IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING WROUGHT- IRON RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND APPLICABLE FOR SHAPING METALS FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Andrew Muir and James McIlwham,
both of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Machinists,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING WROUGHT-
IRON RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND APPLICABLE FOR SHAPING METALS FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 15th April 1871, and dated the 20th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Andrew Muir
and James McIlwham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 20th October 1870.
.
We, MATTHEW ANDREW MUIR and JAMES MILWHAM, both of
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Machinists, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR MARING WROUGHT-IRON RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND APPLICABLE FOR SHAPING".
METALS FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:—
This Invention has principally for its object the adaptation of a series
of machines for making wrought-iron railway sleepers in an accurate,

page_text: rapid, and economical manner, whilst the improvements comprised in it
are also applicable for shaping metals into other forms or for other
purposes.
In carrying out the Invention for a certain kind of sleeper a. flat plate
is first entered into a machine wherein three holes are simultaneously
punched in what is to be the flat top of the sleeper to receive the
fastenings of the rail or chair. The three punches, which are by pre-
ference bevilled so as to act gradually on the plate, are fixed to a block
working in vertical guides in positions so fixed relatively to the centre
line of the block as to act with equal or nearly equal leverage on the
block. The block is worked by eccentrics or cranks on a revolving shaft.
The plate is next heated in order to be bent to the required shape, the
furnace used being constructed for the most part in the ordinary way,
but having adapted to it mechanism for feeding the plates gradually.
through, so that they may be severally subjected to a uniform heating
action. This feeding mechanism consists of a pair of horizontal bars
reciprocating horizontally from being connected to a revolving crank and
carrying a number of pairs of catches hung loosely on pins on the sides
of the bars. The catches are weighted and hung so that their points
tend to project up and bear against the outer edge of a plate when such
plate is being entered into the furnace along horizontal guides provided
for the purpose.
When a plate is first laid down to be entered it is placed over and
depresses all the catches except the outermost pair or couple of pairs, and
at each inward movement of the catch bars the plate is pushed in a
certain distance, and at each outward movement another pair of the
catches escape up at the back edge of the plate to take hold of it for the
next inward stroke. The plates push each other through the furnace,
and they are taken out at the other end thereof to be entered into the
bending machine; but to prevent them from riding upon each other,
small grooved blocks are introduced between the adjoining edges of the
successive plates, each block being set on the edge of one plate before
pushing the next up to it. These blocks are applied at the middles of
the edges and cause slight spaces to be left between the adjoining plates
which are useful for the passage upwards of the fire gases.
The bending of the heated plate is effected in a special machine by
means of massive dies acting in combination with a bed block, and a

page_text: constant stream of water is made to flow through spaces in the bed block
to keep it cool, whilst for a similar purpose water is put into cavities in
the movable dies. The middle of the plate forms the flat top of the
finished sleeper and requires special provision for preventing it becoming
bent by the application of the bending action to the sides, and this
provision consists of a separate middle block or die which descends upon
the plate before the other dies act on the sides, so that it is firmly held
and the bending is effected properly and without displacement. The
middle and side dies are depressed by massive levers actuated by cams or
eccentrics on a revolving shaft, and rendered capable of yielding very
slightly to accommodate any slight inequalities in the thickness of the
plate, either by the length given to them, or by elastic packing applied
where the cams act on them or other suitable parts. The heated plate
is entered inwards up to a stop or gauge, and before the middle die goes
into contact a pusher actuated by the lever of the middle die through
suitable connections pushes the plate against two fixed stops or gauges
at one side so that the position of the plate is accurately determined.
The final operation consists in punching holes for the tie or gauge bar
in the bent or slant sides of the sleeper, and it is because these holes
require to be very accurate as regards both position and size that they are
effected after the other operations. They are formed by punches which are
actuated by revolving cams or eccentrics, and which move towards each
other in the line of the tie bar, so that the sides of the plate are pre-
sented obliquely to them. The faces of the punches are shaped obliquely
with reference to the slant sides of the sleepers, so that they act gradually
commencing at the lowest or outermost parts. The bent sleeper plate is
placed upon a block and is prevented from being displaced by oblique
action or otherwise by a strong cap which is brought down on it and
keyed during the time that the punching is being effected. The cap is
suspended by a chain passing over a pulley to a partial counterweight,
and is raised and lowered at the proper intervals by a cam acting on a
lever connected to the chain. The key is knocked into its place by a
workman at one side by means of a bar, and is knocked out again by
the same workman acting on a treadle which by connecting rods and
bell crank levers acts on a bar on the other side. Adjustable stops,
guides, or gauges are provided so that the plates can be entered quickly
and be set accurately into their proper positions.

page_text: All the machines may be adapted for operating on sleepers of different
forms or proportions or on other articles by simply changing the punches,
dies, blocks, or corresponding parts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Matthew Andrew Muir and James McIlwham in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MATTHEW
ANDREW MUIR and JAMES MILWHAM, both of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Machinists, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs. and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Matthew Andrew Muir and
James McIlwham, Her special licence that we, the said Matthew
Andrew Muir and James McIlwham, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Matthew Andrew Muir, and
James McIlwham, our executors, administrators, and 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 FOR MAKING WROUGHT-IRON
RAILWAY SLEEPERS, AND APPLICABLE FOR SHAPING METALS FOR OTHER PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Matthew. Andrew
Muir and James McIlwham, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 we, the said Matthew Andrew Muir and James
McIlwham, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.

page_text: and ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, reference
being, had to the accompanying Drawings,, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has principally for its object the adaptation of a
series of machines for making wrought-iron railway sleepers in an
accurate, rapid, and economical manner, whilst the improvements
comprised in it are also applicable for shaping metals into other forms or
for other purposes..
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood we hereunto append three Sheets.
of explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to and representing
various machines or apparatus made with our improvements..
In carrying out our Invention for a certain kind of sleeper a flat plate
is first entered into a machine wherein three holes are simultaneously
punched in what is to be the flat top of the sleeper to receive the
fastenings of the rail or chair. This machine is shown in front elevation
and in vertical section in Figures 1 and 2. on Sheet 1 of the Drawings..
The three punches 1, 2, 3, which are by preference bevilled on their
bottom ends so as to act gradually on the plate (shown by dotted blue
lines), are fixed to a block 4 working in vertical guides in positions so
fixed relatively to the centre line of the block as to act with nearly equal
leverage on the block, that is to say, two punches 1, 3, which are fixed
on one side are situated nearer to the centre line than one 2 situated.at
the other side of the block. The vertical guides for the block 4 are
formed at the insides of a pair of massive side frames or housings 5,.
which are cast in one piece with a sole plate 6 and a transverse bench 7,.
the last having fixed on it the block 8, which supports the plate, and.
which is formed with holes for the punchings to pass down through..
The plate is set against a gauge bracket 9 at the back and a gauge
strip 10 at one side. The block 4 is worked by an eccentric part of a
shaft 11 revolving by means of gearing, which will be easily understood
from the Drawing, and carried in bearings in the tops of the housings 5.
The action of the shaft 11 is communicated to the block 4 by two strap
links 12, the bottoms of which bear on steel pieces on the top of the
block, and are T ended to receive straps 13 for lifting the block; by stop
rods 14 fixed to cross frame, bars 15 are provided to prevent the plate
from rising with the punches when the block 4 is lifted. The machine
may be altered to suit various numbers and dispositions of the holes to

page_text: be punched by fixing the punches to different parts of the moving
block 4, the fixed block 8 below being of course correspondingly
modified. The plate after being so far punched is next heated in order
to be bended to the required shape; the furnace used being constructed
for the most part in the ordinary way, but having adapted to it
mechanism for feeding the plates gradually through, so that they may
be severally subjected to a uniform heating action.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the furnace, and showing the feed
mechanism in plan, whilst Figure 4 shows the feed mechanism in
vertical section, and the entering end of the furnace in side elevation;
Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section of the furnace. The feed
mechanism consists of a pair of horizontal bars 16, with their inner ends
sliding on horizontal guide brackets 17, and their outer ends supported
and made to reciprocate by a lever 18 on a rocking shaft 19 worked by a
revolving crank or eccentric. The bars 16 carry a number of pairs of
catches 20 hung loosely on pins, and these catches are weighted and
hung so that their points tend to project up and bear against the outer
edge of a plate 21 when such plate is being entered into the furnace
along horizontal guides 22 provided for the purpose.
When a plate 21 is first laid down to be entered it is placed over and
depresses all the catches 20 excepting the outermost pair or couple of
pairs, and at each inward movement of the catch bars 16 the plate is
pushed in a certain distance, and at each outward movement another
pair of the catches escape up at the back edge of the plate to take hold
of it for the next inward stroke. The plates 21 push each other through 1
the furnace, and they are taken out at the other end thereof to be
entered into the bending machine; but to prevent them from riding upon
-each other small grooved cast-iron blocks 23 are introduced between the
adjoining edges of the successive plates, each block being set on the
back edge of one plate before pushing the next up to it. These
blocks 23 are applied at the middles of the edges, and cause slight spaces
to be left between the adjoining plates, which are useful for the passage
upwards of the fire gases.
The bending of the heated plate into the desired form, for example,
that shown in end view and plan in Figures 6 and 7 on Sheet 2 of the
Drawings, is effected in a special machine shown in plan in Figure 8 and
in end and side elevation in Figures 9 and 10. The framing of this

page_text: machine comprises a massive bed frame 24, on which are bolted a pair
of parallel side frames 25, having bolted between them near one end two
cross frames 26. The bending is done by means of three massive
moving dies 27, 28, 29, guided vertically in the rectangular space within
the frames 25, 26, in combination with a bed block 30 fixed upon the
bed frame 24, and a constant stream of water is made to flow through a
space indicated by dotted lines in the bed block to keep it cool, whilst
for a similar purpose water is put in cavities in the movable dies 27, 28, 29,
and is replenished as it evaporates. The middle of the plate 21 forms
the flat top of the finished sleeper, and requires special provision for
preventing its becoming bent up by the application of the bending
action to the sides; and this provision consists of a middle block or
die 28 separate from the side dies 27, 29, and which descends upon the
plate before the other dies act on the sides, so that the plate is firmly
held, and the bending is effected properly and without displacement.
The middle and side dies 28, 27, 29, are depressed by massive levers
32, 31, 33, actuated by cams 34, 35, 35, on a revolving shaft 36, and
rendered capable of yielding very slightly to accommodate any slight
inequalities in the plate 21, either by the length given to them or by
clastic packing applied where the cams act on them or at other suitable
parts; thus steel pieces 37 may be fitted as shown with interposed layers
of wood or other suitable material to the under sides of the levers at the
parts where the cams act on them. Those ends of the levers 31, 32, 33,
that the cams act on are made sufficiently heavy to cause the levers to
lift up the dies 27, 28, 29, after each action on them of the cams. The
acting ends of the levers 31, 32, 33, are connected to the dies 27, 28, 29,
by strong links 38. The cam shaft 36 is driven by a train of gearing
that will be sufficiently understood from the Drawing from a first motion
shaft 39, having on it fast and loose pulleys for a driving belt, and also
a fly wheel 40, to which last a brake 41 is applied, connected to a hand
lever 42 to give the power of stopping the machine at once when
required. The heated plate 21 is entered under the dies in a position
indicated by dotted blue lines in Figure 9 up to a stop or gauge, and
.before the middle die 28 goes into contact two pushers 43 at one side
push the plate against two fixed stops or gauges 44 at the other side, so
that the position of the plate is accurately determined. The pushers 43
are jointed to bell-crank levers 45, connected by light springs 46 to fixed
studs, and by stronger springs 47 to a vertical rod 48, the upper end of

page_text: which is jointed to an arm 49 fixed on the middle die lever 32, whilst its
lower end is jointed to a lever on a rocking shaft 50. It will be obvious
that with this arrangement the descent of the die lever 32 will cause the
stronger springs 47 to act on the pushers 43, whilst the interposition of
the springs will admit of the parts accommodating themselves to slight
inequalities in the plates 21. The workman can easily, when entering
the plate 21, push it forward until it reaches the transverse gauge or
stop facing the entrance, but he could not so easily or accurately also set
the plate against gauges or stops at the side, whereas this latter adjust-
ment is automatically effected by the pushers 43, and with the requisite
perfection. The return upwards of the rod 48 is taken advantage of
through the rocking shaft 50 for lifting the bent plate 21 up off the bed
block 30 to facilitate its removal, levers 51 being fixed on the shaft, and
having vertical pushing rods 52 jointed to them, as indicated by dotted.
lines in Figure 9.
The final operation consists in punching holes 53, 54, Figure 7, for the
tic or gauge bar in the bent or slant sides of the sleeper; and it is
because these holes require to be very accurate as regards both position
and size that they are effected after the other operations. The machine
for this purpose is shown in plan and back elevation in Figures 11 and
12 on Sheet 3 of the Drawings, and comprises a massive bed frame 55,
which has cast on it two side frames 56 fitted with V guides for two
horizontally sliding blocks 57, to which the punches 58 are fixed. The
punch blocks 57 are moved by links 59 connecting them to cranks or
eccentrics on two parallel horizontal shafts 60, revolving in bearings on
the bed frame 55, and geared together by spur wheels 61, one of which
is driven by gearing which will be sufficiently understood from the
Drawing. Between the guide frames 56 there is a hollow bed block 62,
on which the sleeper 21 is put, and down on which it is firmly held by
a strong cap or saddle 63 whilst the punching is being effected. The
saddle 63 is suspended by means of a chain 64 passing over an overhead
pulley to a counterweight 65, which keeps it elevated whilst the sleeper
is being entered or removed; but the saddle is let down when required
by the action of a cam 66 on one of the shafts 60, this cam then lifting
a lever 67 attached to the weighted chain 64. Whilst the punching
action is taking place the cap or saddle 63 is made to hold the sleeper 21
firmly down by means of a locking key or wedge bolt 68, which is

page_text: entered above the cap and under a projection 69 upon a strong frame
piece 70 bolted to the two guide frames 56. When not in the locking
position the wedge bolt 68 lies in a guide 71 bolted to the back of the
frame piece 70, and it is knocked into its place when required by a
workman at one side by means of a bar 72 guided in eyes upon the top
of one of the guide frames 56, and it is afterwards knocked out again by
the same workman acting on a treadle 73, which by connecting rods and
levers 74 acts on a bar 75 at the other side. The punches 68, when
acting move towards each other in the line of the 'tie bar, to receive
which the holes are to be formed so that the sides of the sleeper 21 are
presented obliquely to them. The faces of the punches are shaped with
slight obliquities relatively to the slant sides of the sleepers so that they
act gradually, commencing at the lowest or outermost parts. Adjustable
stops, guides, or gauges are provided so that the sleepers may be entered
quickly and be set accurately into their proper positions.
All the machines may be adapted for operating on sleepers of different
forms or proportions or on other articles by simply changing the
punches, dies, blocks, or corresponding parts.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we have to state that we do not
restrict ourselves to the precise details herein described or delineated,
but that what we believe to be novel and original, and claim as the
Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
1. The forming of wrought-iron railway sleepers by means of a series
of machines, substantially such as is herein-before described.
2. The applying of feed mechanism substantially such as is herein-before
described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying
Drawings for passing plates into and through a heating furnace.
3. The combining together of the parts of machines for bending
plates into special forms, substantially in the improved manner herein-
before described with reference to Figures 8, 9, and 10 of the accom-
panying Drawings.
4. The applying of a middle or holding die or block (28) to act in
advance of lateral or bending dies or blocks (27, 29,) in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described.

page_text: 5. The combining together of the parts of machines for punching
holes obliquely in railway sleepers or similar articles, substantially in
the improved manner herein-before described with reference to Figures 11
and 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Matthew Andrew Muir and James
McIlwham, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-one.