IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING RIVETS, SCREW BLANKS, AND BOLTS
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
GRIFFITHS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Sixteenth day of December, in the Sixth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert Griffiths, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Robert Griffiths, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Robert Griffiths, my exors, adñiors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MAKING RIVETS, SCREW BLANKS, AND BOLTS;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that I, the said Robert Griffiths, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Griffiths, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention relates to that part of the process of making rivets, screw
blanks, and bolts which consists of forming heads to pieces of metal which
are to be used for the various purposes to which those articles are commonly
applied.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A.
Figure 1 represents the plan of a machine having my improvements applied
thereto for making the smaller classes of rivets, screw blanks, and bolts;
Figures 2 and 3 are sido views of the same machine; Figure 4 is an end
view thereof; Figure 5 shews the cutting-off shears, separately, on a larger
scale; Figures 6 and 7 show the parts on a larger scale, which more parti-
cularly explain the improvements secured by the present Letters Patent,
Figure 6 being a side view of the combination of a series of tools or dies,
in which the stems of the rivets, screw blanks, and bolts are placed for
receiving the action of the heading punch; and Figure 7 shows a transverso
section of the anvil and the circular carrier, by which the succession of tools
or dies are brought on the surface of the anvil to receive the action of the
heading punch; and this Figure also shows the tank or trough of water
into which the tools or dies are carried in order to be cooled after having
had portions of heated iron placed therein to receive the operation of the
heading punch. The Drawings in these Figures show the punches as intended
for forming convex half-round heads, such as are used for rivets, and for some
descriptions of wood, and other screw blanks; but it will be evident, if it
is desired to make wood screws with the usual flat heads, then the dies in
which the stem or blank pieces of metal 'aro placed should bo countersunk,
and the face of the punch be made flat; and in making scrow bolts having
half-round heads with part of the stems square, in such case the dies are
to be squared at the upper part of the lioles which receivo the blanks or
pieces of iron rod, and the heading punch is to have a concave surface for
forming the head. At the same time I would remark, that in thus speaking
of the various descriptions of heads which may be required, and the changes
of dies and punches for producing the same, I would wish it to be understood
that the constructing of such dies and punches forms no parts of my Invention,
but, on the contrary, those tools or dies are similar to what are employed for
making rivets, screw blanks, and bolts by hand; I need therefore only further

page_text: observe in respect to this part of the machinery, that whether the heads be
round, square, or of other figures, the tools for forming the same being made
may by the aid of my improvements be worked with considerable advantage
by machinery; and although in describing my Invention I propose confining
my explanation to making rivets, scrow blanks, and bolts from round rods of
iron or other metal, it will, from a perusal of this my Specification, and a
careful examination of the Drawings hereunto annexed, be evident that other
figured bars may be used, provided the tools or dies are formed with suitable
holes therein to correspond with the figure of the portions of metal placed
therein; and I would also remark, that in order to make all parts of the
Drawing and description readily understood, the same letters of reference are
used to denote the same parts wherever they occur; a, a, being the framing
of the machine, the construction of which will be evident on inspecting the
Drawing; 6 is an anvil, on to the surface of which the tools or dies hereafter
described are successively brought. This anvil, it will be seen, consists of a
strong casting, forming part of the water tank or trough c, c, it being cast
therewith in order to give considerable strength and stability to this part of
the machine; and it will be seen, on an examination of the various Figures,
that at the upper part of this anvil a plate of steel d is affixed, which being
formed to the curve of the tool or die carrier (hereafter described), each tool
or die as it is brought up rests on and is supported by the plated during
the time that the head to the piece of metal is being pressed into shape by
the heading punch; hence, the parts b, d, perform in this machine the same
important part which an ordinary anvil does in making rivets, screw blanks,
and bolts by hand, and it is for this reason I have called the parts b, d,
an anvil. e, e, are a series of tools or dies into which are placed portions
of metal to bo headed, and these tools or dies, as has been before stated;
are similar to those used in making similar articles by hand, those shown in
the various Figures of the Drawing being for making rivets. These tools
or dies consist each of a piece of iron or steol, as is well understood, for making
such tools; theso tools or dies are drilled: and accurately bored with holes
(one to each), according to the figure of the metal which is to receive a
ead, such drilled. holes being bushed with steel when the tool is of iron;
or in place of bushing the internal surface of the drilled holes it may be case-
ardened. These tools are affixed in the carrying frame f, f, which turns
vith the axle g, as will be readily understood by examining the various
Figures of the Drawing, more particularly Figures 6 and 7, where the parts
re shown on a larger scale than in the other Figures. The carrying frame
consists of the cast-iron circular plate f, which is keyed on to the axle g,

page_text: which axle turns in suitable bearings on each side of the machine, and on
this plate is affixed the cylindrical wrought-iron ring f¹ by screws or by
other means; through this cylindrical ring fare formed openings, into which
are placed the tools or dies c, c, and the same are securely held therein by
the set screws h, as is clearly shown in the Drawing, more particularly at
Figure 7; and in this Figure will also be seen a section of the water tank
or trough c, c, which is to be kept constantly supplied with water by the
pipe i, and the water as it becomes heated flows off by the pipe j. Thus, as
the carrier frame of revolves, the tools or dies c, c, will be cooled by water
previously to their being again used, and subsequently to their being used.
k is the heading punch, which, as before stated, is countersunk for making
half-round heads; is a socket in which the heading punch is retained; the
punch, however, at Figure 6 being permitted to slide, but at all times raised
upwards by the spring m at the lower portion of the socket 1, the inner surface
of the metal is turned or cut away to such an extent as to pass over and fit
the tools e, e, by which means when the punch at Figure 6 is used the socket
in descending fits over the uppermost tool or die e, and prevents its moving
by the pressure exerted in forming the head to the metal contained in that
tool or die c. Tho continued descent of the lever, hereafter described, which
works the beading punch causes that punch to overcome the spring m and form
the head. The socket 7, shown at Figure 7, performs the same office of holding
the uppermost die or tool e, but the heading punch does not in this instance
slide in the socket but comes down at onco with the socket; and it should be
remarked that the operation performed by the socket in holding the dic or
tool is very important to correct forming of the head, as by this means the
piece of metal in the die or tool e is accurately held to receive the force of
the heading punch, the punch itself being guided to its work by the socket l.
I will now proceed to describe the manner of bringing the tools or dies e
successively on to the surface d of the anvil. n is the driving shaft of the
machine, which receives motion from a steam engine or other power by a strap
acting on the pulley o affixed to the driving shaft n. On the main or driving
shaft n is keyed or affixed the crank p, which actuates the connecting rod q,
the connecting rod q being in two parts connected by screws and nuts, as is
clearly shown, by which the length of the connecting rod may be adjusted.
The connecting rod 9 is affixed to the arm r by the link and set screw q'. The
arm moves freely on the axlo g, and on the axle g is keyed or affixed the
ratchet wheels, by which the carrier frame f is caused to move when the
ratchet wheels is driven round by the driver t, which moves on an axis t¹
affixed to the arm r, the driver being at all times kept in contact with the

page_text: ratchet wheels by the spring to. It will therefore be seen that the ratchet
wheel having an equal number of teeth or ratchets to the dies or tools e, c, on
the carrier frame f, one die or tool will be brought up each revolution of the
shaft n, which shaft turns in suitable bearings at each side of the machine, and
on this shaft n is formed the crank v, which actuates the connecting rod u,
which is attached to the lever w by pin joints u³, as is clearly shown in the
Drawing; the lever w works on a fulcrum or axis at w', having suitable bearings
at each side of tho machine; to this lever is attached the socket and beading
punch, as is clearly shown in the various Figures of the Drawing; and it will
also be seen, that the punch socket slides in a cylindrical guide x, which is
accurately adjusted in the cross framing y by means of the set screws x¹, x²;
by which means the heading punch is caused to act once in each revolution of
the shaft n. In each of the dies c it will be seen there is a plug, the length
of which determines the length of the stem; these plugs are capable of being
removed and fresh ones inserted when a different length of metal is to be
headed.
is a con-
I will now describe the manner of feeding into the machine suitable lengths
of metal to be headed. y is the fixed chap of a pair of shears; its position in
the machine will readily be seen by an examination of the various Figures in
the Drawing, and the construction will be more readily understood by an
examination of the separate views thereof, which are shown on an enlarged
scale. y' is the moveable chap of the shears, moving on a fulcrum at y², as is
clearly shown; the lever of which this moveable chap forms part moves in
grooves formed in the turned-up ends of the frame which carries the fixed
chap, as will be readily understood on examining the Drawing.
necting rod, jointed in the middle with screws and nuts to obtain adjustment,
as is clearly shown; this connecting rod is attached to the arm of the strap A,
which is worked by the excentric B, which is keyed or affixed to the main
shaft, consequently the revolving of that excentric with the main shaft will cut
off at proper times lengths as they are fed into the tools or dies e. It will be
seen in the various Figures that in the position the machine is represented to
be in there has been a die or tool e brought up, and there is consequently a
die or tool directly under the point at which the shears cut. A boy takes a rod
from a furnace or forge, heated for several inches of its length, and forces the.
heated end into the die below the shears, and that length will be immediately
cut off by the shears, and will by the working of the machine be carried up
and receive a head by the pressing down of the heading punch; the boy, so
long as the end of the rod is sufficiently hot for the purpose, feeds into the next
die or tool immediately on its arriving under the shears, and when the rod is

page_text: no longer hot enough he puts it back into the furnace or forge and takes
another. The excentric B, in addition to cutting off the lengths of rod, also
performs the operation of knocking out the rivet, screw blank, or bolt (as the
case may be), by means of the sliding bar C, which sli-les in two staples or
bearings, as shown. This bar C has a projecting arm D, which is affixed to
the bar by a set screw at any position thereof, and through this arm D is
affixed the pin E, which standing opposite the inner end of each of the dies
when they arrive at the horizontal position after they have received the length,
of iron and the same has been headed, and just before that particular die or
tool enters the water in the trough c, as will bo clearly and readily understood
by tracing the various movements of the machine.
Having thus described the machine represented in Drawings A, having my
improvements thereto, which machine is intended for making rivets, screw
blanks, and bolts of the smaller classes, I will proceed to describe the
Drawings marked B, in which Figures 8 and 9 are tho two side views, in
elevation, of a machino having my improvements applied thereto for making
the larger classes of rivets, screw blanks, and bolts, the dies or tools shown
in these Drawings being intended to mako holding-down bolts for the chairs of
railroads, but the samo may be replaced with other tools. Figure 10 is a plan
of the machine; Figure 11 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 12 is a trans-
verse section of some of the parts shown on a larger scale, in order moro
clearly to exhibit those parts which constitute the improvements claimed under
the present Letters Patent.
As most of the various parts of this machine are similar in construction to
those already described, and as the same letters of reference are used to
indicate the same parts in the Drawings now under description as were
employed in the description of the parts shown in the other Drawings, it will
not be necessary to go into an enlarged description of such parts further than
in some degree to explain the differences of the present machine.
..
The tools or dies c shown in the present machine being longer, in order to
receive the stems of the bolts, they are received and aro supported by a second
cylindrical ring f affixed to the plate f, and on examination of the lower part
of the dies it will be found to be decreased in size, by which means, when the
piece or length of iron rod is fed into any particular die or tool and it receives
the blow for forming the head, the iron being thereby driven into the tool or
die, the lower end of the bolt will be in some degree pointed, which is a form
usually employed for the holding-down bolts of the chairs of railways; but
should it be desired to have the bolts without such pointing, then the tools or
dies are to be made accordingly.

page_text: In the present machine, in place of forming the bead by pressure, as was
described in the former machine, the head is raised or produced by a blow or
blows of a tilt hammer acting on the heading punch. The tilt hammer moves
on a fulcrum at II, and is raised by means of the cam I, which lifts and lets
fall the tilt hammer twice in each revolution of the shaft or axis J, the cam I
being keyed or affixed to the shaft J, and this shaft or axis J turns in suitable
bearings at each side of the machine. K is a cog wheel keyed to the shaft or
axis J, which taking into is driven by the pinion L koyed on the main shaft n.
It should be stated that the motion of tho carrier f of the tools or dies & is
obtained from a crank affixed on the axis J, as is clearly shown in the
Drawings, and on that axis J is keyed the cog-wheel M, which takes into and
drives the cog-wheel N, which turns ou an axis affixed to the side framing; O
is a lever moving on a fulcrum at 0¹. This lever O rests under a pin from the
driver or click t, and this lever O is acted on by a projecting stud or pin P on
the face of the wheel N once in every revolution of the wheel N. The object
of this arrangement is to obtain four blows of the tilt hammer to each piece of
iron, for it will be evident that the stud or pin P. on coming against the end
of the lever O it will lift the click tor driver out of the ratchet wheel, con-
sequently the carrier of the dies or tools will only be caused to move tho
distance of ono tool or die at cach two revolutions of the shaft or axis J, but
the tilt hammer will strike the heading punch four times in each revolution
of that shaft or axis. The socket 7 through which the heading punch slides
is constantly drawn downwards by the springs Q, Q, the socket being connected
to the tilt hammer by the forked rod R, which moves on a fulcrum at R,
and this rod R has forked ends, which embrace the projecting studs R³ of
the cross-head on the heading punch, and lifts the heading punch and socket
when the tilt hammer rises.
Through the tilt hammer is passed the screws S, which is capable of adjust-
ment by the screw nuts S¹. This screw has a forked end, in which the rod R
lies, and is supported by the pin S. By this means the rod R is raised with
the tilt hammer, but when the tilt hammer is descending the springs draw
down the socket l, and cause it to embrace the uppermost tool or die, and
thus prevent that tool or die moving at the time of giving the blow, which is
a very important feature of my improvements, for it insures the correct
holding of the length of iron contained in the uppermost tool or die to receive
the blow of the heading punch k in such manner as to prevent the head being
spread more ou one side than on another. The socket / slides in the guide a
supported by a standard from the framing, as is shown in the Drawing, and.
the socket is prevented turning in that guide by the screws T entering into

page_text: grooves formed in the socket, by which the socket is permitted to slide up and
down in the guide a. Through the guide a is drilled a hole V, to which a
pipe (proceeding from a vessel containing water) is connectel; by this means
the heading punch is occasionally acted on by a flow of water, and this
is accomplished by means of the lower part of the socket Laving the
cylinder W affixed within it by screws W₁, as shown; at the upper and also
at the outer surface of this cylinder are formed grooves W, down which water
flows whenever the hole V is open, to the hole X formed in the socket 7, which
will be the case when the socket is lifted by the rising of the tilt hammer;
and thus it will be seen that whenever the holes V and X aro opposite each
other there will be a flow of water all round the heading punch, which will
run off by the grooves or channels at the outer surface of the cylinder W, but
such flow will be shut off when the socket 7 descends and the holes V, X, no
longer remain coincident.
It will be seen that in this machine the cutting-off shears are worked by
a separate excentric, and such is the case with reference to the knocking-out
motion. And it should be remarked, that the lengths of the bars in this case
are not cut off when in the die or mould c, but are put in by a boy or work-
man by a pair of tongs, and the lengths for each bolt may be made hot after
it has been cut from the bar or rod, or be heated in the rod and then cut.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of com-
bining and applying the same, I would remark that I lay no claim to the
various mechanical parts shown and described in their separate condition, nor
do I claim the forcing up or forging the heads of rivets, screw blanks, and
bolts by means of what I have called heading punches, similar instruments,
together with the means of actuating them, having been beforo used though
in combination with machinery different from that herein described, and here-
after claimed as the improvements secured by the present Letters Patent; and
I would wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself in the carrying
out my Invention to the precise combination of such parts for forming the
heads, though they are the best I am acquainted with, and give full effect
to my improvements; but what I claim as my Invention or improvements
arc,-
First, the combining a series of tools or dies e (such as are described, and
are commonly employed when making rivets, screw blanks, and bolts by
hand,) with a carrying frame f and anvil d, whereby such dies or tools e are
by the carrying frame f successively brought on to the anvil d, and the lengths
of iron or other metal fed therein have heads formed thereon, as above
described.

page_text: Secondly, I claim the causing a series of tools or dies moving on an axis to
be acted on by water by passing the same into a tank or trough, whereby the
tools or dies are cooled before they again receive portions of metal to have
heads raised thereon.
Thirdly, I claim the holding the dies or tools e by means of the socket / (in.
which the heading punch slides) during the time the operation of heading is
being performed, whereby the portions of metal, when having heads formed
thereon, are securely and correctly held to receive the action of the heading
punch, and thus is prevented the turning over of the heads more to one side
than another, as above described.
And, fourthly, I claim the constructing of the socket 1, the guide x, and the
parts connected therewith in such manner that the heading punch may from
time to time be acted on by a stream or flow of water, and thus be kept cool,
the better to perform its work, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Griffiths, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-six