CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND PLANISHING METALS
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Soutter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
January 1863.
I. WILLIAM SOUTTER, Coppersmith. of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND PLANISHING METALS," to be as follows (that is
to say):-
My apparatus consists of a stand in which a spindle is fitted with split or
other collars, similar to the head of a common lathe, and upon the spindle a
fast and loose pulley is fitted for receiving the band by which the apparatus is
intended to be worked or stopped and put in motion, as required (herein-after
to be referred to), and on the same spindle are a series of fixed or adjustable
projections. This apparatus may be fitted to a bed suitable for receiving the
one or any continuous number. as space and circumstances may require; and
in the front of the apparatus an adjustable socket is fitted, capable of being
moved and set in its horizontal range, and into this socket the haft or handle
of a hammer is fitted in such a way that it may be pushed in or out and held
with set screws; the inner end of the haft I purpose terminating with a steel
Price 8d.l

page_text: or other suitable hard metal cap for the purpose of protecting it from undue
wear, as this part is brought continuously, in the process of working, in contact
with the projections before referred to on the spindle, producing a tilting
motion to the hammer, the socket before described being the fulcrum of its
motion. at the outer end of the handle the hammer is to be fixed in any
desirable way, and at a suitable height from the ground, and in radial position
with the action of the hammer and the socket (in which it works) the bed. or
what is technically termed the "horse," is placed. This part may be described
as being composed of a suitable compact body of steel, or iron and steel,
polished on its upper surface, forming the countersurface with the face of the
hammer. In setting this apparatus to work 1. by preference, use a treadle,
so that it may be put in motion or stopped by the foot, thereby leaving the
hands of the operator entirely free. This 1 effect with a sliding bar fitted
at the back, to which is connected a projecting fork for clipping the
band, one end of this sliding bar is fitted with a common bell or spiral
spring, or other equivalent, and to the other end of the bar I connect a
bell-crank lever. to which is attached a connecting rod to connect this
lever with the treadle: from this it will be seen that when the operator
sits down to work the metal to be planished or raised is placed beneath
the hammer on the boil or "horse," and by putting the foot on the treadle
a traversing motion is given to the bar and fork which conveys the band
from the loose to the fast pulley, and the work commences by the hammer
being tilted and let drop on the work as many times at each revolution
of the spindle as there are projections for tilting the hammer; the work
being completed, or the withdrawal of the foot from the treadle, will be
sufficient to stay the operation, as it would be injurious to allow the polished
surfaces of the hammer and bed to beat in contact. This description applies
to the process of what is technically called "planishing," which may be done
by the apparatus thus described very superior and at one-fourth the cost of
hand labour. When this apparatus is used for raising it is only necessary to
apply a hammer with a suitable face and bed or counterpart to correspond,
which in some cases is not necessarily essential to be of metal, as would be
well understood by skilled workmen accustomed to such work. The speed of
the apparatus may be varied and regulated by the relative size of the pulleys,
or back gearing may be used in the manner in which the motion of lathes is
regulated, or in any other suitable manner; and the momentum or. force of
the blow I purpose regulating by means of the socket in which the hanımer
haft is secured, that is to say, by setting the hammer haft further in the socket
the greater amount of lift or till will be obtained. This general description

page_text: will admit of much diversification of detail without affecting the object of my
improvement, which is that of working a hammer or hammers by steam,
water, or other auxiliary power, for the purpose of planishing and raising
metals, whereby much economy of labour and superior work is produced.
SPECIFICATION
in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Soutter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st July 1863,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SOUTTER, Coppersmith. of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign. did. for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Soutter, Her special license that I, the said William
Soutter, my executors. administrators, and assigns. or such others, as 1,
the said William Soutter, my executors, administrators. and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed. should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise. and vend. within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "CERTAIN APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND PLANISHING METALS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said William Soutter, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be perforined, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Soutter, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My apparatus for raising and planishing metals consists of a cast-iron bed
or stand with vertical ends, between which a spindle is fitted in split or other
collars, similar to the head of a common lathe, with the exception that
collars are formed at each end, and upon the spindle fast and loose pulleys are

page_text: fitted for receiving the band by which the apparatus is intended to be worked,
and on the same or auxiliary spindle, according to the speed or work desired,
are fixed a series of adjustable projections or tilt arms. The apparatus thus
described may be fitted to a stand suitable for receiving the one, or continuous
for accommodating any limited number, as space or circumstances may
require; and in the front of the apparatus an adjustable socket. fitted with
axes working in collars, and capable of being moved and set in its horizontal,
angular, and vertical range, and into this socket the haft or handle of a
hammer is fitted in such a way that it may be placed or adjusted in or out
and held with set screws; the inner end of the haft. 1 purpose terminating
with a steel or other suitable hard metal cap for the purpose of protecting it.
from undue wear, as this part is brought continuously in contact with the
projections or tilt arms before referred to on the spindle during the working
of the apparatus, thereby imparting a tilting motion to the hammer. the axes
before described being the fulcrum of its motion: at the outer end of the
handle the hammer is to be fixed in any desirable way, and at a suitable
height from the ground; and in radial position with the action of the hammer.
the bed, or what is technically termed the "horse," is placed; this part may
be described as being composed of a suitable compact body of steel. or iron
and steel, polished on its upper surface, forming the counter-surface with the
face of the hammer. In setting this apparatus to work by preference use
a treadle, so that it may be put in motion or stopped by shifting the band
from the loose to the fast, or fast to the loose pulley, by pressing the foot on
the treadle or removing it, that is to say, when the foot is off the band will
shift to the loose pulley, and when on, the apparatus or hammer will be at
work, thereby leaving the hands of the operator entirely free; this I effect
with a sliding bar fitted at the back, to which is connected a projecting fork
for clipping the band; one end of this sliding bar is fitted with a common bell
or spiral spring, weight, or other equivalent; and to the other end of the bar
I connect a bell-crank lever, to which it attached a connecting rod to connect
this lever with the treadle above referred to; from this it will be seen that
when the operator sits down to work the metal to be planished or raised is
placed beneath the hammer or the bed or "horse," and by putting the foot on
the treadle a traversing motion is given to the bar and fork which conveys the
band from the loose to the fast pulley, and the work commences by the
hammer being tilted and let drop on the work as many times at each revo
lution of the spindle as there are projections or arms for tilting the hammer
On the completion of the work the withdrawal of the foot from the treadle
will be sufficient to stay further operation, as it would be injurious to allow

page_text: the polished surfaces of the face of the hammer and bed to beat in contact;
this description applies to the process of what is technically called "plan-
ishing," which may be done by the apparatus thus described very superior
and at one-fourth the cost of hand labour. When this apparatus is used for
raising it is only necessary to apply a hammer with a suitable face and bed or
counterpart to correspond, which in some cases is not necessarily essential to
be of metal, as would be well understood by coppersmiths or skilled workmen
accustomed to such work. The speed of the apparatus may be varied and
regulated by the relative size of the pulleys, or gearing may be used; and the
momentum or force of the blow I purpose regulating by means of the socket
in which the hammer haft is secured. that is to say. by setting the hammer
haft or socket further in through the boss that holds the same the greater
amount of lift or tilt will be obtained, or vice versa: but by way of fully
illustrating my Invention I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed, in which I have introduced gearing for the purpose of decreasing the
velocity of the shaft or spindle on which are fixed the tilt or projecting arms
for tilting the hammer.
Fig. represents a general top view of my apparatus; Fig. 2 an end
view; and. Fig. 3 a front elevation, and to prevent confusion, the several
parts are marked with the same letters of reference as they appear in cachi
view. .
A, A, A. A. is the top of the bed or stand. sufficiently elevated from the
ground to be conveniently suited for work. This stand is represented sup-
ported on front legs marked B, B, Figure 3, but broken off for the convenience
of elevating the ground line to economise space. which I have also done
in Figure 2. but in which view the clamp C. C, is shown, which may be
tennoned into the front leg B, and allowed to project behind, as indicated
by the dotted lines a, a, for securing in the back wall, against which the
apparatus is supposed to be set up, the line of which is marked b, b, both
in this and Figure 1; D. D. is a cast-iron stand, cast with vertical ends,
as shown in the front and end views, in such a way as to be of a conve-
nient shape for receiving the spindle E, on which the fast and loose pulleys
F and Gare applied, and on this spindle is also secured the pinion scen
in Figures and 3, marked H, and which pinion gears with the wheel I,
which is secured on the axis K, and on this spindle the tilt arms or pro-
jections marked c, d, &c., are fixed; the shape and form I have adopted for
this part is exhibited in the flat and edge view at Fig. 4, representing five
projections or arms, but of course a lesser or greater number may be used,
and the speed decreased or increased by altering the relative size of the

page_text: pinion H and wheel I. The hammer socket L is secured in the boss M,
which also works on axes marked N, N; thus I get the three principal motions.
the axis E deriving its action from the fixed pulley F, the axis K from the
pinion H, working into the wheel I, and the axis N from the projecting arms
c. d, c, &c., coming in contact with the extreme end of the hammer socket.
shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, being obscured by the projection c. and
which projections, as they revolve and in succession come in contact with the
hammer socket. depress the part marked L. and elevate the outer end, to
which the desired shaped hammer is applied, the one here shown being repre-
sented by the double circle marked h. attached to the haft j. which part is
capable of being adjusted in the socket L by its being split, or made of two
parts capable of contraction, as seen in Figure 2, and thereby to securely hold
the haminer haft by a lightening up ring or other equivalent. O is a strong
bent iron arm. technically called a "horse," with an enlarged shank, which
passes into an orifice formed in a thick wood block marked P. but the end of
this part beneath the hammer is raised and polished, and variously shaped,
according to the work required.
Having now described what may be termed the elementary qualities of the
apparatus, I will proceed to describe the various details and parts by which
the adjustment of the several motions may be obtained according to the nature
of the work desired to be operated on, as for instance the axis N in con-
nection with the boss M. that carries the hammer socket to be elevated or
depressed, for the double purpose of increasing or decreasing the amount of
tilt imparted to the hammer, or to adjust the fall of the hammer to the work;
this I effect by fitting the axis N in moveable bearings, shown partly
at, Figure 2, and by connecting this part to the screw 1, 1, and the same
being tapped through the cross head m, m, which being held down and con-
nected with the bed by the screws n, n, together with the adjusting block. T, I
obtain the desired vertical adjustment, and to effect a horizontal range, the
part of, shown partly in section at Figure 2, marked o, o, extends out and
is united with a cross head p, shown distinctly at Figures I and 3, and through
the cross headp of this part the screw r is tapped with a wheel head marked g.
and this same arrangement being applied cach side, it will be easily understood
that as the ends of the screws r come in contact with the ends of the axis N,
so the boss M carrying the hammer socket may be adjusted horizontally accord-
ing to the range of the screws and the width of the tilt arms; and again for
directly increasing or decreasing the tilt of the hammer, that the axis K shall
be capable of being advanced or retired as required, the axes K are placed in
collars that slide in a corresponding parallel opening formed in the end,

page_text: adjusted by means of the screw s, best seen at Figure 2, which screw is tapped
through the 'plate t, t, which is attached to the standard D, and this part is
further adjusted or held by the plate u and thumbscrew v, and this moveable
motion being independent of the axis E. it becomes necessary to provide that
axis with the same means of adjustment, to keep the pinion H working on
its axis fully in gear with the larger wheel I, to which it gives motion, and
as it is essential that the axes of motion E and K should be parallel, the
same means are provided each end for their parallel adjustment.
I will now describe an important although simple feature in my apparatus,
which is, the manner in which I put the apparatus to work, for it is absolutely
essential that the two surfaces, namely, the face of the hammer and polished
part of the horse should not come with force in positive contact. as their
beating or striking together would destroy the surfaces of both. i
To effect this object, I fix against the wall at the back of the apparatus
a board marked Q, and to this board a bolt is fastened, working within
iron clips, the bolt. terminating each end with a ring or eye, or their equivalents,
and to the bolt the fork 10' is attached, or formed with it. and on to the
board the bell-crank is secured, best seen at Figure 3, and this crank is
connected to one end of the bolt by a strong wire loop. and to keep the
crank in the position shown, the weight y is attached, which weight must be
heavy enough that when the holt with the fork r is pulled to the right, for
the purpose of shifting the driving band from the loose pulley G to the fast
pulley F. the gravitating effect of the weight would be sufficient to pull the
band from the fast to the loose pulley, and to effect this operation a bell-crank
may be also advantageously used, as at z, to which attach a strong wire rod
or loop connecting the crank to a treadle. shown in top and side views, Figures
1 and 2. marked R. partly broken off for convenience of space, and in a perspec-
tive view at Figure 3 marked with the same letter. From this it will be seen
that when the work is put under the hammer by the operator, he has only to
put his foot on the treadie. when the operation of planishing or raising will
proceed from the fork having been pulled to the right, carrying with it the
band, and as long as the operator desires the tilting action of the hammer, so
long will he keep his foot on the treadle, but as soon as the foot is removed
the gravitating effect of the weight. y will reverse the position of the band, and
the tilting of the hammer will instantly stop; or, as an equivalent, and may be
advantageously used, the treadle may rest or work upon a fulcrum or axis,
say as at U, U, Figure 1. and the weight as before described. marked . may
be reduced to be merely an equivalent for the friction generated by the cranks
and bolt in connection with it, as well as the weight of the treadle. In this

page_text: case the apparatus will be put to work by the operator placing his foot on the
treadle, say at V, the depression of the forward end of the treadle causing the
fork to place the band on the fast pulley, in which position it will remain, so
that he will be entirely at liberty, but if he desires to stop the apparatus, the
foot must be applied say at W, which will place the fork and band in the
position shown, and in which position the weight y will retain them.
Another important feature consists in the use of the spring S, which may be
secured to the table A or cast-iron stand D; this spring extends back, and
rises. so as to press against the inner end of the hammer socket. L', which has
the effect, by its elastic force, of causing the blow given by the fall of the
hammer to fall dead on the work, and not to rebound or vibrate, which would
have an injurious effect. Thus I am not only able by this apparatus to
perform the work desired in considerably less time than can be done by
manual labour, but to perform it in a very superior manner, and to entirely
dispense with skilled labour.
Fig. 5 represents in side and edge views a modification of the part marked 1,
represented in Figure 2, and in this I have represented the part as having
projections, as at a, a, which are intended to fit into vertical grooves cast in
the part D'. D', Figure 2, the projections may be round or merely curved on
their outer surface. The object of this modification is, that as these parts form
the bearings for the axes N. N, on which the hammer works, the axos may he
depressed one end and elevated at the other. thereby causing the hammer
to fall in an angular direction, which is an important requirement in raising
some kinds of work.
Having now given a general description of my Invention, and a simple and
efficient mode for giving effect to the same. nevertheless I wish it well under-
stood that I do not purpose confining myself to the general details herein
described and exhibited, as the whole may be considerably varied and modified
without affecting the general spirit of my Invention, as for instance the boss M,
which is shown in section at Fig. 6, may be arranged in a variety of ways, and
yet permit the hammer to have a horizontal as well as a tilting motion, and
the spring S may be variously formed, and yet possessing the same quality as
the one here described; and again, by moderating the size of the driving pulley
or drum. not shown in its relation with the pulley's exhibited, the tilt arm may
be applied to the same axis, thereby dispensing with the one here shown
marked K, and all its attendant parts; of course in that case attention must
be paid so as to bring the tilting arms in convenient proximity to the inner
end of the hammer socket; and further, it will occur to any practical machinist
instead of using the weight for correcting the position of the fork w' a helical

page_text: spring can be conveniently applied, the same being of sufficient strength to
effect the object desired.
With these general remarks, I will observe that what I claim and wish pro-
tected by these my in part recited Letters Patent, is, the apparatus herein
described and exhibited for raising and planishing metals.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Soutter. have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM SOUTTER. (L.S.)