and Apparatus for Treating Needles and similar Objects with a Sandblast.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
Process and Apparatus for Treating Needles and similar Objects
with a Sandblast.
We, ALBRECHT SCHOENEWEISS, of Iserlohn, and HERMANN RÖCHLING, of
Kabel in Westphalia, both in the Kingdom of Prussia, Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention has for its primary object, to provide simple and efficient means
for the removal of the burrs or ridges produced on the needle eye during the
manufacture of the same.
For this purpose we employ a sandblast apparatus in conjunction with a peculiar
feed or rolling mechanism for the needles, which causes the sand to act on all sides
of the needles; thereby removing or rounding off the burr situated at the needle
eye, and, with some kinds of needles, also sharpening the needle point. The
needle point treated with the sandblast is sharper than the ordinary needle points
and much more suitable for sewing leather and other tough materials.
The accompanying drawings, Sheets I and II, represent a sand blast apparatus
and various forms of needle feed mechanisms embodying our invention. The
peculiar feature common to the various forms of construction is shown in detail by
Fig. 3. The needle lies between two bands B and C, of which the lower band Ċ
is stationary, while the upper, B, travels in the direction of the arrow.
means a rolling motion is imparted to the needles, which enables the sandblast to
touch the needles on all sides.
By these
Fig. 1 is an axial, and Fig. 2 a transverse, section of a sandblast apparatus,
where the travelling bauds are replaced by two plain circular discs, one of which, C,
is stationary, while B has a uniform rotary motion and is constantly pressed
against, C by a weight or spring, not shown. The needles, N, are arranged
radially, with the heads projecting and exposed to the sand blast.
In the example shown by the drawings the two discs touch each other in a vertical
plane, but they could be placed horizontally without departing from our invention.
Z is a feed channel through which the needles are admitted to the discs, and A' is
a delivery table or shoot on which the needles are delivered after treatment.
The drawing shows three small nozzles S, which are distributed along the active
circumference of the discs B C. E is a discharge tube leading to an exhaust-
apparatus which draws off the dust. W is the inlet for the compressed air
necessary for the sandblast.
Fig. 4 shows, how the needles drop off the discs on to the delivery table A.
In Fig. 5 the needles are fed to the discs through an ordinary open funnel
covered with a sheet metal tongue.
Fig. 6 shows a conical feed roller Z, which has for its object, to distribute the
needles on the circumference of the disc at equal distances apart, for which purpose
the feed roller has straight grooves distributed equally over its circumference, and
serving to transfer the needles from the funnel to the discs.
One of the discs, or each of them, is coated with a layer of elastic material, such
as indiarubber, to compensate for any minor difference in the thickness of the
needles and to produce a more perfect rolling motion of the needles.

page_text: Figs. 7 and 8 show a sandblast apparatus provided with a travelling band or
feed ribbon. The said band is guided over three rollers, of which the top roller is
adapted to act as a tension regulator. A curved bed plate C is situated under the
two lower rollers, as shown. This curvature or convexity of the bedplate has
for its object, to equalize the pressure between the travelling band B and the
bed plate C for the whole length of contact, and to ensure a correct feed motion of
the needles.
Fig. 7 shows a cylindrical feed roller R, which is represented on a larger scale
by Figs. 14 and 15, the roller consisting of two parts or widths separated by a
recess or deep groove into which projects a scraper or tongue s serving to transfer
the needle from the roller to the travelling band.
In Fig. 9 there is a straight bed plate Carranged between the two lower guide
rollers, and the band B is pressed against the bed plate by springs.
In Fig. 10 the bed plate C is concave, and the travelling band B is pressed
against it by a spring or springs, as in the previous example.
In Fig. 11 the feed or transporting mechanism chiefly consists of a revolving
dise B, which, however, does not carry the needles on its flat face, as in Fig. 2,
but on the circumference, and the needle-bed is formed of a stationary band C
which closely follows the circumference of the disc and is kept at the desired
tension by means of a weight, or a regulating screw and a spring, as indicated
by Fig. 11.
Instead of a stationary flexible band C as shown, we may employ an endless
band guided over three or more rollers (as indicated in Fig. 11 by dotted lines),
one of which imparts motion to the said band. This type may be further modified
by making the disc B stationary, while the flexible band C is movable.
In the modification represented by Figs. 12 and 13, the needles are guided or fed
forward by causing them to roll between conical surfaces.
The needles may be caused to roll between two inovable surfaces, such as discs
or endless bands, but in this case the two surfaces must move in opposite directions,
or at different speeds, as will be easily understood.
If a sandblast apparatus is employed for sharpening the needle points, the
sandblast nozzle should form an acute angle with the needle point, as indicated by
Fig. 16. The sand blast nozzles may be of any known design; the drawing shows
a suction nozzle S directed against the needles N at. a right angle to the same.
The dust produced in the casing containing the nozzles is drawn off through the
outlet E of the casing, in order to keep the machine free from dust. The dusty
air discharged from the casing is conducted through a sand separator which
relieves the air of sand and renders the latter available for repeated use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The treatment of needles and similar objects by conducting them with a
rolling motion through a sandblast, so that the same acts uniformly on all sides,
substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
2. The combination of a sandblast apparatus, with a disc and segment or with.
two discs adapted to receive the needles between them and to roll them through the
sandblast in a radial position, with the needle heads exposed, substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
3. The combination of a sandblast apparatus, with a disc or cylinder, a needle
bed consisting of a straight or circularly curved block or plate, or of a stationary
flexible band, or of an endless travelling band, and a feed device, the whole being
adapted to conduct the needles with a rolling motion through the sandblast,
substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for subjecting needles to a sandblast, the combination of an
endless travelling band, with a needle bed and feed device, the whole being adapted

page_text: to receive the needles and to roll them through the sandblast, substantially as.
described.
5. In apparatus for subjecting needles to a sandblast, the combination of a disc
and segment or of two discs, with a conical feed roller having straight grooves, the
whole being adapted to deliver the needles between the said discs at equal distances
apart and to roll them through the sand blast in a radial position, substantially as.
described.
6. In apparatus for subjecting needles to a sandblast by means of an endless.
travelling band and a needle bed adapted to roll the needles between them, a.
convex bedplate adapted to equalize the pressure upon the needles, substantially as.
described.
7. In apparatus for subjecting needles to a sandblast, the combination of an
endless travelling band and a bed plate serving to transport the needles between.
them, with a spring or springs adapted to produce the necessary pressure between.
the said band and the needle bed, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of March 1897.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London, Agents.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London, Agents.