AN IMPROVED. MODE OF MANUFACTURING RODS AND SHAFTS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bernard Lauth, late of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
U.S.A., but now residing at Morley's Hotel, Trafalgar Square, in the
City of Westminster, Mechanician, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED.
MODE OF MANUFACTURING RODS AND SHAFTS."
Sealed the 27th May 1859, and dated the 9th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bernard Lauth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th December 1858.
I, BERNARD LAUTH, late of Pittsburgh, State of Pennsylvania, U. S. A., but
now residing at Morley's Hotel, Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster,
Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF MANUFACTURING RODS AND SHAFTS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce round rods, shafts, and axles of
iron and steel without submitting them to the action of a lathe. To this end
I take the ordinary rolled rod of commerce of whatever size required (which:
is produced by passing the metal while red-hot between grooved rolls), and
when it is intended to be made with a bright surface, I immerse it in dilute-
acid to remove the scale therefrom. When washed and dried, I pass the cold
rod between grooved rolls, which have the edges of the grooves rounded off,
and give the rod a turn after each rolling, so as to bring a different portion of

page_text: the periphery of the rod under the nip of the rolls. As soon as the rod
comes to shape by reason of the successive rollings, a gauge ring must be
slipped on to it to test its rotundity, and thus shew the workman the fullest
part or largest diameter of the rod, which is then to be brought under the
crown of the grooves to receive the greatest pressure of the rolls. When
passed through the rolls for from eight to twelve or more times, (the incidence
of the nip having been changed at each successive rolling, as explained,) the
rod will be found to be perfectly cylindrical, and no subsequent turning in the
lathe will be found requisite to render it applicable to any purpose to which a
turned rod, shaft, or axle is now applied. If the rod does not prove to be
perfectly straight after the rolling is completed, it is subjected to the action of
a screw press, or other analogous contrivance known to mechanics for the
purpose of setting it. By this cold rolling, not only may rods and shafts be
brought to shape, but greatly increased tenacity will also be imparted to the
metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Bernard Lauth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BERNARD
LAUTH, late of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, but now residing at Morley's Hotel,
Trafalgar Square, in the City of Westminster, Mechanician, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Bernard Lauth, Her special license that I, the said Bernard Lauth,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Bernard
Eauth, 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 "AN IMPROVED MODE OF MANU-
FACTURING RODS AND SHAFTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Bernard Lauth, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: 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 Bernard Lauth, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say): -
The object of this Invention is to produce round rods, shafts, and axles of
iron and steel suitable for shafting, and a variety of other uses without
submitting them to the tedious and expensive process of turning down in a
lathe. To this end I take the ordinary rolled rod of commerce, of whatever
size required (which is produced by passing the metal while red hot between
grooved rolls), and immerse it in dilute acid to remove the scale therefrom.
This immersion is not, however, required, except when the article to be pro-
duced according to my Invention is intended to have a bright surface. When
washed in water and dried, I-pass the cold rod between a pair of steel rolls
formed with a series of grooves, which have the edges.of the grooves rounded
off, to prevent ridges or lines being formed on the rod under operation, by the
meeting of the grooves of the upper and lower rolls. After each passage of
the rod between the rolls, I turn the rod on its axis, so as to bring a different
portion of the periphery of the rod under the nip of the rolls. As soon as the
rod comes to shape by reason of the successive rollings, which may be effected
in one pair of grooves, or two or more in succession, I slip a gauge ring on to
the rod to test its rotundity, and am thus enabled instantly to detect the fullest
part or largest diameter of the rod, which I next bring under the crown of the
grooves to receive the greatest pressure of the rolls. When passed through the
rolls for from eight to twelve or more times (the incidence of the nip having
been changed at each successive rolling, as explained,) the rod will be found
to be perfectly cylindrical, and no subsequent trueing or turning in the lathe
will be found requisite to render it applicable to the numberless purposes to
which turned rods, shafts, or 'axles are now applied. If the rod does not
prove to be perfectly straight after the rolling, is completed, I subject it to the
action of a screw press, or other analogous contrivance known to mechanics
for the purpose of setting it. By this process of cold rolling, not only may
cylindrical rods and shafts be brought to shape, but greatly increased tenacity
will also be imparted to the metal of which they are composed.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Mode
of Manufacturing Rods and Shafts," and explained the manner of carrying

page_text: the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim, applying cold rolling for reducing rods or bars
of iron and steel to a true cylindrical form, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bernard Lauth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
BERNARD LAUTH. (L.S.)