US715857A - Apparatus for drawing butt-weld pipe. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec; I6. 1902.- P. PATTERSON. APPARATUS FOR DRAWING BUTT WELD PIPE.

(Application fllecl'May- 14, 1901. Banawed Jan. 2, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER PATTERSON, OF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL TUBE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR DRAWING BUTT-WELD PIPE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 715,857, dated December 16, 1902 Application filed May 14, 1901.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER PATTERSON, a resident of McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Drawing Butt-Weld Pipe; and I do hereby declare the following 'to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of butt-weld tubing. It is especially applicable to the manufacture of buttweld tubing from flat strips or plates, and I will describe it in connection therewith; but it is to be understood that it is not limited thereto, but may be used with any suitable tube-blanks, such as U-shaped or like tubular blanks.

In the practice which has heretofore prevailed the blanks in the form of flat plates are generally charged into the furnace at a speed somewhat greater than the speed at which they are Withdrawn. It is the object of the present invention to provide for increasing the speed of withdrawal, so that the speed of withdrawal may closely approximate the charging speed. One of the difficulties in the way of greatly increasing the speed of withdrawal is the danger that the jaws of the tongs may lose their hold on the plate when they are first subjected to the jerk incident to the engagement of the hook with the drawchain or of the reciprocating drawing apparatus with the power mechanism. When such engagement takes place, the tongs are compelled to overcome the static inertia of the plate lying in the furnace, and the wider or longer the plate the greater is the amount of inertia to be overcome. Another stage of danger in the operation is when the forward end of the plate first encounters the weldingbell. The shock of impact at that time, if the speed of drawing is too great, may result in the disengagement of the tongs from the plate. Another difficulty in the way of greatly increasing the speed of withdrawal Where a continuously-running draw-chain is employed has arisen from the fact that the connection of the pulling-hook with the continuously-running draw-chain has to be of- Renewed January 2, 1902. Serial No. 88,067. (No model.)

fected manually-that is to say, it is the business of the attendant, commonly called the buggy-boy, to connect the pulling-hook with the reins of the tongs and to then insert the prongs of the pulling-hook into a link of the moving chain. In view of these difficulties the practically-permissible speed of the withdrawal has been limited to a maximum of about four hundred (400) feet per minute when butt-welding smaller-sized pipe and of about three hundred (300) feet per minute when butt-welding larger-sized pipe. To overcome these difficulties and thereby permit the time of the withdrawal operation to be diminished, the present invention consists, generally stated, in the employment, in combination with the furnace, Welding-bell, &c., of a differential-speed drawing apparatus, which by means of suitable driving mechanism is operated at the desired moderate speed while the blank is being Withdrawn and until after the front end of the blank has entered the welding-bell, at which stage in the operation driving mechanism of higher speed is brought into action, as a result of which the remainder of the pipe is drawn and buttwelded at the higher speed.

One of the special advantages of the invention is that it permits continuous butt-welding ata single operation of blanks long enough to make when transversely severed two or more pipes of standard length, as described and claimed in my application filed October 5, 1900, Serial No. 52,132. Such transverse severing affords two finished ends of standard length not required to be trimmed, so diminishing the scrap, because there are no crop ends to be removed where the long pipe is severed, and, further, there is a large increase of output, because the operations for feeding and withdrawing such double-length pipe are practically the same as for a single length pipe, and the double-length pipe can be drawn in very little more time than that occupied in drawing a single-length pipe.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan view, of my improved apparatus.

I employ any suitable welding-furnace of suitable length, according to the length of tubing to be formed, employing therefor with double-length pipe a furnace practically double the length of the ordinary furnace when in use, the furnace 1 being in the neighborhood of forty feet in length and having a hearth 2, which is of sufficient width to receive six or more plates or other blanks to be welded into tubing. The furnace is preferably of the regenerative type, heated by gas, either manufactured or natural. It has the charging-opening 3 at the rear end and the drawing-opening 4 at the forward end, and it may either be charged by hand or by any suitable mechanical charging means.

In front of the furnace is located any suitable drawing apparatus, that illustrated in the present case being the draw-bench 5, which is adapted to move in front of the furnace, so as to be brought into line with any one of the plates or blanks lying on the hearth thereof, the draw-bench illustrated being pivoted, as at 6, and mounted on suitable standards or rollers 7, so as to swing into line with the blanks in the furnace. Where such a draw-bench is employed, it is preferably provided with a continuouslyrunning drawchain, and as my invention can be as well illustrated in connection with such continuously-running chain as with a reciprocating drawing mechanism I will describe that form of apparatus as illustrating means suitable for carrying out the invention. Such drawbench has at its forward end the bell-holder 8 for receiving the welding-bell 9, as is common in the art, and with a continuously-running draw-chain 10, which passes over a sprocket-wheel 11 at the forward end of the bench and a sprocket-wheel12 upon the driveshaft 13. The driving-shaft is adapted to be driven at a variable speed, so as to impart variable speeds to the draw-chain, and this can be accomplished in any suitable way, that illustrated in the drawings being by means of two electric motors, both geared to the driving-shaft 13. One motor 14 has its armature-shaft 15 geared to the driving-shaft 13 by suitable gears, such as the wheels 13*, while in line with said armatureshaft is the armature-shaft 16 of another motor 17, which is adapted to be coupled with the armature-shaft 15 by means of a frictionclutchsuch, for example, as the electric clutch 18 illustrated-which is adapted to be energized by a current coming from anysuitable source of power through the conductors 19 to said clutch, said circuit being controlled by the switch 20, the blade of which is connected to the reciprocating rod 21, which is suitably mounted on standards and hangers 22 on the side of the draw-bench and in position to be readily grasped by the buggy-boy in order to open and close said switch. By means of the motors illustrated or other suitable mechanism the driving-shaft 13 is designed to be normally driven by the motor 14 at such relatively slow speed as will prevent undue shock in overcoming the static inertia of the plate in the furnace and on the first contact of the same with the weldingbelland will permit the insertion by the buggy-boy of the hook in the draw-chain, while the other motor and its armature-shaft 16 are designed to be driven at a much higher speed, so as when coupled to the shaft 15 by the clutch 18 to increase the speed of the draw-chain and provide for an increase in speed of the blank in passing through the welding-bell after it has entered the same. Where motors are employed, as illustrated in the drawings, the motor 14 may be arranged to be driven, for example, at one hundred and seventy-five revolutions per minute, the gearing connections imparting from the same a speed of about three hundred feet per minute to the draw-chain, while the motor 17 may be designed to run at about three hundred revolutions per minute, so that when connected up with the driving-shaft it will impart a speed of about five hundred feet per minute tothedraw-chain. Both motorsarearranged to run continuously; but ordinarily the electric clutch 18 is not energized, so that the draw-chain will be driven by the motor 14 at the lower speed above referred to. When it is desired to operate the chain at the higher speed, through the electric or like clutch, connection is made from the more rapidly-running motor 17 to the draw-chain, so imparting the increased speed to the same, the armature-shaft of the slower-running motor traveling idly when the clutch connection is made atthe higher speed and the high-speed motor imparting the necessary speed and power for the drawing of the pipe. In accomplishing this result where electrical motors are employed, as shown, in order to prevent the slow-speed motor from acting as a generator it is difierentially wound so as to oifer no resistance to the driving of the chain by the high-speed motor.

In practicing the invention with apparatus such as that above described the plates or blanks 23 are charged into the furnace in any suitable way, the invention being applicable to the welding of U-shaped or like blanks as well as to the welding of flat plates, though it is especially advantageous in the welding of the fiat plates, because of the greater friction within the welding-bell caused by the turning up of the flat plate into tubular form. In the preferred use of the invention and where it is employed in the making of double-length pipe the plates or other blanks are fed to the furnace by any suitable charging mechanism or by hand, the speed of charging being greater than the normal speed of the draw-chain,andgenerally being nearlydouble the normal speed of such chain. As soon as one of the plates is at the proper heat for drawing, which the welder can determine by examination of the forward end of the plate, he connects the drawing-tongs or other pulling device to the plate and passes the weldingbell over the same, and where the continuously running draw chain is the pulling power employed, as illustrated in the apparatus shown, the buggy-boy by means of his hook connects the tongs to the draw-chain while that chain is traveling at its normal or slower speed. As soon as the front end of the blank is in this way drawn into the welding-belland the welding operation commences the buggy-boy or other operator by means of any suitable operating mechanism, such as the reciprocating rod 21, connects up the highspeed motor with the driving-shaft, such as through the electric clutch 18, causing the draw-chain to travel at the higher speed, approximately twice that of its normal speed, and as the increase of speed is only the difference between the two speeds of the drawchain there is little shock in passing from one to the other and there is little or no liability of the pulling of the tongs or other drawingtool from the heated pipe though a high-speed is obtained in the drawing of the pipe. The static inertia of the blank lying on the hearth is thus overcome by a pulling force at comparatively slow speed, and the plate travels at this speed until its forward end strikes the welding-bell, which on account of the slow speed will be without serious shock, while the increased speed can be imparted to the plate gradually through the action of the frictionclutch and without serious jar. The electric clutch or like friction-clutch necessarily acts in a yielding manner, and so provides for passing from the lower to the higherspeed gradually and progressively and without shock or jar. Furthermore, the electric motor acts yieldingly, so that there is no sudden shock in overcoming the static inertia of the tube-blank in the furnace nor when the end of said blank strikes the bell nor in changing from the slower to the higher speed. In so providing for drawing the pipe at high speed I am enabled to considerably increase the output of the furnace, because of the quicker travel of the heated blank from the furnace and through the welding-bell, so making it possible to more quicklyintroduce another blank into its place for heating, the fresh blank being, if desired, charged before the heated blank has been entirely withdrawn from the furnace. I am also able to make the time of charging and the time of withdrawing practically balance each other, and

so give almost the ideal conditions forheating the plates. On account of the increased speed of drawing in making double-length pipe I overcome in great measure the liability of the stretching or sagging of the pipe during the drawing operation. In this way I overcome serious difficulties in the welding of double-length pipe and so aid in increasing the output and reducing the relative 1abor and cost. While accomplishing these desirable ends, I avoid the liability of the forming of cobbles and overcome the mechanical difficulty of making connection between the tongs and draw-bench experienced in using a high-speed draw-chain.

In the practice of my invention it is obvious that any suitable form of mechanism may be employed forimpartingthedifferentspeeds to the blank during welding, for connecting the tongs to the drawing mechanism, and for generating the difierent speeds in the drawing mechanism; also, that where the continuously-running draw-chain illustrated is used the shafts for imparting the different speeds may be driven by any suitable connections and that any suitable clutch for changing the speed may be used.

WVhile the invention has particular advantages in connection with the butt-welding of the tubing by charging the cold plates into the rear of the furnace and withdrawing them from the front thereof, it can be used with tubular skelp, and where the blanks are charged in the same end from which they are withdrawn some of the advantages above described apply to the tubing when made by these processes.

The method of drawing butt-Weld tubing at a variable speed is not claimed in this application, but is claimed in an application filed May 14, 1901, Serial No. 60,138.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, a bell and drawing mechanism in front of the same, mechanism for actuating the drawing mechanism at a relatively slow speed until the blank has entered the bell, and means for then increasing the speed of the actuating mechanism, whereby the remainder of the tube is drawn through the bell at a relatively higher speed.

2. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of a bell and drawing mechanism in front of the same,

yielding or elastic mechanism for actuating the drawing mechanism at a relatively slow speed until the blank has entered the bell, and means for then yieldingly increasing the speed of the actuating mechanism, whereby the remainder of the tube is drawn through the bell at a relatively higher speed.

3. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of a bell and drawing mechanism in front of the same so mounted as to be capable of moving laterally in front of the furnace, mechanism for actuating the drawing mechanism at a relatively slow speed until the. blank has entered the bell, and means for then increasing the speed of the actuating mechanism, whereby the remainder of the tube ,is drawn through the bell at a relatively higher speed.

4. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of a bell and drawing mechanism in front of the same, mechanism for actuating the drawing mechanism at a relatively slow speed until the blank has entered the bell, means for then increasing the speed of the actuating mechanism, and an operating-rod extending along the drawing mechanism for controlling said speed-increasing means.

5. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing,the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of a draw-bench in front of the same, a bell mounted thereon, a continuously-running draw chain on said bench, a hook for connecting the tube-blanks to said draw-chain, mechanism for driving said draw-chain at a relatively slow speed until the blank has entered the bell, and means for then increasing the speed of said driving mechanism, whereby the remainder of the tube is drawn from the bell at a relatively higher speed.

6. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube'blankspf drawing mechanism in front of the same, two sources of power of different speeds, and means for connecting either of said sources of power to said drawing mechanism.

7. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of drawing mechanism in front of the same, two shafts which are driven at different speeds, one of said shafts being permanently geared to the drawing mechanism, and a friction-clutch for connecting the other shaft to said drawing mechanism.

S. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of drawing mechanism in front of the same, an electric motor having its armature-shaft connected to said drawing mechanism, and means for increasing the speed of the armature-shaft of said motor.

9. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of drawing mechanism in front of the same, two motors of different speeds one of which is permanently geared to the drawing mechanism, and an electric clutch for coupling the other motor to said draw-chain.

10. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of a draw-bench in front of the same, its draw-chain, an electric motor having its armature-shaft connected to said draw-chain, and means for increasing the speed of the armature-shaft of said motor.

11. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of a draw-bench in front of the same, its draw-chain, two motors of different speeds one of which is permanently geared to the draw-chain, and an electric clutch for coupling the other motor to said draw-chain.

12. In apparatus for forming butt-weld tubing, the combination with a suitable furnace for heating the tube-blanks, of drawing mechanism in front of the same, two sources of elastic power of different speeds and yield ing means for connecting said sources of power.

In testimony whereof I,the said PETER PAT- TERSON, have hereunto set my hand.

PETER PATTERSON.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES I. KAY, ROBERT C. TOTTEN.

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