IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS FOR FORGING METALS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MODE OF ACTUATING THE SAME, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1869

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Henry Woodcroft Hammond, of the City of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS FOR FORGING METALS AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MODE OF ACTUATING THE SAME, AND IN THE
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."-A communication from abroad by
Philip Syng Justice, of the City and County of Philadelphia, in the
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
Sealed the 23rd November 1869, and dated the 9th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Woodcroft
Hammond at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 9th June 1869.
I, HENRY WOODCROFT HAMMOND, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAMMERS FOR FORGING METALS AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN THE MODE OF ACTUATING THE SAME, AND IN THE
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," a communication from abroad by Philip

page_text: Syng Justice, of the City and County of Philadelphia, in the State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America, to be as follows:-
The object of the Invention is principally to forge large masses of
metal, though applicable to other
purposes.
The improved hammer is easy of management and is compact and
powerful, excelling in these points and being a substitute for the steam
hammer.
The Invention consists in actuating hammers for forging and for
other purposes where a similar pressure and force is required by means
of explosive materials and in arrangements and mechanism employed
therein.
The mechanism consists of a stationary anvil or block with a secondary
anvil block or ram above it arranged in vertical guides, this secondary
anvil being suspended by a spring formed by air or gases acting in a
cylinder or cylinders upon one or more pistons or rams attached to the
secondary anvil, this mode of suspending the secondary anvil being for
the purpose of lifting it after each blow clear of the article operated
upon. The sustaining gases in the said cylinder or cylinders are part of
those resulting from the explosive materials which pass from the
exploding cylinder to the said sustaining cylinder or cylinders by a pipe
and through the hollow of one piston rod which has a valve in it to
prevent the return of the gases, all excess of pressure in the sustaining
cylinder or cylinders escaping through a loaded safety valve. The
exploding cylinder is formed in the upper end of the secondary anvil
and a piston or ram upon the lower side of the hammer (which can rise
and fall in vertical guides) fits the said exploding cylinder. The upper
side of the hammer has a cylindrical hole in it to fit a piston secured to
the upper parts of the guides for the hammer, this arrangement forming
an air buffer. To the side of the guides for the hammer a vertical bar is
jointed to arms, like a parallel ruler, which bar comes and jams against
the side of the hammer and prevents its descent until removed by a
lever. The explosive material is thrown by the operator into the
exploding cylinder, then the hammer is allowed to descend and the ram
enters the exploding cylinder, this compresses the air therein, at the
same time forces down the secondary anvil, and the heat thus generated
in the air explodes the material, and this augments the descending force
.

page_text: of the secondary anvil to a great extent and forces up the hammer, the
ascent of which is checked and stopped at the upper end of the guides
by the buffer piston which enters the cylinder in the hammer and
compresses the air in it. The jointed bar holds up the hammer until
the next blow is required, and a valve in the buffer piston allows the
air to enter freely in the buffer cylinder when the hammer has to.
descend.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WOODCROFT HAMMOND, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Wood-
croft Hammond, 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 HAMMERS FOR FORGING METALS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,
AND IN THE MODE OF ACTUATING THE SAME, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," (a communication to me from abroad by Philip Syng
Justice, of the City and County of Philadelphia, in the State of Penn-.
sylvania, United States of America,). upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
bo 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 Henry Woodcroft Hammond, do
hereby declare the nature of the 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 Drawings
hereunto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
This Invention relates to improved hammers for forging metals and
other purposes, being easy, of management, compact, and powerful,
excelling in these points and being a substitute for the steam hammer,
and consists in applying the force of gunpowder or other explosive
materials to act in a manner as herein-after shewn.
In order to enable others to use and practise the Invention I describe
its construction and operation, thus on reference to the accompanying
Drawings Fig. 1 represents a front view, and Fig. 2 a side view. Similar
letters having reference to similar parts.
a is an anvil block to which is fastened two guide pillars b, b,
between which pillars the hammer c is secured and guided as well as a
secondary anvil d which is suspended direct over the anvil block a. The
weight of this secondary anvil is supported in two air chambers e, e,
which said air chambers are secured to cross beam f and pillars b.
g, g, are hollow piston rods provided with pistons on their lower ends
fitting into air chambers e, e, said piston rods being secured at the
upper end to cross head of anvil d. The top of anvil d is terminated in
cylinder bored to suit diameter of plunger i on end of hammer, said
cylinder is tapped with a pipe k which allows the gases under pressure
to pass into said pipe and through hollow piston rod connected therewith
into air chamber e, which said hollow piston rod is provided with a check
valve that no gases may return. m is a pipe connecting the air chambers
and serves to equalize the pressure. Conncoted with said pipe m is a
safety valve n which allows the gases to pass out when above a certain
pressure. The stationary anvil a and the moveable anvil d are provided
with the usual forging bit o. p is a piston and rod suspended from

page_text: beams of size to suit bore in top of hammer c; r is a valve covering an
aperture in said piston to allow the piston to be easily withdrawn from
bore of hammer; t is a friction rod secured to pivotted arms u and con-
nected with lever v, said rod bearing against a cast projection on hammer c
in such a manner as to cause sufficient friction to hold the hammer
suspended; x is a spring pressing downward to aid in pushing friction
rod down with sufficient force upon the hammer to secure the same when
caught up wo is a platform for the operator's use, all for the purpose as
herein described.
The hammer is worked thus:-A small cartridge of explosive material
is thrown in cylinder 7 by the operator and the hammer is released by
pressing upon lever allowing it to fall and force its plunger i into
cylinder h, thus causing the material placed therein to explode, which
explosion drives the hammer up again and at the same time forces the
secondary anvil d violently down upon the object to be forged. At every
stroke of the hammer the gases which escape into air chamber through
pipe k cause a sufficient pressure on piston rods g, g, to lift and hold
suspended the weight of secondary anvil d allowing the metal being
forged to be free between each blow. The safety valve n prevents any
increase of pressure above that which is necessary to support said anvil.
The explosive material is ignited by reason of the sudden compression of
the air contained in chamber h. The air cushion formed by piston p
into bore of chamber c prevents any violent blow upon beams on the
up stroke of the hammer. It is calculated that each fall of the hammer
produces a pressure of not less than 16,000 lbs. per every square inch of
area in the plunger, and this pressure is continued for a prolonged period
as compared to ordinary hammering, thus affording the kind of pressure
necessary for the production of homogeneous forgings.
Having now particularly described this Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not wish to confine myself to the exact shape of apparatus; but
what I do claim and desire to secure under the above recited Letters
Patent is,
Firstly. Suspending secondary anvil in the manner and for the purpose
herein described.
Secondly. The employment of explosive materials to operate as a
hammer for forcing and athon numação as not forth

page_text: Thirdly. The employment of friction rods in combination with
hammers for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
HENRY WOODCROFT HAMMOND. (L.S.)