Blanks for Shovels, Spades, and Scoops.
Year: 1886

page_text: Blanks for Shovels, Spades, and Scoops.
I, HENRY MILTON MYERS, residing at Beaver Falls, in the County of Beaver,
and State of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America, shovel manufacturer,
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 invention relates to an improvement in machine for splitting the tang for
the handle-straps and forming the socket in blanks for making shovels, spades and
scoops, and consists in the combination of a blank holder having a movable jaw,
followers, cutter and operating mechanism, as will hereinafter more fully and at
large appear.
To enable others skilled in the art with which my invention is most nearly
connected to make and use it, I will proceed to describe its construction and
operation.
'
In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification:-
Figure, 1, is a front elevation of my improvement in machine for splitting the
tang and forming the socket in blanks for making shovels, spades and scoops.
Figure, 2, is a side elevation of the same.
Figure, 3, 4, 5, 6, and, 7, are detail views.
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, A, represents the ordinary
punching machine, having what is known as a "stop motion," in which machine,
in place of the punch, I insert a cutter, such as shown at, B, in figure, 1, the
construction of which is clearly shown in figure, 6. To the saddle, C, of the
machine I attach a fixed jaw, D, and a movable jaw, E, which is operated through
the medium of a wedge, F, and spiral spring, G, and is adjusted through the
medium of a set screw, H.
The wedge, F, is attached to the movable head, I, of the machine. The office of
the wedge is to close the jaw, E, against the blank, and that of the springs, G, to
retract the jaw, E, as the wedge, F, is drawn up by the movable head, I. In
recesses in the jaws, D, E, are arranged followers or tang supporting jaws, J, which
move down in the jaws, D, E, and through the saddle, C, by the lower part of the

page_text: movable head acting upon their upper ends, and as the head is drawn back the
spring, K, forces the follower up into the position shown in figure, 1, and also
causes the rod, P, to force the blank out from between the jaws.
To the movable head, I, is attached a hammer, L, and a part of the upper face
of the jaw, D, serves as an anvil, M, and a recess, N, is formed in said jaw for the
reception of the blank, O.
The saddle, C, is held in position on the machine through the medium of set
screws, Q. By reference to the accompanying drawings and from the foregoing
description the skillfull mechanic will be enabled to construct my improvement.
Therefore I will proceed to describe its operation, which is as follows:-
The machine being put in operation in the usual manner of the punching
machine having a "stop motion," the operator places the blank, such as shown in
figure, 1, between the jaws, D, E. The head, I, in its descending motion, first
causes the wedge, F, to move forward the jaw, E, so as to clamp the blank, O,
firmly against the stationary jaw, D, at which point the cutter, B, commences its
work of splitting the tang, R, of the blank, O, and as the cutter enters the tang,
splitting it, the followers or tang supporting jaws, J, are moved down at the same
rate of speed that the cutter splits the tang, thereby causing the cutter to split the
tang evenly; that is to say, that that part of the followers or supporters marked, S,
firmly bracing each side of the tang, R, of the blank, O, moving downward a little,
in advance of the downward movement of the cutter, thereby prevent the heated
metal from having any lateral movement that would tend to producing unevenness
in the splitting of the tang.
The cutter, B, after splitting the tang, enters the blank, O, sufficiently to form
the necessary socket therein for the reception of the lower end of the wooden
handle in the shovel blade, when said blank is rolled out for forming said blade.
The cutter having split the tang, R, and formed said socket at this point, the
movable head, I, commences moving upward, which will withdraw the wedge, F,
and cutter, B, and as said wedge is being withdrawn the springs,, G, move back
the jaw, E, & the spring K, moves up the followers or tang supporters, J, and the
rod, P, forces the blank, O, from between the jaws, D, E. The operator then
removes the blank through the medium of a pair of tongs (not shown) or other
suitable device, and places it in the recess, N, in the jaw, D, and then places the
split tang of the blank (O, in recess, R) upon the anvil, M, and the downward
movement of the hammer, L, will close the split tang; but prior to the closing of
the said tang a little cinder should be placed between the split parts of the tang,
and in the socket to prevent welding in the rolling process, and thus the operation
is repeated for the splitting and closing of the tang of each blank, as above
set forth.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a cutter for splitting the tang, in
combination with reciprocating jaws for supporting the tang laterally while being
split, substantially as described.
Second. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating head, and a
cutter secured thereto, in combination with jaws for supporting the tang laterally,
.said jaws, being moved by said head in unison with the cutter as it advances into
the tang, substantially as described.
.
Third. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating head and a
cutter secured thereto, in combination with reciprocating tang supporting jaws
and a yielding follower for holding the jaws and head in operative relation to each
other, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating cutter, in
combination with jaws for supporting the tang laterally and clamping jaws for
holding the blank while being split, substantially as described.

page_text: Fifth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating cutter, in
combination with reciprocating jaws for supporting the tang laterally, and a fixed
and a movable jaw for holding the blank while being split, substantially as
described.
Sixth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating head, a cutter
and a wedge secured thereto, in combination with tang supporters, clamping
jaws operated in one direction by said wedge, and springs for separating them,
substantially as described.
Seventh. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating cutter for
splitting the tang, in combination with jaws for supporting the tang laterally while
being split, clamping jaws for holding the blank, and a rod for raising the blank
after it has been split, substantially as described.
Eighth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating cutter in
combination with reciprocating tang supporting jaws, clamping jaws to hold the
blank, a yielding follower supporting the first named jaws, a rod, and a spring for
operating said follower and rod, substantially as described.
Ninth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating head having
a hammer attached thereto and carrying a cutter, in combination with blank
clamping jaws, one of which has an anvil formed thereon in such relation to the
hammer on the head that the split tang of one blank may be closed, by the same
stroke of the head that is splitting another blank, substantially as described.
Tenth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating head having a
cutter secured. thereto, in combination with blank clamping jaws, reciprocating
tang supporting jaws operated in one direction by said head, and a spring for
returning them to their normal position, substantially as described.
Eleventh. In a machine for splitting blanks, a detachable saddle provided with
a pair of vertically reciprocating jaws, a fixed jaw, a horizontally adjustable jaw,
and springs for operating the latter jaw in one direction, substantially as described.
Twelfth. In a machine for splitting shovel blanks, a reciprocating head having a
cutter and a wedge attached thereto, in combination with a pair of reciprocating
tang supporting jaws, a fixed and a movable blank clamping jaw, springs for
retracting said movable jaw and a spring actuated follower for raising the tang
supporting jaws, substantially as described.
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