Improvements in Apparatus for Welding the Joints of Pipes and Tubes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
TROVISIONAL STAALIVA
Improvements in Apparatus for Welding the Joints of Pipes
and Tubes.
I, JOHN GRAHAM STEWART, of 41 Oswald Street, in the City and County
of Glasgow, Tube Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to
be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts, of apparatus for welding the longitudinal
joints of pipes and tubes more particularly those of a large size, and which will
enable such joints to be welded in a more expeditious and efficient manner, than by
apparatus as heretofore constructed.
By the improvements of this invention the longitudinal joints of tubes of large
diameter may be heated and welded, a portion at a time by sections, until the
welding is effected from one end to the other, and the arrangement of apparatus
used would be as follows:-
At what may be termed the back end of the apparatus a strong vertical standard
or frame, secured on a suitable foundation, would be erected, which would carry
projecting horizontally from its upper part a strong rigid arm or beam which
might be a girder beam, and below this upper arm another strong rigid arm would
On the
be carried also projecting horizontally in the same line as the upper one.
outer ends of these two arms would be secured gas fires or stores constructed on
the Bunsen principle, the upper one projecting the flame downwards and the lower
one projecting it upwards so as to heat up the joint of the tube when inserted
between them by the appliances to be described. The gas or gas and air pipes for
the lower fire being conveyed alongside or it might be within the projecting arm,
Instead of
while those of the upper might be attached in any convenient manner.
gas fires, electric heating such as by the magnetically deflected voltaic are might
be employed for heating up the joint. Near the end of the lower projecting arm a
pulley or roll would be carried in bearings so as to project above the arm, and said
pulley would preferably have a convex periphery shaped to fit the inside of the
tube to be operated upon and would also be so carried as to be easily exchanged
when a tube of another diameter was to be welded. On the upper projecting arm
another roll or pulley having a concave periphery would be mounted in bearings on
the lower end of a hydraulic ram carried on and firmly secured to the arm, the
pressure upon the ram being arranged to be varied at pleasure by the use of a
pressure reducing or relief valve or equivalent device. This pulley would be
carried in the same vertical line as the one on the lower arm so that the two edges
of the metal to be united would be strongly pressed together between the rolls and
welded. This upper pulley might also be fitted in a manner to be easily changed
for another size when required. Instead of producing the welding pressure by a
hydraulic ram this might be done by means of a screw or screws in place of the
ram actuated by a worm wheel or other gear secured on the projecting arm.
Below the projecting arms described and in front of them a line of rails would
be laid on which would he traversed a wheeled carriage carrying the tube to be
operated upon with the joint to be welded uppermost. This carriage would have
vertical standards secured to it to receive and support the tube at a proper height
for its joint to enter between the gas or other heating appliances and between the
welding rolls, and the tube would be firmly balted to the carriage by means of long

page_text: vertical bolts and crossbars secured to the bolts by nuts, and means would be
provided for varying the heights of the standards by screws, wedges, or other
appliances. In front of this carriage a long hydraulic cylinder and rain would be
mounted on standards or on a strong foundation at a height in line with the top of
the lower projecting welding arm, and the outer end of the ram would be furnished
with a gripping appliance which might be a jaw with a screw or wedge to grip
the top part of the tube at the end by which it would take hold of the end of the
tube fixed on its carriage and force it backwards and forwards between the welding
rolla when heated. The ram may be duplex or double acting for the purpose of
withdrawing the tube from between the rolls, or other means may be used for this
purpose, such as weights and chains, or a coustant pressure upon the front end of
the cylinder may be maintained for this purpose.
By another method instead of bolting the tube to the carriage it might be made
to rest on a support at the one end consisting of a downwardly curved crossbar
having eyes formed on it to slide on vertical bolts or standards one at each side of
the carriage and be supported by strong spiral springs on bese standards, the
height of the crossbars being adjusted by nuts screwed on the vertical bolts below
the spiral springs, or instead of this arrangement counterbalance weights and levers
may be used to support the tube at the desired height.
The other end of the tube would in this case be supported by the gripping
appliances at the outer end of the hydraulic ram, which end might be carried and
supported by a vertical bracket bolted to the carringe.
By another method the tube may be secured to and supported by a cradle
which might be made to slide upon a planed ginler in an equivalent manner to
the carringe described.
By another and converse arrangement the two welding arms fitted as described
might be secured to a strong heavy framing running on rails, and actuated by a
hydraulic ram, while the tube to be welded would be held stationary and in this
case the gas fires would be connected to the fixed gas or gas and air supplying
pipes by lengths of flexible tubing.
Dated the 21st day of June 1594.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
Improvements in Apparatus for Welding the Joints of Pipos
and Tubes.
1, Jons GRAHAM STEWART, of 41 Oswald Street, in the City and County of
Glasgow, Tube Manufacturer. do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement in writing :-
My invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus for welding the
longitudinal joints of pipes and tubes, more particularly those of a large size, and
which will enable such joints to be welded in a more expeditious and efficient
manner than by apparatus as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood I have hereto
appended two sheets of explanatory drawings in which Figure 1 on Sheets 1 and 2
shows a side elevation of a machine or apparatus, broken away into three parts
for convenience of illustration, constructed in accordance with the improvements
of my invention, Figure 2 on Sheet 2 shows one method of supporting the tube
to be welded at the desired height on its carriage, and Figure 3 shows an
alternative method of supporting one end of the tube.

page_text: By the improvements of my invention the longitudinal joints of tubes may be
heated and welded. a portion at a time by sections, until the welding is effected
from one end to the other, and the arrangements of the apparatus used is as
follows.
At what may be termed the back end of the machine or apparatas a strong
vertical standard or frame A secured on a suitable foundation A is erected, which
carries projecting horizontally from its upper part a strong rigid arm or beam B.
which may be a girder beam, and below this upper arm, another strong rigid
arm C is carried, also projecting horizontally in the same vertical line as the
upper one B. On the outer ends of these two arms B, C, are secured gas
fires or stoves D, E, constructed on the Bunsen principle, the upper one D
projecting the flame downwards, and the lower one E projecting it upwards, so
as to heat up the joint of the tube when inserted between them by the appliances
to be described. The gas is led to the upper gas fire D by the pipe K, and
to the lower gas fire E, by the pipe K', while the air which may be brought
from any convenient. blower or air compressor is led to the upper gas fire D by
the pipe and to the lower one E by the pipe J. The pipes for the lower
fire are conveyed alongside, but it might be within, the projecting arm C.
The upper gas fire D is suspended by a chain D' on each side to the ends of short
levers D actuated by means of the weighted lever or handle D³ so that the gas
fire can be raised or lowered to a small extent.
Instead of gas fires, electric heating such as by the magnetically deflected
voltaic arc may he employed for heating up the joint.
Near the end of the lower projecting arm C, a pulley or roll F is carried on a
removable spindle F1, so as to project above the level of the upper surface of the
arm C, and said pulley F preferably has a convex periphery shaped to fit
the inside of the tube to be operated upon, and is so carried as to be easily
exchanged when a tube of another diameter is to be welded. On the end of the
upper projecting arm B another pulley or roll G having a concave periphery is
carried by a removable spindle Gon the lower end of the plunger Hof a double
acting hydraulic ram H, H', carried on and secured to the arm B. The pressure
water is brought from an accumulator or other source of supply by the pipe W
and is led into the front end of the hydraulic cylinder H to act on the front face of
the ram Hat W1, is carried round to the pressure reducing valve W², thence at
the desired pressure to the back end of the cylinder H and ram I, a pressure
guage W being fitted on the pipe, and a two way valve W to allow the water when
desired to exhaust by the pipe 10. The pulley G is carried in the same vertical
line as the one on the lower arm C so that the two edges of the metal tbe united
will be strongly pressed together between the rolls and welded. To keep the
pulley G and ram H' from turning a small flat surface is formed at h on the ram
at both sides, and the gland H2 is also formed internally with flat surfaces to fit
the surfaces h. This upper pulley G fitted as shown can be easily changed for one
of another size when required.
A lubricant, preferably soap and water, is supplied in regulated quantity by a
cistern Land carried by the pipes L' to lubricate the bearing surfaces of the
rolls F and G.
Instead of producing the welding pressure by a hydraulic ram as shown, this
may be done by means of a screw or screws in place of the ram, actuated by a
worm wheel or other gear, in an ordinary manner, secured on the arm B.
Below the projecting arms B. C, described and in front of them a line of
rails are laid, within a shallow pit 0, on which is traversed a wheeled
carriage N carrying the tube M to be operated upon with the joint to be welded
upperinost. This carriage N has vertical standards T secured to it to receive and
support the tube at a proper height for its joint to enter between the gas or other
heating appliances and between the welding rolls; and the tube M is firmly
bolted down by means of long vertical bolts V and a crossbar U secured to the
bolts by nuts. The height of the tube on the carriage is regulated by a number

page_text: of metal bars T, Figure 2, with their ends entering grooves in the standards T,
welges Theing used to nicely adjust the uppermost bar to the desired height.
In front of the carriage Na long bydraulic cylinder and ram P, preferably
ule acting, and supplied with pressure water from the pipe W through the
Hydraulic valve X, are mounted on standards Q on a trong foundation, or
preferably as shown on a planed girder R, on which the starlards Q can he
oved backwards and forwards to regulate the distance of the cylinder and
int P, P from the welding rolls F, G, at a height in line with the top of the
Toll F on the arm C. The unter end of the ram Piis fitted with a gripping
appliance shown as a jaw with a screw to grip the top part of the tale M, by
hich it takes hold of the end of the tube M, un its carriage N, and forces it
backwards and forwards between the welding rolls F, G.
Instead of using a double seting ram for the purpose of withdrawing the tube
from between the rolls other meaus may be employed for the purpose, such as any
anlinary arrangement of chains and weights or a constant pressure upon the front
end of the cylinder may be maintained for this purpose.
Instead of employing the earringe construct d as described and illustrated by
Figures 1 and 2, one end of the tube M may be supported by the gripping
appliance P at the outer end of the ram Pt which end in this en is carried and
supported by a vertical bracket S securely holted to the earringe N as shown in
Figure 3. the other end of the tube being supported by a pair of standard. T and
bars and wedges T. Tas described.
By another method the tube may be secured to and supported on a frame,
constructed in a similar manner to the carriage described, and which may be made
to slide upon a planed girder instead of running upon rails.
By another and converse arrangement the two welding arms B and C fittel all
115 described may he secured to a strong heavy framing running on rails, and which
may be fitted with counterbalancing weights, and actuated by a hydraulic ram,
while the tube to be welded would be held stationary. In this case the gas fires
would be connected to the fixed gas or gas and air supplying pipes by lengths of
flexible tubing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A ninchine or apparatus for welding the longitudinal joints of pipes and
tubes constructed and arranged ail substantially as herein described.
Second. In machines for welding the longitudinal joints of pipes and tubes
the construction, and general arrangement and combination of the parts, all
substantially as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Thinl. In machines for welding the longitudinal joints of p'pes and tubes the
combination comprising horizontal arms carrying welding rolls, gas fires for
heating the joint on both sides, pipe carrying carriage, and actuating and
regulating devices all substantially as hercin described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In machines for welding the longitudinal joints of pipes and tubes
the combination comprising upper and lower arms, each fitted with a gas fire in
the manner and for the purposes described, all substantially as herein described
and illustrated by Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In machines for welding the longitudinal joints of pipes and tubes, the
pipe carrying carriage constructed and arranged, all substantially as herein
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.