Improvements in Method and Apparatus for Forming Curved and Flanged or Ribbed Metal Bars.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Method and Apparatus for Forming Curved and
Flanged or Ribbed Metal Bars.
I, FERDINAND PHILIPS, of 505, North "Twenty-first Street, in the City and
County of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of
America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to the method and apparatus for forming curved metal
plates with flanges or ribs extending parallel to the plane of curvature; par-
ticularly my invention is designed for forming sheet metal plates or bars of this
character, although, in its broader features, it is applicable also to rolled sections,
and the particular object I have in view is the formation of pulley rim sections,
although my invention is applicable, as well, to the curving of flanged bars into
other structural forms. In the formation of sheet metal rims or structural forms
I first bend or fold the sheet along parallel longitudinal lines into a flanged or
ribbed bar of the desired conformation, and having secured such a bar, either in
this way or as a rolled section, my method of bending to the desired curvature
is to press it progressively on to the face of a convexly curved matrix and in a
direction parallel to the plane or planes of its ribs or flanges, while at the same
time I support the flange or flanges at and near the point where they are being
bent against lateral distortion, thus insuring that the flange after curving shall lie
substantially in the same plane as in the straight bar and also insuring a uniform
degree of upsetting, crimping or extension in the ribs or flanges, the permanent
form of which prevents any sensible tendency in the curved bar to resume its
original form.
In my method the bar is held upon the face of the matrix at or near one end
of the portion to be curved and then progressively bent over the matrix, being
always anchored to the matrix immediately in the rear of the portion being bent,
and in this way the bending proceeds by a succession of differential bends, so to
speak, by which the strains are brought upon the bar, and particularly its ribs
or flanges, very gradually but with the immediate completion of the bending
operation upon the portion, however small, acted upon, and thus the bar, treated
by my method, has during the operation no partially bent portion, the untreated
bar merging immediately into the completely curved bar.
The concave matrix which I prefer to employ is a roller with which co-acts a
bending roller acting to force the bar down upon the face of the matrix roller,
but this and the other details of the mechanism will be best understood in con-
nection with the drawings in which they are illustrated and in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my new bending machine designed to carry into
effect my process.
Figure is a side elevation of the machine from the opposite side.
Timura 3 is a front elevation of the machine.

page_text: Figure 4 is a plan view of the machine taken on the section line 44 of Fig. 3.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal central section through a matrix roller, showing
clamping device for anchoring the bar to be treated.
21
Figure 6 is a side elevation of a portion of the matrix roll showing the clamping
device of Fig. 5.
Figure 7 is a central longitudinal section through matrix roller which I
prefer to employ and which may be called a collapsing matrix.
Figure 8 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.
Figure 9 is a detail view showing a modified form of clamping device.
Figures 10 to 14 are a series of views illustrating progressively bending opera-
tions performed upon a plate of sheet metal in the operation of converting it into
a flanged or ribbed bar.
Figures 15 and 16 are perspective views illustrating further operations per-
formed upon the bar in order to complete it in the form which I prefer.
Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the bar of Fig. 16 after it has been
curved in accordance with my method.
Figure 18 is a perspective view illustrating another form of sheet metal ribbed
or flanged bar curved in accordance with my invention.
Figure 19 is an end view of two flanged bars abutted together so as to form a
section somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 16 and which may be curved
together if desired.
Figure 20 is a perspective view of a flanged or ribbed bar similar to Fig. 16
showing a provision at O* for anchoring it on the matrix roller, and
Figure 21 is a sketch view showing a modification or reversal of the conforma-
tion of the matrix and pressure rolls.
The method of bending a metal plate into the forms shown in Figs. 14 and 16,
by the steps indicated in Figs. 10 to 16 of the drawings forms the subject
matter of another application for Letters Patent filed by me December 19th, 1899,
No. 25,194, in which case is also described and claimed mechanism especially
adapted for effecting the folding indicated in Figs. 12 and 13.
Referring now again to the drawings, A. A indicate the supporting framings of
my machine, A¹ a horizontally extending table slotted, as indicated at a', and A
an upwardly extending portion of the framing, slotted as indicated at a², A³ being
a plate secured across the top of the upright slotted portion formed with a per-
foration a for the passage of the adjusting screw. AA are bevelled edges of
the standard A² extending out on each side of the slot indicated at a². B is a
plate formed as shown with an inwardly bevelled groove, the edges of which are
indicated at 131 132 and which lap over the bevelled edges above mentioned. I
have indicated at ba shim between the bevel while at 2 I have shown a taper
recess formed in the inner face of the plate B in which fits the tapered head C
of a bolt C¹, the edge of the head fitting up against the adjacent bevel edge A
and it will be obvious that by means of such bolts either with or without shims,
indicated at b, a very close fit can be made between the bevels of the plate B and
those of the standard A². B3 indicates lugs extending inward from the plate B
and lying within the slot a³ of the standard A. These lugs are perforated and
carry in or between them a nut, a threaded rod, indicated at I, screwing into the
nut; said rod being supported by the hub I, a hand wheel 12 resting on the
plate A³. By turning this threaded rod the plate B can be raised or forced down
to any position desired. 13 is a rearward extension of the plate B. B or B are
bearings or supports for a shaft or bar D D¹. 566 are bearings for a shaft E E
What I have referred to as a shaft or bar D D has for its function merely to
support the outer end E¹ of the shaft E. Its outwardly projecting portion is
preferably made tapering, as indicated at 11, and it is connected with the outer
end E of the shaft E by a plate or bar F connecting a hub F through which
passes the end of the shaft D D¹ and hub F through which passes the end of the
shaft E. E is a gear wheel secured on the end of the shaft E the pitch line of
which would be of the same diameter as the bending roller secured on the same

page_text: shaft and to be hereafter described. G G¹ is a shaft supported in bearings a a
of the frame standards A A, the outer end G¹ extending beneath the end E¹ of
the shaft E and being formed, as shown, with a slot g¹. G is a gear wheel fitting
on the end of the shaft G and having a pitch line corresponding with that of
the matrix roller secured on the same shaft. The gear wheel G2 is in operative
engagement with a gear wheel E2 as shown. H is a slide movable in the slotted
plate A¹ and carrying a bearing H¹ for a shaft to one end of which is secured a
gear wheel H2 and to the other end of which is secured a pulley wheel H³ through
which pulley wheel the machine is driven. The plate H is made adjustable so
as to accommodate the gear H2 to different sizes of gear wheels G2. J, Figs. 2, 3,
4, 5 and 6, is a simple form of matrix roller, a preferred, though more compli-
cated, form being indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. The roller J is secured on the
shaft end G¹, as shown, and is formed with an annular central slot J', adapted
to receive and fit quite closely a flange or rib of the bar to be bent. As shown I
have also formed the roller J with corner edges J2 J2 against which the edge
flanges of the bar to be bent should fit closely. K is the bending roller in con-
nection with which the matrix roller works and which, in the case of bars having
edge flanges, is provided with outwardly extending annular end flanges K¹ K¹
which fit over the side flanges of the bar, being bent on the matrix roller and
co-act with the side edges J2 to prevent lateral distortion of these flanges.
In working with a roller matrix it is desirable that the bar should be clamped
at one end to the matrix roller. This may conveniently be done by the device
indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, lugs J3 being formed on the inside of the roller and
supporting fulcrum pins L L upon which are pivoted letters L' L', the inner ends
of which may be forced apart as by means of a screw L² so that their outer ends,
preferably corrugated as shown at L³, may be made to bite upon and hold fast the
web or rib of the flange plate.
•
It will be obvious that in using such a form of matrix roller as J that a certain
amount of difficulty will be encountered in removing the bent plate from the
matrix. To overcome this, particularly, I have devised and prefer to use a collap-
sible matrix roller, such as is indicated in Figs. 7 and 8. In this construction
two independent hubs M M are carried on the shaft G¹ from each of which extends
the arm supporting plate M supporting the divisional parts M2 M² of the roll
centre, these parts being formed as shown so that when clamped together they
leave a space m² forming an annular groove around the roller. M³ are annular
flanges projecting outward from the plates M². m' indicate openings through the
web plate extending from one of the hubs and M are perforated projections
on the plate M¹ of the hub M lying to the left. M M are perforated projections
extending through the flanges M. M M indicate cavities formed in the inner
faces of the roller sections in which are situated plates or blocks Mat M7 M7,
Fig. 7, are pins projecting from opposite sides of the sectional roller into the
roller cavity m² m², Fig. 9, indicates an alternative device consisting of serrated
jaws. M8 M8 etc., are springs secured on the hub sections M M. M³, see Fig. 7,
indicates one of three symmetrically disposed shoulders projecting from the
plates M¹ and co-acting with levers to be hereafter described. M10 M10 etc.,
indicate screw rods passing through the perforations M4, said rods being threaded
at one end and provided with forked ears mo at the other end, said ears project-
ing through the opening m' heretofore referred to and serving to support pins M
upon which are pivoted bent levers M, a portion m2 of which is adapted to fit
against the projection M as shown in Fig. 7 while the free end of the lever is
coupled by a link M3 with lugs m4 of a sliding block M. The block M¹ is
circumferentially grooved, as indicated at M5 and in said groove fits an annular
ring M6 having upwardly projecting pins m¹6 on its opposite sides which are
coupled to arms N₁ of a lever N1 N2 pivoted at N upon any convenient support
such as an arm A, extending up from the floor or bed of the machine. M7 M17
are adjustable roll rims longitudinally movable on the annular extensions M³ of
the sectional roll centre. These rim sections are provided with downwardly ex-

page_text: tending lugs, as indicated at M18 through which adjusting screws M" pass in
position to come in contact with rods M20 extending through the perforations M³.
The springs M8 rests against the lugs M18 and tend to press them inward as
shown.
In the position of the sliding block M shown in Fig. 7 the parts of the matrix
roll are locked together in the position they occupy when in operation. The
flange or ribbed bar has its central rib, indicated at O¹, extending into the slot
between the parts of the sectional centre and its rim flanges indicated at 03
extending over the corners of the rim sections M. The free end of the lever M¹
is forced up so as to draw the right hand section inward by pressure upon the
shoulders M. In pressing the two centres together in this way the bolts M20 are
thrust outward against the adjusting screws M19 which, being attached to the rim
sections M, press them outward in opposite directions and to the desired degree;
and it will be observed that, what may be called, a toggle joint lock is formed
between the free end of levers M and the lugs m of the sliding block M¼ by
the links M. When the bar has been bent upon the matrix roller and it is
desired to remove it the block M is drawn outward, drawing in or down the
free ends of the bent levers M12 and thus relaxing the pressure holding the parts
together whereupon the springs Ms will act to draw the roll centres apart while,
at the same time, they thrust the sectional rim portions together, thus effectually
collapsing the roll and permitting the easy withdrawal of the completed work.
from it.
Referring particularly to Figs. 10 to 17, O indicates the flat plate or bar of
sheet metal. It is first bent, as indicated in Fig. 11 at o' o' to form the flanges 010¹
which are in the completed bar to form the central rib or web of the section.
It is next bent as indicated in Fig. 12 at 202 to form the folds 02 02 which are
then pressed in as indicated in Figs. 13 and 14 until the flanges O¹ are brought
together. The folds 02 are then brought up into contact with the flat surfaces ()
of the plate, as indicated in Fig. 15, leaving a beading where the folds
made and by subsequent operation this beading, shown in Fig. 15, is converted
into flanges 03, as shown in Fig. 16, and the bar is then ready to be bent upon
my machine as described and shown in the drawings, or the beading may be
pressed into the flange in the bending machine.
are
In place of making a two-ply sheet metal bar, as I may call the one above
described, the bar may be formed from sheet metal, as indicated in Fig. 18, a
central fold forming the rib or central flange P1, the metal being folded outward,
as indicated at P2 P2 and then inward again as indicated at P³. Pulley rims can
also be made from two pieces in my machine and by my method by abutting to-
gether flanges Q of plates Q Q and then subjecting the two plates together to
the bending operation I have above described.
In rolling a section curved as is indicated in Fig. 18 the central slot for the
web rim of the plate is formed in the presser roller K, as indicated in Fig. 21.
while the matrix roller may conveniently carry the outwardly extending end
flanges as shown in the same figure, the operation is precisely the same so far as
affording support against lateral distortion is concerned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :--
1. The method of bending flanged or ribbed metal bars in a plane parallel to
their flange or flanges which consists in securing the portion of the bar to be
bent on the face of a convex matrix, progressively bending the bar over the
matrix and supporting the flange or flanges while being bent against lateral
distortion.
2. The method of forming flanged or ribbed and curved metal bars from sheet
metal which consists in folding a sheet on parallel longitudinal lines to form a
ribbed or flanged bar and then progressively bending said ribbed or flanged bars
in a plane parallel with its flange or flanges about the face of a convexly curved

page_text: matrix and supporting the flange or flanges while being bent against lateral
distortion.
3. The method of bending flanged or ribbed metal bars in a plane parallel to
that of its flange or flanges which consists in progressively bending the bar in
the direction in which its flanges extend from its face over a convexly curved
matrix and supporting the flange or flanges against lateral distortion at and near
the points where they are subjected to the bending strain.
4. A machine for progressively bending flanged or ribbed metal bars having a
matrix roller over which the bar is bent and a bending roller co-acting with the
matrix roller to progressively bend the bar into the matrix as it passes between
the rolls said rollers being shaped to form grooves for the flanges of the bars
between the walls of which said Hanges are confined at the time they are bent and
whereby they are protected against lateral distortion.
5. A machine for progressively bending flanged T shaped metal bars having
a matrix roller over which the bar is bent, said roller being formed with a circum-
ferential groove corresponding in position and width with the web flange of the
bar and a bending roller co-acting with the matrix roller to progressively bend
the bar onto the matrix as it passes between the rolls.
6. A machine for bending flanged T shaped metal bars having a matrix roller
over which the bar is bent said roller being formed with a circumferential groove
corresponding in position and width with the web flange of the bar and with
straight side edges over which the edge flanges of the T bar project, and a
bending roller having outwardly extending flanges adapted to extend beyond the
edges of the matrix roller and lie against the edge flanges of the T bar, said
bending roller co-acting with the matrix roller to progressively bend the bar on
the matrix as its passes between the rolls and to prevent lateral distortion of
the edge flanges of the bar.
7. In a machine for bending T shaped metal bars, substantially as described,
a matrix roller having two part distensible centre and two part collapsible rim
edges and means as described whereby the distension of the centre permits the
collapse of the rim edges.
8. The collapsible matrix roller J having a two part distensible centre M* M*
between the parts of which is formed the slot m² in combination with two rim
edges M17 M, supported and laterally movable on flanges, as M M³, of the centre
pieces, distending rods, as M20 M20, acted on by the closing together of the centre
parts M2 and acting against the rim edges to distend them and means for moving
the centre pieces toward and away from each other.
9. The collapsible matrix roller J having a two part distensible centre M²M²,
between the parts of which is formed the slot m³ in combination with two rim
elges M17 M17, supported and laterally movable on flanges, as M³ M³, of the centre
pieces, distending rods, as M20 M120, acted on by the closing together of the centre
parts M2 and acting against the rim edges to distend them, springs, as MB, acting
against the rim edges to collapse them, and means for moving the centre pieces
toward and away from each other.
10. In a machine for bending flanged metal bars the combination of a fixed
shaft, as G G¹, a relatively adjustable shaft, as E E', a matrix roll and a bending
roll secured on said shafts said rollers being shaped to form grooves for the flanges
of the bars between the walls of which said flanges are held against lateral distor-
tion and gearing connecting said shafts to drive the rolls with the same peri-
pheral speed.