Improvements in Forging Machines for Use in the Manufacture of Steel Balls.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1899-Accepted, 20th Jan, 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forging Machines for Use in the Manufacture of
Steel Balls.
I, CHRISTIAN C HILL, of 39, West Randolph Street, in the city of Chicago,
in the County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer, 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 improvements in machines for manufacturing steel
balls for ball bearings
The object of my invention is to provide a machine of a simple and durable
construction by means of which cylindrical ball blanks (preferably having taper-
ing rounded or pointed ends) may be rapidly and cheaply formed to an approxi-
mately spherical shape by a combined forging, hammering and rolling action,
when in a heated condition To this end the machine embodying my invention
comprises in combination a grooved shoe and a grooved roll, the shoe and roll,
one or both, preferably both, having at intervals pookets or enlargements in the
groove in which the blanks fit, so that at intervals the grip of the roll and shoe
upon the blank will be loosened, thus permitting the blank to successively and
frequently change its plane of rotation as it passes in its course between the
grooved shoe and the grooved roll The pockets or enlargements in the groove
of the shoe and 10ll are preferably arranged diagonally or at an angle to the
circumference so that as the enlargement on the roll meets the enlargement on
the shoe the blank will be loosened and turned into a new position as the enlarge-
ment on the roll passes the enlargement on the shoe, and so that the grooved
roll, provided with the series of enlargements, will tend to give the blanks be-
tween the roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or glancing blows, thus
tending to facilitate the combined forging and rolling operation
The invention further consists in a series of rolls and shoes, preferably three,
placed one above another, the shoes being on alternate sides of the adjacent rolls
Bo that the balls are delivered from the shoe and roll above to the shoe and roll
below; the semicircular grooves in each succeeding shoe and roll being slightly
smaller or of graduated size to produce a gradual reduction of the blanks
The invention consists also in the novel construction of parts and devices and
in the novel combination of parts and devices herein shown and described and
more particularly specified hereinafter in the claims.
In the accompanying diawing forming a part of this specification, Fig 1 18
an end elevation and Fig. 2 a side elevation of a machine embodying the inven-
tion, Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section centrally through the grooves in the
shoe and roll, Fig 4 is a cross section on line 44 of Fig 3; and Fig 5 is a
cross section through the shoe and roll taken at the enlargement in the groove
when the enlargement in the roll registers with the enlargement in the shoe.
In said diawing A represents the frame of the machine; B B¹ B are a geries
of rolls secured to the shafts C C C and D D D are the shoes co-operating
with said rolls, the shoe D' being on the opposite side of the roll B from the
shoes of the adjacent rolls. Each of the rolls B B B 18 provided with an annular
groove in its periphery, the same being substantially semi-circular in cross-

page_text: section Each of the shoes D D D 18 likewise provided with a corresponding
grooved semi-circular in cross-section. The annular semi-circular gioove
in each of the rolls B B B is provided with a series of pockets or enlargements b
the length of these enlargements being preferably slightly in excess of the ball
being operated upon, and the depth of the enlargements being preferably about
one-fiftieth of an inch or such matter, just sufhcient to cause the gap of the shoe
and roll on the blank to be released at the instant when the enlargement 61 in
the roll passes the similar enlargement d' in the shoe, thus enabling the ball
blank to change its position- and assume a new axis of rotation. Each of the
shoes D D D have a series, of enlargements d' corresponding to the enlarge-
ments on the rolls The enlargements b' and dare preferably arranged at
an angle to the circumference about as indicated in the drawing.
The end or point d of each succeeding shoe fits against the periphery of the
roll above, as will be clearly understood from Figs. 1 and 3 so that the balls or
ball blanks will be delivered automatically from the roll and shoe above to the
roll and shoe below!
.
E is the feed hopper into which the heated ball blanks are placed loosely in
bulk, and by which they are delivered or fed to the first roll or upper roll and
shoe
F is the discharge hopper from which the finished or forged balls are delivered
from the machine
Each of the shoes D D D are adjustably fixed in position to properly co-operate
with its grooved roll by adjusting screws G which pass through the concave
part A of the frame, and by screws G which clamp the shoe against the clamp
plate G which is fixed to the frame by screws or bolts g.
H H¹ are the fast and loose driving pulleys; H' the balance wheel; and h h¹ h³
gears connecting the shafts C C C of the rolls B B¹ B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim 18:
1st. In a steel ball forging machine for forging steel ball blanks or slugs into
approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and roll-
ing action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination of a curved
shoe having a groove on its concave face with a rotating roll having a groove on
its outer periphery registering with the groove on said shoe, said shoe and roll,
one or both, having its groove furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals,
the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give
the blanks between the rotating roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or
glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action
of the shoe and roll upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling
the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoe and
roll, substantially as specified.
2nd In a rotary steel ball forging machine, the combination of a grooved
shce with a grooved roll, said shoe and roll, one or both, having its groove fur-
nished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, said pockets or enlargements
being at an angle to the circumference, substantially as specified.
3rd. In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or sluga
into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and
rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination of a
curved shoe having a groove on its concave face furnished with pockets or en-
largements at intervals with a co-operating cylindrical roll having a groove on
its outer periphery registering with the groove on said shoe furnished with poc-
kets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders formed by said pockets
or enlargements on the roll and shoe serving to give the blanks between the
rotating roll and shoe a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facilitate
the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoe and roll upon

page_text: the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change
their plane of 1otation while passing between the shoe and roll, substantially as
specified.
4th In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs
into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and
rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with
a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series
of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the
groove on its co-operating shoe, said shoes and 1olls, one or both, having their
grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders
formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between
the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to
facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and
rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to
change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, sub-
stantially as specified.
5th In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs
into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and
rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with
a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series
of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with
the groove on its co-operating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their
grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders
formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between
the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to
facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and
the rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks
to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolla, said
shoes being arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolls, a frame on
which said rolls are mounted provided with a series of curved segments A', and
adjusting screws passing through said segments A¹, and bearing against the backs
of said shoes to hold the same in position against the periphery of the rolls, sub-
stantially as specified
6th. In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs into
approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and roll-
ing action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a
series of curved shoes each having a groove on its concave face, with a series of
rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the
groove on its co-operating shoe, said shoes and rells, one or both, having their
grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders
formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between
the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to
facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and
rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to
change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, said
shoes being arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolle, a frame on
which said rolls are mounted provided with a series of curved segments A¹, and
adjusting screws passing through said segments A' and bearing against the backs
of said shoes to hold the same in position against the periphery of the rolls, the
grooves in succeeding rolls and shoes being smaller or graduated in size to pro-
duce a gradual reduction, substantially as specified
7th In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs into
approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and roll-
ing action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with a
series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series of
rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the
groove on its co-operating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their

page_text: grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders
formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between the
rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to facili-
tate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and rolls
upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to change
their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and rolls, said shoes being
arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolls, substantially as specified
8th In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs into
approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and roll-
ing action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination of a curved
shoe having a groove on its concave face with a rotating roll having a groove on
its outer periphery registering with the groove on said shoe, said shoe and roll,
one or both, having its groove furnished with pockets or enlargements at inter-
vals, the walls or shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to
give the blanks between the rotating roll and shoo a series of slight hammering
or glancing blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling
action of the shoe and roll upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also
enabling the blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the
shoe and roll, and a feed hopper, substantially as specified.
9th In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs into
approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering and
rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination with
a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a series
of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering with the
groove on its co-operating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having their
grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or shoulders
formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks between
the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing blows to
facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the shoes and
rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the blanks to
change their plane of notation while passing between the shoes and rolls, and a
feed hopper, substantially as specified
10th In a steel ball forging machine for forming steel ball blanks or slugs
into approximate spherical or ball shape by a combined forging, hammering
and rolling action on said blanks when in a heated condition, the combination
with a series of curved shoes having each a groove on its concave face, with a
series of rotating rolls having each a groove on its outer periphery registering
with the groove on its co-operating shoe, said shoes and rolls, one or both, having
their grooves furnished with pockets or enlargements at intervals, the walls or
shoulders formed by which pockets or enlargements serving to give the blanks
between the rotating rolls and shoes a series of slight hammering or glancing
blows to facilitate the combined forging, hammering and rolling action of the
shoes and rolls upon the blanks, said pockets or enlargements also enabling the
blanks to change their plane of rotation while passing between the shoes and
rolls, said shoes being arranged alternately on opposite sides of adjacent rolls,
and a feed hopper, substantially as specified
Dated was 25th day of September A.D. 1699.
CHRISTIAN CHILL.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C,
Agents for the Applicant.