Im- PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Duncan McFarlane, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Machinist, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 7th August 1862, and dated the 14th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Duncan Mc
Farlane at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
on the 14th February 1862.
J, THOMAS DUNCAN MCFARLANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:―
This Invention relates to contrivances for the more accurate, satisfactory,
and economical application of edgings or bindings and ornametal lines of
strips, such as are technically termed "tape" to collars, and other articles of
dress. The said contrivances are by preference applied to sewing machines of
the kind known as Thomas', or in which the material being sewed is fed forward
by means of a pressing foot acting upon the upper surface thereof. The
"tape" strips to be applied consist, by preference, of narrow strips of cloth.
cut diagonally, and folded so as to be in four plies, with the cut edges
folded inwards. The use of the inproved contrivances is not however confined
to such "tape" strips.

page_text: In carrying out the improvements the toes or points of the feeding foot,
which are usually made to project backwards some distance beyond the needle,
are as it were cut off close by the needle. If the "tape" strip is to be applied
as an edging or binding, a duplex guide is fixed to the machine, consisting of
a small wedge, which opens the fold of the "tape" strip to admit the edge of
the collar or other article, and an angularly grooved guide piece, along which
the partly opened "tape" strip runs, and which terminates very near the
needle. The parts of this duplex guide and the guide pulleys, which. conduct
the "tape" strip off its containing bobbin to the guide, are so arranged that
the "tape" strip approaches the line of the feeding action along a curve,
which facilitates the proper and even placing of the edge of the collar or other
article within the folded "tape" strip. The described arrangement and con-
struction of the parts also permit of very quick or acute corners being neatly
turned whilst sewing on the binding. If the "tape" strip is to be applied in
one or more rows upon the surface of the article, a narrow presser is made
to hold down the "tape" strip close to the back of the feeding foot, this
presser being contrived so as to be raised by a small handle, when necessary
for turning sharp corners or otherwise. For the purpose of applying the
tape" strips in lines parallel to the edge of the article, the latter is guided by
the usual gauge, but the gauge is successively fixed in the different positions
required for the different strips by the aid of a pin and a plate, previously
pèrforated with holes at the proper distances apart whereby considerable loss
of time and uncertainty in adjusting are avoided.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Duncan McFarlane in the Great Seal Patent 2
Office on the 14th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
DUNCAN MCFARLANE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Duncan McFarlane, Her special licence that I, the
said Thomas Duncan McFarlane, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Thomas Duncan McFarlane, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Duncan
MoFarlane, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Duncan McFarlane, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to contrivances for the more accurate, satisfactory,
and. economical application of edgings or bindings and ornamental lines of
stripes, such as are technically termed "tape" to collars and other articles of
dress. The said contrivances are, by preference, applied to sewing machines
of the kind known as Thomas', or in which the material being sewed is fed
forward by means of a pressing foot acting upon the upper surface thercof.
The "tape" strips to be applied, consist, by preference, of narrow strips of cloth
cut diagonally, and folded so as to be in four plies with the cut edges folded
inwards. The use of the improved contrivances, is not however confined to
such "tape" strips. -
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings, representing the application of my improved contri-
vances to a "Thomas". sewing machine, Figure 1 being a side elevation ;
and Figure 2 an end elevation, but only showing a few of the details at the
front end; Figure 3 is a plan of the feeding foot; Figure 4 is a plan of
the "tape" guide; and Figures 5 and 6 are side and end elevations of
the modification of arrangements for laying on ornamental strips.
The general features of the "Thomas"" sewing machine being well known
it is unnecessary to describe it further here than to point out that the needlo
bar A works in vertical guides B, in the end of the arm C, being actuated by
the lever D, worked by a cam on the spindle E, which also carries the hand

page_text: wheel F, and which is usually arranged to be driven by a fly-wheel and treadle
below, and not shown. in the Drawing. The shuttle works in a race formed in
the usual way in the lower hollow arm or box G. The usual needle thread H,
colored blue in the Drawing, is drawn off a bobbin I, arranged iu the usual
way.
In carrying out the present improvements, the toes or points of the feeding
foot J, which are usually made to project backwards some distance beyond the
needle as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3 are, as it were cut off close
by the needle. If the "tape" strip is to be applied as an edging or binding, a
duplex guide K is fixed to the top of the arm or box G, this guide comprising
a small wedge L upon a bent arm, which wedge opens the fold of the "tape"
strip, to admit the edge of the collar or other article, and an angularly grooved
guide piece M, along which the partly opened "tape" strip runs, and which
terminates very near the needle, being shaped to gradually close the folds of the
strip upon the edge of the article to which it is being sewed. The action of the
machine causes the article with the binding on its edge to be continuously drawn
through the guide M, the binding being secured by the sewing action, just as
it issues from the inner end of the guide M. The "tape" strip N, colored
red in the Drawing is drawn off a bobbin P on a bracket Q, forming part of a
mounting R, fixed to the side of the arm C, a spring retarder being applied to
this bobbin, (like that of the thread bobbin I,) to keep the "tape" strip stretched.
From the bobbin P, the "tape" strip passes to and round a guide pulley S,
on a second bracket formed on the mounting R, and thence to a guide pulley
T, carried by an arm on the guide piece K. On leaving the guide pulley T
the "tape" strip is immediately acted upon by the wedge L, and grooved guide
M, as already described, and these parts are as seen in plan in Figure 4 so dis-
posed as to cause the "tape" strip to approach the line of the feeding action, or
the edge of the collar or other article along a tangential curve which facilitates
the gradual and even introduction of the edge of the collar, within the folded
"tape" strip. The described arrangement and construction of the parts, and
in particular the shortening of the toes of the presser foot J, also permit of
.very quick or acute corners being neatly turned whilst sewing on the binding,
If the "tape" strip is to be applied in one or more rows upon the surface of
the article, a narrow presser is made to hold down the "tape" strip close to
the back of the feeding foot J. A mounting U, Figures 5 and 6, is substituted
for the mounting R, being fixed in the same way to the side of the arm C,
and to this is fitted the narrow presser and guide V, which is contrived so
that it can be raised by a small handle W, when necessary for turning sharp
corners or otherwise. The mounting U has formed, on it the bracket Q, for

page_text: the tape bobbin P, and a second bracket with a guide pulley S, arranged so
as to convey the "tape" strip N down to the presser V without twist. For the
purpose of applying the "tape" strips in lines parallel to the edge of the
collar or other article, the latter may be guided by the usual gauge, but
considerable loss of time and uncertainty in adjusting will be avoided by using
a plate perforated with holes at the proper distances apart to receive a pin on
the gauge.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I con-
sider to be novel and original and claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the applying to sewing
machines of contrivances for guiding or applying edgings, bindings, or orna-
mental lines or strips of "tape" or like material, substantially such as aro
herein described and delineated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Duncan McFarlane, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
THOS. D. MCFARLANE. (L.S.)
ST.