Method and apparatus for making wire nails having radially offset, fully circular heads

A method for manufacturing nails having elongate shanks and integral heads from a malleable wire, comprising the steps of:

• (a) clamping the wire with a clamping mechanism defining a clamping axis so that a length of the wire extends axially therefrom;
• (b) bending the extending length of the clamped wire at an acute angle relative to the clamping axis;
• (c) cutting a leading portion of said bent length of said clamped wire from the entire bent length portion of the clamped wire and forming a pointed end upon the leading portion of the bent length of said clamped wire as and wherein the leading portion of the bent length of said clamped wire is cut so as to leave a bent stub extending from the clamping mechanism;
• (d) forming a nail head from the bent stub of the clamped wire so that the nail head tends to be fully circular when viewed endwise and wherein said nail head is offset with respect to said clamping axis;
• (e) releasing the wire from the clamping mechanism after the head forming step;
• (f) feeding the released wire axially until a length of the wire extends axially from the clamping mechanism;
• and
• (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) so as to form the shank and head of a nail from the leading portion of said clamped wire cut within each repetition cycle except possibly for an initial cycle of steps.

A method for manufacturing nails having elongate shanks and integral heads from a malleable wire, comprising the steps of:

• (a) clamping the wire with a clamping mechanism defining a clamping axis so that a length of the wire extends axially therefrom, the extending length of said wire having a nail head formed thereon;
• (b) bending the extending length of the clamped wire at an acute angle relative to the clamping axis;
• (c) cutting a leading portion of said bent length of said clamped wire from the entire bent length of the clamped wire, and forming a pointed end upon the leading portion of the bent length of said clamped wire as and where the leading portion of the bent length of said clamped wire is cut from said entire bent length of said clamped wire, so as to leave a bent stub extending from the clamping mechanism;
• (d) forming a nail head from the bent stub of the clamped wire whereby said nail head is offset with respect to said clamping axis;
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• (e) releasing the wire from the clamping mechanism after the head forming step;
• (f) feeding the released wire axially until a length of the wire extends axially from the clamping mechanism;
• and
• (g) repeating steps (a) through (f) so as to form the shank and head of a nail from the leading portion of said clamped wire cut within each repetition cycle.

Apparatus of manufacturing nails having elongate shanks and radially offset, fully circular heads from a malleable wire, comprising:

• (a) means, including a clamping mechanism defining a clamping axis, for clamping the wire so that a leading portion of the wire extends axially outwardly from the clamping mechanism, and for releasing the wire from the clamping mechanism so as to permit the wire to be fed axially;
• (b) means for bending the leading portion of said wire extending axially outwardly from the clamping mechanism at an acute angle relative to the clamping axis;
• (c) means for cutting the bent leading portion of the clamped wire so as to leave a bent stub extending outwardly from the clamping mechanism;
• (d) means for forming a nail head from the bent stub of the clamped wire;
• and
• (e) means for axially feeding the wire disposed within the clamping mechanism when released by said clamping mechanism until a new leading portion of the wire extends axially outwardly from the clamping mechanism,
• the apparatus being operable repetitively so that the apparatus forms the shank and head of an ail from the leading portion of the clamped wire cut within each repetition cycle except possibly for an initial operation cycle.