IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF PRODUCING CUT NAILS FROM HOOP IRON OR OTHER SIMILAR SHEET METAL AND IN THE MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Maynes of 19 Anderton Street Harpurhey Manchester
in the County of Lancaster Machinist for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF PRODUCING CUT NAILS FROM HOOP IRON OR OTHER SIMILAR
SHEET METAL AND IN THE MECHANISM EMPLOYED THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Maynes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1882.
JOHN MAYNES of 19 Anderton Street Harpurhey Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster Machinist "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF PRODUCING CUT NAILS
FROM HOOP IRON, OR OTHER SIMILAR SHEET METAL AND IN THE MECHANISM
EMPLOYED THEREFOR
"
The object of this Invention is the production of cut nails such as sparrow bills,
brads, tacks and the like from waste hoop iron or from lengths of flat strip iron or
other metal, and the improvements consist in the employment of a combination of
machines of a novel and peculiar construction hereinafter described which are
conveniently situated in connection with each other and which successively act
upon a given piece or length of hoop iron or other metal in such a manner that on
leaving the last of the series of machines the said piece of metal or blank will have
been transformed or cut up into a number of nails with the exception of a small
waste piece from the centre.
In carrying out my Invention I provide that portion of the combined machines
or primary machine first receiving the metal to be acted upon, with two vertical
knives actuated to rise and fall by eccentric or other equivalent receiving motion
from the driving shaft. When these shears or knives are open a length of hoop
iron is fed or pushed forward so as to assume a position directly between the said
knives or shears so that when acting they sever or cut a length from the hoop
iron represented by the distance the front and back shears are left apart. The
length or blank so cut off is then taken hold of by a finger actuated by a cam
which draws it from under the cutters in to a space formed upon an endless inetal
[Price 6d1

page_text: band the width of which allows the said blank to overhang the longitudinal edges
of the said endless band. This endless band is divided by projecting stops into a
number of such spaces, and is intermittently driven, so that immediately a piece of
metal has been cut off and placed in the space allotted for it on the endless band
as in manner described it is carried forward so as to bring another space in position
to receive the next piece of severed metal. as the endless band is intermittently
propelled are carried around one of the pullies between which the endless band is
distended; and are whilst so travelling kept in their respective spaces by means
of a Cap or cover fitting the upper surfaces of the projecting stops forming the
divisions.
This cover or cap as the pieces of metal arrive at the underside of the pulley
forms a bed upon which the pieces slide until they are successively brought into
a position resting upon a die, this die is so constructed that it allows the piece of
metal when in position to overhang its side a distance what would represent the
nails subsequently severed from the said piece the Action of which now takes
place as follows. On either of the longitudinal sides of the blank or piece of metal
overhanging the die are radial arms provided with cutters or cutter working in
vertical slides, which can be adjusted to a position corresponding with the angles
of the edges of the die such edges forming ledger blades which act as shears in
conjunction with the said knives. The said radial arms are actuated to rise and
fall in manner similar to those now employed and well known in the manufacture
of nails only in lieu of using one knife as is usual I balance or duplicate the
machine by using two knifes one on either side of the blank which acting simul-
taneously sever with an uniform pressure the aforesaid over hanging pieces from
the blank which are then acted upon in the usual manner and delivered from the
machine headed or not according to the description of nail being manufactured.
The reduced blank from which the two pieces have been severed is with the inter-
mittent traverse of the endless band carried forward and delivered by means of
an intermediate chain or band or by other equivalent through the medium of a
movable finger on to a second chain or band in connection with a second machine
the action of which is in every respect similar to that first described excepting only
the vertical knives first mentioned, it will thus be seen that by multiplying these
machines the blank will in each one be successively reduced until its longitudinal
edges have been completely cut away and transformed into nails It will be
evident that the different machines may be so constructed that nails of various
descriptions may be produced from the same blank for instance the first arrange-
ment of cutters may be so placed that the pieces severed will be suitable for
subsequent formation into "tip nails; the cutters of the next machine will be
arranged for "brads" the next for sparrow bills and so on, it will thus be seen
that a machine or machines of the description described herein will by reason of
its balance or duplicate and successive actions upon the blank expedite the
production of 'nails of various description and also materially economise such
production by reason of the capability of the nails manufactured being produced
out of waste hoop iron.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Maynes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th September
1882.
JOHN MAYNES of 19 Anderton Street Harpurhey Manchester in the County of
Lancaster 'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF PRODUCING CUT NAILS FROM
HOOP IRON OR OTHER SIMILAR SHEET METAL AND IN THE MECHANISM EMPLOYED
THEREFOR
"
The object of this Invention is the production of cut nails such as sparrow
Bills, brads, tacks, and the like from waste hoop iron or from lengths of flat strip
iron or other metal And the improvements consist in the employment of a
combination of machines of a novel and peculiar construction hereinafter described
which are conveniently situated in connection with each other and which
successively act upon a given piece or length of hoop iron or other metal in such
a manner that on leaving the last of the series of machines the said piece of metal
or blank will have been transformed or cut up into a number of nails.
The metal presented to the machine in the first instance is cut off in a transverse
direction to the grain and guaged to a distance which will equal the length of nails
to be cut or formed out of such piece or blank so cut off, the said piece or blank of
metal is then taken hold of by grippers and transferred to an anvil or bed forming
a ledger blade where it is adjusted and cramped in a position which will admit of
its ends running with the grain to overhang the said bed or ledger blade a distance
representing on either side thereof the nails subsequently severed by cutters
vibrating on centres supported in head stocks secured to the framing of the
machine, these cutters are caused to act on the blank on either overhanging side
thereof simultaneously and so balance each other in their pressure whilst cutting
and also prevents any undue strain or disturbance to the blank whilst the cutting
process is going on.
The reduced blank is then pushed forward and placed in one of the spaces of an
endless travelling bed from which it is again taken by grippers and transferred
and guaged in position on a second bed or ledger blade in manner as previously
described where it is again reduced by cutters severing nail like pieces from it.
The continuous and successive actions of transferring the blank from one
machine to another whilst being reduced and cut up into nails goes on until the
whole transverse length first cut off from the hoop iron or strip of metal has been
cut up and transformed into nails the series of machines being so geared and
coupled one with the other that they act continuously and in unison with each
other. The headless nails thus formed can have heads formed on them by pressure
as they are severed from the blank by an arrangement of heading dies actuated by
cams and toggle levers hereinafter described or such blanks can be so cut whilst
retained on the bed or ledger blade so as to receive the formation required as a
head for certain description of nails such as sparrow bills.
In order that the Invention may be well understood and explained in detail I
have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings made to a scale of about one quarter
of full size similar letters of reference being marked on corresponding parts on all
the Figures alike

page_text: piece of metal or blank from the length of hoop or other sheet iron are removed in
order to shew more clearly the action of the cramp and cutters on the blank.
Fig 2. represents a side elevation of the above, one of the said knives severing the
overhanging piece from the blank with its connecting apparatus being removed
for the purpose of shewing more clearly the interior action of the parts giving
motion to the blank piece of metal when placing and guaging it in position under
the cutters and also for transferring such blank after being reduced to the next
in the series of machines.
Fig. 3 represents a detailed plan of the above
Fig 4 represents a detached view of the U shaped beam carrying the knives this
'view also shews the ledger blade and wedge for adjusting the angular or inclined
position of same.
In these Figs: a. a is the framing of the machine b. b. are wheels secured to and
driving the shafts c c which are supported in bearings and run parallel with each
other throughout the whole length of the series of machines on either side thereof
and which through suitable mechanism hereinafter described give motion to the
various parts of the said machines in a manner which will enable them to cut up
and reduce in succession a blank piece of metal into a number of nails. d is that
portion of the first of the series of machines where the hoop or other length of
sheet iron is placed in position transversely for having a length or piece cut
therefrom for the purpose of being subsequently cut up longitudinally in the
direction of the grain into nails the piece of metal so cut off I call the blank which
is subsequently acted upon by mechanism hereinafter described in such a manner
that such blank will (by the time its reduced size arrives at the last of the series
of machines) have been cut up into a number of nails such as sparrow bills brads
tacks or the like, each length or blank of metal as it is cut off is received into one
of the spaces of the travelling bed f, this travelling endless bed is divided into a
number of spaces provided to receive the blanks as they are cut off from the hoop
or other iron strips. The blanks as they are carried forward by this endless bed
are placed in position to be taken up by the jaws or clips g These jaws are
actuated by a cam and rack or other equivalent through the medium of the
levers g¹ which when in the forward inclined position as shewn in the drawing
take hold of the blank and removes it clear of the space in the chain bed at which
time a niche or recess in the fulcrum of the gripping lever slides into a flat piece of
metal similar in form to a screw driver and which is formed on the axis of a
pinion receiving motion from a rack moved up and down by the aforesaid cam and
levers g'. The action of the said rack and pinion when the lever g¹ is in a vertical
position throws or reverses the jaws holding the blank over so as to reverse its
position and place it on a level with the bed or ledger blade h The gripping or
clutching jaws hold the blank at its ends so that when placing it in position on
the bed the forked holder not only forms a guide for guaging it in its true
position but steadies such blank until cramped or fixed for the action of the
cutters.
The table or bed k. is supported on suitable bearings in which it can freely
slide up and down when caused so to do by the action of the cams l. 7. secured
to and actuated by the horizontal shafts c. c. The knives or cutters i i. employed
for severing the angular nail shaped edges from the blank are secured to the swing
levers or beams i¹¹ supported by their fulcra or centres in the head stocks i² i³
resting on and bolted to the framing a and on which such head stocks can be
adjusted to any position which will enable the cutters i i to sever the pieces
forming nails from the blank at any incline suitable for the nails under process
of being manufactured the said beams i, at their ends on the opposite side of
their centres are secured to the sliding bed k by the links is is, this sliding table k
is divided by the machine frame so that it forms as it were two tables or platforms
one on each side of the Machine and at the same elevation as the proper working
height. The divided tables k k being connected together prevents any unevenness
or canting and any side action is prevented by the two cams l. l. which form a

page_text: wide support on which the tables bear. The beams are in duplicate and
constructed in the form of the letter U as seen at diagram Fig 4 and are so laid for
the purpose of allowing the attendant to get at the heading apparatus which is so
placed as to work under the centre of each beam the action of which is more clearly
described hereafter, the U formation given to the beams also allows the
cutters i ȧ to be fastened to their bed by fang bolts with their heads inside the
beam.
The blank of metal previously described when placed under the cutters ii of
the bed or ledger blade h assumes a position which allows its edges running the
way of the grain to overhang a distance on either side representing the nail to be
severed therefrom, the said bed or ledger blade having been previously adjusted to
correspond with the angular cut of the knives i i by means of the wedged shaped
block m seen at Diagram Fig 4. The blank when in position on the bed or ledger
blade is secured thereon by the clamp o. connected by the bolts o¹ with the lever o².
actuated by the cam g³ keyed on the same shaft as g' The blank when so
retained or gripped then acted upon by the cutters ii as the table k is caused
to rise the action of which severs the tapered shaped overhanging nail like form
edges of the blank clear away down the sides of the ledger blade a depth sufficient
to give strength to the same. The nails so severed are headless but if they
require to have heads formed thereon they are as severed from the blank and
whilst moving down the sides of the ledger blade taken hold of by the guage levers
working inside the U formation of the beam i which hold the nail cut off from the
blank whilst it is being carried down before heading this said guage lever holds
or presses on two thirds of the length of the nail nearest to the head and so allows
sufficient room for the action of another lever to take hold of the remaining length,
the action of these levers is as follows:-So soon as the cutter and guage spring
lever have brought or forced down the cut nail to its lowest point the spring levers
grip the nail tightly by the point end, the cutter and guage lever at this time
release their hold and leave the nail held there by the spring lever which enables
the gripping dies by the action of the toggle levers at the back of the beam to
come forward and grip the nail which it is now possible to do as the guage lever
and cutter are both out of the way. The cut nails whilst being so held or clamped
allows the gripping dies actuated by the descent of the back of the beam connected
to table k firmly to grip the nail by means of the toggle levers and slide. The
nail at this time is acted upon by the heading compressors actuated by the
aforesaid toggle through the means of suitable slides which force or shape the
heads on the two severed pieces The vertical rods in connection with the toggle
levers receive their motion from the cams p p on the shafts c. c, As the heads are
being compressed on the severed pieces cut from the blank the clamp o rises so as
to leave the blank free at which time and simultaneously therewith the levers g
complete their throw removing the reduced blank from the bed or ledger blade
from which it is then finally removed by the pusher finger 7 actuated by the
cam q¹ through the medium of the lever q² onto a table where it is received into
one of the divisions of a second traversing chain or table f¹ which transfers it to
the second in the series of machines on to the bed or ledger blade where it is
placed by a similar arrangement of grippers and levers to those previously described
and marked in the drawings as g.
The reduced blank thus transferred to the second in the series of machines is
again acted upon in manner as already described herein when its further reduced
size is again transferred and so acted upon until it has been converted and cut up
into a number of nails decided upon and of a description corresponding with the
manipulating cutters and heading dies employed in their construction.
The Machine is so constructed that packing pieces and adjustments will enable
the several parts when requiring their positions to be altered or adjusted to suit
the class or description of nail under manufacture to be adjusted and fixed with
facility.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention together with the means

page_text: of performing the same I wish it to be understood in conclusion that what I claim
as new and of my invention is
First The novel adaptation arrangement and construction of the parts transferring
a blank piece of flat metal whether severed transversely and across the
grain from hoop or other strip iron to the action of cutters marked i i in
the drawings which will sever or cut therefrom nails such as sparrow
bills, brads, tacks, and the like in the manner as hereinbefore substantially
described set forth and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Secondly the novel adaptation and combination of a number of similar machines
or parts thereof so arranged to work in unison that they will successively
act upon a blank or blank pieces of flat metal of the description herein-
described in such a manner that the said blank or blanks will during it
or their progress through such Machines be cut up into a number of nails
of the same or various descriptions in the manner as herein substantially
described.
In witness whereof I the said John Maynes have hereunto set my hand
and seal this the fourth day of September one thousand eight hundred and
eighty two,
JOHN MAYNES. (L.S.)