IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING METAL RAILS OR BARS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lako, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING METAL RAILS OR BARS." A
communication from abroad by David McCandless, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, Manufacturer.
Sealed the 24th July 1877, and dated the 31st May 1877.
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said 'William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st May 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING
METAL RAILS OR BARS." A communication from abroad by David McCandless, of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to that class of machines known as "cold saws," in which
a smooth disc of soft steel running at a high rate of speed is used to cut through
rails or bars of cold metal, and it has for its especial object the cutting of Bessemer
steel rails.
.
The success hitherto attending the use of these machines for this particular pur-
pose has been of a very limited nature. Machines which will successfully cut iron
bars and rails have been made, but owing to the greater toughness and tenacity of
"Bessemer" steel they have failed to cut such rails. This is due to several causes
which I will explain in describing the machines. They have been principally of
two forms; one consisted of a fixed revolving saw to which the rail clamped to a
carriage was fed; this failed because the cumbersome rail is difficult to clamp with
sufficient steadiness, and the carriage practically impossible to construct to move
with precision enough to resist without vibration the tremendous strain resulting
from the attempt to cut "Bessemer" rails, although such arrangement may be
sufficiently effective for iron bars or rails; another form is to clamp the rail in a
fixed position, and arbor the saw on a flying bracket or frame swinging upon and
attached to the shaft or shaft bearings of the fly wheel, the whole frame and saw
moving together towards the rail in a circular path; this too operates effectively
enough on iron, but fails on "Bessemer" steel. The reason is the same as before, it is
practically impossible to attain, on such a swinging frame stiffness enough to

page_text: The said Invention comprises the following features, namely:
First. Arboring the saw in moveable journal boxes or pillow blocks.
Second. Housings which are fixed or immoveable, the saw being raised and
lowered as the journal boxes travel.
Third. Means of clamping the rail.against vibration.
Fourth. The construction and arrangement of parts as herein-after fully
described.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing:
Figure 1 is an end elevation; Figure 2 is a front elevation; Figure-3-is.a_plan
of a machine constructed according to the said Invention..
Figure 4 is a transverse section of one of the jacks; Figure 5 is a plan of the
saine.
เ
Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 show the construction and arrangement of the journal
boxes, their connection with the screw feed and with the counterbalance, as herein-
after described.
A designates a massive bed strongly fixed to a suitable foundation, and on this
bed are bolted or otherwise placed vertical housings B, supported by the webs or
braces C rising from the bed or integral with the housings. In these housings are
placed two journal boxes D constructed in any of the approved forms (I show the
construction I prefer in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9) and connected rigidly together by a
heavy arch or cross piece D¹, the whole being preferably cast in one piece, and the
cross piece arched to make room for the arbor and its pulley. The arbor is
journalled in both boxes, the saw being outside the housings and the pulley G
between them, and a counter-wheel outside on the end opposite to the saw. Passing
down through the top plates of the housings B and through (or into) the boxes Ď
are two screws a, and on these at their upper ends are keyed the bevelled gear
wheels b. Bevelled gear wheels c mesh with these and are keyed on a horizontal
shaft & which is journalled in brackets e extending from the top plates of the
housings B. On this shaft are two sets of fast and loose pulleys; motion being
given to the saw pulley G, and the fast pulley f (which operates the shaft d and
screws a), the saw revolves and at the same time moves downward because the
boxes D are threaded to fit the screws, or are provided, as in Figure 9, with a
threaded plug at the bottom. The two journal boxes D being rigidly connected
together must necessarily move exactly in accord, and thus great uniformity and
steadiness is-secured. When the saw has done its work the feed belt is thrown off
the fast pulley f¹, and on either of the two loose pulleya f, and a crossed belt is shifted
from one of two loose pulleys g to fast pulley g¹, which is smaller than the
pulley and thus the movement of the journal boxes D is reversed and the velocity
increased in order that no time shall-be.lost in getting ready for another cut. By
having the fast and loose pulleys-for-feed and reverse arranged as shown, one belt
shifter is enough, and with it three conditions are effected: The machine may be in
-full feed, reversed, or neutral.
To-ensure-the-steady-withdrawal of the saw and guard further against any
tendency on the part of the screws-to-jar-or-stick in upward or downward motion,
an independent counterbalance E is provided. Its weight, which is adjustable, is
utilized in supporting the journal boxes D by means of a lever a¹ attached to a shaft
b', whose cranks c¹ furnished with antifriction wheels bear upward against the
base of two similar lifting rods e¹ supporting the boxes D. A powerful vice H is
arranged, as shown, in such position that it grips the rail, and supports it at the
exact spot where the strain is greatest, namely, the periphery of the saw.
In the manufacture of rails a small per centage of the rails, when cut to length

page_text: and cooled, are found to be more or less defective for a few inches at one or both
ends. If sold in this condition it must be as second class, and at a reduced price;
but rather than do that, manufacturers prefer to cut off the bad ends and sell the
rails as first class "short lengths," in which condition they are marketable at a fair
price. In the case of " Bessemer" rails, this cutting has been done by indenting the
rail with a proper tool and then breaking it off. This consumes much time and
labor. It has been attempted by cold sawing, but the attempts have not proved'
sufficiently successful to merit general use.
When 'a 'defective rail is to be cut, it must when cut conform to one of the
standard sizes of "short lengthis," which vary from 22 to 28 feet; 'and as it is a
great loss of time to measure off every rail, there is attached to this machine a
gauging mechanism which also assists in steadying the rail against vibration. In
line with the jaws of vice H, a plain roller I is placed on suitable supports to allow
the rail to be moved with ease and facility. On the same line is arranged a long
bed plate J, upon which are placed a number of jacks K alternating with one or
more guide rolls. The jacks consist of a base attachable to the bed plate by
means of angular bolts, and having a hollow post & projecting upwardly. This post
fits the deep annular recess in the sliding head m, which is formed with a squared
face n, which when raised serves as a stop or abutment for the rail end. It is
raised by a lever p whose inner end lifts the centre core of the head m, as shewn.
The guide rolls have collars a bearing up against the web of the rail, and are so
arranged that they and the roll I determine the horizontal position of the rail at
exactly right angles with the saw.
The jacks K are so arranged that they shall, when raised, form several stops or
gauges for the rail, being graduated to the various standards for "short lengths;"
their operation is as follows:-A rail is pushed along on the rolls r and I, and
through the relaxed jaws of the vice until its rear end is just clear of the jack which
is to determine its length when cut. Then that jack is elevated by the lever till it
comes behind the rail end, after which the latter is pushed back to it; then the
other end is clamped in the vice, after which the jack may be lowered, and the saw
put into operation. The jacks being adjusted to the required lengths no delay
occurs in measuring and arranging the rail for cach cut.
The machine being absolutely free from injurious vibrations, every part performs
its functions steadily and unflinchingly, every rail being in consequence neatly and
accurately cut, a result which, in the manufacture of "Bessemer" steel rails, has not
hitherto been successfully accomplished.
By placing the saw arbor, when at its highest position, about level with the axis
of the engine band wheel, when the saw is fed downward its power increases by
the tightening of the belt; this is taken advantage of by so setting the rail that the
saw shall meet the "flange" first, then the "web," and lastly the "head," which
being the heaviest portion, requires most power. The housings might have a slight
curvature concentrically with the axis of the band wheel shaft, and the journal
boxes constructed to correspond..
In experiments with the above machine it has repeatedly cut through a 60 lb.
"chauute" rail of "Bessemer" steel in 30 seconds.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. In a "cold saw" machine, the combination with the saw and its arbor of
the fixed housings and the moveable journal boxes, as above set forth.
Second. In a cold saw" machine, the combination with the saw and its arbor of
the housings and the journal boxes rigidly connected by the cross piece as above
described.
Third. The "cold saw" machine, consisting of the following elements or parts,
namely, the stationary fixed housings, the two coupled journal boxes carrying the
saw, the saw arbor, and driving pulley, and suitable means for feeding and with-
drawing the saw in the said housings, as above set forth.
.

page_text: Fourth. In combination with a "cold saw" machine, the jack or jacks, as above
set forth and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. In the said jack the combination of the vertically moveable head, having a
squared face and stationary base with suitable means for elevation and depression,
as above set forth.
Sixth. The combination of a moveable saw in fixed housings, and a stationary
adjustable vice, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. In combination with the saw and the vice, one or more guide rolls
having collars, the said collars being adapted to enter the concavity between the
head and base of the rail as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One
-thousand-eight-hundred and seventy-seven.