IMPROVEMENTS IN " METHODS AND MACHINES FOR MAKING IRREGULARLY SHAPED METAL ARTICLES THAT ARE CIRCULAR IN CROSS SECTIONAL AREA
Year: 1885

page_text: I, GEORGE F. SIMONDS, of Fitchburg, in the County of Worcester, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer of saws and machine
knives do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
"
METHODS AND MACHINES FOR MAKING IRREGULARLY SHAPED METAL ARTICLES THAT
ARE CIRCULAR IN CROSS SECTIONAL AREA 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 irregularly shaped metal articles
which are circular in transverse section and to apparatus therefor.
My said invention consists partly in a novel method of making irregular-shaped
metallic articles which are circular in cross-sectional area.
It also partly consists in certain combinations and arrangements of mechanical
devices and dies for making car axles, gun blanks and other irregularly shaped
metal articles, circular in cross sectional area, as hereinafter fully described.
My invention also comprises dies designed to be used in pairs and provided with
forming surfaces raised upon the plane face of the die and with reducing and
spreading surfaces running diagonally to the line of movement of the die and
standing obliquely to the plane of the die.
It also partly consists in placing irregularities on the spreading surfaces to force
the work to rotate.
It also partly consists in the employment of rollers or similar devices combined
with the machine for handling heavy work.
It also comprises articles produced by my new method.
In order that the invention may be well understood I will proceed to describe
the manner in which I have carried it out, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the machine in longitudinal vertical section.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section of the same with the platens in the position
hewn in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the die face on a platen designed to be used in my
mproved machine

page_text: Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line x-x Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line y-y Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a broken plan view drawn to an enlarged scale shewing a portion of
the forming face where the operation of forming or shaping is completed.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of Figure 4.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a platen and die for forming spherical articles.
Figure 10 is a cross section on the line xx Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a cross section on the line y, y Figure 9.
Figure 12 is a section on the line z, z Figure 9.
Figure 13 illustrates a slight modification.
Figure 14 illustrates a modification adapting the machine for rolling conical
articles.
Figure 15 shews a vertical section of a modified machine for working heavy
articles, the work-being sustained and handled on adjustable rollers or sheaves and
the screw replaced by a hydraulic press.
Figures 16, 17 and 18 are views hereinafter referred to.
A is a bed or support mounted in any desirable way and having extending along
each edge projecting ribs a, a into the inner faces of which are cut ways or
grooves a¹ a¹ to receive and sustain the edges of the platen B. This platen B has
on its lower face, in a central longitudinal line, a rack-bar b, which engages with
a pinion & located on shaft & under the centre of the bed of the machine. This
pinion is driven by said shaft d and gearing d and d actuated by pulley C
moved by belt Cl from an ordinary reversing pulley on the countershafting, .not
shewn in the drawings. Mounted on shaft d on each side of the pinion b' are
rollers 10, 11 which back up and strengthen the platen B against the thrust of the
billet or blank being worked upon.
The frame A carries a vertical yoke D having four supports or standards D' and
a central screw D" and a hand wheel D. Secured to the standards D' by means
of ears or overlapping plates ee which engage grooves or recesses 12, 12 in the
standards so as to have a vertical movement therein, is a platen sustaining
carriage E having on its outer edges downwardly projecting ribs or, flanges f
provided on their inner faces with grooves f¹ for the reception of ribs f¹¹ on the
edges of an upper platen F. On a central longitudinal line the upper surface of
the platen F is provided with a rack-bar el similar to the rack-bar b on the lower
side of platen B, and said rack-bar el engages with and is driven by a pinion ell on
the shaft e and the gear wheel f¹11 through the medium of the pinion i mounted
in the link hanger and the gear wheels d d with their pulley C. On ench
side of pinion e" and on the same shaft e¹ are rollers 13, 14 which back up and
sustain the platen F against the thrust of the work and prevent the platen from
springing.
On the centre of the platen sustaining carriage E is a pillow, block k, secured by
bolts k¹¹ and forming a bearing at l for the lower end of the screw D, the
thread of said screw fitting a tapped hole in the centre of the top of yoke D.
A collar m fixed to the screw bears on the top of the pillow-block,,see Figure 2.
A washer and jam-nuts on the lower end of the screw, prevent it from being
withdrawn from the pillow-block when the screw is run up to raise carriage E and
platen F with the driving devices and rolls; and when the carriage E is to be
forced down to crowd the platen F towards platen B so as to bring their working
faces more nearly together, the collar m sustains the thrust of the screw.
When an article is to be subjected to the action of the platens, the upper platen
is raised by drawing up carriage E, through the medium of screw D". The article
is inserted between the platens, the upper platen is brought down by the screw
onto the article, and by means of the gearing described, the platens are reciprocated
alternately in opposite directions, and press or shape, or otherwise affect the article
to the point desired, the platens being meanwhile backed or braced by rolls 10, 11
13, 14 on the same shafts which actuate the platens,
г

page_text: The number of pillow blocks and screws to sustain the movable carriage may be
increased or diminished accordingly as it may be desirable or the exigencies of the
work may demand.
I will now proceed to describe in detail the construction of the dies.
In the said drawings G is the body of the platen which for purposes of illus-
tration in this instance I have shewn as made for rolling railroad car axles.
The dies have plane faces g which lie parallel to each other when in position for
work and from these plane faces rise the forming and reducing and spreading
surfaces, the planes g serving to support and steady the work and prevent it from
rocking on the diverging, forming, reducing and spreading surfaces.
The reducing faces commence to work on the metal at the end 2 and finish
their work at the end 3. When the heated bar ingot or fagot is placed between
the dies the central reduction of the axle is commenced by the narrow end h³ of
the tapering raised portion H of the die face. The edges of the raised portion are
bevelled obliquely with the plane surface g of the die towards the end h¹ where
the lines merge, or substantially 80. The approximately vertical planes 5, 6 h¹
and 8, 7 h which I denominate the reducing and spreading surfaces, and the
approximately horizontal plane 6, 8, h¹ which I call the shaping or forming surface,
perform the work of spreading and shaping the metal, the surplus metal being
crowded laterally and leaving the work in proper shape.
To cause the die faces to work to the best advantage, the diverging angles of the
raised surface 6, 8, h³ should bear such a relation to the width and pitch of the
faces 5, 6, h¹ and 8, 7, h¹ as to prevent the unworked part of the metal as it rotates,
from overlapping on the forming portion of the die-face and making "cold-shuts"
and similar inaccuracies.
When found necessary I provide the reducing and spreading surfaces 5, 6, h¹
and 8, 7 h with irregularities or grooves t t so that such irregularities will engage
in the plastic metal and ensure perfect regularity in the rotation of the ingot,
fagot, or blank on its axis, by means only of those portions of the blank in contact
with the surfaces of the die faces at the moment actively performing work. By
placing the grooves or irregularities on the oblique, diverging, reducing and
spreading surfaces as described, the marks made in the metal by said grooves or
irregularities are obliterated in subsequent revolutions of the article treated, and
the rate of the surface movement of the blank, where work is being performed, is
the same as the rate of the linear movement of the dies.
On each side of the raised portion H and near the finishing end 3, are two raised
ribs, or portions J, J, designed to form the journals of the car axle. In general
configuration each of these raised portions J is like one half of the surface 6, 8, h¹
and each has its outer edge bevelled as seen at N, and provided with irregularities
like the planes 5, 6, h¹ and 8, 7, h¹ to point where the reduction of the journal is
completed.
When the lateral extension of the metal has reached the required limit it is
necessary to cut or shear off squarely the end of the axle and this is accomplished
by two gradually rising bevelled edge cutters jj, the cutting edges of which
commence near and extend to the end 3 of the die-face. The bevelled faces of
these cutters are also provided with irregularities as faces 5, 6, h¹, 8, 7, h¹ and N.
Thus it will be seen that the operation of forcing and controlling the rotation is
the same in the formation of the journals and the shearing of the axle, as in the
formation of the body.
In order to facilitate the manipulation of such dies and use the cutters to the
best advantage I make them separate and removable from the body of the die, the
said die being provided with elongated sockets into which the cutters are secured,
Bee Figures 5 and 6.
I will now especially describe the dies for making spherical and conical articles.
In the said drawings G is the body of a die from which projects the plane-
curvilinear face which commences its work at the vanishing point h" of the
converging forming-surfaces, and finishes its work at the end K.

page_text: 1
From the point the central or curved forming surface p of the die-face
gradually deepens and spreads until it reaches the point p¹ where the curved
surface in cross-section is about a semi-circle.
Intersecting the edges of the curved surface p and converging in the same ratio
with the said edges are two curved forming surfaces rr, the differences in the
curvature of the bottom of the die p and the surfaces r r being due to the face
being relieved as hereinafter set out.
In turn the surfaces are intersected by two outer plane surfaces q q which
merge with or intersect two approximately vertical surfaces L L which meet the
plane surface M of the die G¹. The lines of all of these plane surfaces follow the
ratio of divergence and elevation of the lines of the central curved surfaces, all, as
before stated; having their vanishing lines at h¹.
As any article being reduced becomes variable in size, some parts of the article
will slip on the dies, or the article will twist. I have demonstrated by experiment
that this difficulty may be obviated by relieving or cutting away the forniing
faces in a gradually diverging line so as to avoid close contact of the articles with
the die except at or near where the work is actually being done, and change of form
rapidly progressing.
In sectional viewà Figures 11 and 12, I have shewn the bottom of the curved
forming face relieved or cut away at uu and in the same Figures the reducing and
spreading surfaces relieved or cut away abruptly in planes shewn at L L.
By cutting away the forming and reducing and spreading surfaces as described,
I prevent unnecessary friction between the dies and the article in process of
manufacture at the points where the work has been completed.
In some classes of work (the spherical and conical for instance) to have the best
finished condition, I have discovered by actual experiment, that it is highly
desirable, if not necessary, that the cross grooves for forcing and controlling the
revolution of the blanks should not extend entirely to the edge of the die
where the spreading and reducing surfaces join the forming surfaces. Therefore
I have provided the spreading surfaces with cross.grooves, corrugations or
irregularities n¹n extending part way to the edge where said surfaces qq join the
edges of the forming surfaces.
The maximum size of the curved or grooved forming faces being one-half of the
size of the sphere to be rolled, the work starting from the point the bevels
formed by the intersecting planes r¹, q, q force the surplus metal of the bar
gradually outwardly, whilst that portion between the bevels, as the forming faces
of the dies approach each other, is condensed and is gradually brought to a
spherical shape and finally drops from the end K a perfect sphere.
In Figure 14, I have illustrated a modification, adapted to roll conical articles,
but having all the general characteristics of conformation shewn in Figure 9. The
central curved groove, in this instance, is at one side turned at a right angle and
brought directly toward, and in juncture with, the edge line of plane surfaces.
In the foregoing described dies the article is brought to shape by the dies passing.
once over the blank.
After being brought to shape as described, I smooth the surface and condense the
metal by repeatedly subjecting the same to the action of the forming and shaping
surfaces only, under a slightly increasing pressure as the article cools.
In instances where the work to be forged is ponderous and unwieldly I propose
to use a modification of the machine, shewn in Figure 15, wherein I substitute a
hydraulic press for the screw, and have fixed along side of the machine, standards 40,
from which project screw shafts 41 in which are journalled sheaves or rollers 42
bearing in any desired varying directions against the work to facilitate its rotation
and its progress to and from the working faces of the platens. Proper hand wheels
are provided whereby the screws may be raised or lowered as the changes of form
may require.
L
Figures 16, 17 and 18 illustrate à die face adapted to make handles for
lathe-wheels and other purposos,
i

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. A fixed bearing bed or frame, provided with grooves to support a movable
platen, and a vertically adjustable moving frame provided with grooves to sustain
a movable platen, in combination with platens B, F, constructed substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
Second. The yoke D provided with grooves or recesses 12, 12, in combination
with the vertically adjustable carriage E, provided with overlapping plates e e and
platen F, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Third. In a metal rolling machine, two oppositely reciprocating platens B F,
provided with central longitudinal rack-bars, in combination with a stationary
supporting frame, a movable supporting frame, and two axles del carrying central
pinions be and rollers 10, 11, 13 and 14, all constructed, arranged and operated
as set forth.
Fourth. The platens B, F and their operating mechanism, and the carriage E
provided with pillow block k, in combination with the yoke D, and screw Du, all
constructed, arranged and operated as described.
Fifth. Dies adapted to form metal articles, circular in transverse section, with
the working parts raised upon a plane surface, and provided with formning surfaces
running in line with the movement of the die, to give the shape required, and
diverging reducing and spreading surfaces, to force the metal laterally, substantially
as described.
Sixth. Dies adapted to form metal articles circular in transverse section, having
forming surfaces to give the shape required, and reducing and spreading surfaces,
to force the metal laterally, provided with corrugations or irregularities to engago
the mass of metal and ensure its rotation, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. Dies for making articles of circular transverse section, having the
general conformation of their working faces relieved as shewn for the purpose set
forth.
Eighth. Dies for making articles of circular transverse section, having cross-
grooves, corrugations or irregularities n' n¹ partially crossing the spreading and
reducing faces, substantially as described.
Ninth. In combination with a rolling and forging machine, substantially as
described, the extensible standards 40, 41 provided with rollers or sheaves 42,
substantially as set forth.
Tenth. The method of making wrought metal forgings, circular in transverso
section, consisting in shaping the forgings at one operation by continuous pressure
between movable converging surfaces, the surplus inetal of the blank being forced
longitudinally, as the blank is rotated on its axis, and subsequently condensing,
smoothing and finishing the forging, in lines circumferential to the axis, sub-
stantially as described.
Eleventh. Wrought metal forgings, circular in transverse section, and having a
condensed and compacted exterior, with forging lines running spirally to the axis
and smoothing and finishing lines running circumferentially to the axis as set
forth.