CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING SCREWS
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
Her
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifth day of May, in the ninth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and enjoy, within England,
Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING SCREWS," being a communication from a foreigner residing
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be. performed, and to cause the
same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within.six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to tho. Drawings hereunto nunexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thercon (that is to say):-
This Invention of improvements in machinery for manufacturing wood
screws, as communicated to me by any foreign correspondent, relates, firstly, to
improvements in machinery for cutting wire into suitable lengths and pinching
up one end thereof so as to form screw blanks, which are to be subsequently
made into wood screws. The second part of the Invention relates to a novel
construction of machine for trimming, paring, or turning the heads of screw
blanks. The third part relates to improvements in the machine for nicking
the heads of screw blanks. And the fourth and last part of the Invention
relates to certain improvements in the machine for cutting the thread to form
wood screws.
The first part of this Invention, viz', the machinery for cutting the wire into
suitable lengths and forming it into screw blanks, and is shown in several
views of Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the front or feeding end of the machine;
Figure 2 is an elevation of the right-hand side; Figuro 3, an elevation of the
left-hand side; Figure 4, n plan view of the same; Figure 5 is a partial
vertical section of the feeding apparatus and shear, taken longitudinally, of
the machine; Figure 6 is a vertical section, exhibiting the griping dies and
the parts for actuating them; and Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken at the
line,, of Figure 1. The parts not clearly shewn in these Figures are repro-
sented in detached views, which will be referred to hereafter. The same letters
indicate liko parts in all these Figures.
The improvements under this head of the Invention consist, first, in making
the machino double-acting, by connecting together two sets of griping dies,
which receive a vibrating or sliding motion, so that while one set is receiving
from the feeders the wire as it is cut off to the required length for forming
a blank, the other set gripes a length of wire previously cut, and holds it
while it is subjected to the action of the heading punch. The lower half
,of each pair of dies is permanently attached to a stock that receives the
requisite sliding movements, and the two upper halves of the said dies
are respectively attached to jaws jointed to the stock carrying the lower

page_text: halves, and by suitable apparatus they are alternately opened and closed, for
the discharge of the headed blanks, and for the reception of a fresh supply
of wire, which is tightly griped while under the action of the shear or cutter,
as well as that of the heading punch. The wire is brought into the machine by
two sets of feeders, and two shears are provided for alternately cutting off the
lengths of wire at the time the heading tool is employed in forming a head on
the length of wire last cut off.
Secondly, the improvements consist in connecting with these dies, or rather
with the stocks thereof, an apparatus for causing the dies to gripe the wire
when the head is to be formed. At the outer end of each set of dies a
vibrating cam is placed for opening the jaws of the dies to liberate the blanks
and allow of a fresh supply of wire being received; when this fresh supply of
wire is effected the cams will press down the dies and hold the wire tight in
them while under the operation of the shear.
The third improvement consists in the arrangement of certain cams, arms,
rocking shafts, and their connections, to give all the motions required except
for the header, which is operated by a crank on the same shaft as the cams,
whereby two sets of cam grooves on one shaft (each set consisting of two
grooves) give all the motions required by operating four rocking shafts, each
shaft receiving its appropriate movements from one cam groove by a cam pin
on an arm affixed to one of the shafts. The necessary motions are transmitted
to the feeding apparatus, the dic holder or stop, the shears or cutters, and
the griping cams by appropriate arms, shackle bars, and levers.
The fourth improvement refers to a method of feeding in the wire to be cut
and headed by means of a grooved segment, which vibrates on its axis, and by
a spring connection gripes the wire between its grooved periphery and that of
a pressure roller below, the vibrating motion of the feed roller being commu-
nicated thereto by a shackle bar that takes hold of a wrist projecting from the
roller or an arın therefrom, and connected therewith by a slide and adjusting
screw, to increase or decrease the radius of the crank arm, whereby the amount
of feed can be adjusted with the greatest accuracy, the wire being griped to feed
in when one of the wheels is vibrated in one direction and liberated when turned
in the reverse direction.
A main framing is properly adapted to all the parts of this machine, and
provided with two heads A, A', at opposite ends, connected together by screw
rods B, B, to resist the thrust of the heading apparatus. The wires, if
desired, may be fed in between straightening rollers, as shewn at Figure 5,
but this is not essential. From these rollers, if used, the wire passes between
a roller and a segment roller r, the peripheries of which are formed as

page_text: seen in the cross section, Figure 8, one of the rollers being V grooved, and
the other having a projecting bead, slightly grooved on its face, and capable of
entering the V groove of the other roller. The object of thus grooving the
roller y and segment r is to render then self-adapting to the different sizes of
wire which are used in any one machine. The lower roller 2 has its bearing
in a frame, one end of which turns on a pin, and the other is connected with a
vertical sliding rol. This rod passes through a guide, formed by a pro-
jecting piece on the frame of the machine, and is borne upwards so as to force
the roller 7 against the segment and make it gripe the wire by means of a
helical spring which rests on the said projecting piece of the frame and
presses against a collar or washer on the rod ut. The lower end of this rod
has a bridle p', see Figures 1, 2, nudl 3, which embraces a treadle n to enable
the attendant when he wishes to introduce a fresh supply of wire to force down
the roller. This lower roller turns freely, and is in fact only a guide and
presser roller to the segment roller r, which is mounted on and vibrates with a
horizontal arbor to feed in the required length of wire and return to take a
fresh supply. This motion is given by a connecting rod j', which takes hold of
a wrist on the end of the arbor k, and as the extent of vibration of the segment
will depend on the motion of the connecting rod and distance between the
centre pin of the wrist and arbor, the wrist is connected with the arbor by
means of two arms m, m, between which it is made to slide by turning a sot
screw m provided for that purpose. The radius of the wrist being thus
capable of the nicest adjustment, the same amount of wire fed into the
machine will be insured for the formation of the head, but the adaptation of
the feed to the different lengths of blanks is effected in another manuer, which
will be presently described. The connecting rod at its lower end is jointed
to a vertical rod h', (see Figure 1,) which slides in appropriate guides attached
to the frame, and this rod is connected by a joint link with one end of a
vibrating lever g' mounted on a fulerum pin projecting from the main
framing. Between the left-hand link and the fulcrum g³ this lever is slotted
to receive a screw bolt, which is connected by a link to an arm we on the and
of a rocking shaft Y. This shaft receives a rocking motion by another arm Z,
Figure 3, provided with a swivel cam pine that runs in a cam groove a
formed in the cylinder N on the main driving shaft L. By means of this
connection it will be evident that as the shaft Y rocks backward and forward
the grooved segment or feeding roller will also vibrate on its axis to feed in
the wire and return to take a fresh hold, and that by shifting the bolts which
form the connections between the link fand the lever g' and arm w, tho
extent of vibration of the grooved segment, roller r relatively to the rocking of

page_text: the shaft Y will be changed, so that by this means the motions of the segment
roller can be set for any desired length of blank to be cut. The cam groove
a, Figure 4, made in the cylinder N, is represented as developed at Figure 9,
where it will be seen that it consists of two parts, parallel to each other from
1 to 2 in the direction of the arrow, and from 2 to 3 they both run diagonally
and cross cach other midway, and continue thus obliquely until they return
into each other, so that as the cylinder rotates the cam pin runs from the ono
into the other and back again, thus rocking the shaft backward and forward
in two revolutions of the main shaft L. It now remains to show how the
grooved segment roller r avoids carrying back the wire by its return vibration.
It has been stated above, that the roller q is forced up against it to gripe the wire
by the tension of the helical spring t on the rod u. Before the segment roller
begins its backward vibration, it is necessary to relieve the wire of this pressure.
This is effected by an arm p, Figure 1, connected by a joint link o, with an
arm o', Figure 2, the stock n of which turns freely on the end of the shaft T,
which answers the purpose of a stud, and this stock n is connected by another
arm of with a stud pin s¹ that forms the connection between the link h of one
of the shears and an arm S, mounted on the shaft T This arm S has an
oscillating movement conveyed to it by the means hereafter described, and
communicates the requisite motion and at the appropriate time to the arm p,
which is connected with the balance beam t', that bears on the upper face of a
collar on each of the rods u, and forces down one end of that lover and with it
one of the rollers q, and thus relieves the wire of the pressure of the roller q.
The segment roller r then vibrates back to take a fresh hold of the wire, and
at the end of this back motion the arm pis moved up, which movement relieves
the rod and permits the spring t to force up the roller q against the wire
and gripe it. The arm o², which receives and communicates motion to the
parts that overcomes the tension of the springs t, t, is connected with the stud
pin s', (Figure 1,) by that pin projecting through a slot or elongated hole in its
end, so that at the end of the motion of the pin s¹ (which is connected as before
stated with one of the shears by the link h) the shear will begin to move down
to cut the wire before the presser roller loses its gripe on it, the slot in the
arm of being sufficiently elongated to give the pin the required play for this
purpose. It is important to hold on to the wire by the shear before the presser
roller relieves it to prevent the tension on the reel (or other causes) from drawing
back the wire out of the machine. There are (as indicated above) two sets of
feeders, one on each side, constructed alike, and marked with the same letters
of reference; the rods u, u, of the two sets are connected together by means of
the balance beam t, so that when one is borne down, the other is free to be

page_text: 9
c
forced up, and vice versa, and the movements of the two segment rollers r, r, are
connected by the vibrating lever g', by which the feed is alternated from one pair
of feed rollers to the other. As the wire is pushed froin the feed rollers to the hole
in their respective shears, it passes under a lip t (Figure 5), projecting from
one face of the shear stock R and over a moving rest or support ³ on the
upper end of a vertical rod t, which slides in a swell of the head A of the
framing, and below this there are two adjusting nuts to prevent the rest from
being forced up beyond the edge of the lower part of the hole in the shear,
through which the wire passes when the shear is up; these nuts form a
shoulder, against which a spring y bears, to force up the support or rest u³, so
that as the shear moves down the wire is griped between the rest and the lip
when the roller q is free to quit its hold on the wire, and the feeding segment
roller may vibrato back, preparatory to another feed, the wire being held by
the rest and lip during the whole motion of the shear. By this arrange-
ment the wire is held always either by the shear or the feed rollers. The wire
then passes through a hole in a steel plate (see Figure 6), which constitutes
the shear, and is fitted in a recess in the shear stock or lover R, and secured
therein by a temper scrow, that it may be removed and others substituted for
different sized wires. The shear stocks or lovers turn on fulcrum pins, and
the shear stock, which is on the opposite side of the machine to that before
mentioned as in connection with the link h, is connected by a link with
a stud on an arm Q of a rocking shaft G, which is made to vibrate at
the appropriate time by an arm P on its opposite end, provided with
a swivel cam pin e, (see Figure 3,) which runs in the cam groove
of the cylinder N before, described, so that as the cylinder rotates, the
rocking shaft G receives and transmits the appropriate movements to the
shear to cut off the wire, and return back to admit of the feeding. These and
the motions of the feed rollers are made to correspond, but as there are two
shears, one on each side of the machine, constructed and operating alike, but
at different intervals, they are operated by the same rocking motion; this is
effected by the arm G of the rocking shaft G being connected by a shackle
bar g, with the arm S before inentioned, which vibrates on the shaft T used
for another purpose, but answering in this case as a stud for the arm S. From
this arrangement it will be obvious that the two shears will act alternately, and
the mode of actuating being now described, the movement of the parts to
effect the rocking of the rollers 7, and the depression of the rollers 9 will be
more clearly understood, and their connection with the main driving shaft L
will now be readily seen. Before the wire is shenrod of it is pushed between
the griping dies e, e, a sufficient distance to measure the length required for

page_text: a blank. One face of these dies constitutes the permanent blade of the shear.
As two shears are employed, in order that one blank may be under the action
of the header while another is being severed from the rod or wire, two sets
of dics e, e³, are necessarily required; these dies are attached to a sliding
stock W, (see Figures 6 and 7,) which receives its appropriate motions from
cam grooves on the cylinder M, made similar to the grooves on the cylinder N,
and attached to the opposite end of the main driving shaft L; this cam groove,
by a swivel cam pin i (see Figures 2 and 4) on an arm U, attached to a
shaft II, communicates a vibratory motion thereto; and on the opposite end of
this rocking shaft there is an arm V connected with the stock W of the dies
by a shackle bar j. The grooves in the cylinders M and N are so situated on
the shaft relatively to each other as to give the motions to the stock of the
dies, the feed rollers and the shears at their appropriate periods presenting
the dies to hold the cut wire to the action of the punch, and the empty dies to
receive the wire from the feed rollers to be sheared off. The dies e³, e³, are
each composed of two square blocks of steel; the lower halves of the dies are
fitted into sockets in the stock W to form the bed dies, and the upper halves
are secured respectively in corresponding sockets in jaws W', W', jointed to
the stock midway between the two bed dies. By means of temper screws the
dies are secured in their sockets; and to allow of their being turned there is a
semicircular recess formed in each of the corresponding faces, that when one is
worn a fresh one may be brought round and used. When the blank is being
cut off or headed the dies must gripe it; for the former of theso purposes thero
are two vibrating cams a', a', one for each jaw, mounted on the rods B, B,.of
the framing. These cams when rotating in one direction, by reason of their
excentric faces, bear on the outer ends of the jaws W', W', and cause the
wire to be held tightly in the dies, and when they vibrate in the reverse
direction a lip a, a, projecting from them catches the end of the jaws W', and
lifting them up liberates the blank, which is forced out by the feeding in of the
wire. Motion is given to these cams by the grooved cylinder M, which com-
municates motion through a cam pin m attached to an arm X; this arm X,
which is mounted on the shaft T, is connected by a shackle bar c¹ with
arms c', one on each of the shafts b, b. Upon the other end of these shafts b
are the arms c, c³, which are connected with the before-mentioned cams a¹
by shackle bars d', d'; as these bars are made to take hold of their re-
spective cams on reverse sides, it will be obvious that the vibration of the
rocking shafts b, in the same direction, will vibrate the cams in reversed
directions to each other, by which means the dies will be opened and closed
alternately. But the dies are made to gripe the blank for heating by a

page_text: different means, viz', the stock and jaws move between two vibrating seg
ments a, a, the faces of which have cogs to fit corresponding recesses in the die
stock, and these segments have their bearings in slides adjustable by a screw y,
as on the upper one, or by a wedge, as on the lower one. They may bo
segments of circles, or cam-formed, to increase the gripe at the end of each
vibration if thought desirable. Instead of these segments. I sometimes prefer
closing the jaws to gripe the blank for heading in the inanner shewn in
section at Figure 10, which consists of a lever n operated by the cam p
on the main driving shaft L against a slide 3, which acts on the lower
surface. The inner end of this lever n, when raised, acts upon a vertical
slide g³, situated beneath the die stock W, and forces that stock up against an
adjustable stop secured to the frame above. After a blank of the required
length has been cut off by the action of one of the shears, the die stock is
moved Interally, so as to bring the end of the wire just severed from the rod to
rest against n' face plates, while, at the same time, the other pair of dics is
brought to coincide with the other shear. The jaw of this pair of dies is then
raised and the wire is fed in, which forces out the headed blank, at the same
time the heading punch p³ is brought forward to strike or swage the head in
the dies, which are properly countersunk for this purpose. The punch is let
into a socket in the end of the stock E, which works in appropriate slides, and
is operated by a toggle joint J, J, one arm of which is jointed to the stock
and the other to the back head A' of the frame. The adjoining ends of the
arms J are hinged to the connecting rod K, which forms the connection with
the operating crank on the main shaft L; it will be obvious, from the fore-
going, that instead of the two sets of cam grooves being made on two separate
cylinders, they may be made on one, and effect the same end on the same
principle, and that other slight variations may be made in the various parts of
the machine without substantially changing the principle or mode of operation
of the improved machine.
Under this head of the Invention I claim generally the mode of combining
two sets of dies, (which alternately gripe and liberato a blank,) two sets of
feeders and two shears with a single hender, as above described, whereby the
delivery of a headed blank, and the feeding in and cutting off of another, is
effected during the operation of heading one blank, previously cut, thus greatly
increasing the amount of work, without tho necessity of increasing the velocity
with which each separato operation is performed. And particularly I claim
the improved arrangement of apparatus for actuating two sets of griping dies,
as above described and shewn in the Drawings, whereby tho muchine is made
double-acting with a single hender or punch. I also claim the method of

page_text: feeding in the wire by the reciprocating grooved roller or rollers, as above
described.
The second part of the Invention, consisting, as before stated, of a machine
for trimming, paring, or turning the heads of screw blanks, is represented in
Sheet II. of the Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the right-hand side of the machine; Figure 2,
an elevation of the left-hand side; Figure 3, a horizontal section, taken at the
line A, a, of Figure 1; Figure 4, a front elevation; Figure 5, a vertical cross
section at the line B, b, of Figure 3; Figure 6, a like section, taken at the
line D, d; and Figure 7 is another section, taken at the line C, c; the parts
not clearly exhibited in these Figures will be represented in detached portions,
and referred to in their appropriate places. The same letters indicate like
parts in all the Figures. In this machine the blanks are arranged in a hopper
composed of two inclined rollers, and one by one discharged down a vertical
tube or conductor to a pair of conveying fingers, which receive them severally
in a vertical position, change them to a horizontal position, and present them
to a set of griping jaws jointed to a chuck on a rotating mandril. A similar
mode of feeding the machine is also employed in the machines constituting the
third and fourth heads of the Invention.
The peculiar features of this second machine consist, firstly, in the employ-
ment of a sliding driver or punch in combination with the conveying fingers,
by means of which, when the blank is presented to the griping jaws, the point
of it (which is below the conveying fingers as it was received by them from
the conducting tube) is presented to and introduced the required distance
between the griping jaws to bo received by them.
Secondly, in the employment of a rest or support, which (the moment the
jaws have grasped the blank and the conveying fingers have been liberated
from it) is carried up against the shank of the blank and the under side of
the head, when the trimming tool (in like manner, but on the opposite side)
is made to approach and embrace the upper end and under side of the head,
and trim them, the rest or support resisting the pressure of the trimming
tool, and thereby keeping the blank in a true central line.
And, finally, so attaching the trimming tool to a tool holder or stock, that
slides by means of adjusting screws on a stock connected by means of a journal
bolt and adjusting screws, with a rocker adjustable lengthwise on its shaft by a
temper screw, that by means of these adjustments the cutting tool can be moved
'nearer to or further from the griping jaws in the chuck by sliding the rocker
on its shaft or arbor, have its point elevated or depressed relatively to the axis
of the chuck, by turning the second or bed stock on the rocker, or be carried

page_text: nearer to or farther from the blank, to cut a larger or smaller diameter, by
sliding the tool holder or first stock on the second or bed stock, or by simply
sliding the tool in a socket in the stock instead.
A, Sheet II., represents the framework properly adapted to the various
parts of the machine, and B, the driving pulley on the main driving shaft
or mandril C. The blanks, previously headed, are thrown into a hopper F,
supported by standards II, II, at the top of the machine. In this hopper
the blanks are regularly arranged, with the shanks & hanging down between
a pair of rollers E, E, which form the bottom of the hopper. These rollers
are placed at a slight incline, but parallel to each other, and at such a
distanco apart as to permit the blanks to pass, shank downwards, freely
between them, the heads resting on the periphery of the rollers. a, a. arc
two cog wheels, mounted respectively on the ends of the rollers E, and
gearing into each other. Rotary motion is thus simultaneously communicated
to the rollers by a belt b from a pulley on the shaft K, by which means the
blanks are caused to arrange themselves in regular order (with the shanks &
hanging between the rollers and the heads resting on the peripheries, as
before stated), and gradually to descend towards the lower end of the hopper.
where in succession they are received in diagonal apertures made in two bars
c, c, of a delivery and check slide d (shewn in perspective at Figure 8); or,
instead of two bars, the aperture may be made in a slide of only one bar, or
solid. The check slide d is then moved in the direction of the arrow, when the
acute edge of the aperture will single out the foremost blank of those which are
sliding down the hopper, and discharge it in a vertical position down a vertical
tube e, made in a projection of the standard II'. As the slide d discharges
a blank, its inner face prevents the further delivery of the blanks from the
rollers until the slide returns to its original position to receive another. By
referring to the plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, at Figure 5, it will be
seen that the diagonal aperture in the arms c. c. is enlarged in one of the arms
to receive a blank so soon as the slide runs back from one discharge, where it
is held by a lip until the slide is again moved forward for the delivery. The
arms of the slide d work in recesses in the upper part of the tube (see the
section, Figure 6*), and between it and the end of the rollers E. Its periodic
movements, which must correspond with the operations of the other parts of
the machine, are given by the revolution of the cam m on the shaft K acting
on an arm f³ on the arbor f*, which vibrates the lever fattached thereto, and
which, being jointed to the slide d, delivers a blank in a vertical position to tho
tube c, down which it descends, point foremost, to the couveying fingers o, o.
At-the period when the blank descends, the fingers o are in a horizontal

page_text: position immediately beneath the tube 2, and partially opened by coming against
a wedge-like projection & depending therefrom. This permits the point of the
blank to pass through the fingers, which are made in two parts, like pincers,
and jointed to an arm p'. The arm p' is mounted on one end of a rocking
arbor p,
which has its bearings in the framing, and passes through it to receive
another arma (see Figure 2), connected by a joint link w with a long lever u.
This lever vibrates on a fulcrum pin v, and is provided at about the middle of
its length with a cam pin y, which runs in a cam groove a', a", formed in the
periphery of a cylinder O, attached to and turning with a hollow shaft Q, that
receives motion from the mandril C by a pinion D and wheel D'. The form
of this cam cylinder O is represented as developed at Figure 9, where it will
be seen that the groove a' runs entirely around in the direction of the periphery.
At the point 1, another groove a" runs out from it obliquely, and continues in
that direction to the point 2, where it changes and runs back with a reversed
obliquity to the groove a'. At the point 1, the junction of these two grooves,
there is a sliding switch h¹ so formed that when it is in the position represented
in the Drawings, the direct groove is closed, and the cam pin y is therefore
forced to follow the diagonal groove, whereby the lever u is made to vibrate in
one direction, to move the conveying fingers a quarter of a revolution, and pre-
sent the point of the blank to the griping jaws in the chuck, and then the
reversed obliquity of the groove will vibrate the lever in the reverse direction,
and cause it to move the conveying fingers back to the tube e, where they
are to remain until the head of that blank has been pared off and another is to
be fed in. For this purpose the switch is shifted to the position represented
by dotted lines, which movement closes the diverging groove and leaves the
direct one free to run on the cam pin, and retain the lever 2 and its con-
nection stationary; this shifting of the switch h¹ is effected by having it
attached to a rod in the hollow shaft Q of the cam-grooved cylinder O,
and the end of the rod is swivelled to an arm on a vertical arbor A, from
which projects another arm, the end of which runs in a cam groove J made
in the face of what is termed the index cam J' on the shaft K, which cam
makes but one revolution to each complete operation of the machine, and regu-
lates the shifting of the operations, and hence its name, the "index cam." The
form of this cam groove is represented at Figure 10, where it will be seen that
from 1 to 2, in the direction the reverse of the arrow, it is concentric; and as
this passes the arm P, the switch will keep the oblique groove a" of the cam
cylinder O closed; from 2 to 3 it runs out to slide the switch and make it close
the direct and open the oblique groove of the cam cylinder O; from 3 to 4 it
runs for a short distance in a concentric direction, and then runs in again to 1,

page_text: for the purpose of closing tho oblique and opening the direct groove, that the
shaft Q and cylinder O may continue to rotate until the head of the blank is
finished; without moving the conveying fingers; motion is communiented from
the hollow shaft Q to the shaft K of the index cam J, and reduced to the
required speed by a series of cog wheels b', c', d', and e'. When a blank is
presented in a horizontal position by the conveying fingers, it is griped by
the jaws n', n', ', which are jointed to a chuck v, itself attached to one end of
the hollow mandril C. The jaws it', n', are also connected by links r, r, with
one end of a sliding rod a', which passes through the mandril, and is drawn
back at certain intervals to close the jaws on the blank by the action of a cam
groove w', which embraces a cam pin v', on a slide u, swivelled to the back
end of the rod s', that it may turn without its slide. This cam groove w' is
formed in a cylinder I, mounted on a hollow shaft M, and is provided with a
shifting piece or switch connected with the rods, which slides within the roller
shaft M in the following manner:-On referring to Figure 10, it will be seen
that the rod S is swivelled to an arm l', projecting from the vertical arbor A,
and opposite to the arm /, which shifts the switch of the cam groove of the
cylinder O, that operates the conveying fingers. By this means, tho switches
in these two cam grooves are shifted simultaneously, and by the samo index
cam; but the switch for closing the griping jaws is so located in its cam groove
relatively to the one that operates the conveying fingers, as to close the jaws
just after the blank has been introduced. As the blauk is being grasped by the
jaws, a driving punch advances to force the blank in the jaws to the required
distance, so that the head of the blank may be at the appropriate place to lic
acted upon by the rest or support, and the cutting tool. This is effected in
the following manner :-The axis of the driver f' is in a line with the axis of
the mandril C, and slides in an appropriate bearing g' in the end framing. The
rear end of tho driver is connected with a cross head'i', by means of adjusting
nuts, which regulate the distance the blank shall be forced, and this head
is connected by joint links j', j', to the forked end of a vibrating lever R,
having its fulcrum at . At about the middle of its length the lever R is pro-
vided with a cam pin m, which runs in a cam groove n', n, (sco Figure 2,) formed
in a cylinder P, in manner similar to the cam groove that operates the conveying
fingers; and, like it, this groove is provided with a switch o', attached to the
same sliding rod k', so that both switches are shifted at the same time and by
the same means; but the obliquo position of the groove that operates the
driver is so located relatively to its cam pin as to make the motion of the
driver succeed that of the conveying fingers. The moment that the driver has
forced the blank to its appropriate place, the rest or support 9', which has a

page_text: semi-circular cavity in its end to fit the shank and under side of the head of.
the blank. and which is held by temper screws in a socket in the upper end
of an arm on a rocking shaft q³ (see Figure 5), is forced up and held against
the blank by an arm q* projecting down from the rocking shaft q³, and provided
with a cam pin q, that runs in a cam groove 7', made in one face of a
plate N, keyed on the shaft K of the index cam. The form of this cam groove
is such that from the point 1 to 2, in the direction the reverse of the arrow, it
is in a slight curve, varying but little from a line tangential to the circum-
ference of the shaft, and at the end it forms a sudden curve, and becomes and
thence continues concentric to 3, to keep the rest or support against the blank
during the operation of trimming the head of the blank; and again from
3 to 4 it forms a curve the reverse of that from 1 to 2, to throw back the
rest g; and, finally, from 4 to 1, the place of beginning, it is concentric for a
short distance, to hold the rest back during the operation of introducing another
blank. At the same time that the rest performs the operations just described
the cutter & approaches, trims the head, and then returns. In order to effect
these movements, the cutter is connected with a rockers, Figure 5, which as
an arm s', provided with a cam pins (Figure 1), that runs in a cam groove
formed in the plate N, but in the face opposite of the came groove qº, which
operates the rest q'. The form of this cam groove is represented at sⓇ in the
section 11, where it will be seen that from 1 to 2, in the direction the reverse
of the arrow, it runs out with a sudden curve to carry the point of the cutter
up to the blank, it then continues to run out with less rapidity to 3, to move
the cutter, until its point has reached (or a little passed) the axis of the blank,
and then from this point around to 1, the place of beginning, it is formed
with two sudden curves to throw back and keep back the cutter that another
blank may be supplied. The form of the cutting edge of the cutter f² is more
fully represented in Figure 12, which is a top view drawn to an enlarged
scale; it has two lips, the one S 7, nearly parallel with its sides, to trim the top
of the head of the blank, which is nearly flat, and the other S 8, shorter and
bevilled to trim the under side of the head. This cutter is connected with
the rocker S in such a manner as to be adjustable in three different directions.
As it is important that the cutting edge should be properly presented to the
blank to insure its working to advantage; it is inserted and held by temper
screws t, t, in a socket in a tool holder t, which slides on a bed or stock t³,
provided with an adjusting screw t, for the purpose of moving the cutting edge
nearer to or farther from the axis of the blank; and this bed or stock is con-
nected with a second stock to by a journal bolt t, which passes through two
cars t, t, of the second stock, so.that by means of two screws t³, ts, one on each

page_text: side of the axis of the connection, the point of the cutter can be elevated or
depressed relatively to the axis of the blank; and, finally, the second stock is
connected with the rocker S by a feathered edge to, that it may slide thercon
by a set screw to, for the purpose of setting the cutter relatively to the length
of the blank to be trimmed. It will be obvious that the tool holder may be
made in one piece with the bed or first stock, and that the tool or cutter can
be adjustable within it, instead of making the tool holder to slide on the first
stock. The rocker S³ turns on the point of two journal or pivot screws u², 1ª,
so placed that the axis of the rocker shall be a little oblique to the axis of the
mandril, that the cutter, when moved back after completing a cut, shall be freed
from the head so soon as it begins to recede. It has been stated above that
the index cam makes but one revolution to each complete operation of the
machine, but the relative number of revolutions of the mandril C, which carries
the chuck V, will be in proportion to the diameter of the heads to be trimmed,
say twenty to one revolution of the index cam, more or less, and the relative
motions of the other parts will be seen by reference to the Drawings.
That which claim under this, the second part of the Invention is, generally,
the arrangement of the machinery above described, for trimming the screw
blanks after they have been headed; and, particularly,-
First, the method, above described, of arranging screw blanks for regular
delivery, by employing two inclined rollers, whoreby the screw blanks thrown
promiscuously into the hopper, of which these rollers form the bottom, will
fall, shanks downwards, into the space between the rollers (the heads of the
blanks resting on their peripheries), and gradually slide towards the delivery
end of the hopper; and this I claim, whether both or only one of the rollers
bo made to rotate, and whether the rollers constitute the bottom only, or to
the entire hopper.
Second, I claim the peculiar construction of delivery slide, whereby the
blanks are received from a hopper or other feeder, and delivered in a vertical
position into a conductor, the farther delivery from the hopper being checked
until a repetition of the operation is required, as described.
Thirdly, claim the arrangement, as described, of the conveying fingers;
the driver, and the griping jaws, whereby the blank is taken from a vertical
position, changed to a horizontal position, and presented point foremost to the
jaws, and then pushed in to the required distance, to insure the proper position
of the head relatively to the cutter and rest.
Fourthly, I claim the combination of the griping jaws, conveying fingers,
and driver, with the rest, or support, and cutting tool, which are made to
approach and recede from the blank so soon as it has been griped, whereby the

page_text: complete operations of feeding in the blanks, and trimming the heads, are
affected, as described.
And fifthly, I claim the method of adjusting the cutter in three different
directions, as described, by the combination of the rocker, which slides endways
on its arbor to adjust the cutter relatively to the length of the blank, the stock
connected therewith, so as to elevate or depress the point of the cutter, and
with the tool. holder, for adjusting the cutter nearer to or further from. the
blank.
The third part of the Invention, consisting of a machine for cutting the
nicks in the heads of scrow blanks, will be clearly understood by the following
description, reference being had to Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings, in
which Figure 1 is a plan of the machine; Figure 2 a front elevation; Figure 3
a back elevation; Figure 4 an elevation of the left-hand side; Figure 5 a
cross vertical section, taken at the line A a of Figure 1; and Figure 6 a like
section, takon at the line Bb of the same Figure: the same letters indicate
like parts in all these Figures. In this machine, the headed blanks are
arranged and delivered to the conveying fingers in the same manner, and by a
like arrangement of machinery, as in the preceding machine for trimming
the heads, except that the lever f, which moves the delivery slide d, is operated
by a cam m acting directly on this arm, instead of acting on another arm
attached to the same rocking arbor; and as the same letters of reference are
marked on the corresponding parts of these Drawings, a further description
will be here unnecessary.
The nature of this, the third part of the Invention, consists, firstly, in
operating the griping jaws, by means of the connecting rods jointed to a frame
vibrated by a cam or cams, or some equivalent device; by means of which the
blanks are taken from the conveying fingers (which are free to operate
between two of the connecting rods), griped, and presented to, and forced
against the cutting edge of the saw, and, when nicked, liberated, preparatory to
the reception of another blank.
Secondly, in mounting the conveying fingers on a rocking shaft, with which
they slide, to draw the blank from the conducting or delivering tube to a
line with the griping jaws, there to be rocked about a quarter of a revolu-
tion to present the blank to the jaws. A (Sheet 3) represents a frame
properly adapted to the various parts of the mechanism. As the blanks
are delivered from the hopper F down the tube e, one by one, point down-
wards, they are received between the conveying fingers o, o, with the point
of the blank resting on the end of a regulating screw a (see Figure 5) that
passes through an arm (attached to the same stock as the fingers), for the

page_text: purpose of guaging the distance to which the blanks shall descend through
the fingers, it being essential for the head to be always at the same distance
from the upper surface of the fingers, to insure their proper presentation to
the griping jaws. The fingers o, o, and the arm b' of the regulating screw are
attached to an arbor c', provided at one end with a cam pin d', which runs in
a cam groove c' in a cylinder f'. This cylinder fis mounted on a shaft g',
which receives motion from the main driving shaft h', by a pinion gearing
¿¹
into a wheel mounted on the shaft g'. The groove of this cylinder fis
shewn as developed at Figure 7, where it will be seen that from 1 to 2, in
the direction of the arrow, it runs dingonally, for the purpose of drawing the
conveying fingers from under the end of the tube e to a line coinciding with a
vertical plane passing through the nicking saw. From the point 2 to 3 the
groovo runs at right angles with the shaft for a distance sufficient to give
the requisite time for the conveying fingers to present the blank to the griping
jaws and to return, and then from 3 to the groove runs diagonally the
reverse direction to that of from 1 to 2, in order to push the fingers back under
the delivery tube, and from 4 to 1, the place of beginning, the groove again runs
at right angles with the shaft. When the fingers have been drawn out from
under the delivery tube the required distance, they are thrown up, to present
the blank to the griping jaws, by the rocking of their arbor c'. This is effected
by means of an arm (see Figure 6), through which the rocking arbor passes,
and is secured thereto by a feather edge, to admit of the arbor sliding endwise,
and yet receiving the oscillating motion. The arm & is connected by a joint
link, with a lever m', provided with a cam pin n', that runs in a cam groove
o', in the face of the plate p', which is one of the heads of the cylinder.
The form of this groove is such that from the point 1 to 2, in the direction the
reverse of the arrow, it is concentric, for the purpose of keeping the conveying
fingers against the lower end of the delivery tube e, to receive the blank; at 2,
it forms a sudden curve towards the axis, and runs to the point 3 (in a lino
nearly tangentical to a concentric circle, of which the point 3 is a radius), for
the purpose of changing the blank from a vertical to a horizontal, or nearly
horizontal position, and presenting it to the griping jaws, and from this point 3
the groove runs in an opposite direction to 1, the point of beginning, for
the purpose of carrying the feeding fingers back to a horizontal position pre-
paratory to their being carried under the delivery tube e, for the reception of
another blnuk. The conveying fingers o, o, are formed of two springs, and
one of them has a projection o' on its cud, which, when the fingers are
carried Interally under the tube c, strikes against a pin 7 (Figure 2) on a
shutter q', hinged to the lower end of the tube, to close an aperture made in

page_text: the side of the tube for the passage of that part of the blank which extends
above the upper surface of the fingers. The operation of closing this shutter
at the same time opens the fingers sufficiently to permit the blank to drop
between the fingers. When the fingers retire, the shutter is thrown open by a
small spring, not shewn in the drawing, but applied in any desired manner.
When the conveying fingers are thrown up they present the blank head
foremost to three griping jaws 7, 71, 71, arranged at equal distances apart,
two of them jointed to the framo at s', s', and the other to a slide t¹, forced
down by a helical or other spring to adapt itself to any inequality in tho
size of the shanks of the blanks. These three jaws act in the manner of a
toggle joint, grasp the shank of the blank just under the head, and carry it
up to the nicking saw on the arbor w', which receives its motion from
the main shaft h¹ by cog wheels a, . Tho jaws are respectively con-
nected by the links y', y', y', with the upper part of a frame z', (Figures
3 and 5,) attached to and vibrating with a shaft h. The frame of the griping
jaws receives the required movements from two cam grooves a", made in
the two cam plates 6", 6", (on the shaft y' of the other cams), one on each
side of the frame, to equalize the motion, the two grooves being alike, but one
of them is represented at Figure 5, where it will be seen that from 1 to 2, in
the direction the reverse of the arrow, the groove is concentric, to keep the
jaws open during the time that the conveying fingers are moving to present a
blank; from 2 to 8, it runs in towards the axis to gripe the blank and take it
from the conveying fingers, and present the head to the nicking saw; from
3 to 4, it gradually approaches the centre by a slight eccentricity to carry
forward the blank as the saw cuts the nick; and from 4 to 1, the point of
commencement, it runs out in a curve the reverse of that from 2 to 3, to open
and carry back the jaws preparatory to another operation. The arbor w³ of
the nicking saw runs on screw centres c", c", to adjust the saw relatively to the
centre of the head of the blank, and these screw centres pass through boxes d¹
that are adjustable towards or from the saw in slides e" by adjusting screws f".
By means of a temper screw g" the pressure of the spring u can be regulated
at pleasure to increase or decrease the gripe of the jaws on the blank.
I claim under this the third part of the Invention, the mode of working
the griping jaws which hold the blank, and move it forward to the saw to be
nicked as above described, when combined with the nicking saw.
The fourth and last part of the Invention, consisting of a machine for cutting,
chasing, or forming the threads of wood screws, is represented in several views in
Sheet IV. of the accompanying Drawings. Figure 1 is a plan of the machine,
with the hopper and feeding apparatus removed; Figure 2, a front elevation;

page_text: Figure 3, a back elevation; Figure 4, a vertical section representing the
shafts (which are most of them hollow) as cut longitudinally in half to exhibit
'their inside arrangements; Figure 5 is an elevation of the left-hand end; and
Figures 6, 7, and 8, vertical sections taken at the lines 6, 7, and 8, of Figure 1.
The same letters indicate like part in all the Figures. The peculiar features
of the machine, constituting the fourth head of the Invention, are:-
First, the arrangement for presenting a pair of spring convoying fingers to
the lower end of a vertical tube, down which the blanks descend in order
to receive the end of a blank; and present it. in a horizontal position to a griper
preparatory to cutting the thread.
The second improvement relates to the employment of gripers jointed to
a chuck or head on the end of a hollow spindle, and connected to one end
of a sliding rod within the spindle, the other end being connected with a
slide governed by a cam, the sliding of which causes the gripers to take
hold of the blank just within the head to rotate it whilst under the operation
of the cutting tool, when this is used in combination with a sliding piece
which is forced towards the head of the screw by a spring, so that if the
blank should turn in the gripers in consequence of the bite of the chasing
or threading tool it will take into the nick in the head, and by that means
hold it.
The third improvement relates to the arrangement of the thread cutter
or chaser, and the sliding rest, the latter of which is secured to a sliding
chasing frame for the purpose of preventing the shank of the scrow from
yielding when under the action of the chaser, which is also properly secured
in an adjustable tool holder or head, jointed by its lower end to the chasing
sliding frame, the upper end sliding on a rod secured to a sway bar, one end of
which is jointed to an adjusting slide, and the other governed by a cam which
gives the requisite taper and point to the screw. The chasing frame is governed
in its motion by a chasing cam groove on a cylinder, the groove being so formed
as to move the chasing slide to carry the cutter gradually from the commence-
ment of the thread towards the point, with a motion so regulated relatively to
the rotation of the spindle as to give the pitch of the thread and then move it
back again for another cut, one part of tho groove crossing the other. for this
purpose; that part of the groove which moves tho chasing slide for chasing
the thread is in the form of a helix, and at the end thereof it crosses the
helix with a sudden curve to run back the chaser. At the end of the helix
the groove runs into another groove, and the junction of these two is provided
with a sliding switch connected with a sliding rod within the chasing cam
shaft, and governed by another cam called the index cam, so that when the

page_text: thread is chased, the switch is shifted, which opens this latter groove to draw
the chasing frame and chaser far enough out of the way to admit. of the opera-
tion of the conveying fingers to supply a new blank.
The fourth improvement consists in the manner of adjusting the point of
the chaser to its proper position relatively to the shank of the screw by securing
the chaser to a tool holder made in two parts, the part to which the chaser
is secured being joiuted to and having a projection from it passing through
a mortice in the other part, with a temper screw above and below, by the
turning of which the point of the chaser can be raised or lowered with the
nicest accuracy.
The fifth feature of novelty peculiar to this machine relates to the mode of
changing the two cams that operate the conveying fingers, the griping cam,
and the chasing cam, by means of an index cam, which operates sliding
switches through the intervention of sliding rods within the hollow arbor and
the cam shafts. By means of this improved machine all the operations of
arranging the blanks in regular order, supplying them one by one to the
gripers, chasing the thread with any desired taper and point, and discharging
the chased screw, are performed with no other human labour than is necessary
to keep the mechanism in order, and to throw a large quantity of blanks into
the hopper at given intervals.
A, Sheet IV., represents the bed, and B the cast-iron frame of the machine,
properly adapted to the mechanism. The inclined hopper into which the
blanks are thrown promiscously having been fully described with reference to
Sheet II., a recapitulation of its construction will be here unnecessary, I shall,
therefore, merely show how the slide d is actuated. The arms c, c, of the
slide d work in recesses in the upper part of the tube (see: the action,
Figure 6), and between it and the end of the rollers E, and the periodic
movements of the slide, which must correspond with the operations of the
other parts of the machine, are given by an armf pointed thereto by a link g,
and attached to one end of a rocking shaft h, which passes through and has its
bearing in a hollow shaft i of the intermediate cog wheelj; the other end of
this rocking shaft h is provided with an arm 7, (see Figures 3 and 8,) which
is operated by a cam m on the shaft K of the index cam J, which makes
one revolution for each complete operation of the machine, and therefore the
position of this cam m is such, relatively to the index cam, as to deliver one
blank for each operation. The arm is: borne up to the face of its cam by a
spring n, omitted in Figure 3 to show the arm, but fully represented in
Figure 8. The delivery and check slide d is made with the two bars c, c,
to leave room between them for the journals of the two hopper rollers as the

page_text: check face of the slide should be nearly in contact with their ends. One of
these bars may be dispensed with, but the two are important to keep the
blank in a vertical position as it is moved out, which is effectually attained by
the two bars, one above and the other below the journals of the rollers.
Before the blank is discharged by the delivery slide the conveying fingers o
aro presented to the lower end of the delivery tube e, which is provided with a
wedge piece d', to force open the fingers to receive the point of the blank, as
described in the second machine; these conveying fingers are made of two
springs projecting from an arbor p, which rocks in a slide 9; the slide 9 tra-
verses the rods r, r, of a vibrating frames, which is connected with the main
frame by a centre pin t. When the fingers have received a blank they are
rotated to bring it to a horizontal position by means of a lever u, which turns
on a stud pin v projecting from the framing; the upper end of the lever is
connected by a link to with an arm of the rocking arbor p, and its lower end
is provided with a cam pin y, which runs in a cam groove a' cut in the surface
of a cylinder O on the shaft Q, by which means the required movements are
given. Just after the fingers have conumenced to rotate, the vibrating frame S
begins to move down to bring the axis of the blank in a lino with the axis of
the arbor of the gripers, which motion is effected by a cam on the shaft Q
striking as it rotates against a projection on the curved rod 6, the lower
end of which slides in a hole in a pedestal e, and rests on a helical or other
spring that bears it up; the upper end of the rod 6' is jointed to the end
of the vibrating framo ; the conveying fingers are then pushed forward
to introduce the head of the blank within the gripers by the netion of a
lover d', which turns on a stud pin in the farming, its upper end being
forked to embrace a pin projecting from its slide q, and its lower end provided
with a cam pin which takes into a cam groove g', cut in the surface of a
cylinder P on the shaft Q, arranged so as to give the requisito motions to the
lever. After the head of the blank has been seized by the gripers, the convey-
ing fingers retrograde by the same movements in an inverse order to receive
another blank. The form of the cam grooves a' and g' on the cylinders O and
P is fully represented in Figures 2 and 3, where it will be seen that these grooves
run entirely round the cylinders in the direction of their peripheries, and that
there is a lateral groove a", 9", in each respectively, which run from the grooves
a', g', diagonally, and into them again, but where they run out a sliding switch
is provided for each, as shown, at h' and ', to keep the cam pins in the groove
a', g'. respectively, and permit the cylinders to rotate without moving the levers
and d' during the operation of chasing the thread on the screw; but when
a new blank is to be supplied, the switches are shifted to close the direct

page_text: grooves and open the lateral ones and give the required movements to the
levers. This shifting of the switches is effected in the following manner :-The
cam cylinders O and Pare made partly hollow, as seen in the section, Figure 4,
and the switches are adapted to slide therein, and are secured by any known
means to the cylindrical hub of the. cam which slides on the cam shaft Q,
and this hub is secured by a pin (that slides in a slot in the shaft) to a
sliding rod k within the shaft Q, and projecting beyond it. The sliding rod k
is connected by a collar to an angular slide A, provided at its outer end
with a cam pin m', which takes into the groove of the index cam J on the
shaft K, and by the rotation of that cam, the switches are shifted as
required. For cach complete operation of the machine, the cam J makes
but one revolution, and its groove from 1 to 2, sco Figure 1, in the direction
of the arrow, runs at right angles at the axis for the purpose of keeping the
diagonal grooves a", 9", of the cylinders O and P closed; at 2 it takes a
diagonal direction to 3, to open these diagonal grooves that they may operate
the levers and d³, and during this operation the index cam groove runs in the
direction of the periphery from 3 to 4, and then it takes a dingonal direction
to 1 for the purpose of shifting the switches back again to close the grooves all
and ". The cams, which bears down the rod 61 and the vibrating frame,
is, by this same arrangement, shifted and thrown in and out of the line of the
rod b, and is, therefore, only brought into action when the switches are shifted.
The gripers n', that gripe the blanks, when presented to them by the conveying
fingers, are three in number, and are connected to a chuck V on the end of
a hollow spindle W. The chuck is hollow and has three parallel bars o',
dividing the circle into three equal parts, as represented in Figures 9 and 10,
which give a front view and section of this part of the machine on an enlarged
scale. To these bars o', the gripers are connected in the following manner :-
are three levers attached by joint pins to the bars o¹, and provided eacli
with two adjusting screws q'; there forward ends are jointed by links to the
gripers, which are made with jaws adapted for holding the shank and head
of the blanks. The inner end of the gripers n' runs back some distance to
form a connection by joint pins with arms on the end of rod s', which passes
through and slides within the main driving spindle W, to form a connection by
neans of a coller t¹ with a slide u'. This slide has a cam pin v¹ operated
by a groove cam w' made in the cylinder I on the shaft M, so that by the
sliding of this rod s', the gripers n' will operate in the manner of a toggle
joint to gripe or liberate the screw. When the gripers are closed, the cam pin
of the slide w', (during the operation of chasing) takes into that part of
the cam groove which runs entirely around in the direction of the periphery

page_text: open
of the cylinder I, in which it is cut; but when the gripers are to be opened
for the purpose of discharging a cut scrow, and to receive a new blank, a
sliding piece ³ is moved into the position represented in Figure 1, whereby the
direction of the groove is made to diverge for a short distance to allow the gripers
to discharge the finished screw; the groove then runs parallel to bold the gripers
whilst another blank is introduced, and then diverges in an opposite direction
to cause the griping of the blank. The shifting of the piece to make this
change is effected by the index cam J in the same manner as the switches in the
cam groovo cylinders O-and P, by connecting the shifting piece a' with a rods,
which slides in the shaft M of the cam, the sliding rod being connected by a
collar with the angular slide, operated by the index cam J, as before
described. The inner end of the sliding rod s', which is connected with
gripers, is made hollow at y' (see Figure 10), for the purpose of receiving
the sliding piece &', one end of which is intended to take into the nick of
the scrow blanks as they soverally come under the operation of the cutter.
This tubular portion of the rod is slotted, to allow of projections on the
inner end of the sliding piece' standing out of the slots which form guides
for its movements, and allow a coiled spring on the outside of the tube s'
to thrust the picco ¹ forward. When the blank is introduced by the
conveying fingers, the sliding piece is forced back, and if the nick bo
not properly presented for the reception of the sliding piece, the moment
the bite of the chaser on the shank turns the blank it is forced into tho
nick by the elasticity of the spring, and thus the blank is prevented from
turning by the end of the sliding piece being in the nick; the gripers aro
therefore required merely to hold the blank in a true central position, and
thus the necessity for mutulating the shank and head by a gripe, such as is
necessary when held by gripers only, is avoided. After the blank has been
griped, and the conveying fingers have been moved out of the way, the chasing
operation commences, and it is important during this operation to support the
shank of the blank by a rest opposite to the chaser. To effect this, a rest is
attached to the frame or sliding carriago N, with which the cutting tool is
connected, and, therefore, the moving forward of both is simultaneous. The
connections of the various parts with this carriage are more distinctly represented
on an enlarged scalo, in plan, at Figure 10, and in vertical section at Figure 11.
The carriage N is connected with the back of the frame by a bolt a" (sec
Figure 8), which passes through and slides in a slot 6" in the frame, and it is
also connected to the end of the frame by a rod c", projecting from the end of
the carriage N, and acting as a guide thereto by sliding in an appropriate
box on the end of the frame. The rest or support d" is secured by a temper

page_text: screw e in a socket in the back of the carriage to admit of adjustment; and
the chaser or cutting tool f" which is opposite to it, is secured in like manner
to an adjustable head 9" jointed by a stud pin h" to another head", which
is in turn jointed to the lower part of the carriage at ", and so situated
relatively to the point of the chaser that a circle struck from the centre of
this joint will intersect the axis of the blank and the point of the chaser when
properly adjusted. The adjustable head 9" has an arm projecting from it;
which passes through a curved mortice in the other head" (the joint h" being
the centre of the curve of the mortice), and is there held by a temper screw !!!
above and below, by which the point of the chaser can be adjusted. The
head jis provided with a swivel box m", that slides on a rod n", connected by
means of two links o", o", with a sway bar p", by means of which the chaser
is moved towards and from the blank during the operation of chasing the
screw. The carriage N receives its motions. for chasing and running back the
chaser and rest from the rotation of a cylinder L, mounted on the shaft M;
which carries the cani cylinder I, before described, for opening and closing the
gripers. In this cylinder L is a cam groove q", which receives a cam pin ",
attached to the carriage N. The form of the cam groove is represented as
developed in Figure 12, where it will be seen that from the point 1 to 2, in the
direction of the reverse of the arrow, it is in the form of a regular helix, and
from 2 it runs back in a regular curve to 1, so that during the rotation of the
shaft, as the cam groove passes the cam pin on the carriage from 1 to 2, the
chaser is regularly drawn from that part of the thread nearest the head. to
the point to chase the thread, that motion of the chaser, relatively to the
number of revolutions of the spindle, determining the pitch of the thread.
the end of each cut the chaser is run back by the passage of the cam groove
from 2 back to 1. When the thread is completed, the carriage with its chaser
must be moved out of the way until the completed screw is discharged, and
another blank supplied, which is offected by the lateral cam groove p¹¹¹, that
runs out diagonally from the groove q" at 2, and at 3 it takes a direction at right
angles to the shaft, and continues so holding the carriage back until it reaches
the point 4, where it runs diagonally back into the groove q", preparatory to
another operation. The cam pin on the carriage is made to follow either of
these grooves by means of a sliding switch s", connected with the sliding rod S
in the hollow cam shaft M, and operated by the index cam J, as in the manner
fully pointed out in the description of the mode of griping the blank. During
the operation of chasing the thread (which is done by several successive cuts,)
the chaser must be drawn back clear of the thread before the carriage can be
carried back to commence the next cut. For this purpose it is that the chaser
At

page_text: head is connected with the sway bar p", as stated above. One end of this
sway bar is jointed to a block (not seen in the Drawings), that slides in a
groove (see Figure 4), governed by two sets of screws ", ", (Figure 1.)
on opposite sides of the frame, by which the point of the chaser is adjusted
horizontally with accuracy during the operations of the machine; and the other
end of this sway bar is provided with a cam pin v", that is operated by a cam
groove won a transverse shaft a", which receives rotary motion by hevil cog
wheels y", y", from the cam shaft M, the wheels heing of the same diameter
to insure an equal speed to both shafts. The form of this cam groove, which
is cut in the surface of a short cylinder, is shown as developed at Figure 13,
where it will be seen that from the point 1 to 2, in the direction of the
arrows, it is in the form of a regular helix to move the point of the chaser
towards the axis of the blank to give a regular taper to the screw, if it be
desired to make the screw tapering; but if the screw is to be made cylindrical,|
this part of the groove must run at right angles to the shaft. As the chaser
approaches the cul of the screw the groove runs out of the line of the helix
with a sudden curve to form what is called the gimlet point to the screw; (this
part of the cam must be shaped to suit the intended point of the screw ;) from
this the grove takes a reverse dingonal direction to draw the chaser far enough
back to clear the threads when the carriage is run back. The groove is
formed at right angles to the shaft to effect this motion of the carriage, and
finally, it takes the inverse diagonal direction to join the helical part of the
groove, and recommence the cut. But as the thread is chased by several cuts,
it is necessary that the chaser should after each cut be carried the thickness
of one shaving nearer to the axis of the screw. For this purpose the cam
slides on its shaft (which is hollow), and is attached to a sliding rod :" within
the shaft by means of a feather rod or bayonet a" (see Figure 5), that passes
at right angles through the slots in the shaft. The outer end of this rod æ is
connected by a collar with a lever 6, which turns on a joint pin c"" in the
framing, and at its lower end is provided with a cam pin d" (attached to it by
adjusting nuts 9"), for the purpose of taking into a cam groove ell cut in the
face of a whcelf on the shaft K of the indox cam J. The position of this
cam wheel f on the shaft is determined by that of the index cam, and its
form is such that at the commencement of the operation of chasing a screw
the cam pin makes its nearost approach to the centre of the cam wheel,
which increases in diameter irregularly, so as to move the chaser towards the
axis of the screw, less for each successive cut, to give a good finish to the
tliread, the last operation being rather to clean the thread than to cut, and
then the cam runs by a more sudden curve back to the starting point; and for
2

page_text: the purpose of adjusting the cam groove w" to the length of thread to be cut,
its cylinder is inade adjustable on its shaft by connecting it with tlio feather rod
or bayonet of the sliding rod a" by the intervention of a circular plate h¹¹¹
(Figures 1 and 5), to which it is attached by screws 1 passing through slots
in the plate in manner well known to mechanicians. Motion is communicated
from any first mover to the pulley Y on the spindle W, and from this spindle
to the other shafts by a succession of cog wheels and pinions, as fully repre-
sented in the vertical section, Figure 7, the direction of the rotation of each
being indicated by arrows. It is only necessary in this connection to state that
the relative revolutions of the spindle and chasing cam will depend on the
diameter, length, and pitch of the thread to be cut, the relative revolutions of
the spindle and chasing cam, and pitch of the chasing cam, together with the
diameter and length of the screw, determining the pitch of the thread, and the
relative revolutions of the chasing cam and index cam 'determining the number
of cuts to be given for the complete chasing of the screw, it being observed
that the index cam must make but one revolution to each complete operation.
It will be obvious that the various parts of this machine are susceptible of
slight modifications without changing the principles of the improvements, as,
for instance, the conveying fingers can be operated to change the blank from
a vertical to a horizontal position, to present it to the gripers by a different
arrangement of levers and cam, and instead of operating them by means of
cams having sliding switches, to admit of several revolutions of the cams to
each complete operation of the machine, the same end may be obtained by
common cams, making but one revolution; but this would be less perfect, as
the cams would have to be made of a very great diameter, or the motion would
be too sudden and imperfect. Again, the vibrating frame for bringing the
blank in an exact line with the axis of the spindle may be dispensed with, and the
same object attained by rotating the fingers a little more, but this will not clear
the blank so effectually without giving a longer horizontal movement, which
is attended with much difficulty. It will also be obvious that some of the im-
provements above set forth under the several heads of the Invention may be
employed without others, but to less advantage than when all are combined
together; as, for instance, the hopper, rollers, and discharging slide may be
omitted, and the blanks supplied to the conveying fingers by hand; and the
advantage arising from changing the blanks from a vertical to a horizontal
position, retained for this device, presents a decided advantage for hand feed-
ing over all other modes of presenting blanks to rotating gripers, with which
1 am well acquainted, and so with many other operative parts of the improved
machines.

page_text: I claim under this fourth head of the Invention, first, the general construc-
tion and arrangement of machinery, as above described, and shown in
Sheet IV., for cutting or chasing the thread of screws; and particularly I
claim the conveying fingers when so operated as to receive the blanks in a
vertical position and change them to a horizontal position, and move them
forward to introduce them between the gripers, as herein described.
I also claim the arrangement of the sliding piece and gripers, whereby
the blank is prevented from turning, although the gripers simply hold it steady
and in a central position.
I likewise claim governing the motions of the chasers towards and from the
axis of the blank by combining the chaser head with the carriage and sway
bar moved by a cam, substantially as described.
And I also claim making the chaser head in two parts, the one to which
the chaser is secured being jointed to and connected by adjusting screws with
the other that is jointed to the carriage, and regulated by the motions of the
sway bar, substantially as described, which arrangement admits of the most
accurate adjustment of the point of the chaser vertically during the operation
of the machine, as described.
And I also claim connecting one end of the sway bar with an adjusting
slide, when this is combined with the chaser or chaser head, as described,
whereby the amount of taper to be given to the screw can be regulated at
pleasure.
And likewise claim changing the direction of the various cam grooves by
means of sliding switches, operated by sliding rods within the hollow cam
shafts, and shifted by an index cam, by which the various changes of the
motions of the machine are effected, substantially as described.
And lastly, I claim making the cam which operates the sway bar adjustable
on its shaft, for the purpose of adjusting the motions of the chaser to the
length of the blank to ensure the proper formation of the point of the screw, as
above described.
And with respect to screw machinery generally, I wish it to be understood
that I claim the application thereto, firstly, of the improved hopper for
arranging screw blanks for regular delivery, by employing two inclined rollers,
whereby the screw blanks thrown into the hopper promiscously will fall shanks
downwards into the space between the rollers (the heads of the blanks rosting
on their peripheries), and gradually slide towards the delivery end of the
hopper; and this 1 claim whether both or only one of the rollers be maile
to rotate, and whether the rollers constitute the bottom only ur the entire
hopper.

page_text: Second, I claim the peculiar construction of delivery slide shewn in Sheets
II. and IV. of the accompanying Drawings, whereby the blanks are received
from a hopper or other feeder, and delivered in a vertical position into a con-
ductor, the farther delivery from the hopper being checked until a repetition
of the operation is required, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.