Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Wrought Metal Flanges.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 10th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. ·
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE VAN WAGENEN, of 233, West Street, New
York, and JOHN GRAVES, of 1019, Third Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, both in
the United States of America.]
Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of
Wrought Metal Flanges.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,.
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 processes of and apparatus for the manufacture of flanges
for pipe couplings and other purposes from wrought metal. The apparatus consists
essentially of a die containing a matrix in the outline of the flange to be produced,
and a central portion or anvil in the centre of said matrix, upon or around which the
blank of wrought metal is placed prior to its formation into the flange by means of
pressure. The processes which are carried out by means of the die and the application
of pressure consists essentially in placing a disc or blank of wrought metal having a
central aperture over the said anvil portion of the die, and then by means of pressure
extending the metal to fill said matrix and impart to it the contour of the flange; or
in lieu of placing the disc or blank having a central opening over the said anvil
portion of the die, the manufacture may be accomplished by employing a solid disc
or blank of the wrought metal, in which event the said solid disc or blank of wrought
metal will be placed upon the central or anvil portion of the die and by means of
pressure the said metal will be displaced laterally from said anvil into the matrix, the
metal completely filling the latter, leaving simply a thin film over the surface of the
anvil, which film upon the flange being removed from the die may be readily broken
away.
The processes and apparatus constituting the present invention will be more fully
understood from the description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a central, vertical longitudinal
section through the die, the disc of wrought metal placed thereon, and the means of
applying pressure, and illustrating the first step in the process of the manufacture of
flanges from blanks having a central opening to fit over the central or anvil portion
of the die ;
Figure 2 a like view of same showing the condition of the metal after pressure
has been applied and the flange formed;
Figure 3 a plan view of the die ;
Figure 4 a view of the flange as taken from the die illustrated in Figure 2, the
Figure showing the lower side of the metal flange ;
Figure 5 a perspective view of the ring or blank of wrought metal from which
the flange illustrated in Figure 4 is made;
Figure 6 a central vertical longitudinal section of the die illustrating the first step
in the process of manufacturing the flange from solid discs of metal instead of from
discs or blanks having a central opening;
Figure 7 a like view of same showing the condition of the metal after pressure has
been applied and the flange formed, and,
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the wrought metal disc from which the flanges
be formed according to the process illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.
may
In the drawings A designates the die having the central anvil portion B and the
matrix C, which encircles the anvil portion B and is in the outline of the flange to be
D

page_text: produced. The anvil portion B extends upward centrally from the lower portion of
the matrix C and its upper surface is on a level with the upper edges of the die A.
The means for applying pressure is designated by the letter F and in the present
instance consists of a block of metal having a plain lower surface as illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7. I do not limit the invention to any particular means for
applying pressure upon the wrought metal in the matrix C, but illustrate the block of
metal F as a convenient means for this purpose. The flanges according to the process
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are formed from blanks D of wrought metal by means
of the die A.
In carrying out the process illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the blank D of wrought
metal is placed in the matrix C, the projection B passing into the central opening E
in the said ring or blank D'; after which the upper section of the die F or other
means of pressure is applied upon the surface of the blank D for the purpose of dis-
placing and extending the metal to fill the matrix C and thereby form the flange, as
illustrated in figure 2. The ring or blank of wrought metal D is greater in thickness
than the depth of the matrix C and hence, when pressure is applied, the metal will be
extended laterally completely filling the matrix.
After the flange has been formed by the application of pressure, the upper section
of the die F is elevated, and the flange removed and subjected to the usual threading
machine, whereby an internal thread may be cut in its hub portion. The removal of
the flange from the die A may be effected by the ejector pins e secured to the disc a
and extending upward through apertures in the die to the lower surface of the
matrix C. The disc a is placed within a recess formed in the die A as shown, and
said disc is slotted to loosely receive the inner end of the lever f which is pivoted
at 6 in the slot c and has a head d at its outer end. After the flange has, been formed
and the hammer or upper section of the die F elevated, a light blow on the head d
will cause the inner end of the lever f to force the disc a and pins e upward' and eject
the flange from the matrix.
In carrying out the process illustrated in figures 6 and 7 the solid.discs or blanks of
wrought metal D₁ are placed centrally upon the anvil portion B of the die A and
pressure applied thereon, the effect being that the wrought 'metal will be displaced.
laterally over the edges of the anvil B and completely fill the matrix C, being thereby
transformed from the solid disc or blank into a flange, the hub portion of the flange
being formed by the vertical walls of the anvil B. After the disc or 'blank 'D' has
been formed into the flange by means of pressure forcing the metal into the matrix C,
the pressure will be relieved and the flange removed from the matrix, after which the
thin film of metal connecting the walls of the hub portion of the flange will be
removed and the flange then subjected to the usual threading machine. The thin film
of metal just above referred to as connecting the walls of the hub portion of the 'flange
is illustrated immediately over the anvil B in Figure 7, and 'upon the removal of this
film, which may be readily broken away, the flange may receive its usual internal
thread.
It will be observed from Figure 6 that the disc of wrought metal D¹ is 'less'in
diameter than the matrix (and that the quantity of metal in the said disc D' is
sufficient upon being displaced from the anvil B to completely fill said matrix.
It will be noted that the mechanical appliances illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are*
the same as those illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 and that they are adapted to the
practice of the process hereinbefore described of manufacturing 'the' flanges from
blanks of wrought metal having a central opening as illustrated in Figure 5 or from
blanks which are solid throughout, as illustrated in Figure 8.
"
The product of the invention, namely, wrought metal flanges, possesses many advan-
tages both to the manufacturer and user, which will be 'readily understood without a
detailed explanation. They may, by reason of the present invention be manufactured
more cheaply, than cast metal flanges, and when manufactured "possess greater strength
and durability than cast flanges.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is
First. The die for the manufacture of wrought metal flanges, said die having the
central portion B and the surrounding matrix C in the contour of the flange, com-
bined with means for applying pressure; substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Second. The die for the manufacture of wrought metal flanges said die having the
central portion B and the surrounding matrix C in the contour of a flange, combined
with means for applying pressure, and the ejector for removing the flange from said
matrix; substantially as set forth.
Third. The method hereinbefore described of manufacturing flanges for pipe
couplings and other purposes from wrought metal, which consists in placing a ring or
blank of the wrought metal in a die having a matrix in the contour of the flange and
a central upwardly projecting portion therein to enter the opening in said ring and
form the walls. for the hub portion of the flange, and then applying pressure for the
purpose of extending the metal to fill such matrix; substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The method of manufacturing flanges for pipe couplings and other
purposes from wrought metal consisting in forming a disc or blank of wrought metal,
placing said disc or blank centrally upon an anvil located at the centre of a matrix
of proper shape to form the flange, and having an annular depression surrounding
said anvil to form the hub portion of the flange, and then applying pressure upon the
said disc or blank to force it into said matrix and the depression therein, effecting
the displacement of the metal over the edges of the said anvil and completely filling
the matrix and its annular depression; substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of December 1889
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.