IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLOVES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WINTER WALTER, of Stoke-under-Ham, in the County of Somerset, Glove
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Sixteenth day of May, in the sixth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Winter Walter, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said John Winter Walter, my exors, adññiors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Winter Walter, my exors, admiors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GLOVES;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that. I, the said John Winter Walter,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same. is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery, within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference, being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Winter Walter, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are. fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being

page_text: had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "Certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Gloves,"
consists,―
Firstly, of a mode of forming leather and other materials into gloves,
whereby the parts or fittings usually called "fourchetts" and "quirks" are dis-
pensed with.
Secondly, the Invention consists of a mode of shaping the thumbs of gloves,
by leaving so much additional leather or woollen cloth (according to the
material employed) to the thumb pieces as to be enabled to dispense with the
use of "under tongues."
Thirdly, the Invention consists of a mode of forming the "fourchetts" of
gloves of leather or of woollen cloth in such fourchetts as are required.
Fourthly, the Invention consists of a machine or index for sewing gloves
with the "pique," or what is commonly termed the back stitch.
And, fifthly, the Invention relates to a mode of forming and fixing the thumbs
and other parts of gloves, by causing the thumbs to be first sewed and then to
be felled on the inside, as hereafter explained.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews the shape for a glove, the backs for two of the fingers being
of separate pieces of leather or other material, cut in a shape to form the two
middle fingers, see Figure 2, and these are to be inserted in the back part of
the hand, in which case the finger seams, being one or two only in each finger,
are shewn in the inside, and are therefore not visible outside the band. It is
obvious that the insertion of the fingures may be made on the inside of the
hand by a trifling alteration of the shape of the finger pieces, the seams in this
case appearing in the back, the principle remaining the same. Figure 2 shows
the shape of the required fingers cut in such a mode as to supply the fittings
usually given by separate strips or pieces called "fourchetts" and "quirks,"
which by this method of construction are rendered unnecessary. The lower
ends of those pieces formed for the fingers may be inserted within the shape at
the back of the hand, or being cut into an ornamental termination, may be
stitched or otherwise on the outside, according to taste. The shape of the tops
of the fingers may also be varied, according to fancy, the principal remaining the
same. The dotted lines are to point out where the fingers are folded. Figure 3
shows the glove when made according to this part of my Invention. Figure 4
shows a piece of leather or of woollen cloth for a thumb forward, according to the
second part of the Invention, the dotted line marking the additional quantity

page_text: 65
of material left to supply the room usually given by an under tongue, cut out
of the opening of the "trank," which I consider injurious to the expansion of
that part of the hand, and by my mode rendered unnecessary. Figure 5 shews
the same thumb folded; Figure 6 shews the shape of my improved fourchettes
or fittings for gloves; cut from one piece, the same being of an angular shape in
one piece, will when inserted in the glove more completely fit the fingers
without the use of quirks. Figure 7 shews the usual mode of forming four-
chettes, to which quirks are generally added. Figure 8 shows another usual;
mode of forming fourchettes, in which the two edges a, a, are united by sewing,
both of which modes I consider as imperfect, and surpassed by my new mode.
Figure 9 shews a machine, which I use for sewing gloves with a stitch called
pique" or back stitch; the mode of using which is by inserting the two
parts of a glove, overlapping each other at the edges, within the jaws of the
machine B, which are formed of brass or other suitable material, which open
by a pedal connected with the wire C), and passing over the keenest edge, is
held by the pressure of the spring E in that position whilst the needle is passed
through and guided by the groove or notch D, cut in the edge for that purpose,
the glove being shifted on by the hand after every stitch. The advantage of
this Invention is, that the material being strained over the thin edge of the
machine forming an acute angle, the needle is passed more completely through
both substances. The usual mode of sewing pique work is by holding the glove
on the finger of the sewer, which being an obtuse curve, the needle frequently
passes through but one substance, and consequently the sewing is infirm.
In carrying out the fifth part of my Invention, I cause the thumb of
a glove or any of the fittings of a glove to be cut as if they were to be stitched
into the glove and then felled; but in place of stitching them in, I cause the
edge of the leather of the glove to be sewn to the thumb in the parts hereto-
fore stitched, thus producing round seams in place of stitched ones, and then I
fell down the inner portion of the thumb, by which means I obtain the com-
bination of round seams with felling in place of a stitch seam with felling.
I desire it to be understood that I do not intend to confine myself to precise
shapes or modes herein described, provided the peculiar character of either part
of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the mode of forming or constructing gloves of leather or other suitable
material, as described in respect to Figures 1, 2, and 3, by which "fourchettes "
or "quirks" are dispensed with.
Secondly, I claim the mode of shaping the thumbs of gloves made of leather
or of woollen cloth, as described in respect to Figures 4 and 5, thus dispensing
with the use of under tongues.

page_text: Thirdly, I claim the mode of forming "fourchettes of gloves" cut in an
angular shape in one piece of the material, as described in respect to Figure 6;
which will give proper room to the fingers without the use of quirks.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of constructing a machine or index för aiding
the sewing of gloves with pique or baek stitch, as described in respect to
Figure 9.
And, fifthly, Fclaim the combining round sewn seams with felling in affixing
the thumbs and fittings, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Winter Walter, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-three.