IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SHEARING, PUNCHING, AND STAMPING METAL, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINES FOR SHEARING, PUNCHING, AND STAMPING METAL, AND FOR
OTHER ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS." A communication from abroad by David
Brickner, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America
Sealed the 10th October 1879, and dated the 29th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th April 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chaucery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SHEARING, PUNCHING, AND
STAMPING METAL, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS." [A communication
from abroad by David Brickner, of the City, County, aud State of New York,
United States of America.]
This Invention consists in a shearing, punching, stamping, or other analogous
machine in which the reciprocations of a pendulum are converted into a rotary
power for operating the punching or other slide. It consists also in a pendulum
weight, a connecting rod, and a treadle of novel construction, whereby the upward
swing motion of the pendulum, without check to its movement, may exceed the
stroke of the treadle.
According to this Invention the crank shaft which operates the slide carrying
the punch or shear is snugly fitted into the head of the machine and prevented
from longitudinal movement by a shoulder or collar at the rear side, and next to
this collar is a double ratchet head loosely fitted so as to slide upon the shaft, which
is there provided with a straight key in order to cause the shaft and double ratchet-
head to revolve together, and also to permit the ratchet-head to move longitudinally
upon the shaft. A second ratchet-head is loosely fitted upon the shaft next to the
first, and held in position by a collar so as to rotate upon the shaft, and provided
with a heavily weighted pendulum and a lever arm. Two tension springs (or
analogous device) suitably fastened to the machine stand push the one ratchet-head

page_text: against the other and keep them geared together, the ratchet surfaces of the two
heads being constructed to match each other. The ratchet surfaces of the double
ratchet head correspond the one with the other, and the springs which bear against
the ratchet surface or a separate pawl serves for preventing back movement. The
lever arm of the second ratchet head is connected by means of a connecting rod
and ordinary accommodating points to a lever which swings on a fulcrum pin
inserted into two screwthreaded sleeves which are screwed into opposite sides of
the stand of the machine. Between the ends of these sleeves the forked fulcrum
end of a treadle lever, together with the fulcrum end of the swinging lever, are
Interally confined in position. The forked end of the treadle lever extends back
beyond the fulcrum pin of the swinging lever, and below said lever is provided
with a transverse pin, thus forming the means whereby the swinging lever is
thrown up by the treadle, and allowing the pendulum arm, when necessary, to rise
up higher than the stroke.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-For the purpose of punching the
slide is as usual provided with a suitable punch, and the stand with a corresponding
die. The metal plate to be punched is placed upon the die and the treadle lever
forced down, whereby the swinging lever is forced up and the pendulum weight
swung to the right. If the crank of the crank shaft has been standing to the left
the slide is moved down with the first stroke of the treadle, and the punch of the
slide thus pierces the metal plate; but if the crank occupies another position
previous to the operation of the machine one or several strokes of the treadle will
be necessary in order to bring the crank in the position most favorable for the
punching stroke of the machine.
It will be seen that by a judicious use of the treadle the crank can be adjusted
as accurately as desired before each punching stroke. The pendulum weight after
each stroke swings back freely, the ratchet surface of its head gliding over the
ratchet surface of the double ratchet head, which remains stationary during each
back stroke. The clutch or double ratchet head can be moved in and out of gear
by means of a hand rod or other device. It is necessary to so adjust the crank of
the shaft as to make allowance for a "start" of the pendulum weight, or in other
words, the pendulum weight should be allowed to perform a part of its stroke
before the punch of the slide comes in contact with the metal plate to be punched
in order to increase the power exerted by the operator by the impetus of the
swinging pendulum weight. This increase of power is so great that one man is
enabled to perform with this machine the work of several operating a machine of
ordinary construction. A hand lever may be substituted for the treadle for the
purpose of operating the machine, and the crank shaft and pendulum weight might
be differently applied in connection with the machine and attached to the floor of a
shop in order to use a heavier pendulum without affecting the stability of the
machine during its operation. The connections between the pendulum and the
slide carrying the punch or other tool are in this case made by a connecting rot
and a curved link secured in proper guides of the machine standard, an eccentric
ratchet wheel and pawl.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th October 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SHEARING, PUNCHING, AND
STAMPING METAL, AND FOR OTHER ANALOGOUS OPERATIONS." A communication
from abroad by David Brickner, of the City, County, and State of New York,
United States of America.
This Invention consists in a shearing, punching, stamping, or other analogous
machine in which the reciprocations of a pendulum are converted into a rotary
power for operating the punching or other slide. It consists also in a pendulum
weight, a connecting rod, and a treadle of novel construction, whereby the upward
swinging motion of the pendulum, without check to its movement, may exceed the
stroke of the treadle.
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Figure 2
is a rear elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a vertical central section in the
line x-x of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a horizontal section in the line y-y of
Figure 3, showing an improved treadle movement; Figure 5 shows a modified
construction of the machine.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the first four Figures.
'A is the main body or stand of a punching or shearing machine; B, the slide which
carries the punch or ahear; and C, the crank shaft which operates the slide. The
crank shaft C is snugly fitted into the head a of the machine, as seen in Figure 3,
and prevented from longitudinal movement by a shoulder or collar c at the rear
side of the machine.
Next to the collar c a double ratchet head D is loosely fitted so as to slide upon
the shaft C, which is there provided with a straight key c¹ in order to cause the
shaft and double ratchet-head to revolve together, and also to permit the ratchet
head to move longitudinally upon the shaft. Next to the matchet head Da ratchet-
bead E is loosely fitted upon the shaft C and held in position by a collar e, so as to
rotate upon the shaft. The ratchet-head E is provided with a heavily weighted
pendulum e and a lever arm e². Two tension springs F, F1, (or analogous device)
suitably fastened to the stand A press the ratchet head D against the ratchet-head E
and keep them geared together, the ratchet surface of the head E and the ratchet
surface d of the head D being constructed to match each other. The ratchet
surface d¹ of the head D corresponds in construction with the ratched surface d.
The springs F, F1, bear against the surface d', and the spring F or a separate pawl
serves for preventing back movement.
The lever arm e is, by means of a connecting rod G and ordinary accommodating
points g, g', connected to a lever H which swings on a fulcrum pin I. The pin I is
inserted into two screwthreaded sleeves which are screwed into opposite sides of
the stand A, and between the ends of these sleeves the forked fulcrum end ; of a
treadle lever J, together with the fulcrum end of the lever H, are laterally confined
in position, as shown in Figure 4. The forked end j of the treadle lever J extends
back beyond the pin I, and is below the lever H provided with a transverse pin j¹,
thus forming the means whereby the lever H is thrown up by the treadle, and
allowing the pendulum arm e, when necessary, to rise up higher than the stroke.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-For the purpose of punching the
slide B is, as usual, provided with a suitable punch and the stand A with a corre-
sponding die. The metal plate to be punched is placed upon the die and the treadle
lever forced down, whereby the lever H is forced up and the pendulum weight e¹
swung to the right. If the crank of the crank shaft C has been standing to the
left the slide B is moved down with the first stroke of the treadle, and the punch
of the slide thus pierces the metal plate; but if the crank occupies another position
previous to the operation of the machine one or several strokes of the treadle will

page_text: be necessary in order to bring the crank into the position most favourable for the
punching stroke of the machine. It will be seen that by a judicious use of the
treadle the crank can be adjusted as accurately as desired before each punching
stroke. The pendulum weight e' after each stroke swings back freely, the ratchet
surface e of its head E gliding over the ratchet surface d of the head D which
remains stationary during each back stroke. The clutch or head D can be moved
in and out of gear by means of a hand rod or other device. It is necessary to so
adjust the crank of the shaft C as to make allowance for a "start" of the pendulum
weight, or in other words, the pendulum weight should be allowed to perform a
part of its stroke before the punch of the slide comes in contact with the metal
plate to be punched, in order to increase the power exerted by the operator by the
impetus of the swinging pendulum weight. This increase of power is so great
that one man is enabled to perform with this improved machine the work of several
operating a machine of ordinary construction.
In Figure 2 is indicated by dotted lines how a hand lever may be substituted
for the treadle for the purpose of operating the machine, and in Figure 5 is shown
how the crank shaft and pendulum weight might be differently applied in connection
with the machine and attached to the floor of a shop in order to use a heavier
pendulum without affecting the stability of the machine during its operation. In
the latter Figure the connections between the pendulum G₁ and the slide K' are
made by means of a connecting rod M and a curved link N secured in proper
guides of the standard A¹, an eccentric S, ratchet wheel W, and pawl L, treadle H,
and rod R.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. A stamping, shearing, punching, or other analogous machine provided with
a rotary crank or eccentric power shaft with a pendulum connected to the shaft, &
lever mechanism which imparts to the pendulum a reciprocating motion, and a
clutching mechanism which communicates to the shaft from the pendulum motion
a rotary motion, and a slide or its equivalent which carries the punching, shearing,
stamping, or other operating tool, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd. The combination of a slide B and its operating crank shaft with tho
clutch D, E, and pendulum weight e¹, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3rd. The combination of a foot or hand lever, a clutch D, E, shaft C, and
pendulum e, whereby the oscillations of the pendulum are converted into revo-
lutions of a punching or shearing shaft, substantially as described.
4th. The combination of the pendulum e' having a head E and arm e³, connecting
rod G, lever H, and treadle J having a pin ¹, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
5th. The clutch D provided with teeth and arranged to operate in conjunction
with the toothed head E of the pendulum, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
6th. The combination of the pendulum G' and pawl L, ratchet wheel W, and
eccentric S.
7th. The combination of the slide K¹ with the link N, rod M, and eccentric S.
8th. The combination of the treadle H and rod R with the pendulum G².
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.