Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1885
Complete Left, 7th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th Apr., 1887
I JOHN TIBBITTS, Tube-Fitting-Forger of 57 South Street Walsall in the County of
Stafford do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention consists in the improved method of manufacturing tube fittings,
hereinafter set forth.
I take a bar of iron of the quality usually utulzed in the manufacture of tube fittings,
by the ordinary hand process.
I heat the bar to the required temperature and then place it under an ordinary
press; next by the action of suitable tools or dies working in the press I cut or press
out the corners (with either flush edges or bevil edges) from the extreme end of the
bar, forming rectangular spaces; at a suitable distance along the bar, I cut out on
each side parallelogramic spaces, equal to twice the length of rectangular spaces in
the extreme end of bar.
The end of the. bar pierced or cut as described will form what is technically termed
among stampers a blank, out of which a T piece can be shaped.
I take the bar with the T blank on the end, and pass the said blank through
suitable dies, and dish it into a longitudinal trough shape of a cemicircular transverse
section I next take the bar with the blank on the end of it, to a lapping machine,
by means of which the dished blank is doubled over transversely so as to bring the
rectangular spaces provided in the front end of the blank lineable with the paralelo-
gramic spaces provided in each side of the bar: the blank so folded would imperfectly
represent the proper shape of a T piece; to perfect it I proceed as follows
I take the bar with the folded T piece on its end and place the folded end into ą
suitable furnace where the folded part is heated welding hot,

page_text: I next take the bar to a suitable hammer-frame, such as is used in the manufacturing
of tube fittings: I should by preference use what is generally known as an excentric
hammer that is to say a hammer worked excentrically, backwards and forwards against
a fixed face or blow receiver.
A hole is provided in the bed of the hammer-frame, through which is passed,
vertically a suitable maundril which would be secured to a convenient maundriĺ
carrier, the said maundril carrier would work in suitable bearings and would be
operated (raised or lowered) by means of a lever or hand wheel-or the maundril may
be fixed permanently in its vertical position, in either case, the said maundril is intro-
duced into the welding hot, bent blank; A second maundril is provided horizontally
on the top face of the bed of the hammer frame, at a suitable angle to enter the other
hole or opening in the double over T piece blank; Half dies are next provided whose
concave surface corresponds with the convex outer surface required on the finished
Tpiece one half die is fixed on the stationary face or blow receiver, the other half
die is fixed on the moving hammer.
The dies are set on the hammers in such a position that they are lineable and true
with the maundril.
The fittings being on the maundril in a welding hot state, as hereinbefore
described, the welding of the edges together is produced and accomplished by the
impact of the blow of the moving hammer pressing the two half dies together on
the fittings over the maundrils, the flush edges would produce butt weldings and the
bevil edges would produce lap weldings. The maundrils are removed from the fittings
by suitable mechanical means as hereinbefore indicated, the fitting completed-on the
end of the bar can then be removed from the hammer frame; I provide a suitable
and convenient shear blade on the hammer franic.
I take the bar with the fitting attached to it and pass the blank or the fitting through
or between the blades and cut the blank from the bar.
The bar will then present two rectangular spaces to form part of the next blank,
the two paralelogramic spaces one on each side the bar are then cut to complete the
blank by a continueation of the processes hereinbefore described the whole of the bar
of iron can be gradually formed into T pipes.
In cutting or piercing a bar of iron to form blanks for cross pieces I cut four
openings exactly similar to the four openings described in reference to the blanks
for T pieces but in addition I pierce or cut two additional paralelogramic spaces on
-the sides, corresponding in dimentions to the first pair of paralelogramic openings ;
in bending this blank it would be doubled over transversely across the centre of the
first pair of paralelogramic openings thus bringing the end of the bar and its two
corner spaces centrally with the extra or additional pair of paralelogramic openings ;
when so bent, the cross-blank would then undergo each of the operations hereinbefore
described in reference to the T blank.
In forming the blank for a bend I should cut only one rectangular space on the
corner of the end of the bar and one paralelogramic space on the same side of
the bar; looking at the bar in its horizontal flat position, I strike a line accross the
said bar; the point whero this line commences would be centrally with the bottom
of the rectangular space and the top of the paralelogramic space, on this trans-
verse line, at or about the centre thereof I make a centre point, from this point
commences the arch of a circle the said arch terminating in an upward direction
on the edge of the bar; from the centro point commences a second arch terminating
in a downward direction on the edge of the bar; the blank would be cut to these
archical lines and the scrap removed, it will be readily understood that in folding the
blank so prepared, on the transverse line, the perfect outline of an elbow would be
formed, the folded hend-blank would then undergo each of the operations hereinbefore
described in reference to the T blank.
Altho Tpicces crosses and bends form the staple articles or connections used in
the tube trade nevertheless I do not confine myself to the three blanks so fully described
herein, as I can where desired form tube fittings of angular or other configuration on
the end of a bar which is the escential part of my invention,

page_text: Hithertoo tube fittings have been made in seperate halves and then welded together
this process is very slow.
I wish it to be clearly understood that the making of tube fittings in seperate halves
away from the bar is old therefore my invention does not consist in the mere making
of tube fittings, but in the making of tube fittings in the improved expeditious manner
herein set forth.
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Coblen Hotel Chambers,
Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicant.
I JOHN TIBBITTS of 57 South Street Walsall Fitting Maker 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:-
This invention consists in the improved method of manufacturing tube fittings
hereinafter set forth.
I take a bar of iron of the quality usually utilized in the manufacture of tube fittings,
by the ordinary hand process: I heat the bar to the required temperature and then
place it under an ordinary press; next by the action of suitable tools or dies working
in the press I cut or press out the corners from the extreme end of the bar, forming
rectangular spaces; at a suitable distance along the bar I cut out on each side
parallelogramic spaces, equal to twice the length of the rectangular spaces on the
extreme end of bar. The end of the bar pierced or cut as described will form what
is technically termed among stampers-a blank, out of which a T piece can be shaped.
I take the bar with the T blank on the end and pass the said blank through suitable
dies, and dish it into a longitudinal trough shape of a semicircular transverse section:
I next take the bar with the blank on the end of it, to a lapping machine, by means of
which the dished blank is doubled over transversely, so as to bring the rectangular
spaces provided in the front of the blank lineable with the parallelogramic spaces

page_text: provided in each side of the bar: the blank so folded would imperfectly represent the
proper shape of a T piece, to perfect it I proceed as follows
I take the bar with the folded T piece on its end and place the folded end into a
suitable furnace where the folded part is heated welding hot.
I next take the bar to a suitable hammer frame, such as is used in the manufacturing
of tube fittings: I should by preference use what is generally known as an eccentric
hammer, that is to say a hammer worked eccentrically backwards and forwards against
a fixed face or blow receiver.
A hole is provided in the bed of the hammer frame through which is passed vertically
a suitable naundril which would be secured to a convenient manndril carrier: the
said maundril carrier would work in suitable bearings and would he operated (raised
and lowered) by means of a lever or hand wheel or the maundril may be fixed
permanently in its vertical position, in either case the said maundril is introduced
into the wolding hot bent blank. A second maundril is provided horizontally on the
top face of the bed of the hammer frame at a suitable angle to enter the other hole or
opening in the doubled over Ṭ piece blank. Half dies are next provided whose
concave surface corresponds with the convex outer surface required on the finished
T piece one half die is fixed on the stationary face or blow receiver, the other half
die is fixed on the moving hammer.
:
The dies are set on the hammers in such a position that they are lineable and true
with the maundril.
The T fitting being on the maundril in a welding hot state as herein before described
the welding of the edges together is produced and accomplished by the impact of
the blow of the moving hammer pressing the two half-dies together on tho fitting over
the maundril.
The maundrils are removed from the fitting by suitable mechanical means as herein-
before indicated, the fitting completed on the end of the bar can then be removed
from the hammer frame.
I provide a suitable and convenient shear blade on the hammer frame.
I take the bar with the fitting attached to it and pass the blank or fitting through
or between the blades and cut the blank from the bar."
The bar will then present two rectangular spaces to form part of the next blank,
the two parallelogramic spaces, one on each side of the bar are then cut to complete
the blank by a continuation of the processes hereinbefore described, the whole of
the bar of iron can be gradually formed into T pieces.
In cutting or piercing a bar of iron to form blanks for cross pieces-I cut four
openings exactly similar to the four openings described in relation to the blanks
for T pieces, but in addition I pierce or cut two additional parallelogramic spaces
on the sides corresponding in dimensions to the first pair of parallelogramic openings;
in bending this blank it would be doubled over transversely across the centre of the
first pair of parallelogramic "openings thus bringing the end of the bar and its two
corner spaces centrally with the extra or additional pair of parallelogramic openings;
when so bent, the crossblank would then undergo each of the operations hereinbefore
described in reference to the T blank.
In forming the blank for a bend I should cut only one rectangular space on the
corner of the end of the bar and one parallelogramic space on the same side of the
bar looking at the bar in its horizontal flat position, I strike a line across the said
bar, the point where this line commences would be centrally with the bottom of the
rectangular space and the top of the parallelogramic space, on this transverse line at
or about the centre thereof, I mark a centre point, from this point commences the arc
of a circle, the said are terminating in an upward direction on the edge of the bar;
from the centre point commences a second are terminating in a downward direction
on the edge of the bar; the blank would be cut to these archical lines and the scrap
removed, it will be readily understood that in folding the blank so prepared, on the
transverse line, the perfect outline of a bend pipe would be formed, the folded bent
blank would then undergo each of the operations hereinbefore described in reference
to the Tblank.

page_text: Although pieces crosses and bends form the staple articles or connections used in
the tube trade nevertheless I do not confine myself to the three blanks so fully
described hnrein, as I can where desired form tube fittings of angular or other
configuration on the end of a bar which is the essential part of my invention.
Hitherto tube fittings have been made in separate halves and then welded together;
this process is very slow.
I wish it to be clearly understood that the making of tube fittings in separate halves
away from the bar is old therefore my invention does not consist in the mere making
of tube fittings-but in the making of tube fittings in the improved expeditious
manner herein set forth.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
method by which fittings are manufactured on the end of a bar or strip under my
improved system.
Figure 1 represents an edge view of a strip of iron suitable for making T's.
Fi
igure 2 represents a horizontal view of the strip figure 1.
Figure 3 represents the strip figure 1 provided with parallelogramic openings.
Figure 4 is a horizontal view of figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 represent the blank figure 4 bent ready to fold into a T.
Figure 7 is a section on the line A B of figure 6.
Figures 8 and 9 represent figures 5 and 6 folded over to form the T on the end of
the strip.
Figures 10 and 11 represent a blank cut out of a strip ready to be formed into a
cross.
Figures 12 and 13 represent the blank figure 11 dished ready for folding into a
cross.
Figures 14 and 15 represent figures 12 and 13 folded over into a cross.
Figure 16 represents the cross detached and cut off from the continuous strip.
Figure 17 represents the continuous strip ready to pierce into a blank for forming
other T's.
Figure 18 represents figure 16 with the conical end cut or milled off.
Figures 19 and 20 represent a blank cut from a strip ready for the dishing process
in making elbows.
Figures 21 and 22 represent one half of the elbow blank dished.
Figures 23 and 24 represent both halves of the elbow blank dished.
Figures 25 and 26 represent figures 23 and 24 bent over to form an elbow.
In carrying out my invention in the making of T's I should provide strips of
metal of a suitable width and thickness as shewn at figures 1 and 2. I should next
pierce or cut the strip of metal in the manner represented at figures 3 and 4, removing
the metal by suitable tools, so as to leave the openings A A' B B: the blank as
represented at figure 1 would be dished at C and D into the form shown at C¹ D'
figure 6. It would next be dished iransversely as shewn at E E' figure 5. The bar
with the blank on the end of it would then bet aken to a lapping machine, the dished
blank would then be doubled over to form a T as clearly represented at F figures 8
and 9. The bar G with the folded T piece on its end would next be placed in a
suitable furnace where the folded part would be heated welding hot. I should
remove it from the furnace and carry it to a suitable hammer frame as hereinbefore
fully described, where the T piece would be welded together by the impact of the
blow of the moving hammer, pressing the two half dies together on the T piece over
the maundrils. The maundrils would be removed, the fitting would then be complete
on the end of the bar G.
I should next take the bar G with the T piece on its end and pass the bar traus-
versely between the blades of a pair of shears or saw it off, or in any other suitable
mechanical way divide the completed T from the bar G.
The bar G would then present two rectangular spaces H and J to form part of the
next blank. The two parallelogramic spaces similar to B B¹ figure 4 are then cut to
complete the blank.

page_text: By a repetition of the processes herein before fully set forth, the whole of the bar G
(which can be of any convenient length) can be gradually formed into T pieces.
In cutting or piercing a bar of iron to form blanks for cross pieces, I cut two
additional parallelogramic spaces K I figure 11. The parts marked M are dished as
represented at N. The parts marked O are dished as represented at P. The bar Q
with the dished blank on the end of it would next be taken to a lapping machine;
the dished blank would then be doubled over to form a cross as represented at R
figure 15 and as represented in side view at figure 14.
The bar S with the folded cross on its end would next be placed in a suitable
furnace, when the folding part would be heated welding hot. It would then be
removed from the furnace and carried to the hammer frame and welded together in
the manner described in reference to the making of T's. The cross R would be cut
from the strip S. The strip S would then present two rectangular spices T U to form
part of the next blank. The parallelogramic spaces are next cut to form the blank.
By a repetition of the processes hereinbefore fully set forth the whole of the bar S
(which can be of any convenient length) can be gradually formed into crosses.
The cross removed from the strip S would next be faced and finished into the
complete form R² figure 18.
In forming the blank for a bend I should cut only one rectangular space on the end
corner as shown at V figure 20, and one parallelogramic space as shewn at W.
On the other side of the strip I remove a portion of the metal so as to leave the
archical lines X Y. The end of the blank is dished in the manner represented at Z
figure 22.and figure 24. The lower portion is dished in the manner represented
at A A figure 24. The bar B B with the dished blank on the end of it would next
be taken to a lapping machine, the dished blank would then be doubled over to form a
bend as represented at CC figure 26 and in side view at figure 25. The bar B B
with the folded bend on its end would next be placed in a suitable furnace when the
folding part would be heated welding hot.
It would then be removed from the furnace and carried to the hammer frame and
welded together in the manner described in reference to the making of T's.
The bend CC would be cut from the strip B B. The strip B B would then present
one rectangular space D D to form part of the next bend. The parallelogramic space
and archical lines are next cut to form a blank.
By a repetition of the processes hereinbefore set forth, the whole of the bar B B
(which can be of any convenient length) can be gradually formed into bends.
In making what are technically termed bull headed T's that is to say with one of
the openings larger than the other, I should by preference dish the blank transversely,
and fold it from side to side.
In making bends I can in some cases provide my strips of double the width of that
shown at figures 19 & 20 and instead of forming the archical lines on the side of the
strip, I could form them on the end of the strip, and at regular intervals cut parallelo
granic spaces down the sides of the strip, but this method uses up more material
than that shewn at figures 19 and 20.
I merely mention this method to bar out subsequent inventors.
I have not illustrated the lapping machine with its hammers and punches, as the
lapping machine itself does not form a part of my invention, it is well known in the
trade, neither have I represented a furnace, as that is also old, nevertheless I consider
the passing of the fitting through a furnace and through the lapping machine to be a
part of my invention.
All diminishing T's and diminishing elbows can be made by my improved process,
the blank in each case being cut in accordance with the dimontions of the outlets or
branches of the diminishing T or elbow.
In some cases I prefer to cut the blanks out of which the fittings are made in the
manner indicated in dotted lines E E figure 11. In such cases the blank could be
more easily doubled over.

page_text: The edges of the blanks can be prepared on the bevil so that when welded together
the joints will be what is technically called lap-welded.
When making my improved fittings for use in connecting fencing or other such
like work where liquid or gaseous pressure is not brought to bear on the fitting to
burst it asunder, I merely fold the dished fitting together and leave the edges without
welding, thus reducing the cost of making the fittings.
What constitutes my invention is the new and original method of making fittings
on the end of a strip or bar and passing the fitting while on the end of the strip or
bar through the processes fully set forth in my specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
The invention as illustrated and described for the purpose of making T's, crosses,
elbows and other such like tube fittings.