LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6189, 9 December 1881, Page 4

LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

PATENT STEEL BABBED WIRE,

At the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Show there was exhibited in tho tent occupied by Mr J. R, Scott, Dunedin agent for the sale of the article, a sample of patent barbed steel wire such as that proposed to bo turned out by Mr C. G-. Moore, of Oamaru, and the machinery for the production of which is being made by Messrs Kincaid, M'Queou, and Co. and Messrs Watt and Co., of this city. Tho apparatus consists of three separate machines —the wire-twister, barbing-machine, and barb-feeder. The object of the introduction of this kind of wire is to get rid of f;he expenso incurred in the maintenance of fences in which ordinary wire is used, the iatterpresenting no hindrance to their destruction by horses and cattle. Tho machine being made by Messrs Kincaid and M'Qneen is the wire-twister, for the purpose of running three strands togethor. These strands aro first of all separately coiled on three pulleys fixed to a hollow spindle, which rotates at a high rate of speed, the three strands being passed through a tube and twisted as they run along, while at tho same time barbs aro supplied from the feeder, and the wire thus finished is wound on a large shaft, and divided into ordinary coils for the market. The barb-making and barb-feeding machines are both being made by Messrs Watt and Co., and are very ingenious contrivances. The barb is a flat three-pointed piece of metal, and in the former machine it is placed horizontally between two jaws, when a. slide-bar ia driven up by a cam wheel, causing tho barb to be gripped tightly. Two other cam-wheels are provided, ono of which slides against the bottom point of tho barb, and tho other against the upper, causing them to be bont in opposite directions. Tho barbs aro then taken to the barb-feeder, where they aro put hi a tube or feed-bar. Tho point of this tube is sufficiently small to allow of its being passed into tho mouth of tho tube in which the wire is being twisted, and by means of a lever fitted with gear "and cam-wheels tho barbs are shot into tho strands at intervals of a few inchos as the wire is being twisted togethor, tho tube boiug provided with a spring so as to prevent any unnecessary resistance. These ingenious and labour-saving machines have been invented and designed by Messrs James Lees and W. Rock, and will be the means of effectually cheapening the production of the article for which they are intended.