IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING WROUGHT NAILS
Year: 1872

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 MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING WROUGHT
NAILS."A communication from abroad by Milton D. Whipple, of
Brighton, County of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, and
Lyman W. Whipple, of Boston, County of Suffolk, and State of
Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 13th August 1872, and dated the 2nd March 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd March 1872.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
5 of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING
WROUGHT NAILS," a communication to me from abroad by Milton D.
Whipple, of Brighton, County of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts,

page_text: and Lyman W. Whipple, of Boston, County of Suffolk, and State of
Massachusetts, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar combination and arrangement of
machinery or apparatus for the production of wrought-iron nails of any
required length or size from a continuous coil of wire or nail rod which
is wound upon a recl and drawn thence through a furnace. On issuing
from this furnace the rod is of suitable temperature to be formed into
a nail by means of the machinery now to be described.
To form a common horse-shoe nail the length of rod required is about
three-fourths of an inch. I will first describe the heating apparatus and
those parts that grip and carry forward this length of rod and place it
in the right position for receiving the blows, pressure, and rolling motion
of the hammers. A moveable furnace supported upon wheels running
upon horizontal rails is brought in front of the machine when in
operation so as to leave as little space as possible between the hole from
which the heated rod issues and the anvil. The furnace has at the end
farthest from the machine a reel upon which the rod or wire from which
the nails are to be made is wound. A few feet of the rod is drawn
above the fire to be heated previous to starting the machine.
A hammer is fixed to the bottom or lower end of each of two inclined
shafts rotated by bevel gearing from the main driving shaft. Both the
hammers are attached to and move upon eccentrics. A bar extends
across the main frame of the machine, and to this bar are bolted two
solid arms which project forward and have bolted to their front ends a
fixed plate which serves as a support for a back plate and for the nippers
or tongs. This back plate in the rear of the fixed plate receives two
pivots which are the fixed fulcra of the tongs. The before-mentioned
cross bar also holds one end of a rod and screw, the other end of which
abuts upon the tongs plate and governs the length of rod that is fed
forward to make the nail. The tongs are held open by a curved spring
and are closed by a wedge at the proper intervals.
The movement of the wedge for closing the tongs and the mode of
moving the tongs towards the anvil after having gripped the nail rod.
are as follows:-A cam or wiper is affixed to a lower main shaft of the
machine, which revolves once during the whole time consumed in
making one nail. This cam comes in. contact with a friction wheel on
a bent lever or arm and depresses it. This draws back the tongs plate

page_text: and moves the tongs with. it towards the anvil, the distance traversed by
the upper or gripping end of the tongs being equal to the length of nail
rod that is required for making a nail. Just before the rod and tongs
move toward. the. anvil, the wedge which projects nearly at right angles
from the inclined arm has entered between the lower legs of the tongs
and forced them apart, thus closing the upper jaws and gripping the
nail rod, the firm hold of the tongs being increased by the entry of the
wedge still farther as the tongs move forward.
The tongs are used mainly for gripping and carrying the nail rod.
forward, they traverse a distance equal to the length of rod that is
required for making one nail, and then give place to a secondary.
gripping apparatus that takes hold of the rod at a point nearer to the
anvil in order that the rod may be held firmly, and at the same time be
moved alternately to two seats which are at right angles with each other
at the base of the anvil. The nail rod is not turned on its horizontal
axis, but is carried to right and left alternately to receive upon the flat
side and the edge the successive blows of the hammers. After the tongs
have fed the rod forward the lower arm of a bent lever comes in contact
with a cam and depresses a rod, the upper end of which is attached to
the back plate of the gripper. This plate has a round hole on a level
with the nail rod, and is held to a front plate which also has a funnel
shaped hole level with the first-mentioned hole. Through both of these
plates a pivot passes and is made fast in the anvil. Slots made in the
plate at this point allow the back plate to move up or down and close
the holes when the nail rod is not required to be fed in. A spring bears
upon the top of the back plate which has a square shoulder formed at
the lower end to fit upon and grip the shank of the nail. At the top
of the front plate a short stud is fixed which bears upon a cup shaped
stud fixed just above it in the anvil.
The action of the two hammers or compressers is as follows:-The
diagonal shafts which carry the hammers are set nearly at right angles
with each other and are driven from the main shaft by bevel gears.
They are supported and turn in bearings affixed to vibrating back pieces
which are themselves supported by strong pivots passing through the
main frame. These pivots are the centres of motion of the vibrating
pieces, and the lower ends of these parts are thrust diagonally upward
by the direct action of bars which are moved by cams or wipers carried
by the bottom shaft of the machine. These bars traverse in guides or

page_text: boxes, and a part of their length is formed into a screw provided at the
upper end with nuts that abut upon the lower ends of the hammer shaft
vibrating pieces. Springs attached to the vibrating pieces bear against
the sloping sides of the anvil and serve in conjunction with gravity to
oring the hammer shaft plates back to position.
.
In making a nail the cross section which is rectangular, one of the
hammers acts upon the edge of the nail and the other hammer upon
the flat side, the hammers being forced forward by the cams on the
bottom shaft at the same time that they work the iron of the heated
nail rod towards the point of the nail, a peculiar thrusting and pro-
gressive motion being imparted to the curved faces of the hammers by
the action of the eccentrics placed at the lower ends of the two hammer
shafts. A quadrant arm is attached to the top of the front gripping
plate, and has at its free end a bow spring provided with a guide pin
which plays upon a cam affixed to one of the hammer shafts. This.
cam is of such form as to act upon the guide pin and move the combined
gripping plates about a fixed pivot or centre; the holding orifice thus
vibrates back and forth and moves the nail alternately to the two faces
of the anvil. When the rail is shaped and the point formed the
hammers fall back from the anvil, their backward movement being
facilitated by the action of springs. The nail is now ready to be cut off
from the rod, this is effected as follows:- -A cam on the lower shaft
comes in contact with a direct acting rod (the length of which is adjust-
able) which is curved upwards near its upper end, where it is fixed to a
pivot at the lower end of a curved knife. This knife is pivoted to the
anvil and has at its opposite end a slot and pin by which the knife is
held close to the anvil, and makes a clean cut when it is thrust forward
by the combined action of the cam on the lower shaft and the knife rod.
Attached to the anvil by two slots and pins, and nearly at right angles
with the knife, there is a narrow plate carrying at its upper end a spring;
when the knife rises this bar or plate is moved upwards, and when the
knife is liberated the recoil of the spring that bears upon the top of the
bar assists in carrying the knife back to its place. The lower end of
the bar bears upon the nail rod and prevents it from being twisted or
thrown out of place by the cutting action of the knife. The flat side
of the knife also serves as a guide to the hammers as they traverse in
front of it. When the gripping plates let go of the nail the hammers
have fallen back and the finished nail drops without obstruction.
•

page_text: Friction segment plates are employed to regulate the grip of the tongs
and to equalize the motion when the tongs seize or let go of the nail
rod. One of these plates is fastened to the fixed front plate, and the
other to the moveable tongs plate before referred to, and they are held
in contact with each other by adjusting screws, the ends of which enter
one of the segment plates while the heads of the screws' play in a curved
slot formed in the opposite plate. By turning these screws the friction
of the plates is increased or diminished.
In making a horse-shoe nail the head is of about the same size as the
rod that is fed to the machine, but in case it is desirable to reduce
the size of the head or to give it any peculiar form a small cavity of
the proper form is made at the front edge of the hammers and of the
anvil faces.
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 2nd September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth 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, administrators, 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 Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING WROUGHT NAILS," a communication to me from
abroad by Milton D. Whipple, of Brighton, County of Middlesex, and
State of Massachusetts, and Lyman W. Whipple, of Boston, County of
Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America,

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
únder 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 à
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 accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
The said Invention relates to a peculiar combination and arrangement
of machinery or apparatus for the production of wrought-iron nails of 1
any required length or size from a continuous coil of wire or nail rod
which is wound upon a reel and drawn thence through a furnace. On
issuing from this furnace the rod is of suitable temperature to be formed
into a nail by means of the machinery now to be described.
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.
To form a common horse-shoe nail the length of rod required is about a
three-fourths of an inch, and I will first describe the heating apparatus
and those parts that grip and carry forward this length of rod and place
it in the right position for receiving the blows, pressure, and rolling
motion of the hammers.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a sectional elevation of the machine and a
furnace; Figure 2 is a front view; Figure 3, a front view of the anvil
and attached parts; Figure 4, a front view of the anvil and hammers;
Figure 5, a back view of the nippers or tongs; Figure 6, a side view
showing the nippers and attached parts.
The moveable furnace A, Figure 1, is supported upon legs B having
wheels or castors C that rest upon the horizontal rails D. When the
machine is in operation the furnace is brought forward so as to leave

page_text: as little space as possible between the hole E from which the heated rod
issues and the anvil. The furnace is provided with suitable grate bars
H, draft holes I, and smoke pipe J, and has at the end farthest from
the machine a reel F, upon which the rod or wire from which the nails
are to be made is wound. A partition G may be used in the furnace
dividing the fire into two parts to facilitate the proper adjustment of
the heat. A few feet of the rod is drawn through the holes E', E, above
the fire 38 to be heated previous to starting the machine. The machine
is driven by a gear or a belt applied to the central pulley K affixed to
the horizontal shaft Q. Upon this shaft to the right and left of the
central pulley are two mitre gears L, L', which drive the gears M and
M' affixed respectively to the diagonal or inclined shafts N, N¹. A
hammer P is fixed to the bottom or lower end of the left-hand shaft N,
and another hammer P¹ is fixed to the end of the right-hand shaft, both
being attached to and moving upon the eccentrics 31 and 31'. A pulley
R on the main shaft Q carries a belt S and pulley T; à pinion U upon
this pulley drives the gear wheel Vupon the horizontal shaft W which
has near its opposite ends the cone-shaped projections Y and Y'. The
smaller ends of these cones are directed towards the centre of the
machine and thus afford a base or support for the cams or wipers X, X',
and 32.
The nippers or tongs are shown in the enlarged views, Figures 5
and 6, and in Figures 1 and 2. A back bar 3, Figure 2, extends across
the main frame 4 of the machine, to this bar are bolted two solid arms
55 and 55', which project forward and have bolted to their front ends
the fixed plate 6, Figures 5 and 6, which serves as a support for the
back plate 8 and the tongs 7. This iron plate 8 in the rear of the fixed
plate 6 receives two pivots 9, 9¹, which are the fixed fulcra of the tongs,
the motion of opening and closing the tongs being about these points as
a centre. The back plate 3 also holds one end of the rod and screw 59,
the other end of this rod abuts upon the tongs plate 8 and governs the
length of rod that is fed forward to make the nail. The tongs are held
open by the curved spring 10 and are closed by a wedge 11 at the
proper intervals..
The movement of the wedge for closing the tongs and the mode of
moving the tongs towards the anvil after having gripped the nail
rod are as follows: A cam or wiper 12 is affixed to the lower main
shaft W, which revolves once during the whole time consumed in making

page_text: one nail. This cam comes in contact with the friction wheel 13 on the
bent lever or arm 14 and depresses it, this draws back the tongs plate S
which has a partial support at the bolt 15 and moves the tongs with, it
toward the anvil 16, the distance traversed by the upper or gripping
end of the tongs being equal to the length of nail rod that is required
for making a nail. The distance to be traversed by the tongs is
adjusted as above named by the rod 59. Just before the rod and tongs
move toward the anvil, the wedge 11 which projects nearly at right
angles from the inclined arm 14 has entered between the lower legs
of the tongs and forced them apart, thus closing the upper jaws and
gripping the nail rod, the firm hold of the tongs being increased by the
entry of the wedge still farther as the tongs move forward. The
depression of the arm 14 bends the spring 21 forward, the arm and
spring being connected by the bent rod 22; as soon as the arm 14 is
relieved from the action of the cam 12, the spring 21 recovers its position
and brings the wedge and the tongs plate back to place. The tongs
are used mainly for gripping and carrying the nail rod forward, they
traverse a distance equal to the length of rod that is required for making
onc nail, and then give place to a secondary gripping apparatus that
takes hold of the rod at a point nearer to the anvil, in order that the rod
may be held firmly and at the same time be moved alternately to the
seats 39, 39', which are at right angles with each other at the base of
the anvil 16. The nail rod is not turned on its horizontal axis but is
carried to right and left alternately to receive upon the flat side and the
edge the successive blows of the hammers P, P¹; these positions of the
nail rod and nail are shown in Figure 8 at 49, 49¹.
7.
The gripping apparatus is seen in the detached views Figures 3, 6, and
After the tongs have fed the rod forward the lower arm of a bent
lever 41 comes in contact with the cam 40 affixed to the side of the
cam 12, and depresses a rod 42 the upper end of which is attached to
the back plate 43 of the gripper. This plate has a round hole 47 on a
level with the nail rod, and is held to a front plate 44 which also has a
funnel shaped hole 46 level with the hole 47. Through both of these
plates a pivot 45 passes, and is made fast in the anvil 16; slots made in
the plate at this point allow the back plate to move up or down, and
close the holes 46, 47, when the nail rod is not required to be fed in. A
spring 48 fastened to the quadrant arm 50 bears upon the top of the
back plate 43, a square shoulder 55 is formed at the lower end of the

page_text: plate 44 just above the hole 46 to fit upon and grip the shank of the
nail. At the top of the front plate 44 a short stud 51 is fixed which
bears upon the cup-shaped stud 52 fixed just above it in the anvil 16.
The action of the two hammers or compressors P, P¹, is as follows,
see Figures 2 and 4-The diagonal shafts N and N¹ are set nearly at
right angles with each other and are driven from the shaft Q by the
gears L, M, and L', M'. They are supported and turn in bearings affixed
to the back pieces 25 and 25¹, these back pieces being themselves sup-
ported by strong pivots 26 and 26¹ (shown dotted in Figure 2), which
pass through the frame 4 and are secured at the back of the frame by
nuts. The pivots 26 and 26¹ in rear of the dotted lines, Figure 2, are the
centre of motion of the vibrating pieces 25 and 25¹, and the lower ends
of these parts are thrust diagonally upward by the direct action of the
bars 28 and 28¹, which are moved by the cams or wipers X and X', affixed
to the conical-shaped ends Y and Y¹ of the bottom shaft W. These
bars 28 and 28¹ traverse in guides or boxes 29 and 29¹, and a part of
their length is formed into a screw, provided at the upper end with nuts
30 and 30¹ that abut upon the lower ends of the hammer shaft vibrating
pieces 25 and 25¹. The springs 38 and 38¹ attached to the vibrating
pieces 25 and 25¹ bear against the sloping sides of the anvil 16. The
reaction of these springs and gravity bring the hammer shaft plates
back to position.
In making a nail the cross section of which is rectangular, one of the
hammers P¹ acts upon the edge of the nail 49, and the other hammer P
upon the flat side 49¹ (see Figure 8), the hammers being forced forward
by the cams X, X', at the same time that they work the iron of the heated
nail rod towards the point of the nail, a peculiar thrusting and pro-
gressive motion being imparted to the curved faces of the hammers
by the action of the eccentrics 31 and 31¹ placed at the lower ends of
the two hammer shafts N and N¹. The position of the eccentrics is
seen in Figure 4, the hammer P¹ being forward and the hanimer P back
at its farthest point and ready for a stroke forward or toward the
anvil 16.
The two positions of the nail upon the anvil, as shewn in Figure S
and before referred to, are effected as follows:-The quadrant arm 50
is attached to the top of the front gripping plate 44, Figures 2, 3, and
7, and has at its free end a bow spring 53 provided with a guide pin 54,
which plays upon the cam O affixed to. the hammer shaft N.
The cam

page_text: is of such form as to act upon the guide pin 54, and move the combined
gripping plates 43 and 44 about the pivot or centre 45. The holding
orifice 46, 47, vibrates back and forth and moves the nail alternately
to the two positions 49 and 49¹. When the nail is shaped and the point
formed the bars 28 and 28' leave the two cams X, X¹, and the hammers
fall back from the anvil, their backward movement being facilitated by
the springs 38 and 38'.
The nail is now to be cut off from the rod; this is effected as follows:
-The cam 32 on the conical end Y-of-the shaft-W comes-in-contact with
the direct acting rod 33 the length of which is adjustable at the turn
buckle 34. This rod is parallel with the rod 28 and is curved upward
near its upper end, at which point it is fixed to a pivot 35, see Figure 3,
at the lower end of the curved knife 23. This knife is pivoted at 36
to the anvil 16, and has at its opposite end a slot and pin 24 by which
the knife is held close to the anvil, and makes a clean cut when it is
thrust forward by the combined action of the cam 32 and the knife
rod 33. Attached to the anvil 16 by two slots and pins 56 and 56',
and nearly at right angles with the knife 23, there is a narrow plate 55,
at its upper end there is a spring 57. When the knife rises this bar
or plate is moved upward, and when the knife is liberated the recoil of
the spring 57 that bears upon the top of the bar 55 assist in carrying
the knife back to its place. The lower end of the bar 55 bears upon
the nail rod, and prevents it from being twisted or thrown out of place
by the cutting action of the knife. The flat side of the knife also
serves as a guide to the hammers as they traverse in front of it. When
the gripping plates 43 and 44 let go of the nail the hammers have
fallen back and the finished nail drops without obstruction. The
friction segment plates 17 and 18, Figure 6, are intended to regulate
the grip of the tongs and equalize the motion when the tongs seize or
let go of the nail rod. One of these plates is fastened to the fixed front
plate 6, and the other to the moveable tongs plate 8, and they are
held in contact with each other by the adjusting screws 19, the ends of
which enter the plate 18, while the heads of the screws play in a curved
slot 58 formed in the opposite plate 17. By turning the screws 19 the
friction of the plates is increased or diminished.
In making a horse-shoe nail the head is of about the same size
as the rod. that is fed to the machine, but in case it is desirable to
reduce the size of the head or to give it any peculiar form a small

page_text: cavity of the proper form is made at the front edge of the hammers
and of the anvil faces.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or 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. The peculiar movement of the hammers consisting of a
compressing, drawing, and rolling motion of the curved faces of the
hammers, the same being produced by the combined action of the
bars 28, 281, and the eccentrics 31, 31', as hercin-before described.
Second. The double hammers P, P', having the three motions above
described in combination with the double faces 39 and 39¹ of the anvil,
as herein-before specified.
Third. The peculiar combination of a portable furnace carrying
an attached recl and coil of wire or nail rod with a machine for
making wrought nails from a heated rod, substantially as herein-before
described.
Fourth. The conversion of a metallic rod or wire into finished nails
by automatic and continuous action when the successive steps employed
are the uncoiling, heating, and forging of the rod, substantially as hercin-
before specified.
Fifth. The square corner in the anvil with its faces 39 and 30¹ at
right angles with each other for the purpose of receiving the flat side
of the nail on one of its plane surfaces and the edge of the nail on the
other surface, as herein-before set forth.
Sixth. A gripping or holding mechanism moving back and forth,
and presenting the flat side and the edge of a nail alternately to receive
the blows of the hammers in combination with the double faced anvil,
substantially as herein-before described.
Seventh. The combination of the nippers or tongs with the supporting
and moveable back plate, as hercin-before described.
Eighth. The tongs having an adjustable or definite length of traverse
in combination with the portable furnace and recled nail rod, as herein-
before described.

page_text: Ninth. The combination of the gripping and carrying movement of the
tongs 7 with the secondary gripping and holding plates 43 and 44,
substantially as herein-before specified.
Tenth. The combination of the recl F, the furnace A, the tongs 7,
the holders 43, 44, the hammers P, P', and the cutting apparatus 53, 55, 5
substantially as herein-before described and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Thirticth day of July
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)