Improvements in or relating to Nails, chiefly applicable to Horticultural Purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Nails, chiefly applicable to
Horticultural Purposes.
I, ALFRED CHANDLER, of South Hill Kingskerswell Devon Horticulturist do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described and relating to
the manufacture of nails, or brackets, as supports for horticultural purposes.
The object of my invention being the construction of, or combination with, a
suitable nail so as to form a bracket or support to clip the branches or limbs of
trees and plants and secure the same to the wall, fence or trellis work, and such
places where the same may require to be fixed.
I will describe my invention thus;
I take a nail of any kind suitable to my purpose and on or over the head I
securely fix a form of soft metal of a ductile or plastic kind such as lead, provided
with a finger, rectangular, and flattened as sheet metal.
By one mode I propose to connect or affix this form of soft metal, to the head of
the nail, by the application of moulds specially constructed, in which the nail will
be laid, and the soft metal when in a molten state poured in, in a manner well
known. Or by another mode I should pierce the finger of a required form from
soft metal, one end I should "dish" sufficiently deep to receive the head of the
nail, and securely connect the same by "closing up tools."
A nail thus formed is as one piece can be driven in the usual way where required
and the flat finger part can be bent round or over the branch or limb of the tree or
plant by means of the thumb or finger and without the employment of tools.
The object is thus effected in a simple and economical manner without injury to
the tree or plant dispensing with the employment of the nail and shreds of cloth or
wire or string as hitherto.
Dated Oth Mov 1801
THOS. KENDRICK,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Nails, chiefly applicable to
Horticultural Purposes.
I, ALFRED CHANDLER, of South Hill, Kingskerswell, in the County of Devon,
Horticulturist, 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 :-
My invention relates to the improved construction of a nail, or clip, to be
employed chiefly in the support and attachment of the branches or limbs of trees
and plants, to walls, fences, trellis work, or such other places to which the same may
require to be fixed.
The main object of the invention, is to provide a nail, or clip, which will effect
the above purpose in a safe, simple and economical manner, without injury to the
tree, or plant, while at the same time dispensing with the employment of the
shreds of cloth, wire, or string, commonly employed with the ordinary garden
nail.
Although chiefly intended for horticultural use, nails or clips, made in accordance

page_text: with my invention, form a convenient support anu
purposes, such for instance, as the fixing of gas or other pipes to a wall, or the
fixing of electrical bell, telephonic, or other wires.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings;
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a nail, or clip, chiefly intended for horticultural purposes,
and constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, looking on the head of the nail.
Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1, but partly in section.
Fig. 4 is a cross-section through A. A in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of a nail, or clip of the same construction as the above, but
differing slightly in shape, mainly intended for the attachment of pipes, or to act as
a "pipe hook."
Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5, but partly in section.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, B is a nail, or spike made of cast iron, annealed or
otherwise, wrought iron, steel or other suitable material, and formed with a flange
or projection C around it, near the head end. D is a flat piece, made of lead, or
some similar metal of a soft nature, which, can be easily bent, it is formed with a
thickened end D1, surrounding the end of the nail B and flange C. This piece D
may be affixed to the nail by means of a specially constructed mould, in which the
nail can be placed, while the soft metal, in a molten state, is poured therein, in a
manner well understood; or the piece D may be stamped out or cast to the
required shape, with an orifice to receive the nail head, which is subsequently
secured in place by suitable "closing up tools." The end of the nail head B' is
preferably allowed to project slightly above the lead, as shewn, to receive the blow
of the hammer.
A nail thus formed, is practically in one piece; it can be driven in the usual
way, wherever required, and the flat piece D can be bent round, or over the branch,
or limb of a tree or plant, or other desired object, by means of the fingers, and
without the employment of tools. It can also be readily unbent, when required, to
remove the said branch or limb, or alter its position.
The piece D is preferably made with the side D2, which comes in contact with
the branch or limb of the tree or plant, slightly convex, as shewn in Fig. 4, to avoid
rubbing or bruising the bark.
The improved "pipe hook," shewn in Figs. 5 and 6, is, as will be seen, of the
same construction as the previous figures, the only difference consisting in the shape
and proportions of the nail B and piece D. Pipe hooks, as heretofore constructed,
have to be made in various sizes, to suit different sizes of pipe, while my improved
hook can be used for any size of pipe, within certain limits. Moreover the ordinary
hook, when used to fix soft compo tubing, often dents and injures the tube, a result
impossible with my hook, as the nail is first driven in, and then the piece D bent
round the tube by the fingers.
I wish it to be understood that in carrying my invention into practice, I do not
confine myself to the exact shapes or forms of the different parts, as shewn in the
accompanying drawings, as the same may be modified without departing from the
essential principles of the invention. Thus in constructing clips or hooks for
electrical wires, I make them on the same principle as those already described, but
altered in design, where necessary, to meet the requirements of the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what 1
claim, is :-
1. A clip or hook, for the purpose described, consisting of the combination of a
hard metal nail or spike B, for driving into a wall, fence, or other place, and a soft
metal piece D, capable of being easily bent round the object to be supported.
2. A clip or hook, for the purpose described, consisting of the combination of a
hard metal nail or spike B, having a flange C and a head B¹, and a soft metal

page_text: piece D, having an enlarged part D', surrounding the nail head and enclosing the
flange C, while leaving the head B¹ projecting.
3. A clip or hook, for the purpose described, consisting of the combination of a
hard metal nail or spike B, and a soft metal piece D, having a convex under
side D².
4. A clip or hook, for the purpose described, consisting of the combination of a
hard metal nail or spike B, and a soft metal piece D, cast on to the said nail or
spike, by means of the use of a suitable mould.
5. A clip or hook, for the purpose described, consisting of the combination of a
hard metal nail or spike B, and a soft metal piece D, stamped out or cast to the
required shape, and affixed on the said nail or spike, by the use of suitable "closing
up tools."
Dated this 11th day of January 1892.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.