Патент USA US2371209

:13, 194-5.
"
L ANDERSQN
2,371,209
SKELB WELDING UNIT WITH ROLLS
Fil'ed Sept. 17, 1940
_-4 Sheets-Sheet 1
INVENTOR
March 13, 1945.
2,371,209
J. L. ANDERSON
SKELP WELDING UNIT ‘WITH ROLLS
Filed Sept. 17, 1940
' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2
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BY
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AHTNENTOR
ATTORNEY
‘
March 13, 1945;
J. L-. ANDERSON
2,371,209
SKiBLP WELDING mum WITH RoLLs
Filed Sept. 17. 1940
1
J
4 Sheets-Sheet 3
INVETOR
March-13, 1945.
_
J. 1.. AKNDERISON
'
‘2,371,209
SKELP wgumm "uun' WITH Roms
Filed Sept. 17; 1940 I
4 sheets-ism“ 4 -
‘2,311,209
Patented Mar. 13, 1945
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PATEN T 1 o FFlC-E
. . 0' 2.311.209‘
.. ‘ I FS'KELP‘WELDING UNIT wrrin ROLLS
James L. Anderson, Closter, N. 3.. assignor to,‘ Air _
. ‘Reduction Company, T Incorporated; New York,
5N.‘ Y.. a‘cornoratio'n of New‘yo'rk
‘
‘ >riApllication"September 17, 1940, Serial No; 357,111
7 '6. "Claims. . toms-gs?)
invention will-appear or be‘ pointed ou?l'as'the
-’I‘hisE inventiomrelates?to'imachines for making
to welding. machines" ‘whieh'the shell) is formed
specification proceeds.
welded tubes-fr‘6fn1?atékél" ‘ vKz‘t'ndqmn'e especially
‘Fig. 1 is-a side ‘elevation of a tubeweldingl'm‘a
,
‘ improved’ ' welding " ‘methane ‘m- l whitih skelp is
' chine embodying the invention.
Fig. -2 is" a ‘slightly enlarged irontv'iew, partly
in‘ sectioni of the'machine‘ ‘shown in Fig.‘ 1, but
with skelp shown‘ in the forming rollypassr'and
with all ‘of the rolls between"the'f?rsvand-last
"formed-and the edges" of‘ the‘ shells areheated
‘locally. to a welding-temperature by ‘heating jets
"projected against:thecedgeifaces‘ during the time
‘ that‘the'skelp' is beingjforined by ‘passag'e‘through
' roll passes omitted in order‘to'simpliiy ther draW~
jsuccess‘ivejroll passes.
ing and better illustrate the" ‘welding roll. pass.
.Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken‘on‘ the‘ line 3-4
of Fig. 1, but on‘ the same scale as Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail sectional ‘view on the lined-4
' ‘One‘ 'eature‘o'f the invention‘relates’to-an im
proved construotionof the roll-supporting‘frame
. for opening the roll passes simultaneously". for the _
admission‘ of a‘ pulling‘ moi- Guide rolls located ‘
of Fig. 1.
‘.betweenforrningroll stands‘ open with the‘ form—
‘in‘grolls. “According to‘ the terminology of “ this
Kiri Fig.- 1. .
"of,Fig.-5.
‘ A ‘stationary framei Ill-has ‘bearings ll' (Fig.2)
‘tubek‘blanktravels. A roll"“stand”includes’ the
for a shaft l2 that extends along-the entire length
, seta‘rid the supporting. means-for the ram of the
of'the machine. ‘A tilting ‘frame l4'has lugs l5
‘fsetJfiDiffefent. ‘stands. eanibe,‘ and in the case of‘ .
this invention are, 'supported‘froin the same weld
by which the’ frame‘ I4 is's'upported’ from-the shaft
l2. vThe rolls on one “side of ‘the machine are
supported by the stationary frame " I 0. and'the
.
‘ Another object bf the invention isto provide a
. rolls on the other side_ by the tilting‘ frame l4.
forming and..welding machine .f-or bending .and
welding ‘heavier stockwthanthatrused for welded ‘
‘ In the 'illustratedembodiment‘of the“ invention,
the skelp‘l'l (Fig. 5) travels through a number
>
'of roll stands while being made from‘ a ?at strip
‘Other features of the inventionrelateto the
elliptical forming of vthe -tube .for .holding it
straight inv the. rolls, to the protection of the torch
from .being struck fby the,‘ end ,or theskelp Jas‘ the end enters the machine, .a‘n'dtolroll opening
‘ > mechanism . that v automatically. looks when » the
. rolls reach closed position.
i
Figs. 36-8 are enlarged‘ views of- the‘torches and
"are taken ‘on the lines» 6-»46¢to:8;8. respectively,
‘stantiall‘y 'the'Qsame’ region crosswise of the‘tubeg
“blank,,. and__de?ning apass through‘ which the
‘ pipes‘an-d :tubes of .thepr‘io'r art.
.
‘ .‘Fi‘g. 5 is a topaplan‘ view of the machine shown
‘in position to contact with the‘ tube blank at. sub
‘
"
hereof :_
' andwelded in-sucoessiver'ollpasses.
ing machine frame.
'
1m the accompanying drawings;r’forriiingvispart
-
to "a'welded‘tube- Ther'?r‘st roll ‘stand includes
two forming rolls l8 and-‘l8’ de?ning a' roll pass
'inwhich. the flat skelp ‘receives its initial ‘ bend
mg.‘ ' Beyond this forming pass-there are three
sets of other forming or gathering: rolls [9, I9";
:20, 20'; and-H.121‘ (Fig.1 5), which continue the
’
"forming'of the‘tube blank preparatory to its
entry‘ intov the pass between the welding ro11sY22,
‘ improved forming .and/or guiding»; means. for; a. 40 - 22' (Fig. 3).
. tube blank. vIt ;,is1‘common practicetoemploy rolls
The roll l8'"o‘f the?rstfor'rning pass is con
Another'object of ‘the. invention» islto - provide '
with recessediaces for ‘forming, or-con?ning a .
.nected‘to a'shaft10r'spindle114 (Fig. 2)~whicl1
tube blank preparatory to welding, and itr-is {ad
: turns in ‘ antiifrictionj hearings in - a housing ‘Z5
~‘ vantageon‘sx. to have-such: rolls -;contact with‘ > the 1
‘that ‘forms a partner thei'fsta‘tionai‘y 'framel'll.
fifsurfaoe‘of- the. tub'ezblank around-1alliorrmostrof ‘45 ‘The'bth'e'r roll 131- of the ‘?r-"st "pass is connected
“the:'peripheryrofarthe'.tube blank. aIn-r accordance
~ to "a . similar shaft “that iturnsin hearings in "a
" with onezieatur'e of * this invention additionalcon
housingk?'that isholtéd‘to and'forrns a part'of
"tact with ‘the ‘tube blank
‘the'tilting frame
obtained‘ between the
~ roll stands‘ with: intermediat'e'nrol-ls :that- arer'nar
rower and .of ‘ smaller :‘diameter .‘than "the prin_.~
I4.
‘
'
"The. gathering roll 1'9‘ is supporte‘cihy a shaft
L
cipal vforming ‘rolls and that i-are .‘l'oca‘te'd v‘between
the ‘principal ; ‘rolls of jisuc‘e'essive r011 ristands " ex
tending‘ intozther recesses-tin ‘the races" or: the ‘prin
‘Other-1*objects;a='featuresiandwadvantages 'dnignef‘“
in a c'asting'30 whichslides ona ‘dovetail bear
ing 3| (Fig. 1) on the tilting fran'ie' FM; ‘The
2 ,
shown in Fig. 4, and a stud 33 anchored in the
frame l4 passes through an unthreaded open
ing in the plate 32. Nuts 34 threaded on the
stud 33 on either side of the plate 32 hold the
casting 30 in any set position and these nuts
can be moved to shift the casting 30 into other
positions to adjust the roll pass.
The other gathering rolls Z0 and 2| are simi
larly supported from the tilting frame, and are
cause of the narrowing of the gap between the
edge faces.
A tip protector 61 is located in front of the
torch 6| to prevent the torches from being
struck by the end of the skelp |1 if the end is
irregular or if it enters the machine improperly.
The tip protector 61 has a pointed end against
which the skelp strikes a?glancing blow if it
strikes» the protector. A bracket 68 extending
similarly adjustable. The gathering rolls I9’, 10 downward from the torch supporting bar 58
20' and 2|’ are supported by the stationary
.holds the tip protector 61 in position.
frame with the same kind of bearings and ad- '
justing means as the rolls I9, 20 and 2|.
The welding rolls 22 and-22' (Fig. 3) are sup
The contour of the faces of the forming rolls
| 8 and‘ I8’ is such that they bend the skelp H
to an elliptical arc, as shown in Fig. 2, with the
ported on horizontal spindles or axles 36 and 15 major axis of the ellipse transverse.
31, respectively. The axle 36 turns in bearings
There is
a wide space between the edges of the partially
in brackets 38, 39 that are connected to the tilt
' formed skelp as it travels through the ?rst
ing frame l4. The bracket 39 is movable in a
forming roll pass; but the edge portions of the
dovetail bearing 43 (Fig. 1) on the frame l4 to.v skelp are above the major axis of the ellipse.
obtain a limited transverse adjustment of the' 20 Therefore, the partially-formed skelp will not
welding roll 22. Nuts 4| on a stud 42 hold the
"rise in the roll passbecause doing so would cause
bracket 39 in position, as shown in Fig. 3.
the metal to be bent'more sharply.
.The- spindle or axle 31 of the ‘upper welding
The elliptical contour also serves to prevent the
roll 22' turns in bearings in a housing 43 that
'tube blank from turningias it travels through the
is connected to the stationary frame l0 by a 25 forming and welding passes. This is important
pivot 44. The housing 43 can move about the
because the edge faces‘of the skelp will not re
pivot 44 into the dotted-line position shown in
main-in the correct relation‘to the torches if the
Fig. 3 but is held in the full-line position by a
tube blank turns in the roll passes.
‘tapered pin 45 that extends through alined
The subsequent forming roll‘passes de?ned by
openings in the housing 43 and stationary frame 30 the'gathering rolls |3, |9', 20, 20’, and 2|, 2|’,
Ill. The pin 45 is removed only in the case of
each bend the partially-formed tube nearer to
a cobble which makes necessary the opening of
circular contour and bring thevedge faces nearer
the welding roll pass further than is required for
together.
the insertion of a pulling tool during the ordi
To assist in forming the tube and to. maintain
=nary operation of the machine.
35 the edge faces straight between the rolls |8, |8'
When a new length of skelp I1 is to be pulled
to 2|, 2|’, guide rolls 1| (Fig. 5) are positioned
into the machine, the tilting frame I 4 istilted
just ahead of each of the rolls l9, l9’ to 2|, 2|’.
into the positions shown in dotted lines in Figs.
The rolls 1| are of much smaller diameter, pref
2 and 3. This movement opens up all of the
erably about one-half of the diameter of the rolls
roll‘passes and permits a pulling tool, that has
l9, I9’ to 2|, 2|’ so as to ?t into the space between
one end connected to the skelp, to be laid in the
the latter. The term f‘diameter,” as here used,
groove of the lower welding roll 22 and between
means maximum diameter. The faces of the rolls
the rolls of the-forming roll passes.
_ 1| are curved to, ?t the contour of the tube blank,
The lower welding roll 22 has a bevel periph
and the peripheral portions of the rolls 1| extend
eral face 41 which provides the clearance neces
' into the recesses in the faces of the gathering
sary to enable the lower welding roll 22 to shift
_'rolls.
about the axis of the shaft |2 without movin
The roll 1| just ahead of the gathering roll I9
the upper welding roll 22'.
>
is carried by a bracket 13 which is fastened to
The frame I4 is tilted to open the roll passes
' the casting 30 by screws 14. ‘These screws 14 ex
,to receive a pulling tool, and is returned to up- '
tend through‘short slots in the bracket to allow
right position to close the passes, by links 50 con
for some adjustment of- the bracket‘ 13 with re
nected to the tilting frame by pins 5| and con
spect to the casting 3|). The bracket 13 is prefer
nected at their other ends to cranks 52 that are
ably adjusted so that the roll 1! and the corre
keyed to a shaft 53.
The cranks 52 move over
their dead-center position when the tilting
frame is upright and thus lock the roll passes
closed.
The shaft 53 turns in bearings that are '
a part of the stationary frame l0 and-has a
sponding roll, on the other side of the tube blank
de?ne‘a pass slightly larger than the pass be
tween the rolls | 9 and I9’.
All of the other rolls 1| are similarly connected
to the castings that support the rolls of the next
roll passes and are similarly set to de?ne progres
sively narrower passes. The same movement of
crank 54 (Fig. 3) connected with the piston rod
of a ?uid motor 55. A pivot 56 connects the
niotor 55 to the stationary frame IS.
the supporting castings that adjusts the positions
A torch supporting bar 58 ?ts into a socket
of the larger rolls also adjusts the spacing of the
‘in the housing 43 and extends lengthwise of the
rolls 1|.
'
'
machine over-the rolls |9'—-2|'. Torch holders
From the pass defined by the ‘gathering rolls
.53 (Fig. 5) on the bar 58 support torches 5! 65 |9, |9' until the seam approaches the welding roll
and 62 in positions ‘to project heating jets, pref
pass, the edge faces are heated‘ by the ?ame jets
erably oxyacetylene ?ame jets, directly against
projected directly against the edge faces. The
the edge faces of the forming tube blank as-it
skelp is pulled through the forming and welding
travels through the machine. Each of the torch
machine by a drawbench‘16 at a‘speed so coordi
holders has a screw 63 (Fig. 1) ,for adjusting the 70 nated ‘with the ' heating effectiveness of the
height of the torch 6| or 62 with respect to the
torches that the edge faces of the tube blank are
tube blank.
1
'
raised to a welding temperature by the time they
.Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show the torches 6| ‘and-62
are brought together by-the welding-rolls. _
with diverging jet passages 64 which are at
The number of roll stands can be changed, and
smaller angles nearer the region of welding ;be 75 other changes and modi?cations, can be made in
,
the illustrated embodiment of the invention and
some features can be used without others.
I claim:
'
‘
3 .
‘ 2,371,209
y
de?ecting the end of a skelp to prevent the skelp
from striking the end of the torch.
4. Tube welding apparatus including a number
of roll stands through which a tube blank passes
that positions a torch along the course of travel Cl successively, said stands including rolls that de
of the edges of a tube blank for raising ‘the ‘edges
?ne alined passes and each of said stands having
to a welding temperature progressively along
at least one roll that is movable to open the pass
for the insertion of a pulling tool, and common
their length, roll stands‘ through which the tube
operating mechanism connected to all of the
blank passes, including welding rolls, and form
ing rolls ahead of the welding rolls, means on 10 movable rolls, including .a linkage with a crank
that moves over its dead-center position to lock
which the rolls are rotatably supported including '
1. In a tube welding machine, a torch holder
a common frame that carries the supporting ‘
‘ means of one of the welding rolls and the sup
porting‘means ‘for the forming rolls on one side
of a tube blank, and means for tilting said frame
.to open all of the roll passes simultaneously for ’
insertion of a pulling tool.
a
2. A tube welding machine including a set of
the roll passes closed.
‘
5. In a tube welding machine, a torch holder ‘
that positions a torch alonerv the course of travel
of the edges of a tube blank for raising the edges
to a welding temperature ‘progressively along
their length, “roll stands through which the tube
‘ blank passes, Welding rolls, and a pluralityvof
gathering roll stands ahead of the welding rolls,
forming rolls, three sets of gathering rolls, torches
located in‘position to project heating ?ames di 20 each of said roll stands including two gathering
rolls, an independent slide on which each of the
rectly against the‘ edge faces of a tube blank as
gathering rolls is supported, separate adjusting
it travels through the passes between thegath
ering ro1ls,‘a set of welding rolls beyond the last ‘ means for shifting each of said slides toward or
from- the other slide to'regulate the width of the
gathering roll pass and at the end of said torches,
spindles for the respective rolls, the spindles of 25 pass defined by the gathering rolls, a bracket rig
idly attached to each of the slides, and a guide
the forming ‘and gathering rolls being substan
roll carried by each bracket in such position that
tially vertical and those of the welding rolls hori
the guide rolls contact with the outside surface
zontal, a ?xed frame supporting the vertical‘spin
dles on one ‘side of the machine and the upper
horizontal spindle, a tilting frame supporting the
vertical spindles on the other side of the machine.
and the lower horizontal spindle, and a shaft ex
of the tube blank and de?ne a pass of slightly dif~
ferent width- from the gathering roll pass to as— ‘
sist in the forming of the tube.
6. In a machine for making welded tubing from
tending lengthwise of' the ‘machine and support
. heavy, stiff, ?at skelp, a ?rst forming stand com-v
ing the tilting frame and about ‘which the tilting
frame is movable to shift the spindles transverse
vprising rolls de?ning an open top pass of non-cir
cular contour with its maximum dimension
. 1y of the machine to open the passes between all
transverse and its line of contact with the skelp
below said maximum dimension substantially less
than the total width of the skelp with which the
machine is intended to be used, a guard between‘
the rolls of said ?rst forming stand, the guard
having a pointed end extending in the direction
from which the skelp approaches said forming
stand for de?ecting skelp that enters the ma
chine. crooked and unsymmetrical with'respect
45 to the maximum dimension of the pass through
of the sets of rolls.
3. A tube welding machine through which suc
cessive lengths of skelp are pulled by a tool, said
machine including successive roll stands for
forming a tube blank, means for holding a‘torch
‘in position to project heating jets against the
tube blank along its edges as the blank is formed
and the seam edges move ‘progressively closer,
and a guard that has a rearward end at least as
wide as the forward end of the torch and that is
positioned directly in front of the torch, said
guard having a pointed forward end extending
away from the position occupied by the torch for
said ?rst forming ‘stand, and subsequent stands
including rolls thatbend the skelp further and
‘ eventually to circular contour.
JAMES L. ANDERSON.