Year: 1886

page_text: We, WILLIAM MATTHEWS of Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri,
and ARCHIBALD GAMBLE EASTON of St. Louis, in the County of St. Louis, and State
of Missouri, United States of America, gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in tuck folders, and is designed to produce
a device for forming tucks of any desired width or distance apart, that will yield
easily and quickly to a seam or other obstruction in the cloth, that is adapted to either
right or left hand machines, or to operate either from the outside or under the arm,
and that will deliver the folded cloth truly to the needle.
These advantages or objects as well as others hereinafter set forth, are accomplished
in the device shown in the annexed drawings in which :-
Figure 1, represents a perspective view of this device complete, and Figures 2 and 3
detail views of the parts.
The parts of the device are as follows:-A hanger A projects through a hole
preferably square, in an angle piece B and terminates in a threaded continuation
which projects through the other side of the piece B, and is provided there, with
clamping and adjusting nuts C. The piece B is pivotally connected to a socket D
which, by means of a thumb screw, is fastened to the sewing machine head, the said
thumb screw passing through a slot, in one wing of the said socket which may thus be
removed by loosening the said screw. The pivot allows the turning of the hanger so
as to depend from either the right or left. Hinged or pivoted to the lower end of the
hanger is an arm or gage carrier E, formed of a lower part provided with a folding
head and an upper part longitudinally slotted and parallel to the said lower part.
On each side of the slot the part or arm may be graduated.
Passing through this slot are thumb screws G, engaging with plates under the said
arm and thus forming movable clamps. Secured by one of the clamps is an indi-
cator H, in general shape, that of a U and terminating in a free arm with a head I about
parallel to the line of feed and needle of the machine. This indicator rests against the
line of stitching on formed tucks and in a manner hereinafter set forth, indicates or
regulates the distance between the tucks.

page_text: The free end has spring enough to allow it to pass over seams, or other obstructions
in the cloth.
A lipped head K. is secured by the other clamp and is adjustable on the arm E, as
is also the indicator.
A slotted strip L with graduation and one end bent in the form of a hook and the
other at an angle forms a supplementary gage and rests on the arm E both thumb-
screws passing through the said slot and holding it in place.
Attached preferably to the slide plate of the machine is a U shaped arm M. having
the attached end adjacent to a guide N which latter reaches as nearly to the needle as
possible, and which guide is for the purpose of guiding the folded tuck till it reaches
the needle, and thus prevent the said tuck from spreading or otherwise losing its shape
before it is sewed, to which objection it would be liable were it not properly guided by
the said part N from the folding devices to the needle.
The guide N may be made integral with the part M in which case the attachment
of the said part M is by means of the guide, in the manner below set forth.
The end of the said guide N farthest from the needle is pivoted to the slide plate
and a screw passing through a slot in the guide at O, allows a lateral adjustment so as
to deliver the goods to the needle, guided until it reaches the same and hence having
no opportunity to spread or lose its shape before being sewed, the adjustment adapting
it to be set truc on any machine.
A strip P having a folding head R on one end and upturned at the other end as
at T, travels on the free part of the arm M being retained thereon by ears that engage
with the edges of said arm.
The fixed part of the arm M is slotted as shown at P¹ and graduated on each side of
said slot. On the slotted portion of the arm M travels a carriage R' held to any
position, by a thumb screw and guided and restricted by said slot.
This carriage has an arm T¹, the end of which rests over the strip P, and against
which the upturned end T abuts.
By securing the carriage at any point the distance the head R projects is regulated.
Through the arm M at or near the curve passes a thumbscrew V bearing against a
padded plate W at the free end of a spring X, the pad preventing the marring of the
bed plate.
The operation of the device is as follows-
It being understood that the heads F and R and the guide N are nearly or quite
parallel to the line of feed and adjusted, for example, as shown in fig. 2, that is, with
the folding head R between the lipped head K and the folding head F, so that the
distance between the edge of the head R and the edge of the head F shall be equal to
the desired width of the tuck to be formed, then the cloth, in the proper position for
feeding it to the needle, would rest under the gage carrier E, around and over the
head F and around and over the head R, the remainder of the cloth resting over and
beyond the parts attached to the slide plate.
The cloth, folded as described is fed to the needle in the manner common to sewing
machines, the folding being continuous with the feeding and automatically performed,
the operator guiding the goods, only.
To adjust the parts to perform the above described operation of tuck folding the
lipped head K is first set so that the shoulder on the under portion thereof is at a
distance from the folding head F, a little greater than the width of the desired tuck,
the said head F always being on a line with the needle or a little to one side of the
said line. The goods are then so placed as to lay under the gage carrier E and over
the parts on the slide plate. The head R is then brought forward from the position
about as shown in fig. 1 till it rests under the lipped head K and above the head F,
the distance from the outer edge of the said head R to that of the said head F
determining the exact width of the tuck.
After the first tuck is formed the distance between the tucks is regulated by so
placing the indicator H that its head I may rest against the line of stitching of the
formed tuck, the said indicator H extending under the flap or fold of the tuck. In

page_text: setting the indicator, due allowance should be made for the width of the tucks, in
determining the distance between the said tucks.
To ensure a neat fold by the head R of the strip P, it is elevated or depressed by
the thumb screw V acting on the plate W. This adjustment is necessary for different
widths of tucks, the head R, being elevated to admit the free passage of the goods for
wide tucks and depressed for narrow tucks.
Sometimes it is desirable to form tucks with the edges toward each other or the
reverse in which case the cloth with finished tucks, is turned around end for end and
the above described operation performed, the supplementary gage L being advanced
so that either the angular end rests against the line of stitching or the hooked end
passes around the flap of the tuck on the opposite side of needle from tuck being
formed, according as to whether the said tucks are edge to edge or the reverse.
gage regulates the distance between the series of tucks, and serves to make them
parallel as is evident, the said gage travelling on a fixed line, the formed tuck.
This
The hinging of the arms to the hanger allows it to adjust itself for different thickness
of cloth and to freely pass over seams, such as, for instance, are encountered in making
tucks cross each other and being elevated adimits of the free passage of goods.
The adjustment of the hanger in the angle piece B allows it to be brought in perfect
coincidence with the needle so that the folding head F will be on a line with the said
needle. The improvement consists essentially in the following points
The swivelling or pivoting of the hanger, so that it may be swung horizontally
without changing the relation of the folding heads on the gage carrier to the line of
the feed and needle.
The mechanism producing the lateral adjustments, the combined horizontal,
swivelling and lateral adjustments.
The combined swivelling and lateral adjustment and the vertical play of the gage
carrier.
The indicator gage having a spring arm with a head about parallel to the line of
feed, for the purpose of presenting a smooth surface to the finished line of stitching.
The headed gage carrier with the lipped head, the indicator gage on one side, and
supplemental gage, all adjustable as described, the gage being formed of two spring
arms, one slotted.
The folder with the vertical adjustment, and carrying a longitudinally adjustable
folding head, and the guide on the slide plate, pivoted at one end and the other end
having a restricted lateral adjustment.
Although the preferable mode of constructing the device is shown, the parts may be
otherwise attached to the machine than to the slide plate and to a hanger depending
from the machine head.
Nor is the invention confined to the minutiae of construction shown and described
but the right to vary the same consistent with the spirit of the invention, is reserved.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1st. In a tuck folder a gage carrier, pivotally connected to a sewing machine so as
to be swung laterally to either the right or left, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
2nd. In a tuck folder a gage carrier having a lateral adjustment relative to the
plane of the feed of the machine, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3rd. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier pivotally connected to a sewing machine so as
to have vertical play, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier having pivotal connections to a sewing machine
so as to move both laterally and vertically on the said pivots, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
5th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier pivotally connected to a sewing machine so as
to have lateral and vertical movements on said pivots, and also having a lateral adjust-
ment relative to the plane of the feed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier suspended from the sewing machine head or

page_text: analogous portion by means of a hanger having pivotal connections to the same,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier pivotally connected to a hanger secured to the
sewing machine head, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
8th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier pivotally connected to a sewing machine head
or analogous portion and having a lateral adjustment in its bearings, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
9th. In a tuck folder, a hanger pivoted to a sewing machine head, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
10th. In a tuck folder, a hanger having a lateral adjustment in its bearings
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
11th. In a tuck folder, a hanger pivoted to a sewing machine head and having a
lateral adjustment in its bearings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
12th. In a tuck folder, a hanger having one end of polygonal shape with a threaded
continuation provided with thumb nuts in combination with an angle piece having a
hole, in one side, of polygonal shape and a round hole in the other, and pivoted to
a socket secured removably to the sewing machine head, the whole combined sub-
stantially as and for the purpose specified."
13th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier consisting of a strip or plate with a folding
head at one end, and a strip or plate with a longitudinal slot and graduations and
arranged parallel with and above the other plate or strip, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
14th. In a tuck folder, an indicator gage having a headed spring arm and adjustable
on a gage carrier, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
15th. In a tuck folder, a gage carrier having attached to it a gage with a lipped
head, and an indicator with a headed spring arm, the two operating and adjustable
independently substantially as and for the purpose specified.
16th. In a tuck folder, a supplementary gage projecting beyond the line of stitching
on the side opposite the needle from the gage carrier to which the said supplementary
gage is attached substantially as and for the purpose specified.
17th. In a tuck folder, a supplementary gage consisting of a strip with a longi-
tudinal slot and graduations having one end turned at an angle and the other formied
into a hook, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
18th. In a tuck folder, the combination with a hanger adjustable laterally and
pivoted to a sewing machine head, of a gage carrier hinged or pivoted to the said
hanger, and supporting an indicator gage, a lip headed gage and a supplementary
gage, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
19th. In a tuck folder, a guide leading to the needle and attached to the slide plate
or other analogous portion of a machine, said guide having an adjustment relatively
lateral to the plane of the feed and needle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
20th. In a tuck folder, a guide pivoted to the slide plate or other analogous
portion of a machine, said guide nearly reaching the needle and adjustable laterally
by means of a screw passing through a slot therein, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
21st. In a tuck folder, a folder having one end secured and the other free, said free
end being adjustablo vertically, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
22nd. In combination with a folder, a spring plate acted upon by a thumb screw to
adjust one end of the folder substantially as and for the purpose specified.
23rd. In a tuck folder, a folder adjustably secured to a machine so as to move
laterally, and having a free folding end adjustable vertically substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.