US2032271A

US2032271A - Pipe forming process

Info

Publication number: US2032271A
Application number: US695155A
Authority: US
Inventors: Winford L Enghauser
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-10-25
Filing date: 1933-10-25
Publication date: 1936-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1953-02-25

Description

Feb. 25, 1936. w. L. ENGHAUSER PIPE FORMING PROCESS Filed Oct. 25, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORNEY:

Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFIC 2,032,271 urn FORMING mocnss Winford L. Enghauser, Lebanon, Ohio Application October 25, 1933, Serial No. 695,155

2 Claims. (01. vet-a4) This invention relates to the ar't of forming pipe, and is particularly directed to a method for joining the longitudinally abutting edges of r formed-up flat pipe stock.

It is the object of this invention to provide a method for forming pipe from fiat stockwherein the longitudinal joint of the formed pipe is closed or seamed by frictionally inducing a metal forming heat in the metal of adjacent longitudi- ,nal seam flanges and controlling the flow of the. metal so that the flanges merge together and become fused resulting to constitute a seam in a pipe having no apparent joint, or in other words, of continuous unbroken circular structure.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for closing the longitudinal joint of rolled-up pipe stock in which apparatus is included for preserving the roundness of the pipe during the joint forming operation.

Other objects and further advantages will be more fully apparent from a descriptionof the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. pipe forming apparatus including the present improved apparatus and employing the present method.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of Figure 1, showing the formation of the pipe as it passes through the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken transversely of the mandril and supported pipe prior to the joint forming operation.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken transversely of the pipe, the pipe supporting means, and the joint forming disc, showing the pipe in finished or joined condition.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5, Figure 4, illustrating in detail the action of the forming discs on the adjacent longitudinal seam flanges of the pipe.

The improvements concerned in this application have been illustrated in conjunction with machinery for forming up a tube and bringing together longitudinally related flangededges for operation thereon by the particular mechanism concerned in this invention. For the purpose of identification, the joint sealing or forming unit concerned herein is generally designated at 6.

. Referring more specifically to the drawing, a table or frame 1 is employed. The stock from which the pipe is formed is supplied ina flat strip a and is fed initially to the appafatus for rolling the strip by lateral contact into a tube and bringing the longitudinal edges of the strip into proximity. For this purpose rollers 9 are provided, the rollers having arcuate tracking grooves.

In the present illustration there are three pairs of rollers. The rollers of each-pair are spaced apart for receiving the metal strip between them. 5 These rollers are journalled on vertical axes and are driven by power through gears 9. Initially the sheet is forced between these rollers by means of power driven rollers I0, I 0 engaging the top and bottom of the strip. 10

The strip 8 is moved toward a mandril l I. This mandril is supported at its end adjacent the feeding'end of the machine by means of a plate extension l2 disposed upwardly and bolted to an arm l3 of the frame. The metal is rolled up from the sides and is brought together after it passes the support of the mandril. The mandril extends to a position adjacent the seaming or joint forming apparatus. The last rollers of the series accordingly engage against the completely rounded pipe structure, bringing it together in perfectly circular shape about the mandril. The formed pipe slips along the mandril and passes between the rollers of the joint forming mechanism.

The rollers 9 are driven at a low rate of speed. The speed of these rollers is made to conform to the rate of lineal travel of the pipe so that there is no friction taking place in the feed, the movement of the rollers merely aiding the lineal feed of the pipe.

The joint closing unit incorporates a frame. or bracket element ll secured on the main frame 1 by means of bolts. Idler rollers l5 are jour nalled-on vertically disposed-stub shafts l6, one at each side of the tube. These rollers have arcuate tracking grooves fitting against the tube and upper flanges l1. Another roller l8 has an arcuate tracking groove engaging the underside of the pipe or tube. The roller is journalled on a horizontal shaft secured in the bracket l4.

A forming disc I9 is journalled in a vertically slidably mounted bearing block 20 engaged upon slideways 2| of the bracket. A vertically disposed screw 22 is screwed through the bracket l4 and has its head 23 loosely disposed in the journal or hearing block. The journal block is fabricated of abutting plates 24, 24 for the purpose of assembly about the head of the screw rod and'the ways of the bracket I4. A hand wheel 25 is fixed on the upper end of the screw 5 for manipulation thereof, and a lock nut 26 fixes the screw in position. Rotation of the screw raises and lowers the forming disc relative to the tube and its joint so that the appropriate contact is readily accomplished.

between the adjoining edges.

The disc I! is power driven through a belt 21 engaging a pulley 28 flxed on the end of the shaft 28 which supports the disc. The engagement of the disc with the tube is-directly over the joint equally overlapping the adjoining flanges of the tube. A minimum working clearance (see Figure 4) is desirable between the roller flanges l1 and the respective sides of the tube in order that there can be no displacement of the mental of the tube at these points.

The disc is driven at a rate of speed suitable for frictionally inducing forming heat in the metal of the pipe in the adjoining longitudinal edges thereof. These adjoining edges of the tube, as formed up, include longitudinal flanges 29 (see Figure 3). The flanges 29 provide the metal mass to be formed into the joint in the fusing process. The disc driven at a high rate of speed against the flanges 29 heats them and displaces the metal thereof into the crevice 30 The longitudinal margins of the tube become heated and a merging and fusing of all metal flange results.. The metal used in the formation of pipe according to this method is preferably malleable which readily heats under the action of the disc.

Having described my invention, I claim:

' 1. The process of forming pipe comprising the steps of; bending a flat strip into a tubular form with outwardly disposed flanged edges adiacently disposed; passing the tube thus formed along'a support in relation to a. rapidly rotating disc with the periphery of the disc pressed against the outwardly disposed flanged edges for conjointly heating and pressing the outwardly disposed flanged edgos together at the point of contact with the disc causing the metal of these edges to merge thereby forming a completely closed seamless tube. v

2. The process of forming pipe comprising the steps of bending a flat strip into the form of a tube and incidentally forming adjacently disposed flanged edges; passing said tube thus formed along a support; and enga n said flanged edges under considerable pressure with the periphery of a disc rotating at a speed sumcient for producing a softening heat in theflanges by virtue of friction caused by the speed and pressure of the disc; and swearing and merging the heated edges by virtue of the pressure applied as described to form a seamless tube.-

, WIN'FORD L. ENGHAUQER.