Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1887
Complete Left, 9th Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 11th Oct., 1887.
HUGH SMITH Possil Engine Works Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
My invention relates to improved means of rivetting and closing plates in fluid
pressure machines and to means of varying the power both for plate closing and
for rivetting. For this purpose I arrange the hydraulic cylinders in such a manner
that the fluid pressure is first admitted by suitable valves to plate-closing cylinder or
cylinders, and when the plates are closed I admit the fluid pressure to rivet-closing
cylinder or cylinders.
The plate closer is relieved by the back pressure of rivet-closing cylinder acting
against the plate-closing cylinder.
The power of plate-closing cylinder may be made equal to rivet-closing cylinder, or
it may be made less or more powerful than rivet-closing cylinder. For applying this
improvement with various powers I use three cylinders for plate closing and three
cylinders for rivet-closing, giving one, two, or three powers for plate-closing, and one,
two, or three powers for rivet-closing. These cylinders may be arranged so that the
three cylinders for plate-closing are placed alongside of each other, and the three
cylinders for rivet-closing are placed alongside of each other; or may telescope
one ram inside of another in order to get the required variety of powers both for
plate-closing and rivet-closing. One convenient mode of applying this improvement
is by making the plate-closing and rivet-closing cylinders in one piece, the rams of
plate-closing cylinders being fixed to main casting of machine. When fluid
pressure is admitted to plate-closing cylinders, these cylinders move forward and put
the required pressure on plates. The fluid pressure is then admitted to rivet-closing

page_text: cylinders, which causes the respective rams of the cylinders to move forward and close
the rivet, the back pressure in cylinders gradually relieving the plate-closing pressure
in proportion as the areas of plate-closing cylinders and rivet-closing cylinders are
respectively arranged. I thus secure a constant pressure on plate, which is gradually
transferred to rivet head, without the possibility of the plate closer being relieved
before the necessary pressure is put on rivet. I also apply this improved mode, of
rivetting cylinder relieving plate-closing cylinder, to my rivetting machine with toggle
joint arrangement, patent for which was granted to me in specification No. 2522 of
22nd June 1880. The plate-closing cylinder actuates a set of outside toggles or links,
which in turn actuate plate closer; and when rivet-closing cylinder is applied it
gradually relieves pressure on plate, transferring it to rivet head by means of its own
back pressure.
I make the back end of toggle joint to rest on a hydraulic ram or
cylinder, the pressure in which can be regulated by a spring valve or accumulator
varying the pressure on the rivet to the amount required for various sizes of rivets.
Dated this 25th day of May 1887.

page_text: I, HUGH SMITH of Possil Engine Works, Glasgow in the County of Lanark
Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in fluid pressure machines for rivetting and
closing plates and to means for varying the power both for plate closing and for
rivetting.
With this object I arrange the cylinder or cylinders of the machine in such a
manner that the fluid pressure is first admitted by suitable valves to the plate closing
cylinder or cylinders and when the plates are closed I admit the fluid pressure to the
rivet closing cylinder or cylinders. The back pressure of the rivet closing cylinder or
cylinders acting against the plate closing cylinder or cylinders relieves the pressure
on the ram or rams of the latter in proportion as the resistance of the rivet to staving
causes the fluid pressure in the rivet closing cylinder or cylinders to rise. The power
of the plate closing cylinder or cylinders may be equal to or greater or less than that
of the rivet closing cylinder or cylinders.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section through a rivetting
machine head showing one mode of applying the principle of this invention thereto
the position of the travelling parts of the machine being full back. In working with
the machine I first admit the fluid pressure into a small cylinder A, the ram A¹ of
which forces forward the large cylinders B, E, and slides D, G, till the plate closing
snap K, strikes the plate K'. While this is being done the cylinder B, which is the
plate closing cylinder, is by the valves applied to its pipe B', kept open to the water
in the exhaust tank and as the cylinders are carried forward by the action of the
ram A', the water from the tank runs in and fills up the space left between the
plunger C, and the front end of the cylinder B, thereby effecting considerable economy
in the fluid under pressure to be subsequently used. When the snap K, strikes the
plate K the pipe B of the cylinder B is shut off from communication with the
exhaust tank and by the same operation it is opened to the fluid pressure. The
plunger C being fast to the machine casting, the fluid pressure forces the cylinder B,
forward and communicates forward pressure to the plate closing snap K, through the
medium of the outside slide D, the snap being thereby caused to close the plates. The
rivet closing cylinder E which is or may be made in the same casting with the plate
closing cylinder B, moves forward in unison with that cylinder but the plunger F of
the cylinder E, is during the said movement held back by fluid pressure in the
cylinder M, the plunger M' of which presses on the plunger F so as to prevent it
from acting on the rivet until the plate closing pressure is fully on the plates. The
cylinder M is in constant communication with the accumulator. When the forward

page_text: motion of the cylinders B, E, is completed the rivet closing cylinder E, is opened to
fluid pressure through the pipe E' and the plunger F, then moving forward communi-
cates pressure to the rivetting snap H, through the slide G. As the resistance of the
rivet to staving causes the pressure to rise in the cylinder E, the back pressure
gradually withdraws or relieves an equal amount of pressure from the plate closer K,
that is to say, every ton of pressure exerted to stave the rivet causes the same amount
to come off the plate closing snap K and there is thereby got a gradual transference
of the pressure from the plate closing to the rivet closing snap. When the staving of
the rivet is completed the snaps K, H slides D, G, plunger F and combined
cylinders B, E are returned to their full back position by fluid pressure exerted on the
ram M, the pressure in the cylinders A, B and E being first released or opened to
the exhaust.
Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings represents in section a double or two power
combined plate closing and rivetting machine constructed on the principle hereinbefore
described. With this arrangement which is also shewn in its full back position the
fluid pressure for the lesser plate closing power is admitted through the valve and
pipe B into the plate closing cylinder B, which has the effect of moving the
cylinders B, D, C and A³, forward and of exerting pressure on the plate closing
snap K. If it is desired to stave the rivet with the lesser rivetting power fluid
pressure is admitted through the valve A³, and telescopic pipe A to the cylinder A²,
causing its plunger E, to move forward and exert pressure on the snap H. When it
is desired to exert greater power in closing the plates the fluid pressure is shut off
from the cylinder B. and admitted through the telescopic pipe B2 and valves B³, into
the cylinder D which is of greater area than the cylinder B, and similarly when it is
desired to exert a greater power on the rivet closing snap H, the fluid pressure is shut
off from cylinder A2 and opened through the valves A, to the cylinder C. The
cylinders A and B, are of equal area as are also the cylinders C and D, and these
when operated as described exert equal pressure, that is to say, the pressure exerted
by A2 is equal to that exerted in B and the pressure in C to that in D. If a different
pressure is desired for the plate closing snap from that exerted on the rivet closing
snap the rivet closing cylinder A' may be used in conjunction with the plate
closing cylinder D or the rivet closing cylinder C may be used with the plate closing
cylinder B. The resistance of the rivet to staving causes the pressure to rise in the
cylinder C or A2 and releases the pressure on the plate closer K as with the preceding
arrangement. After each rivet has been closed the travelling parts of the apparatus
are or may be returned to their full back position by the operation of a ram as at M¹
figure 1.
Fig. 3 represents an adaptation of the principle of this invention to a portable
rivetting machine in which the rivet closing cylinder A, is cast in one piece with the
plunger B of the plate closing cylinder D. C is the rivet closing plunger within
which the drawback arrangement works. The fluid pressure to act on the plunger C,
is admitted by a pipe (2, which passes through the centre of drawback ram I, and the
fluid pressure to operate the drawback is admitted through the pipe J, and passes
through the holes into the annular space or trunk y in the plunger C, the said
pressure being in constant communication with the accumulator. As the resistance
of the rivet to staving causes the pressure to rise in the cylinder A, the back pressure
on the cylinder D, relieves an equal pressure on the plate closer K, as before set
forth.
Fig. 4 represents a three power combined rivetting and plate closing machine con-
structed on the principle of my invention. With this arrangement I admit fluid
pressure to the centre cylinder A, for plate closing and to the centre cylinder B for
rivet closing with the first or lowest power. For the second power the water is shut
off from these cylinders and admitted to the two side cylinders E and F, for plate
closing and C and D for rivet closing; and for the third or greatest power I admit
water to all three of the plate closing cylinders A, E and F, and then to the three
rivet closing cylinders B, C and D. A small auxiliary ram as at A¹ fig. 1, to save
pressure fluid or power may be used with this and other adaptation of this machine,

page_text: and the rams or plungers are or may be returned to their normal position by the
operation of a cylinder as at M figure 1.
Fig. 5 represents a method of plate closing with a less pressure than that used for
rivetting. The area represented by the difference of area of the plunger E, and
cylinder A, is such as to give the desired pressure on the plate closing snap K, and to
this area the fluid pressure is first admitted through the pipe A¹ to close the plates. I
then admit fluid pressure through the pipe C to the space C, so as to force forward
the rivet closing plunger D, with a pressure due to the full area of the said plunger
and when the fluid pressure gradually rises to its maximum the plate closer K is forced
back with a pressure due to the difference of area between the plungers D and E their
back pressure being balanced by the plate closing pressure at A. I thus get the
gradual transference of pressure from the plate closer K to the rivet closer H when
using a lighter pressure for plate closing than for rivet closing.
Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings represents a vertical section through the head
of a rivetting machine having a plate closing arrangement as shewn in fig. 1 but with
an additional plate closing arrangement on the hob or bolster of the machine. When
the rivets are required to be put in from the outside of the shell that is at the opposite
side from the hob, I remove the plate closing snap A, and work with the plate closing
snap C, which is actuated by the plunger H in the following manner.
Fluid pressure is admitted constantly to the cylinder B through the pipe B' which
causes the piston H, to remain full forward. I then admit fluid pressure to cylinder E,
which closes the plates between_snaps G and C. Communication is now opened
between cylinder E and the part F of the cylinder B, through a small area and when
the pressure in F, begins to rise it causes the piston H, to move back the pressure
at B, being already balanced by the forward pressure from the cylinder E. On
account of the area of inlet to the cylinder E, being much larger than the area of com-
munication between E and F, the result is that the pressure at E will only rise in
proportion as the rivet resists staving and I will thus get a gradual transference of the
pressure from the plate closing to the rivet closing snap.
Instead of making communication between E and F, communication may be made,
after the plates have been closed, between D and F, the cylinder D under this mode
of working being filled with water and then cut off from the source of supply.
The improvements hereinbefore described may also be applied to the class of rivet-
ting machines with toggle joint arrangements for which Letters Patent were granted
to me bearing date the 22nd day of June A.D. 1880 No. 2522. Figure 7 of the
appended drawings shows the application of a plate closer on the principle of this
invention to such rivetting machines, A, being the cylinder by which the plate closer C
is operated the ram or plunger of the cylinder being connected to the closer C by the
lever L. When the plates are closed pressure is admitted to the cylinder B, to force
forward the rivet closing snap. The part of the cylinder B beneath the plunger is
connected to the part D of the cylinder A, and as the rivet resists staving the pressure
at B increases and this pressure being communicated to D, relieves the plate closing
pressure at A, in proportion to the resistance of the rivet to staving. The back end
of the three toggle levers may rest either on a slide which is moved by means of a
screw and lever or handle to regulate the travel for different thicknesses of plates as
seen at K or the back end of the toggles may be connected to the ram of a cylinder
the fluid pressure in which can be regulated either by a safety valve or by means of a
small accumulator.
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 hydraulic rivetting machines wherein a plate closing snap is used in conjunc-
tion with the rivet closing snap, relieving the pressure on the plate closing snap by
the back pressure in the rivet closing cylinder or cylinders acting against the pressure
of the plate closing cylinder or cylinders, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by several examples on the drawings hereunto annexed.
2. In hydraulic rivetting machines of the class referred to exerting during the act

page_text: of rivetting a constant pressure on the plates the said pressure being gradually trans-
ferred from the plate closer to the rivet head without the pressure on the plate being
relieved until the necessary pressure is on the rivet, substantially as described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
3. In hydraulic rivetting machines of the class referred to and wherein the pressure
on the plate closing snap is relieved by the back pressure in the rivet closing cylinder
or cylinders means for varying the pressure on the plate closing snap or on the rivet
closing snap separately or relatively with each other substantially as described and
illustrated under two examples by figs. 2 and 4 of the appended drawings.
4. In an hydraulic rivetting machine the use of an auxiliary cylinder having for its
object to force forward the travelling parts of the apparatus and to fill the plate closing
cylinder thereof with water from the exhaust tank before pressure is applied thereby
effecting a saving of fluid pressure substantially as described with reference to A.
figure 1.
5. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the several improved
hydraulic machines for rivetting substantially as herein before described and illustrated
by figs. 1 to 7 inclusive of the drawings annexed.
11 L: 1:
£ 1987
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.