IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINES FOR POLISHING AND FINISHING NEEDLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING THE NEEDLES FOR DELIVERY THERETO
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of
Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN MACHINES FOR POLISHING AND
FINISHING NEEDLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING THE NEEDLES FOR
DELIVERY THERETO."-A communication from abroad by Chauncey
Orrin Crosby, of New Haven, United States of America.
Sealed the 16th April 1869, and dated the 20th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas
Hughes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th October 1868.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son,
Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR POLISHING
AND FINISHING NEEDLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING THE NEEDLES FOR
DELIVERY THERETO," a communication to me from abroad by Chauncey

page_text: Orrin Crosby, of New Haven, United States of America, to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to polish needles after they have passed
through the tempering and scouring process.
The first part of the Invention relates to a mechanism for polishing or
finishing the needles; and the second part to a device for separating the
needles to present them all in the same position to enter the polishing
machine; and the Invention consists,―
First. In one or more polishing cylinders placed parallel to each other
and revolving rapidly over the surface of a carrying band upon which
the needles lie and combine with a slide which moves transversely across
the band and resting upon the needles so as to give to the needles a
rolling movement as they pass beneath the polishing cylinders so as to
polish the entire surface of the needles.
Secondly. The arrangement of an inclined plane or table with the
proper delivering device, so that as the needles are delivered near the
higher end of the incline table they by their own gravitation will roll
down the incline, turning by their own inclination, the head rolling
faster than the points, so that the needles, the heads of which lie
towards the right, will roll to the left side of the incline, and vice versa,
the heads all lying down the incline,
To enable others to construct and use my improvement I will fully
describe the same as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1, a top view; Figure 2, a side view; Figure 3, a longitudinal
central section of the polishing machine; and Figure 3, a transverse
section of the pressure plates; Figure 4 a top view, and Figure 5 a
longitudinal section of the device for separating the needles to present
the heads all in the same direction.
A is the bed plate supported upon legs B, and upon which in proper
bearings C the driving shaft D is arranged, and through a bevil gear F, F,
communicates motion to a second shaft E supported in bearings G, and
from which last-named shaft power is communicated to a third shaft H
through a worm I, and on the said shaft H is arranged a wheel L, and upon
the opposite side of the table upon a shaft H' is arranged a corresponding
wheel L', and around the two passes a band M as more clearly seen in
Figure 3. Upon the table is arranged a platform A', upon the surface
of which the band lies and passes freely thereover; above the upper

page_text: surface of the band are arranged polishing cylinders P more or less in
number, here represented as four, the said cylinders being driven rapidly
by the application of power thereto through pulleys a.. The needles.
being placed upon the band the band traversing and cylinders revolving
the needles are carried along endwise between the cylinders and band
and should be head first. In thus carrying the needles it is necessary
that a rotary movement be given to the needles in order that all parts of
the needle be presented to the polishing cylinders. To this end I arrange
between the cylinders and also upon the outside plates d which are
supported in a carriage b, and to which said carriage a vibrating move-
ment is given by a cam D' on the driving shaft through a rod C', having an
inclined slot, in which said slot the connection of the carriage is
placed so that as the rod C¹ passes back and forth by the action of the
cam D' the said plates d pass transversely back and forth across the band,
and resting upon the needles impart to the needles a rolling motion as
they pass along beneath the cylinders by the movement of the band. I.
find it advantageous in maintaining parallelism of the needles to arrange
upon the under side of the plates da downward projecting flange n, as
seen in Fig. 3, of a little less depth than the diameter of the needles,.
and so that as the plates vibrate the flange upon one side will strike
the outside needle upon the same side, and the other flange upon the
return of the plate will strike upon the opposite side, and thus maintain
the needles parallel; if they are inclined to turn from such line in their
passage a third flange i may be arranged in the centre forming two
channels through which the needles pass, and thus increase the facility for
retaining the needles parallel. From the carriage to the rear or entrance
I extend out arms s which vibrate with the carriage and produce a
similar effect to that described for the flange n, so that the needles may
properly enter beneath the first cylinder, and in case the central flange &
be used I arrange upon the rear plate a corresponding arm t. Between
the two arms & I arrange a spring so as to give to the plates d a slightly
clastic pressure, which spring may be applied in various ways. By
this construction the needles placed upon the band are passed along
beneath the cylinders, and by the rotary motion given them by
the plates d are polished and finished in the most perfect manner.
To deliver the needles on to the band I arrange a conductor S, into
which the needles are placed heads downward, and by any gentle
agitation given to the said conductor or by its own inclination the

page_text: needles are conducted and delivered on to the band in the proper
position to pass along and be finished. Having passed along beneath
the rollers in being finished they are carried to a band T, which should
be so inclined that the needles by their own gravitation will slide down
and pass into a receptacle polished and finished, with their heads all
in one direction. The nicety of finish of the needles depends entirely
upon the polishing cylinders. To those skilled in the art it will be
readily seen that the cylinders may be multiplied in number to any
extent, and each succeeding cylinder from the first being of finer quality
than the preceding one will more perfectly polish and finish the needles;
this completes the first part of my Invention.
As it will be seen by the foregoing it is important, if not necessary,
that the needles be presented their heads forward; this part of the
Invention is shewn in Figs. 4 and 5. To this end I arrange an incline
table A smooth upon its upper surface, and near the upper end a
hopper B, into which the needles are placed regardless of the position
of the heads or points, the mouth of the said cylinder opening upon
the upper surface of the band C, which said band is carried around
a wheel D beneath the hopper, as seen in Fig. 5, the said wheel being
driven by a pulley E or in other convenient manner, revolving toward
the table and the band passing over the second wheel Farranged in
the rear at a convenient distance. I prefer this arrangement to the band,
yet a wheel or drum alone may be employed, the periphery of which
lies in proper position beneath the mouth of the hopper. The hopper
is made adjustable in any convenient manner so as to adjust the
mouth for the proper delivery of the needles. The needles are placed
in mass into the hopper, care being taken that they lie nearly parallel
to each other, and the wheel or band caused to pass beneath the mouth
of the hopper carries from the hopper the needles singly and presents
them to the incline table, as seen at a, Fig. 4, where two needles are
represented, their heads in opposite directions. The inclination of the
tables is such that the needles will by their own gravitation readily
roll down the table, and in so rolling the heads naturally travel faster
than the points, and the needles, the heads of which lie to the left, will
turn to the right, and vice versa, as seen at b, Fig. 4. Upon each side
of the table I form a groove G, into which the needles roll, their heads
all lying downward; thence they are conducted directly to the machine

page_text: for polishing (or may be for other operation) delivering the needles,
their heads first to such machine or operation; or for some purposes
it may be only necessary to deliver the needles to the receptacle, where
for a while they remain or by means of which they are transferred.
A convenient receptacle for the needles is shown in Fig. 4, where a
box H fitted with several compartments is arranged, so that each of
the two channels G, G, communicate directly with a respective com-
partment in the receptacle, which two compartments being filled the
box is passed along to present the other compartments, and so on
until all are filled. If upon the delivery of the needles upon the
table any should be crooked, such crooked needles will not roll down
the incline, but will be passed or brushed down the centre of the
table into a groove or grooves I, where they will remain to be removed
at pleasure.
It will be readily seen that this device for separating the needles
so as to present their heads in one direction is applicable for many
operations in the manufacture of needles, and alike applicable to the
manufacture of other articles when such separation of the articles
is necessary, as in the manufacture of pins and screws; I therefore do
not wish to be understood as confining myself to any particular use
of this part of my Invention, as I have shewn that it is adapted to
other and many uses. It is' desirable that the table be constructed so
that the inclination may be adjusted to cause the articles delivered
thereon to roll freely down its surface.
5 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and

page_text: successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes,
Her special licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my ex-
ecutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR POLISHING AND
FINISHING NEEDLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING THE NEEDLES FOR DELIVERY
THERETO," a communication to me from abroad by Chauncey Orrin
Crosby, of New Haven, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my exc-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and as-
certain 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
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of
Drawings (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to polish needles after they have passed
through the tempering and scouring process.
The first part of the Invention relates to mechanism for polishing or
finishing the needles, and the second part to a device for separating the
needles to present them all in the same position to enter the polishing
machine; and the Invention consists,-
First. In one or more polishing cylinders placed parallel to each other
and revolving rapidly over the surface of a carrying band upon which
the needles lic, and combined with a slide which moves transversely
across the band and resting upon the needles, so as to give to the needles
a rolling movement as they pass beneath the polishing cylinders, so as to
polish the entire surface of the needles.

page_text: Secondly. The arrangement of an inclined plane or table with the
proper delivering device, so that as the needles are delivered near
the higher end of the inclined table they by their own gravitation will
roll down the incline, turning by their own inclination, the head rolling
faster than the point, so that the needles, the heads of which lie towards
the right, will roll to the left side of the incline, and vice versa, the heads
all lying down the incline.
.
To enable others to construct and use these improvements I will fully
describe the same as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a top view; Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3, a longitudinal
central section of the polishing machine; Fig. 3, a transverse section of
the pressure plates; Fig. 4, a top view; and Fig. 5, a longitudinal section
of the device for separating the needles to present the heads all in the
same direction.
A is the bed plate supported upon legs B, and upon which in proper
bearings C the driving shaft D is arranged, and through a bevil gear F, F,
communicates motion to a second shaft E, supported in bearings G, and
from which last-named shaft power is communicated to a third shaft H
through a worm I; and in the said shaft H is arranged a wheel L,
and upon the opposite side of the table upon a shaft H' is arranged
a corresponding wheel L', and around the two passes a band M, as more
clearly seen in Fig. 3. Upon the table is arranged a platform A', upon
the surface of which the band lies and passes freely thercover. Above
the upper surface of the band are arranged polishing cylinders P, more
or less in number, here represented as four, the said cylinders being
driven rapidly by the application of power thereto through pulleys a.
The needles being placed upon the band, the band traversing and
cylinders revolving, the needles are carried along endwise between the
cylinders and band and should be head first. In thus carrying the
needles it is necessary that a rotary movement be given to the needles
in order that all parts of the needle be presented to the polishing
cylinders; to this end I arrange between the cylinders, and also upon
the outside plates d which are supported in a carriage b, and to which
said carriage a vibrating movement is given by a cam D' on the driving
shaft through a rod C', having an inclined slot f, in which said slot the
connection of the carriage is placed, so that as the rod C¹ passes back
and forth by the action of the cam D', the said plates & pass transversely

page_text: back and forth across the band, and resting upon the needles impart
thereto a rolling motion as they pass along beneath the cylinders by the
movement of the band. I find it advantageous in maintaining parallelism
of the needles to arrange upon the under side of the plates d a downward
projecting flange n, as seen in Fig. 3, of a little less depth than the
diameter of the needles, and so that as the plates vibrate the flange upon
one side will strike the outside needle upon the same side, and the other
flange upon the return of the plate will strike upon the opposite side
and thus maintain the needles parallel if they are inclined to turn from
such line in their passage. A third flange i may be arranged in the
centre, forming two channels through which the needles pass, and thus
increase the facility for retaining the needles parallel. From the carriage
to the rear or entrance I extend out arms s which vibrate with the
carriage and produce a similar effect to that described for the flange »,
so that the needles may properly enter beneath the first cylinder; and
in case the central flange i be used I arrange upon the rear plate a
corresponding arm ; between the two arms & I arrange a spring so as to
give to the plates d a slightly clastic pressure, which spring may be
applied in various ways. By this construction the needles placed upon
the band are passed along beneath the cylinders, and by the rotary
motion given them by the plates & are polished and finished in the most
perfect manner. To deliver the needles on to the band I arrange a
conductor S, into which the needles are placed heads downward, and by
any gentle agitation given to the said conductor or by its own inclination
the needles are conducted and delivered on to the band in the proper
position to pass along and be finished. Having passed along beneath
the rollers in being finished they are carried to a band T, which should
be so inclined that the needles by their own gravitation will slide down
and pass into a receptacle polished and finished with their heads all in
one direction. The nicety of finish of the needles depends entirely
upon the polishing cylinders; to those skilled in the art it will be readily
seen that the cylinders may be multiplied in number to any extent, and
cach succeeding cylinder from the first being of finer quality than the
preceding one will more perfectly polish and finish the needles. This
completes the first part of the Invention.
As will be seen by the foregoing it is important if not necessary that
the needles be presented their heads forward; this part of the Invention
is shewn in Figs. 4 and 5. To this end I arrange an incline table A

page_text: smooth upon its upper surface, and the upper end a hopper B, into
which the needles are placed regardless of the position of the heads or
points, the mouth of the said cylinder opening upon the upper surface
of the band C, which said band is carried around a wheel D beneath
the hopper, as seen in Fig. 5, the said wheel being driven by a pulley E,
or in other convenient manner revolving toward the table, and the band
passing over the second wheel F arranged in the rear at a convenient
distance. I prefer this arrangement to the band, yet a wheel or drum
alone may be employed, the periphery of which lies in proper position
beneath the mouth of the hopper. The hopper is made adjustable in
any convenient manner, so as to adjust the mouth for the proper delivery
of the needles. The needles are placed in mass into the hopper, care
being taken that they lie nearly parallel to each other, and the wheel or
band caused to pass beneath the mouth of the hopper carries from the
hopper the needles singly, and presents them to the incline table, as
scen at a, Fig. 4, where two needles are represented their heads in
opposite directions. The inclination of the tables is such that the
needles will by their own gravitation readily roll down the table, and in
so rolling the heads naturally travel faster than the points, and the
needles the heads of which lie to the left will turn to the right, and
vice versa, as seen at 6, Fig. 4. Upon each side of the table I form a
groove G, into which the needles roll, their heads all lying downward;
thence they are conducted directly to the machine for polishing (or may
be for other operations) delivering the needles their heads first to such
machine or operation, or for some purposes it may be only necessary to
deliver the needles to the receptacle, where for a while they remain or
by means of which they are transferred. A convenient receptacle for
the needles is shewn in Fig. 4, where a box H fitted with several com-
partments is arranged so that each of the two channels G, G, communi-
cate directly with a respective compartment in the receptacle, and two
compartments being filled the box is passed along to present the other
compartments, and so on until all are filled. If upon the delivery of
the needles upon the table any should be crooked, such crooked needles
will not roll down the incline, but will be passed or brushed down the
centre of the table into a groove or grooves I, where they will remain to
be removed at pleasure.
It will be readily seen that this device for separating the needles so
as to present their heads in one direction is applicable for many opera-

page_text: tions in the manufacture of needles; and it is desirable that the table
be constructed so that the inclination may be adjusted to cause the
articles delivered thereon to roll freely down its surface.
Having fully described the Invention, what I claim as new and useful
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination of one or more revolving cylinders with a
band or similar carrying device when the said cylinders are formed with
a polishing surface and arranged transversely across the said band or
carrying device, substantially in the manner specified.
Second. The arrangement of the elastic pressure plates d, upon the
band or carrying device, substantially in the manner specified.
Third. Imparting to the pressure plates d a reciprocating movement
so as to impart to the needles passing thereunder a revolving movement,
substantially as described.
Fourth. Constructing the pressure plates d with flanges n, with or
without the central guide, substantially as shown.
Fifth. The arms s, in combination with the revolving cylinders and
band or carrying device so as to guide the needles, substantially as
described.
Sixth. The arrangement of the conductor S with the band or carrying
device M, in combination with the polishing device, substantially as and
for the purpose shewn.
Seventh. In combination with the carrying device and polishing
cylinders I claim the discharge conductor T, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Eighth. I claim assorting the needles so as to present the heads all in
one direction by passing the needles free over an inclined table, substan-
tially as shown.
Ninth. In combination with an inclined table I claim a hopper B
arranged so as to deliver the needles properly to the said inclined table,
substantially in the manner specified.
Tenth. In combination with the table and hopper arranged as above,
I claim the revolving or delivering roll D, with or without the band C,
substantially as set forth.

page_text: Eleventh. In combination with the inclined table I claim the receiving
grooves G, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Twelfth. In combination with the inclined table I claim the grooves I,
one or more, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Thirteenth. In combination with the inclined table I claim the
receiving boxes H, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in tho
year of our Lord 1869.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.S.)