Improvements in Nail Making Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Nail Making Machines.
We, CHARLES MARCH, Managing Director, and WILLIAM HAGGO, Works
Manager, both of The Clyde Nail Company, Limited, Newton, Lanarkshire, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to machines for making cut nails or brads from strips of
steel iron, or other metal and it has for its object to improve the construction
of such machines and of the mechanism for feeding in the strips so that any
desired width of material may be used and the necessity for turning the strip
before cutting off each nail blank may be avoided.
The improved machine comprises a specially constructed supporting frame upon
which the usual oscillating cutting beam is mounted centrally, or inside the
frame, and is operated through a connecting rod or link directly from the crank
or cam shaft extending across the frame instead of through overhanging driving
gear outside the frame. The gripping lever which holds the nail blank between
it and the stationary dies during the heading operation, and is centred under the
cutting beam, is operated also directly by cams formed on the crank shaft on
cach side of the crank which drives the cutting beam. The headers which are
fitted to slide in guides in the frame on each side of the gripping lever are
operated by toggles or other levers and connecting links attached to locking
levers situated under the frame and actuated by eccentrics or cams on each end
of the main crank shaft. The several cranks, eccentrics and cams are set and the
movements timed so that the cutting beam with the cutting knife acts to shear
off a nail blank and moves back as the gripping lever moves forward to engage
the nail blank on which the header then operates, the headers being retracted by
means of springs before the return movement of the gripping lever takes place.
The strip from which the nail blanks are cut is held by the usual clamp carried
at its outer end by a fork or tongs upon the swinging lever which by its move-
ment serves to present the edge of the strip at such an angle as to produce a
blank of the desired taper. The end of the strip to be cut is guided by the
operator in through the slot in the gauge towards the cutting knives and the
strip is moved from side to side by guides or flappers carried upon a block
which is capable of oscillation on a vertical centre so that these guides may throw
the end of the strip from side to side of the gauge slot. This block is connected
at one end by a link attached to a plate on the boss or centre of the swinging
lever which carries the clamp. In order to ensure that the edge of the strip which
is to form the head of the nail may be pressed close up against the edge of
the slot in the gauge, so that the broader end of the cut blank is properly
presented to the heading die, provision is made for adjusting the throw of the
strip guides from side to side of the gauge. This is effected by forming the plate
on the swinging lever centre with a slot and attaching it to the
swinging boss or centre by a pinching screw or other means of attach-
ment such that the plate, or the point of attachment to it of the link connected
to the flapper guide block, may be adjusted to vary the throw of the strip
guides to suit any width of strip. When the point of attachment of the link

page_text: to the plate coincides with the centre on which the swinging lever oscillates no
motion will be communicated to the guide block and guides but when the position
of the plate or point of attachment of the link is adjusted so as to be more
or less eccentric to the swinging lever axis a greater or less throw of the strip
guides will result.
In the construction of machine hereinbefore described the several operating
levers whilst actuated from the same cam shaft work independently one of
another and a well balanced machine is produced.
Dated this 15th day of December 1898.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow.
Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Nail Making Machines.
We, CHARLES MARCH, Managing Director, and WILLIAM HAGGO, Works
Manager, both of The Clyde Nail Company, Limited, Newton, Lanarkshire, 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 foliowing
statement:-
-
This invention relates to machines for making cut nails or brads from strips of
steel, iron or other metal, and it has for its object to improve the construction
of such machines and of the mechanism for feeding in the strips so that any
desired width of material may be used and the necessity for turning the strip
before cutting off each nail blank may be avoided.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 being a
side elevation with one of the side frames of the machine removed for greater
clearness, Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3 a detail of the machine hereinafter
referred to.
The improved machine comprises a specially constructed supporting frame A
upon which the usual oscillating cutting beam B is mounted centrally or inside
the frame A, and is operated through a connecting rod or link C directly from the
crank or cam shaft D extending across the frame A instead of through over-
hanging driving gear outside the frame. The gripping lever E which holds
the nail blank between it and the stationary dies F during the heading operation,
and is centred at X, under the cutting beam B, is operated also directly by
cams formed on the crank shaft 1) on each side of the crank H which drives
the cutting beam B. The headers I which are fitted to slide in guides in the
frame A on each side of the gripping lever E are operated by toggles or other
levers and connecting links J attached to rocking levers K situated under the
frame and actuated by eccentrics L or cams on each end of the main crank shaft D.
The several cranks, eccentrics and cams are set and the movements timed so that
the cutting beam B with the cutting knife B acts to shear off a nail blank and
moves back as the gripping lever E moves forward to engage the nail blank on
which one of the headers I then operates, the headers being retracted by means
of springs I before the return movement of the gripping lever E takes place.
The strip M shewn at Fig. 1 from which the nail blanks are cut is held by the
usual clamp M¹ carried at its outer end by a fork or arm Q¹ or tongs upon one
arm of the swinging lever Q which by its movement serves to present the edge
of the strip M at such an angle as to produce a blank of the desired taper. The end

page_text: of the strip M to be cut is guided by the operator in through the slot in the
gauge towards the cutting knife B, and the strip is moved from side to side
by guides or flappers R carried upon a block N which is capable of oscillation on
a vertical centre N¹ so that these guides may throw the end of the strip from side
to side of the gauge slot. This block N is connected at one end by a link O
attached to a plate P centred at P3 on the boss or centre Q2 of the swinging
lever which carries the clamp, this lever being actuated in the usual manner
by means of a connecting rod D' from a slotted disc D2 on a shaft D3 geared to
the crank shaft 1). In order to ensure that the edge of the strip M which is to
form the head of the nail may be pressed close up against the edge of the slot in
the gauge, so that the broader end of the cut blank is properly presented to the
heading die I, provision is made for adjusting the throw of the strip guides R
from side to side of the gauge. This is effected by forming the plate P on the
swinging lever centre Q with a slot P and attaching it to the swinging boss
or centre Q by a pinching screw P2 or other means of attachment such that the
plate P, or the point of attachment to it of the link O connected to the flapper
guide block N, may be adjusted to vary the throw of the strip guides R to suit
any width of strip M. When the point of attachment of the link to the plate P
coincides with the centre Q2 on which the swinging lever Q oscillates as shewn at
Fig. 3. no motion will be communicated to the guide block N and guides R but
when the position of the plate P or point of attachment of the link O is adjusted
so as to be more or less eccentric to the swinging lever axis Q2, as shewn at
Fig. 2, a greater or less throw of the strip guides R will result.
In the construction of machine hereinbefore described the several operating
levers whilst actuated from the same cam shaft work independently one of
another and a well balanced machine is produced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. A nail making machine, the several parts of which are constructed, arranged
and combined, substantially as described.
2. In a nail making machine, the combination of a centrally mounted cutting
beam actuated from the crank or cam shaft, a gripping lever pivoted beneath said
cutting beam and operated from the same shaft, and headers placed on either
side of the cutting beam and operated from eccentrics on said shaft, substantially
as described.
3. The combination with a nail making machine, such as hereinbefore described,
of an adjustable feeding device consisting of a slotted plate centred eccentrically
to the axis of the boss of the swinging lever and capable of being adjusted to
impart a greater or less throw to the nail strip, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of Santamiliar 1900
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow.
Agent for the Applicants.