Improved Method of and Apparatus for Cutting Horse-shoe and other Nail Blanks.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., '1895
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Cutting Horse-shoe and
other Nail Blanks.
I, GEORGE ALBION COOMBS, of the Factory of the United Horse-shoe and
Nail Company, Limited, Gothenburg, Sweden, Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to cut nail.blanks from rods of iron, steel, or other
inetal in the direction of their length in such a way that the heads of the blanks cut
shall be of the same width as the rod used, but that the bodies of the blanks shall
be half or other fraction of the width of the heads.
In horse-shoe nails heretofore madeffrom metal rod in the cold state the blades
or shanks have been reduced to the proper size by rolling from metal rods of the
same size, or nearly so, as the top of the head of the finished nail required, and the
said rolling causes the nails to be very hard in their necks and blades. By cutting
the blanks from the rods in such manner that the parts intended to form the blades
or shanks of the nails are of half the size, or thereabout, of the heads, it is obvious
that only half the amount, or thereabout, of rolling is necessary to reduce the
blades or shanks to the proper shape, and therefore that the nails so made are
much tougher, and not so liable to break off under their heads.
According to the present invention the blauks are formed by cutting them from
rods of metal of rectangular or other suitable section, firstly in a transverse
direction to form the top surface of the head, and secondly through a line starting
at one side of the rod and passing more or less obliquely to the middle thereof, iu.
order to form the underside of the head, then parallel to the side in order to form
the part of the blank from which the blade or shank of the nail is to be formed,
and thence in a more or less oblique direction to the opposite side of the rod, in
order to form the part of the blank from which the point of the nail is to be formed.
For the purpose of cutting the rods in the above described manner.the following
method and apparatus are employed :·
―:
A die is prepared having a groove or channel formed in the top thereof
corresponding in shape to the section of the rod to be used; at the bottom of this
groove or channel is formed an opening or matrix corresponding in shape to.the
outline of the blanks to be produced, and a cutting out. punch of the same shape as.
the matrix is arranged to work into the latter in the manner usually employed in
cutting out presses.
The rod of metal is fed into the groove or channel, by any suitable feeding
mechanism, and is brought over the aforesaid matrix; the punch descends and cuts
out a blank from one side of the rod, forcing it through the matrix, the rod, is then
fed forward a proper distance, and the punch again descends cutting out another
blank from the same side of the rod, but at the same time cutting off the blank left
by the previous operation, at the opposite side of the rod, and so.on, each cutting
operation, after the first, producing two blanks.
Instead of operating upon one rod at a time the groove or channel in the die
may be adapted to receive two rods side by side, and, the matrix,and punch be
adapted to cut blanks. from both rods at once whereby four blanks are produced at.
each descent of the punch; and it is obvious that by suitably arranging.the.groove.

page_text: or channel, and the matrices and dies, a still greater number of rods may be
operated upon at once.
It will be readily understood that as the rods lie together in the groove or
channel of the die they support each other on the sides which are adjacent to one
another, that they are further supported by the sides of the groove or channel
when the punch cuts a blank from each, that thereby any twisting action of the
rods is prevented during the cutting operation, and that the cut surfaces are kept
at right angles to the top and bottom sides of the rods.
I do not confine myself to the cutting of blanks of the particular shape or
outline above described, as the shape may be varied according to the kind of nail
to be produced, and the shape of the rods from which they are to be made. The
matrices and punches must, of course be shaped according to circumstances.
Dated this 17th day of April 1895.
W. H. BECK,
● 119 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Cutting Horse-shoe and
other Nail Blanks.
I, GEORGE ALBION COOMBS, of the Factory of the United Horse-shoe and
Nail Company, Limited, of Gothenburg, in the Kingdom of Sweden, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this invention is to cut nail blanks from rods of iron, steel, or other
metal in the direction of their length in such a way that the heads of the blanks
cut shall be of the same width as the rod used, but that the bodies of the blanks shall
be half or other fraction of the width of the heads.
In horse-shoe nails heretofore made from metal rod in the cold state the blades
or shanks have been reduced to the proper size by rolling from metal rods of the
same size, or nearly so, as the top of the head of the finished uail required, and the
said rolling causes the nails to he very hard in their necks and blades. By cutting
the blanks from the rods in such manner that the parts intended to form the blades
or shanks of the nails are of half the size, or thereabout, of the heads, it is obvious
that only half the amount, or thereabout, of rolling is necessary to reduce the
blades or shanks to the proper shape; and therefore that the nails so made are
much tougher and not so liable to break off under their heads.
According to the present invention the blanks are formed by cutting them from
rods of metal of rectangular or other suitable section firstly in a transverse direction
to form the top surface of the head, secondly through a line starting at one side of
the rod, and passing more or less obliquely to or near the middle thereof in order
to form the underside of the head, thirdly parallel or nearly so to the side in order
to form the part of the blank from which the the blade or shank of the nail is to be
formed, and fourthly in a more or less oblique direction to the opposite side of the
rod, in order to form the part of the blank from which the point of the nail is to be
formed.
For the purpose of cutting the rods in the above described manner I employ the
methed and apparatus hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a plan of a rectangular rod of metal of the section shown by way
of example in Figure 2, the dotted lines in Figure 1 show the shape of the blanks
as they are cut from the rod.

page_text: Figure 3 is a side elevation of a die in which the cutting-out is effected, Figure 4
a plan and Figure 5 an end elevation of same.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are respectively a side elevation, plan and end elevation of the
punch corresponding in shape to the opening or matrix in the die.
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a plan and end elevation of a die adapted to
operate upon two rods at once.
Figures 11, 12 and 13 respectively a side elevation, plan, and end elevation of
the corresponding punch, and
Figure 14 is a plan of part of the die A adapted for operation upon two rods at
once, but showing the opening or matrix arranged for cutting the blanks from the
two rods in a manner somewhat different from that shown in Figure 9.
Referring to Figures 3 to 8 it will be seen that the die A is provided with a
groove or channel B formed in the top thereof corresponding in shape to the
section of the rod C to be used. At the bottom of this groove or channel is formed
an opening or matrix D, indicated by cross hatching in dotted lines in Figure 4,
corresponding in shape to the outline of the blanks to be produced, and a
cutting-out punch E of the same shape as the matrix is arranged to work into the
latter in the manner usually employed in cutting-out presses.
The rod of metal C is fed along the groove or channel B in the direction
indicated by the arrow in Figure 4 by any suitable feeding mechanism, and is
brought over the aforesaid matrix D; the punch E descends and cuts out a blank
C1 from one side of the rod C forcing it through the matrix D; the rod C is then
fed forward a proper distance, and the punch E again descends cutting out another
blank C3 from the same side of the rod C, but at the same time cutting off the
blank C 2 left by the previous operation at the opposite side of the rod C, and so
on, each cutting operation after the first producing two blanks.
Instead of operating upon one rod of metal at a time the groove or channel
in the die may be adapted to receive two rods C and C side by side as shown in
Figures 9 and 10, the matrix D', indicated by cross hatching in dotted lines in
Figure 9, and the punch E' (Figures 11, 12 and 13) being adapted to cut blanks
from both rods C and C at once, whereby four blanks are produced at each
descent of the punch E' after the first two blanks are cut out; and it is obvious
that by suitably arranging the groove or channel and the matrices and punches, a
still greater number of rods may be operated upon at once.
In Figure 9 the opening or matrix in the bottom of the groove B and the
corresponding punch E 1, Figure 12, are shown of such a shape that the two blanks
cut out of the two rods are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the centre
line of the groove B, so that the two heads and the two points of the adjacent
blanks come together back to back. In some cases however prefer to shape the
opening or matrix in the bottom of the groove B, and of course its corresponding
punch, as shown by the cross hatching in dotted lines in Figure 14 so that the back
of the head of one blank comes next to the back of the point of the adjacent
blank.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 14 the blanks C4 C5 are punched out and pass
through the opening or matrix in the die leaving the severed blank C6 in the groove B,
and the partly formed blank C7 still connected to its rod C. Then when the
rods C and Care fed forward together in the direction indicated by the arrow,
the end of the latter rod pushes the blank C 6 out of the groove, and the blank C 7
overhangs the end of the die and is cut off at the next descent of the punch.
A cover plate F shown in dotted lines may be employed to hold the blank C6
down in the groove while the punch rises, in order to retain the said blank in a
proper position to be pushed out by the rod C*.
This arrangement avoids making the sides of the punch, which are to form the
points of the blanks, inclined to one another at an acute angle as is necessary in the
arrangement shown in Figure 9 because in the arrangement shown in Figure 14
the sides of the punch which are to form respectively the point of one blank and the
top of the head of the adjacent blank are inclined to one another at a much more

page_text: .
obtuse angle, whereby the change of breakage of the punch at that part is very
much reduced.
The arrangement has also the advantage that the slope on the top of the heads
of the two blanks C4 and C, which is unavoidable in all punched-out articles, is
in the same direction, and the slope on the top of the heads of the two blanks C 6
and C 7 in the opposite direction, whereas in the arrangement shown in Figure 9
the slope on the top of the head of one of the blanks punched out by the punch E1
is in one direction while that on the top of the bead of the other blank punched
out by the punch E1 is in the opposite direction, and similarly as regards the two
blanks left on the ends of the two rods C and C*. This allows of the two
blanks C4 and C5 in Figure 14 which are forced through the matrix of the die
being collected into one receiving box, and of the two blanks C6 C7 cut off the
ends of the rods C, C* being collected into another receiving box, whereas in the
arrangement shown in Figure 9 the two blanks cut out by the die El have to be
⚫ delivered one into one box and the other into another box and similarly for the two
blanks cut off at the ends of the rods C, C*. This separation of the blanks
having the top of their heads sloping in one direction, from those having the top of
their heads sloping in the opposite direction, is because the dies in which the heads
are brought to correct shape by an upsetting process have to be shaped in a certain
way according to the slope of the top of the head, and if a die is called upon to
upset a head the top of which slopes in a direction opposite to that for which the
die is suited an objectionable burr is produced.
It will be readily understood that as the rods lie together in the groove or
channel of the die they support each other on the sides which are against one
another, that they are further supported by the sides of the grooves or channel
when the punch cuts a blank from each, that thereby any twisting action of the
rods is prevented during the cutting operation, that the cut surfaces are kept at
right angles to the top and bottom sides of the rods, and that as the blanks are cut
out of one another there is absolutely no waste of material except a very small piece
at each end of the rod.
I do not confine myself to the cutting of blanks of the particular shape or outline
above described as the shape may be varied according to the kind of nail to be
produced, and the shape of the rods from which they are to be made. The
anatrices and punches must of course be shaped according to circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
First. The method of cutting nail blanks from a rod of metal which consists
firstly in cutting or punching blanks from the rod through a line passing obliquely
and longitudinally from one edge to the other thereof and, secondly, at the same
time, cutting off transversely from the rod the blank partly.formed thereon by the
previous cutting or punching operation, substantially as described.
Second. The method of cutting nail blanks from a rod of metal which consists in
cutting or punching blanks from one side of the rod while the same is contained in
a groove or channel of the die, and at the same time cutting off from the end of the
rod the partly formed blank left on the other side thereof by the previous cutting
or punching operation, substantially as described.
Third. The method of cutting nail blanks from two or more rods of metal at once,
which consists in cutting or punching blanks from one side of each rod while such
two or more rods are contained in a groove or channel of the die, and at the same
time cutting off from the ends of the several rods the partly formed blanks left on
the other sides thereof, by the previous cutting or punching operation, substantially
as described.
Fourth. Apparatus for cutting nail blanks from one or more rods of metal in
accordance with the first and second claiming clauses hereof, which consists of a die
provided with a groove or channel for receiving, holding and guiding the rod or

page_text: rods, the said groove or channel having one or more openings or matrices in the
bottom thereof corresponding to the shape of the blanks to be produced, and a
punch or punches corresponding to the matrix or matrices in the die, combined,.
arranged and operating substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of J.
atcITIO
UL
1030.
G. A. COOMBS,
Per W. H. Beck,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.