IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY FOR PUNCHING METALS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Thompson, of Bilston, in the County of
Stafford, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY FOR PUNCHING METALS."
Sealed the 16th October 1863, and dated the 24th April 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
April 1863.
I, JAMES THOMPSON, of Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PUNCHING METALS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improvements upon or additions to the steam
hammer for the purpose of adapting it to the punching masses of steel, steel
iron, iron, or other metals, to be subsequently manufactured into ordnance,
barrels for fire-arms, and various other descriptions of tubes, and for other
like uses. I fit in the head of a steam hammer a suitable punch, and in the
anvil a suitable die having an aperture through the bottom to allow the plug
struck out by the punch to pass through. A guide apparatus, consisting
of slides upon the anvil, keeps the blank in position whilst it is struck by the
punch. This guide apparatus is governed by four wheels, so that an attendant
may release the blank after it is punched by means of a lever below the anvil
block, and throw it out of the die. The blank thus prepared is ready for
rolling, drawing, or swaging into, a tube which will have no joint.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd October 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
THOMPSON, of Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, er heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Thompson, IIer special licenco that I, the said
James Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Thompson, my 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 PUNCHING METALS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Thompson, 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 per-
formed, 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 James Thompson, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):—
My Invention consists of improvements upon or additions to the steam
hammer for the purpose of adapting it to the punching masses of steel, steel
iron, iron, or other metals, to be subsequently manufactured into ordnance,
barrels for fire-arms, and various other descriptions of tubes, and for other like
uses. I fit in the head of a steam hammer a suitable punch, and in the anvil
a suitable die having an aperture through the bottom to allow the plug struck
out by the punch to pass through. A guide apparatus, consisting of slides
upon the anvil, keeps the blank in position whilst it is struck by the punch.
This guide apparatus is governed by four wheels, so that an attendant may
release the blank after it is punched by means of a lever below the anvil

page_text: block, and throw it out of the die. The blank thus prepared is ready for
rolling, drawing, or swaging into a tube which will have no joint.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a side elevation of a steam hammer fitted with the punch
and die before mentioned; Figure 2, a plan of the anvil block; Figure 3,
section through the same at (A, B,) shewing also the punch; Figure 4, a
section through the anvil block at (C, D.)
The construction and working of the steam hammer being well known, I
shall confine my description to those parts only of the present machine which
belong to my Invention, and in which any addition to or alteration from the
construction of ordinary steam hammers may have been made.
(a) is the punch, fitted, as before stated, in the hammer block; (b) the die
in the anvil block, the bed of which is pierced through as at (c) to allow the
plug driven out by the blow to fall through; (d) is the slide, retaining the
blank in position whilst the blow is struck, which slide is worked by means
of the right and left handed screw (e, e,) actuated by the toothed wheels
(f) on turning the winch handle (g), thus advancing or withdrawing
the slide to fix or release the blank. I have before stated that I employ
four wheels to work the slide. By this last-named arrangement I find two
wheels preferable, and I can also dispense in most instances with the use of a
lever to displace the blank. The blank thus formed will be a solid tube of
any desired thickness of metal, and capable of being rolled, drawn, or swaged
to extend its length and reduce the thickness.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim, without limiting myself to these precise
details, "The Improvements in Machinery for Punching Metals," substantially
as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Thompson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JAMES THOMPSON. (L.S.)