IMPROVEMENTS IN OPERATING HAMMERS AND STAMPS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles John Carr, of Belper, in the County of
Derby, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OPERATING
HAMMERS AND STAMPS."
Sealed the 27th March 1857, and dated the 29th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles John Carr at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th September 1856.
I, CHARLES JOHN CARR, of Belper, in the County of Derby, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OPERATING HAMMERS AND STAMPS," to be as follows:-
The principal improvement consists in operating the hammer, by combining
the herein-after specified modes of using steam power with air cylinders,
springs, or other similar contrivances, so that, while the force of the blow
is regulated by the air-cylinder valves, friction, or other similar means, the
number of blows in a given time is regulated by controlling the speed of
the steam engine, and also in dispensing with the belts and geering usually
required for the purpose. The application of the steam power is made in a
direct manner to raise the hammer by the helve or stem, without the medium
of a fulcrum, or, in other words, to effect a direct lift. In applying it to
hammers using exhausted or compressed air as an agent to obtain a more
effective blow by its reaction, and where a reciprocating motion will answer, the
object is effected by connecting to the end of the hammer rod the rod of

page_text: a piston operating on the same line in a steam cylinder, into which the steam,
regulated in the usual way, is admitted to operate the piston, and to lift
thereby the hammer the requisite distance. Where a rotary motion is desired,
and whether the hammer is aided, as above mentioned, by exhausted or com-
pressed air, or by springs, or other similar contrivances, or, without these, is
worked perpendicularly, the object is effected by connecting the cam shaft
(whose cams act upon the cross head. of the hammer stem) by a rod directly
to the rod of a piston running in a steam cylinder, set. on. or bedded in the
framework supporting the hammer, or on an independent foundation.
Another improvement is in the mode of adjusting the packing rings in the
piston of the steam cylinder, and is applicable to all steam pistons, and so
claimed. Several metallic rings in segments are placed between the under &
upper plates of the piston, and by means of a truncated cone placed behind are
kept pressed up against the surface of the cylinder. The action of this cone is
rendered greater by the increased pressure of the upper plate (removed for the
purpose of placing the rings & cone in position) when replaced upon spiral
springs set within cavities made for the purpose in the cone. These act upon
the cone perpendicularly & maintain the outward pressure.
My next improvement consists in using for the air piston a brass or other
metallic packing ring, so cut in segments that the joints overlapping each
other above and below are air-tight,, maintaining a uniform outward pressure
by cork or other elastic substance at the back, and made to fit a groove
around the periphery of the piston.
The fourth consists in preventing the inhaling of the dust of the workshop
into the air cylinder through the regulating valves, by enclosing the same, and
in furnishing clean air through a pipe from external sources.
The fifth is comprised in attaching to the. handle of the valve apparatus
a finger, to indicate upon a dial the position of the valves necessary to effect a
given blow.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 80
by the said Charles John Carr in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th March 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
JOHN CARR, of Belper, in the County of Derby, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 35
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our

page_text: Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the
year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles John Carr, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
John Carr, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Charles John Carr, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OPERATING HAMMERS AND STAMPS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles John Carr, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under or their, or one of their 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 I, the said Charles John Carr, 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, reference being had to the Drawings:-
Figure 1 representing the side view of a mode of attaching the steam engine
to the cam shaft; Figure 2 representing the front view of a similar mode;
Figure 3 representing the mode of packing a steam piston head; Figure 4
representing the mode of packing an air piston head; Figure 5 representing
index and finger. The same letters represent the same parts in all the
Figures, viz. :-
A indicates the framework supporting the hammer; B, the bed; C, the
anvil; D, the hammer and stem a rod; d, the piston head; d, the packing
rings; d, elastic material; E, the sliding frame on which the cross head F
slides; G, G; receives the blow of the cams g, g; H, the cam shaft; H', the
fly wheel; I, the steam piston; 1', the connecting rod; 12, 1%, the packing
rings; I, I, the cone; I', the spiral springs; 18, the upper piston plate;
J, the steam cylinder; K, the sliding frame to guide the steam piston rod;
L, valve box; M, the handle, and m the rod, operating the crank m³ to open
or close the valve admitting air into cylinder O; N, the box to exclude the
dust. from the valve apparatus; n', the index; n", the dial; P, a pipe to
admit pure air; R, eccentric rod giving the valve motion through the shaft U
and the spindle V; W, steam pipe containing throttle valve.
My Invention consists in improvements more. particularly applicable to the:

page_text: mode of operating trip hammers, patented by A. E. L. Bellford, and sealed
April 24, 1855, and other tools of a similar character; and is also applicable
to those operated by any other application of atmospheric action, by springs or
cther device for accumulating power, as well as to those where the weight only
is used.
The principal improvement is in bedding a steam engine in the framework
of the hammer or on an independant foundation, and connecting it through the
mediation of connecting rod and crank directly to the cam shaft in the mode
above mentioned, or other similar means in other modes where a rotary
motion is to be given to the agents for lifting the hammer, &c., substantially
as there described. Under this arrangement the apparatus will be more
simple and compact in construction; the belts and geering, otherwise necessary,
are dispensed with; the hammer is raised by the helve or stem without other
fulcrum than the cams in the mode mentioned; and, while the force of
the blow is regulated by the valves of the air cylinder, or by friction where
springs, &c. are used, the number is governed by controlling the speed
of the steam piston. This is done by one person simultaneously by means of
rods with handles connected to the vales of both steam and air cylinders, or,
when other devices are substituted for the latter, by some similar contrivance
for controlling them.
Another improvement is in the mode of using and operating upon a series of
metallic packing rings on the steam piston head. These are cut into segments
and are placed one upon another between the upper and under plate, so that
the joints overlap each other. The inside of these rings are in contact with a
truncated cone set on the piston shaft; this is kept pressed up against them
by the operation of spiral or other springs resting in the hollow cone and pro-
jecting above it, so that the upper plate shall bear upon them. As this is
screwed down the cone is also forced down, presenting a constantly increasing
radius to press the rings outwards.
My next improvement consists in using for packing the air piston brass or
other metallic rings cut into segments, so that the joints overlapping each
other above and below are air-tight. These are made to fit into or upon
a groove around the periphery of the piston, and are caused to maintain
an outward uniform pressure by cork or other elastic substance at the back.
The fourth consists in. boxing up the air cylinder valve apparatus so as to
exclude therefrom the dust and dirt of the workshop, and by means of a pipe
leading into the box, supplying the necessary air from a purer source.
The fifth improvement is in attaching to the inletting air valve shaft
a finger, which, pointing to a dial properly scaled and marked, shall indicate

page_text: the amount of space opened for the admission of air into the cylinder, and
consequently the force of the blow from the hammer.
Having now described my Invention, and the mode of constructing and
operating the same, what I claim under the above in part recited Letters
Patent is as follows, viz. :-
The application and use of a steam engine in connection with hammers,
stamps, &c., in the mode substantially as described.
The manner of packing steam piston heads, substantially as described.
The mode of packing air piston heads, substantially as described.
The mode of protecting and supplying air to the air cylinder, substantially
as described.
The application of the finger and dial for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I have bereunto set my hand and seal, on this
Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
CHARLES JOHN CARK. (L.S.)