Improvements in or relating to Machines for Automatically Grinding the Heads of Needles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Machines for Automatically Grinding
the Heads of Needles.
I, ALBRECHT SCHOENEWEISS, of 37, Kluse, Iserlohn, Germany, .Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the process of pressing the heads of needles, a burr is formed round the eyes,
which it is necessary to remove. Hitherto this has sometimes been done by
arranging the needles in rows and, by means of suitable tongs or pincers, pressing
them first on one side and then on the other against a revolving grindstone. This
method not only requires much labour and trouble to arrange the needles but is also
objectionable in that being ground on the sides only, the needles are not sufficiently
rounded.
In the accompanying drawings improved machines embodying my invention are
shown, whereby the needles are automatically fed to and pressed against a revolving
grindstone, while they are themselves caused to rotate; thus reducing the labour
and time formerly required for this work, while producing a superior article. This
machine is distinguished firstly by a special feeding arrangement for conveying
rotating needles separately over the grindstone, and secondly by the peculiar means
of pressing them against the grindstone.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation partly in section on the line A-B, and Fig. 2 is a
side elevation partly in section on the line C-D of a machine in which the grind-
stones revolves horizontally upon a vertical axis ;
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations on an enlarged scale of the foeding
portion (t, u, r, o) of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are elevations of a part of a machine in which the grindstone
revolves vertically upon a horizontal axis;
Fig. 8 is a partial sectional elevation of Fig. 6;
Fig. 9. is a similar view to Fig. 6 but with the axis of the grindstone s arranged
obliquely to the feeding path of the needles;
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 9, and Fig. 11 (also referring to Fig. 9)
is a partial plan showing the direction of movement of the needles when passing
over the obliquely placed grindstone.
As indicated in the drawings, the grindstone s is arranged to revolve either upon
a vertical axis, as shown in Fig. 2, or upon a horizontal axis, as shown in
Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. Further, the axis of the grindstone s is arranged sometimes
obliquely to the feeding path of the needles, as indicated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11.
My invention makes it possible to simultaneously grind all the needles in a row
with their heads (or eyes) turned towards the side of the grindstone, as indicated
by the arrangements shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 7 and 14; or of two rows of needles,
as in Figs. 6, 8 and 11; or to grind pairs of needles before their separation into
single needles, as in Figs. 6, 9 and 11.
In the arrangement shown by Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the axis of the grindstone is
oblique to the feeding path traversed by the needles, as above stated. In their
rotation, the needles travel from one side of the grindstone to the other, so that not
only one particular portion but the whole surface of the stone is utilised in grinding.
The grindstone may also be of the form of a roller, in which case its axis would

page_text: be arranged at an acute angle with the feeding path. The needles are fed singly
to the grindstone s, from the hopper or funnel t, by means of the well known
feeding disc u shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. Each groove across the periphery of
the disc u picks up one of the needles, (as indicated by the black dots in Fig. 3)
and carries it on the travelling band b. A spring lifter f, having its forward edge
placed within the groove r, in the disc u, is arranged to lift the needles in succession
as they come round out of their respective grooves, and press them against the
travelling band b, which carries them on over the saddle o and against the grind-
stones, as in Figs. 2, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. The travelling band is generally made of
steel, but coated with an elastic material such as leather or rubber in which the
needles are embedded, and the band is carried over suitable driving pulleys, and
guide rollers such as c, c. Several of these feeding appliances may be arranged
around a single grindstone, so that grinding can take place at several portions of
the stone simultaneously.
The grindstone is provided with one side groove k, as in Fig. 2, or with two
side grooves k, k, as in Figs. 5 and 7, according to whether one or two rows of
needles are to be ground simultaneously. These grooves correspond in shape to
that of the heads, as indicated in the enlarged view Fig. 14; so that the rotating
needles lose their burr both on the sides and top. The burr of a separated needle
is indicated in Fig. 12, and of two needles before separation in Fig. 13; while the
circular grinding of the latter is provided for in Figs. 6, 9 and 11. The driving
of the discs, grindstone, and belts, may be arranged in any suitable and convenient
manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
The berein described improvements in machines for automatically grinding the
heads of needles consisting of the feeding of rotating needles to a grindstone by
means of a grooved disc u, spring lifter f, and travelling band b, arranged and
operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified and shown in
the drawings.
Dated this 13th day of October 1900.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.