IMPROVEMENTS IN STEEL WASHERS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR FORMING THE SAME
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
gineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEEL WASHERS AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR FORMING THE SAME."-A communication from
abroad by William Butcher, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and
George Whitfield Billings, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th June 1870.
International Patent Office,"
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEEL WASHERS, AND
IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR FORMING THE SAME," a communication, to be as
follows:-
:-
The said washer is made of tempered steel in a hollow semi-spheroidal

page_text: or saucer shape, the metal being thinnest around the bolt hole, and
gradually thickening towards the arch of the washer, and then continuing
of about uniform thickness to the outer edge. The hoop or circum-
ferential part of the washer is made to form nearly a right angle to the
transverse diameter of said washer. This angle may be somewhat
varied however without material injury to the effectiveness of the
washer.
The said washer of two inches inside and two and one-fourth inches
outside diameter, when formed of metal number ten gauge would require
a disc of about two and three-fourth inches diameter, having a bolt hole
of three-fourth of an inch diameter. The lower part of the die in
which the said washers are formed is of the same diameter as the
outside diameter of the washer, but the upper part is beveled and the
largest diameter at the upper part is the same or a little larger than the
diameter of the disc from which the washer is formed.
of the die is beveled for the purpose of preventing the
the blank or disc is being transformed into a washer. The die is open,
an aperture equal to the outside diameter of the washer extending through
the lower half of the plate in which the die is formed.
The upper half
abrasion while
The diameter of the punch corresponds with the diameter of the 2
lower half of the dic and with the outside diameter of the finished
washer. The face of the punch corresponds exactly with the interior
contour of the washer, and the full diameter of the punch being the same
as the outside diameter of the washer an offset or shoulder must be
formed in the punch corresponding with the thickness of the metal used 2
for the washers. A teat or tapering projection is formed on the centre
of the punch face,
The blanks or discs are heated to a red heat and fed against a gauge
formed or fixed on the die plate when the punch is sufficiently raised to
allow the teat or tapering projection on the face of the die to enter the 3
bolt hole in the washer. The punch coming down upon the disc or
blank the bevel of the upper half of the die gradually brings the washer
into the required shape without injury to the metal. The washer
is forced through the die struck into the desired shape by the punch.
The form of this washer gives elasticity and strength with a com- 3
paritively small amount of metal. The great clasticity of this washer

page_text: especially adapts it for use upon the bolts of fish plates and in all
situations where the bolts and nuts are subjected to shocks and
strains.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th December 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, sond greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN STEEL WASHERS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR. FORMING
THE SAME," a communication. to me from abroad by William Butcher,
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and George Whitfield Billings,. of
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 William Robert Lake, do heroby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the saine

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
The said Invention relates to steel washers of peculiar form, and also
to a punch and open die employed for shaping the said washers.
The washer is made of tempered steel in the hollow semi-spheroidal or
saucer shape shown, the metal being thinner around the bolt hole
and gradually thickening towards the arch of the washer, and the hoop
or circumferential part of the washer being made to form a right angle
with its transverse diameter. The angle may, however be somewhat
varied without material injury to the effectiveness of the washer.

page_text: abrasion. The blanks are heated to a red heat and then fed into the
die against the gauge 9, while the punch his drawn up sufficiently
to allow the teat m to enter the bolt hole previously punched in the
blank.
It is obvious that these washers may be of different sizes; they may
be made for bolts varying from 3 of an inch to 3 inches in diameter,
the blanks, punches, and dies being correspondingly altered without
changing the proportions above given, which are the best for the purpose.
The form of this washer gives it elasticity and great strength with a
small amount of metal.
When used in connection with a bolt and nut the washer is slightly
compressed by the screwing up of the nut, which is securely held in
place by the outward pressure of the washer against it. The bolt is
relieved by the elasticity of the washer from much of the lengthening
and loosening effect of strains and vibration to which it may be sub-
jected. These washers are advantageously used in all situations where
bolts and nuts are subjected to strains and shocks, and are especially
adapted for use upon the bolts of fish plates and other railway rail
joints.
The metal of washers formed in the manner described is, as herein-
before stated, thinner around the bolt hole, and gradually thickens from
this hole to about the arch of the washer, and from the arch to the
lip of the washer continues of about uniform thickness. The effect
of this peculiarity in the structure of the washer is to increase its
elasticity. Washers of the peculiar form shown may of course be pro-
duced by hammers, forges, or drop presses, but the cost of so making
them is greater than that of producing them in the manner hercin
specified.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I wish it understood that I claim,--
First. The hollow semi-spheroidal or saucer shaped steel washer, the
hoop or circumferential portion of which is made to form a right angle
or about a right angle with the transverse diameter of the washer,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The hollow semi-spheroidal or saucer shaped steel washer,
the metal of which is made thinner around the bolt hole, gradually

page_text: thickening to the arch or angle of the washer, and the hoop or circum-
ferential portion of which is made to form a right angle or about a
right angle with the transverse diameter of the washer, substantially as
set forth.
Third. The punch and open die of the form shown for shaping the
said washers.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)