Improvements in Machines for Making Wire into Staples and Driving same into any Suitable Material, chiefly applicable for Attaching Leather Sweat Bands to Hats.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1897
Improvements in Machines for Making Wire into Staples and
Driving same into any Suitable Material, chiefly applicable for
Attaching Leather Sweat Bands to Hats.
We, HENRY HERBERT TURNER and ALBERT TURNER, both of Denton, near
Manchester, Hatters Machinists, 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:-
The object of our invention is to construct a machine for converting wire into
staples and then driving the same into any suitable material, such machine being
specially adapted for attaching sweat leathers and bands to hats (with straight or
curled brims) by means of said staples, in lieu of such leathers being sewn in by
hand as heretofore.
Our machine is constructed in such a manner as to support a hat while being
operated upon, and to permit the same being shifted between each operation. It
automatically takes the wire from the reel, cuts off blanks the desired length, con-
verts said blanks into staples, forces the same through the hat body and band (or its
equivalent) and finally clinches the points firmly into the material. The machine is
operated by one attendant who stands at the front of the machine and manipulates
the hand and foot levers in a manner to permit of the hat being placed upon its rest,
and to shift the belt from one pulley of the driving shaft to the other.
And in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect, we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings, and will now
proceed to describe the same with the figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
Fig. 1. is a plan view of our machine complete, showing in dotted lines a hat
thereon.
Fig. 2. is a front elevation of the machine, the position of the parts agreeing with
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. is a detail side elevation of the swinging bracket carrying the hat support..
Fig. 4. is a part plan view with the wire feeding and cutting mechanism in
section.
Fig. 5. is a sectional plan view of the mechanism for forming and driving the
staple and the wire cutting device and die.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew, vertical sectional views on line X-X of Fig 4, looking in
opposite directions.
Fig. 8 shews a sectional detail view of a hat under treatment, and Fig. 9 shews
different stages of the operations upon the wire, first-the blank as cut off at regular
intervals, secondly-the staple as formed by the machine, and thirdly-the staple
after being clinched in the substance of the hat.
Referring to the numerals marked upon the drawings (1) indicates the top frame
work, and (2) legs supporting the same.-(3) indicates the driving shaft mounted in
bearings (4) of the frame provided with fast and loose belt pulleys (5) and (6)

page_text: respectively. Said shaft is further provided with a small beveled pinion (7) which
meshes with and drives a large level wheel (8) secured to shaft (9) placed at a right
angle to the main driving shaft and journaled in suitable bearings (10) to the frame
(1) Upon this shaft (9) are secured cams (11) and (12) and eccentric (13) each of
which operate certain sets of mechanism, which we will now describe, and the first
of which we term the 'wire feeding mechanism,' the second the wire cutting
mechanism,' and the third the staple forming and driving mechanism."
WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM.
The cam (12) on the front end of the shaft (9) is a double purpose cam, and serves
to operate both the feeding and cutting mechanism. We will accordingly first
describe its connection with an operation of the feeding mechanism, and then
describe the manner of severing the blanks from which the staples are formed. To
the front of the frame (1) we secure a bracket (14) containing the staple forming and
driving mechanism as will be later more fully described, but which in part consists
of a hole (15) (see Fig. 5 & 6) through which the wire is fed (say, from the reel
16)) and against which it is cut off the proper length. Adjacent to the inner face
of said cam (12) is a feed lever (16) pivoted to the frame at (17) and bearing a lug
(18) which is firmly retained against the side of the cam (12) by means of the spring
(19). Within said side of the cam (12) is formed an inclined recess (20) sufficiently
large to allow the lug of the feed lever to drop therein with each rotation of said
cam, thereby throwing forward the free end of the feed lever. By reason of the
inclined surface of said recess (20) the lug (18) immediately rides out of said recess
with the movement of the cam, thereby swinging the outer end of the feed lever back
to its normal position. As will be observed (see Fig. 4) the lever (16) is provided
with a feed clutch (21), consisting of an enlargement having a conical recess therein
terminating in a small hole through which the wire passes. Said recess is further
provided with a friction ball (22) the diameter of which is smaller than the recess,
thus allowing the wire to pass between said ball and the wall on said recess whereby
the wire is firmly clamped within said clutch and thus fed forward with the movement
of the lever. To the extension (23) of the frame is secured a similar clutch (24)
which serves as a retaining clutch instead of a feed clutch, it being obvious that
its ball will allow the wire to be freely drawn there through by the operation of
the feed clutch on the lever (16), but will readily check any backward movement
of the wire caused by the return of the feed lever.
WIRE CUTTING MECHANISM.
Cam (12) above mentioned is further provided with a peripheral enlargement (25)
which is in line with and operates the cutting slide (26) movably fitted in guides (27)
secured to the bracket (14) before mentioned. Said slide is normally held against
the periphery of said cam by means of a spring (28) one end of which is secured
thereto, the opposite end being secured to the bracket (14) aforesaid. (29) (see Fig. 5)
indicates the cutting edge of this slide which serves to sever the wire by operating
upon it against the wall of the hole (15) in the bracket (14) thus severing a blank at
regular intervals or at each rotation of the cam (12).
STAPLE FORMING AND DRIVING MECHANISM.
Parallel with the shaft (9) is a rocking shaft (30) journaled in bearings (31) of the
frame, and in the bracket (14) secured thereto. Said shaft is afforded a rocking move-
ment by reason of its connection with the previously mentioned cam shaft (9) which
connection consists of an eccentric (13) secured on said driven shaft and bearing a
connecting rod connected to an arm (33) on said rocking shaft. Thus it will be
obvious that with each rotation of the driven shaft (9) the shaft (30) will be given a
rocking motion, which motion through the connection of said shaft serves to form
the staple and drive the same into the material next be described.
The bracket (14) before mentioned is made in two parts which we indicate by (34)

page_text: and (35) in Figs. 6 and 7. The inner end of this bracket is provided with a
recess (36) which recess in turn has a semi-circular groove (37) in each side thereof.
The end of the rocking shaft (30) before mentioned extends into said recess and bears
therein an operating finger (38) as clearly appears in Fig. 6 and 8 of the drawings, and
which forms and drives the staples. The wire from which the staples are made is
fed into the recess the desired length through the small hole indicated by (15) and
against the adjustable plate or stop (15) (see Fig. 5), after which it is cut off by the
cutting mechanism. The rocking shaft (30) is next operated in a manner to move
the finger backward from the position shewn in Fig. 4, whereupon said finger will
come into contact with the centre of the wire blank the end of which is then detained
in the holes (15) and (15), thus folding the same into practically a U shaped staple
and the free ends thereof being drawn into the grooves (37) which retain and guide
the same. After the staple has been formed as above, it is carried upward in said
grooves until it comes into contact with the spring-like stripper (39) which serves to
detain the progress of the staple while the finger (38) passes by it, as shewn in Fig. 6,
after which the movement of the finger is reversed and the under-side of said finger
engages the head of the staple and forces the same down while it is properly guided
through the grooves before mentioned into the hat and into the hat leather or sweat
band, or, by preference, into the textile edging or insertion (30) to which the leather
has been previously sewn, so that the staple shall be hidden from view.
MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE HAT.
As previously stated we provide means for supporting the hat while being operated
upon, which means consists in a swinging bracket (40) hinged to a vertical shaft (41)
movably fitted in ways (42) of the frame. Said bracket is further provided with a
handle (43), by means of which the operator swings the same out and in for the
purpose of removing from, and putting a hat upon the supporting are proper which
we indicate by (44). This support is provided with a yieldable clinching plate (45)
which in practice lies against the inner side of the bat beneath the insertion (39)
and above the hat leather (39) as shewn in Fig. 8, and serves to deflect the course of
the ends of the staples and thus turn the same back into the hat body. Adjacent to
the plate above mentioned we provide a guide (46) against which the hat rests
during the operations and against which it is moved between the operations.
The bracket (40) above mentioned is provided with means for rigidly locking it in
its closed position, which consists in a spring actuated slide (47) secured in ways of
the bracket and designed to normally engage a fixed part (48) on the machine frame,
Said slide (47) is connected by means of a wire (49) with the finger lever (50) pivoted
adjacent to the operating handle (43). From the above, it will be apparent that in
order to swing open the support, as shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the attendant
would first manipulate the finger lever (50) in a manner to disengage the sliding
catch, thus releasing the bracket and permitting it to be swung out by the operator.
In order to permit the hat to be turned upon its support and thus shift its position
to receive successive staples, we provide means for alternately raising the rod (41), its
bracket (40) and hat support (45) against the resistance of gravity consisting
substantially as follows:-The lower end of the rod (41) before mentioned projects
through the lower way (42) and rests upon the horizontal arm of a bell-crank
lever (51) pivoted to the frame at (52) The remaining arm (53) of said lever
extends upward and rides upon the surface of cam (11) before mentioned. It will
accordingly be obvious that by reason of said cam, the bell-crank lever above referred
to will be swung upon its pivot, foreing the vertical rod (41), its bracket and support,
upward from the position shewn in Fig. 2 until said support and the hat carried
thereby is moved up against the staple driving mechanism for the purpose of
receiving a staple, after which the smaller radius of the cam allows the support to
drop, during which time the operator shifts the position of the hat to receive the
next staple. In order to provide a yielding connection between the bracket (40) and
its rod, we secure a collar (54) to said rod, and support thereby a coiled spring (55),

page_text: which in turn serves to support the bracket (40) in such a manner that when said rod
is forced up the spring will act upon the bricket and yieldably raise the same until
its support comes into contact with the bracket (14) of the staple former.
The starting and stopping of the machine is accomplished by means of foot power
applied to the treadle (56) having a wire connection (57) with a bell crank lever (58)
pivoted at (59) to the frame. The upwardly extended arm of said bell crank lever is
provided with a fork (60) which serves to straddle the belt and shift the same from
the loose to the fast pulley or vice-versa by means of a heel & toe operation on the
trendle, thus starting or stopping the machine according to said treadle movement.
The operation of our machine is as follows :-Presuming the machine to be in
the position shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 the attendant would by means of his right hand
manipulate the handle (43) and its finger lever (50) in a manner to throw open the
bracket (40) and its support, then place a hat upon the clinching plate (45)-as
shewn in dotted lines with the hat leather within the said plate and against the
guide (46), next swing the bracket back to its normal position, where it is locked.
The belt.shifter is next operated by the treadle and the machine started in motion.
The first, operation is that of the cam (11) which raises the bracket (40) and the hat
contained thereon, up against the bracket (14), after which the finger (38) operates
to form the staple and drive the same into the hat. The instant the above is
accomplished, the cam (11) allows the bracket to drop sufficiently to permit the
operator to move the hat and its band upon the support a short distance, when said
cam will again raise the bracket to its elevated position when the former operations
of forming and driving the staple are repeated. The staples are in this manner
repeatedly made and inserted and the bands and sweats attached to said hats by
means of such repeated operations, the number upon each hat varying according to
the class of work and size of hat. After the desired number of staples have been
inserted as above, the belt is shifted back upon the loose pulley, the bracket (40)
thrown open and the finished hat removed therefrom.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion we declare that what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1-The combination and arrangement of parts constituting our improved machine
for making wire into staples and driving same into any suitable substance, chietly
for use in fixing leather sweat bands to hats, as set forth.
2: In a staple forming and driving machine the combination of the bracket (14)
having a recess therein, a rocking shaft journaled in said bracket, a radially
swinging finger secured to said shaft and operating in said recess in such a manner as
to form a staple by its upward movement, and to force the staple in a hat and sweat
band in its downward movement.
3: In a staple forming and driving machine, the combination of the bracket (14)
having a recess therein, a rocking shaft journaled in said bracket, a finger secured to
said shaft and adapted to swing radially in said 'recess, to form and drive a staple,
semi-circular grooves in the side walls of said recess serving to properly guide the
staple in its attaching operations.
4:-In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame having a
staple forming recess, a rocking shaft having a finger swinging radially within said
recess, means for feeding the wire across the rear side of the finger, semi-circular
groove in the sides of said recess and bearing shoulders against which the wire is
bent by the finger, a stripper projecting into the path of the movement of the finger
to detain the staple and means for operating the rocking shaft and finger to force the
staple into the material.
5:-In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, having a
staple forming recess, a rocking shaft having an arm extending into said recess, means
for feeding the wire into the recess across the rear side of the finger mechanism for
cutting the wire into suitable lengths after it has been fed, a stripper to shift the
position of the staple, and means to operate the same to drive and clutch it into a
hat.

page_text: 6: In a machine of the class described, the combination with a staple forming
and driving device, of an automatic vertically movable hat support, means for
swinging said support to and from the staple driving device, a yieldable connection
between said support and its operating mechanism, whereby said support is
permitted to slightly yield with the pressure of the staple driver, substantially as
described.
7: In a machine of the class described, the combination with a staple forming and
driving device, of a hat support adapted to be radially swung into operative connection
with said device, means for locking said support in its closed position, automatic
means for raising and lowering said support to shift the position of the hat sub-
stantially as described.
8: The combination in a machine of the class described, of the feed lever bearing
a clutch, a retaining clutch adjacent thereto, a staple forming and driving finger
mounted on a rocking shaft and adapted to swing within a recess, semi-circular
grooves in the sides of said recess and bearing shoulders against which the wire is
bent, a cutting slide adjacent to one of said shoulders, and a cam operatively
mounted upon said shaft constituting means for operating said slide.
9 The frame having a bracket (14), the rocking shaft journaled therein, an
operating finger secured to said shaft and adapted to play into a recess of the
bracket, in combination with the driven shaft (9), connections between said shaft
and the rocking shaft whereby the latter and its finger is operated to form and drive
a staple.
10 The bracket (14) having a recess therein, a rocking shaft journaled in said
bracket and bearing a finger to operate in said recess, in combination with the
mechanism for operating said rocking shaft, a driven shaft (9), a cam upon said
shaft connections with said cam for operating the cutting slide, a lever pivoted to
the frame and bearing a clutch to automatically grasp and feed the wire, means for
engaging and manipulating said lever, substantially as described.
11: A staple forming and driving machine comprising the shaft (9), means for
driving the same, a shaft (30) adjacent to said driven shaft, connections between said
shafts, whereby the latter is rocked by the former, bracket (14) having a semi-circular
recess, a finger secured to the rocking shaft aforesaid and designed to operate in said
recess, means for feeding the wire the proper distance and mechanism for cutting
the wire into proper lengths, substantially as described.
12: A staple forming and driving machine comprising feeding mechanism as
shewn, a rocking shaft bearing an operating finger for the purpose of forming a
staple, an automatic vertically movable clinching plate and means whereby said plate
is swung with relation to said staple operating mechanism, as set forth.
13 A staple forming and driving machine comprising the rocking shaft bearing
the operating finger, a suitable recess in which said finger operates, a pivoted hat
support adapted to be swung to and from said staple mechanism, automatic means
for remittently moving said support in a vertical manner, substantially as
described.
14 In a machine for driving staples into a hat with curled brim, the use of
a stapling tool (or bracket (14)) adapted to take into the curl or space within the
hat brim, as set forth.
15 In a machine for fixing leathers or sweat bands to hats by staples or similar
fastenings, the use of a clinching plate adapted to take behind the leather or sweat
band as set forth.
HENRY HERBERT TURNER.
ALBERT TURNER.
By John G. Wilson & Co.
55 Market St. Manchester. Agents.