US57980A - Improved machine for forming lock-joints in sheet metal - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OE JAOOB sEAw, or HINOKLEY, OHIO.

IMPROVED MACHINE FOR FORMING LOCK-JOINTS IN SHEET METAL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,980, dated September 11, 1866; antcdated September 2, 1866.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB SHAW, of Hinckley, in the county of Medina and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful machine for pressing, closing, or finishing the seams, joints, or locks in vessels and other articles manufactured of sheet metal, which I call a Sheet-Metal-Seam Press 7 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and Operation ofthe same, reference bein g had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 represents alongitudinal elevation of the machine as seen at a side view. Fig. 2 represents it as seen when the front end is toward the observer. Fig. 3 is a plan representing it as seen when a person looks down upon it. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent sections to be described hereinafter.

The plate O is the base, which may be conned to a bench or other fixture by bolts or any other suitable device, thereby securing the machine in such position as may be desired in order that it may be used.

To the plate O the post A is firmly attached, from which the arms B and D project. r1he arm B has a part somewhat thicker than the arm, projecting from it downward nearly at right angles, at the end opposite the post.

A cavity is made across the lower side of the arm inside of the part last described, and another inside of the post A. (See Fig. 1.)

U is a vibrating beam, which has a short convex projection at each end on its upper side, each of which corresponds with and worksin one of the cavities in the arm B.

A conical point projects from the rear end of the beam, and when it is in its place works in a conical cavity in the post A.

A conicalpointed screw, which passes through that part of the arm B which projects downward at its front end, and seen.

near B, Fig. l, enters a conical cavity in the front end of the vibrating beam, securing it in its place, allowing it to vibrate freely, the vibrating beam being reduced at a bevel-angle on the side from which the arm or lever K projects, between the convex projections on its upper side from a line drawn from the end of one conical-pointed screw to the pointed friction on the points of the screws.

A lever, K, projects from the side ot' the vibrating` beam, by which it is Operated when in use. (See Figs. 2 and 6.)

Projections on the lower side of the vibrating beam (and a reduction to a bevel-angle on the side opposite the lever K, parallel with the angle on the side from which the lever projects) similar to those on its upper side, and a cavity cut inside of each projection, near the ends of the beam across its lower side, admit of the connection therewith of the die-plate F, which has a projection near each end similar to those on the upper side of the vibrating beam, which work each in a cavity cut across the lower side of the beam, and is connected with it by a conical-pointed screw, passing through each projection on the lower side of the beam into a conical cavity in the projection on each end of the die-plate, which sustains a similar relation to the vibrating beam as the beam does to the arm B.

The die-plate is made with a lange on its upper side of about the same breadth, including the thickness of the plate, as the thickness ot' the beam C, and a bevel`angle on its upper side similar to that O11 the lower side of the beam, (see K, Fig. 6,) where the bevel is shown onthe flange on the die-plate, and also on the vibrating beam.

The flange on the dieplate, by its connection therewith, forms a rabbet, which admits ot' the attachment of the die E, which has a rabbet formed in it similar to that in the dieplatc, and a groove of proper form and dimensions to correspond with the seam or other form to be pressed, cut longitudinally in` its lower side, (an end view ot' which is shown at E, Figs. 2 and 6,) is attached by means of screws, one of which is represented in Figs. 2 and 6.

Between the projection or flange on the die E, in which. the groove is formed, and the lower side of the die-plate F, the wedge W is placed. If it be driven in toward the rear end the die will advance toward the arm D; if it be partiallywithdrawn it will be at a greater distance from that arm, and by that means may be adjusted to work thicker or thinner sheets of metal, an incline longitudinally, either on the lower vside of the die-plate or upper side of the iiange on the die, insuring its parallelism with the upper surface of the arm D.

The lever K projects nearly at right angles, laterally, from the beam C, of which it forms a part, and to the outward end thereof the connecting-rod G is attached by means of a pivot-joint, as at G, and by a similar joint with the treadle H, which is connected with the base-plate O by means ot its axle and the fixtures l I, as at I, Figs. l and 3, but may be attached to any suitable fixture outside or separate from the other parts ot' the machine, the connecting-rod bein g adapted to such an arrangement.

A strap or loop is attached to the upper side of the treadle in such a manner that when the foot is placed on the treadle a part of the foot will be under the loop 5 and if the spring J, which is placed under the treadle to raise and support it, and also, by means of the iniiexiblc connecting-rod, the lever K and its appendages, is not sufiiciently powerful, the operator may lift it with his foot.

It should be observed that the spring may be applied to any other part of the machine to which it may be applicable.

L is a stirrup, attached by a hin .ge-joint to the part which projects downward from the arm D, and when the stirrup is in position perpendicular to the arms B and D will secure them from fleXure when power is applied to perform the operations required, as the tenori which projects from thc end of the arm D will rest on the inside of the supporting part of the stirrup, as at M, Figs. l and 2.

N is a slotted plate, placed in a dovetailed recess in the front side of the post A, and may be moved by means of a screw passing through a iiange on the plate into the side of the post A, so as to determine at what point on the arm D the die E shall descend when in operation, as the tenon which projects from the end ot the die-p1ate F moves vertically in the slot b, Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is an end view lof the rear end of the vibrating beam G, the die-plate F, the wedge W, a section of the arm D, the die E, one of the screws by which the die E is secured in its place, and a side view of the lever K reversed, showing the parts, relatively to each other, in position as when in the operation of press- 1n g.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the treadle, representing the loop as seen at an end view, with the loop T attached to it.

Fig. 4. is a side view of sections of the front and rear ends of the vibrating 'beam C and the die-plate F, showing the conical point on the rear end ofthe vibrating beam, the conical cavity in the front end of the vibrating beam, andthe manner ot' connecting the vibrating beam with the dielplate, and the conical-pointed screws by which it is effected.

P is a plate attached to the arm D near its rear end to serve as an adjusting gage. lt is represented-as attached to a transverse section of the rear end of the arm D, detached from the post A, and shows its rear end. If two pieces of sheet metal to be locked be held on the arm D, in contact with the front side of the plate P, while being pressed, they will be in line with each other after the operation is performed.

The length of the die E may be varied at pleasure, within the limits of the machine.

All parts of the machine, except the treadle, which should be of wood, may be madeeoi' such kind of metal as the manufacturer may deem best adapted to the purposes for which it is designed.

The several parts of the machine heilig adjusted as described, it' two pieces of sheet metal, or the two ends or sides of one piece, prepared as represented at 7, be placed between the die E andthe arm D, and the treadle be forced in a downward direction, the die will descend on the folded portion of the sheet, closing the parts designed for that purpose, pressing the seam into proper form between the concave surface of the groovev in the die E and the upper surface of the arm D, andthe under or inside ot the sheet or sheets where they are united will be in line on each side of the joint. Reverse the motion of the treadle and the die will be withdrawn, when the united article may be removed, either laterally or, if the article has its two ends united and surrounds the arm in the direction over the front end of the' arm D, the stirrup L will be removed by the motion of the article itself and the power applied to remove it, when the stirrup will return to its former position by its own gravity, or, it' it should fail, may be placed there without delay, when the machine will be in position to repeat the operation.

Having thus described my machine, what l claim as my invent-ion, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. rlhe vibrating beam C, die-plate F, die E, and wedge W, constructed and operating in relation to each other in manner and for purposes substantially as herein specified.

2. The arms B and D, in combination with the stirrup L, adjusting-gage l), and loop T, substantially as and for lthe purposes set fort-h.

JACOB SHAW.

Witnesses LEONARD J. PARKER, HARRIET S. PARKER.

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