Improvements in Machines for Rivetting, Stapling, or Joining Cardboard, Leather, Fabric, or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Rivetting, Stapling, or Joining
Cardboard, Leather, Fabric, or the like.
A communication from EMIL SALTZKORN, Consul, and LUDWIG NICOLAI,
Manufacturer, both of Lobtauer Strasse 20, Dresden, German Empire.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
The subject of this invention is a machine by means of which a great variety of
materials such as cardboard, leather, fabric and the like, may be joined by rivets,
the machine being adapted to provide itself automatically with the rivets, required
for the purpose, from a metal band fed to it by suitable mechanism. The main
object of the inventors is to devise a machine which may be utilized in the manu-
facture of cardboard boxes for joining the corners or meeting edges of the sides or
walls of such boxes which have hitherto generally been connected by means of
clamps made of wire or sheet metal. But although the machine is calculated to
acquire its utmost importance and value in this connection, it may be used for
various other purposes as well, for example, for joining the edges and surfaces
of plates, sheets, washers, bands or the like, made of cardboard, leather or fabric of
various descriptions.
The operation of the machine is as follows,-
A band or strip of sheet metal or the like is automatically and intermittently fed
to the machine, which stamps or cuts out of it by means of a suitable punch small
plates of elongated, star-shaped or any other suitable form, so that
presents two,
three or more pointed arms or prongs. The plate thus cut out is received by a
slide or carriage and conveyed by it to a second punch or stamp which transforms
it into a rivet and forces it into a chamber provided in the conveyor disc or wheel.
The rivets are so located in this recess or chamber that their points are directed
upwardly and as it is necessary that they should be driven into the material to be
joined in a downward direction, they must be turned over, for which purpose the
conveyor-chamber is adapted to turn on a pivot and is provided on one side with a
toothed wheel or disc. As this conveyor-wheel turns, the chamber first passes
under one arm which is toothed at its upper surface and the teeth of which gear
with those of the toothed wheel of the said chamber; the rivet contained in the
chamber for the time being is then so situated that its points project downwardly.
The conveyor-disc now carries it under the stamp which is to drive it into the
material after removing it from the chamber while a lower stamp or driver, acting
as an anvil, causes the points to be turned down and flattened thereby completing
the junction. As the conveyor-disc moves on, the rivet receiving chamber is by
another toothed arm carried back to its initial position under the cutting-out punch
or stamp, which then cuts out the next rivet from the metal strip as before.
cutting-out of one rivet or rivet-blank, and the driving of the preceding rivet into
the material are simultaneous operations, so that whenever the conveyor-disc com-
pletes half a revolution one rivet is formed and another is driven in. The sliding
carriage which conveys the rivet-blank from the cutting-out stamp to the rivet-
forming stamp which also forces the rivet into the chamber accompanies the turning
conveyor-disc for a quarter of a revolution only, on completing which it is released
by means of a finger or tappet and springs back to its original position. Motion is
conveyed to the different parts from a shaft which by means of suitable coupling-
gear is thrown into gear with the driving shaft. As the conveyor disc must always
turn in one direction to accomplish the several operations in the proper order, the
The

page_text: driving pulley is loose upon its shaft and adapted to take the conveyor disc round
with it by means of a pawl which in one direction only is stationary. From the
shaft to which motion is first imparted, are driven by means of sleeves or bushings,
provided with guide-grooves or cam grooves, the levers adapted for operating the
anvil-stamp, and those which cause the reciprocating motion of the slide or carriage,
on which the rivet blanks are placed.
By means of cams or eccentrics, the lever arranged to feed the sheet metal strip
from which the rivet-blanks are stamped out, the cutting-out stamp, the rivet-
forming stamp and the driving-in stamp, are reciprocated. By means of a cam-
wheel provided with two teeth which gear with a wheel having eight teeth, rotary
motion is imparted to the conveyor-disc, it being so timed that the said disc
completes one revolution while the shaft turns round four times. The manner in
which the rivets are driven in and accomplish their purpose of joining depends on
the shape of the lower die or anvil employed, which when flat will enable flat
surfaces only to be joined, whereas when it is of angular shape it may serve for
fixing corners in a manner very similar to that in which corners are now stitched
together with wire or special corner pieces may by this means be rivetted to the
two walls or sides which in meeting are to form the corner.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine.
Figure 2 is a plen, and
Figure 3 is a front view of the same.
Figure 4 is a plan of the conveyor-disc or wheel and the mechanism employed
for feeding the sheet metal strip the parts which normally conceal this mechanism
from view being omitted.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the conveyor-disc and slide or carriage, comprising
a detail view of the device for retaining in position the rivet receiving chamber.
Figure 6 is a plan of the conveyor disc or wheel with a portion broken away.
Figure 7 shows details of the chamber provided in the conveyor-wheel in various
positions.
Figure 8 shows specimens of rivetted blanks and rivets made by the machine.
Figure 9 illustrates the manner in which such rivets are applied to corners
either at the angle or on the two adjoining sides or walls.
1 is the head of a frame 2 in which two shafts 3 and 4 are supported by suitable
bearings. One of these shafts carries loosely a driving-wheel 5. This wheel in
turning in the direction of the arrow, by means of its pin 6, engages with the.
pawl 8 which a spring 7 holds in a raised position. This pawl is adapted to turn
upon a pivot 9 implanted in the sleeve 10 rigidly connected and turning with the
shaft 3. If the wheel 5 turns in the opposite direction, and the pin 6 then touch
the pawl 8, the shaft 3 would not be carried around.
At the ends of the shafts 3 and 4 facing each other are arranged the coupling
discs 11 and 12 of any suitable construction capable of being thrown into or out of
gear as desired by means of a treadle 13 connected with them by a link or con-
necting rod 14. Upon the second shaft 4 is arranged a sleeve 15 having a cam or
guide-groove formed in it. In this groove is adapted to travel a roller 18 secured
to the short arm of the bell-crank lever 17 mounted upon the pivot 16. To the
long lever arm a cord or chain 19 is attached, its other end being secured to the
slide or carriage of the conveyor-disc (Fig. 4). The conveyor-disc by means of
the cam sleeve just described, effects the return movement of the carriage. In a
similar grooved sleeve or cam 20 a roller 21 is adapted to travel. This roller is
secured to one arm of a lever 23 adapted to turn on the pivot 22, the other arm of
which carries a rod 24 held in bearings in the frame 2. This rod projects into the
supporting plate or table 25 and owing to the motion it receives from the cam-
sleeve raises a counter-die or anvil 26 secured to its bevelled or inclined end, for
the purpose of turning down or flattening the points of the rivets.
In the fast pulley 27 also secured to the second shaft 4 and which is provided
with an elliptic cam or guide-groove a roller is adapted to run which is mounted
Figure 3 is a front view of the same.
Figure 4 is a plan of the conveyor-disc or wheel and the mechanism employed
for feeding the sheet metal strip the parts which normally conceal this mechanism
from view being omitted.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the conveyor-disc and slide or carriage, comprising
a detail view of the device for retaining in position the rivet receiving chamber.
Figure 6 is a plan of the conveyor disc or wheel with a portion broken away.
Figure 7 shows details of the chamber provided in the conveyor-wheel in various
positions.
Figure 8 shows specimens of rivetted blanks and rivets made by the machine.
Figure 9 illustrates the manner in which such rivets are applied to corners
either at the angle or on the two adjoining sides or walls.
1 is the head of a frame 2 in which two shafts 3 and 4 are supported by suitable
bearings. One of these shafts carries loosely a driving-wheel 5. This wheel in
turning in the direction of the arrow, by means of its pin 6, engages with the.
pawl 8 which a spring 7 holds in a raised position. This pawl is adapted to turn
upon a pivot 9 implanted in the sleeve 10 rigidly connected and turning with the
shaft 3. If the wheel 5 turns in the opposite direction, and the pin 6 then touch
the pawl 8, the shaft 3 would not be carried around.
At the ends of the shafts 3 and 4 facing each other are arranged the coupling
discs 11 and 12 of any suitable construction capable of being thrown into or out of
gear as desired by means of a treadle 13 connected with them by a link or con-
necting rod 14. Upon the second shaft 4 is arranged a sleeve 15 having a cam or
guide-groove formed in it. In this groove is adapted to travel a roller 18 secured
to the short arm of the bell-crank lever 17 mounted upon the pivot 16. To the
long lever arm a cord or chain 19 is attached, its other end being secured to the
slide or carriage of the conveyor-disc (Fig. 4). The conveyor-disc by means of
the cam sleeve just described, effects the return movement of the carriage. In a
similar grooved sleeve or cam 20 a roller 21 is adapted to travel. This roller is
secured to one arm of a lever 23 adapted to turn on the pivot 22, the other arm of
which carries a rod 24 held in bearings in the frame 2. This rod projects into the
supporting plate or table 25 and owing to the motion it receives from the cam-
sleeve raises a counter-die or anvil 26 secured to its bevelled or inclined end, for
the purpose of turning down or flattening the points of the rivets.
In the fast pulley 27 also secured to the second shaft 4 and which is provided
with an elliptic cam or guide-groove a roller is adapted to run which is mounted

page_text: upon a pivot or pin 28 carried by the pivotted lever 29, whereby this lever
is reciprocated. This reciprocating motion is by means of a rod or link 30 trans-
mitted to a second lever 31 to which is pivotted a pawl 32. The lever 31 is
connected with the sleeve 33 placed on the shaft 34 and thereby moves this shaft,
while the pawl by engaging with a ratchet wheel 35 attached to the sleeve prevents
the shaft 34 from turning backwards. Upon the same shaft is also arranged a
toothed wheel 36 and a roller 37, above which parts similar parts are secured upon
another shaft, the bearings of which are adjustable by means of screws 38. These
two shafts which owing to the gearing of their respective wheels are adapted to turn
uniformly together, serve for feeding the metal strip 39 from which the rivet-blanks
are to be cut out. The eccentric 40 guides, along with the roller 41, the cutting-
out stamp 42 secured to the head of the machine. A similar eccentric 43 similarly
guides the forming-stamp or die 45 through the medium of the roller 44; and
another similar arrangement consisting of the eccentric 46 and the roller 47 is
provided for the driving-in stamp 48. As before stated the first of these stamps,
punches, or dies, cuts out the blank, the next converts it into a rivet and forces it
into the conveyor-chamber and the third drives it into the material and completes
the required junction.
The shaft 49 carrying the conveyor-disc 50 is rotated by means of the cam-
wheel 51 which engages with the cam-wheel 52 mounted on the shaft 4, the latter
wheel being provided with two teeth only. Against the sleeve 53 of the conveyor-
disc 50 the carriage 54 is loosely arranged, being retained in this position by means
of nuts 55. In this carriage or slide 54 is located the matrix or die 56 for shaping
the rivet-blanks. The hook-shaped piece 57 is hinged to one side of the said
slide 54 and is constantly being pressed down by a spring 58 so that the hook must
engage in one of the grooves 59 provided in the conveyor-disc 54. The conveyor-
disc therefore in turning carries the slide along with it until it strikes the tongue or
finger 60 provided with a bevelled surface whereby it lifts the hook 57 out of the
groove 58, when the cord 19 under the action of the sleeve 15 carries it back to the
position of rest.
Each of the chambers 61 of the conveyor-disc consists of a sleeve having
internally a cylindrical or conical shape and arranged to pivot on suitable journals
in the recesses provided for the purpose. It is on one side provided with a toothed
disc or wheel 62 whereby it is rotated when it passes under the arms 63 and 64,
when the lower toothed surface engages with the teeth of the disc 62. The
table 25 serving as an anvil is either straight or angular in shape, and may be
exchangeable so that the same machine may allow either flat surfaces to be rivetted
together or corners to be joined or stiffened at the very point of the angle as shown
in Fig. 9. The shape of the rivets (Fig. 8) may also be varied at will, it being
sufficient for this purpose to exchange the punches or dies 42 and 45, the matrix 56
and if necessary the chamber 61 in the conveyor-disc. If the pedal 13 be held in
the position in which it throws the two coupling sleeves or clutches 11 and 12 into
gear, the machine will operate without interruption and it is necessary for the
workman to take care that at the moment when the driving-in stamp comes down
the rivet to be driven in lies in readiness upon the anvil. If however the operation
is an intermittent one, the pedal is not depressed until the blank has been placed on
the anvil after which the clutch may be thrown into gear, so that the machine can
commence its successive operations; the operative must therefore wait till the
driving-in stamp descends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is,-
1. A rivetting machine for joining the corners or flats of cardboard leather
fabric or like material by means of rivets automatically formed by the machine
itself.
2. In a machine as characterized in the first claim the arrangement for a

page_text: continuous or intermittent operation of the machine by the combination of the
driving-shaft (3) with the driving shaft (4) by means of a coupling or
clutch (11, 12).
3. In a machine as characterized in the first claim the arrangement whereby the
whole of the mechanism is operated from one shaft (4) by means of elliptic or
other cam grooves cams or eccentrics which respectively operate the metal strip
feed (27 to 37) the cutting out stamp or punch (40 to 42) the plate conveying
disc (15 to 19 and 54 to 59) the rivet-forining stamp or punch (43 to 45) the
driving-in stamp (46 to 48) and its counter-stamp or anvil (20 to 26).
4. In a machine as characterized in the first claim the arrangement of a
conveyor-disc or wheel (50) also operated from the above mentioned shaft (4) and
which owing to the unequal number of teeth carried by the cam-wheels (51 and 52)
operating it will complete one revolution while the shaft completes four the rivet-
receiving chambers (61) being pivotally arranged in the said conveyor-disc or wheel
in such a manner that when they pass under the toothed arms (63) they turn in
consequence of those arms gearing with their toothed discs or wheels (62).
5. In a machine as characterized in the first claim the arrangement of a slide or
carriage (54) for conducting the rivet-blanks or plates cut or stamped out from the
strip of metal under the forming-die or stamp (45) a hook-shaped hinged
portion (57) of which engages with grooves (59) provided in the conveyor-
disc (50) whereby the carriage or slide is moved along until it meets the pawl (60)
whereupon it is drawn back to its initial position by means of a cord or
chain (19).
The whole substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 15th day of February 1002
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.