IMPROVEMENTS IN GLAZIERS' POINTS OR TACKS, IN THE METHOD OF PUTTING THEM UP FOR USE, AND IN APPARATUS FOR DRIVING THE SAME
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lanc, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN GLAZIERS' POINTS OR TACKS, IN THE METHOD OF PUTTING THEM UP FOR
USE, AND IN APPARATUS FOR DRIVING THE SAME." A communication from
abroad by George Watt Hubbard, of Windsor, in the County of Windsor,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th November 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GLAZIERS' POINTS OR TACKS, IN THE METHOD
OF PUTTING THEM UP FOR USE, AND IN APPARATUS FOR DRIVING THE SAME."
[A communication from abroad by George Watt Hubbard, of Windsor, in the
County of Windsor, State of Vermont, United States of America.]
"
This Invention relates to sheet metal points or tacks used by glaziers for securing
glass in window sashes. The first part of the Invention consists in a point or tack
of peculiar shape or form. The second part consists in a method of packing the
points whereby they are furnished in a form convenient for handling or for
feeding to a driver for driving them; and the third part of the Invention consists
in a driver for use in driving such points so as to save handling of the points
separately.
Heretofore such points or tacks have been made of a triangular shape, which is
objectionable for the reason that a considerable portion of the material in such
points is superfluous and unnecessary after the point is properly set in the sash.
The triangular shape is also objectionable on account of the liability of the outer
angles of the tacks when inaccurately driven to catch upon the knife used in
puttying, and being thus thrown farther outward upon the glass. It is also
objectionable for the reason that its manufacture is necessarily comparatively slow
and imperfect or difficult, each successive point requiring the strip from which it
is cut to be turned over or presented at a different angle to the cutters from that of
the preceding one; also because any inaccuracy in feeding the strip forward
between the cutters results in the making of a point having either an imperfect
angle or less than its proper height; also because the portion projecting upon the
glass is less perfectly adapted for the accurate insertion of the point into the sash
by a machine constructed specially for such insertion.
The object of the first part of this Invention is to obviate these difficulties, for

page_text: which purpose I make the points or tacks of rhombic or lozenge shape. The points
or tacks can be cut from a strip or series of strips of metal fed forward between the
cutters at a uniform angle and without turning over, and the angles or points will
be uniformly sharp and perfect whatever the variations in the feeding forward of
the strips may be.
The points or tacks as heretofore made are in the form of a triangle, whereas
this improved point is in the form of the rhombe or lozenge which would be
produced by cutting off the angles at the base of the triangle by lines parallel to the
other two sides and meeting one another at the centre of the base. It is evident
that this improved point or tack, although deprived of the portions forming these
angles, retains an equal bearing in the wood of the sash, and the same projection
upon the glass.
The second feature of this Invention consists in glaziers' points arranged and
cemented together in sections of convenient length. Heretofore such points have
been sold to the consumer in a loose and confused condition, which is objectionable
for the reason that a separate adjustment of each point is necessary for its insertion
into a sash or into a tool or machine which may be used for such insertion.
According to this improvement the points or tacks are arranged and cemented one
upon another in prismatic piles or columns, this improvement being applicable to
points or tacks of various shapes. The best inode by which to thus bind the points
together is by coating or saturating the columns with paraffine wax or other
suitable cementing material of tenacity sufficient to retain the points in position
during ordinary handling, but not sufficient to prevent their being easily detached
or struck off singly by a suitable tool or machine which may be employed for their
insertion into the sash.
The third feature of this Invention consists in a machine for driving the points
or tacks. It consists of a casting made of suitable shape for being conveniently
grasped in the hand, fitted at the back end with a cross rest that bears on the
glass, and formed at the other end with a tubular head, the aperture of which is
shaped in cross section to correspond with the points or tacks. A plate of thin
metal is attached to the bottom of this tubular head and apertured to correspond
therewith, and beneath this plate is fitted to slide another plate which works past
the aperture in the first plate and has formed at its outer end a V shaped notch
adapted to embrace the end of the lowest of the column of rhomb shaped points or
tacks that project through the aperture in the first plate. This sliding plate is
carried by a plunger or driver fitted to work in a direction at right angles to the
tubular head, and is attached to a guide rod around which is a spiral spring tending
to project the plunger forward into contact with the tubular head, in which position
the aperture of the head is covered by the plate carried by the plunger. A trigger
consisting of a bent lever pivoted on the casting has one end extending into a
convenient position for being held by the hand at the same time the casting is held,
while the other end extends in front of the plunger, so that when the trigger is
grasped and noved its other end forces the plunger back until that end clears it,
when the plunger is projected forwards by its spring. The plunger is fitted with an
adjustable spring latch, against which the end of the trigger lever bears in moving
the plunger back. The latch permits of the lever being returned to its normal
position by a spring, the latch giving way for that movement.
In operation the tacks or points are placed in the tubular head, the bottom one
thereby resting on the sliding plate carried by the plunger. I provide a plug or
piston for pushing the column of tacks down by hand, which is essential when the
driver is held with the tubular head horizontal. The plunger being then drawn
back by the trigger draws back the said plate from the aperture in the head,
permitting the bottom tack or point to pass upon the glass, and as soon as the
plunger is released from the trigger it springs forward, and the tack being caught
by the V slot of its plate, is carried forward and forced into the sash.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th May 1881.
ALEXANDER MELville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GLAZIERS' POINTS OR TACKS, IN THE METHOD
OF PUTTING THEM UP FOR USE, AND IN APPARATUS FOR DRIVING THE SAME."
A communication from abroad by George Watt Hubbard, of Windsor, in the
County of Windsor, State of Vermont, United States of America.
This Invention relates to sheet metal points or tacks used by glaziers for securing
glass in window sashes. The first part of the Invention consists in a point or
tack of peculiar shape or form. The second part consists in a method of packing
the points whereby they are furnished in a form convenient for handing or for
feeding to a driver; and the third part of the Invention consists in a driver for
use in driving such points, so as to save handling of the points separately.
Heretofore such points or tacks have been made of a triangular shape, which is
objectionable for the reason that a considerable portion of the material in such
points is superfluous and unnecessary after the point is properly set in the sash.
The triangular shape is also objectionable on account of the liability of the outer
angles, from inaccuracy in driving, to catch upon the knife used in puttying, and
being thus thrown farther outward upon the glass. It is also objectionable for the
reason that its manufacture is necessarily comparatively slow and imperfect, or
difficult, each successive point requiring the strip from which it is cut to be turned
over or presented at a different angle to the cutters from that of the preceding
one; also because any inaccuracy in feeding the strip forward between the cutters
results in the making of a point having either an imperfect angle or less than its
proper height; also because the portion projecting upon the glass is less perfectly
adapted for the accurate insertion of the point into the sash by a machine
constructed specially for such insertion.
The object of the first part of this Invention is to obviate these difficulties, for
which purpose I make the points or tacks of rhombic or lozenge shape, as shown in
the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a
plan view of the improved point or tack. Each Figure also shows in dotted lines
a portion of an ordinary window sash into which the point is shown as inserted.
A is the point or tack having angles a, b, c, d. G represents the sash, and H
represents the glass held in place by the tack. The points or tacks A can be cut
from a strip or series of strips of metal, fed forward between the cutters at a
uniform angle, and without turning over, and the angles or points will be uniforinly
sharp and perfect, whatever the variations in the feeding forward of the strips
may be.
The points or tacks as heretofore made are represented by the lines e, b, f,
Figure 2. It is evident that this improved point, while dispensing with the
portions a, c, c, and a, d, f, retains an equal bearing in the wood of the sash G, and
projection upon the glass H.
The second feature of the Invention consists in glaziers' points arranged and
cemented together in sections of convenient length. Heretofore such points have
been furnished to the consumer in a loose and confused condition, which is
objectionable for the reason that a separate adjustment of each point is necessary
for its insertion into a sash, or into a tool or inachine, which may be used for such
insertion. According to this lnvention the points or tacks are arranged and
cemented one upon another in prismatic piles or columns, as shown in the
Drawings, wherein Figures 3 and 4 are side elevations, and Figures 5 and 6 plan
views of points of various shapes put up by this method.

page_text: The best mode by which to thus bind the points together is by coating or
saturating the columns with paraffine wax or other suitable cementing material of
sufficient tenacity to retain the points in position during ordinary handling, but
not sufficient to prevent their being easily detached or struck off singly by a
suitable tool or machine, which may be employed for their insertion into the
sash.
The third feature of the Invention consists in a machine for driving the points
or tacks, as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, wherein the like parts are indicated by
the same letters of reference. Figure 7 is a sectional side elevation of the machine;
Figure 8 is a horizontal section on line x, x, of Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a face
view. B is a casting made of suitable shape for being conveniently grasped in the
hand, fitted at one end with a cross rest p that is preferably made of wood so as
not to scratch the glass, and formed at the other end with a tubular head q, the
aperture of which is shaped in cross section to correspond with the points or tacks.
y is a plate of thin metal attached to the bottom of tube q, and apertured to
correspond therewith. C is the plunger provided with a rod that extends
through an aperture in the rest and end of casting B, and also fitted with a
plate of sheet metal that extends beneath the head or tube q in contact with
plate g, to which the plate i is held by the edges of the latter being turned upon
plate y, so that the plate i is free to slide as the plunger is moved.
The outer end of plate i is formed with a V shaped notch or recess adapted to
embrace the end of the lowermost of the column of rhomb or diamond shaped
points or tacks that projects through the aperture in the plate as shown. Around
rod is a spiral spring tending to project plunger C forward into contact with
head q, in which position the aperture in the head ƒ is covered by plate i.
D is a trigger consisting of a bent lever pivoted on casting B, one end of
which trigger extends into a convenient position for being held by the hand at the
same time the casting B is held, while the other end m extends in front of the
plunger C, so that when lever D is moved its end m forces the plunger back until
this end clears it. The plunger C is fitted with a latch n adjustable by a screw n¹,
and held upward by a spring o against which the latch end m of the trigger lever
bears in moving the plunger back. The latch permits return of the lever D to its
normal position, the latch giving way for that movement. A spring returns
lever D.
In operation, the column of tacks or points A is placed in head with the
bottom one resting on plate i of the plunger. The driver is held with plunger C
and rest against the glass, and the end of plate g against the portion of the sash
into which the point is to be driven. The end of lever D being then moved
outward, plate i moves back from the aperture in the head q, permitting the
bottom point or tack to pass upon the glass; and as soon as the plunger is released
by the lever D it springs forward, and the tack being caught by the V slot of
plate i is carried forward and forced into the sash. I provide a plug or piston q'
for insertion in head q to bear on the tacks, so that they may be held down by
hand, which is essential when the driver is held with the head q horizontal.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, 1 would have it understood that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,
1st. Glaziers' points or tacks made in rhombic or lozenge shape, as set forth.
2nd. The method described of putting up glaziers' points or tacks, which consists
in arranging them in columns, and securing them together by paraffine wax or
like material, substantially as specified.
3rd. The driver for glaziers' points or tacks, consisting of casting B provided
with tubular head q, plunger C, carrying slotted plate i. and trigger lever D)
for operating the plunger, combined for operation, substantially as shown and
described.
4th. In drivers for glaziers' points or tacks the plunger C provided with latch n

page_text: and slotted plate i, and the lever D having its end m fitted for engagement with
the plunger, combined with the tube or head q carrying the tacks, substantially as
shown and described.
5th. The plug or piston q', combined with the tubular head of the driver, as and
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)