Improvements in Hopper Mechanism for Conveying Needle or other like Shanks into the Pointing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hopper Mechanism for Conveying Needle or other
like Shanks into the Pointing Machines.
I, EDGAR ROBERT SMITH BARTLEET, of Abbey Mills, Redditch, in the County f
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in hopper mechanism for.conveying
needle shanks or other similar shanks into the pointing machines, and consists
of the combination and arrangement of parts as hereindescribed, and in order
to more clearly explain this my invention I have appended hereunto an illus-
trative sheet of drawings upon which are figures and numbers of reference
similar numbers referring throughout to the same thing or part, and in which:
Fig. 1, is a sectional view in elevation of the hopper device, and showing also
part of the pointing mechanism.
Fig. 2, is a part plan view of a portion of the hopper.
4, is the feeding disc or pulley, on to which the shanks fall at the bottom of
the hopper 5. In this hopper is the partition 6, thus forming the two compart-
ments 7 and 8. This partition may be adjusted by screws 9, and is further
provided at its lower part with a knife edge 10, so that a finely adjusted distance
may be made between such knife edge and the face of the pulley 4, to permit of
the passing thereunder of the wires or shanks of the needles from the compart-
ment 7, to the compartment 8. In front of the hopper there is arranged a head
plate 11, turned towards the pointing side. This head plate presents a straight
surface to the compartment 7, and an incline to the compartment 8. The incline
starts from the same point from which the knife edge 10, extends.
The operation is as follows:-The wires or shanks placed in the compartment 7,
are taken round by the feeding roller or disc 4, in the direction of the arrow 12,
and the moment they meet the knife edge 10, which is so adjusted as to afford
a passage for only one wire at a time, they rub against each other, by which
attrition they are compelled to place themselves parallel and close to each other.
In this parallel position the wires now slide into the compartment 8, and past
the incline of the head plate 11, by which means their ends are all brought into
alignment. The inclined portion of the plate 11, is made so that as the wires
which have been thus adjusted move through the compartment 8, their ends shall
be perfectly free and not liable by touching the said plate to be again moved
into an irregular position. Upon having thus been properly set in all directions,
the wires presently take up their position under the angle 13, whence they roll
between the feed roller or pulley 4, covered with india-rubber, and the steel
band 14, also leather lined; the adjustment of the band being such, that, to
prevent any displacement of the several needle shanks or wires, the said band
is firmly pressed against the roller 4. The wires are thus conveyed to the point-
ing bed 15, where they are conducted over a grindstone and pointed in the well
known manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
A hopper for needle pointing machines, the main feature of which is,, that a
partition arranged therein, terminating in a knife edge at its downward ez,
divides it into two compartments, one of which serves for the admission of the
needle shanks or wires to be pointed, while the other forms a chamber, in which
the wires, under the action of the combined partition and knife edge and of the
inclined surface of the head plate, become in every sense accurately adjusted and
set close together, all substantially as set forth and shown.
Dated this 26th day of August 1897.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12 Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicant's Agent.