AN IMPROVED PUNCHING AND RIVETTING MACHINE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM FREDERICK GILMER of Gosforth in the County of Northumberland,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "AN IMPROVED
PUNCHING AND RIVETTING MACHINE" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a machine for punching or rivetting by hydraulic, steam,
compressed air or other power but specially designed for rivetting large structures
such as hulls of ships, bridges or girders where the ordinary rivetters now used are
difficult to apply and slow and costly in their operation.
This machine consists of two parallel girders united at their ends by strong stay
bolts and between which, in grooves or toothed racks, a circular frame may be
traversed from end to end by suitable screw or other gearing. This frame forms a
strap or ring within which is enclosed a disc which can be revolved round a
complete circle or any portion thereof in either direction by toothed worm screw or
other gearing. This disc carries the cylinder (for operating the punching or rivetting
tool as the case may be) eccentric to its centre to an extent to suit the cross pitch
of the lines of holes to be punched or rivetted "chain" or "zig-zag." A precisely
similar pair of girders, on the opposite side of the plates to be punched or rivetted,
carry the punching die or the holding up tool contained in a disc revolving in a
strap or ring traversed as previously described along the two girders.
Each pair of girders have brackets at their ends which rest on the surfaces of
the plates inside and outside and regulate the working distance between the tools.
The ends of each pair of girders are titted with a strong cross frame composed of
two pieces which are so arranged as to slide, by suitable gearing, to a certain
extent upon the ends of the girders and also toward or from each other leaving an
adjustable space between them to receive the tension bolts. These bolts are of such
diameter as to pass through holes already punched or drilled in the plates and also
passing through the space between the two parts of cross frames opposite each
other on either side of the structure are firmly screwed up by nuts and thus form
the fulcrum at each end to receive in tension the strains of the punching or rivetting
action. The machine is raised or lowered to the working point by suitable tackle
suspended from a crane or some convenient part of the ship or other structure and,
when in position may be secured by temporary bolts through "lugs” or brackets
till the available range of punching or rivetting is completed.
The operation of the machine is as follows: viz: The girders carrying the
punching or rivetting cylinder (as the case may be) and those carrying the punching.

page_text: die or holding up tool being placed opposite each other, and secured by the
temporary bolts, the tension bolts are inserted at each end and screwed up against
the cross frames. The punching or rivetting may now commence from each end
along the seam till the full range of the machine is punched or rivetted. The
machine is now moved to take in a further range of sean and the operation
continued. The machine will work in any position whether horizontal diagonal or
vertical and will punch or rivet seams on any ordinary curves such as are found
in the hulls of ships or in circular vessels of large diameter. Although I have
described my invention as applicable to punching as well as rivetting it is to the
latter operation that I consider it is specially adapted and for which its advantages
over existing machines will be practically valuable.
I WILLIAM FREDERICK GILMER of Gosforth in the County of Northumberland,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED
PUNCHING AND RIVETTING MACHINE," and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
My invention relates to a machine for punching or rivetting by hydraulic, steam,
compressed air or other power, but specially designed for rivetting large structures
as hulls of ships, bridges or girders where the ordinary rivetters now used are
difficult to apply and slow and costly in their operation.
This machine consists of two parallel girders united at their ends by strong
stays or bolts and between which, in grooves or toothed racks, a circular frame
may be traversed from end to end by suitable screw or other gearing. This frame
forms a strap or ring within which is enclosed a disc which can be revolved round
a complete circle, or any portion thereof, in either direction by toothed worm screw
or other gearing. This disc carries the cylinder (for operating the punching or
rivetting tool as the case may be) eccentric to its centre to an extent to suit the
chain" or "zig-zag."
cross pitch of the lines of holes to be punched or rivetted “
A precisely similar pair of girders, on the opposite side of the plates to be punched
or rivetted, carry the punching die, or the holding up tool, contained in a disc
revolving in a strap or ring traversed as previously described along the two
girders.
Each pair of girders have brackets at their ends which rest on the surfaces of the
plates inside and outside and regulate the working distance between the tools and
in curved work keep the machine tangential to the curved surface. The ends of
each pair of girders are fitted with a strong cross frame, composed of two pieces
which are so arranged as to slide, by suitable gearing to a certain extent upon the
ends of the girders and also toward or from each other leaving an adjustable space
between them to receive the tension bolts. These bolts are of such diaméter as to
pass through holes already punched or drilled in the plates and also passing through

page_text: the space between the two parts of cross frames opposite each other, on either side
of the structure, are firmly screwed up by nuts and thus form the fulcrum at each
end to receive, in tension, the strain of the punching or rivetting action. The
machine is raised or lowered to the working point by suitable tackle suspended
from a crape or some convenient part of the ship or other structure and when in
position may be secured by temporary bolts through, "lugs" or brackets till the
available range of punching or rivetting is completed.
The operation of the machine is as following, viz: The girders, carrying the
punching or rivetting cylinder (as the case may be) and those carrying the punching
die or holding up tool, being placed opposite each other, and secured by the
temporary bolts, the tension bolts are inserted at each end and screwed up against
the cross frames. The punching or rivetting may now commence from either end
along the seam till the full range of the machine is punched or rivetted. The
machine is now moved to take in a further range of seam and the operation
continues.
The machine will work in any position whether horizontal, diagonal, or vertical
and will punch or rivet seams on any ordinary curves such as are found in the
hulls of ships or in circular vessels of large diameter.
Although I have described my invention as applicable to punching as well as
rivetting, it is to the latter operation that I consider it is especially adapted and
for which its advantages over existing machines will be practically valuable.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation looking toward the structure being rivetted.
Figure 2 is a plan of machine and Figure 3 an end elevation in section
through A. B, on Figure 1. 1. 1 are longitudinal girders united at their ends by
cross stays 2.2 which are bolted to them, and 3. 3 are legs or struts at the four
corners of the machine the feet of which rest against the structure being rivetted
and regulate the working distance between it and the tools, also on curved surfaces
keeping the machine tangential to the curve. These legs or struts will preferably
be made to attach to the machine so that their length may be adjusted to the
requirements of the work. 4. 4 are tension bolts which pass through the rivet holes
in the structure and between sliding frames. 5. 5, on each end of the longitudinal
girders 1. 1, upon which they can be moved in either direction, to an extent
sufficient to meet the centres apart of the tension bolts in the structure and when
closed as shewn, under the bolt heads and nuts they hold the two sides of the
machine together the strain of closing the rivets being taken by the bolts.
6. 6ª are circular frames or straps forming part of blocks 6b 6° which travel
longitudinally on the girders 1. 1. by means of rack and pinion gearing operated by
handles or hand wheels.
Within each strap is a disc. 7. 7a the former carrying the hydraulic cylinder 8
(eccentric to centre of disc) the ram of which carries the rivetting tool 9.
The disc 7 carries, eccentrically to its centre, the holding up tool 9a adjustable
by a screw.
The discs 7 and 7ª are revolved within their straps by rack and pinion
3 gear operated by handles or hand wheels, and the rivetting and holding up tools 9.
and 9a have a transverse travel equal to the circle of eccentricity. It will be seen
that this machine will close all the rivets within its longitudinal and the greater
number of those in its transverse range without requiring to be moved and, in order
to save time when it requires to be moved, I propose to use a spare set of tension
bolts which can be fixed in advance ready to receive the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is,-
First. A portable punching and rivetting machine capable of operating over a
considerable area longitudinally and transversely before requiring to be moved,

page_text: comprising main, and cross girders, adjustable sliding frames to take tension bolts,
passing through holes in structure to be punched or rivetted, circular frames or
straps travelling longitudinally in main girders and fitted with discs carrying
respectively (eccentric to their centres) the hydraulic or other cylinder with
punching or rivetting tool and the die or holding up tool arranged, constructed
and operating substantially as shewn and described or any mere modification of
such machine.
Second: In portable punching or rivetting machines, capable of operating over a
considerable area before requiring to be moved, the use, in combination with
main frames carrying the punching or rivetting cylinder and the die or holding up
tool respectively, of tension bolts passing through holes in structure to be punched
or rivetted to secure the machine in position and resist the working strain
substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1884.