Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-11-01
Pins.

An article in a recent number Of Mdchin-
cry, by Mr.. Fred Il. Colvin, contains some
particulars.
The manufacture OF pins was one of the
first mechanical industries which engaged
the attention of our fore fathers, for as
early as 1775 the colony of Carolina offered
prizes for native made pins, and factory
was started in 1872, but failed. Twelve
tive of Massachusetts,, was granted pat
ent in England for pin-making machine,
but this for some reason, was not intro
duced into the United States; and in 1872
DR.. John T. Howe, New York physician
in charge of an hospital, whose GONZALES
cents occupied their time by making pins
by hand, determined to introduce into
America the manufacture by machinery of
these small articles. After a period OF
careful study, during which time be aequir-
ed knowledge of their manufacture, he re-
TUNED to this county, bringing with him
the necessary machinery for factory, and
founded what is now the Howe Manufac-
turing Co., of Birmingham, Conn.
The ingots, or bars from which the pins
are finally made, are cast in iron moulds,
and are about II by inches and feet
long. being mixture of two parts copper
to one part zinc. BY continuous rolling
and frequent annealing these bars are re-
duced to sheets about one eighth of an inch
thick, and then passed between rollers
which slit them into small square strips
ready for drawing. The process of draw
ing is well known, dies of different sizes
being provided, aud by continuous drawings
and annealing the wire assumes the right
diameter for pins.
When it reaches the pin department
proper the wire must first be Strengthened,
set, which is not allowable in the pin ma
chimes. From the small reels it is wound
to the standard pin machine reel, % inches
in diameter, at the rate of over 1000 feet
per minute, passing through combination
of horizontal and vertical Strengthening
rolls, which effectually take out the kink
and leave it ready for the pin machine.
The roll is now placed on the.rack beside
the pin machine, and rollers draw the
wire into the machine, where it is first
cut off, then headed by three distinct
blows, given by cam and toggle.
The headed blanks are carried down on
the surface of vertical wheel, to horizon
tai disks below. Here they pass between
the two disks and are revolved by one
running much faster than the other, at the
same time beiug moved to the left over re-
volving steel files, four in number, which
make the points, finishing with an emery
belt. Thnse machines are speeded TO
make 16O pins per minute, and fifty ma
chimes work in one room. As these ma
chimes require practically no attention,
they are run about fourteen hours a day,
and the number of pins made, allowing
for stoppages, will exceed 5,000,000 per
diem, the aggregate weight being from l.
200 to 1,500 pounds, according to size; the
the different sizes varying in weight from
LOO to 1S, 900 to the pound.
The pins then travel to the thinning room
where they are tumbled with sawdust for
ten minutes to remove all oil and dirt,
boiled for four hours with pure Banca tin,
in prepared solution. and after a bath of
strong soapsuds to give them smooth
surface, a final tumbling with sawdust
makes them ready for the sticking room.
Once there, they are dumped into the hop
pers of the sticking machines and thence
pushed out by revolving fingers to an in
clined bed with radial slots, or "runs.'
into which large numbers of the pins fall,
some being caught by the head, others
escaping through openings to pan below
to be replaced in the hopper at leisure.
The pins feed down these slots and drop in
the ''cutting-off' plate as it is moved
slightly across the row, and when full the
movement of lever drives the small
hammers down, forcing them into the pa
per, which is crimped at the same time and
held tor the sticking. These power stick
ing machines were designed by Mr.. Nara
more in 1884, and have as many runs as
there are pins In the row, the ones for cut
sheets having 80 pins to the row and II
rows to the peper being used in this ma
chine, the attendant sticking about 2, 400
sheets per hour.
Some of the sticking machines similar to
the ones shown are adapted for the cheap
er pins, which are stuck into continuous
rolls al the rate OF 100 rows minute and
cut up into the required lengths after they
leaye the machine. These machines need
very little attention, fitting the hopper and
renewing the rolls being all that is requir-
ed. About the only feature Of the busi-
ness which has not changed in the style of
putting up the pins, the old number of IA
rows of 20 each for cheaper pins and u
rows of 80 each for the better grades still
being used.