A Method and Apparatus for Securing Tubes in Tube Plates or other Seatings.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 28th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 31st May, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Method and Apparatus for Securing Tubes in Tube Plates or
other Seatings.
We LÉON VERBEEOK and EDOUARD DE RAET both of 7 Rue des Fabriques,
Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
According to this invention, the hole in a tube plate or other seating in which a
tube is to be secured is countersunk, and also circularly grooved at a little distance
within the face of the plate, one or more grooves of rounded profile being cut in the
metal by suitable tools. The end of the tube then being inserted into the hole so
prepared, the metal of the tube is swelled out from within so as to fit the groove and
countersink, whereby it is held firmly and a jointing is made tight against leakage.
The apparatus by which the tube is swelled out is a tool having three or more (pre-
ferably an odd number) handles radiating uniformly from a centre. On the rectangular
shank of each of these handles is fitted a slide which can be adjusted nearer to or
farther from the centre. One of the slides may be advanced or retracted by a screw
worked by turning the handle, the other slides being set by hand and held in position
by spring pawls catching in rack teeth on the handles. On each of the slides is
mounted a roller having a profile which is nearly the counterpart of the grooved and
countersunk hole. The tool is so placed that the rollers are just within the mouth of
the tube, and then it is turned round by the handles, the one roller being gradually
withdrawn from the centre by means of the screw; in this way the metal of the tube
is gradually swelled out by the action of the rollers so as to fit the grooved and
countersunk hole.
BOLL dave of Santamber 1886
ABEL & IMRAY,
28, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method and Apparatus for Securing Tubes in Tube Plates or
other Seatings.
We, LÉON VERBRECK and EDOUARD DE RAET both of 7 Rue des Fabriques,
Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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 :-
According to this invention, the hole in a tube plate or other seating in which a
tube is to be secured is counter sunk and circularly grooved at a little distance within
the face of the plate, one or more grooves of rounded profile being cut in the metal
by suitable tools. The end of the tube then being inserted into the hole so prepared,
the metal of the tube is swelled out from within so as to fit the groove and counter-
sink whereby it is held firmly and a jointing is made tight against leakage.
The apparatus by which the tube is swelled out is a tool having three, or more
(preferably an odd number) handles radiating uniformly from a centre. On the
rectangular shank of each of these handles is fitted a slide which can be adjusted
nearer to or farther from the centro. One of the slides may be advanced or retracted
by a screw worked by turning the handle, the other slides being set by hand and held
in position by spring pawls catching in rack teeth on the handles. On each of the
slides is mounted a roller having a profile which is nearly the counter part of
the grooved and countersunk-hole.
The tool is so placed that the rollers are just within the mouth of the tube, and then
it is turned round by the handles, the one roller being gradually withdrawn from the
centre by means of the screw; in this way the metal of the tube is gradually
swelled out by the action of the rollers so as to fit the grooved and countersunk
hole.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shows a section of the joint of a tube and
tube plate constructed according to my above described invention, shewing the hole in
the tube plate formed with a countersink on its outer face and an annular groove on
its cylindrical surface, into which the tube is swelled as shewn by means of the
bead n and bevilled flange e of the roller ✗, carried by the slides P of the apparatus
shewn to a smaller scale in front and part side view at Figs. 2 and 3.
This latter is constructed with three radiating arms M terminating in handles two
of which arms have ratchet teeth formed on their under side, as shewn at Fig. 3, into
which take spring pawls c on the slides, so as to hold the latter in any position into
which they may be moved, a setting screw being furthermore provided to secure them
in that position.
The third arm has a slot in which is a screw V, forming part of the handle M,
which is held in the arm so that it can be rotated with the screw. The slide P has in
this case a screwed nut projecting into the slot, through which nut the screw passes,

page_text: so that by turning the latter by means of the handle, the slide with its roller can be
gradually moved farther away from the centre.
The rollers X being mounted loose on pins on the slides, it will be seen that if,
when the tube to be secured is placed in the hole of the tube plate, the apparatus has
its three rollers brought together on their arms so that they will just enter the tube,
and the slide worked by the screw is then gradually moved outwards while the
apparatus is rotated, the outer end of the tube will be gradually swelled out by the
flanges e until it fits tightly against the countersink of the hole, while at the same
time the interior of the tube will be swelled out by the beads n until it fits tightly into
the groove of the plate.
It will be evident that other arrangements for adjusting the slides P with their
rollers, and for forcing one or more of them outwards when in operation may be
adopted, also that two or more grooves may be formed, in the tube plate, and a corre
sponding number of beads provided on the rollers; or a screw thread may be cut
in the surface of the hole and the metal of the tube be forced into the threads by the
action of rollers without projecting beads.
The apparatus may also be used with a single arm with its slide and roller, a suit-
able point of resistance being afforded opposite the roller; or two opposite arms may
be employed, or a greater number than three arms, but by preference I employ the
arrangement shewn.
By means of the above described invention the tubes are secured in their plates in
a perfectly fluid tight manner by a single. simple and rapid operation, avoiding all
brazing, hammering, heating or other accessory operations, such as have been
heretofore necessary for forming such joints.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1. The method of securing tubes in tube plates or seatings wherein the tube plate
or seating has its hole counter sunk on its outer face, and has one or more circular
grooves formed in its inner surface, the metal of the tube being swelled into the
counter sink and groove or grooves by means of one or more rollers substantially as
herein described.
2. The use for securing tubes in tube plates or seatings in the manner referred to in
the preceding claim of an apparatus having arms on which are adjustable rollers by
moving which ontwards as the arms are rotated, the metal of the tube is forced into
the groove or grooves and countersink of the plate, substantially as herein described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
DL: 00L 1
A
*1 1007
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.