IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR WELDING, HAMMERING, AND FORGING
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samson Fox, of the Leeds Forge Compy., Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer and Ironmaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR WELDING, HAMMERING, AND
FORGING."
Sealed the 30th August 1878, and dated the 12th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samson Fox at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th March 1878.
SAMSON FOX, of the Leeds Forge Compy., Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer
and Ironmaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR WELDING,
HAMMERING, AND FORGING."
My Invention consists,―
Firstly. Of the application of a steam or other hammer suitably constructed, which
may be driven by steam, compressed air, or any other similar elastic and expansive
gas, to a class of work where it is essential that the blows should be comparatively
light and quick; but when the article or piece to be operated upon is too heavy and
unwieldy to be moved quickly under the said hammer; for this purpose I use a
double-acting hammer, arranged with a cylinder and piston having suitable valves
and self-acting gear, the cylinder being so arranged at its upper end to bolt to a
suitably formed block of sufficient weight to absorb the heaviest blow that the
hammer can deal at full speed. I suspend this block and hammer on the book of a
crane or other suitable apparatus, admitting of the free manipulation of the position
of the hammer in any direction. I supply the feed, steam, or other expansive gas
through a jointed or spiral inetal or other flexible tube of required strength, the
exhaust being conducted away in a similar manner. It will be obvious that for
some classes of work, such as welding the joints of tubes or rings, where the joint
is in a right line, and can be placed horizontally, the hammer with its block, as
before explained, may be disconnected from the crane or its suspended position, and
placed on a carriage mounted on wheels, and running along a suitable tramway over
Paine Bd1

page_text: the top of the joint to be welded; the movement to and fro of the carriage with
the hammer and block placed upon it may be effected by suitably arranged hand
gear.
Secondly. Another application of my Invention is in the operation of welding the
joints of very long tubes or flues, and in which no fixed anvil or horn can be got
into position (required in welding the joint) of sufficient strength and stability, on
account of the length of, say, 15 feet, 20 feet, or even 30 feet in one tube, and of
not more than, say, 2 feet 6 inches in diameter. In such case I disconnect the
hammer from its block to which it is bolted, and placing the tube to be welded so
as to hang with its axis vertically on chains, I suspend the aforesaid hammer block,
which in this case forms an anvil, by a single chain within the tube, and in such a
position that the block or anvil presses slightly against the joint to be welded, which
is now in a vertical position. I bolt the hammer to a suitable standard or founda-
tion situated on the outer side of the tube and opposite to the joint to be welded.
The joint is got to a welding heat by a gas flame projected against it, both on the
outside and inside of the said joint, or on the outside only, or by any other suitable
means, and having a suitable heat cover or guard inside the tube attached to the
block or anvil.
The operation of welding a long tube is as follows, viz. :-The block previously
taken off the hammer is suspended inside the tube and opposite in vertical height
and position to that of the hammer, which is fixed on the aforesaid independent stan-
dard or foundation situated on the outside of the tube. A pit is formed in the ground
with one edge close to the aforesaid hammer standard, the flue or tube, which may be
30 feet long, is lowered by the aforesaid chains down into the pit until the upper
edge or end is level with the gas jet or jets, which is situated somewhat below the
hammer and the centre of gravity of the suspended block or anvil inside the tube,
these two being coincident, the head is put on, and the tube, as soon as sufficiently
heated for welding, is raised by the chains so as to bring the heated part up and
between the hammer and the suspended block or anvil. The hammer is then set in
motion, and the blow being absorbed by the suspended block or anvil and the
welded joint being hammered sound, the heating is proceeded with as before until
the whole 30 feet of length has travelled upwards and past the suspended block or
anvil and the fixed hammer, the joint being welded all the length without in any
way disturbing the first position of the suspended block or anvil, the hammer, or jet
blast or flame.
In order to secure a perfectly welded and straight joint I prefer (in lieu of the
butt joint usually adopted) the scarfing of the plates, and rivetting them together
, the whole length of such scarfed joint by light rivets proviously to being welded.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samson Fox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th September
1878.
SAMSON Fox, of the Leeds Forge Company, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer
and Ironmaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR WELDING,
HAMMERING, AND FORGING."
The first part of my Invention relates to the application of a power hammer,
where it is required to impart comparatively light and quick blows to an object too
heavy and unwieldy to be moved quickly under the hammer.
For this purpose I
use a double-acting haminer, arranged with a cylinder and piston, having suitable
valves and self-acting gear, the cylinder being so arranged at its upper or back end
to bolt to a suitably formed block of sufficient weight to absorb the heaviest blow
that the hammer can deal at full speed. I suspend such block and hammer on the
hook of a crane or other suitable apparatus admitting of the free manipulation of
the position of the hammer in any direction. I supply the motive fluid, be it
steam, gas, or compressed air, through a jointed or spiral metal or other flexible tube
of suitable strength, the exhaust being conducted away in a similar or other suitable
manner. It will be obvious that for some classes of work, such as the welding of
the joints of tubes or rings where the joint is in a right line and can be placed
horizontally, the hammer with its block, as above explained, instead of being con-
nected with a crane or otherwise suspended, as above described, may be supported
by a carriage mounted on wheels, and capable of running along a suitably arranged
tramway over the joint to be welded; or the hammer aloue may be disconnected
from the block and bolted to the carriage, which in this case is made sufficiently
heavy to represent the aforesaid block; the movement to and fro of the carriage
with the hammer and block, or with the hammer only, as the case may be, may be
effected by suitably arranged hand gear.
Secondly. My Invention relates to apparatus for welding the joints of long tubes
or flues where a fixed anvil or horn cannot be conveniently used, as for instance for
operating upon a tube which may be 15 feet, 20 feet, or even 30 feet long, and is
of comparatively small diameter, as for example say 2 feet 6 ins.
For this purpose
I use the suspended block as an anvil hanging within the tube to be welded, which
I also hang with its axis by vertical chains in such manner that it may be raised
and lowered with facility as desired. The position of the block or anvil within the
tube is such that the block or anvil presses slightly against the joint to be welded,
which is now in a vertical position. I fix the hammer (so that its motion may be
horizontal) to a suitable standard or foundation situated close to one side of the
mouth of a suitable pit, and on the outside of the tube opposite the joint to be
welded. The joint is got to a welding heat by gas flame projected against it both
on the outside and inside of the said joint, or on one side only, or by any other
suitable means, a suitable heat cover or guard being provided inside the tube
attached to the block or anvil, or to some other convenient part of the
apparatus.
The operation of welding a long tube by such means is as follows:-The block
being suspended inside the tube and opposite in vertical height and position to the
hammer fixed on the aforesaid independent standard or foundation situated on the
outside of the tube, as previously described, the flue or tube to be operated upon is
lowered by the aforesaid chains into the pit until the upper edge or end of the flue
or tube is level with the gas jet or jets, or other heating apparatus, which is

page_text: situated somewhat below the hammer and the centre of gravity of the suspended
block inside the tube, these two being coincident. The heating operation is now
commenced, and as soon as the proper degree for welding is obtained the tube is
raised by the chains so as to bring the heated part up to and between the hammer
and the suspended block or anvil; the hammer is then set in motion, the blows
being absorbed by the suspended block or anvil and the welded joint hammered to
a sound state. This heating and hanımering is proceeded with, the tube being
raised as required until the whole length has travelled upwards between the sus-
pended block or anvil and the fixed hammer. Thus the joint may be welded
throughout its length without disturbing the original position of the suspended
block or anvil, hammer, or jet blast or flame.
In order to secure a perfectly welded and straight joint I prefer (in lieu of the
butt joint usually adopted) the scarfing of the plates, and rivetting them together
the whole length of such scarfed joint by light rivets previously to being
welded.
Referring to the accompanying Drawings, wherein the same reference numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated,-
-
Fig, 1 represents the operation of welding a ring or short tube, which, after it
has been brought to a welding heat (it may be over an ordinary hearth fire) is
placed on the anvil pike or horn 1, the hammer 2 with the block 3 being suspended
by the crane 4 over the said pike, the hammer 2 is set in motion and moved by
hand along the portion of the joint to be welded at each heat until the whole length
of the joint of the ring or tube is completed ; 5 is the inlet for the steam, gas, or
compressed air; 6 is the exhaust.
The
Figs. 2 and 3 shew the modification in which the hammer 2 is attached to a
carriage 30, which is of sufficient weight to represent the aforesaid block 3.
said carriage is mounted upon the wheels 7, which run upon the overhead tramway
8, carried by the standards 9. The movement of the carriage 3a and a hammer 2
is effected from below by means of the endless chain 10, pinion 11, and wheel 12,
on one of the tram wheels 7, or by other suitable and equivalent means, which will
readily suggest themselves to practical men.
Fig. 4 illustrates my plan of welding the joints of long tubes.
The tube 13 is suspended with its axis vertically, as shewn in the pit 14, and
capable of being raised or lowered at pleasure; 2 is the hammer, mounted on the
standard or foundation 15; 3 is the block or anvil suspended inside and bearing
slightly against the tube at the joint; 16 and 17 are the nozzles for the gas jets;
18-19, the gas supply pipes; and 20-21, pipes from an ordinary blast fan or other
air supply. The joint of the tube having been properly heated for welding, the tube
is raised until the heated part is between the hammer 2 and the suspended block or
anvil 3, the hammering operation is then commenced and continued until such
heated portion of the tube is soundly welded and finished off smooth. The said
heating and welding and hammering operations are then repeated at a lower point
of the tube, and so on until the whole length of tube is completed.
Fig. 5 shews how I propose to scarf and rivet the joint previous to welding.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I desire to have it understood that I do not restrict myself
to the precise details herein described and delineated, but what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as secured to me by the herein before in
part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The method of applying a power hammer in suspension, substantially as
herein-before described with reference to Fig. 1 of the Drawings.
2. The method of applying a power hammer, substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the Drawings.
3. The combination for welding tubes of a scarfed and rivetted joint, a fixed

page_text: power hammer, a suspended block or anvil, and heating apparatus, substantially as
herein-before described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samson Fox, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Third day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HAY
SAMSON FOX. (L.S.)