IMPROVED MEANS OF FACILITATING THE RIVETTING OF GIRDERS AND OTHER STRUCTURES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS- PATENT to Ralph Hart Tweddell, of 10, Bury Street, En-
gineer, Edward Wilson, and George Henry Ashbec, Civil Engineers,
of Deans' Yard, Westminster, and James Platt, of. Gloucester,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS OF FACILITATING THE
RIVETTING OF GIRDERS AND OTHER STRUCTURES."
Sealed the 17th October 1873, and dated the 18th June 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Hart Tweddell,
Edward Wilson, George Henry Ashbec, and James Platt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the
18th June 1873.
WC, RALPH HART TWEDDELL, of 10, Bury Street, Engineer, EDWARD
WILSON and GEORGE HENRY ASHBEE, Civil Engineers, of Deans' Yard,
Westminster, and JAMES PLATT, of Gloucester, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS OF FACILI-
TATING THE RIVETTING OF GIRDERS AND. OTHER STRUCTURES," to be as follows:-
'
This improvement has for its object the rivetting of girders or other
metallic structures which cannot be conveniently brought to the machine.

page_text: itself. We accomplish this by having the whole of the necessary
apparatus for rivetting (by steam, air, or hydraulic pressure) placed on a
carriage or platform which can be moved alongside or over the work
being rivetted.
In order to carry our Invention into effect we place the whole of the
"lifting and adjusting apparatus" in connection with the rivetting tool
at its work on an overhead steam or ground travelling crane, or on a
bogey or carriage truck on wheels.
We prefer the arrangement which embraces in one carriage the rever-
beratory heating furnace for rivets, a boiler in which steam is raised by
the escaping heat after heating the rivets, and which drives a small
engine working the traveller or crane in any direction required, and
also works the force pumps to pump up accumulator when those are
necessary, or an air compressing machine.
The accumulator spindle we prefer to arrange to act as crane post.
The portable rivetting machine when of the hydraulic description is
supplied from accumulator through a copper pipe put preferably into a
spiral form for clasticity, and when steam machines are used the pipes
have oscillating joints and certain points of support so as to alter at will
the distance of machine from the traveller or crane jib.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Ralph Hart Tweddell, Edward Wilson, George
Henry Ashbec, and James Platt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, RALPH
HART TWEDDELL, of 10, Bury Street, Engineer, EDWARD WILSON and
GEORGE HENRY ASHBEE, Civil Engineer, of Deans' Yard, Westminster,
and JAMES PLATT, of Gloucester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of Junc, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Ralph Hart Tweddell, Edward. Wilson,.

page_text: George Henry Ashbee, and James Platt, Her special licence that we, the
said Ralph Hart Tweddell, Edward Wilson, George Henry Ashbec, and
James Platt, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Ralph Hart Tweddell, Edward Wilson, George Henry
Ashbee, and James Platt, our executors, administrators, and 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 "IMPROVED MEANS OF FACILITATING THE RIVETTING OF GIRDERS
AND OTHER STRUCTURES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Ralph Hart Tweddell, Edward Wilson, George Henry Ashbce, and
James Platt, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or one of our or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 we, the said Ralph Hart Tweddell, Edward
Wilson, George Henry Ashbec, and James Platt, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, that is to say :—
:
This improvement has for its object the rivetting of girders or other
metallic structures which cannot be conveniently brought to the machine
itself. We accomplish this by having the whole of the necessary appa-
tus for rivetting (by steam, air, or hydraulic pressure) placed on a carriage
or platform which can be moved alongside or over the work being
rivetted.
In order to carry our Invention into effect we place the whole of the
"lifting and adjusting apparatus" in connection with the rivetting tool
at its work on an overhead steam or geared travelling crane, or on a
bogey or carriage truck on wheels.
We prefer the arrangement which embraces in one carriage the
reverberatory hicating furnace for rivets, a boiler in which steam is raised
by the escaping heat after heating the rivets, and which drives a small

page_text: engine, working the traveller or crane in any direction required, and
I
also works the force pump to pump up accumulator when these are
, necessary, or an air compressing machine.
The accumulator spindle we in most cases arrange to act as a crane
post.
The portable rivetting machine when of the hydraulic description is
supplied from accumulator through a copper pipe put preferably into a
spiral form for elasticity, and when steam machines are used the pipes
have oscillating joints, and certain points of support so as to alter at will
the distance of machine from the traveller or crane.jib.
The various arrangements of appliances to enable this Invention to be
carried out are shown in the accompanying Sheets of Drawings. The
same letters are used to describe each part, the general description of
which is as follows:-
A, Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, represents a rivet heating furnace pre-
ferably of the reverberatory plan, but a fan blast and ordinary fire may
be used. The reverberatory furnace enables us to proportion it so that
there is enough heat contained in the escaping flame to raise steam in
the boiler B of any convenient construction to drive the pump D and
travelling and lifting gear G by the engine C. The pumps D force
water into the accumulator E, and the water is then admitted to any
form of portable machine suspended from a crane through the pipe E.
The arrangement when a steam machine is used is same as above,
except that the accumulator and pumps are dispensed with, and if com-
pressed air machines are adopted in place of the accumulator and the
pumps we propose to employ a compressing engine. In cases where the
weights of an accumulator on plan shown are not desirable we use any
of the well known forms of accumulators when the pressure in former
case obtained from the weights) is obtained by pressure of steam or water
on a large piston.
It being often also convenient to utilize lower pressure already
existing, either from the water supply service of the town or from the
accumulator, it is proposed to utilize the well known device of an inter-
mediate or intensifying accumulator, and thus modifying the existing
pressure to enable it to be used in a machine of portable dimensions.

page_text: In order to the better getting at work being done either in shops, or
rivetting up such structures as bridges in their places, we prefer using,
according to circumstances, one or the other of six general arrangements
illustrated, but as numerous modifications of each of those may be
designed without materially deviating from our Invention we do not
confine ourselves to the exact details and arrangements shown.
Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 1, show an arrangement in which the gear
|_ before described is placed on a travelling carriage H, the accumulator
spindle, the spindle or ram being fast, and moving with the weights, as
in other constructions, forms the crane post, à crane K of any suitable
construction travelling on a roller path L, which forms the base plate of
accumulator. The same [engine which drives the pumps also actuates
the gear for lifting the rivetter, and for travelling the whole plant along
the work to be done, and in some cases we purpose making this engine
separate from the pump engine, especially in cases when we use tho
whole apparatus as a travelling crane as well, thus enabling us to erect
the work as well as rivet it. To render the plant complete we attach a
hydraulic punching and shearing machine M on the traveller as well,
and a small fixed rivetting machine N, N¹, is also fixed on for light
girders, which can be more cásily brought to the plant than the plant
be taken to them. The exhaust water from the machines of hydraulic
is brought back into the pump cistern through pipe N, and thus used
over and over again. In steam machines it can be brought back to heat
the feed water. One form of portable rivetting frame W, W, is shown
attached to this arrangement in Figure 4.

page_text: Figure 4; Sheet 1, is an arrangement for steam only, and is similar to
Figure 1, except that the furnace A is inside the boiler B, and the
arrangement of steam pipes F is different.
Figures 6 and 7, Sheet 2, show the plant arranged on a traveller
termed a Goliah or Sampson, to go over the work to be done, and is
easily comprehended without further description, the only difference
being details of the pipe F which can be shifted very conveniently to
couplings 0, 0, 0, when the lateral motion becomes in the arrange-
ment of crane inconveniently great. One form of portable rivetting
frame is also shown attached to crane K.
Figures 8 and 9, Sheet 2, is an arrangement combining in its chief
features the advantages of previous arrangements, and is.for shop use.
The accumulator spindle forms a crane post, the top being guided in a
roller carriage running along the beam O¹ attached in usual manner to
side wall of work or under roof beams. A portable rivetter is shown
suspended by similar modifications of form of accumulator described in
Figures 3, 4, and 5, Sheet 1, a similar plan can be carried out. Hydraulic
pressure can also be adapted to work all the lifting and traversing gear
from the accumulator, using any of the numerous well known methods,
and we prefer hand gear being fitted to all motions also.
Figure 10, Sheet 2, shows an arrangement of parts, which is between
Figures 6 and 7, and 8 and 9, Sheet 2, and is independent of support
from roof or wall. In other respects same description applies.
The pipes when hydraulic pressure is used are preferably of copper or
soft steel, and to overcome the difficulty always hitherto experienced in
getting joints to stand we use a pipe bent into a spiral form, which, by
reason of its elasticity renders any special, universal, or other joints
needless. It is preferred however to place a joint at each extreme end,
with a certain amount of flexibility in it, by using a universal joint or
stuffing box.
Figures 11 and 12, Sheet 2, show a portable arrangement, as follows:-
The hydraulic or steam cylinder A, with disc to work close between
them, and opposing discs held in dolly B, are placed in guides C, C,.
respectively, and in Drawing annexed are moved up and down by
screws E by handles. These can be geared in ordinary way, so that both
move simultaneously, or we can in some instances balance through two
counterweights, and thus easily shift them to each rivet, or, the slinging

page_text: arrangements can be so arranged that while one main chain hangs whole
the apparatus to the cranc a second chain can support the cylinder
and dolly in a light frame, and being carried round a drum the man at
crane can lift this up or turn up at pleasure without interfering with the
apparatus generally. The cross bars D, D, connect C, C, together, and
by means of the holes and pins H, H, the depth and breadth of whole
frame can be allowed to suit size of girder, boiler, or other work it has
to rivet.
A and B show an arrangement of cylinder and dolly which allows
the top flange of girder to be done as well as the main web. When a
box girder is to be done, the same machine will answer by putting a
dolly or strut between the plates while the rivet is being closed.
Figures 13 and 14, Sheet 2, show a form of rivetter which is similar
to the fixed or stationary rivetter in general use, but by means of the
screwed bolts D and E the beams or standards C, C, can have their
distances altered by means of nuts. In the Drawing one bolt in centre
is shown, and at far end, but we do not confine ourselves to this number,
as two or more may be used for rigidity. This machine is also so
arranged that the cylinder can be placed in centre of beams and bolts at
each end, in which case it becomes similar to Figure
arrangement, or we can put two cylinders, one on each end, or any
modification of this sort.
(..).
Sheet 3, Figure 15, in side elevation, and 16 in section, show
another modification. The cylinder. A, by means of an arrangement of
levers, exerting a small pressure at commencement, and a large pressure
at end of stroke closes the rivetting dies on end of main levers B, B.
The whole is suspended by a trunnion C and quadrant D, which
enables it to be readily balanced and slung. This arrangement of
slinging applies equally to other machines in this Specification.
The smaller lever E, with the necessary arrangement in connection, is
to enable the machine to guide itself to the rivet head, so that the closing
may be in fair line with same.
dic
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim, —
Firstly. The general arrangement and combination of appliances or
mechanism for facilitating the rivetting of girders and other structures,

page_text: the purposes specified.
Fifthly. We claim the combination of appliances shown in Figures 15
and 16 of the annexed Drawings, and their method of action, as and for 1
the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Hart Tweddell, for myself and
on behalf of the said Edward Wilson, George Henry Ashbee, and
James Platt, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth
day of December, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three. 2
RALPH H. TWEDDELL. (L.S.)