IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL HINGES AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1884

page_text: We CHARLES JAMES HARCOURT of 223 Moseley Street Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Brassfounder, and DAVID DRYSDALE of 37 Alfred Street
Sparkbrook in the County of Worcester, Machinist do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL HINGES
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN to be as follows:-
In carrying the invention into effect we take a strip of metal of any convenient
length and of the section of one flap of the hinge and the knuckle.
This strip is cut up or divided into sections of the length required for the hinges.
Each section in this state is known by the trade as a "hinge blank."
Hinge blanks of the character above described have hitherto, according to one
method of working, had the spaces between the knuckles thereof produced by
pressing or stamping out the metal at such parts by means of a punch and die
acting to cut the three sides of connection of such intermediate pieces with the
blank; this method of working has caused a depression at the end of each knuckle
and longitudinally of the hinge flap where the die has acted and has thereby
produced an unsightly appearance.
The hinge blank has also for the above operation been supported an a bed or die
at right angles with the motion of the cutting out punch whereby a considerable
space has been left longitudinally between the knuckle and the adjoining part of
the flap of the hinge on the back or outer side thereof. .
Now according to our present invention we first cut through that portion of the
blank forming the knuckles a numbor of nicks or slots according to the number of
knuckles or joints required for the hinge. The blank is then subjected to the
action of a die and punch in such a way that the alternate pieces between the
nicks or slots are cut out at an angle with, and at the line of junction still
remaining of the same with the body of the blank.
The two sides necessary for a hinge, being thus prepared, the hinge may be
finished in the ordinary way.
The press die in which the blanks are supported for the action of the punch is
shaped to fit the blank and to support it at the requisite angle and the acting
surface of the punch is fluted or grooved longitudinally to fit the knuckle of the
blank.

page_text: By nicking or slotting the blank before cutting out the material between the
knuckles at the press we obtain greater economy in the manufacture, greater
evenness of surface and more perfect accuracy of fit than heretofore whilst by
cutting out the metal between the knuckles at an angle greater accuracy of fit in
the joint is procured than would be the case if the line of severance were vertical.
Dated thin and dose of a 1001
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We CHARLES JAMES HARCOURT of 223 Moseley Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Brassfounder, and DAVID DRYSDALE of 37 Alfred Street,
Sparkbrook in the County of Worcester, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of
our said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METAL HINGES
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
In carrying the invention into effect we take a strip of metal of any convenient
length and of the section of one flap of the hinge and the knuckle.
This strip is cut up or divided into sections of the length required for the hinges.
Each section in this state is known by the trade as a "hinge blank."
Hinge blanks of the character above described have hitherto according to one
method of working had the spaces between the knuckles thereof produced by
pressing or stamping out the metal at such parts by means of a punch and die
acting to cut three sides of connection of such intermediate pieces with the blank;
this method of working has caused a depression at the end of each knuckle and
longitudinally of the linge flap where the die has acted and has thereby produced
an unsightly appearance.
The hinge blank has also for the above operation been supported on a bed or die
at right angles with the motion of the cutting out punch whereby a considerable
space has been left longitudinally between the knuckle and the adjoining part of
the flap of the hinge on the back or outer side thereof.
Now according to our present invention we first cut through that portion of the
blank forming the knuckles a number of nicks or slots according to the number of
knuckles or joints required for the hinge.
The blank is then subjected to the action of a die and punch in such a way that
the alternate pieces between the nicks or slots are cut out at an angle with and at
the line of junction still remaining of the same with the body of the blank. The
two sides necessary for a hinge being thus prepared, the hinge may be finished in
the ordinary way.

page_text: The press die in which the blanks are supported for the action of the punch is
shaped to fit the blank and to support it at the requisite anglo and the acting
surface of the punch is fluted or grooved longitudinally to fit the knuckle of the
blank.
And in order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect we will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings
more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an end view and Figure 2 is a plan of a blank for one flap of a hinge.
Figure 3 represents a plan of the same after it has been nicked or slotted according
to our invention and Figures 4 and 5 represent plans of the two flaps of a hinge
after the material has been removed from between and at the sides of the
knuckles.
Figure 6 represents a plan and Figure 7 an end view of apparatus employed in
nicking or slotting the blanks. Figure 8 is a front elevation and Figure 9 is an
end elevation of die and punch employed in punching out the material between
and at the sides of the knuckles or joints of the flap shown at Figure 5.
Figure 10 is a front elevation of the die and punch employed in punching out
the material between the knuckles or joints of the flap of the hinge shown at
Figure 5 and Figure 11 is an edge view of one of the punches separately.
In all the figures, like parts are marked with similar letters of reference.
In carrying our invention into effect we take an ordinary hinge blank a, and
place it in position on a bed or table b upon which it is firmly held by a lever
clamp c. While the blank a is held in this position the bed or table b is advanced
towards a series of rotary cutters d which are thereby caused to cut the nicks or
slots a in the blank; after this operation is completed, the blank a, is removed
from the bed or table band is placed in position on a die e, see Figures 8, 9 and 10,
which is shaped to fit the blank a and to support it at the requisite angle whilst
the acting surface or face of the punch fis fluted or grooved longitudinally to fit
the knuckle of the blank as shown more clearly at Figure 11.
The punches are also slotted at f' so as to form the required number of acting
faces.
We would here remark, that in addition to the method herein described of
removing the metal between the knuckles of a hinge solely by pressing or stamping
out the same, such metal has also been removed solely by milling it out with
circular cutters but this latter. method of working is slow and consequently
expensive.
By nicking or slotting the blank as shown at Figure 3, by means of circular
cutters before cutting out the material between the knuckles at the press we obtain
greater economy in the manufacture, greater eveness of surface and consequently
more perfect fit between the knuckles than when removing the metal between the
knuckles solely by pressing or punching, whilst by cutting out the metal between
the knuckles at an oblique angle greater accuracy of fit in the joint is procured
than would be the case if the line of severance were vertical to the face of
the flap:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In the manufacture of metal hinges, cutting through that portion of the blank
forming the knuckles, a number of nicks or slots and then reinoving the metal.
between the knuckles by pressing or stamping out the same substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
2. In the manufacture of metal hinges pressing or stamping out the metal
between the knuckles at an oblique angle substantially as herein shown and
described and for the purpose stated.

page_text: 3. In the manufacture of metal hinges the employment of apparatus to form a
number of narrow nicks or slots in the blank substantially as herein shown and
described with respect to Figures 6 and 7 and for the purpose stated.
4. In the manufacture of metal hinges the employment of apparatus for pressing
or stamping out the metal between the knuckles at an oblique angle to the face of
the leaf substantially as herein shown and described with respect to Figures 8, 9, 10,
and 11, and
5. In the manufacture of metal hinges the combined employment of machinery
or apparatus substantially as herein shown and described with respect to Figures 6
to 11 and for the purpose stated.
CHARLES JAMES HARCOURT.
DAVID DRYSDALE.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.