Improvements in Tack Driving Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tack Driving Machines.
I, CHARLES WILLICK KING, of Lexington Street, Newton, Middlesex County,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained, in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a machine for automatically driving tacks or nails one
after another, and is intended to be used more especially in connection with a
machine for lasting boots and shoes, although applicable for use for other purposes,
and the said invention consists of a machine for automatically driving tacks or nails
constructed and arranged for operation substantially as hereinafter fully described,
reference being had to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which:
Figure 1 represents the present machine in side view;
Figure 2 a longitudinal central vertical section;
Figure 3 a plan view ;
Figure 4 represents a detail plan view below line 4-4 Figure 2;
Figure 5 a detail plan, and detail horizontal section: below line 5-5 Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a detail plan view;
Figure 7 is a vertical cross section on line 7-7, Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of one of the parts in two different
positions.
Figure 10 is a detail horizontal section just above the horizontal section of
Figure 5.
Figure 11 is a detail front or end view;
Figure 12 is a detail plan view; and
Figure 13 is a detail side view of one of the parts.
In the drawings A represents the body of the machine tacker, B a handle for
grasping and holding it by the hand, C a receptacle for the tacks consisting of a
vertical cup, which is adapted to screw on the upper end of the body as at a, open
at its bottom, and having two horizontal partitions D, E, therein which freely fit
the internal sides of the cup and are connected together by a central post F which
extends down below the lower partition E, and has secured to its lower end, the
lower end of a curved tube G which at its upper end is secured to the lower
partition at one side or edge of the partition, and which at such place has an
opening H communicating with the chamber of the said tube, the tube having a
longitudinal open slot K in its side extending throughout its length in a spiral
direction, and where the tube is secured to the partition, the partition is cut away
outside of the diameter of the tube in a small V shaped opening L, over such
spiral slot.
The upper partition D has an elongated opening M at one side as shown in
Figure 3, and it has four vertical pins or wires b, which pass through it, extending
above and below the partition, the upper partition also having a central vertical
handle N by which the partitions can be removed from the receptacle when
desired; the receptacle has a cover P which fits over its upper end to close it, and
it is held in place by a four armed spring plate Q secured at its centre to the inner
side of the cover, each arm being bent' down as at d and forming a spring, to bear
against the inner side of the receptacle.
A pin e projects radially and horizontally from the inner side of the receptacle,

page_text: I
and the upper partition has an open slot in its edge which when the partitions, and
more particularly the tube or spout, is in the proper place engages with the pin and
prevents the partitions turning, and when desirous of removing the partitions, they
can be raised by their handle, the lower partition also having an opening or slot h
in its edge which enables it to freely pass by or over the pin e.
The hole M through the upper partition is on the opposite side of the receptacle
to the opening H in the lower partition communicating with the spirally slotted
spout or tube.
In the body is an inclined raceway R which is shown in longitudinal central
section in Figure 2, and in plan in Figure 5, this raceway down to the point m being
in the body of the machine, and it is continued in a block S which is inserted in a
recess n in the machine body.
This raceway consists of a longitudinal vertical groover and in the body each
side extends upward from the groove being inclined as shown in cross section in
Figure 7.
Opposite the lower end of the raceway in the block S is a small cylinder or
block T which is arranged to make a partial turn on revolution or swing back and
forth on a pivot in a chamber or socket in the block but at an angle to the
inclined raceway, or horizontally in relation to the head U for the proper position
for holding the tacker in use as shown in Figures 1 and 2.
The cylinder or block is inserted in its socket or chamber from the under εide of
the block S and is held therein against a shoulder or portion wo of the block S
partially over the socket, by a plate y secured in a depression a' in the under side of
the block, which plate and the portion w of the block serve to hold the pivot u for
the cylinder.
Across one side of the cylinder T is an opening in which is a vertical pin d'
against which pin is arranged to bear a flat spring e' secured in a recess in the side
of the block by a screw.
gl is a vertical slot in the side of the cylinder which when it is in its normal
position is opposite to or coincident with the end of the raceway groove r.
In this cylinder just below its top is a horizontal transverse open slot ¹ one end
of which opens into the farther side of the vertical slot 1 and the other end
terminates in an opening m¹ in the upper end of the cylinder, below which last
opening m¹ is another deeper open horizontal slot n¹; against its shoulder ris
arranged to hear the round end t of a pin V arranged to move back and forth in a
horizontal socket u¹ in the head U of the body, and in an opening o' in the block S
as shown in section in Figure 5 more particularly.
In the block S diagonally back of the opening v in which the cylinder moves and
communicating therewith, and just back of the lower end of the raceway groover,
is
a vertical opening W which extends down to and communicates with an inclined
passage A as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.
Extending inward horizontally into the cylinder socket v is a thin pointed piece,
arm or stripper a² of the block S which horizontally is in position to project freely
iuto the horizontal opening in the cylinder as shown in Figure 10.
Adapted to slide up and down between two arins B₁ of the head U is the tack
driver, or plunger, or bar C₁, consisting of a portion & substantially oblong in cross
section, its lower portion being in the form of a rod or spindle D' which extends
down through a socket d in the head of larger diameter than the rod and open to
its outside at e³, by a space smaller than the socket but large enough for the rod D'
to be moved out. through it, the lower end of the driver rod D' extending down
into a socket E' in the foot portion F¹ of the head to freely slide up and down
therein.
The driver has two shoulders f' which abut against the under side of the arms B¹
of the head as a stop to the upward movement, and the lower end h³ of the square
portion abuts against the shoulder m² of the head as a stop to the downward move-
ment, respectively of the driver.
Around the driver spindle or rod D' is a spiral spring G¹ which is disposed in

page_text: the socket bearing against the shoulder n and against the under side or end h³
of the driver which acts by its tension to keep the driver at its highest position and
to return it thereto if moved down and free to move.
The side of the driver nearest the cylinder has a vertical longitudinal groove or
slot H' which is opposite to and in line with the socket u¹ in which the pin V is
arranged to slide back and forth.
The lower surface of this slot extends outward to the side in a downward inclined
direction, as at shown in section in Figure 2 making an inclined bearing surface
for the pin V for operation thereof as will be hereinafter described.
Below the socket E' the foot has an open space t from side to side into which
project pieces J, K₁, one at each side of plates respectively pivoted to the head
at u meeting in the centre, the adjacent side of each piece having a tapering
vertical groove making as a whole tapering socket L above socket ' in the
lower end, these pieces being arranged to swing to and from each other within the
open space t.
A spring M' secured to the head by screws 20% bears by its forked free end
against a shoulder a on the piece K₁ to keep it closed, and on the opposite
side of the head is another spring N₁ secured by a screw 6 which bears against
the inner side of the piece J' to keep it in its closed position. The inclined
passage A' opens into and communicates with the side of the passage E¹ for
the driver rod just above the conical or tapering socket L' of the two swinging
pieces.
A plate P is secured on the top of the block S which covers over the raceway
therein, having a narrow longitudinal groove h³ which is over the raceway groove
in the block, which plate groove is too narrow to allow of the escape of the
tacks, but open enough for the operator to see the heads as they pass along
the raceway, the plate being high enough or grooved longitudinally on its
under side to allow free passage of the heads of the tacks, between it and the
raceway.
The portion of the raceway in the body of the machine is covered by a plate Q
which has a longitudinal groove m³ over the raceway groove, which is not wide
enough to allow the tacks to escape but sufficiently wide to allow the tacks to be
seen as they pass along the raceway.
The upper end of this plate has two lugs on its under side which fit in between
the sides of the body and a horizontal plate S' which projects into the chamber T
of the body below the opening in the bottom of the receptacle in which plate is an
elongated opening U¹.
The lower end of this plate is in two parts or arms V1, V', each of which has an
under lug W, they both fitting in between the sides w³ of the body and are
arranged to press against the side by the spring of the arms, holding the plate in
place. On the side of each arm V to this plate is a small projection g' by which
the two arms can be pressed toward each other when desirous of removing the plate
from the body.
The operation of the tacker is substantially as follows:
Tacks are placed in the receptacle on top of the upper partition, and the cover
placed thereon, the tacker being held in the left hand, which is then shaken until the
tacks have passed down into and through the spirally slotted tube, the head of the
tacks passing down the inside of the tube with the points projecting through the spiral
slot and dropping on to the inclined raceway, their bodies and points projecting down
into the groove, and sliding down the raceway until the first tack passes into the
opening g' of the cylinder.
The head of the driver is then struck a quick hard blow which forces the driver
down until it is stopped by the abutment of its end or shoulder, against the
shoulder of the head, its spiral spring then acting to move it back to its normal
position.
With the driver in its upper position, the pin V rests against the part A' of the
driver, which holds the cylinder in position against its spring e¹ for the notch or

page_text: opening g¹ to be in line with the lower end of the raceway groove so that in such
position the tack will freely pass into the opening or notch in the cylinder from the
raceway as described.
As the driver is forced down the spring el is allowed to exercise its pressure to
turn the cylinder on its axis, in the direction of the arrow Figure 9, by the pin V
passing up the incline into the groove H¹ in the side of the driver and as the
cylinder so turns, the tack in the notch or opening is carried with it, and is forced
against the point or arm a extending into the horizontal slot which forces the
tack to move out of its cylinder notch, and the cylinder having moved so that the
notch will be in line with the passage W the tack is finally moved off
the cylinder and dropped into this passage, down which it passes, and through
the inclined passage A into the passage El above the tapering socket L'in the two
pivoted holders, and then into such tapering socket, the driver in the meantime
having risen from the action of its spring out of the way of the travel of the
tack. The tack being now in position to be driven by the driver, the foot of
the machine is then placed on the article where the tack is to be used and the
driver forced down as before, which drives the tack into the article in position
therefore, and lets the cylinder spring act upon it to move the second tack forward
which in the meantime has passed into the opening in the cylinder, to be forced
outward by the point, into the passage down which it drops, and passes to and stops
against the driver rod which has passed down by the passage in driving the tack, but
as soon as driver rod rises and returns to its normal position, the tack drops down
into the tapering socket between the two pivoted pieces and is there held as before
to be driven by a blow upon the driver.
Thus after the first tack has been allowed to pass down into position to be driven,
by the operation of the parts as described, at each blow on the driver, a tack is
driven and another is moved into place to be driven and so on as long as there are
tacks in the machine.
Just over the handle the body is cut away each side of the raceway making
openings B' into a chamber f' in the handle, to allow the tacks that may not be in
the raceway to drop into it out of the way rather than on the floor, to be removed
at pleasure by unscrewing the screw in the handle.
The carrying cylinder or block need not be round, although it is preferable to
have it so, the cylindrical form being best adapted for its work and its parts in
relation to the other parts of the machine.
There is an opening in the plate P¹ over the passage W in the block S in which
rests a knob E on the under side of a spring arm F' secured by a screw G³ to
the plate P which can be swung up and swung on one side leaving the opening
and passage W exposed to view so that it can be cleared of tacks if it should
accidentally be clogged.
The driver is inserted in place by placing the spring over the rod portion then
compressing it closely against the shoulder 2 and inserting the spindle portion
through the open space into its socket and placing its square portion in its
seat when the lower end of the spiral spring will pass down into its socket, and
when in place, a plate H' is secured on the outside by screws J' which keeps all
parts in place and yet allows free movement of the driver up and down.
In Figure 3 the cover is removed from the receptacle showing the upper partition
in plan view.
The pins extending through the upper partition serve to keep the tacks separate
so they will pass more freely down through the receptacle.
As the passage W is at one side of the central longitudinal line of the raceway,
which is in line with the vertical axial line of the driver rod, the inclined passage A¹
inclines towards such central longitudinal line, as well as towards the driver rod
passage E to make proper communication with the passage.
The opening m in the upper end of the cylinder or block T allows the cylinder
to be inserted in its chamber from the under side of the block $ freely passing over
the end of the arm or stripper a³,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In a tack driving machine an inclined raceway, a block or cylinder arranged
at the lower end of said raceway to swing back and forth, a longitudinal slot or
groove in the side of said cylinder which in its normal position is opposite to or
coincident with said raceway to receive a tack therefrom, a shoulder on said
cylinder, a passage or opening communicating with the chamber in which said
cylinder turns, a spring bearing on said cylinder shoulder to act upon and swing
said cylinder to carry the tack in its slot to said passage, and a movable stop or
pin to engage with said cylinder.
2. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a cylinder or block at the
lower end of said raceway, arranged to swing back and forth, a longitudinal slot
or groove in the side of said cylinder arranged to be opposite to or coincident with
the inclined raceway, a spring bearing upon a shoulder on said cylinder, a passage
opening into the cylinder socket, a tack driver bar adapted to move up and down
in a suitable raceway, a longitudinal groove in said bar, and an incline at its lower
end, a stop or pin having its inner end arranged to engage with said cylinder and
its other end disposed in said driver bar groove and arranged to bear upon said
incline.
3. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a cylinder or block at the
lower end of said raceway arranged to swing back and forth, a longitudinal slot or
groove in the side of said cylinder arranged opposite to or to be coincident with
the inclined raceway, a spring bearing upon a shoulder on said cylinder, a passage
opening into the cylinder chamber, a movable stop to engage with said cylinder, a
driver bar adapted to move up and down in suitable guideways and bear upon said
stop or pin and a spring to elevate said driver.
4. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a block inserted in a recess
in the body of said machine having a continuation of said raceway, a cylinder
arranged in said block to swing back and forth therein, a longitudinal slot or
groove in the side of said cylinder which in its normal position is opposite to or
coincident with said raceway to receive a tack therefrom, a shoulder on said
cylinder, a passage or opening communicating with the chamber in which said
cylinder turns, a spring bearing on said cylinder shoulder to act upon and swing
said cylinder to carry the tack in its slot to said passage, and a movable stop or
pin to engage with said cylinder.
5. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway in the body of the machine,
a block inserted in a recess in the machine forming a part of the raceway, a cylinder
or block arranged to swing back and forth in said block, a longitudinal slot or
groove in the side of the cylinder arranged to be opposite to or coincident with the
raceway, a shoulder on said cylinder, a spring bearing on said shoulder secured to
the block, a movable stop or pin in the body of the machine to engage with said
cylinder, a driver bar adapted to move up and down in suitable guideways, and
bear upon said stop or pin, and a spring to elevate said driver bar.
6. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a cylinder arranged to swing
back and forth at the end of said raceway, a longitudinal slot or groove in the side
of said cylinder arranged to be opposite to or coincident with the end of the raceway,
a shoulder on said cylinder, a spring bearing on said shoulder, a transverse open
slot or groove in the side of the cylinder and an arm or stripper arranged to project
into said transverse groove or slot.
7. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a cylinder or block arranged
to swing back and forth at the end of said raceway, a longitudinal slot or groove
in the side of said cylinder arranged to be opposite to or coincident with the end of
the raceway, a shoulder on said cylinder, a spring bearing on said shoulder, a
transverse open groove or slot in the side of the cylinder, an arm or stripper
arranged to project into said transverse groove or slot, a shoulder in said cylinder,

page_text: 1
a stop or pin engaging with said shoulder and adapted to move back and forth in
guideways, a driver bar adapted to move up and down in guideways, a spring to
elevate said driver bar, a longitudinal groove in the side of the driver bar, an
inclined bearing at its lower end for the stop or pin to engage therewith or bear
thereon.
8. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a receptacle for the tacks at
the upper end of the raceway, a partition in said receptacle, a curved tube or spout
connected by its upper end to said partition, its lower end over the inclined raceway,
and a spiral open slot in the side of said tube the length of said tube, and an
opening in said partition communicating with said tube.
9. In a tack driving machine, an inclined raceway, a receptacle for the tacks at
the upper end of the raceway, a partition in said receptacle having an opening
through it at one side, another partition below the first partition, a curved tube or
spout connected by its upper end to said latter partition, its lower end over the
inclined raceway, a spiral open slot in the side of said tube the length of the tube,
and an opening in said latter partition communicating with said tube.
Dated this 14th day of November 1893
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.