146 MR. J. C. DYER ON THE ORIGIN OF 



principles of action and reaction on which they depend ; 

 still I feel assured that " the perfect witness of all-seeing 

 Jove^' will assign to this invention of Mr. Whittemore 

 the rank of being one of the highest exertions of inventive 

 genius (as applied to the rapid succession of complicated 

 motions to effect given results) that are anywhere to be 

 found in successful practice in our times. 



The cam, or curvilinear wedge, action produced by re- 

 volving shafts, as we have seen, was first employed by Mr. 

 Whittemore for guiding a series of regulated motions in 

 this card-machine; but since that machine was brought 

 into use, many other inventors have availed themselves of 

 the same cam action for producing similar motions in other 

 valuable machines now in general use, among which may 

 be mentioned that for making the eyes or shanks of metal 

 buttons. Several of the motions in this machine very 

 closely resemble those in the card-machine. 



Again, the machine for making " wire reeds" used in 

 weaving (the invention of Capt. "Wilkinson), which was 

 greatly improved in its construction and rendered of value 

 in practice by the late Mr. Eichard Roberts, who built the 

 machines for a patent reed manufactory in Manchester — 

 this and the pin-making machine invented by Mr. L. 

 Welman Wright, by which the wire is cut into proper 

 lengths, and the pins pointed and headed and completed 

 by the motions given by the driving-shaft — both of these 

 inventions are evidently based on that of the card-machine. 



3. On Cuttivig Furs from Pelts. 



The next invention I have to notice will be of interest, 

 on account of its having proved, in an eminent degree, the 

 parent source whence a great many other inventions have 

 since sprung, several of which will be pointed out below, — 

 namely the machine for cutting furs from pelts by re- 



