IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Carpenter Smith, of the Firm of W. Barrs
and Son, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Umbrella
Furniture Manufacturers, and Thomas Packer, of Birmingham
aforesaid, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN
Scaled the 2nd June 1876, and dated the 11th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Carpenter Smith
and Thomas Packer at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 11th December 1875.
We, JOHN CARPENTER SMITH, of the Firm of W. Barrs and Son, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Umbrella Furniture Manu-
facturers, and THOMAS PACKER, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND
PARASOLS," to be as follows:-
.
1
Our said Invention consists of the mechanical arrangements or com
:
T

page_text: binations herein-after described of machinery to be used in the manu-
facture of ribs for umbrellas and parasols, whereby the wire from which
the ribs are made being fed into the machine at one end from a swift or
reel is delivered at the other end cut into proper lengths, and each of
the cut lengths knobbed or headed.
The said machinery is constructed essentially as follows:-At the
feeding end of the machine is a series of straightening rollers, through
which the wire is drawn and straightened after it leaves the swift or
reel. The straightened wire is taken hold of by a pair of tongs or
feeding tools, which after closing upon the wire advance and carry the
required length of wire into the machine, the wire being fed through a
pair of cutting-off tools, a guide tube, a second pair of feeding tools, and
between a pair of gripping dies to the face of the heading tool, which
serves as a stop to limit to determine the length of wire fed into the
machine. After the wire has been fed by the first pair of feeding tools
and has been gripped by the second pair of feeding tools the cutting-off
tool descends and cuts off the length of wire. The first pair of feeding
tools opens and retires ready to close again, and advance a second length
of wire into the machine. The cut-off length of wire is supported in
the guide tube described, and is held near the end to be knobbed or
headed by the second pair of feeding tools. The end of the wire on
which the knob or head is to be formed projects to a short distance
beyond the face of the pair of gripping dies, which close upon it and
hold it firmly during the heading operation or the formation of the
knob. By the advance of the heading tool the projecting end of the
wire is upset or compressed, and the said heading tool retiring and
the gripping dies opening the second pair of feeding tools close upon
the wire and advance it a short distance, when the gripping dies again
close and the heading tool again advances, thus further upsetting or
compressing the end of the wire and advancing the formation of the
knob or head. The slight advance of the wire is effected a third time,
and by the third operation of the heading tool the head or knob is .com-
pleted, the required figure being given to the head or knob on the end.
of the wire by a hemispherical recess in the in the end of the heading
tool, and a hemispherical recess in the face of the gripping dies. After
the wire has been headed the guiding tube in which it is supported
opens on its under side, and the headed wire falls from the machine,
and the series of operations described is repeated on another length of
wire.

page_text: Motion is given to the several moving parts of the machine in the
following way: The principal or driving shaft of the machine carries
at one end a wheel or crank plate, on which is situated a crank pin
capable of adjustment at any require distance from the centre of the
said wheel or crank plate. A connecting rod connects the said crank
pin with the first pair of feeding tools, and gives the required motion to
the said tools for closing upon and advancing the wire. The moveable
cutting-off tool is operated from an eccentric on the driving shaft
through a connecting rod and levers, and the second pair of feeding
tools is actuated by a cam on the driving shaft, having the three rises
necessary to give the three advances to the said tools during one rotation
of the driving shaft. The gripping dies and heading tool are worked by
a slide, to which three advance motions are given by a cam on the
driving shaft having three rises. The heading tool is connected directly
with the fore end of the slide, while the rear end of the said slide is
provided on each side with an incline.
The ends of the long arms of the levers carrying the gripping tools
bear against opposite sides of the said slide, and as the said slide
advances its inclines first operate upon the ends of the said levers and
close the gripping tools upon the wire, while the further motion of the
slide causes the heading tool to upset the end of the wire. The return
motions of the said slide and the other parts actuated by cams are
effected by coiled springs. The opening and closing of the guiding and
supporting tube are effected by a lever actuated by a connecting rod
from a cam on the driving shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
'
filed by the said John Carpenter Smith and Thomas Packer in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
CARPENTER SMITH, of the Firm of W. Barrs and Son, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Umbrella Furniture Manufacturers, and
THOMAS PACKER, of Birmingham aforesaid, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the

page_text: year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto us, the said John Carpenter Smith
and Thomas Packer, Her special license that we, the said John
Carpenter Smith and Thomas Packer, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Carpenter Smith
and Thomas Packer, our 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY. TO BE
USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Carpenter
Smith and Thomas Packer, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly
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 we, the said John Carpenter Smith and
Thomas Packer, 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 :-
Our Invention consists of the mechanical arrangements or com-
binations herein-after described of machinery to be used in the
manufacture of ribs for umbrellas and parasols, whereby the wire from
which the ribs are made being fed into the machine at one end from a
swift or reel is delivered at the other end cut into proper lengths, and
each of the cut lengths knobbed or headed.
The said machinery is constructed essentially as follows:-At the
feeding end of the machine is a series of straightening rollers or pegs
through which the wire is drawn and straightened after it leaves the
swift or reel. The straightened wire is taken hold of by a pair of tongs
or feeding tools which after closing upon the wire advance and carry the

page_text: required length of wire into the machine, the wire being fed through a
pair of cutting-off tools, a guide tube, a second pair of feeding tools, and
between a pair of gripping dies to the face of the heading tool, which
serves as a stop to limit or determine the length of wire fed into the
machine. After the wire has been fed by the first pair of feeding tools
and has been gripped by the second pair of feeding tools, the cutting-
off tool descends and cuts off the length of wire. The first pair of
feeding tools opens and retires ready to close again and advance a
second length of wire into the machine. The cut-off length of wire is.
supported in the guide tube described, and is held near the end to be
knobbed or headed by the second pair of feeding tools. The end of the
wire on which the knob or head is to be formed projects to a short distance
beyond the faces of the pair of gripping dies, which close upon it and
hold it firmly during the heading operation or the formation of the knob.
By the advance of the heading tool the projecting end of the wire is
upset or compressed, and the said heading tool retiring and the gripping
dies opening, the second pair of feeding tools close upon the wire and
advance it a short distance, when the gripping dies again close and the
heading tool again advances, thus further upsetting or compressing the
end of the wire and advancing the formation of the knob or head. The
slight advance of the wire is effected a third time, and by the third
operation of the heading tool the head or knob is completed, the
required figure being given to the head or knob on the end of the wire
by a hemispherical recess in the end of the heading tool, and a hemi-
sperical recess in the face of the gripping dies. After the wire has been
headed the guiding tube in which it is supported opens on its under
side, and the headed wire falls from the machine and the series of
operations described is repeated on another length of wire.
Having explained the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan a machine for feeding the wire for cutting
off the wire into the required lengths, and for heading or knobbing the
cut-off lengths, the parts of the said machine being constructed,
arranged, and worked according to our Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the feeding end of the machine, the tongs or
feeding tools being represented closed upon the wire in Figure 1, and
open in Figure 2.-
:

page_text: Smith & Packers Impts. in the Manufacture of Umbrella Kws, gc.
Figure 3 is a cross section of the machine drawn to a larger scale, the
said section being taken on the dotted lines A, A, of Figure 1 and
exhibits the construction of the pair of cutting-off tools.
Figures 4 and 5 represent cross sections of the machine taken on the
line B, B, of Figure 1, and exhibit the construction of the guiding and
supporting tube of the machine, Figure 4 showing the guide tube
closed, and Figure 5, the same open.
Figure 6 represents in longitudinal section, and Figure 6, in end
elevation, the heading tool and parts connected therewith.
Figure 7 represents in side elevation, and Figure 8, in cross section 1
the second pair of feeding tools and also the knocker off. The section,
Figure 8, is taken on the line C, C, of Figure 1.
Figure 9 represents in plan, drawn of the full size, the heading tool,
the pair of gripping dies, the second pair of feeding tools, and a portion
of the guide tube.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several
Figures of the Drawings..
]
a is the wire from which the partly formed ribs are to be made. The
said wire a after it leaves the swift or reel passes through the straight-
ening pegs b and between the pair of tongs or feeding tools c, d, c being
the fixed tool, and d the moveable tool. The said feeding tools c, d, are
carried by the feeding slide e working in dovetails f,f, on the bed of the
machine, the said slide e having a reciprocating motion given to it in
the manner herein-after described. The moveable tool d turns on the
centre d², and its long arm is connected by the link d³ to the sliding 2
piece d' working on the fixed guiding rod d'. When the parts of the
feeding slide are in the respective positions represented in Figure 1 the
moveable feeding tool d has closed upon the fixed tool c, and the wire a
is gripped between them, and by the advance of the feeding slide in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 1, the required length of wire to form a
rib is fed into the machine, the said wire being fed through the fixed
tool g of the pair of cutting-off tools g, h, (see Figure 3), the guide tube i, k,
the second pair of feeding tools l, m, and between the pair of gripping
dies n, p, to the face of the heading tool q, which heading tool serves as
a stop to limit or determine the length of .wire fed into the machine.

page_text: The wire a having been thus fed to the heading tool q the feeding
slide e, d', makes its return stroke. On making its return stroke the
first movement of the sliding piece d' advances the link d³, and causes it
to turn the moveable feeding tool d on its centre, thereby opening the
said feeding tool and releasing the wire, as illustrated in Figure 2. The
further movement of the sliding piece d' brings the pin d against the
cross slide e, and the parts d', e, now make their back stroke together,
leaving behind them the length of wire fed into the machine. The
back stroke of the feeding slide is regulated by the screw stop & in
combination with the adjustable crank pin 82. On the feeding slide
making its advance stroke the feeding tool d again closes upon the wire
by the action of the link d³, and a second length of wire is advanced
into the machine, and so on. As soon as the wire has been fed to the
heading tool q the moveable die n of the pair of gripping dics n, p,
advances and grips the wire between itself and the fixed die p, the end
of the wire projecting a short distance beyond the faces of the said
gripping dics n, p, and while the wire is so held the moveable cutting-off
tool h descends and cuts off the length of wire, the said cut-off length of
wire being supported in the guide tube i, k, which has been closed to
receive the said wire. Immediately after the advance of the gripping
die n the heading tool q advances, and compresses or upsets the pro-
jecting end of the wire between its end and the faces of the gripping
dies n, p, (see Figure 9). After the end of the wire a, projecting
beyond the faces of the gripping tools n, p, has been compressed or
upset, the said wire is slightly advanced twice by the operation of the
second pair of feeding tools l, m, the tool m being stationary, and the
tool being moveable. The said tools l, m, have however a sliding
motion given to them to feed forward the wire, as herein-after described,
that is to say, after the first advance of the heading tool g to partly form
the knob or head on the end of the wire, the said heading tool retires,
and the gripping die n also retires so as to release the wire. The feeding
tool now closes upon the wire, and advances it a short distance, when
the gripping die n again closes upon it, and the heading tool q again
advances, thus further upsetting or compressing the end of the wire,
and advancing the formation of the knob or head. The gripping die n
again retires and also the heading tool q, and the wire is further
advanced by the second pair of feeding tools l, m; the gripping tool n
again closes upon the wire, and the heading tool finally advances and
completes the formation of the head. Thus by a series of advances of

page_text: the wire and a series of advances of the heading tool the complete head
or knob on the end of the wire is formed.
By an examination of Figure 9 it will be seen that the required figure
is given to the end of the wire which has been advanced intermittently
in the manner described by the hemispherical recess in the end of the
heading tool and the hemispherical recess in the faces of the gripping
dies n, p. After the end of the wire has been headed and the gripping
tool n and feeding tool 7 have retired the guiding tube i, k, opens in the
manner represented in Figure 5, and the headed wire falls from the
machine or is struck by the knocker-off r and removed from the machine.
Another length of wire having been fed to the heading tool q the several
operations described are repeated.
We will now describe in detail the construction of the essential parts
of the machine and the respective arrangements for working the moving
parts.
The reciprocating motion of the feeding slide carrying the first pair
of feeding tools c, d, is effected by the adjustable crank pin s² on the
face of the fly wheels on the principal or driving shaft through the
connecting rod 83, the said rod 8 being jointed at a* to the sliding picce d'
of the feeding slide.
The cutting-off tools g, h, are constructed and worked in the manner
best seen in Figures 1 and 3. The fixed cutting tool g has a hole in it
through which the wire a passes, and in a guide carried by the said fixed
cutting tool g the moveable cutting tool / works, the said tool being
raised by a coiled spring and pressed down so as to cut off the length of
wire between itself and the fixed cutter by the short arm of the lever u;
the lever u is worked from the rocking shaft u² through the horizontal
arm and vertical arm u*, and motion is given to the said rocking
shaft u² by means of the face cam u³ on the driving shaft t, the rise u
on the said cam acting on the roller on the end of an arm on the said
shaft (see Figure 1); the return or back motion of the rocking
shaft is effected by the spring u³ and rod u³.
The guide tube i, k, consists of two longitudinal halves or parts, the
part being fixed and the part i being jointed to the fixed part at 2, i².
The moveable part i is capable of being closed upon the fixed part k so.
as to form a complete tube, as seen in Figures 1 and 4, or of being

page_text: .
opened from the said fixed part, as in Figure 5, to release the headed
length of wire. The opening and closing of the moveable part i of the
guide tube are effected in the following manner:-To the upper part of.
the said moveable part i a link is jointed, and the latter is jointed to
the cranked arm on the rocking shaft ; motion is given to the said
rocking shaft by means of the face cam 26, the rise of which operates
upon a cranked arm on the said rocking shaft (see Figure 1); the return.
motion of the said rocking shaft is effected by a spring and rod at i³,.
as described with respect to the rocking shaft u².
The second pair of feeding tools l, m, is constructed and worked in
the following manner :-The moveable feeding tool / consists of a lever
turning on the centre 12 on the plate ³, the said plate 13, the stationary
tool m, and the middle plate being fixed to the dovetail slide 15 sliding
in a dovetail seat in a plate or frame fixed on the bed of the machine
(sec the cross section, Figure 8); the outer end of the feeding tool / is,
connected by a pin and slot at 1 with the arm 1, and the latter is con-
nected with the rod sliding in guides (see the plan, Figure 1). The.
rod is worked by the cam v on the driving shaft t (the shape of which
cam is best seen in Figure 7), and by the spring w. The back motion
of the said moveable tool / and parts connected therewith by which the
said tool is taken out of action is effected by the rise on the cam v, and
the advance motion by which the said tool is made to grip and slightly
advance the length of wire is effected by the spring w. When the rise:
on the cam v ceases to act on the end of the rod 18 the feeding tool -
occupies the position represented in Figure 1, the said feeding tool being.
out of action, and the slide carrying the feeding tools l, m, being at the
end of its back stroke. As soon as the cam v ceases to act the spring. w:
draws forward the rod and thereby advances the feeding tools l, m,
and slide carrying them. The first advance movement of the rod 18 turns
the feeding tool 7 on its centre and causes its serrated or holding end to
close upon and grip the wire, and the after movement of. the said rod.18
advances the slide 15 and the parts l, m, 14, 13, carried by it so as to
slightly advance the wire the required distance for the operation of the
heading tool as soon as the said wire is released by the opening of the
gripping dies n, p.
4
The heading tool is constructed and worked in the following manner:
-The heading tool q is separate from the bolt or slide 92 (see Figure 6), .

page_text: guiding tube q3 fixed by the screws q* to the case q³. The advance
motion of the heading tool q is effected by the bolt or slide q² acting
against the arm q7 on the said heading tool, and the return motion of
the said heading tool is effected by the coiled spring 96 situated between
the end of the fixed guiding tube q³ and the arm q' on the end of the
heading tool g (see Figures 1 and 6^). The bolt or slide q² is worked by
the cam x on the driving shaft t, the said cam being provided with
three rises, by which a series of three blows is given in succession to the
bolt q², and through the said bolt to the heading tool q. The shape of
the cam x for working the heading tool q is best seen in Figure 6.
q
The moveable gripping die n is carried on the short arm of the lever y
turning on the centre y², the said lever y being worked by the incline y³
on the side of the bolt or slide q which works the heading tool q.
When the bolt q² advances to actuate the heading tool g the said bolt
through the incline y³ also operates the lever y and causes the gripping
tool n to grip the wire during the operation of the heading tool. The
return motion of the gripping lever y is effected by the spring q¹º.
The knocker-off r, which is best seen in Figure 7, is carried by the
lever, which is worked by. the cam z on the driving shaft t, the return
motion of the said lever, being effected by the spring 22.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that
we do not limit ourselves to the precise details herein described and illus.
trated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of our Invention; but.we claim as our Invention of improvements in
machinery to be used in the manufacture of ribs for umbrellas and
parasols,
First. The combination or arrangement of the parts herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for feeding into
the machine the required lengths of wire to be knobbed or headed.
Secondly. The construction and combination of the parts, substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
of the second or intermittent feeder for slightly advancing the cut-off
lengths of wire during the heading operation, the said second or inter-
mittent feeder being used in combination with the pair of gripping dies
described and illustrated, by which the length of wire is held during
the cutting-off and heading operations.

page_text: Thirdly. The construction of the heading tool herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, and the arrangement
or combination of the parts herein-before described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings for giving a series of blows to the heading
tool for gradually effecting the compression or upsetting of the
end of the wire and the formation of the knob or head on the said
wire.
Fourthly. The arrangement or combination of the parts herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for working the
moveable gripping die by the advance of the heading slide or bolt.
Lastly. The general arrangement or combination of the parts of the
machine for feeding the lengths of wire into the machine, supporting,
gripping, and cutting off the lengths of wire, heading or knobbing the
said cut-off lengths of wire, and removing the headed lengths from the
machine.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Carpenter Smith and
Thomas Packer, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
. JOHN CARPENTER SMITH. (L.S.)
THOMAS PACKER.
(L.S.)
20
Witness,
FREDERICK FREEBORN SMITH.