Improvements in Means of and Apparatus for Fastening and Securing Blocks of Wood and Analogous Substances in Position when Used for Flooring and other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 21st Sept., 1888
Improvements in Means of and Apparatus for Fastening and
Securing Blocks of Wood and Analogous Substances in Position
when Used for Flooring and other Purposes.
I ALFRED JAMES HOPKINS of 27 Mortimer Street in the County of Middlesex,
Architect and Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
When constructing flooring of blocks of wood or analogous substances for ornamental
or other purposes it is important that the blocks should be so joined as to retain their
relative positions and evenness of surface. The means hitherto adopted for attaining
this object have not proved very successful and my invention relates to simple efficient
and economical and efficient means for effecting it.
In carrying my Invention into effect I employ a nail bolt or dowell of a double
angled shape formed with a step or shoulder in each side at about its middle by the
angle of the one half being more acute than the angle of the other half.
To fasten my above described nail I make use of a tool of peculiar form consisting
of two parts a punch and a die or guide. The punch is formed with a slot into which
the more acute angled part of my nail enters so that the bottom or edge of the punch
surrounding the slot rests upon the step or shoulder of the nail.
The punch is placed in the die or guide and when so placed the nail is inserted in
its place and the nail in the punch and die rests against the block and on the punch
being struck the nail is forced into the wood or other block to its step or shoulder
with desirable accuracy. The slotted punch working in the die or guide which is
suitably formed at the bottom and which is placed against the block into which it is
desired to drive the nail.
The punch or die being then removed the adjoining block is then driven upon
the more acute angled side of the nail left to receive it and so the two blocks are
united.

page_text: The punch may be formed with any desirable shape of slot or it may have remov-
able ends with various shaped slots suitable for the various shapes and sizes of the
nails used. Or the punch may be furnished with an adjustable screw or wedge piece
enabling the slot to be adjusted to any desirable shape or size.
The sides of the die or guide are preferably partially open.
The form of the nail may be arrow head with tang or tail end or of other convenient
forms.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Means of and Apparatus for Fastening and
Securing Blocks of Wood and Analogous Substances in Position
when Used for Flooring and other Purposes.
I ALFRED JAMES HOPKINS of 27 Mortimer Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Architect and Surveyor, 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 :—
When constructing flooring of blocks of wood or analogous substances for ornamental
or other purposes it is important that the blocks should be so joined as to retain their
relative positions and evenness of surface.
The means hitherto generally adopted for attaining this object have not proved very
successful and my invention relates to simple economical and efficient means for
effecting the locking together and retention in their relative positions of such wooden
or analogous blocks.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a nail bolt or dowell of a double
angled shape formed with a step or shoulder in each side at about its middle by the
angle of the one half being more acute than the angle of the other half.
To fasten my above described nail I make use of a tool of peculiar form consisting
of two parts a punch and a die or guide. The punch is formed with a slot into which
the more acute angled part of my nail enters so that the bottom or edge of the punch
surrounding the slot rests upon the step or shoulder of the nail.
The punch is placed in the die or guide and when so placed the nail is inserted in
its place and the nail in the punch and die rests against the block and on the punch
being struck the nail is forced into the wood or other block to its step or shoulder with
desirable accuracy.
The slotted punch working in the die or guide which is suitably formed at the
bottom and which is placed against the block into which it is desired to drive the
nail.
The punch or die being then removed the adjoining block is then driven upon
the more acute angled side of the nail left to receive it and so the two blocks are
united.
The punch may be formed with any desirable shape of slot or it may have removable
ends with various shaped slots suitable for the various shapes and sizes of the nails
used. Or the punch may be furnished with an adjustable screw or wedge piece
enabling the slot to be adjusted to any desirable shape or size after the manner of a
carpenter's pricker pad.
The sides of the die or guide are preferably partially open.
The form of the nail may be arrow head with tang or tail end or of other convenient
forms.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 to 22 are side, edge and end views of various modifications of the form
of my improved double ended shouldered nail adapted for being driven into blocks of
wood and of retaining them in their desired juxtaposition on a floor or in place.
Figs. 10, 12, 14", 16" are alternative forms as seen endwise for the square forms
shewn in Figs. 10, 12, 14 and 16.
Those figures bearing the odd numbers from 1 to 19 are side views, Fig. 21 is an
edge view of a pair of (twin) nails having the slopes to their points placed slopes
inward and the Figs. bearing the even numbers 2 to 22 are end views looking longi-
tudinally of the nails in the direction of the line of drift.
Figures 23, 24 and 25 are respectively a longitudinal section, a side view and a
cross section about the line 1-1 of simple form of driver for such nails-the socket
for the nail being varied to the form of nail in use- -that shewn inserted ready for
removal of the punch being according to Fig. 1.
Figure 26 shews a sectional view, Fig. 27 a plan view, Fig. 28 a cross section and
Fig. 29 a view in perspective of the form of apparatus for use in driving my improved
nails which most prefer especially for dealing with large quantities. Fig. 30 shews
the driver separately from the guide. In the nails shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 the angles a
forming the points are very acute and these intersect other acute angles a forming
two shoulders at right angles to the line of drift on which the flat end of the driver
seats itself: In Figs. 1" and 2" the nail is modified by being stamped or otherwise
formed of angular cross section or this variation from a flat cross section may be by
corrugations or allied forms. .
In the form of nail shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 one end a has parallel sides and the
point is formed by less acute and short angles a³ and this end is first driven.
In Figs. 5 and 6 the construction and order of driving the ends is the reverse of
the last figures.
In Figs. 7 and 8 the nail is shewn with both ends as a², a³.
In Figs. 9 and 10 the ends are constituted by angles more acute even than those of
Figure 1 with a shoulder carried all round the nail which is square or else of cone
shape.
In Figs. 11 and 12 the end first driven is formed of parallel, square or cylindrical
sides and pyramidical or coned point and the other end is formed with acute angles
either pyramidical or coned and a shoulder all round the middle.
In Figs. 13 and 14 the ends are arranged in inverted position to the last figures.
In Figs. 15 and 16 both ends are straight sided with pointed ends and the cross
sectional area may be square or circular.
In Figs. 17 and 18 legs are bifurcated and the points sharp the angles sloping
inwards so that as driven the split parts separate and lock themselves in the
material.
In Figs. 19 and 20 the only difference from the preceeding is in the direction of the
chisel edges, the edge 2 being inclined in an opposite direction to edge 3 and both at
right angles to those in Fig. 17.
In Figs. 21 and 22 this last mentioned effect is to be attained by driving two nails
in, parallel one to the other, so they form a dovetail locking.
The use of the driver Figs. 23, 24 and 25 is sufficiently and clearly explained by the
drawing.
In using the apparatus shewn in Fig. 29 the nail is laid in the shaped recess b¹ in
the driver the dotted lines in Fig. 27 indicating such a nail as Fig. 1 in position
The driver with the nail in its recess is struck at the head and the blow is trans-
mitted by the opposite ends 63 to the shoulders of the nail and the driver slides in the
guideway formed by the ears c¹, c¹, of the guide c.
.
The projecting part of the nail passes through the throat in the guide and
into the block of wood at a determined position regulated by the position of the
sliding piece'd which can be locked into adjusted position on the front wall c³ by the
screw c¹.

page_text: This angle piece d rests on the top edge of the block and the face of the plate c³
against the face of the block into which the nail is being driven.
C
The cars of the piece may have curved recesses (as Fig. 28) or rectangular sides
as Fig. 28*.
The blocks of wood with the nail so driven into them and with the half nails
projecting are then ready for other blocks to be pressed against and driven close
up to them.
If desired the driver may have its recessed part to receive the nail situate on
the side of the driver next the slide e so as to box in the nail or twin nails during
driving.
The adjustable fittings for regulating the line of driving may be dispensed with
and either the driver or driver and guide c used separately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of securing blocks of wood and analogous substances by means of
metal pieces or nails each nail having a double shoulder or encircling rest for the
punch as set forth the front ends of said nails being inserted into the one set of blocks
by means of a driver such as shewn and then have other blocks forced on to them all
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The manufacture and use of the various forms of nails shewn and described
adapted to be driven into blocks of wood by means of a driver substantially as set
forth in order that the nails may be correctly and rapidly inserted half in each of
blocks brought contiguous to each other in the finished work for flooring and other
purposes.
3. The apparatus substantially as shewn and described in respect of Figs. 26, 27, 28,
29 and 30 for driving nails having double ends into blocks of wood and analogous
material in order to secure blocks of wood or the like together for flooring and other
purposes.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.