Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Driving Tacks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1396
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Driving Tacks.
I, ALBERT EDWARD STIRCKLER, of 200 Kettering Road, Northampton, in the
County of Northampton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for driving tacks intended more particularly
for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes and has for its object to provide
means whereby the tacks are automatically fed into proper position to be separately
acted on by the striker or hammer by which the tacks are driven into the work
and to provide for the hammer driving only one tack even if their heads vary in
size. The tacks are placed in a chamber preferably of a conical form arranged
with the axis horizontally. One end of this conical chamber is fixed to a suitable
support whilst the opposite end and the periphery of this chamber is capable of
revolving on a stationary shaft or spindle and on rollers carried on the stationary
or fixed end of the said chamber. On the stationary shaft or spindle on which the
rotary portion of the chamber turns is a disc carrying rollers on which one end of
the rotatory periphery of the chamber runs. The interior surface of the conical
part of this chamber has longitudinal flutes or grooves into which flutes or grooves
the tacks enter. They are then carried up or elevated thereby when the said
portion of the chamber is rotating. In the interior of the chamber is a hopper
having inclined sides into which hopper the tacks elevated by the grooved portion
of the chamber fall, a hood or cover being provided to prevent the tacks from
entering between and interfering with the moving parts of the apparatus. In the
bottom of the hopper is a longitudinal groove or slot into which the points of the
tacks enter. Fitted to slide up and down in guides in the stationary disc in one
end of the tack chamber is a bar having a projection which passes from beneath
into and through the slot in the bottom of the hopper the said bar being pressed
upwards by a spring and depressed intermittently by a cam surface carried by the
rotating portion of the chamber. Any other suitable means may be provided to
impart agitation to the tacks in the hopper so as to prevent crowding and cause the
said tacks to enter the slot in the hopper with their points downwards. The
slotted bottom of the hopper extends outwards from the hopper and is hinged to
and forms a continuation of an inclined slotted guide or shute fixed to the non-
rotating end of the chamber down which slotted shute the tacks descend with their
pointed ends downwards, a removable gate or stop being provided at the lower end
of the shute to prevent the tacks from passing out therefrom.
The tack driver is made separate from the feeding device described and when
required to Le used is hooked on to the lower end of the shute herein before
described the said tack driver being provided with an inclined shute which when
the driver is attached to the tack feeding device coincides with and forms a
continuation of the shute projecting from the said feeding device so that when the
stop or gate in the lower end of the shute is removed or opened the tacks will
descend the inclined shute on the driver and the lowermost tack will enter a
chamber in the lower end of the body of the tack driver beneath the plunger or
driver proper. To prevent the tacks from falling from the chamber through the
nozzle of the driver, there is provided in the side of the chamber opposite where

page_text: the tacks enter, a magnet by which the lowermost tack is held in position and in
order to separate the lowermost tack when in the chamber, from those in the shute
there is provided in the body of the driver a slot or opening at right angles to the
entrance to the chamber, in which slot or opening is fitted to slide a blade carried
on a lever or arm hinged to the body of the driver, which blade when the plunger
or driver proper is in its elevated position normally (by gravity or by a spring)
closes the outlet from the shute into the chamber. On the lever or arm which
carries this separating blade there is a projection against which the plunger or
driver proper in its descent comes into contact and forces the lever or arm
outwards so as to remove the blade from opposite the outlet from the shute, and
retains it in this position until the lower end of the driver proper rises above the
said outlet, whereupon the lowermost tack in the shute will pass into the chamber
and the plunger having left the projection on the lever or arm, the blade thereon
will automatically enter between the tack in the chamber and the then lowermost
tack in the shute and so prevent more than one tack from entering the chamber.
In case the head of the lowermost tack then in the shute should project over the
separating blade, and if the operating end of the driver proper correspond in shape
with the chamber there would be danger of the driver in its descent striking the
overbanging head of the tack and cause inconvenience or damage to the apparatus,
and in order to prevent this, I flatten, groove or eut away the side of the driver
which faces the outlet from the shute and thereby ensure the driver acting only on
the head of the tack retained in the chamber by the magnet. The descent of
the plunger or driver proper is effected by hand and the ascent thereof by means
of a spring in the ordinary manner. The nozzle of the driver inay be magnetic if
desired.
Dated this 7th day of January 1896
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Driving Tacks.
I ALBERT EDWARD STIRCKLER of 200 Kettering Road, Northampton, in
the County of Northampton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to apparatus for driving tacks intended more particularly
for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes and has for its object to provide
meaus whereby the tacks are automatically fed into proper position to be
separately acted on by the striker or hammer by which the tacks are driven into
the work and to provide for the hammer driving only one tack at a time even if
their heads vary in size, and also improved means for charging the tacker with
tacks. The tacker is charged with tacks from a chamber preferably of a conical
form arranged with the axis horizontally. One end of this chamber is fixed to a
suitable support whilst the opposite end and the cylindrical or conical portion of
this chamber is capable of revolving on a stationary shaft or stud and on rollers
carried on the stationary or fixed end of the said chamber. On the stationary
shaft or stud on which the rotary portion of the chamber turns is a disc carrying
rollers on which one end of the said rotatory portion runs. The interior surface
of the conical part of this chamber has longitudinal projections flutes or grooves
by which the tacks are carried up or elevated when the rotary portion of the
chamber is rotating. In the interior of the chamber is a hopper into which
the tacks, elevated by the projections or grooved portion of the chamber, fall, a

page_text: hood or cover being provided to prevent the tacks from entering between and
interfering with the moving parts of the apparatus. In the bottom of the hopper
is a longitudinal groove or slot into which the points of the tacks enter. Fitted to
slide up and down in guides on the stationary disc in one end of the tack chamber
is a bar to which the hopper is loosely attached. Beneath the hopper is a
projection which, as the hopper descends, passes into and through the slot in the
bottom of the hopper thereby imparting agitation to the tacks in the hopper 1
prevent them from crowding or obstructing the passage for the tacks along the
slot, and cause the said tacks to enter the slot in the hopper with their point-
downwards. The slotted bottom of the hopper extends outwards from the hopper
and is hinged to and forms a continuation of an inclined slotted guide or chute
fixed to the non-rotating end of the chamber down which slotted chute the tacks
descend with their pointed ends downwards, a removable gate, or stop being
provided at the lower end of the chute to prevent the tacks from passing out
iberefrom.
To
The tacker is made separate from the tack feeding device described, and when
required to be charged is hooked on to the lower end of the chute hereinbefore.
referred to the said tacker being provided with an inclined chute which when the
tacker is attached to the tack-feeding device coincides with and forms
continuation of the chute projecting from the said feeding device su that when the
stop or gate in the lower end of the chute is removed or opened the tacks can pass
therefrom into the chute on the tacker until the said chute is fully charged with
tacks. The lowermost tack passes into a chamber, at the lower end of the chute
of the tacker, to beneath the haminer or driver proper. To prevent the tack
from falling from this chamber through the nozzle of the tacker there is provided
in the side of the chamber opposite where the tacks enter the said chamber, a
magnet by which the lowermost tack is attracted and held in position.
separate the lowermost tack from those in the chute there is provided in the
chamber at the lower end of the chute a slot or opening in which is fitted to slide
a blade carried on a lever or arm hinged to the body of the tacker which blade
when the plunger carrying the driver proper is in its elevated position, normally
(by gravity or by a spring) closes the outlet from the chute into the chamber.
On the lever or arm which carries this separating blade there is a projection
against which the plunger in its descent comes into contact, and forces the lever
or arm outwards so as to remove the blade from opposite the outlet from the chute
and retains it in this position until the lower end of the plunger rises above the
said projection on the lever, whereupon the lowermost tack in the chute will pass
into the chamber and the blade on the lever will automatically enter between the
tack in the chamber and the then lowermost tack in the chute, and so prevent
more than one tack at a time from entering the chamber. In case the head of the
lowermost tack then in the chute should project over the separating blade, and if
the operating end of the hammer or driver proper corresponded in shape with that
of the passage in the chamber in which it works, there would be danger of the
hammer in its descent striking the overhanging head of the tack and causing
inconvenience or damage to the apparatus. To prevent thi, the side of the
hammer which faces the outlet from the chute is flattened grooved ur cut away,
thereby ensuring the said hammer acting only on the head of the tack retained in
the chamber by the magnet. The descent of the plunger is effectel by hand and
the ascent thereof by means of a spring in the ordinary manner.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will farther describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 of which
represents in longitudinal vertical section the tacker and tack charging device
connected together. Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same on the line 1-2
Figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 are sections on the line 3-4 Figure 1 looking towards
the ends A and A respectively of the chamber A. Figures 5 and 6 are
elevations at right angles to each other of the ticker detached from the tark

page_text: feeder. A is the chamber containing the tacks to be fed into the tacker the tacks
being fed into the said chamber through a suitable opening (not shewn in the
drawings) provided for the purpose. One end A' of this chamber is fixed to a
standard B on the base C of the apparatus whilst the opposite end A' and the
conical portion A are mounted loosely on a stationary shaft or stud D carried in a
standard B2 on the base C. On a collar or boss a on the end A' of the
chamber A is keyed a driving wheel or pulley E by means of which the said end A'
and the conical part of the chamber can be rotated, the opposite or smaller end
of the conical part being supported on rollers a carried on the stationary
end A of the said chamber. Projecting from the interior surface of the conical
portion of the chamber are longitudinal ribs or projections a³ which, when the
chamber is rotating, elevate the tacks contained in the said chamber and cause
them to fall onto a double inclined surface or hopper F. This hopper has at the
bottom, where the inclined surfaces meet, a narrow groove or opening e into
which the shanks of the tacks enter and down which they pass into a chute G
secured to and passing through an opening in the stationary end A of the
chamber A. The hopper F is connected to the end of the chute G (which
is in the interior of the chamber A) by a hinged connection and receives n
vibratory or up and down motion.
On the rotary portion of the chamber A is a cam surface H with which a roller
is held in contact by a spring i the roller h being carried on a bar or plate I fitted
to slide up and down guides or in a groove k in a disc K formed in one with or fast
on the shaft or stud D which carries the rotary portion of the chamber, which
disc K carries rollers on which the rotary portion of the chamber bears. To the
sliding bar or plate I is loosely connected the hopper F so that as the cam surface
forces this bar down it also causes the hopper to turn downwards ou
hinge g against the pressure of a spring by which spring the bar or plate
and the hopper F are raised and the roller h kept in contact with the cam
surface H.
its
To the stationary disc K is fixed a projection which when the hopper is
depressed enters and passes through the slot e in the bottom of the hopper, so that
by the reciprocating motion of the hopper combined with the projection the tacks
in the hopper are agitated and prevented from clogging the slot and the tacks are
caused to enter the slot e with their pointed ends downwards. g is a shield or bood
to prevent the tacks from entering between the moving parts of the apparatus
as to interfere with their proper action. The tacks pass with their points down-
wards from the hopper F into the chute G until the said chute is filled with tacks,
the tacks being prevented from passing out at the lower end of the chute by a
removable stop or gate l.
The tack driver or tacker carries an inclined chute G2 provided at its upper end
with hooked projections L to engage with a rod or bar L on the lower end of the
chute G of the tack feeder and thereby connect the tacker to the said tack feeder.
In the act of making this connection the chute G2 comes into contact with an arm
which carries the stop or gate 1, causing the said stop or gate to move from the
passage in the chute G so as to admit of the tacks passing from the said chute into
the chute G of the tacker. When the chute G2 is charged with tacks the tacker
is detached from the chute G whereupou the stop or gate l, will, under the action
of the spring, return into position and close the passage through the said chute
and prevent the tacks from passing therefrom. The tacks while passing down the
chute G2 are supported, with their pointed ends downwards, the heads of the tacks
engaging in grooves e in the cheeks or sides of the chute. The lowermost tack is
separated from the rest of the tacks in the chute G2 by a blade n carried on a lever
arm N pivotted to the body P of the tacker the said blade passing through an
opening in the chanber O and being pressed inwards between the shank of the
lowermost tack and that of the next lowermost one in the chute by a
The separated tack enters the chamber U the side of which chamber opposite to
spring 'n.

page_text: that at which the tacks enter, being magnetic, so that the tack is attracted thereby,
and held in position to be driven into the work by the lescent of the hammer or
driver proper Q.
On the lever arın N is a projection N, which enters the passage in which slides
the plunger Q carrying the driver proper, the lower end of which plunger whea
depressed to drive a tack into the work comes into contact with the projection N'
and forces the separator blade n outwards so as to admit of the then lowerm st
tack in the chute G descending into position to enter the chamber O when the
driver proper Q rises above the said tack. When the lower end of the plunger Q
rises above the projection N' the blade under the action of the spring
is forced between the said lowermost tack and the tacks above as before
described.
The driver proper Q is flattened or hollowed out on the side which faces the
passage through which the tacks pass from the chute into the chamber O so
that should the head of the next tack to enter the chamber project into the
passage in which the driver proper works the said driver will not strike the
Faid projecting head and the operation of the driver on only one tack at a time
is ensured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for feeding tacks into a tack driver or tacker a rotary chamber
to contain the tacks to be fed into the tacker one end of the said chamber being
stationary and connected to a chute by which the tacks are conducted into the
tacker the rotary portion of the chamber being provided in the interior with longi-
tudinal ribs or projections which when the chamber is rotated elevate the tacks
and cause them to fall into a hopper or onto a double inclined surface in the
interior of the chamber by which the tacks are conducted into the chute with their
pointed ends downwards substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for feeding tacks into a tack driver or tacker the combination
of a rotary chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the tacker one end of the
said chamber being stationary and provided with a chute down which the tacks
pass with their pointed ends downwards; a gate or stop to prevent the tacks
from parsing out of the chute; a hopper or double inclined surface in the interior
of the chamber into or on to which the tacks are caused to fall by the rotation of
the chamber; and, means for imparting to the hopper or double inclined surface an
up and down reciprocating motion, substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
3. In apparatus for feeding tacks into a tack driver or tacker the combination
of a rotary chamber to contain the tacks to be fed into the tacker one end of the
snid chamber being stationary and provided with a chute down which the tacks
pass with their pointed ends downwards; a hopper or double inclined surface in
the interior of the chamber into or onto which the tacks fall when the chamber is
rotated the said hopper or double inclined surface having a slot in the bottom,
where the inclined surfaces meet and a projection which enters the slot for agitating
the tacks contained in the hopper or on the double inclined surface to prevent the
tacks from clogging in or obstructing their passage along the slot substantially as
bereinbefore described.
4. In tack drivers or tackers a driver proper having the side which faces the
passage through which the tacks pass into position to be operated on by the driver
proper, flattened or hollowed out so as to ensure the driver acting on only one tack
at a time substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting apparatus for feeding
tacks to tack drivers or tackers substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 und 4 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting improvements in tack
drivers or tackers substantially as berein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of October 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.