IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING NAILS AND SPIKES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Alexander Halket, of the Town and County of
Newcastle-on-Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR FORGING NAILS AND SPIKES."
Sealed the 23rd July 1867, and dated the 31st January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Alexander Halket
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st January 1867.
I, DAVID ALEXANDER HALKET, of the Town and County of Newcastle-
on-Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING NAILS AND SPIKES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved arrangements of machinery for forging
nails and spikes, the nature of which will be rendered intelligible by the
following description, reference being had to the Diagram hereunto annexed,
which represents in perspective the principal operating parts of the
machine :-
1 is the rod from which the nail or spike is formed, being fed into the
machine down a slot cut in the face of a bar or guide, described hereafter,
having first been brought to a red or welding heat in a suitable furnace; this
rod gravitates till it touches a stop which is fixed at the proper length to
determine the length of rod sufficient for being forged into the nail or spike
to be made; 2 is a table fixed to the framing of the machine and ground flat

page_text: on its face; 3 is a cutter projecting from this table, the lower right hand edge
of which cuts the rod as the shear 4 is pressed against it. The spring 16
(which before the shear 4 commences cutting is prevented by the stop 19
from touching the shear 4 by the distance of the thickness of the nail rod)
presses against the piece or blank 11 cut off for making the nail, and prevents
it from falling when the piece 11 and the cutter 4 are in the position shown
in the sketch; the "placer" 5 (which is the same thickness as the piece or
blank 11) has a notch at the point, and has a spring 17 to keep the notched
point pressing the cut-off piece or blank 11 tight against the table and prevent
its falling. The "placer" 5 has a downward motion and pushes the piece or
nail blank 11 down between the fixed die 6 and the moveable die 7 till the
piece or blank 11 is pressed past these dies by the distance necessary to form
the head (this part for forming the head therefore projects downwards past
the dies 6 and 7). In order to ensure the end of the piece or blank 11.
entering. between the dies 6 and 7 a guide 4* is fixed under the shear 4 and
travels with it in a line with the cutting face of the said shear; the face of the
spring 16 is also prolonged downwards, and the piece or blank 11 being thus
held between the two and by the placer 5 it is guided correctly down between
the dies 6 and 7. Instead of prolonging the face of the spring 16 downwards
a piece of metal may be fixed above the fixed die 6, the face of this last being
set up in a line with that of the piece of metal above, which with the guide
before mentioned will form a slot down which the piece or blank 11 will be
correctly guided between the dies 6 and 7 by the placer 5. The moveable
die 7 is then pressed sideways tightly against the roller 9 made of steel
hardened; this roller revolves on an axis carried in a double eye fixed in a
lever, and as soon as the die 7. squeezes the roller 9 sufficiently to form a
tight joint, but not enough to prevent its motion (the centre of the roller 9
being about level with the bottom of the dies 6 and 7), the wedge 12 rising
forces it against the piece 11, holding and pressing the piece 11 against the
table 2, and causes it to fill out between the dies 6 and 7; the placer 5 is
then withdrawn, an upward motion is then given to the roller 9, and the piece
or blank 11 is forged taper as the roller 9 rises, revolving by its own friction,
the amount of taper and depth of the nail or spike being regulated by the
screws 15 and 15% carried by the support 14 secured to the frame of the
machine to set up the wedge or incline 13 against the regulating wedge or
incline 12 to any suitable taper or depth to suit the nail or spike. As soon
as the roller 9 in its upward motion is in the position shown the third die 8
comes up in the direction of the arrow vertically, and when level with the
bottom of the dies 6 and 7 is presssed forward upon the fourth side of the

page_text: piece 11; then the heading too! 10 advances from the position shown in
dotted lines at 20 to that at 10, and has then an upward motion given it so
as to form the head to the piece 11 whilst held as previously described. A
stream of water is conducted on to the roller and dies in order to keep them
cool. The nail or spike being finished, the header recedes to its original
position, the third die falls back from the nail or spike, and descends. The
wedge 12 falls down and the moveable die 7 recedes, freeing the roller 9, and
leaving the nail at liberty to fall away from the machine, the roller 9 'descends
to its original position, and the placer 5 brings down another piece or blank
which has been carried under it by the shear 4.
The several motions are given to the operating parts by means of suitablo
cams fixed on a shaft revolving in plummer blocks carried by the framing of
the machine, springs being employed to bring the parts back to their original
positions. The nail rod or bar of iron having been first heated to a red or
welding heat, is thrust vertically by the person feeding the machino down a
slot cut in the face of a bar or guide fixed against the right hand face of the
cutter 3, there being at intervals above the cutter cross pieces to prevent the
bar falling forwards, and the intersections allow of the bar being removed or
otherwise in case of its being necessary; down this slot the bar of iron or rod
gravitates against a stop, as before-mentioned (and on this feed guide or bar
a spring may be placed, so that by releasing a catch the spring may grip the
bar of iron and prevent its further feeding into the machine in case the
machine gets deranged). The back table 2, as before stated, is stationary,
and the two side dies 6 and 7 are prevented from lifting up by the frame
which angles over them. The table 2 is prevented from lifting up by a piece
of iron which projects over, its top part being adjustable, so that its bottom
edge may be set flush with the two side dies in order that the under surface
of the head may be level; this stop can be shifted sideways so that the table
can be withdrawn vertically; this stop is necessary, otherwise the pressure of
the header would push the table upwards. The placer 5 is formed with a
notch at the bottom in order to hold the portion cut off; the recess being
rather less than the thickness of the bar enables the placer to press the blank
against the table by means of a spring which presses the placer against the
said table, otherwise the portion cut off would fall right through the dies.
The portion cut off is held between the shear and spring holder 16 until the
placer 5 comes down, the notch overlapping it, and thrusts it from between
them, and carries it down between the dies (with a sufficient portion below to
form the head), retaining its hold of it by means of the spring which presses it
against the table, as previously described. The roller 9 at the commencement

page_text: of its movement has its diameter nearly coincident with the bottom of the
dies 6 and 7, and before beginning its upward motion it is forced against the
rod and table by means of the inclined plane 12 actuated by a lever (which
inclined plane works against the adjustable wedge or inclined plane 13 at the
back) in order that the forging or pressure on the nail may begin from the
first; the roller 9 then rises, thus tapering and forging or drawing out the nail
to a point, being gradually forced inwards by the adjustable wedge piece at
the back. As soon as the roller has risen sufficiently out of the way and
partly or wholly formed the point of the nail, the third die 8 then comes and
presses the lower part of the unfinished nail against the table 2; this portion
is now enclosed on three sides (but leaving the portion forced down by the
placer below the bottom of the dies unprotected and ready to receive the
heading tool) by the table, the fixed and the moveable die, and on its fourth.
side by the third die.
By the peculiar arrangement of the five shears or dies, previously described,
I am enabled to forge the nails out of common nail rods or bars of iron in
place of plates of iron as is commonly practised in machinery of a similar
character.
Another important feature of my improved arrangement of machinery is,
that the same shears or dies do not both cut off the iron and also form the
nail, there being two shears or dies to cut off the length of metal or blank,
and three others to form the nail. The operations being distinct both can be
carried on simultaneously, thus whilst the nail is being forged between the
dies the cutter and shear above are receiving aad cutting off the piece of iron
which is to form the next nail; this is another important feature of my
improvements in machinery of this description, as I can afford to allow about
three quarters of a revolution to cut off the blank to form the nail or spike.
By this improved arrangement I am able to make the back shear or table a
fixture, whereby I can fix the side dies more accurately, and run no risk of
chafing the back edge of the side shear or die on the left hand. By cutting
off the iron to one side of the place where it is formed into a nail I am able
to allow the bar to feed against a solid fixed stop. By giving two motions
each to the front die and to the header I am thereby better enabled to get
them out of the way of the other parts at the proper moment, and by having
as much clearance as possible between the different parts they can be made
of sufficient strength and of proper dimensions. By the movement of each
tool being kept distinct, and by not allowing one to be dependent upon another,
I effect. the movement of each of them at the precise moment which is most
advantageous, all the motions are obtained by suitably-formed cams and not

page_text: by cranks or eccentrics, the face of the cams being so formed that the levers
or bars actuated thereby rest a certain part of a revolution when at their
lowest point, then rise, then for a further part of a revolution they remain
stationary at their highest point, and then fall back again; and I so pro-
portion the four divisions of the cams, and so place them in their respective
positions on the shaft, that each bar or lever rises or falls at the precise
moment required and then remain stationary at either the highest or lowest
surface of the cam until the other levers have had time to rise and fall and
perform their work.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Alexander Halket in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
ALEXANDER HALKET, of the Town and County of Newcastle-on-Tyne, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her Heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said David Alexander Halket, Her special licence that I, the
said David Alexander Halket, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said David Alexander Halket, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time, and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FORGING NAILS AND
SPIKES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Alexander
Halket, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Alexander Halket, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improved arrangements of machinery for forging
nails and spikes, the nature of which will be rendered intelligible by the
following description, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
Sheets 1 and 2 of which represent in perspective the principal operating
parts of the machine, and Sheet 3 shows to a full sized scale the mode of
fixing and adjusting the working parts in contact with the nail.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Sheet of the Drawings shows a perspective view of the several mecha-
nical motions employed for actuating the operating parts of a machine for
forging nails and spikes in accordance with my Invention, the operating
parts being in the position they would assume when the blank is deposited
between the dies and the placer in the act of being withdrawn.
b
. The rod a from which the nails are to be made or forged is caused to slide
or be fed down, as shown (or in any other convenient manner), the length
necessary to make a nail being determined by the stop 6 (which can be made
adjustable for different lengths of nails). The rod is fed into the machine
down a slot cut in the face of a bar or guide described hereafter, having first
been brought to a red or welding heat in a suitable furnace; this rod gravi-
tates till it touches the stop, which is fixed at the proper length to determine
the length of rod sufficient for being forged into the nail or spike to be made.
The blank or length for a nail is cut off by the shear c acting against the
fixed cutter d, the shear c properly guided (the guide next the blank being
omitted in order that the other parts may be seen more clearly) is forced
along the bottom of the fixed cutter d by means of the wedge ƒ and its rod g
actuated by the cam 1 and the lever h; the cam 1 is shown in position after
it has cut the blank off. During the process of cutting the rod and spring m
(when the placer i, i is out of the way) press the blank against the cutter c and
prevent it falling when severed. The placer i, i, (which is slightly narrower
than the blank) having just pushed the blank into the space between the
fixed die o and the moveable die p comes down, being actuated by means of
the cam 8, the levers s and t, the rods and the shaft y in connection there-
with. The placer i is formed with a recess q a little smaller than the thickness
of the blank covering the blank and holding it against the table by means of
the spring r. The blank by this means is prevented from dropping, and is
pushed fairly down the necessary distance between o and p, so that a sufficient
length descends below the table e to form the head, at the same time pushing

page_text: back the roller a' and its spring e', which also tends to keep the blank secure.
The cam 2 which actuates the lever x, wedge y, and rod z respectively, then
causes the moveable die p to press the blank against the fixed die o with some
force and hold it there; the wedge d' is then lifted by the cam 5, the rod e¹
pushing the block h' (shown in section) closer against the table, the wedge
being so arranged that the block h does not rise vertically, but is pressed more
and more against the table as it rises, having an oscillating motion at i¹; k¹ is
an arm formed with a socket keyed firmly on to the upright rod 1, ", which
carries the block h', holding a roller m' actuated by the cam 6; as the arm k³
rises with the block h' the roller a¹ is prevented from coming back by the
projection g', and is forced towards the table by the block h¹ rising against the
wedge d', thus forging the blank taper and giving it the necessary point ;
a is an adjustable piece of steel let into the support 9", and set up by the
screws y, y, to regulate the amount of taper, required to be given to the
blank. After the blank is pointed the cam 4, which actuates the roller n',
the lever o', and connecting rod p', forces the die q' against the blank, which
with the block will have risen so as to place the bottom of the die q¹ on a
level with the bottom of the table e and the moving die p; the blank with
the parts in this position is now enclosed and held fast on all its four sides. The
further revolution of the cam shaft causes the cam 7. to actuate the roller s¹,
and by that means the lever r', connecting rod 71, lever u', shaft v', lever w¹,
and connecting rod y, thus pushing the heading die ¹ (which works in a
groove in the lever a") exactly under the blank. The lever w' is formed with
a loop a, which embraces the shaft o, on which the lever a" works, so that
the die may be pushed fairly along its groove in the lever a¹¹; at this
time the cam 3 raises the lever a" by means of the roller 6", and thus heads
the nail, which is now cut, forged, tapered, and headed, and allowed to drop
finished on the withdrawal of the several instruments which held it in its place,
and the process is continued, each revolution of the shaft A producing a nail.
The shaft A is driven by a belt or other similar driving gear actuated by a
steam engine or other motive power; c¹ and p¹ are springs to bring back the
cutter c and holding die p. The cams 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 shown
separately are placed in the relative positions they would assume in the
machine in their revolution, as represented in Drawing, Sheet 1.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Sheet 2, of the Drawings represent a
series of perspective views of the operating parts of the machine, showing the
positions they assume during the several operations required for making a nail.
Figure 1 shows the nail rod arrested by the stop 6 at the proper length before
being cut off; Figure 2 shows the blank cut off, and carried over the space

page_text: between the moveable die p and fixed die o; Figure 3 shows the blank moved
by the placer i into the space between the moveable die p and the fixed die o,
where it is held by the roller a¹ and spring e¹; Figure 4 shows the blank
after the placer i has been raised, still held by the roller a¹ and further
secured by the moveable die p pressing it against the fixed die o; Figure 5
shows the wedge d' raised to its highest position; Figure 6 shows the position
the parts assume after the roller a¹ has completed the tapering of the blank
with the fourth holding die q¹ pressed against the blank, so as to force it
against the table e, the blank being surrounded on all sides by die surfaces
preparatory to the operation of the heading die z¹, which at this point is
moved directly under the blank; Figure 7 shows the die ¹ in the act of
heading the blank, the lever a pressing it upwards; Figure 8 shows the
wedge d, the block 7, the heading tool z¹, and the lever a brought back,
and the moveable die p withdrawn, so as to release the finished nail.
Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 3, of the Drawings show separate views of some of
the parts full size, showing the mode of securing the tools, which I prefer to
make of chilled castings.
I. is a chilled cutter fixed to the cutter bar c by the guide II. and adjusted
by the screw III.; IV. is a chilled piece let flush into the table e, held against
it by the clip and screw VI. and adjusted by the screws V. and VII.; VIII.
is a screw for securing the fixed die o, which is provided with a slot and also
with an adjusting wedge XII.; IX. is a chilled end fitted on to the moveable
die bar p, capable of adjustment by the screws and packing pieces X.;
d is the fixed cutter secured by the strap and screws XI. The other
parts are marked with corresponding letters of reference to those previously
described.
The placer has a downward motion and pushes the piece or nail blank
down between the fixed die and the moveable die till the piece or blank is
pressed beyond these dies by the distance necessary to form the head; this
part for forming the head therefore projects downwards below the dies. In
order to ensure the end of the piece or blank entering between the dies a
guide is fixed under the shear and travels with it in a line with the cutting
face of the said shear; the face of the spring holder is also prolonged
downwards, and the piece or blank being thus held between the two and by
the placer it is guided correctly down between the dies. Instead of pro- s
longing the face of the spring holder downwards a piece of metal may be -
fixed above the fixed die, the face of this last being set up in a line with that
of the piece of metal above which with the guide before mentioned will form
a slot down which the piece or blank will be correctly guided between the

page_text: dies by the placer. A stream of water is conducted on to the roller and dies
in order to keep them cool. The nail rod or bar of iron is fed as previously
described down a slot cut in the face of a bar or guide fixed against the
right-hand face of the cutter to prevent the bar falling forwards, and on this
feed guide or bar a spring may be placed, so that by releasing a catch the
spring may grip the bar of iron and prevent its further feeding into the
machine in case the machine gets deranged. The back table being stationary
the two side dies are prevented from lifting up by the frame which angles
over them. The table is prevented from lifting up by an adjustable stop
which projects over its top part so that its bottom edge may be set flush with
the two side dies in order that the under surface of the head may be level;
this stop can be shifted sideways so that the table can be withdrawn vertically.
This stop is necessary otherwise the pressure of the header would force the
table upwards. The placer is formed with a notch at the bottom, as
previously described, in order to hold the portion cut off, the recess being
rather less than the thickness of the bar enables the placer to press the
blank against the table by means of a spring which presses the placer
against the said table, otherwise the portion cut off would fall right through
the dies. The blank or portion cut off is held between the shear and spring
holder until the placer comes down; the notch at its end overlapping thrusts
it from between them and carries it down between the dies with a sufficient
portion below to form the head, retaining its hold of it by means of the
spring, which presses it against the table, as previously described. The
roller a (which I prefer to be of steel hardened) at the commencement of
its movement has its diameter nearly coincident with the bottom of the
dies o and p, and, before beginning its upward motion it is forced against
the rod and table by means of the wedge d' rising, actuated by a lever,
(which wedge works against the adjustable inclined plane at the back)
in order that the forging or pressure on the nail may begin from the
first; the roller then rises, thus tapering and forging or drawing out the
nail to a point, being gradually forced inwards by the adjustable inclined
plane at the back, as previously described. By the peculiar arrangements of
the five shears or dies previously described I am enabled to forge the nails out
of common nail rods or bars of iron in place of plates of iron, as is commonly
practised in machinery of a similar character. .
Another important feature of my improved arrangement of machinery is
that the same shears or dies do not both cut off the iron and also form the nail,
there being two shears or dies to cut off the length of metal or blank and
three others to form the nail. The operations being distinct both can be

page_text: carried on simultaneously; thus, whilst the nail is being forged between the
dies the cutter and shear above are receiving the piece of iron which is to
form the next nail; this is another important feature of my improvements
in machinery of this description, as I can afford to allow about three-quarters
of a revolution for the rod to drop or feed the blank which is to form the
nail or spike. By this improved arrangement I am able to make the back
shear or table a fixture, whereby I can fix the side dies more accurately
and run no risk of chafing the back edge of the side shear or die on the left
hand. By cutting off the iron to one side of the place where it is formed
into a nail I am able to allow the bar to feed against a solid fixed stop. By
giving two motions each to the front die and to the beader I am thereby
better enabled to get them out of the way of the other parts at the proper
moment, and by having as much clearance as possible between the different
parts they can be made of sufficient strength and of proper dimensions. By
the movement of each tool being. kept distinct and by not allowing one to
be dependant upon another, I effect the movement of each of them at the
precise moment which is most advantageous. All the motions are obtained
by suitably formed cams, so that the levers or bars actuated thereby rest
a certain part of a revolution when at their lowest point, then rise; then
for a further part of a revolution they remain stationary at their highest
point and then fall back again; and I so proportion the divisions of the cams
and so place them in their respective positions on the shaft that each bar or
lever rises or falls at the precise moment required, and then remains stationary
at either the highest or lowest surface of the cam until the other levers have
had time to rise and fall and perform their work.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is performed or carried into practice, I would here remark
that the mechanical means employed in actuating the various parts may
be greatly varied without departing from the nature of my Invention, and
it should also be clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the
exact details herein described, so long as the peculiar character of my
Invention is retained, which consists in the improved arrangement and com-
bination of parts consisting of the cutter c, the spring holder 1, and fixed
feeding stop b, combined with a fixed table and dies and roller carried by a
lever, alternately at rest and in motion, for tapering the nail or spike, a placer
acting in combination with a spring being employed to convey the blank cut
off' above down into the dies beneath, where it is forged into the shape of nail
required.
I would remark that I am aware that nails and spikes have previously been
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page_text: forged by means of a roller (actuated by a crank) between two side dies.
against a moveable back shear which also cuts off from a plate the portion to
be forged into a nail.
What I claim is the combining the holding and heading dies with the
cutter C the spring holder 1, and fixed feeding stop b, as herein described.
I also claim actuating the roller a¹ by a lever or carrying block alternately
at rest and in motion, as herein. described.
I also claim conveying the piece or blank from the parts above to those
below by the placer i, substantially in the manner herein described and shown
in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
I also claim the general arrangement and combination of mechanism for
actuating the various operating parts for the purpose of forging nails and
spikes as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Alexander Halket, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
set my
D. A. HALKET. (L.S.)