An Improved Method of and Means for Forging Pedal Cranks for Velocipedes and other Articles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Forging Pedal Cranks for
Velocipedes and other Articles.
I, HENRY PATTERSON BOYD of 2 Oak Villas, Bittern Park, Southampton, in
the County of Hampshire, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of manufacturing from iron, or
steel, or both, such articles as velocipede pedal cranks, and the like by a system of
forging, instead of casting, or pressing by the means hitherto adopted, the object
of my invention being, to prevent the waste of material which obtains by pressing
such articles from sheet metal, and the loss of time employed in turning, and
finishing the same whether formed by pressing or casting.
In carrying my invention into effect, I make use of any type of self-acting steam
hammer in general use suitable for the purpose, and form within the top and bottom
blocks thereof suitable slots, or grooves, into which I fix ley pins, screws, cotters,
or the like, suitably formed steel dies, cast or otherwise as may be best suited to
the purpose, said dies being so arranged within the blocks, as to register with each
other when the hammer is at work, so that the joint action of the top and bottom
dies may give to the hot metal placed between them the form or shape desired. Or I
may in lieu of said dies, or in conjunction therewith, use any form of swaging tool
to attain the end desired, and by this means I am enabled to hammer and compress
the molecules of the metal, and so enhance its strength, whereby a pedal crank,
or the like may be of lesser dimensions and weight, and yet bear an equal strain,
as compared with such articles when produced by pressure from cold metal, or cast
in the manner hitherto adopted.
By my method of forging or swaging, or both, and the employment of suitable
dies and swaging tools, I am enabled to draw, or elongate, compress, or twist the
metal into any desired shape or form, and in the case of pedal cranks, I am
enabled to produce these in any shape size or pattern, and form the shanks, and
puncture them where necessary, and finish them by the means described in such a
superior manner. as to almost entirely dispense with the lathe, or file, and
without incurring the smallest possible waste of material, thus saving both capital
and labour.
The dies, or other tools being connected to the blocks in the manner described,
can be easily removed and changed when necessary without the need of removing
the blocks.
1001
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Forging Pedal Oranks for
Velocipedes and other Articles.
I, HENRY PATTERSON BOYD of 2 Oak Villas, Bittern Park, Southampton, in
the County of Hampshire, 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 an improved method of manufacturing from iron or steel
or both, such articles as velocipede cranks and the like, by a system of forging or

page_text: swaging, instead of casting or stamping by the means hitherto adopted, the object
of my said invention being to prevent the waste of materials which obtains by
pressing or stamping such articles from sheet metal and the waste of time necessarily
employed in turning, filing and cleaning the same whether formed by pressing or
stamping, or casting.
I attain this by the employment of any type of self acting steam hammer in
general use, suitable for the purpose, and forming within the top and bottom
blocks thereof suitable slots, grooves or other apertures into which I place steel
dies cast or otherwise as may be desired, the shanks of which have been formed
to correspond to the said slots, grooves or other apertures in said blocks, and these
when in position are retained by the means of pins, screws cotters or the like, and
so arranged that the die in the upper block registers perfectly and truly with the
lower die when the hammer is at work, so that the meeting of the two dies imparts
to the hot metal placed between them the shape or pattern formed therein, or in
lieu of said dies I may use swaging tools of any form or design, by means of which
I am enabled to hammer and compress the molecules of the metal, and finish the
pedal crank or other article to almost any design according to that of the die or
swaging tool employed, without waste of metal, and leaving little to be done by
the finisher, and I find in practice that the strength of the metal is so much
enhanced by this method that the pedal crank or the like may be of lesser diameter
in cross section and of less weight, than those prepared by stamping from cold metal,
and yet be capable of bearing an equal strain or weight.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have appended hereunto a
sheet of drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a view of so much of a steam hammer as is necessary to illustrate the
method forming the subject of my invention.
Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are details in connection with the formation of the dies, and
which will be hereinafter fully explained.
Fig. 7 is a view illustrating the manner of forming dovetailed or other grooves
in the upper and lower blocks and
Fig. 8 shews the form of dies to be used in connection therewith.
Fig. 9 illustrates one of many methods of employing the use of blocks as swaging
tools.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ the use of any type of self acting
steam hammer Fig. 1, and form within the upper block A, and the lower block B,
suitable slots or grooves, and in these I place the shanks a and b of suitable steel
dies C and D, which in the case of Fig. 1 are retained in position by the means of
cotters c and d. The said dies may have their faces perfectly smooth as in Fig. 1,
so that the crank or other articles forged by their junction would be finished with
a flat or plain surface. Or the said dies may be formed with a semicircular, or any
degree of semicircular groove in each, as in Fig. 2, and these may be formed
spirally as shewn, so that the pedal crank or other article forged thereby may be
finished with its outer surface corresponding thereto, and this would be attained by
the simple turning or partial turning of the crank or other article between each
blow of the hammer.
Or the said dies may be formed with two semicircular or any degree of semi-
circular grooves in each as shewn by the side views Fig. 4, one of which may be
spiral and the other plain, as in Fig. 3, or both may be plain if desired, so that the
crank or other article may be first rendered circular in cross section by the use of
the plain grooves, and afterwards spiral by the use of the spiral grooves. In Fig. 4
I shew two different methods of forming the shanks of the dies, in which case the
hammer head would be provided with a vertical bore for the reception thereof, and
the die would be retained in position by a cotter engaging centrally with the shank
as at A Fig. 4, or by the means of two cotters as at B Fig. 4 or either as may be
desired.
Or the said dies may have grooves as at Fig. 5, one of which may be semicircular
or partly so, the other angular or bevelled, so that the crank or other article may

page_text: be finished circular in cross section, or rectangular with the edges bevelled as may
be required. In Fig. 5 only one die is shewn but from the foregoing it will be
understood that two such dies would be employed, therefore Fig. 5 may be that
intended for the block A or the block B. In this case I shew a circular hole in
the shank which may be for the reception of a circular pin or screw, a similar hole
being of course provided in the hammer head to which it would be attached.
The body of the pedal crank being forged by the employment of suitable dies as
described, the eye or boss upon the ends thereof would be forged by the employment
of dies similar to Fig. 6, and these may be formed so as to be capable of forging
any shaped eye or boss, with or without a keyway or key as may be required.
I may form in either A or B or both, a dovetailed slot as shewn by the face and
end views thereof Fig. 7, so that three or more small dies similar to Fig. 8 may be
slid therein, the faces of which may be formed similar to any of those before
mentioned or in any other form desired, suitable provision being of course made
for retaining them in position within the blocks by cotters pins, screws or the
like. By this means the blocks A and B may carry dies of several patterns at
one time, so that the body and the eye and boss may be forged without changing
the dies.
In Fig. 9 I shew a method of using steel or other blocks E fixed in A or B as
swaging tools, which may be of any size or shape desired, with spaces between of
variable dimensions, and retained in position by any of the means herein before
described, when these are employed connected to A as shewn in Fig. 9 B would be
fitted with a plain faced die. By this means I am enabled to swage or forge
the rod or other shaped heated metal into any form, such for instance as preparing
the same for insertion between any of the forms of dies shewn and described or
any other size or shaped die desired.
By the herein described method of forging or swaging or both, and the employ-
ment of suitable steel dies, cast or otherwise, I am enabled to draw, elongate, or
twist the metal into any desired shape or form, and in the case of pedal cranks
for. velocipedes, I can form the shanks, eyes or bosses, puncture them where
necessary and finish them to the exact size required, and in such a superior manner
as to almost entirely dispense with the lathe or file, and without incurring the
smallest possible waste of material, thus saving both capital and labor, and the dies
or swaging blocks being connected to the hammer blocks by either of the means
described can be easily removed and changed without the need of removing the
hammer blocks.
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
In an improved method of and means for forging or swaging pedal cranks for
velocipedes, and other articles, the employment of suitable steel dies or blocks C, D, E,
fixed by the means of cotters, pins, screws or the like to the top and bottom blocks A
and B, of any type of self acting steam hammer suitably prepared for receiving
and holding the same, and operating in combination therewith for the purposes set
forth, substantially as herein described and shewn by the appended drawings.
Dated this 17th day of December 1891.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.