INVENTOR: Jacob Perkins
TITLE OF INVENTION: MACHINE FOR CUTTING NAILS
ISSUE DATE: January 16, 1795
PATENT CLASS: 1/1

The Schedule referred to in these letters patent and making part of the scheme containing a Description in the words of the said Jacob Perkins himself of an improvement in the mode of manufacturing nails, etc. (short and general description of Jacob Perkins’ invention). I have invented and discovered a mode of making nails by which much manual labor may be saved by means of an (illegible) or revolutionary cutting Engine, and a (illegible) or harding Engine is that of revolutionary motion, i.e., a collar with a (illegible) in it to the circumference of the collar (illegible) by another in a funnel and or plate cuts or (illegible) off can be placed between either of the dies on the roller, and the die in the plate, directly above which is an impression or slit sufficient for a piece of flat iron to pass thru – the roller being turned in a skew shape tho’ accordingly true, acts also as a guide to the shifting plate, and swings it in that direction with each die in the collar, so as to cut up the whole strip of iron without any manual assistance, after it is once put in the aperture of the lifting plate – the heading Engine is worked by the revolution of a tapped wheel, having three (illegible) each of which lifts up a hammer which gives three strokes each revolution of the wheel on the (illegible) which is first in a piece directly under the hammer; the three strokes forming the head of the nail; there is also affixed to the tapped wheel, a piece in a curved form, which catching the back of a (illegible) forms the (illegible) of the (illegible) nail sufficiently firm for the purpose of hardening it when the curved piece ceases to operate on the vice-lever, or spring pulls open the vice jaws which (illegible), and the (illegible) again scaching the tail of the lever, another nail is fed in the (illegible) nail dropping down immediately on the jaws of the vice opening. It is so to be observed one cutting Engine may with use be scored by 2.50 revolutions in a minute each revolution produces 2 nails. I am very often or twelve years of age can work use supply said Engine so that the labor of one. Any can cut three thousand nails/minute, the heading Engine with head only nails/minute, by the appliance of one Boy, or more if impossible for the Boy to hand them. A more particular description of these figures is given in the specification accompanied with drawings and written references being presented and the said Jacob Perkins do so now certify that this schedule contains a short and general description of my invention as specified in the petitions (illegible) are presented to the Secretary of State praying that letters patent may issue for the same according to law.

(signed) Jacob Perkins

Witnesses:
Same Coates
Edw. H. Shoemaker

(ED. NOTE: Although parts of the foregoing description were illegible, thereby rendering some parts incomprehensible, it is apparent that the above description represents only an abstract of the invention. The specification and drawings appear to have been lost. It is also interesting to note that the inventor intended his invention, a machine, to be operated by a twelve year old boy.)

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