IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COILED TUBES FOR ORDNANCE, AND APPARATUS THERE- FOR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Palliser, of No. 6, Charleville Road, West Ken-
Bington, in the County. of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF COILED TUBES FOR ORDNANCE, AND APPARATUS THERE-
FOR." A communication from abroad by Gouverneur Paulding, of Cold Spring,
New York United States of America.
Sealed the 31st May 1878, and dated the 5th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Palliser at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th April 1878.
EDWARD PALLISER, of No. 6, Charleville Road, West Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COILED TUBES FOR
ORDNANCE, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.' [A communication from abroad by
Gouverneur Paulding, of Cold Spring, New York, United States of America.]
"
The present Invention has reference to an improved manufacture of coiled
wrought-iron or steel tubes for ordnance, whereby a more perfect welding together,
firstly, of the coils of each length of tube; and secondly, of the several lengths of
tube required to form the gun is effected than heretofore.
For this purpose, after the bar for forming one length of tube has been coiled on
a mandril in the usual manner, the coil is placed at a welding heat in a cylindrical die
or mould of somewhat larger inner diameter than the outside diameter of the coil, and
the end of the coil projecting from this die is then subjected to gentle end blows from
a steam hammer, so as to close up the folds of the coil, this being at the same timo
expanded by such end pressure until its outer surface is supported by coming in
close contact with the sides of the die. The coil is then removed from the die,
which is made slightly tapering in diameter, in order to facilitate such removal, and
the coil being again raised to a welding heat is placed in a second cylindrical dic,
slightly larger in diameter than the first, in which the coil is again subjected to
ond blows until it is so much reduced in length that its outer end is level with the
end of the die. A disc or "cheese" of iron or steel is then placed on the exposed
end of the coil, and this is again subjected to the action of the hammer so as to

page_text: compress it still more within the die, and thus complete the welding together of the
folds. The length of tube thus formed is then removed from the die, and its
end having been fitted to the end of another length in the same manner as heretofore
practised, the joint is placed within a small furnace, so that the outer end of
each length projects on each side thereof. Across the end of the one length is
applied a strong cross bar, having at its middle a small hole corresponding with the
bore of the tube, closed with a piece of mica, through which the interior of the tube
can be observed.
To the ends of the cross bar are connected tie rods extending on each side of the
furnace to some distance beyond the projecting end of the other length of tube,
where they are fitted to a second cross bar having a threaded hole, through which
is screwed a screw spindle. The outer end of this screw has a lever or other means
for turning it, while its inner end butts against a plate placed against the end of
the tube, so as to close the bore. The joint within the furnace having been brought
to a welding heat, which is observed through the before-mentioned hole, the screw
is turned so as to force the inner ends of the two lengths of tube together, and thus
effect the required weld at the junction.
It is preferred to turn the tubo round 180° in the furnace after this operation
has been performed, so as to bring the part of the joint that was undermost upper-
most, and then to repeat the operation. The two lengths thus joined are then
removed from the furnace, and the join, which will have been bulged out somewhat by
the pressure, is brought under the action of the hammer, the face of which, as also
that of the anvil, is hollowed out somewhat to correspond to the bulge of the join.
If required a third length of tube is then welded on to the joined lengths by the
above means, and so on until a tube of the required length is obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Palliser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
October 1878.
EDWARD PALLISER, of No. 6, Charleville Road, West Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COILED TUBES FOR
ORDNANCE, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by
Gouverneur Paulding, of Cold Spring, New York, United States of America.
The present Invention has reference to an improved manufacture of coiled
wrought-iron or steel tubes for ordnance, whereby a more perfect welding together,
firstly, of the coils of each length of tube; and secondly, of the several lengths of
tube required to form the gun is effected than heretofore.
For this purpose, after the bar for forming one length of tube has been coiled on
a mandril in the usual manner, the coil is placed at a welding heat in a cylindrical
die or mould of somewhat larger inner diameter than the outside diameter of the
coil, and the end of the coil projecting from this dio is then subjected to gentle end
blows from a steam hammer so as to close up the folds of the coil, this being at the
same time expanded by such end pressure until its outer surface is supported by
coming in close contact with the sides of the die. The coil is then removed from
the dic, which is made slightly tapering in diameter in order to facilitate such
removal, and the coil being again raised to a welding heat is placed in a second
cylindrical die, slightly larger in diameter than the first, in which the coil is again
subjected to end blows until it is so much reduced in length that its outer end is
level with the end of the die. A. disc or "
cheese" of iron or steel is then placed
on the exposed end of the coil, and this is again subjected to the action of the
hammer so as to compress it still more within the die, and thus complete the welding
together of the folds. The length of tube thus formed is then removed from the dio,
and its end having been fitted to the end of another length in the same manner
as heretofore practised, the joint is placed within a small furnace, so that the outer
end of each length projects on each side thereof. Across the end of the one length
is applied a strong cross bar, having at its middle a small hole corresponding with
the bore of the tube, closed with a piece of mica, through which the interior of the
tube can be observed.
To the ends of the cross bar are connected tie rods extending on each side of the
furnace to some distance beyond the projecting ond of the other length of tube,
where they are fitted to a second cross bar having a threaded hole through which is
screwed a screw spindle. The outer end of this screw has a lever or other means
for turning it, while its inner end butts against a plate placed against the end of
the tube so as to close the bore. The joint within the furnace having been brought
to a welding heat, which is observed through the before-mentioned hole, the screw
is turned so as to force the inner ends of the two lengths of tubo together, and thus
effect the required weld at the junction.
It is preferred to turn the tubo round 180° in the furnace after this operation has
been performed, so as to bring the part of the joint that was undermosť uppermost,
and then to repeat the operation. The two lengths thus joined are then removed
from the furnace, and the join, which will have been bulged out somewhat by the
pressure, is brought under the action of a hammer, the face of which as also
that of the anvil is hollowed out somewhat to correspond with the bulge of the
join.
If required a third length of tube is then welded on to the joined lengths
by the above means, and so on until a tube of the required length is obtained.

page_text: Fig. 4 shews the coil before being placed in the die, and Fig. 5 shews the same
after compression therein.
The bar forming the coil is made to taper somewhat in transverse section from
the inner to the outer side, so that when coiled the folds will touch each other at
the inside, but will be somewhat open at the outside, as shewn at Fig. 4, so that on
subjecting the coil to end pressure the folds will gradually close together from the
inside towards the outer circumference, and any scale or impurities between them
will thus be effectually squeezed out to the outside, and perfect welds be thus
insured. After the coil has been subjected to pressure in the mould A it is removed,
the mould being made somewhat tapering in diameter from the upper to the lower
end to facilitate its removal. The coil having been again raised to a welding heat
and placed in a second cylindrical mould B, Fig. 6, of slightly larger internal
diameter, but of less height than A, it is again subjected to end pressure until it is
so much reduced in length that its upper end is lovel with the top the mould. A
cylindrical disc C, Fig. 7, of slightly less diameter than the mould is then placed on
the top of the coil, and this is again subjected to the action of the hammer so as to
compress it still more within the die, and thus effectually weld together all the
folds. The length of the coiled tube thus formed is then removed, and its end
having been fitted to another length by shrinking in the usual manner, namely, by
recessing the end of the one length and fitting it on to a projection on the end of
the other, as indicated at Fig. 8; the joint thus formed is then placed inside a
welding furnace, shewn respectively in plan, side clevation, and section at Figs. 9,
10, and 11. This furnace has on each side strong iron standards D, D, tied
together at top and bottom, as shewn, and having fixed to them horizontal rods E,
E, F, F. The rods E, E, are connected by a strong transverse bar G, against which
the outer end of the tube H is made to bear, and in the centre of this bar is a hole g
closed by a piece of mica through which the interior of the tube can be observed.
The rods F, F, are also connected by a strong transverse bar I having a central hole
provided with a screw thread, through which is screwed the screw spindle K, the
outer end of which is provided with a capstan L, while the inner end rests in a
socket M which bears against and closes the outer end of the tube N. From this
arrangement it will be seen that when the joint between the tubes H. and N within
the furnace has been raised to a welding heat (which may be observed through the
hole at g), then by turning the screw spindle K the two ends of the tube are forced
close together so as to effect the required weld.
It is preferred to turn the tubes round 180° after this has been effected so as to
bring that part of the joint that was undermost uppermost in the furnace, and then
to repeat the operation. The joined tube is then removed from the furnace, and
the join which will have been bulged out somewhat by the pressure is brought
under the action of a hammer, the face of which, as also that of the anvil, is hollowed
out somewhat to correspond with the bulge of the join.
If required a third length of tube is then welded on to the joined lengths
by the above-described means, and so on until a tube of the required length is
obtained.
By the above-described method of forming the weld the disadvantages of the
present method of passing a screwed bar through the centre of the tubes after the
joint has been brought to a welded heat are obviated; by the latter arrangement,
namely, the ends of the tube have to be opened after the welding heat has been
obtained, in order to pass the screwed bar through, and the well being thus brought
in contact with the cold air passing in is liable to be injuriously affected; also,
there is no means of observing the well at the time when the pressure is put on by
the screw.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention and in what manner tho
same is to be perforned, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I claim,-
First. The method of welding together the coils for the tube by placing them at

page_text: a welding heat within a cylindrical mould, and subjecting them to end pressure,
substantially as herein described.
Second. The use of cylindrical moulds A and B for effecting the compressing of
the coils.
Third. The use for welding together the ends of coiled tubes of a screw spindle
bearing against the outer end of the one tube, and a cross bar bearing against the
outer end of the other tube, the said screw and cross bar being tied together by tie
blocks outside the furnace in which the welding is effected, substantially as herein
described with reference to Figs. 9 to 11 of the Drawings.
Fourth. Providing the cross bar G with a hole closed by mica for observing the
interior of the tube, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Palliser, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDWARD PALLISER. (L.S.)