IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS OR TUBE HOOKS AND HOLDFASTS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Ashford of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick. Manufacturer. for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF GAS OR TUBE HOOKS AND HOLDFASTS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Ashford at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1883.
THOMAS ASHFORD of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS OR TUBE HOOKS AND HOLDFASTS
This Invention is an improvement upon an invention for which Provisional
Protection was granted to me dated the 10th day of November 1877 No. 4214 in
which I described the employment of four cutters the two top ones working
simultaneously and the two bottom ones being stationary or fixed cutters. The
object of these cutters so arranged being to cut out of the blank a small notch for
forming the shoulder of the hook. In my present improvements I also employ
four cutters two upper ones working simultaneously and the two lower ones
stationary, the one upper one cutting the blank from the strip, the other cutting
away from the broad end of the blank a strip of metal, leaving upon the end of
the blank only sufficient metal to stamp and turn up into the required hook.
The same piece of metal thus cut away from these blanks may be utilized and
again worked up for smaller hooks instead of becoming waste.-If desired the two
top cutters may be constructed as one cutter, with the cutting edge formed so as
to cut each blank and also cut away the strip at the one blow.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Thomas Ashford in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th December 1883.
THOMAS ASHFORD of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS OR TUBE HOOKS AND HOLDFASTS
"
This Invention is an improvement upon an invention for which Provisional
Protection was granted to me dated the tenth day of November One thousand
eight hundred and seventy seven N° 4214 in which I described the employment of
four cutters the two top ones working simultaneously and the two bottom ones
being stationary or fixed cutters The object of these cutters so arranged being to
cut out of the blank a small notch for forming the shoulder of the hook. In my
present improvements I also employ four cutters two upper ones working
simultaneously and the two lower ones stationary, the upper one cutting the blank
from the strip, the other cutting-away from the broad end of the blank a strip of
metal leaving upon the end of the blank only sufficient metal to stamp and turn up
into the required hook.
The same piece of metal thus cut away from these blanks may be utilized and
again worked up for smaller hooks instead of becoming waste
.
If desired the two top cutters may be constructed as one cutter with the cutting
edge formed so as to cut each blank and also cut away the strip at the one blow.
Having thus specified the object and nature of this my said Invention, its
description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying drawings (that
is to say)
I first cut the blanks from which the gas or pipe hooks are made from strips
of mild steel or other suitable metal, the width of the strip being the same as
the length of the blank for the gas hook before bending, one of these blanks is
represented in Fig. 11 Plan view and Fig. 10 Side view
65
Fig. 1 represents the four tools in the positions they occupy when at work
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of same
Fig. 3 is a side view
« a
"
33
*
" and "b" are the two upper tools which move vertically simultaneously
C and "d are the two lower fixed tools. The cutting edge of the tool
at "a" the cutting edges of the tool "b" are at "1" "³ the cutting edge of the
tools "c" and "d" are at "c1" and "d¹" respectively.
"
al
is
I will describe the action of the tools (viz) When the strip of metal is presented
to the machine in an angular direction in the well known manner as in cutting
nails and as shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 the end part rests on the two fixed
tools "c" and "d" when by the action of the machine in which the tools are fixed
the upper tools " a " and "b" descend simultaneously they cut off a blank of the
shape shown at "e" Fig. 11 the part "el" being cut out by the three cutting edges
of the tool "b" and remaining on the upper surface of the tool d whence it slips
off into the scrap heap. The descending tools " and "b" carry in their descent
the blank with them into the lower parts of the machine where it is further dealt
with.
"
a
The pieces "e" may be used for making smaller hooks by another process
Figs. 4. 5. 6 represent respectively, front view, side view and sectional plan of
the tool "b" which cuts out of the blank the piece "e" Fig. 11 leaving the
projecting piece "e" which is afterwards bent to form that part of the hook which
clips and holds the pipe
Fig. 7. 8. 9 represent respectively front view, side view, and inverted plan of a
double tool, that is a tool in one piece which is the same shape as the two tools a
"
"

page_text: and "b" when side by side in their working position in these figures the edge "f"
answers or acts in the same way as the edge "a¹" "g" as "1" "h" as "62"
""""
Fig. 12 shows a front view of the arrangement of the tools in the machine and
Fig. 13 a side view of the same. In these views the tools are shewn as placed in
an ordinary nail cutting machine, but I do not limit myself to this but I place if
required the moveable tools in a vertical slide. Or I may entirely alter their
position and make them move sideways if required In this my Invention I claim
the construction combination or arrangement of the tools and not to the mode of
imparting motion thereto, neither do I limit myself to the exact shape or
configuration as shewn on the accompanying drawings as various modifications may
be made without departing from the principle of this Invention
What I claim as novel and original and desire to have secured to me by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent are:-
1
The configuration and arrangement of four cutters or tools, two fixed and
two moveable for the purpose of cutting blanks for gas or pipe hooks and holdfasts
as shewn and described on the accompanying drawings or any modification
thereof.
2nd The configuration and arrangement of two fixed cutters with one moveable
cutter, the moveable cutter being made the same shape as the two moveable
cutters above mentioned when fixed side by side
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Ashford have hereunto set my hand and
seal this twelth [sic] day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three