IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR PUNCHING, DRILLING, AND RIVETTING
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Roberts, of the City of Manchester, En-
gineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY POR PUNCHING,
DRILLING, AND RIVETTING."
Sealed the 19th January 1855, and dated the 24th July 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Roberts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
July 1854.
I, RICHARD ROBERTS, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
PUNCHING, DRILLING, AND RIVETTING," to be as follows:-
My improvements in machinery for punching, drilling, and rivetting consist,
firstly, in putting the fly wheel upon the eccentric shaft of the punching
machine, and employing apparatus for disconnecting the punch ram from
the eccentric, to give time for the fly wheel to acquire momentum sufficient to
punch strong metal plates; also in self-acting apparatus for restoring the con-
nection between the eccentric shaft and the punch ram, by which arrangements
the punch is advanced and withdrawn more quickly than is usually done.
Secondly, in putting the fly wheel upon the eccentric shaft, and employing
apparatus for disconnecting the eccentric from the ram, as in the punching
machine, and allowing the fly wheel time to acquire sufficient momentum to

page_text: close and rivet metal plates together without the intervention of heavy wheel-
work.
Thirdly, in adapting punching, drilling, and rivetting machines, improved as
above, for being worked by means of a band, strap, or chain passing over a
pulley worked by hand or other power on the traveller of a travelling crane, or
passing over a pulley on a fixed motive power engine, and thence over pulleys
in the travelling crane down to the punching, drilling, or rivetting machine,
which will be worked by the said band throughout the various stages of
building the ship or other thing to which these machines are applicable.
Fourthly, in adapting punching and drilling machines for making holes to
template (an article having marks or perforations to be copied), without the
labour of marking the situation of the holes on the article to be pierced. The
manner in which this is effected is by fixing the template upon a table in the
machine, in connection with another table, to which the article to be per-
forated is fixed. Over the template is a pointer, to which the marks in the plate
are successively brought, and at the same time the object to be perforated
is brought into position for the corresponding hole to be made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd January 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ROBERTS, of the City of Manchester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Roberts, Her special license that I, the said Richard
Roberts, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or. such others as I, the
said Richard Roberts, 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 POR PUNCHING, DRILLING AND RIVETTING," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Roberts, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my hand and seal, 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 Richard Roberts, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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:-
The nature of my Invention consists in improvements in punching machines,
whether the same be used for embossing, raising hollow wares, striking medals,
and the like articles, or for piercing holes and clinching rivets in metal plates.
These improvements are intended,―
Firstly, to increase the efficiency of punching machines by the direct ap-
plication of the fly wheel to the eccentric shaft, together with the means for
causing the fly wheel to acquire momentum sufficient to do its work without
the intervention of heavy toothed wheels, as at present, and by these means to
economise weight, cost, and space.
Secondly, to afford the operative a much larger proportion of the whole time
occupied by each stroke of the machine than is allowed him by the machines
in use for adjusting the object to be operated upon under the tool, and so to
enable him to run the machine at a higher speed, and consequently to turn off
more work.
Thirdly, to obviate the necessity of raising the punch higher than is required
for the adjustment of the work.
Fourthly, to adapt the punching machine to perforate and rivet together
plates in the sides of ships and other large works whilst being suspended
from a travelling crane.
And lastly, my improvements in punching and drilling machines are
intended to facilitate the production of fac similies from the marks or perfora-
tions in the sample, and thus to economize the time usually spent in setting
out the impressions or holes on the intended copy.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
the manner of performing the same, reference being had to the accompanying
four Sheets of Drawings, and to the figures, letters, and arrows marked
thereon.

page_text: Figure 3, a back view, in which the fly wheel is omitted; and Figure 4, a
plan in section of the same. A, A, is the principal casting; B, the fly wheel,
the nave and rim of which are cast iron, connected together by a disc of
wrought iron, to obviate any danger incidental to wheel arms; C and C,
fast and loose pulleys, to which motion is communicated by means of a belt;
D, the fly-wheel shaft, the front end of which is turned eccentric to the body
of the shaft, and carries the spur pinion D*; E, a collar to keep the shaft D
in its place; F, a projection (from the face of the slide F*) in which the
punch G is fixed; G*, the die fixed to the bed in the ordinary manner; Ha
lever, which, by means of a spring H*, exerts an upward force against the
slide F*, equal to or a little more than its gross weight; I, the plunger on the
cccentric end of the shaft D, carrying on a stud the spur wheel I*, to which
is attached the cam I**, which acts against a roller in the lever J, turning at
its upper end on a stud in the plunger I, and bridled at its lower end by the
link J*, one end of which is jointed to the lever J, the other is notched on a
stud in the main casting A; the spur wheel I* is driven by the pinion D*, which
are shewn in the Drawings as being in the proportion of one to six, and the
cam adapted to allow the plunger to dwell on the projection F of the slide F*
during a little more than half a revolution of the fly wheel shaft, and to keep
the plunger off the projection F during the next five revolutions of that shaft;
but the proportion of the wheel and pinion to each other may be varied,
according to the kind of work the machine is for, care being taken that they
be multiples of each other.
The operation of the perforating machine is as follows:-The fly wheel
being put into rapid rotary motion by any suitable power, communicates
through the pinion D* and wheel I* rotary motion to the cam I**, which, by
acting against the roller of the lever J, forces the plunger I beyond the reach
of the projection F, where the plunger ascends and descends inoperatively
during five revolutions of the fly wheel, giving it time to acquire sufficient
momentum to force the punch through the plate at its sixth revolution, at the
commencement of which stroke the cam and plunger are in the position shown
in the Drawing. On the upward stroke of the plunger the slide is raised by
the stud K, riveted in the plunger, and is kept up during the next five
descents of the plunger by the lever II and spring H*. If it should be de-
sirable to bring the punch into operation carlier than the self-acting apparatus
would do it, that may be effected by shifting the notch in the link J* off the
stud, and pushing it to the end of the mortice; or if the plate should not be
set in due time, the plunger may be kept out of action by means of the
handle L.

page_text: In Sheet 1, Figure 5 is a front view, partly in section, of my duplicate
punching machine; Figure 6, a plan; Figure 7, a view of the right hand
end; and Figure 8, a transverse section, taken through the line a, b, in
Figure 5. The principle of the punching portion of this machine being the
same as that already described in reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, need not
be particularly described here, as the same letters of reference are used to
designate the corresponding parts in both. The punch carrier F in this
machine slides at its lower end through a square hole, and through a round
one at its upper, which is screwed to receive the nut H**, whose office is to
adjust the spiral spring H* to bear up the punch. The slide FX is raised by
the piece H, which is jointed to the plunger, and guided between two plates
bolted to the punch carrier F. K, K, K, rails on standards fixed to the floor
(tho two outer rails being adjustable), and carrying the double sliding frame
K*, K*, K*, also adjustable; M, the template or sample; M*, a hollow
pillar to support the template against the pointer N, in the lower end of the
sliding bar N*, which is brought down to the template by means of the lever
O, and is withdrawn by the spiral spring O*. P, the plate to be pierced.
This machine is mounted on wheels Q, Q, Q, Q, which traverse on rails on
the floor. Q, a spur wheel, fixed on the axle R, which turns in the framing
A; S, a shaft, having a pinion on one end, gearing into the wheel Q*, and
furnished at the other end with a wheel S*; T, a shaft, having a pinion at
one end gearing into the wheel S*, and at the other end a cross handle U,
seen in Figure 5, by which the machine is traversed independently of the
frame K*, which is slidden transversally to the machine by means of rack
and pinion or other suitable mechanism. The operation of the machine is as
follows: The template and the plate to be embossed or pierced having been
secured on the sliding frame K, the person in attendance, by traversing the
plate, the machine, or both, brings the mark or hole in the template under the
pointer N, which he then brings down to the template by means of the lever
O, after which an impression, or a hole corresponding in position with the hole
or mark in the template, is punched the next time the plunger I is permitted
to resume its place over the slide F; this operation is repeated until all the
holes are copied.
My improvements in duplicate drilling machines are shewn in Sheet 2, in
which Figure 9 is a front elevation, partly in section; Figure 10, a sectional
elevation, taken through the line a, b, on Figure 9; Figure 11, a plan; and
Figure 12, a horizontal section, taken through the line A, B, on Figure 10.
C, the base plate, to which are bolted the vertical pillars D, D, connected
together by the stretchers E, F, and G. 11, an open frame, turning in bearings

page_text: in the stretchers F and G, and furnished with cross arms I and I*, having
bearings in which the shafts of the circular tables J and J* revolve. These
tables are toothed at their periphery, to gear into a pinion on the stud K, or
into two pinions K* and K*, see Figure 12. L, the drilling spindle, to which
rotary motion is communicated through the mitre wheels L*, shaft M, and
pulley M*, in the ordinary way. N, an upright piece of framing to carry one
end of the shaft M; N*, a stretcher to connect N with F; O, a lever, con-
nected by a pair of links Ox to a treadle on the lever O**, through which the
drill is brought into operation; P and P*, lever and counterpoise for the
drilling spindle L; Q, a sliding bar, in which is fixed a pointer Q; R, a
lever, by means of which the pointer is brought down to the template, herein-
after referred to; R*, counterpoise to lever R. The mode of operation is as
follows: The template or article to be copied is bolted or otherwise secured
to the table J, and the intended copy to the table J*, both tables being pro-
vided with bolt holes for that purpose; after connecting the tables, by means
of a pinion on the stud K, for a direct copy of the template, or by means of
two pinions gearing into each other for a reverse copy, turn the table J on its
own axis and the axis of the frame H, until the hole to be copied coincides
with the pointer Q*, which is to be held therein until the corresponding hole
be drilled.
In Sheet 3, Figure 13 is a side elevation, Figure 14 a plan, and Figure
15 an end view, of an improved stationary rivetting machine, in which my
improved system of punching is applied to the clinching of rivets. A is the
framing or principal casting; B, the fly wheel; C and C*, fast and loose
pulleys; D, the fly wheel shaft, tho part D* of which is eccentric to the body
of the shaft; E, the plunger; F, the slide or ram, into which the punch G
is fitted; G*, the die fitted into the cylindrical plug H, in the periphery of
which there are grooves planed to receive the sliding pieces I, I, J, and I,
(shewn detached), each of which is provided with shoulders that embrace the
sliding hoop I; J, a forked lever, fitted between collars on I*, and turning
on a pin in the casting A; J*, a strong spring secured at its upper end to the
framing A, and acting by its lower end upon the adjusting screw in the lower
arm of the lever J; K, K, sliding pieces fitting grooves in the ram F. These
pieces, which are shown detached, are represented as being broken off in the
ram F, owing to their not being required when the pieces I, I, are in use, as
will be explained hereafter. L, a shaft, on which are fixed levers L*, L*, con-
nected to the pieces K, K, by a pin, which passes through a mortice in the
slide F. M, a lever on the shaft L, to which is attached a spiral spring M*,
one end of which is secured to the base of the casting A.. N, another lever,

page_text: fixed on the shaft L outside the framing; N*, a treadle, one end of which is
connected by a link N** with the lever N; the other end turns on a stud in
the framing. O, a shaft, to which is secured the haudle O* and the lever P,
which is connected by a link P* with the plunger E. The operation of the
machine is as follows:-The plates to be united together by rivets are
suspended in the usual manner between the punch G and die G*, and after the
insertion of each rivet from the right hand side, its head is guided into the
punch G, when the operative, by means of the handle Ox, puts the punch into
action against the rivet head, which is pressed home and the plates closed
together through the resistance presented to them by the sliding pieces I, I, I,
and I, lever J, and spring J*, and the punch continuing to advance overcomes
the resistance of the spring J*, until the rivet is clinched by the die G*, pre-
viously adjusted to the thickness of the plates by means of the cotters through
the plug II. As soon as the rivet is clinched, the handle Ox is returned to the
position shown by dotted lines. When the rivets are required to be inserted
from the left-hand side, the pressure of the spring J* is removed from the
pieces I, I, I, and I, and the pieces K, K, put in their places in the ram F.
After each rivet has been inserted, and its head guided into the die G*, the
operative closes the plates together, and puts the rivet home, by applying his
foot to the treadle N*, which presses the pieces K, K, against the plates; he
then, by means of the handle Ox, causes the punch G to advance and clinch
the rivet, after which the treadle N* is liberated, and the pieces K, K, with-
drawn by the spring M*.
In Sheet 4, Figure 16 is an end view of my portable punching machine;
adapted (whilst being suspended from a travelling crane) for clinching rivets
and piercing plates in the sides of ships and other large works; Figure 17
being a horizontal section taken through the line a, b, in Figure 16; and
Figure 18, an end view of the same. A is the principal casting, to which is
bolted the piece A*, to form the framing; B, the fly wheel; C, a grooved
pulley, to which motion is communicated by means of a band or chain from
a pulley on the travelling platform, worked by hand or otherwise; or the
band may be guided by pulleys or rollers (as is well understood) to the steam
engine or other power in any convenient part of the works. The band may be
kept in a proper state of tension by means of a weighted pulley. D, the fly
wheel shaft, part of which is eccentric to the body of the shaft, and carries
the plunger E; F, the slide or ram into which the punch G is fitted; G*, the
die fitted into the plug H, which is screwed into the hand wheel H* as a nut;
O, a lever, working in a mortice in the casting A, to prevent the screw turning
when being advanced by turning the wheel H*, but when O is reversed it is

page_text: used as a lever to turn the screw. I, a link, one end of which is fitted on a
stud in the plunger E, and the other end has a mortice, that slides on a stud
in the ram F; J, a link, connecting the plunger E with the setting-on handle
J*, which is limited in its range by studs in the framing; K, K, pieces
secured to the framing by cotters L, L. When the machine is suspended
from the travelling crane, it is adjusted to the inclination of the work in one
direction by chains attached to the shackles P and Q, Figure 16, there being
two chain barrels on the traveller, and in the other direction by turning the
screw R. The operation is as follows:-The machine being suspended over
the plates which require uniting together by rivets, and connected with the
motive power by a band or chain, the pulley C is set in rapid motion, and the
machine adjusted to the required height and position by means of the hoist-
ing tackle on the platform of the travelling crane; a rivet is then inserted
from the left, and the hand wheel II* turned until the die G* has forced the
rivet home, and at the same time closed the plates together, through the
resistance of the stops K, K. The workman now depresses the handle of
the lever J*, and thereby brings the plunger E in line with the ram F, which
is instantly advanced, causing the punch G to clinch the rivet; on which the
workman lets go the handle J*, and allows the plunger to work inoperatively
under the ram F, until another rivet is ready to be clinched. The ram F is
withdrawn after each stroke by the link I, attached to the plunger.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the details herein set forth, as the same may be varied without departing from
the peculiar character of my Invention; but what I claim is,-
Firstly, in reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,
and 18, the direct application of the fly wheel to the eccentric shaft of punch-
ing machines for embossing, raising hollow ware, striking medals and the like
articles, or for piercing holes and clinching rivets in metal plates, in which
means are employed to allow the fly wheel to run one revólution or more
between every two strokes of the punch.
Secondly, the means herein-before shewn and described, whereby tho
operation of punching is suspended during one or more revolutions of the
eccentric shaft, to afford the operative time to adjust his work under the punch,
and the fly wheel time to acquire momentum sufficient to perform the next
stroke.
.
Thirdly, the machinery herein-before shewn and described, for perforating
and rivetting together metal plates to form the sides of ships and other large
works whilst the said machinery is suspended from a travelling crane.

page_text: Fourthly, in respect to Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, the use of a sliding carriage
K*, adapted to carry the template and the copy, having a traverse motion
across that of tho part A, A, or body of the machine.
Fifthly, in respect of Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12, the use in drilling
machines of two tables, J and J*; one to carry the template and the other
the duplicate, which tables, whilst being set to the template, revolve simul-
taneously about their respective centres and that of the common centre of the
frame H.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Roberts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness to the signature of Rich Roberts,
II. B. BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
(L.B.)