Improvements in Machines for Sewing Books, Pamphlets, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1892-Accepted, 6th Aug.,
1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Sewing Books, Pamphlets, and
the like.
A communication to me from abroad by Messrs. PREUSSE AND Co., of Leipzig,
in the Empire of Germany.
1, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a machine for stitching books by means of thread.
The machine operates as follows:-
The books requiring to be stitched are placed upon a tray or table made to
oscillate backward and forward, so as to bring the book against a front plate or
stop. Over this plate is arranged a transverse bar which carries a set of needles,
having alternately ordinary eyes and hooks. These needles are moved by
excentrics or cams and connecting rods, that is to say they are forced through
the book when it is brought forward and then in consequence of a short back
motion given to the needles, those having eyes in which the thread is carried form
a small loop. In this loop enters a small arm fixed to the tray or table and having
a peculiar form as hereinafter more fully described, this arm being set in motion
by a small wheel mounted thereon. This wheel is driven by a transverse rack
which is actuated by a lever set in motion by a cam upon the driving shaft in the
lower part of the machine. The arm as it turns takes hold of the loop and lays it
in the hooked needles which draw it out of the edge of the book through which it
has been passed.
To ensure the thread being securely inserted by the arm into the hook, this arm
is composed of two parts, the back one of which consists of a thin elastic metal
strip which must lie close to the body of the arm when the loop is seized, so that
the arm may enter the said loop. For this purpose the stitching needle moves in
a guide which is bevilled on one side so that when the arm returns to its place after
having given up the loop its back spring part moves upon this bevilled part and
is pressed against the front or main part of the arm, so that the double arm or hook
is compelled to enter the loop. The oscillating motion and the form of the arm
play an important part in the giving up the loop, as owing to the motion and to a
small notch in the arm, the thread is pressed upon the hooked needle in such a
as the loops are
manner that it cannot fall away from the latter. As soon
suspended in the hooked needles the latter are raised with them and thus firmly
secure the parts of the book while the tray or table swings back and after having
received a fresh part of the book to be sewn swings forward again. The needles
now pass through the newly arrived part and the oscillating arms recommence
After this has
their operation and convey the new loops to the hooked needles.
been done the needles are again withdrawn, whereby the last drawn out loops
would be caught but for a small flap which the needle carries and which is closed
as the latter rises thus allowing the needle to slide through the opening of the
previously drawn out loop.
Owing to each successive loop being drawn through the previous loop a firm

page_text: connection is made between the successive parts of the book which are therefore
properly stitched together.
In order to stitch at the same time a band or strip of linen or other suitable
material intended to form afterwards a connection between the book and its cover,
the following arrangement is used.
When the needles are drawn out of the several parts of the book a small pin
advances and draws over the piece of thread, which extends between the book and
the needle eye, towards the next hooked needles. As the needle having the loop
bearing on it descends, it passes through the drawn over loop and connects it
with the hooked stitch thereof. The linen strip or band is placed between the
needle and the back of the book so that the above mentioned hooked stitch can
pass over the same. The strip is consequently hooked in and serves to fix the
book to its cover when the former is bound. The motion of the pin which is
carried by a horizontal sliding rod is effected by two pins mounted upon the rack
first described which drives the double arms. The rod serves also to guide the
band or strip which is being stitched.
In the above described stitching operation which can be used successfully in
most cases it sometimes happens that, the book parts are damaged by the needle on
its passage and the paper torn at the holes. For fancy work or very hard paper
the various book parts are previously drilled or cut in the places where the needles
are to pass, so that these needles will not meet with any resistance on their
passage.
In such cases the arrangement above described may be modified, a single curved
hooked needle effecting in this case the whole stitching operation and being turned
backward and forward so that its point passes down through one notch or hole
made in the book and then up and out through another, its hook seizing the
stitching thread and drawing it through the part of the book which is to be
sewn to the remainder; the stitching is exactly similar to that of the first
arrangement.
Dated this 7th day of August 1801
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Sewing Books, Pamphlets, and
the like.
A communication to me from Messrs. PREUSSE AND Co., of Leipzig, in the
Empire of Germany.
1, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
This invention relates to a machine for stitching books by means of thread.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of the invention, Figures 1 and 2
being side and front views respectively, and the remaining figures detailed views
of different parts of the machine.
The machine operates as follows :--
The books requiring to be stitched are placed upon a tray or table B made to
oscillate backward and forward, so as to bring the book against a front plate or
stop in the position shewn in Figures 1 and 2. Over this plate is arranged a
transverse bar which carries a set of needles having alternately ordinary eyes
and hooks and h, Figure 2. These needles are moved by excentrics c, c, or cams,
and connecting rods r. r, that is to say they are forced through the book when it
is brought forward and by means of a short back motion given to the needles,

page_text: those n, having eyes in which the thread is carried form a small loop (Figure 3).
In this loop enters a small arm carried by the tray or table B and having a
peculiar form as hereinafter more fully described, this arm being set in motion by
a small wheel mounted thereon. This wheel is driven by a transverse rack Z
which is actuated by a lever d set in motion by a came upon the driving shaft in
the lower part of the machine. The arm as it turns, takes hold of the loop and
lays it in the hooked needles h which draw it out of the edge of the book through
which it has been passed, (Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7).
To ensure the thread & being securely inserted by the arm into the hook, this
arm is composed of two parts, the back one of which consists of a thin elastic metal
strip w (Figures 12, 13, 14, 15,) which must lie close to the body of the arm when the
loop is seized (Figures 12 and 14) so that both may enter the said loop. For this
purpose the stitching needle moves in a guide o, which is bevilled on one side,
(Figures 3, 12, 15), so that when the arm returns to its place, after having given
up the loop its back spring part moves upon this bevilled part o and is pressed
against f, as shewn in Figures 12 and 14, so that the metal strip is compelled to
enter the loop.
When the arm is given a movement in the direction of the needle by the
tooth rack Z, the back strip w will as soon as it has left the bevilling o, spring back
and in that manner spread open the thread (Figures 13 and 15).
This opened thread will then lie in the hook needle h in the further course of
the swinging motion of the arm f. As soon as the loops are suspended in the
hooked needles h, Figure 4, the latter are raised with them and thus firmly secure
the paper sheet, Figure 5. The sheet carrier swings back and after having
received a new sheet swings forward again. The needles then pass through the
newly arrived sheet (Figure 6) and the oscillating arms recommence their
operation and transfer the loops of the needles n to the hook needles h, whereby
the last drawn out loops would be caught, but for a small flap, which the
needles carry and which is closed as the latter rises, thus allowing the needle to
slide through the opening of the previously drawn out loop (Figure 7).
Owing to each successive loop being drawn through the previous loop a firm
connection is made between the successive parts of the book which are therefore
properly stitched together (Figures 8 and 11).
In order to stitch at the same time a band or strip of linen or other suitable
material intended to form afterwards a connection between the book and its
cover, the following arrangement is used.
When the needles are drawn out of the several parts of the book a small ping
advances and draws over the piece of thread, which extends between the book and
the needle eye, towards the next hooked needle (Figures 5 and 6). As the needle
having the loop bearing on it descends it passes through the drawn over loop and
connects it with the hooked stitch thereof. The linen strip or band is placed
between the needles, on the back of the book so that the above mentioned looked
stitch can pass over the same (Figures 8 and 1). The strip is consequently held
in, and serves to fix the book to its cover when the former is bound. The motion
of the pin g which is carried by a horizontal sliding rod i is effected by two pins
mounted upon the rack Z first described, which drives the double arms (Figures 1
and 2). The rod i serves also to guide the band or strip which is being stitched
(Figure 1).
At the commencement of the stitching operation, the band R is fixed to a
wooden block a. After stitching each book a fresh block a is inserted between
the parts so that the book is always carried by the band.
In the above described stitching operation, which can be used successfully in
most cases, it sometimes happens, that the book parts are damaged by the needle
on its passage, and the paper torn at the holes. For fancy work or very hard
paper the various book parts are previously drilled or cut in the places where the
needles are to pass, so that these needles will not meet with any resistance on their
passage.

page_text: In such cases the arrangement above described may be modified as illustrated in
Figures 9 and 10 a single curved hooked needle effecting in this case the whole
stitching operation and being turned backward and forward so that its point passes
down through one notch or hole made in the book and then up and out through
another, its hook seizing the stitching thread supplied from spools s as shewn in
Figure 1, by mechanism of the kind ordinarily used in sewing machines having
hooked needles, and drawing it through the part of the book which is to be sewn
to the remainder; the stitching is exactly similar to that of the first arrangement
(Figures 8 and 11).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I
am aware of the prior Patents granted to David McConnell Smyth, No. 538,
A.D. 1879 David McConnell Smyth, No. 2277, A.D. 1881 John Rufus Reynolds,
No. 12170, A.D. 1886 David McConnell Smyth No. 10105 A.D. 1890 and John
Rufus Reynolds and Arthur Irving Jacobs No. 10106 A.D. 1890, and I do not
claim anything claimed and described in the Specification of the said Patents :
but what I claim is :-
1. In machines for sewing books, pamphlets and the like, the combination and
arrangement of the several parts, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
described and shewn.
2. The combination of the oscillating table B, transverse bar l, sets of needles 1, h,
cams, and connecting rods v, notched arms, wheels, and rack Z actuated by
the lever d and came, arranged and operating substantially as described and
shewn.
3. In combination with the parts described in Claim 2, the pins g, and sliding.
rod actuated by pins upon the rack Z, substantially as and for the purpos
described and shown.
4. The curved needles arranged, and operating substantially in the manner an
for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 9 and 10.
Dated this 7th day of May 1892.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.