Improvements in or relating to the Bending or Setting of Ship Frames.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Bending or Setting of Ship
Frames.
We, MONTAGUE HERBERT CHURCHILL SHANN and RICHARD ERNEST.
CHURCHILL SHANN, both Engineers, of 18 Aldgate Avenue, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This rolls consist of three sets of rolls, each composed of two horizontal and two
vertical rolls. The journals of each set form a rigid frame in themselves or are
carried in or upon a rigid frame. The journals of the central set are adjustable in
a vertical direction this action bending L. 1. Z. I. L. &c. sections in the plane
of the central web. The journals of all the sets may be slewed through an angle
either way by a worm and wheel or other suitable means. Each journal, frame
and slewing arrangement is pivotted horizontally so that the planes joining the
axes of the horizontal and vertical rolls may always be at right angles to the section
as it passes the rolls. This is peculiar to this machine and cannot be accomplished
by ordinary methods. The result is that the web of the section is always at right
angles to the line of the platings, no matter how curved it may be; it is this
property that enables the reverse frames to be formed in one piece with the
frames.
Although we prefer to slew or adjust the frame positively in the horizontal
plane and have the adjustment in the vertical plane automatic, we may reverse
these adjustments.
Dated this 4th day of June 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Bending or Setting of Ship.
Frames.
We, MONTAGUE HERBERT CHURCHILL SHANN and RICHARD ERNEST
CHURCHILL SHANN, both Engineers, of 18 Aldgate Avenue, in the County of
Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to the bending or setting of ship frames and to a machine
therefor. The machine is characterised by two or more sets of rolls, each set being
composed of two or more rollers and capable of rotating about an axis lying in and
parallel with the channel or passage through which the metal to be bent is passed,
in order that the metal may be twisted about its own axis. One of the sets of rolls
2.13

page_text: is also adjustable-in a direction transverse to that in which the metal is fed through
it, in order to be able to give the metal the desired curvature along its length.
Certain of the sets are also pivotted to rotate about an axis transverse to the
channel or passage aforesaid in order that the plane in which their axes are
contained may always be normal to the curve to which the metal is being bent, so
that the dimensions of the channel or passage-way in the several sets of rolls for
taking a given section, of bar are constant and need no alteration for differing
curvatures of the bar, whereas if the plane of the axes were not kept normal to the
curve but allowed to lie aslant across it the gap would need to be increased in
width in the plane of curvature.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation (partly in section and with parts broken away) of
one construction of metal-bending machine according to this invention;
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2, 2 of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an end view of the machine; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan
view thereof.
Like letters indicate like parts through the drawings.
The direction in which the metal bar to be bent traverses the machine is
indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.
The framing of the machine is formed by two upright standards A arranged
parallel to and facing each other on a box bed-plate A. On the internal faces of
these standards are formed longitudinal guides B in which engages a casing C in
the centre of which is a passage D through which the metal under treatment
passes this passage extends right through the machine, as will hereinafter appear.
Within the casing C the framing E of one set of rolls is free to slew, this framing
being carried upon trunnions F supported in bearings in the casing. The rolls of
this set are preferably four in number, two of which G, (Figure 2) in the position
in which they are now shown, are horizontal, and two H vertical. These all tura
freely in their bearings in the framing E and carry pinions G, H, which engage
with one another, preferably in the manner shown in Figure 2, the whole being
driven by a suitable motor through the driving shaft J which rests in bearings in
the upper part of the framing E. Although there are four rolls in this set and in
the other sets also, a set may be constituted by any other number of rolls, suitably
arranged.
The casing C has an extension C' formed on it terminating in lugs C' which form
bearings for a worm L with which engages a toothed segment E' formed upon the
lower part of the framing E, by means of which worm and segment the whole
framing E carrying the set of rolls may be slewed as desired about an axis which
is in and parallel with the channel through which the metal to be bent is passed.
A plate A is bolted to the two frame standards A opposite one end of the
guides B and in the centre of this plate is a screw-threaded boss A³ within which
works a horizontal screw K, on the outer end of which is a handle K' while the
inner end is formed with a cheese head K which engages with the casing C
carrying the bearings for the frame E. By rotation of this screw the casing C
carrying the frame E and set of rolls G H may be moved in the guides B in a
direction transverse to that in which the metal is fed through the machine.
The bar, before and after passing between the rolls G H hereinbefore described,
is operated upon by other sets of rolls, one set in front of and another behind the
rolls GH. One of the sets comprising rollers M, N, Figure 3 will now be
described together with its appurtenances; the other set comprising the rollers OP,
and its appurtenances being similar in construction and operation do not need to be
specially described. In the drawings (Figure 1) one set is shown in section and
the other in elevation.
Qis a frame with trunnions Q which latter are received in lugs A' on the frame
standards A so that the frame Q can turn freely about its vertical axis. In this
frame is another and smaller frame R in which are journalled rollers M and N
similar respectively to the rollers G and H in the frame E. On the frame R is a

page_text: toothed segment R' engaging with a worm S journalled in bearings in the frame Q
and provided with a hand-wheel S. The frame R has trunnions R2 which rest in
bearings in the frame Q, and are in the same plane as the trunnions: of the
frame E. By rotating the hand-wheel S¹ the frame R with its rollers M N can be
rotated on its trunnions R2 about an axis having the same direction as the channel
through which the metal to be bent is passed, like the frame E aforesaid. Thus
the set of rolls M N have two adjustments about the bar being bent, one adjust-
ment being employed in curving the bar and the other in twisting it, the former
occurring automatically inasmuch as the frame Q is quite free to turn about its
vertical axis.
If desired the worms L and S may be supported in any usual or convenient
manner which will permit of their being moved into and out of gear with the
toothed racks E' and R' respectively.
By means of the screw K the framing E can be adjusted transversely so that its
central opening is brought into or out of line with the central openings of the other
two sets of rolls and the bar can pass straight through these openings or be bent
into a curve, which according to the arrangement of the machine in the present
instance will lie in or approximately in the horizontal plane. If the bar is being
curved in the horizontal plane each frame Q turns automatically about its vertical
axis so that whatever be the amount of curvature the axes of the several rolls of
all the sets will always lie in planes which are normal to the curve; this is
particularly advantageous for the reasons hereinbefore set forth, and is indicated in
the diagram Figure 4. If the frames E and R be given, by means of the toothed
segments E R angular adjustment about the axis of the bar under treatment, that
bar will be given a twist about its own axis, and the amount of this twist may be
varied as desired, in the length of the bar, by suitably varying the angular adjust-
ment of the frames R and E. The adjustments of each frame are quite independent
of those of its neighbours. Pointers and graduated scales may be employed to
ensure exactitude in these adjustments. In practice it is found advisable to impart
the twist to the bar first, and to give it such curvature as may be desired, after-
wards and not to attempt to curve and twist the bar simultaneously. By this
machine ship bars can be so bent that when in place the web of the section will lie
throughout their length, at right angles to the skin plating no matter how curved
the latter may be. This result which has never before been cheaply and
conveniently effected enables reverse frames of any desired form to be readily made
in one piece with the main frames.
In the accompanying drawings the passage-way between the rolls of the several
sets is shown as being of H form which enables T, L and H section bars to be
dealt with, but the passage-way between the rolls can be altered as desired to suit
bars of different cross-sectional form and dimensions.
For one of the frames Q with its sets of rolls, fixed guides for the bar might in
certain cases be substituted although that would not be the preferred form of the
machine.
A further alternative would be to dispense with the means whereby the frames R
are adapted to turn relatively to the frames Q, and instead to make them
practically integral with the frames Q and give the lugs A carrying the latter
rotation about an axis along or approximately along the lines of the passage-way D
so as to turn the frames Q and R about the same axis. Operating thus gives
results sufficiently good for certain classes of work, though not theoretically
perfect.
The machine may be employed only to twist bars or only to curve them; in the
former case the devices for giving adjustment to the roll frames across the passage
for the bar would be omitted, and in the latter case the devices for giving rotary
adjustment to the frames would be dispensed with.
Instead of making only the centre set of rolls transversely adjustable the other
sets may be similarly adjustable as well as or instead of them.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The use in the construction of ships of frames twisted or bent and twisted by
rolling.
2. In a metal bending machine the combination of three sets of rolls each set
adjustable relatively to the others so as to be able to impart more than one curve
to a ships frame or the like as described at one operation by rolling.
3. A metal-bending machine having sets of bending-rolls so disposed and
adjustable that bending and twisting operations of the kinds described can be
thereby effected at one passage through the rolls.
4. In a metal-bending machine the combination of two or more roll supporting
frames such as E R adjustable in one plane relatively to each other in a direction
transverse to the passage D, one or more of the frames being capable of movement
about an axis transverse to that plane, for the purpose described.
5. In a metal-bending machine such as described roll-supporting frames such
as E R rotatable about an axis lying in the direction of the passage D or a portion
thereof for the purpose described.
6. A roll-supporting frame rotatable about an axis in the direction of the
passage D or a portion of that passage and capable of being traversed in a plane
perpendicular to the passage D substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. A roll containing frame such as R rotatable about two axes for the purpose
described.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete metal-
bending machine substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of Norumban 1800
MONTAGUE SHANN.
R. E. CHURCHILL SHANN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.