Improved Manufacture of Metal Bars and Tubes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 22nd June, 1889
[Communicated from abroad by REINHARD_MANNESMANN, of Remscheid, Blieding-
hausen, in the German Empire, Engineer.]
Improved Manufacture of Metal Bars and Tubes.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buil lings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
-
In the manufacture of metal bars and tubes, as at present carried out, the metal is
only acted upon in a certain direction, so that the resulting product consists of an
agglomeration of fibres in which the transverse strength of the metal is considerably
less than its longitudinal strength.
The present invention has for its object to obviate this one sided treatment of the
metal and to impart thereto in place of a fibrous structure, a structure resembling
that of sheet metal or of concentrically arranged cylindrical layers. This is effected by
carrying on the manufacture in two stages, namely a preparatory treatment and a final
one. In the preparatory stage the metal is rolled by known means (such as that
described in patent No. 1167 dated 27th January 1885) in such manner that it obtains
a helical formation of fibre, while in the second stage the metal is extended in a
direction at a right or other angle to that of the fibres previously formed, whereby
these are spread out in a transverse direction, and become greatly increased in trans-
verse strength in consequence. This final process can he effected in a variety of ways;
for example, the metal may either he rolled out in the direction of its length, or be
This treatment
extended by hammering, pressing, drawing, or other known means.
of bars or tubes also renders it possible to distribute the inequalities of structure, that
every metal possesses, in such manner that they have a less detrimental effect in the
finished product than heretofore.
Thus for example, while in drawing metal according to the existing process, hard
particles of metal assume the form of strips or filaments running parallel to the axis
of the bar, according to the improved process the said particles are, by the preliminary
treatment, formed into strips or filaments coiled helically around the axis of the bar,
which helical filaments in being then extended in a different direction are made to
assume to a certain extent a sheet like forin, being spread over a comparatively large
surface in a correspondingly thin layer, in which form they consequently have little
detrimental effect.
Generally speaking, while the product of the old manufacture constitutes as it were
a bundle of exceedingly thin wires, the product of the improved manufacture is
composed of a number of sheets or tubes contained within each other and which are
intimately knitted together.
In producing solid or tubular bars or rods by drawing in the usual inanner, the
extension of the bar is to a certain extent limited by the very considerable resistance
offered thereto by the metal, so that repeated heating between the various stages of
drawing becomes necessary to render the metal sufficiently plastic. This resistance is
very considerably decreased if the article to be drawn has first imparted to it a helical
formation of fibres by rolling with oblique or transverse rollers, so that upon then
drawing the bar, the fibres are not extended in a longitudinal direction but in a
direction at a right or other angle to their length.
It will be readily seen that the power required for this operation will be considerably
less than for extending the fibres directly in the direction of their length, partly, for
example, because the transverse strength of the fibres is considerably less than their
Jongitudinal strength.

page_text: Also, as the resistance to extension offered by the metal will be much smaller, it will
he possible to draw metals according to this process that could before either not be
drawn at all or only with great difficulty.
While moreover the mechanical operation of drawing under the old process is only
useful up to the limit of the maximum density attainable by the metal, which density
is uselessly destroyed again by the repeated heating to which it is subjected, with the
improved process n considerably greater part of the mecimnical operation of drawing
is utilised in increasing the density and consequently the strength of the metal in the
transverse direction, in which it had heretofore comparatively little strength.
A further advantage of the invention consists in the doing away to a great extent,
with the reheating processos, so that the cost of manufacture in this respect is grently
reduced.
Lastly, the dies are greatly preserved from wear, as owing to the hard particles
being distributed in helical form, the dies will be subject to uniform wear, and will not
become more heated and abhraded at one place than at another.
The product of the improved process will also become much more reliable, as
should any fan exist in the fibres which may not be apparant after the first process
of rolling such fault will he mad visible on the final drawing operation, as the bar or
tube will tear at the point where the transverse fibres are imperfectly united.
Thus tules manufactured according to this invention will be rendered so perfect and
reliable as to render subsequent proving by hydraulic pressure unnecessary in many
cases.
1 1
004
ABEL & INRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Manufacture of Metal Bars and Tubes.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, 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:-
In the manufacture of metal bars and tubes, as at present carried out, the metal is
only acted upon in a certain direction, so that the resulting product consists of an
agglomeration of fibres in which the transverse strength of the metal is considerably
less than its longitudinal strength.
Tho present invention has for its object to obvinte this one-sided treatment of the
metal and to impart thereto in place of a fibrous structure, a structure resembling that
of sheet metal or of concentrically arranged cylindrical layers. This is effected by
carrying on the manufacturo in two stages, namely a preparatory treatment and a final
one. In the preparatory stage the metal is rolled by known means (such as that
described in patent No. 1167 dated 27th January 1885) in such manner that it obtains
a helical formation of fibre, whilst, in the second stage, the metal is extended in a
direction at a right angle to that of the fibres previously formed, whereby these aro
spread out in a transverse direction, and become greatly increased in transverse
strength in consequence. This final process can be effected in a variety of ways; for
example, the metal may either bo rolled out in the direction of its length, or bo
extended by hammering, pressing, drawing, or other known moans. This treatment of
bars or tubos also renders it possible to distribute the inequalities of structure, that
overy metal possesses, in such manner that they have a less detrimental effect in the
finished product than heretofore.
Thus for example, while in drawing motal according to the existing process, hard
particles of metal assume the form of strips or filaments running parallel to the axis
of the bar; according to the improved process, tho said particles are, by the
preliminary treatment, formed into strips or filaments coiled helically around the axis
of the bar, which helical filaments in being then extended in a different direction are

page_text: made to assume to a certain extent a sheet like form, being spread over a compara-
tively large surface in a correspondingly thin layer, in which form they consequently
have little detrimental effect.
Generally speaking, while the product of the old manufacture constitutes as it were
a bundle of exceedingly thin wires, the product of the improved manufacture is com-
posed of a number of superposed sheets or of tubes contained within each other and
intimately knitted together.
In producing solid or tubular bars or rods by drawing in the usual manner, the
extension of the bar is to a certain extent limited by the very considerable resistance
offered thereto by the metal, so that repeated heating between the various stages of
drawing becomes necessary to render the metal sufficiently plastic. This resistance is
very considerably decreased if the article to be drawn has first imparted to it a
helical formation of fibres by rolling with oblique or transverse rollers, so that upon
then drawing the bar, the fibres are not extended in a longitudinal direction but in a
direction at a right or other angle to their length.
It will be readily seen that the power required for this operation will be considerably
less than for extending the fibres in the direction of their length, partly, for example,
because the transverse strength of the fibres is considerably less than their longitudinal
strength. Also, as the resistance to extension offered by the metal will be much
smaller, it will be possible to draw metals according to this process that could before
either not be drawn at all or only with great difficulty.
While, moreover, the mechanical operation of drawing under the old process is only
useful up to the limit of the maximum density attainable by the metal, which density
is uselessly destroyed again by the repeated heating to which it is subjected, with the
improved process a considerably greater part of the mechanical operation of drawing
is utilised in increasing the density and consequently the strength of the metal in the
transverse direction, in which it had horetofore comparatively little strength.
A further advantage of the invention consists in the doing away to a great extent,
with the reheating processes, so that the cost of manufacture in this respect is greatly
reduced.
Lastly, dies of metal thus treated are greatly preserved from wear as, owing to the
hard particles being distributed in helical form, the dies will be subject to uniform
wear and will not become more heated and abrader at one place than at another.
The product of the improved process will also become much more reliable, as,
should any fault exist in the fibres which may not be apparent after the first process of
rolling, such fault will be made visible on the final drawing operation, as the bar or
tube will tear at the point where the transverse fibres are imperfectly united.
Thus tubes manufactured according to this invention will be rendered so perfect and
reliable as to render subsequent proving by hydraulic pressure unnecessary in many
cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is :-
The manufacture of metal bars and tubes by treating the metal in two stages, in the
first stage rolling by oblique rollers so as to give the fibres a helical twist, and in the
second stage rolling, or otherwise pressing, drawing, or hammering, so as to extend
the fibres laterally, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.