other Vehicles, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1886

page_text: other Vehicles, and in Apparatus therefor..
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 the manufacture of cast steel wheels for railway and
other vehicles, and to apparatus therefor.
The chief object of the said invention is to economically produce cast steel wheels
which are integral or solid and truly circular and which have the metal at the
tread hardened and evenly condensed in radial and peripheral lines, while metal
at the interior portions of the wheel, including the hub and web and a considerable
portion of the rim is in its normal soft, ductile, and tenacious condition.
It has heretofore been proposed to manufacture cast steel wheels for railway
vehicles by first casting a blank less in diameter than the finished wheel desired
and with an excess of lateral thickness at the rim and then compressing said rim
laterally and expanding the periphery, thus forcing the latter against the face of a
single driven roll occupying fixed bearings.
A wheel thus produced would obviously have its entire rim condensed in lateral
lines, and the metal at the tread could only be acted upon peripherally to an extent
sufficient to correct the unequal peripheral expansion of the casting, and thereby to
merely shape the tread and develop concentricity.
Under my novel mode of manufacture I first cast a wheel blank larger in
diameter than the finished wheel desired, and having a rim substantially of the
thickness desired in the finished wheel, and then, while confined against lateral
expansion, simultaneously subject portions of the periphery to the action of a series
of rolls which laterally embrace portions of the rim, and are gradually advanced
toward the centre of the blank until the desired reduced diameter is obtained.
The radical differences between said prior method and mine will be obvious,
when it is considered that under said prior method the metal at the periphery of
the rim is first compressed laterally and the periphery forced outward, and that at
Prins 1171

page_text: the more porous portions of the rim, a' lateral consolidation must occur with little
if any peripheral expansion, whereas at the more solid portions, the greater
expansion will occur, and hence it will be at these already solid portions that the
roll will chiefly operate. By my method the slight variations in concentricity are
first corrected, and then all the rolls take bearing; and as a consequence thereof,
the metal throughout the entire periphery is evenly condensed in radial and
peripheral lines. It will also be obvious that under said prior method, the particles
or molecules of metal at and adjacent to the periphery which are forced outward
are first shifted from their normal positions in the casting, and then partially
returned toward said positions; whereas under my method the particles of metal
at and adjacent to the periphery of the finished wheel, occupy substantially the
same position with relation to each other and to the interior particles, that they
occupied in the original casting, although they have been forced into more intimate
relations, and with uniformity throughout the entire peripheral portion of the
wheel. Under said prior method the tough tenscious skin of the casting is
peripherally stretched and attenuated, but under my method said skin is hardened
and thickened, the peripheral dimensions of the condensed skin in the finished
wheel being inaterially less than in the casting.
Under said prior method the entire rim is condensed and hardened, but by
my method only the metal at and adjacent to the wearing portions of the rim are
thus condensed leaving the remainder in its normal soft and tough condition, and
well adapted to resist the well known tendencies of a car wheel to break on
radial lines.
It has also been heretofore proposed to develop cast steel car wheels from castings
in the form of discs, each of which is rolled to reduce its thickness and form the
web, and also peripherally rolled to thicken or upset the edge of the disc in forming
the rim, tread and flange of a wheel, thus obviously neither involving my method,
nor producing a wheel of the novel character sought and produced by me.
The machine for manufacturing wheels according to the said method embodies
the combination of a series of circularly arranged and positively driven rolls each
having a pair of flanges or collars and a rolling face corresponding to the periphery
of a finished car wheel, and a housing for said rolls which affords a central space for
the free reception of a car wheel, so that its periphery may be properly engaged
by the several rolls. The two collars or flanges on each roll constitute means
whereby the rim of a car wheel is accurately trued up and the metal confined
against undue expansion between the inner and outer faces of the rim. For
admitting and discharging a wheel and for gradually increasing the rolling pres-
sure thereon, the rolls are radially adjustable and are backed by adjusting or
temper screws, as is common in rolling mills, and said screws are arranged to be
simultaneously operated. I also employ driving gearing in a separate housing, and
connected with the rolls by means of coupling bars. I have also provided an axial
clamp by which whenever desirable, the web of a wheel may be supported during
the rolling operation; and I have also provided means whereby said wheel may
when desired be axially mounted during the rolling operation.
I am aware that in the specification of United States Letters Patent granted to
Hartson and dated July 11th 1854 No. 11,243 there is disclosed a machine for roll
forging wrought car wheels from plate iron dises. Said machine had a pair of rolls
having the contour of a car wheel tread and flange, and these co-operated with
intérior rolls. None of these rolls however were positively driven, but were
frictionally engaged by the wheel disc which was chucked upon a positively driven
shaft; I am also aware that in the specification of United States Letters Patent
granted to Vanstone dated January 6th 1863 No. 37,368 a machine is disclosed
embodying two rolls which have the contour of a car wheel tread and flange and
which are positively driven. In Vanstone's machine but one of said rolls is
adjustable, and they co-operated with an anvil roll and a hammer in developing
a rim and flange at the periphery of a plate iron disc. I am also aware that
in the specification of British Letters Patent No. 1085, of 1861 a series of rolls

page_text: ranged and raulanty adjustable by means or many pieces of snarting
and bevelled gears is described, but without any internal supporting device, and
also without the contour of the tread and flange of a car wheel, but organized
specially for reducing the diameter of welded iron rings, and for thickening worn
rails. Neither of these prior machines is practically suited for my purposes, and
I make no claim to any specific features of construction therein disclosed, nor to
any such combinations as were disclosed in any of said Letters Patent.
I am also aware that the specification of British Letters Patent No. 93 of 1856,
disclosed a variety of machines for rolling the outer surfaces of tyres for car wheels,
and for preparing the wheels to receive the tyres thereafter to be rolled. One of
the machines shown and described in said specification embodied three positively
driven rolls, but the latter had but one flange or collar and bence said rolls had no
capacity for resisting the lateral expansion of the tyres, whereas in my machines
special provision is made for enabling each roll to laterally confine the rim of a
wheel against lateral expansion during the rolling operation.
To more particularly describe my invention I will refer to the accompanying
drawings in which,
Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate in side and edge view and in section respectively a
cast steel wheel produced in accordance with my invention.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are similar views respectively illustrating such a cast steel
blank as is used for producing the wheel illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Figure 7 is a side view of a machine in a desirable form with its driving gearing.
Figure 8 is a front view of said machine.
Figure 9 is a sectional view of the machine on line x, Figure 8 and represents a
wheel in position for rolling.
Figure 10 illustrates in section a clamp applied to a wheel preparatory to rolling,
and a spindle to serve as the axis of said clamp so that a car wheel can be detach-
ably mounted centrally in the roll housing.
Figure 11 illustrates one of the driven rolls with its box and a portion of the
housing.
i
Figure 12 illustrates one of the driven rolls, its box or bearing, its adjusting or
temper screw, and a part of the pinion thereon.
Figure 13 illustrates in section portions of the frame and of the controlling gear
by which the adjusting or temper screws are controlled.
Figure 14 illustrates, partially in front view, and partially in section, one of my
machines having a set of five driven rolls with a car wheel in position for rolling.
The casting or wheel blank A* produced in accordance with the first step in my
process, is composed of suitable steel, and any kind of mould may be used for
receiving the molten metal, provided it will afford a blank casting having a hub a*,.
and web b*; of substantially the same form and dimensions as are required in a
finished wheel, and also a rim c* having the lateral thickness ultimately required.
Said blank must however, be materially larger in diameter at the tread
portion d* of the rim than in the finished wheel, and also larger at the flange side
and at the outer side, although at these two points the excess in diameter may be
somewhat less than at the tread, all of which is fairly indicated in the drawings.
As seen in figure 2 the wheel blank has a partially developed or rudimentary
flange e*, and the tread d* is unduly inclined as compared with the tread of a
finished wheel B*, Figure 1.
It will be readily seen that the conversion of the wheel blank into the wheel
Figure 1, results in the condensation of the metal at the outer portion of the rim
in radial and peripheral lines, and that the main condensation is located adjacent
to the junction of the flange with the tread, that being the portion of the wheel
exposed to the greatest wear. At the outer edge of the rim or tread, the metal is
also condensed in radial and peripheral lines, but to a lesser degree than at the
tread. The metal in the entire flange is similarly condensed, although to a some-
what less degree than at the tread. During the condensing operation, the outer
portion of the rim is confined against lateral expansion, and the metal in the flange

page_text: can if desired be condensed to a degree closely approximating to that at the tread.
In Figure 1 the dotted lines fairly indicate the peripheral outline of the cast steel
biank, and a comparison thereof with the adjacent outlines of the finished wheel
will convey a fair idea of the variable condensation of the metal at the several
portions of the periphery of the rim. The exact variations between the diametrical
proportions of a wheel blank and a finished wheel to be developed therefrom,
cannot of course be stated in a manner applicable to all cases, it being obvious that
variations in the character of the metal, and in the size of the wheel and in the
bulk of the rim, as well as in the condition of the metal as to heat, would each
and all render compensating variations in said relative proportions more or less
desirable. As an instance, however, I will state that for producing a wheel thirty-
three inches in diameter at the tread, and of the form illustrated in Figure 1,
I prefer to have the steel casting of about thirty-four inches in diameter at the
tread; and at the inner and outer sides from one-half to three quarters of an inch
greater in diameter than the corresponding portions of the finished wheel.
Under these conditions as to dimensions and at a favourable heat, the wheel pro-
duced will possess great practical value, having a hub a* and web 6* composed
of metal in its normal condition soft and tough, and the same will be true of the
main bulk of the rim c* especially at its junction with the web, but the tread d*
and flange e* will be in a desirably hard and condensed condition, and truly con-
centric, and when under brakes well adapted to properly adhere to ordinary steel
or iron rails. About one-half of the reduction stated will result in a highly
desirable wheel for light duty.
It must not however be presumed that I restrict myself to rolling the steel wheel
blank while in a heated condition, when composed of specially soft steel, because it
may, when in a cold condition, be made truly concentric and materially reduced in
diameter, and a highly desirable and serviceable tread and flange developed
thereon.
It will obvious that wheels from the same size of casting, if desired for different
lines of service should be differently treated for securing the best duty results; as
for instance, wheels intended for heavy traffic should have flanges and treads
heavily condensed, but for fast light service the tread may well be condensed to a
lesser degree, and the flange only so far condensed as to afford a desirable surface
for contact with the rails, thus leaving the main portion thereof in a softer
condition, and reducing its liability to breakage, but in all cases the wheels would
of necessity be truly concentric, and the tread would be practically uniform in
density and hardness. My improved wheels, when so far worn in service as to be
non concentric may be readily reworked into perfect wheels of lesser diameter, at
low cost:
My wheels can be readily distinguished from those produced by any prior
method, in that the skin surface of the casting at the tread is not noticeably
disturbed; the roll marks at the outer and inner sides of the rim are plainly
visible, and between the said marks, and the interior annular edges of the rim,
the surface is substantially in its normal condition; and when broken my wheels
clearly indicate the fact, that the condensation and hardening of the metal is
restricted to the outer portion of the rim.
The improved machine for rolling wheels according to the method herein before
described is illustrated in Figures 7 to 13.
A is the roll housing which may be variously constructed according to the
number of circularly arranged rolls B which may be desired. As here shown,
four rolls are arranged to bear against the tread of a car wheel C at practically
equidistant points. While I deem it desirable to employ at least four rolls, a still
greater number can be sometimes used to advantage, and five are shown in the
imachine illustrated in figure 14. In some cases three of such rolls need only be
employed, and then two of them would preferably be so located as to support the
wheel on its edge, and the third roll above, so as to locate the rolling points equi-
distant from each other. In some other cases, as for very light work, two of such

page_text: rolls may be relied upon, if said rolls be positively driven and both are adjustable
toward and from a common centre, but then the car wheel or blank should have
an axial support, while with three or more rolls, said support may or may not be
employed, because then the rolls will be circularly arranged and afford a concentric
matrix in which the blank can be confined concentrically while free to rotate.
The roll housing A has for each roll B, a radially slotted bracket a, and each roll
is mounted in a box b fitted to slide truly in one of said brackets, and each box is
provided with a temper or adjusting screw c tapped into the end of the box and
journalled in the outer end of a bracket: For simultaneously and evenly con-
trolling the temper screws, each has a bevelled pinion d on its outer end, and
these all mesh with a large bevel rim gear e mounted upon a large annular hub f
at the rear of the housing, and confined to its bearings by means of a collar g
secured to the hub by means of bolts g', as clearly shown in Figures 9 and 13.
For some kinds of light service each adjusting or temper screw might be operated
by hand, or if all were to be operated simultaneously for light work, the large
controlling gear could be rotated by hand, but for general service I apply power
thereto by way of a pinion h mounted on a shaft, which can be slowly driven as
by means of a worm gear for instance, or by means of a pulley driven by a belt
which can freely slip whenever the desired pressure on the temper screws is
exceeded.
In the back plate of the housing there is a central opening i to serve as a
support for a readily detachable spindle k whenever an axial support is desired
for a car wheel C as illustrated fully in Figures 8, 9 and 10 said spindle being
longitudinally slotted near its outer end to receive a key l, whereby two clamping
discs or cheeks m, m, may be caused to embrace a portion of the web of a wheel, .
and also when desired to afford an interior support or abutment for the rim of a
wheel during the rolling operation. The spindle k may or may not be made to
serve as an axial bearing as may be desired. When said spindle is mounted in a
hub k¹ and so as to revolve therein, and the latter is rigidly mounted at the centre
hole in the housing it will serve as an axial bearing, and if desired an outer
detachable bearing for. said spindle may also be used. On removing the hub k¹,,
the collar on the spindle will still serve as a face between which and the key,
the discs or cheeks m, m will be clamped.
The gearing housing D, as shown in Figure 7 is parallel with the roll housing,
and embodies a central driving gear on the shaft n, to which power is applied..
Surrounding the driving gear on shaft are four roll pinions o each being con-
nected with its roll B, by a socketed coupling bar p in the usual manner, thus
enabling the rolls to be properly operated at any possible adjustment, and
admitting of their radial movements while in motion. As shown in Figure 7 the
gearing is adapted to a four roll machine, but it can obviously be employed for
driving one, two, or three of said rolls, and it would be merely enlarged for
operating the five roll machine shown in Figure 14.
Both of the prior car wheel machines hereinbefore referred to were organized to
develope flanged rins on plate iron discs, and in one the disc could only be inserted
and the wheel removed edgewise, and in the other it could be inserted flatwise and
similarly removed. In the one case, however, the disc was essentially clamped
between centreing cheeks which were fixtures in the machine, and in the other the
disc was essentially chucked upon a driving shaft, but with my machine the wheel
blank can be sometimes worked without clamps and without an axial support, but
both are sometimes required, and it will be seen that neither my clamp nor my
axial support are fixtures in the machine, and therefore a blank can be clamped
outside of the machine, then placed therein, and the finished wheel removed with
the clamp still attached thereto, thus with two or more clamps enabling the
machine to be operated without that loss of time inevitably incident to clamping
or chucking in the use of both of said prior machines.
Referring now to the oppositely located rolls B, it will be seen in Figure 11 that
each has end flanges or collars b₁ between which the two edges of the car wheel

page_text: will be snugly embraced; also a groove for the reception of the flange of the
wheel, and a face b³ for engaging with the tread of the wheel.
The collars or flanges b', 6', on each roll enable the latter to effectually condense
the metal at the periphery of a car wheel in radial and peripheral lines, because
during the rolling operation the metal in the rim is confined between said flanges
against lateral expansion.
Preparatory to rolling some castings, I prefer that the rim portion should be
fairly well heated, and the hub and web so far free from heat that the metal will
not be unduly softened thereby. A casting may, however, be taken from the
mould, while still hot, and operated upon if care be taken to properly cool the
central portion, or even without that precaution, if the clamping cheeks m, Figure 10
be used.
As a rule I prefer to have the rolls B so arranged that an axial support for the
car wheel C may be dispensed with, and I have referred to said rolis as being
oppositely located, and by this I mean that said rolls are so located with reference
to each other that each exerts an opposing rolling force against that of some one
or more rolls which are located substantially opposite thereto, and while in most
cases it may be desirable to have said rolls exactly equidistant, it is sometimes
desirable to have them variably spaced.
Instead of relying upon the original heat in the car wheel casting, I can usually
obtain better results by taking a cold casting, and heating it in an annularly
chambered furnace, which will thoroughly heat the rim of the wheel and keep tho
centre sufficiently cool. When a casting has been thus specially heated, the clamp
may or may not be used according to the dimensions of the wheel and the degree
of heat at its hub and web. In some cases a cold casting may be entirely heated
and rolled if due care be given to centrally clamping it as described.
In rolling the tread of a wheel the reduction in diameter may be readily guaged
by means of suitable callipers, and when an axial support for the car wheel is
employed, the careful control of the several rolls will enable the diameter to be
accurately gauged.
A cast steel car wheel with its rim or tread rolled and condensed, as in my
machine and by the method described, is a novelty in the trade, and has special
value because of the fact that the tread is thoroughly condensed, and is practically
circular, and is considerably less in diameter than the original casting. Such
wheels can be produced at much less cost than the well known steel tyre wheels,
or others of a composite structure, and yet mine are capable of similarly extended
service with equally desirable results, and in many cases unequally worn wheels
can be re-rolled in my machines and rendered suitable for further and efficient
service.
Although I have shown my machines as having rolls on horizontal axes, I do not
limit myself to that arrangement, it being obvious that they could be vertical, so
as to operate on a car wheel while in a horizontal position instead of on its edge, and
this variation would merely involve a series of radially disposed legs or feet for the
housing, instead of the single base illustrated and an arrangement of the driving
gearing corresponding to said change in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The manner of manufacturing cast steel wheels substantially as herein-
before described, the same consisting, first, in casting a solid integral wheel blank,
having a rudimentary flange, a hub and a web substantially complete as to
dimensions and form, and a rim which at the tread and flange is larger in diameter
than the finished wheel desired; and, secondly, in peripherally rolling the rim and
concentrically reducing the diameter of said blank to the diameter desired in the
finished wheel, and thereby evenly condensing the metal at the outer portion of

page_text: the rim in radial and peripheral lines, and developing the flange and hardening the
tread of the wheel.
Second. A cast-steel wheel for railway and other vehicles, formed in one piece
and having its hub, its web, and the main portion of its rim composed of the metal
in its normal soft and tough condition, and a flange and tread composed of metal
which is hardened and condensed in radial and peripheral lines, substantially as
described.
Third. In a machine for rolling the treads of car wheels, the combination, sub-
stantially as herein before described, of a set of circularly arranged, positively
driven, and radially adjustable rolls, each having flanges or collars for laterally
embracing the rim of a car wheel, and a rolling face, corresponding in contour with
the flange and tread of a car wheel, and screws for moving all of said rolls toward
and from a common centre.
Fourth. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a set of
circularly arranged and positively driven rolls, each having a rolling face corre-
sponding in contour with the flange and tread of a car wheel, the adjusting screws,
the gear on said screws, and the one controlling gear, meshing with all of the
screw gears.
Fifth. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a set of
oppositely located circularly arranged, positively driven, and radially adjustable
rolls, each having a rolling face corresponding in contour with the flange and tread
of a car wheel, and a central guiding spindle, whereby a car wheel blank is
centrally located while its rim is being operated upon and said blank revolved by
said rolls.
Sixth. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of a set of
positively driven, circularly arranged and radially adjustable rolls, each having a
rolling face corresponding in contour with the flange and tread of a car wheel, and
a detachable clamp for laterally supporting the web and internally supporting the
rim of a car wheel while its tread is engaged by said rolls.
Seventh. In a machine for rolling car wheels, the combination of a set of rolls
positively driven, circularly arranged, radially adjustable, and each having a
rolling face corresponding to the tread and flange of a car wheel, and flanges or
collars for embracing the side edges of a car wheel, substantially as described, for
engaging with the outer and inner faces of a wheel rim, and a housing for said
rolls which is open centrally for enabling a wheel blank or car wheel to be inserted
and removed in a sidewise position.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.