IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR HAMMERING AND PLANISHING METAL PLATES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Howell, of 30, Cock Lane, in the City of
London, Wholesale Stationer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR HAMMERING AND PLANISHING METAL PLATES."
Sealed the 7th October 1864, and dated the 9th April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Howell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th April
1864.
I, JAMES HOWELL, of 80, Cock Lane, in the City of London, Wholesale
Stationer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR HAMMERING AND PLANISHING METAL PLATES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for hammering
and planishing metal plates; and in order that these improvements may be
carried out a foundation plate is provided, suitable provision being made
thereon for the reception of a piece of metal, termed the anvil block, upon the
upper side of which is fixed the anvil. Upon the other end of the foundation
plate is fixed a hollow column. A piece of metal is made to fit the hollow in
the column so as to be moveable at pleasure, and which can be adjusted and
made fast by means of set screws. Two bearings are made on the top of this
piece of metal, in which a cross head having suitable gudgeons works, or, more
properly speaking, oscillates. From the centre of the cross head, and forming
part thereof, a tube is made pointing in the directing of the anvil; this.tube

page_text: is made to carry the hammer, the shaft of which passes into the tube, and is
secured therein by set screws. Upon the opposite side of the cross head is
fixed an arm of metal, the end being provided with a slot or eye, through
which a rod passes, and is firmly bolted to the foundation plate. The slot or
eye is allowed to work freely on the rod; a small stop is screwed upon the rod
on the under side of the eye or slot,. and is intended to prevent the eye or slot
from falling too low upon the rod, and consequently the hammer cannot rise
higher than required. A serpentine spring surrounds the rod upon the upper
side of the eye or slot, and takes its bearing against a projection on the top of
the rod. The pressure of the spring on the upper side of the eye or slot keeps
the hammer at the required height from the anvil, and regulates the blows
necessary to hammer or planish the plate, raising the hammer after each blow.
Any suitable metal or material may be used in the manufacture of these
machines. .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Howell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOWELL, of 80, Cock Lane, in the City of London, Wholesale Stationer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Howell, Her special licence that I, the said James
Howell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Howell, my 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 FOR HAMMERING AND PLANISHING METAL PLATES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said James Howell, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,

page_text: 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 I, the said James Howell, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in. what. manner the same is to-be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for hammering
and planishing metal plates; and in order that these improvements may be
carried out a foundation plate is provided, suitable provision being, made
thereon for the reception of a piece of metal, termed the anvil block, upon the
upper side of which is fixed the anvil. Upon the other end of the founda-
tion plate is fixed a hollow column. A piece of metal is made to fit
the hollow in the column so as to be movable at pleasure, and can be adjusted
and made fast by means of set screws. The upper end has two bearings,
which carry a cross head, from the centre of which, and forming part thereof,
a tube is made pointing in the direction of the anvil; this tube is made to
carry the hammer, the shaft of which passes into the tube, and is secured
therein by set screws. Upon the opposite side of the cross head is fixed an arm
of metal, the end being provided with a slot or eye, through which a rod
passes, and is firmly bolted to the foundation plate. The eye or slot is allowed
to work freely up and down the rod; a small ring is made fast to the rod by
a screw upon the under side of the eye or slot in the arm, which prevents the
arm from falling too low, and consequently the hammer cannot rise higher
than required. Upon the upper side of the eye or slot, and surrounding the
rod, a serpentine spring is provided, the upper end taking a bearing against a
projection on the top of the rod. The pressure of the spring upon the top of
the eye or slot keeps the hammer at the required height from the anvil. Tho
blows necessary to hammer or planish the plate is done by pressing the
hammer down on the anvil, the spring being sufficient to raise it after cach
blow.
.
And in order to better explain the nature of my Invention, I proceed to
describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
The foundation plate A is made to carry the anvil block B, the hollow
column D, and the rod M. The anvil C is made to fit on the anvil block B,
and can be removed or adjusted at pleasure. In the column D a metal
guide E is fitted, and is allowed to rise or fall, and is maintained at the
required position by the set screws F, F. The bearing G is screwed into the
guide E, and is also aljusted by the back nut Q. The cross head H is

page_text: supported in, the bearing G. The shaft K of the hammer J is supported in the
tube I of the cross head H, and is securely fixed therein by the set screws L, L.
The arm Mis provided with a slot in the end, through which the rod N passes.
The stop O is moveable, being adjusted and fixed by a screw at the required
position. The serpentine spring P, pressing upon the arm N, raises the
hammer J from the anvil C.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described, as
they may be varied without departing from the principle of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Howell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JAMES HOWELL. (L.B.)