Messrs. Ledsam and Jones have given, in their specification, a series of drawings, representing two different forma of their machine, together with several variations in the detail; but it has been our study to comprise all that in essential in the following elevation of their apparatus, which, we trust, will be comprehended by this explanation :—a a in the following engraving, exhibit two (out of four) of the standards to the frame, the other two being behind them, and connected, in a similar way, by horizontal bars, as that at b. This frame is fixed, and forms the support of aswinging-frame cc, and a horizontal shaft d d, which revolves in beanngs at e e; f is an eccentric on the shaft d, regulated by a screw, and acting on a frame g, attached to the swinging-frame e, which latter vibrates arms or trunnions h h ; i is a con necting rod attached to the crank on the tans d, and to the axis of a stout pair of leaves k k; this axis moves vertically in a groove, as shown by dotted lines in the central cheeks of the swinging-frame ; the leaves k k are connected by hinges to the boxes 11, which are supported by the rocking standards m m; these boxes contain the moving cutters n n, which are kept in their places by screws (not shown) ; on the inclined faces of this gauge, the rods, or strips, of which the nails or brads are formed, rest ; r r are fixed cutters in the end cheeks of a swinging-frame, and retained in their places by screws s a; 1 a frame attached to the fixed frame, and carrying the cross-bar v, shown on a larger scale by the annexed Fig. 2 ; w is one of the guide rods hooked on the cross-bar v, and screwed up to a beam above ; x a perforated weight sliding upon w, having its lower end hollowed to receive the ends of the bar, or strip y, of which the brads are made. This bar slides down after every cut against the edge of the fixed cutter r, and rests upon the surface of the gauge g, which determines the breadth of the nail ; then the leaf k forces forward the box 1, containing the cutter n, which cuts off the iron in a right line with the plane of the under surface of the opposite cutter r. z, Ftg. 1, is a band-wheel for communicating motion from the prime mover, with a loose pulley at its side for throwing the machine out of action.
The action of the machine is as follows :—By the revolution of the axis d, the eccentric upon it forces the swinging-frame c into an inclined position; the crank on the axis at the same time acting upon the rod i, draws the leaves k k into a horizontal position, and thereby forces the movable cutters n n forward against the fixed cutters r r, dividing obliquely the strips of iron placed between them in their progress, the same as if cut by shears ; the brads thus formed fall down the inclined surface of the gauge, and are received in a box beneath. The opposite vibration of the swinging-frame makes a second cut, and thus on both sides of the machine (though represented only on one side) a series of rods, or strips of iron, are placed in a line, all of which are cut twice at every revolution ; thus, supposing eight rode or strips (the number used by the patentees) are applied to each pair of cutters, 32 brads are cut at every revolution of the axis : of course a considerable power being necessary to do this, that of a steam-engine or water-wheel, is to be employed in this machine, in preference to manual labour. The ends of the cutters are only brought into view in the figure ; these are, however, of greater, and may be of any required length, to cut a given number of brads at a time, as may suit the power of the engine, and other circumstances. It will now be seen, that, by the patentees
employing long continuous cutters, and causing them to take an opposite inclined position at each vibration of the swinging-frame, a number of brads are cut at once, without moving the rods, which drop down to the stop on the gauge as they are cut. By the former mode described, with the fly-presses, the cutter moves always in the same plane, and the iron is turned round, or inclined, instead. In cutting that species of brads with heads, the patentees employ cutters with gaps left in their edges, and the cross-bar v has slits in it to receive the rods y, and, instead of being fixed, receives an alternating side motion from the frame.
For the purpose of heading the nails, the shanks made, as already described, are usually brought under the operation of a heavy hammer head, which is lifted from its work by a spring pole, like a turner's throw, and is brought down upon it by a pedal, worked by a woman, sitting down before a little bench ; in front of this bench is fixed a pair of clams, which are opened and shut by the turn ing of the lever of a screw on the left hand of the operator, who, with her right hand, successively places the shanks between the jaws of the clams, brings the hammer smartly down u ..n it, which forms the head ; and then, by turn ing the screw with her left . d, the jaws open, and the newly-headed nail drops into a box underneath. The clams are provided with steel dies, impressed with the shape of the under-side of the head and that of the shank, and so much of the length only, as to leave projecting above the top a sufficiency of metal to form the head ; the form of the upper surface of the head being determined by a die fixed in the face of the hammer.
There are, however, several manufactories in which the machinery is so con structed as to cut and head the nails by a single operation of the same machine. This mode of manufacturing, we believe, originated in America, where such machinery has been long since in successful use. In 1829 Mr. Edward Hancorne took out a patent for an improvement upon the American mechanism. We have perused the specification of this patent, from which we learn that the invention is the communication of a foreigner residing abroad ;" and that it consists in a machine made of two horizontal frames, the one movable and the other fixed, an axis with a crank, a cam, a fly-wheel, and drum. The bearings of the axis are attached to the lower or fixed frame, and the crank is connected with, and causes the upper or movable frame to traverse in grooved guides on the lower. From an iron rod, of an appropriate size, placed hot into the machine, a piece the size required for a nail is cut off by two cutting edges brought together by the motion of the upper frame, and held between two steels, while the head of the nail is formed by the action of a kind of hammer, whose face is shaped like a die into the form required, and whose stem is acted upon by a kind of cone on the axis. The nail is then to be tapered or pointed by the action of two eccentric steel sectors, whose circular surfaces are placed, at the commencement of the operation, sufficiently apart to receive the thickest portion of the nail ; and at the termination of the operation, when they are brought by the motion of the upper frame in a position with the point of con tact, is nearly in a line between the centres of motion.