Improvements in the Manufacture of Elbows, Tees, and similar Fittings for Tubes, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th D.c., 1895-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1897
:1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Elbows, Tees, and similar
Fittings for Tubes, and in Apparatus therefor.
We, HENRY HOWARD, Manufacturer, and CAMPBELL GROVE HARRISON,
Engineer, both of Coombs Wood Tube Works, Halesowen, near Birmingham,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
This invention has for its object the manufacture of fittings of large size from
thin metal generally steel. Hitherto this has been very costly and a matter of
great difficulty indeed it has been impossible commercially to make say 8 inch
or larger elbows tees or crosses from 3 inch steel and the price of even 6 inch
fittings is very high.
The main cause of this difficulty was that it has been necessary to heat the
metal many times first to bring it to form and afterwards to weld the edges and
since the fittings will not support themselves at a welding heat the mandrels as
well as the fittings have put into the fire necessitating the constant rapid moving
of heavy weights there is great danger also of injuring the metal by burning.
According to this invention the difficulty is overcome by first pressing up the
fitting to form from a blank of sheet metal in a somewhat similar manner to that
which has before been proposed for small fittings and then welding the joint not
by heating the whole of the metal but by heating the edges only along the line to
be welded.
In making an equal tee piece we proceed as follows:-We take a flat rectangular
blank of sheet metal about twice as long as it is wide and cut small squares out of
its corners forming it into a cross and trim its sides to make them very slightly
concave. We then press this blank between dies so formed that the narrow arms
of the cross become semi-circular troughs and the remainder a flat bottomed trough
with curved sides. The blank is then placed with the centre line of the broad
trough above a semi-circular die and the head of a T shaped plunger with arms of
a circular section is brought down forcing the flat bottom of the wider trough into
the die and bringing the edges of its sides together so that it now forms a tube
around the head of the T. The movement also brings the two smaller troughs
together forming a tube around the stem of the T. The edges of the blank are
now brought to a welding heat by causing the electric arc to play along them and
the edges of the blank are welded together the T shaped plunger forming a
mandrel. The latter is made in two pieces connected together by a pin which is
now withdrawn the stem and head of the T being then removed separately from
the finished fitting.
The same blank can also be bent up to form in one operation by employing a
press with three rams. In this case the blank is placed on a semicircular die and
the shaped plunger described above is brought down onto it. Two side rams
with suitably formed heads then advance horizontally and complete the operation.
The die first described is preferably built up in three parts secured together by
bolts. The flat bottom of the under trough constitutes one part and by removing
this and bolting together the other two the die can be employed for making
cross pieces.
A bend or round elbow is made from a square blank having two opposite sides
trimmed to circles which touch the middles of these two sides and cut the other

page_text: two about a fourth way from the corners. This is then pressed in a die to a flat
bottomed trough with rounded sides of which the two straight edges of the blank
form the tops. This trough is then placed above a die corresponding to the shape
of the outside of the bend of the elbow and a mandrel (made in halves) having the
form of the interior of the elbow is then pressed down onto it bending it into shape
and bringing the two straight edges of the blank together in a line running round
the inside of the bend. This liue is then welded as before and the two halves of
the mandrel are withdrawn.
The welds may simply be butt joints but preferably one edge is slightly bevelled
and the other bent round so that the side of one plate abuts against the edge of the
other giving additional metal at the junction. Or both edges may be bevelled
and a wire be laid on the groove so formed.
The welding can be done piece by piece along the seam or the whole seam may
be brought to a welding heat and the welding be performed by a press.
Dated this 19th day of March 1895.
HENRY HOWARD.
C. GROVE HARRISON.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Elbows, Tees, and similar
Fittings for Tubes, and in Apparatus therefor.
We, HENRY HOWARD, Manufacturer, and CAMPBELL GROVE HARRISON,
Engineer, both of Coombs Wood Tube Works, Halesowen, near Birmingham,
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 has for its object the manufacture of fittings of large size from
thin metal, generally steel. Hitherto this has been very costly and a matter of
great difficulty indeed it has been impossible commercially to make say 8 inch
or larger elbows, tees or crosses from inch steel and the price of even 6 inch
fittings is very high.
The main cause of this difficulty was that it has been necessary to heat the
metal many times, first to bring it to form and afterwards to weld the edges, and
since the fittings will not support themselves at a welding heat the mandrels as
well as the fittings have been put into the fire, necessitating the constant rapid
moving of heavy weights, there is great danger also of injuring the metal by
burning.
According to this invention the difficulty is overcome by first pressing up the
fitting to form from a blank of sheet metal in a somewhat similar manner to that
which has before been proposed for small fittings and then welding the joint not
by heating the whole of the metal but by heating the edges only along the line to
be welded.
In making an equal tee piece we proceed as follows:- We take a flat rectangular
blank of sheet metal about twice as long as it is wide and cut small squares out of
its corners forming it into a cross and trim its sides to make them very slightly
concave. We then press this blank between dies so formed that the narrow arms
of the cross become semi-circular troughs and the remainder a flat bottomed trough
with curved sides. The blank is then placed with the centre line of the broad
trough above a semi-circular die and the head of a T shaped plunger with arms of
a circular section is brought down forcing the flat bottom of the wider trough
into the die and bringing the edges of its sides together so that it now forms a tube
around the head of the T. The movement also brings the two smaller troughs

page_text: together forming a tube around the stem of the T. The edges of the blank are
now brought to a welding heat by causing the electric arc to play along them and
the edges of the blank are welded together, the T shaped plunger forming a
mandrel. The latter is made in two pieces connected together by a pin which
is now withdrawn, the stem and head of the T being then removed separately
from the finished fitting.
The same blank can also be bent up to forin in one operation by employing a press
with three rams.
In this case the blank is placed on a semicircular die and the
Tshaped plunger described above is brought down onto it. Two side rams with
suitably formed heads then advance horizontally and complete the operation.
The die first described is preferably built up in three parts secured together
by bolts. The flat bottom of the under trough constitutes one part and by
removing this and bolting together the other two the die can be employed for
making cross pieces.
A bend or round elbow is made from a square blank having two opposite sides
trimmed to circles which touch the middles of these two sides and cut the other
two about a fourth way from the corners. This is then pressed in a die to a flat
bottomed trough with rounded sides of which the two straight edges of the blank
form the tops. This trough is then placed above a die corresponding to the shape
of the outside of the bend of the elbow and a mandrel (made in halves) having the
form of the interior of the elbow is then pressed down on to it bending it into shape
and bringing the two straight edges of the blank together in a line running round
the inside of the bend. This line is then welded as before and the two halves of
the mandrel are withdrawn.
The welds may simply be butt joints but preferably one edge is slightly bevelled
and the other bent round so that the side of one plate abuts against the edge of
the other giving additional metal at the junction. Or both edges may be bevelled
and a wire be laid on the groove so formed.
The welding can be done piece by piece along the seam or the whole seam may
be brought to a welding heat and the welding be performed by a press.
Figure 1 shows a sheet of metal which when dressed to the dotted lines is the
required shape for an equal tee as is shown at Figures 4 and 5. Figure 10 shows
a sheet of metal for a cross, Figure 28. Figure 18 shows a sheet suitable for a
round elbow or short bend, Figures 16 and 17. The plate or sheet for a tee is
heated and placed between the dies, Figure 7, these dies being adjusted in a press
for the purpose, and brought to the form shown at Figures 2 and 3, then it is
reheated and put between dies Figure 9 and pressed to shape for welding, see
Figure 5. The top pressing tool b, Figure 9, is in two parts and held together
while in action by the pin c, Figures 21, 22 and 23; after the tee is formed to
proper shape the pin c is withdrawn and as shown in Figure 21 the parts a' b'
and c can then be released from the fitting.
The plate Figure 1 can also be pressed to shape at one operation, and at one.
heat as shown in Figures 19 and 20 by means of a three ram press, the rams being
arranged at proper angles or centres. The plate is placed on the die h, pressure
is applied to the ram bin the cylinder c, i is forced down, immediately after
pressure is applied to the rams df, they force the dies 1 m forward carrying the
tilted portions of a with them and close them round the upper portion of i, thus
preparing the tee for welding without reheating. The pin n is withdrawn as in
previous operation, Figures 21, 22 and 23. The method shown in Figure 13
is sometimes used. The press is provided with two cheeks a a which are secured
to the top ram, in this case 6 merely rests on c. The fittings are released by'
removing the pin d.
The dies of the pressing tools shown in Figures 6, 7.and.8 are built up in three
parts abc and held together by the bolts d.
When a cross is required the centre part b is taken out and a
and
are bolted
together as shown in Figures 11. and 12.

page_text: The plate Figure 10 after being sheared to the dotted lines is treated in the
same way as Figure 1 but this fitting is made in halves Figure 11 and welded
together as shown at d d, Figure 28.
Bends or round elbows are made from plates cut to the dotted lines, Figure 18,
first pressed to the shape a, Figure 14, reheated and pressed between dies,
The divided mandrilƒƒ
Figure 15, which shows a half section at 6 c, Figure 16.
in its downward course draws the bent parts a a round it thus completing the
shape, as Figure 17, ready for welding. This can also be done at one operation
between similar dies to him, Figure 19, but the mandrel ff is used in place of i,
Figure 19, and is released by knocking out the pin g and raising the lever h.
Welding is effected by the tools shown at Figures 24 to 28, heat being applied
by an electric arc. During the bending or shaping process the edges or parts to
be welded are pinched or turned up as shown at a b, Figure 29, or cd, Figure 30,
the dies being recessed in one case and fins left on in the other to give the
peculiar form, these forms are found to be most suitable for electric welding as
the arc is better able to spread itself over and thoroughly heat the parts to be
united.
Figure 30 shows a section of round bar which is also heated electrically, it is
advantageous to use this together with the V joint c d. The fitting to be welded
is placed on part of the mandrel b, Figures 24, 25 and 26, which is held rigidly
by the pin l, the other half c being drawn up by the pinion d, keyed on to the
spindle and geared into the rack i. c is then lowered and held fast with the
rack and pinion, the teat h keeping the two parts true to angle and curve.
Contact is then made with the carbon a, Figure 27, which is manipulated
by the man in charge with the handle b or the carbon may be moved
mechanically.
When the seams 9, Figure 24, and d, Figure 27 and Figure 28, are brought to
a welding heat the pressers a a and c are brought down and unite the parts firmly
together, the seams may also be welded with this apparatus by any other suitable
means. To withdraw the part c the motion of the pinion is reversed, as it goes the
fitting is drawn a little way off b till is free. As both parts of the mandrel are
reduced in size towards the centre sufficient play is given at g to free the curved
part and drop the fitting clear of band c. Figure 24 is used for welding
tees, crosses bends and elbows; for sockets and other connections it requires to
be modified.
The press Figure 19 is also designed to square, test and true up the outlets of
fittings. To square or true up to angles, they are heated in a muffle, placed
between the rams to which mandrels or drifts of a proper shape are fixed; these
are driven into or through the fittings, thus brought true for screwing.
The mandrels are in turn removed and plattens or discs are substituted as at
Figures 31, 32 and 33 for testing by hydraulic or other pressure to which testing
we make no claim. Suitable joint making material is spread over the openings
of the fittings, the plattens a b and c are run hard on, water is admitted through
the pipe e the air escaping through f which is provided with a valve h, Figure 32,
when clear of air, h is closed, and the required pressure applied through e;
cd d, Figure 32, are packing blocks formed to suit the varying shapes of the
fittings.
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 elbows, tees and similar fittings by
first pressing up a blank and then welding by heating the edges only substantially
as described.
2. The various methods of manufacturing elbows, tees and similar fittings
substantially as described and illustrated by the drawings.

page_text: 3. The apparatus for manufacturing elbows, tees and similar fittings substantially
as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated thin ofth day of Naxamber 1805
HENRY HOWARD.
C. G. HARRISON.