An Improved Method of Forming the Bottoms and Feet of Sheet Metal Baths, Slop Pails, Buckets, Coal Hods, Cans of Various Kinds and like Hollowware Articles, and Fixing the same to the Bodies thereof.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Forming the Bottoms and Feet of Sheet
Metal Baths, Slop Pails, Buckets, Coal Hods, Cans of Various
Kinds and like Hollowware Articles, and Fixing the same to
the Bodies thereof.
We, JAMES RALPH and JAMES ADAMS JORDAN, trading in copartnership
as Ralph and Jordan, of Beehive Works, Bilston in the County of Stafford,
Wrought Hollowware Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
It has been customary heretofore, in constructing sheet metal hollowware
articles of the character of those named in the title, to form the bottoms and feet
separate from each other, and to fix them to the bodies of the articles and to one
another by riveting or seaming. This method of construction results in some
unsightliness in appearance, and in an unsatisfactory connection between the
bottoms, feet and bodies of the articles, which in the case of articles intended to
hold liquid renders them liable to leak.
Now, according to this invention, the bottom and foot of each article of those
aforesaid are formed together in one piece of sheet metal, and the bottom is
preferably formed dished downwards somewhat. The blank from which the bottom
and foot is to be formed is first raised in suitable dies or tools, and subsequently
the upper portion of the foot is formed of an O.G. shape in section, that is to say,
with a portion around the top having the appearance outside of a rounded bead
and with a hollow immediately thereunder, a section of the bead and of a hollow
having the general appearance of the letter S. The body of the article is fixed to
the combined bottom and foot by causing the metal of the bottom of the body to
fit around the bead and within the hollow below, the metal of the lower portion of
the body thus being S-shaped in section corresponding with the shape of the upper
portion of the foot.
A bottom and foot forined and fixed to the body of a sheet metal hollowware
article such as any of those above described, in the manner of this invention, are
very strong, and no riveting or seaming is required to fix them to the body.
The bottom edge of the foot may of course be curled, or curled and wired, or
formed of any shape which may be desired.
Dated this 14th day of February 1908.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Forming the Bottoms and Feet of Sheet
Metal Baths, Slop Pails, Buckets, Coal Hods, Cans of Various
Kinds and like Hollowware Articles, and Fixing the same to
the Bodies thereof.
We, JAMES RALPH and JAMES ADAMS JORDAN, trading in copartnership as
Ralph and Jordan, of Beehive Works, Bilston in the County of Stafford, Wrought
Hollowware Manufacturers, 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 :-
It has been customary heretofore, in constructing sheet metal hollowware
articles of the character of those named in the title, to form the bottoms and feet
separate from each other, and to fix them to the bodies of the articles and to one
another by riveting or seaming. This method of construction results in some
unsightliness in appearance, and in an unsatisfactory connection between the
bottoms, feet and bodies of the articles, which in the case of articles intended to
hold liquid renders them liable to leak.
Now, according to this invention, the bottom and foot of each article of those
aforesaid are formed together in one piece of sheet metal, and the bottom (more
especially in the case of such an article as a bath) is, preferably, formed dished
downwards somewhat. The blank from which the bottom and foot is to be formed
is first raised in suitable dies or tools, and subsequently the upper portion of the
foot is formed of an O.G. shape in section, that is to say, with a portion around
the top having the appearance outside of a rounded bead, and with a hollow
immediately thereunder, a section of the bead and of the hollow having the general
appearance of the letter S. The body of the article is fixed to the combined
bottom and foot by causing the metal of the bottom of the body to fit around the
bead and within the hollow below, the metal of the lower portion of the body thus
being S-shaped in section corresponding with the shape of the upper portion of
the foot; and this is accomplished by placing the bottom of the body around the
upper portion of the combined bottom and foot before the upper portion of
the foot is formed of an O.G. or S-shape as above described, and spinning or
wheeling the two parts of which the one is thus placed around the other, into
the O.G. or S-shape desired, the O.G. or S-shaped portion of the bottom of the
body thus being a tight fit around the corresponding portion of the foot.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, we will proceed to
describe the same by the aid of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the
invention as applied, by way of example, to a sheet metal bath.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the centre of the bath, shewing the
combined bottom and foot with the lower portion of the body placed around
the upper portion of the foot previously to such parts being spun or wheeled
together to form them of an O.G. or S-shape whereby the body is securely fixed
to the combined bottom and foot.
Figure 2 is a corresponding view to Figure 1, after the lower portion of the
body has been securely fixed to the combined bottom and foot.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through one end of the combined bottom
and foot and the corresponding end of the lower portion of the body, when the
parts are as shewn by Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is a corresponding view to Figure 3, but shews the body to be securely
fixed to the combined bottom and foot as in the case of Figure 2.
The combined bottom and foot A are first formed from a sheet metal blank, by
means of suitable dies or tools, into the sectional shape shewn by Figure 1, and in

page_text: part also by Figure 3, that is to say, with a plain portion a which forms the upper
portion of the foot; and the body B is formed with a plain part or margin 6 which
forms the lower portion thereof and is of the same depth, or approximately so, as
the part a of the combined bottom and foot. The parts a and b are then spun or
wheeled together to bring them into the O.G. or S shapes, respectively, indicated
by the letters a' 6' Figures 2 and 4, whereby the lower portion of the body B is
securely fixed to the combined bottom and foot A. The portion of the foot below
the part a thereof may, of course, be of any desired shape, and if the edge is wired
the curl may be formed outwards, if preferred, instead of inwards, as shewn.
The application of the invention to other articles, besides sheet metal baths, will
now be obvious without need for further description or illustration.
A sheet metal hollowware article, such as any of those above described, having
the bottom and foot formed and fixed to the body in the manner of this invention,
is very strong; no rivetting or seaming is required to fix the bottom and foot to
the body, and the joint is thoroughly watertight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Forming the bottom and foot of a sheet metal bath, slop pail, bucket, coal hod,
can, or like hollowware article, in one piece of sheet metal by means of suitable
dies or tools, and fixing the combined bottom and foot to the body of such article
substantially in the manner described.
Dated this 27th day of June 1896.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.