Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 16th May, 1891

page_text: Fig. 19 is a section in the plane indicated by the dotted line y y in Fig. 17, and
Fig. 20 a view of the die as arranged for making square nuts.
1 represents the side frames of the machine held together sidewise by ends or
cross bars 22 which have flanges 33 embracing the ends of the side frames 11
and preventing them from spreading laterally.
Parallel with each of the side frames 11 are two wrought metal bolts 4 4 which
extend through the heads 22 and are provided with nuts 5 5 screwed upon their
ends thus holding the ends 2 2 in firm contact with the sides 11 and sustaining all
tensile strains in the direction of the length of the machine and by avoiding any
strain upon the side frames 11 leaving the frames unimpaired by springing in
performing accurately their functions of guiding the dies and punches as herein-
after described.
Through the centre of the frames 11 is fitted in suitable bearings a shaft 6
bearing an eccentric 7 extending in the direction of the length of the shaft 6 the
entire distance between the side frames 1 1.
Fitted upon the eccentric 7 are boxes 8 which are fitted so as to slide vertically
in slots 9 in the frame 10 so that the frame 10 is reciprocated horizontally by the
eccentric 7 the frame 10 being guided accurately between the side frames 11 and
resting on the bottom slides 11 and held down in position by the caps 12 secured
to the side frames 11 sliding smoothly and accurately between them.
Through the frame 10 are openings in which are inserted cross bars 13 which
are fastened to the side frames 11 and have inclined surfaces against which rest
the keys 14.
Upon the ends of the frame 10 are formed recesses or seats 15 into which fit the
beds or chucks 16 for holding the dies 17.
Corresponding recesses 18 are formed in the end cross bars 22 in which the
punch holders or beds 19 fit.
In each of the end cross bars is a recess in which is fitted a plunger 21 recipro-
cated by a lever 22 pivotally connected thereto by a bolt 23.
The machine being symmetrical a description of the punches and dies and their
adjuncts for one side or end of the machine suffices for both.
The lever 22 has at one end a fulcrum 24 formed on the end bars 2 and is
operated from the other end by a rod 25 adjustably attached by screws 26 and
nuts 27 to a yoke 28 which is reciprocated by a cam 29 on the shaft 6.
In the cross bars 2 2 are formed inclined grooves 31 in which fit correspondingly
inclined keys 32 vertically adjustable by means of screws 33 which keys bearing
against the backs of the punch heads 19 furnish a means of adjusting them in the
direction of the length of the stroke of the punches and thereby regulating the
depth to which the punches may enter the dies.
The dies 34 are made in the form of a hollow cylinder with flat ends and having
a central hole 35 in the bottom in which fits a cylindric punch 36 for piercing the
holes in the washers. A collar is formed on the back end of the punch 36 and a
corresponding counter-bore 37 is formed in the die to receive it so that the washers
may not by sticking in the punch 36 pull it out of the die 34. A similar collar is
formed on the back of the die 34 which may fit in a corresponding counterbore in
the die holder or chuck 16 or may rest against the back of the die holder 16 and
insures the retention of the dies 34 in the chuck 16.
In the bottom of the die 34 between the central opening for the punch 36 and
the cylindric inner surface are several holes 39 through which rods 40 work freely
and serve to expel the washers from the die. The rods 40 have shoulders 41 to
prevent them projecting too far through the die 34 and are furnished with springs 42
to retract them and are thrust outward by the wedge 14.
The punch beds 19 are rectangular in outer form and fit accurately in seats 18
formed in the cross bars 2 being held down by the caps 43 and may be lifted out
by an eye-bolt screwed into a suitable opening in their upper sides.
The punches 44 are hollow cylinders fitted in a chuck plate 45 being held
therein by a collar 46 formed on the back end of each in the chuck plate 45.

page_text: The chuck plate 45 is fitted upon the rectangular chuck plate 19 which fits
accurately in a recess 18 formed in the side of the cross bars 2 and is held in place
by a cap plate 43 secured by screws 50.
The plate 45 is attached to the chuck plate 19 and held in position by steady
pins 51 (shown in Fig. 12) and when once fitted so that the punches 44 register
with the dies 34 they remain together and are introduced and withdrawn from the
machine by means of an eye-bolt 52 so that when a set of dies and punches have
been fitted they merely require to be lowered and clamped when required for
subsequent use without any trouble or labour of readjustment.
Through the centre of each punch 44 is a plunger or rod 53 which expels the
metal cut from the eye of the washer from the central cavity of the punch."
The rod 53 is formed with a collar 54, upon the rear end and provided with a
spring 55 to retract it, and is forced outwardly by a plunger 21 which can be
adjusted so as to leave only so much of the rod 53 projecting beyond the face of
the punch as is requisite to discharge the scrap.
The punches 44 are surrounded by a plate 56 which acts as a stripper in clearing
off the scraps of metal intervening between the washers. This stripper plate 56 is
secured to rods 57 which are fitted similarly to the rods 53 and are worked by the
same plunger 21.
A stationary shear blade 58 is secured to the frame 1 and a movable shear
blade 59 working against it, is secured to the frame 1 so as to be oscillated by the
reciprocation of the frame 10 to cut into short pieces any scraps which might
otherwise remain beyond the line of the outer row of washers in the sheet, in the
event of the plates being wider than was required.
The cutting off of any surplus metal into short scrap is important because if left to
project in a long strip it hinders the prompt feeding of the plate metal to the machine.
The dies and punches are arranged in the manner shown in Figures 13 and 14,
equidistantly in two vertical lines.
The central distance which the punches and dies have between them is equal to
the distance between the outer ends of the two radii of length equal to the diameter
of the washer, placed at an angle of 120 degrees to each other, and the centres of
the punches in the next line of holes are located so as to coincide with one of the
angles of an equilateral triangle the other angles of which coincide with centres of
punches in the first row.
In
In Figure 13, there are shown two rows of punches each equal in number.
Figure 14, there are two rows the second row containing one less than the first
In Figure 15 are shown three punches or dies arranged in a single row
oblique to the direction of the feeding motion which is indicated by the arrow. The
extent of motion is indicated in the dotted circles.
ΓΟΥ.
Upon Figures 13 and 14 are marked dotted circles equal in diameter to the size
of the washers. These circles indicate the positions which the washers occupy in
the sheet metal and it will be observed that the edges of the several circles are in
contact with each other.
A stop pin 61 is placed on the die so that the edge of the plate at the point at
which the washer had been previously cut, will touch the pin and leave no
metal between it and the edge of the die when the plate is forced against it.
A gauge pin 62 is placed upon the highest punch in the die which limits the
height to which the plate may be raised.
Beneath a plate metal is a supporting and lifting plate 63, suspended adjustably
from a bolt 64 and nut 65 from a spring 66 shown in Figure 10, one end of which
is attached to a cap 43 and the free end 67 is inclined onward so as to be raised
by the end of the frame in advance of the dies reaching the plate so that whilst
the plate is free to move at intervals between each punching operation, it is raised
and pressed against the gauge pin 62 during each cutting operation of the punches.
By this arrangement any excess of width of metal in the sheet occurs at the
lower edge and is always within reach of the shear blades 58 and 59 to be divided
into short scraps.

page_text: The metal from which the washers are cut is presented in the form of wide strips
or sheets by the hands of an attendant with the end foremost and with the sides of
the plate held perpendicularly and pushed into the space between the punches and
dies from the front side of the machine as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings,
until the end of the plate meets the pin 61 and with the lower edge of the plate
resting on the lifting plate 63. As the distance between the punches and the dies
decreases, the spring 66 rises and carries with it the bolt 64, nut 65 and plate 63,
lifting the sheet of metal into contact with the gauge pin 62. The inward stroke
being completed, the washers are severed from the plate and the central scrap cut
from the eyes of the washers. On the return or outward stroke, the central scrap
is expelled from the punches as hereinafter explained. It should be observed that
the machine as shown is duplex, and the opposite sides or ends act alternately the
outward stroke of one set of punches taking place at the same time as the inward
stroke of the other set of punches.
The washers are expelled from the dies by the rods 40 operated by the wedge 14
and retracted by the springs 42.
By the means of wedges 14 controlled by screws the dies 34 are adjusted to
the length of the punches and by means of the wedges 32, the rods 53 are
adjusted so that at every returning stroke the scrap is expelled from the centre of
the punches.
The expulsion of the scrap takes place during the earlier part of the motion
of the frame 10 and the expulsion of the washer during the later part of the motion.
In order to separate the washers from the scrap a plate 71, shown in Figure 9 is
placed upon an arbor 72 below the frame 1, 1, of the machine and connected by a
link 73 and lever 74 to the slide 10 so that when the scraps fall they are turned
towards the centre of the machine and when the washers fall, they are directed
toward the end of the machine.
Power is applied by tooth gearing to the shaft 6 in the manner usual with this
class of machines.
It is obvious that the best economy of material is secured by using broad
sheets of metal because of the waste which is inevitable at the edges, and it is
equally clear that other articles having similar forms, such as nuts may be produced
in like manner.
By reason of the true cylindric form of the punches and dies they retain their
diametral sizes when ground upon their faces to sharpen the cutting edges and the
machine is readily adjusted by the wedges 32 to such changes in length as ensue
from this operation.
Referring to Figures 16 and 18,
101 represents the die having openings 102 in it of the form of the outlines of
the washers or nuts.
103 are the punches arranged to fit the openings 102 in the die 101.
The punches 103 are held in a bed or chuck 104, reciprocating in suitable
guides 105 so as to cut the washers out by piercing the plate 106 and forcing the
washer into the openings 102.
The punches 103 and die openings 102 are set so that the angles are presented
towards the edges 107 of the sheet 106, and the sheet 106 is of such width that
the edges 107 just cover the outer angles of die openings 102, leaving scrap in
the form of triangular pieces 109 at the side and the distance of the die openings 102ª
from the die openings 102 such that when the plate 103 is moved after cutting
the washer free so that the cut edges of the plate marked 111, 111, 111, will
occupy the position marked 110, 110, 110, when the plate is moved in the direction
to cut the next washer, so that the only waste of the plate laterally is at the edges
of the plate in the form of the small triangular pieces 109.
The centres or eyes
of the washers are cut out by punches 113 working into dies 114 in the punches 103.
At the ends of the plate the waste is in the form of the pieces marked 112
which assuming the plate to be of proper length will be one half of a regular
hexagon.

page_text: Referring to Figs. 17 and 19 the punches 103 and die openings 102 are of the
same form and relative arrangement as in Figures 16 and 18 as is also the plate
but instead of perforating the nut with punches working into dies formed in the
punches 103 a series of die perforations 116 with corresponding punches 117 are
employed arranged so that holes cut in the plate by them will register centrally
with the hexagon dies and punches as the plate is progressively moved in the line
indicated by the arrow marked on the plate. It is requisite to cut centre holes in
the nut before severing them from the plate to avoid bursting the nuts by the force
requisite to expel the core from the central hole.
Referring to Fig. 20 the arrangement of punches and dies is substantially the
same as in Fig. 18 with the exception that two of the sides of the nuts are parallel
with the margin of the plate and if the plate is in breadth an even multiple of the
width of the nuts there is no scrap made, excepting that expelled from the eyes of
the nuts. The dies are strengthened by reason of the extent of metal between the
openings as compared with dies in which the nuts are cut in close contiguity to
each other and the plate of metal resists the expansive or lateral pressure
resulting from the displacement or flow of metal in punching the eyes of the nuts
which would otherwise split the nuts if severed from the plates prior to piercing
them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :--
1. In a machine for punching washers from plate metal the dies and punches
arranged in rows with intermediate spaces equal to the outer dimensions of the
washer to punch washers from the plate from the portion intermediate
between previous punching to avoid waste in the manner set forth shown and
described.
2. In a machine for punching washers from plate metal the horizontally
reciprocating slide having dies attached thereto upon opposite ends thereof in
combination with opposed stationary punches supported endwise by adjustable
keys resting upon the stationary frame substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. In a machine for punching washers from plate metal the horizontally moving
punches each having a central aperture constructed and arranged to operate as a
die each in combination with a stationary die and each provided with a central
punch supported upon adjustable keys to adjust the position of cutting and to
compensate for wear substantially as set forth.
4. In a machine for punching washers from plate metal the dies and punches
arranged to telescope the one within the other in combination with the discharging
rods resting upon adjustable keys for expelling the washers and scrap substantially
as set forth.
5. In a washer punching machine the combination of cylindric punches and dies
provided with a retaining collar with a correspondingly counterbored chuck adapted
to fit recesses in the frame and sliding head of the machine substantially as set
forth.
6. In a washer punching machine the series of punches and dies telescoping with
each other as described in combination with a guiding plate reciprocating on a pivot
for guiding and delivering the scrap and washers in opposite directions substantially
as set forth.
7. In a washer punching machine the series of dies and punches arranged in
conjunction with the feeding devices as described to cut washers from a plate of
metal so closely as to sever the scrap located between the washers in combination
with a pair of shearing blades arranged to divide the marginal surplus metal of the
sheet into short scrap substantially as set forth.
8. In a washer cutting machine the arrangements of dies in series at such
distances from each other that the plate intervening between the contiguous die

page_text: apertures shall include a circular space equal to the outer diameter of the washers
and thereby effect a severance of the scrap located between the washers when such
intermediate portion of plate is punched substantially as set forth.
9. In a machine for cutting hexagon nuts and washers or like shape the method
of arranging the dies so as to present angles to the side of the plate and produce
triangular scrap as described and straight lines toward the end of the plate
and feeding the plate so that the cut opening will upon one or more of its sides
coincide with the side of the washer next cut without intervening scraps substantially
as set forth.
10. In dies for making hexagon nuts from plates of metal the punches and dies
arranged in series so as to place one nut with sides on the line of severance of
preceding nuts in dies of the series in combination with a second series of dies and
punches adapted to punch the eyes of nuts from plate metal to centrally register
with the series of hexagon dies for severance of the nuts from the plate substantially
as set forth.
11. In dies for simultaneously punching several nuts from the same plate of metal
the arrangement of dies in series or lines with intervening distances equal to the
multiple of the breadth of the nuts so that the cut surface left by the severance of
one nut by progressively moving the plate between the punches and dies forms with-
out further cutting a surface of another nut cut subsequently from the plate
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of January 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.