AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC PUNCHING MACHINE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinando Tommasi, of Paris, in the Depart-
ment of the Scine, and Republic of France, Gentleman, for the
BERRECON DevenTIVE "
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinando Tommasi
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th August 1874.
I, FERDINANDO TOMMASI, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine,
and Republic of France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC PUNCHING MACHINE,"
to be as follows:-
My improved hydro-thermic punching machine is composed of a cast-
iron frame, in which is hollowed a cylindrical space lined with wood,
millboard, or other isolating material, and filled with oil, glycerine, or

page_text: other suitable liquid. Into this liquid plunge a certain quantity of
small copper or other metal tubes bent into the form of a lengthened U.
The two ends of cach tube each terminate in one of two basins con-
tained in a bronze piece, upon which all the tubes are fixed and soldered.
A bronze washer fits on the two basins in such a manner as to com-
pletely separate them. Two tubes are fixed upon this washer, each tubo
corresponding with a basin. The result of this arrangement is, that by
causing either steam or hot water to penetrate into one of the last-
mentioned tubes this hot water or this steam immediately spreads in
one of the basins, enters one of the ends of the small tubes, and imme-
diately issues by the other tube of the washer after passing out of the
other end of the small tubes and by the other basin.
The oil or glycerine heated by contact with the small tubes within
which circulates the hot water or steam immediately expands and
drives down a piston placed beneath a projecting part of the frame.
This piston in lowering pushes on to the metal plate to be punched a
punch set in its end, and which in coming down enters a matrix suitably
arranged, thereby immediately effecting the punching of the aforesaid
metal plate. At this moment the circulation of the steam or hot water.
within the small tubes is automatically stopped by means herein-after
mentioned, and replaced by a circulation of cold water, which produces
the condensation of the oil or glycerine, and consequently causes the
return of the piston to its original position.
To assist the piston in resuming its place another piston may be
used, working in the opposite direction, or two suitably arranged
counterweights. When the piston has come back to its place the cir-
culation of the cold water within the small tubes is arrested and is
replaced by the circulation of hot water or steam, which causes a
recommencement of the work, and so on. This machine therefore
works of itself with a regular come-and-go motion, and the workman
has nothing else to do but to slide the plate under the punch in order to
punch it at the indicated spots.
The automatic distribution of the steam or hot water and of the cold
water may be obtained by the aid of slide boxes or cocks, the movement
of which will depend upon the movement of the machine itself. These

page_text: slide boxes or these cocks are so arranged as to cause the hot water
and the cold water to issue separately in order that both may be
utilized.
A small bronze basin having a clack valve within it is placed in any
suitable part of the frame. This basin being always filled with oil or
glycerine serves to feed automatically the hollow part of the frame if
from the effect of cold the liquid should be too much condensed; this
inner clack valve entirely prevents escape of the liquid under
expansion. The safety valve presses upon a solid washer of
clinquant" or very thin copper, which prevents any oozing of the
liquid, but which is torn by this liquid if the pressure of the liquid is
66
in excess.
The cold water may be replaced at pleasure by a refrigerating mixture
of any kind to obtain more rapidly the condensation of the liquid, what-
AA this lattes
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent,
filed by the said Ferdinando Tommasi in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd February 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FERDINANDO
TOMMASI, of Paris, in, the Department of the Soine, and Republic of
France, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, Her
special licence that I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ferdinando
Tommasi, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED HYDRO-THERMIC PUNCHING MACHINE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, 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 Ferdinando Tommasi, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 accompany-
ing Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters of reference placed
thereon, Figure 1 being an elevation of a machine embodying my
Invention; Figure 2, a plan view of same; Figure 3, a right side view;
and Figure 4, a vertical section at E, F, (Fig. 2.)
This machine is composed of a frame of cast iron or other metal in
which is hollowed a cylindrical space lined with wood, millboard, or
other isolating material, and filled with liquid (oil, glycerine, or other
suitable liquid). Into this liquid plunge a certain quantity of small
copper tubes, all bent into the form of a very much lengthened U. The
two ends of each tube each terminate in one of two basins formed by
two washers, the one superposed to the other so as to render these two
basins completely separate. Two tubes are fixed on the upper washer
so that each tube corresponds with a basin. The whole is firmly secured
by strong bolts on the orifice of the aforesaid cylindrical space so as to
make any escape or leakage impossible. The result of this arrangement
is that by causing either steam, hot water, or any other hot liquid to
penetrate into one of the tubes this steam, water, or other liquid imme-
diately spreads in one of the basins, enters one of the ends of the small
tubes, and immediately issues by the other tube of the washer after
passing out of the other end of the small tube and by the other basin.
The oil or the glycerine heated by contact with the small tubes within
which circulates the heat immediately expands and forces the piston H

page_text: to rise; this piston in rising causes the punch I to lower, onto the
matrix K and consequently piercing the metal plate which will have
been placed between this matrix and this punch; at the same time the
beam L, the end of which is engaged in the ring M of the main beam N,
is forced by this latter and by its counterweight.O to suddenly capsize,
which causes a change of position in the slides of the slide boxes P, and
consequently the suppression of the hot current, replacing it by a cold
one (cold water or any other source of cold), the oil or the glycerine then
rapidly condenses, and the piston H drawn by the counterweight f
resumes its original position, raising with it the punch I and causing
the beam L to again capsize, which brings back the hot circulation and
permits the renewal of the operation, and so on. This machine therefore
works of itself with a regular come-and-go motion, and the workman
has nothing else to do but to slide the plate under the punch in order to
punch it. as required. To other slide boxes may be may be added to the
apparatus, their slides being worked by the same mechanism for the
purpose of causing the separate issue of the hot and the cold water which
have circulated in the small tubes in order that the one may be utilized
as well as the other.
A small bronze basin (having a valve within it is placed in a suitable
part of the frame. This basin being always filled with the same liquid
as contained in the cylinder serves to feed this cylinder automatically if
from the effect of cold this liquid should be too much condensed; this
inner clack valve entirely prevents escape of the liquid when under
pressure. The safety valve presses upon a solid washer of "clinquant" (or
very thin copper), which prevents any oozing of the liquid, but which is
torn thereby if the pressure of the liquid should exceed the degree fixed
beforchand. To avoid any confusion this valve and this basin ar not
shown on the Drawings.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven
tion, and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I claim as
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the
use for working "Hydro-thermic Punching Machines" of the motive
power developed by the successive and alternate expansion and con-
5 densation of any kind of liquid, this expansion and condensation being
produced by a liquid or gascous current alternately and successively hot

page_text: nd cold, which circulates by the action of the mechanical means above
et forth in the small tubes plunged into the aforesaid liquid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ferdinando Tommasi, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
PAUL PERROT.
JEAN BAPTISTE GIRARD.
FERDINANDO TOMMASI. (L.S.)