Improvements in Machinery for Pressing Horse-shoes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1895-Accepted. 5th Oct., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Pressing Horse-shoes.
We, WILLIAM INCH, Superintendent at the Works of the United Horse-shoe
and Nail Company Limited, Cubitt Town, London, and JOHAN EMIL OLSSON,
Engineer, at the same works, 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 :-
The accompanying drawings illustrate a horse-shoe pressing machine constructed
in accordance with our improvements, Figure 1 being an end elevation, Figure 2 a
side elevation, Figure 3 a plan, Figure 4 a vertical sectional elevation taken on the
line of Figures 1 and 3, Figure 5 a plan of the die in which the horse-shoe is
pressed and Figures 6 and 7 sections of same taken on the line Y-Y and Z-Z
respectively of Figure 5. Figures 5, 6, and 7 are drawn to a larger scale than
Figures 1 to 4.
1 represents the general framework of the machine, 2 a table mounted on the
top of the framework 1, 3 guides mounted on the said table, 4 a strong crosshead
the ends of which are guided by the said guides 3. The crosshead 4 has fixed to
its underside the pressing plunger 5, which works into the die plate 6 as the cross-
head 4 is caused to rise and fall by means of the excentric rods 7, actuated by the
excentric sheaves 8 secured on the shaft. 9, which rotates in bearings in the frame 1.
Rotatory motion is communicated to the shaft. 9 from the driving shaft 10 by spur
gearing 11, 12, countershaft 13, spur gearing 14, 15, countershaft 16 and spur
gearing 17, 18, the shaft 10 being driven by fast and loose belt pulleys 19. The
die-block is preferably constructed as shown clearly in Figures 6 and 7 in
accordance with a Patent granted to William Inch, bearing date the 28th December
1894 No. 25228, that is to say with spring rollers 20 on which it can be rolled in
and out on the table 2, so that it can be pushed backwards under the pressing
plunger 5 when the horse-shoe is to be pressed, and drawn forwards clear of the
same when the pressed horse-shoe is to be removed from the die and a fresh one
inserted. But thase rollers 20 may be dispensed with and the die adapted to slide
on the table 2, or to be otherwise supported so that it can he moved in and out for
the purposes described. The die or matrix consists of a steel plate 6, having an
opening 21 formed therein corresponding in shape to the horse-shoe to be pressed.
This plate fits loosely into a box 22, which is secured on the top of a plate 23 or is
formed integral therewith as may be preferred. This plate 23 either contains the
spring rollers 20 which roll on the table 2, or is adapted to slide on the latter,
being in either case guided sidewise by the guides 24.
The plate 6 rests upon springs 25 which constantly tend to press the plate 6
upwards; but the upward movement of this plate is limited by the beads of
studs 26 passing freely through the plate 6 and screwed or rivetted in the bottom
plate of the box 22. 27 is a plate placed on the bottom of the box 22, 28 is a plate
resting on the plate 27, or it may be a projection of the said plate forming a part
thereof. It corresponds in shape to the bottom part of the opening 21 in the
plate 6 and consequently to the shape of the finished horse-shoe. This plate 28
enters the opening 21 in the plate 6 and forms a bottom to such opening when the
plate 6 is pressed down as hereinafter described, 29 is another plate of the same
shape as the plate 28, but slightly smaller. It forms a false bottom to the opening 21
when the plate 6 is pressed down on to or nearly on to the plate 27 and receives
the downward pressure while the shoe is being pressed. The false bottom plate 29
has screwed or rivetted to it three downwardly projecting pins 30 which pass freely
through holes in the plates 28 and 27, the bottom of the bex 22 and into slots 31 in

page_text: the lower plate 23. 32 are pins adjustably fixed to a lifting plate 33 adapted to be
moved vertically up and down by suitably guided rods 34, actuated by cams or
tappets 35, secured on the shaft 9." 36 are slots in the plate 33 so placed that the
said pins 32 can be adjusted in them and fixed in positions corresponding with the
pins 30 of the false bottom 29; it being understood that the sizes of the opening 21
and of the plates 29 and 28, and consequently the positions of the pins 30 vary
according to the size of shoes to be pressed.
The die-block has to be drawn out after each shoe is pressed, to enable the
pressed shoe to be removed from the die, and another unpressed shoe to be placed
therein, and this may be done by hand if preferred; but we prefer to effect these
movements automatically by suitable mechanism such as that shown, by way of
example, in the drawings. 37 is a weight, a chain 38 from which passes over a guide
pulley 39 and is attached to the front of the die block; the said weight tends
constantly to draw the die block forwards, that is to say to the left in Figures 2, 3
and 4. 40 are links pin-jointed to the rear of the die-block. The rear ends of
these links rest on pins 41 in the lower ends of lever arms 42 fixed on a rock
shaft 43, turning in bearings 44, secured to the table of the machine. The ends
of the lever arms 42 pass into the spaces between the links 40 in front of the cross
pins 45 of the links 40, which pins may be provided with friction rollers if desired.
A lever arm 46, mounted on the end of the rock shaft 43, is connected by a con-
necting rod 47 with a crank arm 48 fixed on a short shaft 49 revolving in suitable
bearings, and receiving its motion from the shaft 9 by spur gearing 50, 51. We
prefer to arrange the gearing 50, 51 so that the crank shaft 49 makes only one
revolution for two revolutions of the shaft 9, by which means the crosshead 4 and
pressing plunger 5 make two up and down movements for one movement in and out
of the die-block. The object of this arrangement is to reduce the time that the
pressing plunger 5 is in contact with the hot metal of the shoe, so as to prevent
the heat from drawing the temper of the steel. The same effect could be produced
by doubling the travel of the crosshead and pressing plunger; but it is obvious
that that would entail making the machine much larger, and the parts concerned in
the administration of the pressure much stronger.
it will be understood that the object of the false bottom 29, its pins 30, and the
corresponding pins 32 is to force up the horse-shoe out of the die when the pressing
operation is completed; and this pressing upwards of the false bottom 29 must
take place at a time when the pins 30 stand exactly over the pins 32, and as the
plunger is rising; but as at that moment the lever arms 42 are free of the cross
pins 45 of the links 40, the weight 37 would draw the die-block forward, so as to
move the pins 30 away out of the range of the pins 32 unless otherwise prevented.
To prevent this, and to retain the die-block in position until the pins 32 have acted
on the pins 30 we employ a latch-bolt 52 sliding in a lug 53 on the crosshead 4,
but prevented from dropping below a certain point by its head coming in contact
with the lug, or by any other suitable means. When the die-block is in position
for a shoe to be pressed, and the crosshead 4 and plunger 5 are down effecting the
pressure on the shoe, the bolt 52 has dropped so that its lower end stands in front
of a flange or other part 54 fixed to or forming part of the side of the die box 22
of the die-block, as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2, thereby preventing the die-
block from being drawn forward. When however the pressing plunger has risen
out of the die, and the pressed shoe has been forced up by the false bottom 29, and
pins 30 and 32, the latch-bolt 52 will have been raised along with the crosshead +
until it is clear of the part 54, when the weight 37 draws the die-block forward
free of the crosshead 4 and plunger 5, to enable the pressed shoe to be removed
and a red-hot unpressed one to be placed in the die.
The lever arms 42 are then moved backwards by the crank 48, connecting rod 47,
lever arm 46 and rock shaft 43, and they act upon the pins 45, and links 40,
thereby drawing the die-block backward against the action of the weight 37. The
lower end of the bolt 52 rides up on the inclined part 54 of the die-block and
along the level part thereof until it drops in front of such part, as shown in

page_text: Figures 1 and 2, locking or latching the die-block in place; the lever arms 42 then
begin to move forward, quitting the pins 45 and ceasing to act on the links 40 until
it is again time to draw the die-block backward by the pins 45 and links 40, which
arc at that time in their most forward position.
55 (see Figures 5, 6, and 7) are steel punches for forming the recess in the shoe
for the heads of the nails to lie in, and in some cases for forming more or less.
completely the nail holes through the shoes. These punches pass through holes
in the plates 29, 28 and 27 and rest with their lower ends on the bottom of the
box 22.
The slots 31 in the lower plate 23 of the die-block enable the latter to be drawn
forward whether the upper ends of the pins 32 have or have not retreated below
the upper surface of the table 2 when the time has arrived for the die-block to be
moved forward or backward.
We prefer to pass a current of cooling water through the box 22 of the die-
block, and this current may be continuous, entering at 56 and leaving at 57 for
example, or it may be intermittent, that is to say, allowed to flow only during the
interval between the pressing of one shoe and the introduction of the next; and
this intermittent supply may be delivered by means of a tap 58 connected with
the supply pipe 59, and opened and closed by a lever 60, actuated by the cross-
head 4 as the latter rises and falls.
The action of the pressing apparatus is as follows:-Assuming the die-block to
have been drawn forward by the weight 37, free of the action of the pressing
plunger 5, a red-hot shoe is placed in the opening 21 of the plate 6, but the said
opening being somewhat tapered, that is to say smaller at the hottom than at the
top, the horse-shoe remains for the moment at the upper part of the said opening.
As shaft 9 makes a rotation in the direction of the arrow it causes the crosshead 4
and pressing plunger 5 to descend and rise again; but as the die-block is in its
forward position these movements of the crosshead and pressing plunger have no
action upon the horse-shoe; while, however, the shaft 9 is making its next
revolution the crank 48 moves the lever arms 42 backwards, and these acting
against the pins 45 of the links 40 draw the latter, and with them the die-block,
backwards on the table 2. The opening 21, with the red-hot shoe in it, is thus
brought exactly under the pressing plunger 5 where it is retained by the latch
bolt 52 as above described. The pressing plunger being shaped to fit the opening 21
enters the latter, forcing the horse-shoe down on to the false bottom plate 29, and
the latter on to the plate or projection 28, the plate 6 being also carried down
by the friction of the horse-shoe in the opening 21 against the resistance of the
springs 25 until the lower part of the said opening passes down and surrounds
the plates 28 and 29. The plate 29 and the sides of the opening 21 form the
die or matrix in which the pressing plunger 5 presses the horse-shoe, and imparts
thereto the finished shape. When the pressing plunger 5 rises the springs 25
force the plate 6 to rise also until it is stopped by the heads of the studs 26.
The false botton 29 is then pushed up by the pins 32, acting against the lower
ends of the pins 30, and the pressed horse-shoe is thereby raised high enough
to be seized by a pair of tongs or otherwise and removed from the die. To
facilitate this operation of removing the pressed horse-shoe and placing an
unpressed one in the die the weight 37 draws the die block forward, as before
explained, as soon as the bolt 52 has been raised by the crosshead 4 high
enough to allow the part 54 to pass below it. It will be understood that
when the time arrives for the drawing forward of the die-block by the weight 37
the lever arms 42 will have been moved forward far enough to allow the pins 45
to be drawn forward with the links 40, and die-block as far as may be necessary
without fouling the said lever arms, which only bear against the pins 45 when
drawing the die-block backwards.
The object of causing the plate 6 to rise when a horse-shoe is not being pressed
is to enable the cooling water to come freely in contact with the plates 27, 28,
aud 29 and the punches 55 at that time.

page_text: As the relative positions of the pins 30 have to be varied to suit various sizes of
horse-shoes, in a manner similar to that above described in reference to the pins 32,
slots are formed through the plate 27 and the bottom of the box 22 similar to
those marked 36 in the lifting plate 33; but when the position of the pins 30 in
such slots has been defined, the remaining portions of the slots, not occupied by
the pins, should be filled up with wood, or other suitable material, in order to
prevent the escape of more or less of the cooling water through them, care being
taken to leave sufficient play to enable the pins 30 to slide freely but more or less
watertight, in the circular holes thus left for their passage.
If preferred the plate or projection 28 may be dispensed with, and the plate 29
allowed to rest directly on the surface of the plate 27.
The driving shaft 10 may, with advantage, be provided with a fly-wheel, which
bowever is not shown in the drawings.
The latch-bolt 52 for retaining the die-block in position while the pressing
plunger is descending to effect the pressing of the shoe is conveniently carried by
the pressing plunger crosshead, as shown in the drawing, but it is obvious that
it may be carried and operated by other means so long as it is caused to rise and
fall at proper times in unison with the said crosshead."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
:-
make two
First. In a machine for pressing horse-shoes, causing the pressing plunger to
up and down movements during the performance of the several
operations necessary for pressing a shoe, drawing the die form under the pressing
plunger, removing the shoe from the die, placing another shoe therein, and returning
the die into position under the pressing plunger, substantially as described, and for
the purpose specified.
Second. In a machine for pressing horse-shoes mechanism for bringing and
holding the die in line with the pressing plunger while the latter makes its
pressing movement, and for bringing the die into a position clear of the pressing
plunger and retaining it in such position while the pressing plunger makes another
movement, and while the pressed horse-shoe is being removed from the die and an
unpressed one placed therein, substantially as described.
Third. In a machine for pressing horse-shoes in which the die is alternately
placed in line with the pressing plunger and brought out clear of the same, the
sliding latch-bolt 52 rising and falling in unison with the pressing plunger and
crosshead and operating in combination with a part 4, 54" of the die-block,
substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In the die of a machine for pressing horse-shoes the employment of a
false bottom 29 combined with lifting pins 30 for the purpose of ejecting the
pressed horse-shoe, substantially as described.
Fifth. In connection with the die of a machine for pressing horse-shoes the
mechanism for operating the device for ejecting the pressed horse-shoe, which
consists of pins 32 corresponding in position with the pins 30 of the ejecting device,
and secured to a suitably guided plate 33 to which motion is imparted, at the
proper time, by means of cams or tappets 35, substantially as described.
Sixth. The improved machine for pressing horse-shoes constructed and operating
substantially as described.