CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPEDITING THE MANUFACTURE OF OPEN-JOINTED, WELDED, JUMP, AND LAP- JOINTED OR OTHER TUBES OF IRON, STEEL, OR OTHER METALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brownhill, junior, of Walsall, in the
County of Stafford, Managing Director of the Birchills Hall Iron
Company, Limited, and Thomas Henry Smith, Roll Turner, also
of Walsall, aforesaid, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
EXPEDITING THE MANUFACTURE OF OPEN-JOINTED, WELDED, JUMP, AND LAP-
JOINTED OR OTHER TUBES OF IRON, STEEL, OR OTHER METALS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 20th April 1876, and dated the 5th November 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brownhill
and Thomas Henry Smith at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th November 1875.
We, WILLIAM BROWNHILL, junior, of Walsall, in the County of
Stafford, Managing Director of the Birchills Hall Iron Company,
Limited, and THOMAS HENRY SMITH, Roll Turner, also of Walsall,
aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPEDITING THE MANUFACTURE OF OPEN-JOINTED,

page_text: WELDED, JUMP, AND LAP-JOINTED, OR OTHER TUBES OF IRON, STEEL, OR OTHER
METALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOß,” to be as follows (that is to say):
:―
Our improvements in facilitating the manufacture of tubes consist
more particularly in utilizing the heated skelp formed through the bell-
mouthed die described in a Patent applied for by us on the 27th of
September last, No. 3368, as also in No. 3577.
We produce the before-mentioned heated skelp in an elliptical, oval,
or other convenient form, and we now propose to pass the said heated
skelp through a pair of ordinary chilled rolls with grooves turned in
them, which grooves, when the two rolls are placed together, form a
complete circle or other required shape.
We reserve to ourselves the right to use the said rolls either with or
without a mandril; but if a mandril be used we prefer it to be a con-
tinuation of the mandril placed in the bell-mouthed die, and in which
bell-mouthed dic it may be supported at one end; the projecting end
will then be passed between the two ordinary chilled grooved rolls for
giving the finished or more perfect shape to the heated skelp to produce
open-jointed or other tubes.
The working process of making open-jointed or other tubes will be as
follows:-
-The heated pile from the ordinary mill furnace will be
reduced by being passed through or between the rolls constructed and
arranged according to our first Patent herein referred to, and pass from
the last groove of the said finishing rolls direct to the bell-mouthed
dic to form it into an elliptical or other shaped skelp, from which
it will rapidly pass over the mandril between the pair of ordinary chilled
rolls before described, and leave the said rolls as a finished open-jointed
or other tube.
When a mandril is dispensed with the said pair of ordinary chilled
rolls (for giving the tubular or finishing shape to the tube) may be
fixed so as to receive the skelp continuously from the bell-mouthed die
wherever the said bell-mouthed die may be placed.
The motive power for driving the said ordinary chilled rolls may be
obtained by means of a band passing over a pulley or pulleys attached
to the axis of the said chilled rolls, and to the axis of the first or
primary reducing rolls; or the said driving and finishing rolls may be
geared together, the said grooved rolls being suitably placed for obtaining
the desired effect.

page_text: Both sets of rolls may be of the same diameter, and the pulleys
or the finishing grooved rolls slightly increased if desired to create a
draught..
If a mandril should not be used to assist in giving the finished shape
to the tubes, we reserve the right to place the grooved finishing rolls
either to receive the skelps continuously from the bell-mouthed or
other equivalent die, or to place them parallel with the ordinary train
of rolls in the same line, thereby dispensing with the use of bands,
pulleys, or gearing.
In the manufacture of welded tubes we (if necessary) may partially
repeat the process, as described, in making open-jointed tubes by passing
the heated skelp or unfinished tube (after being reheating to a welding
heat) through another bell-mouthed or other die, or equivalent means,
over another projecting mandril and through or between another pair
of chilled rolls, which are turned to give the required pressure and
draught to shape and weld the tubes.
One important feature of our Invention is that the heated skelps
after being passed through the bell-mouthed die in which a mandril is
inserted (as in the two previous Patents applied for by us), may be
made into finished tubes by simply passing them through the chilled
rolls as used for finishing ordinary round iron bars, thus utilizing the
ordinary rolls for "rounds now generally used in various sizes.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Brownhill and Thomas Henry Smith
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
BROWNHILL, junior, of Walsall, in the County of Stafford, Managing
Director of the Birchill's Hall Iron Company, Limited, and THOMAS
HENRY SMITH, Roll Turner, also of Walsall, aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said William Brownhill, junior, and Thomas

page_text: Henry Smith, Her special licence, that we, the said William Brownhill,
junior, and Thomas Henry Smith, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Brownhill, junior, and
Thomas Henry Smith, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPEDITING THE MANUFACTURE OF
OPEN-JOINTED, WELDED, JUMP, AND LAP-JOINTED OR OTHER TUBES OF IRON, STEEL,
OR OTHER METALS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said William Brownhill, junior, and
Thomas Henry Smith, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Brownhill, junior, and
Thomas Henry Smith, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
1. Our improvements in facilitating the manufacture of tubes consist
more particularly in utilizing the heated skelp formed through the
bell-mouthed die described in a Patent applied for by us on the Twenty-
seventh day of September last, No. 3368, and also in No. 3577, dated
Fifteenth of October, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
We produce the before-mentioned heated skelp in an elliptical, oval,
or other convenient form, and we now propose to pass the said heated
skelp through a pair of ordinary chilled rolls with grooves turned in
them, which grooves, when the two rolls are placed together, form a
complete circle or other required shape.
We reserve to ourselves the right to use the said rolls either with or
without a mandril; but if a mandril be used we prefer it to be a con-

page_text: tinuation of the mandril placed in the bell-mouthed die, and in which
bell-mouthed die it may be supported at one end; the projecting end
will then be passed between the two ordinary chilled grooved rolls for
giving the finished or more perfect shape to the heated skelp to produce
open-jointed or other tubes.
The working process of making open-jointed or other tubes will be
as follows: The heated pile from the ordinary mill furnace will be
reduced by being passed through or between the rolls, constructed and
arranged according to our first Patent herein referred to, and pass from
the last or finishing groove of the said rolls direct to the bell-mouthed
die to form it into an elliptical or other shaped skelp, from which
it will rapidly pass over the mandril between the pair of ordinary chilled
rolls before described and leave the said rolls a finished open-jointed
or other tube.
When a mandril is dispensed with the said pair of ordinary chilled
rolls (for giving the tubular or finishing shape to the tube) may be
fixed so as to receive the skelp continuously from the bell-mouthed die
wherever the said bell-mouthed die may be placed.
The motive power for driving the said ordinary chilled rolls may be
obtained by means of a band passing over a pulley or pulleys attached
to the axis of the said chilled rolls, and to the axis of the first or
primary reducing rolls; or the said driving and finishing rolls may bo
geared together, the said grooved rolls being suitably placed in relation
to the reducing rolls for obtaining the desired effect.
Both sets of rolls may be of the same diameter, and the pulleys
or the finishing grooved rolls slightly increased if desired to create a
draught.
If a mandril should not be used to assist in giving the finished shape
to the tubes we reserve the right to place the grooved finishing rolls
either to receive the skelps continuously from the bell-mouthed or
other equivalent die, or to place them parallel with the ordinary train
of rolls in the same line, thereby dispensing with the use of band,
pulleys, or gearing.
In the manufacture of welded tubes we (if necessary) may partially
repeat the process as described in making open-jointed tubes by passing
the heated skelp or unfinished tube (after being reheated to a welding

page_text: heat) through another bell-mouthed or other die, or equivalent means,
over another projecting mandril, and through or between another pair
of grooved rolls which are turned to give the required pressure and
draught to shape and weld the tubes direct from the bloom, pilo, or
puddled bar to the finish.
One important feature of our Invention is that the heated skelps
after being passed through the bell-mouthed die in which a mandril
may be inserted (as in the two previous Patents applied for by us),
and so be made into finished tubes by simply passing them through the
grooved rolls as used for finishing ordinary round iron bars, thus utilizing
the ordinary rolls for "rounds" now generally used (in various sizes) in
iron works.
But with a view of being clearly understood as to the nature of our
Invention, we will further describe our improvements by aid of the
Drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the figures and 1
letters marked thereon, observing that the same letters are used to
denote the same parts shown in various Figures (that is to say) :-
Fig. 1 represents a pair of ordinary grooved rolls, and although
only four grooves are represented there may be more, and of any
desired size.
E
The said rolls are marked A and B, and moulded in the usual
housings, marked C and D, resting on the sole plate E, and with the
usual regulating or tightening screws, and the axis of the rolls ter-
minating on each side (as if working in a train) with irregular necks
for receiving wabblers, as in the ordinary way. In the front of the 2
housings we cast set-offs, as at F, F, for the bar G to rest upon, which
bar carries the bell-mouthed die, which may be made single or com-
pound, or of any desired form, with or without an internal mandril;
but
the shape we have found to answer well is cast in two parts, and set up
(as here shown) in front of the rolls, its tapering internal form ter- 3
minating concentric with the circular meeting of the semicircular
grooves of the rolls. The lower part of the die is marked a, and the
part wedged in position by c, which derives its counter bearing from
a transverse bar marked H, which (for convenience) like the bar G,
may slide through corresponding openings or mortices passing through 8
the housings, as indicated by the dotted lines, by which means not only
the bell-mouthed die but the bars G and H may be removed altogether

page_text: when not required for shaping or finishing tubes. From the crown of
the top part of the bell-mouthed die a deflected central tongue is formed
which we find materially assists in directing the edges of the skelp
through the die to the rolls; this deflected tongue is marked d, but
which tongue is fully defined at Fig. 2, which simply represents a
section of Fig. 1 taken through the dotted lines e, e, in which view the
top and bottom part of the bell-mouthed die with the deflected tongue d
are well defined, as also the sectional form of the bars G and H, as well
as the wedge C for holding the die in position, the under part of which
said die, has a deflected flange which abuts against the front top edge
of the bar G, thereby prevents the draught of the rolls having any effect
on the fixed position of this compound bell-mouthed dic which we have
shown in a flat inside view at Fig. 3, small end view at Fig. 4, and side
view at Fig. 5.
In giving effect to these appliances for the manufacture of what is
technically called open-jointed or non-welded tube (a species of manu-
facture in common demand for many purposes), we simply take a strip
(say of iron) rolled by our process, as fully described in our Patent,
No. 3368, dated September Twenty-seventh, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-five (say with the edges square), and as such strip advances
(almost at a white heat) from the last groove of our rapid triple system
of rolling (as expressed in our Specification above referred to). The
strip is bent transversely and shaped at its forward end, and pushed
sufficiently through the bell-mouthed die until its contracted end enters
between the grooves of the rolls, the draught of which pulling it forward
imparts a tubular form to the same, rolling it out a finished open-
jointed tube either to be used in its present form, or further heated for
welding into solid jointed tubes from the bloom, pile, or puddled bar
to the finish by putting into operation the usual appliances for that
purpose, and thus utilizing the heat remaining in the metal, as described
in our Specification, No. 3577, of October Fifteenth One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-five; but suppose tubes should be required close
or semi-welded, such as are used for iron bedstead work, in that caso
the heat remaining in the iron strip (after rolling by our expeditious
mode) we utilize by at once proceeding to form the strip into a skelp
and tube, using (by preference) a slightly reduced groove in proportion
to the width of the heated strip, and rolling such strip of metal slightly
beveled edged, as shown in a transverse section at Fig. 6, to counteract

page_text: the difference of the internal and external diameter, the bevel being
modified according to the size of the tube to be made. By this process
with an extra pinch of the rolls and the great heat conserved in the
iron will have the effect of amalgamating and closely pressing together
the edges forming the joint of the tube. But should the extra pinch
of the rolls form lateral fins along the sides of the so-rolled tube at the
meeting of the rolls, we purpose applying (if necessary) lateral squeezers
working vertically on a fulcrum or central support sufficiently below
the meeting of the rolls to allow a slightly conical divided die screwed
or otherwise attached to the levers or arms of the squeezers, the said
dies being slightly smaller than the grooves of the rolls, and placed
concentric with the same, so that as the tube advances from the rolls
the lateral pressure imparted by bringing together the dies by the
attendant griping or otherwise holding together the top ends of the
levers to which the squeezers are attached, as shown in a detached front
view at Fig. 7 marked ƒ and g, sufficient pressing force will be obtained
for leveling down any fin that might have been produced by the extra
pressure on the rolls in pressing together and amalgamating the edges
of the iron forming the tube so as to make the joint close or invisible,
more particularly on the exterior of the tube, from beveling the edges
of the strips used, as exhibited at Fig. 6.
This lateral squeezing apparatus we have we have shown in position
with dotted lines at Fig. 2, the squeezers simply resting in a recess
formed transversely across the top edge of a bar passing between the
housings; but this process is by no means arbitrary, as the fin if
produced may be removed with cutters, or with small lateral grooved
rolls set up in position so as to work without attention, or other equi-
valent appliances placed in or near the same position as the vertical
squeezers hercin-before referred to and exhibited in the Drawings.
When welded tubes are required for gas, water, or other like purposes,
the tubes formed as herein described are placed in a suitable muffle to
restore the tube to a welding heat, as described in our Patent, No. 3577,
herein-before referred to.
The necessary process of welding being carried on in continuity from
the preparatory process herein described, such as breaking down the
heated bloom or pile (from the mill furnace) to the rolling, skelping,
and shaping, that the remaining heat in the metal may be utilized in

page_text: the welding or finishing from passing through the several processes from
the mill furnace to the finished tube.
Having thus described this section of our improvements in the manu-
facture of open-jointed semi-welded iron or steel tubes, we wish it
understood that we do not purpose limiting ourselves to the form or
detail herein described and exhibited, as the whole may be varied
without departing from the object and purpose of our Invention; as
for instance, the grooved rolls, as at A and B, may be made short,
having one specified size of groove round their periphrey, or be made
longer than as shown in the Drawing, or fuller of grooves, so that the
ordinary rolls used in iron works for rolling round iron bars may be
utilized for shaping and closing strip iron or steel into various kinds
of tube, and to do this in the manner heroin described and set forth,
or other equivalent means taken in connection with our former Patents,
Nos. 3368, dated September Twenty-seventh, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-five, and 3577, of October Fifteenth, One thousand
cight hundred and seventy-five, is what we claim and wish to protect
under these our in part recited Letters Patent, the processes being followed
up in continuity from the heated bloom or pile to the finished tube.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Brownhill, junior, and
Thomas Henry Smith, have hereunto set our hands and seals,
this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM BROWNHILL, JUN³. (L.S.)
THOMAS HENRY SMITH.
(L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE GRIFFIN,
Clerk to Mr. J. S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
17, Ann St.,
Birmingham.