US236737A - Peitbs - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 sheet -sheet 1.

J. A. TOPLIFP. I Machine for Bending Wood. No. 236,737. Patented Jan. 18, 188i.

l l I I l I I NPETERQ FNOYO-LITHOGRAPHER, WAS:HINGTON 0.

' UNITED STATES AT N FICEQ JOHN A. TOPLIFF, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE ELY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR BENDING WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,737, dated January 18, 1881.

Application filed May 24, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. TOPLIFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and State of Ohio,

have invented a new and useful Machine for Bending Wood, such as the Bows of Carriage- Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of wood-bending machines used for bending bows for carriage-tops, and other analogous purposes.

The object of my improvement is- First, to provide a clamp for the purpose of securing the material to be operated upon 1 firmly to the base of the machine by means of clamping-jaws, which are operated by means of a rack and pinion, so as to firmly impinge upon suitable projections on the sides of the form at its lower edges. When the operation of bending has been performed, said clampingjaws may be readily opened by the operator.

Second, to aflord a ready and convenient means of firmly securing the bent material to the form after being bent, so that it may dry.

2 5 Third, to provide a ready means of simultaneously bending both ends of the material by using segments of screw-wheel gears, which are actuated by means of right and left hand screws, which may be thrown out and into gear, at the pleasure of the operator.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side 5 elevation, having the material to be bent and the form over which it is to be bent clamped in position for operation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, as it appears when the operation of bending has been completed. Fig. 4. is a de- 0 tached end elevation of the bearings which supportthe screw, showing the rack and pinion which are used in elevating and lowering when engaging or disengaging the screws with the worm-gear. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same without the pinion. Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the same without the pinion. Fig. 7

, is a detached end elevation of the clampingjaws engaging the projections on the sides of the form, and also the actuating-pinion. Fig.

8 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig.9isa

(No model.)

perspective view of the device for holding the ends of the material,

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The bed-plate A, the legs B, the extendingbars 0, and braces D constitute the frame of the machine.

E represents an axle on which pulley F is secured. The ends of said axle outside of the bearings G form right and left hand screws.

Bearings G are formed on ways, so that they may be raised or lowered by means of a rack, a, and pinion I), (see Fig. 4,) for the purpose of engaging the screw with the segment of worm-gear wheel H and throwing the same out of gear, when desired.

Pinion b is secured on an axle, c, seen in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 3, and in full lines in Fig. 2. Said axle is so bent as to accommodate pulley F, and at a convenient point on said axle is attached a lever and pedal 0?, upon which the operator places his foot and presses downward when he desires to engage the screws I I with the segments H.

Segments H H are secured on axles J J, 7 which rotate in suitable bearings e c. Said axles J J extend across the bed of the machine, as seen in Fig. 1. To these axles are rigidly secured arms K K, which extend outward as far as is necessary to accommodate the length of material to be bent. On the ends of arms K K are placed sliding blocks L, (see Fig. 1,) which are designed to support and carry the ends of the material forward in process of bending.

M represents the form around which the material is bent, which may be constructed as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Upon the lower edges of this form are secured projections f, each of which is provided with a rib, g. o

NN represent clamping-jaws, which slide in grooves h h. Said grooves and the tongues that fit into them are made dovetailing, so as to prevent the jaws being lifted out of place while in operation. Upon the lower edge of 5 the tongue of sliding jaws N N is a rack, r, into which pinions ii mesh, for the purpose of moving clamping-jaws N N. (See Figs. 7 and 8.) To the axle of said pinion a lever, j, is attached, which serves to actuate said :00

pinions and give them such a part of a revolution as is necessary to impart a slight movement to the rack and jaws. Said pinions i 43, being on the same axle, impart a simultaneous movement to jaws N N. Said movement may be obtained by means of cams, eccentrics, or other equivalent devices. N N represent two stationary jaws, which are placed on the opposite side of the bed-plate, and are also secured in the dovetailed grooves h h. All of said jaws N N N N are provided with a projection, 70, as seen in Fig. 7 which is intended to hook onto projection f on the form M, for the purpose of securing said form in position. Projection 7c is, on its inner edge, so notched as to admit the rib g, as seen in Figs. 1 and 7,

. for the purpose of preventing any side movement of the form.

0 0 represent holders, which are secured to the ends of the flexible metallic strip 1, in common use in machines of this class, for holding the ends of the material while bending. Said holders are made in the form seen in Fig. 9. A cross-bar, m, which projects below the under surface of the holder, serves to strengthen the same, and at the same time form a support or seat for purpose of holding link a in place. Link a (see Figs. 3 and '9) is extended over the top of the form and takes hold of ratchet-teeth 0 on upper edge of form, for the purpose of securing the material in the best position until seasoned.

The operation of my improvements is as follows: First all of the parts of the machine are in the position seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The material to be bent is then placed in position on the metallic strip 1, so as to lie within holders 0 0. These are then laid upon the bed of the machine in the position seen in Fig. 2. The

holders 0 O, resting on blocks L L, and the form M being placed in the position seen in Fig. 2, equidistant from either end, the lever j is raised up until pinions i i, acting on racks r 0", have forced clamping-jaws N N firmly into position, thus firmly securing the form in place. Then the operator presses lever 01 downward, and thus, through the action of pinion and rack a, causes screw-axle E to be elevated until screws I I engage the wormgears H H and impart to them a rotary motion in opposite directions, thus elevating arms K, gradually carrying them up to the desired position seen in Fig. 3. The link a is then hooked over the form into the ratchet-teeth 0, thus securing the material to the form. Then the pedal and lever d are relieved, and the axle E gravitates out of gear to the position seen in Fig. 2. The arms K, now being relieved, return to their original position. Lever j is depressed, so as to relieve the clampingjaws, when the form may be removed.

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The axle E, having on its ends right and left hand screws I I, in combination with gears H H, and arms and appendages, as described, the same being constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

2. The screws II, gears H H, arms K K, combined, the same being constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as specified.

3. The axle E, sliding bearings GG, in combination with the rack a, and pinion b, for operating segments H H and their arms, the same being constructed in the manner and for the purpose substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the bending mechanism described, of sliding jaws n n, jaws n n, projection f, and rib g, on the form, said parts operating between bending levers to hold, form, and work in place, substantially as set forth.

JOHN A. TOPLIFF.

Witnesses:

HEMAN ELY, FRED N. SMITH.

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