IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MACHINERY FOR CORRUGATING OR FLUTING SHEETS OF METAL
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Woolfield, now of Saint James Road,
Handsworth, Staffordshire, formerly of Saint Albans, Hertfordshire,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MACHINERY
FOR CORRUGATING OR FLUTING SHEETS OF METAL."
Sealed the 17th October 1868, and dated the 21st April 1868,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Woolfield at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st April 1868.
I, JOHN WOOLFIELD, now of Saint James Road, Handsworth, Stafford-
shire, formerly of Saint Albans, Hertfordshire, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
MACHINERY FOR CORRUGATING OR FLUTING SHEETS OF METAL," to be as
follows:-
My Invention is to press any sheet of metal to be torrugated into
two flutes as near as possible to its centre (hereinafter called the
central flutes) and while such pressures continue to press the sheet into .
two flutes next on each side to the central flutes, and while all such.
pressures continue to press such sheet into two flutes next but one on,

page_text: each side to the central flutes, and so to proceed with the flutes
successively from and on each side of such central flutes until the
corrugation is completed.
The machinery for corrugating the sheet may be a set of rolls. The
number of rolls required in the set will depend entirely on the number
of flutes the sheet is to be fluted into; if the sheet is only to contain
eight flutes, six rolls will form the eight flutes; they will be fluted
round their circumference with parallel curvilinear flutes like the
intended corrugation. The roll that acts first upon the sheet will be
fluted with two convex flutes which will form the two, central flutes in
the sheet, each and every succeeding roll will be fluted and arranged so
as to press the sheet into flutes in the order and manner herein-before
described. Or the sheet may be pressed into a fluted plate or die (fluted
in as many flutes as the sheet to be corrugated will contain when
completed) by the action of stamping bars to which the required
motion may be communicated by two or more sets of cams (or other
apparatus). so as to. press the sheet into flutes in the order, and manner
aforesaid. When a fluted table or die is used fluted, in as many flutes
as. the sheet to be corrugated will contain when completed, the bars
may commence to press at the side of the sheet, only one flute being
formed for each successive pressure after the first pressure, and all such
pressures to continue until the sheet is completely corrugated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Woolfield in the. Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st October 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,. I, JOHN
WOOLFIELD, now of St. James Road, Handsworth, Staffordshire,
formerly of St. Alban's, Hertfordshire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight,, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign,. did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the. said John Woolfield, Her special licence.
that I, the said John Woolfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Woolfield, my executors, adminis-

page_text: trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF AND MACHINERY FOR CORRUGATING OR FLUTING SHEETS OF METAL," upoñ
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Woolfield, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to .be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar.months.next and immediately after the
date of the said. Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Woolfield, do hereby declaré
the nature of my said 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 is to press any sheet of metal to be corrugated into
two flutes as near as possible to its centre, herein-after called the
central flutes, and while such pressures continue to press the sheet into
two flutes next on each side to the central flutes, and while all such
pressures continue to press such sheet into two flutes next but one on
each side to the central flutes, and so to proceed with the flutes
successively from and on each side of such central flutes until the
corrugation is completed.
The machinery for corrugating sheets of metal while such sheets are
at a red heat may be a set of rolls. The number of rolls required in
the set will depend entirely on the number of flutes the sheet is to be
fluted into. If the sheet is to contain only eight flutes, six rolls will
form the eight flutes; they must be fluted round their circumference
with parallel curvilinear flutes like the intended corrugation. The roll
that acts first upon the sheet must be fluted with two convex flutes which
will form the two central flutes in the sheet, each and every roll must
be fluted and arranged so as to press the sheet into flutes in the order and
manner herein-before described. To corrugate cold sheets of metal such
sheets may be pressed into flutes in the order and manner herein-before
described by pressing such sheets into a fluted plate or die fluted on
the under side with parallel curvilinear flutes like the intended corru-

page_text: gation. The sheet will be pressed upwards into each flute by a
stamping bar to be curved on one side conformably with such flute,
and to be placed under and parallel to such flute, and to be pressed
upward's by two cams rotating on parallel axes at right angles
with the bars and vertical, under parts of such bars, intermediate
between their centres and ends. On each axis will be cams of like
number and form. The sheet will be corrugated by one revolution of
the axes by hand or mechanical power. The axes. must he connected by
.a like cog wheel on each so that they may rotate in opposite directions,
and that the central cams on each may simultaneously begin to press
their corresponding bars. The sheet will be placed upon such bars
before their pressure upwards commences, and the bars will lie on their
corresponding cams and the ends of the. bars will extend beyond their
corresponding flutes and may work in slots or grooves in flanges on the
fluted plate, or may work on vertical guiding rods passing through the
bars. A part of the periphery of each cam will be a segment of a circle,,
and every part of the arc of every such segment will be equidistant from
its axis and extend therefrom beyond the other part of the periphery of
such cam, a distance equal to the depth of the flutes. When there are
only eight cams on each axis nearly one-half part of the periphery of
each of the two.central cams will be such a segment, and nearly one-
third part of the periphery of each of the cams next on each side to
the central cams will be such a segment, and nearly one-sixth part of
the periphery of each of the cams next but one on each side to the
central cams will be such a segment, and a very small part of each
of the cams, next but two on each side to the central cams will be
such a segment. The terminations, that is to say, the last part in
rotation of the arcs of all the segments rotating on each axis will be
in one line parallel to such axis, and consequently will cease simul-
taneously to press their corresponding bars, and as the segments on
the two central cams have the longest arcs, and the arcs of the
segments on the other cams decrease successively on each side from
the central cams, such central cams will first act on their corresponding
bars, and then the other cams on each side of and in succession from
such central cams will act on the bars corresponding to such other
cams. All such segments will simultaneously cease to press bars into
the flutes and then the sheet may be removed. The fluted plate may
be fastened by bolts to the frame in which the axes will work. A
space must be allowed for the introduction of the sheet between the

page_text: salient curves of the plate and the bars when depressed. The curves
of the bars and the salient curves of the plate may be rollers. The
axes and bars may be above the fluted plate or may be vertical, but
in either such case the bars must by springs or other arrangement be
kept in contact with their corresponding cams. The above description
proposes two axes, and connected with each eight cams and bars, but
the number of axes may be increased, and the number, form, and
size of the cams, bars, and plates may be varied, increased, or
diminished as desired without deviating from the principle of my
Invention. The cams nearest one end of the axes may b have seg
ments with arcs containing nearly a semicircle, and, the other cams
on each axis may have segments whose arcs successively from such
first-mentioned cams decrease in size so that the corrugation will be
'commenced by such first-mentioned cams at the side of the sheet and
thence proceed across the sheet. This machine may be made self-
feeding by an endless chain six times the length of the fluted plate
travelling upon two or more pulleys placed in any convenient position,
motion being given to the chain from one of the shafts which carry
the cams so as to cause the chain to make one revolution to each
revolution of the cams. A reception plate must be fixed at one end
of the machine on which the sheet is to be placed. A stud is to be
fastened in such a part of the chain so that it will catch the carriage
on the reception plate and carry the sheet forward at the required
moment. The carriage may be formed by a block sliding on the
reception plate and fitted with a crank to catch the stud in the chain;
the crank must be confined in its place by a sliding bolt which will
cause the crank and carriage to be carried forward by the chain until
the bolt arrives at a certain point, when it will be driven back by
coming in contact with the end of the fluted plate. Two forked arms
can be attached to the carriage so as to push out the sheet when it
is completed. A weight may be attached by a chain to the carriage
so as to cause it to run back when released by the crank. Or the
sheet may be corrugated by pressing it into the fluted die above
described by means of a fluted roll instead of the cams by causing
such die to pass under a roll fluted longitudinally with parallel flutes
conformable in shape to the intended corrugation. A spur wheel may
be fixed on the roll which wheel will work in a rack attached to the.
fluted die in a line at a right angle to the flutes. The die can work
on wheels or rollers. The sheet of metal being placed on the die and

page_text: a rotary motion being given to the roll the spur wheel upon the roll
'will act upon the rack and cause the die together with the wheel to
pass under the roll, thus the sheet will be pressed into the intended
'corrugation. A rotary reciprocating motion must be given to the
roll, which can easily be done by many well-known forms of 5
mechanism.
The novelty of my Invention is in corrugating any sheet of
metal by commencing to flute it in the centre and proceeding from
and on each side of the centre simultaneously until the sheet is
completed.
Also in pressing any sheet to be corrugated into a die fluted in as
many flutes as the sheet is to contain when completed.
The general construction of the machines herein described is also
novel.
1
In witness whereof, I, the said John Woolfield, have hereunto 1
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-
eight.