AN IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-CUTTING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-CUTTING MACHINES." - A communication.
from abroad by Oscar Mussinan, of New York City, United States
of America.
Sealed the 27th June 1871, and dated the 20th March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th March 1871.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-CUTTING MACHINES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the cutting of nails so that the shank
thereof shall be shouldered or barbed, whereby said nails are prevented
from being withdrawn from the timber after being driven therein, as
herein-after more fully described.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is a front view of the machine,
and Figure 2 a plan of the same.
In Figure 1 A represents the oscillating cutting beam of a nail
machine pivoted in the standards B and operated by the lever or arm C,
Figure 2, said arm being connected by a pitman D to a crank E secured
to the outer end of the shaft F. On said shaft is a cam G, Figure 2,
whereby is operated the gripping lever H for holding the nail while it
is being headed by the header I operated by the lever C, all of which is
or may be constructed and operated in the same manner as this class of
machines in ordinary use. J, Figure 1, is the movable blade or knife
secured in the oscillating beam, a detached view of which is shown in
Figure 3, in which it will be seen that the cutting edge thereof is
serrated for about two-thirds of its width. Said serrations do not extend
through the thickness of the cutting edge, but are notched into the face
of the edge, whereas the basil of the edge remains straight, the purpose
of which will presently be shown. K, Figure 2, is the bed or stationary
cutter secured in the bed K¹. The edge of said cutter is also serrated
in like manner as that of the vibratory cutter J, with the excep-
tion that the serrations extend through the blade, and with which it is
arranged in such relation that the serrations of the one fit into those of
the other when the two edges are brought in proximity to each other
for the purpose of cutting, as shown in Figure 2.
The practical operation of this machine is as follows:-A plate of
metal of the proper width for the length of a nail is fed to the machine
in the ordinary way. Each nail as it is cut is seized by the nippers and
held by the grip for the operation of the header. The nipper referred to
and shown at A¹, Figures 1 and 2, is the same as those in use in the
ordinary nail machines.
It will be obvious that the shank of the nails cut by the above-
described cutters will have a serrated or barbed shank, as shown in
Figure 4, in which it will be seen that the shoulders or barbs of the
serrations are facing the head of the spike, which on being driven into the
timber will effectually prevent it from being withdrawn, as the shoulders
prevent a resistance to the wood embraced by the serrations, hence work
put together by such nails is much stronger and more durable than when
secured together by the ordinary nail, and which may be made at a cost
but little above the ordinary one.

page_text: It will be observed that the opération of this machine is essentially
the same as those in use for cutting the ordinary straight nail; hence
no substantial change will be required to adapt it to cutting the barbed
spike, the form of the edge of the cutters being all that is changed;
hence the ordinary nail machine for cutting straight nails can be easily
converted to one for cutting the above-described barbed spikes. Nails
of this construction will, in many cases, take the place of screws, and
not cost as much.
It will be observed that the barbs of the nail, Figure 4, are alternating
in their relation to each other, so that its strength is not lessened by
being thus made. This alternation of the barbs is made by turning the
plate in the act of feeding it to the machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 15th September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis->
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-CUTTING MACHINES," a communication to me
from abroad by Oscar Mussinan, of New York City, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander

page_text: like manner as that of the vibratory cutter J, with the exception that
the serrations extend through the blade, and with which it is arranged in
such relation that the serrations of the one fit into those of the other
when the two edges are brought into proximity to each other for the
purpose of cutting, as shown in Figure 3.
The practical operation of the machine is as follows:-A plate of
metal of the proper width for the length of a nail is fed to the machine
in the ordinary way. Each nail as it is cut is seized by the nippers and
held by the grip for the operation of the header. The nipper referred to
and shown at A', Figures 1 and 3, is the same as those in use in the
ordinary nail machines.
It will be obvious that the shank of the nails cut by the above-
described cutters will have a serrated or barbed shank, as shown in
Figure 5, in which it will be seen that the shoulders or barbs of the
serrations are facing the head of the spike, which on being driven into
the timber will effectually prevent it from being withdrawn, as the
shoulders prevent a resistance to the wood embraced by the serrations;
hence work put together by such nails is much stronger and more
durable than when secured together by the ordinary nail, and which may
be made at a cost but little above the ordinary one.
It will be observed that the operation of this machine is essentially
the same as those in use for cutting the ordinary straight nail; hence no
substantial change will be required to adapt it to cutting the barbed
spike, the form of the edge of the cutters being all that is changed;
hence the ordinary nail machine for cutting straight nails can be easily
converted to one for cutting the above-described barbed spikes. Nails
of this construction will in many cases take the place of screws and not
cost as much.
It will be observed that the barbs of the nail are alternating in their
relation to each other, so that its strength is not lessened by being thus
made. This alternation of the barbs is made by turning the plate in the
act of feeding it to the machine.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the

page_text: serrated edged cutters J, K, when arranged in relation to each other to
operate in the manner substantially as described, and for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
JAS. O. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)