IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR ROLLING METAL
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Asa Johnson, of New York City, State of New
York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR ROLLING METAL."
Sealed the 26th April 1872, and dated the 9th March 1872.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Asa Johnson, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
Statement:-
:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the construction and arrange-
ment of a machine for rolling metal, as well as in a peculiarly
constructed steam engine and boiler for the same, as will be herein-after
more fully set forth.
In order to enable others, skilled in the art to which my Invention
appertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its
construction and operation, referring to the annexed Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine, partly in section,
including a partial vertical section of the main boiler in which steam is
generated for running the machine; Figure 2 is an end view of my
machine, showing the main boiler and also an auxiliary boiler; Figure 3
is a transverse vertical section of the upper roller; Figure 4 is a trans-
verse vertical section through one of the roller journals; Figure 5 is a
longitudinal vertical section through one of the gear wheels, by means of
which the upper roller of my improved machine is raised or lowered;
Figure 6 is an inside view of the engine; and Figure 7 is a modification
of the wheels used in my engine.
A, A, represent two vertically slotted standards or housings, con-
nected at their upper end by a bar B to form the frame of my improved
machine. In the slot on each of the standards A are placed two grooved
boxes C, C', which may slide up and down in said slots when necessary,
but are prevented from coming out of the standards by the grooves in
their sides. These boxes form bearings for the journals of the rollers
D, D¹, respectively, that is, the boxes C, C, for the lower roller D, and
the boxes C¹, C₁, for the upper roller D¹.
The roller D is formed of three separate cylinders, namely, a central
corrugated sheet metal cylinder a, a cast-iron cylinder around the
same, and a hardened metal cylinder d on the outside.
The corrugated cylinder a is made of sheet copper, for the reason that
as water is intended to be kept constantly within the same it will not
rust or corrode. If it were not there the cast metal would soon corrode

page_text: and injure the roller. The cylinder is cast around the cylinder a in
the following manner:— -The cylinder a is placed in the centre of the
mold and filled with water as a central core, and the iron cast around it,
and between it and an outside metal cylinder, outside of which water is
placed. If the cylinder a was round, there would be no chance for the
cast-iron to contract, but the cylinder would necessarily crack. But
the sheet cylinder being corrugated gives for the contraction of the cast
metal sufficiently to prevent the cast cylinder from cracking.
The sheet cylinder a being filled with water also acts as a central core
to hold the cast metal in its proper place while it is being poured into
the mold, or in other words, it prevents the sheet cylinder from
bending or giving in any way from the effects of the weight of the
metal around it. It is only when the cast metal cools and contracts
that it gives, forcing some of the water out at the top, but still remains
full of water. The outside hard metal cylinder d is then turned and
slipped over on the outside of the cast cylinder b, which is also turned
smooth and keyed on to the same so as to remain firm on the outside of
the roller.
The ends of the corrugated cylinder are bored out for a short distance
and a head e placed at each end of the roller within the cast-iron
cylinder and against the end of the corrugated sheet cylinder a. A
rubber head is placed on the outside of and against the metal head e,
then a hollow screw E is screwed into the end of the roller firmly
against the rubber head f, thus forming a steam and water-tight joint
around the head e. The outer end of the hollow screw E rests in the
box C and forms the journal for the roller D. Within the hollow
journal E, extending its entire length, is placed a longitudinally bisected
sleeve, which surrounds a tube k. This tube is provided with collars
i, i, and the bisected sleeve has corresponding grooves, as shown in
Fig. 1. The inner end of the tube / passes through the heads e and f
into the inner cylinder a, and it will readily be seen that the journal E
pressing against the rubber head f makes the joint, where the tube
passes through the metal head, perfectly steam and water tight, so that
no water or steam can by any possible means escape except through the
tube . The outer end of this tube passes through and is attached to a
grooved head m, which is placed, and may move up and down, in a
slotted standard G, placed a suitable distance from and attached to the
end standard A of the frame. Thus it will be seen, that although the

page_text: roller D with its journal E revolves with the bisected sleeve h, the tube k
nevertheless remains stationary, the head m preventing it from being
turned.
The upper roller D' is constructed in precisely the same manner as
described for the lower roller D, and is provided with the same heads,
journals, sleeves, and tubes; but there are these exceptions, namely, in
the outer surface of the roller. In the lower roller D, the outer surface
is perfectly smooth and is attached by keys or equivalent devices, but in
the upper roller D₁ the surface is uneven. The outside of the hard
'metal cylinder d¹ forming the outside of the upper roller D' is provided
with a number of projections n, n. These projections may be round,
oval, or any other suitable shape, and are arranged in parallel rows
longitudinally on the roller. The projections of each row are directly
opposite the spaces between the projections of the adjoining rows, as
shown in Fig. 1, and may be cast with the roller if desired. These
projections are provided on their under side with pins, which are inserted
through holes made for that purpose in the hard metal cylinder d', and
fastened in any suitable manner.
For the purpose of facilitating the fastening of these projections on
said cylinder, and also for the casier repairing of them in case some of
them should get broken, I make the cylinder din sections, longi-
tudinally, as shown in Fig. 5. The edges of each section being provided
with v-shaped flanges pointing inwards, and the cast cylinder & being
provided with corresponding grooves, the sections may be slid longi-
tudinally on to the cast cylinder and held as with a dovetail.
The plate of metal which is to be rolled between the rollers D, D',
should first as usual, be heated red hot, and then, when passing between
or through the rollers the projections n, n, come down-upon it and so to
say, knead the metal, pressing and spreading the metal in every direction
outward from each projection.
In rolling metal between smooth rollers, the spreading of the metal is
just one way, and must be continued from one end of the metal to the
other, while with the projections n, n, on my improved roller the result
is very different. The sides of these projections may be made any desired
size, and fitted as close together as desired, leaving as much or little
room between them to accomodate the outward pressure of the metal
around each projection as is required to prevent its clogging up before

page_text: the rollers, as when the rollers both have a smooth surface. Then there
is no place for the metal to go except to be scraped by the rollers
from one end of the sheet or piece of metal to the other, which is not
the case when one of the rollers has an uneven surface, as herein
described. But the metal is thoroughly kneaded together, the scale
broken up, and the metal thoroughly intermixed, manipulated in such a
manner as to make the metal much more solid, tougher, and better
every way, and may be bent one way as well as the other, as the grain
runs one way as much as the other, which is not the case when rolled
with smooth rollers. But by running it through between two smooth
rollers last, after it is down to its proper thickness, to merely smoothen
its surface, then by heating it in the open air to anneal the metal and
give it
any desirable shade of color, the metal is finished and is worth
about twice as much as when rolled with smooth rollers.
If desired, both rollers D and D¹ may have projections, which should
then be so arranged as to strike against each other, and this would
answer almost as well the same purpose as one smooth and one uneven
surfaced roller.
The hollow rollers D, D', are kept constantly full of water by means
that will be herein-after described, for the purpose of keeping them of an
even temperature, and thereby prevent their unequal expansion when
the red-hot metal is passed between them.
In the usual method of rolling metal, the rollers very quickly become
heated so as to expand, making the space between their centres con-
siderably less than at the ends, and consequently making the rolled
metal of unequal thickness. This has been attempted to be remedied
by making the rollers slightly concave in the centre, so that when
expanded they would be perfectly even. But all attempts to regulate
this have been found more or less defective and fruitless; but by my
process of making the rollers hollow and filling the cavity with water
they will never become so hot as to expand to any perceptible degree,
but will at all times retain their original shape. In fact they will never
be so hot but what the operator can bear his hand upon them. The
heat from the metal passing between the rollers being absorbed by
the water within them will of course generate steam, making the
rollers answer the purpose of auxiliary boilers for generating steam to
run the engine which operates the rollers, or for any other purposes that
may be desired.

page_text: The distance between the rollers D, D', is regulated or adjusted by the
following means:-To cach of the upper journal boxes C' is attached a
screw H which passes upward through a screw sleeve I, as shown in
Fig. 5. This sleeve is screwed on to the screw H. and passes through a
hole or opening in the end of the connecting bar B of the frame, said
sleeve having at its lower end a collar or flange p which bears against
the under side of the bar B. Around the sleeve I on the upper side of
said bar B is placed a washer r, to keep the gear wheel J up from said
bar. This wheel J is then screwed down on the upper end of the sleeve
I and keyed fast thereto. Now, by turning this wheel the sleeve also
turns, but as it is not capable of any motion up or down, the screw H
will of course be raised or lowered, carrying with it the box C₁. By use
the collar or flange p on the sleeve I will of course wear more or less
and cause the sleeve to play up and down in the bar B. This is then
readily remedied by taking out the key s which fastens the wheel J to
the sleeve and screwing down said wheel till this play is taken up, when
the wheel is again keyed fast. The two gear wheels J, J, are connected
by means of an intermediate gear wheel J' provided with a hand wheel
K, so that both ends of the roller D' can be raised or lowered at the
same time by merely turning said hand wheel.
L represents an upright boiler of any suitable construction, provided
with a furnace underneath. This boiler is for the purpose of supplying
the rollers D, D¹, with water, either hot or cold, as may be desired, by
means of tubes t, t, leading from the boiler and connecting with the
tubes k, k, at one end of the machine. The corresponding tubes k, k, at
the other end of the machine may either be provided with stop cocks or
connected by a tube v.
Whether the water supplied to the rollers D, D', be hot or cold, more
or less steam is always generated within the same by the passage of the
red-hot metal between them, as above set forth; and this steam finds its
way through the tubes t, t, into the boiler L, where it may be used for
the purpose of forcing water into the main boiler M, as will be presently
described. Or the steam may be allowed to escape through tubes w, w,
extending upwards higher than the top of the boiler L for an obvious
reason. The steam may also be taken from these pipes and used
for any purpose.
In the top of the boiler L as well as in the top of the main boiler M,

page_text: is a safety valve N, constructed in the following manner:-A tube x of
suitable length leads upward from the top of the boiler, said tube having
an elongated slot or opening on two sides, as shown in Fig. 1, and a
grooved flange or collar y at its lower end. Over the tube x is placed
another tube z, the lower end of which is beveled so as to fit in the
groove on the flange y, and its upper end is provided with a box a² in
which weights are placed, said box to be closed by a screw cap b³. Any
desired amounts of weights may be placed in this box so as to make the
valve open at any given pressure and allow the steam to escape.
The main boiler M is also cylindrical and upright, and provided near
each end with a flange d² and screw threads cut on the outside of the
boiler up to the flange at each end. The two heads e¹, e¹, of the boiler
are constructed exactly alike, each with a central opening and an
annular groove on the inner side, said groove or recess being so made as
to form a flange around the central opening and also one around the outer
edge, both of said flanges being on the inner side of the head and pro-
vided with screw threads on the inside. The lower head is first screwed
on to the boiler, the outer flange of the head coming close up to and
against the lower flange d' of the boiler. A central tube O is then
screwed into the opening in the lower head, a collar f' on said tube
coming close down to and against the inner flange on said head.
The tube O is made to extend above the top of the boiler and con-
nected with the smoke stack or pipe. At a suitable point on the tube O
is another flange f2 with screw threads above, so arranged that when the
upper head is screwed on to the boiler the tube O will at the same time
be screwed into the centre of the head.
The lower end of the boiler is placed upon a flange h¹ on the inside
of the furnace P at the upper end, and secured by means of bolts, rivets,
or other means, passing through the lower flange d³, lower head e¹, and
furnace flange h¹. The upper head and flange of the boiler may be
secured in the same manner.
It will readily be seen that all the heat, smoke, etc., from the furnace
P will pass directly through the centre of the water. The tube O is
above the boiler provided with a door k¹, so that said tube may be
entirely filled with coal or other fuel, and thus I may have a fire not
only under the boiler but also directly in the centre thereof. The tube O

page_text: also acts as a strong stay-bolt to tighten, brace, and strengthen the
heads of the boiler, preventing them from bulging out in the centre.
Upon the journals of the two rollers D, D¹, at one end of the machine
are placed wheels R, R³, provided with teeth or projections of any
desired and suitable size and shape, which teeth or projections gear or
mesh into each other, as shown in Fig. 6. These wheels are placed
within a casing S in the manner shown, and steam is conducted from
the main boiler M through a pipe T into one side of the casing S
between the two wheels. Directly opposite the entrance of the pipe T
in the casing S is a triangular block m¹, which is provided with one or
more slots, and held by screws passing through the slots, or by any other
means that will allow said block to slide back and forth.
When the steam enters through the pipe T the block m¹ is forced
inward against the teeth or projections of the two wheels R, R¹, and the
steam is turned or divided so as to operate upon the outside of said
wheels. These wheels, with the casing enclosing them, being so
arranged as to either form a box at any desired point or be tolerably
close together, the steam will of course revolve the wheels in opposite
directions, the steam passing around the wheels and out at the exhaust
openings ². Said openings may be situated at any desired point in the
casing.
On the opposite side from the adjustable block m¹ is placed a
stationary block m³, of somewhat similar construction, and the steam
may be admitted from this side of the casing by or through a pipe.
passing through said block m², and the steam operating directly at the
point of contact of the two wheels. This naturally causes them to
revolve, and the steam passing between them forces the block m¹ out-
ward, closing the tube T, and the steam will then pass around the wheels
as before.
When it is not necessary that the two wheels R, R¹, should gear into
or mesh with each other, they may be separated any desired distance,
and V or any other shaped buckets, teeth, or projections (as shown in
Fig. 7) may be used, and be of any size or shape, the sole requisites
being that the steam should be applied from and to the outside of the
wheel, and either into V or any other shaped buckets, or against teeth or
projections of any desired size or shape, and by letting the ease rest
against the points of the teeth at any desirable point form a box with

page_text: the casing, or may be placed any desirable distance from it so as to
allow the steam to pass around the wheel as far as desired.
The two boilers L and M are connected by a pipe V, as shown.
Although not mentioned in this Specification, it must be understood
that all the pipes or tubes referred to are provided with stop-cocks so as
to shut off or let on the steam or water as the case may be. The
auxiliary boiler L may be used to supply the main boiler M with water
automatically when needed, in the following manner :-Close the water
pipes t, t, and let off enough steam from the main boiler until the
pressure in the same is less than that in the auxiliary boiler L, then open
the connecting pipe V, when the excess of pressure in the auxiliary
boiler will force the water into the main boiler.
Though I prefer to use the engine and boilers herein described with
my rolling mill proper, still other engines and boilers may be used for
the same purpose, and my engine and boiler may be used for other
purposes, hence I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to
this particular combination, but claiming the separate parts by them.
selves, as set forth in the following claiming clauses.
Having thus fully described my Invention, what I claim as new and
desire to secure by Letters Patent is,—
1st. A pair of rolls, of which the surface of one is smooth and that of
the other studded over with protuberances, or both with such protuber-
ances, substantially as described.
2nd. The construction of rolls for rolling metal, of an inner, solid, or
tubular cylinder, and an outer shell composed of a series of removable
segmental plates or staves studded on their convex surfaces with pro-
tuberances and attached to the outer surface of said cylinder, substantially
as described.
3rd. The construction of rolls for rolling metals of an inner solid or
tubular cylinder and an outer shell composed of a series of removable
segmental plates or staves studded on their convex surfaces with the
projecting heads of rivets, screws, or bolts, of which the shanks
or through said plates, substantially as described.
pass into
"
4th. The construction of rolls for rolling metal, of an interior tube of
sheet metal corrugated longitudinally, an exterior shell of plain metal,

page_text: and an intermediate cylinder of cast metal, the inner sheet metal tube
being retained in place by the shrinking of the cast metal upon it, and
the outer shell being attached to the cast intermediate portion by keys
or otherwise, substantially as described.
5th. In combination with the journal bearings of the hollow rolls, 5
constructed as described, the connecting tube v substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
6th. The process hercin described of casting hollow cylinders around
a sheet metal cylinder filled with water and inside of an outer tube with
water surrounding the same, substantially for the purposes herein set 1
forth.
7th. The process herein described of rolling metal between one
smooth and one uneven, or two uneven surfaces, substantially as herein
set forth.
Sth. The method herein described of keeping the rollers, in a machine 1
for rolling metal, cool and preventing their expansion by means of a
cavity in their centre filled with water, as herein set forth.
9th. The combination of the hollow removable journal E, rubber
head, metal head e, bisected sleeve h, and tube with a hollow metal
roller, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
10th. The combination of the tube with collars i, i, and the grooved
.bisected sleeve h with the removable journal E and a hollow roller, all
constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
2
11th. The combination of the tube k, grooved head m, slotted standard 2
G, journal E, a hollow metal roller, and the journal bearing C, all sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
12th. The combination of the screw H, screw sleeve I, with flange p,
washer, keys, and wheel J, all constructed and arranged substantially
as and for the purposes hercin set forth.
13th. The wheels R, R¹, constructed as described, and enclosed within
the casing, with steam applied to the outside of said wheels, substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth.
14th. The adjustable triangular block m' arranged between the wheels
R, R', substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
3
3

page_text: 15th. The boiler M provided with a flange d³ and screw threads at
each end, in combination with the heads e¹, having on their inner sides
an inner and an outer screw flange, all substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
16th. The central tube O screwed into the heads of a boiler, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
17th. The safety valve N composed of the slotted tube x, with grooved
seat y, tubes, box a¹, and screw cover b³, all constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
18th. The auxiliary boiler L provided with tubes t, t, connecting with
the hollow rollers D, D¹, and with the tube V connecting with the main
boiler M, substantially for the purposes set forth.
In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, at Washington,
District of Columbia, United States of America.
Witnesses,
CHARLES LEOPOLD EVERT.
ARTHUR NELSON MARR.
ASA JOHNSON. (L.S.)