IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE TO THE MAKING OF NAILS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SOUTHWOOD STOCKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I did by petition humbly represent unto His present most
Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, that, after considerable appli-
cation and expence, I had invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY APPLICABLE
TO THE MAKING OF NAILS AND OTHER PURPOSES," and His said Majesty being
willing to give encouragement to all arts and Inventions which may be for
the public good, was graciously pleased, by His Royal Letters Patent under
the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date at Westminster, the Seventh day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-six, in the seventh year of His reign, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, to give and grant unto me, the said William Southwood Stocker,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial licence, full power,
sole privilege, and authority, that I or they, by myself or themselves, or by
my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or such others as I or they should
agree with (and no others) during the term of fourteen years from the date
of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend my said Invention, within that part of His said Majesty's Dominions
called England, His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
in such manner as to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, shall
seem meet, and as that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage
arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen years,
and for that end His said Majesty requires and strictly commands all his

page_text: subjects whatsoever that they shall not neither directly nor indirectly make,
use, or put in practice my said Invention or any part thereof, nor in anywise
counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or
subtraction therefrom whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the
inventor or inventors thereof; and whereas the said Letters Patent contains
a proviso, obliging me, the said William Southwood Stocker, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calender months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto
hal) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Southwood Stocker, do hereby declare that my said Invention is
described and ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the seven
Sheets of Drawing hereunto annexed, and by the following description thereof
(that is to say)-
My improvements in machinery applicable to the making of nails are for
making nails out of that kind of small rods of mallable iron commonly called
nail rods. The end of such rod is to be heated in the usual manner of
making hammered nails by hand labour (or heated by other suitable means
of heating), and then instead of hammering the hot iron by hand on a fixed
anvil, and turning the iron over thereon in the interval between the suc-
ceeding blows in order to hammer the different sides of the intended nail,
I operate, whilst the iron continues hot, upon the four sides of the heated end
thereof with four moving hammers actuated by the machinery, two of them
striking together in pairs, and the pairs striking alternately upon the several
opposite sides of the heated iron which is introduced between the four
hammers, and without using any fixed anvil, that is to say, the two hammers
constituting each such pair strike simultaneously and mutually towards each
other, in order that by approaching and meeting together they may compress
or hammer two opposite sides of the heated iron which is presented between
them, and each pair of such approaching or meeting hammers strike, meet
together, or operate in a different direction from the direction in which the
other pair operates, those different directions being transverse to each other,
or at right angles to each other, suitably for hammering the four sides of the
intended nail, and also the said two pair operate in such transverse directions,
alternately or by turns, so that the operation is to compress or strike the hot
iron at two of its opposite sides at one blow, or simultaneous and mutual

page_text: action between one pair of meeting hammers, and then at the next succeeding
blow or simultaneous and mutual action between the other pair of meeting
hammers; the operation is to compress or strike the same iron at its other
two opposite sides, the said operation being adapted to draw out the heated
iron rod to a square tapering form suitable for the stem of a nail by frequent
repetition of each simultaneous and mutual action of the two hammers con-
stituting each pair, and of alternations of such action by the two pairs of
hammers, as aforesaid, on the several sides of the intended tapering nail, and
during the progress of the said action the end of the heated iron is held in the
space between the meeting faces of the said four hammers in order to receive
their action at opposite sides of the iron, as aforesaid, and by gradual motion
.of the iron rod endways in the direction of its length the heated end is
introduced further in between the four hammers as the hammering proceeds.
The meeting faces of the two hammers, constituting each pair, are so formed
that in striking together they do not approach so near to each other at the
places where the end of the heated iron is first introduced between them as
they do further inwards from those places, the space or interval which remains
between the meeting faces of each pair of hammers when they strike together,
and get to their closest distance towards each other, being suitable to tho
tapering form which it is desired to give to the intended nail. And in order
that the iron may be reduced and drawn out by degrees to its intended
tapering form, the end of the heated rod is first introduced between those
exterior parts of the meeting faces of the hammers which are never brought
near together, and as the said end becomes reduced from its original size, and
partially tapered away by the action of those said exterior parts of the faces
of the hammers, it is introduced further in between them, in order that the
partially tapered extremity may receive the further action of other more
interior parts of the meeting faces, where the same approach nearer together,
and thereby the tapering is continued progressively until the completion,
when the extremity of the heated iron will have become tapered away to
a point or nearly to a point in consequence of getting in between or nearly
between those interior parts of the meeting faces of the hammers, which are
brought very nearly or quite in contact when the hammers strike their blow,
and get to their nearest distance towards each other; and after the required
tapering and pointed form has been given to the end of the iron nail rod by
the aforesaid alternate action of two pairs of hanımers, then it is withdrawn
from between them, and the tapered end whilst hot is introduced a proper
distance (as determined by a springy stop) into a suitable corresponding
tapering socket or receptacle formed between a pair of jaws, which approach

page_text: and meet together somewhat in the manner of the jaws of a vice, but they
join very close to each other when they are closed together around the hot
iron by action of the machinery. In order to hold the tapered end of the
nail rod fast whilst it is cut off, and a head formed on the cut end, the pair
of cutters which are to cut off the nail rod are brought into action opposite to
the ends of the said holding jaws, and they cut the hot iron in the manner
of the cutting blades of a pair of shears in order to divide the nail rod at
a suitable distance from the jaws for leaving as much iron protruding out
from between the said jaws as is requisite to form a head to the intended nail,
and then the cutters retreat and pass away downwards to give place to a
sliding punch for heading, which is brought with a lateral motion (com-
municated by the machinery) with its punching end exactly opposite to the
said protruding cut end of the nail, the length of the heading punch being in
the direction of the length of the nail, and having attained. that position, then
the punch is forced endways by the machinery with its end against the said
protruding end of the nail, which still continues hot, and by suitable pressure
of the end of the punch the iron of the protruding end is expanded over or
against the outer ends of the holding jaws, so as to form a head to the nail,
the shape of the outer or upper part of that head being according to the
shape of a cavity which is hollowed out for that purpose in the acting
end of the heading punch, and the form of the inner or under part of
the head being according to that which is given to the outer ends of the
holding jaws. The head being thus formed, the nail is completed. The
heading punch is withdrawn by the machinery the instant after it has
performed its said office, and then the holding jaws are opened to let
the finished nail drop out from between them, and if found requisite a small
tongue or picker may be applied in such manner that in the action of opening
the jaws that picker will make certain of removing the nail from between
them, if ever it should fail to drop out by its own weight. And, note.-Imme-
diately after the tapering of one heated nail rod is completed to a point, as
required, and the same is withdrawn in manner aforesaid from between the
four hammers, in order to be introduced between the heading jaws, then with-
out loss of time the end of another nail rod, which has been heating in the
meantime, and become sufficiently hot, may be introduced between the four
hammers, to receive their action of tapering, the said heated end being entered
only part of the way in between the meeting faces of the hammers at first,
and then gradually advanced further in as the tapering proceeds, in the same
manner as already explained.
The nature and operation of this part of my improvements being as afore-

page_text: said, the arrangement and combination of the machinery by which the same
is to be carried into effect may be greatly varied at the discretion of the
mechanist who is to construct such machinery, and the strength and magnitude
of its parts must be suited to the description of nails which are to be made
by it, but by way of an example, and for more complete instructions as to the
manner of performing my said improvements, I have hereunto annexed Drawings
of machinery which operates to make nails in the manner already set forth.
Sheet I. of the said Drawings contains a horizontal plan of the complete
machinery, and exhibits nearly all its parts at one view, as they appear when
looking down upon them from above. Sheets II. and III. contain elevations
answering to the said horizontal plan, as is explained by the writing upon the
Drawings. The same letters and characters of reference are used in all the
several figures to denote the same parts.
A, A, A, is a strong flat plate of cast iron, on which all the other parts are
supported. It is firmly bedded on a basis of stonework, and held down thereon
by several holding down bolts, which are fixed into the stone and pass up
through holes in the iron plate A, A, and have nuts screwed on their upper
ends. a, a, are bearings for the main axis B. They are fastened down upon
the plate A, A, by screw bolts, and are retained in their places by wedge keys.
B is the main horizontal axis, which is turned round by the power of a steam-
engine or a water-wheel, communicated by an endless belt or strap which
passes around a driving pulley C fixed fast on the axis B; and there is another
like pulley C fitted loose upon the main axis B, close by the side of the fast
pulley C, in order to receive the endless strap when it is required to stop the
machine, for then the endless strap will only turn the loose pulley c, without
communicating any motion to the main axis B, and by shifting the endless
strap sideways from the loose pulley c to the fast pulley C, the axis B with the
rest of the machinery will be put in motion; or by shifting the endless strap
back again to the loose pulley c, the said motion will be stopped, all which is
usual in machinery which is driven by power. D is a revolving fly wheel, fixed!
on the axis B to regulate the motion of the machinery; E is a large tappet..
wheel fixed on the axis B,.and having projecting cogs or tappets on its circum-.
ference, for actuating the four hammers two at a time, in pairs, F¹ and G².
also H3 and I', are the four hammers, F¹ being the right hand side hammer,..
and G2 the left hand side hammer, and those two constitute one pair; they.
are poised on short upright axes f and g, which are sustained in suitable bear--
ings, and on those axes the two hammers F1 and G2 are moved to carry their-
heads. F and G horizontally, with sideway motions, so as to approach each
other mutually, in order to bring their acting faces together upon the heated

page_text: 9,
extremity of the iron nail rod, which is presented between the said acting faces,
and thereby to compress or hammer the nail rod at its two sides, right and
left, and the instant after so acting the two hammers F and G begin to move
away mutually from each other, by motion about their respective axes f and
in order to separate their acting faces in preparation for repeating their action,
and also to quit the heated iron, and leave it detached in a suitable position
for receiving the action of the acting faces of the other pair of hammers H
and I, whereof H³ is the upper hammer and I is the lower one, and those
two constitute the other pair. They are poised on short horizontal axes h
and i, which are sustained in suitable bearings, and on those axes the
bammers Hand I are moved to carry their heads H and I with up-and-down
motions, so as to approach each other mutually, in order to bring their acting
faces together, and thereby compress or hammer the end of the heated nail
rod which is between them at the upper and lower sides of the iron. To
enable the two pairs of hammers to operate in this manner, they must make
their blows by turns, the two hammers of each pair always retreating and
separating from each other the instant after having struck their blow, and the
other pair being in all cases quite withdrawn or separated from each other,
and standing motionless at the instant when such blow is struck. The two
pairs of hammers are caused to move in that manner by the cogs or projecting
tappets on the circumference of the tappet wheel E, with the aid of two inter-
vening levers K and L, which are both mounted on the same horizontal centre
pin k, and stand up therefrom opposite to the edge of the tappet wheel E, so
as to receive the action of the tappets alternately, first one lever and then the
other, and each of the said levers K or L transmits the motion which it so
receives to both the hammers of the pair to which that lever belongs; for
instance, the intervening lever L is suitably formed, with a prominent beak
at the back part of its upper end, to be acted upon by each of the two tappets
d and e, which are fixed on the middle part of the breadth of the circumference
of the tappet wheel E, and by their projection therefrom they push forward
the lever L, when the revolving motion of the wheel E brings either of them
up into contact with the said back of the lever L, and the foremost part of
the upper end of that lever is formed like a wedge, which is adapted to enter
in between the two tail ends 3, 4, of the two hammers H³ and I, so as to
separate those tails and push them mutually away from each other, and thereby
the head ends H and I of the same hammers are approached one towards the
other, until the most prominent part of the tappet d or e, having come into
action on the beak of the lever L, the acting faces of the two hammers will
have been brought to meet together with contact, or very nearly so, at the

page_text: interior parts of those faces nearest to the respective centres of motion-h
and i, but at the same time the exterior parts of the same faces farthest from
the said centres of motion do not come nearer together than the thickness of
the intended nail at its thickest part, the space left between the acting faces
when they are so approached being suitable to the tapering form which is
intended to be given to the end of the heated nail rod, by action of the said
acting faces. And when the tappet d or e passes away from the beak of the
lever L, the same is permitted to go backwards by the reaction of blade springs
l, m, which are fixed fast to the frame, and their ends are applied to the tails
3 and 4 of the hammers H and I, to urge those tails always together, and in
so doing they force back the wedge at the front of the lever L out from
between the tails 3 and 4, as far as the stop 94. The intervening lever K is
also mounted on the same fixed horizontal center pink as the lever L is
mounted upon, but the lever K is double, being formed with two sides, which
include the lever L between them, both sides being fitted on the center pin k
at their lower ends, and being united together at their upper ends by a strong
arched part, which reaches over the top of the lever L without touching it,
wherefore the two sides of the lever K always move together like one, but their
motion is quite independent of that of the included lever L. Each of the said
sides of the double lever K is formed with a beak at the back part of its upper
end to receive the action of two pairs of tappets n, o, which are fixed on the
outside part of the breadth of the circumference of the tappet wheel E, in a
suitable manner for acting on the two beaks of the lever K at once, to
push the same forwards without interfering with the beak of the lever I,
because the latter is in the middle between the two tappets of each pair; and
in like manner the tappets & and e, before mentioned, which operate on the
lever L do not interfere with either of the two beaks of the lever K, because.
those tappets are in the middle between the said two beaks. The upper.
end of the double lever K has two wedge-formed parts 5, 6, projecting laterally-
from it, one on each side, and when the lever K is pushed forwards by either
of the tappets n or o, the said wedge parts 5, 6, enter between the two tail.
ends 1 and 2 of the two side hammers F¹ and G³, and by pushing the same.
mutually away from each other, the head ends F and G of the same hammers.
are caused to approach towards each other, in the same manner as already-
described respecting the other pair of hammers H, I, and in like manner.
reacting blade springs p, q, are fixed to the frame, and their ends are applied
to the tail ends 1 and 2 of the two side hammers F and G, to close those.
tail ends together, and consequently to separate the acting faces of the said
hammers as soon as the tappets d and e have passed away from the beaks of

page_text: the double lever K. The end of the heated nail rod is lodged upon a small
rest M in front of the four hammer heads F, G, and H, I, with its several
sides standing fair to correspond to the acting faces of the several hammers,
and then it is carefully pushed endways forwards in between the said faces of
the four hammers, which are in continual motion, each pair separating from
each other, and then striking towards each other by turns; and they compress
or hammer the heated iron between them, as before explained, vizt, every time
that a pair of outside tappets n or o come up in contact with the double beaks
of the lever K, they force that lever forwards, and thereupon the wedge parts
5, 6, of that lever cause the two side hammers F and G to strike towards
each other, so that their acting faces compress the hot iron between them at
its two opposite sides, right and left, and the instant that the said pair of
tappets pass away, the reacting springs p and q separate those side hammers
F and G from each other, leaving the iron by itself in the space which is
opened between their acting faces by the said separation; and then, immedi-
ately afterwards, a middle tappet d or e comes up into contact with the beak
of the middle lever L and pushes it forwards, and thereupon the wedge
part of that lever causes the upper and lower hammers H and I to strike
towards each other, so that their acting faces compress the hot iron between
them at its upper and under sides; and the instant that the said middle tappet
dor e passes away, the reacting springs l, m, separate the hammers II, I, from
each other, leaving the iron by itself in the space which is opened between
their acting faces by the said separation; and then another pair of outside
tappets or o come into action to cause a repetition of the aforesaid action of
the side hammers F and G to compress and hammer the iron again at its
sides, and in the several intervals between the succeeding blows the nail rod
is pushed a little endways forwards upon its rest M, in order to carry its
heated end somewhat further inwards between the acting faces of the four
hammers, in order that it may receive the further action of those interior
parts of the said faces which strike nearer together than the more exterior
parts thereof, between which the end of the heated iron was first presented.
And in that manner the heated iron is subjected to continual repetitions of the
aforesaid action of the four hammers, until by progressive advances the extre-
mity of the heated iron is introduced quite to the interior parts of the acting
faces of the hammers when they come in contact with each other (or nearly so)
when they strike their blows, and by that time the iron will have acquired the
intended tapering form, ending in a point more or less acute, and either flat-
pointed or square-pointed, according as the acting faces of the several ham-
mers of each pair are shaped and adjusted to each other, in order to leave

page_text: suitable tapering spaces between them when they are approched by their
respective tappets to their nearest distances from each other. The machinery
for cutting off and heading the nails is put in motion by a bevel pinion N on
the main axis B, turning a bevel wheel O on the end of a horizontal cross
axis P, which is mounted in bearings r, r, and has a wheel Q fixed upon it,
with a projecting steel cutter S thereon, to be carried round in a circle and
brought in contact at suitable times, in the manner of shears, with another
steel cutter t, which is situated opposite to the ends of the two jaws v, v, of
the heading vice V, W, which vice is bolted down upon the base plate A.
One of the jaws v is held fast by screws to the fixed part V of the vice, but
the other jaw v is fastened by like screws to the moveable part W of the
vice, which part is mounted on an upright joint pin w, and is moved when
required by means of two horizontal sliding bolts X, Y, and two small camms
x, y, projecting out from the cross axis P. The camm x comes round into
operation on the sliding bolt X to press the tail end of the moveable part W-
of the vice, so as to open the jaws v, v, when it is required to release the nail
which has been headed and completed; and afterwards when that nail has.
been removed and time has been allowed for introducing the recently tapered
end of another nail rod so far between the opened jaws v, v, that its point
reaches to just touch gently against the spring gage or stop Z, and being held
with the angles of the iron to correspond fairly to the angular notches which
are cut into the inside of the jaws v, v, for the reception of the iron, then the
other camm y comes round into operation on the other sliding bolt Y, and
thereby against the front end of the moveable part W of the vice, so as to
close the jaw v thereof towards the other jaw v, in order to hold the nail rod
fast, and the two jaws v, v, are closed around the hot iron until they touch
each other. And note.-Previous to introducing the end of the nail rod into
the vice in manner aforesaid, the cutter t is let down so as to remove its cutting
edge beneath the proper level for cutting the iron, in order that the said edge
may be out of the way of the iron when it is so introduced. The said
cutter t is fixed by screws to a sliding plate 10, Sheets I. and III., which is
fitted edgeways upwards into a vertical dovetail groove, formed in the front
end of the fixed part V of the vice, and the instant after the jaws v, v, of the
vice have taken fast hold of the hot iron, the said sliding plate 10 together
with the cutter t is moved upwards in that groove by a wedge-like projection
on the upper side of a horizontal sliding bolt z, which is fitted into sockets
and actuated beneath the sliding plate 10; and the said boltz being pushed
endways by a prominence 11 on the wheel Q, the edge of the cutter t is
thereby raised up into contact with the under side of the hot iron, ready for

page_text: cutting off the same in concert with the other cutter s on the wheel Q, which
then comes round and cuts downward upon the upper side of the hot iron,
whilst the bolt is also pushed further endways by the said prominence 11,
and raises the cutter t to make an upwards cut at the under side of the iron,
which being hot and soft is divided and cut off instantaneously by the said
contrary cuttings; and immediately after that, the prominence 11 passing
away from the end of the sliding bolt z, the same is returned by reaction of a
spring 12, in order to withdraw its wedge-like projection from bencath the
sliding plate 10, and allow the same to descend together with the cutter t by
their own weight, aided by the reaction of another spring 13. The cutter s on
the wheel Qwill by the same time have passed away, wherefore the two cutters
leave the cut end of the hot iron projecting out from the jaws v, v, ready for
forming into a head, and the jaws v, v, must be suitably adjusted in respect to
the cutters t and 8, so as to divide the iron at a proper place for leaving a
sufficiency of iron projecting out from the jaws v, v, to form the intended head
by action of the heading punch 14, which is first brought by a lateral motion
with its punching end truly opposite to the recently cut end of the iron, and
then the punch 14 is pushed endways in contact with the said cut end of the
iron, in order to fashion so much thereof as projects out from the jaws v, v, into
a head. The heading punch 14 is fastened by screws to a strong sliding bolt 15,
which is fitted into two principal sockets in order to guide it truly in moving
horizontally endways in the direction of its own length; but those sockets are
not fixed, for they are formed in two other sliding bolts 16, 17, which are
guided to move horizontally endways in fixed sockets 19, 20, screwed to the
basement plate A, A. The bolts 16 and 17 are enlarged near their ends to
form eyes or large openings in them for the cross axis P to pass through,
and a projecting cog or small camm is formed on the axis P at each place,
which so passes through the said openings in the bolts 16 and 17, and by the
revolving motion of the said camms within the said openings, the two sliding
bolts 16, 17, are drawn endways both together like one motion, and in so
doing they give a lateral motion to the sliding bolt 15 with its heading
punch 14, which motion brings the punching end of the latter exactly oppo-
site to the recently cut end of the hot iron, which it is to fashion into a head.
The sliding bolt 15 has an enlargement near its end, with a large opening
therein to admit the main axis B to pass through, and a cog or small camm 21
projects out from that axis at the place where the opening of the sliding bolt
15 will come after the other bolts 16 and 17 have been drawn endways, in
order to give the lateral motion to the heading punch 14 and its sliding
bolt 15, as already mentioned; and consequently the said camm 21 by moving

page_text: round within the opening in the bolt 15 withdraw the same endways and
bring the heading punch 14 into action, forcing its punching end towards the
cut end of the hot iron, which projects out from the jaws v, v, and that
punching end having a suitable cavity formed in it will fashion the upper or
outer part of the head of the nail accordingly, the under side or overhanging
part of the head deriving its form from the outer ends of the jaws v, v, against
which the iron is pressed by the force of the heading punch 14, and which
outer ends must be shaped to suit the under side of the intended head; the
degree of pressure exerted by the heading punch 14 can be regulated by aid of
the screws which fasten it to the sliding bolt 15, and it must be set by them
suitably for the thickness of head which is intended to be made by it. And as
soon as the head is thus fashioned, the camm 21 on the main axis B coming to
act at the contrary side of the opening in the sliding bolt 15 from the side thereof
against which it acted before begins to return the said bolt 15 endways,
so as to withdraw the punching end of the heading punch 14 from the head
which it has just made to the nail, also at the same time the two small camms
on the cross axis P, acting within the openings in the two bolts 16 and 17,
allow the same to return in order to return the bolt 15 transversely by reaction
of a spring 22, which bears laterally against the bolt 15. And note. By the
said returning transverse motion of the bolt 15, it is removed so much along
the axis B that the camm 21 thereon will no longer act in the opening in
the bolt 15, wherefore the said camm 21 in revolving will communicate no
motion to the bolt 15 or the heading punch 14, until after the said bolt 15 has
been moved transversely again, in order to bring the heading punch 14, with
its end opposite to the ends of the jaws v, v. Also as soon as the head is
fashioned as aforesaid the single camm y on the cross axis P passes away
from its bolt Y, so as to leave the moveable part W of the vice at liberty,
after which the other small camm x comes round to its bolt X, and by acting
on the tail end of the part W, opens the jaws v, v, in order to release the
nail which has been made; and by way of precaution, in case the nail
should fail to drop out by its own weight as soon as the jaws are opened, a
small picker stem 23, is fastened to the fixed part of the frame with its
extremity reaching out towards the front end of the moveable jaw v, so as to
intercept the head of the nail if it should move away with that jaw, and thus
detach the nail from the moveable jaw v, if it should chance to stick therein.
The springy stops Z, which the point of the tapered nail rod is applied to
touch, by way of gage, to shew when the iron is introduced far enough in
between the opened jaws v, v, of the vice is formed by a bend down at the end
of a slender springy blade Z, which will yield easily so as to avoid blunting

page_text: the point of the hot iron; and the blade Z is fixed on the part V of the vice
by a screw passing through a long slit so as to be capable of adjustment to
suit the length of the intended nail. The jaws v, v, are capable of adjustment
by the screws which fasten them into their respective parts V, W, of the
heading vice. The machinery which has been described for cutting off the
iron and forming the head comes into operation in manner aforesaid, once
for heading one nail at every turn of the cross axis P, and the proportions of
the bevil wheel O and its pinion M, together with the number of tappets
around the tappet wheel E, determines how many successive blows shall be
struck by the hammers for each time heading. The bevel pinion N is
represented in the Drawings with fifteen teeth, and the bevil wheel O with
sixty teeth, and there are tappets at four places around the circumference of
the wheel E; there will be sixteen blows struck by the hammers for every
repetition of the aforesaid action of the heading punch, that is, eight blows
by each pair of hammers; but the said proportions may be varied to suit
different descriptions of nails. And note. The same cutting off and heading
apparatus as already described may be made to serve for heading the nails
which are drawn out tapering by two sets of four hammers, such as are
represented in the Drawings and already described, in which case the main
axis B may be prolonged across the plate A, A, to carry another tappet wheel
like E, for actuating another set of hammers, the plate A, A, being suitably
enlarged for sustaining them. The bevil wheel O on the cross axis P must
in such case be applied on the opposite side of the axis B to that which is
represented; and also the bevel pinion N on the axis B, must be applied to
act at the contrary side of the bevil wheel O, and likewise that bevel wheel O
should have only half as many teeth in proportion to the bevel pinion N as it
would have if only one set of hammers are used, as represented in the
Drawings, in order that the operation of making the heads may be repeated
twice as frequently when serving for two sets of hammers as when serving for
one set of hammers. The said machinery herein-before described is applicable
to other purposes than that of making nails, videlicet, for making revits and
screw bolts, or what are called screw blank pins, being iron bolts or pins,
which are afterwards to have screw threads formed upon them. If revits or
screw blank pins are to be made out of square nail rods by the said machinery
the operation thereof will be nearly the same as already described for making
nails, excepting as to the form and adjustment of the acting faces of the four
hammers, each of which must have a portion of a cylindrical groove formed
along the face in the manner of swages, so as to leave a space for a cylindrical
or slightly tapering round pin between each pair of the faces when they are

page_text: approached to their nearest distance towards each other. By subjecting the
end of a square nail rod which is properly heated to the action of four such
hammers it may be drawn to a round form either tapering or cylindrical,
as may be required, and according as the swage grooves in the acting faces of
the hammers may have been formed, and for making such kinds of screw blank
pins as are required to be square at that part of the shank which is nearest to
the head, although the rest of the shank is round, then only so much length
of the end of the heated square iron is to be introduced between the four
hammers as is intended to be made round by them, leaving the remainder
square; and after the iron has been thus made round by action of the
hammers the heads of the intended revets or screw blank pins are to be
formed by the action of the cutting off and heading apparatus, in manner
herein-before described for making nails; the jaws v, v, of the holding vice
and the heading punch being suitably formed according to the kind of head
which is required to be made on the revit or screw blank pin. Also what are
called spikes of various kinds may be made by the said machinery, and
likewise large pins for fastening down what are termed chairs of railways to
the stone blocks or wood sleepers on which such chairs are supported; the
operation of the machinery for the latter purpose being nearly the same as for
making nails. And note.-When revits are to be made by the said machinery
the heading vice V, W, is removed from the plate A, A, and a heading block
80 is put into its place, as is shewn in the separate plan, Sheet I.; the said
block 80 is adapted to hold a steel mould 81, which has a suitable hole
through it for the reception of the shank of the revit instead of the jaws of
the vice, as before described for nails; the cutter t and the sliding plate 10, to
which it is fixed, as well as the dovetail groove in the end of the heading block
80, is the same as before described, together with the sliding bolt z and the
springs 12 and 13. The steel mould 81 being in one piece retains the shank of
the revit correctly in form, but as it does not hold it fast when the head is to
be formed in the same manner as the jaws of the vice would do, a steel plug
82 is fitted into the hole into the mould 81, in order to stop the end of the
revit from going farther into the mould than is intended.
fixed on a horizontal slider 83, which is fitted into a groove
block 80, and its motion therein is limited by a stop screw .84.
iron is cut off and a head is formed to the revit, which is done
s, t, and the heading punch 14, as already described for heading nails, then
the slider 83 is pushed forwards in order that its plug 82 may push the
finished revit out of the steel mould 81; that motion of the slider 83 being
communicated from the sliding bolt X and small-camm x, on the cross axis P,
The plug 82 is
in the heading
After the hot
the cutters

page_text: as before described for opening the moveable part W of the vice, but which
bolt X in the present case has a piece of iron 85 fixed to it to reach out across
the slider 83; and the piece 85 is bended to an angular form suitably for
operating by oblique action between two pins which project up from the
slider 83, so as to advance the latter with its plug 82, in order to force out the
newly made revit from the mould 81; when the bolt X is pushed endways by
its camm x, and also as soon as that camm passes away a reacting spring 86,
draws back the bolt X, and then its angular piece 85 draws back the slider 83
and the plug 82, as far as the stop screw 84 will allow, which brings the end
of the plug 82 to a proper position in the mould 81, to be ready for the
reception of the next revit, which is to be cut off and headed as before.
And note. Such revits may, if preferred, be made out of round rolled rods
of iron of the same size as the shank of the revit is intended to be, in which
case the hammers need not be used, but the end of a rod of the round iron
being properly heated will be introduced into the mould 81 as far as the plug
82 will allow it to enter, and then the iron will be cut off and a head will be
formed by the heading punch 14, after which the finished revit will be driven
out of the mould 81 by the plig 82, as before explained. Also for making
revits out of round bolt iron, the same may be reduced by the four hammers
in manner aforesaid, to form the round stem or shank, leaving the part out of
which the head is afterwards to be formed (by action of the heading punch
14) of a larger size.
And by way of another example and for further instruction as to the
manner of performing my said improvements I have also represented other
machinery for making nails in Sheets IV., V., and VI. of the Drawings
hereunto annexed, which machinery operates to draw out the heated
iron to a tapering and pointed form by means of four hammers acting
in pairs, and those pairs acting alternately upon the several opposite sides
of the heated iron which is introduced between the four hammers and
without using any fixed anvil. The difference between the combination
and arrangement of the machinery now about to be described and that herein-
before explained, being partly in the mode of sustaining the said four
hammers in their relative places, and guiding them truly in performing their
respective motions, also in the mode of communicating the requisite alter-
nating motions to them from the revolving axis by which they are to be
wrought. For, instead of the said four hammers being poised upon axes
supported in bearings, so as to move about centres of motion, and instead of
deriving their guidance from such axis, all the four hammers are fitted into
suitably formed grooves or cells within a solid box of cast iron, and are by.

page_text: that means retained to move one pair in a horizontal plane and the other pair
in a vertical plane, and they are guided in approaching towards each other,
so as to meet truly face to face without deviation from the said horizontal or
vertical plane in which each pair is to move. And instead of giving motion
to the said hammers by a tappet wheel, to close the two opposite hammers of
each pair towards each other, with reacting springs to separate them again,
the four hammers are actuated by compound cranks on a revolving axis with
jointed connecting rods, which act to separate the two hammers of each pair
from each other as well as to approach them towards each other; and also
the motion so communicated to the hammers by the said cranks moves them
horizontally backwards and forwards in the direction of the length of the
heated iron rod on which their acting faces are to operate, and in so moving
backwards and forwards, the two opposite hammers of each pair are caused to
advance mutually towards each other (or close together), in order to get upon
the iron as they go backwards, and then to recede mutually from each other,
in order to quit the iron as they come forwards again, the approaching and
receeding motions being obtained by means of an oblong slot cut through
each of the several hammers, for the reception of as many fixed guide pins,
which are held motionless in the sides of the aforesaid box wherein the
hammers are fitted, and the directions of the said oblong slots being oblique
to the direction in which the hammers are moved backwards and forwards by
their revolving cranks, and the obliquities of the said slots in the different
hammers being suitably disposed in respect to each other, the two hammers of
each pair are caused to approach mutually towards and recede mutually from
each other, as aforesaid.
Sheet IV. contains a horizontal plan, and Sheet V. a side elevation, of
the whole of this machinery; the other Figure in Sheet IV. is an end
elevation. Sheet VI. contains another end elevation, and also detached
Figures; the same letters and characters of reference denote the same
parts in all the several Figures. A, A, is the main frame for supporting
all the moving parts; it has six upright legs, with horizontal side rails and
cross end rails at the tops of those legs, and other such horizontal rails at
bottom, and also others at half-way between the top and bottom of the said
legs. The frame is placed on a basement of masonry, and fastened thereto
by holding-down bolts passing through projecting feet at the bottom of each
leg. The whole of the said frame may be cast in one piece, or it may be put
together in parts, as is found most convenient. a, a, are bearings for the
main horizontal axis B; they are fastened down upon the half-way side rails
by screw bolts, and retained in their places by wedge keys. B is the main

page_text: horizontal axis, turned round by an endless belt encompassing a driving pulley
C, fixed fast on one end of the axis B with a loose pulley c, and also a fly
wheel D, as in the former machinery; E is a middle crank, formed on the
axis B for actuating the upper hammer H and the lower hammer I; and d, e,
are two side cranks formed on the same axis B, for actuating the two side
hammers F and G. The two side cranks d and e are adapted to operate
simultaneously, for they project out from the axis B on the same side thereof,
but the middle crank E projects out on the opposite side of the axis B. The
said three cranks transmit motion by connecting rods n, o, and m, to three
horizontal sliding bolts K, K, and L, which are fitted into bearing sockets
formed in a suitable carrying piece k, k, extended across the frame. The
connecting rods n, o, m, are jointed to the hinder ends of the said bolts K, K,
and L, and the tails 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the hammers are jointed to the foremost
ends of the bolts K, K, and L, and by the revolving motion of the cranks
d, e, and E, the hammers are moved alternately backwards and forwards
endways; thus the tails 3 and 4 of the top hammer H 3 and of the bottom
hammer I 4, are both jointed to the middle sliding bolt L, so as to be
actuated with one common motion, derived from the middle crank E by its
connecting rod n, and the tail 1 of the right-hand side hammer F 1 is jointed
to the sliding bolt K, which derives its motion from the crank d by its con-
necting rod O; and the tail 2 of the left hand side hammer G 2, is jointed to
the sliding bolt K, which derives its motion from the crank e by the connecting
rod m.
The motion thus given to each of the two side hammers F 1 and
G2 is simultaneous, although it is derived from two separate cranks d and e.
The motion given to the top hammer H 3 and to the bottom hammer I 4 is
necessarily simultaneous, because the motion of both is derived from one
crank E, but the said motion so given to the two side hammers F, G, is
alternate, and contrary ways to the motion given to the top and bottom
hammers H, I. 90 is the fixed box of cast iron wherein the head ends of all
the four hammers F, G, and H, I, are received, being truly fitted into cells
therein, which guide and retain the two hammers F, G, and H, I, of each
pair in the vertical and horizontal planes which they are required to move in
respectively. f, g, and h, i, are the guide pins for causing the two hammers
of each pair to recede mutually from each other as they are drawn backwards
in the box 90, by the aforesaid action of their cranks and connecting rods.
The said pins f, g, h, and i pass through holes in the sides of the box 90, and
also through oblong slits which are cut out in the heads of the hammers in
oblique directions, as shewn in the Drawings, that is, inclining obliquely to
the direction of the sliding bolts K, K, L, and which is the direction of the

page_text: ackwards-and-forwards motion of the hammers. The two ends of each of
e pins f, g, h, i, are held fast in the said holes in the sides of the box 90,
hich holes are made a little oblong by aid of wedge keys inserted into the
nortice holes in the thickness of the sides of the box 90, and by driving some
f those wedge keys further in and others further out of their respective
mortices, the positions of their several pins can be adjusted in their re-
spective holes so much as is requisite for bringing the acting faces of the
several hammers to meet correctly together in pairs, for acting first one pair
and then another pair upon the several sides of the heated iron nail rod,
whereof the end is to be presented between the four hammers in the same
manner as already fully described respecting the former machinery; but in this
present case the pairs of hammers draw backwards with a retreating motion
into their box at the same time and with the same motion whereby they are
closed together, in order to act upon the heated iron which is between their
acting faces; and they advance forwards out of their box 90 at the same time
and by the same motion whereby they separate and open from each other.
The stem of the iron nail rod is held fast by a suitable apparatus or moveable
rest M, M, when its heated extremity is introduced between the four
hammers, and that apparatus performs the office before described of intro-
ducing the heated end gradually further and further in between the acting
faces of the four hammers, as the operation of tapering the heated iron pro-
ceeds. The said apparatus is borne by a horizontal sliding bar 30, which
slides endways in sockets 31 affixed to the side of the frame. Two small
brackets M, M, are affixed to the bar 30, and projects out horizontally there-
from, to form the required rest across which the stem of the nail rod is laid
when its heated extremity is properly introduced between the acting faces of
the four hammers, in order to receive their action for a commencement of the
tapering, and the rod is supported at two places by the said brackets M, M,
and is held firmly down to them by two blade springs, which are fastened
to the brackets at one end of each blade, and the other ends by springing
down on the rod hold it firm on the rests M, M.
fixed on a short horizontal axis 33, which extends from one of the brackets M
to the other, and has a small projecting tooth at each end to act beneath each
of the two blade springs, so as to lift them both up together like one when
5 the handle 32 is turned, in order that the stem of the nail rod may be laid
on the rests M, M, beneath the springs, and properly introduced between the
exterior parts of the acting faces of the hammers for the commencement o
the tapering of the intended nail, and then by releasing the handle 32, bot
springs are let down at once on the nail rod, to hold it fast upon the rest
32 is a small lever handle,
B

page_text: , M, and then as the operation of tapering the heated end of the nail ro
proceeds by action of the two pairs of hammers, the bar 30 is slided slow
endways backwards in its sockets, so as to introduce the heated end of the na
rod further in between the acting faces of the hammers. The said motion
the sliding bar 30 is produced by a camm 34, which is fixed on a horizonta
cross axis P, deriving motion by a large spur wheel O from a pinion N on th
end of the main axis B of the cranks. A beak at the upper end of a lever 3
applies to the circumference of the camm 34, and the lever 35 is mounted o
a fixed centre pin, and a link 36 extends from the lower end of the lever 35
to the sliding bar 30, and there is a weight 36 applied by a cord which passes
over a pully to draw back the bar 30, endways, and keep the beak of the
lever 35 always in contact with the edge of the camm 34; the form of that
camm is adapted to introduce the heated end of the iron nail rod a little
further in between the acting faces of the hammers, after every successive
blow that they strike upon the iron in furtherance of the tapering, and by the
time that as many such blows have been struck as is thought to be sufficient
for completing the tapering to a point, then the camm 34 presents a promi-
nent part to the beak of the lever 35, and thereby begins to withdraw the
iron from between the acting faces of the hammers with a rapid motion, and
when by that means the tapered and pointed end is quite withdrawn, so as to
stand with its point in front of the four hammers, that end is seized by suitable
tongs or heading dies 40, and the proper length is cut off from the end to
make the intended nail, and then that portion is removed upwards by the
tongs 40, and turned end for end, and conveyed by them into a proper position
at the upper part of the machine opposite to the end of the heading punch
41, in order to be heated thereby. The machinery for so cutting off and
heading is applied in a different manner from that before described respecting
Sheets I., II., and III., and is represented in Sheets IV. and VI. in two
different situations. The tongs 40, which are provided for seizing so much of
the tapered and pointed end of the nail rod, as is to be cutt off for forming a
nail, consist of two chaps 40, which are united by a joint pin to the lower
end of an upright spindle 42, which is formed with a fork at its lower end to
receive the two chaps 40, and the joint pin passes through both the prongs of
the fork, and through both the chaps 40. The spindle 42 is kept in a vertical
position by passing through a fixed collar or guide 43, in a fixed cross bar at
the top of the frame, and is further guided by passing through a hole in the
moveable cross bar 44, and a collar 45 being fixed on the spindle above the
bar 44, and another collar 45 below the same bar 44, the spindle 42, together
with the tongs 40, will be moved up and down endways when the cross bar

page_text: 44 is raised up and down, for which purpose the two ends of that bar are
received, and guided in upright grooves formed in the insides of the upwrights
47, 47, of the fixed frame, and upright lifting rods 46, are lodged in those
grooves to slide up and down therein, and are retained by caps from getting
out of the grooves, the lower ends of the two side rods 46 have two studs
projecting out from each rod 46, to be acted upon by the ends of the two
lever arms 48, 48, which reach out forwards from a horizontal cross axis 49,
having a lever arm 50, upon the end of it, and the end of the lever arm 50
is connected by a crank rod 51, with a revolving crank 52, which is fixed on
the end of the cross axis P, of the camm 34 before described, and which axis
is turned round by the large cog wheel O, on the end of it, by means of the
small pinion N, on the end of the axis B of the cranks, and by these means
at every revolution of the cross axis P, and camm 34, its crank 52 will cause
the upright spindle 42 to be moved up and down again, in consequence of
the connexion between the revolving crank 52, and the said spindle 42, by its
crank rod 51, lever 50, on the end of the cross axis 49, and the two lever
arms 48, 48, thereof, together with the upright lifting rods 46, 46, and the
cross bar 44, and collars 45, on the spindle 42, as already explained, and by
the time that the four hammers have completed the tapering of the end of
the heated nail rod to a point, and that the said end has been withdrawn from
between the four hammers by action of the camm 34, and the rests M, M, as
before explained, then the upright spindle 42, with the chaps 40, will have
descended by the means above described nearly to its lowest position, and in
so descending two pins which project out from the chaps 40, will be inter-
cepted by two small wedge pieces 58, so as to open the two chaps from each
other, and cause them to go down open mouthed over the tapered end of the
nail rod, in order that the said end may be included between the opened chaps
40, which then close together suddenly, so as to seize the said tapered end of
the hot iron the time that the spindle 42 gets down very near to its lowest
position, the said closing of the chaps being in consequence of the aforesaid
two projecting pins of the chaps 40, descending below the two wedge picces
53, by which the chaps were opened as before mentioned, and then the chaps
are closed suddenly by reaction of a wire spring 55, which is curled spirally
around the spindle 42, and presses down a conical slider 56, on that spindle,
and the slider 56 acts in the manner of a double wedge between the tails or
upper ends of the two chaps 40 above their joint. pin, by which they are con-
nected to the lower forked end of the spindle 42, and the very instant after
the chaps 40 have so closed together upon the end of the heated nail rod, in
order to seize the same, the cutters begin to operate to cut off the nail rod, so

page_text: as to separate the portion which the chaps have so seized. The lowermost of
the cutters t is firmly fixed in front to a cross rail of the frame, and the nail
rod always rests lightly upon its cutting edge when it is between the four
hammers, so that the lower cutter t is always in its place, and prepared for
cutting. The withdrawing of the nail rod endways from between the ham-
mers by the aforesaid action of the camm 34 brings that place in the rod
where the cut is to be made exactly over the edge of the lower cutter t. The
other or moving cutter s is applied to the tongs 40 in front thereof, being fitted
on the joint pin of the chaps 40, with its cutting edge downwards; that edge is
adapted to act in concert with the edge of the fixed cutter t, when the chaps
with the spindle 42, gets down very nearly to its lowest position, for then the
edge of the moving cutter s comes down upon the hot iron which is laying
across the edge of the fixed cutter t, and divides the iron instantaneously, and
as already explained the chaps are allowed to close suddenly together by
action of their spring 55, and conical wedge 56, to seize the iron between
them before it is separated, wherefore the tapered portion of the hot iron
which is so cut off is held horizontally in the chaps 40, and then they begin
to go up again in order to carry the said piece of iron up to the place where
it is to be headed. The chaps 40 which have seized it, and which are now
holding it between them, also serve in lieu of the jaws of the vice in the other
machinery already described, by way of heading dies when the heading punch
41 comes to operate, and owing to the position of the cutting edges s and t,
in respect to the chaps 40, as much of the hot iron as is necessary for the
formation of the intended head is left projecting out from between the chaps
at their front side, and as soon as the iron is cut off then the camm 34, by it
lever 35, begins to urge forward the sliding rod 30, which has been standing
motionless whilst the cutting was performed, but it now draws the rest M, M,
for the nail rod, just as much further forwards as the length of iron which is
used in making one nail. And having done so, the rod 30 makes another
pause, in order to admit of changing the recently cut nail rod for another; for
this purpose the attendant, by turning the lever handle 82, so as to lift up the
ends of the two blade springs on the rests M, M, releases the nail rod, and
he then removes the same, and puts another nail rod, whereof the end is
properly heated, into its place across the two rests M, M, beneath the raised
springs thereof, the extremity of the heated rod reaching exactly to the edge
of the fixed cutter t. All this is the preparation for commencing another nail,
and during the same time the preceding nail which still requires to have its
head formed has been going up in the chaps 40, by action of the crank 52,
and connections 51, 50, 49, 48, 48, 46, 46, 44, 45, as already explained. And.

page_text: note. The two wedge pieces 53, will give way to the two projecting pins in
the chaps 40, as the same go up in contact with those wedge pieces, because
they are mounted on hinge joints which make them firm, in order to inter-
cept the said pins, and open the chaps when they are going down, as before
explained, but the same hinge joints allow the wedge pieces 58 to give way to
the pins, so as to avoid opening the chaps when they are going up again. And
when by this means the spindle 42 is raised up so much as to take the chaps
40 with the nail in them above the level of the box 90 for the hammers,
then the said spindle 42 is turned half round, in order to turn the intended
nail end for end in preparation for heading it; this turning is done by action
of a stationary screw pin 57, which is inserted firmly into the uppermost
guide collar 43, for the upper end of the spindle 42, the point of which screw
pin 57 enters into a groove cut out in the spindle 42, as shewn in the Draw-
ings, that groove being straight down the lengthways of the spindle 42, at
the upper part, and then making a half turn spirally around the spindle 42,
to get to the opposite side thereof, and then continuing straight down that
opposite side. The action of the end of the said screw pin 57, in the said
groove of the spindle 42, is to guide the spindle 42, so that it will go straight
up together with the intended nail, which it holds in its chaps 40, without any
turning until it has arrived half way up, and then it will be turned half
round to carry the cut end of the intended nail round behind, and after that
the spindle 42 will continue to go straight up, and in so doing the chaps 40
enter in between the opposite points of two setting screws in a strong clamp
58, which is firmly fastened upon the end cross rail of the frame, and the
chaps 40 in going up between the said points are gathered quite close toge-
ther around the intended nail, which still remains hot, so as to grasp it firmly
in the same manner, as was done by the jaws v, v, of the heading vice before
described, and when the spindle 42 has in that manner been raised up to
its highest position, the cut end of the hot iron which stands projecting
horizontally backwards out from between the chaps 40 will be exactly
opposite to the end of the heading punch 41, which is sustained in bearing
sockets in two fixed cross bars extended across the frame, so as to slide hori-
zontally therein in the manner of a sliding bolt, and the hinder end of the heading
punch 41 reaches to the edge of the camm 59, which is fixed on the horizontal
cross axis P, and when all the parts have attained the positions now describing
a prominence of the camm 59 pushes forwards the heading punch 41, with its
foremost end against the projecting end of the hot iron, so as to fashion the
same into a head for the nail, in the same manner as in the machinery already
described. The clamp piece 58, with its two opposite setting screws before

page_text: mentioned, will retain the chaps of the tongs 40, when the heading punch 41
exerts its pressure, and prevents them from yielding to that pressure, so that
they will hold the nail firmly whilst the head is fashioned, and the nail being
now completed, the prominence of the heading canım 59 on the cross axis P
passes away from the hinder end of the heading bolt 41, which then goes back
out of the way of the newly formed head, by reaction of a suitable blade spring
60, also the upright spindle 42 begins to go down, and as soon as the tongs 40
get down out of the heading clamp 58, in which they have been lodged and
retained for enduring the pressure of the heading, then by action of the oblique
part of the groove in the spindle 42 the tongs 40 are turned back again half
round, and after that they go down straight until the aforesaid two projecting
pins in the two chaps of the tongs 40 are intercepted, as at the preceeding
time already described, by the two wedge pieces 53, and thereby the tongs 40
are opened, and they let go the finished nail, which drops out from between
them by its own weight, and the same opening of the tongs prepares them for
repeating their action before described, of seizing the tapered and pointed end
of the newly introduced heated nail rod, which has been forming for another
intended nail by action of the four hammers, whilst the spindle 42 has been
coming down, and the hot iron has also been withdrawn from between the
hammers by the time the spindle 42 gets quite down. And note.-It should
have been explained that the moveable cutter 8, which, as before mentioned, is
fitted on the joint pin of the chaps 40, so as to stand in front of the chaps, is
capable of turning sideways about that joint pin, and that it is so moved by
action of a spring 61, in order to remove the cutter s out of the way, and
expose the projecting end of the hot iron to receive the action of the heading
punch 41 when that is to operate; but a little before the time when the
cutter t is required to act, as before described, for cutting off the iron, it is
first pushed sideways about its joint pin in spite of its spring 61, in consequence
of coming laterally in contact with a lateral wedge-like part of one of the
pieces 53, which open the tongs, as before mentioned, and which piece retains
the cutter s in a suitable position for cutting until it has performed that office,
but afterwards when the tongs 40 go up with the spindle 42, then the cutter 8
quitting the said piece 53 it is pushed on one side by action of its spring 61,
so as to go out of the way of the place where the heading punch is afterwards
to come. And note. Four hammers may be combined to operate in the
manner already described in reference to Sheets I., II., and III., by combining
and arranging the several parts in the manner represented in Sheet VII.,
where, instead of mounting the several hammers F, G, and H, I, on axes of
motion, they are fitted into cells in a strong box of cast iron 90, of the same

page_text: kind as already described for receiving the four hammers represented in Sheets
IV., V., and VI.; but the hammers F, G, and H, I, in Sheet VII., are made
moveable in their said cells about fixed centre pins f, g, and h, i, passing
through round holes in the sides of the box 90, and through like round holes
in the several hammers, so as to form joint pins for them to move upon, and
the tail ends 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the said four hammers project backwards out
of the box 90, and have steeled dies fixed to their extreme ends to apply to
the circumference of a revolving camm wheel E fixed on the end of the main
axis B, which axis is provided with its fast and loose pullies C, c, and may
have a fly wheel D, as before explained; but in this case the axis B is placed
in a direction pointing towards the nail rod, which is to be operated upon
between the four hammers. The camm E has two prominences at opposite
sides of its circumference, and they operate simultaneously on the said steeled
dies at the ends of the two opposite hammers, which constitute each pair, as
H, I, for instance, in order to approach the acting faces of those two hammers
towards each other, and as the said prominences pass away from the steeled
dies of those two opposite hammers, they allow the same to approach simulta-
neously, and then the same two prominences of the camm E in going farther
round, begin to act simultaneously on the steeled dies at the tails of the other
pair of hammers F, G, in order to approach the acting faces of those two
hammers towards each other for action in their turn. And note. The tail
ends 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the said four hammers F, G, H, I, may have springs
applied to them to cause their acting faces to recede from each other when the
prominences of the revolving camm E pass away from the steel dies aforesaid,
or else two elbow levers 95 and 96 may be applied upon fixed centre pin
97, 97, with the two arms of each elbow lever 95 and 96 reaching out over
the tail ends 1 and 3, or 2 and 4, of two adjacent hammers which are not
pairs, all which is sufficiently represented in the Figures, whereby the motion
given by the camm E for simultaneously pushing out the two tails of one pair
of hammers will, by aid of the arms of the two elbow levers 95 and 96, pro-
duce the requisite simultaneous closing in of the two tails of the other pair
of hammers, the said elbow levers 95 and 96 operating in that manner to
produce the separation of the acting faces, first of one pair of hammers and
then of the other pair of hammers. And note.-Such elbow levers may be
applied in concert with the reacting springs before mentioned, by way of pre-
caution, in case each springs should fail to act, or they may be substituted for
such springs. And note.-In order to give strength to the cast iron box 90,
it may be surrounded by a strong hoop of wrought iron 99, as represented in
the Figures. And note.-It is not necessary that the two pairs of hammers

page_text: should be placed so as to act in vertical and horizontal planes, as before stated,
and as represented in the Drawings; for the box 90 may be placed so that the
said two planes in which the two pairs of hammers move will, each of them, be
inclined to half way between the said horizontal and vertical planes, in which
case the heated end of the square iron nail rod will be operated upon between
the four hammers, with its angle upwards instead of its flat side upwards, but
that makes no difference in the operation, though it will have the advantage of
the allowing the scale of the iron to drop out and escape more readily than if
the hammers operate in vertical and horizontal planes.
Having now described my said Improvements, I, the said William Southwood
Stocker, do hereby declare that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use
is granted to me by the aforesaid Letters Patent, consists in the following
improvements:-
First, in applying and combining four moving hammers to operate in two
pairs, in manner herein-before described, for forming the shanks or stems of
nails, rivets, or screw blank pins, the two hammers of each pair approaching
mutually towards each other to act upon two of the opposite sides of the heated
extremity of an iron rod which is introduced between them, and those same
two hammers then receding mutually from each other to leave the other two
opposite sides of the iron exposed to a like action by the mutual approaching
of the other pair of hammers, but their action being exerted in a different
and transverse direction to the first-mentioned action of the first-mentioned
pair of hammers, whereby the said two pairs of hammers operate in turn on
all the several opposite sides of the same iron, and it is compressed alternately
in different transverse directions without useing any fixed anvil, and without
turning the heated iron over. Also, in case of making tapering nails, the
acting faces of the said pairs of hammers approaching and meeting closer
towards each other at their more interior parts, between which the extremity
of the heated iron is introduced by degrees as the operation of tapering
proceeds, then the said faces do approach towards each other at their more
exterior parts between which the said extremity is first introduced; and I
claim the combination and application of four such hammers for the said
purposes, whether the same are sustained and mounted on axes of motion, and
moved by tappets on a revolving wheel, in the manner herein-before described
in reference to Sheets I., II., and III., of the Drawings hereunto annexed, or
whether four such hammers are sustained and guided by being fitted into cells
in a box, so as to slide therein by action of revolving cranks, and to move upon
fixed guide pins passing through oblong oblique slots, in the manner herein-
before described in reference to Sheets IV., V., and VI.; or whether four such

page_text: hammers are fitted into cells in a box as aforesaid, to move therein about
fixed centre pins by action of a revolving camm, in the manner herein-before
explained in reference to Sheet VII.
Secondly, in the combination and arrangement of the machinery herein-
before described in reference to Sheets I., II., and III., for cutting off and
heading nails, rivets, or screw blank pins, in which case the heading punch is
first brought into a suitable position for performing action by latteral motion,
and is afterwards removed out of the way by a return of that lateral motion,
and also the combination and arrangement of the machinery herein-before
described in reference to Sheets IV., V., and VI., for cutting off and heading
nails, the heading dies being in that case removed away from the cell or
place in which they are to be retained and supported when the heading punch
is to operate, the said dies serving as tongs for seizing and cutting off the
tapered piece of hot iron which is to be headed, and then carrying that piece
to hold it fast in the proper place and direction for receiving the action of the
heading punch.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Southwood Stocker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-seven.
WILLIAM SOUTHWOOD (L.S.) STOCKER.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifth day of January, in the seventh
year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the said William
Southwood Stocker came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein con-
tained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument 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 Seventh day of January, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-seven.