Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Nails and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application 21st Sept.. 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
[Communicated from abroad by JOHANN HINRIOH EHLERS, of 24, Bahnhofstrasse,
Bahrenfeld, Prussia, Empire of Germany, Manufacturer.]
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Nails and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of nails and to apparatus therefor.
According to the said invention the blanks of the nails are stamped or cut out from
iron bars or strips provided with raised side edges, intended to form the heads of the
nails by submitting the blank to the action of two cutters arranged side by side and
moving in the same direction, whereby at each double stroke, a blank is cut off having
the head portion alternately on the right and on left side. By this means the
loss of material which has been found unavoidable in the methods hitherto employed
for cutting out nail blanks, is effectively obviated.
The machine comprises a frame in which are mounted the horizontal main shaft
actuating the cutters, and another or lower horizontal shaft driven by the said main
shaft through the medium of a vertical transmission shaft and operating both the
device whereby the cutter-carrier is shifted horizontally and the guiding and feed
apparatus.
The angle iron from which the blanks are to be formed is conveniently rolled up
and placed between small rollers upon a separate stand. In moving towards the
cutting machine the said angle iron passes between the stationary guide block and
the hollowed out check of a pivoted lever which lover in the intervals between
the periodical forward movements of the angle iron, is acted upon by a cam and
guides the unrolling iron in the right direction by exercising thereon a corresponding
pressure with its cheek. The guide-block is adjustable so as to be capable of guiding
iron bars of various thicknesses, although the play of the pivoted lever remains
unaltered.
The cutters are fixed in a carrier reciprocating transversely to the direction of the
feed of the iron, which is carried up to them on a carriage. This carriage is, in its
turn caused to reciprocate in the direction of the feed by a lever actuated by a cam
mounted on a transverse shaft. The stroke of carriage is adjusted so as to fit the
width of the iron band employed by means of screws. These screws are adapted to
modify the motion of the carriage notwithstanding the invariable play of lever. by a
spring arranged between lever head and a catch provided at the backward portion of
the carriage, which spring intercepts the shock of the said lever at the moment when
the catch meets one of the adjusting screws that is to say, before the stroke of the
lever is completed, there being on one side only, a fixed piece for the lever to bear
against.
A gripper is connected and acts in conjunction with the carriage, which
gripper during the backward motion of the carriage slides with its toothed end
over the surface of the iron which is kept stationary in the meantime by
another arrangement which, as soon as the stroke of the carriage is completed, it
comes down upon the iron strap with sufficient pressure to strongly grasp the same,
moves it forward the distance corresponding to the width of one nail blank, and places
it under the cutters which by this time have been opened to receive it. The gripper
is set in operation by a lever mounted in the wings or catches of the carriage, this
lever being connected with another cam operated lever pivoted to the carriage and
receiving its motion from the transverse shaft through the medium of a cam.

page_text: The gripper operating lever is connected with the cam operated lever by a hand
lever the hook-shaped attachment of which grasps the catch of the cam operated lever
from below, but can be disengaged therefrom when required so as to temporarily
throw the feeding apparatus alone out of operation while a fresh roll of iron is placed
on the stand or while the last piece of the preceding roll is being removed from the
machine.
The motion of carriage with the iron bar placed thereon is so regulated that while
the cutters are open the iron is moved forward a distance equivalent to the width of
one nail blank and thereby placed between the cutters in which position it remains
until the blank is cut off. At the same moment the gripper grasps the iron bar a
sufficient distance further backwards so as to cause a fresh portion of the same to
come between the cutter-cheeks at the next stroke of the carriage. But to prevent
the iron from following the backward motion of gripper and carriage the same is
firmly maintained in the position it has taken up between the fixed cheek, and the
movable one by the arrangement hereinafter described, while the carrier in the
interval between two forward steps of the iron changes the direction of its motion it.
causes on one side the adjusting screw to press against the back surface of chock,
whereas in moving in the opposite direction the screw bolt supplying the place of the
adjusting screw moves the cheeks as the arm butts against the adjustable nuts on
the bolt which accordingly tightens the said cheek.
The arrangement for cutting off the blanks consists of two pairs of cutters
operating conjointly one pair being rigidly fixed in the lower portion of carrier with
their sharp edge upwards, while the other pair is fitted in the upper carriage with
their cutting edge downwards. The said carriage is made to reciprocate in the
carrier so as to cause the cutting edges of the upper cutters to pass close by the
corresponding edges of the lower pair of cutters so that the iron introduced between
those cutters, while they are open, is in the next moment cut as though by a pair
of scissors. The cutting blade of each of the cutters thus arranged for joint operation
is so shaped as to impart the desired form to the surface of the blank corresponding
to its cut, so that the cutters situated on the right will cut off a blank with the
head portion on the right and similarly the cutters of the left side will produce a
blank with the head portion on the left without any waste of metal in either case.
;
The carriage in which the upper cutters are tightly fitted is operated from a cam
on the main shaft through the medium of press lover and is connected with this
lever in such a manner as to be capable together with carrier of being shifted
laterally the said lever exercising its pressure each time upon the portion of
carriage under which the cutter then operating is fitted. The lateral displacement of
carrier takes place to the right but not until the feed carriage has completed its
periodical forward stroke and the gripper has seized hold of the iron so as to
prevent it from receding. As soon as the cutter carrier is shifted, the left hand
cutters opened in the mean time cut off a blank with the head portion on the
left.
To provide for the reciprocation of carrier at suitable intervals corresponding with
the periodical advance of the carriage, an excentric is so mounted upon the lower
horizontal shaft as to impart motion to excentric rod, though not direct but through
the medium of a lever pivoted to the frame the free arm of which lever is operated
by a slide connected with the said excentric-rod.
The blanks are dressed or stamped into shape, immediately after they are cut off,
between the lower cutter check operating at the time and one of two dies recipro-
cating horizontally in carrier under the action of a lever while the corresponding
arm in front of the lower cutter cheeks takes up a position close to the said cutter.
While in this position the arm, the upper edge of which forms a surface for the blank
to lie upon, undergoes the action of a spring as soon as its arm situated below the
pivot is allowed to enter a recess of a bar with its friction roller. This takes place
every time that the carrier is shifted at the moment when the same reaches one of
the end positions of its stroke and when the cutters begin to operate. As the carrier
moves back in the opposite direction the arm is caused by the straight surface of the

page_text: guide bar to swing back into the position of rest by counteracting the pressure of
the spring and to allow the blank then situated in front of die to slip off and drop out
of the machine. The lever which operates the dies and which is only allowed to
oscillate backwards and forwards about its pivot while the carrier is at rest is in every
instance connected only with the die acting at the time, which die, when the carrier
moves from one of its end positions to the other, catches the peg of the lever with
its notch while the die that is inactive at the time is kept at rest by one of the
checks. As the catch on the die operating lever when at rest points exactly in the
direction of the two side pieces or checks the die in question is capable when
the carrier is shifted laterally of taking up its position above the said pieces owing
to the notch provided in its back portion. An oxcentric mounted on the lower
horizontal shaft is intended to give motion to the die operating lever.
The machine is driven from a loose pulley on the main shaft acting as a Sy
wheel through the medium of a friction clutch adjustably fitted by groove and
tongue upon the shaft. The clutch is thrown into and out of gear by means of the
hand lever connected with a pivoted disengaging lever. The clutch however is
thrown out of gear automatically as soon as the supply of iron is exhausted and the
end of the hand when moved forward under the cutters passes the pin of the bell
crank lever.
Under the action of a spring on the connecting rod and of the lever arm mounted
on the same spindle the forked arm can be turned round on its spindle whereupon it
grasps the bolt with its fork shaped end and causes it, and the catch or tumbler to
descend into the path of a projection on the carrier which in its next backward stroke
brings round the catch and the disc of hand lever into its other position. The bolt
which is connected with the disc then throws the clutch out of gear through
the medium of a lever in the same manner as if the hand lever was used for the
purpose.
1
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Nails and to Apparatus
therefor.
1, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
.My invention relates to the manufacture of nails and to apparatus therefor and it
is particularly based upon a peculiar method of cutting out the nail blanks from the
iron, or steel bars which requires a corresponding shape of the dies or knives and
the object of my said invention is to entirely obviate any waste of material whatever
which has been found unavoidable in the methods hitherto employed for punching
horseshoe nail blanks.
I attain this object by the method hereinafter described and the mechanism
illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is an end view of the machine constructed according to my said
invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line I II of Figure 3.
Figure 3.is a vertical section on III IV of Figure 5.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section and
Figure 5 a top view of the machine.
Figure 6 is a detailed view of the mechanism for actuating the dies for dressing
the cut nail blanks and
Winues 7 iz aliram of the iron or steel with a nail blank cut off.

page_text: According to my said invention the nail blanks are cut off from the metal bar or
strip provided with raised side edges intended to form the heads of the nails by
submitting the said bar or strip alternately to the action of two correspondingly
shaped cutters arranged side by side and moving in the same direction transversely
to the motal bar or strip whereby at each stroke a blank is cut off having the head
portion alternately on the right and the left side.
The machine comprises a frame A in which is mounted the horizontal main shaft B
actuating the cutters and another lower horizontal shaft D driven by the said main
shaft B through the medium of suitable gearing B B2, a vertical transmission shaft C
and bevel gears C¹ and operating both the device whereby the cutter-carrier E is
shifted horizontally and the guiding and feed apparatus.
The iron or steel bar or strip from which the blanks are to be cut is conveniently
rolled upon a drum F2 guided between small rollers a upon a separate stand F. In
moving towards the cutting machine the said iron or steel bar passes between the
stationary guide block and the hollowed out cheek of a lever ^ pivoted at 63
which lever in the intervals between the periodical forward movements of the iron
or steel bar is acted upon by a cam & mounted on a transverse shaft. F¹ and guides
the unrolling iron in the right direction by exercising thereon a corresponding
pressure with its cheek in order to straighten it as required for its further
treatment. The guide block is adjustable so as to be capable of guiding metal bars
of various thicknesses although the play of the pivoted lever remains unaltered.
This
The cutters are fixed in a carrier E reciprocating transversely to the direction
of the feed of the metal bar, which is carried up to them on a carriage c
carriage is in its turn caused to reciprocate in the direction of the feed by a
lever (Figure 3) actuated by a cam F3 imounted on the shaft F
The stroke of carriage cais adjusted to the width of the nail blank required by
means of a set screw in the guide of the carriage c and a projection or stop c
beneath the latter (Figure 3). A spring is arranged in the carriage and rests with
its one end against the projection es whilst its other end resis on the lever head c.
When the carriage makes its forward stroke i.e. towards the cutters, the length of
the same is regulated by the cam F3, lever head bearing against projections c² of the
carriage in returning however the stop 8 of the latter will come in contact with the
screw e thereby arresting the carriage whilst the lever which has an invariable
stroke continues the same, simply compressing the spring c³. At the front end of the
carriage situated under the end of the metal bar teeth are arranged whilst a gripper h³
having teeth and oscillating on the knife edges formed on the upper part of the
projections is adapted to be pressed downwards by the lever pivoted at its one
end in the carriage at c and thus to grip the iron har between its teeth and those
on the carriage (Figure 3). This lever or gripper may also be pivoted on the
carriage instead of oscillating on the knife edges. The lever his operated from the
cam by the lever and intermediate hook provided with a handle ; and a
roller and pivoted to lever at (Figure 1). The lever has a horizontal
platform at its upper end in which, a pin having its top rounded off is situated and
actuated upwards so as to project through the upper surface of the platform by a
spring from underneath.
The object of this arrangement is to enable the gripper mechanism to be set out of
gear at any moment which is accomplished by pushing the handle upwards when
the roller will pass over the pin pressing the same down, and hook i will be
placed out of contact with the corresponding hook of the lever and thus the
levers n and h' are disengaged, whereby his thrown out of gear. Rod is guided
on the projection c of the carriage c by a slit and pin . The gripper mechanism
operates in the following manner, when the carriage makes its forward stroke, the
lever is elevated at its front end thus depressing with its other end the gripper h
which grips the metal bar and moving it forward with the carriage.
The motion of carriage c together with the metal bar is so regulated that while the
cutters are open, the metal is moved forward a distance equivalent to the width of one
nail blank and thereby placed between the cutters, in which position it remains until

page_text: the blank is cut off. In order to prevent the metal bar from retiring when released
by the gripper on the backward stroke of the carriage the same is firmly maintained
in the position it has taken up between the fixod cheek g and the movable one g¹
(Figure 5), pivoted at g2 by the arrangement hereinafter described, while the carrier E
in the interval between two forward steps of the metal changes the direction of its
sideward motion, it causes on one side the adjusting screw g³ to press against the back
surface of cheek g' pushing it towards y and thereby clamping the metal bar whereas
in moving in the opposite direction the screw bolt g supplying the place of the
adjusting screw y moves the cheek g' forward in the same manner when the arm g³
of the carrier butts against the adjustable nuts on the bolt which accordingly
tightens the said cheek g' (Figure 5).
The arrangement for cutting off the blanks consists of two pairs of cutters k, k1
and operating conjointly the cutters being rigidly fixed in the lower
portion of the carrier E with their sharp edge upwards, while the others are fitted in
the upper carriage K with their cutting edge downwards. The said carriage K is
made to reciprocate in the carrier E so as to cause the cutting edges of the upper
cutters k, kto pass close by the corresponding edges of the lower pair of cutters k³ ³
so that the iron introduced between the cutters while they are open is in the next
moment cut as though by a pair of scissors. The cutting blade of each of the cutters
thus arranged for joint operation is so shaped as to impart the desired forin to the cut
surface of the blank so that the cutter situated on the right, will cut off a blank with
the head portion on the right, and similarly the cutters of the left side will produce a
blank with the bead portion on the left, without any waste of metal in either case.
Figure 7 of the drawing illustrates the mode of operation of these cutters, the full lines
showing the result of the action of one pair of cutters, while the dotted lines indicate
the result of the operation of the immediately preceding pair.
The carriage K in which the upper cutters &, & are tightly fitted is operated from a
cam m on the main shaft B through the medium of a press lever G and is connected with
this lever G in such a manner as to be capable, together with the carrier E, of being shifted
laterally, so that the said lever G exercises its pressure each time upon the portion of the
carriage K under which the cutter then operating, is fitted. Instead of a cam man
excentric and strap may be employed. Figure 2 of the drawing represents the position of
the carrier Ein which the cutter k? arranged on the right has just cut a blank from the
iron or steel bar and the carriage K coinmences to recede. The following lateral
displacement of the carrier E in the direction of the arrow (Figure 4) does not take
place until the feed carriage c has completed its periodical forward stroke and the
gripper has seized hold of the iron or steel bar, so as to prevent it. from receding.
As soon as the cutter carrier E is then shifted, the left hand cutters opened in the
mean time cut off a blank with the head portion on the left.
To provide for the reciprocation of the carrier E at suitable intervals corresponding
with the periodical advance of the carriage c, an excentric d is so mounted upon the
lower horizontal shaft D as to impart motion to the excentric rod d' though not
direct but through the medium of a lever d³ pivoted at d to the frame A the lower
arm of which lever is operated by a slide d' guided in the slot of a link d³ connected
to the said excentric rod Figure 2.
In order to dress or stamp the blanks into shape after they have been cut off the
following mechanism is provided. Sliding in the carrier E and situated exactly
bebind each of the fixed cutters k¹³ are two horizontal dies o¹³; said dies having
grooves o in their back ends. The dies are operated forward by a lever pivoted
at in the machine frame and actuated by a cam 2 as shown in Figure 3, said
lever being provided with a vertical upward projection o.
When the lever is in its
backward position i.e. away from the cutters, projection or thumb o stands in a line
with two hooks q g' (Figures 3 and 4). Pivoted in the carrier E at are two
levers (Figures 3 and 6) having below their pivots rollers which run on a
guide rod fixed under the frame, and containing a curve or notch (Figure 6).
Said levers are each under the influence of a spring
When now, immediately
before a nail has been cut, the carrier E reciprocates, that lever or 7 which is

page_text: opposite the cutter just coming into operation, comes with its roller into the notch,
of the bar and will be pressed forwards on the cutters by its spring as shown in
dotted lines in Figure 3. The nail on being cut will therefore fall on to the upper
eilge of this lever, the die o' or o³ now advances by lever pressing the mail between
its end and the flat side of the cutter and dressing or shaping it. The dies of o¹ have
their end cut to form the reverse of the cutter against which they work, thus if the
cutter has the shape shown in full lines in Figure 7 the respective die will have its
end shaped as shown in dotted lines in the same Figure.
حمود
As soon as the carrier E reciprocates again the roller will pass out of the notch
of whereby or will be forced back, against the pressure of its spring allowing
the finished nail to fall down under the machine. The hooks or rests q¹³ are for
retaining the die oor o³ which is not at the moment being operated. Thus when the
carrier. E moves in the direction of the arrow (Figure 4) die of will be passed off hook q¹
and brought over the projection o on lever so that on the next movement of the latter
the die will be slid forward whilst at the same movement of E in the direction above
stated the die o³ will be passed over the hook g³ and retained. This arrangement is
however not entirely necessary as lever may be made broad enough at the top to
receive both dies which may be constantly kept in motion as that one of the dies which
is not employed at the particular moment will not collide in any way with other parts
of the machine, being simply reciprocated without dressing a nail blank.
The machino is driven from a loose pulley S on the main shaft B acting as a fly
wheel, through the medium of a friction clutch S adjustably fitted by groove and
tongue upon the shaft B. The clutch is thrown into and out of gear by means of
the hand lever S of a pivoted disc. which is connected through the medium of an
adjustable.bolt to the disengaging levert pivoted at t. The clutch S however is
also thrown out of gear automatically, as soon as the supply of metal is exhausted and
the end of the metal strip when moved forward towards the cutters, passes the pin s¹
of the bell crank lever s pivoted at s² (Figure 5).
Under the action of a spring st (Figure 3) on the connecting rod s³ (Figures 3
and 4) and of the lever arm mounted on the spindle u the forked arm u mounted
on the same spindle can be turned round whereupon it operates the bolt with its
fork shaped end and causes it, and the catch or tumbler to descend into the path
of a projection e on the carrier E which in its next backward stroke (opposite to the
direction of the arrow in Figure 2) brings round the catch and the disc S of the
hand lever into its other position shown in dotted lines (Figure 5) the bolt t which
is connected with the disc S then throws the clutch S out of gear through the
medium of the levert in the same manner as if the hand lever S² was used for the
purpose.
Although I have only described the mechanisms as used for cutting horse shoe nails
I wish it clearly understood that the same method and mechanisms may be used for
cutting other blanks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to ime by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The method herein before described of cutting nail blanks from a continuous
metal bar or strip provided with raised side edges intended to form the heads of the
nails by submitting the metal bar or strip alternately to the action of two corre-
spondingly shaped cutters arranged side by side and moving in the same direction, so
that at each stroke towards said metal bar or strip, a blank is cut off having the head
portion alternately on the right and on the left side, substantially as, and for the
purpose set forth.
Second. In combination with a machine for cutting nail blanks and similar objects
from continuous metal bars or strips, the carrier E provided with two sets of conjoint
acting cutters and arranged side by side and moving transversely to the
direction of the periodically advanced metal bar or strip, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.

page_text: Third. In a machine for cutting nail blanks and similar objects from a continuous
metal bar or strip, the combination of the mechanism for periodically advancing said
bar or strip towards the laterally reciprocating cutters, consisting of a carriage c,
oscillated by lever c' from a cam having its stroke regulated by set-screws and a
spring the gripper operated by lever connected with the reciprocated rod / by
means of a hand lover j, hook j¹ and catch i substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In a machine for cutting nail blanks and similar objects from a continuous.
metal bar or strip, the combination of the mechanisms for maintaining the metal strip
in position during the backward motion of the feed mechanism consisting of the
stationary check 9 and the oscillated check y', the set screw 9, adjusting screw
bolt g and arm g of the carrier E operating together, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Fifth. In combination with a machine for cutting nail blanks from a continuous
metal bar or strip the mechanism for dressing or stamping the blanks into shape,
consisting of the dies o¹ o³ reciprocating in the carrier E towards the lower stationary
cutter cheeks and the levers and pivoted to the carrier E and operated
by the shifting motion of said carrier through the medium of a bar having a recess >
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In combination with a machine for cutting nail blanks and similar objects
from a continuous metal bar or strip, the mechanism for automatically throwing the
friction clutch S¹ into and out of gear consisting of a pivoted disc S³ carrying the
hand lever S and connected to the disengaging levert by an adjustable bolt tand
to the pin s pressing under the action of a springs towards the side of the metal
bar or strip of a catch e, a projection e of the carrier E, of the bolt v, the levers u
and s³, rods and bell crank lever s substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 21st day of June 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.