IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS for the manufacture OF TUBULAR WIRE, WHICH INVENTION ALSO COMPRISES APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAID WIRE INTO NAILS OR FASTENINGS AND INSERTING THE SAME IN THE SOLES OF BOOTS OR SHOES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake,
and Co, Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS for the manufacture
OF TUBULAR WIRE, WHICH INVENTION ALSO COMPRISES APPARATUS FOR
FORMING THE SAID WIRE INTO NAILS OR FASTENINGS AND INSERTING THE
SAME IN THE SOLES OF BOOTS OR SHOES." Communicated to him from abroad
by Henry Stevens Bacon, of Milford, and Andrew Eppler Junior of Boston,
both in Massachusetts, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th August 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBULAR WIRE, WHICH INVENTION ALSO COMPRISES
APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAID WIRE INTO NAILS OR FASTENINGS AND INSERTING
"
THE SAME IN THE SOLES OF BOOTS OR SHOES [a communication to him from
abroad by Henry Stevens Bacon, of Milford, and Andrew Eppler Junior of
Boston, both in Massachusetts, United States of America]
5
This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing tubular wire and for
forming the same into nails, pointing the latter and then driving them into the
soles of boots or shoes.
The said invention has for its objects, to provide improved mechanism for
converting sheet metal into a tube or tubular wire of indefinite length the said
tube or wire preferably containing a filling of fibrous material; to provide a
machine adapted to form the said tubular wire into nails or fastenings, each pointed
at one end, and insert the said fastenings into a boot or shoe sole; to provide
means for regulating the length of each feed movement of the wire so as to
regulate the length of the nails; and to prevent each nail from tipping from a
vertical position after it is severed and formed and while it is being moved
forward to position under the driver which forces it into the sole
The said invention consists partly in the combination of mechanism for severing
a strip of sheet metal into a number of narrow parallel ribbons or strips, means for
winding the said strips simultaneously on a reel to form a series of independent
coils located side by side, a series of rolls and intermediate guides adapted to take
one of the said strips at a time and bend it transversely into tubular form around a
TD 10.21

page_text: continuous cord and an adjustable support for the said reel whereby each coil may
be brought in succession into operative relation with the tube-forming rolls. It
also partly consists in the provision of means for adjusting the tube-forming rolls,
and of a reel adapted to wind the completed tube into a coil and provided with
n friction-device whereby the tube or wire is enabled to retard the rotation of
the reel as the coil increases in diameter. It also partly consists in the novel
construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described.
In carrying one part of the said invention into practice I take a sheet of metal
(preferably brass) of any desired width, and pass it between two series of rotating
disc shears or cutters, which cooperate in severing the sheet into a series of strips
of suitable width to form a tubular wire. The strips are guided to the cutters
between two edge guides, one of which is fixed rigidly to the supporting frame,
while the other is pivotted to the said frame and is held with a yielding pressure
against the edge of the sheet by a spring. The strips are prevented from clinging
to the sides of the rotary cutters by a series of fingers which are pivotted to the
frame in which the cutters are journalled and project into the spaces between the
proximate sides of the shears or cutters and guide the strips from the said
spaces, thus preventing the said strips from being bent. The ends of the
strips are secured to a reel or drum which is detachably secured to a positively
rotated arbor by means of a key on the bore of the reel and a groove in
the arbor, so that the reel and arbor will rotate together. The reel is thus
positively rotated, and winds the strips into a series of independent coils
arranged side by side. The coils are kept separate, while being wound, by a
second series of blades or fingers affixed to a pivotted lever and projecting between
the coils. When the sheet of metal is entirely converted into strips, the outer
ends of the latter are secured to the reel or drum by means of a threaded bolt
screwed through orificos in the flanges of the reel, and extending across tho
peripheries of the coils. The said recl or drum is then removed from the arbor
and placed on the frame of the tube-forming machine the said frame having a
horizontal dovetail guide on which slides a holder having bearings adapted to receive
an arbor or pin passed through the bore of the reel, the reel being thus adapted to
slide so as to bring either of the coiled strips into position to be presented to the
tube-forming rolls hereinafter described. A bolt is adapted by being gradually
screwed outwardly, to release each coil in succession. The coiled strips are unwound
successively from the reel which is adjusted after each coil is removed so as to
bring the next coil into proper position. To prevent the lateral displacement of
the coils after the first one is removed I provide the reel with a movable disc or
follower which is pressed forward against the coil adjacent to one end of the reel,
by screws passing through the flange at the same end of the reel. When a coil is
removed the follower is adjusted by its screws so as to take the place of the
said coil.
The tube-forming machine, as a whole, consists of a guide adapted to guide the
strip before the latter is bent, a pair of rolls adapted to bend the strip transversely
into a U-shape as it emerges from the said guide, a U-shaped guide which holds
the bent strip in place laterally after it leaves the rolls, a cord-guide adapted to
guide a cord of any suitable fibrous material into the concavity of the U-shaped
strip, a second pair of rolls adapted to bend the edges of the U-shaped strip
inwardly and give the strip a tubular form, or approximately so, and preferably
one or more pairs of compacting or finishing rolls adapted to complete the tubular
form of the strip in case it is not completed by the second pair of rolls and press
the same closely against the cord. All the rolls above described are mounted on
arbors journalled in the frame and the said arbors are geared together and driven
by a suitable motor composed of a worm engaging with worm wheels on one of
the arbors of each of the pairs of rolls so as to rotate the rolls. One of the first
pair of rolls has a groove in its periphery and the other roll a corresponding flange
or projection. One of the rolls of the second pair has a narrow grooved periphery,
while the corresponding roll has a deep peripheral groove into which the grooved

page_text: periphery projects, the sides of the said deep groove being inclined outwardly at
opposite sides of the roll. These outwardly inclined sides bearing against the edges
of the U-shaped strip are sure to turn said edges inwardly, whereas if the groove
were simply semicircular and terminated at or above the periphery of the roll there
would be liability of the edges of the strip failing to turn inwardly, the edges of
the strip being sometimes caught by the periphery of the roll outside of the groove
and turned outwardly. This cannot happen when the sides of the groove aro
extended and inclined outwardly. The compacting rolls simply have coinciding
semicircular grooves of such depth as to slightly compress the' tube formed by the
second pair of rolls. If desired, a third pair of rolls may be employed having
grooves of slightly less depth so as to still further compress the tube.
The guides are suitably attached to the frame and a recl is provided to hold a
coil of the cord. The cord guide is simply a slot in one side of one of the other
guides. The latter guide holds the U-shaped strip for the reception of the cord.
I do not limit myself to the employment in all cases of the compacting or
finishing rolls for, if desired, the tubular form of the strip may be entirely
completed by the second pair of rolls. Nor do 1 limit myself to the employment
of the first and second pairs of rolls in the same machine with the intermediate
guides. Each of the said pairs of rolls may perform its function independently
of the other without departing from the nature of this invention. It is obvious
that the rolls may be employed for bending a metal strip into a tube without
the employment of the cord. The compound article formed by bending a sheet
metal strip in the form of a tubular envelope around a fibrous cord is adapted
for various purposes, particularly to be cut into short lengths for boot and
shoe sole fastenings as 'before mentioned. When used for this purpose the
cord should be saturated or treated with wax or some suitable material to make
it impervious to water. The said article may also be used in continuous lengths
for many of the purposes for which ordinary solid wire is used, such as for coarse
netting for fences etc, its construction giving it the qualities of bulk, strength,
lightness and cheapness.
I prefer to form the finishing rolls each with a flange projecting at one side of
and beyond the grooved periphery of the other roll. This form prevents the
rolls as they compress the tube from forming burrs or fins on the periphery of
the tube.
If desired the grooves in the said rolls may be provided with dies or shoulders
adapted to form longitudinal indentations or corrugations in the completed tube.
These indentations serve to stiffen the tube and increase its usefulness when cut up
into lengths for sole fastenings.
-
The bearings or boxes supporting the arbors of the rolls are adjustable toward and,
from the arbors of the corresponding rolls and each box is provided with an
adjusting screw whereby the roll supported by each box may be adjusted toward
or from its companion roll. The rolls are thus adapted to be accurately adjusted
so as to give the tube the exact form required and to compensate for variations in
the thickness of different strips. The worm shaft is continued below the tube-
forming rolls and is provided with a worm engaging with a worm wheel on an arbor
which is journalled in suitable fixed bearings. A reel is detachably secured to the
said arbor and is rotated thereby. The said reel receives the tube or wire as it
comes from the finishing rolls and winds it into a coil. The worm wheel is not
positively connected with the arbor but is adapted to slip thereon. A collar is
rigidly attached to the said arbor and a disc of leather or other frictional material
is interposed between the said collar and the worm wheel. Scrows passing through
the said worm wheel press a steel plate against the said disc, thus compressing the
latter and causing the outer side of the worm wheel to bear against a head or collar
on the arbor. These devices secure the worin wheel to the arbor by friction and
enable the degree of friction to be adjusted. The object of this frictional connection
is to enable the arbor and the reel to slip and thus rotate more slowly as the coil
of wire accumulates on the reel, thus avoiding excessive strain on the wire. The

page_text: wire may be corrugated peripherally after leaving the tube-forming rolls, to produce
screw threads or imitations thereof. When the reel has accumulated a sufficient
quantity of the wire it is removed and placed on the nail forming and driving machine.
In constructing the said nail forming and driving machine I provide a plate
supporting the awl and adapted to reciprocate vertically in guides on a supporting
head the latter being adapted to reciprocate horizontally on a dovetail guide on
a fixed arm or support. The said plate is reciprocated vertically by means of a
roller or slide pivotted to a disc or excentric on the driving shaft and working in a
slot in the said plate. The head is reciprocated horizontally by the said excentric
which as it rotates comes in contact with parts of the said head behind the plate.
The vertical and horizontal movements thus imparted to the awl cause the latter to
perforate and feed forward the sole of a boot or shoe presented to the awl. The
driver bar is alternately raised and released by the rotation of a cam on the driving
shaft, and when released is forced downwardly by a spring into a nose to drive a
nail therefrom into a boot or shoe solo held on a suitable jack or horn.
A reel having a coil of the wire herein before described is journalled on a suitable
support and the wire is presented to the cutting and pointing devices hereinafter
described by a feed lever which is pivotted to the vertically reciprocating plate and
- has a pointed end engaging with the wire. The opposite end of the said lever
projects so as to strike a projection on the head when the plate is moved
downwardly, and another projection on the head when the plate is moved
upwardly. A spring secured at one end to the plate and at the other end to the
outer end of a dog holds the pointed end of the said dog normally in engagement
with the wire, and the contact of the dog with either of the projections turns
the said dog on its pivot so as to disengage its pointed end from the wire. The dog
therefore is engaged with the wire and adapted to feed the same only when its
outer end coincides with the space between the projections the said spring being
thus enabled to hold the pointed end of the dog against the wire. The feeding
takes place during the downward movement of the plate after the feed lever leaves
one projection and strikes the other projection. When the plate rises the said feed
lever slips on the wire. Tho feed lever or dog is sometimes pivotted to a secondary
slide or plate which is adapted to slide vertically on a dovetail guide on the plato
and is provided with an upwardly projecting arm having a stud which enters a
slot in one end of a bell crank lever pivotted to a fixed arm or bracket on a head.
The other arm of the lever is engaged with a cam groove on a shaft. The said
lever is oscillated by the said cam and reciprocates the slide causing the dog, when
moving downwardly, to grasp and feed the wire until its end strikes a projection
and is disengaged thereby from the wire. In this form the second projection is
not employed. In either of the described constructions, the position of the said
projection governs the length of the nails. I make the said projection variable in
position to vary the length of the nails, by attaching the other projection to a plate
which is vertically movable on a dovetail guide on the head. The said plate has an
arm entering a slot in a lover which is pivotted to the fixed supporting frame, and
is provided with means hereinafter described whereby the operator is enabled to
lower the first projection and increase the length of the nails, and raise the said
projection and thus decrease the length of the nails.
A cutter is provided formed by cutting a V-shaped groove in a bar of metal
which is rectangular in cross section, thereby forming oppositely inclined cutting
edges at the sides of the said groove, and a horizontal cutting edge at the under
side of the bar. The cutter is adjustably secured to an oscillating arm or lever
which is pivotted to the head and is oscillated by means of a projection on the
plate, which projection depresses the said lever when the plate descends, a spring
raising the said lever when the plate rises. The cutter has thus imparted to it an
endwise reciprocating movement. A fixed cutter or plate is attached to the head
the said cutter being V-shaped in cross section and adapted to fit closely the groovo
in the cutter, the inclined sides of the plate forming cutting edges cooperating with
the edges of the cutter.

page_text: A flat cutter is attached to the head and has its end sharpened to form a cutting
edge adapted to cooperate with one edge of the cutter
The wire passes between the first cutter and the other and when the first cutter
moves forward the edges cooperate to sever the wire with a V shaped cut which
bevels the end of the wire on two sides leaving two V-shaped tongues of metal at
opposite sides of the wire. These tongues are pressed in wardly by the joint action
of a bevel ended V shaped block which is fitted into the groove of the first cutter
and the corresponding bovelled end of the fixed cutter, thus giving the end of the
wire four bevelled sides. At the same time the other cutting edges cooperate in
severing the wire at a lower point thus detaching a nail previously pointed at its
lower end as above described, the last named edges making a straight cut which
gives the nail a flat head. The chip or waste piece that is formed between the two
cuts slides out through an open space between the second and third cutters. Tho
said three cutters are confined in placo respectively by a plate which, screwed to
the lever, clamps the first cutter against the same and another plate which is
screwed to the head clamps the other cutters. Each cutter can be adjusted
lengthwise to compensate for wear by loosening the clamping plates. The com-
pressor is held in place by the compression against it of the sides of the first
cutter under the clamping pressure of the plate. The proximate surfaces of tho
head and plate are recessed or grooved to fit the second and third cutters. Each
nail, after it is severed from the wire, drops into a channel in front of a carrier
The said carrier is a plate adapted to reciprocate in the channel and force each
nail to a point over the orifice in the nose through which the driver passes to drive
the nail. The carrier is pivotted to a lever which is pivotted to an ear or cars
formed on the head and is oscillated so as to reciprocate the carrier horizontally by
a cam on the vertically sliding plate bearing against a rollor in the upper ond of
the said lever and a spring which holds the said roller against the cam, or by a cam
groove in a plate rigidly attached to the head, the said groove receiving a stud on
the lever. A laterally movable spring normally presses into the channel in front
of the part of the samo into which the nail drops from the cutters, and is attached
at one end to the carrier.
The said spring is slightly hooked at its free end so that it retains the nail in a
vertical position against the end of the carrier while the carrier is pushing the nail
forward. When the nail has nearly or quite reached the orifice in the nose the
bevelled end of the said spring strikes a correspondingly bevelled surface which
forces the spring outwardly and causes it to release the nail. The nail is thus kept
in a vertical position so that it will be properly presented to the driver.
The said bevelled end and surface are provided with alternating ribs and inter-
mediate grooves, the ribs of the end fitting in the grooves of the surface and
vice versa. This construction ensures a support for the nails after tho spring is
displaced, the ribs of the surface projecting so as to hold the nail from fulling
outwardly after the spring is displaced.
The wire and its fibrous core or filling are both entirely severed by each cut,
giving each nail clean smooth ends. I am aware that a solid metal wire has beon
cut or notched in its opposite sides to form the bevelled sides of the point of one
nail and portions of the head of another nail, a thin neck of metal being left
between the two notches which neck is afterwards broken to sever the 'nail below
it from the wire, but I am not aware that a wire has ever been cut at two points
simultaneously to form the point of one nail and the head of another as above
described.
The first cutter may be supported on a slide reciprocated in a rectilinear direction
instead of being oscillated as described.
A work-supporting horn is provided which is pivotted on a vertical_rod or
standard so that it can rotate in the usual manner, under the nose. The said horn
is provided at its upper end with a horizontal bed which is provided with a
circular groove arranged under the awl so as to furnish a trough or depression

page_text: under the said awl to receive the point of the latter when it entirely penetrates the
bottom of a boot or shoe, the awl moving in said trough while feeding the work.
The horn is swivelled on the vertical rod which is adapted to slide vertically in
guides on the frame of the machine, and is pressed upwardly by a spring interposed
between the lower guide and a collar rigidly attached to the vertical rod The said
vertical rod is connected by a link with a treadle pivotted to the frame of the
machine. From the rear end of the treadle lever a rod extends upwardly through
an orifice in the frame of the machine, and is provided at its upper end with a
roller bearing on a cam on the driving shaft, the said roller being pressed down-
wardly against the cam by the action of the spring through the intermediate parts.
The cam therefore acts to give the horn a slight upward and downward movement
when the machine is in operation. The vertical rod is made in two parts which are
connected by a nut provided in one end of its aperture with right hand screw
threads, and at the other end with left hand screw threads the same engaging with
corresponding threads cut in the respective parts of the said rod so that by turning
the nut the rod can be lengthened or shortened to diminish or increase the distance
between the work-support of the horn and the nose, when the horn is in its normal
position, thus adapting the horn to different thicknesses of soles. The operator can
by depressing the treadle depress the horn below its normal position to enable a
boot or shoe to be applied and removed conveniently. The horn supporting and
operating devices above described in themselves form no part of my invention, as
they are common in other machines of this class.
To the vertical rod below the nut is rigidly attached an arm or bracket having
in its outer end a vertical orifice through which passes a second vertical rod passing
also through a guide on the frame of the machine, and pivotted to the rear end of
a lever. The said second rod is adapted to slide in an arm and guide and is
provided with a spring interposed between the guide and a collar attached to the
rod. The said spring presses a collar attached to the lower end of the rod upwardly
against a bracket the position of the said bracket determining the position of the
projection above described. When the nut is turned to adjust the length of the
rod, the bracket will be raised or lowered as the case may be, and the projection
will be adjusted to correspond with the adjustment of the horn. For example
when the rod is lengthened to bring the work support of the horn nearor the nose
and thus adapt the horn to a thinner sole than before, the bracket which is
depressed or lowered in the operation of lengthening the rod will depress the
second rod and correspondingly raise the projection through the lever, thereby
providing for a shorter nail corresponding to the thickness of the sole for which the
horn is adapted by the said adjustment. The length of the nails and the vertical
position, of the horn are thus simultaneously adjusted The second vertical rod is
provided with a fixed collar arranged to abut against the guide and prevent the
upward movement of the said rod when the horn is depressed by the operator
below its normal position for the purpose of applying or removing a boot or shoe.
I do not limit myself to adjusting the projection simultaneously with the horn
for the said adjustment may be effected by independent means by a lever connected
by a rod with a treadle, whereby the operator is enabled to raise or lower the
projection. The said treadle has a spring which normally raises the outer end of
the treadle. The rod passes through a perforated arm on the supporting frame and
is provided above and below the said arm with adjustable stops or collars which
limit the vertical movements of the rod and projection.
The stop is held by the spring against the arm and determines the position of
the projection for short nails, while another stop which is raised to the arm by the
depression of the treadle determines the depression of the projection when longer
nails are required. By adjusting the said stops the length of the shorter and
longer nails may be varied. It will be seen that the change in the length of nails
can be effected without stopping the operation of the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Patent Office on the 14th February
1884.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings London "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF TUBULAR WIRE, WHICH INVENTION. ALSO COMPRISES
APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAID WIRE INTO NAILS OR FASTENINGS, AND
INSERTING THE SAME IN THE SOLES OF BOOTS OR SHOES." A communication to,
me from Abroad by Henry Stevens Bacon, of Milford, and Andrew Eppler,
junior, of Boston, both in Massachusetts, United States of America.
This invention relates to apparatus for manufacturing tubular wire and for
forming the same into nails pointing the latter, and then driving them into the soles
of boots or shoes. The said invention has for its objects to provide improved
mechanism for converting sheet metal into a tube or tubular wire of indefinite length
the said tube or wire preferably containing a filling of fibrous material; to provide
a machine adapted to form the said tubular wire into nails or fastenings, each
pointed at one end, and insert the said fastenings into a boot or shoe sole; to
provide improved means for regulating the longth of each feed movement of the
wire so as to regulate the length of the nails; and to prevent each nail from
tipping from a vertical position after it is sovered and formed and while it is being
moved forward to position under the driver which forces it into the sole
Tho said Invention consists partly in the combination of mechanism for severing
a strip of sheet metal into a number of narrow parallel ribbons or strips means
for winding the said strips simultaneously on a reel to form a series of independent
coils located side by side, a series of rolls and intermediate guides adapted to take
ouc of the said strips at a time and bend it transversely into tubular form around
a continuous cord, and an adjustable support for the said reel whereby each coil
may bo brought in succession into operative relation with the tube forming rolls.
It also partly consists in the provision of means for adjusting the tubo forming
rolls and of a reel adapted to wind the completed tubo into a coil and provided
with a friction device whereby the tube or wire is enabled to retard the rotation of
the recl as the coil increases in diameter.
It also partly consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as
hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a top view of the sheet metal stripping and winding machine
Figure 2 is a section of the same on the line x. x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a rear elevation, the reel being removed.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the tube forming mechanism.
Figure 5 is a side elevation and,
Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 7 is a section on the line y y Figure 5.
Figures 89. 10 and 11 are sections of the tube forming rolls

page_text: Figure 19 is a sectional view showing the cutters in a different position from
that shown in Figure 14.
Figure 20 is a side olevation drawn to an enlarged scale of the carrier and the
part of the machine in which it works.
Figure 21 is a section on the line α Figure 20.
Figure 22 is a front view of the reel.
Figure 23 is a section on line a¹, x1, Figure 22.
Figure 24 is a front view of the machine drawn to an enlarged scale showing
the same provided with a work supporting horn.
Figure 25 is a sido elevation of the entire machine.
Figure 26 is a top view of the upper end of the horn.
Figure 27 is a section on line w, w, Figure 26.
Figure 28 shows a modification of the nail adjusting mechanism.
According to one part of the said invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 11 I take
a sheet 20 of metal (preferably brass) of any desired width and pass it between
two series of rotating disc shears or cutters 21, 22 which cooperate in severing the
sheet into a series of strips 23 see Figure 4 each of suitable width to form a
tubular wire. The strips are guided to the cutters 21, 22 between two edge
guides 46, 47 one of which 46 is affixed rigidly to the supporting frame while the
other 47 is pivoted to the said frame and is held with a yielding pressure against the
edge of the sheet by a spring 48. The strips are prevented from clinging to the sides
of the rotary cutters by a series of fingers 27 which are pivoted to the frame in which
the cutters are journalled and project into the spaces between the proximate sides of
the shears or cutters 21, and guido tho strips 23 from tho said spaces thus preventing
the said strips from being bent. The ends of the strips 23 are secured to a recl
or drum 24 which is detachably secured to a positively rotated arbor 26 by means
of a key on the boro of the reel and a groove in the arbor, so that the reel and
arbor will rotate together. The reel is thus positively rotated, and winds the
strips into a series of independent coils arranged side by side. The coils are kept
separate while being wound by a series of blades or fingers 49 affixed to a pivoted
lever 50 and projecting between the coils. When the sheet 20 is entirely converted
into strips the outer ends of the latter are secured to the reel or drum 24 by means
of a threaded bolt 28, screwed through orifices in the flanges of the reel, and
extending across the peripheries of the coils. The said reel or drum 24 is then
removed from the arbour 26 and placed on the frame 29 of the tube forming
machino. Figures 4, 5 and 6 the said frame having a horizontal dovetail guide 30
on which slides a holder 31 having bearings adapted to receive an arbor or pin
passed through the bore of the reel 24 the reel being thus adapted to slide so as
to bring either of the coiled strips 23 into, position to be presented to the tube
forming rolls hereinafter described. The bolt 28 is adapted by being gradually
screwed outwardly to release each coil in succession. The coiled strips are
unwound successively from the reel 24 which is adjusted after each coil is removed
so as to bring the next coil into proper position. To prevent the lateral
displacement of the coils after the first one is removed, I provide the reel with a
movable disc or follower 50 which is pressed forward against the coil adjacent to
one end of the reel by screws 51 passing through the flange at the same end of
the reel. When a coil is removed the follower 50 is adjusted by its screws so as to
take the place of the said coil.
The tube forming inachino as a whole consists of a guide 32 adapted to guide
the strip before the latter is bent, a pair of rolls 33, 34 adapted to bend the strip
transversely into a U-shape as it emerges from the said guide 32 a U-shaped
guide 35 which holds the bent strip in place laterally after it leaves the rolls 33, 34
a cord guide 36 (see Figure 6) adapted to guido a cord 37 of any suitable fibrous
material into the concavity of the U-shaped strip, a pair of rolls 38, 39, adapted to
bend the edges of the U-shaped strip inwardly and give the strip a tubular form,
or approximately so, and preferably one or more pairs of compacting or finishing

page_text: rolls 40, 41 adapted to complete the tubular form of the strip in case it is not
completed by the rolls 38, 39 and press the same closely against the cord
All the rolls above described are mounted on arbors journalled in the frame 29
and the said arbors are geared together and driven by a suitable motor composed
of a worm 22 engaging with worm wheels on the arbors of the rolls 33 and 40 so
as to rotate the said rolls as indicated by the arrows Figure 5 The roll 33 has a
groove in its periphery and the roll 34 a corresponding flange or projection as shown
in Figure 8. The roll 38 has a narrow grooved periphery while the roll 39 has a
deep peripheral groove into which the grooved periphery projects as shown in
Figure 9 the sides of the said deep groove boing inclined outwardly at opposito
sides of the roll. These outwardly inclined sides bearing against the edges of the
U shaped strip are sure to turn the said edges inwardly whereas if the groove
were simply semicircular and terminated at or above the periphery of the roll 38
there would be liability of the edges of the strip failing to turn inwardly the edges
of the strip being sometimes caught by the periphery of the roll 39 outside of the
groove and turned outwardly. This cannot happen when the sides of the groove
are extended and inclinded outwardly as shown. The compacting rolls 40. 41
simply have coinciding semicircular grooves as shown in Figure 10 of such depth
as to slightly compress the tube formed by the rolls 38, 39. If desired a second
pair of rolls may bo employed having grooves of slightly less depth so as to s'ill
further compress the tube.
The guides 32 and 35 are suitably attached to the frame 29 and a reel 42 is
provided to hold a coil of the cord The cord guide 36 is simply a slot in one side
of the guide 35 as shown in Figure 6. The guide 35 holds tho U shaped strip
for the reception of the cord.
I do not limit myself to the employment in all cases of the compacting or
finishing rolls 40 and 41 for if desired the tubular form of the strip may be entirely
completed by the rolls 38 39. Nor do I limit myself to the employment of tho
rolls 33, 34 and 38 and 39 in the same machine with the intermediate guides.
Each of the said pairs of rolls may perform its function independently of the other
without departing from the nature of this invention. It is obvious that the rolls
may be employed for bending a metal strip into a tube without the employment of
the cord. The compound article formed by bending a sheet metal strip in the form
of a tubular envelope around a fibrous cord is adapted for various purposes
particularly to be cut into short lengths for boot and shoe sole fastenings as before
mentioned. When used for this purpose the cord should be saturated or treated
with wax or some suitable material to make it impervious to water. The said
article may also be used in continuous lengths for many of the purposes for which
ordinary solid wire is used such as for coarse netting for fences or the like its
construction giving it the qualities of bulk strength lightness and cheapness.
I prefer to form the finishing rolls 40, 41 in the form shown each roll having a
flange projecting at one side of and beyond the grooved periphery of the other roll.
This form prevents the rolls, as they compress the tube, from forming burrs or fins
on the periphery of the tube
If desired the grooves in the rolls 40, 41 may be provided with dies or shoulders
as shown in Figure 11 adapted to form longitudinal indentations or corrugations
in the completed tube. These indentations servo to stiffen the tube and increase
its usefulness when cut up into lengths for sole fastenings.
The bearings or boxes supporting the arbors of the rolls 34, 39 and 41 are
adjustable toward and from the arbors of the corresponding rolls and each box is
provided with an adjusting screw 43 whereby the roll supported by each box may
be adjusted towards or from its companion roll, The rolls are thus adapted to be
accurately adjusted so as to give the tube the exact form required and to compensate
for variations in the thickness of different strips 23. The worm shaft 22 is
continued below the tube forming rolls and is provided with a worin 44 engaging
with a worm wheel 45 on an arbor 46, which is journalled in suitable fixed
bearings,

page_text: 47 indicates a reel which is detachably secured to the said arbor 46 and is
rotated thereby, The said reel 47 receives the tube or wire as it comes from the
finishing rolls 40, 41, and winds it into a coil. The worm wheel 45 is not positively
connected with the arbor 46 but is adapted to slip thereon.. A collar 60 is rigidly
attached to the said arbor and a disc 61, of leather or other frictional material is
interposed between the said collar and the worm wheel 45. Screws 62 passing
through the said worm wheel 45 press a steel plate 63 against the said disc 61 thus
compressing the latter and causing the said outer side of the worm wheel 45 to bear
against a head or collar 64 on the arbor 46. These devices secure the worm
wheel 45 to the arbor by friction and enable the degree of friction to be adjusted.
The object of this frictional connection is to enable the arbor 46 and the reel 47 to
slip and thus rotate more slowly as the coil of wire accumulates on the reel, thus
avoiding excessive strain on the wire. The wire may be corrugated peripherally
after leaving the tube forming rolls, to produce screw threads or imitations thereof.
When the reel 47 has accumulated a sufficient quantity of the wire it is removed
and placed on the nail forming and driving machino.
This nail forming and driving machine is illustrated in Figures 12 to 28 in
which :-
A indicates a head or plate supporting the awl a and adapted to reciprocate
vertically in guides on a supporting head B, the latter being adapted to reciprocato
horizontally on a dovetail guide on a fixed arm or support C (Figure 13). The
said plate A is reciprocated vertically by means of a roller or slide d pivoted to a
disc or eccentric e on the driving shaft j and working in a slot in the said plate.
The head B is reciprocated horizontally by the eccentric e which as it rotates comes
in contact with parts of the head B behind the plate A. The vertical and horizontal
movements thus imparted to the awl a cause the latter to perforate and feed
forward the sole for boot or shoe presented to the awl. The driver bar h is alter-
nately raised and released by the rotation of a cam on the driving shaft, and when
released is forced downwardly by a spring into the nose i to drive a nail therefrom
into a boot or shoe sole held on a suitablo jack or horn.
A reel having a coil of the wire j hereinbefore described is journalled on a
suitable support and the wire is presented to the cutting and pointing devices
hereinafter described by a feed dog or lever : which in the construction shown in
Figure 12 is pivoted at 7 to the vertically reciprocating plate A, and has a pointed
end engaging with the wire. The opposite end of the lever projects so as to
strike a projection m on the head B when the plate A is moved downwardly and a
projection m² on the head B when the plate A is moved upwardly. A spring n
secured at one end to the plate A and at the other end to the outer end of the
dog E, holds the pointed end of the said dog normally in engagement with the
wire, and the contact of the dog with either of the projections m or m¹ turns
the said dog on its pivot so as to disengage its pointed end from the wire, It will
be seen therefore that the dog is engaged with the wire and adapted to feed tho
same only when its outer end coincides with the space between the projections m, m',
the said spring n being thus enabled to hold the pointed end of the dog against the
wire. The feeding takes place during the downward movement of the plate A
after the dog leaves tho projection m and until it strikes the other projection m¹
When the plate A rises the said feed lever or dog & slips on the wire.
In the construction shown in Figures 24 and 25 the feed lever or dog is
pivoted to a secondary slide or plate A' which is adapted to slide vertically on a
dovetail guide A* on the plate A and is provided with an upwardly projecting
arm A having a stud A³ which enters a slot in one end of a bell crank lever A
pivoted at A to a fixed arm or bracket on the head C. The other arm of the
lever A is engaged with a cam groove A on the shaft f. The said lever A7 is
oscillated by the said cam and reciprocates the slide A2 causing the dog when
moving downwardly to grasp and feed the wire until the end of said dog strikes
the projection 'm and is disengaged thereby from the wire In this form the
projection m³ is not employed.
•

page_text: It will be seen that in either of the described constructions, the position of the
said projection m governs the length of the nails. I make the said projection
variable in position to vary the length of the nails by attaching the projection m
to a plate m³ which is vertically movable on a dovetailed guide m³ on the hend B.
The said plate m³ has an arm m³ entering a slot in a lever m³ which is pivoted
at m to the fixed supporting frame and is provided with means hereinafter
described, whereby the operator is enabled to lower the projection m and increaso
the length of the nails, and raise the said projection and thus decrease the length of
the nails.
o. indicates a cutter formed by cutting a V shaped groove in a bar of metal
which is rectangular in cross section thereby forming oppositely inclined cutting
edges 2, 2, at the sides of the said groove, and a horizontal cutting edge 3, at the
underside of the bar The cutter o is adjustably secured to an oscillatory arm or
lever which is pivoted to the head B and is oscillated by means of a projection q
on the plate A which projection depresses the said lever when the plato A descends,
a spring raising the said lever when the plate A rises. The cutter o has thus
imparted to it an endwise reciprocating movement.
8. indicates a fixed cutter or plate attached to the head B the said cutter being
V-shaped in cross section and adapted to fit closely the groove in the cutter o the
inclined sides of the plate s forming cutting edges 4, 4, cooperating with the
edges 2, of the cutter o.
tindicates a flat cutter attached to the head B and having its end sharpened to
form a cutting edge 5 adapted to cooperate with the edge 3 of the cutter o.
The wire passes between the cutter o and the cutters s, t, and when the cutter o
moves forward the edges 2, 2, and 4, 4, cooperate to sever the wire with a
V shaped cut which bevels the end of the wire on two sides, leaving two V shaped
tongues of metal at opposite sides of the wire
These tongues are pressed inwardly by the joint action of a bevel ended V shaped
block u which is fitted into the groove of the cutter o and the correspondingly
bevelled end of the cutter s as shown in Figure 19 thus giving the end of the wires
four bevelled sides. At the same time the cutting edges 3 and 5 cooperate in
severing the wire at a lower point, thus detaching a nail previously pointed at the
lower end as above described the edges 3 and 5 making a straight cut which gives
the nail a flat head. The chip or waste picce that is formed between the two cuts
slides out through an open space s¹ between the cutters 8, t
The said three cutters o, 8, t are confined in place respectively by a plate a'
which is screwed to the lever p and clamps the cutter o against the samo and a
plate b¹ which is screwed to the head B and clamps the cutters s, t, Each cutter
can be adjusted lengthwise to compensate for wear, by loosening the clamping
plates a¹ or b. The compressor u is held in place by the compression against it of
the sides of the cutter o under the clamping pressure of the plate a¹. The
proximate surfaces of the head B and plate 6¹ are recessed or grooved to fit the
cutters 8, t as shown in Figure 16. Each nail after it is severed from the wire
drops into a channel d' in front of a carrier c¹
The said carrier is a plate adapted to reciprocate in the channel and force each
nail to a point over the orifice in the nose i through which the driver passes to
drive the nail. The carrier is pivoted to a lever d' which is pivoted at e¹ to an ear
or ears formed on the head B and is oscillated so as to reciprocate the carrier
horizontally by a cam e², on the vertically sliding plate A, bearing against a roller
in the upper end of the said lever and a spring f which holds the said roller
against the cam as shown in Figure 13. or by a cam groove in a plate rigidly
attached to the head 6 the said groove receiving a stud cª on the lever d³ as shown
in Figure 25.
gindicates a laterally movable spring which normally presses into the channel d
in front of the part of the same into which the nail drops from the cutters, and is
attached at one end to the carrier,

page_text: The said spring g' is slightly hooked at its free end so that it retains the nail in
a vertical position against the end of the carrier while the carrier is pushing the
nail forward. When the nail has nearly or quite reached the orifice in the nose i
the bevelled end g² of the spring g¹ strikes a correspondingly bevelled surface y³
which forces the spring g' outwardly and causes it to release the nail. The nail is
thus kept in a vertical position so that it will be properly presented to the driver.
The bevelled end g and surface g³ are provided with alternating ribs g³ and
intermediate grooves, the ribs of the end g fitting in the grooves of the surface g³
and vice versa. This construction ensures a support for the nails after the spring g¹
is displaced the ribs of the surface g³ projecting as shown in Figure 21 so as to
hold the nail from falling outwardly after the spring g¹ is displaced.
It will be observed that the wire and its fibrous core or filling are both entirely
severed by each cut, giving each nail clean smooth ends.
I am aware that a solid metal wire has been cut or notched in its opposite sides
to form the bevelled sides of the point of one nail and portions of the head of
another nail, a thin neck of metal being left between the two notches which neck
is afterwards broken to sever the nail below it from the wire, but I am not aware
that a wire has ever been cut at two points simultaneously to form the point of
one nail and the head of another as above described..
The cutter o may be supported on a slide reciprocated in a rectilinear direction
instead of being oscillated as described.
Hindicates a work supporting horn which is pivoted on a vertical rod or
standard H2, so that it can rotate in the usual manner under the nose i. The said
horn is provided at its upper end with a horizontal bed H which is provided
with a circular groove Harranged under the awl so as to furnish a trough or
depression under the awl a to receive the point of the latter, when it entirely
penetrates the bottom of a boot or shoe, the awl moving in the said trough while
feeding the work.
The horn His swivelled on the vertical rod H' which is adapted to slide
vertically in guides H³, H³, on the frame of the machine and is pressed upwardly
by a spring S³ interposed between the lower guide H³ and a collar H' rigidly
attached to the rod H². The rod H2 is connected by a link H³ with a treadle H°
pivoted to the frame of the machine at H7. From the rear end of the treadle
lever Ha rod 1' extends upwardly through an orifice in the frame, and is provided
at its upper end with a roller I bearing on a cam Is on the driving shaft f the
said roller 1 being pressed downwardly against the cam by the action of the
spring S. through the intermediate parts. The cam therefore acts to give the
horn a slight upward and downward movement when the machine is in operation.
The rod 1 is made in two parts which are connected by a nut J¹ provided in one
end of its aperture with right hand screw threads and at the other end with left
hand screw threads the same engaging with corresponding threads cut in the
respective parts of the rod 1' so that by turning the nut J₁ the said rod can be
lengthened or shortened to diminish or increas the distance between the work
support of the horn H¹ and the nose i when the horn is in its normal position
thus adapting the horn to different thicknesses of soles. The operator can by
depressing the treadle H depress the horn below its normal position to enable a
boot er shoe to be applied and removed conveniently.
The horn supporting and operating devices above described in themselves form
no part of my Invention as they are common in other machines of this class.
To the rod 1 below the nut J' is rigidly attached an arm or bracket K¹ having
in its outer end a vertical orifice through which passes a vertical rod L' passing
also through a guide L' on the frame of the machine and pivoted to the rear end
of the lever m³
The rod L' is adapted to slide in the arm K' and guide L' and is provided with
a spring M interposed between the guide L' and a collar n³ attached to the rod L'.
The said spring presses a collar L³ attached to the lower end of the rod L upwardly
against the bracket K' the position of the said bracket determining the position

page_text: of the projection m above described It will be seen therefore that when the
nut J is turned to adjust the length of the rod I¹ the bracket K' will be raised or
lowered as the case may be and the projection m will be adjusted to correspond
with the adjustment of the horn For example when the rod I' is legthened to
bring the work support of the horn nearer the nose i thus adapting the horn to a
thinner sole, than before, the bracket K, which is depressed or lowered in the
operation of lenthening the rod I, will depress the rod L' and correspondingly
raise the projection m through the lever m³, thereby providing for a shorter nail
corresponding to the thickness of the sole for which the horn is adapted by the
said adjustment. The length of the nails and the vertical position of the horn
are thus simultaneously adjusted. The rod L' is provided with a fixed collar n'
arranged to abut against the guide L and prevent the upward movement of the
rod L when the horn is depressed by the operator below its normal position for
the purpose of applying or removing a boot or shoe.
I do not limit myself to adjusting the projection m simultaneously with the horn
for the said adjustment may be effected by independent means, as shown in
Figure 28 in which the lever m³ is connected by a rod m' with a treadle, m³
whereby the operator is enabled to raise or lower the projection m. The said
treadle has a spring S³ which normally raises the outer end of the treadle. The
rod m' passes through a perforated arm n² on-the supporting frame and is provided
above and below the said arm with adjustable stops or collars n³ n' which limit the
vertical movements of the rod m' and projection m.
The stop n is held by the springs against the arm n² and determines the
position of the projection m for short nails while the stop n which is raised to the
arm n by the depression of the treadle, determines the depression of the projection
when longer nails are required. By adjusting the said stops the length of the
shorter and longer nails may be varied. It will be seen that the the change in
the length of nails can be effected without stopping the operation of the machine.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as coinmunicated to mo by my
foreign correspondents and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I claim,
First: The mechanism for forming tubular wire and comprising the following
elements that is to say:-two series of rotary cutters adapted to sever a sheet of
metal into strips, a positively rotated arbor and a reel detachably secured thereto
and adapted to wind the said strips into a series of independent coils, a laterally
movable support for the said reel, and a series of positively rotated tube forming
rolls adapted to take a strip from the reel and convert it into a tube, as set
forth.
Second-The combination with the strip forming cutters, of the edge guides
46, 47 for the sheet to be converted into strips, one of the said guides being fixed
and the other having a yielding or clastic pressure against the edge of the sheet, us
set forth.
Third-The reel 24 having the adjustable strip holder adapted to release each
coiled strip in succession, as set forth.
Fourth The combination with the tube forming rolls, of the reel 47, positivo
motor for the rolls and reel, and a friction device connecting the said reel with its
motor whereby the reel is enabled to slip and rotate more slowly than its motor,
as set forth.
Fifth-The reel 24 having a central shaft, two fixed heads, and a movable
follower 50 on the shaft, set screws passing through one head of the reel and
bearing on the said follower for puposes of adjustment, substantially as set forth.
Sixth-The combination with the tube forming rolls, of the reel 47, the worm
shaft 22 which drives said rolls and the reel with its shaft or arbor, a collar 60 on
said reel arbor, a frictional dise 61, and compressing mechanism substantially as
described whereby the engagement of the frictional device with the reel may be
regulated as to tension, all the said parts being arranged and co operating,
substantially as set forth.

page_text: Seventh In a nailing machine of the class described, two series or pairs of
cutters adapted at one operation to cut out a short section or length from a piece
of wire and thereby form the V-shaped point of one nail and the flat head of
another, as set forth.
Eighth In a nailing machine of the class described, the combination of the
grooved reciprocating cutter o³ having the cutting edges 2, 2 and 3, the compressor u
located in the groove of the cutter o, the V-shaped cutter s having the cutting
odges 4, 4 and adapted to act as a compresser, and the cutter t, all arranged and
operated substantially as described.
Ninth-In a nailing machine of the class described, the combination of the
lever or support p having the cutter o, means substantially as described for
reciprocating the said lever and cutter, and the fixed cutters s and t, all substantially
as described.
Tenth-The combination of a vertically reciprocating slide, a spring feed dog
or lever k pivoted thereto, and the head B having the adjustable projection
mounted thereon substantially as described, whereby the length of the feed
movement is regulated, as set forth.
Eleventh The carrier c¹ baving the spring plate gl, whereby the nails are
kept in a vertical position while being moved forward to the driver, as set forth.
Twelfth The combination of the carrier c', the spring g¹ adapted to hold the
nail, and tho fixed projection g³ adapted to displace the spring and release the
nail, as set forth.
=
Thirteenth The reciprocating slide A having the spring feed dog, combined
with the adjustable projection, and means substantially as described for adjusting
the said projection.
:
Fourteenth In a solo nailing machine having a work supporting horn, the
combination with the said horn and its supporting operating and adjusting devices
substantially as described, of the reciprocating slide A having the spring feed dog,
the movable projection m, and intermediate means, substantially as described,
whereby the projection m is adjusted simultaneously with the horn, as set forth.
Fifteenth The combination with the reciprocating slide having the spring
feed dog, of the adjustable projection m, the lever m³, the rod L' having the stops
or collars L³, n' and the spring M³, the adjustable rod I having the bracket K',
the treadle He, and the spring supported horn connected to said treadle, as set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fourteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four,
M DODT YE