Improvements in Carpet and Matting Clamps for Sewing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by THE Singer Manufacturing Company, of New York,
United States of America, Sewing Machine Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Carpet and Matting Clamps for Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM HARVEY INSLEE, Manager of The Singer Manufacturing Company,
Kilbowie, Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improvement in the carpet holding and sewing
apparatus described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,460 of 1894. The
carpet holding and stretching clamps or clamping arms shown and described in the
said specification are provided with toothed or serrated carpet-engaging surfaces so
that when they are brought into contact with the carpet to be stretched and held
they will take a firm hold upon the same, thereby preventing the carpet from slipping
between the clamping jaws as the latter are forced together in the clamping and
stretching operation. The object of the present invention is to adapt the carpet
holding and clamping jaws of the apparatus described in the said specification for
use in holding straw or other kinds of matting when the latter is to be sewed by
means of the machine and apparatus described in said specification. The toothed or
serrated surfaces of the clamping jaws, when used for the purpose of holding matting
to be sewed, are liable to mar or indent the smooth surfaces of the matting with
which they are brought into clamping contact, and thus for the purpose of preventing
this marring action of the toothed clamping jaws I provide movable shields which
may be readily brought into position to cover the toothed surface of the clamping
jaws, when matting is to be sewed, but which may be readily removed from these
jaws. These shields will preferably be so constructed as to be adapted to be thrown
out of the way, when not in use, without being entirely taken off, so that they may
again be readily moved into operative positions when desired. These removable shields
consist preferably of thin metal plates provided with shanks bent to engage portions
of the springs which force the clamping jaws forward or towards each other and
which plates or shields are preferably so pivoted on portions of these springs that
they may be turned over to cover the toothed faces of the clamping jaws, or may be
thrown back out of the way, as may be desired. The smooth surfaces of these shields
will hold the matting with sufficient firmness, and as it is not necessary that the
matting should be stretched, as is the case with carpets, the clamping surfaces of
the shields, being entirely smooth, will permit the matting to slip slightly through
the same should the stretching action of the clamping jaws be so great as to tend to
unduely stretch the matting.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pair of clamping jaws
which are intended to operate as described in the said specification, and which are
provided with shields constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2
is a side view of one of the jaws.
A, A, denote the pivoted clamping jaws provided with toothed or serrated clamping
portions or faces a, these jaws being pivoted to suitable parts as described in the said

page_text: specification and being provided with springs b which tend to force them forward, or
towards each other, but which will yield when the said clamping jaws come in contact
with the surfaces of the material or work to be held and by a slight longitudinal
movement will effect the stretching action, as described in the said specification. To
suitable extensions or loops b' of the springs 6 are pivoted the movable shields or
plates c, which are preferably formed of thin sheet metal, and the shanks of which
are bent as shown to form spring clips embracing the said loops 61, the said shields
being thus pivotally mounted on said loops so that they may be turned into the
operative positions shown in full lines in the drawing, or may be turned backward to
the inoperative positions indicated by dotted lines, and thus be out of the way when
not desired for use. Thus when the shields are to be used in holding the matting to
be sewed they will occupy the positions shown in full lines but when the apparatus is
to be used for holding carpets or fibrous material which is required to be stretched
somewhat tightly, and the surface of which will not be injured by contact with the
toothed holding portions of the clamping jaws, the said shields will be thrown back
out of the way into the inoperative position shown in dotted lines.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise details of
the removable or pivoted shields herein shown, as it may be obvious that the shields
might be detachably connected with the clamping jaws so that they might be
removed from the serrated faces thereof when not desired for use otherwise than by
pivotally connecting them with said clamping jaws in the manner herein shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The combination with a pair of toothed clamping jaws, for use in a carpet
holding and sewing apparatus, of smooth-surfaced shields removably mounted
with reference to the toothed surfaces of said jaws and being thus adapted to be
placed in position to cover the said toothed surfaces or to be removed from the said
surfaces when not desired for use.
2. The combination with toothed clamping jaws, for use in a carpet holding and
sewing apparatus, of smooth-surfaced shields pivotally connected with said jaws so that
they may be swung into position to cover the toothed surfaces thereof, or may be
thrown backward out of the way when not desired for use.
Dated this 21st day of January 1898.