US1283522A

US1283522A - Feeding mechanism for metal strips.

Info

Publication number: US1283522A
Application number: US86787814A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel Beaumont Jackson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1914-10-21
Filing date: 1914-10-21
Publication date: 1918-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 1935-11-05

Description

' s. B. JACKSON. FEEDINGMECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2!. I914. H

' Patented 0v. 5,1918.

8 SHEE S-SHEEI 1 s. B. JACKSON. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS.

' APPLIIZATION F|LED 0CT.2|. 1914. i v 1,283,522. Patented NOY. 5,1918.

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S. B. JACKSON. FEEDING. MECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2|. I914. 1,283,522. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

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S. B. JACKSON.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED QCT. 21 I914. 1,283,522. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

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S. B. JACKSON. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2!. I914.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

S. B. JACKSON.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL S-IRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. 1914.

1 ,283,522. Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

lgyza M/ 65 6g ydflfimmmj @501 S. B. JACKSON.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2!. I914.

Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

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S. B. JACKSON.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR METAL STRIPS APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. I914. v v k Patented Nov. 0,1918. 1 8 SHEETS-SHEET 8 4& /4/

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nnrrn s'rAns SAMUEL BEAUMONT. JACKSON, or QUIHNGY, MASSACHUSETTS.-

; FEEDING MECHAN SM FOR METAL STRIPS.

Application filed October 21, 1914, serial No. 867,878.

To (all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BEAUMONT J ACKSON, a citizen of the United; States, and resident of Quincy, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts; have invented new and useful Improvements 1n Feeding Mechanism for Metal Strips, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to blank feeding mechanism for metal working machines, and while it is susceptible ofuse for other purposes, is particularly designed for feeding metal blanks, strips or plates to tack and nail making machines. The metal strips are of the required width for the lengtli of the article to be made and are to be presented automatically to the cutting and shaping tools from a magazine containing a stack of such metal strips. The object of the invention is to provide simplified and dependable mechanism of novel and improved construction for automatically presenting blank: strips, one by one, to the cutters and for,

performing all its functions of selecting and feeding the strips to the metal working machine automatically, so that no attention is required on the part of the operator other than to keep the magazine" supplied with blanks or strips. 1

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, such embodiment constituting but one eX emplification of the various forms in which the invention maybe used,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an assembled blank feeding machme;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 22'of Fig, 1, looking in of the arrows;

F ig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the left hand end or forward end of the feed bar, showing the feed bar journal,-t-he nipper, nose guide, stub end ejecting mechanism and strip l'ocators;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the'right' hand end of the magazine and strip manipulating mech anism Fig. 6 is a vertical crosssection through the feed bar and magazine showing one of the strip p'ushers and actuating mechanism therefor, a strip presser foot in operative position, and a strip guide in a raised or inoperative pos1t1on';

Specification of Letters Batent.

V Patented Nov. 5, 1918.

in operative position, a retracted strip pusher and a strip presser foot in operative position; r

'Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section of the feed bar showing a pair of strip keepers in closed position over the strip; Fig. 10 is an enlarged central vertical sect1on of the right hand end of the feed bar, showing the feed bar starting and stopping mechanism and the spur and annular gears for actuating the nipper driving shaft;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the left hand end or forward end of the feed bar showing the nose guide, stub end ejecting mechanism and a pair of strip keepers; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a portion of the feed bar near theright hand-end show ing the sliding bar which actuates the strip keepers;

Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the feed bar and strip keeper opening and closing mechanism;

Fig. 1 1 is an end elevation of the left hand trolling worm;

Fig. 17 is a horizontal central sectio the line 1717 of Fig. 15; 1

Fig. 18 is a'transverse section on the line V 1818 of Fig.16', showing theclu'tch mechanism; and r Fig. 19 is a horizontal section on line 19-19 of Fig. 14, "enlarged.

clutch housing 4: at the left hand end as I viewed in Fig. 1, the feed bar housing sup- 100 The frame of the machine consists of the radial adjustment shoe 9 on a standard composed of

parts

10, 11 and 12 resting on the floor.

The magazine for holding the strips or blanks consists of the clutch housing at mounted on lateral adjustment swivel 7 brackets 13 and 1% supported on red 6; the

uprights

15, 16, (Figs. 1 and 2) mounted on clutch housing 4 and 17, 1S and 19 (Fig. 1) mounted respectively on brackets 13 and 14:, forming combined vertical and inclined guide channels for receiving the strips or blanks S (Fig. 2) and holding the strips in a stack in position to be delivered one by one from the bottom of the stack by the feed mechanism hereinafter described.

In place of the feed tube or barrel which is commonly employed as the guiding and feeding means for the blanks on machines to which this invention is applicable, I use the feed bar 20, which possesses the advantage, among others, that it will not so readily accumulate dirt or lime dust, (a result of the pickling process for rei'noving the scale from the steel, the lime dip being used as a rustpreventat-ive), as a tube or similar structure. Such accumulation might frequently render the machine inoperative.

Said feed bar 20 is rigidly attached at its right hand end within a sleeve 21. (Figs. 3 and and rotates, with sleeve 21 as a bear ing, in swivel ournal 22 mounted in the feed bar housing 23 which is supported by the frame. At its left hand end the feed bar is provided with a sleeve bearing2-t (Figs. ti: and which turns in ournal 25. The journal 25 is mounted to slide up and down on posts-26 carried ona bracket 27 and attached to clutch housing 1 of the frame. The bar 20 may be rotated a half revolution between the several cut-ting operations, for the purpose of obtaining the angular cuts which form the points when the tacks or nails are cut from the strips. The rotation of the feed bar 20, with the nose guide rigidly fixed thereto and resting on the lower cutting tool of the tack or nail machine, is permitted by the vertical sliding of the journal 25 on posts 26, which allows the feed bar to rise and fall a little as the nose guide turns over on the cutting tool. The journal 25, however, prcvents any lateral vibration of the feed bar.

The nipper slide 29 which carries the strip or blank forward to the cutting tools, is slidably mounted on the feed bar 20 (Figs. 2 and 5) and travels between its forward posi tion as shown in Fig. 1 and a rear position somewhat to the right of that shown in Fig. 5 near the right hand end of the machine. The nipper jaw 20 is pivoted to the forward end of the slide 29 which forms the lower jaw of the nippers and is mounted within a dovetailed recess 20 in feed bar 20. A spring 30 underneath the nipper jaw 29" (Fig. 5) tends to close the nipper jaw; and

pinion 3 1 meshes with the rack 29.

when all of the strip has been cut excepting the stub end 31 (Fig. 1) the nipper o )ening arm 32 mounted on shaft 33 (Figs. 1 and 2) forcibly opens the nipper so that the stub end 31 is not'withdrawn by the nipper. Cain 153 (Figs. 1 and operates the arm 32 act nously so that the pinion 3st at the extreme left, meshing with the rack 29 (Fig. 4:) withdraws the nipper to the right and until The pinions 3-12 34', 341, 34, 3 1 3%, cooperate with the rack 29 to move the nipper from its'forward position as shown in Figs. 1 and i, to the position somewhat to the right of that shown in Fig. 5 near the right hand or rearward end of the machine; and are actuated by miter gears 35 driven by shaft 36 (Fig. 5) mounted on and beneath the feed bar 20. Shaft 36 is provided at its right hand extremity with a pinion 37 which is driven by an annular gear 38 (Figs. 3 and 10) rotatably mounted on sleeve 21 (Fig. 10); annular. gear 38 having an external spur gear 3S made integral therewith is driven by spur gear 39 on nipper actuating clutch shaft 40 rotatably mounted in clutch housing at, brackets 13 1% and feed bar housing 23.

Keyed to shaft 40 by keys 11 (Fig. 16) are

cam plates

42 and 43 fitting loosely within annular recesses 14 and 45 in clutch gears 44: and 45. Each of said cam plates is made with two oppositely disposed ca1nlike recesses in which are mounted clutch rolls 46 and 47 (Fig. 18). Springs :8 and s9 tend to force said rolls up the cam surfaces into engagement with the periphery of the annular recess see in gear hthereby coupling the gear 4% and the cam plate &2 together. Said rollers are disengaged from clutching position by clutch levers 50 and 51, pivoted on cam plate 4:2, and carrying studs 52 and 53 which engage the rollers 16 and 17 on the sides opposite to the springs. Each clutch lever 50 and 51 hasat its inner end a clutch pin 5-1 and 55, which drops into an annular groove 57 of the clutch shipper 57, when the latter is shifted endwise to bring the groove opposite said clutch pins. In this position the clutch will be engaged. hen the shipper is shifted so as to force the

pins

54 and 55 out of said groove, the levers 50 and 51 will be swung on their pivots and move the rolls 46 and s7 down the cam surfaces and uncouple the gear 14: from its cam plate. It will be understood that there are two identical clutching devices and that they are respectively coupled to gear -t-1 or to gear 15 according to the position of groove 57 of the shipper so that the rotation of the shaft may be reversed; gears 4 1 and being rotated in opposite directions as shown by arrows in Fig. 16 by means hereinafter described. When theannular groove 437 is in neutral position between the two sets of pins 54: and 55, both sets of rolls are released and the shaft to is uncoupled from both gears.

)Vhen the nipper withdraws toward the right or rear end of the machine leaving the stub end 31 in the nose guide 28 and stub end removed from the nose guide 28 and is dropped from between the ejectors 58 when the inwardly projecting arms 58" engage with the stop 61, and cause the ejectors 58 to spread apart. Said stub end ejectors 58 are yieldingly urged inwardly by spring 62 (Fig. 4) and thereby exert a gripping tension on the edges of strips of various widths for the purpose of removing the stubend "from the cutting tools through the nose guide 28.

The feed bar 20 is provided with a series of strip keepers for holding the strip or blank in position on the feed bar and to counteract any tendency in the strip to warp or curl. Said strip keepers as herein shown consist of arms 63 (Figs. 9, 11 and 13) rigidly secured to studs 64: which turn in the feed bar 20. The strip keepers are opened and closed by strip keeper actuating mechanism comprising a strip keeper shifting bar 60, mounted so as to slide on the underside of feed lar 20 by means of screws 65 passing through slots in the bar 60, which limit the cndwise movement of the bar 60. Arms or links 66 (Fig. 13) arerigidlysecured to the several studs 64- and are pivotally connected to bar by a slotand pin connection where by the endwisemovcmentofbar 60 will cause the keepers 63 to swing inwardly or outwardly over the channel provided in the feed bar 20 for the strip or blank. WVhen across the feed bar as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 13. As the nipper '29 moved for- 'ward to the loft, spring 67 (Fig. 13) rigidly fixed on one end to screw and on the other end to shifting bar 60, serves to move the shifting bar 60 toward the left in the direc tion to close the strip keepers as illustrated in Fig. 13. To obviate the necessity for a fine adjustment of the clutch which controls the forward and reverse movement of the nipper, bar 60 is shown intwo parts yieldingly joined together longitudinally by a spring 68 (Fig. 12) whose right and left ends are mounted on the two portions respectively of the bar 60.

Above the feed bar 20 and near each end of the strip magazine, is a presser foot 69 (Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 8) extending laterally from a presser foot slide 70 which works in a vertical guideway 71. The slide 70 is moved up and down by a bell crank lever 72 pivoted on stud 73 which is secured to a bracket extending from guideway 71. The lower arm of bell crank lever 7 2 is connected by link 74 to the upper end of lever 75. Lever 75 is pivotally mounted on bracket 7 6 by screw 7 7 and normally urges link 74 toward the right by a tension spring 78 (Fig. 5). Cam 79, mounted on cam shaft 80, engages roll 81 on lever 7 5 and controls the upward and downward movement of the presser foot.

The strips or blanks are pushed out from the bottom of the stack in the magazine by strip pnshers 82 (Figs. 6 and 5) of which there are three slidably mounted in the clutch housing 1 and magazine brackets 13 and 14 (Fig. 1). The operative end "of each pusher 82 is formed to engage the lowermost strip in the magazine (Figs. 2 and 6 and force it out under

presser feet

69, 69, to a position over the feed bar 20 (Fig. 6); each pusher 82 is provided with a downwardly yielding leaf spring 82 mounted on the pusher and permits of the easy withdrawal of the pushers as they pass under the stack, said spring projecting above the surface of the pusher a sufficient amount to engage the bottom strip. The three strip pushers 82 are actuated by the cam 83' rigidly mounted on cam shaft (Fig. 6) through the following mechanism :Arms Set rigidly mounted on rock shaft'85, engage pins 86 inthe ushers 82 and the roll 87 mounted on the downwardly extending arm on the middle arm 8%, by means of the tension spring 88, is held in Contact with the cam surface of cam 83 thereby imparting a reciprocating motion to the pushers as the cam shaft 80 rotates.

Strip guides 89, 89, adjustable for difierent widths of strips are carried on laterally eX- tending arms or slides 90. (Figs. 2, 6 and 8) which work in vertical slideways 91. Each slide 90 is actuated by a bell crank lever 92 fulcrumed on stud 73. The lower arm of lever 92 is connected by link 93 to the upper end of lever 94:. which is pivotally mounted on bracket 76 by screw ,77 and normally urges link 93 to the right by a'tension spring similar to 7 3 (not shown) but located in front of spring 78 (Fig. Cam 79 mounted on cam shaft 80 engages roll 90 on lever 91 and controls the upward and dow 1- ward movement of the strip guides. )Vhen the guides are down on the feed bar, cla1np ing plungers 97, three in number, (Figs. 2 and are brought down on the strip 98 to the position shown in Fig. The mechanism for effecting this consists of a plunger guide rail 99, which is bolted to slides 90 and provided with holes through which plungers 97 extend. Plungors 07 are held. in raised position on rail 90 by coil springs 100. Plunger levers 101, one for each plunger, are pivoted to guide rail 39; one arm of each lever 101 acts on the plunger 97, and the otbt-r arm is pivoted to link 102; in the right hand end of link 102 is mounted pin 103. A lever fulcrumed on screw 77 (Fig. engages at its upper end pin 103 and by means of cam 79 actuating roll 105 on lever l0-loperates the clamping plamgers. Said strip is held thus clamped until the strip keepers 63 close over the strip 98 as shown in Fig. 9, and the strip is engaged by the nipper. After the strip keepers close over the strip and the strip is engaged by the nippcr the three cam paths on cam T' operate to raise the strip presser feet. strip guides and clamping plungers to their respective elevated positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The feed bar rotating mechanism for turning the strip over between each action of the cutting tools, is quite different from the oscillating method commonly used. in that the feed bar is rotated half a revolution and stops while the tack or nail blank is severed from the strip. and turns the succeeding half revolution in the same direction as the preceding one; thus giving the feed bar intermittent rotation in one direction; the mechanism comprises lever 106 (Fig. 1) pivoted on a bracket 107 rigidly mounted on a leg of the tack or nail machine, reciproeating rods 10S and 109. extending from lever 106 lengthwise of the machine, ratchet arms 110 and 111, pawls 112 and 113 (Figs. 1 and ratchet wheel 11. 1 rigidly mounted on stud 115, journaled in feed bar housing 23, bevel gear 116 rigidly mounted on stud 115, bevel pinion 117 (Figs. 1, 3' and 10) rotatably mounted on sleeve 21 which carries the feed bar; sleeve 21 being rotatably mounted in feed bar housing 23. The lever 106 is reciprocated by suitable mechanism (not shown) on the tack machine and imparts suflicient motion to arms 110 and 111 to permit the engagement of pawls 11.2 and 113 with the ratchet teeth on the ratchet wheel 111. The pause in the rotation of the feed bar while the blanks are severed from the strips, is effected by slightly increasing the stroke of 1.10 and 111. so

that

pawls

112 and 113 will pass slightly beyond the point necessary to engage a tooth on the ratchet.

In order to stop the rotation of the feed bar 20 while the stub end of the strip is being removed and a fresh strip is seized by the nippers and presented to the cutting tools, and again to start the rotation of feed bar 20, the following stopping and starting mechanism is provided: 118 (Figs. 3 and 10) is a stopping and starting cam rigidly mounted on cam shaft 80. Cam shaft 80 is actuated by mechanism hereinafter described and rotates only while the stub end of the used up strip is being removed and a fresh strip is being brought into position to be operated upon. )Vhile this is taking place, therefore, feed bar 20 and sleeve 21 should be disconnected from gear 117 which drives the feed bar, and is loose on sleeve 21. A rock shaft 122 extending transversely through sleeve 21 and feed bar 20 has at one end a clutch finger 123 which normally engages a pin 124 on gear 117, thereby causing the feed bar to turn with the gear. At the other end of rock shaft 122 is an arm 122 having a roller 121 at its outer end. The cam lever 120, carrying cam roll 119, is fulcrumed on a bracket extending from the feed bar housing 23. Said lever 120 has at its upper end a cam surface 120 which is out of the path of roller 121 on arm 122 when the feed bar is rotating and the cam shaft 80 is inactive. When the cam shaft 80 is rotated, cam 118 acting through cam roller 119 swings lever 120 so as to move its cam surface 120 into the path of roller 121 on arm 122, thereby swinging arm 122 and disengaging clutch finger 123 from pin 124-. Gear 117 and feed bar 20 are thus disconnected and the gear is free to rotate while the feed bar remains at rest in the proper position to receive a fresh strip. The cam 118 is so shaped as to hold the clutch finger 123 out of engagement with pin 124 so long as said operations of removing the old strip stub and seizing a fresh strip continue, and then to reengage said clutch finger and pin.

The clutch controlling mechanism (Figs. 1a and 15) comprises nipper clutch cam 125, rigidly mounted on cam shaft 80 and provided with forward reversing cam path 125% backward reversing cam path 125, and neutral cam path 125, shifting lever 126 fulcrumed at 126 on the clutch housing, spool fork 127 engaging clutch shipper 57 to shift the clutch as the cam projections on cam 125 engage the roll 128 on the lever 126.

During the cutting of the strips, the strips are fed forward toward the cutting tools by means of the feed bar rotating mechanism. As the feed bar 20, (Fig. 3) is rotated in a clockwise direction, with the nipper clutch Fig. 16 in neutral position, pinion 37 mounted on shaft 36 of the feed bar rotates on its axis in an anti clockwise direction and thereby rotates the pinions 34 (Figs. 1 and 5) which mesh with and drive the rack 29" and nipper 29, in a direction to feed the strip to the cutting tools; when the strip has been fed up to the gage 129 (Fig. 1) pinion 37 no longer rotates on its axis but continues its clockwise movement with the feed bar, carrying with it the annular gear 38, spur gear 39, and shaft 40 drive clutch (Fig. 16) being disengaged until the half revolution of the feed bar is completed. At the end of the half revolution the tack or nail blank is severed from the strip, and after the cutting tool is withdrawn, the strip is moved forward again to the gage 129 by the rotation which is resumed of gear 37, shaft 36 and the rack and pinions which drive the nipper endwise.

The clutch mechanism for actuating the cam shaft 80, (Figs. 14 and 15) comprises worm 130, rigidly mounted on the left hand end of shaft 40, plunger 131 (Figs. 14 and 19) plunger spring 132, plunger trigger 133, trigger spring 134, all mounted on shifting lever 135 which is mounted on the frame, trigger stop screw 136, spool fork 137 shifting spool 138, clutch shipper 139 17), pin 140 loosely mounted in the housing 4 of the frame, clutch shifting cam 141 on cam shaft 80. As the clutch proper 142 for cam shaft 80 is identical, except that it requires no reverse movement, with the nipper clutch shown and described under Fig. 16, it not described in detail here.

)Vhen the teat 131 of plunger 131 engages the worm thread on worm 130, the upper arm of shifting lever 135 moves toward the left as shaft rotates in a counter-clockwise direction; the lower arm of shifting lever 135 forces in shifting spool 138 and shipper 139 which is connected to it, until the cam clutch 142 and gear 142 are locked together thereby rotating the cam shaft 80. Plunger 131 is disengaged from worm 130 by the forcing out of the plunger as the bottom of the plunger bears against the gradual rise 130 in the bottom of the worm thread. The bottom of the groove or thread at the left hand end of the worm acts as a cam during a half revolution of the worm, thereby forcing the plunger out. The plunger is then held out of engagement with the worm by the trigger 133, pressed into the annular groove 131 in the plunger by the leaf spring 134. When the cam shaft 80 has made one revolution it is stopped by the movement of shipper 139 toward the left. Cain 141 acting on pin 140 unlocks gear 142 and cam shaft 80 thereby stops. The left hand movement of the shipper 139 and shifting spool 138 carries the upper arm of shifting lever 135 and plunger 131 toward the right until trigger 133 strikes against of the machine.

trigger stop screw 136 and plunger 131 is pulley 146 (Fig. 2) which is rotated by abelt from a pulley on the. tack machine (not shown). Sleeve 143 has integral therewith, bevel gear 145,-(Whicl1' meshes with and is continuously driven by bevel pinion 144), pinion 147 which meshes with clutch gear 142 to drive the cam shaft 80, spur gear 148 which meshes directly with clutch gear 44 to drive the nipper in one direction, spur gear 149 which meshes with an intermediate gear 150, which in turn meshes with clutch gear to drive the nipper in the opposite direction, according as the clutch mechanism, heretofore described,

locks cam plate

42 or 43 with

gears

44 or 45. p

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assuming that the. nipper 29 is traveling to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, and that the strip has been all cut excepting the stub end (31 in Fig. 4) held by the nipper jaws, as the nipper approaches the nose guide 28, locatedclose to the cutters, cam shaft 80 stopped during the cutting of the strip, is made to rotate by the throwing in of the cam shaft clutch actuated by the worm 130 and plunger 131 (Fig. 15), and the reversing projection 125 on cam 125 shifts the nipper clutch into backward reversing position. Thereupomthe nipper 29 will start its travel toward the right and away from the cutting tools. Simultaneously with the shifting of the nipper clutch into backward reversing position, the nipper opening arm 32 on shaft 33 engages the upper jaw 29 of the nipper and forces the right hand end thereof down and opens the nipper so that as the nipper moves to the right the stub end remains in the nose guide 28 and in stub end ejectors 58 until the nipper reaches a position at the right hand end As the nipper in its travel toward the right engages pin 59 on bar 60 (Fig. 12), shifting bar 60 moving with the nipper, retracts the stub end held by the strip locators 151 (Fig. 4) mounted on the tack or nail machine (not shown) and strip ejectors 58, until the inwardly projecting arms 58 mounted on bar 60 (Fig. 4) strike the stop screw 61, thereby opening the ejectors 58 and discharging the stub end. The rotation of the feed bar will also be stopped as cam 118 on cam shaft 80 actuates the clutch finger 123 by swinging the cam surface 120 of lever 120 toward the right and into the path of roll 121 on arm 122,

mounted on and rotating with the feed bar. This disconnects the driving gears 116 and 11ifrom operative connection with the feed bar 20 and thereby stops the feed bar in correct position to receive a fresh strip.

As the nipper travels to the right and en gages pin 59 on bar 60, the strip keepers 63 are opened. After the nipper passes the right hand presser foot, cam pat-h 79 on cam 79 (Fig. 5) actuates arm and the strip presser feet 09, 69, drop into operative position. A fresh strip is next pushed from beneath the stack of strips in the magazine by the engagement of the cam 83, on cam shaft 80, with the strip pusher arm 8% (Fig. 0) on rock shaft 85. This causes the shaft to rock and to actuate the three strip pushers 82, which are located near the two ends and the middle of the strip, and forces the strip out from the bottom of the stack over the feed bar 20 and beneath the presser feet 09, 69. Cam pat-h '79 on cam 7 9 neXt engages roll 96 and moves the upper arm of lever 9%. toward the right, thereby dropping strip guides 89 into operative position at the sides of the strip (Fig. 8). Cam

next actuates the strip pushers to withdraw them and the strip is allowed to drop from the strip pushers to the feed bar, where it is clamped by the clamping plungers 9T, actuated by levers 101, link 102, pin 103, and clamp actuator lever 10-1, which is operated through roller 105 by cam path 79 on cam 79, immediately after the withdrawal of the strip pushers. While the strip is thus firmly clamped to the feed bar and the cam projection 125 on cam 125, shifts the nipper clutch into forward reverse position by connecting cam plate l3 and gear 15, so that the nipper moves in a direction toward the cutting tools, shifting bars 60 moves to the left and the strip keepers 83 close over the strip. Arm 152 and lever 15& (Fig. 5) are rigidly keyed to the rock shaft As the right hand end of the upper j aw of nipper 29 passes under the nipper opening arm 152, cam 153 on cam. shaft 80, actuating arm 15-): (Figs. 1 and swings arm 152 in a downward direction into the path of nipper jaw 29", thereby opening the nipper to receive a. fresh strip and as the nipper moves toward the cutting tools engaging the fresh strip, and passes from under the arm 152, spring 80 (F ig' 5) closes the nipper and the strip is firmly held by the nipper. Cam 79 next actuates arn'is 75, 94 and 104; and raises the strip presser feet 69 andv strip guides 89 together with clamping plungers 97 clear of the feed bar. The nipper is now free to pass under the strip presser feet, strip guides and clamping plungers.

Cain 118 next actuates the lever which permits clutch finger to reciigage the pin 12-l and thereby connects the feed bar rot-ating mechanism and the feed bar resumes its intermittent rotation. At this juncture, cam projection 125" on cam 125, engages lever 126 and shifts the nipper clutch from its forward operating position, into neutral position, so that the clutch plates s2, &3 (Fig. are disconnected from both clutch gears. Thereupon, the nipper and strip will be fed toward the cutting tools by the action of the feed bar rotating mechanism and annular gear rotatably mounted on the feed bar. As the nipper clutch is shifting into neutral position, cam ill acting on pin 1 1-0 (Figs. 17 and 15) forces shifting spool 138 to the left and thereby disconnects clutch gear 142 from shaft 80 and said shaft 80 stops. The upper arm. of shifting lever 135 with plunger 131 mounted therein, by the operation of cam 1 11 is brought into a position where trigger striking against trigger stop screw 136 releases the plunger and the cycle of operations is complete.

From the foregoing description of the construction and mode of operation of the ma chine, it will be seen that the strip keepers will hold the blank or strip substantially flat on the feed bar and afford substantially continuous support for the strip on both its upper and lower sides, thus preventing the strip from bending, buckling or warping during the intermittent rotation of the feed bar and while being fed forward by the nipper along the feed bar, which also acts as nipper guiding means; that the nose guide 28 and strip locators 151 constitute guiding means for the strip at its forward end, adapted respectively to prevent vertical and edgewise displacement of the strip during the operation of the feed bar; that the stub end ejectors 58 will hold the stub end of the strip in the guide until after the nipper has released the strip and withdrawn, and will then retract the strip from the strip guiding means and open to drop out the stub end that the magazine for holding the stack of strips S, is substantially vertical at its lower part immediately above its delivery end and inclined at its upper part, whereby the inclined part of the magazine will take a great part of the weight off from the lower strips in the stack while the vertical part at the lower end of the magazine will prevent any tendency of the lowermost strips to tilt out of the proper flat, horizontal posi tion; that the Dresser feet. are held in their depressed and operative position to hold the strip in position on the pushers while the strip is carried forward by the pushers and until the pushers reach the end of their forward movement; that the stradlle guides will come down at either side of the strip after the latter has been carried forward by the pushers, and will prevent lateral dis placement of the strip while the pushers are being withdrawn, act as strippers to hold the strip over the feed bar while the pushers are which includes a yielding'element'to permit the forward motion of the nipper tobe arrested without discontinuing the application of the power, as the strip is cut off bythe cutting tools of the tack or nail machine and again moves forward until it meets the usual stop or gage of the nail cutting machine; thatthe nipper guiding means (feed bar) derives itsmotion of rotation, and the nipper itsforward motion along the nipper guiding means, from the same common source of power; that said nipper guiding means, lnternuttently rotated ln'a-single d1rect1on,1s automatically connected and d1sconnected from its rotating mechanism at predetermined times, but only when said guidingmeans is in normal strip-receiving position; and that the stopping and starting of the nipper guiding means, the c0ntrolling of the movements of the nipper, and the operation of the mechanisms for delii eringthe strip to the nipper, are all effected from a single cam shaft, the rotation of which is'stopped when the strip has been delivered to and seized by the nipper, and is restarted when the nipper has reached the end of its forward travel; that is, the cam shaft operates only while the nipper is being retracted and a new strip is being brought into place on the feed bar.

I claim 1. In a machine of the character described, a rotary feed bar'adapted to receive'and hold the blank or strip and to afford substantially continuous support therefor, strip keepers on said feed bar adapted at all times a V to permit free movement of the strip lengthwise of the feed bar and to hold said strip substantially fiat on the feed bar in all positions of the same, and mechanism to open and close said strip-keepers.

2. Ina machine of the character described, a feed bar adapted to receive'and hold the blank or strip and to afford substantially continuous support therefor, strip-keepers on said feed bar to hold said strip substantially flat on the feed bar, and mechanism to open and close said strip-keepers, said feed bar being provided with a longitudinal guideway, nippers mounted to slide in said guideway,'iand mechanism to actuate said nippers. A

3. In a machine of the character described,

a feed bar adaptedto receive and hold-the blank or strip and to alford substantially continuous support therefor, strip keepers on said feed bar to hold said strip substantially flat on the feedbar, and mechanism to open and clo'sesaid strip-keepers, said feed bar being provided with a longitudinal guideway, nippers comprising a pair of jaws, one of which is slidably mounted on and supportedby said guidewayand the other of which is pivoted to the sliding jaw, and mechanism to actuate said nippers. 4-. In a machine of the character described, a feed bar adapted to receive and hold the blank or strip and to afiord substantially continuous support therefor, a series of strip-keepers each consisting of an arm pivoted to the feed bar and adapted to swing, over the strip, and mechanism toopcrate said armsin unison.

" 5. In a machine of the character 'de-,

6. In a machine of the character described, a feed bar a'dapted'to receive and hold; the blank or strip and to afford substantially continuous support therefor,'a series of strip-keeperseach consisting of an arm pivoted to the feed bar and adapted to swing over the strip, strip-guiding means supported'by the forward end of said feed bar, a shifting bar mounted to move endwise on said feed bar, 'stub'end removers carried by said shifting bar, said shifting bar being adapted both to operate said strip-keepers and to retract said stub end removers from the strip-guiding means.

7. In a machine of the character described, a magazine adapted to hold a stack of blanks or strips, a feed bar, a nipper mounted to move lengthwise of said feed bar, a pusher adapted topush the lowermost strip from the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, and movable clamps cooperating with the feed bar to clamp thestrip in position flat on the feed bar until it is seized by the nipper.

S. In a' machine ,of the character described, a magazine adapted tohold a stack of'blanks or strips, a feed bar, a reciprocating pusher adapted to carry the lowermost stripfrom the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, laterally rigid and vertically movable means to hold the strip in position on the pusherv until the pusher reaches the end-of its forward movement, a nipper mounted to move end,- wise on said feed bar, and movable clamps cooperating with the feed bar to clamp the strip in position Hat on the feed bar until it is seized by the nipper.

9. In a machine of the character described, a magazine to hold a stack of blanks or strips, a fed bar, a nipper mounted to move lengthwise of said feed bar, a pusher adapted to push the lowermost strip from the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, a laterally rigid and vertically movable presser foot adapted when in ope *ative position to hold a strip in position on the pusher until the pusher reaches the end of the forward movement, and means to move said presser foot downward into operative position and upward into inoperative position.

10. In a machine of the character described, a magazine to hold a stack of blanks or strips, a feed bar, a nipper mounted to move lengthwise of said feed bar, a pusher adapted to push the lowermost strip from the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, a straddle guide to prevent lateral displacement of the strip while the pusher is being withdrawn and to guide the strip to position as it falls to the feed bar, a movable presser foot, and means to hold said presser foot in operative position while the pusher is moving forward and until the straddle guide descends.

11. In a machine of the character described, a magazine to hold a stack of blanks or strips, a feed bar, a nipper mounted to move lengthwise of said feed bar, a pusher adapted to push the lowermost strip from the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, a straddle guide to prevent lateral displacement of the strip while the pusher is being withdrawn and to guide the strip to position as it falls to the feed bar, and a presser foot adapted to hold the strip'in position upon the pusher until the straddle guide descends.

12-. In a machine of the character described, a magazine adapted to hold a stack of blanks or strips, a feed bar, a reciprocating pusher adapted to carry the lowermost strip from the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, means to hold the strip in position on the pusher until the pusher reaches the end of its forward movement, means to prevent lateral diplacement. of the strip while the pusher is being withdrawn and to guide the strip to position as it falls to the feed bar, means to clamp the strip in position on the feed bar after the pusher has withdrawn and a nipper on the feed bar to seize the strip after the pusher has withdrawn and while the strip is clamped to the feed bar.

13. In a machine of the character described. a magazine adapted to hold astack oi blanks or strips, a feed bar, a reciprocating pusher adapted to carry the lowermost strip from the bottom of the stack out of the magazine and over the feed bar, a movable presser foot adapted in its depressed and operative position to keep the strip in position 011 the pusher until the pusher reaches the end of its forward movement, and straddle guides to prevent lateral displacement of the strip while the pusher is being withdrawn. and to guide the strip to position as it falls to the feed bar, clamping means to hold the strip in position on the feed bar after the pusher has withdrawn, a nipper on the feed bar to seize the strip while thus held, and means to withdraw the presser foot, guides and clamping means.

lel. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, a nipper mounted to travel lengthwise of said guiding means, and mechanism adapted to move said nipper forward including a driving element, a driven element, and a yielding element adapted to permit the forward motion of the nipper to be arrested without discontinuing the movement of the driving element. 1

15. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, a nipper mounted to travel lengthwise of said guiding means, mechanism to impart an intermittent rotary movement to said guiding means, mechanism to drive said nipper forward 011 said guiding means, and a source of power common to both of said mechanisms, from which source said guiding means derives its motion of rotation and said nipper its forward motion.

16. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, a nipper mounted to travel lengthwise of said guiding means, mechanism to impart an intermittent rotary movement to said guiding means, mechanism to drive said nipper for ward on said guiding means, and a source of power common to both of said mechanisms, from which source said guiding means derives its motion of rotation and said nipper its forward motion, said nipper driving mechanism including a yielding element adapted to permit the forward motion of the nipper to be arrested without discontinuing the application of the power.

17. In a machine of the character described, rotary nipper guiding means, intermittently operated mechanism to rotate said guiding means in a single direction, a nipper mounted to travel lengthwise of said guiding means, mechanism to deliver a blank or strip into position to be seized by the nipper, and mechanism actuated automatically to connect the nipper guiding means and the rotating means when a blank or strip has been seized by the nipper and to disconnect the same when the nipper reaches the forward end of its travel.

18. In a machine of the character described, rotary nipper guiding means, intermittently operated mechanism to rotate said guiding means in a single direction, a coupling member carried by said guiding means for connecting and disconnecting said guiding means and intermittently operated rotating means, and mechanism operated automatically at predetermined times to move said coupling member into operative or inoperative position.

19. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, a nipper movable lengthwise of said guiding means, mechanism to actuate said nipper forward and backward, and mechanism to open the nipper jaws and release the stub end of the strip while the nipper is in its forwardmost position.

20. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, a nipper movable lengthwise of said guiding means, a strip guide supported by the forward end of said nipper guiding means, mechanism to actuate said nipper forward and backward, mechanism to open the nipper jaws and release the stub end of the strip while the nipper is in its forwardmost position, stub end removers at the forward end of said guiding means to engage and hold said stub end while the nipper jaws are retracted therefrom, and mechanism to withdraw said removers and the stub end held thereby from said strip guide.

21. In a -machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, a nipper movable lengthwise of said guiding means, a strip guide supported by the forward end of said nipper guiding means, mechanism to actuate said nipper forward and backward, mechanism to open the nipper jaws and release the stub end of the strip while the nipper is in its forwardmost position, stub end removers at the forward end of said guiding means to engage and hold said stub end while the nipper jaws are retracted therefrom, mechanism to withdraw said removers and the stub end held thereby from said strip guide, and means to open said stub end removers when so withdrawn to drop out said stub end.

22. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, mechanism to impart to said guiding means an intermittent motion of rotation, a nipper movable forward and backward on said guiding means, mechanism to deliver a strip to said nipper, means actuated by the rotation of the guiding means to stop the rotation of the guiding means in correct position to receive the new strip, and mechanism to start the rotation of the guiding means when the strip has been delivered to and seized by the nlpper.

2-3. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, mechanism to impart an intermittent motion of rotation to said guiding means, a nipper mounted to travel lengthwise of said guiding means, and, driving mechanism operable by the rotation of said guiding means to drive said nipper forward on the guiding means.

24. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, mechanism to impart an intermittent motion of rotation to said guiding means, a nipper mounted to travel lengthwise of said guiding means, and driving mechanism operable by the rotation of said guiding means to drive said nipper forward on the'guiding'means, said driving mechanism including a yielding element adapted to permit the forward motion of the nipper to be arrested without discontinuing the rotation of the guiding means.

25. In. a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, mechanism to impart to said guiding means an inter- V mittent motion of rotation, a nipper movable forward and backward on the guiding means, mechanism actuated by said intermittent rotation of the guiding means to control the movement of the nipper, and mechanism controlled by the intermittent rotation of the guiding means adapted to deliver a strip to said nipper.

26. In a machine of the character described, nipper guiding means, mechanism to impart to said guiding means an intermittent motion of rotation, a nipper movable forward and backward on said guiding means, mechanism actuated by the intermittently rotated guiding means to open the nipper jaw when the nipper reaches the end of its forward movement, and again when the nipper engages a fresh strip.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 19th day of October 1914.

I SAMUEL BEAUMONT JACKSON.

Witnesses:

ROBERT PRESLEMAN, JOSEPHINE H. RYAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.