IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING THE EYES OF PICK-AXES, HOES, HAMMERS, AXES, AND OTHER TOOLS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edwards, of the "Griffin" Works, Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Edge Tool Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING THE EYES OF PICK-AXES,
HOES, HAMMERS, AXES, AND OTHER TOOLS."
Sealed the 13th May 1879, and dated the 19th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th November 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARDS, of the "Griffin" Works, Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Edge Tool Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING
THE EYES OF PICK-AXES, HOES, HAMMERS, AXES, AND OTHER TOOLS."
A horizontal revolving shaft, driven by suitable mechanisni, is provided with a
crank or equivalent at its centre, and with a cam or equivalent at each end. The
said shaft is carried in bearings in the main standards of the machine. The crank
gives motion to a vertical punch, through the medium of a link or other suitable
connection, and the punch is held in a bolt guided in a frame connected to the
main standards. The cams force together two horizontal dies (preferably of steel)
working centrally with the punch. The said dies are carried in die-holders
working in suitable guides fixed upon the bed of the machine, and each die-holder
is provided with a shank projecting from the back thereof and terminating in a box
or frame fixed upon the bed of the machine. Vertical sliding rods or pillars pass
from the cams aforesaid into the said boxes or frames. The said sliding rods have
their ends cut off in a slanting direction, forming inclined planes. The back ends
of the said shanks are similarly cut off, except that a part of each end is left square
at the end of the inclined part. As the sliding rods are pressed upon by the cams
the inclined planes at the ends of the rods press against the inclined planes at the
ends of the shanks, and thus force the dies together. The rods are pressed some-
what beyond the point at which the inclined planes pass out of contact, so that a
flat on each rod may be in contact with the squared end of each shank, and thus

page_text: relieve the friction on the cams during the action of the punch. Instead of the
inclined planes aforesaid, equivalent mechanism may be used in connection with
the rods and shanks. The cams act only in forcing down the rods, which latter
retain the dies pressed against the iron on which the eye is being formed, while the
punch is pressed down and raised again clear of the iron. When the punch is raised
clear of the iron the rods are raised by means of an additional cam upon the
revolving shaft aforesaid acting through suitable lever or other mechanism. As the
rods are raised sufficiently to admit thereof, the dies are forced back from each other
by means of a spring or springs or other mechanism. One only of the dies may be
movable, and the other stationary if desired.
The bar of iron on which an eye is to be formed is placed at a high temperature
between the dies, which are then forced forwards, compressing the iron and shaping
part (or the whole if no part is required to project beyond the bar) of the exterior
of the eye.
At about the point when the dies are completely "home" the punch
is forced into the metal, thus forming the hole of the eye, and at the same time
forcing some of the metal into a recess formed in the bottom of the dies to the
shape of the part of the eye projecting beyond the bar (when such projecting part
is required). A hole is formed at the bottom of the recess to clear the end of the
punch. A shield or plate at the base of the punch presses upon the top edge of the
iron and shapes it. The metal forced out of the bar in forming the hole thus
forms the metal round the projecting part of the eye in the case of forming a
projecting part. When no projecting part as aforesaid is required the dies are made
with a ledge instead of a recess to form the bottom of the eye, and some of the
metal is punched out of the bar in forming the hole.
In the case of tools requiring large eyes, projecting beyond the bar from which
the tool is made, it may be preferable to form the eye at two operations, namely,
first in dies as before described, except that in this case the recess at the bottom of
the dies is somewhat shallower than required for the finished shape of the eye, and
the punch does not pass through the metal, but some distance into it only; and
second, in finishing dies as first described.
The parts of the machine, though described herein before as having a vertical
punch, may work in any convenient position so that their relative position is
maintained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th May 1879.
WILLIAM EDWARDS, of the "Griffin" Works, Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Edge Tool Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING
THE EYES OF PICK-AXES, HOES, HAMMERS, AXES, AND OTHER TOOLS."
A horizontal shaft driven by suitable mechanism is provided with a crank at its
centre, and with a can at each end. The said shaft is carried in bearings in the
main standards of the machine. The crank gives motion to a vertical punch,
through the medium of a link or other suitable connection, and the punch is held in
a bolt guided in a frame rigidly connected to the main standards. The cams force
to-gether two horizontal dies (preferably of steel) working centrally with the punch.
The said dies are carried in die-holders working in suitable guides upon the bed of
the machine. Loose horizontal rods pass one from the back of each die-holder into
blocks formed at the bases of the main standards. Loose vertical sliding rods or
pillars pass from the cams aforesaid into the said blocks. The said vertical sliding
rods have their lower ends cut off in a slanting direction forming inclined planes.
The back ends of the said horizontal rods are somewhat similarly cut off, except
that a considerable part of each end is left square at the end of the inclined part.
As the vertical sliding rods are pressed upon by the cams aforesaid, the inclined.
planes at the ends of the vertical sliding rods press against the inclined planes at
the ends of the horizontal sliding rods, and thus force the dies to-gether. The
vertical sliding rods are pressed somewhat beyond the point at which the inclined
planes pass out of contact, so that the flat part of each vertical rod may be in
contact with the squared end of each horizontal rod, and thus relieve the friction
on the cams during the action of the punch. Instead of the inclined planes afore-
said, equivalent mechanism may be used in connection with the vertical and
horizontal sliding rods. The cams aforesaid act only in forcing down the vertical
rods, which latter retain the dies compressed against the iron or steel on which the
eye is being formed, while the punch is pressed down and raised again clear of the
iron or steel. When the punch is raised sufficiently to be loose in the iron or steel,
the rods are raised by means of an additional cam upon the revolving shaft afore-
said acting through suitable lever or other mechanism. As the rods are raised to
admit thereof, the dies are forced back from each other by means of weighted levers
or springs, or other mechanism. One only of the dies may be movable, and the
other stationary if desired.
The bar of iron or steel on which an eye is to be formed is placed (of course in a
highly heated state) between the dies, which are then forced forwards, compressing
the iron or steel. At about the point when the dies are completely "home" the
punch is forced into the metal, thus forming the hole of the eye, and at the same
time spreading out the metal and forcing some of it into a recess formed in the
bottom of the dies to the shape of the part of the eye projecting below the bar
(when such projecting part is required). A hole is formed at the bottom of the.
recess to clear the end of the punch. A collar at the base of the punch presses upon
the top edge of the iron or steel and shapes it, and a ledge at the bottom of the
dies shapes the bottom end of the eye. The metal forced out of the bar in forming
the hole thus forms the metal round the projecting part of the eye, in the case of
forming a projecting part.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will now proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same with reference to the
accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, Figure 2 a side elevation, and Figure 3 a plan
of my improved machinery for forming the eyes of pick-axes and other tools. The.
same letters of reference occurring upon any of the views 1, 2 and 3 indicate

page_text: corresponding parts. A, A, are the main standards, B is the bedplate, C the
horizontal revolving shaft, having the crank D formed therein. The shaft C
revolves, say, about 30 times per minute, in the direction shewn by the arrow (see
Figure 2), motion being given to it through the pulley E, pinion F, and spur
wheel G. H is a fly-wheel, and J a loose pulley. K, K, are cams (preferably of
steel) upon the shaft C. The crank D is connected by means of the link L to the
bolt M, which carries the punch N at its lower end. The bolt M is guided through
the frame O fixed to the main standards A, A. P, P, are die-holders in which are
placed the dies Q, Q. The dies P, P, work in slides P¹, P¹, upon the bed of the
machine. R, R, are square rods carried in the bases of the standards A, A, and
S, S, are vertical rods sliding in the guides T, T, and also in the bases of the
standards A, A. a, a, are liners placed between the inner ends of the rods R, R,
and the die-holders P, P, to adjust the dies. The dies are forced to-gether by the
cams K, K, acting through the medium of the rods S, S, and R, R. The inclined
planes at the bottom of the rods S, S, press against the small inclined planes at the
back ends of the rods R, R, thus forcing forwards the rods R, R. When the rods
R, R, are pressed "home" the rods S, S, are further pressed down by the cams
K, K, and thus lock the rods R, R, as shewn by Figure 1, and consequently the
dies Q, Q; the rods S, S, are raised through the medium of the cam U, lever V,
way-shaft X, and levers W, W. The levers W, W, bear under the projections Y, Y,
at the tops of the rods S, S. As the rods S, S, are raised, the dies Q, Q, and rods
R, R, are forced back through the medium of the levers b, b, c, c, and weights d, d.
The distance which the dies are allowed to open is regulated by the distance
which the weights are allowed to fall in the adjustable sluices e, e.
The punch N
is fixed to the bolt by means of a cotter. f (see Figure 3) is an adjustable gauge for
determining the position of the iron or steel upon the dies. g, g, are releasers
hinged as shewn (see detached view, Figure 4). One releaser g is carried under the
frame O on each side of the bolt M, and is set up by a flat spring / projecting from
one of the standards. The releasers g, g, are pushed back by the bolt, but spring in
again to the collar of the punch as the punch rises, and thus press upon the metal,
being operated upon nearly close to the punch as the said metal rises. A clutch
and lever for throwing the machine suddenly out of gear with the fly-wheel are
shewn on plan.
.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 illustrate enlarged views of the dies for making the eyes of
pick-axes, and the die-holders. Figure 5 is a longitudinal section shewing the dies
closed. Figure 6, an elevation of the inner face of a die and holder (that is, the
part facing the opposite die), shewing also one of the slides in section. Figure 7 is
a plan.
The same letters of reference occurring upon any of the views 5, 6, or 7 indicate
corresponding parts. E', E', are the dies; Fi, F¹, the die-holders; G¹ is a slide upon
the bed of the machine; H₁ is a plate to bear in a groove in the die-holders, and
thus keep the die-holders from rising; J¹, is a liner set up by set pins. A slide G¹
and plate H¹ is arranged on each side of the dies, but a liner J' is used on one side
only. L, L, are set pins to keep the dies from moving.
In working the machine before described, a length of iron or steel cut off from a
bar to the required length for a pick axe, and to the section shewn at A' (Figure 5)
by dotted lines, is placed in a highly heated state within the recesses B¹, B', in
the dies when the dies are open. The dies are then forced to-gether, compressing
the iron or steel between them. When the dies are completely forced to-gether, the
punch N (see Figure 1) enters the top of the iron or steel, spreading it into the
enlarged recess C₁, and at the same time making the hole through the iron or steel,
and thus completing the eye, which is afterwards cleared by means of a circular
saw or in an ordinary manner from any rough edges or projections which may be
left on.
The punch is of course made to the section of the required hole for the
part of it within the enlarged recess C¹ when the punch is down, but the bottom of
the punch is brought almost to a point, as shewn, being slightly rounded to stand
the work. The lower end of the punch passes through the hole K¹ at the bottom

page_text: of the dies.
eye.
The shoulder a¹ at the bottom of the dies shapes the bottom edge of
the eye, and the collar at the base of the punch shapes or flattens the top of the
After the punch has risen again sufficiently to be loose in the iron or steel,
the vertical rods S, S, are lifted and the dies are pulled back. In case the iron or
steel with the eye formed therein rises with the punch, it is released therefrom by
the two releasers.
I have illustrated only the dies for pick-axes, but dies for other tools are made
and worked in a corresponding manner. In using dies for forming an eye with a
pole thereon, the gauge f is not required, as the back part of the recess for the pole
forms a stop.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention and particularly described
the manner of carrying out the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention,
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1st. The improved machinery for forming the eyes of pick axes, hoes, hammers,
axes, and other tools, substantially as herein described and illustrated by the
Drawings.
2nd. Forming the eyes of the tools aforesaid by compressing the iron in dies
constructed substantially as described and illustrated, and worked in guides and
moving in a plane at right angles to the direction of the punch, and then punching
and forming the holes while the dies are firmly compressed against the iron,
substantially as herein described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edwards, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WILLIAM EDWARDS.
(L.S.)