Improvements in Machines for Shearing Metal Plates, or Pressing or Forging Metals.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1995
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Shearing Metal Plates, or Pressing
or Forging Metals.
I, JOSEPH HARTLEY WICKSTEED, of Well House Foundry, Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of machines for cutting or shearing metal plates
in which the metal plate is cut or sheared between a fixed steel blade and a move-
able steel blade; the moveable steel blade being attached to a slide or apron, which
slide or apron is caused to move towards or past the fixed blade by means of two
or more hydraulic rams or pistons in such a manner that a metal plate inserted
between the fixed and moveable blades when they have receded from one another
is cut or sheared as the moveable blade approaches closely or passes the fixed
blade.
My invention relates also to machines for forging or pressing metals arranged
in a manner similar to the shearing machine herein before mentioned, but with
dies or blocks instead of the steel blades.
My improvements consist in the means employed to compel the apron or slide as
aforesaid to move always in a direction parallel to its guides and without undue
pressure on the said guides, even though the resistance of the metal plate or mass
to the movement of the apron or slide be unevenly distributed along its length or
be concentrated over a portion of the length of the blade, or die, or block, as for
instance in the case when one blade or die or block is slanting relatively to the
other.
Further the whole pressure of the two or more hydraulic rains or pistons is
rendered effective and transmitted to that part of the apron or slide which at any
given moment may be meeting the greatest resistance.
I effect these improvements in the following manner :
A hydraulic ram or piston is arranged to operate at or near each end of the apron
or slide and push or pull it towards the fixed blade or die or block, or in some cases
one or more auxiliary rams or pistons may be arranged to operate on the apron in
a similar manner but at points between the two outer rams. And the two outer
rams or pistons and the auxiliary rams or pistons, if any are further each and
severally so connected by links and levers to a rocking shaft, or the apron itself is,
by links and levers at or near the points of attachment of the rams or pistons, so
connected to the rocking-shaft aforesaid, that if any one of the rams or pistons
tends to move itself or that part of the apron or slide to which it is attached,
faster or slower than the other ram or piston or rams or pistons or the other part
of the apron, then it is constrained from so doing by reason of its attachment to
the rocking shaft hereinbefore mentioned; and in the same manner if the resistance
near the point of application of one ram be greater that it can of itself overcome
then the power of the other rams is transmitted to the rocking shaft and through
it and the links and levers to the point of greatest resistance, and the apron is
moved without tilting sideways or pressing unduly against its guides, and the whole
power of the rams or pistons is always rendered effective, irrespective of the point
of greatest resistance in the length of the apron.

page_text: The apron can be conveniently actuated on its return stroke either by a separate
hydraulic ram or piston operating upon the end of a lever fixed to the rocking
shaft hereinbefore mentioned; or by a ram or piston acting directly upon the apron,
or by making the main power piston or pistous double acting.
At each or both ends of the stroke of the apron or slide it can conveniently be
arranged that levers or arms keyed or fixed to the rocking shaft hereinbefore
mentioned shall come against fixed stops and so limit the stroke of the apron or
slide; or for this purpose the arms or levers on the rocking shaft and to which the
connecting links from the rams or apron are attached may be utilized; or the rams
or pistons or continuations of them may be arranged to come against the end or
ends of their respective cylinders, and so limit the stroke of the apron or slide.
Dated this 20th day of December 1894.
JOSEPH HARTLEY WICKSTEED.
Improvements in Machines for Shearing Metal Plates, or Pressing
or Forging Metals.
I, JOSEPH HARTLEY WICKSTEED of Well House Foundry, Leeds in the
County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to that class of machines for cutting or shearing metal
plates, in which the metal plate is cut or sheared between a fixed steel blade and
a moveable steel blade; the moveable steel blade being attached to a slide or apron,
which slide or apron is caused to move towards or past the fixed blade by means
of two or more hydraulic rams or pistons, so that a metal plate inserted between
the fixed and moveable blades when they have receded from one another, is cut or
sheared as the two blades approach closely to one another.
My invention relates also to machines for forging or pressing metals, arranged
in a manner similar to the shearing machine herein before mentioned, but with dies
or blocks instead of the steel blades.
My improvement consists in the means employed to compel the apron or slide as
aforesaid to move always in a direction parallel to its guides and without undue
pressure on the said guides, even though the resistance of the metal plate or mass
to the movement of the apron or slide be unevenly distributed along its length, or
be concentrated over a portion of the length of the blade or die, as for instance in
the case when one blade or die or block is slanting relatively to the other.
Also the whole pressure of the two or more hydraulic rams or pistons is rendered
effective and transmitted to that part of the apron or slide which at any given
moment may be meeting the greatest resistance.
I effect these improvements in the following manner :
A hydraulic ram or piston is arranged to operate at or near each end of the apron
and push it towards the fixed blade or die or block; in some cases one or more
auxiliary rams or pistons may be arranged to operate on the apron at points
between the two outer ones, and the two outer rams or pistons and the auxiliary
rams or pistons if any, are further so connected by links and levers, to a rocking
shaft, or the apron itself is by links and levers at or near the points of attachment
of the rams or pistons, so connected to the rocking shaft aforesaid, that if any one
of the rams or pistons tends to move itself, or that part of the apron to which it is
attached, faster or slower, than the other rams or pistons, or ram or piston, or the
other part of the apron; it is constrained from so doing by reason of its attachment
to the rocking shaft hereinbefore mentioned, and in the same manner if the
resistance near the point of application of one ram, be greater than it can of itself

page_text: Fig. 3 Sheet 3 is an end clevation.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by like letters.
A is the moving slide or apron carrying a blade B.
C is the lower jaw or abutment carrying the fixed blade D.
E, E, are the hydraulic cylinders attached to the standards or frame F. F. of
the machine, and on the front of these standards are formed suitable guides on
which the apron A slides.
H, H, are the rams which press directly upon the apron or slide A and force it
down towards the fixed blade D when fluid under pressure from any suitable source
is admitted to the upper side of the rams H, H,.
It will be easily understood that the rams may be fixed and the cylinders made to
travel if it be desired to arrange them in such manner.
JJ, J, J, are links counected at their lower ends by pins K₁ K, K, K₁ to the
moving slide A and at their upper ends by pins K, K, K, K, to the ends of the
levers or arms L, L, L, L, the other ends of these levers or arms being keyed fast
to the strong rocking shaft M which is carried in suitable bearings in the
standards F. F. The rocking shaft M being free to rotate in its bearings to at
least the extent required by the motion of the apron A.
N is a subsidiary cylinder whose ram is connected by a link or other convenient
method to the lever L in such a manner that a constant fluid pressure in the
cylinder N tends to rotate the rocking shaft M in a direction contrary to that
induced by the main rams, and the cylinder N is so proportioned that the pressure
exerted by it is sufficient to overbalance the weight of the apron A rams H₁ H,,
and the attached parts.
Now if the force or speed of one rain tends to be less than that of the other, or
if the resistance to the downward motion of the apron A be greater at or nearer
one end than the other; then the excess of power of the ram at that end of the
apron at which the resistance is less, is transmitted by the links J pins K and
levers L at that end, to the rocking shaft M, and through the rocking shaft and
links J pins Klevers L at the other end, to that end of the apron A at or nearer
which the greater resistance may be; and the apron A is thus compelled to move
in a direction parallel to its guides and without undue sideway pressure thereon;
and it is to be further observed that no matter in what place in the length of the
apron A. the greatest resistance may come or over what length or portion of the
length thereof it may be distributed; that, with two cylinders at least half

page_text: the pressure required to force down the apron against the resistance of the piece
operated on is obtained by the direct action of the rams H, H, and that never more
than half the total pressure required, that is to say, never more than the pressure
of one ram has to be transmitted through the links J, pins K, levers L, and rocking
shaft M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I do not confine myself
solely to the construction shown on the drawings herewith but I declare that what
I claim is :-
(1.) In machines for shearing, pressing or forging metals, the combination of two
or more rams or pistons or cylinders, operated by fluid pressure and acting directly
on the moving apron or slide, with a rocking shaft, to which, by means of links,
levers or arms, and pins, the apron or slide, or the rams, or pistons, or cylinders
themselves, are connected as and for the purpose described.
(2.) In machines for shearing metal plates the combination of two rams operated
by fluid pressure and acting directly on the moving apron or slide, with a rocking
shaft to which the apron is connected by means of links, pins and levers as and for
the purpose described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of September 1895.