IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING HORSE-SHOE NAILS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING HORSE-SHOE NAILS."-A com-
munication from abroad by Daniel Dodge, of Keeseville, County.
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Sealed the 19th July 1870, and dated the 23rd February 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd February 1870.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING HORSE-SHOE:
NAILS," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention relates to several improvements in the arrangement of
the operating dies, hammers, and grippers of machines for making
wrought-iron nails, and also to improvements in the apparatus for
making the nail points.

page_text: The Invention consists, first, in the combination of an anvil and
fixed die having its face at right angles to that of the anvil with a
roller revolving opposite to the face of the anvil, a hammer having a
reciprocating motion towards and away from the face of the die, and
a vibrating carrier or guide for placing the blank alternately against
the face of the anvil and die. By this arrangement the proper form
can be given to the nail without difficulty.
The Invention consists, secondly, in an improved mode of operating the
hammers of nail machines, whereby the power is applied advantageously
and without racking any part of the machinery.
The Invention consists, thirdly, in the application of a gripper which
is operated-in-such manner as to convey the rod from which the nails
are to be cut to the forging apparatus and hold it during the forging
operation, and then convey it to the knives which cut off the nails that
have been forged and pointed.
The Invention consists, fourthly, in the combination of a guide with
the aforesaid cutters for the purpose of allowing the feeding of the rod
to the desired position.
The Invention consists, fifthly, in giving to the gripper a slight
retrograde movement just when the nail is receiving the first stroke
of the side hammer for the purpose of taking up the elongation of the
metal and the consequent bending of the rod.
The Invention consists, sixthly, in such an arrangement of cutters
that the same will serve to cut the nail at the sides, producing thereby
the desired form of point. The points of the nails are therefore formed
by cutting after the nail has been reduced as much as necessary by
hammering and drawing.
Finally the Invention consists in the combination with the said
cutters of a movable finger or presser so arranged as to hold the nail
in position for cutting the point, the said finger acting before or during
the operation of cutting so as to bring the point into the centre of the
nail after the cutting has been completed.
In the manufacture of wrought-iron nails it has been found very
difficult to produce a fine and thin point by the mere hammering and
drawing operations. These difficulties are entirely overcome by this
Invention.
A strong horizontal framing of cast iron supports all the working

page_text: parts of the machine, and the anvil is fitted into a vertical recess in the
end of a block-like piece projecting inwardly from the framing, and is
secured firmly therein by a strong loop bolt, which passes horizontally
through the framing and is fitted with a nut outside. In the upper side
of the said block there is formed a horizontal bed, the bottom of which
is flush with the surface of the anvil, and to this bed is fitted a steel die
whose face forms a right angle with the face of the anvil, the said dic
being secured by set screws screwing through one side of the block and
adjusted by a screw that works through the framing of the machine.
The main shaft of the machine, which is arranged horizontally above the
anvil and die in bearings upon the framing, has opposite to the anvil a
short arm carrying at its extremity a cylindrical roller, whose face
is of nearly the same width as the anvil, the axis of the said roller
being parallel with the axis of the main shaft. The said roller is
arranged to rotate at a proper distance from the face of the anvil, said
face being of proper form for giving the desired vertical thickness and
form to the nail or article to be forged. At the side of the arm furthest
from the die the shaft is furnished with an eccentric for operating a
hammer if desired with one or more other eccentrics for counterbalancing
the said eccentric, which may moreover be also counterbalanced by a
weight attached to one side of a pulley. The principal portion of the
hammer consists of a cast block arranged to swing between two centre
points whose common axis is parallel and almost in the same vertical
plane with the face of the die before mentioned, which plane is per-
pendicular to the axis of the main shaft. The said centres are fitted
with convenient sockets, which are arranged on the framing of the
machine, and they are adjustable by means of pressure screws or other
suitable devices. The operating face of the hammer is on a steel die
which is nearly a counterpart of the fixed die before referred to, and is
arranged to face the latter. The said steel die is secured upon the shaft
of the hammer by a strong wrought-iron strap, the legs of which are
screwed and passed through the lower portion of the casting, and arc
held by nuts on the under side of the latter. The forms of the faces
of both dies are such and the approach of the hammer die to the fixed
die so regulated by the movement of the hammer and adjustment of the
dies that they will produce between them the requisite horizontal
form and thickness of nail to be forged. The connection of the
hammer with the connecting rod of the eccentric is by means of a
universal joint. A guide is also provided, through which the rod or bar

page_text: '
to be reduced passes on its way to the anvil. This guide is attached to
the upper end of a spring whose lower end is secured to an arm which
is rigidly secured to the framing of the machine, and the said spring
being acted upon by a cam attached to the hammer every time, the
latter approaches the fixed die is caused to move the guide in such a
manner obliquely to the faces of the anvil and fixed die as to raise tlie
When
rod or bar from the anvil and move it towards the said die.
the hammer moves back again the guide is also moved back by means
of the spring, and is caused to carry the rod or bar away from the
fixed die and deposit it on the anvil. This movement is to prevent
the formation of fins on those corners of the nail-whieh would other-
wise be produced between-the anvil and hammer, and between the
roller and fixed die. The employment of this guide may be dispensed
with if the anvil is so constructed that it cannot be removed during
the descent of the hammer, and if also the fixed die is so made that it
can be moved aside when the roller is put in motion. In this case the
working surfaces of the hammer and roller can be made sufficiently
wide to prevent the formation of the said fins.
For holding the rod or bar to the forging apparatus in the desired
position I provide horizontal ways on the frame for the reception of a
slider, which carries or constitutes a portion of the gripper by which the
rod is held, the said ways running in a direction to and from the forging
apparatus. On the upper surface of said slider is a projection which
constitutes the lower jaw of the gripper, the upper jaw of which is
'secured by a clamping bolt to one end of a spring, the other end of
which is bolted to the said slider, the spring being strong enough to give
the upper jaw the necessary pressure to grip the nail rod with the
requisite degree of tightness. By slackening the clamping bolt the upper
jaw may be adjusted to grip a smaller or smaller or larger nail rod. At
the back of the ways above mentioned and level with the face of the lower
jaw there is a stationary rest to support the part of the nail rod behind
the gripper on its way to the forging apparatus: Behind this rest and
some distance in front of the forging apparatus there are two stationary
cutters whose edges are nearly horizontal and about level with the face
of the rest, said cutters being at a distance apart equal to the intended
length of the nails, the one cutter being to cut the nails from the rod
and the other for cutting any surplus metal from the points of the
nails. The said cutters are so applied and secured by keys and by a

page_text: .
clamp as to be capable of adjustment and to compensate for wear.
Above the said cutters are two adjustable cutters secured by clamping
bolts to the same arm of a horizontal rocking shaft working in bearings
on the top of the framing, said adjustable cutters being intended to
operate in combination with those first mentioned with a shear-like
action to cut off the nails. Another arm of the said rocking shaft is
connected by a rod with a spring, which operates to hold up the
adjustable cutters to such an elevation as to allow the nail rod to pass
freely under them until they are to perform the cutting operation, which.
is effected by the action on another arm of the said rocking shaft of a
wiper on the horizontal shaft from which all parts of the feeding and
cutting-off apparatus derive their action. This shaft is arranged in
suitable bearings in the main framing, and derives action from the
driving shaft of the machine at a greatly reduced speed through an inter-
mediate shaft and train of spur gearing. A. cam on the said horizontal
shaft serves to impart a reciprocating motion to the gripper in the ways
on the main framing before mentioned through the agency of a two-
armed rocking shaft arranged in bearings in the lower parts of the front
of the framing, one arm of which rocking shaft which is provided with
a friction slide being kept in contact with the said cam by means of a
strong spring held against the shaft by an intermediate shank. The
other arm is connected with the slider which carries the whole of the
gripper as before mentioned. The reciprocating motion thus given to
the gripper must be equal to the distance between the position occupied
by the finished nail in the forging apparatus and the position it must
occupy over the fixed cutter to be cut off.. The cam above mentioned
contains a cavity which produces a slight retrograde movement of the
gripper from the dies just at the moment when the stroke of the hammer
is given. By this movement the bending of the nail rod which would
otherwise be produced by the elongation of the metal is prevented.
Another cam on the same shaft serves to effect the opening of the
gripper by its action upon the arm of a rocking shaft, which is arranged
in bearings just below the ways receiving the slider before described, and
which has another arm projecting forward under a pin attached to the,
spring of the gripper, and which projects downward through an opening
in the plate or slider before mentioned. Another cam upon the same
shaft serves to operate a guage consisting of a bent horizontal arm.
fitted to slide through the head of a vertical shaft, which is arranged in.
suitable bearing or bearings just behind the said ways and on one side.

page_text: of the rest and the path of the nail rod which said rest supports.
said gange is secured to the head of the said shaft by a clamping bolt,
which on having its nut unscrewed permits the adjustment of the said
gange to regulate the feed of the rod. At the bottom of the said shaft.
there is an arm which is held against the peripherical surface of the cam
operating the gauge by means of a spring carried on the framing, and
connected with said arm by a link. The movement given to the gauge
is such as to place it across the path of the nail rod, and withdraw it
sideways therefrom at suitable intervals. The cam which operates the
gauge is so formed that it will also hold the nail in position while the
point is being formed.
I will now proceed to describe-more especially the cutters' mechanism
-for-producing the point of the nail. The edges of these cutters instead
of being set at right angles to the line of the nail and nail rod are set
obliquely to the said line, so as to cut the nail in a slanting direction to
produce the desired taper. During this cutting operation the point of the
nail is exposed to the action of a finger which is fixed in a slide on the face
of the adjustable cutter. This slide is carried back and away from the
fixed cutter by a spring with which it is connected by a hook, and it is
pushed against the point of the nail by a cam fixed to the end of an arm
that projects from the rocking shaft before described as operating the
adjustable cutters. This cam works against an inclined plane formed on
the said slide, and cach time that the arm descends the slide is pushed
back, the finger reaches against the point of the nail during the operation
of cutting off, and bends the same against the elevated part of the edge
of the cutter in such a manner as to let it take a central position
between both sides. A fixed guide holds the nail rod in position while
the cutters are raised, this guide being arranged just above the fixed
cutter in a fixed stock, where it is retained by a screw.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the entire machine.
After the nail has been properly formed by the combined action of the
roller and hammer before mentioned the slide or conveying gripper
arrests the motion of the rod in such a manner as to bring the nail
into position for being cut. At the same time the gauge advances,
touches the nail, and holds it in position while it is being cut off. The
adjustable cutters will now descend, that one which is to cut the point
being slightly in advance. This advancing cutter cuts the inner side
towards the point of the nail, and during this operation the finger

page_text: advances towards the point of the nail, which it bends and presses
against the elevated portion of the cutting edge of the fixed cutter. The
other cutter will now fulfil its office, and the finished nail will fall into
a suitable receptacle. The gauge next advances into position to arrest
the nail rod for the formation of another nail. The spring of the gripper.
is next elevated, allowing the operator to push the nail rod against the
gauge. The gripper now descends and takes hold of the nail rod, the
gauge moving back into its first position, while the gripper passes
forward carrying the extremity of the nail rod under the cylinder and
hammer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in. the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th August 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MAKING HORSE-SHOE NAILS," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Daniel Dodge, of Keeseville, County of
Essex, and State of New York, United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thercon (that is to say) :—
This Invention relates to several improvements in-the-arrangement
of the operating disc, hammers, and grippers of machines for making
wrought-iron-horse-shoe nails, and also to improvements in the apparatus
for forming the nail points.
The Invention consists, first, in the combination of an anvil and fixed
die having its face at right angles to that of the anvil with a roller
revolving opposite to the face of the anvil, a hammer having a reci-
procating motion towards and away from the face of the die, and a
vibrating carrier or guide for placing the blank alternately against the
face of the anvil and die. By this arrangement the proper form can be
given to the nail without difficulty.
The Invention consists, secondly, in an improved mode of operating
the hammers of nail machines, whereby the power is applied advan-
tageously and without racking any part of the machinery.
The Invention consists, further, in the application of a gripper which
is operated in such manner as to convey the rod from which the
nails are to be cut to the forging apparatus, and hold it during the
forging operation, and then convey it to the knives which cut off the
nails that have been forged and pointed.
The Invention consists, fourthly, in the combination of a guide with
the aforesaid cutters for the purpose of allowing the feeding of the rod
to the desired position.
The Invention consists, fifthly, in giving to the gripper a slight
retrograde movement just when the nail is receiving the first stroke
of the side hammer for the purpose of taking up the elongation of the
metal and the consequent bending of the rod.
The Invention consists, sixthly, in such an arrangement of cutters
that the same will serve to cut the nail at the sides, producing thereby

page_text: the desired form of point. The points of the nails are therefore formed
by cutting after the nail has been reduced as much as necessary by
hammering and drawing.
Finally, the Invention consists in the combination with the said
cutters of a movable finger or presser so arranged as to hold the nail in
position for cutting the point, the said finger acting before or during the
operation of cutting, so as to bring the point into the centre of the nail
after the cutting has been completed.
In the manufacture of wrought-iron nails it has been found very
difficult to produce a fine and thin point by the mere hammering and
drawing operations. These difficulties are entirely overcome by this
Invention.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 represents a vertical longi-
tudinal section of my improved nail machine, the plane of section being
indicated by the line x, x, Figure 3; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the
same; Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same taken on the plane
of the line y, y, Figure 1; Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the
hammer; Figure 5 is a detail vertical section of the machine taken on
the plane of the line, , Figure 3; Figure 6 is a vertical transverse
section on an enlarged scale of the machine, the plane of section being
indicated by the line x¹, x', Figure 5; Figure 7 is a detached plan or
top view of the apparatus for forming the points of the nails; Figure 8.
is a vertical section of the same taken on the plane of the line y¹, y¹,
Figure 7; Figure 9 is a plan view of a finished nail. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
a
A in the Drawing is a strong horizontal framing of cast iron which
supports all the working parts of the machine; B is the anvil, which is
fitted into a vertical recess in the end of a block-like piece A*, which
projects inwardly from the framing and is secured firmly therein by
a strong loop bolt a, Figures 1 and 2, which passes horizontally through
the framing, and is fitted with
nut 6 outside. In the upper side of
the block A✶ there is formed a horizontal bed c, c, the bottom of which
is flush with the surface of the anvil, and to this bed is fitted the steel
die C, whose face forms a right angle with the face of the anvil, the
said die being secured by set screws d screwing through one side of
the block A*, and adjusted by a screw that works through the
framing A; D is the main shaft of the machine arranged horizontally
above the anvil and die in bearings e, e, upon the framing A. This

page_text: shaft has opposite to the anvil a short arm D', which carries at its
extremity a cylindrical roller E whose face is of nearly the same width
as the anvil, the axis of the said roller being parallel with the axis of
the shaft D. The said roller is arranged to rotate at a proper distance
from the face of the anvil, the said face being of proper form for giving
the desired vertical thickness and form to the nail to be forged. At the
side of the arm D' furthest from the die C the shaft D is furnished with
an eccentric D**, Figure 2, for operating the hammer F, G, and if
desired with one or more other eccentrics for counterbalancing the
eccentric D**, which may morcover be also counterbalanced by a weight
attached to one side of a pulley. The principal portion F of the hammer
consists of a cast block, whose form is best scen-and-explained-by
Figure 4. It is arranged to swing between two centre points f, ƒ,
Figure 1, whose common axis is parallel and almost in the same
vertical plane with the face of the die C, which plane is perpendicular to
the axis of the main shaft. The said centres fare fitted with convenient
sockets, which are arranged on the frame A, and they are adjustable by
means of pressure screws or other devices, as is indicated in Figure 1 of
the Drawing. The operating face of the hammer is on the steel die G,
which is nearly a counterpart of the fixed die C and is arranged to face
the latter. The said die G is arranged upon the portion F of the hammer
by a strong wrought-iron strap h, the legs of which are screwed and
pass through the lower portion of the casting and are held by nuts.i on
the under side of the latter. The forms of the faces of the two dies C, G,
are such, and the approach of the hammer die G to the fixed die C so
regulated by the movement of the hammer and adjustment of the dies,
that they will produce between them the requisite horizontal form
and thickness of nail to be forged. The connection of the hammer with
the connecting rod H of the eccentric D** is by means of a universal
joint J, K; I is a guide through which a rod or bar to be reduced
passes on its way to the anvil. This guide is attached to the upper end
of a spring J*, whose lower end is secured to an arm K* which is rigidly
secured to the frame A, and the said spring being acted upon by a
cam L attached to the hammer every time the latter approaches the
dic C is caused to move the guide in such a manner obliquely to the
faces of the anvil and dic C as to
and move it towards the said die.
the guide is also moved back by
carry the rod or bar away from the die C and deposit it on the anvil.
raise the rod or bar from the anvil
When the hammer moves back again
means of the spring, and is caused to

page_text: This movement is to prevent the formation of fins on those corners of
the nail which would otherwise be produced between the anvil B and
hammer F, G, and between the roller E and fixed die C. The employment
of this guide may be dispensed with if the anvil is so constructed that it
cannot be removed during the descent of the hammer, and if also the
dic C is so made that it can be moved aside when the roller is put in
motion. In this case the working surfaces of the hammer and roller
can be made sufficiently wide to prevent the formation of the said fins.
For holding the rod or bar to the forging apparatus in the desired
position I provide the frame A with horizontal ways a¹, a¹, for thic
reception of the slider B' which carries or constitutes a portion of the
gripper by which the rod is held, the said ways running in a direction
to and from the forging apparatus. On the upper surface of the slider B¹
is a projection ', which constitutes the lower jaw of the gripper, the
upper jaw b² of which is secured by a clamping bolt c¹ to one end of a
spring B, the other end of which is bolted to the slider B', said spring
being strong enough to give the jaw b² the necessary pressure to grip the
mail rod with the requisite degree of tightness. By slackening the
clamping bolt c¹ the jaw & may be adjusted to grip a smaller or larger
nail rod. At the back of the ways a', a', and level with the face of the
lower jaw there is a stationary rest d' to support the part of the nail
rod behind the gripper on its way to the forging apparatus, and behind
the rest and some distance in front of the forging apparatus there are
two stationary cutters e¹, e², whose edges are nearly horizontal and about
level with the face of the rest d', said cutters being at a distance apart
equal to the intended length of the nails, the cutter e¹ being to cut the
nails from the rod, and the cutter e for cutting any surplus metal from
the points of the nails. The said cutters are so applied and secured by
keys ff, and by a clamp X as to be capable of adjustment and to
compensate for wear. Above the cutters c¹, e², are two adjustable
cutters g¹, g², secured by clamping bolts h¹, ², to the same arm I' of a
horizontal rocking shaft I2 working in bearings on the top of the
framing A, said cutters g¹, g², being intended to operate in combination
with these e¹, e³, with a shear-like action to cut off the nails. An arm Is
of the said rocking shaft I is connected by a rod J' with a spring J,
which operates to hold up cutters g³, g³, to such an elevation as to allow
the nail rod to pass freely under them until they are desired to have the

page_text: requisite movement to effect the cutting operation, which is effected by
the action on an arm I' of the said rocking shaft of a wiper K² on the
horizontal shaft K¹, from which all parts of the feeding and cutting-off
apparatus derive their action. The shaft K is arranged in suitable
bearings in the main framing A, and derives action from the shaft D of
the machine at a greatly reduced speed through an intermediate shaft Q,
and a train of spur gearing M, N, O. A cam K³ on the said shaft K'
serves to impart a reciprocating motion to the gripper in the ways a¹, a',
through the agency of a two-armed rocking shaft R arranged in bearings
in the lower parts of the front of the framing A, one arm R' of the said
rocking shaft which is provided with a friction-slide being kept in
contact with the said cam-by-means of a strong spring S, which is by an
_intermediate shank held on the shaft R', the other arm R² being con-
nected with the slider B¹ which carries the whole of the gripper. The
reciprocating motion thus given to the gripper must be equal to the
distance between the position occupied by the finished nail in the forging
apparatus and the position it must occupy over the cutter e' to be cut
off. By referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the cam K³ contains a
cavity K', which produces a slight retrograde movement of the gripper
from the dies just at the moment when the stroke of the hammer is
given. By this movement the bending of the nail rod which would
otherwise be produced by the clongation of the metal is prevented.
Another cam K on the shaft K¹ serves to effect the opening of the
gripper by its action upon the arm T of a rocker T', which is arranged
in bearings just below the ways a¹, a', and which has another arm t
projecting forward under a pin i', which is attached to the spring B² of
the gripper, and which projects downward through an opening in the
plate B. Another cam Kª upon the same shaft serves to operate the
guage V. The guage V, best shown in Figure 3, consists of a bent
horizontal arm fitted to slide through the head of a vertical shaft W
which is arranged in suitable bearing or bearings just behind the
ways a, a, and on one side of the rest d' and the path of the nail rod.
The said guage is secured to the head of the said shaft W by a clamping
bolt, which on having its nut unscrewed permits the adjustment of
the said guage to regulate the feed of the rod. At the bottom of the
said shaft W there is an arm W¹, which is held against the peripherical
surface of the cam K, as shown in Figure 3, by means of a spring K
connected with it by a link 7. The movement given to the guage is

page_text: such as to place it across the path of the nail rod and withdraw it side-
ways therefrom at suitable intervals. The cam which operates thic
guage is so formed that it will accomplish the additional feat of holding
the nail in position while the point is being formed.
cutters e², 9, and
The edges of the
line of the nail
I will now proceed to describe more especially the
the mechanism for producing the point of the nail.
cutters e, g, instead of being set at right angles to the
and nail rod, sec the red lines in the different Figures, are set obliquely
to the said line so as to cut the nail in a slanting direction to produce
the desired taper, as indicated in Figure 7. During this cutting operation
the point of the nail is exposed to the action of a finger f' which is
fixed in a slide p on the face of the cutter 92. This slide p is carried
back and away from the cutter e by a spring q, with which it is
connected by a hook, and it is pushed against the point of the nail by a
cam S¹ fixed to the end of an arm t¹ that projects from the rocking
shaft I. This cam S¹ works against an inclined plane z which is formed
on the slide p, and each time that the arm or slide descends the slide
is pushed back, the finger reaches against the point of the nail during
the operation of cutting off, and bends the same against the elevated
part of the cutting edge of e in such a manner as to let it take a
central position between both sides, as in Figure 9. A fixed guide d³,
Figure 6, holds the nail rod in position while the cutters are raised; this
guide is arranged just above the fixed cutter e¹ in a fixed stock G¹,
where it is retained by a screw e*. This guide d² enables the operator to
hold the nail rod in position.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the entire machine.
After the nail has been properly formed by the combined action of the
roller E and hammer G, the slide or conveying gripper B₁ arrests the
motion of the nail rod in such a manner as to bring the nail into
position for being cut. At the same time the guage V advances, touches
the nail, and holds it in position while it is being cut off.. The
cutters e³, g, will now descend, that one which is to cut the point being
slightly in advance. This advancing cutter cuts the inner side towards
the point of the nail, and during this operation the finger f* advances
towards the point of the nail, which it bends and presses against the
clevated portion of the cutting edge of the fixed cutter. The cutter g¹

page_text: 7th. The finger for its equivalent operating in combination with
the upper cutter and with a fixed guide guage, substantially as and for
the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof,. I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hercunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August Onc
thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
Wч. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lanc.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)