Improvements in
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 23rd Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 25th Jan., 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM IGNATIUS BENEDICT MOHALE, Machinist,
of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in
I, WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL, of the firm of Popplewell, Colton, & Co., of
17 and 18 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved implement for
expanding the ends of tubes, for example, the ends of tubes held in the heads of steam
boilers, etc., which implement is so constructed that it can be used for expanding
tubes of different diameters, whereas heretofore a different sized expander was
required for each size of tubes.
The invention consists, essentially, in a cylindrical stock provided with longitudinal
slots in which rollers or swages are held loosely, in such a manner that they can
rotate on their longitudinal axes and have a certain play in the slots in the stock, in
the direction toward and from the longitudinal axis of the bore of the stock.
A tubular stock having a bore is provided with three or more or less longitudinal
slots in its sides, said slots extending from the rear end of the stock to within a short
distance from the front end of the same, and in each of said slots a steel swage is
placed.
Against the rear end of the stock a ring is placed, which is provided along its edge
with an annular flange projecting toward the front end of the stock and which ring is
also provided at diametrically opposite points with two lugs or wings. A disc or
plate provided with a central aperture and with a raised part is placed against the
rear end of the stock, the said raised part passing into the central aperture of the
aforesaid ring. Screws are passed through apertures in the disc and screwed into the
rear end of the stock in the direction of the length of the same, whereby the ring and
plate are held on the rear end of the stock, the disc resting against the rear ends of
the swages and preventing them from passing out of the slots in the direction
of the length of the same. The ring can rotate around the stock. The slots are of

page_text: such width that the swages can project into the bore of the stock and can also project
from the outer surface of the stock, the outward movements of the swages being
limited by the flange of the aforesaid ring.
To use the expander, the stock is passed into the end of the tube to be expanded,
the lugs on the aforesaid ring being outside of the end of the tube, and a tapering
mandrel is passed through the central aperture of the ring and through the bore of
the stock, and acting on the swages forces them outward, that is, in the direction
from the centre of the stock, until they rest against the inner sides of the tube to be
expanded. The mandrel is then turned on its longitudinal axis, whereby the stock is
rotated on its longitudinal axis and the swages turning around the stock, in the end
of the tube, are rotated on their longitudinal axes, and, acting on the sides of the
tube, expand the same, gradually.
As the swages have considerable play in. their slots the expander can be used on
tubes of different diameters, the smallest tubes on which it can be used having the
diameter of the stock and the largest tubes a diameter slightly less than the diameter
of the inner side of the flange on the aforesaid ring.
In a modification, the disc is dispensed with and the ring is placed against a shoulder
formed on the rear end of the stock by an extension of the stock, which extension is
of less diameter than the stock. On said extension is placed a sleeve, the front edge
of which rests against the rear side of the ring, thus keeping said sleeve pressed
against the shoulder of the stock; and said sleeve is held in place on the extension by
a locking pin passed through an aperture in the sleeve and a groove in the extension.
In this device the slots do not extend from the rear end of the stock and the swages
are not introduced from the rear end of the stock, but from the sides, and are
prevented from dropping from the stock by the ring.
In a further modification, the stock is provided at its rear end with an annular
flange against the under side of which a ring is placed, which is provided at two
diametrically opposite points with wings or lugs projecting toward the front end of
the stock. The slots in the stock extend from the rear end to within a short distance
from the front end and the swages are held in said slots by a disc or plate provided
with a projecting part, which part is passed into the opening of the ring and rests
against the rear end of the stock. Screws are passed through openings in said disc
and are screwed into the rear end of the stock. The flange of the stock is provided
with slots at the inner ends of the longitudinal slots, in which slots the rear ends of
the swages can move towards and from the longitudinal axis of the bore of the stock,
thus also adapting the expander to be used in tubes of different diameters. The
smallest tube on which it can be used is of the diameter of the stock and the largest is
slightly less in diameter than a circle passing through the outer ends of the slots.
In a further modification, the stock is not provided with a flange, but with a collar,
which has guide grooves in place of the last named slots at the inner ends of the slots
for receiving the swages. The front ends of the slots are closed by a ring held in
place by screws, screwed into the front end of the stock. When the ring is removed
the swages can easily be removed from their slots in the stock. A ring provided with
wings or lugs, as described above, is held against the collar by a sleeve surrounding
the rear extension of the stock, said sleeve being held in place by a pin as previously
described.
The main features of this improved expander are the same in all constructions and
consist of the slotted stock containing swages which can be moved toward and from
the longitudinal axis of the bore of the stock, the stock being provided with suitable
devices for checking the outward movement of the swages. As stated, flanged rings
may be used for checking the outward movement of the swages, or the rear ends of
the swages may be mounted to move in grooves or slots in a flange or collar on the
stock.

page_text: UUMI LEID DI MULTIUAIIUN.
Improvements in Tube Expanders.
1 WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL of the firm of Popplewell Colton & Co. of 17 and
18 Southampton Buildings in the county of Middlesex Patent Agents, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (communicated to me from abroad by William
Ignatius Benedict McHale, Machinist of the City County and State of New York,
United States of America) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved implement for
expanding the ends of tubes, for example the ends of tubes held in the heads of steam
boilers &c. which implement is so constructed that it can be used for expanding tubes
of different diameters whereas heretofore a different sized expander was required for
each size of tube.
The invention consists essentially in a cylindrical stock provided with longitudinal
slots in which rollers or swages are held loosely, in such a manner that they can
rotate on their longitudinal axis and have a certain play in the slots, in the stock, in
the direction toward and from the longitudinal axis of the bore of the stock as will be
fully described and set forth hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1. is a longitudinal, sectional view of one construction of my improved tube
expander a mandrel being shown within the expander.
Fig. 2. is a front and end view of the oxpander.
Fig. 3. is a cross sectional view of the same.
Fig. 4. is a longitudinal sectional view of another construction of the expander.
Fig. 5. is a longitudinal sectional view of still another construction of the expander.
Fig. 6. is an end view of the same.
Fig. 7. is a longitudinal sectional view of another construction.
The tubular stock A, having the bore A¹, is provided with three or more or less
longitudinal slots B in its sides, said slots extending from the rear end of the stock to
within a short distance from the front end of the same and in each of said slots a steel
swage C is placed. Against the rear end of the stock a ring D, is placed, which is
provided along its edge with an annular flange E projecting toward the front end of
the stock and which ring is also provided at diametrically opposite points with the two.
lugs or wings E¹.
A disc or plate F. provided with a central aperture F1 and with a raised part F' is
placed against the rear end of the stock, the said raised part F2 passing into the
central aperture of the ring D. Screws G are passed through apertures in the
disc F and screwed into the rear end of the stock in the direction of the length of the
same, whereby the ring D and plate F are held on the rear end of the stock, the disc
Fresting against the rear ends of the swages C and preventing them from passing out
of the slots B in the direction of the length of the same.
The ring D can rotate around the stock. The slots B are of such width that the
swages C can project into the bore of the stock and can also project from the outer
surface of the stock the outward movements of the swages being limited by the flange E
of the ring D.

page_text: To use the expander the stock A is passed into the end of the tube to be expanded,
the lugs E¹ being outside of the end of the tube and a tapering mandrel H is passed
through the central aperture F¹ of the ring F and through the bore of the stock and
acting on the swages C forces them outward, that is, in the direction from the centre
of the stock until they rest against the inner sides of the tube to be expanded.
The mandrel is then turned on its longitudinal axis whereby the stock is rotated on
its longitudinal axis and the swages turning around with the stock in the end of the
tube are rotated on their longitudinal axis and acting on the sides of the tube, expand
the same gradually.
As the swages have considerable play in their slots the expander can be used on
tubes of different diameters, the smallest tubes on which it can be used having the
diameter of the stock and the largest tubes a diameter slightly less than the diameter
of the inner side of the flange E of the ring D.
In the construction shown in Figure 4 the disk F, is dispensed with and the ring E
is placed against the shoulder I' formed on the rear end of the stock by an extension I
of the stock, which extension is of less diameter than the stock; on said extension is
placed a sleeve J, the front edge of which rests against the rear side of the ring D,
thus keeping said sleeve pressed against the shoulder I, and said sleeve J is held in
place on the extension I by a locking pin J¹, passed through an aperture in the sleeve
J and a groove in the extension I. In this device the slots do not extend from the
rear end of the stock and tho swages are not introduced from the rear end of the stock,
but from the sides and are prevented from dropping from the stock, by the ring D.
In the construction shown in Figures 5 and 6 the stock A is provided at its rear
end with the annular flange K against the under side of which the ring L is placed,
which is provided at two diametrically opposite points with the wings or lugs M,
projecting toward the front end of the stock. The slots in the stock extend from the
rear end to within a short distance from the front end and the swages C are held in
said slots by a disc or plate F, provided with a projecting part F2 which part F2 is
passed into the opening of the ring L and rests against the rear end of the stock.
Screws G are passed through openings in said disc F and are screwed into the rear
end of the stock. The flange K of the stock is provided with slots N at the inner ends
of the longitudinal slots B, in which slots N the rear ends of the swages C can move
toward and from the longitudinal axis of the bore of the stock, thus also adapting the
expander to be used in tubes of different diameters. The smallest tube on which it
can be used is of the diameter of the stock and the largest is slightly less in diameter
than a circle passed through the outer ends of the slots N.
In the construction shown in Figure 7 the stock is not provided with a flange, but
with a collar O, which has guide grooves N' in place of the slots N (shown in Figures 5
and 6) at the inner ends of the slots B for receiving the swages. The front ends of
the slots are closed by a ring P held in place by screws Q, screwed into the front of
the stock. When the ring P is removed the swages can easily be removed from their
slots in the stock. The ring L provided with the wings or lugs K as described above,
is held against the collar O, by the sleeve J surrounding the rear extension I of the
stock, said sleeve being held in place by a pin J' as previously described.
The main features of this improved expander are the same in all constructions and
consist of the slotted stock containing swages which can be moved toward and from
the longitudinal axis of the bore of the stock, the stock being provided with suitable
devices for checking the outward movement of the swages. As stated flanged rings
may be used for checking the outward movement of the swages, or the rear ends of
the swages may be mounted to move in grooves or slots in a flange or collar on
the stock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a tube expander, the combination with a tubular stock having longitudinal
slots, of cylindrical swages or rollers in said slots, and a flanged ring surrounding the
stock, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 2. In a tube expander, the combination with a tubular stock having longitudinal
slots, of a flanged ring surrounding the stock loosely, and of devices for holding the
ring on the stock in such a manner that it can turn on the stock, substantially as shown
and described.
3. In a tube expander, the combination with a tubular stock having longitudinal
slots, of swages in said slots, a flanged ring surrounding the rear end of the stock
loosely, and of a disc or plate provided with a projecting part, which projecting part is
passed into the opening of the flanged ring and held against the rear end of the stock
substantially as shown and described.
4. In a tube expander, the combination with a tubular stock having longitudinal
slots for receiving swages, and which stock is provided with a flange or collar, the
diameter of which is greater than that of the stock, said flange or collar being
provided with radial grooves for guiding the rear end of the swages, of swages in the
slots in the stock, and of a ring or disc for holding the swages in their slots, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
5. In a tube expander, the combination with a tubular stock, having longitudinal
slots, and provided with a flange or collar at the rear ends of the slots, of swages
placed into the slots in the stock and held in the same by a plate or ring held on the
end of the stock and of a ring surrounding the stock and provided with lugs or wings
projecting toward the front end of the stock, substantially as shown and described.