IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS, RAILWAY PINS, SPIKES AND RIVETS
Year: 1845

page_text: GRIFFITHS' SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
GRIFFITHS, of Smithwick, near Birmingham, in the County of Stafford,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eleventh day of January, in the eighth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Griffiths, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Robert Griffiths, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Robert Griffiths, my exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS,
RAILWAY PINS, SPIKES AND RIVETS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said Robert Griffiths, shall cause a particular_description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is 'to-be
performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the. said proviso, I, the said
Robert Griffiths, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and

page_text: ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon; the same letters of reference denote the same parts on various views
of the machinery shewn in the Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING, SHEET No. 1.
No. 1, side view; No. 2, end view; No. 8, plan. A, a strong cast-iron
frame, which is bolted down on a strong wood foundation frame S, in the
centre of which is placed the beam or reciprocating lever B, fixed on to the
gudgeon T, and bas a reciprocating motion given it by means of the crank K,
which is fixed on the end of the drawing shaft L. At each end of the beam
B are fixed the heading tools F, F, which have an impression made in them
of the form required to make the heads of the pins, bolts, rivets, &c.; but if
they are required to be made with flat heads, in that case the tools F are to
be perfectly flat on the surface, but I wish it to be perfectly understood that
in some description of bolts, pins, &c. I then use two, or even three, of the
heading tools F in succession to form the head on the same pin or bolt, &c.,
the ends of the lever having holes, so that it can be used for either one, two,
or three heading tools at the same time, as is shewn in the Drawing. When
the piece of iron is heated that is to make the pin or bolt, it is then put
into the tool or die E; it is then pushed forward in the slide D by means of
the lever H, until the die or tool E comes under the first heading tool F,
where it receives the first impression, whereby the head is partly formed; it is
then pushed forward in the slide D until it comes under the second tool F,
where it receives the second impression; it is then removed forward to the
third tool to receive a third impression, if required; it is afterwards drawn
back until the die or tool comes over the lever I, where it is knocked out by
means of a peg that is put into the die E, which peg regulates the lengths
required for the pins, &c.; it is then replaced by another piece of hot iron, and
then goes under the same operation as before described. Q, Q, are two
strong bolts, which connect the gudgeon T to the wood spring R, so that in
case two much iron should be put into the die to make the pin, &c., or any
other accidental piece get under the beam B, it would allow the beam B to
rise on the gudgeon T; whereby avoiding the breaking of the lever B, or any
other parts.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, as far as regards the
Drawing and machine No. 1, I will now explain the remaining part of my
Invention, which is shewn on the Sheet and Drawing No. 2.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING, SHEET No. 11.
No. 1, front view; No. 2, side view; No. 3, end view; No. 4, plan.
A, a block or frame, on which is placed and fastened an anvil B, having holes
cast in it to receive the tools D and E, and also the knocking-out lever I,
the block A having the standards K, K, K, screwed to it to support the
hammers C, C, and spindles P, P. F, F, are wood treadles, which are used.
to work the hammers C, C, when required to be worked by manual labour.
G, G, are levers to slide the clutch or cam H, H, that are placed on spindle or
shaft L to work the hammers C, C, when required to work by mill power.
P, P, are spindles, on which hammers C, C, are fixed, and also the levers O, O;
M a driving pulley, to be worked by means of a strap from any convenient
mill power; N, fly wheel to regulate the motion; T, a crank fixed on driving
shaft L', which works on the lever U, so as to give the required movement to
the spindle or shaft P; the spring R, R, brings it back, as shewn in the
Drawing.
'
Having thus decribed the different parts of this machine, I will state the
mode of working by this part of my Invention. When the iron is heated
in the ordinary manner for making bolts, pins, rivets, &c., it is then swaiged
or rounded down by means of the tools D, and a corresponding one fixed
in the hammer C; if worked by mill power the workman presses with his
foot on lever G, which causes the clutch or cam H to slide on spindle or
shaft L until it comes opposite the lever O, when it will lift the lever O, and
consequently cause the hammer C to strike the coil spring R, pulling it up
again. When he has sufficiently rounded his iron the length required, he then
cut its off, and then puts it into the tool or die D, when he then puts his foot
on the second treadle or lever G, when the second hamer C, containing the
tool S, which has an impression formed in it, if required, of the form the head
is required to be, strikes the iron, and thereby forms the head; it is afterwards
struck out by means of the lever I, there being a piece of iron in the die D
which bears on the end of the lever I, which piece also regulates the length the
pins, &c. are required to be made; but if required to be worked by manual
labour, in that case the workman works the hammer C, C, by means of his
foot acting upon the treadles F.
1
Having thus described the nature of my Invention of certain improvements
in the method of manufacturing railway pins, bolts, rivets, &c., together with
the manner of performing and carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be '
understood that the machinery or apparatus may be varied or modified, and
that I do not claim any separate or well-known parts thereof; but what I do
claim is as follows:-

page_text: Machine No. 1.-First, the raising or forming of heads on pin bolts, rivets,
&c. by means of a reciprocating beam or lever, without having a bolt or other
guides for fixing the tools.
Secondly, I claim having two or more treading tools, with the necessary
impressions in them, to form my heads on pins, &c., so that in case I cannot
make my pins, bolts, &c. perfect with one impression, I give it a second or
even a third, if required, at the same heat simultaneously as the beam or lever
descends; and,
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement of having my reciprocating beam or lever
connected with springs, so that should any extra strain be given by two much
iron in the tools or other causes, the springs will give way and avoid all
breakages.
I also claim, in Machine No. 2:-
First, having two hammers and two sets of tools, so that the workman will
be able to part, make his bolts in one set, and finish in the other, whereby he 1
will be able to finish his bolts, &c. at one heat.
Secondly, I claim the application and arrangement of mill power to my
hammers, so that it will be at the option of the workman to either apply mill
power or manual labour, as is shewn and explained in the Drawing.
I would wish it to be understood, that I do not claim the method of working
the hammers by means of a treadle, that having been used before; but I
distinctly claim having two hammers and two sets of tools, as before stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Griffiths, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-five.