IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER PRESSES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm of
Harris and Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
POWER PRESSES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES."-A communication from abroad by Norman C. Stiles, of
Middletown, in the County of Middlesex, in the State of Connecticut,
United States of America.
Sealed the 6th March 1874, and dated the 3rd October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
"
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 3rd October 1873.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and
Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN POWER PRESSES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO OTHER PURPOSES," a communication to me from abroad by Norman C.
Stiles, of Middletown, in the County of Middlesex, in the State of
Connecticut, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in power presses, parts of
which improvements are applicable to other purposes.

page_text: This Invention consists in the employment of an adjustable eccen-
trically bored box or piece, embracing the ordinary eccentric mounted in
the tool holder or its connections, and arranged in such manner that by
moving this box and holding it in a different angular position the levels
between which the punch or cutter operates in. relation to the work can
bo conveniently changed without changing the extent of its motion or
involving any serious complication or difficulty.
It consists further in the arrangement of a slide with triangular guides
operating in two jaws, cast solid, with the stock of the press, and held in
position by a triangular gib or gibs in such manner that all the bearing
points or surfaces of the jaws and of the carriago can be planed off by
one operation and without changing the position of the picco to be
planed in the bed of the planing machine, and consequently all theso
surfaces must be perfectly parallel, and furthermore the set screws used
to adjust the gib or gibs bear square on a flat surface so as to allow of
setting and retaining said gib or gibs with the greatest accuracy.

page_text: clamp d, and by screwing up the clamp scrow e the disc is rendered
rigid with the pitman, and the motion of the eccentric wrist pin a is
transmitted to the slido E.
As a means of adjusting the eccentric with a great degree of nicety I
form the eccentric D with teeth upon its edge, as seen in Figure 12, and
arrange above it in the pitman a worm to working in the teeth of the
eccentric, so that by turning this worm the greatest nicety of the
eccentric may be attained.
Another means of adjustment of the eccentric D is shown in Figure 9,
where numerous somicircular grooves m³ are formed in the periphery of
the eccentric, and less or more number of grooves n³ around the eccentric
opening in the pitman, preferably so that no two of the grooves on the
eccentric will coincide with the two grooves on the pitman, so that when
two of these grooves are brought together a pin x may be inserted as
seen in Figure 9, thereby coupling the eccentric with the pitman and
prevent its accidental movement. The adjustment is made by turning
the eccentric as before described, and when in the desirod position insert
the pin into the coinciding grooves.
Another means of adjustment is shown in Figures 11 and 11°. The
eccentric is toothed upon its edge, and a pinion at the top or at some
point in the pitman is arranged to work in the said teeth, the axis of the
pitman being parallel to the axis of the eccentric, so that by turning
the said pinion the eccentric will be turned accordingly; and to secure
the eccentric in the desired position I arrange a clamping dovice con-
sisting of the set screws E³ which pass through the head of the pitman
and bear upon the eccentric with sufficient force to hold it in position
against ordinary strain.
As thus far illustrated this Invention is applied to that class of prosses
in which the slide is moved by the employment of a pitman.
In presses in which the slide is moved without the employment of a
pitman the eccentric revolves in a box or slot formed in the slide. To
use this improvement in this class of presses it is only necessary that
the box in which the eccentric revolves should be constructed. so as to
form the clamp in like manner as the pitman F, and the box thus formed
and clamped is fitted into a groove or slot in the slide in the usual
manner for fitting up this class of presses. The slide E moves up and
down between two jaws G, which are cast solid with the stock A, and

page_text: I
the faces which form the bearings of the slide are triangular, as seen
in Figure 5. By this shape of the slide and its bearing faces, and by
having the jaws cast solid with the stock of the press, I am enabled to
plane the various sliding surfaces on each piece at ono operation and
without changing its position on the bed of the planing machine. The 5
slide is put on the bed of the planing machine with its front side down,
and it will be casily understood by practical machinists how all the
bearing or working faces can then be planed in one operation, and conse-
quently they will all be perfectly parallel. In the same manner tho
stock of the press-is fastened on the planing machine with the front sido 1
of the jaws G up, and all their working faces can be planed without.
changing the position of the work. For the purpose of setting up the
slide and causing it to move steady on its ways I use a triangular gib 7,
which is set up by. set screws.i. This gib offers a square bearing to the
set screws, as will be readily understood by referring to Figure 14, and 1
the slide can be adjusted with perfect accuracy.
-
-In-illustrating the method of disconnecting the power reference is
made to Figures. 4, 5, 6, 61, 7, and 8. To the rear end of the shaft B
I fix a plate D', and in its face form a notch a¹, as seen in Figure 6 and
back of said plate D¹, and so as to revolve freely upon the said shaft
B I place the band or fly wheel C. Into the hub of the whool O I insort
a bolt d', as seen in Figures 4 and 5, which is forced forward to bear
against the plate D¹ by means of a spiral spring. Beneath the said
bolt d' I fix a spring latch or bolt f¹, which when the bolt is pressed
back will catch and hold it in that position as seen in Figure 5, and
when the said latch is drawn away from the bolt, as seen in Figure 4,
the bolt will be permitted to move forward so as to catch in the notch a¹
on the plate D¹, and thus cause the shaft B to revolve with the wheel
until the bolt & is withdrawn. To make this operation at the command
of the operator I place a trip c¹ in the frame to be operated by means of
a lever or treadlo extending forward to a convenient position for the
operator, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, and constructed with a cam-shaped
shoulder 8, as seen in Figures 6, 7, and 8, corresponding to a projection
from the latch, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, so that when the trip is raised
to the position seen in Figures 5 and 6 the latch will pass freely under,
but when the trip is drawn down as in Figures 4 and 5 the projection
from the latch will strike the said shoulder and bo drawn down as seen
in Figure 4 so as to permit the bolt d¹ to spring forward and lock into

page_text: the notch a! on the plate D¹, which will cause the shaft B to revolve
with tho wheel O, and will so continue to do until the trip is raised,
which it will be when released from the hand or foot of the operator by
means of a spring seen in Figure 2, or an equivalent therefor, the
tendency of which is to hold the trip in the position seen in Figures 5
and 6.
In order to force the bolt d' back from the position in Figure 4 to that
in Figure 5 I form an inclined plane upon the face of the trip, as seen
in Figure 6', so that when the trip is raised and the bolt d' strikes the
inclined plane on the trip it will be forced back and caught by the latch,
as seen in Figure 5, and thus disconnect the power from the shaft when
the shaft is always in the same position. The wrist pin a I place so that
the disconnection shall always occur when the slide or tool holder is
raised to its highest point. Connection of the power can only occur
when the notch a¹ is in a certain position, that is at that point where
the bolt is released by the action of the trip. Therefore if the shaft be
turned partially around as in the position seen in Figure 6 the bolt will
strike the face of the plate and not be released by the latch, so that if
the trip is drawn down when the plate D¹ is in any other position than
that denoted in Figures 6 and 7 the power cannot be disconnected. By
this arrangement I am enabled to turn the shaft to any position as
required for the adjustment of the tool holder without danger of acci-
dentally connecting the power, a great advantage in all power presses.
When the tool holder has been adjusted then turn the shaft to the
position denoted in Figures 6 and 7, in which position the power may be
connected as before described.
1.
I will now proceed to describe another means for disconnecting the
power as shown in Figures 14, 15, and 16. This consists of a cam H,
which is pivotted to a pin j, and connects with a spring bar k. By
pulling the spring bar the point of the cam is forced up against the
inner surface of the hub 7 of the band wheel O, and as this wheel rotates
the clutch pin m comes in contact with the cam H, and by the action of
said cam is caused to slide out and to come in contact with the coupling
pin n so as to impart motion to the shaft B. The clutch pin slides
loosely in a recess in the hub of-the-wheel-G,-and-it-is-moved in and out
entirely by the action of the cam. On pulling the spring bar.. the cam
drops-behind the spring catch, and, is retained. in. that-position until
the knob or button A projecting from a collar which is secured to the

page_text: 'shaft B comes in contact with said catch and releases the cam. Tho
coupling pin n which by action of the clutch pin m transmits the motion
of the band wheel O to the shaft B is set upon a spring, so that it can
´yield or recede in case the cam is brought in such a position that the
clutch pin is thrown out at that moment when it stands opposite tlic 5
coupling pin. In this case if the coupling pin were rigid some part of
the machine would break or its motion would be stopped, but with the
yielding coupling pin no such accident can take place. If the clutch
pin strikes the point of the coupling pin the latter recedes, and tho
motion of the band wheel continues uninterrupted, causing the clutch
pin to be pushed out, and on the next revolution the motion of the band
wheel is transmitted to the shaft B. The fulcrum pinj of the cam H is
also rendered yielding, so that in turning the machine back when the
clutch pin happens to be out the cam is allowed to give way, and to lct
the clutch pin pass without causing an accident. If desired however
the clutch pin and also the cam might be made with two points so that
said cam would be enabled to govern the position of the clutch pin in
-either-direction, and in this case the yielding fulcrum could be dispensed
with.
-
Tho adjustment of the eccentric upon the wrist pin or the eccentric
of the shaft is applicable to many other purposes for similar adjustment.
I therefore do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the uso
of the compound eccentric for adjustment of the slide of a power press;
neither do I wish to be understood as confining the stop motion described
to the use of power presses, as that is alike applicable to other machines
where a similar object is desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 2nd April 1874..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BEN- 3
JAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and Mills, of
35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesox, Patent Agent,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
Her special license that I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
my executors, administrators, zand-zassigns, Tor=such-others-as I, the
said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, 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 POWER PRESSES, PARTS
OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES,”. a communication
to me from abroad by Norman C. Stiles, of Middletown, in the County
of Middlesex, in the State of Connecticut, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain 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 Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in power presses, parts of
which improvements are applicable to other purposes.
This Invention consists in the employment of an adjustable eccen-
trically bored box or piece, embracing the ordinary eccentric mounted
in the tool holder or its connections, and arranged in such manner that
by moving this box and holding it in a different angular position the
bevels between which the punch or cutter operates in relation to the
work can be conveniently changed without changing the extent of its
motion or involving any serious complication or difficulty.
-

page_text: G
'
It consists further in the arrangement of a slide with triangular
guides operating in two jaws cast solid with the stock of the press, and
held in position by a triangular gib or gibs in such manner that all the
bearing points or surfaces of the jaws and of the carriage can be planed.
off by one operation and without changing the position of the picce to
be planed in the bed of the planing machine, and consequently-all these
surfaces must be perfectly parallel; and furthermore, the set screws used
to adjust the gib or gibs bear square on a flat surface, so as to allow of
. setting and retaining said gib or gibs with the greatest accuracy.
'
It consists further in mechanism for connecting or disconnecting the 1
power from the machine.
In the accompanying Sheets of Drawings Figure 1. represents a front
view of a power press embodying the improvements; Figure 2 is a side
**view of the same; and Figures 3 to 15 inclusive are detached views to
illustrate the Invention and modifications of the same.
]
A represents the stock of the press, which is cast of iron or other
suitable material, and the upper part of which forms the bearing for the
shaft B. One end of this shaft carries the band wheel C, which rotates
frecly on it, and its otlier end carries the compound eccentric D, through
which the motion of the shaft is transmitted to the slide E. The 2
eccentric D consists of two distinct parts, one the eccentric wrist pin a,
and the other the disc b, which is perforated with an eccentric hole to fit
> on the wrist-pin a. This disc fits nicely into the upper end of the
pitman F, and a handle c is connected with it in such a manner that it
can be freely rotated on the wrist pin a. By this operation the pitman 2
Fand consequently the slide E is raised or lowered, and the position of
the punch cutter or tool which is intended to be inserted in the slide can
be set to any desired position in relation to the work to be punched or
cut. The upper end of the pitman shown in the simplest form of con-
struction in Figure 3, and seen in section in Figure 13, forms a clamp d, 3
and by screwing up the clamp screw e the disc is rendered rigid with the
pitman, and the motion of the eccentric wrist pin a is transmitted to the
slide E.

page_text: the eccentric, so that by turning this worm the greatest nicety of the
eccentric may be attained.
Another means of adjustment of the eccentric D is shown in Figure
9, where numerous semicircular grooves m³ are formed in the periphery
of the eccentric and less or more number of grooves n³ around the
eccentric opening in the pitman, preferably so that no two of the grooves
on the eccentric will coincide with the two grooves on the pitman, so
that when two of these: grooves are brought together a pin X may be
inserted, as seen in Figure 9, thereby coupling the eccentric with the
pitman and prevent its accidental movement. The adjustment is made
by turning the eccentric as before described, and when in the desired
position insert the pin into the coinciding grooves.
'
Another means of adjustment is shown in Figures 11 and 11. The
eccentric is toothed upon its edge, and a pinion at the top or at some
point in the pitman is arranged to work in the said teeth, the axis of the
pitman being parallel to the axis of the eccentric, so that by turning the
said pinion the eccentric will be turned accordingly, and to secure the
eccentric in the desired position I arrange a clamping device consisting
of the set screws E³, which pass through the head of the pitman and
bear upon the eccentric with sufficient force to hold it in position against
ordinary strain.

page_text: changing its 'position on the bed of the planing machine. The slide is
put on the bed of the planing machine with its front side down, and it
will be easily understood by practical machinists how all the bearing or
working faces can then be planed in one operation, and consequently
they will all be perfectly parallel. In the same manner the stock of the
press is fastened on the planing machine with the front side of the jaws
G up, and all their working faces can be planed without changing the
position of the work. For the purpose of setting up the slido and
causing it to move steady on its ways I use a triangular gib h, which is
set up by set screws i. This gib offers a square bearing to the set screws
as will be readily understood by referring to Figure 14, and the slide can
be adjusted with perfect accuracy.
In illustrating the method of disconnecting the power reference is
made to Figures 4, 5, 6, 6', 7, and 8. To the rear end of the shaft B
I fix a plate D', and in its face form a notch a¹, as scen in Figure 6,
and back of the said plate D¹, and so as to revolve freely; upon the said
shaft B I place the band or fly wheel C. Into the hub of the wheel C
I insert a bolt &, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, which is forced forward
to bear against the plate D¹ by means of a spiral spring. Beneath the
said bolt d¹ I fix a spring latch or bolt f¹, which when the bolt is
pressed back will catch and hold it in that position, as seen in
Figure 5, and when the said latch is drawn away from the bolt, as scen
in Figure 4, the bolt will be permitted to move forward so as to catch
in the notch a¹ on the plate D', and thus cause the shaft B to revolvo
with the wheel until the bolt & is withdrawn. To make this operation
at the command of the operator I place a trip o' in the frame to be
operated by means of a lever or treadle extending forward to a
convenient position for the operator, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, and
constructed with a cam-shaped shoulder 8, as seen in Figures 6, 7,
and 8, corresponding to a projection from the latch, as seen in
Figures 4 and 5, so that when the trip is raised to the position seen in
Figures 5 and 6 the latch will pass freely under, but when the trip is
drawn down, as in Figures 4 and 5, the projection from the latch will
strike the said shoulder and be drawn down, as seen in Figure 4, so
as to permit the bolt d' to spring forward and lock into the notch a¹ on
the plate D', which will cause the shaft B to revolve with the wheel C,
and will so continue to do until the trip is raised, which it will bo
when released from the hand or foot of the operator by means of a

page_text: spring, seen in Figure 2, or an equivalent therefor, the tendency of
which is to hold the trip in the position seen in Figures 5 and 6.
In order to force the bolt & back from the position in Figure 4 to
that in Figure 5 I form an inclined plane upon the face of the trip, as
seen in Figure 6', so that when the trip is raised and the bolt d³ strikes
the inclined plane on the trip it will be forced back and caught by the
latch, as seen in Figure 5, and thus disconnect the power from the
shaft when the shaft is always in the same position. The wrist pin a
I place so that the disconnection shall always occur when the slide or
tool holder is raised to its highest point. Connection of the power
can only occur when the notch a¹ is in a certain position, that is, at
that point where the bolt is released by the action of the trip; there-
fore if the shaft be turned partially around, as in the position seen in
Figure 6, the bolt will strike the face of the plate and not be released
by the latch, so that if the trip is drawn down when the plate D' is in
any other position than that denoted in Figures 6 and 7 the power
cannot be disconnected. By this arrangement I am enabled to turn
the shaft to any position, as required, for the adjustment of the tool
holder without danger of accidentally connecting the power, a great
advantage in all power presses. When the tool holder has been
adjusted then turn the shaft to the position denoted in Figures 6 and 7,
in which position the power may be connected, as before described.
I will now proceed to describe another means for disconnecting
the power, as shown in Figures 14, 15, and 16. This consists of a
cam H, which is pivotted to a pin j, and connects with a spring bar k.
By pulling the spring bar the point of the cam is forced up against the
inner surface of the hub 7 of the band wheel C, and as this wheel rotates
the clutch pin m comes in contact with the cam H, and by the action
of said cam is caused to slide out and to come in contact with the
coupling pin n, so as to impart motion to the shaft B. The clutch pin
slides loosely in a recess in the hub of the wheel O, and it is moved
in and out entirely by the action of the cam. On pulling the spring
bar & the cam drops behind the spring catch ³, and is retained in that
position until the knob or button projecting from a collar, which
is secured to the shaft B, comics in contact with said catch and relcases
the cam.
The coupling pin n, which by action of the clutch pin m
transmits the motion of the band wheel C to the shaft B, is set upon
.

page_text: a spring, so that it can yield or recede in case the cam is brought in
such a position that the clutch pin is thrown out at that moment
when it stands opposite the coupling pin. In this case if the coupling
pin were rigid some part of the machine would break, or its motion
would be stopped, but with my yielding coupling pin no such accident
can take place. If the clutch pin strikes the point of the coupling pin
the latter recedes and the motion of the band wheel continues un-
interrupted, causing the clutch pin to be pushed out, and on the next
revolution the motion of tho band wheel is transmitted to the shaft B.
The fulcrum pinj of the cam H is also rendored yielding, so that in
turning the machine back when tho clutch pin happens to be out the
cam is allowed to give way and to let the clutch pin pass without
causing an accident. If desired however the clutch pin and also the
cam might be made with two points, so that said cam would be enabled
to govern the position of the clutch pin in either direction; and in this
caso the yielding fulcrum could be dispensed with.
The adjustment of the eccentric upon the wrist pin or the eccentric
of the shaft is applicable to many other purposes for similar adjustment,
I therefore do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the use
of the compound eccentric for adjustment of the slide of a power press; 2
neither do I wish to be understood as confining the stop motion
-described-to-tho-use of-power-presses, as that is alike applicable to other
machines where a similar object is desirable.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the
mode in which the same is carried into effect, I would have it under-2
stood that what I claim is,
First. The eccentric wrist pin a, and turning part 6, or its equivalent,
constructed and combined as described, to operate the punch at different
levels, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
:
Secondly. The eccentric D, toothed upon its periphery, arranged in 3
one end of the pitman combined with a worm, the axis of which is at
right angles to the axis of the eccentric, the teeth of the worm working
in the teeth of the eccentric, so that by turning the worm the eccentric
may be adjusted, substantially as described.
Thirdly. The two unequally spaced series of grooves m³, n³, in the 3
eccentric and pitman, arranged to operate together by the aid of onc
or more keys X fitted into any desired pairs of the grooves, so as to

page_text: compel the same to coincide and to hold the parts substantially in the
manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourthly. The eccentric D, toothed upon its periphery, arranged in
one end of the pitman and combined with a pinion, the axis of which
pinion is parallel to the axis of the eccentric and provided with a set
screw, or other suitable clamping device, acting directly upon the
eccentric independent of the pinion, substantially as set forth.
Fifthly. The eccentric arranged in one end of the pitman, combined
with one or more set screws, by means of which the eccentric may be
secured to the pitman, so as to prevent its accidental turning therein,
substantially as set forth.
I
Sixthly. The V'shaped faces in the slide E in combination with the
jaws G, cast solid with the stock A and with the triangular gib h, all
constructed and arranged as and for the purpose specified.
Seventhly. A clutch or device for connected or disconnecting power,
consisting of a bolt ď, a latch or its equivalent f¹, and the trip c²,
arranged to operate substantially in the manner described.
Eighthly. The connecting or disconnecting device H, %, arranged in
combination with the clutch pin m, substantially as shown and
described, so that the said clutch pin is thrown in either direction by
the direct action of the cam.
Ninthly. The loose clutch pin m applied in combination with the
band wheel O and shaft B, and with the adjustable operating means
adapted to move it in and out by a positive motion, in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as specified.
Tenthly. The button 7 in the shaft B, in combination with the spring
catch ', clutch m and n, and cam H, arranged substantially as
described, so that the cam is released automatically after the punch or
cutter has completed its stroke.
Eleventhly. The yielding fulcrum pin j, arranged in combination
with the cam H, clutch pin m, and band wheel C, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Twelfthly. The yielding coupling pin " in combination with the
clutch pin m and connecting or disconnecting device k, H, constructed

page_text: and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and 5
seventy-four.