IN MACHINES FOR FORMING FLANGES ON METAL PLATES
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Martin Benson at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November 1879. A communication
from abroad by Walter B. Bassett, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of
North America.
"IMPROVEMENTS
A communication
MARTIN BENSON, of No. 9, Southampton Buildings, London.
IN MACHINES FOR FORMING FLANGES ON METAL PLATES."
from abroad by Walter B. Bassett, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of North
America.
My Invention consists in the providence of means whereby the edges of metal
plates or of orifices in such plates may be bent into a flange or flanges rapidly,
easily; accurately, and cheaply.
In the accompanying Drawings forming a part of this Specification, and to which
reference is hereby made,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my flanging machine.
Fig. 2 is a view of that portion of my machine shown at G (Fig. 1), and which is
immediately instrumental in nozzling or flanging holes in metal plates.
Fig. 3 is a view of the central upright portion of my machine, shewing the table
for supporting and the devices for clamping and holding said plate in position while
being flanged, and also shows the former used in connection with the nozzler in
flanging flue holes.
•
The frame of the machine may be clamped or screwed to a foundation or to a bed
plate Q. To the vertical supports P are attached the horizontal top pieces p. Two
dovetailed slideways are fixed upon the latter, or otherwise properly supported; upon
these ways move two slides p³, each having a dovetailed groove fittings over the
dovetailed way, and provided with racks R, R.
These racks are operated through the horizontal pinion wheel S. A slide-way A
is attached to each of the slides p³, and in each slide way A moves a slide way A¹
supporting one of the slide ways B. Each of these slides A', as also the slide A³
attached to pinion S and the slide A³ of the nozzling device, may be provided with
a suitable device for setting each one at any desired position in its respective slide
way.
Power is communicated to the machine through shaft S₁ journalled in bearings
properly supported. One extremity of the shaft is provided with a bevelled toothed
wheel S which engages two smaller bevelled gear wheels S³ and S. The gear
wheel S is provided with a hub or journal extending down and rotating in a
Ch

page_text: bearing S located at or near the foot of the frame. A vertical shaft T is fixed in
this gear wheel by either a permanent connection or one capable of connecting
or disconnecting said shaft and wheel at pleasure.
The upper extremity of shaft T is adapted to receive my improved forming tool
for nozzling holes for flues, &c. A sleeve or hollow journal T₁ encircles a hollow
shaft V, and to which is attached at bottom the gear wheel Ss and at top the gear
wheel S. This journal T¹ rotates in a bearing T2 properly supported by the frame
or other means.
The table W is provided with orifice W1, and is supported by a frame work or
web W attached to the upper end of the hollow stationary shaft V. The shaft V
and table are elevated and lowered by means of the cam or eccentric V* and the
collar or stud V1, the latter being attached to the shaft V.
This table Wis stationary so far as ability to rotate is concerned, and is prevented
from rotating by the pin K, preferably located at the end of the shaft L and
inserted into the slot K¹ in the shaft V, thus allowing vertical motion of the shaft V
and table W.
The clamp consists of an annular plate X' connected to a frame work or cage X,
the latter in turn being rigidly attached to X², provided with a screw thread X³
and with a longitudinal slot X, in which is a pin or feather secured to the upper
portion Y¹ of the frame. A hand wheel Z is provided with a hub rotating within
a bearing in frame Y and having a female screw which engages the male screw X³
of shaft X. This hand wheel and hub is retained in position in its bearings by
means of a pin or set screw Z¹ which is screwed through the bearing and enters a
groove Z in the periphery of the hub. The opening X³ in the plate X', and the
opening W' in the table W, and the shaft T, and the mechanism for rotating it,
are provisions made to enable the nozzling or flanging of holes for flues, &c.
Whenever it is not expected or desired to flange holes as well as the outside edges
of plates these openings and the shaft T may be dispensed with, in which event the
hollow shaft V may be solid and the gear wheel S* omitted.
To upper side of pinion S is attached slide way A2, on which moves the slide A¹,
which latter supports one of the circular slide ways B in which moves the circular
slide B¹ provided with the curved rack B³, which engages a spur wheel B³ secured
to the shaft C, and rotates in bearings connected to the circular slideway B. On one
of the outer ends of the shaft C is a pinion B4, into the teeth of which meshes the
screw B³ operated by shaft C¹, which rotates in a bearing connected to the circular
slide way B, and is in turn operated by rachet wheel B, which is intermittingly
operated by the pawl D pivoted to the head of lever D₁ swung upon shaft Cl, and
extending above or below said shaft such a distance as that it will engage with the
stud or flange D' supported by the machine or otherwise, as desired, as the circular
slide moves as far as said stud or flange D³.
The slide B¹, except in cases where they are employed for nozzling, are each
provided with two rollers, E and F, for flanging the plate; each of these rollers
rotate in a pin fixed in the slide B¹, or when preferred the roller may be provided
with an extension which extends to the slide B¹and rotates therein. These rollers
are conical, and roller F is preferably a little longer than the other for the reason
that this increased length of roller F enables it to better work around the outside
corner which is gradually forming as the metal of the plate is being bent up to
form the flange.
The roller E is so placed in relation to the slide that the lower corner farthest
from the circular slide shall be the centre of the circle or circular path in which the
slide revolves. This corner H is therefore always stationary so far as the movements
of the circular slides in its slide way is concerned.
In the device for nozzling flue holes, &c. (Fig. 2), the roller F is so placed at a
point on the side H of the roller shall be the centre of the circle or circular path in
which the slide revolves. Where both rollers E and F are employed with the slide
the lower roller F is provided (in connection with the slide) with suitable mechanism
for rendering roller F so adjustable that the spaces between the rollers E and F can

page_text: be increased or diminished at pleasure. The rollers E and F may be of the same
size and of uniform shape. They may be rectilinear cylinders, but preferably the
shape and proportions of the rollers is as follows:-The smaller end of roller E is
next the slide, and the larger end of roller F is next the slide. The object of thus
placing the rollers in relation to each other and the slide is to enable them to
produce a flange which shall make an acute angle with that face of the plate on
which the flange is, or in other words lean toward the centre on that face of the
plate. Such a position of the flange enables that portion of the shell of the boiler
or vessel which is to be connected thereto to be driven over said flange, and at the
same time to keep a tight joint between said flange and shell.
Usually the table W will be sufficient to fully support the metal plate while the
latter is being flanged, but when desired an additional support may be attached to
portion of the frame, and be provided with a clamp to hold the metal to said
additional support, and also to serve as a gauge to adjust or set the plates in proper
position to be flanged.
When found desirable the intermediate gear wheel B³, or it and the worm wheel B*
may be dispensed with. In case both are dispensed with the screw B5 may be made
to directly engage with the rack B²; in case the gear wheel B³ is dispensed with
the worm wheel B would gear with the rack and also with the screw B³.
my
While I prefer to employ the rack and the desired attendant mechanism for
operating the rack B¹, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to this
particular means of operating the slide, but claim as an important feature of
Invention the combination of the roller F or rollers E and F, and the slide way B
and slide B¹, irrespective of the particular means employed to operate the
slide B¹.