US45116A - Improved machine for making rivets - Google Patents

Description

GEORGE I3. BRAYTON, OE PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRAYTON RIVET COMPANY.

llVIFROVED MACHINE FOR MAKING HIVIETS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. da, t liti, dated November 15, 18,64.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. BRAY'roN, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful ltivetMachine; and I hereby declare that the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which` Figure lis a plan view of a machine or apparatus constructed in accordance with this my invention Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same 5` and Figs. 3 and 4, sectional elevations on lines a' 00 and y y, respectively, in Fig. l.

This invention relates to a new method of and apparatus for making rivets, having for result the production of a rivet of a peculiar construction, for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted to me on the 26th day of May, 1863.

For the better understanding of the machine, subject of this patent, I shall brieiiy refer to the mode of making rivets which underlies the principle of this invention. The heads and shanks or stems ofthe rivets, which are made of two distinct pieces of metal, are united by forcin g the stem into the head while the latter is at a welding-heat. To effect this under the best condition, the shank is at first but partly penetra-ted into the head-blank and' is held in that position for a short space of time in order to allow the shank end in the head-blank to partake of the temperature of the latter sufficiently to become soft or ductile. The shank is then forced into the head against a finishing-die to the full extent of calculated penetration, the effect of which is the upsetting or spreading of the end of the shank within the head, thus producing a dovetail joint, the strength of which is increased by the shrinking o f the head upon the shank.

'Ihe object of this invention is to produce such rivets by machinery; and it consists, iirst, in a machine operating as described so as to form a rivet by forcing the shank into the head, substantially as described; second, in combining` in one machine thel following elements: First, a mechanism for feeding the wire or rod to a cutter, dividing itinto shanks, and a mechanism for feeding the heads into the machine, as hereinafter described; second, a pair of nippers or grippers seizing the shank and conveying it successively to the head-blank and hammer and theheader; third, a plunger or hammer actuated to insert the shank into the head-blank, and a header to force the shank home into the head against the heading-die; fourth, a means for stripping the header of the nished rivet; third, in the employment of a pair of grippers which receive the shanks, one at a time, and whose motion is such as to present them rst to the plunger or hammer for insertion ot' the shank 'into the head, then convey them to the header,

and then release them, substantially as hereinafter more fully explained; fourth, in the combination of the cutter, severing the wiie or rod as it is fed into the machine, with a gripping-lever mounted upon the cutter-stock, so that the two being actuated by suitable cams move together in their translatory movement, though acting as grippers, as before referred to and hereinafter more fully described; fifth, in the combination of feed-rollers feeding the wire or rod during the intervals of action of the plunger and header, as described, with a cutter and gripping-lever for action together, substantially as and for the purposes set forth; sixth, in combining with a hopper for supplying the machine with rivet-head blanks a carrier so arranged as to seize one head-blank at a time, presenting it to the plunger in position for the insertion of the shank, as set forth 5 seventh, in the combination of a stationary heading die with a movable header, the latter being recessed to inclose the shank while compressing the head-blank; eighth, in the combination, with the header, of a central plunger, movable within said header and arranged to force the shank into the head, substantially as described, ninth, in the means hereinafter described for regulating the stroke of the plunger within the header, according to the length of the shank, and to compensare for wear, substantially as hereinafter set forth 5 tenth, inthe employment, in combination, with the header and central plunger, of a stationary block, or the equivalent thereof, to arrest the plunger during part of its receding motion with the header, for the purpose of electing the finished rivet in the header, hereinafter described, eleventh, in combining with the hammer for setting the shank into the head of the rivet a means for adjusting the same accord ing to the length of the shank and to compensate for wear, substantially as set forth, twelfth, in the friction-mount upon its pivot of the segmental cog-wheel which imparts reciprocating rotary movement to the blankcarrier so as to prevent the breaking of parts of the machinery should they by accident or otherwise become clogged, substantially as set forth.

To enable others to make and use my improved rivet-machine,I shall now proceed to describe in detail its construction and operation; and,referringto the accompanying drawmgs- A is the frame, built entirely of iron, `or of wood strengthened by iron. Upon and within this frame are established the working parts of the machine. At the sides of the frame and in the rear thereof are arranged suitable bearings, B, inclosing the main shaft C, which receives rotary motion from somev prime mover and transmits it to the working parts of the machine. The one end of the shaft is provided with abevel gear-wheel, D, which meshes into a similar wheel, D', fast upon a shaft, E, ruiming along the sides of the frame, upon which shaft are mounted four cams, F, G, H, and I, whose functions will be described more fully hereinafter. At the forward end of the machine, hung in suitable brackets for the purpose provided, are arranged two corrugated leed-rollers, K K', which seize and feed into the machine the wire or rod of which the shanks of the rivets are composed. The movement of these feed rollers is derived from the grooved camwheel F,i11 whose groove works the pin or friction-roller of an upright arm, L, mounted upon a horizontal bar, N, sliding in guides or openings provided in the side brackets, M. To this horizontal bar is jointed a connectingrod, with which is articulated the pawl-lever O, which meshes in with the teeth of a ratchetwheel, P, fast on the end of the shaft of the under feed roller. The revolution of the camwheel F, therefore, causes the sliding bar N to reciprocate, which movement, being transmitted to the lower end of the pawl-lever, causes it to vibrate upon its fulcrum, which is the shaft of the lower feed-roller. The vibratory motion of the pawl lever actuates the ratchet-wheel in but one direction, thus producing intermittent rotary lnotion of the feedrollers, the amount of feed or intermittent rotary motion being calculated according to the length of the shank of the rivet. The cam-wheel G transmits its rotary movement in a similar manner to a horizontal sliding bar, N, which is connected through the intermediary of a pitman with the vertical arm of a horizontal segmental cog-wheel, Q, whose vibratory movement is transmitted to a pinion, B, on the shaft S of the blank-carrier V, giving it a quarter-revolution to each revolution of the main shaft or to each stroke of the machine. f

The rivet-head blanks, which, as before stated, are first heated in a suitable furnace, are placed in a hopper or pipe, T, of a diameter but slightly exceeding that of the headblanks, so that the same may be held within the hopper, piled up one above the other. On the front side the hopper is slotted to allow of the blanks being inserted or taken out of the tube by means of tongs, and the hopper is secured to the machine by means of a plate extending sidewise in such manner that the tube may be held, at a distance equal to or slightly exceeding the depth of a blank, away from the support underneath. Itis in this intermediate space between the hopper andthe supporting-block that the carrier in its motion travels along the cylindrical surface of the block U. The blank-carrier is indented in front, forming a fork, which seizes the lowermost blank in the hopper and carries it forward and down the cylindrical surface of the block into position and in time for the shank to be pressed into the head-blank. As soon as this operation is performed, the blank-carrier recedes into position for another operat-ion. The main shaft C is provided with a cam, W, which actuates the hammer X, which presses the shank of the rivet'into the blank as soon as brought in position by the blankcarrier, as before described. This plunger is composed of two parts, confined within suitable ways and united by means of a right-andleft hand screw or by means ot' an ordinary screw secured in. one portion and loose in the other, but provided with a nut, a, so that by turning the said nut thelength of the plunger may be increased or decreased at pleasure, to compensate for wear or to regulate the distance ofthe block from the face of the hammer, according to the length of the shank.

The header Y is also confined within sliding blocks and receives its reciprocating motion from the main shaft C, with an eccentric portion of which it is connected by means of the link Z. A central hole of a diameter but slightly exceeding that of the shank passes through the header, allowing the stem or shank of the rivet to enter therein while the head is being formed. Vithin the central orifice of the header is arranged a plunger, b, the rear end of which is screw-threaded, carrying a nut, c, which regulates the play of the plunger within the header. A stationary block, d, projecting upwardly from the bed of the header, is provided for the plunger to strike against when the header recedes, thus ejecting the formed rivets from the header. The heading-die e is in the face of the block g, in line with the axis of the header.

The wire rod is fed into the machine by means of the rollers K and K through an oritice terminating in the cylindrical block U. When the requisite amount of wire or rod for one shank is fed through the orifice in the block, the cutter or punch h is'advanced by direct action ofthe cam H and shears oif the piece used for the shank, and simultaneously with this operation the gripper z' is caused, in

conjunction with the cutter, to seize the shank thus out. rlhe two cams G and H are so constructed as to perform these operations of cutting and seizing the shank immediatelyin advance of the head-blank being brought into position. rIhey are further so constructed as to impart to the cutter or punch and the gripper an intermittent motionthat is to say, iirst advance opposite the head-blank on the one side and the hammer on the other side, and remain stationary until the hammer shall have advanced and forcibly inserted the shank of the rivet into the head; then advance again until both the shank andthe head are brought opposite the header and remain stationary until the heading-blow shall have been struck, and then immediately recede to its original position. These motions are all given by the cams, with the exception of the back movements, which are determined by a powerful spring, on.

rIhe operation of thismachine as a whole will be understood from the following: rIhe end of a coil of wire, (if wire be used,) being engaged between the rollers and the hopper, charged with a pile of blanks heated to a forging temperature, the machine is started. Ilotary motion from the main shaft which operates the hammer and header is transmitted to the shaft carrying the cam-wheels and cams which actuate the cutter, blank-carrier, and grippers, in the manner as follows: The wire is iirst fed forward a distance such as that the quantity projecting from the face of the block be equal the length of theintended shank, at the moment the blank-carrier seizes a head-blank and carries it down into position opposite the hammer, while at the same time the cutter is advanced to shear oif the piece of wire, which, by means of the cutter together with the gripper, is seized and carried in front of the ham mer and is held between the blank and the hammer, (its axis corresponding to the center of the blank,) until the hammer shall have given its blow whereby the sh ankis caused to penetrate thehead-blank and be embodied therewith. In the meantime the blank-carrier recedes, clearing the path for the gripper to advance and to convey the now united shank and head-blank to the header. Vhen the rivet is thus brought in position, the head-blank rests on the head-die while the shank faces the orifice in the header. Now, as the header advances to give the iinishing-stroke the rivet-shank becomes engaged in the central orifice of the header, and the grippers release their hold on the rivet and recede to their normal position. The header driving the blank into the concave headingdie will finish the head of the rivet, and at the same time the plunger within the header, but"- ting by means of its nut against the crosspiece m of the header, will force the shank up and into the head, the two thus becoming dovetailed together, as hereinbefore referred to. On receding from the head-die the header carries the finished rivet with it until the rear end of the plunger buts against the stationary block d, whereby the rivet is discharged and dropped into a receiver below. These successive operations are repeated for every rivet.

To provide against breaking of the machine or any parts thereof, if by accident or otherwise a blank should clog the carrier or other part, I mount the segmental cog-wheel upon its shaft by means of a friction device sufficiently powerful to cause the cog-wheel to move with the shaft when the path is clear, but yielding in case anything should obstruct the free working of the carrier. In this Way the principal parts of the machine may continue to operate without danger of breaking.

Having thus fully described my invention, I shall state my claims as follows:

1. A machine operating as described, so as to form a rivet by forcing the shank into the head, substantially as described.

2. The combination in one machine of the following elements: rst, a mechanism for feeding the wire or rod to a cutter dividing it into shanks, and a mechanism for feeding the heads into the machine, as herein described; second, a pair of nippers or grippers seizing the shank and conveying it successively to the head-blank and hammer and the header, as herein described; third, a plunger or hammer actuated to insert the shank into the headblank and a header to force the shank home into the head against the heading-die; fourth, a means for stripping the header of the finished rivet.

3. rEhe employment of a pair of grippers which receive the shanks one at a time and whose motion is such as to present them first to the plunger or hammer for insertion ofthe shank into the head, then conveying them to the header, and then release them, substantially as set forth.

et. The combination of the cutter severing the wire or rod as it is fed into the machine with a gripping-lever mounted upon the cutter-stock so that the two, being actuated by suitable cams, move together in their translatory movement, though acting as grippers, substantially as before described.

5. rlhe combination of feed-rollers feeding the wire or rod during the intervals of action of the plunger and header, as described, with a cutter and gripping-leverfor action together, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of a hopper for supplying the machine with rivet-head blanks with a carrier so arranged as to seize one head-blank at a time, presenting it to the plunger in position for the insertion of the shank, as set forth.

7. The means herein described for regulating tlie stroke of the plunger within the header, according to the length of the shank and to compensate for Wear, substantially as Iu testimony whereof I have signed this SGU EOTL Specification in presence of two witnesses.

8. In combination with the hammer for set- *fing the shank into the head of the rivet, a, GEO- B- BRAYTON.

means for adjusting the same according to vWitnesses:

the length of the shank and to compensa/fe A. POLLOK,

for Wear, substantially as seb forth. JOHN A. TAUBERSGHMLDT.

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