IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR POINTING WIRE NAILS AND OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by Samuel Loring, Manufacturer, of Ducbury, in
the County of Plymouth, and Ephraim Stephen Morton, Machinist, of
Plymouth, in the County of Plymouth, both in the State of Massachusetts,
United States of America.]
analogous Articles.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR POINTING WIRE
NAILS AND OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
This invention has for its object to provide an improved machine for forming
true conical points on wire nails and other articles; and it consists as a whole, in
an organised machine comprising a rotary grinding-wheel a, a fixed guide, and a
moving belt, between which a series of nails may be held with one end of each
nail in contact with the wheel, the movement of the belt causing said nails both to
rotate and move progressively along the wheel, a chute or raceway to feed the
nails to the point where they meet the belt and are moved thereby into the space
between the belt and fixed guide, and a separating or spacing device, whereby
each nail is caused to enter said space at a suitable distance behind the preceding
nail.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1
represents a top view of a machine embodying this invention. Fig. 2 represents a
perspective view of a portion of the chute, the fixed guide, the moving belt, and
a spring device. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation. Fig. 4 represents a partial
front elevation, the portions at the right of line y, y, Fig. 5, being removed. Fig. 5
represents an end elevation showing the supporting-bed in section.
represents a section on line x, x, Fig. 3.
Fig. 6
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.,
In the drawings, a represents a grinding-wheel or cylinder, of emery or other
suitable material. mounted on a substantially horizontal arbor. b.

page_text: c represents a fixed supporting bed or base on which rests a plate, d, supporting
the devices hereinafter described, whereby the nails to be pointed are presented to
the grinding-wheel. On the plate d are standards e, e, to which is affixed a frame
or bracket f, extending along one side of the wheel. To the frame f is attached a
plate g, which is offset at its outer side to form a shoulder, 2.
represents a plate secured to the plate g by screws i, and having a flange'j,
projecting over the shoulder 2 and separated from said shoulder by a space
sufficiently wide to receive the thickness of the head of a nail k, as shown in Figs. 5
and 6. The surface of the plate g below the shoulder 2 is slightly roughened
or corrugated, for a purpose hereinafter explained.
1, l, represent vertical arbors having bearings in the plate d and bracket or
frame f, and provided with gears m, m, which are connected by a central gear n,
journaled on a stud affixed to the plate d. To the central gear n is affixed a worm-
wheel o meshing with a worm on a driving-shaft p.
The arbors , l, are rotated positively by the described gearing. To the upper
ends of the arbors l, l, are affixed pulleys q, q', on which runs a belt r, preferably
of raw hide, backed by a chain belt s, which bears directly on the pulleys q, q',
while the belt r. bears against the outer surface of the chain belt. The portion of
the belt nearest the grinding-wheel runs substantially parallel with the corrugated
surface of the plate g below the shoulder 2, and is pressed toward said surface by
a series of pressure-blocks t, pivoted to arins u, and pressed against the inner
surface of the chain belt by springs von rods, which are pivoted to the arms u
and slide in orifices in a flange on the frame f. The arms u are pivoted on a
rod w, supported by the frame. a' represents an inclined chute or raceway formed
to conduct headed wire nails k from a reservoir (not shown) to the point where
each nail as it moves down the chute will bear simultaneously against the belt
and the corrugated surface of the plate g. Each nail when it reaches said point
is carried along said plate by the motion of the belt, and is at the same time
caused to rotate by its contact with said corrugated surface. The heads of the
nails project over the shoulder 2, which supports the series of nails as they are.
.us moved along. The opposite ends of the nails thus grasped and moved bear
against the periphery of the grinding-wheel. The result of the progressive and
rotary movements of the nails while in contact with the wheel is the formation of
true conical points on the nails, as shown in Fig. 4. After passing along the entire
length of the wheel the nails drop from between the belt and plate g into a
suitable spout or receptacle. To prevent the nails from interfering with each other
while they are being pointed, I provide a separator composed of a spring-arm b',
secured at d to the frame f, and having finger c, which normally stands in the
path of the nails as they pass between the belt and plate g. A series of pins f¹,
on the pulley g¹ moves under the free end of the arm band raises said arm
intermittently. Each time that the arin b is thus raised one nail is allowed to pass
the finger c¹. Contact between the nails while they are being moved progressively
and rotated is thus prevented.
d, d, represent idle-pulleys journaled on plates e¹, e¹, adjustably secured to the
frame f, and bearing against the rear portion of the belt to keep the same taut.
The frame f is adapted to be adjusted vertically on the standards e, e, so as to
present the points of the nails to the wheel at any desired height, and thus obtain
any desired taper at the point. To this end the frame f is secured to the
standards e by bolts g³, Fig. 5, passing through slots in said standards. Vertical
screws, h¹, in the frame f bear on the upper ends of the standards and constitute
adjustable stops. The necessary horizontal change of position of the frame required
by any vertical change is afforded by the adjustable supporting-plate e', which is
held in any position to which it may be adjusted by set-screws i¹, i¹, working. in
lugs on the base c, and bearing against the plate d, as shown in Fig. 5. It will be
seen that the spring-pressure blocks t keep the belt in close contact with the nails
while they are being rotated and pointed.

page_text: The conical points formed by my improved machine are necessarily at the centre
of the nails; hence the nail will not be deflected from a straight line while being
driven. The points of wire nails as formed by dies are liable to be more or less
one-sided, and when so formed are liable to cause the nail to deviate from the
desired direction when being driven. This difficulty I entirely overcome.
I do not limit myself to the employment in all cases of the separator, as the
machine may be successfully worked without it. The pressure-blocks t may be
rigidly supported by set-screws instead of having a yielding movement and a single
block or plate may be used instead of a series of blocks.
The plate h may be smooth surfaced instead of corrugated if preferred.
The grinding-wheel may be in sections having their proximate ends separated so
as to afford room between them for fixed standards to support the plate h between
its ends, and thus prevent said plate from springing.
This improved machine may be used for pointing other analogous articles-such
as rivets, tacks and brads.
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 an organized machine for pointing headed wire nails and other like articles,
the combination of a chute or raceway, a grinding-wheel, a fixed plate having a
continuous surface or support for the shanks of the nails and a shoulder to support
the heads of the nails, a belt running substantially parallel with said fixed plate
and causing the nails to roll along the latter, devices, substantially as described,
for pressing the belt against nails interposed between said surface and belt, the
belt and co-operating fixed plate being arranged to receive the nails from the race-
way and to present their ends to the wheel, as set forth.
2. The combination of the grinding-wheel, the chute, the fixed shouldered plate
forming a bearing for the nails, the belt and its pressure devices, the separator, and
means, substantially as described, for operating the separator, whereby the nails are
kept separate while being presented to the grinding-wheel, as set forth.
3. The combination of the grinding-wheel, the frame, the fixed shouldered
plate g, having a substantially vertical surface, the belt and pulleys q, q',
supported by said frame, and means, substantially as described, whereby the frame
may be adjusted vertically and horizontally to modify the form of the points made
by the grinding-wheel, and positively held at any position to which it may be
adjusted, as set forth.
4. The combination of the grinding-wheel, the shouldered plate g having a
supporting surface below its shoulder, the belt r and its supporting pulleys, and
the pressure-block or blocks t, as set forth.