Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil 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 :-
This invention consists in an apparatus for electrically working metal, hereinafter
fully described and claimed. It is particularly adapted for forming heads on bolts,
or machine screws, and work of that kind.
In the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a complete machine;
Figure 2, a side elevation, with the base partly broken away;
Figure 3, a perspective of one of the perforated clamping blocks; and
Figure 4, a perspective of the upsetting clamp and die.
J represents a frame in which is contained a transformer or converter of any
known type (this is so well known that it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the
same) whose secondary is open, but its terminals project above case J, and are
represented at A and A¹. C and C¹ represent two movable blocks mounted upon
the terminals A A' of the secondary of the transformer, and connected by a right
and left screw threaded shaft S, provided with a hand wheel W, by means of which
said blocks. C and C₁ may be moved towards or away from each other. The
screw shaft S is insulated from said blocks to prevent completing the circuit of the
Becondary. H and H¹ represent two screw spindles threaded through projections
on the upper part of blocks C and C', and each carrying a follower F F₁, which is
preferably guided by two guide rods ff and f¹ f¹, around which are preferably
placed spiral springs, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to raise the followers
automatically when the screw spindle H His retracted, though each screw spindle
may be swivelled to its follower, so as to actuate it positively in both directions.
D and D¹ represent perforated blocks of metal, preferably copper, secured in
blocks C. C', by the action of the followers F F' clamped down by spindles H H',
which serve the purpose of completing the circuit of the transformer secondary
through the articles to be worked.
As there is a tendency in these blocks to heat when heating currents are passed
through them, they are perforated as shown in Figures 1 and 3, for the purpose
of permitting free access of air through said blocks and thus preventing their
heating.
L represents a post secured to frame J and insulated therefrom.
M represents
a support, adjustably secured on post L and provided with a horn O, which projects
between the blocks C and C. K and K₁ represent two halves of a clamp, which
are preferably pivoted together, as shown in Figure 4, by the pin n, the lower one
of which, K, is fastened on the support M in any convenient manner, while the
upper part is provided with a pivoted handle Q and means for locking the two
parts K K¹ together. The means herein illustrated for this is a slot q, formed in
the lower end of handle Q adapted to lock under projection O of support M, but
any lock which will hold the two parts of the clamp firmly together may be
substituted for the slot and projection shown.
I represents one half of a groove formed in each part of the clamp K K', of
n..

page_text: such size as, when said die is locked together, to firmly clamp between the two
parts of the clamp the material to be worked. At one or both ends of the clamp,
a die P P is attached of the shape and size to which it is desired to upset the
material to be worked. It is, of course, fully understood by metal workers that
the clamps K K and the dies P will vary with each size and form of work which
it is desired to do..
N N¹, Figure 1, represent two articles to be worked, which may be supposed to
be bolts on which heads are to be formed.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-
The rods N N¹ being placed in the groove T of the clamp K' with their ends
projecting from said clamp a sufficient distance to furnish metal enough to form a
head on each, the upper half K of the clamp is closed down and locked, thus
firmly holding rods N N' in position. By means of the screw shaft S and hand
wheel W, the blocks D D' are now brought in contact with the ends of article N N',
when an electric current from a suitable source is turned on, and heating currents
are passed through blocks D D' and articles N N', the circuit between said
articles N N¹, when not in contact, being completed by the clamp K K'. This heats
the articles N N¹ on their point of contact with blocks D D', and, when sufficiently
heated, the screw shaft S is rotated in such manner as to draw blocks C C¹, D D¹
together, thus upsetting the ends of articles N N' into the dies P. As soon as
this is done, the current is shut off, blocks C C₁ separated, clamps K K¹ opened,
articles N N¹ removed, and a new article placed in the clamp, and the operation
repeated.
Instead of using a transformer, the blocks C C¹ or D D¹ may be connected
directly with the poles of a generator, or both of said blocks C C or D D₁ may
be connected with one pole of the generator and the clamp K K' connected with
the other pole, in the first of which cases the current will flow from block C or D
through articles N N¹ and out through block C¹ or D', or vice versa, while, in the
other case, the current will flow from blocks C C' or D D¹ through articles N N¹
into clamp K K¹ and then out, or vice versa.
It is evident that block C' may be entirely omitted, and that the block C may be
connected with one pole of the generator and clamp K K' with the other pole, and
only one article worked at a time, but it is just as easy to heat two bolts at
one operation, and two bolts can be heated in practically the time required to
heat one.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for working metal electrically, a clamp for holding the article
to be worked, and carrying a die, a movable conductor for applying pressure to the
article to be worked when heated, and means for passing a heating current through
said article, substantially as shown and described.
2. In an apparatus for electrically working metal, the combination of two
movable conductors, means for forcing said conductors together or apart, a clamp
and die located between said conductors and means for passing an electric current
through said conductors and an article held in said clamp, substantially as shown
and described.
3. In an apparatus for electrically heating metal by passing heating currents
therethrough, a conductor for making electrical contact with the article to be
heated, provided with straight air draught passages, whereby the conductor is kept
cool, substantially as shown and described.
4. In an apparatus for electrically working metal, the combination of the
movable blocks C C³, the screw shaft S, perforated conductors D D' secured in
said blocks C C¹, clamp K K' held in line between said conductors D D¹, and means
for passing an electrical current through said conductors, D D', and the work held
in clamp K K¹, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 5. In an apparatus for electrically working metal, the combination of movable
block C, perforated block D, clamp K K' carrying the die P, and means for passing
an electric current through block D, clamp K K' and the article to be heated,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 26th day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.