IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TILE PRODUCTION OF MATS AND HEARTH RUGS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: Wo, JOHN WILSON of Blackburn Stonemason and WILLIAM STUART SUGDEN of
Preston Dentist both in the County of Lancaster do hereby declare the nature of
said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN
TILE PRODUCTION OF MATS AND HEARTH RUGS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed in the production of
that class of mats and hearthrugs in which a number of separate pieces of cloth
felting or similar material are attached to a foundation of canvas or other fabric.
Heretofore the pieces of cloth or "tabs" have been secured to the foundation by
hand or by a process of weaving wherein tho weft thread so intermingles with the
warp as to weave in and so fasten the tabs on the surface of a woven material.
Now according to our Invention. we employ machinery or apparatus so constructed
and arranged as to cut off the tab from a length or ribbon of cloth or other
material whereupon it is drawn so far through a double hole in the canvas or other
foundation as to leave the two ends of the tab projecting above the canvas whilst
at the same time it is securely fastened centrally thereto. To this end, the canvas
is folded or drawn tightly over a flat horizontal bar placed on edge, the bar being
indented or notched at regular intervals on its upper edge the distance of the notches
apart corresponding with the distance between the cent: es of the tabs when
inserted in place. In front of the bar a table or platform, moveable sideways by
means of a screw or other mechanism, supports a ribbon or length of cloth from
which the tabs are to be cut, the ribbon being conducted between a pair of
drawing rollers over the edge of the fixed lower jaw of a scissors device, the upper
jaw of which moves downward when the ribbon has passed the desired distanco
through the rollers and cuts off a tab of the required length. On the other side of
the bar over which the canvas is drawn and facing the end of the tab, a sharp
pointed instrument or piercer (provided on its upper side with a tongs or gripping
attachment flush with the body or stem of the piercer when closed) is so arranged
as to be caused at the right time to pass horizontally through the folded canvas
and the indentation in the bar whereupon the gripper is opened and caused to seize
the end of the tab. On the return movement of the piercer to its former position
behind the canvas, the tab will have been drawn partially through the canvas and

page_text: released from the gripper leaving the tab firmly secured centrally to the canvas
with the two ends, projecting equi-distantly on each side of the bar. The
moveable table or platform and with it the piercer and attendant mechanism is
then moved to a position opposite the next notch or indentation in the bar and the
operation as above described is repeated. Clearer bars are so arranged as to rise
and fall at the required time and to push out of the way the projecting parts of
the tab last inserted so that the piercer may be free to again perform its functions.
When a complete row of tabs has been inserted the canvas is slackened so as to be
loose upon the notched bar and by incans of rollers suitably geared is moved over
the bar the required distance and again drawn tightly down upon the upper edge
of the bar in readiness to receive another row of tabs.
-
We have described our improved apparatus as arranged for inserting the tabs
one at a time but it will be evident that a row of piercers and cutting mechanism
of sufficient length may readily be arranged so as to insert the entire row of tabs
at one operation if required in which case the moveable table or platform and the
clearer bars may obviously be dispensed with.
In some kinds of work it may be found desirable to use the combined piercer
and gripper as a hand-tool for inserting the tabs in the canvas by hand in
conjunction with a notched or indented bar instead of automatically as hereinabove
described.
Dated this Tenth day of January One thousand eight hundred and eighty

page_text: We, JOHN WILSON, of Blackburn, Stonemason, and WILLIAM STUART SUGDEN,
of Preston, Dentist, both in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of our Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
IN THE PRODUCTION OF MATS AND HEARTII RUGS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This Invention relates to machinery or apparatus employed in the production of
that class of mats and hearthrugs in which a number of soparato pieces of cloth,
felting, or similar material are attached to a foundation of canvas or other fabric.
Heretofore the pieces of cloth or "tabs" have been secured to the foundation by
hand or by a process of weaving wherein the weft thread so intermingles with the
warp as to weave in and so faston the tabs on the surface of a woven material.
Now according to our Invention we employ machinery or apparatus so constructed
and arranged as to cut off the tab from a length or ribbon of cloth or other
material whereupon it is drawn so far through a double hole in the canvas or other
foundation as to leave the two ends of the tab projecting above the canvas whilst
at the same time it is securely fastened centrally thereto. To this end tho canvas
is folded or drawn tightly over a flat horizontal bar placed on edge, the bar being
indented or notched at regular intervals on its upper edge, the distanco of tho
notches apart corresponding with the distance between the centres of the tabs
when inserted in place. In front of the bar a table or platform, movable sideways
by means of a screw or other mechanism supports a ribbon or length of cloth from
which the tabs are to be cut, the ribbon being conducted between a pair of
drawing rollers over the edge of the fixed lower jaw of a scissors dovice, the upper
jaw of which moves downward when the ribbon has passed the desired distance
through the rollers, and cuts off a tab of the required length. On the other side of
the bar over which the canvas is drawn and facing the end of the tab a sharp
pointed instrument or piercer (provided on its upper side with a tongs or gripping
attachment flush with the body or stem of the piercer when closed) is so arranged
as to be caused at the right time to pass horizontally through the folded canvas
and the indentation in the bar whereupon the gripper is opened and caused to
sicze the end of the tab. On the return movement of the piercer to its former
position behind the canvas the tab will have been drawn partially through tho
canvas and released from the gripper leaving the tab firmly secured centrally to
the canvas with the two ends projecting equi-distantly on each side of the bar.
The movable table or platform and with it the piercer and attendant mechanism is
then moved to a position opposite the next notch or indentation in the bar and the
operation as above described is repeated. Clearer bars are so arranged as to rise
and fall at the required time and to push out of the way the projecting parts of
the tab last inserted so that the piercer may be free to again perform its functions.
When a completo row of tabs has been inserted the canvas is slackened so as to be
loose upon the notched bar and by means of rollers suitably geared is moved over
the bar the required distance and again drawn tightly down upon the upper edge
of the bar in readiness to receive another row of tabs.
In the accompanying Drawings Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the mode of attaching
the tabs to the canvas or other foundation as above described.
a is a length or ribbon of cloth and b. b the tabs when cut off; c the canvas or
foundation; and d the notched bar. Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of the
notched bar d. Fig. 4 is a sectional side view shewing the relative positions of
the table or platform e, the cutting or scissors mechanisin f. f, notched bar d,
piercer g, ribbon of cloth a, tab b, and canvas c. The cutter plate ƒ is moved

page_text: directly up and down by the usual lever mechanism as required, its lower cutting
edge passing the edge of the fixed cutter plate f¹ fastened down upon the table e.
In lieu of a pair of drawing rollers as herein before described we prefer to employ
a pivotted weight & mounted on the axis &; one or more wire pins or prickers; being
provided to prevent the ribbon from being pulled back or otherwise getting out of
place. Fig. 5 is a side view shewing more fully the arrangement and action of the
piercer and attendant mechanism. The canvas c passes from the supply roller 1,
round the rollers 2 and 3 and thence over the notched bar d; the receiving roller 4
taking up the canvas as the rows of tabs are inserted. The bar (see also Fig. 1)
is caused to slide up and down in front of the notched bar and is provided for
the purpose of lifting up and thereby releasing the canvas from the notched edge
of the bar d after a row of tabs has been inserted.
The axis of the roller 3 is provided with a ratchet wheel and pawl the pitch of
the wheel teeth determining the distance the canvas is to be carried forward over
the bar dat cach operation. g is the piercer secured to the underside of the cross
bar Z which is carried at each end in suitable slido bearings, the required to and fro
motion to the cross bar and piercer being imparted by the rotation of the
eccentric m through the medium of the jointed connecting rod n. The piercer g at
its pointed end is provided with the tongs or gripping attachment o, (its position
when open being shewn in dotted lines); the opposite end or arm p of the tongs or
gripper o passing between the split arm or fork g of the rocking lover r carried on
the pivot or fulcrum 8. Pins t. t pass through the extremity of the arin p between
which the split arın or fork q is frco to slide as the piercer is moved backward or
forward. The action of the weight on the lever r tends to keep the tongs or
gripper down and therefore closed. By pulling forward the handle v of the
weighted lever w, the cross bar x and with it (through the medium of the chain y)
the arm p, will be depressed thereby lifting up or opening the tongs or gripper o.
The screw bolt passing through the cross bar a. is provided with adjusting nuts
so that the length of the chain y and the pressing or gripping action of the tongs or
gripper may be regulated as required.
The clearer bar a' (see Fig. 1) is arranged to press down and push out of the
way the projecting parts of the tab last inserted.
We have described our improved apparatus as arranged for inserting the tabs one
at a time but it will be evident that a row of piercers and cutting mechanism of
sufficient length may readily be arranged so as to insert the entire row of tabs at
one operation if required in which case the movable table or platforın may
obviously be dispensed with. The length of the cross bar & may be extended so as
to receive on its underside a row of piercers placed side by side and extending the
full width of the rug to be made and two eccentrics m and connecting rods n one
to each end of tho cross bar & may be employed whilst the table or platform e, no
longer required to be moved sidewise, may be made sufficiently long to correspond
with the row of piercers. The arrangement of the cutting mechanism f, f', as also
of the pivotted weights h (shewn in Fig. 4) readily permits of their being extended
to any desired width. We prefer however to retain the employment of the clearer
bar which in our Provisional Specification we inadvertently stated might be
obviously dispensed with.
In some kinds of work it may be found desirable to use the combined piercer
and gripper as a hand tool (as shown in Fig. 6) for inserting tho tabs in the canvas
by hand in conjunction with a notched or indented bar instead of automatically as
hereinabove described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is-
1. The uso or employment of a piercer provided with a tongs or gripping
attachment constructed substantially as described and shown in the Drawings for
the purpose specified

page_text: 2. The use or employment of a piercer provided with a tongs or gripping
attachment operating in conjunction with a notched bar substantially as described
and shewn in the Drawings for the purpose specified.
3. The combination of the piercer g notched bar d, and cutting mechanism ƒ ƒ¹
arranged and operating substantially as described and shewn in the Drawings.
4. The combination of parts constituting the improved apparatus for making
mats and hearthrugs and similar articles constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as described and shewn in the Drawings.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
Applicant's Agent.