Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Flanging and Punching, or for Flanging, Punching, and Drawing Metal Blanks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 10th June. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Flanging and
Punching, or for Flanging, Punching, and Drawing Metal
Blanks.
I, CECIL GEORGE OWEN, of 48 Addison Gardens, Kensington W., in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for flanging
and punching or for flanging punching and drawing metal blanks at one operation,
suitable for use, for example, in the manufacture of cupped plates as used for
confining rings for indiarubber buffer and draw springs such as those described in
the Specification of A. G. Spencer's Patent No. 3906 of 1886.
A machine according to my invention is constructed with a fixed bed or frame
that supports a female flanging die within which there is a movable perforated
block, or bolster on which the blank is laid. The female die is bell-mouthed and
the edge of the blank projects over it beyond the perforated block or bolster.
Opposite to the block or bolster there is arranged a hollow male die within which,
working independently thereof, is a punch holder operated by hydraulic or other
power, and provided with suitable punches. The hollow male die and the punches.
are caused to descend so that the blank is forced into the female die thereby
turning up and flanging the edge of the said blank, at the same time effecting the
punching of the perforations therethrough.
The block or bolster may, if the blank be provided with a central aperture have
a removable stud or projection adapted to take into such aperture to keep the
blank in position.
The perforations in the block or bolster are opposite the punches and are adapted
to allow the latter to work properly.
The said block or bolster is (as I prefer) carried by a ram the cylinder of which
is constantly open to an accumulator, and tends to keep the supporting block in its
highest position, and to force the same with the blank thereon, out of the female
die when the male die and punch holder retire.
A suitable stop may be provided to limit the movement of the block or bolster,
in which case the pressure on the ram need only be sufficient to hold the blank
securely against the male die and prevent its buckling. If no such stop be used
then the pressure on the ram must be much greater to enable the punches to
perforate the blanks.
In one arrangement the punch holder is carried by a heavy spindle which works
inside an annular ram carrying the hollow male die and is suitably guided to
prevent turning. Adjustable rings are provided on the said spindle adapted to
engage with flanges inside the ram to limit the movements of these parts relatively
to one another. The annular ram works in a hydraulic cylinder (hereinafter
termed the main cylinder), and itself forms the cylinder in which works a ram or
piston on the punch holder spindle for operating the punches.
For raising the clamping hollow inale die and punches after they have completed
their operation a drawback ram is provided, the piston of which may act on the
aforesaid spindle. This pistou is constantly open to the accumulator pressure.
A suitable valve with operating handle is provided to open the main cylinder to
pressure or to exhaust, as may be required, to lower or raise the male die and

page_text: punches, and to prevent exit or entrance of liquid when the said parts are to be
kept stationary.
Dated this 16th day of July 1892.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Flanging and
Punching, or for Flanging, Punching, and Drawing Metal
'Blanks.
I CECIL GEORGE OWEN, formerly of 48 Addison Gardens, Kensington W.,
in the County of Middlesex, but now of The Vulcan Iron Works, Aronside,
Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, Civil Engineer, 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 relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for Hanging
and punching or for flanging punching and drawing metal blanks at one operation,
suitable for use, for example, in the manufacture of cupped plates as used for
confining rings for india rubber buffer and draw springs such as those described in
the Specification of A. G. Spencer's Patent No. 3906 of 1886.
A machine according to my invention is constructed with a fixed bed or frame
that supports a female flanging die within which there is a movable perforated
block, or bolster on which the blank is laid. The female die is bell-mouthed and
the edge of the blank projects over it beyond the perforated block or bolster.
Opposite to the block or bolster there is arranged a hollow male die within which,
working independently thereof, is a punch holder operated by hydraulic or other
power, and provided with suitable punches. The hollow male die and the punches
are caused to descend so that the blank is forced into the female die thereby
turning up or flanging the edge of the said blank, at the same time effecting the
punching of the perforations therethrough.
The block or bolster may, if the blank be provided with a central aperture have
a removable stud or projection adapted to take into such aperture to keep the blank
in position.
The perforations in the block or bolster are opposite the punches and are adapted
to allow the latter to work properly.
The said block or bolster is (as I prefer) carried by a ram the cylinder of which
is constantly open to an accumulator, and tends to keep the supporting block in its
highest position, and to force the same with the blank thereon, out of the female
die when the male die and punch holder retire.
A suitable stop may be provided to limit the movement of the block or bolster,
in which case the pressure on the ram need only be sufficient to hold the blank
securely against the male die and prevent its buckling. If no such stop be used
then the pressure on the ram must be much greater to enable the punches to
perforate the blanks.
The accompanying drawing shows partly in elevation and partly in central
vertical section, a machine or apparatus for flanging and punching metal blocks,
constructed according to this invention.
I is a fixed bed or frame in which is fixed a removable female flanging die 2
of bell-mouth form. 3 is a movable block or bolster formed with perforations 4
and on which the metal blank 5 is laid and it may be fixed, so as to project over
the edge of the female die. This block or bolster is carried by the lead 6 of a
ram 7 arranged to work within a hydraulic cylinder 8 that is in constant com-
munication with an accumulator and is suspended from the bed or frame 1 by rods

page_text: or supports 9. 3 is a removable shoulder or stop carried by the bed 1 and serving
to limit the downward movement of the block or bolster 3.
10 is a hollow male die arranged opposite to the block or bolster and carried by
the head 11 of an annular ram 12 arranged to work within a vertical hydraulic
cylinder 13 the upper end of which can be placed in communication alternately
with an accumulator and with an exhaust pipe or passage by any suitable or ordinary
arrangement of valve apparatus as well understood. This cylinder 13 is carried
by the head 14 of the press which is supported above the bed 1 by vertical rods 14
which also serve as guide rods for the vertically movable head 11. 15 is a punch
holder arranged within the hollow male die 10 and provided with suitable
punches 16 arranged in line with the holes 4 in the die or bolster 3. This punch
holder is connected by a screw-threaded sleeve or union 15" to a rod or spindle 17
that works through a suitable guide 18 of square or other suitable form in cross
section so as to prevent turning of the punch holder. The rod 17 is provided with
a piston 19 arranged to work within the annuiar ram 12 which is open at the top
so that water admitted to the cylinder 13 will act upon both the ram 12 and the
piston 19 and cause them to descend simultaneously. The rod 17 is also connected
to, or as in the example shown, formis part of a draw-back ram carrying a piston 20
arranged to work in a cylinder 21 that is arranged above and the lower flanged
end of which serves as a cover for the cylinder 13. This cylinder 21 when the
machine or apparatus is in use, is in constant communication with an accumulator,
whilst its upper end may be in free communication with the atmosphere as shown,
so that when the cylinder 13 is open to exhaust, the pressure of water on the
piston 20 will act to return the ram 12 with male die and the piston 19 with punch
holder into their raised positions. Any suitable means such as pins fixed to the
female die, may be provided for guiding and retaining the metal blanks in place
on the block or bolster.
With the arrangement described and shown, it will be seen that when water
under pressure is admitted to the upper end of the cylinder 13, the annular ram 12
and the piston 19 therein together with the male die and the punches will be
caused to descend with the result that a metal blank 5 placed upon the perforated
block or bolster 3 will be forced into the female die 2 until the motion of the
block or bolster is arrested by the stop 3 thereby turning up or flanging, and it
may be drawing, the edge of the said blank and at the same time effecting the
punching of the perforations therethrough by reason of the punches moving
relatively to the male die. When the main cylinder 13 is open to exhaust, the
water under pressure acting against the piston 20 will cause the rod 17 piston 19
and punch holder 15 to rise and first withdraw the punches from the punched blank
and when the sleeve or union 15ª comes into contact with the underside of the
annular ram 12 will cause the said ram to return to its original position. As the
male die and punch holder rise the block or bolster 3 will be forced upward by
the action of water under pressure against the ram 7 thereby forcing the finished
article out of the female die.
During the above described combined flanging and punching operations the
edge of the blank will be subjected to a drawing action the extent of which can
be varied to any suitable extent by suitably varying the relative sizes of the male
and female dies.
As will be obvious by varying the form and dimensions of the male and
female dies the machine can be used for flanging and punching articles of various
kinds.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is
1. A machine or apparatus for flanging and punching, or flanging punching and
drawing metal blanks at one operation, comprising a fixed bed carrying a female
flanging die, a yielding block or bolster arranged within the same and serving as a

page_text: support for the blank to be treated, a hollow male die, arranged opposite to the
block or bolster and carried by a hydraulic ram or piston, and a punch holder
arranged within the male die and capable of being operated by fluid pressure
independently of the male die, the arrangement being such that when the male die
and the punch holder with punches 'are caused to descend a blank placed upon the
block or bolster will be forced into the female die thereby turning up or flanging,
and it may be drawing, the edge of the said blank and effecting the punching of
the perforations therethrough substantially as herein described.
2. My improved machine or apparatus for flanging and punching metal blanks
constructed arranged and operating substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 17th day of April 1893.
W., LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.