A MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FISH-HOOKS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Chauncey. Orrin Crosby, of the City and County of
New Haven, State of; Connecticut, United States of America, for the
Invention of "A MACHINE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF FISH-HOOKS."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Chauncey Orrin Crosby at
the Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 31st October 1864, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law' Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHAUNCEY
ORRIN. CROSBY, of the City and County of New Haven, State of Connecticut,
United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am.in.possession of an "Invention ofor "A MACHINE FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF FISH-HOOKS;" and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made 'solemn Declaration that I am the first and truc
Inventor of the same.
NOW KNOW YE, that I,. the said Chauncey Orrin Crosby, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed; in and by the following statement
(that is to say)
Figure 1 is a top viewv, Figure 2' is á front side view, Figures 24 to 15
inclusive are detached views, enlarged to illustrate the several operations
performed by the machine; Figures 16, 17; 18, 19, 'illustrate equivalent

page_text: devices for the same operation; Figures 20, 21, represent two forms for the
head of a hook; Figures 22, 23, are illustrations to show that different forms
of hooks may be made by equivalent devices; Figures 24, 25, 26, arrange-
ment and adjustment of the grinding wheel or mill; Figures 27, 28, Kirby
bender. Same letters and characters refer to like parts.
To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my machine 1 will proceed
to describe its construction and operation.
A is the bed plate, on which the operative mechanism is placed; B is a
driving shaft; D is a clutch with teeth or catches a formed on its hub,
arranged so as to slide freely, axially on the shaft B, and at the same time to
cause the shaft to revolve when the teeth or catches b are closed into similar
teeth on the pulley C for that purpose. E is a shipper with its fulcrum at c
to clutch and unclutch the power from the machine; F is a pulley fixed to
the driving shaft for the purpose of imparting motion to a countershaft G
through a belt connecting and driving the pulley H fixed to the said counter-
shaft G at the opposite end of the said countershaft I fix a grooved pulley I;
from this by a belt denoted in red I carry power to another grooved pulley d
attached to a shaft e; this shaft e is supported by and revolves in a support J;
above it I place another shaft e¹, driven by cog wheels a¹ and a; the bearing
of this upper shaft e¹, is hung at all, so that the other or inner end can be
raised or lowered as occasion may require. On the opposite or inner ends of
each of these two shafts I fix a feed roll f and g, and with a slight groove in
their periphery; these rolls are made to revolve rapidly; between them I
introduce the end of the wire from which I am to form the hook; a spring b¹,
pressing upon the bearing of the upper shaft guides and allows the upper roll
to rise sufficiently to admit the wire into the groove of the two rolls, and at
the same time presses with sufficient force to cause the revolution of the rolls
to carry the wire in through the guide O until it reaches the stop K. This
stop is made adjustable so as to allow a variation of length of wire for different
size hooks. When the wire is thus drawn in until its end comes against the
said stop the rolls will still continue to revolve, but as the wire cannot be
drawn further, they will slip upon the wire. When the wire is in, as before
described, its end against the stop K, to govern the length of the wire to the
size of the hook to be formed, a cutter L lying beneath the wire, see Figure 3,
is forced up by the action of the cam A' through the lever B', said lever
having its fulcrum at C', one end operated by the cam, the other end
operating to raise the cutter for the purpose described, thus one piece or
length of wire is cut and rests upon the rack in one of the grooves e³, sec
Figures 4 and 5, the red line denoting the wire; over this rack is a holder c.

page_text: which rests upon the wire to hold it in the grooves. N is a carrier lying in the
rack c¹, and rests on one end of each of the two levers B1 and B2, which have
their fulcrums at C²; the other ends are operated by the cams A to raise and
lower the said carrier N, which also has a lateral motion given it by the lever B",
onc end of which is attached to the carrier N, the other operated by the cam A
to give it the required movement. When the wire has been cut, and as above
stated, rests upon the rack, the carrier rises, see Figure 4, until it takes the wire
into one of its grooves (these grooves are formed to correspond with the grooves
of the rack) and by a lateral movement given it by the cam A³, carries the
wire along to the next groove, as denoted in blue, see Figure 5. When in
this position the carrier drops and leaves the wire in the second groove, then
returns to its first position. When the carrier has thus returned, the cutter is
removed from before the wire passage where it was left when it cut the first
piece, and no resistance being offered the wire will be drawn in again as
before and cut off; while this is being done the second operation, which is to
flatten the heads is performed in the following manner:-When by the
successive operations as last described, the cutting is continued, and the
several wires so cut are advanced one of the grooves each revolution, and by
this advancement the first wire shall have been set into the groove beneath.
the lever B, its outer end rests upon the anvil P, see Fig. 6, and as the
revolution of the shaft continues the cam acts upon the said lever to press
down upon the end of the wire until it presses it into the proper shape, as
denoted in Fig. 7 enlarged; this forms the head of the hook. The lever B'
after having accomplished its work rises, the headed wire is advanced one
notch, and a second rests upon the anvil for the same operation. After the
head is flattened, as described, it is necessary to hold the wire so that the flat
side of the head be upward; so as properly to do this and prevent the several
headed wires from turning I attach a guide 15, see Fig. 17, to the rack, on
which I form a groove to receive the flattened head of cach wire; this guide
rises with the carrier, and holds the several wires in their proper position to
present them for the several operations to be afterwards performed; thus
flattened the wire is ready for the third operation, which is the barb.
The several pieces are carried along, as before described, until the first rests
upon the block P¹, see Fig. 6, and under the barb cutter P2, (the wire
represented in blue); this cutter is fixed to a holder m; said holder works in
the supports R to and from the block P¹ by the action of the cam A5 through
the lever B³, the end of which connects with the holder; the cutter is adjusted
so that as it advances toward the block P¹ it will enter under the guide P
and strike the wire and cut into it to form the barb; previous to cutting the

page_text: barb operation I bend the end of the wire into the form nearly as shewn in
Fig. 7, and cut the barb from the angle downward. I make this bend
during the descent or movement of the barb cutter in the following manner;
In a bearing 10 I hang a lever 11, one end 11' made to rise and fall by
means of an adjustable cam 12 attached to the lever B³ operating upon the
inclined plane formed on the end of the said lever 11; in the other end of the
said lever 11 I place an adjustable presser 13, and also attached to the same
lever a holder 14, as the barb cutter descends the lever 11 is moved so as to
force the presser down on to and bend the end of the wire, as shewn in
Fig. 7, the holder 14 assisting the operation by preventing the wire from
springing up. The presser and holder remain on the wire until the barb is
cut; on the return of the cutter the lever 11 is released, and the presser and
holder rise; the barbed wire is carried away, a second left upon the block for
the same operation, and so on successively cutting each wire as it is presented,
and they are carried on for the fourth operation, which is pressing and
clipping the inner end to form the point. This may be done at one operation,
but I prefer more than one, and I have represented three instruments alike in
construction and operation, except it may be in the form of the cutters or
dies; these are represented in Figs. 1 & 2. o&o are cutters or dies, one
upon a fixed jaw O' and 0%, the other upon moveable jaws B"; these moveable
jaws turn upon a fulcrum 03, and arc operated by cams A" to open and close
the said cutters or dies o¹ & o as the wires are successively advanced and
each inner end drops between the first pair of dies; the said dies are closed
by the action of the cams A, and the inner end is pressed into the form shewn
in Fig. 9; it then passes on to the second pair which cuts away a portion of
the end to form the point; this operation leaves the wire in the form as shewn
in Fig. 10; the third pair simply serve to finish the barb by pressing it into
its proper form, as shewn in Fig. 11, to properly present the prepared point
for the fifth operation of grinding and polishing, which is performed by one or
more grinding wheels S, shewn enlarged in Fig. 12. I represent three alike
in construction and operation, except the second and third may present a finer
cutting surface for the purpose of finishing the points more perfectly, the
wheels are hung in the end of a sliding bar S¹, the said bar supported in the
frame T. t, t, are cams, see Fig. 12, adjustably fixed to the bar S¹ to raise
the wheel as it advances toward the wire to properly act upon the point to be
ground, and are made adjustable by the slide 2, which may be raised or
lowered by the set screw t3; the wheels are driven by belts from grooved
pulleys on the countershaft G; they are advanced as cach point is presented
by the cam A', acting upon the end of the sliding bar, and after having

page_text: performed this part retreat by the reaction of springs, and after this part has
been performed the point is complete.
If it is desired to form what is termed a hollow point, I employ a smaller
mill or grinder for the last cut upon the point, see Fig. 24, and in Fig. 25
enlarged, the diameter of the mill being such as will give the required curve
to the point, as see Fig. 25. Constant grinding on one part of the mill
would soon wear or dull the mill; to avoid this and make the wear equal on
the entire face of the mill, I give to the mill carrier a lateral movement by
means of an inclined plane 36 (see Fig. 24) actuated by an eccentric 37 or
the shaft B; this said inclined plane during each operation of the mills is
moved forward and forces the mills gradually to one side, allowing them to
cut or grind across their entire face instead of one part, as they otherwise
would do.
To move all the mills by one operation, I connect them together by a
link 38; so far the operation serves only for a flat-faced mill as the first and
last in Fig. 24. For the middle or V-mill an additional movement is required,
which is shewn in Fig. 26 (enlarged to full size).
Underneath the carrier S' and on the support T I form a V-guide 39 cor-
responding to the V of the mill, and on the under side of the carrier S¹ I fix
a stud 40, which as the mill carrier moves from one side to the other rides
down into the V 39 on one side and out on the other side, that is, starting from
the position in black, rides down to the position in red, cutting or grinding the
left side of the wire 41, and entirely across one side of the V-mill, then from
the position in red to the position in blue, grinding the other side of the wire,
and using the entire face of that side of the V-mill. The point completed,
the wire is advanced for the sixth and last operation of the machine which is
bending; this is performed by the mechanisin shewn enlarged in Fig. 13.
The barbed and pointed wire advances by the action of the carrier, as before
described, until the wire rests on the sub-former V, below the bender T²,
shewn still more enlarged in Figs. 14 and 15. This sub-former is hung in a
bearing V; its operation is more fully shown hereafter. The said bender T³
must be of the form required for the hook; it is fixed to a shaft on which is
a pinion n; a segment gear lever n³ hung upon a fulcrum n³ meshes into the
said pinion a, cam A8 on the driving shaft B through its connextion B³, raises
the segment, and turns the bender Tª. In the act of turning the notch in
the bender catches the barb, as seen in Fig. 14, holds and draws the wire in,
carrying the point around with it, and as the bender turns, the sub-former V
is drawn under the bender from the position in Fig. 14 into the position in
Fig. 15, and its form corresponding to that of the bender gives to the back

page_text: of the hook the peculiar form required. The form may be varied by changing
the bender and sub-former to give the desired form, or if a straight back only
is required, the sub-former may be dispensed with, and a straight block set
into its place; or if the so-called "Kirby bend" is required, insert the former
shown in Fig. 27 and 28; a spiral groove in the said bender guides the back
of the hook out of a line with the point. The first bend described is known
as the "Limmerick," in which the back and point are in line; while in the
"Kirby bend" the hook is spiral, that is, the point is to one side of the line of
the back of the hook. The hook is now complete and perfect, ready for
tempering, consequently I now throw it from the machine. To do this a
lever U, see Fig. 1, by the action of the cam U¹ operates a sleeve a³ on the
bending shaft. On the sleeve is a projection or pin extending through the
plate a on which is the bender; after the hook is bent and complete,
the sleeve a is moved toward the former, and that pin forces the hook from
the bender, from thence to be removed to be tempered.
The various parts of my machine 1 make adjustable that I may make
"various sizes and styles of hooks; these adjustments are shown in the
Drawings, and will need no further explanation to persons skilled, as they are
made by common and well known devices.
I have illustrated and described my machine as performing the several
operations in a right line; this is not essential, as the carrier may be rotary,
and instruments for performing the several operations placed around the
circle, as shown in Fig. 16. N is the carrier which has a rotary movement
given to it corresponding to the lateral movement of the carrier in the first
illustration; it is also raised in like manner as in the first. In this, how-
ever, I form the head before the wire is run into the machine, but do it in
like manner as in the first described arrangement. I also hold each piece of
wire separately by springs Q, see Fig. 17; the wire, after being headed, is
forced under the springs, cut off, and the several operations performed by
instruments already described. For some kinds of hooks this arrangement
may be the better one.
A rotary carrier may be set vertically as in Fig. 18; in this illustration N
is the carrier with notches in its periphery corresponding to the notches of the
carrier in the first illustration. c is a metallic strap corresponding to the
holder c in the first illustration to hold the several wires in the notches;
the wires in this case I would head, as in the last, before running it into the
carrier. E is a guide, see Fig. 19 (corresponding to the guide in the first
illustration) to revolve with the carrier in the guide. I make a groove, as in
the first illustration, in which the flattened' head is inserted to prevent the

page_text: wires from turning as the carrier revolves. I would employ the same instru-
ments to perform the several operations, as in the other two descriptions, but
in this would set them axially with the carriers, and move the carriers to and
from the instruments axially for each operation to correspond with the up-
and-down movement of the carriers in the two cases before described.
The manner of operating the several instruments in these rotary carriers
from one or more shafts will readily suggest itself to any one conversant with
inachinery, and therefore needs no description in detail.
I have thus far described but one form of head for the hook, but it will be
plainly seen that other forms, as shewn in Fig. 20, may be formed by substantially
the same device; but 1 illustrate a method of making the peculiar form of head
in Figs. 22 and 23. 1 employ two rotary carriers the same in construction as
in Fig. 16; I connect the two by gearing that both may move simultaneously.
I feed the wire in and cut it off, as before described, except that I cut off
before the inner end shall have quite reached the stop, as at x (wire denoted
in blue). As each piece is entered and cut off, the carriers rotate one space,
another is entered and cut off, and so on in like manner, as first described.
Fig. 23 is a section through the heading apparatus; 22 are cam rolls
geared together. At each movement of the carriers one of the pieces of wire
is passed between the two rolls, and at the required instant the cam part of
the rolls comes together upon the wire and forces the wire forward and
against the stop; in this operation the cam part of the rolls is so formed as to
draw the end of the wire down to the required form, as in Fig. 20; this being
accomplished, another movement of the carrier presents a second for a like
operation, and so on until the first is set between clamps. This clamp has a
lateral movement given to it from a cam, and after grasping the wire, draws
it out from the first carrier and forces it into the second (as denoted in red,)
thence it is advanced for the performance of the several operations and by the
instruments, as before described; or an eye, as in Fig. 21, may be formed by
introducing, in place of the lever described, a mechanism such as described
for bending the hook or other forms by equivalent devices may be produced
from the one machine.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
First, the combination of an intermittent feeding device with cutter L or its
equivalent when constructed in the manner as herein set forth.
Second, the combination of cutter I, or its equivalent with a header B* or
ts equivalent, as described.
Third, the combination of a notched or grooved carrier N, having an inter-

page_text: mittent progressing carrying movement with cutter L or its equivalent and
intermittent feeding device, substantially specified.
Fourth, the combination of a notched or grooved carrier N having an inter-
mittent progressing carrying movement with header B' or its equivalent,
substantially as described.
Fifth, the combination of header B' or its equivalent with a barb-cutting
instrument P2, substantially as described.
Sixth, the combination of barb-cutting instrument P with a holder 14,
substantially as described.
Seventh, the combination of barb-cutting instrument P2 with a holder 14.
and presser 13, substantially as described.
Eight, the combination of barb-cutting instrument P with one or more
pair pressing or clipping dies o¹, os, substantially as specified.
Ninth, the combination of barb-cutting instrument P with one or more
pair pressing or clipping dies o¹, os, header B', cutter I or its equivalent and
feeding device, substantially as described.
Tenth, the combination of one or more pair of clipping or pressing dies
o', o, with barb-cutting instrument P and header B', substantially as
specified.
Eleventh, the combination of one or more milling devices S with one or
more pair clipping or pressing dies o¹, o, substantially as described.
Twelfth, the combination of one or more milling devices S with a notched
or grooved carrier N having an intermittent progressive carrying movement,
substantially as described.
Thirteenth, the combination of one or more milling devices S with barb-
cutting instrument P³, substantially as set forth.
Fourteenth, the combination of one or more milling devices S with barb-
cutting instrument Ps and header B', substantially as described.
Fifteenth, the combination of bender or former T with a carrier N, sub-
stantially as described.
Sixteenth, the combination of bender or former T with one or more milling
devices S, substantially as herein set forth.
Seventeenth, the combination of a bender or former T with barb-cutting
instrument Pa, substantially as described.
Eighteenth, the combination of a bender T with a header B and barb-
cutting instrument P³, substantially as specified.
Nineteenth, the combination of a bender T or former with a cutting
device L, substantially as described.

page_text: Twentieth, the combination of a notched carrier N with a grooved guide 15
for the purpose specified.
Twenty-first, the combination of a notched or grooved carrier N, having an
intermittent progressive movement with a holder c¹ which grasps and securely
holds the wires in place during their movement from one operation to another,
substantially as set forth.
Twenty-second, the combination of a grasping, holding, and carrying device
N and c', or equivalent with a bender T2, substantially as described.
Twenty-third, the combination in one machine of an intermittent feeding
device, cutter L, carrier A, header B*, barb cutter P³, pointing devices o', o*,
and bender T, or the equivalents, in the manner and for the purpose sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Chauncey Orrin Crosby, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
CHARLES A. CROSBY.
CHAUNCEY ORRIN CLOSBY. (L.S.)