Novel or Improved Apparatus for Employment in Automatically Feeding Metal Sheets between the Dies of Corrugating Machines and Withdrawing them therefrom.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Novel or Improved Apparatus for Employment in Automatically
Feeding Metal Sheets between the Dies of Corrugating Machines
and Withdrawing them therefrom.
I, EDWARD PETER JONES, of Ireton Lodge, Goldthorn Hill, Wolverhampton
in the County of Stafford, Galvanized Iron Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to economise labour, and ensure greater
accuracy, in the process of corrugating metal sheets, by the use of apparatus which
automatically feeds the sheets forwards between the corrugating dies by an inter-
mittent movement to suit the operation of the dies, corresponding to the movement
imparted to the sheets when fed in by hand in the usual manner, and which
withdraws the corrugated sheets from between the dies.
Apparatus constructed according to this invention, for the above purpose, consists
primarily of a carrier system on the feeding-in side of the corrugating machine,
formed of endless chains passing around sprocket wheels or toothed drums at each
end with the teeth of which the links of the chain gear:-of a ratchet pawl
suspended from a bracket or arm carried by the moving head or part of the
corrugating machine to which the upper die is fixed, said pawl engaging as it is
raised with one or other of a set of ratchet teeth formed around a wheel fixed on
one end of the spindle which carries the sprocket wheels or drum at the inner end
of the carrier system:-of a pair of longitudinally-corrugated rollers or a pair of
sets of corrugated discs mounted on suitable spindles, on the delivery side of the
machine, said rollers or sets of discs being geared so as to revolve together by
means of toothed pinions:-and of a ratchet pawl corresponding to and carried
similarly as the pawl above described, said pawl last described gearing as it is
moved upwards with ratchet teeth formed around a wheel fixed on the end of one
of the spindles carrying the rollers or discs aforesaid.
Pegs or studs, which may be conveniently formed each in one piece with a link,
are carried by the chains and are spaced apart at suitable intervals therealong.
The sheets to be corrugated are laid upon the carrier chains either singly, or two
or more one upon another, accordingly as it may be desired to corrugate them one
at a time or two or more together, their hinder ends being placed against a set of
studs extending across the carrier system. The carrier system is set in motion, for
a distance corresponding to a single pitch of the corrugating dies, by each upward
movement of the first-described pawl, and remains stationary during the descent of
the top die and the consequent descent of the pawl. The pawl descends such
distance at each downward stroke of the top die that it does not engage with a
tooth of the corresponding ratchet wheel on its upward stroke until the top die is
raised sufficiently to allow a corrugated or partially corrugated sheet to be moved
forwards between the dies. The pegs occur in such positions along the chains that
the sheets are all in their turns initially entered between the dies the same
distance. After the first operation of the dies upon a sheet it is fed forwards, by
the ratchet mechanism acting through the medium of the carrier system, for a
distance corresponding to a single pitch of the corrugating dies previously to each
subsequent operation of the dies thereon.
The upper portions of the carrier chains are supported intermediately of the end
drums or sprocket wheels by suitable drums or wheels, and the chains may be kept

page_text: taut by screw or other suitable tightening gear. In order to prevent any liability
of the sheets moving forwards from the studs, they may be placed between sets of
studs spaced apart along the chains a distance corresponding to the length of the
sheets.
In order to ensure that the carrier system shall remain at rest when not being
moved forwards by tho ratchet mechanism, a species of escapement movement may
be employed which consists of a spring arm formed with a curved or V-shaped end
which engages with suitable teeth formed around a wheel fixed upon the spindle
which carries the sprocket wheels or drum at the inner end of the carrier system,
the engagement of the arm with such teeth being such as to normally hold the
wheel but to cause the arm to be moved outwards by each tooth in succession, so as
to allow the teeth to pass it, as the wheel is moved under the force exerted by the
ratchet mechanism.
The corrugated rollers or discs, aforesaid, are operated by the second-described
ratchet mechanism in the corresponding mauner in which the carrier system is
operated, and the corrugated sheets are thereby delivered from the machine. These
rollers or discs support any portion of a sheet which has already passed between
the dies, until the entire sheet has been corrugated.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Novel or Improved Apparatus for Employment in Automatically
Feeding Metal Sheets between the Dies of Corrugating Machines
and Withdrawing them therefrom.
I, EDWARD PETER JONES, of Ireton Lodge, Goldthorn Hill, Wolverhampton
in the County of Stafford, Galvanized Iron Manufacturer, 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 has for its object to economise labour, and ensure greater.
accuracy, in the process of corrugating metal sheets, by the use of apparatus which
automatically feeds the sheets forwards between the corrugating dies by an
intermittent movement to suit the operation of the dies, corresponding to the
movement imparted to the sheets when fed in by hand in the usual manner, and-
which withdraws the corrugated sheets from between the dies.
Apparatus constructed according to this invention, for the entire purpose above
described, consists primarily of a carrier system on the feeding-in side of the
corrugating machine which is operated to feed the sheets, by an intermittent
movement, (corresponding to the movement imparted to them in feeding in by hand
in the usual manner), between the corrugating dies, and of a pair of longitudinally
corrugated rollers or a pair of sets of corrugated discs or short rollers mounted on
suitable spindles, on the delivery side of the machine, which are operated also by
an intermittent movement to carry the sheets forwards and withdraw them from
the dies after they have passed clear from the carrier system.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a corrugating machine fitted with my
improved apparatus for automatically feeding the sheets between the corrugating
dies and withdrawing them therefrom, the section being taken on line x x of
Figure 2.
-
Figure 2 is a plan of such machine and apparatus; and
*Figure 3 is a view of a portion of the section of the machine shewn by Figure 1,

page_text: and shews portions of the improved apparatus which are not shewn or are not so
clearly shewn in Figure 1.
AA are the corrugating machine standards, B the moving head carrying the
upper die C, and D the fixed girder carrying the lower corrugating die E. F is a
carrier system arranged on the feeding-in side of the corrugating machine, and
consists of endless chains a passing around pitched or sprocket wheels b carried
upon spindles mounted in bearings at each end of the system, as shewn. The upper
sides of the chains are supported between the end wheels b by pulleys or grooved
wheels c carried upon spindles mounted in suitable bearings. The bearings for the
spindles by which the wheels b and pulleys c are carried are conveniently supported
from a framing G G, as shewn. The bearing blocks for the spindle of the hinder
wheels b are carried to be capable of sliding within guide pieces H, and these guide
pieces are fitted with set-pins d by means of which the bearing blocks may be
moved backwards to tighten up the chains to the required tension and such blocks
be held in any position to which they may have been adjusted; or any convenient
form of chain-tightening appliance may be employed for the purpose.
On the spindle of the leading wheels 6 is fixed a ratchet wheel e. This wheel is
not shewn in Figure 1, as it comes in such view behind the leading wheels b, but it
is shewn in Figure 2 and also very clearly by Figure 3. A sliding bracket L,
formed as a vertical shank f having a cross-bar h at the bottom thereof, has the
shank passed through guides g fixed to one of the standards A of the machine,
and the cross-bar h passes at its inner end over the lower flange of the moving
head B, and is pivotally connected at its outer end with a ratchet pawl i which
engages with the teeth of the wheel e. The sliding bracket and pawl descend by
their own gravity when permitted to do so by the descent of the moving head B.
As the moving head B rises it raises the sliding bracket and lifts the pawl i; and
the pawl engaging with one of the teeth of the wheel e turns the wheel e a portion
of a revolution and correspondingly turns the leading wheels b of the carrier system,
and advances the upper sides of the carrier chains a corresponding distance. The
carrier system remains at rest during the descent of the moving head B, and the
pawl i does not commence to operate the wheel e during the upward movement of
the head B until the die C is raised sufficiently to allow of the forward movement
of a partially corrugated sheet between the dies; and in order that the ratchet
pawl i may not descend unnecessarily far on the descent of the moving head a stop
piece is formed with or fixed to the shank f of the sliding bracket which arrests
the descent of the bracket by coming against the top of the upper guide g.
diameters and pitches of the ratchet wheel e and the leading wheels 6 of the carrier
system are such that each upward movement of the pawl i causes an advance of the
upper sides of the carrier chains a distance corresponding to a single pitch of the
corrugations of the dies. Abutment pieces, which may be conveniently of angle
section as shewn, are fixed across the chains at intervals, and the sheets to be
corrugated are laid upon the carrier chains either singly, or two or more upon one.
another, accordingly as it may be desired to corrugate them one at a time or two or
more together, the hinder end of each sheet or set of sheets being placed against
one of the abutment pieces j. Three of the sheets or sets of sheets Jare_shewn by
Figure 1 in position upon the carrier, and a fourth sheet or set of sheets J is shewn
by such figure as partially corrugated, and to be in the position to which it has
been moved during the last upward stroke of the die C ready to be formed with
another corrugation immediately behind the corrugations already formed. Each
sheet or set of sheets is fed forward a distance corresponding to the pitch of a single
corrugation each time the moving head B rises. The pawli is pressed inwards by
a spring against which it slides as it moves up and down. The abutment pieces j
are fixed to the chains in such positions in relation to one another that the sheets
are all in their turns initially entered between the dies the same distance. In order
to prevent any liability of the sheets moving forwards from the abutment pieces, an
additional set of abutment pieces may be fixed across the chains in positions to
The

page_text: prevent the sheets moving forwards independently of the chains. The hinder end
of a sheet or set of sheets has a tendency to bend upwards during the operation of
the dies, and to prevent such end from being raised up clear of the abutment by
means of which such sheet or set of sheets is advanced, a number of fingers formed
preferably to a curved shape as shewn are fixed within a bar a carried by the
standards A A. These fingers are held in place within the bar by means of set-
pinst so that they may readily be adjusted as to height.
A number of pairs of short corrugated rollers K are carried on a pair of
spindles m mounted in suitable bearings on the delivery-side of the machine. The
spindles m are geared together by a pair of spur wheels n of equal diameter. One
only of these wheels is shewn in the illustrations, namely in plan by Figure 2.
A ratchet wheel e¹ is fixed upon the upper spindle m near to one end thereof.
This wheel is not shewn by Figure 1, but is shewn in plan by Figure 2, and in
elevation very clearly by Figure 3. This ratchet wheel e is operated through the
medium of a sliding bracket L' and ratchet pawl in the corresponding manner in-
which the ratchet wheel e is operated as above described; and thus during each
upward movement of the upper die C the corrugated rollers K carried, respectively,
by the upper and lower spindles m are caused to turn a portion of a revolution.
The rollers K are corrugated as shewn in order that the upper and lower sets
between them may properly guide the portion of a sheet or set of sheets which is
passing forwards from between the dies after it has been corrugated, and carry the
sheet or set of sheets forward and withdraw it from between the dies after the
hinder end has passed out of contact with the carrier. The diameter and pitch of
the ratchet wheel e¹ is, of course, such that the rollers K are moved during each
upward stroke of the moving head B an angular distance corresponding to a single-
pitch of the corrugating dies. After a sheet or set of sheets has been withdrawn
from between the dies it is delivered from between the rollers also by their further
operation.
In order to ensure that the rollers K will remain quite stationary during the
descent of the ratchet pawl i and for the portion of the upward stroke of the
moving head B during which the sliding bracket L' remains inoperative, a species
of escapement movement may be employed; and such will conveniently consist of
a corrugated wheel or disc o (shewn by Figure 3 only) fixed upon the lower
spindle m (or it may be fixed upon the upper spindle, if desired) and of a spring p
of which the outer end is formed to a curved shape as shewn to press against the
concave surface of a corrugation of the disc, the curves of the corrugation and of
the outer end of the spring and the pressure and elasticity of the spring being such
that the spring will hold the wheel from turning when the same is not being
operated upon by the ratchet pawl during its upward movement, but will readily
allow of the spring being moved outwards from the hollow of a corrugation of the
disc under the force exerted by the upward movement of the pawl when in gear
with a tooth of the ratchet wheel.
It is not found necessary to make any provision for preventing the movement of
the carrier chains when the same are not being directly operated by the ratchet
mechanism employed therefor, but if such provision should be desired a similar
arrangement to that described for the purpose in connection with the corrugated
rollers may be employed.
It will be observed, on reference to Figures 1 and 3, that the upper die is
extended in width towards the delivery side about a corrugation more than is usual.
This is done for the purpose of preventing the sheet metal from bending upwards
on the delivery side as it has a tendency to do when the upper corrugating die is
made of the usual width.
In lieu of the sliding brackets L L' above described brackets or arms to which
the ratchet pawls are pivotally connected may be fixed direct 'to the moving
head B, but such arrangement is not recommended as it necessitates the ratchet
pawl's passing considerably below the ratchet wheels on their downward stroke.

page_text: As the movement of the carrier chains is simultaneous with that of the corrugated
rollers, the carrier system and the corrugated rollers may both be operated by
ratchet mechanism situated on one side of the machine only, the motion of the one
heing imparted to the other through spur gear or other convenient mechanism, as
will be readily understood. The mechanism may also be otherwise varied con-
siderably without departing from the nature of the invention, as will be apparent to
a mechanic; for instance, the ratchet mechanism may obviously be operated
through the medium of a cam on the main shaft M of the machine; and any well
known equivalent for ratchet mechanism may be used to revolve by an intermittent
movement the leading spindle of the carrier system and the spindles m m of the
corrugated rollers or discs. The essential features of the invention when the same
is to be applied, as is preferred, to both feeding the metal sheets into the machine
and withdrawing them clear therefrom, are the carrier system F and the with-
drawing and guide rollers or discs K to which an intermittent movement is imparted
for the purpose described and shewn.
Either the carrier system or the corrugated rollers or discs, having in either case
an intermittent movement imparted thereto substantially as described, may be
employed alone, that is to say, without the use of the other in connection with the
same machine; but in the one case of course the sheets will have to be drawn out
by hand, and in the other case they would need to be fed in to the machine by
hand. In the latter case, however, the corrugated rollers or discs would operate to
carry each sheet, or set of sheets, forward properly through the dies after the
forward end had become engaged with the corrugations of the rollers or discs.
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. Novel or improved apparatus for employment in automatically feeding metal
sheets between the dies of a corrugating machine and withdrawing them therefrom,
which consists of an appliance on the feeding-in side of the machine by means of
which the sheets are entered and carried forward between the dies, and of an
appliance on the delivery side of the machine which carries forwards the sheets
after they have passed clear of the appliance on the feeding-in side of the machine
and withdraws them from between the dies, said appliances having an intermittent
movement imparted to them, substantially as described.
2. Novel or improved apparatus for employment in automatically feeding metal
sheets between the dies of a corrugating machine and withdrawing them therefrom,
which consists of a carrier system on the feeding-in side of the machine and of
corrugated rollers or discs on the delivery side of the machine, such carrier system
and rollers or discs having an intermittent movement imparted to them, substantially
as described.
3. Novel or improved apparatus for employment in automatically feeding metal
sheets between the dies of a corrugating machine and withdrawing them therefrom,
which consists of a carrier system on the feeding-in side of the machine and of
corrugated rollers or discs on the delivery side of the machine, such carrier system
and rollers or discs having an intermittent movement imparted to them through the
medium of ratchet mechanism, substantially as described.
4. Novel or improved apparatus for employment in automatically feeding metal
sheets between the dies of a corrugating machine, which consists of a carrier
system on the feeding-in side of the machine to which an intermittent movement is
imparted, substantially as described.
5. Novel or improved apparatus for use in carrying forwards metal sheets
between the dies of a corrugating machine, and withdrawing them therefrom, which
consists of corrugated rollers or discs on the delivery side of the machine to which
an intermittent movement is imparted, substantially as described.
6. The combination and arrangement of mechanism, constituting novel and

page_text: improved apparatus for employment in automatically feeding metal sheets between
the dies of a corrugating machine and withdrawing them therefrom, substantially
as described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this 20th day of January 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.