IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING FLANGES ROUND HOLES IN METAL PLATES, SUCH AS THE FLUE HOLES IN BOILER HEADS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING FLANGES ROUND HOLES IN METAL
PLATES, SUCH AS THE FLUE HOLES IN BOILER HEADS." A communication
from abroad by Richard Charles Nugent, of the City of Dayton, State of Ohio,
United States of America.
Sealed the 16th June 1876, and dated the 31st January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st January 1876.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING FLANGES
ROUND HOLES IN METAL PLATES, SUCH AS THE FLUE HOLES IN BOILER HEADS."
The present Invention relates to improvements in machinery for bending up the
edges of circular holes in plates, such as the flue holes of boiler heads, so as to form
flanges round the same. For this purpose a table carried by suitable framework
has a central hole, in which is fitted a removable annular die, the inner diameter
of which corresponds with the diameter of the hole in the plate to be flanged after
the flange is formed thereon. Below the said table is a vertical shaft situated in
the centre line of the hole in the die, which shaft carries at its upper end a flanging
head, carrying two or more cylindrical or conical rollers, the axes of which are
somewhat inclined towards the axis of the shaft at the upper ends, and which have
trunnions carried in bearings on the head, so that they can turn freely ou their
axes. The vertical shaft, together with its flanging head, receives rotary motion
by means of a bevil wheel having a feather fitting in a groove in the shaft, so that
the latter, while it is carried round by the wheel, is free to slide vertically through
it. Above the bevil wheel is a sleeve through which the shaft passes, turning freely
therein, the sleeve having a screw thread formed on its outer surface, and passing
through a second bevil wheel, which is formed with a corresponding female screw
thread. This wheel is carried by the framing, and receiving rotary motion from the
same driving gear that rotates the lower bevil wheel; it causes the sleeve (which is
prevented from rotating by a pin fitting in a longitudinal groove thereof) to move
upward or downward. The sleeve bears with its upper end against the under side
of a socket on the vertical shaft that carries the flanging head, so that as it is

page_text: moved up and down it causes the shaft and flanging head to ascend and descend
with it, while these at the same time revolve. The blade on which the flange.is to
be formed being placed on the top of the before-mentioned annular die, with the
centre of its hole corresponding with the centre of the die, and with as much of its
metal as is required to form the flange projecting over the edge of the latter, it is
first secured in this position by means of an upper annular clamping die, to be
presently described, after which, the shaft with its flanging head being made to rise
up while it at the same time rotates the before-mentioned rollers in pressing
against the projecting circular edge of the plate will bend it up, and in pressing it
against the inner surface of the clamping die will thus form it into the required
circular flange; when this has been completed the shaft with its flanging head is
lowered again, the clamping die is raised, and the flanged plate removed. The
clamping die is connected to a carrier ring capable of being made to slide up and
down in an upper framing, which may form part of the lower framing, but which
is by preference made separate from the latter, and attached to the ceiling of the
workshop, so as to leave the space between the upper and lower dies perfectly clear
for plates of any dimensions that may require to be flanged.
The raising and lowering of the clamping die may be effected by a lever or by a
screw or any other suitable known mechanism, whereby the die may be made to
clamp the plate securely upon the lower die.
The upper and lower dies are made removeable from their supports, so that they
can be changed for other dies having flanging holes of different dimensions. The
flanging head with its rollers is also removeable from the vertical shaft, so that it
can be replaced by another head of a different size.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th June
1876.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORMING FLANGES
ROUND HOLES IN.METAL PLATES, SUCH AS THE FLUE HOLES IN BOILER HEADS." A
communication to me from abroad by Richard Charles Nugent, of the City of
Dayton, State of Ohio, United States of America.
The present Invention relates to improvements in machinery for bending up the
edges of circular holes in plates, such as the flue holes of boiler heads, so as to form
flanges round the same. For this purpose a table carried by suitable framework
has a central hole, in which is fitted a removeable annular die, the inner diameter
of which corresponds with the diameter of the hole in the plate to be flanged after
the flange is formed thereon. Below the said table is a vertical shaft situated in
the centre line of the hole in the die, which shaft carries at its upper end a flanging
head carrying two or more cylindrical or conical rollers, the axis of which are
somewhat inclined towards the axis of the shaft at the upper ends, and which have
trunnions carried in bearings on the head, so that they can turn freely on their
axes. The vertical shaft, together with its flanging head, receives rotary motion
by means of a bevil wheel, having a feather fitting in a groove in the shaft, so that
the latter while it is carried round by the wheel is free to slide vertically through
it. Above the bevil wheel is a sleeve through which the shaft passes, turning freely
therein, the sleeve having a screw thread formed on its outer surface, and passing
through a second bevil wheel, which is formed with a corresponding female screw
thread. This wheel is carried by the framing, and receiving rotary motion from the
same driving gear that rotates the lower bevil wheel it causes the sleeve (which is
prevented from rotating by a pin fitting in a longitudinal groove thereof) to move
upward or downward. The sleeve bears with its upper end against the under side
of a socket on the vertical shaft that carries the flanging head, so that as it is

page_text: that of the lower die D, to give room for the thickness of the flange to be turned up
between the flanging die rolls and the walls of the upper die D¹. This upper die D'
is attached to a carrier ring D2 on a sliding frame H, which can be moved up or
down by means of a rack q and segmental gear q¹, the lever q² of the segment being
locked in any desired position by a set screw on a fixed are q³. The plate with
the flue hole cut to a proper diameter is placed on the lower die D, the edge of the
hole in the plate projecting inwardly over the opening of the lower die. The upper
die D is then brought down and locked firmly in position, clamping the plate,
whereupon the shaft b₁ being caused to rotate the flanging head P is caused to
rotate, and also to rise, so that the flanging die rolls P¹ bend the metal plate around
the flue hole upwards into a flange form, and passing through it give it a tubular
form, bearing it against the inner surface of the upper die D₁. When the operation
is completed the head P is removed, the motion is reversed, withdrawing the
spindle d, the upper die D¹ is raised, and the plate is removed. The flanging head P
is made with a square boss entering a socket s, so that it can be removed and
replaced by different sized heads and flanging die rolls to suit different diameters of
holes.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim in respect of machinery for forming flanges around holes in metal plates,-
First. The use of a flanging head carrying two or more flanging die rolls, and
having a vertical and a rotary motion, substantially as herein described.
Second. The combination of a flanging head and die rolls with a pair of clamping
dies, substantially as herein described.
Third. The combination of a flanging head and its spindle witli a screwed sleeve
and gear for the purpose of giving vertical motion to the head while it revolves,
substantially as herein described.
Fourth. Making the flanging head and dies removeable so as to suit different
sizes of holes, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
CHA. D. ABEL. (L.S.)