Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Rims or Felloes of Wheels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1894'
Complete Specification Left, 4th May, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Rims or Felloes of Wheels.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, of Ferndale, Church Road, Moseley, near
Birmingham, Warwick, England, Managing Director of The Cycle Components
Manufacturing Company Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to machinery for rolling rims or felloes of wheels.
The object of my said invention is to construct improved machines by means of
which, after a rim or endless rim has been made by any suitable means, the same
may be rolled or bent to any desired section. My invention also comprises improved
machines for rolling strips of metal to any desired section before such strips are
joined into complete rims.
According to my invention I provide a series of pairs of rolls between which the
strip of metal is passed, said rolls being of different shapes suited to the section of
rim required. The rolls are mounted on shafts which are rotated through suitable
gearing and means are provided by which the rolls of each pair can be brought
nearer together or removed farther apart, without interrupting the driving of said
rolls.
In order that the nature of my invention may be more clearly understood I
will proceed to describe by way of example a machine constructed in accordance
therewith.
Each pair of rolls is mounted, driven and adjusted in the same manner, so the
description of one pair will sufficiently indicate the construction of all the rolls.
Each said roll is secured to a spindle which is mounted in bearings in a block.
Said block is carried in a slot in the bed of the machine and is adapted to be moved
to and fro in said slot by means of a screw spindle mounted in bearings on the bed
of the machine which screw spindle passes through a corresponding nut secured to
or formed in the block. I arrange that one spindle shall control both the blocks
of one pair of rolls, one part of the spindle being screwed with a right hand thread
and the other part with a left hand thread, the nuts in the blocks being made to
correspond. By this means the blocks and rolls are caused to approach, or recede
from, each other when the screw is rotated in its bearings.
The rolls are driven in the following manner. A bevel wheel is secured to the
roll spindle which bevel wheel engages with another bevel wheel which can slide
along but not rotate on a shaft which is rotated in bearings on the bed plate of the
machine; said shaft is preferably placed parallel to the screwed spindle above
mentioned. In order to prevent the sliding bevel wheel from becoming disengaged
from the wheel on the roll spindle, said wheel is mounted on a sleeve which slides
upon but cannot rotate on the shaft, and which also rotates in bearings formed in
an extension of the block which carries the roll spindle. Said sleeve is provided
with a collar which maintains the bevel wheel in the same position relatively to the
block. The shaft on which the bevel wheels are mounted is driven by any suitable
gearing; in the case for example where endless rings are to be rolled the several
pairs of rolls are arranged in a circular series and the gearing is preferably bevel
gearing so that the shafts, which are radial, are driven by one bevel wheel.
Where the pairs of rolls are arranged parallel to each other for rolling straight
bars or strips I prefer to provide a worm or screw which drives all the shafts by
means of worm wheels secured on the ends of the same.

page_text: In the machine for giving any desired sectional form to an endless flat strip, the
rolls are arranged in a circular series, the diameter of the circle being the same as
that of the endless strip. In order to provide for rolling circular rims of various
diameters, provision must be made for shifting both rolls of a pair in the same
direction. This of course cannot be done by rotating the screwed spindle on which
the blocks are mounted as that operation causes the rolls to approach and recede
from each other as hereinbefore described. I therefore arrange that each screwed
spindle shall be capable of being moved longitudinally in its bearings relatively to
the bed of the machine; for this purpose one of the bearings is in a bar which can
be moved to different positions in the slot in which the blocks move and the other
bearing is plain, the end of the spindle moving in and out of the same. The spindle
can only rotate in the movable bearing being confined therein by suitable collars so
that when the bearing is shifted the spindle and blocks and rolls are all moved
radially towards or away from the centre. Means are provided for fixing the
movable bearing in any desired position in the slot..
In the case of a machine having a straight series of rolls I sometimes provide
that some pairs of rolls shall be capable of being moved in or out of the line of the
other pairs of rolls so that when the bar or strip has been rolled to the desired
section it will on passing through the rolls be bent so as to form a circle in
readiness for securing the ends together for forming a wheel rim or felloe.
I sometimes provide for introducing into the machine a second or supplementary
series of pairs of rolls the axes of rotation of which are perpendicular to the axes
of rotation of the first series. The pairs of rolls forming the second series are
driven by friction of the strip being pulled or driven through them and operate in
a manner similar to the first series and each pair is preferably interposed between
successive pairs of the first series of rolls. By using two series of rolls I am
enabled to roll the strip into very complex sections. I may use two series of, rolls
in either a circular or straight machine.
The pairs of rolls forming the second series are preferably mounted on brackets
which can be attached to the machine by T-headed bolts and I provide means con-
sisting of a screw and lock nuts partly supporting each bracket by which the
relative position of a supplementary pair of rolls to the rolls of the first series can
be very accurately adjusted.
Dated this 6th day of July 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machinery for Rolling Rims or Felloes of Wheels
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL, Managing Director of The Cycle Components
Manufacturing Company, Limited, of "Ferndale," Church Road, Moseley, near
the City of Birmingham, 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 machinery to be employed in rolling
rims or felloes of wheels.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a topside plan of machinery
for the shaping or fashioning of endless rings or bands into rims of any desired
cross section.
The said machinery consists essentially of a series of pairs of horizontally driven
rolls, so mounted that they are capable of approaching to or receding from each
other without any interruption of their action in rolling or shaping when the

page_text: machine is in use, and further, the said pairs of rolls are respectively set up to and
recede from a constant and common line of rolling, that is to say, the rolls, whether
open or closed, are separated by an imaginary equatorial line of nip, which remains
constant or quiescent relative to the said rolls, so that whatever position the
rolls are in when the rim is under operation, they automatically find their proper
relative positions upon the said imaginary line on coming together when in
operation.
Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section of the machine upon the dotted
line Figure 1, showing the dispositions of the rolls or rolling dies and the means
for driving the same, also the gaps in the bed for the reception of the slides and
other parts.
Figure 3 is another transverse vertical section taken upon the dotted line A
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a cross section upon the dotted line B, also of Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents a modified form of roll mounting, for shifting the radial
positions of the pairs of rolls for rolling endless rings or hoops of varying diameters
and Figure 6 represents an end view of the same.
Figure 7 represents a full sized cross section of the band forming the endless
ring.
the
Figure 8 is a section of a part of the peripheries of the first set of rolls, showing
pass
and the metal shaped between them.
Figure 9 shows a section of the peripheries of the second pair of rolls, with the
strip further shaped between them.
Figure 10 shows a like section of the third pair of rolls, with the ring further
shaped and the trough deepened and
Figure 11 a section of the peripheries of the fourth pair, with a rim of the desired
section coming between them.
The same letters of reference represent corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 11
of the drawings.
1, 2, 3 and 4 are four pairs of horizontal rolls, the rolls of each pair (which are
marked a and b,) are mounted and made fast upon upright shafts c, c', carried by
and passing through traversing bearing blocks d, d', which rest and slide upon
shell-like ledges, at the bottom of the gaps e', sunken in the direction of a
diameter within the fixed bed or table e, supported by standards or legs. The
peripheries of the outer rolls a, of each pair, are of a he cross section, whilst the
peripheries of the inner rolls b, are of a she cross section and the said rolls a, are
of the inside cross section of the partly or fully shaped rim, as the case may be;
that is to say, the first set of rolls 1, are shaped so as to slightly trough the endless
flat ring about its middle and give it the section represented in Figure 8, and the
pair of rolls 2, give the partly fashioned endless band a periphery of the cross
section represented in Figure 9. The No. 3 set of rolls, give the endless ring or
hoop the cross section represented in Figure 10 whilst No. 4 set of rolls make the
said hoop (Figure 10) the finished cross section set forth in Figure 11.
The shafts c and care driven by bevel gear wheels f, f, taking their motion
from bevel wheels g', having sleeves g, and end collars y, supported by hangers
or hanging brackets h, h', depending from plates h', which slide, together with the
rolls, their shafts, gearing and brackets, both upon the bed and upon a counter-
shaft i, supported by hanging brackets, at its ends, and having feathers,
passing through key-ways in the gear wheels 9, y' and their sleeves g³.
Passing horizontally through screw boxes d, in the sliding-blocks d, d¹ is a
screw shaft or spindle j, working in a forward hanging bearing, bolted to the
bed e, at the outer end and terminated at that end by a hand wheel. Now the
inner half part, of this screw spindle is right hand wormed, whilst the outer
half, is left hand wormed, so that as the hand wheel, is rotated in one direction,
the rolls become separated or recede from each other, and on the said wheel being
turned in the reverse direction, the said rolls approach or are brought together
onto the constant line of nip.

page_text: The countershafts, have at their inner ends, driven bevel wheels k, in gear with
a driving bevel wheel m, made fast on the principal and vertical axis m¹, which
has a driven bevel wheel m², at its lower end in gear with a driving pinion m³,
made fast on an end of the main axis m', carrying and having mounted upon its
outer end, a fast pulley m³ and a loose pulley m².
The principal shafts m¹ and m³, are supported by bearings or plummer
, blocks m7, m³ and m³, bolted to and carried by brackets mo, m", supported by the
principal framing of the machine.
The acting faces of the rolls come above the plane of the bed, so that the
endless flat band is simply placed edgewise upon the bed, as represented in dotted
lines in Figure 1 and marked n, when it is presented to the acting faces of the
No. 1 pair of rolls in the exact position in which it is to be first operated upon.
OPERATION.
Assuming that the machine is in motion and that the rolls are being rotated in
the reverse directions represented by the arrows, first open out the rolls of each
pair from one another by rotating the hand wheel, then drop the flat hoop or
endless band n, between the opposed and acting faces of the said rolls. This done
(and whilst the rolls are still rotating) next again rotate the hand wheel 3, but in
the reverse direction, when the opposed peripheries of the No. 1 pair of rolling
dies a and b are made to approach each other to within a short distance as
represented in Figure 1, and during the approachment, the band is first acted upon
at the middle by the he part a', of the roll a, pressing the endless band or ring n,
into the opposed channel middle part b', of the roll b, thus operating upon the
metal at the middle and drawing the ends inwards, thereby reducing the width of
the endless band, whose lower edge leaves the table or bed by the annular or
circumferential and middle creasing or corrugating, which makes the band take the
shape of the opposed acting faces of the two rolls.
The No. 1 hand wheel is now turned just sufficiently for opening the rolls to
relieve the grip, but not to such an extent as to release the band, which will now
run loose within the first pair of rolls as guides.
Now, (whilst the machine is still in motion) turn the hand wheel of the No. 2
pair of rolls, when the said rolls will approach each other and deepen the annular
corrugations or creases and shape the band into the cross section represented in
Figure 9. The hand wheel of the said No. 2 rolls is theu re-rotated, and the
peripheries slightly separated and the grip relieved and the same now made to form
a second guide for the keeping of the endless band under operation from dropping
onto the bed, and for directing its motion in the proper course:
The hand wheel of the No. 3 rolls and the peripheries are brought together and upon
the partly fashioned band and the channel in its cross section deepened and the
edges further shaped into the cross section represented in Figure 10; then the nip
is released and the peripheries of the rolls separated to a guiling distance only.
Then the fourth pair of rolls are brought together in like manner as already
described in respect of the 1, 2 and 3 pairs. These rolls finally shape the cross
section of the hoop, or endless band and form a finished rim as represented in the
section Figure 11.
The operators, which are preferably two in number, and have charge of two hand
wheels each, then simultaneously turn back the whole of the hand wheels and fully
separate the whole of the four pair of rolls, when the finished rim falls onto the bed
and is removed from the machine.
During the whole of the operations of feeding, shaping and removal the whole of
the rolls are being driven and rotate.
It will be understood that the centre of each pair of rolls, when the endless band
is first dropped upon the bed, comes exactly up to the middle of the said strip, and

page_text: in case wider or narrower strips require to be operated upon by such rolls, then such
variation is provided for by vertically adjusting the positions of the acting faces of
the said rolls relative to the bed.
The edges of the rim may, if necessary be beaded, by passing the same through
a pair of beading rolls, either used separately or combined with the machine
represented.
A rim made by the machinery described is approximately true, but in order to
make the same perfectly round it is passed through a trueing machine.
The changing of the radius of the line of nip of the pairs of rolls can be effected
by an arrangement such as represented in Figures 5 and 6, in which a and b are a
pair of rolls mounted upon vertical shafts c, c, passing through and being supported
by sliding blocks d, d, having right and left handed wormed screw boxes d', where-
through a right and left handed wormed shaft j, passes, as before, and whereby both
rolls and their driving gear are shifted bodily in the same direction.
This said shaft is right hand screwed at its outer end, and has a longitudinal
groove, made within it, into which a detachable key, fits. The hand wheel j",
has an inside screwed neck 18, and is swivelly connected to the framing e, of the
machine, by a bolted plate e. When the key is in the position represented, then
the screw and hand wheel are rotated together and the screw has only a rotatory
motion but no traversing movement and this gives the approaching traverse to the
blocks and the rolls carried by them. Should the radius of the line of grip require
to be changed for making larger or smaller rims, then the adjustment of the rolls to
the desired radius or position is performed by removing the cottar 17, from the
coincident key ways in the screw and in the boss of the hand wheel, then the
hand wheel acts as a screw-box, and on being rotated draws the screw outwards or
forces it inwards without rotatory motion and on the necessary adjustment being
made, then the screw is locked to the hand wheel by bringing the key or cottar
again into position, when the screw again only rotates as before.
Figure 12 represents vertical rolling machinery constructed, arranged and
provided with improvements made according to a further form of my invention,
which said machine is devised for the rolling of section strips, cut-off short lengths
of which are subsequently bent up into rims, and the opposed ends joined by
brazing.
Figure 13 represents a plan of the machine Figure 12, with the upper parts of
the framing removed, to show the dispositions of the two series of pairs of rolls, and
also the means of transmitting motion to the said series of rolls from a main shaft.
It also illustrates the horizontal rolls for the formation of the beaded edges or for
forming complex sections.
Figure 14 represents a view of the left hand end of the machine showing the
relative positions of the driving gear and vertical rolls for giving shape to the body
part of the strip, and also of the pair of horizontal rolls for beading the opposite
edges of the strip shaped by the vertical rolls.
In Figures 12, 13 and 14, the same letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts, and as the series of rolls upon both sides of the machine are the same I will
only first describe one of them.
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are pairs of vertically disposed rolls or rolling dies, having
varying shaped peripheries for progressively shaping the flat strip n fed and guided
through them. The pairs of rolls, which are respectively marked a and b, are made
fast upon the ends of shafts c, c¹ turning in and carried by traversing blocks d, d',
which are swivelly connected with right hand screws j, terminated by hand-wheels
or heads, whilst the shanks of the said screws take through screw boxes e¹, e³
made within the top and bottom parts e³, of the upright framing e. The carrying
blocks d and d¹ traverse within vertical gaps e, and are guided in their movement
by the vertical sides e, so that by turning either the hand wheel or the screw heads
of either top or bottom rolls of the series of sets, the top and, bottom rolls are made
to independently approach towards or recede from each other.'

page_text: 3
4
i
"
'
The rolls are permanently and adjustably set up before the passing through
of the strips, and remain there during the rolling of the strip into the required
section.
The driving of the top series of the two high rolls is accomplished by bevel
wheels g, made fast to the shafts cand gearing with rising and falling bevel wheels g',
carried by necks g, rotating within sliding brackets h, whose inner ends ¹, are
carried by side plates 2, made parts to or integral with, the sliding bearing
'blocks d.
The eye g³, of the bevel wheel g', is provided with a key way which takes over
a feather, on a rotating countershaft i, with its lower end mounted in fixed
bearings k, carried by the framing e, of the machine.
The shaft c, of the lower roll b, has upon it, a like bevel wheel o, gearing with a
bevel wheel o¹, alike unto the wheel g', above it, and also working within a
bracket o, alike unto the bracket h, above it, which wheel and brackets adinit of
rising and falling, and the wheels of rotating as before.
This countershaft i, has upon its lower end, a worm wheel p, in gear with a
worm p', made fast upon and driven by a main shaft p³, having fast and loose
pulleys ff, at its end.
The worm p', is common to the worm wheels of two opposite pairs of rolls of both
series, so that by employing a series of like worms arranged along the principal
shaft p, the whole of the pairs of rolls of both series are driven from off one shaft,
as will best be seen in the plan Figure 13.
In the rolls for beading the edges of the rim, the same are shown as placed
between the 4th and 5th pairs of rolls of each series.
Thus y, q' are horizontal beading or complex-section shaping rolls, mounted and
carried upon vertical axes 9', which work within traversing bearings 9, having
screw boxes g', within them, and a right and left hand screwed spindle q', passing
through them, with the right hand screwed half 9, taking through the box q* of
the slide 9, and the other and left hand screwed half q', taking through the screw
box 9', of the other slide 93, so that by rotating the wormed spindle 9, the
rolls 4, 9, are made to approach or recede from each other, and thus admit of being
adjustably set up to the edges n³, of a strip n, supported by a plate mandril n³,
hanging from an adjustable stalk n*, carried from a bracket n', attached to the
upright sides of the framing e.
The shafts, of each roll have upon their lower ends, bevel wheels 98, 98,
gearing with bevel wheels g', made fast to a horizontal axis 910, which has a hand
wheel q, at its end, by the rotating of which, the edges of the strip are first
brought under the operation of the beading rolls, which are shown in larger scale
in Figure 15.
After the beading of the edges of the strip has once been started then the
drawing of the strip through them is performed by the body shaping rolls, so that
once the machine has been started, the horizontal beading rolls become followers
and turn the edges of the strip over into continuous beadings.
OPERATION.
Assuming that the double sided machine is in motion, then the strips are fed into
the No. 1 pairs of rolls, which shape them to the first stage and from thence they
are fed forward to the No. 2 pairs and receives a deeper creasing or shaping.
Then the strips pass to the Nos. 3 and 4 pairs and from thence pass between and
come under the operation of the beading rolls and finally into the last and No. 5
and finishing pairs of rolls, which is preferably of the cross section of the
finished rim.
Any number of pairs may be employed and if required, the passes of the last sets
of rolls may be elevated or depressed so as to make the end of the finished strip
• evolve itself into a volute figure, somewhat of the radius of a rim to be made from
* cut off length.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
First. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or fellies.
for wheels, making the pairs of rolls or the rolling dies reciprocally approach or
recede from each other, whereby the line of nip of a series of pairs of rolls remains
always constant, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Secondly. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or
fellies for wheels, mounting the pairs of rolls upon shafts or axes running within
and carried by traversing blocks which are made to approach towards and recede
from each other through the medium of a right and left handed screw, substantially
as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Thirdly. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or
fellies for wheels, the means for effecting the continuous running of the series of
pairs of rolls at all times when the machine is in use, substantially as described and
set forth in Figures 1 to 6 and 12 to 14.
Fourthly. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or
fellies for wheels, the general construction, arrangement and combination of the
parts, less the bed or table, the traversing screws and the principal driving gear,.
substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Fifthly. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or
fellies for wheels, the general construction, arrangement and combination of the
parts, less the principal driving gear, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 1 to 6.
Sixthly. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or
fellies for wheels, locating the reciprocating carriers of the rolls within radially
disposed gaps, so as to form a set for presenting the endless band properly to the
acting peripheries of the rolls, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 1 to 6.
Seventhly. In machinery for the manufacture of sheet metal or other rims or
fellies for wheels, the means for adjusting the varying line of nip of the rolls for
accommodating larger or smaller diameters of bands to be shaped, substantially as.
described and set forth in Figures 5 and 6.
Eighthly. The manufacture of the rims or fellies of wheels from endless bands.
or flat rings by the process and in the way substantially as described and set forth
in Figures 1 to 11.
Ninthly. In machinery for the manufacture of the rims or fellies of wheels from
strip metal, arranging the body shaping rolls in series of pairs, with the peripheries.
of the same progressively shaped, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 12 to 15.
Tenthly. In machinery for the manufacture of the rims or fellies of wheels from.
strip metal, the combination with the series of body shaping rolls as referred to in
the preceding claims, of heading or complex section shaping rolls, arranged and
operated substantially as described and set forth in Figures 12 to 15.
Eleventhly. In machinery for the manufacture of the rims or fellies of wheels.
from strip metal, the means of operating the body section rolls, substantially as
described and set forth in Figures 12 to 15.
Twelfthly. The improvements in the general construction, arrangement and
combination of the parts of machinery for the manufacture of the rims or fellies of
wheels from strip metal substantially as described and set forth in Figures 12 to 15.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1895.
ROBERT FREDERICK HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.