Improvements in Machines for Making Nuts.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Nuts.
I, GEORGE DUNHAM, of 57, Lovely Street, Unionville, Farmington, County of
Hartford, State of Connecticut, U.S.A., Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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 improvements in machines for making nuts, and the
objects of my improvements are rapidity and efficiency in operation, especially
with reference to accuracy in punching the central hole for the nut.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1, is a side elevation, with parts broken away.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that
shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view with parts broken away and with the cap that covers
the punch slides removed.
Figure 4 is a vertical and transverse section of the frame on the line - of
Fig. 1, showing the dies and connected parts on the left hand side of the said
line.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the dies and connected parts from Fig. 4,
but with the cap or take off for the round punch removed, and with the cap for
the upper hexagonal punch in vertical section.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of parts on line y-y of Fig. 5 together with a
side elevation of the two punch slides and their punches.
Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the frame on the
line of Fig. 1, but showing the punches on the right hand side of the said
line instead of showing the dies at the left.
A designates the frame of the machine, B the driving shaft having driving
pulley C and pinion 1 engaging with and driving the gear wheel E on the crank
shaft F, which is practically the main shaft of the machine.
The said gear
wheel may be loosely mounted on its shaft and connected therewith to drive the
said shaft by means of any ordinary clutch 10 Fig. 3. The double cranks of
this shaft are connected. by means of ordinary pitmen 11 with the two punch
slides 12 and 13. These slides I have shown as having beveled upper and lower
edges which are guided in V shaped ways in the parts 14 on the frame A, but
any ordinary construction may be employed to guide the slides. The cranks on
the crank shaft are relatively arranged so that when one slide is at the extreme
end of its forward movement the other slide is back of the end of its stroke as
shown in Fig. 3, whereby the slides act alternately on the work instead of
simultaneously.
The slide 12 carries a round punch 9 for punching the central hole of the nuts
and the slide 13 carries the shear punch or cutter 15, and two hexagonal
punches 16 and 17 or other shaped punches, or as many of them as it is desired
to use. Upon the inside of the frame A at the end of the machine I arrange the
die holders 18 and 19 and connected parts, with dies arranged in opposition to
the several punches for cooperation therewith. The die holder 19 carries the

page_text: econd hexagonal die 20 which I prefer to form in the shape of a round proc
hat may be set in the die holder and at the front of this die on two sides thereof
arrange a pair of -spring fingers 21. Said fingers are pivoted to the die holder
y the bolts 22 at their lower ends and they are forced towards each other by
means of the spring 23 on the bolt 24 that passes through said fingers, whereby 5
the fingers may be forced apart under the pressure of a nut blank that may be
forced in between them.
The die holder 18 carries at its lower part the first hexagonal die 25 and at
the rear thereof and in axial alignment therewith is the ordinary crowning
die 26, Fig. 6. In connection with the said crowning die there is a sliding 10
knock out 27 provided with a spring 28 that has a tendency to hold it in the
position shown in Fig. 6. The first hexagonal die at its front, that is, the side
that faces the punches, is provided with a cap 29, recessed or rebated and provided
with a spring stop 30 on the edge of the rebate, the said stop having a shank 31
that passes through a hole in the cap, which shank is surrounded for a part of 1
its length by the spiral spring 32 and held against the force of the said spring.
by the nut 33. A bar 34 Fig. 5, extends downwardly under the shear block or
die 35 by the side of the first hexagonal die 25 and at the point opposite the
spring stop 30 it is provided with a yielding stop 36 that is forced towards
its companion stop 30 by means of the spring 37 Fig. 5. These stops 30 and 36 3
are a little forward of the die 25 and therefore I provide them with fins or
guides 8, to guide the blank into the lower end of said stops.
screw 42.
The die holder 18 has secured to it the die block 38, having a series of round
holes 39 for punching the central hole of the nut and shear or cutting blocks 35
and 40 for joint action with the shear punch or cutter 15, the cutting faces of
which blocks are in a plane in front of that of the first hexagonal die 25. The
shear block 40 is adjustable longitudinally by means of the set screw 41, and on
its lower side is the cap 29 with their confronting edges in contact with each
other, the said cap being also adjustable longitudinally by means of the set
Above the shear block 40 is a longitudinally adjustable holding
A portion
block 43 which is adjusted and held longitudinally by the set screw 44.
of the ends of the holding block 43 and cap 29 bear against the edge of the shear
block 35 and hold it against the edge of the die block 38. This die block 38
is held in place by the filling bloccks 45 and set screws 46 bearing on its ends, and
the shear block 85 at one edge and the wedge 47 at its opposite edge. Of course
only one die hole can be used at one time, and therefore only one is essential
th
but for convenience a series of them are made in one block so that either hol
As shown in Fig.
may be brought into position for use when desired.
second hole from 'the top in the right hand row of die holes 39 is the one tha
is in proper position for coaction with the punch 9 of the slide 12. The di
block 38 may be adjusted laterally by means of the wedge 47, and the se
screws 42 and 44, the shear block 35 being adjustable therewith. The othe
shear block can be separately adjusted to make the space between the blocks
and 40 correspond with the width of the shear punch 15 by means of the s
screw 41. The die block 38 is covered by a combined cap and take off 48 t
rear side of which cap is grooved horizontally as indicated by broken lines 4
Fig. 4, to make a horizontal passage for the introduction of a bar to the rou
die hole 39 and shear blocks 35 and 40 a stop gauge 50 Fig. 4, being placed ov
the shear block 40 as shown. Extending upwardly from the horizontal passage
through the cap and takeoff 48, there is a vertical groove within which the clampi
bar 51 slides, which bar may be held down by means of the spring 52, Fig. 4
The rear side of the holding block 43 is recessed at one end vertically to per
the passage of the pusher or carrier finger 53, that moves vertically down betw
the shear blocks and in alignment with the space between the spring stops
and 36. There is also a vertical passage 54 in the rear of the first hexago
die 25 and in front of the crowning die 26 for the passage of a second pushe
carrier finger 55. These carrier fingers are both secured to the carrier head 56, wh

page_text: head is secured to a vertically moving slide 57. Said slide is connected by means
of the pitman 58 with the long arm of the weighted angle lever 59 which may
also be provided with a spring 60 to pull the long arm of said lever downwardly.
The weighted and short arm of the angle lever is connected by means of the link
or rod 61, to the rocking arm 62 of the rock shaft 63. The rock shaft is moved
in opposition to the spring and weight of the angle lever 59 by means of the
cam 64, on the crank shaft F and the end 65 of the rocking arm 66 on the said
shaft. prefer to make the bearing portion of the end 65 of said arm in the form
of a roller adjustably connected by a pin and slot connection 67 as shown in
Fig. 2. If desired to make the motion of the rock shaft positive in both directions
instead of depending on gravity and a spring, a second cam 68, may be applied
to the crank shaft by the side of the cam 64, and the other end 69 of the rocking
arm 66 bear upon the said cam. In practice I employ the two cams in connection
with the weighted lever 59 and spring 60.
The clamping bar 51 is forced downwardly by means of the lever 70 and cam 71
inside of the frame on the crank shaft, and the pressure of said lever on the said
bar may be regulated by means of the screw 72 that is interposed between the
said lever 70 and upper end of the clamping bar. The contour of the cam 71 is
shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. Upon the end of the crank shaft F, outside of
the frame, is the feed cam 73. From its drop or shoulder 74 for about one third
of its circumference it is concentric and of its smallest radius. It then rises
gradually for nearly another third, then has a short concentric face 75, then a
short rise 76 followed by a concentric face to its drop 74. The feeding rollers 77
and their ratchet mechanism 78 are of an ordinary construction and therefore
need not be specifically described. Their pawl carrier 79 is secured by one end
to a swinging arm 80 that is loosely mounted on the rock shaft 63, which arm
is actuated in one direction by the feed cam 73 and in the opposite direction by
the gravity of the said arm. This arm is loosely mounted on the said shaft 63
by means of a set screw S1 the end of which enters an annular groove on the
said shaft as indicated by the broken circle in Fig. 1, but the end of the said screw.
loosely enters the said groove without binding so that the arm is free to swing
independently of the rotary or rocking movement of the said shaft 63.
A bar of iron being fed in between the feed rollers 77 passes through the
horizontal passage in the cap and take off to the dies. When the bar is being
fed forward the cam .71 has its smallest radius opposite the end of the lever 70
so as to free the clamping bar 51. The bar is fed forward in front of the shear
blocks or blanking dies and stopped by its end coming in contact with the stop
gauge 50. The shear punch or cutter 15 now comes forward and cuts off a nut
blank, cutting off the bar on the line of the shear block 35, and cutting enough
at the end of the bar on the line of the shear block 40 to prevent the nut blank
tipping while being cut. The nut blank is cut off when the swinging arm bears
on the concentric face 75 of the face cam 73. In thus cutting off a nut blank
the bar will be forced back a little within the feed rollers and therefore imme-
diately after cutting the bar the slight rise 76 of the cam acts to feed the bar forward
again until it is stopped by contact with the side of the shear punch or cutter 15
on the slide 13, which is then retreating, while the round punch 9 on the slide 12
is advancing. The concentric face of the cam that follows the rise 76 holds the
feed rollers for a time and then releases their pawl carrier. Before the punch 9
acts on the bar the cam 71 acts to force the clamping bar down to hold the iron.
By the time the punch 9 acts on the iron the shear punch 15 has withdrawn so
far that the iron is allowed to expand or stretch under the action of the punch 9.
The punch 9 and its die are so set relatively to the shear punch 15 that a length
of the bar for one blank intervenes between the length for the blank being
punched and the said shear punch, and consequently when a fresh bar is put into
the machine two blanks are cut off without having any hole punched in them.
But after two blanks have been cut off, the stop gauge 50 being properly set, the
hole punched in the bar will come centrally in front of the space between the

page_text: The
5
shear blocks 35 and 40, and by gauging from the shear punch for punching
this hole much greater accuracy in punching it centrally is attained than is..
possible when the bar is gauged by a stop on the other side of the shear punch, .
The punched nut blank that has been cut off between
as for instance the stop 50.
the shear blocks 35 and 40 is forced downwardly therefrom in between the spring
stops 36 and 30, and is stopped in front of the first hexagonal die 25.
hexagonal punch 16 then acts to force the blank into the said die to give the
blank its proper hexagonal form, the said punch being provided with an ordinary
yielding centre or pilot as usual in other nut machines. After several nuts have
been forced into the die 25, they pass along to the crowning die 26 They stick 10
together so tightly that they do not fall of themselves when passing over the
vertical passage 54. Thus when a certain number are punched, the punch 16 as
it forces a nut blank into the die 25 to trim it at the same time forces the forward
nut blank in the gang of nuts into the crowning die and crowns or rounds the
face of the nut next to the said die. In being forced into the crowning die the 1
nut forces the knock out 27 back against the force of its spring so that upon the
withdrawal of the punch 16 the gang of the nuts is forced towards the said punch
by said knock out and stopped with the end nut of the gang over the vertical
This forces the
passage 54 and under the second pusher or carrier finger 55 that is forced down-
wardly with the finger 53 by means of the rock shaft and cam.
nut down in between the spring fingers 21 into proper position in front of the
second or lower hexagonal die 20. In this connection I should say that the die 25
has two parallel sides in a horizontal position while the die 20 has the correspond-
ing sides in a vertical position and therefore I make the inner corner of the right
turned to
hand spring finger as shown in Fig. 5 a little fuller than the opposite inner
corner, whereby the nut striking the said full corner in its descent
correspond with the different position of the said die. The spring fingers hold
the nut firmly by friction and the nut is stopped at the proper height in front of
the said die by being pushed down to the proper point by the pusher finger 55.
At the next forward movement of the slide 13 the hexagonal punch 17 forces the
blank from between the fingers 21 through the die so as to trim it, from which
die the finished nut may pass out of the machine through any suitable passage
way.
While I have described the machine as fitted with dies and punches for making
hexagonal nuts it is evident that dies and punches for making square or other
shaped nuts may be substituted if desired. It is also evident that the action of
the crowning die and the hexagonal die 20 and punch 17 is supplemental to the
action of the round die and punch and the first hexagonal die and punch. I
may also be observed that the shear punch 15 serves as a stop gauge that moves
into its position for stopping the bar to be punched and then retreats so as to b
out of the way when the bar is being punched. The shear punch and the block
constitutes a blanking punch and die.
It is apparent that some changes from the specific construction herein disclose
may be made and therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself t
the precise form of construction shown and described, but desire the liberty t
make such changes, in working my invention as may fairly come within th
spirit and scope of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my sa
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that wh
I claim is -
1. In a nut machine, the combination of a crank shaft having two cranks wi
a punch slide having a punch for the round hole in the nut, another slide havi
a punch for blanking out the nut and dies for coaction with said punches, t
said two slides and cranks being arranged and connected for making the sa
slides and punches act alternately, substantially as described.
2. In a nut machine, the combination of the crank shaft with the two sli

page_text: and their punches, dies for coacting with said punches and a feeding mechanism
having the cam with a feeding rise following its main feeding incline, substan-
tially as described.
3. In a nut machine, the combination of the feeding mechanism with the
punching die and punch for the hole in the nut, a reciprocating stop gauge for
stopping the end of the bar to be punched, and mechanism for bringing the said
gauge into position for stopping the bar for punching and then withdrawing it
from the end of the bar when it is being punched, substantially as described.
4. In a nut machine, the combination of two slides making the forward end of
their strokes alternately, with a blanking punch mounted in one of said slides, a
punch for the hole in the nut mounted in the other slide, dies for coacting with
said punches and feeding mechanism arranged to feed the stock forward a second
time after a nut has been blanked therefrom and before the next hole is punched
in the said bar, substantially as described.
5. In a nut machine, the combination of the die holder with the round hole
die block, the wedge 47 on one side of said block, the shear block 35 on the
opposite side, the blocks 43 and 29 with portions bearing on the said shear block
and their holding screws 44 and 42, substantially as described.
6. In a nut machine, the combination of the central hole punch and die with
the blanking punch and die arranged side by side, the die 25 and its punch, the
stops for arresting a blank in front of said die 25, and the reciprocating pusher
or carrier finger 53 for forcing the blank from the blanking die down upon the
said stops, substantially as described.
7. In a nut machine, the combination of the central hole punch and die, with
the blanking out punch and die, the shaping die 25 and its punch, the stops in
front of the said die, the crowning die in back of the die 25, a knock out for
clearing the crowning die, the second trimming die and punch 20 and 17, the
carrier head, the two pusher or carrier fingers 53 and 55 mounted on said head,
and mechanism for reciprocating the said head and its fingers, substantially as
described.
S. In a nut machine, the combination of the two slides making the forward
end of their stroke alternately, with the central hole punch in one slide, the
blanking out punch in the other slide, dies for coacting with the said punches,
feed mechanism, a clamping bar, and mechanism for forcing said bar upon the
stock while the central hole for the nut is being punched therein and for releasing
the pressure thereon when the stock is being fed forward by the said feed
mechanism, substantially as described.
9. In a nut machine, the combination of a punch for the central hole in the
nut, a shear punch for blanking out the nut, dies for said punches, and a stop
gauge 50 for gauging the bar in blanking out the nut while the shear punch
serves as the stop gauge for gauging the bar in punching the hole in the nut,
substantially as described.
10. In a nut machine, the combination of a crank shaft having two cranks with
a punch slide having a punch for the round hole in the nut, another slide having
a punch for blanking out the nut and dies for coacting with said punches, whereby
the blanking punch is clear of the front end face of the rod of iron before the
punch enters the said iron sufficiently to stretch said rod, substantially as
described.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.