and in Machinery for that Purpose.
Year: 1884

page_text: and in Machinery for that Purpose.
We WILLIAM STaniforth, and John Hibbard the younger, both of the Scythe
and Sickle Works, Hackenthorpe in the County of Derby. Manufacturers do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SICKLES AND REAPING HOOKS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THAT
PURPOSE to be as follows:―
Our invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of sickles and reaping
hooks, and in the machinery used in such manufacture; the object being to produce
a better article at a reduced cost.
We make the moulds of sickles from steel rolled to a bevilled edge, and cut off
at an acute angle to suitable lengths, the end to which the handle is to be
attached, is made with a projection, and of a suitable shape to form the handle
when bent.
After being heated at the handle end, it is placed in a machine press between
suitable tools, and bent and curved at the heel ready for the next process, being
that of completely bending to shape.
The bending machine consists of a revolving double cam shaped die block, the
edges made to the shape of the finished sickle or hook and rotating against a
vertical plate; a suitable method of driving the revolving dieblock being by means
of a worm wheel and worm and fast and loose pulleys.
The edges of the die block have a narrow groove formed in them, into which
the sickle is pressed by means of a weighted roller; the sickle is preferably in a cold
state, and the operation is accomplished in half a revolution of the die block.
As the sickle so shaped reaches the underside, it drops off the dieblock into a
receiver, in the meantime another sickle mould is placed in position on the other
side of the dieblock, and is bent in a similar manner, the operation being repeated
as often as desired.
The shaped sickle is then taken to the cutting or tedding machine, consisting of
a suitable frame carrying a table top on which is fixed a short arm having a
vertical reciprocating motion and carrying a cutter or chisel; the arm is driven by
means of a cam or other equivalent, and under the cutter we fix an anvil block
that may be revolved and moved in various directions.

page_text: In front of the anvil and cutter, we fix a slide which is traversed to the right or
left by means of a screw or rack and pinion, and provided with a disengaging
clutch to allow the slide to be traversed rapidly by hand when required.
The sickle is held in position for cutting by a curved steel band fastened at one
end to a jointed arm attached to the slide, the inner edge of the sickle being pressed
ngainst a guideblock so arranged as to keep the edge down upon and at a proper
angle to the anvil,
An adjustable guide is fixed in a suitable position for the butt end of the sickle
to be pressed against it, and to govern the position of the sickle as it is moved
forward by the slide, that the teeth may be cut at the proper angle.
When the machine is started the cutting commences from the butt end, and at
each stroke of the cutter, the slide and sickle is advanced for the next cut, and so
on until the cutting is completed. After the cut sickle is taken out of the machine,
the clutch is disengaged and the slide run back to its first position ready for
a fresh blank.

page_text: Fig. 5, end view, partly in section.
In carrying our invention into practice in the manufacture of a sickle for example
we make the mould, mood, or blank, from steel rolled to a bevilled edge, and act off
at an acute angle to suitable length, the end to which the handle is to be attached
being shaped as required.
The handle end, or tang, being heated is placed between the tools A, A, the
descending tool A. bends the tang at right angles to the blade portion. That part
of the blade called the heel is now placed between the tools B, B¹-which on
closing curve the heel portion to the desired shape-The machine is preferably
provided with a clutch motion (not shown in the drawing)-worked by the foot of
the operator. The tools used in this macbine may be replaced by others of different
curves.
The partly formed sickle, is next placed (in a cold state) in the machine Fig. 3,
which consists of a suitable frame C (or body) carrying a revolving disc D, to
which rotary motion is imparted by suitable gearing preferably by a worm E and
worm wheel F driven by the pulleys G, which gives a regular and powerful
motion.
Upon the face of the disc D, we fix removeable double cams H, of any desired
curve upon the face or edge I, to suit the required bend of the sickle, and provided
with a V recess to receive the edge of the blade.

page_text: A pressing roller J is forced against the face of the cam as it revolves by the
action of the weight K, and the lever L, so that when the sickle is placed in
position as shown, and the cam revolves, the weight causes the roller J to press the
blade of the sickle to the curve of the cam; when the point has passed the roller
the shaped sickle falls from the machine into a receiver. Thus it will be seen that 5
a sickle or hook is shaped in every half revolution of the disc D.
When the Sickle so bent and shaped is prepared by grinding, it is taken to the
tedding or toothing machine, this consists of a strong metal table, shown on sheet 2
marked M, M, M²-carrying a revolving anvil N, a cutter O having a vertical
percussive action and an automatic feed motion P. and minor mechanical details.
The anvil N is made so that it can be turned round by means of a lever applied
to the capstan block R, when the face under the cutter becomes jagged, and rough,
and in order to utilise the whole of the surface of the anvil before the face is
renewed by turning; the end of the axle S is provided with a screw working in a
nut T, so that at each revolution the anvil is drawn forward a distance equal to the 1
pitch of the said screw, thus the whole of the anvil face is passed under the cutter
by simply turning it round.
The cutter O is held in a diagonal position in the arm U, which has a vertical
reciprocating motion given to it by the lifting action of the cam V, and the reaction
of the adjustable spring W. X is a lever by which the arm U, can be held out of
contact with the cam V, when required.
The Sickle is held in a clip Y, and the edge where the cutter strikes or there-
abouts passes under a finger Z, so that it bears solidly upon the anvil.
The feed screw (a) is drawn by the shaft (b) from the cam shaft (c) a halfnut (d)
engages withe the screw, and transmits the horizontal travelling or feed motion to
the slide (e) and the clip (Y) The combined action of the travelling clip and the
holding down finger Z causes the sickle to be turned as it were upon an axis, and
to present the edge at the desired angle to the cutter in all its parts.
By an arrangement of a catch (g) which is adjustable in position, the halfnut (₫)
is enabled to push the head (h) back so as to release a spring rod (i) connected
with the strap fork (5) and to throw the belt upon the loose pulley, thus stopping
the machine; when the workman presses on the foot lever (k) the rod is drawn
down releasing the catch (g) which flies back to its original position-the strap
fork at the same time replacing the belt on the fast pulley.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
(1st) In the manufacture of Sickles and other reaping or cutting hooks, the
methods (either used separately or in combination) of cranking the tang, bending
the heel, curving the blade, and toothing, technically called "tedding," by special
machinery, substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
(2.) The Machine for cranking and bending substantially as hereinbefore
described and as shown in Figs 1 & 2 of the drawings.
(3.) The Machine for curving the blade substantially as herein before described
and as shown in Fig. 3. of the drawings.
"
(4.) The Machine for toothing or tedding" substantially as herein before
described and as shown in Sheet 2, of the drawings.