Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-12-29
MISCELLANY.
From the Journal of the Franklin Institute.
ON THE MANUFACTURE OF PINS
distract Of a Lecture delirsred By Doctor

Institute.
In a recent lecture of DR.. Brbeck's al
the Mechanics Institute, while pointing
out the advantages tG be derived from the
use Of machinery as a substitute for hu
man labor, he adverted TO the various pro-
cesses employed in the fabrication ola pin.
He Observes
sit has been stated that no less than Is
Individuals are employed in the manulac-
ture of this little implement: some have
extended this number TO twenty-five, but
they have included processes whick occur
previous TO the drawing Of the brass wire.
The manufacture of wire, by drawing it
through a steel plate fixed pcrpendicuIarIy
% a table, is supposed TO have originated
at Nurcmburg or Augsburg, in the four
'eehth century, but tAe present mode Of
drawing it through steel plate, by the adj
dillon Of revolving cylinders, urged by hor-
scs, water, or steam, is of comparatively
recent invention. This draw plate is
pierced with a number of conical holes of
different sizes, the size Of the smaller ori-
flee determining the diameter of the wire,
which is seized by strong pair of nlp2ers,
and forcibly drawn through these holes
when the plate is placed on the drawn
frame. As the pin-maker requires a very
small shaft for his pins, the wire is made
TO pass through the smallest holes on the
draw plate; it then requires TO be made
straight, and the business Ofthe pln-maker
commences by cutting it into lengths sui
Gcicnt to make six pins. One OF these
steel plates was exhibited TO the audience,
after which twas placed on a drawn frame,
and piece of thick wire was drawn thro'
several of the oriGces in succession, and
was elongated in proportion TO the diane
tcrs Of the holes through which had pass
ed. BY this process the wire became so
much heated that the lecturer could scarce
" hold it, and he observed that "the
evolution of heat erose as in the opera
alton Of hammering) from the approXlma-
ton of the PARTICLES Of the metal by the
violent pressure it had undergone, which
had forced out its latent Calorlc, and rem
dcred il sensible"
"The boy who points the pins, takes a
bout dozen ofth lengths Of wire in his
hand at once, and a spectator is astonsh-
ed by the dexterity with which he contrIves
to keep them all revolving on their longl-
tiles, first to a course grinding stone, ard
then 10 a finer one, revolving near the 9th
er on the same axis, to give them the ne
cessary polish. The revolution Of the
wires are necessary to prevent the ends
from being ground flat, and so rapidly IS
the operation performed, that n boy will
point 5000 pins in an hour. As soon
as the two ends Of the wire are pointed, a
Din is cut from each extremity, and the
pointing is repeated till six pms are cut
of from each wire"
"The process of making the heads Of
pins, or, as it is termed, head-splnnlng,
consists in causing a finer wire to revolve
with great rapldity round a straight piece
of wire of propcr diameter, which Is after
wards drawn out, leaving the spiral coil IN
the form of a hollow tube, which Is cut
( into pieces, every two rounds Of the wire
making one pins head. The heads are
then put into an iron pan, and made red
hot to soften them, after which they are
ready for use, and the next important
point is to fix them properly on the shafts.
| In the year 1913, it was enacted by the
statute 81 and 80 of Henry VIII, cap. 8,
..That no person shall put to sale any pins
but only such as shall be double headed,
and have the heads soldcred fast 10 the
shank of the pins, well smoothed, the
sharks well shapen, the points well and
round filed, canted and sharpened.' But
in our times, no man could get living at
Din making. if he had TO solder the heads
.on. or fix them by rivetting. All that IS
now required is for boy to thrust the shaft
Ior pin amongst the heads, and catching
one Of chem on lis extremity, he fixes It
firmly by striking it with a hammer on an
anvil with a small hole in it. This Is
done with surprising rapidiiy, and the prin-
Ic:pal cause of the firm adhesion which
takes place between the head and the
shaft, appears to be the attraction OF cohe-
sion allowed to operate by tie closencss OF
IcOntdCt.
"When the pins are thus completely
formed. they are whitened, placing them
lin a vessel containing a solution Of grain
Inn in ,artaric acid, or the lees Of vine
In this process we have al advantage, as
to brilIancy Of surface over the continent
tai nin-makers. who use lead and mercury
instead of tin; and it is said, likewise, that
on this account, a puucture, from BrI-
fish pin is Of much less consequence than
when made with foreign one. The pins,
when thus whi,ened, have still dull aP
pearance. which is removed by agltauug
, Them in a tub containing bran; and the
pins being thus polished by friction, the