Patent GB-189718946-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Machines for Making Horse-shoe Nails.
Inventor: ABBOTT BENJAMIN JUDD
Filed: 1897-08-16
Granted: 1898-03-12
Abstract: 18,946. Abbott, B. J. Aug. 16. Nails, making. Relates to machines for forming horse-shoe nails from a continuous length of wire and of the type where the blank passes head first between a number of pairs of rolls arranged in a vertical line. A device is arranged between one pair of rolls and the next below it for turning the blank axially through 90‹, and a device below all the rolls for turning the blank from a vertical to a horizontal position, so that it may be pushed point first into the heading-dies arranged on an endless chain. In the Figures the various parts are shown adapted for acting on two nail rods simultaneously; that there are two pairs of cutters. each roll has duplicated die grooves, two heads are formed simultaneously, and so on. The parts may similarly be triplicated &c. After passing through three straightening-rolls, of which the central roll is pressed inwards by a weighted bell-crank lever, the rod is fed against the stop B<9>, Fig. 8, and a blank is cut off between the fixed knife B and movable knife B' on the carriage B' deriving its motion from an eccentric and adjustable connecting-rod similar to that shown in Fig. 31 for actuating the heading-dies. A forked spring slide B<6> pushes the blank into the channel c' and tube c'. The blank, being of rectangular section, remains in the tube until the tube is rotated through 90‹, when the blank falls down the tube c' and between the first pair of rolls. The tube c<3> is formed with teeth c<4> by which it is rotated, the first tube by a rack and succeeding tubes, Fig. 16, by a lever pivoted at c<6> and actuated by a cam c<7> on the roller D<1>. The feed channels and tubes c<3> are made in halves so that they may be cleared out. If clogging occurs the outer half is pushed out and stops the machine. The rolls have die grooves D<2> to shape the blank. The rolls are kept accurately together by wedges acting on their bearings. The blank (or the blanks in a duplicated machine as shown) now drop head first into one of a series of radial holes F<1>, Fig. 21, in a die F which receives a step-by-step motion, and when the blank B is horizontal a pusher F<4> with projections F<7> pushes the blank into the heading-dies by means of slides F<3>. A fixed cap F' keeps the slides from moving until they are opposite a gap in the cap through which the projection F' passes. Fig. 31 shows the solid lower heading-dies G, which are linked together to form a chain actuated by sprocket-wheels and drawn across an anvil G<5>. The upper heading-dies G<9>, G<10> are reciprocated by an eccentric G<8> and connecting-rod G'. A rod with projection G<12> bearing on the nail points moves down and forces the nails from the dies. Each blank is preferably struck twice, once by each die G<9>, G<10> in forming the head. Fig. 35 shows the mechanism for actuating the sprocket-wheels G<2>, and through the wheel H<1> the feed-disc F, Fig. 21. The motion of the loose and constantly-rotating wheel H<4> is intermittently communicated to the sleeve H' of the wheel G<2> by a spring pawl H<5>, which is held inoperative except at one point in its revolution by means of a fixed cam H<9>. When the pawl is liberated it engages the ratchet-wheel H<8> fixed to the sleeve H<7>. To ensure accuracy a cam H<15> rotating with the wheel H<4> raises the spring pawl H<14> once in a revolution. At other times the pawl rests in one of a series of notches in the wheel H" on the shaft H<3>. The pawls have rubber bearings to prevent shocks.