IMPROVEMENTS. IN STEAM HAMMERS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN STEAM
HAMMERS." A communication from abroad by Pliny Bliss Williams and Thomas
Hill, both of Quincy, in the County of Adams, and State of Illinois, United
States of America
Sealed the 7th October 1876, and dated the 16th May 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th May 1876.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM HAMMERS."
This Invention relates to a contrivance of the valves and their operating mecha-
nism, whereby besides reversing the valves and adinitting steam to the piston when
it strikes, the hammer is also made to shut off the steam at any point and hold it
for keeping the hammer up as long as desired, when the exhaust is opened by n
treadle to let the hammer fall.
According to this Invention the steam cylinder is mounted on a bed supported
on the top of standards, between which the hammer slides on suitable ways, the
haminer rod passing up through a stuffing box in the bed into the steam cylinder,
and connecting with the piston therein. Steam enters the cylinder under the
piston through a pipe and suitably arranged passage on the bed, and exhausts
through another passage and pipe, valves being provided in these pipes connected
together by a rod attached to cranks fitted to their axles. This rod is connected
at its centre to a lever which is pivoted to one of the standards, on which lever are
adjustable cams or dogs to be acted on by a stud on the hammer for shifting the
valves, the lower one being to close the exhaust and open the inlet when the
hammer strikes for raising it again, and the upper one being to close both the
inlet and the exhaust to arrest the upward movement of the hammer and hold it
up till the operator is ready for it to drop again. The dogs are adjustable along
the lever at will to enable the valves to be worked by the hammer at any part of
its travel.
To open the exhaust and let the hammer full at the will of the operator the
lover is connected by a bell crank and rod with a treadle, which on being pressed
down by the foot of the operator opens the exhaust. A weighted lever attached
Price Gd.1

page_text: to the axis of the bell crank raises the treadle and throws the lever back. In the
upper part of the cylinder openings are provided to admit air above them for being
cushioned between the piston and the head of the cylinder to prevent the piston
from striking the latter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th November 1876.
WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM HAMMERS." A communication from abroad by
Pliny Bliss Williams and Thomas Hill, both of Quincy, in the County of Adams,
and State of Illinois, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in direct-acting steam hammers for forging
and other purposes, so that the stroke and velocity may be controlled as desired;
and the Invention consists of such an arrangement of valves and their operating
mechanism whereby besides reversing the valves and admitting steam to the
piston the hammer is mado to shut off the steam at any point and hold it for
keeping the hammer up as long as desired, until the exhaust is opened by a foot
treadle to let the hammer fall.
The Invention also comprises a contrivance for an air cushion in the upper part
of the steam cylinder to prevent the piston from striking the cylinder head.
In the accompanying Drawing illustrating this Invention Figure 1 represents a
front elevation of the improved steam hammer. Figure 2 is a vertical central
section of the same; and Figure 3 a side elevation of the steam hammer, with top
of steam cylinder and air valve in section. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding plates in the three Figures.
A represents a steam cylinder, which is mounted on the bed B on the top of the
standards a, between which the hammer slides on suitable ways. L is the hammer
rod, which passes up through a stuffing box in the bed B into cylinder A and
connects with the piston i. Steam enters the cylinder under the piston through
pipe cand the passage in the bed and exhausts through passage d' and pipe c'.
DD is the valve in the live steam pipe c, and D' is the exhaust valve, which valves
are connected together by rod E attached to their axles F. The rod E is connected
at the centre by the rod to the lever 1, which is pivoted to one of the standards a
at g, on which lever are adjustable cams or dogs R, T, to be acted upon by the stud t
on the hammer for shifting the valves, the lower one being designed to close both the
inlet and exhaust to arrest the upward movement of the hammer and hold it up till the
operator is ready to have it drop again. The dogs are adjustable along the lever I
at will to enable the valves to be worked by the hammer at any part of its travel.
To open the exhaust and let the hammer fall at the will of the operator the lever
I is connected at the bell crank U and rod with the foot treadle W, which, by being
pressed down by the foot of the operator, opens the exhaust. The weighted lever
V, attached to the bell crank U, raises the treadle and throws the lever back.
The upper part of the steam cylinder A is provided with air channels or ports P
and a valve P that is connected by a fulcrumed lever to the rod E of the steam
valves and operated in conjunction with the same. When the stud or hammer
strikes the adjustable dog, closing both the valves, it also closes this air valve and
prevents the air above the piston head from escaping so as to formn an air cushion.
When the treadle is depressed so as to open the exhaust steam valve the air valve
also opens, allowing air to be drawn in while the hammer is descending. When
the foot is taken off the treadle the air valve is also open, allowing the air to
escape, and thus form no resistance to the ascent of the hammer until it strikes
the adjustable dog. It will be observed that the valve is always open, except
when the hammer is pressed against the upper dog. The air is admitted through

page_text: the ports to the air chamber at the upper part of the cylinder, and forms in this
manner an air cushion for the piston that is capable of action at any point desired.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to bo protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is-
1st. In a steam drop hammer the combination of valves and valve gear with the
hammer in such a manner that the hammer is inade to open the inlet and close
the exhaust valve when it descends, and to close both valves when it ascends,
holding the hammer suspended substantially as specified.
2nd. The combination of the exhaust and inlet valves connected by rod E and
crank f, with the draw rod h, hand lever I, substantially as described.
3rd. The adjustable dogs R, T, in combination with hammer 2, lever I, draw rod
, cross rod E, cranks f, and valves D, D', substantially as specified.
4th. The combination of air ports P and air valve P at top of steam cylinder,
with fulcrumed lever E', cross rod E, and valves D, D', to provide an air cushion
at any height of the piston, substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
W. CLARK
(LS.)