PROVEMENTS IN DARNING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Hill at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1878.
ROBERT HILL, of Ashby Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex.
PROVEMENTS IN DARNING MACHINES."
"IM-
My present Invention has reference to the darning machine described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me, bearing date the 15th May
1877, No. 1893, and its object is to permit of the employment of a simpler form
of needle, and to simplify and improve the construction and working of the
machine.
In place of the peculiar form of needle described in the said Specification, which
had a barb and a movable piece jointed to the shank to fall upon a barb at the
proper time and so form an "eye," I employ a needle with an eye near the point,
and with a groove on one side extending from the eye to the point, and a groove on
the other side extending from the eye a short distance along the shank, these two
grooves being continuations one of the other, but on opposite sides of the needle;
they enable the needle to slide along the thread, and the thread to slide along the
needle without disturbing the work, in the manner herein-after described.
The shank has a feather or other device, and there is a corresponding device in
the needle bar to ensure that the needle may be always fitted in the right position
in the said bar.
I dispense with the thread carrier described in the Specification herein-before
referred to, and with the various parts by which it was actuated and guided; and
I now employ a thread looper which is worked and acts as herein-after described.
I attach to the front of the needle bar or forked piece, which as this bar moves,
travels along a twisted bar fixed to the frame of the machine on centres. Near the
end of the twisted bar is attached the thread looper which may be adjustable. The
motion of the forked piece along the twisted bar gives motion thereto on its axis,
and therefore to the looper, which at the commencement of the return of the needle
from its most advanced position, descends and takes hold of the thread on the side
of the eye which is next the twisted bar, in the first place detaining it; the
continued motion of the needle bar backward, the forked piece acting on the twisted

page_text: bar causes the looper to draw down along the groove in the needle, and through
the work sufficient thread to provide for the one-half of the next two stitches, and
then to rise and relieve the thread. In advancing, the needle draws back through
the work a portion of the thread thus set free, corresponding to its stroke, drawing
supply from the reel in like manner. At its most advanced position when it begins
to retire the looper again seizes the thread at the side of the needle next it, and
again draws down thread one half from the previous stitch, and the other half from
the needle.
The grooved sector described in the Specification herein-before referred to I
make with transverse grooves as before; but in lieu of the circumferential grooves I
form grooves at an angle of, say, 45° to the circumferential line; and instead of the
series of blades or wires which fitted into the circumferential grooves, I employ a
cap formed on its under face with two sets of grooves corresponding with those in
the sector.
When the work is in position on the sector the grooved cap is brought down
upon it by means of a lever or otherwise, and forces it into the grooves, and the
darning can then proceed.
Owing to the inclination of the grooves the work may be put at right angles to
its first position, when the cross stitches have to be formed instead of at an angle of
45° or thereabouts, as was necessary with my previous arrangement.
The grooved cap moves in a slot in its lever so as to advance simultaneously with
the sector, and feed the work to the needle.