Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application. 23rd Dec.. 1887
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Nov., 188
I, WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN, of 465 Halsey Street, Brooklyn, New York, United
States of America, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
The object of my invention is the more easy and perfect shaping of sheet metal and
other sheet materials into caps, cups, bells, cones, and various other shapes, and the
forming thereon of various figures such as screws, beals, embossments, projections,
and such like, and the doing of this in such a way that whereas hitherto two or more
operations have been required for the production of each such figured article, by my
invention I am enabled to produce any of them at one.
For this purpose I employ a pair of composite dies, which I distinguish as the
male and female die, respectively. The male die consists of a cone-shaped centre-
Round this cone-shaped centre are
piece, fixed in a suitable base-plate or block.
arranged a number of segments (four or more according to circumstances) the inner
surface of each of which is so shaped as to permit them to slide up and down the cone.
Each segment is supported by a rod which passes freely through the base-plate and
rests upon another plate, which in its turn is attached to the base-plate by a strong
spiral spring, in such a way as to tend to force the segment up towards the small end
of the cone.
The segments are so formed in relation to each other and to the cone,
that when the spring above-mentioned is freely acting on them they are forced up so
The
that their smaller ends project about half an inch beyond the end of the cone. '
segments then form a circular figure of comparatively small diameter. When, on the
other hand, they are at the bottom or large end of the cone they are necessarily forced
by the cone itself into a larger diameter.
The outer surface or periphery of the segments is made of such form as is desired
for the article that is to be made by the machine; if, for example, the machine is to
be used for making screwed caps, I form a screw round the periphery of the segments
The top or end of the male die,
such as the cap is required to have when finished.
formed by the ends of the segments and the small end of the cone, is covered by a

page_text: plate fastened on to a short rod which plays freely in a hole down the centre of the
cone.
The male die is so fixed that when the segments are at their farthest point beyond
the end of the cone the plate which covers them is on a level with the upper surface
of a stationary steel plate, having a hole through it. This hole is of the same size and
shape as the disc of metal or other material needs to be for forming the desired cap, or
other article and the upper edge of the metal round the hole is made sharp so as to
serve as a cutting edge for cutting the said discs.
;
The female die is in outline similar to the ordinary bell-shaped dies. Its diameter
at the lower end must be such as to just enable it to pass through the hole in the
steel plate and thus its outer edge serves as a cutting edge, in correspondence with
the cutting edge of the steel plate.
The interior of this die is fitted with a plate or pad in the ordinary way.
Through the sides of the female die I make a number of openings, preferably eight,
and fit into them a number of segments of such form that their inner ends shall formi
a circular surface, and on this inner circular surface I form figures corresponding to
those on the periphery of the segments round the male die, i.e., if those segments are
formed with a screw, for making a screwed cap, I form a screw on the inner surface
of the segments of the female die to match it. The segments in the female die are
fitted so as to play freely back and forth in their respective openings in the side
of the body of the die, the outer end being flush with the outer surface of
the die.
The lower surface of the female die, between the cutting edge and the interior is
rounded off towards the inside; and this rounded off portion is scored or grooved, these
grooves extending a short distance up the inner surface of the die.
In the annular space round the male die, between it and the inside of the hole in
the steel plate, I place a ring of the kind ordinarily used in dies for striking up
metal.
Underneath the steel plate described, round the male die, in the same plane as the
segments of that die when they are at the large end of the cone, I place a series of
short plates or rods, fitted into grooves, in which they can slide freely. The number
of these plates corresponds to the number of the segments in the female die, that is,
preferably eight. The inner ends of these plates are at just such a distance from the
inale dio as to allow the female die to pass down between them; and the outer
ends are connected with a cam in such a way that when the cam is partly rotated all
the plates are forced inwards, towards the die, and when the cam is reversed they are
withdrawn from it.
The dies are operated by means of a press. When they have been properly attached
to the press, a sheet of the material to be worked is placed on the upper surface of the
steel plate, covering the hole in the same; the operating of the press causes the
cutting edge of the female die, in co-operation with the cutting edge of the plate, to
punch out the required dise; the continued descent of the die causes the outer parts
of this disc to be pinched between the ring which surrounds the male die and the
grooved lower surface of the female die.
By this means the material is prevented from " puckering "up into folds as the
female die descends. The tightness of the pinch on the material is regulated by the
strength of the spring which acts upon the ring, and must be such as to allow
the material to be gradually drawn from them as the die continues to descend.
When the die has descended so far as to force the segments of the male die down to
the large end of the cone, the segments of the female die are in the same plane with
them, and consequently in a direct line between them and the series of movable plates
connected with the cam; and the outer portion of the disc of material has been forced
down between the two sets of segments. The cam is then partly rotated, by means
of gearing connecting it with the press, and the series of plates being forced inwards,
force the segments of the female die in towards the segments of the male die and thus
the material is heavily pressed between their two surfaces, and pressed into the form
which has been given to those surfaces-in the case supposed, a screw,

page_text: The operation having been completed the female die rises, the cam is reversed, thus
withdrawing the screwed segments of the female die from the screw they have formed
on the outer surface of the cap; the spring acting on the segments of the male die
causes them to rise to the small end of the cone, thereby withdrawing their screwed
surface from the thread on the inner side of the cap; the same spring at the same
time causes the surrounding ring to rise, and this ring is made of just the right size so
that in rising it pushes the finished article out of the machine before it.
is then ready for another operation.
The machine
Instead of actuating the sliding plates by means of a cam as above described I may
for this purpose employ the arrangement of levers described in the specification of my
prior application for Patent No. 13243 dated 30th September 1887.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1887.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY ALLEN, of 465 Halsey Street, Brooklyn, New York, United
States of America, Agent, 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:-
My present invention relates to improvements in the invention described in the
specification of my prior application for Patent No. 13243 dated 30th September
1887, and it consists principally in improved means for actuating the pressers which
are caused to bear upon the edge of the blank after it has been turned down to form
a cap, lid, or cover.
The complete apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is plan view of the male die and its attachments, with certain parts broken
away.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of same, the parts being shown in their lowest position,
as when forced down by the female die.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the centre cone and its wings.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a male die for forming screwed caps.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the female die.
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of Fig. 6, taken in a line with the underside of the
movable pressers or jaws, and looking upwards.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section of Fig. 6, and
Fig. 9 a plan view of the underside of Fig. 6.
In the prior application for Patent above referred to I employ a pair of composite
dies, which distinguish as the male and female die, respectively. The male die has
a cone-shaped centre-piece A, secured to or forming part of a suitable base-plate or
block B. Round this cone-shaped centre are arranged a number of segments (four
or more according to circumstances) the inner surface of each of which is so shaped
as to permit them to slide up and down the cone A. Each segment is supported and
guided by a rod which passes freely through the base-plate B and rests upon
another plate D when the parts are in their normal position, such plate D being
connected to the base-plate B by means of a rod E and strong spiral spring F, in
such a way as to tend to force the segments C up towards the small end of the cone A.
The segments C are so formed in relation to each other and to the cone A, that when
the spring F is freely acting on the rods (through the plate D, the segments C will
be forced up so that their upper ends project beyond the end of the cone A, as shown
in Fig. 4, for a distance depending upon the depth of the cap the machine is intended
o form. The segments C then form a circular figure of comparatively small diameter.
When on the other hand, they are at the bottom or large end of the cone A, as shown
in Fig. 2, they are necessarily forced by the cone itself into a larger diameter.

page_text: It will be readily understood that instead of making the periphery of the segments
in the form of arcs of circles, such periphery may be of any other form suitable to
produce other than circular caps, such for example as triangular, square, or polygonal
caps.
The cone A has stationary radial wings X corresponding in number to the segments C,
and between which the latter work. These wings are thinner at top than at the base,
as shown in Fig. 3, and they are of such length as to extend to the periphery of the
segments when they are in their lowest position.
Instead of the wings X being made to extend to the periphery as described in my
prior specification, they may be made of less length, as shown in Fig. 5, the latter
construction being requisite when the periphery of the segments C is formed with any
projections thereon. In this case it is r quisite that the contiguous segments should
have overlapping parts as shown in plan in Fig. 5, where eight segments and eight
wings are represented, the alternate segments having extensions which overlap the
adjacent segments on each side. By this means the periphery of the segments will be
complete and uninterrupted when they are in their lowest position, and the overlapping
portions will have the effect of preventing the material to be worked upon from
being squeezed in between the joints.
The outer surface or periphery of the segments C is made of such form as is
desired for the article that is to be made by the machine, Fig. 4 showing the segments
formed with a screw thread. The top or end of the male die, formed by the ends of
the segments C and the small end of the cone A, is covered by a plate or pad G
fastened on to a short rod H which plays freely in a hole H' down the centre of the
cone A.
The male die is so fixed in a bed J that when the segments Care at their farthest
point beyond the end of the cone, the plate or pad G which covers them (and the
upper surface of which may be of any suitable form), is about on a level with or
slightly above the upper surface of a stationary steel plate K, having a hole K¹
through it. This hole K¹ is of the same size and shape as the disc of cardboard or
other material needs to be for forming the desired cap or other article and the upper
edge K of the metal round the hole K' is made sharp so as to serve as a cutting edge
for cutting the said discs.
The female die a is in outline similar to the ordinary bell-shaped dies. Its diameter
at the lower end must be such as to enable it to pass through the hole K in the steel
plate K, and thus its outer edge a¹ serves as a cutting edge, in correspondence
with the cutting edge K of the steel plate K.
The interior of this die a is in the ordinary way fitted with a plate or pad & corre-
sponding to pad G over the segments C of the male die, such pad b being acted upon
by a spring e tending to force same downwards in order to exert an elastic pressure
upon the material between it and the pad G, until upon the descent of the female die
the pad 6 is forced right up to the position it occupies in Fig. 8.
Through the sides of the female die a I make a number of openings, preferably
eight, and fit into them a number of pressers or jaws c, the inner ends of which are
shaped so that they shall form a surface corresponding to that of the male die, which
may be plain or figured to correspond with the periphery of the segments C of the
male die, that is, if those segments are formed with a head I form a sunken or recessed
bead in the inner surface of the jaws e of the female die to match it. The jaws c in
the female die are fitted so as to play freely back and forth in their respective
openings in the side of the body of the die, the outer end of the part which passes
through the hole K' in plate K being flush with the outer surface of the die.
The contiguous segments or jaws are preferably formed with overlapping portions y,
as shown in Fig. 7, in order that the material may not be squeezed in between the
joints when being acted upon.
The under surface of the female die is scored or grooved, such scorings or grooves a³
extending a short distance up the interior surface of the die, and the under surface is
also preferably rounded or slanted off towards the interior, such rounding off and
grooving being preferably of the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and the grooves a³

page_text: extending, or not, right to the cutting edge a¹, as desired. The grooves a³ I
make of only sufficient depth and also sufficiently close together as to prevent the
puckering or folding of the material, differing slightly with the nature of the
material.
In the annular space round the male die, between it and the inside of the hole K'
in the steel plate K, I place a ring L of the kind ordinarily used in dies for striking
up sheet material.
Underneath the steel plate K, round the male die, in the same plane as the
segments of that die when they are at the large end of the cone A, I place a series
of short plates or pressers M, fitted into grooves in the bed plate J, in which they can
slide freely. The number of the plates M corresponds to the number of the
segments in the female die a, that is, preferably eight. The inner ends of these
plates M are at just such a distance from the male die as to allow the female die to
pass down between them.
The whole of the parts above described are similar in arrangement and construction,
and operate in the same manner as described in the specification of my prior applica-
tion for Patent above referred, but instead of employing a system of levers for
actuating the plates M as set forth in such specification, the outer ends of such plates
are connected with a cam N in such a way that when the cam is partly rotated all the
plates M. are forced inwards, towards the die, and when the cam N is reversed they
are withdrawn from it.
For this purpose the cam surfaces N' of cam N bear against a roller O mounted on
a pin 0, secured to the outer end of each of the plates M. The pin O¹ extends
above the bar M and carries a second roller 02, against which bears another cam
surface P¹, formed on a plate P and corresponding to that on cam N, but such
surface P¹ bears against roller 02 on the opposite side of pin O' to that on which cam
surface N bears against roller O.
Cam plate P is secured to cam N by screws Q or otherwise, and a toothed sector R is
formed on or connected to the combined cams, and projecting through one side of
bed plate enables the necessary movement to be imparted thereto alternately in
opposite directions; the movement in one direction causes cam surfaces N¹ by acting
on rollers O to force the plates or bars M inwards, while the reverse movement causes
cam surfaces P¹, by acting on rollers 02, to move the plates M outwards again.
The rotary reciprocating movement of the cams N and P may be effected by any
other suitable means than the toothed sector R described, such for example as by a
lever projecting through one side of the bed J.
If preferred the plates M. may be actuated by levers in the manner described in the
specification of my prior application for Patent above referred to.
The dies are operated by means of a press. When they have been properly attached
to the press, a sheet of the material to be worked is placed on the upper surface of
the steel plate K, covering the hole K¹ in the same; the operating of the press causes
the cutting edge a' of the female die, in co-operation with the cutting edge K²
of the plate K, to punch out the required disc; the continued descent of the die a
causes the outer parts of this disc to be pinched between the ring L which surrounds
the male die and the grooved lower surface a³ of the female die a. By this means an
even distribution of the material is ensured, thus preventing it from "puckering" up
into folds or laps as the female die descends. The tightness of the pinch is regulated
by the strength of the spring F which acts upon the ring L, and must be such as to
allow the material to be gradually drawn from between the latter and the grooved
surface a of the female die a, as the die continues to descend.
When the die has descended so far as to force the segments C of the male die down
to the large end of the cone A, as shown in Fig. 2, the segments or jaws c of the
female die a are in the same plane with thein, and consequently in a direct line
between them and the series of movable plates M connected with the cam N; and the
outer portion of the disc of material has been forced down between the segments of
the male die and the segments or jaws of the female die. The cam N is then
actuated, and the series of plates M being forced inwards, force the jaws c of the

page_text: female die a in towards the segments C of the male die, and thus the material is
heavily pressed between their two surfaces, and pressed into the form which has been
given to those surfaces.
The operation having been completed the cam N is reversed, thus withdrawing the
plates M away from the segments c of the female die a, when the springs d will force
such segments out again and consequently away from the outer surface of the formed
cap the female die a then begins to rise; the spring F acts on the segments of
the male die and causes them to rise to the small end of the cone A, thereby withdrawing
their surfaces away from the inner side of the cap the same spring F also causes
the surrounding ring I to rise, and this ring is made of just the right size so that in
rising it pushes the finished article out of the machine before it. The machine is
then ready for another operation.
Instead of fitting the jaws e into recesses in the female die, thus causing them to
move up and down with such die, the plates M may be made to serve in place of
such jaws by playing through the openings in the die when the same is in its lowest
position. Further, any other suitable means may be substituted for those described
for operating the plates M, it being only requisite that they should he forced inwards
and then withdrawn at the desired times.
It will be noticed that the periphery of the segments of the male die, as shown
in Figs. 2 and 4, is under cut, that is to say, the lower end is less in diameter than the
upper end, and in Fig. & it will be seen that the acting surfaces c¹ of the jaws e of the
female die are bevelled to correspond. The reason for this is that in some kinds of
materials however tightly they may be pressed in the operations above described, the
portion turned over will have a tendency to spring outwards as soon as the pressure
is removed and, and it is therefore necessary when dealing with such materials to
allow for this. The extent of the bevel given to such surfaces will depend upon the
nature of the material to be acted upon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The improved machine for shaping metals and other materials, substantially as
specified.
2. The employment of a cam provided with suitable cam surfaces and with means
for actuating such cam, so as to cause it to force the plates M inwards and then to
withdraw same, substantially as specified.
3. A male die provided with movable jaws or segments working upon a cone
and between wings connected thereto, the edges of the adjacent jaws or segments
being formed so that they overlap, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1888.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.