IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING RAIL ENDS AND OLD RAILS INTO BILLETS AND BARS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Colerick Pilliner, of Oakfields Works, in the Parish
of Llantarnam, in the County of Monmouth, Engineer, James Charles Hill, of
the same Place, Ironmaster, and William Williams, of the same Place, Roll
Turner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROLLING RAIL ENDS AND
OLD RAILS INTO BILLETS AND BARS."
Sealed the 20th September 1878, and dated the 22nd July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Colerick Pilliner,
James Charles Hill, and William Williams at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents on the 22nd July 1878.
ALFRED COLERICK PILLINER, of Oakfields Works, in the Parish of Llantarnam,
in the County of Monmouth, Engineer, JAMES CHARLES HILL, of the same Place,
Ironmaster, and WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of the same Place, Roll Turner. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROLLING RAIL ENDS AND OLD RAILS INTO BILLETS AND BARS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rolling rail ends and old rails
into billets and bars.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to us, and dated the 23rd day of
December 1876, No. 4986, we have described the production of billets and bars
from rail ends and old rails by the combined processes of rolling to reduce the heads
and flanges, and dividing the web longitudinally, and afterwards rolling on edge the
pieces so obtained.
The apparatus which we have shewn in the Drawings of the said Specification
for performing these operations consists of a pair of rolls having grooves both for
the flattening or reduction of the heads and flanges, and also for rolling the pieces
on edge after dividing or splitting, and the shearing blades by which the dividing
of the web is effected are fixed upon the same rolls. This arrangement nécessitates
passing the flattened rail back over the rolls before it can be taken by the shears;
thus time and heat is lost during the operation...
Our present Invention relates to more convenient arrangements of apparatus for
carrying out the Invention secured to us by our former Patent.

page_text: In place of fixing the shear blades upon the rolls we mount them upon separate
spindles, which are carried in their own standards, and geared together, and upon
the neck of one of the rolls we mount a spur wheel, which we make to gear with a
spur wheel upon one of the spindles of the shears. The shears then revolve in the
opposite direction to the rolls, and consequently are able to take the flattened
rail from the side on which it is delivered by the rolls. Or in some cases we mount
in the same standards with the rolls a spindle which lies immediately over and
parallel to the upper roll, with which also it is geared by pinions. This spindle and
the upper roll in this arrangement carry the shear blades. Thus the shears, as
before, are able to take the rail from the side on which it is delivered by the rolls
after the flattening of the heads and flange.
A further economy of time and heat may be obtained, but at the cost of adding
complication to the apparatus, by substituting for the spindle mentioned above a
grooved roll, so that the rolls are then three high, and the shearing blades are then
carried upon the upper and the middle roll.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Colerick Pilliner, James Charles Hill, and William Williams
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st January 1879.
ALFRED COLERICK PILLINER, of Oakfields Works, in the Parish of Llantarnam,
in the County of Monmouth, Engineer, JAMES CHARLES HILL, of the same Place,
Ironmaster, and WILLIAM WILLIAMS, of the same Place, Roll Turner. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ROLLING RAIL ENDS AND OLD RAILS INTO BILLETS AND BARS."
*
This Invention has for its object improvements in rolling rail ends and old rails
into billets and bars.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to us, and dated the 23rd day of
December 1876, No. 4986, we have described the production of billets and bars
from rail ends and old rails by the combined processes of rolling to reduce the heads
and flanges, and dividing the weh longitudinally, and afterwards rolling on edge
the pieces so obtained.
The apparatus which we have shown in the Drawings of the said Specification
for performing these operations consists of a pair of rolls having grooves both for
the flattening or reduction of the heads and flanges, and also for rolling the pieces
on edge after dividing or splitting; and the shearing blades by which the dividing
of the web is effected are fixed upon the same rolls. This arrangement necessitates
passing the flattened rail back over the rolls before it can be taken by the shears,
thus time and heat is lost during the operation.

page_text: Our present Invention relates to more convenient arrangements of apparatus
for carrying out the Invention secured to us by our former Patent.
In place of fixing the shear blades upon the rolls we mount them upon other rolls
or drums, with separate spindles or axes. Upon the neck of one of the rolls wo
mount a spur wheel, which we make to gear with a spur wheel upon one of the
shears, rolls or drums. The shears then revolve in the opposite direction to the rolls,
and consequently are able to take the flattened rail from the side on which it is
delivered by the rolls. Or in some cases we mount in the same standards with the
rolls a spindle which lies immediately over and parallel to the upper roll, with
which also it is geared by pinions. This spindle and the upper roll in this arrange-
ment carry the shear blades. Thus the shears, as before, are able to take the rail
from the side on which it is delivered by the rolls after the flattening of the heads
and flange.
A further economy of time and heat may be obtained, but at the cost of adding
complication to the apparatus, by substituting for the spindle mentioned above a
grooved roll, so that the rolls are then three high, and the shearing blades are then
carried upon the lower and the middle roll.
In order that our said Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION. OF-THE-DRAWINGS.-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pair of rolls for rolling rail ends and old rails
into billets and bars. With these rolls shears are combined in accordance with our
present Invention in such manner that the shearing may be effected whilst the
metal is being returned from the back to the front of the rolls, the lower roll and
the lower shear drum revolving in opposite directions, and so also the upper roller
and drum.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the rolls and shears.
A, A, are the two rolls forming the pair; they are mounted in standards, of which
only one, marked B, appears in the Drawings. The rolls are driven in the usual
way, and those shown in the Drawing have grooves in them, adapting them for
rolling down both flat-bottomed and double-headed rails. The four grooves to the
right hand are used exclusively for flat-bottomed rails, and the two next grooves
are used exclusively for double-headed rails, whilst the remaining four grooves on
the left side are employed in both cases. C, C, are drums upon which the shear
blades C¹, C, are fixed. These drums are mounted upon the spindles or stud axes
D, D, firmly fixed into the standard B, and connected at their outer ends by a
strap E. The drums C are geared together, and the lower drum is driven by a spur
wheel upon the spindle of the lower roll.
The operation of rolling is as described in the Specification of the former
Patent granted to us. The rail is flattened by passing it between the rolls, using in
succession in the case of a flat-bottomed rail the four grooves towards the right
hand. The metal is returned over the rolls after each passage until ready for
shearing, when it is run back between the shears, which divide it into two equal
parts from end to end. Each part is afterwards passed on edge between the rolls
successively in the four grooves to the left hand, and so is turned out a sound bar
suitable to be divided into lengths to serve as billets to be reheated and further
rolled into rods for wire-drawing and other uses.
Figure 3 is an elevation of rolls arranged three high for rolling and shearing
double-headed rails; and Figure 4 show similar rolls for rolling and shearing flat-
bottomed rails. The metal in this case never has to be returned from back to front
of the rolls without work being performed upon it, as the return takes place between
the middle roll and the upper. Frequently, however, to avoid the expense and
complication of a third grooved roll we employ in place of the uppermost roll of the
Drawing a plain spindle carrying the upper shear blades, in which case it is only

page_text: "
at the time of shearing that work is performed upon the metal whilst it is being
returned from back to front.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we do not claim the arrangement of
rolls for rolling metal three high, so that work may be performed on the metal
whilst returning from back to front of the rolls, but we claim the combination of
rolls and rotary shears for reducing rail ends and old rails into billets and bars by
flattening or reducing the heads and flanges, then dividing the web longitudinally,
and afterwards rolling the pieces so obtained on edge in such manner that the
shearing may be effected by the rotary shears as the metal is returning from the
back to the front of the rolls.
We also claim the combination of a pair of rolls and a pair of shears rotating in
the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purpose described.
: We also claim the combination of three high rolls with rotary shears, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Colerick Pilliner, James Charles Hill,
and William Williams, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seven-
teenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Alfred Colerick Pilliner
in the presence of
HENRY BYTHEWAY,
Solicitor,
Pontypool.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said J. C. Hill & William
Williams in the presence of
WILLIAM JONES,
Clerk,
Oakfields Works.
ALF. C. PILLINER. (L.S.)
J. C. HILL.
WM. WILLIAMS.
(L.S.)
(L.S.)