Apparatus for rolling and forming articles

Claim 1

Apparatus for forming from a relatively thick workpiece a plurality of articles interconnected by relatively thin portions of the workpiece, comprising a relatively large roller rotating at a predetermined peripheral speed, said relatively large roller having a plurality of pockets spaced in an annular series about the periphery thereof, and a plurality of relatively small rollers spaced about a substantial portion of the periphery of said relatively large roller and outwardly therefrom and arranged in a C-shaped configuration, means supporting said relatively small rollers for rotation each about its own axis at substantially the same peripheral speed as said relatively large roller, said C-shaped configuration defining with said periphery a C-shaped throat that progressively narrows in one direction about said relatively large roller, said relatively thick workpiece entering said throat and traveling through said throat at a speed equal to the peripheral speed of said relatively large roller undergoing a deformation in which material of the workpiece is progressively forced into said pockets when said pockets are juxtaposed with said relatively small rollers, articles forming in said pockets remaining in said pockets while in said C-shaped throat and progressively thickening in a direction radially of said relatively large roller at the same time that said workpiece between said articles becomes progressively thinner.