IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MACHINERY FOR MANU- FACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Krupp, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
Cast Steel Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY
AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MACHINERY FOR MANU-
FACTURING THE SAME."
Sealed the 25th March 1856, and dated the 14th December 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Krupp at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
December 1855.
I, ALFRED KRUPP, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Cast Steel Manur
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY AND OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in forming the interior part or portion of
railway and other wheels, together with their naves, of one piece of solid
wrought iron, and without welding. The manner in which I construct these
parts or discs is as follows:-I first form, by forging and welding together
several pieces or layers of iron, a lump or blank of sufficient diameter and
I then heat these blanks or
thickness to yield the required disc and nave.
lumps in a suitable furnace, and subject them to repeated blows of a hammer,

page_text: The under side of the hammer, together with its anvil, have formed in then
holes corresponding with the size and form of the intended nave. When the
blank or lump has thus been placed in its proper central position beneath the
hammer, the blank is repeatedly struck, until it is so far reduced in thickness
that the holes in the hammer and the anvil are filled up or nearly so, care
being taken during the process to turn the blank by suitable tongs to prevent
the metal from becoming fixed in the holes. The metal or blank then takes
the form of a plate, having at or near its centre on each side a projecting
Jump, which corresponds to and forms the nave, when the disc is completed.
The blank is then again heated in a suitable furnace to a welding heat and
subjected to,-
Secondly, a rolling mill. This mill I construct as follows:-Upon a suit-
able bed plate or basement I place two strong cast-iron frames, which support
in bearings two horizontal rolls of the proper length and diameter. These
rolls are turned in such a manner that the longitudinal profile of them
resembles the longitudinal section of the disc and nave, so that in the centre
of their length the rolls are turned of a less diameter to allow of the nave or
projections on the disc passing freely between the rolls. The upper roll is
provided with suitable vertical adjusting serews, set in motion by bevil
gearing, by which means the top roll may be raised or lowered, according as
circumstances may require. In order to keep the top roll always in contact
with the screws, I mount the brasses carrying the ends thereof in the ends of
levers and rods provided with counterweights. In front of the rolls and in a
slightly inclined position I place a table or platform, resting on brackets or
supports on the framework of the machine. This table has in its central part
a space or division at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the rolls. This
space is of sufficient width to admit of two metal guides, the inner sides of
which are of the same shape as the nave and of the sides of the lesser
diameter of the rolls, and also corresponding in position exactly with the
centre space between the rolls. At the back part of the guides I place a
spring or springs, screwed upon the table, which exert a pressure towards the
centre. On the lower end of each of the guides I place a nut, cut with the
threads of a screw, one nut being made right-handed and the other. left-
handed. Through each of these nuts I pass a spindle, having a right and
left handed screw thread cut upon it, which corresponds to the screw threads
in the nuts. By this arrangement, by means of a crank handle and bevil
wheels on the end of the spindle the guides can be brought nearer to or caused
to recede farther from each other, as necessary. Care must be taken that
sufficient space is allowed for the action of the guides, so that they have plenty

page_text: of freedom without breaking. At the back of the rolls I place a receiving
platform and crane; which receives the rolled disc and delivers it over the rolls
to be again passed between them. The platform consists of several bars of
iron connected together, and with a sufficient space in the central part for the
nave to rest in. I also fit into the bars a number of friction rollers to facilitate
the sliding off of the disc. The manner in which I pass the disc through
between the rolls is as follows: The blank, as received from the hammering
process, is first heated to the required degree of welding heat, and the rolls are
set in motion by suitable gearing. The blank is then fed through between
the rolls, and received on the platform on the opposite side, when it is delivered
over to the front and turned round 90 degrees, so as to subject the blank to the
rolls in a direction at right angles to the former action of rolling. After this
process of rolling, the blank is again returned and turned round 45 degrees,
passed through between the rolls, and finally again delivered over the rolls,
and turned round 90 degrees, and passed through between the rolls, after which
it will be found that the whole surface has been subjected to the rolling action
and equally extended in all directions. The blank, which now presents the
appearance of a disc, is again heated, if required, to a welding heat, and the
same order of passing it between the rolls and turning it round, as before
explained, is again resorted to, the top roller having been previously lowered.
so as to diminish the space between the rolls. This process of lowering the
rolls and turning it round is continued until the disc is sufficiently expanded
or elongated in all directions to the required dimensions. It is necessary to
observe the above directions in turning the blank or disc round at every time
it is passed between the rolls to insure that the metal is equally expanded, so
that the liability of the metal to become split or broken is obviated. The
disc, after leaving the rolling mill, is subjected to the blows of a hammer or
to hydraulic or other pressure, so as to straighten the surface. When the
disc is cold, the circular shape is given, and the superfluous metal cut off by
means of clippers or shears, when the disc is finally placed beneath a boring
machine, and the hole for the reception of the axle made in the nave, after
which it is placed in a lathe and turned, when the disc will be ready for having
the tyre affixed thereto. The method which I employ for uniting the tyres to
the discs may be either by a flange formed on the inside of the tyre and bolted
to the disc, or by a separate ring of angle iron bolted to the disc; and the tyre
then shrunk on the angle iron and, bolted thereto; or I adopt any other approved
method now in use and well understood. Where it is desired, I give to the
disc a gradual taper on each side; or on one side only, from the nave towards
the exterior circumference of the disc, by making the rolls slightly taper or

page_text: inclined from the centre towards each end, so that the space between the ends
of the rolls is less than at the centre part; or I make the rolls of an elliptical
or of a volute form, or I'mount the rolls excentrically and feed the disc in a
heated state in between the rolls, but not through them, from the front to the
back, so that the disc is being continually fed into the rolls, and withdrawn or
returned from them. The disc is placed between the rolls in such a manner
that the part nearest to the nave is first acted upon. At each withdrawal of
the dise a fresh portion is subjected to the action of the rolls, in the same
örder of turning the disc round as that before described, until the whole surface
is sufficiently reduced and tapered off:
Although I have described the making of the disc of a straight form, or of
an equal thickness from the circumference to the nave, or of a taper form, yet
I reserve to myself the right of making such discs of such a form or shape
that the disc gradually inclines from a vertical or other line taken through the
diameter of the disc at the centre of the nave. I also reserve to myself the
making the discs of a corrugated or undulated shape, radiating from the nave
to the outer circumference of the disc. And although I have described
wrought iron as the metal employed in the manufacture of the interior portions
of the wheels for railway and other carriages, yet I do not confine myself to
that metal alone, as puddled or cast steel may, if desired, be employed, or any
other metal or combination of metal capable of being subjected to the above
process; or I form the disc by any of the above processes, and weld at or
about the centre thereof on both sides a lump, which corresponds to and forms
the nave of the finished wheel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Krupp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
KRUPP, of Essen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Cast Steel Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Krupp, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Krupp, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred

page_text: :
Krupp, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND
OTHER WHEELS, AND IN THE METHOD OF AND MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING
THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred
Krupp, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Krupp, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say-
My Invention consists, firstly, in forming the interior part or portion of
railway and other wheels, together with their naves, of one piece of solid
wrought iron, and without welding. The manner in which I construct these
parts or discs is as follows:-I first form, by forging and welding together
several pieces or layers of iron, a lump or blank of sufficient diameter and
thickness to yield the required disc and nave. I then heat these lumps or
blanks in a suitable furnace, and subject them to repeated blows of a hammer
to prepare them for the rolling process, herein-after described. The under side
of the hammer, together with the face of the anvil, have formed in them holes
corresponding with the size and form of the intended nave. "When the blank
or lump has been placed in its proper central position beneath the hammer it
is repeatedly struck, until so far reduced in thickness that the holes in the
hammer and in the anvil are filled up or nearly so, care being taken during
the process of hammering to turn the blank with suitable tongs to prevent the
metal from becoming fixed in the holes. The metal or blank then takes
the form of a plate, having at or near its centre on each side a projecting
lump, which corresponds to and forms the nave, when the disc is completed:
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shown by Diagrams, which will be
found sufficiently explanatory, the manner in which I carry this part of my
Invention into effect. The same letters of reference indicate similar parts
in all the Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 represents the first process of forming the lump or blank by
forging or welding layers of wrought-iron plates together. A is the lump;
B, the hammer head; and C, the anvil. The blank when thus formed is
transferred to a hammer and anvil of the shape indicated in Figure 2, where
it is hammered until it assumes the shape indicated by the dotted lines.
From this hammer and anvil the blank is subjected to a hammer and anvil,
such as that represented in Figure 3, in which a hole or recess a is, formed in
the under side of the hammer and the face of the anvil. Here the blank is
repeatedly struck until the metal either fills up or partially fills the holes, care
being taken, as before explained, to turn the metal to prevent its becoming
fast. After leaving this hammer and anvil the block assumes the shape
shown in Figure 4, having a thicker edge or rim round its circumference,
<which is reduced by repeated blows of the hammer B upon the anvil. C until
the blank is of similar shape to that represented in Figure 5, when it is
ready to be heated in a suitable furnace to the required degree of heat, and
transferred to,.-
B.
Secondly, a rolling process, where the blank is formed into a complete disc
and nave in the following manner:-Figure 6 represents a front elevation;
Figure 7, a side elevation; Figure 8, a plan; Figure 9, a longitudinal
section; Figure 10, a cross section; and Figure 11, a plan, partly in section,
of a rolling mill, for carrying out the second bead of my Invention. In all
these Figures similar letters of reference indicate similar parts. A, A, is a
suitable bed plate or basement, upon which is securely fixed two strong cast-
iron frames B, B. These frames B support in the bearings a, a, two horizontal
rows C, C', of the proper length and diameter.. These rolls are turned in
such a manner that the longitudinal profile of them resembles the longitudinal
section of the disc and nave, so that in the centre of their length these rolls
are turned. of a less diameter to allow of the nave or projections on the disc
passing freely. between the rolls. The upper roll is provided with suitable
vertical adjusting screws D, D, set in notion by bevil gearing E, E, and hand
wheel E', by which means the top roll C' may be raised or lowered, according
as circumstances may require. In order to keep the top roll always in
contact with the screws, I mount the brasses carrying the ends thereof in the
ends of rods F, F, the lower ends of which are connected to the levers F, F,
supporting the counterweight F2, F2. In front of the rolls, and in a slightly
inclined position, I place a table or platform G, resting on brackets or
supports bb, in the framework of the machine. This table has in its central
part a space or division G¹ at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the rolls.
This space is of sufficient width to admit of two wrought iron or steel guides

page_text: centre.
H, H, as represented in the detached Figures 12 and 13. The inner sides of
these guides are of the same shape as the nave and of the sides of the lesser
diameter of the rolls, and also correspond in position exactly with the centre
space between the rolls; at the back part of the guides I place a spring or
springs c, c, screwed upon the table, which exert a pressure towards the
On the lower side of each of the guides I place a nut d tapped with
the thread of a screw, one nut being made right-handed and the other left-
handed. Through each of these nuts d I pass a spindle e, having a right and
left handed screw thread cut upon it, which corresponds to the screw thread
in the nut. By this arrangement, and by means of a crank handle f and
bevil wheels g on the end of the spindle e, the guides can be brought nearer
to or caused to recede farther from each other, as necessary. Care should be
taken that sufficient space is allowed for the action of these guides, so that
they can have plenty of freedom without risk of breaking. At the back of
the rolls is placed a receiver or platform I, connected to an arrangement of
suitable rods and levers J, so as to give to the platform I, when the lever K
is acted upon by the workman, the requisite motion. This platform receives
the rolled disc, and delivers it over the rolls to be again passed between them.
The platform consists of several bars of iron connected together, and with
sufficient space in the central part for the nave to rest on. I also fit
into the bars a number of friction rollers h, h, to facilitate the sliding off
of the disc.
The manner in which I pass the disc through between the rolls is as
follows:-The blank, as received from the hammering process, and represented
in Figure 5, is first heated to the required degree of welding heat, and the
rolls are set in motion by suitable gearing, worked by steam or other motive
power. The blank is then fed or passed through the rolls. and received on
the opposite side, when it is delivered over to the front, and turned round
90 degrees, so as to subject the blank to the rolls in a direction at right angles
to the former action of rolling. After this process of rolling, the blank is again
returned and turned round 45 degrees, passed through between the rolls, and
finally, again delivered over the rolls, and turned round 90 degrees, and passed
through between the rollers, after which it will be found that the whole
surface has been subjected to the rolling action, and equally extended in all
directions. The blank, which now presents the appearance of a disc, is again
heated, if required, to a welding heat, and the same order of passing it
between the rolls and turning it round, as before explained, is again resorted
to, the top roll C' having been previously lowered, so as to diminish the space
between the rolls. This process of lowering the rolls and turning the disc or

page_text: blank round is continued until the disc is sufficiently expanded or elongated
in all directions to the required dimensions. It is necessary to observe the
above directions in turning the blank or disc round at every time it is passed
between the rolls to insure that the metal is equally expanded, so that the
liability of the metal to become split or broken is obviated. Although I
would wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself rigidly to the
above exact number of degrees given, as a few degrees, more or less, may not
operate injuriously upon the metal, but in practice I have found the directions
above stated to be the best for producing a good and efficient interior portion.
of a railway or other wheel. The disc after leaving the rolls is subjected to
the blows of a hammer, or to hydraulic or other pressure, so as to straighten
the surface. When the disc is cold, the circular shape is given, and the
superfluous metal cut off by means of clippers or shears, or other suitable
contrivances, when the disc is finally placed under a boring machine, and the
hole for the reception of the axle made in the nave, and then turned in a
lathe, should it be so desired, when the disc will be ready for having the tyre
affixed thereto..
The method which I employ for uniting the tyres to the discs may be either
by a flange formed in the inside of the tyre, as represented in Figure 14, and
the disc bolted or rivetted thereto, or by a separate ring of angle iron bolted
or rivetted to the disc, as represented in Figure 15, and the tyre then shrunk
or bolted on the ring of angle iron; or I adopt any other approved method
now in use and well understood. When it is desired, I give to the disc a
gradual taper on each side, or on one side only, from the nave towards the
interior circumference of the disc, by making the rolls slightly taper or inclined
from the centre towards each end, so that the space between the ends of the
rolls is less than at the centre part. Or I make the rolls of an elliptical or of
a volute form, and feed the disc in a heated state in between the rolls, but not
through them, from the front to the back, so that the disc is being continually
fed into the rolls and withdrawn or returned from them; the disc is placed
between the rolls in such manner that, the part nearest to the nave is first
acted upon. At each withdrawal of the disc a fresh portion is subjected to
the action of the rolls, in, the same order of turning the disc round as that
before described, until the whole surface is sufficiently reduced and tapered
off. In the Drawings annexed I have shown a pair of rolls of a volute form,
mounted in suitable framework, for carrying this modification of my Invention
into effect.
Figure 16 represents a front clevation, Figure 17 a plan, and Figure 18
a cross section, of this rolling mill. A is the base plate; B, B, standards;

page_text: C, C, the volute rolls, mounted in brasses in the standards B; D, D, are
adjusting screws for acting upon the top roll C. The rolls C, C', are of the
shape shewn in the cross section in Figure 18, that is, of a gradually
increasing volute form, which corresponds to the shape to be given to the
dise; E is the platform or table on which the blank to be rolled rests; and F,
a similar table, which receives and supports the portion of the blank protruding
beyond the rolls; G, G, are spur wheels on the ends of the rolls for coupling
the rolls together. The mode of working with these rolls is as follows:-
The workman having received the blank from the hammering process, before
described, it is heated to the required degree of heat and placed upon the
platform E. The rolls are set in motion from a steam engine or other motive
power: The blank is then inserted in between the rolls, in the manner
indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 16, the rolls revolving in the direction
of the arrows. As the rolls revolve, the blank is pressed between them, and
reduced at the part thus submitted to their action, and finally returned back,
as represented in the Diagrams, Figures 19 and 20, when the blank is turned
round in the same order as that before described in reference to Figures 6, 7,
and 8, and inserted again between the rolls, in the position represented in
Diagram, Figure 21, where it remains till the revolution of the rolls again act
upon it and return it on to the platform E. This action of rolling and
turning the disc round is continued till the whole surface has been acted
upon and sufficiently reduced, care being taken to reheat the disc as often as
necessary during the process. When the disc is thus far complete, it is
submitted, if desired, to the hammer, or to hydraulic or other pressure, to
equalise the surface, the surplus metal cut off, and then turned and bored
to form it into the interior portion of a railway or other wheel.
Although I have described the making of the disc of a straight form or of
an equal thickness from the nave to the circumference, or of a taper form, as
represented in Figure 22, yet I reserve to myself the right of making such
discs of such a form or shape that the disc gradually inclines from a vertical
or other line taken through the diameter of the disc at the centre, as indicated
in Figure 23. I also make the discs of a corrugated or undulated form,
radiating from the nave to the outer circumference of the disc. And
although I have described wrought iron as the metal employed in the manu-
facture of the interior portions of the wheels for railway and other carriages,
yet I do not confine myself to that metal alone, as puddled steel or cast steel
may, if desired, be employed, or any other metal or combination of metals
capable of being subjected to the above process.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as my
improvements in railway and other wheels, and in the method of and
machinery for manufacturing the same, is,-
First, the method herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings
hereunto annexed, for forming discs or blanks of wrought iron or other
suitable metal, and hammering the same into blanks or forms preparatory
to rolling.
Second, I claim the improved construction of rolls, herein before described,
and represented in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18 of the Drawings
hereunto annexed, whereby a blank, as received from the haminering process,
is rolled into a disc suitable for the interior portion of railway' and other
wheels; I also claim the method herein-before described for turning the disc
round, whereby all risk of splitting or otherwise injuring the disc is obviated.
And, third, I claim the making the discs or interior portions of railway or
other wheels of a shape or of an analogous shape to that represented in
Figure 23 of the Drawings hereunto annexed and herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Krupp, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
THEODOR TOPP, of Essen.
ALFRED KRUPP. (L.S.)