A Machine for Bending and Straightening Plates required for Ships or other Riveted Structures.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Bending and Straightening Plates required for Ships
or other Riveted Structures.
HUGH OSBOURNE BENNIE Clyde Engine Works Polmadie, Glasgow in the
County of Renfrew Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
:-
The invention hereafter described consists of a machine adapted for bending or
setting iron or steel plates as required for the construction of ships and other
riveted structures. Ship plates require to be bent to an arc of a circle the axis of
which is approximately parallel to the length of the plates. In the machines at
present in use this is effected by means of long rollers, which when operating upon
the plates, are parallel (or nearly so) to their length. The plates pass thro' the
machine transversely, i.e. at right angles to the axis of the circle to which they are
being bent & consequently the rollers of the machine require to be as long as the
length of the plates, and the end standards or framings which carry these rollers
must be set as wide apart as the length of the plates.
In my new machine the operation of bending to the required curve is effected by
passing the plates thro' the machine endwise i.e. in a direction parallel (or
approximately parallel) to the axis of the circle to which the plates are to be bent.
Consequently the end standards or framings of my machine do not require to be
Eet wider apart than the breadth of the plates which are to be bent. The capacity
of the machine is only limited by the breadth of the plates: it can bend plates of
any length.
This machine consists of two series of narrow bending rollers which are situated
one above the other. The rollers in each series are placed alongside of each other
with their axes in the same vertical plane & rotate in bearings formed in slide
blocks which are adjustable vertically. These slide blocks are supported vertically
and transversely by cross beams attached to the end framings of the machine, &
may be adjusted to the required vertical position by means of levers, screw gear or
hydraulic rams. Before bending the plates in this machine the rollers in the lower
series are adjusted by the above gear to such vertical heights that their upper
surfaces take up positions on a circle of the required diameter.
For the purpose
of determining these heights a light bar bent to the required circle is
employed. It is placed upon the rollers & these are adjusted until their surfaces
are in contact with it. The upper series of rollers are adjusted by bringing them
down until they are in contact with the lower series. By means of slide blocks in
the end framings & screw gear the upper rollers are then raised vertically (& without
altering their relative positions) a sufficient height to permit of the plate which is to
be bent being entered. When it is entered they are brought down again by the
same gear & bend the portion of the plate held between the two series of rollers to
the curve to which these rollers have been set. The plate is then forced thro'
lengthwise between these series of rollers so that it may be bent throughout its
entire length. To effect this the central rollers in the lower series are caused to
rotate by belt power acting thro' spur, bevel, or worm gearing, & this gear is
arranged so that its motion may be reversed & the plate passed thro' the machine
in both directions. Alternatively the plate may be drawn thro' between the
rollers by chains or ropes and winding gear. On each side of the lower series of
bending rollers two plain rollers extending the full distance between the end
framings & carried in slide blocks vertically adjustable by screw gear are fitted to
the machine. After the plate has been bent to the required circle these rollers

page_text: may be adjusted vertically so as to act upon the plate on each side of the bending
rollers & give to it a slight curve in the direction of its length. These rollers may
also be used for straightening flat plates.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of June 1893.
CANDELE DIBUITIVATION.
A Machine for Bending and Straightening Plates required for Ships
or other Riveted Structures.
I, HUGH OSBOURNE BENNIE Clyde Engine Works Polmadie Glasgow in the
County of the City of Glasgow 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a new & improved machine for bending
& straightening iron & steel plates, such as those required for ships & other
riveted structures. Ship plates require to be bent to an arc of a circle the axis of
which is approximately parallel to the length of the plates. In the machines at
present in use this is effected by means of long rollers, which, when operating upon
the plates, are parallel (or nearly so) to their length. The plates pass through the
machine transversely, i.e. at right angles to the axis of the circle to which they
are being bent, & consequently the rollers of the machine require to be as long as
the length of the plates, & the end standards or framings which carry these rollers
must be set as wide apart, as the length of the plates.
In my new machine the operation of bending to the required curve is effected by
passing the plates through the machine endwise i.e. in a direction parallel (or
approximately so) to the axis of the circle to which the plates are to be bent;
consequently the end standards or framings of my machine do not require to be set
wider apart than the breadth of the plates which are to be bent. The capacity of
the machine is only limited by the breadth of the plates: it can bend plates of any
length.
In order that this invention may be clearly understood, reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith, in which Fig. 1 is a half longitudinal section and
half side elevation of the machine, and Fig. 2 is a half cross section and half end
elevation.
In the figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
The machine consists of two series of rollers R, of suitable number, which are
situated one series above the other. These rollers rotate in cast iron boxes or
slide blocks B, which are fitted side by side and are capable of vertical adjustment.
They may be placed almost opposite each other as shewn or with the roller in one
series opposite the space between two rollers in the other. They are all (with the
exception of the central rollers T & t, of each series) connected by links to
adjusting levers L, which are hinged in the centre of the machine and the outer
ends of which are raised or lowered by screws S engaging with sliding nuts N.
The hinges or fulcrums of the levers L are rigidly held by cross beams A fitted on
each side of both the upper and lower series of rollers. These beams serve also to
support the ends of the slide blocks and prevent any transverse movement.
addition to the vertical adjustment afforded by the levers L, the connecting links
which connect the slide blocks to these levers are hung from eccentric pins P, so
that after raising or lowering a series of rollers by means of the levers L, each one
may have a small independent adjustment given to it by the rotation of these
eccentric pins. This rotation is effected by means of worm wheels W on the ends
of the eccentric pins, which are operated by suitable gearing, such as worms,
spindles and hand wheels m, as shewn on the drawing. The cross beams A pass
between the end standards D of the machine. The lower cross beams are bolted
In

page_text: rigidly to those standards, but the upper cross beams are bolted to large sliding
frames E carried between the sides of the end standards D. These sliding frames
may be raised or lowered by the main screws F, this motion being effected by the
the worm and worm wheel gear G driven by belt pulleys H at the top of the end
standards of the machine. The belt pulleys are arranged for reversing by open
and crossed belts. By means of this elevating gear the whole of the upper series
of rollers R with slide blocks B, cross beams Å and adjusting levers L, may be
raised vertically clear of the lower series of rollers in order to give abundant room
to enter a plate into the machine as well as to allow of the upper series of rollers
being raised clear of the plate without altering their positions relatively to each
other. In order to provide sufficient vertical adjustment in the rollers at the
extreme ends of the lower series (and in some cases in the upper series also)
subsidiary adjusting levers J are fitted and the rollers attached by connecting
links as shewn. These levers are adjusted by worm wheel and screw gear shewn
at K. Vertical adjustment of the levers L is also effected by belt power driving
gear. The belt pulleys (arranged to reverse by open and crossed belts) are shewn
at M & the motion is conveyed from them through bevel wheels O and worm
wheels to the screws S. The central rollers in both top and bottom series rotate
on fixed axes and both have two points of contact with the plate which is being
bent. The central roller T of the lower series has a worm wheel attached to it or
formed upon it. This worm wheel is driven through bevel gearing U and belt
pulleys Varranged for open and crossed belts, so that the direction of rotation may
be reversed. By means of this gearing the central roller T is caused to rotate in
either direction and since it is exerting pressure upon the plate when the machine
is in action, its rotation causes the plate to traverse end wise through the machine.
As an auxiliary to this gear for driving the plate through the machine and for use
with heavy plates, an arrangement of chain gear is provided. The shaft X is
driven by worm and worm wheel Y from the gearing above described and at each
end carries a chain wheel Z over which a chain is led by means of guide pulleys a,
rotating on the axes b. This chain is passed round ordinary snatch blocks fixed at
some distance from the machine and on each side of it, and the ends of the chain
returning over these snatch blocks are secured to the ends of the plate which may
be then dragged through the machine in both directions by the chain.
The rollers d, are plain parallel rollers and pass from one standard to the other
on each side of the lower series of rollers. They are capable of vertical adjustment
by means of the slide blocks and screw gear shewn at f, and their function is to.
give a slight longitudinal curvature to a plate when such curvature is desirable.
Similarly, short rollers g, with screw adjusting gear shewn at /, are fitted on each
side of the upper series of rollers to give curvature in the opposite direction if
necessary.
Where no longitudinal curvature is wanted, these rollers are so adjusted that the
plate being hent will emerge from the machine perfectly straight longitudinally.
In view of the method above described for adjusting the vertical height of the
rollers R, hydraulic cylinders may be fitted between the cross beams A which by
attachment to the slide blocks B will adjust these to the position required. Or
alternatively, vertical screws may be fitted to each of the slide blocks and these
screws operated by worm or bevel wheel gear from above.
In a similar manner and by the same combination of parts, plates may be
straightened by bringing the upper series of rollers R, into a straight line and
raising the parallel rollers d, the plates being passed endwise through the machine,
in a manner substantially as described above for bending.
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. The arrangement for bending plates which require transverse curvature by
passing them end wise through the machine, or in other words by passing them.

page_text: through the machine in a direction parallel to the axis of the circle to which they
are to be bent, instead of in a direction at right angles to the axis of the circle to
which they are to be bent, as at present exclusively followed.
2. The arrangement of two series of bending rollers R, one above the other,
capable of independent adjustment.
3. The arrangement of hinged levers L and the adjustable connections
therewith.
4. The arrangement of the top cross beams, which besides supporting rollers R,
provide for the vertical lift of these rollers without altering their relative
positions.
5. The combination with this machine, of the chain driving gear as above
described.
6. The combination with this machine of the parallel rollers d, to give
longitudinal curvature.
Dated this the Twenty-third day of March 1894.
H. OSBOURNE BENNIE.