IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR ROLLING IRON, STEEL, AND OTHER METALS, WHICH INVENTION RELATES MORE PARTICU- LARLY TO APPARATUS KNOWN AS 'THREE HIGH SYSTEM,' TO BE USED FOR ,, OR S INTO PLATES OR SHEETS, THOU
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Whitham, of the Calder Vale Iron
Works, in Wakefield, in the County of York, Ironmaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR ROLLING
IRON, STEEL, AND OTHER METALS, WHICH INVENTION RELATES MORE PARTICU-
LARLY TO APPARATUS KNOWN AS 'THREE HIGH SYSTEM,' TO BE USED FOR
ROLLING IRON, STEEL, OR OTHER METALS INTO PLATES OR SHEETS, THOUGH
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Whitham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th June 1874.
I, SAMUEL WHITHAM, of the Calder Vale Iron Works, in Wakefield, in
5 the County of York, Ironmaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR ROLLING IRON,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Whitham in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd December 1874.
:'
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
WHITHAM, of the Calder Vale Iron Works, in Wakefield, in the County
of York, Ironmaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in tho year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
cighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Whitham, Her special
licence that I, the said Samuel Whitham, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel Whitham,
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,
usc, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR ROLLING IRON, STEEL, AND
OTHER METALS, WHICH INVENTION RELATES MORE PARTICULARLY TO APPARATUS
KNOWN AS "THREE HIGH SYSTEM," TO BE USED FOR ROLLING IRON, STEEL, OR
OTHER METALS INTO PLATES OR SHEETS, THOUGH PARTS OF IT ARE ALSO APPLICABLE
TO ROLLS GENERALLY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Samuel Whitham, 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 Samuel Whitham, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to

page_text: My Invention relates more particularly to apparatus which is known
as three high system of rolls, which are to be used for rolling iron, steel,
and other metals into plates or sheets, though parts of it are also appli-
cable to rolls generally, and consists,--
First. In the application of a spring or springs at the ends of both
the middle and top roll, or at the ends of the middle roll alone, so as to
bear up or lift the said middle roll, and thereby prevent concussion when
the metal sheet leaves the rolls.
Secondly. In the application of hoops of iron, brass, steel, or other
suitable metal on the ends of the rolls so as to prevent breaking of the
surface of the rolls.
Thirdly. In the application of a strap or chain for driving the top roll,
especially in cases where the top roll cannot be connected with and
driven by any other motive power, the said strap or chain working on
the boxes from each end of the top and bottom rolls, and where a strap
is used a weighted lever, with a pulley, is applied to take up the
slackening of the strap, but the top roll must be balanced in the same
way as hitherto done.
"
Fourthly. In making the framework or housing" of the rolls closed
so as to have a solid mass to offer resistance to the side of the neck of
the rolls, whereby the lateral motion given to the middle roll is pre-
vented and side chocks are entirely dispensed with. The housing is also
so constructed that the middle roll can be changed without removing
the housing from its permauent position.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner in which the same may be performed or carried
into effect, and for this purpose will make use of the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, in each of the Figures of which the same letters or figures of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Figure I. represents a front elevation of a set of "three high rolls,"
and Figure II. an end clevation of the same in section taken through
the dotted line x, y, on Fig. I.

page_text: A, A, represent the framework or "housing" of the rolls; B repré-
sents the top roll; C, the middle roll; and D, the lower roll. On the
top of the frame A, A, is shown the bevil gearing for simultaneously
moving the pressure screws, as is usual in metal rolls.
The first part of my Invention consists in the application of a spring
E at the ends of the top roll B and the middle roll C to prevent con-
cussion, when the metal sheet being rolled leaves the rolls. In carrying
out this part of my Invention according to one plan I place around the
boxes at both ends of the top roll a hoop a, attached to which hoop is
one end of the spiral spring E, the other end of which spiral spring is
attached to the axle of the middle roll C. By this means the middle
roll is supported, when the metal plate being rolled leaves the space
between the middle and bottom roll, and so a great deal of concussion
is avoided. According to another plan I place an eliptic blade spring F,
Fig. 2, which is attached to and supported by the frame or housing, and
which cliptic spring bears against and supports the under side of the
axle on which the middle roll C revolves, and so supports the said
middle roll, and thereby, as above mentioned, prevents much of the
concussion which arises when the plate leaves the roll.
The second part of my Invention consists in applying to each end of
the rolls, and for about six inches from each end of the length of each
roll, a hoop of iron, brass, steel, or other suitable metal so as to prevent
the breaking of the service of the rolls. This is represented on Fig. I.
of the Drawings, in which the portion of the rolls to which the said
hoops are applied are represented by dotted lines, and the hoops are
coloured yellow. This hoop is fitted in the following manner :—The
ends of the rolls are turned to the required size, and the hoop of iron,
brass, steel, or other metal is shrunk on by heat, as is well understood.
I have found that a hoop of 6 inches broad by one inch thick is a
suitable hoop for the purpose, but their dimensions may be varied.
The third part of my said Invention consists in the application (in
cases where the top roll cannot be driven in any other way) of a strap
or chain connecting the boxes of the top and bottom rolls, by means of
which the top roll is driven, whereby the despatch of work is much
increased, inasmuch as the workman is enabled to get the metal of
which the plate is to be made between the rolls much more easily and

page_text: quickly than where the top roll has not any other motive power than
the friction of one roll against the other (a motive power not always
reliable). The arrangement in which a chain is used is represented on
Fig. I. G is the chain which passes over the boxes of the top roll B
and the bottom roll D, and it will be seen that there are pins or spurs
upon the boxes which enter the links of the chain, and so prevent its
slipping without receiving or imparting motion to the respective rolls.
The arrangement in which a strap is used is represented on both Figs. I.
and II., in which H is the strap. The tension of the strap or chain is
regulated as the top roll rises or falls by the weighted lever I. (Fig. II.)
attached to the frame or housing of the rolls, one end of which weighted
lever presses a small friction roller i on the said end of the said weighted
lever I. against the strap or chain, by which means any slack in the
strap or chain is taken up, and the tension of the strap or chain is
thereby regulated.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in making the framework
or housing of the rolls closed. This is donc to strengthen the housing,
and thereby economize weight, and also so as to have a solid mass to
offer resistance to the side of the necks of the rolls, whereby the lateral
motion given to the middle roll is prevented, and the side chocks which
have hitherto been used for this purpose are entirely dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention and the manner in which the same may be performed or
carried into effect, I declare that what I claim as the Invention secured
to me by the said herein-before recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The application, in the manner herein-before described and
illustrated in the Drawing hereunto annexed, of a spring or springs at
the ends of both the middle and top roll, or at the ends of the middle
roll alone, for the purposes herein-before mentioned.
Secondly. The application, in the manner herein-before described and
shown in the Drawings hereunto annexed, of hoops of iron, brass, steel,
or other suitable metal on the ends of the rolls so as to prevent breaking
of the surface of the rolls.
Thirdly. The application, in the manner herein-before described and
shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, of a chain or strap for driving
tha tan toll

page_text: Fourthly. The peculiar construction of the framework or housing of
the rolls, herein-before described and shewn in the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Whitham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Samuel Whitham,
in the presence of
ARTHUR NORTHI,
Sol.
Leeds.
SAMUEL WHITHAM. (L.S.)