IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS AND RIVETS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS AND RIVETS."-A communication from J. L.
Vergniais, residing in Paris.
Sealed the 6th December 1859, and dated the 23rd June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd June 1859.
I, MARC ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS AND RIVETS," (a communication) to be as
follows:-
These improvements consist, 1stly, in the suppression of the large cutting
apparatus which shake the machinery in their movement and give rise to
considerable waste of force.
2dly, in the arrangement of two knives which by their peculiar action
prevent the formation of sharp angles on the bolts, and the bending of the
rod or bar from which they are made.
3dly, in the arrangement of several matrix holes formed in such a way that
the metal is passed in and cut before applying the pressure for the formation
of the bolt head.

page_text: 4thly, in the different mechanical arrangements for maintaining in position
the bars to be wrought, and for regulating the exact length of each bolt.
5thly, in the arrangement of water reservoirs or jets for keeping the
working parts of the machinery constantly cool.
The apparatus comprising these modifications is composed, 1st, of a massive
cast-iron frame of about six feet six inches in length, by about three feet six
inches in breadth.
2dly, of an articulated arm or lever which gives motion to the "header."
3dly, of two knives mounted edge to edge in contact with the matrix plate,
and acted on by two small cams.
4thly, of a circular plate with a variable number of orifices, into which are
fitted the matrices of different calibres according to the dimensions of the
bolts or rivets required. These orifices are formed in the plate at equal
distances round the axis, so that a new matrix is presented to the metal to be
wrought at each stroke of the machine.
5thly, of a "lunette" or guide piece, by means of which the bar or rod to
be wrought is maintained in position.
6thly, of an arrangement of water jets or reservoirs by means of which the
parts of the machinery exposed to excessive heat are kept constantly cooled.
The rod or bar to be wrought being heated to a cherry red in a furnace
placed in close proximity to the apparatus, is taken up by the distributor and
passed into the guide piece or "lunette," mounted close to the matrix plate,
from this it passes into one of the matrices. The knife arrangement worked
by the small cams then comes into play, cuts off the required length of the
bar, and closes up behind it the orifice of the matrix plate. The cut length
of the bar is thus firmly stayed up against the "header," which then strikes
the opposite extremity and completes the bolt or rivet. The bolt thus made
is carried round in the movement of the matrix plate, and is finally thrown
by a push piece into a convenient receptacle, while a new matrix is presented
to the succeeding length of bar which undergoes the same operation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters l'atent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine François Mennons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 14th December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices,
39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, Iler special licence that I,
the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, 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 THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BOLTS AND RIVETS," (a communication) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, 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, 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 Marc Antoine François Mennous,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
For several years past constant essays have been made with a view to
obtain a thoroughly practical means of forming bolt and rivet heads, simul-
taneously with the introduction in the matrix and cutting of the metal to be
wrought, but these essays have all proved failures to a greater or less extent
from the fact that their authors have in most cases confined their attention
to the formation of the head, while neglecting many other points on which
success in practise mainly depended. The priuie obstacles to be overcome
lay in the difficulty of regular introduction of the bar or rod into the matrices,
in its cutting when introduced, in its withdrawal after the formation of
the bolt, and in the rapid deterioration of the working parts exposed to
the heated metal, by which constant repairs and renewal were rendered
necessary.
The object of the Invention, communicated to me, is to remely these and
other minor defects by an improved arrangement of machinery, the nature of
which will be readily understood from the following description, and its

page_text: accompanying Drawing, in which latter the similar parts of the mechanism
are indicated in the different Figures by the same letters of reference.
A, A, is a massive cast-iron framework of, say, six feet six inches in length
by three feet six inches in breadth; B, B, B, articulated arms or levers set in
motion by the cranked shaft C, on this shaft C are mounted the wheel D,
the cams E, E, and the forked piece F; G, driving shaft on which is mounted
the fly wheel; H ram, fitted with a strong adjusting screw I. A chamber is
formed at the outer extremity of this screw to receive the "header" J, the
face of which is hollowed according to the form to be given to the bolt head.
K, K, bevel wheels which communicate the rotatory movement to the shaft L,
on which are mounted the wheel M and the cams N, O. On the driving
shaft G is mounted a toothed pinion P, the size of which depends on the
diameter of the bolts to be produced. Q, reservoir, containing water for
cooling the matrix plate R, with the matrices and other accessories connected
with it; S slip on which the bolts are carried off when thrown from the
matrices by the push piece T; U, shaft on which are mounted the arms V, V,
and W; X, grooved piece or charriot which receives the inetal rod or bar
on its introduction into the machine, and fitted with a cramp or stop Y, held
in position by a strong spring. The groove of the charriot X is about five
inches in length, and should be provided with rasp or file teeth surfaces so as
to present the greatest possible resistance to the passage of an excess of metal
in the rapid movement of the machine. When this precaution is found
insufficient, a moveable stop should be inserted; in front of the matrix Z, Z,
are steel supports on which slide the charriot X and its accessories, and which
rise with the upward stroke of the lower blade, returning to their horizontal
position in its descent.
a, rod by which the cramp or stop Y is freed when necessary; b, lower knife
bearer. This knife bearer in iron or steel, is set in motion by the cam O, in
the rotation of the shaft L, by which the steel draw rods are raised; d, upper
cutting blade, set in motion by the cam N, on the passage of which it descends,
and afterwards rises by the action of the springs e, e; f. f, cross pieces fixed on
an angle of the main framing A, and carrying the push piece T. This cross
piece is set in movement by the shaft C acting on the branches of the forked
picco F, which thus performs an alternate come-and-go movement; y, small
gorge pullies or distributors placed at the edge of the framing to facilitate the
introduction of the metal to be wrought; i represents one of the matrices of
which a number, (say from six to eight) are fitted into the corresponding
orifices of the revolving plate R. The dimensions of these matrices vary
according to the size of bolt to be produced; but in all cases, the calibre should

page_text: be slightly tapered off, (say to the extent of 100th of an inch per inch of bolt).
The object of this is to obviate the resistance which would be opposed to
the action of the push piece, were the interior of the matrix perfectly cylindrical
throughout. The extremity by which the metal enters should be bevelled
off to about one-fifth of an inch in depth to facilitate the introduction of
the bar to be wrought, and prevent the formation of asperities, on the stroke,
of the cutting apparatus; j, cramps, mounted at the side of the lower cutting
blade, to prevent the withdrawal of the metal in the backward movement of the
charriot X. The pressure of these cramps is maintained by a spring adapted
to cach, and is slackened when required by a slip or chain, as shewn in the
Drawing; K, guide piece or lunette, which prevents the deviation or bending
of the bar, or rod on the stroke of the lower cutting blade. This lunette has a
plane surface at the inside of the upper part, and is of an oval form below, its
entry being bevelled off. During the action of the lower cutting blade the
metal is prevented from rising by the plane upper surface of the guido piece,
and is forced by the oval form of the lower part to follow the inclination of the
steel supports Z, Z, while stayed up by the charriot X. In this way it takes up
in descending its first position, and passes without difficulty into the matrix ; ·
d', bearer or rod to which the cutting edge d of the upper blade is secured by
steel screws. This blade compresses the bar or rod and cuts it at its upper
surface to about one-third of its depth, only withdrawing when almost met by.
the upward stroke of the corresponding blade beneath. This result is obtained
by the arrangement of the cam N and the springs e, e, which raise the upper
blade just before the cut is completed by the one below; 1, lower blade, the
cutting edge of which is concave, and of a crescent shape, bevelled off in the
thickness of the mass; M, wheel with two or three teeth. The edge of this
wheel lodges at each revolution in one of the hollows or concavities of the
circumference of the matrix plate R, which receives from the teeth the required
amount of rotation on the retreat of the header after each stroke. The
wheel M thus revolves eight times for each complete revolution of the matrix
plate R in the Figure. A strong iron washer represented by the dotted
lines m, is fitted to the latter, and maintains the matrices in place; W,
lever or arm, the upper part of which is fitted to the shaft U, U. This lever,
which distributes the desired lengths of metal is worked by the rotation of the
cams E, E, acting on the rod n, by which its extremity is drawn forward and
gives movement to the arms V, V. The latter by their forked shape push
forward the charriot X, which carries the metal to be wrought, and introduces
it into the matrices, the quantity being regulated by the greater or less range
allowed to the lever W. The machinery being set in motion by the driving

page_text: bands communicating with the engine and the shaft G, the metal rod or bar
heated in a furnace in close proximity, is introduced between the gorge pullies
or distributors g, and passes into the charriot X, under the cramp Y. From
thence it passes into the lunette or guide K, which leads it into the matrix in
front. The upper knife blade d, d', then descends by the rotation of the
cam N, cuts to about one-third of the depth of the bar or rod, and withdraws
by the action of the springs e, e, simultaneously with the upward stroke of the
lower blade, worked by the cam O. The cut completed, the blade maintains
its position against the opening of the matrix, staying up from behind the
length of bar introduced. The ram H, moved by the wheel D, and the
articulated levers B, B, B, then advances and strikes the opposite extremity of
the bar projecting from the matrix, thus forming the head of the bolt. It then
withdraws, leaving the matrix plate R free to turn on its axis by the revolution
of the wheel M. The push piece T, acted on by the forked pieces F, and the
rod ff, then comes into play, throws from the matrix the newly made bolt,
(which falls into the slip S) and returns to its former position. The charriot X
having in the meantime withdrawn, brings forward a new length of metal,
which passes in the same way between the cutting blades, into the succeeding
matrix presented by the revolving plate R. The ram with its die again strikes,
the finished bolt is thrown into the slip by the return movement of the push
piece, and so on, ad infinitum.
With a motor of three-horse power, the average product per minute of the
machine, constructed as above, is 30 bolts of inch in diameter by four to six
inches in length. The small bolts or rivets of half these dimensions, are
manufactured with the same power, at the rate of about 40 per minute.
Having now described the nature of the said improvements, and the manner
of carrying them into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details above laid down, but claim the general con-
struction and arrangement of bolt and rivet-making machinery, substantially as
above described and represented in the different Figures of the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
M. F. MENNONS. (L.S.)