The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-03-21
How Pins Are Made.
From the Scientific American;


1t seems that the modern manufacturing
process of pinmaking began with the inven-
ton of process for drawing wire. The
process in question had its origin in France
and Germany, which countries for 200
years had complete monopoly of the In
dustry.
This was about the year 1920 Not
until the middle of the last century, how
ever. were the machines in successful OPP
Grafton which, from the drawn wire, could
complete the pins now used all over the
world and stick them in crimped paper by
the process described here:
Wire is drawn from reel automatically by
pair Of pincers between fixed studs which
straiehten the wire, A pin length is then
gripped by pair of lateral jaws, from
which portion of the wire is left project
ING. A snap-head die then advances and
partially shapes the head. The blank is
now released and pushed forward about
twentieth of an inch The head is then
given another squeeze by the same die.
By this repetition of motion the head Is
completed, and the blank is cut off he
wire in the length desired, About an
eighth of an inch of the wire is necessary
to make pinhead,
The headed blanks are dropped into
receptacle in which they arrange them
selves in the line of slot formed by two
inclined and bevel-edged bars Since the
opening between the bars is just large
enough to permit the shank to fall through,
the pins are suspended in a row along the
slot. When the blanks reach the lower
end of the inclined bar in their suspended
position they are seized between two parts
Of the machine and passed along, rotating
as they move in front of a cylindrical cut
ter, with sharp grooves on Its surface,
whereby the pins are pointed.
Thus properly shaped, the pins are
thrown from the machine If they be
brass, they are cleaned by being boiled IN
weak, sour beer. After they have been
cleaned they are timed This process is
effected by placing alternate layers OF pins
and grain tim in copper can to which a
weak solution Of bitartrate Of potash Is
added. The can is heated and solution
of tin Is produced, which Is deposited on
the surface of the pins The pins are re
moved and frightened by being shaken in
revolving barrel of bran or sawiust
Now comes the final operation Of pa
periDg The pins to be struck are placed
in a hopper. in connection with which
steel plate is used, with longitudinal Sits
corresponding with the number of pms
which form row in the paper The pins
in the hopper are stirred up by comb ike
tool; the shanks drop through the sits IN
the steel plate, and the pins are sustained
by their heads Long. uArrow sheets oi
paper are presented by the operator to the
action Of machine, by which two raised
holes are crimped. The row Of pins eel
lected in the steel plate is then pressed
through two crimped folds by the same &C.
tion. These operations are repeated until
the requisite rows Of pins are struck III the
paper.
In the United States the manufacture Of
pins has become such an industry that the
mills in this country do much 10 supply the
worlds demand. In 1900 the -, 000,
600 people in the United States used Sc ,
600. 900 gross of common pins. which Is
equal 10 9. 500, 600, Uo0 pins, or an aver
age Of about l23 pins for every uaan,
woman and child in the country. This is
the highest average reached anywhere in
the use Of pins.