IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COM- PRESSION UPON METALLIC ARTICLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COM-
PRESSION UPON METALLIC ARTICLES."-A communication from abroad by
Jonathan Burns West, of Genesee, New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 25th June 1872, and dated the 8th May 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 8th May 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS POR PRODUCING COMPRESSION UPON METALLIC ARTICLES," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and nave made
solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad
by Jonathan Burns West, of Genesee, New York, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same are to be performed, in and by the following
statement:-
These improvements relate to different forms of apparatus for applying
force to compress or "upset" metallic articles and some other sub-
stances in the form of bands, rings, hollow cylinders, and other shapes ;
and they consist,--
First. Of a simple and readily operated means of applying a powerful
compressing force throughout or nearly throughout the exterior area,
surface, or periphery of the band or other article operated upon in such
a manner as to drive the atoms or particles composing the mass or body
of the article more closely together than they would in their natural
state, and thereby diminish the diameter or decrease the bulk of the
article. One form of apparatus in which I embody this portion of my ?
improvements consists of one or more flexible metallic bands which
surround or encircle the article operated upon, and through which the
compressing force is transmitted in combination with a "head" or
resisting point located at any suitable part of the apparatus, and to
which one end of the band or bands is firmly attached; and also with
another "head" or acting point to which the other end of the band or
bands is firmly attached, but which is capable when power is applied to
it of being drawn away from the resisting head, so that the flexible
compressing band or bands are caused to rapidly clasp and squeeze more
and more tightly and closely, and with more and more compressing
power, every part of that portion encircled by them of the article
operated upon, whereby the latter is diminished in diameter or bulk by
having its atoms or particles forced nearer together in the manner
stated, and many useful purposes in the arts are effected.
Second. Of a special combination of devices for the purpose of accom-
plishing the same results, which are accomplished by the above referred
to form of compressing apparatus, but in which other instrumentalities

page_text: 4
for preventing any undue "dishing" or hollowing of the article operated
upon.
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 is a top view of a form of that
portion of my improvements in which the flexible compressing band or
bands are employed, which I have found to work well in practice.
=
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the line x, x, at the
centre of that part of the apparatus at which the power which operates
the same is applied.
Figure 3 is an interior detail elevation of a portion of the same
apparatus, showing more plainly than some of the other Figures do 10
the before referred to supplementary strip for rendering more true
and close the bearing of the compressing. bands upon the article
operated on..
"
Figure 4 is a detail view showing in elevation, the adjusting set
screws of the apparatus, and the friction plate for facilitating the 15
movement of the bands past the guide which carries such screws.
Figure 5 illustrates one mode which may be adopted for preventing
the "dishing" of the article operated upon in the apparatus.
- Figure 6 is a top view of one form of that portion of my improve-
ments in which the movable metallic segments or blocks are employed 20
to transmit the applied power to the article operated upon, instead of the
flexible bands.
Figure 7 is a transverse section through the centre of this last-men-
tioned apparatus; and Figure 8 is a detail view of a portion of this
same apparatus showing the parts on an enlarged scale, and with some 25
of the exterior broken out for the sake of clearness.
•
One of the simplest and most generally applicable of the many uses
to which my Invention may be put is that of "setting" the metallic
tires of wheels for wagons and other vehicles; and as the construction
and operation of my apparatus for this purpose will sufficiently illustrate 30
its nature and its adaptation to other uses, I shall in this Specification
limit myself to describing the manner in which I employ it for com-
pressing or "setting" wheel tires..
In the Drawing B, B, Figures 1 and 2, represent straps, bands, or
strips of any suitable metallic material, such as band iron of a good 35

page_text: quality or steel of a tough, uniform and homogenous nature. The
dimensions of the bands should vary with the character of the tires to be
compressed. For tires for wheels of ordinary wagons I have found that
bands about one-tenth of an inch in thickness and about six inches in
width will answer a good purpose. For heavier tires or for tires of
harder or tougher material than is used for ordinary wagons, such as
steel tires or tires of "compound" iron, thicker and wider bands should
be employed, and the number of them should be increased also; but
their dimensions and number will readily be determined by any good
mechanic accustomed to working in iron, and need not be particularly
detailed here. I would however recommend that the bands collectively
should be at least three times as heavy or thick as is the tire which is
to be operated upon. There may be one or several of the bands, but I
generally prefer to use two or four of them; and when I do so they are
placed in the apparatus side by side and in contact with each other or
quite close together, as shown in the Drawing, in order that they may
all act substantially as one band. The use of two or more of these bands
imparts to them greater flexibility for a given strength, and consequently
greater capacity to adapt themselves to the surface of the article com-
pressed than to a single band having a thickness equal to the aggregate
thickness of the several bands would possess, while at the same time the
capacity to transmit the applied power through them is in no way
diminished. Moreover, each band by being thin fits closely under the
tension to which it is subjected, and although each is independent yet all
act as one in the compressing operation.
.
A is a casting of greater or less size and strength according to the
character of the work required of the apparatus. This casting constitutes
a bed piece or foundation for the support of the resisting "head" and
the acting "head," and is usually mounted upon legs. The resisting
head is shown at C. It is of any convenient height and size to give it
the requisite strength to resist the strain of the bands upon it when
power is applied to them, and it is preferably cast in one piece with the
bed plate, or it may be otherwise firmly secured to the latter. To any
suitable part of this head, preferably at a in the Drawing, one end of the
band or bands is strongly attached, so that they cannot part from the
head when they are under strain in the use of the apparatus. The
outermost of the bands, if there be more than one, may preferably be
recessed or sunk into the head so that it may be in contact with the

page_text: in
-
.
nner ban d. This mode of attachment also gives greater strength to the
head itself. E is the acting head. To it is firmly secured, by bolts or
any convenient manner, the end of the band or bands farthest from
the resisting head. Or when two or more bands are employed one of
the ends of each of them may be bent around the acting head, as shown t
in the Drawing, and then they may be further bent to form the ring to
.encircle the tire, and their other ends should next be fastened to the
resisting head. This will be found the best mode of construction in
practice. This acting head is movable, and is capable of being drawn
away from the resisting head to any desired extent, thereby drawing the 1
band or bands more and more tightly around the object which they
✓ encircle. It is evident that any preferred means may be employed for..
operating the acting head to draw it away from the resisting head, and
any power, whether manual or steam or hydraulic power, may be
applied for the purpose. The means shown in the Drawing consists of 1
a screw worked by a winch, or it may be operated by other means
familiar to mechanics. H is a fixed post at or near one end of the bed
plate which supports the screw. This screw should preferably run
through the bent portion of the bands, and turn loosely in the acting
head E, as shown, without being threaded into it or into the bands. 2
After passing through the latter it preferably also passes through and is
threaded into a movable nut F placed in front of the acting head, so
that as the nut is worked or forced forward or backward by the appli-
cation of the power the acting head will also be forced forward or
backward, and thus will powerfully tighten the bands upon the tire or 2
other object encircled by them. It is also obvious that by moving the
acting head forward or backward the circle formed by the bands may be
adapted to tires or other articles of varying diameter within the range of
any given size of the apparatus. In the form of the apparatus shown at
Figures 1 and 2 in the Drawing G is another fixed post, against which 8
works the end of the screw opposite to that at which the power is
applied, so that it receives the strain of the screw when the apparatus is
in use. H³, H³, are guides which keep the acting head and the bands
and the nut F in proper position upon the bed plate while they are
being forced backward or forward. Or to preserve the nut F in position
it might be made with a projection on its lower side, which might travel
in a longitudinal slot in the centre of the upper surface of the bed plate.
I is a guide which carries the adjusting set screws, and aids in keeping
the bands in proper position and direction to preserve their contact with

page_text: the tire or other article operated upon when they are drawn backward
or forward.
It will be found preferable in the use of the hitherto described form
of my apparatus to cause, the band or bands to pass on each side of a
wedge-shaped block or guide L, which may be cast in one piece with the
bed plate, or be otherwise secured to it. This block keeps the bands at
a suitable distance apart, and also in proper relation to each other and
to the acting head and point of application of the power, so that the
most effective leverage can be exerted upon the head and bands to draw
them away from the resisting head, and so that the bands themselves
will be drawn in the best directions to resist undue strain and to produce
the desired result. If preferred however the band or bands may bẹ
secured to the acting head in any other convenient manner than that
represented in the Drawing, and the block L or its equivalent may be
dispensed with. d, d, d, are rests attached to the bands at suitable
distances to support the tire or other article when it is placed within the
bands, as shown in the Drawing; they simply clasp the bands loosely
without at all impeding their movement. If now in an apparatus con-
structed and arranged as described a wagon tire or other hoop, band, or
ring of metal be placed in a cold state within the circle formed by the
bands B, B, and power be applied to tighten the bands upon the tire or
other article, and to powerfully compress it, it will be found when the
operation, which will ordinarily require only a few moments, is completed
that the substance of the metal of the tire or other article has become
compacted or "upset," and the atoms or particles forced more closely
together than they previously were, so that the entire tire or other
article is made of smaller diameter, and bound or "set" firmly upon the
wheel or other body over which it was placed. In practice the tire or
other hoop, band, or ring will usually be operated upon by the apparatus
for the purpose of being compressed or tightly set upon some other body,
such as in the case of a wagon or other wheel tire or band, the wheel
itself, and will thereby be abundantly supported against any possible
danger of collapsing or "buckling" during the compression. But the
"upsetting" would take place without "buckling" even if no support
at all be employed..
When this apparatus is employed for setting tires upon wheels it will
be found that the work can be done not only while the tire is on the

page_text: '
:
which has become loose by wear or other cause, thereby saving largely
in time, labor, and expense; and it also prevents the marring of tho
paint, and the "burning and disfiguring of the wheel, which constantly
occurs in the old modo of setting such tires.
66
"
1;
It is obvious that instead of bands or straps any equivalent tightening
device might be employed. This apparatus, when constructed of proper
strength and operated preferably by steam or other analogous power,
may be used to set the heaviest tires upon wheels, and it is also
applicable for setting the tires of car wheels and of locomotive driving
wheels, for compressing bands upon the hubs of water or other wheels,
or upon cylinders or other parts of machinery, and also for banding or
hooping" guns and many other articles. In this form of apparatus,
instead of employing only the bands themselves to form the circular
bearing at and near the point where they are secured to the resisting
head," I may combine with them a supplemental or additional strip or
band, which constitutes á segment of the circle made by the compressing
bands, and is shown at F; Figure 3. This segmental strip is thinned down
at its ends, so that they may as nearly as possible vanish into the residue
of the circle formed by the bands. It may be held in position within.
the bands by means of being slipped underneath the heads of four
bolts b, b, which are screwed through the stationary portion of the
bands into the "resisting head,” as represented, the strip being held by
the bolt heads only tightly enough to sustain it, but not so as to prevent
it from sliding longitudinally somewhat when the circle of the band is
contracted to produce the compression. It may however be supported
in any other suitable manner. It will be observed that this strip over- ·|
lays, so to speak, the slight break in the continuity of the circle of the
compressing bands, which occurs near the "resisting head" at the
point c, where the movable ends of the bands lap by the stationary ends.
This effects an important result, because as the strip is thin and flexible,
and its extremities vanish into the band as described, it serves to fill up,
as it were, the break referred to, and to perfect substantially the circle
of the bands, thereby making as even and uniform a bearing upon the
article operated on at this part of its circumference as at the other parts.
In addition to this as the strip is arranged, as already stated, so as to be a
capable of sliding longitudinally somewhat when the compressing bands
are being contracted in diameter around the article operated on it causes
the bands to slide or move very easily, and without much friction upon

page_text: "
the article, and thereby makes the operation of the apparatus more
smooth and rapid. It is obvious that this strip may be extended entirely
around the inner circumference of the bands, or that it may stop at any
desired part of that circumference. But the relative length given to it in-
the Drawing will be found sufficient in practice. In order to prevent
the compressing bands from receiving directly upon their outer surface
the pressure of the set screws d, d, which are carried in the guide or
head E, and which are used for the purpose of providing at that point
an adjustable bearing upon the compressing bands, so as to adapt the
). latter to act upon rings or articles of varying diameters, and which set
screws, if allowed to bear directly upon the bands, would in a short time
wear channels and indentations in the surface of the bands, and in con-
sequence would make the latter slip less easily past the screws when
being moved to enlarge or contract their circle, I preferably interpose
a thin friction "plate " K between the face of the bands and the bearing
ends of the set screws. The outer side of this plate is therefore made
the bearing for the set screws, and all scoring, chanelling, or wearing
of the bands is prevented; while at the same time they will slide more
smoothly and with much less friction upon the inner face of the plato
than they would be able to move past the ends of the set screws.
In order to adapt these machines to operate upon tires, rings, or other
articles of smaller diameter than, can be compressed within the small
.circle which the bands are capable of making I may employ one or more
crescent-shaped pieces or segments, such as are shown at b, b, Figure 6.
These pieces or blocks may be of any suitable material; but I prefer
that the material should have a slight elasticity, and, as will be seen,
they are placed within the bands so as to diminish the diameter of the
circle, and enable an article of smaller diameter to be operated upon
than the bands would otherwise be able to compress. The pressure of
the bands will be transmitted through these blocks without difficulty,
and one or more may be used as desired. This provision in a cheap and
easy manner enables the range and capacity of any given machine to be
increased very greatly, so as to adapt it to a wide variation in the size of
the articles operated on. It will be found desirable in some cases to
5 prevent wheels or similar articles operated upon in these machines from
becoming too much "dished" while the bands are compressing them.
For this purpose I combine with the machine a lever or a screw or any.
equivalent device attached at any point either above or beneath the
machine, by means of which a sufficient pressure may easily be exerted

page_text: upon the central portions of the wheel or other article to prevent unduo.
"dishing" or hollowing. The operation of one mode in which this
result may be accomplished will be obvious from inspection of Figure 5
of the Drawing; but many other modes may be adopted. The addition
of all or any of the above detailed devices to the hitherto described 5
apparatus will be found to add to the ease, rapidity, and efficiency of the
work done with it, and will not increase its cost to any important extent.
In the Drawing at Figure 6 A, A, is an annular casting which may or may
not be mounted upon legs, as preferred, and which constitutes a firm
bed piece or base. As shown in the Drawing it is provided with a 1
strong lip or internal flange a of width sufficient to receive and support
the compression segments b, b, b, which are made of metal by preference,
and to furnish a guide for these segments when they are moved forward
or backward over its upper surface. The segments or blocks are all
separate from and independent of each other, but they should preferably.]
all move simultaneously and equally towards the article to be com-
pressed. I also prefer that there should be a sufficient number of them..
to form a complete circle around the article operated upon, so that
their compressing force shall be exerted to the best advantage. The
length of each segment may be left to the judgment of the constructor, a
but it will be found best not to make them so long that the compressing
force applied to them cannot be transmitted nearly equally throughout
their length. The lower side of the segments may if desired be formed
with a flange d adapted to hold and sustain the article, for example, a
tire for a wagon or car wheel, which is to be "upset." Each one of the
segments may be provided with one or more screws g, g, which extend
through the periphery of the annular bed piece A, A, and are threaded
into it, and fastened at their inner ends to the segments. At their outer
ends they may terminate in heads h, h, or in any form adapted to
receive the application of a winch or other means for turning them, and
thereby forcing them forward or backward towards or from the centro
of the casting A. Each one of these heads may be turned independently,
but it will be best to so form the ends of the screws, and to so connect
them together by suitable gearing or otherwise, that power may be
applied to them in such a manner as to force them all forward or back-
ward at the same instant, and with equal pressure. This may be accom-
plished in many ways known to mechanics.

page_text: "
upset, for instance the tire of a wagon wheel, is placed within the
annular casting A, and made to rest on the flanges d, d, of the seg.
ments. Power is then applied in any convenient manner to force the
segments forward or inward towards the tire, whereby they are caused to
gripe the latter and to compress it powerfully, and thus to compact or
drive nearer together the particles of which its mass is composed, so as
to "upset" it and make it smaller in diameter. To release the tire
after the operation is completed the segments are of course drawn back.
It might at first view appear necessary to provide some means. of
supporting the article operated upon where it is in the form of a tire,
ring, band, or hoop, so as to prevent it from collapsing or "buckling
when the compressing power is applied to it. But this is not requisite
in practice. Moreover, in the case of the wheel tire the body of the
wheel itself will constitute an ample support. The form of machine
here described, in consequence of its great strength and solidity, will be
found especially adapted for applying tires to car wheels and to loco-.
motive driving wheels, as well as for other heavy work of an analogous
character. In order to accommodate in the machines, tires or other
articles of diameter smaller than the segments b, b, b, are adapted con-
veniently to compress, auxiliary segments or blocks 8, 8, 8, preferably
arranged so as to break joints with the segments b, b, b, and capable of
being forced forward by the forward or inward movement of these latter
segments, may be provided and employed as represented in Figure 6.
It is obvious that the base or bed piece A may be constructed in any
other suitable mode or form, so long as it furnishes a proper support for
the segments or blocks. Nor is it essential that the actuating screws g,I,
should pass through or into any portion of such support, as they may be
applied to the segments in other ways, or the segments may be forced
inwards by other means than the screws.
Having now fully described the herein referred to improvements,
what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent
is,-
"
First. An apparatus for applying force to compress or "upset
articles operated upon in it, consisting of the combination of one or
more metallic bands, straps, or their equivalent, with a "resisting head,"
and also with an "acting hand " an mint annahl

page_text: Second. The combination with the compressing bands or their
equivalent of the supplementary segmental strip or band for the
purpose of rendering more truly circular the bearing of the compression
band upon the article operated on, substantially as described.
Third. The combination of a friction plate or bearing with the com- 5
pression band or bands, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with one or more compression bands of one
or more blocks or pieces for the purpose of varying the diameter of
the circle within the bands, substantially as shown and described.
:
Fifth. The combination with the compression band or bands of a 10
lever screw or other suitable device for preventing undue “ dishing "
or hollowing of the wheel or other article operated upon, substantially
as shown. :
Sixth. One or more movable segments or blocks for producing com-
pression upon articles operated upon by them in the manner described, 15
in combination with a suitable base or other support therefor, the whole.
operating substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination of the last above-mentioned movable com- .
pression segments or blocks with the above-mentioned base or other
support, and with the auxiliary segments herein described, or their 20
equivalent, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Έτο
1
Witness,
W. J. LowE. ·
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)