AN IMPROVE- MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING OUT AND PIERCING METALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lovell Preston, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
MENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING OUT AND PIERCING METALS."
Sealed the 7th June 1853, and dated the 14th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lovell
Preston at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 14th April 1853.
I, THOMAS LOVELL PRESTON, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING OUT AND PIERCING
METALS" to be as follows: -
The drawing represents a plan of my Invention, and an elevation
of part of the same as applied to the cutting out and piercing of
the pieces of metal of the form a, Fig. 2, to be bent into links for
chains; b, is a fixed die on the bed of the machine; c, is a moveable
die, actuated by the eccentric d; e, is another moveable die, actuated by
the eccentrics f, f; g, is the feeder, worked by the camb h. The cutting
out is effected by the dies b, c, and the piercing by the die e.

page_text: The following is the order in which the several operations follow
cach other: A suitable length of metal having been made to advance by
the feeder g, the piercing die e, advances, and piercing the said metal
enters the die c; the two moveable dies next advance towards the fixed
die b, against which the cutting out is effected by the die c. The two
moveable dies now separate, and the cut and pierced metal is pushed
off the piercing die e, and the series of operations described are repeated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Lovell Preston, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 8th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS LOVELL PRESTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her Reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Lovell Preston, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Lovell Preston, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Lovell
Preston, 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN CUTTING OUT AND PIERCING
METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Lovell Preston, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Lovell Preston, do hereby
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 thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists of a new or improved machine to be used for
cutting out and piercing the blanks or pieces of sheet metal to be used
for making chain, and for other purposes. Figure 1, represents my
machine in side elevation, and Figure 2, represents the same in plan;
the other Figures represent detached portions of the same as herein-after
described. The form of the blanks or pieces of metal to be cut by my
machine is represented at a, b, c, Figure 3; the said blanks, when folded
or doubled at their middle, forming links for chain; that is to say, the
loops a, b, being brought together by the said folding or doubling,
constitute one link, while the portion c, represented straight in the
drawing, by being folded constitutes another link in a plane at right
angles to that of the former. d, is a hollow die, fixed on the bed e, of
the machine, the opening or cutting edge of which die has the form of
the outer edge of the piece of metal cut by the machine; that is to say,
the form of the outline of a, b, c, Figure 3. f, is a moveable die (shewn
separately in Figures 4, and 5), working in the slide g, on the bed of
the machine, and actuated by the excentric h, on the driving shaft i.
The said moveable die f, has its outer or cutting edge of the form
represented by the outer continuous line of a, b, c, Figure 3; and the
said die f, and the fixed die d, constitute a pair of dies or cutting tools,
which cut the metal subjected to the operation of the machine into the
form a, b, c, Figure 3. j, is another moveable die or punch, represented
separately in Figures 6, and 7, working in the slide k, on the bed of
the machine, and actuated, through the connecting rods 1, 1, by the
excentrics m, on the driving shaft; the said punch or die j, passes
through the fixed die d, and its ends 1, 2, Figure 7, enter the holes
(shewn in dotted lines at n,o, Figure 5,) on the die f. The metal to
be cut is supplied to the machine by the feeder p, which said feeder
consists of a lever turning upon the centre 9; the said lever carries at
one end the roller 1, and at the other the spring forceps s, jointed thereto
as represented. The camb t, on the end of the driving shaft, acting on

page_text: the roller r, gives the advance motion to the feeder; the return motion
may be produced by a spring or weight. The advance motion of the
feeder being given while the strip of metal u, is free from the several
dies, the forceps s, by their grip upon the said strip of metal, carry it
forward, but on the return motion of the feeder, the strip of metal being
held by the dies, the forceps s, slip upon the said metal, and take hold
of it at a point posterior to that at which they before held it, and on
their advance motion feed it to the machine. The following is the
order in which the several operations follow each other:-A suitable
length of metal having been supplied by the feeder p, tho punch or
piercing die j, advances, and pierces, punches, or cuts out of the plate of
metal the pieces a, b, Figure 3; the ends i, i", of the said die entering
the hollows n, o, of the die f, Figure 5. The punch or piercing die j
then retires, the moveable cutting die f, following it; the said moveable
die f, enters the fixed die d, and thereby cuts the outer edge of the
blank a, b, c, Figure 3. The die f, now commences its return motion,
retiring from the fixed die d. The piercing die j, carrying the blank
upon it, continues to retire within the fixed die d, and the back edge
of the said die d, arresting the blank, the punch j, withdraws from the
said arrested blank. The said blank falls, and the moveable dies repeat
the motions described, a fresh portion of metal having been supplied to
the machine.
Although I have only described my Invention as applied to the
cutting and piercing of blanks for links of chains, yet, by altering the
forms of the dies or tools, my Invention may be applied to the cutting
and piercing of metals for other purposes.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise manner of carrying my Invention
into effect herein described, as the same may be varied without depart-
ing from the nature of my said Invention. But I claim, firstly, as my
Invention, the constructing of a machine for cutting out and piercing
blanks to be used for making chain, by means of moveable and fixed
cutting dies or tools, the said moveable dies or tools being actuated by
cams or excentrics on the driving shaft of the said machine, as herein

page_text: described, and represented in the accompanying drawing. Secondly,
the application of the machine herein described, and represented in
the accompanying drawing, to the cutting out and piercing of metals
for such other purposes as the same is or may be applicable to.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Lovell Preston, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
THOMAS LOVELL PRESTON. (L.S.)
Witness, RICHARD SKERRETT.