Improvements in and relating to Machines for Swaging and Drawing Metal.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Swaging and Drawing
Metal.
We, MICHAEL EDWARD FITZPATRICK and WILLIAM GEDDES citizens of the
United States of America, residing respectively at No. 28 Madison Avenue, in the
City of Bridgeport, County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut and at Waterbury
in the County of New Haven, in said State of Connecticut, and United States of
America, Mechanics, 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:-
Our invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in machines for
swaging and drawing metal, and the object of our invention in this regard is to
provide a machine which may be used in the production of wire, or of rods, or of tubes
in continuous lengths, or of special rods or tubes of special lengths or sizes, or of
shafting, or of drawn shells of various kinds and sizes.
Furthermore our invention relates to, and in parts consists in, a new and useful
method particularly adapted for production of hollow work such as tubes or shells and
which will presently be explained.
With the ends herein before set forth, in view our invention consists in the method,
and in the construction and combination of co-operating mechanical elements herein-
after fully and in detail set forth and then recited in the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which our invention appertains may fully
understand the construction and operation of our machine, and the application of our
method, we will describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which,
Figure 1, is a side elevation of our improved machine.
Figure 2, is a plan view, partly in horizontal longitudinal section, the section
through the head being on line x-x of figure 5.
Figure 3, is an elevation of the head, looking from the right of figure 1. The face
plate is removed in this figure and a portion is in section.
Figure 4, is an end elevation of the head, similar to figure 3, but with the face plates
in position.
Figure 5, is a transverse vertical section through one of the feeding frames, the feed
carriage being shown in end elevation.
Figure 6, is a plan view of one of the feed carriages and mechanism carried
thereby.
Figure 7, is a detail section at the line y-y of figure 5.
Figure 8, is a detail sectional elevation, line x-x of figure 5, looking in the direction
of the arrow.
Figure 9, is an enlarged detail sectional view of the same parts which are shown at
figure 2 as forming one operative section of the head.
Figure 10, is a detail section, showing a tube having arranged therein a mandrel
and in proper position between a pair of dies.
Figures 11, 12, 13 and 14, are sections of various shells adapted to be formed by
means of the machine.
Figure 15, is a section through a hollow ended billet.
Like numerals and letters denote the same parts in all the figures. Figures 1 and 2
are upon a scale of 3 of an inch to the inch.
.
A is a base upon which the head, presently to be described in detail, is supported.
Said base when the machine is constructed upon the scale above referred to is usually
placed in a pit, as shown at figure 1, so that dies and work shall be at a convenient
height above the floor for easy access and manipulation. Upon this base is an
077

page_text: upwardly projecting standard B having its top a journal bearing whose purpose will
presently appear.
C, D, are frames upon which are mounted the feeding mechanisms. These frames
are duplicates, but as one with its supported mechanisms is designed to feed the work
by a pushing movement and the other by a pulling movement, we have lettered the
pushing-feed-frame C, and the pulling-feed-frame D, so that these mechanisms when
either is referred to as an entirety may be readily distinguished.
1, is the head which is mounted upon the base A and which is substantially a large
ring forming a support for the several parts of the drawing mechanism. 2 is a ring
arranged within the head, sec sectional figure 2. 3 is a hub which might be made
from a single piece, but which we show as consisting of two combined cylindrical
sections. Said hub has a central opening of considerable size into which bushings
as 4 may be inserted for the accommodation of work of various sizes. The forward
part of said hub has a journal bearing in the ring 2, and the rear end of said hub is
journaled in the bearing on the top of the standard B, which has been heretofore
referred to and which is numbered 5.
6 is a pulley, keyed to the rear end of the hub. By means of this pulley the
required rotary motion is imparted to the hub and the elements which are carried by
the latter.
7 represents a pair of dies whose inner working surfaces are conformed according
to the exterior contour of the articles to be produced, see for instance figure 10 in
which they are shown as adapted to reduce the exterior diameter of a tube arranged
upon a mandrel.
These dies are placed in a channel or groove which extends across
the face of the hub-see figure 2, dotted lines, and the elevation, figure 3, and upon
either side said dies are supported by abutting blocks 8 having squared inner ends,
and rounded outer ends, which latter project beyond the periphery of the hub as
clearly appears at figures 2 and 3. These blocks we term drivers on account of their
method of operation upon the dies which will presently be explained.
9 is a cap plate which is substantially identical in size with the end of the hub.
It is cut away at its centre and a die mouth 10 is secured to it as by screws. 11 is
an annular cap plate which is screwed to the face of the ring 2 and whose inner edge
overlaps the outer ends of the drivers and thereby prevents them from leaving the
groove in the face of the hub.
12 are adjusting screws passed radially inward through the head.
13 are blocks
having squared outer ends against which the screws 12 abut, said blocks having
concaved inner ends, see figure 3, which form bearings for the toggles now to be
described. Through the head 1 and the ring 2 is a series of holes 14 extending from
front to rear, and arranged one adjacent to each of the screws 12. Through these
holes pass rock shafts 15 considerably smaller than the holes, each rock shaft having
rigidly secured thereon at its rear end an arm or crank 16, and near its front end a
toggle block 17 convex in plan view at its outer end and fitting against the blocks 13,
and concave at its inner end. The rock shafts aforesaid are journaled in bearings 17,
which are secured at the back and front of the head by screws passed through elongated
holes, see figure 9, so as to permit to the blocks on the outside of the head and to the
shafts within the holes 14 a slight radial movement. The blocks and shafts are
normally held outward, so that the toggle blocks are against the blocks 13, and the
latter against the inner end of the screws 12, by means of any suitable springs, as 18,
which are interposed between the bearings and some fixed part of the head, as the pins
or posts 19 (figure 2) or the socket and pin arrangement which is shown at figure 9.
Of course any inward adjustment of the blocks and toggles by means of the screws 12,
will be against the springs. However such adjustment is only necessary for the
purpose of taking up wear, and therefore need not be very great in its extent.
springs attached to the crank arms at the rear of the rock shafts and to the head.
The function of these springs is to keep the toggle blocks normally turned, as seen at
figure 3, with their lengths at an angle to the radii of the head. It will be understood
that in this machine the same toggle blocks and drivers are used upon all sizes of
work of which the machine is capable, the change for the accommodation of various
20 are

page_text: sized articles being effected by means of dies of varied capacity, combined with
bushings for the interior of the hub, corresponding to the dies used.
The bushing just referred to should closely correspond to the exterior diameter of
the finished product as the same leaves the lies, and this arrangement of bushing is
one of the features of our invention.
The foregoing constitute the parts which perform the actual swaging operation, a
description of which will be hereinafter set forth.
We will now therefore proceed to describe the mean whereby the swaging elements
are rendered capable of operating to produce continuous lengths of metal of perfectly
even quality and finish, and these incans include, fee ling devices, supports for mandrels,
devices for obviating the damage which the wrenching action of the dies would do to
the metal were it held rigidly as against any rotation on its axis, and means for
supplying power for the feeding.
Each of the feeding frames B, C is preferably arrange: to slide toward and away
from the heal, for the purpose of ready access to the latter for changing bushings and
dies and the like.
Upon each of the frames is a feeding carriage 21 arranged upon ways 22 as seen at
figure 5 and beneath the carriago is a longitudinally extended feed screw 25 which
turns in bearings at each end of the frame. The inner end bearings of the screws
are not shown and the forward ends of the screws are broken away in front of the
feed carriages. 24 are gears at the ends of the feeding screws, and 25 are other
gears on a longitudinal shaft 26 whereby the screws are rotated and in that way the
carriages moved forward. The bearings of shaft 26 are not shown since they may be
of any ordinary construction. 27 is the mandrel carriage which is mounted on the
ways 22, and is provided with a binding screw 28, whereby it may be held in any
desired position. Upon said carriage is a chuck 29 of any suitable construction
adapted to grasp the end of a mandrel when the machine is operated for the production
of tubes or other hollow work.
At its centre the feeding carriage is cut away, see figures 5, 6, 7 and 30 is a half
nut which extends downward through said opening and engages the feeding screw..
31 is a lever fulcrumed to the carriage. An upward extension of the nut just referred
to is pivoted to the lever, which serves to actuate said nut either into or out of
engagement with the screw. 32 are downward extensions at either end of the
opening through the carriage. They serve as guides for the nut and prevent it from
any lengthwise movement when pushed by the screw. In front of the opening thera
projects upward from the carriage a standard 33 having an opening therethrough into
which bushings 33" of varied interior diameter may be inserted. A screw 34 serves
to secure the bushing, see figure 7.
35 are gripper jaws pivoted together and arranged alongside the standard 33.
Their inner faces are cut away so as to fit over the flanged end of the bushing, but
sufficient clearance is afforded where they are cut away so that their edges may
grasp the tube or other article to be operated upon.
The handle ends 36, of these jaws are pierced vertically and a bolt 37 extends
through them. Said bolt is pivotally secured at its upper end to a curved lever 39,
and its lower end has an adjustable knot by means of which the jaws may be drawn
together. A spring 39 surrounds the bolt between the handles. The lever 38 has a
cam 40 whose end bears on the top of the upper handle, and an adjustable weight 41
near its outer end.
A bolt 42 having a nut 43 extends upward from the lever 31 through the lever 38.
The object of this mechanism is to grasp the work with a certain grip while it is
being fed along to the dies, but to release it when the feeding operation is caused to
cease by the disengagement of the nut and screw, and also to permit the work when
compressed between the dies to yield slightly about its axis, whereby any wrenching
of the fibres is avoided, while at the same time as soon as the compression ceases, the
work returns to the same axial position as when first grasped The operation of these
elements will be hereinafter set forth.

page_text: For the purpose of securing the automatic release of the work at any predetermined
point and for the further purpose of cutting off the feeding movement of the
carriage, we provide a mechanism which is substantially as follows.
Depending from the side of the carriage is an apron or plate 44. Upon this apron
is pivoted a lever 45 having over its pivotal point a gear 46. Beneath this gear is a
toothed segment 47 having an outwardly extending arm 48 on which is arranged a
ball 49. 50 is a pivoted leg whose end when set, see figures 1, 8, rests upon a bracket
or shelf 51 near the bottom of the apron. 52 is a trip bar which as hereinafter will
be explained is adapted to trip the leg and permit the ball 49 to drop.
We will first describe the operation of the drawing mechanism, and thereafter the
operation of the feeding devices which co-operate with the dies. By means of a belt
driven from any suitable source of power the large pulley and the hub to which it is
connected are caused to revolve at a high rate of speed. As the dies and the blocks,
which we have heretofore referred to as the drivers, are arranged in the transverse
slot or groove in the face of the hub, it will be readily understood that they are
carried with said hub.
The ends of the drivers project beyond the periphery of the hub into the field of
the concave ended toggle blocks which operate upon the drivers and through the
drivers upon the dies in the following manner.
In their revolution the round ended drivers engage the concave ends of the toggle
blocks and turn said blocks with thein upon their pivotal points until the parts are in
the position shown at figure 3. That is to say, in passing the toggle blocks said
blocks impart to the drivers and the dies, a violent inward squeezing movement which
operates to draw the metal which is being worked in the machine, and which continues
until after the drivers have passed the centre of the toggle blocks.
When the drivers have passed out of operative contact with the toggles the springs
at the rear of the head, against whose action the turning of the toggle blocks and
rock shafts was effected, return said toggle blocks to their normal positions.
We have shown the head as provided with six toggle blocks and as they operate in
pairs it will be readily understood that there is imparted to the dies at each revolu-
tion of the hub three violent inward squeezing impulses, which operate to compress
and swage the metal which is within the dies.
The arrangement of the rock shafts which carry the toggle blocks and the method
whereby they may be adjusted inward and outward for the purpose of taking up
wear, has already been, as we believe, sufficiently described. The radially arranged
screws form the supports against which the outward squeeze movement is taken up.
In order that the dies shall produce work of constant exterior diameter, and in
order that all parts of a given piece of work may receive the same manipulation it is
necessary that the work should be fed along with a constant and regular movement.
This we accomplish by clamping the tube of shaft to be drawn, in the jaws upon the
feeding carriage, the grasp of said jaws being determined by the position of the
weight upon the outwardly extending lever. Behind the clamping jaws the work
passes through the bushing in the vertical standard but this is not for the purpose of
clamping, but simply to steady the work and present it in proper alignment to
the dies. As the work is fed forward by the pushing movement of the screw acting
upon the carriage it will be understood that each time the inward squeezing move-
ment of the dies occurs, said movement will tend, in combination with the rotary
movement of the hub, to turn the work upon its axis for the space during which
said work is in the grasp of the dies. If the work were held in the carriage so as to
be incapable of any axial movement this wrenching might prove injurious to the
metal while upon the other hand if the work were not clamped upon the carriage
it would be difficult to ensure a positive and regular feeding movement.
This defect we overcome by means of the clamping jaws, which, as the dies rotate
the work, are carried with said work for a small portion of a revolution against the
downward pressure of the weight, which latter, however, as soon as the dies let go
returns the jaws and the work to their normal position. This yielding grasp upon the

page_text: tube whereby the wrenching of the work is avoided and at the same time a steady
feed of the material insured, constitutes one of the principal features of our invention.
In the manufacture of work, such as tubes of considerable lengths, we find that it
is advantageous to feed said tube by the pushing movement until said work is well
through the dies, and then to throw off the pushing feed, and to complete the
operation by pulling the work along from the other side.
As it may be found advantageous that the feeds should be changed automatically,
we have provided the throw off mechanism which is carried upon the apron at the side of
the carriage, and which is particularly illustrated at figure 8. The weighted arm is
normally supported by the pivoted leg until said leg is tripped by means of a suitable
device which carries it out of engagement with the bracket. When so carried out
of engagement the hall drops, turning the segment upon its axis, and thereby through.
the pinion imparting a sudden upward throw to the lever to which said pinion is attached.
The upward movement raises the lever to which the half nut is secured, and at the
same time and through said lever, raises the weighted lever by means of which the
grasp of the clamping jaws is ensured. This releases the work.
In making the change from the pushing feed to the pulling feed it is usual that the
latter shall be engaged with the work just prior to the disengagement of the former,
so that when said disengagement takes place, the feeding will not be interrupted.
We are aware that, machines for pointing wire embodying sectional dies operated
by toggle blocks or levers, have heretofore been constructed and we do not therefore
desire to be understood as laying claim broadly to the use of said dies.
We are not aware, however, that this principle has been utilized in any machine
in which the dies are capable of bandling work either of a continuous character, or
in considerable lengths. Furthermore we are not aware that the principle herein
set forth has ever been used for the production of tubing or other hollow work, nor
are we aware that any mechanism for continuously feeding the work from either side
the machine has been combined with the swaging apparatus of the kind therein
described. The bushing which is combined with the sectional dies and receives the
work immediately after it has been swaged is highly advantageous for the production
of good work, since it furnishes a support for said work and prevents it from acquiring
any vibratory movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
-
1. In a swaging machine of the character described, the combination with a
mandrel for the interior support of tubes and similar hollow work, of a pair of
sectional dies, means for imparting to said dies a rapid rotary movement about the
work and its mandrel, and means as described for the proper inward feeding of said
work, substantially as specified.
2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a mandrel for the
interior support of hollow work, of a pair of dies and means for rotating them, a set
of toggles whereby inward squeezing movements are imparted to said dies, a
removable bushing arranged at the rear of said dies and closely adapted to the
exterior of the drawn tube, and means for imparting a suitable inward feeding move-
ment to the work, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a machine as described, the combination with the head, the sectional dies and
the toggle blocks whereby said dies are operated inwardly upon the metal, of a
feeding mechanism operating from the front of the machine to push the work inward,
and a similar mechanism at the rear of the machine, whereby the work may be drawn
through the dies by a pulling movement.
4. In a machine of the character described; the combination with a pair of rotary
compressing dies and means for operating them inward against the work, of a work-
holding clamp capable of yielding axially in the direction of rotation of the dies, and
means for forcing said clamp longitudinally for feeding the work; substantially as
described.

page_text: 5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the compressing
dies, means for imparting rotation to said dies, and further means for imparting to
said dies their inward compressing movements, of a work-holding clamp adapted to
yield axially in the direction of rotation of the dies, means for restoring said clamp
to its norinal position, and feeding mechanism whereby said clamp is advanced for
the presentation of the work. to the dies.
6. In a swaging machine, the combination with the dies and means for operating
the same, of a feeding carriage, means for moving it toward the dies, a clamping
device secured upon the carriage and adapted to grasp the work, and means for
affording to said clamp a slight axial oscillation with the work, substantially as set
forth.
7. In swaging machine, the combination with the swaging devices, and the means
for operating the same, of a feeding carriage, a clamp carried upon said carriage, and
means connected to the clamp whereby when turned from that position and released
it will be restored.
8. In a swaging machine, the combination with the dies and the means for operating
the same, of the feeding carriage, the feeding screw and the partial nut adapted to
engage said screw, of the clamp, the means whereby oscillatory movemen: is permitted
thereto, and a connection between the nut and the clamp, whereby the release of the
former effects the release of the latter, substantially as set forth.
9. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the rotary dies
and means for imparting to said dies their inward squeezing movement, of a removable
bushing arranged at the rear of said dies and closely adapted to the exterior of the
finished work, a feeding mechanism in front of the machine adapted to advance the
work, and another feeding mechanism at the rear of the dies adapted to draw in
the work, substantially as described.
10. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the dies and the
means for supporting them, of the feeding carriage, the oscillatory clamping jaws
mounted thereon and the weighted lever, whereby the grasp of the jaws is effected,
and the return of said jaws to their normal position effected, substantially as
specified.
11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the dies, and
means for operating them, of the feeding carriage, the means for connecting said
carriage with the feeding screw, the oscillatory clamping jaws, the weighted lever
engaging said jaws, and the nut operating the lever and a connection between the
latter and the lever of the clamping jaws, substantially as set forth.
12. In a swaging machine, the combination with the swaging devices, and the
feeding carriage and clamp substantially as set forth, of the lever at the side of the
carriage, means for imparting to said lever a sudden upward movement, and a trip
whereby the lever actuating mechanism is controlled, substantially as specified.
13. In a swaging machine, the combination with the dies, means for rotating said
dies, and toggles provided with spring controlled rock shafts whereby the inward
compressing movement of said dies is effected, and a renovable bushing arranged
longitudinally of the hub at the rear of said dies, whereby a close exterior support may
be afforded to work of different sizes, substantially as described.
14. In a swaging machine, the combination with a mandrel for the support of a tube
or shell, of a pair of dies, means for rotating said dies about the work, and means for
imparting to said dies a succession of inward squeezing movements, of feeding
mechanism adapted to advance said tube and its mandrel for the operation of the dies
upon the former, and a removable bushing closely adapted to the exterior of the tube
and adapted to guide said tube after it has passed the dies, substantially as set forth.
15. In a swaging machine, the combination with the head, of the radial adjusting
and supporting screws, the toggles 11, the rock shafts whereon said toggles are
secured, cranks secured upon the rear ends of the rock shafts, the springs secured to
said cranks and adapted to hold the rock shafts in their normal position, substantially
as set forth.

page_text: 16. In a swaging machine, the combination with the head, of the toggles arranged
upon the face thereof, the rock shafts whereon said toggles are supported, said rock
shafts extending through enlarged holes in the head, and spring-operated adjustable
bearings arranged at either end of said rock shafts and adapted to hold the latter
normally outward, substantially as set forth.
17. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the swaging
devices, of a screw-operated feeding mechanism as C, arranged to present the work to
the dies by a pushing movement, a second screw-operated feeding mechanism as D,
adapted to feed the work by a pulling movement, and connecting mechanism as the
shaft 26, whereby the same rate of feeding movement is imparted to both carriages,
substantially as set forth.
18. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a mandrel for
the interior support of hollow work, of the compressing dies, means for rotating said
dies, and means for imparting the compressing movement thereto, a removable bushing
at the rear of the dies, a clamp for the work having liberty of slight axial vibration,
and means as described for advancing said clamp, substantially as described.
19. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a pair of rotary
compressing dies and means for operating them inward against the work, of a work-
ho'ding clamp capable of yielding axially in the direction of rotation of the dies,
and means for forcing said clamp longitudinally for feeding the work, substantially as
described.
20 In a machine of the character described, the combination with the compressing
dies, means for imparting rotation to said dies, and further means for imparting to
said dies their inward compressing movements, of a work-holding clamp adapted to
yield axially in the direction of rotation of the dies, means for restoring said clamp
to its normal position, and feeding mechanism whereby said clamp is advanced for the
presentation of the work to the dies.
21. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the rotary dies
and means for imparting to said dies their inward squeezing movement, of a removable
bushing arranged at the rear of said dies and closely adapted to the exterior of the
finished work, a feeding mechanism in front of the machine adapted to advance the
work, and another feeding mechanism at the rear of the dies adapted to draw in
the work, substantially as described.
22. In a swaging machine, the combination with the dies, means for rotating said
dies, and toggles provided with spring controlled rock shafts whereby the inward
compressing movement of said dies is effected, and a removable bushing arranged
longitudinally of the hub at the rear of said dies, whereby a close exterior support may
be afforded to work different sizes, substantially as described.
23. In a swaging machine, the combination with a mandrel for the support of a
tube or shell, of a pair of dies, means for rotating said dies about the work, and means
for imparting to said dies a succession of inward squeezing movements, of feeding
mechanism adapted to advance said tube and its mandrel for the operation of the dies
upon the former, and a removable bushing closely adapted to the exterior of the
tube and adapted to guide said tube after it has passed the dies, substantially as set
forth.
24. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a mandrel for
the interior support of hollow work, of the compressing dies, means for rotating said
dies, and means for imparting the compressing movement thereto, of a removable
bushing at the rear of the dies, a clamp for the work having liberty of slight
axial vibration, and means as described for advancing said clamp, substantially as
described.