Improvements in the Manufacture of Horse Shoe and like Nails, and in Apparatus Employed therein.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Horse Shoe and like Nails, and
in Apparatus Employed therein.
I EBEN PERKINS of 57 Queen Street, St. John, New Brunswick, Dominion of
Canada, Machinist do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object the production of a novel method and machine
by which to manufacture horse shoe and like nails.
Prior to my invention, horse-shoe nails have been manufactured by passing a
continuous bar of metal through successive pairs of rolls, the bar being of the size
of the desired head of the completed nail, several pairs of rolls acting successively
upon the bar to shape the head, reduce and form the shank portion, said shanks
being afterwards pointed to form the completed nails.
An objection to this method is, that even with the highest grade stock, the
compression necessary to reduce the stock from the size of the head-which is the
size of the bar, -to that of the shank, crystalizes the metal of the shank to such an
extent that it is necessary, at some stage of the process, to anneal the stock to
render the nails sufficiently tough for use.
In my efforts to improve upon this method, I have found that by employing a
bar or stock of substantially the size of the shanks in the completed nails, to avoid
rolling the bar excessively in the formation of the shanks, and forming the heads
by upsetting the stock, the nails may be produced from low-cost stock and be in
proper condition for use, when finished, without annealing.
My improved method, therefore, consists in manipulating a bar of metal, of the
size substantially that of the nail shank at its greatest diameter, to form a series of
tapering shank portions, all tapering in the same direction, and separated by head-
portions of the full size of the bar; severing the bar on lines between each of the
head-portions and the small ends of the adjacent shank portions to form blanks;
and pointing the small ends of the said shank portions and upsetting the head-
portions thereof to form heads for completed nails, substantially as will be
described.
In the manufacture of horse shoe nails from a continuous strip or bar of metal
by passing the latter between one and another of the several pairs of rolls, it is
impossible to lead the stock or bar from one pair directly to and through the next
succeeding pair, because the least variation in the feed of one pair from the other,
will cause the stock, between the two pair, to either cripple or be unduly drawn,
giving to the finished product a lack of uniformity.
I desire, however, to pass the metal continuously from one to another pair of
rolls, and I have found that if the successive pair of rolls be so arranged that the
stock, in passing from one to the other, be bent or curved more or less in the
form of a loop, that this curve or loop in the stock, by increasing or decreasing in
size, as necessary, will compensate for any variations in the feed of the two pair
of rolls.
Another feature of my invention, therefore, consists in arranging a series of
nail-forming rolls in pairs, to act in succession upon the stock passed between them,
the successive pairs being so arranged that the stock in passing continuously from
one to the other is looped or bent to prevent the stock crippling or drawing by
reason of inequalities in the feed of the rolls of the two pair.

page_text: Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described and set forth.
In the drawings, Fig. 1, in side elevation, shows two pair of rolls arranged and
operated in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2, a top or plan view of the parts shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a view illustrating the preferred arrangement of several pair of rolls by
which to manufacture nails in accordance with my novel method.
Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 details shewing the preferred form of rolls employed by
me; and,
Fig. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 views of sections of the continuous strip or bar
shewing the action of the several pairs of rolls thereupon during the formation of
the nail blanks.
I will first describe the mechanism for manufacturing nail blanks in accordance
with my novel method.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A, is the frame of suitable construction to sustain
the working parts, the same having suitable bearings for the main driving shaft a.
Upon the frame, herein shewn at the left, is a head b, in which are mounted in
suitable manner, boxes 1, 2, in which are journaled the shafts carrying the
rolls bx, bx, said shafts being geared together by gear wheels 63, 63, one of the
shafts, shewn as the lowermost one, being provided with a large gear wheel 64 in
mesh with a smaller wheel & fast on the shaft a, said rolls * being, therefore,
driven in opposite directions from and by the shaft a.
A second head c mounted on the frame at the left, Figs. 1 and 2, contains
suitable adjustable boxes provided with bearings for the vertical shafts c, c', on
which are mounted the rolls ², c³, said shafts being geared together by gear
wheels c³ ³, one of the shafts, as for instance, that at the left Fig. 2, being
extended through the top of the frame, and provided with a bevel gear e in mesh
with a bevel pinion e fast on the shaft a, so that the rolls c³ are also driven from
and by the shaft a.
The two pair of rolls b and c constitute what I term "a set of rolls," and,
referring to Fig. 3, I have shewn the preferred arrangement for several sets of rolls,
each set comprising two pair, one arranged to revolve about horizontal axes, and
the other about vertical axes, the several sets being distinguished by the reference
letters B, D, E and F, and all driven from the common shaft a.
Referring now to Sheet 3 of the drawings, the rolls bx, see Fig. 4, are provided
with regularly spaced peripheral recesses 6 connected by grooves b', see Fig. 5,
the bottoms of which are eccentric with relation to the axes of their respective
rolls.
The rolls c, on the contrary, are shewn as having plane peripheries.
The rolls dx, which are the rolls of the set D, corresponding to the rolls 6x of the
set B are similar to the rolls 6*, except they are slightly larger in diameter, and
the peripheral recesses do are separated one from another to a greater distance than
the recesses be on the rolls *, the grooves d' being slightly shallower than the
grooves, and longer, owing to the greater separation of the recesses 6º.
Referring to Fig. 6, the rolls ex are similar to the rolls 6* and d*, except that they
are yet larger in diameter, with their peripheral recesses e yet further separated
and their connecting grooves e yet longer and shallower but similar in shape,
however.
The rolls d² and e² of the sets D and E, are, like the rolls c². plane-faced.
The rolls of the set F, are similar to the rolls ex, except that they are yet
larger in diameter, with their recesses fo separated to a yet greater distance, and
with their connecting grooves even longer and more shallow than those of the
rolls ex.
The rolls of the set F, which correspond in position with the rolls c³, d' and e³,
are, however, unlike the corresponding rolls of the other sets, in that only one of
the said rolls is plane-faced, the other having peripheral recesses f10 connected by
grooves, the bottoms of which are eccentric with relation to its axis, for a
purpose to be described.

page_text: Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the operation of my improved machine is as follows,
viz. ;-The stock of a size, such as illustrated in Fig. 8, is passed through a suitable
guide, not shown, to prevent it twisting and turning, and which also directs it to
and between the rolls bx of the first set B.
In passing between these rolls bx, the grooves connecting the peripheral
recesses, act upon the stock and compress the same slightly, as shown in Fig. 9, to
shape and leave slightly tapering shanks 5, separated by head-portions 6, left by
the recesses substantially the full size of the stock.
The stock issuing from between the first pair of rolls * is now carried out and
back, preferably through tubular guides in the form of a loop, and returned
through or between the rolls c², which act upon the broad sides of the stock and
reduce the stock to its original thickness, it having been slightly bulged by the
edgwise compression received in passing between the rolls *.
This leaves the stock still of uniform thickness to be properly held and guided
by the mechanism for the next set of rolls.
The stock issuing from the rolls c2 of the set B, is, in the present instance, coiled
upon a suitable reel 62, which, when filled, is placed in suitable position, and the
stock, in the condition Fig. 9, drawn therefrom and directed through suitable guides,
as before, to and between the rolls dx of the second set D, which act precisely as
did the rolls b* to reduce the shank-portions 5 yet further, as illustrated in Fig. 10,
the stock being carried out in the form of a loop and returned between the rolls a³,
which again reduce the stock to its normal thickness, after which, it is coiled upon
a suitable reel 12, from which it is drawn and passed through suitable guides, as
before, between the rolls e* of the set E, which reduce the shank-portions to the
size illustrated in Fig. 11, the stock being looped and returned between the plane-
faced rolls e, which a third time reduce the stock to its normal thickness, after
which it is coiled upon a reel e¹.
The stock from the reel e¹ is once more carried, through suitable guides, as
before, to and between the rolls fx, which reduce the shank-portions yet further,
as illustrated in Fig. 12, the head-portions 6, however, always remaining sub-
stantially the same size, viz. ;-the size of the original stock, before it was introduced
between the first pair of rolls.
The stock from the rolls f* is looped, as before, and returned to and between the
rolls, one of which is plane and the other grooved, as illustrated in Fig. 7.
The rolls f, Fig. 7, act laterally, i.e., upon the sides of the stock returned
through it, and leave it in the condition Fig. 13, wherein the shanks are compressed
on three sides, the head-portion 6, however, remaining still the same size.
The strip has now formed in it, by reason of its passage between the rolls of the
several pairs, a series of tapering shanks, separated by head portions of a size
substantially that of the stock before it was passed through the first pair of rolls,
the tapering shanks all pointing or tapering in the same direction.
The continuous strip having tapering shanks formed in this manner, is now
severed by suitable means, on lines shown by dotted lines Figs. 12 and 13, between
the head-portions 6 and the smallest ends of the shank-portions, to form independent
blanks, the smallest ends of which are pointed in suitable manner, and the head
portions 6 upset to form heads larger than the original stock in any suitable or
desired manner, either simultaneously or successively according to the particular
machinery used.
The essence of my invention, broadly consists in the employment of stock of a
size substantially that of the shank of the completed nail at the greatest diameter
of said shank, and reducing this stock to form, in a continuous strip, a series of
tapering shanks, separated by head portions of the size of the original stock, which
head portions are struck up to form the heads, the smallest ends of the shanks
being pointed in suitable manner to form the points for the nails.
As before stated, the advantage derived from the manufacture of the blanks
and nails as I have shown and described, is, that in the formation of the shanks of
the nails, the stock is not excessively compressed, i.e., it is not compressed to

page_text: such an extent as would require subsequent annealing to give to it the required
toughness.
The stock is, in fact, reduced and compressed so little that a low grade stock
may be used, which, with the absence of annealing, makes it possible for me to
produce nails by my improved method at a much less cost than has heretofore been
possible.
Another important advantage comprehended by my invention, is, the arrange-
inent of successive pairs of nail-forming rolls, so that the stock in passing in a
continuous strip from one to another pair, is bent or looped to prevent crippling
or drawing by any inequalities in the feeding of the two pair of rolls, the loop3
or bends enlarging or contracting to compensate for any inequalities in feed.
Heretofore, all attempts to form nails or nail blanks continuously from a strip
or bar of metal have failed, because it has been attempted to pass the stock
directly from one to another of several successive pairs of rolls, such attempts
have always proved failures because the inequalities in the feed of the rolls of
successive pairs would either cripple or draw the stock in passing from one to
another.
By looping the stock, however, as herein described, it is possible to pass the stock
successively through any number of pairs of rolls without handling.
While I have passed the stock through two pairs of rolls only without requiring
handling, yet the said stock might, by a suitable arrangement of guiding rolls,
be passed continuously and without handling through all the series of the
several sets.
While I prefer to form the blanks by a mechanism substantially like that herein
shown and described, yet it is evident my improved method may be practiced by
any other apparatus or mechanism adapted for the purpose.
By reference to Sheet 3 of the drawings, it will be evident that the increased
diameters of the rolls of the several pairs bx, d*, ex, and fx, it made necessary to
accommodate the necessary elongation of the stock as it is passed between them, due
to its reduction in size, in the formation of the shanks.
It will also be noticed that the peripheral recesses of the first pair of rolls are
of exactly the same length as the head portion 6 between the successive shauk-
portions of the continuous strip, but that the said peripheral recesses in the remaining
rolls of the apparatus are of greater length.
Were the peripheral recesses of all the rolls of the series of the same length, it
would be mechanically impossible to graduate the reduction in the formation of the
shanks to such nicety as would invariably bring the head-portions peripherally
into register with the recesses in the several rolls.
By making the recesses of all the rolls, after the first pair, longer than those in
the first pair, a certain clearance is provided in each recess to ensure the head-
portions 6, always meeting and entering a recess in the rolls, and because the
recesses of the rolls are longer than the head-portions of the stock, and as there is
no compression of the stock at such head-portions, and consequently no grip, it
follows that there can be no feed of the stock momentarily, when the head-portions
enter the recesses, until the clearance referred to has been taken up, and the
shoulders, at the back ends of the recesses by contact with the shoulders at the
back ends of the head-portions, force the latter and the strip through, to be gripped
by the next pair of grooves acting upon the succeeding shank.
If, therefore, there should be one-eighth or one-quarter of an inch clearance in
the recesses, the stock would remain stationary until this one-eighth or one-quarter
inch clearance is taken up, so that the stock really has an intermitting feed, each
shank or blank being independently fed between the rolls by the engagement of the
back ends of the shoulders of the recesses with the back ends of the shoulders of
the head-portions.
So far as known to me, I am the first to produce nail blanks in a continuous strip
by reducing the metal to form the shanks from a bar of a size substantially that
of the desired nail shank at its greatest diameter, leaving portions of the stock

page_text: between the successive shanks of the size of the original stock to be upset in the
formation of the heads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The method of forming horse shoe and like nails as herein described and set
forth.
2. The herein described method of manufacturing horse shoe and like nails,
which consists in manipulating a bar of metal of a size substantially that of the
shank at the greatest diameter of the latter, to form a series of tapering shanks,
facing in the same direction, and separated by head-portions of the full size
of the bar; severing the said bar on lines between the said head-portions and
the small ends of the shank-portions adjacent thereto, to form blanks; and
pointing the small ends of the shanks, and upsetting the head-portions to form
beads for completed nails.
3. The arrangement of rolls for forming horse shoe and like nails herein set forth
for successively reducing the stock in the formation of nail blanks.
4. The arrangement of rolls for forming horse shoe and like nails herein shown,
to cause the looping of the stock passing between the same to prevent crippling or
drawing.
5. A machine for rolling horse shoe and like nails, containing a series of rolls
arranged in pairs, the rolls of each pair having regularly spaced peripheral recesses
to leave head-portions; and connecting grooves having eccentric bottoms to form
tapering shanks, the connecting grooves in the rolls of successive pairs being
gradually less in depth to gradually reduce the size of the tapering shanks.
6. A machine for rolling horse shoe and like nails containing a series of rolls
arranged in pairs, the successive pairs being so arranged that the stock in
passing continuously from one to another pair, is looped or bent, to prevent the
stock crippling or drawing by reason of inequalities in the feed of the rolls of
successive pairs.
7. The arrangement or combination of parts of apparatus for, and method
of, manufacturing horse shoe and like nails from a bar of metal shaped as set
forth, substantially in the manner herein before described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Dated the 24th day of Nozember 1904
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.