IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PUNCHES FOR PIERCING THE EYES OF NEEDLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Cottrill, of Studley, in the County of
Warwick, Needle Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PUNCHES FOR PIERCING THE EYES OF NEEDLES."
Sealed the 25th October 1872, and dated the 16th May 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Cottrill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th May 1872.
I, JAMES COTTERILL, of Studley, in the County of Warwick, Needle
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PUNCHES FOR PIERCING THE EYES OF NEEDLES," to
be as follows, that is to say:-
My Invention refers to the making of punches for piercing the eyes of
needles when of irregular or peculiar form, such as double eyed, egg
shaped, pear shaped, or machine needles in separate parts, and after-
wards combining the parts instead of cutting them out of the solid
metal. To effect this I take wire of suitable size and reduce it in a
reducing machine as machine needles are reduced, after which I stamp

page_text: the wire in dies to the shape at one end that will cut out the form of eye
required, at the other end the wire is formed to fit into any suitable
description of clamp or holder, in which it may be secured by set screws
or other convenient appliance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Cottrill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 16th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
COTTRILL, of Studley, in the County of Warwick, Needle Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, 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 James Cottrill, Her special license that I,
the said James Cottrill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said James Cottrill, 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, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF PUNCHES
FOR PIERCING THE EYES OF NEEDLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Cottrill, my executors 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Cottrill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :

page_text: My Invention refers to the formation of punches for piercing the eyes
of any description of needle whether such eyes are round, oblong,
irregular, or peculiar in their form, such as double eyed, egg shaped,
pear shaped, or otherwise, and it relates to improved methods of making
such punches in separate parts and afterwards combining them rigidly
as one piece. To effect this I take wire of suitable guage and length
and reduce it in a reducing machine, after which I stamp the wire in
dies to the shape at one end that will cut out the form of eye required,
the other end of the wire is fitted into any suitable description of clamp
or holder, but by preference I employ clamps or holders formed as herein-
after described, and into which the wires may be secured by set screws
or other convenient means by reducing the wires towards the piercing
ends and afterwards stamping the form of such ends, I am enabled to
obtain greater thickness and strength in the body of the punch than in
the use of plain wire.
In order that my Invention may be more fully understood I will now
describe the Drawings hereunto attached, reference being had to the
letters and figures marked thereupon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 a side elevation of my
improved clamp or holder, into which is secured the needle punch or
punches (a), which have been reduced from wire blanks, as before
described, and stamped in dies to the form of eye required to be pro-
duced; the said punches shewn in Figures 1 and 2 being arranged to
pierce two needles at one time.
The clamp or holder, Figures 1 and 2, consists of a head piece (6) and
two side arms (c), secured together by a screw pin (d); through the
lower extremities of the arms (c) passes a pin (e), having a slot (e¹),
Figure 2, to allow the punches (a) to pass through and lie partially in
recesses cut on the inner face of the side arms (c); and to prevent the
pin (e) turning when in position I form a key (f), Figure 2ª, upon the
pin to fit in a recess in the side arm; the parts are rigidly secured in
place by a screw nut (g); (h) is a dividing plate to regulate the distance
between the two punches (a).
Figures 3 and 4 shew in front and side elevations another form of
holder or clamp, but adapted for the same purpose of holding the
punch (), which is intended for piercing the eyes of sewing machine
needles.

page_text: Although I have illustrated the clamps or holders I prefer to use, any
suitable description of holder or clamp may be employed for holding my
improved needle punches.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 illustrate to an enlarged scale some of the forms
or shapes of punches I produce from wire blanks. Figure 5 is a punch t
of the shape used in making darning needles, the eye produced being
the form of the end of the punch as seen at (k); the punch, Figure 6,
will produce a pear shaped or nearly double eye; whilst Figure 7
represents a punch for making an oval eye. As before stated I purpose
making punches suitable for any description of needle eye.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I desire it to be
understood that I am aware plain wire lengths have been used for
piercing the eyes of needles, and also clamps or holders for containing
the same, prior to my present Invention; but I claim, without confining
myself to these precise details, —
Firstly. Forming punches for piercing the eyes of needles of lengths
of wire suitably reduced and stamped in dies to the desired shape at the
ends thereof.
Secondly. I claim the form of clamp or holder herein described, and
shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 2" of the Drawings; and generally I claim the
several improvements in the manufacture of punches for piercing the
eyes of needles, substantially in manner as herein more fully set forth
and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Cottrill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year
£ now Land One thousend eight hundred and seventy-two
JAMES COTTRILL. (L.S.)