IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR FORGING NAILS, BRADS, AND SCREW-BLANKS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Lewis Brundage, of Jewin Crescent, in
the City of London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR FORGING NAILS, BRADS, AND SCREW-BLANKS."-A
communication.
Sealed the 17th January 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Lewis
Brundage at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st October 1852.
1. EDWIN LEWIS BRUNDAGE, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR. FORGING NAILS, BRADS,, AND
SCREW-BLANKS," being a communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a novel arrangement of machinery for
forging nails, brads, and other like articles with greater expedition than
heretofore.
The general construction and mode of operation of this machinery
may be thus described:-Around a central anvil, shewn at a, in the
accompanying Drawing, which represents the improved arrangement in
partial plan view, a number of spring, clips b, for holding pieces of
metal to be forged into the required article are set radially. These

page_text: clips are mounted in bearings in an annular frame c, which is caused
to rotate by means of a worm d, taking into a ring of worm teeth on
its outer periphery. On the stem of each of these clips a pinion is
mounted, which several pinions take into the teeth of a stationary
annular rack, situate immediately below the frame c, and as that frame
rotates an axial notion is communicated to the clips, to allow of the
pressure to which the metal held by the clips is subjected being put on
different parts of its periphery.
The metal in the form of a rod or wire e, is fed into the machine
between a pair of cutters, which sever the metal into appropriate lengths,
and these lengths of metal are severally thrust between the jaws of a
pair of spring clips b, as they are presented to receive the metal. By
the rotation of the clips around the anvil the metal is brought under
the action of a tilt hammer or other pressing surface, and it is thereby
gradually wrought to the required shape, it being turned by reason of
the axial motion of the clips, as already stated. In this arrangement of
machinery any given number of nails, brads, or screw blanks corre-
sponding to the number of radial spring clips may be in course of
formation at the same time.
When they have arrived at the end of their course the jaws of the
clips are thrust open, and the forged article is allowed to fall out of the
machine. The face of the anvil is so constructed that but a portion
only of the metal shall be under the action of the hammer at one time
until the metal has approximated to the required shape. When it has
arrived at this state the metal will have passed to a part of the 'anvil
which admits of its receiving pressure on so much of its length as
projects from the spring clips.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in' the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the 'six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edwin Lewis Brundage, 1er especial
license that I, the said Edwin Lewis Brundage, any executors, adint-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others-as- I, the said Edwin Lewis
Brundage, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein. expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVED MACHINERY-FOR FORGING NAILS, BRADS, AND SCREW-BLANKS,"
being a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edwin Lewis Brundage, by an instrunient in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Lewis Brundage, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
This Invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
relates to certain arrangements of machinery in which a cutter, a series
of grippers, and a hammer or hammers, are so combined that when a
rod of suitable dimensions is properly fed to the cutter, a piece of suffi
cient length to form a nail, brad, or screw-blank will be cut off, caught
into the grippers, and submitted to a succession of blows on different
parts of its surface as it progresses through the machine, and thereby
the metal will be reduced to the required size and form.
In the accompanying Drawings two plans of carrying out this

page_text: Invention are shewn. In Sheet I, Fig. 1, is a front elevation; Fig. 2,
a vertical section in the dotted line....of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is an
horizontal section in the dotted line y... y, of Fig. 1, the upper
hammer being removed; and Fig. 4, a vertical front view of the
hammers detached from the other parts of the machine; the same
letters having reference to like parts in all the Figures of Plate 1, the
construction and operation of which I will first proceed to describe.
The frame A, A, A, is a substantial structure of cast iron, and has
boxes at B, C, D, to support the three shafts E, F, G, and guides
a, a, b, c, to support and guide the cutter A, also at d, d, d, to guide the
hammers and prevent their turning with the shaft. e, c, e, are stops
which check the force of the hammer strokes. The circular plate I,
supports the gripper carriage J. K, is the cutter bed upon which the
rod f, from which the blanks are cut, rests, and to which is attached
the gauge . for gauging tlie length of the blanks or pieces of metal
cut from the rod.
The main shaft E, is vertical, passing through the centre of the two
hammers L, L, in which it is loosely fitted, upon which shaft the lower
end is placed a wheel M, forming in combination a pulley and fly wheel.
The collars h, h, are fitted to the shaft, and turn with it, the same being
secured by keys i, i. Each of the collars has two projections or cams,
which act upon like projections on the hammers as the shaft revolves,
and produce the hammer strokes, which may be adjusted by means of
the screw nuts j, j, so as to bring the hammer faces to the proper
distance from each other. On this shaft, above the upper bearing N,
is a cam O, which communicates motion to the cutter H, and through
its ring of teeth k, which engages with a pinion i, upon the shaft F,
gives motion to that shaft.
The hammers are formed in the manner of a circular hub, fitted
loosely on the drawing shaft E, with arms P, P. extending to the guides
d, d, d. Each has two projections 1, 7, upon its back, placed opposite
each other to receive the action of the cams m, m, upon the collars, h, h.
Each has a recess n, o, on one side, the upper one to receive the cutter,
the lower one to allow room for the nails to discharge. The upper
hammer is suspended by the springs : p, which draw it up against the

page_text: to elongate the blank more
The first of these narrow dies
to strike the blank near the
collar; the lower one may be drawn downward by similar springs when
its own weight is not sufficient to secure the required quick action;
thus arranged the two hammers face each other. In the construction
of the faces I draw radii, dividing the surfaces into as many equal
sections as the nail requires strokes to forge it. In each of these
sections I insert a steel-faced die or block, beginning next to the cutter,
and proceeding in the direction in which the grippers which convey it
are designed to traverse; all these dies or blocks, except the last three
or four, are narrow and bevelled, so as
effectually without widening and flawing.
7. I place furthest from the centre so as
grippers; the next I place a little space nearer the centre, and the third
a like space nearer still, and so on to the last, which must be placed as far
in as the point of the nail, brad, or serew-blank will extend when it is
forged. When necessary, two series of dies are employed; the first as
those-shewn and ending at r, and the next commencing at s, in Fig. 3, i
so as to hammer the iron twice over. After these have accomplished
their office, the blank passes between several pairs of dies l', adapted to
the required form of the nail or screw-blank, and designed to give it
several whole length finishing strokes, which latter dies nearest the
centre are most elevated from the surface of the hammers, so that when
they strike they will taper the size of the end of the blank nearest the
centre of the circle, or reduce it to a point, as the case may be;. and
the elevation of the whole series is so graduated that their combined
effect will be to reduce the nail, brad, or screw-blank. to the proper
form.
:
On the lower hammer, in the same plane with the cutter and the:
axis of the driving shaft E, but a little further from the centre than
the cutter, is a wedge t, for opening the grippers to receive the blank.
at every second blow of the hammers. On the upper hammer at u, is.
another wedge for opening the grippers so as to cause them to discharge
the nail after it is finished. In connection with. the lower hammer is
arranged a collar v, projecting upwards, and surrounding the driving
shaft to protect it from the cinders, scales, &c.. In the arms of the
hammer, near their ends, are set screws 3, w, w, which strike upon the:

page_text: stops e, e, in the frame, and limit the approach of the hammers towards
each other: For the purpose of holding and passing the blanks between
the hammers to be forged and shaped, several pairs of radial grippers
,, x, are employed. These grippers are each affixed to a shaft z,
which turns in bearings in the rings a', a', of the carriage, and they are
respectively driven by means of a pinion 6. That part of the grippers
nearest the hammers forms tongs, which spring together and hold the
blank by their elastic force; small projections meet between these tongs
at c', separating the space d', which receives the blank from the space e',
where the wedge enters to open them, and forming a shoulder for the
end of the blank to bear against that part by which it is held in the
jaws forming the head of the nail, brad, or screw-blank. These grippers
are arranged in a circular moveable frame, having for its imaginary
axis the axis of the driving shaft. The grippers lie in a horizontal
plane, all pointing towards this axis, and are placed at equal distances
from each other, and so near that one of every two contiguous sections
into which the hammers are divided may have a pair of grippers standing
opposite when at rest. The circle of grippers is completed around the
entire hammers, including the recess, in equal proximity. The gripper
pinions b¹, are made to engage with the teeth of a circular stationary
rack f, which rests on the plate I. The grippers are all allowed a little
play on their bearings, and are pressed towards the hammers to their
proper places by the springs g', which allow them to recede, as required,
in consequence of the elongation of the blanks when struck, thus pre-
venting them. from. bending or crimping when the hammers act, and
securing their return to the proper position for the blank to receive the
next stroke.
The gripper frame or carriage J, is supported on the bed plate I, and
has cogs h', h, on its periphery, through the medium of which it is
rotated and made to carry around and cause the revolution of the
grippers. The number of these cogs in the whole circumference should
be twice that of the grippers.
The gripper frame receives its motion by means of a worm Q, which
worm encircles the drum. R, which being arranged upon the shaft G,
receives motion from the driving shaft by means of. pinion connections

page_text: i, j, k'. This worm Q, meshes.into the cogs h', h', upon the gripper:
carriage, and encircles the drum in such a form as to differ from one
revolution of a screw thread by a portion following the circumference
around in a plane which would cut its axis at a right angle, so that
when the shaft revolves it gives the gripper frame an intermittent
motion, the oblique or winding portion of the worm when presented.to
the cogs propelling it, and the plane portion holding it at rest, at which
time the action of the hammers takes place.
The cutter H, is attached to a vertical shaft or stock S, supported by
the guides before mentioned, and carries at its upper end a pin c,
which works in a cam groove O, and thereby a reciprocating vertical:
motion is communicated to the cutter, causing it to make one stroke at
every revolution of the driving shaft, and one at every second stroke of
the hammers; and simultaneously therewith the gripper frame should
progress one cog at every interval between the hammer strokes; the
grippers should turn one fourth revolution at each advance of the frame..
These points will be secured by observing a proper arrangement of the
cams and due proportion of the gearing when all parts of the machine
are constructed and arranged.
The set screws w, w, should be set so as to allow the hammers to
approach each other exactly to the required point. The driving
shaft E, should then be turned so as to make the canis m, m, coincide.
with the projections 1, 1, on the hammers. The nuts j, j, upon the
driving shaft should then be screwed towards each other until they
cause all the set screws in the hammer arms to press hard against
their respective stops. This will secure uniformity in the effect of
the strokes, first, by preventing the hammers from being canted by
inequality of resistance between the faces at opposite points; and,
secondly, by causing greater uniformity in the springing of the parts
which produce the strokes. The importance of the last effect will be
obvious when it is considered that any resistance between the hammer
faces will cause the parts which force them together to spring some-
what, and that the greater the resistance is the more those parts will
spring, so that the effect of the strokes will vary according as the metal
acted. on. is hard or soft, and as the quantity is greater or less. But

page_text: -
when the nuts are screwed so as to press the hammers against. these
stops, as above described, no ordinary resistance between the faces will
prevent their approaching so far as to reach the stops; and however
small such resistance may be they can approachi no farther, so that the
effect of their action will be uniform.
When the machine is put in motion, and a rod introduced under the
cutter H, and pressed against the gauge g, a piece of sufficient length to
form a nail is cut off. At the same instant the wedge for opening the
grippers is brought into action, and the severed metal is forced down by
the cutter between the jaws of the gripper that is presented to the
descending blank.
The lower extremity of the gauge, which springs a little, presses the
metal endways against the shoulder of the gripper; the wedge and
cutter are then withdrawn, and the blank is then held firmly by the
grippers, and carried round between the hammer blocks or dies, pausing
at each block to receive one stroke, and turning one fourth of a
revolution as it progresses from one block to the next. The above
described arrangement of steel-faced block or dies causes the first stroke
to fall near to that part of the metal which is to form the head of the
nail or screw-blank, or that part which lies between the gripping jaws;
the second falls nearer the point, and so on, until the metal has passed
the first series of dies which hammer it once over. This process is
repeated under the second series, and the nail or screw blank then
passés lietween the finishing faces, which give it several whole length
finishing strokes, after which it is discharged.
•
A modification of the above described machinery is shewn in several
views in Sheet 1. Fig. 1, is a front elevation of the machine.
Fig. 2, is a vertical section taken in the dotted line a.. a of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a top view thereof, the main driving shaft being represented
as broken away and the hammer broken from its helve, the better to
show the construction of the parts beneath. Fig. 4, is a detached view
of the cani shaft which gives motion to the cutter wedges and punches,
the latter being represented in connexion. Fig. 5, is a view of the
punch cam; and Fig. 6, a view of the wedge cam (the use of which
will be presently described); and Fig. 7, is a detached view of the

page_text: gripper and hollow shatt. The same letters have reference to ke
parts in all the Figures.
In order that this plan may be more readily understood I will
preface it by remarking that it differs in its construction from that just
described in that it has but one hammer, a stationary anvil being
employed in lieu of the second hammer. The hammer and anvil are
provided with dies corresponding with each other in the manner as
in the first arrangement; and for the perfect operation of the machine
consequent upon such change of construction, other parts differ in con-
struction so far as to secure harmonious action in the whole in producing
like results to those above set forth.
The driving shaft A, is placed horizontally immediately over the
hammer upon standards B, B, which are supported upon the bed
plate C, which rests upon the standards D, D, D, D. The driving
pulley E, and balance wheel F, are keyed to one end of the shaft A,
and a cog wheel to the other end. The shaft A, carries a cam H,
which is secured by a stem a, projecting through the shaft, and is
secured by the key . This cam is intended to produce the hammer
blows as it revolves, by coming in contact with the projection c..
secured on the back of the hammer I. The hammer is swung upon
a fulcrum shaft J, having its bearings in the journal boxes d, d, by
means of a connecting helve or arm K, extending from the said
shaft. The shaft J, is so placed that its axis shall be slightly above the
plane of the face of the anvil L, in order that the hammer face when it
approaches the anvil may be as nearly parallel to the latter is practi-
cable. The anvil is set and rests in a socket formed in the bed plate,
distinctly represented in Fig. 2. The gripper carriage M, is similar
in construction to that already described, excepting that the cogs e, e,
are placed upon the lower instead of the upper edge of the carriage.
Rotary motion is given to it by the worm N, mounted upon the shaft
O, which receives motion by means of the cog wheel P, which it carries
meshing into the wheel G, and thus the required intermittent motion
is communicated to the carriage. In order that the blank may not rub
upon the anvil in its passage from one of the steel-faced blocks or
dies to the next succeeding one, the grippers f, f, are formed with a

page_text: head or button g, upon their outward end, and encased within a cylin-
drical journal h. That part next to the button is formed square and
fitted closely into the hollow journal, so that the gripper shall revolve
with the journal. The hole through the journal is formed conical; and
is largest at the end next the hammer, to give rooni for the play of the
'grippers; when, therefore, the hammer strikes the blank it, is borne
down upon the anvil without serious resistance, and when freed by the
rising of tlie hammer it rises by the pressure of the spring i, upon the
gripper head or button.g. which is so fitted into the end of the journal
that when the hammer strikes it will give back, and allow of the
depression of the inner end of the gripper, and allow the iron to be
'pressed to and rest upon the anvil in the action of the hammer blow,
and also for the elongation of the iron by the action of the hammer, as
before explained. When the hammer rises the spring will cause the
gripper to assume its original horizontal position, and while the carriage
.M, moves round hold the nail or blank out of contact with the anvil.
The axial motion of the grippers is effected by the pinions j. meshing
into the stationary rack ke, as already described. In this arrangement,
I employ two cutters, one stationary and one moveable. The stationary
cutter 1, is made fast in the rest m; and the moveable cutter n, is placed
upon the end of the arm Q, connected with the rock shaft R, which re-
ceives an intermittent reverse motion by means of the grooved cam S,
through the connecting arm T, which is actuated by the said cam. This
cam S, is keyed on to the shaft U, which also carries a cog wheel V, that
-meshes into a wheel W, upon tlie shaft O, and revolves with the driving
wheel P: The moving cutter point is formed square, so that it shall press
the metal o, against the stationary cutter; and as the metal is cut the
severed part or blank of which a nail or screw is to be formed will be
pushed along by the moving cutter, and rest immediately over the gripper
which is to receive it. The wedge p, for opening the gripper for the recep-
tion of the blank, and the wedge q for opening the grippers successively as
they comme round to permit of the discharge of the finished nail, brad, or
screw-blank, are attached to a rod r, and receive their proper motion by
-means of the connection with the rocking lever s, which has its fulcrum
upon the shaft X and is worked by the cam placed upon the shaft U.

page_text: This shaft also carries the cam v, which operates the fingers w; and, the
former of which drives the severed metal (immediately after the cutter
"leaves it) into the gripper, and the latter strikes the finished nails or
screw-blanks out of the jaws of the grippers as they are brought
round. These fingers are formed upon the rod 'y, which is connected
with the lever, and they are operated during the time the grippers
are held open.
The set screw a', for limiting the approach of the hammer to the
anvil, in like manner to the screws w, w, in the first described arrange-
ment, passes up through the centre of the anvil. Upon this screw 'a
stop pin b', made fast in the hammer, strikes. A recess, as represented,
is formed in the hammer for the reception of the collar c', which is set
in the anvil surrounding the set screw to prevent cinders from the
metal under operation flying between the stops and causing inaccuracy
in the working of the hammer. The wheels G, P, V, are all of the
same size and pitch, and the wheel W is one half the size thereof,
thereby causing the shaft U to revolve once for every two revolutions
of the shafts, A. and O, and consequently causing the cutter wedges and
punches to operate once while the hammer makes two blows. The
hammer, after being made to strike, and left free from the action of the
cam, is raised by the spring d'.
...
..
In building machinery for forging the various articles contemplated
in the title of my Patent, the requisite changes, as regards the strength
of the machine, the shape of the hammer, or anvil-faced blocks or dies,
will be duly observed by a competent director of the building, in order
to make them conform to the required shape of the article which the
machine is intended to produce.
Having thus described the Iuvention of Improved Machinery for
Forging Nails, Brads, and Screw-Blanks, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood that I claim.-
First, combining the series of hammer or anvil-faced dies with
grippers having both a rotary and progressive motion, and so arranged
as to convey the metal under operation between several pairs of dies
successively, at the same time revolving the metal so as to present
different portions of the surface of the metal successively to the action of
the dies.

page_text: ...
Secondly, I claim arranging the hammer, or anvil-faced dies- in the
manner and for the purpose, above described.
Thirdly, I claim the arrangement of a series of grippers. having an
axial and a progressive motion for presenting the metal under operation
to the action of the dies or blocks.
its
Fourthly, I claim adjusting the grippers by means of a spring or.
equivalent, so arranged as to permit the grippers to recede by reason of
the action of the hammer, and again to assume their original position,
and present the blank for the reception of the next succeeding blow of
the hammer.
Fifth, I claim determining the modes above described of limiting the
approach of the dies to each other, and thereby ensuring their proper
action.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Lewis Brundage, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
E. L. BRUNDAGE. (L.S.)