Improvements in the Manufacture of Articles in Metal and in Machinery or Apparatus Employed therein.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 7th Sept.,
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Articles in Metal and in
Machinery or Apparatus Employed therein.
I DANIEL EDGAR KEMPSTER of Boston in the State of Massachusetts one of the
United States of America, Inventor 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 improvements in the manufacture of articles in metal having
circular cross-sectional area; and the object and purpose of my improvements are to
provide mechanism whereby said articles may be more speedily and more economically
produced than heretofore, and also to impart, by a peculiar action of the said
imechanism, superior qualities to the article manufactured thereby.
My invention consists in the construction and combination of the various devices
herein described, which thereby constitute an improved and thoroughly equipped and
organized metal-rolling mill or system whereby articles may be rolled and formed into
shape direct from a coil of wire rod, or from metal bars or blanks fed therein, and all
the devices and appliances constituting said system as a whole acting and operating
continuously and automatically to expeditiously accomplish the desired end, as will
now be fully described, and specially pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings, and in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my improved continuous metal-rolling
mill: Fig. 2. a cross-section on the line A B in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the
line C D in Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a side elevation of one of my improved die-rolls; Fig. 5,
an end view of the same; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of my improved spheres or
balls as rolled and formed in my improved rolling-mill.
My invention is susceptible of being constructed and arranged in a variety of ways

page_text: and may be modified to suit the class of work to be rolled or formed thereby, always
retaining, however, my combinations of devices, as herein set forth, as being the
essential elements for constituting an organized automatic system or continuous
metal-rolling mill.
For a certain kind of work I find it convenient to construct and arrange the mill in
the form shown in the accompanying drawings, in which a a¹ a³ represent a suitable
frame for supporting the various devices, and having a base-plate provided with holes
for securing it to the floor in the usual manner with power machinery. The frame is
provided with bearings 1. 2. 3. 4 for supporting the journals of the die-rolls bb. Said
bearings are constructed with caps in the ordinary manner, so as to be able to readily
remove said dies therefrom. The bearings 1 and 2 are formed in extending and
integral portions of the frame a; but the bearings 3 and 4 are formed in the portion a',
made separate therefrom and supported by and between suitable ears on the main
frame, two of said ears being slotted to receive tightening screws 5 and 6, which screw
into oppositely-arranged ears, whereby the part a' may be clamped solid between the
said frame-cars and thus be held firm and rigid with said frame.
The piece is backed up by the wedge-piece a", which is suitably tongued by
T-headed screws, as shown, to, slide in correspondingly-formed grooves in said part a¹
and the tapering portion of the main frame a, thereby connecting said parts together,
so that when the wedge a¹ is raised or lowered by the screw 7, which passes through
the top plate, a³, and screws into said wedge, the piece a¹ is caused to move bodily out
or in between its supporting-frame ears, and may be held rigid at any point in the
limit of its movement by tightening up the clamp-screws 5 and 6, before referred to.
The die-rolls are connected, so as to revolve together at the same speed and in
the same direction, by suitable gearing, two of which, c c, are fast on the die-roll
shafts cc, and the intermediate gear, d, runs loosely on the T-headed stud e, which
is adapted to slide laterally in the top of the stand, fast on the base a, said stud e
being held in such position therein by the connecting-links e¹e¹ as to insure the proper
meshing and working of said gearing, regardless of the positions of the die-rolls or the
distance between them.
The die-roll journalled in the solid side of the frame is provided with the shaft cl,
and it extends downward and rests in a step or bearing, c³, on the base a. Said shaft
has fast thereon the bevel-gear, which meshes with a corresponding gear, h, on the
horizontal shaft i. Said shaft is supported in boxes i¹¹, and is provided on its outer
end with a fast and loose pulley, as is usually employed on machinery.
and
The shaft i has securely fastened thereon the double-throw cam j. A feed-lever, k,
pivoted on the side of the frame, has a stud and roll, which runs in the groove of said
cam and is vibrated thereby. The upper end of said lever has a pivoted pawl, k¹,
spring Said spring has a projection on its end, which engages the pin ³ on the
pawl, and by throwing said pawl up or down, so that said projection engages said pin
on opposite sides, the said pawl may be held out of or into engagement with its
feed-ratchet.
As shown plainly in Fig. 3, the feeding mechanism consists in two corrugated
feed-rolls mm, keyed fast on the ends of two shafts, m' m11. Said shafts are supported
at their ends nearest said feed-rolls by the half-boxes 88, adjustably held between the
cars 99 on the die-roll bearing-caps. Said boxes may be adjusted, so as move the
shafts and cause said feed-rolls to grip the metal rod 10 more closely, by setting up
the screws 11 11, which are provided with suitable check-nuts thereon for holding said
screws in position when once properly adjusted and set. When necessary to separate
said feed-rolls, the said screws are slackened, so as to allow said boxes to be separated
by the pressure of the spring 1, which is fast on the feed-stand n and bears against the
inner sides of the feed-roll shafts.
The stand n is attached to the bottom of the top plate, a³, and supports the outer end
of the shaft m¹ in the box o, and also the outer end of shaft min the half-box o'.
Said shafts have fast thereon, just outside of said boxes, the intermeshing feed-gears pP.
Said gears have solid collars on their sides, as shown, which are adapted to run
together with a certain amount of frictional contact produced by pressure exerted by

page_text: the screws qq in the feed-stand n. The shaft m' has also fast thereon, outside of its
feed-gear p, a notched disc, r, and feed-ratchet s. The disc is provided with the
detent, pivoted on an arin on the stand n, and is adapted to be pressed into one of
the notches in the disc by the spring 11, also on said arm, and thus, with the aid of
the friction created by the feed gear collars before referred to, the feed-rolls m m are
held steady while the pawl is being drawn back by its lever k, through the medium
of the grooved cam, to engage another tooth of its ratchets, preparatory to feeding
in another piece of the metal rod, sufficient for a blank, which is severed therefrom by
the cutters, fastened on the ends of the die-rolls bb. The ratchet s has just
a sufficient number of teeth thereon to insure its feeding into the cutters and dies the
proper amount of metal to be rolled down and condensed into shape, and in passing
through said dies becomes a perfectly-formed article.
A stand, a, is attached to the top of the top-plate, a³, and the furnace is attached
thereto. Said furnace is lined with asbestos or fire-brick, usually employed for this
purpose, and is provided with a door, t¹, through which to inspect the interior. Said
furnace is contracted or shaped so as to concentrate the heat closely around the metal
rod near the feed-rolls, and is also constructed with a top-plate or cover, tl, held to the
outer shell or casing by suitable screws, so as to be readily removed for the purpose of
relining said furnace, or otherwise.
The furnace is provided with a powerful blow-pipe, composed of the gas pipe 3,
which enters and is surrounded by the air-blast pipe t4, said air-blast being controlled
by the valve to, and the gas being controlled by the valve to. Said blow-pipe enters
the furnace through its cover or top plate, and delivers its flame or blast nearly parallel
with the metal rod being heated, and drives the heat forward toward the feed-rolls
where desired to be the hottest.
As shown in Fig. 1, the top plate, a³, is formed with a hole through its centre to *
pernit the nose-piece of the furnace to enter close up to the feed-rolls; and also it will
be observed that the base-plate or bed of the mill is provided with a hole through the
same directly under the working-centre between the die-rolls. This is for the purpose
of allowing the articles being rolled or formed to drop direct from the dies into a
receptacle or cooler, 12, under the mill, containing a liquid preparation for throwing.
off the scale formed thereon by the usual oxidation; and, if desired, said liquid may.
also harden and temper said articles by adding suitable ingredients to said cooling
preparation.
Extending upward from the top of the stand at are two forked arms, a³, on which is
suspended the reel u, having the coil of metal rod 10 thereon. Said reel is free to
revolve on bearings in said forked arms, and as the said rod passes off from said reel
it is guided by the guide-piece a on the stand a', and, passing through the furnace t,
enters between the corrugated feed-rolls m m. The outer end of the feed-roll shaft mi
is squared to receive a crank for the purpose of revolving said feed-rolls by hand, and
thus embrace and feed in the end of the metal rod when first starting the mill.
By referring to Figs. 1 and 4 it will be seen that the die-rolls bare straight
cylinders arranged side by side, and are each provided with two tapering working-
grooves, &, arranged therein obliquely to the line or plane of their movement, or
running spirally around said die-rolls in the same direction. Said grooves are arranged
on said rolls diametrically opposite each other in a similar manner to a double-threaded
screw, and said rolls are geared together in a manner to cause said grooves on opposite
die-rolls to register with each other as said rolls are revolved in the same direction. It
should also be observed that as said rolls are revolved in the same direction their
adjacent and opposed faces are moving in opposite directions, and therefore, owing to
the spiral form of the working-grooves, the registering-point of said grooves is con-
stantly changing from one end of the die-rolls to the other, and a metal blank severed
from the rod by the registering-cutters on opposite die-rolls and entering the flaring.
ends of the registering die-grooves would be bodily confined therein, and as it was
being rolled and condensed into shape would be conveyed along within said grooves
between the two die-rolls in a straight line parallel with the axes thereof until it was
forced out of the ends of said grooves at the opposite ends of said die-rolls.

page_text: The working-grooves of the die-rolls are properly tapered and scored or milled
throughout a portion of their length, so as to allow the metal blank to enter freely
between them, and then revolve, roll, and condense said blank into the form of a
sphere or ball, the die-roll grooves in this case being formed in cross-sectional area of
a shape to produce said article, although any other form of article may be made by
so shaping the die-grooves. It should be noticed that by my having the double
cutters and grooves on the die-rolls, and the feed-cam also double-throw, I am able to
roll and form two spheres or other articles at every complete revolution of the said
die-rolls, and I may still increase that number, if so desired, by adding more cutters
and grooves to the dies and corresponding movements to the feeding mechanism. Also
by my giving a quick pitch to the spiral die-grooves I obtain a spirally-rolling move-
ment of the spheres being formed thereby, which more evenly condenses. the metal
and produces a sphere in which the grain or fibres of the same are running through it
spirally in every direction, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus producing a
superior and improved article of manufacture, as must be apparent.
In rolling and forming spheres as heretofore practiced-that is to say, with dies
having their working-grooves forined in line with the line or plane of their movement
said spheres are rotated about their own centres, said centres being joined to the
metal rod, each side of the blank being rolled and formed, and is only separated
therefrom at the very last part of the operation, and consequently the portion of
metal which was on the end of the rod and outside of said blank is always wasted;
and, furthermore, it is exceeding difficult and not practicable to adjust the opposing
faces of the dies near enough together to form a perfect sphere, as the die-surfaces are
moving in opposite directions, and therefore cannot bear against each other with great
pressure, as in ordinary rolling where the contacting surfaces of the dies are moving
together in the same direction, and cannot prevent leaving a small projection or point
upon opposite sides of the sphere, where the die-rolls cannot be forced together close
enough to prevent it, without creating too great a friction; and spheres rolled and
formed in this manner have the metal very unevenly condensed, as the greatest com-
pression comes on the sides of the blank next the metal rod, as the dies must condense
and' draw in the metal at those two points in order to separate said blank from said
rod. This necessarily strains the outer portion of the metal sphere, so that in
hardening or tempering said spheres the unequal expansion and contraction of the
metal under different degrees of tension throughout its parts develops minute fractures
or "fire-cracks" running concentrically around what were the original centres or
axes of rotation of said spheres while being rolled and formed. Such spheres when
used in the bearings of bicycles and other wheeled vehicles, break apart in the form
of laminations, and often, like the shell of a nut, leaving a kernel or small sphere
among the broken pieces.
My improved mill and method of manufacture effectually overcome all of the above
objections and defects, as, first, I waste no metal, only enough being severed from the
rod each time to form a complete article; second, I am able to run the mill with the
die rolls separated, so as to avoid any friction between their adjacent and oppositely-
moving faces and yet produce perfectly-formed spheres thereby by reason of the
spirally-rolling movement given said spheres in their passage througli said dies; third,
a stronger more homogeneous, and more perfect sphere is produced than heretofore,
and, fourth, I am able to greatly cheapen the cost of manufacture, as my mill is con-
tinuous and automatic in its operations and is capable of being run up to any speed
within the limits of the capacity to heat the metal rod, and for certain kinds of work
which can be formed of cold metal the speed may be further increased.
The operation of my invention is as follows: A coil of metal rod is placed upon
the reel and suspended in the forked bearings overhead. The furnace is lighted up
and the gas and air properly adjusted, so as to give the greatest amount of heat. After
the furnace has become thoroughly hot, the end of the metal rod is passed down
through it and in its passage becomes white hot. As the end of said rod comes against
the feed-rolls they are revolved by hand with a suitable crank applied on one of the
feed-roll shafts until the end of the rod enters and is fed up against the bottom of

page_text: the registering die-grooves, the mill having been revolved by hand previously to bring
said grooves in proper position. The crank is then removed from the feeding
mechanism and the driving-belt shipped onto the fast pulley, revolving it in the
direction of the arrow shown thereon, and through the bevel and other gearing the
die-rolls are caused to revolve together in the direction of the arrow shown in Figs. 4
and 5. As the registering cutters come together, a blank is severed from the rod just
as the die-grooves grasp it and start or commence to roll and revolve it between their
oppositely moving and contracting forming-surfaces. The feeding mechanism in its
proper time keeps driving the end of the metal rod into the successively-registering
die-grooves, and the adjacent cutters as often sever a blank therefrom, two to every
complete revolution of the die-rolls, and at the proper working speed a continuous
stream or series of metal blanks are entering one end of the said die-rolls and are
passing out the opposite end completely rolled, and formed, and are immediately cooled
by a suitable air-blast or the cooling liquid as before stated.
I have shown herein the mill arranged in a vertical position; but I may arrange it
horizontally, and I so prefer it for some kinds of work, as the scale from the heated
rod is not so liable to fall into the dies and be rolled into the article being formed;
also, 1 do not desire to limit my invention to the exact construction herein specified,
as it may all be varied without departing from the essential spirit thereof, and, there-
fore, I may vary the number of cutters and die-grooves, or vary the form of dies
employed, or vary the shape and taper of their working or forming surfaces to suit
the particular shape in cross-section of the article to be produced by rolling; also,
the cutters may be a single pair or ordinary wire-cutters attached to a stationary part
of the mill between the feed-rolls and dies, and be operated by suitable mechanism,
if so preferred, and, also, the blanks may first be all cut into proper length and be
heated in a suitable furnace and automatically fed therefrom into the dies by suitable
automatic feeding mechanism; and for the manufacture of a heavy class of spheres
and other articles I prefer to thus modify the arrangement of the mill, such modifica-
tion requiring no illustrating in the drawings herein submitted, as any skilled
mechanic would readily understand how to accomplish it or change the relative
positions of the various devices composing the mill to best accommodate the class of
work to be rolled therein; and I would state in this connection that for certain kinds
of heavy work I sometimes use in my improved mill dies as usually formed—that is,
having their working faces or grooves formed in a line with the line or plane of their
movement. This necessarily makes the operation of rolling considerably slower, as
the article when formed must drop, by its own gravity, out of the dies before another
blank can be fed into them, whereas with my improved dies said blanks are thereby
automatically conveyed out of the way of each other, which therefore admits of
running the mill at any desired speed. However, as before stated, for certain kinds
of work, I may use dies constructed in the old and well-known manner, and in
connection with my improved mill their utility and capacity are greatly increased.
I have not herein minutely described the action of cross-rolling metal into various
forms circular in cross-section by oppositely-moving die-surfaces, as it is an old and well-
known method of rolling metal; neither have I described the various forms of dies
to which my improved die-grooves may be applied, nor the various articles which may
be rolled and formed thereby, as these matters have been fully gone into in another
application filed by me in the Patent Office of concurrent date and numbered 12951.
As shown in the drawings, the die-rolls may be adjusted to vary the size of the
article being formed, and by varying the number of teeth in the feed-ratchet more or
less metal stock may be put into the blank. By arranging the dic-rolls in a vertical
position, 1 am able to run the metal through dies without any intermediate guides
between them, said guides being objectionable on account of their creasing or marking
the hot plastic metal in its passage through said dies. The vertical position of the
dies also admits of dropping the finished article down plumb into the cooling-liquid
without the use of any conductor or spout to guide it thereto, and therefore the
liability is avoided of the hot finished article striking any obstruction which would be

page_text: liable to mar or injure the perfect configuration or surface of the same before its
entering and becoming cooled by the liquid provided therefor.
For heavy kinds of work it is necessary to make use of metal bars or rods, instead
of using material from a coil of wire; but in either case it should be understood that
the main bar or rod does not revolve, but is simply fed along longitudinally into the
mill, and metal blanks are successively severed therefrom and then revolved and
rolled by the dies, whereby said blanks are condensed and formed into the shape of
the finished article in their passage through or between said dies.
It will be observed that the cutters 6' are removably attached on the die-rolls by
suitable screws, to admit of repairing or adjusting them after prolonged and con-
tinued use.
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. In an organized continuous metal-rolling mill, the combination of two dies
having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions with
cutters for automatically severing the metal blank from the rod prior to rolling and
forming said blank, for the purpose set forth.
2. In an organized continuous metal-rolling mill, the combination of two dies
having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions and
cutters for automatically severing the metal blank from the rod with feed-rolls for
automatically feeding said rod into the mill, for the purpose set forth.
3. In an organized continuous metal-rolling mill, the combination of two dies
having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, cutters
for automatically severing the metal blank from the rod, and feed-rolls for auto-
matically feeding said rod into said dies and cutters with a furnace for heating said
rod, for the purpose set forth.
4. In an organized continuous metal-rolling mill, the combination of two dies
having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, cutters
for automatically severing the metal blank from the rod, feed-rolls for automatically
feeding said rod into said dies and cutters, and a furnace for heating said rod with a
reel or support for holding said rod, for the purpose set forth.
5. In an organized continuous metal-rolling mill, in combination, two dies having
their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, automatic
cutters, automatic feeding mechanism, and a reel or support for holding the metal rod
or bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. Two die-rolls provided with working-grooves formed obliquely to the line or
plane of their movement and two parallel shafts carrying the said die-rolls, combined
with each other and with gearing to rotate the said die-rolls in the same direction, to
operate substantially as described.
7. Two die-rolls provided with working-grooves formed obliquely to the line or
plane of their movement and two shafts carrying the said die-rolls, combined with
each other and with gearing to rotate said die-rolls in the same direction, and with
mechanism for adjusting the distance between said die-rolls, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
8. Two die-rolls provided with working-grooves formed obliquely to the line or
plane of their movement and two shafts carrying the said die-rolls, combined with
each other and with gearing to rotate said die-rolls in the same direction, and with
feed-rolls for supporting and feeding the metal blank into said die-rolls, for the
purpose described.
9. Two rotating die-rolls mounted in bearings and provided with working-grooves
formed obliquely to the line or plane of their movement and scored or milled to aid in
rotating the blank being acted upon within said grooves, combined with each other
and with gearing to drive the said die-rolls in the same direction at the same surface
speed, the registering-point of the said working-grooves between the said die-rolls

page_text: constantly changing from one end of said die-rolls to the other, and thereby in rolling,
condensing, and forming the metal blank said blank is bodily conveyed along within
said die-grooves in a straight line parallel with a central line between said die-rolls,
for the purpose described and set forth.
10. In combination, the supporting-frame and the rolls supported thereby and
having oblique working-grooves tapering from their finishing to their starting ends,
substantially as described.
11. A die-roll having a working-groove formed obliquely to the line or plane of its
movement and having a cutter on its starting or blank-entering end, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
12. The die-rolls b, having cutters 66 and grooves 6" 61, substantially as shown
and described.
13. In combination, the frame a a¹ a³, the wedge all, and adjusting-screw 7, sub-
stantially as described.
S₁
14. The shaft i, cam j, lever k, and pawl, in combination with the feed ratchet
adjustable shafts m¹ m feed-rolls mm, and connecting mechanism, substantially as
described, for supporting and operating said devices, for the purpose set forth.
15. In combination, the feed-shafts m'm, the feed-rolls mm and friction-gears pp
thereon, the notched disc, spring-detent, stand n, and connecting mechanism,
substantially as described, to operate in the manner set forth.
16. The frame composed of the stationary parts a a³ and movable part a¹, in com-
bination with mechanism for adjusting the position of said movable part and means,
substantially as described, for rigidly securing it to the stationary part, as set
forth..
17. In combination, the frame or bed, the shaft i, suitably supported thereon, the
bevel-gears hg, the shafts cc, the gears cc thereon, connected with links e¹ e¹, the
intermediate gear, d, suitably supported on the frame or bed a, and the die-rolls bb,
supported in the bearings 1 2 3 4 so as to revolve therein and be adjustable to or from
each other, to operate substantially as described.
18. The die-rolls arranged in a vertical position, substantially as described, com-
bined with feeding mechanism arranged so as to feed the blank metal vertically into
said die-rolls, for the purpose substantially as set forth.
19. The frame and its top plate, combined with the stand at and rod-supporting
reel u, substantially as described.
20. The stand a, having forked arms or reel-bearings a and rod-guide a, com-
bined with the furnace and means, substantially as described, for heating said
furnace, for the purpose set forth.
21. The furnace constructed with one end contracted so as to concentrate the heat,
as described, and the other end provided with a removable cover, for the purpose set
forth, in combination with the blow-pipe or means for heating said furnace, substan-
tially as and for the
purpose specified.
22. The frame a a' and wedge a", constructed and combined as described, whereby
a longitudinal movement of said wedge in either direction gives a corresponding
lateral movement to the frame a', substantially as and for the purpose described.
23. The frame a a¹ and screws 5, 6, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
24. The shaft i, suitable bearings, 2, 11, therefor, the feed-cam j on said shaft and
provided with a double-throw groove, as described, the lever k, pivoted on the side of
the mill and provided with a stud and roll for running in said cani-groove, as set
forth, and the pawl and its spring k", all combined to operate substantially as
described, for the purpose set forth.
25. The combination of an automatic continuous metal-rolling mill with means,
substantially as described, for scaling and cooling the hot finished articles as set
forth.
26. The method of manufacturing articles of metal as described with the aid of
machinery constructed or arranged substantially as set forth.
27. In an organized system or automatic metal-rolling mill, in combination, two
dies having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, and

page_text: feed-rolls or automatic mechanism for feeding the blank metal into said dies, substan-
tially as set forth.
28. In an organized system or automatic metal-rolling mill, in combination, two
dies having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, and
automatic feeding mechanism, and a reel or support for sustaining the metal being
fed into said dies, substantially as set forth.
29. In an organized system or automatic metal-rolling mill, in combination, two
dies having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, and
automatic cutters for severing the metal blanks from a rod or bar, and a reel, or
support for sustaining said rod or bar, substantially as set forth.
30. In an organized system or automatic metal-rolling mill, in combination, two
dies having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions,.and
automatic feeding mechanism, and a furnace or means for heating the metal being
worked, substantially as set forth.
31. In an organized system or automatic metal-rolling mill, in combination, two
dies having their adjacent working-faces adapted to move in opposite directions, and
automatic cutters for severing a metal blank from a rod or bar, and a furnace or
means for heating said rod or bar, substantially as set forth..
32. In an organized system or metal rolling mill the combination and arrangement
of the various devices in the manner substantially as described, whereby the metal
being worked is simultaneously heated, forged, and tempered or hardened, while
passing vertically through the mill, substantially as set forth.
33. The manufacture of metal balls, spheres or like articles in metal having circular
cross sectional area having the grain or fibres running anomalously or spirally, thereby
adding to their homogeneity and consequently to their strength and durability, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Data the 7th dove of Santambor 1888