AN IMPROVED HEMMER OR INSTRUMENT FOR TURNING OVER THE EDGES OF A BINDING OR STRIP OF LINEN OR OTHER MATERIAL AND PREPARING IT FOR STITCHING IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Paterson, of Wood Street, in the City of
London, Warehouseman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED HEMMER OR
INSTRUMENT FOR TURNING OVER THE EDGES OF A BINDING OR STRIP OF
LINEN OR OTHER MATERIAL AND PREPARING IT FOR STITCHING IN SEWING
MACHINES."
Sealed the 25th November 1862, and dated the 29th May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Paterson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th May 1862.
I, JOHN PATERSON, of Wood Street, in the City of London, Warehouseman,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED HEMMER
OR INSTRUMENT FOR TURNING OVER THE EDGES OF A BINDING OR STRIP OF LINEN OR
OTHER MATERIAL AND PREPARING IT FOR STITCHING IN SEWING MACHINES," to be
as follows: -
My improved hemmer consists of a conical plate of metal, the edges of
which are folded over on each side from the centre into a double fold; from
the back part of the plate the edges are removed; the hemmer is fixed on its
side upon a bed plate, and at the rear of the hemmer I fix an upright with a
spring. The action of the hemmer is as follows:-A straight strip of the
material to be used is placed flat upon the upright and maintained by the
spring; the fore end of the material is introduced into and is drawn through
the hemmer and taken forward to the sewing machine, which, on being set to
work, draws the material through the hemmer and stitches it at the same time

page_text: to the material to which the hem or strip is to be applied. This hemmer is
particularly applicable for preparing bindings, for instance, for shirt collars.
The material of which the collar is made is inserted between the turned-over
edges produced by the hemmer, and the collar and binding are afterwards
united by the sewing machine. Instead of the hem being applied as a binding
the material, may be simply applied on one side of the collar or other article
without the edge thereof being inserted between the folds produced by the
hemmer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Paterson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PATERSON, of Wood Street, in the City of London, Warehouseman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of May, 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 John Patersou, Her special licence that I, the said John Paterson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Paterson, my executors, 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 "AN IMPROVED HEMMER OR
INSTRUMENT FOR TURNING OVER THE EDGES OF A BINDING OR STRIP OF LINEN OR
OTHER MATERIAL AND PREPARING IT FOR STITCHING IN SEWING MACHINES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Paterson, 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 John Paterson, 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 state-

page_text: ment thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto aunexed (that is
to say):-
My improved hemmer consists of a conical plate of metal, the edges of
which are folded over on each side from the centre into a double fold; from
the back part of the plate the edges are removed; the hemmer is fixed on its
side upon a bed plate, and at the rear of the hemmer I fix an upright with a
spring.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation, and Figure 2
is an end view, of so much of a sewing machine with my improved hemmer
applied thereto as will be necessary to illustrate the manner in which I carry
my Invention into effect.
a is the conical plate of metal or hemmer proper, fitted to a stem b, free to
slide on a bar c connected to a plate d. This plate is slotted and is passed
over a screw, whereby the apparatus is fitted and adjusted to a sewing
machine, as shown; e is a bar, extending from the back of the stem b, sup-
porting a flanged upright f; 9 is a spring.attached to a knob at the top of the
upright and extending downwards, resting in two slots formed in the flanges
of the upright and terminating in a finger piece h; i is a spring, connected at
one end to the lower part of the stem b, and with the other bearing against
the under side of the bar c, for preventing the stem travelling until pushed
along the bar; and is a screw for fixing the stem to the bar when required.
The action of the hemmer is as follows:A straight strip of the material to
be used is placed flat against the upright f, and maintained by the spring g;
the fore end of the material is introduced into and is drawn through the
hemmer a and taken forward to the needle of the sewing machine, which, on
being set to work, draws the material through the hemmer and stitches it at
the same time to the material to which the hem or strip is to be applied. On
arriving at a corner of the fabric the stem 6 is drawn back along the bar c in
order to allow sufficient material to be in advance of the hemmer to be turned
in. As soon as the corner is turned the stem is again pushed forward and the
work proceeds as before. This hemmer is particularly applicable for preparing
bindings, for instance, for shirt collars. The material of which the collar is
made is inserted between the turned-over edges produced by the hemmer, and
the collar and binding are afterwards united by the sewing machine. Instead
of the hem being applied as a binding the material may be simply applied on
one side of the collar or other article without the edge thereof being inserted
between the folds produced by the hemmer.
Figure 3 is a side view, and Figure 4 is a plan, of the appliance I fit
to the machine for this purpose.

page_text: a is the hemmer, and fis the flanged upright fitted to an arm projecting
from the plate d; m is a guide fitted to the under side of the plate d, and
secured thereto by a screw n. The position of this guide is regulated according
to the distance of the material to be laid on from the edge of the fabric, and
the screw n acts as a second guide for keeping the material to which the
fabric is applied in a straight line during the action of the needle of the sewing
machine.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the improved
hemmer or instrument for turning over the edges of a binding or strip of
linen or other material, and preparing it for and simultaneously stitching it by
means of a sewing machine, substantially in manner and for the purposes
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Paterson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN PATERSON. (L.S.)