Improvements in Machines for Making Beam Hangers.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Beam Hangers.
I, JOHN GRANT of 233 Owasco Street, in the City of Chicago and State of
Illinois United States of America, Machinist, 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 relates to machines for making stirrup irons or timber hangers,
such as are used for connecting ceiling joists with the timbers which sustain the
The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointed out
in the appended claims.
same.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating a machine embodying my invention:
Figure 1 is a side view of the machine, ready for insertion of the blank
or bar.
Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof showing machine in position after completion
of the hanger.
Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section thereof taken upon line 3-3 of
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan thereof showing machine in same position as in Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section taken upon line 5-5 of Figure 2.
Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional plan view showing working table nearly at the
limit of its backward movement, taken upon line 6-6 of Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a detail section taken upon line 7-7 of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a still further enlarged section of movable clamping device.
Figure 9 is a sectional plan view of same taken upon line 9-9 of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a detail sectional view of device for operating the movable forming
dies.
Figure 11 is a sectional plan view on line 11-11 of Figure 10.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a finished hanger made by the machine.
Figure 13 is an enlarged detail section showing finished hanger and parts of the
machine engaged therewith.
Figure 14 is a detail section on line 14-14 of Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a detail section on line 15-15 of Figure 13.
Figure 16 illustrates a modification of the construction of the clamping device.
Figure 17 is a detail section on line 17-17 of Figure 16.
Figure 18 illustrates a modification of the construction of the forming dies.
Figure 19 is a detail section on line 19-19 of Figure 18.
Figure 20 is an end view of the parts shown in Figure 18.
Figure 21 is a plan view of the forming dies shown in Figure 18, and a projection
on the frame which actuates said dies.
The main frame of the machine illustrated consists of a bed-plate A provided
with legs or standards aº aª sustaining it in horizontal position. The bed-plate A
is provided at its side margins with upwardly extending flanges A' A' to the upper
edges of which is secured a flat top-plate A2, the flanged bed-plate and top-plate
together forming a rectangular guide-passage (Figure 2) open at both ends.
In the
Within said guide passage is located a sliding plate or carriage B which is given
a longitudinal reciprocatory motion by the device hereinafter described.
particular construction shown, the carriage B is provided at its side margins with
downwardly extending flanges bb, Figure 3, which rests upon the bed-plate A,
thereby lessening the area of the parts in frictional contact. Said carriage is
also provided in its rear or inner part with upwardly extending flanges 66 which
rest and slide in contact with the top-plate A and thereby hold the carriage from
being lifted above the bed-plate during the operation of the machine. Reciprocatory

page_text: motion is given to the carriage by means of a crank disk C which is mounted on a
shaft C¹ at the rear end of the machine and is connected with the said carriage by
means of a pitman C. Said shaft C¹ is driven from a pulley shaft D by means of
gear wheels D' C³ on said shafts D and C¹, said shaft D being provided with belt
pulleys d d by means of which motion is communicated to the working parts of the
machine.
By reference to Figure 12 it will be seen that the stirrup iron or hanger consists
of a piece of bar iron of greater width than thickness and which is bent twice at
right angles near its middle to form a loop a and two parallel arms a' a', each of
which has a quarter twist a³ as bringing the flat faces of the upper parts of the
arms in the same plane with the loop a. The said arms, at their upper ends are
cach provided with two right angled bends as a giving a hooked form thereto.
The hanger constructed as described, is suspended from the top of a beam by means
of its hooked ends, and supports a second beam located at right angles to the first
one by the insertion of the end of the second beam within the loop a.
The means employed for making the two right angled bends forming the loop a of
the hanger will now be described: Upon the upper surface of the carriage B near
the front end of the machine is located an elevated projection or form-block 13
having the same width as the said loop a of the hanger. E E are two bending
rollers mounted upon studs e e supported upon the top-plate A' and extending
downwardly therefrom at either side of the path of the form block, said rollers being
located at some distance laterally from the form block. E' E' indicate another
pair of bending rollers mounted on vertical studs e e¹ which are also supported upon
the top plate A2, said rollers E' E' being arranged at opposite sides of the path of
the form block at a distance from the latter equal to the thickness of the bar of
metal to be operated upon. The end faces of the rollers E E, E' E' are located
adjacent to the flat, top surface of the carriage B, which slides freely beneath the
The said carriage B is reciprocated through such distance that the rear or
inner end of the form-block B is carried outwardly past the rollers E E and
inwardly past the rollers F¹ E' and in making the central bend in the bar, the latter
is placed across the end of the form block, when the latter is at the outward limit
of its movement, with the center of the bar resting in contact with the end face of
the form block and the loop is formed by the conjoint action of said rollers and the
form block, in the rearward or inward movement of the carriage. During such
movement of the carriage, the end portions of the bar or blank are first brought
against the rollers E E, by which the ends of the bar are bent to an angular position
relatively to the sides of the form block and as soon as the rear end of the form
block reaches and passes between the rollers E' E', the end portions of the bar are
pressed flat against the sides of the form block, thereby making two right angled
bends in the bar.
game.
In order to prevent displacement of the blank during the movement of the
carriage and form block, in the manner described, a clamp device is preferably
employed to hold or clamp the middle part of the bar against the end face of the
form block. This clamp device is herein shown in Figures 1 to 9 as made as
follows:
F is a metal block or bar bolted to the top surface of the carriage at the rear of
and in line with the form block, said bar being provided at its end adjacent to the
form block, with two guide arms ff between which slides a longitudinal clamping
jaw F (Figures 8 and 9), said clamping jaw being provided with a working face
opposite and parallel with the inner end of the form block and preferably of the
same width as the said end face of the form block. In connection with such
clamping jaw, a device is provided for throwing and holding the same against the
blank so as to clamp the latter between the clamping jaw and the end of the form
block, the same consisting, as herein shown, of a rock-shaft F mounted in the
casting F and provided with an eccentric F³ arranged to engage the clamping
jaw Fin such manner as to move the same toward and from the form block when

page_text: the rock shaft is turned, said rock shaft being provided at one end with a lever f¹
by which it may be rotated for tightening and loosening the clamping jaw. In the
particular construction of the parts herein illustrated, the clamping jaw is held in
place vertically by contact with the guide arms fand is held from lateral dis-
placement by means of two parallel arms f which extend rearwardly from the
body of the clamping jaw and engage the opposite parallel side faces of the
casting F (Figure 9). The rock shaft F2 is herein shown as arranged vertically
and mounted at its ends in the guide arms ff, the eccentric F³ being located at the
middle of the rock shaft in a rectangular recess f³ formed in the body of the
clamping jaw, said jaw being provided with slots ff through which the rock
shaft passes at either side of the said recess f³. The engagement of the eccentric
with opposite sides of the said recess f³, as shown in Figure 9, gives positive
movement to the clamping jaw during both its forward and backward movement
and holds it at all times positively in position. The opposing faces of the form
block in the clamping jaw F1 are preferably provided with lining plates B³ F¹
which are conveniently held in position by dove-tailed tongues engaging corre-
sponding grooves in said parts. By using thicker or thinner lining plates,
provision may be made for operating upon metal bars or blanks of greater or less
thickness as desired.
The lever may be moved by hand to effect the engagement of the clamp-jaw
with and its disengagement from the blank. As a means of insuring the clamping
of the blank during the bending operation I so arrange the lever f¹ that it will
stand parallel with the path of the carriage when the clamp jaws are closed, and
place the said lever above the level of the top of the form-block, so that it will
enter and pass through a longitudinal groove A³ formed in the lower face of the
top-plate A2 (Figure 8) for the reception of said lever, during the back and
forward movement of the carriage. In a construction of this kind the lever f
will be actuated to automatically close the clamp jaw against the blank, and said
lever may be moved to release the blank, either by hand or by an automatic
actuating device. When actuated by hand the lever may be thrown around to
release the jaw, by a hand tool, but a similar movement may be automatically
In the
accomplished by means of a spring suitably applied for the purpose.
drawings (Figure 8) f indicates a spiral spring encircling the rock shaft F³, and
connected with said shaft and with the casting F, said spring being so arranged as
to tend to hold the eccentric in position to retract the clamp-jaw.
In Figures 16 and 17 I have shown another device for automatically actuating
the clamp-pin F¹. In this instance the clamp-jaw is provided with two guide
rods which slide in the casting F, and springs F F³ are applied to said rods in
such manner as to retract the clamp-jaw, or draw it toward the said casting F. Fis
a cam-plate which is adapted to swing on a transverse pivot 18 secured in the
casting F, said cam-plate being adapted to engage at its free end with the rear or
inner face of the jaw, in such manner as to advance the jaw when the cam plate is
depressed. A spring F' is applied to lift said cam plate, and the latter is so
arranged that when in its elevated position its upper surface stands above the level
of the top of the form-block and in position to engage the top-plate A². In the
operation of the machine, when thus made, when the blank is placed across the
rear end of the form-block and the carriage begins its backward movement, the
cam-plate Fe will strike the top-plate A2 and will be thrust downwardly thereby,
so as to advance the clamp-jaw and clamp the blank. When the carriage returns
towards its original position, however, the cam-plate will rise under the action of
the spring F, as soon as it is free from the top-plate, and the clamp-jaw will
thereby become automatically released from the blank.
The form block B' may be cast integral with the carriage B, or otherwise
permanently secured thereto in case the machine is intended for making only one
size of hanger. Preferably however, said form block is removably secured to the
carriage, whereby form blocks of different widths may be employed when it is

page_text: desired to vary the size of the loop a of the hanger. A device for detachably
securing the form block to the carriage, herein shown, consists of heavy integral
lugs or posts B3 B4 extending upwardly from the top surface of the carriage and
passing through sockets or recesses in the form block, the latter being held
downwardly in place by means of screws 66 passing through the form block and
into the carriage. The recess 6 is conveniently formed near the rear or inner end
of the form block, while the recess 6 has the form of a notch in the outer or front
end of the said form block.
The means employed for making the quarter twists a² a² in the bar or blank will
now be described: Said twists are made, generally speaking, by the conjoint action
of two laterally projecting forming dies G G extending laterally outward from
the upper part of the form block, and two cam-arms H H which are pivotally
supported in the carriage below the form block and are adapted to rise toward
the forming dies G G in the act of making the twist in the bar. Said forming
dies are beveled or inclined on their rear and under surfaces to correspond
generally with the inclination or curvature of the finished hanger at a point
adjacent to the twist. The cam arms H H are similarly beveled or inclined
upon their upper and outer surfaces h to correspond with the curved surface
of the hanger. Said beveled surfaces hare, furthermore, arranged eccentrically
with the pivots of the cam-arms, as clearly shown in Figure 7. Said cam-arms H
swing through a distance approximately equal to a quarter of a rotation during
the operation of forming the twist in the hanger, the curvature of the working
faces of the cam-arms being such that when said cam-arms are swung down-
wardly and are out of action, the cam-surfaces are entirely below the level of the
top of the carriage, so that the ends of the bar or blank may swing freely over
the cam-arms when said ends of the blank are brought against the sides of the
form block in the preliminary bending of the same. Said cam faces are so shaped,
furthermore, that when the cam-arms are swung upwardly and rearwardly, they
will come approximately parallel to the inclined under surface of the forming
dies G G, thereby acting in connection with said dies, to give the desired shape or
twist to the blank. It will of course be understood that the working faces of
the cam-arms are inclined inwardly and downwardly toward the form block so that
their outer margins are highest, and thereby act to bend or carry upwardly the
outer margins of the blank, as is clearly shown in the sectional view, Figure 13.
Said cam surfaces hh terminate in flat surfaces 22, which when the cam-arms H H
are swung upwardly to the upward limit of their movement, are horizontal and
stand at a distance below the under surface of the top plate A2 of the machine
equal to the thickness of the metal blank (Figure 13). These flat surfaces ³ ³
serve to bring the flat parts of the hanger above the twists a² a in the same plane
with the inner edge of the loop. a so that when the hooks are engaged with the
timber the loop of the hanger will rest against the side of the timber both above
and below the twists therein.
In order to provide for working upon metal of different thicknesses, removable
blocks are secured to the cam-arms so as to form the flat surfaces h² h², which
blocks may be removed and replaced by others of greater or less thickness, as
necessary in operating the machine with thicker or thinner blanks. The said
cam-arms H H are lifted for the purpose of forming the twist in the blank, during
the rearward or inward movement of the carriage, by contact of a roller H₁ upon
the bed-plate A with the said cam-arms, the top of said roller being arranged on a
level with the top of the bed-plate so that the roller will lift the arms into a
horizontal position and the latter will be sustained in such position during the free
inward movement of the carriage by resting upon said bed-plate. The roller H'
is arranged beneath the forward end of the top plate A, so that when the cam-arms
are thrown upwardly, the flat surfaces thereof will come beneath the top plate
and will thereby bring the parts of the blank adjacent to the twists therein in the
same plane with each other and with the inner edge of the loop a. Flanges * * at

page_text: the inner edges of the cam faces h h are desirably employed to engage the inner
edges of the blank and thereby prevent the same from becoming caught between
the cam-arms and the form block as the cam-arms rise.
The bending rollers EE herein before described, aid in the bending of the blank
by acting against the outer edges thereof to hold the same against the form block.
Said rollers E, for this purpose, are located at a distance from the sides of the form
block equal to the width of the blank. During the inward movement of the
carriage, after the cam-arms Lave been lifted to form the twists in the blank, the
end portions of the blank adjacent to the twists will be confined above and below
by the cam-arms and top plate, and at their inner and outer edges by contact with
the form block and rollers E E (Figure 15), so that these portions of the blank
will be closely confined or held during the inward movement of the carriage.
For the purpose of allowing adjustment of the rollers E E toward and from the
form block, in operating upon wider or narrower blanks, the pivot studs e e of said
rollers are mounted in blocks E2 E2 (Figure 15) secured to the front edge of the
top plate A by adjustable attaching devices adapted for conveniently shifting the
position of said blocks horizontally. As herein shown the top-plate A² is provided
with a
"T" groove A³ (Figure 13) in which fits and slides "T" shaped pro-
jections e² e upon the said blocks E2 E2, and an oppositely screw-threaded shaft E³
is engaged with the projections of both blocks, said shaft having a squared end by
which it may be conveniently turned for adjusting the blocks.
As an additional means of rigidly securing in place the said blocks E2 E2, after
the same have been adjusted by means of the shaft, bolts e³ ³ (Figure 5) having
heads engaging the T-slot A³ A³ are inserted through the said blocks and provided
with nuts by which the blocks may be clamped against the end of the top-plate.
The forming dies G G instead of being rigidly attached to the forni block are
preferably mounted thercon so that they may be swung inwardly to allow the
finished hanger to be lifted from the form block. For the purpose stated, said
dies G G may be mounted in any one of a great variety of different ways.
desirable construction in said dies is herein shown (Figures 10 and 11) which is as
follows:
One
Said dies are pivoted at their inner ends upon vertical pivots gg secured in the
form block, the dies being arranged with their upper surfaces flush with the top of
the form block, which latter is provided with recesses G¹ G¹ adapted to receive the
dies when the latter are swung about the pivots gg. G is a gear pinion mounted
upon a vertical shaft g¹ between the pivots g g of the dies and intermeshing with
gear-segments g² g' formed upon the inner end of the dies concentric with the
pivots gg, in the manner illustrated, (Figure 11). By reason of the engagement of
both of the arms with the pinion G2, when the shaft g¹ is rotated, said arms are
turned or moved in opposite directions so that one arm swings toward the outer
end and the other arm toward the inner end of the form block, when said arms are
swung inwardly into their folded position, as clearly shown in the drawing.
To the upper end of the shaft g' is secured an actuating lever g³ which may
be moved either by hand or automatically by contact with a part of the machine
to turn the dies G G. As herein shown the lever is adapted to enter the
groove A in the under surface of the top-plate, and said lever is so arranged
with reference to the dies, that the latter will be held in their extended or
operative position when the lever is within the groove.
The lever may be
turned by hand to close the dies inwardly and thus permit the finished hanger
to be lifted from the form block, but in order to make the operation of these parts
entirely automatic, a spring g' may be applied to turn the shaft g¹ in a direction
to close the dies. Such spring is shown as made of the form of a coil sur-
rounding the shaft g' and connected at one end with the shaft and at its opposite
end with the form-block.
In Figures 18, 19 and 20 I have shown another construction in means for
actuating the forming dies G G. In this instance G³ G' are two rock shafts
mounted in the form block B¹ parallel with each other and with the sides of

page_text: the form block. The dies G G are rigidly secured to the rock shafts so as to
turn with the latter, said dies in this construction swinging in a plane at right
angles to the sides of the form block and being adapted to move through a
quarter of a circle or from a position standing horizontally out from the sides
of the form block to a vertical position extending upwardly from the top of the
form block. The rock shafts G G³ extend at their ends outwardly past the
end of the form block and are there provided with rigid arms 9 9³, to which
are connected the opposite ends of a spring G acting to turn the rock shaft in
opposite directions and to hold the dies in their closed or vertical position. In
a construction of this kind the dies G G are held outwardly or in position for
operation, by contact of their upper surfaces with the under surface of the top
plate A, said dies being located beneath said top plate at the time the upward
pressure comes thereon in the act of bending or forming the hanger. The dies
are opened or spread by means of a wedge-shaped or pointed projection N
located on the top plate A2, above the form block, the point of the projection
entering between the dies and forcing the same apart as the carriage moves
inwardly or rearwardly, as clearly shown in Figure 21.
The construction in the parts by which the double bends a³ at of the hanger
are formed will now be described: Generally speaking, the said bends are
formed by bending the end portions of the blank over surfaces or dies (Figures 4
and 13) attached to or formed on the end of the top-plate A³, and having flat
vertical faces A A and horizontal top surfaces A A', by means of bending
levers II hinged to the cam-arms H H, and other bending arms J J which
are hinged to the bending levers I I, the bending levers II being arranged to
press the blank against the surfaces A A°, while the bending arms J J are
adapted to bring the ends of the blank against the horizontal surfaces A' A'.
To first describe the construction and operation of the bending levers I I, said
levers are hinged by means of horizontal pivots ii to the outer or forward ends
of the cam-arms H H, the said bending levers being provided adjacent to the
said cam-arms with flat working faces i adapted to come into position parallel
with the vertical faces A6 A6 of the top plate when the said bending levers are
swung upwardly into vertical position or at right angles to the cam arms, the
said bending surface being extended outwardly past or above the said surface i'i
for the purpose hereinafter described. The said bending levers I are, further-
more, provided with arms I¹ I¹ extending from the lower or inner sides of the
pivots ii and adapted for engagement with a cam or wiper K which is mounted
upon a horizontal shaft K' located beneath the bed-plate of the machine. Said
shaft K is driven by a spur wheel K intermeshing with the gear wheels D¹
heretofore described. The cam or wiper K is so located and actuated as to
strike the arms I¹ I¹ of the bending levers and throw said bending levers
upwardly into a vertical position after the inward movement of the carriage B
has ceased. When said carriage has completed its inward movement and twists
have been formed in the blank by the action of the cam arms H H and forming
dies G G, as herein before described, the flat parts of the hanger will be held
by the said cam arms, the top plate, the form block and the rollers E E in
position parallel with each other, with their flat sides horizontal and projecting
outwardly beneath the top plate, their ends at this time standing over the
surfaces of the bending levers. When said bending levers are thrown
upwardly, therefore, they will act upon the ends of the blank, first to bend the
same upwardly and bring them into contact with the flat vertical faces A* A*
of the opposing dies, in an obvious manner. By the movement of the bending
levers in the manner described, the right angled bends a³ a will be formed.
The final movement by which the bends at a are made is accomplished by
means as follows:
The bending arms J J are connected by pivots jj with the bending levers 1 I,
and said bending arms are adapted to swing upon the said pivots in such
manner that they may be placed either at right angles to the levers or thrown

page_text: outwardly at an angle thereto, and into the position shown in Figure 1.
During
the upward movement of the bending levers I I, the said arms J J stand at
an angle to the arms, as shown in Figure 1, but when said bending levers are
near the end of their movement, said arms J J are thrust downwardly into
position at right angles to the bending levers, and above and parallel with the
top surfaces A' A' of the dies so as to bring the extreme ends of the blank
against the said top surfaces.
The movement of the arms J J, in the manner described, is accomplished by
means as follows: L L are levers pivoted at points between their ends by
means of pivot pins / to laterally projecting lugs on the levers I. Said
levers L are connected with the free ends of the arms J by means of links L'.
Springs are applied to throw the outer ends of the levers L L away from
the bending levers I I, so as to hold the arms J J normally outward or at an
angle with the bending levers, this position of the parts being shown in Figure 1.
M is a horizontal bar mounted upon standards M M at a considerable distance
above the top plate A2 of the machine, said bar M being so located that it will
be encountered by the outer ends of the levers L L, when the bending levers I I
are swung upwardly into a vertical position. The said bar M is disposed in
such position relatively to the said levers L L that said levers will strike the
bar shortly before the bending levers I I reach their vertical position, so that
said levers L will be actuated to thrust the bending arms J J downwardly
during the last part of the movement of the said bending levers and so as to
bring the said arms J into a horizontal position at the termination of the
movement of said bending levers. It follows from the construction described
that when the bending levers II are thrown upwardly by the action of the
cam or wiper K, both of the right angled bends as a forming the hooks will
be automatically made.
After the bending of the blank has been accomplished in the manner above
described, the wiper K will pass the arms I¹ I¹ of the bending levers I I, thereby
allowing the said bending levers to fall in the horizontal position shown in Figure 1,
after which the return movement of the carriage will take place, allowing the cam
arms H H to fall into a vertical position and thereby releasing the finished hanger
which, at the termination of the forward movement of the carriage, may be lifted
from the form block, after the dies G G have been turned or moved to free the
hanger in the manner hereinbefore described.
In order to enable the machine to be adjusted for making the distance between
the bends a³ a greater or less, and thereby making the hooks wider or narrower,
the parts are constructed as follows:-The lugs instead of being permanently
secured to the levers I I, are connected therewith by means of bolts ³ ³ and the
levers are provided with additional bolt holes, as , and one or more additional
apertures are provided for receiving the pivots of the arms J J. By the
construction described, the said hooks may be made of as many different widths as
there are sets of bolt holes and apertures for securing the lugs and pivots jj to the
bending arms. When the position of the bending arms J J is changed, in the
manner described, it is obviously necessary to change the width of the vertical
faces A' A over which the ends of the blank are bent. For this purpose, said
surfaces A A' are formed on or by removable die blocks A8 A8 held in place by
the bolts A which enter and engage the T-grooves A³ of the top-plate A
(Figure 15). When the said bending arms J J and levers L L are shifted in
position in the manner described, it is further necessary to change the vertical
position of the bar M, and for this purpose said bar is held at its ends in the vertical
slots m m by means of clamp nuts m' m' which may be loosened to allow the bar to
be shifted vertically. In order to provide an accurate adjustment of the parts so
that the bending arms JJ may be moved to exactly the right extent, the bar M
is preferably provided with eccentric ends or trunnions m³ m² engaging the slots m m
so that by turning the bar its part or surface which strikes the levers LL may be
shifted back and forth as desired.

page_text: In order to hold the ends of the blank accurately in vertical position during the
time they are being bent upwardly by the action of the bending levers, vertical guide
surfaces are located at the opposite sides of the working faces A A in such position
as to engage the side edges of the blanks, said guide surfaces being arranged at a
distance apart equal to the width of the blank. The guides for the outer edges of
the blank are herein shown as formed by the inner surfaces of the blocks E' E' which
support the rollers E E. Said inner faces of the blanks are of course located
vertically in alignment with the inner surfaces of the said rollers E E, it obviously
being necessary that the said guide surfaces should be located the same distance from
the vertical side faces of the form block as the said rollers, to wit, a distance equal to
the width of the blank. The guide surfaces for the inner edges of the blank arc
formed by the side of the projection or guide-block N (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 15) which
is preferably made separate from the top-plate and secured to the said top-plate
between the said surfaces A* A, the side faces of the said block being desirably
curved or rounded in the manner shown. When the form of movable forming
dies G G shown in Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21 is used, said projection N will be made
of wedge shape and pointed at its lower part so as to enter between and open the
dies, as herein before set forth.
In order to provide for making hangers having central loops of different widths,
it is obviously necessary that the projection or guide-block N should be changed to
correspond in width with the form block B' and when the said form block is changed,
or when a wider or narrower blank is used, it is necessary that the external guide
surfaces formed by the blocks E' E' should also be moved. I provide for change
in the width of the guide block N by making said block detachable, the same being
secured in place, as herein shown (Figure 3) by means of a bolt passing through
the block and having a head at its inner end which engages the T-groove A³ of the
top plate A². Said guide block can therefore be removed and a wider or narrower
one substituted, as may be necessary or desirable. The external guide surfaces
formed by the blocks EE will of course come in proper position for engagement
with the side edges of the blank when the rollers EE are placed at a proper distance
from the form block to also engage the external side edges of the blank, in the
manner heretofore described.
In operating upon blanks of different thicknesses it is obviously necessary to shift
the rollers EE toward and from the form block and for this purpose I adjustably
secure the studs el e¹ of said rollers in transverse slots as a in the top-plate A
(Figure 4) and in order to enable said studs to be easily shifted, a screw-shaft a' is
inserted through the top-plate and provided with oppositely directed screw-threads
engaging the said studs, said shaft having a squared end at one side of the top
plate, by which it may be turned by the application of a suitable tool.
It is obviously desirable that means should be provided for accurately determin-
ing the position of the straight blank when putting the same in the machine,
so that the ends of the same will come in proper position after the blank is bent.
For this purpose I attach to the sides of the frame two outwardly extending
horizontal arms OO (Figure 4) and place upon the same two adjustable gauges oo
which extend vertically upward in position to engage the ends of the straight
blank when the latter is placed across the rear end of the form block, in the
manner hereinbefore described. The position of the said blank when placed in the
machine is indicated in full lines in said Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1: The combination with a form block and stationary bending rollers operating
in connection therewith to make a central bend or loop in the blank, of forming
dies mounted on the form-block and extending lateraliy from opposite sides thereof,
cam arms operating in connection with said forming dies to give a twisted form to the
blank, bending levers pivoted to the ends of said cam arms, other stationary

page_text: bending rollers located at opposite sides of the form block at a distance therefrom
equal to the width of the blank, bending arms pivoted to the said bending levers,
and stationary surfaces or dies opposed to said bending levers, substantially as
described.
2: The combination with a form block, bending rollers operating in connection
therewith to make a central bend or loop in the blank, forming dies mounted on the
form block and extending laterally from opposite sides thereof, cam arms operating
in connection with said forming dies to give a twisted form to the blank, bending
levers pivoted to the ends of said cam arms, and a revolving cam or wiper for
actuating said bending levers, substantially as described.
3-The combination with a reciprocating carriage, a form block mounted
thereon, stationary bending rollers operating in connection with the form block to
make a central loop in the blank, forming dies mounted upon the form block and
extending laterally at opposite sides thereof, cam arms mounted upon the carriage
and operating in connection with said forming dies to give a twisted form to the
blank, stationary parts or rollers for actuating said cam arms, bending levers
pivoted to the end of said cam arms, a revolving cam or wiper actuating said
bending levers, bending arms pivoted to the outer parts of said bending levers,
actuating levers pivoted upon the bending levers and connected with the said
bending arms, and a stationary part or bar upon the machine frame adapted for
contact with said actuating levers, whereby the said bending arms are moved,
substantially as described.
4 The combination with a reciprocating form block and bending rollers
operating in connection therewith to form a central loop in the blank, of a clamping
device for holding the blank against the end of the form block, a lever for actuating
said clamping device, a stationary part of or upon the machine frame adapted for
engagement of the block, whereby the clamp is automatically actuated, forming dies
mounted upon the form block and extending laterally from opposite sides thereof, cam
arms pivoted to the carriage and operating in connection with said forming dies to give
a twisted form to the blank, other stationary bending rollers located at opposite sides
of the form block at a distance therefrom equal to the width of the blank, and
bending levers pivoted to the ends of the cam arms, substantially as described.
5: The combination with a reciprocating form block, bending rollers operating
in connection therewith, forming dies mounted on and extending laterally from
opposite sides of the form block and cam arms operating in connection with said
forming dies, said forming dies being movably connected with the form block, and a
stationary part of or upon the machine frame engaging said forming dies or a part
connected therewith during the reciprocation of the form block, whereby said
forming dies are moved or shifted into operative position, substantially as
described.
Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 13th day of December 1890.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
JOHN GRANT.
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.