Improvements in Tacking Tools, or Apparatus for Use in Driving Tacks or the like by hand or otherwise.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tacking Tools, or Apparatus for Use in Driving
Tacks or the like by hand or otherwise.
I ORLANDO ETHELBERT LEWIS of 104 High Street, Boston, in the County of
Suffolk and State of Massachusetts one of the United States of America, Manufacturer
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 following
statement:-
This invention has for its object the preduction of a tacking tool or apparatus to be
operated by hand or otherwise for driving one after another headed tacks or nails
taken from a race-way supplied from a hopper forming part of the tool or apparatus.
The improved tacking tool or apparatus herein shown includes a hopper, a race-
way, a conductor between the hopper and race-way, a receiver outside the race-way, a
case or sleeve having a drive-way or throat to receive tacks from the race-way, a
driver-bar, a driver and a separator actuated by the driver-bar and having two blades
located in substantially the same vertical plane, one of the said blades entering between
the end most tack of the race-way and the one next to it when the driver is acting on
the head of and driving a tack and until the end of the driver in its ascent rises to the
level of the top of the race-way, the said blade keeping the tack next to be driven
pressed against the side of the driver next the blade so that the said tack cut off from
the row of tacks immediately drops into the driver passage as soon as the lower end
of the driver in its ascent passes above the head of the said tack.
Just as the tack referred to enters the driver passage under the rising driver,
the detaining blade with its point comes in contact with a part of the endmost
tack in the race-way and prevents it leaving the race-way, but as soon as the driver
in its next descent meets the head of the tack to be driven, the two blades move in
the same direction far enough to remove the detaining blade from the tack at the end
of the race-way and to bring the space between the separating and detaining blades
opposite the said tack, when it passes through the said space and is stopped by contact
with the side of the driver, and then in their further movement in the same direction
the separating blade enters fully between the tack resting against the driver, and
the next tack back of it in the race-way.
My invention in tacking apparatus consists essentially in a hopper to receive tacks
or nails, a race-way, a conductor between the hopper and race-way, and a case or
shell and driver-bar, and driver, combined with a separator having separating and
detaining blades located in substantially the same plane, and operating, substantially
as will be described.
Also, in a race-way, a case or sleeve having a driver passage or throat, and a driver
and driver bar, combined with a separator having separating and detaining blades
located in substantially the same plane, and having a space between their upset ends
for the passage of a tack or nail from the end of the race-way into position against the
side of the driver, the separating blade keeping the tack against the side of the
driver while the latter is completing the driving of a tack or nail and is being
partially elevated, substantially as will be described.
Also in a race-way, a case or shell in communication therewith, a driver and a
driver-bar baving a projection and stud, combined with a separator having a slot
and two blades to operate, substantially as will be described.
Also in a case or shell, a driver bar, and driver therein, combined with a hopper
through which the said case or shell is extended, and with a race-way to operate,
substantially as will be described.
Also in a race-way and conductor, combined with a cover having a concaved or
curved interior surface, and located immediately above a slot in the race-way, to
operate, substantially as will be described.
་་

page_text: the line 2 Fig. 1 looking to the left.
Fig.
a section on line x Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a partial section in the line x³.
Fig. 6 a top or plan view of the hopper, and
Fig. 7 a view of the apparatus looking at it in the direction of the arrow Fig. 2
chiefly to show the relative positions of the blade to the race-way, and the driver
passage and driver.
Referring to the drawing a represents a substantially tubular case or shell which,
as herein shown, serves as a hand piece, it having at its lower end a nose a¹ provided
with a throat a² down through which passes the tack or nail taken from the end of
the race-way b connected with the said case as the tack is to be driven.
The case a has secured to it a spring a³, one end of which acts upon a yielding
stop a, shown by dotted lines Fig. 1, extended partially across the opening in the
throat, the said stop arresting the tack when it drops into the throat and supporting
it until after the head of the tack is struck by the driver c in its descent to drive a tack.
The driver c is connected to the lower end of a driver-bar c' extended up through
the case or sleeve where it is shown as provided with a head c³ to be struck by a
hammer or otherwise.
The driver-bar has a slot as c* through which is extended a pin as which is
held in a nut c screwed upon or otherwise secured to the upper end of the sleeve a.
The driver-bar has a shoulder as c7 which is acted upon by the spring surrounding
the driver-bar, the lower end of the said spring resting upon a shoulder c further
down in the sleeve, see Fig. 2, the said spring normally acting to keep the driver-
bar and driver in its elevated position, as shewn in the said Fig.
The sleeve a has a shoulder 4 upon which rests the bottom of the box or hopper d,
herein shown as substantially rectangular in shape, the said box or hopper, a plan of
which is shown in Fig. 6, having a central opening as 8 which surrounds the sleeve a,
the top of the box being acted upon by the nut co.
The box has a suitable cover or door as d', which when sprung aside permits tacks
to be placed in bulk in the box.
The box has preferably an inclined bottom piece as d², and at that end of the box
where the bottom is most inclined, the box has attached to it a conductor d³ made in
the form of a tube which is extended down to and is connected with the race-way bat
its outer end.
This race-way has connected with it a receiver as e, it being shown as a sort of
tubular jacket to receive any loose tacks which might fall out of the race-way.
The end of the race-way next the conductor is covered by a hood e¹ the shape
of which is best shown in Fig. 3, it having curved inner walls to direct the tacks
into the slot of the race-way.
The points of those tacks which fall correctly into the slot 10, see Fig. 3, of the
race-way, rest upon the upper portion of the race-way and pass down the race-way
under the cover-plate. 12 to the end thereof, but those tacks which do not enter
with their bodies the slot of the race-way, after passing the cover e¹ and enter the
receiver from which they may be removed in any usual manner and be poured
back into the hopper.
The sleeve a supports a stud f which constitutes the fulcrum for the separator fl
the latter consisting essentially of a slotted plate having long and short blades to
be described.
The slot 13 in the separator receives in it a pin 14 extended from a collar or
projection secured to tlie driver-bar and extended outwardly therefrom through a
slot 16.
J

page_text: The slot 17 in the separator is of arc shape and receives in it a stud screw 18
which constitutes a guide for the separator in its movements about the stud f.
The separator has two blades 20 and 21, the one 20 being designated the separator
blade, and the one 21 the detaining blade, they are each connected with the separator
by suitable, screws or rivets 22, and are shown as curved at bottom and top, the
two ends of the blades being somewhat separated from each other and being in
substantially the same vertical plane, the space between the blades serving as a
passage way to permit the endmost tack of the row of tacks in the race-way to
drop off one after another and pass through the said slot as described.
The blades of the separator f¹ are located a short distance at one side from the throat
or driver passage, the distance being sufficient to leave a space between the separator
blade 20 and the side of the driver just large enough to receive the tack next to be
driven, the distance referred to depending upon the diameter of the body and head of
the tack or nail.
Herein it will be noticed that the case or sleeve a in which the driver-bar
reciprocates, is extended through the hopper d near its centre so as to leave narrow
channels or passage ways 121 between the said sleeve and the interior of the hopper
through which the tacks or nails may pass, the said passage ways preventing the tacks
or nails being fed through too rapidly into the race-way.
It is obvious that the receiver night be omitted should it not be desired to save
the tacks which fail to correctly enter the race-way.
I do not desire to limit my invention to the exact form of spring used to
actuate the driver.
The separator herein described might be employed in connection with a driver
and race-way in a power actuated nailing machine and yet operate substantially as
described herein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a tacking apparatus the hopper to receive tacks or nails, a race-way, a
conductor between the hopper and race-way, and the case or shell and driver bar,
and driver, combined with the separator having separating and detaining blades
located in substantially the same plane, and operating, substantially as described.
2. The race-way, the case or sleeve having the driver passage or throat, and the
driver and driver-bar, combined with the separator having separating and detaining
blades located in substantially the same plane, and having a space between their
upset ends for the passage of a tack or nail from the end of the race-way into position
against the side of the driver, the separating blade keeping the tack against the side
of the driver while the latter is completing the driving of a tack or nail and is
being partially elevated, substantially as described.
3. The race-way, the case or shell in communication therewith, the driver and
the driver-bar having a projection and stud, combined with a separator having a
slot as 13, and two blades 20 and 21, to operate, substantially as described.
4. The case or shell, the driver-har and driver therein, combined with the hopper
through which the said case or shell is extended, and with a race-way, to operate,
substantially as described.
5. In a tacking apparatus the race-way and conductor, combined with the cover
having a concave or curved interior surface, and located immediately above the slot
in the race-way, to operate, substantially as described.
Dated the 25th day of May 1889.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.