Improvements in Apparatus for Bending Sheet Metal.
Year: 1887

page_text: Massachusetts, United States of America.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Bending Sheet Metal.
1, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, 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 relates to mechanism for bending metal which is more especially
adapted for the formation of elongated articles having a peripheral surface of more
than 180°. As hereinafter shown and described the article to be made is a post which
is made tapering from end to end, but it will be understood that the apparatus may be
employed to make other sheet metal articles than tapering posts.
My invention consists essentially of a "former composed of a tapering bar
substantially circular in cross section and provided with a web extending from its
back to stiffen and strengthen it. guides for said web, a die, and side plungers, and
means for operating the former and plungers, combined to bend and shape a metal
blank while held between the former and die, all as hereinafter described, reference
being made to the accompanying drawings in which :-
Fig. 1 represents in plan or top view a machine embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 a vertical sectional detail taken through the "former" and die and closing
plungers; showing a piece or strip of metal as just forced down into the die by the
former."
Fig. 3 is a like detail but taken at another part of the machine to show the closing
plungers pressed down upon the strip of metal, and also to show one of the adjustable
pitmen between the "former" and its operating lever.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the machine on the dotted line x-x Fig. 1, looking
toward the right.
Fig. 5 is a like section on the dotted line 2-³, and-
Fig. 6 is a view of the left hand end of Fig. 1.
:
The main shaft A of the machine driven by a belt on the belt pulley P, or by power
in any usual manner, has upon it a pinion A which engages with and drives a toothed
gear A loose on a stud A³ at the end of the frame-work B².

page_text: The shaft A³ has splined upon it a clutch C, having side teeth shown in Fig. 1,
adapted to engage corresponding teeth at the adjacent side of the hub of the lower
gear A², the said teeth being marked 6*.
The clutch part has an annular groove which receives pins of a forked hand
lever by which the said clutch part may be moved so that it may be engaged and
driven by the said gear A³, the shaft A³ turning with it, or to be disengaged from the
said gear to leave the said shaft at rest.
This shaft A has upon it a pinion B which engages and drives three tiko toothed
gears D, D', D', on shafts E, E', E³.
The shaft E has upon it two cams F, F, each of which as shown has a cam
groove 2 such as shown in Figs. 4 to 6, which receives a pin extended from one of
two similar elbow levers H, H, which are loose upon the shaft E', the shorter ends of
the said levers being adjustably connected by pitmen H2 with suitable lugs on the
"former" or forming device I, which as herein shown is a long bar nearly circular in
cross-section, and having extended from its back a vertical web 3 which, besides
greatly stiffening and strengthening the "former," also serves in connection with
guide ways m, to direct the "former" in right line so that its rounded acting face in
its descent will act upon the strip of sheet metal m² (Fig. 4), force the latter into the
die m³ shaped to correspond with the "former" I and bend the said metal strip
longitudinally as seen in Fig. 2 leaving its side edges 5 extended above the centre
line of the former I.
Each shaft E, E', has two suitable cranks shown at C2, C3, which are connected by
adjustable links or pitmen d with the closing plungers G, G', which are shown as long
bars or beams having their ends placed and fitted into suitable guides the acting
faces of the said closing plungers being concave in shape and tapering to one end.
The rotation of the shafts E, E, cause their closing plungers to descend upon the
side edges of the metal strip bent, as shown in Fig. 2 and close the said side edges
over upon and about the "former " I (as shown in Fig. 3) above the centre line.
The shafts E, E, may have cams, instead of cranks to reciprocate the closing
plungers.
وو
The "former I herein shown is supposed to be tapering from end to end this
latter shape being suitable for the manufacture of open tubular fence posts and other
articles. The metal article so shaped may be removed therefrom by slipping it off the
end of the "former."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
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. The former" consisting of a tapering bar having a web 3 extending from its
back to stiffen and strengthen it, guides for such web, and means for operating said
former,"
,"combined with the die m³ and side plungers all constructed and operated,
substantially as described.
2. The tapering "former" I and its web 3 and guides therefor, the two side
plungers having working faces shaped to conform to the "former," and means for
operating said "former" and plungers, combined with the die, all constructed and
operated, substantially as described.
3. The tapering "former" having the back web 3, guides therefor and means for
reciprocating the said "former," the die m³ which with the "former" partly shapes
the blank and holds it while operated upon by the side plungers, and combined with
such plungers, crank C2 C3, pitmen d, shafts E, E', and power mechanism for giving
the shafts a rotary motion in unison, all constructed and operated, substantially as
described.