IMPROVE- MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING PIG IRON
Year: 1885

page_text: We, FRANCIS SHARPE and MATHEW HENRY SIMPSON, of Lancaster in the County
of Lancaster, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR BREAKING PIG IRON to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for the purpose of breaking
pigs of iron into pieces of a convenient size, and it has for its object a novel method
of construction of such machinery or apparatus by which it is rendered very strong,
cheap, durable, and effective.
We take a very strong framework consisting of two frames of iron or other
suitable material in bearings in the upper part of which revolves a strong shaft,
preferably provided with a heavy flywheel, driven by steam or other convenient
power.
At one end of this shaft is a toothed pinion gearing into a corresponding strong
toothed wheel fixed upon the end of a second strong shaft preferably of wrought
iron or steel which also revolves in the frames parallel with the driving shaft. The
part of this second shaft between the frames is cylindrical, but of larger diameter
than and excentric to the remainder, and upon it is fitted freely a corresponding
cylinder of cast iron or other sufficiently strong material, within which the excentric
part of the shaft revolves. The lower part of this cylinder for the full length
between the frames has a strong plate or projection extending downward and
having at its lower edge a longitudinal groove or recess, preferably dovetailed in
cross section, into which is fitted a strong plate or bar preferably of steel.
The ends of the downward extending plate upon the cylinder are extended
somewhat and work freely in vertical slots or guides in the frames, so that when
the driving shaft is in revolution the steel bar is made to work up and down for a
short distance, its stroke being proportioned to the excentricity of the lower shaft.
Upon the opposite ends of the frames are formed resting places or supports upon
which are carried two strong parallel plates or bars, preferably of steel, upon which
rest the ends of the pig of iron which is to be broken. These bars are bolted to the

page_text: frames and are arranged at such a height that when a pig of iron is laid upon them
and the steel bar is forced down by the excentric shaft, its lower edge comes down
upon the centre of the pig for a distance and with a force sufficient to break the
latter. The steel bar then rises as the excentric shaft continues its revolution, and
a fresh pig can be inserted and so on as often as may be desired.
We sometimes arrange a rising and falling table under the steel bars, so as to
prevent the broken pieces of the pig from falling between the frames, and at the
same time to present a flat surface upon which the pigs can be thrust forward
under the steel bar.
Oil holes are made through the cylinder for the purpose of lubricating the
excentric shaft.

page_text: We, FRANCIS SHARPE and MATHEW HENRY SIMPSON, both of Lancaster, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, and accompanying drawing, (that
is to say):-
Our invention relates to machinery or apparatus used for the purpose of breaking
pigs of iron into pieces of a convenient size, and it has for its object a novel method
of construction of such machinery or apparatus by which it is rendered very strong,
cheap, durable, and effective.
In order to put our invention in operation, we take a very strong framework
consisting of two frames of iron or other suitable material, in bearings in the upper
part of which revolves a strong shaft preferably provided with a heavy fly wheel
and driven by steam or other convenient power.
At one end of this shaft is fixed a toothed pinion gearing into a corresponding
strong toothed wheel fixed upon the end of a second strong shaft preferably of
wrought iron or steel which also revolves in the frames parallel with the driving
shaft. The part of this second shaft between the frames is cylindrical, but of
larger diameter than and excentric to the remainder and upon it is fitted freely a
corresponding cylinder of cast iron or other sufficiently strong material, within
which the excentric part of the shaft revolves. The lower part of this cylinder for
the full length between the frames has a strong projection extending downward
and having at its lower edge a longitudinal groove or recess, preferably dovetailed
in cross section, into which is fitted a strong plate or bar preferably of steel. The
ends of the downward extension upon the cylinder, or the ends of the steel bar, are
extended somewhat and work freely in vertical slots or guides in the frames, so that
when the driving shaft is in revolution the steel bar is made to work up and down
for a short distance, its stroke being proportioned to the excentricity of the lower
shaft. Upon the opposite ends of the frames are formed resting places or supports
upon which are carried two strong parallel plates or bars, preferably of steel, upon
which rest the ends of the pig of iron which is to be broken. These bars are
bolted to the frames and are arranged at such a height that when a pig of iron is
laid upon them and the steel bar is forced down by the excentric shaft, its lower
edge comes down upon the centre of the pig for a distance and with a force
sufficient to break the latter. The steel bar then rises as the excentric shaft
continues its revolution, and a fresh pig can be inserted and so on as often as may
be desired.
Oil holes are made through the cylinder for the purpose of lubricating the
excentric shaft.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention.
Figure 1 is an end view, and figure 2 a transverse section of the machine.
In the drawings a, a, are strong parallel frames of cast iron having at their upper
ends bearings b, b, in which revolves a driving shaft c fitted with a heavy fly
wheel d, and driven by driving pulleys by steam or other power. e is a toothed
pinion upon the shaft c, driving a large toothed wheel f upon a strong iron or steel

page_text: shaft g which turns in bearings in the frames a, a. The part h of the shaft g is of
larger diameter and excentric to the ends, and it fits freely in the cylinder i, the
lower part of which has a strong projection downward k, in the lower edge of which
is a longitudinal groove in which is fitted a strong steel bar 7. The ends of the
projection are provided with studs or guides which (or the ends of the steel bar
shewn.at, ¹) fit freely in the vertical slots m in the frames.
n, n, are shoulders upon the frames a, a, upon which rest and are bolted strong
transverse steel or iron bars o, o, upon which rests the pig of iron p which is to be
broken,
The action of the machine when the driving shaft c is set in revolution is as
follows:-
-
The pinion e by means of the toothed wheel of causes, the shaft g to revolve
slowly, its excentric part h between the frames a, a, revolving in the cylinder i and
causing the latter to rise and fall for a short distance, the guides ¹ in the slots m
preventing it from turning round with the excentric shaft h.
The steel bar in the lower edge of the downward projection k also rises and falls
slowly and at the lower end of its stroke comes with great force in contact with the
top of the iron pig p which rests upon the bars o, o, the latter being rigidly
supported on the shoulders n, n, so that they are incapable of yielding, and the
pig p is consequently broken by the pressure of the steel bar 1, which then rises
sufficiently high to allow another pig to be inserted.
The broken pieces drop between the bars o, o, or they may fall upon a table from
which they can be removed by hand.
We sometimes arrange a rising and falling table under the steel bars, so as to
prevent the broken pieces of the pig from falling between the frames, and at the
same time to present a flat surface upon which the pigs can be thrust forward
under the steel bars.
The action of the machine being direct, it is very simple, strong, and cheap, and
not liable to get out of order.
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
The pig iron breaking machine, consisting of the parallel frame a, a, shaft g and
excentric shaft h, cylinder i with projection downward k and guides t¹, working in
slots m, steel bar l, and transverse bars o, o, resting upon shoulders n, n, on the
frame; the shaft g being driven by the toothed wheel f and the pinion e upon the
driving shaft c, all substantially as described and shewn.
Deted this 14th day of January 1886