Improvements in Perforating Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Perforating Machines.
We, WILLIAM CHRISTOPHER BARNS, of Christopher Works, Chalton Street,
Euston Road, London, Manufacturer, and ERNEST SELBY of 3, Garfield Road,
Lavender Hill, London, S. W. Surveyor, 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 more particularly to improvements in perforating machines
for perforating metal sheets or plates. The objects of such improvements are.
Firstly-To render the feed mechanism more compact and effective. Secondly,
To ensure continuous automatic lubrication of the metal sheets or plates as they
are fed in to the machine. Thirdly, To automatically indicate when a fresh sheet
or plate may be fed into the rollers and Fourthly, To automatically register the
number of sheets or plates perforated.
We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a back view of the improved feed mechanism with automatic
lubricating and indicating apparatus attached. Figure 2 is a side view of such feed
mechanism.
Figure 3 is a detail view partly in section shewing the end of one of the bottom
rollers fitted with spur wheel and ratchet discs.
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views of the automatic lubricating mechanism.
Figure 6 is a detail view of the automatic indicating apparatus.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the automatic registering apparatus and
Figure 8, a detail view shewing how the distributor and equaliser of the
lubricating apparatus is carried on the brasses wherein the upper rollers are
journalled, all as presently described.
Our first improvement consists in substituting roller feed mechanism for the
ordinary screw feed mechanism hitherto employed. Such roller feed mechanism
consists of two pairs of adjustable rollers a a, b b one pair being placed before
and the other pair behind, the matrice of the machine.
The sheets or plates are fed in at the back and when perforated pass out at the
front of the inachine. The rollers are mounted in standards c carried on brackets c¹
bolted to the frame of the machine. Such brackets have grooves or recesses c³ of
a dovetail shape formed therein, wherein the feet of the standards, which are of a
corresponding shape, slide to and fro, thus allowing of easy access to the matrice
of the machine whenever occasion requires. The rollers are journalled in friction
brasses d d', the upper rollers and brasses being adjustable according to the
thickness of the feed plate in the following manner, vizt.-Bolted to the heads of
the standards care cross pieces wherein screw pins are fitted which are
furnished with spiral springs c and collars c. The screw pins are free to move
in the cross pieces and are screwed into such collars through which their lower
ends project and bear on the upper friction brasses, thus pressing the rollers
ogether, the degree of such compression being equivalent to, and regulated by,
be thickness of the sheets or plates fed into the rollers. The sheets or plates
are led through guides e fitted to the matrice of the machine in order to regulate
heir travel and prevent their buckling. Each guide consists of two metal plates
polted together the lower plate forming a table over which the sheets travel as
hey are fed forward while the upper plate is inclined so as to form a narrow
.מ

page_text: aperture at the further end of the guide through which aperture the sheets pass
and are thus prevented from buckling.
Motion is imparted to one pair of rollers by means of ratchet discs and spring
pawls, and is thence transmitted to the other pair by spur gearing in the following
manner.
One end of either of the lower rollers is elongated so as to carry a spur wheel b³,
and three or more ratchet discs e' as shewn in Figures 2 and 3; the distances
between such discs being regulated by packing pieces e. Any convenient number
of discs may be employed each disc being actuated by a spring pawl f, or several
graduated pawls may be fitted to a single disc in the ordinary and well known
manner. The pawls are carried on a link g which is pivotted at one end to one of
the bottom rollers, and at its other end to one end of a connecting rod gl, the other
end whereof, is attached to a dovetail block fitting in a corresponding recess h
formed in the long arm of a lever pivotted to a bracket 3 bolted to the
frame of the machine.
The position of the block in the recess is adjusted relatively to the desired
distance between the rows of perforations, as the greater the width between them,
the further the block is removed from the fulcrum of the lever. The upper
rollers are operated by spur gearing fitted to or formed on both ends of such
rollers. The crank shaft of the machine is fitted with an eccentric i and
eccentric rod i¹, having its lower end attached to the lever . As such shaft
rotates reciprocatory motion is imparted to the eccentric rod, thus operating the
lever h² and connecting rod g', and likewise, through the link g, pawls f, and ratchet
discs e, actuating the delivery rollers bb. At the same time corresponding
motion is transmitted to the feed rollers a, a', by means of the spur wheel 63, an idle
wheel, and a second spur wheel 4, mounted on one end of the lower feed roller a¹.
If desired however this arrangement may be reversed, the back rollers being
actuated by the ratchet discs and spring pawls, while the front rollers are actuated
by spur gearing.
Our second improvement has for its object to ensure the continuous automatic
lubrication of the metal sheets or plates as they are fed forward. To effect this
I fit the machine with a lubricating apparatus placed in any convenient position,
consisting of a tank j furnished with a stuffing box j', through which a spindle
passes into the body of the tank. The inner end of such spindle is carried in a
standard fixed in the tank, while a disc is fitted to its farther end. This
disc carries one or more ladles j. Motion is imparted to the spindle by means
of a pulley and belt from the crank shaft, or in any other convenient manner.
As such spindle revolves the ladle or ladles dip into and take up a portion of
the oil or other lubricant in the tank and convey it to a funnel shaped tube j
whence it passes through a pipe, into a distributor and equalizer jo, composed of
a strip of metal disposed obliquely in brackets fitted to the brasses of the upper
feed roller and having its lower edge in juxtaposition to the surface of such roller
whereby a trough like recess is formed wherein the lubricant is collected as it
drops from the pipe and is automatically and continuously distributed evenly
over the surface of such upper roller. In order to provide for the lubrication of
the bottom feed roller the distributor and equalizer is made to slope gradually
from the centre to each end of the upper roller, say about th of au inch in two
feet, so that the oil flows through suitable openings made in each end of the
distributor and equalizer into a trough jo fitted under the bottom feed roller which
is turned off at each end sufficiently to clear the ends of such trough.
The trough is packed with cotton waste or other suitable absorbent, which
absorbs the lubricant and makes contact with the bottom roller as it revolves, thus
continuously and automatically lubricating the same. Preferably the ladle or
ladles attached to the disc fitted to the spindle in the tank are screwed to the disc,
so as to be readily adjustable and allow of the angle of their inclination being
varied according to requirements, as the more acute such angle the smaller the
consumption of the lubricant. A small guage is fitted to the tank to register the

page_text: amount of such consumption and to indicate when the tank requires refilling. If
the machine he used for perforating other materials than metal sheets or plates,
the lubricating apparatus may he dispensed with as unnecessary.
Our third improvement has for its object to indicate when a fresh sheet may be
fed into the rollers. This we attain by mounting on the machine in any convenient
position and manner an indicating apparatus, consisting of a small cylinder k
containing colourel water or its equivalent, and fitted with an elastic diaphragm k
whereto a connecting rod & is attached which passes through a guide plate, and
rests on one of the friction brasses of the upper roller a. A fine glass tube k is
fitted to the cylinder and held in position by a wire rod whereon are mounted
two slides kk, the lower one having the word "out" thereon. When a sheet is
placed between the rollers the upper roller and its friction brasses are pressed.
upwards in a corresponding degree to the thickness of the sheet, thus forcing up
the connecting rod and elastic diaphragm and so causing the liquid contained in
the cylinder to rise in the glass tube, thus shewing that a sheet or plate is
between the rollers; while when such sheet has passed out from the rollers the upper
friction brasses and roller resume their normal position, thus enusing the connecting
rod and elastic diaphragm to drop whereby the liquid in the glass tube falls to the
level of the lower slide, thus indicating that a fresh sheet may be fed into the
rollers.
Our fourth improvement consists of an automatic registering apparatus to
indicate the number of sheets perforated during any given time. Such apparatus
consists of a pointer 1, dial P, and ratchet disc P, all carried on a pin to which one
end of a lever arm is pivotted. A graduated scale is marked on the face of
the dial the number of divisions in such scale corresponding with the number of
teeth in the ratchet disc. A spring pawl is carried on the lever arm and takes
into the teeth of the disc while a link is pivotted to the lever arm in any con-
venient position. The lower end of this link terminates in a stem over which a
sleeve works. Such sleeve is carried on a connecting rod the lower end
whereof passes through a guide plate and rests on one of the upper friction
brasses of the front rollers. The top of the connecting rod is shouldered to receive
a spiral spring P. When a sheet or plate enters between the front rollers after
being led through the guides, the top roller and upper brasses are raised in propor-
tion to the substance of such plate, whereby the connecting rod and link are
pushed upwards against the lever arm which is forced against a stop fixed on the
frame of the machine, which stop prevents the lever arm rising too high, and
when such arm drops to its original position the spring pawl mounted thereon
pulls the ratchet disc round one tooth thus causing the pointer which is fixed to
such disc to register one division upon the dial. The variations in substance
between the different sheets or plates are compensated by the compression of the
spring which is compressed in a corresponding degree to the thickness of the
plate passing between the rollers. A suitable detent may be provided to control
the travel of the disc and prevent its revolving too far.
We would here observe with regard to the foregoing description of our invention
that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details therein set forth as the same
admit of modification in minor respects while remaining essentially the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In combination with a perforating machine for perforating metal sheets
or plates, roller feed mechanism constructed, arranged, fitted and operated, all
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and shewn.
2. In combination with such roller feed mechanism the automatic lubricating
apparatus, constructed, arranged, fitted, and operated, all substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described and shewn.
3. In combination with such roller feed mechanism the automatic indicating

page_text: apparatus constructed, arranged, fitted and operated, all substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described and shewn.
4. In combination with such roller feed mechanism the automatic registering
apparatus, constructed, arranged, fitted and operated all substantially in the manner
herein before described and shewn.
ELT & Co.,
Registered Patent Agents, 43, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, London,
Agents for the Applicants.