Shapes Usually Requiring a Series of Operations.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 23rd Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1.888
Shapes Usually Requiring a Series of Operations.
WILLIAM RIGHTER COMINGS Engineer 128 Queen Victoria Street London E.C.
do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
A. Tool intended for use in any ordinary screw or lever press using a moving punch
& fixed die, & is capable of producing in one operation, a variety of irregular shapes
which cannot be made with the ordinary dies except by a series of operations.
My improvement consists in constructing the fixed die in two or more parts, capable
of opening & closing, & with parts so arranged & connected that the desent of the
plunger of the press causes all the parts of the fixed die to close automatically, & exert
a pressure upon the work from different directions, then as soon as the plunger of the
press rises in its return or upward stroke, the several parts of the die are released &
thrown open by the action of springs or other suitable mechanism, so that the work
may readily be withdrawn.
Where the work is very irregular I also construct the punch or die carried by the
plunger in the press upon the same plan as the lower or fixed die that is to say in
two or more parts, that are caused to operate upon the work by the desent of the
plunger.
I make the number of the parts in which the die or dies are made to correspond
with the irregularity of the work to be produced, & in most cases all of the parts are
arranged so as to press simultaneously upon the work but in some special forms,
the moving parts of the die or dies can be arranged so as to act successively or in
rotation.
One of the simplest forms for carrying out this invention, is to fix the dies upon
the ends of short levers which by the desent of the plunger of the press are caused
to close in upon the work placed upon the die, or the several parts of the dies may
be formed upon slides which are caused to move to or from the centre of the die by
wedge shaped surfaces connected with the plunger or slide of the press.
The moveable parts of the die are provided with suitable springs or other mechanism
for throwing them open, & set screws for adjusting the extent of their motion & for
taking up the wear.
Dated this Twenix second day of March 1907

page_text: Shapes Usually Requiring a Series of Operations.
I, WILLIAM RIGHTER COMINGS, Engineer, of 128 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.
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 relates to improved apparatus or dies for the production in one
operation of articles of a predetermined shape which may be regular or irregular in
form, the invention being peculiarly well adapted for the production of such shapes
as cannot be made with ordinary dies except by a series of operations.
The invention consists of forming one or both of the dies in two or more parts,
some of which are capable of opening and closing, the parts being so adjusted that
when the top and bottom die are brought together the movable parts close or open
automatically and exert the requisite pressure upon the article being moulded.
In order that the method of carrying my invention into effect may be clearly
understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form part of this
specification and in which :-
Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation on the line of Figure 2 of a die adapted
for making something less than a complete sphere, the movable parts being up.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the complete die.
Fig. 3 is a similar section to Fig. 1 with the movable parts in their lowest position.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line y y of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the same class of die adapted for larger work such
as for the manufacture of boxes or lids.
Fig. 6 is a plan view showing various forms of movable wings which may be
employed.
Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed views of parts shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of a die in which the pivoted wings are operated by
inclines or wedges, the plunger being an expanding one.
Fig. 10 is a side clovation of parts of Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the upper die on line . . of-
Fig. 12 which is a sectional plan when the said die is in its closed position.
Fig. 13 is a sectional plan when said die is expanded.
Fig. 14 represents an elevation of a similar die when not attached to the plunger.
Fig. 15 is a plan view of same, the wings being intended to slide in and out instead
of rising and falling.
Fig. 15 is a plan view of plate h².
Fig. 16 represents a sectional elevation of an expanding upper die adapted for se
with any of forms of lower dies.
Fig. 17 is a sectional plan view of same when in its closed position, and
Fig. 18 is a corresponding view when the parts are in their expanding position.

page_text: Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, it will be understood that an ordinary round ended
top plunger with side shoulders may be used, said shoulders being adapted to engage
with and pass down wings b. With this construction the main or fixed bedplate A
carries the lower part of the die a which is capable of adjustment by means of
screw a as shown.
b
The movable parts in this case consist essentially of four wings adjustably held by
screws to levers c c pivoted at c c and normally held in their raised position by
springs dd, their upward play being limited by set screws B, while set screws D D
with screws bb allow for adjustment of the wings.
The pivot points c¹ c¹ being below the centre of wings b cause their faces to recede
as the wings open and to approach each other as they are depressed. The requisite
depression of the wings is effected by the second die or plunger which is formed to
strike and depress the inner ends of the wings as the two dies come together, while
as the dies separate the springs d d cause the wings to rise and open thus enabling the
moulded article to be withdrawn.
When moulding very large articles or dealing with very thin material the space
between the wings might "rib" the article, and to avoid this as much as possible tho
said space may be filled in with a supplementary wing e, (Figs. 6 and 7) normally
held up by spring, but actuated by the plunger or by the wings upon either side as
shown. The outer face of such wedge wing is so formed that when in its lowest
position it forms with the other wings an approximately complete circle. In lieu of
the wedge wing e a spring piece e', Figs. 6 and 8, may be employed, such spring
resting normally out of the perpendicular into which it is pressed by the pivoted
wings bb, but preferably I form two of the wings with flared or projecting ends b²,
Fig. 6, so formed that as the wings are depressed a complete circle or other pre-
determined shape is obtained, the intermediate wings being so shaped as to permit of
this being done.
j
Instead of the wings being compressed by the plunger the levers c c as shown in
Figs. 9 and 10 may carry rollers c c resting on a ring F, provided with inclines f
With such a construction, as the top die descends or after said die is down rod F¹ is
depressed and toggle joint opened and through connected arm fring Fis
partially turned, forcing inclines under the outer ends of levers c, the inner ends of
which are forced down and wings then form the closed bottom die. In the
drawings an expanding top die is also shown, the entire apparatus being adapted for
forming a screw threaded cap or cover which after being formed may be readily
removed from the die without being unscrewed therefrom, the operation being as
follows:-
The blank or strip of material is fed under the top plunger G, and as this descends
the cutting ring G₁ thereon cuts out a blank or disc of the desired size. As the
plunger continues to travel down the material is forced into the forming or wrinkling
tube and the bottom of the cutting ring G¹ shortly after comes to rest against the
casing G2 and the spring g' is gradually compressed, the cutting ring G being main-
tained in position not only by said spring but also by set screws y² which slide in
guides ³, as shown.
The plunger G carries down the material on to lower part a of the bottom die
which is forced down until the shoulder on adjusting screw a' comes in contact with
the main bed plate A, which offers a firm resistance, and the pressure causes the upper
die to expand (in a manner to be hereinafter described), while the wings bb close in
compressing the wrinkled material and the article is moulded to the desired shape.
As the rod Frises, the inclines pass from under levers c and springs d force the
wings open, the upper die at the same time contracts and rises and the spring a²
lifts up the part a with the moulded article thereon, so that said article may be readily
removed, after which the entire operation is repeated.
b
In Figs. 11. 12 and 13 the upper die is represented on a slightly larger scale, said
die is shown as consisting of four wings h h, and four, h¹ h¹ formed as shown so that
when said die is closed the wings form an approximate circle as shown in Fig. 12,
and when open the space between the segments is filled by the outer ends of

page_text: wings or wedges h h, as shown in Fig. 13. Both sets of wings may rest on a plate
supported by screw ³, the parts being normally held in their closed position by
spring . When force is exerted between plunger G and parta, the wings are forced
the
open by cone I which presses wings h h outward, thus separating segments h¹³,
motion of which being assisted and regulated by guide pins, or by dovetail pro-
jections fitting in plate ².. As only one half the movement of any one wing h, will
be transmitted to any one wing ', the pins ii only require to be set at half the angle
formed by the cone as will be readily understood. The function of the said pins i i
is to cause the segments to return to their normal or closed position when spring is
free to act. In Figs. 14 and 15 a similar expanding former is shown as part of the
bottom die, the side wings in this case instead of being pivoted are adapted to slide
in and out and instead of an under ring and inclines, a surrounding ring is employed.
In this construction the plunger G carries a cutting ring G and a grooved wrinkling
cone or tube g both being supported and attached to the plunger by arms which are
so placed that when the plunger is in its lowest position the wings may pass between
them. In front of said arms are the supplementary wings e¹, (as shown in Figs. C
and 8), which are attached to the plunger so as to be normally held in their open
position, but as the wings bbare forced in as hereafter described they catch and
carry the supplementary wings e¹ with them. The ring F is operated in the same
inanner as described with reference to Figs. 9 and 10, but the inclines are on the
inner face instead of on the top. The wings are held in suitable guide pieces J
and the outer ears carry studs which rest in slots f³ in inclines. As ring F
is turned, the inclines force the wings bin and as it is turned back the studs 63
travelling in slots draw said wings out. The wings hhhh are held to the
plate by a series of screws 1, the heads of which travel in slots in said plate as
the wings are expanded or contracted, and this construction is clearly shown in
Fig. 15, which is a plan view of the plate. In other respects the operation is the
same as that previously set forth with reference to the previous Figures.
In Figs. 16, 17 and 18 1 have shown a modified construction of the die in which
I substitute for the cone I a central disc 1' carrying toggle joints by which the
wings h h and through them the wings or segments are expanded or contracted.
Two forms of wings and segments are shown but either will be found efficacious and
may be conveniently held to the disc I by forming the toggles with bulb ends
dropped into slots or holes and held by set screws, as most clearly shown in Fig. 16.
Disc 1 may be turned by the squared end of shaft K which is operated from armik¹
in any convenient way.
It will be noted on reference to the drawings that not only are wings or segments
expanded by wings or wedges h, but with the construction shown in Figs. 16, 17
and 18, they are also drawn in by the same means, the pins serving as a convenient
means of holding the plate h² and segments to the plunger G. The wings h h may
be made with dovetail or other slides or guiding feathers adapted to engage with
wings or segments in a manner well known. It may also be noted that when
the dies are used for stamping paper straw board or analagous materials either said
materials or dies should preferably be in a heated state.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The improved arrangement of apparatus for stamping or compressing cup
shaped or other articles whereby the blank may be cut and wrinkled and by movable
side wings acting in conjunction with the "former" compressed or moulded into the
desired shape in practically the one operation substantially as set forth.
2nd. The improved arrangement of apparatus whereby a partially formed blank
is compressed or moulded into the desired shape by movable side wings acting in
conjunction with an internal former substantially as set forth.
3rd. In dies for stamping or compressing cup shaped or other articles a series of
pivoted arms or wings normally held open but when closed forming a complete circle

page_text: or other predetermined shape substantially in the manner set forth and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
4th. In dies of the class described the arrangement of parts whereby the wings
and lower part are adjustably held in position substantially as described and for the
purposes set forth.
5th. In dies provided with movable wings the improved arrangement and con-
struction of parts whereby the tendency to form ribs or ridges on the article is obviated,
substantially as described.
6th. In dies the combination with the movable wings of the class described of
actuating rings provided with inclines or wedges as and for the purposes set forth..
7th. An internal die or former provided with a cone or other expanding mechanism
acting upon wedge wings which in turn operate or act in conjunction with supple-
mentary wings or segments which when expanded form a complete circle or other
determined shape substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1888.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agent.