Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Opening or Separating Sheets or Plates, but more especially Metal Plates or Sheets which have Together been Rolled or Pressed in a Folded or Piled Form.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Opening or Separating
Sheets or Plates, but more especially Metal Plates or Sheets
which have Together been Rolled or Pressed in a Folded or
Piled Form.
We, JOSEPH WILLIAMS of Woodlands, Gowerton, Engineer, and GEORGE
HENRY WHITE of Lliw Forge, Pontardulais, Engineer, both in the County of
Glamorgan, in that part of Great Britain called Wales, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for opening
or separating sheets or plates, but more especially metal plates.or sheets which
have together been rolled or pressed in a folded or piled form, and whilst the
invention is designed more particularly to be employed in connection with black
plates or sheets intended for the manufacture of tin, terne, and galvanised plates or
sheets, it may also be usefully employed in connection with plates for enamelling
or the like.
In the manufacture of black plates or sheets, bars of steel or iron are hot rolled
until their thickness is more or less reduced, and they are then doubled or folded,
and after re-heating are again rolled until a pile or block composed of several
thicknesses of metal of the required substance or thickness is obtained, and this
pile is then re-heated and rolled until each thickness or layer thereof is reduced to
the required substance; the pile thus formed is next cut or sheared to the size
required for the finished plates or sheets, after which the pile is ready for opening
or separating.
According to the method formerly adopted the sheets or plates of a pile which
had become adherent, although not actually welded together in the process of
rolling were split up or opened, and torn apart or separated by hand, but latterly
machinery has been devised by us for effecting this separation, and which consists
essentially of a pair of corrugated rolls between which the pile of plates is passed,
which has the effect of bending them to and fro in a waved or corrugated form and
thereby more or less separating them, after which they are rolled out flat and the
separation is thus completed.
Now the object of the present invention is to obtain a more simple and compara-
tively inexpensive machine which is of such a character that it is unlikely to get
out of order whilst the surface of the plates will not be injured and they will be
efficiently separated.
In carrying the invention into effect two pairs of pressure or carrying rolls are
employed, one placed slightly in advance of the other and these rolls which are
arranged with their axes parallel to each other are mounted in a strong frame of a
suitable character whilst each pair of rolls is provided with means of adjustably
holding them together.
The whole of the rolls are driven preferably by coupling them by means of
suitable gearing, and they are all arranged to run with the same circumferential
velocity, although they may if desired be of different diameters.
Between the two pairs of rolls is arranged a waved guide consisting of two
plates placed horizontally one above the other with a suitable space between them..

page_text: The space between these guide plates which must be of equal gauge throughout
is of sufficient area to just permit the unopened pile of plates to be operated upon
to pass therethrough from the first or forcing rolls to the second or drawing or
smoothing rolls.
The guide plates at a short distance from the first or forcing rolls are bent in a
waved form, and the guide is so arranged that the passage between the guide plates
adjacent to the first or forcing rolls has an upward inclination, it then describes a
double curve in a downward path, and then again ascends at an inclination to the
second pair of rolls, and the radius of the bends or curves may be varied according
to circumstances.
The pile of plates is fed to the first or forcing rolls preferably between guides in
order that it may be introduced squarely into the bending guide, and the pile is
carried forward by these rolls and forced through the circuitous passage of the
bending guide until it emerges from the guide and is nipped and carried forward
by the second or drawing rolls, from which it will emerge with the pile of plates
completely separated.
The pile of plates entering the mouth of the guide is first carried upward along
the inclined straight portion of the guide until it arrives at the first end of the
double curve, when it meets with a sudden resistance in order to compensate for
which the machine is provided with a heavy fly wheel.
The buckling of the pile is prevented by forming the passage through the
guide of only a sufficient area to allow of the passage of the plates of the pile.
As a further precaution against buckling the first bend in the guide is arranged
as close as possible to the first or forcing rolls.
After the pile has passed the first bend of the guide the resistance to the
passage thereof will be less and the fly wheel will therefore increase its momentum
and store energy to carry the next pile beyond the first bend.
The second bend is in the opposite direction to the first, and more or less
straightens the pile, and the pile is thus in its passage through the bending guide
bent to and fro thereby bringing about the complete separation of the pile of
plates by causing the plates to move relatively to each other owing to the
difference in surface speed of the top and bottom plates of the pile at the bends of
the guide.
This bending to and fro of the pile passes like a wave throughout the whole
substance of the pile from end to end, and completely breaks the thin film of oxide
of iron binding the individual sheets together.
The drawing rolls in addition to assisting in passing the pile through the guide
also assist to restore the plates to their original form, and if necessary the separated
plates may be passed through a further set or sets of straightening rolls with this
object as hereinafter described.
After the separation and straightening of the plates has been completed they are
submitted to a pickling process which removes the oxide or scale from the surface
thereof.
The drawing rolls are in some cases arranged with their axes in different vertical
planes, the upper roll being in advance of the lower roll and they may be so
arranged with relation to the waved guide as to draw the collection of plates
downward over the rounded edge thereof and thus assist the straightening
operation.
When employing a further set of straightening rolls three are preferably
employed arranged somewhat in the form of a triangle, that is to say two are
disposed with their axes in the same horizontal plane, whilst the third is placed
intermediate of the others so as to depress the collection of plates between them
and cause such plates to travel in a curved path, the direction of which path is
arranged according to the effect desired to be produced whilst the axes of the
rolls are adjustable with relation to each other in order to vary the degree of
depression or curvature imparted to the collection of plates as circumstances may
require.

page_text: The number, position, direction, degree of curvature and radius of the bends in
the waved guide may be varied and such curves or waves may be either of the same
radius or of differential radii, as experience may dictate, whilst two or more of such
waved guides may be arranged end to end with carrying or drawing rolls between
them.
If desired antifriction rollers may be arranged at the angles or corners of the
bends of the waved guide or in other situations to facilitate the passage of the
pile or collection of plates, and if found necessary the waved guide may be
provided with pockets or channels for the circulation of water in order to prevent
the heating thereof.
Dated this 27th day of October 1896.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,.
27 Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Opening or Separating
Sheets or Plates, but more especially Metal Plates or Sheets
which have Together been Rolled or Pressed in a Folded or
Piled Form.
We, JOSEPH WILLIAMS of Woodlands, Gowerton, Engineer and GEORGE
HENRY WHITE of Lliw Forge, Pontardulais, Engineer, both in the County of
Glamorgan, in that part of Great Britain called Wales, 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 :-
The invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for opening or
separating sheets or plates but more especially metal plates or sheets which have
together been rolled or pressed in a folded or piled form and whilst the invention
is designed tnore particularly to be employed in connection with black plates or
sheets intended for the manufacture of tin, terne, and galvanised plates or sheets it
may also be usefully employed in connection with plates for enamelling or the like.
In the manufacture of black plates or sheets, bars of steel or iron are hot rolled
until their thickness is more or less reduced, and they are then doubled or folded,
and after re-heating are again rolled until a pile or block composed of several
thicknesses of metal of the required substance or thickness is obtained and this
pile is then reheated and rolled until each thickness or layer thereof is reduced
to the required substance; the pile thus formed is next cut or sheared to the size
required for the finished plates or sheets after which the pile is ready for opening
or separating.
According to the method formerly adopted the sheets or plates of a pile which
had become adherent, although not actually welded together in the process of
rolling were split up or opened, and torn apart or separated by hand, but latterly
machinery has been devised by us for effecting this separation and which consists
essentially of a pair of corrugated rolls between which the pile of plates is passed
which has the effect of bending them to and fro in a waved or corrugated form
and thereby more or less separating them, after which they are rolled out flat and
the separation is thus completed.
Now the object of the present invention is to obtain a more simple and com-
paratively inexpensive machine by the aid of which the plates will be efficiently
separated which is of such a character that it is unlikely to get out of order whilst
the surface of the plates will not be injured by the separating operation.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily

page_text: carried into effect we will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to the present
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 2
and
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the machine with top rollers and the upper part
of the waved guide removed.
Figure 5 is a feed end view of part of the machine illustrating more particularly
the feed table.
Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section of part of the machine taken through
the waved guide and co-acting parts.
Figure 7 is a plan of the waved guide separately.
Figure 8 is an end view thereof drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 9 is a sectional view of part of the waved guide drawn to a still further
increased scale and illustrating more particularly the ribs or distance pieces.
Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view representing the employment of several waved
guides.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1 to 9 a represents the frame of the machine which must
possess considerable strength, b represents the main shaft thereof which is mounted
in bearings a¹ formed in the frame a and receives motion from any suitable source
of power through a band wheel or pulley b¹.
Within the frame a are arranged two pairs of pressure rolls c, c' and d done pair
being placed slightly in advance of the other but with their axes parallel and
these rolls are mounted in brasses or bearings e slidden into vertical ways a² in
the frame a and the upper rolls c and d are held up to their work by straps e¹ and
bolts and nuts e²e whilst between the bearings è are provided distance pieces e
the thickness of which is so adjusted as to separate each pair of rolls a sufficient
distance to allow of the passage therethrough of the pile or collection of plates
with just sufficient grip to effect that purpose.
The rolls c c d d are driven frem the main shaft b by means of a pinion 6³ upon
the latter which engages a toothed wheel b³ fixed upon a shaft 64 which latter is
mounted in bearings a¹ and passes to the opposite side of the machine where it has
fixed thereon a pinion 66 which engages a toothed wheel 6 fixed with that end of
the roll d' and engaging a similar wheel b' fixed with the roll e whilst upon the
other side of the machine the roll d' has fixed therewith a toothed wheel 68 which
engages a corresponding wheel & fixed with the roll d and the roll e has fixed
therewith a toothed wheel 610 which engages a corresponding wheel b" fixed with
the roll c' and the rolls c c and d d' which are all of the same diameter thus receive
rotary motion at the same circumferential speed and in the required direction from
the main shaft b.
Between the two pairs of rolls c c and d d is arranged a waved or sinuous
guide consisting of or formed by two plates or blocks if placed horizontally one
above the other with a suitable space between then and formed preferably of
.cast iron chilled on the working faces so as to give to the plates ff a hard smooth
and glossy face and ensure the durability of those parts.
The guide plates or blocks f' are at their ends f³ shaped to fit into vertical
guides a³ formed in the frame a and at their backs they are curved to the arc
of the rolls so as to clear the same whilst they are kept up to their work by
means of the strap el through the intervention of projections thereon and the
plates or blocks f2 are separated a sufficient distance to admit of the passage
of the pile of plates by means of distance pieces ribs or projections formed
.thereon.

page_text: The space between the guide plates or blocks ff which must be of very exact
and equal gauge throughout the curved parts is of sufficient area to just permit
the unopened pile of plates to be operated upon to pass therethrough from the
first or forcing rolls c c to the second or drawing or smoothing rolls d, d.
The guide plates f¹ fare bent or shaped into a waved or sinuous form and
they are so arranged that the pile of plates passing into the circuitous guide or
passage first strikes the inclined projecting part of the lower plate or
tlock by which it is guided or directed into the passage f
It may be desirable to form the guide blocks or plates so that the sinuous
passage will be more bell monthed than is shown in the drawings for the reason
that the plates of the pile are at the end sometimes slightly separated by the first.
or forcing rolls and in that case a bell mouth is necessary to gather the ends of the
plates together.
The guide plates or blocks ff are so shaped that at a short distance from the
forcing rolls cel the passage f between the same has an upward inclination, it then
describes a double curve in a downward path and then again ascends at an
inclination and the collection of plates issuing from the circuitous passage f strikes
against the inclined projecting part of the upper plate or block f which guides
or directs the collection of plates into the grip of the drawing rolls d d'.
The shape hereinbefore shown and described for the circuitous or waved passage f
has been found by experiment to answer well for certain thicknesses of plates but
it will be understood that the same may be more or less varied and the number of
bends may be increased or diminished and the radius of the individual bends may
be varied according to requirements without departing from the spirit of the.
present invention.
The pile of plates is fed to the first or forcing rolls c c¹ from a feed table fixed.
g
by means of bolts g' to the frame a and the surface upon which the pile of plates
rests is composed of a number of vertical bars or ribs g whilst at the sides are
provided walls g which serve as guides by pressing the pile against one or other of
which the pile of plates may be introduced squarely into the grip of the rolls cc'
and thereby into the waved or bending guide f
After leaving the feed table g the pile of plates is carried forward by the forcing
rolls cc and forced through the circuitous passage of the waved bending guide f
until it emerges from the guide and is nipped and carried forward by the second or
drawing rolls dd' from which it issues with the collection of plates constituting the
pile completely separated.
The buckling of the pile of plates between the forcing rolls and the first curve
or bend of the waved guide is prevented by placing the first bend in the waved
guide or channel for the mouth of the waved guide as close as possible to the first
or forcing rolls.
The pile of plates in its passage through the waved guide or channel is bent to
and fro, thereby causing the plates to move relatively to each other owing to the
difference in speed between the individual plates of the pile at the bends of the
waved or sinuous guide or channel f.
This bending to and fro passes like a wave throughout the whole substance of
the pile from end to end thereof and completely breaks the thin film of oxide-
of iron binding the individual sheets together.
The last bend of the waved or sinuous guide or channel which is in the
opposite direction to the first partly straightens the pile and the drawing rolls dd
in addition to assisting in passing the pile through the waved guide or channel f
complete the restoration of the plates to their original form.
In order to prevent the undue heating of the plates or blocks flf constituting
the waved or sinuous guide they are formed with hollows therein or there-
through as indicated at Figures 3 and 6 and these hollows f are by pipes f.
connected with a supply of water, so that a circulation thereof through the
hollows may be maintained.
In the example given at Figure 10 several waved guides are shown arranged in.

page_text: continuation with pressure or carrying rolls between them, and the object of such
arrangement is to provide a means of bending the pile of plates to and fro a
number of times in cases where they are so firmly united by the oxide that the
passage thereof through a single waved guide is insufficient to effect the separation
of the plates.
It will be understood that the details of the apparatus may be considerably
varied without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example, the number,
position and radius of the bends in the waved guide or channel f may be varied and
the bends or curves may be of the same radius or of differential radii as experience
may dictate, whilst two or more of such waved guides may be arranged in con-
tinuation, but with carrying or drawing rolls between them as hereinbefore
described.
Although the invention is primarily intended for the separation of "black plates"
preparatory to the process of tinning or galvanizing it will be understood that it is
also applicable to piles of other plates or sheets of metal or other material.
By the means hereinbefore described a machine is obtained which is simple in
character inexpensive to construct unlikely to get out of order and by the aid of
which the sheets or plates may be separated efficiently, rapidly, and economically.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In machinery for separating the plates or sheets of a pile a waved or sinuous
guide or channel substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In machinery for separating the plates or sheets of a pile, the combination
of a waved or sinuous guide or channel, and means for forcing the pile through the
guide substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In machinery for separating the plates or sheets of a pile the combination of
a waved or sinuous guide or channel, a pair of feed or forcing rolls located in front
of the waved guide for carrying the pile into the waved guide, a feed table provided
with a guide, or guides for conducting the pile squarely to the feed rolls, and a
pair of drawing rolls located at the rear of the waved guide for drawing the pile
through the waved guide and assisting to flatten the plates substantially as herein
shown and described.
4. In machinery for separating the plates or sheets of a pile the combination of
a waved or sinuous guide or channel composed of two hollow plates or blocks,
means for supplying water to the hollow blocks and means for forcing the pile
through the guide substantially as herein shown and described.
5. In machinery for separating the plates or sheets of a pile the combination of
a waved or sinuous guide or channel composed of two plates or blocks superposed
one upon the other, means for separating the plates or blocks a given distance and
means for forcing the pile through the waved guide substantially as herein shown
and described.
Dated this 16th day of January 1897.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27 Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.