The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-17
a Curious Machine.

There are but four fishing hook manutacto'
ries in the United States and OF these three
are located in Brooklyn, the fourth being IN
| New Haven, Conn. In the largest OF the
| Brooklyn establishments can be seen one OF
the most ingenious and complicated machines
In existence, which performs about ten dliler.
ent operations, turning out complete hsh-hOoks
from plain caststeel wire in larger quantities
daily than twenty skllful workmen 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 ma.
chine was devised by the inventor, DR.. Crosby,
now deceased. The firm paid very large
sum for the invention and for the patent rights,
which it now holds exclusively.
Until recently this invention was operated
privately, and no one was allowed to see II
work The machine consists of two distinct
divisions, each operated independently OF the
other by separate gear, yet which must work
together in perfect harmony. The wire Is I'M
cOiled from "A large wheel, and at the same time
Strengthened by II series of revolving rollers,
after passing through which it is seized Tor
second by clutch which holds it in position
to be cut off by another knife working at
ght angles to the others This plows up
with a clean cut small spur of metal near
the end which is to form the beard or barb OF
the hook A. yet the point remains perfectly
| blunt and square, but passing on, II Is roughly
pointed by punch into the form OF wedge
| At this stage it reaches the other machine
which is at right angles with the flrst, ana Is
! dropped into groove upon an endless chaln,
which passes in front of the revolving files by
which the hook Is to he finished. At the same
time the upper end of the wire is seized by an
invisible finger and bent into ring with the
rapldty OF thought. 1t is then brought into
| ntf
These files are in the form of wheels, each ope
rated by a separate belt from the shaft, and
each is of a different degree of tineness, gradu
ated from the rough burr which takes OIL the
wedge, to the little polishing wheel coming
last and leaving the point Of the hook almost
perfectly round. When the hook, finished
but sull straight, leaves the last file, finger
pokes il down upon a ratchet, which MS exact
iy into the barb of the hook and forces 1t tt
bend around aprojection on atiy-wheel, whict
gives the hook its proper shape and throws
INTO Il receptacle below.
By this machine about fifty-five hooks
minute are turned out, all ready to be temper
ed and blued or japanned, or about 5j,Oeo,VV'
in day of ten hours. If it were allowed tC
run continually, more hooks would be turned
out than would supply the whole maket for
wear to come, and more than could be conYen
Iently finished and packed. The productloi
could be Increased to over sixty minute, ou
so high a running rate damages the hles an'
the finish of the hooks Is not so good: lh
waste in defective hooks is only about five pc
cent. Every hook, before beng tempered, i
examined singly, and if imperfect is rejected
Only the large hooks and those for whlcl
, there Is most demand, are made by the ma
chine which can be adj usted so as 10 max
three different sizes There is most demand
for large trawl hooks for cod fishing, whicl
are sold To fishermen by the barrel, as goot
sIz.d trawl contains thousands OF hooks.