Improvements in the Manufacture of Pins, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Pins, and Apparatus
therefor.
I, CARL WENIGMANN, of 6, Herderstrasse, Koln-Lindenthal, in the German
Empire, Engineer, 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 relates to the manufacture of pins suitable for fastening personal
apparel and for similar uses, and to apparatus adapted for employment in such
manufacture.
In using the ordinary straight pin, the difficulties presented are numerous.
Amongst the more conspicuous of these is its liability to work loose and escape
from its place; the straight form of the pin offering no serious resistance to dis-
placement, when the parts of the fabric which have been pinned together are
subjected to tension or torsion. Under such circumstances, owing to the working
of the material, the pin recedes until it finally frees itself, or advances until its
head becomes buried in the fabric; difficulty in effecting its subsequent withdrawal
resulting.
The ordinary safety-pin possesses an advantage in respect of the point being
protected; but when several thicknesses of material have to be held together, the
wire whereof the pin is made is liable to become bent and the point to be dis-
engaged, whereupon it may work out of the material and be lost. The safety-piu
is, moreover, seldom used in the toilet, owing to its unsightliness, and to the fact
that the elegance and light appearance of the toilet would be entirely lost if
safety-pins be used in securing ribbons for example.
A pin constructed in accordance with the present invention and designed to
avoid the above-mentioned inconveniences is represented in Fig. 7 of the accom-
panying drawings. The shank A is made in the form of a spiral reaching nearly
to the head B; the pin in other respects corresponding in appearance with the
ordinary pin.
In using the improved pin, it is inserted as an ordinary pin until the shank A
has entered as far as the convolution, when the pin is turned to the right, with the
result that the point advances further, the convolution passes into the fabric, and
the pin is secured in its place. The pin may be removed by first 'turning it in the
reverse direction and then withdrawing it. It is generally sufficient if the pin be
provided with one convolution, but for affording greater security it may in some
cases be expedient to have two convolutions.
In constructing my improved pin, the pitch of the spiral or convolutions should
not be so quick (see Fig. 8) that the pin may be pulled out without a previous
turning, or so slow (see Fig. 9) that it cannot be entered and turned easily in the
material.
With a proper pitch of the spiral (such as indicated in Fig. 7) the to-and-fro
movement of the material upon the pin is rendered impossible, the latter holding
firmly either in coarse or in fine fabrics.
In the manufacture of the improved pin, the machine I prefer to employ is
constructed on the principle of the well-known steel pin machine, used in making
ordinary wire pins; the wire having been cut to the requisite length, pointed at
one end and headed or not at the other, previous to its arrival in the machine.

page_text: :
The present improvements comprise a device for taking hold of each length
of wire, turning it round a fixed mandrel and then releasing the spiral length
of wire.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of the improved
pin-making machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front thereof. Fig. 3 is a plan
corresponding with Fig. 1.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views on a larger scale of the device for producing the
spiral.
The frame a carries a bed-plate b upon which is mounted, towards the left
(see Fig. 2), on one side of the bearing e, a cylindrical disc d which is furnished
with grooves d'; these grooves being for the reception of the wire which is to form
the pin. Above the disc d is arranged a hopper è for the reception of the lengths
of wire f. As the disc d revolves, one of the grooves d' is presented at the outlet
of the hopper e and receives a length of wire f. The lengths of wire are retained
in their respective. grooves d by an elastic band. A rotating motion is imparted
to the disc d by means of a ratchet wheel g and pawl; the wheel g being fast on
a shaft g carried in the bearing The pawl his operated by means of an
eccentric k, on the driving shaft i, and lever 1, the latter being pivoted at P.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, when a length of wire has arrived at the position
indicated at m (Fig. 4) it is gripped between the jaws n and n¹ (Fig. 3); whereof
the jaw n is fixed, while the jaw n¹ is arranged on a lever o. This lever is pivoted
at o and is actuated by a cam face o¹ on the shaft i whereby the moveable jaw
is caused to press against, and hold between it and the fixed jaw n, the length of
wire while the spiral is being formed thereon. The cam o' is furnished on its
periphery with a projection oll, which acts upon a spindle p provided at its rear
extremity with a projection p' of hardened steel; a cylindrical piece of steel
being adjustably fitted into the opposite end (Fig. 5). The adjustable piece p
carries a fine pin q and round this pin are drilled several small catch holes ll
(Fig. 6). During the forward movement of the spindle p, the fore end of the
steel pin q passes into an opening in the clamping jaw n in which it is supported,
whilst one of the openings engages with the length of wire which has arrived at
the position m. At the same time the spindle p rotates and carries the headed
end of the length of wire round the pin g, thereby forming the spiral. The
spindle p is now withdrawn by the action of a springs (Fig. 4) secured to the
loose adjusting ring s; the finished pin thereupon dropping down in order to allow
the following length of wire to be operated upon. The spindle p is mounted in a
sleeve t which revolves in a bearing u. The spindle p moves lougitudinally in the
sleeve by means of a groove and stud and revolves in unison with the sleeve t.
The sleeve t carries a toothed bevel wheel which meshes with a larger bevel
wheel to on the shaft i. This wheel to has teeth only on a portion of its
circumference so that when the teeth thereof mesh with those of the wheel v, the
latter and consequently the sleeve t turn. According to the number and division
of the teeth, the small wheel » may be caused to turn once, or 1 times or
1 times, etc., according to whether a spiral of one, one and a quarter or one and
a half (etc.) convolution is required.
The levers and a¹, (Figs. 1 and 3,) respectively pivoted at 2 and 21 and operated
by the cam y y are provided in case the wire g requires straightening after the
formation of the spiral.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved manufacture of pins substantially as herein described; the pin
having a portion of its shank formed as a spiral which serves to prevent the same
working loose and becoming displaced.
2. In the manufacture of pins of the character herein referred to, the employ-
ment of apparatus arranged or operating substantially as described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. In apparatus for making pins of the kind herein referred to, the employment
of a spindle p, adapted to move to-and-fro in a sleeve t, furnished with a pin q, and
having catch holes rllllll, for engaging the length of wire for forming the
pin; the spindle on being rotated causing the wire to be turned about the pin with
the effect of imparting a spiral form thereto, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1896.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agent.