IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING HORSE-SHOE NAILS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING HORSE-SHOE
NAILS." A communication from abroad by Silas Safford Putnam,
of Dorchester, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Scaled the 22nd May 1868, and dated the 1st April 1868.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 1st April 1868, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY POR MANUFACTURING HORSE-SHOE NAILS," and have petitioned

page_text: Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Silas Safford Putnam,. of Dorchester, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand
and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying 1
Drawings making part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to that class of nail machines in which the nail
is formed by means of spring hammers, and consists, first, in so arranging
the hammers together in pairs that one hammer of a pair will operate
the other and regulate its motions and throw in order that both may 1
strike the nail rod at the same instant.
The said Invention also consists partly in vibrating one pair of the
hammers (previous to cutting off the nail) to one side and away from the
central position which they occupy when operating upon the nail rod
for the purpose of allowing the cutters to be brought into the required 2
position to do their work.
The said Invention also consists in so constructing the machine that
the number of blows to which the nail is subjected while being formed
may be varied and regulated as desired.
The said Invention furthermore consists in certain details which will 2
be fully described hereafter.
To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my Invention
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried the
same into practice.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
3
Figure 1 18 a perspective view of my improved machine; Figure 2 is
a horizontal section through the same in a plane passing through the
side hammers; Figure 3 is a section through the same in a plane passing
through the vertical hammers looking in the direction of the arrow 111,
Figure 1, the furnace and feeding device being removed; Figure 4 is a 3
vertical section through the same on the line x, x, of Figure 1 looking
Figure 1 18 a perspective view of my improved machine; Figure 2 is
a horizontal section through the same in a plane passing through the
side hammers; Figure 3 is a section through the same in a plane passing
through the vertical hammers looking in the direction of the arrow 111,
Figure 1, the furnace and feeding device being removed; Figure 4 is a
vertical section through the same on the line x, x, of Figure 1 looking

page_text: are details; Figure 9 illustrates the manner in which the feed rolls are
operated; Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13 are modifications, to be referred to
hereafter.
In the said Drawings A is the framework of the machine in suitable
bearings in which runs the driving shaft B, which carries at one end the
driving pulley D and at the opposite end the fly-wheel C; E is a frame
or head of the form seen in Figures 1 and 3, which is supported between
the bed and cap of the machine upon pivots a, b, so that it may be
vibrated to one side for a purpose to be explained hereafter. Within this
frame are pivoted at c, d, the vertical hammers F, G, which are connected
together by a pin e so that the hammer G will operate the hammer F
and regulate its motions, which thus insures their both striking the nail
rod at the same time. The portion 15 of the hammer F fits into the
bifurcated portion 16 of the hammer G, and is provided with a slot f
which receives the pin e and causes the hammers to work together.
H, I, are the side hammers, which are so formed and arranged that their
connecting portions will work between the vertical hammers F, G, one
(H) being attached to a vertical shaft J, while the other (I) is pivoted
at g to an ear or projection K attached to the framework A. These
hammers are connected together so that they will have a motion similar
to that of the hammers F, G, above described, and strike the nail rod
at the same time by means of a pin h which passes through the flat
portion 17 of the hammer I and works in slots (one of which is seen
dotted) in the bifurcated portion 19 of the hammer H. By thus forming
and arranging the hammers with the connecting parts of one pair
between the other pair, as above described, I am enabled to operate each
pair without interfering with the other. The portion of the pin e which
connects the hammers F, G, is flattened where it passes through the
slot so that it will slide without turning therein, the flattening of
the pin giving it a more extended bearing surface, and thus reducing
the wear at this point; the portions of the pin h which work in the slots
of the hammer H are also flattened for the same purpose, the central
round portion of the pin h forming a shoulder, which prevents it from
falling through the lower slot in the portion 19 of the hammer H. The
hanumers F, G, H, I, which are arranged as above described, are operated
alternately in pairs by cams L, M, on the driving shaft B, each pair

page_text: being thrown together when released by a spiral spring i; one end of
each of these springs is connected to one of the hammers of a pair,
while its opposite end is secured by an adjustable screw connection j to
the upper end of a lever N pivoted at k to the bed plate O. These
levers are drawn back so as to put an additional tension upon the
springs just previous to the hammers being released by means of the
cams M, P, on the shaft B which strike against rolls 1, the greatest
tension on the springs being at the instant of their release. The durability
of the springs is thus increased as they are allowed to remain nearly
slack when not required for use. In the face of each of the hammers
H, I, is formed a groove 20 of a form corresponding to one side of the
shank of a finished nail, the head being formed in a groove 21 which is
made by cutting away the outer edges of the hammers so as to leave a
space corresponding to the width of the head of the nail; the lower
vertical hammer G is made with a groove corresponding to the form
of one side of the nail and having its outer edge bevelled as at 22, and
the upper one F is made with a perfectly smooth face, so as to give the
required form to the sides of the nail on which they operate.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the finished nail
is cut off after being operated upon by the hammers. m, n, are the
cutters, which are secured to levers Q, R, pivoted to the frame E at o, p.
The lever Q which is bent at the rear, as seen in Figure 3, is provided
at its lower end with a slot q in which works a pin r projecting from
an arm S which is keyed to a rock shaft T having its bearings in the
framework, and operated in a manner to be afterwards described. To this
arm S is pivoted a connecting rods the opposite end of which is pivoted
to a lever U which is pivoted at t to the bed plate O, and from the upper
end of this lever projects a pin u which rests against the under side
of the lever R which has formed on it an incline v, so that when the
lever U is vibrated through the connections described the pin
u will
strike the incline and raise the lever R and lower cutter n against the
resistance of a spring w, while at the same time the lever Q with its
cutter m is brought down by means of the pin r and slot q before
described. Previous, however, to the cutters being brought into action
they are brought into line with the nail rod, and the hammers F, G, at
the same time vibrated to one side out of the way in a plane at right
angles to that, in which they operate in the following manner :-V is
a slide which is secured to the bed plate O by screws 23 passing through

page_text: slots 24 and operated by a connecting rod W attached to an arm X
(Figures 6 and 7) projecting from the shaft T. On one side of the
slide V is a projection a¹ which fits into a notched piece 6' secured to,
the lower end of the hammer frame E. Thus as the slide is moved by:
the arm X in the direction of the arrow 25 the end 26 of the projection a¹
bears against the shoulder 27 of the piece 6' vibrating the frame E on its
pivots a, b, and carrying the hammers F, G, to one side, and the
cutters m, n, into line with the nail rod as required. The vibration of
the frame E is arrested when the cutters have been brought into the
required position by the end 20 of the projection a passing off from the
shoulder 27, as seen in Figure 7. As soon, however, as the finished nail.
has been severed from the rod by the cutters m, n, the slide V is carried.
forward in a direction contrary to the arrow 25 by the arm X causing,
the end 28 of the projection a' to strike against the shoulder 29 of the
piece band return the frame E with its hammers and cutters back into.
its original position, as seen in Figure 1. The vertical hammers are
arrested and held apart while the finished nail is being cut off and the
rod fed forward for the next nail by means of an arm or stop Y (Figure 3):
which is attached to the rock shaft T and vibrated by it at the required,
time into a position to intercept the hammer G, thus preventing the.
hammers F, G, from being thrown together by their spring i when the
point of the cam M has passed out of contact with the rear end of
the hammer G. The side hammers are also arrested at the same time.
by means of a bent lever or stop d' (Figure 8) pivoted at 30 to a vertical.
post Z. The longer arm of this lever d', which is beut at its lower end,
is provided with a slot e' in which works a lever A' attached to the rock
shaft T, and thus when the end of the lever A' is carried down by the
shaft T it enters the inclined portion of the slot e', depressing the short
arm of the lever d' into a position to intercept the rear end of the
hammer Has required.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the number. of
blows the nail is subjected to previous to being cut off may be varied as
desired. B' is a T-shaped lever pivoted at 31 to the framework A, and
carrying at one end a friction roll 32, its opposite end catching under
a latch f' which is pivoted at 33, and held up to the end of the lever B¹
by a spring g' which is attached to the vertical arm 34 of the lever B';
to the lower end of the latter is pivotted a rod C' provided at its outer
extremity with a notch or shoulder 35, and when the latch f¹ is tripped

page_text: in a manner to be presently described, the lever B₁ is released and
vibrated by means of the spring g' carrying the arm 34 (in the direction
of the arrow 36) into such a position as to cause the shoulder 35 of the
arm C' to drop over a pin h¹ (Figure 5) projecting from an arm ¹ on the
rock shaft T. The roll 32 at the same time falls down upon a cam 37 on
the driving shaft B, and thus as this cam revolves it raises the end of
the lever B carrying the rod C¹ in a direction contrary to the arrow 36,
thus vibrating the shaft T, which through the connections described
vibrates the hammer frame E, operates the stops for arresting the
hammers, and brings the cutters into action to sever the nail. The rod C¹
is kept down while moving in a direction contrary to the arrow 36, so
as to keep the shoulder 35 from slipping up off of the pin ', by means
of a flat projection 38 which passes under a pin 39 projecting from the
frame A. As soon as the shaft T has been rocked the distance required,
the projection 38 passes out from under the pin 39, when the rod C' is
thrown up by a flat spring 40 freeing the shoulder 35 from the pin h³,
when the shaft T is carried back by a flat spring j¹ so as to return the
mechanism with which it is connected to its original position; the end
of the lever B' opposite to the roll 32 at the same time catches under
the latch by which it is held as required. A pin a³ serves to keep
the arm c from being thrown up too far by the spring 40. The latch f¹
is tripped when it is required to bring the above-described mechanism
into action in the following manner:-D' is a drop or slide which
moves vertically on a dovetailed guide k¹ secured to the frame A, and
is raised by means of a pawl 41 attached to the end of a lever E' which
is pivoted at 42 to the framework, and vibrated against the resistance
of a spring 43 (Figure 4) to raise the slide D' by means of a cam / on
the driving shaft B. This shaft bears against a pin 44 (Figure 5), the
slide D' being supported after it is raised by the retaining pawl 45, which
engages with the teeth of a vertical plate m¹ secured to the framework.
46 and 47 are springs bearing on the pawls 41 and 45, which are so
formed that they may be held by their springs either in or out of contact
with the teeth. As the slide D' is raised a bevelled projection 48 on one
side strikes against a pin n¹ projecting from the latch f¹, thus tripping
it, when by means of the mechanism above described the hammers are
arrested and the finished nail cut off. As the slide D' is raised after the
latch has been tripped by the projection 48, the square corner 49 of
the pawl 45 strikes against a projection 50, which throws it out of
contact with the teeth of the plate m', in which position it is held by

page_text: the spring 47. A horizontal slide o', which, when the rear end of the
lever E' is depressed by the cam l, bears against one side of the slide D¹
so as to produce sufficient friction to prevent its being thrown up too
far by the pawl 41; this slide o' is operated by a lever p¹ pivoted at 51
to the framework, and this lever is pressed either in the direction of the
arrow 52 or in a direction contrary thereto by a spring 53. The upper
end of this spring is secured to a projection 54 on the lever E', while
its lower end passes between two pins 55 and 56 projecting from the
lever p'. The position of the lever E' determines the direction in which
pressure is applied to the slide o'. As soon as the slide D₁ is raised so
that its lower end will clear the upper corner of the slide o' (which takes
place immediately after the latch' f' has been tripped), the latter is shot
by the spring 53 before described into a slot in the guide ¹ (seen dotted
in Figure 5), causing a pin 57 projecting from it to strike the tail of
the pawl 41, throwing it out of contact with the teeth of the slide D',
in which position it is held by its spring 46. The point of the cam "
now passes off from the pin 44, when the rear end of the lever E' is
raised by the spring 43 causing the spring 53 to press against the
pin 50 and withdraw the slide o' from the slot in the guide k¹, when
the slide D' will descend by its own gravity until arrested by striking
an adjustable slide or stop q¹ which may be moved vertically on the
guide . This slide is held at the desired height for a purpose to be
presently explained by a pawl 2, which engages with the teeth of the
plate m' and is furnished with an arm 58 having a weight 59 at its
outer end which serves to retain the pawl in contact with the teeth.
On the descent of the slide D' the pawl 45 strikes a roll 60 on the
slide q', which throws it again into contact with the toothed plate m¹;
at the same time a roll 61 on the slide D' strikes the inclined face 62
of a lever & pivoted to the slide q' forcing it against a lever 63 pivoted
to the framework, and causing the upper end of this lever 63 to strike
the tail of the pawl 41 and throw it into contact with the teeth of the
slide D'; the lever s¹ is kept from being thrown out of its proper position
by a pin 64 projecting from the slide q. It will thus be seen that
each revolution of the driving shaft B through the connections described
will cause the slide D' to be raised a distance equal to that between the
teeth or notches on its side until the projection 48 has tripped the
latch when the slide will descend as above described, the distanco
which it falls being regulated by the height of the slide q¹, and thus
when it is desired to submit the nail a less number of times to the

page_text: action of the hammers, the slide q' is raised and held at the required
point by the pawl, thus requiring a less number of revolutions of the
shaft B to bring the projection 48 into contact with the pin n¹ to trip
the latch f¹, and it will be seen that when it is desired to diminish or
increase the number of blows, it is merely necessary to raise or lower
the slide q' without stopping the machine. This arrangement is of great
utility as it avoids the delay heretofore occasioned in stopping the
machine for the purpose of removing toothed wheels or pulleys and
substituting others of a different size in order to vary the number of
blows. G¹ is the furnace in which the nail rod is heated previous
to its being fed into the machine, an aperture being made at cach
end for it to pass through. This furnace is attached to a frame H
(which is secured to the framework A), and is placed close to the
feeding devices so that the nail rod will be delivered to the hammers
before becoming cooled. The said feeding device consists of two
horizontal shafts a, b, which run in bearings sliding within the
frame H', the shafts being kept apart by means of a spring, and their
distance from each other being regulated by set screws c³. Each of these
shafts carries at one end a toothed wheel d' (Figure 9), by which the
motion of the lower one is communicated to the other, and at their
opposite ends they carry the toothed or fluted feed wheels or rolls e³ by
which the nail rod is seized and carried into the machine. The teeth
on the wheels e slightly indent the heated rod and prevent all liability
of slip, whereby the certainty of feeding in the same length of rod each
time is insured, and it will be seen that the heated rod is cooled less by
the contact of the points of the teeth than if smooth rolls were employed,
as with the latter a larger surface must necessarily be in contact with the
heated iron; the teeth on the wheels e³ also assist in holding the rod
firmly while being operated upon by the hammers. The lower shaft 6"
is revolved intermittingly, so as to produce the feed at the required times,
by means of a ratchet wheel f3 which is operated by a pawl g' pivoted
to an arm h³ which turns loosely on the shaft 63 and has pivoted to its
lower end a connecting rod I. The opposite end of this rod is attached
to an arm J' on the outer end of the rock shaft T, which thus gives motion
to the feeding device at the required times. Any other suitable auto-
matic feeding device may be employed in connection with the above-
described machine, or the nail rod may be fed into the said machine by
hand if preferred.
In Figure 10 is represented a modification of that portion of my

page_text: too far, and as
being raised it
be raised more
Invention which relates to the device for raising the slide that releases
the mechanism for regulating the action of the hammers and cutters,
which I will now describe. A' is the drop or slide which moves ver-
tically on a dovetailed guide a secured to the frame of the machine, and
is furnished on one side with teeth ; an arm or dog B is pivoted
at to a lever C which is vibrated by the cam D on the driving
shaft B, and thus as this cam is revolved the point 70 of the arm B is
carried forward so as to enter one of the teeth 63; as the arm moves
toward the slide an incline 71 on its lower side comes into contact with
a projection d' on the framework which raises the point 70, and with
it the slide A as required, the latter being supported after it is raised
by a projection or pawl e³ on a lever E2 pivoted at 72 to the framework,
and kept in the required position by a spring 73. A stop f³ is placed
above the arm B³ so as to prevent its being thrown up
the point 70 is between two teeth while the slide A³ is
acts as a stop, and renders it impossible for the slide to
than the distance between two teeth at each revolution of the cam D²;
as the slide A2 is raised a bevelled projection 74 on one side strikes
against a similar projection on the lever G forcing it outward against
the resistance of a spring 75, and releasing the extremity 76 of a
lever H which catches under it. The lever H is keyed to a short
shaft which passes through the framework, and is keyed to the
lever B at the point 31, see Figure 4. In this case the latch f¹ will be
dispensed with, its place being supplied by the end of the lever G
catching over the end of the lever H; as soon as the lever H² is released
the lever B¹ drops down upon the cam 37 (Figure 4) and the operation
continues, as herein-before described. As the end of the lever B¹ drops
the outer end 76 of the lever H³ is raised, causing a pin 77 to press
against the lever E' and withdraw the pawl es from the teeth 6, (the
point 70 of the arm B having been previously withdrawn by the
spring 78,) when the slide A' will descend by its own weight until its
strikes the adjustable slide or stop I³, which serves the same purpose as
the slide q before described. The raising of the end of the lever B' by
the cam 37 (Figure 4) before described depresses the end of the lever H*
causing it to catch under the end of the lever G, the pin 77 being at the
same time carried down so as to allow the pawl e³ to engage with the
teeth, when the operation of raising the slide A³ continues as before.
In Figure 11 is represented a modification of that portion of my

page_text: Invention which relates to the device for vibrating one pair of the
hammers and the cutters to one side in a plane at right angles to
that wherein they operate, which will now be described. J³ represents
the hammer frame, which is supported upon pivots, as before described;
from the rear of this frame J projects a bent arm K³, from which rises a
pin ; this pin works in the curved groove 79 of a cam L' of the form
seen in the Drawing, which is secured to the rock shaft M², corre-
sponding to the shaft T in the other Figures. Thus as this shaft is
rocked in the manner previously described, the arm K is vibrated so
as to give the required motions to the frame J with its hammers and
cutters.
In Figures 12 and 13 is represented a spring for actuating the
hammers, differing in construction from those i shown in Figures 1, 3,
and 5. N, O, are the hammers, to one of which a rod is hooked or
otherwise attached, the opposite end of the rod being secured at 80 to a
spring P of the form shown in Figure 13. This spring P2 is coiled
loosely one or more times around a bolt or roll Q³, secured to an arm R
projecting out from the framework, its ends 81 passing through a
"set plate" ", which may be set up to tighten the spring by the
screws. By this means more or less tension may be put upon the
spring, and the force with which the hammers strike thus regulated as
desired. Any suitable springs, however, other than those above described
may be used if preferred.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim só
arranging the hammers and connecting them together in pairs by
mechanism, substantially as described, that one hammer of a pair will
give motion to the other and regulate its throw, causing both to strike
the iron simultaneously.
I also claim vibrating one pair of the hammers automatically (in a
planc at right angles or nearly so to that in which they strike their
blows) away from the nail rod, so as to allow the cutters to be brought
up to sever the nail.
I also claim the hammers F, G, or equivalent devices, in combination
with the intermitingly vibrating frame E to which they are pivoted.
I also claim vibrating the cutters into the line or planc in which they

page_text: are to operate to sever the nail from the rod by mechanism, substantially
as described.
I also claim mechanism for changing, at the will of the operator,
the automatic action of the machine while it is in motion, thereby
5 increasing or diminishing the number of blows to which the nail is
subjected, substantially as set forth.
I also claim the severing cutters in combination with a mechanism,
substantially as described, for regulating the number of blows given by
the hammers during the time the cutters are kept out of action.
I also claim throwing the pawls 41 and 45 in and out of action
automatically by means of mechanism, substantially as described.
I also claim the stops Y, d', or their equivalents, for arresting the
hammers and holding them apart while the nail is being cut off,
substantially as described.
I also claim arranging the connecting parts of one pair of hammers
between the opposite pair of hammers, substantially as described
I also claim in combination with the hammers F, G, H, I, the con-
necting pins e, h, constructed with flat bearing surfaces, and operating
substantially as described.
I also claim the severing cutters in combination with the rod C¹,
or equivalent devices, provided with a notch 35 so arranged that it
will engage with and be disengaged from the pin h¹ on the arm i¹
automatically at the required times.
I also claim the lever B¹ or equivalent device, with its notched rod C³,
in combination with the arm i¹ with its pin h', or equivalent device,
spring latch f¹, or equivalent device, and the cam 37 on the driving
shaft B, operating substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
I also claim the combination of the slide D' with its retaining
pawl 45, toothed plate m³, lever E' with its pawl 41 operated by the
cam, the adjustable slide q' with its pawl r¹ and lever s¹, and the
lever 63, operating substantially as described.
I also claim the slide o' with its pin 57, or equivalent device, in
combination with the slide D' and the lever E', with its pawl 41,
operating substantially as set forth.
I also claim the combination of the slide V with its projection a', the

page_text: notched piece 6', and the hammer frame E, operating substantially as
and for the purpose described.
I also claim the rolls e actuated by feed mechanism, substantially as
described, and so operated that the time of the feed will conform to
the action of the hammers, substantially as described.
I also claim the combination of the hammers F, G, H, I, mechanism
for cutting off the nail, feed rolls &², and furnace G', substantially as
described for the purpose set forth.
I also claim the device represented in Figure 10, or its equivalent,
for operating the drop or slide A2, and setting in motion the mechanism
which regulates the action of the hammers and cutters, substantially
as described.
I also claim the device represented in Figure 11, or its equivalent, for
vibrating the hammer frame with its hammers and cutters, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
I also claim the spring P2 with its set plate ³ in combination with the
hammers N, O, operating substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE.
(L.S.)
Witness,
Tuo. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.