The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-11-07
MISCELLANY.
Pin-Making.

a NlS1tOT 10 the ildHuldCLOiN a. al
paraiso, Ind, gives the Chicago later
Ocean description Of the manner in
which pins are made there. The wire is
of the size suitable for ordinary pins, and
the first thing required is to straighten
it. This is done by placing it on a reel,
whence it is passed between fifteen or
twenty polished steel rollers, arranged
much like the keys of a violin, the last
two being placed together, so that as
the wire passes out from between them
it becomes perfectly straight, and Is
wound loosely on immense spools. "We
hang these spools on pegs" said Mr..
Waring, "until they are wanted at the
machines. They are then placed on a
standard, as you see this one here, and
the thread of wire conducted into the
machine. The first thing which this
/ ingenious little automaton does is to
cut the wire the required length. In a
moment afterwards the pin falls into a
+ vessel at the bottom, complete. To de-
scribe the process by which this is ac-
complished would take more time than
1 is required to manufacture enough pins
to last an ordinary family five years.
/ Almost at the instant that the wire is
cut, little hammer, flying in and out
SO fast that it is hardly discernible,
strikes it square on the end, and literal
/ Iy puts head on it A finger pushes
/ it sideways on a smooth plane under a
number of CUTTERS so arranged that
the lower half of the pins are rolled
swiftly underneath them to the extreme
right of the machines. These cutters
make about 4, 900 revolutions minute,
and are so constructed as to point the
pins while they hurry them towards the
receiver. Looking at the rows of pins
coming swiftly over he iron apron one
is puzzled to know what suddenly be-
comes of them. They are constantly
approaching, but never reaching you.
But at the end where the line terminates
is a tin spout, and so quickly do the
pins disappear into this that one does
not see what becomes of them until
the spout are small tin vessels holding
a quart or so, and besides them larger
vessels. The small pans are used to
first receive the pins, in order that, if
the machines get to working badly and
making imperfect articles, the fact may
be discovered before they have become
mixed with the larger quantities, which
would necessitate the rejection of all in
the same vessel. When the pins drop
into these pans they are, as before indi-
Gated, complete, so far as the form is
concerned, but they are not yet ready for
market by any means. They are COW
cred with oil and the thin brass filings
of the wire, and must be cleansed.
They are taken into another room where
are two large revolving casks. These
casks are partially filled with sawdust,
and into them is also emptied a bushel
or two Of pins. After thorough shak-
ing up here the pins and sawdust to-
gether are taken to still another room,
where they are run through a tanning
grain. Having been separated from the
sawdust here, they are carried to large
tanks, into the bottom of which are
placed perforated blocks of tin. Alter
nate layers of pins and tin blocks are
placed in these tanks until they are fill
ed, when the whole mass is boiled by
steam. This gives them the silver color
noticed, and is sort of galvanizing
process, which keeps them from corrod-
ing. When taken out of these tanks
they are emptied into a large sink and
: washed"