Improvements in Tack-driving Machines, Chiefly Designed for Use in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by GEORGE WARREN COPELAND, of 110, Lincoln
Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Sawyer.]
Improvements in Tack-driving Machines, Chiefly Designed for Use in
the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
This invention relates to hand tack-driving machines designed to drive tacks
placed loosely in a hopper from which the tacks are automatically arranged in an
inclined chute leading to feeding devices which successively present the tacks for
the action of the driving mechanism. It is so constructed that the work may be
presented to the nozzle of the driver, or the driving implement may be detached from
its hopper and carried to the work.
This invention consists partly in making the chute in two separate parts-one
fixed to the tack arranging mechanism (which is permanently located) so that it is
charged, while the other part is fixed to the tack feeding and driving mechanism
and moving from place to place in use.
It also consists in providing the abutting ends of the chute with automatically
operating gates which open when the chute is joined and which allow the tacks to
flow from the fixed into the movable part thereof.
It also consists in making the coupling used to join the two parts of the chute, a
rest, into which the operator places the feeding and driving mechanism when not in
use, and takes the machine from that rest supplied with tacks enough for one period
of use.
It also consists in providing the tack separating and arranging mechanism with a
weight or spring operated motor for localities where it is not advisable or possible
to use the ordinary power facilities.
It consists further in various improvements in tack arranging and feeding
mechanism hereinafter described in detail, which simplify the construction and
increase the efficiency of the machine.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tack elevating and arranging mechanism also
showing the driving mechanism in its rest.
Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the driving machine including the lower
portion of the movable chute.
Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of Figure 2 showing the operating
mechanism.
Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section at right angles to that of Figure 3, further
illustrating the feeding mechanism.
Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-section of Figure 2 on line, c.
Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-section of Figure 3 on line Y. y.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the tack arranging mechanisin, with the removable
part of the hopper off, and showing in section the tack elevator and tack chute.
Figure S is an elevation of the side opposite to that shown in Figure 7 showing
the means for driving and governing the motions of the tack elevator.
Figure 9 is a front elevation of the tack hopper showing the chute in section, and
also the driving and governing mechanism.
Figure 10 shows in perspective the male coupling used to connect the two parts
of the chute.

page_text: Figure 11 shows in perspective the female coupling and rest that is permanently
attached to the chute of the tackhopper.
The casting A. supports the various parts of the tack receiving and arranging
mechanism. This casting may be fixed at any desired height upon a proper
support, and wherever desired.
The tack hopper A Figures 1, 7, 8 and 9 is formed at the top of the casting A,
or secured thereto, and this hopper may be of any suitable shape and it is provided
in the bottom with a slot and depending guideway and reciprocating vertically in
this guideway which is a narrow slot in the centre of the hopper is the tack elevator
slide B, which elevates the tacks and discharges them into that part of the tack
chute attached to the hopper.
The elevator slide is made a little thicker than the diameter of the tack heads
it is designed to operate upon and as wide as desired. The top of this slide is
inclined about thirty five degrees and is provided with a groove B', in the centre
a little wider than the shanks of the tacks used, and a little deeper than the
lengths of the shanks of the longest tacks to be used.
As this elevator slide is reciprocated it descends through the tacks in the
hopper and a short distance below the bottom of the hopper, thus forming a
narrow trough into which a number of the tacks will fall parallel to the groove
in the top of the elevator slide, and the shanks will swing into the groove and
hang there by their heads until the slide B reaches its highest point, when the
tacks will run into the chute C and the slide B, descend for the other tacks.
The tack elevator slide is preferably guided in a slide-way A³ formed in the
casting A, or secured thereto, below the bottom of the hopper, and a portion of the
hopper is preferably made integral with the cap A³ and secured to the casting A by
the screws u.
The fixed part of the chute C, is attached to the casting A at the proper
inclination for the tacks to run down, and its upper end is fitted to the edge of the
elevator slide. It is made long enough to fill the removable part of the chute
attached to the tack driver.
After the elevator has filled the fixed part of the chute the tacks overflow at
the top and fall back into the hopper until the movable part of the chute is
placed in the rest or coupling of the fixed part, when sufficient tacks to fill the
movable part rim into it, and the elevator operates as before.
The elevator slide B is reciprocated by the connection B2, attached to it by a
pivot at B3 and to the end of the oscillating counter-balance lever B by a pivot
at B5, Figure 7, the lever B being operated by the crank D, and connection D¹
Figures 8 and 9
The counter-balance of the lever B, balances the weight of the elevator slide
carried by the opposite end and the only strain brought upon the crank D, is
the friction of the slide passing through the tacks in the hopper.
The crank shaft D2, is fitted to a bearing D³ formed on or secured to the
casting A, and driven by a belt pulley from a prime motor.
In order to operate the elevator slide and keep the first part of the chute
supplied with tacks when the machine is used where the only power advantageous
or available is manual, there is connected to the crank shaft D, simple clock
mechanism which reciprocates the clevator slide a sufficient number of times to
fill the fixed part of the chute at each running down of the going weight or
spring. The preferred form of mechanism is constructed and operated in the
following manner.
Upon the outer end of the crank shaft D², there is fixed the pinion D', and
properly located upon the stud E on the frame A, runs the gear El whose teeth
intermesh with those of the pinion D, Figures 1, 7 and 9. Outside of the genr E'
and also upon the stud E is placed the drum E' around which the cord of the going
or driving weight is wound, when a weight is used.
The inside flange of this drum is provided with ratchet teeth as shown by
Figure 7 and the strain of the going weight is transmitted to the gear El by the

page_text: pawl E hung on the gear at E' and pressed into the ratchet teeth by the spring Es.
Beyond the outer flange of the drum E, and preferably formed integral therewith
is a smaller drum E around which a cord is wound in the opposite direction to the
going one, so that as either is unwound the other is wound up.
The drum E' is made the correct size to give the desired number of reciprocations
to the elevator slide, and the cord wound around the drum E' is used to raise the
going weight by hand, or it may be connected by a foot treadle if desired.
In
In order to govern the speed of the reciprocations of the elevator slide when
operated by the clock mechanism, either a pendulum or balance may be used.
the drawings Figures 8 and 9 a pendulum Fis hung on the stud E' below the
counter-balance lever B' and this pendulum is provided with the forked extension F'
which engages with the eccentric B fixed on the counter-balanced lever, and causes
the pendulum and lever to move in unison.
By varying the length of this pendulum and the weight of its bob the reciproca-
tions of the elevator slide can be timed as desired.
Figures 7, 10 and 11 show the construction and operation of the combined
coupling and rest which connects and aligns the two parts of the chute C when the
tack driver is not in use.
To the lower end of the part of the chute C, leading from the hopper is fixed the
female part of the coupling G, which is provided with the spring operated gate G,
for closing that part of the chute when the two parts are separated as shown by
Figure 11. The top of this coupling is belled or inclined out or inclined to assist
the entrance of the part G.
The male part of this coupling G2 is fixed to the outer end of that part of the
chute C leading to the tack feeding mechanism, and is also provided with the spring
operated gate G³ for closing its abutting end when the parts are separated as shown
by Figure 10.
The guiding and supporting ribs G of the male part of this coupling are fitted to
slide free in the grooves formed in the female part for their reception, and the
placing together of these two parts by the operator to the position shown by
Figure 7 causes the two parts of the chute to abut and align with the gates (
and G, open.
The gates G and G³ are fitted to slide free in grooves cut in their respective
parts of the coupling and they are opened by contacting with the opposite parts of
the chute, and their springs close thein as the parts of the chute are separated.
The chute C and the coupling G are made strong enough to support the tack
driving mechanism as shown by Figure 1 and form a rest to which it is always
returned after use, and where the deficiency of tacks in the movable part of the
chute is automatically supplied by the act of placing the tack driving mechanism in
said rest.
The movable part of the tack chute C, is fitted at the proper angle to the body H,
of the tack driver, as shown by Figures 2 and 3. Sliding inside of this body and
upheld by the spring H, which surrounds the top end of the driving bar, is the
round driving bar H2, which is formed in two parts as shown by Figure 3.
This bar is prevented from turning and has its range of motion limited by the
screw stud H, fitted to its slot H and the smaller part is correctly led into the
throat of the machine by the guide block H, secured to the body H by
the screw H³.
Below the guide block is secured the throat composed of the parts K, and K, and
the inclined gates K, and K³, which serve to close the passage from the chute.
These gates are pressed across the passage from the chute by the spring K
Figures 4 and 5 they yield backward as the tack shanks are drawn against their
inclined sides by the hooked feed pawl L, and as soon as the tack shank is completely
within the throat they spring forward and complete the circle of the throat as shown
by Figure 5. The inclined parts of these gates bear upon the tack shank above
and below the point where the feed pawl engages with said shanks, and the

page_text: .
spring K, is so adjusted that the tack is caused to move squarely into the throat
when the feed pawl draws it against the inclines of the gates.
The tack chute C leads the tacks to the inclined sides of the gates K2 and K³, from
which place they are drawn and held in the throat by the feeding devices con-
structed and operating as follows.
A slide L is fitted to move freely upon a dovetail guide K³, formed upon the
part K, of the throat, and upon this slide is hung at L', the hooked feed pawl L,
which operates through a slot male for its point to pass through in the part K', of
the throat. This slide is provided with a pocket L³, which carries the spring Lt.
This spring bears against the throat as shown by Figures 3 and 5, and is made
strong enough to cause the feed pawl L, to draw the tack it is engaged with past
the gates K2, and K³, and hold it in the throat until the driving bar H², descends.
The feed pawl L2, is provided with the arm L, and the rear end of the spring L,
is extended up through a slot formed in the top of the pocket L³, and engages with
the arm L to serve as a spring to swing the hook of the feed pawl behind the tack
it is desired to move into the throat.
The slide L, is moved in to carry the point of the feed pawl to the tack next in
succession to the one being driven by the lever M, pivoted on the pin M', fixed to
the body H, Figure 3. This lever is operated as the driver descends by the
incline M², preferably formed of a separate piece and removably secured in a
groove H, formed in the larger part of the driving bar H. The incline M², is so
shaped that as the driving bar descends the feed pawl will move just enough to
clear its lower end and deliver the tack, and then move gradually into the limit
of its motion by the time the driving bar is about a quarter of an inch from its
lowest point.
The lower end of the lever M, presses against the end of the slide L, as shown
by Figures 3 and 5, and as the driving bar is raised by the spring'H', the spring L',
swings the lever M, back to its starting point.
The hooked feed pawl is operated substantially at right angles to the line of
motion of the slide L, to produce the square or four time feed by the slotted
lever N, which is also operated by the incline M². This lever N, is slotted so that
it may move endways on the pivot pin M', and is provided with the double acting
spring dog N', which acts alternately against the sides of the fixed pin N², and
holds the lever N, at either end of the slot it may be moved to Figure 3.
The wide upper end of the lever N by contacting with the ends of the groove H',
as the driving bar is reciprocated, operates the dog N¹, at the ends of the stroke,
and the combined swinging and sliding of the lower end of this lever causes the dog
to operate in this the desired manner.
With the driving bar up and the lever N, held at the lower end of its slot, as the
driving bar commences to descend the lower curved end of the lever N, presses
against the back of the arm L. As the driver continues its downward motion the
feed pawl is swung clear of the tack it is to pass behind and is so held until the
slide L has reached its innermost limit of motion, which is by the time the driving
bar is about a quarter of an inch from its lowest point.
At this point the end of the groove H, and top of the lever N, contact, and the
continued downward motion of the driving bar compels the lever to move in unison
therewith. As the lever N, moves down its curved lower end passes clear of the
arm L, and allows the spring to snap the point of the feed pawl between the first
two tacks in the chute. When the driving bar is being raised by the spring H',
the levers M and N, are pressed back by the slide L, and at last the lever N is
raised to the lower end of its slot ready for another movement.
By reason of the different relations of the two ends of the lever N, when at the
upper and lower ends of the slot N³, the upward motion of the driving bar will not
affect the feed pawl as the lever moves to the lower end of the slot at the termina-
tion of the ascent of the driver.
This construction and operation of the lever N, makes it impossible for the feed

page_text: pawl to draw a tack into the throat unless the preceding one has been driven from
the end of the nozzle O; for unless the lever N, is moved down the feed pawl will
not snap in behind the tack, but will return back as it moved in, that is resting upon
the arm L'.
Should the operator rest the driving pawl upon the head of the driving bar and
prevent its full upward rise, the incline M², is so shaped that whenever the lower
end of the driving bar during its upward motion clears the throat, the spring L*
can press the slide L fully out and the tack will be fair in the throat.
By the above described operation of the feeding devices it will be seen that the
tacks cannot be wedged solid in the nozzle, nor can they be half fed into the throat,
and on the descent of the driver have a part of the head turned around the head of
the driver and thus wedge it fast in the nozzle.
It will also be seen that when the chute is joined tacks may be driven from the
nozzle so long as the supply in the hopper lasts. And it will be further seen that
any desired number of tacks, governed by the length of the movable part of the
chute, can be driven at any place within easy range of the fixed part of the chute
without any substantial loss of time, and while the process of arranging other tacks
is going on. Either of the levers M or N may be used to operate the feeding
slide Land a fair result be obtained, but their combined use as described gives the
best results.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In a tack driving machine of the class described, tack arranging mechanism
consisting of a hopper with a slotted bottom and a tack chute, in combination with
a narrow elevator slide having an inclined slide deeper than the length of a tack
used in its upper end, and suitable operating mechanism, by which said groove is.
reciprocated from the point of delivery into the chute to a point wholly below the
bottom of the hopper, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
Second. In a tack driving machine of the class described the combination of the
elevator slide B, the connection B2, and the counter balanced lever B, and operating
mechanism, substantially as described.
Third. In a tack driving machine of the class described tack-driving and tack-
elevating mechanism substantially as set forth, and means for operating the
elevating mechanism consisting of suitable clock mechanism in combination with
devices and suitable connecting mechanism by which said clock mechanism may be
set in motion, all operating substantially as shown and described.
Fourth. In a tack driving machine of the class described an inclined tack chute
composed of two parts lineally connected by male and female couplings fixed to the
abutting ends thereof, and provided with sliding gates which are opened and closed
by connecting and disconnecting the parts, substantially as shown and for the
purpose set forth.
Fifth. In a tack driving machine, an inclined chute composed of two parts
provided at their connecting ends with spring operated sliding gates reversely
arranged and automatically operated to open the gates to form a continuous road-
way when the parts are connected, and to automatically close the gates when
they are separated, substantially as shown and described.
Sixth. In a tack driving machine of the class described, an inclined tack chute
composed of two parts provided with sliding couplings, the female part of which is
provided with a bell-shaped entrance to facilitate the entrance of the male part,
therein, substantially as shown and described.
Seventh. In a tack driving machine of the class described, the combination with
the body of a tack driving machine, of a chute fixed thereto, and having one
part of a coupling fixed to the outer free end of said chute, which serves to hold
the tack driver in a rest formed of the opposite part of said coupling, when not

page_text: in use, and the opposite part of said coupling in combination with the fixed part
of said chute, all operating as shown and described.
Eighth. In a hand tacking and loading machine the combination of a suitable
tack driver, a tack loader and loading mechanism, a tack chute composed of two
parts, one carried by the driver and the other fixed to the loader, and means for
connecting and disconnecting the same, whereby the part may be loaded
when the tack driving mechanism is detached for use, ar that part of the chute
attached to the driver be recharged by the act of comecting the parts, and the
fixed part of the chute forms a rest or support for the tack driver when not in use,
substantially as shown and described.
Ninth. In combination with a tack driving machine, a throat composed of the
parts K, and K', and the spring operated inclined gates K, and K³, which bear
upon the shank of the tacks above and below the place engaged by the feed pawl
and cause the tacks to be fed squarely into the throat, when said gates close and
complete the circle of the throat, substantially as shown and described.
Tenth. In combination with a tack driving machine, the spring operated slide L,
mounted on the outer part of the throat K, and carrying the spring operated feed.
pawl L, all operating as shown and described.
Eleventh. In combination with a tack driving machine, a removable incline
as M², for operating the feeding levers M, and N, and the tack feeding devices,
substantially as shown and described.
Twelfth. In combination with a tack driving machine, the incline M², and the
lever M, and the spring operated slide L, provided with the feed pawl L², all
operating substantially as described.
Thirteenth. In combination with a tack driving machine the slotted lever N,
provided with a double acting spring dog N', for acting in combination with the
pin N, to retain said lever at the ends of the slot, substantially as shown and
described.
Fourteenth. In a tack driving machine the driving bar provided with the
groove H, and the lever N, constructed with the widened end by which the
reciprocation of said lever is accomplished at the ends of the stroke of the driving
bar, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Fifteenth. In a tack driving machine the combination of the sliding and swinging
lever N, and operating mechanism with the arm 1 of the feed pawl L², whereby
the operating point of said pawl is swung clear of the shank of the first tack in the
feed way, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 5th day of March 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.