Improvements in the Manufacture of Cop Tubes, Boxes and Sheaths, Tubes, Cartridge Cases, and like Articles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec.. 1894-Accepted. 16th Mar. 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Cop Tubes, Boxes and Sheaths,
Tubes, Cartridge Cases, and like Articles.
I, LÉON LE BRUN, of Verviers, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
This invention relates to the manufacture of cop tubes, boxes and sheaths, tubes,
cartridge cases and like articles from paper.
Hitherto it has been generally the practice to make cop tubes and many other
articles from cardboard by pasting together a number of sheets of paper.
I have found that it is most advantageous to manufacture cop tubes and other
articles from paper pulp but this is attended with some difficulty for paper pulp
is not a plastic material and cannot be moulded by compression in a mould having
a core or mandrel.
I have however obtained good results by filtering pulp diluted with water
through a perforated mould on which the pulp itself forms superposed layers of
sufficient thickness to be afterwards compressed in an external mouid of special
form.
By exhausting the air in the interior of the perforated moulds the formation of
the layers of pulp is greatly expedited and a rapid production is obtained which is
commercially important.
The complete process comprises the following operations, namely:-
1. The paper pulp is first steeped in water as in paper making.
2. Perforated sheet metal moulds are then placed in the bath of pulp within
which moulds a partial vacuum can be formed by means of a suitable exhausting
apparatus which draws or sucks the filaments of pulp and causes them to be
deposited upon the moulds in layers the thickness of which is only limited by the
resistance which the layers offer to the passage of the air drawn or sucked in.
3. The moulds are then withdrawn from the bath the suction being continued
which then causes air to pass through the layer of pulp whence results a felting, a
compression and a partial drying of the filaments.
4. The moulds thus charged with pulp are then introduced into outer counter-
moulds formed in sections which can come together and firmly compress the paste
upon the inner moulds so as to remove any inequalities of surface.
5. After being sufficiently compressed the inner mould which for this purpose
is formed in several parts is withdrawn and a smooth mould is substituted therefor
to support the article during the drying operation.
6. The outer counter-mould is opened and the articles placed upon the smooth
moulds are removed and placed in the drying apparatus.
On being removed from the drying apparatus the articles are finished unless it is
desired to render them refractory by the action of humidity which can be effected
by dipping them, before removal from the supporting moulds, in a bath of gelatine,
dextrine, gum or the like sensibilised by bichromate of potash; they are then
again dried by exposing them to the light to render the coating with which they
are covered insoluble.
The same object can be attained by mixing the bichromated emulsion with the
paper pulp before forming the article.
In carrying out the invention as applied to the manufacture of cop tubes the tube
mould is constructed of perforated sheet metal and has the form of a truncated cone.

page_text: It comprises three priucipal parts two of which are alike and are placed
symmetrically. The third part is introduced between the two other parts to
maintain the separation of these two parts and to prevent the depression producedł
by the formation of the tube from deforming the mould.
The distance apart of the two similar parts and consequently the thickness of
the other part should be at the point less than half what it is at the base in order
that the diminution of diameter of the mould when the third part is withdrawn and
the two similar parts approach each other should be the same throughout the entire
length of the mould the point of the intermediate part resting between the other
two parts.
The similar parts are respectively fixed to other parts which are caused. to
approach each other. by springs. These parts form a parallelopiped having a square
base which enables it to slide, under the influence of springs in square holes formed
in sheet metal plates; the parts forming the parallelopiped are held between these
plates by shoulders and are perforated.
A conical nozzle is fixed to the lower plate and when the intermediate part is
inserted between the other two parts the complete mould entirely fills the central
round hole of the nozzle.
The intermediate part is fixed to a plate which can be separate from or form part
of the case formed by the sheet metal plates above mentioned. The case com-
municates with suction pumps, as does another case which is provided with an
opening of an inverted truncated conical shape which serves as
a guide for the
mould.
The counter-mould is constructed of two parts which when closed, comprise
an inner truncated conical surface corresponding to the external form of the tube.
The smooth mould is advantageously formed of two or more blades forming a
sort of spring.
Dated the 16th day of Manal. 1004
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Cop Tubes, Boxes and Sheaths,
Tubes, Cartridge Cases, and like Articles.
I, LEON LE BRUN, of Verviers, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer,
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 relates to the manufacture of cop tubes, boxes and sheaths, tubes,
cartridge cases and like articles from paper.
As the result of numerous experiments made with the view of employing paper-
pulp in place of paper for the manufacture of cop tubes, boxes and sheaths, tubes,
cartridge cases and like articles, I have found that a good result could not be
obtained by compressing paper pulp in moulds, but that, success attended the
employment of the following processes and apparatuses, which allow of obtaining
by suction the deposit of the pulp upon special moulds, of hardening and polishing
the surface of this pulp, then of removing the articles from the special moulds in
order to place them upon plain moulds which allow the articles to be transferred to
a dryer and to be subsequently polished.
The special moulds are constructed in several perforated parts which can be
moved in such a manner as to allow of decreasing the diameter of the mould and
consequently of withdrawing the mould from the article.

page_text: These moulds are placed upon a case which is immersed up to its upper face in
the bath of paper pulp and which can be placed in communication with a suitable
suction apparatus. A bell, movable horizontally and vertically, comes at a certain
moment into position above the case and covers it, and is at the same time lowered
in such a manner that when suction is applied to the bell the bath will rise in the
interior of the same the lower edges of which dip into the bath.
This ascending movement takes place rapidly and the pulp becomes deposited
upon the moulds which are entirely immersed. The articles having been formed,
air is slowly admitted into the bell, and the liquid descends very slowly. When
the formed articles are entirely outside the bath, an abundance of air is allowed to
enter the bell, which air then passes through the articles and partially dries them,
the cellulose meanwhile settling down.
The bell being then raised and moved away in a horizontal direction will uncover
the formed articles.. Their surface is rough and should be polished. For this
purpose I cause tubes, furnished with spring-rollers and having a rotary movement
imparted to them, to descend onto the articles mounted upon their moulds.
The articles will thus acquire sufficient solidity to allow of their being covered,
while mounted on their perforated moulds, by counter-moulds made in three parts
which can be caused to approach or recede from one another as required and have
in the interior perforated sheet-metal plates set in a casing in communication with a
suction apparatus.
When the counter-moulds have descended onto the articles
they close and press them and thus bring them into contact with the perforated
sheet-metal plates of the counter-moulds so that when suction is applied to the
latter they form vents and retain the articles whilst the floor or board which causes
the perforated moulds to be operated is lowered, and whilst the latter are fastened.
Then the frames carrying the polishers and the counter-moulds are raised and
carry the articles with them. The frame of the counter-moulds rises rather
higher than that of the polishers in order to become disengaged from the latter.
The frame of the counter-moulds then slides horizontally towards the side opposite
to that towards which the bell has been moved. Plain moulds are then inserted in
the interior of the articles contained in the counter-moulds, and the suction is
stopped in the counter-moulds which are opened to withdraw the articles with their
plain moulds and to transfer them to the dryer.
When they are dry, they are introduced with their plain moulds into an apparatus
similar to the polishers with rollers hereinbefore described but in which the
pressure of the rollers is much greater. The articles are thus submitted to a slight
rolling which glazes or polishes them and detaches them from the plain moulds from
which they are lifted by clips or nippers which allow them to afterwards fall into a
case or box.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe how it
can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, the various
figures of which represent apparatuses suitable for carrying out the different
operations which I have just described, and especially adapted for the manufacture
of cop tubes.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a mould on which the cop tubes are formed, and
which is composed of perforated sheet-metal staves of about half a millimetre in
thickness. The ends of these staves are connected together to form the point of
the mould in a cap C screwed into an angular bar D with counter locking nut E;
half of the staves are fixed and held by springs upon the foot or base a' carried by
the top A of the mould-supporting case hereinbefore referred to. The other half
are carried by a movable floor or board B.
Figure 2 is a vertical section shewing a staveb with its means of attachment to
the foot or base a'.
Figure 3 is a vertical section shewing a stave with its attachment to the
floor B.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 2 that each stave bis arched or curved to
form the truncated conical surface of the mould and carries at its lower part a pin c

page_text: '
which passes through a hole made in the base or foot a'. A spring d fixed to this
base or foot a¹ presses the pin c, and consequently the stave b, towards the axis of
the cone.
The stave is terminated by a conical point e more inclined than the
rest of the cone. The three points e are soldered together.
The
In Figure 3 a stave is shewn in edge view, the base or, foot a being supposed
to have been turned round one-sixth from the position shewn in Figure 2.
three staves b connected together by rings h are fixed on the tube
terminated by
a nnt g fixed with a bayonet joint upon the floor B which is movable vertically.
Figure 4 is a vertical section shewing one of the rotary polishers which are
mounted on a frame and the number of which is equal to that of the moulds placed
on the mould-supporting-case herein before described, and the intervals between
these polishers are the same as those between the said moulds, so that when the
frame descends onto the formed cop tubes all the polishers will act simultaneously
upon the said cop tubes.
Figure 5 is a plan shewing a horizontal section at different heights of four
polishers.
The principal parts of these polishers are the rollers a of glass or inoxidable
metal which roll over the cop tubes and polish them; they are pressed against the
cop tubes by spiral springs 61 acting by torsion upon cheeks carrying the trunnions
of the rollers and pivotting upon shafts fixed on a disc c'. Figure 5 shews the
positions taken by the rollers when they press the base of the cop tube and when
they press the point of it.
The discs €, c' form the upper and lower faces of the rotary tubes i turning in a
frame K formed of two perforated sheet-metal plates. On the discs c are fixed
crown wheels ' gearing with pinions driven by pinions f¹ mounted upon shafts g'.
It will be seen by reference to Figures 4 and 5 that each of the pinions e' drives
two discs c and that each pinion f drives two pinions e.
At the right hand side of Figure 4 it will be seen how the shafts of all these
pinions are mounted upon brackets fixed to the frame K and the tails or stems of
which form tie-bars for the said frames.
Figure 6 is a vertical section representing one of the three staves g³ of a counter-
mould. The two others are identical and complete the truncated cone formed by
these three hollow staves the lower end of which enters the interior of the tube i,
Figures 4 and 5, carrying the polishing rollers a of these figures.
The counter-moulds, the number of which is equal to that of the polishers and of
the moulds, and which are exactly the same distance apart, are mounted upon a
frame d' formed of suitably arranged supports.
This frame moves with that of the polishers when the latter descends; but when
these two frames again rise that of the counter-moulds continues its movement
whilst that of the polishers is arrested, so that the bottom of the counter-moulds
comes out of the tubes i of the polishers.
n and
Supports attached to the frame d' carry levers' working upon pivots
jointed at o to the staves g of the counter-moulds. Springs m press the ends of
these levers against conical pins screwed into the frame Q and provided with
nuts, holding springs which bear upon the points e of the moulds (see
Figure 1) in order to detach them from the formed cop tubes to which they
adhere lightly by reason of the penetration of the cellulose into the perforations
of the moulds.
The frame Q formed by the combination of the sockets of the screws of the
cones participates in the movement of the frame A, but it possesses besides a
movement of its own which effects, at the required moment, the closing or opening
of the counter-moulds.
The staves are hollow and have their inner walls perforated; their interior e
can be placed in communication with an air-pump by means of small india-rubber
tubes 1, Figure 6.
By thus causing a vacuum in the interior of the staves, the pulp is slightly sucked
or drawn into the interior perforations of the said staves which thus form vents to

page_text: retain the cop tubes at the moment when the special moulds contract and diminish
in diameter to allow the formed cop tubes to be raised.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation representing a drying mould with flexible pin.
a² is the plain mould or dryer terminated by an ovoid point ; 6 is a grating of
coarse wire stretched over a frame, the meshes of which grating are half the distance
apart of the preceding moulds. Each mould is attached to a mesh by four hooks c
which allow a certain movement. The number of these moulds is equal to those of
the preceding operations and the moulds are maintained at nearly the same distance
apart from one another by flexible pins fixed in a frame et at the normal distance
apart of 40 millimetres.
When the pin touches the point d and lifts the mould a², the grating is
supported with its frame by the frame e and the moulds are free to oscillate.
I have described in detail the essential parts of my apparatus for the manufacture
of cop tubes as well as their operation; I will now describe the arrangements
whereby the required movements are imparted to the same.
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are three views of a complete installation of my improved
apparatuses, and in these figures like parts are indicated by like letters of reference,
but these letters do not refer to similar parts in Figures 1 to 7 which illustrate
details not shewn in Figures 8 to 10.
Figure 8 is a vertical sectional elevation the section being taken on the line.―
of Figure 10 and the dryer not being shewn :
Figure 9 is a vertical sectional elevation, the section being taken on the line y-y¹
of Figure 10 and the dryer being shewn :
Figure 10 is a horizontal section of the whole arrangement.
A is a large tank or reservoir receiving the water used in the formation of the
tubes, wherein it is pumped into the feed vessel Q, into which latter also is intro-
duced the required proportion of paper pulp.
a, a, b, b' are four valves; when a is open b' is also open and band a closed ;
when a is open bis open and a and b closed. By operating these valves air can be
drawn into one or the other of the vessels B and B and the water discharged from
the vessels B or B into the tank A. That is to say, when air is drawn into B¹ the
water contained in B flows into the tank A (see Figure 8).
E is a vacuum chamber in direct communication with the air pump by means
of the pipe ; this pump produces the vacuum and causes either water or air to be
drawn in.
D, D', D are tubes placing the vacuum chamber E in communication with the
counter-moulds H and H', a certain length of the said tubes being made of india-
rubber; d, dare pipes communicating with the vessels Band B' and mould-carrier
chambers F and F.
e is the floor (in its lowered position) carrying a portion of the staves of the
perforated moulds (indicated at B Figures 1, 2 and 3). The floor è is inside the
mould-carrier chamber F.
e is the floor shewn in its raised position and belonging to the mould-carrier
chamber F¹.
G, Gare the suction bells. The bell G on the left hand side has been raised
and moved away horizontally. The bell G on the right hand side has been
lowered so as to cover the perforated moulds in the chamber F'. These bells are
provided with valves operated by floats and which, at a given moment, allow air to
enter the bells and be drawn through the formed cop tubes, or to pass out from the
bells upon their descent into the baths.
9, glare pinions gearing with vertical racks fixed on the bells and serving to
raise and lower the same.
These pinions are capable of being slid horizontally, with the bells, upon
horizontal shafts provided with grooves throughout their length thus allowing of
imparting to the pinions g, a rotary movement which causes the elevation or
depression of the corresponding bell.

page_text: h, h' are pinions gearing with horizontal racks fixed on the top of the bells and
causing the horizontal movement of the latter.
¡ is the frame of the polishers on the left hand side which have just operated and
are still lowered onto the perforated moulds (see Figure 4).
movement.
is the frame of the polishers on the right hand side at the end of its upward
The rotary motion is imparted to the polishers by a vertical rod which
enters a tube having a rotary movement imparted to it and carrying a spline which
slides in a key-way in the rod.
H, H' are the frames of the suction counter-moulds (shewn in detail at Figure 6)
connected with the vacuum chamber E by the flexible tubes D¹, D". In the
position Figure 8, the counter-moulds surround the cop tubes formed on the
perforated moulds, the counter-moulds are closed, the tube D' is open, the floor e is
lowered, and the perforated moulds have been reduced in diameter and are detached
from the cop tubes which are now supported by the counter-moulds. H' shews the
position of the other frame of the suction counter-moulds after its upward movement
and horizontal movement towards the centre of the machine; the opening and
closing of the counter-moulds is effected by the action of a lever which receives its
closing movement when the frame of the suction counter-moulds is above the
perforated moulds, and its opening movement when the said frame is at the centre
of the machine.
K, K' are horizontal racks actuated by pinions and land. carrying projecting
studs, which enter holes suitably arranged in the frames H and H when the
latter rise above the perforated moulds and in their motion, leave the frames i, and i'.
The racks K and K are therefore, in turn, temporarily connected to the frames H
and Hand, when so connected, cause the horizontal movement of the frames over
suitably arranged rails m, m.
L..L are the frames of the drying moulds (shewn in detail in Figure 7). The
operation of these frames will be understood by reference to Figure 9 which also
shews a section of the dryer. These frames pass out of the dryer through the
opening N¹ and re-enter the same through the opening M under the action of the
endless chain n, n,n.
M, M' is the double frame of a piece carried by eight vertical racks which allow
the frames M, M¹ to rise and fall through the medium of worms and helicoidal
pinions.
The part M carries the flexible pins shewn in Figure 7.
The part M' carries fixed conical and rigid pins which support the drying moulds,
when the latter, carrying the dried cop tubes, enter the dry polishers O Figure 9.
The lower horizontal endless chains n, n are located in guides and carry, at
intervals, cams engaging the frames L in their intermittent horizontal movement
in the direction of the arrows.
The upper endless horizontal chains n', n' are similar to, and act in the same
manner as, the chains n, n.
The fixed frame O of the dry polishers is surmounted by clips which hold the
dried cop tubes.
When the drying moulds of the frame L, supported by the fixed pins of the
part M' of the double frame, descend, the cop tubes are held by the clips and fall
on to a perforated floor, through each of the holes of which a cop tube has passed.
When the cop tubes have been laid, without order, upon the perforated floor, the
latter is tilted so as to assume the form of a movable inclined plane, and all
the cop tubes slide or roll into the inclined chute P which conducts them into the
packing case P¹.
The feed vessel Q feeds a like quantity of the bath charged with paper pulp into
each of the tanks R and R¹ working alternatively, and into which dip the bells G
and G. The valves are operated by floats.
S, S¹ are vertical endless chains serving to intermittently raise and lower the
frames L in the dryer.

page_text: At intervals the two vertical chains of the same shaft are connected by angle
pieces acting as rails. As the vertical chains move, these angle pieces come and
stop just opposite fixed slides on which the frames L move horizontally. The said
frames pass from the fixed rails on to the movable rails to enter the dryer or from
the movable rails on to the fixed rails to leave it.
t, tare covers or doors working together and serving to open or close the
apertures N and N¹.
T, T' are horizontal slides or doors also operating together and preventing the
admission of cold air into the dryer when the apertures N and N' are open.
U represents steam heating-pipes; u inlet for fresh air into the heating apparatus;
inlet for hot air into the dryer; outlet for the moist air from the dryer;
V blower for extracting such moist air.
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. The manufacture of cop tubes, boxes and sheaths, tubes, cartridge cases and
like articles by the hereinbefore described process consisting 1stly, in producing a
suction in the interior of perforated moulds immersed in a bath of paper pulp for
causing the deposit of the pulp upon the said moulds; 2ndly, in hardening and
polishing the deposit by the rotation of small hard rollers; 3rdly, in pressing
the cop tubes or other articles thus hardened in counter-moulds in which suction is
also produced in order to form vents and to allow of removing the first moulds;
4thly, in introducing plain moulds into the cop tubes or other articles, after their
removal from the special moulds, which plain moulds allow the articles to be trans-
ferred to the dryer; 5thly, in again polishing the dried articles so as to cause them
to be submitted to a rolling action which polishes them and detaches them from
the plain moulds from which they are removed by clips or nippers and thrown into
cases or boxes, substantially as herein before described.
2. In the manufacture of cop tubes from paper pulp, the use of moulds made in
several perforated parts adapted to be moved in such a manner as to allow of
decreasing their diameter substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing.
3. The combination with moulds such as are claimed in the second claiming
clause, for the manufacture of cop tubes from paper pulp, of a bell adapted to cover
the said moulds and to have the air exhausted therefrom so that when the bell is
placed with its lower edges in the paper pulp the latter will be drawn up and
deposited on the said moulds, substantially as herein before described.
4. The use in carrying out the process for the manufacture of cop tubes from
paper pulp claimed in the first claiming clause of the polishing apparatus herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
5. The combination with moulds such as are claimed in the second claiming
clause for the manufacture of cop tubes from paper pulp of the counter-moulds
made in three parts and having sheet-metal plates in their interior set in a casing
in communication with a suction apparatus substantially as, and for the purpose,
herein before described.
6. The improved apparatus for the manufacture of cop tubes from paper pulp,
substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.