NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE FORGES
Year: 1885

page_text: I WALTER ALFRED BARLOW of 6 St Pauls Churchyard in the City of London
Patent Agent and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"NEW OR IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE FORGES" to be as follows :—
My invention relates to new or improved construction of portable forges and
applies particularly to those forges in which the blast is produced by the action of
flexible diaphragms operating in a cylinder. Hitherto the body of the forge has
consisted of a framing or substructure upon which the hearth or fire pan is mounted
and carried and underneath such hearth or fire pan and within the said framing
the cylinder is also mounted. This invention consists in mounting the hearth or
fire pan upon the top of the cylinder itself and using the cylinder wherein the
diaphragms operate as the support and pedestal of the said hearth or fire pan
whether the same be circular or square.
In carrying out the invention I construct a cylinder of sheet iron, said cylinder
being of a sufficient size to supply the blast required and of height sufficient for
elevation of the hearth to the required distance from the ground usually about two
feet. The bottom of the cylinder may be provided with supports or feet to raise it
a short distance clear of irregularities of uneven ground the bottom of the cylinder
may rest directly on the ground but in either case it is the cylinder and not an
additional framing which is to be the support of the hearth, the objects effected
being the provision of a cylinder of full capacity or diameter within the limits of
space available under the hearth and also the saving of the additional material and
labor used in the construction of the framing hitherto employed.
In making a circular forge according to this invention I make a cylinder which
in some cases may be of length sufficient to allow of the upper portion thereof
(above the portion constituting the diaphragm chambers) being employed as the
side of the hearth or fire pan and place therein a disc forming the bottom of the
hearth, but generally the pan portion will be made of heavier material than
the cylinder, in this latter case the pan rim is made of sufficient size to slip freely
over a hoop which surrounds and supports the top of the cylinder to which it is

page_text: fastebed by bolts or rivets, the top of the cylinder thus also forms a support
or ledge on which the circular bottom will rest. This bottom is provided with
stays attached at one end thereto and at the other to the pan rim or side aforesaid.
In making a square hearth forge or a forge with a round hearth of larger
diameter than that of the cylinder I bind the upper portion of the cylinder with an
angle iron ring rivetted thereon and attached to hearth or fire pan bottom to the
projecting flange of the said ring.
The levers for actuating the diaphragm may be secured to the feet in the case
where such are used and in other cases may pass through and be contained within
free portions of the cylinder.

page_text: I WALTER ALFRED BARLOW of 6 St Pauls Churchyard in the City of London
Patent Agent and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to new or improved construction of portable forges and
applies to those forges in which the blast is produced by the action of flexible
diaphragms operating in a cylinder. Hitherto the body of the forge has consisted
of a framing or substructure upon which the hearth or fire pan is mounted and
carried and underneath such hearth or fire pan and within the said framing the
cylinder within which the diaphragm or pistons are contained and work is also
mounted. This invention consists in mounting the hearth or fire pan upon the top
of the cylinder itself and using the cylinder wherein the diaphragms operate as the
support and pedestal of the said hearth or fire pan whether the same be circular or
square.
In the drawings hereunto annexed Fig. 1 is a side view of construction of a
round hearth forge and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of same.
Fig. 3 represents the application of a rectangular hearth to the supporting
diaphragm or piston cylinder.
In carrying out the invention I construct a cylinder a of sheet iron said cylinder
being of sufficient size to supply the blast required and of height sufficient for
elevation of the hearth to the required distance from the ground usually about two
feet. The bottom of the cylinder may be provided with supports or feet 6 to raise
it a short distance clear of irregularities of uneven ground or the bottom of the
cylinder may rest directly on the ground but in either case it is the cylinder and
not an additional framing which is to be the support of the hearth & the objects
effected being the provision of a cylinder of full capacity or diameter within the
limits of space available under the hearth and also the saving of the additional
material and labor used in the construction of the framing hitherto employed.
In making a circular diaphragm or piston forge according to this invention
I make a cylinder which in some cases may be of length sufficient to allow of the
upper portion thereof (above the portion constituting the diaphragm chambers)
being employed as the side of the hearth or fire pan, and place therein a disc
forming the bottom of the hearth this is not shown by the drawings. The
construction shown and generally to be employed is made with the pan portion d
Figs. 1 and 2 of heavier material than the cylinder. In this case the pan rim ď
is made of sufficient size to alip freely over the top of the cylinder a to which it is
fastened by bolts or rivets (not shown) the top of the cylinder thus also forms a
support or ledge on which the circular bottom d will rest. This bottom is
provided with stays d³ attached at one end thereto and at the other to the pan,
rim, or side aforesaid.
In making a square hearth forge or a forge with a round hearth of larger
diameter than that of the cylinder, I bind the upper portion of the cylinder with

page_text: an angle iron ring d¹ or lugs rivetted thereon (not shown in the drawings) and
attach the hearth or fire pan bottom to the projecting flange of the said ring or to
the outwardly projecting lugs.
The levers for actuating the diaphragm may be secured to the feet in the case
where such are used and in other cases may pass through and be contained within
free portions of the cylinder. Figs. 1 and 2 represent a forge constructed with and
operated by a treadle. Fig. 3 represents a forge constructed with and operated by
a hand lever to raise the piston or diaphragm rods. In Fig. 3 the rocking shaft e
of the hand lever e¹ passes across the cylinder through the supporting flange d',
the link rods f being connected by cross bar g connected to the diaphragm rods h.
I am aware that in bellows forges that the bellows and frame has been
protected by a covering of sheet iron surrounding the latter so that the same
presents a somewhat similar appearance to this device but I do not claim such
construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and particulara
of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare
that what I claim is :-
In a diaphragm or piston forge employing the cylinder within which the
diaphragms or pistons are contained and work as the support or, pedestal of the
hearth or fire pan the same constructed and operating as and for the purpose
herein set forth and shown by the drawings.
Dath: L
1000