Improvements in the Manufacture of Horse-shoe Nails and in the Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 31st May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Horse-shoe Nails and in the
Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, AUGUST BERNHARD JOHANSSON KOLLÉN, of 96 Queen Street, Cheapside, in the
City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of horse.shoe nails from pieces or blanks
cut off from a length or strip of nail rod and drawn out cold to form the shank of
the nail between rollers having grooved dies in their circumference the head being
subsequently formed or turned down by a separate die. The blanks when drawn out
are preferably heated and then left to cool slowly in order that the nails when finished
may be softer and of tougher quality. The blanks are then drawn out, bevelled and
pointed in another machine of ordinary construction, or if they are not heated this
finishing machine is combined with the first machine so as to be automatically fed
from and by it.
The nail rod which is of considerable length is hung up in a coil behind the first
machine, in its passage to which it is led through a straightening apparatus con-
sisting of hammers and anvils or of three rollers placed one above and two below.
From the straightener the length of rod passes to feeding apparatus which preferably
is composed of a sliding jaw shut down on the rod by springs and opened by a lever
connected with the cutting device the jaw holding the rod when shut being moved
forward by a cam and when opened thrown back by a spring to take a fresh hold on
the rod the length of its movements being regulated by adjustable stops.
The cutting apparatus consists of one fixed cutter fastened on to the frame of the
machine and one moving cutter operated by a lever worked from an eccentric or cam
on the main shaft. The piece cut off at each operation of the cutting device falls
down into a duct and passes thence through a series of rollers and channels. The
rollers are arranged in pairs and as each alternate pair works the blank on opposite
sides, the blank is turned in each channel between the pairs of rollers. To receive
the blank which passes down head first from the channel or guideway below the last
pair of rollers a vertical revolving disc with grooves (preferably eight) in it is pro-
vided, the grooves extending from the periphery to near the axis of the disc. The
disc is turned step by step so that it stands still while receiving and delivering the
blanks and a guide provided in conjunction with it and turning on the same shaft,
encloses a little more than half of the disc and prevents the blanks from falling out
until the disc has made half a revolution so that the blanks, coming in with the head
down, fall out with the head uppermost into a die secured in a horizontally revolving
disc, the horizontal disc being also turned step by step by the same motion as the
vertical disc. To prevent accidents when the blank does not fall by its own gravity
into the die of the horizontal disc there is provided a lever with a hook on the end of
it which enters into the groove above the nail-blank so turning the guide and
squeezing the blank into the die. Another lever then pushes this hooked lever out of
the groove the guide is turned back by a balance weight and the discs rotate again.
The hooked lever is hinged or jointed at the middle and is kept straight at ordinary
times by two springs (one above and one below) which in the event of the obstruc-
tion being too great permit the lever to give way. Should the blank miss the die of
the horizontal disc, it is carried round by the vertical disc until it is outside of the
guide when it falls out without causing any harm, and should the point of the
blank enter the die, but the head remain in the groove of the vertical disc, then
the two discs will remain stationary and disengaging apparatus come into operation
and ston the whole machine

page_text: When the blank has entered the die, as before set forth, the horizontal disc rotates
and the blank is brought under a hammer which compresses that part of it left to
form the head, the die giving the head the requisite shape and size. The horizontal
disc then again rotates until the blank is above a pitinan which throws it out of
the die.
In combination with the pitman a gripper is furnished which catches the blank,
lifts it up and delivers it to be further worked or into a receptacle.
To turn the blanks between the respective pairs of rollers instead of employing a
twisted channel or guideway as heretofore, I divide each channel about the middle
in two compartments by a thin hinged plate which stops the blank in its passage
till another plate with an opening to receive the head of the blank has made a quarter
turn, the second plate in so turning also turning the hinged plate and opening the
passage. All the passages or channels, in the length of the guides between the pairs
of rollers, are opened at the same time by levers carried on the same bar, the bar
being rotated or oscillated back and forward by a spring and a cam on the main
shaft. The grooved disc is moved forward step by step by bevel gearing operated
from the shaft of the horizontal disc, which latter is moved forward step by step by a
spring working on a ratchet wheel actuated by a cam on the main shaft. To adjust
the rotations of the discs, two latches held in contact with them by springs are
employed. In proximity to the thin hinged plates a perpendicular bar is situated
which bar has a vertical movement and is long enough to slide into holes on the
horizontal disc when the latter stops at its right place. In this bar pieces are taken
out into which the thin plates slide when the channels are opened. In the event of
any of the plates being prevented from closing through any cause, the perpendicular
bar is prevented from moving and stops the whole machine; as it also does when
either of the rotating discs comes to a standstill. This bar is lifted up by a cam
situated on the axis of one of the rollers and it slides down by its own gravity in
which movement it is balanced to lift a weight. When the bar is stopped the weight
is also stopped and is caught by a sliding rod which disengages a lever, releases a
friction pulley and stops the machine.
Dated this Twenty-second day of November 1889.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Horse-shoe Nails and in the
Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, AUGUST BERNHARD JOHANSSON KOLLÉN presently of 34 Saint Andrew Square,
Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, 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:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of horse shoe nails from pieces or blanks
cut off from a length or strip of nail rod and drawn out cold to form the shank of
the nail between rollers having grooved dies in their circumference the head being
subsequently formed or turned down by a separate die. The blanks when drawn
out are preferably heated and then cooled slowly in order that the nails when
finished may be softer and of tougher quality. The blanks are then drawn out
bevelled and pointed in another machine which may be of ordinary construction or it
may be the improved machine for which I have made application for Letters Patent
bearing date the 3rd day of April 1890 No. 5166.
If the blanks are not heated the finishing machine may be combined with the
blank making machine and so as to be automatically fed from and by it.
Of the accompanying drawings figure 1 (sheet 1) is a front elevation of the
improved machine constructed in accordance with this Invention. Figure 2 (sheet 2)
is a plan with feeding apparatus at the top of the machine removed. Figure 3

page_text: (sheet 3) is a side elevation and figure 4 a plan of the feeding and cutting apparatus.
Figure 5 (sheet 3) is a front elevation and figure 6 a horizontal section of the
channel between two pairs of rolls and relative mechanism whilst, Figures 7, 8, 9
and 10 (sheet 3) and figure 11 (sheet 2) are further details hereinafter more
particularly referred to.
.
The nail rod, which is of considerable length, is hung up in a coil behind the
machine in its passage to which it is led through a straightening apparatus consisting
of a hammer or hammers and anvil or anvils or of three rollers placed one above and
two below as is well understood and practised.
The machine consists of a table or platform A supported on feet and whereon
there is carried in bearings a shaft B; which is driven by a friction or clutch pulley B',
a spur pinion B2 being keyed on the shaft and geared through a train of wheels B³
with the axes of the rollers as usual. The rollers are carried in a framing supported
on the table A the feeding apparatus being supported at the upper end of the framing.
This apparatus consists of a gripping jaw a (figures 3 and 4) held up by a spring b
which shuts the jaw against the nail rod c at the point marked d where the jaw is
toothed or serrated and acts against a similarly serrated block d' formed or inserted
in the slide e carrying the gripper the slide moving in a guide e' on the top of the
frame C. Forward movement is communicated to the slide by a cam g secured on a
spindle g and rotated by the pinion from the train of wheels B³ whilst its back-
ward movement is effected by the spring i fastened to the frame C and acting against
a heel or abutment . The length of travel and the length of blank cut off from the
nail rod e is regulated by an adjustable screw f carried in the guide e¹ and acting
against a stop on the slide. To open the jaw at the termination of the forward
stroke a lever is provided the said lever being centred in a jaw at land operated
through a connecting rod m from a rod o and eccentric o¹ the latter situated on the
shaft B. To the rod m a moving or "live" cutter n is also connected the said
cutter working in a
fastened to the
guide p and operating against a fixed cutter
frame C to shear off from the nail rod blanks the lengths of which are pre-determined
by the means above set forth. In conjunction with the cutters a spiral spring ris
provided the said spring acting against a block at its lower end and having for its
object to steadily hold the nail rod in position when the jaw a is opened by the
lever and moved back to take a new grip by the spring i. The blank sheared off at
each operation of the cutter n falls into a vertical channel or guide by which it is
conducted between the first pair of rollers a these and the subsequent rollers of the
series having each grooves so shaped that whilst drawing and fashioning the stem a
part at the lower end of the blank to be subsequently formed into the head is left
unacted upon. From the first pair the blank passes through a guide to the second
pair and thereafter in succession through between the remaining pairs of rolls in the
machine and as the second and fourth pairs of rolls work the blank on opposite sides
from the first and third pair the blank is turned in each channel as hereinafter more
fully explained.
From the last pair of rollers x the blank still head downwards passes through a
guide to a vertical disc s illustrated in detailed side elevation at figure 9 and in
horizontal section at figure.10 which disc has a series of grooves preferably eight
extending from the circumference to near the centre. The disc is turned with a
step-by-step motion so that it stands still whilst receiving and delivering the blanks
and a guide u provided in conjunction with it and centred loosely on the same shaft u¹
encloses a little more than half of the disc and prevents the blanks from falling out
until the disc has made half a turn so that the blanks come with the head uppermost
into a series of dies secured in a horizontal revolving disc t which is also turned step
by step and synchroneously with the vertical disc s.
The disc t is illustrated in detail by figures 7 and 8 of the drawings.
To prevent accidents when the blank does not fall by its own gravity into a die
of the horizontal disc t, there is provided a lever v centred at v₁ and operated by a
pin on the pendulous lever w, which is actuated from the main shaft B by a cam or
eccentric w¹. The lever vis held up by the spring v³ and it is made in two parts

page_text: jointed together at the parts being maintained in line by the spring ². The
forward end y of the lever is hooked or bent the bent portion entering the groove in
the discs above the head of the blank at the point where a portion of the guide u is
shewn cut away and the hook y being moved down by the forward motion of the
pin forces the blank into the die of the disc t immediately below it or should
anything prevent that from being effected the spring a will yield so that the lever v
may not be broken. Should the blank miss the die of the horizontal disc it is carried
round by the vertical disc until it is outside of the guide u when it falls out without
causing any harm, further should the point of the blank enter the horizontal disc but
the head remain in the groove of the vertical disc then the two discs are brought to a
stand still and disengaging apparatus comes into operation and stops the whole
machine.
In forcing or following the blank down to the die in the disc t the hook y of the
lever acting on the inclined part u² slightly turns the guide u on its axis to allow
the lever to pass and when the lever v has reached the extremity of its downward
movement the hook is forced out of the groove in the disc s by the action of the
forward end of a lever z which is centred at 21 and operated from the lever to the lever v
having sufficient spring upon it to permit this to be done. After the lever v has
been so forced out the discs s and t move forward another step. The disc t is moved
by a ratchet wheel secured to or formed on the underside of it and with which
there is geared a pawl t2 situated loosely on a stud which is carried by an arm t
formed on or secured to a collar to loosely surrounding a neck formed underneath
the wheel and held in place by a plate t and nut to. To the arm there is connected
by a ball joint one end of a link to whose opposite extremity is in like manner
attached to the lower end of the lever wo the link to having a spring 10 upon it one
end of which is attached to the link and the other end to a fixed part of the machine,
and the forward movement of the disc being thus effected by the spring the disc may
be brought to a stand still without liability to the apparatus being broken.
The disc s is caused to rotate synchroneously with the disc t by means of bevel
gearing, on wheel being keyed on the axis of each disc.
To prevent the disc t from moving too far at each impulse pawls 1, 2 are provided.
The pawl 1 is a trailing pawl whilst the pawl 2 is withdrawn at the proper times by
a link 3 which is attached to a lever 4, centred at 5 and operated to withdraw by the
lever wand to enter by the spring 6. The dies inserted in the disc t are made in
halves and which exactly fit the openings formed to receive them in the disc so that
they may be held firmly together. In the rotation of the disc these dies each
containing its blank are successively brought under the action of a hammer or
pitman 7 which presses on the upper end of the blank and forms the head of the
nail and the hammer may itself constitute a die so as to give the top of the nail any
desired shape. The hammer is carried by a jointed or toggle link 8 suspended from
a frame 9 firmly secured to the table A and to the link there is attached the forward
end of a rod 10 connected to the strap of an eccentric 11 keyed on the main shaft B
and by whose operation the hammer is moved downwards and upwards.
After being acted upon by the hammer or pitman 7 the blank in the further
rotation of the disc t comes above a pitman 12 which pushes the blank upwards
against a stop 13 being actuated by a lever 14 to the forward end of which it is
connected. The lever is centred at 15 and pushed downwards by a cam 16 on the
shaft B, through the intervention of a rod 17, whilst it is drawn upwards by the
spring 18. To the lever 14 there is also connected at 19 a lever 20 centred at 21 on
a bracket connected to the table A the forward end of the lever 20 being attached to
a vertical plunger 21° working through the table and through a sleeve 22 below it,
the plunger at its upper end being toothed as more particularly seen at figure 8 and
geared with a quadrant 23 formed on one side of a lever 24 which is centred on the
table A and a roller 25 on whose other end is maintained in contact with the
periphery of the disc t by a spring 26. The upper end of the plunger 21ª carries two
spring jaws 27 which as the head of the blank is forced upwards part to receive and
grip the blank. The arrangement of the levers 14 and 20 is such that as the lever 14

page_text: rises to expel the blank from the die the lever 20 and with it the gripping jaws 27
descend to the top of the die so that when the plunger 12 moves downwards to allow.
the disc to again move the blank is left suspended or gripped in the jaws 27 the
downward motion of the lever 14 having the effect of causing the plunger 21ª
together with the jaws 27 and stop 13 and the blank to rise. The disc tin again
moving forward acts through its curved periphery on the rear end of the lever 24
which is held against the surface of a spring 26 the movement of the lever turning
the spring jaws 27 through an arc and bringing them between the jaws 28 which
strip the blank out of the spring jaws 27, and cause it to fall into a receptacle or into
a channel leading to the nail finishing apparatus.
In order to give the blanks a quarter turn between each pair of rollers so that
their opposite sides may be successively operated upon as herein before described the
channels between the rollers may be twisted as has been heretofore practised or in
accordance with this Invention each channel is divided about its middle into two
compartments by a thin plate as more particularly seen at figures 5 and 6. The plate
which is centred at 31 has two arms 32, 33 at right angles to each other, the arm 32
being forced into the channel by a spring 34 to stop the blanks in their passage until
a plate 35 situated above and having an opening to receive the head of the blank has
with the blank made a quarter turn. The plate 35 has a tail piece or lever 36 formed
on or connected to it the said piece being connected by a pin or joint to one end of a
rod 37 whose opposite end is attached to a lever 38 keyed on a vertical spindle 39
carried in brackets or bearings secured to the frame C. The spindle 39 and with it
the plate 35, is turned by a lever 40 secured on the lower end of the spindles and
actuated in one direction by the spring 41 and in the opposite direction by the rod 42
and eccentric 43 situated on the shaft B. In moving to the right the end of the tail
or lever 36 comes in contact with the arm 33 and throws out the arun 32 so opening
the channel for the passage of the blank to the next pair of rollers, the spring 34
immediately returning the arm 32 to close the channel when the lever or tail 36 is
moved back.
In conjunction with the other mechanism there is provided a disengaging apparatus
which automatically stops the machine in the event of any obstructions to the passage
of the blanks occurring. The disengaging apparatus consists of a vertical spindle 44
which at points opposite each of the arms 33 of the intercepting lever has an arm 45
keyed upon it. As seen at figure 10 the spindle 44 which works through guides 46 on
the frame C is suspended from one extremity of a lever 47 centred on a shaft or stud 48
also secured in the frame C the other end of the lever being connected by a vertical
pin or stud to a bar 49. The free end of the said bar comes between one extremity
of a rod 50 and one end of a pawl 51 which is centred at 52 and whose other end is
caused to engage with a notch 53 in a sliding bar 54 by a spring 55. The bar 54
is connected by a link 56 with one end of a clutch lever 57 by which the driving
pulley B¹ of the machine situated loosely on the shaft B, is brought into frictional
contact with a friction wheel or cone 59 keyed on the said shaft. In connection
with the lever 57 a spring 60 is provided the function of which is to disengage the
pulley from the wheel or cone. The rod 50 is attached to an eccentric 61 on the
shaft B and in conjunction with it there is also provided a spring 62 whose function
is to draw the end of the rod into close proximity with the pawl 51 as seen at
figure 11. Vertical motion is communicated to the spindle 44 from a cam 63 keyed
on the axis of the top pair of rollers which cam acts upon a roller 64 carried by an
arm 65 secured upon the spindle. On the top of the horizontal disc t a series of
cavities 66 are made as shewn into each of which the lower end of the spindle 44
enters in succession when the operations of the machine are proceeding regularly.
Should however the arm 32 of any of the intercepting levers be prevented by an
obstructing blank from entering the channel or should one of the cavities 66 of the
disc t not present itself through any cause immediately under the end of the
spindle 44 then the spindle in descending brings one of its arms 45 down on top of
an arm 33 of an intercepting lever the effect of which is to prevent the bar 49 at the
end of the rocking lever 47 from descending out of the path of the rod 50 and the

page_text: said-rod being, moved forward and prevented from coming into close proximity with
the end of the pawl lever 51 the said lever is thrown out from the notch in the bar 54
whereupon the spring .60 withdraws the pulley 58 from contact with the friction
wheel and stops, the machine. To disengage the pulley and friction wheel a hand.
lever 68 is connected to the bar 54 as indicated. The pawl lever 51 has a short lever,
or crank 67 connected to it by turning which against the side of the framing C; the
pawl can be maintained out of gear when it is required to regulate or adjust the
machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature, of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what'
Fclaim is
1. In a machine for making blanks for horse shoe nails the combination of the
feeding and cutting apparatus hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings
with one or more pairs of drawing rollers.
2. In a machine of the class set forth the combination of apparatus constituting the
device for turning the blanks between two pairs of rollers substantially as described.
with reference to annexed drawings.
3. In a machine. of the class set forth the combination of the intercepting plate or
lever between two pairs of rollers with the mechanism described for stopping the
machine automatically substantially as set forth with reference to the appended.
drawings...
4. In a machine of the class set forth the combination of the synchroneously
rotating discs s, t, substantially as set forth with reference to the accompanying
drawings..
5. In a machine of the class set forth the combination of the discs and guide u
arranged and acting substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
6. In a machine of the class set forth the combination of the disc t, hammer 7, and
expelling pitman 12, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
7. In a machine of the class set forth the combination of the disc t with the
mechanism for stopping the apparatus, substantially as described and shewn on the
accompanying drawings.
8. In a machine of the class set forth the combination of the expelling pitman 12
and the gripping and delivering apparatus substantially as described and shown.
9. In a machine of the class set forth the automatically acting 'disengaging
apparatus hereinbefore described and shewn.
Dated this Fourth day of April 1890.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.