Improvements in Nails.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Apr., 1893-Accepted, 27th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Nails.
We, JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK, and WILLIAM SHEDLOCK, of No. 300 Winchester
House, Old Broad Street, in the County of London, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates more particularly to wire nails, such as have heretofore
been made with flat round heads. Such nails cannot be employed for fine work
such as joinery, on account of the comparatively large unsightly hole that is left in
the wood after the nail has been sunk below the surface. According to our present
invention we obviate this defect, by forming such nails with heads that are com-
paratively narrow in one direction and that are formed on their undersides with
two opposite cutting edges, so that when driven into the wood the said cutting
edges will readily cut into the wood so as to allow the head to be readily sunk
below the surface while at the same time it is of sufficient size to retain its hold on
the wood.
Such cutting edges may be formed on the head by suitable dies at the same
time that the nail is formed and the edge may either be made wedge shape, by
sloping both sides thereof, or it may be chisel shape, by forming the one side flat
and the other side sloping.
The head may be made to assume either an oval, diamond shaped, or polygonal
configuration at the end or it may be made of a narrow rectangular or oblong
shape.
The end surface of the head may either be flat or by preference we make it
with a more or less sharp edge, so that when driven into the wood, this can more or
less close up over the head, leaving only a very slight hole visible.
Although our invention is principally applicable to wire nails, yet it is also
applicable to other nails that are usually made with-flat heads.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Nails.
We, JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK and WILLIAM SHEDLOCK of No. 300 Winchester
House, Old Broad Street in the County of London, Engineers 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 :-
Our invention relates more particularly to wire nails, such as have heretofore
been made with flat round heads. Such nails cannot be employed for fine work
such as joinery, on account of the comparatively large, unsightly hole that is left
in the wood after the nail has been sunk below the surface. According to our
present invention we obviate this defect by forming such nails with heads that are
comparatively narrow in one direction and that are formed on their undersides
with two opposite cutting edges, so that when driven into the wood, the said cutting
edges will readily cut into the wood so as to allow the head to be easily sunk below
the surface while at the same time it is of sufficient size to retain its hold on the
wood.
Such cutting edges may be formed on the head by suitable dies at the same

page_text: time that the nail is formed and the edge may either be made wedge shape by
sloping both sides thereof, or it may be chisel shape by forming the one side flat
and the other side sloping.
The head may be made to assume either an oval, diamond shaped or polygonal
configuration at the end or it may be made of a narrow rectangular or oblong
shape.
The end surface of the head may either be flat or by preference we make it with
a more or less sharp edge, so that when driven into the wood, this can more or less
close up over the head, leaving only a very slight hole visible.
Although our invention is principally applicable to wire nails, yet it is also
applicable to other nails that are usually made with flat heads.
On the accompanying drawing are shewn by way of example some forms of nails
constructed according to our invention.
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 shew respectively a side view, an edge view, a top plan, and
an underside plan of a round or wire nail a having a head formed with two
opposite pointed ends from which chisel shaped cutting edges cc extend down
obliquely and inwardly as shewn, so that when the nail is driven into the wood,
the edges c c in cutting their way into the fibre will readily allow the narrow head
to penetrate with both a cutting and a wedging action into and below the surface
of the wood, without breaking and disfiguring the fibre and at the same time
leaving only a comparatively small hole.
In the modification shewn in front view, edge view, top plan and underside plan
respectively at Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, the cutting edges e are made of wedge shape
and in line with the axis of the nail instead of oblique.
Our improved nail may, if desired, be made with a neck or portion a¹ of reduced
diameter at any suitable part of its length as shewn in Figs. 5 and 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
1. Constructing nails with heads of an oval, diamond or other oblong shape
having cutting edges on the underside, so that such narrow form of the head in
combination with the cutting edges, will enable the head to be readily driven below
the surface of the wood, substantially as described.
2.A nail formed with cutting edges under the head, substantially as herein
described with reference to the drawing.
Dated this 20th day of April 1892
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.