The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1847-07-09
Misttuaneons.
From the Boston Courier.
Machine for Turning S.afuary.

Machine for Turning Slaiuary.
One Of the most remarkable inventions
of the age, is that Of Mr.. Thomas BLAN-
cHARD Of Boston for turning Busts, in a
lathe. The art of turning cylinders, balls,
and anything Of uniform circular form, in
the common lathe. has long been pursu-
ed by ordinary turner's, and is familiar to
everybody. But the idea Of turning in a
lathe, articles deviating from circular
forms. appears, at first blush, %preposter-
GUS and absurd. And yet precisely such
a machine has been invented for turning
forms Of various irregular shapes, such as
gun-barrels and g%un-stoeks. spokes for
wheels and shoe lasts. wig blocks, tackle
blocks, and last, not least in Importance,
busts of the human head Machines for
all these purposes have been invented by
Mr.. Blanchard, and n Of the latter de-
scription is now in full and successful
operation in Boston.
The process of casting busts in a mould
after a model, has long been Practlced,
and they may be produced of lead. brass,
iron, bronze, or any other maleable sub
stance, as readily as pewter spoons or
bullets, may be cast in a mould. But the
idea Of turning out busts from beautiful
marble, by machinery and steam power,
in any quantities and various sizes. and
with the most perfect accuracy, after a
single model, is truly astonishing, and
would never have been dreamed OF but
by a creative genius like that OF Thomas
Blanchard. Imagine, gentle reader, a
steam engine, in rapid motion. whirling
round, and turning u the human head
and face divine, with nose, chin, lips,
forehead, eyes, ears, neck, breast and
shoulders, of perfect proportion and accu-
racy to nature! Imagine such an eccen-
trio machine. and you willhave some idea
of the wonderful stretch of invention
which conceived and contemplated such
a faculty. =.
Such a wonderful machine is now in
successful operation in Boston, and ifany
patron of genius. or any inquiring mind,
or any person, will take the trouble to
search. he can see a bust of Daniel Web
ster rapidly revolving in one end OF a
lathe, and at the other he will see fact
simile heads of the great expounder, o.
any desired sizes, turned out from mar
Bile. by machinery.
When one Of these heads was present
ed to MI. Webster. and he was inform
ed by what process it was produced he
exclaimed, in establishment, that 1t was
the most wonderful invention ofthe age.
Well he might; for who can imagine such
a curious artl Description is out of the
question. He who doubts, or would un
derstand it, must see for himself.
have seen it. and there it is. open Il
the inspection of any respectable inquir
or. Such an art was reserved forthe In
~yentive genius of America, in the nine
teenth century.
Busts of his honor Judge Woodbury., o
the Supreme Court of the United States
have also been turned from the sam'
lathe. and those who are familiar with tn
I face Of the learned Judge, can attest tn
accuracy of the likeness. What is equa'
: " curious, busts and ameos may b
turned, after one and the same model. IN
to limitations of any sizes, from a coIos
sal bust, to a miniature face suitable for
lady's brooch.
Let us now pass from the busts OF thes
distinguished men. to the unostentatlou
gentleman, who was the inventor OF tn
i machine.
Thomas Blanchard was born in Sutton
Massachusetts, in 1883. He has bee
the inventor Of many useful things. b
g sides the lathe, for turning multiform OF
s iects. His inventive genius was earl
developed. At the age of thirteen. h
. invented a machine for pairing apple
d which operated well, and was much use
in the village where he then lived.
His next invention was that OF a ma
. chine for making tacks. At the age {
fourteen he was employed by his eide
o brother with other boys, to manufactur
b tacks. The mode for operation was,-
after cutting thin plate of iron into m
mute particles. or points, of suitable si1
d for tacks. to take up each one separate
between the fingers, and hold 1t in aivic
ill a blow was given by a hammer, ft
s making a fiat head. This tedious pr
cess of making tacks was the only on
n than known. After working all day lon
x it required much time to ascertain,
l. actual counting, how many tacks wei
n made by each operative, to know no
If much each had earned. After a day
work, it was rather too much to 60 hi
1t this computation, and Blanchard soon II
e vented a machine to ascertain the nun
Der with exactness. This consisted sir
d ply of a little wheel turning one cog ev
nv time the hammer finished a tack, viii
l. a small bell announced each thousaI
II completed.
But this counting apparatus was a ms
ter of mere temporary expediency,
save time of counting at night, the tacI
! made in the course ofthe day. He thu
:, conceived a plan fir making taeks,
any quantities, by machinery. AIT
,. persevering for five or six years abo.
i 1912, he produced a machine that wou
"a make 500 tacks in aminute. He had on
le to place the iron in a hopper, and tao
OF of more perfect shape and finish, of ho'
le and point, were produced, than had c
d err before been made my manual labor.
:. Securing a patent, he sold the right f
$4,000.