IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF SEWING SHEETS OF PAPER FORMING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR EFFECTING THE SAME
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Leighton, of 13, Shoe Lane, in the City of
London, Bookbinder, and Thomas Kirkham, of Cambridge Villa, Gilston
Road, West Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF SEWING SHEETS OF
PAPER FORMING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR EFFECTING
THE SAME."
Sealed the 5th May 1868, and dated the 22nd November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Leighton and
Thomas Kirkham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 22nd November 1867.
We, ROBERT LEIGHTON, of No. 18, Shoe Lane, in the City of London,
Bookbinder, and THOMAS KIRKHAM, of Cambridge Villa, Gilston Road, West
Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF SEWING
SHEETS OF PAPER FORMING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR EFFECTING
THE SAME," to be as follows:-
Sheets of paper have hitherto been sewn together for the purpose of being
bound into books or pamphlets by one of two methods, neither of which are
strictly speaking sewing, and both have been done only by hand. The several
leaves of paper constituting the sheet are not firmly secured together by either
of these methods, but depend on after processes in the binding of the book,

page_text: which are often improperly performed, and hence the common fault of leaves
starting.
Our Invention consists in sewing the leaves of the sheet firmly together by
a continuous series of stitches along and through the back of each sheet, and
at the same time sewing the sheets to tapes or other woven material. The
great labor attending this process would render it practically impossible to do
it by hand, and in order to lessen this labor we employ the principles adopted
in
any of the well known sewing machines now in use and making the chain
stitch, single or double, or the lock stitch. We use a machine which is fitted
with two or more needles or crochet hooks with the usual mechanical fittings
for making any of the ordinary stitches, and with a frame for holding in their
proper position the tapes to which the sheets of the book are to be attached,
and with an apparatus for imparting a regular motion to the tapes or needles,
or both, in order that the sheet of paper and tapes may be perforated with a
regular succession of stitches. For thin soft paper we employ crochet hooks
in preference to needles; the hook perforates the paper from the inside, draws
through the thread making a chain stitch, by which process the thread does
not require cutting until the sewing of the book is completed. For thick and
harsh papers we use needles which perforate the sheet from the inside and
carry through the thread with them; the stitch is then completed on the
outside either as a chain, single or double, or a lock-stitch by any of the
ordinary methods. On using this process the thread attached to the several
needles require cutting on the completion of each sheet, and the ends have to
be held until the next sheet is brought into position; this we effect by having
a pair of shears fixed in a proper position near each needle which close at the
right moment, and the blades of which are so shaped that they retain the end
of the severed thread.
The bands to which the sheets are sewn are of an elastio webbing or some
similar material, which will yield to a certain amount of force, and so accom-
modate themselves to the rounded shape which will have to be given to the
book after the sewing is completed.
Although not confining ourselves to the precise arrangement herein-after
mentioned we give the following as a means of carrying out our object:
The main shaft from which the several parts of the machine are put in
motion by means of cambs, levers, cranks, and wheels, has its journals running
in plummer blocks forming part of a bed plate which carries the whole
machine. That part of the machine which carries the levers and camb shaft
for working the needles and shears is made to lift from the above-named bed
plate by means of a balance weight, and consists of an independent bed plate

page_text: having brackets to which are attached the arms for carrying the levers and
slides that work the needles and guide the thread, also a shaft on which are
cambs to put in motion the levers working the shears that cut the thread and
retain it during the time other leaves are being put in position for sewing to
the tapes. To cut and hold the thread the shears are put in motion by a
vertical lever having on one side at the top a pin which works in one side of a
grooved camb, the bottom end being connected with one end of a horizontal
lever, the other end of which is connected to one leg of the shears. The plate
on which the shears are worked is made to slide in grooves on this independent
bed plate by means also of a vertical lever having a pin working on the
opposite side of a grooved camb, the other end being connected with one end
of a horizontal lever and crank under the bed plate, which gives it the
necessary motion to allow the shears to clear the needles after severing the
thread which it retains until the shears are again required to cut the thread.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Leighton and Thomas Kirkham in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ROBERT
LEIGHTON, of 13, Shoe Lane, in the City of London, Bookbinder, and Thomas
KIRKHAM, of Cambridge Villa, Gilston Road, West Brompton, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Robert Leighton and Thomas Kirkham, Her special licence that
we, the said Robert Leighton and Thomas Kirkham, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as the said Robert Leighton and
Thomas Kirkham, our 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF SEWING SHEETS OF PAPER FORMING BOOKS AND
PAMPHLETS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR EFFECTING THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Robert Leighton and Thomas Kirkham
"

page_text: our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer
tain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Robert Leighton and Thomas Kirkham,
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, that is to say:-
Sheets of paper have hitherto been sewn together for the purpose of being
bound into books or pamphlets by one of two methods, neither of which are
strictly speaking sewing, and both have been done only by hand. The several
leaves of paper constituting the sheet are not firmly secured together by either
of these methods, but depend on after processes in the binding of the book,
which are often improperly performed, and hence the leaves starting.
Our Invention consists in securing in the manner herein-after described the
leaves of the sheet firmly together by a continuous series of stitches along and
through the back of each sheet, and at the same time sewing the sheets to
tapes or other woven material. The great labour attending this process would
render it practically impossible to do it by hand; and in order to lessen this
labour we employ the principles adopted in any of the well known sewing
machines now in use and making the chain stitch, single or double, or the
lock stitch. We use a machine which is fitted with two or more needles or
crochet hooks with the usual and known mechanical fittings for making any of
the ordinary stitches, and with a frame for holding in their proper position the
tapes to which the sheets of the book are to be attached, and with an apparatus
for imparting a regular motion to the tapes or needles, or both, in order that
the sheet of paper and tapes may be perforated with a regular succession of
stitches. For thin soft paper we employ crochet hooks in preference to
needles; the hook perforates the paper from the inside, draws through the
thread, making a chain stitch, by which process the thread does not require
cutting until the sewing of the book is completed. For thick and harsh
papers we use needles which perforate the sheet from the inside, and carry
through the thread with them; the stitch is then completed on the outside
either as a chain, single or double, or a lock stitch, by any of the known
methods. On using this process the threads attached to the several needles
require cutting on the completion of each sheet, and the ends have to be held
gutil the next sheet is brought into position; this we effect by having a pair

page_text: of shears fixed in a proper position near each needle which close at the right
moment, and the blades of which are so shaped that they retain the end of the
severed thread.
The bands to which the sheets are secured are of an elastic webbing or some
similar material which will yield to a certain amount of force and accommodate
themselves to the rounded shape which will have to be given to the book after
the sewing is completed.
We will now describe a machine for carrying out our object as above
described, having reference to the Drawings hereunto annexed, taking an
ordinary sewing machine, such as that known as Thomas' machine for an
illustration, to which machine, as is obvious, we make no claim. We will
proceed to describe the manner in which we apply our improvements for the
purposes of our Invention.
Figure I. is a plan, Figure II. is an elevation of a sewing machine; the
letters in each correspond with the corresponding parts in each Drawing.
The general construction of a Thomas' sewing machine is well known, and
does not therefore require a detailed description by us. The machine consists
of a bed plate A, having at its back end two plummer blocks b, through which
the ends of the main shaft B work, and from which the motion given to the
several parts of the machine is obtained. On the under side of the plate A
is the shuttle box arm and guide, as in the ordinary machine. In front
of this bed plate A, and let in on the top is a travelling plate M for moving
the sheets of paper and tapes, and thus giving the desired length of stitch;
this plate is shewn in part in Figure V. In the centre at the back edge of
this travelling plate is the roller N (Figure V.), on which is wound the tape;
this travelling plate is made to traverse from left to right or right to left, as
may be required, by means of a screw passing under the bed, and to which is
attached a ratchet wheel and lever furnished with a catch and spring connected
to a horizontal lever working from the main shaft by two small wheels, to one
of which is added a crank pin, which gives the reciprocating motion to the
lever for turning the screw. We obtain the same result by means of an arm o
shewn in Figures VI. and VI, working in a rack P, Figure V., the arm O
being moved by the reversing gear Q, Figure VI., on the front of the bed
plate A. This reversing gear receives its motion from the main shaft B by
means of mitre wheels, as shewn at each end of rod R, Figures I. and II.
Over the bed plate A is another plate a, which carries the whole of the other
working parts of the machine, and is moveable on the main shaft B, which
runs through the lugs c on plate a. This plate a (also shewn in Figure IV. in
plan) is raised when required from the bed plate A by means of a balance

page_text: weight S, shewn in Figure II. On this moveable bed plate a are brackets C
(shewn.in. Figures I. II. III. and IV.), to which are attached the arms for
carrying the levers D moving the slides d (Figures I. and II.) that work the
needles and presser, also the shaft E carrying the cam F for putting in motion
the levers for moving the plate L (to which the shears H are attached) up to
the thread, and withdrawing it again, also for working the shears that cut the
thread and retain it. The moving plate L to which the shears are attached
is made to slide in grooves on plate a by means of the vertical lever W having
on one side at top a pin which works on one side of the cam F (Figure VII.),
the bottom end being attached to one end of a horizontal lever N (Figures VII.
and VII.), which has its other end attached to the bell crank T, Figure VII..
fixed under the moving plate L. The Figure VII. shews the plate L in detail,
and Figure VII. shews the vertical lever W in detail. To cut and hold the
thread the shears are put in motion by the vertical lever G, having on one
side at top a pin which works on the opposite side of the cam F, the bottom
end being connected to one end of a horizontal lever U (Figures VIII. and
VIII.), which has its other end attached to one leg of the shears H.
Figure VIII. is a plan of the shears and horizontal lever on moveable plate L;
and Figure VIII. is a Drawing in elevation of the lever G working on the
cam F. On the side of one of the brackets C are wheels V for regulating the
speed at which it may be necessary to move the plate L, holding the shears H
to and from the thread receiving their motion from the pinion X (Figures I.,
III., and IV.) on the main shaft B.
In order to duplicate or multiply the needles all the different parts will be
duplicated or multiplied excepting the bed plate A, which will be enlarged;
also in proportion the main shaft B and the reversing gear which gives motion
to the travelling plate M, which will be lengthened in proportion.
In order to stitch the leaves the moveable plate a is raised by the balance
weight. The tapes are wound round the roller N at back of moveable plate M,
and the other end brought across the plate M (the tape is shewn at Y in
Figure V.). The first sheet is placed transversely on the travelling plate M,
the fold being over the slot Z (Figures I. and V.); the moveable plate a is
then lowered, which brings the needle to act on the sheet. The machine is
then set in motion; on each stitch the travelling plate M moves on, carrying
the tapes and sheets with it, and when the requisite number of stitches are
made the shears sever the upper thread, retaining the end. The plate a is
again raised, a fresh folded sheet inserted, and. the operation is repeated..
Having now described the nature and the operation of our machine, we
desire it to be understood that the novel parts are the travelling plate M for

page_text: giving the stitch and the application of the shears for cutting and retaining
the thread applied in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein-
before described; and we claim,-
First. The combination of parts forming an improved sewing machine
constructed and arranged as herein described, and shewn in the accompanying
Drawings, and the use and application of such machine for forming books and
pamphlets in the manner above described.
Second. The use and application of the travelling plate M or its equivalent
as herein described.
Third. The use and application of the shears or cutters for cutting and
retaining the thread, as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Robert Leighton and Thomas Kirkman,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight
ROB. LEIGHTON.
(L.B.)
THOS. KIRKMAN. (L.S.)