Improvements in and relating to the Feeding Mechanism used in the Step-by-step Process of Rolling Tubular Blanks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th July, 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Feeding Mechanism used in
the Step-by-step Process of Rolling Tubular Blanks.
I, JOHN WOTHERSPOON, of Blairston, Bothwell, in the County of Lanark, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the feeding
mechanism used in the step-by-step process of rolling tubular blanks.
The tubular blank with a mandrel inside is fed between a pair of the well known
gapped rolls, and under one arrangement in which the turning movement of the
mandrel and blank is performed by hand, the step-by-step increased feed of the
blank is controlled by a chain or rope wound round a drum or barrel.
This is effected by screwing or otherwise attaching the rear end of the mandrel
to a handle bar which would have a swivel hook or link mounted to turn freely on
a pin at its other end. A chain or rope would be wound on a drum or barrel a
suitable distance away from rolls, and its end would be attached to the swivel hook,
and this drum would be rotated by a worm and worm wheel or other well known
mechanical motion, to give the necessary amount of unwinding of chain and feed of
blank at each action of the rolls sufficient for the regulated amount of increased
step-by-step movement of the mandrel and blank, and this feed may be either
continuous or intermittent. A small roller or cylinder would be mounted over the
coiled drum to keep the chain or rope from getting slack on the drum. A roller or
rest would be fitted a short distance from the gapped rolls for carrying and guiding
the blank when it is net passing between the rolls. By this means the tubular
blank is fed by step-by-step intermittent forward and backward movements, the
automatic feed of the chain giving the requisite increased lengths for the regulated
feed of blank, while the swivel hook permits of the turning movement of blank by
hand.
The feed may also be regulated by meaus of a screw, or a rack and pinion or by
a cylinder piston and rod or like mechanical devices.
A moveable collar or sleeve formed in two separate or semicircular halves would
be mounted on mandrel to bear directly behind the rear end of blank during the
rolling operations, and this collar would be held in position by means of a groove or
grooves formed on mandrel and a tapered or adjustable hoop or ring strap fitted
round the collar. The end of the split collar next the blank is preferably heated so
that the end of the hot blank may not be chilled when in contact with it, and when
the blank has been rolled or treated up to the collar, the hoop is slipped back by
coming in contact with a fixed stop and the split collar falls off the mandrel, and so
allows the remainder or whole of the blank to pass between the rolls.
By another arrangement the turning movement of the mandrel and blank as well
as their feed between the gapped rolls may be performed in an automatic mauner.
This would be effected as follows:-The rear end of the mandrel would be screwed
or connected to the piston rod of a cylinder carried on a slide, or on a wheeled
arriage, and this slide would be operated to give a forward feed to the cylinder
nd blank, and this feed may either be continuous or intermittent. The piston

page_text: would be actuated by steam, compressed air, water, or other fluid pressure, and
the fluid be led to the moveable cylinder by flexible or by telescopic piping. By
this means the blank would be pushed through between the rolls after each
revolution of the latter, and the cushion or pressure of steam or fluid may press
against the action of the rolls either continuously, or it may be regulated or con-
trolled by a valve so that the pressure shall be exerted only when the blank is
opposite the gapped part of rolls. Instead of using fluid pressure, regulating
hanging weights or equivalent appliances may be used for giving the through
motion to blank and mandrel between the gapped part of rolls.
And instead of the mandrel being coupled direct to the piston rod they may be
located at different levels and a vibrating lever or link connect them together, and
by this means greater facility and freedom for working at the rolls may be
obtained.
To give an automatic turning movement to the mandrel and blank, which would
preferably be a quarter turn at each revolution of the rolls, this would be effected
under one arrangement by mounting a shaft or tail piece on the piston and this
tail piece would pass through the rear end of cylinder and may be forined round
with a twisted feather, or square with a quarter twist on its length, or of any other
suitable irregular shape, and the quarter turn be given by a ratchet wheel and pawl.
Or this quarter turn may be given by a ratchet lever working in a groove in a
segment of a cylinder; or by bevel or mitre wheels and pinion wheel and rack;
or a rope and pulley may be substituted for the pinion and rack.
By a modified arrangement the quarter turn movement may be given to blank
at each pass between rolls by forming four radial projectious at equal spaced
distances apart round the circumference of the tail end of piston rod, and one of
these is held in contact with a fixed bar by a hanging weight suspended from a
drum on end of piston rod. As the blank is returning from between the rolls the
tapered surface of one of the radial projections slides under and lifts from contact
with end of fixed bar a hinged lever or arm, and the suspended weight then causes
the drum to revolve and so give the quarter turn before it is stopped by the
succeeding radial arm coming in contact with the hinged piece, and this is repeated
at each pass of blank between the rolls.
When the blank is put on to the mandrel, the cylinder and blank would be
pushed rapidly into position between the gapped rolls by means of an hydraulic
cylinder and ram, or by a quick running screw or by a rack and pinion or equiva-
lent mechanical motion, and the automatic turning action and feed would thus be
put into operation; while a fixed stop on the housing of the rolls would disengage
the hoop and the split collar would fall off from mandrel and permit the whole
operation to be completed without stoppage.
Dated the 13th day of October 1896.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
Improvements in and relating to the Feeding Mechanism used in
the Step-by-step Process of Rolling Tubular Blanks.
I, JOHN WOTHERSPOON, of Blairston, Bothwell, in the County of Lanark, 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, that is to say-
This Invention has reference to improvements in and relating to the feeding
mechanism used in the step-by-step process of rolling tubular blanks,

page_text: And in order that my said Invention and the manner of carrying same into
practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two explanatory
sheets of drawings in which the same reference letters are used to denote like parts
in the several figures where shown. Figure 1 represents a diagraminatic sectional
view of one arrangement of my tubular blank feed appliances. Figures 2 and 3 are
an elevation and plan view respectively of another arrangement. "Figures 4, 5, and
6 are respectively a detached elevation, plan view and cross section showing one
arrangement of mechanism for giving a quarter turn movement to the tubular blank.
Figures 7 and 8 are an elevation and plan view, and Figures 9 and 10 corresponding
views showing modified arrangements from that shown in Figures 4 to 6, and
Figures 7 and 9 are detached elevations of the rack and ratchet mechanism while
Figures 11, 12, and 13 are views corresponding to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of a still
farther modification.
Referring to these Drawings:--
The tubular blank a with a mandrel a¹ inside is fed between a pair of the well
known gapperi rolls A A¹ and under one arrangement in which the turning and
feeding forward movements of the mandrel and blank are performed by hand the
step-by-step increased feed of the blank is controlled by a chain or rope wound round
a drum or barrel. This is effected as shown in Figure 1 by screwing or otherwise
attaching the rear end of the mandrel a¹ to a handle bar b which would have a swivel
hook or link b¹ mounted to turn freely on a pin at its other end. A chain or rope c
is wound on a drum or barrel c¹ a suitable distance away from the rolls A A¹ and its
end would be attached to the swivel hook 61, and this drum c¹ would be rotated by
a worm c² and worm wheel c³ or other well known mechanical motion, to give the
necessary amount of unwinding of chain and feed of blank a at each action of the
rolls A A¹ sufficient for the regulated amount of increased step-by-step movement of
the mandrel and blank, and this unwinding of chain may be either continuous or
intermittent. A small roller or cylinder c is mounted over the coiled drum c¹ to
keep the chain or rope c from getting slack on the drum. A roller or rest A² is fitted
a short distance from the gapped rolls A A for carrying and guiding the blank a
when it is not passing between the rolls. By this means the tubular blank a is fed
by step-by-step intermittent forward and backward movements, the automatic feed
of the chain c giving the requisite increased lengths for the regulated feed of blank,
while the swivel hook b' permits of the turning movement of blank by hand.
As shown in Figures 1 to 3 a noveable collar or sleeve d formed in two separate
or semicircular halves is mounted on inandrel a' to bear directly behind the rear end
of blank a during the rolling operations, and this collar d is held in position by
means of a groove or grooves formed on inandril a' and corresponding ring projec-
tions on the inside surface of collar d and a tapered or adjustable hook or ring
strap d' is fitted round the collar d. The end of the split collar d next the blank is
preferably heated so that the end of the hot blank a may not be chilled when in
contact with it, and when the blank has been rolled or treated up to the collar, the
hoop is slipped back by coming in contact with a fixed stop d and the split
collar d falls off the mandrel, and so allows the remainder or whole of the blank a
to pass between the rolls A A'.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 2 and 3 the turning movement of the
mandrel a and blank a as well as their feed between the gapped rolls, A A' is
performed in an automatic manner. This is effected as follows:-The rear end of
the mandrel a is screwed or connected to the piston rod B¹ of a cylinder B carried
on a slide B and a carriage B on cylinder B is operated to give a forward feed to
the cylinder B and blank a and this feed may either be continuous or intermittent.
The piston is actuated by steam, compressed air, water, or other fluid pressure, and
the fluid is led to the moveable cylinder B by flexible or by telescopic piping. By
this means the blank a is pushed through between the rolls A A¹ after each revolu-
tion of the latter, and the cushion or pressure of steam or fluid is regulated or
controlled by a valve so that the pressure shall be exerted only when the blank is
opposite the gapped part of rolls A A¹,

page_text: Instead of the mandrel a¹ being coupled direct to the piston rod B1 they may be
located at different levels and an ordinary vibrating lever or link connect them
together, and by this means greater facility and freedom for working at the
rolls A A¹ may be obtained.
which
To give an automatic turning movement to the mandrel a' and blank
would preferably be a quarter turn at each revolution of the rolls, this would be
effected under one arrangement by mounting a shaft or tail piece B3 on the piston
and this tail piece would pass through the rear end of cylinder B and the quarter
turn be given as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 by a ratchet lever e working in a
groove el in a segment of a cylinder or by bevel or mitre wheels ff and pinion
wheel f and rack f as shown in Figures and 8, or a rope and pulley ffs and
recoil springs f may be substituted for the pinion and rack as shown in Figures 9
and 10. The wheel f2 in Figures 7, 7 and 8 and f5 in Figures 9, 9 and 10 is
fitted with a ratchet ex which enables these wheels to revolve loose on their shafts
on the return motion, and in their forward motion revolve the shafts and piston rod.
By a modified arrangement as shown in Figures 11 to 13 the quarter turn move-
ment may be given to blank at each pass between rolls A A¹ by forming four radial
projections gat equal spaced distances apart round the circumference of the tail end
of piston rod B and one of these is held in contact with a fixed bar g¹ by a hanging
weight suspended by a rope g³ from a drum gt on end of piston rod B. As the
blank a is returning from between the rolls A A' the tapered surface of one of the
radial projectious g slides under and lifts from contact with end of fixed bar a hinged
lever or arm g' and the suspended weight g2 then causes the drum gt to revolve and
so give the quarter turn before it is stopped by the succeeding radial arın y coming
in contact with the hinged piece g and this is repeated at each pass of blank
between the rolls.
When the blank is put on to the mandrel as shown in Figures 2 and 3 the cylinder B
and blank a would be pushed rapidly into position between the gapped rolls by
means of a quick running screw spindle h passing through an internally screwed nut
on slide rest of cylinder B, or this travelling motion may be given by an
hydraulic cylinder and ram, or by a rack and pinion or equivalent mechanical motion,
and the automatic turning action and feed would thus be put into operation; while a
fixed stop d² on the housing of the rolls would disengage the hoop d' and the
split collar d would fall off from mandrel a' and permit the whole operation to be
completed without stoppage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. In rolling tubular blanks, the arrangement whereby the step-by-step
increased feed of the blank is controlled by a chain or rope wound round a drum,
actuated by worm or equivalent mechanism, substantially as herein described in
reference to and shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Second. In rolling tubular blanks, the construction and arrangement of collar
and adjustable hoop mounted on mandrel which are automatically disengaged for
permitting the whole of blank to pass between rolls, substantially as set forth.
Third. In rolling tubular blanks, the arrangements of mechanism or appliances
for giving an automatic turning movement to the mandrel and blank substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 13th day of July 1897