US207444A - Improvement in machines for forging horseshoe-nails - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. S. PUTNAM. Machine for Forging Horseshoe Nails.

No. 207,444. Patented Aug. 27,1878.

\I H 1.1.. G g

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. S. PUTNAM. Machine for Forging Horseshoe Nails.

Patnted Aug. 27. 1878.

5 SheetsSheet 3.

S. S. PUTNAM. Machine for Forging Horseshoe Nails.

No. 207,444. Patented Aug. 27. 1878.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

S. S. PUTNAM. Machine for Forging Horseshoe Nails.

No. 207,444. Patented Aug. 27. I878.

ig/2f 5 Sheets-Sheet. 5. S. S. PUTNAM.

Machine for Forging Horseshoe Nails.

No. 207,444 Patented Aug. 27,1878

V front elevation of the same.

' angles to each other, in such manner as to d UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS S. PUTNAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PUTN AM NAIL COMPANY, OF SAME .PLACE.

E IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR FORGING HORSESHOE-NA-ILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,444, dated August 27, 1678 application filed June 4, 1877.

To all whom it hwy concern: Be it known that I, SILAS S. PUTNAM, of

' Boston, in the county of Sutfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Making Horseshoe- Nails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine; Fig. 1 a detail referred to. Fig. 2 is a plan of the machine. Fig. ,3 is an elevation of one side of the same. Fig. 4 is a Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the same. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line a: a: of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on the line yy of Fig. 3. Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 are details enlarged.

My invention relates to that class of nailmachines in which the nail is formed by means of spring-hammers, arranged and operating in pairs; and consists in a mechanism of improved construction for locking the side hammers while open, and preventing them from striking a blow while the nail is being cut off.

My invention also consists in the construction of the mechanism for operating the guide for the nail-rod, by means of which it is moved to one side, and, after the nail has been severed, returned to its original position.

My invention also consists in a mechanism of peculiar construction for changing at the will of the operator the automatic action of the machine while it is in motion, in order to vary the number of blows to which the nail is subjected while being formed.

My'invention also consists in a joint of peculiar construction for connecting the two rock-shafts of the machine, which are at right l-. minish friction and wear.

My invention also consists in a mechanism for locking and holding the two rock-shafts and mechanism connected therewith while the nail is being formed by the hammers; and my invention also consists in other details, hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention also consists in the combination, with the hammers, the faces of which are so constructed asto allow the nail to be formed on one side of and below a line passing centrally between them, the side hammers being constructed to meet on one side of this central line, and the vertical hammers below the said line, whereby the amount which the nailrod isbent in the operation of bringing it into line with the cutters and severing the nail therefrom is reduced to a minimum, of the feed-rolls, guide-lever, and cutters.

To enable others skilled in the art to understaudand use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawings, A represents the bed of the machine, which is supported on legs I). B is the driving-shaft, which runs in suitable bearings, and carries at one end the drivingpulley O and at the opposite end a cam-wheel, D. From the bed A rises a frame, E, made in the form of a cross, the center of which forms being thrown toward each other to give the,

blow by coiled lever-springs g, which are connected with the rear ends of the hammers behind the points where they are pivoted by links h. Each of the springs gis coiled several times around a cylindrical block, held in place by .a pin, a, the looped end of the spring being held by the hook of the link h, while the two opposite ends pass through a short bar, 03, which rests against a screw, k, by turning which the force with which the spring is caused to act may be adjusted with a great degree of nicety, the bar *6 also serving to confine the two ends of the spring and hold them in place.

By thus connecting the springs with the hammers at points behind their pivots instead of in front thereof, they are removed from those portions of the hammers which become heated from .contact with the hot nail-rod, and the duction between them and the hammers on which they slide of the flying scale from the nail-rod, whichcombines with the oil used for lubricating, and forms a destructive grit.

Each of the hammers is provided with a flat auxiliary spring, I one end of which is secured to the frame E, the opposite end extending out into a position to be struck by the rear end of the hammera short time before the lat ter is drawn back to its full extent, the momentum of the hammers when running at a highspeed being sufficient to assist in bending back the springs; and by the employment of these auxiliary springs, which remain in contact with and act upon the rear ends of the hammers during a portion. only of their throw, '1 am enabled to use much lighter mainsprings g than would otherwise be required,

' and thus reduce the friction on the cams and ing in form to that-of two sides of the nail,

two sides of the head of which are formed in a vertical groove, 51, one-half of which is made at the outer end of the face of each side-hammer, so as to leave a space when these hammers arebrought together of a width corresponding to that of the head of thenail. The upper inclined side of the head of the nail is formed in a space left between the beveled outer edge of the face of the lower hammer and the smooth face of the upper hammer, and the required shape is thus given to the nail, which is formed as far as possible on one side of a line passing centrally between the four hammers, to diminish as far as practicable the amount of lateral movement necessary to be given to the rod to bring it into line with the cutters when the finished nail is to be severed, and the bending of the rod is thus in a great measure avoided. In order that the nail may be thus formed on one side of the center, the side hammers G H are necessarily constructed and arranged to meet on one side of a vertical plane passing centrally through the upper and lower hammers; and these hammers I K are constructed and arranged to meet on a line below a horizontal plane passing centrally between the four hammers, and consequently, when the end of the rod is moved laterally into line with the-cutters, it requires to be bent down a less distance to bring it into contact with the edge of the stationary lower cutter (which must necessarily lie beiow the plane of the under surface of the side hammers) than would be the case if the nail were formed in the usual central position.

By thus reducing to aminimum the amount which the rod is bent in the operations of bringing it into line. with the cutters and severing the nail therefrom, the liability of its being bent out of shape in returning it to its original position, and the consequent feeding in of unequal lengths of the rod, which would cause thenails to vary in length and be thus rendered unsalable, is entirely avoided.

To'accomplish the object sought-that is, to reduce to a minimum the amount which the nail-rod is bent in the operation of bringing it into line with the cutters- -I make the curved arm of the upper vertical hammer longer in its curve than the lower arm, as shown in Fig. 1', whereby the faces of the hammers will meet on the line :0 m, below the center-lineof the side hammers. .This construction is also illustrated in Fig. 5, where the upper vertical hammer, embracing the larger segment of the inner curve, meets the machine, as is shown in Fig. 6, whereby the faces are caused to meet on the line y, and to one side of the center of the vertical hammers. 1

m m m m are stationary curved spring-arms, which are secured to the front of the frame E, each arm being provided at its outer end with a set-screw, 50, which serves as a stop to prevent the adjacent hammer from being thrown back too far by its own momentum, and also causes the direction of motion of the hammer to be instantly reversed after it is released by the cam; and by constructin g these arms so as to yield slightly'the. concussion is greatly diminished.

I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the nail-rod is fed into the machine.

n p are two horizontal shafts, which run in long bearings q, the ends of which slide in slots in a-frame, L, the shafts being kept apart by the double spring 7', and their distance from each other being regulated by screws 8.

feeding in the same length of rod each time is insured, and it war 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 of the wheels u also serve to hold the rod firmly in place while it is being operated upon by the hammers. The lower shaft, is revolved intermittingly, so as to produce the feed at the required times, by means of a friction-clutch, A, consisting of a lever, t, Fig. 10, which is pivoted to an arm, 10, applied to the shaft 1) so as to move independently thereof, the short arm of the lever '0 being made with tapering sides and fitting into a correspondingly-shaped groove in the periphery of a collar, to, firmly secured upon the shaft 1).

The lever 'u is operated by a connectingrod, 11, attached to its upper end, the opposite end of the rod b being attached by a screw, 55, and slot 56 to the upper end of an arm or crank, M, secured to a rock-shaft, N, which is supported in bearings rising from the bed A, and is rocked at the required time by mechanism to be hereinafter described; and thus at each forward movement of the rod b the clutch is advanced to take afresh hold upon the collar a, while each backward movement of the rod b causes the clutch to turn the shafts up and toothed feed-wheels u a suflicient distance to feed the nail-rod forward the exact amount required for the next nail. The arm '10 is held up in the proper position to enable the clutchlever to act on the grooved collar a by means of a spring, 16.

c is a wheel attached to the outer end of the shaft 1), and against the periphery of this wheel bears a spring friction-brake, d, which is secured to the outer end of a stud, '17, and by this means the shaft 1) is prevented from being turned in the wrong direction by the friction-clutch as it is advanced to take a fresh hold, and is also prevented from being moved beyond the proper point by its ownmomentum and that of the parts connected therewith.

The employment of a friction-clutch for operatin g the teed-wheels, instead of a ratchetwheel and paw], enables me to adjust the amount of feed with the utmost nicety by mere- 1 y changing the position of the screw 55 in the slot 56 of the crank M, which is a great advantage, as it avoids the delay heretofore occasioned in removing one ratchet-wheel and replacing it by another having teeth at a greater or less distance apart.

I .will now proceed to describe the manner in which the finished nail is cut off after being formed by the hannners.

f are the cutters, the lower one, a, of which is stationary, and is secured within a groove in a block, 9', attached to a standard, P, rising from the bed A, while the upper one, f is attached to one end of a lever, h, which is secured to a short shaft, 18, having its bearings in the standard 1 and a support, 19, attached thereto. The lo-wer cutter, c, is held in place by two screw-clamps, 20, Fig. 11, and is made adjustable vertically by a screw, 21. The upper cutter, f, is secured to its lever h by a clamping-screw, 22, and is made adjustable in the direction of its length by a setscrew, 01, passing through a projection at the upper end of the lever.

The lower end of' this lever h is connected by a rod, k witha crank, l, secured to a long horizontal rock-shaft, Q, one end of which is supported in a bearing in the standard P, and the other end in a bearing, m rising from the bed A; and when this shaft Q is rocked by mechanism to be hereinafter described the cutterf is carried down past the stationary entter a to sever the nail from the rod, after which it is returned to its normal position by the counter movement of the shaft Q.

When the nail is finished and ready to be severed from the nail-rod it is moved to one side out of the path of the vertical hammers and over the stationary cutter 0 (just before the cutter f l is brought down) by the movement of a lever, n, at the lower end of which is a circular opening, p, which serves as a guide for the nail-rod, which is fed through it by the wheels u, the side hammers being locked while separated to their full extent and held apart until the cutting off is completed by a stop-lever, q, Figs. 7 and 14, which is pivoted to the frame E, and is moved at the required time into a position to intercept the hammer G by an arm, 23, the lower portion of which is secured to and coiled around the rock-shaft Q, so as to form a spring. This spring-arm 23 is held back out of contact with the lever q by a pin, 45, projecting from a collar on the shaft Q, and is only brought up against the lever q to cause the latter to intercept the side hammer G when the shaft Q isrocked; and by thus operating the stoplever by means of a spring-arm instead of a rigid one, it will yield in case it should from any cause come into contact with the hammer G before the proper time, and the liability of breakage or excessive friction is thus avoided.

The hammer H is provided with a project-- ing portion, 25, whichbears against a corresponding projection, 26, on the hammer (l, and thus the locking of the hammer (l, as above described, serves also to lock the hammer H, bot-h hammers being held apart until the arm 23 is withdrawn by the rocking of the shaft Q, so as to allow the lever q to drop down by its own weight out of the path of the hammer G. The lever a is pivoted at 27 to the upper end of a stationary curved arm, 1*, projecting up from the standard 1, am] is provided'with a pin, s, which passes through a slot in the upper end of a lever, t, the lower end of which is pivoted to the standard 1. At the center of this lever t is a curved slot, 28, into which fits a pin, a, projecting from the outer end of a crank, 1 secured to the outer end of the shaft 18, and thus through the connections described, as the shaft 18 is rocked to depress the cutter-lever h, the guide-lever n, and with it the nail-rod, is moved to one side into line with the cutters just before the upper eutter,f, is carried down past the cutter c, and assoon as the nail has been severed from the rod the lever n is returned to its original position, which takes place simultaneously with the ascent of the lever h The nail-rod is thus returned to its proper central position opposite the hammers immediately after the nail has been severed and before being again fed forward, which prevents any liability of its-being crippled or bent by contact with the cutters.

I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the number of blows to which the nail is subjected previous to being cut 011' may be varied at the will of the operator.

a, Figs. 1 and 13, is an inclined arm, which is firmly secured to one end of the rock-shaft N, and carries at its upper end a short tube or bearing, 6', in which slides a horizontal pin, 0', provided with a head, 29, against which rests a flat spring, 30, the lower end of which is attached to an arm, 31, also secured to the shaft N, and forming a prolongation of the arm a. This shaft N is connected with the rock-shaft Q, so as to move simultaneously=.therewith, by a joint, 1t, composed of two short rods, 32 and v 33, Fig. 8, pivoted together and sliding in hollow arms 01 e, secured the former to the shaft N and the latter to the shaft Q, and by this means the motion of one shaft is communicated to the other with much less friction and wear than if segments of bevel-gears were employed.

While the hammers are operating upon the nail-rod the pin 0 is held back in the position seen in Figs. 1 and 13 against the-resistance of the spring 30 by a curved lever, f Figs. 1 and 12, the flattened upper end of which-fits between the head 29 of the pin 0 and the end of the bearing 11.

The lever f is pivoted to a stationary arm, 34, and its lower end is provided with a pin, which fits into a slot, 62, Fig. 12, in the upright arm of a bent lever, g, which is pivoted to the bed A, the horizontal arm of this lever restin g on a pin, 75, projecting from the inner side of a lever, h, which is pivoted to the bed,

A at 35, and is held up in the position seen in Figs. 1 and 12 by a flat spring, 36, which,

through the connections described, serves -to' keep the end of the lever f between the head of the pin and the bearing b.

At the outer end of the lever his a projection, 37, against which abuts the-lower end of the arm 31, a latch being thus formed, by means of which the shafts N and Q and meeh-- anism connected therewith are firmly locked while the nail is being forged.

hen the upright arm of the lever g is pressed against the resistance of the'sprin'g- 36 by mechanism to be presently described, the leverf is moved so as to withdraw its upper end from between the hearing I) and-the head 29, when the pin 0 is instantly thrown forward by the spring 30 until its head strikes against the bearin g b. This movement of the lever g causes its horizontal arm to press upon the pin 75, projecting from the inner side of the lever 11.", and depress the latter against the resistance of the spring 36, so as to unlock the latch, and thus leave the shafts N Q free to be moved. Immediately after the pin 0 has been thrown forward by its spring 30 its inner end (which now projects out some distance from the inner end of the bearing b) is struck by a cam, 38, on a wheel, S, secured to the driving-shaft B, and as this wheel revolves the cam moves the arm a, and thus rocks the shaft N, which advances the rod 1) and causes the friction-clutch A to take a fresh hold on the collar a of the shaft 12. This movement of the shaft N is communicated through the joint R to the shaft Q, and thus, through the connections described, the sidehammers are locked, the guide-lever it moved to one side, and the cutter f brought down to sever the nail from the rod. As soon as this has taken place a cam, i, on the opposite side of the wheel S moves a pin, 7 6,-projecting from the upper end of an arm, k, secured to the shaft N, and by means of this cam the shafts N Q are returned to their original positions, the counter movement of the shaft N and corresponding movement of the rodb causing the friction-clutch A to turn the shaft 1; and wheels at so as to feed the nail-rod forward, as before described, while the counter movement of the shaft Q causes the spring-arm 23 to be withdrawn, so that the stop-lever will drop down and unlock the side hammers, this dropping of the stop-lever q taking place in time to allow the side hammers to act in their turn upon the nail-rod.

At the same time that the spring-arm 23 is withdrawn the cutter f is raised and the guidedever n moved back, so as to return the nail-rod to its proper position between the feed-wheels u. Another cam, m, on the wheel S now comes into contact with the inner end of the pin 0, and forces it back against the resistance of the spring 30, in which position it is held (as the wheel S continues to revolve) by the concentric portion of the cam m until the upper end of the lever f is thrown by the spring 36 between the head 29 and the bearing b, and the pin a is thus held back outof reach of the cam 38 until the lever f is again tripped. This lever f is tripped or withdrawn when it is desired to bring the above-described mechanism into action in the following manner: 0n the driving-shaft B is aworm, n, which engages with and slowly rotates a worm-wheel, 10, secured to the end of a horizontal shaft,

. g, which is supported in a long bearing, 60,

at the top of a standard rising from the bed A. To the outer end of the shaft g is secured a wheel, T, the periphery of which is provided on its opposite edges with two sets orrows of teeth or projections, r s, the form of each tooth being that of a right-angled triangle. 1'

is a lever, which is pivoted at 39 to one side of the lever g, and is provided at its upper end with an angular projection, 40, which extends out into a position to be struck successively by the teeth r or s of the wheel T, and thus as the inclined side of a tooth comes into contact with the inclined side of the projection 40 the lever g is pressed out from the periphery of the wheel T, and the lever f tripped to release the pin 0 as before described. As soon as the tooth of the wheel T has passed out of contact with the projection 40 (which does not take place until after the nail has been severed and the shafts N Qreturned to their normal positions) the lever 9 is moved back to its .original position by the spring 36, which causes the lever f to catch and hold back the pin 0 until it is again tripped by the next succeeding tooth of the wheel T. This same movement of the lever 9 allows the lever h to be raised by the spring 36, so that its projection 37 will catch the end of the arm 31, and thus lock the shafts N Q, as required.

The lever t is provided with a handle, a", by which it can be moved on its pivot so as to bring its projection 40 opposite either series of teeth r or s, the upper end of the lever being steadied and its motion limited in either direction by a pin, which projects into a slot, 64, at the upper end of the lever 9 (See Fig. 13.) When the lever t is in position opposite either series of teeth it is held by a friction-pin, which is forced by a spring, 65, into a notch at either side of the lever these notches being rounded, so as to force back the pin when pressure is applied to the handle a.

The outer teeth, 1*, are placed farther apart than the inner teeth, 8 there being seven of the former and eight oftthe latter, while the worm-wheel p is provided with fifty-six teeth, it being absolutely necessary that the number of the teeth of the wheel 11 should be a common multiple of the numbers of the two series of teeth r s, in order that the movements of the several parts of the machine may be properly timed with respect to each other, and all liability of interference avoided.

\Vhen the projection 40 of the lever t is in Q a position to be struck by the teeth 1 the nail will be subjected to the action of the hammers during eight revolutions of the driving-shaft B; but, if it should be found that this number of blows draws out the nail too much, owing to the nail-rod being too hot, it is simply necessary to move the lever t by means of its handle o while the machine is in operation, so as to bring the projection 40 opposite to the teeth .8 which will cause the nail to be subjected to the action of the hammers during seven revolutions only of the driving-shaft, while if the heat of the nail-rod should become lessened, so that seven revolutions would not produce a nail of sufficient length, the lever t can be instantly moved back to increase the number of blows of the hammers.

It will be seen that a "ariation of one revolution only can be made, as above described; but this change in the number of blows of the hammers is suflicient for all practical purposes when the heat of the iron is nearly uniform;

but the wheel T may be removed and another substituted having a different combination of teeth; but in such case aworm-gear, 12 must be employed, the number of whose teeth is the common multiple of the numbers of the two series of teeth on the wheel T. For instance, the wheel T may have five teeth on one edge and six teeth on the other, in which case the wheel 10 would be provided with thirty teeth; and by this means I am enabled to regulate the number of blows according to the heat of the nail-rod with such accuracy as to insure the formation of a perfect nail.

It is evident that the wheel T may be provided with more than two series of teeth without departing from the spirit of my invention; but a worm-wheel, 12 must in such case be employed the number of whose teeth is the common multiple of the numbers of the several series of teeth on the wheel T.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The stop-lever q, operated by the springarm 23 on the shaft Q, in combination with the side hammers, provided with the projecting portions 25 and 26, the said stop-lever locking the side hammers While open and holding them apart while the nail is being cut off, substantially as herein described.

2. The guide-lever n, with its pin 8 slotted lever t pin u, and crank e operated by the shaft Q, in combination with the hammers and the cutters, substantially as described.

3. The mechanism for varying the number of blows of the hammers, consisting, essentially, of the toothed wheel T, levers t g f pin 0 with its spring 30, arm a, connected shafts N Q, cam-wheel S, and arm in, operating substantially as set forth.

4. The wheel T, having two or more series of teeth, 1' 8 for setting in operation the mechanism for varying the number of blows of the hammers, in combination with and operated by a wheel, 1), the number of the teeth of which is a common multiple of the numbers of the different series of teeth on the wheel T, substantially as described.

5. Thecombination of the hammers with the mechanism for varying the numbers of their blows, the guide-lever 11 and its operative mechanism, and the cutters, substantially as described.

6. The shafts N Q, connected by ajoint, 1t, composed of the rods 32 and 33, pivoted together, and sliding within hollow arms (1 a, substantially as described.

7. The lever 9 in combination with the lever h, with its pin 75, projection 37, and spring 36, and the shaft N, with its arm 31., all constructed to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

8. The hammers G H I K, having their faces so formed as to allow the nail being made on one side of and below a line passing centrally between the four hammers, the hammers G II being so constructed and arranged as to meet on a lineon one side of a vertical plane passing rolls, guide-lever, and cutters, substantialiy as through the center of the upper and lower described. hammers, and the hammers I K meeting on a Witness my hand this 25th day of May, A. lilne below a lti orizontal game passing th'ough D. 1877.

t c centers 0 the side ammers in or er to reduce to a minimum the amouiit which the SILAS T nail-rod is bent in the operations of bringing In presence ofit into line with the cutters and severing the P. E. TESCHEMACHER,

nail therefrom, in combination with the feed- A N. W. STEARNS.

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