Im- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL COP TUBES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL COP TUBES."
-
-A communication from abroad, by James Eaton, of Boston, in
the State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 15th November 1870, and dated the 24th May 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th May 1870.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL COP
TUBES," a communication to me from abroad by James Eaton, of Boston,
in the State of Massachusetts, United States of America, to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus
for making metal cop tubes, and consists,-

page_text: Firstly. Of an improved construction and arrangement of the spindle
round which the tubes are formed.
Secondly. Of an improved arrangement for knocking off the completed
tube.
Thirdly. Of an improved mode of securing the projection to the under
part of each die in combination with means for adjusting the amount
of projection thereof.
And fourthly. A peculiar construction and arrangement of self-acting
feed mechanism for feeding the material into the machine.
In carrying out these improvements I insert the shaping spindle on
which the tubes are formed into a socket, provided in the lower end
of a separate adjustable spindle, which has a screw thread formed on
its upper end working in a socket secured by a nut and screw to the
vertically sliding carriage, a hand wheel being attached to the top of
the screwed spindle for facilitating the adjusting of the height of the
shaping spindle. A shoulder is formed on the shaping spindle having
its under surface cupped in order to turn over or form the flange of the
cop tube. The completed tube is knocked off the spindle by a finger
which is kept constantly in contact with the side of the spindle and
is carried on the end of a lever actuated by a cam. The projecting
portions on the dies which support the tube during the descent of the
spindle when forming or turning over the flange are fitted into dovetail
slots or grooves made in the under sides of the dies, in lieu of being
simply screwed thereto as heretofore, which mode of attachment
frequently gave way under the pressure of the spindle.
The pieces
which are fitted into these dovetails are adjusted forwards or backwards
so as to project more or less from the inner faces of the dies by means
of adjusting screws carried on the underside of the dies. By this
arrangement a firmer support is given to the projections and facility
afforded for setting them forward should they become worn or broken.
The material in the form of strips of sheet metal, of a width rather
greater than the length of the cop tube to be manufactured in order
to allow for the turning over of the flange, is fed into the machine
by the action of a weight and cord as fast as the tubes are made. Two
separate strips are placed side by side in the feeder so that when one
of these is used up the feed motion of the other may be immediately
commenced, a fresh strip being inserted into the feeder during the time

page_text: the other strip is being fed in, whereby no loss of time occurs and the
machine is kept continuously supplied. The feeder consists of a
channelled bar attached to the main framing and having a propeller
or thin strip of metal sliding longitudinally in each groove, these pro-
pellers being acted upon by a weight and cord. A slit with a bevilled
mouth or entrance is made in the front end of each propeller into which
slit the rear end of the strip of material is inserted and thereby held
in a vertical position, or edgewise, so as to be presented in a proper
position to the side of the spindle. A spring trigger catch to each
propeller under the control of the attendant enables either of them to
be locked back to receive a fresh strip of material whilst the other onc
is released for the purpose of feeding. In addition to the said spring
triggers are two bevilled catches formed on the end of a lever, worked
by an incline on the carriage of one of the dies and engaging with a
stop pin on each propeller. So long as these stop pins on the propellers
are engaged with the bevilled catches the propellers will be held back,
but the moment the dies are closed the incline releases the bevelled
lever catches and allows that propeller which is not engaged with the
spring trigger to instantly move forward at the proper time for the feed.
After the machine has started the feeding proceeds without the interven-
tion of the bevelled lever catches, which are solely intended to ensure the
first feed or forward motion of the strip at the right time and in concert
with the movement of the dies. Suitable guides and stops are provided
on the fixed cutters or shears, the guides ensuring the material being
presented in the proper position for being acted upon by the dies, whilst
the stops serve as abutments for the end of the material at each feed
motion.
0
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th November 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
5 Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors, administrators, or 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 MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL COP TUBES," a communi-
to me from abroad by James Eaton, of Boston, in the State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Henry Johnson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :—
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
making metal cop tubes, and consists,―
Firstly. Of an improved construction and arrangement of the spindle
round which the tubes are formed.
Secondly. Of an improved arrangement for knocking off the completed
tube.
Thirdly. Of an improved mode of securing a projection to the under
part of each die in combination with means for adjusting the amount of
projection thereof.
And fourthly. A peculiar construction and arrangement of self-acting
feed mechanism for feeding the material into the machine.

page_text: In carrying out these improvements I insert the shaping spindle on
which the tubes are formed into a socket provided in the lower end of a
separate adjustable spindle, which has a screw thread formed on its upper
end working in a socket secured by a nut and screw to the vertically
sliding carriage, a hand wheel being attached to the top of the screwed
spindle for facilitating the adjusting of the height of the shaping
spindle.
By this arrangement not only is the vertical adjustment of the height of
the spindle facilitated, but it can be more readily and economically
replaced in case it should become injured. A shoulder is formed on the
shaping spindle having its under surface cupped in order to turn over or
form the flange of the cop tube. The completed tube is knocked off the
spindle by a finger which is kept constantly in contact with the side of
the spindle and is carried on the end of a lever actuated by a cam. The
projecting portions on the dies which support the tube during the descent
of the spindle when forming or turning over the flange are fitted into
dovetail slots or grooves made in the under sides of the dies, in lieu of
being simply screwed thereto, which mode of attachment frequently gave
way under the pressure of the spindle. The pieces which are fitted into
these dovetails are adjusted forwards or backwards so as to project more
or less from the inner faces of the dies by means of adjusting screws
carried on the underside of the dies. By this arrangement a firmer
support is given to the projections and facility afforded for setting them
forward should they become worn or broken. The material in the form
of strips of sheet metal of a width rather greater than the length of the
cop tube to be manufactured, in order to allow for the turning over of
the flange, is fed into the machine by the action of a weight and cord as
fast as the tubes are made. Two separate strips are placed side by side
in the feeder, so that when one of these is used up the feed motion of
the other may be immediately commenced, a fresh strip being inserted
into the feeder during the time the other strip is being fed in, whereby
no loss of time occurs and the machine is kept continuously supplied.
The feeder consists of a channelled bar attached to the main framing
and having a propeller or thin strip of metal sliding longitudinally in
each groove, these propellers being acted upon by a weight and cord. A
slit with a bevilled mouth or entrance is made in the front end of each
propeller into which slit the rear end of the strip of material is inserted
and thereby held in a vertical position or edgewise, so as to be presented

page_text: in a proper position to the side of the spindle. A spring trigger catch
to each propeller under the control of the attendant enables either of
them to be locked back to receive a fresh strip of material whilst the
other one is released for the purpose of feeding. In addition to the said
spring triggers are two bevelled catches formed on the end of a lever
worked by an incline on the carriage of one of the dies and engaging
with a stop pin on each propeller. So long as these stop pins on the
propellers are engaged with the bevelled catches the propellers will be
held back, but the moment the dies are closed the incline releases the
bevelled lever catches and allows that propeller which is not engaged
with the spring trigger to instantly move forward at the proper time for
the feed. After the machine has started the feeding proceeds without
the intervention of the bevelled lever catches, which are solely intended
to ensure the first feed or forward motion of the strip at the right time
and in concert with the movement of the dies. Suitable guides and stops
are provided on the fixed cutters or shears, the guides ensuring the
material being presented in the proper position for being acted upon by
the dies, whilst the stops serve as abutments for the end of the material
at each feed motion.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheets of
Drawings, the same marks of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of the Drawings represents a partial sectional
elevation of the improved machine for making metallic cop tubes;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3 is an end elevation; and the
rest of the Figures are enlarged details, herein-after fully described,
shewing the improvements which constitute the essential features of this
Invention.
With the exception of the improvements and additions herein-after
described, this machine is constructed and operated in a similar manner
to the machine described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to Moses Poole, bearing date the Second of June One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four, No. 1226, and where I have occasion to refer to
parts corresponding to similar parts in the machine described in the
said former Specification I have indicated such parts by corresponding

page_text: letters of reference whilst the new and additional parts are indicated by
numerals in order that the present improvements may be more clearly
ascertained.
According to the first head of this Invention I insert the shaping
spindle c, on which the tubes are formed, and which is shown more
clearly in the details, Figures 4 and 5, into a socket 1, formed at the
lower end of the separate adjustable spindle 2, having a screw thread at
its upper end, working in a corresponding internal screw, made in a
long socket 3, which has also an external screw thread formed thereon,
and which is maintained in its place in the socket p of the vertically
sliding carriage or gate E¹ by the nut 4. A hand wheel 5, is attached
to the top of the screwed spindle 2 for facilitating the adjustment of the
height of the shaping spindle c. On this spindle c I form a cupped
shoulder 6, having a curved or rounded undercut as shown in the
enlarged detail, Figure 5, the object of cupping or undercutting of the
said shoulder being to facilitate the turning over of the upper end
of the cop tube in order to produce the flange or bead thereon. The
vertically sliding carriage or gate E¹ is actuated directly both upwards
and downwards from the main driving shaft B by means of the combined
cam or eccentric 7 keyed thercon, and working between top and bottom
antifriction rollers 8, 8, attached to the said carriage; the central portion
of the said cam acts upon the lower roller for the purpose of depressing
the carriage and the outer portions act upon the top roller for raising the
said carriage; the cam 7 is also shewn in section at Figure 6, at right
angles to Figure 4.
According to the second head of this Invention, I effect the "knocking
off" of the completed cop tube from the spindle c by means of a
finger 9 (shown more clearly in enlarged scale at Figure 7), which is
hinged to one end of the lever 10 working on a fixed centre 11, in the
fixed arms or brackets C, whilst its other end is provided with a stud or
antifriction bowl 12, which works in the groove of a cam 13, mounted
on the transverse shaft K, driven from the main shaft B by the bevel
gearing E, F, H, and I, the finger on the said lever making a stroke
downwards at each revolution of the main driving shaft B of the
machine. In order that the finger 9 may be constantly held in contact
with the spindle c the said finger is acted upon by a coiled spring at 14,

page_text: which always tends to turn the finger on its pivot and to press the end
of the finger against the side of the spindle c.
According to the third head of this Invention I fit the projecting
portions g of the dies R and S in dovetailed slots or grooves 15, 15,
formed in the undersides of those dies as shewn clearly in the enlarged
details of the cutter die S, at Figures 8, 9, and 10, and to render such
projecting portions g, which support the cop tube during the descent of
the spindle c, capable of adjustment forward or backward, so as to project
more or less from the inner faces of the dies, and this I accomplish by
means of an adjusting screw 16 at the rear or outer end of each of the
dies R and S, such screws engaging respectively with the said dies, and
being provided with a shoulder or collar 17 which bears against the
rear ends of their respective adjustable projecting pieces or slides g. By
this arrangement I am enabled to give a firmer support to the said
projections than when they are simply screwed to the undersides of the
dies as heretofore, which mode of attachment frequently gave way under
the pressure of the shoulder of the spindle c upon the top of the cop
tube. Moreover I am enabled by this arrangement to set the said
projections further forward in case they should become worn or
broken.
According to the fourth head of this Invention I propose to combine
(as shewn in Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 1,) with the said machine a special
and peculiar construction of self-acting feeding mechanism for feeding
the material into the machine in the form of strips of sheet metal of the
desired width, that is to say, so much greater than the length of the cop
tube as will admit of the forming or turning over the bead or flange on
the top of such tube.
Figure 1 (Sheet 2) of the Drawings is a side elevation of the feeding
mechanism detached and drawn to a larger scale, and Figure 2 is a
plan view of the same. 18 represents the feeder, which consists of
a channelled bar, the channels 19, 19¹, being separated by a partition.
20, 21, 21', represent propellers or strips of metal which slide in the
channels 19, 19', and are actuated by weights attached to cords 22, 22¹,
these latter being connected with the arms 23, 23¹, which are attached
to the propellers 21, 21', and are provided with handles 24, 24¹. 25, 25¹,
represent spring triggers situate at the outer end of the feeder 18,
which triggers are operated by hand and work in connection with

page_text: notches 26, 26', in the propellers 21, 21¹, so as to bold the latter back
when desired, as shewn in Figure 1 (Sheet 2), where the propeller 21' is
represented as held back by the trigger 25¹ whilst the propeller 21
is being moved forward. 27 represents a lever pivotted at 28 to one
side of the feeder 18. The front end of this lever projects over the bed
of the machine, and is acted on by a projection on one of the sliding
carriages. The rear end of the lever 27 is held up by the spring 28¹,
and is provided with a transverse arm or projection which extends across
the bottom of the feeder 18, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. From
this projection rise the vertical self-acting bevilled catches 29, 29¹, the
upper ends of which are bevilled and project somewhat above the upper
surface of the feeder 18, and engage with the transverse projections or
stop pins 30, 30¹, on the propellers 21, 21¹. It will be seen that as long
as the stop pins 30, 30¹, are engaged with the catches 29, 29¹,
the pro-
pellers will be held back, but when the projection on the carriage
strikes the forward end of the lever 27 (which occurs at the moment
that the dies close) the rear end of the same together with the
catches 29, 29', are depressed, and the propeller which happens to be
engaged with one of the catches is released and slides forward at the
proper time for the feed. After the machine has started, the feeding
progresses without the intervention of the catches 29, 29', which are
solely intended to ensure the first feed of the strip at the right time and
in concert with the movement of the dies. 31 represents a spring which
presses against the strip of tin as it passes from the feeder and causes
it to bear against the piece 32, thereby keeping the material in the
proper position laterally.
Figure 3 (Sheet 2) is a front elevation on an enlarged scale detached
of the cutters and guides, and Figure 4 is a corresponding plan of the
same. 33, 33¹, represent the fixed knives in the centre of the bed of the
machine, which knives are constructed like ordinary plane irons, and
are situate in the diagonal frames or holders 34, 34, which are attached
to plates 35, 35', these latter being bolted to the bed of the machine.
The knives 33, 33¹, are slotted, and are attached to the frames 34, 34¹,
by bolts 36, 36', as shown in Figures 3 and 4. 37 represents a guide or
stop attached to a vertical screw bolt 38, which passes through a pro-
jection 40 on the frame 34. The front side of the stop 37 is corrugated,
as shewn in Figure 4. 41 represents a guide or stop attached to the

page_text: shorter bolt 42, which passes through the projection 43 on the frame 34'.
The positions of the guides 37 and 41 are adjusted vertically by turning
the bolts 38 and 42. The office of the stop 37 is to arrest the progress
of the strip of tin which is being fed from the feeder 18, and which is to
be cut by the knives 33 and 33', while that of the guide or stop 41 is to
prevent any vertical displacement of the said strip, the guide 41 being
adjusted so as to allow the strip to pass under it with little or no space
between. It will thus be readily seen that when the end of the strip of
metal from one of the propellers strikes the corrugated surface of the
guide 37 it is detained longitudinally and laterally by the said guide and
its corrugations, and vertically by the guide 41, thus being securely held
for the cutting and bending operation.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. Fixing the spindle c upon which the cop tubes are formed in a
socket made in a separate spindle, which is capable of vertical adjustment
inside a long socket 3 secured to the gate E¹, substantially as and for the 2
purpose herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Second. The forming a cupped shoulder 6 having a curved or rounded
under cut on the spindle c for the purpose of facilitating the turning
over of the upper end of the cop tube, substantially as herein-before
described.
Third. The application and use of a finger carried on the end of a
lever worked by a cam for the purpose of knocking off the completed
tube from the spindle c, as herein-before described.
Fourth. The sccuring the projections g to the under parts of the
dies R and S by means of dovetailed slots or grooves in conjunction with 3
the use of the adjusting screws 16, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
Fifth. The combination with a machine for making metallic cop tubes
of a self-acting feeder consisting of a channelled bar and sliding pro-
pellers urged forward when required by a weight and cord, and restrained 3
when necessary by spring trigger catches and by self-acting bevelled

page_text: catches carried on a lever actuated by the carriage, the whole being
arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Sixth. The application and use of the guides or stops on the fixed
cutters or shears for the purpose of ensuring the material being presented
in the proper position for being acted upon by the dies, whilst the stops
serve as abutments for the end of the material at each feed motion,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of
November One thousand eight hundred and seventy.