IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPIKES, NAILS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bradley, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF SPIKES, NAILS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bradley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th February 1880.
WILLIAM BRADLEY, of Sheffield, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPIKES, NAILS, AND SIMILAR
ARTICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the means and apparatus for the
manufacture of spikes, nails, and similar articles.
In manufacturing spikes or nails (etcetra) according to this Invention bars or
strips are employed which have been rolled or formed into the shape of a number
of finished spikes or nails laid side by side and joined together, so that when severed
and acted upon or pressed and straightened by the improved apparatus hereinafter
described the process of manufacturo is complete.
This Invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus employed with cutting
off or shearing machines for straightening or straightening and pressing the spikes
or nails after they have been severed from the sectional bar or rod of the special
form abovo referred to.
These improvements consist essentially in so constructing and actuating the
cutters of a cutting off or shearing machine as that they will straighten the spikes
or nails after severing them from the sectional bar, and further consist in tho
employment of special straightening bars acting in conjunction with cutters for the
purpose of straightening the spikes after they are severed from the sectional bar.
In carrying into effect the principles of my Invention an apparatus having the
following principal detail parts can be employed, that is to say:-
An apparatus for cutting off seven spikes from a rolled bar of special form will
have a set of three reciprocating cutters and four distance pieces connected together
and attached to a plunger, the said plunger being actuated either directly by a
piston of a steam cylinder or indirectly by any ordinary arrangement of mechanism.
The three cutters extend considerably beyond the four distance pieces, to leave space
for the action of the straightening bars hereinafter described. A set of four cutters
and three distance pieces connected together are placed opposite the three cutters
and four distance pieces aforesaid, the four cutters extending considerably beyond
the three distance pieces, the said four cutters being placed opposite the four distance
pieces, so that the set of three moving cutters will pass between the set of four
stationary cutters, the said set of four cutters are, for the purpose of cutting
off the spikes or nails from the rolled bar, stationary, but are so constructed and
Di Q77

page_text: fitted as that they will yield when subjected to a greater pressure than that required
to cut off the spikes from the bar and straighten them, or will yield when the said
spikes (having been cut from the bar) have received the required pressure, for the
purpose of preventing injury to the machine from over pressure. The set of four
cutters and three distance pieces, after being moved from their normal position by
the pressure on them of the set of three cutters and four distance pieces, are returned
to their normal position by a spring or springs or a balance weight or balance
weights.
The cutters and straightening bars can be of any desired form, so as to cut various
sectional bars, the said cutters or bars being either solid or made up of two or more
parts. The set of three moving cutters are so formed, fitted, and actuated as that
they will retain three spikes and carry them forward to a set of three straightening
bars.
In a horizontal apparatus of the above description there are connected to the
plunger and moving cutters two longitudinal horizontal bars over the cutters and
two longitudinal bars under the cutters; these bars can slide on the framing of the
machine or can be fitted with wheels to reduce the friction. These longitudinal
bars can be tied together by transverse bars to keep them in position; these bars
carry a set of four vertical or vertically inclined straightening bars acting in con-
junction with the set of three moving cutters, and also a set of three vertical or
vertically inclined straightening bars acting in conjunction with a set of four
stationary cutters. The vertical straightening bars aforesaid are connected to the
horizontal carrying bars aforesaid by pins in horizontal slots in the said bars, and
they are kept in their normal positions by springs or balance weights. The set of
four stationary cutters and three distance pieces are so constructed and fitted so
that, although they are stationary when the cutters are severing the spikes from
the bar, they are capable of sliding back to prevent the breakage of the cutters if
subjected to too great a strain, and the said cutters are returned to their normal
position by springs or balance weights.
The operation of the cutters and straightening bar is as follows:-The normal
position of the set of four straightening bars (governed by the springs or balance
weights) is such that the sectional bar could not be entered into the machine, so
that the slot in the horizontal carrying bars are so arranged as that the pins on the
vertical straightening bars shall be at the back end thereof when the straightening
bars should be moved back to allow the rolled bar to be fed into the machine, and
as the carrying bars recede with the plunger the straightening bars are carried back
with them until the return or backward stroke of the plunger and cutters is
completed, during which time the rolled bar, in a heated or cooled state, is fed into
the machine, and on the forward motion of the plunger and cutters the spring or
balance weight acts on the four straightening bars and causes them to return and
press the rolled bar against the four stationary cutters by which the bar is held
until the three cutters advance against it, when seven spikes will be severed from
the bar, four of which will be pressed against the four stationary cutters and
straightened, and three of which will be carried forward and pressed against the
set of three straightening bars, and thereby straightened.
The set of three straightening bars being connected to the horizontal carrying
bars in the same way as the set of four straightening bars aforesaid, they move with
the plunger and set of four straightening bars during the latter part of the return
or backward stroke of the plunger, the three spikes being thereby carried back, so
that they can drop away from the machine at the same time the set of four
straightening bars are moved back, thus releasing the four spikes, which also drop
away from the machine, and a fresh bar being fed into the machine, and the plunger
making its forward stroke, the operation of cutting off and straightening the seven
spikes is repeated. An indicator can be added to the apparatus above described to
show the proper time for feeding the bar into the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Bradley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th August
1SSO.
WILLIAM BRADLEY, of Sheffield, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SPIKES, NAILS, AND SIMILAR
ARTICLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the means and apparatus for the
manufacture of spikes, nails, and similar articles.
In manufacturing spikes, bolts, nails (etcetera), according to this Invention, bars
or strips are employed which have been rolled or formed into the shape of a number
of finished spikes, bolts, or nails, laid side by side and joined together, so that when
severed or cut off and acted upon, or pressed and straightened by the improved
apparatus hereinafter described the process of manufacture is complete.
'This Invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus employed with
cutting off or shearing machines for straightening, or straightening and pressing, or
stamping the spikes or nails after they have been cut off from the sectional bar or
rod of the special form above referred to. These improvements consist essentially
in so constructing and actuating the cutters of a cutting off or shearing machino as
that they will straighten the spikes or nails after cutting them from the sectional
bar, and further consists in the employment of special straightening bars acting in
conjunction with cutters for the purpose of straightening the spikes after they are
cut off from the sectional bar. In carrying into effect the principles of my Invention
an apparatus having the following principal detail parts can be employed, that is to
sayAn apparatus for cutting off thirteen spikes from a rolled bar of special form
will have a set of six reciprocating cutters and seven distance pieces connected
together and attached to a plunger, the said plunger being actuated either directly
by a piston of a steam cylinder, or indirectly by any ordinary arrangement of
mechanism. The six cutters extend considerably beyond the seven distance pieces
to leave space for the action of the straightening bars hereinafter described.
A set of seven stationary cutters and six distanco pieces connected together are
placed opposite the six moving cutters and seven distance pieces aforesaid, the
seven fixed cutters extending considerably beyond the six distance pieces, the
said seven fixed cutters being placed opposite the six distance pieces, so that the
set of six moving cutters will pass between the set of seven stationary cutters, the
said set of seven fixed cutters are (for the purpose of cutting off the spikes or nails
from the rolled bar) stationary, but are so constructed and arranged in the machine
as that they will yield when subjected to a greater pressure than that required to
cut off tho spikes from the bar and straighten them, or will yield when the said
spikes (having being cut from the bar) have received the required pressure for the
purpose of preventing injury to the machine from over pressure. The set of seven
fixed cutters and six distance pieces after being moved from their normal position
by the pressure on them of the set of six moving cutters and seven distance pieces
are returned to their normal positions by a balance weight or balance weights or a
a spring or springs. The cutters and straightening bars can be of any desired form
so as to cut various sectional bars, the said cutters or bars being either solid or
made up of two or more parts. The set of six moving cutters are so formed, fitted,
and actuated, as that they will retain six spikes and carry them forward to a set of
six straightening bars. In a horizontal apparatus of the above description there are
connected to the plunger and moving cutters two longitudinal horizontal bars over
the cutters, and two longitudinal horizontal bars under the cutters; these bars can
slide on the framing of the machine or can be fitted with wheels to reduce the
friction; theso longitudinal bars can be tied together by transverse bars to keep
them in position, these bars carry a set of seven vertical or vertically inclined
straightening bars acting in conjunction with a set of six moving cutters, and also

page_text: a set of six vertical or vertically inclined straightening bars acting in conjunction
with a set of seven stationary cutters. The vertical straightening bars aforesaid
are connected to the horizontal carrying bars aforesaid by pins in horizontal slots
in the said bars, and they are preserved in their normal position by balance weights
or springs. The set of seven stationary cutters and six distance pieces are so
constructed and arranged in the machine as that although they are stationary when
the cutters are cutting off the spikes from the bar they are capable of sliding back
to provent the breakage of the cutters if subjected to too great a strain, and the
said stationary cutters are returned to their normal position by balance weights or
springs.
In the accompanying Drawings D' shows the form and position of the seven
distance plates; D' shows the form and position of the six moving or reciprocating
cutters; D³ shows the form and position of the six straightening plates or pressing
bars; D shows the form and position of the seven fixed cutters; D2 shows the
form and position of the seven straightening or pressing bars; Do are six plain
rectangular packing plates or distance plates which preserve the fixed cutters D³
in position. The seven distancolplates D' and six moving cutters D havo T shaped
recesses, into which the T shaped head of tho plunger or shaft E is fitted, and aro
drilled in the two circular projections to receive the axles H and H¹. The
straightening bars D² are drilled at each end to receive the axles J and J'; the
straightening plates D³ are drilled at each end to receive the axles K and K';
A, B, C, and A¹, B, C¹, are six wheels on the axles H, J, K, which carry the
bars D and Ds, and the slotted bars L and L, and the balance bars M and M';
the said wheels running on the framing of the machine; H', J', K', are three axles;
A2, A3, B2, B3, C2, C3, are six wheels; L³, L³, are two slotted carrying bars;
M2, M3, are two balance bars, all of which correspond to the axles, wheels, slotted
carrying bars, and balance bars, above described; A2, A3, and C³, C³, run on the
top of ledges or projections on the sides of the framing of the machine, and the
wheels B, B³, run on the underside of ledges or projections on the sides of
the framing; F, F1, is a crank lever on an axle N carried by the framing of the
machine, and 0, 0, 0, 0³, are balance weights attached to the crank lever by the
rod P; G, G, are chains or ropes attached to the balance weights Q and Q, and
passed round the guide pulleys R, R', and attached to the balance bars M, M', M³, M³,
for the purpose of keeping the plates Ds and straightening bars D² in position at
the back end of the grooves in the slotted bars L, L, L, L³. The two outside
plates of the seven plates D', and the two outside plates of the fixed cutters D³
(the plates nearest the framing of the machine) have projections, as shown at S, S¹,
(Fig. 3) which slide in recesses in the sides of the framing to act as guides to the
said plates when they are reciprocated; T shows an end view of a special sectional
rolled bar from which the spike is cut, and is therefore an end view of the spike
itself; Fig. 4 shows the reciprocating cutter D' when made in three parts; U is a
movcable die for the head of the spike, and W a moveable die for the point of the
spike, both of which can be replaced with dies of other sizes and shapes for various
kinds of spikes.
The detail Drawings of the cutters, bars, and plates_D¹, D³, D³, Dª, D³, Dº; ‹
Land M show the principal and essential parts of my Invention as applied to
shearing machines with one set of reciprocating cutters. In Fig. 2 the full black
Jine 1 is the front face of the plate D¹, and the dotted line 4 is the front face of the
moving cutters D'; the full black line 5 is the front face of the stationary cutter D³,
and the dotted line 3 is the front face of the straightening bar or plate D³; Figs. 1,
2, and 3, show the principal and essential parts of my Invention in outline (called
a skeleton Drawing), and are not intended as working Drawings, but by them
and by the description and detail Drawings a machine can be constructed by a
mechanical engineer, who would arrange the minor details of the machine and its
driving apparatus of ordinary design and construction; Fig. 1 is a plan as taken
through.the dotted line Y, Z, (Fig. 2); Fig. 2 is a side view as taken through the
dotted line W. X (Fig 11

page_text: In working or using my improved machine the sectional roller bar T (in a
heated state preferred) is fed into the machine between the straightening bars D³
and the set of seven stationary cutters D³ at the latter end of the return or
backward stroko of the cutters and the commencement of the forward stroke
thereof; the set of six cutters D' then advance up to the spike bar T, and at or
about the same time, by means of the chains or ropes G, G¹, and balance
weights QQ, the straightening bars D2 are moved forward against the spike
bar T and hold it in position, and the bars D³ are moved forward against tho
distance pieces or packing plates D, and at the further advance of the cutters tho
spike bar T is cut up into thirteen spikes at one operation; the set of six cutters D'
further advance and carry forward six spikes to the set of six straightening
bars D³, and press them against the said bars D³ by which they are straightened or
straightened and pressed or stamped; the remaining seven spikes having been
cut off, whilst being held between the straightening bars D³ and stationary
cutters D, do not require to be straightened as do the six spikes, but are pressed
by the plates D' and bars D2. If the stationary cutters D and the straightening
bars D3 are subjected to too great pressure, the crank lever F is moved and the
balance weights O raised, thereby taking off the strain which would otherwise
injure the machine.
On the return stroke of the cutters D' the straightening bars D³ and D² are also
moved back (by the action of the slotted bars L, L, L, L, on the axles J, K, J, K',)
and the seven spikes held by the pressing bars then fall from the machine, and the
six spikes are also forced out from between the stationary cutters D³ and ejected
from the machine, and at the same time the balanco weights Q, Q, are raised and
the machine is ready for a repetition of the above described operations.
Fig. 7 shows the eccentrics, eccentric rods, and levers which actuate the two sets
of cutters of a shearing machine which has two sets of moving cutters. This class of
machine has never been made hitherto to straighten the spikes after cutting them off.
Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show modifications of my improvements (as specified in reference
to the above described shearing machine with one set of reciprocating or moving
cutters) to adapt or apply them to a machine with two sets of cutters. One set of
straightening bars 1, carrying bars 2, wheels 3 and 4, are employed at each end of
the machine, which have the same action as the straightening bars D³, slotted bars
L, L, L, LA, as described in reference to the machine with one set only of moving
cutters. The upper set of wheels 3, 3, run on the top of the framing, as shown at
A, B; and the lower set of wheels 4, run under the framing, or under a projection
on the side of the framing, as shown at C, D, for the purpose of preserving the
bars 1, 1, in position. The horizontal carrying bars 2, 2, are connected together by
the plate 9, and against this plate 9 is employed a cranked lever, as shown at F
(Figs. 1 and 2), on an axle N, with rod D and balance weights O, the action of
which on the plato 9 and straightening bars 1, 1, is the same as the corresponding
parts have upon the straightening plates D³ in the machine above described with
one set only of cutters. The set of straightening plates 1 will be between each set
of moving cutters, and the cutters will carry forward the spikes cut by them and
press them against the plates 1, and if the plates 1 are subjected to too great pressuro
they will yield or move back to prevent injury to the machine. The pressure
exerted by the crank lever F against the straightening plates D³ in the single
machine, and against the straightening plates 1, 1, in the double machine, is so
adjusted by the balance weights as that the said plates will not yield until tho
spikes are properly straightened and pressed, but will then yield to preserve the
machine from injury. Figs. 8 and 12 show the bolt and nut which secure together
the plates D and D. Figs. 10 and 11 show a side and a sectional view of a nail;
Fig. 9 shows a serrated spike bar; and Fig. 13, a plain spike bar which can be cut
up into spikes, as indicated by the dotted lines.
I do not claim the general principle of cutting off spikes from a rolled bar of
special section as that is not a novelty.
I do not claim the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 of eccentrics, rods, and

page_text: levers for actuating a cutting or shearing machine with two sets of reciprocating
cutters.
I do not claim the employment of cutters D and D³, shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
for simply cutting off spikes from a rolled as distinct and seperate from their
employment for straightening and pressing the spikes after they are cut off from
the bar.
Having now clearly described and ascertained the nature and object of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be performed and carried
into effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,—
Firstly. Improvements in the means and apparatus for the manufacture of spikes,
nails, and similar articles by the construction of a shearing or cutting machine
that will at one operation cut off spikes or nails from a bar (of the form of the
spike or nail in cross section), and straighten, or straighten and press them.
Secondly. The construction of a shearing machine with a moveable bed, or moveable
bed plates, to which the stationary cutters or shear blades (so called) are attached
to prevent injury to the machine from over pressure, the bed or bed plates being
returned to their normal position by the action of balance weights or springs.
Thirdly. In the construction of a shearing machine (with one set of fixed cutters
and one set of moving cutters, such as is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings);
the moving cutters D', distance plates or pressing plates D' attached to the
plunger E; the fixed cutters D' and distance plates or pressing plates Do, forming
a moveable or yielding bed, preserved in position by the crank F and balance
weights O; the straightening plates D2 and D³ acting in conjunction with tho
cutters and distance plates to straighten the spikes after they are cut off from the
bar; the slotted carrying bars L, L³, L, L³, axles H, H', J, J', K, K', to support the
straightening bars and connect them with the moving cutters and plunger; the wheels
A, A, B, B, C, C₁, as shown (or ordinary slide blocks if preferred), the four balance
bars M, M, M, Ms, chains or ropes G, G', and balance weights Q, Q¹, for the purpose
of moving forward the straightening bars D up to the spike bar and fixed cutters,
and for the purpose of moving forward the straightening bars D³ up to the bed
plates, distance plates, or packing plates De; the combination thereof forming an
apparatus as firstly and secondly claimed.
Fourthly. In a shearing machine with two sets of moving cutters, two sets of
straightening bars 1, 1, carrying bars 2, 2, plate 9, carrying wheels 3, 3, and 4, 4,
all as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, acting in conjunction with crank lever F and balance
weight O, all as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose of straightening the spikes
after they are cut off from the special rolled bar.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bradley, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM BRADLEY. (L.S.)