IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS." A
communication from abroad by Daniel Armstrong, of Chicago, Illinois, United
States of America Gentleman
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF NAILS." [A communication from abroad by Daniel Armstrong, of
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman.]
The object of the present Invention is to provide a machine for forging wrought
nails, especially horse shoe nails.
This Invention relates, first, to the combination of two series of rotating die heads;
secondly, to the combination of two series of die heads with dies; thirdly, to
separately rotating heads with dies thereon and with chisels for clipping the points
of the nails; fourthly, to rotating die heads with cutters for severing the nails
from the rod; fifthly, to rotating die heads, dies, and chisels with an anvil;
sixthly, to double pinions to prevent back lashing of the gearing; seventhly, to
nippers and a nail seat for delivering the nails; eighthly, to revolving die heads,
dics, and cutters with a punch to disengage the nail from the nipper; ninthly,
to adjustable dies in a cylinder for forging the sides of the nails.
The said Invention comprises a fixed central anvil on which the nail rod is
carried by suitable mechanism, and between which and rotating dies pivoted to a
rotating wheel the upper and lower parts of the nails are swaged, the edges of the
nails being swaged between a double series of rotating dies.
Each series of rotating dies rotates round a separate vertical shaft, and each die
head is rotated on its axis so as to present a proper die surface to the nail rod on
the anvil, the dies proper having such forms as to shape a desired nail, two or

page_text: more of each series of dies being used to shape a nail, the same being the case as to
employing two or more of the dies on the cylinder to swage the flat surfaces of
the nails. It further comprises novel mechanism for feeding the nail rod to the
dies, cutting off the nails, and delivering them from the machine.
The said machine has a strong iron frame which supports the mechanism herein-
after described. It has a horizontal shaft to which power is applied to operate the
machine, and which has suitable bearings on the top of the frame. To the shaft is
attached a bevel gear wheel and a cylinder. To the cylinder is pivoted a series of
rotating dies, the axis of each of which lies parallel to the said shaft. The function
of the rotary dies is to forge the upper and lower sides of the nails, the nail rod
resting on the anvil. In order to forge nails of different sizes the rotary dies are
made adjustable on the heads.
The said dies are pivoted to ear lugs, the shanks of which pass radially through
sleeves. The sleeves are adjustable longitudinally in the cylinder. The aforesaid
bevel gear wheel is fixed to the main shaft, and meshes into a bevel gear wheel
that imparts motion to a vertical shaft. The upper ends of these shafts have
bearings on ordinary screw pivots.
By turning these screw pivots down the vertical shafts are kept from longitudinal
movements. Fixed to each of the said shafts is a spur wheel, the two wheels
meshing into each other at the centre of the machine. Each shaft is provided with
slotted arms, some of which form bearings for rotary heads. The object of the slots
in the arms is that by means of set screws the shafts may be tightly boxed where
they pass through the arms.
The lower ends of the shafts of the rotary heads are provided with pinions. A
stationary internal rack is formed and placed concentrically around the vertical
shaft, and pinions travel and rotate thereon, this rack being held in position relative
to the pinions by a circular frame. The rack is bevelled on its inside to fit the said
pinions, so that when these pinions are lowered they will fit the rack more closely
to hold the parts firmly.
To prevent back lashing of the said pinions they are made in two parts, the
smaller part having a bearing on a shoulder formed on the smaller end of the main
part thereof, the teeth or cogs of both parts coinciding when in use. A channel is
cut through the base of the small part and also through the shoulder of the large
part of the said pinion, and in this channel on both sides of the shaft are placed
coil springs.
The said circular frame is firmly secured to the upright frame of the machine.
To the top of the aforesaid heads are attached the dies which form the edges of the
nails; also the die or chisel for cutting the nails from the rod, the nipper for
carrying the nail to the delivery spout, and the punch for pushing the nail out
from under the nippers. The dies which swage the edges of the nails or blanks
are so formed that when rotated against a blank a nail of the required form will be
produced so far as the edges thereof are concerned. One die of one series comes
opposite to a die of the other series, the opposing dies passing to the anvil when the
edges of the nails are being forged. These swaging dies are adjustable longi-
tudinally in clamps, which are secured by screws to the tops of the heads. One die
in each series of dies is provided at its edge with a chisel for cutting off the point
of the nails. Two rotating heads are provided with chisels, each bead being of the
opposite series, for the purpose of cutting the blank or nail from the rod. By the
side of one of these chisels and on one rotary head is placed an adjustable holder
with a notch in its end to permit the jaw of a nipper to bear on the nail. The
object of this holder is to press the blank into a nail seat in the opposite rotary
head so soon as the blank is severed from the rod.
The nail seat consists of a thin piece of metal projecting from its rotary head on
to the anvil and under the nail or blank. This nipper is pivotted to a bridge on
the top of one rotary head, and its jaw is held on the nail by a coil spring; the
means for engaging the said nipper with the nail or blank consists of a cam which
is supported by the frame and depresses the shank of the nipper as the latter passes

page_text: under it. The nail is removed from under the nipper by means of a punch which
lies directly under the nipper.
To the upper part of the main frame is attached a cam, against which the punch
strikes and is pushed forward to remove the nail from under the nipper. The
anvil is of ordinary construction, and the top lies level with the lower sides of the
dies, which swage the edges of the nails or blanks. The nail rod is fed or moved
forward by roller in the ordinary manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office or the 13th April
1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF NAILS." A communication from abroad by Daniel Armstrong, of
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman.
The object of the present Invention is to provide a machine for forging wrought
nails, more especially horse shoe nails.
The said Invention relates, first, to the combination of two series of rotating die
heads; secondly, to the combination of two series of die heads with dies; thirdly,
to separately rotating heads with dies thereon and with chisels for clipping the
points of the nails; fourthly, to rotating die heads with cutters for severing the
nails from the rod; fifthly, to rotating die heads, dies, and chisels with an anvil;
sixthly, to double pinions to prevent back lashing of the gearing; seventhly, to
nippers and a nail seat for delivering the nails; eighthly, to revolving die heads,
dies, and cutters with a punch to disengage the nail from the nipper; and, ninthly,
to adjustable dies or rollers in a cylinder for forging the sides of the nails.
The said Invention comprises a fixed central anvil on which the nail-rod is
carried by suitable mechanism, and between which and rotating dies or rollers
pivotted to a rotating wheel or cylinder the upper and lower parts of the nails are
swaged, the edges of the nails being swaged between a double series of rotating
dies. Each series of rotating dies rotates round a separate vertical shaft, and each
die-head is so rotated on its axis as to present a proper die-surface to the nail-rod
on the anvil, the dies proper having such forms as to give the desired shape to the
nails. Two or more of each series of dies are used to shape a nail, and two or more
of the dies or rollers on the wheel or cylinder are employed to swage the Hat
surfaces of the nails. It further comprises novel mechanism for feeding the nail
rod to the dies for cutting off the nails and delivering them from the machine.
In the accompanying Drawings,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a nail forging machine embodying my improve-
ments; and
Figure 2 is a plan or ton view thereof

page_text: Figure 3 is a vertical section of the rotating device which removes the nalis after
they are swaged.
Figure 4 is an elevation, partly in section, on the line X, X, Figures 1 and 2,
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow Z, a portion of the mechanism being
removed.
Figures 5 and 6 are underside views of the cams which operate the pawl and
ratchet to feed the nail-rods.
Figure 7 is a section on the line Y, Y, Figure 4, drawn to an enlarged scale.
A represents a strong iron frame, the construction of which is suitable to support
the mechanism hereinafter described; B represents a horizontal shaft to which
power is applied to operate the machine; this shaft is supported in suitable bearings
C, C, on the top of the frame A, and has attached to it a bevel gear wheel E and a
cylinder D, to which is pivotted a series of rotating dies or rollers a, the axis of
each of which lies parallel to the shaft B. The function of the rotary dies or
rollers is to forge the upper and lower sides of the nails, the nail-rod resting on the
anvil b. In order to forge nails of different sizes the rotary dies or rollers a are
made adjustable, so that each die may perform its part of the forging.
The dies or rollers a are pivotted to lugs h, the shanks d of which pass radially
through sleeves c, which are tapped into the cylinder D and pass inwardly to about
one third the distance of the said cylinder from the hub F. The sleeves c are
adjustable longitudinally in the cylinder D (on radial lines), and are provided with
right hand screw threads and with the square, hexagonal, or other shaped heads e
which are formed on the inner ends of the sleeves, so that a wrench may be placed
thereon to turn the sleeves out or in. The shanks d of the rotary die attachment
are provided with left hand screw threads which turn in nuts f; these nuts are
provided at their inner ends with shanks, on which are formed right hand screw
threads turning into the hub F. By turning the nuts f the rotating dies a will be
moved to or from the shaft B; by turning the sleeve c in the cylinder D it acts as
a jamb nut against the base of the lugs h, and holds the dies a in the proper position
for use. The bevel gear wheel E is fixed to the shaft B and gears into a bevel gear
wheel G on one of the shafts H, H, having bearings at their lower ends in steps placed
in boxes I, I, which are attached to the lower cross framework A in the ordinary or
any suitable manner of pivotting bearings for vertical shafts. The upper ends of
these shafts have bearings on ordinary screw pivots J projecting down centrally
from the undersides of the top parts of the curved frame piece A.
By turning the screw pivots J down any longitudinal movement of the shafts H, H,
will be prevented. Fixed to each shaft H is a spur wheel K, the two wheels
gearing into each other at the centre of the machine. Each shaft H is provided
with fourteen slotted arms L, L', the arms L¹ being placed below the arms L to
forni bearings for seven rotary heads N to each shaft H. The object of the slots in
the arms is that by means of set screws i the shafts M may be tightly boxed where
they pass through the arms. The lower ends of the shafts M. of the rotary heads N
are provided with pinions, similar to that shewn at O, Figure 3, and in detail in
Figure 3a, in which the upper part of the shaft M and its connections are removed
to shew this part of the mechanism. A stationary internal circular rack P,
Figure 2, is formed and placed concentrically round the shaft H in such position
that the pinion O will gear with and be rotated thereby, the said internal rack
being held in position relatively to said pinions by a circular frame Q, R, of some-
what larger size than the periphery of the rack P, and secured to it by set screws
S, S. The internal circular toothed rack is bevelled downward and inward ou its
inside to fit the pitch of the said pinions O (a section of one pinion being shewn in
Figure 3), so that when the pinions O are lowered by loosening the jamb nut m
and turning a bushing n down on the shaft M they will fit the rack P more closely
and hold the parts firmly; before this adjustment the collar 7 must be turned down
on the arm L.
To prevent backlashing of the said pinions O they are made in two parts o, p,
the smaller part p having a bearing on an annular shoulder t, Figure 3, formed on

page_text: the smaller end of the main part o, the teeth or cogs of both parts coinciding when
in use. In making this double pinion the teeth of the two parts are set in position,
so that the teeth of one part will come opposite to the spaces between the teeth of
the other part, and in that position a channel is cut horizontally through the base
of the small part 2, and through the shoulder t of the larger part of the said pinion.
In this channel on both sides of the shaft M are placed coiled springs v, v, in the
position shewn in Figure 3a; now when these teeth are brought in line if there shall
be a tendency to backlash by one part of the two-part pinion the other part
resists this tendency with an equal force, so that the gear runs smoothly as by
positive force. This smooth running is of great importance in the working of the
machine.
The circular frame Q, R, is firmly secured to the upright frame of the machine
by bolts. To the top of the heads N are attached the dies w, which form or swage
the edges of the nails or blanks; also the die 4 or chisel for cutting the nails from
the rod, and the nipper 9 for carrying the nail to the delivery spout, and the punch
for pushing the nail out from under the nippers 9. The dies ware so formed that
when rotated against a blank a nail of the required form will be produced so far as
the edges thereof are concerned. The position of the dies w is such that one die w
of one series comes opposite to a die of the other series, the opposing dies passing
over the anvil b when the edges of the nails are being forged. The said dies are
adjustable longitudinally in clamps 3, which are secured by screws to the tops of
the heads N. By these means the dies may be graduated so that each die will
perform its proper amount of forging. One die in each series of dies is provided at
its edge with a chisel 4 for cutting off the point of the nails, as shewn in plan in
Figure 3b, the points of the nails falling into the spout 20. Two rotating heads
are provided with chisels 5, as shewn in plan in Figure 3º, each head being of the
opposite series for the purpose of cutting the blank or nail from the rod. By the
side of one of these chisels and on one rotary head is placed an adjustable holder 6
with a notch in its end to permit the jaw of a nipper 9 to bear on the nail. The
object of this holder 6 is to press the blank 11 into a nail-seat in the opposite
rotary head so soon as the blank is severed from the rod. The nail-seat consists of
a thin piece of metal 7, as shewn in Figures 3 and 3º, projecting from its rotary
head and on to the anvil b, and under the nail or blank 11 far enough to enable
the nippers 9 to hold the nail to be carried to a delivery place at the side of the
machine.
The nipper 9 is pivotted to a bridge 10 on the top of one rotary head N, and its
jaw is held on the nail 11 by means of a coiled spring 13, Figure 3. The means
for engaging the said nipper 9 with the nail or blank 11 consist in a cam 15,
Figures 1 and 2, which is supported by the frame A and depresses the shank of the
nipper as the latter passes under it, the nipper being disengaged at the proper time
to grasp the nail. The nail is removed from under the nipper 9 by means of a
punch 12, which lies directly under the said nipper and level with the seat 7; it
is slotted at its middle part, and placed in the slot is a coiled spring to hold the
punch back from the nail till the latter is to be removed.
To the upper part of the main frame A is attached a cam 14, Figures 1 and 2,
against which the punch strikes and is pushed forward to remove the nail from
under the nipper 9, the nail falling into the spout 16. The anvil b, Figure 4, is of
ordinary construction, and its top lies level with the lower sides of the dies w. The
nail rod is fed by the rollers 17, Figure 2, in the manner ordinarily employed in
horse shoe nail machines. The means for operating the cam 18 attached to the
underside of one of the spur wheels, and made to operate an ordinary ratchet
(attached to the lower end of the roller 17), are so well known as to need no
description. Power to operate the roller 17 is transmitted from one of the spur
wheels K through the medium of the cam 18 and other ordinary well known
mechanism. In practice a greater or lesser number of rotary heads with their
respective dies and chisels may be employed, but the number shewn serves the
purpose and allows the parts to be well balanced for graduated swaging.

page_text: Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I am aware of stationary rollers having been employed in a rotating
wheel for forging nails, I therefore do not claim these devices irrespective of the
construction herein specified, but I claim,―
First. The combination of two revolving series of separate rotary die heads N
and the anvil b, as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The combination with the separately revolving die heads of the dies w,
as described and shewn, and for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination with the separately rotating die heads and dies w of the
chisel for clipping the points of the nails, as above set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the rotating die heads of the nail holding devices
and the cutters for severing the nails from the rod, as above set forth.
Fifth. The combination of rotating die heads, the dies, and the chisels with the
anvil and the forging hammers, as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The double pinions o, p, combined with the shaft M, the springs, the
bushing, the nuts, the sleeve, and the rotating heads, as and for the purpose set
forth.
Seventh. In combination with the rotary heads having cutters thereon the
nipper 9 and seat for grasping the nail and carrying it to the discharge spout, as
above set forth.
Eighth. The nipper pivotted to a rotating and concentrically revolving cutter
head in combination with the cutter for severing the nail from the rod, and with
the punch for removing the nail from under the nipper, as above set forth.
Ninth. The cylinder D having holes through it radially to receive shanks for the
support of the lugs in combination with the screw sleeves c, the nuts, and the screws
for adjusting the rotary dies, as above specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
177M DOPT TAKW
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)