AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING TUBES USED FOR POSTS FOR METALLIC BEDSTEADS AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINE FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND WHICH SAID MACHINE IS ALSO APPLI- CABLE FOR CUTTING-OUT AND PIERCING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL, SUCH AS WASHERS, METALLIC BUCKET EARS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1861

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Potts, Tube Manufacturer, of Lombard
Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and Richard Cox,
Managing Engineer to the said Ferdinand Potts, also of Birmingham,
aforesaid, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING TUBES
USED FOR POSTS FOR METALLIC BEDSTEADS AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE
MACHINE FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND WHICH SAID MACHINE IS ALSO APPLI-
CABLE FOR CUTTING-OUT AND PIERCING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL, SUCH AS
WASHERS, METALLIC BUCKET EARS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
Sealed the 26th December 1861, and dated the 1st July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Potts and
Richard Cox at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 1st July 1861.
We, FERDINAND POTTS, Tube Manufacturer, of Lombard Street, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, and RICHARD Cox, Managing Engineer to the
said Ferdinand Potts, also of Birmingham, aforesaid, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING TUBES USED
FOR POSTS FOR METALLIC BEDSTEADS AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MACHINE
FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND WHICH SAID MACHINE IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
CUTTING-OUT AND PIERCING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL, SUCH AS WASHERS,
METALLIC BUCKET EARS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," to be as follows (that
is to say):-

page_text: Our treatment of tubes for supports or posts of metal bedsteads and other
purposes apply to such only as are required to be connected with iron or
other metal joints, as, for instance, in the making of a tubular foot or post for
n metal bedstead. The two tubes forming the upper and lower portion are laid
in a sand or metallic mould, the space between them being filled up with
molten iron or other metal (in the ordinary mode of casting) for the purpose
of forming the dovetail or other joint for uniting such posts to the side or end
rails, or other parts forming the bedstead. And our improvement has for its
object the preventing the molten iron or other metal running through and
filling or partially filling up the interior of the said tubes, which is objectionable,
as it not only causes an unnecessary use of metal, but increases the weight of
the finished article; and we effect this by inserting in the ends of the tube in
connection with the intended cast joint, iron or other metal dises, cupped or
otherwise treated so that it may be readily forced in position; and these discs
we purpose forming and raising with a new mechanical arrangement, which is
also applicable for cutting out such like articles for other purposes, and consists
of an iron base with standards or side supports, with a horizontal shaft carrying
the loose and fast pulley for controlling its motion derived from steam, water,
or other auxiliary power, on which shaft is a worm working in a worm shell
on the cam shaft, which works through a slot in the working bolt or main
working part, that as the cam revolves so this part is made to advance or
retire, or work up and down, according to the position in which the apparatus
is required to be worked; but in a general way we prefer to work this part
horizontally, as it affords means for the work and scrap pierced out to fall as
it is produced, which is done by fixing a steel bed on the one side of the side
standards, with a hole cut out of the centre of the said bed, the size of the
disc or other article desired to be formed, and in the reverse end of the
working bolt or part containing the slot before referred to we fix the cutting
out tool, which is of steel, and the counterpart of the hole formed in the bed
tool, so that by applying the iron to be cut up and the apparatus put to work,
a disc or other article will be cut out at each revolution of the cam, and by a
simple arrangement of the cutting-out and forming tools, an additional internal
pierce hole or holes may be made at the same operation, thereby making such
apparatus exceedingly applicable for the manufacture of metallic and other
washers, performing at one operation the cutting out and piercing, which is
usually done by two. In some instances we purpose applying a self-acting
feeding motion for taking in the metal required to be operated on by the tools,
and carrying away the scraps or surplus portion left after the article desired to
be made has been cut from it, and (if found necessary) by a slight modification

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FERDINAND
POTTS, Tube Manufacturer, of Lombard Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, and RICHARD Cox, Managing Engineer to the said Ferdinand
Potts, also of Birmingham, aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox, Her special license that we, the
said Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox,
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 "AN IMPROVED MODE OF TREATING
TUBES USED FOR POSTS FOR METALLIC BEDSTEADS AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE
MACHINE FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, AND WHICH SAID MACHINE IS ALSO APPLICABLE
FOR CUTTING-OUT AND PIERCING ARTICLES OF SHEET METAL, SUCH AS WASHERS,.
METALLIC BUCKET EARS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox, by an-
instrument in writing under our 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 Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox,
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
tbe following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: Our treatment of tubes for supports or posts of metal bedsteads and other
purposes apply to such only as are required to be connected with cast iron or
other metal joints, as, for instance, in the making of a tubular foot or post for
a metal bedstead, the two tubes forming the upper and lower portion are
laid in a sand or metallic mould, the space between them being filled up with
molten iron or other metal (in the ordinary way of casting) for the purpose
of forming the dovetail or other joint for uniting such posts to the side or
end rails or other parts forming the bedstead. And our improvement has for
its object the preventing the molten iron or other metal running through,
and filling or partially filling up the interior of the said tubes, which is
objectionable, as it not only causes an unnecessary use of metal, but increases
the weight of the finished article; and we effect this by inserting in the ends
of the tubes, in connection with the intended cast joint, iron or other metal
discs of the size in their diameter of the internal diameter of the tubular foot
or post desired to be stopped; and such discs may be cupped or otherwise
treated, so that they may be readily forced in position, which in a general
way we place about a quarter of an inch, more or less, within the tube.
These discs we purpose forming and raising with a new mechanical arrange-
ment, which is also applicable for cutting out such like articles for other
purposes, and which consists of an iron base, with standards or side supports
resting on a wood, brick, stone, or other suitable base, with a horizontal shaft
carrying the loose-and-fast pulley for controlling its motion, derived from
steam, water, or other auxiliary power, on which shaft is a worm or pinion
working in a wheel on the cam shaft, which works through a slot in the
working bolt or main working part, that as the cam or eccentric revolves, so
this part is made to advance or retire, or work up or down, according to the
position in which the apparatus is required to be worked; but in a general
way we prefer to work this part horizontally, as it affords means for the work
and scrap pierced out to fall as it is produced, which is done by fixing a steel
bed on the one side of the side standards, with a hole cut out of the centre of
the said bed the size of the disc or other article desired to be formed, and in
the reverse end of the working bolt, or part containing the slot before referred
to, we fix the cutting-out tool, which we purpose making either of steel, or
casting them in chills or otherwise of a suitable mixture of cast metal, as also
the counterpart of the hole formed in the bed tool, so that by applying the
iron or other sheet metal or material to be cut up, and the apparatus put to.
work, a disc or other article will be cut out at each revolution of the cam or
eccentric, and by a simple arrangement of the cutting-out and forming tools
an additional internal pierce hole or holes may be made at the same operation,.

page_text: sary) by a sight modification of the cutting-out and bed tools two or more
articles desired to be made may be cut out, pierced, or formed at one revolution
of the cam shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 illustrates the first part of our Invention, and represents a piece of
round metallic tube, but which may be of any other shape, if so desired, with
the top end represented in section for the purpose of exhibiting the disc A,
also in section, which has been cut out as at Fig. 2, and cupped in the shape
here shown for the purpose of facilitating its insertion in the tube. Tubes
thus heated are intended for forming the feet or posts for metallic bedsteads,
the stopped end or ends (as here shown) being laid in sand or other moulds
for the angle or joint to be cast on them, a process now commonly done.
But the object of our improvements is simply to form a stop or packing at the
end of the tube to prevent the molten iron or other metal in casting the joint
flowing down the interior of the tube. It is not essential that the disc A
should be cupped, for if cut of the proper size it may be applied in a flat
state, and which disc we purpose making by a new arrangement, constituting
the second part of our Invention, which is applicable for cutting out, forming,
and piercing at one operation, and this being important to facilitate the
making of. washers, we will describe our improvements as arranged for that
purpose, and placed in position for working horizontally, as such position.
facilitates the clearing of the tools from the work and waste produced, but of
course this apparatus may be worked vertically or diagonally if preferred.
Fig. 3 is a side view, Fig. 4, a top view, and Fig. 5, an end view, looking.
from the right towards the left, of our apparatus suitable for the purposes
herein-before described; and we will observe that the same parts, as they
appear in the various views, are marked with the same letters of reference.
B, B, is a brick base on which the wood frames or sleepers are placed,
marked C, C, and D is a longitudinal intermediate sleeper secured to the
end rail C and the intermediate cross rail E, and to this and the back sleeper
the cast-iron frame F, F, is secured by holding-down pins passing through
lugs, seen only at Figure 3, marked G, G, G. In connection with this

page_text: frame the part H is cast with projecting lugs marked I, I, through which
the set screws work that centrally hold the bolster, seen only at Figure 3,
marked J, for receiving the bed tool, marked K, hereafter to be referred to,
and which tool is held in position by the set screw a. L is a cross piece bolted
to a corresponding part cast or formed with the frame F, and these two parts
form the guide for the plunger, marked M, principally shown in dotted lines,
to work through, N, N, N, is a strong casting bolted to the frame F by
screw bolts, marked b, b, and to the wood frame C by holding-down pins c, c;
this part supports the axis d of the fly-wheel O, O, as well as the fast and
loose pulleys P and Q, and likewise the pinion R. The shaft d, as seen in
Figure 3, is held down by the gland S, and this shaft is supported at the other
end by a standard marked T, T, seen in Figures 4 and 5, also bolted down to
the sleeper by holding-down pins marked e, e, and on which standard the
gland U is placed and held down by the set screws f, f. V, V, Figure 4,
represent the ends of the shaft to which the cog-wheel W, W, is fixed, and
on this shaft, which is shown detached at Fig. 6, the eccentric X is formed,
which gives motion to the plunger M, which is represented also detached at
Fig. 7. The plunger part works behind the guide plate L, in Figure 3, and
between these same parts in Figure 4, while the projections marked 9, 9,
and h, h, in Figure 7, as also corresponding parts on the other side, and the
slight projections i, i, and j, j, take their corresponding bearing behind the
plate F, F, in Figure 3, so that the plane surfaces herein described permit
of this part working backward and forward according to the throw of the
eccentric X, which is shown in section at Figure 7 working in the brasses k, k,
which slide up and down as the eccentric moves around with the shaft marked
V, V, Figure 6, the circumference of which is shown in its true position in
relation to the eccentric by the dotted circle in Figure 7. The position of X
represents the plunger M at the extent of its throw, and into the end of this
plunger the chuck shown in section at Fig. 8 is secured by the screw 1, and in
the hollow circular cavity m the plate and prongs exhibited at Fig. 9, and
next the part which is represented in section marked Fig. 10; the holes here
shown, marked n, n, are for receiving the shanks of Figure 9, marked o, o.
Fig. 11 represents, also in section, the bolster marked J in Figure 3 and the
bed tool marked K, the diameter of which corresponds with the diameter of
the annular groove marked p, p, of Figure 10, while the diameter of the part Q
of the same Figure fits the corresponding part of Figure 11 marked r; and
we will suppose that the parts represented at Figures 9 and 10 are placed in
position in Figure 8, the part Figure 10 being secured by set screws, which
are shown in Figure 3, marked s, s, s, and that in the slot t, t, a key is fitted

page_text: about two-thirds the width of the slot, more or less, and to the ends the parts
u, u, are secured, seen only in Figure 3. The use of this arrangement will
be understood from the following description, when the parts have been
brought together by the throw of the eccentric X and the iron fed into the
machine, a washer will be produced, as exhibited at Fig. 12, and will be left
in the annular ring p, Figure 10; but as the plunger recedes by the back-
ward throw of the eccentric X, the parts u, u, of Figure 3 will be brought in
contact with the edge of the vertical guide bar L, causing the key to move
from the right hand of the slot t, Figure 8, to the left hand side, and as that
side of the key comes in contact with the plate v, v, Figure 9, causes the three
shanks to advance and deliver the washer from the annular ring before referred
to. And this self-acting process we also apply for relieving the plate or sheet
metal or other material, from which the washers or discs are being made, from
the bed tool, as shown in Figure 3, and in section at Figure 11, and this wo
effect by a pendulous arm marked w, Figure 3, working on an axis at a¹; this
arm, at its lower end, assumes a circular form, having a large hole formed in.
it so as to be larger than the largest sized washers or discs, or such like.
articles, desired to be cut out, and on the face of this we secure a plate with a
hole in it the size of the diameter or outer form of the bed tool, so that this
plate may be changed, according to the bed tool, or size of washer or other
article we wish to make; and to this pendulous arm the connecting rod b', b¹,
is attached by a joint, the obscured end being so fashioned that, as the cog
wheel W revolves and a washer is being made, the arm will be pulled slightly
towards the axis of the wheel, thereby relieving the metal from which the
washer has been cut from the bed tool, to be again advanced for the next
operation of the plunger M with its attendant parts, to continue the production
of the article desired to be made, which, according to our present experience,
we are enabled to make and deliver, with the assistance of a boy to feed or
supply the plate or sheet metal from which the articles are to be cut, at the
rate of about fifty per minute; but in some cases we purpose using a self-
acting feed apparatus, consisting of feed rolls with a ratchet and pall, put in
motion by the wheel W, and so regulated that the metal or other material from
which the article intended to be made is to be cut shall advance sufficiently
at each revolution of the wheel W to produce the article so desired.
Having thus given a general description of our Invention, and the way in
which the same may be generally carried into effect, we wish it understood
that we do not purpose limiting our Invention to the general details as
described and exhibited in the Drawings hereunto annexed, as the same may
be altered and modified without departing from the spirit or essential qualities

page_text: of our Invention, as, for instance, a practical operative acquainted with the
making and working of such appliances, will readily see that by altering the
tools, such as are generally exhibited at Figure 10, and the bed tool in Figure 11
for the cutting out and piercing of bucket ears, that such irregularly-shaped
articles can be made, when properly set by the set screws in bolster J, with
all the facility with which the washers herein described may be made; and
these observations apply generally to other like articles to be cut out, or cut
out, formed, and pierced at one operation, but what we claim and wish to
protect by these our in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the stopping of tubes in the manner herein described, such tubes
being required to have cast parts formed or cast on them, such as the angles
or joints of metallic bedsteads and other like or similar combination, for the
object or purpose herein-before stated.
Secondly, the forming of discs, washers, and other like articles, as herein-
before described, by the appliances, or their equivalents, exhibited at Figures 3,
4, and 5, with their several details, without regard to the position in which
such apparatus are put to work or to the general form or mode of construction,
provided the general arrangement is adhered to.
In witness whereof, we, the said Ferdinand Potts and Richard Cox, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-first day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
ALFRED PERRY,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
FERDINAND POTTS. (L.S.)
RICHARD COX.
(L.S.)