408 



NEEDLE MANUFACTURE 



branch pushed down, and the coil of wire released. Fig. 1549 shows the wheel in 

 profile. It is driven by the winch-handle a. 



The new-made coil is cut in two points diametrically opposite, either by hand shears, 

 of which one of the branches is fixed in a block by a bolt and a nut, as shown in fig. 

 1550, or by means of the mechanical shears, represented in fig. 1551. The crank A is 

 moved by a hydraulic wheel, or by eteam-power, and rises and falls alternately. The 

 extremity of this crank enters into a mortise cut in the arm B, of a bent lever B o c, 

 and is made fast to it by a bolt. An iron rod D F, hinged at one of its extremities to 

 the end of the arm c, and at the other to the tail of the shears or chisel E, forces it to 

 open and shut alternately. The operative, placed upon the floor under F, presents the 

 coil to the action of the shears, which cut it into two bundles, composed each of 90 or 

 100 wires, upwards of 8 feet long. The chisel strikes 21 blows in the minute. 



These bundles are afterwards cut with the same shears into the desired needle 

 lengths, these being regulated by the diameter. For this purpose the wires are put 

 into a semi-cylinder of the proper length, with their ends at the bottom of it and 

 are all cut across by this gauge. The wires thus cut are deposited in a box placed 

 alongside of the workman. 



Two successive incisions are required to cut 100 wires, the third is lost; hence the 

 shears, striking 21 blows in a minute, cut in 10 hours fully 400,000 ends of steel wire, 

 which produce more than 800,000 needles. The wires thus -cut are more or less bent, 

 and require to be straightened. This operation is executed with great promptitude, 

 by means of an appropriate instrument. In two strong iron rings k.^fig. 1552, of 

 which one is shown in front view at c, 5,000 or 6,000 wires, closely packed together, 

 are put; and the bundle is placed upon a flat, smooth bench i.Te.,fig. 1553, covered 

 with a cast-iron plate D E, in which there are two grooves of sufficient depth for re- 

 ceiving the two ring bundles of wire, or two openings like the rule F, fig. 1553, upon 

 which is placed the open iron rule F, shown in front in fig. 1555 upon a greater scale. 

 The two rings must be carefully set in the intervals of the rule. By making this rule 

 come and go five or six times with such pressure upon the bundles of wires as causes 

 it to turn upon its axis, all the wires are straightened almost instantaneously. 



The construction of the machine, represented in fig. 1553, may require explanation. 

 It consists of a frame in the form of a table, of which i, M is the top ; the cast-iron 

 plate, D E, is inserted solidly into it. Above the table seen in fig. 1 554 in plan there 

 are two uprights, c H, to support the cross-bar, A A, which is held in forks cut out in 

 the top of each of the two uprights. This cross-bar, A A, enters tightly into a mortise 

 cut in the swing piece, N, at the point, N, where it is fixed by a strong pin, so that the 

 horizontal traverse communicated to the cross-bar, A A, affects at the same time the 

 swing-piece, N. At the bottom of this piece is fixed, as shown in the figure, the open 

 rule, F, seen upon a larger scale in fig. 1555. 



When the workman wishes to introduce the bundle, B, he raises, by means of two 

 chains, i, x, fig. 1553, and the lever, o o, the swing-piece and the cross-bar. For this 

 purpose he draws down the chain, i ; and when he has placed the bundle properly, so 



that the two rings enter into the groove, E D, 

 fig. 1553, he allows the swing-piece to fall back, 

 so that the same rings enter the open clefts of 

 the rule, F ; he then seizes one of the projecting 

 arms of the cross-bar, A, alternately pulling and 

 pushing it in the horizontal direction, whereby 

 he effects, as already stated, the straightening 

 of the wires. 



The wires are now taken to the pointing- 

 tools, which usually consist of about 30 grind- 



1653 



1555 



1567 

 1666 Q 



1558 



stones arranged in two rows, driven by a water-wheel. Each stone is about 18 

 inches in diameter and 4 inches thick. As they revolve with great velocity and are 



