IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING NUTS, BOLTS, RIVETS, AND SPIKES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Fletcher, of the Firm of Messieurs William Collier
& Co., of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING NUTS, BOLTS, RIVETS, AND
SPIKES."
Scaled the 23rd May 1876, and dated the 30th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Fletcher at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th March 1876.
JAMES FLETCHER, of the Firm of Messieurs William Collier & Co., of Salford, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING
NUTS, BOLTS, RIVETS, AND SPIKES."
My Invention consists of an improved self-acting feed motion for supplying
the heated bars to the dies of nut forging machines, and for indenting the edges.
The instruments for indenting the bar are actuated by two cans with dwells,
which after the indentation has been made bring the end of the bar over the dies
which cut off the piece forming the nut. The indentors are provided with two or more
points, one pair of points for indenting tho bar, and the other to remove the finished
nut from over the die box.
Also in the combination of two punches with the improved self-acting feed
motion above described. One of these punches bears against the end of the nut
while it is being compressed in the die box, and while the other punch is forced in
to consolidate the metal. When this second punch is withdrawn the first one
follows it up to remove the fin left between the two.
Also in the application of an adjustable holding down plate in front of the dies
to hold or bind the heated bar when it has been bulged up and drawn forward by
the indentors, and when they are again brought back to catch hold of a fresh
part.
The dies above described may be adapted to the forging of bolts and rivets. In
this case a movable slide is employed with a die at each end, and the slide is moved
to and fro by cams or other equivalents. By this means two bolts or rivets are
forged at one revolution of the cam shaft, and the fins are stripped off the head by
the bolt or rivet being pushed forward into the die box when the die box is held
against the heading dic.
In forging spikes the dies are arranged to cut off the desired length of the bar to

page_text: form the head, and to make the point at successive operations. The dies aro
actuated by eccentrics and cams; the upper dies move up and down, and the lower
dies are connected to a revolving table.
The point of the spike is indented to give it better hold in the wood in which
it is driven. The point and the indentations are made by a pair of dies; one die
has a loose bottom, and the other has a tonge. When the spike is finished the
loose bottom is raised to lift it out of the die.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th September
1876.
JAMES FLETCHER, of the Firm of Messieurs William Collier & Co., of Salford, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING
NUTS, BOLTS, RIVETS, AND SPIKES."
My Invention consists,―
First. In the combination of an improved self-acting feed motion for indenting
the edges of the heated bars, and supplying them to the lies of nut forging machines
with two punches for perforating the nut, and consolidating and economising the
metal, and with a holding down plate for retaining the heated bar, so that a proper
quantity of iron may be served for the next nut.
Secondly. In an improved machine for forging the heads on bolts and rivets.
And, Lastly. In an improved machine for forging spikes.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is an clevation; and Fig. 2, a plan of my improved machinery
for forging nuts; and Figs. 3 and 4 are detached views of the feeding motion
forming part of the same.
a is the top shaft, which is driven by a pinion on the driving shaft, as shewn in
Fig. 2, or in any other convenient manner, the top shaft a by means of two pairs of
mitre wheels gives motion to the shafts b and c, on which are the double cams
b, c, for working the holders of the punchers b, c. At the lower end of the shaft c
is a mitre wheel gearing into a similar wheel on the shaft d. On the shafts a and d
are keyed the double cams with dwells a¹ and d forming part of my improved
feed motion; these cams are somewhat similar to those described in the Specification
of former Letters Patent granted to me on the 27th day of June 1872, Number
1949.
To the shaft bare fixed the cams 6, which impart a to-and-fro motion to the
slide c, and to this slide is connected the cross head e¹ by means of studs and cotters,
and adjustable lock nuts. The parts c, e', are held asunder by the volute springs e²,
or other equivalents; or this may be done by compound levers and weights, the
object of which is to allow the die f fixed in the cross head c¹ to yield when
any extra pressure is put upon the nut. There are similar springs or levers
and weights between the cains b₁ and the holder of the punch b² for the samo
purpose.
To the shaft c are fixed the cam c³ for actuating the slide g, to which the die h is
fixed, and to the main framing of the machine is fixed the adjustable holding down
plate, shewn best in Fig. 3. The heated bar to be forged into nuts passes between
this plate, and the main frame, as shewn in Fig. 4, and the distance between the
two is regulated according to the thickness of the bar by increasing or reducing
the number of washers or plates on the holding down bolts. The object of this
holding down plate is to bind the heated bar when it has been bulged up and
drawn forward by the indentors forming part of the feed motion, as will be described
hereafter.

page_text: The cams a' and above referred to revolve in the square frames a³ and d³, one
side of each frame having a movable block a³, d³, which is changed to suit the size
of nut that is 'being forged, each frame is connected to a shank with a set washer
and lock nuts and passing through a swivel block a*, d'. As the cams revolve the
frames oscillate from the centres of the said swivel blocks. To the frames a², d² are
fixed the indenting and pushing blocks a³, d³, which must be changed according to
the size of nut to be forged. As the cams a¹ and d' revolve they first bring the
indenting blocks a³, d³, against the edge of the heated bar forming an indentation
at each edge corresponding to the sides of a hexagonal nut; they then draw the
heated bar forward to bring the end over the dies, the die h then cuts off of the end of
the bar and forces the piece so cut off into the die box j, where it is compressed and
punched. When the indentors act on the edges of the heated bar they bulge up the
bar and cause it to bind between the holding down plate i and the framing, thereby
holding the bar firm when the indentors leave go of it. The cut-off piece is forced
by the die h against the end of the die fand of the punch 62, which are then nearly
level with each other, the compression being given by the die h, the punch c³ then
advances to punch the requisite hole in the nut, and to consolidate the metal and
force the punching into the nut. When the punch c² is withdrawn the punch 62
follows it up to remove the small fin of metal left between the two punches.
the cams a¹, d, continue to revolve after the nut has been formed, they open the
indenting blocks a³, ds, and then they recede to bring the indenting blocks into
position for the next operation; as the indenting or feeding blocks carry forward tho
end of the heated bar for making the next nut, these indentors or feeding blocks
are used only as feeders when making square nuts, the leading points of the
indentors remove the finished nut from over the die box, which nut had been
previously forced out of the die box j by the dic f. The cams a', d', are made with
dwells to give time for the various operations described, and the projections on the
cams are to reduce the opening and closing motion of the indenting and feeding
blocks.
As
By means of the improved feed motion above described the finished nut is
removed by the leading points of the indenting or feeding blocks, whereas in my
former Patent above referred to the finished nut was removed by the advance of
the end of the bar, and when a bar was used up the last nut was left over the die
box, and was consequently liable to be again forced into it.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 5 is an elevation, and Fig. 6, a plan of my improved double-
acting machine for forging the heads of bolts and rivets, and on Sheet 3, Figs. 7, 8,
9, and 10 are detached views of parts of the same. In Figs. 5 and 6, is the
driving shaft on which is a pinion gearing into a large wheel on the cam shaft l,
on this shaft is fixed a skew mitre wheel gearing into a similar wheel mou
the cross shaft m. On this shaft are fixed the intermittent pinions m³, see Fig.
7, which gear into the wheels p¹ forming part of the circular tables p, in which
are five or other convenient number of die boxes p³. The tables p are on axles
which are supported in the main framing. On the shaft are keyed the double
cams for moving the slide to and fro; at each end of this slide is fixed the die
holder q', see Figs. 9 and 10. Each holder q¹ carries a hollow die q. Within the
slide q are the two heading rams r which are moved outwards by the cam 1³ on
the shaft, and which are brought back by the cams l, levers r¹ and , the lower
ends of which come against projections fixed to the rams r, as shewn in Fig. 5.
To the outer end of each ram r is fixed a plunger or heading die ³, see Fig. 9,
fitting into the hollow die q*.
The pieces of iron of which the bolts or rivets are made having been heated
at one end are dropped into the troughs s, from whence they are pushed into the
dies ps of the circular tables p by a bowl in the cam acting on the pushing bar sl.
When a piece of iron has thus been pushed into a die, the circular table p is
moved one-fifth or other portion of a revolution round, by the intermittent pinion
m², the plain circumference of which fits into a corresponding recess in the table
to hold it steady and true with the bolt, while the head is being formed in the

page_text: hollow die q by the plunger or heading die ³. When the slide 7 recedes it strips
the head out of the hollow die q². The heading ram ? now recedes leaving the
finished bolt or rivet in the dic of the circular table p, which moves round to the
ejecting pin from which it is ejected hy the pins t, which are moved to and fro by
the cams acting on the levers t, t, links t³, levers t, and slides 5. In the slide t
is the screwed pin to, the object of which is to hold the end of the piece of iron
on which the head is being formed. This pin is screwed into the slide t, and the
distance of the projecting end is varied according to the length of the bolt or rivet.
On each cam is a slight projection, as shewn in Fig. 5, for acting on the lever t
to push forward the pin to after the head has been formed, and this additional
motion of the pin pushes forward the bolt or rivet, thereby cutting off the fin, if
any is formed, between the die q and the dic 2. As soon as one head has been
formed at one end of the machine a similar operation is performed at the other end,
thereby making the machine double acting, and producing two bolts or rivets for
every revolution of the cam shaft.
On Sheet 4 Fig. 11 is a side elevation, and Fig. 12 a front elevation of my
improved machine for forging spikes; Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are detached views of
parts of the same. In Figs. 11 and 12 t is the driving shaft, which by means of a
pinion and wheel gives motion to the eccentric shaft v. This shaft works the
vertical slide v up and down, in the lower end of which is fixed the heading
plunger v, see Fig. 13. To the outer end of the eccentric shaft vis fixed a wheel
for driving the small eccentric shaft w which works the slide w¹ up and down, at
one side of which is fixed the cutting-off blade w, and at the other is fixed the
pointing tool w³, see Figs. 14 and 15. At the inner end of the shaft w is fixed a
mitre wheel giving mction to the upright shaft m, on which is an intermittent
pinion, similar to that shewn in Fig. 7, for giving motion to and holding true the
circular table p in bolt machines. This table is also provided with five or other
convenient number of die boxes p², as described in reference to the machine for
heading bolts and rivets, but these die boxes must be made of the required shape
for forming the head on the spike. To the large wheel on the eccentric shaft vis
fixed a crank pin for actuating the ejecting lever t', which passes through a slot in
the holder of the ejecting pin t. To the slide v is attached an apparatus for
lifting the spikes out of the die boxes in the circular table p; this apparatus
consists of the spring catches 3, the trough v, and the guide v³.
The square or other shaped bars to be formed into spikes are first cut to the
required lengths by the shears w. One end of each piece is then heated, and it is
dropped into one of the die boxes 222 of the circular table p, which is then turned
one-fifth or other portion of a revolution round by the intermittent pinion to bring
the heated end under the plunger . The slide v¹ then descends to bring the
plunger into the die box p² to form the head on the spike, as shewn in Fig. 13.
The plunger v is then withdrawn, and the table is again moved partly round to
bring the die-box in which is the headed spike over the ejector t, which in rising
forces the spike upwards; at the same time the slide v is again descending, and the
spike head is forced between and caught by the catches v³. When the next spike
is ejected from the circular table the head comes in contact with the bottom end of
the spike held in the catches, and forces it through the catches against the guide v³,
which turns it over into the trough v¹, from whence it drops on to the floor or into
a suitable receptacic.
The next operation consists in pointing the spikes. The end of the spike having
been heated is laid in the bottom die , which is provided with a loose bottom,
forming part of the lever w³, as shewn in Fig. 15. In the lever is a stud fitting
into the slotted piece w" connected to the slide w¹. In order to produce indentations
in the spike suitable projections are made in the top die wand in the loose
bottom. When the heated end of the spike has been laid in the bottom die the
top die is brought down by the slide w¹ to point the spike and produce the in-
dentations required, and in rising the slotted piece w lifts the loose bottom w³ out
of the bottom die w' to eject the pointed spike.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself
to the details given, as the same may be varied. I would also remark that I mako
no claim to any of the well-known parts of the machines for forging nuts, bolts,
rivets, and spikes, which are shewn and described to illustrate the mode of applying
my present improvements.
I claim,-
First. The combination of the improved self-acting feed motion for indenting and
supplying heated bars to machines for forging nuts with two punches for perforating
and consolidating the nuts and making little waste, and with a holding down plate,
as shewn and described.
Secondly. The improved machinery for forging the heads on bolts and rivets and
for stripping the fins, as shewn and described.
Thirdly. The improved machinery for forging spikes, as shewn and described.
Fourthly. The spring catch apparatus for discharging the spikes, as shewn and
described.
And, Lastly. The improved apparatus for pointing and indenting spikes, as shown
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Fletcher, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
JAMES FLETCHER. (L.S.)