CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL SCREWS, PINS, BOLTS, AND RIVETS
Year: 1834

page_text: BETHELL'S
TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BETHELL, of Mecklenbergh Square, in the Parish of Saint Pancras and
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the fourth year of His reign,
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Bethell, His especial licence, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
John Bethell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Bethell, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL SCREWS, PINS, BOLTS, AND RIVETS;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said John Bethell, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately. after
the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Bethell, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the

page_text: manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say) :-
:-
My Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Making Metal Screws,
Pins, Bolts, and Rivets, are applicable to that description of machines or
apparatus in which screws blanks, pins, bolts, or rivets are formed from metal
rods or wire, the ends of which are compressed into recesses in dies to form
the heads, the thread of the screws being afterwards cut upon the blanks by
separate machines. They consist in the first place in an improved arrange-
ment or construction of machinery or apparatus for cutting off the required
lengths of wire or metal rods, and afterwards compressing their ends to form
the heads.
Secondly, in an improved construction of tho dic for forming the head of
the screw blank, bolt, pin, or rivet to be used in machines or apparatus for
forming the heads of screw blanks, pins, bolts, and rivets.
And, thirdly, in an improved manner or method of feeding or conducting
the screw blanks into screwing machines where the thread or worm is cuit
upon them, and afterwards removing the finished screw from the machine,
such screwing machines being constructed as described in the Specification of
a Patent granted to Lemuel Wellman Wright, dated the Eighteenth day of
September, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, the Specification
of which was duly inrolled in the Office of the Rolls Chapol of the High
Court of Chancery on or before the Eighteenth day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-nine, in which patent right I am beneficially
interested, and to which Specification I refer for the better explanation of
some parts of my present Invention.
The first part of my Invention, videlicet, the improved arrangement or con-
struction of machine or apparatus for cutting off the required lengths of metal,
wire, or rod, and compressing their ends to form the heads of the screw blanks,
bolts, pins, or rivets, is exhibited in the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, and Figure 2 a plan or hori-
zontal view of the same, similar letters of reference being used to denote
similar parts in both Figures. a, a, is the framework and standards of the
machine; is the driving shaft, which receives its motion by a band passed
over a rigger from a steam engine or other first mover. On this shaft is a
pinion taking into a spur wheel on the main shaft c of the machine. The end
of the length of metal rod or wire d is conducted into the machine through the
feeding apparatus or tongs e, e, mounted upon a sliding plate, which tongs aro

page_text: made to close upon the wire and bring it forward under the operation of the
cutter f, which severs the required portion of the length of rod. The move-
ment of the feeding apparatus is effected by the following means:-On the:
main shaft c is mounted the cam 9, against which cam the anti-friction roller;
and the end of the sliding bar h works. This bar is mounted in bearings pro.:
jecting from the standards of the machine, and is connected at its reverse end;
to the vertical lever i, mounted on a pin or stud projecting from the frame::
work as its fulcrum; the upper end of this lever takes into a slot in the piece,
j, which is connected by toggle joint pieces to the ends of the legs of the.
feeding tongs e. As the longer radus of the cam 9 comes into operation upon.
the roller on the bar h, it will cause that bar to slide, and the lever i to close,
the feeding tongs upon the wire or metal rod, and carry forward the required;
length of material through the opening in the cutter to form the shaft of a.
screw, pin, bolt, or rivet. When this effected, the cutter is made to descend by,
the cam k on the main shaft as it revolves raising the longer arm of the lever
7 (turning on a pin or stud fixed in the framework), and depressing the
opposite end, which draws down the bar of the cutter f, and thereby cuts off:
the length or required portion of the rod or wire. After this is done, a pair,
of spring clips or fingers m carry the piece to the situation opposite to the
mouth of the heading die at n. The inner side of the rim or groove of the.
cam o now acts upon the roller, shewn by dots attached near the end of.
the sliding bar h, and draws it with the lever i back into their former positions,
by which movement the lever i will cause the tongs to open and recede, in:
order to bring forward another portion of the rod or wire, as before described.
The sliding lateral movements of the carrying fingers m are produced by the
curved groove between the double cams p, p, at the end of the main shaft,
which cams act upon a roller projecting from the lower end of the vertical
lever q, having its fulcrum on a pin or stud in the bracket projecting from the
frame. The other end of this lever is connected to the sliding bar r of the;
carrying fingers, which is mounted in bearings in the top part of the frame.
By these means the carrying fingers are moved to and fro across the machine to
receive the portions of the wire or rod and carry them opposite the mouth of the
heading die n, at which time the heading punch advances and forces the end
of the portion of rod or wire into the die, when the fingers will retreat out of
the way of the punch and take hold of another portion of the wire or rod
which has been previously cut off. The next movement of the feeding tongs.
in bringing in another length of wire forces the severed portions out of the.
cutter blade into the fingers, when it is free to be carried away to the die..
The movement of the heading punch which compresses. the end of the piece of

page_text: rod or wire into the die to form the head, is effected by the large cam s
mounted upon the main shaft, which acts against the anti-friction roller mounted
in the lower arm of the heading lever t, its fulcrum being a pin or bolt passing
through the upper part of the framework. The shorter arm of this lever acts
against the end of the sliding bar of the heading punch v, and carrying the
punch forward, forces the piece of wire into the die and compresses the end of
it into the cup or recess in the die which forms the head. When this is
effected, the larger radus of the cams will cease to act on the lever t, and the
cam, heading punch, bar, and lever will then be brought back into their former
position, and the now headed screw blank, pin, bolt, or rivet will be forced out
of the die by the following means:-On the main shaft c is mounted the
toothed wheel w, taking into a similar wheel mounted on the auxilliary shaft
x; this shaft carries another cam y, which as it revolves acts against the end
of the lover t, and forces it back. The links or bridle pieces which connect
the shorter arm of the lever t to the sliding bar u will draw back that bar, and
with it the heading punch. To the sliding bar u are attached the rods or
bars,, which are connected together at the reverse ends by the cross head 1
carrying the sliding piece 2, the other end of which is formed into a T-shaped
head 3, working between guides in the framework; against this head the
adjusting screws of the punch 4 rests, which punch, by means of another
smaller one, herein-after more particularly described, forces the headed screw
blank, pin, bolt, or rivet out of the die as the heading punch and bar recedes
from it, but when the operation of heading is performing, the part 3, 3, stands
back against the projecting pieces 5, 5, of the framework, and forms an abut-
ment for the punch while the wire is being compressed to form the head.
I would only remark further, it will of course be evident that it is requisito
to place adjusting screws at all parts of the machine where there is an adjust-
ment required to suit different lengths of screw blank, bolts, pins, or rivets,
but which it is not necessary for me to describe, as all persons conversant with
this description of machinery will be fully aware of their proper situations.
The second part of my improvements applies to the construction of the dies
to be used in machines or apparatus for beading screw blanks, pins, bolts, and
rivets, and in which the end of the piece of metal rod or wire is to be compressed
in order to form the head of the bolt, pin, screw blank, or rivet, and consists
in forming the dio solid or in one piece instead of two parts, as in machines of
the usual construction. The die is a solid block of twice the usual length
of the intended screw blank, pin, bolt, or rivet, with a cap or recess in each
end, by which means the same piece or block of metal is made to answer the
purpose of two distinct dies by reversing its position in the machine. This

page_text: part of the improvements applies also to constructing the punch, which forces
the screw blank, bolt, or rivet out of the dio after the head has been formed
upon it by the machine. Fig. 3 is an external representation of one of my
improved dies removed from the machine, with the forcing punch withdrawn
from it. Figure 4 is a section taken through the same, with the forcing
punch placed in the dies, and in its position when the shaft is being headed.
Figure 5 is another section taken when the punch is forced into the die to
expel the headed screw blank, pin, bolt, or rivet. These Figures are drawn
to the full size for a screw blank of the Number 11 size, one inch long. a is
the die; b, the punch fitting accurately within it; c is the cap or recess where the
head of the screw blank, pin, bolt, or rivet is to be formed. It will be under-
stood that the end of the forcing punch which is in the die forms an abutment
for the end of the piece of wire or rod while it is heading; and that the head
or enlarged end of the punch 6 rest against the end of the bar 4, mentioned
in reference to Fig. 2 under the first of these improvements. I would here
remark that when dies are constructed in this manner, and the forcing punch
is at all times within them, that the reverse end of the piece of wire or rod
cannot become bulged or enlarged so as to cause it to fix itself to the back part
of the die, as is the case when the aperture through the die is only of the same
length as the screw blank, pin, bolt, or rivet introduced into it.
The third part of my Invention, viz., the improved manner or method of
feeding or conducting the screw blanks into screwing machines when the
thread or worm is to be cut upon them, and afterwards removing the screw
therefrom, is exhibited in the Drawing at Figures 6 and 7, which are outline
representations of a screwing machine constructed under the Specification of
Lemuel Wellman Wright before mentioned, with my improved parts adapted
thereto, which are coloured with a blue tint to distinguish them, those parts
of the machines which are superseded by my Invention not being shewn in the
Drawings. Figure 6 is a plan or horizontal view of the machine, and Figure
7 is a section taken longitudinally through the same, the parts standing in
the situations they would occupy while the screw thread or worm is being cut
upon the blank. On reference to the Specification of Mr. Wright before
mentioned, it will be seen that the screw blanks were conducted from a feed
wheel through a long tube placed in the spindle a into the holding chaps b,
which bave a reciprocating rotatory motion given to them. The screw blanks
were held by these chaps while the worm or thread was cutting upon them by
the screwing dies c, and after the thread was formed the screws were removed
by a pair of spring fingers. In my improved method the boy attending the
machines introduces the blanks between a pair of fingers placed opposite the

page_text: screwing dies, which carry them through those dies into the holding chaps, the
chaps being open to receive them, the holding chaps immediately take hold of
the blanks in the way described by Mr. Wright, and the screwing dies then
close upon the blank and cut the thread thereon. After this the screwing dies
open again and allow another pair of spring fingers to take hold of the now
threaded screw and remove it from the holding chaps, when another blank
may be introduced, as before. d is the feeder or pair of fingers in which the
screw blanks are placed. These fingers are mounted on the end of the bar
e, and are in the same position and worked in the same manner as those
described by Mr. Wright in his Specification for fetching away the finished
screw. I only use them for the reverse purpose. f is the pair of fingers for
taking away the finished screw from the holding chaps, which are placed upon
the end of a bent bar 9 sliding in bearings in the piece h attached to the
framework of the machine. This sliding bar has a pin i projecting from its
under side, which takes into a slot in the lever k turning on a pin l as its
fulcrum. The other end of this lever is connected by another slot and pin to
the sliding bar m, which bar is worked by a cam n on the main shaft, as
described by Mr. Wright in his Specification. The operation of these parts is
as follows: As soon as the thread or worm is cut upon the blank by tho
screwing dies, they open as described by Mr. Wright, when the sliding bar m
is noved by its cam in the direction of the arrow, which will draw back the
feeding fingers d, and, by means of the lever, force forward tho discharging
fingers at the same time they rise by the inclined planes on the bar g
coming against those on the bearings, and take hold of the screw in the
holding chaps, as shewn in the partial section in Fig. 8, when they open and
release the screw. At this time the attendant places another blank in the
feeding fingers d, and the bar m begins to move back, by which means the
fingers take away the finished screw and the feeding fingers & introduce
another blank in the holding chaps, as shewn in the other partial Figure 9.
The chaps and dies then close upon the blank, at which time the discharge
fingers are moved backward until the stationary driver o forces the screw out
of them, when it falls away into a receptacle placed below. After this both
pair of fingers are moved by the cam and bar into the position shewn in
Figures 6 and 7, ready to undergo the next operation, as before described.
Figure 10 is a partial end view of the machine, as shewn in Figures 6 and 7.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Bethell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-four.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-fourth day of October,
in the fifth year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth,
the said James Bethell came before our said Lord the King in His Chan-
cery, and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing
5 therein contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instru-
ment aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in
the fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-fourth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-four.