IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FORGING, STAMPING, PUNCHING, SHEARING, AND TREATING OR PRESSING METALS INTO SHAPE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Amos Joseph Acaster, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Engineer, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR FORGING, STAMPING, PUNCHING, SHEARING, AND TREATING
OR PRESSING METALS INTO SHAPE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Amos Joseph Acaster at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1880.
AMOS JOSEPH ACASTER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FORGING, STAMPING, PUNCHING, SHEARING,
AND TREATING OR PRESSING METALS INTO SHAPE."
This Invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machinery
or apparatus for forging, stamping, punching, shearing, and otherwise treating or
pressing metals into shape.
My Invention has reference, firstly, to improvements in or connected with the
means of throwing the ram or compressor carrying the punch, upper shear, or other
working tool, into and out of action, without stopping the driving mechanism of
the machine, this part of my Invention being especially applicable where two or
more of such machines are actuated from a common main shaft, though it is also
applicable to single machines.
The improved machine is constructed with a main excentric shaft supported by
suitable bearings, and carrying any desired number of tumblers or compressor rods,
enlarged heads of which descend into recessed rams or slides which reciprocate
vertically between guides carried by the bearings.
The recess formed in each ram or slide is of such a depth as to allow of a full
vertical down stroke of the tumbler or compressor-rod without actuating the ram
or slide when the latter is retained at its highest point by means of its side guides,
and in which position they are always stopped when not in work.
In order to attain the object of this part of my Invention I cause each ram or
slide to carry a horizontal block, which when the tumbler or compressor rod is at
the top of its stroke in the ram or slide, and has carried the latter to its highest
point in its guides, can be pushed, by means of a suitable jointed lever, into
position in the recess, filling or almost filling the space between the bottom of the
tumbler and of the recess, causing the former in its next-stroke-not-to-descend-

page_text: without effect into the recess, as it does when the latter is not filled up by the
said block, but to carry the ram or slide with it, and effect its intended purpose.
By this simple application I am enabled to dispense with the slotted links, swing
blocks, springs, and other usual and cumbersome means which have been heretofore
employed for this purpose, and avoid all the consequent loss by friction.
I prefer to construct the whole machine much higher than usual, that is, I
raise it sufficiently to allow of the workman more clearly seeing the material he is
working upon.
I also provide the main shaft on either or both sides of the excentric of each
tumbler or compressor-rod with other excentrics, depending from which are rods
carrying double-acting wedges which are caused to act either directly or through
the intervention of suitable details capable of altering the direction of their action
upon compressing slides or dies which give a lateral supporting and compressing
pressure upon the material at the time it is being punched or otherwise treated by
the means above described.
By the application of these means I obtain a very powerful lateral pressure, and
a self acting return of the dies or lateral supporting parts, and dispense with the
single acting inclines and detached balance weights, springs, and other parts which
have been hitherto used for effecting these operations.
This last mentioned improvement is especially applicable to machines for forming
the eyes of picks and West India hoes, open and box spring ends, and various
edge tools which are now shaped by hand for the purpose of closing and opening
the dies thereof, before, at, and after being punched.
The main shaft is driven by spur wheels and pinions, on the shaft carrying which
latter, at either or both ends of the machine, I fix a fly-wheel with or without fast
and loose pullies, and drive the same direct from an engine, and when driving by
means of the pulley the momentum of the fly-wheel is of advantage in causing a
quick operation of the punch or other working tool.
A friction or clutch inotion may be applied where the machine is driven direct
to start and stop its action, as is hereinafter referred to with reference to the single
acting machines.
A machine thus constructed enables an operator to fit a ram or slide with shears
to cut up his material into lengths, leaving the remaining slides to be fitted in any
of the usual ways with punches or other working tools to punch, press, or other-
wise operate upon the material whilst still in a highly heated state.
When a yielding blow is required india-rubber or other suitable elastic material
may be adapted to the bed or to the usual punch hole or dovetail at the bottom
of the slide or ram.
My Invention relates, secondly, to the driving mechanism of single punching,
shearing, or other similar machines.
In such machines as at present constructed it is the usual practice to fix a boss
on the horizontal excentric shaft of the punch, shear, or other tool, such boss having
a projecting pin which is acted upon when desired by another pin carried by a
clutch, and passing through the boss of an intervening fly-wheel, the clutch being
operated by a foot-lever.
In lieu of such an arrangement, and in order to simplify the construction and
lessen the number of parts, I attach an exterior clutch or friction motion to the
fly-wheel or to a pulley, or combined fly-wheel and pulley running loose on the
shaft, and thus be able to drive the excentric shaft more directly when geared with
the clutch, which is keyed upon the shaft and is put into and out of gear with the
fly-wheel or pulley so as to throw the shaft into and out of motion by means of a
foot lever, or by a screw motion actuated by a hand-wheel situated at the front of
the machine.
Or I may dispense altogether with such clutch or friction details, and key a fly
wheel or pulley, or combined fly-wheel and pulley, on the rear end of the excentric
shaft, and put the ram or slide into and out of action by the block motion at the
front of the machine as hereinbefore described.

page_text: I also attach a spring or springs to or in connection with the upper part of the
slide, and on the excentric of the horizontal shaft I fit a plain roller or annular
washer, and by these means and by the use of proper packing, as is well under-
stood, I can get any desired stroke, from the smallest to the full stroke, the springs
being adjusted to lift the slide or ram, or bear its weight, and no more, and the
up stroke being regulated by a set-screw situated near the spring.
This motion is especially useful in shearing or nibbling small pieces off the edges
of metal plates.
In such machines which are driven by spur wheels and pinions I attach a clutch
or friction motion to the pinion for stopping and starting the machine, motion being
given to the moving part of the clutch by means of a foot lever or of a hand-wheel
and screw motion, as herein before referred to. These motions may be applied to
such single or double acting machines, whether fixed upon a stand or not.
I may adapt the slide or ram with a tapering recess, and drive it by an excentric
and tumbler working thereinto, and carried by the horizontal excentric shaft, the
block motion being adapted to stop and start the action of the slide or ram carrying
the punch or other working tool.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Amos Joseph Acaster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
September 1880.
AMOS JOSEPH ACASTER, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR FORGING, STAMPING, PUNCHING, SHEARING,
AND TREATING OR PRESSING METALS INTO SHAPE."
This Invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machinery or
apparatus for forging, stamping, punching, shearing, and otherwise treating or
pressing metals into shape.
My Invention has reference, firstly, to improvements in or connected with the
means of throwing the ram or compressor carrying the punch, upper shear, or other
working tool, into and out of action without stopping the driving mechanism of
the machine, this part of my Invention being especially applicable where two or
more of such machines are actuated from a common main shaft, though it is also
applicable to single machines.
My improved machine is constructed with a main excentric shaft supported by
suitable bearings, and carrying any desired number of tumblers or compressor rods,
the enlarged heads of which descend into recessed rams or slides which reciprocate
vertically between guides carried by the bearings.
The recess formed in each ram or slide is of such a depth as to allow of a full
vertical down stroke of the tumbler or compressor rod without actuating the ram
or slide when the latter is retained at its highest point by means of its side guides,
and in which position they are always stopped when not in work.
In order to attain the object of this part of my Invention I cause each ram or
slide to carry a horizontal block worked by a suitable hand lever, which when the
tumbler or compressor rod is at the top of its stroke in the ram or slide, and has
carried the latter to its highest point in its guides, can be pushed, by means of such
hand lever, into position in the recess, thereby filling, or almost filling, the space
between the bottom of the tumbler and of the recess, and so causing the former in
its next stroke not to descend without effect into the recess as it does when the
latter is not filled up by the said block, but to carry the ram or slide with it and
effect its intended purpose.
By this simple application of the horizontal block and the recessed slide or ram
I am enabled dispense with the complicated arrangement of slotted links, swing
blocks, springs, and other usual and cumbersome means which have been
heretofore employed for this purpose, and avoid all the consequent loss by friction.
I prefer to construct the whole machine much higher than usual, that is, I raise it
sufficiently to allow of the workman more clearly seeing the materials he is working
upon. I also provide the main shaft on either or both sides of the excentric of
each tumbler or compressor rod with other excentrics, depending from each of
which are rods carrying double acting wedges, which are caused to act either
directly with the die or dies, or indirectly by means of blocks placed between the
dies and the slide wedges so as to be capable of altering the direction of their action
upon the compressing slides or dies, which give a lateral supporting and com-
pressing pressure upon the material at the time it is being punched or otherwise
treated by the means above described. By the application of these means I obtain
a very powerful lateral pressure and a self acting return of the dies or lateral
supporting parts, and dispense with the single acting inclines and detached
balance weights, springs, and other parts which have been hitherto used for effecting
these operations.
This last mentioned improvement is especially applicable to machines for forming
the eyes of picks and West India hoes, open and box spring ends, and various edge
tools which are now shaped by hand for the purpose of closing and opening the

page_text: dies thereof before, at, and after being punched. The main shaft is driven by
spur wheels and pinions, on the shaft carrying which latter, at either or both ends
of the machine, I fix a fly wheel with or without fast and loose pulleys, and drive
the same direct from an engine, and when driving by means of the pulley the
momentum of the fly wheel is of advantage in causing a quick operation of the
punch or other working tool.
A friction or clutch motion may be applied where the machine is driven direct
to start and stop its action, as is hereinafter referred to with reference to the single
acting machines.
A machine thus constructed enables an operator to fit a ram or slide with shears
to cut up his materials into lengths instead of having to employ a separate machine
for such operation, leaving the remaining slides to be fitted in any of the usual
ways with punches or other working tools to punch, press, or otherwise operate
upon the material whilst still in a highly heated state.
When a yielding blow is required india rubber or other suitable elastic materials
may be adapted to the bed, or the usual punch hole or dovetail at the bottom of
the slide or ram. With regard to this part of my Invention I claim, firstly, the
improved arrangements for throwing the ram or compressor carrying the punch,
upper shear, or other working tool into and out of action without stopping the
driving mechanism of the machine by means of a tumbler working into a recessed
slide having a horizontal block stop motion, and otherwise, as hereinbefore
described.
Secondly. The improved arrangement of double acting wedge, as herein before
described.
Thirdly. The improved combination whereby a pair of shears may be fitted to
one of the slides of the machine, thus rendering it complete in itself and dispensing
with a shearing machine.
My Invention relates, 2ndly, to improvements in the driving mechanism of single
punching, shearing, or other similar machines.
In such machines as at present constructed it is the usual practice to fix a boss
on the horizontal excentric shaft of the punch, shear, or other tool, such boss having
a projecting pin, which is acted upon when desired by another pin carried by a
clutch, and passing through the boss of an intervening flywheel, the clutch being
operated by a foot lever. In lieu of such an arrangement, and in order to simplify
the construction and lessen the number of parts, I attach an exterior clutch or
friction motion to the fly wheel or to a pulley, or a combined fly wheel and pulley
running loose on the shaft, and thus am able to drive the excentric shaft more
directly when geared with the clutch which is keyed upon the shaft, and is put into.
and out of gear with the flywheel or pulley so as to throw the shaft into and out of
motion by means of a foot lever, or by a screw motion actuated by a hand wheel
situated at the front of the machine. Or I may dispense altogether with such
clutch or friction details, and key a fly wheel or pulley, or combined fly wheel and
pulley, on the rear end of the excentric shaft, and put the ram or slide into and
out of action by the block motion at the front of the machine, as herein before
described with reference to the first part of my Invention. I also attach a spring
or springs to or in connection with the upper part of the slide, and on the excentric
of the horizontal shaft I fit a plain roller or angular washer, and by these means
and by the use of proper packing, as is well understood, can get any desired
stroke from the smallest to the full stroke, the springs being adjusted to lift the
slide or ram, or bear its weight and no more, and the up stroke being regulated by
a set screw situated near the spring.
This motion is especially useful in shearing or nibbling small pieces off the edges
of metal plates. In those machines which are driven by spur wheels and pinions
I attach à clutch or friction motion to the pinion for stopping and starting the
machine, motion being given to the moving part of the clutch by means of a foot
lever or of a hand wheel and screw motion, as bereinbefore referred to. These
motions may be applied to such single or double acting machines, whether fixed

page_text: upon a stand or not. Or I may adapt the slide or ram with a tapering recess and
drive it by an excentric and tumbler working into the same, and carried by the
horizontal excentric shaft, the block motion being adapted to stop and start the
action of the slide or ram carrying the punch or other working tool.
With regard to this part of my Invention I claim,―
Firstly. The improvements in the driving mechanism of single punching,
shearing, or other similar machines consisting of an exterior clutch or friction
motion, in combination with a foot lever or hand screw motion, and otherwise, as
herein before described.
Secondly. The combined arrangement of spring, roller, and set screw, for regu- 1
lating the stroke of the machine, as hereinbefore described.
Thirdly. The adapting the slide or ram with a taper recess, and driving it by an
excentric and tumbler working therein, and otherwise, as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Amos Joseph Acaster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the year of our Lord One 1
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
A T ACASALD