US358552A

US358552A - Campbell p

Info

Publication number: US358552A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1904-03-01

Description

(No Model.) 7

G. P. HIGGINS. MACHINE FOR FORMING TUBES.

Patented Mar. 1, 1887.

A TTORNEY.

Phmumo m Walhingion u c CAMPBELL P. HIGGINS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MACl-HNE FOR F SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ORMING TUBES.

Patent No. 358,552, dated March 1, 1887.

Application filed August 14, 1856. Serial No. 210,877. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAMPBELL P. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinventcd a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Forming Tubes,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters indicate like parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan view, and Figs. 3 1509, inclusive, detail views, of the various parts of the machine. (Shown separately.)

This invention consists of a forming device for drawing heavy sheet metal or skelp into a tubular form having a rectangular or other shape in cross-section, ready to be welded at its edges by a subsequent operation. The sheet metal is drawn, while in aheated state, longitudinally through a stationary die having opposite converging spiral faces, which force the plate into the tubular form by wrapping or folding the same about a central core or mandrel while it is being drawn, thus accomplishing the work at a single operation.

In order that others may understand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe its construction, explain its operation, andsubsequently point out in the appended claims its novel characteristics.

In the drawings are illustrated the various parts of a machine which is adapted to the formation of tubing having a rectangular cross section; but the general features of construction are equally applicable to the production of varied forms.

The body A of the machine (shown separately in plan View, Fig. 7, and end view, Fig. 8,) composes thatportion of the die which receives the flat skelp at one end, between the upright projections h h, and bends the sides upward into a trough shape, which is further converted into a tubular form by its passage beneath the upper dies, 0 e, on the plate F, which is bolted upon the block A, and is shown separately in side view, Fig. 5, and inverted plan view, Fig. 6. Within this structure Work the draw-tongs, (shownindetail,Figs. 3 and 4,)

composed of a body or guide-bar, B, and a gripping-lever, O. The end j of the movable mandrel D, which is hollow, fits with its socket upon the portionfof the bar B, and is ofa size which will exactly fill the interior of the tube to be formed. The bar B is ofa size equal to the exterior of said tubing, and is designed to precede the mandrel as aguide, between the dies, while the skelp is being first drawn into the same. The bar B is grooved on its under side to receive the draw-rod or gripping-lever O, which is tightened against the work, when drawn, by means of a pin and inclined slot, d. The bar B is further provided with a rod, E, having a hooked end, which engages with the toe e of the mandrel, and having an inclined portion, i, which strikes upon the end .l of the plate F, automatically disengaging said hook.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The draw-tongs are placedinside the machine and the mandrel D is adjusted upon the end f of the bar B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and there held by means of the connectinghook of the rod E, which is dropped over the toe e of said mandrel. The plate or skelp S, (indicated by broken lines, Figs. 1 and 2,) having been previously cut to a suitable width, with its edges beveled for the weld, is introduced in a heated state into the machine in the direction of the arrow between the guides h h until it comes between the jaws of the draw-tongs B 0, where it is seized by said tongs as they close on the workby the engage ment of a draw-chain connected to a hook, g, of the rod 0. The rod O carries with it the bar B, mandrel D, and skelp S, the sides of the latter folding about the said mandrel as the drawing proceeds, first between the spiral converging faces b b of the body A,and thence beneath the spiral-faced inclines c and c of the plate F, which bend the lapping edges successively, one upon the other, over the top of the mandrel. Vvhen the parts have advanced to a point at which the mandrel D has entered the entire length of the dies, the incline i of the rod E strikes the plate F at J, disengaging the hook from the toe e of said mandrel, which is retained by said toe in this position during the passage of the remainder of the skelp, which may be of considerable length, afterward leaving the mandrel free for removal from the dies.

Fig. 9 is aperspective view of a plate which has been partly passed through the dies, and illustrates the spiral course in which the skelp is bent. The inclines c c of the plate F act at the points 0 0 respectively.

The skelp may be drawn into suitable form for pipe of round or polygonal form in crosssection by constructing the machine with a cylindrical or polygonal mandrel and having dies to correspond in form at the terminal end, other details herein described remaining substantially the same.

It is evident that the mandrel D may be made of the entire length of the skelp S, in which case the tube will not slide upon the said mandrel in any portion of its formation, and the action of the stop E will be simply to withdraw the mandrel from the finished tube. In the case of long tubes, however, this will not be convenient, in which case the stop E will hold the mandrel D stationary during the remainder of the formation of the tube after a portion of the tube has already been formed, so that the stiffness of the metal is certain to prevent the distortion of the finished portion by the friction in passing through the die and around the mandrel. The mandrel D can then be held stationary'without detriment to the formation of the tube. It is important, however, that this mandrel should travel with the skelp during the first part of the formation of the tube to lessen the friction upon the skelp, which friction would be sufficient to distort the skelp and cause the tube to be imperfeet.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method of forming rectangular tubing from flat plates of metal by passing the same,together with the mandrel,through a die or dies, which dies are constructed to perform successively the following operations thereupon: first, to bend the skelp into a trough; second, to depress one edge of said trough upon the mandrel; third, to wrap the other edge of said trough around the mandrel overlapping the first edge, substantially as herein described.

2. The method of forming tubing from flat plates of metal by passing the same, together with the mandrel, through a die or dies which act to wrap the plate around said mandrel, the mandrel traveling with the tube during the first part of the operation and remaining stationary relative thereto during the formation of the remainder of the tube, substandies, the same consisting, first, of a pair of spiral converging dies which act to fold the sides of the skelp perpendicularly into a trough; second, of a spiral die which acts to fold one edge of said trough upon a mandrel; third, of a spiral die which acts to fold the remaining edge of said trough around the mandrel,'overlapping the first edge, substantially as shown, preparatory to welding the said edges.

4. In mechanism for forming tubing from flat plates, the eombinatiomwith a die or dies shaving warped surfaces, and a mandrel, of gripping-tongs, one portion of the same consisting of a guide-bar, substantially as shown, fitting the interior of said dies and provided with means (as a tongue and socket) for sustaining saidmandrel in line with said guidebar during the introduction of said mandrel between the dies.

5. I11 mechanism for forming tubing from flat plates, the combination, with a die or dies having warped surfaces, and a mandrel, of gripping-tongs, the same consisting of a guidebar fitting the interior of said dies and having a gripping-lever, as shown, and provided with means (as an inclined slot) whereby the drawing movement of said gripping lever will effect a simultaneous gripping of the skelp.

6. In mechanism for forming tubing from flat plates, the combination of a die having warped surfaces, mandrel, and gripping jaw or tongs provided with means (as a hooked bar) for causing the mandrel to travel with the plate during the formation of a part or all of the tube, substantially as specified.

7. In mechanism for forming tubing from flat plates, the combination of a die having warped surfaces, a mandrel, and a gripping jaw or tongs provided with means (as ahooked bar) for causing the mandrel to travel with the plate during the formation of a part or all of the tube, and means for automatically disengaging the mandrel froin the tongs, substantially as specified.

CAMPBELL P. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

' 0. WV. FORBES,

WM. H. HANNA.