IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCHET NEEDLES AND CROCHET NEEDLE HOLDERS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Mander, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCHET
NEEDLES AND CROCHET NEEDLE HOLDERS."
Sealed the 6th January 1868, and dated the 10th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Mander at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
July 1862.
I, JOSEPH MANDER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CROCHET NEEDLES AND CROCHET NEEDLE HOLDERS," to be as follows:- :
My Invention consists, firstly, in fixing on that end of a crochet needle
which is inserted in the holder, a small piece of brass or other material having
an expanded end, which can be forced into the spring part of the holder,
herein-after described, or of other holders, and thereby effect a rapid and safe
connection of the needle with its holder.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the following improvements in crochet
needle holders:-In making a sliding crochet needle holder, I take a thin
metallic open-jointed tube or case of the kind used for making small pencil
cases, and I connect the needle to the said case by means of a strip of sheet
metal, which is bent at its middle into a tubular form. This tubular part
grasps the before-described expanded end of the crochet needle by means of
two or more spring clips, situated on its edge. By this method of connecting
the needle with the holder the needle can readily be changed. When it is

page_text: not wished to be able to change the needle, the spring clips may be dispensed
with, and the needle soldered to the tubular piece. The ends of the strip of
metal pass through the longitudinal opening in the case, and being bent
back upon the case constitute a slide, by pressing which in one or other
direction the needle can be forced out of and drawn into its case. The end of i
the case from which the needle projects is taper, and its extremity is rounded
so as to prevent the hook of the needle from catching it as it is withdrawn
into the case. When the needle is to be moved into and out of the holder by
a rotating or screwing motion, I make a screw of a coil or helix of wire, the
said screw being about one-half the length of the needle, and I fix the base of
the needle to one end of the said screw, the needle being situated in the axis of
the screw. Within the screw and between it and the needle is a tube of
metal, which covers the needle when it is forced out of the screw, and uncovers
the needle when it is withdrawn into the screw. The motion of the said tube
is thus effected:-On that end of the said tube furthest from the point of the
needle two or three coils of wire are fixed; these coils engage between the
coils of the screw, and when the said tube is turned in one or other direction,
the screw being held still, the tube retires into or advances out of the screw
and uncovers or covers the crochet needle. When the needle is only to be
attached to the holder without the power of sliding in and out of the holder, I
slit the end of the tubular holder with about four longitudinal slits, and turn
in the ends of the holder, so as to make it grasp the expanded end of the
needle. The end of the holder may be tightened on the end of he needle
either by a screw or a sliding band. When the holder is not tubular, a small
tubular piece, having a slit end as last described, is fixed to the holder. The
holders described may be encased in or covered by any required ornamental
material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Mander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
MANDER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One 3
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign,
8

page_text: did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Mander, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph, Mander,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph
Mander, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCHET
NEEDLES AND CROCHET NEEDLE HOLDERS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Mander, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Joseph Mander, 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, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in fixing on that end of a crochet needle
which is inserted in the holder a small piece of brass or other material having
an expanded end or making an expanded end on the said needle, which
expanded end can be forced into the spring part of the holder herein-after
described, or of other holders, and thereby effect a rapid and safe connection of
the needle with its holder. Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents
in elevation a crochet needle with this improvement applied thereto, the crochet
needle is marked a, and the expanded end is marked b.
My Invention consists, secondly, of the improvements herein-after
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in crochet needle
holders. In making a sliding crochet needle-holder according to my Inven-
tion I take a thin metallic open-jointed tube or case of the kind used for
making small pencil cases, and I connect the needle to the said case by means
of a strip of sheet metal, which is bent at its middle into a tubular form. This
tubular part grasps the before-described expanded end of the crochet needle
by means of two or more spring clips situated on its edge. Figure 2 represents
in elevation a sliding crochet needle connected to its case according to the
last-described improvement; Figure 8 is a section of the same, and Figure 4
represents separately the tubular part, by means of which the needle is con-
nected to the case of the holder. The needle is marked a, the open-jointed

page_text: tube is marked c, and the tubular connecting piece is marked d. In con-
necting the needle a to the case c, the said needle is first fixed in the tube d by
clusing the sping clips d² at its end into the groove at the bottom of the
expanded end 6 of the needle. The said needle and tubular part are then
passed into the open end of the case c, the ears & being passed through tho
longitudinal slot or opening in the case c. The ears d of the tubular piece d
are bent back upon the case and constitute a slide. The needle is thus fixed
to the case and can be moved into and out of the said case by pressing the
slide in one or other direction. The end of the case c from which the
needle projects, is taper and rounded at its extremity so as to prevent the hook
of the needle from catching it as it is withdrawn into the case. By this
method of connecting the needle with the case or holder the needle can readily
be changed. When it is not wished to be able to change the needle the
spring clips d' may be dispensed with and the needle soldered to the tubular
piece d. When the needle is only to be attached to the holder without the
power of sliding in or out of the holder I slit the end of the tubular holder
with about four longitudinal slits so as to make it grasp the expanded end 6
of the needle Figure 1. The end of the holder may be tightened on the end
of the needle either by a screw or a sliding band. When the holder is not
tubular a small tubular piece, having a slit end as last described, is fixed to
the holder, and tho said slit end made to grasp the expanded end of the needle.
Figures 5 and 6 represent in elevation and section respectively another
arrangement for fixing the needle to the case or holder. Figure 7 repre-
sents the blank from which the case or holder is made. In the top of the
case a short tube f is fixed. This tube is surmounted by a screw g having
a hole in its axis. The crochet needle, having a flat head, is passed through
the hollow scrow 9, and into the case e, the said head of the needle resting on
the top of the said screw, as represented in Figure 6. A cap his screwed on
the screw g, and the needle thereby securely fixed to its holder. The pin i, by
which the needle is moved into or out of its case, is connected to the tube f, and
works in the longitudinal slot k in the case e, and when the needle has been
moved out of the case it can be fixed in that position by the engagement of
the pin i in the horizontal slot or opening at the bottom of the slot k. When
tho sliding needle is not required to be removed I attach it to the case
in the manner represented in elevation and section in Figures 8 and 9
of the Drawing. In this holder a short tube / werks having connected to it a
slide m.
To the bottom of the said tube la smaller tube n is fixed. The
end of the needle is passed into the tuben and fixed therein by pressure or by
soldering. The diameter of the tube n is little less than that of the end of

page_text: the nozzle o of the case, and, when the needle is moved out of the case, the
said tube occupies the said nozzle and prevents the shaking or moving of
the needle. When the needle is to be moved into or out of the holder by a
rotatory or screwing motion I arrange the parts of the holders in either of the
ways represented in Figures 10, 11, 12, 18, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and
22 of the Drawing.
Figures 10 and 11 represent in elevation a crochet needle holder made
according to one of my improvements, and Figure 12 is a section of the
same. Figures 18 and 14 represent parts of the same; p is the crochet
needle fixed to the top of the case q; the screw r is made of a coil or
helix of wire, and is fixed at one end in the cap or nozzle r³, which said
cap or nozzle is fastened to the open end of case 9, as represented; the
cap and screw rare shewn separately in Figure 18; within the screw and
between it and the needle is a tube of metal s, which covers the needle when
it is forced out of the screw, as seen in Figures 11 and 12, and uncovers it
when it is withdrawn into the screw, as seen in Figure 10; the tubes is
shewn separately in Figure 14, and its motion is thus effected:-On that end
of the said tube furthest from the point of the needle two or three coils of
wire t are fixed; these coils engage between the coils of the screw r, and when
the holder g is turned, the tubes being held still, the screw r fixed to the said
holder rotates, and the tube a retires into or advances out of the said screw,
and uncovers or covers the needle p. When different sized crochet needles
are required to be fixed in the same holder, I arrange the said holder in the
manner represented in Figures 15 and 16 of the Drawing. u is the screw,
made of a coil of nearly flat wire, fixed at one end to the tube v, having a
screw w at its top, and at the other end to the cap or nozzle piece ; the
needle y is passed through the tube vand axis of the screw u, and the flat
head of the needle made to rest on the screw w; a cap or covers, Figure 16,
is screwed on the screw w, and fixes the needle to the holder; 2 is the tube,
situated between the needle y and screw u, by which the needle is covered or
uncovered by the rotation of the said screw; the action of the holder, Figures
15 and 16, is the same as that represented in Figures 10, 11, 12, 18 and 14;
the holder, Figures 15 and 16, may be used in the form represented, that is,
without a case or cover, or a case may be made to cover the screw u, the said
case being connected to the said screw so as to be able to turn it.
Figure 17 represents in elevation a crochet needle holder, arranged according
to another of my improvements, the needle being shewn withdrawn into its
holder; Figure 18 represents the same with the needle advanced out of its
holder; Figure 19 is a section of the same, and Figures 20, 21, and 22

page_text: represent portions of the same. In this holder the needle itself is drawn into
or advanced out of its case, instead of being covered and uncovered by a tube,
as in the last described holders; the needle 8 is made with a projecting or
crutch head 4 on one side; the said needle 8 is shewn separately in Figure 22;
the said needle slides in a tube 5, to the bottom of which a nozzle piece 6 is
connected; a longitudinal slot or opening is made in the tube 5, in which slot
or opening the head 4 of the needle works; the tube 5, nozzle 6, and needle 8;
are shewn detached from the holder in Figure 21; surrounding the tube 5
is a larger tube 7 (shewn separately in Figure 20), the said tube 7
having a screw 8 in its interior, between the threads of which screw the
head 4 of the needle engages; the tube 7 is fixed in the holder or case 10,.
and turns with it; by turning the holder 10 in one or other direction, the
head of the needle 3 is made by the screw 8 to nove along the slot or opening
in the tube 5, and the said needle is thus drawn into or advanced out of the
said holder.
The improvement in the crochet needle represented in Figure 22, that is,
the projecting or crutch head on the needle may be applied to all such crochet
needles as are propelled in their holders by the needle engaging in the thread
of a hollow screw.
Holders made according to my improvements may be encased in or covered
by any required ornamental material.
Пaving now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may
be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention, but I claim ass
my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvement in crochet needles herein-before described and
illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 of the accompanying Drawing, that is to say,
fixing on that end of the crochet needle inserted into the holder a small pieco
of brass or other material having an expanded end, or making an expanded
end on the said needle, by means of which expanded end the needle can be
conveniently and rapidly connected to its holder.
Secondly, the improvement in crochet needles herein-before described and
illustrated in Figure 22 of the Drawing, that is to say, making a projecting or
crutch head to the needle, whereby the said needle is made to engage with the s
hollow screw in the holder, by which it is projected from and withdrawn into
the said holder.
Thirdly, the improvements in connecting the needles of sliding crochet
needle holders to the said holders herein-before described and illustrated in

page_text: Figures 2 to 9, both inclusive, of the accompanying Drawing; also the im-
provement described of connecting fixed crochet needles to their holders by
slitting the end of the said holders.
Fourthly, arranging or combining the parts of crochet needle holders,
having a rotating or screwing motion, in the manner herein-before described
and illustrated in Figures 10 to 22, both inclusive, of the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Mander, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JOSEPH MANDER. (L.B.)