IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING METALS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jabez Morgan, of Kidderminster, in the County of
Worcester, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING METALS."
Sealed the 12th January 1855, and dated the 28th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jabez Morgan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1854.
I, JABEZ MORGAN, of Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING METALS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved constructions and arrangements
of shears for cutting or severing boiler and other metal plates, whereby a
greater nicety of cut is obtained, and the cutting mechanism rendered more
simple than that hitherto employed. The upper shear or blade works on a
fixed centre at one end of the blade, such working centre being above the
cutting edge.
The blade is fitted at one end upon a screwed spindle, which works through
a fixed portion of the standard, and is so arranged, that by unscrewing slightly
the spindle, forming the working centre of the blade, the latter with the
steeling" will be brought close up against the lower "steeling," thereby

page_text: rendering the machine more accurate in its work. When adjusted, the spindle
is tightened up by a screw nut, and either a cotter or wedge may be also
employed to adjust the blade, either passing through the spindle, which in this
case is not screwed in the standard. The free end of the blade works in a
fixed guide or groove, and is also tightened up by a metal strip and adjusting
screw. An eccentric or crank is employed for actuating the blade, such
eccentric or crank working in a slot or recess in the blade. The shaft which
carries the eccentric, cam, or crank is entirely out of the way of the plates
when being put through the machine; it is carried inside one of the end
standards, and works at right angles to the blade, the eccentric cam, or crank;
being at the end of the shaft.
.
Another improvement consists in the application of a table moveable at
pleasure, actuated behind the lower "steeling," for the purpose of, supporting
the plate or scraps when a long length is being passed through the machine.
This table may be removed when short pieces are to be cut to allow them
to fall in a heap behind the machine, and afterwards removed in the ordinary
manner.
Another improvement consists in the employment of a guage pin behind the
"steelings," and fitted to a fixed part of the standards. This guage is adjusted
to guage any width, and enables a perfectly straight cut to be effected.
Another improvement consists in cutting out or recessing the end standards
of the machine, whereby a plate of any length may be cut by simply
passing it through the machine, the recesses before referred to admitting of
such plate being passed under the blade. In place of two standards being
employed, one only may be used for carrying the working centre of the
blade, and the actuating cam, eccentric, or crank and its shaft being carried
by a double bracket cast on the one standard.
By a modification of the herein-before described arrangement, the blade
is made to work in vertical slides on the front or insides of the end
standards, and is actuated by eccentrics, cams, or cranks below the cutting
edge, such eccentric, cam, or crank being made to work in slots or recesses
in the bottom of a vertical frame, forming one piece with the blade. This
frame may either be outside or inside the main standards. The table and
guage herein-before described are also applied in the last-described arrange-
ment, and the standards are also cut away to admit of a plate being passed
through the machine lengthwise of the blade.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jabez Morgan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JABEZ
MORGAN, of Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Jabez Morgan, Her special license that I, the said Jabez
Morgan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Jabez Morgan, my executors, administrators, or 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 OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING METALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Jabez Morgan, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 Jabez Morgan, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to certain improved constructions and arrange-
ments of shears for cutting or severing boiler and other metal plates, whereby
a greater nicety of cut is obtained, and the cutting mechanism rendered more
simple than that hitherto employed for this purpose. The upper shear or blade
works on a fixed centre at one end of the blade, such working centre being
placed above the cutting edge. The blade is fitted at one end upon a screwed
spindle, which works through a fixed portion of the standard, and is so arranged,
that by unscrewing slightly the spindle, forming the working centre of the
blade, the latter with its "steeling" will be brought close up against. the lower
"steeling," thereby rendering the machine more accurate. in its work. When

page_text: adjusted, the spindle is tightened up by a screw nut and cutter.
A cutter or
wedge may also be employed to adjust the blade, the cutter passing through
the spindle, which in this case is not screwed in the standard. The free end of
the blade works in a fixed guide or groove, and is also tightened up by a metal
strip and adjusting screws. An eccentric or crank is employed for actuating
the blade, such eccentric or crank working in a slot or recess in the blade.
The shaft which carries the eccentric, cam, or crank is entirely out of the way
of the plates when being put through the machine; this shaft is carried inside
one of the end standards, and works at right angles to the blade, the eccentric,
cam or crank being at the end of such shaft.
Another improvement consists in the application of a table moveable at
pleasure, situated behind the lower "steeling," for the purpose of supporting
the plate or scraps when a long length is being passed through the machine.
This table may be removed when short pieces are to be cut, to allow them to
fall in a heap behind the machine, and afterwards removed in the ordinary
manner.
Another improvement consists in the employment of a guage piece behind
the "steelings," and fitted to a fixed part of the standards. This guage
is adjustable to guage any width, and enables a perfectly straight cut to be
effected.
Another improvement consists in cutting out or recessing the end standards
of the machine, whereby a plate of any length may be cut by simply passing
it through the machine, the recesses before referred to admitting of such
plate being passed under the blade.
By a modification of the herein-before described arrangement, the blade is
made to work in vertical slides on the front or insides of the end standards,
and is actuated by eccentrics, cams, or cranks below the cutting edge, such
eccentrics, cams, or cranks being made to work in slots or recesses in the
bottom of a vertical frame, forming one piece with the blade. This frame
may either be outside or inside the main standards. The table and guage
herein-before described are also applied in this last-described arrangement,
and the standards are also cut away to admit of a plate being passed through
the machine lengthwise of the blade.
And in order that my said Invention may be more readily understood, I
shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings
hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 of the Drawings represents a front elevation of one
modification of a shearing machine; Figure 2 is a corresponding side elevation
of the same; Figure 8 is a plan of the machine; and Figure 4 is a horizontal

page_text: section, with the upper blade removed. A is a cast-iron framing or standard,
cast in one piece, and formed with openings or recesses B, B, at each side, for
the purpose of admitting of the plate to be cut being passed through the
machine. A strong boss C is cast on one side of the standard or framing, and
through this boss is passed the pin or spindle D, which serves as the working.
centre of the upper blade E. This spindle may be fixed and tightened up to
any extent by means of the cutters F, one being passed through the spindle D
at each end, and a third one through the boss C and the centre of the spindle.
By this arrangement it is obvious that the upper blade may be adjusted with
the greatest facility in relation to the lower cutting edge or "steeling" G,
which is screwed to the inner face of the front plate of the framing, the upper
edge of such plate being recessed slightly to present a firm and steady bearing
or support to the "steeling." The lower edge of the upper blade is similarly
recessed to receive the upper "steeling " H, which is also secured by screws, as
shewn in the Drawings, the heads next the cutting sides of both steelings
being countersunk. The free end of the upper or working blade is guided and
kept close up against the face plate cast on the standards, by means of the
plate J and adjusting or tightening bolts K, K, which pass through the standards"
and through curved slots L in the blade, and finally protrude through the
plate J, where they are secured by nuts, as shewn in the Drawings. The upper
blade is actuated by an eccentric M, which is cast on the end of the driving
shaft N, and works in a slot or recess O, formed in the body of the blade.
The shaft N works in suitable plummer blocks P, P, cast on the inside of the
framing, and has keyed on to it at one end the spur wheel Q,which is driven
by the pinion R, fast on the main driving shaft S. In order to support the
plate or portion which is being severed while passing through the machine, a
table T is placed behind the lower steeling, and is supported at its ends by
resting upon the recessed portion of the framing. This table is represented
more clearly in the horizontal section, Figure 4, which shews also the adjustable
guage U, for regulating the width of strip to be cut off. This guage is com-
posed of a bar or plate of cast or wrought iron, supported near its ends upon
the screw spindles or studs V, V, which are fixed into the lugs W, W, bolted
to the inner sides of the standards. The adjustment of the guage bar or
plate may be effected by nuts, as shewn, or by cutters, as herein-before
described with reference to the mode of adjusting the working centre D of
the blade. When short scraps are to be cut the table T is removed, and the
scraps then fall down in a heap on the bottom of the machine, whence they
are subsequently removed. The whole machine is bolted down on to a firm
foundation by long bolts and nuts at X, X.

page_text: Figure 1 on Sheet 2 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical
section of another modification of shearing machine, the front or face plate
being removed, for the purpose of shewing more clearly the arrangement for
actuating the working blade. Figure 2 is a corresponding transverse vertical
section of the same, taken near the centre thereof; and Figure 3 is a sectional
plan of the machine. The framing A is cast in two pieces, and is recessed at
the ends at B, B, as herein-before described with reference to Sheet 1 of my
Drawings. The lower steeling C is also secured in the manner herein-before
described to the face or front plate of the framing. The upper plate D with
its steeling E works in slides at F, formed in the face of the machine framing.
This blade is cast in one one piece with the rib G and open cam or eccentric
chamber H, in which chamber works a pair of cams or eccentrics I, I, fast on
the main driving shaft J. This shaft may be, the driving shaft of a set of rolling
mills, the shearing machine being placed at one end of the set of mills, and
the eccentrics I, I, fitted on to the end of the driving shaft. This shaft works
in bearings K, K, fitted into the front and back plates of the framing, a
square bess L being cast thereon at those parts for the purpose of uniting the
two halves of the frame, which is effected by two strong bolts passed trans-
versely through each boss, one above and the other below the bearing of the
driving shaft, as is clearly shewn in Figure 2 of the Drawings. The rib or
framing G is guided in its vertical traverse by the upper and lower guide
spindles M and N, the upper one M being cast on the top of the rib, and the
lower one N cast on the under side of the cam chamber H. These two guide
spindles work through bushes fitted between the two halves of the square
bosses O, cast on the top and bottom of the standard, and fastened together
by transverse bolts, as herein-before described. It will thus be obvious that
when the driving shaft revolves, the eccentrics thereon will impart a vertical
traverse to the upper blade, and effect the cut required. The moveable table,
described with reference to the first-described machine, and lettered T therein,
is also applied to this second machine, as well as the adjustable guage bar,
herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 1. This bar is not shewn
in the present machine, as it would be a mere copy of that shewn on Sheet 1.
Figure 1 on Sheet 3 of my Drawings represents a front elevation of a
modified arrangement of the machine, illustrated on Sheet 1 of the Drawings;
Figure 2 is a corresponding side or end elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a
plan of the machine; and Figures 4 and 5 represent respectively a detailed
front elevation and vertical section of the upper blade detached. This arrange-
ment differs from that illustrated on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, inasmuch as
two actuating eccentrics A, A, are employed for working the blade B, such

page_text: blade having a perfectly vertical movement communicated to it in place of
working on a fixed centre at one end, as herein-before described. The eccen-
trics A, A, are cast on the ends of the shafts C, C; and work in two slots or
recesses D, formed in the blade B. The shafts C work in suitable bearings
cast on to the inside of the standard or framing E, and are each fitted at their
back ends with a spur wheel F; such wheels gear together and receive motion
from the pinion G, fast on the driving shaft H. The upper blade works in the
slides I, I, formed for that purpose in the face of the standard, and is kept
therein by the cover plate J, which is bolted or screwed on to the front of the
standard. The arrangement and mode of fixing the upper and lower steeling
K and L is precisely similar to that herein-before described with reference to
Sheet 2 of the Drawings. The ends of the standard are cut out or recessed at
M, in the manner and for the purpose also herein-before described. The move-
able table & guage plate, shewn on Sheet 1 of my Drawings, are also represented
in Figure 2 on Sheet 3; they are applied in a similar manner to all these
modifications, although I have not considered it necessary to repeat the same
throughout all the Figures. By the arrangement last described, the blade B
will have a vertical parallel motion communicated to it, each end of the blade
ascending or descending simultaneously by the action of the eccentrics, as is
clearly shown by the details, Figures 4 and 5. The adjustment of the working
blades of the two arrangements, shewn in Sheets 2 and 3, may be effected by
having suitable adjusting strips inside the front cover plates J, and tightened
up either by screws or cutters.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention; but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general construction and arrangement of machinery or apparatus
for cutting or shearing metal plates, as herein-before described and illustrated
on Sheets 1 and 2 of my Drawings.
Second, the system or mode of actuating the cutting blades, of shearing
machines, by means of an eccentric or eccentrics working in an opening recess
or chamber, formed either in the blade itself, or in a frame cast or otherwise
connected to the blade, as herein-before described.

page_text: Third, the system or mode of adjusting the cutting edges of plate-shearing
machines, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the application and use of a moveable table in plate-shearing
machines for supporting the severed portion of the plate, as herein-before
described.
Fifth, the application and use of adjustable guage bar or guide for guiding
the plate during its traverse through the machine.
Sixth, the application and use of plate-shearing machines with the sides of
the standard cut away or recessed, to receive the plate and allow it to pass
through the machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jabez Morgan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.