CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING OR MANUFACTURING SCREWS
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Newton, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege, and
authority, that I, the said William Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said William Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, an Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING OR MANUFACTURING SCREWS," being a
communication from a foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said William Newton, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after

page_text: the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
These improvements in machinery or apparatus for making or manufacturing
screws apply principally to that class or description of machinery for making
metal screws commonly called "wood screws," and consist in improved con-
structions and arrangements of machinery containing certain novel mechanical
agents adapted to perform,-
Firstly, the several offices of feeding metal wire or rods into the machine,
cutting off portions of the wire in suitable lengths for the screw shafts or
blanks, and giving the form of a head to each shaft by means of dies.
Secondly, in conducting such headed shanks or blanks from a hopper, and
guiding them severally into a groove or recess, where they will arrange them-
selves in consecutive order, and be fed in, that is, carried forward through the
subsequent machines, for the purpose of being trimmed or turned smooth,
their heads nicked or notched, and the thread or worm cut upon each shaft.
Thirdly, the mechanism for turning smooth the shaft and head of each
screw blank.
Fourthly, the apparatus for receiving and holding the shaft, whilst its head
is nicked or notched by a rotary circular saw.
And fifthly, the peculiar construction and mode of adapting a cutting wheel
or rotatory tool for the purpose of forming the thread upon the shaft, and the
apparatus for holding and giving rotatory motion to the shaft during the
operation.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 represents an elevation of one
side of the machine for forming and heading the screw blanks, the fly
wheel which regulates the movements of the several parts being in this
Figure removed; Fig. 2 is a horizontal view of the same machine as seen
from above; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken longitudinally through the
machine in the direction of the dotted line a, b, in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4
is also a vertical section taken transversely through the machine in the
direction of the dotted line c, d, in Fig. 2, similar letters of reference
pointing out the same parts of the machine in all these Figures. This
machine is mounted upon suitable framework and standards to support the

page_text: several axles, the fulcrums of levers, and the sliding or moving parts. A
length of wire or rod a, a, is fed into the machine, it may be of wire, from a
hank or coil placed at the side, whence it proceeds between rollers b, b, which
draw the wire forward, and c, c, c, are other rollers which straighten it as it
advances. The end of the wire is protruded through an aperture in the frame
and through the open dies d, d, and it is in that situation afterwards held
firmly by the closing of the dies. By a lateral movement of the dies tho
piece of wire so held is cut off at the proper length for forming one shaft or
screw blank, the back of the dies having a cutting edge which is brought
against a stationary piece fixed in the framework forming the outer edge of
the cutter. The position of the screw blank held in the dies being now
opposite to the punch g, is favorable for the operation of heading, and the
punch being made to approach the protruded end of the wire shaft, crushes or
compresses the end of the wire into a recess in the dies, and thereby forms the
head. The construction of these several parts and their mode of working will
be understood by reference to the Drawings, assisted by the following
description.
A, A, A, is the main shaft or rotatory axle on which the several wheels and
cams are fixed for working the operating parts of the machine. This axle is
driven by a band and rigger seen in Fig. 2, the rotary action of which is
governed by the fly wheel; upon this shaft a cam B is fixed, best seen in
Fig. 1, in which an excentric groove is formed, as represented by dots. A
sliding bar C, C, has a roller at one end working in the groove of the cam B,
and the reverse end of this sliding bar is jointed to one arm of a lever D, D,
which vibrates loosely upon a small shaft E. To the upper end of the lever
D spring clicks d, d, d, are attached, see Fig. 2, which take into the teeth.
of a ratchet wheel F, fixed on the small shaft E. On this small shaft also tho
lower one of the drawing rollers bis fixed, the axle of the upper drawing
roller 6 being mounted in bearings in the frame, and their peripheries aro
pressed together by tightening screws at top. There is a notched groove in
the periphery of each of the drawing or feeding-in rollers, for the purpose of
holding fast the wire a, passed between them, which is advanced by the rotary
action of the wheels and shaft E, F, b. It will now be perceived that on the
main shaft A and the cam B revolving, the roller at the end of the sliding
bar c acting in the excentric groove of the cam will cause the bar c to slide
to and fro in its staple or bearing e, and thence to produce a vibratory action
to the lever D. The clicks d, d, d, by these means will give a small rotary“
movement to the ratchet wheel every time that the lever ḍ moves forward,
which movement being communicated through the shaft E to the lower roller

page_text: b, will advance the wire a forward at intervals sufficient distance to form the
lengths of the several screw blanks. The wire being thus brought forward,
and its end protruded through the dies d, d, a grooved cam G, (see Fig. 2,.)
fixed on the main shaft as it revolves, acts upon the end of the bent arm of a
lever H, H, see Fig. 3; the reverse end of which lever is connected by the
piece I to the infinite levers or knee joint levers K, K, seen in Figures 2
and 4. By the descent of the end of the lever H and the piece I, the
infinite levers K are brought down nearly into a straight line, which causes
the moveable side of the die d to be pressed up against the stationary side of
the die, and the wire to be held firmly between them. In order now to cut
off the length of the wire so held in the dies, the frame L, L, in which the
dies are mounted is slidden laterally by a similar contrivance, (viz¹) by the
straightening of the infinite levers M, M, connected to a lever N, which is
worked by a grooved cam O, likewise fixed on the main shaft A. This lateral
movement of the frame L and dies d, d, forces the wire a against the sharp
edge of a fixed cutter f, and thereby separates the portion of wire held in the
dies d, d, (which is to form the screw blank) from the continuous length of wire
behind it. This sliding movement of the dies has now brought the end of the
screw blank exactly opposite to the punch g, which must be advanced for the
purpose of crushing the end of the piece of wire or screw blank into the recess
in the dies, and thereby forming the head of the screw. This is effected by
the action of another pair of infinite levers shewn at P, P, in Figures 2
and 3. One of these levers is connected with the sliding punch g, the
other is jointed to a stationary bearing h, and the junction of the two levers
or the knee joint is connected to a strap lever z. From the lower part of
this strap lever on its sides two rollers or studs i, i, extend, which work
in the two grooved cams Y, Y, as shewn in Fig. 3, and are also seen in
the end elevation Fig. 5. Upon the main shaft, between the two last-
mentioned cams, a tooth or cam X is likewise fixed, which as the shaft
goes round at the proper time, comes into contact with the under edge of
the strap piece z, and raises it, and thereby brings the infinite levers P, P,
into a straight line, and as the tooth ✗ passes the perpendicular point
of its rotation, it forms with the strap piece z another infinite lever, assist-
ing to drive the punch forward and to give the required force for crushing
the end of the screw blank into the recess of the dies, and forming the
head. When the tooth X has passed the perpendicular, and released itsel
from the strap piece, that lever is allowed to fall, and with it the joint
of the levers P, P, descend, which draws back the punch and allows the
headed screw blank (the dies being then open) to be pushed out of the

page_text: dies, by the wire, coming forward to form the next screw; but as this
descent of the strap lever z, and the joint of the levers P, P, may not be
always effected by their gravity alone, an arm Q is attached to the strap
piece z, which extends downwards; a long slot in the arm Q allows an
auxiliary shaft R to pass through it, and upon this shaft as a guide the arm
Qslides up and down. This auxiliary shaft R turns in bearings in the side
frames, see Fig. 5, and receives rotary motion through a toothed wheel S
fixed upon it, which takes into a similar wheel T upon the main shaft. Upon
this auxiliary shaft R a tappet or wiper U is fixed, which, as it revolves,
strikes against a tail piece V at the bottom of the arm Q, and thereby draws
down the arm and with it the joint of the infinite levers P, P.
Having now shewn the method of forming and heading screw blanks in
this improved machine; I proceed to describe the means by which these headed
screw blanks are conducted from a promiscuous heap in a hopper and brought
in consecutive succession to be operated upon by the other machines, for
turning, nicking, and threading them. Fig. 6 is an elevation of a machine
in which the headed. screw. blanks are placed in a hopper, and are severally
discharged from thence into a groove or passage below, and conducted in con-
secutive order into certain holders, for the purpose of receiving the subsequent
operations. Fig. 7 is an elevation. of the same machine, taken partly in
section, and in a transverse direction to the preceding. Fig. 8 is a hori-
zontal view of the same machine; as seen from above, but from which the
hopper is removed. This machine also contains the parts for trimming or
turning the shafts and heads of the screw blanks, in order to render them true;
similar letters of reference point out the same parts of the machine in these
several Figures. A is a hopper placed above the machine, and supported upon
brackets extending from the framework. Into this hopper the screw blanks
are thrown in a promiscuous heap. The lower part of the hopper being open,
the screw blanks fall on to the periphery of two drums B, B, (with which the
hopper is nearly in contact), and slide down into the contracted space between
the two drums, as may be seen in the detached views and sections of the
drums and the hoppers, shewn at Figs. 9 and 9*. In this contracted passage
two thin strips of plate metal a, a, are placed horizontally, forming a narrow
groove or guide between them, into which the shafts of the screw blanks fall,
and hang down, the under sides of their heads resting upon the edges of the
plates, as shewn in Figs. 7 and 9. Such, however, of the screw blanks as do
not come down perpendicularly, are prevented by the breadth of their heads
from falling into the groove and lay crosswise upon the top edge of the guide
plates a, a. In order, therefore, to bring them all into perpendicular positions,

page_text: spring lifters b, b, connected to the drums are at the proper times projected
into the contracted passage under the hopper and above the guide groove, and
as the drums revolve, these lifters raise up the screw blanks which have not
placed themselves into the groove, holding them by the under parts of their
heads and then let them fall, in order that they may pass perpendicularly into
the groove. The rotary motion of the drums is effected by a train of toothed
gear, actuated from any of the rotary parts of the machine, and the drums are
made to revolve together, very slowly, but simultaneously, by a rim of teeth on
their edges, which take into each other. The means by which the spring
lifters b, b, are made to act at the proper periods, will be understood by
examining their constructions, and the forms of the cam rings c, c, shewn best
in Fig. 9, but also represented in their proper situations in Figs. 6 and 8.
The spring lifters b are straight rods placed in longitudinal ranges within the
drums, standing in nearly radial positions; they are supported by brackets d,
in which they slide, and their outer ends are flattened, and protruded through
narrow openings in the periphery of the drums, having helical springs to pro-
ject them outward. The hinder parts of each of the rods are confined by
bosses or heads bearing against the backs of bars e, which bars carry small
rollers at their ends, and these rollers, as the drum goes round, act against
the internal periphery of stationary cam rings c, c, affixed to the framework.
These cam rings will be best scen in Fig 9. The greater portion of the
internal periphery of each of the fixed cam rings is circular, and stands con-
centric with the axis of the drum, but it will be seen that a part of the ring
has an enlarged diameter. When the roller e is running round the circular
or smaller radius of the ring, the sliding rods b, b, are kept back, but when the
roller comes to the enlarged part of the diameter of the ring, the force of the
springs project the sliding rods through the opening in the drum, which takes
place as the drum revolves at the instant that the opening in the drum has
passed above the edge of the guide plates or groove a, a. The thin flattened
ends of the sliding bars b, in both drums, are thus at the same time brought
under the hopper against all the screw blanks which have not fallen into the
groove a, a, and as the drums proceed in their rotary progress the series of
bars or risers b, b, lift the screw blanks up a little distance, and when the
smaller radius of the rings acting upon the rollers draw the sliding bars b
back again the screw blank is let fall, and many of them drop perpendicularly
into the grooves a, a, below. The groove or guide passage a, a, with the
screws in it, is represented in Fig. 7, where it will be seen that the thin strips
or plates which form the groove are curved downwards, for the purpose of lead-
ing the screws in consecutive succession into a situation to be taken hold of

page_text: by other apparatus, for submitting to the subsequent operations. It remains
only to say, in reference to the mode of conducting the screw blanks from the
hopper through the groove or guide passage, that when they are placed in the
groove under the hopper by the means above described, they are to be driven
laterally from under the hopper into the curved part of the grooved passage
shewn in Fig. 7, which is effected by the following means:-A sliding rod f
and tooth 9, seen in Fig. 7, is placed at the end of the groove, which being
moved onward, drives all the screw blanks before it from that part of the
groove which is beneath the hopper into the curved passage, leaving the
groove under the hopper, after its return, free to receive a fresh supply. The
movements of the sliding rod f. and tooth 9 are effected by a lever h, seen in
Fig. 8, which is connected to the slider rod f at its outer end; this rod is
forced inward. at intervals by a spring i, the movements of the lever being
regulated by a bolt k, connected to it, the end of which bolt works against a
face cam on the edge of the rotary drum. The mode of conducting the headed
screw blanks from the hopper, and passing them in consecutive succession
through a grooved passage having been explained, I proceed to shew the
means by which the shafts of the screw blanks are severally taken into holders
and trimmed or turned, as in a lathe, for the purpose of rendering the upper
parts of the shafts and the heads smooth and regular in their form. In the
machine last described, and shewn at Figs. 6, 7, and 8, the feeding, holding,
and turning apparatus are adapted, the forms of the different parts of the
framework, its brackets or supports, the several axles, wheels, cams, levers,
and springs, are shewn in their proper situations. I will therefore proceed to
describe, in reference to this machine, the manner in which the screw blanks
are taken from the lower end of the curved groove a; on the side of the
frame a bracket j supports a sliding piece 1, the inner extremity of which
slider is formed like a spoon, having a recess m for the reception of the screw
blank, as shewn in the vertical section, Fig. 7, and also in the horizontal sec-
tion of the holding and turning part of the machine, at Fig. 10. It may,
however, be necessary here to state the means by which the principal operating
parts of the machine are actuated before I proceed to their details. Upon the
axle C the rigger is fixed, by which rotary motion is given through a strap
from any first mover; this axle also carries a fixed pulley wheel D; from
whence an endless band is passed to a small pulley E, fixed upon a shaft F.at
the opposite end of the machine; on this same shaft F a larger pulley G is
also fixed, from which an endless band is carried over a pulley H (shewn by
dots in Figures 6 and 8) upon the hollow axle I, (see Fig. 7,) which axle
carries the die box K that holds the screw blank and turns it round, as in the

page_text: chuck of a lathe; a small pinion L, at the end of the axle C, takes into a
toothed wheel M on the cam axle N; and a pinion O on this axle drives the
two coupling wheels P, P, which gives rotary motion to the drums B, B, as
above described; the similar letters referring to the same parts in these last-
mentioned Figures. The spoon end m of the slider 1, in the first instance,
lies immediately under the discharging aperture of the groove a, and
therefore as the screw blanks descend, they severally come into this spoon-
formed receptacle, as seen in Fig. 7. In order to carry the screw blanks
to the holders in the die box K, K, the sliding piece must be moved
forward; this is done by a horizontal lever n, (see Fig. 8,) which is
moved by the rotation of a cam wheel o, at the end of the axle N.
The sliding piece and spoon m, with its spring holder o, thus brings the
screw blank forward, and inserts its end into the open dies in the box K, on
the hollow shaft I; when this has been done, a cam wheel Q on the shaft
N gives a lateral movement to a lever R, which shifts a clutch box S on the
hollow axle I, and causes the jointed pieces or infinite levers p, p, in the die
box to expand, and force the dies q, q, into close contact with the screw shaft,
as seen in Fig. 10; and as this hollow shaft is made to revolve continually
by the band and pulleys G and H above described, the screw shaft now
receives a rapid rotary motion, as if fixed in the chuck of a lathe. A vertical
bar T having countersunk file edges is now made to rise, in order to act
against the face, edge, and back of the head and upper part of the shaft of
the screw blank, as it revolves in the chuck; this file bar T, (seen in Fig. 6,)
slides vertically in sockets r, r, and it connected at bottom to a jointed lever
V, V, V, the fulcrum of which lever is a stud set in the side frame at s. On
the shaft N a snail cam Ụ is fixed, which acts against the bent extremity of the
lever V; consequently as the snail cam goes round the opposite ends of the
jointed levers will rise and fall, and thereby move the file bar T vertically up
and down, and cause the irregularities of the shaft and head of the screw blank
as it rotates against the passing file to be cut or filed off. The movements of
the machine, which may be traced by the Drawings, having caused the file
bar to descend, and the sliding bar to retire, the spoon m being then in a
'situation to receive another screw blank, it is necessary to discharge from the
chuck that one which has been turned; this is done by the clutch S having
retired and opened the dies of the box K, when a sliding rod t in the hollow
axle I is protruded forward for the purpose of projecting the screw blank out
of the chuck. Upon the axle N there is a cam wheel W, in the groove of
which the end of a lever X works; this lever turns upon a fulcrum pin u,
and the reverse end of the lever is attached by a clutch to the end of the

page_text: goes
round,
sliding rod t; hence it will be perceived that, as the cam wheel W
the rod t will be projected, and the screw blank discharged at the proper time.
The machine in which the heads of the screw blanks are to receive the cuts or
:icks is represented in the two side elevations, Fig 11 and 12, and in the
horizontal view, as seen from above, at Fig. 13. The headed and turned
screw blanks from the last-described machine are thrown into a hopper A,
whence they fall upon the peripheries of the drums B, B, and are discharged
therefrom, and conducted through a curved channel in the way and by the
same means and construction of apparatus as that described above.
In reference to the second of these improvements, Fig. 14 represents a
detached portion of the machine upon an enlarged scale, consisting of a part
of the groove or channel a, a, in which the screw blanks are brought forward,
and of the notched wheel in which they are held whilst under the operation
of nicking. The position of these parts in the machine will be seen by reference
to Fig. 13, and the similar letters of reference point out the same parts in the
four last-described Figures. C is the first axle driven by a band and rigger;
upon this shaft there is a pulley D, carrying a band which drives the axle E;
on the axle E there is a pinion, taking into the teeth of the drum wheel B,
by which means the screw blanks are delivered from the hopper A, and con-
ducted into the groove or guide a, a, as before described. At the end of the
axle of the drum, there is a pinion F taking into a wheel G upon the axle H,
and upon this axle H there is also a pinion I, which drives a wheel K on the
axle of the notched wheel L, that receives and holds the screw blanks whilst
under the operation of notching or nicking. The first-mentioned axle C has
affixed, upon it a large pulley M, carrying a band that drives the pulley N on
the axle O, and this axle also carries a circular saw or cutter P, by the rotary
action of which the nicks or notches in the screw heads are cut; rotary motion,
therefore, being given to the shaft C, all the evolutions of the machine are
performed as follows:-The screw blanks being fed in and pushed forward in
the groove or guide passage a, a, they are in succession brought against the
notched face of the wheel L, and as the wheel revolves every notch or recess
in passing the end of the guide a takes a screw blank from the end of the
guide or groove a, which is assisted by a spring slider c occasionally projected
forward for the purpose of pushing the screw blank into its notch and keeping
back the others from clogging the wheel; the movements of this spring slider
are effected by a rotary cam or tappet wheel d on the axle of one of the
drums; these screw blanks, as the wheel goes on, are confined in the notches
by a steel spring 6, 6, (see Fig. 14,) which presses against the face of the
wheel and holds them securely; as the wheel L turns slowly, the beads of the

page_text: screw blanks are made to pass under the circular saw or cutter P, which
rotates rapidly above, by which means the nick or notch in the heads of all
the screw blanks as they pass are cut with regularity and precision, and they
afterwards drop out of the wheel into a receptacle below.
I now proceed to describe the machine in which the screw blanks, after they
have been formed, headed, and nicked as above, are submitted to the operation
of being threaded, that is, of having the screw threads or worms cut on their
shafts. Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 16 is a horizontal or
plan view of the same, as seen from above the hopper, the drums and the
feeding apparatus being removed in this Figure, in order to expose the me-
chanism for holding the screw blank and threading it; and Fig. 17 is a section
in elevation, taken through the machine in the transverse direction to Fig. 15.
It will be sufficient to say that the hopper A, the drums B, B, and the
means of feeding the screw blanks into the curved guide or feeding passage
a, a, are the same as described above, in reference to the second head of these
improvements. The screw blanks therefore are to be considered as fed into
the machine in consecutive order through the guide passage a, a, by which
they are successively deposited in a recess in a socket b below, (seen in section
in Fig. 18,) one screw blank descending previous to every returning evolution
of the holders and cutter, which I am now about to describe. The driving
pulley or rigger C is fixed upon a short axle D, supported in suitable bearings,
which axle carries a pinion E, taking into a toothed wheel F, on the long
axle or shaft G; at the reverse end of this shaft G a toothed wheel H is
fixed, taking into a wheel I on the short inclined axle that carries the rotary
cutter or cutting tool K, by which the thread of the screw is to be formed or cut
upon the shaft of the screw blank; near the middle of the long shaft G there
is a pinion L, taking into a wheel M on the cam shaft N, by which cam shaft
many of the minor parts of the mechanism are actuated; and upon the same
shaft also a pinion O is fixed, which, by means of coupling wheels, turns the
feeding drums B, B. One of the screw blanks, it is now to be understood,
having passed from the guide a, lies in a horizontal position in the recess of
the stationary socket b, which socket is hollow, and coincident with which the
hollow axle P must be brought, in order that the screw blank may be pro-
jected through the hollow axle P, and brought to the holders against the
rotary cutter K at its opposite end. The means by which the screw blank is
projected (point foremost) through the hollow axle P, is by a clutch and lever
c and spring. d acting upon a sliding bolt or plunger e; the cam f, as its shaft
goes round, causes the lever and clutch c to draw back the bolt e, and when
the elevated part of the cam f has passed away from and ceased to hold the

page_text: lever, the spring d suddenly shoots the bolt e forward, which projects the screw
blank into the hollow axle P. This will be best seen by reference to Fig. 18,
which represents the hollow axle and its appendages in horizontal section.
The hollow axle P with its appendages is mounted in plummer blocks, which
slide horizontally very short distances to and fro in transverse directions in
stationary frames Q, Q, standing across the machine, the hollow axle moving
one way to receive the screw blanks, and the other way to bring them against
the rotary cutter. These sliding movements of the hollow axle P are effected
by a cam g on the shaft N acting against a lever h, which, by a strap piece i,
is connected to the plummer block (seen in Fig. 16); this cam g is circular,
excepting at one part of its periphery which has a notch or recess cut in it.
When, by the rotation of the cam, a tooth extending from the lever h is allowed
to pass into the notch in the cam, the hollow axle is, by means of a lever,
slidden forward, and is brought into coincidence with the screw blank lying in
the socket ; the plunger then acts as before described, and drives the screw
blank from the socket into the hollow axle P; the whole length of the hollow
axle having being filled with screw blanks, either by hand or by these means,
it will be perceived that the act of introducing one in at the end next the
plunger, will force the whole series of screw blanks forward, and discharge the
foremost one at the opposite end, as will be seen in Fig. 18. It is to be here
observed that, in order to prevent more than one of the screw blanks descend-
ing from the guides at each operation, a spring tooth is passed into the
recess under the guide passage, which is drawn back whenever another screw
blank is required to descend by one of the elevations on the cam m.
Having described the method by which the screw blanks are successively
conducted forward through the hollow axle P, I now proceed to shew the
means by which they are severally taken hold of by dies, and held against the
cutter or threading tool K for the purpose of having a thread or worm cut
upon the shank. In the section of the hollow axle shewn at Fig. 18, it will
be seen that the screw blank on being projected out of the axle, passes between
a pair of lever clips or chaps n, n, which are the holding dies; these chaps
move upon pivots o, o, in the box or frame R, fastened on the end of the
hollow axle, and the head of the screw blank prevents it from passing through
the chaps when they are nearly closed. The shaft of the screw blank being
thus situated between the dies, the chaps are closed by the infinite levers p, p,
which are brought into a straight line through the agency of several strap
pieces and levers q, q, and r, r, and attached together as shewn in Figures 15
and 16, and these are connected to a slider t, t, affixed to the guide rods u, u;

page_text: this slider t is moved to and fro by jointed or infinite levers v, v, which are
connected to the weighted lever k, described before, and seen in Fig. 15; the
back part of this lever is bent upward, as shewn in Fig. 17, and is acted upon
by a wiper won the cam axle, which, as it revolves, depresses the bent end
of the lever k, and raises the opposite end, thereby bringing the infinite levers
v, v, into a straight line, for the purpose of forcing forward the slider t, and
closing the chaps n, n. The screw blank being thus firmly held between the
chaps, the larger radius of the cam g now acting against the lever h, forces it
and the strap i, and plummer blocks which carry the hollow axle, into its
back position, by which the shaft of the screw blank is brought against the
rotary cutter K, where it is held firmly. Rotary motion is now given to the
hollow axle and its appendages by a pinion a at the end of the hollow axle,
taking into the teeth of the wheel E* below, by which means the screw blank
held in the chaps n, n, is made to revolve with great rapidity against the
cutter or threading tool K; the periphery of the cutter or threading tool has
helical grooves formed upon it crossed by diagonal notches, in order to form
cutting or file teeth. The number of helical grooves formed round the peri-
phery of the cutter or threading tool and its rotary speed must be proportioned
to the rotary speed given to the screw blank under operation; when that is
properly attended to, the thread or worm will be properly cut upon the screw
shaft and not otherwise. In the Drawings hereto annexed, the helical
grooves pass so many times around the cutter or cutting wheel as to form
four threads, (as shewn in the Diagram, Fig. 19,) and whilst the cutter is
making one revolution, the hollow axle holding the screw blank revolves four
times; such are the comparative velocities between the cutting wheel and
screw blank in the construction of the machino represented in the Drawings.
I do not, however, intend to confine myself to these velocities, but would remark
that the relative speeds of the cutter or threading tool and the screw is de-
pendant upon the number of threads upon the cutter, the relative number of
rotations of the screw being to the cutting wheel always the same as the
number of threads formed upon the periphery of the cutter or threading tool.
Having now described and ascertained the particulars of this Invention,
and how the same is to be carried into practical use and effect, I will in con-
clusion remark that what I claim as this Invention, secured to me under the
above in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, generally, the construction of the several different machines or ar-
rangements of mechanism herein-above described, for effecting the operations
of cutting off the lengths of metal wire; heading the same, so as to form screw

page_text: blanks or shafts, turning the shaft and head, and nicking or notching them.
by forming the slit therein, and finally cutting the worm or thread upon the
shaft.
And, particularly, I claim the novel means or mechanism for separating or
extracting severally the screw blanks or shafts from out of a promiscuous mass
or heap in a hopper, and guiding or conducting the same to the different
subsequent required operations; and also, the novel and peculiar mechanism
or means of cutting the thread or worm of the screws, consisting of the con-
struction, form, and position of the rotary cutting wheel or tool and its adjuncts,
whereby the worm or thread is cut or produced upon the screw shaft as it
revolves during this operation.
⚫ In witness whereof, I, the said William Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty.
WILLIAM (L.8.) NEWTON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of April, in the
third year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said William
Newton came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and ac-
knowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-
fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-fourth day of April, One thousand eight hundred