A NEW OR IM- PROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CERTAIN KINDS OF METALLIC TUBES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Reeves, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, and William Wells, of Sutton Coldfield, in the
County of Warwick, Carpenter, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IM-
PROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CERTAIN KINDS OF METALLIC TUBES."
Sealed the 12th December 1854, and dated the 20th June 1851.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Reeves and
William Wells at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 20th June 1854.
We, CHARLES REEVES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, and WILLIAM WELLS, of Sutton Coldfield, in the County of Warwick,
Carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CERTAIN KINDS OF METALLIC TUBES "
to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists of a method of making taper metallic tubes, or
tubes having a varying diameter, whether the same have a circular, fluted, or
polygonal transverse section. Figure 1 represents in section a machine for
manufacturing taper tubes according to our Invention, and Figure 2 repre-
sents a plan of the under side of the same. a, is the framing of the machine;
b, b, are a series of dies or plates jointed to the framing a. by the axes c, c,

page_text: and turning upon the said axes. The said axes are excentric to the curved
edges d, d, of the dies or plates b, b. The said dies or plates vary in thickness;
the parts nearest the axes are thickest, and the said plates or dies taper to the
more distant part, as seen in the edge view of one of the said plates Figure 3.
When the plates or dies b, b, are placed so that the ends di, d', are opposed
to each other, as shown in Figure 1, the faces of the said ends almost touch
each other, leaving only the (hexagonal or other) space shown in section in
Figure 2; and as the said plates or dies move upon their axes in a direction
indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, the said space gradually enlarges. the
angles e, e, Figure 3, of the plates or dies always being in contact, so as to
leave a closed (hexagonal or other) space formed by the tapering edges of the
said plates or dies, as will be understood by an inspection of Figure 2. The
dies or
plates b, b, are forced in a direction contrary to the arrows Figure 1.
by a spring. In using the machine, a roughly formed taper tube g is placed
upon the mandril h, and the said mandril and tube are passed through the
machine, as illustrated by Figure 1. The dies or plates b, b, move in the direc-
tion of the arrows as the wider end of the mandril enters the machine, the
closed figure formed by the edges of the said plates ordies gradually expanding,
to accommodate the increasing size of the mandril, the said plates or dies,
however, being p ssed so forcibly in a direction contrary to the arrows as to
press the tube ato contact with the mandril h. The edges of the plates or
dies b, b, must e plane, curved, fluted, or otherwise figured, to suit the kind
of tube to be drawn. A curved or bent mandril may be used with our
machine, instead of a straight one, for the purpose of making bent or curved
taper tubes to be used for making sheaths for swords.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Reeves and William Wells in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, We, CHAI LES
REEVES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and
WILLIAM WELLS, of Sutton Coldfield, in the County of Warwick, Carpenter,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Charles Reeves and William Wells, Her special licence that we
the said Charles Reeves and William Wells, our executors, administrators
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles Reeves and William
Wells, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD
OF MANUFACTURING CERTAIN KINDS OF METALLIC TUBES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Charles Reeves and William Wells, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of
one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wells, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per..
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say) :-
:-
Our Invention consists of a method of making taper metallic tubes, or
tubes having a varying diameter, whether the same have a circular, fluted,
polygonal, or other transverse section. Figure 1 represents in section a
machine for manufacturing taper tubes according to our Invention, and
Figure 2 represents a plan of the under side of the same. a, is the framing
of the machine; b, b, are a series of dies or plates jointed to the framing a,
by the axes c, c, and turning upon the said axes. The said axes are excentric
to the curved edges , d, of the dies or plates b, b. The said dies or plates
b,b,vary in thickness; the edges of the parts nearest the axes are the thickest,
and the said edges of the plates or dies taper to the parts most distant from
the axes, as seen in the edge view of one of the said plates, Figure 3. When
the plates or dies b, b, are placed so that the ends d', d. are opposed to each
other, as shown in Figure 1, the faces of the said ends almost touch each
other, leaving only (the hexagonal or other) space shown at ", in Figure 2,
and as the said plates or dies move upon their axes in a direction indicated by
the arrows in Figure 1, the said space " gradually enlarges, the augles c, e,
Figure 3, of the plates or dies always being in contact, so as to leave a closed

page_text: (hexagonal or other) space formed by the tapering edges of the said plates or
dies, as will be understood by an inspection of Figure 2. The dies or plates
b, b, are forced in a direction contrary to the arrows, Figure 1, by a spring f
The said spring consists of a helical coil of steel, which encircles the plates b,b,
in the manner shown in Figure 1. When the said plates b, b, move in the
direction of the arrows, Figure 1, the said spring expands, that is to say,
the coil becomes of larger diameter; the said spring tending to recover its
original form presses the plates b, b, in a direction contrary to that indicated
by the arrows, Figure 1. Any other arrangement of spring or springs may be
adopted, whereby cach of the plates b, b, may be pressed with an equal pres-
sure in a direction contrary to that indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. In
using the machine, Figures 1 and 2, a roughly formed taper tube g is placed
upon the mandril 7, and the said mandril and tube are passed through the
machine, in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. The dies or plates b, b, move
in the direction of the arrows, as the wider end of the mandril enters the
machine, the closed figure formed by the edges of the said plates or dies
gradually expanding to accommodate the increasing size of the mandril, the
said plate or dies, however, being pressed so forcibly in a direction contrary
to that indicated by the arrows, as to press the tube y into contact with the
mandril, and give it the figure of the said mandril. The edges d, d, of the
plates or dies b, b, must be plane, curved, fluted, or otherwise figured, to suit
the kind of tube to be made. Figure 4 represents in front elevation, partly in
section, a modification of our Invention, to be used in the manufacture of
curved or bent taper tubes for making sheaths for swords, and for other
purposes; Figure 5 represents a side elevation of the same, partly in section.
i, i, are two plates or tools, whose edges coming in contact form between them
a mould or cavity k, having the section of the tube to be formed. The plates
or tools i, i, are fixed in and turn upon axes 1,1; the said plates or tools i, i,
and axes 1, 1, are represented separately in side elevation in Figure 6. The
axes 1, 7, are geared together by the toothed sectors m, m. n, n, are springs
coiled round the axes 1, l, which said springs urge the plates or tools i,i,in the
direction, indicated by the arrows in Figure 6. The said springs may be
tightened by the ratchets o, on the spring boxes p. 7.q, are palls engaging in
the ratchets o. A roughly formed sheath or other tube is placed upon a
suitably formed mandril, and passed between the tools i, i, in a direction con-
trary to that indicated by the arrows in Figure 6; the pressure of the said tools
thereupon forces the said tube to take the form of the mandril.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner of

page_text: carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not
limit ourselves to the precise methods herein described and represented, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of our said Invention ;
but we claim as our Invention, the method or methods herein described, and
represented in the accompanying Drawing, of manufacturing taper metallic
tubes.
In witness whereof, 1, the said William Wells, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
0
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM WELLS. (L.S.)