The National tribune., 1881-10-22
a CURIOUS MACHINE,

in the United States and of these three located
in Brooklyn, the fourth being in New Haven,
Conn. In the largest of the Brooklyn establish
mentS can be seen one of the most ingenious and
complicated machines in existence which per-
forms about ten different operations, turning out
complete fsh-hooks from plain cast-steel wire in
larger quantities daily than twenty skillful work
men could make by hand. There are only two
machines of the kind in the world, and both are
owned by the house in question, for which the
machine was devised by the inventor, DR.. CrOs-
by, now deceased. The firm paid a very large
sum for the invention and for the patent rights,
which it now holds exclusively.
Until recently this machine was operated pri-
vately, and no one was allowed to see it at work.
The machine consists of two distinct divisions,
each operated independently of the other by sep
arate gear, yet which must work together in per-
feet harmony. The wire is uncOiled from large
Wheel and at the same time Strengthened by
series of revolving rollers, after passing through
which it is seized for a second by clutch which
holds it in position to be cut off in exact lengths by
two knives. Then it is caught by another knife
working at right ngles to the Others This plOughs
up with clean cut small spur of the metal near
the end, which is to form the beard or barb of the
hook. AS yet the point remains perfectly blunt
and square, but, passing on, it is roughly pointed
by sort of punch into the form of wedge. At
this stage it reaches the other machine, which is
at right angles to the first, and is dropped into
groove upon endless chain, which passes in front
of the revolving files by which the hook is to be
finished At the same time the upper end of the
wire is seized by an invisible finger and bent into
a ring with the rapidity of thought. 1t is then
brought in contact with the six files, one after
another These files are in the form of wheels,
each operated by separate belt from the shaft,
and each is of different degree of fineness grad
uated from the rough burr which takes off the
sides of the wedge, to little polishing wheel
coming last, and leaving the point of the hook
almost perfectly round. Each of these files also
works at different angle When the hook fin
ished but still straight, leaves the last fle fin
ger pokes it down upon a RACKET which fits ex-
actly into the barb of the hook and forces it to
bend around projection on fly wheel, which
gives the hook its proper shape and throws it
into receptacle below.
By this machine about fifty five hooks min
ute are turned out, all ready to be tempered and
blued or apanned, or about SO, 900 in day of ten
hours. If it were allowed to run continually,
more hooks would be turned out than would
supply the whole market for a year to come, and
more than could be conveniently finished and
packed. The production could be increased to
over so per minute, but so high running rate
damages the files and the finish of the hooks is
not as good The waste in defective hooks is
only about 5 per cent. Every hook, before being
4 4 !.
jected. Only the larger hooks and those for
which there is the most demand, are made by the
machine, which can be adjusted so as to make
three different sizes. There is the most demand
for large trawl hooks for cod fishing which are
sold to fishermen by the barrel, as good-sized
trawl contains thousands of hooks