Year: 1886

page_text: We, PHILIP MEDART and WILLIAM MEDART, citizens of the United States,
residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, U.S.A., Mechanical Engineers 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:-
Various machines have heretofore been devised and patented for this purpose.
They may, for the purposes of this specification, be divided into two general
classes:
(a) Those in which a carriage having straightening devices is driven by a direct
power-connection, and is caused to travel longitudinally with reference to the bar
upon which it acts.
(b) Those in which straightening rollers or a frame having rollers is driven by
a direct power-connection and caused to rotate in a fixed relation to the main
frame, and act upon a bar which is caused to move endwise with reference to the
rotating straightening devices.
To effect the automatic straightoning of bars or shafting it is necessary that
either the straightening devices be moved longitudinally to operate on the entire
length of the shaft; or the shaft be moved endwise to present all its parts to
the action of the straightening devices. Heretofore the longitudinal movement of
the straightening devices has been caused by the direct application of power to the
traveling frame through suitable belting or gearing, while the end wise movement
of the shafting has been caused by the draft of the straightening rollers.
Our improved mode of operation, broadly stated, consists in causing an endwise
variation of the relation of the straightening devices and shafting by means of the
rotation of the positively rotated shaft being acted upon, whereby all parts of the
shaft may be acted upon by the straightening devices, and the shaft straightened
through its entire length. This mode of operation, so far as we are aware, is novel.
We state the matter in this way because various practical embodiments of the idea
may be devised without departing from the spirit of our invention.
In our preferred construction the shafting is positively rotated in a fixed relation
to the main frame, and the straightening devices are caused to travel along the
shaft to straighten it by the draft created by the rotation of the shaft between
the rollers of the straightening devices. This construction is practical and efficient,
as has been fully demonstrated by a continual practical use, It permits of a very

page_text: desirable simplicity and cheapness and lightness of construction. But obviously
the straightening devices might be stationary and the positively rotated chuck
carrying the shafting be caused to move relatively to the straightening devices by
the drait que to the rotating of the shalt,
Th
the drait que to the rotating of the shaft,
T- accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation;
Fig. 2 a plan view;
Fig. 3 a front end elevation ;
Fig. 4 a plan view of the lower straightening,roller housing detached;
Fig. 5 a bottom view of the same; and
Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are detached views of the same, the points of view of which
will be plain;
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are detached views showing the upper roller-housing and its
carrying frame or plate;
Fig. 12 is an elevation of the rear or gearing end of the machine;
Fig. 13 is a view of a support for the shafting; and
Figs. 14 and 15 are respectively a plan and elevation of a machine in which the
rotating chuck moves.
We will first describe the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 1.3.
The main frame shown consists of three or more supports A connected by bars A³,
preferably cylindrical, arranged in the same horizontal plane, parallel, and a suit-
able distance apart, so as to form ways or tracks for the traveling straightening
carriage A², which is provided with carrying rollers a to run on said bars. At
the gearing-end of the machine is an ordinary-geared lathe head. B carrying an
ordinary rotating chuck C. The special construction shown is described below in
detail. It is sufficient at present to say the chuck C is positively rotated with
sufficient power and speed by such gearing or other means as may be provided.
The bar or shafting D is held in the chuck in well known ways, and positively
-rotated thereby.
៖
J-
The. traveling straightening carriage A³ is formed with parallel ways a¹, a¹, on
its upper face and with a longitudinal slot a³ between the ways. Two movable
adjustable plates E F are located on the carriage A³ being formed with parallel
grooves into which the ways a¹ a¹ fit, and with depending lugs a³ on their under
faces which project through the slot a² in the carriage. An adjusting rod G is
swiveled at each end in lugs g on the carriage a³, and is provided with reverse
screw-threads which work in threaded sockets in the lugs a³ on the plates E F.
By operating the screw rod G the plates E F may therefore be approached toward
or separated from each other. Each plate E F is formed with a circular lug or
projection ef on its upper face which fits in a corresponding socket in the under
face of the roller housing H I which rests loosely on the plates, as will appear from
Fig. 8 and the dotted lines in Figs. 6 and 7. The roller housings H I are formed
at each end with slots h, i, curved on the arc of a circle described from the centers
of the circular luga or projections ef. The roller housings may swivel or turn
horizontally on the plates E, F, their movement in either direction being limited
by the clamp bolts c¹ on the plates which pass through the curved slots in tho
housings, and by means of which the housings may be secured in any desired
position.
.
The housings are arranged transversely and obliquely with reference to the shaft
or bar and carry each straightening devices or a pair of straightening and draft
rolls J, which may be formed with beveled peripheries, as clearly shown in the
drawings, the rollers of each pair being beveled in opposite directions. Rollers
having any other shaped periphery may, however, be employed. As will be clearly
seen from Fig. 1, the shafting rests between the rollers of each pair.
The carriage A' carries two uprights or standards K which are united at the top
by a suitable cross-piece K¹ having a threaded socket through which a vertically-
acting screw K² provided with a suitable cross handle or wheel works. The lower
end of the screw swivels in the top of a plate L through which the uprights loosely

page_text: pass. The underside of this plate is formed with a socket in which a circular hub
or projection / formed on the upper face of the housing M loosely fits. The ends
of the housing are provided with curved slots k¹ in which clamp bolts secured to
the plate L work. This housing also carries a pair of rollers O which are shown
as beveled in reverse directions in the same manner as the lower rolls.
The upper housing, with its pair of rolls, is arranged transversely and obliquely
with reference to the shaft, and also with reference to the lower pairs of rolls, as
clearly seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and occupies a position between the pairs of lower
rolls, so that the shaft may be acted upon at three separate points. The upper and
lower housings, when adjusted to the most favorable position, can be secured in
place by means of the clamp bolts which work in the curved slots in the ends of
the housings, as before mentioned. At the points where the rolls bear on the shaft
there are no back braces or anvils opposite the rolls against which the shaft would
be pressed by the rolls, and we deem this an advantage.
The proper pressure is applied to the shafting by operating the, screw K2 which
carries the upper housing.
The operation of the apparatus which has been described is as follows:-
The straightening carriage is moved away from the chuck and the bar or shaft
is placed in position in the chuck with its outer end resting upon the first pair of
lower rollers. The carriage is then pushed forward slightly until the extreme end
of the bar rests between the outer or left hand pair of rollers, as viewed in Fig. 1,
and the upper rollers are screwed down upon the shaft with the desired pressure.
Power being applied through the gearing, as is presently described, the chuck is
positively rotated and the shaft commences to turn between the straightening and
draft rolls. The draft due to this rotation and to the oblique position of the
straightening rolls will cause the carriage to move forward along the shaft until it
reaches the chuck. During this motion all the parts of the shaft will be thoroughly
acted upon by the three sets of rolls and perfectly straightened.
By reversing the gearing the shaft can be rotated in an opposito direction, and
the carriage will then be caused to move away from the chuck and again act upon
the bar to straighten it, if desired. Any number of traverses of the carriage may
be accomplished in this way, but practically one or two are usually sufficient..
In operating upon heavy stuff, it is desirable to have the space between the
lower pairs of rolls greater than when the shafting is light. We therefore provide
that the rollers shall be adjustable, and this adjustment may be accomplished by
the organization described, which is practical and efficient for the purpose. So far
as we are aware, we are the first to provide such an adjustment.
It is sometimes desirable that the end of she shaft, as the carriage moves toward
the chuck should be supported. This may readily be accomplished by a removable
support X, such as shown in Fig. 13. These supports are constructed as plainly
shown in the drawing, with elongated feet which rest upon the rails, and a
depression in the top in which the shafting turns. Several of them may be used,
if desired, or any other suitable means for this purpose may be employed.
In order to adapt the machine to act upon shafting or bars of various
thicknesses, we mount the lower rollers in their housings so that they may be
readily removed, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When a shafting of large diameter is
to be operated upon, rollers of smaller size may be employed; and when small
sbafting is to be straightened, larger rolls may be substituted. No change will be
necessary in the upper rolls. This construction is desirable, but of course any
other organization by which the rolls and chuck may be maintained in such proper
relation as to keep the shaft perfectly horizontal may be employed.
The arrangement of gearing for driving the chuck is common, and a brief
description only will be necessary.
The belt pulleys P are loose on the chuck spindle, but fast to the pinion p which
meshes with a gear wheel Q on a countershaft, which countershaft carries at its
opposite end a pinion 9 which meshes with the driving gear R of the chuck
spindle. When the pulley P is driven by a belt the power is conveyed to the⚫
•

page_text: chuck through the gearing just described, thus imparting a considerable power to
the rotation of the chuck. In working with light material, however, the chuck
may be driven direct by the belt, in which event a greater speed will be obtained.
In Figs. 14 and 15 we have illustrated a form of machine in which the
rotating chuck moves toward and from the straightening devices. This result may
be accomplished in the following manner:
A spline shaft B* is arranged between the track AL The rotating chuck C is
mounted in a chuck frame D* which is composed of front and rear arch-bars d, the
lower ends of which are provided with collars that embrace and run upon the side
rails A¹ of the frame. The rear end of the chuck spindle carries a driving gear Ex
which meshes with a pinion ex sliding end wise on the spline-shaft. The spline-
shaft may be rotated in either direction by the pulley Y. The straightening
devices may be located upon an extension A* of the frame supported by feet or
uprights A. In order to accommodate the straightening rolls to shafting of
different sizes, we mount the bed-plate of the straightening frame upon four or
more screws H*, each of which is provided with a sprocket wheel about which an
endless chain passes, and one is provided with a handle by means of which the
screws may be simultaneously raised and lowered to adjust the rolls with reference
to the opening in the chuck C so as to support the bar being straightened in
a perfectly horizontal position. In this form of machine we may use the
supplementary arrangement shown at the left of the figures where O* is a sheave-
chuck in which the sheaves are readily adjustable by means of bolts p*, and I* is
a hollow mandrel on which the chuck is carried. On the end of this mandrel is a
driving gear Kx driven by a pinion * mounted on a power-driven countershaft.
While the chuck C in which the shafting is gripped is being drawn up to the
straightener frame the free end of the shaft passes loosely through the shoave
chuck and its mandrel which form a guide and support for it. When the chuck C
has been drawn up to the straightening device the machine may be stopped and
the chuck loosened and the chuck Ox screwed up. The positive rotation of the
chuck Ox will now cause the drawing of the shafting entirely through the
straightening devices. Obviously this form of our invention may be embodied in
various ways.
We do not limit ourselves to the specific details shown. So far as we are aware,
we are the first to provide means for raising and lowering the straightening
devices relatively to the shaft-carrying devices, to adapt them to shafting of
different sizes.
In the form of machine shown in Fig. 1 the frame may be raised and lowered
as in Fig. 15. If, in a machine similar to that illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15,
the traveling chuck C be dispensed with and a stationary sheave-chuck and
driving devices similar to I* K* O* be arranged on the right hand side of the
straightening rolls at about the same distance from the straightening devices that
the chuck O* is, the operation would be as follows:
The shafting to be straightened would be passed through such right hand chuck
from the right hand side, and its end brought between the straightening rolls.
The chuck and straightening rolls being then tightened up, upon the rotation of
the chuck the shaft would be drawn by the straightening rolls through the chuck
and rolls and into and through the chuck O* which would be used in the manner
just above described.
Obviously such an arrangement would be within the scope of our invention which
contemplates broadly the endwise variation of the relation of the straightening
devices and shaft by means of the draft created by the rotation of the positively
driven shafting in contact with the straightening rolls or devices.
Of course we are aware that in numerous well known machines shafting has
been drawn through positively-driven straightening rolls by the action of the
rolls; but in such cases the shafting bas derived its rotation from the straightening
rolls and has not been independently positively driven as in our invention,

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 combination of the draft and straightening rolls with the chuck which
carries and rotates the bar or shaft in contact with said rolls, the endwise relation
of the straightening rolls and shaft being varied by the draft created by the
contact of the shaft with the rolls; whereby all parts of the shaft are presented
to the straightening rolls and the shaft straightened throughout its entire length.
2. The combination of the draft and straightening rolls with the chuck which
carries and rotates the bar or shaft in contact with said rolls, the organization
being such that the relation of the straightening rolls and shaft-carrying and
rotating device is varied longitudinally or endwise by the draft created by the
contact of the shaft with the rolls; whereby all parts of the shaft are presented
to the straightening rolls.
3. The combination of the longitudinally-traveling draft and straightening rolls,
and the chuck which carries and rotates the bar or shaft in contact with said rolls,
the relation of the straightening and draft rolls relatively to the shaft and its
carrying devices being varied by the draft created by the rotation of the shaft in
contact with the rolls; whereby the shaft is straightened throughout its length.
4. The combination of a positively-rotated chuck which supports and rotates the
shaft to be operated upon, straightening rolls in contact with which said shaft
is positively rotated, and means for causing the straightening rolls to act on the
shaft from end to end.
5. The combination of the lower straightening devices, and mechanism for
adjusting them towards or from each other, for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination of the straightener frame or carriage, straightening and
draft rolls on the frame, and adjusting devices for varying their obliquity or angle
with. reference to the shafting to be operated upon.
7. The combination of the lower pairs of straightening and draft rolls arranged
obliquely with reference to the shafting acted upon, the upper pair of straightening
rolls arranged between the lower pairs of rolls and transversely thereto, and
mechanism for pressing the upper rolls down upon the shafting.
8. The combination of the main frame, a rotating shaft-supporting device which
holds and rotates the shaft being operated upon, straightening and drawing rolls,
and means for raising and lowering the straightening and drawing rolls relatively
to the shaft-support, for the purpose described.