Power hammers are mechanical forging hammers that use an electrical power source or steam to raise the hammer preparatory to striking, and accelerate it onto the work being hammered. They are also called open die power forging hammers. They have been used by blacksmiths, bladesmiths, metalworkers, and manufacturers since the late 1880s, having replaced trip hammers.
A power hammerA blacksmith working with a 50-kilogram (110 lb) power hammer
A water-powered trip hammer, predecessor to the power hammer
A typical power hammer consists of a frame, an anvil, and a reciprocating ram holding a hammer head or die. The workpiece is placed on the lower anvil or die and the head or upper die strikes the workpiece. The power hammer is a direct descendant of the trip hammer, differing in that the power hammer stores potential energy in an arrangement of mechanical linkages and springs, in compressed air, or steam, and by the fact that it accelerates the ram on the downward stroke. This provides more force than simply allowing the weight to fall. Predecessors like trip hammers, steam drop hammers, board or strap hammers, used the power source to raise the ram or hammer head, but let it fall solely under gravity.
Power hammers are rated by weight of moving parts that act directly on the work piece. This includes the weight of the parts that may consist of upper die, ram, mechanical linkage arms and spring(s) or ram, piston, and associated connecting rod(s). Specific design elements are dictated by the power source. The largest power hammer was powered by steam and was rated at 125 short tons (113 t).[1]
Typesedit
Power hammers are generally categorized by their power source.
Steam hammers use steam to drive the hammer. These tended to be the largest models as the great energy of steam was needed to operate them. A locomotive works was one location where such large hammers were needed and the workpieces were sometimes so large it required an overhead crane and several men to position the piece in the hammer, and a man to operate the machine.
These hammers tended to be smaller and were operated by a single man both holding the workpiece and operating the machine. The majority of these mechanical linkage machines were powered by line shaftflat belt systems or later electric motors that rotated a crank on the machine that drove the ram.
Airedit
Air-power hammers use pneumatics to drive the hammer.
Historyedit
Steam and mechanical power hammers were made into the middle of the 20th century in the United States. At the end of the 19th century the mechanical power hammer became popular in smaller blacksmith and repair shops. These machines were typically rated between 25 and 500 pounds (11 and 227 kg) of falling weight. Many may still be seen in use in small manufacturing and artist-blacksmith shops today. In the middle of the 20th century power hammers driven by compressed air began to gain popularity and several manufacturers are currently producing these hammers today.
Referencesedit
^Factory and industrial management, vol. 5, McGraw-Hill, 1893, p. 810.
Further readingedit
Freund, Douglas, Pounding Out The Profits, Mingus Mountain Machine Works, Jerome AZ, 1997 ISBN0-9657652-0-2
External linksedit
Power hammer at the East Broad Top Railroad
February 15, 2024
power, hammer, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, august, 2010. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Power hammer news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Power hammers are mechanical forging hammers that use an electrical power source or steam to raise the hammer preparatory to striking and accelerate it onto the work being hammered They are also called open die power forging hammers They have been used by blacksmiths bladesmiths metalworkers and manufacturers since the late 1880s having replaced trip hammers A power hammerA blacksmith working with a 50 kilogram 110 lb power hammer Contents 1 Design and operation 2 Types 2 1 Steam 2 2 Mechanical 2 3 Air 3 History 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDesign and operation edit nbsp A water powered trip hammer predecessor to the power hammerA typical power hammer consists of a frame an anvil and a reciprocating ram holding a hammer head or die The workpiece is placed on the lower anvil or die and the head or upper die strikes the workpiece The power hammer is a direct descendant of the trip hammer differing in that the power hammer stores potential energy in an arrangement of mechanical linkages and springs in compressed air or steam and by the fact that it accelerates the ram on the downward stroke This provides more force than simply allowing the weight to fall Predecessors like trip hammers steam drop hammers board or strap hammers used the power source to raise the ram or hammer head but let it fall solely under gravity Power hammers are rated by weight of moving parts that act directly on the work piece This includes the weight of the parts that may consist of upper die ram mechanical linkage arms and spring s or ram piston and associated connecting rod s Specific design elements are dictated by the power source The largest power hammer was powered by steam and was rated at 125 short tons 113 t 1 Types editPower hammers are generally categorized by their power source Steam edit Main article Steam hammer Steam hammers use steam to drive the hammer These tended to be the largest models as the great energy of steam was needed to operate them A locomotive works was one location where such large hammers were needed and the workpieces were sometimes so large it required an overhead crane and several men to position the piece in the hammer and a man to operate the machine Mechanical edit source source source source Boat nail production in Hainan ChinaThese hammers tended to be smaller and were operated by a single man both holding the workpiece and operating the machine The majority of these mechanical linkage machines were powered by line shaft flat belt systems or later electric motors that rotated a crank on the machine that drove the ram Air edit Air power hammers use pneumatics to drive the hammer History editSteam and mechanical power hammers were made into the middle of the 20th century in the United States At the end of the 19th century the mechanical power hammer became popular in smaller blacksmith and repair shops These machines were typically rated between 25 and 500 pounds 11 and 227 kg of falling weight Many may still be seen in use in small manufacturing and artist blacksmith shops today In the middle of the 20th century power hammers driven by compressed air began to gain popularity and several manufacturers are currently producing these hammers today References edit Factory and industrial management vol 5 McGraw Hill 1893 p 810 Further reading editFreund Douglas Pounding Out The Profits Mingus Mountain Machine Works Jerome AZ 1997 ISBN 0 9657652 0 2External links editPower hammer at the East Broad Top Railroad Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Power hammer amp oldid 1173370767, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
