Improvements in Dies for Making Steel Balls.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 3rd Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Dies for Making Steel Balls.
I, WILLIAM HAMILTON WRIGHT, of Kensington Station, in the City of Buffalo,
County of Erie and State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical
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 dies for making metal balls and the object of my said
invention is to produce a device that will cut from a bar of steel or other suitable
material, the exact quantity of metal required for the purpose, and rapidly form it
into a practically perfect and solid ball of a homogeneous or uniform texture in
every portion of the material so that when hardened it forms a ball of uniform
compactness and strength, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter
described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a die illustrating my invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the method of forming a true
elliptical curve for each side of the die.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of one of the dies partly finished showing its
proper position on the face plate of a turning lathe while turning the groove in its
periphery.
Figure 4 is also a sectional elevation of a die showing its required position on the
face plate of a turning lathe for forming the elliptical sides of the groove.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the die.
Figure 6 is a rear elevation and
Figure 7 is a diagram showing the different positions of the die, from the first
position when a parallel semicircular longitudinal groove is cut in the face or periphery
of the die, to its second position when a practically true ellipse is given to each side
of the die. To form a true ball by rolling the metal between two dies I have found
it to be absolutely necessary that the sides of the dies should be in the form of as true
an elliptic curve as it is possible to make it.
1, represents the die, the numerals 2, designates the olliptic sides of the same.
In Figures 1 and 2, I have shown this die adapted to set upon a straight or plane
surface and in Figures 3 and 4 they are shown curved, which is preferable thereby
adapting them to be secured to the periphery of a circular disc having one die on
the disc and a concave or inwardly curved stationary die substantially as shown in my
U.S. Patent No. 400,990, dated April 9th, 1889, or it may be used in the form of two
outwardly curved dies adapted to be secured to the peripheries of two discs constructed
to be rotated so that the dies will pass each other in opposite directions while the ball
is being cut from a bar and formed between them substantially as I have shown in
an application for a Patent No. 17723 of even date herewith. I therefore do not
limit myself to either a straight, inwardly curved or an outwardly curved die. I
construct my improved die as follows:-When an outwardly curved die is to be made
a curved piece of metal, (the best quality of steel) is secured in any well known way
to the face plate, 3, of a lathe in the position shown in Figure 3 and nicely turned up,
a semicircular longitudinal groove 4, being turned in the periphery. The die is now
removed and tempered very hard and then replaced and secured on the face plate 3,
so that the pin 5, will be directly under the centre of the die, the die is now tipped
slightly so as to move one end downward and the other up substantially as shown in
Figure 7, 8 showing the die in its first position and 9, its second position it being
moved just enough so that when turned up in the line of a circle of the same radius
as it was when being turned as shown in Figure 3 it will cut off a portion similar to
· Price 6d 7

page_text: that shown in Figure 4 the dotted lines showing the shape of the die when first put
in and space between the die and the dotted lines showing the amount cut off, thus
cutting an amount from the die commencing at nothing at the heel 6, and gradually
deepening until it reaches the bottom of the groove, 4, at the point 7. This operation
causes the two sides of the die to assume practically the exact form of an ellipse
substantially as shown in Figure 1, that is one-half of a perfect ellipse cut through the
shortest diameter.
The die being tempered very hard cannot in this second operation be turned by an
ordinary lathe tool it therefore has to be cut by causing the lathe to move it slowly
under a rapidly turning emery wheel, the operation being repeated taking a slight
cut off each time until it is complete. The straight die is made in a similar manner
except a planer is used instead of a lathe. Dies of this form act and force together
just enough metal and no more than is required to form a perfect ball of the size the
dies are limited to, and it is all gradually forced together with just sufficient force
to condense the metal equally throughout.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A die for making steel balls provided with a longitudinal groove having its two
cutting edges in the form of an elliptic curve the plane of which inclines froin the top
of a semicircular groove at the heel down to or near the bottom of the groove at the
point substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.