Improvements in Machines for Rolling Wheel-tires.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 8th July, 1887.
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES MUNTON, of Maywood, Illinois, United States
of America, Tire Roller.]
Improvements in Machines for Rolling Wheel-tires.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings 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 :-
My invention relates to tire rolling machines.
It is the object of my invention to provide a tire rolling machine whereby the tire
may be rolled backwards, that is from a larger to a smaller diameter. The purpose of
this is two-fold; first to densify and solidify the steel and thus improve the character
of the tire. This is particularly desirable in making tires from un-hammered blooms
cast with central openings; And second even where it is not desired to further densify
the metal, it frequently happens in rolling tires that the tire is by accident or mistake
rolled of too large a diameter to suit any order, and heretofore no use could be made
of such tires, as their diameter can only be diminished to a very limited extent by the
customary process of shrinking; I can by rolling the tire backwards however by my
invention diminish their diameter to any desired extent. And if the rolling backwards
increases the thickness of the tire too much the surplus metal may be removed in the
usual way by turning. To this end my invention consists in a tire rolling machine
having three or more exterior pressure rolls to bear against the tread of the tire, and
mechanism for gradually forcing such rolls towards each other and to contract the
diameter of the tire, densify the metal, and increase the thickness of the tire as it is
rolled. In the ordinary method of rolling tires but two pressure rolls are employed,
one upon the inside and one upon the outside of the tire, opposing each other; their
operation being to diminish the thickness of the tire and increase its diameter, and in
addition to these two pressure rolls two or more exterior guide rolls are employed to
preserve the circular form of the tire. In my invention three exterior pressure rolls
are employed and during the backward rolling or densifying process no interior
pressure roll is used; and if an interior pressure roll should be added it would tend to
defeat the operation of the machine and the result to be accomplished by it.

page_text: Another feature of my invention consists in a tire rolling machine having the usual
interior and exterior pressure roll and also the three exterior pressure rolls, so that
after the tire has been rolled by the former, it may be rolled backwards or diminished
by the latter without removing the tire from the machine or reheating it. This is a
matter of great convenience as well as saving in rolling tires, even where no
densifying is required, as, if the tire should happen to be rolled too large in diameter,
it may be quickly brought back to the required diameter by the three exterior pressure
rolls without even removing the tire from the machine. In embodying this feature of
my invention in working form or reducing it to practice, I provide the bed of the
machine with two movable slides, both of which may preferably be operated in the
usual way by hydraulic cylinders, upon one of which I mount the interior pressure
roll, and upon the other of which I mount two of the exterior pressure rolls, the other
exterior fixed and driven roll being used to co-operate both with the interior pressure
roll, and also with the two movable exterior pressure rolls.
Another feature of my invention consists in combining with the three exterior
pressure rolls a pair of edging or horizontal pressure rolls, so that the tire may be
simultaneously desified in both directions when desired. These edging rolls may also
co-operate with the interior and exterior pressure roll when it is desired to edge the
tire in or diminish its width at the same time it is being rolled outwards or to increase
its diameter.
Still another feature of my invention consists in combining with the interior
pressure roll the three exterior pressure rolls and the two horizontal or edging
pressure rolls, so that the metal of the tire may be densified and rolled without changing
the diameter or size of the tire, when desired.
My invention further consists in the novel devices and novel combinations of parts
or devices herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the
claims.
By my new machine it will be understood that the tire as it is being rolled may be
kept completely under the control of the operator, in relation to its size, shape and
densification, by simply bringing the several sets of rolls into operation, one or all,
and each to a greater or less extent, as may be required. And where, as is frequently
the case, it is necessary to cut notches or cavities in the surface of the tire in order to
remove imperfections such cavities may be completely rolled out and made to
disappear, and then the tire rolled back to its proper diameter or size. I am thus
enabled by my machine to make good tires out of blooms where, in many cases in the
old way, tires could not possibly be produced.
In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which
similar letters of reference indicate like parts. Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine
embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section. Figure 3 is a
cross-section on line 3. 3 of figure 1. Figure 4 is a detail end view of the movable
slide carrying the two exterior pressure rolls; Figure 5 is a detail plan view,
partly in horizontal section; and Figure 6 is a similar view showing exterior guide
rolls added.
In said drawing A represents the frame or bed of the machine, B is the fixed exterior
pressure roll which is driven in the usual way and journalled in suitable bearings
upon the frame of the machine. This roll, B, is provided with the usual annular
groove and flange b¹ to form the flange of the tire. is the inner or movable
pressure roll journalled upon the movable slide C which reciprocates in suitable guides
upon the frame of the machine. The slide C¹ is, or may be, operated by a hydraulic
cylinder and piston c, c¹, to force the movable roll C against the opposing fixed roll B.
The roll C, is, or should be, a plain roll and it bears against the interior surface of the
tire. The operations of the rolls B, C, is the customary one in tire rolling machines,
and serves to diminish the thickness of the tire and increase its diameter. D and D¹
are a pair of pressure rolls arranged horizontally for edging in the tire or reducing
its width. The roll D is the driven one, and it or its shaft is journaled in suitable
bearings upon the reciprocating slide at one end, and in similar bearings upon
the frame or bed A at or near its other end. The slide C' needs to have but a

page_text: comparatively slight reciprocating movement, just sufficient to reduce the thickness
of the bloom as required for the tire, and the edging roll D mounted thereon
reciprocates with the slide and through its bearings on the frame A. To permit
of this longitudinal movement of the roll D or its shaft, the driving gear D' by
which such roll is revolved, is keyed on said shaft to permit the shaft to slide through
the gear.
This is clearly indicated in Figure 2. The upper or movable edging
roll D is jonrnaled in or upon a vertically reciprocating slide D³, which is operated
to press the rolls D D together by means of an hydraulic piston and cylinder d d¹.
E, E, are a pair of exterior movable pressure rolls suitably journaled upon a
longitudinal slide G, which is mounted in suitable guides e e upon the frame or bed-
plate of the machine. The rolls E E are provided with peripheral grooves el el
for the flange of the tire. The slide G is operated to force the rolls E E against
the tire in opposition to the roll B by means of an hydraulic cylinder and
piston F. F¹. The slide D³ which carries the movable edging roll D¹ is mounted
to reciprocate vertically in suitable guides on the slide G. The piston and slides F F1
will thus serve to adjust the edging roll D¹ longitudinally, as the tire or bloom
changes its diameter in rolling. The two movable exterior pressure rolls E E,
which in conjunction with the exterior roll B, operate as densifying rolls and to
diminish the diameter of the tire and to increase its thickness, may be adjusted laterally
to or from each other as the diameter of the tire changes, by means of removable
blocks or plates kk, fitting in a suitable groove or recess k³, and against which the
bearing blocks of the rolls E E rest. Instead of employing hydraulic cylinders and
pistons for operating the several pressure rolls, other suitable means or mechanisms
may be employed as is well known to those skilled in the art, such for example as
screws, worm-gears and other devices. The roll D, I ordinarily drive by a separate
engine or engines from that employed for driving the main roll B. However the rolls
may be driven in suitable way.
any
H, H are a pair of guide rolls which aid in preserving the circular form of the tire
as it is rolled. These guide rolls are mounted in adjustable bearings and furnished
with the usual adjusting screws h, h to accommodate them to the changing diameters
of the tire as it is rolled. The adjusting screws hh are simultaneously operated from
a hand-wheel through the bevel gears h³ ³ ³ h h h³ ³ and shafts ho ho.
To aid in keeping the tire flat upon the anti-friction rolls L L when the edging in
rolls D D are operated, I provide one or more horizontal guide rolls N which are
journaled upon swinging frames N¹ pivoted 'at n to the bed A, so that they may be
swung out of the way when their use is not desired. These guide rolls N are adjusted
up and down in their frames in the usual way by screws n¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I declare that what I claim is:
1st. The combination in a tire rolling machine of three exterior pressure rolls
adapted to bear against the tread or outer periphery of the tire, and mechanism for
forcing said rolls together to contract the diameter of the tire as it is rolled,
substantially as specified.
2nd. The combination in a tire rolling machine of three exterior pressure rolls
adapted to bear against the tread or outer periphery of the tire, and mechanism for
forcing said rolls together to contract the diameter of the tire as it is rolled, and a pair
of horizontal or edging pressure rolls, substantially as specified.
3rd. The combination in a tire rolling machine of exterior fixed pressure roll B,
Dinner movable pressure roll C, exterior movable pressure rolls E, E, and horizontal or
edging pressure rolls D, D, substantially as specified.
4th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of exterior fixed pressure roll B,
inner movable pressure roll C, and exterior movable pressure rolls E E, said
rolls B, E E, adapted to bear against the exterior surface of the tire and said roll C
against its interior surface, substantially as specified.
5th The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll B, movable

page_text: slide G, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide and a hydraulic cylinder
and piston for operating said slide, substantially as specified.
6th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll B, movable
slide G, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide, horizontal fixed driven
roll D, vertically movable pressure roll D¹, and vertically movable slide D³, substantially
as specified.
7th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll B, movable
slide G, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide, horizontal fixed driven
roll, vertically movable pressure roll D', and vertically movable slide D³ said
slide DB being mounted in suitable guides upon said slide G, substantially as specified.
8th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll B, movable
slide G, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide, horizontal fixed driven
roll D, vertically movable pressure roll D', and vertically movable slide D³, a cylinder
and piston for operating said slide G, and a cylinder and piston for operating said
slide D³, substantially as specified.
9th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll B, movable
slide G, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide, horizontal fixed driven
roll D, vertically movable pressure roll D', and vertically movable slide D³, a cylinder
and piston for operating said slide G and a cylinder and piston for operating said
slide D³, and mechanism for revolving or driving said rolls B and D, substantially as
specified.
10th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll, B, movable
slide G, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide, horizontal fixed driven
roll D, vertically movable pressure roll D¹, vertically movable slide D³, movable
interior pressure roll C, and a slide C¹ upon which said roll C is mounted, substantially
as specified.
11th. The combination in a tire rolling machine of fixed exterior roll B, movable
slide (, exterior pressure rolls E E mounted upon said slide, horizontal fixed driven
roll D, vertically movable pressure roll D', and vertically movable slide D³, a cylinder
and piston for operating said slide G and a cylinder and piston for operating said
slide D³, mechanism for revolving or driving said rolls B and D, movable interior
pressure roll C, slide C³, and a cylinder and piston for operating said slide C³,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 31st day of May 1987
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.