IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROLLED METAL ARTICLES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR"
Year: 1885

page_text: in Apparatus therefor.
I GEORGE FREDERICK SIMONDS, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States of
America, Saw Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ROLLED METAL ARTICLES AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR" to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to the manufacture of metal articles which are circular in
transverse section and of any desired shape or configuration in longitudinal section,
and is based upon the invention described in the Specification of former Letters
Patent granted to me dated June 9th A.D. 1885 N° 7028; it also relates to
apparatus for use in the said manufacture.
In the said former Specification. I have described the manufacture, by a peculiar
manner or method of rolling, of solid metal articles or bodies. The chief object of
this invention is the adaptation of such manner or method of rolling for the pro-
duction of articles which are hollow, that is to say, such as hollow projectiles for
fire-arins or ordnance, hollow shafts for railway vehicles or the like, and other
articles which are annular in transverse section throughout, or partially throughout,
their length.
According to my present invention the steel or other metal from which the
article is to be formed is worked into the shape of a hollow cylinder, the internal
and external diameters of which bear such relation to each other that when the
said cylinder has been rolled (in the manner described in the said former Specifi-
cation) to the desired form, and has been reduced to the proper diameter externally,
a hole, cavity or space of substantially the required dimensions will remain at its
centre.
If it is desired to compress the metal to a greater extent than would be possible
by the method just described, or to give any exact dimensions and a sunooth surface
to the hollow within the article; I insert a mandrel within the metal cylinder
before introducing the same between the dies of the rolling machine, so that the
metal is compacted around the said mandrel as it is being rolled and is then acted
upon as if it were solid.

page_text: In the apparatus for making heavy articles the dies have been formed with
plain or smooth surfaces and the material has been gradually fed between the
same in a lateral direction. These smooth surfaces, however, do not grip the metal
to any great extent, so that the dies frequently slip. To obviate this difficulty
I roughen the whole or part of the surface of either die or of both dies, in such a
manner as to impart a positive movement to the metal.
The grooves or the like formed on the dies for this purpose are preferably of
such a size that they will only slightly roughen the surface of the article being
rolled.

page_text: in Apparatus therefor.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK SIMONDS, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States of
America, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my 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 metal articles which are circular in
transverse section and of any desired shape or configuration in longitudinal section,
and is based upon the invention described in the specification of former Letters
Patent granted to me and dated June 9th A.D. 1885, N° 7028; it also relates to
apparatus for use in the manufacture of such articles.
In the said former specification, I have described the manufacture of circular
metal articles by my peculiar manner or method of rolling without reference to
any distinction between solid and hollow articles. My present invention relates
to the manufacture of hollow or tubular articles, objects or bodies by the aforesaid
manner or method of rolling or rotary forging. My said invention is applicable to
the manufacture of wrought iron or steel shafts for steam-engines and other
machinery, axles for railway or other vehicles, and similar objects, and various
metal articles or bodies which are required to be, or may advantageously be, annular.
in transverse section and may have different diameters at different parts throughout
or partially throughout their length. For example, they may have their ends taper
or conical or may have shoulders, collars or protuberances, or depressions at
various parts.
In manufacturing such hollow articles according to my present invention, I take
a tube or hollow. cylinder of any required dimensions and place the same, when
heated, between dies substantially such as those described in the said former
specification; these dies are subjected to pressure and are caused to act upon the
said tube or cylinder, as described in the said specification, to reduce it to the
required diameter and give it the desired external shape or configuration.
The tube or tubular blank must have its length and its internal and external
diameters so calculated that, when the article is completed, it will have the required
external configuration, and the hole, cavity or space therein will be substantially
of the required dimensions.
In the manufacture of hollow shafts for steam-engines or other machinery, or
other objects wherein great strength required, I take a tube considerably larger
in diameter than the finished shaft or other object to be produced, and I roll this
tube by means of dies, such, for example, as those hereinafter described, a portion
only of the tube being operated upon at one time and the said tube being fed or
moved longitudinally between or through the dies after each operation thereof.
Successive portions of the tube are thus reduced to the required diameter to form
the hollow shaft.

page_text: In the manufacture of hollow shafts or other articles as above described, the
metal is compressed and condensed by reason of the reduction of the diameter of
the blank; great strength is, therefore, imparted to the shaft or other object or
article.
If it is desired to compress the metal to a greater extent than is practicable by
the method above described, or to give exact dimensions and a smooth surface to
the interior of the hollow article, I, in some instances, insert a mandrel within the
tube or tubular blank, before introducing the same between the dies, so that
the metal of the blank is compressed or compacted around the said mandrel, in
the rolling operation, and the blank and mandrel are acted upon as if they were
one solid piece. When the article is completed, the said mandrel is withdrawn
therefrom.
By my invention, I am enabled to produce many hollow or tubular objects or
bodies of wrought iron or steel, the manufacture of which is otherwise impracticable
by reason of the cost of forming the bore or cavity therein by the means heretofore
used, and, in all cases, I am enabled to produce hollow wrought iron and steel
objects or bodies without the costly and tedious operation of cutting out the solid
metal by boring.
In one form of the apparatus described in my said former specification for making
heavy articles, the dies, in each operation, act only upon a short piece of the
blank, so that the said blank has to be gradually fed or moved longitudinally
between the dies, as, for example, in the machine shown in Figure 15 of the
drawings accompanying the said former specification. The dies used for this
purpose have heretofore been made with plain or smooth working surfaces; but
1 have ascertained that there is not, in all cases, sufficient friction between such
dies and the blank to ensure the rotation of the said blank and prevent the
frequent slipping of the same.
To obviate this difficulty, I, according to my present invention, roughen the
whole or parts of the surface of either die or of both dies, in such a manner that
a positive movement will thereby be imparted to the blank without practical
detriment to the work. For this purpose, I form corrugations, serrations or teeth
on the said dies, preferably of such size that they will only slightly roughen the
surface of the article being rolled.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a part of one of my improved dies secured
in a platen.
Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing
different forms or modifications of my improved die.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are side elevations, drawn to a still further enlarged scale,
showing various forms of teeth or serrations.
b
a is the die, which is secured in the platen 6 by means of a key or wedge c.
The die shown in Figure 1 is made with a flat or plane surface a' and two bevelled
or inclined surfaces a². These bevelled or inclined surfaces are serrated or
roughened throughout their length, whilst the surface a¹ is left smooth.
In the modification of the said die shown in Figure 2, the surface a¹ is serrated
or roughened throughout its length as well as the bevelled or inclined surfaces a².
The die shown in Figure 3 has a convex or curved surface u³, the central portion
of which is smooth, whilst the remaining portions are serrated or roughened.
The teeth may be conveniently formed upon the said dies in substantially the
same manner as that generally adopted in the manufacture of files, viz:-by raising
portions of the metal by means of a chisel.
1 sometimes provide the surfaces of the dies with teeth inclined on both sides as
shewn in Figure 4, or with teeth which are upwardly inclined on one side in the
'direction of movement of the die when operating upon a blank, and which are
vertical on the other side, as shewn in Figure 5. Or I arrange the teeth in series
or groups, as shown in Figure 6, wherein it will be seen that each group consists

page_text: of one tooth b with equally inclined sides and two teeth on each side of this tooth
having the sides adjacent thereto vertical and the other sides inclined, as at 61, 6².
By these means, I provide for enabling the dies to take a firm hold or grip of
the blank being rolled and thus ensure and control the rotation of the said blank
as required.
It is preferable that the serrations or teeth should be larger or coarser near the
edges of the dies than near the centre thereof, so that the further the dies enter
the blank and consequently the greater the amount of work required in rolling the
said blank, the firmer will be the grip of the dies thereon for the purpose of
insuring and controlling its rotation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that in respect of the manner or method of rolling or rotary forging I make no
claim herein to the manufacture of any articles or bodies that are solid throughout
their entire extent, but I claim :-
First. The manufacture of metal articles which are annular in transverse section
throughout or partially throughout their length by rolling tubes or hollow or
tubular blanks between dies subjected to pressure, substantially as set forth.
Second. The above described improvements relating to the dies, whereby
I provide for ensuring and controlling the rotation of the blanks for the purpose
specified,
D1 OUT
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