Improvements in Hydraulic Machinery for Bending Metallic Plates.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hydraulic Machinery for Bending Metallic Plates.
I, HENRY BERRY, of Croydon Works, Hunslet, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements in hydraulic machinery for bending metallic plates, consists
in the means employed for operating the bending beam and of quickly disengaging
the connection with the top of the bending beam, to facilitate the removal from the
machine of a plate that has been bent to the tubular or cylindrical form, or for
placing such a plate into the machine.
In a vertical machine according to my invention, the moving bending beam
slide may have its operating side or face of a circular form, or half an elipse,
whilst the front of the main standard may be concave, or have outside projecting
flanges. The bending beam slide is operated by two sliding bolts which pass
through suitable bearings or guides formed in the main standard, one end of the
bottom bolt being secured to the lower end of the beam, whilst one end of the top
bolt is secured to the upper end thereof, in such a manner that it can be readily
disengaged therewith. The outer projecting end of each bolt being connected to
sliding blocks moving in horizontal guides on the main standard, operated by
(single) toggle links connected with other sliding blocks working in vertical guides
the top and bottom vertical sliding blocks are connected together by links, which
links are also connected to and receive motion from a hydraulic or fluid pressure
cylinder placed in a suitable position and either formed on the main standard or
may be secured thereto.
The ram of the main cylinder with its connections and sliding blocks are always
kept in the starting position; that is with the bending beam farthest away from
the main standard, ready for the insertion of a metallic plate, by means of one or
more smaller fluid pressure cylinders and/rams placed in the base of the main
standard, such ram or rams operating against suitable projections on the lower
vertical sliding block.
In bending metallic plates, suitable stops are used, and inserted between the
underside of the bottom vertical sliding block and the main standard, to ensure
bent plates being of the same radius, or when bent to the tubular form of the same
diameter.
To facilitate the removal of a plate which has been bent to the tubular form,
the top sliding bolt is provided with a rack in a part of its length, in which a rack-
pinion engages secured on a shaft carried and revolving in bearings in the main
standard, on the outer projecting end of this shaft is secured another pinion which
is operated by two racks, one on each side facing each other, which move in guides
secured to the main standard, or may be kept up to or in gear with the said pinion
by rollers operating against the backs of the racks, on the end of each rack is
furnished a piston ram working in a hydraulic cylinder also secured on the main
standard one rack with its piston ram arranged to operate the pinions in one

page_text: direction so as to withdraw the sliding bolt from the bending beam until its outer
end is within its bearing in the standard, thus leaving a clear space to withdraw
or insert a tubular plate, the other rack with its piston operates the pinions in the
reverse direction, moving the sliding bolt back again into the bending beam, to
which it may be secured by either a cotter or a nut screwed on its outer end.
The bending beam in a vertical machine has its lower end provided with a sup-
porting shoe which slides in suitable guides provided on the main standard, when
used horizontally such shoe and guides may be dispensed with by making that end
bolt somewhat larger in diameter to carry the bending beam.
Suitable rollers are provided in fixed bearings on the base of the main standard
for the metallic plates to roll on, or such rollers may be mounted in suitable swivell-
ing forked bearings placed on the base of the main standard. In a modified
machine, also according to my invention, wherein double sets of toggle levers are
used with the horizontal sliding blocks such top and bottom toggle joints being
connected together by links, which are also connected with the ram of the main
cylinder, the above mentioned vertical sliding blocks with their guides are dis-
pensed with; one end of each extra set of toggle levers in connection with each
horizontal sliding block being secured to the sides of the main standard the main
hydraulic cylinder being furnished with trunnions mounted in bearings on the
standard, to allow for the oscillation of the ram.
In operating this machine, the metallic plate to be bent is placed in the space
between the main standard and the bending beam, fluid pressure applied to the
main cylinder which forces the ram outwards or downwards along with the links
in connection with the top and bottom vertical slides, these forcing horizontally
by means of the toggle levers the horizontal sliding blocks with their sliding
bolts, thus drawing the bending beam towards the main standard and bending the
metallic plate for a certain distance the required radius, when the pressure is
taken off, the smaller cylinders then force their rams against the underside of the
bottom vertical sliding block, which forces the main ram and bending beam back
to their normal position, when the plate is moved forward the required distance
ready for the next operation, these operations being repeated until the metallic
plate is bent to the desired configuration.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of April 1898.
R. E. P. CRAVEN,
Registered Patent Agent,
King Street Chambers, 52, Wellington Street, Leeds.
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Hydraulic Machinery for Bending Metallic Plates.
I, HENRY BERRY, of Croydon Works, Hunslet, Leeds, in the County of York,
Engineer, 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:-
This invention of improvements in hydraulic machinery for bending metallic
plates comprises improved means for operating the bending beam, and means
whereby one end of the bending beam can be readily disengaged to facilitate the
removal from or insertion in the machine of a plate of tubular or other bent form.
According thereto plate bending machines are constructed having their bending
beam arranged either vertically or horizontally and provided at their ends with

page_text: perating bolts capable of being slidden in bearings in the main standard or the
machine by means of an hydraulic cylinder the ram of which is adapted to move
liding blocks or crossheads which are connected by toggle links or their equivalent
o other sliding blocks connected to the aforesaid operating bolts. Auxiliary
ydraulic cylinders are or may be provided whereby the bending beams can be
eturned to their open or inoperative position. In order to allow of tubular or
other bent forms of plates to be withdrawn from or placed in the machine, one of
the operating bolts or a part thereof is adapted to be removed or disconnected
from the corresponding end of the bending beam whereby an opening is formed
through which the plate can pass.
An hydraulic plate bending machine of the vertical type is illustrated by way of
example in Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings of which
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a plan, side elevation and rear view of the
machine:
Fig. 4 is a detail front view showing the supporting slide of the bending beam;
and Figs. 5 and 6 show in cross section different forms which may be given to the
pressing surfaces.
as
In this machine the bending beam 1 is provided with a foot 2 adapted to slide
between guides 3 in the bed 4 which may be secured to the main standard 5
shown in Fig. 2 or formed in one therewith. The operating slide 6
shown in Fig. 6 or
it may
of the beam may be partly circular as
be semi-elliptical as shown at 7, Fig. 5. The front of the main standard 5 is
advantageously provided with a separable concave bending block 8, secured to the
said standard by means of bolts 9 (Fig. 2) or such concave part may be formed in
one with the main standard and may in some cases be furnished with projecting
flanges 10 as shown in Fig. 6.
The lower end of the bending beam 1 is provided with a lug 1 through which
passes the front end of the lower operating bolt 11 secured thereto by means of a
fixed collar 11" and a screw nut 11b. The top end of the bending beam 1 is forked
or open at the end in order to receive the jointed end portion 12" of the upper
operating bolt 12 the said jointed part being securely connected to the beam 1 by
collars and 12. The operating bolt 12 is forked at its front end and con-
nected with the hinged part 12" by a pin 12ª, one end 12° of which projects and
has keyed or otherwise secured thereto a lever 13 the free end 13" of which is con-
nected by links 13h to a double acting piston rod 14 which works in a hydraulic
cylinder 14 secured to the main standard 5, the piston rod 14 working in a
guide 14h secured on the main standard 5. The arrangement is such that by
operating the piston or ram 14 a turning movement is given to the pin 12d whereby
the hinged part 12" of the bolt 12, which is keyed or otherwise suitably secured
to the pin 12, is turned away from the bending beam towards the rear, the front part
of the top end of the beam being suitably shaped to allow of the said turning
movement. The bolts 11 and 12 pass through to the rear of the main standard 5,
and are each provided with a horizontal sliding block 15 retained thereon by
screw nut 16, the said sliding block 15 moving between guides 17 herein shown as
provided with retaining strips 18 secured to the main standard 5. Upon each side
of the sliding block 15 is a projecting pin 20 which carries one end of a toggle
link 21 the lower end 22 of which bears against a thrust block 23 formed on the
block 15. Each sliding block 15 is connected by the toggle links 21 to a vertical
sliding block 24 which is provided with laterally projecting pins 25 to receive the
0 upper ends 26 of the said links the outer surface 27 of the latter working against
a thrust block 28 on the vertical sliding block 24.
it
The two vertical sliding blocks 24 are connected together by links 29 carried
by pins 30 on the said blocks and are moved simultaneously by a single acting
ram 31 working in the hydraulic cylinder 32 and acting against the upper end 33
5 of the lower vertical block 24 to which it may be secured, the movement thus
imparted forcing the operating bolts 11 and 12 to the rear and with them the bend-
ing beam 1 towards the hollow bending block 8.

page_text: The ram 31 of the main cylinder with its connected parts are normally kept in
starting position with the bending beam moved away from the main standard
ready for the insertion of a plate, by means of cylinders 34 and 35 located in the
base of the main standard 5 with their rams 34 and 35" adapted to act against the
under side of the lower vertical slide block 24; these rams act together with
auxiliary rams 36 and 37 working in cylinders 36 and 37ª formed in the rear ends
of the sliding bolts 11 and 12, to force the ram 31 back to its starting position,
such movement also returning the bending beam to its open position.
The rams 34 and 35 have screwed upon their upper projecting ends stop
pieces 38 with lock nuts 39 whereby the said stop pieces can be secured in any
desired position. By these means uniformity in the work is ensured when bending
several plates to one shape.
The rams 36 and 37 are secured in crossheads 36 and 37b which are connected
to the main standard 5 by the stay bolts 40.
In operating the machine the plate to be bent is placed in the space between
the main standard and the bending beam and fluid pressure applied to the main
cylinder, which forces the ram outwards or downwards thereby moving the links
connected to the top and bottom vertical slides, these forcing horizontally by means
of the toggle links the horizontal sliding blocks with their operating bolts thus
drawing the bending beam towards the main standard, and bending the plate for
a certain amount to the required radius or shape. When the fluid pressure is
cut off from the main cylinder the smaller cylinders then force their rams against
the underside of the bottom vertical sliding blocks, which forces the main ram and
bending beam back to their normal position, when the plate is moved onward the
required distance to be further pressed at the next operation, these operations being
repeated until the plate is bent to the desired configuration.
In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown in side and rear elevation respectively a plate-bend-
ing machine substantially similar to that previously described but of horizontal
type.
In this construction the bending beam 1 is secured to the operating bolt 11:
between the long collar 11" and nut 11b which are made sufficiently strong to sup-
port the beam, thus dispensing with the guiding foot 2 of the vertical machine.
The lower end of each operating bolt 11 and 12 is secured to a sliding block 15
which sliding blocks are operated by a ram and connecting links and toggles as
hereinabove described with reference to a vertical machine. In this case the
pin 12, which connects the two parts 12 and 12" of the bolt 12, is provided on its
projecting end with a boss or sleeve 12 having holes 128 to receive one end of a
lever or bar 12h whereby turning movement can be given to the jointed part of the
bolt 12".
In a modification of the machine the sliding blocks upon the two operating bolts
are each connected by toggle links to a crosshead, both crossheads being connected
together by links and to the main standard of the machine by other toggle links
and one of the cross-heads being operated by the hydraulic ram the cylinder of
which is mounted on trunnions so as to be capable of a partial turning movement.
The arrangement is such that when the hydraulic ram is operated the crossheads
are moved so as to bring the two sets of toggle links in line the thrust being taken
by the ends of the links connected to the standard whereby the sliding blocks are
pushed outwards, the bending beam being drawn by them.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are plan and side and rear elevations respectively of a vertical
bending machine of this kind. The bending beam 1 is provided with a shoe 2, which
moves on the surface 3 of the bed 4, a lug 1ª being provided below the shoe 2, to
which one end of the bolt 11 is secured by the nut 11. The rear ends of the bolts 11
and 12 pass through the main standard 5 and through the horizontal sliding
blocks 15 which are secured in place thereon by means of the nuts 16 and by
cotters 16.
In order to withdraw the front end of the top bolt from the top end of the bend-
ing beam so as to leave a clear space for the withdrawal or insertion of a bent

page_text: plate the top bolt 12 is in this construction secured in the upper end of the beam 1
by a removable cotter 12* and passes through the main standard 5 and through
the other horizontal sliding block 15 to which it is secured by the cotter 16. This
top bolt 12 is provided for part of its length with a rack 41 which is operated by
rack pinion 42 secured on a shaft 43 revolving in a bearing 44 on the standard 5
and in a bearing 45 in the cover plate 46. On the shaft 43 is secured another
pinion 47 which can be rotated in opposite directions by racks 48 and 49 and
placed on opposite sides thereof, and kept in contact therewith by rollers 50 and 51
placed at the rear of each rack. At the lower ends of the rack 48 and 49 are pro-
vided single acting pistons 52 and 53 working in hydraulic cylinders 54 and 55
respectively secured to the main standard 5.
Each horizontal slide block 15 is connected to a cross-head 56 by toggle-links 21
mounted on projecting pins 20 and 25, the cross-heads being connected to the
standard by other toggle links 57 mounted on projecting pins 25 and 57". The
round ends of the toggle links work against thrust pieces provided respectively
on the slide blocks, crossheads, and standard.
The top and bottom cross-heads 56 are connected together by links 56ª the ends
of which are mounted on pins 56b. The cross-heads receive motion from the single-
acting ram 31 working in the hydraulic cylinder 32 which oscillates on trunnions 58
and acts against the projecting end 56 on the lower crosshead 56. The ram 31
is returned to the starting position by small rams 59 and 60, working in hydraulic
cylinders 59 and 60%, oscillating on the seats or bearings 61 and 62.
A horizontal bending machine constructed in a somewhat similar manner to that
last described is shewn in Figs. 12 and 13 in side and rear elevation respectively.
In this machine the crossheads and double toggle links are operated by means of
a double acting ram 63, working in a hydraulic cylinder 63 mounted and oscillat-
ing on trunnions 58. The crosshead at the right hand of the machine is provided
with stop pieces 56d between the end 56° of which and the main standard 5 stops
of various thickness can be inserted whereby the required extent of movement can
be regulated.
Suitable rollers are or may be provided carried by fixed swivelling bearings at
the base of the main standard for the plates to roll on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A hydraulic plate bending machine comprising a bending beam provided
with operating bolts adapted to be reciprocated by means of a hydraulic cylinder
the thrust of whose ram is imparted simultaneously to all the said operating bolts
in the required direction through links, substantially as described.
2. In a hydraulic plate bending machine of the kind set forth in the preceding
claim, an auxiliary fluid pressure cylinder or cylinders adapted to return the
hydraulic ram and parts connected therewith to the starting position, in combina-
tion with auxiliary fluid pressure cylinders for returning the bending beam to its
open or starting position, substantially as described.
3. In a hydraulic plate bending machine of the kind herein referred to, means
whereby the operating bolt or bolts at one end of the bending beam can be dis-
connected and withdrawn from the said beam so as to leave a clear space for the
insertion or withdrawal of bent plates, substantially as described.
4. In a hydraulic plate bending machine of the kind referred to, means for
Oregulating the movement of the bending beam to a predetermined extent, con-
structed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with refer-
ence respectively to and shewn in Fig. 2, and in Fig. 12 of the accompanying
drawings.
5. In a hydraulic plate bending machine, apparatus for operating the bending
5 beam constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as herein before described

page_text: with reference respectively to and shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or modified according
to Figs. 9, 10 and 11, and in Figs. 7 and 8 or modified according to Figs. 12 and 13
of the drawings annexed.
6. In a hydraulic plate bending machine, means for disconnecting and withdraw-
ing one end of the operating bolt from the bending beam and replacing the same,
constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the several examples shewn in the drawings annexed.
7. Hydraulic plate bending machines constructed as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shewn in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive; in Figs. 7 and 8; in Figs. 9, 10
and 11; and in Figs. 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th low of Lano 1900
R. E. P. CRAVEN,
Chartered Patent Agent,
King Street Chambers, 52, Wellington Street, Leeds.
Agent for the Applicant.