The Cataract Pinion Cutter was designed for use in watch and clock factories where mass production of wheels (gear wheels) was required. In addition. at a time when almost any type of measuring instrument relied upon gears and not electronics, gear and pinion cutters were an essential adjunct to instrument and toolmakers of all kinds.
The technique was to mount a "stack" of blanks on a spindle, and cut them all at the same time; the stack could be up to 3.5" long and 5" in diameter. In brass up to 40 pitches could be cut and in steel as many as 48.