IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCHET NEEDLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Zaccheus Shrimpton, of Redditch, in the County
of Worcester, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CROCHET NEEDLES."
Sealed the 13th August 1875, and dated the 3rd March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Zaccheus Shrimpton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd March 1875.
I, ZACCHEUS SHRIMPTON, of Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CROCHET NEEDLES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
I take a crochet needle having a hook at each end and hinge it at its
centre or thereabouts between the top or free ends of a bent wire handle
by means of a rivet, centre, or pin passing through such ends and the
needle, perforated to receive the rivet, centre, or pin; upon the bent wire
handle is placed a sliding band or clip which slides upon the handle
sufficiently to cover and protect the hook end of the needle not in use.
also making the handle and needle rigid,

page_text: In place of the sliding band or clip I may use a tubular sheath sliding
upon the hook end of the needle not in use, and slit up a portion of its
lower end for the purpose of fitting over the bow end of the bent handle,
thus securing the handle and needle.
Instead of the wire or bent handle described I also employ a flat or
curved handle, turned, stamped or cut out, and of any desired outline,
and having a slot cut sufficiently far down its length to allow of the
turn over of the double-ended crochet needle on its centre, which is a
pin as before described at the top end of the handle, and to hold the
needle securely with the handle in wear I arrange a sliding band, clip,
or tube within the slot which may be slid over the end of the needle not
being used. I also hinge two or more single hook crochet needles
together through their stems by a pin or rivet, and provide a loose
sheath or cap which fits over the hook ends for the pocket, and when a
hook is required for use the sheath is removed and a hook turned over
on the hinge centre, the others with the butt end of the one in use being
replaced in the sheath, which then forms part of the handle.
Another arrangement consists in having a tubular metal handle and
holder with an enclosed joint and shaped off to the needle end; in this
tubular handle works the crochet needle, propelled by a ring which is
passed up and down the unclosed joint of the handle which opens for
the passage of the ring, and this ring is put through an eye in the
needle and also through a small holder which receives the needle shank,
and two side portions of the holder come through the unclosed joint of
the tubular handle and are then turned down over the outside of such
handle.
Instead of the tubular handle I sometimes use a flat or stamped
handle, having a central small tube for the crochet needle and a slot on
one side to allow of propelling the needle by means of the ring and
needle holder, as already described.
Another improvement consists in taking a piece of wire, one end of
which is formed into the hook, and I bend the wire up into a loop so
that the hook side is, say, one-third longer than the other, I then secure
the two sides together at the point of contact so as to leave a loop
handle; the fastening or securing of the two parts is effected by means
of waxen silk or thread, which may afterwards be covered with metal,
gold paper, or other suitable material; or I use a metal ferrule to secure

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Zaccheus Shrimpton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ZACCHEUS
SHRIMPTON, of Redditch, in the County of Worcester, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Zaccheus Shrimpton, Her special
license that I, the said Zaccheus Shrimpton, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Zaccheus Shrimpton,
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, excrcise, 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," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Zaccheus Shrimpton, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 Zaccheus Shrimpton, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon, that is to
say:―
I take a crochet needle (a), Figure 1, having a hook at each end and

page_text: hinge it at its centre or thereabouts between the top or free ends (6) of
a bent wire handle (c) by means of a rivet, centre, or pin passing
through such ends and the needle, perforated to receive the rivet, centre,
or pin; upon the bent wire handle (c) is placed a sliding band or clip (d)
which slides upon the handle (c) sufficiently to cover and protect the
hook end of the needle not in use, making the handle and needle rigid;
(e), Figure 1 is a modified form of the sliding band or clip.
As shown in Fig. 2 in place of the sliding band or clip I may use a
tubular sheath (ƒ) sliding upon the hook end of the needle not in use,
and slit up a portion of its lower end, as at (9), for the purpose of fitting
over the bow end (h) of the bent handle, thus securing the handle and
needle.
Instead of the wire or bent handle described I also employ a flat or
curved handle (i), Fig. 3, turned, stamped, or cut out, and of any
desired outline, and having a slot (%) cut sufficiently far down its length
to allow of the turn over of the double-ended crochet needle (a) on its
centre, which is a pin or rivet as before described at the top ends (6) of
the handle (i), and to hold the needle (a) securely with the handle (i)
in wear I arrange a sliding tubular band or clip working within
the bottom part of the slot and which may be slid over the end of the
needle or hook not being used. Again as represented in closed and
open views, Fig. 4, I also hinge two or more single hook crochet needles
(m, m³, m²,) together through their stems by a pin or rivet, and provide
a loose sheath or cap (n) which fits over the hook ends for the pocket,
and when a hook is required for use the sheath is removed and a hook
turned over on the hinge centre, the others with the butt end of the one
in use being replaced in the sheath (n) which then forms part of the
handle.
Another arrangement is shewn in Fig. 5, and consists in having a
tubular metal handle and holder (0) with an unclosed joint or slot, and
shaped off to the needle end; in this tubular handle works the crochet
needle (p) propelled by a ring (r) which is passed up and down the
unclosed joint or slot of the handle which opens or is open for the
passage of the ring ("), and this ring (") is put through an eye in
the needle and also through a small holder (s) which receives the needle
shank, and the two side portions (8¹) of the holder (8) come through the
unclosed joint or slot of the tubular handle (o) and are then turned
down over the outside of such handle.

page_text: Instead of the tubular handle (o) I sometimes use a flat or stamped
handle (t), Fig. 6, having a central small tube (1) for the crochet
needle, and a slot on one side to allow of propelling the needle by means
of the ring (r) and needle holder (8), as already described.
Another improvement consists in taking a piece of wire (v), Fig. 7,
one end of which is formed into the hook (¹) whilst the wire is soft, I
then harden the wire to finish the hook, and bend the wire up into a
loop whilst in a heated state at that part so that the hook side is, say,
one-third longer than the other, I then secure the two sides together at
the point of contact as at (10) so as to leave a loop handle; the fastening
or securing of the two parts is effected by means of waxen silk or thread,
which may afterwards be covered with metal, gold paper, or other
suitable material, or I use a metal ferrule to secure the parts, and the
junction end of the shorter side of the wire handle may be indented, as
at (x), to fit or shoulder on to the hook side of the handle.
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be carried into effect, I claim without
limiting myself to these precise details,-
Firstly. Hinging crochet needles having a hook at each end to their
handles by means of pins or rivets, as herein described.
Secondly.. I claim hinging or pivotting two or more crochet needles
together and furnished with a loose sheath, as herein described.
Thirdly. I claim the several improved sliding bands, clips, or holders
for protecting or sheathing the hook ends of the needles, as herein
described.
And, Fourthly. I claim forming crochet needles of a single piece of
wire, as hercin described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Zaccheus Shrimpton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.