IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SCOURING AND POLISHING NEEDLES
Year: 1872

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 SCOURING AND POLISHING
NEEDLES." A communication from abroad by The Mallett Manu-
facturing Company, of New Haven, United States of America.
Sealed the 24th June 1873, and dated the 26th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th December 1872.
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 SCOURING AND
POLISHING NEEDLES," a communication to me from abroad by The Mallett
Manufacturing Company, of New Haven, United States of America,
to be as follows:-

page_text: tempered and making them into a pack by spreading emery upon a
canvas or other suitable material; then on to the emery the needles are
spread with oil or other lubricating material;. then the mass is rolled up
and bound in a package, and this pack is made to revolve under a
pressure causing, an action within the pack which scours or clcans and
smooths the needles. This part of the Invention consists in the arrange-
ment of a pair of vertically réciprocating plates, one or both of which
are slightly inclined so as to make the space between the two plates
narrower at the bottom than the top, then dropping the pack prepared
in the usual manner into the space between the plates, where it finds its
own proper position in consequence of the inclination before described,
the reciprocating of the plates causing the necessary action upon the
pack.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 repre-
sents a top view; Figs. 2 and 3, longitudinal sections, showing the
movement of the plates; and Fig. 4 a side view showing the manner of
reciprocating the plates. a is one of the plates, and the other plate,
the two together forming a pair, and arranged in suitable guides A³ in a
vertical position, but inclined to each other, so that the space between
the plates is narrower at the bottom than at the top, as seen in Figs. 2
and 3. This may be done by inclining both plates or making one per-
pendicular and the other inclined. It is preferable however that both
be inclined. To each of these plates a reciprocating movement is given
so that they rise and fall as from the position in Fig. 2 to that in Fig. 3,
and vice versa. I arrange a succession of pairs of these plates, as may
be desired, here represented as two. Between these plates the packs B³,
prepared in the usual manner, are placed, their diameter fixing their
position between the plates. If of smaller diameter they simply drop
further down into the space between the plates, and if larger rest higher
up. Thus the pack is self-adjusting as to size.
•
The plates reciprocating as before described maintain a constant
rotation of the pack back and forth, the pack maintaining the same
relative position except, as by the constant rolling the diameter slightly
diminishes, it will work down between the plates, and the inclination of
the plates, combined with the weight of the pack, give the desired
pressure, which remains constant, and thus the device is practically
self-adjusting both as to the size of the pack and the pressure thereon.

page_text: The best means known to us for thus reciprocating the plates is the
arrangement of a crank wheel C³ upon both ends of a shaft D³, the
crank pin c working in the slot of one arm of a lever E³, the other arm
attached to a stud f on the first plate; then a similar lever F³, one arm.
of which is fixed to the stud fs of the first plate, and to a similar stud f³
of the next plate, and this to the succeeding plates by other lovers G², H²,
s seen in Fig. 4. Thus as the crank wheel revolves the levers are
vibrated as denoted by the broken lines in Fig. 4, alternately raising and.
owering the plates to give the reciprocating movement required and
before described.

page_text: revolving brushes H, more or less in number, the said brushes being
caused to revolve by belts and pulleys or otherwise, and at the same time
by the action of the cams H¹ to traverse back and forth transversely
across the plate E, as denoted in broken lines, Fig. 7, the brush passing
under the perforated portion of the plate, and being adjusted so that the
bristles will project through the said perforations.
Longitudinally on the plate C is arranged a leather or other facing L
in close proximity to the plate E, as seen in Fig. 10, so that the needles
lying between the said facing L and the plate E will be caused to revolve
as the plate C is reciprocated, passing over the perforations in the plate E
and thus exposed to the action of the brush, which being coated or
supplied with polishing material acts upon the surface of the needles to
give them a high degree of finish.
In order to feed the needles, and at the same time retain them parallel
to each other and transversely across the plate E, I arrange a hopper in
two parts I, I', both parts being alike, so that placed near together they
form a complete hopper.
In Figs. 8 and 9 the one part I of this hopper is shown detached. The
other part is the same, but reversed, so that the part shown represents
the inner surface of the part I. The needles are placed in mass in the
hopper after they have been straightened, and are arranged parallel to
each other, the passage i from the hopper downward being of sufficient
width to permit the free passage of a needle singly, so that a column of
needles will lie therein. Attached to the plate O is a cut off C³, which
as the plate C vibrates passes beneath the column i, that is, as the plate
is thrown to the left the cut off will be in position seen in Fig. 9, closing
the column, and when in the other position will open the column, as
seen in Fig. 8, and permit a single needle to drop. Forward of the
cut off (as seen in Fig. 8) on each part of the hopper is arranged a
lever P which prevents the needles as they fall forward of the cut off
from passing out, but at the proper time, when the plate C is again
thrown to the left the cut off passes beneath the column, forcing the
needle forward, the lever P yielding for the purpose until the needle is
carried over the end of the lever, as seen in Fig. 9, and passed beneath a
holder R, as denoted in broken lines Fig. 9. There the needle is left
and the cut off carried back, the lever P returning by the force of its
spring P strikes upon the opposite arm of the holder R³ and bears a

page_text: sufficient force to temporarily retain the needle beneath the holder.
While in this position, it being understood that the plate C has passed to
the extreme right, it is provided with means for taking this needle as I
will proceed to describe.
Longitudinally in the plate C and guided by it are arranged two pairs
of toothed racks a, a, and d, d. These two racks have also a vertical
movement given them by levers R, R', through their respective
cams R, R³, the racks being attached to the said levers, as denoted in
Fig. 6, so that the pairs are alternately raised, as seen in Fig. 13, the
rack a being represented as raised and the rack d as down. At the left
hand end or at other convenient point a shoulder " is formed, so that
when either of the racks are raised they will come in immediate connec-
tion with this shoulder and be moved with the plate, but if not so raised
the rack will remain stationary and the shoulder pass over it, the rack a,
Fig. 13, being moved with the plate, and the rack d remaining stationary.
This movement of the plate has carried the rack so that when it is
dropped, which occurs when the plate has been carried to the extreme
right, the first notch in the rack a will drop over the needle which was
left in the holder, and as the plate again moves to the left this needle
will be taken with it, and the cut off will introduce a second needle to
the holder. When the plate again returns, the other rack d is raised,
the rack a remaining down, and the first notch of the rack d will take
the second needle, the second notch in the rack d also taking on to the
first needle. When next they return the two needles are left in control
of the rack d, and the rack a raised and carried back to take the third
needle in its first notch, and at the same time drops on to the other
needles, the second and first needles being in the second and third notch
of the rack a, and so continuing advancing the needles, at the same time
carrying them back and forth, so that by this movement they are passed
over the plate E and beneath the surface L, which causes them to revolve
over the perforations in the plate E for the action of the brushes as
before described.
.

page_text: reciprocate, or both made to reciprocate, but by preference the arrange-
ment described is used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 26th June 1873.
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 Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, 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, usc, excrcise,
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 SCOURING AND POLISHING NEEDLES," a communication to me
from abroad by The Mallett Manufacturing Company, of New Haven,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings (that is to say) :-
The first part of this Invention relates to a device for scouring needles,
and is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the of the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a top view; Figs. 2 and 3, longitudinal sections
showing the movement of the plates; and Fig. 4 a side view, showing
the manner of reciprocating the plates. This scouring is done by taking
the mass of needles after they have been tempered, and making them
into a pack by spreading emery upon a canvas or other suitable material;
then on to the emery the needles are spread with oil or other lubricating
material; then the mass is rolled up and bound in a package, and this
pack is made to revolve under a pressure, causing an action within the
pack which scours or cleans and smooths the needles. This part of tho
Invention consists in the arrangement of a pair of vertically reciprocating
plates, one or both of which are slightly inclined, so as to make the
space between the two plates narrower at the bottom than the top, then
dropping the pack prepared in the usual manner into the space between
the plates, where it finds its own proper position in consequence of tho
inclination before described, the reciprocating of the plates causing the
necessary action upon the pack. a is one of the plates, and d the
other plate, the two together forming a pair, and arranged in suitable
guides A in a vertical position, but inclined to each other so that the
space between the plates is narrower at the bottom than at the top, as
seen in Figs. 2 and 3. This may be done by inclining both plates, or
making one perpendicular and the other inclined. It is preferable,
however, that both be inclined. To each of these plates a reciprocating
movement is given, so that they rise and fall, as from the position in
Fig. 2 to that in Fig. 3, and vice versa. I arrange a succession of pairs
of these plates, as may be desired, here represented as two. Between
these plates the packs Be prepared in the usual manner are placed,
their diameter fixing their position between the plates. If of smaller
diameter, they simply drop further down into the space between the
plates, and if larger, rest higher up. Thus the pack is self-adjusting as
to size.
•
The plates reciprocating as before described maintain a constant
rotation of the pack back and forth, the pack maintaining the same
relative position, except, as by the constant rolling the diameter slightly
diminishes, it will work down between the plates, and the inclination

page_text: of the plates combined with the weight of the pack gives the desired
pressure, which remains constant, and thus the device is practically self-
adjusting, both as to the size of the pack and the pressure thereon.
The best means known to us for thus reciprocating the plates is tho
arrangement of a crank wheel Cª upon both ends of a shaft D³, the crank
pin C working in the slot of one arm of a lever E³, the other arm
attached to a stud f² on the first plate. Then a similar lever F³, one
arm of which is fixed to the stud fi of the first plate, and to a similar ƒ³
of the next plate, and this to the succeeding plates by other levers G³, H³,
as seen in Fig. 4. Thus as the crank wheel revolves the levers are
vibrated as denoted by the broken lines in Fig. 4, alternately raising and
lowering the plates to give the reciprocating movement required and
before described.
The second part of this Invention relates to a device for performing
the next or polishing operations, and is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11, 12, and 13. Fig. 5 represents a top view; Fig. 6, a front view,
the brushes being shown in section; Fig. 7, an end view from the left
of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 and 9, detached views of the feeding device; Fig. 10,
a transverse section of the plate on line x, x; Fig. 11, a top view of the
polishing plate; and Figs. 12 and 13, detached views of the longitudinal
racks for moving the needles.
This part of the Invention consists in mechanism, substantially as
hcrein-after described, for revolving the needles, and while revolving
passing them over brushes which revolve or vibrato in a line with the
axes of the needles. A is the bed of the machine upon which the
operative mechanism is placed; B is the driving shaft, supported so as
to revolve in bearings B¹, power being applied to the said shaft in any
convenient manner; C is a plate to which a reciprocating movement is
imparted by a cam O¹ through a lever O'. The plate is shown in
transverse section enlarged in Fig. 10, and is arranged upon a bed D
overlapping the edges, as seen in Fig. 10, or otherwise, so as to be
guided upon the said bed, the said bed being supported upon posts D', or
otherwise. The bed D is in two parts, as scen in Figs. 10 and 11, which
aro connected by a thin metal plate E, the said metal plate being
constructed with numerous perforations e in form described and arranged,
substantially as shown in Fig. 11, so that the several perforations
overlap each other. Beneath the plate D on a sliding carriage F are
arranged revolving brushes H, more or less in number, the said brushes

page_text: being caused to revolve by belts and pulleys, or otherwise, and at the
same time by the action of the cams H¹ to traverse back and forth
transversely across the plate E, as denoted in broken lines, Fig. 7, the
brush passing under the perforated portion of the plate, and being
adjusted so that the bristles will project through the said perforations.
Longitudinally on the plate O is arranged a leather or other facing L
in close proximity to the plate E, as seen in Fig. 10, so that the needles
lying between the said facing L and the plate E will be caused to
revolve as the plate C is reciprocated, passing over the perforations in
the plate E, and thus exposed to the action of the brush, which, being
coated or supplied with polishing material acts upon the surface of the
needles to give them a high degree of finish.
In order to feed the needles, and at the same time retain them
parallel to each other and transversely across the plate E, I arrange a
hopper in two parts I, I', both parts being alike, so that placed near
together they form a complete hopper.
In Figs. 8 and 9 the one part I of this hopper is shown detached; the
other part is the same, but reversed, so that the part shown represents
the inner surface of the part I. The needles are placed in mass in the
hopper after they have been straightened, and are arranged parallel to
cach other, the passage i from the hopper downward being of sufficient
width to permit the free passage of a needle singly, so that a column of
needles will lic therein. Attached to the plate C is a cut off C³, which
as the plate C vibrates passes bencath the columu i, that is, as the plate
is thrown to the left the cut off will be in position seen in Fig. 9, closing
the column, and when in the other position will open the column, as
scen in Fig. 8, and permit a single needle to drop. Forward of the
cut off (as seen in Fig. 8) on cach part of the hopper is arranged a
lever P which prevents the needles as they fall forward of the cut off
from passing out, but at the proper time when the plate C is again
thrown to the left the cut off passes beneath the column, forcing the
needle forward, the lever P yielding for the purpose until the needle is
carried over the end of the lever, as seen in Fig. 9, and passed beneath
a holder R, as denoted in broken lines Fig. 9. There the needle is left
and the cut off carried back. The lever P returning by the force of its
spring P' strikes upon the opposite arm of the holder R³, and bears a
sufficient force to temporarily retain the needle beneath the holder.
While in this position, it being understood that the plate C has passed to

page_text: the extreme right, it is provided with means for taking this needle, as I
will proceed to describe.
Longitudinally in the plate O and guided by it are arranged two pairs
of toothed racks a, a, and d, d. These two racks have also a vertical
movement given them by levers R, R', through their respective
cams R³, R³, the racks being attached to the said levers, as denoted in
Fig. 6, so that the pairs are alternately raised, as seen in Fig. 13, the
rack a being represented as raised and the rack das down. At the left
hand end or at other convenient point a shoulder n is formed, so that
when either of the racks are raised they will come in immediate
connection with this shoulder and be moved with the plate, but if not
so raised the rack will remain stationary and the shoulder pass over it,
the rack a, Fig. 13, being moved with the plate, and the rack d
remaining stationary. This movement of the plate has carried the
rack so that when it is dropped, which occurs when the plate has been
carried to the extreme right, the first notch in the rack a will drop over
the needle which was left in the holder, and as the plate again moves
to the left this needle will be taken with it, and the cut off will introduce
a second needle to the holder. When the plate again returns the other
rack d is raised, the rack a remaining down, and the first notch of the
rack & will take the second needle, the second notch in the rack d also
taking on to the first needle. When next they return the two needles
are left in control of the rack d, and the rack a raised and carried back
to take the third needle in its first notch, and at the same time drops on
to the other needles, the second and first needles being in the second
and third notch of the rack a, and so continuing advancing the needles,
at the same time carrying them back and forth, so that by this move-
ment they are passed over the plate E and beneath the surface L, which
causes them to revolvo over the perforations in the plate E for the action
of the brushes, as before described.
It will be observed that the racks simply retain the needles in a
parallel position, the revolution being given by the surface L moving
upon the upper side of the needles and the stationary plate beneath.
It will be observed by those skilled in machinery, that if preferred,
the upper plate C may be made stationary, and the lower plate E made
to reciprocate, or both made to reciprocate, but by preference the
arrangement described is used.

page_text: Having thus described the nature and particulars of the said Invention
as communicated to me from abroad, I claim,―
First. A device for scouring needles, consisting of a pair of plates a³, d³
one or both of which are inclined so as to make the space between the
two plates narrower at the bottom than at the top, in combination with
mechanism for imparting a reciprocating movement to both of said
plates, substantially as set forth.
Second. In combination with the plate E and the facing L, to one or
both of which a reciprocating movement is imparted, the polishing
brushes arranged to operate through the perforations in the said plate,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Third. In combination with the plate E and the facing L, operating as
described, the toothed racks a, d, operating alternately to receive and
guido the needles in their passage upon the plate, substantially in the
manner herein set forth.
Fourth. In combination with the hopper I and cut off C³ the lever, P
and holder R³, as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of June,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.s.)