IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE BY ROLLING OF STRAIGHT AXLES FOR WAGONS, TENDERS, LOCOMOTIVES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES.
Year: 1872

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE BY ROLLING OF STRAIGHT AXLES FOR
WAGONS, TENDERS, LOCOMOTIVES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES.' -A
communication from abroad by François Garnier and Franz Hessen-
land, both of Paris, France.
-
Sealed the 25th October 1872, and dated the 6th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th May 1872.
-
I, BRISTOW HUNT, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE BY ROLLING OF STRAIGHT
AXLES FOR WAGONS, TENDERS, LOCOMOTIVES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES
(a communication to me from abroad by François Garnier and Franz
Hessenland, both of Paris, France), to be as follows:→
"
-The rolling according to this system operates-transversely to the axle-
and by means of three pairs of rolls, of which two are called "roughing
rolls," and the third "finishing rolls." Each of these rolls is composed as
ordinarily of two standards provided with bearings, in which are placed

page_text: in the same vertical plane two revolving rollers which turn in the same
direction, which is effected by gearing the two pinions which are keycd
upon their respective ends with a third pinion in gear with both, and
receiving its motion from the steam engine. At the side of theso two
main rollers are placed two small rollers serving merely to keep the axle 5
in position, and which can be brought nearer together or further apart
for that purpose by screw gearing or other similar arrangement. The
lower roller is immovable in a vertical direction, and the upper one can
be raised or lowered by means of screws actuated by worm gearing.
Each of these main rollers is composed of a central axle or shaft, which 1
receives its motion from the driving power, and on which are placed
movable and fixed rings forming the profile of the axle, the arrangement
of which rings will vary with the said profile.
The movable rings serve to prevent the torsion which would neces-
sarily be produced in the axle during the rolling by the difference of 1
surface speed occasioned by the different diameters of its parts.
The fixed rings give the movement of rotation to the axle, and the
loose or movable rings derive their motion from the latter, and from
their own central shafts, which draw them in the same direction.
The first and second roughing rolls are provided with cutting rings 2
which remove the surplus metal from the ends of the axles, and the
finishing rolls are provided with two small conical rollers for finishing
the said ends. The journals of iron axles may be hardened by causing a
constant jet of water to flow on to them during this last operation.
The section of the movable rings should be such as to preserve the 2
requisite amount of friction, and they should be kept lubricated by
means of water, oil or soap.

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Bristow Hunt, Her special licence
that I, the said Bristow Hunt, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Bristow Hunt, my cxe-
cutors, 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 THE MANUFACTURE BY ROLLING OF STRAIGHT AXLES FOR WAGGONS, TENDERS,
LOCOMOTIVES, AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES" (a communication to me from
abroad by François Garnier and Franz Hessenland, both of Paris,
France),
), upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Bristow
Hunt, 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 Bristow Hunt, do hereby declare
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 in writing, and on reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 represents the round bar from
which the axle is to be made; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the first
"roughing rolls;" Figure 3, a similar view of the second "roughing
rolls; " Figure 4, a similar view of the "finishing rolls;" and Figure 5,
a sectional view of the same.
The rolling according to this system operates transversely to the axle
and by means of three pairs of rolls, of which two are called "roughing
rolls," and the third "finishing rolls." Each of these rolls is composed
as ordinarily of two standards A provided with bearings, in which are
placed in the same vertical plane two revolving rollers B, which turn in
the same direction (as indicated by the arrows in Figure 5), which is
effected by gearing the two pinions which are keyed upon their
respective ends with a third pinion in gear with both, and receiving its

page_text: motion from the steam engine. At the side of these two main rollers
are placed two smaller rollers C serving merely to keep the axle in
position, and which can be brought nearer together or further apart for
that purpose by the screw motions and bevil gearing D, or by any other
arrangement (see Figure 5). The lower roller is immovable in a vertical
direction, and the upper one can be raised or lowered by worms V and
worm wheels Ractuated by worms S, shown at Figures 4 and 5. Each
of these main rollers is composed of a central axle or shaft B, which
receives its motion from the driving power, and on which are placed
movable and fixed rings forming the profile of the axle, the arrange-
ment of which will vary with the said profile.
The movable rings serve to prevent the torsion which would neces-
sarily be produced in the axle during the rolling by the difference of
surface speed occasioned by the different diameters of its parts. For the
axle shown in the Drawing, the body of which is formed of two trun-
cated cones united by a cylindrical part in the three rolls, the rings E
are movable, and the rings F are fixed. These latter give the movement
of rotation to the axle, and the former E derive their movement from
the latter and from their axles or shafts B which draw them in the
same direction.
The operation of rolling is performed as follows:-The round bar
(Figure 1) made by the ordinary rolls, and intended to form the axle,
being heated in a furnace to a white welding heat is placed between the
first roughing rolls, the rings of which are of a rounded profile to
facilitate the drawing. The fixed rings F of these rolls, which are of
larger diameter, bear consequently the first upon the bar, and carry it
along with their movement, elongate it under the action of their
pressure, and then the iron becomes successively acted upon by all the
rings, and takes the form shown at Figure 2. Arrived at this point the
bar or axle, which is still very hot, is withdrawn and placed in the
second roughing rolls (Figure 3), which has rings of a straight profile,
the object of which is to remove the corrugations found in the pro-
ceding rolling operation.
The surface being sufficiently polished, the axle, the body of which is
then finished, is placed in a furnace to be reheated, and thence taken to
the finishing rolls, Figure 4, which complete the journals merely roughed
in the preceding operations. Two small movable conical rollers G
placed between the rolls scrve to form the ends of the journals. In the

page_text: roughing rolls these conical rollers are replaced by cutters H, which cut
off the excess of iron produced by the rolling. By this process of
manufacture, which applies equally to steel and iron, and to the rolling
of all kinds of round articles of different diameters, there is obtained at
the same time a rapidity of execution and such precision that the
operation of turning is almost dispensed with. Moreover in iron axlesa
hardened surface may be combined with a strong fibrous body for the
journals by causing a continuous jet of water to run upon the same
during the latter operation. The movable rings should have sections
calculated in such a manner that the best conditions of friction may be
observed, and they should be maintained in a constant state of lubri-
cation either by water, oil, or soap. Figure 6 represents a side view and
vertical section of one of these rings.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
Improvements in the Manufacture by Rolling of Straight Axles for
Waggons, Tenders, Locomotives, and other Wheeled Vehicles," together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim
as the Invention communicated to me by the above-named François
Garnier and Franz Hessenland,—
Firstly. The construction of rolls with fixed and movable rings for
rolling axles, and of any kind or dimensions, or any other round articles
of different diameters, the effect of which arrangement is to submit all
points in the length of the axle to the action of rolling cylinders having
the same speed, so as to avoid torsion.
Secondly. The general arrangement and details suitable for carrying
out the above idea, as herein-before described and represented by the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.