Improvements in Tube Expanders.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tube Expanders.
I, HAROLD WORKMAN, B.Sc., of Dunluce, Dullatur, in the County of Dumbar-
ton, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say:-
My said invention comprises improved tube expanders which are well adapted
for fixing the tubes of water-tube boilers in the junction boxes or headers, and
are also applicable for fixing tubes in other parts.
A tube expander as made with one modification of my improvements, has three
or more small steel rollers held in slots in a case or cylindrical box, which is
adjustable in a gland or short collared tube shaped to fit in an opening formed in
the outer side of the junction box or header. The end of the case has a squared
projection on it for wrench or handled lever; and through a bore in the end of
the case there extends a mandril which is made with a tapered part to act on the
expanding rollers, and which is adapted to receive a wrench or lever on its outer
end. For tubes under 2 inches in diameter the expanding operation may be
effected by turning the case, the mandril being fed inwards by hammering or
by screwing. For larger tubes the action may be effected by turning the mandril
which then frictionally turns the rollers these carrying the case round with
them.
An elongated modification of the instrument extending through the tube is
adapted for expanding its further end, so that it may be unnecessary to have an
opening in the outer side of the further junction box or other part at the further
end of the tube. For this purpose the rollers are arranged in the end of a tube
which is long enough to extend through the boiler tube, and which is at its other
end held similarly to the outer part of the case in the first modification. The
mandril is made long enough to extend through the boiler tube, and is made with
a reversed taper to act on the expanding rollers.
1.
The mandrils may be made with the parts acting on the rollers tapered oppo-
sitely to what has been described, the arrangements for feeding the mandril being
modified accordingly or the rollers may be slightly inclined. And instead of the
case or box being adjustable it may be made to suit some applications without
being adjustable, and it may fit an opening in the junction box or header without
having a gland.
100K

page_text: I, HAROLD WORKMAN, B.Sc., of Dunluce, Dullatur, in the County of Dumbar-
ton, North Britain, Engineer, 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, that is to say: -
My said invention comprises improved tube expanders which are well adapted
for fixing, the tubes of water-tube boilers in the junction boxes or headers and
are also applicable for fixing tubes in other parts.
or
A tube expander as made with one modification of my improvements, has three
or more small steel rollers which may be slightly inclined held in slots in a case
box which is adjustable in a gland shaped to fit in an opening
formed in the outer side of the junction box or other part; and through a bore
in the case there extends a mandril which is made with a tapered part to act on
the expanding rollers; the case and mandril being also each or either adapted to
receive a wrench or lever on their outer ends. To effect the expanding operation
the case may be turned and the mandril fed inwards by hammering or by screw-
ing. Or the mandril may be turned which then frictionally turns the rollers these
carrying the case round with them.
An elongated modification of the instrument is adapted for expanding the
further end of a tube. For this purpose the rollers are arranged in the end of a
tube which is long enough to extend through the boiler tube the mandrid being
made of a corresponding length.
Instead of the case or tube carrying the rollers being adjustable they may be
made, to suit some applications, without being adjustable, and they may fit an
opening in the junction box or other part without having a gland.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings
to be hereinafter referred to and showing two modifications of my improvements.
Figure, 1, on the accompanying sheet of drawings is an elevation of one modifi-
cation of my improved tube expander. Figure, 2, is a lengudinal section show-
ing the application of same in expanding the front end of a tube, Figure, 3, being
a transverse section and Figure, 4, an end elevation of same. Figure, 5, is an
elevation of a second modification of my tube expander; and Figure, 6, is a
longitudinal section showing the application of same in expanding the further end
of a tube In these drawings the same reference letters are used to mark the
same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
In the modification shown in Figures, 1, to 4, the tube expander has three
small steel rollers, A, held in slots in a case or cylindrical box, B, their axes being
slightly inclined to that of the case. The case, B, has a collar, C, fitted with a
pinching screw, D, screwed on it so that it can be adjustably held in a gland or
short collared tube, E, shaped to fit in an opening, F, formed in the outer side
of the junction box or header, G, in an opening in the other side of which
header, G, the tube, L, is to be expanded. The end of the case, B, has a squared
projection, H, on it for a wrench or handled lever (not shown); and through a
bore in the end of the case, B, there extends a mandril, J, which is made with a
tapered part, K, to act on the expanding rollers, A; and which is adapted to
receive a wrench or lever (not shown) on its outer end. For a tube, L, under
2 inches in diameter the expanding operation may be effected by turning the
case, B, the mandril, J, being fed inwards by hammering, by screwing, or by the
action of the rollers they being slightly inclined. For larger tubes the action may

page_text: be effected by turning the mandril, J, which then frictionally turns the rollers, A,
these carrying the case, B, round with them.
An elongated modification of the instrument, shown in Figures, 5, and 6, ex-
tending through the tube, L, is adapted for expanding its further end so that it
may be unnecessary to have an opening in the outer side of the further junction
box, M, or other part at the further end of the tube, L. For this purpose the
rollers, A, are arranged in the end of a tube, N, which is long enough to extend
through the boiler tube, L, and which tube, N, is at its other end held similarly
to the outer part of the case (B) in the modification herein before described. The
mandril, J, is also made long enough to extend through the boiler tube, L., The
parts not particularly referred to are to be understood to be the same or similar to
corresponding parts in the modification herein before described.
The mandril, J, of either or both modifications may be made with the part, K,
acting on the rollers, A, tapered oppositely to what is shown in the drawings, the
arrangements for feeding the mandril being modified accordingly.
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:-
A tube expander having three or more small rollers held in slots in a case or
box or in a tube long enough to extend through the boiler tube, which case or
tube is adjustable in a gland shaped to fit in an opening formed in the outer side
of the junction box or other part; or which may fit the opening without having
a gland, the case or tube being made with a bore through which extends a man-
dril made with a tapered part; and the case or tube and mandril being also each
or either adapted to receive a wrench or lever on their outer ends, the parts being
constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein before described.
Dated this Eleventh day of August 1898.
;
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.