AN IMPROVEMENT IN CLIPS FOR GUTTER SPOUTING."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Wiley, of Darlaston, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN CLIPS FOR
GUTTER SPOUTING."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Wiley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1880.
JAMES WILEY, of Darlaston, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer.
IMPROVEMENT IN CLIPS FOR GUTTER SPOUTING."
<< AN
This Invention relates to the construction and attachment of the bar or pin
which is frequently employed crossing between the two horns of the clip above
the gutter spouting, so as to keep the gutter spouting from being moved accidentally
by the action of wind or otherwise.
I form the bar plain (preferably out of strong round wire) with the two ends
bent down for a short distance at right angles to the bar, and in the same plane
with each other. A hole, slotted horizontally, is punched out near the top of each
fork of the clip, and the bar is placed in position by holding it with the bent ends
horizontal and then pushing one end through the slots in the forks of the clip, or
pushing each end alternately into a hole from the inside of the clip. The two
bent ends then drop down vertically by their own weight, each being just outside
one end of the fork, when it is quite impossible for the bar to be blown or other-
wise shaken out of its position, as it can be removed only by first raising up the
bent ends into a horizontal position and then pulling it forwards. The horizontal
slotted holes are of course of sufficient length to allow the bent ends, or one of
them, to pass through when turned into a horizontal position. It is preferred to
flatten the bar somewhat at the parts lying upon the lower edges of the holes, when
the bent ends have fallen into a vertical position, so as to lessen any tendency
which the bar may have to turn in a high wind. The bar can very easily be
removed from the clip when it is desired to take down the gutter spouting.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Wiley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June
1881.
JAMES WILEY, of Darlaston, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturers.
IMPROVEMENT IN CLIPS FOR GUTTER SPOUTING."
"AN
This Invention relates to the construction and attachment of the bar or pin
which is frequently employed crossing between the two horns of the clip above the
gutter, so as to keep the gutter from being moved accidentally by the action of the
wind or otherwise.
I form the bar plain (preferably out of strong round wire) with the two ends
bent down for a short distance at, or preferably somewhat less than, right angles
to the bar, and in the same plane with each other. A hole, slotted horizontally,
is punched out near the top of each horn of the clip, and the bar is placed in
position by holding it with the bent ends horizontal and then pushing one end
through the slots in the horns of the clip, or pushing each end alternately into a
hole from the inside of the clip. The two bent ends then drop down vertically
by their own weight, each being just outside one end of the horn, when it is
impossible for the bar to be blown or otherwise shaken out of its position, as it can
be removed only by first raising up the bent ends into a horizontal position and
then pulling it forwards. The horizontal slotted holes are of course of sufficient
length to allow the bent ends, or one of them, to pass through when turned into a
horizontal position. It is preferred to flatten the bar somewhat at the parts lying
upon the lower edges of the holes when the bent ends have fallen into a vertical
position, so as to lessen any tendency which the bar may have to turn in a high
wind. The bar can very easily be removed from the clip when it is desired to take
down the gutter.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention I will now proceed more
particularly to describe the manner of performing the same with reference to the
accompanying Drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon,-
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved gutter clip as it would appear in a
transverse sectional elevation of the gutter, and Figure 2 is an elevation of the
same, looking at right angles to the gutter. A is the flat iron forming the clip
proper; B is the bar formed out of strong round wire; C, C, are oblong holes
punched out of the horns of the clip as shewn. The ends D, D, of the bar B are
bent down as shewn, each forming with the bar B an angle of somewhat less than
a right angle. The parts at a, a, are flattened somewhat. The bar B is placed in
position in the clip by holding it with the parts D, D, horizontal, when one of them
may be passed through both of the holes C, C. The bar B is then released, the
ends D, D, falling into the vertical position shewn, and the parts a, a, lying upon
the lower edges of the holes C, C, thus lessening the tendency which the bar may
have to move by the action of a high wind on the ends D, D; E is the upper part
of a regulating screw, but a driving iron may of course be riveted direct to the
clip in those cases where such is required. Figure 1a shews this Invention
adapted to those clips which have a piece A' welded across the top of one of the
horns of the clip B₁ for the purpose of fixing them to a wall-plate. The part A¹
is cranked back in suitable tools while still hot from being welded to the part B¹.
so as to allow room for the end D' of the bar between the wall plate and side of
the clip. If the weight of the gutter should bend the cranked part somewhat the
part D¹ will come against the wall plate and thus tend to support the clip.
As my improvement in clips has made certain changes in the manufacture
advisable, it will be convenient if I proceed to state the method I prefer to adopt

page_text: in the manufacture. The part A is cut off with the ends shaped as desired, and
the holes C, C, are then punched. The piece is then turned upside down and held
against suitable gauges whilst a centre-punch mark, shewing the position of the
hole where the rivet hole is to be punched, is put on by a machine. The hole for
the rivet is punched through from the centre-punched (that is, the inner) side
.after the part A has been bent into its curved form. In bending the part A I use
a similar machine (termed a "mangle") to that now in use for bending clips, but I
make some modifications to suit the altered circumstances. Figure 3 shews in plan
the essential parts of the machine. F is the block around which, the iron is to be
bent; G is a stud which projects from the block F for the thickness of the part A,
and fits into one of the holes C of the clip, and thus holds the part A while it is
being bent round by means of the lever H and roller J (shewn by dotted lines;
K is a head having a shank L passing through the block M. The part K is set up
towards the stud G, but somewhat more than the thickness of the part A back
therefrom. After the iron to be bent has been placed in position a loose piece,
slightly wedge-shaped, is placed between the head K and the stud G from the back
side thereof, thus preventing the part A from slipping off the stud G during the
operation of bending. N is a set-pin for holding the shank L in position to suit
the various sizes of clip. Figure 4 shews in side elevation a part of the lever H
and also the roller J. O is a piece of steel held up under the bar H by means of
the screw P. The piece of steel O prevents the metal of the part A from rising up,
and the holes C, C, consequently getting cross-wound while the same is being
bent. Of course the screw P passes through a slotted hole in the lever H so as to
allow of adjustment in common with the other parts of the machine, to suit the
varying sizes of clip. After the clip has been riveted to the regulating screw E
it is placed in the apparatus illustrated by Figure 5, in which R is a block carried
upon a plate or other plain surface; S, a lever working upon a fulcrum T, and
carrying a movable tool U, which is fastened thereto by the bolts V, V;
A, A, represents the part A, Figure 1, the part E lying in a recessed part X of the
block R. The inside of the block R and the outside of the tool U are shaped to
correspond to the outer and inner side of the part A, A, respectively, except for a
small length at the top of each horn of the part A, A, as shewn. The lever S is
carried quite loosely on the fulcrum T, so as to allow the tool U to adjust itself as
it is pulled up by the lever into the block R. Y is a piece of steel dovetailed into
the part U, the underside of the part Y coming immediately above the upper edge
of the part A, A, so as to keep it from rising. The part Y comes of course above
the part R also, the top of which is flush with the top of the part A, A. The metal
of the tool U stands higher than the part R, or at any rate at the point where it
carries the piece Y. The tool U is shewn in the position due to its having pressed
the part A, A, into the block R, and thus ensured that the clip is properly shaped
to receive the gutter, and to receive also the bar B, Figure 1. Of course the
lever S must be pushed back for the removal of the clip, and for placing another
clip in position to be trued up. In the case of clips which are riveted to driving
irons the part corresponding to A, Figure 1, is trued up in the machine, illustrated
by Figure 5, before it is riveted to the driving iron.
In making the bars corresponding to B, Figure 1, plain lengths of bar are first
cut off. One end of a bar is then heated and placed between a pair of dies a, a,
Figure 6, which have each a half cylindrical recess sunk into its face, forming
together a hole b to the desired depth of the turned down ends of the bar to
receive the end of the bar. B. To open and close the dies a, a, I use an old treadle-
vice formerly commonly used for wood-screw forging, one of each of the tools a, a,
being carried in each jaw of the vice. Figure 7 illustrates the arrangement of
working the vice. In this Figure d is the vice screw which is tightened up by
means of the treadle e, and slackened back by means of the weight f. In Figure 8.
al is a face view of one of the dies a; b (Figures 6 and 8) is a piece of steel
dovetailed into one of the dies a to form a gauge at the bottom of the hole b, and
c, c, are pieces of steel dovetailed into the tops of the dies a, a, to form the metal

page_text: around the hole b. The gauge b¹ and pieces c¹, c¹, can thus be renewed when worn.
The top of the die at a" is slanted off, as shewn, so that when the bar B is bent
down on to the die the angle which the part within the hole 6 makes with the
part B is somewhat less than a right angle, as shewn. The bar is bent down
whilst hot by first pushing it down by hand, and then finishing it with a hollow
tool held on by hand and struck with a hammer over the part lying on the part all
of the dies. The hollow in the tool is of the same depth as the thickness of the
bar, and shaped to fit along the back of the bar. One end of the bar being thus
bent to the required angle the dies are allowed to open and the bar is removed
therefrom. The other end of the bar is then heated and closed up in the dies and
bent as before, but in this case the first bent end of the bar is pushed down
between the two jaws of a gauge g, so that the two bent ends of the bar will be
sure to be in the same plane with one another. The gauge has a shank h passing
through a block k, and held in any desired position according to the length of the
bar by the set screw l. Figure 9 is a plan of the gauge with the end of the bar B
shewn therein; Figures 10 and 11 illustrate respectively a front elevation and a
longitudinal sectional elevation of a cutter which I employ to form the flattened
parts a, a, Figure 1. A number of radiating cutting edges are shewn formed in
the face of the tool; m is a tail carried in a lathe spindle; n is a hole drilled down
the centre of the tool to receive a turned down end of a bar B; o is a part having
a recessed end to fit over the back part of the bar B, as shewn by dotted lines.
The part o is set up by means of the lathe poppet, which is provided with a suitable
As the cutter
stop to regulate the distance, through which it can be screwed up.
revolves and the bar B is pressed up against it, part of the metal is cut away,
flattening the bar, as shewn at a.
I have illustrated my Invention only in its application to clips for half-round
gutters, but it will be obvious that the arrangement of bar B with bent down
ends D, D, in combination with oblong holes C, C, is applicable also to clips for
other sections of gutter without need for special illustration.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, and particularly described
and ascertained the manner of performing the same, I declare that what I claim
as my Invention and desire to secure by the herein-before in-part-recited Letters
Patent is,―
In a clip for holding a gutter, the employment of a bar B, with the bent down
ends D, D, in combination with the oblong holes C, C, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described and illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Wiley, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight bundred and eighty-one.
JAMES WILEY. (L.S.)
Witness,
HENRY CHILTON,
Clerk to Stepben Watkins, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
Office for Patents,
Wolverhampton.