IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING EMBROIDERY OR ORNAMENTS IN MUSLINS, SILKS, AND CERTAIN OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SNEATH, of Ison Green, in the County of Nottingham, Lace Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of November, in the seventh year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Sneath, His especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Sneath, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Sneath, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in all His said Majesty's
Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING
EMBROIDERY OR ORNAMENTS IN MUSLINS, SILKS, AND CERTAIN OTHER FABRICS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William
Sneath, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Sneath, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:
My Invention relates to improvements on my former Patent, granted to me
by His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, for
"Certain Improvements in Machinery; by the Aid of which Improvements
Threadwork Ornaments of certain Kinds can be formed in Net or Lace made
"by certain Machinery commonly called Bobbin Net Machinery," bearing date
at Westminster, the Third day of November, One thousand eight hundred and
thirty-six, and to which Letters Patent I duly enrolled a Specification, and in
such Specification I did fully describe and claim as my Invention certain
arrangements of apparatus for producing loopwork ornaments on bobbin net
or twist lace, and also a mode of fastening off-such loopwork ornaments at any
determined period by drawing one loop through another. Now the object of
my present Invention is to apply such combination of apparatus to the pro-
duction of embroidery or ornaments on muslins, silks, and such other fabrics as
are made or produced by weaving with warp and shuttle, in contradistinction to
those open fabrics which are made by bobbin net or twist lace machinery; and
the present Invention also relates to the application of such like woven fabrics
by warp and shuttle, as above mentioned, of the mode of fastening off each of
the ornamenting threads at any determined period by drawing one loop within
the other. And further, the present Invention relates to a new combination of
instruments and apparatus for actuating the same for producing loopwork
ornaments on any description of woven fabrics, and for fastening off the same
by drawing one loop within the other, such fastening off being substantially
the same as described in my former Specification, but is performed by the
instrument or hook which passes the ornamenting loops through the fabric, in
place of the hook only performing the fastening off, as was the case with the
former instruments. The mode of working, and the nature and use of every
part of the apparatus having been most fully described in my former Specifica-
tion, it will not be necessary to enter into so extensive a description in the
present Specification as would otherwise be necessary, but refer generally to
my former Specification, pointing out such variations as will be desirable, in
order to the machinery being made suitable for carrying out my present
improvements. In my former Specification I shewed the various apparatus
and instruments as combined with a bobbin net machine, the working of which

page_text: was to be continually going on, and the threadwork ornaments produced after
the bobbin net or lace was made and taken up by the taking up points, but
before such bobbin- net or lace was wound on to the work roller, and did
further give such instructions to the workman as would enable him to construct
a machine separate from a bobbin net frame, in order to produce threadwork
ornaments on pieces of bobbin net or twist lace, after it had been taken from the.
machine in which it had been made. Now a workman having examined such
Specification, aided by the explanation hereafter given, will readily carry out
the present Invention, so far as relates to the application of such apparatus
and instruments to the producing loopwork ornaments on fabrics woven by
warp and shuttle, and also the method of fastening off such ornaments by
drawing the loops one within the other.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING MARKED A.
Figure 1 represents a section of so much of the machine as will enable me to
describe my present Invention, in which the same letters are used to indicate
similar parts as were employed in my former Specification, and the movements of
the parts therein described applies to the present Invention, the difference being
that all the machinery which was employed for making bobbin net or lace is
removed, and there is a suitable apparatus applied for winding on the fabric on.
to the work roller, in place of the ordinary winding on and taking up of the lace in
bobbin net inachinery, and the fabric being ornamented remains stationary during
the time of the working of the loops and fastening off, and the work roller is only
actuated in order to move the woven fabric between each pattern by means of a
suitable cut wheel, the various essential parts being shewn in the Figures of the.
Drawings marked A, and the position of the instruments at the various move-
ments for producing the loops in any direction depending on the taste of the
workman and the consequent cut of his pattern wheels, which are matters
familiar with workmen engaged in such classes of machinery, and fully ex-
plained (as to a particular pattern) in my former Specification, no further.
description need here be given, further than to again call attention to what
is stated in the former Specification respecting allowance being made in the
cut of wheels there shewn (for the particular pattern) for the constant move-
ment of the fabric as it is being produced, whereas in the present machine
the fabric does not move during the time that the pattern is being produced,
hence the same pattern wheels shewn in the said former Specification would
not, in being used in the present machine, produce the pattern, Figure 5, with
the radii a, b, a, c, &c., of equal lengths, but would produce a like pattern, the
radii a, b, a, c, a, d, &c., of which would be of unequal lengths.

page_text: In cach of the Figures of which the same letters indicate similar parts, a
being the hook or instrument which receives and carries the loop through the
fabric. The construction of this hook is clearly shewn in the Drawing, there
being one such hook opposite every place where there is a pattern or ornament
to be produced across the fabric. In the upper surface of the stem of this
hook is formed a groove, into which enters the guard b, which consists of a
pointed slightly bent stem, as is shown in the Drawing, one such bent stem b,
being employed opposite cach hook a, the object of these guards 6 being to
cover the hooks a in their return through the fabric, and also to guide off the
loops which have been before formed and left on the stem of the hooks a,
when they pass through the fabric to obtain fresh loops of the ornamenting
thread of silk, cotton, or other fibre. c is a guide, one to each hook a, in order
to supply the hooks with the ornamenting thread, as will be hereafter fully
explained, the ornamenting or embroidering threads being wound on the
beam or roller d, as is clearly shewn in the Drawing. The guides c, and the
guards b, being affixed on the same bar, are worked together. These instru-
ments, being worked, will produce looped work ornaments, or embroidery
similar to tambouring, but in order to fasten off such ornaments according to
the mode described in my former Specification, an apparatus is employed which
I call loop openers, shewn in the Drawing, marked e, f, and g, h. c is a bent
pointed stem, having a groove formed on its inner surface, and f is another bent
pointed stem, the end of which lies within the groove formed in the stem e,
and thus is formed an open instrument pointed at the end, whereby it can
enter the loop brought through the fabric by the hook a, and distend or open
the same, but at the proper time, notwithstanding the hook a is within the
instrument e, f, and through the fabric, that instrument can descend and get
out of the way of the hook a, by the opening of the ends of the stems e, f, one
from the other, and when clear of the hook a will again spring together, and
be in a proper condition to enter through another loop at the time required.
g, h, are two similar stems to e, f, but smaller, and are placed between those
stems as is shewn. The object of these four stems e, f, g, h, and their mode
of working in order to produce a fast knot, or fastening off of the thread by the
mode of drawing one loop within another, will be hereafter most fully described.
These stems are cast in leads, and one set of stems e, f, g, h, is applied to each
hook a on a suitable bar, having the movements hereafter described given
thereto in order to raise and lower these opening loop instruments for pro-
ducing the fastening off operation. The fabric to be ornamented is wound on

page_text: to the roller i and made fast to the roller j, such roller j being actuated one
tooth of its ratchet wheel at each time a pattern has been finished, in order to
wind on such a quantity as is intended to be the distance between each row
of the patterns produced, care being observed in cutting the ratchet wheels to
turn the roller j a shorter distance round as its surface increases in diameter,
and for this purpose it is desirable to have three or more ratchet wheels on the
axis of the roller j, as is well understood by mechanics, for producing a nearly
equal winding on, notwithstanding the increasing diameter of the roller j, or
the same may be performed by any other means. The axes of these rollers
have bearings affixed to the frame k, the construction of which will readily be
understood on an examination of the Drawing, such frame k having movement
up and down vertically and laterally from end to end of the machine, being
guided in such movements by suitable guides, as is clearly shewn; and on the
order in which such movements are given to the frame k will depend the
pattern in which the ornamental or embroidery looped work will be produced on
the surface of the fabric, such frame being acted upon by pattern wheels such as
are in common use and well understood, particularly to bobbin net lace machine
makers, on the cut of which wheels will depend the order in which the frame
will be moved, and consequently the nature of the pattern produced; hence, the
machine being once set, may have the pattern which it has been previously
producing varied by changing the cut of pattern wheels in the machine for a
fresh set, shaped or cut according to the design of the intended pattern; the
workmen will readily perceive how he is to vary his cut of wheels in order to
change the pattern and produce the result desired. The leads of hooks are
affixed to the hook bar 7, such bar moving on axes which are carried by the
crank bar arms m, such crank bar arms having a swinging movement or action
to pass the hooks through the fabric, and in order to receive the ornamenting
thread in loops, and then draw such loops through the fabric, the hooks a
at all times being guided horizontally through and through the fabric, not-
withstanding the crank bar arms m move through an arc of a circle,
such horizontal position to the hooks a being obtained by the bar / being
guided by straight horizontal edges, as is well understood, particularly to
makers of lace machinery. The guards 6 and the guides c being cast in
leads, are affixed to the bar n, which in like manner to the bar is
connected to its crank bar arms o, which have a swinging motion applied
thereto like those of the hook bar, but the bar n has also other movements,
by which the ornamenting threads are lapped over the hooks by the guide c, c,
and by which the guards are then placed directly over their respective
hooks a, and by which the points descend and lie within the grooves in the

page_text: stems of the hooks a, and as the hooks retire through the fabric, having with
them the threads laid over by the guides c, the hooks a are prevented taking
hold of the fabric (which is being ornamented) by means of the guards b
accompanying their hooks through the fabric, the guards then pass back
through the fabric in order that the fabric may move to bring the same in such
position that each hook may enter through in the proper place for producing
the required pattern; and it should be remarked that, in cutting the pattern
wheels, care should be observed that when the fabric is required to rise, and
hence draw the apex of the loop upwards, and which would (were the hook to
enter and pass through the fabric in that position) throw the loop off the hook,
that the fabric in moving should proceed in a lateral direction previously to
ascending, by which means the loop passes under the point of the hook, and
hence, when the fabric has arrived in position, and the hook goes through to
obtain a fresh loop, the one previously formed will remain on the stem of the
hook, and the loop last placed in the hook, and guarded therein through the
fabric, will also be guarded through the loop left on the stem of the hook.
The opening loop instruments being cast in leads, they have a movement
vertically at the time of fastening off; that is to say, when the loop has been
brought through by the hook, and the guard has passed back, the larger loop
opener e, f, in rising, enters that loop and opens the same, the hook passes again
through the fabric, and obtains a fresh loop from the guide which it draws
through the fabric and through the loop on the larger openers e, f. The rising
of the opening loop bar causes the smaller loop opener g, h, to enter and open
the loop last brought through, the last loop will be on the hook, and the hook
and loop will be above the loop which is on the larger loop openers; the hook
then passes through the fabric, and the loop openers descend below the hook,
which they are enabled to do by opening at their end as above described; this
will leave the loop last brought through by the hook on the stem thereof, but
fast on the surface of the fabric by the previous loop being being drawn tight.
The pattern being thus finished and fastened off, it will be required to com-
mence at a distance from that just fastened off; the guide does not therefore
supply thread to the needle when it comes through in the last instance as above
explained; on the contrary, the empty hook passes back thro' the fabric with
its guard, and through the loop which was left on the stem of the hook, and
thus freed therefrom; hence, when the guard has passed back, the instruments
will be in a position for recommencing the pattern, the fabric moving to a
correct position for that purpose.
Having thus described the nature of the instruments employed, and the
actions or movements to be communicated thereto, in order to produce loopwork

page_text: ornaments or embroidery, depending on the taste of the workman, and con-
sequently the cut of wheels he puts into his machine to move the fabric, I
will shortly describe the machinery, shewn in the Drawing, for working such
instruments, first remarking that in patterns which are continuous along the
fabric, and wherein the ornamenting thread is not required to be cut from
pattern to pattern, and consequently no fastening off is necessary; then the
fastening off movements will not be necessary, and the instruments e, f, g, h,
may be dispensed with; but when the pattern requires fastening off at the end
of each figure, then it will be seen that the hook or instrument which brings
thro' the ornamenting thread is, by the aid of the instruments e, f, g, h, also
the means of fastening off the ornamenting thread, which fastening off in
respect to the nature thereof separate from the instruments is according to the
mode claimed in my former Specification as above described. A is the framing
of the machine; B is the main shaft or axis, which turns in suitable bearings
at each end of the machine, on which main shaft are affixed three cams, as
clearly shown in the Drawing; their object will be hereafter fully described.
The main shaft B receives motion from a winch handle turned by the work-
man by suitable wheelwork, as is shown in the Drawing; C is a lever moving
on a fulcrum at D. This lever C has a roller or truck, which is actuated by the
cam E, affixed on the main shaft or axis. F is a lever moving on a fulcrum
at G, and is actuated by the lever C, which presses on one end thereof, and
there is a set screw to adjust the correct working of the levers C and F, there
being a spring bearing on the other end of the lever F, not shown in the
Drawing, which keeps the levers to their work. H is a driver attached by a
pin joint to the lever F, and works the ratchet wheel I on the pattern wheel
shaft, that shaft turning, in suitable bearings at the front and back of the
machine, as is clearly shown in the Drawing. J is a cam which works the
hook bar, it giving the proper oscillating motion to the crank bar arms,
which carry the hook bar; K. being a lever moving on a fulcrum at K', one
end of such lever being connected by a suitable connecting rod to the crank
bar arm of the hook bar, as is clearly shown; the other end of the lever K
having a roller or truck is acted on by the cam J. On the main shaft is
affixed the cam L, which gives the requisite swinging motion to the crank bar
arms which carry the guards, and thus causes the guards to enter through the
fabric, together with the hooks, and come out again from the fabric, as has
been already described in speaking of the instruments. M is a lever themselves
moving on a fulcrum at M', and is connected to the crank bar arm of the guard
bar by means of a suitable connecting rod; the other end of the lever M having
a truck or roller is actuated by the cam L; and it should be stated that springs

page_text: or other well known means are to be applied to keep the trucks or rollers of
the levers K and M in contact with their respective cams. The fabric
to be embroidered or ornamented is wound on to the roller i, and attached to
the roller j, the roller i having a friction cord and weighted lever at each end,
which, giving friction to the rollers, also balances the same and their framing k,
and hence renders them capable of movement with facility in any direc-
tion. The axes of the rollers i, have bearings affixed to the frame k, the
nature and construction of which is clearly shown in the Drawing, it having
set screws Q, which, moving against straight surfaces, keeps the frame k in
its correct vertical position, at the same time allows of its movement up and
down, and laterally, in order to move the fabric in the directions required for
allowing the hooks to pass through in a correct manner to produce the pattern
desired. R, R, are two bolts or bars, which, passing through brackets affixed
to the end framings of the machine, are guided vertically thereby. The upper
ends of these bars or bolts are forked in order to receive the friction wheels S,
which support the framing k, as is shewn in the Drawing. T is a cylindrical
bar, which constitutes the lower part of the frame k, such bar T lying in the
wheels S; hence as the bars R, R, are caused to rise and fall, as hereafter
described, they cause the frame k to rise and fall therewith, and the wheels S
offer facility to the frame k moving laterally. V is a spindle bar moving on
axes at the back of the machine, to which are affixed two arms W, which, being
forked at their ends, receive the studs X on the bolts or bars R. The spindle
bar V is worked by means of the lever Y, which moves on a fulcrum at Y₁,
the lever Y working under the arm Z, affixed to the spindle bar V, the lever Y
being actuated by a suitable pattern wheel on the pattern wheel shaft. (1)
is a lever moving on a fulcrum at (2), to give movement lengthwise of the
guide and guide bar, in order to carry the guides over their hooks when
they are through the fabric; and (3) is a connecting rod to the guide and
guard bar, and to the lever (4), and by means of a suitable pattern wheel is
caused to rise and fall in order to lap the thread well over the hooks, and
also to bring down the guards into the grooves of their respective needles. (5)
is a lever moving on a fulcrum at (6), and bears against the surface of a suit-
able pattern wheel, and at the upper end is a stud which is kept constantly in
contact with a projection of the frame k by a spring not shewn in the Drawing,
produces the requisite lateral movements to the frame k, and hence to the fabric
to be ornamented. (7) is a lever which is actuated by a suitable pattern wheel,
and actuates a driver for winding on the fabric to the lower roller a distance
equal to that between each pattern. (8) is the driver, which, at the times
when not in action, is kept from its ratchet wheel by the incline plane (9);

page_text: and it should be stated that as the roller j increases in size by the rolling
on of fabric, the ratchet wheels acted on by the driver must be changed
in order to equalize the winding on. The opening loop bar is worked by means
of a suitably cut pattern wheel acting on the lever (10), which, having a
connecting rod attached to an arm on the spindle bar (11), causes the opening
loop bar to rise and fall, as will readily be seen on examining the Drawing,
the opening loop bar being guided by vertical guides not shewn in the Drawing
in order to keep the instruments for opening the loops to rise and fall in a
vertical direction. d is a roller on to which is wound or warped the ornamenting
threads, one to each guide. The axes of this roller turn in suitable bearings
at the back of the machine, and (13) is a weighted cord which at all times
in winding off a pulley has a tendency to draw back the threads.
Having thus described my Invention, I would have it understood that I do
not claim any of the parts separately, nor do I claim the making of loop-
work embroidery or ornaments generally, other arrangements, as was stated
in my former Specification, having been before employed for that purpose.
Nor do I confine myself to the precise arrangements shewn, provided tho
principle of my Invention be retained.
But I would have it understood that what I claim as the first part of my
Invention is, the working of looped embroidery or ornaments on muslins, silks,
and other fabrics produced or made by warp and shuttle by means of the
combined instruments and apparatus herein shown and described, and also the
fastening off of such looped ornaments, when produced on woven fabrics made
(by warp and shuttle), by drawing the loops one within the other, and thereby
obtaining a fast knot to the pattern; and,
Secondly, I claim the application of the combined instruments and apparatus
shewn and described for producing embroidery or ornaments on woven fabrics,
whereby the loops are passed through the fabric in the machine by hooks and
guards, and retained by suitable loop-openers, such as are above described,
and whereby the hooks or instruments which pass the loops through the
fabric perform the operation of fastening off by the mode of drawing one set
of loops through other loops, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Sneath, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.
WILL SNEATH. (L.8.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of May, in
the seventh year of the reign of His Majesty King William the Fourth, the
said William Sneath came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery,
and acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the
fifty-fifth year of the reign of His late Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-seven.