AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SMOKING PIES TH PADED
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Burlock De Forest, of Birmingham,
Connecticut, United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton.
Buildings, London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
SMOKING PIES TH PADED "

page_text: Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that I am the true and first Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Burlock De Forest, 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 Drawings forming
a part of this Specification :-
My said Invention relates to a machine for sticking or inserting pins
in uniform rows in strips or sheets of paper. The said machine is
automatic in all its operations, and effects the insertion of the rows of
pins in the paper strips in a more expeditious and economical manner
than has heretofore been found practicable.
The said machine has the following contrivances and combinations of
mechanism, viz.:-A travelling feed apron on which the pins are
deposited in a heap is placed above a rotating cylinder whose axis is
horizontal, and into which the pins are dropped by the said feed apron.
This cylinder carries the pins upward as it rotates, and deposits them
upon an inclined platform or shoot which receives the pins as they drop
from the said cylinder, and conducts them to a chain conductor of
peculiar construction extending through the said cylinder. This con-
ductor as it receives the pins arranges them in rows of the required
length and in the proper position to be inserted in the paper. It has an
intermittent motion for carrying the pins to the inserting mechanism.
The latter is so arranged in combination with the said chain conductor,
and with mechanism for feeding and crimping the paper that as each
row of pins is brought forward by the chain, the said row is properly
inserted into the paper. The latter is taken in a continuous strip from a
reel or coil, and as the rows of pins are inserted therein, it is drawn away
from the sticking mechanism and delivered from the machine.
Figure 1 is a plan of the top of my improved machine; Figure 2 is an
elevation of one side; and Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of
the said machine; Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 35

page_text: x, x, Figure 2; Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line y, y,
Figure 2; Figure 6 is an end elevation drawn to an enlarged scale with
portions of the machine removed; Figures 6 and 6 show details of the
mechanism represented in Figure 6; Figures 7 and 8 show portions of the
aforesaid chain conductor detached; Figures 6b, 7, and 8 are drawn full
size. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a is a table or stand of cast iron or other suitable material, upon which
are properly secured the whole of the working parts of the said machine;
b is the main or driving shaft to which motion is communicated through
a suitable belt passed over the pulley b¹. This pulley runs loose on the
said shaft, and is provided with a clutch whereby it is made to engage
with the pulley 6 which is fast on the said shaft; 6³ is a lever whereby
the said clutch is connected and disconnected. Over the pulley b³ I pass
the belt 6 which imparts the required motion to the rotating cylinder c.
This cylinder is made of cast iron or other suitable metal, and is
supported to turn freely upon antifriction rollers c¹ whose journals are
secured to the brackets a² fixed on the top of the table a. The inner
surface of the said cylinder is preferably provided with shelves or ribs c²;
d is the inclined shelf or platform which is supported by the bracket a¹,
and projects therefrom inside the cylinder, as shown in Figure 4; e is the
travelling feed apron which is carried by the rollers e¹, e³. The said
rollers are supported in bearings attached to the side pieces a³ at the top
of the brackets a³, and the roll e¹ receives rotary motion from the
shaft through the pawl and ratchet e³, e. The shaft f is driven
through the belt f¹ by the cylinder c. The said shaft also by means of
the belt f* drives the fluted or ribbed roller g which extends through
the cylinder and rotates in bearings g³ at the ends of the same; e³ is a
shoot or spout which extends down from the end of the feed apron e and
projects inside the cylinder, as shown. The pins are placed in a heap
upon the travelling apron e which carries them very slowly to the
shoot e, and as they pass over the roller e¹ they fall down the said
shoot into the cylinder c. The latter revolves in the direction of the
arrow 1, Figure 4, and the pins are carried up by the shelves or ribs cs
and deposited on the inclined shelf or platform d down which they slide
to the chain feeder or conductor h. If desired the cylinder may be made
without the said ribs, but in that case it must be driven at such a
speed that the pins will be carried by the friction of its surface to the
platform d. The feeder or conductor / whose purpose
is to carry thio pins

page_text: to the sticking or inserting mechanism is constructed of jointed links or
bars h¹. The construction of these links or bars is most clearly shown in
Figures 7 and 8, Figure 7 being a side view of one of the said bars, and
Figure 8 a transverse section of the same and its supporting guides.
The said links have on the upper edge a flange h² in which are formed
notches h³ for the reception of the pins. It will be seen that these
notches are all at uniform distances apart, and all of the links are of the
same length; therefore the pins when inserted in these notches are in
the proper position to be transferred to the paper. The straight bars h
guide and support the said chain as it passes from the cylinder, while
the ends are supported upon the curved pieces h³, h*, and grooved
and
pulley h; the said bars and pieces are firmly secured to the table
the pulley is fitted to turn freely in the bearings a* attached to the
brackets a¹. h* is a strip of wood or other material for supporting
the chain below the table; h is a thin bar carried by the springs h³;
the extremity hº of this bar is pointed and serves to prevent the retention
of more than one pin in each notch as the links h¹ leave the cylinder;
the said bar moreover forms a guide for keeping the pins in place in the
links as they move forward.
a,
It will be seen that the upper part of this chain feeder passes through
the cylinder at the foot of the inclined shelf d, and between the same
and the roller g. The pins descending the said shelf are caught by the
said chain and drop into the notches in which they are suspended by
their heads, as shewn; the proper filling up of the holes with the pins is
facilitated by the action of the roller g which prevents their lying in an
inert and dense mass upon the chain. The said chain moves in the
direction of the arrow 2, Figures 2 and 3, its motion being intermittent
but always forward. The motion is necessarily intermittent as each
link or bar when it arrives at the stitching mechanism has to remain
stationary while the pins therein are transferred to the paper.
The required movement of the chain is effected by the cam i through
the lever, slide bar 22, and pawl . The said cam is fixed on the main
shaft b, and gives to the said lever a vibratory movement on its fulcrum **
The return of
which is fixed in a convenient part of the table or stand a.
the lever after each action of the cam is effected by the springs & secured
to the said lever and the stand a; or I may use a weight instead of these
springs. The end of the pawl drops between the links, and at each
forward motion of the lever moves the chain h a distance equal to the

page_text: length of one link of the said chain. The lever is then returned by
the springs as the cam leaves it, and during the return of the said lever
the chain is held immoveably by the stop; whose lever 1 is pivotted
at; this stop during the return movement of the lever lies between
the links ¹, but as the lever commences its forward movement a
stud ** on the said lever acting on the inclined end of the lever, raises
the stop from the chain, which is then free to move forward; k is a
revolving wiper or cleaner which removes any loose pins that may
adhere to or rest upon the chain as the same leaves the cylinder. The
said wiper is driven by the shaft f through the belt ¹ and pulleys k².
Instead of the chain h I might use any other conductor or feeder
suitably formed to receive and hold the pins moved intermittently but
always in a forward direction, as above set forth.
I will now describe the inserting or sticking mechanism which is
clearly shown in Figures 2, 3, 6, 6*, and 6°. A vertical slide / provided
with a crimping jaw and operating in combination with a steadying
plate is fitted to move in the guideways & which are firmly secured
upon the table a; the crimping jaw has notches corresponding with
those in the chain links h². The said crimping jaw works on a fulcrum ³
on the slide 1. The steadying plate is attached to the double spring
arms which are secured to the bars ♬ projecting down from the
vertical guide ways . At the top of these guide ways is secured
the pressure bar or plate 18. The said vertical slide is moved up and
down by the crank m fixed on the end of the main shaft b, and con-
nected to the said slide by the rod m². The periphery of this crank m
also forms a cam for operating the aforesaid crimping jaw and steadying
plate, for which purpose a lever is extended down from the jaw / to the
said cam.
The jaw is closed by the said cam and opened, by the
spring . As the slide / moves up studs to on the sides of the jaw act on
inclined pieces on the arms of the steadying plate and thereby close
the said plate, the same being opened as the slide descends by the
spring . At the sides of the said arms are spring friction guides 7¹³ for
the said steadying plate. The upper edge of the slide has a bevilled
piece 7, see Figures 6', which is arranged to act on the lower edge of the
bar h, and force the same with the chain h laterally away from the
slide 2. The object of this contrivance is the freeing of the pins after
their points have entered the paper from the notches in the links h³;
1¹³ is a spring for returning the chain as the slide descends.

page_text: The strip of paper which is indicated by the dotted line n is taken
from the coil and passes inside the jaw A, as shown.
As each link h¹ comes under the pressure bar & the chain remains
motionless, while the crimping jaw and steadying plate are closed,
the jaw folding or crimping the paper, and the plate & closing against
the link to keep the pins steady while the slide a rises, pressing the
folded or crimped portion of the paper against the pins; the latter
whose heads rest against the pressure plate are thereby supported
against the upward thrust of the slide and are forced into the paper.
The slide then descends, the jaw and steadying plate open, the paper is
fed forward and the above operations are repeated to insert the next
row of pins therein.
The coil of paper is carried on the spindle o supported in the arms p,
and passes under the small flanged guide roll q to the sticking mechanism.
To this roll are connected the weighted straps or bands q¹ which keep the
paper in a compact condition as it is uncoiled; r is a lever whose ex-
tremity is guided in the slot p¹, and rests upon the paper. The
fulcrum of this lever is at r¹, and its other end is connected to the lever s
whose fulcrum is at 8'. This levers is arranged to act upon a pin t
which passes through the fixed pulley 6%. When the paper is all drawn
from the coil, the end of the lever » being no longer supported, drops and
puts the lever s in position to act on the pin t, which being brought in
contact with an incline on the said lever by the rotation of the pulley b³
is thrust out by the lever and pushes the loose pulley b¹ out of gear,
thereby stopping the machine. A fresh coil of paper is then put in and
the above operations are repeated.
8
As each row of pins is inserted in the paper the same is drawn down by
the delivery rolls u, u¹. The said rolls are covered with leather or other
soft material, so that the pins are not injured or displaced in passing
between them. They are carried in the arms u² attached to the slide 1.
The roll u¹ has a ratchet u³ which at each stroke of the slide 7 is actuated
by the pawl u' attached to the table a, and by this contrivance the said
roll is turned with an intermittent motion timed to correspond with the
motion of the chain feeder. The paper filled with pins passes between
these rolls away from the machine, and will be found to have the pins
inserted in uniform rows and in a perfect condition.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of

page_text: Tenth. The contrivances for automatically stopping the machine when
the strip of paper has been all taken from the coil, operating as herein
set forth.
Eleventh. The feed apron, the rotating cylinder, the chain feeder or
conductor, the inserting mechanism, and paper feeding and discharging
mechanism, constructed, combined, and operating together, and with the
contrivances for imparting to them the required movements, as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Burlock De Forest, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
W. ROBT. LAKE.
THO³. B. DE FOREST. (L.s.)

page_text: performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim in a machine for
inserting or sticking pins in paper,―
First. The rotating cylinder with or without the internal longitudinal
ribs, and arranged in combination with the feed apron or other means for
maintaining a continuous supply of pins, and with the inclined platform
or shelf and fluted roller or other suitable contrivances for depositing the
pins properly upon the chain feeder or other conductor, as herein set
forth.
Second. A conductor for receiving the pins from the cylinder and
holding them in the proper position to be transferred to the paper, and
moving towards the inserting or sticking mechanism intermittently but
always forwardly, for the purpose specified.
Third. The chain feeder' or conductor consisting of jointed bars formed
with notches to receive and hold the pins in the proper position to be
transferred directly therefrom to the paper, operating with an intermittent
but always forward movement, and arranged in combination with suitable
guides and supports, as above set forth.
Fourth. The cam lever, slide bar and pawl operating in combination
with the aforesaid chain feeder, and either with or without the stop or
locking pawl, as herein specified.
Fifth. The wiper or cleaner operating in combination with the said
feeder, as herein set forth for the purposes specified.
Sixth. The bar with its pointed end arranged in combination with
the said feeder, as herein set forth for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The inserting or sticking mechanism constructed and
operating in combination with the aforesaid chain feeder or other
suitable conductor, as herein set forth.
Eighth. The contrivance herein described, or other suitable contrivance
operating in combination with the slide of the inserting mechanism and
the chain feeder, for moving the said feeder with its supporting bar
laterally away from the slide to free the pins from the chain when their
points have been forced into the paper by the inserting mechanism.
Ninth. In combination with the said inserting mechanism the
contrivances for supporting the paper, and conducting the same to and
away from the said inserting mechanism, as herein set forth.