Improvements in Wire Nail Machines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Wire Nail Machines.
We, THADDEUS FOWLER, mechanic, residing at Corner of Canal and Maple
Streets, Shelton, in the County of Fairfield, and THOMAS BURLOCK DE FOREST,
manufacturer, residing at No. 6, Elizabeth Street, Birmingham, in the County
of New Haven, all in the State of Connecticut, one of the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machines for
making wire nails and while it can advantageously be used for the production of
loose wire nails which are in common use, it is more especially designed for making
string nails. With these ends in view the invention consists in the details of
construction hereinafter fully set forth and then recited in the claims which form
a part hereof. In order that those skilled in the art to which the invention.
appertains may fully understand the construction and operation of the machine,
we will now describe the same referring by letter to the accompanying drawings
which form a part of this specification and in which.--
Figure, 1, is a plan view of the machine.
Figure, 2, a front elevation.
Figure, 3, an end elevation looking from the left of fig. 1.
.
Figure, 4, a section at the line, x-x, of figure, 1, looking in the direction
indicated by the arrow, v.
Figure, 5, a section at the line, yy, of figure, 1, looking in the direction
indicated by the arrow, w.
Figure, 6, a detail cross section through the dies and bars and showing the
device for the support and adjustment of the lower pointing die.
Figure, 7, a plan view of the die bars and posts the levers being removed.
Figure, 8, a detail plan view of one pair of the die bars and dies.
Figure, 9, a view similar to figure, 3, but more particularly showing the
trimming mechanism.
Figure, 10, a partial front elevation showing the trimming device.
Figure, 11, an enlarged detail face view of the trimmer.
Figure, 12, a series of the nails prior to trimming and,
Figure, 13, a similar view showing the nails trimmed.
Similar letters denote like parts in all the figures of the drawing.

page_text: A, is the bed plate and B, are legs upon which it is supported. In suitable
bearings, C, formed at the back of the bed plate is hung and adapted to revolve
the main shaft, D, which receives its motion from a pulley secured thereon but
which we have not thought it necessary to show in the drawings. E, are standards
mounted upon and projecting upward from the bed plate and F, are two levers
pivotally hung to said standards as seen at figures, 4, 5, and, -6. The rear ends of
levers, F, which are preferably provided with shoes, rest upon and are actuated by
a cam G, on the main shaft. Beneath the levers are arranged two pairs of die bars.
Those lettered, H, have formed or secured therein grasping dies. Those lettered, I,
are similarly provided with dies tapered as to their operating surfaces and are
adapted not only to grasp the wire but to compress it to form the point of the nail,
see figures, 9, and, 6. The lower grasping die bar lies upon the surface of the bed
plate and its rear end is secured to a short post, J, projecting upward from the bed
plate. The upper grasping die-bar is pivoted to the post, J, so that it may swing
vertically away from the lower grasping die-bar. The pointing die bars are
similarly secured to a post, K, which in the form of a short shaft is extended
downward through the bed plate as shown at figure, 5. This arrangement of the
pointing die bars permits to them not only a vertical opening movement upon the
post, K, but also a lateral movement toward or away from the grasping die bars
upon the journalled post as a pivotal point. A spring actuated bar, L, see
figures 5, and, 7, is secured on the bottom of post, K, and tends to hold the
pointing die bars away from the grasping die bars. The extent of the separation
just mentioned is determined by a screw, M, threaded through one of the standards
as seen at figures, 1, 6, and, 7. Springs, N, interposed between the two grasping
die bars and also between the two pointing die bars serve to keep normally
separated vertically, see figures, 4, and, 5. O, are links through which the
downward movement of the levers, F, is transmitted to the die bars to close the
latter. They are employed to permit motion vertically to both pairs of die bars
and both vertically and laterally to the pointing die bars. To further facilitate the
movement last referred to, a third link, P, is employed to support the lower
pointing die bar. Said link stands in a hole in the bed plate and is adjustable for
wear by a screw, Q, threaded into the hole from beneath and upon which the link
stands, as will be readily understood the raising of the rear ends of the levers, F,
by the cam on the main shaft closes both pairs of dies vertically. The movement
of the pointing die bars towards the grasping die bars against the spring action of
the bar, L, is effected by means of the pivoted block, R, an extension of which
abuts against the pointing die bars, the toggle levers, S, the follower, T, resting
upon the bed plate and the cam, U, on the main shaft which operates through the
follower to straighten the toggle joint. The follower and toggle levers after each
action of the cam are spring returned to their normal position. The feeding of the
wire in my machine is accomplished as follows. A lever, V, is pivoted to the bed
plate as seen at figures, 1, and, 3, and is oscillated upon its pivotal point against
the action of a spring, W, seen at figure; 3, by a face cam, X, on the main shaft.
A lever, Y, whose rear end, is engaged by a peripheral cam, Z, is pivoted to the
side of lever, V, and is as a whole carried thereby. The forward extremity of the
lever, Y, carries a serrated jaw, A¹, and this, by the action of the cam, Z, upon
the rear end of said lever, is caused periodically to bind the wire between it and
an extension, B¹, of the lever, V. When the wire is so grasped, the action of
cam, X, carries both levers forward. When the face cain ceases to act the lever, Y,
is thrown up out of engagement with the wire by a spring, C³, placed beneath it
and both levers are thrown back by the spring, W, to take a fresh hold. The
trimming mechanism of the machine consists of a friction 'roller, a, secured on
cam, G, a lever, b, secured to the face of standard, E, and curved at its rear end for
engagement with the friction roller, a bracket, D, secured to standard, E, a
cutter, e, sliding in ways formed in the bracket, d, and having a V-shaped and
longitudinally tapered cutting edge, a cutter block, and a spring, q, against which

page_text: the lever, b, is raised. The cutter is adjustably secured to and carried by the
lever, b.
The operation of the machine when organized as above set forth is as follows.
The wire is fed from a coil or reel through suitable straightening rollers and
passes through the machine from right to left. When between the dies both pairs,
through the medium of the levers, links and cam on the main shaft, are caused to
close tightly upon it. As the normal position of the die bars (determined by the
spring action of the bar, L,) is with the pointing die bars separated from the
grasping die bars, it follows that when the dies are closed there is a short length of
wire between their vertical surfaces.
The pointing die bars are now,-by the block toggle levers follower and cam,—
forced up against the grasping die bars and the short length of wire is upset into
a head which is suitably flattened between the vertically abutting faces of the four
dies. At the completion of this operation the die bars are separated in both
directions by the action of springs, N, and spring bar, L.
At this time the feed lays hold upon the wire and draws it forward the proper
distance for the next operation of the dies.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. In a machine of the character described, the combination with the main
shaft and cam and the levers thereby actuated, of the grasping die bars and dies
adapted to open vertically, and the pointing die bars and dies also adapted to open
vertically and in addition thereto to have a movement toward or from the grasping
die bars and dies, substantially as set forth.
2nd. The combination with the main shaft and the cam, G, secured thereon, of
the levers pivoted between standards mounted upon the bed plate and actuated as
to their rear ends by said cam, the grasping die bars and dies arranged beneath
one of the levers and opening in a vertical direction only, the pointing die bars and
dies arranged beneath the other lever and both opening vertically and adapted to
swing laterally, the links through which power is transmitted from the levers to
the die bars and means, as for instance a toggle joint follower and cam for imparting
to the pointing die bars their lateral movement substantially as set forth.
3rd. The combination with the bed of the machine of the pivoted and spring
opened grasping die bars and dies arranged thereon, the pivoted and spring opened
pointing die bars and dies, the post journalled in the bed plate to which the
pointing dies are pivoted and the spring actuated bar whereby the dies and post
are normally controlled as to their position, the cam actuated pivoted levers, the
links interposed between the latter and the die bars, the supporting link arranged
within the bed plate and the block, toggle levers follower and cams whereby the
dies are closed longitudinally of the wire, substantially as set forth.
4th. The combination with the main shaft of the feeding mechanism composed
of the following elements, the face cam on the main shaft, the pivoted and
transversely oscillating lever operated by said cam and spring actuated against the
same, the grasping lever fulcrumed to the last named lever and carried thereby
and the cam on the main shaft whereby the grasping lever is caused to act
substantially as specified.
5th. The combination with the bed plate of the grasping die bars pivoted at
their rear ends and adapted to open vertically, the pointing die bars also pivoted
at their rear ends, the post journalled in the bed plate to which the bars last
named are secured, the spring actuated bar attached to and operating the post,
means as described whereby both pairs of dies may be closed vertically and
additional means whereby the pointing die bars may be closed against the grasping
die bars substantially as specified.

page_text: 6th. The method of making wire nails which consists in first grasping the wire
between two pairs of separated dies and simultaneously compressing the nail point,
and forcing up a head from the wire between the vertical surfaces of the dies,
substantially as set forth.
7th. The combination with the heading and pointing dies of the trimmer
consisting of the following elements, the pivoted lever, the cutter carried thereby
and provided with a V-shaped cutting edge, a guide in which said cutter is
reciprocated, a cutter block and a cam or its equivalent for the actuation of said
lever, substantially as set forth.
8th. The method of making wire nails which consists in grasping and simul-
taneously pointing the wire, then heading the same and finally trimming the burr
from the point, substantially as set forth.
9th. The method of making wire nails, the same consisting in first grasping
and partially pointing the wire, then heading the same and finally trimming and
completing the point, substantially as specified.