Year: 1888

page_text: Worcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America,
mechanic.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
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 machines for rolling metal articles spherical, cylindrical or
other contour having circular cross-sectional area and the nature thereof is fully
described hereinafter.
In the drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of a vertical central section of a machine
embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the die platens and dies mounted
thercon; Fig. 3 is a perspective view representing a die for making spheres or balls.
It should be understood that the dies are used in pairs and move in opposite
directions past each other to compress and shape articles of metal or other material
rolled on their axis between them. This invention relates to the forming dies; to the
mechanism for supporting and operating the dies; and to matters of construction and
arrangement of mechanism for assisting the workman in supporting the metal
relatively to the die. The curvilinear face which is the forming surface of the dio
commences at a vanishing point and gradually deepens until it torminates at the
opposite end of the die, at which point, the maximum depth of the surfaco is about
equal to one half the largest diameter of the article intended to be made between the
two dies and the contour of this surface on a cross sectional line at the terminating
point will correspond with the lateral contour of the completed article as it appears on
a plane which bisects the article.
The platen A is mounted upon a pin 6 which pin is supported in the machine
frame D. The platen bears its central hub upon the frame D and permits being
revolved on the pin b. The platen B is supported in a similar manner on the pin e
which pin is fixed to the vertically movable arm E. Said arm E is arranged to permit
vertical movement up and down its supporting standard F and to this end it is
provided with grooves to receive the projecting edges (not shown) of the standard F.
The standard F is a hollow shell and is firmly fixed to the machine frame D.
Extending from the arin E is a boss which may be formed integral with the arm or
a separate piece and bolted to the arm as shown in Fig. 1. This boss f extends rear-
ward through a suitable opening in the standard F and is provided with a screw

page_text: threaded hole to receive shaft whereby the upward and downward adjustments of
the arm are effected in an obvious manner. Said boss is further provided with a bavel
gear 4 which is journalled to permit revolving in its supporting journal. Said gear
is arranged to permit sliding movement longitudinally on the vertical shaft 5 and is
revolved by the shaft. It meshes with a similar gear 6 on shaft 7 which shaft 7 is
arranged to revolve in its supporting arm and carries a gear 8 that engages a
system of gear tooth formed in a circle on the rear face of platen B. On the platon A
and integral therewith in like manner is a system of gear teeth 10 which engage a
gear 11 on the shaft. 12. Said shaft 12 is journaled in the machine frame and
revolves by a suitable driving mechanism as represented: On the slutt 12 is a gear 18
that engages a gear 14 and transmits motion of smit 12 through intermediate
mechanism to shaft 7 thus compelling the shafts 7 and 12 to revolve simultaneously
to the end that the platens A, B ay he turned simultaneously in opposite directions
on their pivotal pins thereby carrying the forming dies past each other for moulding
the intended article to which end one member of each die is fixed to the platen A and
the opposite member to the platen 13 with their forming faces opposed to each other.
The die platens are driven round continuou-ly and bring the dies into action
successively and it is preferable to mount a series of dies on the patens, cach pair of
which may be brought into action successively while the others are being carried
round the circuit. This enables the machine to l hept in rapid uso without unduly
heating the dies. The series may be enlarged to a greater number or diminished to a
smaller number than is shown in the drawing- if desired. Each pair of dies may
also be arranged for rolling different articles it desin d.
The lateral curvature of either member of the die is unde similar to the curvature
of its co-operating member and the dies are positioned upon the platens so that their
forming fuces overlap each other when brought together and register with each other
in a plane that bisects the platen pivotal piu. On either side of this bisecting plane
the forming surfaces diverge according to the lateral curvature of the dies and aro
therefore non-registrant.
In operation, the forming surfaces converge as they approach and diverge as they
depart from the registering plane. When about to form an article the platens are
turned until the vanishing line of each die is brought to the registering plane. The
metal bar is then placed in position between the dies and the platens continue moving
as indicated. The dies first lay hold upon opposite sides of the bar and in moving
past each other compress, reduce and shape the intended article which drops from the
bar a completed thing as the dies complete their passage. It is always in the bisecting
plano that shapes and forms aro imparted to the intended article and the lateral
divergency of the forming surfaces before and after the registering, plane prevents the
article from slipping out of position. The dies are made by first planing or milling
the grooves which constitute the forming surface and then cruss-planing the raised
surfaces to a vanishing point, as stated.
On either side of the forming surfaces are spreading and reducing surfaces which
commence at the vanishing point and rise gradaily from the surface of the die block
until they terminate at the opposite end of the die. The outer faces are hovelled and
corrugated to the end that they may spread the motul and to the end that they may
lay hold of the metal bar and rotate it while the article is being formed. The dies
represented are sections of similar circles and are mounted upon platens which turn
about fixed axis and my correspondent is persuaded to believe that such is the simplost
and most economical way of carrying out this invention, though he is aware that it is
possible to devise other forms and mechanisms for driving them through the required
pallis.
Supported on the pin b is a rest 16 in which tho motallic bar is rested as shown.
Attached to the frame D is a standard 17 adapted to receive and support as shown in
figuro 1 the gauge 18. Said gange comprises also the horizontal tube 20 and is ver-
tically adjustable by means of a screw 19, it may be lifted and deprossed to meet the
requirements of different dirs. The Lube 20 is adjustable longitudinally by the serow 22
to the end that it may he mevad up to or away from the dies. It has a central boro

page_text: to receive and support the end of rod 21. The small tip of metal cut from the end of
rod 21 by action of the dies remains in the tube and is pushed forward by the next
forward movement of the rod and so on till it finally drops out of the tube and falls to
the frame or floor below.
An obvious turning of the wheel 24 will lift or depress the supporting arm E
thereby accommodating the platens to the introduction of different dies.
On the shaft 7 also on the shaft 12 are conical wheels 25 that bear and travel on
corresponding paths 26 on the platens. Said wheels are positioned to support tho
platens beneath the dies and thereby prevent the platens from being cramped or broken
during the working of the dies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the snid
invention as cominunicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declaro that what I claim is :-
1. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form, the combination of two plane
faced rotary, die-supporting platens as A, B a two-part forming die mounted one member
on the plane face of one and the other member on the opposing plane face of the other
platen and means for rotating the platens progressively to bring the co-operating dio
inembers up to and past each other repeatedly substantially as described.
2. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form, two pivotally supported
plane faced rotary die-supporting platens, one or more two-part forming dios one
member of each die being mounted on the plane face of one and the co-operating
members on the opposing plane face of the other platen and means for rotating the
platens progressively substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form, the combination of two die-
supporting platons and a series of two-part forming dies one member of oach die being
mounted on one and the co-operating members on the opposing face of the other
platen respectively and supporting and operating mechanism whereby the platens are
moved progressively to make the die members approach and pass each other sub-
stantially as described.
4. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form, the combination of laterally
curved dies mounted on platens and working in curved paths substantially as set
forth.
5. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form laterally curved dies substantially
as described.
6. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form, the combination of two plano
faced rotary die-supporting platens as A, B a two-part forming die mounted one
member on the plane face of one and the other member on the opposing plane face of
the other platen and means for rotating the platens progressively to bring the
co-operating die-members up to and past each other repeatedly and a gauge for
supporting the metallic rod operated on between the dies substantially as described.
7. In a machine for rolling metal articles to form, the combination of two plano
faced rotary die-supporting platens as A, B a two-part forming die mounted one
member on the plane face of one and the other member on the opposing plane face of
the other platen and means for rotating the platens progressively to bring the
co-operating die-members up to and past each other repeatedly and an adjustable
gauge for supporting the metallic rod operated on between the dies substantially as
described.