US428686A - Roofing tongs or seamer - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. S. MEALS.

ROOFING TONGS OR SEAMER.

Iva 428.686. Patented May 27, 1890.

wines/s as 6 7072676502 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. MEALS.

ROOFING TONGS OR SBAMER.

Patented May 27, 1890.

la 5s UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

EZRA S. MEALS, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROOFING TONGS OR SEAMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,686, dated May '27, 1890.

Application filed August 12, 1889- Serial No. 320,471. (No model-l T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EZRA S. MEALS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg. in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Roofing Tongs or Seamers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

1o My invention has for its object to provide a roofers seamer or seaming-tongs which are adapted for turning single or double seams, are convenient for use, may be made at comparatively little cost, and are powerful in action, so that the seams of heavy sheet metals, like zinc or galvanized iron, may be easily turned.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are front and rear side views of my improved seamer with the handles broken away. Figs. 3 and a are end views, partly in section, of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail View to illustrate a modification; and Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are diagrams to illustrate the operation of my device in turning single and double seams.

The body of my improved seamer consists of two members or levers a and I), having a pivotal or jointed connection at c. In use the member or lever a, having the right-angular 3o portion or jaw d, is stationary, and the member or lever I), having the jaw e, is moved relative thereto. The jaw e is formed thin, and is arranged to work edgewise, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thus presenting a narrow 3 5 edge, over which the initial bend is made, said jaw being above the bottom of the jaw d, and being upwardly inclined beneath the seaming or bending bar h when in the operative position shown in Fig. 3, so as to afford a proper 4o resistance to assist the action of the said bending-bar. The jaw d is provided with the adjustable extension leaf or bar f, by changing the positions of which the working height of the said jaw above the flat surface of the 4 5 roof may be varied in turning single or double seams, as will be described presently. I prefer to construct the extension-bar f with a right-angular flange f, fitting in a recess d, and to provide for the vertical adjustment to different working positions of the said bar by means of sleeves or bosses d formed on the jaws (Z, and in which fit pins or studs 9 on the barf, said pins or studs each having two recesses into which the ends of the set-screws g fit, so as to hold said bar securely and accurately in either one of its two working posit-ions.

To the top of the jaw d is hinged or pivoted the seaming or clinching bar 72, which is normally held in the raised inclined position shown by full lines in Fig. 3 by the liftingspring t', attached to said jaw, and to some relatively-stationary part above, as to the projection a of the member a, as herein shown. The seaming-bar h is chamfered off or cut away slightly at one end at h so as to leave an inclined'or partly-turned connection between the turned and unturned parts of metal in seaming, and thus avoidbreaking the sheet metal by too sharp a bend between the said turned and unturned parts, and the said bar h is operated or forced downward in turning a seam by means of the foot-lever is, pivoted at a to the member a, and provided near its fulcrum wit-h a rounded projection or lug k, which engages the upper side of the turningbar h. The foot-lever 7c is also providedwith a second projection (preferably made in the form of a roller-stud, as shown,) which, as the said lever is moved downward, comes in contact with the inner-face of the member [2, and thereby forces said member outward to carry the jaw 6 out of the way of the seamingbar It as the latter descends. The members a and b are to be provided with handles of suitable length and form for convenient use, and in the operation of my device the jaw dis first placed firmly against the higher of two upturned edges m and n (see Fig. 6) of sheet metal to be seamed, the extension-bar f of said jaw being drawn out or depressed, as shown in Fig. 3. The jaw e is then forced by the operator against the jaw d, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, giving the initial bend, Fig. 7, to the single seaming-lip m of the edge 'm. The foot-lever 7G is next depressed, causing its projection 70' to force the seaming-bar downward to the position shown in dotted'lines, Fig. 3, thus clinching the lip m down over the upturned edge 41, as shown in Fig. 8, the jaw e being meanwhile moved outward (just fast enough to be kept clear of the descending seaming-bar) by the roller or projection R which engages the inner face of the member Z), and forces said memberoutward away from the member a, toward which it is held by the operator. The seaming-tongs are then moved along to a new position, and the operations above described are repeated until the single seam has been formed the entire length of the upturned edges on and 72.

To form the double seam or bend, as shown in Fig. 9, the extension-bar f is closed up against the jaw d, as shown in Fig. 4, thus lowering said jaw, so as to bring it in proper position to perform the operations, as above described, on the single seamed edges, Fig.8, to form the double seam or bend. The proximity of the lug or projection It on the lever 70 affords a powerful leverage, and gives such a strong grip of the said lug against the hinged seaming-bar as to enable the double seam to be turned and slightly clinched in heavy sheet metals without any difficulty.

Instead of forming the barf as asliding extension of the jaw (I, said bar may, if desired, be hinged to said jaw, as shown in Fig. 5, in which case said bar can be turned up, as denoted by dotted lines, when it is desired to lower said jaw d to form the double seam.

From the foregoing it willbe apparent that I provide a tool or device for roofers use consisting of few parts and convenient and easy of operation, and by which either single or double seams can be readily turned.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the lever a, having the right-angular jaw (Z, of the lever Z), having a pivotal or jointed connection with said lever a, and provided with jaw 12, the seaming-bar h, hinged or pivoted to said jaw (Z, the spring for lifting said bar, and the footlever 75, having a projection L near its fulcruln to engage said bar and force the same downward, said lever having also a stud or roller k arranged to impinge against the inner face of the said lever Z) to force the said jaw e outward as said bar h descends.

2. The combination, with the lever a, having the right-angular jaw d, provided with an extension-bar, of the lever b, having a pivotal or jointed connection with the said lover a, and provided with the jaw e, theseaming-bar h, hinged or pivoted to said jaw (l, the spring for lifting said bar, and the foot-leverk, having a projection 7o near its fulcrum to engage said bar and force the same downward, said lever having also a stud or roller 7,: arranged to impinge against the inner face of the said lever 19 to force the said jaw e outward as said bar h descends.

In testimony whereof Iaifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' E. S. MEALS.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. SMYsER, A. L. DINTAMAN.

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