IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCREW NUTS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THE SAME.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Ohancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCREW NUTS, AND IN MACHINERY
FOR THE SAME. -A communication from abroad by Alfred Marland,
of Mount Washington, Pittsburg, in the County of Alleghany and
"
State of Pennsylvania United States of Amorice
Sealed the 19th April 1876, and dated the 29th November 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th November 1875.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
3 County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCREW NUTS,
AND IN MACHINERY FOR THE SAME," to be as follows :-
:-
This Invention consists, first, of a new method of making hexagon,
octagon, or round nuts out of round, oval, square, or other shaped rods,

page_text: other than the common nut iron, that is, an oblong bar; and, secondly,
of a machine for making nuts according to this method.
The Invention consists in first severing the blanks transversely
without materially distorting their form from rods or bars of a diameter
equal or about equal to that of the inscribed circle of a cross section of i
the nut to be made; second, inclosing the same in a close die or box
corresponding in transverse section to the shape of the nut to be made;
third, expanding the same by end compression so as to fill the die;
and, fourth, punching the eye in the axial line of the blank, by which
method I am enabled to make nuts without waste of material other than
the core punched out to make the hole, whereas in the common way of
punching the nuts transversely from the nut iron bars there is a waste
of thirty to forty per cent.
.The Invention is more particularly designed for making hexagon,
octagon, or round nuts out of round iron, but it is applicable for making
other forms of nuts out of bars of other forms.
The machine consists of combinations and arrangements of devices for
operating in accordance with the before described method, and consists
of a frame on which a main shaft is mounted driven by any approved
means, and having on it cams or eccentrics of suitable form for giving
the motions desired, one of the cams being so arranged in a yoke as to
work the punch for making the hole in the nut, and by means of
washers fitting over the punch and bearing against a cross head of said
yoke, and also against the dic, presses the iron so as to mould it in the
desired shape in a die box. Instead of washers fitting over the punch
in a large machine I put a hollow screw on the centre of the yoke, the
butt of the punch passing through it; then when it is required to put
more press on the nut or take any off for a deeper nut I move this
screw out or in as the case may require. On each side of this main
cam are two side cams which operate cam yokes connected by bars with
a sliding cross head, and in this cross head rests the die, the punch
passing through it.
The die box consists of a large box crossing the machine and cut out
in the centre so as to allow the small die box proper to be made of any
shape or style. The depth or thickness of the nut can be regulated by
the bars connecting the sliding cross head to the cam yokes by means
of washers on each side of the cross head, causing the die to work

page_text: deeper or not so deep in the box to take in more or less stock of iron,
thus making the nut thicker or thinner as the case may be, care being
had to take as much off the punch as is put on the side rods, so that
the press will not be two great on the nut being made. Working on the
face of the die box is a knife or cutting bar moved by means of a wedge-
shaped cam on the main shaft or by other mechanical device. The said
knife working on the face of the die box cuts the blank off the rod and
covers and remains over the die box while the pressing and punching
are done, thus causing the die box to be closed on all sides while the
nut is moulded into shape. This knife has a hole through it so as to
allow the punch to force the core from the nut to make the hole.
When a pointed punch is used the core is only about ½ the weight it is
when a blunt-ended punch is used, but on this machinc either kind of
punch may be employed.
The mode of operating the machine is as follows:-Take a round or
other shaped bar of iron, put the bar in a furnace till it is of the desired
heat, then when the knife uncovers the dic box feed the bar forward
until it strikes against the die and can go no further; then the knife
advances, cuts off the blank, the dic advances and presses it into the
shape desired, and while the pressing is taking place the punch advances,
punches the hole through the nut and carries the punching or core
through the hole in the knife, where it falls to the ground.
As soon
as the punching is done the knife uncovers the box by means of a
spring or other mechanical device, and the die again advances and
delivers the nut out of the box complete, when the die immediately
recedes again in the box, and the machine is ready for another feed of
the bar into it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letter Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th May 1876.'
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 Twenty-ninth day of November, in

page_text: third, expanding the same by end compression so as to fill the die;
and, fourth, punching the eye in the axial line of the blank, by which
method I am enabled to make nuts without waste of material other than
the core punched out to make the hole, whereas in the common way of
punching the nuts transversely from the nut iron bars there is a wasto
of thirty to forty per cent.
The Invention is more particularly designed for making hexagon,
octagon, or round nuts out of round iron, but it is applicable for making
other forms of nuts out of bars of other forms.
The machine consists of combinations and arrangements of devices
for operating in accordance with the before described method to cut off
the blanks, press or mould them into shape, punch out the core, and
then discharge the finished nuts, all as herein-after described, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is partly
a plan view and partly a horizontal section; Figure 2 is a longitudinal
sectional elevation taken on line x, x; Figure 3 is a transverse section
on line y, y, Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a side view of a bar and a blank
cut therefrom, and a front view of a finished nut illustrating the new
method.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the main frame of the machine, on which is a main shaft B to
be driven by any approved means, and having on it cams or eccentrics
of suitable form for giving the motions desired, one of the cams C being
in a yoke D so as to work the punch E, and by means of washes F
fitting over the punch and bearing against the cross head G of the
yoke, and also against the die H, presses the iron so as to mould
it in the desired shape in the die box I. Instead of washers over
the punch in a large machine I put a hollow screw on the centre
of the yoke, the butt of the punch passing through it; then when it is
required to put more pressure on the nut or take any off for a deeper nut
I move this screw out or in as the case may require. On each side of
this main cam are two side cams J, J, which operate cam yokes K,
which are connected with the sliding cross head L by means of
bars M, and in this cross head rests the die H, the punch passing
through it.
The die box consists of a large box N crossing the machine and cut

page_text: of any shape or style. The depth or thickness of the nut can be
regulated by the bars connecting the sliding cross head L to the said
cam yokes K by means of washers on cach side of the cross head,
causing the die H to work deeper or not so deep in the box to take in
more or less stock of iron, thus making the nut thicker or thinner as
the case may be, care being had to take as much off the punch as is put
on the side rods, so that the press will not be too great on the nut being
made. Working on the face of the die box is a knife or cutting bar O
moved by means of a wedge-shaped cam P or other mechanical device.
The said knife working on the face of the die box cuts the blank off the
rod and covers and remains over the die box while the pressing and
punching are done, thus causing the dic box to be closed on all sides
while the nut is moulded into shape. The knife has a hole Q through
it so as to allow the punch to force the core from the nut to make the
hole. When a pointed punch is used the core is only about ½ the
weight it is when a blunt-ended punch is used, but on this machine
either kind of punch may be employed.
The mode of operating the machine is as follows:-Take a round or
other bar of iron, put the bar in a furnace till it is of the desired heat,
then when the knife uncovers the die box feed the bar forward until it
strikes against the die H and can go no further; then the knife advances,
cuts off the blank, the die advances and presses it into the shape
desired, and while the pressing is taking place the punch advances,
punches the hole through the nut, and carries the punching or core
through the hole in the knife, where it falls to the ground. As soon
as the punching is done the knife uncovers the box by means of a
spring R or other mechanical device, and the die again advances and
delivers the nut out of the box complete, when the die immediately
- recedes again in the box and the machine is ready for another feed of
the bar into it.
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,-
1st. The method of making hexagon, octagon, or round nuts out of
round, oval, square, or other shaped rods by first severing the blanks
transversely without materially distorting the form from rods or bars of a
diameter equal or about equal to that of the inscribed circle of a cross

page_text: section of the nut to be made; second, inclosing the same in a close die
or box corresponding in transverse section to the shape of the nut to be
made; third, expanding the same by end compression so as to fill the
die; and, fourth, punching the eye in the axial line of the blank, sub-
stantially as specified.
2nd. I claim the knife moving across the face of the die box and
covering the box while the blank is shaped by the dies.
3rd. I claim the die H connected to the sliding cross head, which is
adjustable on the bars M, substantially as specified.
4th. I claim the punch adjustably connected to the main cam yoke
in combination with dies H and I and moved by means of the main
cam O, substantially as specified.
5th. I claim the sliding cross head and die H arranged for the
purpose of pressing the nut into shape, and after pressing for delivering
the nut out of the box.
6th. I claim the side cams J in combination with yokes K; bars M,
cross head L, and dies H, I, as and for the purposes set forth.
7th. The combination of dies H, I, cutter O, and punch E, sub-
stantially as specified.
8th. The cutter arranged in combination with die I to close the same
and hold the blank while being pressed into shape, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.