Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1887:
Specification Accepted, 25th Feb., 1887.
I, THOMAS BURLOCK DE FOREST, residing at 6, Elizabeth Street Birmingham, in
the County of New Haven and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of
America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machines for
driving nails but more especially such nails as are made upon a wire and connected in
series.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and portable device which will be
adapted to contain a coil of the nails above referred to, and which will successively
drive and cut them off, while at the same time the operator may plainly see the exact
spot where he desires to place the nails and may drive the same with accuracy, and
with these ends in view my invention consists in the details of construction hereinafter
fully explained and then recited in the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully
understand how to make and use my improvement, I will describe the same in detail
reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this
specification and in which:-
Figure, 1, shows my device with the cover removed and with a nail in proper
position for driving.
Figure, 2, a similar view but showing the position of the parts after a nail has been
driven and cut off.
Figure, 3, an enlarged detail of the driving and severing devices, and,
Figure, 4, a section of the nail holding reel which appears in plan view at figures, 1,
and, 2.
Similar letters denote like parts in all the figures of the drawing.
A, is the hollow case which has an opening, B, near its top to form a suitable hand-
hold; C, is a hub, preferably of thin sheet metal secured around the edge of the
opening, B; and D, is a reel which fits within the case and turns upon the hub.
I prefer to make the reel of two parts fitted together as shown at figure, 4, since nails
Price 8d.).

page_text: in merchantable coil may be placed upon one of the detached parts and there retained
by putting on the other part, when the reel and coil are ready to be placed in the case.
, is a guide plate rigidly secured in the case and extending from its lower
extremity vertically upward as shown in the drawings. F, is the sliding cut off bar
which lies alongside the guide plate, as seen at figure, 1, when at rest. It is narrowed
backward from its extremity for the purpose presently explained. G, is a spring
coiled about a post, H., within the case and its end through a link, I, is connected to
the cut off bar upon which it exerts a constant, downward pressure. J, is a detent
spring secured to a post in the case, which post also serves as a bearing for the upper
end of the cut off bar; said detent spring holds the length of nails as against any
withdrawal from the driving devices.
K, is the feed spring whose function as will presently appear is to successively draw
down the nails from the coil and place them in proper engagement with the driver, L,
which is a small inward projection at the lower extremity or nose of the case and
which engages the head of the lowest nail upon one side thereof while the feed spring
engages it upon the other as is shown at figure, 1. M, is a guide rib between which
and the side wall of the case the length of nails passes to the driving mechanism.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:-
In figure, 1, the lowest nail is shown with its head in engagement with the driver
and with its body and point lying alongside the backwardly inclined end of the spring
actuated cut off bar. As the nail is in no way enclosed or hidden from sight the
operator may place it for driving with great accuracy. In the driving the case is
pressed or driven downward, which forces the nail into the wood and at the same time
forces the cut off bar backward within the case.
As it thus moves backward its inclined edges by their contact with the end of the
guide plate and nail, crowd the latter against the driver and thereby severs it from the
string. The two positions of the cut off bar relative to the guide plate may readily be
seen by reference to and comparison of figures, 1, and, 2. The upward movement
of the cut off bar relative to the case causes the feed spring to move up and catch upon
the head of the nail next above the one driven and draw it down into engagement with
the driver as the cut off bar is returned out of the case by its spring.
I find the construction herein before described to be very convenient and exceedingly
advantageous for the following reasons:-
1. It is exceedingly simple and contains practically but one moving part.
. 2. The reel turning freely upon the hub causes the nails to be very easily pulled
down to the driver.
3. In adjusting a fresh, coil of nails they are very readily placed in position on
the reel.
4. In engaging the length of nails with the driving mechanism they do not have to
be introduced through any guide way or eyes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination in a device of the character described with the case arranged to
hold a coil of nails, of the stationary driver secured upon the nose of said case, the
spring actuated cut off bar adapted to slide in and out of said case, and the feed spring
secured upon and adapted to move with the cut off bar, substantially as set forth.
2. In a nail driving machine, the hollow case having an opening therethrough near
its top to serve as a hand-hold, and the hub surrounding said opening, in combination
with the reel arranged within the case and adapted to turn upon the hub substantially
'as set forth.
3. The combination with the nail feeding, driving and severing devices, of the case
having the opening at its top and the reel arranged and adapted to turn within the
case as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with the stationary driver as described, of the spring actuated
cut off bar arranged to slide in and out of the case and inclined backward from its
lower extremity, the guide plate against which said bar normally rests, the feed spring

page_text: secured to and carried by the cut off bar, and the detent spring whereby the nails are
secured as against retraction, all arranged as described and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a nail driving machine, the combination with the nail delivery and cut off, of
the case having an opening therethrough to serve as a hand hold the hub around the
opening and the two part separable reel arranged to turn upon the hub substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
6. The hollow case, provided with the opening for a hand-hold and the hub and reel
arranged to turn upon the hub, in combination with the stationary driver secured upon
the nose of the case, the spring actuated cut off bar inclined backward from its point,
and the feed spring secured to and adapted to move with the cut off bar, substantially
as described.
7. The combination of the case and the reel arranged to turn therein, with the
stationary driver, the stationary guide plate extending up within the case from the
nose thereof the reciprocating cut off bar arranged to slide against the guide plate,
the feed spring secured to and carried by the cut off bar, the detent spring and the
spiral spring connected to the cut off bar and adapted to throw the same without the
case, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with the driver, of the spring actuated cut off bar whose
extremity is inclined backward, the stationary guide plate against which the cut off
bar lies and whereby it is deflected during its backward movement and the feed spring
secured to the cut off bar.
9. The combination with the driver, of the spring actuated cut off bar, inclined
backward from its end, and the feed spring secured upon and moving with the cut off
bar substantially as set forth.