IMPROVEMENTS IN FORGING MACHINERY, CHIEFLY DESIGNED MANINA STUD IN ሰ HORSE-SHOE-NAILS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FORGING MACHINERY, CHIEFLY DESIGNED
MANINA STUD IN ሰ HORSE-SHOE-NAILS" A communication from abroad by:
FOR THE
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FORGING MACHINERY,
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HORSE-SHOE-NAILS." A commu-
nication from abroad by Silas Safford Putnam, of Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to machinery for forging horse-shoc-nails and other
articles.
The said machinery comprises a series of hammers connected with and operated
by the piston of a steam cylinder engine or other motor placed in close proximity
therewith in such a manner that the reciprocating motion of the piston-rod will be.
communicated directly to the hammers without being first converted into rotary
motion as heretofore, whereby the employment of springs, cams, shafting, belts,
and pulleys for actuating the hammers is avoided, thus simplifying the construction
of the machinery and enabling it to be operated more effectively and economically,
and with much less power than is possible in machines in which the hammers are
operated as heretofore.
The said Invention also comprises certain details of construction hereinafter.
described.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figuro 1 in a front elevation of a forging machine constructed in accordance with
my Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the top of the hammer-frame broken away,
the parts being in a different position.

page_text: Figure 3 is an elevation of one side of the same with the parts in the same
position as in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan of the underside of the same.
•
Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the same.
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 illustrate details of part of the machinery.
In the said Drawings A represents the bed or framework of the machine, from
one end of which rises a frame B, within which on conical bearings are arranged
the two vertical shafts C, C, of tho horizontal or side hammers D, D, and the
horizontal shafts E, E, of the upper and lower hammers G, G; the four hammers
being firmly secured upon these shafts and arranged to operate alternately in pairs
as hereinafter described.
The upper end of each vertical shaft-O is provided with a conical recess, into
which fits the conical end of a screw a, and which also holds the oil or other
lubricating substance, while the lower extremity of the shaft is made conical and
rests in a conical step formed in the head of a screw b, which is also provided above
the step with a cup or recess c. (Figure 9) for containing a supply of oil or other
lubricating substance, and it will be seen that these screws a, b, afford a ready and
convenient means of adjustment for bringing the operative faces of the hammers
into the exact position required.
Each of the horizontal shafts E is provided at each end with a conical recess,
into which fits the conical end of a screw d, these screws enabling the upper and
lower hammers to be adjusted laterally as may be found necessary.
At the rear of the hammer-frame B, and in close proximity therewith, is placed
a steam-engine-cylinder F which is secured upon a suitable support rising from the
bed A. To the piston e of this cylinder is secured a piston rod f, which projects
from both sides of the piston and passes through both of the cylinder-heads g,
having attached to its front end a cross-head H, to the horizontal arms of which
are pivotted the rear ends of two connecting rods h, h, the opposite ends of which
are pivotted to the rear ends of the horizontal or side hammers D, D, outside the
centres on which they vibrate, while to the vertical arms of the cross-head_are
pivotted the rear ends of a similar pair of connecting rods i, i, the opposite ends of
which are pivoted to the rear ends of the upper and lower or vertical hammers G, G,
at points on the inner sides of the centres on which they vibrate as seen in
Figure 5, and in dotted lines in Figure 3, by which construction and arrangement,
when the piston-rod. f is moved forward in the direction of the arrow (Figures 2
and 5), the two side hammers D, D, will be thrown forcibly toward each other to
give the blow, and the upper and lower hammers G, G, will be simultaneously
drawn back, while the return movement of the piston-rod will cause. these
hammers G, G, to be thrown toward each other to give the blow, and the
hammers D, D, to be drawn back; the two pairs of baminers being thus caused to
act upon all four of the sides of the horse-shoc-nail or other article being forged in
the same manner as in the ordinary spring-hammer machines.
The connection between the rear ends of the rods h, i, and the cross-head H is
made by means of T-shaped coupling pins I, the shanks 18 of which are screwed
into the arms of the cross-head, the end of each rod fitting over one of the branches of
the coupling pin where it is secured by a small transverse pin; and thus by screwing
the pins in and out of the cross-head the faces of the hammers can be adjusted to
meet on the proper central line, and also to compensate for wear; furthermore, by
means of these adjustable coupling pins the length of the stroke of the pistou may
be varied to cause the two hammers of a pair to open inore or less at each stroke,
and thus increase or diminish the force of the blow.
The coupling pins I are made, as shewn in Figure 10, with two branches k, k, in
order that an adjustment may be effected with half a revolution only of the screw
shank 18, which enables the hammers to be adjusted with a greater degree of nicety
than would be possible if a single branch or offset only were provided; they may
however be made with a single branch only if desired and still answer a good
purpose.

page_text: The relative length of the cylinder with respect to the length of the stroke of the
piston is such that, in the event of the hammer-faces becoming worn away, the piston
may travel farther, or the length of its stroke may be increased without its coming
into contact with either of the cylinder heads. The steam-cylinder F is provided
with an ordinary steam-chest K and ports m, m, the admission of steam to which
is controlled by a slide-valve n, the stem or rod p of which is connected at its outer
end by means of a pin and slot to the upper end of a bell-crank-lever L which is
pivotted at g to a projection on the cylinder, and carries a friction-roller r, which
lies within a cam-groove 8 formed in a plate 19 secured to the rear end of the
piston-rod, the movement of which through the connections described is thus
communicated to the slide-valve in order to admit the steam alternately at the
opposite ends of the cylinder to operate the piston as desired.
When the machine is in motion the momentum of the hammers is sufficient to
carry the piston to the end of its stroke in either direction after the steam has
been shut off, which ensures the valve n being always left in a position to admit
steam to the cylinder; when the throttle-valve 16 is opened, to again set the machine
in motion.
Any other suitable valve or valve-mechanism may be employed in connection
with the cylinder, and the valve n may be so operated if desired as to admit more
or less steam in front of the piston, just previous to the termination of its stroke in
either direction, to cushion it in a well known manner, and by this means the force
of the blows of the hammers may be increased or diminished as desired. This
cushioning is not however essential, as the contact of the hammers will prevent the
piston from striking the heads of the cylinder.
The machine may be constructed with a series of hammers consisting of a
single pair only, or of three or more, as may be found desirable or necessary to suit
the requirements of the case, and the faces of the hammers are to be provided
with suitable grooves or dies corresponding in form to the nail or other article to
be forged.
M, M, are the grooved feed-rolls by which the nail-rod is seized and carried into
the machine. These rolls are mounted on the upper ends of a pair of vertical
shafts P, Q, which are supported at or near their centres in bearings in a piece or
frame N, pivotted on a stud or pin t projecting from the front of the bed or frame-
work A; the lower ends of the shafts P, Q, rest in bearings in a bar 20, which is
provided with a headed guide-pin u moving in a curved slot in the frame
work A. Each of these shafts carries a gear-wheel a¹, by which the motion of one
is communicated to the other, and on the shaft P there is a ratchet-wheel, b', with
the teeth of which engages a hooked pawl c¹ (Figure 7), which is pivotted to a
projection on one side of the framework, and kept in contact with the ratchet-wheel
by a spring d, by which construction, as the shafts P, Q, with their feed-rolls, are
rocked back and forth on the pin t as a centre, by mechanism hereinafter described,
they are revolved intermittingly so as to produce the feed at the required times,
each movement or vibration of the lower end of the shaft P in the direction of the
arrow (Figures 1 and 7) causing the pawl c' to engage with a new tooth of the
ratchet-wheel, while the return movement of the shaft produces a partial rotation
of the ratchet-wheel in consequence of one of its teeth being engaged by the
pawl c. The rocking or vibration of the shafts P, Q, with their feed-rolls is
produced in the following manner :-R is a bell-crank-lever which is pivotted at e¹
to a post projecting down from the underside of the bed A. One end of this
lever R is connected by a pin and slot with a horizontal bar S, which is pivotted at
one end to the bar 20, and at the opposite end to a supporting link T, the upper
end, of which is pivotted to a projection on the framework A. The opposite end of
the bell-crank-lever R is connected by a slot and pin to a long horizontal sliding
bar U which is supported near its centre by a hanger g' projecting down from the
under side of the bed A; and thus, as this bar is reciprocated by mechanism herein-
after described, the shafts P, Q, are vibrated and intermittingly rotated at the
required times.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the finished nail is cut off
after being formed by the hammers. ¹, i', (Figure 8,) are the cutters, the lower
one h¹ of which is secured to an angular piece c', which is connected to a horizontal
off-set at the upper end of a vertical bar A', which slides in suitable bearings in
the frame work of the machine, the piece ¹ with a cutter h' being made adjustable
horizontally upon the off set l' by means of slots and screws. The upper cutter i¹
is provided with a horizontal arm m², which is secured by a screw passing through
a slot to an offset n' near the upper end of a vertical bar B¹, which slides in
bearings in the bed A, and at the top of the hammer-frame B. The slide-bars A¹, B¹,
are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to cause the cutters to be brought
together to sever the nail from the rod, and afterwards separate and return to their
normal positions by means of a T-shaped rocker C, which is pivotted at its centre
between lugs p¹ on the underside of the bed A, and has its opposite ends connected
by means of pins and slots to the bars A', B', the lower arm q¹ of this rocker
being connected by a slot and pin with the horizontal sliding bar U so that as the
latter is reciprocated tho required movements are imparted to the cutters.
upper cutter is made adjustable horizontally by means of a screw r³, and is held
firmly when adjusted against a set-screw s¹, and by thus making the cutters
adjustable in the direction of the length of the nail-rod they can be readily
adapted to cut off nails having heads of any desired length.
Tho
When the nail is finished and ready to be severed from the nail-rod it is moved
to one side, out of the path of the vertical hammers and within the range of the
cutters, just before the latter are brought together by the rocking or vibration of
the shafts P, Q, and feed-rolls M around the centre t, as previously described,
this movement taking place as the bar U slides in the direction of the arrow,
Figure 4, the counter movement of the bar U, which takes place after the nail has
been severed from the rod, causing the feed-rolls with the nail-rod to be swung
back to their proper central position opposite the hammers, this same movement of
the bar U, through the connections described, also causing the cutters to recede
from each other, and the feed-rolls to be rotated sufficiently to feed the nail-rod
forward the exact amount required for the next nail.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the bar U is reciprocated at
the required times to actuate the mechanism connected therewith. D¹ is a lever
which is-keyed. to a horizontal rock-shaft E¹ and is connected at its upper end
by means of a pin and slot with the rear end of the piston-rod f, the lower end of
this lever D¹ being provided with a rectangular projection t¹, which is adapted to
enter a notch u¹ in the end of the bar U when the latter is raised to cause it to
engage therewith, the bar U being jointed at v to admit of this movement.
G (Figure 11) is a bent lever pivotted at a (Figuro 12), its opposite end being
connected by means of a spiral spring be with the end of the bar U, and this
.lever G is vibrated to raise the bar by means of a cam c² on a wheel H, which is
.secured upon a horizontal shaft 3 (Figure 11), to which is also secured a ratchet-
wheel I, which is rotated by a pawl e² (Figure 3) pivotted to an arm f³ attached to
the rock-shaft E', and thus, through the connections described, as the piston-rod f
is reciprocated the ratchet-wheel 11 is rotated, which causes the cam to strike the
arm 21 (Figure 12) of the lever G', when its arm 22 is raised, and a tension is put
upon the spring 63, which draws the bar U up against the underside of the
projection and thus ensures its engagement with the notch w¹ as soon as it is
_brought into line therewith by the forward movement of the piston rod.
bar Ü being now connected with the lever D¹ is moved forward and back to actuate
the cutters and feed-rolls by the two succeeding strokes of the piston-rod, which
produce a movement of the ratchet-wheel I' equal to the distance between two
contiguous teeth, which carries the cam c out of contact with the arm 21 of the
lever G', the arm 22 of which then drops by its own gravity, allowing the end of
the bar U to drop sufficiently to disengage its notch u¹ from the projection t¹,
when the bar U will remain stationary, until, after a complete revolution of the
ratchet-wheel I', the cam c² is again caused to actuate the lever G³, when the
The

page_text: operation will be repeated as just described. Immediately after the bar U
commences to advance a projection on its underside enters and fills tho space
between it and the bottom of the aperture in the framework, through which it
slides, and thus prevents any possbility of the projection t becoming disengaged
from the notch u¹ as the bar U is carried forward and back by the lever D'. The
number of teeth of the ratchet wheel I¹ equals the number of blows given by either
pair of hammers, the ratchet-wheel thus serving to control and determine the
number of blows to which the nail is subjected previous to being cut off, as a
complete revolution of this ratchet wheel is necessary to bring the cutter and feed
mechanism into action, and this wheel is moved only a distanco equal to that
between two contiguous teeth at each backward movement of the piston-rod.
When it is desired to vary the number of blows of the hammers to which the
nail is subjected, the ratchet-wheel I is removed and another having a different
number of teeth is substituted therefor. In order to more perfectly and uniformly
finish the nail it should be subjected before being completed to a few light blows,
and to this end the steam is partially cut off just before the nail is finished, so as to
reduce the speed of the machine and the force of the blows. This is accomplished
by a wheel K¹ secured to the shaft d and provided with a cam h² which at the
proper time is brought into contact with and moves a lever which is connected
by means of a pin and slot with the arm of a throttle valve 1 (Figure 3) in the
pipe L, through which steam is admitted to the cylinder F; the cam h after
effecting the partial closing of the valve remaining in contact with the lever 2³
until after the last blow has been given to the nail, when the lever is returned to its
normal position by a spring m² causing the valve to be thrown wide open as
before, and by this means the steam is partially shut off toward the completion of
cach nail to render the last few blows of the hammers lighter, as required.
The machine is intended to be run at a high rate of speed, about three thousand
blows of the hammers per minute having been found to produce the best results;
the velocity however may be varied according to the requirements of the case.
The movements of the feed-rolls and cutters, and the lateral vibration of the nail-
rod to carry it into the path of the cutters and return it to its normal position, are
all so timed with respect to each other and to the movements of the hammers as to
avoid any possibility of interference or breakage; each part of the mechanism
performing its particular function at the required time.
By placing the steam-cylinder or motor in close proximity to the hammers, and
connecting them therewith in such a manner that the alternate movements of the
piston rod in opposite directions will cause them to be correspondingly drawn
back and thrown forward to deliver the blows; the power is applied in the most
economical and effective manner possible, and with the most advantageous results,
for the reason that the friction is reduced to a minimum; no long lines of shafting,
belts, pulleys, and cams with their accompanying mechanisın, being required to
actuate the hammers, while the blows are given with a suddenness and rapidity
only attainable otherwise by the use of springs, which are objectionable on account
of the waste of power caused in forcing them back against their own resistance;
the power necessary for this purpose, which is a dead loss, being entirely saved in
my improved machine by the direct application of the motor to the hammers
themselves; simplicity, durability, and cheapness of construction being thus
secured; furthermore, lighter hammers can be used on account of the rapidity and
suddenness of the blows, for the reason that a sharp quick blow with a light
hammer operated by the direct action of the steam, as described, is far more
effective than the blow of a heavier hammer operated with a positive motion by a
cam or other mechanism actuated by a rotating shaft.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A machine for forging horse shoe nails and other articles in which a series
of hammers is connected with and operated by the piston of a steam-cylinder or
.

page_text: engine, or other motor placed in close proximity therewith, in such a manner that
the reciprocating motion of the piston-rod will be communicated directly to the
hammers without being first converted into a rotary motion, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
Second. In a machine for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the hammers
operated alternately in pairs by the reciprocating piston-rod of an engine or motor
connected directly therewith, substantially as and for the purpose above set forth.
Third. In a machine for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the vibrating
hammers mounted upon shafts and actuated by rods pivotted thereto at points, in
one pair outside, and the other pair on the inner side of the centres on which they
vibrate, substantially as and for the purpose seth forth.
Fourth. In a machine for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the vibrating
hammers mounted upon shafts and actuated by rods pivotted thereto at points, in
one pair outside, and in the other pair on the inner side of the centres on which they
vibrate, and connected with the piston-rod of an engine or motor, whereby the
movement of the piston in either direction will cause the hammers of one pair to
approach each other to give the blow, and the hammers of the other pair to
simultaneously recede or separate from each other, substantially as above described.
Fifth. In a machine for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the
combination of the vibrating hammers, the connecting rods pivotted thereto, and to
the cross-head,. the piston-rod, piston and cylinder, with its valve-mechanism
actuated automatically to control the movements of the hammers, all constructed
and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose above set
forth.
Sixth. In a machine for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the valve-
actuating mechanism, consisting essentially of the bell-crank-lever connected at its
upper end with the valve-rod, and having its fulcrum at 7 in combination with tho
plate 19 attached to the piston-rod, and having a cam-groove adapted to vibrate
the lever L, all constructed to operate substantially as herein described.
Seventh. In a machino for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the
combination with the vertical hammer-shafts of the adjustable supporting screws b,
provided with oil-cups or recesses, substantially as and for the purpose above set
forth.
Eighth. In a machine for forging horse-shoe-nails and other articles, the
combination with the cross-head and connecting rods of the adjustable coupling
pins, each having a screw-shank-and one or more branches, substantially as and
for the purpose above described.
Ninth. The feed-rolls with their connected shafts supported in the pivotted frame
and adapted to be vibrated therewith, to carry the nail-rod into the path of the
cutters, in combination with means for automatically rotating the feed-wheels to
advance the nail-rod after each finished nail has been severed therefrom,
substantially as above set forth.
Tenth. The feed-rolls with their connected shafts supported in the pivotted frame
and adapted to be vibrated therewith, to carry the nail-rod into the path of the
cutters by mechanism connected with the reciprocating bar U, in combination with
the ratchet-wheel and pawl c¹, whereby the rotation of the feed-wheels to
advance the nail-rod is effected on the return movement of the shafts P, Q,
after the finished nail has been severed, substantially as herein set forth.
Eleventh. The vertical slide-bars with their adjustable cutters adapted to bo
simultaneously moved in opposite directions to cause the cutters to advance and
recede, substantially in the manner and for the purpose above described.
Twelfth. The combination with the vertical slide bars of the pivotted rocker
connected therewith, and actuated by the reciprocating bar U, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
Thirteenth. The combination with the sliding bar U of the rock-shaft E' with its
lever D¹, connected at one end with the piston-rod, and having at its opposite end a
projection adapted to enter a notch in the bar U and the lever G' connected with the

page_text: bar U by a spring, and actuated by a cam on the wheel H as the latter is rotated
by mechanism connected with the piston-rod, substantially in the manner and for
the purpose above described.
Fourteenth. The combination with the lever D' and its projection t, and the
slide-bar U with its notch u¹ of the projection g² on the underside of the bar U,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fifteenth. The combination with the lever G₁ and its actuating cam c³ on the
wheel of the ratchet-wheel I secured upon the shaft of the wheel Hand
rotated intermittingly by the pawl pivotted to the arm f2 of the rock-shaft E,
whereby the cutters and feed-rolls are brought into action and returned to their
normal position at each complete revolution of the ratchet-wheel, substantially as
set forth.
Sixteenth. The wheel K' secured to the shaft and provided with a cam 2 in
combination with the lever connected with the arm of the throttle-valve l² in
the steam-pipe L' and the spring m², whereby the steam is partially shut off just
before the completion of the nail, and again admitted after the finished nail has
been cut off, substantially as and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.