IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINES FOR UNITING PORTIONS OF LACE, BLOND, EDGING, NETT, AND OTHER FABRICS, USUALLY CALLED RUNNING-ON MACHINES
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Smithard and
Henry Wheatcroft at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 15th May 1860.
We, SAMUEL SMITHARD, of Nottingham, Machinist, and HENRY WHEATCROFT,
of 27, Fore Street, City of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
MACHINES FOR UNITING PORTIONS OF LACE, BLOND, EDGING, NETT, AND OTHER
FABRICS, USUALLY CALLED RUNNING-ON MACHINES," " to be as follows:-
The first part of our Invention relates to the mode of actuating the needle
made use of in these said machines. Hitherto this has generally been
obtained by placing one end of the ucedle between a pair of oval, elipsoidal, or
similarly curved rollers, the rotation of which produces within the needle an
undulatory motion, and enables it to make the stitches in the fabric, which of
course are proportional in number to the velocity of the rollers. We propose
to effect this action upon the needle by means of a rocking shaft, instead of
the said rollers. By means of gear from the axle of the receiving cylinder of
the machine, we drive a crank axle and crank rod, or an excentric or cam,
which in turn actuates a rocking shaft, on which is mounted a pair of rollers,
having a vertical groove in them; in this groove the end of the needle plays,
and passes between a small pair of steading rolls in front of the others, and
also mounted on the working shaft. By means of this arrangement a far
greater stendiness is obtained for the needle, and a greater number of stitches
can be made.

page_text: The next part of our Invention consists in the application of an apparatus
for indicating when a certain length of fabric has passed over the machine and
been united together. As the united fabrics after passing through the machine
draw with them a length of loose thread equal to the length of fabric united,
and as definite portions are completed at one operation, it is usual for the
operator to run off one-half of this portion, judging by his eye; then break
the thread, the loose part serving to unite the remaining portion of the
fabrics; should this portion of loose thread be too short or too long, it causes
both trouble and waste. To obviate this we propose to transmit, by means of
screw and wheel gear, motion from the axle of the receiving cylinder to an
indicator fixed upon a dial plate, and as a revolution of the receiving cylinder
indicates or measures a definite amount of fabric passed over, this amount will
at any time be indicated and measured by the indicator upon the dial face,
by means of which the operator will be enabled to break the thread at the
exact length.
The next part of our Invention relates to the mode of driving the reel or
spool, which receives the fabrics after they have passed through the machine
and are united; this has usually been effected by means of a long cord with a
weight suspended to it, the gradual descent of the weight causing the spindle
of the reel slowly to revolve; when the weight reaches the bottom the operator
pulls it up again, and the motion is again continued, and on so.
We propose
to substitute for this a coiled spring, which upon being wound up, acts similarly
to the spring of a watch, through a train of wheels and gear upon the spindle
of the reel, and causes it to revolve slowly. By this arrangement much time
and space is saved.