IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING NAILS
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELISHA
HAYDON COLLIER, late of Boston, in North America, but now of Globe Dock
Factory, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fourteenth day of March, in the second year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the. said Elisha
Haydon Collier, Her especial licence, that I, the said Elisha Haydon Collier,
(therein called Elisha Hoydon Collier,) my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Elisha Haydon Collier, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all Her said
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING NAILS;" in which said Letters Patent is con-
tained a proviso obliging me, the said Elisha Haydon Collier, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Elisha Haydon Collier, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to

page_text: consist, first, in presenting the rod of metal in a particular way to the dies to
be shaped.
Secondly, in so forming the diest hat they may be easily renewed and adjusted,
and that they may make a more perfect side to the shank of the nail, and that
their motion may be more uniform and steady.
Thirdly, in a chap die or apparatus for making nails in a die or dies, herein-
after described.
Fourthly, in a machine or apparatus for forming the head of nails made with
dies or otherwise.
And, fifthly, in the application of water to cool the dies.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Elisha Haydon
Collier, do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention is to
be performed by the following statement thercof, reference being had to the
Drawings annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, Sheet No. 1, represents a plan, Figure 2 an end elevation, and
Figure 3 a back view of a nail making machine. The framework or standards
of the machine are shewn at A, A; B is a driving pulley, having a strap
passed over it from a steam engine or other first mover; C is the driving shaft
mounted in proper bearings in the framework; upon this shaft is fitted the
pinion D, taking into the spur wheel E which gives motion to the dies F, F,
upon the shaft G, also suitably mounted in the framework. Upon the end of
the driving shaft C is also fixed a fly wheel for equalizing the motions of the
machine.
Figure 4 is a representation, upon an enlarged scale, of the face of the
shaping and cutting-off parts of the dies; Figure 5 is a vertical section in
the line a, b, of Figure 4, of a pair of dies complete, shewing the rod of metal
out of which nails are to be made, as it would appear when in course of
operation; Figure 6 represents a face view of two toothed rims or cheeks
firmly connected to the dies, the lower one of which receiving motion from the
wheel E imparts the same to the upper one, thereby working the dies. I prefer
this mode of gearing to that of employing separate wheels for the purpose,
having found it by experience to be much steadier, and consequently to bring
the dies to their work with much greater precision.
Now, in commencing operations upon the manufacture of nails by this
machine, a rod of metal of red heat or other temperature, according to the
material employed, (and in the form shewn in the sectional Figure 5,) is to be

page_text: introduced, as represented at Figures 1 and 2, through the trumpet-mouthed
guides H, H, (a section of one of which is shown at Figure 2¹,) mounted upon
a bed or ledge I securely fixed to the framework. This piece of metal is
presented to the dies so as to present a diamond-shaped end, and being drawn
through the pair of dies or cutters (by the motion which I have described as.
being given to them,) will be shaped and cut off, as exhibited in Figure 4, in
which it will be observed that the form of the steel dies or cutters is such as to
be capable of turning out an entire nail at a single operation: The dies
or cutters are kept cool while at work by a constant stream of water on
the top, and revolving in water. This cooling apparatus will be better
understood on reference to the Drawing, where K is a pipe furnished with
a cock, by which water is supplied to the pipe L, reaching from end to end of
the machine. This pipe L is supported by the standards M, M, at the top of the
framework, and has two cocks N, N, placed immediately over the operating
part of the dies, in order to keep them cool by a constant supply of water.
O is a water trough placed under the dies, in which they revolve; it is pro-
vided with a supply pipe P and waste pipe Q, leading off to any convenient
receptacle, not shewn in the Drawing.
I now come to specify more particularly my improvements as relating to the
construction of the dies, the main object of which improvements is, my being
thereby enabled to replace, with considerable facility, any of the working parts
in case of wear or accident. It will be observed, on inspecting the Drawing
(Figure 5), that the steel shaping and cutting parts a, b, which constitute the
die (and which in the Figure are colored slightly purple,) are in two pieces,
similar in form to circular saw plates, being connected together between the
cheeks c and d, by screw bolts e, e, passed through them; it will be obvious,
then, that should either of the parts a or b require removing, it may be easily
done by unscrewing the connecting bolts e, e, drawing the key, and slipping
them off the shaft, the toothed rims or cheeks d, d, alone being firmly fixed to
the shaft by keys or set screws.
"
Figure 7 (Sheet 2) is a plan or horizontal view of my improved chap die
for making nails, the driving gear being omittted the better to shew these
parts; Figure 8 is a side elevation of the same, shewing the means of driving
the machine, in connection with a steam engine, water wheel, or other first
mover Figure 9 is a partial section, taken through Figure 7 in the line a, b;
and Figure 10 is also a partial section, taken in the line c, d, of the same
Figure. A, A, shews a portion of wood framing, to which the cast-iron bed B
is bolted firmly, as seen in the Figures in the Drawing, Sheet 2. The spring
shears, or, as I call them, chap. dies, C and D, are let into the bed. B, as shewn

page_text: in Figure 12, each having one jaw, as C and D, firmly bolted to it, and the
other C and D moveable on the pivots E, E. On the upright shaft F is fitted
a wheel G, having upon its periphery three bosses, which, pressing against the
side of the moveable jaws or chaps of the shears or dies, cause them to form
and cut off complete nails from the rods of metal as they are fed into the
machine by an attendant; H, H; are two springs fixed to the cast-iron
bed (having antifriction rollers on their ends) for the purpose of opening the
shears or dies when released from the action of the projections or bosses on
the wheel G, and allowing the finished nail to drop out into any convenient
receptacle placed below; I, I, are trumpet-mouthed guides, through which the
rods of metal are to be introduced into the machine; K, K, are wheels fixed
upon the horizontal shaft L, for regulating the supply of only so much metal
at a time as is required for each operation of the dies. These wheels have on
their circumference series of projections, placed at intervals corresponding with
the bosses on the wheel G. These projections have forked ends, which lay
hold of the rods of metal when introduced, and take them forward to be
operated upon by the shears or dies.
Now, in order clearly to describe the action of this machine, I must refer to
the side elevation Figure 8, which represents the train of gearing communi-
cating motion to the machine from any first mover. M is the driving shaft,
having a broad pulley N fixed' upon it, with a strap from the prime mover
passing over one half of the beadth of its edge, and an other passing over
the other half to the pulley O on the horizontal shaft L, thereby giving
motion to this shaft. I have said above that this shaft L carries the wheels
K, K, having series of forked projections upon their circumferences, for the
purpose of taking hold of the rods of metal as they are fed in, and forwarding
them to be acted upon by the shears or dies. Thus far, then, I have shewn
the method of bringing forward the rods of metal out of which nails are to be
formed and cut off. I proceed now to describe the subsequent operations
of the machine. On the driving shaft M is mounted a bevil wheel P, gearing
into another wheel Q upon the upright shaft F, which carries the boss wheel G,
thereby giving motion to it. I must here repeat that the wheel G is furnished
with bosses on its periphery, for the purpose of forcing the moveable jaws of
the shears or dies into contact with the shaping parts of the stationary jaws, in
order to form and cut off the nail. It must also be observed that the bosses
are so placed on the periphery of the cam G as to correspond with the series
of projections on the feeding wheels K, K, each being equal to the length of
metal required for a nail; it becomes then obvious that the boss wheel G and
the feeding wheels K, K, being put in motion at the same speed, just so

page_text: much of the rod of metal as is requisite for the formation of a complete nail
will be taken forward and submitted to the operation of the shears or dies
each time that one of the bosses on the wheel G comes into action upon one or
other of the moveable jaws C, D². It will be seen on inspecting the Drawing
that the moveable jaw D2 has been opened by the spring H, and the complete
nail is now liberated and is ready to fall into any convenient receptacle placed
below.
I will proceed now to describe my machine or apparatus for heading nails
made with dies, or otherwise applicable in cases where it might not be con-
venient to combine this process in the manufacture of nails with the operations"
which precede it. Figure 11, Sheet 3, is an end elevation of a machine for
this purpose; and Figure 12, a vertical section taken transversely through
the middle of Figure 11. A, A, is the ordinary framework or standards of the
machine securely bolted to the floor; B and C are two shafts mounted in
the framework, extending laterally the whole breadth of the machine, the
former of which being used as the driving shaft has the driving pulley D on
one end and the fly-wheel E on the other. On this shaft B is fixed the
revolving disc F, with a row of spur teeth placed at intervals on its periphery
taking into the complete set of teeth on the periphery of the lower disc G.
On the face of the disc F is cast a projecting rim H, having slots in it for the
reception of the rollers 11 to, which act upon the header; the lower disc G has
also a projecting rim J cast upon its face, with conical apertures for the
insertion of the steel dies K1 to 8. L is a spring header on the end of a lever,
whose other end moves upon a centre at M; the spring for removing the header
from contact with the dies when the operation of heading is completed is
shewn at N; P is a stationary roller with a grooved periphery, by coming
in contact with which the dies become tightened previous to their coming
under the operation of the header; and Q is a roller fixed in the framework
against which the dies strike as they revolve, and are driven out a short
distance and become loosened, so that the headed nail may drop out on their
arriving at a vertical position. The operations of the machine are as follow:-
Supposing the relative situations of the parts to be as shewn in Figure 13
when out of action, on motion being given to the revolving disc F on the
driving shaft B in the direction of the arrow, it will be seen from the gearing
that the lower disc G will be taken forward until the pair of dies K' charge.l
with the nail to be headed are brought under the header L, the dies having "
been previously driven inwards and then tightened by coming forcibly against
the periphery of the roller P, by which time the roller I will have advanced
to the position shewn in Figure 11, that is to say, with its periphery bearing
"

page_text: upon the top of the header L. Now, it will be seen on reference to the
Drawing that the driving disc F has at this time presented a space to the
teeth of the lower disc G, consequently that disc carrying the pair of dies K'
stops, and will remain stationary until the operation of heading being com-
pleted the roller l' has quitted the header L, and the latter has by the action
of the spring N assumed the position shewn in Figure 13; the pair of dies
K will then proceed forward until they come in contact with the stationary
roller Q, which will cause them to be loosened and allow the headed nail to
drop out as it proceeds. The complete action of the series of dies K 1 to 8
may; I conceive, be readily understood from what has been said relative to the
progress of the pair of dies K', so that I need only remark, in concluding
the description of this part of my improvements, that the nails or "brads" to
be headed are fed in by an attendant on the left-hand side of the disc G
during the period it remains stationary.
I proceed now in the last place to describe a method of conducting
unheaded nails or "brads" into the heading machine, or in other words, of
connecting the operation of forming the "brad" with the process of heading,
in illustration of which I would refer to the Diagram, Figure 14, Sheet 4,
which is a representation of the working parts without regard to framework
or standards. Having described above the action of the heading machine
(which is exactly the same as the present, excepting that for rollers to effect
the operation of heading I have here substituted a wheel with bosses, to.
neither of which plans, however, do I confine myself), I need not offer any
further explanation than simply to state that the rod of metal being introduced
between guides, as at the left-hand of the Figure, is pressed between the die
rollers x and y as they revolve into the desired shape, and being taken into
the die is cut off in its revolution by coming against the cutter, and proceeds
to be headed, as in the former machine. I would only remark that the
gearing is so arranged as to cause the disc containing the dies to remain
stationary during the process of heading, meanwhile the shaping rollers x and y
proceed with the introduction of a "brad;" on these operations being completed
the rollers a and y come to rest, and the disc revolves carrying on the "brad"
to be headed, and bringing up an empty die for the introduction of another
"brad," and so on alternately, the one coming into action when the other
comes to rest.
Now, whereas I claim as my Invention the following improvements, that is
to say:
First, presenting the end of the bar of metal of which the nail is to be
made, diamond-wise to the dies.

page_text: Second, forming the dies, as shewn in Figure 5, of two plates each, the
upper plates fitting a little within the lower plates, and both bolted firmly
through to their respective cogged cheeks.
Third, the chap die or machinery, herein-before described, for making nails
in a die or dies, as seen in Sheet 2.
Fourth, the heading machinery herein-before described.
And, fifth, the application of water, as herein-before described, to cool the
dies during the process of manufacturing nails; and such my Invention being,
to the best of my knowledge and belief, entirely new, and never before used
within that part of Her said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, Her said Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, nor in any of Her said Majesty's Colonies or Plantations abroad,
I do hereby declare this to be my Specification of the same, and that I do
verily believe this my said Specification doth comply in all respects, fully and
without reserve or disguise, with the proviso in the said herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent contained; wherefore I hereby claim to maintain
exclusive right and privilege to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elisha Haydon Collier, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty min