Improvements in Hand-sewing Needles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand-sewing Needles.
1, ALFRED RICE ALLWOOD, of the Minerva Needle Works, Alcester in the County
of Warwick, Needle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
1 manufacture out of solid steel wire a hand-sewing needle of any kind soever,
having on each of its opposite sides through which the eye is pierced a long deep
groove extending from the body of the needle, say at one quarter of an inch (or more
if desirable) below the eye on upwards through the length of the head, which may be
somewhat elongated in needles made in accordance with my invention: I also con-
siderably reduce and taper off the upper part of the needle from a little below the
groove up to the head as a means of facilitating its passage through the fabric to be
sewn. Where it starts in the body of the needle each of the grooves above mentioned,
is somewhat narrow and shallow but it gradually widens and deepens as is extends
upwards, forming an incline to the eye, and thus furnishing a guide for the threading;
for if the end of the cotton be but placed in any part of the lower portion of either of
the grooves the sides of this prevent its slipping off and it can be moved between
them upwards direct to the eye into which it then passes with the greatest ease.
And these deep grooves being continued through each side of the head, form a
channel or hollow in which the cotton lies buried during the act of being drawn
by the needle through the fabric to be sewn; while the ridges formed by the
sides of the grooves assist materially the passage of the needle through the fabric, as
also does the tapering of the upper part of the needle as before mentioned.
And to perform the operations necessary to produce a needle in accordance with
my invention, I use the ordinary and well-known manufacturing processes until the
needle wires are ready for the reducing and tapering of the upper or head portion
and the stamping, when to perform this operation I fix in the stamp dies so struck as
to produce this and on each proper side of the needle wires the long deep groove
before mentioned in place of merely a bevil or a gutter; the dies also at the same
time, as is usual in the stamping process, marking the place for piercing the eyes
which may be of an oval or any other form usual in needles, though as a part of my
invention I prefer to make the eyes somewhat longer and equally rounded at both
top and bottom so as to be alike adapted for the tailoring trade or for ordinary
sewing.
The needles then pass through the usual processes of manufacture to the several
stages of the scouring operation, wherein owing to the depth of the groove, this may
not be scoured so bright as the other parts of the needle, I therefore before the final
stage of the scouring process do, if necessary, deepen and brighten the grooves by
subjecting them to the action of a grooving machine and circular polishing brushes,
both processes being the same as those used in deepening and brightening the grooves
of sewing machine needles, and these operations being finished, I complete the stages
of scouring, and the needle then passes through the remaining processes to which
needles are ordinarily subjected until they are papered for sale..
And thus 1 produce a hand sewing needle of any kind soever in which by my
invention are combined the following improvements; first, the deep bright grooves
above described of which the part below the eye furnishes a guide for the threading,
and the part above forms a deep channel in the head wherein the thread lies buried
during the act of being drawn by the needle through the fabric; secondly an eye
somewhat longer than is usual in most ordinary needles and rounded equally at the
bottom as the top so as to prevent the cutting of the thread at either extremity;
thirdly an elongated head which allows of the pressure of the thimble upon it until

page_text: the eye and the thread which it carries are clear through the fabric, a
considerable tapering of the upper part of the needle which greatly facilitates its
passage through the fabric.
טו
W day of March 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hand-sewing Needles.
1, ALFRED RICE ALLWOOD, of the Minerva Needle Works, Alcester, in the County
of Warwick, Needle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
I manufacture out of solid steel wire a hand-sewing needle of any kind whatever,
long deep
having on each of its opposite sides through which the eye is pierced, a
groove extending from the body of the needle, say from one quarter of an inch, (or
more if desirable) below the eye, upwards through the head, which may be somewhat
elongated in needles made in accordance with my invention; I also considerably
reduce and taper off the upper part of the needle from a little below the groove up
to the head as a means of facilitating its passage through the fabric to be sewn.
Where it starts in the body of the needle, each of the grooves above mentioned is
somewhat narrow and shallow but it gradually widens and deepens as it extends
upwards, forming an incline to the eye and thus furnishing a guide for the
threading; for if the end of the cotton be but placed in any part of the lower
portion of either of these grooves the sides of the needle prevent its slipping off
and it can he moved between them upwards to the eye into which it then passes
with the greatest ease.
And these long deep grooves being continued through each side of the head form
deep channels or hollows in which the cotton lies buried during the act of being
drawn by the needle through the fabric to be sewn, while the ridges formed by
the sides of the grooves assist materially the passage of the needle through the
fabric, as also does the tapering of the upper part of the neeedle, as before
mentioned.
In figure 1 in the accompanying diawing, a represents the lower part of one
of the deep grooves extending from the body of the needle upwards to the eye b,
and c the continuation of this groove through the elongated head thus forming the
chamel or hollow in which the thread lies buried during the act of being drawn
through the fabric to be sewn ; while d. d. e. e denote the part of the needle tapering
upwards to the head. Figure 2 is a section of the head across from e to e showing
the depth of the channels or hollows in this part of the needle, as above described.
And to perform the operations necessary to produce a needle in accordance with
my invention use the ordinary and well-known manufacturing processes until the
needle wires are ready for the reducing and tapering of the upper or head portion
and the stamping, when to perform this operation, I fix in the stamp, dies, so
struck as to produce this and on each proper side of the needle wires, the long
deep groove before mentioned, in place of merely a bevil or a gutter; the dies-also
at the same time, as is usual in the stamping process,. marking the place for the
eye, which may be of an oval or any other form usual in needles, though as a part
of my invention, I prefer to make the eye somewhat longer than is usual in needles,
and equally rounded at both top and bottom, so as to be alike adapted for the
tailoring trade or for ordinary sewing.
The needles then pass through the usual processes of manufacture to the several
stages of the scouring operation wherein, owing to the depth of the groove, this
part of the needle may not be scoured so bright as the other parts, I therefore,
before the final stage of the scouring process, do, if necessary, deepen and brighten
the grooves by subjecting them to the action of a grooving machine and circular

page_text: polishing brushes, both processes being the same as those used in deepening and
brightening the grooves of sewing machine needles; and these operations being
finished, complete the stages of scouring. The needle then passes through the
remaining processes to which needles are ordinarily subjected until they are papered
for sale.
And thus I produce a hand-sewing needle of any kind soever, in which by my
invention are combined the following improvements-First, the deep bright grooves
above described, of which the parts below the eye furnish guides for the threading,
while the parts above form deep channels or bollows in the head, wherein the
thread lies buried during the act of being drawn by the needle through the fabric.
Secondly, an eye somewhat longer than is usual in most ordinary needles and
rounded equally at top and bottom so as to prevent the cutting of the thread at
either extremity. Thirdly, an elongated head which allows of the pressure of the
thimble upon it until the eye and the thread which it carries are clear through
the fabric; and lastly a considerable tapering of the upper part of the needle which
greatly facilitates its passage through the fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1st. The long deep groove on opposite sides of the needle, extending from the
body of it on upwards through the head.
2ndly. In combination with this, the elongation of the head and the eye and the
tapering upwards of the upper part of the needle, all substantially for the purposes
before explained in this my complete specification.
Dated this 21st day of August 1889.
ALFRED RICE ALLWOOD.