Improvements in the Process or Method of Manufacturing Metal Tubes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left. 30th Mar. 1892-Accepted. 30th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process or Method of Manufacturing Metal
Tubes. .
We, JOSEPH SAMUEL TAYLOR, and STEPHEN WILLIAM CHALLEN, both of
Derwent Foundry, Constitution Hill, in the City of Birmingham, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the method or process which we employ for manu-
facturing tubes and pipes of metal, whereby a greater uniformity of thickness and
a more even and polished surface is obtained both internally and externally than is
at present being done with the existing ordinary processes and methods of manu-
facturing tubes at present in use.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ a sheet of metal and work up
our tube or pipe from a disc or blank which we cut or pierce out of the sheet, and
then by a series of cup pressings and gradations, we reduce the size of the cup and
at the same time increase its length, until we are enabled to introduce this tube to
a draw bench for producing the exact thickness or diameter and length which we
require for any particular or ordinary purpose.
We cut the blank or disc from the metal sheet by means of a press, shears or
other mechanical appliance of any ordinary character at present in use for like
purposes; and we transfer this blank or disc of metal to a press for the purpose of
producing a cup like case of metal of circular configuration, or we sometimes ent
out the blank and form the cup at one operation in a machine constructed for the
purpose. We then press this cup through a series of similar reducing presses or
machines having dies and formers suitably arranged thereupon. The presses we by
preference employ for this purpose of drawing out or forcing out the cups or cases,
being fitted with our improved punch and punch holder, as described in the
Specification of our Patent No. 11051 of 1888; which enables considerable
reduction in the length of travel of our punch or former to be made when
producing long cases.
After having passed our cases through a succession of presses or machines for
reducing the diameter and extending the length, we sometimes transfer them to
draw benches of any well known construction for the purpose of being drawn out
to the desired diameter and length. Upon these draw benches we prefer to
arrange a dic plate to reduce the external diameter, and an adjustable concentrically
mounted mandril to form the internal diameter; the mandril having a conical end
to permit of varying thicknesses of tube being produced by the adjustment of the
screw and nut which we arrange at the outer end of the mandril. We cause the
mandril to enter within the die plate and to stand freely from its saddle or end
supporting bracket; the portion entering the bracket being screwed and the
opposite end enlarged to form a conical plug, so that the position of the central
cone within the die determines the thickness of the tube to be drawn through.
To facilitate the operation of drawing we close in the solid end of the case after
it has passed the last press or cup machine, so that a bead or head is formed
with a reduced neck sufficient for permitting of a firm grip or hold being obtained
by the tongs or other pulling appliance employed for drawing the tube through the
die. This reduced head or shouldered end being cut off when the necessary finished
diameter of tube has been produced, or we screw the reduced end externally or
internally and put on a screwed plug or collar for connection with the pliers or
any other convenient method of holding the end of the tube now in general use
upon ordinary tube drawing benches.

page_text: We arrange our presses and machines in the manner herein before described
when manufacturing cycle tubes so that greater strength and finer finish, together
with lighter weight may be obtained with the same external diameter of tube or
rod as at present employed when constructing the framework, wheels, or other
parts of the cycles from rods or tubes produced in the ordinary systems and
methods of manufacture at present in use.
When producing tubes of short length from the metal sheet or blank as before
described we do not always employ a draw bench as the finishing process but
sometimes dispense with a stationary mandril and produce our short length of
tube by forcing or pressing the metal through fixed dies to produce a long case
like or solid end tube. The end of this long case we afterwards cut off or remove
to form our short length of pipe or tube.
We do not however, limit the application of our present improved process or
method of manufacturing metal tubes from discs or sheets of metal, to any
particular or special requirement for such tubes but employ the same system of
manufacture to suit any ordinary tube or pipe which is required with an even
surface and of uniform thickness.
Similarly we modify the methods of stamping or punching, together with the
form or strength and arrangement of the presses or machines that may be necessary
to produce tubes of various sizes, or of various metals; and we heat, anneal or
otherwise manipulate the metal to soften or harden it as may be necessary for the
more expeditious and satisfactory production of the tubes.
Dated this 29th day of June 1891
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process or Method of Manufacturing Metal
Tubes.
We, JOSEPH SAMUEL TAYLOR and STEPHEN WILLIAM CHALLEN, both of
Derwent Foundry, Constitution Hill, in the City of Birmingham, Engineers,
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 :-
This invention relates to the method or process which we employ for manu-
facturing tubes and pipes of iron, steel and other metal, whereby a greater
uniformity of thickness and a more even and polished surface is obtained both
internally and externally than is at present being done with the existing ordinary
processes and methods of manufacturing tubes now in use.
In carrying our invention into effect we employ a sheet of metal and work up
our tube or pipe from a disc or blank in the cold state which we cut or pierce out
of the sheet, and then by a series of cup pressings and gradations, we reduce the
size of the cup and at the same time increase its length, until we are enabled to
introduce this tube to a draw bench for producing the exact thickness or diameter
and length which we require for any particular or ordinary purpose.
In order that our invention may be more distinctly understood we append
hereunto two sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to :-
We cut the blank or disc C shown on Sheet 1 from the cold metal sheet by
means of a press, shears or other mechanical appliance of any ordinary character
at present in use for like purposes, such as a punch A and die B as shown in
Figure 1; and we transfer this blank or disc of metal C while cold to a press for
the purpose of producing by the punch D and die E a cup like case of metal C
of circular configuration as shown in Figure 2; or we sometimes cut out the
blank and form the cup at one operation in a machine constructed for the purpose,'
having the punch and die arranged as at Figure 14, where H is the die, h the

page_text: cutting edge, and A' the cup forming portion of the die; A' being the punch for
cutting out the blank and D the punch working through the centre of A for
forming the cup C by pressing the blank through the portion of the die.
We
then press this cup in a cold state through a series of similar reducing presses or
machines having dies and formers suitably arranged thereupon. After having:
passed our cases through a succession of presses or machines having punches D
and dies E as shown in Figure 2 to Figure 9 for reducing the diameter and;
extending the length, we transfer them to draw benches of any well known con-
struction for the purpose of drawing them out to the desired diameter and length,
and for polishing and finishing the surface both inside and outside. Upon these
draw benches we prefer to arrange a die plate L, L, L as shown in Figures 10, 11
and 12 to reduce the external diameter of the case C, C, CH, and we provide an
adjustable concentrically mounted mandril G to form the internal diameter; the
mandril having a conical end G, G3, G4 to permit of varying thicknesses of tube
being produced by the adjustment of the screw and nut which we arrange at the
outer end of the mandril G². We cause the mandril to enter within the die
plate Land to stand freely from its saddle or end supporting bracket; the
portion G2 entering the bracket being screwed and the opposite end Genlarged
to form a conical plug G¹, G³, G, so that the position of the central cone within
the die determines the thickness of the tube to be drawn through.
To facilitate the operation of drawing the tube or case we close in the solid end
of the case after it has passed the last press or cup machine die E', so that a bead
or head C is formed with a reduced neck sufficient for permitting of a firm grip
or hold being obtained by the tongs or other pulling appliance employed for
drawing the tube through the die as shown in Figures 15 and 16 Sheet 2. This
reduced head or shouldered end C13 being cut off when the necessary finished
diameter of tube C has been produced or we screw the reduced end externally
or internally and put on a screwed plug or collar for connection with the pliers or
any other convenient method of holding the end of the tube now in general use
upon ordinary tube drawing benches.
We arrange our presses and machines with punches, dies and tools constructed
in the manner herein before described with peculiar advantage when manufacturing
cycle tubes, so that greater strength and finer finish, together with lighter weight
may be obtained with the same external diameter of the tube or rod as at present
employed when constructing the framework, wheels, or other parts of the cycles
from rods or tubes produced in the ordinary systems and methods of manufacture
at present in use.
even
We do not, however, limit the application of our present improved process
or method of manufacturing metal tubes from discs or sheets of metal, to any
particular or special requirement for such tubes, but employ the same system of
manufacture to suit any ordinary tube or pipe which is required with an
surface and of uniform thickness. Similarly we modify the methods of stamping
or punching, together with the form or strength and arrangement of the presses or
machines that may be necessary to produce tubes of various sizes, or of various
quality of metal; and we sometimes anneal the metal between the pressing and
drawing operations to soften it as may be necessary for the more expeditious and
satisfactory production of the tubes.
On Sheet 2 Figure 17 shows the series of operations through which the sheet
or plate passes when manufacturing tubes according to this our improved process
as hereinbefore described.
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:-
1. The combined process of manufacturing steel, iron and other metal tubes from
discs or sheets by subjecting the metal in a cold state to a series of cupping opera-
tious whereby the thickness of the original disc or sheet is maintained approximately

page_text: the same throughout the operations and afterwards subjecting tlie long, cup thus
produced to cold drawing operations to further lengthen, reduce in thickness,
finish and polish the tube substantially as herein described.
2. The construction of metal tubes from cold sheet metal or metal plate by
means of ordinary mechanical metal cupping presses or extending machines, and
then by draw benches fitted and arranged in the order and in the manner herein-
before described and as set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of March 1892.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birminghani, Agents for the Applicants.