IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING RAILWAY OR OTHER WHEELS, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO HYDRAULIC PUMPS FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Cotton, of Ince, in the County of Lancaster, Iron
Roller, and Charles Henry Smith, of the same Place, Iron Master, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR ROLLING RAILWAY OR
OTHER WHEELS, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO HYDRAULIC PUMPS FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Cotton and Charles
Henry Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March
1880.
GEORGE COTTON, of Ince, in the County of Lancaster, Iron Roller, and CHARLES
HENRY SMITH, of the same Place, Iron Master. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR ROLLING RAILWAY OR OTHER WHEELS, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO
HYDRAULIC PUMPS FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
In performing our Invention we make use of two pairs of horizontal rolls, which
rolls are fixed on shafts that work in pedestals which move on centre pins or pivots,
two rolls to revolve in contrary directions in a fixed or movable frame, and two
revolve in contrary directions in a sliding frame, and the rolls are moved endwise
by levers or discs; to each of these rolls we apply a pair of bearing rollers to receive
the pressure. Sliding frames and bearings are caused to advance and recede by
hydraulic power or otherwise so as to put the requisite pressure on 'the rolls, when
forming the wheel; these rolls.are.driven by a steam engine or other motor. We
also make use of four or other convenient number of rollers to form the tread or
periphery of the wheel; these rollers work on shafts with a feather key, and the
shafts revolve in bearings fixed in sliding frames which are moved up or down the
main framing by hydraulic power or other suitable means. The sliding frames are
eonnected by levers or chains to equalize the pressure on the wheel and make them
move simultaneously. The rollers are driven by pinions fixed on shafts which
revolve in pivot bearings, and the pinions are all driven by one large spur wheel.
By means of this improved machine wheels of different diameters and thickness may
be rolled. The positions of these rolls and rollers may be reversed, the wheel being
rolled in a vertical or horizontal position, and they may be driven by belting or
gearing.

page_text: Our Invention may be modified by driving the rolls and rollers by means of a
disc placed in a recess in the frame, which disc has teeth on its inner and outer
edges and also on the sides; this disc is driven by a gear working in the teeth on
its outer edge, and it drives the rollers by the teeth on its inner edge through an
intermediate wheel carried by two straps or links, and the rolls are driven by the
teeth on the side of the disc; this disc works between four grooved anti friction
rollers on the frame.
.
Our Invention may be modified by the use of two pairs of rolls, the axles of which
revolve in a rotary frame. Motion is obtained by pinions on the axles of the rolls
gearing into a stationary crown wheel; the setting up rollers for forming the tread
of the wheel are operated in the manner above described.
The pressure is put upon the rolls and rollers by hydraulic or other power.
When hydraulic power is used in connection with the rotating frame the length of
the stroke of the pump, ram, or rams is varied by a grooved disc which is placed
eccentric to the axle to which the pumps are attached; the rams are provided with
rollers or wheels which work in the groove of the disc, the position of which is
varied by a regulating screw or lever to give the length of stroke required; this
part of our Invention is applicable to hydraulic pumps for various purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Cotton and Charles Henry Smith in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th September 1880.
GEORGE COTTON, of Ince, in the County of Lancaster, Iron Roller, and CHARLES
HENRY SMITH, of the same Place, Iron Master. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR ROLLING RAILWAY OR OTHER WHEELS, PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO
HYDRAULIC PUMPS FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Our Invention consists in improvements in machinery for rolling railway or
other wheels, part of which is applicable to hydraulic pumps for other purposes;
and in order that it may be understood and readily carried into effect, we will
describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, reference being had to the
figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan of our improved
machinery for rolling wheels. a is the main frame of the machine; b, b, are two
pairs of horizontal rolls shaped to fit the sides of the wheel k to be rolled, and they
are fixed on the shafts b¹; 62 and 63 are sliding bearings which carry the shafts 6¹
and also the bearing rollers c; the ends of the shafts b¹ furthest from the rolls
revolve in pivot bearings b. The front bearings 62 are connected by links d to a
cross head attached to a piston rod working in a hydraulic cylinder d³, and to
the back bearings 63 are fitted anti friction rollers which bear against one end of
the cylinder d³, so that the rolls on either side the wheel can be moved nearer to
or further from each other. On the shafts 6' are fixed two pairs of spur wheels 65,
and on two of the shafts are pulleys 66. The hydraulic cylinders 67 traverse the
bearings 62 and 68 with the rolls 6 parallel to the sides of the wheel k. The rollers
for forming the tyre or flange of the wheel k to be rolled are marked e, and they
are fitted with feather keys on the shafts e¹, on which are keyed spur wheels e²
gearing into the large spur wheel f, which has also teeth on its side gearing
into the wheels g¹ keyed on the shaft g, on which are also keyed the pulleys g²,
which drive by belts the pulleys be so as to ensure simultaneous working of
the rolls b and rollers e. The shafts el revolve at one end in pivot bearings, e,
and they are provided with coupling boxes es.
The rollers e are carried in
bearings fixed to the sliding plates e³, which are caused to advance towards
or recede from the centre of the wheel k by the hydraulics e*. z is a gauge
connected by tubes to the hydraulics 67 to indicate the pressure. The sliding
plates es are connected to each other by toothed levers e³ and chains e to ensure
them advancing or receding simultaneously.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The bearings 62 with the front rolls and
bearing rollers are moved outwards horizontally by the links & actuated by the
hydraulic cylinder d³, and the rollers e are caused to recede from each other by the
hydraulics e, and a blank is then put into the machine and the front rolls are
drawn in by the links d and the cylinder de till they press upon the sides of the
blank, the pressure being borne by the bearing rollers c, and the rollers e are caused
to approach each other -by-the hydraulics e till they bear upon the rim of the
blank and the machine is then set in motion; the motor may be connected either to
one of the shafts b' or to one of the shafts g, and the motion may be transmitted
from 6 to g by gearing instead of belts. The pressure may be put on the rolls
and rollers by other power instead of hydraulics. By the use of our improved
machinery wheels with a plain flange or with solid tyre finished complete are
rolled very rapidly, and they are as true as if turned in a lathe, and are stronger
and more durable than wheels made by the old method. On Sheet 2, Fig. 3 is a
front elevation, and Fig. 4 is a cross section shewing my improved method of
working hydraulic rams. p is a hollow revolving shaft on which is fixed the
flange p¹, to which is bolted the flange q cast with the cylinders in which work
the rams ; & is a fixed bearing, in which one end of the shaft p works, provided
with stuffing boxes 8¹; in this bearing is an annular groove t through which the

page_text: water enters the hollow shaft p from the water supply pipe t'; the water is drawn
into the cylinders through the valves u and forced out through the valves u¹ and
through the hollow shaft p to the cylinders, which communicate the pressure to the
rolls and rollers to form the wheel, or into an accumulator; u³ is a valve through
which water can escape back into the supply pipe when the pressure becomes too
great; v is a disk in which is an annular groove in which work bowls 2 connected
to the ends of the rams. The shaft p is passed through the disk, and when the
shaft revolves, carrying with it the cylinder and rams, the stroke of the latter is
regulated by raising or lowering the disk by a screw, as shown, so that its centre is
nearer to or further from the centre of the shaft p.
Fig. 5 is a cross section, and Fig. 6 is a front elevation shewing a modification
of our Invention, by the use of which the stroke of the hydraulic pumps can be
readily altered; m is a dish casting in which is an annular groove m¹; n is the
driving shaft on which is keyed the disk n', in which slides the eccentric block o
which gives motion to the pumps by the strap o' and links o²; x is a friction wheel
fixed on a shaft working in bearings attached to the disk n¹; on the same shaft as
the friction wheel x is a spur wheel x gearing into a spur wheel y fixed on the
screw which moves the eccentric block nearer to or further from the centre of
the shaft n to regulate the stroke of the pumps. The disk n¹ in revolving carries
with it the friction wheel x, which is caused to revolve by contact with the side
of the annular groove ml; and the dish casting m is moved on the base plate m²
by a screw in order to bring either side of the annular groove m¹ in contact
with the friction wheel x to cause it to revolve in either direction; by means of
these improvements the stroke of the pumps can be rapidly and easily altered,
and we are thus enabled to regulate the pressure put upon the rolls and rollers
for forming the wheel without difficulty; these improvements are also applicable to
hydraulic pumps for other purposes.
¡
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention and described the manner of
performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves
to the exact details given, as the same may be varied or modified, but what we
claim is,―
1. The frame a for carrying the slides, bearings, and hydraulics for the rolls and
rollers for forming the wheel k, as shewn and described.
2. The application of hydraulic power for causing the rolls and rollers to advance
or recede, and the arrangement of the cylinders, rods, and links for effecting the
same, substantially as shewn and described.
3. Driving the rolls and rollers, substantially as shewn and described, and the
pivot bearings for the roll and roller shafts.
4. Mounting the bearing rollers c bearing on the horizontal rolls b, b, as shewn
and described.
5. Mounting the rollers e to form the tyre or flange of the wheel k, as shewn
and described.
6. The disk with annular groove for regulating the stroke of hydraulic rams,
also causing the cylinders and rams to revolve and the manner of effecting the
same, substantially as shewn and described in reference to Figs. 3 and 4.
7. Driving and regulating the stroke of hydraulic pumps, substantially as shewn
and described in reference to Figs. 5 and 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Cotton, for myself and on behalf of
the said Charles Henry Smith, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Sixth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CEORCE COTTON
(re)