IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor Pörtner, of
Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad
by Heinrich Pollack, of Hamburgh, Germany.
Sealed the 23rd April 1872, and dated the 1st November 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johannes Heinrich
Ludwig Theodor Pörtner at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with bis Petition, on the 1st November 1871.
I, JOHANNES HEINRICH LUDWIG THEODOR PÖRTNER, of Regent Street,
in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," a communication to
me from abroad by Heinrich Pollack, of Hamburgh, Germany, to be
as follows:-
These improvements consist in tucking arrangements for sewing
machines, and are applicable to machines on the rotary spool hook
principle, but they can also be adapted to sewing machines of any other
constructions.

page_text: The arrangements consist mainly of four parts, and are illustrated
on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings; Fig. 1 being a plan,
Fig. 2 a front elevation, Fig. 3 a side clevation, and Fig. 4 a cross section
through the line x, y, on Fig. 1.
..
.“
7.
The first part of these improvements refer to arrangements for folding
and guiding the fabric. This is done by the blades a and b, which are
fixed to the guiding shafts a' and b', and adjustable by means of the set
screws a" and ". The under blade a is fixed to the guiding shaft a¹, and
is sufficiently thin in front to allow the narrowest tucks-to-be-folded over
it. The position of the blade a to the line A, B, which coincides with the
stitching line or direction of feed of the sewing machine, "determines the
width of the tucks, because the more the fore edge all of the blade a is
placed in front of the line A, B, the wider the tuck will be. The blade o
on the cloth plate of the sewing machine is supported by a gauge, and
serves for guiding the fabric straight on to the needle. The part o' turns
at o" in order to facilitate the fabric to be folded over the blade, but is
fixed in position by a pawl armi
by a pawl arm with spring. The edges of the blades.a
and o must run-parallel to the stitching line, as a diagonal position of
blade o would produce an irregular tuck. The shafts a and b have a
graduated scale, of which the zero coincides with the stitching line. By
moted of.
placing them according to the numbers on the scales the desired width
of tuck can be obtained. The upper blade 6 is fixed to the guiding shaft
6', but is bent and not straight like the under one. It is very thin as the
neatness of the tuck depends upon it; it serves to run the preceding tuck
close to the same to produce a straight seam. To complete the next
following tuck withdraw the blade 6 by the width of the tuck or the
required distance between two tucks. It is evident that if a and 6 run
parallel to the stitching line every new tuck must be parallel to the
preceding one. This is an important advantage which the apparatus
offers over any folding tucks by hand, as seamstresses very seldom have
the practise to fold a tuck' parallel' to the preceeding one, which! besides
can only be done in a very limited length (about "'yard). "This
apparatus however will fold any length to perfection.
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From the above it follows that a and b must be adjustable according
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to the width of the tucks from front
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thickness of the fabric up and down.
to back, and according to the
The former is done by pushing
them backwards or forwards in their staples and band found their
axes a and b by turning on 6, whereby both shafts"
with

page_text: them a and b will be lifted and lowered again, but by turning on a¹ a
alone will be lifted or lowered, leaving 6 in its place. When set they are
secured by screws.
.
The next part refers to arrangements for creasing the tucks. Under
the blade a is a cylindrical brush d, which is set in rapid motion from
a wheel on the crank shaft of the machine stand, and presses the fabric
under a against the edge a", and smooths down and completes the tuck.
The brush stretches the fabric so that it cannot turn off from the blade,
and without the same it is impossible to make a perfect tuck. The outer
end of the cylindrical brush is of a conical shape and serves for filling
the metal spool with thread.
The next part refers to means for pressing out the tucks. It is of
great importance, and is intended for stretching the fabric and seam so
that in washing and ironing it may not pucker and come out unsightly.
Instead of smoothing tucks down with the finger nails the mechanism
described in the following will do this most effectually. In the middle
of the under blade a is fixed the slido c, which may be set on the shaft
a as required by the screw at the end of it; it is guided by c". The
finger or feeler c¹ is in connection with the slide c. As soon as the feeler
c¹ comes in contact with the blade 6 the slide c is in its right place. To
the upper shaft bis fixed the spring c". On screwing it down by means
of the set screw the downward bent flange at the side of the end of the
spring will press upon the tuck on the slide and stretch the tuck,
whereby a perfect pressing out of the same will be effected. At the end
of the spring c is a projection, which holds the smooth tuck down and
guides it properly towards and between the cylinders.
The next part refers to arrangements for smoothing the tucks and
guiding the fabric. Between the sewing machine and the two blades
nearest the latter, are placed the cylinders and f¹, of which the under
one is of iron and grooved and the upper one has a wooden casing.
The bearings 9, 9, of the latter move easily in their guides on the presser
arm h. By means of screws i, i, acting upon spiral springs K, K, the
required pressure is obtained. The tucks thus lying between fand ƒ¹ will
be perfectly smooth by this pressure as they have to run through several
times. The presser arm h can be lifted in order to be able to introduce
the fabric conveniently between the cylinders, to effect which push the
knob l, whereby the pawl arm m will drop out and the presser arm h be

page_text: ་་་་་.
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detached, allowing it at the same time to turn. The cylinders are set
in motion by the feed bar of the sewing machine. The stud 2-is-fixed
to the lever m', communicates with the feed bar, and is in connection
with the lever p, which pushes the lever q, linked to p, in the direction
the arrow points, whereby the catch or tooth ? acts upon the projecting.
parts of the cylinder f, and the friction thus obtained effects the
motion of the cylinder. When the push of the levers m', p, and q
ceases the catch will be freed from the cylinder by the spring t.
Underneath the cylinder is a brake spring slightly pressing on the same
that it may stop instantly when the levers go back. A corresponding
motion of the cylinders and the feed bar is obtained by placing the
adjustable joint u lower or higher as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jóhannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor Pörtner in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS' SHALL COME, I, JOHANNES
HEINRICH LUDWIG THEODOR PÖRTNER, of Regent Street, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Johannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor
Pörtner, Her special licence that I, the said Johannes Heinrich
Ludwig Theodor Pörtner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Johannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor Pörtner,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," (a communication to me from abroad, by
Heinrich. Pollack, of Hamburgh, Germany), upon the condition (amongst

page_text: others) that I, the said Johannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor Pörtner, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Johannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor
Pörtner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings and to the letters of reference marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The improvements consists in tucking arrangements for sewing
machines, and are applied to a self-acting apparatus for folding, creasing,
smoothing, and pressing tucks for sewing machines, all as hereafter
described.
Folding tucks by hand is very troublesome, requires much practice,
and can only be done with accuracy in a very limited length (about
1 yard).
Apparatus constructed according to this Invention is primarily
intended and adapted for use in manufacturing establishments for
tucking with superior accuracy, uniformity, and neatness great lengths
of fabric, and renders the work independant of the seamstress. It is
applicable to rotary hook sewing machines, but not exclusively so, as it
can be applied to sewing machines of any other construction so as to
form a part of the machine and not a temporary attachment.
The Invention consists,―
1st. In folding and guiding devices of peculiar arrangement.
2nd. In a rotary brush for creasing the fabric over the folder.
3rd. In a seam smoother for rubbing down the folds at the scams
preparatory to flattening the tucks upon the fabric.

page_text: roller.
7th. In a presser spring acting upon the removable bow or staple, all
as herein-after more fully described.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a plan; Fig. 2 a front
elevation; Fig. 3 a side elevation; and Fig. 4 a cross section, through
the line x, y, on Fig. 1, of an apparatus constructed according to this
Invention.
The first part of these improvements refer to arrangements for folding
and guiding the fabric. This is done by the blades a and b, which are
fixed to the guiding shafts a¹ and 6' and adjustable by means of the set
screws a" and ". The under blade a is fixed to the guiding shaft a¹ and
is sufficiently thin in front to allow the narrowest tucks to be folded over
it. The position of the blade a to the line A, B, which coincides with
the stitching line or direction of feed of the sewing machine, determines
the width of the tucks, because the more the fore edge of the blade a is
placed in front of the line A, B, the wider the tuck will be. The blade o
on the cloth plate of the sewing machine is supported by a gauge, and
serves for guiding the fabric straight on to the needle. The part o' turns
at o¹ in order to facilitate the fabric to be folded over the blade, but is
fixed in position by a pawl arm with spring. The edges of the blades a
and o must run parallel to the stitching line, as a diagonal position of
blade would produce an irregular tuck. The shafts a' and 6' have
graduated scale, of which the zero coincides with the stitching line. By
placing them according to the numbers on the scales the desired width
of tuck can be obtained. The upper blade 6 is fixed to the guiding shaft
', but is bent and not straight like the under one. It is very thin, as the
neatness of the tuck depends upon it. It serves to run the preceding tuck
close to the same to produce a straight seam. To complete the next
following tuck withdraw the blade 6 by the width of the tuck or the
required distance between two tucks. It is evident that if a and b run
parallel to the stitching line every new tuck must be parallel to the
preceding one. From the above it follows that a and b must be
adjustable according to the width of the tucks from front to back, and
according to the thickness of the fabric up and down. The former is
done by pushing them backwards or forwards in their staples a
and
and round their axes a and 6. by turning on 61, whereby both
shafts and with them a and b will be lifted and lowered again, but by

page_text: turning on a a alone will be lifted or lowered, leaving in its place;
when set they are secured by screws.
The next part refers to arrangements for creasing the tucks. Under
the blade a is a cylindrical brush d, which is set in rapid motion from a
wheel on the crank shaft of the machine stand, and presses the fabric
under a against the edge a" and smooths down and completes the tuck.
The brush stretches the fabric so that it cannot turn off from the blade,
and without the same it is impossible to make a perfect tuck. The
outer end of the cylindrical brush is of a conical shape, and serves for
fitting on and filling the metal spool with thread.
The next part refers to means for pressing out the tucks. It is of
great importance and is intended for stretching the fabric and seam so
that in washing and ironing it may not pucker and come out unsightly..
Instead of smoothing tucks down with the finger nails the mechanism
described in the following will do this most effectually. In the middle
of the under blade a is fixed the slide c, which may be set on the shaft or
blade a as required by the screw at the end of it; it is guided by c. The
finger or feeler.c¹ is in connection with the slide c. As soon as the
fecler c¹ comes in contact with the blade b. the slide c is in its right place.
To the upper shaft 6¹ is fixed the spring c. On screwing it down by
means of the set screw the downward bent flange at the side of the end
of the spring will press upon the tuck on the slide and stretch the tuck,
whereby a perfect pressing out of the same will be effected. At the end
of the spring c¹ is a projection, which holds the smooth tuck down and
guides it properly towards and between the cylinders.
•
The next part refers to arrangements for smoothing the tucks and
guiding the fabric. Between the sewing machine and the two blades,
nearest the latter, are placed the cylinders fand f¹, of which the under
one is of iron and grooved and the upper one has a wooden casing. The
bearings g, g, of the latter move easily in their guides on the presser arm h.
By means of screws i, i, acting upon the spiral springs, k, the required
pressure is obtained. The tucks thus lying between f and f¹ will be
perfectly smooth by this pressure as they have to run through several
times. The presser arm h can be lifted in order to be able to introduce
the fabric conveniently between the cylinders, to effect which push the
knob 7, whereby the pawl arm m will drop out and the presser arm / be
detached, allowing it at the same time to turn. The cylinders are set in

page_text: motion by the feed bar of the sewing machine. The stud n is fixed-to
the lever m², communicates with the feed bar, and is in connection with
the lever p, which pushes the lever q linked to pin the direction the
arrow points, whereby the catch or tooth r acts upon the projecting
parts of the cylinder f, and the friction thus obtained effects the motion
of the cylinder. When the push of the levers m, p, and q ceases the
catch r will be freed from the cylinder by the spring t. Underneath the
cylinder is a brake spring slightly pressing on the same that it may stop
instantly when the levers go back. A corresponding motion of the
cylinders and the feed bar is obtained by placing the adjustable joint u
JAWAY An bichosind

page_text: a set screw.
.
To be able to arrange the fabric conveniently over the blades the
holders all and 6 in which the bars a¹ and b¹ slide are jointed and.
furnished with clamp pieces, through which screws pass and clamp the.
holders to an arm of the base plate. They are by these means..
..properly
adjusted and secured. ƒ represents a cylindrical brush with bristles
arranged by preference spirally, and furnished with a V pulley. It is
driven by a band or gut from the crank shaft of the machine at high
speed, and serves to crease the fabric over the folding blade 6 with a
tendency against the feed so as to smooth out the fabric and tightly
draw the same up to the edge 6 i represents a finger arranged on the
folding blade 6 and operating to flatten or smooth the folds at the seams
against the edge of the spacer a. It is constructed with a feeler g', by
which it is set in proper position relatively to the edge of the spacer a,
and is attached to the bar b' of the folder 6 by a slide 9, and secured by
The smoother is in position when the feeler g' is at the
edge of the spacer a. h represents a second finger projecting downward
over the spacer from the arm a' in the form of a spring, and forced
downward by a screw h'. This finger is constructed with a downward
projection at the side of its point, and in line with the edge of the spacer,
it may lock into a notch on the latter, and serves to engage with the
seams and to stretch the same. By turning the screw ¹ the resistance
of the spring and consequent pressure of the stretcher / may be regu-
lated. This will also assist in guiding the fabric. K represents a roller
located in the end of a forked bow or staple r, which is held in place by
a catch m attached to same, and is pivoted at t and . This roller
serves to feed and guide the fabric in unison with a double acting feed
bar, but primarily to press out the tucks at successive operations so as
to perfectly smooth the same; each tuck passing under the roll at least
twice the last time after having been finally folded and stretched. It
receives its pressure from a spring p attached by a hinges and passing
through a guide &¹ underneath the table. This spring is constructed
with a roller q at its end, situated out of the centre line of the pivots t, t¹,
and acting upon the flat under side of the segment " of the forked
bow r. By turning the screw passing through the table and acting
upon the spring p the pressure of the roller K may be easily regulated.
In order to conveniently introduce the ready folded and sewn tucks
between the feed and the roller lift the staple by forcing back the
push rod with knob´o at end and place it with catch m upon the part n.
The staple will be held in a perpendicular position by lifting it higher

page_text: until the roller q drops into the notch w of the segment □ (see Fig. 7).
The feed bar which drives the presser roller K projects with six rows of
teeth through six holes in the sewing plate and under the said roller. It
is of the same width as the roller, to assist it effectually in guiding and
smoothing the tucks, and is hinged to the ordinary feed bar of the
sewing machine.
Both bars have their fulcra on the same axis, and to effect a simul-
taneous lifting and feeding of the same a second eccentric is placed
accordingly on the hook spindle x.
The tucking operation as performed by this mechanism is as follows:-
The folder 6 having been properly adjusted for the desired width of tuck
and the spacer a with its edge at the stitching line A, B, the portion
above the tucks of the picce to be sewn is placed between the bars a¹
and b, and at the point for the highest tuck the fabric is placed between
the folder b and the spacer a, the edge of the latter indicating the
position of the seam. The outer portion of the fabric is then folded back
under the folder 6 and between the same and the brush f. The fabric
thus prepared is fed forward by hand under the pressing roller Kand
over the cloth plate guide c, both of which have been drawn back, and
until its edge can be placed under the presser foot of the machine,
which can be accomplished readily and rapidly. The guide c and
roller K are then returned to their position, the machine set in motion,
and the first tuck sewn, the several parts operating as already described.
The tuck thus formed must be flattened down on the fabric. This is
accomplished in starting by hand. The spacer a and its appurtenances
which now come into action are properly adjusted behind the stitching
line and the sewn tuck folded over the spacer with its scam at the edge
of the same and under the stretcher h. The fabric is then arranged as
before for the new tuck and the machine again started. When a tuck is
gauged, folded, spaced, and guided by means of the blades a, b, and c, and
the brush, and sewn, and the preceeding one flattened, stretched, and
pressed by the fingers i and h, the roller K, and the feed bar, which
operations are repeated until the desired number of tucks arc com-
nleted.

page_text: with the former and in line therewith on the cloth plate, severally and
combined, and operating substantially as herein shown and described.
Second. The rotary brush for creasing the fabric over the folding
blade, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The seam smoother, adjustable on the folding blade, and con-
structed and operating substantially as described for the purposes
specificd.
Fourth. The seam stretcher constructed, arranged, and operating.
substantially as and for the purpose stated.
Fifth. The presser roller, arranged in front of the sewing mechanism
for pressing the successive tucks and assisting the feed.
Sixth. The double acting feed bar, driving and assisting the said
presser roller, constructed and arranged substantially as described.
Seventh. The roller mounted at the end of the pivoted staple with
segment part, constructed and operating in combination with the spring
and the roller, substantially as shewn and described.
Eighth. The general construction and combination of the described
apparatus for making tucks.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johannes Heinrich Ludwig Theodor
Pörtner, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh
day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two.
JOHANNES HEINRICH LUDWIG THEODOR PÖRTNER. (L.S.)