IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR THE CON- SOLIDATION AND WORKING OF METALS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Adamson, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR THE CON-
SOLIDATION AND WORKING OF METALS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Adamson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1881.
"1
DANIEL ADAMSON, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer.
IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR THE CONSOLIDATION AND WORKING OF METALS
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
My improved appliances for the consolidation and working of metals and other
substances consist in the application of steam pressure direct by means of a piston
or pistons of comparatively large area upon the metal or other substance under
treatment. The pressure being applied gradually, or at most with a percussive
force not sufficiently severe as to destroy the press or necessitate an independent
anvil to strike upon as in the case of the steain hammer, but only such as can be
used in my direct acting steam press operating directly against a self contained
bedplate connected to the steam cylinder or cylinders by ties of wrought iron, cast
steel, or other material or materials as may be found most suitable. The action of
this class of steam press may be in a vertical, inclined, or horizontal direction
according to circumstances, or it may be a combination of two or more directions.
In applying the Invention to the consolidation of molten copper, cast iron, or.
steel, or to wrought iron in a welding condition, I use in preference one of two
classes of presses to suit the work to be done.
In the one class of press the steam cylinder is placed above the material to be
operated upon and is attacted to the foundation plate direct by uprights, while the
force is communicated to the material by a ram or rod attached direct to or forming
a portion of the steam piston itself, and communicates the pressure direct to the
metal placed upon the base plate. Such metal may be either in an ingot box or
case or unprotected while the force is brought. direct upon it.
In the application of very great force for the manipulation and working of large
pieces of malleable metal, the base plate may contain an adjustable anvil to be

page_text: lifted or supported by water as a hydraulic ram, or the anvil may be lifted and
adjusted to suit the size of the metal to be operated upon by screws actuated either
direct, or by means of a lever, worm wheel, or other wheel gear driven by power
or hand in the usual way, or by wedges or other equivalent means.
Such adjusting gear having suitable locking appliances, whether taps, valves, or
stops to fix the lifting base or ram at convenient heights.
In the other class of press direct steam action can be secured by reversing the
construction and placing the acting steam cylinder or cylinders below, so that the
action is upwards, thereby transmitting the force or pressure from the bottom
of the apparatus up towards the top or entablature, in which can be fixed the
adjusting appliances as before described.
For the consolidation of steel or copper ingots or other molten or semi-molten
metals no adjusting appliances would be necessary, as the force produced by the
direct steam press or pressure piston upon the metal would be resisted by the base
plate or entablature without any adjusting arrangement fixed thereto.
For the forging or working of large masses of malleable metal I apply my direct
steam press of large dimensions, having a steam cylinder of any suitable size, even
up to fourteen feet diameter or more, with piston block and ram or rod fixed in
and attached thereto, and the steam pressure piston can conveniently be made in
pieces secured together, and of any weight up to two hundred & fifty tons, or as
much more as may be necessary for the work to be done.
Such steam press
piston can be used for forging by allowing it to drop a short distance to assist the
action of direct pressure by such percussive force only as will not destroy or
strain the self contained machine.
The lifting of such press piston may be actuated by high pressure steam on the
lower side only when the lighter class of work has to be performed, but when a
greater force than this is required sufficient high pressure steam, controlled by a
special form of valve, and, when necessary, regulated by a reducing valve or other
appliance, is admitted above the press piston to give the necessary pressure, and in
the larger sizes of this direct steam press an amount of energy can be developed
equal to several thousand foot tons, and be brought to bear upon the work.
To
In dealing with such steam press cylinders large condensing surfaces are
necessarily exposed to the cooling action of the surrounding atmosphere.
prevent destruction by the accumulation of condensed steam I prefer to fix to the
cylinders one or moro water traps to collect the condensed steam water, and I
may further intercept or trap any water passing forward in the steam pipes before
entering the steam press cylinder.
In some cases I may form a jacket around the cylinders, and in others I may
superheat the steam.
In the application of my direct steam press to the compression of linseed, the
packing of cotton goods or similar articles, the usual appliances for containing
the same would be required to be used, and the length of the stroke of the
press piston would be extended to suit the character of the material to be operated
upon,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Daniel Adamson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th August 1881.
DANIEL ADAMSON, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Engineer. "IMPROVED
APPLIANCES FOR THE CONSOLIDATION AND WORKING OF METALS AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES."
My improved appliance for the consolidation, compression, and working of metals
and other substances consists in the application of direct steam force upon a large
area of piston, together with a small percussive force, if necessary or desirable, to
ensure a more powerful action upon the metal or other substance under treatment,
such percussive force not to be such as to necessitate an anvil to strike upon, as in
the case of a steam hammer, but only such as can be used by my direct action
steam press operating upon or against a self contained bed plate connected to steam
cylinder by uprights in wrought or cast iron or steel, as may be most suitable for
the work intended to be executed.
The application of this class of steam press may be vertical, angular, or horizontal.
The first arrangement generally preferred.
In applying the Invention to the consolidation of molten copper, cast iron, steel,
or wrought iron in welding condition, I use in preference two classes of presses to
suit the work to be done.
In one case the steam cylinder is above the work and attached to the bed or*
foundation plate direct by uprights, while the force is communicated to the metal to
be consolidated by ram or rod direct from the steam piston to the metal upon the
base plate. Such metal may be either in an ingot box or case, or unprotected while
the force is brought direct upon it.
In the application of very great force for the manipulation and working of large
pieces of malleable metal the base plate may contain a floating or movable anvil
supported by water as a hydraulic rain, or the anvil may be lifted and adjusted to
suit the size of the metal to be operated upon by screws actuated by.lever, worm
wheel, or wheel gear driven by power in the usual way, such gear having suitable
stopping appliances, or taps, or valves to fix the lifting base or rain at convenient
heights, or the same direct steam action when more especially used for consolidation
or compression can be secured by reversing the acting steam force from the top to
the base plate, thereby transmitting the force or pressure from the bottom of the
apparatus direct against the top or entablature, in which can be fixed adjusting
appliances as before described to be used or attached to the base or foundation
plate.
For the consolidation of steel or copper ingots or other molten or semi-molten
metals no adjusting appliances would be necessary as the force produced by the
direct steam press or pressure piston upon the metal would be resisted by the base
plate or entablature without adjusting arrangement fixed thereto.
For the forging or working of large masses of malleable metal I apply my direct
steam press of large dimensions having a steam cylinder of 8, 10, 12, or 14 feet or
more in diameter having piston block and ram or rod fixed in and attached thereto,
and the steam pressure piston can be conveniently made in pieces secured together
weighing from 5 to 100 tons, or as much more as may be necessary for the work to
be done.
Such steam press piston can be used for forging by allowing it to drop one or
two feet to assist the action of direct pressure by such percussive force only as
will not destroy the self contained machine.
The lifting of such piston press to be actuated by high pressure steam on the
lower side only when the lighter class of work has to be performed, but when the

page_text: greatest force possible is required that the press can produce then high pressure
steam is admitted to the top of the press piston, and by the use of the larger
class of my direct steam press a force may be developed equal to several thousand
foot tons, and can be brought upon the object laid or fixed upon the bed plate or
dies or special plates fixed therein in a position to receive the direct action of the
steam press ram or rod.
In dealing with steam press cylinders large condensing surfaces are exposed to
the cooling action of the surrounding atmosphere. To prevent destruction by the
the accumulation of condensed steam I prefer to fix to the lower portions of the
cylinders one or more water traps to collect the condensed steam water and to
further intercept or trap any water passing forward in the steam pipes before
entering the steam press cylinder.
In the application of my direct steam press to the compression of linseed, the
packing of cotton goods, or similar articles, the usual appliances for containing the
same would be required to be used, and the length of the stroke of the press piston
would require to be extended to suit the character of material to be operated
upon.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, reference being
had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is a front elevation in section, Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 3 is a plan of a press for consolidating and compressing metals and other
substances according to my Invention.
a is the bed plate connected by two standards b to the entablature c; dis the
cylinder cast with the entablature; e is the piston cast with the rod or ram f;
there are two stud pins e', which prevent the piston turning in the cylinder, and
cause the die g to descend in the proper position; g is a die (shaped to form a
manhole plate) fixed to the end of the rod f; h is a corresponding die fitted on the
bed plate a; i is the pipe, through which steam may be admitted to either side of
the piston when the valve is actuated by levers j.
Fig. 4 is an elevation in section, Fig. 5 is a side elevation, and Fig. 6 is a plan of
a light press suitable for consolidating ingots of highly carbonized steel suitable for
cutting tools.
a is the bed plate connected by two standards b to the entablature c; d is the
cylinder; e is the piston; f is the rod or ram; is the box containing the molten
metal, which forms an ingot of tool steel; i is the pipe, through which steam is
admitted to the piston; j is the lever for actuating the steam admission and
exhaust valve. In this case the steam is admitted to the top of the piston, and
the ram descends onto a plunger, which fits loosely in the ingot box, and the metal
is thus submitted to considerable pressure when in a molten state, and the pressure
is continued until the metal is consolidated and made free from blow holes.
On Sheet 2 Fig. 7 is a front elevation in section, Fig. 8 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 9 is a plan of a press suitable for forging or working large masses of malleable
metal, or for consolidating metals or other substances. a is the bed plate connected
by eight standards b to the entablature c; d is the cylinder; e² is a weight
connected by a rod f¹ to the piston e, which may be of great weight, and formed of
several pieces secured together if desirable; f is the rod or ram.
Fig. 10 is an elevation in section, Fig. 11 is a cross section, and Fig. 12 is an
elevation of my improved water trap, through which the steam passes before
entering the cylinder. m is a pipe communicating with the boiler which conveys
the steam to the perforated pipe n, on which are annular flanges perforated at the
inner or at the outer edge; o is a tubular casing, in which the pipe n fits; p is a
water gauge to indicate the height of water in the trap; q is a tap to let off the
water. The steam follows the direction indicated by the arrows, and passes to
the cylinder through the branch 7, while the water descends direct to the bottom
of the casing o.
Fig. 13 is a circular valve that works on a centre spindle, and admits the steam

page_text: either to the top or bottom of the cylinder or exhausts as may be required. This
valve is actuated by the levers marked j on Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6.
My improved presses are particularly applicable to the manufacture of ingot
slabs suitable for steel plates, and for circular ingots for the manufacture of wheel
tyres.
Having stated the nature of my Invention and described the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the
details herein set forth, but what I claim is,-
The improved appliances forming a self-contained machine, whereby direct
steam pressure is brought to bear upon a large area of piston, combined with a
small percussive force if desired to work and consolidate metals and other substances,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Adamson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty ninth day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.
DANIEL ADAMSON. (L..S.)