An Improved Machine for the Manufacture of Metal Cramps for Packing Cases.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1900- Accepted, 4th Aug., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for the Manufacture of Metal Cramps for
Packing Cases.
We, JULES ERNEST TASCHER and Alfred Taschier, both of 65, Rue de la Croix
Blanche, Bordeaux, France, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved machine for the rapid manufacture
of metal cramps such as are employed for closing packing cases. The improve-
ments relate more particularly to the means of operating the plunger; the feed ;
and the means for discharging the finished cramps.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification wherein Figure 1 represents a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan,
and Figure 3 a front elevation of the machine. Figure 4 is a longitudinal
section, and Figure 5 a transverse section taken through the centre of the
plunger. Figure 6 is an elevation shewing the means for retaining the screw
of the plunger die and also a view of the bed die having a single straight cutter
and fixed stop. Figure 7 is a plan of a bed die having cutters, one of which
is provided with a stop. Figure 8 is a plan of a bed die having a straight
cutter and a smooth movable blade serving as a stop. Figure 9 is a plan of a
bed die with straight cutter and fixed stop. Figure 10 is a perspective view of
a cramp, and Figure 11 shews a modified form of cramp. Figure 12 represents
the manner of cutting the cramp from a strip.
a is the cam shaft of the machine which works the plunger or die holder b
in the following manner:-The extremity of shaft a is eccentric and carries
a cam e dovetailed thereon and forming a raised portion a few millimetres in
depth so that when the plunger or die holder descends to its lowest position
and the cam comes in contact with the roller d mounted upon the head of the
plunger, there is no appreciable friction. The roller d is mounted on a steel
spindle supported in the two sides of the head of the plunger which is recessed
to receive the roller. When the plunger is in its lowest position and the shaft
continues to rotate, the eccentric portion of the latter will again raise the plunger
by acting on roller e which latter however in the highest position of the shaft
does not come in contact with the enlarged portion of cam which is shouldered
for the express purpose of allowing it to pass without causing any shock, and
similarly the recess f (Figure 3) made in the end of shaft a permits the roller d
to pass freely when in its lowest position which would not otherwise be possible
owing to the projecting portions of cam c when it is in its lowest position and
bears against the roller d.
The advantage of this method of operating the plunger will be readily per-
ceived, as it permits of very rapid working without overheating, owing to there
being no appreciable friction except at the moment of acting and then only at
a single point of the cam and roller d which are both made of hardened steel
and kept well lubricated. If the plunger were operated by a connecting rod with

page_text: a head embracing the eccentric portion of the shaft end, considerable friction
would be caused (as is the case in certain kinds of stamping machines) which
would necessitate a very slow rate of working, viz:-about sixty revolutions
per minute, whereas by the arrangement described the machine is enabled to
normally work at a speed of four hundred revolutions per minute without over-
heating.
yg (Figure 5) are two legs or supports for the cutters carried by the plunger b,
these legs being made of steel, of dovetailed form, and let into the sides of the
plunger and there secured by means of screws h which pass through slot holes
in the legs, the shape of the holes permitting of the legs being lowered to com-
pensate for wear of the cutters. ii are screws which are slackened to the same
extent as the legs are lowered, and since the heads of said screws bear against
the ends of the recesses made in the plunger for the reception of the legs and the
points of the screws bear against the heads of screws h, it will be evident that
if after having lowered the legs the screws h should become unscrewed, the legs
will be prevented from having any play in the longitudinal direction. The
cutters or shears & are secured to the legs g g by means of screws ; and at 1 on
the rear knife is a small block of steel serving as a stop, this block being
secured to the leg by means of a screw m passing through a slot which permits
of its being raised as the cutter becomes worn; " is a small screw for clamping
screw m after the stop has been raised. The cutters k, which may vary in form
according to requirements, are nicely adjusted within those of the matrix p.
The matrix which rests upon a cast anvil block on the framing, is made of
hardened steel and its cutters o which are also hardened are secured by means
of screws 2.
are set screws for fixing said screws and so preventing the
cutters o from rising. Between these two cutters is a space of dovetailed form
bounded by the profile of said cutters and extending throughout their length,
said space serving as a slot through which to introduce the engraved steel die s
for stamping the cramps, the height of the die being regulated by means of
a steel block t placed beneath it. The cutters are provided above the surface
of the die with shoulders, the space between which serves to bend the cramp u
to the shape shewn in Figures 10 and 11. With the aid of the upper die or
follower which is secured in the base of the plunger by a ratchet-headed screw.
which is prevented from loosening while working by a spring pawl y.
At the moment of descent of the plunger a strip of metal of the width of
the cramp to be formed, is passed through the aperture in the leg or support of
the front cutter (see Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) until it abuts against the small
stop-block of the rear cutter, when the descent of the plunger causes a piece
to be cut from the strip as shewn in Figure 12. The angles of the strip indicated
in dotted lines in Figure 12, which are cut off by the rear cutter, pass away
through the opening in the base block corresponding to the mortised
part of the matrix in which the rear cutter works. The follower in continuing
its descent presses down the piece of metal which has been cut from the strip
and bends it between the two shoulders of the cutters o of the matrix at same
time that the face of the cramp is forcibly pressed by the follower so as to
impress upon it the characters engraved upon the bed die, thus completing the
formation of the cramp.
The finished cramp is discharged from the matrix with the aid of a pusher w
which at the moment when the plunger brises, is thrust forward by the nose
of cam 2 (Figure 1) keyed on shaft a acting on a tee-shaped lever mounted
to oscillate upon an arm bolted to one of the standards of the machine, the
opposite end of said lever being forked at 4 and connected to the pusher rod,
which slides in mortises made in the standards as at 5, and also in a guide 6
Folted to the framing. The forked end of lever 3 encloses a small square bear-
ing block which slides between the flat interior surfaces of the fork and through
which passes a bolt 7 serving to connect the said forked lever with the pusher
rod. When the pusher is at the end of its stroke and has removed the cramp,

page_text: from the matrix, it is suddenly returned to its rearward position by the cam 8
and spring 9, but before said cam has effected its withdrawal the metal strip,
from which the next cramp is to be cut, has been again entered in the aperture
in the support of the front knife which has just been unmasked. At the same
time, the base of said aperture raises the strip slightly above the bed cutters
in order that it may properly engage therewith. The pusher is split as shewn
at 10 in Figure 4, to give passage to the strip which is to be cut and at same
time to guide the strip until it is engaged beneath the rear cutter. In Figure 7
is also shewn at 11 a steel plate having a flared opening which bears flat upon
the bed die and rear cutter for the purpose of laterally guiding the strip of metal
in the aperture of the rear cutter, said plate 11 being held fixed by means of the
set screws r. At the moment when the strip has reached its proper position
relatively to the cutters, the pusher is withdrawn from the bed die to allow the
plunger to descend to form another cramp, and so on.
The flat spring 9 which is mounted upon one of the standards and abuts
against the end of the socket 12 of the pusher rod, serves to exert a constant
thrust upon the latter in order to maintain the tee-lever 3 in constant contact
with cam 2 and thus avoid the concussion and consequent noise which would
be caused by any play or looseness of working either of the tee-lever or cams
through wear.
In order to avoid the necessity of pressing forward by hand the strip of metal
from which the cramps are to be cut, we provide (as shewn in Figures 1, 2,
and 3) a feed roller 13 mounted on the end of a shaft 14, said roller being formed
of leather washers compressed between cheek plates of which the front one is pro-
vided with a tightening screw. Above this leather roller is mounted an idle
iron roller 15. The feed movement of the strip is intermittent and is produced
by means of the flanged eccentric cam 16 (Figure 1) keyed on shaft and around
which passes a belt 17 which is also carried round a drum 18 keyed on the feed
shaft 14. It will be seen that when the eccentric portion of cam 16 comes into
action the belt is put in tension and rotates the feed shaft 14 and that after this
portion of the cani has passed, the belt being no longer in tension will cease to
feed the strip inserted between the rollers 13 and 15. The feed shaft rotates
in two holes made in the standards at 19 and 20, the hole 19 being made of
oval form on its upper side so as to allow the shaft to rise as the leather roller
becomes worn and enable said roller to press against the idle roller 15 and thus
maintain such a grip on the metal strip as is necessary for feeding the lafter
forward. In order to further compensate for wear of the leather washers com-
posing the feed roller 13 the idle roller 15 is mounted upon an eccentric
spindle 21 which is firmly screwed into the frame and can be turned about its
own axis more or less, for the purpose of bringing the axis of roller 15 nearer
to that of the feed roller. The feed cam 10 should be so keyed upon the shaft
as to commence to feed the strip just at the moment when the aperture in the
cutier carrier rises sufficiently high to allow the strip to enter as before described.
In order that the die blocks shall not be shifted in position by the movement
of the pusher, in the bottom of the space in which said die stamp is enclosed
is placed a block 22 (Figures 4 and 5) carrying a screw stud whose bevelled
head bears against the correspondingly bevelled shoulder of the die block s so
that by screwing the stud in or out, the die blocks can be moved forward or
backward, the latter being bevelled at each end so as to engage under the
bevelled head of the screw which thus prevents it from rising. The
die block is secured at its front end by means of a small steel
block 23 mounted in a dovetailed seat in front of the die block
the inner end of the block being bevelled to fit the die block and prevent the
latter rising while securing it in a longitudinal direction. The die stamp s
and block 23 are, like the block 22, loosely placed in the bed die, the whole
being locked with the aid of a forked plate 24 which is clamped to the frame
by a screw and nut 25 and which serves as an abutment for wedges by means of

page_text: which the die block (which may vary in breadth) is prevented from working
forward or backward. Through the upper part of plate 24 passes a screw 26
serving as a stop for the die stamp.
In order to maintain the rectilinear feed movement of the metal strip from
which the cramps are to be cut, two slightly flexible vertical stems 27 are
mounted slightly in front of the feed rollers 13 and 15 as shewn in Figures 1, 2,
and 3, each of said stems carrying a grooved roller 28 between which the strip
of metal is introduced. Immediately in rear of the feed rollers and close to the
front support of the cutter is a two-armed spring guide 29 which also serves
to maintain the movement of the strip (as it enters between the cutters)
rectilinear, and parallel to the cutters. 30 30 are two set screws bearing one
against each arm of the guide 29 so as to enable the latter to be adjusted to suit
the width of the strip introduced.
In order, when the machine is running empty, to prevent the die block being
injured by the follower v striking it, a lever 31 (Figures 1 and 2) is pivoted in
a strap which embraces the nut of the plummer block bearing of the cam shaft,
said fever engaging by its own weight with the teeth of a quadrant-shaped
rack 32 fixed to the cap of said bearing, the lever serving to slacken the nut
of the plummer block and thus causing the stroke of the follower to be delivered
with less force. The lever 31 also serves for tightening or slackening the cap
of the bearing according as it is desired that the follower should strike the
cramp or the die block with greater or less force.
33 (Figures 1 and 2) is a fork secured to the frame by means of a
dowel fitting in a slightly oval hole, said fork (between the limbs of which is
received a small collar or sleeve keyed upon the feed shaft 14) serving to shift
the shaft 14 longitudinally in either direction so that the feed roller 13 may be
always aligned centrally between the cutters.
In order to make cramps of different sizes, interchangeable cutters or shears
of assorted sizes would be required. The cutters may also be varied in form
according to requirements.
The sides of the plunger corresponding to the inner faces of the cutter sup-
ports are provided with oil grooves communicating with channels 34 (Figure 5)
in the upper surfaces of the cutters whereby the faces of the latter are kept
constantly lubricated.
As before mentioned when, it is desired to make cramps of different dimen-
sions, the head of the pusher, the cutters, and follower would be made each of
a size corresponding to that of the cramp required, the head of the pusher
having a tail piece which is received in a socket 12 (Figures 1 and 2) on rod 5
and secured by means of a bolt.
In order to make cramps having their limbs squared at the corners, it is un-
necessary to provide the plunger with two cutters, as in this case one front
cutter and one stop fixed in rear of the bed die, suffices as shewn in Figure 6i.
In this case the cutters of the bed die would consist of simple blades provided
with shoulders to form the cramp and upon the front cutter would be let in and
screwed a shear blade 36 adapted to co-act with the straight shear cutter carried
by the plunger.
Cramps having straight limbs (Figure 11) may also be produced by the means
already described for use in the case of shaped cramps, with the single difference
that in this case the front shear cutter would be straight and co-act as above
mentioned with the shear blade 36, the rear cutter being replaced by a straight
removable blade acting as a stop.
37 and 38 are fast and loose pulleys for driving the machine by power. In
order to drive it by hand the pulleys would be dispensed with and the fly-
wheel 39 be made of increased diameter and be provided with a crank handle.
Dated this 10th day of August. 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK.
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.

page_text: An Improved Machine for the Manufacture of Metal Cramps for
Packing Cases.
We, JULES ERNEST TASCHER and ALFRED TASCHER, both of 65, Rue de la Croix
Blanche, Bordeaux, France, Manufacturers, 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 an improved machine for the rapid manufacture
of metal cramps such as are employed for uniting the parts of packing cases.
The improvements relate more particularly to the means of operating the
plunger to the feed; and to the means for discharging the finished cramps.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying our Provisional
Specification wherein Figure represents a side elevation, Figure 2a plan,
and Figure 3 a front elevation of the machine. Figure 4 is a longitudinal
section, and Figure 5 a transverse section taken through the centre of the
plunger. Figure 6 is an elevation shewing the means for retaining the screw
of the plunger die and also a view of the bed die having a single straight cutter
and fixed stop. Figure 7 is a plan of a bed die having cutters, one of which
is provided with a stop. Figure 8 is a plan of a bed die having straight
cutter and a smooth movable blade serving as a stop. Figure 9 is a plan of a
bed die with straight cutter and fixed stop. Figure 10 is a perspective view of
a cramp, and Figure 11 shews a modified form of cramp. Figure 12 represents
the manner of cutting the cramp from a strip.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings a is the cam shaft of the machine
which works the plunger or die holder in the following manner:-The
extremity of shaft a is eccentric and carries a cam e dovetailed thereto and pro-
jecting a few millimetres so that when (the plunger having descended) the
cam comes in contact with the roller (which is mounted on a steel spindle in
a recess in the head of the plunger) there will be no appreciable friction. The
raising of the plunger is produced by the eccentric portion of the shaft acting
on roller e which is not acted on by the cam c which is shouldered for the pur-
pose of allowing it to pass without causing any shock, and similarly the recess f
(Figure 3) in the shaft a affords the clearance for the roller e necessary to enable
the plunger to complete its stroke when came acts upon roller d.
This mode of operating permits of very rapid working (say a normal speed of
four hundred revolutions per minute) without overheating, there being no
appreciable friction except when the die acts on the work and then only at a
single point of the cam and roller d which are both made of hardened steel and
kept well lubricated, whereas if worked by a connecting rod from the eccentric
portion of the shaft end, considerable friction would be caused (as in certain
kinds of stamping machines) which would necessitate a very slow rate of working,
viz-about sixty revolutions per minute.
The plunger is provided with the following devices for cutting the blanks
from a strip and forming the clamps :--
gg (Figure 5) are shanks or supports for the cutters, made of steel, fitting
in dovetailed grooves in the sides of the plunger and secured by set screws h
which pass through slots in the shanks to permit of the shanks being lowered
as the cutters wear. ii are adjusting screws which are unscrewed as the shanks
are lowered, so that as their heads bear against the ends of the grooves in the
plunger whilst their points bear against the screws h, the shanks will have no
longitudinal play even should screws h become slack. The cutters & are secured

page_text: to the shanks g g by screws j and a small block of steel / to serve as a stop is
secured to the shank of the rear cutter by a screw m passing through a slot to
enable it to be raised as the cutter becomes worn; n is a small set screw mounted
in the lower end of shank g, for clamping screw m after the stop has been raised.
The cutters k, which may vary in form according to requirements, are nicely
adjusted within those of the lower cutter holder p. The latter which rests upon
a cast anvil block on the framing, is made of hardened steel and its cutters o
which are also hardened are secured by means of screws q.. rare set screws for
fixing said screws 7 and so preventing the cutters o from rising. Between these
two cutters is a space of dovetailed form bounded by the profile of said cutters
and extending throughout their length, said space serving as a slot through
which to introduce the engraved steel die s for stamping the cramps, the height
of the die being regulated by means of a steel block placed beneath it. The
cutters are provided above the surface of the die with shoulders, the space
between which serves to bend the cramp to the shape shewn in Figures 10
and 11 with the aid of the upper die or punch which is secured in the lower
end of the plunger by a ratchet-headed set screw which is prevented from
loosening by a spring pawl y (Figure 6).
At the moment of descent of the plunger a strip of metal of the width of
the cramp to be formed, is passed through the aperture in the leg or support of
the front cutter (see Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9) until it abuts against the small
stop-block of the rear cutter, when the descent of the plunger causes a blank
to be cut from the strip as shewn in Figure 12. The angles of the strip indicated
in dotted lines in Figure 12, which are cut off by the rear cutter, pass away
through the opening 1 (Fig. 5) in the base block corresponding to the mortised
part of the lower cutter holder in which the rear cutter works. The punch v
in continuing its descent presses down the piece of metal which has been cut
from the strip and bends it between the two shoulders of the cutters o at same
time that the face of the cramp is forcibly pressed by the punch so as to
impress upon it the characters engraved upon the bed die, thus completing the
formation of the cramp.
8
The finished cramp is discharged by રી pusher ገር which at the
moment when the plunger rises, is thrust forward by the nose
of cam 2 (Figure 1) keyed on shaft acting on a tee-shaped lever 3 mounted
to oscillate upon an arm bolted to one of the standards of the machine, the
opposite end of said lever being forked at 4 and connected to the pusher rod,
which slides in mortises made in the standards as at 5, and also in a guide 6
bolted to the framing. The forked end of lever 3 encloses a small square bear-
ing block which slides between the flat interior surfaces of the fork and through
which passes a bolt 7 serving to connect the said forked lever with the pusher
rod. When the pusher is at the end of its stroke and has removed the cramp,
it is suddenly returned to its rearward position by the cam
and spring 9, but before said cam has effected its withdrawal, the metal strip
from which the next cramp is to be cut, has been again entered in the aperture
in the support of the front knife which has just been unmasked.
At the same
time, the base of said aperture raises the strip slightly above the bed cutters
in order that it may properly engage therewith. The pusher is split as shewn
at 10 in Figure 4, to give passage to the strip which is to be cut and at same
time to guide the strip until it is engaged beneath the rear cutter. In Figure 7
is also shewn at 11 a steel plate having a flared opening which bears flat upon
the bed die and rear cutter for the purpose of laterally guiding the strip of metal
in the aperture of the rear cutter said plate 11 being held fixed by means of the
set screws r. At the moment when the strip has reached its proper position
relatively to the cutters, the pusher is withdrawn from the bed die to allow the
plunger to descend to form another cramp, and so on...
The flat spring 9 which is mounted upon one of the standards and abuts
against the end of the socket 12 of the pusher rod, serves to exert a constant

page_text: thrust upon the latter in order to maintain the tee-lever 3 in constant contact
with cam 2 and thus avoid the concussion and consequent noise which would
be caused by any play or looseness of working either of the tee-lever or cams
through wear.
In order to avoid the necessity of pressing forward by hand the strip of metal
from which the cramps are to be cut, we provide (as shewn in Figures 1, 2,
and 3) a feed roller 13 mounted on the end of a shaft 14, said roller being formed
of leather washers compressed between cheek plates of which the front one is pro-
vided with a tightening screw. Above this leather roller is mounted an idle
iron roller 15. The feed movement of the strip is intermittent and is produced
by means of the flanged eccentric cam 16 (Figure 1) keyed on shaft a and around
which passes a belt 17 which is also carried round a drum 18 keyed on the feed
shaft 14. It will be seen that when the eccentric portion of cam 16 comes into
action the belt is put in tension and rotates the feed shaft 14 and that after this
bulged portion of the cam has passed, the belt being no longer in tension will cease
to feed the strip inserted between the rollers 13 and 15. The feed shaft rotates
in two holes made in the standards at 19 and 20, the hole 19 being made of
oval form on its upper side so as to allow the shaft to rise as the leather roller
becomes worn and enable said roller to press against the idle roller 15 and thus
maintain such a grip on the metal strip as is necessary for feeding the latter
forward. In order to further compensate for wear of the leather washers com-
posing the feed roller 13, the idle roller 15 is mounted upon an eccentric
spindle 21 which is firmly screwed into the frame and can be turned about its
own axis more or less, for the purpose of bringing the axis of roller 15 nearer
to that of the feed roller. The feed cam 16 should be so keyed upon the shaft
as to commence to feed the strip just at the moment when the aperture in the
cutter carrier rises sufficiently high to allow the strip to enter as before described.
In order that the die blocks shall not be shifted in position by the movement
of the pusher, in the bottom of the space in which said die block is enclosed.
is placed a block 22 (Figures 4 and 5) carrying a screw stud whose bevelled
head bears against the correspondingly bevelled shoulder of the die block s so
that by screwing the stud in or out, the die blocks can be moved forward or
backward, the latter being bevelled at each end so as to engage under the
bevelled head of the screw which thus prevents it from rising. The
die block is secured at its front end by means of a small steel
block 23 mounted in a dovetailed scat in front of the die block
the inner end of the block being bevelled to fit the die block and prevent the
latter rising while securing it in a longitudinal direction. The die block s
and block 23 are, like the block 22, loosely placed in the bed die, the whole
being locked with the aid of a forked plate 24 which is clamped to the frame
by a screw and nut 25 and which serves as an abutment for wedges by means of
which the bed die (which may vary in breadth) is prevented from working
forward or backward. Through the upper part of plate 24 passes a screw 26
serving as a stop for the die block.
In order to maintain the rectilinear feed movement of the metal strip from
which the cramps are to be cut, two slightly flexible vertical stems 27 are
mounted slightly in front of the feed rollers 13 and 15 as shewn in Figures 1, 2,
and 3, each of said stems carrying a grooved roller 28 between which the strip
of metal is introduced. Immediately in rear of the feed rollers and close to the
front support of the cutter is a two-armed spring guide 29 which also serves
to maintain the movement of the strip (as it enters between the cutters)
rectilinear, and parallel to the cutters. 30 30 are two set screws bearing one
against each arm of the guide 29 so as to enable the latter to be adjusted to suit
the width of the strip introduced.
In order, when the machine is running empty, to prevent the die block being
injured by the punch striking it, a lever 31 (Figures 1 and 2) is pivoted in
a strap which embraces the nut of the plummer block bearing of the cam shaft,

page_text: said lever engaging by its own weight with the teeth of a quadrant-shaped
rack 32 fixed to the cap of said bearing, the lever serving to slacken the nut
of the plummer block and thus causing the stroke of the punch to be delivered
with less force. The lever 31 also serves for tightening or slackening the cap
of the bearing according as it is desired that the punch should bear more or less
forcibly on the cramp and die block.
A fork 33 (Figures 1 and 2) is secured to the frame by means of a
dowel fitting in a slightly oval hole, said fork (between the limbs of which is
received a small collar or sleeve keyed upon the feed shaft 14) serving to shift
the shaft 14 longitudinally in either direction so that the feed roller 13 may be
always aligned centrally between the cutters.
The sides of the plunger corresponding to the inner faces of the cutter sup-
ports are provided with oil grooves communicating with channels 34 (Figure 5)
in the upper surfaces of the cutters whereby the faces of the latter are kept
constantly lubricated.
When it is desired to make cramps of different dimensions, the head of the
pusher, the cutters, and follower would be made each of a size corresponding
to that of the cramp required. The head of the pusher is provided with a tail
piece which is received in a socket 12 (Figures 1 and 2) on the pusher rod and
secured by means of a bolt. The cutters may also be varied in form according
to requirements.
In order to make cramps having their limbs squared at the corners,
it is un-
necessary to provide the plunger with two cutters, as in this case one front
cutter and one stop fixed in rear of the bed die, suffices as shewn in Figure 6.
In this case the cutters of the bed die would consist of simple blades provided
with shoulders to form the cramp and upon the front cutter would be let in and
screwed a shear blade 36 adapted to co-act with the straight shear cutter carried
by the plunger.
Cramps having straight limbs (Figure 11) may also be produced by the means
already described for use in the case of shaped cramps with the single difference
that in this case the front shear cutter would be straight and co-act as above
mentioned with the shear blade 36, the rear cutter being replaced by a straight
removable blade acting as a stop.
37 and 38 are fast and loose pulleys for driving the machine by power. In
order to drive it by hand the pulleys would be dispensed with and the fly-
wheel 39 be made of increased diameter and be provided with a crank handle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A machine for making metallic cramps for packing cases, consisting
essentially in the combination of a plunger or ram carrying the upper die and
cutters and mounted to slide freely in vertical guides in the headstock of the
machine, said plunger carrying also a pair of rollers engaging with a cam on
the driving shaft of the machine whereby the plunger is caused to reciprocate in
its guides, the form of the cam and its arrangement relative to the rollers being
such that friction between the cam and rollers is avoided at the moments when
the plunger reaches the highest and lowest points in its travel; a feed roller
mounted upon a shaft rotated intermittently by means of a belt passing over
an eccentric pulley driven by the main shaft of the machine; and an ejector for
the finished cramps, operated intermittently by means of a pair of cams mounted
on the driving shaft of the machine and in driving connection with the oppositely
directed arms of a T-shaped lever whose third arm engages with the stem of
the ejector substantially as and for the purposes specified.
2. In a machine for making metallic cramps for packing cases the combination
with a plunger or ram carrying the upper die and cutters and mounted to slide
freely in vertical guides in the headstock of the machine, of separate supports

page_text: for the cutters, adjustably secured to the plunger as described, the rear support
having an adjustable stop for the metal strip from which the cramps are to be
formed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a machine for making metallic cramps for packing cases the combination
with a ram or plunger carying the upper die and cutters and mounted to slide
freely in vertical guides in the headstock of the machine, said plunger also
carrying a pair of rollers engaging with a cam on the driving shaft of the
machine whereby the plunger is caused to reciprocate in its guides, of means for
adjustably slackening the cap of that bearing of the driving shaft which is
adjacent to the cam, so as to enable the force with which the blow of the upper
die is delivered to be regulated substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4. In a machine for making metallic cramps for packing cases as described
the combination with a feed roller constructed as described and mounted upon a
shaft rotated intermittently, of an idle roller between which and the feed roller
the metal strip from which the cramps are to be made is caused to pass, said idle
roller being rotatably mounted upon an eccentric stud whereby the distance
between the centres of the feed and idle rollers may be adjusted for the purpose
of maintaining frictional contact between the said feed roller and said metal.
strip substantially as specified.
T
1
1
J
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.