AN IMPROVED MODE OF POINTING OR TAPERING THE ENDS OF METALLIC RODS OR WIRES APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PINS, NEEDLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES WHERE POINTS OR TAPERED ENDS ARE REQUIRED
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Henry Newby, of No. 81, Cheapside, in the
City of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF POINTING OR TAPERING THE ENDS OF METALLIC RODS OR WIRES
APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PINS, NEEDLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES
WHERE POINTS OR TAPERED ENDS ARE REQUIRED."-A communication from
abroad by Henri Cauderay, of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Sealed the 3rd October 1865, and dated the 6th April 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Henry Newby at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
6th April 1865.
I, EDWIN HENRY NEWBY, of No. 31, Cheapside, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF POINTING OR TAPERING THE ENDS OF METALLIC RODS OR WIRES APPLICABLE
TO THE MANUFACTURE OF PINS, NEEDLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES WHERE POINTS OR
TAPERED ENDS ARE REQUIRED," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved method of operating upon metallic
rods or wires for the purpose of producing points at their extremities, more
especially applicable to the pointing of pins and needles, the object being to
obtain better points than those usually produced by grinding, also to effect
economy in the process, and to operate with greater expedition than by the
grinding process; another important advantage being that the health of the
workman does not suffer as in the grinding process, in which he is forced to
inhale the fine metallic particles which float in the atmosphere,

page_text: In carrying out this Invention the pins or other metallic rods or wires to be
pointed are suspended at the positive pole, and form the positive electrode of
a galvanic battery immediately above the negative electrode, and as close as
possible to it without being actually in contact, some exciting liquor such as
dilute nitric acid completing the circuit. The exciting liquor which has been
found most effective, and which is therefore employed by preference, is nitric
acid, diluted in proportions which vary between one-twentieth part of nitric
acid and nineteen-twentieths water, and four-fifths of acid to one-fifth of
Other exciting liquors may however be employed, such for instance
as saline solutions. By heating this bath to a temperature of 80° centigrade
the operation is much facilitated and expedited. The time during which the
articles to be pointed are required to be suspended in the bath will vary
according to the strength of the electric current, and also the strength of the
acidulated bath, which must however always be diluted to some extent, as pure
acid will not produce the desired effect. When operating upon iron or steel
wires with a bath, say of nitric or sulphuric acid, it will be found advisable to
mix them with wires of brass or copper, by which means the operation will
be greatly expedited. It will also be advisable that the conducting wire of the
positive pole should be in contact with the wires or rods to be pointed at as many
points as possible in order to ensure uniformity of action throughout the mass.
It is also advisable, in order to obtain a perfect point, to insulate the lower
extremities of the wires from each other, as far as practicable. This may be
done by suspending them in the bath in the same way that lucifer matches
are suspended to be "dipped," or phosphorized. When the rods or wires have
remained in the bath a sufficient time (which time can only be ascertained by
experience, but will generally vary from, say ten seconds to a quarter of an
hour) they will be found to have become finely pointed, and may be removed
and replaced by a fresh quantity to be operated npon in like manner.
.SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Henry Newby in the Great Seal Patent Office on 3
the 6th October 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
HENRY NEWBY, of 31, Cheapside, in the City of London, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand

page_text: eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for..
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edwin.
Henry Newby, Her special licence that I,, the said Edwin Henry Newby, my
executors,, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin
Henry Newby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the terin therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,.
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the.
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF:
POINTING OR TAPERING THE ENDS OF METALLIC RODS. OR WIRES APPLICABLE. TO THE:
MANUFACTURE OF PINS, NEEDLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES WHERE POINTS OR. TAPERED
ENDS ARE REQUIRED," being a communication to him from abroad by Henri
Cauderay, of Lausanne, Switzerland, upon the condition (amongst others) that.
I, the said Edwin Henry Newby, my executors or administrators, by an instru--
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what:
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the:
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately-
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Henry Newby, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to an improved method of operating upon metallic-
rods or wires for the purpose of producing points at their extremities, more
especially applicable to the pointing of pins and needles, the object being to.
obtain better points than those usually produced by grinding, also to effect
economy in the process, and to operate with greater expedition than by the
grinding process; another important advantage being that the health of the
workman does not suffer as in the grinding process in which he is forced to
inhale the fine metallic particles which float in the atmosphere..
In carrying out this Invention the pins or other metallic rods or wires to be-
pointed are suspended at the positive pole and form the positive electrode of a.
galvanic battery immediately above the negative electrode, and as close as.
possible to it without being actually in contact, some existing liquor, such as.
dilute nitric acid, completing the circuit. The existing liquor which has been.
found most effective, and which is therefore employed by preference, is nitric
acid diluted in proportions which vary between one-twentieth part of nitric acid.

page_text: and nineteen-twentieths water, acid four-fifths of and to one-fifth of water.
Other existing liquors may however be employed, such for instance as saline
solutions, especially when operating upon iron or steel wires, in which case a
bath composed of a solution in pure water of equal parts of common alum
and common salt is employed. This solution may be prepared cold, but it is
more concentrated and consequently more energetic in its action when the salts
are dissolved in hot water. By heating this bath to a temperature of eighty
degrees centrigrades, the operation is much facilitated and expedited. The time
during which the articles to be pointed are required to be suspended in the bath
will vary according to the strength of the electric current, and also the strength
of the acidulated bath, which must however always be diluted to some extent
as pure acid will not produce the desired effect. When opérating upon iron or
steel wires with a bath, say of nitric or sulphuric acid, it will be found advisable
to mix them with wires of brass or copper, by which means the operation will
be greatly expedited. This is not necessary when the bath of alum and salt
above mentioned are employed. It will also be advisable that the conducting
wire of the positive pole should be in contact with the wires or rods to be pointed
at as many points as possible in order to ensure uniformity of action through the
mass. It is also advisable, in order to obtain a perfect point, to insulate the lower
extremities of the wires from each other as far as practicable. This may be
done by suspending them in the bath in the same way that lucifer matches are
suspended to be dipped or phosphorized, or they may be suspended in a frame
furnished with wire gauge or perforated metal, as shewn in the Drawing
accompanying this Specification. When the rods or wires have remained in
the bath a sufficient time (which time can only be ascertained by experience,
but will generally vary from say ten seconds to a quarter of an hour) they
will be found to have become finely pointed, and may be removed and replaced
by a fresh quantity to be operated upon in like manner, care being taken to
renew the bath of salts or acid when necessary, and also to keep a sufficient
quantity of sulphate of copper in the cells of the battery to maintain its proper
action, as will be well understood by any person acquainted with the working
of galvanic batteries.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn an arrangement of apparatus
suitable for carrying out the Invention on a small scale, but which may of
course be modified as regards dimensions, arrangement, and construction
according to the quantity and nature of the articles to be operated upon.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus with a Daniel battery of three cells
applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same taken in the line
A, B, of Fig. 1.

page_text: A is the vessel containing the bath of acid or salts (as the case may be)
which may be made of any suitable material; B is a frame in which the pins
or wires to be pointed are suspended, and which may be constructed of wire
gauze perforated metal (as shewn in the Drawing) or other suitable material or
fabric which is a conductor of electricity. It will be seen that this frame or
holder is suspended at and in fact forms (with the pins or wires to be
pointed) the positive pole or electrode of the battery, the negative pole C con-
sisting of a plate of copper, supposing the positive electrode to consist of zinc,)
being suspended as near as possible beneath the points of the pins or wires to
be pointed without actually coming in contact with them. A plate of aluminium
or platinum may be placed at the bottom of the vessel A, containing the bath
in order to keep it clean.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Henry Newby, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
EDWIN HENRY NEWBY. (L.S.)