IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING AND CUTTING METAL NUTS AND OTHER SIMILAR METAL ARTICLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Harvey Bates, of Bradford, in the
County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR STAMPING AND CUTTING METAL NUTS AND OTHER
SIMILAR METAL ARTICLES."
Sealed the 20th February 1854, and dated the 7th December 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Harvey
Bates at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th December 1853.
I, LEWIS HARVEY BATES, of Bradford, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING AND CUTTING METAL NUTS
AND OTHER SIMILAR METAL ARTICLES" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of improved machinery for stamping and
cutting metal nuts and other similar metal articles by means of a punch
or punches and dies arranged; combined, and working as herein-after
more fully explained.

page_text: In machinery for these purposes, constructed with my improvements,
I have a fixed bed or table on which I arrange two or more dies, face
to face, the face of each die being former to correspond to one half the
exterior shape of the article to be produced, so that when the two dies
are brought, together a space may be left between them exactly corre-
sponding to the form of the article to be produced. I mount these dies
so as to be capable of notion towards or from each other, in suitable
guides or grooves, and I apply to each of them a spring or other means
by which they may be kept constantly apart from each other, except
when brought forcibly in contact by the means herein-after mentioned.
I form each side or edge of each of the dies with an angular or cutting
edge, so that when these edges are brought together they may sever or
separate that part of a bar of metal from which the nut or article is to
be formed, and which will at that time be between the dies. Immediately
over the space between the dies when in contact, I mount in suitable
guides, so as to be capable of motion upwards and downwards, a punch or
stamping instrument, by which I effect the piercing entirely or partially
of the hole in the centre of the nut, which is to be afterwards cut with
a screw thread, and I weight this punch or stamping instrument to the
extent necessary to enable it to perform effectually its intended purpose.
For the purpose of bringing the dies forcibly together, so as to form the nut
or other article at the same time that the aperture through or partially
through the same is produced by the punch or stamping instrument,
I apply to each die a lever projecting therefrom at an angle of inclina-
tion between the vertical and horizontal, and I use springs to retain the
levers in such position to enable them to be more effectually acted on
by the falling weighted stamp. I attach to this stamp, on cach side,
curved or inclined surfaces which, when the stamp is caused to descend,
act against the levers on the dies and force the dies together, so as to
compress the metal into the form of the nut, and sever that nut from
the bar at the same time that the central aperture is formed partly or
entirely through the nut, as herein-before mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Lewis Harvey Bates in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd June 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
LEWIS HARVEY BATES, of Bradford, in the County of York, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in
the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Lewis Harvey Bates,
Her special licence that I, the said Lewis Harvey Bates, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Lewis
Harvey Bates, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING AND CUTTING
METAL NUTS AND OTHER SIMILAR METAL ARTICLES," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said Lewis Harvey Bates, 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 Lewis Harvey Bates, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of improved machinery for stamping and
cutting metal nuts and other similar metal articles by means of a
punch or punches and dies arranged, combined, and working as herein-
after more fully explained.

page_text: In machinery for these purposes, constructed with my improvements,
I have a fixed bed or table on which I arrange two or more dies, face
to face, the face of each die being formed to correspond to one half the
exterior shape of the article to be produced, so that when the dies are
brought together a space may be left between them or every two of
them exactly corresponding to the form of the article to be produced.
I mount the dies so as to be capable of motion towards or from cach
other in suitable guides or grooves, and I apply to cach of them a
spring or other contrivance, by which they may be kept constantly apart
from each other, except when brought forcibly in contact by the means
herein-after mentioned. I form each side or edge of each of the dies
with an angular or cutting edge, so that when these edges are brought
together they may sever or separate that part of a bar of metal from
which the nut or article is to be formed, and which will at that time be
between the dies. Immediately over the space between the dies when
in contact, I mount in suitable guides, so as to be capable of motion
upwards and downwards, a punch or stamping instrument, by which I
effect the piercing entirely or partially of the hole in the centre of the
nut, which is to be afterwards cut with a screw thread, and I weight
this punch or stamping instrument to the extent necessary to enable it
to perform effectually its intended purpose. For the purpose of bringing
the dies forcibly together, so as to form the nut or other article at the
same time that the aperture through or partially through the same is
produced by the punch or stamping instrument, I employ the percussive
force due to the descent of the punch or stamping instrument. To
enable this force to act on the dies I apply to each die a lever projecting
therefrom at an angle of upward inclination between the vertical and
horizontal, and I use springs to retain the levers in such position to
enable them to be more effectually acted on by the falling weighted
stamp. I attach to this stamp, on each side, curved or inclined surfaces;
which, when the stamp is caused to descend, act against the levers on
the dies and force the dies together, so as to compress the metal into
the form of the nut, and sever that nut from the bar at the same time
that the central aperture is formed partly or entirely through the nut,
as herein-before mentioned...
.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed represents a front elevation of a

page_text: machine constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a side
elevation of the same; Figure 3 a front sectional elevation of the
punch block and punches and the dies and levers, supported on the bed
of the machine; Figure 4 a sectional plan of the dies, lie-blocks, and
guides in which they move; and Figure 5 a front sectional elevation of
the entablature or upper part of the framing, shewing the piston rod
and stuffing box of the steam cylinder for raising the punch, and the
timber stops which act as buffers to the punch block in its upward
motion, the length of the stops being regulated according to the force
of the required blow. Figure 6 is a side sectional elevation of the
punchies as they are attached to the punch block. Figure 7 is a front
sectional elevation of another arrangement of dics, die-blocks, and
levers, being a modification of that shewn in Figure 3; and Figure 8
is a plan of Figure 7. Figure 9 is a plan of the punch block;
Figure 10, a plan of the dies; and Figure 11, a side elevation of the
same. The same letters are employed to distinguish similar parts
throughout all the Figures. A, A, is the base or bed of the machine;
and B, B, are the beams of wood on which it rests; C, C. are the
columns; and D, the entablature of the framing; E, is the steam
cylinder for raising the punch block, and F, its piston rod which is
connected directly to the punch block G; H is a lever, the fulcruin of
which is at I, on one of the columns C; and J is a rod connected to
that lever and also to. the lever K, which is fixed on the valve spindle
L. The free end of the lever H has attached to it a rope H', which
passes over a pulley H², supported in brackets on the entablature D,
the other end of the rope hanging down to a sufficient distance. to
enable it to be taken hold of by the attendant on the machine. By
pulling this rope downwards the steam valve is worked so as to shut
off the steam and open the exhaust port, when the punch block
immediately falls. In the punch block G is fixed a piece of wood G*,
which projects outwards, as shewn, and this in its downward motion
strikes against the lever H, which, through its connecting rod J, and
the lever K, acts on the valve spindle L, so as to open the steam port
and again admit steam beneath the piston of the cylinder, for the
purpose of raising the punch block for another stroke, the parts being.

page_text: so arranged that the steam may be admitted to the cylinder when the
punch block has completed its downward stroke. M, M, are wooden
buffers fixed in the bed A, on which the punch block strikes in the
event of the resistance of the metal intended to form the nuts being
insufficient to withstand the force of the blow; and N, N, are wooden
stops fitted to the entablature, which act as buffers to the punch block
in its upward motion. 0, 0, are curved recesses on the punch block
which act on the levers P, P, of the dic-blocks R, R, in its downward
motion and force the dies Q, Q, together so as to perform the operations
of forming and cutting off the nuts at the same time that they are
punched by the descending punches. The dies Q, Q, are fixed in the
blocks R, R, which are capable of motion in guides formed on the bed
A. S, S, aro connecting rods attached to the blocks R, R; and T, T,
are springs by means of which the dic-blocks and dies R, Q, are drawn
backwards or away from each other when the punch block is again
raised, thereby making room for introducing between them the end of
the metal bar from which the nuts or other articles are to be formed.
The lovers P, P, are at the same time raised to their diagonal
position by means of the springs U, U, the ends of which are attached
to fixed pins V, VI, one of them V, being in the block R, and the other
V', in the lever P. In the arrangement shewn in Figure 7, the die
blocks R, R, are drawn back, and the ends of the levers P, P, elevated
at one and the same time by the springs T, T, and connecting rods S, S.
This is effected by forming the levers P, P, as bell cranks with socket
ends W, W, which fit into corresponding sockets in the connecting
rods S, S. This arrangement of the levers P, P, may also be adopted
when the springs U, U, are employed. X,X, are the punches (shewn
in section in Figure 6), which are fitted in the punch holder Y, the
parts of which are held together by the bolts and nuts a, a, the whole
being bolted to the punch block G by other bolts b, b. The
upper ends
of the punches fit into the box or hollow part Z of the punch holder,
which enters a recess formed in the punch block, and this box contains
lead and pieces of steel, against which the punches bear, the lead
yielding to the punches in the event of an irregular resistance of the
petal under operation. c, c, is a clearing bar with springs d, d, for

page_text: throwing off from the punches any nuts that might be carried up by
them. e, e, (Figures 4 and 8) is a guide or stop against which the end
of the bar of metal under operation abuts; this guide or stop is carried
by the flexible bar f, which is adjusted so as to bring the stop e, to any
desired position by means of the nuts g, g. The action of the machine
will be readily understood from the foregoing description. The metal
from which the nuts or other articles are to be formed is worked in
a heated state, but it might also be wrought cold, but not with such
advantage.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not limit
myself to the particular arrangement of machinery shewn in the
Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from my
Invention; for instance, the steam cylinder for lifting the punch block
may be dispensed with, and a tappet wheel driven by any suitable primo
mover may be employed in licu thereof; so also the position of the dies
may be altered, and they may be worked either in a vertical or diagonal
position; and the number of dies and punches and their form may be
varied so as to adapt them to the production of other articles than nuts,
as before mentioned; but what I claim as my Invention is,
The employment in machinery for stamping and cutting metal nuts
and other similar metal articles of a punch or punches and dies
arranged, combined, and working as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lewis Harvey Bates, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.