Improvements in Apparatus for Stamping, Forging, Scarfing, or Branding Metal Bars, Sheets, Plates, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 20th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Stamping, Forging, Scarfing, or
Branding Metal Bars, Sheets, Plates, or the like.
We, WILLIAM HENRY BLECKLY of Thelwall Lea, near Warrington in the
County of Lancaster Iron Manufacturer, and THE PEARSON AND KNOWLES
COAL AND IRON COMPANY, LIMITED of Warrington aforesaid do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus for stamping or branding metal
bars, plates, sheets or the like, also for forging, scarfing or other processes in which
a falling body is used in working metals. It has been designed more especially
for impressing the requisite No. of merchants' or manufacturers' stamps or brands
at one blow.
In carrying the invention into effect, the plan we prefer is to arrange a number
of cylinders vertically and bolted on to a horizontal frame supported by standards
and carried by a strong box bed-plate. The cylinders are fitted with pistons and
rams, the lower end of each ram being furnished with the required stamp or brand.
The pressure which may be either steam or air for raising the rams, or for
striking the blow, is admitted by a suitable tap or valve which may be bolted to
the port faces of the cylinders. The horizontal frame to which the cylinders are
bolted is provided with a longitudinal slot fitted with T head bolts, thus providing
for the cylinders being secured at any required distance apart. The bed-plate,
which is of box section and is provided with all requisite slots for bolts to secure
standards, shaft carriages, clamps and guards, is planed on its top surface for
receiving the metal bars and one side for receiving the shaft carriages.
received on the
The bar, plate, sheet etcetera on being delivered from the rolls
bed-plate and drawn into a central position by clamps worked from levers keyed on
to a shaft carried by pedestals bolted to the back of the bed-plate and worked by
attendant with hand lever. The blow is given by admitting pressure on the top of
the pistons by partially turning the plugs of the taps by levers fixed to each and
connected by a longitudinal rod worked by attendant with hand lever. The
pressure is then admitted to the underside of the pistons and the rams raised for a
blow on the following length of bar. The tap for admitting pressure to the
cylinders that we at present prefer to use, is shown in the accompanying drawing,
in which A is the opening for admission of air or steam pressure, B the plug, C the
exhaust, and D the ports leading to the cylinders, A and C can however be reversed
so that admission of air or steam can be at C and exhaust at A. The machine
can be mounted upon wheels worked by gearing in order to facilitate it being
moved into any convenient position. Besides stamping metal bars, sheets, etcetera,
the machine may be used for forging, scarfing or other processes in which a falling
body is used in working metals.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Stamping, Forging, Scarfing, or
Branding Metal Bars, Sheets, Plates, or the like.
We, WILLIAM HENRY BLECKLY of Thelwall Lea, near Warrington in the
County of Lancaster, Iron Manufacturer and THE PEARSON AND KNOWLES
COAL AND IRON COMPANY, LIMITED of Warrington aforesaid, 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 an apparatus for stamping or branding metal
bars, plates, sheets or any other material requiring to be stamped, also for forging,
scarfing or other processes in which a falling body is used in working metals.
The invention will be best understood from the following description reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, which show the invention applied more
especially for impressing at intervals on metal bars a merchant's or manufacturer's
stamp or brand.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion only of the apparatus, as the latter can
be extended to any length required;
Figure 2 a complete end view of the same;
Figures 3 and 4 sectional views at right angles to each other of a valve of
special construction.
In these, A is a horizontal frame provided with a longitudinal slot a and supported
by standards B, the latter being bolted or otherwise secured to a bed-plate C
preferably of box section. D are cylinders carried by brackets E which brackets
are attached to the aforementioned frame A by means of T-headed bolts F, passing
through the longitudinal slot a. By this arrangement the cylinders can be moved
along the frame A and secured at any required distance apart. The bed-plate C
is provided with all requisite slots for bolts to secure standards, shaft carriages,
clamps and guards and is planed on its top surface to receive the material to be
stamped and on one side to receive the shaft carriages. The cylinders D are fitted
with pistons and rams, the lower end of each ram C₁ being furnished with the
required stamp or brand G. Hare taps or valves of special construction to be
hereinafter described for admitting either steam or compressed air (preferably the
latter) to the cylinders for working the rams and I links connecting the plug of
each valve with a rod J running the whole length of the machine. This rod J is
operated by means of the handle K and lever K¹ and its movement limited by the
quadrant L. The links I are adjustable on the valve rod by means of set screws i.
M is a shaft extending the whole length of the apparatus being supported by
brackets or carriages N; O tumblers mounted on said shaft; P links connecting
one arm of the tumblers with guiding devices Q, the other portion R of the guiding
devices being operated by the lower arm of the tumblers. It will be obvious that
if the lever S, Figure 2, be moved in the direction of the arrow the portions Q
and R of the guiding devices will move towards the stamps etcetera G and guide
the material to be stamped or worked into position.
In the drawing a flat bar T is shown in position for being stamped at intervals
in its length.
Referring now to the valve for admitting pressure to the cylinders, shown in
Figures 3 and 4, U is the entrance for air or steam for pressure, V the plug, W the
exhaust and X and X' the ports leading respectively to the top and bottom of the
cylinder, U and W can however be reversed so that admission shall be at W and
exhaust at U.

page_text: The mode of action of the whole apparatus is as follows:-
The cylinders D being first adjusted on the frame A to the position required,
the material, if it be a bar of iron, to be stamped, on being delivered from the
rolls is placed on the bed-plate C, the attendant then by means of the lever S and
guiding devices Q and R guides the bar into position underneath the rams Cand
clamps the bar in position. The valves H are now operated by means of lever K,
rod J and links I to admit steam or air through ports X to the top of the cylinders
above the pistons, so as to force down all the pistons and rams with their respective
stamps simultaneously to strike the blow on the bar. The valves are next turned
to open the top of cylinder to exhaust W and admit steam or air through ports X'
into the cylinder underneath the pistons, thereby raising the rams ready for striking
the blow on the following length of bar. By cutting away a portion of the flanges
of the cylinders and arranging them back to back, as shown in Figure 1, the stamps
can be brought close together and furthermore the apparatus can if desired be
mounted upon wheels worked by gearing in order to facilitate its removal into any
convenient position. The guiding devices Q and R are used for guiding the bars
into position on the bed plate, and also for clamping the said bars in position when
being branded.
It must be understood that' this invention is not confined to the exact details
herein set forth, as these may be varied without departing from the main idea of
the invention, which is to arrange a number of cylinders fitted with pistons and
rams vertically on a horizontal frame said cylinders being capable of adjustment
along the said frame, and to operate the valves governing the admission of steam
or air to the cylinders simultaneously so that long lengths of bars can be stamped
at one operation, the number of stamps or tools being only limited by the space at
disposal. If necessary the valves may be so arranged that some of the pistons are
raised, while others are being forced downwards to strike the blow. It is obvious
moreover that by substituting suitable tools for the stamps G, the machine may be
used for forging, scarfing, or otherwise working upon the metal placed upon the
table, at various positions in its length.
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. The improvement in apparatus for stamping, forging, scarfing, or branding
metal bars, sheets, plates, or the like, namely forming them with a stationary bed
or table for carrying the material to be stamped branded or worked, and in mounting
above the table on a horizontal frame parallel with the table, a series of vertical
cylinders (actuated by steam or compressed air and fitted with pistons and rams,
the latter equipped with stamps or tools for giving the requisite blow), in such a
manner that they can be moved horizontally along the frame and secured in any
position required, whereby the material on the table can simultaneously at any
required intervals in its length be impressed with a merchant's or manufacturer's
stamp or brand, or be forged, stamped, scarfed, or otherwise worked upon by the
tools substantially as described.
2. In an apparatus of the kind set forth, the arrangement consisting of rods J,
links I adjustable thereon, handle K and lever K' whereby the valves governing
the admission of steam or compressed air for working the pistons in the various
cylinders can be operated together and simultaneously by pulling the handle K,
while such arrangement admits of the position of the cylinders being adjusted
horizontally on the frame substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind set forth the guiding devices substantially as
described and shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, whereby the material is guided
into the required position on the table underneath the rams .ready to be operated
upon.
4. The special arrangement and construction of the valve H substantially as
described and shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming our
improved apparatus for stamping, forging, scarfing, or branding metal bars, sheets,
plates, or the like, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of March 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.