Year: 1886

page_text: I WILLIS WHITED of Lachine in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of
Canada, Bridge Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to so construct the head of a punching or other
similar machine that the tool may be brought to rest at any desired point and
where most convenient for placing readily and accurately the sheet to be operated
upon.*
To that end I combine with the sliding head of such a machine and the operating
mechanism, certain devices hereinafter described which can be put to use at any
point in the movement of the head to effect its stoppage at a certain point which is
variable by adjustment.
The improvements will be particularly set forth in connection with a punching
machine.
The sliding head of the machine is actuated by a crank working in a compound
slide block which is fitted in a vertical slot in the head between upper and lower
bearers: These bearers may consist of devices of any suitable construction which
when placed in one position shall compel the sliding head to move up and down
with the slide block, and when placed in a certain other position shall permit the
slide block to move up and down independently when the sliding head is in any
position within the range of its ordinary motion. The bearers are of flat form and
are journalled in the sliding head so that when they are in the vertical position
the sliding head is compelled to move with the slide block, and when they are
turned in a horizontal position the sliding head is permitted to remain unacted
upon by the slide block. The bearer journals are coupled together by counter-
balanced levers and worked by a handle.
The sliding head is brought to rest at any required height by turning the
bearers to a horizontal position, this movement bringing a pin attached to the
lower shaft into contact with a stop adjustable by a set and holding screw and
jam-nut in the supporting frame of the head. By adjusting the stop the head can
be stopped at any desired point with the end of the punch slightly above the face
of the sheet to be punched. By moving the stop into a slightly oblique position
the head may be allowed to descend a little and the punch to come down into

page_text: contact with the sheet without throwing the head into action. If the sheet is not
right it can be adjusted, after which by turning the bearers into operative position
the head will be operated and the sheet punched.
To prevent the accident that might happen if the compound slide block should
be too low to allow the bearers to be thrown quite into the operative position, one
end of the lower hearer is rebated and a projection formed on or carried by the
block, so that the lower point of the projection will permit the point of the rebate
to pass when the block is at its highest point, but if the block is not fully up or has
just commenced its downward movement, the point of the projection will strike the
point of the rebate and hold the bearer, in such an oblique position that it will be
forced into the horizontal position by the slide block, or down again, but if the
projection can pass the point of the rebate, the bearer will be thrown into place.
In large machines where the sliding head is heavy, it is preferable to balance it
by a counterweight.
The same devices may be applied to a horizontal punching machine.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Punching, Shearing, and similar Machines.
I, WILLIS WHITED of Lachine, in the Province of Quebec, and Dominion of
Canada, 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 :-
The object of my Invention is to so construct the head of a punching, or other
similar machine, that the tool may be brought to rest at any desired point, and
where most convenient for placing readily and accurately the sheet to be operated
upon. To that end I combine, with the sliding head of such a machine and the
operating mechanism, certain devices, hereinafter described, which can be put to
use at any point in the movement of the head to effect its stoppage at a certain
point which is variable by adjustment.
The improvements will be particularly set forth in connection with a punching
machine.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification; in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the Figures.
Figure 1. is a face-view of a punching machine with the face-plate removed.
Figure 2. is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3. is a vertical section of the head.
Figure 4. is a detail section on the line y. y Figure 1; and
Figures 5. and 6. are detail views illustrating the operation of certain parts.
A is the sliding head of the machine fitted for movement by a crank a and a
bearing block b working in a horizontal slot in a separate block or piece c which in
turn works in a vertical slot in the head between upper and lower bearers d.
These bearers d may consist of devices of any suitable construction which, when
placed in one position, shall compel the sliding head A to move up and down with
the block c and when placed in a certain other position shall permit the block c to
move up and down independently when the sliding head is in any position within
the range of its ordinary motion The construction which I prefer is shown in the
drawings. The bearers d d are of flat form and hung so as to turn upon
journals e e bearing in the sliding head A in such a way that. when they are in
the vertical position shown the sliding head is compelled to move with the piece c
and when they are turned in a horizontal position the sliding bead is permitted to
remain unacted upon by the block or piece c. Attached to the extensions of said
journals or shafts e are lower arms f that are connected by a link i, and to one of
these shafts e is attached a weighted arm or lever h while to the other shaft a
handle g is attached for operating the whole mechanism. The sliding head A is
brought to rest at any height by turning the bearers d to a horizontal position this
movement bringing a pin j attached to the lower shaft e into contact with a stop k
which is adjustable by a set and holding screw and jam-nut in the supporting
frame of the head. By adjusting the stop k by means of the screw ɩ the head cau

page_text: be stopped at any desired point with the end of the punch slightly above the face
of the sheet to be punched.
The operation is as follows;-When a sheet is to be punched the operator pushes
the handle g from him or in direction of the arrow at Figure 2 thereby throwing
the bearers into the horizontal position and out of action; the head can then
descend by gravity until arrested at a point in its descent determined by the
position of the adjustable stop k with which the pin j will now come in contact, in
which position of rest of the head the punch will nearly touch a sheet when
placed beneath the punch. The sheet to be punched is now to be adjusted beneath
the punch as accurately as possible, the operator then pulls the handle towards
him, or in the inverse direction of the arrow a² a short distance, which, by moving
the stop into a slightly oblique position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5,
allows the head to descend a little and the punch to come down into contact with
the sheet without throwing the head into action. If the sheet is not right it is
adjusted and the handle pulled clear forward, but if the block c is moving
'downward it must be allowed to rise before the handle can be pulled forward, and
at the next descent, of the block with the head the sheet will be punched. When
the bearers d are in the vertical position the head and punch will be reciprocated
with the blocks c; when the bearers are turned to the horizontal position the head
with the punch will be free to take by gravity the lower positions as when the
punch has been driven through a sheet of metal. If the screw is adjusted to
place the stop k in its lowest position the pin j will not prevent this entire
downward movement; by raising the stop k the head can be stopped with the end
of the punch above the lower position.
To prevent the accident which might happen if the block c should be too low to
allow the bearers d to be thrown quite into the vertical position, one end of the
lower bearer d is rebated at u Figure 1. and shown by the dotted lines in
Figure 3. and a projection t Figures 1 and 3 framed on the block c or on the edge
of a plate secured to the end of block c, so that the lower point of projection t will.
permit the point u¹ of the rebate u to pass when the block c is at its highest point
but if the block is not fully up, or has just commenced its downward movement
the point of t will strike the point u' and hold the bearer in such an oblique
position that it will be forced into the horizontal position by the block .c, or down
again, assisted by the weighted lever but if the projection t can pass the point u¹
the weighted lever h coming into action the bearer will be thrown into place.
In large machines where the sliding-head is heavy, it is preferable to attach a
counter weight to the same, as shown at p which acting through the lever g and
links s balances the head A.
Some of the advantages of this construction may be mentioned as follows ;-
The punch may be built with a very short stroke, a little more than sufficient to
clear the thickest metal thus giving more power with less gearing. The machine
can be run at two or three times the speed that is usually obtained, and still have
the same power. The metal can be placed under the punch more quickly and
more accurately than with the other punches; the construction is simple, and no
part is liable to get out of order, and no great accuracy is required in the
construction of any part. The same devices may be applied to a horizontal
punching machine. I am aware that it is not new to employ in connection with
the punch carrying head a sliding block acted upon by the crank shaft block and
adapted to move with the head by means of pivoted bars arranged within the
elongated opening of the head which contains said sliding block.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention; and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;
1. The combination of the sliding head A, the operating block c, the pivoted
bearers d, and the lever f and handle g for moving the bearers, substantially as
Josanik1

page_text: 2. The combination with an adjustable stop k of the shafte having projection j
the bearers d fitted for movement by operation of the shaft e, the operating block c,
and the sliding head A, substantially as described.
',
3. The combination with the sliding head A and its operating block c of
adjustable bearers hung so as to be thrown in and out of contact with the block c,
the lever mechanism connected to the bearers for their operation and an adjustable
stop for arresting the downward movement of the head substantially as described.
4. The combination with the operating block c, the lower bearer d rebated at u
to form the point u¹, and sliding head A, of the projection t on the block c,
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.