Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Open or Reticulated Metal Work.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Open or Reticulated
Metal Work.
We, JOSHUA BUCKTON AND COMPANY LIMITED, of Well House Foundry, in
the City of Leeds, Machine Tool Makers, and CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM JAMES, of
Well House Foundry, in the City of Leeds, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that type of machine for the purpose herein before
mentioned in which sheet metal is, by being simultaneously sheared bent and
stretched between two knives or blades, formed into meshes or reticulations, one
of the knives being straight and the other. formed with corrugations or teeth
suitable for the desired size of mesh, and the knives being caused to move past
one another. For the purpose of description we will consider the lower blade
to be straight and fixed and the upper blade to be corrugated and to be moved
vertically past the lower one, and in order that the meshes be formed by the
reciprocating action of these aforesaid knives or blades it is necessary that,
either the metal sheet being operated on or the corrugated blade be moved
horizontally in a direction parallel to the length of the blade, between each
stroke of the machine. Also the metal sheet requires between each stroke to be
fed forward horizontally through the blades to an extent regulated by stops or
fingers for the desired width of strand.
Our invention relates particularly to an improved construction of the vertically
moving shear slide by means of which improved construction the corrugated
knife or shear blade can be moved horizontally thereon in a direction parallel to
its length, and further our invention relates particularly to improved means for
imparting this horizontal movement to the corrugated shear blade and for
imparting a similar movement to the finger or stops which regulate the width
of strand.
Our improvements consist in forming the under side of the vertically moving
shear slides with vee or square lips or recesses upon which a saddle or block
carrying the corrugated blade can slide horizontally, the block being fitted with
means of adjustment for wear, and means of attachment for the blade; fixed
to the block or a continuation thereof is a pin preferably fitted with a runner
which engages with a pair of cams on a vertical shaft driven by gearing from one
of the shafts of the machine and which cams impart the desired horizontal
motion to the block carrying the corrugated blade, the length of the runner and
of the cams being such that the transmission of the horizontal motion is not
affected by the vertical motion of the shear slide. The regulating fingers or the
shafts carrying them are similarly moved horizontally by means of pin or con-
nection from the sliding block or saddle the pin being so arranged that the

page_text: transmission of the horizontal motion is unaffected by the vertical motion of the
block and shear slide.
Tlated this 9th low of Naremban 1907
Improvements in Machines for Manufacturing Open or Reticulated
Metal Work.
We, JOSHUA BUCKTON & COMPANY LIMITED, of Well House Foundry, in
the City of Leeds, Machine Tool Makers, and CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM JAMES, of
Well House Foundry, in the City of Leeds, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to that type of machine for the purpose herein before
mentioned in which sheet metal is, by being simultaneously sheared bent and
stretched between two knives or blades, formed into meshes or reticulations, one
of the knives being straight and the other formed with corrugations or teeth
suitable for the desired size of mesh, and the knives being caused to move past
one another. For the purpose of description we will consider the lower blade
to be straight and fixed and the upper blade to be corrugated and to be moved
vertically past the lower one, and in order that the meshes be formed by the
reciprocating action of these aforesaid knives or blades, it is necessary that
either the metal sheet being operated on or the corrugated knives be moved
horizontally in a direction parallel to the length of the blade between each
stroke of the machine. Also the metal sheet requires between each stroke to be
fed forward horizontally through the blades to an extent regulated by stops or
fingers for the desired width of strand.
Our invention relates particularly to an improved construction of the vertically
moving shear slide by means of which improved construction the corrugated
knife or shear blade can be moved horizontally thereon in a direction parallel to
its length, and further our invention relates particularly to improved means for
imparting this horizontal movement to the corrugated shear blade and for
imparting a similar movement to the fingers or stops which regulate the width
of strand, when such fingers are employed.
Our improvements consist in forming the underside of the vertically moving
shear slide with vee or square lips or recesses upon which a saddle or block carry-
ing the corrugated blades can slide horizontally, this saddle being fitted with
means of adjustment for wear and means of attachment for the blades.
Fixed to the saddle or a continuation thereof is a pin, preferably fitted with a
runner, which engages with a pair of cams on a vertical shaft driven by gearing
from one of the shafts of the machine and which cams impart the desired hori-
zontal motion to the saddle carrying the corrugated blades, the length of the
runner and the length and form of the cams being such that the transmission
of the horizontal motion is not affected by the vertical motion of the shear slide.
The regulating fingers or the shafts carrying them are similarly moved hori-
zontally by means of a pin or connection from the sliding block or saddle, the pin

page_text: being so arranged that the transmission of the horizontal motion is unaffected by
the vertical motion of the saddle and shear slide.
And in order that our invention may be more clearly understood we will
proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine for manufacturing reticulated metal
work or expanded metal.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same machine.
Figure 3 is a sectional vertical elevation of the same machine.
Figure 4 is a part sectional plan of the same machine showing more par-
ticularly the cams for operating the moving saddle, and the means of moving
the same in a horizontal direction on the shear slide; also the shaft carrying
the regulating fingers and the means of moving them.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section of the same machine at or near the middle
of the vertically moving shear slide, showing particularly and to a larger scale
the construction of this shear slide and the saddle carrying the blades.
The same letters or figures refer to the same parts in all the views.
For the purpose of describing our invention it is not necessary to describe the
whole action of the machine or the whole process of manufacturing reticulated
metal work or so called expanded metal; but we have shown in our drawing sub-
stantially the whole of a machine for manufacturing expanded metal in order
that the relation of our invention to this type of machine may be properly under-
stood.
The slide 1 has imparted to it a reciprocating vertical motion by means of the
connecting rods 24 and the excentric rod 15 driven from the pulleys 23 and spur
gearing 22 this slide being guided on the housings 13 and 14. The under side
of the slide 1 is formed with vees or lips upon which is supported and is free to
slide horizontally in the direction of its length the saddle 2.
This saddle 2 is provided with a slip 3 or wedge piece which by means of suit-
able screws can be accurately set up and adjusted to take up all back lash or
wear. Or instead of vee shaped lips the lips may be square with suitable wedges.
The saddle 2 is suitably formed for the attachment and adjustment of the knife
blocks 4 and corrugated knives or blades 5.
Between each vertical stroke or during a portion of each vertical stroke of the
shear slide 1, the saddle 2 is moved horizontally along the slide 1 in a direction
parallel to its length and alternately to the right and to the left an amount
determined by the cams 20 and 21 and corresponding to half the pitch of the
mesh being cut. These cams 20 and 21 are attached to the underside of a plate 19
keyed to a vertical shaft carried by the bracket 18, to the upper end of this
vertical shaft is keyed a bevel wheel 17 which gears into a pinion 16 half the size
of the wheel, the pinion 16 being fixed to the excentric shaft 15.
The cams 20 and 21 come into contact alternately with a runner 25-on a pin
formed on or fixed to the saddle 2, and the arrangement is such that on one
stroke of the knives one cam moves the saddle 2 the desired distance in one
direction and on the next stroke the other cam moves it back again an equal
distance in the opposite direction.
As the saddle 2 is carried by the slide 1 which has a vertical reciprocating
motion, and partakes of that motion, the cams 20 and 21 are made deep enough
that is project sufficiently from the plate to which they are attached, to permit
this vertical motion of the saddle 2 and the cam surfaces are similar at any
horizontal section so that the vertical and horizontal motions of the saddle 2
take place without interference one with the other. When stops or fingers 8
are used for regulating the width of strand being cut these are-made to project
over the lower blade 6 and between the interstices of the corrugated blades 5
and be moved bodily in a horizontal plane in the same direction and to the same
amount as the moving saddle 2; this being effected by means of a pin 27 rigidly
attached to the saddle 2 and fitting into a hole in the block 28 to which both
the shafts and 10 carrying the fingers are connected, see Figure 4, in such a

page_text: manner that it is free to move vertically relatively to the block 28 and shafts 9
and 10, but these parts are compelled to partake in all horizontal movements
of the saddle 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention we declare that what we claim is :-
_
(1) In machines for producing open or reticulated metal work or expan:led
metal the improved construction of the vertically moving shear slide consisting
essentially of the formation of vees or lips upon the under side of the said shear
slide, upon which a saddle carrying the blades is mounted capable of reciproca-
tion in a horizontal direction parallel with its length, for the purpose and in
manner herein before and in the drawings described.
(2) In such machines as in Claim 1 mentioned and in combination with a
shear slide and saddle formed as in the said claim mentioned, the use of cams
constructed and operating as and for the purpose hereinbefore and in the drawings
described.
(3) In such machines as in Claim 1 mentioned and in combination with a saddle
carrying blades and having a horizontal motion parallel to its length mounted
upon a shear slide, and fingers or stops to regulate the width of strand, the method
ef mounting such fingers and their supporting shafts in such a manner that they
may move horizontally with the saddle without vertical motion, by the means
substantially hereinbefore and in the drawings described.
(4) The general arrangement and combination of parts for the purpose and
substantially as hereinbefore and in the drawings described.
Dated this with day of Awst 1808
For JOSHUA BUCKTON & COMPANY LIMITED,
JOSEPH HARTLEY WICKSTEED,
Director of Joshua Buckton & Company Limited.
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM JAMES.