AN IMPROVED MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR THREADING NEEDLES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Savage, of Pelham Street, in the Town and
County of the Town of Nottingham, Chymist and Druggist, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR THREADING
NEEDLES."
Sealed the 2nd January 1861, and dated the 4th July 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Savage, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
July 1860.
I, JOHN SAVAGE, of Pelham Street, in the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Chymist and Druggist, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR THREAD-
ING NEEDLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention of a new mode or method of threading needles consists of an
arrangement of two plates, composed either of brass or other suitable material,
of a certain length, according to the number of needles for which it is required;
for instance, suppose six needles require to be threaded, all the same size or of
six sizes, I take a brass or other plate of suitable length and thickness, through
which I drill six holes nearly the size of the eyes of the needles intended to be
threaded. On one side of the plate I countersink or enlarge the holes to admit
of the easier passage of the thread to be used; on the back of this plate I
place another of the same length and of about twice the width and about double

page_text: the thickness of the needles to be threaded; there are two holes slightly slotted
near the ends of this plate, through which are passed two small set screws,
by which it is held securely to the first-named plate, the holes in which lie
over the same number of small slots the width of the holes. From the slots to
one edge of the plate, grooves are cut for the needles to lie in, of divers sizes or of
the same size, the thickness of the plate at the other side of the small slots
forming stops for the beards of the needles to rest against while being threaded;
or, if my Invention is used for threading needles used in sewing machines, the
other side of the plate beyond the slots has pointed grooves cut in it, so that
the needle points lie in them and the eye of the needle is stopped opposite the
holes of the first-named plate, which, for machine needles, has saw gates cut
in one edge to the drilled holes, so as to allow the thread to be passed out
instead of the length of the thread being drawn through the hole, the plates
being capable of sliding upon each other for regulating the use of a short or
long pointed needle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Savage in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
January 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SAVAGE, of Pelham Street, in the Town and County of the Town of Notting-
ham, Chymist and Druggist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Savage, Her special licence that I, the said John Savage,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Savage, 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
"AN IMPROVED MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR THREADING NEEDLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Savage, 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

page_text: said Invention, and in what manner the sanie 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 John Savage, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—
My Invention relates to an improved means of or apparatus for threading
needles, which consists of an arrangement of two plates, composed either of
brass or other suitable material, of certain length, according to the number of
needles for which the apparatus is required; for instance, supposing six needles
are to be threaded all of the same size or of six different sizes, I take a brass
or other plate of suitable length and thickness, through which I drill six holes
nearly the size of the eyes of the needles intended to be threaded, and on one
side of the plate I countersink or enlarge the holes to admit of the easier pas-
sage of the thread to be used; on the back of this plate I place another plato
of the same length, but of about twice the width and of about double the thick-
ness of the needles to be threaded; there are two holes slightly slotted near
the ends of this plate, through which are passed two small set screws by which
it is held securely to the first-mentioned plate, the holes in which lie over the
same number of small slots, which are the width of the holes. From the slots to
one edge of the plate, grooves are cut for the needles to lie in, of various sizes
or of the same size, the thickness of the plate at the other side of the small
slots forming stops for the heads of the needles to rest against while being
threaded; or, if my apparatus is intended for threading needles used in sewing
machines, then the other side of the plate beyond the slots has pointed grooves
cut in it, so that the needle points may lie in them, and the eye of the needle
it stopped opposite the holes of the first-mentioned plate, which, for machine
needles, has saw gates cut in one edge to the drilled holes, so as to allow the
thread to be passed out instead of the length of the thread having to be with-
drawn through the hole, and the plates are capable of sliding upon each other
for regulating or accommodating them for short or long pointed needles.
I now proceed to explain my said Invention and the mode of carrying the
same into effect, more particularly with reference to the accompanying Drawings,
which represent a needle threader, constructed according to my improve-
ments, and intended for threading needles of the description constantly in
domestic use.

page_text: Figure 1 is a front view, and Figure 2 an end view in section, of the needle
threader, which is represented as capable of threading six different sized
needles; both Figures are drawn the full size. The apparatus consists of a
piece of metal thinner at one part, which, for instance, I call the bottom part,
than at the other or top part; the thin part has grooves cut or cast in it, as
shown, which grooves are open at the thin part, but are continued up to and
a little beyond the centre of a hole in the front, which is countersunk, so as
gradually to diminish in size to a hole as small as or a little smaller than the
eye of the needle to be threaded. This hole is on one side of the needle eye,
and on the other side of the needle the hole is somewhat larger, to admit of
the free passage of the cotton or other thread used; the intermediate space
between the front and back holes is not of the same depth as the lower part of
the grooves which the needle lies in, but is slightly narrower, so that as a
needle is pushed up to be threaded, the metal will cause the flat part of the
needle where the eye is to lie in such a position, that the eye of the needle will
be in a line with the front and back holes (needles are usually rather flat at
the part where the eye is, and slightly thinner than just below the eye). The
.needle being pushed as high up the groove as it will go, the cotton or other
thread is pushed down the countersunk hole and out at the back, having
passed through the eye of the needle, the needle is then drawn out of the
groove, threaded as required.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that what I claim in respect
of my improved apparatus for threading needles is, the arrangement and
combination of parts of which the same consist, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Savage, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Agent,
Nottingham.
JOHN SAVAGE. (L.S.)