Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-02-04
MAKING NAILS
From the Metal in the Ore to tho Nails in
the Key

From the Metal in the Ore to tho Nails In
the KeS.
Upon entering the works the first
thing which strikes one Is the arrange
ment of the pudding furnaces, they
being built 50 us TO form hollow
square. Each furnace is double that
is, one stack Is divided into two parts,
making two pudding furnaces. In
the space within the square is placed
the 'squeeZer," tho train of rolls, and
the engine, VIII ch latter furnishes the
power to drive tie machinery and sup
plies the blast Tor the furnaces. Tho
pig-iron is brought from tie blast fur
naces in cars and carts, and at Ger
tain place is broken ia halves, weighed
and appoitionhh In the puddlers. The
iron is placed IN Tho furnaces, q blast
of hot air IS dr.von over by means
of a fan. and as it melts the puddler
stirs it cont nually with u long iron in
strument called a "puddlc tool. This
process is kept up unit every vestige Of
impurity is driven out. Then the
workman gradually cools down his
furnance by dampng the fire, being
careful to note the consistency of tho
withdraws it from the furnace. and by
means of ponderous pair OF tongs
running freely on an overhead railway
conveys it to the slueezer, q piece of
mechanism worth describing. In form
er times the suueezer mbles the
jaws of n monster crocodile, from
which it derived its name. Now tho
apparatus is called "coffeo mill
squeezer," and, indeed. it looks very
much like big coffee mill. The bail
is tossed into u squeezer, which seizes
1t and Sends it rolling around and
around, the space becomes narrower
as the outcome is approached. When
Mt last the mass energies it has taken
the shape of a roll of cotton batting.
A man on the lookout" for it grasps
it with tongs. and the overhead rig
ging is again brought into play to car
ry the "bloom," as II is now called, to
tho rolls. Tho rolls arc contracted
W tn numerous grooves graduated to
the size OF the bar desired to be made.
Tie "bloom" has cow gone
through the puddle rolls and is
fiat, say four inches wide. three. quar-
ters of an inch thick, and twelve
feet long; it is termed puddle or muck
bar. When used for Matchmaking it
must be cut into short lengths of
foot These are piled in certain
manner, weighed and taken 10 de-
parLment. the 'sheet- mill" This mill
has within it several heating furnaces
and two trains of rolls-one 10 break
down the pile and another to finish
the sheet. The heaters arrange tho
piles of iron ON the furnaces precisely
as the baker does his loaves in the
oven. When it is suite emily heated
it IL conveyed by means OF the ever
useful over head railway to the rolls,
into long Thin sheets. Now we have
come to the nail factory. The sheets
are taken to the "slittcr," who cuts
them into different sizes, as the kind
of nails desired to be made requires.
The nail-plates arc then packed in
numbered boxes to be delivered to the
pail-cutters. The large-sized nails are
cut hot, and for the purpose of heat
ing the plates furnace is ut hand IN
charge of a man whose business is to
supply the matters with iron. Now we
have reached tho last process of this
intricate manufacture. We hear the
busy hum of l2O machines, which in
the course OF eleven hours cut l, 100
kegs OF nails, An invention of recent
date, which at one time threatened TO
rovolut oniZo the cutting OF nails, has
been introduced in this factory. 1t is
called Il self-feeder, but as t only cuts
middle sizes the trade of the nail feed
NJ. - n.f ut
machines are almost human in their
working. An attendant takes up a
nail plate, prizes open the stiff jaws of
his nIppers, places one end of the plate
within and by skillful thrust has set
the machine 60 'ng 1t certainly is more
accurate i'll its acton than any feeder
can be. One person can, if diligent,
attend to two self feeding machines.
Each machine consists oil cutting
knife, a heading machine, bed plate,
y-wheel, and splint and miss cut
separator. The last is the invention
of one of the wOrkmen in the factory.
There is another process to be told
about, and that is the blueing. This
is done in an inclined revolving cylIn-
der. p creed with holes, and kept at a
dull red heat. The nails are poured
in ut the elevated end, and, as they
slowly roll down the incline, take on
the pretty blue tint we have so often
admired. The nails are now taken to
the packer" who weighs them.
packing lOO pounds in each keg. The
packing is done by means of machine
which, by an ingenious application of
mechanics, has vertical rs well as a
revolving motion. The key is placed
between the knees of the packer"
and as it dances up and down he gra-
dually fills t from large iron weigh
ing scoop. J he kog is now turned
over to the header, who deity inserts
he head. appl es the top hoops, DIR YES
nail here and there into the chimes,
gives it II whrrl, and away it goes to
the brander. who numbers it and stem
ellis tho firms name and trademark,
which latter is an anchor. And now
our nails are sent TO the warehouse to
be put into ears destined for every
part OF our country, and, indeed, rs
far off as Australia. Mining Enquirer.