Improvements relating to the Pressing, Drawing, or otherwise Working of Plastic Metal or other Materials for the Manufacture of Various Artioles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LA SOCIÉTÉ POUR LA FABRICATION DES
MUNITIONS D'ARTILLERIE, 43, Rue de Vaugirard Bas Meudon (Seine and
Oise), in the Republic of France.]
Improvements relating to the Pressing, Drawing, or otherwise
Working of Plastic Metal or other Materials for the Manufacture
of Various Artioles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the utilization of the direct action of compressible
or incompressible fluids in the working of plastic materials in general and of metals
in particular, especially in the pressing, shaping, drawing, and finishing of hollow
articles.
My invention may be utilized in cases where it is desired to press, shape or draw
hollow articles of various form or dimensions; it is very advantageous for the
manufacture of copper cartridge cases for quick-firing guns, the manufacture of
weldless metal tubes, the pressing and shaping of the bottoms of cylindrical vessels,
the manufacture of open or closed tubes, such for example as colour-tubes, tubes of
gutta-percha, ebonite, cardboard and other plastic materials.
Heretofore the pressing and drawing of such articles have been effected by means
of pistons or punches actuated either by suitable mechanism or by water under
pressure. The finishing has been obtained by hammering or forcing the pressed
articles through suitable moulds or dies.
In these various operations there is loss of useful effect resulting from the
friction of the parts, and moreover deformations of the metal are produced which
result in waste.
For obviating these inconveniences we provide for working the metal either by
means of a compressible or an incompressible fluid or both.
In the plunger, which we employ to fit the mouth or neck of the article to be
produced, are formed one or more thoroughfares for conducting the fluid for the
drawing operation.
The cocks of the pipes which conduct the fluid are controlled either by hand or
by systems of levers or rods actuated automatically.
The drawing operation consists in first causing the mould, the hollow article and
the plunger to approach each other so that these parts shall be in engagement.
Then it remains only to conduct the desired fluid into the interior of the hollow
article. By reason of its pressure this fluid operates like a punch, and effects the
drawing or pressing.
The finishing or repairing operations are conducted as follows: The article
which is to undergo a finishing or repairing operation is introduced into the mould.
It receives at the same time in its neck the punch or plunger in which are formed
the thoroughfares for the passage therethrough of the fluid under pressure which is
to perform the desired operations. The fluid enters the interior of the vessel and
impart to it its proper shape.
The removal from the mould is then effected either as now to be indicated, or by
taking the mould to pieces, or in any other suitable manner.
For loosening the finished articles we prefer to utilize the fluid pressure for

page_text: which purpose we may arrange that the controlling cocks shall be actuated either
by hand-or-automatically-by means of-a-rod-moved by a lever.
In the latter case the lever or tappet is set in motion by the shaped article itself,
its action being either continuous or discontinuous.
In one arrangement a trip lever which is encountered by the pressed or stamped
article at the end of the drawing operation is thereby turned so as to momentarily
raise a rod which is connected to the cock. The latter is thus opened for an instant
and is then closed automatically.
The opening of this cock is therefore momentary and discontinuous.
Another lever then encountered by the shaped article operates to open the cock
which controls the arrival of the imcompressible fluid.
The opening of the latter cock is thus continuous.
Dated this 20th day of December 1892
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Pressing, Drawing, or otherwise
Working of Plastic Metal or other Materials for the Manufacture
of Various Articles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 has for its object the utilization of the direct action of compressible
or incompressible fluids, or both, in the working of plastic materials in general, and
of metals in particular, especially in the pressing or shaping of hollow articles.
The invention can also be utilized for restoring to their original shape, articles
which have been deformed by accident or otherwise. It can also be used for
loosening from the punches or plungers articles which have been pressed in the
ordinary manner heretofore practised. If the metals to be treated by this process
are not sufficiently plastic at the ordinary atmospheric temperature they may be
made so by heating the same during or prior to the operation.
The said invention is very advantageous for the manufacture of copper cartridge-
cases for quick-firing guns, the manufacture of weldless metal tubes, the pressing
and shaping of cylindrical vessels in general, and the manufacture of open or
closed tubes, such for example as colour tubes, tubes of gutta-percha, ebonite,
cardboard and other plastic materials. The articles produced by this process may
have a plain exterior, or be formed with any desired pattern thereon either in
intaglio or relief.
Heretofore the pressing and drawing of such articles have been effected by
plungers or punches actuated by suitable mechanism or by hydraulic pressure, and
the finishing has been effected by hammering or forcing the pressed articles through
suitable moulds or dies.
In these various operations there is loss of useful effect resulting from friction,
and moreover deformations of the metal are produced which result in waste.
These inconveniences are obviated by the present invention.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 illustrates my invention as applied to the formation of a cylindrical
vessel, the mould, the vessel formed therein, and a portion of the plunger being
shown in vertical section, and the rest of the plunger in side elevation.
Figure 2 shows in section the vessel partially formed by any ordinary process
such as by means of a solid plunger, prior to being treated according to the present
invention.

page_text: Figure 3 is a vertical central section partly in elevation showing the mould and
plunger as applied for restoring to its original shape a deformed vessel shown in
section in the mould.
Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section, illustrating the application of the
invention to the loosening of an article which has been formed by means of a solid
plunger.
Like letters denote corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figure 1. A is the mould or die which has the same internal shape
as the vessel to be produced therein; B is the plunger which is adapted merely to
fit the mouth of the vessel, and is not intended to shape the plastic material by
being pressed thereon as in the ordinary method of forming articles by pressure;
C is the plastic vessel undergoing treatment. The shape of this vessel prior to
being inserted in the mould is represented in Figure 2.
In the plunger B are formed thoroughfares b, b open at their lower or inner ends
for conducting the fluid into the interior of the vessel C for performing the shaping
operation. The said thoroughfares b, bare connected at their upper or outer ends
by pipes, with a suitable reservoir or pump for supplying compressible or
incompressible fluid under pressure. 63, 6 are cocks in the pipes b', 'for shutting
off or controlling the supply of fluid as desired. These cocks may be operated
either by hand or automatically by systems of levers and rods hereinafter explained
with reference to Figure 4.
I have shewn two sets of thoroughfares and pipes b,
Buch set, or I may have more than two.
but I may have only one
The operation of shaping the vessel is performed as follows, that is to say, the
partially formed article such as illustrated in Figure 2 is placed in the mould A,
and the plunger B is inserted therein and rigidly held in position. For example it
may be tied to the mould by the rods such as those shewn in Figure 3 and
hereinafter described. Then the cock or cocks is or are opened and the fluid
under pressure is conducted into the interior of the hollow article. By reason of
its pressure this fluid operates like a punch, and effects the pressing or shaping of
When the
the article by forcing it through and against the sides of the mould.
operation is completed the cock or cocks b' is or are closed, and the used or spent
fluid is discharged through the mould upon the removal of the formed vessel, or in
cases where the vessel is forced completely through the mould the discharge of the
spent fluid takes place as the vessel leaves the mould, whereupon the cocks ² are
closed. If the metal or material of which the vessel is constructed is not sufficiently
plastic to be worked at ordinary atmospheric temperatures it may be made plastic
by heating the mould to a suitably high temperature, as for example by means of
hot water or superheated steam flowing through a jacket surrounding the mould.
In such case I prefer to use a gaseous fluid for effecting the shaping, which fluid
can be worked expansively.
For restoring to its original shape a vessel which has been deformed I proceed in
the manner illustrated in Figure 3, that is to say, I place the vessel C in a mould A
which is of the proper shape, and retain the same in place by a block D for
example. I then introduce into the neck of the vessel the plunger B in which are
formed the thoroughfares for the passage therethrough of the fluid under pressure
which is to perform the desired restoring operation. The plunger B is secured to
a cross head E which is tied by side rods F to the base block D and is thereby
held firmly while the work is being done. Upon opening the inlet cocks, the fluid
enters the vessel and imparts to it its proper shape by forcing its sides closely
against the sides of the mould.
The removal of the finished article from the mould is then effected either by
fluid pressure as presently described with reference to Figure 4 or by taking the
mould to pieces, or in any other suitable manner. If the deformation which the
vessel has undergone is very considerable it may require to be introduced into
the mould by force.

page_text: For loosening the finished articles from the mould A or from the plunger in cases
where they have been produced by a solid plunger I use the device-illustrated in
Figure 4 which represents a hydraulic press G for actuating a plunger B which
shapes the article C by forcing it through a die A. G' is a guide for the plunger B;
said guide is supported by tie-rods G. The plunger is pierced with holes b, b
similar to those described with reference to Figure 1 for admitting fluid to the
interior of the vessel when formed. The supply pipes b', 6' which connect with
the said holes b, b, are formed with knuckle joints 6, to admit of their following
the plunger in its to and fro movements. When the article is formed, the
cocks 63, are opened to admit fluid under pressure which enters the vessel and
forces the same out of the die and off the end of the plunger. The said cocks may
be opened when required by hand or automatically by the movement of the finished
article as follows. Where a liquid under pressure is used for discharging the
finished article I provide a lever H pivoted at H' and connected by a link I to the
handle or lever 4 of the corresponding cock 6. The lever H extends into the path
of the vessel C as the latter is pressed downwards by the plunger, and just before
the article is finished its extremity encounters the lever H and depresses the same
thereby opening the corresponding cock and allowing the liquid under pressure
to enter the vessel. This liquid then operates to discharge the vessel from out of
the die and off the end of the plunger. As soon as the vessel is thus discharged
and the lever H thereby released, the cock is closed by a spring 65 which acts
on the tail end of the lever . It will be obvious that when once the lever H is
depressed by the descent of the vessel C it will be maintained by the side of the
vessel in the depressed position until the said vessel is discharged.
When however a gaseous compressed fluid is employed for effecting the discharge
of the finished article it is desirable to use said compressed fluid expansively so as
to secure greater economy. For this purpose I use a lever H2 pivoted at H3 and a
link I coupled to the arm of the corresponding cock, which lever and link are
similar to those above described used for a liquid. Instead however of allowing the
finished article to operate directly on the lever H* I interpose between the said
lever and article a trip lever pivoted at J'. This lever when turned about its
pivot by the descent of the finished article operates to turn and then release the
lever H so that the supply cock is only opened for a short interval, sufficient
however to allow the requisite quantity of compressed fluid to enter the vessel and
by its expansion to perform the work of discharging the same. The lever J is
returned to its initial position, after the finished article is discharged by a spring J³.
The said lever J is furnished with a jointed end that enables it to pass the lever H³
on the return movement.
In cases where the rods of links I, I¹ are required to be very long, they may be
formed in two or more lengths connected by short levers.
Both arrangements for automatically actuating the cocks 62, 63 may exist together
in the same apparatus, and either can be used as desired, the one not required being
thrown out of action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
1. The method of restoring deformed hollow articles to their proper shape by
fluid under pressure, substantially as described.
2. The method of discharging from a solid plunger a hollow article which has
been formed by the said plunger, said method consisting in introducing through the
plunger into the article a fluid under pressure, substantially as described.
3. The combination, with a die or mould and plunger for shaping hollow articles,
of either of the devices for automatically admitting fluid under pressure into the
ticle to discharge the same from off the plunger, substantially as described with
reference to Figure 4 of the drawings.

page_text: 4. The apparatus constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figure 1, or to Figure 3, or to Figure 4 and operating as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Dated this 15th day of September 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.