IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING OR SHAPING METALS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Foxall Griffiths, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING OR SHAPING METALS."
Sealed the 30th August 1861, and dated the 12th March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Foxall Griffiths
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th March 1861.
I, THOMAS FOXALL GRIFFITHS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING OR SHAPING METALS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements, herein-after described, in dies
and tools, and apparatus connected therewith, for raising or shaping metals.
My Invention consists, firstly, in the following method of constructing the
punch or upper die of a pair of dies for raising or shaping metals, and of con-
necting the pressure plate, used to prevent the formation of wrinkles, with the
said punch or upper die. The said punch or upper die is enclosed in a hollow
cylinder or tube of less length than the said punch. The pressure plate is
fixed at the bottom of a hollow cylinder or tube of larger diameter than the
former and sliding thereon. A coiled spring within the first-named tube bears
at top against the top of the smaller cylinder or tube, and at bottom against
the bottom of the larger cylinder or tube, and another coiled spring around

page_text: the outside bears against flanges at the top and bottom of the small and larger
-cylinders or tubes respectively. The punch is wholly within the cylinders
until it is made to descend upon the lower die. When the punch is brought
down, the pressure plate comes in contact with the metal to be raised, which is
placed upon the lower die, and the said pressure plate is pressed upon the said
metal; the descending punch now passes through the hole in the pressure
plate and forces the metal into the lower die; the pressure plate, under which
the edges of the metal are drawn, being pressed with greater and greater force
as the punch descends.
My Invention consists, secondly, in constructing punches or upper dies in
the following manner:-I make the punch of two parts, the lower part being
-connected to the upper part by a stem in the former entering a hole in the
axis of the latter. A coiled spring around the said stem forces out the lower
part. When the punch is brought down on the metal to be raised or shaped the
first effect of the pressure is to force the lower half of the die to the furthest
extent into the upper half, when it assumes externally the shape of a solid
punch of the ordinary construction. In its further descent it forces the metal
into the lower die. As the punch rises the lower part is separated from the
upper by means of the spring, and the shaped or raised metal is prevented from
being retained on the said punch.
My Invention consists, lastly, in putting a spring in the lower die, in order
to lift the metal which has been raised or shaped from the said lower die after
the raising or shaping operation is completed. In carrying this part of my
Invention into effect I make a hole in the axis of the lower die, in which hole
I place a coiled spring, which projects somewhat into the die; or I place a rod
in the said spring, which rod carries at top a plate, which constitutes when
depressed the bottom of the die. As the metal is carried into the lower die.
by the descent of the punch the spring or plate supported by the spring is
depressed, but when the punch is raised the spring expands, and the raised or
shaped metal is lifted and prevented from sticking in the lower die.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Foxall Griffiths in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
FOXALL GRIFFITHS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, 3
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Foxall Griffiths, Her special licence that I, the said
Thomas Foxall Griffiths, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Foxall Griffiths, 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." IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RAISING OR SHAPING METALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Foxall Griffiths,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to.
be performed, 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 Thomas Foxall Griffiths, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the improvements, berein-after described and illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawings, in dies and tools, and apparatus
connected therewith, for raising or shaping metals.
My Invention consists, firstly, in the method herein-after explained and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying. Drawings of con-
structing the punch or upper die of a pair of dies for raising or shaping
metals, and of connecting the pressure plate, used to prevent the formation of
wrinkles with the said punch or upper die.
Figure 1 represents, in elevation, a pair of raising or shaping dies, the upper
die of which is constructed according to this part of my Invention. Figure 2
is a vertical section of the same; and Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent portions
of the same, as herein-after explained. The same letters of reference indicate
the same parts in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
a is the punch or upper die, fixed to the bolt 6 of the press or machine in
the way herein-after described. The said punch a is enclosed in two hollow
cylinders or tubes c, d, the lower one d being of greater diameter than the

page_text: upper one c. The tube or cylinder c slides within the tube or cylinder d, in
the manner herein-after explained. To the bottom of the tube or cylinder d
the pressure plate e is fixed by screws f, f. The tube or cylinder c is shewn
separately detached from the punch in elevation in Figure 3, and the larger
tube or cylinder d is shewn separately detached from the punch in side eleva-
tion and vertical section in Figures 4 and 5 respectively. A coiled spring 9
within the cylinder c, d, and around the punch a bears at top against the
closed end of the tube or cylinder c, and at bottom against the pressure plate.e,
and another coiled spring h around the exterior of the tubes c, d, bears at top
against a flange i screwed to the top of the tube c, and at bottom against the
pressure plate e. The punch a is wholly within the cylinders c, d, as repre-
sented in the Drawing, until the said punch is made to descend. The disc or
platek (see Figure 2) to be shaped or raised, having been placed on the lower
diel, the bolt 6 carrying the punch a, and parts connected with it, is made to
descend. On the descent of the bolt b, the pressure plate e first comes into
contact with the metal plate k, to be raised on the lower die l, and presses and
holds the said plate k on the said lower die 7. During the descent of the
punch a through the opening e in the pressure plate e, and into the lower die l,
the tube or cylinder c slides within the tube or cylinder d, and compresses the
coiled springs g and h; the said compressed springs 9 and h pressing the
pressure plate e, under which the edges of the plate of metal k are drawn with
greater and greater force, as the said punch a descends. The wrinkling of the
plate of metal during the raising operation is thus prevented. On the ascent
of the bolt 6 the punch a is withdrawn from the lower die Z and into the
pressure plate e; the tube.c slides out of the tube d, and the coiled springs g, h,
and pressure plate e assume their respective positions, represented in the
Drawing, until by the descent of the bolt 6, the action described of the several
parts is repeated. The upper cylinder c is secured to the bolt by the
screw m; and the punch a is secured to the said bolt 6 by the screwed rod o
passing through the neck of the tube c, and being fastened by the screw nut p.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the method, herein-after described and
illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying Drawings, of con-
structing the punches or upper dies used for shaping or raising metals.
Figure 6 represents in elevation, and Figure 7 in vertical section, a punch
made according to this part of my Invention, the parts of the said punch
being in the positions which they respectively assume when the punch is
brought down on the metal to be raised or shaped. Figure 8 represents the
said punch in elevation, the parts of the said punch being in the positions
they respectively assume when the punch is being raised from the die in

page_text: which it has shaped the metal. The same letters of reference are used to
indicate the same parts in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
I
The said punch is made of two parts q and.r, the lower part r being con-
nected to the upper part 9 by a stem s, attached to the said lower part;
entering a hole t in the upper part. To the bottom of the part q of..the
punch a disc or plate u, having a collar on its upper side, is fixed by
screws v, v, and the lower part r of the punch is fixed to. the lower end of
the stems by a screw. w, as represented. is a coiled spring in, the hole t
in the axis of the punch, which spring bears upon the upper enlarged end of
the stem.s, and tends to force outwards the lower part r. When the punch
is brought down upon the metal to be raised or shaped, the first effect of the
pressure is to force the lower part r of the punch to its furthest extent against
the part u, and thereby to compress the coiled spring a, that is to say, the
form of the punch is changed from that represented in Figure 8 to that repre-
sented in Figures 6 and 7, the said punch assuming externally the shape of
a solid punch of the ordinary construction. On the further descent of the
said punch, it forces the metal into the lower die, as is well understood. As
the punch. rises, the lower part r is separated from the upper part 9 by
means of the coiled spring x, and the punch assumes the form represented
in Figure 8, and the shaped or raised metal is prevented from being retained
on the said punch.
;
My Invention consists, lastly, in putting a spring in the lower die in order
to lift the metal which has been raised or shaped from the said lower die after
the raising or shaping operation is completed. This part of my Invention is
illustrated in Figure 2 of the Drawings in connection with the lower die 7 of
the pair of dies a, l. In carrying this part of my Invention into effect, I
make in the axis of the lower die la bole y, in which hole I place a coiled
spring z, which projects somewhat into the die; or I place in the axis of the
spring za rod marked 1, carrying at its top a plate 2, which plate, when
depressed, enters the recess 3, and constitutes the bottom of the die. As the
metal is carried into the lower die by the descent of the punch the spring z
(when it is used alone) or the plate 2, supported by the spring z, is depressed,
but when the punch is raised, the spring z raises the plate 2, which latter
lifts the raised or shaped metal article, and thereby prevents it from sticking
in the lower die.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented in the accom-

page_text: panying Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,―
Firstly, the improvements in constructing the punch or upper die of a pair
of dies for raising or shaping metals, and in connecting and working, by
means of sliding tubes and springs, the pressure plate used therewith, herein-
before described and represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accom
panying Drawings.
Secondly, the improvement in constructing the punches or upper dies for
raising or shaping metals, herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 6,
7, and 8 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the lower
part of the punch moveable, so that when the said punch descends into the
lower die, the said moveable part shall be pressed against the other part, and
form a punch having the shape of a solid punch, the said moveable part of the
punch separating by means of a spring from the other part when the punch
is raised from the lower die, and thereby preventing the raised or shaped
article from being retained on the said punch.
Lastly, the improvements in the lower die of a pair of dies for raising or
shaping metals, herein-before described with reference to Figure 2 of the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say, placing a spring, or a plate supported
by a spring, in the axis of the lower die, in order that the raised or shaped
metal may be lifted and prevented from sticking in the said die when the
punch or upper die is raised from the lower die.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Foxall Griffiths, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
THOMAS FOXALL GRIFFITHS. (L.S.)