Ax IMPROVEMENT OR IN- PROVEMENTS IN BRASS NAILS TO BE USED IN SHEATHING SHIPS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Abraham, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "Ax IMPROVEMENT OR IN-
PROVEMENTS IN BRASS NAILS TO BE USED IN SHEATHING SHIPS, AND FOR OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 17th May 1861, and dated the 4th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Abraham at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
February 1861.
I, JOHN ABRAHAM, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN BRASS NAILS TO BE USED IN SHEATHING SHIPS, AND FOR OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in making brass nails to be used in sheathing ships
and for other like purposes with four or a greater number of concave or hollow
fluted sides. Brass nails as ordinarily made have plain or flat sides, and are
liable to break off under the head when being driven. Brass nails made
according to my Invention are lighter and stronger than those of the ordinary
manufacture, and are less likely to break off under the head when being
driven. I make the sides of the said nails either with a curved or angular
concavity. I manufacture the said brass nails by casting them in moulds in
the ordinary manner, excepting that the patterns employed in making the moulds
have the figure of the nails to be made instead of the figure of ordinary nails.

page_text: Nails made according to my Invention are applicable not only to the
sheathing of ships, but for attaching sheets of copper or alloys of copper to
other structures or things exposed to the action of salt water or other corrosive
agent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Abraham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ABRAHAM, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, send
greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year. of our L
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of H.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Abraham, Her special licence, that I, the said John Abraham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as. I, the said
John Abraham, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others; from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
OR IMPROVEMENTS IN BRASS NAILS TO BE USED IN SHEATHING SHIPS, AND FOR OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Abraham, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Abraham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in making brass nails to be used in sheathing ships
and for other like purposes with four or a greater number of concave or hollow
fluted sides, as herein-after described and illustrated in the accompanying

page_text: Drawing. Brass nails as ordinarily made have plain or flat sides, or are
cylindrical.
.
Figure 1 represents in elevation a brass sheathing nail, made according to
my Invention; Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same; and Figure 3 is
a vertical section of the same.
The grooves or flutes in the sides of the said nail are marked a. The said
grooves or flutes a are curved, as best seen in Figure 2, but they may be
made of an angular -figure. The body of the nail at 6, near the head c, is
cylindrical and ungrooved, as represented, and the metal at that part
strengthens the said head c, and prevents the nail breaking off under the
head when being driven. Although I have only represented a nail with four
grooves or flutes, yet I do not limit myself to that number, as more or less
than four may be used; but I have found that four grooves or flutes are suffi-
cient for all ordinary purposes. Brass nails made according to my Invention
are lighter and stronger than those of the ordinary manufacture, and great
saving of brass is effected in the manufacture of my improved nails. The said
grooved or fluted nails can be driven home with less force, and hold with
greater tenacity than ordinary nails.
I manufacture my improved nails by casting them in moulds in the ordinary
manner; the moulds being made in the usual manner, excepting that the
patterns employed in making the said moulds have the figure of my improved
nails instead of the figure of ordinary nails. Figure 4 represents in elevation
(partly in section) a pattern nail, which I use in making the moulds for the
nail, Figures 1, 2, and 3; and Figure 5 is also an elevation of the pattern
nail; the said Figures 4 and 5 showing different elevations of the pattern nail.
The grooves or flutes at the lower part of the shank d of the pattern nail cor-
respond in shape and length to the grooves or flutes to be made in the nails,
as is well understood. The head of the nail is cast in that part of the mould
formed by the conical lower end e³, of the hollow sliding piece e, which said
sliding piece e can be adjusted on the shank d of the pattern nail, at the required
distance from the grooved portion of the said nail. As the pattern nail,
Figures 4 and 5, is used in making the moulds in precisely the same way as
an ordinary pattern nail, I do not think a further description necessary.
Nails made according to my Invention are applicable not only to the
sheathing of ships, but for other like purposes, such as attaching sheets of
copper or alloys of copper to various structures or things exposed to the action
of salt water, or other corrosive agent.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood, that I do not limit

page_text: myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I
claim as my Invention the improvement or improvements in brass nails to be
used in sheathing ships, and for other like purposes herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making brass
nails with concave or hollow fluted sides, the said concave or fluted nails being
much lighter and stronger than nails of the ordinary manufacture.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Abraham, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOHN ABRAHAM. (L.B.)