IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF NAILS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Booth, of the Firm of the Junction Patent Nail
Company, of Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Nail Manufacturers, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF NAILS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Booth at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1881.
HENRY BOOTH, of the Firm of the Junction Patent Nail Company, of Bilston, in
the County of Stafford, Nail Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS."
The improvements relate specially to machinery employed to cut off nail blanks
from metal strip (preferably steel) rolled tapering in thickness in cross-section, the
blanks being afterwards headed by ordinary machinery used for such purpose; but
the improvements are applicable also to machinery for cutting nail blanks from
strips of other sections, and for cutting nails from strips rolled to sections which
have parts formed thereon to form the heads of the nails.
A cam mounted upon a horizontal shaft driven by suitable gearing and carried
across the bed-plate of the machine, and in bearings one on each side thereof, gives
a forward motion for cutting alternately to two horizontal slides or heads which
carry the moving cutting tools. The slides or heads work on opposite sides of the
horizontal shaft, and are alternately drawn backwards after cutting the blanks or
nails by means of springs. Friction rollers are carried in the inner ends of the
moving heads to receive the pressure of the cam. The fixed cutting tools are
carried by heads or blocks fixed to or forming part of the bed-plate of the machine.
The strips of metal to be cut into blanks or nails feed themselves to the machine
by simply passing down (by their own gravity) through vertical guides carried by
a light framing immediately over the cutting tools at each end of the machine.
Each pair of cutters is formed of sufficient width to cut simultaneously all the
strips fed to its own end of the machine, which may be three or more according to
the width of the strips and the strength of the machine. To secure that the proper

page_text: length of each strip be cut off to form a nail blank or nail, an adjustable gauge is
carried in front of each moving tool and moves therewith, and its distance below
the top of the moving tool is regulated by means of a vertical slide to which the
gauge is fixed carried on a guide fixed to the moving head, the slide being raised
and lowered for adjustment by means of a hand-wheel and screw, and held firmly
in place when adjusted by means of a set-screw. The gauge is made capable of
adjustment in its slide by means of set pins pressing against its vertical edges, so
that the gauge may be moved to bring its top into an inclined position in case the
moving tool should be ground somewhat inclined along its cutting edge. The
fixed tools are placed somewhat inclined upwards from their cutting edges towards
their back edges so as to leave clearance for the blanks or nails as they are pushed
forwards under the fixed-tools after being cut, and the inner edges of the gauges
are rounded off to allow the blanks or nails to fall over as they are cut. The fixed
tools are held up underneath their corresponding heads by means of bolts passing
up through the tools and through the heads, and are adjusted by means of the said
bolts and by set-pins through the heads pressing down upon and at the back edge
of the tools. The moving heads are brought back by the springs against stops
which are made adjustable, so that the return of the heads may be regulated to
allow only easy room between the vertical faces of the cutting tools for the metal
strips to be fed down on to the gauges. The springs for drawing back the moving
heads act also in preventing the moving tools from passing too far under the fixed
tools and thus jamming the blanks or nails, or separate springs may be used to
form the stops and to assist the other springs in moving back the heads. The
springs for drawing back the moving heads are carried at their lower ends by bars
fixed across the framing of the machine underneath the bed-plate thereof, and are
made to bear at their upper ends against pins passing between the sides of brackets
underneath the moving beads, which brackets act also as supports to the gauge
guides. The machine is constructed as a double one, but either of the moving
heads may be held out of reach of the cam, if desired, and the machine be worked
as a single one. The bed-plate of the machine is very simple in construction, the
arrangement of the mechanism enabling the metal of the plate to be readily
distributed in the best manner for strength and economy.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Booth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th January
1882.
HENRY BOOTH, of the Firm of the Junction Patent Nail Company, of Bilston, in
the County of Stafford, Nail Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS."
The improvements relate specially to machinery employed to cut off nail blanks
from metal strip (preferably steel) rolled tapering in thickness in cross section, the
blanks being afterwards headed by ordinary machinery used for such purpose; but
the improvements are applicable also to machinery for cutting nail blanks from
strips of other section, and for cutting nails from strips rolled to sections which
have parts forined thereon to form the heads of the nails.
In order to make the description of my improvements as clear as possible, I will
at once proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, which are (with the
exception of Figure 4) to a geometric scale of two inches to a foot. Figure 1 is a
view, half in side elevation and half in longitudinal section, of a machine
constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1, one end
thereof being a section taken just above the top of the plate forming the bed, the
parts above the bed being removed, and the bracket and slide rest, hereinafter
referred to, being shewn in section, though occurring at a lower level than that at
which the section above the plate of the bed is taken; Figure 3 is a transverse.
section taken on line y, y, of Figure 2. The same letters of reference occurring
upon any of the views indicate corresponding parts. A, A, etc., is the framing of
the machine supporting the bed B, B, etc.; C is a cross-shaft carried in
plummer blocks D, D, supported by the framing of the machine; E, E, are fast and
loose pullies; F, a fly-wheel, and G a spur pinion, all upon the outer end of the
shaft C; H is a cross-shaft carried in plummer-blocks formed solid upon the
bed B, B, etc.; I is a cam, shaped as shewn by full and dotted curved lines,
Figure 1, formed solid with the shaft H, and K is a spur wheel keyed on to the
outer end of the shaft H, and by which means the shaft H is driven from the piniou G
on the shaft C; L, L, are sliding tool-holders, in the jawed heads of which are
carried friction rollers M, M, capable of revolving upon the pins N, N. As the
shaft H revolves the cam I alternately pushes forwards the sliding tool-holders L, L,
the cam itself pressing only against the friction rollers M, M. O, O, are the
moving cutting tools, and are carried in the sliding tool-holders by the bolts a, a,
the bolt holes in the tools being slotted, as shewn (Figure 2), to allow the tools to
be set forwards and wedged up at the back as the front parts are ground away.
If narrower tools than those shewn are employed they may be wedged up sideways
between the ledges b, b, of the sliding tool-holders. P, P, are brackets bolted one
under each sliding tool-holder L, and are mainly for the purpose hereinafter to be
described when referring to the gauges. In each bracket P is a plain bolt a
passing through the two cheeks c, c, as shewn. R, R, are coil springs held back at
one end by means of links, as shewn, to the bolt d, and at the other end by means
of screwed shanks and nuts to short bars S, S, bolted to a cross-bar T. The
screwed shanks, and also the connections at the other ends of the springs, are
swivelled into the springs by means of heads, which are formed solid onto the
sbanks and other connections, and are concealed inside the springs. One of the
shanks passes through the upper end of one of the short bars S, S, and the other
shank through the lower end of the other short bar, the axis of the spring in side
elevation being shewn by the broken line U. Two corresponding springs are
employed at the other end of the machine, their screwed shanks passing respectively
through the opposite ends of the short bars S, S, to those through which the
springs illustrated pass. The springs are employed for bringing back the sliding.
tool-holders as the cam I passes back from each alternately, and also for preventing
them from travelling forwards beyond the point to which they are pressed by the.
cam I. The tension of the springs is regulated by means of the nuts on the

page_text: The
screwed shanks. Instead of using the short bars S, S, the bar T may be of
sufficient width with the holes for the shanks passing through it. V, V, are heads
for carrying the fixed cutting-tools and form hollows or boxings, as shewn; W is
one of the fixed tools, and X a plate underneath. The front end only is shewn of
the corresponding fixed tool W₁ at the other end of the machine. The tool W is
held in place and adjusted by means of the bolts e, e, etc., which hold the plate X
firmly up against its underside, the set pins f, f, etc., which press down-upon it,
and the set-pins g, g, which press against its back end, and thus keep it up to its
work. The bolts c, e, etc., pass up between the sides of the tool W and the inside
of the head V, the tool W being of the same width as the corresponding moving
tool O, and narrower than the inside of the bead V. The tool W can thus be readily
set forwards by the pins g, g, and can be removed and replaced without taking out
the pins e, e, etc. Each tool O is lined up at the back as it is set forwards. The
sliding tool-holders L, L, work in V-guides Y, Y, etc., held down to the bed B by
means of the pins h, h, etc., and set up by means of the set-pins k, l, etc., screwed
through the ribs A1, A¹, on the upper side of the bed B. Faced parts on the underside
of the sliding tool-holders slide on faced parts of the bed. B¹ is a block formed solid
with the sliding tool-holder, and projects somewhat over one of the V slides Y. D¹ is
a block or poppet screwed to the bed as shewn; and C is a set pin, steeled at its
front end, screwed through the poppet D¹. The block B coming in contact with
the end of the set-pin C, fixes the stroke of the sliding tool-holder backwards, so
as to allow only easy room between the tools for the strips to feed themselves down
on to the gauge.
A similar stop arrangement is of course provided for the other
sliding tool-holder. The cam I passes out of contact with the roller M when the
tool-holder L is at the back end of its stroke, and thus ensures time for the strips
to drop on to the gauge before the forward movement again commences.
stroke is readily adjusted by means of the set-pin C¹, which is prevented from
moving when set by means of a lock nut a¹ b₁ is a set-pin screwed through the
sliding tool-holder, and when screwed tightly down on to the bed acts in holding
the tool-holder at the forward extremity of its stroke when it is desired to work
only the tools at the opposite end of the machine. A corresponding set-pin is used
also for the other sliding tool-holder. c¹, c¹, etc., are set-pins to prevent the pins N,N,
from turning as the rollers M, M, revolve. E¹, E, are guide bars held to the
heads V, V, by means of the pins e¹, e', and distanced back therefrom, and adjusted
vertically, or at any slight angle from the vertical as may be desired, by the set-
pins ff, etc. g, g, etc., are guides screwed to the guide bars E', E, and down
which the strips ₁, ¹, which are to be cut are fed by their own weight. F' is a
gauge carried in a slide-rest G' working on the face of the bracket P. The gauge
is held to the rest by pins, as shewn, and the top edge, which extends across the
face of the sliding cutting tool, may be set somewhat inclined to suit any slight
inclination to which the tool may have been ground by means of the set-pins k¹, k¹,
(Figure 3), the upper pin-hole through the gauge being slotted horizontally to
allow the gauge to move sideways on the lower pin as a fulcrum. The part l' of
the bracket P is faced for the slide rest to bear against it, and when the gauge is
screwed up by means of the wheel and screw of the slide rest to the proper distance
below the cutting edge of the tool O, the bolt m¹ is tightened up, and thus prevents
the gauge from working down with the jarring of the machine whilst at work. The
hole through which the bolt m' passes is of course slotted either in the part 1, or in
the rest, or in both. The bottom end of a strip rests on the top of a guage F' when
the sliding cutting tool is back. As the tool advances and cuts a blank (or nail, as
the case may be), the front rounded edge of the gauge allows the blank (or nail) to
fall forwards into a receptacle placed to receive it, as will be readily understood.
The fixed tool W is placed inclined, as shewn, so as to leave ample clearance for
the blank (or nail) after the same is cut, and prevent it getting jammed between
the tools. As the tool O is drawn back the bottom end of the strip drops again on
to the gauge.
•
The machine is shewn with guides for cutting strips to the section shewn full

page_text: size by Figure 4, a single strip only being cut at each end of the machine. For
smaller sections however two, three, or more sets of guides may be fixed to guide
bars corresponding to E', E', so as to allow of two, three, or more strips being cut
simultaneously at each end of the machine. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate respectively
a front elevation and plan of two sets of guides fixed to one guide bar, as in the
case of employing the machine to cut two strips simultaneously at one end. El is
the bar, and 9, etc., the guides. The holes through the bar for the pins e¹, e¹,
(Figures 1 and 2) are slotted to admit of adjustment sideways, thus enabling the
strips sometimes to be moved clear of a fault in the cutting edge of either of the
tools; and the pin holes through the outer guides are slotted to allow of the guides
being adjusted to suit the slightly varying widths of what are intended to be the
same widths of strip. It will be seen that the grooves (shewn in elevation by
dotted lines) of the guides are tapered to wider at the top than at the bottom, and
have the upper corners rounded off. This is done to enable the strips to be readily
placed in position by hand. The detailed description of the double sets of guides
and guide bar applies also to the single sets, as shewn on the machine. One pair
of cutting tools only are used at each end, and are of sufficient width to extend
across and cut all the strips fed to their own end of the machine.
The shaft H (cam-shaft) of the machine runs about 85 revolutions per minute.
When the machine is employed for cutting steel the steel is heated red-hot and
then allowed to cool to a black heat, when it is fed into the machine. The steel is
thus annealed and does not cut out of shape, as it would have a tendency to do if
cut whilst red-hot.
Iron strip is cut cold.
It is advisable to cover the V-slides with sheet iron or other covering to protect
them from the scale which flies off the strip when being cut.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of performing the same, with reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, I declare that I do not limit myself to the precise details
described and shewn, but what I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by
the herein-before in-part-recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The machine for cutting off nail blanks or nails from metal strip according
to the section of the strip, the said machine being constructed and operating
substantially as herein described and shewn by the Drawings.
Second. In a machine employed for the purpose described in Claim 1, the com-
bination of the cam I, sliding tool-holders L, L, tools O, O, and tools W, W',
constructed and operating substantially as herein described and shewn by the
Drawings, and whether the parts of the same to form a single-acting machine
only are employed, or the whole to form a double-acting machine.
Third. In a machine employed for the purpose described in Claim 1, the use of
vertical guides in combination with a gauge for the purpose of allowing the strips
to be fed by their own gravity only to the cutters, substantially as herein described
and shewn by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Booth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
Witness,
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Wolverhampton.
HENRY BOOTH. (L.S.)