Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1887
Complete Left, 27th Mar.,¨¨ 1888
Complete Accepted, 18th May, 1888
We, ERNST DE LA SAUCE, HENRY KLOSS, and LOUIS COHN, trading under the firm
of E. de la Sauce and Kloss, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire,
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved system of U-shaped metal-plates, particularly
of sheet iron or steel, bent with parallel sides into which, at or near the bottom and
top of each side a boss is formed extending through the whole length of the plate,
and projecting either outside or inside, and our invention further relates to an
improved machine for bending U-shaped plates of or similar to the kind described.
This improved system of U-shaped metal plates, as an article of manufacture, is
particularly adapted for constructing small buildings, such as sheds, huts, cabins,
watchmen's houses and the like; the whole building, its walls, floors, ceilings and
form double or
roof may be composed of such U-shaped metal plates, which in all cases,
hollow walls, and may be united in any convenient manner by iron beams, girders,
angle-iron, or timber and the like.
a manner,
In forming a hollow wall, or side or part of any such building, or of a tank,
reservoir or cistern, the U-shaped metal plates are fitted one into another in such
that the bottom of one bent sheet or plate is placed into the open top
of another bent sheet or plate; the lower projecting bosses of the interior plate
enter into the concavities of the upper bosses of the exterior plate, and thus the
top and bottom of any two such U-shaped plates fit one into another and hold
together even without the additional use of rivets, which, however may be used.
besides, to unite the plates, particularly in those cases, where a considerable weight is
to be supported.
The U-shaped metal plates of the kind described are further adapted to construct
fire-proof doors. The bent plates fitted one into another as described, and arranged
either horizontally one upon another, or vertically, one beside another, form a complete
door, the open ends of which are closed by iron bars or rails, or wood. Such doors,
being hollow,, are, very light, and open and close smoothly within their frames, they

page_text: !
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are very solid, as the back of each U-shaped plate acts as a cross-bar or rib between
the two parallel outside faces, preventing the said faces from being forced inside, and
the door from being deformed by shocks or pressure. The hollow space or spaces
between the two sheet-metal faces serve as a non-conductor of heat; the door, being
exposed to a strong fire on one side, will not or scarcely suffer on the other side. The
hollow space may also be filled up with a suitable material such as sand, or ashes, or
another non-conductor of heat.
Instead of two bosses on each side of the U-shaped bent plates, three or more
such bosses may be formed lengthwise into the sides, to give the sides additional
strength, but only the top and bottom-bosses are essential, serving to fit one plate
into another.
For the purpose of bending the U-shaped metal-plates of the kind described, we
have constructed a special machine, by the aid of which a blank or flat sheet of iron,
steel or any other suitable metal may be bent into the required shape by one single
operation, and withdrawn from the machine ready for use.
This machine consists of two strong side-frames, preferably constructed of iron
girders, to which a suitable number of identical sets of bending-frames, equally
distributed upon the length of the machine, are secured. A main shaft turning in
bearings supported by strong cross-girders, serves to simultaneously work the bending
devices of the several bending-frames.
In a central position between the two frame-sides of the machine, two strong blocks,
beams or girders, extending through the whole length of the machine are arranged
one upon another with a small, adjustable distance between them, leaving sufficient
space to introduce the flat blank or sheet to be bent. The said two central beams or
pressure blocks are carried by sliding-frames, forming part of the several sets of
bending-frames, and receiving a vertical up-and-down-motion by means of a cam
secured upon the main-shaft and working against anti-friction-rollers carried by said
frames. The said sliding-frames are guided on both sides by grooves or rails provided
in the side-frames of the machine.
On each side of the upper central pressure-block a strong cheek or girder is carried
by a strong lever-mechanism consisting of links and capable of pressing the two
cheeks or side-girders simultaneously and equally towards and against the upper
central block or girder. The said links or levers are worked by a frame, worked by
another cam on the main-shaft and sliding vertically up and down like the frame
which carries the central pressure-blocks. The two cams, imparting motion to the
two pressing frames are so arranged towards each other, that when the one frame,
which carries the central pressure blocks, is at the lower end of its course, the other
frame, which works the side pressure-beams or cheeks, occupies for a short moment,
its highest position, and is then lowered again.
The bending operation of a blank or flat sheet of iron, steel, or other metal is going
on as follows:
When the two central pressure blocks, together with their working frame are in
their highest position, the blank or flat sheet of metal is introduced between the two
central blocks from the front end of the machine, until the whole of its length is fed
and held between the two blocks. The side-pressing cheeks or girders during this
time are keeping their extreme distance from the central beam. The main-shaft is
out of gear.
When the blank has been introduced, the main-shaft is caused to make one
revolution, during which the cams secured upon said shaft force down the one sliding
frame which carries the central pressing-blocks, and lift the other frame, which works
the lever mechanism of the side pressing cheeks.
The blank secured between the two central blocks, being forced down with them
between the two side cheeks apart, is bent, first, into a V-shaped form; then the side
cheeks are forced by leverage towards the upper central block, and thus press the
branches of the bent plate or sheet fully against the sides of the upper central-block,
thereby completing the operation, and finishing the U shaped form of the bent plate.
The bosses to be pressed into the sides of the U-shaped plate are produced by forming

page_text: on or securing to the sides of the upper central block such elevations as are to be
formed into the sides of the U-shaped plates; the side checks are provided with
corresponding concavities. Or the elevations may be formed on or secured to the
working faces of the side cheeks, and corresponding excavations provided in the side-
faces of the upper central block.
When the main-shaft has made one revolution, it is put out of gear again, the side-
cheeks or pressing-girders have been withdrawn from the central block, and the
U-shaped bent plate may be readily drawn out of the machine ready for use.
The number of identical sets of pressing or bending frames required is determined
by the length of the plates to be bent. For short plates, one or two such sets of
bending frames would be sufficient, but for plates of considerable length, of 20 feet
for instance, it would not do to make the inain-shaft operate its pressure upon such
length at a single portion, or even two portions only, of the length. The number of
frames, equally distributed, will, therefore, correspond to the length of the plates
under work.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved U-shaped Metal Plates and Machine for Bending
the same.
We, ERNST DE LA SAUCE, HENRY KLOSS, and LOUIS COHN, trading under the
firm of E. de la Sauce, and Kloss, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German
Empire, Manufacturers, 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improved system of U-shaped metal-plates, particularly
of sheet-iron or steel bent into the form of a U with parallel sides into which, at or
near the bottom, or the bottom and top, of each side a recess or boss is formed
extending through the whole length of the plate and projecting either outside or
inside, and our invention further relates to an improved machine for bending U-shaped
metal plates of or similar to the kind described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 represent several profiles of such U-shaped metal-plates,
the height of the sides a of which is always larger than the breadth of the bottom b.
Such profiles are bent from a flat sheet-metal plate of any suitable length by a special
bending machine, the construction of which is capable of a variety of modifications,
one of these modifications being represented in Figure 11 in end elevation, and in
Figure 12 in side elevation, as hereinafter more fully described.
At the bottom and top of each of the sides a of a U-shaped bent plate, a recess or
boss c is formed or pressed into the metal. In Figure 1, the semicircular recesses c
project outside of the sides a, and a rounded corner from the plane of the side to the
plane of the bottom is thus formed. In Figure 2 they project inside. In Figures 5
and 6 the corresponding recesses c are angular. In Figure 3 the recesses care
formed in the upper and lower edges of the sides a of the plate, and in Figure 4 the
said recesses c are only formed in the bottom edges of the plate sides a.
This improved system of U-shaped bent metal plates, as an article of manufacture,
is particularly designed for constructing buildings of various kinds, such as sheds,
huts, cabins, watchmen's houses, and the like, but also for constructing warehouses,
barracks and buildings of a larger size, tanks, reservoirs cisterns and the like.
In constructing a building or reservoir or the like, of such U-shaped bent plates,
the bottom b of one bent plate is fitted into the open end of another bent plate in
such a manner that the bottom recesses c of one plate enter into the top recesses of
another plate, or vice versa, as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8. By this means the
several U-shaped bent plates clasp each other, and a series of such bent plates may
be united without riveting or the like, having a sufficiently strong hold one upon
another by the recesses fitting into each other; but to give a wall or combination of
such U-shaped bent plates an additional strength, rivets may be used to unite each
pair of the bent plates as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The riveting is done by a
special machine. The joints between each pair of the bent plates may further be

page_text: tightened by the application of a suitable packing or jointing or cementing material
between the surfaces of the two recesses, clasping each other.
For strong metal plates, we prefer the profile shown in Figure 4, in which the
recesses c are formed only at the lower edges of the sides a of the bent
plate, and not deeper than the thickness of the plate. The upper straight
ends of the sides a of the bent plate fit into the recesses c of the next
plate, as shown in Figure 8. By this means we obtain perfectly flush and
even surfaces of the wall composed of such U-shaped bent plates, while with
the other profiles ribs or webs will project outside or inside, formed by the
recesses C. The U-shaped bent plates thus united, with or without the aid of
rivets, form double or hollow walls, the sides of which are kept apart and stiffened
by the bottoms b of the several bent plates as shown in Figures 7 and 8. By this
means the hollow walls offer a considerable resistance to any pressure acting against
their sides, and are not easily deflected and put out of shape, except under violent
pressure. The hollow space between the two sides a of each bent plate, being filled
with air, which is a non-conductor of heat, offers a safety against fire, which attacking
the wall on one side, will not be able to destroy the opposite side, owing to the inter-
mediate hollow or air-filled space. If convenient, this space between the two sides
may be filled up with sand or ashes, or any other convenient material, preferably a
non-conductor of heat.
In constructing a wall or other part of a building, a tank, reservoir, or the like,
the U-shaped bent plates may be arranged upon end with their length vertically and
one beside another, as shown in Figure 9, or the bent plates may be horizontally
arranged and fitted one into and over another.
In Figure 9, we have shown a door constructed of such U-shaped bent metal-plates.
Figure 10 is a horizontal section of said door along the line x-x of Figure 9.
Such doors are fire-proof, very light, and accordingly, they turn easily on their
gudgeons in the frame. The front edge of the door, with the lock, is formed by
the bottom of the foremost bent plate. The open back edge is closed by a channel-
iron or flat rail or bar d, as are also the open top and bottom ends of the door.
In constructing buildings of any kind, or parts of same, or tanks, reservoirs, and
the like, the different walls, floors, ceilings, roofs, etcetera, consisting of the U-shaped
bent plates, as described, may be fitted closely together and united at any desired
angle by the aid of iron beams, girders, rails, angle-irons, or timber and the like, to
which the U-shaped bent plates are riveted, screwed or fastened, by hooks or other
convenient means. In a building constructed in this manner of U-shaped bent plates,
the adjoining wall may be easily arranged so that their hollow insides communicate
with each other to form flues or channels, which may be utilized as air-conduits or
for heating purposes. By this means a thorough ventilating or heating system may
be established throughout the building without special flues and chimneys being
constructed for the purpose.
The bent plates may be galvanized, tinned or varnished to protect them from rust.
The inside walls and floors of a building may be lined with wood, if convenient.
In bending plates into the U-shaped form, as described and shown in Figures 1
to 6, additional webs or recesses may be pressed into the metal of the sides a, for
the purpose of giving them increased strength. Such additional webs or recesses,
however, are not essential for the purpose in view; also, the sides a of the bent
plates may be easily provided, while being bent, with haut-relief or bas-relief
ornaments pressed into them by the same operation, which forms the recesses c, as
hereinafter described.
For the purpose of bending the U-shaped metal plates of the kind described, we
have constructed a special machine, by the aid of which a blank or flat sheet of iron,
steel or any other suitable metal may be bent into the required shape by one single
operation and withdrawn from the machine ready for use.
The construction of this special machine may be varied in its details; according to
one modification shown in Figures 11 and 12, it consists of two strong side-frames B,
preferably of iron girders, to which a suitable number of identical sets of binding

page_text: frames, equally distributed upon the length of the machine, are secured. A main
shaft A turning in bearings supported by strong cross girders A', serves to simul-
taneously work the bending devices of the several bending frames. In a central
position between the two frame sides B, B, of the machine, two strong blocks C, (³, or
beams or girders extending through the whole length of the machine, are arranged
one over the other with a small distance between them, being adjustable by screw-
bolts 0, and leaving sufficient space to introduce the flat blank or sheet to be bent.
The said two central beams or pressure-blocks C, C are carried by sliding frames D, D,
each frame D forming a part of the several sets of bending frames, and receiving a
vertical up and down motion by means of a cam E secured upon the main shaft A
and working against antifriction rollers e, e¹ carried by each of said frames D, D.
The said sliding-frames D, D, are guided on both sides by antifriction rollers sliding
in grooves or rails provided in the side frames B of the machine.
On each side of the upper central pressure-block C, Figure 11, a strong cheek or
girder F is carried by a strong lever mechanism consisting of links f, g, H, and
capable of pressing the two cheeks F or side girders, simultaneously and equally
towards and against the upper central block or girder C. The said links or levers f, g, H,
are worked by a frame G similar to the frame D, and worked by another cam I on
the main shaft A, being guided like the frame D to slide vertically up and down.
The two cams E and I, imparting motion to the two pressing frames D and G, are so
arranged with respect to each other, that when the one frame D, which carries the
central pressure block C, C¹, is at the lower end of its course, the other frame G, which
works the side pressure beams or cheeks F, remains for a short time in its highest
position, and is then lowered again.
The bending operation of a blank or flat sheet of iron, steel, or other metal is as
follows:
When the two central pressure-blocks C, C₁, together with their working frame D,
are in their highest position, the blank or flat sheet metal is introduced between the
two central blocks C, C, from the front end of the machine, until the whole of its
length is fed in and held between the said two blocks. The side pressing cheeks or
girders F are, during this time, kept at their extreme distance from the central beam,
as dotted in Figure 11. The main shaft being driven by a gear-wheel from a suitable
motor, and being provided with a clutch device (not shown), is now stationary.
When the blank has been introduced, the main-shaft is caused to make one complete
revolution, during which the cams E and I secured upon the shaft A, force down the
one sliding frame D, which carries the central pressing-blocks C, (", and simultaneously
lift the other frame G, which works the lever mechanism f, g, H, of the side pressing
cheeks I in order to close up against the central block C.
The blank secured between the two central blocks being forced down with them
between the two said cheeks F, when apart, is bent, first, into a V-shaped form;
then the side cheeks F are forced by leverage towards the upper central block C and
closing up to the same, press the branches or sides of the U-shaped bent plate close
against the sides of the upper central block C, thereby completing the operation and
finishing the U-shaped form of the bent plate."
The recesses or bosses c to be pressed into the sides of the U-shaped plate are
produced by forming on or securing to the sides of the upper central block C such
convexities as are to be formed upon the sides of the U-shaped plates, the side
cheeks F being provided with corresponding concavities. Or the convexities may be
formed on or secured to the working faces of the side cheeks F and corresponding
concavities provided in the side faces of the upper central block as shown on the left
side of said block C in Figure 11.
When the main shaft has made one revolution, it is put out of gear again, the side
cheeks or pressing girders F having, during the return motion of the frame G, been
withdrawn from the central block C, as dotted in Figure 11, and the U-shaped metal
plate may be readily drawn out of the machine, ready for use. The machine is now
in the position for introducing a fresh blank of sheet metal, and on imparting to the
shaft A another revolution, the new blank will be bent as described before.

page_text: The number of identical sets of pressing or bending frames required, is determined
by the length of the plates to be bent. For short plates, one or two such sets of
bending frames would be sufficient, but for plates of considerable length, of 20 feet
for instance, it would not do to make the main-shaft A operate upon a single portion
only, or even upon two portions of the entire length. The number of frames (in the
drawings we have shown four), equally distributed, will, therefore, correspond to the
length of the plates under operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1st. As an article of manufacture, metal plates bent into a U-shaped form, with
recesses formed in the metal at or near the upper and lower end of the sides a,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. As an article of manufacture, metal plates bent into a U-shaped form,
with a recess c, formed in the metal at the lower edge of the sides a, substantially
as described and shown in Figure 4.
3rd. The combination of two or more metal-plates bent into a U-shaped form,
having recesses c formed in the metal, such recesses serving to give one bent plate
a hold upon another, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4th. The combination of a series of plates a of U-shaped section having bottoms b
at right angles to the sides, and recesses or projections c, with a terminal cover-
plate d, whereby a stout, non-conducting cellular structure is obtained with
strengthening plates b, b, b, at intervals, and at each end, substantially as described.
5th. The combination of a series of narrow plates a of U-shaped section with
bulges or recesses c, and terminal plate d, forming a door, whereby a strong fire-
proof door is obtained, substantially as described.
6th. A machine or a pparatus for bending U-shaped metal-plates and pressing
recesses or bulges into their sides, said machine consisting of one or more sets of
bending frames D, G, capable of a vertical up and down motion, each of the
frames Dholding the blank or sheet metal between central adjustable blocks C, C¹,
and forcing it between the side cheeks F in its descent, while each of the other
frames G forces the side cheeks or pressure blocks F laterally towards and against
the central block to shape the plate, all substantially as and for the purpose
described.