Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
I, RICHARD ALVIN BREUL, of 32, Seymour Street, Bridgeport, United States of
America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tack-machines, and
more particularly to that class wherein tacks are produced from wire being taken
from a coil or other similar continuous supply.
It is the object of my invention to construct a machine of the above class
which shall be entirely automatic in all its operations and whereby a completed
tack of an improved character may be produced; to construct a simple, durable,
and light running machine which will not require the services of a constant
attendant and which by a series of novel operations will produce tacks or sharp
pointed nails without scrap and waste, perfectly pointed, and of uniform shape
and made harder, smoother and stronger than the well known cut tacks in
general use.
It is further an important object of my invention to increase the capacity of
tack machines, which in the present instance I accomplish principally by severing
and operating upon two blanks simultaneously and producing two completed
tacks with each revolution of the main shaft.
I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide machinery for producing
duplicate blanks in the art of making wire nails. However, in as much as the
shape of a tack differs from a nail, the machinery therefor of necessity must
possess distinguishing features, and requires somewhat different methods, opera-
tions, mechanism and tools, than those needed for and contained in a nail
machine.
With the above objects in view, my invention resides and consists in the novel
construction and combination of parts shown in the accompanying drawings
forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference
denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures, and of which:
Figure 1 shows a plan view of my improved machine complete, the parts
being, in the act of feeding the wire forward and the swaging device closing
upon the severed blanks.
Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the machine as seen from the
right of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a central vertical cross section, on line a- of Figure 1, tha
mechanism being shown in the act of heading a tack.
Figure 4 is a similar cross section, but taken on line b-b of Figure 1, the
position of the parts agreeing with those of said figure.
023

page_text: Figure 5 is a cross section taken at a right angle to the preceding sections
and on line c of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional plan view, illustrating the mechanism
for severing the blanks and shifting said blanks in position to be swaged.
Figures 7 and 8 show a detail plan and side elevation respectively of the
movable die holder for severing the blanks, and illustrated in the preceding
figures.
Figure 9 is an enlarged detail sectional plan view of the swaging dies, the
same being in the act of closing upon the wire blanks prior to their removal to
the heading dies, the position of the parts in said figure agreeing substantially
with Figure 1.
Figure 10 shows a similarly enlarged view, the dies however, being closed
upon the blanks and in the act of transferring them to the headers.
Figure 11 illustrates the further and final operation, namely that of heading
the tacks, after which they are discharged from, the machine,
Figures 12, 13, 14, and 15 illustrate the respective operations necessary to pro-
duce a tack in accordance with my improved machine.
Figures 16 and 17 illustrate modified forms of tacks which can likewise be
produced by my machine with but slight alterations in the shape of the swaging
dies.
As will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings, the wire from which
the tacks are produced in my machine is fed forward to the position shown in
Figury G, after which the cutter operates to sever or punch out the blank
indicated by A and as is clearly shown in Figure 13. This operation leaves a like
blank at the wire end, which blank is grasped by the transporter and carried
along lengthwise and in line with the feed wire between and to the opposite side
of the swaging dies which move together while the second blank is also pushed
forward by a feeding movement of the wire supply. As soon as both blanks
are properly placed between the clamping dics, the latter close upon and hold them
as will be apparent from Figures 9 and 10. After the transporter has been
retracted and is disengaged from its respective blank said dies carrying the two
blanks move sideways and toward and into line with the heading dies. At the
termination of said movement, said swaging dies are subjected to a heavy pressure
which serves to center the points & form or swage the two blanks simultaneously
from the shape shown in Figure 13 to that shown in Figure 14, which consists of
producing a round upper end, a square body portion as shown at a, and a diamond
or lance shape tapering end as shown at b, which terminates in a sharp point.
After said swaging operation the headers move inward forming a rivet-like head
from the exposed uppor end of the blank, after which said dies return separately
while the stripper operates to eject the tacks from the dies. All the above
operations are repeated in quick succession and same rotation.
Referring to the characters of reference marked upon the drawings, 1 indicates
& table, 2 a bed and 3 a driving shaft journaled in bearings secured to the rear
posts 4 connecting said bed and table. 5 is a power wheel secured to said shaft
and 6 and 7 cams upon said shaft and having grooved camed surfaces 6ª, 66, 6º,
and 7ª, 7º, and 7º, respectively, by means of which levers are manipulated to
perform their respective operations as will later be more fully explained. Said
shaft is further provided (see Figs. 3 and 5) with eccentrics 8 and 9 which
through suitable mechanism operate the heading rams us will also be again and
more specifically referred to. As previously stated, the wire from which tacks
are produced by my machine, is preferably taken from a continuous supply, as
for instance a coil. It may feed into the machine through any suitable straighten-
ing device, as for instance, a series of rollers as indicated by 10 shown in Figure 1.
The feeding device is likewise to some extent unimportant, the only special
feature being that said operation in the present instance is being accomplished
by two forward movements instead of the one continuous movement generally
necessary in devices of this class.

page_text: The feeding device in the present instanco consists of race 11 in which slide 12
operates and through the medium of the pivoted toggle 13 which in turn is
actuated by a bell crank lever 14, the latter being pivoted at 15 and bearing a
roller to engage and be operated by the cam groove 7", previously mentioned.
It is apparent that with each coniplete rotation of said cam the feed slide is
thrown to and fro and a length of wire fed into the dies as shown in Figures 6
and 12, sufficient to produce two tacks.
The next operation is that of severing the blanks which is accomplished through
the medium of lever 16 pivoted to the stud 17 and operated by the groove 6ª of
cam 6, in a manner to manipulate the arm 18 pivoted at 19. Adjacent to this arm
and pivoted to the press frame 20 is a die holder 21 (see Figures 6, 7 and 8) which
is connected by means of the link 22 to the arm 18 before mentioned, it thus
being apparent that with each manipulation of said arm the die holder 21 is
likewise moved upon its pivot by a slight downward and a quick return move-
ment to its normal position thereby returning the severed blank A to register
with the line of the feed wire, as will be apparent. The wire cutter preferably
consists of a hardened steel die 23 of the shape shown in the figures above referred to
and is set in and rigidly carried by the holder 21 before mentioned.
Said
die contains a channel 24 through which the wire is fed and in which the blank A
is rotained while being cut from the main stock. The outer surface 25 of said
die is straight and at a right angle to the length of the wire, and when operated
in connection with die 26 cuts the square end of the blank. The opposite cutting
face 27 of said die 23 is bevalled and when operated against the fixed and corre-
spondingly bevelled shaped die 28, serves to sever both blanks obliquely, as
shown in Figure 12, the second blank being the wire end, shaped just like blank A,
Figure 13. The press frame 20 together with its end braces 20" is rigid and
self sustaining so that the large strain necessary for swaging may not react on
and weaken the bed casting. The press is held in place in the bed by ways and
by screws in the end braces.
Through the press frame 20 and a bracket 29 is slidably mounted a trans-
porter 30 the forward end of which is provided with a yieldable spring 31 as
clearly appears in Figures 6. The action of this spring is to grasp the end of
the forward blank when brought into engagement with it, to remove said blank
from the channel of the die 28 and transfer it to the position shown in Figure 9,
until in turn removed from the transporter by the action of the swaging dies.
Said transporter is manipulated (see Figure 4) through a bell crank lever 32
pivoted to a stud 33, and a lever 34 pivoted to post 35 bearing a roller 36, the
latter engaging the cam surface 7° of the cam 7. It will thus be seen that the
action of these parts simply cause a forward and backward sliding movement of
the transporter and that upon engagement of a blank in a corresponding central
cavity in the end of the transporter, the spring acts to retain it there until
removed by the clamping or swaging dios.
It may be stated here, that in order to produce suitable blanks with oblique
cuts, it is necessary to do these cutting operations in dies having channels enclosing
the wire. On account of the long oblique cut necessary for a tack point, the
two blanks would be wedged tightly together and into the channel, if a con-
tinuous forward movement were imparted to them.
The swaging dies 37 and 38 are slidably operated in ways 39 of the press
frame, and are each provided with a reciprocating movement through the follow-
ing mechanisms. The die 38 is reciprocated by a lever 40 pivoted to the stud 41
and operated by the engagement of its roller 42 with the cam groove 6b of the
cam 6. The other slide 37 is operated through a toggle and lever connection
(see Figures 4 and 5) as follows: Within the press frame 20 is a fixed pin 43
to which one end of the link 44 is connected, the opposite end being connected
with link 45 which is in like manner attached to the slide 37. From link 45
is suspended a yoke 46 which is engaged by the lever 47 pivoted to post 35 and

page_text: operated by engagement with the cam groove 7b of the cam 7. It will be
apparent from the foregoing construction that the slide 37 is afforded a recipro-
cating movement and that when near its extreme closed position, the toggle
levers will be well up into the press frame and when brought to a complete hori-
zontal position great force is exerted upon the die on slide 37 which is utilized
to swage the blank into the shape shown in Figure 14. the force of said operation
being exerted through said die and against the die in slide 38 which remains
stationary during said swaging operation.
The movement of these dies with relation to each other is substantially as
follows: Beginning with Figure 9 the parts close simultaneously upon the two
blanks and then all move together to the right as indicated by arrows in
Figure 10, without altering the shape of the blanks. When said tack blanks are
brought into line with the heading rams, the movement of the die 38 becomes
checked and by the toggle movement of the die slide 37 above referred to, said
blanks are swaged as stated, whereupon said rams are moved inward and the
heads formed, thus completing the tacks. While die 37 commences to recede, the
die 38 remains in its position until after the strimmer onerates to remove the tacks
which may be retained in either one of said dies. Thereafter the dies assume
the position shown in Figure 6, so that there may be sufficient room between the
dies for admitting the transporter 30 to carry the next wire blank to the opposite
side of these swaging dies.
The heading rams 48 and 481 as will be seen. upon an inspection of Figures 1
and 3, are mounted to slide in the press frame 20 and brackets 49 secured to the
bed. These heading rams are afforded a short lengthwise movement through
links 50 and 50¹ connected therewith and to the eccentrics 8 and 9 before men-
tioned, which are so arranged or timed that the rams open and close simul-
taneously and are returned out of the way when dies 37 and 38 make their return
movement.
A very strong and safe pressure can be exerted by the headers arranged as
above, as all the counterstrain on said headers is taken up by the connecting
links and the eccentrics 8 and 9, which are either formed in one piece or held
firmly together. None at all. or only an insionificant strain is thereby taken up
by the bed of the machine, and none by the shaft. as an equal pressure is exerted
and sustained from opposite sides of the shaft. This is a desirable improvement
on present rivet head-forming mechanism wherein the heading strain must be
sustained by the tensile strength of the bed or machine casting. which must of
necessity be very heavy and cumbersome. As a rule. the strain also acts against
one side of the driving shaft only. It is apparent that under slightly changed
conditions the driving shaft 3 may he raised and brought on a level or in line
with the headers, whereby an absolutely direct pressure is exerted on the headers
by eccentrics 8 and 9. This indicated change is being applied to my heavier
machine.
By reason of the several operations upon the blank within the swaging dies,
the tack, when completed, is liable to stick therein, and for this reason I have
provided a stripping device which acts upon the heads of the tacks in a manner
to eject the same from the dies in question. This stripping device and its
operative connections will be readily understood from an inspection of Figures 1.
2 and 5, wherein I have shown a stripper consisting of two arms 51, the free ends
of which are deflected as at 52. Said stripper is hinged between the press
frame 20, and to a pin 53, as clearly appears in the drawing. Between the arms 51
is secured a block 54 to which I connect a lever 55 pivoted to a stud 56 and
operated from the cam groove 6°. It will thus he seen from the foregoing con-
struction that with each rotation of the cam, and at the proper instant, the
strinper will be forced downward so that the ends 52 will strike the upper side
of the tack heads, no matter in which die they may he retained, thereby ejecting
the finished tacks from the machine.

page_text: 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 a wire tack machine, the combination with an intermittent feed and
mechanism for cutting two obliquely pointed blanks, of means for grasping ono
of said blanks by friction and withdrawing it from the cutting die and moving
it along in line with the feed.
2. In a wire tack machine, mechanism to produce two pointed blanks, and a
transporter having a blank retaining spring and intermittent sliding motion, all
arranged to withdraw the first blank from the channel of said cutting dies and
advance it in line with the feed, substantially as described.
3. In a wire tack machine having feeding and cutting mechanism for forming
two obliquely pointed blanks, means for discharging one blank from the cutting
dies separately and for advancing both blanks in line with the feed, in combina-
tion with shaping dies alternately presenting their shank and point forming
cavities in line with the feed wire and in line with the head forming rams.
4. In a wire tack machine, the combination of feeding and cutting mechanism
for producing two obliquely pointed blanks, of means for depositing said blanks in
opposite ends of dies having recesses for bending said points into central line, and
means for swaging said blanks without loss of material and producing a tack
point of symetrical shape.
5. In a wire tack machine, the combination with feeding and cutting mechanism
for producing from one wire supply and without scrap, two wire blanks pointed
at one end, of two dies for shaping the pointed blank ends and adapted to move
with the two blanks from the line of feed to and between the headers, and heading
rams adapted to operate against said dies, substantially as described.
6. In a wire tack machine, the combination of dies for cutting two blanks each
with an obliquely pointed end, mechanism for separately moving the two blanks
along in line of said feed, and placing their pointed ends into cavities at opposite
ends of the swaging dies, and an independent press frame 20 having end braces 20*
and way 39 for die slides 37 and 38, substantially as described.
7. In a wire tack machine,, the combination of dies for cutting two obliquely
pointed blanks, means for separately advancing in line of the feed the two blanks,
and placing the pointed ends into cavities located at opposite ends of the swaging
dies, and mechanism for shifting the dies together with the blanks into line with
and between two oppositely acting heading rams.
8. In a wire tack machine, the combination of swaging dies mounted on slides
located and moving in a rigid press frame held independently to the bed, means
to operate said dies with, from and against each other in a manner to convey
blanks by friction during the passage of the dies from the line of feed to line
with the headers, and mechanism for exerting a swaging pressure on the dies,
said pressure being localized within and sustained by the press frame.
9. Head forming mechanism consisting of two heading rams, means for push-
ing and pulling said rams, a blank holding die interposed between said rams,
connecting links secured to eccentrics 8 and 9, giving opposite eccentric motion
to each link and ram.
10. Head forming mechanism comprising blank holding dies situated between
two heading rams, opposite eccentrics contained on a single shaft and links
connecting said headers and eccentrics, whereby the headers are simultaneously
operated against the holding dies, substantially as shown.
11. A tack machine of the class described, the same comprising blanking
mechanism, swaging dies to receive blanks, ways in which said dies are slidably
mounted lever 40 for operating one of said dies, a lever and toggle connection for
operating the other die oppositely located, and heading Fams to operate against
the sides of said dies to form heads.
12. In a wire tack machine, the combination of swaging dies to form blanks

page_text: with an oblique end into pointed shanks of symetrical shape and without loss
of material, with an independent press frame, in which said dies slide, and
mechanism to alternately open and close said dies, substantially as described.
13. In a duplicate wire tack machine, the combination with heading dies and
rams, of stripping mechanism consisting of a swinging lever provided with plates to
sweep the ends of the dies and arranged to ejcet the two tacks from the cavities
in the openings of said dies, substantially as described.
14. In a wire tack machine, the combination of fixed dies 26 and 28, of an
intermediate movable die having a straight and a bevel cutting edge to register
with the dies aforesaid, means for alternately moving, returning and retaining
said movable die in line with the feed wire and fixed dies, a transporter to receive
the forward blank and hold in for engagement by the swaging dias, and dies to
receive said blank and convey it to the heading rams which are in line with and
adapted to act towards each other.
15. In a tack machine, the combination with holding dies, of a stripping plate
sweeping the ends of said dies and engaging the tack heads protruding therefrom,
said stripping being arranged to operate alike on both opened dies, substantially
as shown.
16. The combination in a tack machine of fixed dies 26 and 28, and movable
die 23 for producing two bevel pointed wire blanks, means for engaging and
removing the forward blank in advance of the second blank and in line with the
outer operative face of the swaging dies, dies adapted to bend and center said
hevel points, means for swaging said centered points and means for heading said
blanks, substantially as shown.
17. The combination in a tack machine, of mechanism for simultaneously
severing from a single wire supply, two bevel pointed wire blanks, a transporter
for removing and delivering one, means for feeding the second of said blanks to
the swaging dies, means for operating upon the blanks and centering their bevel
points, and mechanism for heading said blanks.
18. The combination in a tack machine, of mechanism for simultaneously
cutting two single blanks, a transporter to convey and hold one of said blanks,
swaging dies 37 and 38 to receive said blanks, means for operating said dies with
and against each other, mechanism for shifting said dies and blanks in line with
the heading rams, and means for operating the dies and ramis to shape and complete
the tack.
19. A tack machine of the class described, the same comprising mechanism
for simultaneously severing two wire blanks, swaging dies having recesses to
receive said blanks, means for introducing said blanks into said recesses from
opposite sides means for transfering said blanks from the line of feed to a line
with and between a pair of heading rams, mechanism for operating said heading
rams to complete the tack, and a stripper to engage the heal of said tacks and
discharge the same from the dies.
20. Atack machine of the class described, the same comprising blanking
mechanism, dies for carrying, centering and swaging the blanks, mechanism for
operating said dies with, from and against each other, oppositely located, heading
rams, a double eccentric for operating said rams, and a stripper for ejecting the
completed tacks by engagement with the heads.
21. A tack machine of the class described, the same comprising feeding
mechanism for producing duplicate blanks, a transporter to receive one of said
blanks. dies for receiving the ends of said wire blanks, means for introducing
said blanks at opposite sides of the dies, mechanism for operating said dies to
shift and swage said blanks, rams 48 and 48' in line with each other for heading
the blanks and eccentrics for simultaneously operating said rams toward each
other.
22. A tack machine substantially as herein shown and described, comprising 5
blanking mechanism, a transporter adapted to grasp and remove one blank,

page_text: a lever 32 and connections therewith for operating said transporter, swaging dies
to receive from opposite sides two blanks in line with each other, rams to head
said blanks and means for ejecting the completed tacks.
Dated this 27th day of March 1899.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.Č.,
Associate Agent.