IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL-SHEARING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, ROBERT ISREAL KNAPP, of Half Moon Bay, county of San Mateo, and State
of California, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL-SHEARING MACHINES:
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention relates to an apparatus for cutting plates or bars of metal.
It consists in the combination of devices hereinafter described and claimed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my apparatus. Figure
is a view of the upper
mechanism. Figure 3 is a section of the cutters.
The usual method of cutting steel or iron bars or plates is by means of power or
hydraulic shears, which operate with a slow motion and under great pressure.
In my apparatus I employ the momentum of a falling or steam-driven weight
carrying one of the shear-blades so that it passes the other, which is stationary, and
upon which the plate to be cut may be held.
In the present case I have shown the shears actuated by a weight.
A is a heavy metal base, having one of the shear-blades B, fixed to it.
CC are guide-posts, which may be made of iron or of wood with iron or steel
lining-plates, which fit the grooves of the weight D accurately while the weight
slides up or down.
In the lower face of this weight is fixed the other blade B¹ of the cutting-shears.
The two blades are so fixed in their respective supports that their cutting-edges
will pass each other with a shearing action, one end of each being nearer together
than the other end.
In order to raise the weight and control its movements, it is provided with a
stem E, which is preferably flattened and extends up between rollers F, secured to
shafts G H at the top of the guides.
These shafts also have gear-wheels which mesh, so as to cause the rollers to act
simultaneously. The driving-shaft G may be a main-line shaft, if the apparatus is
to stand in a position beneath it, or if not, it may be a counter-shaft and be driven
by a belt from the line or power-shaft to the pulley a, fixed to the shaft G.
The shaft H is journaled in a support d, which inay be moved horizontally to or
from the shaft G, and this motion causes the rollers F to clamp or release the,
stem E to raise or drop it.
&

page_text: In order to move this support, it is fitted into horizontal guides, and has one
arm of a knee or toggle-joint I connected with it, while the other arm of the joint
is fixed to an adjusting plate or block I'.
The center pintle of the toggle is connected with a lever J, by a link K, and the
long arm of the lever has a rod L, extending down alongside of one of the guides C
to a point within easy reach of the operator, while the short arm has its fulcrum in
the post M.
When the rod L is pulled down, the toggle-levers are straightened, and the slide
or support d carries the shaft H closer to the shaft G, until the rollers F press
upon the stem E with sufficient force to raise the stem and with it the weight D.
A collar N is fixed by a set-screw upon the rod L, and an arm or projection O is
fixed to the weight, so as to project out and clasp the rod and slide upon it with
the movement of the weight.
When the weight reaches the desired height, the arm O strikes the collar N, and
lifting the rod L forces the knee-joint I of the levers up until the roller F is with-
drawn from the stem E sufficiently to let the hammer drop. If it is desired to
hold the hammer when it has reached the highest point, a hinged block P is
attached to the frame upon the opposite side from the joint I, and above the
rollers F.
This block is so hinged that its front curved face rests against the side of the
stem E, and when the stem is going up the hinge allows the block to be turned up
by the friction of the upwardly-moving stem, which thus moves freely.
When the rollers F are relieved from pressure upon the stem and it begins to
drop, the block P falls against the stein and binds or holds it against a similar
hinged block P₁, upon the opposite side of the stem.
The block P¹ is hinged to a plate Q, which is fixed to the frame by bolts and
nuts, and is slotted so as to be adjusted forward or back at will. The rear end of
the block P is hinged to one part of the knee-joint R, while the other part of the
joint is hinged to an adjusting-plate Q¹.
The center plate of the knee-joint is connected by a link S with a lever T,
having its fulcrum at U, while its long arm is connected with a rod V, which
extends down alongside the guide-post C, near the rod L, and is steadied by a
guide W.
Just below this guide the rod V is notched, and a pawl X is fixed to the side of
the frame, and acted upon by a light spring y, so that its point engages the rack
upon the rod, and thus holds the rod up when it has been lifted. This lifts the
lever T and the center of the knee-joint R, so as to withdraw the clamping or
holding-block P from the stem, to allow it to move freely when it is desired to
drop the shear-blade B¹.
Z is a bent lever, having its angle fulcrumed in a support, so that one end of the
lever stands just beneath the end of the rod V, and the other end depends to a
point near the ground, so that the operator can touch it with his foot, and thus lift
the rod and draw back the block P when he desires to drop the hammer.
a' is a collar, which is fixed to the rod L at such a point that when the blade B¹
has descended so as to cut the bar or plate, the arm O upon the block D, will strike
this collar and force the rod L, lever J, and the center of the knee-joint I down,
until the rollers F are again pressed against the stem E with sufficient friction to
instantly raise the movable shear-blade for another blow.
b is another collar, fixed to the rod L just below the guide W, and of such shape
that when the rod L is forced down by the dropping of the shear-blade, this collar
will strike the end of the pawl X and release it from the rack on the rod V.
The weight of the rod will then bring it down, and by its action upon the
lever T and the toggle R, will force the block P forward, so as to again be in
contact with the stem E, and ready to clamp and hold it when it reaches the top
of its stroke,

page_text: The slide d is prevented from lifting out of place vertically, by pins c projecting
from it through horizontal slots in the upright f, the slots allowing the necessary
horizontal motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In an apparatus for cutting or shearing metals, a base having one blade fixed
to it, and a movable blade connected with a weight or steam-driven piston, in
combination with guides and a lifting and releasing mechanism, substantially as
herein described.
2. In a metal cutting or shearing machine, a fixed base to which one blade of a
shears is attached, vertical guides extending upward from said base, a weight fitted
to move upon said guides, and having the other blade of the shears fixed to it, in
combination with a stem extending upward from the weight, and a mechanisin by
which it can be raised and released, substantially as herein described.
3. The vertically-moving shear-blade, with its stem, the compression or frictional
lifting-rollers, toggle I, lever J, and rod L, in combination with the collar N, fixed
to the rod, and the arm O, connected with the movable shear-blade or weight,
substantially as herein described.
4. The clamping-block P, with its knee and operating levers, as shown, in
combination with the rod V, notched or toothed, and the pawl ✗, substantially as
herein described.
5. The vertically-moving shear-blade, compressing or lifting rollers, toggle, and
actuating-levers, in combination with the rod L, having the collar a¹ fixed to it,
and the arm O projecting from the moving shear-blade support, substantially as
herein described.
6. The rod L, connected with the roller or lifting mechanism, and the toothed or
notched rod V, with the holding-pawl X, in combination with the vertically-moving
shear-blade, with its arm O, the collar a¹, and the collar b, substantially as herein
described.