Improvements in Rivet-setting or Stapling Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
Communicated from abroad by H. S. CROMBIE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a cor-
poration organized under the laws of the State of Maine, and having its
office in the City of Portland, State of Maine, United States of America.]
Improvements in Rivet-setting or Stapling Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, London; W.C., in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and 'in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
My invention relates to that class of rivet-setting machines in which headed
rivets provided with prongs or legs are forced through, and said legs turned back
or clinched upon the under side of the material to be riveted. To simplify and
improve the construction of machines of this character and enable the rivets to be
positively, rapidly and unfailingly driven, without liability of being bent out of
shape or crippled before reaching the material into which they are to be driven,
is the object of my invention which consists in certain novel features of construc-
tion and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and specifically
pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved rivet-setting machine, a portion
of the hopper being broken away to show the slot in its bottom for the reception
of the prongs or shanks of the rivets.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the lower portion of the raceway
and plunger-bar and the mechanism for carrying the rivets into position beneath
the punch.
Fig. 3 is a similar elevation showing the parts in a different position.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction
of the arrow.
Fig. 6 is a sectional detail on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a central section of the hopper, drawn on a reduced scale.
In the said drawings, A represents the framework of the machine in suitable
bearings in which runs the driving shaft B carrying the driving pulley C and an
eccentric a which lies between and operates upon the forks b of a rocker arm D
fulcrumed at 8 and connected with the plunger bar E which reciprocates in the
head G and carries the punch or upper riveting-die which co-operates with
the lower stationary riveting-die d removably secured to the outer end of an arm e
projecting from the frame A. The outer end of the rocker-arm D is bifurcated
as shown in Fig. 4, and fits within notches or recesses 10 formed in opposite sides
of the plunger-bar E.
H is the hopper for containing the rivets, said hopper being secured to an in-
clined support f bolted to the frame A, and within this hopper is placed a rotary
stirrer-arm 15, Fig. 7, having a wire brush q, as shown, which acts on the rivets
and causes them to pass to the point from which they escape into the raceway.
The

page_text: arm 15 is secured to the upper end of a shaft 16 mounted in a tubular bearing f
projecting from the bottom of the hopper H, and carrying at its lower end a
bevel-gear 18 which meshes with a bevel-gear 20 on the driving-shaft B, the
motion of which is thus communicated to the rotary stirrer-arm 15.
K is a sleeve which encircles and slides upon the lower portion of the plunger-
bar E, and also slides freely within the head G, said sleeve having a flange or
collar 21 which on the ascent of the plunger-bar is brought into contact with the
bottom of the head G as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, which thus forms a stop to limit
the upward movement of the sleeve. From the lower end of the plunger bar E
projects a screw m which serves by contact with the bottom of the sleeve K to
raise the same as the plunger-bar ascends.
Lis the raceway which is composed of an upper vertical stationary portion 23
secured to the framework A, and a lower vertically reciprocating portion 24
inclined at an angle and rigidly connected with the sleeve K by means of an arm
or extension 25, and an angle-brace 26, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the bevelled
upper end of the portion 24 fitting against and sliding upon the lower end of the
portion 23 as the sleeve K is moved up and down by the plunger-bar.
At the bottom of the hopper H and in line with the raceway is a narrow slot n
for the reception of the prongs or legs of the rivets which are properly deposited
in said slot by the action of the rotary brush g, after which they pass through
said slot into the upper portion of the raceway L, down which they freely slide to
the nose piece at its lower end which forms a presser-foot which on the descent
of the plunger-bar and sleeve is brought down upon the material to be riveted to
hold the same firmly in position upon the stationary riveting-die d as shown in
Figs. 2 and 3.
The upper portion 23 of the raceway is located on one side of the lower inclined
portion 24 of the same, the lower end of the upper portion being curved to cause
its track or slot to meet the track in the lower portion as shown in Fig. 5; and
said portions 23, 24, are provided respectively with covering-plates q, r fastened
thereto in such manner as to leave a space for the free passage of the heads of
the rivets as they slide down the raceway to the end or nose-piece p, which is
provided with a vertical opening 27, the diameter of which is just sufficient to
permit of the free passage therethrough of the rivet and the punch c by which
it is driven. A groove or slot s, Figs. 1 and 4, is formed on one side of the nose-
piece to permit of the introduction of a piece of wire or other implement to
remove a rivet in case it should have been accidentally driven without having a
piece of material beneath the same.
were
The upper portion 28 of the covering plate r of the lower portion of the race-
way is bent at an angle and extends upward vertically beyond the lower end of
the covering plate q and at one side of the same, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby
as the lower portion of the raceway is carried or slid down on the lower end of
the vertical portion of the same by the descent of the sleeve K with which it is
connected as before described the said portion 28 of the lower covering plate r
will overlie the lower part of the track of the upper portion 23 of the raceway,
and thus prevent the escape of the rivets therefrom as would be the case if it
occur if it were not
for the extension 28. By thus constructing the raceway of two separate
portions and securing the lower portion rigidly to the reciprocating sleeve K so
that it must necessarily slide up and down on the vertical or upper portion as shown
in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the line of rivets in the latter is kept constantly moving up
and down, whereby they are loosened in case they should become obstructed by
dirt or otherwise and their continuous passage through the raceway thus insured.
The escapement by means of which the rivets in the raceway are delivered one
by one into a position beneath the punch or riveting-die c will now be described.
To the sliding sleeve K is secured a narrow plate or bar 30 which fits and slides
within an open slot 31 in the head G, and to the upper end of this bar 30 on a
stud 32 projecting therefrom, is pivoted a lever M actuated in one direction by a
left exposed or uncovered, which would

page_text: spiral spring 33, and in the opposite direction by a roll 34 on the plunger bar E,
which, as the latter descends, strikes the inclined top of the lever M and moves
the same to the right against the resistance of the spring 33. To the lower end
of the lever M is pivoted at about the center of its length, an escapement finger t
having its lower end bevelled off to form a sharp point 50 which is adapted to
pass between the two lowermost rivets in the raceway as seen in Figs. 1 and 3,
as the lever M is operated by the spring 33 on the ascent of the plunger bar.
The escapement finger carries at its lower end near the point an anti-friction
roll 35 which is held down upon a cam or incline 36 secured to the covering-plate r
of the lower portion of the raceway, by a spiral spring 38 fastened to the upper
end of the escapement-finger and to the lever M, said cam serving as a guide to
cause the point of the escapement-finger to take the proper direction as it is
moved up and down by the mechanism described.
The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 2, as the plunger-bar with the
punch c ascends, the roll 34 clears the top of the lever M, when the spring 33.
acting on said lever in connection with the spring 38 causes the point 50 of the
escapement-finger to descend and pass between the two lowermost rivets as shown
in Fig. 3, the spring 38 holding the roll 35 firmly down upon the guide-cam or
incline 36 and insuring the entering of the point of the escapement-finger between
the said two rivets. As soon as the escapement-finger engages the lowermost
rivet, it holds the same firmly against the adjacent side of the punch as shown in
Fig. 3, and at the same time as it descends, acts as a wedge to force the entire
line of rivets backward in the raceway ready to again slide down upon the with-
drawal of the finger as the plunger bar descends, this movement freeing the
rivets if they should stick or become obstructed by dirt or otherwise, and thereby
avoiding any liability of their failure to reach the punch at the proper time.
As the lower inclined portion 24 of the raceway L is carried upward by the
ascent of the sleeve K to which it is secured, the rivets in said portion 24 are
crowded downwardly by the weight of the line of rivets in the vertical portion 23
which rest upon the same, thus insuring the lowermost rivet being in the proper
position to enable the point 50 of the escapement-finger to pass between it and
the rivet next above.
In machines of this character as hitherto constructed, the lowermost rivet by
reason of being obstructed by a particle of dirt or from other cause, would some-
times stick just before arriving at the bottom of the raceway, when the escapement-
finger would be brought into contact with the head of the rivet instead of pass-
ing between the same and the one next above, which would cause the lower rivet
to be held fast instead of passing beneath the punch as required, resulting in in-
convenience and delay which is avoided by my improved construction.
On the descent of the plunger bar, when the roll 34 strikes the inclined top
of the escapement-lever M, it first acts to force down the sleeve K and lower
portion 24 of the raceway connected therewith, thereby bringing the foot or nose-
piece p down upon the material to be riveted to hold the same upon the lower
riveting-die d.
As the plunger-bar ascends and the punch rises out of the vertical passage or
opening 27 in the nose-piece p, the escapement-finger pushes the lowermost rivet
into said opening and simultaneously holds it firmly against the opposite side of
the same as shown in Fig. 1, directly beneath and ready to receive the punch on
its descent, the escapement-finger holding the rivet in the position just described
until the punch has struck it and forced it down within the nose-piece to such
distance that its prongs or legs cannot possibly be thrown out of a vertical posi-
tion, which insures the rivet being properly set and avoids any possibility of
the legs of the rivet being bent or cut off by the punch while being forced down
thereby through the opening in the nose-piece.
The point of the escapement-finger when in the position shown dotted in Fig. 1,
extends down into the raceway to a distance about equal to the length of the legs
of the rivet against which it bears, thus holding the rivet in its proper vertical

page_text: position, while the inclined or bevelled side of said finger at the same time bears
against the side of the punch above the rivet, which prevents the finger under
the influence of the springs 33 and 38 from exerting undue pressure upon the
rivet-leg and bending it inward as might otherwise occur.
The rivet is forced down by the punch so that its legs will be below the point
where the raceway meets the vertical passage 27 of the nose-piece before the escape-
ment finger releases the rivet, at which moment the roll 34 on the plunger bar E
strikes the top of the escapement-lever M and forces down the sleeve K and portion
of the raceway connected therewith until the nose-piece has been brought down
onto the material to be riveted; the plunger bar carrying the punch then con-
tinues on its downward course drawing the escapement finger back into the position
shown in Fig. 2, ready to engage the next rivet in the manner previously described,
and the punch then completes its downward movement and sets the rivet into the
material.
By means of the escapement mechanism, constructed as described, the rivets are
caused to be driven positively and with great rapidity without danger of becom-
ing bent or crippled before reaching the material into which they are to be set,
while each rivet is held firmly and securely by the escapement-finger itself, with-
out the assistance of any other device, thus simplifying and cheapening the con-
struction of the machine, while after the escapement finger has once taken hold
of the rivet, it never loses control of the same until the punch has engaged it and
forced it down sufficiently far into the vertical passage in the nose-piece to prevent
it from tipping to one side or being moved out of the proper position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a rivet-setting machine, the combination with the reciprocating plunger-
bar carrying the punch and provided with a sleeve sliding thereon and encircling
its lower end, of a raceway composed of an upper stationary portion and a lower
movable inclined portion rigidly connected to the sliding-sleeve and located on
one side of the stationary portion, said two portions of the raceway being each
provided with a covering-plate overlapping the rivet-slot or track therein, and
the covering-plate of the lower inclined portion being bent at an angle and extend-
ing upward beyond the lower end of the covering-plate of the upper portion to
overlie the lower portion of its track or slot on the descent of the lower portion
of the raceway, substantially as described.
2. In a rivet-setting machine, the combination with the reciprocating plunger-
bar carrying the punch and provided with a sleeve sliding thereon, and encircling
its lower end, and a raceway composed of an upper stationary portion and a lower
inclined portion moving thereon and rigidly connected to the sliding sleeve and
provided at its lower end with an aperture for the passage of the punch and rivet
driven thereby, of a lever pivoted to the sleeve and actuated in one direction by
a spring and in the opposite direction by a roll or projection on the plunger-bar,
a spring-actuated escapement-finger pivoted to said lever and provided with a
pointed or bevelled lower end adapted to pass between the two lowermost rivets in
the raceway, a guide-cam or incline on the cover of the lower portion of the
raceway, and a roll on the escapement-finger held in contact with said cam by
the spring connected therewith, whereby as the plunger-bar is reciprocated, the
escapement finger guided as it is moved up and down to cause it to enter be-
tween the rivets and hold the lower rivet with a spring pressure against the
punch as the latter ascends, substantially as described.
3. In a rivet-setting machine, the combination with the reciprocating plunger-
- bar and punch, and a raceway having an aperture at its lower end for the passage
of the punch and rivet driven thereby, of a, spring-actuated pivoted, escapement
finger having a narrow pointed lower end to enter the slot at the lower end of
the raceway and pass between the two lowermost rivets and hold the lower rivet

page_text: with a spring pressure against the punch while the latter is rising within the
aperture at the bottom of the raceway, the point of the escapement finger while
passing between the two rivets serving to force back the line of rivets in the
raceway and after carrying the lower rivet into position beneath the punch, bearing
5 against the side of the latter on its descent above the rivet to prevent undue pres-
sure of the finger thereon, substantially as described.
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.