IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS AND IN MACHINERY
THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Auguste' Hippolyte Joseph
Suel, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 20th April 1880, and dated the 23rd October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners; of Patents on the 23rd October 1879.
<<
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NAILS
[A communication from abroad by Auguste
AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR."
Hippolyte Joseph Suel, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates partly to improvements in nails provided with two points
or with two extremities without points, according to the requirements of those who
use the same, which nails are characterized by the existence of a head or shoulder
situated at any desired point in their length, but generally at the centre of the
nail. This shoulder or head, which may be produced in any suitable manner,
presents the advantage of maintaining the nail securely between the two thicknesses
of material which it is designed to connect, whereas when nails with two points as
ordinarily constructed are employed the greater portion of the nail becomes
embedded in one thickness or part of the material to be united, and a small portion
only of the said nail is left to penetrate the other part of the said material.
My Invention also relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for
manufacturing the said nails, and for forming the intermediate head or shoulder
on the same by the setting up of a portion of the metal forming the body of the
said nail.

page_text: Figure 4 is an elevation of the hammer or plunger for setting up the metal to
form the shoulder on the nail; and
Figure 5 is a plan of the said hammer.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
The nail, which is shewn in Figure 1, is composed of a shank or stem a, having at
each of its extremities if desired a point b, the said shank or stem a being provided
with a head or shoulder c, which may be arranged at the central portion of the
length of the said nail, or at any other point in the length of the same, so that the
said nail may have two unequal points. The head or shoulder on the said nail may
be obtained by soldering, rivetting, or setting up. In the latter case I employ a
machine as shewn in Figures 2 to 5, and which is constructed as follows, that is to
sayThe said machine is supported upon a suitable frame d, which may be
formed of wood or metal as desired, and is provided with a main or driving shaft e,
at the central portion of which two discs f are keyed; between the said discs a
cam g (hereinafter termed the percussion cam) is arranged, and serves to operate
the hammer, plunger, or stamp, which forms the head or shoulder on the said nail.
Upon the outer face of each of the said discs are arranged cams h (hereinafter
termed the cutting cams) which actuate cutting levers i, at the extremities of which
knives or cutters ; which shape the points of the nail are fixed; these levers are
pivotted upon a plate k, and are arranged to turn upon bolts or pins l. The said
cutting levers in their movement are supported in the guides m.
Upon the said driving shaft e is also keyed another cam n, which acts at any desired
time upon a lever o, termed a pressure lever, which actuates a movable piece p,
which serves to press the nail against a fixed cross head or piece to allow the
setting up to be produced when the stamp or hammer operates upon the nail
The mechanism for supplying or conducting the wire consists of a pinching bar
or clamping device r mounted upon a slide 8, and pressed upon the wire by a flat
spring t. The said slide s has movement imparted to it by a connecting rod u
attached at one of its extremities to a crank disc v provided with a slide for the
adjustment of the crank pin, and keyed upon the main or driving shaft e, which is
also provided with a fly wheel x and two driving pulleys y, y. In operating
with the said machine the wire z enters the same, and is straightened by a
series of small horizontal rolls or wheels 1, 1, 1; the said wire may also be passed
through a series of vertical rolls in order to ensure the perfect straightening of the
same.
The wire passes between the aforesaid piece p and the cross-head, the pressure
lever being raised during this movement; the cutting cams h then commence to
operate, closing the cutting levers i, thereby completing the front point of the nail;
at this moment the hammer, plunger, or stamp, is drawn backwards by the
percussion cam g engaging with the projection 3 on the said hammer, and is then
released and quickly thrown forward by the end of a flexible piece 4 which
constitutes a spring. At the moment when the stamp acts upon the nail the pressure
cam n engages with the pressure lever o, holding the wire tight between the piece p
and the crosshead; the said stamp or plunger on striking the metal sets the same up
against the said piece and forms the head or shoulder on the said nail, and is then
drawn back by the percussion cam as soon as the same is finished. The wire
supplying device r then advances the wire to the desired extent to form the second
part of the shank, and the cutting levers i at the same time cut the rear point of the
nail whose head has just been formed, and the front point of the succeeding nail.
As soon as the cutting levers i are operated a nail driver or disengager 5 comes
opposite a notch 6 formed in the aforesaid crank disc v to which the connecting
rod is attached, and is forced into the same by means of a spring 7, thereby
removing the finished nail from the machine in case its point is not completely
detached by the cutters.
The stamp or hammer, which is shewn detached in Figures 4 and 5, is specially
constructed as follows, that is to say :-The said hammer is provided with a punch 8,
which is formed of two pieces designed to encompass the nail, and enclosed in a

page_text: conical portion 9 of the said hammer; these two pieces are connected by a rod, and
forced forwards by a spiral spring which surround the same and is placed in the
interior of the sleeve 2 of the said hammer; in this manner when the said stamp
or hammer approaches the nail to strike the same the two pieces 8 enter the
aforesaid conical part 9 of the said hammer, and grasp the said nail producing the
setting up, whilst when the hammer commences its retrograde movement the said
pieces 8 are pressed outwards by the aforesaid spiral spring, thereby disengaging
the nail.
To effect the regulation or centring of the hammer I arrange the same so that it
may be raised by means of an excentric keyed upon a shaft 19, whose movements
may be controlled by a crank bandle 10, and in order to regulate the same laterally
I employ ordinary regulating screws.
In order to allow of these movements the hammer and its guide frames 11 are
pivotted to allow of the upward movement of the same upon two horizontal screws 12,
and to allow of the lateral movements are pivotted upon a vertical bolt 13, as shewn
in Figure 2.
The striking force of the hammers may be regulated by means of a cross-bar or
beam 14 [provided with double nuts 15, which permit the said cross-bar to be
adjusted as desired upon the two screw threaded rods 16.

page_text: time upon the lever o (termed a pressure lever), which actuates the movable
gripper or clamp p that serves to press the nail against a fixed head or clamp to
allow the setting up to be effected when the stamp or hammer operates upon
the nail.
The mechanism for supplying or feeding the wire consists of a pinching bar or
gripping device r mounted upon a slide s, and pressed upon the wire by a flat
spring t.
The slide 8 has movement imparted to it by a connecting rod u attached
at one of its extremities to a crank disc v provided with a slide for the adjustment
of the crank-pin, and keyed upon the main or driving shaft e, which is also provided
with a fly wheel x and two driving pulleys y, y.
The operation of the said machine is as follows, that is to say:-The wire z enters
the said machine, and is straightened by a series of small horizontal rolls or
wheels 1, 1, 1; the said wire may also be passed through a series of vertical rolls, in
order to ensure a more perfect straightening of the same.
The wire passes between the aforesaid clamping devices, the pressure lever being
raised during this movement; the cutting cams h then commence to operate and
close the cutting levers i, thereby completing the front point of the nail; at this
moment the hammer, plunger, or stamp 2 is drawn backwards by the percussion
cam g engaging with the projection 3 on the said hammer, and is then released and
quickly thrown forward by the end of a flexible piece 4 which constitutes a spring.
At the moment when the stamp acts upon the nail the pressure cainn engages.
with the lever o holding the wire tight between the clamping device, consisting of
the part p and the cross head; the said stamp or plunger on striking the metal sets
the same up against the said clamping device and forms the head or shoulder on
the nail; it is then drawn back by the cam gas soon as this operation is completed.
The wire-supplying device then advances the wire to the desired extent to form
the second part of the shank, and the cutting levers i at the same time cut the rear
point of the nail whose head has just been formed, and the front point of the
succeeding nail.
r"
As soon as the cutting levers i are operated the nail driver or disengager 5. comes
opposite a notch formed in the crank disc v, and is forced into the same by means
of the spring 7, thereby removing the finished nail from the machine if at its point
it is not completely detached or severed by the cutters j.
The stamp or hammer 2, which is shewn detached in Figures 4 and 5, is specially
constructed as follows, that is to say:-The said hammer is provided with a punch 8
formed of two pieces designed to encompass the nail, and enclosed in the taper
portion 9; these two pieces are connected by a rod, and forced forward by a spiral
spring which surrounds the same and is placed in the interior of the sleeve of the
hammer in this manner when the said stamp or hammer approaches the nail to
strike the same the two pieces 8 enter the conical part 9 and grasp the said nail,
thereby effecting the setting up, whilst when the hammer commences its retrograde
movement the pieces 8 are pressed outwards by the aforesaid spiral spring, thereby
disengaging the nail.
To effect the regulation or centring of the hammer I arrange the same so that it
may be raised by means of an excentric keyed upon a shaft 19, whose movements
may be controlled by a crank handle 10, and in order to regulate or adjust the
same laterally I employ ordinary regulating screws.
To allow of these movements the hammer 2 and its guide-frames 11 are pivoted
in a vertical plane upon the screws 12, and in a horizontal plane upon the bolt 13,
as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 2.
The striking force of the hammers may be regulated by means of a cross bar or
beam 14 provided with double nuts 15, which permit the said cross bar to be
adjusted as desired upon the screw-threaded rods 16.
My improved machine may also by slight modifications in the construction of
some of its parts be employed for the manufacture of hooked nails or slating nails
or hooks, as shewn in Figures 6 to 10, in which,-
Figure 6 is a front view and

page_text: Figure a side view of our of Clamp for the man of Keu fans anu
slating nails or hooks; and
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the said tool.
Figure 9 represents a hooked nail; and
Figure 10 represents a slating nail or hook formed in the said machine.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3 of the Drawing it will be seen that the wire z
whilst subjected to the action of the hammer is momentarily gripped between two
clamps fitted in the clamp holder p, which is operated by the pressure lever o;
to produce hooked nails and slating nails or hooks however the shape of the lower
clamp must be modified, as shewn in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
One end of the said tool or clamp shewn in these Figures serves for the
manufacture of hooked nails, and the other end for the manufacture of slating
nails or hooks. a is the body or main portion of the tool; b, the slot in which the
wire to form the nail passes; c is a vertical portion terminating in a short inclined
plane d.
When the said tool is fixed in lieu of the aforesaid clamp in the clamp holder it
operates as follows, that is to say:-The length of wire suitable for the formation of
the hook being brought in front of the clamps the latter close, and the punch or
mandrel 5, shewn in Figures 2 and 3, descends and bends the wire in forming a hook,
one of whose extremities rests on the inclined plane d of the tool.
The hammer or plunger, whose front extremity carries a punch of suitable form,
and corresponding to the shape of the clamps, is then projected forward, and causes
the hook formed by the front end of the nail to bend over the inclined plane d, and
come into contact with the part c of the tool.
In this movement it will be readily understood that the metal at the elbow of
the hook of the nail is driven back or up set, thereby increasing its strength,
moreover the corner of the hook is sharp, and not rounded as in ordinary hooked
nails; this corner or angle e (Figure 9) has a slight excess of metal, or'a protuberance,
which increases the strength and facilitates the insertion of the nail.
In making slating nails or hooks the operation of the machine is the same, but
the other extremity of the tool or device a is brought into play. The said extremity
having a slot or groovef, and a hollow or indentation g, against which the bent back
portion of the hook i, Figure 10, is formed when the wire prepared by the
mandrel is subjected to the stroke of the head of the hammer, which is furnished
with a stamp corresponding in shape with the hollow g.
In some cases however I separate the two ends of the tool above described, and
employ two distinct clamps, one for the manufacture of hooked nails, and the other
for slating nails or hooks.
Furthermore I in some cases form in the surface of the tool, and in the surface of
the head of the hammer, corresponding cavities or indentations of suitable form to
permit the formation on the extremity of the hooked nail of a ball or round part,
as shewn in Figure 9, or any other ornamental device whatsoever.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A nail having two points, or two extremities without points, and an.
intermediate head or shoulder produced in any suitable manner, and situated at a
central part of the length of the said nail, as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Second. In a machine for manufacturing nails with two points and an intermediate
head or shoulder the combination with the straightening rollers of a feed apparatus,
consisting of a clamping device pressed upon the wire by a spring, and mounted
upon the slide operated by the connecting rod and the crank disc, as above set forth
and for the purpose specified.
Third. In a machine for the manufacture of nails with two points, and with an &
intermediate shoulder, the combination with the feeding apparatus hereinbefore
described of the levers carrying the cutters, the said levers being pivoted

page_text: upon plates, and actuated by the cams p, as above set forth and for the purpose.
specified.
Fourth. In a machine for the manufacture of nails with two points, and with an
intermediate head or shoulder, the combination with the wire feeding and cutting
devices of the hammer or plunger 2, the cam g on the driving shaft, the flexible
piece 4 forming a spring, the pressure lever, the clamp operated by the cam n, all
operating as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. A hammer or plunger having a projection or tooth 3, and provided at its
extremity with a taper portion 9, into which enters the punch or stamp consisting
of two pieces forced forward by an internal spiral spring, as above set forth and
for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a machine for the manufacture of nails with two points, and with an
intermediate shoulder, the combination with the feeding devices, the cutting and
pressing devices, and the hammer or plunger of the nail-disengager, which is pressed
by the spring 7 against the periphery of the crank disc provided with the notch 6,
and which operates as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. In a machine for the manufacture of nails with two points, and with an
intermediate head or shoulder, the combination with the feeding and cutting devices
and the hammer of a cam on the shaft 19 provided with crank handle to allow
the centring or regulating of the hammer or plunger mounted on the movable guide
rods 11, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. In a machine for making hooked nails the employment of a tool
arranged as shewn and described with reference to Figures, 6, 7, and 8 of the
Drawing, and for the purpose specified.
Ninth. A booked nail having a projection at the apex of the elbow to facilitate
the driving-in of the said nail, and increase the strength of the same, as shewn in
Figure 9 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W*, ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)