Improvements in and relating to the Production of Metal Blanks by the Process of Rolling.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Production of Metal Blanks by
the Process of Rolling.
I THOMAS GIBBONS of 22 Hill-top West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object the production of metal strips so formed in the
process of rolling that the rolled strips consist of a series of blanks, each rolled
strip having a number of blanks following each other in a string, such blanks
when cut, sheared, or otherwise separated from the strip forming useful articles of
commerce or parts of complete articles, for instance such parts as nut-blanks
suitable for use in making the nuts of bolts.
In carrying out my invention I provide or utilize any suitable housing, framing,
or side-brackets to receive the improved-rolling mechanism.
I provide a central spindle henceforward called the receiving-spindle, such
spindle would be of sufficient length to take a bearing in the side brackets or
housings.
I next provide two guide-discs each of such discs being pierced with a central
hole suitable to pass over and on to the receiving spindle and each of such guide-
discs may also be provided with a keyway, the diameter of the pair of side-discs
would be equal each to the other.
I next provide the former-disc namely one disc the periphery of which would not
be a continuous surface like that of the guide-discs but in contradistinction thereto
the former-disc would be less in diameter than the guide-discs and the periphery
of such former-disc would be so shaped as to present to view a series of projections
and alternate openings. The projections provided on the periphery of former-
disc would be of the required external configuration to form part of a bolt-nut or
other article intended to be produced on the strip of iron or other metal.
In putting together the guide-discs and the former-dise I proceed in the following
manner.
One guide-disc would be threaded onto the receiving spindle over a key or
feather bedded in or otherwise secured to the receiving-spindle, the former-disc
would next be threaded on to the receiving spindle and moved to bear flat
against the first guide-disc, the second guide-disc would then be threaded on to
the receiving spindle flat against the former-disc, the three discs would then be
keyed tightly on to receiving spindle, or cottered on, or secured by means of
large screw-nuts taking over the a screwed periphical part of receiving spindle, or
by any equivalent mechanical means, so secured to the receiving-spindle that the
former-disc and its two guide-discs would with the receiving-spindle constitute one
rigid, usable, workable, mill-roll.
I provide a second set of three discs secured to a receiving spindle to form a
second rigid mill-roll; each of such compound rolls would be provided with a
toothed wheel forming part of such mill-roll set, so that when the two improved
mill-rolls are mounted one over the other with the necks of such mill-rolls
bearing in the housings, the driving-roll will gear into the driven roll and so
cause the pair of metal rolls to carry any strip of metal through that may be

page_text: presented or introduced between the rolls in the ordinary manner of offering a hot
strip to mill-rolls.
In rolling iron or other metal into nut-blanks, a strip of heated plate would
be introduced between the rolls, such strip of metal being of suitable thickness
to pass easily between the faces of the guide-roll discs, the former-disc would
draw in, or through the hot plate in its semi-molten plastic state and squeeze,
compress and form the edges into serrations, or alternate cavities and projections
of such configuration that the strip when passed through the rolls will be readily
divided into a number of polygonal shaped blanks, suitable for use as nuts for
bolts, thus producing any required number of polygonal shaped blanks without
wasting the metal in the old style method under which polygonal shaped blanks
are pressed or cut out of strips or plates, causing about twenty-five per cent. of the
metal to be cut into scrap.
The method herein before described of producing a compound mill-roll out of
three discs, the central disc being shaped so as to produce nuts for bolts, is suitable
for use in the production of strips of metal constituting continuous rows of blanks
of any required shape provided that the cavities formed by the projections on the
former-disc are not in any case bevilled or inclined inwards to prevent the
projections of the former-disc from withdrawing easily, and it will be readily
understood that by providing a former-disc, shaped to produce a specific indentation,
a variety of shapes can be formed on strips in the process of rolling through my
improved combination mill-rolls, in the manner herein before described in relation
to the one form of blank described the nut-blank."
Altho' I have described both guide-discs as removable and separate from the
receiving-spindle I in some cases when making large sets of my improved mill-rolls,
prefer to form one of the guide-discs on the receiving spindle, that is to say, the
receiving spindle may be cast, forged or otherwise produced with a collar so that
such collar forming part of the receiving spindle may be turned into a disc and yet
be incorporated with the receiving spindle which in such case would present the
appearance of a roll very similar to rolls in ordinary use.
My improved mill-rolls can be used for shaping any kind of metal, either iron,
steel, aluminum, gold, silver or any other pure metal or compound of mixed
metals.
What constitutes the novelty of my invention is:-The new method of making
mill-rolls for use in producing continuous strips of blanks, consisting of two side-
discs or guide-discs, between which is secured a former-disc, the guide-discs
clipping and guiding the strip over the former-disc, so that the former-disc in
revolving will punch or compress a continuous series of indentations in the edge or
side of strip, thus producing blanks under a new process of mill-rolling.
What constitutes the utility of this my invention, is :-The production of blanks
in continuous strips by compressing the plastic hot metal by means of former-disc
projections, the side-discs or side guides extending the plastic hot metal endways
or lengthways as the former-disc compresses the metal to produce the concavities,
the scrap usually made in producing blanks being saved and the blanks consequently
produced at a reduced cost.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1805
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Cobden Buildings, Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Production of Metal Blanks by
the Process of Rolling.
I, THOMAS GIBBONS of No. 22 Hill Top, West Bromwich, in the County of
Stafford, Mechanical Engineer 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 improvements hereinafter described in the production
of metal blanks or strips formed by a process of rolling whereby strips of iron,
steel, or other metals are operated on by a process of rolling which forms or
fashions the said strips into a series of successive blanks, sequent to each other,
such blanks are afterwards cut, sheared or separated from the strip forming various
articles such for example as nut blanks, back nut blanks for gas fittings T for tube
work, hangers for coach spring fittings and the like.
By my invention I am enabled to operate on strips of iron steel, aluminium,
gold, silver, or other metal or alloy and to produce blanks of various forms or
shapes. In rolling iron or steel into nut blanks I take a heated strip of suitable
thickness and pass it through a pair of rolls, or discs, the periphery of which is
similar to articles required to be produced.
The action of the rolls or discs on the semi-molten metal is to compress and
form or fashion the edges thereof into serrations or a sinuous form, forming the
two edges of nut blanks.
The strip is afterwards divided into a number of nut blanks which may be of any
polygonal configuration. By my invention a great saving of metal is effected, the
waste metal which is usually cut away to form the angles of the nut is rolled into
the bar.
I will now proceed to describe my invention by reference to the accompanying
drawings the same letters of reference indicating similar parts throughout.
Figure 1. is a front elevation of the rolling mechanism in the housings for
shaping or fastening the hot strip of iron, or steel to the required configuration.
Figure 2. is an end elevation with one side of the housing removed showing the
gearing up of the rolls.
Figure 3. is an end elevation of the same showing the rolls and the manner in
which they operate on the hot strip of iron or steel.
Figure 4. is a section through one of the sets of rolling mechanism showing the
relative position of the parts on the shaft or spindle.
Figure 5. shows the manner in which the rolls are adjusted in the shaft or
spindle.
Figure 6. shows one of the rolls detached from the shaft or spindle.
Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 illustrate some only of the various forms or shapes which
may be produced by my improved process of rolling.
The
It must be understood that I arrange the mechanism in such a manner so that it
can easily be adapted to operate on strips of iron or steel of different widths and
to produce various forms of blanks. For this purpose I mount the mechanism in
the housings A. A which is of the kind already known. The driving spindle B is
provided with the "wabler " D, for connecting to the main driving shaft.
driving spindle B, is furnished with a key E bedded and secured thereto, the
disc is placed on the spindle likewise the pinion G, the guide-disc M is placed
on the spindle flat against the pinion and the role I and the second guide-disc J.
The relative position of these parts are shown clearly at Figure 4. The respective

page_text: parts are kept in juxta-position by means of the screw bolts K, K 1, K2, the heads
of the bolts are flush with the face of the discs F and secure the whole of the
parts firmly against the swelling or collar L of the spindle thus preventing them
from moving end wise. The loose collar N being placed on the spindle between
the nuts of the bolts prevents them from slipping, as shown in Figure 2. The
roller I shown at Figure 6 is provided on its periphery with serrations the same
inclination as the angles of the nuts to be produced. The slots O, 01, 02, are of
a size to allow of adjustment, the key-way P is made a little wider than the
key E as represented at P2 Figure 5, for the purpose of adjusting the rolls in
such a manner as to cause them to gear or roll together. When the rolls have
been adjusted the space P 2 is filled in with packing on either side as the case may
be. A second shaft or spindle is provided and fitted with similar mechanism as
the one before described and mounted one above the other the spur wheels gearing
together as represented in Figures 1 and 2. The discs E and E 2 and the guide-
discs M, J, and M 2, J 2, roll together, the one hearing on the periphery of the
other. The rolls I and I 2 are arranged in the manner shown at Figure 3. In
rolling metal blanks a heated strip of iron or steel S, is introduced between the
rolls I and 12 Figure 3, the said strip is guided by means of the guide discs M
and J and M 2 and J 2 the action of the rolls on the said strip or bar compresses
it into the form of nut-blanks, a bar thus treated is shown at Figure 7. The
strip is afterwards divided by suitable tools at the dotted lines into a number of
polygonal shaped blanks suitable for nuts. The thickness of the nut blanks may
be regulated by varying the thickness of the rolls and the diameter of the nut
blanks by varying the size and distance of the serrations. Figure 8 represents a
strip of metal partly rolled into blanks to form hangers for coach spring fittings.
Figure 9 represents a strip of metal partly rolled into blanks to form T pieces
suitable for tube work which are separated at the dotted. lines. Figure 10
represents a strip of metal partly rolled into blanks to form back-nuts for gas
fittings. The mechanism hereinbefore described may be used for producing metal
blanks of any form or shape by arranging the rolls, and forming the periphery of
such rolls to suit the shape or configuration of the blanks required to be produced.
I have only thought it necessary to describe and illustrate detachable or separate
rolls I wish it to be understood 1 do not confine myself to this form. I may in
some cases make my improved rolling mechanism in one or more parts that is to
say I may make one or both of the rolls or guide-discs to form part of the shaft
or shafts, and shape the face or periphery of the rolls to the required form.
rolling mechanism may be operated by any suitable gearing and may be fitted to
any suitable housing such gearing and housing forms ne part or parts of my
invention.
The
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improvements in and relating to the production of metal blanks by the
process of rolling substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
2. The improved mechanism for rolling strips of metal into continuous strips of
various shaped blanks by compressing or raising the hot metal by means of rolls,
having projections or depressions on their faces or peripheries substantially as
herein before described and illustrated.
3. The construction and arrangement of the rolls and guide discs all combined
arranged and co-operating together as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. The construction of the rolls and their adjustment on the shafts or spindles
by which they operate together substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 5. The arrangement of the guide-discs secured on either side of the rolls for
the purpose of guiding the strips of hot metal between the rolls as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1895.
WILLIAM HENRY BARACLOUGH,
36, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.