Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-16
How Fins. Hooks and Eyes Are Made
| (Ncw York Commercially
Needles and pins.
Needles and pins!
| When mans married
His trouble begins.

Not long ago the Commercial published
some statistics of the ns-and-needles
industry in the United States, most OF
the article being devoted to comparisons
and analyses of figures relating to or
binary pins. hair pins, safety pins, and
so forth. Some more general figures and
facts bearing on the manufacture of
pins and hooi,s-and-eyes are here sub
joined.
The manufacture of pins has become
such an industry in the United States that
its mills practically supply the world
| VIII this much-naeded article. and yet
the demand is by no means small one
In 1900 the 100000 people in the United
a.es used 66,N1,OoJ gross OF common
pins which is equa! to $500, OtH, 900 pins.
or an average of about 126 pins for every
| man, woman, and child in the country
1:2is is the highest average reached any
where IN the use OF pins Ten years aso
we USED only about severty-two pins
apiece.
Figures condensed by the American Elk
porter from the census reports disclose
that the total number of pins manufac-
| tLred in the United States during 1900
the census year-was 6SSs9, $50 gross.
There are fortE-three ia facto OF; e: IN az
grown rapidly during the last twenty
years. for. although there were forty fac:
o1ies in $780, they produced only, half
IL,
capital and only 1877 hands. There has
been a considerable increase in the num-
Der OF women and children employed in
pin factories of late years. which is an
Indication that the machinery is being
improved and sinplihcd and that Its ope-
ration does not require SO high an ORDER
! Of mechH meal skill.
Hooks and eyes are a by-product of PIN
making and arc produced a { most or me
factories from material that will not 90
for pins. The output of hooks and eyes
in 1860 was l13l.S24 gross.
Pins and hooks and eyes are turned out
by automatic machines in such quantities
to-day that the cost Of manufacture IS
brass wire from which they are made.
A single machine does TIE whole business;
Coils of Wire. hung upon reels. are passed
proper lengths. and they drop off into .
receptacle and arrange themselves IN
the line OF a slot formed by two oars
When they reach the lower end OF the
bars they are seized and pressed between
two dies. which form the heads. and
pass along into the strip OF another steel
sure They are then dropped into soIu-
ton of sour beer whirling as they go
to be cleaned, and then into not t, SO; s2iu
They here receive their bright. coat OF
metal ana are pushed along. killing time,
until they have, had an opportunity 10
revolving barrel Of ban and sawdust.
which cools and poishes them, at the
same time. Because OF tne oSciliaticn or
the bran they work gradually down TO
the bottom of the barrel. which is n me-
tallic plate cut intH Sits Just big enough
for tr,. body of the pins. but not big
enough for the head to pass through:
Thus they are straightened ont INTO
rows again, and. like well-drilled soldiers,
pass along toward the edge of the bot
TOM and slide down an inclined plane.
still hanging by their heads. until they
reach strips OF paper, to which they are
introduced by curious jerk Of the ma,
chine The first they know they are an
placed in rows. wrapped Up, and on their
way TO the big department stores. where
they are sold al from TO 10 cents
gross A machine is expected to throw
ont several thousand gross an hour.
Needles are made by similar machine;
In 1900 there were made 1857 ,o33 gross OF
Machine needles-212,6S $50 gross for. shoe
making. 324 Ats. gross for ordinary house
hold sewing-machines. 30f.4Z5 gross Tor
knitting machines, and the rest for otner
kinds Of sewing and knitting machinery;
generally for factory use We imported
S41S. 004 worth or ordinary needles. most
Of them from England.
Hairpins and safety pins and other
kinds OF pins are manufactured In
Similar manner We made 1.1Sa1ot gross
pins are manufactured to a greater, ex-
tent in Europe than plain pins. Safety
nins however, are decidedly. American.
and Of these we make on an average
900 COO gross q year.