IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING BOOKS AND IN MACHINERY THEREWITH CONNECTED, PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO SEWING OTHER ARTICLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David McConnel Smyth, of Hartford, in the State of
Connecticut, United States of America, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING BOOKS AND IN MACHINERY THEREWITH CONNECTED, PORTIONS OF
WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO SEWING OTHER ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David McConnel Smyth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1881.
DAVID MCCONNEL SMYTH, of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, United
States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING BOOKS AND IN MACHINERY
THEREWITH CONNECTED, PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO SEWING OTHER
ARTICLES."
This Invention is an improvement upon that for which Letters Patent were
granted to me in Great Britain, February 11, 1879, No. 538.
One part of my Invention relates to means for feeding the folded sheets of
paper to the sewing machine, so that the machine may be run with greater rapidity
than it could be when fed by hand in the manner contemplated in aforesaid Letters
Patent.
I provide a feed table that is supported above the revolving sheet holding arms
marked e¹ in the Specification of said Patent, and preferably at the front part of
the machine at the left of the needles, and with its right hand edge adjacent to
the arm e¹ that will next move to the position for the sheet to be sewed.
The feed table has sides, between which the folded sheets are packed with the
back folds upwardly, and the operator takes the last sheet and hangs it upon
fingers that are immediately over the sheet holding arm. The fingers slightly
open the sheet, and as the sheet holding arm is raised it passes into the folded
sheet; the fingers are drawn back, and the folded sheet drops upon the sheet
holding arm in its correct position. While the arm is descending and then
moving away, carrying the sheet to be sewed, the operator is placing another
sheet on the fingers. The sewing mechanism may be the same as in aforesaid
Patent.
Gauges are provided for determining the position of the folded sheet upon the
fingers, and the fingers are withdrawn from the sheet by one of the sheet holding

page_text: arms in its upward movement acting against a cam plate that operates levers to
which said fingers.are connected, and there is a latch rod that is liberated by a
lifter on the sheet holding arm, and allows a spring to return the fingers instantly
to their normal position.
The cam plate is returned to place by a spring.
In folding printed sheets it is usual to allow the edges of the sheet that are not
folded to project slightly beyond the edges that are folded.
I avail of this to aid the operator in opening the sheet before dropping it over
the fingers, and for this purpose I place one or more stationary lips at the edge of the
feed table, so as to arrest the loose edges of the folded sheet, and allow the folded
edges to pass out beyond the lip; hence the operator easily raises the loose edges
of the sheet over the lip and drops the sheet upon the fingers.
Another part of this Invention relates to means for interlacing two threads in
sewing books, so that the sheets are united by two sets of threads, one thread
passing double through one fold of the first sheet, and looped around the second
thread in the second sheet, which in turn is looped around the loop of the first
thread, which passes through the third sheet and so on.
To accomplish this I make use of the sheet holding arms that are on a shaft
revolved progressively to bring the sheet to its proper position for being sowed by
semi-circular needles acting in pairs as in aforesaid Patent; but instead of using a
looping needle to draw a cord into the threads of the sewing, I use loopers that are
so moved that they go forward into the loops of thread from one pair of needles,
hold such loops as said needles draw back, spread such loops behind them, so that
the points of the second pair of needles pass into such loops; then the loopers go
back, drop the loops of thread from the first pair of needles over the second pair of
needles, and then go forward again and take loops of thread from the second pair
of needles, which needles withdraw, leaving their threads over the loopers, and they
spread these loops, and the first pair of needles then pass into the loops of the
second pair of needles, and these are dropped and loops taken from the first pair,
and so on.
Each looper is upon a shank that passes through a rock shaft, and said shank
has an arm that enters a grooved hub upon a shaft that is moved end wise at the
proper time to move the looper, so that its point will be in the proper position to
take a loop first from one needle and then from the other as the rock-shaft is
turned.
To pull up each loop of thread as it is dropped from the looper I make use of
hooks upon the rock shaft before referred to. These hooks are contiguous to a
bar provided with guides for the threads, and at the proper times this bar is moved
end wise to bring the threads to be tightened in line with the hooks, which latter
are drawn back by the partial turning of the rock shaft, and draw tightly the
threads as dropped from the loopers. The hooks then go forward, releasing the
threads, and the thread guide bar is moved in the opposite direction for the second
pair of threads to be tightened as the hooks are again drawn back. A cord or
strip may be drawn into the saw cut at the back of the book beneath the interlaced
loops if desired. More than two pairs of needles may be used, according to the
size of the book.
To lay a cord within the saw cut at the back of the book the following device
may be used:—
A circular shuttle of ordinary construction containing the cord is held loosely
within the concave ends of a spring holder which is made so that the thread can
be pressed between the shuttle and holder.
Semi-circular needles, as in said Patent, are employed to perform the sewing,
but the looper is made with a hook end that passes to the rear of each needle
previous to the point of the needle emerging from the saw cut, and then goes
forward, takes a loop of thread from the needle, spreads it, and then carries it
partially around the shuttle. A finger in the path of the looper strips the loop off
the looper, and said loop is drawn down behind the shuttle upon the cord passing

page_text: | off from the shuttle, and as the needle swings back or rises the thread is tightened
around the shuttle cord. The other needle then passes into tho next sheet, and its
loop is taken by the looper and passed over the shuttle, and laid around the shuttlo
cord as before.
The looper is operated by a crank and shaft, and the upper part of said looper is
made as an arm with a slot therein, in which slot there is a pin that determines
the path of the hooked end of the looper.
It is to be understood that any number of pairs of needles may be used with a
looper to each pair of needles.
Another part of this Invention relates to means for automatically feeding the
sheets to the sewing mechanism, and dispensing with the labor of handling the
sheets separately.
The feed table is at an inclination, and the sheets are packed thereon with the
folded backs uppermost. A lip or lips at the edge of the table prevent the sheets
slipping off, and said sheets at their upper portions forming the fold of the back
are supported by the sheet that is being sewed.
.
The sheets that have been sewed rest upon a bed formed of bars supported by
blocks on a bar that extends from one side frame to the other side frame of the
machine, and these side frames are fitted to slide upon pendant rods, so that the
bed of bars can be adjusted to suit different sizes of folded book sheets.
At the front of the table of bars there is a rock shaft provided with fingers,
which latter when a sheet has been sewed, and the sheet holding arm moved down
out of the folded sheet, are turned down and then moved upward and backward
again. During this latter movement they aid in moving the sheet that has just
been sewed upon the table of bars, pushing all the sheets previously sewed back-
wardly, and said fingers hold the last sewed sheet out of the path of the sheet
holding arm in its next upward movement.
After the sheet holding arm has descended the folded portion of the first folded
sheet upon the feed table would naturally swing over the lip upon the edge of the
said feed table, and would open so that the shect holding arm in its next upward
movement would enter said sheet. To ensure this folded portion being drawn over
with certainty I provide a tube or pipe, the open end of which is moved against
the sheet after the sheet holding arm has descended, and the atmosphere is con-
stantly drawn from the pipe; bence as this pipe is drawn back the folded portion
of the sheet is drawn over by the suction action and the sheet opened, so that the
sheet holding arm will always enter the sheet at each upward movement and carry
the sheet up to the sewing mechanism, which may be the semi-circular needles
before referred to.
The movement given to the fingers and to the pipe may be given by any desired
means, such as levers, cranks and connecting rods.
In order that the sheet may be properly positioned upon the sheet holding arm
1 employ a spring pusher upon said arin that is moved endwise, pushing the sheet
by coming in contact with a stationary incline. This incline is adjustable, so that
it can move the pusher the proper distance to place the sheet correctly for the
needles.
A simple. device for feeding the sheets to the sewing mechanism consists of
detached sheet holders that are suspended upon end bearings, and these sheet
holders are pressed up to the place where the sewing is performed by a follower,
aud after a sheet has been sewed, fingers that held the sheet holder are withdrawn,
and the holder drops away from the folded sheet. The fingers are immediately
returned to place to support the next sheet holder and its sheet that is pressed
forward, and after said sheet has been sewed the fingers are again withdrawn, the
holder drops away, the fingers are returned to place, and another sheet holder and
its sheet pressed forward, and so on. I provide an adjustable incline that is placed
to act against the edges of the folded sheets, and move them end wise upon the
sheet holders to properly position them for the needles to perform the sewing.
The sheet holders last described are preferably channeled upon both edges for
"

page_text: the passage of the needles in performing the sewing, so that either side may be
used uppermost, and it is to be understood that the bearings that support the sheet
holders are to be of such length that the attendant or attendants may be placing
sheets upon the holders behind the follower, so that when the last sheet holder in
front of the follower has been discharged it will only be necessary to move back
and lift out the follower, and then move forward the holders and sheets that were
behind the follower, replace the follower, and the machine is ready for work again.
If a series of progressively rotated arms such as shown in my said Patent are
made use of in the book sewing machine, then the sheet holders last referred to
will only require to be rods of metal, and as the sheet holding arm rises the rods
of metal will be dropped the same as the said sheet holders, but the sheet will fall
upon the sheet holding arm, and will be carried up to the sewing mechanism, and
the rods of metal will drop into a box or receptacle ready to be used over again.
In sewing books with the feeding and holding devices before described, it is
often important to employ straight needles and to sew there with a double loop
stitch.
The next part of this Invention relates to mechanism for sewing books and
other articles by the combined action of two eye pointed needles and an intermediate
looper.
In this device the eye pointed needles stand at an inclination, and the looper is
vertical, and the looper is pointed in cases where the sheet or other article to be
sewed does not have a saw cut or other opening for the passage of the looper.
In sewing by these needles one needle passes through the material diagonally,
then the looper needle passes through vertically, and takes a loop of thread from
said needle and draws it up; then the first needle is withdrawn, and the second
needle passes diagonally through the material. The looper again descends and
takes a loop of thread from the second needle, and as it draws up the barb or hook
of the looper is closed, and sheds off the loop of thread from the first needle around
the loop of thread of the second needle, and then the second needle is drawn up
and the first needle descends, and the looper descends and takes a loop of thread
from said first needle, and the loop of thread of the second needle is shed off as the
looper rises, and so on as the sewing progresses.
The looping device may have a barb similar to that used with machine knitting
needles, or the looping needle may be tubular, with a plunger or other device for
closing the eye.
The needles and looper may be actuated by any desired means.
The thread is supplied to the needles in any ordinary manner, but a tension
device should be employed and also a take-up mechanism that will keep the thread
from being caught by its own needle when this device is used for sewing fabrics.
This latter is not always essential in book sewing.
The sheet holding arm for presenting the sheet to the sewing mechanism may
be of the character before described, but properly slotted for the passage of the
needles and looper.
In sewing fabrics it will be necessary to have a bed for the material to rest upon,
and said bed must be slotted to allow for the passage of the needles and looper.
If the bed is stationary the sewing will be in three lines that are at uniform
distances apart, and the stitch will be very strong and elastic, and can be used for
Bewing sails and other articles; but if the bed is movable vertically then the width
of the lines of stitching can be varied by raising and lowering the bed from timo
to time, so as to perform embroidery or ornamental stitching.
In sewing books with the straight needles and looper it will be necessary to
employ a stationary presser to keep the sheets from rising while being sewed, and
when sewing fabrics this presser will be upon a sliding bar and kept down by a
spring, and a feeding device will also be employed when sewing fabrics as in
ordinary sewing machines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said David McConnel Smyth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd November 1881.
DAVID MCCONNEL SMYTH, of Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, United
States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING BOOKS AND IN MACHINERY
THEREWITH CONNECTED, PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO SEWING OTHER
ARTICLES."
This Invention is an improvement upon the machine, for which Letters Patent
were granted to me in Great Britain, dated February 11, 1879, No. 538, and a
reference is hereby made to the same, by which to more fully understand the
construction and operation of the present devices. My present Invention relates
to improvements in the means for feeding the folded sheets of paper to the sewing
machine, so that the machine may be run with greater rapidity than it could be
when fed by hand in the manner contemplated by my aforesaid Patent. Also in
certain mechanical appliances to be used with the sewing machine shown in said
Patent, whereby different kinds of sewing can be performed, according to the
character of the book to be sewed or the desires of the book binder.
The first portions of these improvements are shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,
wherein
Fig. 1 is a plan of the feed table and of the revolving and vertically moving
arms (e) that form the sheet holders; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the sheet-holding
fingers and feed table; Fig. 3 is a section at the line x, x, of Fig. 1. Fig. 1ª is
the same as Fig. of aforesaid Patent, and is shown herein in order that my present
Invention may be more fully understood, and because reference is made herein to
said Patent.
The feed table a is supported above the revolving sheet holding arms e¹ of the
said Patent, and preferably at the front part of the machine at the left of the
needles, and with its right hand edge adjacent to the arm e¹ that will next move to
the position for the sheet to be sewed.
The needles 1, 1, on the shafts K are similar to those in the aforesaid Patont,
and they do not need further description.
The arms e¹ are grooved on their upper edge for the passage of the half circle
needles, and the vertical shaft c that carries the arms e' has a vertical movement
given to it at the proper time, as well as the progressive movement to carry the
sheet around to the place where it is sewed.
The table a has sides a¹, between which the folded sheets are packed with the
back-folds upwardly, and the operator takes the last sheet and hangs it upon the
fingers c, c, immediately over the sheet holding arm el. The fingers slightly open
the sheet, and as the arm e¹ is raised (simultaneously with the other arms by the
vertical movement given to the shaft C), the arm el passes into the folded sheet,
and the fingers c, c, are drawn back and the folded sheet drops upon the arm e¹
in its proper position, and while the arm is descending again and then moving
away, carrying the sheet to be sewed, the operator is placing another sheet on the
fingers c, c; this gives much more time for adjusting the sheet than is given in
the machine, patented as aforesaid, during the brief pause in the movement of the
shaft and sheet holding arms.
The adjustable gauge wires d, d, serve to determine the position of the sheet
upon the fingers, and to prevent end movement to the sheet as the fingers are
drawn back to drop the sheet.
These fingers may be drawn back by any convenient means. I prefer and use
the devices shown, and which consist of the levers f, f, pivoted at 4, and connected
by the links a, a, to the lever h shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

page_text: The spring serves to keep the fingers in their position to receive the folded
sheet, and the latch rod passing to the pivoted cam plate m serves to withdraw
the fingers by one of the arms e¹ as it rises, coming against the inclined lower end
of the can plate, and moving it and the latch rod and fingers, and dropping the
sheet as aforesaid over the sheet holding arm in the manner indicated in
Fig. 3.
The parts would return to their normal position as the arm e¹ again descended,
but to return the fingers instantly to position after the sheet has dropped I employ
the lifter o upon the arm el that comes up below the end of the latch rod 12 in the
manner indicated in Fig. 2, and lifts the same from its notch at the end of a slot
in the cam plate m, allowing the latch rod to slide back instantly by the action of
the spring kl, and restore the parts to their proper positions for the next sheet to be
placed on the fingers.
The latch plate m is to be swung back to place by a spring as the arm c¹
descends and the latch rod drops into its notch ready for the next operation.
In folding printed sheets it is usual to allow the edges of the sheet that aro
not folded to project slightly beyond the folded edge, as indicated in Fig. 3. I
avail of this to aid the operator in opening the sheet before dropping it over the
fingers, and for this purpose I place one or more stationary lips t at the edge of
the feeding table so as to arrest the loose edges 8 of the folded sheet u, and allow
the folded edges to pass out beyond the lip, as indicated in Fig. 3, hence the
operator easily raises the parts over the lip and drops the sheet u on the
fingers.
The next feature of my said improvements relates to means for interlacing two
threads in sewing books, so that the sheets are united by two sets of threads, one
thread passing double through one fold of the first sheet and looped around the
second thread in the second sheet, which in turn is looped around the loops of the
first thread which pass through the third sheet, and so on. These devices and tho
improved stitch are shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, in which Fig. 4 is an
elevation of the book sewing needles and the mechanism for looping the thread.
Fig. 5 is a section at the line x, x'; Fig. 6 'represents the loops of thread in the
manner they would appear if there were no sewed sheets covering the threads, and
Fig. 7 is a plan showing the device for taking up the slack thread; Fig. 8 is a
sectional plan of the looper in enlarged size.
I make use of the sheet holder arms e¹ on the shaft c, and such shaft is moved
around progressively, and also receives a vertical motion to bring the sheet up to
its proper position for being sewed, and there are four semi circular needles that
act in pairs 1, 1, 1, 1, one pair entering and sewing one sheet, and the other pair
entering and sewing the next sheet; these operations being similar to those in my
Patent before referred to do not need further description; but instead of using a
looping needle by which a cord is drawn into the threads of the sewing, I uso
loopers that are so moved that they go forward into the loops of thread from
the needles l, holds such loops as the needles draw back, spread such loops behind
them so that the points of the needles pass into such loops, then the loopers go
back, drop the loops of thread from the needles over the needles, and then go
forward again and take loops of thread from the needles ; those needles withdraw,
leaving their threads over the loopers a³, and they spread these loops, and the
needles then pass into the loops from ', and these are dropped and loops taken
from, and so on.
Each looper a is upon shank a that passes through the rock shaft b, and is
provided with an arm cat the upper end; and d' is a rod with a grooved hub e*
upon it that receives the end of the arm c¹, and to this rod d' an endwise motion is
given at the proper time by the lever d that is connected to and moved by a cam
or other device upon the actuating shaft of the machine.
There is a lever f', see Fig. 4, extending from the rock shaft b, and this is moved
at the proper time by a suitable cam or other mechanism.
It is to be understood that the parts are to be so timed and moved that the rock

page_text: shaft gives to the looper the forward and backward movement at the proper
times to take the loops of thread from the needles 1,, respectively and to drop
those loops over the next set of needles; but in order to spread the loop of thread
behind the looper, and to turn the point of the looper so as to take a loop on one
side from one needle and then on the other side from the next needle, the said
looper and its shank receives a slight turning motion in the rock shaft b by the
arm c¹ being moved by the endwise motion of the shaft d', which motion is given
between the time one loop is taken, and that loop is dropped upon the next needle.
By this turning movement the point of the looper is caused to pass close to the
needle in taking the loop, and the heel of the looper is turned aside so as not to
strike the needle on the backward movement. It is important to pull up each loop
of thread as it is dropped from the looper around the needle; to effect this object
the threads 5, 5, and 6, 6, from suitable spools pass between the guides o, o¹, and
these are on a sliding bar p, to which end motion is given at the proper time by a
lever g or otherwise to bring either thread adjacent to one of the hooks upon the
rock shaft b.
These parts are so moved that as the loopers go back and drop the loops of
thread from the needles over the needles, the hook r draws upon the threads 5
of the needles, pulling up their loops around the needles 7, and before the looper
moves back to drop the loops of the needles over the needles U, the bar
Р has
been slipped endwise, moving. the threads 6 into the path of one hook of the
double hooks 7, and as the loopers go back and drop the loops of over 1', the
threads 6 of the needles are drawn upon to tighten the loops around 1, and so on.
A cord or strip may be drawn into the saw cut at the back of the book beneath
the interlaced loops if desired.
The machine may have more than two pairs of needles for quarto books; three
or four pairs of needles will generally be used.
The sewing machine may be made large enough for the largest sheets, and
portions be disconnected when sewing smaller sheets.
In sewing books it is sometimes desirable to lay in a thread in the saw cuts or
channels at the back of the book as the sewing progresses.
This part of my said Invention consists in the combination with the needles in
the book sewing machine of a book that takes a loop of thread from the needle,
carries it up over the shuttle, and drops it so that it is drawn up around the cord
or thread that passes off from the shuttle.
In Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the mechanism for accomplishing this object is shown.
Fig. 9 is an elevation showing a pair of semicircular needles and the looper and
shuttle; Fig. 10 is a side view of the looper with part of the shuttle holder
removed; Fig. 11 is a sectional plan of the shuttle holder and shuttle, and Fig. 12
shows the sewing separate from the sheets. The shuttle a³ is of ordinary con-
struction; it is circular, and the shells are convex, leaving a narrow opening around
the periphery for the thread b³ to pass away to the sewed sheets c¹.
The shuttle is held loosely within the concave ends of the spring holder d³,
which is made so that the thread can be passed between the shuttle and holder.
The needles, ', upon shafts are made and operated similarly to those in my
aforesaid Patent. The looper 3 is made with a slotted shank e³ sliding upon the
pin g³, and there is a shaft h³ with a crank ³ that is pivoted to the shank of the
looper, and this shaft and crank have given to them about a half revolution at the
proper time. The looper stands behind the point of the needle 7; as it emerges
from the folded sheet it moves forward, takes a loop of the needle thread 5, carries
it up, and the broad rear end of the looper spreads the loop and causes it to pass at
both sides of the shuttle as the looper moves over the shuttle and drops the loop,
which is drawn up by any suitable thread tension, so that it confines the shuttle
thread or cord tightly down into the groove at the back of the sewed sheet. The
stationary pin ensures the delivery of the loop of thread from the looper as said
looper passes entirely across over said pin v³.
The looper returns to its normal position, another folded sheet is introduced, the

page_text: needle passes through the same, the looper takes a loop of its thread 6, and passes
it over the shuttle, the needle withdraws and another sheet is presented and sewed
by the needle l, and so on. It is to be understood that any number of pairs of
needles may be used with a looper to each pair of needles. The device shown in
Figs. 13, 14, and 15 is made for feeding the sheets to the sewing mechanism
automatically and dispensing with the labor of handling the sheets separately.
Fig. 13 is a plan of one end of the feeding table; Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional
view of the same; and Fig. 15 shows the paper guide on the sheet holder. The
folded sheets c¹, c, are placed upon an inclined feeding table a, and slide down the
same.
The sheets a that are sewed into books rest at their lower edges upon a table
formed by the bars c that are more or less numerous according to the size of the
machine; they are usually about an inch apart, and the machine is generally of a
size for receiving large books, and the parts are adjusted to receive smaller books.
With this object in view the bars ce are attached by blocks c7 to a cross-bar f and
at its two ends there are frame pieces g5 that are adapted to slide vertically on the
stationary pendant columns h³, and on these the table of bars c and the frames g³
and parts carried by them can be raised or lowered and clamped by the screws 15
so as to bring the upper edges of the sewed books in line with the bar e¹ that
carries the sheet to be sewed up to place where the sewing is performed by semi
circular needles 1, 1, as in my aforesaid Patent. The arm or sheet carrying bar e¹
may be moved in the manner described in my aforesaid Patent, or it may simply
be moved up and down at the proper time in the direction indicated by the dotted
line 3. The sheets as they slide down the inclined feed table a will rest at their
upper portion, forming the fold of the back against the sheet that is being sewed,
and the lip t at the lower edge of the table will prevent the sheets slipping off,
but each sheet is so folded that one of its edges will be arrested by the said lip t,
and the other edge will swing out over and beyond it, so that the lowest sheet in
the pile will be partially spread, and in the line of the movement of the sheet
holding bar or arm e', so that such bar as it rises will pass into the lowest folded
sheet and lift it up to the space where it is sewed.
To prevent the possibility of the sheet that has been sewed spreading at its
bottom edges and pressing the next sheet on the table out of its place, I make use
of the fingers that are upon the shaft m³ at the front edge of the table cf. This
shaft is rocked by the action of the bent lever n³, connecting rod os, and crank p³,
there being a link to any proper prime mover that gives motion to the parts at
the right time. As soon as one sheet has been sewed the sheet holder descends,
the shaft m³ is rocked, turning its fingers out from beneath the last sewed sheet,
then the fingers are turned back again, and acting below and in front of the sewed
sheet they press its lower edge back upon the table of bars c, and the sheet holder
rises and takes the next sheet up to place to be sewed.
In order to ensure the proper position of the sheet end wise I place upon the
sheet holding arm el a spring pusher that is moved endwise by coming into
contact with the stationary incline 203 as the sheet holding arm rises with its sheet
to the sewing needles. This incline is adjustable endwise, so that it can be
adapted to move the pusher the proper distance to place the sheet correctly for the
needles.
The spring 10 draws the pusher back as the sheet holding arm descends before
rising to take another sheet, and it is to be understood that the sheet holding table
is to be placed with reference to the sheet holding arm and pusher, so that edge of
the sheet will be in contact, or nearly so, with the pusher as the arm rises up
within the fold of the sheet.
Under ordinary circumstances the devices before described are all that will be
required to properly feed the sheet and present it to the sewing machine, but in
order to increase the certainty of the operation I provide an atmospheric separator
in the form of a tube 8, from which atmosphere is constantly drawn. This is
moved back and forth at the same time that the fingers 15 are turned, there being

page_text: a connection 10 from the tube s to the bent lever n³, so that the movement of the
bent lever carries the tube up into contact with the folded sheet, and by a suction
action the fold of the sheet is separated and drawn over the lip t into position to be
taken by the sheet holder. A simple device for feeding the sheets to the sewing
mechanism is represented in Figs. 16, 17, 18, and 19 of the Drawings. I make use
of detached sheet-holders that suspend the sheet upon end bearings, and these sheet
holders are pressed up to the place where the sewing is performed, and after each
sheet has been sewed the detached sheet holder is allowed to drop, the sewed book
is moved back,and another sheet and holder are brought into position.
The sheets are supplied by the attendant upon the detached sheet holders and
passed successively into place upon the end bearings. This gives opportunity for
the feeding to be continuous and the attendant can accumulate a number of sheets
in position to be fed up successively to the sewing mechanism.
Fig. 16 is a vertical section showing a number of sheets suspended ready to be
sewed; Fig. 17 is a plan partially in section, showing the end bearings for the
sheet holders and the means for discharging the sheet holders; Fig. 18 is a detached
view of the means for discharging the sheet holders; Fig. 19 is a front elevation
of the parts shown in Figs. 16 and 17.
The sheet holders a³ are adapted to being passed into the folded sheets, one in
each sheet. These sheet holders are sustained at their ends by the bearing bars
68, 68, upon which they are placed by the attendant so that the sheets hang down
below these sheet holders, the weight being supported upon the end bearings b³.
These bearings 65 may be of any desired length, so that any number of sheets
may be suspended upon them by the sheet holders in the proper order to make up
the books, and I remark that these bearings may be fixtures upon the book sewing
machine; or they may be connected together by cross bars above the back edges of
the sheets, and movable so that they may be filled with sheets separately from the
sewing machine and then brought to and placed in the sewing machine, thus
allowing for the sheets being placed carefully in the proper order ready for
sewing.
If a series of progressively rotated arms such as those shown at e¹, e¹, in my
aforesaid Patent is made use of in the book sewing machine, then the sheet
holders as will only require to be rods of metal, and the bearings 68, 68, will be
placed in such a relation to the machine that as such arms (e) rise with the move-
ment vertically of the shaft (C), the arm that is to receive the folded sheet will
pass into the end sheets of the mass of sheets as they are suspended upon the
bearings 68, and as this takes place the sheet holding rod of that sheet will be
dropped by the means hereafter described, so that the sheet will fall upon its
arm and the sheet holding rod will drop entirely away into a box or receptacle
ready to be used over again, but if the sheet holding arms e' shown in said Patent
are dispensed with, then the sheet holders as must be made of a character adapted
to remain in the sheet and hold the same while being sewed, after which such sheet
holders drop or are withdrawn.
The sheet holders as are represented as adapted to hold the sheet during the
sewing operation; with this object in view the edge of each holder is deeply
channeled so as to form a guide into which the needle passes in performing the
sewing, and it is preferable to make both edges of the sheet holder with similar
channels, so that the holder may be used with either edge uppermost.
The needles are represented at 1, ; they are to be semi circular for use in a
sewing machine such as that shown in my aforesaid Patent, but it is to be borne
in mind that this sheet holding and feeding device may be used with any book
sewing machine to which it is applicable. The sheets as suspended upon the
bearings 6s by the sheet-holders as are to be pressed towards the point of delivery
or sewing either by the hand of the operator or by a follower 8 acted upon by
springs g, and having its ends resting upon the bearings 68, 68, which follower is
drawn back from time to time and raised and then placed behind another mass of
suspended sheets.

page_text: The constant pressure tends to move the sheet holders up against the stops
that are in such a position to the sewing devices or other parts of the sewing
machine that the last sheet will be in correct position, and beneath each end of
this sheet holder there is a discharging finger of that sustains the sheet holder
while the sheet is being sewed, but as soon as the sewing operation is finished
these fingers are withdrawn by a crank s or other connection to a cam or similar
device receiving motion from the motor; this allows the sheet holder to drop down
out of the sewed sheet, or there may be a slide to carry such sheet holder down
and out of the way in any convenient manner; the next sheet holder is moved up
immediately and the fingers are returned to place to sustain the same while the
sewing operation is repeated.
The stationary incline 8 is placed so as to act against the edges of the folded
sheets as they are moved up to place for sewing, and move such sheets endwise of
the holders into the correct position for the sewing mechanism; this incline may be
adjustable. In sewing books with the feeding and holding devices before
described, it is often important to employ straight needles, and to sew therewith a
double loop stitch. The next part of this Invention relates to mechanism for
sewing books and other articles by the combined action of two eye pointed needles
and an intermediate looper. In this device the eye pointed needles stand at an
inclination and the looper is vertical, and the looper is pointed in cases where the
sheet or other article to be sewed does not have a saw cut or other opening for the
passage of the looper. One needle is made to pass through the material, then the
looper passes through the material and takes a loop of thread and draws it through
the material; the needle just mentioned rises and the other needle then passes through
the material; the looper descends and takes a loop of the second thread, and as it
draws up the first loop taken is delivered off the looper around the second loop
similar to knitting, and a stitch is produced the same as that shown in Fig. 6. When
this is applied to book sewing, one stitch can be taken in one of the folded sheets or
signatures and the next stitch in the second signature, or both stitches can be
taken in one signature, and the second loop retained by the looper and delivered
around the first loop of the second sheet or signature and so on, and in sewing
other articles than books the looper will have a penetrating point and the sewing
will progress, one stitch after the other, and on one side the stitches will be
straight and at right angles to the line of sewing; on the other side there will be
three lines of stitches, the outside ones being similar to the lines of stitches by an
ordinary sewing machine, and the centre line of stitches will be looped together
like a chain stitch.
In the Drawing Fig. 20 is an elevation of the sewing mechanism. Fig. 21 is a
section at the line x², .
The needles a, b, are at the ends of needle bars and do, these needle bars
slide in guides e; upon the head block f and g³ is the bar of the looper ; this
also slides in a guide h upon the head block fº.
The mechanism for giving motion to these parts may be of any desired character,
such as levers and cams receiving motion from a prime mover or revolving shaft.
When these needles are used for sewing books, the sheets or signatures are to be
presented to the sewing mechanism by either of the sheet holders that have before
been referred to, or by any other suitable means.
I have shown the sheet holding arm e' upon the shaft c; there may be four
such arms as in my Patent before referred to, and the sheets are brought around in
succession as supplied to such arms. The arms are made hollow or of two plates
with a space between that is sufficient for the needles to pass through, and wide
enough below for the loop of the needle threads to spread and be taken by the
looper, or the arms may be notched as shown in the Drawing, forming channels for
the passage of the needles. The thread is supplied from the spools and m³, and
it passes through any suitable tension device, and it is preferable to employ a take-
up mechanism to keep the thread from being caught by the point of its own needle,
but with book sewing this is not always required.

page_text: The looping device may have a barb similar to that used with machine knitting
needles, or the looping needle may be tubular with a plunger or other device for
closing the looping eye; these needles being well known do not need further
description. I remark however that the looper must have a needle point as shown,
especially where the same is used for sewing fabrics, such as sails, or for embroidering
shoes or other articles, so that it will penetrate the same.
It is now to be understood that in sewing by these needles the needle 6º passes
through the material diagonally, then the looper needle passes through vertically
and takes a loop of the thread 5 from 6, and draws it up, then the needle b³ is
withdrawn and the needle a passes diagonally through the material, the looper i
again descends and takes a loop of the thread 6 from the needle a, and as it draws
up the barb or hook of the looper 20 is closed and sheds off the loop of thread 5
around the loop of thread 6, and then the needle a is drawn up and the needle L
descends and the looper descends and takes a loop of thread 5, and the loop of
thread 6 is shed off as the looper rises, and so on as the sewing progresses.
In
sewing flat fabrics instead of hooks it is necessary to have a bed to for the goods to
rest upon, as seen in Fig. 22; this is to be flat or convex, and slotted for the needles
and the threads.
If this bed is stationary the sewing will be in lines, as before set forth, that are
at uniform distances apart, and this can be used as a very strong and elastic stitch
for sewing sails and other articles with three lines of stitching, as seen in Fig. 23,
but if the bed is upon a vertically moving shaft c, as shown, then the width of the
lines of stitching can be varied by raising and lowering the bed from time to time,
so as to perform embroidery; these forms of stitching for embroidery are shown in
Fig. 24. In order to prevent the folded sheet being lifted as the threads are
drawn up, a presser foot v is made use of above the back edge of the sheet; this is
fastened to the stationary frame f" that supports the needle slides. The same
thing is made use of in sewing other articles upon a flat bed to, as shown in
Fig. 22.
In this case the presser foot is by preference upon a sliding bar and kept down
by a spring pressure as in ordinary sewing machines.
I claim as my Invention,-
First. The combination with the sheet holding arms in a book sewing machine,
the fingers c, c, for supporting the sheet and mechanism for withdrawing the
fingers and allowing the sheet to drop upon the sheet holding arm, substantially as
set forth.
Second. In a book sewing machine the combination with the sheet supporting
fingers c, c, of the adjustable gauges d, d, and mechanism for moving the fingers
and for conveying the sheet to the sewing mechanism.
Third. The combination in a feeding mechanism for book sewing machines of the
fingers c, c, gauges d, d, levers f, f, and h, liuks g, g, spring, cam plate m, latch
bar 12, and lifter, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. In a book sewing machine, the combination with the feed table of the
lip t at the edge thereof for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The combination in a machine for sewing books of pairs of curved needles
acting in opposite directions, with a looper that takes the loop from one needle and
delivers it over the other needle, substantially as set forth.
Sixth. In a book sewing machine the looper having a shank in combination
with a rock-shaft through which the shank passes, and mechanism for rocking
the shaft and for partially turning the looper and its shank, substantially as set
forth.
Seventh. The combination in a sewing machine of two semi circular needles
acting in opposite directions, one looper to take the loops from one needle and
deliver them over the other needle, and mechanism for pulling up the loops of
thread around the needles successively, substantially as set forth.
Eighth. The sliding bar p and thread guides o, o', in combination with the double

page_text: hooks r, the rock shaft b, the looper a³, and the pair of needles acting in opposite
directions and mechanism for actuating the parts, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The combination with the needles 1, 1, in a book sewing machine of the
looper n³, shuttle a³, and mechanism for moving the looper, substantially as set
forth.
Tenth. In a book sewing machine the combination of the semi circular needles l, l',
shuttle a³, shuttle holder, looper n³, slotted shank c³, crank is, and rock shaft h³,
substantially as set forth.
Eleventh. The combination with the needles 1, 1, shuttle and looper, and
actuating mechanism, of the stationary pin to deliver the loops from the looper,
as set forth.
Twelfth. In a book sewing machine the combination with the sewing mechanism
of an inclined feeding table, a moving sheet holder and mechanism for raising the
same and the sheet to the sewing mechanism, substantially as set forth.
Thirteenth. The combination with the book sewing mechanism of the inclined
feeding table, the sheet holder and pusher v³, and the stationary incline w³, and
mechanism for moving the sheet holder, substantially as set forth.
Fourteenth. The combination with the inclined feeding table and sewing
mechanism of the sheet holder, means for moving the same, rock shaft m³, fingers 1º,
and means for moving the same, substantially as set forth.
Fifteenth. The combination in a book sewing machine of a feeding table, a
moving sheet holder, sewing mechanism, and an atmospheric sheet separator,
substantially as set forth.
Sixteenth. A holder for folded book sheets in combination with bearings for the
ends of the sheet holders to slide upon, and means for liberating the sheet holders
successively at the ends of the bearings, so that said sheet holders may fall away or
be removed from the sheet, substantially as set forth.
Seventeenth. The combination with book sewing mechanism of sheet holders and
end bearings for the same, and fingers for sustaining the sheet holders while the
sewing is being performed, and for liberating the said sheet holder, and allowing
for its removal, substantially as set forth.
Eighteenth. A sheet holder for a sewing machine having a groove for the needles
in each of its edges, and adapted to be supported at its ends, substantially as set
forth.
Nineteenth. The combination with the sheet holders and bearings for the ends
of a stationary incline to move the sheets endwise of the holders into the proper
position for sewing, substantially as set forth.
Twentieth. The combination in a sewing mechanism of two diagonal and
alternately reciprocating eye-pointed needles, and an intermediate reciprocating
looper taking the loops of needic thread from the needles in succession, aud
delivering one loop around the next, substantially as set forth.
Twenty-first. The combination with the diagonal reciprocating eye-pointed
needles and intermediate looper of a bed or support capable of vertical adjustment
or motion, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David McConnel Smyth, have hereunto set my
signature and seal, this Second day of November, A.D. 1881.
DAVID M'CONNEL SMYTH. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
CHAS. H. SMITH, 140, Nassau St., New York.
GEO. T. PINCKNEY,
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