US392662A

US392662A - Machine for cutting i-beams

Info

Publication number: US392662A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1905-11-13

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. M. OARNAHAN.

v MACHINE FOR CUTTING I-BEAMS, CHANNEL BARS, &0.

No. 392,662.; Patented Nov. 18, 1888..

WITNESSES. INVENTOR.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- O. M. CARNAHAN.

MACHINE FORGUTTING I-BEAMS, CHANNEL BARS, &o. No. 392,662. Patented 0v. 13, 1888 WITNESSES INVENTOR.

N, PETERS Fholo-Lilhugrapher. Washingw. ac

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CYRUS M. OARNAHAN, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR CUTTlNG I-BEAMS, CHANNEb-BARS, c.

QPE CIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,662, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed August 16, 1886. Serial No. 211.003.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CYRUS M. OARNAHAN, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Outting I-Beams, Channels, See; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to an improvement in machines for cutting I beams or bars,channelbars, and other metal shapes crosswise, and is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the machine, the knife-block being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the knife-block. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2 z of Fig. 2, showing the moving knife in 0011- nection with the bed knives or dies. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the linear or of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line y y of Fig.-

2. Fig. 6 is a front view of the machine, showing the mechanism for feeding the! beams or bars to the knives. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the feeding mechanism. Fig. Sis a vertical cross-section on the line w w of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-section on the line 12 o of Fig. 7.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each.

I shall first describe the part of the machine which relates especially to the cutting of the I beams or bars, and shall finally describe the feeding mechanism whereby the beams or bars are fed to the cutters.

In the drawings, 2 indicates the rotary main shaft of the machine, on which is a cam, 3, which works in a yoke at the end of arocking lever, 4.

5 is the cutter fixed to the lower end of a head or plunger, 6, which, being connected by a link, 7, with the free end of the rockinglever, is reeiprocated vertically by rotation of the shaft 2. The lever at is pivoted at a, and the cutter-head 6 slides in suitable guideways, 8.

My invention has especial reference to the construction of the cutters, and not to the means for actuating them. It is therefore not restricted to the driving mechanism which I have described. The bed-knives 10 of the machine are preferably two in number, ar-

(No model.)

ranged side by side in a suitable block, 9, and separated sufficiently to afford a slot or space, 12, for the passage of the moving cutter 5. (See the figures on the first sheet of the drawings.) Each bed-knife is preferably madein two parts, 0 and d, Fig. 3, an end view of which, when put together, is approximately the same in outline as a cross-section of the Ibeam to be cut, Fig. 3, since it has a central raised cuttingedge, e, on which the web of the beam rests, and at the sides of this are spaces adapted to receive the flanges of the beam, and the outer sides,h,of these spaces constitute cutting-edges for bracing and cutting the flanges. The parts 0 of the knives are confined in the block 9 by bolts 11, and the parts dare fastened to a movable section, 6, of the block 9 by bolts 12, and by means of the

bolts

11 and 12 the knives 10 are movable laterally toward and away from each other,so as to adjust the width 'of the slot 1) when necessary. The section 6 of the block is connected with the fixed portion thereof by a tongue and groove, as shown in Fig. 5,which allow the movable part carrying the parts (Z of the knives to slide toward and away from the fixed parts 0 of the knives, but prevent it from moving laterally.

The knives are made adjustable for cutting I-beams of different width between the outer sides of the flanges by means of a tapering wedge-key, 14., connecting the sliding section c with the block 9, Figs. 2 and 3, since by moving the key in one direction or the other the knife-sections can be separated or brought together to the desired degree. The purpose of this is to so adjust the distance between the cutting-edges h of the knives that they may be adjusted to fit beams of varying width, and thus to afford at all times a support for the sides thereof. This produces a neatand clean cut, and is especially desirable when the beam to be cut is of large size, because in such beams the variation in width even between the products of similar rolls is often considerable.

The moving cutter 5 is shown in side elevation in Fig. 3. Its thickness is such that it will pass easily through the space 1) between the bed-knives, and near its lower end it has its cutting-edges f tapered or inclined. The inclination of the edges is important and use ful. I have shown a further tapering of the cutting-edges at the base of the tool at g, which produces a point or angle at the middle. This is of value, in that it causes the cutting to commence at a point between the outer lines of the I beam or shape and to extend progressively outward, and thus reduces the strain on the tool.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The parts 0 and d of the knives 10 having been adjusted to accommodate the size of the I- beams to be cut, the beam is placed on the bedknives so as to lie transversely to the slot b, as shown in Figs. 3,4, and 5. The driving mechanism of the maehineis then thrown into gear and the movingknife 5 descends. The point at the base of the knife first begins to cut the middle portion or web of the beam, acting in conjunction with the edges at the top of the raised portion 0 of the bed-knives, and as the knife moves farther the cut in the web is lengthened, until finally the tapering edges f engage the flanges of the bar, and, in conjunction with the cutting-edges it, cut the flanges. The action of the tool is rather like a combined punch and shear than a knife, since it punches and shears out a bit of the beam equal in length to the width of the beam and in thickness equal to the thickness of the cutter 5. This punched piece drops through the slot 1), which, to afford clearance therefor, is preferably flared at the ends by proper shaping of the knives, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is clear that with proper modificationssuch as will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art-the machine may, by changing the configuration of the bed-knives, be adapted to cut channel-bars, angle-iron, T-iron, U-iron, Z-iron, hollow triangular iron,and other irregular shapes, and in cutting T-beams or similar shapes having only a single flange this flange on one side of the beam is the only one which need be braced or supported laterally, and the bed-knife may be shaped accordingly.

I have described it with I beams or bars so as to illustrate the principle of my invention; but I do not limit its scope solely thereto.

In the figures on the second sheet of the drawings I show a device for feeding the beam to the cutter. It comprises a frame or table, 15, the surface of which is constituted by rails which lead up toward the cutting mechanism. Mounted on these rails is a truck, 16, which is moved by an endless chain, 17, passing around a driven wheel, 18. This wheel is driven by a belt, 19,which drives a pulley, 20, mounted loosely on the shaft of the wheel 18, and provided with a clutch, 21, for engaging it with and disengaging it therefrom, so as to drive the wheel and move the truck at the will of the operator. In feeding the beam to the machine the rear end ofit is put upon the truck 16, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and the forward end is rested on a wheel, 22, which is loosely journaled on a vertically-moving lever, 23. This lever is shown in detail in Fig. 9. In feeding the bar the lever is raised so as to elevate the supporting-wheel 22 and to direct the I-beam at an inclination above the level of the bed-knives. The lever 23 is. upheld in this position by means of a swinging leg, 24, which is adapted to rest upon one of the rails of the frame 15 when the lever is lifted, as in Fig. 9. The truck is then set in motion and carries the beam forward. When it reaches the desired position, the truck is stopped and,

the lever 23 is lowered,so as to drop the I-beam upon the bed-knives in the proper position to be cut.

I am aware of the French Letters Patent granted to M. \Vaternau in the year 1866, and do not desire to claim what is therein shown and described.

I claim 1. In a machine for cutting irregular metal beams-such as Ibeams-the combination of the bed-knife having double cutting-edges which receive and support the beam laterally and vertically, and a moving knife, 5, having straight inclined converging cutting-edges g, forcutting the web or middle portion of the beam, and inclined lateral cuttingedges f, which cut the outer portions or flanges of the beannsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In an apparatus for cutting irregular metal shapes, a bed-knife having double cutting-edges whose supportingsurface isshaped to conform to the outline in cross-section of the shape to be cut to receive and support the same laterally and vertically, said bed-knife being made of transversely adjustable parts, substantially as and for the 'purposes described.

3. The combination of the adjacent bedknives 10, separated to afford an intervening slot or space, b, but movable and adjustable toward and from each other, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination,with a machine for cutting metal beams, of a truck for feeding the beam to the cutters, and an endless chain for moving the truck, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combinatiomwith a machine for cut ting metal beams, of a movable truck supporting an end of the beam, and a vertically-movable wheel supporting the other cnd thereof, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I havehcreunto set my hand this 10th day of August, A. D. 1886.

CYRUS M. CARNAIIAN. Witnesses:

THOMAS 1V. BAKEWELL, H. L. CASTLE.