IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NEEDLES, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Smith Bartleet "at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
. September 1864.
I, ROBERT SMITH BARTLEET, of Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NEEDLES, AND IN MACHINERY TO BE USED
IN THE SAID MANUFACTURE," to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of needles by the ordinary method pieces of wire, each
equal in length to two of the needles to be made, are pointed at each end, and
at or near the middle impressions are made for the eyes, heads, and, gutters.
The wire thus operated upon nearly resembles two needles joined together
head to head. The action of the tools by which the impressions are made
produces on either side of the impressed part of the wire a fin or burr or waste
piece, which has afterwards to be removed by filing or grinding. Waste pieces
at the heads of the needles have also to be removed in a like manner.
My Invention has for its object, firstly, to prevent the formation of the fins,
burrs, or waste pieces on the sides of the needles; secondly, to form the im-
pressions for. the eyes, heads, and gutters in a manner which produces little
lateral spreading of the metal; thirdly, to remove the waste pieces at the heads
of the needles without grinding or filing.
My Invention consists further of machinery by which these improvements
may be conveniently carried into effect. In order to prevent the formation of
fins, burrs, or waste pieces on the sides of the wire during the making of the

page_text: impressions for the eyes, I reduce the diameter of the wire at the part where
the impressions are to be made before impressing it, so that the lateral expan-
sion of the wire on the making of the impressions shall restore the wire at that
part to its original diameter, but be insufficient to produce fins, burrs, or waste
pieces. In reducing the diameter of the wire as described, I either effect the
reduction on all sides or on two opposite sides only. The wire may be reduced
either by hand filing or grinding or by the machine herein-after described.
In makng the impressions for the eyes, heads, and gutters, I employ the
process of pressing, instead of that of stamping. In this method of making
the said impressions there is much less tendency to lateral spreading of the
metal than when the impressions are produced by heavy blows, as in the
ordinary manufacture. Instead of removing the waste pieces left at the heads
of the needles after they are separated by the process of grinding or filing, I
remove the said waste pieces by means of a press, the pressing tools in which
are shaped so as to cut the end of the wire of the shape which it is intended
the head of the needle shall have. By this.method of removing the said waste
pieces they are removed more quickly than by grinding or filing, and the heads
produced are more uniform in figure.
The machine for reducing the diameter of the wire where the impressions
for the eyes are to be made consists essentially of a rotating grinder, either of
stone, steel, or other grinding material, mounted on a horizontal axis, and
provided with the necessary appliances for giving to it a rapid rotary motion,
and also with bolders for holding the wires while being operated upon, such
appliances and holders being of the ordinary kind.
1.
The machine for making the impressions for the eyes; heads, and gutters
consists of a press, in which the pressing tool is actuated by means of cambs
or levers.
The machine for removing the waste pieces from the heads consists of a press
provided with tools of the required shape to cut away the said waste pieces and
leave the heads of the required form.
The several machines described may be combined together in one machine:
My Invention is applicable to the manufacture both of ordinary needles and
sewing machine needles.
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