IM- PROVEMENTS IN EMBROIDERING MACHINERY
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN EMBROIDERING MACHINERY."-A communication from abroad
by Ernest Auguste Bourry, Mechanical Engineer, of 29, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 14th December 1866, and dated the 29th June 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th June 1866.
I, WILLIAN CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBROIDERING MACHINERY," to be as
follows:-
The object of these improvements is to combine and operate a number of
sewing machines simultaneously, producing what is known as the chain stitch
for the purpose of embroidering. In sewing machines the movements are
repeated with the parts in the same position while the material operated on is
pushed slightly forward at each stitch, and always in the same direction,
while for making curved lines of stitching the material has to be shifted in
position accordingly. When applying more than one sewing machine the
turning of the fabric is no longer admissible, hence other means require to be
adopted for making the stitches in any suitable direction.

page_text: In the machine represented in the accompanying Drawings the fabric is
moved a slight distance, equal to the length of the stitch as in sewing
machines, with the difference, however, that the feeding parts are made to
rotate, so that by their being turned more or less, the direction of motion of
the fabric is changed in proportion without, however, influencing the length of
the stitch; but as the position of the needle and other parts serving to
complete the stitch of the sewing machine must be in precise relation with
the direction of motion of the fabric, it is evidently necessary to turn the
sewing machines also on the needle as a centre together with the feeding
parts.
In the machine of this Invention the fabric being capable of movement,
and the stitches of being made in any direction, it is evident that the line of
sewing may be of any form and design. The principal feature of this appa-
ratus is that the motive power used sets the sewing machines in motion, and
imparts to the fabric the necessary slight advance movement at the desired
time, while the cinbroiderer or operator has simply to regulate the direction
of the stitch.
It will be readily conceived that the general arrangement of the apparatus
may be modified without changing the principle; for example, the fabric
according to circumstances may be placed either in a vertical, horizontal, or
oblique position. Embroidering machines in which the fabric has horizontal
motion are of advantage for placing in rooms with exceptionally low ceilings,
those on the contrary in which the fabric is applied vertically being suitable
for use in more lofty places possess a great superiority in all other respects.
For this reason in the Drawing I have represented an embroidering machine,
in which the material under operation is applied vertically.
The action of this apparatus will be readily understood by reference to the
Drawings, Figure 1 of which shows an end elevation of the apparatus on the
operating side; Figure 2, a longitudinal elevation; Figure 3, a plan of the
same; while Figure 4 shows a sewing machine adapted by preference to
the improved embroidering machine. The same letters apply to all the
Figures.
.
A, A, principal entablature of the machine; B, B, wood or sheet iron
frame for containing the fabric; a, a, rollers on which the fabric is wound
between the rectangle, marked in red lines, and the interior of the frame; b is
a space reserved for the combs or other apparatus serving to produce the
tension of the fabric; b, b, sheet iron slides in which works a roller furnished
with a metal or other cord passing over pullies c, c, and having a weight dat
its other end for counterbalancing the frame; C, sheet iron plate fixed to the

page_text: frame on which the feed movement takes effect for producing the motion of
the fabric; D, plate on which is placed the design to be reproduced; F, hand
wheel by which the operator produces the turning of the feeding mechanism,
as also the sewing machines by means of small shafts and gearing shown in
red; e, needle indicator furnished with a small arrow at its pointed end, and
turning with the wheel F for following the lines of the design; f, f, rollers by
means of which the frame is set in motion, the said rollers turning a fraction
of a revolution for each stitch by the aid of cams g, g, on the shafts h, h,
through a lever bearing on the cam g, and acting on an endless screw
actuating a toothed wheel keyed on the axis of the roller f; G, G, bars on
which are adjusted the sewing machines with their entire mechanism;
jj, small crank pins keyed on the shafts h for imparting a to-and-fro motion
to the levers i, i, and levers K, K, for working the sewing mechanism;
1, bobbin for holding the embroidering thread, and arranged in such manner
as to turn with it and prevent the torsion of the thread. In order to afford
access to the frame before mentioned in case of necessity, and permit of its
easy manipulation, the bars G, G, are suspended on one side from rods m, m,
and supported on the other by movable arms n, n, which allow of the bars
G, G, being thrown backwards to afford the operator free access between
them and the frame; 0, 0, guides for maintaining the frame in its true
vertical position; g, small crank bandle mounted on a screw for pressing the
rollers ff, more or less up to the plate C, so as to regulate the adhesion in
feeding the material.
In order to work this improved embroidering machine the whole fabric is
wound smoothly on one of the rollers a, enough is then unwound for holding
the end of the material on the other roller, and the necessary tension then
applied; this being done a little thread is unwound from each bobbin, and a
very small weight placed at the end of the thread, after which the design is
adjusted on the plate D. The machine being thus ready for action rotary
motion is imparted to the shafts h, h, either by a treadle or by a strap on one
of the pullies p, p, the said shafts setting in motion the whole of the sewing
machines, as also the rollers f, f. The operator seats himself in front of the
wheel F in order to turn it to the right or left, according to the direction of
the lines of the design to be followed. Instead of following the lines on the
design with a pointer, I reverse the order, that is, the pointer remains
stationary, while it is the design that is moved; the small arrow mounted on
the needle indicator serves to show the direction of motion of the material,
hence the operator has to make this direction coincide with that of the line to
be followed on the design.

page_text: The Invention thus consists in imparting a rotary movement to the parts
feeding the material, as also to the sewing machines employed in combination
with the embroidering apparatus, with the object of making the stitches in any
direction independent of the motion of the machine, these improvements being
applicable to all machines of this nature, whether the material be disposed
horizontally, vertically, or obliquely, while reserving the right of varying the
mode of transmitting motion, the dimensions of the machine, and the number
of sewing machines employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th December 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my 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 EMBROIDERING
MACHINERY," a communication to me from abroad by Ernest Auguste Bourry,
Mechanical Engineer, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or
alministrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain 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 I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of these improvements is to combine and operate a number of
sewing machines, simultaneously producing what is known as the chain stitch
for the purpose of embroidering. In sewing machines the movements are
repeated with the parts in the same position while the material operated on is
pushed slightly forward at each stitch, and always in the same direction,
while for making curved lines of stitching the material has to be shifted in
position accordingly. When applying more than one sewing machine the
turning of the fabric is no longer admissable, hence other means require to be
adopted to enable the stitches to be made in any suitable direction.
In the machine represented in the accompanying Drawings the fabric is
moved a slight distance equal to the length of the stitch as in sewing
machines, with the difference, however, that the feeding parts are made to
rotate, so that by their being turned more or less the direction of motion of
the fabric is changed in proportion without however influencing the length of
the stitch; but as the position of the needle and other parts serving to
complete the stitch of the sewing machines must be in precise relation with
the direction of motion of the fabric, it is evidently necessary to turn the
sewing machines also on the needle as a centre together with the feeding
parts.
In the machine of this Invention the fabric and stitch being capable of
movement in any direction, it is evident that the line of sewing may be of any
form and design. The principal feature of this apparatus is that the motive
power used sets the machine in motion, and imparts to the fabric the necessary
slight advance movement at the desired time while the embroiderer or operator
has simply to regulate the direction of the stitch.
It will be readily conceived that the general arrangement of the apparatus
may be modified without changing the principle; for example, the fabric
according to circumstances, may be placed either in a vertical, horizontal, or
oblique position. Embroidering machines in which the fabric has horizontal
motion are of advantage for placing in rooms with exceptionally low ceilings,
those on the contrary in which the fabric is applied vertically being suitable
for use in more lofty places possess a great superiority in all other respects.
For this reason, in the Drawing I have illustrated an embroidering machine
in which the material under.operation is applied vertically.
The action of this apparatus will be readily understood by reference to the
Drawings, Figure 1 of which shows an end elevation of the apparatus in the

page_text: operating side; Figure 2, a longitudinal elevation; and Figure 3, a plan of
the same, while Figure 4 shows a sewing machine adapted by preference to
the improved embroidering machine. The same letters apply to all the
Figures.
A, A, principal entablature of the machine; B, B, wood or sheet iron
frame for containing the fabric; a, a, rollers on which the fabric is wound
between the rectangle marked in red lines and the interior of the frame B is
a space reserved for the combs or other apparatus serving to produce the
tension of the fabric; b, b, sheet iron slides, in which works a roller furnished
with a metallic or other cord passing over pullies c, c, and having a weight d
at its other end for counterbalancing the frame; C, sheet iron plate fixed to
the frame on which the feed movement takes effect for producing the motion
of the fabric; D, plate, on which is placed the design to be reproduced;
F, hand wheel by which the operator actuates the feed mechanism, as also
the sewing machines, by means of small shafts and gearing shown in red;
e, needle indicator furnished with a small arrow at its pointed end, and
turning with the wheel F for following the lines of the design; f, f, rollers by
means of which the frame is set in motion, the said rollers turning a fraction
of a revolution for each stitch by the aid of cams g, g, on the shafts h, h,
through a lever bearing on the cam g, and acting on an endless screw
actuating a toothed wheel keyed on the axis of the roller f; G, G, bars on
which are adjusted the sewing machines with their entire mechanism;
j, small crank pins keyed on the shafts h for imparting a to-and-fro motion
to the levers i, i, and levers k, k, for working the sewing mechanism; 1, bobbin
for holding the embroidering thread, and arranged to turn with aud prevent
the torsion of the thread. In order to afford access to the frame before men-
tioned in case of necessity, and permit of its easy manipulation, the bars G, G,
are suspended on one side from rods m, m, and supported on the other by
movable arms n, n, which allow of the bars G, G, being thrown backwards
to afford the operator free access between them and the frame; o, o, guides
for maintaining the frame in its true vertical position; q, small crank handle
mounted on a screw for pressing the rollers f, f, more or less on to the
plate C, so as to regulate the adhesion in feeding the material.
In order to work this improved embroidering machine the whole fabric is
wound smoothly on one of the rollers a, the end of the material is then wound
on the other roller and the necessary tension applied; this being done a little
thread is unwound from each bobbin, and a very small weight placed at the
end of the thread, after which the design is adjusted on the plate D. The
machine being thus ready for action rotary motion is imparted to the shafts

page_text: h, h, either by a treadle or by a strap on one of the pullies p, p, the said
shafts setting in motion the whole of the sewing machines as also the
rollers f, f.
The operator seats himself in front of the wheel F in order to turn it to the
right or left according to the direction of the lines of the design to be followed.
Instead of following the lines on the design with a pointer I reverse the order,
that is, the pointer remains stationary, while it is the design that is moved ;
the small arrow mounted on the needle indicator serves to show the direction
of motion of the material, hence the operator has to make this direction
coincide with that of the line to be followed on the design.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, imparting a rotary
movement to the parts for feeding the material as also to the sewing machines
employed in combination with the embroidering apparatus, with the object of
making the stitches in any direction independent of the motion of the
machine, these improvements being applicable to all machines of this nature,
whether the material be disposed horizontally, vertically, or obliquely, while
reserving the right of varying the mode of transmitting motion, the dimensions
of the machine, and the number of sewing machines employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)