IMPROVEMENTS IN NAIL-MAKING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN NAIL-MAKING MACHINES."-A communication
from abroad by F Davison, of Richmond, in the State of
Virginia, United States of America.
Sealed the 8th March 1870, and dated the 9th October 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th October 1869.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NAIL-MAKING MACHINES," a communication
from abroad by F Davison, of Richmond, in the State of Virginia,
United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain peculiar constructions and arrange-
ments of machinery or apparatus for making nails, and consists according
to one arrangement of a rotatory die having notches made in its

page_text: periphery, into which the cut blanks to form the nails are dropped as
they are cut off the end of the nail plate. This plate is fed into the
machine through a reciprocating tube lined with plaster of Paris, or other
good non-conductor, to prevent undue radiation or loss of heat from the
plate. The cutter and cutter guide are caused to alter their angle at
each cut, so that tapered blanks will be cut off, and the taper will
be reversed at each succeding cut. The feed tube is connected to a
vertical vibrating lever acted upon by a cam in one direction and a
spring in the opposite direction, thus receiving a longitudinal recipro-
cating motion. The cut blanks are held firmly in the rotatory die by
a plunger during the time they were being headed; the heading being
effected on opposite sides of the rotatory die for each succeding nail by
two lateral dies working alternately. The rotatory die receives an inter-
mittent rotatory motion from a pall actuated by a slide and cam.
Cams
are also employed for actuating the plunger & cutter, and for giving
the angular motion to the latter in addition to the vertical or cutting
motion. The completed nails are removed from the notches in the
rotatory die by the action of fixed eccentric curved surfaces situate one
on each side of the said rotatory die.
According to a second modification two rotatory die wheels are used,
the one having notches in its periphery, and the other corresponding
projections which enter the notches and press and hold the nail blanks
during the time of heading the same, which operation is effected by
lateral dies actuated by sliding inclines. The nail plate is inserted into
an upright holder, to which is secured a slotted angular bar, and which
is caused to vibrate on a pivot in order to present the plate at reverse
angles alternately to the action of a horizontal sliding cutter and fixed
cutter. This vibrating motion of the plate holder is effected by means of
two lateral cross arms, each provided with an adjustable guage screw
acted upon alternately by two sliding inclines. As each blank drops on
to the lower die wheel it is passed under a spring, which deposits it in
the next notch of the die wheel. The die wheels are rotated by the
action of a pall and lever worked from the main connecting rod which
actuates the horizontal cutter.
According to a third modification an inclined vibrating feeding box is
employed, from which the nail plates are fed successively. This feeding
box is supported on a vibrating frame, and is provided with antifriction
rollers, against which the nail plates gravitate, and also with roughened

page_text: feed rollers. The plates rest upon an inclined shelf or support in the
feeding box, and several plates are placed in the box at one time to be
successively fed to the cutter. The vibrating frame which carries the
feed box is acted upon at each end alternately by cams, which cause tho
plates to be presented at reverse angles to the action of the cutter, and
thus enable tapered blanks to be cut having the taper in opposite direc-
tions alternately. The feeding box is arranged upon a shifting fulcrum,
so that the lower end of the nail plate is caused to be thrown out from
the centre on the side from which the wide ends are cut. To relieve the
pivot joint of the vibrating bar from the weight of the feeding box a
curved block is interposed for supporting the vibrating bar and the feed
box. A bent forked plate and a slide are arranged relatively to the
cutter, which is recessed on the under side so as to operate as a carrier
and guides for the blanks, which when cut fall on to a spring nipper
guide, the carrier pushing the blank forward between the end guides.
The carrier also delivers the blanks into the notches of a revolving die
wheel, where they are headed, as before described, and discharged by the
same carrier.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,.
my executors, administrators, or 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

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN NAIL-MAKING MACHINES," a communication from abroad-
by F. Davison, of Richmond, in the State of Virginia, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
The said Invention has for its object certain improvements in the
construction and arrangement of cut nail machinery, and relates,―
Firstly. To a peculiar arrangement of rotatory die wheels in com-
bination with a vibrating cutter and plunger, feeding driver, and heading
dies.
Secondly. To an automatic apparatus for feeding nail plates, and to
a novel method of operating the heading dies.
And, thirdly. To an automatic feeding apparatus in which the plates
are fed successively from a box to which a vibrating motion is imparted;
also in an improved arrangement of the vibrating feeding box support,
and in an arrangement of carriers and dies for conveying the blanks from
the cutters to the gripping dies.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I
shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that
purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a sectional elevation of the improved
nail-making machine; Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section of the
same taken along the line 1-2, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional plan

page_text: view taken along the line 3-4, Figure 1. The above Figures relate to
the first part of the Invention.
Figure 4 is a side view of a modification of the above machine;
Figure 5 is a plan view; Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the
machine; Figure 7 is a side view of the feeder; and Figure 8 is an
under side view of the same. The above Figures relate to the second
part of the Invention.
Figure 9 is a front elevation (part of the front plate being removed)
of another modification of the nail-making machine; Figure 10 is a plan
view of the same; Figure 11 is a section taken along the line 5-6,
Figure 9; Figure 12 is a section taken along the line 7-8, (Figure 11)
looking in the direction of the arrow a. The above views relate to the
third part of the Invention.
On reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, which illustrate the first part of
the Invention, A represents the frame; B is the driving shaft turning in
the upper part of the said frame, and provided with six cams C, D, E, F, G,
and H, each of which performs a separate function, as will be presently
shown. In the lower part of the frame there is a rotary die, which
closely resembles a toothed, wheel, the spaces between the teeth being
the dies, and each space corresponding in shape to the desired taper form
of the nails to be cut. J is a plunger arranged to slide vertically in the
frame A, and carrying at its lower end a die arranged to fit between the
teeth of the wheel I, or rather between the bevilled surfaces of the teeth,
as shown in Figure 1, the said die J in its descent holding the nails in
the die wheel. This plunger J is forced downwards by the cam C on the
shaft B, and is raised by a spring K, as shown in Figure 1. L represents
a cutter which severs from a plate the blanks which have to be con-
verted into nails. This cutter is fitted in a box M, and is allowed to
slide freely therein (see Figure 3), and the box M is fitted in a recess
or opening in the frame, the said recess being of sufficient capacity to
admit of the box being slightly vibrated first in one direction and then
in the other, in order that the nail blanks may be of a taper form to
correspond to the desired taper of the nails. The cutter L has a cylin-
drical shank N, which extends upwards through the top of the frame A,
and has two flanges O, O, on its upper end, against which the cam D
alternately acts and imparts the vibrating movement to the box M.
The cutter L has a downward movement imparted to it by the cam E, a
spring P raising the cutter (see Figure 1). Extending through the

page_text: box M is a transverse slot a for the passage of the nail plate Q, the
length of the feed movement of said plate being determined by a lip 6
on the cutter, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. R represents a tube through
which the nail plate or bar is fed to the cutter L. This tube is lined
with a non-conducting material a' (plaster of Paris, for instance) to retain
the heat and prevent the radiation of the same from the nail plate or
bar. The tube R is pivoted in an upright S, the lower end of which is
fitted on a shaft c on which it works freely. One or more springs d are
attached to the outer side of the upright S, and the cam Facts against
the upper end of the upright and moves the same in one direction, the
spring or springs moving it in the opposite direction. T represents an
upright to which a vertical reciprocating movement is imparted by the
cam G, and which has at its lower end a pawl U adapted to the rotary
die I, as shown clearly in Figure 1, the pawl being maintained in contact
with the die by a spring e.
Within the frame at each side of the die I
there is a curved ledge f, the outer edges of which are slightly eccentric
with the die (see Figure 1). These curved ledges serve to discharge the
finished nails from the machine, as will be explained hereafter. At each
side of the frame A there is a horizontal die V, which is actuated by
levers W, W, the latter being operated by the cam H. The dies V are
thrown outward by springs Y, Y, shewn clearly in Figure 2.
OPERATION OF THE MACHINE.
The nail plate Q is properly heated and inserted in tube R, and its
end passed through the slot a in the box M, and brought in contact with
the lip b, which serves as a stop. The cutter L is forced down by the
cam E, and a tapering blank cut off from the plate or bar Q owing to
the oblique position of the box M, as previously explained. The nail
blank drops into one of the spaces between the teeth of the die wheel I,
and is carried around underneath the die J by the elevation of the
upright T by the action of the cam G, and when the nail blank is under-
neath the die J the latter is forced down by the cam C, so that it will
hold the nail blank firmly in the wheel, and the heading die V, which
is opposite the thickest end of the nail blank, is then forced inward by
the action of the cam H, and forms the head on said end of the nail,
and against the side of the wheel I and die J, the nail blanks being of
sufficient length to admit of this result. The die J then rises, and the
wheel I is moved after a succeeding nail has been cut and dropped into
it as before, the nail plate or bar Q being fed beneath the cutter L,

page_text: where the latter is moved upward by the spring P. The heads of
the nails are formed alternately at opposite sides of the wheel I, the
dies V,V, acting alternately as the nail blanks are cut off from the plate
or bar consecutively with a reverse oblique cut. The finished nails
are discharged from the wheel in consequence of the heads and points
catching over the ledges f, the eccentricity of the latter as the wheel
rotates throwing them out from the wheel.
The second part of the Invention relates to an automatic apparatus for
feeding nail plates, and to a novel method of operating the heading dies.
On reference to Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, which illustrate this part of
the Invention, A represents the frame of the machine supported by
suitable legs B, B. The driving shaft a has its bearings in the opposite
sides of the frame, and is provided with a cam wheel C, cog wheels D, D,
and a crank E or a driving pulley. F is a connecting rod, one end of
which is secured to or forms a strap, which surrounds the cam wheel C,
the other end being jointed to a slide G, which is arranged to slide in
guiding flanges b, b, on the inside of the frame. The cutting knife c is
secured horizontally to this slide, so that on turning the driving shaft
the said knife is moved backward and forward. On pins on the outside
of the frame A are cogged wheels H, which gear into the pinions D, D,
above referred to, and which are provided with crank pins d, d, to which
the connecting rods I, I, are attached, said rods being connected to
slides J, J, adapted to guides K, K, on the frame. On the front of the
frame and in front of the cutting knife c is a cross bar L, to the rear side
of which is secured an angular bar e in such a manner as to form a slot
between said bar and cross piece. In the slot thus formed is pivoted
the lower end of a tube, which is furnished with arms N, N, extending
on each side above said angular bar, and provided at their outer ends
with gauge screws f.f. In this tube the plate g from which the nails
are to be cut is inserted, and by its own weight is carried downwards,
thus making it self-feeding. On the rear side of the cross bar L is a
stationary knife h so arranged that the metal plate g in descending will
be parallel and in contact with the said knife and at right angles and
above the moveable knife c, and which has a guide i extending forward
on to the die wheel O on a shaft m; this shaft has its bearings in the
sides of the frame A, and is turned by means of a ratchet wheel P on
the same and spring pawl / attached to the lever Q, this lever being
connected to the rod F by means of the pitman rod R. Above and

page_text: slightly in advance of said die wheel is another counter die wheel S,
which has male dies on its periphery corresponding to the female dies
on the wheel o, and is secured to a shaft n, which has its bearings in
slots on the frame A, and against the adjustable followers T, T, in the
same. Under the cross bar L is a spring 2, which extends forward over
the die wheels O nearly to the point where it meets the counter dic
wheel S. On the upper sides of the slide J bent arms X extend forward,
and when said slides alternately move forward one of these arms strikes
the gauge screw fon the arm N, thus tilting the tube M, thereby giving
a slanting position to the nail plate g, so that when the same is cut off
it has the proper taper for a nail. The plato g falls by its own gravity
on to the guide i; the movable knife c in conjunction with the
stationary knife / cuts it off and carries the severed portion forward
under the spring 1, which latter deposits it in one of the dies on the
wheel O; a die on the wheel S immediately closing in on the same the
blank is held firmly between these dies. In this position the head is
made by the punch Y, which extends through the side of the frame A
into the wing K, where its bevelled end o is struck by the bevelled end
of the slide J, thereby pressing the end of the punch up against the.die
wheels O and S, and thus forming the head of the nail. A small 5
spring p, to which catches in a notch on the end o, returns the punch
to its original position as soon as the slide J moves backwards. A similar
punch Y' is on the other side, so that one nail is made with the head on
one side of the machine and the next on the other. This machine makes
edge pressed nails, and to make side pressed nails it is only necessary to
place the wheel S perpendicularly above the wheel O, when the cutting
knife c will itself deposit the nails in the dies sideways instead of per-
mitting the spring / to deposit them, the pressure of said spring turning
the blanks on edge.
The third part of the Invention relates to an automatic feeding a
apparatus in which the plates are fed successively from a box to which
a vibrating motion is imparted; also in an improved arrangement of the
vibrating feeding box support, and also in an arrangement of carriers
and dies for conveying the blanks from the cutters to the gripping dies.
On reference to Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12, which illustrate this part
of the Invention, A represents the feed box standing in an inclined
position on the vibrating frame B. This box is provided with antifriction
rollers cat the side to which the plates (placed endwise in the box and

page_text: flatwise towards the said rollers) will gravitate, and with feeding
rollers D near the bottom, having grooved or roughened surfaces, and
operated by a ratchet F, which is set into motion by the return move-
ment of the moving die holder G. H represents an inclined shelf in
the said box above the feeding rollers. As many plates as can be
supported endwise on this shelf may be placed in the box at once
sidewise against the rollers c, and the one next the latter will have just
room enough to slide past the lower edge of the shelf H to the feed
rollers, so that as the top of one plate is fed down past the shelf the
lower end of the next succeeding plate will be delivered into the space
below the shelf and follow the preceding plate, and so on as long as the
box is kept supplied and the machine in motion. The said feeding box
is vibrated alternately with the cutting each way from the vertical line
to form tapering blanks by the vibrating frame B, which is operated by
cams I, I, one at each end. The shafts of these cams are driven by
bevel wheels from the driving shaft K, and make one revolution to two
of the latter, one cam having an upward while the other has a downward
throw. It is necessary in order to provide sufficient metal to form the
heads that the wide ends of the blanks should project from the gripping
dies towards the headers to a greater extent than they would if the feeding
box were pivoted upon a fixed fulcrum. To cause the lower end of the
plate to be thrown out from the centre on the side from which the said
wide ends are cut, so that the said blanks will so project from the
grippers, the vibrating bar is arranged upon a shifting fulcrum by
means of a pair of connecting straps swivelled at each end respectively
to the bar and block, so that the lower end of the plate will be thrown
from the perpendicular line of the said pivot joints on the side of the
wide end as much as is due to the relative distances between the two
centres of motion; and to relieve the said pivot joint from the weight of
the feeding box, and the wear which would be caused by supporting said
weight, a curved block M is interposed for the support of the vibrating
bar B and the feed box, the latter being supported on the said bar. The
curvature of this block and that of the curved recess in the bar B fitting
thereon will depend upon the relative position of the said centres of
motion. The improvement in the carrier and guides in this part of the
Invention consists in the arrangement of the bent forked plate M and
slide O relatively to the recessed moving cutter P, spring nipper guide Q,
and guides Q. The said moveable cutter is recessed on the lower side,
as shewn at R, to allow the carrier N space to withdraw behind the

page_text: blank, which falls after being cut on to the spring nipper guide Q, the
carrier then pushing the said blank forward between the end guides Q.
The carrier also delivers the blanks into the grooves or sockets of the
revolving die wheel T and sliding gripper U, where they are headed by
the heading dies V, and discharged by the spring nipper Q, which also 5
acts as a discharger. These grasping and heading dics and the spring
nipper are all similar in their construction and operation to those referred
to under the first and second parts of the said Invention, and will need
no further description.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the 1
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
ör carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. A die wheel I having in its periphery recesses for receiving the
nail blanks in combination with the plunger J or its equivalent for
holding the blanks in the recess while the former are headed.
Second. The combination with the said dio wheel of a vibrating
cutter L, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings annexed.
Third. The application and use of the feed tube Q lined with a
non-conducting material, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by Figures 1 and 3 of the Drawings annexed.
Fourth. The combination of the said feed tube with the spring bar S
and cam F, as herein-before described.
Fifth. The combination of the die wheel I, plunger J, and heading
dies V, as herein-before described.
Sixth. The combination of the plate holder M, slotted angular bar E,
and vibrating arms N, N, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Drawings annexed.
Seventh. The combination of the sliding inclines X, X, adjusting
screws ff, vibrating arms N, N, and angular bar E, substantially as
herein-before described.
Eighth. The combination of the plate holder M, bar E, vibrating
arms N, N, and knives c, substantially as herein-before described.
Ninth. The combination of the die wheel O with the wheel S, as
herein-before described.

page_text: Tenth. The combination of the die wheel O and spring L, as herein-
before described.
Eleventh. The application and use of the inclined and vibrating feed
box A. with its inclined shelf H and rollers C, as herein-before described
and illustrated by Figures 10, 11, and 12 of the Drawings annexed.
Twelfth. The combination of the curved block M, swivelled straps, and
vibrating bar B, as herein-before described.
Thirteenth. The combination of the bent carrier N, recessed die P,
spring nipper Q, and guides Q', as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Eighth day of April
One thousand eight hundred and seventy.