Improvements in and connected with Machinery for Threading Glass and other Beads.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Machinery for Threading
Glass and other Beads.
We, LEOPOLD MYERS, of Charlotte Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Pen
Manufacturer, and CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY, of 128 Colmore Row,
Birmingham, aforesaid, Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide automatic machinery for threading
glass and other beads arranged so as to support several needles side by side and
thread the beads on to and along the same and on to the threads or strings (with
which the needles are threaded) in continuous streams much more quickly than
can be done when threading the beads by hand.
In carrying out this invention we employ a drum or roller revolving horizontally
with its shaft in bearings in a suitable framework which also supports the various
other parts of the machine. In the periphery of this drum is turned a recess
leaving an enlarged collar at each end. A continuous thin leather or other suitable
flexible driving band passes partly around and beneath these collars of the drum
and over two or more suitable horizontal guide rollers arranged at the sides of the
drum and parallel therewith and then down and partly around a tension pulley the
axis of which latter is carried by bearings provided with a screw or other means
for adjusting the tension pulley and the tension of the band. The beads to be
threaded are contained in a hopper adjacent to the said drum and when the machine
is at work they pass out through a hole in the bottom thereof on to an ordinary
inclined shaking shoot or other device and from thence down an inclined plate into
the space between the said band and the small part of the drum or roller where
they revolve with the roller. The bottom edge of the said plate is by preference
as close as possible to the said collars of the drum or roller so as to prevent any
beads passing down between the periphery of these collars and the band. The
shaking motion of the said shoot is or may be obtained by a peg on the shoot
bearing against a revolving cam which latter is or may be caused to revolve with
its shaft by being in contact with the said band. By means of a set screw by which
the shoot is carried the pressure of the shoot on the bottom of the hopper (this
part of the hopper being preferably made of indiarubber) can be adjusted so as to
retain the beads in the hopper or to regulate the number of beads which pass out
of the hopper in accordance with those which are threaded, and always maintain
about the same quantity in the said recess revolving with the drum or roller. The
needles on to which the beads are threaded, these needles being say ten in number,
(but a larger or smaller number of needles may be used) are arranged side by side
above the said drum or roller where it is not covered by the band each needle being
bent into a looped form somewhat like the letter S partly round two smaller
revolving horizontal rollers which are by preference grooved to prevent the needles
moving sideways. The said loops of the needles are just so much larger than the
diameter of the roller as to allow of the beads passing round the loops. There is
or may be also a grooved roll above the needles and a similar grooved roll below
the needles against which the needles rest. The needles are thus supported in
position side by side by the said rolls and held against the tension of the threads.
These rolls, which are or may be made of metal and polished, revolve in such
directions that their peripheries move in the same direction as the threaded beads
and thus, with a revolving brush or brushes hereinafter described, move the
threaded beads along the needles.

page_text: Each needle, for a short distance from its pointed end or that end on to which
the beads are threaded is curved backwardly towards the eye end of the needle and
dips into the moving beads in the said recess between the guide rollers so that, as
the drum or roller and its beads revolve, the beads come against the pointed ends of
the needles in a continuous stream and some of them are continuously threaded on
to the needles, and moved along the same on to the threads or strings by the
revolving brush or brushes and guide rollers above described.
The revolving brush or brushes above referred to is or are arranged above the
needles and revolves or revolve in the direction in which the beads are moving
along the needles so as to brush the threaded beads along the needles to the said
rollers partly around which the said needles are bent as above described. The said
brush or brushes has have or may have turned discs preferably a little larger than
the brush or brushes and corresponding with the spaces between each needle so as
to keep the needles apart, and in order to keep the needles up in position between
the discs and against the brush or brushes a fixed plate is or may be provided
below the needles which the said discs almost touch.
To enable all or any of the needles to be readily removed from or replaced in the
machine as may be required, the spindle of the brush or brushes and that roll which
is above the needles are carried by arms which are jointed in the machine frame
so that these arms with the brush and the said roll can be turned up on their
jointed ends away from the needles. One of the other rolls which engages in the
loops of the needles is or may be withdrawn endwise and when this has been done
any or all of the needles can be removed or replaced. Set screws may be provided
in the outer ends of the said arms for regulating the position of the brush.
The speed of the periphery of the said rolls and the brush is by preference
greater than the average speed at which the beads travel along the needles so that
these beads which are on the needles will be moved quickly along the same and not
prevent others being threaded thereon. The said guide rolls and brush receive
rotary motion by bands or other means from the spindle of the drum or roller or
from some other source.
When it is required to remove all the beads from the said recess this can readily
be done by moving the tension roller so that the said band will be slack and hang
down in a removable trough which is provided under the said drum or roller and
into which the beads can then be scraped by a scraper inserted at the open end of
the said trough.
As the beads are threaded along the needles and on to the threads or strings as
above described they are moved along the threads by hand or by other means
forming no part of this invention.
The shape of the needles and the arrangement of their supporting rolls and
revolving brush may be modified without departing from the nature of this inven-
tion. For instance the needles may be held in position by each, near its pointed
end, being bent into a spiral loop round one of the said rolls which is located near
the beads which are revolving with the drum the ends of any one needle pointing in
opposite directions. In this case the said spiral loop is sufficient to resist the
tension of the threads (when the beads are being moved along the same) without
the needle being bent in the double looped form above described these loops there-
fore being in this case dispensed with. The said spiral loop has to be so much
larger than the roll around which it passes as to allow the beads to pass freely
round the latter. The needles are prevented from moving sideways along this roll
by the said discs of the brush between each needle, these discs touching or nearly
touching the roll. In this case a plate has to be fixed to the machine frame across
and parallel with the drum above the front ends of the needles so as to touch the
said collars of the drum. The object of this plate under which the front ends of
the needles lie is to keep the beads back from accumulating against the roller
around which the needles are bent.
According to another arrangement of the needles and their rolls the fore part
of each of the needles is made almost straight instead of being bent as in the

page_text: arrangement first above described; and the needles are held in position by being
inserted between two grooved plates in combination with the rolls around which
the needles are looped as above described. One of these plates is fixed imme-
diately underneath the needles and the other plate is arranged directly above this
plate the parallel grooves in the two plates together forming circular holes in each
of which one of the needles lies. These grooves have to be made somewhat larger
than the beads so that the beads will pass easily along them. The front ends of the
needles project beyond the plates into the beads in the recess so that the latter
will be threaded on to the needles. A plate fixed to the machine frame above and
across the needles so as to just touch the said collars of the drum prevents the
beads accumulating against the grooved plates and stopping up the holes therein.
The front ends of the holes formed by the grooved plates are by preference enlarged
and rounded so as not to offer any obstruction to the beads as they pass therein
along the needles. As before stated, the discs of the revolving brush are dispensed
with in this modification and the brush acts upon the beads on the needles through
an opening extending across the upper one of the two grooved plates; to facilitate
the removing or replacing the needles the upper plate is or may be fixed to
or formed with arms which also carry the axle of the brush so as to turn up
therewith.
Two of the said drums or rollers with which the beads revolve and one strap or
band and two sets of needles with their guide rollers and revolving brushes as
above described may be combined together in one machine the eye ends of the
two sets of needles pointing in the opposite directions, and the two drums or rollers
being arranged to revolve horizontally a short distance apart side by side the said
continuous band or strap passing underneath them and over guide rollers so as to
leave the open space at the top of each drum for the needles to dip into the beads
the needles and their supporting rollers and brush and plates being arranged and
acting as herein before described.
Dated this 7th day of November 1891.
LEOPOLD MYERS.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Machinery for Threading
Glass and other Beads.
We, LEOPOLD MYERS, of Charlotte Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Pen
Manufacturer, and CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY, of 128 Colmore Row,
Birmingham, aforesaid, Engineer and Patent Agent, 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:--
The object of this invention is to provide automatic machinery for threading
glass and other beads arranged so as to support several needles side by side and
thread the beads on to and along the same and on to the threads or strings (with
which the needles are threaded) in continuous streams much more quickly than can
be done when threading the beads by hand.
On the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan, Fig. 2 is a side elevation and Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation
of the said bead threading machine;
Fig. 4 is a part sectional back elevation of the same;
Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of part of the same ;
Fig. 6 shews one of the needles of the same separately, and
Fig. 7 is a separate view of the upper part of one of the needles and the parts
by which it is supported ;
Fig. 8 represents part of the said bead threading machine;
Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 13 and 14 illustrate a modification of the said machine ;

page_text: Figs. 15, 16 and 17 illustrate another modification and
Figs. 19 and 20 illustrate a further modification.
The same letters and numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts in the
figures of the drawings.
A
Referring firstly more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, A is the
general framework of the machine of suitable construction to support the parts
hereinafter described. B is a drum or roller (shewn separately by Fig. 8)
revolving with its shaft 6 in bearings in the frame A. In the periphery of this
drum is turned a recess 2 leaving an enlarged collar marked 3 at each end.
continuous thin leather or other suitable flexible driving band E passes partly
around and beneath the collars and over two suitable guide rollers C¹ C and
then down and under the tension pulley D the axis d' of which latter is carried
by a forked lever d² turning about a fixed fulcrum ³ and furnished with a screw d'
on which is a nut by turning which the lever 2 can be moved about its fulcrum
to raise or lower the pulley D and adjust the tension of the band E. The beads
to be threaded are contained in the hopper F and when the machine is at work
they pass out through the hole in the bottom f¹ thereof on to an ordinary inclined
shaking shoot G and from thence down the inclined plate H into the space b
between the band E and the small part of the drum or roller B where they revolve
with the roller B. The bottom edge of the plate H has to be as close as possible to
the collars of the drum or roller B to prevent any beads passing down between
- these collars and the band E. The shaking motion of the shoot G is obtained by
the peg g on the shoot bearing against the cam g² which latter is caused to revolve
with its shaft by being in contact with the band E (see Figs. 3, 5 and 9). By
means of the set screw g³ by which the shoot G is carried from the cross bar g
the pressure of the shoot G on the bottom f' (which latter is preferably made of
india rubber) of the hopper can be adjusted so as to retain the heads in the hopper
or to regulate the number of beads which pass out of the hopper in accordance
with those which are threaded, and always maintain about the same quantity in
the recess. The needles on to which the beads are threaded are marked I. In
this particular machine there are ten needles side by side but a smaller or greater
number may be used. Each needle I (shewn separately by Fig. 6) is bent into a
looped form at partly round two revolving rollers J1 J2. There is also a grooved
roll K above the needles and a similar grooved roll K2 below the needles against
which the needles rest. Grooves are turned in the rolls J K K' as shewn
corresponding with the needles so as to prevent the needles moving sideways.
The needles are thus supported in position side by side by the rolls J¹ J² K' K*
and held against the tension of the threads. These rolls, which are by preference
made of metal and polished or they may be made of wood or other suitable
substance, revolve in the directions indicated by the arrows Figs. 3 and 7 so
that their peripheries move in the same direction as the threaded beads and thus,
with the revolving brush L hereinafter described, move the threaded beads along
the needles (which are or may be inclined downwardly) and on to the threads
with which the needles are threaded and along which the beads are moved by
hand or by mechanism forming no part of this present invention.
Each needle, for a short distance from its pointed end is curved backwardly
towards the eye end of the needle and dips into the moving beads in the recess b
between the rolls C1 C2 so that, as the drum or roller B and its beads revolve the
beads come against the pointed ends of the needles in a continuous stream and some
of them are threaded on to the needles.
The revolving brush L above referred to is arranged above the needles and it
revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow and brushes the threaded beads
along the needles to the rollers KJ J² K². This brush L has turned discs l
preferably of metal and a little larger than the brushes and corresponding with the
spaces between each needle so as to keep the needles apart, and in order to keep
the needles in position between the discs a fixed plate M is provided below the
needles which the discs / almost touch.

page_text: To enable all or any of the needles to be readily removed from or replaced in
the machine as may be required, the spindle of the brush L and the roll K¹ are
carried by arms Of O2 which are jointed at 03 03 to the frame A so that these
arms with the brush L and the roll 'K' can be turned up on their jointed ends 03 0³
as shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. The roll J' can also be withdrawn endwise
and when this has been done any or all of the needles I can be removed or replaced.
The set screws 0 in the outer ends of the arms O regulate the height of the
brush L so that its discs just clear the fixed plate M.
The speed of the periphery of the rolls J J K K' and the brush L has to be
greater than the average speed at which the beads travel along the needles so that
those beads which are on the needles will be moved quickly along the same and not
prevent others being threaded thereon. A convenient method of imparting the
necessary rotary.motion to the rolls K' K J J' and brush L is to drive them by
the two continuous india rubber bands P1 P2 from the pulley C³ fixed on the
projecting end of the axle of the roll C (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4). The india rubber
band P drives the rolls J¹ K2 direct by passing round pulleys on the ends thereof
and also turns the double pulley B2 which is loose on the spindle ». The india
rubber band P drives the rolls J2 K' and the brush L from the pulley B² by
passing round pulleys on the ends thereof as shewn. Or any other means may be
employed for turning these rollers.
When it is required to remove all the beads from the recess 6 this can readily
be done by unscrewing the nut d' on the screw d so as to raise the lever d² and the
tension roller D so that the band E will be slack and hang down in the removable
trough Q (see Fig. 5) into which the beads can then be scraped by a scraper
inserted at the open end of the trough Q.
The shape of the needles and the arrangement of their supporting rolls and
revolving brush L may be modified without departing from the nature of this
invention. For instance as shewn in Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 the needles I
may be held in position by each, near its pointed end, being bent into a spiral
loop round one of the rolls (marked J') the ends 3 and 4 of the needle pointing
in opposite directions. In this case the loop is sufficient to resist the tension of
the threads (when the beads are being pushed along the same) without the
loops which latter are therefore dispensed with. The loop has to be so
much larger than the roll J³ as to allow the beads to pass freely round the latter.
The needles are prevented from moving along the roll J' by the discs 1 of the
brush L between each needle, these discs touching or nearly touching the roll J
The roll J with three of the needles thereon and a part of the revolving brush L
is shewn in front elevation by Fig. 11 and in plan (with the brush removed) by
Fig. 12. One of the needles is shewn separately in plan and elevation by Fig. 13
and with its supporting rollers and brush in sectional elevation by Fig. 14. In this
modification the drum or roller B and the brush L have to revolve in the direction
shewn by the arrows in Figs. 9 and 14, and, as the beads are therefore moving
towards the guide roller C (as shewn by the arrow in Fig. 9) the plate H' has to
be fixed adjacent to this roller as shewn in Fig. 9 to prevent the beads working
down between the collars and the band E. An additional plate H2 is also
fixed to the side frames A across and parallel with the drum or roller B above the
front ends of the needles so as to touch the collars . The object of this plate
under which the front ends of the needles lie is to keep the beads back from
accumulating against the roller J³ as shewn in Fig. 9. Fig. 10 shews a convenient
method of driving the rolls J³ K' K' and brush L by an india rubber band P³ from
a pulley B³ fixed on the axle 6'.
Figs. 15, 16, 17, 18 and 18* illustrate another method of holding the needles I
in which the fore part of each of the needles is made almost straight instead of
being bent as in the machine shewn by Figs. 1 to 8 both inclusive; and instead of
employing the roller K¹ plate M and discs the needles are held in position by two
grooved plates R' R' in combination with the rolls J' J' K' above described. One
of these plates R' is fixed to the side frames A A immediately, underneath the

page_text: needles and the other plate R2 is arranged directly above the plate R' the parallel
grooves in the two plates together forming circular holes marked ¹ in each of
which one of the needles lies. These grooves have to be made somewhat larger
than the beads so that the beads will pass easily along them. The front ends i³ of
the needles I project beyond the plates R' R² into the space 62 of the drum or
roller B and the latter revolve in the direction shewn by the arrow in Fig. 15 so as
to thread the beads on to the needles. The plate H2 fixed to the side frames A A
above and across the needles so as just to touch the collars prevents the beads
accumulating against the plates B' B² and stopping up the holes therein; and as
above described with reference to Fig. 9 the plate H* also prevents the beads
from being carried down between the collars and the band E. For this latter
purpose an additional plate H' is or may be employed and fixed under the lower
grooved plate R₁ as shewn in Fig. 15. The front ends of the holes are by
preference enlarged and rounded as shewn in Fig. 15 so as not to offer any
obstruction to the beads as they pass therein along the needles. As before stated
the discs of the brush L acts upon the beads on the needles through an opening ²
extending across the upper plate R'. To facilitate the removing or replacing the
needles the upper plate R2 is or may be fixed to or formed with the arms 01 02
which carry the axle of the brush L so as to turn up therewith as shewn by the
dotted lines in Fig. 15.
Two of the drums or rollers B with one strap or band E and two sets of needles
with their guide rollers and revolving brushes may be combined together in
one machine as shewn for instance in sectional side elevation by Fig. 19 and in
'sectional elevation on line X X of Fig. 19 by Fig. 20. By. an examination of
these figures it will be seen that the two drums or rollers B and B are arranged
to revolve horizontally a short distance apart side by side the continuous band or
strap E passing underneath them and over the guide rollers C' C² C³. The drum
or roller B' is driven by a band on the pulleys or otherwise and the motion of this
drum or roller is communicated to the other one B by the band E. The needles
which thread from the drum or roller B, and their supporting rollers K' K2 J1 J2
and brush L and plates M and H are arranged and act as herein before described
with reference to Figɛ. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7; and the needles which thread from the
drum or roller B' and their supporting rollers K' K2 J3 and brush L and
plates H H H are arranged and act as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14. The trough Q is made wide enough to serve for
both of the drums or rollers B B'. The hopper F with its shaking shoe G is
arranged as shewn in Fig. 19 midway between the rollers B and B¹ and the shaking
shoe is operated by a cam g² fixed to the projecting end of the roller C³.
In conclusion we would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the
precise details hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a bead threading machine the employment of means substantially as herein
described for moving the beads continuously on to the needles, consisting of a
revolving grooved drum or roller and a continuous travelling band partly sur-
rounding the same so as to leave an open space for the needles the said drum or
.roller and the band being so arranged that the beads are held in the groove between
and revolve with the drum or roller and the band and against and on to the needles
substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a bead threading machine and in combination with the drum or roller and
the continuous travelling band thereof referred to in Claim 1, the use of a plate
such as H or H' fixed adjacent to the collars such as 636 of the roller to prevent
the beads passing between the said collars and the travelling band substantially as
herein before set forth,

page_text: 3. In a bead threading machine and in combination with the drum or roller and
the continuous travelling band thereof referred to in Claim 1, the employment of
means whereby the beads are continuously fed into the space between the drum or
roller and the travelling band at the same rate as they are threaded substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
4. In a bead threading machine and in combination the use of the grooved
roller B guide rollers C¹ C³ and continuous travelling band E arranged and
operating substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
5. In a bead threading machine and in combination the use of the grooved
roller B guide rollers C₁ C³ continuous travelling band E and an adjustable tension
pulley such as D arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
6. In a bead threading machine the employment of needles arranged side by side
and bent around or partly around a revolving roller or revolving rollers which
support the needles in position side by side against the tension of the threads and
also cause or assist in causing the beads to travel along the needles substantially as
hereinbefore set forth.
7. In a bead threading machine and in combination with needles arranged as
referred to in Claim 6, the use of a revolving brush or brushes such as L provided
with collars such as adapted to move the beads along the needles and assist in
keeping the needles at the proper distances apart substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
8. For use in bead threading machines the manufacture and sale of needles bent
so as to pass around or partly around guide rollers in either of the several ways
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
9. In a bead threading machine and in combination with the drum or roller
containing the beads and the continuous travelling band thereof referred to in
Claim 1, the use of needles arranged side by side and dipping into the moving
beads so that as the roller revolves the beads are threaded on to the needles, the
said needles being bent around or partly around a revolving roller or revolving
rollers which support the needles in position against the tension of the threads and
also cause or assist in causing the beads to travel along the needles substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
10. The improved bead threading machine arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the
accompanying drawings, and the modified forms of the said machine hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14; by Figs. 15, 16, 17
18 and 18*; and by Figs. 19 and 20.
Dated this 7th day of September 1892.
LEOPOLD MYERS.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY.