NEW OR IMPROVED MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR BENDING AND OTHERWISE OPERATING UPON METALS OR METALLIC SUBSTANCES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Thomson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
January 1870.
I, WILLIAM THOMSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark; North'
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "NEW
OR IMPROVED MECHANISM OR APPARATUS FOR BENDING AND OTHERWISE OPERATING
UPON METALS OR METALLIC SUBSTANCES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to new or improved mechanism or apparatus
for bending and otherwise operating upon metals or metallic substances.."
As the number of articles in the manufacture of which it is or may be
used is very numerous it will suffice, in order to make the Invention .
understood and to avoid confusion, to set it forth with reference to one.
particular article of manufacture, and for this purpose the following
description is confined to the manufacture of metallic heels for boots
or shoes.
>

page_text: Under one modification the mechanism consists of one or more
standards, having a flat top or table at the upper end; in this table the
die or matrix for forming the interior of the metallic heel is placed,
the
die or matrix being removable so that it can be taken out and others of
different shapes and dimensions inserted when required. The piece of
metal to be formed into the boot or shoe heel is cut to the required
length, which is ascertained by a moveable guage attached to a lever,
which lever is raised at the proper time out of interference with the
action of the other parts of the machine by means of an attachment to
another moving part of the machine. As soon as the piece of metal
(previously heated) is placed in the machine it is pushed forward against
the die or matrix by a pair of levers carrying antifriction rollers, the
outer of which rollers bear against guides of the required shape, whilst
the inner rollers bear against the piece of metal to be bent into the.
curved form of the boot or shoe heel, and as the motion of the levers
and rollers is continued the piece of metal is bent by the compression
caused by the form or contour of the guides, whilst at the same time a
descending hammer, which may be actuated by steam, air, friction, or
from a revolving shaft; or in place of either of these a lever fitted with
'a_suitable hammer head falls, and the hammer in either case being
provided with punches of the required shape, these form the holes for
receiving the nails by which the heel is held to the boot or shoe. The
levers carrying the rollers are actuated from the hammer by means of a
link or rod (which may be shortened or lengthened as required), and
this is connected to the lever at the end opposite to where the rollers
are carried.
•
Under another modification, in place of bending the piece of metal in
the manner described in the foregoing arrangement, a pair of levers
fixed over the table or standard may be used, these being united to a
pin joint, and also brought together so as to bend the metal round the
die or matrix.
It is important that the head of the hammer be connected to the
piston rod or lever (which actuates it) by an elastic coupling, so as to
obviate the jar upon the piston rod or lever. And it is further to be
understood that when bending metallic substances is the only operation
to be performed thereon the bending mechanism may be used without
being combined with the punching or stamping mechanism.

page_text: Under another modification, in place of cutting the metallic bar to be
operated upon to the required length before being placed in the machine,
a bar of longer length may be used, and after the bending has been
effected it is cut to the required length by the descent of the hammer,.
which carries a chizel or cutter for that purpose.