An Improved Machine for Caulking Seams and Joints in Steam Boilers and other Analogous Constructions.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Caulking Seams and Joints in Steam
Boilers and other Analogous Constructions.
We, GEORGE JOHN HOSKINS, and CHARLES HENRY HOSKINS, of Sydney, in the
Colony of New South Wales, Engineers, lo hereby declare the nature of our
invention for "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR CAULKING SEAMS AND JOINTS IN STEAM
BOILERS AND OTHER ANALOGOUS CONSTRUCTIONS" and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The machine that forms the subject of the present application for Letters Patent is
carried by an upright standard that is firmly bolted to a permanent frame that may be
placed in any suitable position in the workshop. The standard supports a horizontal
adjustable arm or bracket that may be raised or lowered by any suitable mechanical
means. The horizontal arm or bracket terminates in a strap socket constructed so as
to carry a hollow vertical shaft or spindle; the strap may be tightened on the spindle,
in any suitable manner, so as to prevent the spindle from turning in the socket. The
hollow vertical shaft or spindle acts as part of the steam pipe, its upper and lower
ends being tapped to receive the steam connections. To the lower end of the vertical
shaft or spindle is attached a curved arm of peculiar form. The end of the curved
arm, most remote from the vertical spindle, turns downwards and terminates in a
socket or sleeve into which is introduced a horizontal pivot pin to which is secured
another sleeve, the pivot pin and second sleeve forming a T piece. Through the
sleeve of the T piece is passed a trunnion or rocking shaft to one end of which is
secured a counter balance weight, while the other end carries a steam cylinder; the
steam cylinder and the rocking shaft to which it is attached being preferably one
casting. On the upper side of the steam cylinder is placed the valve gear, throttle
valve and exhaust. The cylinder and its adjuncts, the piston and piston rod, form a
steam hammer. Attached to the forward end of the steam cylinder is a solid arm
that carries a small auxiliary steam cylinder. To the forward end of the piston rod
of the auxiliary steam cylinder is secured a lever arm that carries the caulking tool,
the auxiliary steam cylinder serving as a steam spring to keep the tool up against its
work, as will be hereafter more particularly explained. Steam is supplied to the
steam hammer and its auxiliary the steam spring, by means of a flexible steam pipe
connected to the lower connection on the vertical shaft or spindle. Secured to the
side of the steam hammer cylinder is a handle by means of which the attendant is
enabled to manipulate the steam hammer. The boiler or other construction (the
seams or joints of which are to be caulked) is carried by antifriction rollers placed on
a suitable frame below the boiler. Stop rollers are placed below the central axis of
the boiler, or other work, to receive the thrust due to the blow of the hammer.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan of the whole apparatus. Fig. 2 is
a front elevation of the same the manipulating handle attached to the hammer
cylinder being removed. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus, but with the
hammer raised to a horizontal position clear of the work, and the throttle valve and
flexible steam pipe removed for the purpose of exhibiting to better advantage the
hollow vertical spindle and its connection with the curved arm. Fig. 4 is a detail
plan view of the lever arm that carries the caulking tool and its connection to the
piston rod of the steam spring. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the caulking tool on the
line 1-2 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the extremity of the curved arm
and sleeve and the sleeved T piece in position. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the
line 3-4 of Fig. 6. A is the standard that carries the whole apparatus. The form
of standard shewn in the drawings need not be strictly adhered to; its shape may be
varied according to the nature and class of work the tool may be called upon to
perform. B is the horizontal arm carried by the standard A, the arm being capable
of adjustment to the height of the work by the screw a. The horizontal arm B
Price 8d1

page_text: :
terminates in the strap socket C the tightening of which on the hollow vertical
spindle D may be effected by the tightening boit b. The object of the tightening
strap bolt is to prevent any rotary movement of the vertical hollow spindle D while
the hammer is at work. The steam connections c & dare tapped into the upper and
lower extremities of the spindle D, the connection e leading to the steam hoiler and
the connection d to the steam hammer. E is the curved arm attached to the lower
end of the spindle D. The end of the curved arm E most remote from the spindle D
turns downwards and terminates in a sleeve or socket F, see particularly Figs. 1 & 6.
Inserted into the sleeve F, is a pivot pin e, at one end of which is a second sleeve G
at right angles to the sleeve F. The pivot pin e is retained within the sleeve F (in
which it is free to revolve in a vertical plane) by means of a collar and set screw f
(see Fig. 7). A trunnion or rocking shaft H passes through the sleeve G and is kept
in position by a collar and set screw g. One end of the trunnion H is counterbalanced
by an adjustable weight while the other end carries the hammer cylinder J, the
trunnion and cylinder being preferably constructed in one piece. On the upper side
of the hammer cylinder (see particularly Fig. 2) is placed the valve gear and throttle
valve and and exhaust j. In Fig. 3 the throttle valve and flexible steam supply
pipe K are removed as before mentioned. The piston rod working in the hammer
cylinder terminates in a hammer head k. Referring now to Fig. 1, it will be seen
that the hammer cylinder J carries a solid arm supporting a small auxiliary steam
cylinder Macting as a steam spring. The valves in the auxiliary steam cylinder M
are replaced by a four way cock m through which steam is admitted to the cylinder at
either end as required. Steam is supplied to the cylinder M through a small supply
pipe 1. To the outer extremity of the piston rod n of the auxiliary cylinder M is
secured a lever arm N. At that part of the lever arm N opposite the central axis of
the hammer cylinder J is a conical socket o into which the caulking tool Ofits (sec
Fig. 4). A handle P is secured to the hammer cylinder, so as to enable the attendant
to turn the cylinder J on its trunnion or axis H and manipulate it generally. The
boiler or pipe Q that is being operated upon is supported and is free to revolve upon
antifriction rollers p (see Figs. 2 & 3). The boiler is prevented from receding, under
the blows of the hammer, by stop rollers 7 that receive the thrust.
By means of the vertical spindle D the curved arm E that carries the hammer, is
enabled to revolve in a horizontal plane, and is secured in any desired position by the
locking strap C. The sleeve F at the end of the curved arm E enables the steam
hammer and its appurtenances to be moved or rotated in a vertical plane, and the
pivotted sleeve G permits the same parts to be moved or rotated in a second vertical
plane at right angles to the first mentioned vertical plane. It will thus be seen that
this system of articulation forms a universal joint permitting of the most varied
motions being imparted to the hammer and its adjuncts. In order to start on the job
illustrated in the drawings, the hammer is brought round into the position shewn in
Fig. 3. The attendant then, by means of the handle P, depresses the hammer into
the position shown in Fig. 2. The lever arm N that carries the caulking tool is then
depressed until the caulking tool O is in contact with the surface of the work. Steam
is then admitted behind the piston in the steam spring, by turning the four-way cock.
The caulking tool is thus forced against and kept close up to the seam or joint it is
intended to caulk. Steam is thus admitted to the hammer cylinder causing repeated
blows to be struck on the caulking tool. The joint or seam that is being caulked is
caused to travel slowly (by any suitable mechanical appliance) as the caulking
proceeds.
It is well particularly to remark that whatever position the tool may occupy around
its central vertical axis, the point of the caulking tool will impinge against that central
vertical axis.
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. The curved arm E capable of being moved in a horizontal plane around a

page_text: vertical axis as described as illustrated in the drawings and for the purposes herein
set forth.
2. The combination of the sleeve F with the T sleeve G for the purpose of
permitting the tool to be moved in two vertical planes at right angles to each other,
as described.
3. The combination of the curved arm E with the two sleeves F and G, and the
steam hammer as herein specified as illustrated in the drawings and for the purposes
herein set forth.
4. The combination of parts forming the steam spring M for the purpose of
keeping the caulking tool in close contact with its work as herein specified and shewn
in the drawings.
5. The combination of a steam hammer with a caulking tool as described and for
the purposes herein set forth.
6. The general combination and arrangement of parts in our improved tool for
caulking seams or joints in steam boilers and other analogous constructions as herein
specified and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 19th day of March 1800
GEO. J. HOSKINS.
C. H. HOSKINS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.
GEO. J. HOSKINS.
C. H. HOSKINS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicants.