IMPROVE- MENTS IN PUNCHING MACHINES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Roberts, late of the City of Manchester,
but now of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PUNCHING MACHINES."
Sealed the 4th October 1860, and dated the 20th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Roberts at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th April 1860.
I, RICHARD ROBERTS, of the City of Manchester, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PUNCHING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in certain improved combinations
of eccentrics or other equivalent agents, with dies and punches, for punching
either simultaneously or otherwise, both webs of L, T, or other shaped bars of
iron or other metal; and, secondly, in the application of self-acting mechanism.
for advancing the said bars previous to and for holding them whilst being
punched, whereby greater accuracy will be attained than is practicable by the
present method.
In performing my Invention the punches are made to work at right angles
to each other, and at an angle of 45° to the horizon; but these angles must be
varied to suit the peculiar shape of the bar to be punched, which is held on a

page_text: carriage mounted on rails. The instrument by which the angle or other
shaped bar to be punched is held down during the operation of punching is
liberated by a cam acting on a lever or other suitable mechanism previous to
advancing the carriage to which the bar is secured. The mechanism for
advancing the carriage and bar consists of a toothed rack connected to the
carriage acted upon at each stroke of the machine by a cam or other equi-
valent agent, or the bar to be punched may be advanced independently of the
carriage or block on which it rests.
My improved mechanism for punching angle iron may be combined with
the ordinary mechanisin for punching and for shearing,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ROBERTS, late of the City of Manchester (but now of London), Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Bor reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Roberts, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Roberts,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Roberts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Treland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PUNCHING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
1, the said Richard Roberts, my executors or administrators, by
an instru-
ment in writing under my, 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 I, the said Richard Roberts, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and the accompanying Sheets of Drawings:
The nature of my Invention consists, first, in certain improved combinations
of eccentrics or other equivalent agents, with dies and punches for punching,
either simultaneously or otherwise, both webs of L, T, and other shaped
bars of iron or other metal; and secondly, in the application of self-acting
mechanism for advancing the said bars previous to and for holding them
whilst being punched, whereby greater accuracy will be attained than is
practicable by the present methods.
Hitherto it has been customary in punching angle iron to mark and pierce
one web or side first, which latter operation by expanding that side bends the
bar considerably, involving the necessity of its being straightened before the
other web is punched; after which operation the bar must be again
straightened before it will be fit for use.
The object of my present improvements in machines for punching angle
iron of various kinds is, to punch both webs or sides simultaneously or nearly
so, (whereby the bending of the bars will be in a great measure obviated,)
and also to punch the bars and regulate the distances between the holes by
self-acting machinery, whereby better work and great economy of labour will
be effected.
In machinery constructed according to my Invention the punches are mado
to work at right angles to each other, and at an angle of 45° to the horizon;
but these angles must be varied to suit the peculiar shape of the bar to be
punched, which is held on a carriage or carriages mounted on rails, which
carriages are connected together by the dividing rack. The instrument by
which the angle or other shaped bar to be punched is held down during the
operation of punching is worked by a cam acting on the weighted lever, or
other suitable mechanism, previous to advancing the carriage or carriages to
which the bar under operation is secured. The mechanism for advancing the
carriage or carriages and bar consists of a toothed rack connected to the
carriage acted upon at each stroke of the machine by a pall or click actuated
by a cam or other equivalent agent.
. I have shewn in the accompanying Drawings that my improved mechanism
for punching angle iron may be combined with mechanism for punching and
for shearing plates and bars in the ordinary manner.
The nature of my Invention will be ascertained by reference to the accom+
panying Sheets of Drawings and the following description thereof, in which
Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine; Figure 2, a front elevation; Figure 3,
an elevation (partly in section) of the shearing end of the machine; Figure 4,

page_text: an elevation. (also partly in section) of the punching end of the same machine;
Figures 5 and 6 are detached views of the travelling carriage for regulating
the feed or the distance apart at which the holes in the angle bars are to be
punched; Figure 5 being a side elevational view thereof; and Figure 6 a
transverse sectional elevation.
A, A, A, A, the framing (which is shewn as a single casting); B, B', shafts,
each of which is suitably turned, so as to form its journals or bearings, and the
eccentric portions which are employed for actuating the slides C, C³, to the
lower termination of which the angle iron punches c, c', are attached;
D, D', rods, which connect through the links d, d¹, the slides C, C, with the
eccentric rods B, B'; E, a weighted ever, which is actuated by a cam E' on
shaft B', which through the holder or sliding jaw F is pressed forcibly upon
the angle bar a, to hold it firmly on the die N whilst the bar is being punched,
and the punches withdrawn therefrom prior to the bar being advanced for the
next hole or holes; G, the driving shaft, on which are a fast and a loose
pulley g, g', of the ordinary kind, and likewise the spur pinion H, which gears
into the spur wheel I, fixed on the shaft B; I, a spur wheel fixed on the
shaft B', and gearing with the spur wheel I; J, a slide, which carries the
punch or punches for piercing plates or T-iron; K, the rod which connects
the slide J with the eccentric shaft B; L, the slide which carries the shear
blade; and M is the rod that connects the slide L with the eccentric
shaft B, which actuates the shears; is the fixed shear blade; N, the die on
which the angle iron is punched; O, an ordinary die or bolster for punching
holes singly in plates, and by pairs in T-iron, in which case the die should be
made with a groove or channel to allow of the centre web being placed therein,
whilst the other webs are being punched by means of two punches in a double
holder; P, P, rails; Q, a carriage or carriages upon which are mounted the
uprights or standards q, q, to which are bolted the adjustable brackets q³ and q²;
to these brackets, or to one of them, the angle bar about to be punched is
secured by a bolt in one end of it; R, a rack secured to the carriage or
carriages Q, through the medium of the brackets q³ and q'; the rack R, and
consequently the carriage Q, is advanced at every stroke of the machine,
either by the.action of the slide F or by an independent cam upon a pall or
click, through the medium of a bent levers (Figure 5), or in any other.com-
venient way; the brackets'q' and are adjustable on the uprights q, g, to
enable them to be. adapted to the height of the angle iron to be punched,
which varies according to size. One end of the bar to be punched should be
secured to the carriage, the other end should be left free to expand or become
lengthened during the process of punching.

page_text: In the accompanyings Drawings I have shewn, a punching, and, shearing
machine of the ordinary type, combined with, apparatus constructed according
to my present Invention for punching angle iron, which machine is capable
of shearing at one end or side, whilst at the opposite end or side it may be
employed for punching either plain sheet, angle, bar, or other form, of'-iron
with a single punch. upon an ordinary bolster or die, or by using a pair of
punches and substituting a suitable bed, bolster, or die.. T-shaped iron may
have two of the webs, flanges, or wings, punched at the same time in, this part.
of the machine, whilst the centre portion of the machine and its apparatus, as
berein-before described, can be employed either alone or simultaneously with the
other parts or portions of the machine in punching the two. webs of angle iron,
and other similarly shaped bars of iron or other metal.
I have not thought it necessity to show any means for securing the dies on
their beds, as that may be done in any of the ordinary ways, and forms no part
of my Invention. It will be understood that the dies and beds must be per:
forated to allow the burrs or punchings to pass through.
In the Drawing, Figure 1, I have shewn. the several parts so arranged or
disposed as to punch the holes in one side of the angle bar about half the
pitch in advance of them on the other side, but, if preferable, the holes may be
punched in the same transverse plane.
It will also be evident that by suitably gearing into each other - the spur
wheels I and I', the angle-bar punches may be brought into operation in
succession, the one a little in advance of the other.
On reference to Figure 2, it may be seen that the slides C, C', are connected
to the rods D, D', by links d, d¹.
The chief peculiarity of the punching arrangement or mechanism for piercing
or cutting metals being the combination of the herein-before named cutting
instruments worked from a pair of eccentric shafts, the two inner punching
arms (of the series) and their connection being respectively actuated or worked
by a separate eccentric, connecting rod, and slide, which are so arranged as to
converge towards a central point or line, either simultaneously or one a little
in advance of the other, either in the same or in a different transverse plane.
Having now described my Invention for "Improvements in Punching
Machines," I wish it to be understood that what I claim as my Invention is,—
First, the construction of punching machines having two punches, and their
appendages, mounted within the framing, and converging to, the same centre or
central line for the purpose of operating upon or punching two holes, either
simultaneously or one before the other, in angle bars or the like, or similar
articles.

page_text: Second, the combination within the same framing of the two converging
punches (as herein-before-set forth) with the ordinary punching and shearing
machines forming the ends, wings, or side terminations of the same machine ;
the whole being set in motion or actuated from a single driving shaft, as
herein described and as.illustrated in the Drawings hereunto annexeḍ.
Third, the self-acting machinery herein described for holding angle bars
.firmly upon the die whilst being punched.
Fourth, the railway and carriage or carriages, with the parts herein
described for carrying and also dividing or regulating the required distances
apart of holes to be punched in angle bars.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Roberts, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
FREDERIC ROBERTS,
19, Salisbury St., Adelphi.
RICHARD ROBERTS. (L.s.)