Dies, Their Construction And Use For The Modern Working Of Sheet Metals

ON THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND USE OF DIES, PUNCHES, TOOLS, FIXTURES AND DEVICES. Originally published in 1903. PREFACE: The use of the power press for the cheap production of sheet metal parts both large and small has progressed in a truly wonderful manner during the last few years, and, by the adoption and use of suitable dies and fixtures, this modern machine tool has demonstrated its efficiency for turning out work formerly and even now in a large number of shops produced by the milling- machine, the shaper, the drill press and the forge. Especially is this so where the parts required are of flat soft steel or iron and in not only one line of machine manufacturing has the power press been used in this manner, but in every line. The management of the manufacturing establishments in which the power press has been adopted for the production of parts as referred to above, understand and appreciate the full value of dies and in such shops they and the machines in which they are used have become as great factors in production as any of the other tools in general use. The rapidity with which the use and adaptation of dies and press fixtures are becoming understood, the endless variety of articles which they turn.out, and the great numbers of mechanics who are in various ways engaged in devising and constructing such tools, have suggested to the author that a practical, compre- hensive treatise on this subject would be of value and interest to all persons who might be in any way interested in modern sheetmetal working. In writing this book the author has done so with the purpose of giving to practical men a book which would treat these preeminent factors in modern manufacturing Dies as they should man. In be treated and that is, from the viewpoint of a practical the pages following are shown engravings of dies, press fixtures and sheet-metal working devices, from the simplest to the most intricate in modern use, and the author has endeavored to describe their construction and use in a clear, practical manner, so that all grades of metal-working mechanics will be able to understand thoroughly how to design, construct and use them, for the production of the marvelous variety of sheet-metal articles and parts which are now in general use, and form an integral part of our twentieth century civilization. Many of the dies and press fixtures shown and described herein were constructed by the author, others under his supervision while others were constructed by some of our most skillful mechanics and used in some of the largest sheet- metal goods establishments and machine shops in the United States. A number of the tools shown have been selected from over 150 published articles which have been written for the columns of The American Machinist, Machinery and The Age of Steel, under the authors own name and various pen names.