Improvements in or connected with Machines for Shearing Blooms or Bars.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th July, 1892-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machines for Shearing Blooms
or Bars.
I, CHARLES DAVY of Park Ironworks, Sheffield in the County of York,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus applied to machines for shearing blooms or
bars, whereby to enable the bloom to be traversed and its position with regard to
the shears to be more conveniently and accurately adjusted for the purpose of
shearing it into measured lengths and particularly whereby short pieces of bloom
or the crop-ends left after cutting up a bloom (and which are too short to be
traversed by the ordinary roller gear) may be fed to, or removed from, the shears.
The invention comprises gripping mechanism preferably adapted to grip the sides of
the bloom and mounted upon a horizontally-sliding crosshead extending across the
roller bed of the shearing machine, the gripping mechanism being actuated by
hydraulic, mechanical, or manual power. The crosshead is operated by hydraulic
power for the purpose of feeding the bloom up to the shears by successive stages
according to the lengths to be cut, the gripping mechanism being capable of
approaching close up to the shears to enable short lengths to be fed up or to be
removed and the whole mechanism being capable of being readily turned up out of
the way when required.
The gripping mechanism may consist of a pair of lever arms terminating in
gripping jaws carried by shafts journalled in the crosshead one near either side
of the roller bed and geared together or with the same ram by spur segments or
equivalent levers so as to be moved simultaneously and symmetrically with regard
to the centre line of the machine. The gripping levers may be operated in the
direction for gripping by a hydraulic ram coupled or geared with one or both of
the gripping lever shafts and acting in opposition either to another ram which may
be similarly coupled or geared to the gripping lever mechanism and may oppose a
constant but inferior or less effective power than that of the gripping ram, or the
two rams may be controlled and act separately. Or in some cases the releasing
motion may be obtained by a dead weight or both the gripping and releasing
motions may be obtained by worm gear operated by power or manually.
The sliding motion of the crosshead is imparted by a hydraulic ram or by
oppositely-acting hydraulic rams at one side of the roller bed, the crosshead being
movable preferably about the axis of said ram or rams as a centre in order that
the crosshead may be turned up to a vertical position which may be done by a
hydraulic ram and rack gearing with a segment about the axis of motion or by an
ordinary crane, the cross-head being counterbalanced.
The cross-head and the gripping lever operating mechanism carried thereby is
preferably, although not necessarily, arranged at such a height above the roller bed
as to allow of a bloom of greater length than that of the stroke of the cross-head
passing beneath it for the purpose of being operated on. For accurately deter-
mining the length of bloom to be cut off, the crosshead has an index working over
a scale alongside the roller bed whereon the exact length of bloom pushed between
the shear blades may be read off.
Instead of a pair of gripping levers a pair of rigid arms may be used, the one
being fixed to the crosshead and the other being carried by a hydraulic ram
mounted on the crosshead

page_text: The gripping levers may, in some cases, seize the blooms at the end and by the
top and bottom faces instead of by the sides.
Dated this 31st day of October 1891.
CHARLES DAVI,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machines for Shearing Blooms
or Bars.
I, CHARLES DAVY of Park Ironworks, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 apparatus applied to machines for shearing blooms or
bars, whereby to enable the bloom to be traversed and its position with regard to
the shears to be more conveniently and accurately adjusted for the purpose of
shearing it into measured lengths and particularly whereby short pieces of bloom
or the crop-ends left after cutting up a bloom (and which are too short to be
traversed by the ordinary roller gear) may be fed to, or removed from, the shears.
The invention comprises gripping mechanism preferably adapted to grip the
sides of the bloom and mounted upon a horizontally-sliding crosshead extending
across the roller bed of the shearing machine, the crosshead being operated by
hydraulic power for the purpose of feeding the bloom up to the shears by
successive stages according to the lengths to be cut, and being pivoted so as to
be capable of being raised out of the way, whilst the gripping mechanism is
operated by hydraulic mechanical or manual power and is capable of approaching
close up to the shears to enable short lengths to be fed up or to be removed.
The gripping mechanism may consist of a pair of lever arms terminating in
gripping jaws carried by shafts journalled in the crosshead, one near either side
of the roller bed and geared together or with the same ram so as to be moved
simultaneously and symmetrically with regard to the centre line of the machine.
The gripping levers may be operated in the direction for gripping by a hydraulic
ram coupled or geared with one or both of the gripping lever shafts and acting
in opposition either to another ram, which may be similarly coupled or geared to
the gripping lever mechanism and may oppose a constant but inferior or less
effective power than that of the gripping ram, or the two rams may be controlled
and act separately. Or, in some cases, the releasing motion may be obtained by
a dead weight or both the gripping and releasing motions may be obtained by
worm gear operated manually or by power.
The sliding motion of the crosshead is imparted by a hydraulic ram or by
oppositely acting hydraulic rams at one side of the roller bed, the crosshead being
movable about the axis by which it is guided in its longitudinal motion as a centre
in order that the crosshead may be turned up to a vertical position, which may be
done by a hydraulic ram and rack gearing with a segment about the axis of
motion, or by an ordinary crane, the crosshead being counterbalanced.
The crosshead and the gripping lever operating mechanism carried thereby is
preferably, although not necessarily, arranged at such a height above the roller
bed as to allow of a bloom of greater length than that of the stroke of the cross-
head passing beneath it for the purpose of being operated on. For the purpose of
accurately determining the length of bloom to be cut off, the crosshead has an
index working over a scale alongside the roller bed whereon the exact length of
bloom pushed between the shear blades may be read off.
Instead of the gripping jaws being carried by a pair of levers, the one jaw may

page_text: be fixed to the crosshead and the other carried by a hydraulic ram mounted on the
crosshead, and the jaws may in this case seize the blooms at the end and by the
top and bottom faces instead of by the sides.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a plan of a bloom shearing machine provided with my improved feed
mechanism.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional
elevation, of the same.
Figure 4 is a part plan, similar to Figure 1, shewing hydraulic gear applied to
the crosshead shaft for the purpose of turning the crosshead to an upright position
out of the way, Figures 5 and 6 being side and end elevations of said gear.
Figure 7 is a part plan, similar to Figure 4, shewing the crosshead guided by,
and pivoted upon, the hydraulic rams by which it is moved horizontally instead of
upon a separate shaft, as in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal elevation, and Figure 9 a plan, of a crosshead with the
bloom-feeding jaws operated in the direction of grip by hydraulic power and in
the direction of release by a dead weight.
Figure 10 is a plan of a crosshead with the bloom-gripping jaws operated in
both directions by worm gear actuated by power or manually.
Figure 11 is a plan, and Figure 12 an end elevation, of a crosshead in which
the gripping jaws are adapted to seize the bloom at the end and by the top and
bottom faces, instead of by the sides.
In all the figures the same letters of reference indicate similar parts or parts
fulfilling similar functions.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, A are the feed rollers and B B' the shears of an
ordinary bloom-shearing machine, the feed rollers adjacent to the bed shear being
arranged to rise and fall in the usual manner. C is the crosshead carrying the
bloom feed gear of my invention. It is carried at one end by a horizontal shaft D
parallel to and at one side of the roller bed, said shaft being supported and sliding
in bearings in a standard E and bracket E' fixed to the shear standard. The
crosshead bridges over the roller bed at the feed side of the shears, as shewn, and
preferably, but not necessarily, at a sufficient height from the bed rollers to admit
of the thickest bloom to be cut passing beneath it and its free end rests and slides
upon a slide way G at the side of the roller bed. The sliding motion of the cross-
head along the roller bed is imparted by oppositely-acting hydraulic rams H H
working in ram cases H' one at either side of the crosshead C and parallel with
the shaft D, the rams merely abutting against, without being fixed to, the cross-
head. By mounting the crosshead on a long shaft D having its bearings at the
extreme limits of the range of motion of the crosshead, the latter is efficiently
guided so that perfect parallelism is preserved notwithstanding that the power by
which the crosshead and bloom are moved is applied near the one end of the cross-
head whilst the other end is not constrained by any guides whatever, so that it is.
free to be raised, the guiding shaft serving also as an axis for the crosshead to
turn upon.
The gripping mechanism consists of a pair of levers I terminating in gripping
jaws and carried by vertical shafts journalled in the crosshead, the levers being
situated at the underside of the crosshead and beyond the sides of the roller bed
in position to seize the side edges of the bloom between their jaws. The levers
are provided with curved tail pieces adapted to guide the bloom between the
levers should it be improperly fed by the bed rollers. The spindles I¹ have each.
a crank arm 12 at the upper end coupled by a link I with the crosshead of a
hydraulic ram K mounted horizontally on the crosshead C the crank arms I'
being diametrically opposite, so that the levers are moved oppositely simultaneously
and symmetrically with regard to the centre line of the machine by the one ram K
for the purpose of gripping the bloom. The opposite or releasing motion is
obtained by means of a second ram L also mounted on the crosshead, acting in

page_text: opposition to the ram K and similarly coupled by links L' with the levers I³.
This ram is of less diameter than ram K to which it may either oppose a constant
but inferior or less effective power or the two rams may be controlled and act
separately. In this example both are controlled by one handing lever M con-
nected by links and levers with a valve or valves contained in a casing m controlling
the admission and exhaust to and from the cylinders of the two rams. To provide
for the travelling motion of the crosshead C along the machine, the pressure and
exhaust pipes P, X, controlled by said valve or valves are fitted to slide telescopi-
cally in cases P¹, X', extending parallel to the shaft D, p being the pressure inlet
and the exhaust. At the free end of the crosshead C there is an index
works over a scale along the frame G upon which the crosshead slides, whereby
the exact amount of feed given by the crosshead and consequently the exact
length of bloom to-be cut off may be accurately determined. As above mentioned,
the crosshead shaft D not only slides but also pivots in its bearings E E¹ so that
the crosshead is capable of being raised to the upright position by an ordinary
crane, all that is necessary being to disconnect it from the pipes P, X, by
unscrewing the joint bolts and sliding the pipes back out of the way.
which
In Figures 4, 5, and 6, a vértical hydraulic ram O is provided for the purpose,
said ram being mounted beneath the floor-line alongside standard E and operating
a rack O' in gear with a pinion O upon the shaft D and connected therewith by
a key received in a longitudinal key-way in the shaft so as to permit of the sliding
motion of the latter.
In Figure 7 the two members of the shaft D, H, act both as supports and guides
and also as hydraulic rams, the opposite ends being for this purpose received in
ram cases H of sufficient length to permit their longitudinal sliding motion therein.
If the crosshead C is also to be turned up on the shaft as a pivot, it may be raised
by an ordinary crane.
In Figures 8 and 9 the gripping levers I are coupled with and operated by a
ram K as before described for the purpose of gripping the bloom but instead of
being operated in the direction of release by an opposing ram L they are released
by a weighted lever arm R on a rock shaft R mounted on the crosshead and
having lever arms R³ connected by links R with the arms I of the gripping lever
spindles.
In Figure 10 mechanical gear is used for operating the gripping levers, whose
spindles have opposite toothed segments I in gear with worms on shafts Q mounted
on the crosshead C and geared by spur gearing with an intermediate shaft S
worked manually or by power.
In Figures 11 and 12 the crosshead C has a bracket S₁ projecting horizontally
from its front face, carrying an inverted hydraulic ram case T, the end t of the
ram projecting downwards therefrom and being adapted to act as a gripping jaw
pressing directly on the top of the bloom, another bracket U rigidly fixed to the
underside of the crosshead C and bracket S¹ projecting downwards below the
level of the roller bed and terminating in an upwardly-directed gripping jaw u,
rising just to the level of the roller bed and adapted to oppose at the underside
of the bloom the pressure of the upper jaw. In this case, provision is made by
centrally grooving the rollers of the roller bed, to give passage to the bracket U.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. The combination with a bloom shearing machine of a transverse cross head
mounted to slide longitudinally over the roller bed in connection with an index
and scale and of gripping jaws mounted on said cross head and adapted to grip
and feed the bloom and hold it whilst under the operation of the shears in the
manner described.
2. In feed mechanism for a bloom shearing machine the transverse cross head
carrying gripping jaws mounted at one end on a guide shaft sliding and turning

page_text: in bearings at one side of the roller bed, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. In feed mechanism for a bloom shearing machine the transverse cross head
carrying gripping jaws mounted at one end on a guide shaft sliding and turning
in bearings at one side of the roller bed in combination with oppositely directed
hydraulic rams parallel to said shaft and moving the cross head in opposite
directions as described.
4. In bloom feeding mechanism the transverse crossbead carrying the gripping
jaws mounted upon oppositely directed rams working in hydraulic ram cases and
acting to propel, support and guide the crosshead and also as pivotal axis therefor,
as described.
5. In the herein described bloom feeding mechanism the combination with the
transverse crosshead carrying the gripping jaws and with the horizontal shaft
serving as support, guide and pivotal axis therefor of the hydraulic ram rack and
pinion gear applied to said shaft for raising the crosshead on its pivot as
described.
6. The herein described bloom feeding gear consisting of a pair of gripping
levers adapted to grip the sides of the bloom mounted on vertical axes supported
in a transversely extending sliding crosshead and coupled with a hydraulic ram
also mounted on the cross head, whereby the gripping levers are moved in the
direction of grip, substantially as specified.
7. The herein described bloom feeding gear consisting of a pair of gripping
levers adapted to grip the sides of the bloom mounted on vertical axes supported
in a transversely extending sliding crosshead and coupled with oppositely acting
hydraulic rams also mounted on the crosshead whereby the gripping levers are
moved in opposite directions as described.
8. The herein described bloom feeding gear consisting of a pair of gripping
levers adapted to grip the sides of the bloom mounted on vertical axes supported
in a transversely extending sliding crosshead and coupled with a hydraulic ram also
mounted on the crosshead, whereby the gripping levers are moved in the direction
of grip, and with a weighted lever whereby the gripping levers are moved in the
reverse direction, as specified.
9. The herein described bloom feeding gear consisting of a pair of gripping
levers mounted on vertical axes in a sliding crosshead bridging over the roller bed
at a sufficient height to allow the bloom to pass beneath it and between the gripping
levers situated at the underside of the crosshead in position to grip the sides of
the bloom, as described.
10. The herein described bloom feeding gear consisting of a pair of gripping
levers mounted on a sliding crosshead as described and of worm gears coupled
with the gripping lever spindles and with each other for operating the gripping
levers, as described.
11. The herein described bloom feeding gear consisting of a transversely
extending sliding crosshead, supported guided, propelled, and pivoted as described,
and of a fixed jaw in combination with a movable jaw carried or formed by a
hydraulic ram both being mounted on the crosshead and adapted to grip the top
and bottom of the bloom towards the rear end thereof, substantially as specified.
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C. DAVY,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.