AN IMPROVEMENT IN STAMPING OR SHAPING METALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Murdoch, of 7, Staple Inn, London
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN STAMPING OR SHAPING METALS."-A commu-
Sealed the 20th January 1854, and dated the 22nd July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Murdoch at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd July 1853.
I, JAMES MURDOCH, of 7, Staple Inn, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN STAMPING OR SHAPING METALS,"
communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad, to be as fol-
lows:-
The Invention relates to that method of stamping or shaping metals
in which the sheet of metal to be shaped is held near its edges between
two pressing surfaces during the forcing of the said sheet of metal into
the lower die, so as to prevent the formation of wrinkles in the said
sheet of metal.
The Drawing represents in section the essential parts of the Inven

page_text: tion; a, is the lower die; b, the ring, which presses the edge of the
sheet of metal on the edge of the lower die; c, d, e, are three dies
sliding within one another; f, the plunger or stamp passing through
the said dies c, d, e; the die c, descends first, and afterwards the die d,
and next the dice; lastly, the plunger or stamp f, which carries the
dish-shaped plate of metal through the cylindrical part a', of the
lower die a, and completes the formation of the cylindrical vessel
(see the several Figures). Where a dish-shaped vessel is to be produced
a rod is raised through the bottom of the die a, to raise the vessel from
the said die, which in such casc is closed, except the hole through
which the said rod passes. The dics c, d, e, may be made to descend
in succession by any suitable mechanism.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Murdoch in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 21st January 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JAMES MURDOCH, of Staple Inn, London, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Ier reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said James Murdoch, Her special
licence that I, the said James Murdoch, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Murdoch, my execu-
tors, 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 "AN IMPROVE-
HENT IN STAMPING OR SHAPING METALS," communicated to me from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Murdoch, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should

page_text: 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 James Murdoch, do hereby de-
clare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
The said Invention relates to that method of shaping metals by
stamping in which the plate or sheet of metal to be shaped is forced
into a lower fixed die by the descent of a moveable die or plunger, the
edge of the said plate of metal being pressed on the flat or horizontal
face of the fixed or lower die during the descent of the upper or
moveable die or plunger. As the descent of the said upper die or
plunger forces the sheet of metal into the lower die, the edge of the
said plate of metal is drawn between the surface, which presses it on
the horizontal face of the lower die, and the said horizontal face
of the lower die, by by which means the formation of wrinkles in the
plate as it takes the shape of the said lower die is prevented. The
said Invention consists in forming the upper or moveable die or
plunger in several pieces (as herein-after explained), which descend
in succession, and more effectually prevent the formation of wrinkles
than a moveable die or plunger made in one piece.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, represent in vertical section the essential parts
of a stamping or pressing apparatus constructed according to the said
Invention. The said apparatus is suitable for the stamping or pressing
of a sheet of metal into a dish-like or cylindrical shape. In Figures 1,
2, and 3, the same letters indicate the same parts; a, is the fixed or
lower die into which the plate or sheet of metal is to be forced; b, is a
ring or annular die, between which and the top horizontal surface of
the die a, the plate or sheet of metal to be shaped is placed and pressed;
c, d, e, are three concentric tubular dies, the lower edges of which are
bevilled or inclined at an angle equal to that of the inside of the lower
die a; f, is a plunger passing through the system of dies c, d, e. The
action of the several parts is as follows:-The plate or sheet of metal

page_text: is placed upon the top horizontal face of the die a; the annular die b,
is brought down upon the said plate of metal, and is made to press
the same upon the die u; the tubular die e, first descends and forces
the plate or sheet of metal partially into the die a; the die d, next
descends and forces the plate or sheet of metal still further into the
die a, and the die c, next descends and forces the plate or sheet of
inetal still further into the die à. If it is wished to give the plate or
sheet of metal a dish-like shape the process is stopped at the stage
last described, but if it, is wished to give the said plate or sheet the
form of a cylindrical vessel the plunger f, next descends, and carries
the said plate or sheet through the cylindrical part a, of the die a,
whereby a cylindrical form is given to the said plate. On the rising.of
the plunger f, springs g, h, bearing against the said plunger catch on the
top edge of the cylindrical vessel, and prevent it rising with the plunger.
As the plunger f, is withdrawn from the said vessel, the latter fulls.
In Figure 1, neither of the dies c, d, e, nor plunger f, have descended;
in Figure 2, the dies d, e, have descended to their full extent, and the
die c, and plunger f, have partially descended; in Figure 3, the dies c, d, e,
have descended to their full extent, and the plunger f, has passed through
the cylindrical part of the lower die. Although I have only described
three tubular dies, yet any other number may be employed, and the
said dies may either be used with or without a central plunger. The
said dies may be made to descend either by percussion or pressure,
according as one or other of these forces is more suitable to the nature
of the metal to be shaped. I prefer, however, to use pressure rather
than percussion when pressure can conveniently be employed. When
percussion is employed I use any of the well-known stamping ma-
chines, with such modifications as are necessary to adapt them to the
use of the system of dies herein-before explained, and which modifica-
tions any one accustomed to construct stamping machinery is competent
to make. When I use pressure to actuate the system of tubular dies
the machine represented in vertical section in Figure 4, may be
employed., k, are the tubular dies; 7, the lower fixed die; m, the
plunger. The dies i, k, are connected with rods n, n¹, o, o, passing
through guides in the block p; bolts q, q, r, r, s, connected with

page_text: excentrics on the shaft t, force down the rods n, n', o, o¹, and dies i, k,
and plunger m, in proper succession by the rotation of the said shaft t.
The vessel formed may be raised from the diel, by a rod u, actuated
by the excentrics v, v'. The rods n, n', o, o', and plunger m, may
either be continuations of the bolts q, q', 1, 2, s, and raised by the ex-
centrics on the shaft t, or be detached from the said bolts and raised by
helical springs w, w. By dividing the upper die in the manner
described the wrinkling of the metal is effectually prevented; for during
the depression of the first or outer tubular die the sheet of metal
is pressed by the aunular die on the horizontal surface of the lower die,
and is drawn from between the two pressing surfaces as it enters the
lower die. When the outer tubular die has descended to its full extent
it presses the metal against the side of the lower die, and on the
descent of the second tubular die the said metal is drawn between the
said first tubular die and the interior of the lower dic, as well as
between the annular die and the top of the lower dic; and as cach of
the tubular dies descends it draws the metal between the surfaces of
those of the tubular dies which have descended before it and the surface
of the lower die. By this method of constructing the upper die the
wrinkling of the metal is effectually prevented. When the inclined
sides of the lower die approach nearly to a vertical position, and the
metal to be shaped is soft, there is danger that the sharp edges of the
tubular dies may cut the plate or sheet of metal. In order to avoid
this danger I sometimes round or bevil off the lower edges of the said
tubular dics, as represented in the set of dies shewn in vertical section
in Figure 5, and in elevation in Figure 6. By this method of con-
struction the risk of cutting the metal is avoided, and the same or
nearly the same effect is produced by the said dies.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the precise methods of carrying the
said Invention into effect herein described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of the said Invention; for example,
the number and form of the dies may be altered, and they may be
used either with or without a central die or plunger; neither do I limit

page_text: myself to any method of actuating the said dies. But I claim as the
said Invention forming the upper or moveable die used in stamping or
otherwise shaping metals in two or more concentric pieces, and
causing the outer or largest one to descend first, and the others in
succession.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Murdoch, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
CHARLES COLE.
JAMES MURDOCH. (L.S.)