IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING PIG IRON
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING PIG IRON." A com-
munication from abroad by Theodore Augustus Blake, of New Haven,
Connecticut, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th March 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING
PIG IRON." A communication from abroad by Theodore Augustus Blake, of New
Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention retates to improvements in machines for breaking pig-iron. In
preparing pig-iron for introduction to a furnace, it is necessary that it should be
broken into short pieces; this breaking is generally effected by means of a hammer,
and is therefore a tedious and laborious operation.
The object of this Invention is to provide a machine for the above purpose so
constructed that the pig iron may be readily fed thereto and the pieces delivered
therefrom,

page_text: bed there is a slide D arranged to work up and down upon the rods C, C, as guides.
A reciprocating movement is imparted to this slide D by means of a crank or
excentric a on the driving shaft b working a toggle, one part E of which takes
its bearing in the head B above, and the other part F on the slide D below, the
parts of the toggle being connected to the excentric or crank a by a pitman G
carrying a bearing H for the toggles E, F, as seen in Figure 3, and in the usual
manner employed for similar toggles.
Below the slide D and between the same and the bed A suitable springs L are
arranged, the action of which is to force the slide D upward, so that as the
driving shaft revolves tending to draw the toggles towards a perpendicular line,
the slide D will be forced downward compressing the springs L, and then as the
toggles pass out of the perpendicular line, the springs react and force the slide
upward; hence by the continuous rotation of the shaft a reciprocating motion
is imparted to the slide D.
On the bed A there is a single bearing point or rib d, and on the slide D above
the same there are two similar ribs or bearing points e, e, the one in front, and the
other at the rear of the rib d, as seen in Figure 3.
P is a feeding bench which as represented in the Drawing is hinged to the bed A
in front of the rib d as at f, so that the said bench in rear of the bed A may be
depressed or raised; this bed is preferably supported upon a spring R, the tendency
of which is to force the rear end of the bench upward; the said bench stands in an
inclined position to the rib d, its rear end being in the highest position, and is
provided with any desired number of rollers h, upon which the pig iron S repre-
sented in dotted lines is placed, the relative position of the rollers to the
rib & being such that the pig iron laid upon the rollers will slide down over
the rib d, as shewn in Figure 3, until it reaches a stop T in front; then
as the slide D descends, one of the ribs e strikes the pig iron in the rear, and
depresses the same with the bench P until the other rib e in front strikes the pig
iron; then as the power continues to act the front or outer end of the pig iron will
be broken off at the rib d, because of the depression of the pig iron in the rear,
and its being forced down in front. As soon as the outer end of the pig iron is
broken off the piece falls from the machine, the slide D rises, and the bench also
rises to bring the pig iron above the rib d; the pig iron then moves or is moved
forward until its end reaches the stop T, and another operation breaks the second
piece, and so on.
The entire.strain of the breaking comes upon the tension rods C, C; the bed A
and the head B are attached to uprights U upon which the bearings for the
driving shaft are also arranged, power being applied to the driving shaft in any
convenient manner.
By arranging the two breaking ribs or points e, e, above, and the point d
in an intermediate position and below the pig iron, the piece which is broken from
the same readily falls from the machine.
The relative position of the breaking points may be reversed, that is to say, the
two points may be below, and the intermediate point above; but I prefer the
arrangement of two above and one below.
This arrangement of breaking points may be used without the feeding bench,
the attendant then presenting the pig iron into the position for breaking by hand;
but the yielding feeding bench is preferred, because of the case with which the
feeding may be effected, and also because it may be made automatic by giving
sufficient inclination to the bench.
The pitman G is made adjustable for the purpose of varying the throw of the
slide D. The stop T is made adjustable, so that the length of the piece to be
broken may be varied. The bench P may be made stationary, the surface on
which the pig iron is placed being above the rib d, so that the pig iron will readily
pass over the rib d. In this case the forward breaking point e must be longer than
the rear breaking point, as seen in Figure 4, so that the pig iron will be first struck
in a position forward of the rib d, which will cause it to tip up at the rear, until

page_text: the rear rib or breaking point e comes in contact with the pig iron, then the two
moving together force the same down from the rear until the breakage occurs, then
that part at the rear falls upon the bench; this arrangement presents the same
advantage so far as the two breaking points above and the one intermediate
breaking point below are concerned, because the broken piece will deliver itself
from the machine.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim in a machine for breaking pig iron,—
First. The combination of a bed and a reciprocating slide, one of which is
provided with two ribs or breaking points, and the other with one rib or breaking
point intermediate between the said two points, substantially as described.
Second. The stationary bed and the head connected by rods, also a slide arranged
to be moved vertically on the said rods toward and from the said bed, the said bed
and slide being provided one with two ribs or breaking points, and the other with
one rib or breaking point intermediate between the first two points, substantially
as described.
Third. The combination of the bed having a single rib or breaking point over
which the pig iron is placed, and the reciprocating slide provided with two ribs or
breaking points to bear upon the pig iron, one point being in front, and the other at
the rear of the rib or breaking point below, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of the bed having a.single rib or breaking point over
which the pig iron is placed, and the reciprocating slide provided with two ribs or
breaking points to bear upon the pig iron, one being in front, and the other in rear
of the rib or breaking point below, with a feeding bench, the surface of which is
above or flush with the upper surface of the lower bearing point, and upon which
the pig iron is placed to be fed to the machine, and with or without a stop to
govern the length of the piece to be broken, substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of the bed having a single rib or breaking point over
which the pig iron is placed, and the reciprocating slide provided with two ribs or
breaking points to bear upon the pig iron, one in front and the other in rear of
the rib or breaking point below, with a feeding bench constructed to yield against
the breaking pressure, and either with or without a stop to govern the length of
the piece to be broken, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
XX7 B DADT TAZE
WH DADT LAVE