Improvements in Darning Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th Feb., 1896--Accepted, 6th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Darning Machines.
We ARTHUR HELWIG of 45 Leighton Road, Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, and JAMES ROWLAND BROUGH, of
29 Alexandra Villas, Finsbury Park, in the same county, Gentleman do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.
This invention relates to improvements in darning machines of the character
devised by me and described in the Specifications of Patents granted to me
the said Arthur Helwig, dated the 17th June 1887, No. 8765, and 8th October
1888 No. 14,444, as regards certain of the parts employed to effect the
operations.
In the present construction as in those referred to, the darning is effected with a
single needle and a single thread; the reciprocating and laterally moving needle
and needle-bar may be and are much the same as in the latter of the said former
Specifications and said needle may be, as therein shewn, arranged to be inter-
mittently moved in a direction at right angles to itself and to be caused to
successively assume at each side wise movement a new position parallel to its first
position, and the means for moving the needle bar and looper transversely of the
machine may be similar to that referred to in the latter Specification, as also may
be the divided work holder adapted to hold the material to be mended, or darned,
during such operation.
The means for moving one part of the said work holder to and from the other
part may be, as in said latter Specification, or of equivalent construction.
In practice it has been found that the means for actuating the looper described
and shewn in the said former Specification was defective and inconvenient in that,
from its situation below the line of the work, it interferred with the practical utility
of the machine.
".
According to the present invention a roller or wheel mounted on a stud,
projecting from the needle bar, contacts with a suitably shaped, or pattern plate
carried by a spring controlled arm from the bracket, carrying the needle bar and
other parts, and traversed step by step across the machine therewith.
This pattern plate carries an arm in the end of which is adjustably secured a
bar carrying a looper which enters each loop of thread as it is presented to it
by the needle, and each loop is successively retained during each return traverse of
the needle.
The said looper arm is mounted in the pattern plate so that by turning it by
means of an arm or projection therefrom, protruding through a slot in said plate,
the looper can be tilted up out of the way of the operator in placing and removing
the work. As soon as the allotted rows of stitches and cross stitches have been
put into the work the end thread forming each said series is, at the proper time,
severed and the loose end in each case is drawn back by the needle through the
work "fixing it off" or fastening it.
Means for putting tension on the thread at the proper times is provided.
The looper is so mounted and operated that it is always above the portion of the
work beyond the holder.
Dated the 7th day of June 1895

page_text: Improvements in Darning Machines.
We ARTHUR HELWIG, of 45 Leighton Road, Kentish Town, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, and JAMES ROWLAND BROUGH, of
29 Alexandra Villas, Finsbury Park, in the same county Gentleman do hereby
declare the nature of this invention 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 improvements in darning machines of the character
devised by me and described in the Specifications of Patents granted to me
the said Arthur Helwig dated the 17th June 1887, No. 8765, and 8th October
1888, No. 14,444, as regards certain of the parts employed to effect the 1
operations.
In the present construction, as in those referred to, the darning is effected with a
single needle and a single thread; the reciprocating and laterally moving needle
and needle-bar may be and are much the same as in the latter of the said former
Specifications and said needle may be, as therein shown, arranged to be inter- 1
mittently moved in a direction at right angles to itself and to be caused to
successively assume at each side-wise movement a new position parallel to its first
position, and the means for moving the needle bar and looper transversely of the
machine may be similar to that referred to in the latter Specification; as also may
be the divided work holder adapted to hold the material to be mended, or darned,
during such operation.
The means for moving one part of the said work holder to and from the other
part may be as in said latter Specification, or of equivalent construction.
-
In practice it has been found that the means for actuating the looper described
and shown in the said former Specification was defective and inconvenient in that,
from its situation below the line of the work, it interfered with the practical
utility of the machine.
According to the present invention the darning machine is arranged so as to
obviate this defect, as will be hereinafter fully described, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shows, by plan view, a darning machine according to the present
invention, with the parts in the position they assume before commencing to darn
a hole.
Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of the same, a part of the operating handle being
shown cut away.
Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the machine with the parts in the position they
assume when a darn is near completion. Some portions of the apparatus are
omitted for the sake of clearness.
Fig. 4 shows an end elevation, with the work-holder in its raised position.
Fig. 5 shows a front elevation of a portion of the machine; in this figure the
work-holder is shown "down," in the position suitable for holding the material to
be mended, and the needle is shown in its "forward" position.
Fig. 6 shows a cross sectional view of the machine-taken on the line A, B of
Fig. 3, and looking to the right.
Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 show the needle and looper in positions which they
respectively assume during the formation of a stitch (as will hereinafter be fully
described) to an enlarged scale.

page_text: A roller, or wheel a, mounted on a stud a¹, projecting from the needle bar 2,
contacts with a suitably shaped, or pattern plate e, carried by a spring controlled..
arm d from the bracket e, the latter carrying the needle bar 2 and other parts, and
traversed step by step across the machine therewith.
The plate c is provided with a suitable projection c² inclined at one end c³, to
form a pathway for the roller a to run upon. This roller path is kept in frictional
contact with the roller by means of a spring c, the plate e being pivotally mounted
at c³ on the arm d.. This arm d is carried by a stud or pivot d in bearings e¹ on
the bracket e. A spring e controls the arm d so as to normally press the edge c, c²
of the plate c into contact with a roller 19 carried by the needle bar 2. A stude³.
from the bracket e enters a slot in a lug c from the plate c thus forming a guide.
for the latter.
E
The pattern plate c carries an arm ƒ in the end of which is adjustably secured a
bar carrying a looper f2 which enters each loop of thread as it is presented to it.
by the needle 1, and each loop is successively retained during each return traverse
of the needle. A set screw f³ at the end of the looper arm f serves to hold the
looper in place when adjusted.
The said looper armƒ is mounted in the pattern plate c, so that by turning it by
means of an arm or projection therefrom, protruding through a slot c' in said
plate c, the looper can be tilted up out of the way of the operator in placing and
removing the work, as shown by dotted lines Fig. 4. By this arrangement of the
looper it is always above the portion of the work beyond the holder.
In the example shown the handle 10 is formed so that one half may slide.
telescopically with the other half for convenience in packing.
The other parts of the machine are substantially similar to those described in the
latter of the said former Specifications and are correspondingly figured.and to these
parts separately considered we hereby make no claim.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The article to be mended is placed in the machine and held by means of the
divided work holder. The looper is then lowered from its dotted line position,
Fig. 4, to its operative position-shown by full lines in the same figure. The
handle 10 and the parts operated by it are then in the position shown in Figs. 1
and 2, ready to commence a stitch. The needle is then moved forward into the
position shown by Fig. 5, carrying with it, through the material, a loop of thread
or wool. When the end of this forward movement is reached the looper 2 is in
the position shown by Fig. 7. The needle is then taken backwards and as soon as
this movement commences, the roller 19 by coming against an incline c' on the
edge of the plate e forces out the latter, thus causing the looper to move from
its Fig. 7 position to that shown in Fig. 8, entering, as it does so, the loop.
carried by the needle. Then as the backward movement of the needle continues,
the roller a comes into contact with the incline thus giving to the looper an
upward movement, into the position shown in Fig. 9. When the needle arrives
near the end of its travel to the rear the roller 19 comes into contact with an
incline 13*, referred to in the aforesaid Specifications. This causes the bracket e
and its attached parts to move one step to the left, viewing Fig. 7-11, the looper /
still retaining the loop and holding it ready for the needle to enter on returning
forward to make the next stitch, as shown in Fig. 10. As the needle approaches
the end of this forward movement, the plate c is lowered on account of the roller a
passing down the incline thus lowering the looper. Then as the roller 19 again
comes opposite the inclined edge c' see Fig. 3, the looper moves to the right into
the position shown in Figs. 7 and 11 releasing as it does so the loop it had held, and
assuming the position ready for entering the next stitch.
As soon as the allotted rows of stitches and cross stitches have been put into the
work, the end thread forming each said series is, at the proper time, severed and
the loose end in each case is drawn back by the needle through the work "fixing
it off" or fastening it.

page_text: 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 construction and combination or arrangement and use of parts of darning
machinery, wherein a single needle and thread is employed, so that the looper
is in use always above the material beyond the holding means, and so that
the said looper can be tilted, or moved, out of the way when it is desired to
insert, or inspect the material, substantially as set forth and shewn by the
drawings.
2. In a machine for darning the construction, arrangement and operation of a
looper in combination with a needle and holding parts as set forth.
3. The combination or arrangement of machinery for darning with the aid of a
single needle and thread, and its use as and for the purposes herein before set forth
and shown by the drawings.
Dated the 29th day of February 1896.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.