AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR POLISHING THE EYES OF NEEDLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR POLISHING THE EYES OF NEEDLES." A com-
munication from abroad by Frank Armstrong, of Bridgeport, Connecticut,
United States of America.
Sealed the 18th February 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 2nd August 1878
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. ." AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR POLISHING THE
EYES OF NEEDLES." [A communication from abroad by Frank Armstrong, of Bridge-
port, Connecticut, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to a machine whereby the polishing of needle eyes may be
very efficiently and expeditiously performed, and the said Invention consists in
various devices and combinations of mechanism, as herein-after described.
The working parts of the said machine are supported in a suitable bed. A
driving shaft extends across this bed, and is provided at each end with a crank
disc or arm,
from which motion is communicated to the other parts of the
machine.
A device, termed a needle clamp, is provided for holding the needles while they
are being polished. This clamp is formed of two parts or jaws which open to
permit the needles to be inserted, and are provided with screws or other devices to
secure the needles when the clamp is closed. The said clamp is arranged parallel
with the said driving shaft, and is carried by studs projecting from sliding bars
which are fitted to move to and fro longitudinally in bearings in the sides of the
machine, and which form pivots wherever the said holder rocks or vibrates. These
studs pass through the said sliding bars and through longitudinal slots provided in
the said sides, and each of the studs carries on its outer end a crank disc or plate

page_text: provided with a pin with or without a friction roller arranged to work upon a pecu-
liarly formed surface, that is to say, this surface consists of two inclined or curved
portions and a central horizontal portion. The crank pins or rollers are kept in
contact with these surfaces by springs.
The sliding to-and-fro movement of these bars is imparted to them by means of
suitable connecting rods extending from the cranks or discs on the driving shaft to
the studs of the needle clamp, and as these bars and the needle clamp are thereby
moved longitudinally to and fro, the said needle clamp is by the action of the said
peculiarly formed surfaces on the crank pins or friction rollers caused to rock or
vibrate on its pivots, for the purpose herein-after explained.
The polishing of the needle eyes is effected by threads stretched longitudinally in
the machine, and supplied with emery or other suitable polishing material.
For stretching and holding the threads I employ a clamp formed of two parallel
bars or rods attached by one end to a side bar, and extending through a side bar at
the other end, where they are provided with screw nuts. The said side bars are
provided with vertical portions, whereby they are attached adjustably to a cross
head or bar above them by means of screw clips or other suitable devices, which
allow the said thread clamp to be raised or lowered, according to the length of the
needles to be polished. The two parallel bars of the said clamp are provided with
thin washers or rings throughout their entire length. The threads are placed
between these washers, which are tightened or pressed together to secure the threads
by the said nuts.
During the operation of polishing, the vibrating or rocking of the needle holder
on its pivots turns the needles to and fro, and thereby exposes the ends of the eyes
properly to the polishing threads.
It is necessary in this polishing of the needle eyes that both the upper and lower
ends of the same should be subjected to the polishing action of the threads, and
therefore the needles have given to them a slow vertical movement for a sufficient
'distance to ensure the full action of the threads on both ends of the needle eyes.
For this purpose I provide the said machine with a cam mounted on a shaft arranged
above the said cross head, and which shaft has at one end a friction clutch or other
suitable device for imparting an intermittent motion in one direction to the said
shaft and cam. This clutch is operated through the medium of an arm or lever,
which is moved in one direction by one of the said sliding bars, and in the reverse
direction by a spring.
An adjusting screw is provided to regulate the extent of movement of the said
lever.
A bent arm extends up from the said cross head and rests on the said cam, and
'by reason of the peculiar shape of the latter and its intermittent movement, the
thread clamp and threads are gradually raised during the operation of polishing the
needle eyes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
February 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR POLISHING THE
EYES OF NEEDLES." A communication from abroad by Frank Armstrong, of Bridge-
port, Connecticut, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a machine whereby the polishing of needle eyes may
be very efficiently and expeditiously performed, and the said Invention consists in
various devices and combinations of mechanism as herein-after described.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings in which,—
Figure 1 is a plan of my improved machine.
"
Figure 2 is an elevation of one side, and Figure 3 is an elevation of part of the
other side of the same.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the said machine.
Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
The working parts of the said machine are supported on a suitable bed A.
A driving shaft a extends across this bed, and is provided at each end with a crank.
disc b or crank arm, from which motion is communicated to the other parts of the."
machine.
A device c, termed a needle clamp, is provided for holding the needles while they
are being polished. This clamp c is formed of two parts or jaws c', c², which open
to permit the needles to be inserted between them and are closed to secure the
needles therein. The said clamp is arranged parallel with the driving shaft a, and
is carried by its arms c* on studs & projecting from sliding bars e, which are fitted to
move to and fro longitudinally in guide grooves in the sides B of the machine; these
studs form pivots, whereon the said clamp or holder c rocks or vibrates. These.
studs & pass through the sliding bars e, and through longitudinal slots provided
in the said sides at f, which slots form guides, wherein the said studs move to and
fro, as herein-after described; each of these studs carries on its outer end a crank
disc or plate g provided with a pin g¹ (with or without a friction roller thereon)
arranged to work or travel upon a fixed surface of peculiar formation or con-
figuration; that is to say, this surface consists of two inclined or curved portions h¹
and a central flat horizontal portion h. The crank pins or rollers at g' are kept
in contact with these surfaces by springs g* moving to and fro with the studs on
the bars g². This mechanism is most clearly shewn in Figure 2.
The sliding to-and-fro movement of the bars e is imparted to them by means of
suitable connecting rods i extending from the cranks or discs b on the driving
shaft a to the studs d of the needle clamp c, and as these bars c and the needle
clamp care thereby moved longitudinally to and fro the said needle clamp is by
the action of the peculiarly formed surfaces h, h', on the crank pins or friction
rollers at g', caused to rock or vibrate on its pivots for the purpose herein-after
explained.
The polishing of the needle eyes is effected by threads j stretched longitudinally
in the machine, as clearly shewn in Figure 1, and supplied with emery or other
suitable polishing material.
For stretching and holding the threads I employ a clamp k formed of two
parallel bars or rods k¹, attached by one end to a side bar k², and extending through
a side bar at the other end, where they are provided with screw nuts kt. The
said side bars k², k³, are provided with vertical portions, whereby they are'
attached adjustably to a cross head or bar above them by means of screw clips (*.

page_text: or other suitable devices which allow the said thread clamp k to be raised or
lowered, according to the length of the needles to be polished. The said cross head
is formed of two bars or parts 11, 12, one of which parts is fitted to slide vertically
in dovetailed or other guides in the part 2 for a purpose herein-after specified.
The two parallel bars k¹ of the said clamp are provided with thin washers or
rings throughout their entire length. The ends of the threads ; are placed
between these washers, which are tightened or pressed together to secure the
threads by means of the nuts k².
During the operation of polishing the needle eyes, the vibrating or rocking of the
needle clamp or holder c on its. pivots d, while the said clamp is sliding to and fro,
turns or inclines the needles in various positions, and thereby exposes the ends of
the needle eyes properly to the action of the polishing threads j.
It is necessary in this polishing of the needle eyes that both the upper and lower
ends of the same should be subjected to the polishing action of the threads, and
special provision has to be made for ensuring this result. Therefore, the needles
have given to them a slow vertical movement for a sufficient distance to ensure the
full action of the threads on both ends of the needle eyes. For this purpose I
provide the said machine with a cam m mounted on a shaft n, arranged above the
said cross head 7, and which shaft has at one end a friction clutch o or other
suitable device for imparting an intermittent motion in one direction to the said
shaft and cam. This clutch o is operated through the medium of an arm or lever p,
which is moved intermittently in one direction by one of the said sliding bars or a
part connected therewith, and in the reverse direction by a spring q.
An adjusting screw 7 is provided to regulate the extent of movement of the said
lever.
A bent arm s extends up from the part 1 of the cross head 1, and rests on the
cam m, and by reason of the peculiar shape of the latter, and its intermittent.
movement imparted to it by the said friction clutch, the part 1, and with it the
thread clamp k and threads j, are gradually raised during the operation of polishing
the needle eyes, so that the entire surface of these eyes from one to the other end of
the same will be subjected to the polishing action of the threads. ¡
It will be perceived that while the needle clamp has a horizontal motion, it also
has a rocking or partially rotating motion, so that by placing the eyes of the
needles on a line with the centre or axis of the aforesaid studs, the needle eyes are
rounded.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The combination of parts comprising the needle clamp or holder, the studs
on which the same is supported or suspended, and which slide to and fro in guide
slots, and the sliding bars operating, as and for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination of the said clamp or holder, the studs, and sliding bars,
with the discs mounted on the said studs, the connecting rods and the cranks on
the driving shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination of parts comprising the said clamp or holder connected
with the sliding bars, the discs provided with the studs or rollers, and the peculiarly
formed fixed surfaces on which the said studs or rollers work, and with which they
are kept in contact by springs as above set forth, and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The thread clamp or holder wherein the threads are held by means of
the washers and screw nuts, as above set forth.
Fifth. In combination with the said thread clamp, the cross head or bar for
raising and lowering the same, and whereon the said clamp is supported adjustably
by clips or other devices, as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The combination of parts comprising the bent arm on the cross head, the
cam on which the said arm rests, the cam shaft, the feed clutch, and the adjusting
screw; arranged and operating as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: Seventh. A machine for polishing the eyes of needles, and consisting of the parts
constructed and combined, as shewn in the accompanying Drawing, and operating
as above set forth, for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
117M PORT LAKE (TO)