Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Threading Embroidery and other Needles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th July, 1890--Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Threading Embroidery
and other Needles.
We ADOLPH SAURER one of the firm of F. Saurer und Söhne and VICTOR KOBLER
Engineer both residing at Arbon Switzerland do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
The present invention relates to machinery or apparatus for threading needles and
more particularly for threading machine needles such for example as the needles
employed in embroidery machines and it has for its object to perform the operation
with great facility by means of improved automatic mechanism hereinafter described
the said needles being taken from a holder or receptacle in regular order and placed
in a suitable position to receive the thread the end of which is then drawn through the
eye and tied to the body of the thread after making a large loop and the threaded
needle being afterwards stuck into a cushion or placed in any suitable holder whence
it can be conveniently removed for use when required.
A machine constructed according to this invention is provided with a sliding plate
moving horizontally under an orifice in the botto:n of a box or hopper containing the
needles to be threaded.
This plate presents a slot or opening which draws the needles one at a time from
the said orifice and with the aid of an incline on another plate and a transverse ridge
or projection places all the needles with their eyes in the same direction.
The machine is further provided with an arrangement for making the loop
and tyeing or knotting the thread and consisting of two posts or projections on a
rotatory plate or support.
The thread being drawn through an eye or guide on the said plate and over the two
projections or through two forks formed thereon is by a rotary movement of the plate
wrapped or entwined about the said forked projections in such a manner that the
required knot is formed in the thread, after the needle is introduced into the coils of
thread, and by means of a reciprocating hook working through the eye of the needle
the thread has been drawn through the said eye, the needle being then drawn out of
the coils of thread whilst the longer leg of the fork on the higher of the two projections
holds the thread until a loop of the required length has been formed.
The said withdrawal of the threaded needle from between the coils of thread
wrapped round the projections can be effected in any convenient manner but we
prefer to employ a pair of jaws which open and close at the proper times and are
carried by a rotating and reciprocating slide or support so that at one end of the
stroke the jaws are brought opposite to the needle and seize and draw it away so as to
pull the knot tight and at the other end of their stroke are brought opposite to a
cushion or other receptacle in which they deposit the threaded needles.
000
Data tray
4000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Threading Embroidery
and other Needles.
We, ADOLPH SAURER, one of the firm of F. Saurer und Söhne, and VICTOR KOBLER,
Engineer, both residing at Arbon, Switzerland, 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 :—
The present invention relates to machinery or apparatus for threading needles and
more particularly for threading double-pointed needles such as are employed in

page_text: embroidery machines, and it has for its object to perform this operation by means of
improved automatic mechanism, the said needles being taken one by one from a holder
or receptacle and placed in a suitable position to receive the thread, the end of which
is then drawn through the eye and tied to the body of the thread after making a
large loop, and the threaded needle being afterwards stuck into a cushion, whence it
can be conveniently removed for use when required.
A machine constructed according to this invention is provided with a sliding plate
moving horizontally under an orifice in the bottom of a box or hopper containing the
needles to be threaded. This plate presents a slot or opening which draws the needles
one at a time from the said orifice and with the aid of an incline on another plate and
a transverse ridge or projection places all the needles with their eyes in the same
direction.
The machine is further provided with an arrangement for making the loop and
tying or knotting the thread, and consisting mainly in a rotary support having
two bifurcated posts or horns and hereafter called "coiler," and in a reciprocating
hook.
The thread, being drawn through a guide on the said coiler and through the two
bifurcated horns, is, by a rotary movement of the coiler, wrapped or entwined about
the said horns. The needle is then introduced into the coils of thread and subse-
quently the required knot is formed by means of the reciprocating hook working
through the eye of the needle and drawing the thread through the said eye, the
needle being then drawn through the coils of thread whilst the longer branch of the
fork on the higher of the two horns holds the thread until a loop of the required
length has been formed.
The said withdrawal of the threaded needle from between the coils of thread 2
wrapped round the horns, can be effected by a gripper composed of a pair of jaws
which open and close at the proper times and are carried by a rotating and recipro-
cating support, so that at one end of the stroke the jaws are brought opposite to the
needle and seize and draw it away so as to pull the knot tight, and at the other end
of their stroke are brought opposite to a cushion in which they deposit the threaded
needles.
In the annexed drawings is represented a machine carried out according to our
invention.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation thereof with exception of the mechanism shown by
Figs. 7 to 9, which is broken away.
Fig. 2 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 1.
Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections on the respective lines 1-1 and 2-2, Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on line 9-9, Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 3-3, Fig. 1, looking to the left.
Fig. 6 is an end view taken from the right-hand side of the machine.
Figs. 7 and
in Fig. 1.
are two views showing different positions of the mechanism omitted
Figs. 7 and 8 are end-views,
Fig. 7b is a top-view and Fig. 9 a side-view of parts belonging thereto.
Fig. 1) is a section, on line 4-4, Fig. 14, of the mechanism serving to remove a
needle from a pile of needles contained in a receptacle and to put the same into the
jaws of a gripper.
Fig. 11 is a section thereof on line 5-5, looking to the left relatively to Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a portion of Fig. 10 representing the movable
position.
Fig. 13 is a section on line 6-6, Fig. 12, looking to the left.
Fig. 14 is a plan corresponding to Fig. 10.
Fig. 15 shows in detail certain parts comprised in Fig. 14.
Fig. 16 is a plan to Fig. 12.
parts in a different
Fig. 17 is a front elevation of the mechanism comprising the coiler and parts in
immediate cooperation therewith, the coiler being near the end of its course to the
right

page_text: Fig. 21ª is a sectional elevation of a thread-clamp and its operating mechanism.
Figs. 22 to 29 are views of the coiler and the gripper e e drawn to an enlarged
scale and serving to illustrate the operation of these parts as will be fully set forth
hereafter.
Fig. 30 shows the coiler, the gripper and other parts in plan in the position in
which the thread is engaged by the hook serving to draw the same out.
In Figs. 26 and 30 is also represented an auxiliary mechanism not shown in the
other figures.
Fig. 31 is a sectional elevation of another arrangement of the device for removing a
needle from a receptacle.
Fig. 32 shows the parts thereof in different position.
Fig. 33 is a section on line 10-10, Fig. 31.
The main operations which the machine performs are as follows.
First. Picking out or removing a needle from a receptacle and putting it into
the jaws of a gripper in a determinate horizontal position in which its eye is
vertical.
Second. Slinging the thread around the instrument termed "coiler;" passing a
hook downward through the eye of the needle; moving the coiler forward so that the
windings of the thread pass upon the needle and that one winding bears against the
shank of the hook, partly withdrawing the coiler from the windings of the thread;
retracting the hook with the said one winding engaged thereby and cutting off one
part of the thread; grasping the needle by means of another gripper while the first
gripper releases it; drawing the needle through the coiler; pulling the knot tight
thereby, and causing the thread to be completely released by the coiler.
Third. Carrying the needle by means of the second gripper towards a cushion;
sticking it into the same and drawing out the thread to the required length.
Fourth. After this thread has been cut off during the threading of the following
needle and the cut-off end has dropped down catching the thread and hanging it
over a bar in order to prevent its becoming entangled.
FIRST OPERATION.
This operation is carried out by the instrumentalities represented in detail
by Figs. 10 to 16 and 18. The said instrumentalities consist in a hopper a
having a width slightly greater than the length of the needles; a flat vertical
sli le a passing from below through a slit at the bottom of the hopper and having at
the top a groove adapted to hold a single needle; a needle-propeller a having the
form of a claw pivoted to a lug a10 on the longitudinally-reciprocating horizontal bar a
and sliding with its free end on a plate a¹² fixed to the stationary bar a; a plate a18
integral with the bar a and sliding between the plate a¹² and the fixed bar a³, which
carries the whole mechanism; an auxiliary slide a placed between the bars a and a
(see also Fig. 18) and guided by means of studs al projecting from the bar a', while
it is moved one way by a tappet a fixed to the bar a and acting against the heel a¹6,
and the other way by a spring a", and finally a gripper formed by the upper surface
of the bar a and a jaw a Figs. 14 and 18, pivoted to a lug on the said bar and
operated by a cam-disk a¹. The aforesaid vertical slide a is put in motion by the
reciprocating bar a through the medium of the rod a', pivoted to an arm of the said
bar, the lever-arm a² and the two arms a', all secured to the axle a³, the links a³,
and
the cross-head a to which the slide a' is fixed. The slide has at the top two notches a²
registering with ribs formed on the needle-propeller a¹¹, the said ribs having the
notches a by the edge a whereof the needle is engaged and pushed forward.
When the bar a is drawn backward, or to the left relatively to Fig. 10, the slide a
rises, and, in passing through the pile of needles, previously arranged by hand in.
parallel position within the hopper a³, it engages one of the needles in its groove. At
"

page_text: the same time the needle-propeller a moves to the left, and when its notches a23 are
above the slide a7 (see Fig. 12) the latter finishing its upward stroke, puts the needle
which it carries, in engagement with the notches of the propeller. The bar a thereupon
moving to the right, causes the propeller a¹¹ to pull the needle transversely away from
the slide a and upon the plate a¹, and to convey the same along the latter until it
drops into the hole a¹³ cut into the plate a", but which is at the time closed from below
by the sliding plate a18, so that the needle now rests on this plate, and remains so until
the bar a and the plate as complete their second stroke to the left. The needle then
drops over the edge of the plate a18 on the bars a and a³, the top surfaces whereof are
level with each other. Besides, at this moment, the needle c, whose perforated middle
portion is thinner and wider than the round end-portions, is caused to place itself so
that the said middle portion lies flat and that its eye is vertical, (see Fig. 16). This
is brought about by means of the auxiliary slide a", which projects above the
surfaces of the bars a and a' by an amount equal to the difference in thickness
between the round and the flat portions of the needle on one side thereof. If the
needle should drop with its middle portion otherwise than in flat position on the
slide a¹, it will immediately on touching the latter, turn over into the position
required. The sliding plate a¹8 now moving to the right again, pushes with its front
edge the needle forward under the jaw a20, which is at the time raised through the
overbalancing weight of the rear arm of the same, the said arm having been released
by the cam-disk a². The latter then closes the gripper, while the bar a and the
slide a recede and leave the needle with one end projecting from the gripper
(see Fig. 25). In order to insure a proper clutching of the needle, the jaw a20 and
the counter-part constituted by the bar a³, are provided with notches, while to
the arm of the jaw a20 is fixed a spring through which the cam-disk a² acts on
the arm.
In the arrangement shown by Figs. 31 and 32, the hopper as is placed above the
plate a2, and the needle-propeller is constituted by a plate a fixed to the reciprocating
bar a and sliding between the plate a12 and the bottom aperture of the hopper. The
plate a has a slit 39 adapted to contain a single needle, and the parts are so
arranged that, when the plate a37 is at the end of its course to the left, the slit a³
will be in register with the bottom aperture of the hopper, as in Fig. 31, whereas,
when it is at the right-hand end of its course, as shown in Fig. 32, the slit a³ will be
above the slit or aperture a¹³ of the plate a¹. In consequence, if the slit a³ is in the
first-described position, one needle will drop into the same, and when this needle has,
by the motion of the plate a, been conveyed to above the aperture a¹³, it will drop
into the latter, the further operations remaining the same as hereinbefore specified.
The Figures 31 and 32 moreover show the auxiliary slide a omitted, the function of
turning the needle so that its middle flat portion lies horizontal and that its
eye
is in
vertical position, being assigned to a ridge as formed on the bar a, as shown in
Fig. 33.
SECOND OPERATION.
The instrumentalities employed for this operation, which goes on simultaneously
with the preceding one, are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6, 17, 19, 20, 21
and 22 A B to 30. They consist firstly in the coiler b (see especially
Figs. 19, 22 A, 22 B) having an alternating rotary and a reciprocating horizontal
motion with intervening pauses, and composed of the part b' with the horns 62 63 and
the part with the horns 66, the said part 4 passing with its stem 6" through the
tubular spindle 7 of the part and being movable therein vertically. The second
instrument is the hook d, Figs. 1, 6, 25, 26, moving in an are of a circle up and down,
and arranged to pass through the eye of the needle c when the latter is held by the
gripper-jaw a20. The third instrument is the gripper e eº, Figs. 1, 17, 20, 26,
to which an alternating rotary and a reciprocating horizontal notion is imparted in
similar manner as to the coiler, and the fourth instrument is the shears fƒ³,
Figs. 1, 2, 5, 17, 20.
The gripper e e composed of the jaw with hollow spindle e¹, and the jaw e, is

page_text: mounted with the said spindle in bearings on the carrier e², the said carrier having
on the rear side lugs with which it slides on the bars 0² fixed in the frame g¹..
At its bottom end the spindle e' has a pinion Figs. 1, 17, 21, capable of gearing
with the rack 9' secured to the frame. In consequence, if the pinion is in gear
with the rack, and the carrier e2 is moved one way or the other, the pinion, rolling
on the rack, will cause the gripper to rotate. The rack and the pinion have, however,
only so many teeth as are required to impart to the said pinion and to the gripper e eª
half a revolution, and further rotation in either direction is prevented by means of
the plate e, having the form shown by Fig. 21, and which, whenever the half
revolution of the pinion is completed, bears with either of its straight edges against
one of the fixed guiding-edges 96, so that when, subsequent to the said half revolution
of the gripper, the carrier e² is shifted further, the gripper will be moved onward by
the carrier without rotating. The upper jaw e of the gripper is opened by means of a
rod passing through the hollow spindle e¹ and by the lever e, while it is closed
by the spring e acting on the rod through a collar e fixed to the same by a pin passing
through slits in the spindle e'. The means for pushing the rod e upward consist in
the lever n.
The coiler Figs. 1, 17, 19, 20, turns with its hollow spindle 6' in bearings forming
part of another carrier, 68, sliding, alike to the carrier e³, on the bars g². The carrier 6
is, during the greater part of its course, in connection with the carrier e³ by means of
a latch e, Figs. 17, 20, pivoted to the rear side of the said carrier and engaging
with a pin on the carrier 18, so that the latter is then moved positively by the
carrier e². Towards the end of their course to the left the carriers 68 and e² are,
however, disconnected from each other by the latch e sliding with an inclined edge
upon a fixed stud 9 and being thus lifted out of engagement with the pin 6º.
Subsequent to this disconnection the carrier 68 is still pushed forward a short distance
by the carrier e2 through the medium of the springs 10 interposed between the said
carriers, and this motion of the carrier 68 continues until it strikes against the stop g³.
The carrier and the gripper e e° then move onward (to the left) independently of the
coiler, the springs el being compressed. The rotation of the coiler is produced and
controlled in like manner as that of the gripper, that is to say by means of the
pinion 610 fixed to the spindle 6, the rack g', the plate, Figs. 17, 21, and the
guiding-edges g; the only difference in the arrangement consisting in this, that while
the gripper turns half a revolution, the coiler, whose pinion 610 has teeth on its whole
periphery, makes a full revolution, but it also moves at each end of its course a certain
distance without rotating. The vertical motion of the coiler-part the stein b12
whereof passes through the hollow spindle 7, is obtained by the aforesaid lever n,
acting from below on the said stem, in cooperation with a small stationary shelf n³
and by the spring 13 pressing on the collar 614, which is fixed to the stem 612 by a pin
passing through slits in the spindle 67. The born 63 of the coiler (see Figs. 22 to 24)
has a perforation serving to guide the thread, while the horns 66 and 66 are slitted at
the top, or bifurcated. Moreover it is to be noticed that the two branches of the
horn produced by the said slit have a particular form as shown by the figures.
In front of the coiler there is a thread-guiding-bar 6 fixed to the carrier e² and
provided with an upright shoulder, or stud, 618.
The hook dis secured to an adjustable arm d² of the lever d', fixed to the
shaft d³.
which
The shears fare composed of the oscillating blade f and the fixed blade f¹,
is longer than the former. The blade fis impelled downward, for cutting the thread,
by a torsional spring f2, while its upward motion is produced by a tappet f acting on
the tail of the blade and projecting from an arm f' fixed to the end of the oscillating
shaft f.
After the blade has been raised by the tappet 7, it is maintained in this
position by the pawl f, engaging in a notch of the blade until the tappet f³,
on moving upward, strikes against the pawl and causes it to release the blade,
which thereupon with a rapid motion severs the thread previously brought between⚫
the blades.
The thread taken from a bobbin 1º, Figs. 1 and 2, passes in succession through a

page_text: hole in the arm of the standard o, a hole in the oscillating arm o¹, another hole in
the standard o, between the fixed disk and the movable disk h of a thread-clamp,
over the end of shaft fe, which is covered with cloth, and through the eye of the
guide to the perforation of the horn b³.
Supposing now the coiler to be in the position shown by Figs. 17, 19, 20, 22 A
(full lines) and 22 B, the end of the thread projecting from the perforation of the
horn 63, is laid by hand over the bar 61, so as to be in register with the slits of the
horns 65 and 66. The thread-part is at this period held by the thread-clamp h h²,
which is closed. If the machine is then put in motion, the lever n, oscillating
upward, causes the coiler-part 6 to rise, (see dotted position in Fig. 22 A) so that
the thread-part i becomes engaged in the said slits. Immediately after this the
carrier e begins to move to the left together with the carrier and the coiler b, and
the latter is caused to rotate in the direction of arrow a, Fig. 22 A, as soon as
its pinion 610, Figs. 17 and 21, comes into engagement with the rack g'. After
having made half a revolution the coiler has wound the two thread-parts i and ¹
about its horns as shown by Fig. 23, and when the revolution is completed, as in
Figs. 24 and 25 (full lines) the uppermost thread-part 2 will be above, and the
part below the projected axis of the needle c, held by the gripper-jaw a, while the
part is somewhat higher than the bend of the hook d, the said hook having, during
the forward motion of the coiler, descended and passed through the eye of the needle,
as shown by Fig. 25. The connection between the carriers e2 and 8, established by
the latches, Figs. 17 and 2, as herein before described, is now broken by the latch
sliding with its inclined edge upon the pin 9, the carrier 68 being thereafter pushed
forward by the carrier e² through the springs el until it is arrested by the stop g³.
The coiler, which during this last part of the motion of the carrier 68 had been
prevented from rotating by the means set forth in the foregoing, is then in the
position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 25. the horns 66 66 with the thread-parts i¹³
having passed on the projecting end of the needle e, and the thread-part being
pressed against the shank of the hook d. As soon, however, as the coiler comes into
this position, the stem 62 of the coiler-part &, until then supported by, and sliding on,
the lever n (see Fig. 26), slips past an offset n° formed on the latter, and drops on the.
shelf no, arranged opposite to the said offset and somewhat below the level at which
the upper or guiding surface of the lever n is at the time. The horns of the
coiler are thereby partly withdrawn from the thread coiled about them. Simultaneously
the hook d rises, engages with the thread-part and commences to draw it through
the eye of the needle, the shear-blade released by the pawl 4, Figs. 1, 17, is
thrown down by the spring f2, Figs. 2, 5, 20, so that the thread-part i, which
had previously slipped on the shear-blade f¹, is severed from the part is,
latter being thereupon drawn completely through the needle-eye, as shown
by Fig. 26.
the
While these operations are going on the gripper e e, moving with the carrier e³,
is caused to make half a revolution by the engagement of its pinion with the
rack g, so that it is then in the position shown by Fig. 1. Moreover its jawe is
opened through an upward motion of the lever n, and, after the carriers and 68
have become disconnected as described, the carrier e continuing to move, while
compressing the springs e¹0 advances the gripper towards the coiler, and
consequently towards the needle. When the gripper has arrived at the end of its
course (see Fig. 26) its jaw e closes on the needle by the lever n descending and
allowing the spring e' to act, and the gripper-jaw a 20, released by the cam-disk a¹,
opens. At the same time the thread-clamp opens to release the thread. The carrier e²
and the gripper e ethereupon recede, and the latter draws the needle with it, whereby
the loop is produced, as shown by Fig. 27, the requisite resistance for closing
the loop being presented by the friction of the thread on the cloth-covering of the
shaft-part. Besides this the loop is at first retained by the branch 617 of the
horn in order to cause the knot to be formed at a determinate and uniform distance
from the needle. When the knot is about to be drawn tight, the carrier e reengages
by means of the latch e with the carrier 68, so that the latter and the coiler then

page_text: partake again of the motion of the former. Simultaneously the lever n has descended
far enough as to be with its aforesaid offset n below the level of the shelf n³ (see
position of lever n shown by full lines in Fig. 26) the coiler-part 6 in consequence
dropping another step as soon as its stein 62 slips from the shelf back upon the
lever. By this second dropping and the further descent of the said coiler-part
caused by lever n (see Fig. 27), the branch 6" of the horn & is finally withdrawn
from the knot, which is thereupon completed by the pull of the needle as shown
by Fig. 28.
.
THIRD OPERATION.
This operation is carried out by the grippere e and the hook j, fixed to
the arm of an oscillating shaft, in coaction with the needle-cushion k
and the needle-supporting lever m. (In Fig. 1 the arm jis shown in a position
higher than that which it should have relatively to the other working parts, but its true
position is indicated by the broken lines j¹),
After the knot has been finished, the gripper e e continuing to move to the right,
rotates about its spindle e¹ from the position indicated by Figs. 28 to that shown in
Figs. 17, 20 and 29, and carries the needle in a cycloidal line towards the cushion k,
the thread i meanwhile becoming engaged by the stud 618 on bar 613, as shown by
fig. 30. Previously the arm or had, by an oscillation to the right, drawn thread
from the bobbin, and the hook had ascended to above the level of the needle, and
when, during the cycloidal motion of the needle, the thread-part lying between it
and the stud 616 has been brought into the path of the hook j (see Fig. 30), the
latter descends, engages with the said thread-part and draws it down, the arm o'
now delivering thread by its motion to the left, and the thread-clamp h h being
open. After having completed its semi-rotation, the gripper e e moves further to
the right in the direction of the needle, pushes the needle into the cushion k (see
Fig. 29), and thereupon opens and recedes, leaving the needle behind in the cushion.
In order that thereafter the book j, continuing to draw out thread, may not pull
the needle out of the cushion, a lever m, Figs. 1 and 6, has been provided, which slips
with its upper end-surface under the projecting part of the needle and supports it.
The said lever is pivoted at m¹ to the frame of the machine and is actuated to engage
with the needle by a finger m² at the end of the lever n operating against an
inclined surface m at the lower end of the lever m, whereas upon the lever n
descending, the lever m is withdrawn from under the needle and returned to its
position of rest by a spring m³. The cushion k then moves forward lengthwise
(i.e. transversely to the machine) a short distance so as to allow the following needle
to be stuck in by the side of the first one.
When the gripper e e° and the coiler b are at the end of their course to the right,
the thread i, drawn down by the hook j, is in the position shown by Fig. 17, that is
to say, its upper left-hand end, passing over the bar 61, is in register with the slits
of the horns 666 of the coiler, the same as shown in Fig. 22 B. This end will
tberefore be engaged by the said horns as soon as the lever nascends to raise the
coiler-part 64, and another threading-operation will be commenced.
FOURTH OPERATION
About at the time the hook begins to rise from its lowest position, the following
needle is threaded and the thread drawn out as described, is cut off; its free end
then dropping down so that the thread hangs by the side of the machine. In order
that this thread may not become entangled with the hook ; during its following
stroke, or with other parts of the machine, the thread is engaged by a finger p,
Figs. 7, 8, 9, constituted by an angular bend of the oscillating arm p³, and it is hung
by the same over a bar p projecting from the stand of the table on which the
machine is mounted. (Of this stand only a portion p18 of one of the diagonals is
shown in Figs, 8 and 9.) The said arm p' is placed in bearings p³ p* formed on a
plate p, which is pivoted at p to a bracket p', depending from the bed-plate g.
The arm p' has two collars p8 and p", and between the latter and the bearing p* is

page_text: interposed a spring p10, which presses the arm with the collar p against the hearing.
Moreover the collar p8 is provided with an angular rib p and the bearing pt with
two grooves for the latter to engage in, the said grooves being so arranged that,
according as the rib is thrown into engagement with the one or the other by the
spring 10, the finger p will either be parallel to the axis of the pivot p, or in a plane
perpendicular thereto. Moreover the collar 8 is furnished with a stud p¹ and the
bracket p' with two stops pls and p14 having such positions that when the plate p
and the arm pl swing about the pivot p6, the stud p12 will strike alternately against
either of them and cause the arm p₁ turn in its bearings p³ p. The plate p is
connected by the rod p1, the elbow-lever ple and the rod p17 (see also Fig. 1) to the
carrier e³, so that each reciprocating motion of the latter produces an oscillation of
the plate p and of the arm p¹. When under these conditions the arm pl swings
upward, its finger p, being in the plane of motion of the arm as shown by Fig. 7,
will pass behind the thread i. Upon the stud 12 striking against the stop p. the
rib p will be pushed out of engagement with one groove of the bearing p and
after the arm has been turned through a right angle, it will be thrown into engage-
ment with the other groove, so that the rib then keeps the finger parallel to the
pivot p, or perpendicular to the plane of motion of arm p¹. When thereupon the
arm pl swings downward (see Fig. 8), the finger p catches the thread, draws its end
through the space between the bars p² po and leaves it hanging over the bar p²,
where it is out of the way of the hook j. At the end of the downward oscillation of
arm p the stud p¹ strikes against the stop pls and returns the finger p to its first-
described position.
AUXILIARY OPERATION.
As it sometimes occurs that with the threading and knotting mechanism constructed
as described, the hook j, on descending, causes the knot to be drawn tight upon the
needle, the gripper ee may be provided with a device whereby the thread is
prevented from slipping in the eye of the needle while the gripper recedes and
conveys the needle towards the cushion. This device consists in the two elbow
levers Figs. 26, 30, fixed together by a cross-piece 2 and pivoted to the gripper-
jawe at ³. The upper arm of the lever r has a finger ** adapted to press on the eye
of the needle when being held by the gripper e, while the lower arms of both levers,
provided with rollers, are acted upon by a spring through the medium of the
washer 6, the spring and the washer being placed on the spindle e¹. The upper arm
of the lever has a finger 7 extending outward, and arranged to cooperate with the
inclined upper edge of the shear-blade and with an inclined bar Figs. 1 and 17,
.fixed to the frame g¹ near the cushion k.
r
When the finger is free from the blade f¹ and from the bar 78 and the
gripper e has clutched a needle, (see Fig. 28) the spring, pushing the lower arms of
the levers upward, causes the finger to be pressed down on the eye of the
needle, and thus to prevent the thread passing through the eye, from slipping therein..
Preferably the finger is covered with a soft material, such as a thread wound
.about the same. When the gripper arrives at the end of its course to the left, the
finger, passing upward on an extension of the lower shear-blade f¹, whose upper
edge is made inclined, causes the finger to be raised so as to prevent it from
striking against the point of the needle, as represented by Fig. 26. In similar manner
the finger is raised through the medium of the bar when the gripper e e°
arrives at the right hand end of its course.
After having thus described the instrumentalities together with the mechanisms in
immediate connection therewith and the operations which they perform, I shall
now proceed to set forth the mechanisms by which the said parts are actuated.
The machine is driven by means of the shaft l, which is rotated by a crank or a
pulley, the latter being indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 by a dotted circle 12. The said
shaft carries two eccentrics a² d provided with straps, two cam-disks n¹ h¹¹, and a
crank e".
.1
The strap of the eccentric a² is connected to a lever a swinging loosely on the

page_text: shaft, the said lever being in turn connected by the rod a2 to the lever-arm a²
loose on the vertical shaft a28. From the arm a motion is imparted to the shaft a28
in one direction by means of a stud a2, (see especially Figs. 4 and 5) acting against
an arm a fixed to the said shaft, and in the other direction through the medium of
a spring a coiled about the shaft and fixed thereto at the top, while at the bottom
it bears with its horizontally-extended end against the stud a29. The shaft a28 is
connected at the top to the reciprocating bar a by the arın a³ and the rod a³³. The
motion imparted to the shaft through the medium of the spring is made use of for
pushing forward the bar a, which is thereby rendered capable of gently pressing, at
the end of its stroke, the needle against a stop a Figs. 14, 15, and of thus adjusting
it and keeping it a short time in the proper position for being clamped by the
gripper-jaw a20. The rotation of the shaft produced by the action of the stud a²⁹ on
the arm a serves to bring about the backward motion of the bar a.
To the lever a25 is moreover connected the rod k¹, forming a pawl, which engages
with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel k fixed on the shaft k³. This shaft carries, in
addition, a bevel-pinion 4 gearing with the bevel-wheel ³, on the spindle whereof,
which is vertical, is placed a spur-pinion gearing with the rack k on the sliding
bar k, that carries the needle-cushion k. The said cushion is thus moved forward in
the direction of arrow y, Fig. 2, at every rotation of the shaft 1, for the purpose set
forth in the foregoing. In order to allow the cushion k to be exchanged when it is
stuck full of needles, the same is placed on pins projecting from the bar k³.
Besides this, the position of the spindle carrying the pinion 4, is made square and
of such length as to allow the pinion to be raised out of gear with the rack k when
the bar is to be slidden back in view of its being supplied with another cushion.
The strap of the eccentric d is connected by the rod d³ to an arm de of the
shaft d³, to which is fastened the arm d' carrying the hook d. The arm d' is clamped
to the shaft d³ by means of a split boss and a pressing screw for facilitating the
adjustment of the hook d relatively to the needle-eye.
The cam-disk n' acts on an arm n² of the shaft n³ carrying at its outer end the
arm n, which operates on the stem 61 of the coiler-part 6 and on the rod e of the
gripper e e, the said arm n² being kept in contact with the cam-disk n' by the over-
balancing weight of the arm n. Moreover there is fixed to the shaft n³ the upright
arm n', whose upper end engages by means of a slot with a pin on the arm f' secured
to the shaft, so that every oscillation of the shaft n³ brings about a contrarily-
directed oscillation of the shaft f. To the end of this shaft is adjustably attached
the arm having the tappet f³ that actuates the shear-blade f, while behind the
said arm is fixed on the shaft f the cam-disk a21 actuating the gripper-jaw a².
The cam-disk " having a cam-surface on its rear face, acts with this surface on
a lever (see especially Fig. 21"), which in turn operates on a pin 48 passing length-
wise into the arm that carries the stationary disk and the movable disk h of the
thread-clamp, the said pin 8 acting on a pin passing transversely through the
boss of the disk h and through slits in the arm ho, so that when the cam-surface of
the disk takes effect on the lever ', the thread-clamp is opened, whereas when the
lever is not acted upon, the spring / closes the clamp.
The crank e mounted on the forward end of the shaft imparts motion to the
carrier e through the medium of the connecting-rod e".
From the shaft is finally derived the oscillating motion of the shaft carrying
the arm with the hook j, the connection between the said shafts being produced by
the rod, paired on one hand with the crank-pin 13, and on the other hand with the
pin of the arm keyed to the shaft. By means of the arm o² and the connecting-
rod o motion is transmitted from the shaft to the tail of of the arm o¹ operating
to draw off thread from the bobbin, and which swings loosely on the shaft k³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The combination of the hopper a adapted to contain a plurality of needles, the

page_text: stationary bar a having the plate a, the reciprocating bar a with the needle-
propelling plates a37 and a¹8 fixed thereto, the said plate a sliding between the
bottom orifice of the hopper and the plate a¹ and having the slit a adapted to
receive a single needle, while the plate a¹8, sliding between the plate a¹ and the
bar a, serves to push farther forward the needle brought into its path by the action
of the plate a³, substantially as described.
.2. The combination, with the stationary bar a³, of a sliding bar a and a needle-
propelling plate a¹8, of means for causing the needle to place itself so that its middle
flat portion lies horizontal and which consist in a ridge as formed on the slide a,
substantially as specified.
3. The combination of the reciprocating carrier 68 having bearings formed thereon,
the coiler 6 composed of the parts 66, the part having the horn 62, perforated
horn 63 and hollow spindle mounted in the bearings on the carrier 68, while the
part 6 has the bifurcated horns 65 66 and the stem 612 passing through, and movable
lengthwise in, the spindle 67, means for rotating the coiler and for moving the stem 612
up and down, the gripper formed by the jaw a20 and the bar a³, and adapted to hold
a needle in the path of the coiler, the reciprocating hook d arranged to pass through
the eye of the needle, the gripper e eº and means for opening and closing the two
grippers so that the gripper-jaw a releases the needle when the gripper e eº clutches
it, and means for moving the gripper e e lengthwise to the needle, the fixed
shear-blade f¹, the oscillating shear-blade f and mechanism for operating the latter,
substantially as specified.
4. The combination of the reciprocating carrier 68 having bearings formed thereon,
the coiler part having the spindle 6' mounted in the said bearings, the pinion 610
and plate 6 both fixed on the spindle 6', the stationary rack 9' with which the.
pinion is capable of gearing, and guiding-edges 98 with which the plate 6 co-
operates, substantially as described.
5. The combination of the reciprocating carrier e2 having bearings formed thereon,
the gripper composed of the jaws e and eº, the jaw e having the hollow spindle e¹
mounted in the said bearings while the jawe is pivoted to the jaw e°, the pinion e
and the plate e both fixed on the spindle e', the stationary rack 9 with which the
pinion is capable of gearing, guiding-edges 9 with which the plate e¹ cooperates,
the rod e passing through the spindle e', means of connection between the rod e
and the gripper-jaw e whereby the gripper is opened when the rod is raised,
mechanism whereby the rod e is caused to rise and descend, and needle-cushion k
placed in the path of the gripper, substantially as described.
Dated the Seventh day of July 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.