IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING WHEELS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean François Victor Fabien, of Paris, in the Empire
of France, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING WHEELS."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean François Victor
Fabien at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th June 1855.
I, JEAN FRANÇOIS VICTOR FABIEN, of Paris, in the Empire of France, but
now residing at Gregory's Hotel, Cheapside, in the City of London, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY
POR MANUFACTURING WHEELS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of machinery for manufac-
turing wrought-iron wheels, wherein the combined action of an ascending die
and pressing rollers is employed. The die, which is formed of the counterpart
of one side of the wheel to be manufactured, is mounted on a suitable bed
which slides in vertical guides, and by means of an hydraulic press or other
means is forced upwards to impart the requisite pressure to the mass of heated
metal which is placed in the die. Above this table is a strong frame which is
mounted on a central axle and carries two sets of shaping rollers. These
rollers press upon the upper side of the mass of metal and against the periphery
thereof, as the rise of the table brings the-heated metal in contact therewith,.

page_text: and by the rotation of these rollers the heated metal is forced down into the
die, and pressed out until it fills the cavities therein and takes the shape of
the die. When the wheel (supposing it to be a railway wheel) is thus formed,
it is removed from the die, and a tyre is shrunk upon its periphery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean François Victor Fabien in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
FRANÇOIS VICTOR FABIEN, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Jean François Victor Fabien, Her special license that I, the said Jean
François Victor Fabien, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Jean François Victor Fabien, my executors, adminis-
trators, and 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED. MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING WHEELS," being a commu-
nication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Jean François Victor Fabien, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, 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 the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jean François Victor Fabien, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of machinery for manufac-
turing wrought-iron wheels, wherein the combined action of an ascending die

page_text: and pressing rollers is employed for moulding or shaping up the heated
metal.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the
improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same, taken in
the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1. Previously to submitting the metal to the rolling and
pressing action of the machine, it is heated to a welding heat.and placed-in-a
die A, Fig. 3, which is the counterpart of the ribbed side of the wheel to be
manufactured, and then subjected to the action of a forge hammer B, by which
means it loses its original shape, viz, that of a plain disc, and takes a shape
more nearly approaching that of the finished wheel. The metal when thus
reduced is carried, together with its die, to the machine shewn at Fig. 1, a
tramway C being provided to facilitate the transfer of the loaded die thereto,
and also its removal therefrom after the moulding operation has been com-
pleted. When the die A is brought to position in the machine, it rests upon a
bed or table E, which slides in vertical guides F, and by means of an hydraulic
press (the motion of which is transmitted to the sliding table or bed by the
rocking lever G) is forced upwards in order to bring the mass of heated metal
into contact with a system of pressing rollers H, H, and I, I, mounted in a
rotating frame K. By this means the metal is rolled out and caused to fill
the die A. and become a counterpart thereof. The frame K, which carries the
rollers H and I, is made of great strength in order to resist the direct and
lateral strain upon it when the swaging or moulding operation is proceeding.
It is mounted on a central axle L, which is connected by means of a socket
joint to a shaft L', carried by a frame M. The under surface of this frame M
is provided with a circular face plate N, over which run a series of antifriction
rollers O, mounted in bearings on the top of the frame K. This arrangement
admits of the frame K. adjusting itself slightly so as to equalize the pressure
upon the metal under operation. The swaging rollers H are preferred to be
composed of discs or sectional portions, each capable of an independent motion
on their axle. These rollers H are mounted on axles set radially around the
central shaft L. Rotary motion is communicated to the shaft L, and the
frame K which it carries, by means of the bevil gearing shewn at Fig. 1.
When therefore the rise of the table E brings the heated metal in contact with
the rollers H, they will by their rotation over the upper face of the metal force
it down into the die, and press or spread it out until the cavities are filled.
The rollers I, I, will now come into action, and as the metal is pressed out-
wards by the rollers H, H, entering the die A, the rollers I will bear upon that
portion of the periphery of the heated metal not enclosed by the die, and work
up to the shape required, the pointed prolongation L* of the shaft L having
it

page_text: in the meanwhile made its way through the centre of the disc of heated metal
and acted as a core to keep open the hole intended for the insertion of a
carriage axle.
I would remark that when it is intended to manufacture wheels with radial
or other ribs for the purpose of gaining strength or lightness, the form of the
ribs must be countersunk in the die A, as the pressure of the rollers is only
calculated to impart concentric figures to the metal. When the swaging action
is completed, the upward pressure upon the die is removed, the die then falls
to the dotted position of Fig. 1, and it is carried away, together with the
moulded wheel, from the machine. The swaging operation is then to be
repeated on a second disc of heated metal, and by the aid of a succession of
dies the manufacture may be carried on with great rapidity. In order to com-
plete the wheel and make it fit for use, a tyre P (see Fig. 4) is shrunk thereon
in the ordinary manner.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved Machinery
for Manufacturing Wheels," as communicated to me by my foreign correspon-
dent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to
be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the
combination of pressing rollers rotating round a common centre, with a die
borne upwards or towards such rollers by means of hydraulic or other suitable
pressure for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Francois Victor Fabien, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
VICTOR FABIEN. (L.S.)