IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING METAL TIMBER-HANGERS OR OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 29th Apr., 1887.
other similar Articles.
We, JACOB RUSSELL, Iron Manufacturer and GEORGE MILTON BALL, Machinist,
both of No. 26 Franklin Street, Greenpoint, in the City of Brooklyn and State of
New York, United States of America, and HENRY WELLS REDFIELD and JOHN
COOPER, both Iron Manufacturers, of No. 315 East 28th Street in the City of New
York in said State, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING METAL TIMBER-HANGERS OR OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention provides a machine for automatically and rapidly making metal
timber-hangers, commonly called "bridle irons." These are bent from a flat bar of
iron, and are of the shape shown in Fig. 12 of the accompanying drawings. They
are chiefly used for supporting the ends of floor-timbers where they abut against the
sides of other timbers. The two hooked ends of the hanger are hooked over the
upper side of the main timber or floor-beam, and the end of the abutting beam drops
into the pendent U-shaped part of the hanger.
Prior to this invention, these timber-hangers have always been made by hand, on
an anvil; or, otherwise, by bending a heated bar of iron around a sectional die by
means of bending-levers, operated by hand, the die being finally taken apart in order
to permit the finished langer to be removed. By the present invention a machine is
provided which performs all the necessary operations automatically. This machine
may also be used for bending metal bars for making other analogous articles.
In the drawings, Figure I is a side-elevation of the machine, partly in section;
Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; Fig. 4 is a side-elevation in
section cut on the line 4-4; Fig. 5 is a front elevation partly in section on line 5-5;
Fig. 6 is a vertical mid-section, on line 6-6; and Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on
line 7-7. The other views show fragments and details.
The hanger is made by bending a straight bar of iron, in the following manner:
The straight bar, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, is first bent to U-shape, as shown in
full lines. At the next operation its legs are twisted, as shown at 2 in Fig. 10.
...

page_text: At the third operation the flattened ends 13 are turned back at right angles, as shown
in full lines at in Fig. 11. And finally, the ends are again turned at right angles,
as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11. The finished hanger is shown in Fig. 12.
In this new machine the bending of the bar is performed by the following described
tools:-
The bar is bent around a die B on a stationary table C. The die ordinarily rests on
the table, but is lifted therefrom at intervals.
Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan of a portion of the table, with the die and hending
devices. The straight bar of iron is first placed in the position shown in dotted lines.
Then a plunger D moves forward and clamps the middle of the bar firmly against the
rear of the lie B. E E are two bending-rollers which have a forward and backward
movement. Their first position is shown in dotted lines at E' E¹. As soon as the
plunger D has clamped the bar, they move forward, and bend the bar around the
corners of the die B, as shown in Fig. 8, and they continue their forward motion until
they reach the second position, shown in full lines. Thus the bar is forced flat against
the sides of the die. Then the rollers move half-way back, to the point shown in
dotted lines at E3 E³, where they stop, and act to hold the bar in place during the
twisting.
To the opposite sides of the die B are pivoted twisting-levers F F. Fig. 13 shows
the construction of the die, and Fig. 14 shows the construction of the levers. In
each side of the die B is a recess c, with opposite half-round pivots hh projecting into
it. The lever is formed with half-round eyes or sockets, which fit the
pivots. Thus the lever is pivoted to the die with its pivotal axis in the plane of
the side of the die. When the lever is turned up vertically (Fig. 16) its surface e is
flush with the side of the die. Its pivotal axis is as high above the surface of the
table as the thickness of the iron bar to be operated upon, so that when the lever is
turned down (Fig. 5) the surface e squeezes the bar Hat against the surface of the
table CA projection is formed on the lever F at a height above the table, when
the lever is turned up, equal to the width of the iron bar, plus its thickness.
The levers Fare normally turned up, and during the forward movement of the
rollers EE the legs of the U-shaped bar are bent against the surface e on the levers,
thus shutting in the levers by the bent bar.
As soon as the rollers E E have moved back to the position E³, the levers F F turn
down, as denoted in the fragmentary front view, Fig. 16, thus twisting the bar just in
front of where it is held by the rollers E E, and laying it down flat upon the table C,
as best shown in Fig. 5. During this movement the projection on the lever has,
(owing to the position of the pivotal axis), been approaching the side of the die B, so
that it squeezes the bar edgewise and forces it in against the die, thus maintaining the
inner edges of the bar in line on both sides of the twist, and preventing displacement
of the bar.
In order to hold the bottom edge of the bar in place during the twisting, and to
prevent the levers F F forcing the bar bodily outward, we provide beveled catches or
pawls gg. As the bar is bent in against the die, it moves over the beveled side of
each catch, pressing it down, and when it has passed over, the catch rises again,
presenting its abrupt face against the bar, as seen in Fig. 16. When the bar is
twisted and turned down flat the catches yield again, as shown in Fig. 5. We prefer
to construct these catches in one piece with flat springs G G which are arranged in
recesses in the table C, and covered over by plates ", as shown in the plan view,
Fig. 17, where one plate 7" is removed,
The levers FF, after having twisted the bar, are held down upon it for a moment,
thus keeping it clamped down fast to the table. While it is so held, a roller H at the
front of the machine, which has a vertical movement, descends from its normal
position, shown in Fig. 15, and, striking the projecting ends of the bar, bends them
downward against the front of the table C. It stops in the position shown in Fig. 6,
and holds the turned-down portion of the bar against the table. Then two rollers I I
strike the downwardly-projecting ends of the bar, and turn them under the table, as

page_text: shown in Fig. 6. The rollers II are mounted on radial arms i projecting from a
rotary shaft arranged just beneath the front edge of the table.
This last bending operation completes the timber-hanger: In Figs. 1 to 7 the
machine is shown in the position of having just finished the hanger. At the next
instant all the parts return, either simultaneously or successively, to their normal
positions. The rollers E E move back, the roller H moves up, the roller I moves
beyond the ends of the hanger, the twisting levers F F turn up and the plunger D
moves back. The die B is then lifted bodily above the table C, high enough to permit
the finished hanger to be slid out beneath it. A workman then pulls the hanger off
from the front of the machine. The die then descends to its place, a new bar a is
inserted, and the operation is repeated.
The parts and features thus far described constitute the most important and essential
portions of this invention. The mechanism for imparting the requisite successivo
movements to these parts is of secondary consequence, and may be varied or modified
in many ways.
We will now proceed to describe the driving mechanism and frame-
work, when constructed as shown in the drawings, remarking however, that while
we prefer this construction, as being the best for the purpose of which we are now
aware, yet we do not by any means confine ourselves to it."
The fixed framework of the machine consists of four upright side-frames, K K¹ in
front and K K³ in the rear, and a top-frame L. The top-frame is of inverted U-shape,
and is mounted on the frames K K', and connected by tie-bars L' L' with the rear
frames K K³. The frames K K K K³ have ledges J J, (Figs. 5 and 6.) to which
the table is bolted.
M is the driving-shaft, having a pinion M keyed on it, and a clutch-sleeve M²
splined on it, so that it may slide. A pulley N and its fly-wheel N turn loosely on
this shaft, until clutched thereto by moving the clutch M2 toward the toothed boss or
hub of the pulley whereupon they engage, and the shaft M is carried around with the
pulley N for one revolution, at the completion of which the clutch is automatically
disconnected, by mechanism which we have not deemed it necessary to show. Such
one-revolution clutches are well-known, being used in drop-presses, and various other
machines.
The pinion M drives a large gear P on a shaft P¹. The gear P drives another
gear of equal size, on a shaft.
The shaft P has gears P2 P² fixed on it, which mesh with equal-sized gears R² R³
on a shaft R above.
Tho gears P² P² also mesh with idler-pinions J J which in turn mesh with gears J' J¹
on the opposite ends of the shaft J.
The shaft Q', driven by the large gear Q, extends only about half way across the
rear of the machine, and another shaft Q is arranged in line with it, extending across
the other half of the machine. Above these shafts is a counter-shaft S, (the middle
portion of which is broken away in Fig. 2, to show the parts beneath) having
gears SS on its opposite ends. A gear on the shaft. Q' meshes with one gear S1,
and drives the shaft S, and the other gear Smeshes with a gear Q on the shaft Q²,
which it consequently drives. As the gears QQ are of like size, and the gears S¹Si
are also equal, the shaft Q is driven at the same speed with the shaft Q.
All the shafts P, Q, Q, R', and J, rotate at uniform speed. To each revolution of
these shafts one timber-hanger is bent and finished.
On the approaching ends of the shafts Q and Q2 (Fig. 7) are fixed two disk-
cams 00 of peculiar construction. Each has an angular groove l, which starts at the.
center, and terminates near the periphery, having notches and at its opposite
ends, as shown in Fig. 18, which shows the two cams 00 with their grooved faces
turned outwardly. When the cams are set face-to-face their grooves // coincide.
Between them projects a connecting-bar m² carrying a cross-pin, or pair of rollers m
at its one end, and jointed at its other end to a sliding frame T on the table C. This
frame carries the bending rollers E E, and is composed of two longitudinal bars,
which slide between cleats or guides tt, tt, on the table C. From the front ends of

page_text: the longitudinal bars, brace-bars T T extend laterally toward opposite sides of the
machine, and have rollers at their ends which roll against the inner surfaces of the
frames K K. These are to resist the outward thrust, against the rollers E E, in
bending.
The cross-pin m of the connecting-har m¹ projects to both sides, and enters the
grooves in both disk-cams 0 0. The operation is as follows: At starting, the
parts stand as shown in full lines in Fig. 19. The frame T is drawn fully back, and
the pin m rests in the notches 13 of the two grooves 17. When the machine is started,
the cams turn in the direction of the arrow, and the pin m is lifted and carried around
like a crank-pin, thus moving the slide T forward. The dotted lines in Fig. 19 show
the parts after a quarter-revolution, the slide having moved half-way forward. When
a half-revolution is completed, the parts are in the position shown in full-lines in
Figs. 8 and 20. As soon as the cams turn far enough to relieve the push against the
pin m, the latter drops into the straight portion of the grooves. The slide T is then
drawn back by the tension of weights W W which are attached to it by wire-ropes u¹¹
(Figs. 4 and 7), the pin m meanwhile sliding freely in the grooves, until stopped
by the rear ends thereof, whereupon they drop into the notches, as shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 20. This is the position E3, shown in full lines in Fig. 7. Here
the slide remains while the cams 00 are completing their rotation, and until they
reach the position shown in full-lines in Fig. 19, when the pin m drops again, out of
the notches ', and slides rearwardly through the portion of the grooves to the end
thereof, and drops into the notches 3. The machine then stops, and remains stationary
until the attendant starts it for the next revolution.
The plunger or clamp D is formed on a bifurcated slide D¹, which moves longi-
tudinally between the cleats or guides t¹t, and carries rollers oo which roll against
the peripheries of the cams 00. These cams are formed with depressed cam-
portions n n in their peripheries. A springs presses the frame D¹ backward when the
rollers o o encounter the depressions nn, and as the end of the depressions passes the
rollers, the frame is pressed forward again, thus causing the plunger D to clamp
the work.
The twisting levers F F are turned down by cams U U on the shaft P. Theso
cams are of peculiar shape, cach having a quick spiral working-face which com-
mences at the hub, where it engages the lever F when the latter is elevated, and
which as the shaft P is revolved, and the lever F turned down, follows the movement
of the end of the lever, until the latter is fully down, when the cam becomes concentric,
at, to hold the lever down during the requisite time. The end of the lever F is
provided with a roller f³. When the levers F F are released by the cams U U, they
Hy up to the vertical position again, being drawn up by springs, or preferably by
cords or chains, g'g', which pass up, and over pulleys and are attached to a
weight W, all as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
The die B is fastened to the bottom end of a slide B', which slides in vertical guides,
as shown best in Fig. 6. The shaft PI passes through an opening in this slide and
has a tooth which at each revolution takes under a projection on the slide and
thus lifts the slide. Thus the die B is lifted off the table, to enable the finished article
to be removed. When the machine is started again, the tooth passes the projec-
tion, and the die B drops to the table. The die has a beveled projection p on its
under side (see Fig. 13) which when down in place enters a socket in the table C, as
shown in Fig. 15, and thus resists the forward thrust against the die.
The roller H is carried in a frame H', which slides vertically in guides 7. Its
upper part is divided into two vertical bars which slide in recesses in the fixed
frame L, being held therein by a plate. The guides qq are attached at their upper
ends to the frame L, and their lower portions are connected together by a web or
plate extending across behind the frame H'. The front ends of two longitudinal
hars are attached to this plate, and they extend thence back, (embracing the
slide B between them) and are attached to a cross-frame or bridge, 3, the ends or
legs of which are attached to the table C. Thus the guides 77 for the frame Hare

page_text: kept from yielding or springing in a forward direction, under the strain that is brought
upon this frame while the roller H is doing its work.
The shaft R carries a middle cam V and two side cams V V which work between
the bars r.
The cam V engages a roller we pivoted between the bars, and acts to
lift the frame H' and hold it elevated. The cams V' Vengage rollers ww, pivoted
in the frame H³, and acts to force the frame down to its work at the proper time. The
top-frame L of the machine is carried higher in the center, to let the cains V V₁ pass.
It is desirable to be able to adjust the machine to make hangers of different sizes.
For this purpose a series of adjustments is provided as follows: The die B is
removed, and another of different size is put in its place. The cams U U, (which
should be splined on their shaft), are slid toward or from each other, to adapt
them to the altered distance apart of the levers F F. The roller H is set higher
or lower, by shortening or lengthening its frame H', which is made extensible, as
shown best in Fig. 6. A filling-piece is set into the frame, to take the greater
strain off the bolts. When the roller is set higher or lower, this piece is removed,
and replaced by another of different height. The roller H is adjusted toward or
from the table C, by a slide which moves horizontally forward or backward
across the lower portion of the frame H¹. The thickness of the table requires
to be varied, for which purpose a plate is holted beneath it, to bring it to the
proper thickness and when the size is to be changed, this is replaced by a plate
of different thickness. To effect a corresponding adjustment of the rollers II, the
shaft must be raised or lowered. For this purpose it is mounted in vertically
sliding bearings II' which are raised or lowered by screws r. To allow for this
movement of the shaft J the idler-pinions jj are made movable laterally. Each
pinion is pivoted on a pin (Fig. 7) which is fixed to a block y, sliding in a dove-
tail groove y', (Fig. 4) and moved by a screw al.
Our machine may be modified in many ways without departing from its essential
features for instance, in order to permit the removal of the hanger, the table might
drop from beneath the die, instead of the die lifting from the table. Or, the die
might descend through the table instead of lifting above it. The rollers E HI might
be substituted by rounded parts acting in the same manner, but not revolving. The
only portion of the table that is essential is the portion upon and around which
the metal bar is twisted and bent; all the remainder of the table might be eut away
without essentially altering the machine. The die B, although preferably a solid
block or anvil may be made in two or more pieces if preferred, and it may even be
made in part solid with the table, but the construction shown is considered the best.
We make no claim to bending the hanger around a dic, and over and under the
edge of a table, nor to holding the bar close to the twist, while the twist is being
made, nor do we claim the plunger D for holding the middle of the bar against
the die.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim in respect of machines for bending metal bars for making timber hangers or
other similar articles, is :-
1. The combination with the die B of bending rollers or devices E E adapted to
move forward and back along the opposite sides of the die, and mechanism for moving
them first fully forward, then part way back, holding them stationary for a time, and
finally moving them back to their original position.
2. The combination of the die B, the bending rollers or devices E E, adapted to
move along the sides of the die, mechanism for moving them forward to bend the bar
and for holding them stationary in position to hold the bar while it is being twisted,
and twisting levers F F, adapted to turn down laterally to twist the bar.
3. The combination of the die B having recesses in its sides, with the twisting-
levers F F pivoted to turn down laterally, and arranged to stand in said recesses when
turned vertically, with their faces e e flush with the sides of the dic.
4. The die B, formed with recesses in its opposite sides, and half-pivots / h,

page_text: combined with the twisting-levers F F entering said recesses and formed with half-
eyes engaging said half-pivots.
5. The combination with table and die B of twisting levers F F each pivoted on
an axis in the plane of the side of the die, and at a height above the surface of the
table equal to the thickness of the bar to be operated upon.
6. The combination with the die B, table Cand twisting levers F F, of catches or
pawls projecting from the table, oblique on one side, to enable the bar to pass over
them while being bent against the die, and abrupt on the other side, to resist the
outward movement of the bar while being twisted.
7. The combination with the table and die B of bending devices E E, moving
back and forth along the sides of the die, twisting-levers F F, and bending roller H,
moving vertically past the edge of the table and adapted to turn down the overhanging
ends of the bent bar.
8. The combination of the table C, die B, bending devices EE, twisting levers F F,
bending roller H moving in a vertical plane past the front of the table, and adapted
to turn down the overhanging ends of the bent bar, and the bending rollers I adapted
to turn under the downwardly-projecting ends of the bar.
9. The combination with the table and die of the several successive bending devices
and the mechanism for moving them, adapted to cause each bending-device (except
the last) after having performed its work to remain stationary or nearly so and hold
the bar until the next successive part engages it.
10. The combination with the table and die, of the several successive bending-
devices, a driving-shaft, suitable intermediate mechanism for driving the bending-
devices, and an automatic clutch through which the machine is driven, adapted when
engaged to drive the machine until the several bending devices have executed cach
one complete movement and thereby formed one timber-hanger, and thereupon to
disengage itself and stop the machine.
11. The combination of a stationary table C, a die B, normally resting thereon, and
bending rollers or devices for hending the bar around said die and table, with
mechanism for lifting said die clear from said table upon the completion of the bending
operations.
12. The combination with die B, table and bending rollers E E of the sliding-
frame T carrying said rollers, rotating shaft Q', and a cam O on said shaft, connected
with said frame, and constructed and adapted to push the frame forward a full stroke,
then permit it to move back a half-stroke, hold it in such position for a time, and then
permit it to complete its hack-stroke, all in one revolution of the cam.
13. The combination with table C, die B, and twisting-levers F F, of the shaft P₁
and cams U U on said shaft, having each a spiral working-face engaging the end of
the lever F, and acting as the cam revolves, to press the latter down.
14. The combination with the table C of the die B, vertical slide B' attached to said
die and having projection and shaft P, having cam-tooth e, whereby as the shaft
turns, the tooth, takes under, lifts and releases, the projection », and thereby lifts
and drops the slide B¹ and the die.
15. The combination with table C and roller H, of the vertical sliding frame H,
shaft R, cam V on said shaft for lifting said frame, and cam or cams V¹ on said shaft
for pressing down said frame.
16. The combination with table C and vertically-moving roller H of the rollers I
shaft carrying said rollers, means for adjusting said shaft vertically, gears J¹ and P²
for driving said shaft, and intermediate idler-pinion adjustable laterally.
Jah L XL 1007
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.