IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-HAMMERS, ALSO APPLICABLE ΤΟ HAMMERS OPERATED BY COMPRESSED AIR OR OTHER FLUID
Year: 1883

page_text: •
"
LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake
& Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM-HAMMERS, ALSO APPLICABLE ΤΟ HAMMERS
OPERATED BY COMPRESSED AIR OR OTHER FLUID Communicated to him
from abroad by Edward B. Meatyard of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, United
States of America,
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th December 1883.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM HAMMERS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO HAMMERS OPERATED BY COMPRESSED AIR OR OTHER FLUID."
[a communication to him from abroad by Edward B. Meatyard of Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin, United States of America,]
This invention relates to steam hammers for forging purposes and comprises
certain novel features of construction by which very valuable results are obtained
in the operation of the said hammers, all as hereinafter set forth.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a suitable frame the main
parts of which are a bed plate resting ou, and securely fastened to, a firm foundation
and strong columns extending from the said bed plate and joined at the top by a
cap. These columns are preferably round steel tubes, and strong links or bolts
bedded in the foundation, pass up through thein and are secured by nuts on the cap.
I also provide two rams an upper one and a lower one, the bodies of which are
cast hollow under pressure, so as to provide for the cooling of the metal, the
centreing of the dies and piston stems, and the fastening of the latter through the
axis of the rams to the dies, as will be hereinafter explained
A steam cylinder is mounted on the cap of the frame and receives two pistons,
an upper one and a lower one. The stem of the lower piston passes through a
stuffing box in the lower head of the cylinder, and is connected directly to the
upper ram, and the stem of the upper piston passes up through a stuffing box in

page_text: the upper head of the cylinder, and is fastened firmly to a strong cross head by
any suitable means.
ram.
Strong rods are connected to the respective ends of the cross head, from which
they extend downward and are secured at their lower ends to arms of the lower
These connecting rods run through suitable guide ways at the sides of the
frame, and are preferably plain rods, extending through the cross head and arms of
the ram, secured by suitable nuts and distance tubes surrounding the said rods
between the cross head and the ram.
Transverse guides are attached to the ends of the lower ram, being constructed
to move vertically on suitable ways on the upright columns. These guides may
however be rigidly attached to the columns and the connecting rods move vertically
in them, this construction and arrangement being in some respects preferable.
Guides are also attached to the respective arms of the upper ram, the connecting
rod passing through these guides also, whereby the rams are properly centred in
connection with their piston attachments, as will be hereinafter explained.
I also provide balancing mechanism for the rams, which mechanism consists of
radius bars arranged at each side of the lower ram and pivotted at their lower ends
to the bed plate. Toggle arms on each side of the lower ram are connected
respectively to the upper ends of the radius bars and the opposite sides of the lower
ram similar toggle arms are connected to the radius bars in a similar manner and
to the opposite sides of the upper ram, the arrangement of these parts being such
that the radius bars are substantially vertical when the blow is struck upon the
metal. It will be seen from this description that neither ram can move without
a corresponding movement of the other in the opposite direction, so that with this
balancing mechanism I am enabled to utilize gravity and not only balance and
control the ram, but also through them, the pistons of the steam cylinder, so that
neither can move too rapidly or "go wild" and burst the cylinder heads. The lower
ram is provided with an air-cushion which may be of any suitable construction to
serve both as a cushion and a guide for the ram at the same time. This device
may consist of an air cylinder mounted on the bed plate, in which cylinder is
fitted a piston the stem of which is connected directly to the lower ram, these
parts being arranged so that the axis of this air piston and its stem will be
accurately centred with the axis of the steam piston stem, whereby the device
serves not only as a cushion, but also as a centreing and guiding mechanism for
the lower ram. I may construct this air cushioning device so that it will also serve
the purpose of an air-pump for accumulating and storing air in a suitable reservoir
which may be used as a motor power for any purpose whatever.
The
The rams are connected to the respective stems and in a peculiar manner.
stem of the lower piston is hollow and at its lower end is provided with a flange
extending all around it and somewhat larger than the central opening in the rain
The
This flanged end of the stem is properly seated in the upper end of the ram.
said ram is provided with a die the face of which is shaped to give the required
form to the metal which is to be forged, and on the back of which is a circula
enlargement adapted to fit the centre opening in the ram thereby centreing the die
on the latter. In this enlargement openings or recesses are cut at the outer edge
which are of any number desired and preferably dove-tail in shape; strong stee
rods connect the die with the lower piston stem these rods being constructed with
heads adapted to fit the dovetail in the enlargement at the back of the die from
which they extend upward through the central opening of the ram and are passed
through the flange on the lower end of the said stem being drawn to place and
held by nuts turned down on the outside of the flange.
Obviously the strain on these rods is very great; I intend therefore to have then
made in the form desired by forging, rolling or pressing without upsetting, and th
body of the rods should be somewhat smaller than the threaded portion. Wit
this construction I am able to draw up the rods to nearly their limit o
elasticity without damaging the threads. As stated above, the lower ram i
connected to the piston stem of the air-cushion in precisely the same manner a

page_text: just described for the upper ram, this lower ram being provided with a die the face
of which is the obverse of the first mentioned die
The dies may be constructed according to the work it is desired to accomplish;
but the operation of the tool is limited to such work as can be accurately centred
in the dies and is not adapted to plain forging
A strut is attached at its lower end to each of the arms of the upper ram.
These struts extend upward through the cap to the cross-head and carry at their
upper ends a second cross-head; they have a vertical movement with the movement
of the ram to which they are attached and they serve to steady the main cross-head
to which the upper piston is connected. An upper air-cushion is also provided by
attaching an air cylinder to the underside, of the cross-head within which is fitted
a piston the stem of which extends downward and is connected in any suitable
manner to the main cross-head. The connection is made by screwing the lower
end of the stem into the upper end of the stem of the upper piston which is
threaded for this purpose. There is thus provided an air cushioning device for the
upper piston
The upper and lower pistons are each composed of two sections and are attached
to their respective stems in a peculiar manner.
The lower end of the stem of the
upper piston is threaded for a distance equal to the thickness of the lower section
of the piston and this section of the stem is also quartered for the same distance by
cutting radial slots.
The violent shocks incident to the impact of the two heavy rams will loosen
ordinary nuts, fracture ill formed parts and crystallize weak points in the recipro-
cating parts. I have, therefore, devised this peculiar mode of attaching the pistons
to their stems, so as to. thoroughly lock the piston-nuts and to obtain adequate
strength from the quality of material and special forms to resist the effect of these
shocks and obviate the difficulty mentioned above, which is peculiar to this class of
tools. The piston stem above the threaded section is cone shaped for a distance
equal to the thickness of the upper section of the piston. This section has a
conical central opening to fit the cone shaped section of the stem on which it is
placed and the lower section of the piston is threaded and is turned upon the
threaded end of the stem. The threaded extremity is also provided with an
internal thread and a screw plug is turned into this threaded end of the stem
thereby making it steam-tight and at the same time forcing outward the body of
the stem to make it fit closely, and also forcing outward keys which are inserted in
the radial slots of the stem and enter seats cut for them in the body of the lower
section of the piston. In this way a perfectly tight joint is made and the piston is
prevented from turning
On the backside of the tool is a steam-chest which is provided with a rotary
valve and connected by suitable ports with the interior of the steam-cylinder
between the pistons and also with the usual inlets near the heads of the cylinder.
The said rotary valve is, seated as usual in the chest, but instead of having the
ordinary construction of rotary valves, is made tubular and of the same thickness
throughout. Supply ports of this valve are cut transversely. The inlet ports are
short and narrow and cut lengthwise, and formed in such a manner that sufficient
support will be left to preserve the arch or circular form of the valve. The inlet
ports are caused to register with the other inlet ports in the seat by the movement
of the valve which will presently be described. Behind the steam-chest is a box
which contains check valves which must be arranged close to the steam-chest.
Any check valve suitable for the purpose may be employed either with or without
the box. A tubular valve is preferably covered with an anti-friction ring of any
suitable material, phosphor-bronze being preferred. The valve is provided with a
short crank arm. At the front of the tool is an exhaust chest which is provided
with a valve similar in construction to the steam-valve just described, being
provided with suitable ports registering with the exhaust ports of the chest under
the movements of the valve which will presently be described. The exhaust valve
is also provided with a crank arm similar to the arm of the steam valve, except

page_text: that it is shorter so as to give greater travel to the exhaust valve, both being
worked by the same mechanism.
The chests and valves are designed to meet any change of temperature by
making them as nearly as possible of uniform thickness all round the cylinder.
The excess of heat in the valve over that in its enclosing chest is met by using
metal high in carbon for the valve, and metal low in carbon for its chest.
The
The working of the valves is effected by means of a slide working in upright
guides. A link rod connects this slide with the crank arm of the steam valve, and
a similar link rod connects it with the crank arm of the exhaust valve, so that the
vertical movement of the slide will obviously oscillate both valves. The movement
of the slide is effected by the movement of struts attached to the upper ram.
lower portion of the slide is of channel form, and to the sides a bow spring is
attached, being arranged on the back of the slide. A collar is attached rigidly but
adjustably to each of the struts, and on its inner face is provided with jaws some
little distance apart, between which the bow of a spring is received. As the struts
are moved vertically by the movement of the ram to which they are attached, the
slide will also be moved, by the operation of the jaws acting alternately on the
spring attached to the slide.
Obviously, the working of the valves may be effected by some other device, and
in connection with the slide here described; the devices which are used to connect
the valves with the slide, so as to operate them thereby, may be different from
those described above, it being necessary only that the mechanism employed shall
work both valves simultaneously
I also provide a variable cut off by the following means; the guides of the slides
are composed of two sets of bars, movable and stationary the former being arranged
inside the latter. The upper ends of the movable bars extend up through a bracket
attached to the head of the cylinder and to the outer bars. The lower ends of
these bars pass down through the cap, and are provided with screw threads. The
upper ends of the slides are cylindrical and are provided with spiral springs placed
around them and held between plates also mounted on the cylindrical ends of the
slides, both of them being loose and free to move up and down on the bars within
certain limits. On the inside of the sliding guide bars are pairs of stops or lugs
between which the spring plates move, these lugs being arranged at such a distance
apart as to stop the plates when the springs are expanded to the fullest extent.
The lower threaded ends of the bars run through stationary forked guides and in
the fork of these guides is a gear nut through which the threaded end also passes.
A horizontal shaft is mounted on the underside of the cap, and is provided with
worm gear wheels engaging respectively with the gear nuts and at one end being
also provided with a bevel pinion one of these shafts will be required on each side
of the cylinder. At the back side of the tool is another horizontal shaft also
mounted underneath the cap and at right angles to the first shaft. This second
shaft is provided at each end with a bevel pinion and these pinions engage
respectively with other bevel pinions. Between the pinions a sprocket pinion is
fixed on the second shaft and a horizontal shaft is mounted in suitable bearings
attached to the columns at the backside of the tool some distance below the cap.
A sprocket wheel is fixed on this horizontal shaft and from it a chain runs over the
sprocket pinion on the second shaft. The horizontal shaft is also provided with a
hand wheel by means of which it is turned in either direction and obviously
turning the horizontal shaft will rotate the second shaft and the worm shafts, and
thereby raise or lower the sliding guide bars according as the shafts are turned in
one direction or the other. The mechanism for adjusting the sliding bars may
obviously be varied and I do not limit myself to the construction herein shown
and described. I contemplate using in place of this arrangement, sprocket nuts on
the slide bars, a chain running around all four of the nuts and a suitable driver on
a vertical shaft, which in turn may be operated by any suitable device, such for
instance as a hand wheel shaft with bevel gears connecting it to the vertical shaft,

page_text: obvious bat, as the valve side is moved up and down as herein before
described, it will, in one or the other of these movements compress the spring
between the plates on the upper end thereof; so that, as soon as the jaw which is
moving the slide in one direction ceases to act, the recoil of the spring will cause
the slide at once to move in the opposite direction, thereby cutting off steam by
the movement of the slide, without waiting for the outer jaw to take hold of the
bow spring and reverse the motion of the slide. The movement of the slide thus
effected by the spring, is sufficient to turn the valves enough to cut off steam, but
not sufficient to open the ports on the opposite side of the piston. The jaws
moving toward the spring now come in contact with the latter and complete the
movement of the slide and the travel of the valves. I place the jaws some distance
apart to actuate the valve slide, for the reason that, if there was no slack motion
between the strut and the valve slide, the travel of the valve mechanism would be
equal to the travel of the hammer, which is not desirable. I employ a spring
connected to the slide as the device on which the jaws act to move the slide, for
the purpose of taking up the shock as the jaws strike in opposite directions.
Now it will be seen that as the movable guide bars are adjusted vertically the
actuating springs on the ends of the slides may be caused to operate in one direction
or the other. This results from the fact that the retaining plates are held between
the keepers on the sliding guide bars, so that these plates are adjusted vertically as
the bars are adjusted, and hence may be adjusted to different positions relative to
the cylindrical end of the slide which passes up through them, so that either the
upward movement of the slide will compress the spring by carrying up the under
plate or the downward movement of the slide will compress the springs by pulling
down the upper plate. It will be seen then that by changing the position of the
sliding bars I am enabled to cause the spring on the valve slide to operate and cut
off at any point, either in making the blow, or on the recoil, or the adjustment may
be such that each spring plate will be acted on at each end of the movement of tho
valve slide, so causing the cut off to operate on both sides of the pistons. The
operation of these devices also produces a compensating effect, that is, what is lost
on one side of the pistons is gained on the other, and complete control of the force
of the blow is obtained. The first blow on a hot button or ingot of metal should
be held well in hand by short steam between the pistons, and long steam at the
ends of the cylinder. Each successive blow must be harder until the density of the
mass is nearly sufficient to cause the recoil of the rams without aid from the steam.
This result is obtained by gradually shifting the position of the cut-off mechanism
until I obtain short steam at the ends of the cylinder for the recoil and long steam
between the pistons to cushion them to prevent disaster, and to supply steam to
make the last blow.
I have now described a complete machine tool embodying my improvements.
I wish it understood, however, that I do not confine myself to all the details of
construction as herein described, for many modifications may be made in details
and many substitutions in the special devices used, without departing from the
main features of my invention.
With these improvements which I have made, a steam hammer may be con-
structed to give a much greater blow with much less weight of material in itself,
than in hammers of any construction now in use so far as known to me. This
result is due mainly to the use of duplex balanced rams as already explained.
This machine-tool is not designed to and will not take the place of stationary bed
hammers for doing irregular work or for forging long shafting; but, as the
stationary bed has a low modulus of elasticity and density, and is opposed to a
dense and highly elastic ram on the upper side of the mass of metal under
treatment, it is obvious that a good portion of the ram's energy, in such hammers,
is transmitted to the soft bed, and thence to the surrounding body or bodies, in the
shape of useless vibration, and also that while the upper side of an unturned
forging may be fair, tough and dense, the underside may be soft, with the cohesion
of its particles impaired if not destroyed; but it is obvious that with these improve.

page_text: ments there will be obtained the benefit of two elastic bodies moving in opposite
directions, both for the blow and also for the recoil. The relative value of this
arrangement over that in which one elastic body strikes a non-elastic body is well
known to engineers and may be expressed as substantially in the ratio of two
to one.
I have had a special object in view in designing this machine tool, viz: to obtain
a hammer for finishing parts of a cast steel wheel without lathe work, and it is
intended to use the hammer for this purpose after these parts have been subjected
to the action of a powerful press, such for instance as the press described in the
provisional specification dated 10th December 1883 N° 5690. The intention is to
use the tool constructed according to the present invention and the tool described
in the said specification together so as to finish the parts all at one heat, the last
operation being that of the steam hammer provided with finishing dies.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting the application of this invention to
the purpose mentioned above, though for such purpose I have found the inherent
defects of the stationary bed hammer to be so great that I cannot rely upon it
to suitably form and finish the parts of the said steel wheels, but with the duplex
balanced hammer, herein described I am enabled to finish these wheels, or any
parts of them accurately, so that they may be fitted together without lathe work,
which destroys the outer skin, the toughest and hardest portion of the mass.
I may further add that, for the work intended to be done by this improved
hammer, the lower ram must be lighter than the upper, for the reason that it
carries the mass of metal to be acted upon; and the die on this ram should be the
one which best holds the metal. With these limitations the hammer may be
adapted to die forging generally. In the description above I have only mentioned
steam as a motive power for operating this tool, but I do not wish to be understood
as limiting myself to steam, for, it must be obvious that compressed air or any
other compressed gas suitable for use as a motive power may be employed to
operative the hammer in the place of steam. The changes required for this purpose
being simply mechanical details.
It is absolutely necessary, in this machine-tool, that the pistons should be
perfectly centred by means which are durable and as nearly continuous in
operation as possible, for it is obvious that the dies must register with exact
precision, and only a slight deviation in the centering of the pistons will destroy
this register, produce imperfect work and injure the dies. I am not aware of any
stuffing suitable for accomplishing this result with the piston stems, in this machine
tool. I have, therefore, devised a special improved stuffing-box for the steam
piston stems, adapted to secure the results set forth above, which are necessary
to the proper working of this tool.
I have provided an improved box which is of any ordinary construction, except
that it is provided with a conical groove within which are placed concentric conical
stuffing rings, the lower one being very narrow and gradually increasing in width
towards the upper one which is the widest of all. The gland is also of ordinary
construction except that the aperture is cone shaped to fit around the upper part
of the stuffing ring. As this stuffing wears away it will gradually slip down into
the box, and when the narrowest ring is worn out one of the widest may be
With this
applied at the other end of the box to compensate for this wear.
improvement in the stuffing boxes the stuffing may be applied to fill the box,
much more readily and in a shorter time than with any of the other constructions
now known to me, and the stuffing will obviously always closely fit the stem,
keeping it properly centered and at the same time out of wear.

page_text: The steam cylinder C is mounted on the cap of the frame and receives two
pistons an upper one D and a lower one D¹. The stem d of the lower piston passes
through a stuffing box in the lower head of the cylinder and is connected directly
to the upper ram, and the stem d' of the upper piston passes up through a stuffing
box in the upper head of the cylinder and is fastened firmly to a strong cross
head E by any suitable means.
Strong rods e are connected to the respective ends of the cross head E from
which they extend downward and are secured at their lower ends to the arms b' of
the lower ram. These rods run through suitable guideways at the sides of the
frame and are preferably plain rods extending through the cross head and arms of
the ram, secured by suitable nuts and distance tubes surrounding the said rods
between the cross head and the ram.
Transverse guides E¹ are attached to the ends of the lower ram being constructed
as shewn in the drawings to move vertically on suitable ways e¹ on the upright
columns. These guides may however be rigidly attached to the columns and the
connecting rods move vertically in them, this construction and arrangement being
in some respects preferable to that shewn in the drawings. Guides e² are also
attached to the respective arms b of the upper ram, the connecting rod e passing
through these guides also, whereby the rams are properly centred in connection
with their piston attachments as will be hereinafter explained.
Balancing mechanism is provided for the rams, which mechanism consists of
radius bars F arranged at each side of the lower ram and pivotted at their lower
ends to the bed plate. Toggle arms fon each side of the lower ram are connected
respectively to the upper ends of the radius bars and the opposite sides of the lower
ram. Similar toggle arms f1 are connected to the radius bars in a similar manner
and to the opposite sides of the upper ram, the arrangement of these parts being
such that the radius bars are substantially vertical when the blow is struck upon
the metal. It will be seen from this description that neither ram can move without
a corresponding movement of the other in the opposite direction, so that with this
balancing mechanism I am enabled to utilize gravity and not only balance and
control the rams but also the pistons of the steam cylinders so that neither can
move too rapidly or 'go wild" and burst the cylinder heads.
The lower ram is provided with an air cushion which may be of any suitable
construction to serve both as a cushion and a guide for the ram at the same time.
In the drawings this device is shewn as comprising an air cylinder G mounted on
the bed plate in which cylinder is fitted a piston g the stem g¹ of which is con-
nected directly to the lower ram, these parts being arranged so that the axis of
this air piston and its stem will be accurately centred with the axis of the steam
piston stem, whereby the device serves not only as a cushion, but also as a centring
and guiding mechanism for the lower ram. I may construct this air cushioning
device so that it will also serve the purpose of an air pump for accumulating and
storing air in a suitable reservoir, which may be used as a motive power for any
purpose whatever.
The
The rams are connected to the respective stems g¹ and d in a peculiar manner
illustrated in Figure 11 which represents the upper ram and its fastening devices.
The piston stem d is hollow, and at its lower end is provided with a flange
extending all around it and somewhat larger than the central opening in the ram.
This flanged end of the stem is properly seated in the upper end of the ram.
said ram is provided with a die B2 the face of which is shaped to give the required
form to the metal which is to be forged, and on the back of which is a circular
enlargement 62 adapted to fit the centre opening in the ram thereby centring the
die on the latter. In this enlargement 62 the openings or recesses 63 are cut at the
outer edge, which are of any number desired and preferably dove-tail in shape.
Strong steel rods d² connect the die with the piston stem d these rods being
constructed with heads d³ adapted to fit the dove-tail in the enlargement at the
back of the die, as shewn in Figure 11 from which they extend upward through
the central opening of the ram and are passed through the flange on the lower end

page_text: of the stem d being drawn to place and held by nuts turned down on the outside
of the flange.
Obviously the strain on these rods is very great I intend therefore to have
them made in the form desired by forging rolling or pressing without upsetting,
and the body of the rods should be somewhat smaller than the threaded portion.
With this construction I am able to draw up the rods to nearly their limit of
elasticity without damaging the threads. As stated above, the lower ram is
connected to the piston stem of the air cushion in precisely the same manner as
just described for the upper ram, this lower ram being provided with a die B³ the
face of which is the obverse of the die B². In the drawings these dies are shewn
of a form adapted to forge a car wheel but it will be understood that any other
die forging may be done with this tool it being constructed according to the work
it is desired to accomplish; but the operation of the tool is limited to such work
as can be accurately centred in the dies and is not adapted to plain forging.
A strut His attached at its lower end to each of the arms of the upper ram.
These struts extend upward through the cap to the cross-head and carry at their
upper ends a second cross head h; they have also a vertical movement with the
movement of the ram to which they are attached and serve to steady the main
cross head to which the upper piston is connected. An upper air cushion is also
provided by attaching an air cylinder H¹ to the underside of the cross head h
within which is fitted a piston h¹ the stem h² of which extends downward and is
connected in any suitable manner to the main cross head as shewn in Figure 5.
The connection shewn in Figure 5 is made by screwing the lower end of the stem h²
into the upper end of the piston stem d' which is threaded for this purpose. There
is thus provided an air cushioning device for the upper piston.
The pistons D and D¹ are each composed of two sections and are attached to
their respective stems in a peculiar manner which will be understood by referring
to Figure 17 in which the construction and attachment of the upper piston is
shewn.
The violent shocks incident to the impact of the two heavy rams will loosen
ordinary nuts, fracture ill formed parts and crystallize weak points in the
reciprocating parts. I have therefore devised this peculiar mode of attaching the
pistons to their stems, so as to thoroughly lock the piston nuts and to obtain
adequate strength, from the quality of material and special forms to resist the
effect of these shocks and obviate the difficulty mentioned above which is peculiar
to this class of tools. The lower end of the stem d¹ is threaded for a distance
equal to the thickness of the lower section d' of the piston and this section of the
stem is also quartered for the same distance by cutting radial slots as shewn in
Figure 19 of the drawings. The piston stem above the threaded section is cone
shaped for a distance equal to the thickness of the upper section do of the piston.
This section of the piston has a conical central opening to fit the cone shaped
section of the stem on which it is placed and the lower section of the piston is
threaded and is turned upon the threaded end of the stem. The threaded
extremity is also provided with an internal thread and a screw plug is turned
into this threaded end of the stem thereby making it steam tight, and at the same
time forcing outward the body of the stem to make it fit closely, and also forcing
outward keys 8 which are inserted in the radial slots of the stem and enter
seats do cut for them in the body of the lower section of the piston. In this way
a perfectly tight joint is made and the piston is prevented from turning.
On the backside of the tool is a steam chest I which is provided with a rotary
valve and connected by suitable ports with the interior of the steam cylinder
between the pistons, and also with the usual inlets near the heads of the cylinder.
The valve is seated as usual in the chest, but instead of having the ordinary
construction of rotary valves, is made tubular and of the same thickness throughout.
Supply ports of this valve are cut transversely as shewn in Figure 18 The inlet
ports are short and narrow and cut lengthwise and formed in such a manner
that sufficient support will be left to preserve the arch or circular form of the valve.

page_text: The ports are caused to register with the inlet ports ³ in the seat by the movement
of the valve which will presently be described.
Behind the steam chest is a box I which contains check valves it. The valve
shewn in the drawings is an ordinary check valve and requires no special description
here except that it must be arranged close to the steam chest. Any check valve
suitable for the purpose may be employed either with or without the box. The
tubular valve i is preferably covered with an anti friction ring 15 of any suitable
material phosphor-bronze being preferred. The valve is provided with a short
crank arm iº. At the front of the tool is an exhaust chest J which is provided
with a valvej similar in construction to the steam valve just described, being
provided with suitable ports j¹ registering with the exhaust ports ja of the chest
under the movements of the valve which will presently be described. The exhaust
valve is also provided with a crank arm similar to the arm of the steam valve,
except that it is shorter so as to give greater travel to the exhaust valve both being
worked by the same mechanism which I will now proceed to describe.
The chests and valves are designed to meet any change of temperature by making
them as nearly as possible of uniform thickness all round the cylinder. The excess
of heat in the valve over that in its enclosing chest is met by using metal high in
carbon for the valve and metal low in carbon for its chest.
The working of the valves is effected by means of a slide K working in upright
guides. A link rod k connects with this slide with the crank arm of the steam
valve, and a similar link rod connects it with the crank arm of the exhaust valve,
so that the vertical movement of the slide will obviously oscillate both valves. The
movement of the slide is effected by the movement of the struts attached to the
upper ram. The lower portion of the slide K is. of channel form and to the sides
a bow spring L is attached, being arranged on the back of the slide. A collar
attached rigidly but adjustably to each of the struts and on its inner face is
provided with jaws some little distance apart between which the bow of the
spring L is received. As the struts are moved vertically by the movement of the
ram to which they are attached, the slide K will also be moved, by the operation of
the jaws acting alternately on the spring attached to the slide.
is
Obviously the working of the valves may be effected by some other device, and
in connection with the slide K here described; the devices which are used to
connect the valves with the slide so as to operate them thereby, may be different
from those described above, it being necessary only that the mechanism employed
shall work both valves simultaneously.
I provide a variable cut off by the following means; the guides for the slides K
are composed of two sets of bars, movable bars M and stationary bars M¹ the
foriner being arranged inside of the latter. The upper ends of the movable bars M
extend up through a bracket m attached to the head of the cylinder and to the
outer bars M¹. The lower ends of these bars M pass down through the cap and
are provided with screw threads m¹. The upper ends of the slides K are
cylindrical and are provided with spiral springs N placed around them and held
between plates n and n¹ also mounted on the cylindrical ends of the slides, both
of them being loose and free to move up and down on the bars within certain
limits. On the inside of the sliding guide bars M are pairs of stops or lugs m²
between which the spring plates move, these lugs being arranged at such a distance
apart as to stop the plates when the springs are expanded to the fullest extent.
The lower threaded ends of the bars M run through stationary forked guides m³
and in the fork of these guides is a worm wheel m' through which the threaded
end also passes. A horizontal shaft O is mounted on the underside of the cap and
is provided with worms o engaging respectively with the worm wheels m' and at
one end being also provided with a bevel pinion o¹; one of these shafts will be
required on each side of the cylinder. At the back side of the tool is another
horizontal shaft P also mounted underneath the cap and at right angles to the
shaft C. This shaft is provided at each end with a bevel pinion p and these
pinions engage respectively with the bevel pinions o¹: Between the pinions pa

page_text: sprocket pinion p¹ is fixed on the shaft P and a horizontal shaft R is mounted in
suitable bearings attached to the columns at the back side of the tool some distance
below the cap.
A sprocket wheel is fixed on this shaft and from it a chain S runs
over the sprocket pinion of the shaft P. The shaft R is also provided with a hand
wheel 1 by means of which it is turned in either direction and obviously turning
the shaft R will rotate the shaft P and the worm shafts O and thereby raise or
lower the sliding guide bars M according as the shafts are turned in one direction
or the other. The mechanism for adjusting the sliding bars may obviously be
varied and I do not limit myself to the construction herein shewn and described,
as I may use in place of this arrangement sprocket nuts on the slide bars, a chain
running around all four of the nuts and a suitable driver on a vertical shaft, which
in turn may be operated by any suitable device, such for instance as a hand wheel
shaft with bevel gear wheels connecting it to the vertical shaft.
It is obvious that as the valve slide is moved up and down as hereinbefore
described, it will, in one or the other of these movements compress the spring
between the plates on the upper end thereof; so that, as soon as the jaw which is
moving the slide in one direction ceases to act, the recoil of the spring will cause
the slide at once to move in the opposite direction, thereby cutting off steam by
the movement of the slide, without waiting for the outer jaw to take hold of the
bow spring and reverse the motion of the slide. The movement of the slide thus
effected by the spring is sufficient to turn the valves enough to cut off steam, but
not sufficient to open the ports on the opposite side of the piston. The jaws
moving toward the spring now come into contact with the latter and complete
the movement of the slide and the travel of the valves. I place the jaws some
distance apart to actuate the valve slide, for the reason that, if there were no slack
motion between the strut and the valve slide, the travel of the valve mechanism
would be equal to the travel of the hammer, which is not desirable. I employ
a spring connected to the slide as the device on which the jaws act to move
the slide, for the purpose of taking up the shock as the jaws strike in opposite
directions.
It will be seen that as the movable guide bars M. are adjusted vertically, the
actuating springs on the ends of the slides may be caused to operate in one
direction or the other. This results from the fact that the retaining plates are
held between the keepers on the sliding guide bars, so that these plates are
adjusted vertically as the bars are adjusted, and hence may be adjusted to different.
positions relative to the cylindrical end of the slide which passes up through them,
so that either the upward movement of the slide will compress the spring by
carrying up the under plate or the downward movement of the slide will compress
the springs by pulling down the upper plate. It will be seen then that by
changing the position of the sliding bars M I am enabled to cause the spring
on the valve slide to operate and cut off at any point, either in making the blow or
on the recoil, or the adjustment may be such that each spring plate will be acted
on at each end of the movement of the valve slide, so causing the cut off to
operate on both sides of the pistons. The operation of these devices also produces
a compensating effect, that is, what is lost on one side of the pistons is gained on
the other, and complete control of the force of the blow is obtained. The first blow
on a hot button or ingot of metal should be held well in hand by short steam
between the pistons, and long steam at the ends of the cylinder. Each successive
blow must be harder until the density of the mass is nearly sufficient to cause the
recoil of the rams without aid from the steam. This result is obtained by
gradually shifting the position of the cut off mechanism until I obtain short
steam at the ends of the cylinder for the recoil and long steam between the
pistons to cushion them to prevent disaster, and to supply steam to make the
last blow.
I have now described a complete machine tool embodying these improvements.
I wish it understood, however, that I do not confine myself to all the details of
Construction as herein shown and described, for many modifications may be made

page_text: in details and many substitutions in the special devices used, without departing
from the main features of this invention
With these improvements which I have made, a steam hammer may be con-
structed to give a much greater blow with much less weight of material in itself,
than in hammers of any construction now in use so far as known to me. This
result is due mainly to the use of duplex balanced rams as already explained.
This machine-tool not designed to and will not take the place of stationary bed
hammers for doing irregular work or for forging long shafting; but, as the
stationary bed has a low modulus of elasticity and density and is opposed to a
dense and highly elastic ram on the upper side of the mass of metal under
treatment, it is obvious that a good portion of the rams energy, in such hammers,
is transmitted to the soft bed, and thence to the surrounding body or bodies, in the
shape of useless vibration, and also that while the upper side of an unturned forging
may be fair, tough and dense, the underside may be soft, with the cohesion of its
particles impaired if not destroyed; but it is obvious, that, with these improve-
ments, the benefit of two elastic bodies moving in opposite directions will be
obtained both for the blow and also for the recoil. The relative value of this
arrangement over that in which one elastic body strikes a non-elastic body is well
known to engineers and may be expressed as substantially in the ratio of two
to one
I have had a special object in view in designing this machine tool, viz: to obtain
a hammer for finishing parts of a cast steel wheel without lathe work, and it is
intended to use the haminer for this purpose after these parts have been subjected
to the action of a powerful press, such for instance as the press described in the
specification N° 5690 and bearing the same date as this specification
It is intended to use these two tools together so as to finish the parts all at one
heat, the last operation being that of the steam hammer provided with finishing
dies.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting the application of this invention to
the purpose mentioned above, though for such purpose I have found the inherent
defects of the stationary bed hammer to be so great that it cannot be relied upon
to suitably form and finish the parts of the said steel wheels, but with the duplex
balanced hammer, herein described and shown, I am enabled to finish these wheels,
or any parts of them, accurately, so that they may be fitted together without
lathe work, which destroys the outer skin, the toughest and hardest portion of the
mass. I may further add that, for the work intended to be done by this improved
hammer, the lower ram must be lighter than the upper, for the reason that it
carries the mass of metal to be acted upon; and the die on this ram should be the
one which best holds the metal. With these limitations the hammer may be
adapted to die-forging generally. In the description above I have only mentioned
steam as a motive power for operating this tool, but I do not wish to be understood
as limiting myself to steam, for, it must be obvious that compressed air or any
other compressed gas suitable for use as a motive power may be employed to
operate the hammer in the place of steam. The changes required for this purpose
being simply mechanical details
It is absolutely necessary, in this machine tool, that the pistons should be
perfectly centred by means which are durable and as nearly continuous in
operation as possible, for it is obvious that the dies must register with exact
precision, and only a slight deviation in the centreing of the pistons will destroy
this register, produce imperfect work, and injure the dies. I am not aware of any
stuffing suitable for accomplishing this result with the piston stems, in this
machine tool. I have therefore devised a special improved stuffing-box for the
steam piston stems, adapted to secure the results set forth above, which are
necessary to the proper working of this tool
If the wear is upon the gland the box will soon leak and the piston will also lose
its centre. In Figure 9 I have shown the improved box, on an enlarged scale.
The said box is of any ordinary construction, except that it is provided with a

page_text: conical groove t within which are placed concentric conical stuffing rings t¹
arranged as shown in the drawings, the lower one being very narrow and gradually
increasing in width towards the upper one which is the widest of all. The
gland U is also of ordinary construction, except that the aperture is cone-shaped
to fit around the upper part of the stuffing ring. It will be seen that as this
stuffing wears away it will gradually slip down into the box, and when the
narrowest ring is worn out one of the widest may be applied at the other end of
the box to compensate for this wear. The relative positions and arrangement of
the stuffing boxes and stuffing for the two piston rods are shown in Figure 5.
With this improvement in the stuffing boxes the stuffing may be applied to fill
the box, much more readily and in a shorter time than with any of the other
constructions now known to me, and the stuffing will obviously always closely fit
the stem, keeping it properly centred and at the same time out of wear
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim
First In a steam-hammer, two independent rams arranged to reciprocate in the
same vertical plane, in combination with a single steam-cylinder, and two steam-
pistons arranged to work within such cylinder and connected respectively to the
respective rams, whereby the latter are moved positively towards and from each
other by the direct action of the pistons under the effect of the same steam
pressure, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Second In a steam hammer, two independent movable rams arranged to move in
the same vertical plane, in combination with balancing mechanism connecting the
two rams together, whereby any movement of one must be accompanied by a
movement of the other, but in the opposite direction, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Third In a steam hammer, two independent movable rams arranged to move in
the same vertical plane, in combination with balancing mechanism connecting the
two rams together, whereby any movement of the one must be accompanied by a
movement of the other, but in an opposite direction, and two steam pistons
connected respectively to the rams, whereby positive movement is given to each,
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth The two movable rams B, B¹, in combination with the steam cylinder C,
the two pistons D, D¹, and the cross head E connected to the lower ram by the
rods e, substantially as described.
Fifth The two movable rams B B¹, in combination with the radius bars F, and
the toggle arms f, f', substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Sixth The two movable rams B B', in combination with the radius bars F, the
toggle arms f,fi, the steam cylinder C, and the pistons D, D¹ connected respectively
to the rams, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Seventh In a steam hammer, two movable rams in combination with two pistons
connected respectively to the rams, and a cushioning device above and below the
rams, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eighth. The two movable rams B, B¹, in combination with the cylinder C and
pistons D, D¹, the lower air cushion G connected directly to the lower ram, the
cross head E, and the upper air cushion H¹, substantially as described.
Ninth The movable rams B, B₁, in combination with the steam cylinder C, the
pistons D, D¹ the cross head E and the rods e, the struts H, and the air cushion H¹,
substantially as described.
Tenth In a steam hammer, a movable ram or rams in combination with a steam
cylinder, provided with one or two pistons for actuating positively the rams, and a
differential cut off, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Eleventh The two movable rams B B¹, in combination with the steam cylinder C,
the steam pistons D, D¹ within the said cylinder, and a differential cut off

page_text: constructed to act on both sides of the pistons but in inverse ratio; substantially, as,
and for the purpose, described.
Twelfth In a steam hammer, the steam cylinder C, in combination with the inlet
and exhaust valves i and j, the slide K and the link rodsk and k', whereby the
valves are worked simultaneously with the movement of the slide, substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
Thirteenth The valves i, j, provided with the crank arms is and j³, the slide K,
the link rods k, and the jaws on the struts H, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Fourteenth The valves i and j, in combination with the slide K by which the
valves are operated, the springs N and spring plates n on the end of the slides,
and the adjustable guide plates M M', provided with lugs m between which the
spring plates are hold, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifteenth The valves, in combination with the slide K, the link rods k, k¹ the
bow spring L attached to the slide and the jaws on the struts H separated from
each other so as to permit movement of the bow spring between the jaws,
independent of the movement of the latter, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Sixteenth The valve actuating slide K, in combination with the spring L,
vertically moving jaws arranged some distance from each other to permit of the
movement of the slide independent of the jaws, the springs N, the spring plates n
and the adjustable bars M, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Seventeenth The valve moving slide K, in combination with the vertical moving
jaws, the springs N, the spring plates n, the adjustable guide bars M provided with
lugs m, and mechanism whereby the said bars may be adjusted at will by an
attendant to adjust the relative action of the cut off, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
Eighteenth In a steam hammer, a ram provided with a vertical central opening,
in combination with a die attached to the face of the ram by rods running through
the central opening and secured to the die and to the end of the piston steins to
which the ram is attached, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Nineteenth In a steam hammer, a ram B or B¹, in combination with the die B²
or B³ having a head b² on its back in which dove tail recesses 63 are cut, the piston
stem d or g¹, and the rods d² provided with conical heads d³ and secured at their
inner ends to the flange of the piston by screw nuts, substantially as described.
Twentieth In a steam hammer for die-forging, the piston composed of two
sections d, de the latter being provided with a cone shaped central opening, in
combination with the piston-stem, cone-shaped at a short distance from its
extremity to fit the similar opening in the piston section, and a threaded extremity
at the outer piston section, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Twenty first In a steam hammer for die-forging, the piston sections do the
latter having a flaring central opening, in combination with a hollow piston stem
the end of which is provided with a conical seat for the inner section of the piston,
and provided with a screw thread for the outer section of the piston and a plug d
fitting the interior of the end of the stem, substantially as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Twenty second In a steam hammer for die-forging, the piston section d' with its
central opening threaded and provided with longitudinal grooves d³ for key seats,
in combination with a hollow piston stem d the extremity of which is provided
with both an internal and an external screw thread and also provided with radial
slots d', the keys ds and the screw plug d', substantially as described.
Twenty third. The stuffing box T provided with a conical annular groove t, in
combination with the concentric conical rings t¹ and the gland U, substantially as,
and for the purposes, set forth.
Twenty fourth In a steam hammer, a movable or reciprocating ram in
combination with a bridle or struts attached thereto and moving therewith, a

page_text: reciprocating slide arranged to be operated by the movement of the bridle or
struts, a steam cylinder, inlet and exhaust valves, and mechanism connecting the
said slide with both the inlet and exhaust valves, whereby the latter are worked
simultaneously by the reciprocating movement of the ram, substantially as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this third day of July in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
HENRY. H. LAKE (L.S.)