IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CYLINDERS AND TURES OF COPPER AND ALLOYS OF COPPER"
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Parkes, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OR CYLINDERS AND TURES OF COPPER AND ALLOYS OF COPPER"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Parkes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st June 185".
1, ALEXANDER PARKES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF CYLINDERS AND TUBES OF COPPER AND ALLOYS OF COPPER," to he as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
cylinders and tubes of copper and alloys of copper. Heretofore, when raising
discs or blanks of copper or alloys of copper by what is technically called
drawing them through dies," particularly when such discs or blanks were of
considerable thickness, the metal was liable to be rendered thin in the parts
which passed first through the die, and to remain comparatively thick at the
edges which pass last through the die; for this reason, in place of using discs
or blanks of uniform thickness, that is, with parallel sides, the discs or blanks
are made less in thickness from the centre outwards, and by preference plain on
oneside and convex on the other; the raising is then performed in the ordinary

page_text: manner, the punch die acting,by preference, on the plain side. When cylinders
or tubes are made by bending sheets of copper or alloy of copper, in place of
joining the edges by solder, the cylinders or tubes are heated in a suitable
furnace or apparatus to a high degree of heat, short however of the melting
point of the metal, and then the butting or lapping edges are caused to melt or
run together by jets of gas flame actuated by pressure and blast. In order to
enlarge the diameter of cylinders or tubes of copper or alloys of copper, they
are placed or mounted on suitable mandrils and subjected to the action of a
steam hammer, or to hammers actuated by o her power, the tube or cylinder
being moved round under the hammer, so that all parts may be equally
hammered. In order to increase the length and decrease the diameter of a
tube or cylinder of copper or of an alloy of copper,a maud il of somewhat less
diameter than the interior of the tube or cylinder is used, and of such length,
that its end may come just at the pinch of the grooved rollers by which
pressure is to be applied; provision is made for holding the back end of the
mandril, in order that the tube or cylinder which is placed on the mandril may
alone be moved off the mandril by the grooved rollers. By this arrangement
the cylinder or tube will, as it comes up to the pinch of the rolls, be com-
pressed to fit the internal mandril, and will be rolled out to a greater length,
and this process is to be repeated again and again till the desired diameter is
obtained, a mandril of a less and less diameter being from time to time used.
In place of making short tubes orcylinders by punching out the central portion
of a block of copper or an alloy of copper, which, externally, is of the
form of the interior of the holding die, as formerly practised by me, blocks of
such metal are used which do not fill the hollow die, but only touch it at
intervals,and the punch, in removing the central portions, causes the metal to
expand and fill the holding dieat those parts where it was not previously filled.
And in drawing tubes or cylinders of copper ant alloys of copper, in place of
commencing with a hollow cast, or otherwise formed short block,as heretofore,
of the same external form as the interior die through which it is to be drawn,
I make such hollow block, externally, of several sides, or with grooves, so that
in drawing the same through a die,the same will only touch the interior of the
die at intervals, and the drawing is continued through a succession of dies till
the exterior of the tube or cylinder is brought to correspond exteriorly with
the interior of the die last used. In some cases the tubes or cylinders having
been formed cylindrical, are drawn through dies of an oval or hexagonal or
other several sided internal form, and then through dies of a circular section,
the object being to reduce the power used in drawing tubes and cylinders of
copper and alloys of copper. In place of making single tubes or cylinders of

page_text: copper or alloys of copper by casting hollow blocks, or by punching or cutting
blocks, each with a single hole through it, and then by rolling to extend
and open out the same as has heretofore been practised, I find it desirable
to cast or form blocks with two or more, and, by preference, with several holes
at a distance apart and parallel to each other, then to roll out such blocks till
the desired length or breadth has been obtained, and then to cut the sheets so
obtained longitudinally through the solid parts into strips or fillets, and then
open the same out into cylinders or tubes, in like manner to that in which
tubes have been opened out after rolling when they have been inade from
hollow cast punched or cut blocks, each with a single hole through it. When
making cylinders for printing of copper or alloys of copper, and mandrils to be
used therewith in such manner that the cylinders may be readily separated from
their mandrils, I make each cylinder with an internal cone or double cone
on corresponding mandrils, by drawing or forcing them, when on mandrils,
through dies or grooved rollers. When making and using a copper cylinder
with a single-interior hollow cone, the inner smaller end of the cylinder is
made with a collar or stop to receive the smaller end of the conical mandril,
which end is somewhat larger in diameter than the axis or neck on which the
cylinder, when in use, turns, and the other larger end of the mandril is fixed
into the larger inuer end of the cylinder by a screw or key, or by a rod passing
through the mandril, or by other convenient means. In order to make the
interior of a printing cylinder with two hollow cones, having their smaller ends
meeting in the middle, I draw, roll,or hammer down a cylinder on to a double
conical mandril, capable of separating in the middle, and I use such hollow
cylinder in combination with a double conical mandril, capable of being fixed
together in the middle by a screw, or by a rod passing through them, or by
other convenient means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance. of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Parkes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
PARKES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 'Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reiga, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,

page_text: the said Alexander Parkes, Her special licence that 1, the said Alexander
Parkes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Parkes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Mau, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CYLINDERS AND TUBES OF COPPER AND ALLOYS OF
COPPER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Parkes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 mouths next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Parkes, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
cylinders and tubes of copper and alloys of copper. Heretofore when raising
discs or blanks of copper or alloys of copper by what is technically called
"drawing them through dies," particularly when such discs or blanks were of
considerable thickness, the metal was liable to be rendered thin in the parts
which pass first through the die, and to remain comparatively thick at the
edges which pass last through the die; for this reason, in place of using discs
or blanks of uniform thickness, that is, with parallel sides, the discs or blanks
are made less in thickness from the centre outwards, and by preference
plain on one side and convex on the other; the raising is then performed
in the ordinary manner, the punch die acting by preference on the plain
side. When cylinders or tubes are made by bending sheets of copper or
alloy of copper, in place of joining the edges by solder, the cylinders or tubes
are heated in a suitable furnace or apparatus to a high degree of heat, short
however of the melting point of the metal, and then the butting or lapping
edges are caused to melt or run together by jets of gas flame actuated by
pressure and blast. In order to increase the length and decrease the diameter
of a tube or cylinder of copper or of an alloy of copper, a mandril of some-
what less diameter than the interior of the tube or cylinder is used, and of
such length that its end may come just at the pinch of the grooved rollers by

page_text: which pressure is to be applied. Provision is made for holding the back end
of the mandril, in order that the tube or cylinder which is placed on the
mandril may alone be moved off the mandril by the grooved rollers. By this
arrangement the cylinder or tube will, as it comes up to the pinch of the rolls,
be compressed to fit the internal mandril, and will be rolled out to a greater
length, and this process is to be repeated again and again till the desired
diameter is obtained, a mandril of a less and less diameter being from time to
time used. In place of making short tubes or cylinders by punching out the
central portion of a block of copper or an alloy of copper, which externally is
of the form of the interior of the holding die, as formerly practised by me,
blocks of such metal are used which do not fill the hollow die, but only touch
it at intervals; and the punch in removing the central portions causes the
metal to expand, and fill the holding die at those parts where it was not pre-
viously filled. And in drawing tubes or cylinders of copper and alloys of copper,
in place of commencing with a hollow cast, or otherwise formed short block,
as heretofore,of the same external form as the interior die through which it is
to be drawn, I make such hollow block externally of several sides, or with
grooves, so that in drawing the same through a die, the same will only touch
the interior of the die at intervals, and the drawing is continued through a
succession of dies till the exterior of the tube or cylinder is brought to
correspond exteriorly with the interior of the die last used. In some cases
the tubes or cylinders having been formed cylindrical,are drawn through dies
of an oval or hexagonal, or other several sided interual form,and then through
dies of a circular section, the object being to reduce the power used in
drawing tubes and cylinders of copper and alloys of copper. In place of
making single tubes or cylinders of copper or alloys of copper by casting
hollow blocks, or by punching or cutting blocks, each with a single hole
through it,and then by rolling to extend and open out the same as has here-
tofore been practised, I find it desirable to cast or form blocks with two or
more, and by preference with several holes at a distance apart and parallel to
each other, then to roll out such blocks till the desired length or breadth has
been obtained; and then to cut the sheets so obtained longitudinally through
the solid parts into strips or fillets, and then to open the same out into cylin-
ders or tubes, in like manner to that in which tubes have been opened out
after rolling, when they have been made from hollow cast, punched, or cut
blocks, each with a single hole through it. When making cylinders for
printing of copper or alloys of copper, and mandrils to be used therewith in
such manner that the cylinders may be readily separated from their maadrils,
I make each cylinder with an internal cone, or double cone, on corresponding

page_text: mandrils, by drawing or forcing them when on mandrils through dies or grooved
rollers. In order to make the interior of a printing cylinder with two hollow
cones, having their smaller ends meeting in the middle, I draw, roll, or
hammer down a cylinder on to a double conical mandril capable of separating
in the middle, and I use such hollow cylinder in combination with a double
conical mandril, capable of being fixed together in the middle by a screw,
or by a rod passing through them, or by other convenient means.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same :-
Heretofore, in raising or forcing metal into or through dies, it has been the
practice to have the metal of an uniform thickness. My Invention consists in
making the discs of copper or its alloys thicker in the middle than the edges
before raising the metal into or through dies or holes. I prefer a plano-convex
section; this peculiar shape I produce by circular rolling the edges down, or
by tilthammer casting, or other convenient means. Having prepared the discs
of the required shape aud thickness, I place them in dies or holes, and raise
them red hot or cold by the usual steam hydraulic or other forcing apparatus ;
and ifthe metal is to be of considerable depth, I anneal and repeat the drawing
or forcing repeatedly until the proper depth or length is obtained. The
advantages of using metal discs of the plano-convex shape is very great in large
diameters, and especially when the discs are of considerable thickness, as by
this means the hollow vessels are more readily formed and the edges thickened
up, and the hollow vessels become sufficiently uniform in thickness throughout.
I finish these cylinders or tubes in the forcing machinery, or I place the hollow
vessels thus formed on mandrils, and elongate them further on a draw bench,
or by hydraulic power, or by rolling or otherwise, as heretofore practised, I
would state that I have found it desirable to reduce the thickness of the edges
of the discs so as to make them about one-third less than the centre portions.
Another part of my Invention consists in making cylinders or tubes of
copper or its alloys without solder, by bending sheet metal up into the shape
of a cylinder or tube. These tubes or cylinders are placed in a furnace or
other suitable apparatus to heat them to a suitable degree short of the melting
point. I then unite the butting or lapped edges either from the inside or out-
side by melting the metal so as to run the edges together, using for this
purpose jets of hydrogen, oxyhydrogen, or coal gas, and hot or cold air under
pressure, which I direct or cause to impinge on the part where the edges of the
metal meet. I sometimes fill the cylinders or tubes before melting the edges
with sand or lime, and a little carbon or other supporting agent slightly
rammed in, or I surround the outside with a support if I unite the inside, this

page_text: is to serve for a support to the metal when operating on the edges. I also
employ strips of metal of the same kind as the cylinders or tubes are made of
to supply any hollow or deficiency in the operation of uniting the edges; these
strips of metal are melted by the gas flame, and when the uniting is finished,
I file off or otherwise remove any excess or unequal parts, and by preference
I afterwards draw the cylinders or tubes in the nsual way to regulate and
condense the metal after the uniting has been effected by the foregoing
method.
Another part of my Invention consists in the employment of a mandril of a
slightly smaller size than the inside of the cylinder or tube. I insert this
mandril into the cylinder or tube (which may be at a red heat or cold), so
that the end of the mandril comes to the pinch of the rolls or holes through
which the cylinder or tube is rolled or drawn off the mandril, such mandril
being firmly held at the back end. This operation may be repeated to thin
the metal, reduce the diameter, and elongate the cylinder or tube, a smaller
mandril and smaller grooves of the rolls, or a smaller hole of the draw bench,
being used each time, I anneal between the operations from time to time as
required. By these means I am enabled to make parallel tubes and cylinders,
also taper tubes and cylinders, using for this latter purpose rolls with properly
formed grooves in like manner to those employed by gun barrel rollers.
Another part of my Invention consists in making short cylinders or tubes
by punching out the central portion of a block of copper or alloy of copper,
which does not fill the die, but only touches it at intervals; the punch in
forcing the central portion causes the metal to expand and fill the holding
die at those parts where it was not previously filled, the end of the punch
used for such purpose being made egg-shaped.
Another part of my Invention consists in drawing cylinders and tubes of
copperand alloys of copper by using a block or tube externally of several sides
or with grooves, so that in rolling, drawing, or forcing the same, it will only
touch at the interior of the die or grooves of the rolls at intervals, leaving
untouched spaces between such intervals; or obtain the same object by
making the holes or rolls of a sexagonal, oval, fluted, or other shape, which
will only touch the cylinder or cylindrical tube in parts, the object being to
cause less friction and to reduce the power when drawing large cylinders or
tubes. By this method of treating a sexagonal or other shaped tube, or by
using irregularly shaped holes or rolls on cylinders or cylindrical tubes, and by
alternating the drawing or rolling between sexagonal and round holes or rolls,
much better work is made than by the ordinary modes of drawing or rolling.
I prefer to draw through rollers or holes. The mandril on which the cylinder

page_text: or tube is-placed has attachments at both ends by which a forward and back-
ward motion may be alternately given until the required elongation of the
cylinder or tube is obtained. The cylinder or tube is then drawn off the
mandril, and, when necessary, I anneal and repeat the drawing as often
as requisite. The tube or cylin 'er may be finished of a sexagonal or other
section.
Another part of my Invention consists in casting or otherwise forming
blocks of copper or alloys of copper with two or more, and by preference with
several holes at equal distances apart and parallel to each other; and then I
roll out such blocks or forms till the desired length and breadth has been
obtained, and then I then cut the sheets so obtained longitudinally through
the solid parts (taking care to have the metal at the edges of the same thick-
ness as that of the sides) into strips or fillets; these I open out into cylinders
or tubes in like manner to that in which: tubes have been made from hollow
cast, punched, or cut blocks, each with a single hole through it.
Another part of my Invention consists in making cylinders of copper or
alloys of copper with an internal double cone; this Ido by drawing or forcing,
preferring for this purpose hydraulic or steam power, or by hammering a
cylinder of copper or alloy of copper first brought to a proper thickness of metal
on amandril through dies or into moulds, or by grooved rollers; the mandril is
made to separate in the middle, the small ends of the double cone meeting in
the middle, capable of separating after the cylinder has been drawn, rolled.
forced, or hammered thereon. The cylinder thus formed is used for printing
purposes, being placed on a mandril of. the like double conical form as that
on which the cylinder was made.
I will observe that I sometimes turn off aportion of the outside of a printing
cylinder, leaving the full thickness of metal in the middle, and cutting more
off towards the ends, forming an angle or incline that will facilitate the
drawing, forcing, or hammering, as less of the metal will have to be crushed
or drawn down to form the required double internal cone.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Parkes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
ALEXANDER PARKES. (L.S.)