An Improved Method and Means of Stamping or Forming Sheet Metal Boxes, Cans, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method and Means of Stamping or Forming Sheet
Metal Boxes, Cans, or the like.
I, SAMUEL BEAVEN STEVENS of the Firm of Huntley Boorne & Stevens,
The Tin Works, Reading, in the County of Berks, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the forming of sheet metal boxes cans or the like of
the desired shape or pattern or both by stamping or pressing same in dies in a novel
manner riz:-
According to my present invention the plunger head or male die has mounted
thereon or is made of india-rubber or any compounds thereof or imitations or
substitutes therefor or other equivalent flexible material suitable for the purpose.
According to the shape or pattern desired to be imparted to the made article so
is this flexible head or end of the male die made of greater or less size or depth of
flexible material.
The female die or matrix is rigid as usual and of the shape or pattern to be
imparted to the made article and is advantageously divided in two or more parts
horizontally although this female die may be otherwise formed or arranged in any
desired manner for instance divided vertically and the parts hinged together.
As an example I may form the female die divided horizontally in two parts the
lower part having thereon part of the shape or pattern to be imparted to the made
article for instance to form the bottom or other part or parts of
circular shaped
sheet metal box of greater diameter than the mouth or neck thereof upon which
latter the lid is received the latter being similarly formed if desired so as thus to
afford a ready means of grasping same by the hand to pull off or put on the said
lid or cover.
The upper part of said female die has thereon the other part of the shape or
pattern to be imparted and the two horizontal parts of said die where same meet
are advantageously formed with interlocking tongue and groove or otherwise
suitably formed so as to ensure the two parts coming truly together to make a
perfect or sufficiently perfect joint to produce the made article without any mark
or injury which would in any way be a drawback thereto.
This upper part of the female die may be hinged and locked or otherwise securely
and suitably attached to the lower part as desired or I may attach this upper part
to the plunger head or male die or some other moving member of the machine in
such manner that as the male die is moved towards the female die the said upper
part of the latter will first be forced (in advance of the male die) firmly on to the
lower part and be held there while the male die operates within said female die-
the continual movement of the male die towards the female die being permitted by
interposing springs or other equivalent or suitable mechanism in connecting said
upper part to the plunger or other moving member.
The male die may be entirely of india-rubber or equivalent flexible material or
only the plunger head or end thereof or there may be alternate flexible and rigid
parts of said male die.
The operation is as follows
The tin box or other suitable sheet metal can box or case is (or may be) first
stamped up or formed (from suitable sheet metal of a good stamping quality—

page_text: stamping machinery such as is at present well known and in general use for deep
stamping with tin plate.
The box etc. thus formed is then placed in the female die ready to receive the
flexible male die according to my present invention and upon same being forced
into the said box etc. the flexible part (or parts) of the male die come opposite (or
thereabouts) to the recessed part or parts of the female die and the pressure exerted
on the male die spues out the rubber which thus forces out the sheet metal closely
into all the recess or recesses etc. of the female die and thus the box is forced at all
points closely into the female die and thereby the exact pattern shape or
conformation of the latter is imparted clearly and sharply to the box this swelling
out or enlargement of the part or parts affected thus being effected without either
breaking or cracking the sheet metal or injuring the decorative work on said sheet
metal should same be enamelled or otherwise suitably ornamented.
On relieving the pressure on said male die the expanded flexible part contracts
again to its normal formation and the male die can thus be easily withdrawn from
the made article-which latter can then be removed from the female die.
If desired the dies may be made to work vice verso.
Dthis och den f tomt 1901
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method and Means of Stamping or Forming Sheet
Metal Boxes, Cans, or the like.
I, SAMUEL BEAVEN STEVENS of the Firm of Huntley Boorne & Stevens,
The Tin Works, Reading, in the County of Berks, Manufacturer 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 the forming of sheet metal boxes cans or the like of
the desired shape or pattern or both by stamping or pressing same in dies in a novel
manner viz. :-
According to my present invention the plunger head or male die has mounted
thereon or is made of india-rubber or any compounds thereof or imitations or
substitutes therefor or other equivalent. flexible material suitable for the purpose.
According to the shape or pattern desired to be imparted to the made article so
is this flexible head or end of the male die made of greater or less size or depth of
flexible material.
The female die or matrix is rigid as usual and of the shape or pattern to be
imparted to the made article and is advantageously divided in two or more parts
horizontally although this female die may be otherwise formed or arranged in any
desired manner for instance divided vertically and the parts hinged together.
As an example I may form the female die divided horizontally in two parts the
lower part having thereon part of the shape or pattern to be imparted to the made
article for instance to form the bottom or other part or parts of a circular shaped
sheet metal box of greater diameter than the mouth or neck thereof upon which
latter the lid is received the latter being similarly formed if desired so as to thus
afford a ready means of grasping same by the hand to pull off or put on the said
lid or cover.
The upper part of said female die has thereon the other parts of the shape or
pattern to be imparted and the two horizontal parts of said die where same meet

page_text: are advantageously formed with interlocking tongue and groove or otherwise
suitably formed so as to ensure the two parts coming truly together to make a
perfect or sufficiently perfect joint to produce the made article without any mark
or injury which would in any way be a drawback thereto.
This upper part of the female die may be hinged and locked or otherwise
securely and suitably attached to the lower part as desired or I may attach this
upper part to the plunger head or male die or some other moving member of the
machine in such manner that as the male die is moved towards the female die the
said upper part of the latter will first be forced (in advance of the male die)
firmly on to the lower part and be held there while the male die operates within
said female die-the continual movement of the male die towards the female die
being permitted by interposing springs or other equivalent or suitable mechanism in
connecting said upper part to the plunger or other moving member.
So much of the male die may be made of india-rubber or equivalent flexible
material as desired or only the plunger head or end thereof or there may be
alternate flexible and rigid parts of said male die if desired.
The operation is as follows:-
The tin box or other suitable sheet metal can box or case is first stamped up or
formed (from suitable sheet metal of a good stamping quality-either plain
or decorated) straight sided or of any other suitable form by any stamping
machinery such as is at present well known and in general use for deep stamping
with tin plate or may be otherwise formed for instance by seaming or soldering as
is well understood provided that same is done in a manner suitable for my
purpose.
The box etc. thus formed is then placed in the female die ready to receive the
flexible male die according to my present invention and upon same being forced
into the said box etc. the flexible part (or parts) of the male die come opposite (or
thereabouts) to the recessed part or parts of the female die and the pressure
exerted on the male die spues out the rubber which thus forces out the sheet metal
closely into all the recess or recesses etc. of the female die and thus the box is
forced at all points closely into the female die and thereby the exact pattern shape
or conformation of the latter is imparted clearly and sharply to the box, this
swelling out or enlargement of the part or parts affected thus being effected without
either breaking or cracking the sheet metal or injuring the decorative work on said
sheet metal should same be enamelled or otherwise suitably ornamented.
On relieving the pressure on said male die the expanded flexible part contracts
again to its normal formation and the male die can thus be easily withdrawn from
the made article-which latter can then be removed from the female die.
If desired the dies may be made to work vice versa in which case springs may be
combined with the female die or the parts forming same for the purposes hereinafter
described.
And in order that my present invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into practice I will proceed to further describe same with reference to the
drawings hereunto annexed:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of die for stamping sheet metal
boxes or the like according to my present invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of an alternative arrangement.
Fig. 3 is a view of the body of a box formed in the ordinary manner before
being stamped or pressed into shape according to my present invention.
Fig. 4 is a view of same after it has been pressed into shape in the manner and
by the means shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a view of the lid formed in the ordinary manner before being stamped
or pressed into shape according to my present invention.
Fig. 6 shows said lid after having been stamped or pressed into shape according
to my present invention in the manner and by the means shown in Fig. 2.

page_text: Referring now to Figs. 1 3 and 4 :—
A is the plunger or ram to which powerful reciprocating motion is imparted in
any suitable manner as is well understood.
B is the flexible head or end (formed of a good quality of india-rubber or any
suitable compounds thereof or imitations or substitutes therefor or other suitable
equivalent flexible material adapted for the purposes) fixed to or carried on said
plunger in any suitable manner for instance by cementing thereto.
C is the pressure plate the lower part D of which forms part of the matrix or
female die this pressure plate being connected to or carried by any suitable
moving member of the power press in such manner that the lower end D thereof is
caused to descend just in advance of the plunger A-this pressure plate C either
having springs interposed between same and the moving member of the press or
otherwise so arranged and mounted that same will be brought down firmly on to
the lower part E of the female die and there firmly held while the plunger A 'or
male die is forced into the matrix thus formed.
The bottom matrix E is fixed or mounted in the press in any suitable manner
and on,
the upper edge thereof advantageously has a portion cut away to form a
recess E adapted to receive and guide therein the lower part D of the pressure
plate C so as to cause the two parts of the matrix to exactly coincide when brought
together or these two parts may be made to register exactly in any other suitable
manner so that no mark or impression is left on the finished tin along the line of
joint of these two said parts of the female die.
The operation is as follows:-
The plunger A and the pressure plate C being raised the plain body V Fig. 3 is
placed in the recess Ex in the bottoin matrix E with the open end uppermost.
The plunger now comes down-the pressure plate C somewhat in advance
thereof so that the female die is completed and rigid before the male die begins its
work.
Upon the arrival of the flexible head B on the inside of the bottom of the
body V and the descent of the plunger continuing thereby the flexible end B is
spued out all round and the lateral pressure thereof presses the lower part of the
side walls of the body V against the side wall of the female die and thereby the
metal box V is caused to take the shape of this matrix the top edge of the box
remaining of the original diameter this top edge being above the matrix Ex lies
between the vertical inside wall of the pressure plate C and the plunger A which
latter may be slightly reduced in diameter at its end as shown so as to form a
shoulder A which shoulder is 60 spaced or situated that it comes down on the top
edge of the body (or lid as the case may be) of the box and compresses or holds
the body (or lid) vertically whilst the aforesaid expansion or shaping etc. of the box
is progressing in the matrix Ex-thus feeding in as it were the material to allow
for the said expansion etc. as well as holding or steadying the article during
such operation.
The shape of the matrix having been thus imparted to the lower part of the
metal box the plunger A is now raised and the flexible head B at once contracts
Next the pressure
and thereby the plunger A can readily pass out of said box.
plate C is lifted off and the made box Z in the sliapè 'shown in Fig. 4 can then be
readily lifted out of the bottom die E.
It will be obvious that the female die may be made in other suitable shapes than
those shown in Fig. 1 either regular or irregular as desired according to the shape
or form desired to be imparted (according to my present invention) to the box or
receptacle provided such shapes are adapted to be imparted to such sheet metal
boxes etc. by the extending or 'spneing out of a flexible head such as B.
Referring now to Figs. 2, 5 and 6:
A is a rigidly mounted or fixed male 'die upon the upper end of which is mounted
the flexible end B which latter therefore in this case is stationary. A* is 'shoulder
as before.
The female die 'or matrix is formed in two parts as before only in this case the

page_text: part E of the matrix is inverted and arranged or mounted as a plunger head that
is to say same has reciprocal motion imparted thereto (towards and away from the
male die A) in any suitable manner.
The desired shape to be imparted to the made article (for instance to form a lid
for the aforesaid box Z) is formed partly in said inverted matrix E and partly in
the second part of said matrix C the upper end of which at D has a recess formed
therein to receive the lower end E¹ of the plunger head E.
This part C of the matrix is mounted on three or other suitable number of
springs which upon the descent of the said plunger head E permit same to force
the lower part C of said matrix downwards-or this second part C of the matrix
may be arranged and mounted in any other suitable manner so that same will give
way when pressed downwards by the plunger head E and again returned to its
normal position (as shown in Fig. 2) when released from the pressure of said
plunger head E.
The operation is as follows:-
The plunger head E being raised the plain body W (Fig. 5) is inverted and
placed over the flexible male die B like a cap the edges of said body W being
downwards and lying between the inverted ram A and the movable part C of the
matrix against the shoulder A*. The plunger E now comes down and registers
with the lower part C so as to complete the matrix and forcing said lower part C
before it as it descends this plunger E now presses the sheet metal cap or body W
upon the flexible head B of the male die whereupon the same action takes place as
before described the flexible material being pressed out sideways (or spued out as
I term it) thereby forces the upper part of this metal cap into the shape of the
matrix and on withdrawal of the plunger head E the shaped cap can be readily
lifted off the male die and is now ready for use as a cap or cover for the box Z
(Fig. 4) or otherwise.
It will readily be seen that the body of the box Z could be made after the
mauner shown and described with reference to Fig. 2 or the cover or body
such as Y (Fig. 6) could be made after the manner described with reference to
Fig. 1.
Finally by engraving or otherwise forming or arranging any desired pattern
design words advertisement etc. etc. on the bottom (or sides) of the matrix Ex in
Fig. 1 or on the bottom of the plunger head E Fig. 2 thereby same will be imparted
to the made article as the spueing out of the flexible die B will be found to cause
the metal box to take the very finest impressions in a very distinct and perfect
nanner.
It should be added that in the drawings at the point where the two parts of the
matrix meet these parts D and E' are for clearness and for the purpose of illustration
in Figs. 1 and 2 not shown accurately fitting but in practice there would be no play
or looseness between these parts D and E which on the contrary should fit closely
and accurately into or on to one another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved method of manufacturing sheet metal boxes cans or the like of
the desired shape or with a pattern or both as desired by pressing same-in a
matrix or female die-with a male die the end of which is formed of or has mounted
thereon india-rubber.
2. The improved method of manufacturing sheet metal boxes cans or the like of
the desired shape or with a pattern or both as desired by pressing same-in a
matrix or female die-with a male die the end of which is formed of or has mounted
thereon india-rubber or other suitable flexible material substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. In apparatus for stamping or pressing sheet metal boxes cans or the like into

page_text: shape or with a pattern or both as desired the combination therewith and employ-
ment of india-rubber as the head or end of the male die.
4. In apparatus for stamping or pressing sheet metal boxes cans or the like into
shape or with a pattern or both as desired-the combination therewith and employ-
ment on the plunger head or end of the male die of india-rubber substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
5. In apparatus for stamping or pressing sheet metal boxes cans or the like into
shape or with a pattern or both as desired--the combination with a plunger such
as A of an india-rubber or other suitable flexible head such as B acting in
conjunction with a matrix formed in two parts one of said parts such as E being
stationary and the other said part such as C connected to one of the moving
members of the machine arranged and acting substantially in the manner and for
the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings
hereunto annexed.
6. In apparatus for stamping or pressing sheet metal boxes cans or the like into
shape or with a pattern or both as desired-the combination with a fixed male die
such as A of an india-rubber or other suitable flexible head or end thereon such
as B acting in conjunction with a divided matrix one part such as E of which is
mounted and acts as a plunger and the other part such as C adapted to be moved
by said plunger out of its way substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described with reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings hereunto
annexed.
7. Stamping or pressing sheet metal boxes cans or the like into the shape or with
the pattern desired or both in the manner and by the means substantially as and
for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
1
1007
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.