The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-20
TO MAKE N.cEDLEs.
The First Needle Machine Now I'm Use
I'm This COuntry

IN THIS SOuntFs
Chicago Journal.
Chicago vii, soon have the proud dis
tinction of being the center of the needle
manufacturing industry of the world. The
country will com from Chicago, and
America will no longer have TO depend
upon England and Germany for this i'm
portant article OF domestic life
The first needle machine ever made is
from Detroit, where il was built, q few
days ago. 1t is now being perfected, and
repeated tests have demonstrates its prac-
ticability and great usefulness. 1t seems
as perfect a piece CT mechanism as was
ever put together, and its inventor says
there is little TO do before the machine
will be ready to manufacture needles at
the rate OF 900 an hour. or 3.oco a day.
The inventor is Eugene Fontaine, a De-
troit man, whose invention OF the pin ma
chine in 1872 made him famous. Mr.. Fon-
tame is an American. whose skill as an
inventor OF useful machinery Is known the
world over. He first conceived the idea
of the needle machine soon after his pin
machine was put in operation. Only with
In the past three years. however, has ne
given his time to the accomplishment OF
the plan which has finally led TO the pro-
duction Of this most useful machine, About
two years ago he completed his designs.
and the time since then has been devoted
TO the work of putting up the machine.
When Ii is known that IN TO the present
featured on this continent, the importance
of Mr.. Fontaine's invention may be realized.
With the whole world for a market. Eng
land and Germany have thrived as needle
centers. The needle industry of Great Brit
ain Is confined to Redditch, England, and
here the better grades of needles are made.
The Redditch needles sell at about $40 per
one thousand. The German needles are Of a
cheaper quality AMI are sent out all over
the world. They cost about 20 cents per one
thousand.
That Chicago is destined to become the
great needle supply district for the world is
demonstrated by the fact that the new ma
nntnQ will Sn nhRQnRn the n0sf of nrn6Irfinn
as to put both England and Germany out
of the competitive field. BY the Fontaine
invention needles of the best quality can be
manufactured TO supply the whole world at
a market price OF about 30 cents per one
thousand. England will no longer be able
TO compete with America. the cost of proiuc-
tion being fully two and a half times as
great there as here Germany. too. will
eventually be forced out OF the field. as the
cheaper grades of needles can be made here
at about half the coct of production that
prevails there.
The Fontaine needle machine is compactly
built. and the first one TO be constructed
seems perfect In every detail. To the un-
trained eye there is in the machine only a
mass or cogs, wheels and bolts. TO the me-
chanic, however, the machine represents the
demonstration of a wonderful theory, the
outgrowth Of an inventive miad trained TO
the highest point, and skilled in every branch
Of practical mechanics.
The metamorphoses OF the steel wire from
the time when 1t stands in the coils until il
appears in tle shape of needles. ready. save
Is interesting. The wire - kept on a spindle
ard is fed into the machine by the constant
evolution CT the spindle. Immediately upon
being reeled into the machine the wire is
cut into the lengths desired for the particu-
lar reedle wanted. The short pieces of wire
are then grasped in order by a clutch and
the exposed end is brought in contact with
o die. which stamps a bank through which
the eye Is TO be made.
A second die now perfcrates this blank.
and a third die suages off the excess steel
about the eyes. The needles then come in
contact with a series of clutches. which take
them from the first set of machinery. and.
turning them end to end. exposes them to
emery wheels and rouge belts. After the
point mas been made perfect the needle is
reversed again to another series OF clutches.
and the eye is polished. From the polishing
belts the needles drop out into carrying ma
Clines at the rate CT forty a minute. rD 10
this time the capacity OF the machine has
been but th.rty-eigit a minute. but In time
IL Is taougnt that the output viii greatly ex-
coed that lumber.
As yet Mr. Fontaine has contemplated
no different mole OF tempering the needles
than that in vogue In England and Germany.
He VIII adopt the same process. which con-
them on a pate and raising them to a red
dipped in cod oil. They are kept cool by
running of a portion as IL gets warm and
replacing IL by an equal quantity OF cold
oil. The needles now being hard and easily
broken are made less brittle by placing
them on a continuous band OF wire gauze.
which travels slowly over gas flames. The