improved machinery for the Manula and Application Clamps for Uniting the Corners of Cardboard and other Boxes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1887.
Complete Left, 15th July, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 16th Aug., 1887.
improved machinery for the Manula and Application
Clamps for Uniting the Corners of Cardboard and other Boxes.
I, HENRY CAMPBELL, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of cardboard and other boxes, the corners of which are united
by angle clamps baving edges formed into claws which enter and clasp the material,
it has been customary, so far as I am aware, to first manufacture the angle clamps in
one set of machinery, and then to apply them to the corners of the boxes in another
machine or apparatus, the entire process involving a number of separate operations
which necessitate a considerable amount of hand labour, and consequent cost. Now
the object of my invention is to produce a machine which shall perform all the
operations of cutting out the angle clamps, bending them into the required shape,
cutting them to length, and applying them when so cut out, bent, and cut to length,
to the corners of the boxes, whereby a very considerable economy, not only of hand
labour, but in the number and cost of machines to perform a specified quantity of
work, will be effected.
My improved machinery is of the following character :-
On a suitable bed plate, I mount a revolving shaft carrying a series of cams,
which I shall hereafter call the cam shaft. At one end of the bed plate, I place a
punching or cutting out device consisting of a suitable fixed bottom matrix, or cutter,
and of a corresponding upper moveable die, or cutter, the latter being operated by a
lever, or other suitable mechanical device, actuated by a cam on the cam shaft.
Next in order on the bedplate, I arrange a series of rollers for the purpose of
bending, and shaping, the clamp strips, and their claws cut out in the above
mentioned device, into the necessary angular forms. Next after these bending
rollers, I arrange a feeding device composed of a pair of gripping jaws adapted to
slide to and fro longitudinally on a guide way on the bedplate. These jaws age
shaped to receive and grasp between them the bent clamp strip, and the upp
jaw is connected to one end of a feeding lever which is capable of oscillating
horizontally to the extent necessary for feeding forward a length of clamp strip, and
vertically to a limited extent sufficient to raise and lower the upper gripping jaw,

page_text: so as to grasp and release the clamp strip between them. The opposite end of this
feeding lever is acted on by a double cam, or by two cams, on the cam shaft, in
such manner that the horizontal feeding and return motions, and the vertical opening
and closing motions, shall be imparted to the jaws at the proper time. The fulcra of
this feed lever are made adjustable so that the necessary traverse may be given to
the feeding jaws to suit the various lengths of angle clamps. After the feed
mechanism is a die through which the bent or shaped clamp strip is pushed by the
feed jaws. This die forms the fixed cutting edge of a pair of shears by which the
clamp strip is cut-off to the required length. The other cutting edge of the shears
is formed on, or secured to, one end of a lever which at the same time serves as a
presser for forcing the angle clamps on to the corners of the boxes. This latter lever,
which may be called the pressing lever, is placed at the end of the bed plate
opposite to that at which the cutting-out devices are placed, and is actuated by an
appropriate cam on the cam shaft. Below the front end of this pressing lever is fixed
an anvil the upper edge of which corresponds to the angle of the hox corner, and
the pressing lever has a groove in its end corresponding to, and fitting over, the edge
of the anvil.
The action of the machinery or apparatus is as follows:-The strip of metal, from
which the angle clamps are to be made, is preferably continuous, and is fed into the
machine through the cutting out mechanism, the bending and shaping rollers, and
into the grasp of the feeding jaws. The cam shaft is now caused to make a
revolution, or so much of a revolution as is necessary to give the requisite motions
to the various parts, and the cutting-out mechanism operates, cutting out from
the strip the spaces between the claws; the feed mechanism is then moved
horizontally a distance equal to the length of a finished angle clamp; this draws the
strip for an equal distance through the bending and shaping rollers whereby the clamp
is bent bodily to its required angular form, and its claws bent under at the proper
angle. The feed cam, or cams, now act to release the jaws from the strip which then
remains stationary, returns them backwards, and causes them to take a fresh grip of
the strip; at the same time the cutting out apparatus acts again upon a fresh part of the
strip, and then the feed jaws draw the strip through another length, and so on.
the feed mechanism draws the finished strip through, it pushes the other end through
the beforementioned cutting-off die, and over the anvil, but in the meantime, an
operative will have inserted the corner of a box between the anvil and the length of
angle clamp projected over it. The presser lever now descends and the shearing
edges cut off the length of angle clamp and presses the cut-off length down on to
the corner of the box on the anvil, forcing the claws into the material of the box in
the usual way.
As
Thus it will be seen that at each stroke or revolution of the cam shaft, five different
operations are performed on four different portions of the strip of metal, that is to
say, firstly, one finished part of the strip comprising an angle clamp is cut off and
applied to a box corner; secondly, another part of the strip comprising a second
angle clamp is fed forward through the cutting off die; thirdly, a third part of the
strip is drawn through the bending and shaping roller; and fourthly, a fourth part of
the strip is cut out to the required shape.
All parts of the machine that require to be altered to suit different sizes or
characters of angle clamps are made interchangeable, or otherwise adjustable, so that
one machine may be made to perform a considerable variety of work.
Rotary, or reciprocating rotary, motion may be imparted to the cam shaft by any
suitable means, such as a treadle operated by the foot, a lever or crank operated by
hand, or otherwise by mechanical power of* any kind.
Dated this Seventeenth day of January 1887.

page_text: Improved Machinery for the Manufacture and Application of Angle
Clamps for Uniting the Corners of Cardboard and other Boxes.
I, HENRY CAMPBELL, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying three sheets of Drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
In the manufacture of cardboard and other boxes, the corners of which are
united by angle clamps having edges formed into claws which enter and clasp the
material, it has been customary, so far as I am aware to first manufacture the angle
clamps in one set of machinery, and then to apply them to the corners of the boxes in
another machine or apparatus, the entire process involving a number of separate
operations which necessitate a considerable amount of hand labour and consequent
cost. Now the object of my invention is to produce machinery capable of performing
all the operations of cutting out the angle clamps, bending them longitudinally into
the required shape, cutting them to length, and applying them, when so cut out, bent,
and cut to length, to the corners of the boxes, whereby a very considerable economy
will be effected not only of hand labour, but in the number and cost of machines to
perform a specified quantity of work.
My improved machinery is illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed, in which
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a front elevation, Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 transverse
sectional elevations on lines 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4,5-5 and 6-6 respectively of
Figures 1 and 2. Similar letters of reference relating to like parts in all the
Figures.
On a bed plate AI mount in suitable bearings, a revolving shaft B carrying a
series of cams, which shaft I shall hereinafter call the cam shaft. At one end of the
bed plate A I place a punching or cutting out device consisting of a suitable fixed
bottom die or cutter of a shape suitable for cutting the edges of a strip of metal
into claws of the desired form as illustrated to a larger scale in Figure 9 for example,
and of a corresponding upper moveable matrix or cutters D D, the latter being
fixed on and operated by a lever E or other suitable mechanical device actuated by
a cam Fon the cam shaft B. In order to prevent the portion of the strip of metal
cut out by these cutters from being retained in and carried up by the inatrix or
cutter D, a stripper bar G is placed in the matrix or cutter D. Two rods G' G' with
shoulders or collars G2 G2 are secured at their lower ends in the said bar G and
passing up through holes in the lever E are guided at their upper ends by a cross
head G³ secured to the said lever. G G are springs bearing against the under
side of the cross head G3 and on the upper side of the collars G2 G² tending always
to press the rods G' G¹ and the stripper bar G downwards so as to force the
strip out of the matrix D and prevent its retention therein.
Next in order on the bed plate A I arrange a series of rollers H, H1, H2, H³ for
the purpose of bending and shaping the strip of metal cut out in the above

page_text: mentioned cutting out device, into the necessary angular forms to serve as clamps.
The rollers Hand H' turn in horizontal bearings in the cap H* as shown clearly in
Figure 4, and the rollers H' and H³ on vertical pins H' and H' respectively as shown
in Figure 5. The pin H' is fixed in a sole plate H, the pin H' in a piece H adapted
to slide on the piece H and both H° and H are secured to the bed plate A by a stud
and nut H passing through slots in the pieces H and H'. By this means the
rollers Hand H³ can be adjusted to or from each other or to and from the centre
line as may be required, the adjusting screw H serving to make the adjustment of
the roller H³ towards the roller H.H is a former or mandril the upper part of
which has the shape the inside of the clamp is intended to have; it is secured in
place between the packing pieces H" by the set screws H₁ (see Figure 4). The
roller H is grooved on its periphery so as to commence the bending longitudinally in
the middle to the required angle of the strip of metal leaving the cutting out devices.
The roller H is grooved in a similar manner but so as to complete the longitudinal
bending of the body of the strip to the required angle. The rollers H2 H3 are
grooved on their peripheries so as to bend the claws at the edges of the strip of
metal inwards to the proper angle, the mandril H0 co-operating with the rollers H,
H', H2 and H to impart the required shape (such as that shown in Figure 10 for
example) to the clamps preparatory to their being applied to the corners of the boxes.!
Next after the above described bending rollers, I arrange on the bed plate A a
feeding device composed of a pair of gripping jaws I1 nounted on a carriage I'
adapted to slide to and fro longitudinally between dovetail guides 13 fixed adjustably
on the bed plate A. These jaws are adapted to receive and grasp between them the
bent metallic clamp strip K. The carriage I' has secured to it a pin I the upper end
of which takes into a sliding bush 1 in a slot in one end of a feeding lever 1® which
is capable of being oscillated horizontally on the fulcrum pin 1', fixed to, or formed.
on, the piece 1, by the cam 110 on the cain shaft B to the extent necessary for feeding
forward a length of clamp strip, and vertically by the rocking of the fulcrum pin I
and the piece 1° on the centre screws 1° to a limited extent, by the cam I", sufficient
to allow the upper gripping jaw I to grasp and release the clamp strip between it
and the lower jaw 1' at the proper times. The stroke of the feed lever I may be
adjusted to give the necessary traverse to the feeding devices to suit the various
lengths of angle clamps by increasing or decreasing the backward stroke of the
lever under the action of the spring I by varying the length of the stop finger I¹³
by its screw adjustment. The jaws I and 1' are steel washers threaded on to the
pin I, and having grooves or recesses cut across them corresponding to the shape,
above and below, of the bent metallic clamp strip K. The lower washer I¹ bears
upon the
upper surface of the carriage 12 and the washer I is pressed upwards against
the underside of the lever I by means of the pins I acted on by the springs 1.
A hole 116 through the pin It allows of the passage through the latter of the metallic
strip K. It will now be understood that when the front end of the feed lever I is
pressed down by the action of the cam I, the washer I is pressed downwards
grasping the metallic strip K between itself and the washer 1', and that when the
front end of the feed lever le is released by the cam I the springs 1 press up
the washer I, releasing the metallic strip K. It will be further understood that
the forward horizontal oscillation of the lever I by the action of the cam 1, while the
washer or jaws II are closed together, acting through the pin 1 causes the
carriage 12, and with it the grasping devices, to slide longitudinally forwards
carrying the metallic strip with it, and that the backward horizontal oscillation of
the lever I effected by the action of the spring I", while the washers or jaws II' are
open, causes the carriage 12, and with it the grasping devices, to slide longitudinally
backwards (without moving the metallic strip) into a position to take a fresh grasp
of the said strip at a new point of its length.
After the feed mechanism is a die L L through which the bent or shaped clamp
strip is pushed by the feed jaws. The lower part L of this die forms the fixed cutting
edge of a pair of shears by which the clamp strip is cut off to the required length
It is shaped to the form of the underside of the bent strip. The upper part Lo

page_text: the die is shaped to fit the upper side of the bent strip and is held down in place,
when a length of strip to form a clamp is being sheared off, by a spring L² acting on
a pin L³ carried by the shearing lever N, and is pressed upwards by springs L'
while the bent strip is being pushed forward so as to give plenty of room for the
passage of the strip through the die.
The other cutting edge L' of the shears is formed on or secured to one side of the
front end of the lever M which lever serves at the same time as a presser for forcing
the angle clamps on to the corners of the boxes. This latter lever M, which may be
called the shearing and pressing lever, is placed at the end of the bed plate A opposite
to that at which the cutting out devices are placed, and is actuated by an appropriate
cam M' on the cam shaft B. Below the front end of the lever M is fixed an anvil N
the upper edge of which corresponds to the angle of the box corner, and the pressing
lever M may in some cases have merely a groove in its end corresponding to and
fitting over the edge of the anvil for the purpose of pressing the clamps into the box
corners, or it may be fitted with the supplementary closing or pressing devices
illustrated in sectional elevation in Figure 7 of the Drawings. These devices consist
as follows:
Two jaws M, each formed of a cylindrical segment, are fitted into a cylindrical
cavity bored in the front end of the lever M. These jaws have each an arm M³
projecting upwards through a slot in the lever M. The segmental jaws M² are held
in place in the cylindrical cavity by keep plates M; M5 are links pin-jointed at one
end to the arms M³ and at the other end to the front end of a lever M which turns
on a fulcrum M7 on the lever M itself; the rear end of the lever M6 is acted upon by
a cam M on the cam shaft B. It will now be understood that when the cam M' has
operated on the lever M so as to lower its front end and thereby effect the cutting off
of a length of clamp strip the jaws M² are also lowered following up the clamp
strip so cut off and the cam M then acts on the lever M so as to press the
front end of the latter downwards, the links M act upon the arms M³ after the
manner of a toggle joint, turning the segmental jaws M² in their cylindrical cavity so
that their lower radial faces turn to a right or any other angle corresponding to that
of the box corner to be operated upon and drive the claws of the clamp into the box
corner as required. When the cam M releases the lever M6 the spring M° returns it
and the jaws M² to their normal positions and when the cam M¹ releases the lever M
the spring M returns it and the jaws M into the position shown in the Drawing.
The action of the machinery or apparatus is as follows:-
The strip of metal, from which the angle clamps are to be made, is preferably
continuous, and is fed into the machine over the lower or fixed die of the cutting out
mechanism, between the bending and shaping rollers, and into the grasp of the
feeding jaws. The cam shaft B is now caused to make a revolution, the cam F
actuates the lever E, the matrix or cutter D is thereby forced down over the die C
cutting out from the strip of metal the spaces between the claws as illustrated in
Figure 9 for example, the feed lever 16 is then oscillated horizontally by the cam surface I
a distance equal to the length of a finished angle clamp, the cam surface 1" having
previously acted on the said lever so as to close the jaw I vertically on to the strip of
metal so as to grasp and hold it firmly between itself and the lower jaw I as before
described; the strip of metal is thereby drawn an equal distance between the bending
and shaping rollers and the former or mandril H whereby the strip of metal is bent
bodily to its required angular form, and its claws bent under at the proper angle as
illustrated in Figure 10 for example. The cam surface " now releases the lever 16
vertically and the upper jaw is released froin the strip of metal which then remains
stationary while the spring draws the rear end of the lever I horizontally so as to
return the feeding jaws backwards ready to take a fresh grip of the strip.
As the feed mechanism draws the cut out and bent strip of metal through, it
pushes the leading end through the cutting off die L L' and over the anvil N, but in
the meantime an operative will have inserted the corner of a box between the
anvil N and the length of angle clamp projected over the latter. The shearing and
pressing lever M is now actuated by the cam M', its front end descends, the shearing

page_text: edges Land L' cut off the length of angle clamp, the bevilled front edge of the shear
L' pushes the cut off angle clamp forward under the jaws M2 and the cam M then
actuates the lever M which causes the segmental jaws M² to turn in their cylindrical
cavity, pressing the claws of the clamp into the box corner and clenching them on
the anvil N. The box corner thus provided with a clamp is then removed from the
anvil N, another corner is placed thereon, the cam shaft again rotated and the same
operations repeated, and so on continuously.
Thus it will be seen that at each revolution of the cam shaft B five different
operations are performed on four different portions of the strip of metal, that is to
say one finished part of the strip comprising an angle clamp is cut off and applied
to a box corner another part of the strip comprising the material for a second angle
clamp is fed forward through the cutting off die; a third part of the strip comprising
the material for a third angle clamp is bent to the required form; and a fourth part
of the strip comprising the material for a fourth angle clamp is cut out to the required
shape.
All parts of the machine that require to be altered to suit different sizes or
characters of angle clamps are preferably made interchangeable, or otherwise
adjustable, so that one machine may be made to perform a considerable variety of
work.
In the machinery above described the cam shaft and its cams have to make a
complete revolution to perform a complete set of operations; it is obvious however
that the cams may be so shaped and the mechanism actuated by them so arranged
that the complete set of operations may be performed by a partial rotation forward
and backward of the cam shaft. Rotary or reciprocating rotary motion may be
imparted to the cam shaft by any suitable means such as a crank handle applied either
direct thereto, or through the medium of toothed gearing, or by means of a treadle
operated by the foot acting through suitable levers, links, gearing and so forth, or
otherwise by mechanical power of any kind.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise arrangements
and details herein before described, and illustrated in the Drawings, as they may be
varied without departing from the nature of my invention; for example, the moveable
cutting out instrument may be carried by a vertically acting slide operated by any
suitable mechanism, instead of being mounted directly on the end of a lever; the
grasping devices of the feeding apparatus may be constructed as hinged jaws operated
by any suitable mechanism; the shearing instrument may be made separate from and
actuated independently of the presser mechanism; and the latter may be arranged
to slide vertically or at any suitable angle over the anvil, and with or without the
segmental closing jaws or their equivalents. Furthermore, the cutting out, bending,
feeding and shearing parts, the cutting out, bending and feeding parts, the bending,
feeding, shearing and pressing parts, the bending, feeding and shearing parts,
the feeding, shearing and pressing parts, or the feeding and hearing parts may be
respectively used in combination without the other parts, the operations corresponding
to the parts omitted being effected by any other suitable means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First The improved machinery for the manufacture and application of angle
clamps for uniting the corners of cardboard and other boxes, consisting of
mechanism for cutting out or shaping the claws on the edges of a strip of metal, for
bending the said strip of metal longitudinally and the claws at the edges thereof
inwards, for feeding or drawing forward the strip of metal a distance equal to the 5
length of a finished angle clamp, for shearing off the angle clamps to length and
for applying the finished angle clamps to the corners of boxes, all arranged,
combined and operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
Second-In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the 5
corners of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for cutting out or shaping the

page_text: claws on the edges of a strip of metal, for bending the said strip of meta-
longitudinally and the claws at the edges thereof inwards, for feeding or drawing
forward the strip of metal a distance equal to the length of a finished angle clamp
and for shearing off the angle clamps to length, all arranged, combined and operating
substantially as herein before described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
Third In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the corners
of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for cutting out or shaping the claws on
the edges of a strip of metal, for bending the said strip longitudinally and the claws
at the edges thereof inwards, and for feeding or drawing forward the strip of
metal, all arranged, combined and operating substantially as herein before described.
Fourth In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the corners
of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for bending or shaping to the desired
form a strip of metal previously cut out with claws on its edges, for feeding or
drawing forward the strip of metal a distance equal to the length of a finished
angle clamp, for shearing off the angle clamps to length and for applying the finished
angle clamps to the corners of boxes, all arranged, combined and operating sub-
stantially as herein before described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fifth In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the corners
of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for bending or shaping a strip of metal
previously cut out with claws on its edges, for feeding or drawing forward the strip of
metal a distance equal to the length of a finished angle clamp, and for shearing off
the angle clamps to length, all arranged, combined and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Sixth-In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the corners
of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for feeding or drawing forward a strip of
metal, previously cut out with claws on its edges and bent or shaped to the desired
form, a distance equal to the length of a finished angle clamp, for shearing off the
angle clamps to length and for applying the finished angle clamps to the corners of
boxes, all arranged, combined and operating substantially as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Seventh In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the corners
of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for feeding or drawing forward a strip of
metal previously cut out with claws on its edges and bent or shaped to the desired
form, a distance equal to the length of a finished angle clamp, and for shearing off
the angle clamps to length, all arranged, combined and operating substantially as
herein before described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Eighth In machinery for the manufacture of angle clamps for uniting the corners
of cardboard and other boxes, mechanism for feeding or drawing forward the strip of
metal, consisting of grasping devices carried by a reciprocating sliding carriage and a
lever operated by suitable cams and springs so as to effect both the reciprocating
motion of the carriage and the closing and opening motions of the grasping jaw, as
herein before described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Ninth In machinery or apparatus for applying angle clamps to the corners of
cardboard and other boxes, the mechanism for, pressing the claws of the clamps into
the corners of the boxes, consisting of a pair of jaws arranged and operating as
herein before described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.