Improvements in Machinery for Hammering or Beating Metal Foil and Leaf Metal.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for Hammering or Beating Metal Foil
and Leaf Metal.
We, JACOB HEINRICH, Proprietor of Hammer Works, and HEINRICH DORSCH,
Mechanic, both of No. 3, Sommerstrasse, Fürth, Bavaria, Germany, 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 :-
This invention relates to a machine for hammering or beating all kinds of metal
foil and leaf metal that occur in trade.
We will describe our invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which Figs. 1 to 7 illustrate the mode of working, and of guiding and holding the
metal foil or leaf to be operated upon; Figs. 8 to 10 shew the mechanism for
actuating the tool of the machine, the parts shewn in Figs. 1 to 7 being mostly
omitted in these figures for the sake of clearness.
Fig. 1 shews a side view of the machine, the mechanism for actuating the tool
being omitted;
Fig. 2 shews a plan,
Figs. 3 and 4 a plan and elevation to a larger scale of the cam for guiding the
.workpiece.
Fig. 5 a diagram of the mode of effecting the hammer blows,
Figs. 6 and 7 plan and cross-section of the mechanism for holding the workpiece.
On a sliding carriage c moveably mounted upon the anvil a is arranged a rotatable
toothed ring d in which is secured the workpiece tiFigs. 6 and 7, so that this must
partake of all the movements of d. The toothed ring d is continuously rotated in a
uniform manner by means of a toothed pinion e Figs. 1 and 2. In addition to this
rotary motion the workpiece t has a to and fro motion imparted to it, for which
purpose rotation is imparted to a,shaft / from the crank shaft f by means of the belt
pulleys g and h and toothed wheels i and k. On the shaft is mounted the cam m
shewn separate to an enlarged scale at Figs. 3 and 4, which cam is arranged to shift
longitudinally on the shaft, such shifting being effected by means of the adjusting
lever n or by any other suitable adjusting device. A roller o on a lever p is con-
tinually pressed by a spring 7 or by a weight against the cam m, so that the rotation
of the latter imparts a rocking motion to the lever p which imparts a corresponding
to and fro motion to the sliding carriage c by means of the connecting rods q.
A flexible shaft 8 or other suitable known transmission device receives rotary
motion either from the shaft l, as shewn, or from the crank shaft f, and transmits
such motion to the toothed wheel e and ring d.
When haminering metal foil or leaf it is of the greatest importance to operate upon
the small pieces of metal situated between the sheets of vellum or gold-beaters skin in
such manner that the metal is enabled to spread out uniformly, freely and rapidly
under the action of the hammer. From long observations it has been noted that this
opening out of the metal by mechanical beating is best effected if the blows are
effected upon the metal continuously in the direction of lines radiating from.the

page_text: centre, and the above described mode of moving the work piece is designed to carry
out this mode of operating, as will be seen from the Fig. 3, 4 and 5. Referring
to Fig. 5, a b c d represents the work piece, and it is desired that the blows shall be
effected approximately in the direction 1, 2, 3, 4, the guide being then moved back
again so that the next blow shall again occur at about the centre.
It must however be avoided to strike exactly in the centre as otherwise the metal
would be hammered thin at that point much too rapidly, and consequently the
following blows are effected at the points 5, 6, 7, 8 &c.
The positions of the successive blows 1, 2, 3, 4 &c. are only shewn diagram -
matically at Fig. 5; in reality they would not lie in radial lines but in more or less
curved lines, the curvature of which would depend upon the relation between the
speed of rotation of the workpiece and the speed with which the blows succeed each
other.
The said sequence of blows is obtained, by first causing the curve A of the cam
Fig. 4 to act upon the roller o, so as to move the slide c in such manner that the
blows occur approximately in the direction of the radial line 1-a. As soon as the
guide roller passes on to the next curve B, the slide together with the work piece
are rapidly drawn back by the spring r, and as during this time the ring is turned
partially round; the next set of blows will occur in the direction of radius e then
f, g, and so on.
Care has furthermore to be taken that the hammer never strikes beyond the
edge of the metal foil or leaf as otherwise the skins between the separate metal
foils would be rapidly destroyed. This is ensured by making each of the curves
of the cam of a different height, the curve A being of a height corresponding to
the radial line a the curve B corresponding to the length of line e and so on.
As already stated, the central part of the work piece must be only seldom
struck; for this purpose only one of the can curves, for instance as shewn, the
curve A, is made to extend back to the base circle X, which corresponds to the
centre of the workpiece, while the extremities of the other curves stop at
a certain distance from such circle.
As the workpieces or metal foils or leaves are square, and the radial blows recur
regularly, the number of the cam curves can be made to correspond to one fourth
of the total number of radial lines, in order that the cams may not be of too large
dimensions.
The square indicated by dotted lines in
foil freshly introduced, while the square
out to the full size.
Figure 5 shews the size of the metal
bed represents the foil or leaf beaten
It will therefore be evident that the length of the radial
lines along which the blows are directed must increase in proportion to the
stretching of the metal.
For this purpose the cam curves are made of conical or tapering form in the
direction of their width, as shewn at Figure 3 and the can is arranged to slide
longitudinally on its shaft.
It will be readily seen that if the guide roller o and its lever p are actuated
successively by a part of the cam of increased diameter the radial lines of blows
will become proportionately longer. It is therefore possible to regulate the length
of the radial lines by a corresponding adjustment of the lever n.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 shew a second cam m¹. This has for its object to effect the flattening
down of the metal foils when freshly introduced, by means of a series of uniform
blows. The curves on the cain mare for this purpose made uniform; . this
cam m is brought to face the roller on first introducing the packet of metal
foil.
A number of the metal foils with the interposed goldbeaters skins are made
up into a packet, or mould t, and these are then simultaneously heaten out. The
packet or mould is held during the beating process by the arrangement shewn
at Figs. 6 & 7. The rotatable ring d has a central opening into which the
packet is introduced free, so that it can be beaten on its upper side by the
hammer b,
J'

page_text: In order to maintain the packet centrally in the ring d, notches n¹ are cut in the
latter to receive the angular spring bars o¹ which by their spring action hold the
packet securely in position. A number of notches n¹ are formed in order to allow
the bars of to be shifted from the one to the other according to the size of the packet
to be held thereby.
.:
In order to prevent the packets from springing upwards during the beating, the
sliding carriage c carries a slide or frame w which covers the packet with the exception
of the part on which blows are directed.
The beating mechanism the hammer, and the arrangement for throwing it in and
out of gear are shewn at Figs: 8 to 10. Fig. 8 shews a side view, Fig. 9 a plan and
Fig. 10 a detail.
With hammering machines of the above described kind the blows require to be
effected quietly and without rebound upon the workpiece, sliding parts of the
mechanism must be kept as far away as possible from the hammer and anvil in order
that all risk of dirtying by the dropping of oil &c. shall be obviated.
The anvil a is mounted upon a strong frame. The hammer head is arranged to
slide between guide bars F. It receives its motion from the forked lever J through
the medium of the bow spring G and stretched connecting strap H. The lever Jis
pivotted to the axis K which is carried by the levers L; these are pivotted on a
fixed axis M and have their other ends adjustably carried by a sleeve between screw
nuts on a threaded rod N so that by this means the axis K of lever J can be raised
or lowered.
The hammer is actuated from the crank or eccentric shaft to which the lever J
is connected by a rod N¹ and which is driven by fast and loose pulleys P, O.
The hammer blow is effected in such manner that the rod N¹ raises lever J rapidly,
whereby the hammer block b hanging in the frame H G is jerked upward.
Before it falls on the work-piece the spring G will already have descended again
so that by the strain exercised thereby upon the strap H an additional downward
pressure is exercised upon the hammer-head, whereby the blow is strengthened, and
all rebound is prevented..
According as the pivot K is raised or lowered the throw of the lever J is corres-
pondingly decreased or increased, and consequently the strength of the blow is
proportionately varied.
The throwing in and out of action of the machine is effected by shifting the belt
fork p¹. A shaft 7 at the rear end of the machine is rotated slowly by the spur
wheel k, a pin on the latter being made at each revolution to depress the lever u'
carrying a pawl all which turns a ratchet wheel v¹ fixed on the shaft q¹ through a
distance of one or more teeth.
The other end of shaft q¹ carries a disc w¹ which has a notch w¹ on its periphery,
the width of which corresponds to the thickness of a locking lever x, Fig. 10.
This lever x is fixed on a shaft y on the other end of which is fixed the belt
fork, and which carries a coiled spring that always tends to turn the shaft
and fork p¹ from the fixed pulley to the loose one, as indicated by the arrow
Fig. 10.
So long as the driving belt is running on the fast pulley (the machine being in
action) the shifting of the belt fork is prevented by the beak ¹ of the lever x bearing
against the disc w When after a certain number of hammer blows, the disc has
been turned to such an extent that the locking lever can be drawn by the spring z
into the notch woll, the shaft y will be correspondingly turned and will thereby shift
the fork p¹ and belt on to the loose pulley thus bringing the machine to a standstill.
A stop on the end of lever x prevents this from passing entirely through the notch w
The locking lever is also provided with a wedge-shaped projection which is so
arranged that when the fork p¹ is turned by hand so as to bring the belt upon the
fast pulley the wedge will enter the notch woll and will thereby turn the disc w
slightly round, so that when the fork is released by the hand and the spring z tends
to turn it back again, the notch woll will no longer be in line with the locking lever

page_text: so that this will be maintained by the disc in the position shewn at Fig. 10 in which
the fork is on the fast pulley, and the machine will continue to run until the notch w¹¹
has performed a complete revolution and is brought to face the lever again. The
mode of operating with the above described machine is as follows. After the hammer
head has been suitably adjusted in position for giving the required strength of blow
by means of the adjusting screw rod N, the sliding frame is drawn outward and the
packet is inserted between the spring angle bars o¹, after which the frame is pushed
in again. The belt fork is then moved to the fast pulley and the machine can then
be left to work without special supervision, as when the packet t has been operated
upon by the hammer for the prescribed length of time, the disc w³, Figs. 9 and 10,
will have been turned so that the locking lever x can pass through it and cause the
belt fork to be brought on to the loose pulley so as to stop the machine. The packet
is then removed and re packed and the cam m is shifted by means of lever n so as to
increase the length of the radial lines of hammer-blows correspondingly to the size to
which the metal foils have been stretched by the first operation. The above opera-
tion is then repeated until the metal foils or leaves have been beaten out to the
required extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A machine for hammering or beating metal foil or leaf arranged in such
manner as to effect successive blows upon the metal foil or leaf in a series of
radiating lines, substantially as described.
2. In a machine for hammering or beating metal foil or leaf operating as set forth
in the First Claim, arranging the packet or mould of metal foil or leaf to be held
within a ring such as d which is rotated and at the same time receives a to and
fro motion by means of a multiple-curve cam such as m, substantially as herein
described.
3. In a machine such as is referred to in the First and Second Claims, constructing
the multiple-curve cam with curves of tapering form in the axial direction and
arranged to slide longitudinally upon its shaft in order, by bringing parts of the curves
of different size opposite the lever which effects the to and fro motion of the slide
carrying the packet or mould, to vary the length of the radial lines along which blows
are given by the hammer, substantially as described.
4. In a machine such as is referred to in the First and Second Claims, constructing
the multiple-curve cam m with its successive curves of varying length, so as thereby
to vary the lengths of the successive radial lines along which blows are given by the
hammer, and thus to adapt the length of such lines to a square form of the packet or
mould, while only one of the curves is made to extend inwards to a base circle X, in
order that the blows of the hammer shall only occur at longer intervals upon the
central part of the metal foil or leaf, substantially as described.
5. In a machine such as is referred to in Claims 1 and 2 an appliance for holding
the packet or mould while being operated upon, consisting of spring angle bars such
as of which hold the packet or mould t in the ring f and a sliding frame such as w
which covers the packet or mould with exception of the part which is to receive the
blows, and thus secures the same in position, snbstantially as described.
6. In a machine such as is referred to in the First Claim an arrangement of bow
spring hammer wherein the bow spring G is actuated by a lever J the pivot of which
is made adjustable for the purpose of varying the strength of the blows, substantially
as described.
7. In a machine such as is referred to in the First Claim, the use of an automatic
stopping device, wherein a locking lever urged by a spring operates in combination
with a notched locking disc w₁ in such manner that on the completion of a revolu-
tion of the disc its notch allows of the passage through it of the lever x which thereby
causes the belt fork to throw the belt on to the loose pulley, while on moving the fork
4

page_text: by hand for putting the belt on the fast pulley a wedge piece all turns the locking
disc w so as to lock the lever and belt fork in the said position, substantially as
described.
8. A machine for hammering or beating metal foil or leaf combined and ope: ating
as herein described with reference to the drawings.
1000