IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIVETS, AND IN WORKING IN METALS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter McLellan, of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Iron Merchant, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIVETS, AND IN WORKING IN
METALS"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter McLellan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st October 1852.
I, WALTER MCLELLAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Iron Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF RIVETS, AND IN
WORKING IN METALS" to be as follows; that is to say,--.
This Invention refers essentially to an arrangement of machinery for
the manufacture of rivets, bolts, spikes, nails, and screw blanks, and for
the shaping of various other articles, out of wrought iron and other metals.
Such mechanical arrangement consists for the most part of a compact
and independent machine, wherein the first motion from the prime
nover is given to a horizontal transverse shaft carrying a fly wheel,
an eccentric, and a pair of segmentally toothed bevel wheels for the
actuation of the rest of the machinery. The eccentric is placed in the
longitudinal centre of the shaft, and a rod from it is jointed at its

page_text: opposite end to a traversing slide carrying the moulding, pressing, or
shaping apparatus, whilst one segmentally toothed bevel wheel is keyed
on the shaft on each side of the eccentric, such wheels being each geared
with a complete or full bevel pinion set respectively on the ends of a
pair of longitudinal parallel shafts extending to the other end of the
machine. The opposite ends of these shafts carry a pair of cams or a
duplex cam; one cam movement in each case being for the actuation of
the cutting action, for severing the required lengths of rod for the rivets,
whilst the other cam acts in concert with the first, in holding
and carrying down the blanks as they are severed in readiness for the
action of the shaper.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The end of the rod of
iron in a heated state is passed into the machine, through a suitable
guide, and the cam action then severs the required length for the
intended rivet; when this is done, the proper cam movement for
the purpose comes into play, and closes a species of nipping frame,
or pair of holding bars, one on each side the blank. This frame
then descends, carrying with it the blank as severed until the blank
which is held horizontally, comes into the line of horizontal traverse
of the moulding slide, when the latter comes up and shapes the rivet
head on the outer projecting end of the blank, the opposite end or
point of the rivet being pressed up against the flat side of the entter
blade, or other stop. The moulding slide is simply a metal block, bored
out at its projecting end so as to form a recess of the size and shape of
the intended rivet head; such recess being filled up by a mandrel, or
core piece, capable of adjustment to suit the depth of head required. The
core or mandrel is loose in the socket or moulding hole, and is attached
to a cross-head at its opposite end, so that, whilst it forms a firm bear-
ing to resist the pressure on the head of the rivet at the moment of
shaping, it is left behind for a short time at each reverse movement of
the shaping slide, for the purpose of ejecting the finished rivet from the
shaper. When conical or other shaped heads are to be moulded, the
shaping action is at the reverse end of the blank, the cutter side, or
blank face, having an adjustable die set in it to receive the head during
moulding. When moulded, the holding frame opens at the centre, and
releases the rivet, which is discharged from the shaper, as before men-

page_text: tioned, in a complete state. Various forms of metal articles may be thus
shaped or moulded, more particularly pins, certain classes of nails and
nuts; and the machinery is obviously capable of a variety of mechanical
modifications só as to effect the purposes herein-before described, the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Walter McLellan, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 1st April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
MCLELLAN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Iron
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October in the year of
our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Walter McLellan, Her special licence that I,
the said Walter McLellan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Walter M'Lellan, my executors, administra-
tors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the terni therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF RIVETS, AND IN WORKING IN METALS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Walter McLellan, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter McLellan, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement, reference being had to the drawing here-
unto attached, and to the Letters and Figures marked thereon, (that is
to say):
My said Invention relates essentially to an arrangement of machinery
for the manufacture of rivets, bolts, spikes, nails, and screw blanks, and
for the shaping of various other articles out of wrought iron and other
metals. Figure 1, on my sheet of drawings, represents a side elevation
of one modification of the machinery I employ for the manufacture of
rivets, but which may be variously arranged for the manufacture of
other articles in malleable metal. Figure 2, is a plan corresponding;
and Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section of the machine, as looking
on the cutting and holding faces.. A, is the first-motion shaft, carrying
a fly-wheel B, and driven by the fast and loose pulleys C. This shaft
also carries a toothed pinion D, in gear, with a large spur wheel E,
loose, on the second-motion shaft F, and only connected with it by
means of the stud pin G, acting upon a friction strap H, on a pulley
fast to the shaft. This shaft also carries an eccentric I, and a
pair of
segmentally toothed wheels, or wheels with teeth extending only half
round their circumference, J, K. The rod of the eccentric is jointed at
its opposite end L, to an eye on the slide piece M, which slide effects
the shaping of the rivet, whilst each of the segmental wheels J, K, is in
gear, with a complete or fully toothed bevil pinion O, O, set respectively
on the ends of a pair of parallel shafts P, Q, extending to the other end
of the machine. The other ends of these shafts carry each a differential
cam R, working in openings in the traversing plate S, working in ver-
tical guides. The same shafts also carry a pair of cams T, for keeping
down the sliding frame piece U, at the required intervals.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The rod of iron or other inetal
V, is introduced in a heated state into the tubular guide W, its entered
end coming up against the fixed stop piece X, which determines the length
of the intended rivet; then as the cams R, revolve in their openings in
the plate S, the latter descends, and as it has a cutting edge attached to
its under side, this edge severs the required length of blank by pressing the
rod down upon the stationary cutter Y. The moveable cutter plate also
carries an adjustable half holder piece Z, corresponding to a similar
half a, on the moveable frame U, which frame has a constant tendency

page_text: to rise from the action of the weight b, hung on a lever oscillating on
the centre c, and linked at its other end d, to the spindles e, of the
frame: then when the blank is severed, the piece Z, on the cutter plate,
grasps the blank by pressure against the counterpart a, and the further
revolution of the cams R, thus causes this compound holder to descend
and bring down the blank to the position shown in my drawings; it is
then exactly opposite the head recess or mould at f, fast in the
standard g, and the slide M, now comes forward and presses the piece
N, against the tail end of the blank, and moulds the rivet head; the
slide M, now returns, carrying the newly formed rivet back with it, the
tail being pressed into the central bore of the piece N, from which piece
the rivet is discharged by the traverse of the rod or mandrel i, concealed
in the piece N, and the slide M; this mandrel is loose in its recess, and
its back end has a cross-head j, which comes up at each back stroke
against the end of the slot at k, in the stationary part of the frame 1, so
that in this way the mandrel travels forward through the piece N, and
forces out the rivet. The cross-head j, works through a slot, both in the
slide M, and the fixed piece i, and its pressure against the back end
of the moving slot m, affords a firm bearing for the mandrel during the
forward pressing action of the latter; whilst on the return stroke the
stop surface K, serves to discharge the rivet, as already described; so that
the cross-head in both instances is traversed by the action of the two
opposite ends of the moving slot, and stopped or detained by the ends
in the stationary slot. These movements complete the rivet, and the
descent of the cams T, causes the frame U, to be held down until it is
again wanted to assist in holding a succeeding blank, when the opera-
tion is repeated as before. As the eccentric I, revolves, the shaping
slide has a constant reciprocatory action; but the wheels J, K, being
toothed only half round, cause a differential action in gearing with the
pinions O, O, so as to enter into gear at each revolution, and turn the
two shafts P, Q, the required distance, and then come out of gear to let
the shafts remain stationary until their cams are again to come into action.
.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine

page_text: or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of rivet-making
and metal-shaping machines as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of working rivet-making machines, by
means of segmental toothed wheels and a friction connecting apparatus
for giving the intermittent actions.
Third, the application and use of a pair of parallel shafts for
communicating the first motion to the cutting and shaping apparatus.
Fourth, the application and use of the duplex cam motion for
actuating the cutting and conveying movements as hercin-before
described.
Fifth, the system or mode of holding and conveying the severed rivet
blanks by a holding piece carried on the cutting plate or movement,
and acting in concert with a counterpart holding piece on a moveable
frame beneath.
Sixth, the system or mode of arranging rivet-making machines,
wherein the cutter acts as a holder or part holder for the blank.
Seventh, the application and use of a weighted lever action for
obtaining the movement of the counterpart holder for the blanks.
Eighth, the application and use of a tubular guide for entering the
rod into the machine.
Ninth, the system or mode of discharging the formed rivet by the
duplex slot action and stops as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter McLellan, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.