The Engineer. 9th May, 1890. Platt’s Bolt and Rivet Forging Machine.

The above engraving illustrates a double bolt and rivet forging machine, made by Mr. S. Platt, Wednesbury. These machines are simple in construction and the tools not expensive. The bottom tool, or die, is of cast iron, and only requires drilling out for the different sizes of bolts to be made. The top tool, or snap, is of wrought iron faced with steel. The flywheel is held on a taper-turned cone on the shaft, so that the flywheel will slip in case of the stoppage of the machine by any greater pressure than is ordinarily required. The machine will make at one blow, either snap, cheese, square, or hexagon head bolts or rivets, so that these kinds the machine can be worked on all four dies of the two ends at once.

The two sets of dies at either end of the machine may be used for making bolts with square necks, which obviates reheating or taking the bolts to the other end of the machine, the bolt being upset in one die and then removed to and finished in the other. This is only when the square neck is required. The machine will make bolts up to 16inches long. The saddles carrying the bottom tools slide on planed steel plates let into the table of the machine, so that they can be easily replaced when worn.

The Engineer 9th December, 1892. Draw Benches

We illustrate by the engravings above, two draw benches for the manufacture of cold drawn seamless tubes. The lower bench, in which the stands are all bolted to retaining plates, being for heavy work, is especially strong in all its parts, and all the joints throughout, including the retaining plates and stands, being planed, makes the whole, when bolted together and bolted down to its foundation plates, very rigid and firm, so that the work can be done not only better, but faster than on an inferior bench. The driving wheel being in the centre of the bench instead of on one side allows the workmen to pass to the extreme end of the bench on both sides when drawing tubes, thus utilising the whole length of the bench, and being able to draw on the one side a longer tube than if the wheels were on the outside of the bench. It may also be noted that the driving wheel being in the centre of the bench, the power is more evenly transmitted, and with less strain on the bench and the bearings than when the wheel is on the outside.

The bench has a treble link chain, and both the links and the rivets of the chain are of steel, the links of the chain being drilled and also milled on the ends by tools specially constructed for this purpose. The bodies of the wagons on the bench are also of steel, and are carefully balanced so as to give a minimum of labour to the workmen in catching and releasing the same from the chain. The connecting bars and levers to the throw-out gear are under the bench, and thus clear from the foot of the workmen, and being carried to the die plate on each side enables the workmen to throw out the underground gear, and so stop the bench when necessary.

The stems, mandrils, and dies, as will be seen, are carried by the front end of the bench. The upper bench, with the lattice supports, is intended for lighter work than the preceding bench, and although not planed on the joints is firmly bolted together, and the chain, links, and rivets are of steel, and drilled and machined as in the heavier bench, although not so strong in section and not of treble links. The throwing out levers are carried up to the die-plate on each side of the bench, and the wheel is also in the centre of the bench, as in the heavier one, and either balanced wagons or pliers are made for gripping the tubes, as preferred. These tube drawing benches are made by Mr. S. Platt, of Wednesbury.

The Engineer. 24th November, 1893. Four feet Ingot Boring Machine.

We illustrate above an ingot boring machine designed and made by Mr. Samuel Platt, Wednesbury, for boring the solid ingots from which the cold drawn seamless steel or copper tubes are made, and for boring ingots up to 4ft. in length. The self-centring grips for holding the ingots are tightened on the ingots by screws worked simultaneously by worm wheels and worms, and a band wheel at the back end of the machine. In working the machine there is a fast band traverse of the main spindle for bringing the boring bit up to the ingot before throwing into gear the self acting motion, and by means of special self-acting arrangements the machine can be set to throw out of action the self-acting traversing motion, after having bored any desired length of hole to which the machine may be set, when the boring bit can be run back clear of the ingot by the quick hand traverse. The machine has two speeds in the self-acting traverse to suit different diameters of holes to be bored. If desired the machine can be fitted with geared wheels, and will then bore up to 12in. diameter ingots.

The production of nuts and bolts in large quantities necessitates the employment of a special plant. Such a plant is shown on the stand of Samuel Platt, Limited, Wednesbury. Three of the machines are illustrated herewith. The first, Fig. 39. is a double spindle nut-milling machine for removing the pin or burn from hot forged nuts. The machine has two milling spindles, and is semi-automatic in operation.

The nuts are placed in chuck plates on the revolving tables, which are raised vertically six times per revolution, bringing the nuts under the cutters, and after being operated on they are projected. One operator can, we are informed, feed both plates, and an output of upwards of 20,000 nuts per day of 10 hours is obtainable by a dexterous operator . A wide range of adjustment is provided to suit nuts of varying thickness. These machines are also made with a single spindle.

Fig. 40. represents a horizontal heading and forging machine constructed on the lines of the well known large machine made by the same firm for the rapid production of large quantities of bolts, rivets, spikes, etc. The machine illustrated is specially designed for dealing with the smaller sizes of bolts, etc., and forges a bolt head in two blows, after which the bolt is cut off to length and ejected. It may, however, be used equally well for making bolts or rivets in one blow, in which case the article is forged, cut off from the heated bar, and ejected at each stroke.

In tube machinery Messrs. Platt show a three-way screwing machine, Fig. 41. for screwing wrought iron or malleable iron gas, water, and conduit fittings. The fittings are held by twin grips adjusted by a hand wheel, and are operated on simultaneously by three screw taps. These are withdrawn automatically after each operation. The length of the taps is also regulated by the hand wheel and the guide- screw, which are made according to the pitch of the thread being tapped, and can readily be altered.

The machine is operated from a self-contained countershaft, on which are three pulleys, one for each direction of the spindles and a loose pulley. This shaft communicates motion to a second shaft by spur gearing, and the tapping motion is obtained by bevel gearing on the second shaft.

The reversing motion is effected by means of spur and worm gearing actuating a quadrant plate, quadrant, and clutch with stops to suit the various lengths of fitting. The machine on exhibition at Olympia differs from that shown in our illustration somewhat in that it is mounted on a large cast iron tray. The machines in motion are driven by transmission plant of the firm's own production, and the hangers are equipped with Platt's swivelling self-oiling bearings.