Improvements in Rivetting Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rivetting Machines.
I, WALTER SKAIFE, of 671 Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Galvanized Iron and Tank Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a construction of rivetting machine suitable for
rivetting together plates to form vessels such as tanks, of various sizes.
To an overhanging arm or beam carried by a standard is attached a die or
rivetting tool I will call the stationary tool: below this is a snap or rivetting tool
I will call the movable tool; it is carried by a rivetting lever that works on a pin
pivot or trunnions supported by the standard; below that end of the lever that carries
the moveable tool is a table or support for the work. This table is carried by a
frame that can be traversed relatively to the machine for the purpose of placing
the work in position for the swaging or closing of successive rivets and is provided
with suitable means, such as a hand lever whereby it can be raised or lowered. The
hand lever may be weighted to counter-balance the weight of the table and attached
parts. For heavy work the table may be operated by hydraulic pressure. That arm
of the rivetting lever which carries the moveable tool is adapted to enter a tank
being rivetted. The parts are constructed and arranged to admit of the top of the
moveable tool and the centre of motion of the rivetting lever being in a common
horizontal plane on the termination of the stroke of the lever whereby a rivet is
swaged or closed, so that the final pressure may be given practically in line with the
axis of the rivet. To this end the part of the rivetting lever that carries the moveable
tool is made separate from and adjustable in relation to the remainder.
The adjustable part may be arranged to slide in or on the other part the adjust-
ment being effected by any suitable means such as a screw and hand wheel. Or for
the same purpose the rivetting lever may be constructed with trunnions carried by an
adjustable block arranged in a slot in the lever so that the lever can be adjusted by
means of screws or the lever may be formed with a series of holes in one or other
of which according to the height of the top of the movable tool the fulcrum pin of the
lever may be inserted. The stationary and movable rivetting tools are made removable
from the overhanging arm or bean and from the rivetting lever respectively. With
the construction described a tank to be rivetted, when placed on the table may be
lowered for the insertion of a rivet and then be raised thereby causing the lower of
the two plates to be rivetted together to form part of a tank to force the upper plate
against the stationary die or anvil so that both plates will be held close together before
the rivetting takes place.
The formation of collars on the rivets between the plates, and consequently bad
joints, is thus prevented when the rivets are swayed or closed.
The rivetting lever may be operated by steam, hydraulic or other fluid pressure or
by mechanical means such as cams. When the centre or fulcrum of the rivetting
lever is made adjustable the means employed for operating it should be capable of
corresponding adjustment. According to one arrangement a hydraulic cylinder is
secured to the arm or beam carrying the stationary rivetting tool and a suitably
arranged hand lever is provided for operating the valve for controlling the admission
and exhaustion of water to and from the cylinder.
+
For enabling the rivetting machine to rivet flat plates of metal together such for
example as a strengthening ring to a plate that is to form the top of a tank, the
table may be slotted in such a manner that the rivetting lever may work through it,

page_text: or the table may be formed with a holo through which the movable rivetting tool can
work.
Dated the 15th day of May 1889.
"W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rivetting Machines.
1, WALTER SKAIFE, of 671 Commercial Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Galvanised Iron and Tank manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to a construction of rivetting machine suitable for
rivetting, together plates to form vessels, such as tanks, of various sizes.
To an overhanging arm or beam carried by a standard is attached a die or rivetting
tool I will call the stationary tool: below this is a snap or rivetting tool I will call
the movable tool; it is carried by a rivetting lever that works on a pin, pivots or
trunnions supported by a standard. Below that end of the lever that carries the
movable tool is a table or support for the work. This table, which may be carried
by a frame that can be traversed relatively to the machine for the purpose of placing
the work in position for the swaging or closing of successive rivets, is provided with
suitable means, such as a lever, whereby it can be raised or lowered. The lever may
be weighted to counter-balance the weight of the table and attached parts. For
heavy work the table may be operated by hydraulic pressure. That arm of the
rivetting lever which carries the movable tool, is adapted to enter a tank being
rivetted. The parts are constructed and arranged to admit of the top of the movable
tool and the centre of motion of the rivetting lever being in a common horizontal
plane, on the termination of the stroke of the lever, whereby a rivet is swaged or
closed, so that the final pressure may be given practically in line with the axis of
the rivet. To this end, the arm or part of the rivetting lever that carries the movable
tool may advantageously be made, separate from and adjustable in relation to the
remainder. The adjustable part may be arranged to slide in or on the other part,
the adjustment being effected by any suitable means such as a screw and hand
wheel.
The stationary and movable tool may, to suit various kinds of work, be made.
removable from the overhanging arm or beam and from the rivetting lever respectively.
With the construction described, a tank to be rivetted when placed on the table,
may be lowered for the insertion of a rivet and then be raised, thereby causing the
lower of the two plates to be rivetted together to form part of a tank, to force the
upper plate against the stationary die or anvil so that both plates will be held close
together before the rivetting takes place. The formation of collars on the rivets
between the plates, and consequently bad joints, is thus prevented when the rivets are
swaged or closed.
The rivetting lever may be operated by steam, hydraulic or other fluid pressure or
by mechanical means such as cains. When the centre or fulcrum of the rivetting
lever is made adjustable, the means employed for operating the lever should be
capable of corresponding adjustment. According to one arrangement a hydraulic
cylinder is secured to the arm or beam carrying the stationary rivetting tool and a
suitably arranged hand lever is provided for operating the valve or valves for controlling
the admission and exhaustion of water. to and from the cylinder.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are side and front elevations. respectively of a rivetting machine
constructed according to this invention.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of part of the rivetting lever; and
Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof.
Fig. 5 shews in elevation, part of the machine slightly modified..
Fig. 6 is a vertical section shewing a modified construction of rivetting lover with
adjustable arm.
Fig. 7 is an elevation shewing a modified form of movable rivetting too!.
Fig. 8 is an elevation illustrating a modified method of mounting the rivetting
lever.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, 1 is the stationary tool, carried by a bar 2 pivotted at 2*
to an overhanging arm or beam 3 carried by a standard 4. 5 is a stop with 'set
screw 6 by means of which the bar 2 and stationary tool 1 may be held in position
for rivetting. The stationary tool 1 may be directly connected to the arm 3, but it
is advantageous to secure it to a pivotted bar as shewn in order that it may be moved
laterally to enable a vessel, such as a tank, to be readily placed in position for rivetting
and afterwards to be removed. 6 is the movable tool carried by one arm 7 of a
rivetting lever that is journalled at S to the standard 4, and upon the other arm 7 of
which acts the plunger of a hydraulic press 9, secured to an overhanging arm or
beam 3. The overhanging arus or beams 3, 3" are in one piece and may be in
one with the standard 4, as shewn, or be separate and be secured thereto by suitable
fastenings.
"
'may
The lever arm 7 which is of a form adapted to enter a tank to be rivetted by passing
through a manhole or other opening formed in one of the plates of the tank is in
the example shewn, made separate from and connected to the remainder of the
rivetting lever, by bolts 10 that pass through a slot 11 formed in the rivetting lever
as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4. By loosening the nuts on the bolts 10, the arm
be adjusted vertically by hand to any required height, for the purpose hereinbefore
mentioned. Or the adjustment may be effected by a screw threaded rod.12 and hand
wheel as shewn in Fig. 6. In this case to prevent the rod 12 being strained or bent
when the arm 7 is loosened from the remainder of the rivetting lever, it may work
through a nut 13 arranged within a slot 14 in the arm 7 as shewn. The nut 13 may
bear upon the top and bottom sides of the lever arm, as shewn, so as to act positively
to raise and lower the arm 7. The bar 2 and lever arm 7 may to suit some classes
of work, be arranged to extend beyond the arm or beam 3 as shown in Fig. 5. The
movable tool 6 may in certain cases be slightly cranked as shewn in Fig. 7 in order to
adapt it to act upon rivets that could not be acted upon by a straight tool such as
shewn in Fig. 1. By making that part of the rivetting lever which carries the
movable tool adjustable in relation to the other part and by using, one at a time,
movable tools of various lengths, the machine as applied to the rivetting up of a tank
is adapted for acting upon various parts of the unfinished tank that are situated at.
different distances from the manhole or other opening in the tank through which the
lever arm 7 passes.
14 is a table or support for the work; it is, in the example shewn, supported by
side plates or frames 15 that are carried by guide rods 16 upon which the said plate
or frames can be caused to move vertically (to adjust the height of the table to suit
the work to be done) by means of pinions 17 that gear with racks 18 on the guide
rods. These pinions are fixed upon a shaft 19 provided with a worm wheel 20 that
can be operated from the front of the table by a worm 21, shaft 22, and hand wheel 23.
The guide rods 16 work in guides 24 and are carried by foot levers 25 the cuter
ends of which are shewn connected by a foot board 26. Or lever arms 25" fixed upon
a shaft 25 and operated by a hand lever 25 (shewn in dotted lines in Fig. 1) may
be used for raising the rods 16 and table 14. 27 is a weighted lever fulcrummed at 28
and connected by a link 29 with the arm 7 of the rivetting lever, so as to raise this
arm when the cylinder of the hydraulic press is exhausting, and thus to lower the
movable tool 6 away from a rivet after the same has been swaged or closed.
The hydraulic press 9 may be of any suitable construction and be provided with
valves operated by a hand lever 30 for controlling the admission and exhaustion of
motive fluid. 31 is a block that transmits power from the plunger 32 of the hydraulie

page_text: press, when this plunger moves, outward, to the arm 7 of the rivotting lever. This
block 31 is journalled to the plunger as shewn so that it may always take a fair
bearing on the arm 7" notwithstanding that this arm will be inclined during the
rivetting operation.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The plates to be rivetted together to form a tank are placed upon the table 14 as
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the said table and the arm 7 of the rivetting
lever being in their lowered positions. A rivet is then inserted from above, so as to
be situated below the stationary tool 1, and the guide rods 16 and table 14 are raised
by the foot levers 25 so as to cause the lower bent flange A of the one plate of the
tank to force the upper plate B against the stationary tool 1 so that both plates will
be held close together. The hydraulic press is then set in action to operate the
rivetting lever and raise the movable tool 6 which then swages or closes the rivet.
The guide rods with table and tank plates are then lowered the plates adjusted laterally
for a fresh rivet, and the above described operation repeated.
For enabling the rivetting machine to rivet flat plates of metal together, such for
example, as a strengthening ring to a plate that is to form the top of a tank, the
table 14 may be slotted or so formed that it can be raised above the arm 7 of the
rivetting lever and when so raised, such arm may work through it; or the table may
be arranged above the lover arm and be formed with a hole through which the movable.
rivetting tool 6 can work. This construction will be readily understood without the
aid of drawings.
Instead of making the arm 7 adjustable relatively to the other part of the rivetting
lever for the purpose herein before mentioned, the rivetting lever may as shewn in
Fig. 8 be provided with trunnions 33 carried by an adjustable block 34 arranged to
work in a slot in the lever so that the position of the fulcrum of the lever can be
adjusted as required by means of screws 35. Or the lever may be formed with two
or more holes, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, in one or other of which, according
to the height of the top of the movable tool, 6, the fulcrum pin of the lever can
be inserted. When the centre or fulcrum of the rivetting lever is made adjust-
able the means employed for, operating it should be capable of corresponding
adjustment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A rivetting machine having a rivetting lever constructed with an arm adjustable
in relation to the remainder of the lever and adapted to carry a moveable tool
substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose specified.
2. A rivetting machine constructed with a rivetting lever provided with trunnions
that are adjustable in relation to the lever itself for the purpose of enabling the
position of the centre of motion in relation to the tool carrying arm of the said
lever to be altered to suit different tools as and for the purpose specified.
3. A rivetting machine having a rivetting lever constructed with two or more holes
into either of which the fulcrum pin can be inserted for the purpose of enabling the
centre of motion of the said lever to be altered to suit different tools as and for the
purpose specified.
4. In a rivetting machine adapted to work with a stationary tool and with a movable
tool carried by a rivetting lever, providing a table or support for the work and
means whereby such table or support ean be readily moved towards and from the
stationary tool, as hereinabove described.
5. My improved rivetting machine as described and shewn, whether the lever be
made with an adjustable arm or with two or more holes to admit of altering its
centre of motion as set forth.
.
י
WALTER SKAIFE.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant,