IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING AND PUNCHING METAL WASHERS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL WHICH REQUIRE TO BE CUT ΤΟ A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION AND AFTERWARDS OR SIMULTANEOUSLY PUNCHED OR PERFORATED
Year: 1882

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster and
of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex Civil Engineer for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CUTTING AND PUNCHING
METAL WASHERS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL WHICH REQUIRE
TO BE CUT ΤΟ A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION AND AFTERWARDS OR
SIMULTANEOUSLY PUNCHED OR PERFORATED ,, A communication to him froin
abroad by Etienne Salomon and Edmond Armant both of the city of Montreal,
Canada
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th July 1882.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors
G Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster and of 323 High Holborn
in the county of Middlesex Civil Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CUTTING AND PUNCHING METAL WASHERS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL
WHICH REQUIRE TO BE CUT TO A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION AND AFTERWARDS
OR SIMULTANEOUSLY PUNCHED OR PERFORATED. A communication to me froin
abroad by Etienne Salomon and Edmond Armant both of the city of Montreal
Canada
This invention relates to improvements in machines for manufacturing metal
washers, hinge plates metal checks of all kinds and different descriptions of articles
generally cut from a metal strip or plate and requiring to be afterwards puuched,
or perforated, or stamped, or marked, with lettering or other devices.
Its object is to perform the work of cutting and punching, or marking in one
operation, to flatten out all ragged edges, and to turn out with great rapidity
articles finished and perfect in every respect and ready for the use to which they
are to be applied.
The invention includes also a self-feeding device which enables the machine to be
D

page_text: operated much more quickly than can be done with the present hand methods,
besides ensuring perfect accuracy in cutting and punching or marking and avoiding
all waste of material
The following description alludes more particularly to the manufacture of
washers (which by this machine will be certain to have. the hole always punched 5
exactly in the centre) but this is only for purposes of shorter explanation and
must not be considered as confining the invention to such class of goods alone as
by a simple change of dies and punches it can be adapted to a great variety of uses
as already mentioned
Furthermore by using a double or multiple system of dies either working inside
each other or side by side two or more articles can be cut and punched at one
revolution of the operating.gear
In suitable journals formed in an upright frame of suitable construction are
arranged two horizontal shafts one towards the upper and the other towards the
lower part of the machine, and at the front end of each of said shafts are mounted
cam discs of circular shape but provided with grooves of such contour as will give
vertical motion to the dies and punches (about to be described) through rollers and
pins attached to suitable slides carrying said dies or punches. On the rear ends of
these horizontal shafts are mounted gear wheels and serving to rotate saine by
intermeshing with a spur wheel carried on the fly wheel shaft.
Any suitable clutch may be provided for throwing the described parts in and
out of gear but the device which is preferred may be described as consisting of a
loose collar mounted on the inner end of the fly wheel (or driving shaft) carrying
pins or stops fitting in holes in the hub of the fly wheel or driving pulley This
collar has formed on it a cam groove in which a pin carried on the upper end of a
skeleton pitman, is thrown when it is desired to withdraw the pins or stops
mentioned from the hub of the fly wheel and thus stop the machine.
A small roller carried on the pitman and near the lower end of same impinges on
the periphery of a pulley or cylindrical casing cast in ouc with the gear wheel on the
rear end of the lower cam shaft, said pulley having an indentation or recess in its
rim into which said roller falls (if not prevented by a system of treadle levers
under the control of the operator) at each complete revolution of said lower cam
shaft, thus holding the pin at upper end of pitman firmly in the cam groove on
the loose collar, and as this cam groove works round upon the pin, the stops or
pins are withdrawn from the fly wheel hub and the operation of the machine ceases
by the said fly wheel and driving pulley running loose.
When the treadle is operated the roller is forced out of the recess and runs round
on the pulley or casing described as formed on the lower gear suitable spring levers
forcing the collar and its pins again into gear with the driving mechanism and the
punches are again put in motion
The cam on the upper shaft is for the purpose of raising and lowering a punch
which first cuts the washer from the inetal strip or plate said puuch being
removably secured to the lower end of a slide working in guides in the frame
This punch and part of the slide is made hollow to allow of the centre pieces cut
from the washer by the lower punch to pass upward and on to a chute which
conveys same to any suitable receptacle
The cam mounted on the front end of the lower shaft serves to raise and lower a
slide (similar to that described) which runs in guides formed near the lower end of
the frame, said slide carrying on its upper end a punch which makes the central
hole through the washer after the same has been cut and forced down to the bottom
of the die-block by the upper punch. The said die block is secured to the frame
centrally between the cam shafts and is so arranged as to allow the upper punch
to follow the washer, after same has been cut, clear down to the bottom of its
matrix so that this upper punch may press and flatten out the washer and at the
same time hold it firmly while the lower punch comes up (impelled by the lower
cam) and cuts the central hole.
An ejector operated by a lever working in a cam groove in the upper cam shaft

page_text: is so timed as to enter a slot at the bottom of the die block or matrix when both
the punches are withdrawn and expel the finished washer
The automatic device for feeding the metal forward to the punches consists in a
cam formed on the outer face of the gear which revolves the lower can shaft, or
separately on said shaft, which cam operates a small roller spindle sliding in a
curved slot in a standard fastened to the bed-plate of the machine said spindle
having also attached to it one end of a lever the opposite end of which is pivoted
to a vertical rod, said vertical rod extends upwards to about the centre of the
machine and carries at its end a pawl which works (as the vertical lever moves up
and down) in a ratchet firmly mounted on a shaft extending from back to front of
the machine end suitably journalled. Towards its front end and in line with the
punches and die this shaft carries a roller, and at its extreme end is provided with
a bevel gear which intermeshes with a similar gear on the end of a counter shaft
extending across the front of the machine and serving through a similar pair of
gears to rotate another roller on the opposite side of the machine.
Immediately above each of these rollers are placed other rollers of like nature
carried by suitable brackets Between these double rollers is placed the strip or
plate from which the washers are to be cut and serve to feed same forward to the
punches and die at regular intervals with the other operations
The length of feed is regulated by sliding a block forward or backward in a slot
formed in the first feed lever described, a short pin also working along a straight
slot formed in the standard fixed to the bed plate-the parts being fitted loosely
enough (but firmly) to allow of the roller spindle first alluded to, to at all times
follow the curved slot in the standard, although the radius may be changed.
When the radius is changed the number of teeth on the ratchet embraced by the
pawl on the end of the vertical lever is increased or lessened and accordingly the
length of feed of the material to be operated upon can be varied to suit different
sizes and styles of work when scrap metal is used these feed devices may be
removed if desired and the feeding be done by hand.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th January 1883.
"
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors,
6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster and of 323, High Holborn; in
the county of Middlesex Civil Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR
CUTTING AND PUNCHING METAL WASHERS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL
WHICH REQUIRE TO BE CUT TO A PARTICULAR CONFIGURATION, AND AFTERWARDS OR
SIMULTANEOUSLY PUNCHED OR PERFORATED "-A communication to me from abroad
by Etienne Salomon and Edmond Armant both of the City of Montreal Canada
This invention relates to improvements in machines for manufacturing metal
washers hinge plates metal checks of all kinds and different descriptions of
articles generally cut from a metal plate and requiring to be afterwards punched
or perforated
Its object is to perform the work of cutting and punching in one operation and
flatten out all ragged edges and to turn out an article finished in every respect and
ready for the use to which it is to be applied.
The invention includes also a self-feeder which enables one to operate much more
quickly than can be done with the present hand methods besides insuring perfect
accuracy in cutting and punching and avoiding all waste of material.
In the following description the manufacture of washers only will be alluded to
(which by this machine will be certain to have the hole always exactly in the
centre), but this is only for purposes of shorter explanation and must not be
considered as confining the invention to such class of articles alone as by a simple
change of dies and punches it can be adapted to a great variety of uses as already
mentioned.
In the accompanying drawings Fig 1 is side elevation partly in section of the
machine Fig 2 is a front elevation of same Fig 3 a back elevation taken on the
line X X Fig 1. Fig 4 a view shewing cams for operating punches and self-feeder
and driving gears arranged in their relative positions. Fig 5 an enlarged sectional
detail view showing die-block and punches. Fig 6 a sectional plan showing
arrangement of shafts et cetera operating self feeder and Fig 7 a detail of device
for imparting motion to feed lever
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the following description and
in all the figures A is the frame of the machine and B its bed plate, made
somewhat of the configuration shown, in this frame being formed suitable journals
for two horizontal shafts C and D, which carry on their front ends, cams marked
respectively E and F (to be hereinafter more particularly described) and on their
rear ends gear wheels G and H.
These gear wheels intermesh with a small pinion I mounted on a short shaft K
(journalled in the frame) which also carries a fly wheel L and pulley 1 cast integral
with each other. The pinion I and the fly wheel L have holes cut in them in
which two or more pins i i firmly fixed to a grooved collar M mounted on the inner
ends of the shaft K, work as will be seen clearly in Fig 1.
This mechanisin forms a clutch for throwing the moving parts of the machine
in and out of gear with the fly wheel and pulley; but its particular construction
is not necessary to the working of the invention, as any suitable or ordinary clutch
may be used in its stead.
The collar M is formed with a suitable cam groove m in which a pin N is
thrown when it is desired to withdraw the pins ii from their bearings in the hub

page_text: of the fly wheel L and thus stop the machine. The pin N is carried on the upper
end of a skeleton pitman N' as shewn in Figs 1 and 3 and a small roller n on this
pitman impinges on the periphery of a pulley or cylindrical projection H' cast in
one with the gear wheel H on its inner side, said pulley having an indentation or
recess formed in its rim into which the roller n falls, by the means to be
described, at every complete revolution of the gear H and thus hold the pin N
firmly in the cam groove m, and as this cam groove works round upon the pin N,
the pins i. i. are drawn out of the hub of the fly wheel L and the working of the
machine ceases. To withdraw the roller n from the recess ha lever O pivotted
at o to the frame, connected at one end to the pitman N' and provided at the other
with a counter balance weight O¹ and by depressing a treadle 02 connected to the
lever O by a short arm 03 and consequently lowering the end which is connected
to the pitman N₁ and releasing the roller n from the recess and the pin N from
the grooved collar M which latter is thrown again into gear with the fly wheel and
pulley the pressure exerted on its end by one or more spring levers P. P. pivotted
to the frame as shown in Figs 1 and 3.
The cam E carried by the shaft C is for the purpose of raising and lowering the
punch E which first cuts the washer from the strip of metal and is shown in
Figs 1 and 4, e is a cam groove of the configuration indicated in Fig 4 in which
works a roller e¹ mounted on the end of a stud e² adjustably secured in a slot e³
formed in a slide Q running in guides Q¹. Q'. bolted to the front of the machine
To the lower end of the slide Q the punch or cutter E¹ is secured by a set
screw or other means which will permit of its being removed and another one
substituted. This punch and part of the slide Q is made hollow to allow of the
centre pieces cut from the washers by the lower punch about to be described to
pass upward and out on to a chute which conveys them to a scrap basket as
shewn in Figs 1 and 2.
The cam F described as mounted on the front end of the shaft D serves to
raise and lower the punch R which cuts the central hole through the washer after
it has been formed and forced by the punch E' down to the bottom of the die
block R. This punch R is secured in the upper end of a slide S working in
guides S¹. S¹. In the cam F is formed a cam groove f in which works a small
roller mounted on a stud f* adjustably secured in a slot f³ formed in the slide S
all arranged in a manner similar to that described for the cam E.
The die block R¹ is carried in the frame A in any suitable manner and is
arranged to allow the punch E¹ to follow the washer, after it is cut, clear down
to the bottom of its matrix so that this punch may press and flatten out the
washer, and at the saine time hold it firmly while the punch R comes up and cuts
the centre hole.
Through the die R¹ at the bottom of the matrix a slot is formed in which
an ejector T slides so that at each operation the finished washer may be expelled
therefrom. This ejector is operated by a lever T' connected thereto and pivotted
to a cross-head T2 in the frame (its pivot pin being changed to different holes
so as to lessen or increase the throw of the ejector and adapt it for varying sizes
of work) and its upper end is provided with a small roller and works in a cam
groove C¹ formed in collar carried by and revolving with the shaft C; This device
is also arranged as to be timed to act when the cams have withdrawn the punches
from the die block.
The newly invented devices for feeding the metal plate from which the washers
are to be cut, forward to the punches and dic will now be described
The gear H mounted on shaft D has its outer face formed with a cam groove h¹
in which works a small roller h² carried by a short spindle h³ which slides in a
curved slot u formed in a standard U bolted to the bed plate of the machine;
the spindle has also attached to it one end of a lever U₁ the opposite end of the
latter being pivotted to a vertical rod U' which carries at its upper end a pawl u¹
working in a ratchet V mounted on a shaft V' extending from back to front of the
machine and suitably journalled. Towards the front and at a line with the punches

page_text: and die, this shaft V' carries a roller V and at its extreme end is provided with
a bevel gear which intermeshes with a similar gear v¹ on the end of a counter
shaft. V extending across the front of the machine through a similar pair of gears
², serves to rotate another roller V at the opposite side.
Immediately above each of these rollers V° V are placed other rollers V5 V°, of
like nature carried by suitable brackets, all as shown in Fig 6 and between these
double rollers the strip or plate of metal from which the washers et cetera are cut,
is placed and they serve to feed same forward to the punches and die at regular
intervals with the other operations The length of feed is regulated by sliding
a block W shown particularly in Fig 7 forward or backward in a slot w formed
in the lever U¹ a short bolt w' also working along a straight slot u in the
Standard U the parts being fitted loosely enough (but firmly) so as to allow the
spindle to at all times follow the curved slot u although the radius from the
bolt w may be changed.
It may be, seen that as the radius is altered, the number of teeth on the ratchet V
embraced by the pawl u is increased or lessened and accordingly the length of
feed of the material to be operated upon can be varied in this manner to suit
different classes of work.
When the machine is to be used for cutting washers et cetera from scrap or
metal plates of sizes and shapes which will not permit of the self-feeding
attachment being worked to advantage,-the same inay be removed and the
feeding be done by hand.
•
The operation of the Machine may be described as follows:
Power is communicated to the pulley through a belt in the usual manner and
the pinion I and grooved collar M being in gear as described, rotary motion is
imparted to the gears G and H which in turn revolve the shafts C and D and
Cams E and F. These cams are arranged in relation to the gears as shewn Fig 4,
the Cam E being there indicated as having revolved sufficiently to bring its longest
surface (marked 1) to bear on the roller e affixed to the slide Q so as to throw the
punch E (which performs the first operation) to the full extent of its stroke or
down to the bottom of the die block R¹ as shown in Fig 1.
The punch R is then midway in its upward stroke by reason of the roller f'
(through which the slide S and punch R are operated) having been raised by the
middle surface 3 of the Cam F; by the continued revolution of the gears this cam
presents its longest point 4 to the roller f' and thus forces the punch R up through
the washer (thus cutting the centre hole) and into the hollow formed in the
punch E driving the waste piece before it. These waste pieces are forced out,
through a continuation of the hollow space in the slide Q one by one and roll down
the chute as already described.
The cams continue to revolve and when their shortest surfaces, marked 2 and 5,
bear on the respective rollers the punches are withdrawn and the cam groove Ci
operates on the end of the lever T and forces the ejector T into the slot r² at the
bottom of the die-block R' and expels the finished washer.
Simultaneously with the action of this ejector, the cam groove h¹ on the outer
side of the gear H presents its shortest side 6 to the roller 2 and raises same and
the inner end of the lever U¹, and consequently draws downwards the vertical
lever Us pivotted to the outer end of U₁, thus causing the pawl us to rotate the
ratchet V and, through the shafts V₁ V3 and their mitre gears, also revolves the
feed rollers V2 V* which thus feed the metal plate forward the required distance to
allow another washer to be cut by the next stroke of the punches.
Immediately after one washer is completed and expelled from the die block and
the plate again fed forward, the machine stops by reason of the roller n falling
into the recess h on the pulley H¹ and the consequent holding of the pin N in the
cam groove m, which withdraws the pins ii from the hub of the fly-wheel and
driving pulley as already described.
It is therefore necessary to depress the treadle O³ to release the roller n, and
withdraw the pin N from the cam groove, so that the spring levers P may again

page_text: throw the pins i. i. into the holes in the fly-wheel hub, and the operation of cutting
the next washer proceeds.
When however it is desired to proceed with the operation continuously, the
treadle Oinay be kept always depressed, or the action of the counter balance O²
over come or prevented by any other suitable means such as a locking stop et
cetera; the roller n will then ride over the recess h and a continuous operation is
ensured.
Should it be so desired the gear H may be made plain on its outer surface, and
a separate cam be mounted on the shaft D for the roller h' to work in but the
arrangement shewn and described herein is preferred.
Having thus described the construction and operation of the invention as com-
municated to me it being the best mode known to me of carrying it into effect
I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is as follows:-
1. In a machine for cutting and punching washers et cetera from a metal plate
in one operation, the combination with the gears G. E. mounted respectively on
shafts C and D and rotated by pinion I, receiving motion from a pulley, of cams
E and F of substantially the configuration shewu also mounted on said shafts
C and D respectively and serving to operate punches E¹ and R by means of rollers
e and f¹ and slides Q and S substantially as and for the purpose specified
2. The punch E and slide Q formed hollow as shewn in combination with the
punch R as and for the purpose setforth.
3. In combination with the die block R¹ having slot of the ejector T operated
by pivotted lever T¹ receiving motion from a cam on the shaft C, substantially as
described.
4. The combination with the pulley H2 cast in one with the gear H and having
recess of the roller n carried by skeleton pitman N, pin N₁ grooved collar M and
a clutch for engaging with the hub of the driving pulley, and a system of levers for
withdrawing said roller from said recess, and means for returning the clutch,
substantially as and for the purpose setforth.
5. The herein described self-feeding mechanism consisting essentially of the
lever U operated by rollers and a cam groove on the gear H, vertical feed
lever U2 pawl u ratchet V shafts V1 V3 geared together, and the rollers V, V,
V, V, arranged substantially as described for the purpose specified
6. The herein described means for adjusting the length of feed, consisting of the
block W adjustably secured in slot w in lever Usaid lever having spindle ³ at
its end working in curved slot u, in the standard U, and the pivot of said
block W working also in a straight slot u, in the said standard-the parts being
fitted loosely to allow spindle 3 to follow curved slot u at each change of radius,
substantially as specified.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twenty fourth day of January in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.