US128369A - Improvement in the manufacture of drain-pipes - Google Patents

Description

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improvement in Manufacture of Drain-Pipe. N0. 128,369, Patentedlune 25,1872.

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UNITED STATES FERDINAND DICKENSON, JR., OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND J. E. COLEMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

Specification forming` part of Letters Patent No. 128,369, dated June 25, 1872.

Specification describing an Improvement in the Manufacture of Drain-Pipes, invented by FERDINAND DICKENSON, J r., of the city and county of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut.

The improvement relates to means whereby I compress or compact together the material with a high degree of force and uniformity. I produce the complete sections of pipe with the ends properly formed for joining together, requiring little labor or skill. I can employ a mixture of Rosendale cement or analogous fat lime, generally termed water-lime, with sand, employing liberal admixtures of coarser flinty particles or gravel to economise the material. I can employ any of the mixtures of these or other materials which have been heretofore used in the manufacture of cement pipes. I believe that I can employ clays of various kinds, and can manufacture by my means pipes thereof which require burning in kilns to make them properly durable; but I will describe the invention as applied to the manufacture of cement pipes.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section with the core and its attachments in their lowest position. Fig. 2 is a corresponding section of a portion with the core in its highest position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with a portion of the removable casing broken away to show the core and its attachments within. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the winged piece which is carried on the top of the core.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is a rigid frame-work or foundation, which affords a support for the several parts, as will be obvious. B is adrivin g-shaft, receiving through belts or fast and loose pulleys, or otherwise, arotatory motion in opposite directions, at will. The gearing represented communicates this motion to the upright sh aft C, and the sm all gearwheel Cl thereon gives motion to the large gear-wheel D1,which, by means of the splinekey d, gives motion to the shaft D. This shaft is the instrument through which several important functions are performed. The collars D2 D3, above the screw-thread d1, receive and confine between them the boss or central hub of a horizontal wheel, D4, which turns therewith and rises and sinks therewith, as the screw-thread d1 shall require, by traversing in the long nut E mounted below. This nut E is, under some conditions, liberated and allowed to turn with the screw, but will for the present be understood to be held in a fixed position, so that as the shaft D is revolved it shall rise or sink slowly. The horizontal wheel D4 carries, by means of bolts d2, a tall hollow casting marked D5, which I term a core. It performs the function of holding out the material and shaping the interior of the pipe. Its upper end carries a removable piece marked D6, which is peculiar andimportant. This piece D6 is adapted to be locked and removed at pleasure, by means of a bayonet-joint connection, to the upper projecting end ofthe shaft D. It is provided with helical blades analogous to the blades of a screw-propeller, but, preferably, extending further around. I prefer to employ two of these blades; but one may serve, or a greater number may be employed, if preferred. As the shaft D revolves in the proper direction the screw-bladeswhich I will designate by the general letter D-take hold of any material which is presented to them and compress it or compact it downward with great force. It will be observed that they do not extend out horizontally, but droop at an angle of about forty-ve degrees. M is a movable casing, which may be formed of rolled iron, steel, or analogous material, having a joint or opening on one side provided with legs or fastenings 5 or there may be continuous flanges along those edges if preferred, by which the joint may be tightly and strongly secured and again liberated at pleasure. The entire casing M, with its fastenings m, is adapted to be secured down by engaging under the stout hooks A', fixed on the frame, as represented. The case M may be readily disengaged by partially turning it around on its seat, and, after the pipe is formed therein, may be lifted with its inclosed material and carried away and opened and a new case substituted in its place. The entire shaft D, with its attached core D5, is lowered previous to the applying of an empty case, M,

and the screw-top D6 being properly secured in position, the case M is applied and fastened, and a quantity of the previously-mixed damp material is supplied through the open top. The machinery being now set in operation, the shaft D is turned, and the screw-winged piece Di commences its revolution in the bottom ofthe semi-plastic mass, catching hold of the several particles within its range and crowding them forcibly down. The adjacent surface of the framing is formed conical, as shown, immediately embracing the core D5 so as to give the desired hollow conical form to the compressed material. As the winged piece D6 catches successive quantities of the plastic material and crowds it forcibly down, the screw-thread d1, acting within the nut E, raises it slowly, so that at each revolution a thin and ti ghtly-compacted layeris compressed and iirmly united with the previously-compressed material below. Thus the pipe is rapidly built up by successive increments, uniformly and forcibly packed by the action of the screw DG, until the whole has mounted to or near the extreme top of the casing M. The under side of the screw-piece D6 is conical near its periphery, and properly formed to impart just the right shape to the finished end of the compressed pipe. It can be held steady at the proper level for a little time and allowed to revolve there. This is effected at the proper juncture by liberating the nut E, as before suggested. F is a sliding bolt mounted in suitable guides in the framing, and adapted to match into one or more notches in the periphery of thenut E. lts outer end is pivoted .to the hand-lever G, which turns upon a iixed center, g. The attendant, by moving this hand-lever G a little distance, detaches the bolt F from the nut E, and the nut E, thereupon turning with the screw D, allows the screw and its attachments to revolve a dozen times, more or less, at a iixed level. This operation iinishes the upper end of the pipe andv causes it to match exactly to the hollow end of the next one, when they are applied together for use. I believe it practicable to operate with some success without the further provision shown for insuring the rotation of the nut E. But I will describe the provision which I have used and esteem important to guarantee that the motion of the n'ut shall be uniform with that of the screw when desired, and this is the clutch H, which is mounted on the screw-shaft D at a little lower level, and is caused to revolve therewith by means of a spline-key, h. The upper face of this clutch H and thelower face of the nut being toothed and properly adapted to each other, an extension of the lever Gr, taking hold of the clutch-piece E, causes it to rise and engage with the nut at the same moment that the bolt F is withdrawn. Now, by giving sufficient motion to the hand-lever Gr it will be seen that the nut is rst liberated by the removal of the bolt F, and then immediately after engaged by the clutch II and compelled toturn with the screw D. The pipe ina-y be made of any thickness desired. The ratio of the diameter of the interior core to the diameter of the entire pipe may vary within wide limits. I have represented about the proportion generally employed in drain-pipe. The exterior casin g M may, if preferred, be made of cast-iron or other material, and may be made in two halves, or in a greater number of sections, like the staves of a barrel, if preferred for any reason. So, also, the interior core D5 may be variously constructed.

I have represented what I esteem a proper and desirable construction. However these parts are formed, they are liable to be exposed to very considerable strains. pression induced by my screw-piece D6 is and ought to be quite powerful. It is obviously much more efcient by acting on a few particles ora thin layer at a time, instead of acting through a great mass at the same moment; but the peculiar operation does not relieve the exterior and interior walls of the forming mass from a considerable pressure.

I have found, in practice, that a core, D5, having a diameter equal to twothirds the entire diameter of the pipe, on beingV thrust up into the loosely-deposited mass of mixed material does not cause a rise of the surface of the soft material to as great an extent as its displacement would seem to require. I ascribe this to the close packing of the particles. In fact, in making pipe of a fair thickness the casing M is filled nearly full at the commencement, while the core D5 is in its lowest position, and as the eore rises, very little of the material is ultimately forced out at the top. Nearly all of the entire contents is retained in the form of a closely-compacted pipe.

The action of the drooping wings on the piece D6 not only compresses the material by small successive increments or layers, and leaves it with a proper incline for the male end of the pipe, with a uniformity of action from the extreme opposite end to which the droop allows it to match exactly, but also drawsthe material inward by acting thus obliquely upon it, so as to counteract the tendency to press it outward too forcibly against the interior of the casing. The ordinary form of screw wings press it out against the case more forcibly than against the core. My form compresses it about equally in both directions, and makes the outer and inner surfaces about equally dense, but with a slight excess of density and smoothness on the inner surface where it is most needed.

When the section of pipe is finished, so far as its production within the casin g M and between it and the core D5 is concerned, its removal must be next attended to. Stopping the machinery entirely I disen gage the top piece, which I have designated the screw piece D6, by turning it partially around ou the shaft D and lifting it off. The projections D7, represented just above the screw-wings on the piece DG, serve the double function of handles to lift it by at this stage, and of mixers to aid in agitating the plastic mass as it comes up The com-V A ing out the core from the nished pipe I believe may be more rapid than that by which it was elevated, and thus a little time may be saved under some circumstances; but in my experiments I have run it down with the same slow motion with which it was elevated. When,

as will usually be the case, the work is run by a single small engine or pair of engines without a governor the speed may be. increased to any degree which may be convenient in running down the core. So soonV as the core is withdrawn the case M may be liberated by partially turning it or otherwise unlocking it from the holdin g-hooks A', and the case with'its contained length of pipe may then be loaded on a cart or car to carry away to the dryingfloor; and the top piece D6 being applied and locked on the top of the core and of the shaft D, a fresh case, M, may be applied and filled or nearly lled, and the operation repeated.

The wheel D4 is formed with radial grooves,

Awhich allow the locking-bolts d2 to be moved outward and inward to any desired extent to allow of an exchange of cores. I can vary the size of the cores D5 within wide limits by simply changing the portion of the framing immediately surrounding, and which should iit closely thereto.

In the working of some compounds of Vmaterials, and in the manufacture of some sizes of pipes, it may be desirable to avoid the continuous rotatory motion of the core D5. In such case I mount the wheel D4 loosely on the shaft D, allowing it to turn freely between the collars D2 and D3, and provide a vertical guide engaging in a notch in the edge of the wheel D, or other suitable means to prevent the core from rotating. Care should be taken under such working to furnish the joint at the top, between the core D5 and the screw-piece D6, with leather packing or other efiicient means for preventing the clogging of the joint with the material which is being worked. The joint should be tightened easily, so that the screw piece D6, receiving powerful and continuous rotatory motion as before from the revolving shaft D, shall graduallyclimb through the mass of 1n aterial and compact it down in the a nnularspace around the core, while the core shall perform the same functions as before--of holding it out to its proper place after it has been thus com! pacted-without the rotatcry motion.

I can work the machine in various other positions, and with various other proportions of the parts than are here represented. The machine rnay be worked with `the shaft in a horizontal or in various inclined positions instead of an upright position. It may be preferred for some uses to give arotatory motion to the external casing M, making its interior'very smooth, and revolving it by suitable machinery in the direction opposite to that of the internal core and of the screw-piece.

Sonne of the advantages due to certain features of my invention may be separately enumerated, as follows: First, by reason of the fact that the screw-wings D, which compress the material -by small increments, have an inoline or drooping form on their under surfaces, I am able to give the pipe the uniform density and hardness due to the action of the screw-wings, and consequently a high degree of strength and soundness, and the tendency is toleave the body of the pipe uniformly compressed on its inner and outer surfaces, and also with the proper taper for the male end of the pipe. Second, by reason of the screw-thread d working within the nut E below the core D5, and the win ged screw piece D6 working in the plastic material, I am able, byconvenient mechanism, to regulate with uniformity the rate of ascent of the screw piece through the soft material, and to insure that the layers compressed thereby are uniform and regular. Third, by reason of the unlocking device F and its operating means I am able to liberate the nut E at the proper period and allow the shaft D to turn at a given level, and thus, by means ofthe winged piece DG, to give a superior nish to the upper or male end of the pipe, and again to engage the screw conveniently when it is .necessary to lower the core. Fourth, by reason of the clutch piece H and the lever G, operating as shown, I am able to insure the turning of the nut E uniformly with the shaft D so soon as it is liberated by the disengagement of the bolt F, and to insure its release again just prior to its being again relocked. Fifth, by reason of the handles D7, as arranged on the screw-piece D, I am able to conveniently handle the screw piece by hand or by any suitable apparatus in taking it off and putting it on and securing it 5 and also to effect the entirely distinct and important function of stirring and kneading the material in advance of the action of the screw-wings.

I claim as my invention- 1. The screw-wings D6, having their under surfaces drooped to correspond with the core required for the male end of the pipe, and operati ng in the annular space between the casing M and the core D5, substantially as herein specified.

2. The screw-thread d', nut E, and revolving shaft D, arranged below the core D5, and winged screw-piece D6, and adapted to operate relatively to each other and to the plastic material in the casing M or its equivalent, substantially as specied.

3. The locking and unlocking device F with its operating means, arranged to serve, as represented, relatively to the nut E, shaft D all, materia-l prior to the notion'of the screw-Wings,

and Winged top piece D6, for the purposes as specified. specified. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 4. The clutch piece H, arranged to operate my name in presence of two subscribing Witrelatively to the nut E, liberating means F, nesses. and shaft D and its connections, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

5. The radial armsDT on the removable screw piece D6, arranged, :is shown, and adapted to serve both as handles and as kneaders for the FERDINAND DICKENSON, JR.

Witnesses:

S. D. SPERRY, W. H. CHAMPLIN.

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