IMPROVEMENTS IN DARNING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward John Chambers, of Ipswich, in the County of
Suffolk, for the, Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN DARNING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward John Chambers
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1878.
EDWARD JOHN CHAMBERS, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DARNING MACHINES."
This Invention relates to. a peculiar combination and arrangement of darning
machine, whereby greater simplicity and economy of construction and action are
obtained.
According to this Invention I combine with hinged stationary grooved and
corrugated clamping dies for holding the work to be darned a self-traversing
carriage or frame carrying the guides of a reciprocating eye-pointed needle
supplied with a continuous thread, and worked by hand direct or through the
intervention of well-known mechanism.
The to-and-fro longitudinal motion of the needle serves by the aid of a tappet
to impart the lateral traverse to the needle frame, which is required in order to
bring the point of the needle opposite to the next groove in the dies each time it
has withdrawn from the fabric. This is accomplished by causing the said tappet
carried on the needle frame itself to act upon pins in the end of a worm or other
mechanical equivalent in gear with teeth or notches attached to or formed on the
edge of the stationary die.
Just before the needle commences to withdraw a second tappet strikes a lever,
which actuates a rotary reciprocating loop catcher in such a manner as to cause it
to seize the loop of thread formed by the receding of the needle, and hold it during
the time the needle is withdrawing, thereby leaving a double thread in its track.
The endless worm with its projecting pins, as also the loop catcher and actuating
lever, are all carried by the traversing needle frame. The reel for supplying the

page_text: cotton is also mounted on the said frame, so that the whole move together laterally
over the fixed dies along with the traversing needle frame.
The upper corrugated die is hinged at one end to the lower die, so as to open
readily for the reception of the work, and at the opposite end it is provided with
any convenient catch or fastening for securing and holding the work after it has
been placed between the dies.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward John Chambers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
☐ November 1878.
EDWARD JOHN CHAMBERS, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk: "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DARNING MACHINES."
My said Invention relates to a peculiar combination and arrangement of darning
machine, whereby greater simplicity and economy of construction and action are
obtained.
I combine with hinged stationary grooved and corrugated clamping dies for
holding the work to be darned a traversing carriage carrying the guides of a
reciprocating eye-pointed needle supplied with a continuous thread, and worked by
hand direct or through the intervention of a well-known mechanism.
The to-and-fro longitudinal motion of the needle guides serves by the aid of a
tappet to impart the lateral traverse to the said carriage, which is required in order
to bring the point of the needle opposite to the next groove in the dies each time
it has withdrawn from the fabric. This may be accomplished in various ways, but
I prefer to use for that purpose a hinged tappet carried on the needle guides, and
acting upon pins in the end of a worm or other mechanical equivalent in gear with
teeth or notches.attached to or formed on the edge of the stationary die.
Just before the needle commences to withdraw a second tappet strikes a lever or
its equivalent, which actuates a rotary reciprocating loop catcher in such a manner
as to cause it to seize the loop of thread formed by the receding of the needle, and
to hold such loop during the time the needle is withdrawing, thereby leaving a
double thread in its track. The needle guides the endless worm with its projecting
pins, as also the loop catcher, and its actuating lever are all carried by the before-
mentioned traversing carriage, whilst the reel for supplying the cotton is also
mounted thereon, so that these several parts travel together laterally over the fixed
die along with the traversing needle frame.
The upper corrugated die is hinged at one end to the lower die, so as to open
readily for the reception of the work, and at its opposite end it is provided with any
convenient catch or fastening for securing and holding the work after it has been
placed between the dies.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the

page_text: same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a front elevation (full size) of my improved
darning machine; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same in partial section.
Figure 3 is a top plan of the machine.
Figures 4 and
are details of the lower die.
Figure 6, a modified arrangement for working the loop catcher; and Figures 7,
a view of the loop formed in readiness to be caught by the said loop catcher.
A is the bottom die; B, the top die with a rack C attached to or formed upon it;
D is the bar to which the top die and rack are so attached as to allow of changing
the rack and die according to the coarseness or fineness of the stitches required; E is
the traversing carriage, which traverses along the bar D by means of the worm F on
the spindle G engaging in the rack C, and actuated by the tappet or lever H pressing
against the pins or projection J on the disc K fixed to the same spindle G.
L, L, are the guide rods of the needle frame or guide, which rods work in guides in
the traversing carriage E; M is the cross head carrying the needle holder N and
reel O; P is the cross head, which carries the lever or hinged tappet H for
actuating the worn F by pressing against the pins J; Q is a rod or pusher, which
actuates the loop catcher R mounted on the spindle S by means of the pin T in the
quadrant or lever V; W is the lever to which the bottom die A can be hinged, and
which serves to raise and lower the same; X, X, (Figures 4 and 5) are the
corrugators I prefer to use in the bottom die A (which has no lateral movement),
which corrugators consist of separate strips or pieces of metal, vulcanite, vulcanized
rubber, glass, or other suitable material resting upon springs or other yielding
elastic supports, so as to be elevated towards the middle of the die, as shown at
Figure 4, and capable of depression successively; Y, Y, are springs on which the
said corrugators rest, and which regulate the corrugating of the material; Z is the
frame of the machine.
In Figure 2 the bottom die is shown by dotted lines before corrugating the
material, as well as in its raised position for darning.
In using my improved darning machine the stocking or other material to be
darned is placed upon the grooved and corrugated die A, which is so arranged as
to be higher in the centre of the length of the needle grooves than at either end of
these grooves (see Figure 4). The upper hinged grooved and corrugated die B is
then pressed down upon the lower die, taking a bearing first on the highest part of
that die, thus commencing to corrugate the material in the middle, and by continuing
the pressure the high part, which rests upon a spring or springs, or equivalent
mechanism, is depressed each successive part of the die, taking the pressure
and continuing the process of corrugating the material in a progressive manner
until the whole of the die takes a bearing, and the material is held stationary and
fully corrugated between the dies during the process of darning, herein-after
described.
The lower die can be arranged so as to be moved upwards by the hinged lever W.
The hinge or hinges of the upper die, or of both upper and lower dies, allow them
to be moved apart, so as to permit the fabric to be easily changed in position or
removed altogether.
Attached or fixed to the upper die B is the rack or series of teeth pins or pro-
jections C, into which the worm F carried by the traversing carriage E engages.
Attached or fixed to the upper die B is the bar D upon which the traversing
carriage E carrying the guides L of the reciprocating eye-pointed needle works.
The carriage E is traversed along the bar D by means of the tappet or lever H
attached to the needle frame, and the worm F with projections J on it on the
traversing carriage, against which projections the lever strikes and moves the worm,
which engages in the rack, and thereby moves the traversing carriage. The
distance traversed is regulated by worns and projections to suit the distance from
groove to groove or from stitch to stitch of dies.

page_text: It is obvious that other equivalent mechanical meaus may be employed for
traversing the carriage E, but I prefer to use the arrangement shewn and described.
The guide rods L, L, of the needle frame have a to-and-fro movement in guides
formed in the traversing carriage E. At one end of these guide rods the needle
holder N is fixed, and at the other end, or at any suitable part of the needle frame,
is mounted the tappet or lever H for working the worm.
The needle may be held and driven by any convenient arrangement of mechanism,
and can be adjusted to suit the material to be darned.
The darning cotton is carried on the needle frame in any convenient position, so
as to be continuously supplied as the work progresses. The needle, being threaded
with cotton in the ordinary way, is advanced by means of the guide rods of the
needle frame through the grooves in the dies, and in its passage it passes through the
corrugated material. When the eye of the needle has passed a short distance
through the die, the loop catcher R (which is fixed to the traversing carriage, and is
actuated by means of the pusher Q on the needle frame pressing against the lever V
on the spindle of the loop catcher) is brought into such a position as to enable it by
means of a spring when released to enter the loop which is formed at the eye of the
needle on the commencement of the return stroke of the needle, and having entered
therein to hold the said loop whilst the needle returns through the fabric. This
movement of the loop catcher can also be obtained by an intermittent rack move-
ment, or by other equivalent mechanism.
In Figure 6 I have shewn a modified arrangement for working the loop catcher,
wherein a slight spring passing from side to side across the centre of oscillation when
at work holds the loop catcher in position. The slot of the pusher holds the
pin T of the lever or quadrant V until the loop is caught. By these arrangements
the needle returns through the fabric without carrying the cotton with it, and as
the cotton runs freely through the eye of the needle a double thread is thus
left in its track. The needle returns sufficiently far to draw enough cotton from
the reel for the next stitch, or this cotton can be drawn by a separate lever.
I place the needle by preference with the eye up and down, so that the loop
catcher works just above the needle, and engages in the loop formed on the return
stroke, but it can be placed horizontally, and the loop catcher can be arranged to
enter the loop on either side of the needle, care being taken that it shall follow and
not be in advance of the needle frame as it traverses the bar, or, in other words, that
it shall be always on that side of the needle opposite to the side on which the
cotton is supplied. This allows the needle to return and pass its eye along the cotton
on the supply side.
The loop catcher can be adjusted for any length of loop required, so that in re-
moving the fabric and straightening out the corrugated part the extra length of
cotton required is obtained from this loop.
If preferred the loops at the front part of the dies may be interlocked, so as to
prevent pulling the work out after completion; but as most persons prefer being able
to draw out the cotton of an old darn, and as the work will not come out in ordinary
use, the employment of the hook for this purpose is optional.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I am aware that corrugating dies, also pivotted traversing
dies with moveable corrugators, have been proposed and used in darning machines,
and therefore I lay no claim thereto, but what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The peculiar combination and arrangement of parts constituting a darning
machine, as herein-before described, and illustrated by the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
Second. The application and use to and in darning machines of a corrugating die
having no lateral motion, and provided with adjustable corrugators, in combination

page_text: with a lateral traversing carriage and needle frame, substantially as herein-before
described, and illustrated by my Drawings.
Third. The traversing carriage E, in combination with the stationary corrugating
dies, as and for the purpose herein-before described, and illustrated by any Drawings.
Fourth. The mounting on the said traversing carriage E of the needle slide with
its needle, the loop catcher, and the traversing rack and worm or equivalveut
mechanism, as and for the purpose herein-before described, and illustrated by my
Drawings.
Fifth. The mode of actuating the traversing carriage and the loop catcher by the
needle slide, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by my
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Chambers, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDWARD JOHN CHAMBERS. (LS)