AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT. TO LOOP- STITCH SEWING MACHINES FOR THE TRIMMING AND WELTING OF LOOPED FABRICS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I EDWARD WOODWARD WHITEHALL of Caroline St Nottingham in the Town
and County of the Town of Nottingham Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of my Invention, for AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT. TO LOOP-
STITCH SEWING MACHINES FOR THE TRIMMING AND WELTING OF LOOPED FABRICS,
to be as follows, and which consists of the use or employment of two Circular
Cutters, one of which is secured on the main shaft of the Sewing Machine and
near to the revolving looper, and which is recessed on that side next the looper.
The second Cutter is fixed on the end of a short shaft, that revolves above the
needle plate, both Cutters are placed in such a position, that they bear against
each other as they revolve. The short shaft that carries the Top Cutter, receives
motion from the bottom shaft, by means of toothed wheels, or their equivalents,
and as the Sewing Machine (which is supplied with needle and thread) is set in
motion, it draws the fabric, as it is being stitched between the Cutters, the said
Cutters revolving, by the action of the Machine, cut away the raw Edges, of the
fabric as it is being stitched.
For Welting I propose the Cutters be fixed to revolve parallel, with the needle
plate, sufficient room being allowed between the needle plate and the flat part of
the Cutters, for the material to pass under them, a guide being used to keep erect
the edge of the fabric to be cut away.

page_text: I EDWARD WOODWARD WHITEHALL of Caroline Street Nottingham in the Town
and County of the Town of Nottingham Mechanical draughtsman do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT TO LOOP-STITCH
SEWING MACHINES FOR THE TRIMMING & WELTING OF LOOPED FABRICS and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention consists of the use or employment of two circular Cutters, one of
which is secured to the main shaft of the Sewing Machine, and near to the
revolving looper, and which is recessed on that side next to the looper, the second
or top Cutter is fixed on the end of a short shaft that revolves above the needle
plate, both Cutters are placed in such a position that they bear against each other
as they revolve, the short shaft that carries the top Cutter receives motion from
the bottom shaft, by means of toothed wheels or their equivalents.
And as the Sewing Machine which is supplied with needle and thread, is set in
motion, it draws the fabric, as it is being stitched between the Cutters, the said
Cutters revolving by the action of the Machine, cut away the raw edges of the
fabric as it is being stitched.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will proceed to
describe it in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of
this Specification.
Fig. 1 represents (with the exception of the circular Cutters) what is known
as an ordinary Wilcox and Gibbs Sewing Machine, to the right and on the main
spindle or shaft of the Machine, is a fast and loose pulley, on the left end
of the same shaft, is the bottom Cutter B in section, showing the recess, in which
lies the greater portion of the revolving looper, the slot O in the Cutter boss,
allowing the Cutter to slide to and from the needle, the stud in the slot, carrying
the Cutter round with the shaft; the round headed screw D receives the flange
on the Cutter boss, which screw when operated upon, moves the Cutters to and from
the needle, according to the amount of Edge it is desired to leave, the Top Cutter E
following by the action of the spring F which always has a tendency, to keep the
Cutters together. G is the bracket for carrying Top Cutter shaft H H. I toothed
wheels for giving motion to Top Cutter (the bracket G may be carried if desired
from the arm of the Machine). I is the revolving looper, J the needle bar, or shaft,
it will be seen that the needle is fixed near to the Edge of the needle bar by the
screw K, in order to get as close as possible to the bottom Cutter. It will be seen
also, that a portion of the boss R of the bottom Cutter, is eccentric, for giving
motion to the feed arm L, which is connected to the feed M in the ordinary way,
which is well understood.
Fig. 2. is a front view of the Cutters showing the needle plate, presser foot,
looper, and a portion of the feed motion, which is shown broken away, in order to
better illustrate, the more important part (viz) the Cutters.
N is a brush Lubricator that bears lightly against the Cutter, the oil rising
prevents the grinding of the Cutters and causes them to work smoothly together.
Fig. 3 shows what I term a reversible Cutter, having two Cutting Edges, and
independent of the Cutter boss R, the object being, as one edge has become worn,
the Cutter can be unscrewed from the boss and reversed.
Fig 4 is an arrangement, what I propose for welting, the Cutters revolving
nearly parallel with the needle plate, and fixed behind the needle and presser foot,
the presser foot being short, in order to get as close as possible to the needle.

page_text: Fig 6. shows form of fabric as it leaves the folding guide, previous to needle
entering the same, the portion that stands erect, being cut away, as it passes along,
by the action of the Machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained, the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be performed, I would have it
understood, that I make no claim to any of the Mechanical parts seperately, but
I declare that what I claim is, the combination of the revolving Cutters and
revolving looper.
Dated this 9th dow of Ontabon AD 1001