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The press illustrated herewith represents one of a series of improved punching presses which have just been put on the market by the Ferracute Machine Co., of Bridgeton, N. J. These presses are especially adapted for cutting, punching, and forming heavy metals in the manufacture of such articles as nuts and washers, hardware, drop forgings, etc. The frame is .cast in the form of a square tubular column, with massive internal ribs, and widening out into a well extended base. The general design is such as to give the most strength and to permit of the most convenient handling of the dies and material. The heavy forged steel crank shaft extends from the front to the back, and is arranged with a special view to making it easy to attach cams for working automatic devices. The front end of the crank pin is arranged with a view to the same purpose. The wide slide bar is of dovetail section, extends up to the shaft, and, having great length of bearing, gives firmness and accuracy in' the working of dies. The gib for the slide bar is clamped fast to a flat face, so that it-cannot work loose, and is provided with a new eccentric adjustment for taking up wear, instead of the usual set screws. A simple and durable automatic clutch is so arranged that the shaft cannot make more than one revolution by one action of the treadle. It consists of a sliding wedge, which causes a pin to enter one of the holes in the steel part of the fly wheel hub. The fly wheel of course runs loose on the shaft, when out of action. There being four holes (or more in the geared presses) on the wheel, the operator never has to wait more than one-fourth of a revolution for the press to start, and the time thus saved is considerable in fast-running presses. This clutch is provided also with a “safety pin” to lock it, allowing' the shaft to be revolved to any position, and the dies adjusted, while the fly wheel is in motion, thus dispensing with the need of a countershaft. The sliding wedge of the clutch is so arranged that it can be made to Stop the shaft at the exact point required, without the use of a friction brake. By means of a treadle lock, operated in either direction with the foot, the treadle can- be fastened dowri for continuous running. The die clamps consist of hook-headed steel bolts, sliding-* in; lolig true holes, which firmly hold the dies without the need of removing nuts, etc. A new spring fly wheel obviates the great difficulty heretofore experienced with automatic clutches, especially in large heavy' presses, due to the inertia of the shaft, pitman, and other parts, which stop when the slide bar reaches the top of the stroke, but which have to be instantaneously thrown into gear when the clutch is tripped. Without this device, the result has been, at each starting of the press, a heavy blow, equal in many cases to that of a sledge upon an anvil This blow not only makes a very unpleasant noise and jar, but rapidly deteriorates the various parts of the wheel, shaft, and clutch which receive the impact. The new spring wheel is furnished with a yielding disk, which starts the shaft gradually, making the press run more easily and quietly, and giving it capacity for a much higher speed, without incurring the evils due to a violent percussion of the parts, and the consequent noise. The shelf shown in cut may be bolted to either side of the press, and the pan can be slid into the opening in the front of the base, to catch the punchings or such articles as drop through the dies. It may also be reversed, and used as an inclined chute to catch work and slide it over to the left of the press. The smallest press in this series will cut an inch round hole in one-eighth inch iron, while the largest will cut the same size hole in one inch iron. They are so arranged that gearing can be added to adapt them to work requiring slow motion and power. The weight of the press illustrated i s 3,000 pounds, and the height from floor to top of fly wheel is 75 inches. It will easfly punch a one inch hole through half inch when complete it can be either electrotyped, stereotyped, used direct, or applied to any purpose for which engraved surfaces are required.
