IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL LASTING TACKS, AND IN THE MACHINERY USED THEREFOR." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Barber Cox, of the Firm of Titus Somerfield and
Son, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Awl Blade and Lasting Tack
Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
STEEL LASTING TACKS, AND IN THE MACHINERY USED THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Barber Cox at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th June 1876.
THOMAS BARBER Cox, of the Firm of Titus Somerfield and Son, of Bloxwich, in
"IMPROVE-
the County of Stafford, Awl Blade and Lasting Tack Manufacturers.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL LASTING TACKS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
USED THEREFOR."
The features of novelty which constitute this Invention are the making lasting
tacks from cold steel and the machinery employed therein. The tacks are made
from cold steel wire by cutting or turning off the surplus material so as to form the
shank of the tack, and then cutting or shearing off the tack at the back of the head.
The machine employed consists essentially of the following parts, namely, a
feeder for feeding the steel wire as required, a clip to retain the steel wire in position
while the cutters are operating, a set of cutters for shaping the shank of the tack,
and a shearing mechanism to cut off the tack when finished.
.
The feeder is similar to those used for analogous purposes, and consists of a sliding
plate fitted with lever gripping jaws to hold the wire. An inclined plane is pushed
forward between the back ends of the jaw levers by means of a lever, or otherwise
suitably geared from the main shaft of the machine, when the jaws are forced tightly
against the steel wire, and as the inclined plane continues its forward motion the
jaws and steel wire and also the sliding-plate are pushed forward. When the steel
wire has travelled forward one tack's length the inclined plane is pulled backwards
and a spring between the jaw levers pulls the jaws from against the steel wire when
the inclined plane being further moved backwards comes against a stop on the
sliding plate and pulls back the sliding plate and also the jaws for the distance of
one tack's length, when the jaws again grip the steel wire and the forward or
feeding stroke is repeated.
The clip consists of a steel bar, chisel edged, which is caused to bear by means of
a spring or weight against the steel wire as it passes through a guide. The chisel

page_text: edge allows the steel wire to be pushed forward, but effectually prevents its being
pushed backwards, and retains it in position endways whilst being cut.
The cutters are of steel and are fixed into the end of a spindle which is mounted
in a direct line with the steel wire to be operated upon. The spindle is caused to
revolve by means of suitable gearing from the main shaft of the machine, and has
also a sliding motion in the direction of its axis. The cutters are shaped so as to
form the shank of the tack by being pushed whilst revolving over the end of the
steel wire. The forward and backward motions of the spindle and cutters may be
controlled by a weight or spring acting for one motion, and a cam or equivalent for
the other motion.
The shearing mechanism consists of a bar or lever provided with a suitable
"steeling," working immediately in front of a steel plate or other guide provided
with a suitable "steeling" through which the front end of the wire passes for being
operated upon by the cutters. The bar or lever for the shearing mechanism is
actuated by a cam or otherwise suitably geared from the main shaft of the machine.
The gearing is arranged, as will be readily understood, to give the following
motions: The gripping jaws clip the steel wire and force it forward when the
cutters are forced forwards towards the steel wire and shape the shank of the tack.
Immediately the shank is formed the cutters are pulled back clear of the tack and
the shearing mechanism then cuts off the tack leaving the head as required. The
gripping jaws release the steel wire and are pulled back a tack's length whilst the
tack is being shaped and cut off.
The cutters may be geared to begin to act before the steel wire has completed its
forward stroke.
In making the larger sizes of tacks I prefer to form the shank at two or more
operations by having two or more sets of cutters, and by means of a disc plate
carrying the tack when partly formed and cut off from one set of cutters to another;
or I carry the sets of cutters round a centre or in slides so as each to act in turn
upon one tack.
This method of forming the shank at more than one operation may be employed
also for smaller sized tacks when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Barber Cox in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
December 1876.
"
THOMAS BARBER Cox, of the Firm of Titus Somerfield and Son, of Bloxwich, in
the County of Stafford, Awl Blade and Lasting Tack Manufacturers. IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL LASTING TACKS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
USED THEREFOR,"
The features of novelty which constitute this Invention are the making of
lasting tacks (which have heretofore been made hot) from cold steel, and the
machinery employed therein.
There are two modifications by which the Invention can be carried into effect.
The first modification consists in cutting or turning off all the surplus material
from the end of the steel wire, from which the lasting tack is to be made, so as to
form the shank of the said tack, and then cutting or shearing off the said tack at
the back of the head.
The second modification consists in removing only some of the surplus material
from around the whole length of the shank before shearing off at the back of the
head, and then removing the partially formed tack after it is sheared off to a
position where the shank is finished by a second set of turning or shaping tools,
and the tack therefor completed. The section of the wire is the right size for the
head of the tack, and I prefer to use drawn" wire rather than "rolled" wire when
"drawn " wire to the size of the tack head is obtainable, as it is made in longer
lengths and is more uniform in size than "rolled" wire.

page_text: Either modification may be used for making the smaller sizes of tacks (say up to
about 1 inch), but I prefer to use the second modification for making tacks of
larger sizes, as otherwise the cutters will not wear so well.
That the method of carrying my Invention into effect may be clearly understood
I will now proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
My first modification is illustrated by the Drawings upon Sheet 1, Figures 1, 2,
3, 4, and 7 are drawn to a scale of three inches to the foot; Figures 5, 6, and 8 are
drawn full size. The same letters of reference occurring upon different views on
Sheet 1 indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 an elevation of the
opposite side to that shewn by Figure 1 of a machine constructed to make tacks
according to my first modification.
A is the bed of the machine; B, B, the standards for supporting the bed; Ca
distance piece between the standards; D, D, are fast and loose pullies which receive
the motion cominunicated to the machine. The said pullies revolve upon a hollow
shaft E, which runs in the bearings F, F, and extends to the plate e and the
support f, but is not carried therein. A worm S is cut in one end of the hollow
shaft E and gives motion to a worm wheel H, a small part of which is shewn in
the side elevations only. The worm wheel H is fast on the cross shaft K, and
through the medium of the spur wheels L and M gives motion to the cross shaft N,
which is provided with a projecting piece or cam O working in a jaw at one end of
the lever P. The lever P works on a fulcrum Q, and has its end R slotted out. Sis
a sliding plate sliding in the V guides T, T, and upon a supporting plate S¹, which
carries also the V guides, and is itself connected to the bed A of the machine; U, U,
are a pair of lever gripping jaws working on fulcrums V, V. The gripping ends
are provided with adjustable grippers W, W, with square heads and screw shanks
formed preferably of steel. One of the grippers is kept in position by a steel
pointed set pin, as shewn, and thus the desired pressure may be obtained by
screwing up the other gripper without the liability of forcing the wire out of its
proper position. The back ends of the gripping levers are forced out and the
grippers brought into play by means of the wedge piece X which is forced between
them. The wedge piece X is provided with a bar or shank Y terminating in a
pin which passes through the slot R. The wedge piece X is retained in its vertical
and lateral positions by a stud pin Z, which is provided with a large washer formed
solid to the upper side of the said stud pin; but the wedge piece can be moved for
a certain distance endways on account of the hole through which the pin Z passes
being slotted.
The wire is shewn by a thick line, it passes through a groove in the under side
of the wedge piece X.
It will readily be seen from the Drawing that as the slotted end of the lever P
descends the wedge piece X is pulled back, and vice versa. As the wedge piece X
is pushed forwards it forces out the back ends of the gripping levers, and the
grippers W, W, close tightly on the wire. As the wedge piece X is continued to bo
pushed forwards the gripping levers U, U, and sliding plate S move forwards also
and the wire is advanced one tack's length. As the wedge piece X is pulled
backwards it is drawn out partially from between the back ends of the gripping
levers U, U, which are then drawn together by the spring a, and the grippers
W, W, are thus pulled back from the wire. As the wedge piece X is continued
to be drawn backwards it comes in contact with a stop b on the sliding plate S,
when the sliding plate S and the gripping levers U, U, are drawn back one tack's
length.
It will be seen from the Drawing that the cam O for a part of its revolution
on each side of its centre does not move the lever P, which is consequently at
rest for a portion of time both at its highest and lowest point, and thus the feeding

page_text: motion is produced by a small part of the cam's revolution, and the necessary time
is allowed before the grippers move forwards again.
The wire is fed through a square steel tube c (see detached elevation Figure 4);
and a lever d, having a chisel edge with the edge next to the end of the tube c,
bears upon the wire as it is fed through the tube. The lever d is held against the
wire by means of a spring, and thus the wire is prevented from returning when
the grippers have ceased to act upon it. The tube c is flush at one end with the
face of the bar a¹ and supports it in its proper position. A set pin, as shewn,
tightens the tube c in the bar a¹. The said tube c passes from thence through
the plate e, which supports that end of the said tube, thence through the
hollow shaft E, in which it is free, and terminates at the outer face of the
upright f, in which the last-mentioned end is supported. The end of the tube c,
which is flush with the support f, is shewn full size at Figure 8. The black square
is the wire. The part c¹ (the top of which is shown by a dotted line) is a plate
running the length of the tube (except where one of the "steelings" c² takes its
place) and is riveted thereto so as to cover the groove for the wire.
The parts
c³ are steel plates about 1 inch long, and are tempered to act as "steelings
cutters. A set pin, as shewn, in the top of the support f keeps the parts c² and
the end of the tube in place. The vertical plate is slightly higher than the
tube so that the horizontal plate may bear upon it. The tube is made by planing
out a groove from a rod of steel and then riveting the plate c¹ over the groove.
"
ог
As the wire is being advanced beyond the last-mentioned "steelings" or cutters,
the shaping tools g (shewn by detached views at Figures 5 and 6 and with the
other mechanism at Figures 1 and 2) which are carried in a box g¹ and held thero
by two set pins, as shewn, advance and shape the tack, after which they are
pulled back again. The said tools g are shaped to revolve in the direction indicated
by the arrow. The shank of a tack is shewn in position in Figure 3. h¹ (best
seen at Figure 7) is a "steeling" or plate having a square hole therethrough near
the top, through which the wire is passed as it leaves the tube c. The said
steeling" is connected to a lever & by means of a pin 2 passing through the
said lever, and through a part of the "steeling "h', which fills the space between
the lever and the support f. A shoulder projects from the "steeling" ¹ and
rests upon the lever h, thus preventing the "steeling" h¹ from moving on the pin
h². The upper part of the "steeling" is the thickness of the head of the tack
and forms a stop for the ends of the shaping, tools. The wire being square is
prevented from turning round by the sides of the hole in the "steeling" h' when
the shaping tools are cutting the shank. When the shaping tools have been
pulled back the lever h rises and the "steeling" cuts off the tack at the back
of the head, which is then completed and falls through the opening shewn in the
bed into a box or other receptacle. While the shaping tools are finishing the
shank, and the steeling is cutting off the tack, the wire is held stationary
by the chisel-edge underneath the lever d, and the wire is not moved forwards
again till the lever he has drawn down the "steeling" h¹, so that the square hole
therein is exactly in front of the corresponding hole in the tube c. At this point
the lever his topped by coming upon a rest b².
The box g¹ of the shaping tools g is held in a jaw g on the end of the spindle p.
The spindle p is rotated from the shaft E through the medium of the spur
wheels k, l, m, n, and the intermediate shaft o. The box is held in the jaw g²|
by means of a set pin, as shewn.
dull by means of
The said lever 1
When the shaping
back end of the
The shaping tools g are advanced until they become somewhat
the spring q which is connected to the back end of the lever 7.
is connected at its other end to the back end of the spindle p.
tools are somewhat dull the weight q is also connected to the
lever to give additional pressure, and the tools thus last longer without having
to be ground. The shaping tools are drawn back and retained for the proper time
by a cam s on the shaft t, which bears against a friction roller s¹ on the lever r.
The cam 8 has a disc plate or collar, against which the friction roller is pulled when

page_text: the shaping tools g are against the "steeling" h¹. The shaft t is rotated from the
cross shaft through the medium of bevel gearing, as shewn. The lever h has
its fulcrum at u, and is raised to shear by the friction roller v carried by a partial
disc or collar v₁ on the shaft t. The side of the lever h bears against the disc or
collar v¹ and thus keeps the "steeling" h¹ up against the face of the support fand
against the end of the "steelings" c², c². The lever is drawn down by the
spring on to the rest b¹ as the roller v descends.
The spindle prevolves in a long bearing w, through which it of course has also
a sliding motion when advancing and being drawn back. The spur wheel mis
made broad on the face to allow for the lateral movement of the spur wheel n.
The plate e is of steel, and acts as a stop to the thrust of the worm G, especially
when the tack is being sheared off, and thus relieves the bearings F, F, from side
strain. The coil of wire from which the tacks are being cut is hung upon a bar or
frame, as shewn, and the feeder unwinds it therefrom. The cam O is varied in
length for different lengths of tack. The wire is kept cool with soapsuds while
being shaped and sheared off. All the wearing parts are made preferably of steel.
I prefer to proportion the gearing so that the shaft E runs about, say from 800
to 900 revolutions per minute. The cross shaft k runs one-thirtieth times as many
revolutions as the shaft E. The shafts N and trun half as many revolutions as
the cross shaft K (both therefore revolving at the same speed). The proportions of
the wheels k, l, m, n, can be obtained with sufficiency accuracy from the Drawing.
The speed of the machine may of course be varied according to the size of tack to
be made, but the shafts N and t must revolve, the one the same number of revo-
lutions as the other.
When a coil of wire has been so far made into tacks that the back end is beyond
the reach of the grippers the end of another coil is placed between the grippers and
so as to butt against the back end of the former coil, and consequently pushes
forwards the remainder of the former coil until it is used up.
My second modification is illustrated by the Drawings upon Sheet 2. Figures 9
and 10 are drawn to a scale of three inches to the foot; Figures 11 and 12 are
drawn to a scale of six inches to the foot. The same letters of reference occurring
upon different views on Sheet 2 indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 9 is a side elevation, and Figure 10 a plan of those parts of a machine
constructed according to my second modification which are different to the analogous
parts in my first modification. The shearing and carrying mechanism is shewn in
detached views, namely, in elevation by Figure 11, and in plan by Figure 12.
A is a support carrying the "steeling" end of the tube c of my first modification;
B is a steel disc revolving on a stud C fixed in the support a. A ratchet D is fixed
or formed solid on the disc B. The ratchet D is actuated by means of a lever E
carrying the pawl F, which is pressed into gear by the spring F¹. The lever E is
raised by means of the friction roller G at the end of an arm H on the shaft K,
which corresponds to the shaft t of my first modification. A bearing U is shewn
close to the arm H. At equal intervals around the periphery of the disc B notches
are cut to the width of the steel wire used, from which to cut the tacks, but
slightly deeper down from the edge of the disc. The front edge of the disc B is
recessed down, and in width backwards about half the width of the disc B. The
disc B is the thickness of a tack head at and near its edge. A spring L bears
against a part of the periphery of the reduced diameter of the disc B.
notch M is shewn in position exactly in front of the tube c of my first modification.
The wire to be shaped is fed through the notch M, when the tools O (analogous to
the tools g of my first modification) advance and partially shape the shank. The
shaping tools O are then drawn back and the lever E rises, and through the medium
of the ratchet revolves the disc B, so that the notch M travels to the position N,
and another notch travels to the position M in front of the tube c of my first
modification.
The
The wire is slightly above the bottom of the recess in the edge of the disc B,
and the end of the spring L is bevelled off somewhat on the under side at the back,

page_text: so that the wire in being fed through the notch M may pass under and slightly
raise the spring. The wire is shewn projecting beyond the disc B at Figure 12.
The spring L is shewn only the width of the recessed part in the edge of the
disc B, but it may be of any convenient width providing that the part bearing
upon the tacks is only the width of the recess, so as not to be in the way of the
shaping tools.
As the disc B is moved the tack is sheared off at the back of the head, one side
of the edge of the notch forming one "steeling," and the plates c², c², of my first
modification forming the other "steelings." The tack when cut off is kept in
the notch M by the pressure of the spring L, against which the head rubs as the
dise B is moved round. The spring L is kept slightly raised by each tack head
as it is carried round from M to M, and also while it is being finished. When the
tack arrives at the position N the lever E commences to descend and the disc is
stationary, and a set of finishing tools O₁ advance and finish the shank of the
tack, and thus complete it at the same time as the tools O advance, and partially
shape the shank of another tack. The tack is prevented from being pushed back-
wards when the shank is being finished by making the metal of the support A to
come against the disc at the part N. The front of the support A is shewn to
come against the 'disc B throughout the whole areas opposite to each other; but
it is only necessary that the part carrying the end of the tube c of my first
modification, and at the part N should come against the back of the disc B. I
prefer that the part of the support A around the circumference of the disc B between
the points just indicated should come against the disc B also.
As each notch containing a finished tack approaches a position at the bottom of
the disc, the tack falls out of the notch through an opening in the bed and into a
box or other receptacle.
The lever E is pulled down by a spring W and rests on the shaft K or other stop,
in a position so that the pawl F gears into one ratchet tooth back from the one in
which it geared before. The tools 0 are made preferably to form the shank
cylindrical, and to the diameter of the largest part of the finished shank. The
tools O¹ are made to form the shank to the finished shape and are similar to the
tools g of my first modification.
The spindle P which carries the tools O is rotated by analogous gearing to that
described for my first modification and through the medium of the spur wheel Q,
or the rotation may be imparted first to the spindle P¹ through the wheel Q. The
spindle P is moved forwards and backwards by a lever R, and other similar
arrangements to that used in my first modification. The spindle P¹ which carries
the finishing tools O¹ is rotated from the spindle P by means of the spur wheels
Q, Q, or otherwise itself rotates the spindle P, and is moved forwards and back-
wards by means of the lever R¹, which is connected by means of a link S at its
back end to the lever R, and is worked therefrom. The pin connecting the link S
with the lever R is fixed in a slot, as shewn, in order that the tools O¹ may be
adjusted to have a lead before the tools O if desired. The spindles P and P¹ are
supported in a double head or bearing T.
By this arrangement of two sets of tools for shaping the shank of the tack, each
set of tools has inuch lighter work to perform and consequently lasts much longer,
and at the same time the machine turns out as many tacks as when one set of tools
only is used.
In place of the modification just described a double machine fitted with double
feeder and other parts may be used, and the two sets of tools O and O¹ may be
geared so as to act, first one and then the other, on each tack before it is cut off.
In this case the tools would be made to change places with each other after each
shaping operation, preferably by being worked from a central spindle around which
they could he moved by suitable mechanism, and the tacks would be cut off as in
the first modification. I have not thought it necessary to illustrate_this_arrange-
ment as it will be sufficiently obvious to a mechanician, and besides I prefer to use
the arrangement which is illustrated on Sheet 2 for my second modification.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my
Invention―
1st. The manufacture of lasting tacks from cold steel, substantially as herein-
before described.
2nd. The feeding mechanism, as illustrated upon Sheet 1, in so far as relates to
the lever P, cam O, shaft N, and mechanism for actuating them, taken in combina-
tion with the other parts of the feeding mechanism (which latter have been used for
analogous purposes), substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
3rd. The mechanism for preventing the return of the wire, and the tube for
guiding the wire as it is fed to the shaping tools, substantially as and for the pur-
pose described and shewn.
4th. The shaping tools and mechanism for actuating them, both for my first and
second modifications, substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
5th. The mechanism for shearing off the tack at the back of the head, both by
means of the lever h and the disc B, substantially as and for the purpose described
and shewn.
6th. The mechanism for carrying the tack according to my second modification
and of holding it while being finished, substantially as and for the purpose described
and shewn.
7th. The machine taken as a whole both for my first and second modification,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
And I declare that I do not limit myself to the exact details as described and
shewn, as such may be departed from in many obvious ways (for instance, by
changing the position of the tools O and 0¹ instead of carrying the tacks as before-
mentioned) without lessening the utility of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Barber Cox, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
JAMES A. WYNN,
Clerk to Stephen Watkins,
Patent Office,
Wolverhampton.
THOMAS B. COX. (L.S.)