Improved Apparatus for the Manufacture of Metal Tubes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for the Manufacture of Metal Tubes.
I, BENJAMIN PRICE, of 38 Crown Street, Morriston, South Wales, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention has for its object improved apparatus for reducing or drawing out.
a hollow ingot to a tube of the desired size and thickness of wall during a single
passage therethrough, and in such a manner that the ingot receives only a step by
step forward movement during its whole passage between the operating parts.
For the purposes of my invention I use swages preferably having a longitudinally
tapered and transversely corrugated groove on their operating faces and secured in
any desirable manner to the adjoining faces of two slides mounted in a suitable frame
either one above the other or side by side. An arm projects from one of the ends
of each of these slides and passes through a block pivoted in the frame in such a
manner that the slides may be given a reciprocating motion, and at the same time
their free ends near which the swages are secured, caused to approach and recede
from one another during their forward and backward movements respectively.
This causes the swages to grip the ingot which has a mandril inside which is placed
between them during the forward movement of the slides and reduce a portion of
this to the desired size and thickness of wall, but to release said ingot during the
backward movement of the slides and allow it to be fed forward a suitable distance
by the aid of a screw thread upon the mandril or other suitable means.
To give the necessary reciprocating motion to the slides, I form in each of these
a slot at right angles to its length in which slides a block mounted on a crank shaft
journalled in the frame so that during each complete revolution of said crank shaft
the slide will receive a complete forward and backward movement.
To cause the slides to approach and recede from one another at the proper times,
I form a second slot near the free end of each of these parallel with its length
and in each of these slots an eccentric mounted on a shaft journalled in the frame
revolves.
The two crank-shafts are preferably geared together as also are the two shafts
carrying the eccentrics, and these shafts may be driven either separately or
together in any suitable manner.
In a modified form of the above described apparatus the slides instead of being
mounted side by side, may be mounted end to end with the swages on their opposite
ends and receive the necessary movement to cause the swages to travel over a
portion of the surface of the ingot and gradually approach one another during the
forward stroke and to release the ingot during the backward stroke by means of a
single eccentric fitting into and revolving in an opening in each of the slides.
Where found desirable the swages may be replaced by rolls mounted on spindles
journalled in the slides and revolved by racks secured to the frame and with which
gear spur wheels mounted eccentrically on the roll spindles, or in any other suitable
manner.
T
•
P
1
1004
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention" Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: YOM Pparatus
manufacture of metal Tubes.
I, BENJAMIN PRICE, of 38 Crown Street, Morriston, South Wales, 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 invention has for its object improved apparatus for reducing or drawing out
a hollow ingot to a tube of the desired size and thickness of wall during a single
passage therethrough, and in such a manner that the ingot receives only a step by
step forward movement during its whole passage between the operating parts,
these latter being given a reciprocating motion bodily for this purpose.
For the purposes of my invention I use swages which have by preference a
longitudinally tapered and transversely corrugated groove on their operating faces
and secured in any desirable manner to the adjoining faces of two slides mounted in
a suitable frame, either one above the other, or side by side. An arm projects from
one of the ends of each of these slides and passes through a block pivoted in the
frame in such a manner that the slides may be given a reciprocating motion, and
at the same time their free ends, near which the swages are secured, caused to
approach and recede from one another during their forward and backward
movements respectively. This causes the swages to grip the ingot, which has been
previously mounted upon a mandril of suitable size and length and placed between
them, during the forward movement of the slides and reduce a portion of this to
the desired size and thickness of wall, and release said ingot during the backward
movement of the slides and allow it to be fed forward a suitable distance and
revolved by the aid of a screw thread upon the mandril or other suitable means.
To give the necessary reciprocating motion to the slides, I form in each of these
a slot at right angles to its length in which slides a block mounted on a crank shaft
journalled in the frame so that during each complete revolution of said crank shaft
the slide will receive a complete forward and backward movement.
To cause the slides to approach and recede from one another at the proper times,
I form a second slot near the free end of each of these, parallel with its length, and
in each of these slots an eccentric mounted on a shaft journalled in the frame,
revolves.
The two crank shafts are preferably geared together, as also are the two shafts
carrying the eccentrics, and these shafts may be driven either separately or
together in any suitable manner.
In a modified form of the above described apparatus the slides instead of being
mounted side by side, may be mounted end to end with the swages on their opposite
ends and receive the necessary movement to cause the swages to travel over a
portion of the surface of the ingot and gradually approach one another during
the forward stroke, and to release the ingot during the backward stroke by
means of a single eccentric fitting into and revolving in an opening in each of
the slides.
Where found desirable the swages may be replaced by rolls mounted on spindles
journalled in the slides and revolved by racks secured to the frame with which
gear spur wheels mounted eccentrically on the roll spindles, or in any other suitable
manner.
In the accompanying drawings is shown apparatus by the aid of which my invention
may be carried into effect and I will now proceed to more fully describe my invention
by the aid of such drawings.
Of these drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus fitted with swages operated according
to my invention aud provided with feeding mechanism:.

page_text: Fig. 2 plan of Fig. 1;
Fig.
is an end view of Fig. 1 without feeding mechanism;
Fig. 4 is an end view of feeding mechanism detached;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a larger scale of swages having longitudinally
tapered and transversely corrugated grooves;
Fig. 6 is a similar view of swages the grooves in which are not corrugated;
Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of the apparatus where the slides are mounted end
to end and have the swages mounted on their opposite ends;
Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the apparatus wherein the swages are replaced by
rollers (part of the frame being cut away and one rack and pinion also removed,
exposing the top slide with the roller mounted therein);
Fig. 10 is an end view in elevation of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 shows the rollers with the pinions attached and geared in the racks detached
from apparatus ;
Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the rollers mounted with their respective pinions in
position and shows method of securing the racks to the frame ;
Fig. 13 view in elevation of a pair of rollers, having the grooves formed in them
gradually increasing in depth and width from the point e around their peripheries
to the same point where it is broken off by a radial step;
Fig. 14 is a view in elevation of the rollers shewing their extreme positions in
both directions and a partly finished tube between them.
Fig. 15 is a view in elevation of an apparatus wherein the rollers are contained in
one side only, (the rollers in their vibrations to and fro being revolved by means of
eccentrics or cranks secured to the roller spindles and connected by links to the
frame).
Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view of Fig. 15 (for the sake of clearness the rollers,
links, adjusting screws, and eccentrics or cranks on roller spindle ends are shown in
full), and
Fig. 17 plan of Fig. 15.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout all the figures.
In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, two frames A A' are secured to a
base W and have arranged between them two slides B B₁ capable of being
reciprocated bodily by the revolution of cranks H H upon which are mounted
blocks J J arranged to slide freely in vertical slots in said slides B B'. The
slides B B are supported at one end by projecting guide arms E E' sliding in
blocks D D pivoted to the frames A. A', whilst their opposite ends are supported
and operated so that they periodically approach and recede from one another, by
eccentrics working in blocks F and carried on the shafts K K journalled in the
frames A A¹ so that their journals may be adjusted vertically by screws d. By
using different eccentrics and blocks the amount by which the slides approach and
recede from one another may be regulated. The shafts K K are geared to the
crank shafts H H and the latter geared together by tooth wheels M M' and C, C₁,
C2, C3, respectively, so that the movement of the slides B B' together with the
swages V V, which are secured to their opposite faces, are synchronous.
An intermediate base w is mounted on the base W and this supports the
mechanism for feeding the mandril N, on which the ingot to be reduced is mounted,
between the swages.
This feed mechanism consists of a screw threaded spindle R capable of being
connected at one end to one end of the mandril carrying the ingot by suitable means
and arranged to pass through uprights or brackets I 1'.
One of the brackets I contains a nut Y fitting the spindle R whilst the other
supports and guides a bevel gear wheel G', so that the revolution of the latter
causes the spindle to revolve and as a result to advance, owing to the fact that the
nut Y is fixed. With this wheel G¹ gears a second bevel gear wheel G mounted
upon a short spindle journalled in the upper end of a bracket 12 and upon which
spindle is also mounted a ratchet wheel I having gearing with it a pawl carried

page_text: by a hinged plate connected at its free end to a rod P whose opposite free end is
connected to an eccentric U on one end of the spindle H¹.
The forward and rotary movement of the screw R and mandril and ingot is thus
normally governed by the movement of the parts operating the swages, but when
desirable, the position of said screw may be adjusted by the aid of a hand wheel
secured to one end of the shaft carrying the bevel wheel G.
The cranks, eccentrics and gearing are of such throw and speeds, and are so
arranged, that the parts are operated in the following manner :-
The slides B B¹ are first moved backwards as far as possible towards the feeding
mechanism, in which position the swages carried by them are sufficiently wide
apart to allow of the forward end of the ingot to be treated, being introduced
between them.
The mandril, on which the ingot has been placed, and on which it is held by the
aid of its flanged end, or in any other suitable manner, is then connected to the
forward end of the screw R and the latter adjusted by the hand wheel so that
ingot and mandril projects slightly between the swages.
The whole mechanism is now started by the application of suitable motive power
to the crank shaft H and the slides B B' carried forward, and at the same time
gradually forced towards one another, the result being that a short length of the
ingot is considerably reduced, and at the same time drawn out, or as it were,
receives a sliding blow on both sides simultaneously.
The slides B B¹ and swages V V', after being forced towards one another to the
full extent, and whilst still moving forward, commence to recede from one another,
so that by the time they have reached the end of their forward travel, they have
released the ingot.
The slides and swages then complete their return stroke whilst still held
sufficiently wide apart to allow the feed mechanism, which during this return stroke
is brought into operation, to feed the ingot and maudril forward a suitable distance
and at the same time revolve them sufficiently to cause any fins or webs formed, to
be reduced during the next operation of the swages.
This operation is then repeated, the feed forward of the mandril and the ingot
being such that a portion of that part of the latter operated upon during the
previous forward stroke together with a fresh portion being treated each time, the
result being that as the ingot gradually passes beyond the reach of the swages it
has been reduced to the same diameter as that of the forward narrowest ends of
the grooves in the swages.
After the operation of swaging has been completed, the mandril is extracted from
the tube by the aid of a suitable drawbench, and if it is desired the tube then
either cold or hot drawn to finish it.
Instead of arranging the slides B B₁ side by side as above described, these may
be placed end to end as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the compound reciprocating motion
of said slides being effected in this case solely by eccentrics K K', the shafts of
which are geared together by gear wheels M M, aided by the blocks D D¹ pivoted
to the frames A A and having arms E El projecting from said slides working
through them.
The process of forming tubes in this machine is similar to that above described
although in this case the swages V V₁ are preferably made with plain grooves in
their operating surfaces and so operated that they give the ingot the sliding blow
during their backward travel as indicated by arrows 3 and 4 in Fig. 6 instead of
during the forward stroke as above described and indicated by arrow 1 and 2
in Fig. 5.
Where found desirable the swages may be replaced by one or more pairs of
rolls preferably, but not necessarily of that type in which the grooves in the
peripheries thereof gradually increase in depth and width as shown in Figs. 13
and 14 from a point e at which point the groove is broken by a radial step or gap.
Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 9 and 10.
The construction of the apparatus generally is similar to that already described

page_text: (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) with the addition of racks ee with which gear pinions b b on
the axes of the rollers V2 V3 (Figs. 11 and 12), which replace the swages so as to
revolve said rollers during their backward and forward travel and retaining them
in their proper relative positions.
being
The rollers are operated in the same manner as the swages the pinions
mounted eccentrically to allow of this, and are so arranged that as they are moved
forward the opening between them gradually diminishes and so reduces the diameter
of the ingot. Where it is not desired to releave the ingot O from the action of the
rollers on the return stroke, the wheels C, C1, C2, C3, will not be required, and the
rolls will accordingly roll backwards and forwards on the ingot reducing it in cross
section at each stroke as it is fed forward. The tube as it is elongated extends
beyond the action of the rollers and from that point forward becomes concentric
and of a uniform diameter.
The grooves in the rolls, if desired, may be modified by making a portion of the
smaller part thereof concentric for the purpose of smoothing the tube after being
reduced to its smaller diameter, whilst in some cases the rollers may each have two
or even more grooves in them to enable them to operate upon two or more ingots
simultaneously.
In Figs. 15, 16 and 17, a modification is shown in which a pair of rollers are
journalled in one slide B2 only. The rack and pinion is also replaced by the
links C2, C3 and eccentrics or cranks 62, 63, said eccentrics or cranks being secured
to or formed on the roller spindle ends, while the links have one end connected to
pins in the frames A, A', the other end connected to the eccentrics or cranks 12³
so as to form jointed ends. The slide B2 is reciprocated between the frames A, A',
by the crank shaft H, through the connecting rod X, the rocker Y, and the links Z,
and the links c², c³ and eccentrics or cranks 3, are so brought into play and cause
the rolls to partially revolve as they travel on the ingot placed between them, bat
beyond this partial revolution no other movement
links C2 C3, and eccentrics 12 L3 (as will be seen from the diagram Fig. 18) as said
given to the roll axes by said
eccentrics are so arranged that they allow of sufficient play between the roll axes
and the ends of the links that the former inay travel in a straight line independently
of the curved path, through which the ends of said links move.
The feeding mechanism, which is preferably, but not necessarily, the same as
that already described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is actuated by the cam U
through the bell crank Q and the rod P. The rollers V2, V3, are adjusted as to
the distance between them by the screws d' d¹.
In some cases the ingot, instead of being fed forward when the swages or rollers
are at their extreme backward position, may be fed forward when the rollers are
at their extreme forward movement, or it may be turned only when the rollers are
at their extreme forward position, or turned and advanced both when the rollers
are at the extreme backward and forward position, in which latter case the ingot
may be acted upon and reduced and elongated both during the backward and
forward movements of the rolls.
The last mentioned method of working is illustrated in Fig. 14 at 2 the rolls are
shown in dotted lines in their extreme backward position where the opening between
them is sufficiently large to allow of the ingot being turned and advanced. As the
rolls are caused to travel forward in the direction of the arrows 3 3 and revolve in
the direction of the arrows 4 4, they act upon the ingot and reduce and elongate it
until they reach their utmost forward position shown at 1 in full lines.
At this point the ingot may be again turned and advanced, so that as the rolls
eturn in the direction of the arrows 22 (revolving in the direction of the
rrows 1, 1) they will again be caused to operate on the ingot and further compress
nd elongate it.
The above being my said invention, I wish it to be understood that the arrange-
nents for actuating the slides, swages, rolls and feed mechanism may be modified
vithout departure from the essential features of my said invention. I am aware
hat the method of reducing a hollow ingot to a tube by rolls with tapering or plain

page_text: grooves to which a reciprocating or alternating motion is given whereby the
reduction of the ingot is effected by a series of motions or steps and in sections or
portions, as distinguished fron continuous rolling through dies is not broadly new.
Such a method is described in "Ritchie's Specification" 13054/50 and in "Brooman's
Specification" 1105/56 and I make no claim thereto.
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.) Apparatus for the manufacture of metal tubes from hollow ingots wherein
the operating swages or equivalent rolls are given a reciprocating movement in the
direction of the length of the ingot and at the same time are caused to approach
one another during the reciprocation to the required extent simultaneously on each
side of an ingot placed between them on a mandril substantially as described.
(2.) Apparatus for the manufacture of metal tubes from hollow ingots wherein
the operating swages or rolls are given a reciprocating movement in the direction
of the ingot, in combination with suitable apparatus for holding feeding and turning
the ingot and mandril substantially as described.
(3.) The improved apparatus for making tubes from hollow ingots substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
(4.) The improved apparatus for rolling tubes from hollow ingots substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
and 17.
(5.) The several modifications of my improved apparatus as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 28th day of January 1895.
CASTLE SMITH,
"Invention " Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.