Improvements in the Manufacture of Split Cotters.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
Improvements in the Manufacture of Split Cotters.
We TOM HAMPDEN MILLS of The Steel Works, Bredbury, near Stockport in
the County of Chester, Manufacturer, and GEORGE HENRY ASHWORTH of the
same place, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of headed or plain split cotters from
Bessemer steel, or other suitable metal.
The object of this invention is to make split cotters from Bessemer steel or other
suitable metal with absolutely solid heads and with smooth and even faces inside
the split and with a uniform length of split for a certain size of cotter.
For this purpose 1 first form a plain flat bar of suitable width and thickness
having one of its edges divided into two thicknesses forming a slit of the required
depth.
I propose to form this har by rolling a bar to rather a narrow Y-shape in cross
section and then flattening the same; but it may be found convenient or preferable
to make the bar in other ways.
I then cut this bar across into narrow strips of suitable width according to the
thickness of the cotter required. A head is then forged or otherwise formed
upon the solid end of each strip; and if required the cotter thus formed may be
finished in the usual way.
It will be seen that by this process I am able to manufacture split cotters from
Bessemer steel or other suitable metal in a most economical manner.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1895.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Split Cotters.
We TOM HAMPDEN MILLS of The Steel Works, Bredbury, near Stockport,
in the County of Chester, Manufacturer, and GEORGE HENRY ASHWORTH of
the same place, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the manufacture of headed or plain split cotters from
Bessemer steel, or other suitable metal.
The object of this invention is to make split cotters from Bessemer steel or other
suitable metal with absolutely solid heads, and with smooth and even faces inside
the split and with a uniform length of split for a certain size of cotter.
The nature of the said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference
to the annexed sheet of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
For the purposes of this invention we first roll or form a plain flat bar of
suitable width and thickness having one of its edges divided into two thicklesses

page_text: by forming a longitudinal slit of the required depth (say) about half the depth of
the bar.
We propose to form this bar by taking a billet of suitable size and of a
flattened rectangular section, and slitting one edge thereof by means of a pair
of rib-and-groove rolls modified as shown at Fig. 1 on the drawings, the ribs a
being sharp at the top so as to act as cutters and the grooves made flat at
the bottom, so that the form of the bar when slit will be approximately of a
Y-shape in cross section as shown at Fig. 2, which is drawn to the same scale as
Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 and twice as large as Fig. 1.
Having thus split the bar or billet in this way to about half its depth we then
close and flatten it down and edge it by means of an ordinary pair of edging and
flattening rolls until it assumes the form shown at Fig. 3, in cross section, the bar
being of course lengthened out in the process as it is reduced in thickness.
We then cut from this bar narrow transverse strips (see Fig. 4) of suitable
width according to the width of the cotter required, and a head may be forged or
otherwise formed upon the solid end of each strip (see Fig. 5) and if required the
cotter thus formed may be finished in the usual way; or preferably the strips
may be sheared off rather wider and the head formed by cutting away a portion
as shown by the dotted lines at Fig. 6. Or pieces of the form seen at Fig. 5 may
be stamped or punched from the bar.
It will be of course evident that the slit formed by the rib and groove rolls in the
first part part of the process will be retained throughout so that the cotters when
used can readily be opened out in the usual manner and it will also be seen that
by this process we are enabled to manufacture split cotters from Bessemer steel or
other suitable metal in a most economical manner such cotters having absolutely
solid heads and a smooth and uniform split.
We wish it to be understood that we do not intend to confine ourselves to the
particular method above described of rolling or forming the split bar as it may be
found convenient or preferable to make the said bar in other analogous ways
without departing from the distinctive feature of our invention.
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 :-
The improvements in the manufacture of split cotters from Bessemer steel or
other suitable metal by first forming by rolling or by other analogous process a
plain flat bar of suitable width and thickness having one of its edges divided into
two thicknesses forming a slit of the required depth, and then cutting such split
bar transversely into strips of suitable width to form split cotters, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings annexed.
Dated this 27th day of September 1895.
GEO. DAVIES &. SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicants.