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Measures to secure a patent for an impro ved Spike Machine, have been taken by John B. Richardson, James Westerman, and Eben ezer Wilder, of North Castle, Pennsylva nia. ' In this machine the inventors em ploy an original mode of forming the point the spike, which they accomplish by means rollers attached to slides, and working on adjustable beds, so that by placing the beds in a more or less oblique relation to the spike, a shorter or longer point is given to the latter by the pressure ot the roller. To relieve the ends of the jaws from the pressure of the spike head, so that they can separate freely it is proposed to give the header a return motion before the jaws are parted. There is also an efficient plan for holding the rod which forms the spike material whilst the requisite length is being cut off. The working parts the machine are all moved by a shaft carrying five cams, so placed as to properly time the several operations of cutting, heading, anc pointing. The initial process is to pass a rot of iron through a loop, and upon an under die whilst a gauge regulates the length, when a knife cuts off the piece, the holder and under die securely holding it in the meanwhile The piece of iron is then pressed between the two jawg and the upper die, which ie intended to press upon the spike, and directly over the rollers which are now advanced until they come nearly or quite in contact. The header is moved instantaneously with the roller carriages until, having executed its duty, it recedes a little, and the spike being now completed is allowed to escape.
