Improvements in Forging or Setting Hollow, Annular, and other Forms of Wrought Metal.
Year: 1894

page_text: Cate of Application, 8th Nov., 1894
Com lete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forging or Setting Hollow, Annular, and other
Forms of Wrought Metal.
A communication by JONATHAN BURNS WEST. of Rochester, in the County of
Monroe and State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 31 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a method of shaping or forming annular articles,
segments of rings and other objects from bar metal, or malleable metal of any kind
roughly formed to the required shape.
The invention consists essentially in strongly pressing the roughly shaped ring,
or other objects grouped in a ring form between a central nucleus, matrix or mandrel
of the required shape, and a series of movable dies pressed radially or approxi-
mately so against it by hydraulic or other pressure till the article has assumed the
requisite form; also in submitting the article or ring of articles to be set or formed
to pressure between surfaces or dies in a direction at right angles to the plane of
the radial die motion.
In carrying out the invention, the bar metal is roughly shaped to the requisite
form or forms, and is laid cold or hot in the apparatus. The latter consists of
1st. a foundation framework or plate, and 2nd. a stout strong abutment ring,
preferably of rectangular cross section and of much larger diameter than the ring,
or the circular group of objects to be formed or set is firmly attached to this
foundation plate or frame. To this abutment ring a series of short hydraulic
cylinders or their piston rods are attached, their axes being approximately radial
and pointing inward to the common centre. The moving part, whether piston rod
or cylinder, carries in each instance the required die, and in some instances a ledge
below the die for the object to be formed to rest upon, instead of resting on the
foundation plate. In the centre of the space enclosed by the ring of dies is fixed
securely to the foundation plate, or in some instances lying loose thereon, the
matrix or mandrel for shaping the interior of the ring or circle of objects to be
formed. Arranged with a vertical movement over the ring or circle of objects to
be formed (which at first consist of roughly shaped bars placed between the dies
and the matrix or mandrel) a stout ring, plane, or annular die of the shape required
to suitably form the upper surface of the object or objects to be manufactured is
placed. The foundation plate or the moving flanges of the hydraulic cylinder
device being of the required shape to form or set the lower face of the objects, a
hydraulic cylinder or lever, screw, or other like machinery is connected with the
annular vertically moving die so as to enable it to firmly and sufficiently press the
objects against the bed plate or movable flanges to shape the top and bottom sides
of the object or objects to be formed.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The dies being drawn out and the annular die raised out of the way, the roughly

page_text: shaped bar or bars are placed in position round the matrix or mandrel. The dies
are now all propelled forward toward the centre, till they firmly and strongly
compress the bar metal against the matrix or mandrel. The pressure is now
somewhat relaxed and the annular die is brought down with strong pressure onto
the bar metal, setting or forming it accurately to the required contour as regards
the sides of the ring. This alternate pressing radially and laterally can take place
more than once if requisite till the required amount of set is given, or the two
motions can be made contemporaneously.
To prevent undue pressure the hydraulic or other power cylinders can be weighted
only to a given amount by a safety valve device or (if mechanical power be used
instead) a gauge lever is employed in such manner that when a pre-arranged
pressure has been reached no more can be applied.
The apparatus which is preferable for general work is a modification of that set
forth in Specification No. 10920 of 1894 and the present invention is an adaptation
of the principles of the invention described in that Specification to the setting,
forming or shaping of other articles beyond what are mentioned in said Specification
or capable of being manufactured in the actual machine therein delineated.
Dated this 7th day of November 1894.
Improvements in Forging or Setting Hollow, Annular, and other
Forms of Wrought Metal.
A communication by JONATHAN BURNS WEST, of Rochester, in the County of
Monroe and State of New York, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 has for its object a method of shaping or forming annular articles,
segments of rings and other objects from bar metal or malleable metal of any kind
roughly formed to the required shape.
The invention consists essentially in strongly pressing the roughly shaped ring
or pieces of metal grouped in ring form between the central nucleus or mandrel of
the required shape for the internal surface and a series of movable dies shaped to
the required shape of the outside of the article pressed radially or approximately
so against it by hydraulic or other pressure until the article has assumed the
requisite form or sct, also in submitting the article or ring of articles to be formed
or set to pressure between surfaces or dies in a direction at right angles to the
plane of the radial die motion. This pressure can however be formed if desirable
by the actual outward pressure of the plastic mass against rigidly held surfaces.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings illustrating
one form of my apparatus, in which,
Figure 1 is a section.
Figure 2 a plan partly in section, and with parts removed,
Figure 3 a plan of the unner face or die, and

page_text: Figure 4 an enlarged view of a part of the outer ring, the piston in section,
cylinder with part removed, and movable die.
In these A is a link pivoted to a strong abutment above, B a bracket pivoted
to A at a. Ca right and left handed nut for regulating the length of the vertical
column. D the upper face plate or die. On bracket B is fixed a screw 6 on
die D, a screw c pivoted at d to the face plate D. On these screws right and left
handed nut C turns. E is a stout link connecting the outer ring F and the face
plate D by pivot e. One of these pivots can be capable of slight sliding motion
Fare a
as shown. F is the ring forming the abutment for the movable die.
series of pipes bringing steam from the main steam pipe G to the cylinders H.
I is the piston formed in two parts with a cup leather i between. J is the die
dovetailed to the cylinder H and having a projecting flange below j, upon which
the ring of metal K to be formed or set is placed. This flange j can, if desirable,
be fixed in position and independent of the dies J. M is the inner circular matrix
supported on the face plate N. O is an outer frame or cylinder acting as a
support for the dies J and having angle plates Q so as more rigidly to support the
ring F. P is a projection on cylinder H having a guiding pin p surrounded by a
spring in compression between the parts Q and P which has a tendency to press
the piston out when it has done its work and the fluid pressure is taken off. The
parts J, M and O can be replaced by others of larger or smaller diameter,
thickness, height or contour, and the parts J are changed for every shaped article
made in the machine.
The mode of action is as follows-
The long handle of the bracket B being raised, the link A and the column B b
Cc at once turn to an angle with each other and the face plate D is raised up
exposing any articles K that may be in the machine. These are removed and
fresh rings or rings of pieces of hot or cold metal K are put in their place. If
they are of the same kind as those previously being manufactured, the arm B is
again compressed until the column A B b c D stands vertical. Steam water or
other fluid under pressure is now let into the pipe G and from it into the smaller
pipes F and the cylinders H. These are now pressed with the dies Jifirmly against
the metal, the metal consequently squeezes out in all directions taking the exact
contour of the upper face, the inner vertical face of the dies, the bottom face of
the projection j and the outer face of the cylinder M. Any surplus metal is
squeezed out between the end of j and the central matrix M. When the article is
set, which in most instances is instantaneously done, the fluid is exhausted out of
the pipes and cylinders, the springs surrounding p press the pistons back, and
the operator simply raises the lever of the bracket B in order again to empty the
moulds. If articles of other dimensions or form are required, the dies J j are
changed and if necessary the mandrel or internal cylinder M is changed also,
while if the top of the article is required to be any other than a plane surface the
face plate D is also changed to suit, or lining pieces are fixed of the required
contour and bolted to the plate D. If the new central piece M and the dies J are
of different thickness to the last, or the face plate D has had to be lined, the right
and left handed screws C will have to be adjusted before the machine can be set
in operation again, this adjustment being made, the machine is ready for a fresh
operation.
It is obvious that in place of a cylindrical central matrix a polygon with a
number of sides equal to the number of radial pistons could be used, also that a
polygon with half the number of sides that there are pistons or a third the number
of sides or even an irregular polygon with one two or more pistons working
parallel to each other against each side could be used, also that instead of a central
ring a single longitudinal bar could be used for the central matrix and two series
of pistons can work against this bar all of them parallel to each other as the main
principle of the invention consists in causing the pressure of the pistons to balance
each other against a central nucleus strong enough to stand the pressure without
fracture or alteration of form.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that I make no special claim in this
Specification for the machinery, nor yet for setting wagon tyres by such machinery,
as such part of the invention has already been protected by me in No. 10920 of
1894, but at that time it was not believed that the machinery therein set forth was
applicable for any other purpose than the setting of wagon tyres. By however
altering the dies and some other details as will be seen by comparing the drawings
of the two Specifications and also increasing the pressure where requisite, the
invention has been applied to other articles and it is this part of the invention, the
application to other articles, which forms the subject matter of the present
application, and that what I claim is :-
1. The forging or pressing of annular objects other than wagon tyres by pressing
the metal between a series of radial dies and a central matrix while confined in a
direction at right angles to the plane of movement of the dies.
2. The method of forming or setting other than annular objects out of malleable
metal by placing the roughly formed metal round a central matrix and between
it and substantially radial movable dics and pressing the radial dies towards the
central matrix by hydraulic or other pressure, while the metal is confined by sclid
abutments in a direction at right angles to the plane in which the dies move, the
dies, the central matrix and the parts confining, the metal at right angles to the
plane of movement being made supplementary to the shape of the required
article.
3. In the method of shaping or pressing articles other than annular forms of
wrought metal which consists in placing the roughly formed metal on opposite
sides of a central die and pressing them by means of dies working in direct
opposition to each other against the matrix while the metal is held from spreading
in directions at right angles to the line of pressure of the dies.
.Dated this 6th day of September 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.