Improvements in Self-feeding Magazine Tack Hammers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-feeding Magazine Tack Hammers.
I, ALFRED DARLING CUSHING, residing at Hotel McLure, Wheeling, in the
County of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, United States of America, Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of the invention is to provide a hammer from which tacks and the
like may be antomatically fed to, and held at, the face thereof, so that all the
operator is required to do is to supply the magazine or hopper with tacks suited to
the implement, and swing the hammer to drive the tacks.
The invention consists in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described
and claimed.
In the drawings,
Figure 1, is a central section of the hammer showing a magnetized bar in
elevation.
Figure 2 is a view showing the face side of the hammer and the retaining spring
in elevation.
Figure 3 is a perspective of a hopper movable within the hollow handle.
Figure 4 is a section on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, and
Figure 7 is a perspective of a guide piece.
A is the hammer head and B the handle. The hammer head is recessed or
socketed for the reception of a magnetized bar C. The handle is made hollow
preferably in symmetrical halves, as shown, and has formed within it a nail or tack
track consisting of ribs 1, 1, arranged side by side with a narrow space or slot
between them. This track curves and extends to the face of the hammer, as
shown in Figures 1 and 2. Leading to the track is a slotted hopper or receptacle 2.
This hopper has sides converging toward the slot as shown in Figure 6 and the
sides register with the ribs 1, 1, forming the tack. Tacks are introduced into the
hopper and shaken up when the stems or shanks pass through the slot and then,
suspended by their heads, they pass from hopper to track and then to the face of
the hammer.
I prefer, and have shown, a movable receptacle or hopper 2 made separate from
the handle. In the form shown the movable hopper has an enlargement 3 which
fills the end of the handle for augmenting the capacity of such hopper. The
handle is provided with a slot 4 through which a pin or projection 5 from the
movable hopper projects. In this way the hopper is coupled with the handle in a
way that said hopper may be given a reciprocating or shaking movement
independent of the handle by means of the thumb piece without removing it from
the handle. The hopper is provided with a lid 6 so that tacks may be readily
supplied to the hopper as they are exhausted. A catch 7 is also employed to
secure the hopper and handle together. In the form shown the catch consists of a
slotted hook mounted on a set screw and adapted to interlock with a shoulder of
the handle. The magnetized bar C is secured in a socket in the hammer head and
its working end constitutes the face of the hammer.
E is a slotted spring secured to the handle and arranged adjacent to the hammer
face as shown, constituting an open throat through which the tacks may pass and
constituting means for guiding the tacks to the hammer face. The tacks are fed

page_text: along their track by gravity, but as they approach the face of the hammer they
come within the field of the magnet and are promptly brought into line with the
hammer head and there held for convenient use. The spring E beyond serving as
a guide, also serves as a brake to prevent the column behind from forcing the outer
tack from its seat as well as an auxiliary to the magnet for holding said tacks in
position.
It should be understood that while I prefer and intend in all cases, to use a
magnetic hammer head, the shaking hopper is equally adapted for use with other
kinds of magazine hammers.
8 is a guide piece shown in Figure 1 and detached in Figure 7. This piece is
slightly inclined with relation to the bottom of the movable hopper so as to permit
the free entrance of tack heads to the track 1. The guide is made integral with
a disk-like part 9 which serves to close the end of the movable hopper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is-
1. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hollow handle and a magnetic
hammer head, and a track within the handle leading to the magnetic field of the
hammer head, substantially as described.
2. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a socketed hammer head, a
magnetized bar in the socket, a hollow handle and a track within the handle
leading to the field of the magnetized head, substantially as described.
3. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hammer head, a hollow handle,
a movable magazine or hopper within the handle, a track leading from the hopper
to a face of the head, substantially as described.
4. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a magnetic hammer head, a
hollow handle, a movable magazine or hopper and a track leading from hopper to
within the field of the magnetized hammer head, substantially as described.
5. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hammer head, a hollow handle
having a movable slotted magazine or hopper and a track leading from hopper to
the head, and a retaining spring for securely holding a tack against the face of
the hammer, substantially as described.
6. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a magnetic hammer head, a
hollow handle having a hopper at one end and a curved track leading from hopper
to the magnetic field of the hammer, substantially as described.
7. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hammer head, a hollow handle
provided with a track leading to the head and an independent movable hopper,
substantially as described.
8. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hammer head, a hollow handle
having a track leading to the bead and a movable hopper having sloping sides and
a slot in the bottom leading to and forming a continuation of the track, substantially
as described.
9. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hollow handle, a movable
hopper, and means to couple the hopper and handle together and permit a relative
movement between them, substantially as described.
10. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a hollow handle, a movable
hopper and means for opening and closing the hopper and for locking said hopper
firmly to the handle, substantially as described.
11. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a socketed head, a magnetized
bar fitted to said socket, a hollow handle, a slotted hopper, a track leading from
hopper to the magnetic field of the hammer head and a forked retaining spring,
substantially as described.
12. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a socketed head, a magnetized
bar fitted to said socket, a hollow handle, a track within the handle and a movable
slotted hopper within the handle communicating with the track, substantially as
described.

page_text: 13. In a self-feeding hammer, the combination of a socketed head, a magnetized
bar within the head, a hollow handle, a slotted movable hopper, a track leading
from hopper to head, and a retaining spring, substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of March 1894.
ALFRED DARLING CUSHING,
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.