A NEW OR IMPROVED TOOL FOR SHAPING OR FORMING METALS, SPECIALLY TINNED SHEET IRON AND OTHER SHEET METALS, FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BOXES AND COVERS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Bidault, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED TOOL FOR
SHAPING OR FORMING METALS, SPECIALLY TINNED SHEET IRON AND OTHER
SHEET METALS, FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BOXES AND COVERS, AND OTHER
SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Bidault at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1880.
ALBERT BIDAULT, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Mechanical Engineer.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED TOOL FOR SHAPING OR FORMING METALS, SPECIALLY
TINNED SHEET IRON AND OTHER SHEET METALS, FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BOXES
AND COVERS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
Generally speaking in machines heretofore employed for shaping sheets of metal
when the punch falls into the die or matrix an arrangement of spiral springs
acting independently of the punch descends with it for the purpose of exerting an
elastic pressure upon the edges of the sheet to be stamped previous to any work
being done on it, and to maintain that pressure until the completion of the cover
or box. The pressure of such springs being very limited the holding power
on the sheet of metal resulting therefrom is almost always too small and
disproportioned to the resistance to be opposed to the drawing action of the
punch.
I propose to render the elastic hold of the sheet to be shaped, so to speak,
unlimited and easily proportioned to the nature of the metal and the resistances to
be overcome.
According to my Invention the punch is fixed upon a table or frame, and the
matrix is moveable so as to advance towards the punch. Around the latter is a
shelf or table upon which is laid the sheet to be shaped. This sheet is seized by
its edges between the shelf or table and the matrix at the descent of the latter.
The shelf or table, which projects a little above the punch, is sustained and
guided by the bolts of a bridle or flange carried by the blades of a carriage
spring, which is supported at its extremities by links jointed to adjustable points
of attachment.

page_text: It will now be understood that when the matrix descends it meets the shelf or
table and can only continue its movement by forcing this shelf or table before it,
and compressing the spring which carries it.
This spring may be composed of any suitable number of blades; it may be
longer or shorter, single or double, and bent more or less, as required.
This new arrangement of fixed punch may be used with any machine producing
the requisite vertical, horizontal, or inclined reciprocating motion.
Figure 1 of the Drawing hereto annexed represents an elevation (in section as
to the novel parts) of my machine for shaping the covers and boxes, of which
Figure 2 represents an example.
The machine carries a frame a having at its upper part the bearings of a hori-
zontal shaft b with a crank c. Motion is communicated to the shaft b by the
worm wheel d gearing with the endless screw of the driving shaft e furnished with
the pulleys e, e', and fly wheel v.
1
The motion of the crank c is transformed by the connecting rod f into a vertical 1
reciprocating motion of the tool holder g, which is guided in any suitable
manner.
In the present case the tool or matrix consists of a steel bottom h fitted into a
ring i, also of steel, securely fixed to a cast iron piece ; screwed into the tool
holder g. The bottom h is connected to the piecej by the bolt fitted into a
central hole. A spiral spring 7 holds the bottom h flush with the ring i, which
extends about 1 millimetre beyond the piece j.
The punch of the same diameter as the bottom carries a projection corre-
-sponding to the hollow of this bottom; it is securely fixed to the tablet of the
machine, and is easily centred by claws (griffes) or simply by the collar 2
(manchon) m.
Upon the punch p is fitted the steel ring n sunk into a cast iron bridle or
flange o, and hollowed out at its upper part to correspond to the projection of the
ring of the matrix.
When the machine is adjusted the punch p is a little below the bottom of the :
hollow in the ring n.
The bridle or flange o is securely fixed to another bridle or flange q arranged
below the table, and resting upon a blade or carriage spring 7.
The connexion of the bridles or flanges o and q is made by means of the two
bolts 8, 8, which act as guides by sliding in the holes of the table, and allow of the 3
regulation of the distance of the two bridles or flanges by tightening the nuts at
will.
The spring is sustained at its extremities by the links n which are jointed to
the leads of the bolts x fastened to the table t.
To make a box or cover a plate of metal previously cut to the proper dimensions
is placed in the hollow of the ring n of the punch p; then the machine being put
in motion the matrix descends and presses the edges of the plate at the bottom of
the hollow by the projection i more or less firmly, according as the spring is
tightened more or less by the bolts, after which the tool-holder rises and
disengages the punch, and the bottom driven by the spring 1 returns to its
position, causing the shaped box to fall, as shewn in Figure 2.
For a blade spring any equivalent arrangement may be substituted, such as a
counter weight, compressed air, and so forth.
The tool above described may be used as a shaper and as a cutter at the same
time if required. The distribution of the metal to be shaped may be done by
hand or by mechanical means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Albert Bidault in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
October 1880.
ALBERT BIDAULT, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Mechanical Engineer.
'A NEW OR IMPROVED TOOL FOR SHAPING OR FORMING METALS, SPECIALLY
TINNED SHEET IRON AND OTHER SHEET METALS, FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BOXES
AND COVERS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
The shaping, forming, raising, or stamping up of thin sheets of metal for the
production of all kinds of boxes and covers of various forms and dimensions, bas
heretofore only yielded comparatively imperfect and limited results considering
the multiplicity of objects that can be made by this method. The chief cause of.
this want of success arises from the almost absolute impossibility of effecting by
any of the known machines the shaping, forming, raising, or stamping up, so as to
avoid pleating and cracking of the edges. Hence the necessity of making boxes
and covers with rims only slightly projecting, and of employing metals of special
quality and of a thickness often too great for the object for which the boxes and
covers are intended.
Generally speaking in machines heretofore employed when the punch falls into
the die or matrix, an arrangement of spiral springs acting independantly or outside
of the punch descends with it, for the purpose of exerting an elastic pressure upon
the edges of the sheet to be stamped previous to any work being done upon it, and
to maintain that pressure until the completion of the cover or box. In practice the
strength of such springs being very limited, the holding power on the sheet of
metal resulting therefrom is almost always too small and disproportioned to the
resistance to be opposed to the drawing action of the punch.
I therefore propose (and that is what I desire to secure by the within in part
recited Letters Patent) to render the elastic hold of the edges of the sheet to be
shaped (and which it is impossible to do without in such an operation) so to speak
unlimited or as great as may be required and easily proportioned to the nature of
the metal to bo worked and the resistances to be overcome.
According to my Invention the punch is fixed securely upon a table or frame,
and the matrix is movable so as to advance towards the punch; around the latter
I place a shelf or table, upon which is laid the sheet to be shaped, raised, or
stamped up. This sheet is seized by its edges between the shelf or table and the
matrix at the descent of the latter.
The shelf or table, which projects a little above the punch, is sustained and
guided by the bolts of a bridle or crosshead placed crosswise upon and carried by
the blades of a carriage spring, which is supported at its extremities by links
jointed to fixed points of attachment.
It will now be understood that when the matrix descends it meets the shelf or
table, and can only continue its movement by forcing this shelf or table before it,
and compressing the spring which carries it. It will also be understood that this
blade spring may be composed of any suitable number of blades; that it may be
longer or shorter, single or double, and that it may easily be strained moro or less,
as required.
This new arrangement of fixed punch also enables me to arrange the tool so
that it does not require a machine of special construction to work it, as may
be seen by the examples given in the Drawings hereto annexed; it may be used
with any machine producing the requisito vertical, horizontal, or inclined
reciprocating motion.
Figure 1 of the Drawing hereto annexed represents a front elevation of my
machine for shaping the covers and boxes, of which Figures 6 and 7 represent an

page_text: Figure 2 is a side view of the machine, and Figure 3 shews the shaping, raising,
or stamping up parts.
Figures 4 and 5 shew modifications of the arrangement of the shaping, raising,
or stamping up parts; in Figure 5 cutting out and shaping aro effected succesively.
Lastly, Figures 8 and 9 shew a shaping, raising, stamping up, and cutting out
tool applied to a hand fly press.
The machine shewn in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a frame a arranged to carry
at its upper part the bearings of a horizontal shaft b with a crank c; motion is
communicated to the shaft 6 by means of a wheel & gearing with the pinion e¹ of
the driving shaft e, furnished with the pulleys e, e³, and fly wheel v.
The motion of the crank c is transformed by the connecting rod f into a
vertical reciprocating motion of the tool holder g, which is guided in any suitable
manner.
In the present case the tool or matrix consists (see Figure 3) of a steel bottom h
fitted into a piece i screwed into the tool holder g. The bottom is connected to the
piece by the bolt / fitted into a central hole; a spiral spring / holds the bottom h
Hush with the base of the piece i.
i
The punch p of the same diameter as the bottom h, and carrying a projection
corresponding to the hollow of this bottom, is securely fixed to the table t of the
machine, it is easily centred by claws, or simply by the screw collar m.
Upon the punch p is fitted a steel ring n sunk into a cast iron bridle or cross-
head o; this ring is the same diameter as the piece i. When the machine is
adjusted the pump p stands a little below the level of the ring n.
q
The bridle or crosshead o is securely fixed to another bridle or crosshead
arranged below the table, and resting upon and across a blade or carriage spring r
The connection of the two bridles or crossheads o and q is made by means of the
two bolts 8, 8, which act as guides by sliding in the holes of the table, and allow
of the regulation of the distance of the two bridles or crossheads by tightening the
nuts at will.
The spring r has any required number of blades, and is sustained at its extremities
by the links u, which are jointed to the heads of the bolts x fastened to the table t;
their nuts enable the spring to be strained more or less, for it will be seen that the
bolts 8, 8, limit the rise of the crosshead g.
Action of the Machine.-To make a box or cover a plate of metal previously.
cut to the proper dimensions is placed by hand or by mechanical means upon the
ring n of the punch p. The Drawing shows one mechanical arrangement, which
consists in fixing upon tho shaft ba cam b¹, the groove of which at proper times
moves to and fro the ends of two levers 63 which by means of the links b³ jointed
to their lower ends move a slide b. This slide receives by any suitable means the
cut sheets of metal, and at the required moment it moves forward, throws off the
shaped cover or box, and deposits in its place one of the prepared sheets. The sheet
being now placed upon the ring n and the machine put in motion the matrix
descends and presses the edges of the plate by the piece i more or less firmly,
according to the tension of the spring r, for it is only in proportion as the tool
holder descends and compresses the spring that the punch p shapes the metal by 4
forcing up the bottom / into the hollow of the piece i..
The tool-holder having reached the end of its downward stroke rises and
disengages the punch; and the bottom / driven by the spring & returns to its position,
causing the shaped box or lid to fall out in a form such as that shewn in Figures 6
and 7, with the edges or rims perfectly sound. These rims may be very high, much 5
higher in fact than those obtained heretofore by the ordinary tools, and if care
be taken to adjust the spring properly articles of excollent quanlity may be
obtained.
For a blade spring any equivalent arrangement may be substituted, such as a
counter weight, compressed air, and so forth.
In Figure 4 the bottom h is fitted into a steel ring i, which is itself fitted into
the piece screwed to the tool holder b. The crosshead o and the ring n stand
5

page_text: bove the table t, but the action remains the same as that before described. If it
be desired to cut out and then shape immediately afterwards, the tool is modified,
as shewn in Figure 5. The piece i is of steel, and when it descends it presses the
edges of the sheet upon the ring y, the internal circumference of which constitutes
a knife or shear acting in concert with the piece i to cut out the metal; is a frame
fixed to the table, with the knife or shear y let into it. It is easily understood
from Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5, that my new arrangement constitutes a tool in itself,
independent of the rest of the machine, and only receiving from the latter its
reciprocating movements. It may consequently be arranged so as to be worked by
any mechanism capable of imparting to it a suitable alternating rectilinear
movement; this is demonstrated in Figures 8 and 9, which shew the application
of the system to a hand fly press. The tool is both a cutter and a shaper. The
frame is secured to the table by the claws or cramps a¹, a¹, and the crosshead o
with its projecting ring n is connected, as already explained, to the crosshead g of
the spring r. Similar letters designate similar parts to those mentioned above.
A is the wooden bench of the fly press to which the suspending rods x of the
spring rare bolted.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which
the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do
not limit myself to any particular forms, materials, or dimensions of the component
parts of my shaping or forming tools, as they may be varied without departing
from my Invention, but I do claim the exclusive right to the shaping or forming
tools herein before described and illustrated in the Drawing hereto annexed, and
intended to raise, stamp up, and cut out sheets of metal of any dimensions for
forming all kinds of circular, oval, or other shaped boxes and covers, whether
ornamented or not with designs, mouldings, or marks, and having rims or edges
more or less elevated, and what I consider to be more particularly distinctive
characteristics of my Invention are,―
First. The arrangement of the form or matrix upon the tool holder which receives
a vertical, horizontal, or inclined reciprocating motion.
Second. The relative disposition and arrangement of the punch and its elastic
appliances, leaving the said punch fixed during the whole operation, and holding
firmly pressed by the concurrent action of the matrix the edges of the metallic
sheet to be shaped, and letting go the said edges regularly in proportion to the
5 penetration of the punch into the matrix.
0
Third. The arrangement of the blade, spring, or other clastic combination below
or beyond the table which carries the punch, such arrangement rendering it easy
to regulate, increase, or diminish the tension of the spring, or to proportion it to the
nature of the work.
Fourth. The general arrangement of these combinations, constituting a tool for
shaping, raising, stamping up and cutting out, such tool being employed in con-
nection with any suitable mechanism or machine capable of imparting thereto the
necessary reciprocating movement.
Fifth. The substitution for the blade spring of a counterweight, compressed air,
5 or other convenient arrangement.
In witness whereof I, the said Albert Bidault, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord One
L
al nicht hundred and cightv.
ALBERT BIDAULT. (L.S.)