Improvements in Machines for Making Expanded Metal-work.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
· Improvements in Machines for Making Expanded Metal-work.
We, FRANK HOLTON PITKIN, of No. 4004 Ellis Avenue, and JOSIAH THOMPSON,
of No. 215, 31st Street, both in Chicago, County of Cook, and State of Illinois,
United States of America, Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention to be as follows;-
The invention relates to machines for splitting or slitting sheet metal and
stretching apart the strands thus formed so as to produce a mesh or net work
and it has more especial reference to that type of such machines in which each
strand is bent by the cutter or knife to a certain extent and a certain form so
that the mesh or all of the openings will be of uniform size and formation.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine for the purpose
described in which the sheet to be expanded may be fed, continuously there-
through and thus greatly reduce the time heretofore required for the manu-
facture of a given quantity of the product.
More specifically stated the primary object of the invention is to simultane-
ously cut and expand the metal by means of rotary cutters whereby the sheet
to be expanded may be fed rapidly and continuously through the machine and
the output thereby greatly increased and the danger of fracturing the metal
heretofore due to the sudden impact of the reciprocating knives heretofore used,
will be avoided.
The invention consists of a table or other suitable support and a series of
rotating cutters arranged on either or both sides thereof and converging towards
the line of movement of the sheet passing through the machine. When two
series of cutters are employed they are arranged in converging sees which
taper or converge towards the discharge end of the machine and they are.
arranged in pairs on axes extending transversely of the table or support and the
cutters while forming converging series or being aanged in converging lines
have all of their faces parallel so that the cutting faces of each succeeding pair
of cutters will be in vertical parallel planes a little closer together than the cut-
ting faces of the next pieceding pair and thus on down to the point where the
cutters almost come together and at this point is arranged a single cutter which
splits the sheet in two down the middle. Each of these cutters save the last one
is star-shaped in axial section and the points of the star project below the sur-
face of the table or support so as to shear a succession of slits in the sheet as it
passes under the cutter and press down the strands, thus formed, below the sur-
face of the table. The body portion of the cutter however does not project below
the surface of the table because if it did the stand would be entirely sheared
off or in other words, instead of producing a succession of slits the cutter would
shear off a continuous strand. Arranged axially between each pair of cutters
is a feed roller which presses the sheet down against the table or other support
and induces the movement of the sheet through the machine, this movement.
being also induced by the action of the star-shaped revolving cutters. If desired

page_text: other feed rollers may be arranged under and projecting up through the table
and cooperate with the superposed feed rollers. There may also if desired be
one or more superposed feed rollers arranged at suitable intervals along the
table between the cutters and over the table.
The edges of the table or support for the sheet whatever that may be are cut
on lines parallel with the cutting faces of the cutters and if necessary stationary
cutting knives may be arranged at the edges of the table to cooperate with the
revolving cutters. These stationary knives may be adjustable and removable.
The feed rollers may also be adjustable and the star-shaped cutters may be
formed in halves secured together around their respective shafts to form a com-
plete star or rotary cutter by any suitable means, so that the cutters may be
readily removed when it is desired to sharpen their edges, this being accom-
plished by dressing off the inner faces of the cutters and the cutters being made
of sufficient thickness or axial extent to permit of being thus ground away a
number of times without having their strength and efficiency impaired. All
of the rotary cutters and 1ollers are of course driven by suitable gearing.
'
Dated this 26th day of Janua
1800
FRANK HOLTON PITKIN,
JOSIAH THOMPSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, WC., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Machines for Making Expanded Metal-work.
We, FRANK HOLTON PITKIN, of No. 4004 Ellis Avenue, and JOSIAH THOMPSON,
of No. 215, 31st Street, both in the City of Chicago, County of Cook, and State
of Illinois, United States of America, Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement;-
--
The invention relates to machines for slitting or splitting sheet metal and
stretching apart the strands thus formed, so as to produce a mesh or net work
and it has more especial reference to that type of such machines in which each
strand is bent by the cutter or knife to a certain extent and certain form, so
that the mesh or all of the openings will be of uniform size and formation.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine for the purpose
described in which the sheet to be expanded may be fed continuously there-
through, and thus greatly reduce the time heretofore required for the manu-
facture of a given quantity of the product.
More specifically stated, the primary object of the invention is to simultane-
ously cut and expand the metal by means of rotary cutters, whereby the sheet
to be expanded may be fed rapidly and continuously through the machine and
the output thereby greatly increased and the danger of fracturing the metal
heretofore due to the sudden impact of the reciprocating knives heretofore used
will be avoided
With these ends in view the invention consists in certain features of novelty
in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts by which the said
objects and certain other objects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as fully
described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly
pointed out in the claims
In the said drawings.

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof, taken on the irregular
section line 2-2 Figure 1.
Figure 3 18 an end elevation looking towards the discharge end of the machine.
Figure 3 18 a sectional view of the splitting cutter.
Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4
Figure 2, the side frames of the machine being broken away
Figure 5 is a detail plan section taken on the line 5-5 Figure 4, and
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail side elevation of one of the rotary cutters and
the expanded sheet of metal.
1-2 represent the outer or side frames of the machine which are provided
along their upper edges with journal boxes 3-4 respectively, and in these boxes
are journaled transverse shafts 5-6 and 7, all of the said shafts being rotated
in the same direction by any suitable means, such for instance, as a shaft S
having a driving pulley 8" and being mounted in journals 9, arranged at suit-
able intervals along the side frame 1 and having worms 10, engaging with worm
wheels 11 on the shafts 5-6-7 respectively. On each of the shafts 6 is mounted
a pair of rotary members or cutters 12-13, all of which revolve in the direction
of the line of movement of the sheet to be expanded and in different vertical
planes. These cutters are arranged in two converging series. The cutters in
each series are located one in advance of the other and in a line at an angle to
the line of movement of the sheet, and their cutting faces are all substantially
parallel, the cutters of each succeeding pair being arranged a little closer
together or nearer the central line of the sheet than those of the preceding pair.
Arranged under and between the cutters 12-13 is a table or support 14, and
secured to both sides of the table, adjacent to each of the cutters 12-13, so as
to co-operate with the inner face thereof, which is the cutting face, is a station-
ary knife 16, which also serves to support the sheet against the downward pres-
sure of the cutters 12-13 These knives are arranged parallel with the inner
cutting faces of the cutters 12-13 and adjacent to their plane of rotation, and
the cutters 12-13 preferably have their cutting faces arranged in planes parallel
with the line of movement of the sheet of metal 15 to be cut or expanded. Hence
the inner faces of the knives are all parallel, but the knives of each succeeding
pair are set a little closer together than those of the preceding pair, and the
table or sheet support is consequently tapered or converged in a form comple-
mentary to the two series of cutters, it being narrowed or offset on parallel lines
at each pair of cutters. and the stationary knives 16 being set in such offsets.
Formed on or secured to each of the shafts 6, which are the rotary culter shafts,
is a feed roll 17, located between the cutters of each pair, and located under
these feed rolls 17 is an idler or pressure roll 18, which is mounted under the
table and projects upwardly through a suitable slot or opening therein, as will
be understood, so as to press the sheet against the under side of the feed roll 17,
which is positively driven. In the diawings however the pressure rolls 18 are
shown under only every fourth one of the feed rolls 17, as this affords sufficient
friction on the sheet to impel it forward through the machine if it should be
found that the rotary cutters themselves fail of this purpose. The sheet of
metal to be cut or expanded is shown at 15, and it is fed into the wider end of
the machine over the table 14 and the pressure roll 18 is engaged near its outer
edges on both sides by the rotary cutters 12-13. These rotary cutters 12-13
have peripheral projections 12 and in axial section are star-shaped, as clearly
shown in Figure 2, and the points 12 of the stars produce the slit by a shearing
action in cooperation with the stationary knives 16, which support the main
body of the sheet, and such points or projections 12 also expand the metal and
bend the strand away from the main body of the sheet by pressing the strand
downwardly in the form of steps, as clearly shown in Figure 4, one of the steps
or kinks appearing in Figure 4 being formed by each of the cutters at the
forward end of the machine, arranged at a greater distance apart than the two

page_text: The
cutters shown in Figure 4. To the end that the projections 12ª may have this
action' the cutters and sheet support, whatever it may be, are so relatively
arranged that the projections extend past the support, but the body portion of
the cutter does not extend below or cut into the plane in which the 'supporting
surface of the support lies, so that while the narrow strands between the slits
will be pressed down by the projections 12 the web of the metal between the
ends of the slits will not be in danger of being sheared off from the main body
of the sheet in a manner that would run the slits together, The cutters 12-13
are of considerable axial extent in order that their edges engaging with "the
knives 16 may shear off a strand or produce the slit, while their broad surfaces
will press the strand downwardly and bend it at its midlength, as shown in
Figure 6, thus giving the strand the formation of one side of a diamond. The
first pair of rotary cutters 12-13 produce a series of short slits along each side
of the strip of metal and bend downwardly the strands of metal thus produced
in the form of waves, keeping the trough or bottom of the wave parallel in cross
view, as shown in Figure 4, with the surface of the main part of the sheet.
next pair of cutters 12-13 produce a similar series of slits at a point a little
farther inward along the edges of the strip, but each slit of the second series
begins at the mid-length of one of the slits of the first series, so that the strand
pressed down by the second pair of cutters will form the lower side of the upper
diamond and the upper ends of two of the lower diamonds, and this alternating
arrangement is carried out throughout the series of cutters, as will be under-
stood, the last pair of cutters in the series being arranged so close together that
there will be a double strand of the metal left between the two rows of slits
produced by them. As the sheet passes on from the said last pair of cutters
it engages between two rotary cutters 19-20. one of which is mounted on the
shaft 5, while the other is an idler and mounted below it in a suitable journal
box 21, supported upon an adjustable stock 22, having a screw 23 stepped' in 'the
base plate 24 of the frame, so that the pressure of the cutter 20' against the
cutter 19 may be regulated The cutters 19 and 20 have interlapped edges as
clearly shown in Figure 3, so that as the sheet engages between them it will be
split down the centre strand left between the slits formed by the last pair of
cutters, and thus produce two sheets of the expanded metal. This splitting of
the sheet is desirable on account of the sheet being bent into a V-shape form
in cross section as an incident of the action of the rotary cutters 12-13
Ordinarily the rotary star-shaped cutters will be sufficient in themselves to
feed the sheet forward in the absence of feed rollers; but where the sheet is very
thin or smooth or for any other reason the cutters should be found insufficient
the positively driven feed rollers before described may be employed. Where
the table 14 1s of considerable width, the pressure roll 18 may of course be
arranged directly under the feed 1oll 17 of the shaft which carries the rotary
cutters; but where the table is too narrow to permit of the roller 18 being
located under the cutter shaft and between the cutters thereon a special feed
roll 17, arranged on the shaft 7, which is like one of the shafts 6 may be em-
ployed, and one of the idle pressure rolls 18 may be located thereunder, the
entire surface of the table being cut away for the admission of the roll 18, if
desired When this expedient is resorted to, the special feed roll 17" and its
shaft 7 will of course take the place of one of the shafts 6 and its pair of cutter's
and will simply serve to advance the sheet from one pair of cutters to the next.
This substitution of a special feed roll 17* may be resorted to throughout the
length of the series wherever necessary.
The table 14 is shown in the drawings as a solid casting of web-like form
extending from the pressure rolls 17 downwardly to the base-plate 24, but any
skeleton form or other structure will answer the purpose. In the form shown
the web-like casting is cut through from top to bottom at the points where the
pressure rolls 18 are to be inserted, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the top
of the cut being rounded out through the surface of the table 14, as shown at 25,

page_text: so as to permit the roll 18 to slightly protrude and contact with the bottom of the
sheet 15 (see Fig. 4) while the bottom of the cut is also 1ounded out to the dia-
meter of the roller 18, as shown at 26, for the admission of the latter when
being inserted The roller 18 is mounted in an independent journal box, which
is formed on a short block 27, capable of being inserted together with the roller
through the bottom opening 26. After the block 27 and roller have been in-
serted and pushed upwardly to the top of the opening another block 28 provided
in its bottom with an adjusting screw 29, is inserted under the block 27 and the
lower end of the screw stepped in the base plate 24, the screw having a turning
head 30 and a jam-nut 31. whereby the adjustment of the roller 18 may be
effected, it being understood that the blocks 27-28 ride in the narrower portion
of the cut-out, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and it being also understood that
such narrower portion against which the blocks 27--28 rest is grooved verti-
cally on both sides as shown, for the upward passage of the roll 18. The table
on each side of the said cut-out is provided with a V-shaped or other similar
groove 32, and the stationary knives 16 are arranged against opposite sides of
the blocks 27-28 and have "V-shaped edges engaging in V-shaped grooves 32,
as clearly shown in Figure 5. The opposite edges of the knives 16 are beveled
and engage under correspondingly beveled edges of bars 33, so aanged that
together with the V-shaped grooves 32 they will constitute guide-ways for the
knives 16 to slide in Located under each of the knives 10 is a stock 34, upon
which the knives rest, and this stock is provided with a vertical internally
threaded boss 35, in which engages a screw 36 having its lower end stepped in
the base-plate 24 and provided with a turning head 37 and a jam-nut 38, whereby
the altitude of the stock may be varied and the knife 16 accordingly adjusted.
The edges of the stock 34 are also V-shaped and beveled like the edges of the
knives 16, and one edge fits in the V-shaped groove 32, while the other or beveled
edge fits under the bevel of the bar 33, so that the stock is held and guided by
the same guideway which guides the knife. The bar 33 is set in a rabbeted
portion 39 of the table and is adjustable to and from the edge of the stock 34
and knife 16, so that when pulled away from such edge the knife may be removed
for sharpening or other purpose The bar 33 is held with capability of adjust-
ment by parallel pivoted links 40 and may be secured against accidental dis-
placement by keys 41 By the means described it will be seen that the piessure
roll 18 is held against movement in one direction by the table and in the other
direction by the knives 16 and their stocks 34.
At the points where the pressure 1olls 18 are omitted under the rotary cut-
ters 12-13 the web of the table need not be cut entirely through: but the
stationary knives 16 are set in the guide ways and held in the manner alieady
described and as clearly shown in Figure 5.
In order that the rotary cutters 12-13 may be removed from their shafts
without removing the shafts for refacing their cutting edges, each of such cut-
ters is composed of two divisions, it being divided substantially on its diameter.
These divisions are fitted together against the feed roll 17, which constitutes
shoulders for the abutment of the cutters, and are keyed to said feed roll by
means of keys 46, and the outer side of each cutter is provided with a shoulder 42,
over which is fitted a collar 43, also arranged on the cutter shaft and being held
firmly against the cutter by a nut 44, secured against retrograde movement on
the shaft by the nut 45.
The splitting cutter 19, whose cutting edge is circular instead of being star
shaped like the cutters 12-13, is also secured to its shaft 5 in a similar manner,
so that the cutter may be removed from its shaft and its cutting edge resui faced.
The cutter 19 however, is composed of two disks, as clearly shown in Figure 3.
one being of slightly greater diameter than the other, and cach of these disks
is divided and provided with an annular shoulder 18, over each of which is
fitted a collar 49. held in place by nuts 50, as before described with reference to
the rotary cutters 12-13 This enables the removal of the disks constituting

page_text: the cutter 19 and resurfacing of the inner face of the larger one when its edge
is dull. The other splitting cutter 20 may be constructed in a similar manner,
if desired, but it is not necessary in this instance to divide the disks, because the
journal of the cutter 20 is accessible and may be removed with little incon-
venience.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The improvements for making expanded metal in which the sheet of
metal is expanded by rotating members, having peripheral projections which
depress the strands of metal as the sheet passes continuously thereunder, and
which members are arranged one in advance of the other and each succeeding
member engaging the sheet in a line a little farther inward towards the centre
of the sheet than the preceding member, substantially as herein shown and
described.
2 The improvements for making expanded metal in which the sheet of metal
is expanded by the rotating cutters, having peripheral projections which depress
the strands of metal as the sheet passes continuously thereunder, arranged in
converging series at opposite sides of a support for the sheet, and the cutting
edges of the cutters revolving in parallel planes so as to simultaneously split
the sheet and depress the strands thus formed throughout the width of the sheet
as the latter passes lengthwise of the series of cutters in combination with the
means for advancing the sheet through the machine, substantially as herein
shown and described
3. The improvements for making expanded metal having the 1olls, with the
cutters at each end, for holding the sheet of metal flat upon the table or support
and past the edges of which latter the points or peripheral projections on the
cutters project for depressing the strands of metal, substantially as herein shown
and described.
4. The improvements for making expanded metal having means for expand-
ing the sheet on both sides at once from a central longitudinal line in combina-
tion with means for splitting the sheet in two along said longitudinal line,
substantially as lierein shown and described.
5. The improvements for making expanded metal having the adjustable sta-
tionary knives arranged in converging series in combination with the revolving
toothed cutters also arranged in converging series and co-operating with the
stationary knives to shear slits in the sheet of metal and depress the strands
thus formed past the edges of the stationary knives, substantially as herein
shown and described.
Dated this 21st day of October 1899.
FRANK HOLTON PITKIN.
JOSIAH THOMPSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants
FRANK HOLTON PITKIN.
JOSIAH THOMPSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants