IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE RAILWAY WHEELS AND TYRES."
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Owen, of Rotherham, in the County of York
Iron Master, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
RAILWAY WHEELS AND TYRES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Owen at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th January 1856.
200
I, WILLIAM OWEN, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Iron Master, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY WHEELS AND TYRES" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in certain arrangements of bell clutch and
rolling machinery for getting both the inside and outside surfaces of tyres true
before being shrunk on to their wheels; and, secondly, in arrangements of
machinery for finishing tyres when on their wheels, and in a heated state
by rollers, whereby I preserve the outer skin of the tyre, and improve the
metal by the pressure it receives from the rollers.
As soon as a tyre is heated to the usual heat, I place it on a wheel in the
ordinary manner for shrinking, then remove the wheel and tyre to a lathe, or
to a machine acting in a similar manner to a lathe, fitted with suitable rollers,
placed either horizontally or vertically, and roll the tyre while still heated on
the wheel. During the cooling I apply water or not, and the wheel and tyre
may be rolled either in a horizontal or vertical position, according to the position
of the rollers:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance, of- the, conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Owen in, the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS. SHALL COME,-I, WILLIAM
OWEN, of Rotherham, in the County of York, Iron Master, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Owen, Her special licence that I, the said William
Owen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Owen, my executors, administrators, and "assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great. Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF RAILWAY WHEELS AND TYRES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the, said William Owen, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent... :
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Owen, do hereby declare the
nature of my said 'Invention, and in what' manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in 'and by the following state-
inent thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed; that is
to say:-
חי
My Invention consists, firstly; in certain arrangements of bell clutch and
rolling machinery for getting both the inside and outside surfaces of tyres true
before being shrunk on to their wheels; and, secondly, in arrangements of
machinery for fiuishing tyres when 'on their wheels' and in 'a' heated state by
rollers, whereby I-preserve the outer skin of the tyre; and improve the metal
by the pressure it receives from the rollers.
As soon as a tyre is heated-to the usual heat, I place it on a wheel in' the
ordinary manner for shrinking, then remove the wheel and tyre to a lathe, or
to a machine acting in a similar manner to a lathe, fitted with suitable rollers,
placed either horizontally, vertically, or otherwise, and roll the tyre while

page_text: still heated on the wheel. During the cooling I apply water or not, and the
wheel and tyre may be rolled either in a horizontal or vertical position,
according to the position of the rollers.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed are represented the several arrange-
ments of my improved machinery herein-before referred to.
Figure 1, Sheet No. 1, is an elevation, Figure 2, Sheet No. 1 A, a plan, and
Figure 1, Sheet.No. 2, a vertical view, partly in-section, taken at right angles to
Figure 1, Sheet No. 1, of my machine for rolling the outside of railway wheel
tyres. A is a face plate, upon which revolves a chuck plate B, to which the
wheel that is being rolled; C, is fixed. D, D, D, are chilled rolls, accurately
turned to the gauge of the tyre, and fixed between wrought-iron jaws E, E, so
as to revolve easily upon their centre pins, and guided fair to the wheel C in
radial directions by guide blocks F, F, the whole being simultaneously
and equally set forward by turning the hand wheel G, which transmits motion
through the shafts H, H, the worms and worm wheels I, I, and the screws J, J.
These screws are rigidly fixed to the carriage of the rolls, and receive motion
from the worms and worm wheels I, I, through gun metal nuts, keyed to the
latter. K, K, are girders, which rest upon a stone foundation, and are firmly
screwed down to it by holding-down bolts. These girders K, K, support the
machine, and keep it perfectly steady and true. L is a countershaft by which
the machine is driven; M, M, are a fast and a loose pulley, attached to the
shaft L, receiving motion from any prime mover through a strap; N is a bevil
pinion, keyed on to the end of the shaft L, which gears into a bevil wheel O on
an upright shaft P, upon which is keyed a spur pinion Q, which gears into a
main driving spur wheel R. This spur wheel R is keyed upon 'a main shaft T,
upon the top of which the chuck plate B is fixed. The chuck plate Bis
carried round, by the four keys S, S, which are accurately fitted into the flange
of the shaft and to the chuck plate, keeping them-perfectly true while revolving.
The upright shafts are kept perpendicular, parallel, and in gear by means of
footsteps V, V, which carry the said shafts, and move either way in V slides
on a bed plate W, which is fixed to a stone foundation by holding-down-bolts.
X,X, are two stay bars, fixed to the girders K, K, and to the bed plate W, to
prevent any lateral action in the machine; U is a carriage, which carries a
chilled level roll Y, for rolling the outside of the wheel C straight across on
the under side, and in a direct line opposite to the centre of this roll is fixed a
small chilled roll d, for rolling the inner or flange side of the tyre: The roll Y
can. be accurately adjusted either vertically or horizontally by the hand-wheels
; b, fixed to screws a, c. The blocks and keys e, c, are for keeping the
wheel truc,. and for allowing it to be easily got off after the rolling is completed.

page_text: The jaws E, E, in which the rolls D; D, are fixed, may slide in a box of
either a round, square, or any other form.
.
Figure 3, Sheet No. 1, is a plan of the bed plate and footsteps; Figure 4,
Sheet No. 1, is a transverse section of the same, taken through the line A,.B,
of Figure 3, Sheet No. 1; and Figure 5; Sheet No. 1, is a longitudinal section
of the same, taken through the line C, D; of Figure 3, Sheet No. 1. The bed
plate W is put together in a T form; to allow of the footsteps V, V, moving to
the right or left in V.slides, to suit the gearing and to adjust the machine. In
Figure 5, Sheet No. 1, are shewn the depth of the V slide, and the manner of
fixing the footsteps V; V, to the bed, plate W, with the bracket which
carries the countershaft L in its position. In Figure 4, Sheet No.:1; are
shewn the manner in which the footsteps lie upon the bed plate, the form
of the T bolt holes, and the bearing, and plate upon which the shaft rests.
Figure 2, Sheet No. 2 A, is a plan of the screw gear and shafts to rolls,
before mentioned. The hand wheel G being turned in the direction of the
arrow, causes the chilled rolls D, D, to act simultaneously and equally on the
tyre of the wheel C, as has been already explained. In this Figure the guide
blocks F, F, are shewn with the caps removed, in order that the jaws E, E,
inay be more clearly seen. It should be observed, in reference to the foregoing
machinery, that when the tyres are shrunk upon their wheels, or rolled upon
their wheels, or both, it is highly advantageous to support the periphery of the
wheel between the spokes during the shrinking and rolling processes by means
of wedges, blocks, screws, or any other expanding tool or tools, in order that it
may not there yield to the compressive action of the rolls. These expanding
supports are not removed until the tire is cool. Figure 3, Sheet No. 2 A, is a
plan, shewing a conical expanding mandril frame or block, on which a tire
when placed in the machine without a wheel may be rolled. Figure 4, Sheet
No. 2 A, is a section of the same, taken through the line A, B, of Figure 3,
Sheet No. 2 A. The chuck plate B revolves on the face plate A, as already
described. C is the tyre to be rolled; and D is the expanding mandril or
block, which is formed in three parts, so as to support the tire; E is a frustum
of a cone, which is forced down to expand the mandril or block D, by means of
a screw and nut, as shewn; F, F, are keys which connect the chuck plate B
with the mandril or block D, and which slide in grooves or slots in the chuck
plate, as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 4, Sheet No. 2 A, so that while the
chuck plate B cannot revolve without carrying with it the mandril or block D,
the latter may be free to recede from or approach to the centre, according as
pressure is put upon or taken off the conical piece E. Figure 1, Sheet No: 3,
is an elevation, partly in section, and Figure 2, Sheet No. 3 A, a plan, of my

page_text: machine for rolling the inside of the tyre. C is the tyre in its place in the
machine; D, D, are the chilled rolls which roll it; and E is the curb in which
it lies, and which supports its exterior surface during the rolling process. The
curb E is fixed down to the face plate A of the machine, the chuck plate B
being fixed on the top of the main upright shaft T, as in the machine first
described. F is a frame, formed in three parts; to which the rolls D, D, are
fixed, and the inside of which is accurately turned to fit the conical piece G,
which presses the rolls D, D, out against the tyre as it is screwed down by the
arm H, which carries a screw that acts upon the mandril I, fixed to the main
shaft T. The frame F is fixed to the chuck plate by the screw bolt J, and
is allowed to distend by the tongue K, moving in. a slot or groove in the
chuck plate, while the latter carries the frame F round. It is evident
that the foregoing arrangement may be modified by causing the curb E to
revolve, and the frame F to remain at rest, or by causing the two to revolve in
opposite directions.
Figure 1, Sheet No. 4, is a side elevation, Figure 2, Sheet No. 4 A, a plan,
and Figure 3, Sheet No. 4 B, an end elevation, of the tyre rolling apparatus
applied to the head stocks of a railway wheel lathe. A, A', are the headstocks
of the lathe; B, B', the chuck plates, which give motion to the wheel C, which
is made to revolve by the carriers a, a, on the centres through the pinion
below, in the ordinary manner of lathe driving; the chuck plate B¹ on the
headstock A' remains at rest. D, D, are the chilled rolls, the front one being
removed to shew the wheel more clearly; E, E, are the carriages which
support the rolls, and which work through the guide blocks F, F, being set
forward to the tyre of wheel C by the screws G with a lever key. The speed
pulleys of the machine being driven by a strap, give motion to the spur pinion
H, which gears into the spur wheel I on the end of the shaft J, on which is
keyed the spur pinion. of the chuck wheel. The chuck plate B', on which are
fixed the carrying blocks. E, E, supporting the rolls D, D, may be made to
revolve while the wheel C remains at rest, by the spur pinion causing the whole
chuck plate and rolls to revolve round the wheel, as shewn in the partial
longitudinal section, Figure 4, Sheet No. 4 B, the gearing being the same as
above described. Figure 1, Sheet No. 5, is a sectional elevation, and Figure 2,
Sheet No. 5 A, a plan, of an arrangement in which the wheel and tyre are
fixed down at rest, and the rolls are made to revolve round the tyre, being the
reverse of the arrangement first described. A is the face plate of the machine,
upon which the centre plate B is bolted down, and to this centre plate the
wheel C to be rolled is firmly fixed; D, D, are the chilled rolls, which are fixed
to the chuck plate E, and supported on their axes by the jaws F, F, parts of

page_text: which are turned quite true, and fit into the cylindrical parts cast on the chuck
plate E, being fitted accurately into a V groove, which is turned on the circum-.
ference of the plate B. The chuck plate E'is in two parts, to admit of its, being
placed on to the centre plate B, and on the outside of the chuck plate E is
cast a strong pitched cog wheel, into which the spur pinion G gears, thus
causing the chuck plate E to revolve round the centre plate B, this carrying
with it the rolls D, D, which roll the tyres. H, H, are screws which set the
rolls to or from the tyre; and I, I, are mitre wheels to give motion to the screws
H, H; J is a self-acting star wheel, to give motion to the mitre wheels I, I,
at each revolution of the chuck plate, E, by the star wheel striking a tappet a.
K, K, are girders which support the machine; and L is a counter shaft, on
which are fixed the pullies M, M, to act as in the arrangement first described
in this Specification; N being a bevil pinion, which gears with the bevil wheel O
on the upright shaft P, on which is fixed the spur pinion G, as before described:
The outside of the chuck plate is kept working on the bevil roll b to diminish
the friction. Figure 1, Sheet No. 6, is an end elevation of another arrange-
ment for rolling the outsides of tyres when on their wheels; and Figure 2,
Sheet No. 6, is a cross sectional clevation of one frame of the machine, shewing
the form of the roll D and parts of the roll shaft and the stay bars, which hold
the machine together. With this machine the tyres can be rolled when the
wheels are on their axles, whether they are set to the broad or the narrow
gauge. A, A, is a cast-iron frame, which can be fixed upon a lathe bed, or a
bed plate or framework; B, B, are hollow bearings on which the axle of the
wheel C revolves. The rim of the wheel C is indicated by a blue line in
Figure 1. D, D, are the chilled rolls, which are fixed to the guide blocks E, E,
revolving upon centre pins; F, F, are slots, in which the guide blocks E, E,
move in a radial direction, to or from the wheel C, as required. These guide
blocks E, E, are moved by means of the hand wheel G, which communicates
motion to the connecting shafts H, H, and through them to the worm and
worm wheels I, I, and the screws X, X, which latter are connected with the
said guide blocks E, E. To give increased stability to the machine, a bracket
M is provided at the under side of the frame A, and packings are placed
between this and the floor, while the other side is to be prevented from rising
by holding down bolts. Double lugs are cast near the ends of the grooves
F, F, to receive the spindles of the worm pinions, and near these lugs are
bosses, to receive brackets which carry the shafts of the bevil pinions. N, N,
are tressles, to support the wheel while it is being placed in the machine. The
other Figures.on Sheet No. 6 are separate views of the details of the machinery,
which require no further description.
:

page_text: The machinery herein-before described for rolling the outer surfaces of tyres
may also be used for rolling the outer surfaces of the wheels before the tyres
are placed upon them, and this I do in order to render the turning of such
surfaces unnecessary. When wheels are thus rolled, I support the felloes by
expanding or other supports, as already described.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the general arrangements and combinations of machinery herein-before
described, and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed, for rolling railway
wheels or tyres, in the manner herein-before set forth.
Second, the employment of expanding or other supports to the felloes of
railway wheels between the spokes thereof during the rolling of the same, and
during the shrinking and the rolling of the tyre upon them, or during both, in
order to preserve the true form of the periphery of the wheel.
Third, the method herein-before described of rolling the edges of the tyres
of railway wheels.
Fourth, the rolling of the tyres of railway wheels when off their wheels upon
an expanding or other mandril or frame.
Fifth, the rolling of the tyres of railway wheels when off their wheels on the
inside, and against an outside curb ring or support.
Sixth, the rolling of the tyres of railway wheels either on their wheels or
upon mandrils or frames, by holding the tyres at rest, and causing the rolls to
travel round them, or by causing both of them to revolve at different speeds
or in contrary directions.
Seventh, the rolling of the outer surfaces of railway wheels before the
tyres are shrunk upon them, in order to avoid the necessity of turning such
surfaces.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Owen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
Witness to the signature of Wm Owen,
ROBERT OWEN.
WILLIAM OWEN. (L.S.)