An Improved Method of Manufacturing Scroll Irons used in Connecting Springs with the Bodies of Vehicles, and Tools for Employment therein.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1894-Accepted, 21st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Manufacturing Scroll Irons used in
Connecting Springs with the Bodies of Vehicles, and Tools
for Employment therein.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS, trading as Edwin Richards and Sons, of Portway
Works, Wednesbury in the County of Stafford, Spring and Axle Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Scroll irons used in connecting springs with the bodies of vehicles have hitherto
been forged entirely by hand.
According to this invention the head and a portion of the shank (or the entire
length of the shank, if desired) of each scroll iron is stamped hot in a pair of
dies. In order to provide sufficient metal, at the end of the length of bar from
which a scroll iron is to be formed, for the formation of the head, the end of the
bar is doubled over on to itself, if a small head compared with the size of the bar
is required, and is brought round over a short piece of bar placed across the bar
of which the end is bent over if, as is usually the case, the head is required to be
of such size that the mere doubling over of the end of the bar does not give
sufficient body of metal from which to forin the head.
"
A pair of stamping tools are employed, the mould or matrix for the stamping
being sunk half, or approximately half, in the face of one tool and the remainder
in the face of the other tool. The head of a scroll iron, whether a close or "pipe-
eyed or an open head, is usually or frequently set somewhat out of centre with
the longitudinal axis of the shank, and to provide for this in the stamping the
portion of the face in which the sinking for the head is formed in the one tool
(conveniently, though not necessarily, the upper tool) is set back, or partially set
back from the other portion of the face, and the corresponding portion of the face
of the other tool is set forwards or partially so.
The stamping leaves the tools, of course, with a fin of metal all round it, and in
the case of the open head between the sides or jaws of the head also. The fin is
cut away by means of stripping tools carried in a suitable press.
The portion of the shank which is stamped (or the whole of it if the whole is
stamped) is, of course, stamped straight, and subsequently bent to any required
curve.
Dated this 9th day of October 1893
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Manufacturing Scroll Irons used in
Connecting Springs with the Bodies of Vehicles, and Tools
for Employment therein.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS, trading as Edwin Richards and Sons, of Portway
Works, Wednesbury in the County of Stafford, Spring and Axle Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
Scroll irons used in connecting springs with the bodies of vehicles have hitherto
been forged entirely by hand.

page_text: According to this invention, the head and a portion of the shank (or the entire
length of the shank if desired) of each scroll iron is stamped hot in a pair of dies.
In order to provide sufficient metal at the end of the length of bar from which a
scroll iron is to be formed, for the formation of the head, the end of the bar is
doubled over on to itself in cases in which sufficient thickness of metal can be
thereby obtained, or is brought round over a short piece of bar placed crosswise,
or the end may be thickened up by placing a piece of bar crosswise thereon and
welding it sufficiently to the end of the bar to hold it thereto while the end is
placed between the forging tools; or the end of the bar may be upjumped to
thicken it.
A pair of forging tools is employed, the mould or matrix for the forging being
sunk partially in the face of one tool and partially in the face of the other.
The head of a scroll iron, whether a close (or pipe-eyed) or open head, is usually
or frequently set somewhat out of centre with the longitudinal axis of the shank,
and to provide for this in the forging the portion of the face in which the sinking
for the head is formed in the one tool (conveniently, though not necessarily, the
upper tool) is set back or partially set back from the other portion of the face,
and the corresponding portion of the face of the other tool is set forwards or
partially so.
The drawings on Sheet 1 herewith illustrate the invention with reference to the
manufacture of scroll irons having close or pipe-eyed heads, and the drawings on
Sheet 2 herewith illustrate the invention with reference to the manufacture of
scroll irons having open heads.
Referring first to the drawings on Sheet 1 herewith,
Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of one end of a plain
bar from which a scroll iron is to be manufactured.
Figures 3 and 4 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of the bar shewn by
Figures 1 and 2, with the end thickened up.
Figure 5 is a vertical section through the upper and lower forging tools, the
upper tool being in proper position vertically over the lower tool, but raised a
short distance thereabove so that the lines of each tool may be distinct.
Figure 6 is a view of the working face of the upper tool.
Figure 7 is a plan or view of the working face of the lower tool.
Figures 8 and 9 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of the partially
manufactured scroll iron just as it leaves the forging tools; and
Figures 10 and 11 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of the partially
manufactured scroll iron shewn by Figures 8 and 9, after the fin of metal which
has been left by the forging tools has been stripped off.
The end a of the bar is doubled back on to the face of the bar, as shewn by
Figures 3 and 4, to provide sufficient body of metal for the formation of the head.
This head, together with the remaining portion of the bar which it is intended
shall be operated upon by the tools, is then laid upon the bottom tool B, and the
top tool A is brought down sharply thereon being carried, preferably, in the head
of a gravity stamp. The bottom tool B has a sinking b to form part of the head,
and the tool A has a corresponding sinking 6' to form the remainder of the head
except for the part thereof to which the fin of metal left by the tools immediately
joins. The tool B has also a sinking c to form part of the portion of the shank
which is made of an oval section or otherwise of a different form to that of the
portion which is more remote from the head, and the tool A has a corresponding
sinking to form the remainder of such portion except for the part thereof to
which the fin of metal left by the tools immediately joins. The head d is shewn to
be out of centre with the shank e, and this effect is produced by setting back the
portion of the face of the upper tool A. in which the recess b' is formed from the
portion of the face of such tool in which the recess c¹ is formed, and in corre-
spondingly setting forward the portion of the face of the tool B in which the
recess b is formed beyond the portion of the face of such tool in which the recess c
is formed. The shoulder of the upwardly projecting portion of the tool B and
J

page_text: the shoulder g of the downwardly projecting portion of the tool A are formed
somewhat bevelled or tapered to facilitate the closing together of the tools. It is.
preferred that the curve of the shoulder shall be struck to a larger radius than
that of the curve of the shoulder g so that the two shoulders may come together,.
or very near together, only along the portions immediately adjacent to the
sinkings c and c'. It is preferred that a thickness of metal shall be left between
the inner side of the sinking b and the upper edge of the shoulder fon each side
of the sinking c, so as to avoid sharp angles which would be liable to give way.
It will be found, however, that a thickness of metal of about 6th of an inch will
be sufficient. When the bar has been stamped between the tools A B, a fin of
metalii is left on each side and around the head. The fin is sheared away by
means of stripping tool carried in a suitable press.
The portion of the shank which is stamped (or the whole of it if the whole is.
stamped) is, of course, stamped straight, and subsequently bent to any required
curve.
Referring now to the drawings on Sheet 2 herewith,
Figures 12 and 13 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of a bar from
which an open-headed scroll iron is to be formed, and shew the end k of the bar
to have been thickened up by being bent back over a short transverse piece l.
Figures 14 and 15 are corresponding views to Figures 12 and 13, but shew the
end of the bar to be thickened up by means of a cross-piece / welded thereto
sufficiently to hold it in place while the bar is placed between the forging tools.
Figure 16 is a vertical section through the upper and lower forging tools for
use in the manufacture of open-headed scroll irons, the upper tool being in
proper position vertically over the lower tool, but raised a short distance.
thereabove.
Figure 17 is a view of the working face of the upper tool.
Figure 18 is a plan or view of the working face of the lower tool.
Figures 19 and 20 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of the partially
manufactured scroll iron just as it leaves the forging tools; and
Figures 21 and 22 are, respectively, a plan and side elevation of the partially
manufactured scroll iron shewn by Figures 19 and 20 after the fin of metal which
has been left by the forging tools has been stripped off.
The bottom tool C has a sinking m to form part of the portion of the shank
which is made of an oval section or otherwise of a different form to that of the
portion which is more remote from the head, and the upper tool D has a corre-
sponding sinking m¹ to form the remainder of such portion except for the part
thereof to which the fin of metal left by the tools immediately joins. The bottom
tool C has also a sinking n n n' to form a portion of the open-head, and the upper
tool D has a corresponding sinking to form the remainder of such portion except
for the part thereof to which the fin of metal left by the tools immediately joins.
A part p of the portion of the face of the lower tool C in which the recess nnn' is
sunk is formed to project upwards as shewn, and a corresponding recesso is formed
in the face of the upper tool D. The purpose of this is to form the joint between
the tools, across the outer end of the head, at a point which is at the middle (or
approximately so) of the head, thus enabling the portion of the head which
projects beyond the vertical axis thereof to be stamped truly semicircular (except,
of course, for the fin of metal left between the tools) notwithstanding that the head
is out of centre with the shank as shewn in side elevation Figure 22. The fin of
metal (Figures 19 and 20) which is left by the tools CD, is sheared away by
means of stripping tools.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved method of manufacturing scroll irons used in connecting springs
with the hadtion of wehicles which consists in stamping the head and a portion of

page_text: the shank (or the entire length of the shank if desired) of each scroll iron in a
pair of dies, substantially as described.
2. A pair of tools for use in stamping the head and a portion of the shank (or
the entire length of the shank if desired) of a scroll iron used in connecting a
spring with the body of a vehicle, having portions recessed in the face of one tool
to form a portion of such head and shank, and recesses formed in the face of the
other tool to complete the forging, the portion of the face in which the sinking for
the head is formed in the one tool being set back or partially set back from the
other portion of the face, and the corresponding portion of the face of the other
tool set forwards or partially so, substantially as described.
3. The improved method of manufacturing scroll irons used in connecting
springs with the bodies of vehicles, and tools for employment therein, all
substantially as described with reference to the drawings herewith.
Dated this 14th day of June 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.