IMPROVE- MENTS RELATING TO THE STRAIGHTENING AND CURVING OF METAL RAILS OR BARS AND TO APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS RELATING TO THE STRAIGHTENING AND CURVING OF METAL RAILS OR
BARS AND TO APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by David
McCandless, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Steel
Manufacturer.
Sealed the 15th May 1877, and dated the 9th January 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th January 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE STRAIGHTENING
AND CURVING OF METAL RAILS OR BARS AND TO APPARATUS THEREFOR."
A coin-
munication from abroad by David McCandless, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, United
States of America, Steel Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to improvements in "hot beds" or devices employed in the
treatment during their manufacture of rails, for the purpose of imparting to the red-
hot rail such a curve that the unequal contraction consequent upon cooling shall
exactly counteract such curve, and reduce the rail to a straight line. For this
purpose manufacturers have heretofore used means such as either of the following,
namely:
One device consists in what is called a "straightening plate" for the proper align-
ment of the rail on its side, beside which is placed either a concave or convex
curving plate," whereon the rail is thrown and jolted up and down till it has
assumed the curvature of the plate under it, then it is turned over on its side and
drawn away to cool. Now the perfection of a rail when cool, not regarding the
quality of material, depends directly upon its freedom from strain while hot; but
it cannot be free from strain when handled in the foregoing manner, because, first,
the lifting and dropping is bound to stretch the fibres unduly at one or more
portions of the surface, and hence when cool the rail will have an inherent strain at
such points; and, secondly, because in either case the rail must be turned over on
its side for removal, and in the then flexible condition of the rail this turning tends
to either injure the curvature or impart a torsional strain or warp. But the chief
[Price fid 1

page_text: objections to both methods is the amount of handling required and the necessity of
trusting the standard of excellence to the judgment of unskilled operatives; it is a
slow and laborious proceeding, and not in keeping with the progress conspicuously
seen in the manufacture of rails.
Another device heretofore used consists of rolls set vertically in a triangular dis-
position, between which the rail is passed on its side; but the curvature thus given
produces after cooling the curve known as the "prolate cycloid," and not a straight
line, and this necessitates the use of cold straightening.
The object of this Invention is the production of a device which shall receive the
rail directly from the saws, straighten it laterally, and curve it vertically at the
one operation, and in so doing impart any curve which may be required for any
particular size or form of rail, and without moving the rail out of its laterally
straightened position, so that when the curving is effected it may be at once drawn
off to cool.
The said Invention comprises a set of parallel vertically adjustable rolls arranged
in line with the rolls of the saw carriage, and actuated by any suitable means; a
set of steps projecting or projected upwardly between the rolls, and arranged rela-
tively to each other to form points on a curve such as it is desired to impart to the
rails; and suitable means for forcing the rail against these stops, and then freeing
it for delivery to the cooling bed.
The said Invention also comprises the construction and operation of the various
parts and their combination, as more particularly herein-after described.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a plan of the machinery or apparatus
employed in practising this Invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the same;
Figures 3 and 4 shew details of the said machinery.
In line with the rolls of the saw carriage and with their top surface at about the
same level is a set of plain rolls A, made very accurate and having their bearings
adjustable in order to regulate the height of the respective rolls. to a perfect plane;
they or the alternate rolls are actuated by the beveled gear wheels b, c, and shaft a.
Lying between the several rolls A are stops or shoulders e, which may either be
permanently fixed to project above the rolls, or, as shown in the Drawing, moveable
vertically by being attached to pivoted swinging or otherwise moving or movable
arms d, so that they may be elevated for operation and then depressed to clear the
way for the removal of the treated rail; these stops e are so located relatively that
they form on a horizontal plane so many points on a curve of the precise form to be
imparted to the rail, so that when it is brought against them it shall assume such
curve; and they are also so arranged that their combined curvature may be altered
at will; this is effected by making them adjustable lengthwise on the arms d, which
is done by slotting the said arms and attaching the stops e by bolts through the
slots, each stop thus having projective adjustment on its arm. Besides this adjust-
ment the face plate of each stop, that is to say, the part which comes in contact with
the bottom of the flange of the rail, is also adjustable angularly; this adjustment is
best effected by hanging it on a pivot so as to have it automatically adjustable, as
it then adapts itself to the angle; this adjustment becomes necessary when it is
considered that rails are made vastly differing in their respective dimensions. One
rail may have a narrow head and wide flange, and when on its side the angle made
by its flange and the horizontal line of support is more acute than that formed by a
rail whose head and flange differ but little in width; consequently means must be
adopted for meeting the flange squarely. This construction, as well as that of the
adjustment of the stops projectively on their arms, is shown in detail in Figures 3
and 4, where d is the arm with its stop e adjustably bolted through the slots, and
the face plate e' so hung on a horizontal pivot behind its centre that it normally
inclines inwardly to meet the rail flange, the rail being shown in section. By this
method of hanging the face plates no special attention need be given them, as they
all adjust themselves to the inclination of the flange.
Extending out in one or both sides of the set of rolls A is a series of rails or
guides, lying either wholly at the level of the rolls or with their outward ends

page_text: sweeping downwardly away, in order that the curved rail may be more easily
drawn away.
A shaft B properly journalled passes along under the rolls A and under the ends
of arms d. On this shaft, corresponding with the arms d, are arranged the cams i,
which when the shaft is rocked one way elevate the arms & and their stops, and
when rocked the other way permit the arms and stops to fall below the level of the
rails and rolls A, so as to be out of the way of the rail being removed. The said
shaft receives this motion at the will of the operator by the crank-g, connected with
the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder C.
The two arms which form the extremes of the series are slotted lengthwise in an
extension of their ends to form a slide for a clutch or head block n, which is jointed
to a piston rod working at pleasure back and forth in a hydraulic cylinder D fixed
on the arm. When the rail is brought to rest on the rolls A and the arms d are
elevated, these head blocks rise on the side of the rail next its head, after which a
stroke of the pistons draws the head blocks n, and with them the rail, over against
the stops, and holds them there till released by a contrary stroke; then the arms d
are dropped, and the way is clear for the removal of the rail to cool.
The operation of this Invention is as follows:-The glowing rail, after having
been cut to its proper length by the saws, is moved from the saw carriage while
resting on its side to the rolls A of the hot bed, which are driven till the rail is in
proper position, when they are stopped, and the rail is brought to rest. In this
operation the rail is effectually straightened laterally by reason of the perfect align-
ment of the rolls A, and requires only curving; then the piston of the cylinder C is
actuated, and draws on the crank g of the shaft B, thus by means of the cams i
raising the ends of the arms d and the stops e above the rolls A; then the pistons
of the cylinders D are actuated, and draw the head blocks n inwardly, and with
them the interlying ends of the uncurved rail, bringing it at all points to the cur-
vature of the line of stops e; and the stops being inclined may exert some slight
downward pressure to complete the lateral straightening of the rail unoperated upon
by the straightening tendency of the rolls. After this is done the rail is released by
operating the crank g to depress the arms, stops, and head blocks, the rail removed,
and all is ready for another rail. By this method no double or extra handling of
the rail is required; it is both straightened laterally and curved vertically in the
same device; there is no irregular bending, no malleting, no straining, stretching, or
torsion of fibres. At the same time facilities are afforded for readily altering the
curvature to suit any requirement as to size or configuration of rail, and the opera-
tion is such that all similarly sized rails are curved to exactly the same degree
throughout their length.
The aforesaid hydraulic cylinders are by no means essential to the effective curving
and straightening of the rails, since they may be replaced. by any other known
power. In this case they have been applied as being the most economical.
The said Invention is especially adapted to the treatment of steel rails, because
they are generally made with the flange so thin that they require more care than
can be given in the use of the ordinary hot bed in order to produce perfect work.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,-
First. The method of treating rails for the purpose of effecting their cooling to a
straight line by delivering the rail lying on the edges of the head and flange upon a
horizontal plane consisting of a series of rolls, and while in that position giving it
the proper vertical curvature by forcing it laterally against a curved line of stops,
in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The method of hot curving rails in their vertical plane by forcing them
while at rest laterally against a curved line of stops, as above specified.
Third. For the purpose of straightening the rail laterally, the plain rolls pro-
vided at their bearings with means for vertical adjustment, as above described,
whereby the rolls can always be adjusted to the true horizontal alignment.

page_text: Fourth. In a rail mill the combination with the saw carriage of a series of driven
rolls arranged beside the saw carriage, and operating as above described and for the
purposes specified.
Fifth. The combination of the driven rolls and the curved line of stops, arranged
and operating as above specified.
Sixth. The combination with the driven rolls of the curved line of interlying stops
provided with means for vertical elevation and depression, as above set forth.
Seventh. The combination with the driven rolls of the curved line of interlying
stops each provided with means for horizontal adjustment, whereby the curvature of
the line may be varied at will, as above described and for the purposes set forth.
Eighth. The combination of the curved line of stops and the movable head blocks,
arranged and operating as above described and for the purpose specified.
Ninth. For the purpose of adjusting the curvature, the combination of a slotted
arm and a stop bolted thereon, and capable of being located at different points of the
arm, as above described.
Tenth. The combination with the shoulders of the self-adjusting face plates
pivoted thereupon, as above described and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. The combination of the rock shaft cams and arms, as above described
and for the purpose specified.
Twelfth. The combination of rolls and a series of guide rails on one or both sides
thereof, as above described and for the purpose specified.
'
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.