IMPROVED FEEDING APPARATUS FOR NAIL-MAKING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED FEEDING
APPARATUS FOR NAIL-MAKING MACHINES." A communication from abroad
by William Henry Field, of Lannton, in the County of Bristol, State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVED FEEDING APPARATUS FOR NAIL-MAKING MACHINES."
The object of this Invention is to furnish an improved apparatus for feeding the
nail plates to a nail machine automatically, which shall be so constructed that it
may be supplied with new plates as required without being stopped, and which
shall be simple in construction and convenient in use, being readily adjusted as may
be required.
The Invention consists in the combination of the ball and the four set screws
provided with jam nuts with the forked end of the rock rod and of the journal of
the chain wheel to make the motion easy, while the said rod rocks and the bent
lever vibrates upon its pivot; in the combination of the slotted plates, the bolts,
and the sliding plates, with the ends of the chain, and with the slotted rim of the
grooved chain wheel; in the combination of the four swivels or couplings with the
chain to enable the barrel to be turned back upon the pivot of its bracket; in the
combination of the U springs with the flattened end of the barrel, with the hub and
the pins formed upon said barrel, and with the washers and screws; in the com-
bination of the slotted knees and the slotted brackets with the pivoted lever that
supports the barrel; in the feed rod arranged to be operated by striking against
the frame or other stationary object, and in the combination of the feed rod, the
pivoted cam lever, the pivoted jaws of the clamp, the spiral spring, the set screw,
and the bar or arm, with each other and with the bracket that carries the barrel, as
herein-after fully described.

page_text: According to this Invention the driving shaft, which is pivoted to the fraune of
the machine, carries at one end fast and loose pulleys to receive the driving
belt and fly wheel, to give steadiness of motion to the operating parts of the
machine; the other end of the shaft having a crank wheel, to the crank pin of
which is pivoted the upper end of a connecting rod. The lower end of this rod is
pivoted to an arm which is attached to a holder of a movable cutter, between which
and a stationary cutter the plates are cut into nails. The stationary cutter is
secured to a holder attached to the table of the machine, a gauge or stop being
provided in the latter holder to regulate the heads of the nails.
In order that the feeder may be raised or lowered as required knees or right-
angled bars are bolted to the front of the machine, the bolts of which pass through
slots in the upper arms of said knees. To the ends of the horizontal arms of these
angle bars the upper ends of two brackets are bolted, the outer ends of the bars
being slotted longitudinally with the length of the machine to receive the bolts, so
that the feeder may be moved towards or from the said machine; and the upper
ends of the brackets are slotted transversely with the length of the machine, so
that the feeder can be moved laterally to adjust it with reference to the gauge
above mentioned. The lower ends of the brackets are perforated to receive a
bolt which passes through the angle of a bent lever and serves as a pivot for said
lever.
The end of the long or lower arm of the lever is slotted longitudinally to
receive a bolt, by which it is pivoted to a socket which is slotted longitudinally
to receive the nut into which the end of a rod is screwed. The upper end of
this rod is connected by an eccentric strap to an eccentric attached to the driving
shaft, so that the lever may be vibrated by the revolution of the said shaft. Upon
the lower part of the rod is placed a coiled spring, the lower end of which rests
against the end of the socket, its upper end resting against a collar or shoulder
attached to or formed upon the said rod. The spring is made of such a strength as
to hold the rod and socket, extended under ordinary circumstances; but should the
feeder meet an obstruction the spring will yield and allow the rod to be pushed
into the socket to prevent the machine from being broken by the continued
revolution of the eccentric.
Upon the end of the upper arm of the bent lever is formed a circular lug, to
which is pivoted a circular lug formed upon the outer side of the lower arm of a
bracket, to the upper end of which is attached a sleeve with a barrel working
therein. The forward end of the barrel is flattened so as to guide the plate into
proper position to be cut, whatever may be its position when inserted in the outer
end of the barrel. Upon the flattened sides of the forward end of the barrel are
formed hubs to fit into the cavity of shaped springs, which are placed between
two pins attached to said.flattened sides near their ends. The springs are secured
in place by washers and screws, which are screwed into screw holes in the hubs of
the barrel. These springs are designed to hold the nail plate in place and prevent
it from being drawn back by the rearward movement of the feeding device.
Around the rear end of the barrel a chain passes, said chain being connected with
the barrel by pins, so that it may give a reciprocating rotary movement to the
barrel to reverse the plate.
The chain passes along a groove in a wheel, and its ends upon the lower side
of said wheel have slotted blocks attached to then to receive bolts attached to a
curved bar or plate which fits into and slides in the groove of the wheel, so that
the chain can be adjusted by loosening the nuts of the bolts. To the middle part
of the bar is attached a bolt, which passes through a slot in the rim of the wheel
through a plate or washer placed upon the inner side of said rim, and has a nut
screwed upon its end. By this construction the chain and barrel are allowed to
stand still a moment when the motion of the wheel is reversed, so that the plate
may stand still while each nail is being cut. The chain is made with four swivels
or couplings to allow the side parts of the chain to be turned one quarter around,
so that the barrel and its bracket may be turned back upon the pivot that connects

page_text: une said bracket with the end of the lever to allow convement access to the springs
and the cutters.
The barrel and bracket are held in working position by a spring which presses
against the under side of a rearwardly projecting arm of the bracket, or a bar
attached to said arın. The spring is pivoted to the upper end of the lever in such
a way that it may be swung to one side to allow the barrel and bracket to be
turned back. The journal of the wheel revolves in a bearing formed in the angle
of the bent lever, and upon the inner end of the journal is formed a fork, within
which is placed a ball, secured in place by set screws which pass through screw
holes in the arms of the fork, and the ends of which enter recesses in the opposite
sides of the ball.
In the opposite sides of the ball are formed recesses at right angles with the
other two recesses to receive set screws, which pass through screw holes in the arms
of another fork formed upon the end of a horizontal rod. These set screws are
provided with jam nuts to prevent them from working loose. The outer part of
the horizontal rod revolves in bearings in a hanger attached to the frame of the
machine; and to its outer end is attached a crank arm, which is slotted to receive
the crank pin, so that the throw of the crank may be adjusted as required. To
the crank pin of this arm is pivoted the lower end of a connecting rod, the upper
end of which is pivoted to a crank pin attached to a gear wheel, teeth of which
wheel mesh into the teeth of a small gear wheel attached to the driving shaft.
The crank pins of the gear wheel and of the crank arm are so arranged that the
revolution of the wlieel will only rock the horizontal rod, and will thus rock the
barrel. To the side of the outer end of a rod which slides in a hole in a guide lug
attached to the side of the barrel bracket, or to a socket attached to said end is
pivoted the end of a short lever, which is pivoted to the lower part of the jaw of a
clamp. The other end of the lever is beveled off or made cam shaped, so as to
strike against a friction roller pivoted to the lower end of the jaw to move its
upper end or face towards the upper end or face of the other jaw. The jaws are
pivoted, so that the upper end of one may be moved towards and from the upper
end of the other jaw. The latter jaw is pivoted to the end of the rearwardly pro-
jecting bar or arin of the barrel bracket, so that the upper ends of the two jaws may
be moved towards and from the machine. The jaws are drawn back by a spiral
spring, one end of which is attached to the bar or arm, and its other end attached
to the lower end of one of the jaws or to an arm attached to said end.
The rearward movement of the jaws of the clamp is limited by a set screw,
which passes through a hole in the bar or arm, so that its forward end may be
struck by an arm formed upon the lower end or the jaw. By this construction, as
the barrel is carried forward by the movement of the lever, upon its pivot, the inner
end of the sliding rod strikes the frame of the machine or some other stationary
support and is pushed outward. The first effect of the outward movement of the
rod is to force the cam end of the lever against the friction roller of the jaw, which
causes the said jaw to clamp the plate rod against the other jaw. As the rod con
tinues to move outward the clamp is turned upon its pivot, which forces the plate
into the barrel for a distance equal to the breadth of a nail. As the barrel moves
outward the rod is withdrawn from the frame, which releases the clamp and allows
the nipper rod to be turned with the barrel to reverse the plate, and at the same
time the spiral spring draws the clamp back into position to again grasp the nipper
rod and carry it forward. The nipper rod has a clamp attached to its forward
end to grasp the plate, a clamp is employed to prevent the forward end of the
nipper rod being fed forward so far as to strike against the cutters, said clamp being
made with half round notches in the middle parts of their adjacent sides. The end
of one part of the clamp is slipped into a staple or keeper attached to the end of the
other part, and the other ends of the two parts of the clamp are drawn together
by a bolt passed through them. This clamp is attached to the nipper rod in such
a position as to strike against the clamp.
A set screw passes through a screw hole in the lower arm of the barrel bracket

page_text: and rests against the upper arm of the bent lever to enable the barrel and springs
to be adjusted to compensate for any little variation in the thickness of the cutters
when changed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
May 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED FEEDING APPARATUS FOR NAIL-MAKINO
MACHINES." A cominunication from abroad by William Henry Field, of Lannton,
in the County of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to furnish an improved apparatus for feeding the
nail plates to a nail machine automatically, which shall be so constructed that it may
be supplied with new plates as required without being stopped, and which shall be
simple in construction and convenient in use, being readily adjusted as may be
required.
The Invention consists in the combination of the ball and the four set screws
provided with jam nuts with the forked end of the rock rod, and of the journal of
the chain wheel to make the motion casy, while the said rod rocks and the bent
lever vibrates upon its pivot; in the combination of the slotted plates the bolts and
the sliding plates with the ends of the chain and with the slotted rim of the
grooved chain wheel; in the combination of the four swivels or couplings with the
chain to enable the barrel to be turned back upon the pivot of its bracket; in the
combination of the U springs with the flattened end of the barrel, with the hub and
the pins formed upon said barrel, and with the washers and screws; in the combina-
tion of the slotted knees and the slotted brackets with the pivoted lever that
supports the barrel; in the feed rod arranged to be operated by striking against
the frame or other stationary object; and in the combination of the feed rod, the
pivoted cam lever, the pivoted jaws of the clamp, the spiral spring, the set screw,
and the bar or arm with each other, and with the bracket that carries the barrel,
as herein-after fully described.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a top view of the improved feeder, shown as applied
to a nail machine.
Figure 2 is a detail section of the lower part of the larger chain wheel.
Figure 3 is a side view of the feeder, the frame of the nail machine being
shown in section.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the device that clamps the nipper rod and carries it
forward.
Figure 5 is a detail view of the rod and cam lever that operates the nipper rod
clamp.
Figures 6 and 7 are detail views of the stop attached to the nipper rod.
Figure 8 is a detail view of a part of the chain.
Figure 9 is a detail view of the swivel or coupling of said chain.
Figure 10 is a detail view of the knuckle joint ball.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the frame of a nail machine, to which is pivoted the driving shaft B.
To one end of the shaft B is attached a loose pulley C and a fast pulley D to
receive the driving belt, and a fly wheel E to give steadiness of motion to the
operating parts of the machine. To the other end of the shaft B is attached a crank
wheel F, to the crank pin of which is pivoted the upper end of a connecting_rod G.
The lower end of the rod G is pivoted to the arm H attached to the holder I of the
moveable cutter J, between which and the stationary cutter K the plates are cut
into nails. The stationary cutter K is socured to a holder L attached to the table
of the machine. To the holder L is attached a gauge or stop M to regulate the heads

page_text: of the nails. To the front of the machine is bolted the upper arms of the knees or
right angled bars, the said bolts passing through slots in the said arms, so that the
feeder can be raised and lowered as may be required. To the ends of the horizontal
arms of the angle arms N are bolted the upper ends of the brackets O. The outer
ends of the bars N are slotted longitudinally with the length of the machine to
receive the bolts, so that the feeder may be moved towards or from the said machine.
The upper ends of the brackets O are slotted transversely with the length of the
machine so that the feeder can be moved laterally to adjust it with reference to the
gauge M. The lower ends of the brackets O are perforated to receive the bolt P
which passes through the angle or bend of the bent lever Q, and serves as a pivot
for said lever.
The end of the long or lower arm of the lever Q is slotted longitudinally to re-
ceive the bolt by which it is pivoted to the socket R. The socket 'R is slotted
longitudinally to receive the nut into which the end of the rod S is screwed. The
upper end of the rod S is connected by an eccentric strap to an eccentric T
attached to the driving shaft B, so that the lever Q may be vibrated by the revolu-
tion of the said shaft B. Upon the lower part of the rod S is placed a coiled spring
U, the lower end of which rests against the end of the socket R, and its upper end
rests against a collar or shoulder attached to or formed upon the said rod. The
spring U is made of such a strength as to hold the rod S and socket R extended
under ordinary circumstances, but should the feeder meet an obstruction the spring
U will yield and allow the rod S to be pushed into the socket R to prevent the
machine from being broken by the continued revolution of the eccentric T.
Upon the end of the upper arm of the lever Q is formed a circular lug to which
is pivoted the circular lug formed upon the outer side of the lower arm of the
bracket V. To the upper arm of the bracket V is attached a sleeve W in which
works the barrel X. The forward end of the barrel X is flattened, so as to guide
the plate into proper position to be cut whatever may be its position when inserted
in the other end of the barrel X. Upon the flattened sides of the forward end of
the barrel X are formed hubs ¹ to fit into the cavity of the U shaped springs Y,
which are placed between two pins attached to said flattened sides near their
ends. The springs Y are secured in place by washers and screws Z, which screws
are screwed into screw holes in the hubs x of the barrel X. The springs Y are
designed to hold the nail plate in placo and prevent it from being drawn back by
the rearward movement of the feeding device. Around the rear end of the barrel
✗ passes a chain A¹ which is connected with said barrel by pins, so that it may
give a reciprocating rotary movement to the barrel to reverse the plate. The
chain A¹ passes along a groove in a wheel B¹, and its ends upon the lower side of said
wheel B have slotted blocks C₁, see Figure 2, attached to them to receive the bolts
D' attached to the curved bar or plate E, which fits into and slides in the groove of the
wheel B', so that the chain A¹ can be adjusted by loosening the nuts of the bolts D'.
To the middle part of the bar E is attached a bolt F¹ which passes through a slot in
the rim of the wheel B¹ through a plate or washer G₁ placed upon the inner side of
said rim and has a nut screwed upon its end. By this construction the chain A¹
and the barrel X are allowed to stand still a moment when the motion of the wheel
B is reversed, so that the plate may stand still while each nail is being cut. The
chain A is made with four swivels or couplings a¹ to allow the side parts of the
chain to be turned one quarter around so that the barrel X and bracket V may be
turned back upon the pivot that connects the said bracket V with the end of the
lever Q to allow convenient access to the springs Y and the cutters J, K.
The barrel X and the bracket V are held in working position by a spring H
which presses against the under side of the rearwardly projecting arm of the
bracket V, or a bar I attached to said arm. The spring His pivoted to the upper
end of the lever Q in such a way that it may be swung to one side to allow the
barrel X and bracket V to be turned back. The journal of the wheel B¹ revolves
in a bearing formed in the angle of the lever Q, and upon the inner end of the

page_text: The
journal is formed a fork J', within which is placed a ball K¹, Figure 10.
ball K¹ is secured in place by set screws L¹ which pass through screw holes in the
arms of the fork J, and the ends of which enter recesses in the opposite sides of
the ball K¹.
In the opposite sides of the ball K₁ are formed recesses at right angles with the
other two recesses to receive the set screws M', which pass through screw holes in
the arms of the fork N¹ formed upon the end of the rod 01. The set screws L³, M³,
are provided with jam nuts to prevent them from working loose. The outer part
of the rod O¹ revolves in bearings in a hanger P¹ attached to the frame A, and to
its outer end is attached a crank arm Q¹ which is slotted to receive the crank pin
so that the throw of the crank may be adjusted as required. To the crank pin of
the arm Q¹ is pivoted the lower end of the connecting rod R¹, the upper end of
which is pivoted to the crank pin attached to the gear wheel S¹. The teeth of the
gear wheel S¹ mesh into the teeth of the small gear wheel T¹ attached to the
driving shaft B.
The crank pins of the gear wheel S₁ and of the crank arm Qare so arranged
that the revolution of the wheel S₁ will only rock the rod O¹, and will thus rock
the barrel X; U¹ is a rod which slides in a hole in a guide lug attached to the side
of the bracket V. To the side of the outer end of the rod U³, or to a socket
attached to said end, is pivoted the end of a short lever V¹, see Figures 4 and 5,
which is pivoted to the lower part of the jaw W of the clamp. The other end of
the lever V is bevelled off or made cam shaped, so as to strike against a friction
roller pivoted to the lower end of the jaw X' to move its upper end or face towards
the upper end or face of the other jaw W¹. The jaw X¹ is pivoted to the jaw W
so that its upper end may be moved towards and from the upper end of the said
jaw W. The jaw W is pivoted to the end of the bar or arm I so that the upper
ends of the two jaws W1, X, may be moved towards and from the machine. The
jaws W1, X', are drawn back by the spiral spring Y¹, one end of which is attached
to the bar or arm I¹ and its other end is attached to the lower end of jaw W₁ or to
an arm attached to said end.
The rearward movement of the jaws of the clamp W, X', is limited by a set
screw Z which passes through a hole in the bar or arm I', so that its forward end
may be struck by an arm formed upon the lower end of the jaw W. By this
construction, as the barrel X is carried forward by the movement of the lever Q
upon its pivot P, the inner end of the rod U' strikes the frame A or some other
stationary support and is pushed outward. The first effect of the outward move-
ment of the rod U₁ is to force the cam end of the lever V₁ against the friction roller
of the jaw X', which causes the said jaw X' to clamp the plate rod against the
other jaw W. As the rod U¹ continues to move outward the clamp W¹, X', is
turned upon its pivot, which forces the plate into the barrel X for a distance equal
to the breadth of a nail. As the barrel X moves outward the rod U is withdrawn
from the frame A which releases the clamp W, X', and allows the nipper rod to
be turned with the barrel X to reverse the plate, and at the same time the
spring Y draws the clamp W, X1, back into position to again grasp the nipper rod
and carry it forward. The nipper rod A has a clamp attached to its forward end
to grasp the plate. This clamp B is made with half round notches in the middle
parts of their adjacent sides. The end of one part of the clamp B is slipped into a
staple or keeper attached to the end of the other part, and the other ends of the two
parts of the clamp are drawn together by a bolt passed through them. The
clamp B is attached to the nipper rod A in such a position as to prevent by
striking against the clamp W, X₁, the forward end of the rod Aº from being fed
forward so far as to strike against the cutters.
C is a set screw which passes through a screw hole in the lower arm of the
bracket V and rests against the upper arm of the lever Q, to enable the barrel X
and springs Y to be adjusted to compensate for any little variation in the thickness
of the cutters J, K, when changed.

page_text: Having described the nature of the said 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,―
First. The combination of the ball K and the four set screws L¹, L¹, M¹, M³,
provided with jam nuts with the forked ends of the rod O' and the journal of the
wheel B' to make the motion easy while the said rod 01 rocks and the lever Q
vibrates upon its pivot, substantially as herein shown and described.
Second. The combination of the slotted plates C, the bolts D', D, F, and the
sliding plates E, G, with the ends of the chain A' and with the slotted rim of the
grooved wheel B', substantially as herein shown and described.
Third. The combination of the four swivels or couplings a¹ with the chain A¹,
to enable the barrel X to be turned back upon the pivot of the bracket V, sub-
stantially as herein shown and described.
Fourth. The combination of the U, springs Y, with the flattened end of the
barrel X, with the hub and the pins a formed upon said barrel and with the
washers and screws Z, substantially as herein shown and described.
Fifth. The combination of the slotted knees N and the slotted brackets O with
the pivoted lever Q that supports the barrel X, substantially as herein shown and
described.
Sixth. The feed rod U¹ arranged to be operated by striking its end against the
frame. A or other stationary object, substantially as herein shown and described.
Seventh. The combination of the feed rod U₁, the pivoted cam lever VI, the
pivoted jams W1, X, of the clamp, the spiral spring Y₁, the set screw Z, and the
bar or arm 1' with each other and with the bracket V that carries the barrel X,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)