IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY FOR BENDING AND PUNCHING METAL PLATES."
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Talbot, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY FOR BENDING AND PUNCHING METAL PLATES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Talbot
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 26th February 1878.
I, FREDERICK JOHN TALBOT, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BENDING AND PUNCHING METAL PLATES,"
to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to machinery which is chiefly adapted for
facilitating the manufacture of joints used for uniting and securing the
ends of railway rails, but it can be applied for the bending of plates of
any wrought metal into any sectional form, and for the punching of the
plates so bent.

page_text: known as mill housings, which are used in rolling mills for the rolling of
iron and steel,) placed upon one common bed plate, I apply four rolls, all
of which revolve towards one common centre, Two of these rolls are
horizontally supported at their bearings by chocks working in grooves in
cach of the housings, and made to revolve together in juxtaposition by
means of cog wheels. The other two rolls can be simply loose rollers
working on vertical shafts, which are supported at their bearings by
strong brackets bolted at each end to the sides of the housings (one bolt
will generally be found sufficient to carry each end of the brackets) and
on the bolts, or in cavities prepared for them in the side of the housing,
are placed springs in such a manner that the bracket bears directly upon
the springs, and not on the face of the housing. The top and bottom
rolls may bo supported by springs, although in most cases it will be
sufficient to support by springs the top roll only. The top of these
housings is movcablo, that is to say, it is made of a strong piece of metal
which is bolted at each end to the top of the housings. The bolts used
are sufficiently long to allow of a spring being placed between the nut
and the said top of the housing. The springs may be so compressed by
means of the said nuts as to bear upon the top of the housing with a
pressure equal to several tons, which pressure is communicated to the
top roll by means of a screw working through the centre of the said
housing top. The pressure may be similarly applied by placing the
springs directly under the screws, so as to rest on the top of the
chocks.
In any case where sufficient pressure cannot be obtained from four
springs, a greater number may bo applied to this machine by placing
them between two or more plates of iron or steel to serve for the housing
tops; and by communicating the pressure to the rolls as above stated.
In this manner pressure can be obtained not only sufficient to bend a
plate into any required form, but also to roll iron, steel, or other metal
of any thickness. Springs known as "volute springs." will be found
the most serviceable for this. machinery, but springs of any other form
or description may be substituted. To save expense the rolls used need
only be loose collars keyed, screwed, or otherwise fastened on shafts
fixed-in the machine.
Although I have only described a method of fixing four rolls, a greater-
number may be applied to the machine in the same simple manner, but
for most purposes throe rolls will be found amply sufficient.
.

page_text: In a modification of the manner of fixing these rolls or collars I place
collars or rolls of the sizo required on the end of two vertical revolving
shafts, with loose or geared rolls or rollers fixed above and below, all
the rolls or rollers being acted upon by springs in the manner herein-
3 before described.
To bend a plato in such a manner as to form a sheath for, say, a Trail,
I proceed as follows :—I first bend a flat plate into a U form by passing it
through a pair of rolls so arranged that one of them will work into the
other in such a manner as to allow sufficient clearance all round for the
thickness of plate; to admit of the plate entering tho rolls with ease
there should be a portion of the circumference of the projecting part of
one roll flattened. Next, through three rolls, say, two working hori
zontally and one vertically, I pass the plato (bent in the form herein,
before described) together with a mandrill of steel or iron the exact
5 form of the inside of the sheath required. The rolls are shaped to bend
the plate in such a manner as to make it bind the mandrill in the bottom
side of the web. Lastly, to finish the shaping of the sheath I pass the
mandrill with the bent plate on it through three other rolls similarly
fixed, and so arranged as to make the plate bind the mandrill in all the
▸ requisite parts, and thus impart to it the exact form required. Of course
springs should be applied to the rolls, and for cach process in the manner
herein-before described. By altering the shape of the rolls and mandrills
employed plates can be bent into any shape in the manner described.
The bent plates can be removed from the mandrills by means of hydraulic
· pressure, steam, or ordinary screw power.
In those cases where these bent plates or sheaths are used for uniting
and securing the ends of railway rails, and in all cases where holes are
required in these plates, I adopt the following method for punching the
holes;-In the slide of an ordinary punching machine I fix a steel punch
of the requisite size; underneath this punch and on the bed of the
machine I place a dio block, the top part of which can be shaped to,
say, the exact size of the inside of the web of the bent plate or shoath to
bo punched; between the die block and the punch, but touching neither
I support, by connection with the back part of tho machine, a dio plato
which should be thin enough to enter between the two sides of the
sheath. This die plate should bo coupled with spring washers, springs,
or india-rubber washers to a spindle which works in bearings placed at
the back of the machine, and is fixed in such a position that ono side of

page_text: a shcath can be passed over it, and the other under it, and rest on the
top of the die block. The holes in both dies must be so arranged that
the punch can work through the die plate into the dio block, so that as
soon as tho sheath is passed under the machine the punch descends and
punches a hole through the top side of the sheath, and carries the
punching through the die plate and through the lower side of sheath
into the dio block. By fixing several punches in this manner in the
slide of the machine, and with a corresponding number of holes in the
die plate and die block, any number of holes that are required for any
practical purpose can be punched at each stroke of the machine.
In some instances where it may not be advisable to force the punching
of the one side of the sheath through the other side of the sheath, the
same result may be obtained by punching the hole or holes through one side
of the sheath into the die plate fixed between the two sides of the sheath,
and then by reversing the sheath to punch the hole or holes in the other
side of the sheath into the same die plate, or after the hole or holes
in the one side of the sheath have been punched the punch or punches
may be so arranged as to pass through the holo or holes already punched
and penetrate into the other side of the sheath, leaving the punchings in a
die block placed underneath. The centre die plate, which may be of
any suitable required form, may be either moveable or stationary, and
should be made to fit inside the article to be punched in those parts
where the holes are required. The bottom dio block should be stationary
and so mado as to fit the one side of article to be punched, so as to have
a better hold of the said article and to ensure the punching of the hole
or holes in the exact spot required.

page_text: .
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Frederick John Talbot, Her special
licence that I, the said Frederick John Talbot, my executors, admini-
5 strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick John
Talbot, 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, excrcise, and vend, within, the United Kingdom of Great Britain,
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BENDING AND PUNCHING METAL PLATES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick John
Talbot, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
5 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick John Talbot, do hereby
) declare the nature of my 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 accompanying
Drawings, forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates,-,
'
First. To machinery for the bending of plates of wrought metal into:
any sectional form, and consists in the use of two, three, or more rolls
or rollers of suitable shape, which are acted upon at their bearings by.
springs, and are made to revolve towards one common centre, and which
used in combination with mandrills of steel or iron (of the shape of the
5 inside of article to be bent) will bend plates of any. thickness into any.
sectional form required, without in any way endangering the rolling of
the plates.
Second. To machinery for the punching of any number of holes.
required in the sides of plates bent in the manner herein-before described;:
this part of my Invention is carried into effect by a novel application to:
punches and dies which are fixed in an ordinary punching machine of at
fixed or moveable die plate, which can bo passed between the sides of
$

page_text: the bent plates, whereby any number of holes may be punched througn
the sides of bent plates of any sectional form.
These improvements are chiefly adapted for facilitating the manu-
facture of joints used for uniting and securing the ends of railway
rails.
My improved machinery for bending plates is constructed as follows:-
Between a pair of upright standards of wrought or cast iron (of the
shape known as mill housings, which are used in rolling mills for the
rolling of iron and steel) placed upon one common bed plate, I apply
three or four rolls, all of which revolve towards one common centre; two
of these rolls are horizontally supported at their bearings by chocks
working in grooves in each of the housings, and made to revolve together
in juxtaposition by means of cog wheels, the other roll or the other two
rolls can be simply loose rollers working on vertical shafts, which are
supported at their bearings by strong brackets bolted at each end to the
sides of the housings (one bolt will generally bo found sufficient to carry
each end of the brackets), and on the bolts or in cavities prepared for
them in the side of the housing are placed springs in such a manner
that the bracket bears directly upon the springs and not on the face of
the housing. The top and bottom rolls may be supported by springs,
although in most cases it will be sufficient to support by springs the top
roll only. The top of these housings is movable, that is to say it is mado
of a strong piece of metal, which is bolted at each end to the top of the
housings, the bolts used are sufficiently long to allow of a spring being
placed between the nut and the said top of housing. The springs may
be so compressed by means of the said nuts as to bear upon the top of
housing with a pressure equal to several tons, which pressure is com-
municated to the top roll by means of a screw working through the
centre of the said housing top. The pressure may be similarly applied
by placing the springs directly under the screws so as to rest on the tops
of the chocks.
In any case where sufficient pressure cannot be obtained from four
springs a greater number may be applied to this machine by placing them
between two or more plates of iron or steel, to serve for the housing tops
and by communicating the pressure to the rolls as above stated. In
this manner pressure can be obtained not only sufficient to bend a
plate into any required form, but also to roll iron, steel, or other metal

page_text: improved machine for bending metal plates; Figure 2 is a side elevation
of said machine.
A is a strong bed plate of iron whereon are supported the housings B
which carry the rolls or collars O; the latter are driven by ordinary
gearing and made to revolve together by toothed wheels. F is a looso
roller which is carried in suitable bearings by a bracket G supported at
each end by springs H working in cavities made for them in the sides of
the housings B. I, I, are bolts and nuts by which the pressure applied
by the springs H may be regulated; K, K; are loose metal tops for the
housings B. L, L, are springs which are controlled by the bolts and
nuts M, and serve to keep the housing tops K in the proper position;
N, N, are screws working through the housing tops K, and acting upon
the rolls O, O, at their bearings. By adjusting the screws N and nuts M,
the pressure applied by the rolls O may be regulated with the greatest
accuracy.
To bend a plate in such a manner as to form a sheath for, say, a T rail
I proceed as follows:-I first bend a flat plate into a V form by passing
it through a pair of rolls so arranged that one of them will work into
the other, in such a manner as to allow sufficient clearance all round for
the thickness of plate (to admit of the plate entering the rolls with
case there should be a portion of the circumference of the projecting
part of one roll flattened); next through three rolls, say two working
horizontally, and one vertically, I pass the plato (bent in the form
herein-before described) together with a mandril of steel or iron the

page_text: exact form of inside of sheath required, the rolls are shaped to bend the
plate in such a manner as to make it bind the mandril in the bottom
side of the web. Lastly, to finish the shaping of the sheath I pass the
mandril with the bent plate on it through three other rolls similarly
fixed, and so arranged as to make the plate bind the mandril in all the
requisite parts, and thus impart to it the exact form required; springs
should be applied to the rolls used for each process in the manner
herein-before described. By altoring the shape of the rolls and mandrills
employed, plates can be bent into any shape in the manner described.
The bent plates can be removed from the mandrils by means of 1
hydraulic pressure, steam, or ordinary screw power.
In those cases where these bent plates or sheaths are used for uniting
and securing the ends of railway rails, and in all cases where holes are
required in these plates I adopt the following means for punching the
holes. In the slide of an ordinary punching machine I fix a steel punch
of the requisite size, underneath this punch and on the bed of the
machine I place a die block, the top part of which can be shaped to say
the exact size of inside of web of bent plate or sheath to bo punchod
between this die block and the punch, but touching neither. I support
by connection with the back part of the machine a die plate which a
should be thin enough to enter between the two sides of sheath; this die.
plate should be coupled with spring washers, springs, or india-rubber
washers to a spindle which works in bearings placed at the back of tho.
machine, and is fixed in such a position that one side of a sheath can bo
passed over it, and the other under it and rest on the top of die block.
The holes in both dies must be so arranged that the punch can work
through the dio plate into the die block, so that as soon as the sheath is
passed under the machine the punch descends and punches a holo.
through the top side of sheath, and carries the punching through the die
plate and through the lower side of sheath into the die block. This part
of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 4 and 3.
Figure 4 is a front clevation of a machine for punching holes in bent
metal plates; Figure 3 is a sido clevation of the said machine; P is the.
framework of an ordinary punching machine; Q is the slide of the
machine into which are fastened the punches R; S is the centro die
plate which is bolted to a rocking plate T supported in bearings T, A,
and kept in position by india-rubber washers U. V is the .die block

page_text: whereon the article which requires punching is supported. W, Figure 3,
shows one of these bent plates in proper position for punching; X is an
arrangement of screws whereby the bottom die block V may be adjusted;
Y is an arrangement of levers and slide whereby the bent plates W can
readily be placed in proper position under the punches. By fixing
several punches R in the slide Q, as shewn in Figure 4, and with a
corresponding number of holes in the die plate S and dio block V, any
number of holes required for any practical purpose can be punched at
cach stroke of the machine.
In some instances where it may not be advisable to force the punching
of the one side of sheath through the other side of sheath the same
result may be obtained by punching the hole or holes through ono sido
of the shoath into the die plate, and then by reversing the sheath to
punch the hole or holes in the other side of sheath into the same ȧio
plate; or after the holes in one side of sheath have been punched the
punch or punches may be arranged to pass through the holes already
punched, and penetrate the other side of the said sheath, leaving the
punchings in the die block underneath. The centre die plate which
may be of any suitable form may be either moveable or stationery, and
should be made to fit inside the article to be punched in those parts
where the holes are required. The bottom die block should bo stationery
and made to fit the one side of the article to be punched so as to have
a better hold of the said article, and to ensure the punching of the hole
or holes in the exact spot required.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The machinery or apparatus for the bonding of metal plates
particularly such as are used for uniting and scouring the ends of railway
rails, as herein-before described and as illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.

page_text: securing the ends of railway rails, as herein-before described and as illus-
trated by the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John Talbot, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-t
three.
FREDERICK JOHN TALBOT. (L.B.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the said Frederick John Talbot,
in the presence of
H. WALTER IBBOTSON,
Solicitor,
Sheffield,
W. II. SWAIN,
his Clerk.