IMPROVEMENTS IN THE. MEANS OR MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PURLED' WIRE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Whitehead, of Halifax, in the County of
York, Wire Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE.
MEANS OR MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PURLED' WIRE."
Sealed the 19th. July. 1859, and. dated the 19th January, 1859..
PROVISIONAL. SPECIFICATION left by the said James Whitehead at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
January 1859.
I, JAMES WHITEHEAD, of Halifax, in the County of York, Wire Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OR MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PURLED" WIRE,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to forming wire into a spiral or helix, and which has
heretofore been effected by winding or wrapping a small wire around a
thicker one of short length in close coils, and then withdrawing the latter or
core, leaving the coiled wire in a spiral or helical state, this process being
performed by hand.
My improvements consist-in-constructing a machine or combining apparatus
so as to produce such formed wire by power with great facility and regularity.
On suitable framework I mount a spindle to which a quick rotary motion is.

page_text: given in the end, or in each end of this spindle is fixed a taper pin of suitable
size. The wire to be coiled is placed on a winsel or swift and conducted to
the pin, around which it is. wound by the rotation thereof, and the pressure
of a strap which rests on the outside of the coil; and to which motion is given
in the same direction, and at or near the same speed as the taper pin. The
wire laying on at the thick part. of the pin against the end of the spindle,
which forms a collar, the coil is gradually pushed off at the small end of the
pin as it is formed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Whitehead in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WHITEHEAD, of Halifax, in the County of York, Wire Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Whitehead, Her special licence that I, the said James
Whitehead, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Whitehead, 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 term 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OR MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PURLED WIRE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Whitehead,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
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 James Whitehead, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) -
.

page_text: This Invention relates to forming wire into a spiral or helix, and which has
heretofore been effected by winding or warping a small wire around a thicker
one of short length in close coils, and then withdrawing the latter or core,
leaving the coiled wire in a spiral or helical state, this process being performed
by hand.
My improvements consist in constructing a machine or combining apparatus
so as to produce such formed wire by power with great facility and regularity.
On suitable framework I mount a spindle to which a quick rotary motion is
given, in the end or in each end of this spindle is fixed a taper pin of suitable
size, the wire to be coiled is placed on a winsel or swift and conducted to the
pin, around which it is wound by the rotation thereof, and the pressure of a
strap which rests on the outside of the coil, and to which motion is given in
the same direction, and at or near the same speed as the taper pin, the wire
laying out at the part of the pin against the end of the spindle.
In further explanation of the manner in which this Invention is performed
or carried into practice, I would observe that the spindle and framework here
alluded to is similar to a turning lathe head, the spindle having a pulley or
pulleys thereon betwixt its bearings, by which rotary motion is given thereto
or received from any ordinary shaft and drum driven by steam or other motive
power. In one or both ends of the spindle is fixed a pin or taper projection
of suitable thickness at or up to the spindle end, which spindle end forms a
collar thereto according to the bore or internal diameter that the coiled wire
is desired to be, which pin gradually tapers off to a point. A strap of leather
or other flexible material rests or lays on the taper pin, to which motion is
given by a pulley in the same direction as the pin rotates, and at or near the
same surface speed. The wire to be coiled is conducted in betwixt this strap
and the collar or spindle end and around the pin under the strap, which by the
motions thereof is wound on the pin in a spiral; the wire continually laying
on at the thick end of the pin up to the collar, gradually thrusts the coil off
the end of the said pin in a continual spiral or helix, which can be cut off in
suitable lengths, such formed wire having heretofore been produced by winding
it around a short length of another wire, which was then withdrawn and has
received the name of "purled wire," or by some called "zinc wire." It will
be evident that by my improved means such formed wire will be produced
with great facility and regularity.
Having thus fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I would have it distinctly
understood that I do not confine myself to any particular details or parts
separately of the apparatus herein described; but I claim as my Invention,.

page_text: the combination and arrangement of apparatus for manufacturing or forming
spiral. or helical wire as herein described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said James Whitehead, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named James Whitehead, in
the presence of
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Clerk to WM. TASKER,
JAMES WHITEHEAD. (L.S.),
Patent Agent, Halifax.