Improvements in Forming Sheet Metal Lathing and in Machinery therefor.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1887
Complete Left, 5th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 8th Nov., 1887
Improvements in Forming Sheet Metal Lathing and in Machinery
therefor.
I JOHN WEICHHART in the City and County of San Francisco State of California,
United States of America Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
My invention relates to the production and manufacture of corrugated metal in
sheets or strips for use as lathing or a covering for surfaces that are required to take
plaster, such as the walls and ceilings of apartments; and the nature of my invention
consists in the production of an improved form of corrugated metal lathing in sheets
or strips of suitable widths and lengths, and in certain novel construction of
mechanism for manufacturing such improved lathing from sheet metal as hereinafter
fully described,
My said lathing is made by forming in sheet metal deep grooves or corrugations of
uniform width and depth in parallel rows and of rectangular shape in cross section
and then crimping or bending these grooves in such manner that they assume a
dovetail form. These two operations are performed by the two sets of mechanism
which constitute parts or features of my present invention, and to which the blank
sheets of metal are presented in succession to produce the complete dovetail form of
corrugations by feeding devices that carry the blank metal under and through the
bending and crimping mechanisms with a regular step by step movement.
The following description explains the construction of my said improvements and
the production of machines for the manufacture of the said sheet Metal Lathing in
accordance with my invention.
A suitable bed or platform is formed of rails and cross bars of rectangular form
and is supported by uprights at a suitable height above the floor.
A sliding frame formed of side bars and cross pieces and movable in guides is
arranged upon this bed. It constitutes a carriage to hold and present the blank metal
to the bending mechanism and it has an intermittent step by step feeding movement

page_text: produced by a pawl and ratchet in the intervals of which feed bending punches are
operated.
Provision is made for throwing off the feed in order to run the carriage back
quickly to the starting point again after one length of sheet metal has been fed
through.
Handles are fixed on the end of the sliding carriage for drawing it back.
Spur gears with cranks are connected by rods to cross heads of the reciprocating
die or punch. Upon the frame is a stationary grooved or slotted die with a movable
bottom bar which is capable of movement vertically in the slot to eject or throw out
the bent metal. A reciprocating die or punch working into and out of this slotted
die, forms the other part of the metal bending mechanism.
In connection with these parts I employ a yielding presser bar to hold the sheet
metal down against the face of the fixed die.
In some cases I employ a single punch with double presser bars but I also use a
combination of two reciprocating punches and a single presser bar.
The former construction is well adapted for thin and light grades of sheet metal
that can be easily bent and drawn into shape between the dies while the double punch
is intended for the heavier kinds of metal.
The parts of the double punch are worked by the two cross heads moving in an
upright slotted frame over the fixed die, and connected by the connecting rods with
the two cranks of the spur gears.
The single punch is set ahead of the reciprocating punch to strike and bend in one
side of the corrugation or groove over the face of the fixed die before the other side
is bent over the opposite face but the two punches also move generally together down
into the groove and up again out of it.
The presser bar is set to work alongside of the single punch and in line with the face
of the die. It is attached to and carried by the crosshead and by stiff coil springs
interposed between these two parts suitable pressure is given. Guide rods which
are fixed in the presser bar pass through the cross head and the springs are placed
around these rods.
The presser bar is set ahead of the punch to bear upon and press the sheet of
metal against the face of the die before the punch strikes it. And with the single
acting punch I place a presser bar on each side and also regulate the pressure in such
a manner that the sheet of metal may be drawn from both sides under the pressers by
the descending punch but yet be held down properly by the pressure. In the
operation of the double punch the sheet of metal is drawn from one side only into
the groove of the die and it is not necessary to use more than one presser bar. In
such a case the presser is set to work along the side of the leading punch.
Two presser bars are sometimes used with a single punch and the punch in
descending draws in the metal from both sides. This requires the last formed
corrugation of the plate to be set away from the outer edge of the die before the
punch strikes the metal in order to prevent this corrugation from being pulled out of
shape while the metal is being drawn into the die for the next corrugation.
The ejector is a bar fitting the groove of the fixed die having vertical movement in
it to throw out the finished work and afterwards returning into place to form the
bottom surface of the die.
This movement is produced by face cams on a shaft below the frame and slide bars
attached to the movable bottom bar of the slotted die, the said bars working in guides
on the frame. The cams are actuated from a second shaft by spur gears and are
properly shaped and timed to make the movable bottom bar rise in the groove and
descend again as required by the movement of the punch.
The sliding carriage is fed regularly forward step by step by a pawl and a set of
ratchet teeth or notches on the side rail of the carriage the pawl being actuated from
the movement of the crosshead as follows.
A rack is fixed to each side of the cross head outside of the frame to engage with
two spur gears on a shaft set over the bed, and the reciprocating movement of the
crosshead is converted into a rotary one at the shaft through this partial rotation

page_text: first forward and then back again. The pawl moves over the ratchet teeth and at
each outward throw moves the carriage a given distance, a short arm secured to the
shaft having the end of the pawl attached to it by a knuckle joint.
This mechanism is repeated at the other side of the machine. A top frame is
attached by hinges to the end of the bed and supported at the free end by a rope and
counter weight in position to stand over the carriage. Its office is to prevent the
sheet of metal from curling up and to hold it flat on the carriage.
a
Sheets of metal after being run through this bending mechanism assume
corrugated or channel form the grooves being rectangular and of about the same
width on the bottom as at the top portions or faces between the grooves.
They are then crimped or bent into dovetail form in the second operation.
This mechanism for making the channels of dovetail form consists of two hinged
jaws attached by hinges to a reciprocating crosshead. A crank and connecting rod,
at each side of the frame produce verticall movement and oscillating cams act against
the backs of the jaws to close them together upon the metal, the cams are fixed on
horizontal shafts which are provided with gears engaging racks on an upright sliding
bar. A crank fixed on a spur gear is connected by a rod from the crank pin to the
rack bar. By the vertical movements of the rack bar the cams are thrown in time
first against the jaws and then away from them. A spring placed between them
opens the jaws at such time and fixed stops limit this moveinent.
From the crank pins are therefore produced the above described movements of
the reciprocating cross-head, to raise and lower the jaws and of the jaws themselves
on their hinges.
The feed mechanism to advance the sheet metal under the crimping jaws is similar
to that employed with the first mechanism but instead of using the sliding carriage
the sheet of metal is laid directly on the stationary bed and the feeding pawl is set to
engage with the corrugations in the metal.
The feeding pawls in this mechanism are actuated from the spur gears fixed on
the cam shaft in front of the cross head frame an intermediate gear being required
to change the direction of rotation and the throw of the pawls is of suitable length
and is properly timed to move the metal the distance of any corrugation each time
as the cross-head raises the jaws clear of the bed. On the return movement the
pawls slip back over the sheet metal and drop into the corrugation ready for the
next feed.
A bar is set across the bed and is provided with adjustale spring presses which
are suitably bent down at the ends to bear upon the corrugations just in front of the
pawls. The office of these bars is to hold down the corrugated plate to the bed at the
point where the pawls take it, and they are adjustable vertically by means of screws
at the cross-bar.
Now by the combined action of the above described bending mechanism and
crimping nechanism it will be seen that a sheet of metal properly presented with
successive lengths of movement and intervals, of rest will be bent up into corrugated
form with the grooves or spaces between the corrugations of a dovetail shape in
cross-section; and that sheets of metal of indefinite length and of a width that is only
limited by the width of the machine can be readily bent up into corrugated form.
The corrugations being of dovetail form are well adapted to hold the plastering
when the metal is applied to surfaces as a substitute for laths.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forming Sheet Metal Lathing and in Machinery
therefor.
I JOHN WEICHHART in the City and County of San Francisco and State of
California United States of America Machinist do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FORMING SHEET METAL LATHING AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR," 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 the production and manufacture of corrugated metal in
sheets or strips for use as lathing or a covering for surfaces that are required to take
plaster, such as the walls and ceilings of apartments; and the nature of my invention
consists in the production of an improved form of corrugated metal lathing in sheets
or strips of suitable widths and lengths, and in certain novel construction of
mechanism for manufacturing such improved lathing from sheet metal as hereinafter
fully described.
My said lathing is made by forming in sheet metal deep grooves or corrugations of
uniform width and depth in parallel rows and of rectangular shape in cross section
and then crimping or bending these grooves in such manner that they assume a
dovetail form. These two operations are performed by the two sets of mechanism
which constitute parts or features of my present invention, and to which the blank
sheets of metal are presented in succession to produce the complete dovetail form of
corrugations by feeding devices that carry the blank metal under and through the
bending and crimping mechanisms with a regular step by step movement.
The following description explains the construction of my said improvements and
the production of machines for the manufacture of the said sheet Metal Lathing in
accordance with my invention, the accompanying drawings that form a part of this
specification being referred to by figures and letters.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. represents a side elevation and
Figure 2. a plan of the machine by which rectangular grooves or corrugations are
first formed in the sheet metal blank.
Figure 3. is a cross section through the dies and punches and the traveling bed or
carriage of this machine.
Figure 4. is a cross section taken at about the line x. x. figures 1 and 2.
Figure 5. is a detail view in section and on a larger scale of the dies and
punches.
Figure 6. shows a combination of a single punch and double presser bars.
Figure 7. illustrates the form of the sheet metal after passing through this
mechanism.
Figure 8. is a side elevation and
Figure 9. is a plan of the mechanism by which the rectangular corrugations are
crimped and the lathing completed

page_text: Figure 10. is a section taken longitudinally through the cross head frame and
crimping mechanism at about the line figure 9.
I
Figure 11. is a cross section taken at about the line xx figure 8.
Figure 12. illustrates the form of the corrugated metal after the crimping
operation.
A. A. are rails and cross bars of a rectangular frame forming an open bed
and A* A* are uprights that support it, at suitable height above the floor.
B. is a sliding frame formed of side bars and cross pieces and movable in guides b. b.
upon this bed. It constitutes a carriage to hold and present the blank metal to the
bending mechanism and it has an intermittent step by step feeding movement
produced by a pawl and ratchet in the intervals of which feed bending punches are
operated.
Provision is made for throwing off the feed in order to run the carriage back quickly
to the starting point again after one length of sheet metal has been fed through.
B2 are handles on the end of the carriage for drawing it back.
G. G* are spur gears with cranks E. that are connected by rods I. I. to cross
heads W W of the reciprocating die or punch T.
R is a stationary grooved or slotted die with a movable bottom S which is capable
of movement vertically in the slot to eject or throw out the bent metal. The recipro-
cating die or punch T working into and out of this slotted die, forms the other part of
the metal bending mechanism.
In connection with these parts I employ a yielding presser bar U to hold the sheet
metal down against the face of the fixed die.
In some cases I employ a single punch T with double presser bars U U (as shown
in figure 6.) but I also use a combination of two reciprocating punches T. Tx and a
single presser bar U. as represented in figure 5. The former construction is well
adapted for thin and light grades of sheet metal that can be easily bent and drawn
into shape between the dies while the double punch is intended for the heavier kinds
of metal.
The parts of the double punch are worked by the two cross heads W. W* moving
in upright slotted frame A² over the fixed die, and connected by the rods I with
the two cranks of the spur gears.
The part T is set ahead of the part Tx to strike and bend in one side of the
corrugation or groove over the face R* of the fixed die before the other side is bent
over the face R but the two punches also move generally together down into the
groove and up again out of it.
The presser bar U is set to work along side of the leading punch T and in line with
the face R of the die. It is attached to and carried by the cross head W and by
stiff coil springs W' interposed between these two parts suitable pressure is given.
Guide rods W fixed in the presser bar pass through the cross head and the springs
are placed around these rods.
The presser bar is set ahead of the punch to bear upon and press the sheet of metal
against the face of the die before the punch strikes it. And with the single acting
punch (figure 6.) I place a presser bar U. on each side and also regulate the pressure
in such degree that the sheet of metal may be drawn from both sides under the
pressers by the descending punch but yet be held down properly by the pressure.
In the operation of the double punch the sheet of inetal is drawn from one side
only into the groove of the die and it is not necessary to use more than one presser
bar. In such a case the presser is set to work along side of the leading punch.
With the construction represented in figure 6. two presser bars are used with a
single punch and the punch in descending draws in the metal from both sides. This
requires the last formed corrugation of the plate to be set away from the outer edge
of the die (as shown at R* figure 6.) before the punch strikes the metal in order to
prevent this corrugation from being pulled out of shape while the metal is being
drawn into the die for the next corrugation.
The ejector is a bar fitting the groove of the fixed die having vertical movement

page_text: in it to throw out the finished work and afterwards returning into place to form the
bottom surface of the die.
This movement is produced by face cams y y. on shaft Y' and slide bars y* y* at the
ends of the bar S. working in guides Z. Z. on the frame. The cams are actuated
from the shaft F. by spur gears * and are properly shaped and timed to make the
bar S rise in the groove and descend again as required by the movement of
the punch.
The carriage B. is fed regularly forward step by step by the pawl H and a set of
ratchet teeth or notches B³ on the side rail of the carriage the pawl being actuated
from the movement of the cross head as follows.
A rack is fixed to each side of the crosshead outside of the frame A³ to engage
with two spur gears d³ on shaft 12 set over the bed, and the reciprocating movement
of the crosshead is converted into a rotary one at the shaft through this partial
rotation first forward and then back again. The pawl H moves over the ratchet
teeth B and at each outward throw moves the carriage a given distance. K, is a
short arm secured to the shaft having the end of the pawl attached to it by a knuckle
joint.
This mechanism is repeated at the other side of the machine. B is a top frame
attached by hinges 622 to the end of the bed (figures 1. and 2.) and supported at the
free end by a rope and counter weight Zin position to stand, over the carriage. Its
office is to prevent the sheet of metal from curling up and to hold it flat on the
carriage.
Sheets of metal after being run through this bending mechanism assume the form
represented in figure 7. the grooves being rectangular and of about the same width
on the bottom as at the top portions or faces between the grooves.
They are then crimped or bent into dovetail form in the second operation which is
carried on in the machine illustrated in figures S. to 12. of the drawings.
This mechanism consists of two hinged jaws T3 T attached by hinges T2 T2 to a,
reciprocating crosshead W³.
The crank D and connecting rod D' at each side of the frame produce vertical
movement aud oscillating cams act against the backs of the jaws to close them
together upon the metal. G* G* are the cams on shafts S* S* and P* P* are gears
fixed on the shafts engaging racks R* on an upright slide bar. V³ is a crank on a
spur gear. U and W is a connecting rod from the crank pin to the slide bar V2.
By the vertical movements of the rack bar the cams are thrown in time first against
the jaws and then away from them. The spring S³ placed between them opens the
jaws at such time and fixed stops X2 X2 limit this movement.
From the crank pins D₁ V³ are therefore produced the above described movements
of the reciprocating crosshead to raise and lower the jaws and of the jaws themselves
on their hinges.
The feed mechanism to advance the sheet metal under the crimping jaws is similar
to that employed with the first mechanism but instead of using the sliding carriage B.
the sheet of metal is laid directly on the stationary bed and the pawl H is set to
engage with the corrugations in the metal, as represented in figures 8 and 10.
The feeding pawls H in this mechanism are actuated from the spur gears
Px of
the cam shaft in front of the cross head frame A an intermediate gear Q being
required to change the direction of rotation and the throw of the pawls is of suitable
length and is properly timed to move the metal the distance of any corrugation each
time as the cross head raises the jaws clear of the bed. On the return movement the
pawls slip back over the sheet metal and drop into the corrugation ready for the
next feed.
M. is a bar set across the bed and having adjustable spring presses M× which are
suitably bent down at the ends to bear upon the corrugations just in front of the
pawls H. The office of these bars M* is to hold down the corrugated plate to the
bed at the point where the pawls take it-and they are adjustable vertically by means
of screws m³ at the cross bar M. as shown in figure 10.

page_text: Now by the combined action of the above described bending mechanism and
crimping mechanism it will be seen that a sheet of metal properly presented with
successive lengths of movement and intervals of rest will be bent up into corrugated
form with the grooves or spaces between the corrugations of a dovetail shape in
cross section; and that sheets of metal of indefinite length and of a width that is
only limited by the width of the machine can be readily bent up into corrugated
form.
The corrugations being of dovetail form are well adapted to hold the plastering
when the metal is applied to surfaces as a substitute for laths.
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 ;
1st. The manner of producing corrugated sheet metal' lathing as hereinbefore
described by first bending or forming parallel grooves or corrugations of rectangular
shape in a sheet of metal and then crimping or upsetting such rectangular corrugations
into a dovetail form in cross section.
2nd. In a Machine for bending up or corrugating sheet metal the combination of a
stationary die B. having a groove corresponding in width to the corrugation to be
made and an ejector or movable bottom S and a reciprocating punch T. T* and
mechanism adapted to operate said parts substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3rd. In a Machine for bending up or corrugating sheet metal a stationary die
a reciprocating punch or die and a yielding presser bar adapted to move and operate
in combination as set forth.
4th. The two reciprocating pressers and a single punch arranged for operation on
a reciprocating cross head in combination with a fixed grooved die R. an ejector
bar S and feeding mechanism to carry the plate along for operation as set forth.
5th. A single reciprocating punch T double presser bars U. U. and a fixed die with
faces R R a groove or recess and an ejector bar in said groove combined and
arranged for operation as set forth.
6th. The mechanism for producing dovetail form in rectangular corrugations in
sheet metal consisting of hinged jaws with beveled faces upon a reciprocating cross
head having intermittent movement in vertical guides with respect to a work holding
bed or support and means whereby said jaws are forced together and closed upon the
work and then opened to release it while the cross head remains at rest substantially
as hereinbefore described.
7th. The combination of the stationary bed the reciprocating cross head the crimping
jaws and mechanism arranged and coacting as described to move said cross head and
operate said jaws alternately with respect to the movement of the sheet metal upon
the bed under the cross head substantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of October 1887.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.