IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING IRON AND STEEL, AND IN WROUGHT GIRDERS AND JOISTS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Turner Shaw and Thomas Howard
Head, of 141, Cannon Street, in the City of London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING IRON AND STEEL, AND IN
WROUGHT GIRDERS AND JOISTS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE
SAME."
Sealed the 5th September 1868, and dated the 11th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Turner Shaw
and Thomas Howard Head at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 11th March 1868.
We, MATTHEW TURNER SHAW and THOMAS HOWARD HEAD, of
141, Cannon Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING IRON AND
STEEL, AND IN WROUGHT GIRDERS AND JOISTS, AND IN MACHINERY POR PRODUCING
THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in rolling iron and
steel, and in wrought girders and joists, and in machinery for producing
the same in cases where iron bars are required to be used as girders

page_text: (or it may be as parts of girders), and economy of metal would be
obtained by making the bar stronger in the middle than at the ends.
Now according to our Invention we roll angle iron, bulb iron, and
other forms of flanged bars stouter in the centre than at the ends by
separating and approaching the rolls as the iron or steel is passing
between them; also girders and joists of an I-formed section where
they have been rolled in one piece have always heretofore been of
uniform section from end to end, a needless expenditure of metal is
however thus incurred, for such a girder should be stouter in the flanges
at the centre than at the extremities, but the thickness of the web
should not be increased.
According to our Invention we roll girders and joists of I-formed
section with flanges which are thickest in the centre of the girder or
joist and taper away towards the ends. The machinery which we
construct to roll such girders or joists consists of a pair of rollers each
of which is built up with a stiff central axis having three rings upon
it which revolve with the axis. The centre ring may be formed on the
axis, but the outer rings are also able to move longitudinally upon
the axis. The central rings of the two rolls form between them the
web of the girder or joist, whilst the grooves to form the flanges are
made between the central and the outer rings. As the girder or joist
is passed between these rollers the outer rings are gradually and slightly
moved outwards from the central ring until the middle of the bar comes
to the nip of the rolls, and then the motion is reversed. After rolling
the girders or joists they may be set so as to straighten one of the
flanges and throw the whole of the curve resulting from the taper on
to the other flange. Or the arrangements may be modified by making
the central ring of each roll in two parts capable of opening out the one
from the other by sliding on the axis to which in this case the outer
rings are fixed. The slight rib which is formed on the web when this
method is resorted to may be effaced by small additional rolls. The
traverse of the rings along the axes may be regulated by an inclined
or wedge-formed bar travelling to and fro in unison with the bar which
is being rolled. This arrangement of the rolls in addition to admitting
of the girder or joint being tapered as desired also admits of girders or
joists of different sizes being produced without changing the rolls.
Such girders and joists may also be rolled by means of four rolls each
on a separate axis and together forming an eye of the required shape.

page_text: Two of these rolls correspond with the central rings in the first arrange-
ment, and between them produce the web, whilst the other rolls are at
right angles to these and roll the outer surfaces of the flanges. These
rolls in order to give the required taper are screwed out and in as the
bar is passing between them; or in place of rolling the girder or
joist in the first instance in a single piece the flanges may be rolled
separately with the required taper simply by screwing up and down the
upper roll of an ordinary pair, and then two such flanges may be
combined with a central web by passing them all together at a welding
heat between finishing rolls.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Matthew Turner Shaw and Thomas Howard Head
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MATTHEW
TURNER SHAW and THOMAS HOWARD HEAD, of 141, Cannon Street,
in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-cight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Matthew Turner Shaw and Thomas
Howard Head, Her special licence that we, the said Matthew Turner
Shaw and Thomas Howard Head, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Matthew Turner Shaw and
Thomas Howard Head, our 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 ROLLING IRON AND STEEL, AND
IN WROUGHT GIRDERS AND JOISTS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR PRODUCING THE
SAME," upon the condition (amongst others), that we, the said Matthew
Turner Shaw and Thomas Howard Head, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under the hand and scal of one of us or them, should

page_text: 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Howard Head, on behalf
of myself and the said Matthew Turner Shaw, 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 rolling iron and
steel, and in wrought girders and joists, and in machinery for producing
the same.
Girders and joists of an I-formed section, where they have been
rolled in one piece, have always heretofore been of uniform section from
end to end. A needless expenditure of metal is, however, thus incurred,
for such a girder should be stouter in the flanges at the centre than at
the extremities, but the thickness of the web should not be increased.
According to our Invention we roll girders and joists of I-formed
section with flanges which are thickest in the centre of the girder or
joist, and taper away towards the ends. The machinery which we
construct to roll such girders or joists consists of a pair of rollers each
of which is built up with a stiff central axis having three rings upon
it, which revolve with the axis; the centre ring may be formed on
the axis, but the outer rings are also able to move longitudinally
upon the axis. The central rings of the two rolls form between them
the web of the girder or joist, whilst the grooves to form the flanges
are made between the central and the outer rings. As the girder or
joist is passed between these rollers the outer rings are gradually and
slightly moved outwards from the central ring until the middle of
the bar comes to the nip of the rolls, and then the motion is reversed.
After rolling the girders or joists they may be set so as to straighten
one of the flanges and throw the whole of the curve resulting from
the taper on to the other flange. The traverse of the rings along
the axes may be regulated by an inclined or wedge-formed bar travelling
to and fro in unison with the bar which is being rolled. This arrange-
ment of the rolls, in addition to admitting of the girder or joist being

page_text: tapered as desired, also admits of girders or joists of different sizes being
produced without changing the rolls.
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 side elevation, and Figure 3 an end
elevation of rolls and apparatus arranged according to our Invention;
Figure 4 is part of a transverse section drawn to a larger scale.
a, a, are the roll standards fixed into a solid bed plate, as is usual;
hey carry in bearings the lower and upper shafts b and c, which are
Iriven from the mill train. The bearings of the upper shaft c and the
shaft and roll are supported by the rods d and the counterpoise levers
and weights e. f, f, are screws which press downwards the bearings
of the upper roller; they are geared together by wheels f¹, and by
them the rolls are set to the proper working position. g, g, are the
central rings of the rolls; they are formed or fixed upon the shafts b
and c, and are of such a size and so set that where they approach each
other nearest there is the thickness of the web of the I iron girder which
they roll between them. h, h, are the outer rings of the rolls; they turn
with the shafts b and c, but are able to slide along them a short distance.
The flanges of the I iron, as is clearly seen at Figure 4, are produced
between the sides of the outer rings h, h, and the central ring 7, and
the thickness of these flanges depends on whether the outer rings are
forced nearer to or allowed to recede further from the central rings.
At the backs of the outer rings are washers k, k, and a cross bar 1, 1,
at either end of the rolls passing from one roll to the other bears against
the washers k. 1, P, are small friction rollers on the cross bars, and
m, m, are the pattern bars which regulate the thickness of the flanges;
they are made with a corresponding taper, and as the girder passes
through the rolls these taper bars pass between the friction rollers
and corresponding small friction rollers n carried by the standards a.
These rollers n are mounted on stems sliding through the standards
and having screw threads cut upon them, on which are nuts formed
in worm wheels o confined to the standards and rotated by worms p.
The axes of the worms p are rotated by hand wheels; q, q, are long
benches supporting the girder which is being rolled, at the front and
back of the rolls they have a series of vertical guide pulleys q', q¹, to
keep the girder in its place; r, r, are standards at each side of the
benches g; they carry small pulleys to guide and support the taper
pattern bars m, which are made of such a length as to extend all along
one of the benches q, and on to the other; 8, 8, are cross frames, a front

page_text: view of one of them is shewn on a larger scale at Figure 5, and a plan
at Figure 6. The cross frames 8, 8, rest upon and are supported by the
bars m; they lie loosely upon them, except when the levers 81, 81, are
pressed upon, these levers then turn about centres 83, and by means
of eccentrics or cams 83 upon them they press and nip the pattern
bars m. The girder to be rolled with flanges thicker in the centre of
the length of the girder than at the ends is brought to these rolls after
it has been roughed down to about its largest finished section its end
is entered between the rolls, and as soon as it protrudes from them it
comes against the levers s¹, s¹, and forcing them back, overcoming the
spring 8, it locks the cross bars & to the pattern bars m, and as the
girder continues to pass between the rolls it draws the pattern bars
along with it, and these as they pass between the friction rollers
and n regulate the positions of the outer rings h, h, of the rolls, and
so a the thickness of the flanges. At first the pattern bars allow
thengs h, h, gradually to recede from the centre until the middle of
the girder passes the rolls, and then the rings are gradually caused to
approach the centre until the whole length of the girder has passed
the rolls. If desired the motion of the rollers may be reversed and
the girder passed back again between the rollers, when the action will
be in all respects similar; or in place of reversing the rolls another
pair may be used to return the girder or roll it a second time. The
girders when they come from the rolls are placed on suitable supports
so arranged that when the girder is cold either its upper or lower
flange shall be straight on its outer surface. Or the arrangements may
be modified by making the central ring of each roll in two parts,
capable of opening out the one from the other by sliding on the axis,
to which in this case the outer rings are fixed. The slight rib which
is formed on the web when this method is resorted to may be effaced
by small additional rolls.
Figure 7 is a side view partly in section of a roll constructed in this
manner; the fellow roll is in all respects similar; Figure 8 is an end
view, and Figure 9 a transverse section of the same.
a is the roll shaft, having the outer rings b, b, fixed upon it and the
two central rings c, c, mounted so as to turn with the shaft, and also to
be able to traverse a short distance along it. The shaft a is hollow, and
within it a bar d is able to move longitudinally; this bar d may receive
motion from taper pattern bars, substantially in the manner already

page_text: described. At the centre of the roll the bar d is cut away so as to form
two inclines d', d, upon which the inner ends of the two wedges e, e, bear,
so that by traversing the bar d towards the right hand (see Figure 7), the
rings c, c, will be separated, and so the flanges of the girder which is
being rolled will be diminished in thickness; d are cheeks bolted to
the bar d; they receive the wedges e, e, between them and pins fixed
in the wedges enter inclined slots in the cheeks, so that when the
bar d is moved towards the left hand the wedges are retired, the two
rings c, c, approach each other and the thickness of the flanges of the
girder which is being rolled is increased. Such girders and joists may
also be rolled by means of four rolls each
forming an eye of the required shape.
with the central rings in the first arrangement, and between them
produce the web, whilst the other rolls are at right angles to these and
roll the outer surfaces of the flanges; these rolls in order to give the
required taper are traversed out and in as the bar is passing between
them.
on a separate axis and together
Two of these rolls correspond
Figure 10 is a front view, partly in section; Figure 11 is an end view;
and Figure 12 a portion of a plan, partly in section, of rolls for
rolling I iron with four rolls meeting and forming an eye.
a, a, are the roll standards, and b and c the upper and lower shafts as
before. The bearings of the upper shaft are here supported on a cross
bar d suspended by screw stems e, e, from lugs on the standards; f,f,
are screws to set the rolls to their working positions, and f¹, f¹, are
wheels gearing these screws together.
The shafts b and c are driven in
the usual way by the mill train and have upon them rolls g which
between them form the web of the I iron. The sides of these rolls
also are shaped to form the inner surfaces of the flanges, the outer
surfaces of which are formed by the rollers h, having vertical axes h¹
which revolve in blocks k fitting into recesses or sockets formed for
them in the standards a and capable of sliding in such sockets towards
and from the rolls g; k³ are small friction rollers at the back of the
blocks k, and between these and other similar friction rollers the taper
pattern bars m are caused to pass in the manner already described.
friction rollers are each carried in a bearing
guides formed in the bracket n and a screw o working in a nut in the
bracket is used to adjust the position of the friction roller to regulate
the thickness of the flange produced. Angle iron, bulb iron, and other
The
capable of sliding along

page_text: forms of flanged bars may be rolled stouter in the centre than at the
ends by separating and approaching the rolls as the iron or steel is
passing between them, and this may be done by means of taper pattern
bars substantially in the manner already described.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention and the
manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that
what we claim is, the manufacture of rolled girders and flanged bars
suitable for joists of greater sectional area at the centre of the girder or
bar than at the ends by varying the set of the rolls as the metal passes
between them.
We also claim the rolling of girders of an I form in section and of
varying sectional area by means of rolls having rings capable of being
traversed lengthways upon them as described.
We also claim the rolling of girders of an I form in section and of
varying sectional area by means of four rolls on separate axes and
meeting in an eye, the axes of one pair of rolls being at right.
angles to the axes of the other pair, and one pair of rolls being capable
of being opened out from and closed in towards the girder as it
passes between them, so as to vary the thickness of the flanges as
described.
We also claim the use of taper pattern bars to vary the set of the
rolls whilst the metal is passing between them, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Howard Head, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of September
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
THOS. HOWARD HEAD. (L.B.)