IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF MANU- FACTURING AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD SCREWS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE ARRANGING AND FEEDING OF PINS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN ASSORTING SCREWS, PINS, AND OTHER ARTICLES OF VARIOUS SIZES
Year: 1852

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.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-second day of April, in the fifteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exors, adñiors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my exors,
adiñors, 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 vend, within England, Wales,
and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF MANU-
FACTURING AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WOOD SCREWS,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO THE ARRANGING AND FEEDING OF
PINS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN ASSORTING SCREWS, PINS,
AND OTHER ARTICLES OF VARIOUS SIZES," being a communication from 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 Invention, and

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part 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 Invention,
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 the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
The first part of this Invention relates to the method of shaving the heads
of blanks in the manufacture of wood screws. The mode of procedure for
finishing the heads of screw blanks, as heretofore and now practised, is,
first, to shave the head, and then to cut the nick, which last operation leaves
burrs on the periphery of the head that are objectionable, for the reason that
in using the screws these burrs scrape the wood when inserted, and give a
bad finish to the work. If, to avoid this, the head be nicked before it is
shaved, then the cutter in shaving frequently, if not invariably, breaks off the
metal at two of the angles formed by the line of the nick and the periphery
of the head, because the angle formed by the top and bevel of the head is
so acute as to leave the metal too thin to resist the strain of the cutter.
The object of this part of the Invention is, first, to shave the head in part
and at a more obtuse angle than usual, bringing it, however, to the ultimately
required diameter, then to cut the nick, and finally to finish the shaving
operation on the head with a cutter presenting a more acute angle, which
merely finishes the top and bevel of the head, and which, forming a more
acute angle than the first, will begin to cut on the unshaved part of the top
and bevel towards the periphery, where it merely shaves off slightly to give
a finish. In this way the head of the screw is finished without a burr, and
the metal is not exposed to a strain, which will be likely to break off the
metal at the angles formed by the lines of the nick and the periphery of the
head, for the cutter has only a finishing action on that part of the head in
which the nick has been formed; and when it gives the finishing cut to the
bevel, when the nick is formed, it is kept steady and prevented from
partly entering the nick by bearing against that part of the bevel below
the nick.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents the headed
blank; Fig. 2, the blank after the first; and Fig. 3, the same after the second

page_text: or final shaving operation.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the machine employed;
Fig. 5, a front elevation; Fig. 6, an end elevation; Fig. 7, an elevation of
the rest and its stock; Fig. 8, an elevation of the cutter stock; and Fig. 9 is
a view of the two cutters for the two operations.
In the accompanying Drawings a represents the frame of the machine, and b
the mandril receiving motion from some first mover in the usual way of
driving the mandril in machines for threading screws. The forward end of
this mandril carries griping jaws, in which the screw blanks are held to be
rotated with the head, and so much of the shank projecting out as to receive
a rest c attached to a head d to support the blank during the action of the
cutter on it. The head d is attached to and vibrates with a rock shaft e. The
rest is drawn back from the blank by a spring f, and forced up to it by an
arm g on a rock shaft i, which rock shaft has another arm j, that bears
against the periphery of a cam k on the cam shaft I, which derives motion
from the mandril by a pinion m and cog wheel n, in the proportion of one to
ten, which proportion may, however, be varied at pleasure. The form of this
cam is such (as represented in the accompanying Drawings), that the moment
the blank is griped it shall force the rest up against the shank and there hold
it until the cutter has completed its operation, and then permit it to be drawn
back by the spring to discharge the blank and admit of the feeding in of
another. The cutter o is mounted in a cutter stock p attached to a rock shaft
y, whose axis is placed at such an angle with the line of the mandril, that the
line of motion of the cutter towards the blank shall coincide with a line
midway between the top and the bevel of the head so as to approach both
surfaces equally. The cutter stock is drawn back by a spring r, and forced
up towards the blank by an arm s on a rock shaft u, provided with another
arm v that bears against the periphery of a cam w on the cam shaft. The
form of this cam and its position relatively to the cam that operates the rest
is such, that so soon as the rest is carried up against the blank the cutter is
moved up with a rapid motion until it begins to cut, and then by a regular
and slow motion it is moved towards the axis of the blank to effect the
shaving of the head, and then it permits the cutter to be drawn back suddenly.
by the spring. The arm on the rock shaft u is secured thereon by a screw x,
so that it can be shifted from the cam w to another cam y by the side of the
cam w for the second shaving operation. These two cams are of nearly the
same form as represented at Fig. 6, but the one y is of greater radius at the
point 1, to carry the cutter farther towards the axis of the blank at the com-
mencement of the second shaving operation, and from that point the increasing
diameter is more gradual than in the cam w, as the range of motion of the

page_text: cutter is less during the second than the first shaving operation. The cutter o
for the first shaving operation is made with the two cutting edges a¹, b',
inclined to each other at an angle less acute than the angle formed by the top
and bevel of the head of the screw when completed, as the object of the first
shaving operation is to shave off the head of the blank along the lines c¹, c¹
(Fig. 1), so as to bring the periphery of the head to the ultimate required
diameter without materially reducing the thickness and strength of the metal ;
but after it has been nicked (which is to be done in any of the well-known
machines for nicking screws), then it is to be put into the machine, with the
arm shifted on the rock shaft so as to be acted upon by the cam y for the
second or finishing shave, which is done with the other cutter o¹, shewn
detached at Fig. 9, the two cutting edges a', 6', of which form a more acute
angle than in the first, and corresponding with the form to be given to the
head when finished. This cutter will reduce the head to correspond with the
lines d', d, Fig. 2, from which it will be seen that very little is to be cut
away at or near the periphery of the head, the cutter simply taking off what
may be called a finishing shaving, to remove the burrs from that part of the
bevel through which the nick has been formed, the cutter being supported
during that part of the operation by bearing against and working on that
part of the bevel of the head below the nick. It will be obvious that in
practice where screws are manufactured on an extensive scale, instead of
making the shaving machine with the two cams w and y, and an arm to be
shifted from the one to the other for the first and second shaving operations,
one set of the machines can be made with the cam w and cutter o for the
first shaving operation, and another set with the cam y and cutter o¹ for the
second shaving operation; but it is preferable to use one set of machines
for both operations in succession, by shifting the arm on the rock shaft and the
cutter after a given number of blanks have undergone the first shaving and
the nicking operations, for the blanks, having once been griped by the jaws in
the mandril, will be again griped and held in the same manner.
I have not herein described the mode of feeding in the blanks and operating
the griping jaws, as this can be done in any of the well-known modes hereto-
fore adopted in machinery for shaving screw blanks. I have herein described
the construction and arrangement of machinery which have been used with
success, but I do not wish to limit myself to the specific construction and
arrangement, as these may be modified without changing the principle of the
Invention. What I claim under the head of the Invention is, the method
substantially as herein described, of finishing the heads in the manufacture of
wood screws, by partly, shaving the head before nicking, and then subjecting

page_text: it to a second operation to complete the shaving, the second shaving operation
being done by a cutter with the cutting edges presenting a more acute angle
than for the first, and the two being operated in manner substantially as herein
specified.
The second part of the Invention relates to machinery for nicking heads of
blanks in the manufacture of wood screws. In the improved machine the
screw blanks are griped in a pair of jaws, which, after griping the shank of
the screw blank, receive a vibratory motion to carry the head of the blank up
to a rotating saw to be nicked and this part of the invention consists in inter-
posing a spring between the griping jaw and the cam or lever, which gives the
griping motion that the machine may be self-adjusting to the varying sizes of
blanks; and this part of the Invention also consists in giving to one or both
jaws an additional motion, by means of which, after the blank has been
seized, the jaws shall partly open for awhile to permit the blank by gravity to
fall to its proper position before it is finally griped to be presented to the
nicking saw.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings, Figure 10 is a plan figure; Figure 11, an
end elevation; Fig. 12, a side elevation; Fig. 13, an edge and side view of the
cam for closing the jaws; Fig. 14, like views of the cam for determining the
depth of the nick; Fig. 15, plan and section of the lever for operating the
jaws; and Fig. 16, plan and section of the jaws. The same letters indicate
like parts in all these Figures. a represents a frame adapted to the purpose,.
towards the middle of which there is mounted a horizontal driving shaft b,.
with a driving pulley c, around which passes a band from some first mover..
One end of this driving shaft carries a nicking saw d, of the usual kind used
in nicking the heads of screw blanks, and on the other end of the said shaft
there is a cog wheel e, from which are derived the various motions for the
moving parts of the machinery to be described. On one end of the frame
there is a rock shaft f, of a cylindrical form, which runs in two boxes g, g, so
that it can slide therein longitudinally for the purpose of adjustment, which
adjustment is effected by means of two end screws h, h. One end of this rock
shaft is provided with an arm i, to which is secured one of the jaws j, by
means of a screw bolt (or bolts) k passing through an elongated hole, so that
the face of the jaw which receives the screw blank, and which is formed with
a recess 7,-see the detached view, Fig. 16, for that purpose,-can be adjusted
in one direction to present the head of the screw blank to be nicked to the
action of the saw. This admits of the adjustment of the saw in one direction,
whilst the screws before described effect the adjustment at right angles thereto.
By means of these adjustments it will be perceived that the machine can be

page_text: set to present the head of a screw blank properly to the saw whatever may
be its diameter. The boxes in which the driving shaft that carries the saw
runs should also be made adjustable in a vertical direction to adjust the
periphery of the saw, as it wears away to the range of motion of the jaws
when presenting a blank, and also to the depth of nick intended to be cut.
The jaw j has a lateral projection m, to which is jointed the other jawn, the
face of which is formed like the one j, for the purpose of receiving and
griping the screw blanks, as presented, a spring being introduced which tends
to keep them open. The closing and opening of the griping jaws, to deliver
the nicked blanks and receive and gripe those to be nicked, is effected by
a cam o, which acts on a rocking lever p, and which in turn acts on the
hinged jaw with a spring q interposed, that the jaws may be self-adapting to
any slight variation in the size of the shanks of the blanks. The upper arm
of the lever p bears against the face of the cam o, which from the point 1 to 2
in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 13) is concentric to keep the jaw closed;
at the point 2 it suddenly recedes towards the axis to permit the jaws to open
to deliver a nicked blank and to receive another, the cam being concentric for
that purpose from 3 to 4, where it runs out to the point 5 to close the jaws, to
seize the new blank; and from 5 to 6 it is slightly recessed to permit the jaws
partly to open in order that the blank may settle down in its appropriate place
between the jaws, and to reclose and gripe the blank and then hold it until it
is nicked. The camo (see Figures 10 and 12) is on a shaft t, which makes
one entire rotation for each and every complete operation of the machine, and
this shaft has on it a cog wheel u, which engages a pinion on the shaft of a
wheel w, which receives motion from the driving shaft by the cog wheel e
before described. The lever p rocks on a fulcrum pin y, and its lower arm is
connected to the spring q by a bolt and screw nut z, by means of which the
tension can be regulated at pleasure, and by means of which the tension of
the said spring can be regulated to any size of blanks. The griping jaws are
drawn down to their lowest position by means of a spring a', and elevated at
the required periods and in the required order by means of a cam 6¹ on the
same shaft with the cam o, before described, which cam 6¹ acts on the arm c¹
of a rock shaft d', which has another arm el provided with a set screwf¹,
which can be elevated or depressed to adjust the position (vertically) of the
This screw bears
jaws relatively to the periphery of the nicking wheel.
against the under face of the jaw j. By these connections the griping jaws
are elevated and depressed, and the periods of these movements relatively to
the closing and opening of the jaws depend on the form and the relative
position of the cams on their shaft; the cam b', from 1 to 2, suddenly runs

page_text: out from the axis to elevate the jaws to bring the head of the blank against
the periphery of the saw, and this takes place as the jaws are finally griping
the screw blank. From the point 2 to 3, in the direction of the arrow, the
cam 6 (see Fig. 14) is a scroll gradually receding from the axis for the
purpose of gradually carrying the screw blank up against the saw to cut in
the nick, and when this is cut to the requisite depth at the point 3, the cam
suddenly runs in towards the axis to let down the jaws as they open to deliver
the nicked blank, and then finally the cam runs in a concentric direction to
keep the jaws down whilst a new blank is supplied; the operations are then
repeated in the same manner.
It will be obvious from the foregoing that the mode of constructing,
arranging, and adjusting the parts may be varied without changing the
principle of this part of the Invention, and therefore I do not wish it to be
understood as limiting myself to the special mode of constructing, arranging,
and adjusting the parts, but to vary these, so long as I attain the end desired,
by means substantially the same. What I claim under this head of the
Invention is, interposing a spring between the griping jaw and the lever or
cam by which it is operated in manner substantially as herein described, and
for the purpose of insuring the griping of the blank in the proper place before
it is presented to the nicking saw. And I also claim giving to the griping
jaw or jaws an additional motion, as described, so that after the jaws have
seized a screw blank they shall be slightly opened to permit the blank to
assume its proper position between the jaws before it is finally griped, in the
manner substantially as herein specified.
The third part of the Invention relates to an improvement in the method of
making pointed wood screws. In threading pointed wood screws, as heretofore
practised, there is a greater amount of metal to cut away at the point than
there is along the body of the shank, and therefore either the number
of chasing operations must be greater than when threading non-pointed screws,
or the first cuts will be so rank as to strain the metal and break the shank,
if of inferior metal. To avoid this the blanks are pointed preparatory to the
threading operation, so as to give to the shank a form corresponding with or
approximating to the form of the core of the screw after it has been threaded,.
and to this end the Invention consists in pointing the shanks of screw
blanks preparatory to the threading operation by means of a cutter of the
required form, which, by the action of a cam acting on a rocker, is made to
approach the point of the screw blank as it is rotated by a mandril, in the
jaws of which it is held.
In Sheet III. of the accompanying Drawings,
Fig. 17 is a plan view of the machine employed in pointing screw blanks ;

page_text: Fig. 18, a front elevation; Fig. 19, an end elevation; Figures 20 and 21,
separate views of the rest and cutter stocks; and Figures 22 represent the
blank before and after it has been pointed, and also the threaded screw.
In
the accompanying Drawings a represents a screw blank before it is pointed;
b, a screw blank after it has been pointed; and c, the screw after it has been
threaded. From these it will be seen that if the threading operation be
'commenced on the blank in the form a, all the metal outside of the lines d, d,
must be cut away by the chaser before the thread is commenced on the body
of the shank; and if the threading be commenced on the body of the shank,
it will be equally evident that the chaser will have to cut away too much
metal when it comes to the point, and that this will strain the metal, and if
of an inferior quality will be liable to break the shank; but if the surplus
metal outside of the lines d, d, be previously cut away, so as to reduce the
blank to the form b, then the chaser will have an equal amount of metal to
cut away along the whole length. The screw blank in the form a is inserted
head foremost, and griped by the jaws e, e, in the end of a mandrilf, such as
is usually employed in machines for threading screws. The mandril fis
driven to rotate the blank by a belt from some first mover passing to a
pulley g. The jaws are in the usual manner jointed to the head of the
mandril by a pin h, on which they both turn, their inner arms passing along
inside of the mandril to be acted upon by a sliding collar i to open and close
the jaws to gripe and liberate the blank. The form and arrangement of the
arms of the jaws are not represented in the Drawings, as they resemble similar
parts in machinery for threading and shaving screws. The collar is embraced
by a fork j, which is free to slide longitudinally on a bar ke (represented by
dotted lines, and is provided with a roller or wrist that fits in a cam groove
Z of a cam m on the cam shaft n. The form of the cam groove is such as to
draw the fork back, and both on the mandril to open and close the jaws when
required. It runs in the direction of the circumference to keep the jaws
closed during the operation of the cutter, to be presently described, and then
diagonally to open the jaws to discharge the blank, then in the direction of
the circumference to keep the jaws closed whilst another blank is introduced,
and then it runs diagonally in the reverse direction to close the jaws. A
slow motion is communicated to the cam shaft from the mandril by
cog wheels o, p, q, r. So soon as the blank is griped a rests, Figures 19 and
20, attached to a moveable head t is carried up to bear against the shank of
the blank. The head t is mounted on a rock shaft u; it is drawn back at
the required time by a spring v, and it is moved forward by two arms won &
rock shaft æ, provided with another arm y, which bears against the periphery
a train of

page_text: of the cam a¹ on the cam shaft n. The form of the cam a' is represented by
dotted lines, and it is such as to force the rest up against the shank of the
blank the moment it is griped, and to permit it to be drawn back by the
spring after the blank has been pointed. The rest is passed through a hole
in a block of metal 6', and therein secured by a temper screw, and the block
of metal is fitted to a slot c' in the head, with a shoulder on one side and a
nut don the other, so that it can be adjusted and secured at any point
desired. The cutter e¹ of the form required is inserted in a cutter stock f,
mounted on a rock shaft g', placed with its axis diagonal to the axis of the
mandril, so that the cutter shall approach the blank diagonally. The cutter
stock is drawn back by means of a spring h¹, and it is forced towards the
blank by an arm on a rock shaft j', provided with another arm k', that bears
against the periphery of a cam b' on the cam shaft. The form of this cam is
such, that the moment the rest is brought up against the blank, the cutter
is carried forward by a rapid motion until it begins to cut, and then by a
gradual motion until the required quantity of metal has been cut away, when the
cam permits the cutter to be drawn back by the spring to insert a new blank.
Having thus pointed out the nature of the improvements in manufacturing
wood screws, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
specific mode of construction described, so long as the principle or character of
this part of the Invention is retained; but I claim the method substantially as
described of pointing screw blanks, preparatory to the threading operation, by
the means substantially as described.
The fourth part of the Invention relates to the machinery for threading
wood screws. This part of the Invention consists in operating the griping
jaws on the mandril for holding and rotating the blank during the threading
operation by means of a toggle joint, to which is jointed one end of the rod
that passes through the hollow mandril, the said rod being formed with a
stem that passes out through a slot in the mandril to be acted upon at the
proper time by a sliding collar on the mandril to draw back the rod, and
operate the toggle to close the jaws when this is combined with a latch
notch or recess within the mandril, which, when the rod is drawn back by the
collar, receives a second stem or projection on the rear end of the rod, to permit
the collar to pass on to a face of the first projection or stem of the rod, which
face in that position is parallel and flush with the surface of the mandril, so that
when in that position the endwise pull or strain on the rod caused by the
gripe of the jaws shall be sustained entirely by the mandril instead of by
the sliding collar, whereby the end pressure on the mandril against the
boxes in which it rotates, heretofore so injurious to threading machines, is

page_text: entirely avoided. This part of the Invention also relates to the method of
regulating the motions of the chaser or cutter towards the axis of the blank.
In a machine heretofore constructed by the inventor, he employed what he
denominated a mould. This mould has a face, against which the chaser or
cutter head slides during the threading operation to determine the line of
motion of the said cutter, and thus give the required form to the body of the
screw. As the face of this mould is curved, and the chaser head vibrates on
a centre, the relations of the one to the other are constantly varying, so that
the form of the face of the mould does not give the required motion to the
point of the chaser, for the reason that the face of the chaser head is not during
the entire chasing motion parallel to the cross sections of the mould. This has
been found to be a serious practical defect, particularly as the face of the
mould is liable in working to cut away, and requires therefore to be frequently
reground. The object of this part of the Invention is to avoid this practical
difficulty, and consists in fitting the mould to the stock or slide which moves
it towards and from the blank, to determine the depth of the cut, so that
it shall rock therein freely, and thus adapt its face to that force of the chaser
head which slides in contact with it, so that this latter shall be at all times
parallel with the cross section of the face of the mould during any and all
parts of its vibration. And this part of the Invention also relates to the
method of operating the cutter head to determine the depth of each succeeding
cut, and consists in operating the frame or stock which carries the mould
towards the blank for each succeeding cut, by vibrating one end of the said
frame, whilst in contact with a cam face, by a cam which makes one revolu-
tion for each cut, and which thus carries the chaser towards the blank to
commence the cut, and at the end of the cut relieves it to liberate the chaser,
and permit it to be thrown back for the return motion, when this is com-
bined with the making of the said vibrating cam wedge formed in a longi-
tudinal direction, and giving to it a longitudinal motion during the entire
threading operation by a cam which makes one revolution for each complete
threading operation, so that for each succeeding operation the vibratory motion
of the said wedge shall carry the chaser nearer to the axis of the blank, and
thus increase the depth of cut. And this part of the Invention also consists
in giving to the comb bar an additional motion at the end of each chasing
motion, for the purpose of relieving the teeth of the comb from the threads of
the leader before the two are disengaged preparatory to the back motion. And
finally, this part of the Invention also consists in determining the pitch of the
thread by means of a leader which turns in the arms of a rock shaft operated
by a cam so formed as at the end of each threading motion to disengage

page_text: the threads of the leader from the teeth of a comb or bar which operates
or carries the tool holder, and to re-engage them at the end of each return
motion, when this is combined with a method of giving to the leader an alternate
forward and back motion in the direction of its axis towards the end of each
threading motion, to give to the chaser whilst cutting the thread on the point
an alternate accelerating and retarding motion, to make the threads of
gradually less depth towards the apex of the cone, but of the same pitch as on
the body of the stem.
In Sheets IV. and V. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 23 is a plan of
the threading machine; Fig. 24, an elevation of the back end; Fig. 25, an
elevation of the front end; Figures 26 and 27, vertical sections taken at the
lines A, A, and B, B', of the plan respectively; Figures 28, plan and section
of the mandril; Figures 29, separate views of the leader and its rock shaft;
Figures 30, separate views of the cam for determining the depth of each suc-
ceeding cut, and of the cam for opening and closing the jaws; Figures 31,
plan and section of the mould and frame which carries it; and Figures 32,
separate views of the relief cam. The same letters indicate like parts in all these
Figures. a represents the main framing. bis the mandril which runs in
boxes in standards c, c, and which carries a pinion d on the rear end that
engages a cog wheel e on the shaft f. The mandril is rotated by a belt from
some first mover passing on to a pulley j. The mandril is hollow from near
the rear end to and through the forward end or chuck g, in which are
arranged the griping jaws h, h, jointed together on a fulcrum pin i, the jaws
being properly formed to receive and hold the blank by the head. The rear
arms of these jaws are connected together by a toggle joint k, which in turn
is jointed to the forward end of a rod 7 by a joint pin m, which passes through
guide blocks n, n, that slide in mortices o in the chuck to guide the toggle in
its movements. The rear end of the rod l has a projecting stem p (see dotted
lines) on one side, which passes out through a slot in the mandril, and through
a hole in a collar 9 that slides on the mandril. The outer or front face of
the said stem is for a short distance oblique to the line of the rod, and then for
a short distance it is parallel with the rod, and then again oblique, and the back
or inner face is parallel or nearly so with the front face; and opposite to the
stem p there is another stem r, shorter than the first, but the front face also
oblique or bevelled, which last stem fits at the proper time into a latch notch of
corresponding form in the face of an adjustable bar s, the stem t of which is fitted
in a hole in the mandril. This stem is threaded and provided with two nuts
u, u, which are received in an appropriate recess v in the mandril, for the purpose
of setting the latch notch nearer to or farther from the chuck of the mandril,

page_text: for the position of this latch relatively to the jaws will determine the size of
blank which the jaws will gripe. When the collar q is pushed back, it
strikes against the oblique front face of the first stem, and draws back
the rod and partly closes the jaws; this brings the second stem r into the
latch notch, and then the continued back motion of the collar acting on the
oblique or bevelled face of the stem p will force the other stem r into the
latch notch, so that by reason of their oblique or bevelled faces the rod will
be drawn still further back to increase or complete the gripe of the jaws; and
then the collar passes on to the part of the stem p, which is parallel with
the rod, to hold it in place to continue the gripe of the jaws, and at the
same time to avoid any endwise strain on the collar and mandril, which, if
continued during the threading motions of the machine, would press the
shoulders of the journals of the mandril against the boxes, not only occasioning
much wear, but at the same time subjecting the moving parts to a strain very
injurious to the accuracy of the motions of the machine, so essential to the
making of good screws. So soon as the thread is completed the collar is
moved forward, which, acting on the rear face of the stem p, draws the stem r
out of the latch notch, and carries the rod forward to open the jaws to
discharge the screw and receive another blank. The collar is embraced by a
fork w attached to a sliding rod a (working in appropriate boxes y, y), which
is drawn forwards by a spring z, and pushed back by a face cam a' on the
cam shaft, which makes one rotation for each complete operation of the
machine, and which receives motion from the wheel e, through suitable
gearing, as shewn at Fig. 24. This cam has an oblique face e¹ (see Fig. 30),
to push back the collar to close the jaws, and then it continues in the line of
rotation to keep them closed during the threading operation; and at the end
of this a sudden recess f¹ to permit the sliding rod to be carried back by the
spring, and with it the collar to open the jaws. The moment the blank is
griped in the jaws, a rest g¹ on the arm of a rocking shaft h' is brought up
against the shank of the blank to support it. This is effected by two toes
,, on a rock shaft j', which at one end is provided with an arm k', which
bears on the periphery of a cam l on the cam shaft 6', which cam is so formed
as to give the required motion to carry the rest up against the shank of the
blank, and to permit it to be drawn back at the end of the threading opera-
tion by the tension of a spring not shewn in the Drawings. The chaser n¹ is
secured in the usual or any appropriate manner, but I prefer to effect this by
a helical spring (see dotted lines on the plan) placed within the rock shaft,
partly bored out for the purpose, and in contact with the spring, by means of
a rod q¹ inserted in the said bore, and resting against the standard or bracket

page_text: 1. The inner end of the rock shaft p' abuts against one end of a bar s³, which
slides in the frame. This said sliding bar is formed with a series of teeth t¹
(see Fig. 26, and hence called the comb bar), which are inclined on their back
faces, that is to say, at right angles to the line of motion of the bar. These
comb teeth are engaged by the threads of a leader or screw u¹ on a shaft ?',
which has its bearings on two arms w¹, w¹, of a rock shaft a¹. The threads of
this leader are made to fit accurately the comb teeth, and are therefore the
reverse of them, so that in giving the threading motion, the threads of the
leader will act on the square faces of the comb to prevent any inaccuracies,
such as would arise from the use of bevelled faces. The rock shaft a¹ is
provided with another arm y', which bears against the periphery of a cam z¹
on the shaft a², which receives motion from the shaft 6 through the wheels
and pinions d, e, b³, c² (Fig. 24). The leader is disengaged from the comb
teeth by the tension of a spring d2 acting on the arm y', and driving it forward,
when either of two recesses ³, e, formed in the cam z' at opposite sides
thereof, are presented to the arm y¹. The faces of these recesses are such,
that the moment the cutter and comb have been carried back by the tension
of the spring p acting on the end of the rock shaft of the cutter bead, the
arm y' is forced out to re-engage the leader with the comb teeth to repeat
the threading. As the cam 2¹acts twice during each chasing operation, it
must make half the number of revolutions that there are chasing operations
for the complete threading of a screw.
The leader receives the required
rotary motion to communicate the threading motion to the comb from a cog
wheel 2 (on the end of the shaft f) that engages a pinion g² on the shaft v¹ of
the leader, and as the shaft f passes through the rock shaft x¹ of the leader,
the pinion and pinion g³ remain in gear during the vibrations of the leader
as it engages and disengages the comb teeth. As the pitch of the thread
to be cut is determined by the rotation of the mandril and the pitch of the
thread of the leader and its rotation, it follows that this can be varied so as
to cut any desired pitch of thread by simply changing the relative motions
of the mandril and leader. For the purpose of giving to the chaser an alter-
nate accelerated and retarded motion at the point of the screw, to make the
threads at the point of gradually less depth towards the apex of the cone, and
at the same time of the same pitch in accordance with a plan of making
pointed screws formerly patented, the shaft of the leader is made to slide
endwise in its bearings, and the rear end of the said shaft bears against a
wedge-formed piece h² (see Figures 29) on an arm of a sleeve j' that turns
on the rock shaft ¹ of the leader. The said wedge piece works in a mortise
in the rock shaft a¹, and its position is shifted towards the end of cach chasing

page_text: operation by an arm on the sleeve, the said arm being made to bear
against the periphery of a cam
(Fig. 26) on the shaft a² by means of a
spring not shewn in the Drawings. This cam has a recess on one side of
the axis and a protuberance on the opposite side, so situated relatively
to the threading motion, that as the chaser reaches the conical part of the
blank at one time, the recess will depress the wedge piece, which will give the
retard motion, and at the next the protuberance will give the accelerated
motion, thus gradually causing the cutter alternately to approach the pitch
line, which would otherwise be generated, and hence cutting away the metal
from opposite sides to make the thread of a gradually reduced depth towards
the apex of the cone. To give the required form to the body of the screw,
the chaser head slides in contact with the face of a mould m² (see Figures 23
and 31) which is formed according to the intended shape of the screw to be
produced; and hence, as the chaser moves from the head towards the point of
the screw blank, the point of the chaser will generate a curve parallel with the
face of the mould. This mould is formed with journals n at each end, and
in a line with the back edge, which is semicircular, and these are fitted to turn
freely in sockets in a frame o², so that as the chaser stock moves endwise and
vibrates on its rock shaft, the mould will vibrate on its bearings, that its
face may adapt itself to the vibratory motion of the chaser stock, and thus
keep the faces of the two always parallel. The frame o, which carries the
mould, slides in ways in the main frame, as shewn in the Drawings, for the
purpose of moving the mould nearer to the axis of the blank at each successive
cut, and back at the end of each cut, to permit the chaser to be thrown back,
and out of the threads of the screw for the return motion, by means of a spring
not shewn. The back motion of the mould frame is produced by the spring.
which acts on the chaser head, and its motion towards the blank for each cut
is effected by two cams 92, 93, Fig. 25, that act against the ends of set screws
in the frame o. These cams are on a rock shaft 2, which has an arm s
jointed to a slide s¹, which bears against the periphery of a cam t² on the
shaft a² before described, and this cam is so formed that at the end of each
successive cut it permits the mould frame to move back, that the point of
the chaser may clear the threads in its return motion, and then draws it down
again, that the point of the chaser may cut into the blank; but as for each
successive cut until the thread be finished, the chaser must approach near to
the axis of the blank. The cams 93, 92, which draw down the mould, are wedge-
formed in their length, and the rock shaft, which carries them, slides endwise
in its bearings, so that by the tension of a helical spring u³ (see Fig. 23)
inserted in the shaft the inner end of said shaft is made to bear against the

page_text: face of a cam v on the shaft 6', which makes one revolution for each complete
threading operation. This cam has as many off sets or faces w³ (see Figures
30) as there are chasing operations to complete the threads, each in succession
further from the face of the wheel to which they are attached, and thus by the
rotation of the cam the rock shaft r, with its wedge cams q³, q², will be
forced further forward. It will now be understood that as the steps of the
cam ³ are presented in succession, a gradually increasing radius of the cams
,, will act on the mould frame by reason of their wedge-like form, and
thus at each successive time that the cutter is presented to the blank, it will
be caused to make a deeper cut. It will be obvious from the foregoing that
the various parts and arrangements may be previously changed without
materially affecting the principle of the Invention, and therefore I do not
wish to limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement, so long as
the essential characteristics of what has been stated to be the principle
of the present Invention are retained.
What I claim as new under this part of the Invention, is the before-
described method of operating the jaws for griping and liberating the blank
by means of the toggle joint and rod connected therewith, when this is com-
bined with the method substantially as described of latching and unlatching
the rod by means of the sliding collar acting on the inclined or bevelled stem
of the rod to draw it back and force in the latch, and then holding it in place
by passing into it, so as to avoid an endwise strain on the mandril against its
boxes, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
I also claim so connecting the mould which governs the line of motion of the
chaser or cutter with the sliding frame, that it shall be free to vibrate therein,
in the manner substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
I also claim operating the mould frame or equivalent thereof towards and
from the screw blank for each succeeding chasing motion, by means of a
vibrating cam or cams, substantially as described, when this is combined with
the wedge-like form or increased diameter of the said cam in its longitudinal
direction, and giving to it a longitudinal motion, so that for each succeeding
threading or chasing motion it shall cause the chaser to approach nearer to
the axis of the screw blank, and cut the thread deeper, substantially as
described.
And I also claim the method of determining the pitch of the screw to be
cut by means of a leader, the threads of which are alternately engaged with
and disengaged from the teeth of a comb on a sliding bar, as described, when
this is combined with the method of giving to the leader an alternate forward
and back motion in the direction of its axis, as described, to give to the chaser

page_text: or cutter an alternate accelerating and retarding motion in forming the threads
on the point of the blank, as described.
The fifth part of the Invention also relates to machinery for threading screw
blanks and presenting them to the griping jaws of threading machines.
In Sheet VI. of the Drawings, Fig. 33 is a plan; Fig. 34, an end elevation;
Fig. 35, a side elevation; Fig. 36, a section at the line A, B, of Fig. 34; Fig.
37, another section at the line C, D, of Fig. 36; and Fig. 38, top view on an
enlarged scale of the cutters. The same letters indicate like parts in all the
Figures.
This part of the Invention has reference to the method of operating the
fingers which transfer and present the blanks to the griping jaws of the
mandril. Heretofore the fingers have been operated by only one cam, which
makes one revolution for each complete operation of the machine, for the
reason that the fingers are only required to supply and present a blank after
a screw has been threaded. From this it follows that either the fingers must
be operated by a very slow motion, or else the face of the cam which operates
them must be so near a radial line as to operate very imperfectly.
To avoid these difficulties this part of the Invention consists in the em-
ployment (in combination) of two cams, one of which makes but one revolu-
tion for each complete threading motion, and another on a shaft which moves
with greater velocity, the first of these cams being employed simply to hold up
the fingers during the threading motion, and to permit them to approach the
mandril when a blank is to be supplied; and the second, or fast-moving cam,
being employed to give the required movements to the fingers, whereby such
force may be given to the said second cam as shall operate the fingers rapidly
and by an easy motion. And this part of the Invention also relates to an
improvement on the method of cutting pointed screws, heretofore secured by
Letters Patent. When pointed screws are chased with one cutter the front
face of the said cutter must be made parallel, or nearly so, with the axis of the
screw, or the core or body of the screw will not be left of a cylindrical form ;
but when so formed such cutter will not make the core at the point of a
conical form. Again, when one cutter alone is employed, it must move along
the whole length of the threaded part of the screw; and when more than one
cutter has been heretofore employed, all the cutters have been made of the
same form, and each in succession has been made to follow the same track.
This part of the Invention consists in employing two cutters or chasers in
combination, one to form the thread on the body or cylindrical part of the
shank, and the other to form the thread on or at the point, whereby a less
range of motion is required, for the one forms the thread on or at the point

page_text: 9
during the operation of the other. And this part of the Invention also
consists in making the front face of the cutter which forms the thread on the
point parallel, or nearly so, with the bevel of the point when this is combined
with a second cutter which has its front face parallel, or nearly so, with the
axis of the screw. a represents the main framing; b, the mandril which
carries the griping jaws in the usual manner for holding and rotating the
blank to be threaded. This mandril receives motion from the cam shaft c by
a cog wheel d and pinion e. f, f, represent the termination of the ways of a
feeding machine from which the blanks are delivered, but which may be
delivered in any other way, into a recess in a slide 9, surrounded by a casing
h, in which it works. The slide g is jointed to one end of a rod i (see Figures
33 and 34), connected with the wrist pin of an arm j, on a hollow rock shaft
k, by a slot l, and by a spring m. The rock shaft has another arm n, which
is borne down (by a spring) on a cam p, on the shaft q, that receives motion
by a cog wheel and pinion r, r, from a shaft s, that in turn receives motion
from the cam shaft c by a pinion t and cog wheel u. The shaft g makes one
revolution for each complete threading motion of the machine, and the cam p
is so formed as to operate the arm n up and down to communicate the desired
motion by the arm j and rod i to the slate g. The slide is carried in to
receive a blank by the wrist pin of the arm j acting against the end of the
slot of the slide, and drawn out to deliver the blank by the tension of the
spring m, so as to prevent breaking in case of any impediment. So soon as a
blank is drawn out by the slide g it is seized by a pair of fingers v, and
presented to the griping jaws on the mandril. The fingers v are jointed to an
arm w, and are kept closed by springs x, x, against a pin y on the projection
z of the arm w. The arm w is attached to one end of a rock shaft a', that
turns and slides freely in the hollow rock shaft k, and the arm is drawn down
by the tension of spring, so that the pin c¹ of the arm shall bear on the peri-
phery of a cam d' on the shaft q. The cam dis concentric with the screw
e made in a part of its periphery; and as the shaft 9 makes but one
revolution during one entire threading motion, the recess e³ is only brought
under the pin e¹ of the arm w, at the end of the threading motion, when a new
blank is required to be presented to the jaws. There is a stud pin f' on the side
of the arm w, which bears on the periphery of a second arm 9 on the shaft s,
which rotates with greater velocity than the cam d¹. When the recess e¹ is
under the projection of the arm w, the required up and down motions can be
given to the arm by the cam g', which from the point 1 to 2 (in the direction
the reverse of the arrow) is concentric to hold up the fingers; and at 2* it is
slightly recessed to permit the fingers to descend and catch the blank, and
D

page_text: then to lift it out of the recess in the slide.
After the slide has been pushed
in the cam from the point 3 to 4 runs in towards the axis to permit the
fingers to descend and bring the blank in a line with the axis of the mandril.
From 4 to 5 the cam is concentric to retain the fingers in that position until
the blank can be inserted in the jaws, and then from 5 back to the point 1 the
cam runs out to elevate the fingers. In addition to the up and down motion
the fingers have a motion towards the griping jaws to insert the blank and
then back, the latter being given by a spring h', which bears. against the end
of the rock shaft a¹, and the motion towards the jaws to insert the blank is
given by a cam face on the side of the cam q³, and extending from the point
4 to 5, as also shewn by dotted lines in Figures 34 and 35, and acting on a
lip of the stud pin f' on the arm w.
The mechanism for operating the griping jaws is not represented, and does
not require to be described, as it can be constructed and operated by any of
the well-known plans.
The two cutters or chasers
and k' are mounted on and secured each to
separate heads and m¹, the one on rocker n', and the one m² on a sleeve
rocker o', that turns and slides on the first with a helical spring p¹ interposed
between the end of the sleeve and a shoulder on the rocker, the tension of
which spring tends constantly to force the two cutters towards each other.
The two rockers thus united slide together endwise in boxes r, r, and are
kept against the face of a cam s¹ by the tension of a spring t¹ (Fig. 33). The
cams is on the shaft c before mentioned, and makes half the number of
revolutions during one entire threading motion that there are chasing opera-
tions to complete one thread of a screw, the number being determined by the
relative proportions of the cog wheels and pinions, which proportions may be
varied at the discretion of the constructor. The cam s' is what is known as
a regular wedge cam, and is double, to give two motions to the cutters for
each revolution, and to give a regular progressive motion to the cutters from
where the thread begins towards the point of the screw, and then permit them
to be forced back by the tension of the spring to repeat the operation.
The cutter j (see Fig. 37) has its front face made parallel with the axis of
the screw, or nearly so, and cuts the thread along the main part of the shank
and its motion towards the axis of the blank to form the thread is governed
by a mould u, against which the head of the cutter slides, the shape of which
mould determines the form of the core of the screw when completed. The
motion of this mould towards the blank at the commencement of each thread-
ing motion and back at the end it is not deemed necessary to describe and
represent, as it forms no part of the present Invention. Whilst the cutter j

page_text: is cutting the thread along the main part of the shank, the other cutter k¹,
which has its front face bevelling in the line of the conical point of the screw
to be cut, is cutting the thread on the conical point, and the motion of this
cutter towards the axis of the blank to determine the form of the point is
governed by the shape of the continuation of the mould u. As the two
cutters operate simultaneously, one on the main part of the shank and the
other on the point, the latter commencing as niuch after the former as the
conical point is shorter than the main part of the shank, it follows that the
range of longitudinal motion to be given to the cutters is less than in
threading machines heretofore known by the length of the conical point.
The cutter which forms the thread on the conical point must have an
alternately increasing and retarding motion, on the principle secured to
William Edward Newton in a Patent bearing date the Twelfth day of July,
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven. This is effected by a wedge v';
represented in section in Fig. 36, and by dotted lines in Fig. 34, which slides
in a mortise in the rocker n', and acts between the two heads j' and '. This
wedge is forced by the tension of a spring against the periphery of a cam a
on the shaft c. On one side of the axis the said cam has a projection y¹ to
force in the wedge, so that the cutter shall move faster than the other, and
on the opposite side of the axis a recess 2 to permit the wedge to be forced
out by the spring, that during the next operation the said cutter &¹ shall inove
with a slower motion than the other. In this way the cutter which forms the
thread on the main part of the shank moves with a regular motion, whilst the
other, that forms the thread on the point, moves alternately with a quicker and
slower motion to make the thread of gradually less depth towards the apex of
the point.
Under this division of the Invention I claim the employment of two cams
in combination, substantially as described, for the purpose of operating the
fingers which supply and present the blanks to the griping jaws, as described.
And I also claim the employment of one cutter to form the thread on the
conical point when combined and operating simultaneously with a second
cutter for forming the thread on the main part of the shank, substantially as
described and for the end specified.
And, finally, when the cutters are employed in the manner substantially as
described, I claim making the front face of one parallel, or nearly so, with the
axis of the blank and the front face of the other bevelling in the line of the
conical point of the screw, or nearly so, as specified.
The sixth part of the Invention relates to a machine for arranging and
feeding or supplying screw blanks to the machines for performing the various

page_text: operations in the manufacture of wood screws, such as shaving and nicking the
heads, pointing the shanks and cutting the threads, which Invention is also
applicable to the arranging and feeding of pins and other such like articles.
The nature of this part of the Invention consists in taking screw blanks (or
other like articles) from a hopper by means of hooked or bent fingers having
a space between them sufficient for the free passage of the shanks, whilst the
heads hang on them, and lifting and transferring them to inclined ways, down
which they run to the place of delivery with the heads and shanks in the
required position. And this part of the Invention also consists in giving a
lateral motion either to the lifters or to the inclined ways, which lateral motion
is required in one direction to permit the passage of the lifters in their
revolution, and which motion is interrupted when the ways are fully supplied
by the contact of the screw blanks with a stop. In Sheet VII. of the accom-
panying Drawings, Fig. 39 is a plan; Fig. 40 is a front elevation; Fig. 41,
an end elevation; and Figures 42 and 48, separate views on an enlarged scale
of the connections for operating the moveable part of the ways. The same
letters indicate like parts in all the Figures. a represents the frame of the
machine, which can be adapted to any machine which is to be supplied with
screw blanks or other like articles, and 6 represents the head or griping jaws of
a machine for threading screw blanks, as illustrative of the mode of applying
the improved mechanism. The screw blanks are supplied in any desired
quantity on the part c of a hopper, from which they descend into the part d,
which is of a semi-circular form concentric with the shaft of the lifters e, e.
The bottom of the said hopper has two parallel grooves f, f, in which the
points of the lifters pass in their rotation that they may with more certainty
pass under the blanks in the hopper. The lifters e, e, are curved or hook
formed and brought to a point or nearly so at their outer ends and connected
together at their inner ends by a brace piece g, so that the space between shall
be of sufficient capacity for the shanks of the blanks to hang freely between
them whilst the heads rest on the inner curved faces. They are attached to
one end of a shaft or spindle h, which turns in a sleeve i attached to one side
of a hopper, and the said shaft carries a friction plate e, which is in contact
with a similar plate h³ on a sleeve g³, that turns freely on the shaft h, and
which carries a bevil wheel j, driven by a train of wheels k, k, l, l, so that the
lifters are operated by the friction surface of the two plates in contact. In
this way the lifters can be stopped at any time whilst the train of wheels
continues to run, the friction of the surface of the two plates being sufficient
to carry the lifters when performing their legitimate lifting operation. As the
lifters revolve their points pass under the blanks in the hopper, and as they

page_text: rise therefrom some of the shanks of some of the blanks will fall in between
the two lifters, and their heads will be caught and rest on their inner curved
faces; and as the lifters continue their revolutions the blanks hanging thereto
will slide towards the inner reeds, that is, towards the axis; and when the lifters
have reached the position represented in the Figures with the points up, the
blanks slide therefrom and between ways p, p, down which they descend by
gravity to the place of declivity at m, where the ways are so curved as to
deliver the blanks in a horizontal direction. In this position the inner ends
of the lifters constitute continuations of the two inclined ways p, p, which
leave a space between them sufficient to receive and permit the shanks of the
blanks to pass and hang freely between them whilst hanging by their heads
on the upper surface of the ways; the inclination of the ways should be
sufficient to permit the blanks to descend by gravity. It will therefore be
evident that when the lifters are brought to the position specified, that the
blanks hanging between them will slide therefrom on to the ways and thence
pass down to the delivery end; but if they are to be delivered in a vertical
position, then the ways are not to be curved. The lifters cannot continue
their rotation so long as the ways remain in the position represented. To permit
them to pass around for another lifting operation a section of the ways
nearest the lifters are made at a point at n, n, so that they can be moved
laterally out of the way; for this purpose the jointed part of the ways is
attached to a connecting rod o, which in turn is jointed to a lever p' operated
by a cam q on the shaft r. In this manner the ways at the required time are
drawn out of the way to permit the lifters to pass around; but if the ways
should be fully supplied with blanks, so that those on the lifters cannot pass
out, the ways will be thus held and prevented from moving out of the way
until after the lifters have been emptied. As the time when it becomes
necessary to shift the moveable ways to permit the revolution of the lifters
is uncertain, and the mechanism for imparting the vibratory motion to the
ways must be positive, the connections are so formed as to yield when the
lateral motion of the ways is impeded by the accumulation of blanks. For
this purpose the lever p' is made in two parts, both working on the same
fulcrum pin at q', and between the two parts of the lever there is interposed a
spring of india rubber or any other substance whose tension is sufficient to
communicate the required motion from the cam 7 to the ways when there is
no impediment, and sufficiently elastic to yield and permit the rotation of the
cam 9 when there is an impediment. As the operation of the lifters will be
irregular, sometimes taking a full supply and sometimes failing to take any,
they are made of sufficient capacity to hold several blanks to insure a full

page_text: supply. This, however, cannot be regulated to correspond with the delivery of
the blanks from the ways, and therefore the lifters should supply more than
enough. To prevent any evil arising in consequence of this is the object of
the arrangement above described for stopping the lateral motion of the
moveable part of the ways, which thus becomes a detector and stop motion;
but the same.
thing can be accomplished by giving the lateral motion to the
lifters in the line of the axis of the spindle, in which is inserted one end of a
cylindrical pin called the detector, attached to the side of the hopper, so that
when the lateral motion would be imparted to the lifters, the screw blanks
hanging between would come in contact with the cylindrical pin and prevent
the lateral motion, and hence the revolution of the lifters until they are empty;
in this way a full 'supply is always insured to the inclined ways. The curved
end of the ways are attached to a plate a with a hole, through which the
blanks in succession pass to be delivered into a recess in a carrier a', which is
a plate sliding in appropriate ways under the plate x. The carrier is jointed
to one end of a rod c', which at its other end is connected with the arm d',
that vibrates on a rock shaft e¹ by a spring f', which permits the arm to move
without the connecting rod and carrier whenever the blank has failed to enter
the recess, and thus avoid breakage; but when the blank has properly entered
the tension of the spring is sufficient to draw out the plate to carry the blank
to the proper position for the next operation, to be hereafter described, and
then the carrier is moved back by the wrist pin of the arm which works in a
slot in the connecting rod. The rock shaft e¹ for working the carrier is
operated by a cam h' on the driving shaft r, which cam acts on another arm
of the said rock shaft. So soon as the blank has been carried out by the
carrier a pair of transferring fingers j', ', or an arm n', take it and transfer it
to the jaws b, or to any other instrument which is to receive it, and then the
carrier moves back to fetch another blank from the inclined ways. The arm
nis attached to the rock shaft e³, which has an arms that rests on a cam t
so formed as to elevate the fingers at the time required and permit them to
be depressed by a spring. As the cam t' rotates in the direction of the arrow
in passing, it first elevates the fingers above the carrier, and then it is concen-
trio to hold up the fingers whilst the carrier is operated by its cam to carry
out a blank; then follows a depression to permit the fingers to come down and
grasp
the blank and lift it out of the recess of the carrier; the periphery of the
cam is then concentric to hold up the fingers until the carrier moves back,
and then it gradually approaches the axis to permit the fingers to descend
until the blank is brought in a line with the axis of the mandril which carries
the jaws b, and then finally the fingers being in a line with the jaws on the

page_text: mandril, the blank is forced from the fingers into the jaws by a transferring
punch a² on a carriage 63 operated by a face cam ca and spring d². It will be
obvious that the detector may be either a rod passing into a hole in the ways,
so that the blanks shall strike against it, or the heads of the blanks can be
made to strike against any stationary stop, so as to prevent the lateral motion
of the ways until they have descended so far as to indicate that a further
supply is required, and then the lateral motion of the ways takes place to
permit the lifters to operate. The grooves in the bottom of the hopper are
not indispensable, but the machine will be found to operate best with them.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction
and arrangement of parts herein described, as these may be variously modified
without departing from the nature of the Invention; but what I claim under
this, the sixth part of the Invention, is the lifters, which select and lift the blanks,
&c. from the hopper, substantially as specified, in combination with ways or
conductors, or the equivalents therefor, substantially as specified, into or on to
which the blanks, &c. are transferred as specified. And I also claim giving
to the lifters or to the inclined ways, or their equivalents, a lateral motion in
combination with a stop or detector, substantially as specified, for the purpose
of arresting the operation of the lifters, until a further supply is required
substantially as specified.
The seventh part of the Invention relates to machinery for assorting screws
and other articles according to their sizes. In Sheet VIII. of the accom-
panying Drawings, Fig. 44 is a plan view; Fig. 45, a right-hand side
elevation; and Fig. 46, a left-hand side elevation of the improved machinery;
and Figures 47, 48, and 49 shew the developement of three cams used
therein. The same letters indicate like parts in all the Figures. The chief
object of this part of the Invention is to assort screws & screw blanks,
according to their diameters or lengths, so as to deliver each size separately;
but it will be evident on examination that the said Invention is applicable
to the assorting of other articles, such as rivets, pins, balls, shot, &c. The
screws or other articles to be assorted pass from a hopper on to inclined ways,
between which their shanks hang with the heads on the upper edges thereof,
and the ways being inclined, they run down by gravity towards the delivery
end, where these ways are combined with a series of shifting ways corresponding
in number with the number of sizes of screws, or the series may consist of
two where it is only required to separate one size from the mass. When
any one screw reaches the lower end of the permanent ways it is first arrested
by a moveable stop combined with the ways, and before it is delivered by the
withdrawal of this first stop it is separated from the others by a second

page_text: stop combined with the ways and the first stop, and for the purpose of
presenting that one of the series of shifting ways which is to receive the
screw to be delivered there is combined with the shifting ways a detector,
which is brought against the shank of the blank, the diameter of which
determines the extent of its motion or its position.
In the accompanying Drawings, a, a, represent two inclined ways placed
so far apart as to permit the screws or screw blanks to hang by their heads,
and with the shanks hanging loosely between them. The screws or other
articles to be assorted are supplied to the ways from a hopper, or in any other
appropriate manner, and the inclination of the ways must be such as to
permit the screws to descend by gravity. At the lower end of these ways
there is a series of shifting ways b, b, attached to a plate c, which is jointed to
the frame at d, so as to vibrate thereon. The Drawing represents this series as
consisting of only two, which is deemed sufficient to give a clear representation
of the practical application of the principle of my Invention, as the number
may be increased at pleasure. By the vibration of the plate c it will be
seen that the inner ends of either of the series of ways b, b, can be made
to coincide with and form a continuation of the main ways a, a. These
movable ways are drawn in one direction by the tension of a spring e, and
in the reverse direction by a lever f connected therewith by a rod g, the said
lever being alternately vibrated and held fast at the required periods by a
series of cams or grooves h on the cam shaft i, and by the detector j, in manner
to be hereafter described. When a screw reaches the lower end of the main
ways (as at k), it is stopped by the pointed end of a stop lever 1, which turns
on a fulcrum at m, the other end being acted upon by a spring n to force in
the stop, and by a cam o on the cam shaft to draw it out when the screw
is to be delivered. But before the stop is drawn out, the point of another
stop lever p (of like construction, and operated in like manner by another
cam g) is inserted between the screw to be delivered and the one next above it.
In this way the screws are in succession brought to the position k, and when
one is delivered there is no danger of more than that one passing out. The
relative form and position of the double cam o, q, for operating the stop
levers is fully represented in Fig. 47. Before the stop lever is drawn out to
deliver a screw, a detector j is forced up against the shank of the screw at k.
This detector passes through a mortice in one of the main ways a, and turns
on a fulcrum at s, the other end t of the lever of the detector being made
to act on the lever f, which operates the shifting ways b, b. The detector is
drawn out by the tension of a spring u bearing against its lever, and to the
inside of the lever is attached a spring arm v, the end of which bears against

page_text: the face of a cam w on the cam shaft, by which it is forced outwards to force
the detector against the shank of the screw, and at the same time forcing
the lever of the detector against the lever f of the shifting ways, so as to
carry the end of this lever to the distance required, to determine which of the
series of ways b, b, shall be made to coincide with the main ways preparatory
to the delivery of the screw. As the arm vis a spring, it will be seen that
the cam w is sufficient to give the greatest required change of motion to the
detector to carry it as far as the size of the screw shank will permit, the
spring arm yielding when the full amount of motion is not required; but as
the screw cannot be delivered while the detector is held against it, and the
lever of the shifting ways is operated by the detector, it becomes necessary
to hold the ways in place whilst the detector is withdrawn; this is done by
segment cams or grooves on a drum y on the cam shaft. As the Drawings
represent the machine as adapted to the assorting of only two sizes, or one
size from the mass, there is but one such segment groove, but it will be
remembered that there must be one such groove added for every additional
set of ways in the series. The position of these segment grooves and their
length in the direction of the periphery, as shown developed in Fig. 49, must
be such that the moment the lever f of the shifting ways has been carried
to the required position by the detector lever to determine the position of the
shifting ways, the end of this lever is caught in the segment groove h, and there
held until the screw has been delivered. The lever is then liberated, and the
ways shifted back by the tension of the spring before described. As the heads
of screws are of much greater diameter than the shanks, the same set of ways
will answer for several sizes, the space between the ways being made
sufficiently large for the largest sized shanks to pass freely between them and
to hold up the heads of the smallest. When the machine is to be applied
to the assorting of screws according to their lengths, the detector must be
placed lower down so as to pass under the lower end of the short shanks
and strike against the long ones. In this way the position of the shifting
ways is determined to deliver the long and the short screws into different
receptacles.
It will be obvious from the foregoing that rivets or pins can be assorted
in the same manner as screws according to the difference in their diameters
or lengths. And it will also be evident that by varying the form of the ways,
balls or shot can be separated as well as screws; and, in short, that other
articles, not necessary to enumerate, which will run down on ways or in a
channel, can be separated according to their different sizes. I do not wish
to limit myself to the special construction and arrangement herein specified,

page_text: as the principle of the Invention is susceptible of various modifications, as
for instance, the stops and the detector may be made to slide instead of being
on vibrating levers; and instead of a series of shifting ways, one set of
shifting ways alone may be used, when the machine is only to be used for
separating from each other two sizes, or selecting one size from several other
sizes, in which case some of the articles will be delivered directly from the
end of the main ways.
I claim under this head of the Invention the combination of the series of
shifting ways
with the main or stationary ways for the purpose and in the
manner substantiallly as specified.
And I also claim the detector, substantially as specified, in combination with
the stationary and the shifting ways, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose specified.
The last part of the Invention relates to a machine for shaving, nicking,
and reshaving the heads of wood screws.
Heretofore in the operation of finishing the heads of wood screws by first
shaving, then nicking, and afterwards reshaving, to remove the burrs formed
in the nicking operation, the screw blanks had to be re-inserted in the jaws of
the shaving machine. In practice this has been found to be attended with a
serious difficulty. It is not practicable to re-insert the blank in the jaws to
be griped precisely as it was during the first operation, and, therefore, the
blank will not be properly presented to the action of the shaving cutter; and
as the operation of the cutter in this last operation is simply to remove the
burrs, it will be seen that the slightest variation in the position of the blank
in the jaws will prevent the cutter from acting equally on the entire surface
of the head.
The object of this part of the Invention is to avoid the difficulty above
pointed out, and at the same time to save the trouble and a portion of the
time heretofore occupied in retransferring the blanks from the jaws of the
shaving machine to the nicking machine and back again to the shaving
machine, and to this end. This part of the Invention consists in holding
the blanks in the same jaws during the three operations of shaving, nicking,
and reshaving to remove the burrs, the spindle that carries the blank being
shifted from the shaving tool to the nicker, and back again to the shaving
tool, to remove the burrs; and for this purpose two mandrils connected on
opposite sides to a shaft are employed, the shaving apparatus and the nicking
apparatus being arranged on opposite sides of the shaft, so that by the
vibration of the shaft the blank, after receiving the first shaving operation, is
shifted to present this blank to the nicking operation, whilst the other mandril

page_text: is brought into line, that a new blank may be inserted to receive the first
shaving operation; and when this is effected, and the nick completed on the
first, the shaft is again vibrated, to bring back the first blank to the shaving
tool, to have the burrs removed, and to carry the second blank to the nicking
apparatus, and whilst the nicking is being performed on the second, the first
has the burrs removed and is discharged, and a third blank inserted in the
jaws, and subjected to the first shaving operation, the operations of the first
and second shaving being performed during the nicking operation.
On this
In Sheet IX. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 50 is a plan; Fig. 51, a
front elevation; Fig. 52, an end elevation; Figures 53, 54, 55, and 56, cross
vertical sections taken at the lines A, a, B, b, C, c, and D, d, of Fig. 50, and
looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 57 is a developed view of the
cam g¹. The same letters indicate like parts in all these Figures. a repre-
sents the frame, and 6 a shaft, mounted in appropriate boxes c, c.
shaft there are two double arms d, d, which carry a mandril e at opposite
sides of the shaft b. Each mandril is provided with griping jaws such as are
usually employed in machines for shaving the heads of screw-blanks, but
which it is not necessary to describe and represent, as they are well known to
persons acquainted with machinery for making wood screws. The shaft b
carries on its rear end a pinion f, the cogs of which engage a rack g that
slides in a part h of the frame. This rack is drawn down by a spring i, and
its lower end rests on the periphery of a pin j on the cam shaft k. The form
of this cam is such that from the point 1 to 2 it is concentric to keep the rack
in its lowest position, that the two mandrils may be in the same horizontal
plane. From 2 to 3 the cam gradually runs out to force up the rack to turn
the shaft so as to reverse the position of the mandrils, and from 3 to 4 the
cam is concentric to retain the rack and shaft in this position, and from 4 to 1
the cam runs in towards the shaft to reshift the mandrils. The cam shaft
receives motion from the driving shaft by a pinion and cog wheel m, m, and
on the driving shaft there is a band wheel n that drives the mandrils e, e, one
after the other, that is to say, it drives the mandril, that is, in line for present-
ing the blank to be shaved. To accomplish this a band o passes from the
band wheel n around a pulley p on the mandril, that is, in position to shave
the head of a blank; thence the band passes around a tightening pulley q and
back to the wheel n. In this way it will be seen that, although the pulleys
on the two mandrils are within the course of the band, the one that is in the
position to present a blank to be shaved will be rotated, whilst the other,
which is in a position to present the blank to be nicked, will not be acted upon

page_text: by the band o, but will remain stationary for the time being. On the shaving
side a blank is inserted and griped in the jaws in the usual way, and then a
rest r on a rock shaft s is forced up against the shank of the blank by a cam t
(on the cam shaft k) acting on the arm u of the rocker; and as the rest
supports the blank, the cutter or shaver v of the usual form on the cutter
stock w mounted on a rocker x is carried up to the head of the blank by the
action of a cam y that acts on an arm z of the rocker a. So soon as the
head has been properly shaved, the cutter and rest are drawn back by the
tension of the springs a¹ and 6, the cams being properly formed to permit
this; and so soon as this has taken place, the cam j¹ acts on and forces up the
rack to shift the mandrils, by which the blank which has been shaved is
presented on the other side to a nicking saw c¹, on an appropriate arbor
mounted in the upper end of a lever d¹ that turns on a fulcrum at e', the
lower arm of the said lever being provided with a wrist pin f, which is kept
in contact with the face of a cam g¹ (represented as developed at Fig. 56) by
the tension of a spring h¹ (see Fig. 50). The form of the cam is such as to
carry the nicking saw towards the head of the blank to cut the nick, and then
back when the nick is completed. The arbor of the saw is provided with a
pulley, by which it is driven by some first mover. During the operation of
the nicking saw the shank of the blank is held firmly by a permanent rest j¹
on one side and a moveable rest k¹ on the other. This movable rest is on a
rocker provided with an arm m³, acted upon by a cam n² on the cam shaft.
Whilst the nicking operation on this blank is going on a blank previously
nicked is presented to the action of the shaver, and the rest and the shaving
cutter are again carried up to remove the burrs. The rest and cutter then
move back, the blank is discharged, and a fresh blank put in to receive the
first shaving operation; and when this is completed, the position of the
mandrils is reversed, the nicked blank being presented to the cutter for the
second shaving operation, and the one that has received the first shaving
operation being presented to be nicked. It will be seen that the cams that
give the motions to the rest and shaving cutter for the shaving operations are
made to act on the parts to be operated twice to once of the cams which
operate the moveable rest and nicking saw for the nicking operation, for the
reason that the two shaving operations are performed, that is, the last shaving
on one blank and the first shaving on another whilst a blank is being nicked.
During the nicking operation it is important that the under surface of the
head of the blank be pressed or held firmly against the rests to prevent the jar
occasioned by the action of the saw from straining the gripe of the jaws on

page_text: the blank, but it is difficult so to mount the mandrils in their boxes that
during the operations of the machine the mandril will always bear the same
relations to the rest; and in the shaving operation it is of the utmost impor-
tance that the mandrils bear at all times the same relations to the cutter.
To meet these contingencies the mandrils are made with a slight end play in
their boxes, so that when the saw is brought against the head of a blank the
mandril shall yield endwise until the level of the head of the blank is brought
up against the rests, and there held by them; and for the shaving operation
the rear end of the mandrils, as each in succession is brought into line, bears
against a permanent rest o¹ bevelled from the top and bottom, so as to ensure
the proper position of the mandrils relatively to the cutter. And for the
purpose of more accurate adjustment a set screw p' is inserted in the rear end
of each mandril, the head of which screw acts against the rest o'.
Having thus described the nature of this, the last head of the Invention,
and the manner of constructing and using the same, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrange-
ment of the parts, as these may be variously modified without affecting the
principle or mode of operation set forth; but what I do claim is, combining
the shifting mandril that carries the blanks with a shaving and nicking
apparatus, substantially as described, so that the blank, after being shaved to
give the required form to the head, and whilst held in the same mandril, may
be shifted to the nicking apparatus, and after being nicked shifted back to the
same shaving apparatus to have the burrs removed by the same cutter that
performed the first shaving operation, as herein set forth.
I also claim the employment of two shifting mandrils, substantially as
specified, in combination with the shaving and the nicking apparatus, sub-
stantially as herein described, so that the nicking operation can be performed
on one blank whilst the first and second shaving operations are being performed
on other blanks, as specified.
And I also claim giving to the mandril or mandrils end play in their boxes
in combination with the permanent rest at the back of the mandril, and with
the cutter, substantially as specified, by means of which the same position of
the blank relatively to the cutter is obtained for the second shaving operation
which it had for the first, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
(L.S.) A. V. NEWTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-second day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Alfred Vincent Newton came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-second day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.