IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBE EXPANDERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Allix, of 7, Nairn Street, Abbott Road, Poplar,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and Shipwright, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBE EXPANDERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Allix at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd January 1882.
GEORGE ALLIX of 7 Nairn Street Abbott Road Poplar in the County of
Middlesex Engineer and Shipwright. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBE EXPANDERS."
The object of this Invention is improvements in tube expanders.
For the purpose of my Invention I provide the box with a recessed and flanged
collar at one end into which I fit springs. The springs have pins which project
through openings in the inner face of the collar portion of a solid box and are
capable of being forced outwards from the centre by the tapered mandril to a
distance determined by the diameter of the mandril following its insertion into
the box. The projecting ends of the pins are in the path of the expanders (rollers)
to prevent the rollers leaving the box when the mandril is drawn out the mandril
being always centralized by the pins on being pushed in. The expanders are
reduced in diameter at a portion of their length so that the bulged portions alone
act upon the tube to be expanded at the proper and desired position.
Another part of my Invention consists in recessing the ends of the expanders
and in fitting them in chambers in a solid box and holding them in position by
pins in such a manner that they are free to revolve and also free to be expanded
under the action of the mandril.
To adapt the expander to different sized tubes within certain ranges I fit rings
of given diameters on the box and fix them by screws temporarilly to centralize it
at the inner end and also to steady it.
With one of my expanders tubes ranging say from three to four inches in
diameter can be expanded instead of necessitating expanders of different sizes.
The box can be of great length and be threaded from the rollers inwards so that
a threaded nut can be fixed on the end of the mandril to enable the mandril to be
screwed into the box instead of being driven.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Allix in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th June
1882.
GEORGE ALLIX of 7 Nairn Street Abbotts Road Poplar in the County of
Middlesex Engineer and Shipwright. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUBE EXPANDERS.
The object of this Invention is improvements in tube expanders.
For the purpose of my Invention provide the box with a recessed or flanged
collar at one end into which I fit springs. The springs have pins which project
through openings in the inner face of the collar portion of a solid box and are
capable of being forced outwards from the centre by the tapered mandril a
distance determined by the diameter of the mandril following its insertion into
the box. The projecting ends of the pins are in the path of the expanders (rollers)
to prevent the rollers leaving the box when the mandril is drawn out the mandril
being always centralized by the pins on being pushed in. The expanders are
reduced in diameter at a portion of their length so that the bulged portions alone
act upon the tube to be expanded at the proper and desired position.
Another part of my Invention consists in recessing the ends of the expanders
and in fitting them in chambers in a solid box and holding them in position by
pins in such a manner that they are free to revolve and also free to be expanded
under the action of the mandril.
To adapt the expander to different sized tubes within certain ranges I fit rings
of given diameters on the box (temporarilly) to centralize it at the inner end and
also to steady it.
With one of my expanders, tubes ranging say from three to four inches in
diameter can be expanded instead of necessitating expanders of different sizes.
The box can be of great length and be threaded from the rollers inwards so that
a threaded nut can be fixed on the end of the mandril to enable the mandril to be
screwed into the box instead of being driven.
My Invention is clearly represented in the annexed Drawings in which at
Figure 1 I show a sectional elevation and at Figure 2 a plan or end view of one
of my improved tube expanders. A is the block or body made in one piece. It
has three slots B, B, B, radii from the central aperture C for the free movements
of expanding rollers or tools D, D, D, within the slots, the expanding rollers or tools
being retained in them by pins or studs E, E, E, the ends of which pass through
holes in the inner neck of the body A and are held in position by springs F, F, F,
whose opposite ends abut against pins G, G, G. H is a shield temporarilly attached
to the body A, it is provided with ears I, I, I, which bear against the boiler plate
to limit the distance to which the rollers or tools and also the body shall enter the
tube, to ensure the tools taking a proper position for acting upon or against the
tube to expand it where required. J, J, J. are spring catch pins the points of which
ride in an annular channel cut in the body to permit of the body being turned for
the expanding operation without the shield taking the same motion.
Each of the rollers or tools D, D, D, are formed with recessed stems at K, K, K,
in order that the bulged portion D, D, D, act alone on the tube at the part to be
expanded the rollers or tubes being pushed outwards by the usual tapered "stick"
or rod which is pushed through the body.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevation and sectional views of another construction of
tube expander with solid body A this being provided with loose fitting rollers or
tools D, D, D, which hang on tapered pins or studs L, L, L, fitted loosely in holes
of large diameter compared to that of the pins so that they move and adjust

page_text: themselves to any angle or other position that the rollers or tools D, D, D, may
assume the rollers or tools having large annular spaces M, M, in their ends to permit
of them moving in or out of the body A with freedom as will be the better under-
stood by reference to the end view Figure 5 and by the detached view Figure 5a.
The shield H with the ears I, I, I, in this arrangement fits loosely on a reduced
portion of the body A. and abuts against the shoulder N and is held in position by
the ring P shown secured by the screw pin Q.
The application of the tube expander shown at Figure 1 will be understood by
Figure 6 the tube R being there shown expanded where it touches the boiler
plate S without having action on any other part of the tube the rollers or tools
D, D, D, having been forced outward by the stick or mandril.
Figure 7 represents the expander described with reference to Figures 3 and 4
in the position it occupies in a tube and the extent of the expansion of the tube
by the rollers or tubes D, D, D. In this case the body A of the apparatus very
long and the interior is screw threaded for a threaded nut T on the end of the
stick to work in when turned. By this means the "stick" may be gradually
inserted in the true central manner.
UV are rings on the body A correspondingly or nearly so to the internal
diameter of the tube to be expanded which centralizes the apparatus and ensures
all the rollers or tools acting in an uniform manner.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim,―
First. The construction of the body A of a tube expander solid (not built up of
rings screwed together) in which body parallel surfaced rollers or tools move freely
so that the part only of the tube directly within the aperture of a boiler plate
is expanded as set forth and as shown at Figures 1 2 and 6 of the annexed
Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the improved construction of solid body A shown at Figures 3
4 and 5 of the annexed Drawings in which free motion rollers or tools having
parallel exteriors are held in any requisite position by tapered pins arranged as
set forth.
Thirdly. I claim the combination of a threaded body A of a tube expander and
a threaded nut on the stick as shown in Figure 7 of the annexed Drawings as and
for the purposes set forth.
Fourthly. I claim the particular construction of expanding roller D (Figure 5a)
in which the ends only are recessed for the tapered pins L to fit in, the body
of the expanding roller D (Figure 5a) being solid as described and as shown.
In witness whereof I the said George Allix have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent,
166 Fleet St:
London.
GEORGE ALLIX. (L.S.)