A NEW PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING NEW AND IMPROVED BLANKS OR STOCK FOR SCREWS AND THREADED NAILS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, for the Invention of "A NEW PROCESS
OF MANUFACTURING NEW AND IMPROVED BLANKS OR STOCK FOR SCREWS
AND THREADED NAILS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THAT PURPOSE."
A coll-
munication from abroad by Samuel Vanstone, Metal Roller, and John Waldron
Hoard, Manufacturer, both of Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th October 1876.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Lallitte,
Paris. "A NEW PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING NEW AND IMPROVED BLANKS OR
STOCKS FOR SCREWS AND THREADED NAILS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
PURPOSE."
THAT
The object of this Invention of a new process of manufacturing new and improved
blanks or stocks for screws and threaded nails, and in machinery for that purpose
is to produce stock blanks for screws in a rapid and economical manner, and to
furnish a peculiar thread for screws or threaded nails, and it consists in novel con-
structions of mechanism for this purpose and in new products and new processes of
manufacture.
I construct in the first place a machine for rolling the blanks, having moveable
dies the shape required for the blanks; the blanks are fed in rolls parallel thereto,
and the depressions in the dies correspond. to the heads and shanks and points of
the screws.
The machine for threading the wire is also formed of a pair of rolls with
suitable depressions for forcing up the threads on the wire which is rolled first, or
in the same machine to the required section; the section is a double ellipse or oval
with or without grooves down on opposite sides of its length.
In the first named machine wire of a suitable size is taken and cut into one or
more lengths for the blanks, and each piece is then delivered into the pair of die
rolls, both of which revolve in the same direction, the piece of wire lying parallel
[Price 6d.]

page_text: with the axes of the rollers, and when the rolls are in motion receiving from them
in addition to the squeezing and shaping action a rolling action over and over upon its
own axis, thus compacting the metal; the process permits the rolling of two or more
blanks head to head or tip to tip, and nearly or quite severed from each other, as may
be desired. The rolls are mounted in suitable framing with suitable adjustment in
the ordinary manner, and are driven by hand or power. The dies may form an
integral part of the rolls, or the dies may be removable, each several die conform-
ing to the shape of the blank required.
The rolls are preferably worked in the same longitudinal plane, and the pieces of
wire dropped in between them, the wire being cut from a continuous length by any
well known means and presented to the action of the die rolls by hand, but I prefer
to cut the wire from a coil by automatically worked shears which deliver them
For
into a shoot or hopper, and thence delivered in proper position to the rolls.
this purpose suitable gearing is attached to a wire feeding grooved roller, and by
means of a pawl and crank pin intermitted motion is given for the operation of
moveable shears, the pieces of wire as cut drop into the shoot lying crosswise; they
then roll down till arrested by forks, which, at the proper moment, allow them to
roll down to a gate, and at the proper time to deliver to the rolls; the gate rises and
lets the wire pass to the rolls, the shears, the forks, the gate, and rolls all working
in relation to each other.
The adjacent surfaces of the two dies move in opposite directions and act on the
metal in a manner similar to the human hands when placed palm to palm, and
moved to roll between them; a stick of plastic material and the surfaces of the dies
are made eccentric so as to continually take a tighter and tighter hold on the metal
till it is discharged. This rolling and squeezing action reduces the diameter of the
body of the stock, forms also the head and point, and also forms a groove to act as
the severance. If the metal is used hot the shoot may also be warmed. For square
or polygonal bolts iron of that section may be used.
The blanks made by this process for nails, screws, rivets, or bolts need neither
heating or pointing in a separate machine, and the blanks possess great closeness of
fibre throughout.
In the machine for raising the threads of screws the pattern will vary according to
the pattern of the rolls through which the wire is passed. If, as before mentioned,
the wire is oval and two longitudinal grooves down it the depressions in the grooved
rolls will raise the helix forming the screw, but broken off where the longitudinal
grooves come; the rolls are also made with blank spaces which form on the lengths
of wire where it is severed for the point and head which are formed afterwards, or
the raised threads may be continuous. A wire thus threaded dispenses with all
cutting, and the action of the rolls is almost like wire drawing.
In some cases the raised webs are made straight, and the helical form given by
twisting the wire either subsequently or as it leaves the rolls.
The threaded wire may be used as nails with little or no danger of cutting the
wood because the thread is raised above the cylindrical body of the nail or scrow.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th April
1877.
"
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris. A NEW PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING NEW AND IMPROVED BLANKS OR
STOCK FOR SCREWS AND THREADED NAILS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR THAT
PURPOSE." A communication from abroad by Samuel Vanstone, Metal Roller, and
John Waldron Hoard, Manufacturer, both of Providence, Rhode Island, United
States.

page_text: The object of this Invention is to produce stock and blanks for screws in a rapid
and economical manner and to furnish a peculiar thread for screws or threaded
nails, and it consists in novel constructions of mechanism for this purpose and in
new products and new processes of manufacture.
In the accompanying Drawings Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet 1) are respectively an
elevation and a section of a machine for rolling the blanks; Figure 3, a removable
die; Figures 4 and 5, details; Figures 6, 7, profile views of two forms of dies;
Figures S to 14, different forms of blanks.
Figure 1 (Sheet 2) is an end view of the machine for threading screw stock or
wire; Figures 2 and 3, details of the same.
Figure 4a perspective enlarged of the wire preparatory to being threaded;
Figure 5, a cross section of the same.
Figures 6 and 7, cross sections of modified forms of wire; Figure 9, a piece of the
threaded wire; Figures 10 and 11, cross section and end view of threaded
wire.
Figures 12, 13, and 14, finished screws or nails.
Figures 15, 16, and 17, sections of wire showing different kinds of thread.
Referring to Sheet 1, 1 commence with a billet of metal, and first roll or drawing
it to a suitable cylindrical size; or may commence with a wire suitable for the
purpose, and cut it up into proper lengths to form one, two, or more blanks, as the
case may be, and then deliver such pieces successively to a pair of die rollers, both
of which revolve in the same direction, the piece of wire lying parallel with the
axes of the rollers, and when the rolls are in motion receiving from them in addition
to the squeezing and shaping action a rolling action over and over upon its own
axis, thus compacting the metal, reducing its porosity, and solidifying the whole at
the same time that the shape is given, and making a particularly close-grained
point or tip, as also a stronger head than by the usual methods. The process also
permits the rolling of two or more blanks, head to head or tip to tip, and nearly
severed, or quite severed from each other as may be desired.
A. (Shect 1) is a frame for supporting the mechanism; B, B', are the die rollers
mounted on appropriate shafts C, C; a bearing D of one of which shafts is made
adjustable in order to adjust the rollers according to the size of the blank required;
E is one of two similar gears for shafts C, C, and which gears engage each with an
intermediate gear, not shown, and which may be used as the driving gear, and if
driven by hand may be provided with a handle or crank F. Both shafts C, C¹, and
their die rolls revolve in the same direction, and preferably with the same velocity.
G, G shew two different forms of dies for the rolls (though other forms may be
used), and the die may be made integral with the rolls or permanently affixed
thercon or removably attached to their peripheries. I have shown them removeable
by way of illustrating different forms adapted to produce different styles of blanks.
One pattern only would be used at a time, but each roller may have several dies of
the same pattern. The dies G are shaped for rolling two blanks tip to tip, as
shown in Figures and 13, and the dies G¹ for rolling two blanks head to head, as
shown in Figures 8 and 12.
The dies may be such as nearly to sever two adjacent ones, as seen in Figures 8,
9, 12, and 13, or to sever them entirely, or to form them singly, as shown in
Figures 10, 11, and 14, or to give them a raised or swelled shank, as seen in
Figures 12, 13, and 14, or to give a tapering shank.
The rolls are placed with their axes preferably in the same horizontal plane (see
Figure 2), and the pieces of wire to be treated are dropped into the space between
them, such pieces of the length desired being previously cut from a continuous wire
by any well-known means, and may be presented to the action of the die rolls by
hand, but it is preferred that the continuous wire be fed from a coil or reel to a pair
of shears 1, 2, and by them automatically cut to any desired length, and then
dropped into a chute or hopper, from which one by one they are delivered in the
proper position to the rolls. For this purpose a shaft H driven by pinion I, which

page_text: engages with gear E is provided with a bevel gear J; this latter engages with bevel
gear K on a short shaft mounted in a hanger M. On this short shaft is a crank
pin n, which is connected by a link or crank rod o and a thumbscrew nut or its
equivalent to a slotted arm 7 affixed to the shaft r of the wire feeding grooved
roller s, a ratchet wheel ton said shaft imparting motion to it by means of the
weighted gravitating pawl u pendant on the slotted arm q. The revolution of
crank pin n gives an intermittent motion to a shaft through the pawl and ratchet,
and the grooved roller v receives its proper intermittent motion from the gears w, x,
on the shafts of these wire-feeding rollers. The upper roller v may be adjusted
up and down by any proper means, such as the slide boxes y and set screws.
By these means the wire is intermittently fed and cut off to any desired length.
The movable shear 2 is operated by a crank pin 3 on the end of shaft H, the
pin entering a slot in this blade or shear. The pin 3 also enters a slot in lever 4,
which is fulcrumed on one of the supports 5 of chute 6; and the outer end of
lever 4 has a gate 7 extending across the outlet of the hopper or chute 6, and
vibrates up and down with the movements of the lever. This lever carries teeth or
forks 8, 8, which at intervals project upwards through orifices in the bottom of the
chute near its discharging end.
When the machine is in motion the pieces of wire as cut drop successively into
the chute lying crosswise of the samic (the bent guard 9 serving to guide and
position the wire whilst being cut), the piece so cut then rolls down the chute till
arrested by forks 8, which at the proper period retire and permit the piece to roll
down to be again arrested by a gate 7, and at the instant the rolls have revolved to
bring the dies into proper relative positions to commence their action, and the gate
rises, the piece of wire is delivered to the rolls; the rising of the gate raising again
the forks 8, 8, which now arrests the next succeeding piece of wire which has been
just severed by the shears, and so on successively. One of the die rolls has a stop
piece or pieces 10, 10, at the receiving end of its die to catch the piece of wire as it
drops from the chute and prevents its falling to the floor before the two dies seize it.
The adjacent surfaces of the two dies move in opposite directions, and therefore
they act on the metal in a manner similar to that of the human hands when placed
palm to palm, and moved to roll between them a stick of plastic material, the
pressure serving to compress and reduce it. To give this gradual compression and
solidification during the rolling, the surfaces of the dies are eccentric (see Figure 2),
so as to continually take a tighter and tighter hold on the metal during the rolling
and until it is discharged. This rolling and squeezing action whilst reducing the
diameter of the main body of the stock forms also the head and point by the agency
of the ridges and grooves in the dies, and somewhat elongates the piece. The
central bead or rib 11 in one of the dies is a sort of knife or blunt edge for forming
a groove between the two heads of double blanks, such groove being (as desired) a
partial or a full severance of the blanks. This rib or knife may be removable for
convenience of sharpening, &c.
'
The chute may be kept hot if desired to prevent the cooling of the pieces cut
off from the wire. The top of the chute is preferably a lid that it may be lifted as
convenient.
The make square or polygonal headed bolts, square or polygonal wire or rods
would be used.
To allow for adjusting the die rollers to or from each other, or to remove them
when desired each is on a short shaft connected to its actuating shaft by a
coupler 17, and slots 15 and set screws 16 in one of the journal bearings afford the
means for this adjustment.
"
The blanks made by the above-named process are suitable for screws, rivets, bolts,
nails, &c., and it will be observed that the heads are not " upset as is the usual
way of making heads; nor do the blanks need to pass to a separate machine either
for heading or peinting; hence the labor, time, and expense of these two operations
are saved, and the damage to the metal incident to such operations is also avoided;

page_text: whilst the rolled blank herein above described possesses remarkable compactness
and solidity and closeness of fibre throughout and particularly at the parts where
these qualities are most needed.
The swelled shanks permit the part next adjacent to the head to be of smaller
diameter than the threaded part of the finished screw (the thread being raised), and
hence not liable like an ordinary screw to split the wood when "sent home," for
the wood will always draw in upon that smaller part of the shank which is under
the head and hold very strongly and securely. Blanks for coach screws or any
others requiring a square or polygonal head can be cheaply and easily rolled from
square or polygonal wire in the same manner as above described, the dies being
adapted therefor. By varying the form of the die the blanks may be rolled
without a head, but with a point; or with a head and no point, the process being
the same.
The machine for imparting a screw thread to continuous wire is shown in
Sheet 2, Figure 1, and certain details in Figures 2 and 3, and the products in
Figures 4 to 15 inclusive. The pattern of the raised thread will vary at will
according to the pattern of the roll through which the wire is finally passed.
Tho
In a frame A of any suitable kind are placed rolls B¹, C₁, provided with
appropriate gearings D', E¹, whereby one may be driven by the other.
grooves F, F, are inade, as shown, each somewhat in excess of a semicircle, so that
the two may impart to the wire which is rolled through between them a form in
cross section somewhat elliptic, and each of these grooves has a central rib or
bead gl, the object of which is to impart to the wire longitudinal depressions or
grooves a, b, as shown in Figure 4, which represents the wire at this stage.
I, I, are other grooves (which may be in the same pair of rollers with the
grooves E, E, or in independent rollers as desired) designed for taking the wiro
after it has been reduced to the form shown in Figure 4, and reducing it to its
ultimate form having a cylindrical cross section with peculiar raised threads thereon,
as shown in Figures 9, 12, 13, and 14. These grooves I, I', are each semicircular
in cross section, but the grooves are also scored diagonally, as shown at j, j; these
scores being each of somewhat crescent shape, being deepest and broadest at their
centre, and terminating or diminishing to nothing at their ends; thus each roller I'
has its own set of raised crescent-shaped threads extending only about half way
around the wire in a spiral direction, the opposite side of the wire having similar
threads not directly connecting with those on the other side, but yet in spiral line
therewith. In passing the wire from the grooves F¹, F¹, to I¹, I', it enters the
rolls I, I, with its grooves a, b, in horizontal line with each other, and with the
larger diameter x, y, vertically, so that the rolls shall compress the main body of
the wire to a cylindrical form, whilst leaving a portion of the metal in the
scores j, j¹, to form the threads and the same action forces the excess of inetal
together to close the longitudinal grooves a", 61, thus preventing the formation of
webs or fins lengthwise of the wire where the peripheries of the rollers meet.
From the above description it will be seen that the peculiar form imparted to the
wire by the grooves F₁ prepare it for receiving the raised threads by providing for
this purpose a larger supply of metal at its larger diameter x, y, and that the
avoidance of the longitudinal fins is ensured by making the grooves a, b, through
the instrumentality of the ribs gl.
The several series of scores j', j', should in preference alternate with blank spaces
,, so that the threaded wire shall when severed at such blank spaces (say,
at h, h,) give a short unthreaded portion at each end to form the head and
point of the complete nail or screw. Such screw may be upset if desired, or left
cylindrical, and the opposite end may be, at will, turned down to a point by any
appropriate means. The rolls may have their pressure adjusted by any well known
means, such as set screws m¹, m¹.
For adjusting the rolls to each other that the scores j¹, j', may be properly
positioned or registered to cause the raised threads of the wire to align spirally the
following devices are employed-A hub N' is adapted to be splined to the axis of

page_text: one of the rollers, so that when so splined they must revolve together as one; this
hub lodges in a circular cavity o¹ made in the outer face of the gear, and is then
secured to it by means of set screws p', p', p', which pass through elongated holes
or short slots in this hub. When these screws are tightened the hub and gear are
held firmly together, and the most delicate and perfect adjustments may be made
without disconnecting the teeth of the two gears.
As an equivalent device, though perhaps better adapted for the larger and stronger
machines, the hub may have arms 71, 71, adjustable by set screws to the desired
position (see Figure 2).
Instead of the positive beads g¹ the bottom of grooves F¹, F¹, may be made flat,
so as to make a preparatory wire without fins (see Figure 7).
Where an unbroken or continuous instead of an interrupted thread is desired the
scores in the grooves of the rollers may be of uniforın depth and breadth instead of
crescent shaped.
By this machine and mode of treatment it will be seen that the coil or continuous
wire as it is fed or drawn through the forming rollers is simply drawn, and that the
wire does not turn or revolve on its axis. The blank spaces ", ", may taper, if
desired, and they may be a little shallower or deeper than the threaded or scored
part.
In running the stock through the rolls ordinary guides (not shown) are employed
at both sides of the rolls. A wire being thus threaded all cutting of threads is
dispensed with, and a peculiar thread is produced, the wire being all ready to be
cut up into threaded nails or screws, and which are adapted to be driven home into
the wood. When the threaded portion at the head is reduced to a diameter
smaller than the rest of the stocks, and is in the wood, the wood clings and hugs it
closely, as heretofore stated with regard to Figures 12, 13, and 14 of Sheet 1. The
raised thread in a finished nail or screw may be only at or near the end, as seen in
Figure 18.
The raised threads may be of any desired number, one or more, and of any desired
form in cross section, several examples being shown in Figures 15, 16, and 17
(Sheet 2). When made with one side of its thread at right angles to the stock, as
in Figures 16 and 17, the nail can be driven in one direction only. When made
as in Figure 15 a piece can be pointed at either end, and driven from either end.
Threaded nails or screws made by this method are as cheap or cheaper than
wrought or even cut nails, and there is little or no danger of splitting the wood
when they are driven into it, because the thread is raised above the cylindrical
stock or body.
The object of the grooves a, b, is that the fins or webs which are apt to be
produced on opposite sides of a rolled rod or wire may be prevented, the final rolling
which imparts the thread forcing a part of the metal to close these grooves, so that it
shall not be squeezed out beyond the periphery or body of the stock, except to form
the threads. These grooves may be left partially unclosed (according to the pressure
given to the rolls by screws m¹, m',) thus leaving longitudinal gaps or slits 1, sec
Figure 12, which may be useful in nails or screws for certain purposes, and the
wood would contract or hug into them and hold the tighter.
In some instances the wire may be rolled with straight instead of spiral threads,
and subsequently twisted to give them the spiral form, the raised portion to form
the thread being however, as in the description already given, made in and by the
very act of making the wire.
The wire may also be prepared without the grooves a", 61, (see Figures 6 and 7),
and if flattened, as in Figure 7, fins on the wire may be avoided by properly
regulating the pressure of the rolls.
In some cases the longitudinal groove or grooves, as well as the spiral thread or
threads, and also the head and point, may all be pressed or stamped in and upon
the metal at one operation, and without any rolling or revolving of the stock or
blank.

page_text: Having now described the methods and mechanism for the manufacture of screws
and the articles produced thereby I claim,-
First. The mechanism described and operating as set forth for rolling screw
blanks.
Second. The method described of producing screw blanks by rolling.
Third. A rolled screw blank, whether single or double, and with its shank straight,
tapering, or swelling, and with its head and point or either formed in the act of
rolling, substantially as described.
Fourth. The mechanism described and operating as set forth for threading con-
tinuous wire.
Fifth. The method described of producing screw threaded wire by passing the
wire through die rolls adapted to raise a thread above the cylindrical stock.
Sixth. A continuous cylindrical wire or rod, having raised screw threads rolled
thereon, whether the threads be continuous or interrupted, and adapted to be cut up
into pieces of proper length to nails or screws.
Seventh. A thread wire or a screw or a screw blank having crescent shaped
eccentric threads projecting from a cylindrical stock.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)