IN MACHINERY FOR SQUEEZING AND WORKING BLOOMS OR MASSES OF METAL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott, of Elswick, in
"IMPROVEMENTS
the County of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for the Invention of
IN MACHINERY FOR SQUEEZING AND WORKING BLOOMS OR MASSES OF
METAL."
Sealed the 6th February 1877, and dated the 5th December 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy Graham Buchanan
Westmacott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December
1876.
PERCY GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT, of Elswick, in the County of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SQUEEZING AND
WORKING BLOOMS OR MASSES OF METAL."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for squeezing and
working blooms or masses of metal.
The machine is provided with a perforated table or grating on to which the bloom
or mass of metal to be treated is placed by means of an hydraulic pusher or other
suitable contrivance. At one end of the table there is a powerful hydraulic ram and
at the other end a firm abutment supporting an anvil block.
The bloom or mass of metal to be worked is compressed between the tup or head
of the ram and the anvil block, during which operation the scoria is free to escape,
and it falls through the openings or perforations in the table.
For the purpose of turning the mass of metal to admit of its being compressed on
all sides I provide a hinged flap, or trap door in the table immediately in front of
the anvil. Whilst the compressed mass of metal is supported upon the table the
trap is caused by means of hydraulic or other gear to incline to any desired angle.
The bloom moves with the flap, and when the ram again advances it catches the
bloom in the position to which it has been inclined and subjects it again to pressure;
the operation is repeated again and again as often as may be desired. The scoria
finds a free outlet by the flap opening. Whilst the bloom is held between the tup
and the anvil the flap is opened to let the scoria drop.
For the purpose also of turning the bloom end for end or in the plane of the table

page_text: I provide a fork or such like instrument, which by mechanism, by preference
hydraulic mechanism, can be made to descend and to take hold of the bloom, and
which can then be made to turn round taking the bloom round with it. The fork
and the apparatus connected therewith is mounted on a carriage above the table,
and the carriage can travel to and from the anvil so that it commands the whole
length of the table. In addition to the main hydraulic cylinder for actuating the ram
I provide a second smaller cylinder for moving it when the heavy pressure is not
required, and at this time a valve is opened by which water is allowed to flow
freely to and fro between the main hydraulic cylinder and a tank. One lever
handle serves to admit water from the accumulator to the smaller cylinder, and
when it is moved further it also admits it to the larger cylinder having first caused
the valve in connection with the tank to be closed. The movement of the handle
in the other direction allows the water to escape from both cylinders and admits
water under pressure to the other side of the piston in the small cylinder to draw
back the ram.
In some cases I interpose moveable blocks between the tup or head of the ram
and the metal to be compressed; the faces of such blocks may be of any desired form.
I move these blocks when they are required into their places by means of dydraulic
or other gear which serves also to remove them again when they are no longer re-
quired. In some cases I provide the table with two lateral abutments to limit the
spreading of the metal when exposed to pressure.
In place of using a large and a small pressure cylinder a single cylinder may be
employed, and in connection with it two accumulators or supplies of water under
pressure, the pressure of one supply being much lighter than that of the other.
When the bloom or mass of metal has been thoroughly worked in the machine
it is pushed from the table by the hydraulic pusher on to a trolly to be conveyed
away.
Instead of having a perforated table or grating I may introduce a series of hinged
flaps like the one at the end of the table. One of the chief merits of the arrangement
is getting rid of the scoria readily and being able to work the ball or blooms openly
and not in confined spaces or boxes so as to let the scoria freely off.
Instead of turning the bloom over by means of a flap I can do so by means of
progs worked by hydraulic rams and arranged in or about the anvil block. All the
movements of the machine can be commanded by one man from the platform on
which he stands.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th June 1877.
PERCY GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT, of Elswick, in the County of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SQUEEZING AND
WORKING BLOOMS OR MASSES OF METAL."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for squeezing and
working blooms or masses of metal.
The machine is provided with a perforated table or grating on to which the bloom
or mass of metal to be treated is placed by means of a hydraulic pusher or other
suitable contrivance. At one end of the table there is a powerful hydraulic ram and
at the other end a firm abutment supporting an anvil block.
The bloom or mass of metal to be worked is compressed between the tup or head
of the ram. and the anvil block, during which operation the scoria is free to escape,
and it falls through the openings or perforations in the table.
For the purpose of turning the mass of metal to admit of its being compressed on
all sides I provide a hinged Hap or trap door in the table immediately in front of
the anvil. “Whilst the compressed mass of metal is supported upon the table the

page_text: trap is caused by means of hydraulic or other gear to incline to any desired angle.
The bloom moves with the flap, and when the ram again advances it catches the
bloom in the position to which it has been inclined and subjects it again to pressure;
the operation is repeated again and again as often as may be desired. The scoria
finds a free outlet by the flap opening. Whilst the bloom is held between the tup
and the anvil the flap is opened to let the scória drop.
For the purpose also of turning the bloom end for end or in the plane of the
table I provide a fork or such like instrument, which by mechanism, by preference
hydraulic mechanism, can be made to descend and to take hold of the bloom, and
which then can be made to turn round taking the bloom round with it. The fork
and the apparatus connected therewith is mounted on a carriage above the table,
and the carriage can travel to and from the anvil so that it commands the whole
length of the table. In addition to the main hydraulic cylinder for actuating the
ram I provide a second smaller cylinder for moving it when the heavy pressure is
not required, and. at this time a valve is opened by which water is allowed to flow.
freely to and fro between the main hydraulic cylinder and a tank.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine for squeezing and working blooms or
masses of metal; it is constructed in the manner in which I prefer to carry out my
Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the machine with some of the upper parts removed.
Figure 3 is a plan of the parts removed from Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the line a, a, in Figure 2.
u, a, are bed girders, to which the main hydraulic cylinder bis firmly fixed at
one end, and the abutment c at the other end; d, d, are tie bars, which also connect
the cylinder b and the abutment c; e is the tup or moveable head, with which the
ram working in the cylinder bis armed; f is a moveable anvil block resting against
the abutment c; g is a hinged flap immediately in front of the anvil block f; it
serves to turn the bloom or mass under treatment, and also by descending to leave
a free space for the escape of the scoria. In front of the flap g is the table h, con-
sisting of gratings laid on transverse bars connecting the girders a, a, or where the
flap g is found to afford a sufficiently free escape for the scoria plain slabs may be
substituted for gratings. i is an auxiliary cylinder for moving the main ram when
the heavy pressure is not required; is a carrier for conveying the bloom or mass
of metal on to and from the table of the machine; it is so arranged that it can slide
to and fro along a girder frame which is fixed to the side of one of the girders a,
and stands out from it at right angles; 7 and m are two hydraulic presses by which
the carrier is actuated; n, n, are guides fixed above the table of the machine, and
along them the saddle o is able to slide; it is actuated by the hydraulic presses p
and q, and it carries a fork-like instrument for turning the bloom or mass of metal
on the table of the machine. This instrument consists of a stem r, at the upper end
of which is a piston within the hydraulic cylinders carried by the saddle o; by
means of the cylinder s the stem can at pleasure be raised and lowered. At the
lower end of the stem r there is a disc having sockets in it, in which the pins t are
held; they are able to move freely in the sockets, and heads at their upper ends
prevent them falling through; thus, when the stem ? is lowered so as to bring the
disc which it carries down to the bloom or mass of metal those pins which come
into contact with the metal rise up out of the way, whilst .those which fall beyond
the edges of the bloom or mass remain down in their places, as they are seen in
Figure 1. When the fork-like instrument has been lowered it can be rotated, and.
this effects the turning of the bloom or mass upon the table. For the purpose of
turning the stem r it is caused to pass through a square hole in the centre of the
chain wheel u carried by the saddle o, and this hole the stem fits, but it is able to
;

page_text: slide freely through it.. A chain passes around the chain wheel u, and over pulleys
on the heads of the rams in the presses and w, which are carried upon the saddle
to which also the ends of the chain are attached. The turning of the fork and the
bloom or mass of metal with which its prongs are in contact is effected by admitting
water under pressure to one of the presses v, w, whilst the water contained in the
other is free to escape.
In working the machine the bloom or mass of metal is brought from the furnace,
and placed upon the carrier k, when this is drawn back to the position in which it
is represented in Figures 2 and 3. The carrier is then advanced until it is over the
table of the machine, when by admitting water to the auxiliary cylinder ȧ the ram
with the tupe are caused to move forward until the metal becomes held between
the tup and the anvil block f. The carrier now retires, and the metal is squeczed
by admitting water to the main cylinder b, which is competent to apply a very
heavy pressure. During this operation the flap y is so placed as to admit of the
escape of the scoria, and when in the judgment of the workman sufficient pressure
has been applied the ram is caused to retire, and the metal is turned one-quarter
round by raising the flap so as to cause the mass to fall on to its side; this done
the rain is again caused to advance, and pressure applied as before, and so the metal
is pressed again and again as often as may be considered desirable.
When it is wished to press the bloom or mass on its edges the flap g is lowered
to turn the metal, and in this way the metal can be turned through any small
angle between the pressures, the flap being lowered more or less according to the
amount of rotation it is desired to impart to the work. The flap g is shown by
dotted lines in two positions in Figure 1.
When it is wished to apply endway pressure to the bloom or mass it is turned
one-quarter by means of the fork-like turner, as already explained, so as to bring
the ends of the work opposite to the tup and anvil.
When the metal has been sufficiently worked it is removed from the table of
the machine by causing the carrier k again to come forward, when its leading edge
acts as a pusher, and slides the bloom or mass off the table on to a barrow or truck
placed to receive it. x is a platform, on which stands the workman who controls
the action of the machine. He has before him for this purpose a number of lever
handles and a pair of treadles. is a lever working a slide valve, by means of
which water is admitted from an accumulator to the cylinder i to advance the
main ram, and this valve also when the ram is required to retire opens a passage
from the cylinder i to allow water to escape. The ram working in the cylinder i
is armed with a piston, dividing the interior of the cylinder into two chambers, of
which one, namely, the annular space between the ram and the cylinder, is at all
times in communication with the accumulator, so that when the water is allowed to
escape so as no longer to press upon the other side of the piston the ram retires
drawing with it the main ram in the cylinder b, to which it is attached.
The cylinder b, except at the times when the heavy pressure is to be applied, is
always in free communication with the cistern y by a passage capable of being
closed by a valve worked by a small hydraulic press z; b¹ is the lever handle for
controlling the ram of the main cylinder b; it has two duties to perform, to work
the valve of the press z, and also the valve by which water is admitted from the
accumulator to the cylinder b to give the pressure. The press z has a piston on its
ram, and one end of the cylinder is in constant communication with the accumu-
lator. By a slide valve which the lever b¹ operates in the first part of its move-
ment water under pressure is admitted to and drawn off from the other end of the
press to move the ram to and fro. The pressure is admitted to the full area of
the piston for the purpose of opening the outlet from the cylinder b, and when this
pressure is withdrawn the constant pressure in the annular space causes the return
of the ram and the closing of the valve.
When the lever b¹ is moved for the purpose of applying the pressure its first
action is on the valve of the press to close the communication between b and y,
and then in its further motion it moves a slide valve, opening the communication

page_text: between b and the accumulator. To take off the pressure the lever b¹ is moved in
the contrary direction, and the connection between b and the accumulator is first
closed, and then the connection between b and y is opened. The valve worked
by the press is compound, a small slide on the back of the inain valve; the
small slide is moved first, and then carries the main valve with it. g¹ and g³ are
the treadles, and they serve to control the flap g.
The treadle g when depressed moves a valve, which admits water from the
accumulator to the press g*, and similarly the treadle g² operates on a valve in
connection with the press g**.
When the treadles are allowed to rise the valves permit the escape of water from
the presses and the flap g descends by its own weight and that of the parts in
connection with it. The press g** is employed when the power of the press g* is
insufficient, and when in use it presses against a stem projecting from the rear of
the ram of the press g*, which ram is connected with an arm on the axis upon
which the flap g is fixed by an arrangement of levers clearly seen in Figure 1.
kis the lever handle by which the carrier k is controlled; it works a slide
valve, and according as it is moved in one direction or the other it admits water
from the accumulator to one or other of the presses l, m, and allows it to escape
from the other.
The connection between the rams of the presses and the carrier is by chains
connected to the carrier, and passing over pulleys on the heads of the rams, and
over other fixed pulleys, as the Drawings show. 0¹ is the lever handle, by means
of which the motion of the saddle o along its guides is produced; it operates a slide
valve in connection with the cylinders p and q, the rams of which are attached to
the saddle, the one directly and the other through a stem extending out from its
rear end; is the lever handle for controlling the fork-like turner; it acts on a
valve which admits water to the press 8 to lift the fork, and allows the water to
escape when the fork is to descend, which it does by its own weight; u¹ is the
lever handle for controlling the turning of the fork, which it does by working a
valve admitting water to the presses v and w. Jointed pipes connect the presses
on the saddle with the stationary pipes leading to the accumulator.
The
In place of employing two levers to work the main and auxiliary presses band i
one lever, handle may serve to admit water from the accumulator to the smaller
cylinder, and when it is moved further also to admit it to the larger cylinder,
having first caused the valve in connection with the tank to be closed.
movement of the handle in the other direction then allows the water to escape
from both cylinders, and admits water under pressure to the other side of the piston
in the small cylinder to draw back the ram.
In some cases I interpose moveable blocks between the tup or head of the ram
and the metal to be compressed; the faces of such blocks may be of any desired
form. I can also move these blocks when they are required into their places by
means of hydraulic or other gear, which serves also to remove them again when
they are no longer required.
In some cases I provide the table with two lateral abutments to limit the
spreading of the metal when exposed to pressure; these abutments may be formed
on the anvil block.
In place of using a large and a small pressure cylinder a single cylinder may be
employed, and in connection with it two accumulators or suppliers of water under
pressure, the pressure of one supplier being much lighter than that of the other.
Instead of having a perforated table or grating I may introduce a series of hinged
flaps, like the one at the end of the table. One of the chief merits of the arrange-
ment is getting rid of the scoria readily, and being able to work the ball or blooms
openly, and not in confined spaces or boxes, so as to let the scoria freely off.
Instead of turning the bloom over by means of a flap I can do so by means of
progs worked by hydraulic rams, and arranged in or about the anvil block.
All the movements of the machine can be commanded by one man from the
platform on which he stands,

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of machinery for squeezing and working blooms or masses
of metals, substantially as described.
Second. The flap for permitting the escape of scoria and for turning the bloom
or mass, substantially as described.
Third. The fork-like instrument for turning the bloom or mass of metal upon
the table of the machine, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Percy Graham Buchanan Westmacott, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
PERCY GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT. (L.S.)