IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CRANKS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lee, of 18, Monson Street, Lincoln, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CRANKS FOR STEAM
ENGINES AND OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Lee at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th February
1859.
I, JOSEPH LEE, of 18, Monson Street, Lincoln, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS: IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CRANKS
FOR STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This. Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cranks
for steam engines and other purposes. For this purpose the bar of iron to be
formed into a crank is heated in a suitable furnace, and, by preference, some-
what upset or thickened at the place where. the crank is to be formed; it is
then placed in a machine furnished with dies, which are forced towards each
other so as to bend the bar to the required form. The upper die is formed
with a projection at its centre corresponding to the form of the crank, and
has at its two ends friction pulleys to allow the bar to run easily over the
surface of the die, to furnish the length of bar requisite for, the bend. The
projection of this upper die, when bending a bar to form a crank, passes down
between two lower dies, which are each furnished with a friction pulley at the

page_text: upper corner or angle, against which the bar is forced by the projection of the
upper die, and these friction pulleys are for the purpose of allowing the bar to
run freely over the angles of the dies, to supply the length taken down by the
projection of the upper die. The two lower dies may, before the bending
commences, be-set at the required distance apart, but I consider it preferable
to force the two lower dies towards each other while the upper dic is
descending, and the bending is in progress. The different dies may be forced
towards each other by hydrostatic power or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Lee in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
August 1859.
TÓ ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
LEE, of 18, Monson Street, Lincoln, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing, date the Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Lee, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Lee,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Joseph Lee, 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
** IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CRANKS FOR STEAM ENGINES AND OTHER
PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Lee,
my executors. or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Joseph Lee, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of cranks
for steam engines and other purposes. For this purpose the bar of iron to be
formed into a crank is heated in a suitable furnace, and, by preference, some-
what upset or thickened at the place where the crank is to be formed. It is
then placed in a machine furnished with dies, which are forced towards each
other so as to bend the bar to the required form. The upper die is formed
with a projection at its centre corresponding to the form of the crank, and bas
at its two ends friction pulleys,. to allow the bar to run easily over the surface.
of the die to furnish the length of bar requisite for the bend. The projection
of this upper die, when bending a bar to form a crank, passes down between
two lower dies, which are each furnished with a friction pulley at the upper
corner or angle, against which the bar is forced by the projection of the
upper die, and these friction pulleys are for the purpose of allowing the bar
to run freely over the angles of the dies, to supply the length taken down by:
the projection of the upper die. The two lower dies may, before the bending
commences, be set at the required distance apart, but I consider it preferable.
to force the two lower dies towards each other while the upper lie is
descending, and the bending is in progress. The different dies may be forced
towards each other by hydrostatic power or otherwise.
And in order that my said Invention may be made most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto

page_text: When forming a bar into a crank by this apparatus, the portion of the bar
to be bent is heated in a furnace, and is then slightly upset or thickened at
the part to be bent. The bar is then placed on the top of the side dies g, and
the top die a is forced down by the screw into the position shewn in the
Drawing, when the crank will be bent into the requisite shape.
Figure 2 shews a perspective view of a machine suitable for constructing
cranks of a greater size; Figure 3 is a plan view of the same, with the upper
die and the parts which support it removed; and Figure 4 is a vertical section,
shewing the eccentrics for working the different dies. Figures 3 and 4 shew
the machine forming a crank of a larger size than the machine is shewn to be
making at Figure 2. In this machine the side dies are forced towards each
other at the same time that the upper die is forced downwards. a is the upper'
die; this die is formed in two parts, which can be moved to or from each other
so as to form a die of a greater or less length, the space between the two parts
being filled up by filling pieces of the requisite size, so as to form an even
surface to the under side of the die. Each of the parts of the upper die is
bolted to a piece 6; the two pieces 6 slide in a groove in the under side of
the piece c', and can be moved to or from each other by right and left handed
screws on the axis c, the right-handed screw screwing through a projection on
one of the pieces 6 (which projection passes up through a slot in the piece c'),
and the left-handed screw screwing through a similar projection on the other
piece b. The axis c is held in position by collars fixed on it, working against
the exterior of the piece c¹. On the axis c there is a hand wheel c³, so that
by turning this wheel the pieces b, and in consequence the two parts of the
upper die a, can be moved to or from each other. The piece c¹ forms the
bottom of a vertical sliding frame c; this frame is capable of being moved up
and down by means of an eccentric on the axis d. This eccentric is formed
by a disc e, which has a slot formed in it; through this slot the axis (which
at this point is of a square section) passes, and the disc e is set more or less
excentrically to the axis by means of filling pieces placed between one end
of the slot. and one side of the axis, and by two screws screwing through
projections on the sides of the disc, the ends of the screws pressing upon the
other side of the axis; by this means, by varying the size of the filling pieces,
the amount of excentricity can be adjusted. The disc e works in a circular
bole in the cross sliding piece f, which slides between guides in the vertical
sliding frame c, so that when the axis d is caused to rotate, the vertical sliding
frame c, and in consequence the upper die a, is moved up and down by the
excentric. 9, 9, are the two. side dies; each of these dies is connected to a
sliding piece h, which slides between guides in the foundation plate. In the

page_text: upper edge of each of these pieces there are holes into.which an adjustable
stop h¹ can be dropped, and through this stop a screw works, so as to make.
the stop more adjustable; and on the upper edge of the pieces h there are
rollers h², for holding down the ends of the bar to be bent. One end of the
axis of each roller is capable of turning on a pin h³, so that the rollers may be
turned out of the way to allow the bar to be placed in position; the other:
end of the axis of each roller passes under a catch h*, when the roller is turned
into position. The sliding blocks.h are capable of being moved to and from
each other by means of excentrics on the axes. i, i. The excentrics are con-
structed in a similar manner to the excentric for working the upper die. 'A.
disc e, fixed excentrically on the axis, working in a circular hole in a square
sliding piece. k, which is capable of sliding up and Idown between vertical
projections ¹ on the sliding pieces h, loose filling pieces being placed.on both
sides of the sliding piece k, as shewn at Figure 4, so that when the axes i, i,
are rotated, the sliding pieces are moved up and down, and the sliding
blocks moved to and from each other. is the lower die; this die is
attached to the bed plate by bolts, so that it can be removed and replaced by
another die of a different size when it is required to form a different sized
crank. Each of the axes d and i, i, are caused to rotate by its having fixed
on it a toothed wheel m, into each of which the toothed pinion n gears.
On the axis of the toothed n there is a toothed wheel n¹, into which a
toothed pinion o on the driving axis gears. On this axis there are two fast
and two loose pulleys, one set of pulleys is driven by a crossed band, and the
other by a straight band, so that by putting one or other of these bands on to
its fast pulley the driving axis may be caused to rotate in one or other
direction. In order to form a bar into a crank by this machine, the portion
of the bar to be bent is first heated in a suitable furnace; the bar is then
placed between the stops h¹ on the top of the sliding blocks h, the position of
which stops has been previously adjusted; the rollers h³ are then turned
round so as to hold down the ends of the bar. The driving axis of the
machine being then put in motion, the sliding blocks h are caused to move
towards each other, and at the same time the upper die a moves downwards
until all the dies have moved the required distance, a crank having round
corners will then have been formed. In order to make the corners of the
crank square, the motion of the driving axis is reversed, so as to move back
the sliding pieces h; a short bar of iron is then placed between each of the
stops and the end of the bar; a filling piece is removed from between the
jaws of the upper die a, and the jaws are brought together by the right and
left handed screws; a filling piece is also removed from the back of each

page_text: sliding block k, and placed in front of it, so that the excentrics when caused
to rotate will force the side dies g closer together. The machine is then again
set in motion, so as to cause the dies to approach each other, when the iron
both at the top and bottom corners of the crank will be forced into the recesses
of the dies, and a square-cornered crank will have been produced.
parts of the die are then caused to move apart, and the crank is removed.
The
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the details of the machinery herein described, but what I claim is the
forming cranks by means of dies working as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lee, have hereunto set my hand-
and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
*. thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JOSEPH LET