IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Morrall, of Astwood Bank, near Red-
ditch, in the County of Worcester, Machinist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SEWING
MACHINE NEEDLES."
Scaled the 9th April 1872, and dated the 7th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Morrall at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th February 1872.
I, EDWARD MORRALL, of Astwood Bank, near Redditch, in the County
of Worcester, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES," to be as follows:
My Invention has reference to that stage of the manufacture of sewing
machine needles at which the blade and shoulder parts of the said
needles are reduced or shaped by a turning process from lengths or
picces of wire having the diameter of the stems of the needles, to be

page_text: •
made. Machines for this purpose are commonly called reducing
machines, and my Invention consists of the improvements in or addi-
tions to the said machines herein-after described.
By my Invention great uniformity in the size and shape of the blade
and shoulder parts of the shaped or reduced needle wires are secured,
little waste is made, and the adjustment of the cutter is effected with
great nicety.
The said reducing machines consist essentially of a revolving spindle,
in which the wire to be reduced or shaped is fixed, and a saddle carrying
a slide rest, having a traversing motion on the bed of the machine by
means of a screw and screw'box as usual. The said slide rest supports a
bed, in which the cutter works, as well as the parts herein-after described
by which the cutter is adjusted and worked, so as to reduce or shape the
blade and shoulder parts of the wire to the proper size and figure. The
cutter is situated at right angles to the rotating wire fixed in the holder
of the spindle, and the said cutter is advanced against the wire by means
of the traverse of the slide rest in the ordinary manner. On the end of
the screw by which the cutter is adjusted I fix an adjustment wheel, the
periphery of the said wheel being divided into a series of parallel notches
or grooves at a short distance apart. Into one of these notches or
grooves a tooth or pawl on the end of a spring arm may be made to
engage, and when so engaged it locks or fixes the said adjustment wheel
and prevents its rotation; the said wheel is however capable on the
partial rotation of the screw of sliding on the said tooth or pawl. By
means of the said adjustment wheel a very fine adjustment of the cutter
to the diameter of the blade part of the wire to be shaped may be deter-
mined with great accuracy. It is only necessary after the cutter has
been set by the adjustment wheel to release and advance the said wheel
from time to time through a distance equal to the distance between two
notches to compensate for the wear of the cutter to ensure the pro-
duction, by the machine of reduced needle wires of a uniform size and
shape. The vertical height of the cutter is adjusted by a wedge and set
screw.

page_text: fixed, the motion of the said arm through a small angle giving a portion
of a rotation to the screw, and thereby withdrawing the cutter. By
means of a coiled spring the said depending arm is held in such a
position that the cutter is advanced to the position proper to cut or shape.
the blade part of the wire. When however by the traverse of the slide
rest of the machine the blade part of the wire has been shaped, the said
depending arm comes in contact with a fixed upright near the end of the
bed of the machine. The said depending arm is thereby moved gra-
dually through a portion of a circle, and a corresponding motion given
to the adjusting screw of the cutter, and the said cutter withdrawn, so as
to form the conical shoulder between the blade part and the stem of the
needle wire.
Previous to the formation of the shoulder the cutter has a preliminary
withdrawal to cause the blade part of the needle wire to be thickened.
where the shoulder sets in. This is effected by the tail of the depending
arm moving over a raised part on the bed of the machine, so as to
slightly lift the said arm and move back the cutter. The angle through
which the depending arm can move to withdraw the cutter is determined
by an adjusting stop, against which the said arm strikes at the end of its
stroke. By means of the said adjusting stop shoulders of different.
lengths may be shaped at pleasure on the needle wires. As soon as the
depending arm strikes its stop, a jointed catch on the said arm drops
upon or engages with a rib on the slide rest, and thereby fixes the cutter
in its withdrawn position, while the saddle slide rest and parts carried
thereby make their return motion in the ordinary way. After removing
the reduced or shaped needle wire from the spindle and fixing a fresh,
wire in its place the jointed catch described is released, when the
depending arm is pulled back by its spring, and the cutter takes its.
advanced position for shaping the blade part of the needle wire as before,
described. Thus after the shaping of each needle wire the cutter is
returned to the adjusted position effected by the adjustment wheel...
During the backward and forward motion of the cutter effected by the
action of the depending arm, the adjustment wheel on the end of the
adjusting screw of the cutter moves longitudinally upon its fixing or
locking tooth or pawl.
The pieces or lengths of wires to be reduced or shaped are fixed in the
rotating spindle of the machine by means of a holder provided with two
gripping picces, one fixed and the other moveable.
,

page_text: By means of a set screw the moveable gripping piece can be adjusted
to compensate for wear. The adjusting screw of the cutter is tightened
in its screw box by means of a supplementary screw box capable of
adjustment.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
MORRALL, of Astwood Bank, near Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edward Morrall, Her special licence that
Í, the said Edward Morrall, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Edward Morrall, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 MACHINERY
EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Morrall, my exe-
cutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:
-
My Invention has reference to that stage of the manufacture of sewing
machine needles at which the blade and shoulder parts of the said
needles are reduced or shaped by a turning process from lengths or
pieces of wire having the diameter of the stems of the needles to be
made. Machines for this purpose are commonly called reducing
machines, and my Invention consists of the improvements in or addi- .
tions to the said machines herein-after described.
By my Invention great uniformity in the size and shape of the blade
and shoulder parts of the shaped or reduced needle wires are secured,
little waste is made, and the adjustment of the cutter is effected with
great nicety.
The said reducing machines consist essentially of a revolving spindle,
in which the wire to be reduced or shaped is fixed, and a saddle carrying
a slide rest, having a traversing motion on the bed of the machine by
means of a screw and screw box as usual. The said slide rest supports a
bed in which the cutter works, as well as the parts herein-after described
by which the cutter is adjusted and worked, so as to reduce or shape the
blade and shoulder parts of the wire to the proper size and figure. The
cutter is situated at right angles to the rotating wire fixed in the holder
of the spindle, and the said cutter is advanced against the wire by means
of the traverse of the slide rest in the ordinary manner. On the end of
the screw by which the cutter is adjusted I fix an adjustment wheel, the
periphery of the said wheel being divided into a series of parallel notches
or grooves at a short distance apart. Into one of these notches or
grooves a tooth or pawl on the end of a spring arm may be made to
engage, and when so engaged it locks or fixes the said adjustment wheel
and prevents its rotation; the said wheel is however capable, on the
partial rotation of the screw, of sliding on the said tooth or pawl. By
means of the said adjustment wheel a very fine adjustment of the cutter
to the diameter of the blade part of the wire to be shaped may be deter-
mined with great accuracy. It is only necessary after the cutter has
been set by the adjustment wheel to release and advance the said wheel
from time to time through a distance equal to the distance between two
notches to compensate for the wear of the cutter to ensure the pro-
duction by the machine of reduced needle wires of a uniform size and

page_text: shape. The vertical height of the cutter is adjusted by a wedge and set
screw.
When the blade part of the needle wire has been shaped or reduced by
the cutter, the said cutter is gradually withdrawn to the required distance
to form the shoulder by the following arrangement of parts:-On the
end of the screw by which the cutter is adjusted a depending arm is
fixed, the motion of the said arm through a small angle giving a portion
of a rotation to the screw, and thereby withdrawing the cutter. By
means of a coiled spring the said depending arm is held in such a
position that the cutter is advanced to the position proper to cut or shape
the blade part of the wire. When however by the traverse of the slide
rest of the machine the blade part of the wire has been shaped, the said
depending arm comes in contact with a fixed upright near the end of the
bed of the machine. The said depending arm is thereby moved gra-
dually through a portion of a circle, and a corresponding motion given
to the adjusting screw of the cutter, and the said cutter withdrawn, so as
to form the conical shoulder between the blade part and the stem of the
11

page_text: During the backward and forward motion of the cutter effected by the
action of the depending arm, the adjustment wheel on the end of the
adjusting screw of the cutter moves longitudinally upon its fixing or
locking tooth or pawl.
The pieces or lengths of wires to be reduced or shaped are fixed in the
rotating spindle of the machine by means of a holder provided with two
gripping pieces, between which the wire is gripped.
By means of set screws one or both of the gripping pieces can be
adjusted to compensate for wear. The adjusting screw of the cutter is
tightened in its screw box by means of a supplementary screw box
|capable of adjustment.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation (a part being omitted), Figure 2
in plan, and Figures 3 in end elevation (partly in cross section), a
reducing machine to be used in the manufacture of sewing machine
needles, the parts of the said machine being constructed and arranged
according to my Invention; Figure 4 represents in front elevation the
cutting tool holder, slide rest, and adjusting mechanism of the said
cutting tool detached from the machine; Figure 5 represents a longi-
tudinal vertical section, and Figure 6 a plan of under side of the principal
parts illustrated in Figure 4, the said Figures 5 and 6 being drawn, of
the full size; Figure 7 represents in end elevation and side elevation of
the full size a portion of the adjusting screw of the cutter; Figure 8
represents in front elevation, section, and edge view of the full size the
supplementary screw box for tightening the adjusting screw of the
cutter; Figure 9 represents in front elevation and horizontal section, of
the full size the holder by which the needle wire to be shaped is fixed in
the rotating spindle of the machine; Figure 10 represents in end eleva-
tion of the full size a modification for adjusting the position of the cutter
as herein-after described. The same letters of reference indicate the
same parts in the several Figures of the Drawings.
a is the bed of the machine; b is the revolving spindle, having at its
inner end the holder c, in which the needle wire or length d (represented
of the full size in Figure 11) is fixed. The said holder c is screwed to

page_text: the end of the spindle 6, and in the said holder are two gripping
pieces c, c³, of a wedge shape (see Figure 9), between which gripping
pieces the wire d is held. These gripping pieces are fixed in the holder,
and their position therein adjusted by means of the set screws c', c.
Instead of making both of the gripping pieces c³, c³, adjustable, one only
may be adjustable, the other being fixed in the holder. The needle wire d
is fixed in the holder c with its inner end against the adjustable stop or
rod e in the hollow spindle b. The position of the stop e is fixed by the
set screw e. f is the slide rest, carried by the saddle g, traversing the
bed of the machine, the traversing motion of the said saddle and parts
carried by it being effected by the screw box 9² engaging with the
rotating screw g³. The said screw box g* is liberated from the screw g³,
so as to bring the saddle to rest by the ordinary automatic arrangement
represented in the Drawing, that is to say, the jointed bottom of the
saddle g, carrying the screw box g³, is pressed down by the spring h, the
said parts being maintained in their raised position by means of the
spring sliding bolt i engaging under the short arm k² of the lever k, k²,
the said lever being jointed at ³ to the vertical rod k*, connected with
the jointed bottom of the saddle, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3. When
the saddle g has been moved on the bed a to the required distance to
effect the shaping or turning of the needle wire, the bolt i is withdrawn
from under the arm of the lever k, k³, by the catch striking against. the
cross pin, when by the action of the spring 7 the bottom of the
saddle g is made to turn on its joint and withdraw the screw box g² from
the screw g³, and the saddle is brought to rest. is the cutter fixed in
the holder, the said holder working in a dovetail in the slide rest f.
The said cutter 7 is situated at right angles to the needle wire d to be
turned or shaped. The vertical adjustment of the acting end of the
cutter is effected by the wedge and set screw * (see Figure 5). m is
the screw by which the cutter is adjusted and worked, the screwed end
of the said screw engaging in the screwed arm 1³, fixed to the holder & of
the cutter in the manner best seen in Figures 5 and 6. The said screw m
is connected to the slide rest f by means of the screw collar m², situated
around the plain stem of the screw. This collar m² has a helical or
screw-like groove on its outside, with which a tooth or portion of a screw
box m³, fixed to the slide rest f, engages. The screw collar m³ is shown
separately in Figure 7. By means of the supplementary screw box n
(shown separately in Figure 8) the screw collar m² is tightened, so as to
make its thread bear against the thread or screw box m³. This screw

page_text: box n is fixed in its place by the heads of the screws n³, n², bearing
against the said screw box. On the outer end of the stem of the screw m
is an adjustment wheel p for determining with great nicety the position
of the cutter and the diameter of the blade part of the needle wire to be
shaped. This adjustment wheel is removed in Figure 1. The periphery
of the said adjustment wheel p is divided into a series of parallel notches
or grooves at a short distance apart. On the side of the slide rest f is a
spring arm q, provided with a tooth or pawl q³. This tooth or pawl can
be made to engage with one of the grooves or notches in the adjustment
wheel p, and when so engaged the said tooth or pawl prevents the
rotation of the said wheel; the said wheel is however on the partial
rotation of the screw capable of sliding on the tooth or pawl q². The
said adjustment wheel p is fixed on the end of the screw m by the set
screw at p², p³. It will be seen by reference to Figure 5 that the screw
collar m² works against a flange on the inner end of the screw m, and
against the boss of the adjustment wheel p at the opposite end of the
When the screw collar m² is partly rotated in the manner
herein-after described, the screw m (being incapable of rotation) in con-
sequence of the locking of the adjustment wheel p fixed on the said
screw) has a sliding motion given to it and to the adjustment wheel p, a
corresponding motion being communicated to the arm and cutter 1.
When the pawl q³ is released from the teeth of the adjustment wheel p,
the said wheel p and screw m can be rotated by hand for the purpose of
adjusting the position of the cutter l.
'screw m.
The mechanism for withdrawing the cutter 7 from the needle wire d
after the blade part has been reduced for the formation of the conical
shoulder is constructed as follows:-On the end of the screw collar m² is
a depending arm r, the motion of the said arm through a small angle
giving a portion of a rotation to the said screw collar m². A sliding
motion is thereby given to the screw m and adjustment wheel p in the
manner herein-before described, and the cutter 7 advanced or withdrawn.
By means of the coiled springs the depending arm r is maintained in
such a position that the cutter 7 is situated at the required distance from
the needle wire d to cut or shape the blade part of the said wire. t is an
adjusting stop. for determining the angle through which the depending
arm r can move to withdraw the cutter 1. By advancing this stop more'
or less shoulders of different lengths may be cut on the needle wires.
u is the fixed upright on the bed of the machine, against which the

page_text: tail of the depending arm r strikes to withdraw the cutter for forming
the shoulder on the needle wire. vis a jointed catch on the depending
arm r for fixing the cutter in its withdrawn position after the shoulder
has been cut, the said catch on the withdrawal of the cutter dropping
upon or engaging with the rib w on the slide rest f. x is a second tail
piece on the depending arm r, acted upon by the fixed part ³ for slightly
withdrawing the cutter, and causing the blade part to be thickened where.
the shoulder sets in.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The needle wire d,
Figure 11, being fed to the stop e in the hollow spindle 6, and fixed in
the holder c, is passed through one of the holes in the guide and sup-
porting disc y. By the advance traverse of the saddle the cutter turns
or reduces the blade part of the revolving wire d, as illustrated in the
Drawing. After the blade part has been thus reduced by a turning
process, the tail piece x of the depending arm moves over the fixed
upright .x², and thereby slightly moves back the cutter 7 by causing the
depending arm and screw m, m²; to move through a small angle, and
thus effect the thickening of the needle wire where the shoulder sets in.
The continued traverse of the saddle causes the tail part of the
depending arm to strike against the upright u (as represented in
Figure 1, where the tail part ² is about to strike the said upright), and
thereby gradually moves the depending arm through a portion of a circle
and gives a corresponding motion to the adjusting screw m, m², of the
cutter . The said cutter is thus gradually withdrawn, so as to form the
conical shoulder d² between the blade part d³ and the stem d' of the
needle wire, as seen in Figure 11. On the depending arm » striking the
stop t, a notch in the jointed catch v, which has been brought over the
rib w, drops upon the said rib w, and thereby fixes the cutter m in its
withdrawn position. As the cutter is withdrawn the adjustment wheel p
moves longitudinally on its fixing or locking tooth or pawl q². As soon
as the shoulder of the needle wire has been completed the catch 22 by
striking the cross pin ³ withdraws the bolt i. The lever k, k², is thus
released, and by the action of the spring / the screw box g² and saddle g,
and parts carried by it, are disengaged from the screw g³, and may make
their return motion.
After removing the reduced or shaped needle wire from the holder c,
and refixing it in the holder with its unshaped end outwards, the wire is
ready to be again operated upon in the manner already described. Two,

page_text: needles may thus be made from a single wire. Before proceeding to
operate upon the fresh end of the wire or a fresh length of wire, the
jointed catch v is released from the rib w, when the depending arm r is
pulled back by the spring 8, and the cutter 1, by the motion of the
screw m, m², takes its advanced position for shaping the blade part of the
needle wire. In this way after shaping each needle wire the cutter / is
returned to the adjusted position effected by the adjustment wheel p.
The adjustment wheel p is released from time to time, and advanced
through a distance equal to the distance between two notches to com-
pensate for the wear of the cutter 7.
Instead of the adjustment wheel p and its fixing tooth or pawl q³, a
worm wheel z and worm 2 gearing therewith may be employed in place
thereof with the same effect. In this modification the worm 2 is turned
by its knob or head 3 to give motion to the adjustment wheel z, and
during the motion of the cutter to and from the needle wire the teeth of
the said wheel slide upon the teeth of the worm 2 similarly to the
action of the parts p, q², herein-before described.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention;
but I claim as my Invention the improvements herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings in machinery for reducing
or shaping by a turning process the blade and shoulder parts of needle
5 wires from which sewing machine needles are to be manufactured, that
is to say,-
Firstly. Fixing on the end of the screw by which the cutter is adjusted
and worked an adjusting wheel and parts connected therewith, substan-
tially as and for the purposes described and illustrated.
Secondly. The construction and combination of the parts of mechanism
herein described and illustrated for maintaining the cutter in its ad-
vanced position for shaping the blade part of the needle wire, for

page_text: Thirdly. The combination or arrangement of the parts of the adjusting
'screw of the cutter, substantially as described and illustrated.
Fourthly. The arrangement or combination of parts described and
illustrated for adjusting the vertical height of the cutter.
Lastly. The arrangement or combination of the parts of the holder for
fixing the needle wire in the rotating spindle of the machine, substan-
tially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Morrall, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
EDWARD MORRALL. (L.S.)