US97046A - Improvement in manufacture op cast-metal dies - Google Patents

Description

linittli tiene @sind dtliliw.'

LUKE CHAPMAN, OF COLLINSVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO `COL-` LINS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 97,046, dated November 23, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFACTURE OF CAST-METAL DIES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent ad making pan of the same To all 'whom it may concern:

In making axes and the like, the iron constituting the bodyof the axe is first made into what are technically termed heads, and sometimes, in similar manutactories, blanks77 These heads are produced by heating bars of iron of the proper dimensions to a bright-red heat, cutting them into proper lengths, and then, by means of dies and punches, working under great pressure, punching the eye for the helve, and making the general shape of the head7 something like the general shape of a finished axe. These heads are afterward subject-ed to various manipulations under trip and hand-hammers, to describe which would be foreign to the purpose of this specication.

In making these heads, the Collins Company have for many years used the machine patented by Elisha K. Root, which patent, I think, has expired. Latterly, they have also used the machine patented by Levi Dodge, on the 12th day of March, 1861, the dies in which are'bf cast-iron.

The improvement made by me is applicable to both these machines, and to other purposes, as described hereafter herein.

Itis necessary to manufacture a large number of different varieties lof axes, and each variety of axe requires its own setof dies. The method of making these cast-irondies heretofore has been to casta blank, and then to work out, by hand, tools, and the like, the face ofthe blank, to tit the surface of the sides of the axe; this, of course, with a great expenditure ot' timev and skill.

I hav'e invented a much simpler process of produc- Iing these cast-iron dies, in the following manner:

Fasten into the press, in the place of the dies, blanks of softlead, which shall be made ou all sides, but the face, the saine as the dies, aud shall fasten into the press in the same manner as the dies. The face of the blanks will be smooth, and the thickness of the blank will be regulated as hereinafter described. Now, introduce between these blanks an axe of the desired pattern, apply the power to the press, and the faces of the lead blanks will be forced into perfect moulds of the snr-A facesof the sides of the axe. The lead blanks are now taken out of the press, the sides trimmed and squared up, and the blanks otherwise fitted for models for casting, and from these models can be cast as many dies as are desired. I thus produce better blanks, at aeheaper rate. v

There is one point in this process which it needs judgment to determine upon, that is,l the depth or thickness ofthe lead blanks from the face to the back before submitting to pressure. The lead blanks should be thick enough to fill the whole surface designed, and as little thicker as possible. A trifle of thickness more or less will not atect the result, so long as there is metal enough. Upon this point no absolute and definite rule can be given, but any person moderately skilled in die-making can easily make a suicient estimate.

This process is applicable to the production of eastmetal dies, in all cases where the press used is strong enough to sustain the somewhat heavy pressure necessary, and when the article to he manufactured capable ofbeiug submitted td such pressure.

Although my process is applicable to a variety of manufactures I will now describe one method of its l application, byreferring to drawings tiled herewith,

and to letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification.

In the drawings- Figure l, let a and a represent the jaws of a press, working togetl'ier-nnder strong pressure,l iinpelled by the arms b and b, which are attached to proper inotive-poner.

ln Figure 2, let c represent a blank of soft lead, ot' which c is the face, and at the back is the iron pin d, which fits into either ofthe holes e.

The whole blank cjust tits into either of the beds g in the jaws of the press. There are two ot' these blanks, one for each of beds y y.

Now,` put the blanks c and c into the beds g g, and insert the axe (Figures 4 and 5) atwise between the blanks, so that both sides shall be covered except the part shown in dotted lines. Then apply the motivepower to the press, and force the jaws together, and the result will be that the axe will sink into the faces of the blanks, and that said faces will be a perfect mould of thesides of the axe.

It will readily be inferred, that in undergoing this pressure, the blanks will be pressed somewhat out of shape 0n the sides. They are now taken out of the press and trued-up, when they are ready to be used as patterns for casting real dies of hard metal, which,

in the case just described, can be used in the press just described for the manufacture of axe-heads.

I am aware that soft gutta-percha has been employed to receive impressions of fern-leaves and other delicate objects, with a view to using such impressions 'or patterns from which to Cast .plates for; printing.

copies of such ferns and other` articles; and-' .n'r also aware' that plaster ot' Paris is in common use fortakfing impressions for the purposes of casting; and, therefor'e,"l d0 not claim, broadly, the method of making patterns for (lios for casting by the use of a soft mitte rial; but

What I claim :is my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The improved method herein describedof Ina-king patterns from which -to mould, in sand, in't-he ordinary way, metal dies to be used for swaging axes; that is to say, obtaining the pattern by compressing two or more pieces of lead around andv upon a.' inished axe, so ns to obtain-thereof the exact' impression of the axe.

LUKE CHAPMAN.

Witnesses:

OLIVER F. PERRY, M. L. W. THoMsoN.

Images