An Improved Manufacture of Pipes, Tubes, Culverts, and other Structures Composed of a Metallic Framework, Combined with Cement, Mortar, Concrete, and other similar Materials.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar.. 1337
Complete Left, 21st Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted. 27th Jan., 1988
An Improved Manufacture of Pipes, Tubes, Culverts, and other
Structures Composed of a Metallic Framework, Combined with
Cement, Mortar, Concrete, and other similar Materials.
1, JEAN BORDENAVE of 101 Rue Miromesnil Paris, France, Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of tubular and other structures of a
combination of open metallic framework with cement, mortar, concrete or other similar
materials for filling in the interstices. Heretofore the metallic framework of such
structures has been made of metal rods or bars of a small and regular shaped section,
which do not afford the requisite degree of strength or rigidity to resist deformation
when subjected to internal or external pressure.
My present improvements consist in constructing such framework of bars of such
sections, other than round, square and the like that will offer the greatest amount of
strength or resistance with a minimum amount of metal, for which purpose I employ
iron of a T, I, angle or trough shaped section, but as the straight bars or rods of
commerce would require to be bent into shapes, forming more or less sharp curvatures
or angles in order to produce the required configuration of the framework, such
bending would either weaken the bars and thus do away with the advantage gained,
or if special forging were resorted to, the expense of such structures would be unduly
increased. I therefore according to my invention cause the metal bars or rods having
the said configurations to be at once bent round mandrils or templates having the
required configuration as they pass out of the rolling mills while yet in a more or less
plastic condition. The rods being once bent into shapes such as helical coils, they
may afterwards without detriment have their coils either pressed closer together or
distended, as may be required. The framework thus made at the rolling mills, may
be secured together and combined with straight longitudinal bars or stays by binding
wire, clamps etc., and transported either to the works where the manufacture is to be
completed by the addition of the cement coating, or they may be brought directly to
the focality where the structure is to be applied, such as sewer culverts, and have the
cement coating applied thereto in situ. For the above described purpose, I according

page_text: to one arrangement provide in front of the rolling mill a cylinder or drum, having a
helical groove formed on its surface and arranged to travel longitudinally on its axis
while it is rotated thereby, so that as the heated bar issues from the rolls it is gradually
coiled up in the groove of the cylinder.
The bar being thus coiled, the several convolutions are then pushed closer together,
and they are tied together in this position by suitable longitudinal clamps or bars thus
occupying a comparatively small space for transport.
In constructing the tubular structure with this framework, it is first distended again
to the required extent upon a mandril or template of the same configuration as that
on which it was originally wound, and straight or curved longitudinal bars are then
applied to the coil, and are secured thereto by tying or clamping, there being either
only an external set or both an external and an internal set of such bars, those forming
the internal set being in the first instance placed in grooves upon the mandril before
this receives the coil. At points of the tubular structure requiring greater strength
than other parts such as the socket and spigot ends of conduit pipes, the coils may be
brought closer together than at the other parts.
When employing this description of structure for forming large sewers or aqueducts
I proceed as follows.
A trench of the required size is cut in the ground, the bottom and sides thereof being
carefully formed and beaten down smooth to correspond with the configuration of the
lower part of the tubular structure to be produced, and this surface is then coated with
a thin layer of mortar which will afterwards unite with the cement forming the outer
coating of the tubular structure.
On the curved bottom thus formed is then laid a correspondingly curved sheet
iron plate, on which are laid the lower longitudinal bars of the framework made of
various lengths so as to break joint, these being suitably held at the required distance
apart by fitting in the notches of templates held in the trench by wedges. A coil
such as above described is then placed in position upon the said bars, and is secured to
these by binding wire &c., after which the first placed template is removed and placed
farther in advance to serve for the next length to be made. The building up of the
framework is then proceeded with by securing the external and internal longitudinal
bars all round the coil, the curved sheet metal plate being drawn out and placed farther
forward to allow the tying of the bottom bars to be effected.
The cement is then run or rainmed in round the bottom part of the tubular section
of framing thus completed and after placing templates round the upper part of the
walls of the section so as to leave the requisite space between them and the framing,
the cement is run or rammed into that space, and lastly a template is placed inside
the crown of the framing and the cement is run on to this from the outside. One
section being completed in this manner other sections are added consecutively, in
such manner that one or more sections are being built up while the previous one is
being completed.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1887

page_text: An Improved Manufacture of Pipes, Tubes, Culverts, and other
Structures Composed of a Metallic Framework, Combined with
Cement, Mortar, Concrete, and other similar Materials.
I, JEAN BORDENAVE of 101 Rue Miromesnil, Paris France Engineer, 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 tubular and other structures of a
combination of open metallic framework with cement mortar concrete or other similar
materials for filling in the interstices. Heretofore the metallic framework of such
structures have been made of metal rods or bars of a small and regular shaped section,
which do not afford the requisite degree of strength or rigidity to resist deformation
when subjected to internal or external pressure.
My present improvements consist in constructing such framework of bars of such
sections, other than round, square and the like that will offer the greatest amount of
strength or resistance with a minimum amount of metal, for which purpose I employ
iron of a T, I angle or trough shaped section, but as the straight bars or rods of
commerce would require to be bent into shapes, forming more or less sharp curva-
tures or angles in order to produce the required configuration of the framework, such
bending would either weaken the bars and thus do away with the advantage gained,
or if special forging were resorted to, the expense of such structures would be unduly
increased. I therefore according to my invention cause the metal bars or rods having
the said configurations to be at once bent round mandrils or templates having the
required configuration as they pass out of the rolling mills while yet in a more or less
plastic condition. The rods being once bent into shapes such as helical coils, they
may afterwards without detriment have their coils either pressed closer together or
distended as may be required. The framework thus made at the rolling mills, may be
secured together and combined with straight longitudinal bars or stays by binding
wire, clamps etc., and transported either to the works where the manufacture is to be
completed by the addition of the cement coating, or they may be brought directly to
the locality where the structure is to be applied, such as sewer culvers and have the
cement coating applied thereto in situ. For the above described purpose, I according
to one arrangement provide in front of the rolling mill a cylinder or drum having a
helical groove formed on its surface and arranged to travel longitudinally on its axis
while it is rotated thereby so that as the heated bar issues from the rolls it is gradually
coiled up in the groove of the cylinder.
The bar being thus coiled, the several convolutions are then pushed closer together,
and they are tied together in this position by suitable longitudinal clamps or bars thus
occupying a comparatively small space for transport.
In constructing the tubular structure with this framework, it is first distended again
to the required extent upon a mandril or template of the same configuration as

page_text: that on which it was originally wound, and straight or curved longitudinal bars are
then applied to the coil, and are secured thereto by tying or clamping, there being
either only an external set or both an external and an internal set of such bars, those
forming the internal set being in the first instance placed in grooves upon the mandril
before this receives the coil. At points of the tubular structure requiring greater
strength than other parts such as the socket and spigot ends of conduit pipes, the coils
may be brought closer together than at the other parts.
When employing this description of structure for forming large sewers or aqueducts
proceed as follows
A trench of the required size is cut in the ground, the bottom and sides thereof
being carefully formed and beaten down smooth to correspond with the configuration
of the lower part of the tubular structure to be produced and this surface is then
coated with a thin layer of mortar which will afterwards unite with the cement
forming the outer coating of the tubular structure.
On the curved bottom thus formed is then laid a correspondingly curved sheet iron
plate, on which are laid the lower longitudinal bars of the framework made of various
lengths so as to break joint, these being suitably held at the required distance apart
by filling in the notches of templates held in the trench by wedges. A coil such as
above described is then placed in position upon the said bar and is secured to these by
binding wire &e. after which the first placed template is removed and placed farther
in advance to serve for the next length to be made. The building up of the frame-
work is then proceeded with by securing the external and internal longitudinal bars
all round the coil, the curved sheet metal plate being drawn out and placed farther
forward to allow the tying of the bottom bars to be effected.
The cement is then run or rammed in round the bottom first of the tubular section
of framing thus completed and after placing templates round the upper part of the
walls of the section so as to leave the requisite space between them and the framing,
the cement is run or rammed into that space and lastly a template is placed inside the
crown of the framing and the cement is run on to this from the outside. One section
being completed in this manner other sections are added consecutively in such
manner that one or more sections are being built up while the previous one is being
completed.
Figs. 1 and 2 shew respectively a sectional elevation and a plan of the apparatus
employed for coiling the bars into helical shape as before described.
On passing from the rolling mill A the bar is wound upon a drum B, having a
helical groove into which pass the coils of the bar, which coils are thus made to
assume exactly the distance apart which they are required to have in the finished structure.
The requisite longitudinal motion of the drum in winding on the bar may he effected
in any suitable manner for example, by means of a fixed stud centering the groove,
so that on rotating the drum, the stud c causes it to advance.
The bar having been completely coiled round the drum, the coil is allowed to spring
out of the grooves and is then pressed together as shown at Fig. 3 being pushed
against a collar d temporarily fixed on the drum whereupon the coils a are secured in
the compressed condition by means of suitable ties e or other appliances, so that on
removing it from the drum as at Fig. 4 it occupys a comparatively small space, and
can therefore easily be transported to the works where it is to be used for making the
structures as described. At such works the compressed coil is firstput upon a drum C
of the same form as that above described, and the ties e being removed the coil is
distended until the several convolutions have the original distance apart. Longi-
tudinal bars are then slid within the coil a as shewn at Figs. 5 and 6 or such
bars may be placed in longitudinal grooves on the drum before the coil is placed
upon it.
These bars are then easily united to the coil by binding wires g, thus completing
the formation of a skeleton tube, the spaces in which are then filled in with cement
for producing the compound metal and cement tube.
Fig. 7 shews by way of example the spigot end of a conduit pipe constructed in the
above described manner, and Fig. 8 shews a longitudinal section of the spigot and

page_text: socket ends combined. It will be seen that special care is taken to increase the
number of coils at those parts of the two ends that have to withstand the pressure of
caulking this being particularly necessary for making lead joints X, in order to with-
stand the heavy caulking blows thereon.
Fig. 9 to 16 shew the manner of building large structures of the above described
kind in situ in the trench which they have to occupy.
Fig. 9 shews a cross section, and Fig. 10 a part longitudinal section and part side
view. Fig. 11 shows an enlarged part cross section of the finished culvert, and
Fig. 12 shews a part longitudinal section.
A trench is in the first instance dug, the bottom being carefully made of a rounded
form corresponding to that of the culvert to be produced, and the surface beaten down
and smoothed, and it is then carefully coated with a layer of cement. A sheet iron
plate & shewn at Fig. 10, bent to the exact shape of the rounded bottom is then placed
upon the cement coating, and on this plate are laid the longitudinal bars forming
the bottom part of the frame, such bars being made of different lengths so as to break
joints, the proper spacing of the bars is effected by means of a template D Figs. 10
and 13 having notches into which the bars fit, and in which they are secured by
tying as indicated by dotted lines, the cord being passed alternately over the bars and
through an eye on the template.
Other lengths of longitudinal bars are then placed so as to overlap the first ones and
the overlapping ends are tied together by wire as shewn at Figs. 14 and 15; another
template is then placed at about one yard distant for the reception of the second set
of bars, the several templates being held in proper vertical position by pegs driven
into the trench.
One of the before described compressed coils is then placed at the beginning of the
work, and after removing the ties that hold the convolutions a together, and extending
these to the proper distance apart, they are then tied to the longitudinal bars by
wires as shewn, after which the templates situated at such coil can be removed and
placed in advance as the above operation of laying the longitudinal bars proceeds,
ready for the reception of the next coil, and so on.
After completing the first section of the frame as above described the hefore
mentioned curved plate K is moved forward from under the same for the reception of
the next section so that the binding wires can then be passed underneath the bottom
bars in the small space left, the framing being secured in position by means of small
wedges as the plate is drawn from under it. The lower part of the framing is then
coated on the inside and outside with cement up to the point G Fig. 10, the outside
coating being made to unite perfectly with the before mentioned layer of cement that
had been laid on the trench. The operation having been completed say to the point F
Fig. 10 templates such as are shewn at p Fig. 16 are then fixed inside and outside the
upper parts of the framing as shewn at Fig. 9 as regards the outer ones, and cement
is then run into the space between the templates, so as to coat this part of the framing
also. This having been carried on say to the point E Fig. 10, the coating of the top
part is proceeded with by the aid of similar templates o, thus completing the structure,
which is proceeded with step by step in the above described manner first continuing
the coating of the lower part from the point G, and then the upper parts while at
the same time other worknien are proceeding with the construction of the framing in
advance.
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 I
claim is
1. Constructing the metal frame work of compound inetal and cement structures
of T angle I and other profile iron bars that are bent into a helical shape by being
coiled upon a drum or mandril as they pass from the rolling mill substantially as
herein described.
2. The use for forming helical coils such as are referred to in the preceding claim
of a revolving drum or mandril having a helical groove into which the metal bar is

page_text: wound, the drum being made to travel in a longitudinal direction as the coiling
proceeds, substantially as herein described.
5. The method of compressing the coiled har referred to in the preceding claims
against a flange on the drum and securing it by temporary ties in the compressed
condition in order to facilitate its transport to the locality where it is to be employed
substantially as herein described.
4. The method of constructing the metal framework out of the compressed coils
referred to in the preceding claim by distending it upon a second drum or mandril of
the same shape as that on which it was coiled, and having longitudinal grooves for
the reception of longitudinal bars situated within the coil, to which the latter is then
secured by tying. substantially as herein described.
5. The method substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of
the drawings of forming compound metal and cement conduit pipes, the spigot and
socket ends of which are strengthened by additional coils of metal at the points where
they are subjected to pressure.
6. The method of constructing compound metal and cement tubular structures in
situ in trenches, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 9 to 16 of
the drawings.
T
1
1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.