AN IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR CORRUGATING SHEETS OF METAL
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Woolfield at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th December
1867.
I, JOHN WOOLFIELD, of Saint Peters, in the. Borough of Saint Albans,
in the County of Hertford, Gentleman, do bereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR CORRUGATING SHEETS
OF METAL," to be as follows:-
My Invention is to press any thin sheet of metal to be corrugated into.
two flutes nearest the centre (berein-after called the central flutes) of a
metal plate fluted on the under side with parallel curvilinear flutes like
the intended corrugation, and while such pressures continue to press the
sheet into the two flutes next on each side to the two central flutes, and
while all such pressures continue to: press such sheet into the flutes next.
but one on each side to the central flutes, and so to proceed with the flutes
successively from and on each side of such central flutes until the corrugation is
completed. The sheet will be pressed upwards into each flute by a stamping bar
to be curved on one side conformably with such flute, and to be. placed under
and parallel to such flute, and to be pressed upwards by two cams rotating
on parallel axes at right angles with the bars and vertical under parts of such

page_text: bars intermediate between their centres and ends. On each axis will be cams
of like number and form. The sheet will be corrugated by one revolution of
the axes by hand or mechanical power. The axes must be connected by a
like cog wheel on each. The central cams on each will simultaneously begin
to press their corresponding bars. The sheet will be placed upon such
bars before their pressure upwards commences, and the bars will lie on their
corresponding cams, and the ends of the bars will extend beyond their
corresponding flutes, and may work in slots or grooves in flanges on the
fluted plate, or may work on vertical guiding rods passing through the
bars. A part of the periphery of each cam will be a segment of a circle,
and every part of the arc of every such segment will be equidistant from
its axis, and extend therefrom beyond the other part of the periphery of
When there are
such cam a distance equal to the depth of the flutes.
only eight cams on each axis nearly one-half part of the periphery of each
of the two central cams will be such a segment, and nearly one-third part
of the periphery of each of the cams next on each side to the central cams
will be such a segment, and nearly one-sixth part of the periphery of each
of the cams next but one on each side to the central cams will be such
a segment, and a very small part of each of the cams next but two on
each side to the central cams will be such a segment. The last part in
rotation of the arcs of all the segments Fotating on each axis will be in
one line parallel to such axis, and will cease simultaneously to press their
corresponding bars, and as the segments on the two central cams have the
longest arcs, and the arcs of the segments on the other cams decrease
successively on each side from the central cams, such central cams will first
act on their corresponding bars and then the other cams on each side of
and in succession from such central cams will act on the bars corresponding
to such other cams. All such segments will simultaneously cease to press
bars into the flutes, and then the sheet may be removed. The fluted plate
may be fastened by fish bolts to the frame in which the axes will work.
A space must be allowed for the introduction of the sheet between the plate
and the bars when depressed. The curves of the bars and the salient curves
of the plate may be rollers. The axes and bars may be above the fluted
plate, or may be vertical, the bars being by springs or other arrangement
kept in contact with the cams. The number of axes may be increased, and
the number, form, and size of the cams, bars, and flutes may be varied
without deviating from the principle of my Invention. The cams nearest
one end of the axes may have segments with arcs containing nearly a

page_text: semicircle, and the other cams on each axis may have segments whose arcs
successively from such first-mentioned cams decrease in size, so that the
corrugation will be commenced at the side of the sheet and thence proceed
across it.