IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES."
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Pugh Allen, of West Bromwich, in the
County of Stafford, Ironmaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Pugh Allen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th April 1875.
I, THOMAS PUGH ALLEN, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford,
Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES," to be as follows, that is
to say:-
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of the skelp or
partly formed tube direct from the puddle bar or pile without requiring
reheating after it has been formed into the strip, and the way in which I
carry this into effect is by passing the metal from the furnace through
rolls in the ordinary way, and then through a guide box which guides it
centrally between two rolls, one of which rolls is smaller than the other,

page_text: and caused to revolve by steam or other power. Upon the face of the
larger roll is a swelling or projection working into a groove or sinking
on the face of the smaller roll. The strip passing forward is crushed
between this swelling and groove, and thus formed into a curved shape.
This partly formed skelp then passes through a pair or a series of friction
rollers, which press upon the sides of the metal, and thus more com-
pletely close the skelp into the tube form. Or instead of these friction
rollers I may prefer to use a second pair of rolls to effect the same
purpose of more completely closing the skelp.
The skelp may be shaped either to form a butt welded or lap welded
tube as required by varying the pressure of the friction rollers.
By this means I manufacture the skelp for making tubes direct
from the furnace, instead of first making the strip or flat bar, and
reheating the strip before drawing it into the skelp form, as is the
ordinary way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Pugh Allen in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
Pugh Allen, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Ironmaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Pugh Allen, Her special license that
I, the said Thomas Pugh Allen, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Pugh Allen, my exe-
cutors, 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,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL TUBES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Pugh Allen, 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 Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Pugh Allen, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object the manufacture of the skelp or
partly formed tube direct from the puddle bar or pile without requiring
reheating after it has been formed into the strip, and the way in which
I carry this into effect is by passing the metal or bar from the furnace
through strip rolls in the ordinary way, and then through a guide box
which conducts it to the bending rolls, one of which rolls may be smaller
than the other, and revolves by steam or other power, the other roll
being free upon its axis, and caused to revolve by contact with the
rolling motion; or both rolls may be of equal diameter, and driven by
pinions as usual. Upon the face of the one roll is a swelling or pro-
jection working into a groove or sinking on the face of the other roll.
The strip passing forward is turned up into a half round or gutter form
between the rolls. From these rolls the skelp then passes through a pair
or series of closing rolls or friction rollers, which may be mounted ver-
tically, and thus the meeting edges of the skelp are brought together for
welding.
The skelp may be shaped either to form a butt welded or lap welded
tube as required by varying the pressure of the friction rollers or rolls.

page_text: manufacturing the skelp direct from the puddle bar at one heat, sub-
stantially in manner as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Pugh Allen, have hereunto
hand and scal, this 25th day of October, in the year of our
set
my
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
THOMAS PUGH ALLEN. (L.S.).