CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPIKES, NAILS, PINS, AND RIVETS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR PARTIALLY FORMING OR MAKING CHAIN LINKS, HOLDFASTS, STAPLES, SPOUTING HOOKS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES, FORMED OF IRON OR OTHER METAL, BY FORGING, PRESSING, ROLLING, OR DRAWING
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Brough and Richard Cox
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 16th April 1860.
We, ROBERT BROUGH, Engineer, of Cumberland Terrace, Camp Hill,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and RICHARD Cox, Engineer, of
Kingston Road, Birmingham, aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF SPIKES, NAILS, PINS, AND RIVETS, AND WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE FOR PARTIALLY FORMING OR MAKING CHAIN LINKS, HOLDFASTS, STAPLES,
SPOUTING HOOKS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE ARTICLES, FORMED OF IRON OR OTHER
METAL, BY FORGING, PRESSING, ROLLING, OR DRAWING," to be as follows (that
is to say):-
Our Invention consists in setting up four rolls geared together so as to be
properly speeded, and to revolve in unison with each other; the outer edges or
peripherys of two of the rolls that are placed parallel with each other (and
which we call the forming rolls) are to be shaped or divided or segmented
according to the article we wish to make, and these rolls we purpose to make
in a general way, of the thickness of the article we wish to form between their
peripheries or surfaces, and the other two rolls we fix at right angles with the
forming rolls, and thick enough to well overlap the meeting of the other rolls;
thus we have two surfaces on the forming rolls for forming articles of irregular
thickness, and the lateral rolls for pressing or forming the article on their
parallel sides, as, for instance, to make nails of the kind that may be parallel
on two sides, and taper on the other, we should make our forming rolls of the

page_text: thickness of the parallel sides of the nail, and divide their peripheries into
segmental curves, the length and curvature of each segment defining the
length and amount of taper desired to be imparted to the nail, and as the
forming rolls are to be geared together they must be so placed that the top
and base of each segmental curve shall be presented in uniform order, and at
the base of the segments corresponding cavities shall be formed on each roll
for forming the counterpart of the shape we wish to give to the head of the
nail, and if it be found desirable that the head of the nail to be formed shall
project over its four sides or be of a circular shape, indentations may be also
formed on the periphery of the lateral rolls in their proper place, and by taking
a strip or rod of scrap or other iron reduced to the proper size, and put
through a suitable mouth-piece to the rolls in a hot state, the said rolls being
set in motion from any suitable driving gear, when the iron so presented will
be drawn in, and rolled out into perfect nails, falling into a proper receiver
below the rolls for that purpose, and as long as the motion is kept up and the
feed or supply of iron maintained, so it will continue to make good wrought
nails with rapidity and economy, as the simplicity of the mechanism does not
subject it to derangements or great wear and tear. The pattern of the nail
and bead depends entirely upon the shape of the periphery of the two principle
rolls, and we may either obtain a variation of shape or size by changing the
two or all four rolls, or by so fashioning the rolls that in making a revolution
they shall make a series of various size or shaped nails. And if a round shank
or round headed nail be required we purpose forming the shank between the
peripheries of two rolls, and the head from cavities partly formed at proper
distances on the peripheries of all the rolls, as before described.
With this general description, it will be readily understood that by varying
the rolls either partially or wholely we are enabled to make with great rapidity
the various and such like articles herein-before named. The rolls we purpose
mounting on a strong iron frame in such a way that they may be readily
removed and replaced as desired, and in like way we prefer also making the
mouth or feed part that it may be removed and replaced to suit the iron
passing through for forming the various articles desired. But when con-
venience will admit, separate machines may be constructed to work the rolls
required for particular articles, and this course may be the most advisable, as
we propose only to use our Invention in the rolling or forming of such articles
that are made in large quantities.