CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBINATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY FOR MAKING METAL SCREWS
Year: 1827

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEMUEL
WELLMAN WRIGHT, late of Kennington Lane, but now of Mansfield Street,
Borough Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King George the Fourth, in and by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventeenth day of March last, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, did give and grant unto me, the said Lemuel Wellman Wright, His
special licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Lemuel
Wellman Wright, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and every of them, by
myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy or deputics, servants, or
agents, or such others as I, the said Lemuel Wellman Wright, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term of years. therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMBINATION AND ARRANGEMENT OF MACHINERY FOR MAKING
METAL SCREWS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso
obliging me, the said Lemuel Wellman Wright, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's. High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next immediately after the date of the said recited

page_text: Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereto had, will more
fully appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Lemuel Wellman Wright, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by the Plans
or Drawings hereto annexed, and the following description thereof, that is
to say:-
My Invention of certain improvements in the combination and arrangement
of machinery for making metal screws, commonly called wood screws, consists
of two distinct machines, the first of which is employed for cutting the
required lengths of wire and forming their heads; the second for slitting the
heads and cutting the threads or worming.
The first machine consists of a frame upon standards, containing a series of
sliding bars and levers, which are put in motion by rotary eccentric cams
affixed upon a main axle; this axle is turned by gear from an auxiliary axle,
which may be made to revolve by manual labor, steam, or any other power.
In the accompanying Drawings, Sheets 1 and 2. exhibit the machine
employed for, cutting the lengths of wire which constitute the shafts of the
intended screws, and the mode, by, which the ends of these shafts are com-
pressed for the purpose of forming, the screw head. Fig. 1 is an elevation of
the machine, as seen on one side. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the reverse.side.
Fig. 3 is a plan or horizontal view of the, machine,, as seen on the upper side
(some of the parts, being removed, as will be further, explained).. Fig. 4.is.a.
longitudinal section of; the machine in the position of, Fig. 1, as.it. would
appear when cut through in a vertical direction in the red line. A, B, of Fig..3.
The several letters refer to the same parts in all these four Figures.
A straight piece of wire of any convenient length is, to..be introduced (as.
at a) between the chaps of the pincers, or tongs, b, for, the purpose of being
conducted into the, dies,, where it, is to be cut, into, such lengths, as may.be
required for making the shafts of the intended screws. A lever c is jointed to
one of the legs. of, the, pincers, and is brought, forward for the purpose.of
closing. the pincers by..the sliding of. the. bar d, to which its end is connected;
a small friction roller is.placed on the under. side of the lever, c, and as .the
lever advances, this roller, acts against.an.. inclined plane on the leg of the
pincers, and, by expanding them, closes the chaps of the pincers, and causes
them to take fast hold. of the wire. e, e, is the. auxiliary axle, which, by
means of gear, communicates to the main axle f, f.. A cam g, fixed upon. the
main axle, as it revolves acts. against a friction roller hat the hinder part of

page_text: the bar d, d, and drives the bar backwards for the purpose of closing the
pincers b, in the manner described. The pincers are mounted upon a sliding
plate or carriage, and the friction roller under the lever c, as it advances, striking
against a pin i fixed in the plate, causes the pinchers by the movement of the
sliding bar d to bring forward the length of wire and pass it through the
aperture into the leading die j. In order to tighten the sliding plate which
carries the pincers a pin le is passed from the plate through a slit or slot in
the frame and is drawn tight by a spring pressing against the underside of
the frame, as seen at Figure 4.
The wire, having been thus brought into a cylindrical aperture between the
dies j, is then held fast by the pressure of a lever above, and the length of wire
for forming the shaft of the intended screw is cut off by a steel cutter 1,
mounted in a vertical sliding plate m (seen in section in Fig. 4). This
plate and cutter is moved up and down by means of a lever n (see Figs. 1
and 4), the shorter arm or nose of which acts in a mortice at the top of the
cutter plate. The lever n acts in a fulcrum joint or bearing in the cars o, o,
attached to the sides of the framework, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 3; and the
camp on the main shaft as it revolves, raising the longer arm of the lever n,
causes the shorter arm or nose to depress the cutter with such force as to cut
off the required length of wire for one screw. The same action of the lever n
also causes a friction roller to bear down upon the die holder or piece which
carries the upper chap of the dies, and by thus pressing the dies together the
shaft of the intended screw is firmly held while the head is formed. The
dies at their inner extremity have an enlargement or cup, seen in Figs. 3
and 4, into which a punch 9 is forced by the movement of the sliding bar 7,
for the purpose of compressing the end of the wire into the cup and thereby
forming the head of the screw. The cam s, of a circular form, is fixed
excentrically upon the main axle, and when as it revolves the larger diameter
of this excentric acts against the friction roller at the end of the bar r, it
causes that bar with the punch holder t, and punch q, to be driven up. with
sufficient force to press the end of the wire into the cup of the dies; and
thereby to form the head of the intended screw. An adjusting screw u, at the
other end of the bar r, bears against the end of the punch holder t, and by
turning this screw the distance between the cam s, and the punch q, may be
increased or diminished for the purpose of adjusting the pressure required in
heading.
After the head of the intended screw has been thus made, the punch is with.
drawn from the dies by the rotation of the cam s, which is embraced by the

page_text: metal strap v connected to the end of the bar r, and as the cam goes round,
the strap draws the bar back, and with it the punch holder. The upper chap
of the dies being now released by the rising of the shorter arm of the lever n,
and raised up by a pin 1 and lever 2, acted on by a cam 3 on the main shaft
(see Fig. 4), another movement of the pincers in the way above described
brings forward into the dies a farther supply of the wire, and this pushes the
shaft just headed out of the dies, at which time it is taken hold of by a pair of
spring clips or fingers w, and carried away to make room for the action-of the
punch in heading the next screw.
In order to remove the partly headed shaft of the intended screw by the
fingers or spring clips just mentioned, a grooved or double cam x, x, is fixed
upon the main revolving axle f, in which groove the friction roller at the end
of the lever y acts. The reverse end of this lever is jointed by a pin, and slit
or slot to the carrier bar, upon which the carrier fingers or spring clips are,
fixed. The form and construction of these carrier fingers or spring clips will
be best understood by reference to the detached Figures, in which Fig. 5 is a
side view, and 6 a front view, the top being seen at w in Fig. 3. As the main
axle goes round, the lever y is made to vibrate and to slide the carrier bar
with the fingers w to and fro.
The cam x, x, being brought round into the position shewn in Fig. 3, the
'longer arm of the lever y will be forced inwards, and the carrier bar, with the
fingers passed across the machine, when the spring clips take hold of the shaft
of the intended screw as it is being pushed out of the dies by the advance of the
wire above described. The spring clips now having fast hold of the shaft, the
further rotary progress of the cam x, x, causes the carrier bar to bring the
fingers into the situation of the red lines, Fig. 3. The shaft of the intended
screw will now be at 4, bearing upon a small transverse bar, at which time a
small cam 5 on the main axle will act upon a lever 6, and cause its end
which is a chap to press down upon the shaft of the intended screw and hold
it fast. The lever y, and carrier bar z, now moving back again, the fingers
of the spring clips w will be drawn away from the shaft of the screw under
operation, and the fingers at the reverse side of the spring clip take hold
of it. The operation of the machine proceeding as before described, the
shaft of a second screw is cut off from the length of wire, and headed in
the manner already explained, and the lever 6 now relinquishing its hold
of the shaft of the screw first mentioned, that shaft is carried by the next
movement of the fingers to the second heading die 7, where the heading of
the shaft is to be perfected; the second shaft being in like manner brought

page_text: by the fingers and held by the lever 6 in the situation of 4, the shaft of the
first screw being now held opposite to the aperture of the die 7, a cam 8 on tho
main axle drives a bar 9 with the punch holder 10 and punch 11, which forces.
the shaft of the screw into the aperture of the die 7, the spring rod 12 giving.
way to the pressure; the fingers of the spring clip by the movement of the:
carrier bar are now withdrawn from the shaft of the intended screw, and the
punch 11 being driven up into the die 7, the beading of the screw is completed..
On the retiring of the punch 11 the cross end of the bar d, pressing against ther
end of the spring rod 12, projects the rod through the die 7, by which means
the shaft of the screw is pushed out and allowed to fall-into a receptacle below,
whence it is to be taken to the second machine, hereafter described, for the
purpose of having the head slit and the thread or worm cut upon the shaft.
The machine, by which the head of the screw is to be slit and the worin cut.
upon-the-shaft, is shewn in the Drawings, Sheets Nos. 3, 4, 5, and 6, where:
Fig. 7 is a side or longitudinal elevation of the machine. Fig. 8 is an eleva-
tion of the reverse end; Fig. 9 a birds'-eye or horizontal view, looking upon.
the top; Fig. 10 is an end elevation, and Figs. 11 and 12 are tranverse.
sections taken vertically in opposite directions at the red dotted line. A, B,..
in Fig. 9. Figs. 13 and 14 are longitudinal sections, taken vertically in oppo-
site directions at the red dotted lines C, D, Fig. 9, the respective letters:
referring to the same parts of the machine in the several Figures of the four
last-mentioned sheets. The general construction of this machine resembles, in.
many respects, the machine first described, that is, there are several sliding bars.
A is the
moved by rotary cams mounted upon a substantial framework.
axiliary axle turned by a winch or any other means; a pinion B upon this.
axle takes into a toothed wheel C affixed to the main axle D, upon which the
several cams are mounted. The shafts of the intended screws described as.
having been headed in the former machine are now brought to this machine,.
and by the fingers of the person attending it, are singly introduced into
the notches in the periphery of the feeding wheel E, as at a, a, a,
which wheel is embraced by a metal strap or ring b, for the purpose of
preventing the screws falling out. This feeding wheel E is fixed upon a
lateral axle F, which has also a toothed wheel G upon it, having as many teeth
as there are notches in the wheel E, and the rotation of this wheel causes the
wheel E carrying the shafts of the screws to turn at intervals, so as to bring
the individual shafts in succession into a situation where a carrying finger c
takes hold of them. The rotation of the wheel G is caused by a bevel wheel d
upon the main axle. D turning another bevel wheel cat the end of the rotary.

page_text: axle H. Upon this axle there is a leaf or tooth f (see Figs. 9 and 11), which
strikes against a tooth of the wheel G at every revolution, and conse-
quently drives it forward and brings another notch of the wheel E with a
screw shaft into the situation 9, as above said, ready to be taken hold of by
the finger or spring clip c1; as the main axle goes round, a pair of cams I, I,
move the lateral lever J, connected by a pivot and slit or slot joint to the
sliding finger bar K, K, by which means the fingers c1, upon the bar K, are
moved towards the feeding wheel, and made to take hold of the shaft of the
screw. The fingers or spring clips are constructed in a similar manner to
those described before in reference to the heading machine. The finger ¢ 1.
having taken fast hold of the shaft of the intended screw, another leaf h on tho
rotatory axle H strikes against the underside of a short bar i, affixed to the
side of the arm k, turning loosely on the axle F; which bar by forcing back the
studi causes the strap or ring b to move round sufficiently far to permit the
shaft of the scrow to be drawn out of the notch 9 of the wheel E, through the
opening in the strap or rim b; and when this is dono, the strap or rim is drawn
back into the former situation as shewn, in Fig. 12, by the end of the bent
spring acting against the stud o on the underside of the rim 6.
now forcing the lever J outwards, and with it the carrier
fingers, as seen in Fig 9, the shaft of the intended screw will be brought
between the chaps of a pair of pincers L, where it is held while the notch or
slit is cut in its head.
The cams I, I,.
bar K, and the
The camp upon the main axle now pushes forward the bent bar M,
which carries a friction roller q, and this roller, acting against an inclined
plane on the under side of the upper leg of the pincers L, causes the chaps to
close and take hold of tho shaft of the screw (for this movement and the
cutting of the slit about to be described, see the plan and section, Figs. 9.
and 13). The continued rotation of the main axle now causes the fingers c 1
to move away from the screw shaft which remains held in the chaps, and
proceed to take hold of another shaft in the way above described, at which
time a cam, on the main axle sends forward a bar N, carrying the circular
cutters, which is kept in rapid rotation, and this cutter, coming up to the head
of the screw shaft held in the chaps L, cuts the notch or slit in the head of
the intended screw, and then is drawn back out of the way of the fingers by
the power of a helical spring t, the cam baving receded from the end of the
bar N. The rotation of the circular cutter s is effected by a series of band
wheels, the first of which is upon the auxiliary axle A at O, from whence a
band passes to a second wheel P of smaller diameter, fixed upon an axle Q

page_text: below, upon which axle there is a third wheel R, whence a band proceeds to
the small pulley wheel S, on the axle of the circular cutter s.
The second pair of fingers or spring clips c 2, have, by the movement of the
carrier bar K, now taken hold of the shaft of the intended screw, held in the
chaps L, and the cam p having ceased to press against the end of the bar M,
that bar is drawn back by a helical spring u, when a bent spring v, v, pressing
upon the upper side of the leg of the pincers L, causes the chaps to open and
allow the fingers c2 to carry the shaft of the intended screw to another pair
of pincers T, where it is held while the worm or thread of the screw is
cutting.
On the main axle D there is a cam with an arm extending out, carrying a
segment w, for the purpose of passing the segment through a notch in the side
of the lower leg or sliding bar of the piece T, which segment is designed to
hold the pieces steadily, while the chaps are being closed; this segment is
called a locker. The closing of the chaps of the pincers T is performed by the
rotation of the cam x, fixed on the rotary axle.D, which presses against the
roller at the end of the sliding bar U. On the side of this bar there is an
arm y, carrying a friction roller, which acts against an inclined plane on the
under side of the upper leg of the pincers T, and as the bar moves forward,
the leg is raised, and the chaps closed. At this time a small cam, on the under
side of the upper chap of the pincers T, pushes forward a screwdriver or
chissel-formed piece into the notch or slit in the head (as represented in
Fig. 14); by which means the shaft is hold firmly during the worming or.
cutting of the screw.
The carrier bar K, now, sliding as before, removes the fingers c 2 back to
the situation of c 1, for the purpose of taking hold of another screw shaft. The
cam having pushed the bar U sufficiently far to close the chaps, the
segment w now passes out of the notch in the lower leg or sliding bar of the
pincers T, and they are immediately pushed forward by the further progress of
the cam a and bar U, by the adjusting screw in the army on the bar U,
coming against a projecting piece 1 on the lower leg or sliding bar of the
pincers T; by which means the shaft of the intended screw is projected forward,.
and brought to the mouth of the dies, and is then firmly held for the purpose
of receiving the thread, which is now to be cut upon it by the rotary dies, the
projecting piece1 resting against the adjusting screw 2. The shaft of the
intended screw being held in the situation last described, a pair of screw:
cutting dies V, mounted at the end of a rotary horizontal spindle W, is made
to advance and recede by a reciprocating rotary motion, which causes the.

page_text: thread of the dies to run round the shaft of the screw, and cut the worm
thereon. A longitudinal section of the screwing dies and part of the spindle W
is shewn of the real size at Fig. 15, and the front or face of the screwing dies
are represented at Fig. 16.
The action of the screwing dies is effected as follows:-On the auxiliary
axle A, there is a bevel toothed wheel 1, taking into another bevel wheel 2,
mounted on the top of a vertical spindle-3; at the lower end of this vertical
spindle, there is a similar bevel wheel 4, which takes into a bevel wheel 5, on
the end of the horizontal crank shaft 6, and by means of this gear, the rotation
of the auxiliary axle communicates motion through the cranks 7, 7, and the
crank rod 8, 8, to the reciprocating toothed sector 9.
This toothed sector is mounted upon an axle at 10, and turns to and fro
alternately. As the crank shaft. 6 revolves, the teeth of the sector take into a
pinion 11 upon the axle 12 of a wheel 13, and this wheel drives another
pinion 14, fixed upon a tube 15, which embraces the horizontal spindle W.
There is a long slit or slot in this tube, through which a key 16 is passed for
the purpose of locking the tube and the spindle together, hence it will be
perceived that the reciprocating motion of the sector 9 will cause the tube and
the spindle, carrying the screw dies V, to perform a reciprocating rotary motion.
The back end of the spindle W being formed into a screw 17, which acts in a
stationary nut 18, as the spindle revolves, it will slide into the tube, advancing
and receding and carrying the screw dies for the purpose of cutting the worn
or thread thereon, the length of the worming upon the shaft depending upon
the regulating screw z, on the arm of the bar U. The thread of the screw 17,
must be of exactly the same pitch as the screw dies, or the thread intended to
be cut upon the screw shaft under operation, as this screw is to be the guide
or regulator by which the cutting dies advance and recede.
In order to cut the thread upon the screw shaft progressively, the dies, which
are mounted in a box or frame at the end of the spindle W, are encompassed
by a steel ring 19, through which the lateral regulating. screws 20, 20, are
passed, as shewn at Figs. 15 and 16. By the elasticity of this steel spring
ring the dies are enabled to open in a small degree by the pressure of the
shaft when the cutting of the thread commences, and as the cutting proceeds.
the force of the spring ring brings the dies together to their proper bearings.
The thread being thus formed upon the shaft of the screw, the cam 2
receding from the end of the bar U, the helical spring (21) exerting its force
draws the bar U and pincers T with the now finished screw away from the
dies into their former position, immediately after which a movement of the

page_text: carrier bar K, in the manner before described, brings the fingers c 3 into the
situation of c 2, where they take hold of the screw. The cam a baving now
receded from the end of the bar U, the helical spring 22 draws this bar and
the friction roller from under the inclined plane on the upper edge of the
pincers T, as in Figs. 9 and 13; when the chaps of T opening by the force of
the bent spring (23), the screwdriver or chissel-ended piece is drawn back out
of the slit in the head of the screw, which being now released from the chaps
is carried away by the next movement of the carrier bar and finger c 3 in the
process of which, the fingers c 3 passing through a fork (24), the screw
striking against it is forced out of the fingers and falls into a receptacle below.
Having thus described both generally and particularly the construction and
operation of my improved machinery for making metal screws, commonly
called wood screws, I hereby declare that I do not mean or intend to claim
as my Invention any of the different parts of which these machines are
composed, which may already have been used in a variety of ways; but I do
hereby claim the combination, adaptation, or application of them to the said
purpose of making screws in the manner herein described, and particularly in
the combined means which I have employed for feeding the machines with
wire, in the manner or mode of cutting the wire into proper lengths and
heading it, in the means of carrying the wire shafts from one part of the
machine to another, as for instance, from the first header to the second, and
thereby employing two sets of dies for completing the heads, in the arrange-
ment and construction of the feeding wheel, and the apparatus for conveying
the shafts from the feeding wheel by means of the carrying clips or fingers
into the notching and screwing machine, and in the combined means of
notching the heads of the screws, and cutting the threads or worms thereon by
means of revolving screw dies affixed upon a sliding mandril.
In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
twenty-seven.
LEMUEL WELLMAN (L.s.) WRIGHT.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the said
Lemuel Wellman Wright (being first
duly stamped), in the presence of
THO GILL, 125, Strand.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1827, the aforesaid Lemuel Wellman Wright came
before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.