IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING AND ROLLING IRON."
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles May, of Great George Street, West-
minster, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING AND ROLLING IRON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles May at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th April 1853.
I, CHARLES MAY, of Great George Street, Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING AND ROLLING IRON "
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of improved machinery for rolling iron, and
improvements in the arrangement of known machinery used for this
purpose; and although the Invention is applicable to rolling iron for
various purposes, yet, as it is peculiarly applicable to the making
of railway bars, and more especially of that kind of rails known as the
Barlow rail, a description of this Invention, as so applied, will enable
a competent person to make both the machinery and arrangements for
any other class of rolling.

page_text: In the first plan my object is to get rid of the heavy fly wheel com-
monly used in rolling mills, and to substitute smaller fly wheels with
a nearer approach to equable continuous rotary movement; and this
I do by employing four steam cylinders, in two pairs, each pair acting
on one shaft, with their cranks at right angles, and a drawing
pinion on the shaft, which is common to two cylinders. I place the
pairs of engines on opposite sides of a large central wheel. By this
means it will be seen that if the teeth of the opposite pinions are
properly engaged with the teeth of the wheel, a very close approxima-
tion to uniform power, as applied to the wheel, will be produced.
My next improvement consists in the arrangement of the rolls, so
that the pile of iron from which the rail is formed has not to be lifted
over the rolls to be put through again from the same side, but passes
alternately backward and forward in the sanie way as if the motion of
the rolls was reversed after each time of the pile passing through them.
I accomplish this by making the rolls with a single groove in each,
and placing a sufficient number of them in a train; each successive
pair revolving in an opposite direction to the preceding pair. A rail-
way is laid down on each side of the double train of rolls, upon which
two trucks run to receive the pile as it comes through the rolls, and
from which it passes to the next, the truck being moved by hand the
short distance required..
I propose to make these rolls of larger diameter than those hitherto
employed, and to cast them and their axes hollow, for the purpose of
thereby getting the iron composing them more compact in the grain,
and also, from their greater diameter, that they may the more readily
lay hold of the large piles required for long and heavy rails. I further
propose to drive some or all of these rolls by means of a bar, connecting
them either with the driving pinions or the preceding pair of rolls,
which bar passes through the hollow axis, and are of a convenient
shape, so that the connecting clutches may be dispensed with. My
object is to compress the length of the double train of rolls into the
smallest practicable limits, so that the rail, during its formation, may not
have to be moved through an unnecessary space, which might waste
both labour and heat.

page_text: The facilities given by modern tools for the production of true sur-
faces to metal enable me to make the whole work with great truth;
and I propose that the bed or foundation of the train be placed
accurately, so that, to introduce longer or shorter rolls, the housings
may be readily shifted, and again secured in their places.
It being found convenient, in making large rails, first to roll the pile
through two or three grooves, and then to place the pile in a re-heating
furnace; this process is called "slabbing down;" and it may be conve-
nient to arrange three pairs of rolls in such manner that the pile shall
go straight forward through the three pairs; and it may be found
convenient to arrange the finishing rolls so that the rail or pile may
pass consecutively through them all, in a line, or through one portion
and back through another portion; in which latter case it will probably
be found most convenient that the rail or pile shall be clear of one pair
of rolls before entering the next, that the engine may not be required to
drive more than one pair of rolls with the metal between them at once.
I would further remark that it may be found convenient to have only
two pairs of rolls after the slabbing down process, each pair having
several grooves, and the two pairs revolving in opposite directions:
this would involve a little further traversing of the trucks between
each passage of the rail or pile through the grooves, but it would equally
accomplish one main object sought, viz., to elongate the iron in both
directions, instead of in only one, as is commonly practised; and it will
obtain that result without requiring the machinery to be reversed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles May, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 4th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES MAY, of Great George Street, Westminster, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-

page_text: teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles May, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles May, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles May, 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
MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING AND ROLLING IRON," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles May, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Charles May, do hereby de-
clare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists of improved machinery for rolling iron, and
improvements in the arrangement of known machinery used for this
purpose; and although the Invention is applicable to rolling iron for
various purposes, yet, as it is peculiarly applicable to the making of
railway bars, and more especially of that kind of rails known as the
Barlow rail, a description of this Invention, as so applied, will enable a
competent person to make both the machinery and arrangements for
any other class of rolling.
In the first place my object is to get rid of the heavy fly wheel com-
monly used in rolling mills, and to substitute smaller fly wheels, with a
nearer approach to equable continuous rotary movement; and this I do
by employing four steam cylinders in two pairs, each pair acting on one
shaft with their cranks at right angles, and a driving pinion on the
shaft, which is common to two cylinders. I place the pairs of engines
on opposite sides of a large central wheel, as shewn in plan upon

page_text: Figure 1, and elevation in Figure 2. By this means it will be seen that
if the teeth of the opposite pinions are properly engaged with the teeth
of the wheel, a very close approximation to uniform power, as applied to
the wheel, will be produced. It is customary in rolling mills to employ
a single engine and a very heavy fly wheel going at a high velocity; and
in case the direct power of the engine is insufficient the accumulated
momentuin of the heavy fly wheel comes in aid of the direct power as
resistance increases; but in cases where very long and large rails are
needed, this accumulated force may become exhausted at the instant that
the engine is at the dead point, and will thus be "brought up." It
will be seen that in my arrangement there is not only no dead point,
but no point at which there is not nearly three fourths of the total
power in full action. I further propose to adapt to the engines the
chronometric governor of Siemens, which, in other machinery, giving
great inequality of resistance to the moving power, I have found to
be fully competent to regulate the speed of the engine within the
desired limit. I have not thought it requisite to show this governor on
the plans, as it is a well known regulator for a steam engine.
My next improvement consists in the arrangement of the rolls, so that
the pile of iron from which the rail is to be formed has not to be lifted
over the rolls to be put through again from the same side, but passes
alternately backward and forward in the same way as if the motion of
the rolls was reversed after each time of the pile passing through them.
I accomplish this by making the rolls with a single groove in each, and
placing a sufficient number of them in a train, as shown in plan at
Figure 3, and elevation Figure 4, each successive pair revolving in an
opposite direction to the preceding pair. A railway, A, A, and B, B, is
laid down or constructed on each side of the double train of rolls, upon
which two trucks run to receive the pile as it comes through the rolls,
and from which it passes to the next, the truck being moved by hand
the short distance required. I propose to make these rolls of larger
diameter than those hitherto employed, and to cast them and their axes
hollow for the purpose of thereby getting the iron composing them
more compact in the grain, and also from their greater diameter, that

page_text: they may the more readily lay hold of the large piles required for long
and heavy rails. I further propose to drive some or all of these rolls
by means of a bar connecting them either with the driving pinions or
the preceding pair of rolls, which bar passes through the hollow axis,
formed as shewn in Figures 5 A, 5 B, or in any other convenient shape,
so that connecting clutches may be dispensed with. The form of the
driving bar is shewn in Figures 5 C, and 5 D. Another mode of con-
necting the rolls is shewn at Figures 6, 6 A, 6 B, 6 C. My object is to
compress the length of the double train of rolls into the smallest prac-
ticable limits, so that the rail, during its formation, may not have to
be moved through an unnecessary space, which might waste. both labor
and heat.
The drawings will be found explanatory of the mode I adopt for
driving the two trains of rolls in opposite directions. D, D, is the main
shaft, upon which the large toothed wheel E, is fixed; F, is a pinion on
the same shaft, driving pinions G, and H: these latter two are cast with
hollow axes, which axes are in a line with the axes of one train of
rolls. I, is an intermediate pinion, driven by F, and driving K, and L;
which pair are analagous to the pinions G, and H, and their axes are
in a line with the second train of rolls, and, as is evident, these rolls
will revolve in the opposite direction to the first train; and, as each pair
of rolls of the double train is arranged alternately in ground plan, it is
clear that the pile or rail may be passed backward and forward, as before
described. Instead of the customary form of the housings or frames
of the rolls, which are continuous in the sides and cross heads, I form
them as shewn in Figures 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, and 11, and to place over the
trains or travelling crane, so that any roll may be speedily charged. I
also introduce two wedges for the horizontal adjustment of each bear-
ing, as shewn in Figures 9 and 10; and in order that the rolls
may be
kept a due distance apart, I introduce, by preference, two volute springs,
under each of the top bearings, as shewn in Figure 9; but other springs
may be used. The facilities given by modern tools for the production
of true surfaces to metal, enable me to make the whole work with
great truth; and the bed or foundation, Figure 12, and 12", of the

page_text: train is to be planed accurately, so that, to introduce longer or shorter
rolls, the housings may be readily shifted and again secured in their
places.
It is found convenient, in making large rails, first to roll the pile
through two or three grooves, and then to place the pile in a reheating
furnace; this process is called "slabbing down;" and it may be con-
venient to arrange three pairs of rolls, in such manner that the pile
shall go straight forward through the three pairs; and it may be found
convenient to arrange the finishing rolls. so that the rail or pile may
pass consecutively through them all in a line, or through one portion
and back through another portion; in which latter case it will probably
be found most convenient that. the rail or pile. shall be clear of one
pair of rolls before entering the next, that the engine may not be
required to drive more than one pair of rolls with the metal between them
at once. I would further remark, that it may be found convenient to
have only two pairs of rolls after the slabbing down process, each pair
having several grooves, and the two pairs revolving in opposite direc-
tions. This would involve a little further traversing of the trucks be-
tween each passage of the rail or pile through the grooves, but it would
equally accomplish one main object sought, viz., to elongate the iron
in both directions instead of in only one, as is commonly practised;
and it will obtain that result without requiring the machinery to be
reversed.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, I wish it
to be understood that I claim the application of four steam cylinders,
acting upon a large main wheel, as described; and I also claim the
arrangement by which the rollers are driven alternately in opposite
directions, and that, without any reversing of the machinery, the pile
or rail may be passed backward and forward through the rolls, and be
elongated in both directions without the necessity of lifting it over the
roll, as required in mills of the ordinary construction. And I also
claim the arranging of a series of pairs of rollers, placed at a distance
apart, in such manner that the iron may not be between two pairs of
rolls at the same time, yet that the succeeding pairs of rolls be so near

page_text: as to receive the iron immediately it has quitted the preceding pair of
rolls. And I also claim the mode of constructing and coupling the
rolls for rolling iron as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles May, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES MAY. (L.S.)
Witness, WILLIAM TONGUE.