IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BENDING OR STRAIGHTENING METAL PLATES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hugh Donald, of the Firm of Craig and Donald,
of Johnstone, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain. Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR BENDING
OR STRAIGHTENING METAL PLATES."
Sealed the 9th October 1863, and dated the 21st April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hugh Donald at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the 21st
April 1863.
I, HUGH DONALD, of the Firm of Craig and Donald, of Johnstone, in the
County of Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR
BENDING OR STRAIGHTENING METAL PLATES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of machines or
apparatus for bending or straightening the metal plates used in shipbuilding
and for other generally similar purposes.
Under one modification the machine consists of a cast-iron sole plate carrying
a pair of end standards connected by horizontal tie rods. Each end standard
is made with a rectangular opening in it the vertical faces of which are grooved
to receive a sliding block. These blocks carry the bearings of a heavy roller
which in machines of the ordinary kind serves as the bending roller, but in
this modification it is not used for that purpose. Below this roller is arranged
another roller of smaller diameter which is used for the bending of the plates,
this roller being of comparatively small diameter plates can be circled

page_text: to a much smaller diameter than can be accomplished with the ordinary
bending machines; this improvement is very advantageous for bending
mast plates or other similar forms. The small roller is arranged to work
in frictional contact with the upper roller, and this arrangement prevents
it springing when bending heavy plates. Below the smaller roller are
arranged two other rollers parallel to each other; their peripheries extending out
beyond the smaller roller. These rollers are driven by means of suitable
gearing, and they serve to guide and carry the plates in either direction under
the bending roller. The peripheries of the pair of rollers are indented or
grooved longitudinally, one face of the indentation forming a vertical line whilst
the other is bevilled off until it merges into the periphery of the roller. With
this arrangement when a plate is passed into the machine to be bent its front
edge glides into one of the indentations without the noise or shock which takes
place when the grooves have two vertical faces as in the ordinary arrangement.
The bending roller is fitted on two moveable bushes so that by removing these
the bending roller is lowered, and its periphery then rests on the pair of
grooved rollers beneath. In this position the bending roller and the upper
roller may be used for straightening plates. The distance between the two
rollers is regulated by causing the sliding blocks which carry the upper roller
to traverso up or down. Each sliding block is fast to a screw which works in
an internal screw formed in the upper part of the end standard. The screw
extends out beyond the end standard and carries at its upper part a spur wheel,
and to the extremity of the screw is attached a lever and counterweight which
partly counterbalances the weight of the upper roller. In a bracket extending
out from the framing is carried a spindle having a hand wheel on its lower
end, and at the upper a pinion which gears with a spur wheel carried on a
stud projecting up from the standard. The boss of this wheel forms a long
pinion which gives motion to the wheel on the screw and admits of its
traverse in the vertical direction. With this arrangement the position of the
upper roller is
readily adjusted by turning the hand wheel so as to suit plates
of different thicknesses, which are straightened by passing them through the
rollers when the machine is in motion. The arrangement of the lever and
weight tending to relieve the weight of the upper roller and admit of its being
easily raised or lowered. When it is required to curve plates of considerable
thickness and for which kind of work the small roller may be too light it may
be readily removed by shifting the lower part of the sliding blocks. The large
upper roller is then screwed down to the required gauge and heavy plates may
then be curved with facility. In lieu of this arrangement the small roller may
be shifted and one of a larger or smaller diameter be fitted in its place so as

page_text: to obtain curves of various radii suitable for the different kinds of work for
which the machine is intended. By making the journal in one of the sliding
blocks sufficiently large to allow the roller to pass through the aperture, the
circled plate is thus readily released by simply withdrawing the roller, and
after removal of the plate the roller is replaced in its proper position.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Hugh Donald in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Huon
DONALD, of the Firm of Craig and Donald, of Johnstone, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Hugh Donald, Her special license that I, the said Hugh Donald,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Hugh Donald, my executors, administrators, or 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 MACHINEBY OR APPARATUS FOR BENDING OR STRAIGHTENING
METAL PLATES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Hugh
Donald, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under niy
hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, 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 tho said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hugh Donald, 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 accompanying Drawings and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of machinery

page_text: or apparatus for bending or straightening the metal plates used in ship-building
and for other generally similar purposes.
Under one modification the machine consists of a cast-iron sole plate
carrying a pair of end standards connected by horizontal tie rods. Each end
standard is made with a rectangular opening in it, the vertical faces of which
are grooved to receive a sliding block. These blocks carry the bearings of a
heavy roller, which in machines of the ordinary kind serves as the bending
roller, but in this modification it is not used for that purpose. Below this
roller is arranged another roller of smaller diameter, which is used for the
bending of the plates; this roller being of a comparatively small diameter,
plates can be circled to a much smaller diameter than can be accomplished
with the ordinary bending machines. This improvement is very advantageous
for bending mast plates or other similar forms. The small roller is arranged
to work in frictional contact with the upper roller, and this arrangement
prevents it springing when bending heavy plates. Below the smaller roller
are arranged two other rollers parallel to each other, their peripheries extending
out beyond the smaller roller. These rollers are driven by means of suitable
gearing, and they serve to guide and carry the plates in either direction under
the bending roller. The peripheries of the pair of rollers are indented or
grooved longitudinally, one face of the indentation forming a vertical line,
whilst the other is bevelled off until it merges into the periphery of the roller.
With this arrangement when a plate is passed into the machine to be bent, its
front edge glides into one of the indentations without the noise or shock which
takes place when the grooves have two vertical faces as in the ordinary
arrangement. The bending roller is fitted on two moveable bushos, so that
by removing these the bending roller is lowered and its periphery then rests
on the pair of grooved rollers beneath. In this position the bending roller
and the upper roller may be used for straightening plates. The distance
between the two rollers is regulated by causing the sliding blocks which carry
the upper roller to traverse up or down. Each sliding block is fast to a
screw which works in an internal screw formed in the upper part of the end
standard. The screw extends out beyond the end standard, and carries at its
upper part a spur wheel, and to the extremity of the screw is attached a lever
and counterweight, which partly counterbalances the weight of the upper
roller. In a bracket extending out from the framing is carried a spindle
having a band wheel on its lower end, and at the upper a pinion which gears
with a spur wheel carried on a stud projecting up from the standard. The
boss of this wheel forms a long pinion which gives motion to the wheel on the
screw and admits of its traverse in the vertical direction.
With this arrange-

page_text: ment the position of the upper roller is readily adjusted by turning the hand
wheel so as to suit plates of different thicknesses, which are straightened by
passing them through the rollers when the machine is in motion. The
arrangement of the loever and weight tending to relieve the weight of the
upper roller and admit of its being easily raised or lowered. When it is
required to curve plates of considerable thickness, and for which kind of work
the small roller may be too light, it may be readily removed by shifting the
lower part of the sliding blocks. The large upper roller is then screwed down
to the required guage, and heavy plates may then be curved with facility. In
lieu of this arrangement the small roller may be shifted, and one of a larger
or smaller diameter be fitted in its place so as to obtain curves of various
radii suitable for the different kinds of work for which the machine is intended.
By making the journal in one of the sliding blocks sufficiently large to allow
the roller to pass through the aperture, the circled plate is thus readily released
by simply withdrawing the roller, and after the removal of the plate the roller
is replaced in its proper position.
And in order that my said Invention of improvements in machinery or
apparatus for bending or straightening metal plates may be properly under-
stood, I shall now proceed to describe the Figures on the explanatory Sheet
of Drawings, which I have bereunto appended, for the purpose of showing
certain modifications under which my said Invention may be judiciously
carried out in practice, that is to say:-
Figure 1, on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, is a complete end
elevation of one modification of my improved rolling mill or machine for the
bending or straightening of metal plates; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the
same machine at right angles to Figure 1, but shown as with the engine for
driving the mill removed, and Figure 3 is a detached transverse sectional
elevation of the rollers shown as in the position and act of rolling a plate of
iron to a much smaller or quicker curve" than could be done without the
small intermediate roller. The same letters of reference indicate the same
parts of the machine in all the Figures.
The machine consists essentially of the two main side standards A, which
carry the fixed and moveable bearings of the several roller shafts, and are firmly
bolted and keyed down to each end of a strong sole or bed plate B, stretching
the whole width and length of the machine, and well secured by long screw
bolts to a suitable foundation of masonry. The first-motion shaft C, of the
rolling mill or machine, as shown in the Drawings, is driven by, and forms
the crank shaft of a small horizontal steam engine D, the connecting rods of
which being directly attached to the pin of a disc crank on the outer end of

page_text: the shaft C. The sole plate of the engine D is bolted down to a part of the
same foundation of masonry as that of the rolling mill, and as close to it as
practible. The engine being fitted with double eccentrics and link motion
for working the slide valve is connected by a link to a bell-crank band lever E,
which leaves the engine and mill completely under the control of the attendant
for at once starting, reversing, or stopping, which is a great desideratum in
such machines when rolling metal plates to small curves, or baving a small
radius, which frequently require to be rolled backwards and forwards until the
whole plate assumes the true arc or curve required. It will however be
self-evident to the practical engineer that the first-motion shaft C, of the
machine might be driven from any other prime mover in place of a local
engine attached thereto, as just described, as, for instance, by having mounted
on it the ordinary "three pulley arrangement" driven by an open and cross
belt, or by having on it the ordinary reversing bevel wheel arrangement with
a coupling between them, actuated by one common bevel wheel on the end
of a driving shaft at right angles to it, either arrangement being quite under
the control of the attendant for starting, reversing, and stopping through a
simple hand lever connected to the belt forks, or to the coupling respectively, in
whichever of these arrangements might be adopted for driving and controlling
the action of the machine in lieu of the one shown in the Drawings. To
ensure stability in the gearing, the inner end of the shaft C, is carried in a
"plummer-block" bearing firmly secured to the wall box F, and bolted to the
under side of the main sole plate B, and to obtain regularity and steadiness in
the rotatory motion, this shaft has also keyed on it the fly wheel G. The
spur pinion II, which is also keyed on this shaft C, at the back of the fly
wheel gears into the spur wheel I, which gives motion to the second or
intermediate shaft J, on the outer end of which the wheel is keyed. This
longitudinal shaft J, extends the whole length of the machine, and is carried
in three plummer block" bearings, the two larger and principal of which
are secured to the two strong wall blocks F, which are firmly bolted to the
under side of the main sole plate B, and well secured to the stone foundation
also, while the third bearing block is secured to the standard K, so as to
support the outer end of the shaft. The shaft J is so placed in the true
vertical centre line of the macbine that the two spur pinions L and L', keyed
on it at each end respectively, gear into the two large spur wheels M and M',
keyed on the overhanging ends of the respective shafts of the two driving
rollers N and N', the journals of which revolve in fixed bearing bushes in the
lower part of the main side standards A.
the two lower and feeding rollers N and
Thus through the chain of gearing
N' of the machine are driven with

page_text: great power, and at the same speed, and in one direction as indicated by the
arrows in Figures 1 and 3. The two top rollers O and P, which are used
for the bending and straightening of the metal plates, by pressing them down
in the centre between the two lower driving or feeding rollers N and N',
are driven themselves by stiff frictional contact on the plate a, as, for instance,
in Figure 3, as it is drawn in by the powerful action of the rollers N and N'.
The two end journals of the roller O, revolve in bush bearings secured in the
duplex sliding blocks Q, which are accurately formed with grooves at their
ends, so as to fit the planed feathers formed on the sides of the open part of
the main standards A, in which they traverse up and down. The two halves
of these blocks Q, are firmly bolted together, each block being coupled by a
swivel joint at its top to a strong screw spindle R, working in a deep nut in
the centre of the strong covers A', of the frames A, these covers which sustain
much of the strain in bending the plates are firmly secured to the two sides
or uprights of each frame A, on the one by a cotter bolt, and on the other by
a cotter passing through the lower end of the standards S, which forms the
bolt on that side. Each standard S supports and forms the fulcrum of a
counterweight lever S', the short arm of which is attached by links, and a
swivel joint to the top of the screw spindle R, so as to nearly counterbalance
the weight of the upper rollers O and P, and their carrying blocks Q and Q',
thus enabling the two screw spindles R, to be more casily turned by the
attendant through the double handled spindles T, working in long bearings
formed in the two brackets U, one secured to the top of each cover A', on the
front or same side of the machine. To the top of each spindle T, is keyed
the spur pinion T', gearing into the large wheel T2, attached to or formed in
one piece with the long or deep pinion T3, which is in gear with and trans-
mitting its motion to the large spur wheel R', keyed to the upper end of the
screw spindle R, the wheel and pinion T and T3, being carried on a stud
projecting up from the top of the bracket U, so that by turning the hand
spindles T at each end of the machine, any desired up or down motion may be
given to the sliding frames Q, and the upper rollers O and P carried by them.
When this rolling machine is used for bending plates of metal to "flattish
or arcs of circles of large radii, the top roller O only is used in
conjunction with the two driving and bending rollers N and N¹, by being
screwed down by means of the hand spindle T, into the hollow between them,
so that the plate on being fed into the machine below the upper roller O, and
over the two lower rollers N and N¹, is depressed and curved at one operation,
or by passing it through several times in the same direction by reversing the
motion of the engine 1), and gearing so as to effect the rolling it several times
curves

page_text: backwards and forwards, gradually screwing down the upper roller O, to the
extent required to give the plate the required curve or arc. If the plate is
required to be of a less arc at the one end than the other for conical or other
constructions of work, the corresponding end of the roller O is screwed lower
down than the other so as to produce the required conical segmental
plate.
One of the most important improvements in this Invention is the application
and use of the additional intermediate small roller P, in metal plate rolling
and bending machines for the purpose of rolling plates of metal to arcs, curved
segments, or circular tubes of a much smaller radii, whether cylindrical or
conical, than bas heretofore been accomplished or compatible with the previous
construction of such machines. This intermediate roller P, which is shown
of a medium size in the Drawings may be of any diameter smaller than that
of the roller O, as the maximum down to that of a mere spindle of a few
inches in diameter, and constructed of cast iron with malleable iron shaft, or
wholly of malleable iron or of steel, according to the size of the roller and the
strength or form of the metal plates to be rolled. The roller P is carried by
its end journal P¹, which revolves loosely in elongated bearings formed in the
two pendent brackets Q', each of which is firmly dovetailed and secured by
two cotter bolts to the under side of the main sliding blocks Q, in such a
manner that by simply unfastening the two cotter bolts of one of the brackets Q'
the roller P and it can be quickly withdrawn through either end of the main
frame A, without disengaging or unfastening any other part of the machine,
whilst the same roller P, or another of a different size, can be replaced with
the same case to suit the kind of work required. When thick or strong plates
of metal are to be rolled to arcs of smaller radii than that of the roller O, the
roller P, which must be of a smaller radius than that of the curve of the
plate required, is simply secured in the machine as before indicated, a brass
or other bush p is introduced below each of its journals P₁, so as to retain
them at the top of the clongated bearing in the bracket Q. In this position
the upper surface of the roller Pis in hard rolling contact against the under surface
of the large roller O, throughout their entire length, the former transmitting
a great part of the strain sustained by it, to the latter, in rolling a heavy "quick"
curved plate, as shown in the act of being done in Figure 3, where the plate a
is fed in or introduced above the two driving and bending rollers N and N',
and below the roller P, where it is rolled through backwards or forwards by
the reversing of the machine and the screwing down of the rollers O and P,
by the actual band spindles T, and their connections at intervals until the
plate a has acquired the desired curve. If the plate a, when rolled, is of too

page_text: "
b
quick
a curve or too long in its circumferential direction to be removed
by screwing up the upper rollers O and P, and lifting it out as will some-
times be the case, then the roller P, must be withdrawn endways through the
tubular or segmental plate, and the end of the machine simply as before
described, when the work can be removed and the roller replaced. When it
is required to roll a lighter class of work, such as the conical or tubular
plates, to form the iron or steel masts and spars of ships, the strain or pressure
in forming which would not be sufficient to bend or break the roller P, in the
centre, the bushes p are reversed and put in above the journals P¹, when
there will be a sufficient space between the lower roller P and the upper
one O to allow the cylindrical plate b to pass freely when in the act of rolling,
as represented in the detached end diagram, Figure 4, in which the plate 6 is
made to represent a nearly cylindrically rolled plate, and when about to bo
finished may get a revolution or two, when the roller P will have to be
withdrawn endways and the work removed as formerly explained. Should
there not be sufficient space between the two rollers O and P, as explained
above, then the roller O can be easily taken away or withdrawn through the
end of the main frame as referred to in reference to the roller P, the sliding
block Qbeing made in two halves for that purpose, without taking off the
main covers A¹ of the side frames A. In using this machine for the straightening
of metal plates the bushes p are removed and the roller P allowed to rest and
roll by "stiff friction" on the top surface of the two driving rollers N and N',
as shown in the detached end diagram of the rollers, Figuro 5, represented in
the act of straightening a strong metal plate c, the elongated bearing in the
brackets Q, allowing enough of rise and fall for the insertion and rolling of
the plate c, between the rollers O and P, the small diameter of the roller P,
having a most efficient action with the least expenditure of power in this
construction and arrangement for the straightening of metal plates.
Another improvement in this Invention consists in constructing the lower
feeding and bending rollers N and N¹, in such plate-bending machines with a
number of V-shaped grooves as indicated at N, across their entire length or
"face" and parallel to their axial lines so as to catch the metal plate smoothly
on entering between the rollers P and N, as well as to direct its inner edge
smoothly upwards when it reaches the second driving and bending roller N¹,
without jerking "chawing," or marking it as is the case with the square or
rectangular channels with their side nearly at right angles to the circumference
of the rollers as heretofore constructed, which, besides having a bad jerking
effect, break away at many places, thus leaving a very rough and uneven

page_text: edge along the grooves most injurious to the work and action of the machine
itself.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of rolling mills or machines
for bending or straightening metal plates, essentially as herein-before described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the
same.
Second, the introduction and use of an intermediate roller of small diameter
between the upper roller and the two lower rollers in rolling machines of this
class, and for the purposes herein-before described.
Third, the forming of the rollers of such mills or machines with angular
or V-shaped grooves, essentially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hugh Donald, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
HUGH DONALD. (L.S.)