Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-05


the workman in attendance turns the
pack, putting tile heads in bic place held
by the points, and the wheel docs the
work of shaping the ends which are To
hold the eyes.
When The neads and points are made,
the needles are washed TO free them
from the oxide of iron which has coll
lected ON them. The pointed and headed
steels are then put into a little receiver,
and the needles. drawn onward by two
,rubber-sheathed parallel disks which
turn against a rubber-ined half cir
conference, are cleaned by a mill which
turns between the disks at speed much
greater than the speed of the disks. BY
this operation the needle is freed from
oxide, while its size is but imperceptibIy
diminished
The needles are then stamped for their
eyes and grooves. Each strip of steel is
taken by distributor. pressed against =
fixed matrix, and given a blow from a
mallet carrying matrix exactly like the
fixed matrix. The blow drives the
needles head against the depression and
stamps the eye and a groove
As soon as they haze been pierced, the
packed. Thus hanging, held by threads
passed through their eyes, they are TAX
en- to the snop, where q workman puts
them in holder and breaks the pack
ages into fine and coarse needles From
his hands they pass into the hands of
the filers, who take them in nippers and
hold them against the grindstones, turn
ieg the mill with such rapidity that the
sparks ny in showers as the steel comes
I in contact with the stone When the
operation is finished every head shows a
perfect bevel
The iron thread is then taken from the
eyes, and the needles are seen oxidized
from head to point Every needle is ex-
amined and every curve is straiehtcned.
The perfected needles are set straight
on leaf of paper. put on an iron plaque
and subjected 10 the heat of a gas fur
mace. When at q temperature of I'D
degrees Reaumer they are dipped in fish
oil to give tlfcm hardness. but as the
first oil BATH makes them brittle. they
are *'reeooked7 IN am oil bath at Il tenn
lperature of between $50 and 200 degrees
Rcaumer Then, as the oil bath gives
them a rnsset tint, they. are placed in {
box with u corrugated bottom. aud ths
box is SCI on an inclined plane and
lroeKed3 i'll such It way cat the needles
roll over the nndulafions and settle il
tile grooves. " ben they are all in place
a Nor1ma4 losses the box causing th'
needles to change place..
a few losses collect all the needles in
the lower part of the box. where they lie
piled Hike fageots. They are then raised
"a CHI Il. -
marrow pancake turner, slid on a band of
linen. and rolled mp in the linen with a
swathing OF soap and emery powder.
The linen. - rolled and holding tho
Hhodfcs close, is bound firmly with q
fghher strap. inc ends and the middle OF
ttc roll are bound with iron hammered
into place; and the iron at the ends of
the roll is provided with handles. So ar
p tnised. the rolls are taken by the Hand
les ana turned over to the polishing
], .s'lt's, movable plaques of sheet iron,
II dos s.. transverse undulations On
I'et .' lsnins bench are placed the linen
r,...s Containing I've needles.
the polishing accomplished. the needles
arc dubbed with, soap and dried in saw.
dust, and then FURNISHED in a mill GOV,
cred with channels leather and covered
with emery dust. For this part Of the
work the needles are drawn on the
wheel as for pointing, and cleaned by i
rubber covered roller.
The needles are then finished, but
many show traces Of their rough hand
ling: some lack heads some lack points
all must be he sorted and numpered &C
cordine to size and quality. The sorting
lis done by hand. To sort and number