Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire, Rods, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire, Rods, and the like.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of 29, Bexley Road, Erith, in the County
of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of wire, rods and the
like, and comprises firstly improvements in the manufacture of the ingots, secondly
in improvements in rolling mills for reducing ingots into rods or wires, and thirdly in
improvements in the method and apparatus for drawing wire.
Under the first part of this invention the object of which is to produce a
compound ingot, that is to say an ingot consisting of two or more different metals or
alloys combined together in distinct and separate layers of circular or other cross
sections, the wire manufactured from such ingots being especially useful in
telephonic work, as by this invention it is possible to combine one metal or alloy
having a high tensile and torsional strength with a metal or alloy having a high
conductivity. This is accomplished by forming a core of metal or alloy, such
as copper, and surrounding it with another metal or alloy such as phosphor
bronze or silicium bronze or vice
versa; the
core (preferably heated) being
supported in an ingot mould by means of a tube of steel or other comparatively
refractory material, in such a manner as to allow the core to be kept in the centre
of the mould with a clear space all round between it and the side of the mould.
Molten metal is then poured into the mould round the core, and as the metal is
poured in, the supporting and protecting tube is withdrawn so as to allow the
molten metal to become attached to or combined with the core. The ingot so
produced may then be manufactured into wire in any of the well known ways,
but is by preference treated according to the second and third parts of this
invention.
"
The second part of this invention relates to a rolling mill for reducing ingots or
bars into rods or wire and comprises a machine whereby the number of separate
mills is reduced to attain the desired end and therefore economy of space, plant
and time is effected. This is attained for instance in what is known as a
three
high mill
by making each of the rolls with two or more steps, that is parts with
successively increasing diameters so as to produce in the same mill peripheral speeds
varying inversely as the reduced sections of the rolled rods or wire and so allowing
the latter to be rolled continuously without producing any inconvenient amount of
slack." The middle roll is power driven, the upper and lower rolls turn freely
on fixed axles and the steps are of the same diameters or nearly so, as those of
the driven roll but arranged in reverse order, so that all the rolling surfaces come
closely together. The upper and lower rolls are prevented from moving laterally
by any suitable means. It is possible to arrange that the loose rolls (i.e. the upper
and the lower) shall turn at the same peripheral speed as the opposite steps on the
driven roll by friction alone, but it is better to ensure this by positive gearing, for
instance by furnishing one toothed wheel for each step on the driven roll and of
the same diameter therewith gearing with a toothed wheel of the same diameter as
and fixed to the opposite loose roll. To allow for unavoidable variations in groove
areas and lengths of rod or wire it is necessary to make the successively increasing

page_text: steps of slightly smaller diameters than is theoretically admissible so as to prevent
the possibility of the rods or wires being stretched in their progress through the
rolls.
The ingot or bar to be rolled is first fed through the largest groove formed on
the smallest step of the driven roll and thence successively through the grooves of
diminishing areas formed on the steps of successively increasing diameters, thus
producing a continuous rolling in one mill.
The third part of this invention comprises a machine for continuous wire drawing
and embodies the above described principle as applied to rolling.
Two or more stepped pulleys having two or more steps of successively increasing
diameters are held at convenient distances apart by suitable 'framing, the pulleys
are power driven, preferably by positive gearing, suitable dies being placed in the
passage of the wire from the steps of the one pulley to the steps of the other, one
or more turns of wire being taken round each step of each pulley to ensure a
sufficient drawing action.
The peripheral speeds of the steps of the pulleys and the areas of the die holes
depend upon the nature of the wire to be drawn. The diameters of the steps are
determined by the areas of the diminishing die holes and must increase in an
inverse ratio. To allow for unavoidable variations in the areas of the die holes it
is necessary to make the successively increasing steps of slightly smaller diameter
than is theoretically admissible so as to prevent the possibility of the wire being
stretched in its progress through the machine.
The reeling drum on which the finished rolled or drawn rods or wires are wound,
has preferably a larger peripheral speed than the last step of the roll or pulley.
In order that the tension thus produced in the rod or wire may not exceed the
desirable amount, the drum is attached to its spindle by a friction clutch adjusted
to slip at any desired tension.
It will be understood that two or more rods or wires may be produced in the
rolling mill or the drawing machine by slight variations in construction.
Dated this 30th day of November 1894.
JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Wire, Rods, and the like.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of 29, Bexley Road, Erith, in the County of
Kent, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of wire, rods and
the like and comprises firstly, improvements in the manufacture of the ingots,
secondly, in improvements in rolling mills for reducing ingots into rods or wires,
and thirdly, in improvements in the method and apparatus for drawing wire.
I will now particularly describe my invention making reference to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, partly in section of an ingot mould
constructed according to the first part of this invention, and
Figure 2 is a view in plan thereof.
Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of a rolling mill constructed according to
the second part of this invention.
Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of a wire drawing machine constructed
according to the third part of this invention.
Figure 5 is a view in plan thereof and shewing two of the reeling drums and
Figure 6 is an end view of the two reeling drums.

page_text: Throughout the several views similar parts are marked with like letters of
reference.
at
or
of the tube B of steel
Under the first part of this invention, the object of which is to produce a
compound ingot, that is to say: an ingot consisting of two or more different metals
or alloys combined together in distinct and separate layers of circular or other
cross sections, the wire manufactured from such ingots being especially useful in
telephonic work, as by this invention it is possible to combine one metal or alloy
having a high tensile aud torsional strength with a metal or alloy having high
conductivity. This is accomplished by forming a core of metal or alloy, such as
copper and surrounding it with another metal or alloy, such as phosphor bronze or
silicium bronze or vice versa. Referring to Figures & 2 of the accompanying
drawing, the core A preferably in a hot state is supported and kept in a central
other
position in an ingot mould X by means
comparatively refractory material, having suitable projections thereon which will
engage with the inner sides of the ingot mould X and thus allow the core to be
kept in the centre of the mould with a clear space all round between it and the
side of the mould. Molten metal is now poured into the mould round the core A
and as the metal is poured in the supporting and protecting tube B is withdrawn
by any suitable meaus so as to allow the molten metal to become attached to or
combined with the core A. By this means it will be seen that all chance of
scoring" or "pitting" the core A by the rush of molten metal is avoided as
the protecting tube B effectually prevents this. The ingot so produced may then
be manufactured into wire in any of the well known ways but is by preference
treated according to the second and third parts of this invention.
The second part of this invention relates to a rolling mill for reducing ingots
or bars into rods or wire and comprises a machine whereby the number of separate
mills is reduced to attain the desired end and thereby effecting economy of space,
plant and time. Referring to Figure 3 which illustrates one form of a mill
constructed according to this invention in a suitable framework Y is mounted a
pair of rolls C and D having steps C C and D D² so as to produce in the same
mill peripheral speeds varying inversely, as the reduced sections of the rolled rods
or wire and so allowing the latter to be rolled continuously when desired without
producing any inconvenient amount of "slack." The roll C and its steps (1 & C2
are power driven, the upper roll D & its steps D' and D² are each free to turn on
a fixed axle d. The steps of one roll are practically of the same diameter as
those of the other roll but arranged in reverse order so that all the rolling surfaces
come closely together. It is possible to arrange that the loose rolls D, D¹ and D²
shall turn at the same peripheral speed as the opposite steps C2, C1 and C on the
driven roll by friction alone but it is better to ensure this by positive gearing, by
furnishing a toothed wheel for each step and having a pitch circle of the same
diameter therewith on the driven roll and gearing with a toothed wheel fixed to
the loose roll as shown on the drawing. To allow for unavoidable variations in
groove areas and lengths of rod or wire, it is necessary to make the successively
increasing steps of slightly smaller diameters than is theoretically admissible so
as to prevent the possibility of the rods or wires being strained or fractured in
their progress through the rolls.
The ingot or bar to be rolled is first fed through the largest groove e formed on
the smallest step C of the driven roll & thence successively through the grooves el
and of diminishing areas formed on the steps of successively increasing diameters,
it is then fed through a smaller groove formed on the smallest step of the
driven roll and thence through the grooves of diminishing areas formed on
the other steps thus producing a continuous rolling in one mill.
As the rod emerges from the last or any one of the grooves it may be led on to
a reeling drum as hereinafter described.
It will be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of three steps on
the rolls as shown, as two or more stepped portions may be used without departing

page_text: 66
from the principle of this invention, similarly one or more grooves of suitable cross
section may be formed on each stepped portion of the roll.
In the case of a three high mill" the middle roll is power driven and the
upper and lower rolls turn freely on fixed axles and their stepped portions are of
the same diameters or nearly so as those of the driven roll but arranged in reverse
order so that all the rolling surfaces come closely together.
The upper and lower rolls are prevented from moving laterally by any suitable
means. The wire or rod is led from groove to groove in continuous rolling by any
convenient means.
The third part of this invention comprises a machine for continuous wire drawing
and embodies the above described principle as applied to rolling and illustrated by
Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing. Upon a frame Z in suitable
bearings is mounted three vertical shafts E, F, G, on the central shaft G is
mounted a pinion g adapted to gear with pinions e and f mounted on the shafts E
and F. Power is communicated to the shaft G and transmitted to the shafts E
and F through their respective pinions. On each of the shafts E and F there are
rigidly mounted stepped drums or pulleys or two drums or pulleys E¹, E2 and F
and having different diameters.
Each drum or pulley may be divided by suitable rings or divisions e* and f*
into two or more divisions, those on the accompanying drawing being divided into
four divisions to allow of four wires being drawn at the same time.
A number of dies, according to the number of wires to be drawn at the same
time are arranged in die holders I K L and M arranged in the passage of the
wires from the steps of one of the drums or pulleys to the steps of the other drums
or pulleys.
The wire or wires a to be drawn are first passed through the die or dies held in
the die holder I and then given one or more turns round the drum F, it or they
then pass through a second die or dies held in the die holder K and are then given
one or more turns round the drum E¹; it or they are then led by means of guide
pulleys N, N through the die or dies held by the die holder L to the drum F2
round which it or they are given one or more turus and led through the die or dies
held in the die holder M and then given one or more turns round the drum E and
then on to a reeling drum O.
The reeling drum or drums on which the finished rolled or drawn rods or
wires are wound has preferably a larger or greater peripheral speed than the last
steps of the roll or pulley as it is not desirable, in the case of the wire drawing
machine, that the wire should slip on the last drum E. The wire is prevented
from breaking by arranging the driving bands on the pulleys o to slip at a pull
more than sufficient to keep up the drawing action, but much less than that
required to break the wire, by tightening or slackening the driving band the pull
of the reeling drums may be adjusted as desired or the drums ( may be attached
to their spindles by friction clutches (of any known construction) adjusted to slip
at any desired tension.
It will be understood that the wire is given just sufficient turns round the drums
to ensure the necessary drawing action when the wire is taut between any pair of
the drums but not so many turns that slipping of the wire is prevented when there
is any slack between any forward pair of drums.
The peripheral speeds of the drums and the areas of the die holes depend upon
the nature of the wire to be drawn. The diameters and so the peripheral speeds
of the drums are determined by the areas of the diminishing die holes and must
increase in an inverse ratio.
To allow for unavoidable variations of the areas of the die holes during working
it is necessary to make the successively increasing diameters of the drums of a
slightly smaller diameter than is theoretically admissible so
possibility of the wire being stretched in its progress through the machine.
as to prevent the
It will be understood that any number of steps or drums of different diameters,
together with the necessary dies, may be used in one machine, and likewise any

page_text: number of wires may be produced at one time in one machine with very slight
variations in construction.
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. The manufacture of wire, rods and the like substantially as herein before
described and shown.
2. The manufacture of a compound ingot to be used in the manufacture of wire,
rods and the like as herein before described.
3. In the manufacture of a compound, ingot, that is: an ingot consisting of two
or more different and distinct metals or alloys, for use in the manufacture of wire,
rods and the like, the use of a protective tube such as B, furnished with projections
such as or an equivalent device to keep the core central within the mould in the
manner and for the purpose set forth.
4. A rolling mill for reducing ingots or bars into rods or wire substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown.
5. In a rolling mill for the manufacture of wire, rods and the like, the use of
two or more rolls having two or more steps of different diameters as and for the
purpose set forth.
6. In the manufacture of wire, rods and the like, a wire drawing machine
constructed substantially as herein before described & shown.
7. In a wire drawing machine, for use in the manufacture of wire, rods and the
like, a reeling drum constructed substantially as herein before described and for the
purpose set forth.
8. In a rolling mill, for the manufacture of wire, rods and the like, a reeling
drum constructed substantially as herein before described and for the purpose set
forth.
Dated this 30th day of September 1895.
JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL.