IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO NEEDLES FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO NEEDLES FOR USE IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BRUSHES" 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 needles for use in brush making.
One feature of my invention relates to novel means whereby the wire is clamped
to the needle handle for enabling proper tensile strain to be applied to the wire
which is used for confining the tufts of bristles in a brush block or stock, and said
means consist of a two part handle provided with clamping plates, which afford
a reliable grip upon the wire, when closed thereon under pressure by the hand of
the operator.
Another feature of my invention has for its object to provide an always
accessible space for the reception of a tuft of bristles near the outer end of the
needle, after it has been passed through a tuft hole in a brush block.
Heretofore such needles have been practically straight and therefore more or less
manipulation was requisite for placing the tufts of bristles in such position between
the needle and the wire, as would afford the loop needed to enable the tuft to be
thereafter drawn into its seat in the brush block, but the present improved needle
is bent at its outer end at an angle or curve from its straight shank, and in the
plane occupied by the eye, so that a wire passing rearwardly from the eye in a
straight line, is so far removed from the adjacent side of the needle as to always
afford a tuft receiving space.
As essential features in construction the improved bent needle is channelled or
ongitudinally grooved from the eye rearwardly at the back of the bent end for
partially housing the wire, and the needle eye is rounded at its rear end, and
nclined at its outer end, and a brush maker's needle with such an eye is novel
whether with or without the bent feature. I am aware that sewing machine
Di 11

page_text: needles have eyes so rounded and unished as to avoid cutting thread,
of no prior needle having the inclined outer end at its eye, and otherwise so
constructed as to be of practical service as a brush maker's needle, which being
used with wire must enable considerable tensile strain to be applied thereto
without making a bend or bight in the wire, and this is obviated by providing the
eye with an inclined outer end.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a side view of the needle and handle.
Figure 2 is a top view of the needle and handle, the jaw being thrown upwards
and backwards.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line xx Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the needle.
Like letters of reference in all the figures indicate the same parts.
A represents a needle for wiring the tufts of bristles into the stock, the wire
being looped over the tufts in the usual manner grasping them respectively as the
needle is drawn through the holes of the stock. The needle is provided with a
handle B composed of two parts 1 and 2, hinged together by means of the joint
pin a. The oute end of the needle is inserted in the hole b of the part 1 of the
handle, and confined by means of the set screw c.
C, C are steel plates the faces of which are arranged to form teeth in the manner
of files whereby to hold securely the drawing wire D which is passed through holes
in the part 1 of the handle. The said plates are dovetailed into the inner faces of
the handle, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, to hold them securely in place; and they
grasp the wire tightly during the drawing in of the tufts. The eye end of the
needle is bent in the manner shewn in the drawings. As hereinbefore stated brush
maker's needles have heretofore been straight, as shewn for instance in the
specification of U.S Patent granted to Joseph Pickering and Dated October 24th
1871 No 120,164, and therefore with such needles the wire must be manipulated
for properly looping a tuft of bristles, while as seen in Figure 4 the bent needle
affords a readily accessible space between the wire D and the bent portion of the
needle for the ready reception of a tuft of bristles.
It will also be seen that the bend or curve of the needle is in the vertical plane
occupied by the eye, so that the wire can pass directly downward through the eye
and thence rearwardly beneath the bent or curved portion of the needle.
The needle has a longitudinal groove e cut in its upper side to receive the wire D,
the eye f being carried forward from the groove on an angle, as shewn in Figures 1
and 4, and terminating near the end of the needle at the opposite side from the
groove. If the inner end of the eye had a sharp corner or corners, as the needle
is pushed forward, the wire in pressing thereon would be weakened; to prevent
this I round the end of the eye completely from side to side of the needle, as
shewn in Figures 1 and 4, and thus prevent any injury to the wire. The outer
end of the eye being inclined, as clearly shewn in Figure 4 enables a strong pull
to be given to the wire without causing a bend therein, it being obvious that the
wire will occupy a practically straight line in passing outwardly and forwardly
from the groove or channel e through the eye.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First. A brush maker's needle having a handle in two parts hinged together and
provided with grasping or clamping plates, substantially as described, whereby
wire is securely held during the operation of wiring tufts of bristles into brush
blocks, as set forth.
Second. A brush maker's needle having an eye near its point, and its outer end
bent or curved in the plane occupied by the eye, and having a longitudinal groov

page_text: on its upper side opposite said bend, substantially as described, whereby a loop-
receiving space is afforded below the bent portion of the needle, when the wire
extends rearwardly from the eye, as set forth.
Third. In a brush maker's needle, an eye, near the point thereof, having a
rounded inner end, and an inclined outer end, substantially as described, whereby
tensile strain can be applied to a wire passing along said needle and forwardly
through said eye, without materially bending said wire, as set forth,