against the inner side
of the tube plate. The flaring and swelling of the tubes in this way, not only
increases the initial staunchness of the joints, but by thus giving the tubes a
longitudinal hold upon the tube plates, the longitudinal movement of the tubes in
the plates, due to differential expansion and contraction, and which is a great
cause of leakiness, is obviated.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. I, II
and III illustrate the form with the rollers, and Figs. IV and V illustrate the
form without the rollers. Fig. I is a sectional elevation on the line A. A. of
Fig. II, Fig. II is an end view in section on the line B. B. of Fig. 1, Fig. III is
a plan with a fragmentary section on the line. C. C. of Fig. 1, Fig. IV is an
elevation with the upper half in section on the line D. D. of Fig. V and Fig. V
is an end elevation.
Throughout the drawings, similar parts are indicated by the same reference
figures, and in the case of sections, the direction in which they are viewed, is indicated
by the small arrows placed adjacent to the letters denoting the plane of section.
Each of the expanding rollers 1 is made with a central cylindrical portion a
little longer than the thickness of the tube plate 2 (the latter is shown by dotted
lines in Fig. 1); this part of the roller does the ordinary work of expanding the
part of the tube embraced by the tube plate. At each end of the cylindrical
portion, the roller has a short swelled portion of curved contour, adapted to flare
and swell the tube in the manner described. On account of these projecting
portions, it is not desirable to let the rollers bear directly against the central taper
mandrel, as in the ordinary expander, as the bearing surfaces would be so small
that the surfaces both of the rollers and the mandrel would be damaged by the
intense pressures which occur in using the tool. accordingly mount each roller,
of which there are say three as shown in the drawings, in bearings in a segmental
frame 3. The three segmental frames, when in position round the central taper

page_text: mandrel 4, assume the form of a tube divided by three equidistant radial cuts, the
external diameter thereof being a little less than the internal diameter of the
smallest tube to be expanded.
The rollers are housed in recesses in the frame and they project sufficiently to
admit of the tube being fully expanded while the frames are clear of the inside
thereof. The rollers extend a short distance beyond the swelled portions, and the
ends are reduced in diameter and form journals whose bearings are formed by the
ends of the recesses in the frames. I find it advantageous to use the central
portions of the rollers also as journals, the central parts of the recesses being
adapted to act as bearings for these portions, so that each roller is supported at
the centre and at each end. In order to prevent the rollers from dropping out of
the frames they are located loosely at their ends by steel centre points such as 5
carried in the frames; or, as shown in the drawings, by a steel centre point 5 at
one end and a coned recess into which the other end of the roller, suitably pointed,
loosely fits.
The central mandrel 4 is tapered and provided with a head adapted to rotate it
and to receive the blows of a hammer, as in the ordinary expander.
The mandrel has three keyways 6 cut along its whole length into which the
corresponding longitudinal feathers 7 on the inner sides of the frames fit, and by
which the frames are rotated along with the mandrel.
The frames at one end are elastically clasped by several convolutions of an
encircling spiral spring 8, housed in a suitable recess. At the other end the
frames are provided with flanges 9 and an encircling guard 10, provided with a
removable cover-plate 11, engages loosely with the said flanges. I have found in
practice that after a little wear has taken place the frames cannot be relied upon.
to keep their proper relative circumferential positions if the keyway 6 and
feathers 7 only are relied upon, and I therefore fit, between the ends of the frames
and the cover-plate of the guard, a plate 12 provided with three dove-tail
pieces 12 one for each frame, each of which fits in a dove-tail slot formed radially
in the end of each frame; the construction of this part will be readily understood
on reference to the fragmentary section shown in Fig. III.
The guard is provided with distance pieces or feet 13 which locate the expander
longitudinally, so that the bulbous portions of the rollers occupy the position,
relatively to the plate, shown in the drawings, which I have found in practice to be
the best.
In some cases, especially for use on board ship at sea, I make the expander
without rollers; this form is shown in Figs. IV and V. In this form the con-
struction is similar to that already described except that the frames 3' now have a
contour similar to that of the surface which would be swept out by the rollers in
the revolution of the expander first described, the circumferential projections 14
corresponding to the bulbous portions of the rollers.
In the drawings of this form I have shown an arrangement in which the guard 10
is dispensed with, and in which the screws 15 carried by the flanges 91 of the
frames act as distance pieces or feet.
In this form the frames are not intended to be rotated by the mandrel 4' but
are simply expanded radially as the mandrel is hammered in; the frames are
occasionally turned through a small angle as the tube is expanded to prevent ridges
being formed in the tube opposite the gaps between the frames.
In the form first described the mandrel is, of course, both rotated and driven in.
I am aware that bulbous rollers of the kind herein described have been used
before for tube expanding and to the use of such I make no broad claim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. The improved tube expander which consists of a series of bulbous rollers
carried by and rotating in bearings in a series of segmental frames, the said frames

page_text: being adapted to be rotated and expanded by a taper mandrel; substantially as
described and illustrated.
2. The improved tube expander which consists of a series of segmental frames
provided with circumferential projecting ridges adapted to replace the bulbous
rollers of Claim 1, said frames having flanges to carry distance screws and being
adapted to be expanded by a taper mandrel; substantially as described and
illustrated.
3. In tube expanders, in combination; the bulbous rollers, the segmental frames
adapted to carry the said rollers in bearings, the guard loosely encircling the
flanges of the said frames and carrying the distance pieces, and a taper mandrel
adapted to expand the said frames and provided with keyways in which feathers,
projecting from the frames, engage and by which the said frames are rotated;
substantially as described and illustrated.
4. The improved tube expander substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. I, II and III.
5. The improved tube expander substantially as described and illustrated in
Figs. IV and V.
Dated this 14th day of August 1894.
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26, Castle Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.