IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING BRADS, LATH NAILS, AND OTHERS OF SIMILAR CHARACTER
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London. Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING BRADS, LATH NAILS, AND OTHERS OF SIMILAR
CHARACTER." -A communication.
Sealed the 6th October 1854; and dated the 9th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald Brooman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
9th June 1854.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING BRADS, LATH NAILS, AND OTHERS
OF SIMILAR CHARACTER," (communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,)
to be as follows:-
The brads and nails are cut from a sheet or ribbon of metal, of a width
suitable for making the length of one brad or nail and the head of another.
The dies for cutting are of such shape as to give the proper taper; and in
order, therefore, to maintain a fair edge during the cutting up of the strip, the
heads are formed alternately on each side, as seen in Figure III. In the old
machines, having vibrating cutters, the strip must be turned over each time a
cut is taken off and a brad made. By this Invention this turning over is
obviated, while all the time required for so turning the plate is saved, and a

page_text: much greater amount of work accomplished. In this machine, both parts of
the shears or cutters move, one part revolving upon a heavy fly wheel, while
the other vibrates upon an axis at the inner corner of the anvil or bed, and it
is by reason of this arrangement of the vibratory shear or cutter that the plate
may be fed in and cut up into brads without requiring to be turned over at each
cut. The machine is constructed and worked as follows:-At A is a strong
anvil or base block, cast upon or otherwise properly secured to the bed plate.
In its top a cavity is made to receive a centre pin and fixture, on which the
vibrating part of the shear is secured. To hold and operate this vibrating part
there is a plate a, having a pin or axis fitted to the recess in the base block A,
as shewn; from its sides two armis 6 branch out horizontally crosswise of the
machine, as seen in Figure II.; from the ends of these, connecting rods c
extend to the main shaft, where they terminate in excentrics on said shaft, as
represented, the set of the excentrics being such as to have their throw or
greatest elongation on opposite sides of the shaft. This gives the vibratory
motion to the shear plate. The vibrating part of the shear is a piece of steel d,
faced upon the plate a, and having its cutting edge, which is straight, slightly
overhanging towards the rim of the wheel, as shown in Figure I. At B is the
main shaft, supporting a heavy wheel, placed so that its face will be directed
toward and be near to the edge of the vibratory part of the shear, the
axis of the main shaft being on a level with the face of said shear. The
face at points on opposite sides is cut away and fitted to receive two pieces of
steel, each forming alternately the revolving parts of the shears, and as shewn
ate and e'. The edge of each of these revolving parts is shaped so as to stand
at an angle with the face of the wheel, in order to cut the brad with the
proper taper, and as the heads are formed alternately from side to side, so
these angles are set in opposite directions, as shewn at c and e', Figure 11.
The use of the vibrating part d of the shear will now be apparent, for, in order.
to make a clean cut, the two edges of the shear, viz., the vibrating and the
revolving, at the moment of operating on the metal, must face or be parallel
with each other, and so near as just to give to one of them passage by the
other. As, therefore, the edge of the revolving shear e' approaches the sheet
of metal, represented at i, the edge of the vibrating part d of the shear will be
adjusted to lie parallel by the movement of the arms b, operated by the ex-
centrics on the main shaft, as clearly represented, and the brad is properly cut
off, one edge of the shear coming down on the strip a little inside of its edge,
whereby the head is formed, as shown by the dotted lines, and also as repre-
sented in Figure III. The second rotating shear c now approaches, having its
edge set at an angle in the opposite direction. The edge of the vibrating shear

page_text: must now be turned, so as to lie parallel with the revolving shear, which is
approaching, as in the former case; the arins b accordingly move to the position
shewn in the dotted lines, Figure II., the throw of the eccentrics being set
properly to effect it, and the opposite edge of a being also so set as to cut
within the edge of the strip, in order to leave the projection for the head of
the brad next to be cut, as before. The strip i of metal is fed along in a
channel in a table, as shewn, the onward motion being effected by two feed
rollers k, operated by suitable gearing, and driven from the main shaft, in
order that the velocities of the two shall always bear the given relation to
each other demanded by the quantity to be fed, which must always be the
same during the passage of one revolving shear to the other.
In making brads or nails of other shapes or sizes, the cutting shears must
be changed, and others of the required form substituted. In the case of
length, the channel on the table for guiding the strips inust be widened. This
is accomplished by setting apart the guide pieces, by set screws, or by any
other convenient means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th December 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, ny executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, ue, 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 CUTTING
BRADS, LATH NAILS, AND OTHERS OF SIMILAR CHARACTER," (communicated to me
by a foreigner residing abroad,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I,

page_text: the said Richard Archibald Brooman, by au instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, 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 Oflice within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
The brads and nails are cut from a sheet or ribbon of metal, of a width
suitable for making the length of one brad or nail and the head of another.
The dies for cutting are of such shape as to give the proper taper; and in
order, therefore, to maintain a fair edge during the cutting up. of the strip,
the heads are formed alternately on each side, as seen in Figure III. In the
old machines, having vibrating cutters, the strip must be turned over cach
time a cút is taken off and a brad inade. By this Invention this turning over
is obviated, while all the time required for so turning the plate is saved, and
a much greater amount of work-accomplished. In this machine both parts of
the shears or cutters move, one. part. revolving upon a heavy fly wheel, while
the other vibrates upon an axis at the inner corner of the anvil or bed, and it
is by reason of this arrangement of the vibratory shear or cutter that the plate
may be fed in and cut up into brads, without requiring to be turned over at
each cut. The machine is constructed and worked as follows:-At A is a
strong anvil or base block, cast upon or otherwise properly secured to the bed
plate. In its top a cavity is made to receive a center pin and fixture, on which
the vibrating part of the shear is secured. To hold and operate this vibrating
part there is a plate a, having a pin or axis fitted to the recess in the base
block A, as shown; from its sides two arms & branch out horizontally crosswise
of the machine, as seen in Figure II.; from the ends of these, connecting
rods c extend to the main shaft, where they terminate in eccentrics on said
shaft, as represented, the set of the eccentrics being such as to have their throw
or greatest elongation on opposite sides of the shaft. This gives the vibratory
motion to the shear plate. The vibrating part of the shear is a piece of steel d,
faced upon the plate a, and having its cutting edge, which is straight, slightly
overhanging toward the rim of the wheel, as shown in Figure I. At B is the
main shaft, supporting a heavy wheel, placed so that its face will be directed
toward and be near to the edge of the vibratory part of the shear, the axis
of the main shaft being on a level with the face of said shear. The face

page_text: at points on opposite sides is cut away and fitted to receive two pieces of
steel, each forming alternately the revolving part of the shears, and as
shewn at c and e'. The edge of each of these revolving parts is shaped so
as to stand at an angle with the face of the wheel, in order to cut the brad
with the proper taper, and as the heads are formed alternately from side to
side, so these angles are set in opposite directions, as shown at and e',
Figure II. The use of the vibrating part d of the shear will now be apparent,
for, in order to make a clean cut, the two edges of the shear, videlicet, the
vibrating and the revolving, at the moment of operating on the metal, must
face or be parallel with each other, and so near as just to give to one of
them passage by the other. As, therefore, the edge of the revolving shear o¹
approaches the sheet of metal, represented at i, the edge of the vibrating
part d of the shear will be adjusted to lie parallel by the movement of the
arms b, operated by the eccentrics on the main shaft, as clearly represented,
and the brad is properly cut off, one edge of the shear coming down on the
strip a little inside of its edge, whereby the head is formed, as shown by the
dotted lines, and also as represented in Figure III. The second rotating
shear now approaches, having its edge set at an angle in the opposite direc-
tion. The edge of the vibrating shear must now be turned, so as to lie
parallel with the revolving shear, which is approaching, as in the former case;
the arms accordingly move to the position shown in the dotted lines,
Figure II., the throw of the eccentrics being set properly to effect it, and the
opposite edge of c being also so set as to cut within the edge of the strip, in
order to leave the projection for the head of the brad next to be cut, as before.
The strip i of metal is fed along in a channel in a table, as shown, the onward
motion being effected by two feed rollers k, operated by suitable gearing, and
driven from the main shaft, in order that the velocities of the two shall always
bear the given relation to each other demanded by the quantity to be fed,
which must always be the same during the passage of one revolving shear to
the other.
In making brads or nails of other shapes or sizes, the cutting shears must
be changed, and others of the required form substituted. In the case of
length the channel on the table for guiding the strips must be widened. This
is accomplished by setting apart the guide pieces, by set screws, or by any other
convenient means.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as the said
Invention is, the arrangement and combination of the vibrating shear with the
revolving shear or cutter, so connected as to change the position of the cutting

page_text: edge, and cause it always to stand parallel to the edge of each revolving
cutter until the nail has been cut off, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-four.