AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC RIVETING MACHINE
Year: 1874

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LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinando Tommasi, of Paris, in the Department
of the Seine, and Republic of France, Gentleman, for the Invention
of AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC RIVETING MACHINE "
Sealed the 19th February 1875; and dated the 25th August 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinando Tommasi
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th August 1874.
I, FERDINANDO TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine,
and Republic of France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC RIVETING MACHINE,"
to be as follows:-
My improved hydro-thermic riveting machine is composed of a cast-
iron frame in which is hollowed a cylindrical space lined with wood,
millboard, or other isolating material, and filled with oil, glycerine,
or other suitable liquid. Into this liquid plunge a certain quantity of
small copper or other metal tubes bent into the form off a lengthened U.

page_text: The two ends of each tube each terminate in one of two basins
contained in a bronze piece, upon which all the tubes are fixed and
soldered.
A bronze washer fits on the two basins in such a manner as to com-
pletely separate them. Two tubes are fixed upon this washer, each tube
corresponding with a basin. The result of this arrangement is that by
causing either steam or hot water to penetrate into one of the last-
mentioned tubes this hot water or this steam immediately spreads in one
of the basins, enters one of the ends of the small tubes, and immediately
issues by the other tube of the washer after passing out of the other end
of the small tubes and by the other basin.
The oil or the glycerine heated by the contact of the small tubes in
which passes the hot water or steam immediately expands and forces a
small piston placed on the upper part of the frame to rise. This small
piston in rising lifts two heavy counterweights. At this moment the
rivet at a white heat is placed between the puncheons. One of these
two puncheons is fixed, but the other is set in another piston, which also
plunges into the oil or the glycerine in a horizontal position. This
piston, notwithstanding the expansion of the oil or glycerine, cannot be
driven out, because it is stopped by an arrangement of levers in con-
nection with a cam placed at the end of a main lever, but at the moment
that the rivet is placed between the puncheons the workman by pushing
the main lever frees the cam, thereby causing an instantaneous fall of
the small piston carried down by the counterweights, and the sudden
advance of the other piston, the puncheon of which strikes the rivet
like a hammer, riveting at a blow the end of the rivet where there was
no head, At this moment the circulation of the steam or hot water
within the small tubes is arrested, and it is replaced by a circulation of
cold water. The oil or the glycerine then condenses, which permits the
workman to bring back the main lever, and consequently the piston
carrying the puncheon, to their primitive position. The circulation of
the cold water in the small tubes is then stopped, and it is replaced
by that of the hot water or steam to recommence the operation, and so
Slide boxes or cocks worked by a single crank may be used for the
distribution of the hot water or steam and of the cold water. These
boxes or these cocks are so arranged as to cause the cold water and the
hot water to issue separately in order that both the one and the other
may be utilized.
on.

page_text: A small bronze basin having a clack valve within it is placed in a
suitable part of the framing. This basin being always filled with oil or
glycerine serves to feed automatically the hollow part of the frame if
from the effect of cold the liquid should become too much condensed.
This inner clack valve completely prevents the escape of the liquid when
under expansion.
The safety valve presses upon a solid washer made of "clinquant" or
very thin copper, which prevents any oozing of the liquid, but which is
toru by it if the pressure of the liquid exceeds the required degree.
Any refrigerating mixture which will more rapidly effect the con-.
densation of the liquid may be used in lieu of the cold water.
The pistons above mentioned are the same as those used in ordinary
hydraulic presses.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ferdinando Tommasi in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINANDO
TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, and Republic of
France, Gentleman, send greeting.
1
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, Her special licence that I,
the said Ferdinando Tommasi, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC RIVETING
MACHINE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Ferdinando Tommasi, my executors or administrators, by an instrument.

page_text: :
end of two jointed levers on the aforesaid piston by means of the vertical
rods I and cross piece K placed above the same piston. It is at this
moment that the rivet at a white heat is placed between the puncheons.
One of these puncheons is fixed, but the other is set in the piston L,
which also plunges into the same oil or the glycerine in a horizontal
position. This piston, notwithstanding the expansion of the oil or
glycerine, cannot be driven out, because it is stopped by the cross
piece M, which by the aid of two rods, the cross piece N and the screw-
threaded rod O, presses on the wedge P; but at the moment the.
rivet is placed between the two puncheons the workman by pressing on
the lever Q frees the wedge P, and restores to the horizontal position all
its freedom of action. The result is that the vertical piston, carried
down by the fall of the counterweight, suddenly compresses the oil or the
glycerine, and this liquid instantaneously transmits its pressure to the
horizontal piston, the puncheon of which strikes the end of the rivet like
a powerful hammer, riveting it at a single blow, while the slides of the
distributing boxes R and R¹ by their change of position stop the hot
circulation, which they immediately replace by a circulation of cold
water or other source of cold, which produces the condensation of the
oil or glycerine. The workman then turns the fly S rapidly to the left,
replaces the wedge P, and turning the fly S to the right brings back the
piston Land the slides of the valve boxes to their primitive position.
The result is that the heat again circulates in the small tubes, and the
operation may be recommenced, and so on. Two other distributing slide
boxes, their slides being worked by the same mechanism, may be added
to cause the cold and hot water which has circulated in the small tubes
to issue separately, so that both the one and the other may be utilized.
A small bronze basin with inner clack valve is placed in a suitable
part of the framing. This basin being always filled with the same liquid
as contained in the cylinder serves to feed this cylinder automatically, if
from the effect of cold this liquid should become too much condensed.
This valve completely prevents the escape of the liquid when under
pressure.
The safety valve presses upon a solid washer made of "clinquant" (or
very thin copper) which prevents any oozing of the liquid, but which is
torn by it if the pressure of the liquid exceeds the required degree.
To avoid confusion this valve and this basin are not shewn in the
Ting

page_text: Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I claim as
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the
use for working "Hydro-thermic Rivetting Machines" of the motive
power developed by the successive and alternate expansion and conden-
sation of any kind of liquid, this expansion and condensation being
produced by a liquid or gaseous current alternately and successively hot
and cold, which circulates by the action of the mechanical means above
set forth in the small tubes plunged into the aforesaid liquid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
PAUL PERROT.
JEAN BAPTISTE GIRARD.
FERDINANDO TOMMASI. (L.S.)