IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REEDING RADO AND PLATES OR METAL
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Berney, of Bracon Hall, in the County of
Norfolk, Clerk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
REEDING RADO AND PLATES OR METAL"
Sealed the 7th June 1867, and dated the 14th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Berney at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, ou the
14th December 1866.
I, THOMAS BERNEY, of Bracon Hall, in the County of Norfolk, Clerk, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR BENDING BARS AND PLATES OF METAL," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for bending
bars and plates of metal. For these purposes a roller is mounted in suitable
stationary or fixed bearings; to this roller a lever frame is applied in such
manner as to admit of the lower end of such lever frame moving freely
thereon, or the lever frame may move on its own axis; this lever frame
carries a second roller with its axis parallel to the axis of the first-mentioned
roller; or such frame may carry two rollers on opposite sides of its axis, or

page_text: otherwise, and in such manner that these rollers or either of them may be
adjusted to and from the first-mentioned roller or from each other both
horizontally and vertically, and otherwise. To the upper end of the lever
frame is attached the upper end of a bar by pin jointing or otherwise, but in
such manner as to admit of the position of the points of attachment between
the upper part of the bar and of the upper end of the lever frame being varied
or adjusted. The lower end of the bar is arranged to be moved from and to
the stationary or fixed bearings of the axis of the first-mentioned roller by
steam or other power. One end of a bar or plate of metal which is intended
to be bent is fastened near the lower end of the bar, when such bar is near
the fixed bearings of the first-mentioned roller, or in any required position
removed from them; then on the lower end of the bar first mentioned being
moved away from such fixed bearings the plate or bar of metal to be bent is
drawn through between the rollers, whilst at the same time the lever frame is
caused to move from its upright position more and more towards an horizontal
position, and in so doing it causes the moveable roller or rollers to press
more and more upon the bar or plate of metal which is being bent. By the
adjustment of the positions of the moveable roller or rollers and of the lever
frame, or of either of them, the nature of the bend or curve produced will be
varied. In some cases the apparatus is arranged so as to be adjusted as the
bar or plate to be bent is passing between the rollers. The vertical position
of the plane in which the apparatus acts though preferred is not essential.
In some cases, particularly when the bar or plate has a flange or flanges, an
auxiliary roller or rollers is or are used to act on the flange or flanges or other
parts of the bar or plate, and in place of employing the bar above mentioned
the lever frame may be otherwise connected with and acted on by the steam
or other power employed. In some cases the axis of any other roller or rollers
carried by the lever frame or otherwise may be geared with and driven from
the axis of the stationary roller, in which case when bending a bar or plate by
the pair of rollers, such plate or bar in place of being drawn between these
rollers will be moved by them, and the requisite bending when the lever frame
is depressed will be by the plate or bar being supported so as to resist the
action of the upper or under or of both of the pair of rollers. In place of
the roller carried by the lever frame being above the stationary roller the
positions of the parts may be reversed or changed, also the lower roller may
be made use of. In some cases also the stationary roller is dispensed with,
whilst the lever frame carries two rollers, the bar or plate resting on a support
when being bent by the rollers carried by the lever frame. The roller frame

page_text: with its adjustable rollers may in other cases be mounted in the stationary
or in adjustable bearings, while the lever frame will carry the depressing
roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Berney in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BERNEY, of Brecon Hall, in the County of Norfolk, Clerk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Berner, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Berney, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Berney, my executors, administrators, 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 Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BENDING BARS AND PLATES OF METAL,"
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Berney, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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.
upon
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Berney, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for bending
bars and plates of metal. For these purposes a roller is mounted in suitable
stationary or fixed bearings; these bearings may be such as now used with
ordinary iron rolls; the bearings may also in some cases be made capable of

page_text: turning around their axis or of being moved along the axis, although
incapable of movement in other directions. To this roller, which is marked a
in each of the various Figures of the Drawings, is applied a lever frame
marked b, one mode of constructing which is shown in the Drawings, but it
may be otherwise constructed. The frame is applied to the roller a in such
manner as to admit of the lower end of such lever frame moving or turning
freely thereon or about it, or the lever frame may move on its own axis and
may in any case be mounted in or upon suitable bearings. The lever frame b
may itself in some cases carry or form the bearings for the roller a; the
frame also carries two discs connected together to form a reel b', which may
be called the roller frame, but it forms a part of what is herein called the
lever frame, and moves and acts with it. This roller frame is so mounted as
axis of the lever fraine, and carries
to be capable of being turned around the
or acts as the bearings of the central roller A, and carries also the bearings
of a second roller c having its axis parallel to the axis of the first-mentioned
roller, such roller frame may also carry another roller marked c¹ on the opposite
side of its axis, as shown in the Drawing, or in some cases in such manner that
the rollers c, c, may form a triangle with the roller a. The bearings d which
support the axes of the rollers c, c', are carried by the roller frame in such
manner that they can be moved to or from the roller a or from each other,
and this in the arrangement shown is effected by screws e, e, and levers, by
which both screws, bearings, and rollers can be raised in the manner shewn
in section in the large detailed Drawing Figure 3, and in elevation in
Figure 3. These levers or some modification of them are preferred to be
used in all cases, but when used for the lower rollers. their formation must
be modified accordingly.
"
The arrangements shown are in some respects similar to those employed
for moving the dogs or holders of a lathe chuck. In some cases weighted
levers or springs are employed to press the bearings towards each other;
the levers also in some cases are employed when so required to raise the
rollers to insert the bars to be bent between them. The rollers or either
of them may thus be adjusted to and from the first-mentioned roller or
from each other, they may also be adjusted both horizontally or vertically or
otherwise. To the upper end of the lever frame is attached the upper end
of a bar by pin jointing or otherwise, but in such manner as to admit of
the position of the points of attachment between the upper part of the bar
and of the upper end of the lever frame being varied or adjusted. In the
arrangement shown in the Drawing a slot is formed both along the upper

page_text: part of the lever frame and along the upper part of the bar f, and a
bolt is passed through both slots, and is protected from wearing by
suitable rolling or sliding friction blocks, as shown at Figure 1*, and can
be set at any point along these slots by means of a nut screwing on to
its end. The lower end of the bar fis arranged to be moved from and
to the stationary or fixed bearings of the axis of the roller a by steam or
other power; it may be moved in a straight path or in a path curved or
inclined in the plane of the action of the bar. The lower end of the bar is
for this purpose provided with a carriage f', which runs between guides,
which in some cases I make capable of adjustment to form such an incline.
The position of the guides may be varied, either beforehand so as to form an
incline or a decline or otherwise, or during the movement of the carriage,
which would give to it a curved course, or the end of the bar or plate to bo
bent may be otherwise guided and supported. The lower end of the bar fis
arranged to be moved to and from the stationary or fixed bearings of the axis
of the first-mentioned roller by steam or other power. One end of a bar or
plate of metal which is intended to be bent is fastened near the lower end of
the bar by clips or otherwise, as is well understood when such bar is near the
bearings of the first-mentioned roller or in any required position removed: from
them. The rollers c, c', when to be used in the first position are then brought
into contact with the bar or plate to be bent. Variations in the position and
effect of the rollers are made by turning a worm 7 mounted in the lever
frames and gearing with a segment rack m mounted on the roller frame;
then on the lower end of the bar first mentioned being moved away from
such bearings the plate or bar of metal to be bent is drawn through between
the rollers; the rollers are caused to revolve by means of cogged wheels
mounted in the roller frame, as shown at o, Figure 3, and acted upon by a pair
of ratchet bars n, n, shewn in section above them, the other ends of which are
connected to the lower end of the bar or to the carriage, and formed with
teeth to fit the cogs, whilst at the same time the lever frame is caused to
move from its upright position more and more towards an horizontal position,
and in so doing it causes the moveable roller or rollers to press more and
more upon the bar or plate of metal which is being bent. By passing the
bar or plate to be bent between the central and upper roller a deeper curve
will be given to it than when it is passed between the central and lower
roller. By these means a bar. or plate may be bent to. a curve, the nature of
which can be varied by varying the distance between the axes of the rollers
and by adjusting the roller frame so as to bring the pressing roller in contact

page_text: with the bar to be bent, also by varying the position of the point of attach-
ment between the lever b and bar f, and also by varying the inclination of the
path along which the carriage or traveller at the end of the bar is moved, so
as to tend either upwards to increase the pressure of the roller, or downwards
so as to lessen it.
In the Drawings, Figures 1 and 2, are represented some variations of
curves which may be produced by the arrangement of apparatus therein
shown.
In Figure 1 the lower end of the bar f is shown close to the rollers, and in
Figure 2 the lower end of the bar is shown drawn back from them.
In Figure 1 the rollers shown by black lines are close up to one another,
and they would be brought into this position for bending bars or plates to a
slight extent. The rollers shown by the blue lines are at their greatest
distance apart from one another, and they would be brought into this position
for bending a bar or plate to the greatest extent that the adjustment of the
roller frame, as shown in that Figure, will allow of.
In Figure 2 the rollers shown by black lines are in position for producing
a slight curve, and those shown by red lines for producing the greatest curve
that can be made when the pin g is at the outer ends of the slots in the lever
frame and bar f. If the pin g were fixed at the inner ends of the slots then
the rollers shown by the red lines would be moved into the positions indicated
by the blue lines, and the bar or plate would be bent to a still greater extent.
In some cases the apparatus is arranged so as to be adjusted as the bar or
plate to be bent is passing between the rollers, which may be effected by the
segment, rack, and worm, or otherwise, so that any part of a curve may be
increased where desired; this may be done by a self-acting motion, or it may
be moved by hand. The vertical position of the plane in which the apparatus
acts; though preferred, is not essential. In some cases, particularly when the
bar or plate has a flange or flanges, an auxiliary roller or rollers is or are used
to act on the flange or flanges or other parts of the bar or plate; such
auxiliary rollers are shown at Figure 3, which represents in section and on
a larger scale the rollers and lower portion of the lever frame. The auxiliary
rollers are marked h; they are slipped over the other rollers, and are in some
cases connected to them by a feather and corresponding slots, and they are
suitably formed for bending angle or T iron so as to alter the angle of the
flanges and the form of the bar accordingly, so as to fit the curve of a ship or
other structure. Apparatus such as above described is applicable for bending
bars in pairs for the construction of ships and other vessels, especially in the

page_text: manner described in the Specification of the Patent granted to me on the Sixth
day of September 1866, No. 2294, and also for the building of iron bridges,
roofs, and other structures. The angle or T iron when being bent may either
be passed between the centre and upper rollers or between the centre and
under rollers, and the web may be placed either upwards or downwards as
required for bringing them to the desired form and curve. In order to
extend the webs of the bars of angle or T iron to facilitate the bending of
the bars the grooves between the auxiliary rollers are in the middle and lower
roller made slightly to taper, so that they may nip the outer edges or parts of
the webs and so extend them as they are passed between the rollers. The
distance between the auxiliary rollers h can be altered or adjusted by moving
the discs of the roller frame to or from each other by screws k, as shown, or
otherwise. The auxiliary rollers can thus be adapted for bending.bars of
angle, T, or other forms of different thicknesses. Pressure may also by this
means be placed on the webs of the bars as they are passed between the
rollers, or it may be entirely removed.
In the arrangement shown at Figure 3 the axes of the lever frames are
intended to be received in large wood bearings, but other arrangements may
be adopted. In place of employing the bar above mentioned the lever frame
may be otherwise connected with and acted on by the steam or other power
employed. In some cases the axes of any other roller or rollers which may
be carried by the lever frame or otherwise may be geared with and driven
from the axis of the stationary roller, in which case when bending a bar or
plate by the pair of rollers such plate or bar in place of or in addition to
being drawn between these rollers in the manner before described will be
moved by them, and the requisite bending when the lever frame is depressed
will be by the plate or bar being supported, as it is to be also in all other
cases, so as to resist the action of the upper or under or of both of the pair
of rollers. In some cases also the stationary roller is dispensed with whilst
the lever frame carries two rollers, the bar or plate resting on a support when
being bent by the rollers carried by the lever frame.
A lever frame carrying two rollers is shown at Figures 4 and 5. In these
Figures is the lever frame; c, c¹, are the rollers, which can be moved
towards or from each other by screws, as shown, or otherwise; 6' is a worm
gearing with a segment rack k; by turning this worm the rollers are brought
into contact with the bar, as in the arrangement shown at Figures 1 and 2,
but the levers as shown in Figures 3 and 3* are preferred to be added in all
cases. The roller frame with its adjustable rollers may in some cases be

page_text: mounted in the stationary and in other cases in adjustable bearings, while the
lever frame will carry the depressing roller.
What I claim is the constructing of a machine (for bending bars or plates
of metal) in the manner herein described, or any modification of the same or
of any part or parts thereof, and the various methods of adjustment and the
combinations of them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Berney, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
THOMAS BERNEY. (L.S.)