IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS, SPIKES, NAILS, SCREWS, AND RIVETS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Percy Wells, of Cold Harbour Lane, Brixton,
in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS, SPIKES, NAILS, SCREWS, AND RIVETS, AND
IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."—A communication
from abroad by Richard Byron Johnson, of Brussels, in the King-
dom of Belgium.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Percy Wells at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th May 1875.
I, PERCY WELLS, of Cold Harbour Lane, Brixton, in the County
of Surrey, do bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS, SPIKES, NAILS, SCREWS, AND
RIVETS, AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN,' a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Richard Byron Johnson, of Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, to be as follows:-
""
The Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
bolts, spikes, nails, screws, and rivets, in such manner as, whilst making

page_text: them cold to retain the fibrous character and therefore the strength of
the metal in the heads thereof.
This Invention is also specially applicable to the production of that
description of bolt or screw in which, instead of having a simple nick
cut across the head thereof, a recess is formed therein terminating within
the edge of the head. For this purpose the cut lengths of metal are
first fed to a pair of dies, the lower one being formed in two halves and
shaped to receive the length of metal. The upper part of this die is
formed with a conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess communi-
cating with that part in which the metal is received, and the upper end
of the metal is caused to stand somewhat above the lower end of the
conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess in the lower die, but below
the top surface thereof, to enable the metal to be acted upon by the
upper die or punch, which latter is formed on its lower or acting surface
with a recess somewhat in the form of a parabolic or elliptic conoid,
and is shaped on its outer surface to fit the conical, countersunk, or other
shaped recess in the lower die, so far as it descends therein, the sides of
which punch or upper die are slightly curved at their lower end. This
lower die is recessed on the side opposite to the conical, countersunk, or
other shaped recess for the purpose of receiving a knocking-out tool,
which acts to eject the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet. By this means
when the upper die or punch is caused to advance or descend on to the
projecting or upper end of a length of metal it forces that end into the
shape of the recess in the advancing or upper die, and at the same time
by the combined action of the lower die forms the base of the head of
the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet, the upper die in its advance or
descent being guided by the conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess
of the lower die, and thereby caused with the length of metal acted.
upon to retain a concentric position with the lower die. After the head
of the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet, has been thus partially formed it
is acted upon by another upper die, which is formed of the shape
required to finish the head. This upper die is formed at the lower end
of the form required to finish the head, and the outer surface thereof is
shaped to fit the conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess of the
lower die in order that it may thereby be caused, with the length of
metal acted upon, to retain a concentric position with the lower die.
By this mode of working the fibre of the metal is not crushed or injured
to such an extent as that caused by the mode of working heretofore

page_text: adopted, and the head is thereby made as strong as any other portion of
the article.
When a recess terminating within the edge of the head is required to
be produced in the head of the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet, the
upper die employed for the second operation to finish the head is formed
of the required shape; and such upper die may be formed in one solid
piece, or it may be made up in parts to facilitate construction, repairs,
and renewal. When this upper die is constructed in parts, the portion
thereof which makes the recess consists of a rod or bar of steel, grooved
or fluted, and formed by cutting, pressing, or casting to the shape
required. This is placed within a cylindrical piece or bolster, bored to fit,
which is formed on the inner surface of the lower end to fit the shaped
end of the recessing die, and with an aperture at the extremity of such
part to allow the shaped end of the recessing die to project the required
distance. The lower end of this bolster is shaped to complete the
formation of the head, and it has also a conical or other shaped outer
surface at the lower end of a similar angle or description to that of the
other or first acting upper die or punch for the purpose of assisting
in retaining it and the metal under operation in a concentric position
with the lower die. This bolster piece is held in position in the tool
holder by means of segmental wedges, the inner surfaces of which
wedges are formed cylindrical to fit the bolster piece, whilst the outer
surfaces are formed to fit the conical hole in the tool holder. Thus by
screwing the tool holder in position in the slide or ram, and by the aid
of suitable packing pieces the parts forming the upper die or punch are
all secured firmly in position.
Whether made solid or in several pieces the recessing die or punch is
shaped and acts as above described.
It is evident that the dies herein described may be worked in a vertical
or horizontal direction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Percy Wells in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PERCY
WELLS, of Cold Harbour Lane, Brixton, in the County of Surrey, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Percy Wells, Her special license that I,
the said Percy Wells, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Percy Wells, my executors, admini-
strators, and 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOLTS, SPIKES, NAILS, SCREWS, AND RIVETS, AND IN MEANS
OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," (a communication to me from abroad
by Richard Byron Johnson, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,)
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Percy Wells,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Percy Wells, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object. improvements in the manufacture of
bolts, spikes, nails, screws, and rivets, in such manner as whilst making
them cold to retain the fibrous character, and therefore the strength of
the metal in the heads thereof.

page_text: This Invention is also specially applicable to the production of that
description of bolt or screw, in which instead of having a simple nick
cut across the head thereof, a recess is formed therein terminating
within the edge of the head. For this purpose the cut lengths of metal
are first fed to a pair of dies, the lower one being formed in two halves
and shaped to receive the length of metal. The upper part of this die
is formed with a conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess com-
municating with that part in which the metal is received, and the upper
end of the metal is caused to stand somewhat above the lower end of
the conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess in the lower die, but
below the top surface thereof to enable the metal to be acted upon by
the upper die or punch, which latter is formed on its lower or acting
surface with a recess somewhat in the form of a parabolic or elliptic
conoid, and is shaped on its outer surface to fit the conical, counter-
sunk, or other shaped recess in the lower die so far as it descends
therein, the sides of which punch or upper die are slightly curved at
their lower end. This lower die is recessed on the side opposite to the
conical, countersunk, or other shaped recess, for the purpose of receiving
a knocking-out tool which acts to eject the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or
rivet. By this means when the upper die or punch is caused to advance
or descend on to the projecting or upper end of a length of metal, it
forces that end into the shape of the recess in the advancing or upper
die, and at the same time by the combined action of the lower die forms
the base of the head of the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet; the upper
die in its advance or descent being guided by the conical, countersunk,.
or other shaped recess of the lower die, and thereby caused with the
length of metal acted upon to retain a concentric position with the
lower die. After the head of the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet has
been thus partially formed, it is acted upon by another upper die which
is formed of the shape required to finish the head. This upper die is
formed at the lower end of the form required to finish the head, and
the outer surface thereof is shaped to fit the conical, countersunk, or
other shaped recess of the lower die, in order that it may thereby be
caused with the length of metal acted upon to retain a concentric
position with the lower die. By this mode of working the fibre of the
metal is not crushed or injured to such an extent as that caused by the
mode of working heretofore adopted, and the head is thereby made as
strong as any other portion of the article.
When a recess terminating within the edge of the head is required to
I

page_text: be produced in the head of the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet, the
upper die employed for the second operation to finish the head is formed
of the required shape; and such upper die may be formed in one solid
piece, or it may be made up in parts to facilitate construction, repairs,
and renewal. When this upper die is constructed in parts, the portion
thereof which makes the recess consists of a rod or bar of steel grooved
or fluted, and formed by cutting, pressing, or casting to the shape
required. This is placed within a cylindrical piece or bolster bored to
fit, which is formed on the inner surface of the lower end to fit the
shaped end of the recessing die, and with an aperture at the extremity
of such part to allow the shaped end of the recessing die to project the
required distance. The lower end of this bolster is shaped to completo
the formation of the head, and it has also a conical or other shaped
outer surface at the lower end of a similar angle or description to that
of the other or first acting upper die or punch for the purpose of
assisting in retaining it, and the metal under operation in a concentric
position with the lower die. This bolster piece is held in position in the
tool holder by means of segmental wedges, the inner surfaces of which
wedges are formed cylindrical to fit the bolster piece, whilst the outer
surfaces are formed to fit the conical hole in the tool holder. Thus by
screwing the tool holder in position in the slide or ram, and by the aid
of suitable packing pieces, the parts forming the upper die or punch are
all secured firmly in position.
Whether made solid or in several pieces the recessing die or punch is
shaped and acts as above described.
It is evident that the dies herein described may be worked either in a
vertical or horizontal direction.
And in order that the said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying
Drawings more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are two views of a screw blank, which instead of
having a simple nick cut thereon is formed with a recess terminating
within the edge of the head, and to produce which my Invention is
specially adapted. The shape however of the recess in the head may be
varied so long as it terminates within the edge thereof, and the mode of

page_text: working may also be employed in the manufacture of bolts, spikes, nails,
and rivets made with solid heads, or having similar recesses formed in
the heads thereof.
Figures 3 and 4 are two views of a length of metal A previous to its
being submitted to the first operation herein described; and Figures 5
and 6 are two views of such length of metal after the first operation
herein described has been performed thereon, shewing the head A'
partially formed in readiness for the second operation.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of a pair of dies B, C, arranged to
perform the first or preparatory operation, and shewing the upper die or
punch B in the position it would occupy when it had just come into
contact with the end of the length of the metal A.
Figure 8 is a similar elevation shewing the die B in the position it
would occupy on the completion of its stroke.
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a section and an under side view
shewing the die or punch B and the mode in which it is held in the
tool holder and connected to the slide E.
Figures 11 and 12 represent a section and a plan of the die C.
Figure 13 is a sectional elevation of a pair of dies F, C, shewing the
upper die F in the position it would assume when just touching the
enlargement A² on the partially formed head A¹; and Figure 14 is a
similar view shewing the die F in the position it would occupy on the
completion of its stroke; and Figures 15 and 16 are respectively a
section and an under side view shewing the mode in which I make a
die F in parts, and the mode in which it is held in the tool holder D.
It will be seen on reference to the Drawings that the die C is made in
two halves, and that it is shaped to receive a length of metal A. The
upper part of this die C is formed with a conical recess C₁ communi-
cating with that in which the length of metal A is received, which.
recess C¹ may be of other desired form, and the upper end of the metal A
is arranged to stand somewhat above the lower end of the conical
recess C¹ to enable it to be acted upon by the upper die or punch B,
which according to the present Invention is formed with a recess B¹
somewhat in the form of a parabolic or elliptic conoid, and, as shewn in
the Drawings, is shaped on its outer surface B' like an inverted truncated

page_text: cone which fits the conical recess C₁ in the lower die C. Thus when the
upper die or punch B is caused to descend on to the upper end of a
length of metal it forces the projecting part of this upper end into the
shape of the recess B' in the upper die B, and at the same time by the
combined action of the lower die C forms the base of the head of the
bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet; the upper die B in its descent being
assisted by its conical face B² coming against the conical recess C¹ of the
lower die C to retain its concentric position. By these means the upper
end of the length of metal A has the partially formed head A¹ thereon,
and has the metal disposed above the base of the head somewhat in the
form of a parabolic or elliptical conoid A², being the form best adapted
to facilitate the subsequent operation, and at the same time the cohesion
of the fibres of the metal is retained to a sufficient extent to allow the
completing operation to be effected without the process of annealing,
and this head when finished is considerably stronger than that of an
ordinary screw, nail, bolt, spike, or rivet. The form of a length of metal
after this first operation has been performed thereon is shewn at Figures 5
and 6. After the bolt, spike, screw, nail, or rivet has been thus partially
formed it is acted upon by another upper die F which may be made
solid, as heretofore proposed, and of the form shewn at Figures 13
and 14, or it may be made up in parts, as shewn at Figures 15 and 16,
to facilitate construction, repairs, and renewal; whilst in addition to
forming the recess in the head of the bolt, spike, nail, screw, or rivet,
the die or punch F also according to the said Invention completes the
formation of the head.
When making the upper die F in parts the recessing portion thereof
consists of a rod or bar F¹ of steel grooved or fluted and formed by
cutting, pressing, or casting to the shape required. This is placed
within a cylindrical piece or bolster F2 formed on the inner surface of
the lower end to fit the lower end of the part F', and with an aperture
at the extremity of such part to allow such end to project the required.
distance. The lower end F3 of this bolster piece F is shaped to complete
the formation of the head, and it has a conical or other shaped outer
surface F of a somewhat similar description to that of the die or
punch B for the purpose of assisting in retaining it and the length of
metal in the lower die at the moment of operation in a concentric
position with relation to the lower die, and thereby assuring the proper
and concentric formation of the head.

page_text: The bolster piece F is held in position in the tool holder D by means
of segmental wedges F, the inner surfaces of which wedges are formed
cylindrical to fit the bolster piece F³, whilst the outer surfaces are formed
to fit a conical hole in the tool holder D. Thus by screwing the tool
holder D in position in the slide or ram E and by the aid of suitable
packing pieces F6 the parts forming the upper die or punch are all
secured firmly in position.
Whether made solid, as shewn at Figures 13 and 14, or in several
pieces, as shewn at Figures 15 and 16, the upper die or punch F has
surfaces F and F, as above described.
1
'
I would here remark that when forming the heads of screws of the
character herein described by any other dies than those I have
enumerated the formation of the head is completed at the first operation,
which process crushes and injures the fibres of the metal, and at the
same time so hardens it that the operation of forming the recess therein
cannot be performed without very great difficulty. This process, if
effected, also weakens the head of the screw, and the recessing die or
punch soon becomes useless unless annealing is resorted to; whilst by
dividing the formation of the head into two operations, as herein
described, and completing the formation thereof simultaneously with
the formation of the recess the cohesion of the fibre of the metal remains
comparatively uninjured, and the head is as strong as or stronger than
the other portion of the screw.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the mode
in which the same is carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,--
Firstly. The improved mode of manufacturing bolts, spikes, nails,
screws, and rivets by partially forming the head at the first operation,
and completing the formation of the head and (when required) making
the recess therein at the second operation, substantially as herein shewn
and described.
Secondly. I claim the employment of dies B and C and dies Fand C,
constructed and used substantially as herein described, in the manu-
facture of bolts, spikes, nails, screws, and rivets.
Thirdly. I claim making up the die F in parts and securing the same
in the tool holder in manner substantially as herein shewn and
described.

page_text: And, Fourthly. I claim forming the upper and lower dies B, C, and
F, C, in such manner that the one die of a pair of dies shall act as a
guide to the other, and thereby maintain each other and the metal under
operation in concentric position with each other.
In witness whereof, I, the said Percy Wells, have hereunto set 5
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
PERCY WELLS. (L.S.)