the Production of Rolled Metal Articles.
Year: 1886

page_text: the Production of Rolled Metal Articles.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK SIMONDS, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States of
America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to dies of the kind or class described in the specification
of my former Letters Patent dated 9th June 1885, No. 7028, for use in the pro-
duction of rolled metal articles, circular, or approximately circular, in transverse
section.
These dies are used in pairs, the dies of each pair being exactly alike. The
essential or important novel and peculiar feature of these dies is the combination
of the forming or shaping surfaces with spreading and reducing surfaces, that is to
say, the said dies are made with surfaces, which, when the blank is rolled between
the dies, impart the desired form, shape or configuration thereto; also with
bevelled or inclined surfaces, which, during the rolling, force or spread the surplus
metal longitudinally outwards or away from the forming surfaces and thus reduce
the blank to the required diameter to permit the forming surfaces to act most
advantageously thereon. These reducing and spreading surfaces are provided with
teeth or serrations for forcing the rotation of the blank (that is to say, compelling
it to rotate) and, at the same time, controlling the speed of its rotation as required
to prevent the twisting of, and consequent injury to, the article being formed.
This control of the rotation of the blank is essential to the proper working of
the dies.
According to one part of my present invention, instead of making the die in
one piece and fitting it into a groove in the platen, as described in the said former
specification, I make the said die in separate parts or sections which are united
and secured to the platen by screws or bolts or otherwise. I provide the platen
with a central projection the sides of which converge longitudinally to a point and
I place the several parts or sections of the die upon the platen in contact with the
sides of the said projection, and secure them thereto. The said projection is pre-
ferably of a dovetail form so that it will hold down, or assist in holding down, the
pieces or sections of the die which are in contact therewith. These pieces or
sections are either shaped separately before being secured to the platen or they

page_text: are fitted together and firmly secured to the platen and all shaped at one operation
as hereinafter described.
I sometimes remove or cut away the central portion of the forming or shaping
surface of the die to avoid unnecessary friction, those portions of the forming or
shaping surface next the reducing and spreading surfaces being alone required for
imparting the desired shape or configuration to the blanks.
I form the working surfaces of the die in the following manner, that is to
say I take the platen having the parts or sections secured thereto as above
described; or, in the case of a solid die, I take a steel plate of the requisite
dimensions to form the same; I place the said platen or the steel plate in a
planing or other machine and I produce the forming or shaping surface by
removing or cutting away the metal in a line or direction corresponding with that
in which the die will move when used. I then produce the reducing and spreading
surfaces by altering the position of the unfinished die in the said machine and
removing or cutting away the metal at an angle to the line of movement which
the die will have when in use. In this manner
obtain the said surfaces (that is
to say, the forming or shaping surface and the reducing and spreading surfaces) in
their proper relative positions.
I sometimes modify the manufacture of the dies by first producing the reducing
and spreading surfaces, by removing or cutting away the metal at an angle to the
line of movement of the die, and then producing the forming or shaping surface,
by removing or cutting away the metal in line with the movement of the die.
To diminish the friction between the dies and the metal rods, bars or blanks
during the rolling of any articles between the said dies, the substance of the die is
preferably removed or cut away at the outer side of the reducing and spreading
surfaces.
I effect this operation by altering the position of the die in the machine and
cutting away the metal in such a manner as to leave the spreading and reducing
surfaces of equal, or nearly equal, width throughout their length.
The above described method or manner of producing the working surfaces is
applicable to circular or rotary dies as well as to straight dies.
To provide for more effectually forcing or ensuring and controlling the rotation
of the metal rods, bars or blanks during the first part of the rolling operation,
I sometimes insert steel bars in grooves in the platen, which bars are pro-
vided with teeth or serrations on their upper surfaces. Or in place of the said bars
I form projections on the said platen, which projections are toothed or serrated for
the purpose specified.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Dies and Adjuncts thereof
for Use in the Production of Rolled Metal Articles.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK SIMONDS, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States
of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to the manufacture of dies of the kind or class described in
the Specification of my former Letters Patent, dated 9th June, A.D. 1885, No. 7028,
for use in the production of rolled metal articles which are circular, or approxi-
mately circular, in transverse section.
These dies are used in pairs, the dies of each pair being exactly alike. The
essential or important novel and peculiar feature of these dies is the combination of
the forming or shaping surfaces with spreading or reducing surfaces, that is to say,
the dies are made with surfaces, which, when the blank is rolled between the said
dies, impart the desired form or configuration thereto, and also with bevelled or
inclined surfaces which, during the rolling, force or spread the surplus metal
longitudinally outwards or away from the forming surfaces and thus reduce the
blank to the required diameter to permit the forming surfaces to act most advan-
tageously thereon. These reducing and spreading surfaces are provided with teeth
or serrations for forcing the rotation of the blank (that is to say, compelling it to
rotate) and, at the same time, controlling the speed of its rotation as required to
prevent the twisting of, and consequent injury to, the article being formed. This
control of the rotation of the blank is essential to the proper working of the dies.
My present invention comprises a very simple and efficient method or manner of
manufacturing the said dies whereby I am enabled to produce the same at a small
It also comprises the manufacture of the dies in separate parts or sections
as hereinafter described. It also comprises the combination, with the dies, of
additional or supplementary devices for more effectually ensuring the proper
rotation of the blauks.
cost.
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the application and adaptation
of my invention to dies for producing an article of very simple form or con-
figuration, but I wish it understood that it is equally applicable to dies for
producing articles of any form or contiguration which are circular, or approxi-
mately circular, in transverse section.
Figures 1 to 5 are perspective views illustrating different stages in the manu-
facture of the said dies.
Figure 1 shows one of a pair of dies with the forming or shaping surfaces planed
therein, but otherwise unfinished.
Figure 2 shows the said die with the forming or shaping surface planed therein
as in Figure 1, and with the reducing and spreading surface produced along one
side of the same.
Figure 3 shows the said die with the forming surface, and the reducing and
spreading surface on one side of the same as in Figure 2, and with the metal
removed or cut away, as hereinafter described, to avoid unnecessary friction.

page_text: Figure 4 shows the said die completed, with the exception of the teeth or
serrations for forcing and controlling the rotation of the blanks. This figure also
shows the platen with bars inserted therein for the purpose of more effectually
ensuring and controlling the rotation of the blanks during the first part of the
rolling operation.
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 4, showing the die completed and provided
with teeth or serrations on the reducing and spreading surfaces and on the said
bars or projections for forcing or ensuring and controlling the rotation of the
blanks.
Figure 6 is a transverse section through a pair of dies, showing the upper and
lower dies at the starting point, that is to say, in the positions which they occupy
when commencing the rolling of an article, and illustrating their action on the blank.
Figure 7 is a transverse section showing the said dies at the finishing point, that
is to say, in the positions which they occupy in finishing the rolling of an article,
and illustrating their action on the blank.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a die made up of separate parts or sections
united and secured to the platen by means of screws or bolts as hereinafter
described.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the die, and B the platen which carries the same.
In manufacturing a die according to my invention, I first take a steel plate of
the requisite dimensions to form the die and I plane the underside of the said plate
and place the same in a planing machine with its underside next the table thereof.
I then produce the forming or shaping surface of the die by planing the upper side
of the plate (in a line or direction corresponding with that in which the die will
move when used) to the shape shown in Figure 1, in which a, b, c, d indicate the
forming or shaping surface of the die.
I prefer, when practicable, to plane the forming or shaping surfaces of both the
upper and the lower die at the same time, placing the said dies end to end on the
table of the planing machine.
The next operation in the manufacture of the die has for its object the formation
of the bevelled or inclined surfaces for reducing the diameter of the blanks from
which the rolled articles are to be made, by forcing or spreading the surplus metal
thereof longitudinally outwards, as described in the said former specification.
I form these reducing and spreading surfaces in the following manner, that is to
say I first take a planing tool e Figure 2, having a broad cutting edge e¹, and
I fix the same in the tool-holder of the planing or shaping machine so that its
cutting edge forms with the surface of the planing-machine-table an angle of about
fifteen degrees, or any other angle which it is desired the reducing and spreading
surfaces should form with the plane surface a¹ of the die. This angle will vary
according to the shape of the articles to be made by the dies. I then secure the
partly finished die on the planing-machine-table in such a position that the tool
will cut the said die in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, and
I plane the said die, at an angle to the line of movement which the die will have
when in use, to the shape shown in this Figure, the tool, in the final cut, forming
the reducing and spreading surface f on one half of the die.
To diminish the friction between the dies and the metal rods, bars or blanks,
during the rolling of any articles between the said dies, the substance of the die is
preferably removed or cut away at the side of the reducing and spreading surfaces,
as shown in Figure 3. For this purpose I take a planing tool such as that above
described, or as that shown at g, having a broad cutting edge g', and I fix the same
in the tool-holder of the machine, so that its cutting edge forms an angle of say
sixty degrees, more or less, with the surface of the planing-machine-table. I then
adjust the die on the said table so that the tool will cut the said die in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, and I plane the said die to the shape shown in
this Figure, the tool, in the final cut, making the reducing and spreading surface of
equal or nearly equal width throughout its length.

page_text: One half of the die is thus completed with the exception of the teeth or serrations
for forcing or ensuring and controlling the rotation of the blanks. The other half
or side of the said die is formed in a substantially similar manner. The die then
has the form shown in Figure 4. The reducing and spreading surfaces are then
roughened or provided with teeth or serrations, as shown in Figure 5, for the
purpose above specified. The edges of the die are then planed, and the die is
fitted into a groove i in the platen B.
To provide for more effectually forcing or ensuring and controlling the rotation of
the metal rods, bars or blanks, during the first part of the rolling operation, I some-
times insert steel bars h in grooves 2¹ in the platen B, which bars are provided
with teeth or serrations on their upper surfaces as shown in Figure 5. Or, in place
of the said bars, I form projections on the said platen, which projections are toothed
or serrated for the purpose specified.
Instead of making the die in one piece and fitting it into a groove in the platen
as above described, I sometimes make the said die in sections A1, A2, &c. as shown
in Figure 8.
In the die shown in this Figure, the central portion of the forming or shaping
surface is removed or cut away, as shown at a², to avoid unnecessary friction,
those portions of the forming or shaping surface next the reducing and spreading
surfaces being alone required for imparting the desired shape or configuration to
the blanks.
I make the platen B (Figure 8) with a central projection 2ª the sides of which
converge longitudinally to a point, and I place the several pieces or sections of the
die upon the platen in contact with the sides of the said projection, and secure
them to the said platen by means of screws or otherwise. The said projection is
preferably made of a dove-tail form so that it will hold down, or assist in holding
down, the pieces or sections of the die which are in contact therewith. These
pieces or sections are either shaped separately before being secured to the platen, or
they are fitted together and firmly secured to the platen and all shaped at one
operation as in the case of the solid dies first above described.
In some cases, when I make the die in one piece, I remove or cut away the
central portion of the forming or shaping surface in the manner shown in Figure 8,
for the purpose above specified. Or I make the die without the said central
portion. If desired, the working surfaces of the die may be made much narrower
than those shown, that is to say, a larger proportion of the central part of the
forming or shaping surface may be absent.
I sometimes modify the manufacture of the dies by first producing the reducing
and spreading surfaces, by planing the blank at an angle to the line of movement
of the die, and then producing the forming or shaping surface, by planing the blank
in line with the movement of the die, moreover, instead of forining the said surfaces
by planing, I sometimes form the same by milling or otherwise.
The above described method of manufacture is applicable to circular or rotary
dies as well as to straight dies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood
that I claim:-
First. The method or process of manufacturing dies provided with forming or
shaping surfaces and reducing and spreading surfaces, by first producing either
surface upon a planing or other machine and then altering the position of the die
and producing the other surface, in such a manner as to obtain the proper relative
positions of the two surfaces, and, in some instances, removing portions of the
same, and then forming teeth or serrations on the reducing and spreading surfaces,
all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second. The combination, with the die and the platen which carries the same,
of the bars or projections provided with teeth or serrations, substantially as, and
for the purpose, set forth.

page_text: Third. A die made up of separate parts or sections which are united and
secured to the platen by means of screws or otherwise, and are shaped either before
or subsequently to their attachment to the platen, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. A die of the kind or class above described, the central portion of the
forming or shaping surface of which is absent or is cut away, as, and for the purpose, &
set forth.