AN IMPROVED HEMMER OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH SEWING MACHINES FOR TURNING OVER AND PRESENTING THE EDGE OF THE MATERIAL TO BE HEMMED PROPERLY TO THE NEEDLE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street,
in the City of London, E.C., Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED HEMMER OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION WITH SEWING
MACHINES FOR TURNING OVER AND PRESENTING THE EDGE OF THE MATERIAL TO
BE HEMMED PROPERLY TO THE NEEDLE."-A communication from abroad by
Joseph Poole Pirsson, of New York.
Sealed the 4th January 1860, and dated the 4th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th July 1859.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, E. C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED HEMMER OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION
WITH SEWING MACHINES FOR TURNING OVER AND PRESENTING THE EDGE OF THE
MATERIAL TO BE HEMMED PROPERLY TO THE NEEDLE," (communicated to me from
abroad by Joseph Poole Pirsson, of New York,) to be as follows:-
My improved hemmer for use in connection with sewing machines to turn
over and present the edge properly folded to the needle consists of a pair of plates
in the form of narrow strips which are each twisted into a spiral shape of like
character, and then joined together so that the twisted plates shall be parallel,
but not touching, except at the delivery end. By means of a hemmer of this con-
struction, I secure several important advantages. The first is that the cloth is

page_text: so folded as to present the folded part beneath and lying on the table of the
sewing machine while the reverse side receives theneedle; by this means the
fair side of the stitch is on the "right" side of the cloth, which is not the case
with any of the old hemmers, as in those the hem is always presented upward,
and so causes the fair stitch to be made on the "
wrong" side. This is of
considerable importance to all that class of machines which make a chain stitch
whether using one or two threads.. The same is true to some extent if the
shuttle machines, for these also produce a "right" and "wrong" side. Another
advantage lies in the ability to hem a greater variety of materials and of
different degrees of thickness & fineness, whereas the old hemmers are very
limited in the range of materials.
manner.
In Figure 1 the hammer is represented in place upon the table of the sewing
machine, a portion of which only is given. At a is the hole in the latter over
which the needle stands, and down through which its point passes in the usual
At b and c are shown the two twisted strips forming the guide pieces
to turn the hem. These are completely detached so as to leave a narrow
winding slot along between them to nearly their inner or delivering ends
presented toward the needle. Each strip is secured to as eparate plate, the
strip 6 to the plate d, and the strip c to the plate e. The plate being
screwed upon d as shown in the Figures, causes the joining of the twisted
strips together in their proper positions. The plate d is then to be secured
upon any sewing table in its proper place with reference to the needle, and is
ready for use. The strip 6 is shorter than the other, and is so twisted as to
take one complete turn, finishing by lapping upon c, as shown at b and c¹.
The strips are also tapering at the delivery end so that the cloth, which at this
place is completely wound around them may glide easily off to the needle.
The end of 'presses on c³ to pinch the cloth at this place, and keep the hem
formed at its arrival here firmly in position, so that it will not unwind before
reaching the needle. It will be seen that in consequence of this pinch the
feed must pull the hem along, whereby it is kept on the stretch after leaving
the hemmer until it reaches the needle, when, of course, there is no longer
any danger of unwinding.
The operation is as follows:-The cloth to be hemmed is laid upon the
table so as to cover the plates e, d, that is, its edge is presented from that side
first entering the slot between the strip at 6, letting the edge be about fair
with the right hand edge of b, as seen when looking toward the place of the
needle; then guide the cloth along carefully between the plates, and it will
become wound around them, so that at the point c¹ it will appear as seen in
the section, Figure 2, at the red line. So soon as the advancing edge is caught

page_text: under the presser foot of the feed, the sewing will go on as usual, the needle
making its stitch from the top side. This is locked underneath accurately
from the very edge of the folded part or hem, thus producing its work in the
best form. It will be evident that as the strips have a space between through
which the cloth freely passes, different thicknesses are entered with equal
facility within certain limits except at the part where the two pinch, here the
strips are thin and springy, readily yielding to the circumstances of different
thickness.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E.C.,
Patent Agent, 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 fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 HEMMER OR APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION
WITH SEWING MACHINES FOR TURNING OVER AND PRESENTING THE EDGE OF THE
MATERIAL TO BE HEMMED PROPERLY TO THE NEEDLE," (communicated to me
from abroad by Joseph Poole Pirsson, of New York,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My improved hemmer for use in conjunction with sewing machines to turn
over and present the edge properly folded to the needle consists of a pair of
plates in the form of narrow strips, which are each twisted into a spiral shape
of like character and then joined together, so that the twisted plates shall lie
parallel but not touching except at the delivery end. By means of a hemmer
of this construction I secure several important advantages. The first is, that
the cloth is so folded as to present the folded part beneath and lying on the table
of the sewing machine, while the reverse side receives the needle; by this
means the fair side of the stitch is ou the "right" side of the cloth, which is
not the case with any of the old hemmers, as in those the hem is always
presented upward, and so causes the fair stitch to be made on the "wrong"
side. This is of considerable importance to all that class of machines which
make a chain stitch, whether using one or two threads. The same is true to
some extent of the shuttle machines, for these also a "right" and "
wrong
side; another advantage lies in the ability to hem a greater variety of materials
and of different degrees of thickness and fineness, whereas the oldhemmers
are very limited in the range of materials.
In Figure 1 the hemmer is represented in place upon the table of the
sewing machine, a portion of which only is given. At a is the hole in the
latter over which the needle stands, and down through which its point passes
in the usual manner. At b and c are shewn the two twisted strips forming
the guide pieces to turn the hem. These are completely detached so as to leave
a narrow winding slot along between them to nearly their inner or delivering
ends presented towards the needle. Each strip is secured to a separate plate,
the strip to the plate d, and the strip c to the plate e. The plate being
screwed upon d, as shown in the Figures, causes the joining of the twisted
strips together in their proper positions. The plate d is then to be secured
upon any sewing table in its proper place with reference to the needle, and is
ready for use. The strip bis shorter than the other, and is so twisted as to
take one complete turn, finishing by lapping upon c, as shewn at 6' and c.
The strips are also tapering at the delivery end, so that the cloth which at this
place is completely wound around them may glide easily off to the needle. The
end of presses on c' to pinch the cloth at this place and keep the hem formed
at its arrival here firmly in position so that it will not unwind before reaching

page_text: the needle. It will be seen that in consequence of this pinch the feed must
pull the hem along, whereby it is kept on the stretch after leaving the hemmer
until it reaches the needle, when, of course, there is no longer any danger of
unwinding.
The operation is as follows:-The cloth to be hemmed is laid upon the table
so as to cover the plates e, d, that is, its edge is presented from that side first
entering the slot between the strip at b, letting the edge be about fair with
the right hand edge of b, as seen when looking toward the place of the needle.
Then guide the cloth along carefully between the plates, and it will become
wound around them, so that at the point c' it will appear as seen in the section,
Figure 2, at the red line. So soon as the advancing edge is caught under
the presser foot of the feed the sewing will go on as usual, the needle making
its stitch from the top side. This is locked underneath accurately upon the
very edge of the folded part or hem, thus producing its work in the best form.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hemmer. It will be evident that as the
strips have a space between through which the cloth freely passes, different
thicknesses are entered with equal facility within certain limits except at the
part where the two pinch; here the strips are thin and springy, readily yielding
to the circumstances of different thickness.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the hemmer con-
structed substantially as herein-before described, consisting of two strips of
suitable material twisted as set forth, and so combined as to leave a winding
passage between whereby the cloth is guided and turned over to form a hem.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of January, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.