IMPROVEMENTS IN TUCKERS FOR SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Brown, of the City of Cin--
cinnati, in the County of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, in the
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TUCKERS FOR SEWING MACHINES.”
:
J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Brown
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 23rd October 1873.
|| I, FRANCIS WILLIAM BROWN, of the City of Cincinnati, in the
County of Hamilton, and State of Ohio, in the United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TUCKERS FOR SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to construct a tucker for sewing
machines provided with suitable devices for folding, holding, and guiding
the material to be operated upon in such a manner that the tucks or
plaits to be stitched shall be even and smooth, and of any desirable

page_text: plait, and is made adjustable so that it shall project inward a little less
than the width of the tuck to be stitched. This adjustable arm also.
serves to allow the goods being worked to pass through the device more
smoothly, and hence with less attention from the operator, at the same
time tending to lay the tucks or plaits more evenly than when it is
dispensed with.
It is evident that the adjustable supporting arm, as well as the pro-
jection on the under adjustable arm, may be dispensed with without
materially interfering with the working of the device, though its operation
is not as effective as when this supporting arm and the projection on the
lower adjustable arm are used.
The several parts connected with the device may be made of sheet
metal cut and struck in proper shape by means of dies, or in any other
convenient manner.
The manner of using my improved tucker is as follows:-Place the
tucker on the machine with the shaped guide or gauge in the rear or
at the opposite side of the needle, and secure the attachment by means
of the set screw, move the pointer a distance from zero on the main plate
equivilant to the width of the tuck or plait to be stitched, then move the
upper adjustable arm' until the shaped guide is opposite a correspond-
ing number on the face of such upper adjustable arm, and secure 'both
the upper and lower adjustable arms in position by means of the set
screw passing through the raised bed and such adjustable arms, then
adjust the supporting arm in such manner as to project inwardly suffi-
cient to support the completed tuck, and when the parts are thus
adjusted the tucks will just meet.
1
When space is desired between each tuck the gauge on the outer right
end of the upper adjustable arm must be moved outward according to
the distance required between each tuck.or plait. Fold the edge of the
material over to the left and place the folded edge into the shaped
gauge on the lower adjustable arm and stitch the first tuck, then fold
the edge of the tuck over to the left as before, and place the left edge of
the tuck into the adjustable gauge above the supporting arm, and causing
the same to rest thereon, place the opposite edge into the shape guide
or gauge, and adjust the fold in such manner that the space between

page_text: both the
shaped guide or gauge and the outer right end gauge is just
filled, and the material being then in proper place a second tuck may be
stitched, and so on continuously.
Care should be taken by the operator to keep the space between the
gauges just filled, holding the material somewhat after the manner in
hemming. The upper tension should be kept a little tighter than the
lower one.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis William Brown in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WILLIAM BROWN, of the City of Cincinnati, in the County of Hamilton,
and State of Ohio, in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Francis William Brown,
Her special license that I, the said Francis William Brown, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis
William Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, shall 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 the Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TUCKERS FOR SEWING MACHINES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francis William Brown,
my executors or administrators, 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 Francis William Brown, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed and forming part of this Specification, that is to say:—
The object of my Invention is to construct a tucker for sewing
machines provided with suitable devices for folding, holding, and guiding
the material to be operated upon in such a manner that the tucks or
plaits to be stitched shall be even and smooth, and of any desirable
width and distances between such tucks or plaits without the use of
"markers," and at the same time provide a device more convenient in
use than those heretofore employed. But that those acquainted with the
nature of my Invention may fully understand the same, I will proceed
to describe it more in detail by aid of the accompanying Drenzines.

page_text: A piece of sheet metal is placed between the set screw a³ and the two
adjustable arms B, C, to act as a washer and enable such, set screw a³ to
perform its office properly.
"
B is the upper adjustable arm having a longitudinal slot 6 formed in
its left end through which the set screw a³ passes, and by means of
which set screw a³ it is held in position in the main stationary raised
bed plate A. This arm B is provided at its outer right end with a gauge
6 for the purpose of guiding the outer edge of the completed tuck or
plait while a secondary tuck or plait is being stitched, and also serves to
regulate the distances between such tucks or plaits, such gauge 6¹ being
made adjustable with the arm B. This arm B has a graduated scale
formed on its upper face, as shown by Figures 1 and 3, corresponding
with the graduated scale formed on the outer face of the main stationary
raised bed plate A to measure the widths of the tuck or plait to be
stitched. C is the lower adjustable arm also provided at its left end with
a longitudinal slot c; through which slot c the set screw a³ passes, and by
means of which set screw a³ it is held in position in the main stationary
raised bed plate A. This lower adjustable arm C is provided at or near
its centre with a shaped gauge or folding plate c¹ projecting at right
angles beyond the adjustable.arms B, C, and such gauge or folding plate
c is designed to be placed in front of the presser foot when narrow
tucking. or plaiting is required. The lower adjustable arm C is further
provided with a supporting arm extending some distance towards the
right from the shaped gauge or folding plate c¹ for the purpose of
supporting the goods, being worked on a line with such shaped gauge
or folding plate c¹. is a pointer formed. on one side of the lower
adjustable arm C opposite the graduated scale formed on the face of the
main stationary bed plate A to indicate the distances desired for the
widths of the tucks or plaits to be stitched. c' are clasps or cars formed
on each side of the lower adjustable arm C at or near the u shaped
gauge or folding plate c¹, and serve as guides to, and hold the upper
adjustable arm B in position, and further prevent such upper adjustable
arm B from moving laterally. E is the supporting plate projecting
through the gauge 6' formed on the outer right end of the upper adjust-
able arm B, and this supporting plate E is adjusted and held in position
by means of a set screw e passing through such gauge ¹, and serves to

page_text: i
separate the completed tuck or plait from the goods upon which. or above
which, it is folding during the stitching of a secondary or succeeding
tuck or plait, and this supporting plate E should project inward or to the
left a little less than the width of the tuck or plait to be stitched, thus
allowing the goods being worked to pass through the device more
smoothly, and hence with less attention from the operator, and at the
same time tending to lay the tucks or plaits more evenly than when it is
dispensed with.
4
It is evident that the projection or supporting arm c³ of the lower
adjustable arm C as well as the adjustable supporting plate E may be
dispensed with without materially interfering with the working of the
device,, though its operation is not as effective as when this projection
or supporting arm c³ and the adjustable supporting plate E are used.
The main stationary raised bed plate A may be formed of two plates
riveted together, or of one plate, as shown in Figure.1.
The several parts of my improved tucker may be made of sheet metal
cut and struck in proper shape by means of. dies, or in any other con-
venient manner.
The manner of using my improved tucker is, as follows:-Place the
tucker on the machine with the shaped gauge or, folding plate c¹ in
the rear or at the opposite side of the needle, and secure the attachment
in position by means of the set screw; move the pointer c³ a distance
from zero.on the main stationary raised, plate A equivalent to the width
of the tuck or plait to be stitched; then move, the upper adjustable arm
B until the shaped gauge or folding plate c¹ is opposite a correspond-
ing number on the face of such upper adjustable arm B, and secure both
the upper and lower adjustable arms B, C, in position by means of the
set screw passing through the main stationary raised plate A and sucli
adjustable arms B, C, then adjust the supporting plate E in such manner
as to project inwardly sufficient to support the completed tuck or plait,
and when the parts are thus adjusted the tucks or plaits will just meet.
When space is desired between cach tuck or plait the gauge b' on the
outer right end of the upper adjustable arm B must be moved outward
according to the distance required between each tuck or plait. Fold the
edge of the material, over to the left and place the folded edge into the
Ushaped gauge or folding plate c¹ on the lower adjustable arm.C, and

page_text: stitch the first tuck or plait, then fold the edge of the tuck or plait over
to the left as before, and place the left edge of the tuck or plait into the
gauge 6¹ above the adjustable supporting plate E, and causing such tuck
or plait to rest on the adjustable supporting arm E, then place the
opposite edge into the shaped gauge or folding plate c¹, and adjust the
fold in such manner that the space between both the shaped gauge
or folding plate c¹ and the outer right end gauge 6¹ is just filled, and the
material being then in proper position a second tuck or plait may be
stitched. and so on continously.

page_text: Sixth. The adjustable supporting plate E constructed and arranged
s shown and set forth.
Seventh. In tuckers for sewing machines the main raised stationary
plate A, in combination with the adjustable arms B, C, and the support-
ng plate E, all arranged, constructed, and operating as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Brown, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
FRANCIS WILLIAM BROWN. (L.s.)