Improvements in and in Machinery or Apparatus for Use in Bending Metal Strips into a Curved Form, with Flanged Edges, in Transverse Section.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1894-Accepted, 11th Aug.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in Machinery or Apparatus for Use in
Bending Metal Strips into a Curved Form, with Flanged
Edges, in Transverse Section.
I, FRANK ARTHUR WILLIAMS, of Church Road, Albrighton in the County
of Salop, Manager of Tool Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows
This invention has for its object to bend metal strips into a curved form, with
flanged edges, in transverse section, by a rolling process; and comprises both the
process, and special machinery or apparatus for effecting it according to which
strips delivered into one end of the machinery or apparatus, from the furnace in
which they are heated, are delivered at the other bent as desired without further
manipulation. The special purpose of bending the strips into the form described is
to fit them for being joined up to form tubes in the manner of the invention for
which I obtained the grant of Letters Patent No. 13,760 dated 28th July 1892,
and which is particularly described and claimed in the Complete Specification filed
in pursuance of my application for such grant; but strips may, of course, be bent
in the manner of my present invention, for use for any other purpose to which
they may be applicable.
:-
The machinery or apparatus for the purpose above described consists, primarily:
of a pair of rolls, which I term for convenience the "flanging" rolls, for initially
flanging the edges of the strips, and which comprise a cylindrical roll having a
portion of suddenly reduced diameter at each end, and a cylindrical roll having
a collar at each end in position to leave a space at each end between the
inner face of the collar and the abutment forming the end of the portion
of larger diameter of the roll formed with reduced ends, the edges of the
strips being forced into these spaces to form flanges; of a set of three rolls
for giving an initial curve to the strips, which I term for convenience the
"curving" rolls, and which consist of a horizontal roll hollowed in its face to a
curve of greater radius than the intended curve of the strips when the process is
complete, and of a pair of rolls with vertical axes having concave faces V-shaped
in transverse section and placed one at each end of the horizontal roll, in position
with their lower edges near to the edges of the horizontal roll so that the lower
bevelled faces of the vertical rolls are tangents (or approximately so) to the curve
of the upper side of the horizontal roll; of a pair of rolls, which I term for
convenience the "shaping" rolls, of which one is hollowed in the face to bend
the strips to a quicker curve, and of which the other is formed with a part having
a convex face which passes down between the edges of the flanges and presses the
strip into the hollow face of the first described roll of the pair, and with parts
which press upon the outer faces of the flanges and bend them further inwards;
and of a pair of finishing rolls which are similar to the rolls last described, except
that the hollow faced roll is of the exact shape of the outer curve of the completely
bent strips and the parts of the other roll which bear upon the flanges are shaped
to set the flanges to the exact angle they are required to be with the sides of the
curved portions of the strips.
The flanging, shaping and finishing rolls are all driven by suitable gearing to
carry the strips forwards between them, and the finished strips are delivered from
the finishing rolls into a trough or guide. The curving rolls are caused to revolve
by the forward movement of the strips.
To curve and flange a strip by the machinery or apparatus above described, it is

page_text: first heated, and the forward end is drawn out from the furnace and entered between
guides along which it is passed to the flanging rolls. As the strip passes onwards
from the flanging rolls the flanged edges come in contact with the V-shaped faces
of the rolls which have vertical axes of the set of curving rolls, and these
rolls with the vertical axes are set at such distance from one another that they
cause the portion of the strip between the flanges to buckle or bend downwards
onto the hollowed surface of the horizontal roll of the set, the exterior angles which
the flanges make with the other portion of the strip being forced into the angles of
the V-shaped faces of the rolls with vertical axes, and the flanges thereby bent
further inwards. The strip passes thence between the shaping rolls, which further
curve it into nearly its finished shape; and the strip passes finally between the
finishing rolls, which complete the curving and set the flanges to the proper angle
with the sides of the curved portion of the strip. After entering the first pair of
rolls the strip enters each succeeding pair of positively driven rolls before it has
passed completely from the positively driven rolls immediately in advance thereof;
and it is preferred to arrange the pairs and set of rolls in position, in relation to one
another, that the strip is being operated upon, during a portion of its forward
movement, by all the rolls at the same time.
The flanging rolls above described may be dispensed with, and the initial
flanging be effected by a modification of the portion of the apparatus described as
the curving rolls, that is to say, the rolls having vertical axes may be formed each
with a shoulder or abutment running around the upper portion of the upper bevel
of its V'd face, and a roll with horizontal axis and convex face be mounted to
revolve in combination with the hollow faced horizontal roll, which latter together
with such convex roll is, in such case, positively driven. A strip, as it is delivered
into the set of rolls, is drawn forwards between the horizontal rolls which give it
an initial curve transversely, and the edges of the strip are stopped against the
shoulders or abutments aforesaid of the rolls with vertical axes, and thus the edges
of the metal are flanged in consequence of a margin of the strip on each side
being forced to take the shape of the V-d face of a roll. In this case, the rolls
having the vertical axes are set with their centres slightly backwards from the
centres of the horizontal rolls, so that the strip may be caught first between such
latter rolls.
Dated this 13th day of October 1893.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in Machinery or Apparatus for Use in
Bending Metal Strips into a Curved Form, with Flanged
Edges, in Transverse Section.
I, FRANK ARTHUR WILLIAMS, of Church Road, Albrighton in the County
of Salop, Manager of Tool Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object to bend metal strips into a curved form, with
flanged edges, in transverse section, by a rolling process; and comprises both the
process, and special machinery or apparatus for effecting it according to which
strips delivered into one end of the machinery or apparatus, from the furnace in
which they are heated, are delivered at the other bent as desired without further
manipulation. The special purpose of bending the strips into the form described
is to fit them for being joined up to form tubes in the manner of the invention for
which I obtained the grant of Letters Patent No. 13,760 dated 28th July 1892,
and which is particularly described and claimed in the Complete Specification filed.

page_text: in pursuance of my application for such grant; but strips may, of course, be
bent in the manner of my present invention, for use for any other purpose to which
they may be applicable.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
it with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a machine
constructed according to the invention specially for the purpose of bending strips
of metal into the form to fit them for being joined up in the manner described in
my said former Specification.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, and Figure 2 an end elevation
looking in the direction of the arrow a Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of the machine.
Figure 4 is a section taken on line xx of Figure 1, looking in the direction of
the arrow b.
Figure 5 is a section on line xx of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the
arrow a; and
Figure 6 is a section on line y y of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the
arrow a.
A pair of rolls A A', which I term for convenience the "flanging "rolls, is
These rolls are
mounted in frames B B at the forward end of the machine.
shewn in longitudinal section by detached view Figure 7. They are for the
purpose of initially flanging the edges of the strips. The upper roll A has a
portion c at each end of suddenly reduced diameter; and the lower roll A¹ has a
collar d at each end in position to leave a space e, as shewn, at each end between
the inner face of the collar and the abutment forming the end of the portion
of larger diameter of the roll A. The edges of the strips are forced, as the strips
are rolled between the rolls A A', into the spaces e to form flanges. Figure 8
shews a strip of metal before it is passed through the flanging rolls A A'; and
Figure 9 shews the same strip with flanges i i formed at the edges thereof by the
rolls. The abutment at each end of the portion of larger diameter of the roll A
is formed, preferably, of a steel ring 1, and the collar d at each end of the roll A¹
is formed also, preferably, as a steel ring, and a portion of each latter ring is
formed of the diameter of the part of the roll which is between the collars d d
and forms a portion of such part of the roll; and thus the portions of the rolls
which effect the flanging of the edges of the strips are of hard and tough metal.
In order that the steel rings may be readily replaced when worn, and the width
of the rolls be altered as required to suit different widths of strip, each roll is built
up of a pair of blocks m m, fixed upon a spindle n, and of a cylindrical distance-
piece o between the ends of which and collars formed on the outer ends of the
blocks m the rings are held. If it is desired to alter the width of a roll, the
blocks m are loosened from the spindle n, (or one of them is loosened therefrom),
and the distance-piece o is replaced by one of different length, and the parts then
fixed together again. One of the blocks m is fixed direct to its spindlen by
keying or otherwise, and the other block is fixed to such block and distanced
apart therefrom by means of a screwed sleeve m¹. One of the frames B is, of
course, moved towards or from the other to suit narrower or wider rolls, as the
case may be.
A set of three rolls, which I term for convenience the "curving" rolls, is carried
by brackets CC projecting backwards from the frames B B. This set of rolls
is for giving an initial curve to the strips as they pass forwards from the
rolls A A', and consists of a horizontal roll D hollowed in its face to a curve of
greater radius than the intended curve of the strip when the process is completed,
and a pair of rolls E E with vertical axes, having concave faces V-shaped
in transverse section. These rolls E E are placed one at each end of the
horizontal roll D, in position with their lower edges near to the edges of the
horizontal roll so that the lower bevelled faces of the rolls E are tangents
As the strip,
(or approximately so) to the curve of the upper side of the roll D.
formed to the section shewn by Figure 9, passes onwards from the rolls A A¹

page_text: the flanged edges come in contact with the V-shaped faces of the rolls E E, and
these rolls are set at such distance from one another that they cause the portion
of the strip between the flanges to buckle or bend downwards on to the hollowed
surface of the roll D. The strip his thus formed into the transverse sectional
shape shewn by broken lines Figure 4, the exterior angles which the flanges make
with the other portions of the strip being forced into the angles of the V-shaped
faces of the rolls E E. The angles of the V-shaped faces are somewhat less
than right angles, and thus the flanges of the strip are bent further inwards as
they pass between the rolls E E.
A pair of rolls F F', which I term for convenience the "shaping" rolls, is
mounted in frames B¹ B' in position a short distance backwards from the set of
rolls DE E. The lower roll F is hollowed in the face to bend the strip to a
.quicker curve than that to which it is formed by the rolls DEE and the upper
roll F is formed with a middle portion having a convex face which passes down
between the edges of the flanges of the strip and presses the strip into the hollow
face of the roll F. A section of the strip his shewn (by Figure 5) with its
flanges ii as in position between the rolls, and consequently of the shape to which
it is formed by the rolls. The roll F is formed also with parts gg which press
upon the outer faces of the flanges and bend them inwards at a less angle with the
strip than they were formed by the rolls D E E.
It is preferred that the convex portion of the roll F shall bear against the strip,
for about an inch in width only, at two places on opposite sides of its vertical axis,
namely, at about the points marked, that is to say, at parts which are about
mid-way between the horizontal axes of the rolls FF; and thus, as these portions of
the roll F travel at the same speed circumferentially as the portions of the roll F1
which are immediately opposite thereto, there is little or no rubbing friction
between either roll and the portion of the strip which is between the flanges, at a
part where the strip is exposed to any considerable pressure.
A pair of finishing rolls G G is mounted in frames B2 B2 in position to the rear
of the rolls F F'. These rolls are similar to the rolls F F except that the
hollow-faced roll G¹ is of the exact shape of the outer curve of the completely bent
strips, and the convex portion of the roll G is made to correspond, but to bear only
in two places on opposite sides of its vertical axis as in the case of the roll F and
for the same purpose, and the parts g of the roll G, which correspond to the
parts of the roll F and bear upon the flanges i of the strips, are shaped to set
such flanges to the exact angle they are required to be with the sides of the curved
portion of the strip.
The rolls A A', F F and G G' are all positively driven, but the rolls DEE
are caused to revolve by the movement of the strip. A convenient method of
operating the positively driven rolls consists in gearing each pair of rolls together
by means of a pair of spur wheels H H', and in driving the rolls A¹ and F by
means of a pinion J on a shaft which gears into wheels L L mounted,
respectively, on the axes of such rolls, and in driving the lower roll G' from the
roll F through the medium of a wheel M which gears with both the wheels H¹
of the rolls F¹ G. The shaft K is driven by belting which passes around the
pulley P, or it may be driven in any convenient manner.
To curve and flange a strip by the machinery or apparatus above described, it
is first heated and the forward end is drawn out from the furnace and entered
between angle guides N N along which it is passed to the flanging rolls. These
guides are each conveniently formed as a bracket which is bolted to the front of a
frame B. The strip is slid along the horizontal portions k k of the guides and
between the vertical sides thereof. The strip is carried forwards by the flanging
rolls into and partially through the set of curving rolls DE E. Before the hinder
end of the strip leaves the flanging rolls the forward end is caught between the
shaping rolls FF, and the hinder end of the strip is thus drawn by such shaping
rolls through the set of curving rolls. The shaping rolls F F¹ curve the strip to
nearly its finished shape; and the strip passes finally between the finishing

page_text: rolls G G¹ which complete the curving and set the flanges ii to the proper angle.
with the sides of the curved portion of the strip. The forward end of the strip
is caught between the finishing rolls before the hinder end leaves the shaping rolls;
and it is preferred to arrange the pairs and set of rolls in position, in relation to
one another, that the strip is being acted upon during a portion of its forward
movement, by all the rolls at the same time.
It will be readily seen that the sizes and shapes of the rolls may be modified to
suit different widths of strips and different degrees of curvature, and to set the
flanges at any desired angle with the other portion of the strip, whatever may be
the purpose for which the curved and flanged strips may be required.
It is not, of course, essential that the angle of the V-shaped faces of the
rolls E E shall be such as to ensure that the flanges will be bent at a less angle
with the sides of the curved portions of a strip than the angle at which they are
formed therewith by the flanging rolls; and in cases in which the flanges are not
required to be bent further inwards by the shaping or finishing rolls the
portions gg, g'g', respectively, of such rolls may be shaped simply to press against
the outer faces of the flanges to ensure that they will not open outwards as the
strip passes between the rolls.
The strips as they leave the finishing rolls may pass on to a series of rollers.
along which they may be rolled to a waggon or trolley for conveyance to the place
where they are required for use.
The flanging rolls above described may be dispensed with, and the initial
Hanging be effected by a modification of a portion of the apparatus described as the
curving rolls. Such a modification is illustrated by Figure 10, in which only the
parts necessary to illustrate the modification are shewn, this view being taken as
looking in the direction of the arrow b Figure 1. The roll D corresponds to the
roll D before described, and the rolls E' E' correspond to the rolls EE before
described, except that a shoulder or abutment is formed around the upper
portion of the upper bevel of each V-shaped face f. These rolls E' E' are shewn
in section in order to clearly shew the shape of the abutments. A roll D', having
a horizontal axis, is mounted in bearings so as to revolve immediately above the
roll D, and is formed with a convex face so as to press the strip on to the
hollowed face of the roll D. The rolls E' E' are mounted in the same relation to
the roll D as the rolls E E are mounted in relation to the roll D of the former
described modification, except that the common vertical plane of their axes is set
backwards from the common vertical plane of the axes of the rolls D D¹ a distance
of two or three inches in order that the strip may be caught between the rolls D D¹
and carried forwards by them before the edges of the strip come in contact with
the rolls E E¹. The rolls D D¹ are, of course, positively driven. It will be seen
that, as the edges of the strips press within the V-shaped peripheries of the
rolls E' E', such edges are bent to an angular shape, being compressed within, and
made to take the form of, the angles of the V-shaped peripheries of the rolls E' E',.
by the abutments p p.
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 :-
1. Bending metal strips into a curved form, with flanged edges, in transverse
section, by passing them first between a set of rolls which flange and curve them,
then between a pair of rolls which further curve them and which if necessary set
the flanges inwards at a less angie with the sides of the curved portions of the
strips, and finally between a pair of rolls which complete the curving of the strips
and set the flanges or ensure that such flanges remain set at the desired angle with
the sides of the curved portions of the strips, substantially as described.
2. In the process of bending metal strips into a curved form, with flanges
edges, in transverse section, passing the strips through a pair of rolls which increase
or complete a curve already produced and which set the flanges inwards at a less.

page_text: angle with the sides of the curved portions of the strips or ensure that such flanges
remain set at the desired angle with the sides of the curved portions of the strips,
substantially as described.
3. Machinery or apparatus for use in bending metal strips into a curved form,
with flanged edges, in transverse section, consisting of a pair of flanging rolls, of a
set of curving rolls comprising a hollow faced roll having a horizontal axis and a
pair of vertical rolls having concave faces V-shaped in transverse section of which
the sides of the two lower bevelled faces are tangents, or approximately so, with
the curve of the upper side of the horizontal roll (or, in lieu of the said flanging
and curving rolls, a set of flanging and curving rolls comprising a pair of horizontal
rolls, of which one is formed with a hollow face and the other with a convex face,
and of a pair of vertical rolls set somewhat backwards from the horizontal rolls and
formed with concave faces V-shaped in transverse section and with shoulders or
abutments around one of the bevels of each of such faces), of a pair of shaping roils
of which one of the rolls is formed with a concave face and the other with a portion
having a convex face and being of a width to pass down between the inwardly
projecting edges of the flanges of the strips and with portions which bear against
the outer faces of the flanges, and of a pair of finishing rolls corresponding to the
rolls last described but shaped between them to complete the desired formation of
the strips, substantially as described.
4. Machinery or apparatus for use in bending metal strips into a curved form,
with flanged edges, in transverse section, consisting of a pair of rolls of which one
of the rolls is formed with a concave face, and the other with a portion having a
convex face and being of a width to pass down between the inwardly projecting
edges of the flanges of the strips and with portions which bear against the outer
faces of the flanges, substantially as described.
5. The combination and arrangement of mechanism for use in bending metal
strips into a curved form, with flanged edges, in transverse section, substantially as
described and shewn by the drawings herewith,
Dated this 10th day of July 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant..