Improvements in Machines for Forming, Drawing, Rolling, and Bending Metallic Strips.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Forming, Drawing, Rolling, and
Bending Metallic Strips.
I JOHN HENRY BALL of Ilkeston, in the County of Notts, Manager of Works,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a machine for forming, drawing, rolling and bending
strips of sheet metal, the object being to give the strips the desired shape and
section in a more easy and ready manner than at present obtains.
My invention is specially applicable for producing rims or felloes for the wheels
of velocipedes and other vehicles.
In carrying out my invention I use a grooved drum mounted on a spindle carried
in a suitable bearing or bearings and driven by any suitable form of gearing. The
groove in the drum is, preferably a spiral one and its shape in section is such as
will give the desired shape to the strip to be operated upon. In connection with
this drum I use a roller or roller guide mounted in such a manner so as to be
adjustable in all positions with respect to the grooved drum and having free motion
in the direction of the traverse of the spiral groove in the drum, the said free.
motion being governed by a screw or other mechanism so that its traverse
corresponds with the pitch of the spiral groove in the said drum, the object of the
said roller or roller guide being to exert a resisting or pressure power upon the
work to be operated upon by the grooved druni. To cause the strip of metal to
attain or retain the desired shape in cross section I use a mandrel of the requisite
shape to produce the desired shape in the strip of metal in cross section, the said
mandrel being held in the required position relative to the drum and to the roller
or roller guide by any suitable device. The mandrel may also be curved to the
radius of the grooved drum or otherwise shaped to facilitate the work it is called
upon to perform. By the use of this mandrel pressure can be applied to the strip
without crushing or deforming it while it is being operated upon to give it the desired
shape. In some cases I may use a set of forming dies, rollers, or equivalent tools
in conjunction with the grooved drum so that the entire process of forming,
drawing, rolling and bending may be done at one operation. I sometimes form the
metallic strips into hoops before passing them through the machine hereinbefore
described.
It will be obvious that tubes as well as strips of metal may be dealt with by the
mechanism hereinbefore described.
When rims for the wheels of cycles and other vehicles are made out of strips of
sheet metal the joints both transverse and longitudinally may be reinforced by
being brazed, soldered, or welded either by the ordinary process or electrically.
Dated this 17th day of October 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Forming, Drawing, Rolling, and
Bending Metallic Strips.
I, JOHN HENRY BALL of Ilkeston, in the County of Notts, Manager of Works,
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 an improved machine for rolling and beuding metal
strips or tubes, and it consists of a spirally grooved bending drum driven by
any suitable form of gear, and of a roller adapted to keep the strip or tube up to
the bending drum and arranged to travel transversely with the pitch of the groove
in the drum and for rolling tubes or shaped hollow strips of a mandrel to give the
desired shape to, or preserve the shape of the tube or hollow strip to be bent, the
object being to give the strips or tubes both the desired shape in cross section and
the desired circumferential size in a more easy and ready manner than at present
obtains. The machine is specially applicable for producing solid or hollow rims or
felloes for the wheels of velocipedes and other vehicles, and for the purpose of this
Specification I shall describe it as constructed for this purpose.
I attain the object of my invention by the mechanism illustrated by the
accompanying drawing, in which :-
:-
Figure 1 is a broken view in front elevation-partly in section-of my improved
machine.
Figure 2 Sheet No. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof, and
Figure Sheet No. 1 is a view in plan of the adjustable frame carrying the
roller.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
On a spindle or axle A mounted in suitable bearings b, b, carried by a frame B,
is mounted a bending drum C having a spiral groove c cut in its periphery. The
axle A is driven through spur gearing D from an axle A¹ adapted to be driven
from an overhead gearing by a belt in the usual manner.
On to the face of the frame B is mounted a bracket E the height of which can be
adjusted on the frame B to suit the diameter of the drum C which is being used.
In the bracket E is mounted a frame F capable of sliding vertically therein.
The height of this frame F is regulated by a spindle G screwing into a bush e
carried by the bracket E and operated by a hand wheel H or its equivalent. In
the frame F is mounted a stud spindle J lying parallel with the axle A. On this
spindle J is loosely mounted-so as to be free to slide thereon-a roller K which is
used to exert a resisting pressure upon the strip or tube to be rolled and (or) bent.
To cause the roller K to travel with the pitch of the groove c in the drum C, a
frame L engaging with each side of the roller K is loosely mounted on the
spindle J. This frame carries a stud M adapted to engage with the groove c in
the drum C, and it is prevented from rotating by means of a stud / fixed to it and
sliding through a hole ƒ in the side of the frame F. The stud M is screwed into a
T-shaped block sliding in a T-shaped slot in the top of the frame L to provide for
its adjustment thereon and it is locked thereto after its position is adjusted by
means of the lock nut m.
When tubes are to be rolled and bent, or hollow shaped strips are to be bent, a
mandrel N of the requisite shape to produce or retain the desired shape is used,
the said mandrel being curved to the radius of the grooved drum C at one end.
This mandrel N is attached to a rod N' which is fixed to any convenient object at a
suitable distance from the machine according to the length of the strip or tube to
be rolled and (or) drawn. By the use of this mandrel pressure can be applied to
the tube or hollow strip without crushing or deforming it while it is being rolled
and (or) bent.

page_text: The strip or tube of metal to be rolled and (or) bent is attached to one end of
the spiral groove c in the bending drum C by means of an eye bolt O.
To produce a solid rim from a strip of metal the mandrel N is not required.
The one end of the strip of metal or "rim length" as it is technically called,
having been fixed to the bending drum the roller K is brought up into contact
with the underside of the rim length and the drum started and kept revolving until
the strip is wound into the groove e in the drum C, which gives it both the desired
shape in transverse section and the desired size circumferentially.
To produce a hollow rim from a length of tube the mandrel N is used. The
tube having been placed on the mandrel so that its end is just clear of the curved
end of the said mandrel it is fixed to the bending drum, and the roller K brought
up into contact with the underside of the tube until it is closed on to the mandrel.
The drum is then started and kept revolving until the length of tube is wound into
the groove in the rim.
To produce hollow rims from shaped hollow strips the process is as hereinbefore
described for producing them from tubes. with the exception that the friction of
the roller is merely to preserve the shape of the hollow strips while they are being
bent.
By fixing the ordinary dies or rolls used for drawing or forming hollow rims
from metal strips in juxtaposition to this machine and extending the mandrel used
therewith, hollow rims may be drawn or formed, and rolled, and bent, at one
operation.
In all cases the shape and circumference of the spiral groove in the bending drum
approximates to that of the finished rim, aud the shape of the roller approximates
to that of the finished shape on the inside or concave part of the rim.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details of construction herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings, but that I hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as
fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.
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 improved machine for rolling and bending metallic strips, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
2. In a rolling and bending machine, the combination of the spirally grooved
bending drum, and of the traversing roller, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a rolling and bending machine, the combination of the spirally grooved
bending drum, of the traversing roller, and of the fixed mandrel, as and for the
purpose set forth.
4. In a bending machine, the combination of the spirally grooved bending drum,
of the traversing roller, and of the fixed mandrel, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 26th day of July 1893.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.J.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.