IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING AND FORMING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL
Year: 1869

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
STAMPING AND FORMING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL."-A communication
from abroad by William Dakin Grimshaw, of Newark, in the State
of New Jersey, Freeman Parker Erskine, of Chicago, in the State
of Illinois, and John Breckenridge Peabody, of the City and State of
New York, all in the United States of America.
ealed the 29th June 1869, and dated the 25th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th January 1869.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
5 Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING
AND FORMING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is the production of various kinds of
sunken sheet metal work either heavy or light. The sheet metal plate

page_text: is placed over a die, and a holding plate or block is brought down to bear
on the margin of the sheet metal plate. The sheet metal plate thus held
is then subjected to the action of a stamp operated by a central or main
piston, which works through the holding block and presses the sheet
metal plate into the hollow of the die. The several pistons may be
operated either by steam, air, or water, so that the whole apparatus
forms what may be termed a steam, pneumatic, or hydraulic press for
shaping forms from sheet metal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
Hoence that I, the said William, Edward Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVE 'EXTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING AND FORMING ARTICLES OF SHEET
METAL," being a communication to me from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: CURS AT A uo nereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The object of this Invention is the production of various kinds of
sunken sheet metal work either heavy or light in a more perfect manner
than has heretofore been done. The sheet metal plate to be worked into
a sunken form is placed on and over a die of suitable configuration
according to the article to be made, and a holding plate or block (carried
by a series of pistons) is brought down to bear on the margin or portion
of the sheet metal plate outside of and around the hollow of the die..
The sheet metal plate thus held is then subjected to the action of a
stamp operated by a central or main piston arranged to work through
the holding block to press the sheet metal plate (or portion of it lying
within the inner edges of the holding block) into the hollow of the die.
The several pistons may be operated either by steam, air, or water, so that
the whole apparatus forms what may be termed a steam, pneumatic, or
hydraulic cylinder engine press for shaping forms from sheet metal. It
will suffice here to describe the press as being worked by water under a
head or pressure, and in this connection it is preferred to operate the
pistons by water forced into a reservoir or reservoirs having a com
pressed air space or spaces above the water therein for the purpose of
giving an elastic character or action to the pistons. The water is.
admitted alternately to opposite ends of the cylinders in which the
pistons work, and is exhausted therefrom accordingly as the pistons
require to be raised or lowered by means of two valves, one of which
controls the ports of the main or stamping piston cylinder, while the
other valve by means of a peculiar arrangement of passages controls the
ports to the cylinders of the several pistons which carry the holding
plate or block. These valves it is preferred to make of a tapering
cylindrical form and of a balance character, with the water admitted to
them at their smaller ends, in order that they may work free and easy
under heavy pressures. The valves are operated to bring the stamp and
holding block down on the work by means of independent treadles, and
are reversed to lift these devices by means of springs or weights on
relieving pressure from the treadles, adjustable devices being connected

page_text: with the valve gear for automatically limiting, according to the depth or
thickness of the work, the upward stroke of the pistons which operate
the stamp and holding plate or block, so that there may be no unne-
cessary waste of the impelling fluid. Connected with the holding block
also is a work clearer or raiser for automatically lifting the work out of
or from the die after the work has been shaped, and the holding block
and stamp released from pressure on the work. This is effected during
the ascent of the holding plate or block. By a machine or apparatus of
this description a varied pressure may be given to the sheet, and sunken
work of a heavy or light character be produced, having as it is delivered
from the die both its bottom and sides parfectly true and smooth.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a plan of a press or machine
constructed in accordance with the improvement; Fig. 2 is a vertical
central section taken in the line z, x, in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional
plan taken in the line y, y, in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section in
part through the line z, z, in Fig. 1.
A is a base block resting upon a suitable stand or foundation; and
B, B, B, B, are pillars or stay rods therefrom serving to support or carry
an upper casting or castings C, O', in the lower one (C) of which are
arranged a series consisting of any suitable number of vertical cylinders
D, D, D, D, preferably situated at an equal distance from each other.
They surround a main or central and larger cylinder E, which carries the
stamp operating piston F, the rod a of which works through the lower
end of the cylinder, and has the stamp G secured to it. The stamp is of
any desired form and size according to the work to be done. The outside
or surrounding cylinders D also have pistons H in them, the rods 6 of
which likewise project downwards and are connected at their lower ends
to a holding plate or block I made up in part of a central bush c through
which the stamp G works. This holding block I is guided as it is worked
up or down by the pillars B, B, B, B. In the centre of the base
block A is a die J of the required form for the work. The sheet metal
plate to be pressed or worked into a sunken form is placed on and over.
the die J, and the pistons H are brought down so as to cause the holding
block I or its bush e to bear on and securely hold the sheet metal plate
around the hollow of the die J. The piston F is then made to descend
and to carry down with it the stamp G, which pressing the sheet metal
into the die gives the required form and finish to the work; after this
and during the ascent of the stamp G and holding block I a work

page_text: clearer or raiser K has an upward stroke given it through the die to
remove the work out of the latter. The water or fluid to operate the
pistons H and F is drawn from a suitable reservoir or source arranged or
'constructed to give the necessary head or pressure, and is introduced by
3 pipes d, d, and connected at their 'smaller ends to the interior of slightly.
tapering cylindrical valves L, L', oscillating or working in boxes or
chambers M, M'. Set screws may be applied to the opposite ends of.
the valves to keep them up to their bearings. Each of these valves. is
constructed with side ports e, e', and an exhaust passage f. The port e
of the valve L serves to convey the water by a passage g to the upper
- portion of the cylinder E, while the port e' of the valve conducts the:
water by a passage to the lower portion of the cylinder or beneath the
piston F, accordingly as the port e or e' is brought in line with its
respective passage g or h. The exhaust passage of the valve 'L'
5 establishes communication alternately between the passages g, h, and
an outlet or escape passage i. The ports e, e', of the valve L'as the
latter is oscillated similarly serve to conduct the water under pressure to
passages g', ', while the exhaust passage f of such valve establishes
communication alternately between the passages g, h, and an outlet.or
O escape passage, which is of annular or partly annular character..to.
serve as a general exhaust passage to the several cylinders D. The
passages g, h, are also of similar character or shape and communicate
respectively with the opposite ends of the cylinders D by..openings and
branches & and A. To bring down the pistons and work the holding
5 block I the operator applies his foot to a treadle M, which through a
rod and arm or lever m adjusts the valve L' so as to admit water to the
passage to net upon the tops of the pistons H, at the same time
opening the passage which connects with the bottoms of the
cylinders D to the exhaust. This holds the sheet metal plate to be
worked firmly down on the die J while the operator applies his other
foot to a treadle M that through a rod A, bell crank m³, rod n, and.
arm a operates the valve L to cause it to admit water by the passage g
to the top of the cylinder E and to open the cylinder from below by the
passage to the exhaust, which causes the piston F to descend and the
stamp G (connected therewith) to press the sheet metal plate or portion
of it lying within the inner edges of the hush c of the holding block into .
the die and so form or finish the work, as represented in Fig. 2. The
operator then releases his fect from pressure on the treadles, when
springs N, N', operate upon the latter to reverse the position of the
h

page_text: valves L, L', so as to exhaust from above the upper faces of the pistons F
and II and admit water under pressure to act upon their under sides or
faces for the purpose of raising the holding block I and stamp G.
Connected with the holding block I by side bars O and a cross rud O¹
and (made adjustable through a swell 2' on the latter) is a screw rod o'
which as the holding block rises serves to lift the work clearer or raiser
K that works through the dic and removes the work from the latter. To
prevent waste of water by lift of the several pistons to an extent greater
than is necessary for the clearance of the work from the press and to
give the pistons a variable lift (in an automatic manner) to suit work of
different depths or thicknesses the valve or treadle motions have con-
nected with them adjustable devices which serve to close the valves so
soon as the stamp and holding block have reached their requisite
elevations. Thus the stamp G when sufficiently raised is caused to act
upon a trip lever P, which presses down upon a sleeve p (made adjustable
on the rod to suit different lengths of stroke to the stamp) and thereby
to work the valve L so as to close it, while the cross rod O' (in or by the
ascent of the holding block I) similarly operates on a trip lever P¹ to
depress the treadle M* to an extent sufficient to close the valve L', the trip
lever being connected in an adjustable manner by a slotted link with
treadle to provide for variation in the required lift of the holding block.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me as aforesaid, and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid,-
First. The combination with the stamp operating piston F and its
cylinder E of a series of outside or surrounding pistons H with their
cylinders D and work holding block I for operation in connection with
the die and stamp by the action of fluid or other like pressure brought to
bear or act upon said pistons, substantially as specified.
Second. The combination of the treadles M', M, and valves L, L',
operated thereby with the stamp operating piston F and outside or
surrounding pistons H carrying the work holding block I for operation
together, essentially as herein set forth.
Third. The combination with the pistons F and H, stamp G, and
holding block I operated thereby of a valve motion to the cylinders of
the pistons under the control of treadles, as described, and constructed
or provided with adjustable devices for automatically closing the valves

page_text: to the cylinders at different heights in the lift of the stamp and work
holding block, as specified.
Fourth. The combination of the passages g, h,, and openings or
branches k, k, with the cylinders D, pistons H, work holding block I,
and valve L', as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Nowton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.