IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Clark, of Blaina, in the County of
Monmouth, Ironmaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ROLLING IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th April 1871.
I, JAMES CLARK, of Blaina, in the County of Monmouth, Iron-
master, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ROLLING IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN MACHINERY OB
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
:-
My Invention refers, firstly, to machinery for rolling, in which the
metal passes between "rolls" which act upon it at different angles.
The "rolls" I propose to employ are provided with axes placed alter-
nately in horizontal and vertical positions in any required number to
the series, and upon cach of these I form two or more grooves gradually
differing in shape or dimensions according to the character of the article

page_text: to be produced, and two or more "piles," "billets," or other such
preparations of metal may therefore be passed through the machine at
the same time, the said "rolls" being driven at varying speeds in
proportion to the attenuation. The metal may be heated in any ordinary
manner and may be drawn from the furnace by the action of the "rolls"
as is now practised in some instances.
"
Secondly. My Invention refers to the use of a scrics of "rolls' with
their axes in the same plane, and through which the heated metal is
consecutively drawn. These "rolls" are provided with grooves which
gradually bring the metal to the required finished form, and they are
geared with suitable wheels or friction surfaces for causing their speeds
to vary in proportion to the drawing out of the metal. I also propose
as in the former instance to adapt, if desired, two or more grooves to
cach "roll." Also I propose to cause the rolled article to be delivered
into a sheath which prevents it from curving.
Another part of my Invention consists in a method of rolling whereby
the metal is turned so as to be operated upon in more than one direction.
For this purpose I employ two or more sets of "rolls" with a spiral
guide between them. The metal passing through this guide is turned
and different surfaces are therefore acted upon by the successive "rolls."
Another part of my Invention relates to the rolling of cast steel, and
consists in performing that operation direct with the melted metal.
For this purpose I cast an ingot as usual, but while it is in a heated
state I present it to the "rolls" which draw it forward, and I propose
to cast the said ingot in a form approaching more or less that of the
intended finished article. For carrying forward the heated metal I
propose to use a travelling surface constituting a portion of the mould,
and upon this the metal may be cast continuously or at intervals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on 3
the 11th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CLARK, of Blaina, in the County of Monmouth, Ironmaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, One thousand

page_text: eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Clark, Her special licence that I, the said James Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Clark, 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 ROLLING IRON AND OTHER METALS, AND IN
MACHINERY OB APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon the condition,.
amongst others, that I, the said James Clark, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of tho 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 James Clark, 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 and accompanying Drawing (that is to say) :-
My Invention refers, firstly, to machinery for rolling, in which the
metal
passes between rolls which act upon it at different angles. The
rolls I propose to employ are provided with axes placed alternately in
horizontal and vertical positions in any required number to the series
so as to turn out a finished rail, bar, or other such article, and upon
cach of these "rolls," I form two or more grooves gradually differing in
shape or dimensions according to the article to be produced, and two or
more piles," "billets," or other such prepared metal may therefore be
passed through the machine at the same time.
66
In the accompanying Drawing this part of my Invention is shewn
at Fig. 1, in which a, a', a², a³, represent a series of rolls on horizontal
axes, and b, b¹, b, b³, an intermediate series with vertical axes. Upon
each of these rolls are formed two grooves c, d, and upon each of the
other "rolls" a, a', a², as, similar grooves, but in both cases the said
grooves diminish gradually in size until they finish at 6³ with grooves of
the form and size of the section of the finished article. A bar of metal e is
passed into a groove of the front pair of rolls a, and proceeds from thence

page_text: to the groove c of the second pair of rolls b, which having vertical axes
roll the motal at right angles to the former operation, and so on alter-
nately through the series. The several pairs of rolls are driven at
accelerated speeds according to the attenuation of the metal, and thus
throughout the series, by which means the finished article is produced.
At the same time another bar of metalfis fed to the other groove of
the first pair of rolls and is in like manner passed to the grooved and
rolled first on one side and then on the other, by which means two
finished articles may be simultaneously produced. As the bar during
its passage has to deviate from a direct line, as shewn, I adapt suitable
sheaths acting as guides to conduct it from one pair of rolls to another.
Secondly. My Invention refers to the use of a series of "rolls" for
producing a finished rail or other article with their axes in the same
plane but having two grooves formed on each of them, by which means
two finished articles as before may be simultaneously produced.
This arrangement is shown at Fig. 2 in which a, a', a³, a³, a², a³, aº, a²,
are the series of "
rolls," cach being formed with two grooves c, d, the
said grooves being of decreasing size, and the rolls being driven by any
suitable gearing at the proper increasing speeds. Between each of these
rolls I place a sheath for a guide, but I form it as a spiral in order to
turn the metal * over, as described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to George Bedson, dated July Second, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two, No. 1935.
Thirdly. My Invention consists in the use of a sheath into which the
finished article passes when delivered by the last pair of "rolls."
The sheath is shown at g formed with a longitudinal hollow which
receives the rail or other article, the said hollow being of the shape or
nearly so of the rolled metal, and acting as a support to prevent it from
curving.
Another part of my Invention relates to the rolling of cast steel,
and consists in performing that operation upon the ingot as it is cast.
This part of my Invention is shewn at Figs. 3 and 4. At a is the
converter capable of being tapped at h, and beneath this is a vessel i
also capable of being tapped at its lower part j. Beneath this is an
endless trough caused to travel over rollers by any suitable gearing,
and constituting a mould in which the metal to be rolled is cast. The
mould is formed by jointing together plates of metal / so as to form an
endless chain, and upon these plates are bolted blocks of fire-brick m

page_text: coated with ganister. The plates fit on to squared parts of rollers k,
by which they are therefore carried forward. This constitutes the
bottom of the trough, and the sides are formed by fixed blocks of fire-
brick o coated with ganister and supported by a stationary frame p.
When the blocks are travelling at the top the joints of the plates bring
their ends flush with each other, and a trough is formed, constituting the
mould; at p is a fixed part constituting an end to the mould and pre-
venting the metal from running in that direction. The converted metal
is drawn through into the vessel i, where it is skimmed and is then
allowed to run from the orifice j into the travelling mould which carries
it forward and delivers the cast ingot on to a dead plate q, from whence
it passes to the rolls r to be treated in the usual manner. The speed of
these rolls and the travelling of the mould must be regulated so as
to be in proper proportion to each other, and so as to allow the metal
to attain the proper degree of solidity for being rolled. In order to
assist in getting an uniformity of thickness in the ingot a scraper may
be fixed over the mould.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my Invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part recited
Letters Patent.
"
Firstly. As applied to the production of finished bars, rails, or other
such articles forming two or more grooves on rolls" with their axes
placed alternately at an angle to each other.
Secondly. As applied to the same purposes forming two or more
grooves upon a series of rollers with their axes in one plane.
Thirdly. The use of the sheath as illustrated at g.
Fourthly. Rolling steel direct from a continuously cast ingot.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JAMES CLARK. (L.S.)