SEVERAL MECHANICAL INVENTIONS. 357 



models, constructed and adapted to make the nails and 

 tacks from lead plates, merely by turning, a winch. These 

 working models were shown and explained to many of the 

 large manufacturers from the districts where the nail-mak- 

 ing was mostly carried on. 



The average rate of working was about lOO per minute 

 for nails, and 120 per minute for tacks. In after practice 

 the tack-machines were found to average about 80,000 tacks 

 per day of 10 working hours, whilst the best hand workers 

 could only produce from 1200 to 1400 per day. Each 

 machine being tended by one youth (similar to those em- 

 ployed in hand making), it followed that one hand with 

 the machine turned out as many tacks per day as would 

 require over 60 working on the old plan with the hammer 

 and anvil; wherefore this labour-saving machine, of 60 

 for I, was sure to supersede the hand makers in all kinds of 

 tacks, except the few sorts required for special purposes ; 

 and the average cost of the nails was also so far reduced as 

 to ensure a very extensive demand for them; but the 

 Dudley and other nail-makers could not be induced to 

 change their system of working by adopting the patent 

 machines. 



Shortly after, I succeeded in forming a company in 

 London for establishing a patent nail manufactory on a 

 large scale, to which company I transferred the patents, 

 and undertook to superintend the building and starting of 

 the machines for a period of six months ; after which the 

 concern was left wholly in charge of the company, the 

 principal party in which was then an eminent London 

 banker, who supplied the capital, and, as head of the con- 

 cern, selected the parties to be charged with the manage- 

 ment of the business. Besides a small sum received in 

 money, I was to receive in compensation for the patent 

 rights a certain share of the profits to arise from their 

 exercise ; but, from the lack of mechanical knowledge and 



