a, is the head of the tilt hammer placed in the end of the lever b, which is mounted on an axle c, turning in proper bearings in the frame work of the machine; d, is the tilt wheel mounted on another axle s, also turning in bearings on the frame work of the machine, and having any required number of projections or tappets upon it for depressing the tail or shorter end of the hammer or tilt lever b.
The tilt wheel d, receives its rotatory motion from the toothed wheel f, mounted upon the same axle, and it takes into geer with a pinion g, upon the main shaft h, which is actuated by a band passed from any first mover to the rigger on its end, or in any other convenient manner. The bed upon which the blank piece of steel bears is marked i. This bed is firmly supported upon masonry placed upon proper sleepers: j, is one of the blank pieces of steel under operation, and is shown secured in the pair of jaws or holding clamps k, mounted on centre pins in the slide l, [fig. 385.]; which slide is held down by a spring and slide beneath, and is moved backwards and forwards in the machine upon the (v) edges m, m, of the frame, by means of the rack n, and its pinion; the latter being mounted upon the axle of the ratchet wheel p, and which ratchet wheel is made to turn at intervals by means of the pall q, upon the end of the lever r, [fig. 385.] This lever is depressed, after every cut has been effected upon the blank by means of the teeth or tappets of the wheel s, coming in contact with the inclined plane t, upon the lever r. The tappet wheel s, is mounted upon the end of the axle e, of the tilt wheel, and consequently revolves with it, and by depressing the lever r, every time that a tooth passes the inclined plane t, the click q, is made to drive the ratchet wheel p, and thereby the advancing movement of the blank is effected after each blow of the tilt hammer.
There is a strong spring u, attached to the upper side of the tilt hammer, its end being confined under an adjustable inclined plane v, mounted in the frame w, which inclined plane can be raised or lowered by its adjusting screws as required, to produce more or less tension of the spring.
A similar spring is placed on the under side of the tilt hammer, to raise and sustain the cutter or tool clear of the bed after every blow, and in conjunction with safety holders or catchers, to counteract any vibration or tendency the spring u, may have to cause the hammer to reiterate the blow.
The end of the lower spring acts on an inclined plane, mounted in the frame w, which has an adjusting screw similar to v, to regulate the tension of the spring.
In case the under spring should raise, that is, return the hammer, with sufficient force or velocity to cause the top spring u, to reiterate the blow, the ends of the safety holders or catchers are made to move under and catch the tail of the lever b, immediately on its being raised by the under springs, which is effected by the following means:—The holders are mounted upon a plate or carriage 1, [fig. 384.], which turns upon a small pin or axle mounted in the ears of a cross bar; the upper ends of the holders are kept inclined towards the tail of the tilt hammer by means of a spring fixed to the cross bar, and which acts upon one end of the plate or carriage 1.
In order that the holders may be removed out of the way of the tail of the hammer b, when the tilt wheel is about to effect a blow, the tooth of the tilt wheel which last acted upon the hammer comes in contact with an inclined plane fixed on the plate or carriage 1, and by depressing that end of the plate, causes the upper ends of the holders to be withdrawn from under the tail of the hammer b. The tilt wheel continuing to revolve, the next tooth advances, and depresses the tail of the hammer, but before it leaves the tail of the hammer, the tooth last in operation will have quitted the inclined plane and allowed the spring to return the holders into their former position. After the tooth has escaped from the tail of b, the hammer will immediately descend and effect the blow or cut on the blank, and as the tail of the hammer rises, it will come in contact with the inclined planes at the upper ends of the holders, and force them backwards; and as soon as the tail of the hammer has passed the top of the holders, the spring will immediately force the holders forward under the tail of the hammer, and prevent the hammer rising again until the next tooth of the tilt wheel is about to depress the end of the hammer, when the same movements of the parts will be repeated, and the machine will continue in operation until a sufficient length of the blank of steel (progressively advanced under the hammer) has been operated upon, when it will be thrown out of geer by the following means:—
Upon the sliding bar 6, there is placed an adjustable stop, against which the foremost end of the slide l l, [fig. 385.] comes in contact, as it is moved forward by the rack n, and its pinion. The sliding bar 6, is connected at its left end to the bent lever 8, the other end of this lever being formed into a forked arm, which embraces a clutch upon the main shaft, and as the slide l continues to advance, it will come in contact with a stop; and when it has brought a sufficient length of the blank pieces of steel under the operation of the cutting tool, the slide l, in its progress, will have moved that stop and the bar 6 forward, and that bar, by means of the bent lever 8, will withdraw the clutch on the main shaft, from locking into the boss of the fly-wheel, and consequently stop the further progress of the machine; the rigger and fly-wheel turning loosely upon the main shaft.
The cut file can now be removed from out of the clamps, and reversed to cut the other side, or another blank piece put in its place; and after throwing back the pall q of the ratchet wheel p, the slide l, and with it the fresh blank may be moved back into the machine by turning the winch handle, on the axle of the ratchet wheel p, the reverse way, which will turn the pinion backwards, and draw back the rack n, without affecting any other parts of the machine; and on moving back the bar 6, by the handle 11, placed on the stop, the clutches will be thrown into geer again, and the machine proceed to cut the next blank.