US1471373A - Method of making seamless tubes rich in zinc - Google Patents

Description

Oct. .23 1923. HAYLSYB w. L. WOODWARD METHOD OF MAKING SEAMLESS TUBES RICH IN ZINC 7 Filed April 2, 1921 [III/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIfiI/IIIIIIII/fi I W21. WWW-M,

Patented @ctt. 23, 1923.

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1AM L. WOODWARD, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO.

METHOD OF MAKING SEAMLESS TUBES RICH IN ZINC.

Application filed April 2,

' To all whom it may concern:

This invention relates to a novel method for making seamless tubes of zinc or of an alloy rich in zinc.

It is well known that cast zinc is of crystalline structure, incapable of being rolled or drawn except under special conditions within well defined limits and the object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple method ofproducing a seamless tube from a cast metal tubular body, the finished product possessing ductility and malleabil-T ity so that said tubes can be drawn, bent,

swaged or otherwise manipulated in the course of commercial fabrication in which a bendable or drawable tube is desired With these objects in view the invention consists in thesteps' hereinafter described and set forth in the appended claims. In the drawing I have diagrammatically outlined the various steps of my process and in which Fig. 1 indicates a longitudinal section of a cast metal body of zinc or of 'an alloy rich in zinc; Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the first treatment to which said tubular body is subjected; Fig. 3 is a Sectional elevation illustrating the beginning of the second treatment and Fig. leis a similar view illustrating the completion of the sec- 0nd treatment; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the transformed tubular body and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a seamless tube drawn from the transformed tubular body illustrated in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed sectional views illustrating another manner of carrying out my improved method and Fig. 9 is a still further modified form of carrying out the same.-

In carrying out my invention I provide a tubular body A of zinc or of an alloy rich in zinc, said body being preferably cast in the form of-a block and then bored centrally as indicated at A, but it will be understood that if desired the tubular body can be cast with the central opening, but in practice I 1921. Serial No. 458,116.

have found it desirable to bore the same. The cast tubular body is crystalline throughout and first of all I find it desirable to mechanically treat this cast metal tubular body to a limited extent and this I do by arrangmg the same upon a suitable mandrel B and subjecting it to a slight hammering operation throughthe medium of a hammer O operated in any suitable manner. The tubular body thus subjected to this preliminary mechan cal treatment is then preferably heated to aslight degree,'that is from 200 to 300 degrees F. and is then subjected to a compressive action for the purpose of breakmg up the crystalline structure and causing the molecules to re'-arrange themselves in such form that the transformed tubular body will be malleable and ductile and capable of being drawn out and worked in any desired manner without the application of heat, and in practice I prefer to place' the tubular body A after being subjected to the preliminary and mechanical treatment and the slight heating operation within a strong inexpansible shell or'container D and then compress the same by means of a mandrel E having the tapered portion E and the extended portion E said extended portion being of a diameter to fit loosely within the bore of the tubular body A and the mandrel from end to end, that is, the extended a portion E the tapered portion E and the main portion E are all very hard steel and highly polished and by applying pressure at the rear end of this mandrel and providing a suitable stop F at the opposite end of the shell and tubular body, I force the mandrel drel is forced throu h the slightly heated tubular body, said bo y will be heated somewhat more from the friction created by the passage of the mandrel and the smoothness of the surface of the mandrel facilitates the compression of the walls of the tubular body and in effecting this compression I completely transform the molecular structure of the tubular body and produce a tubular body A, the walls of which are much thinner than the tubular body A and the bore A thereof much larger than the bore A and the tubular body instead of being of crystalline formation is of such structure that said tubular body can be rolled or drawn out into tubular form as indicated at A in Fig. 6 and all without the further application of heat, the compressive action of the mandrel serving to break up the crys talline structure and transform the tubular body into one possessing malleability and ductility in a high degree. There are other ways of accomplishing this same compressing and transforming action and in Fig. 7 T have shown a moldeGr in which the tubular body His cast, there being a central core I to poduce the necessary bore, a suitable plate being arranged at the bottom to prevent the metal escaping during the molding process. After the zinc or material rich in zinc has cooled to the proper extent I ap ply a follower L to the top or rear thereof and apply strong pressure thereto, it being understood that the interior surface of the mold is highly polished and likewise the central rod and when the pressure is applied to the tubular cast metal body it is forced out in the form of a tube as indicated at M and this tube thus forced out will be found to possess malleability and ductility in contradistinction to the crystalline structure of the tubular body before the compressive force is applied thereto and this cast metal body is preferably subjected to the reliminary hammering or rollingoperation indicated in Fig; 2.

In Fig. 9 T have shown a still further modification in which the cast metal tubular body A is placed upon a suitable anvil N having a tubular rod Q extending up through the central bore of the tubular body and then an inexpansible shell P having the tapering portion P and contracted bore P is forced down over and around the cast metal body A and during this operation the walls of the cast metal body are compressed as previously described, and during this compressive operation the crystalline structure is broken up and a new body is created in which the walls are not only thinner but the structure thereof possesses malleability and ductility so that the tubular body thus transformed can be readily further drawn or worked in any manner similar to a tube possessing malleability and ductility.

that T providea simple and highly eficient method of making seamless tubes of zinc or of an alloy rich in zinc.

Having thus described my invention, what ll claim is: w

-1. The herein described method of making seamless tubes which consists in providing a cast tubular body rich in zinc, subjecting said cast tubular body to mechanical treatment, then heating said tubular body so treated and then subjecting the walls of said tubular bodyto lateral compression.

2. The herein described method of making seamless tubes which consists in providing a cast tubular body rich in zinc, mechanically treating said cast tubular body, then heating said tubular body so treated, then subjecting the walls of said tubular body to lateral compression to transform the crystalline structure of thecast tubular body and provide the tubular body with walls of reduced thickness, the tubular body as a whole after such treatment possessing malleability and ductility.

3. The herein described method of making seamless tubes which consists in first providing a cast metal tubular body of crystalline structure, subjecting said tubular body to mechanical treatment, then heating said tubularbody so treated, then breaking up the crystalline structure and transforming the tubular body into one possessing ductility and malleability by subjecting the walls of saidtubular body to lateral oompress'ion and then drawing said tubular body into a tube of reduced diameter.

4. The. herein described method of breaking up the crystalline structure of a cast metal tubular body and rearranging the molecules thereof so as to provide a tubular body possessing ductility and malleability Which consists in first mechanically treating said cast metal tubular body, then heating the same and finally subjectingithe walls of said tubular body to lateral compression and then drawing said body into a tube of less diameter. i

5. The herein described method of transforming a cast metal tubular body of crystalline structure into a tube possessing malleability and ductility by breaking up the crystalline formation and rearranging the molecules which consists in first mechanically treating the cast metal crystalline tubular body, then heating the same, then subjectingthe walls of said tubular body to lateral compression and finally drawing said ,tubular'body to change the diameter thereof. It will be understood of course that the In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM L. woonwaan.

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