IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING OR SHAPING SHEET-METAL AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING OR SHAPING SHEET-METAL
AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Eliphalet
William Bliss, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, Manu-
facturer.
Sealed the 1st July 1879, and dated the 23rd April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd April 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING
OR SHAPING SHEET-METAL AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES." [A communication from
abroad by Eliphalet William Bliss, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer.]
This Invention relates to machinery for stamping or shaping sheet metal and for
other analogous uses. Its object is to provide an extremely strong and durable
machine or apparatus which will be simple in construction, and capable of being
very conveniently manipulated, and which moreover will have its bed adjustable at
any angle to a horizontal position (with the line of motion of its die or stamp at a
corresponding angle to a vertical position), which the exigencies of the work may
require. An essential feature of the said Invention relates to the frame of which
the aforesaid bed forms a part, and which carries the dies or stamps constituting a
portion of the operative mechanism (meaning by this term the devices immediately
concerned in the stamping or shaping of the sheet metal, or for other analogous
purposes, and which may be of any suitable character). This frame is provided at
its under side with arc-shaped bearings which fit upon other bearings of coincident
shape provided upon the fixed base of the apparatus, so that by sliding the bearings
of the frame upon those of the base, the said frame may be set with its bed at any
desired angle to a horizontal position as herein before specified. Another feature of
the said Invention consists, broadly, in the combination with the frame carrying
the die or stamp or operative mechanism, and connected with the base by arc-
shaped bearings, of mechanism for adjusting or tilting the frame backward or

page_text: forward upon the base. Another feature of the said Invention consists in the com-
bination of lateral retaining guides, with the arc-shaped bearings of the adjustable
frame which carries the operative mechanism, and of the base supporting the same,
for preventing the displacement of the said frame from the base. Another feature
of the said Invention consists in the combination of a curved rack, and a pinion
with the curved bearings of the adjustable frame which carries the operative
mechanism, and of the base which supports the same, for the purpose of affording
easy means for adjusting or tilting the said frame upon the base. Another feature
of the said Invention consists in a tightening stop or button in combination with
the arc-shaped bearings of the frame and base, and one of the herein before specified
lateral retaining guides, for the purpose of holding the said frame more firmly
against the effects of pressure or concussion when the frame is adjusted to and
fixed in a position to suit the requirements of any special variety of work. The
said Invention also includes the combination of the parts above described consti-
tuting the said machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd October 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING
OR SHAPING SHEET-METAL AND FOR SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication from
abroad by Eliphalet William Bliss, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to machinery for stamping or shaping sheet metal and for
other analogous uses. Its object is to provide an extremely strong and durable
apparatus, which shall be simple in construction and capable of being very con-
veniently manipulated, and which morcover shall have its bed adjustable at any
angle to the horizontal (with the line of motion of its die or stamp at a corresponding
angle from the vertical), which the exigiencies of the work may require. An
essential feature of the said Invention is as follows, that is to say, the frame of
which the aforesaid bed forms a part, and which carries the dies or stamp consti-
tuting a portion of the operative mechanism (meaning by this term the devices
immediately concerned in the stamping or shaping of the sheet metal, or for other
analogous purposes, and which may be of any suitable character, as for example,
those commonly employed in presses for shaping sheet-metal by stamping or
pressure), is provided at its under side with arc-shaped bearings which fit upon
other bearings of coincident shape, provided upon the fixed base of the apparatus, 50
that by sliding the bearings of the frame upon those of the base, the frame may be
brought with its bed at any desired angle from the horizontal as herein before
indicated.
Another feature of the said Invention consists broadly in the combination with
the frame carrying the die, or stamp, or operative mechanism, and connected with
the base by the arc-shaped bearings of mechanism for adjusting or tilting the frame

page_text: backward or forward upon the base. Another feature of the said invention
consists in the combination of lateral retaining guides with the arc-shaped bearings
of the adjustable frame which carries the operative mechanism, and of the base
supporting the same, for preventing the displacement of the frame froin the base.
Another feature of the said Invention consists in the combination of a curved rack
and a pinion with the curved bearings of the adjustable frame which carries the
operative mechanism, and of the base which supports the same for the purpose of
affording easy means for adjusting or tilting the said frame upon the base. Another
feature of the said Invention consists in a tightening stop or button in combination
with the arc-shaped bearings of the adjustable frame which carries the operative
mechanism, and of the base supporting said frame, and one of the herein before
specified lateral retaining guides, in order to hold the two parts in more firm or
rigid connection against the effects of pressure or of concussion when the frame is
adjusted to a fixed position to suit the requirements of any special variety of work.
The said Invention also includes a novel combination of parts constituting the
machine as a whole.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine or press made according to this
Invention, and
Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
A is the frame which carries the operative mechanism so termed, which may be
of any ordinary or suitable kind or character for the varieties of work for which
the press is designed, as for instance, a sliding head a working in guides b, and
operated through a pitman c from a crank d of a shaft e, to which motion may be
transmitted by power through a band wheel f, or if desired, the mechanism may be
modified in any usual or appropriate manner, and if preferred, may be so arranged
as to be operated by the foot of the attendant.
A¹ is the bed upon which the lower die or portion of the hereinbefore indicated
operative mechanism is situated, but which, like the upper portion just referred to
of said mechanism being well known, needs no specific description here. This bed
A¹ is preferably cast in one with the frame A. The sides g of the frame A are
extended downward to constitute bearings m formed on the arc of a circle, one at
cach side of the bottom of the frame. These bearings m should also be cast in ono
with the other portions of the frame A. The base of the machine is composed of
two uprights B bolted at their feet to a base-plate C, and each concave on its upper
side to form bearings shaped on the arc of a circle, and adapted and adjusted to
receive the arc shaped bearings m of the frame A. It is manifest that when the
bearings m are caused to move in the bearings n in one direction or the other, the
frame A will be tilted backward or forward, as the case may be, and thereby be
brought with the bed at any desired angle to the horizontal, and its operative
mechanism at a corresponding anglo to the vertical. In order to prevent the lateral
displacement of the bearings m from the bearings n, each upright B has cast upon
it at the outer edge of the arc-shaped bearing n thereof an upwardly projecting
flange or guide v, which projecting past the adjacent edge of the contiguous bearing
m co-operates with the correspondingly arranged guide v on the opposite side of
the base, to prevent any lateral displacement of the frame A. To prevent the
latter from being lifted away from the base during the rough usage of actual
working, there is cast upon the outer edge of each bearing m a rib u, which fits
into an arc-shaped groove formed in the inner surface of the adjacent guide v.
Inasmuch as the ribs and grooves correspond in curvature and direction with the
bearings m and n, the frame is kept from rising away from the base without any
interference with the adjustability of the frame, as hereinbefore set forth.
In order that the frame may be readily adjusted, there is cast upon the inner
Bide of one of its bearings m a rack w, having a curvature corresponding to that of
the bearings m, n, and gearing into this rack is a toothed pinion x, the shaft y of
which is suitably supported in the adjacent side of the base, and which is provided
at its outer extremity with a hand wheel 3, whereby the pinion may be turned to

page_text: move the rack, and consequently the bearings m of the frame A in one direction or
the other, as may be required. Attached to the opposite side of the base is a strong
button B' pivoted on a set screw C¹, so that the button being set across the adjacent
bearings m, n, and tightened against the same by turning the screw in the requisite
direction, the bearing m is gripped between the button and the adjacent guide v,
and is thereby steadied and beld with greater firmness than would be the case
without the use of a fastening for the purpose.
It is to be observed that machinery made according to the herein described
Invention may be employed for shaping by stamping or pressing material other
than sheet metal, when such other material is of a character which renders it
susceptible of such treatment.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,—
First. In a machine for shaping sheet metal and the like by stamping or pressing
the adjustable frame carrying the operative mechanism, and connected with the
supporting base by arc-shaped bearings, substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
Second. In a machine for shaping sheet metal and the like by stamping or
pressing, in combination with the frame which carries the operative mechanism, and
which is connected with the base by arc-shaped bearings, the mechanism for tilting
or adjusting the said frame upon the base, substantially as and for the purposo
herein set forth.
Third. In a machine for shaping sheet metal and the like, by stamping or pressing
the lateral retaining guides, in combination with the arc-shaped bearings of the
adjustable frame which carries the operative mechanism, and the base supporting
the said frame, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourth. In a machine for shaping sheet metal and the like, by stamping or
pressing the curved rack and the pinion, in combination with the arc-shaped
bearings of the.adjustable frame which carries the operative mechanism, and of the
base which supports the said frame, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
Fifth. In a machine for shaping sheet-metal and the like, by stamping or pressing
the combination of the tightening stop or button, with the arc-shaped bearings of
the frame which carries the operative mechanism, the base, and one of the lateral
retaining guides, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Sixth. In a machine for shaping sheet-metal and the like by stamping or pressing,
the combination of the adjustable frame constructed with arc-shaped bearings, and
carrying the operative mechanism, the base having arc-shaped bearings constructed
to receive those of the aforesaid frame, the lateral guides for retaining said frame
and base in due relation with each other, and the rack and pinion for adjusting the
frame upon the base, all substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty second day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
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