Improvements in Feeding Devices, Chiefly Designed for Use in Con- nection with Machines for the Manufacture of Nails.
Year: 1889

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by PRESCOTT HOLMES COLEMAN, of Providence, Rhode
Island, United States of America, Machinist.]
Improvements in Feeding Devices, Chiefly Designed for Use in Con-
nection with Machines for the Manufacture of Nails.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex 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 relates to mechanism for feeding nails or nail blanks one by one from
a mass thereof, to machines adapted to receive and operate thereon.
Although the improvements horeinafter described have been devised for use in
connection with rotary dies in the manufacture of horse shoe nails, some of them are
applicable to other classes of machines for performing duty more or less analogous.
The said rotary dies operate in pairs, after the manner of rolls, and draw out the nail
blanks, by a rolling contact with their sides and edges alternately. This class of
machine is necessarily fed at precise and regular intervals with single blanks, or
partially finished nails, and theso must of necessity be fed to the dies, longitudinally
and head first, and either sidewise, or edgowise according to whether the sides or
edges of the shanks are to be acted upon by said dies, but in either case the blank
should be presented to the dies with the greatest possible accuracy as to time, as well
as with reference to the axial adjustment of the blank.
Although considerable attention has heretofore been given to the subject of
automatically feeding blanks from a quantity thereof, to horse-shoe nail machines,
resulting in quite a number of patent organizations, no instance is known in which
hand feeding has been heretofore practically superseded. The difficulties heretofore
encountered in blank feeding have led to the devising of that class of machines
which embody blank cutting dies so arranged with reference to the rotary dies, that as
soon as each blank is cut, it is kept under control, and at once directed to the rotary
dies. In the use of this last named class of machines, it has been proposed to employ
[Race 1 121

page_text: more than two consecutively operating sets of rotary dies, and to have the blanks
delivered from each set to the next succeeding set of dies, and so on throughout the
series, but the complications necessarily involved have as a rule led in practice to the
use of but two sets or pairs of rotary dies, and one point trimming punch in any one
machine. With this last named organization practical difficulties have been experienced
which have led to the avoidance in any one machine of more than a single pair of
rotary dies, whether with or without a point trimming punch, and still further the
work of said punch has been reduced to a minimum (because of the delicacy of the
punch, and the cost of its maintenance) and sometimes to even wholly dispense with it,
thus not only avoiding the attendant expense, but also economizing by saving a large
percentage of valuable nail metal heretofore wasted. It is found that this economy
in metal can only be accomplished by a series of gradual steps involving the use of
many sets of rotary dies, whereby that metal which would otherwise be wasted at the
pointing dies, may be gradually developed into a substantial portion of the pointed end
of the nail, thus either completing the point of the nail in the rotary dies, or
requiring the pointing punch to do the least possible work.
In seeking to obviate the cost of hand feeding which would render this new system
commercially impracticable, as well as to obviate the objectionable grouping of many
sets of rotary dies in one machine, the herein described feeding mechanism has been
devised and it has been rondered practically reliable in the matter of continuous supply
and in accuracy of presentation of single blanks, head first to the rotary dios. In
view of the great number of feeding mechanisms necessarily required in any one
plant as organized, the matter of simplicity and economy is of unusual importance,
and these ends have been specially sought and attained by these improvements without
any sacrifice of efficiency in the apparatus.
As a rule all blank feeding mechanism depends for its successful operation upon
some arbitrary peculiarity of configuration, common to all of the blanks, and this
feeding mechanism depends upon the fact, that a horse nail blank or nail in its best
form for the purposes of this invention has a shank which just below the head is sub-
stantially rectangular in cross section, and has a greater width than thickness. The
two tapered sides of the head can be wholly relied upon for enabling special control
of the blank at all points in its path through the feeding mechanism, and enabling its
final presentation either flatwise, or edgewise, but always head first to the rotary dies.
It is however, sometimes desirable to rely upon the tapered edges of the head, at one
step in the feed for enabling the presentation of the blank head first, and sidewise to
the rotary dies.
Having thus indicated the ends sought by these improvements the feeding
mechanism herein described is believed to be the first known by means of which
nails or nail blanks in mass can be arranged in line in a precise axial adjustment, and
positively delivered singly from the said line, head first, and either sidewise or edge-
wise as may be desired, according to that particular axial adjustment of the blank
required by the rotary dies.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrato one of the complete machines in its best form,
respectively in side, front, and rear views.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively side and top views of the rotary dies or die rolls,
the raceway and the intermediate mechanism.
Figure 6 is a sectional view of the foot of the feed tube, adjacent to the rotary dies,
a nail being shown in position for delivery.
Figure 7 is a side view of the combined adjusting chute and raceway.
Figure 8, is a cross sectional view of the adjusting chute on line x, Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a cross sectional view of the same on line a¹.
Figure 10 is a cross section of the raceway on line a².
Figure 11 is a side view of the foot of the raceway, the feed tube and inter-
vening diving fingers, carried on a disc, and with the latter shown partially in
section.
Figure 12 is a top or plan view of the parts shown in Figure 11.

page_text: Figure 13 is a partial plan and sectional view on line
Figure 11.
Figure 14 is a cross section of Figure 18 on line ', and also shows a nail blank
suspended at the foot of the raceway.
Figure 15 is a sectional view of a portion of the disc which carries the diving
fingers.
Figure 16 is a sectional view of the raceway on line 2, Figures 11 and 12.
Figures 17, 18, and 19 illustrate respectively in side view, central section and edge
view, a set of diving fingers differing in construction and arrangement from those
shown in the preceding figures accompanied in Figure 17 by a feed tube, a racoway
and a spider wheel.
Figures 20 and 21 illustrate respectively in side and top view, another form of
feeding fingers, together with a feed tube and raceway with which they co-operate.
Figures 22 and 23 illustrate in side, partial section, and top view, feeding
fingers on a disc, as illustrated in Figure 11, but arranged to operate at right angles
to the foot of the raceway, the latter and a feed tube being correspondingly modified
in construction and arrangement.
Figure 24 is a side view of the foot of the raceway, as when co-operating with the
diving fingers arranged to operate as shown in Figures 22 and 23.
Figure 25 is a side view of a pair of feeding fingers, their disc, and a twisted
feed tube, the latter being shown in lateral section on three lines clearly
indicated.
Figure 26 is a side view of a raceway, diving fingers, and a spider wheel, and
in section a feed tube serving in part as a magazine.
Figure 27 is a top or plan view of a corresponding part of Figure 26.
Figure 28 is a partial sectional view on line y of Figure 27.
Figure 29 illustrates two views of part of an endloss bolt shown in Figures 1, 2 and
3, and its carriers with a nail suspended thereon.
Figure 30 illustrates in side and edge views, one of the nail blanks, as it is delivered
from cutting dies.
Figure 31 illustrates in side and edge views one of the blanks, after it has been
acted upon by rotating dies.
Figure 32 illustrates in side and edge views a finished nail.
The rotary dies A are of the usual form, and they are mounted in a frame having a
pair of vertical standards A¹.
As hereinbefore indicated, the blanks, or partially finished nails, are supplied in bulk
to the feeding mechanism, and it is well known that when placed in a pan and agitated
they soon become a more or less clingy tangled mass. from which it is quite difficult
to detach blanks singly except by actual manipulation. At this initial operation it is
desired to secure a proper supply of blanks, while carefully avoiding the separation
and conveyance from the mass of too many blanks in any one group, becanso at
certain portions of the path to be followed, each blank should be free from contact
with one or more other blanks, so that cach may be absolutely free to assume certain
positions which are requisite as a prelude to its assuming other absolately essential
positions.
The blanks may be delivered irregularly to the machine, directly from the dies
by which they are cut from plates, but it is preferred to first subject them to
move smoothly in their route to the rotary dies, but also securing a better finish
on the nails.
It is deemed best to now refer to Figures 30, 31 and 32, Sheet 8. Figure 30
illustrates in two views one form of horse nail blank generally used; Figure 31
illustrates in like manner a partially worked blank, and Figure 32 illustrates a finished
nail, and it is to be understood that however much the nails and the bianks may differ,
the heads a thereof are substantially rectangular in cross section, their sides a' being
wider than the edges, and more or less inclined at one or both sides, and both of the
edges a being more or less inclined outwardly from the neck a³ at the junction of the
head and shank.
That portion of the machine in which blanks are separated from the mass, and

page_text: are conveyed along the initial portion of their path, may be termed a hopper'
although said blanks are not discharged from their receptacle by gravitation, as is
usual with hoppers. The hopper here shown and described includes an endless
belt b, mounted on guide rollers 61, and supported in an inclined position, depending
from the tops of the frame standards A¹. The upper bolt roller b¹ is mounted on
said standards A', and the lower roller 62 is mounted in a horizontal frame ³, pivoted
at one end to the frame of the machine at b, and having at its outer end a weight 6,
thus maintaining said belt at proper tension. A pair of side plates c each pivoted on
the shaft of the upper roll b¹, and slotted at its lower end as at c¹, loosely accommo-
dates the shaft of the lower roll 62, and they serve as bracing supports for the hopper.
The hopper also includes the receptacle or pan d, having vertical sides d¹, and a
back, and a front d³, which are inclined with reference to each other, for affording
a funnel shaped form, and its bottom is curved so as to conform to the path of the
belt at the lower roller. This pan is supported at its lower end upon a yoke d³,
pendant from the shaft of the lower roll, and provided with a screw seat by means
of which the relations of the bottom of the pan and the belt may be adjusted. The
upper portion of the pan at the edges of its narrow sides, rests against hubs on the
shaft of the upper guide roll 6. The back d³ of the pan does not extend fully to the
bottom, but terininates just above the lower roll, and at the rear of the bolt, so that
the latter really serves as a movable back for the pan, said back ² serving as a
support or bearing for said belt. The belt may be variously made to serve as a
conveyor, without departure from certain portions of this invention, but a series of
lifters or carriers e have been devised for said belt, and so arranged thereon, as to
preclude any undue grouping of blanks at any point. As shown in Figure 29, these
carriers are pairs of small curved studs projecting from the face of the belt b, and
having a space between them which is less than the sectional dimensions of the heads
of the blanks or nails, so that said carriers operate as forks, while passing in contact
with a mass of nails in the pan, and can only lift one nail or blank by its head, and
in order to avoid undue grouping on the belt, these carriers are widely separated, and
arranged crosswise in diagonal rows, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. It will be seen
that the carriers e are so arranged on the belt that if a blank be carried upward in a
horizontal position, it can only occur in the event of its being nicely balanced on a
carrier, and should one or more nails be thus started on any one carrier, the vibration
of the belt due to its travelling movement, generally causes one or both to be dropped,
and therefore as a rule, only those blanks which are lifted in a pendant position are
carried over the upper roller, although it is immaterial in what position they may
be carried, so long as no one carrier conveys more than one blank, although an
occasional carriage of two or even three in a group will not defeat the purpose
desired.
The nails or blanks thus separated from the mass in the pan and carried upward by
the belt are discharged from the latter while passing over the upper roller, into the
spout, transversely mounted on the frame standards A'. This spout may be agitated
without departure from this invention, but it is preferable to have it inclined as shown so
that the blanks on falling therein will freely slide downward. The bottom of the spout is
concave laterally so that whether the blanks fall therein head first or tail first, or
sidewise, they will at once assume positions substantially lengthwise in the spout, and
pass therefrom endwise into the inclined conducting chute g, which is mounted on
one of the side plates e, and is in substance a mere prolongation of the spout f, for
conducting the blanks to the upper end of the adjusting chute B. It is now to be
understood that between this adjusting chute B, and the pan d, the mechanism need
only be capable of separating single blanks or nails from the mass, and conveying
them without undue grouping, and discharging them singly into the adjusting chute,
but this latter chute must be of such form as will adjust each blank axially and force
all blanks to travel longitudinally in the same line or path, whether head first or tail
first, and in either event to be so supported in said chute that when each reaches and
passes freely from the lower end of said chute, it will assume a vertical position and
be ready to continue its downward courso edgewise. In other words, this chute B,

page_text: however a blank may be received therein axially adjusts the blank, and enables it to
This chute B is therefore
always enter the raceway C in an edgewise position.
essentially V-shaped in cross section as shown in Figure 8, and at its lower end, its
V-shaped bottom merges into a groove h, rectangular in cross section, as shown in
Figure 9, and this groove is a little wider than the thickness of the head of a blank,
and therefore each blank as it drops into this chute is at once supported upon one of
its sides and one of its edges at the bottom of the V, and when the head of the
blank (whether the latter travel head first or tail first.) reaches the rectangular groove,
the blank is at once fully adjusted axially and supported in an edgewise position.
The raceway C is composed of two inclined parallel plates, affording between them
a space i, a little wider than the thickness of the shank of a blank below its head, and
the groove
of the adjusting chute, terminates at the upper end of said space i, so
space, thus per-
that if a blank be moving tail first its point drops promptly into said
mitting the blank to assuine a vertical position. Said raceway at its upper end, at,
and a little below its junction with the adjusting chute, is in substance a prolongation
of the groove h, being of the same width, as shown at ', Figure 10, but instead of
being closed at its bottom like said groove, it is opon centrally, because of the space i,
and therefore when a blank or nail descends head first, said groove hassures the
edgwise position of the head, and the blank then passes end wise head first upon the
raceway, until its point has passed the end of said groove, whereupon it drops into
the space i, and the blank assumes a vertical position, and in both casos the blank is
supported on the raceway by the contact therewith of the inclined sides of the head
with surfaces on the side plates at the top of the space i.
Although the adjusting chute and raceway have been thus described as separate
devices, it is to be understood that they can be constructed integrally without in any
manner departing from this invention, it being obvious that there is required therein,
First, the V-shaped supporting surface; second, the slot or space i, and, third, the
parallel supporting surfaces at the top of said slot or space. These three features of
construction are ample for securing the proper control and arrangement of all blanks
or nails which pass downward point first upon the V-shaped supporting surface; and
there is a decided tendency for the blanks to proceed in that particular position.
With only said "Three" features however, a blank descending head first, is liable to
fly from the track after leaving the V-shaped supporting surface, because the complete
axial adjustment of the blank is not fully assured by said surface, and hence at its
junction with the slot or space i, the rectangular groove h, and its extension or pro-
longation constitutes a "Fourth" feature of construction in the combined adjusting
chute and raceway, which is of great value for assuring, it is believed, the best
possible results. The inclination of the combined adjusting chute and raceway, is
important only in the matter of assuring the prompt forward movement of the blanks
in their path, especially in the adjusting chute, but the raceway need not be so
inclined as to enable gravitation, and impetus to alone cause the blanks to travel to
the foot of the raceway, and although with a properly inclined raceway fair results
will accrue if there be no mechanical contrivance for moving the blanks in their path
thereon, there is employed for obtaining the best results, a spider wheel D, provided
with slender curved spring fingers which move in the inclined plane occupied by the
heads of the blanks at the lower portion of the raceway and by gentle frictional
contact with said heads, assure the forward movement of the blanks toward the foot
of the raceway. An inclined lip c' is provided at one side of the top of the raceway
for enabling the spring fingers to readily ride up to and occupy proper positions for
engaging with the blank heads.
At the foot of the raceway C, as shown in Figure 16 two pairs of coincident ribs
are provided between which spaces are afforded for the free passage of the shank of a
blank, moving downward on the raceway edgewise and in a pendant position, thus
causing each blank to stand more thoroughly vertical than could be the case, if said
shank space were not thus restricted, it being obvious that the upper portions of said
racoway should have a wide free shank space, so as to enable free sliding movements
of the pendant blanks.

page_text: At the foot of the raceway, as shown in Figures 7, 13 and 14, there are two slender
parallel plates c³, the upper edges of which serve as a prolongation of the raceway,
and afford a support for a pendant blank, and leave the two sides of the head
wholly accessible for the engagement therewith of what are termed "diving
fingers E.
""
These fingers may be variously constructed and operated without departure from
certain portions of this invention, but they must be capable of causing the blanks
held at the foot of the raceway to dive head first into a feed tube F, or other receptacle
wherein the required axial adjustment of the blanks can be maintained or controlled,
and it is for this reason that the term "diving" is applied to said fingers. As shown
in Figures 11, 12 and 13 two pairs of diving fingers E, are employed and they are
mounted upon a wheel or disc E¹ which is caused to reliably rotate by means of a
sprocket chain k, coupling said wheel with the shaft of one of the rotary dies A, as
shown in Figure 3. Each diving finger is a thin plate of hard metal bolted in a
recess in the side of the disc E as clearly indicated in Figure 13, and projecting
beyond the periphery, and so spaced between their outer ends as to laterally embrace
both of the projecting raceway plates c³, and therefore as the disc revolves, each pair
of fingers lifts a blank by contact with the sides a¹ of its head, and carries it upward
and forward head first, wbile lying on its edge in a tangential recess provided therefor
in the periphery of the disc shown in Figure 15, and as the diving fingers move along,
the blank soon assumes a practically vertical position and dives head first into the
feed tube F. If simplicity and economy be not specially sought, the feed tubo may
be arranged to serve as a magazine at its upper end between the diving fingers, and
the feed tube proper, as will be hereinafter further described.
The feed tube F shown in Figure 11, has a flaring mouth, extending toward and
into the vertical plane occupied by the diving finger wheel, and although as a rule
the blanks will freely dive from said fingers, to provide for exceptions to the rule, a
clearer is employed preferably in the form of a slender curved pointed vertical
plate, having its point coincident with the centre of the peripheral face of the disc,
and therefore should a pair of diving fingers fail to promptly release a blank at the
proper point, the tip of said clearer by being interposed between the fingers, and
also between the blank head and the periphery of the disc, will effect a positive
clearance, and leave the blank free to dive. In Figure 11, the feed tube F has such
a sectional area that a blank can only enter it edgewise, and hence the latter cannot
change its axial adjustment while descending, or even if it be brought to rest within
said tubo, and therefore this particular tube is restricted to use with such rotary dies
as are alapted to operate upon the edges of the heads and shanks of the blanks. At
the foot of the feeding tube, each blank is preferably arrested so as to secure an
absolutely accurate delivery of the blank to the dies. This is accomplished by means
of a spring tappet m, clearly shown in Figure 6, which partially closes or contracts
the opening of the lower end of the tube, and one of the rotary dies A is provided
with two slight projections m¹, which are so nearly adjacent to the ends of the head
receiving matrices in the rotary dies that as said matrices approach their receiving
position, a blank is released and dropped into them head first.
For enabling the blanks to be delivered to rotary dies, adapted to operate upon ilio
sides of the heads and shanks, a further axial adjustment is necessary. This may
be accomplished by the use of such twisted feed tubes as are shown in United States
Letters Patent Nos. 286,390 and 286,391 and also as here shown in Figure 25, or
the diving fingers may be so organized with the foot of the raceway, as to lift the
blanks therefrom by contact with the edges of the heads, instead of the sides, as will
be hereinafter further described, in which case a straight feed tube can be relied
upon for delivering blanks to rotary rolls adapted to operate upon the sides of the
heads and shanks of the blanks.
In view of the description given of the several parts, the operation of the machine
as a whole will be readily understood, and it will be seen that each of the several
parts may be more or less varied in construction, as well as in its mode of operation
without substantial departure from the main features of this invention. As, for

page_text: instance the form of the receiving pan or receptacle may be widely varied, as well
as the means by which the blanks are separated from the mass, and delivered into
the spout provided the delivery of too many blanks in groups is prevented. A belt
has been used having a roughened surface and operated at such an inclination as
would enable it to readily carry blanks resting upon its surface; also belts having
thin cross bars, and these have been angularly mounted on said belt, and also
crosswise, and agitating devices have also been used by which the belt would be
shaken, for separating such blanks as might be unduly grouped upon the belt, but
the best results are obtained with the helt and lifters shown and described, and as
the speed of the belt, and the number of carriers thereon should be in proper
harmony with the requirements of the rotary dies, and always afford a considerable
group of blanks at the foot of the raceway, provision is made for varying the
conveying capacity of the belt, either by varying the number of lifters thereon or
varying the speed of the belt by changing the sprocket wheels by which it is
driven.
As to the conducting spouts between the belt and the adjusting chute B, it will be
obvious that their presence is mainly desirable because of the relative positions of the
belt and the chute B, which are arranged as shown for economizing in space as well
as in the cost of construction. It is found, however, that there are some advantages
which accrue from the use of said spouts, as distinguished from discharging directly
from the belt into the adjusting chute. As a rule the blanks are discharged singly
from the belt, but sometimes two or more will be discharged at the same time, and
then they are liable to fall sidewise at either end first, in which case the two spouts
are conducive to the breaking up of the groups, and aligning the several blanks, so
that it is seldom if ever, that more than one blank at a time will pass into the
adjusting chute, it being obvious that if two blanks should pass downward therein,
side by side and point first, that the two points would be liable to drop simultaneously
into the groove at the foot of the raceway and result in obstructing the path.
As to the adjusting chute B, the V-form is deemed absolutely essential, first
because it is on that particular form that reliance is placed for supporting surfaces
which assure the initial axial adjustment and true alignment of the blanks, it being
obvious that regardless of how a blank may be dropped therein, it will be supported
upon one of its two sides, and one of its two edges, and its point will occupy the
bottom of tho V whether the side of the head of the blank rests on one side of the V
or the opposite side. The upper end of the raceway is so intimately merged with
the lower end of the chute B as to render it immaterial whether the raceway be
deemed a part of the adjusting chute, or the latter a part of the raceway, as has
been heretofore indicated, but it is essential that the V chute should be provided with
a slot, or that it be coupled to a raceway having a slot narrower than the width of
the shanks of blanks, and a little wider than their thickness, so as to enable the
blanks to promptly assume a vertical position, and to be freely suspended by the
supporting contact of the sides of their heads, with the surfaces at each side of said
slot or space.
This combined adjusting chuto and raceway, is believed to be broadly new, as an
organization for aligning blanks in a precise axial adjustment, notwithstanding the
fact that a V-shaped chute, slotted centrally at its lower end, has been used for
assorting round headed pins, so that on receiving pins in mass, or from a pin making
machine, they would slide down the bottom of the chute until the slot was reached,
into which the points would drop, and while enabling all properly headed pins to be
suspended therein and to pass downward and off into a receptacle, all non headed or
imperfectly headed pins would drop through said slot. And also notwithstanding the
fact that in machines for assorting nails and tacks, slotted V-shaped spouts have been
used, and also notwithstanding the fact that a chute and a pair of endless belts
affording a space between them in which the nails were suspended, and carried by
their heads, have been employed in machines for assorting ordinary nails, and also in
machines for assorting horse shoe nails of a certain form, and arranging them in line
preparatory to their delivery to other mechanism.

page_text: The combined adjusting chute and raceway provided with the longitudinal groove
by which the ends of blanks are set on edge and the ultimate axial adjustment of the
blank assured, is believed to be broadly new.
The combination with the raceway of the diving fingers and a feed tube is also
believed to be broadly new, notwithstanding the prior existence of a horizontal race-
way, a feed tube and a revolving carrier radially chambered and arranged to receive a
horse nail blank point first from the raceway into some one of its radial chambers
and then hy its rotation to discharge the blank head first into a feed tube as dis-
tinguished from the diving finger herein shown and described which assume the
control of a blank while still on the raceway, and maintain a complete control thereof,
until it is caused to dive head first into the feed tube.
Although the diving fingers, constructed, arranged and operated as illustrated in
detail in Figures 11 to 15 inclusive are preferred, it is to be understood that they
can be widely varied without departure from certain portions of this invention. As,
for instance, in figures 17, 18 and 19, four pairs of diving fingers E³ are shown, each
pair being at the end of a sliding bar n, in radial grooves, in the side of a revolving
disc E³, and caused to be moved to and fro longitudinally by means of a stationary
cam plate n¹, the scroll 2 of which occupies transverso grooves in the sliding barn,
as clearly indicated in figure 18. The stationary scroll n² being eccentric to the axis
of the disc, and properly arranged as shown in dotted lines in Figure 17, it follows
that as the disc is revolved, the fingers will be advanced for picking a blank from the
raceway, and retired from releasing it at the mouth of the feed tube F. In figure 17
is also illustrated the foot of the racoway in a horizontal position, and a revolving
spider wheel provided with spring arms ³ which in their path enter the fail piece of
the racoway from below, and force the pendant blanks toward and into proper'
to the path of the diving fingers, and above the raceway, a spring n¹ is provided,
beneath which the heads of the blanks can be easily pushed, and which will prevent
the blanks from being moved rearward while the fingers are taking control of the
blanks. With this arrangement, the fingers will at times initially engage with two
or three blanks, in which case all but one will be dropped as a result of the longi-
tudinal retirement of the finger. It is to be understood that with the diving fingers
thus constructed and operated, the disc Es will necessarily be much larger in diameter
than the corresponding disc of figure 11.
relation
It is, however, to be understood that the diving fingers need not necessarily be
continuously rotated as by means of a revolving disc or wheel, as it is found that
although that mode of operation is generally desirable, fairly good results will accrue
if said fingers be reciprocated in the arc of a circlo, as illustrated in Figures 20
and 21. In this case one pair of diving fingers E are in the form of spring plates,
mounted upon a rock shaft o, having bearings in a stationary segmental plate o¹, the
fingers projecting beyond the curved or arched surface of the plate which affords a
support for the shank of a blank, while the fingers are moved from the raceway to the
feed tube F. For opening said spring fingers, preparatory to embracing the head of
a blank, and for releasing it at the feed tuhe, double faced wedge blocks o² are
employed. Each of said wedge blocks is carried on an arm, loosely pivoted on the
rock shaft o, and next to the plate o¹. Two stationary pins or studs o³ project from
the sides of said plate o¹, with which the wedge block arms engage, at the two ends
of their stroke. The spring fingers having engaged with the head of a blank are
moved in the arc of a circle, and carry the wedge blocks with them until the arms of
the latter strike one pair of the studs, which arrests their further swinging movement,
but the arms continuing onward pass over the wedge blocks, and being thus sprung
apart, absolutely release the blank which then divides into the feed tube. With the
return movement of the fingers they carry the wedge blocks before them until the
other pair of studs arrest the movement of said blocks, whereupon the fingers are
spread apart, thus straddling the head of a blank, and then after passing the wedge
grasping a blank, as before."
In each instance the diving fingers thus far described, move in the same vertical
plane as that occupied by the foot of the raceway, and this arrangement is essential if

page_text: the diving fingers are to engage with the sides a¹ of the blank heads. If, however,
the diving fingers are to engage with the edges a² of the heads, the path of said
fingers should be at right angles to the raceway, as illustrated in Figures 22, 23
and 24. In this case, the foot of the raceway C, is provided with a vertically
extended closed end c, and at one side thereof, the raceway is in substance vertically
slotted to afford paths for the fingers E. A blank being at the foot of the raceway
is supported at one side of its head upon the one side of the raceway, and at the
opposite side of the head upon the top of the vertical rigid tongue p which is about as
wide as the width of a blank at its neck a³, and at each side of said tongue there is a
vertical slot pl. When thus organized, the diving fingers are preferably mounted on
a revolving disc E³, as in figure 11, and which is provided with the same peripheral
recesses, but in this case said recesses are somewhat wider than those, because the
blanks are carried therein flatwise, instead of edgewise. The feed tube F in this case
is internally adapted to receive the blanks flatwise from the fingers, and therefore, its
upper end is of such form and dimensions as will preclude axial variations in the
position of a blank after its head once enters the mouth of the tube.
It is found with the mechanism thus fur described for delivering the blanks from a
mass to the combined adjusting chute and raceway, that the delivery is sufficiently
uniform and reliable to warrant the interposition of the diving fingers directly
between the foot of the raceway and the feed tubo, but it is also found if other
less liable means be employed between the mass of blanks and the adjusting chute
that it is desirable to provide for the grouping of blanks in a vertical pile edge-
wise, to always afford a sufficient quantity in reserve, to secure an unbroken delivery
to the rotary dies, as for instance, in figure 26 there is shown the raceway at its foot,
and the diving fingers E as in Figure 11, but the feed tube F is enlarged at its upper
end, as at F to enable it to serve as a magazine for blanks piled edgewise therein, as
received from the diving fingers E. At the foot of the magazine, an external spring
finger q extends inward slightly for preventing the free passage of blank down-
ward, except when forcibly drawn from the magazine by the diving fingers on
the revolving disc E which as before described engage with the sides of the head of
a blank, and cause it to dive into the feed tube proper, the spring finger 9 retaining
the overlying blanks.
In order that the pile of blanks in the magazine may be properly restricted as to
numbers and thereby prevent irregular piling, it has been found desirable to provide
for the endwise escape of blanks through the front side of the magazine by way of an
opening therein, at a proper height from the bottom of the magazine, so that when
the head of the last blank deposited lies even with said opening, the next blank
received from the raceway will slide end wise on its edge upon the underlying blank
and escape through said opening. It is also found if a magazine be actually desirable
because of the imperfect character, and operation of the mechanism between the mass
of blanks and the raceway, that it is also desirable that the raceway be less inclined,
and sometimes substantially horizontal. There is shown in Figures 26, 27 and 28, a
raceway C which requires blank accelerating mechanism to be applied throughout
the whole or a considerable portion of its length, and hence instead of a spider wheel
of the form shown in Figure 1, there is here employed as the equivalent thereof, a
series of spring fingers carried by a belt D mounted on wheels, one of which is
driven like the spider wheel D before described, so as to cause the spring fingers to
sweep against blanks pendant on the raceway, and to move them forward into
position for engagement by the diving fingers.
For obtaining the best results it is preferred to employ the complete bat simple
organization illustrated by Figures 1 to 16 inclusive but the several modifications
shown clearly indicate that certain features of this invention can be employed
independently of others for obtaining practically valuable results, if complexity and
cost are to be more or less ignored.
Having
now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said

page_text: invention, and in what manner the same is to he performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The combination substantially as herein before described of a raceway for
supporting pendant blanks in line, and in precise axial adjustment, a receptacle for
said blanks wherein said axial adjustment is maintained or controlled, and diving
fingers which are interposed between said raceway and receptacle, and detach blanks
singly from said raceway, turn them end for end, and cause them to dive into said
receptacle.
Second. The combination substantially as hereinbefore described, of a raceway for
supporting pendant blanks in line and in precise axial adjustment, a feed tube which
controls or maintains said axial adjustment, and diving fingers which are interposed
between said raceway and feed tube, and detach blanks singly from said raceway,
reverse them endwise and cause them to dive into said feed tube.
Third. The combination substantially as hereinbefore described, of a raceway
slotted to support pendant nail blanks, in a precise axial adjustment, and an inclined
V-shaped adjusting chute merging at its foot with the slot in said raceway, whereby
blanks with rectangular heads on being dropped into said chute are axially adjusted
and their shanks alligned with and accurately delivered to the raceway in a precise
axial adjustment.
Fourth. The combined adjusting chute and raceway, substantially as hereinbefore
described, consisting of a raceway slotted to support flat sided and substantially
rectangular headed nail blanks in a pendant position and with a precise axial
adjustment, and an inclined V-shaped chute merging with said raceway, and having
at their junction a longitudinal central groove, which is in line with the slot of the
raceway and with the contre of the chute, and has a width less than the width of the
head of a blank, and slightly greater than its thickness, whereby a blank while
sliding down said chute is partially adjusted axially therein, then fully adjusted by
being turned on its edgo in said groove, and then delivered to and held by said
raceway in a pendant position, and in a precise axial adjustment.
Fifth. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination substantially as
herein before described, of a combined adjusting chute and raceway, essentially
embodying an inclined V-shaped supporting surface, and a slot or space for receiving
blanks in mass, and carriers for detaching single blanks from said mass and delivering
them to said chute, whereby a row or line of blanks is deposited on and supported by
said raceway each in a pendant position and in a precise axial adjustment.
Sixth. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination substantially as
herein before described, of the combined adjusting chute and raceway, a recoptacle for
blanks, carriers for detaching and conveying blanks from the mass to said chute,
and diving fingers at the foot of the raceway which pick blanks from said raceway,
turn them end for end and cause them to dive into à receptacle which maintains or
controls the axial adjustment of the blanks.
Seventh. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination with the raceway,
of a revolving disc provided with fingers, which pick blanks from said raceway, reverse
them end for end, and cause them to dive into a suitable receptacle, substantially as
described.
Eighth. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination of the diving fingers,
a blank supporting raceway, and a spider wheel provided with yielding arms, which
sweep along a portion of the path occupied by the blanks, while supported on said
raceway, substantially as described, and thereby to place the foremost blank within the
path of the diving fingers to enable the lattor to pick the blanks in regular order from
the raceway.
Ninth. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination substantially as
hereinbefore described, of a blank supporting raceway, provided at its foot with thin
slender projections for supporting a headed blank by contact with the sides thereof
adjacent to its neck, and diving fingers separated by a space slightly greater than that

page_text: occupied by said projections, whereby said fingers may readily move freely by the
projections, and nevertheless engage with the head of a blank for picking it from the
raceway.
Tenth. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination with the raceway of
diving fingers, and the revolving disc carrying the said fingers, and provided at its
periphery with a recess for the reception of the shank of a blank carried by said
fingers.
Eleventh. In horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination substantially as
berein before described, of a pan or receptacle for receiving blanks in mass, a feed
tube for delivering said blanks to the metal working mechanism, and interposed
between said pan and tube, a series of blank carriers, on an endless belt, a combined
adjusting chute and raceway, and diving fingers which detach blanks singly from said
chute, and cause them to dive into said feed tube.
Twelfth. In a horse-shoe nail feeding mechanism, the combination substantially as
hereinbefore described, of a pan for receiving blanks in mass an endless belt travelling
within the pan and along its back, and provided with carriers for engaging with the
heads of the blanks, and thereby detaching blanks from the mass, and discharging
thom singly from the pan.
Thirteenth. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore described, of the blank
pan, the endless belt, and the belt tightening frame.
Fourteenth. The combination substantially as herein before described, of the blank pan,
the endless belt travelling within said pan, and an adjustable support for said pan,
whereby the bottom of the latter is adjusted vertically with relation to the lower
portion of the belt.
Fifteenth. The endless belt provided with the series of carrying studs in pairs, and
adapted to engage with the heads of blanks substantially as described.
Sixteenth. The endless belt provided with the series of carrying studs, arranged in
diagonal lines on the face of the belt, substantially as described.
Seventeenth. The raceway provided with surfaces for supporting headed nail blanks
in a pendant position, and with interior coincident ribs, for restricting the shank space
without undue frictional contact with the shanks of the blanks.
Eighteenth. The combination with the feed tube, and the diving fingers, of the
clearer within said tube, and in the centre of the path in which said fingers are
moved, substantially as described.