IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT NAILS AND TACKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George King, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Cut Nail Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF CUT NAILS AND TACKS."
Scaled the 28th July 1876, and dated the 14th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George King at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1876.
GEORGE KING, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Cut Nail Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT NAILS AND
TACKS."
My Invention relates to the feeding mechanism of machinery for the manufacture
of cut nails and tacks, and cousists of the mechanical arrangements or combinations
of parts herein-after described for lifting and withdrawing the nail plate or strip
from the lower cutter during the turning over of the said nail plate or strip, and
for turning over the nail plate or strip after a nail or tack has been cut from
its end.
The mechanism for lifting and withdrawing the nail plate or strip from the
cutters is constructed as follows:-I employ an ordinary feeding barrel down which
the nail plate or strip held in the clams passes to the cutters. The rod of the
nail plate clams passes through the feeding barrel, and is pressed down by a weight
and cord as usual. The upper or back end of the clams rod is screwed or is
provided with a series of circular collars or grooves. On an upright near the upper
end of the feeding barrel a lever for withdrawing the nail plate is mounted, the
said lever being situated over the feeding barrel, and besides turning on its centre
is capable of a longitudinal motion parallel to the feeding barrel. The back or long
arm of this lever is provided with a tooth, which at the proper time is engaged
with the screwed or collared end of the clams rod. On the feeding barrel is a cam
situated under the inner short arm of the said lever. This cam has a
" rise" on its
face and two depressions in its periphery. On the feeding barrel making its alternate
semi-rotation the cam on the barrel first acts upon the inner and short arm of the
withdrawing lever, turning the said lever on its centre, and causing the tooth on the
Dries 617

page_text: opposite arm to engage with the screw or collars on the end of the clams rod.
The further motion of the cam causes the "rise" on its face to move the lever
longitudinally, and the latter withdraws the clams rod with which it is engaged,
and thereby draws back the nail plate or strip fixed in the clams from the cutters.
On the feeding barrel coming to the end of its semi-rotation one of the depressions
in the periphery of the cam comes opposite the short arm of the lever; when the
said short arm falls into the said depression the tooth on the longer arm of the lever
is thereby lifted from the screwed or collared end of the clams rod and the return
motion of the said lever also effected.
The lifting and return motion of the lever are effected by a spring. The clams
rod being thus released the said rod is urged forward in the feeding barrel in the
usual way, and the end of the nail plate or strip is fed between the cutters. During
the turning over of the nail plate or strip, the said plate or strip is lifted from the
lower cutter by a forked arm supporting the feeding barrel (near the nose end;
the said forked arm lifting the said feeding barrel by the operation of a cam on the
main shaft of the nail cutting machine.
The supports of the feeding barrel are capable of adjustment in slots so as to
permit of such changes in the position of the said feeding barrel as are necessary for
the cutting of nails and tacks of different lengths and of different angles.
The support of the withdrawing lever may be made to turn upon a joint so as to
permit the said lever to be removed from over the feeding barrel, and thereby
permit the removal of the said barrel.
My arrangement of parts for giving the alternate semi-rotation to the feeding
barrel so as to turn over the nail plate or strip at the proper times is as follows:-
On the feeding barrel I fix a pulley, and under the said barrel a second and larger
pulley is situated, a steel band passing around the two pulleys. The large under
pulley has an alternate semi-rotation given to it, and the same motion is transinitted
through the steel band to the upper smaller pulley and the feeding barrel. A rocking
motion or an alternate semi-rotation is given to the lower pulley by means of a
crank on the end of its shaft, the said crank being worked by a connecting rod and
the latter by a face or crank plate driven by gearing from the main shaft of the
machine.
The shaft of the lower large pulley may be lifted by means of a lever and the
driving band slackened to permit of the withdrawal of the feeding barrel from its
uprights when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th August
1876.
GEORGE KING, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Cut Nail Maker.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CUT NAILS AND
TACKS."
My Invention relates to the feeding mechanism of machinery for the manufacture
of cut nails and tacks, and consists of the mechanical arrangements or combinations
of parts herein-after described for lifting and withdrawing the nail plate or strip
from the cutters during the turning over of the said nail plate or strip, and
for turning over the nail plate or strip after a nail or tack has been cut from
its end.
The mechanism for lifting and withdrawing the nail plate or strip from the
cutters is constructed as follows:-I employ an ordinary feeding barrel, down which
the nail plate or strip held in the clams passes to the cutters. The rod of the nail
plate clams passes through the feeding barrel, and is pressed down by a weight and

page_text: cord as usual. The upper or back end of the clams rod is screwed or is provided
with a series of circular collars or grooves. On an upright near the upper end of
the feeding barrel a lever for withdrawing the nail plate is mounted, the said lever
being situated over the feeding barrel, and besides turning on its centre is capable of
a longitudinal motion parallel to the feeding barrel. The back or long arm of this
lever is provided with a tooth or fork which at the proper time is engaged with the
screwed or collared end of the clams rod. On the feeding barrel is a cam situated
under the inner short arm of the said lever. This can has a "rise" on its face and
two depressions in its periphery. On the feeding barrel making its alternate semi-
rotation the cam on the barrel first acts upon the inner and short arm of the
withdrawing lever turning the said lever on its centre, and causing the tooth or
fork on the opposite arm to engage with the screw or collars on the end of the
clams rod. The further motion of the cam causes the "rise" on its face to move
the lever longitudinally and the latter withdraws the clams rod with which it is
engaged, and thereby draws back the nail plate or strip fixed in the clams from the
cutters. On the feeding barrel coming to the end of its semi-rotation one of the
depressions in the periphery of the cam comes opposite the short arm of the lever,
when the said short arm falls into the said depression; the tooth or fork on the
longer arm of the lever is thereby lifted from the screwed or collared end of the
clams rod and the return motion of the said lever also effected.
The lifting and return motion of the lever are effected by a spring. The clams
rod being thus released the said rod is urged forward in the feeding barrel in the
usual way, and the end of the nail plate or strip is fed between the cutters. During
the turning over of the nail plate or strip the said plate or strip is lifted from the
lower cutter by a forked arm supporting the feeding barrel by the operation of a
cam on the under shaft hercin-after described for giving the alternate semi-rotation
to the feeding barrel.
The supports of the feeding barrel are capable of adjustment in slots, so as to
permit of such changes in the position of the said feeding barrel as are necessary
for the cutting of nails and tacks of different lengths and of different angles.
The support of the withdrawing lever may be made to turn upon a joint so as
to permit the said lever to be removed from over the feeding barrel, and thereby
permit the removal of the said barrel.
My arrangement of parts for giving the alternate semi-rotation to the feeding
barrel so as to turn over the nail plate or strip at the proper times is as follows:--
On the feeding barrel I fix a pulley, and under the said barrel a second and larger
pulley is situated, a steel band or chain passing around the two pulleys. The larger
under pulley has an alternate semi-rotation given to it, and the same motion is
transmitted through the steel band or chain to the upper smaller pulley and the
feeding barrel. A rocking motion or an alternate semi-rotation is given to the
lower pulley by means of a crank on the end of its shaft, the said crank being
worked by a connecting rod, and the latter by a face or crank plate driven by
gearing from the main shaft of the machine.
The shaft of the lower large pulley may be lifted by means of a lever, and the
driving band slackened to perinit of the withdrawal of the feeding barrel from its
uprights when required.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same inay be
performed.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a nail cutting machine, the feeder of which
contains my improvements, the withdrawing and lifting mechanism of the said
feeder being represented in action.
Figure 2 represents a portion of the feeder, the withdrawing mechanism being
represented out of action.
Figure 3 is a cross section of the feeder taken at the line A, B, of Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is oornee section of the feeder talren at the line CD of Figure 1

page_text: Figure 5 represents in elevation and edge view the withdrawing cam drawn of
the full size.
Figure 6 represents in front elevation the jointed back end of the withdrawing
lever in combination with the screwed or collared end of the clams rod drawn of the
full size; and Figure 7 represents in side elevation and cross section the clams and
clams rod drawn of the full size.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
a is the moveable or upper cutter of the nail cutting machine, and b is the lower
cutter fixed on the bed of the machine; c is the feeding barrel supported in the
adjustable supports d, d, secured to the feeder bed e; fare the clams holding the
nail plate or strip g, and h is the clams rod screwed or having a series of parallel
collars made upon its back end. The rod hand clams f carrying the nail plate g
pass through the feeding barrel c and are pressed down, and the nail plate fed
between the cutters a, b, by the weight and cord at c², as usual. An alternate semi-
rotation is given to the barrel c and parts carried by it so as to turn over the nail
plate at the proper times by the mechanism herein-after explained; i, i³, is the
withdrawing lever for withdrawing at the proper time the nail plate g from the
cutters a, b. The said lever i, i, is situated over the feeding barrel c, and the said
lever turns on the centre is carried by the upright jointed at 2 to the bed e (see
Figure 4). The lever i, 2, besides turning on its centre ³, is also capable of a
This last motion is
limited longitudinal motion parallel to the feeding barrel c.
permitted by a slot in the lever with which the centre or axis of the said lever
engages.
The end of the back or long arm of the lever is provided with a tooth or
fork (see the separate view, Figure 6), which at the proper time is engaged with
the screw or collars of the clams rod h. The withdrawing lever i, ³, is brought
into action by the cam on the feeding barrel c, and withdrawn out of action by
the spring, the said spring also pressing the short arm i of the lever into contact
with the cam k. The cam is double acting, and its construction is best seen in
"rise", which
the separate views, Figure 5. The said cam has on its face a
operates nearly simultaneously with the part le³ of the periphery of the cam.
part of the cam causes the withdrawing lever to turn on its centre, and the
rise on the face of the cam gives the advance longitudinal motion to the said
lever. The said cam has also in its periphery two depressions k', k', on opposite
sides for taking the withdrawing lever out of action.
The
After a nail or tack blank has been cut from the end of the nail plate g the
feeding barrel c makes its semi-rotation in one direction. As the feeding barrel
makes its semi-rotation, the part of the cam k acts upon the inner and short arm
i of the withdrawing lever, turning the said lever on its centre and causing the
tooth or fork on the arm to engage with the screw or collars of the clams rod h.
Simultaneously, or nearly so, the rise on the face of the cam moves the lever i, 22,
longitudinally, and the said lever withdraws the clams rod h with which it is
engaged, and thereby draws back the nail plate or strip g from the cutters a, b,
during the turning over of the said nail plate or strip, the several parts of the feeder
occupying the respective positions represented in Figure 1. On the feeding barrel c
coming to the end of its semi-rotation, one of the depressions in the periphery of
the cam comes opposite the short arm i of the withdrawing lever i, 2, the parts
,, of the cam having passed out of action. The said short arm i is now pressed
down by the spring 1, the said arm falling into the depression, whereby the
opposite arm is lifted from the clams rod h, the spring also moving the with-
The tooth or fork of
drawing lever towards the nose end of the feeding barrel c.
the long arm of the lever i, 2, is thereby lifted from the screwed or collared
clams rods so as to release the latter, the parts now occupying the respective
positions represented in Figure 2. The clams rod / being thus released, the said rod
is urged forward in the feeding. barrel c by the weight and cord at c³, and the end

page_text: of the nail plate or strip g is fed between the cutters a, b, when another blank is
cut and the operations described are repeated.
The outer end of the long arm
of the withdrawing lever is jointed to the inner
end by a joint similar to that of the blade of a pocket knife, a spring bearing on
the heel of the jointed part and holding it firmly either in its raised position or in
its acting position.
By lifting the jointed part of the lever arm 2, as indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 1, from the barrel c, the withdrawal of the tongs rod h from the said barrel
for fixing a fresh nail plate or strip in the clams may be readily effected, and when
the barrel c is required to be removed the jointed support it may be turned down
so as to remove the withdrawing lever from over the barrel.
The mechanism for lifting the feeding barrel c during the turning over of the nail
plate or strip consists of a forked arm m supporting the barrel near the nose end.
The said arm m is carried by the foot n turning on the joint n, the said foot being
acted upon by the cam p on the rocking shaft q.
The camp is represented in action in Figures 1 and 3, the cam lifting the foot n
and the latter the arm m and nose end of the feeding barrel c.
On the cam p
ceasing to act, the parts descend by their weight to their normal positions. The
foot of the lifting arm m is jointed to the adjustable support n³, best seen in
Figure 3.
I will now describe my arrangement for giving the alternate semi-rotation to the
feeding barrel c so as to turn over the nail plate or strip at the proper times :-On
the feeding barrel c is a conical pulley 7, and on the end of the rocking shaft q
under the said barrel c is a larger pulley 8, a steel band or chain passing around the
two pulleys 7, 8. By means of the rocking motion of the shaft q a like motion is
given to the large pulley 8, which said motion is transmitted through the steel
band or chain to the upper pulley and to the feeding barrel c upon which it is
fixed. The rocking motion of the shaft 7 carrying the large pulley 8 is obtained
by a crank on its end, the said crank being worked by the jointed connecting
rod q, the lower end of the said rod 73 being jointed to the crank pin at q², and
the other end to the crank pin q' on the face or crank plate 25 driven by the gearing
represented from the main shaft t of the nail cutting machine.
The rocking shaft q is capable of being lifted for the purpose of slackening the
driving band or chain on the pulleys 7, 8, when the feeding barrel is required to
be withdrawn from the uprights d, d. This is effected by the cross lever u (see
Figure 3) under the said shaft. The shaft q is supported by the hanging bracket v
which is released from the feeder bed e by relaxing the fixing screw at w before the
shaft 7 can be lifted.
The supports d, d, of the feeding barrel e are capable of adjustment in the feeder
bed c for altering the position of the feeding barrel when required for cutting nails
and tacks of different lengths and of different angles.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention
of improvements in the feeding mechanism of machinery for the manufacture of
cut nails and tacks,―
First. The construction and combination of parts herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for withdrawing the nail plate or strip
from the cutters during the turning over of the said nail plate or strip, that is to
say, the combination of the withdrawing lever i, i³, screwed or collared clams
rod h, and cam k on the feeding barrel, the said parts being constructed and operating
substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The combination or arrangement of parts, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, for lifting the nose
end of the feeding barrel during the turning over of the nail plate or strip.

page_text: Thirdly. The combination or arrangement of parts, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, for giving the alternate
. semi-rotation to the feeding barrel for turning over the nail plate or-strip.
In witness whereof, I, the said George King, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
HENRY SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
-Birmingham.
GEORGE KING. (L.S.)