IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC RIVETTING APPARATUS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Carnegie Kirk, of Glasgow, in, the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC
RIVETTING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 9th March 1880, and dated the 15th September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Carnegie Kirk
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th September 1879.
ALEXANDER CARNEGIE KIRK, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC RIVETTING APPARATUS."
This Invention comprises improvements whereby in hydraulic rivetting machines
the rivetting pressure is maintained for a short definite time after the rivetting
stroke is made in order that when the pressure is relieved the rivet may have
cooled sufficiently to prevent any separation or resilience of the rivetted parts.
In carrying out the Invention according to one modification the opening of the
exhaust valve of the hydraulic rivetting cylinder is effected by a lever which is
acted on by a slotted rod connected to a heavy plunger or weighted piston working
vertically in a cylinder containing water or other suitable fluid. The piston in
descending has to force the fluid from beneath it through a passage fitted with a
regulating valve, and the time it takes to reach a certain point is that during
which the rivetting pressure is maintained. The cylinder may be enlarged below
the point just referred to, in consequence of which the fluid can freely pass to the
upper side when the piston has passed that point, and the piston complete its
downward stroke rapidly and cause the exhaust valve of the rivetting cylinder to
be quickly opened, saving time. The weighted piston is raised when the admission ;
valve of the rivetting cylinder is about to be opened for a fresh stroke, and the fluid
then returns to the space beneath through a lift valve, allowing it free passage in
that direction. The raising of the weighted piston may be effected by means of a
hand lever or by means of a small hydraulic ram worked by the liquid which works
in the rivetting cylinder. In the latter case a small valve lever controlling the
small ram is all that the worker requires to move, the ram acting on the valve of
the rivetting cylinder as well as raising the weighted piston. In another modifi-
cation the liquid discharged from the rivetting cylinder at each stroke is employed
to raise the weighted piston for the next stroke. The time during which the
rivetting pressure is maintained may be regulated either by adjusting the. valve in
the passage through which the weighted piston forces the fluid, or by adjusting the
effective length of the slot in the rod connecting the weighted piston to the valve
lever of the rivetting cylinder.

page_text: ;
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Carnegie Kirk in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th March 1880.
ALEXANDER CARNEGIE KIRK, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDRAULIC RIVETTING APPARATUS."
Britain.
2
My said Invention comprises improvements whereby in hydraulic rivetting
machines the rivetting pressure is maintained for a short definite time after the
rivetting stroke is made in order that when the pressure is relieved the rivet may
have cooled sufficiently to prevent any separation or resilience of the rivetted
parts.
In carrying out my Invention the opening and closing of the inlet and outlet
valves by which water is admitted to and exhausted from the hydraulic rivetting
cylinder is effected by a lever, which is acted on by a slotted rod connected to a
heavy plunger or weighted piston working vertically in a cylinder containing water
or other suitable fluid. Instead of the slotted rod an equivalent arrangement may
be used, such as a slide valve or cock made with sufficient cover,
but the arrange-
ment with a slotted rod, hereinafter particularly described, is I believe preferable,
especially with high pressures. The inlet valve having been opened on the ascent
of the plunger and slotted rod remains open, and the exhaust valve remains shut
until the plunger, on nearly completing its descent, closes the inlet valve and
immediately thereafter opens the outlet valve. The plunger in descending has to
force the fluid from beneath it through a passage.fitted with a regulating valve,
and the time it takes to reach a certain point is that during which the rivetting
pressure is maintained. The raising of the weighted plunger may be effected by
means of a hand lever or by means of a small hydraulic ram, and in the latter case
a small valve lever controlling the small ram is all that the worker requires to
move, the ram acting on the valve of the rivetting cylinder as well as raising the
weighted plunger. In another modification the fluid discharged from the rivetting
cylinder at each stroke is employed to raise the weighted plunger for the next
stroke.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a Sheet of explanatory Drawings
to be hereinafter referred to, and representing a modification of my improved
apparatus. In these Drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark
the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a plan of an hydraulic
rivetiing machine provided with my improvements, Figures 2 and 3 are sectional
side and back elevations, and Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged views of details.
The hydraulic rivetting cylinder 6 has fixed on the top of it a box 7 formed with
two internal compartments containing inlet and outlet valves, which may be of the
ordinary conical kind and which have spindles passing out through stuffing boxes
in both directions. To the front ends of the valve spindles blade springs 8 tending
to close the valves are applied, and the back ends are acted on by levers 9 fitted
with antifriction rollers, as best seen in Figures 4 and 5. The levers 9 are them-
selves acted on by cams 10 on a rocking shaft 11, which opens one or other of the
valves, accordingly as it is turned by means of a crank or short lever 12 on one end
of it. A pin on the lever 12 projects through a slot in the upper end of a rod 13,
the lower end of which is jointed to a heavy plunger 14 working in an open topped
cylinder 15. The plunger 14 is fitted with metallic packing or is otherwise made
practically watertight at its bottom end, and from a level a little above its bottom
end as continued upwards, of a slightly reduced diameter, excepting four guiding
ribs. The upper part of the cylinder 15 is bored of a diameter for which the
packed part of the plunger 14 is adapted, but the lower part is enlarged, excepting

page_text: ibs, which guide the water-tight part of the plunger when that part is below the
anenlarged part. A passage 16 is formed up the centre of the plunger 14 and
extends up to a crosshead 17 formed or fixed on the plunger, the passage com-
municating with a regulating valve 18 and outlet fitted and formed in the cross-
head. The crosshead 17 is fitted to work upon two guide rods 19 fixed to lugs
formed on the cylinder 15. At the bottom of the cylinder 15 an inlet 20 fitted
with a check valve communicates with a cistern 21 containing water, which water
enters the cylinder whenever the plunger 14 is raised, but which can escape from
the cylinder only through the passage 16 in the plunger and through the regulating
valve 18.
The plunger 14 is connected by a link to a lever 22 which is also connected by
a link or rod 23 to the ram or plunger 24 of a small hydraulic cylinder 25, to which
water under pressure can be admitted by a pipe 26 connected to a three-way cock
or valve 27 controlling an inlet pipe 28, and an exhaust pipe 29, as well as the
pipe 26. On water being admitted to the cylinder 25 it, through the ram, raises
the lever 22 and the heavy plunger 14, and the rod 13 rising at the same time acts
on the lever 12 as soon as the bottom of the slot reaches it and causes it to open
the inlet valve of the hydraulic cylinder 6 so as to eat the rivetting stroke.
When the ram 24 rises a certain distance it uncovers a communication with the
exhaust pipe 29 and thereby prevents further movement, and avoids concussion at
the end of the upward stroke of the plunger 14. The rivetting stroke having
been effected and the valve 27 turned to allow the ram 24 to descend, the
plunger 14 begins to descend also, but only at a rate determined by the regulating
valve 18, which controls the escape of the water from the cylinder 15. When the
plunger 14 descends the inlet valve remains open, the rod 13 not acting on the
lever 12 until the top of the slot in the rod reaches the lever, and by that time the
bottom of the plunger 14 reaches the enlarged part of the cylinder 15, whereupon,
as the water can then pass freely to the upper side of the packing, the plunger
completes its descent quickly and effects the reversal of the valves of the hydraulic
cylinder 6 without loss of time.
The time during which the rivetting pressure is maintained may be regulated
either by adjusting the valve (18) in the passage through which the weighted
plunger (14) forces the fluid or by adjusting the effective length of the slot in the
rod (13) connecting the weighted plunger to the valve lever of the rivetting
cylinder.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated, but that what I. believe to be novel and
original and claim as the Invention secured to me by and in terms of the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
The combination of a heavy plunger or piston arranged to force a fluid through
an adjustable outlet with the valve details of an hydraulic rivetting cylinder,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Carnegie Kirk, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
ALEXANDER C. KIRK. (L.S.)