Dies for Forging Wrought Iron or Steel Wheels.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Dies for Forging Wrought Iron or Steel Wheels.
I SAMUEL MATHEWS VAUCLAIN of 743 Corinthian Avenue Philadelphia
Pennsylvania United States of America 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 :-
The object of this invention is to construct mechanism and dies for forging
wrought iron or steel wheels which wheels and the process of making the same
forms the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent bearing even date
herewith and numbered 18,016.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which
illustrate dies for making a locomotive driving wheel but it will be understood that
dies embodying the features of my invention may be used in forging truck or other
wheels without departing from the nature of my invention.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side view of sufficient of a drop forging machine to
illustrate my invention.
Figure 2 is an inverted plan view of the upper die.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower die.
Figure 4 is a sectional view through both dies shewing the forged wheel in
position.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the lower die for making the hub section of the
wheel.
Figure 6 is a section on the line 1-2 Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an inverted plan view of the upper die for making the hub section.
Figure 8 is a section on the line 3-4 Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a plan view of the lower die for forming the counterbalance section
the primary upper die being thrown back.
Figure 10 is an inverted plan view of the primary upper die for forming the
counterbalance.
Figure 11 is a plan view of the filling piece adapted to the lower die Figure 9.
Figure 12 is an inverted plan view of the secondary upper die for forming the
counterbalance.
Figure 13 is a section on the line 5-6 Figure 9 shewing the primary die in
position.
Figure 14 is a sectional view on the line 5-6 Figure 9, shewing the final upper
die in position, and
Figure 15 is a view shewing the assembled portions of the wheel ready to be
forged in the dies as shewn in Figures 2, 3, and 4.
Referring to Figure 1. A is the lower die secured to its base or anvil A'. B is
the upper die, preferably loosely secured to the plunger B¹ which in the arrange-
ment shewn represents the piston rod of a steam hammer.
upper
Secured to the lower die A are guides C which pass through orifices in the
die and guide the upper die so that it will mesh with the lower die. The joint
between the upper die and its plunger is loose to allow the upper die to adjust itself
to the lower die irrespective of the line of the plunger.
The lower die A. is composed of an outer shell or casing A*, and the die proper A'
which has a series of grooves a radiating from the centre a' and an annular
lepression a³ for the reception of the spoke section and ring section of the wheel to be
orged. The centre is recessed for the reception of the hub, and a recess a' is also
ormed for the reception of the crank pin centre. A semi-annular recess a* is
formed for the reception of the counterbalance.
Projecting through the centre of the lower die is a pin c having a head c¹ which
гр.

page_text: projects into the formed wheel. The pin extends into a transverse slot o' through
which can be inserted a driving wedge for raising the pin and thus forcing the
forged wheel from the lower die if it should stick therein.
The upper die is formed in the same manner as the lower die, having a casing B
and the die proper B radiating grooves b for the spokes and an annular rim & and
is recessed at 6 for the hub and crank pin centre and has a semi-annular recess 6*
for the counterbalance section.
At the centre of the die is a projection band at the centre of the crank pin
section is a projection 6 these two projections are clearly shewn in Figure 4 and
tend to force the metal from the centres into the corners, making a solid hub clear
In some instances the projections may be dispensed with.
of flaws.
I will now, describe the dies for forming the hub sections of the wheel reference
being, had to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8.
D is the lower die recessed as shown in Figure 6 for the hub centre and crank
pin centre, and radiating from the centre d are a series of grooves 'Figure 5 in
which are formed the fins or extensions which are the fillets between the hub section
and spokes in the finished wheel.
E, is the upper die, Figures 7 and 8 having the central projection & and radiating
ribs e which pass into the grooves d'and form the fin for the fillet described
above..
The long ribs e³ form the grooves in the crank pin section which receive the
spokes as will be clearly understood on referring to Figure 15.
The depth of the recess in the die D can be increased or diminished according to
the hub, section required, the hub, section on one side of the wheel is often thicker
than the hub section on the opposite side of the wheel, as shewn in Figure 4, but
in making a plain wheel the hub sections are precisely alike.
Referring to Figures 9 and 14 I will describe the dies for forming the plates
composing the counterbalance of the wheel. These plates are preferably forged
from sheet metal forming semi annular flanged sections clearly shewn in Figure 15
and in cross section in Figures 13 and 14.
F is the lower semi-annular die having a deep recess into which is forced the
metal forming the counterbalance section. This die is also recessed at f¹ around
the deep, recess. for the reception, of the metal to be struck up or forged.
In order to properly form each counterbalance section I use two upper dies. G
and L and I place within the lower die a semi-annular filling piece H Figure 11
when, the primary die G is used so as to, form the counterbalance plate in the
manner shown in Figure 13
The primary upper die, G which is formed as shewn in Figures 10 and 13 is
hinged to the lower die by links g as shewn in Figures 9 and 13 to enable it, to be
thrown back away from the lower die.
When the primary die is thrown back the filling piece H is removed and the
secondary upper die, I is inserted into the lower die in the manner shewn in
Figure 14 thereby compressing the counterbalance section in the manner shewn, in
this figure.
The final upper die I is made as shewn in Figure 12 having a series of ribs i
radiating from the centre of the wheel and the rim which takes, the place of the
filling. piece H and is so formed as to give the proper curve to the outer edge of
the counterbalance section in order that it may snugly fit the spoke sections and
ring as shewn in Figure 15.
The upper die I has deep grooves 12, 13 which, receive, the turned up, edges or
flanges of the counterbalance section. The lower, die F has a series of recesses
which radiate from the centre of the. die and mesh with the rib i of the die.
forming the fillet extensions of the counterbalance sections, as clearly shewn in
Figure 15.
The die I in the present instance is used as the hammer, for the die, G, said, die, I
striking the head g of said die when it is in the position shewn, in, Figure 13.,
By the above description it will be seen that the formation of the wheel, while

page_text: the ring and spoke sections are bent to form the hub sections and counterbalance
sections are forged in suitable dies and when the wheel is assembled as shewn in
Figure 15 it is heated to the proper heat for forging and placed between the dies A
and B as shewn in Figures 1 and 4 and compressed therein so as to form a unitary
structure the upper die being guided by the standards on the lower die and
connected loosely to its plunger it meshes accurately with the lower die and forms
a properly forged wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First The combination in mechanism for forming wrought iron or steel car
wheels the fixed lower die the reciprocating upper die, piston rod, loose connection
between the piston rod and the upper die with guides carried by one of said dies
and passing through the other die whereby the dies are aligned with each other
substantially as described.
Second The combination in dies for forging wheels from assembled sections
the said dies having recesses for the reception of the ring and spoke sections and
hub and one of the said dies having a central projection which is forced into the
hub section expanding the metal thereof substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Third Dies for forging the counterbalance sections of wheels one die having a
semi-annular projection of the curve of the form of the counterbalance section and
having transverse ribs and the other die having a recess corresponding with the
projections of the opposite die so as to form a hollow counterbalance section with a
recessed flange substantially as shewn and described.
Fourth-The dies for forming the hub sections of wheels of the form substantially
as shewn and described.
Fifth The combination in dies for forming the counterbalance section of a
wrought wheel of the recessed lower die F the primary upper die G pirotted
thereto, the filling piece H with the final upper die I said upper die fitting the
lower die substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 20th day of October 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.