Desized for serting Mitts. num DS OT димо Fieces III Gloves or
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by SATTERLEE ARNOLD, of Morristown, in the County
of Morris and State of New Jersey, United States, Inventor.]
Desized for serting
Mitts.
num DS OT
димо Fieces III Gloves or
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and 323 High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 has relation to a machine or apparatus especially designed for
inserting thumbs or thumb pieces in gloves or mitts, but which is applicable for
insertion or union of other pieces or articles requiring like care & attention, and
involving like difficulties-which machine is called a "Thumb Insertion Machine."
The object of this invention is to provide or produce a simple and efficient machine
or apparatus, by which the part or piece to be inserted may be quickly, easily, and
accurately brought to the desired size and shape, clamped and folded upon the piece
or part with which it is to be connected, and then transferred to a position beneath
the sewing machine needle by which the necessary feeding and guiding is automati-
cally regulated-in which various adjustments adapt the machine for use in connection
with any thickness of material, and the varying sizes of gloves or like articles-and
by which the desired work may be rapidly and easily performed without fatiguing the
operator. To accomplish all of this the invention involves certain new and useful
arrangements of combinations of parts, and principles of operation as will be herein
first fully described and then pointed out in the claims.
Thumbs or thumb pieces have heretofore been inserted in fabric gloves and mitts,
for the most part by use of the ordinary sewing machine. The operator, after first
securing a short section, folding the edge or margin of the hole in the glove upon

page_text: itself, short portions at a time, then placing the folded edge upon the piece to be
inserted, then advancing the two pieces thus held together under the presser foot of
an ordinary sewing machine, and with the machine basting the two portions so laid
by sewing through them. Another short section is laid in like manner after the first
section has been basted and the machine again started, and the second section basted
and so on around, the machine being stopped after each is basted, and while another
section is being prepared. Much delay occurs in preparing the edges accurately (as
they must be prepared) and as the curves are very sharp the sections are necessarily
very short, and the stoppages of the machine frequent and many, before the thumb
hole can be encircled or the basting finished. After the basting is finished the glove
is turned, and a row of stitching is run over close to the basting line, or the line of
juncture of the thumb and glove, and after this a second line of stitching is run a
short distance from the above named line and parallel with it, distant about an eighth
of an inch. This method of hand insertion, as it may be called constitutes the state
of the art prior to the invention.
In the accompaning drawing forming part of this specification Figure one is a plan
or top view showing clamp plate or transfer plate mounted in position, in connection
with a sewing machine, and as if holding the material or pieces in position to be
sewed together in accordance with this invention.
Figure two is a plan or top view of the folder by which the margin of the thumb
hole (or other opening) is turned or folded, the transfer or clamping plate being
omitted.
Figure 3 is a vertical section and elevation upon a plane passing through the axis
of the adjustable or sliding and vibrating bar or lever which carries the clamp plate,
the parts being in position as in figure 1.
Figure 4 is a plan view and figure 5 a side elevation showing an oval ratchet-plate,
detached from the ratchet plate shaft, and indicating the preferred manner of
constructing this plate, or the ratchet teeth thereon.
Figure 6 is an elevation of a fragment showing the crank shaft-by which the
sliding feed bar or lever is operated in position, and the mechanism by which the
length or throw of the crank may be varied at will, the view being upon a scale
about twice that of figure 3, and figure 7 is a plan view of the underside of the disk
shown in figure 6 representing the lever and eccentric for varying the throw of the
crank.
Figure 8 is a cross section upon a plane at right angles to that of figure 3, and
passing through the adjustable fulcrum upon which the feed lever is moved, showing
the eccentric for advancing or retracting the said fulcrum, so as to vary the throw
or movement of the outer end of said lever, this view being also on an enlarged
scale.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of the folder, and figure 10 a vertical section and
elevation thereof.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of one of the adjustable shovers or slide and shove
plate detached from its seat and enlarged, and figure 12 is a view in cross section of
the same upon a plane passing through the elevating block upon the slide showing the
screws and springs, by which said block is retained in place.
Figure 13 is a section through line of figure 10, showing the multiple cam by
which the shovers or slides are operated.
Figure 14 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing the clamp
plate upon the folder (omitting the clamping fingers) and the margin of the opening
in the material, bent or turned in accordance with this invention, the thickness of
the cloth being exaggerated, and the view being upon a scale about twice that of
figure 9.
Figure 15 is a plan of a fragment of the folder cover plate, showing the clamp
register plate, and thumb size plate secured thereon, omitting the shovers.
Figure 16 is a side elevation of the folder showing the clamp plate mounted thereon
and in section the clamping fingers and former being raised, and the parts in position
convenient for applying the thumb piece upon the glove, or one piece upon the other.

page_text: Figure 17 is a sectional elevation showing one of the clamps, or elastic clamping
fingers, and the stud cam by which it is pressed, and held to its working position."
Figure 18 is a plan view illustrating a modified form of connection between the
crank and the end of the sliding feed lever.
In all these figures like letters of reference wherever they occur indicate
corresponding parts.
The folder and the sewing machine may be mounted upon the same bed plate, or
upon the same table if desired. The folder consists of a bed plate A, having a
horizontal projecting portion A¹ on one side, carrying two perpendicular bars as A² to
receive the horizontal axis of the former. In the centre of this bed plate is a recess
to receive a many sided cam B. Slots are cut across the bed to receive the slides B¹
which fit closely in the slots and have springs a in their outer ends which press the
slides inwardly towards the centre, and cause them to bear against the sides or faces
of the cam B. For convenience of adjusting, screws a' are interposed between the
slides and cam. Connected with cam B is a lever B2, by which the cam may be moved
through a short segment of a circle, and the movement of the lever B3 in one direction
forces the slides outwardly, against the springs a, whereas its movement in the opposite
direction permits the springs to force the slides back towards the centre.
A latch,
as B3 is hinged to the frame of the folder, and engages and holds lever B2 when
moved to its greatest extent.
Attached to the inner end, and on top of each slide is an elevating block a², which
is connected with the slide by two long screws a³ ³, rigidly attached to the elevating
block, but loosely fitting a chamfered recess in the slide, so that the elevating block
can be moved up and down, but not moved laterally. A spring as a surrounds each of
the long screws a³, and acts to press the head of the screw down, thus keeping the
elevating block against the slide. An adjusting screw a' between the screws a³ a³,
and tapped or threaded into the elevating block, presses upon the slide and serves to
raise or to permit the lowering of the elevating block, when desired to vary its
position, or to adapt it to varying thicknesses of cloth.
Rigidly attached to each elevating block by suitable screws is a shove plate as b
which is carried high enough by the properly adjusted elevating block to clear the
size plate and folder-cover-plate referred to hereafter, and the several shove plates
project over the size plates and folder-cover-plate, so that their outer edges register
nearly with the circumference of the size plate.
The folder-cover-plate C is, as shown, a rectangular plate covering the slides in the
bed plate A, to which it is secured as by four screws, and has an irregular aperture
(figure 15) in the centre, to admit the projecting elevating blocks.
It is provided
with tapped or threaded holes about the central opening, admitting screws as c c by
which the clamp register plate and the thumb size plate are secured to the cover
plate C. The clamp register plate D is a thin oval plate with an irregular opening in
the centre corresponding with the irregular opening in the cover plate C, to which it
is directly attached.
On top of this plate D, and secured by the same screws cc is the thumb-size-plate E,
which, as its name indicates, is for the purpose of determining the size of the thumb
hole. Like the clamp-register-plate D it is of thin metal and oval, though somewhat
smaller, and has an irregular opening in the centre corresponding with that in
plate D. Supported by the ears A A² on the bed plate A or its extension A¹, and
horizontally pivoted or hinged thereon by pivot screws dd, is a swinging hub F.
The former is secured to this hub by an axial screw as, and consists of two long
levers G G, with bandles G G on their outer or longer ends, and with adjustable
stop screws on their inner or shorter ends, which screws bear against a
projection on the hub F, to bring the levers in proper line with respect to the
central line of the bed plate A. These handles are called the former handles.
latch and catch applied on the ends of the handles serve to keep the levers
together when closed.
A
On the under side of the levers G G are secured by suitable screws the former
plates GG, the same being somewhat dished downwards to give room between the

page_text: levers G G and clamp plate to be hereafter described. These former plates are of
semi-oval form, and when attached to the levers and closed together they present an
oval aperture which accurately registers with the size plate around which they will
loosely pass when the former levers are brought down to the size plate. The two
former plates co-operate in bending or forming the fold in the glove around the hole
therein.
The clamp plate H (of which two at least are supposed to accompany each complete
machine) consists of a substantially square frame, carrying four sets of cars as hh,
projecting upwards from the four corners. Four arms H' are carried by the
ears and have also bearings therein, and extend radially inward or towards
the centre of the clamp plate. Attached to the inner side of each of the arms H¹
are slitted spring steel fingers 1, the parts of each of which, acting somewhat
independently, equalize the pressure throughout the extent of their bearing. These
are called presser fingers or clamping fingers. On the outer end of each of the
arms H, and close to the hub or axis is a short projection 2 under which is located a
cam stud ³, the same being mounted upon the clamp plate, and near the corner
thereof, by use of a vertical screw ', and spring washer h, the arrangement being
such that the cam block is free to turn on its vertical axis under pressure applied to
its attached lever which is supplied for the purpose of moving it. The cam block
will not move accidentally because of the constant friction produced by the spring
washer. On top of the cam stud ³ is a cam surface which touches the under-side
of the projection 2, and serves to forcibly raise it, and thereby to depress the spring
fingers against the clamp plate (or the goods or material thereon). A portion of
each of these cam studs is cut away, so that when the stud is returned to its original
position, the projection 2 will clear the cam stud and the arm H' may then be raised
so that the work may be removed.
In the centre of the clamp plate H is an oval opening which registers with the
clamp-register-plate D on the folder. The margin of this opening is chamfered so as
to make it as thin as practicable, and still strong enough to resist springing under
pressure of the presser fingers h¹, in order that the fabric or material may be held
close to the bottom of the clamp plate. It is preferable to make the plate H in two
parts, a cast iron frame and a steel plate on the bottom, but it could be made solid.
On the end of the clamp plate H are two ears g g having pivot adjusting screws g¹ g',
with check nuts for attaching the clamp plate to the sewing attachment. The
adjusting screws g¹g serve to make the two or more clamp plates which should
accompany each machine easily transferable from the folder to the sewing attachment,
and each detachable from the sewing attachment.
The clamp plate as above described is serviceable for various purposes, and may be
used independently of the folder or of the mechanical attachment with the sewing
machine; as, for instance it may be used to clamp pieces of fabric having ornamental
designs holding them stretched while guided by the hand, the stitching being made to
follow the pattern-or with an ordinary sewing machine having the usual four motion
slip feed, the plate could be turned at will, and the fabric therein or thereon being
stretched, would not be distorted by the feed. It is not therefore to be understood
that the claims are limited on this plate to combinations with the folder and sewing
attachment. The sewing machine attachment includes an automatic feed arranged to
automatically guide and feed the clamp plate in co-operation with the stitching
mechanism, and a bed plate as I, to which the sewing machine proper is attached,
the plate projecting beyond the sewing machine on one side to receive the parts of the
attachment.
I' represents the main arm of an ordinary sewing machine and [2 the needle bar
thereof.
At one end of the bed plate I is attached an over-hanging bracket arm K which
furnishes a support and bearing for a vertical ratchet shaft K¹.
Attached to the upper end of ratchet shaft K is an oval ratchet plate K2, of such
transverse and conjugate axes as to compensate for the unequal time action of the
crank, or so that when the crank is passing its dead centres and its time of movement

page_text: is very slow, the pawl will act on a short radius, and give a greater degree of rotary
movement to the ratchet plate, and when the crank is on the quadrant, and its time of
movement most rapid, the pawl will act on a long radius and give a lesser degree of
rotary movement.
At Figures 1 and 3 the ratchet plate is shown as a flat metal disk, having the
ratchet teeth t cut in its periphery, and this form may be adopted if desired, but it
is preferable to make the teeth as indicated in figures 4 and 5, that is, of hardened
steel pins p. p, projecting at right angles to the surface of the plate, and located at
regular intervals from each other, and near to the margin of the plate.
These pins are inclined on their outer ends, so that the pawl will ride over each
easily, and being very hard they will preserve their desired regularity and uniformity
even after long and severe usage. They are made removable from the plate so that in
case of damage or wear, any one or more can be readily detached, and a perfect pin
or pins quickly substituted. With the teeth cut in the margin of the plate damage to
one tooth generally means damage of the entire plate. The ratchet plate K² receives
the motion from a pawl as K³ attached to a lever K', having an adjusting slot so that
varying degrees of throw may be provided for. The lever K is actuated by
connections with the cam and worm wheel of a sewing machine somewhat modified
from that shown and described in the U.S. Patent No. 331106 dated November 24th
1885. The cam is so timed as to move the pawl and ratchet when the needle is out of
the fabric.
On the lower end of the ratchet shaft K' is a crank disk k, which disk is provided
with a slot and a slide fitting therein, and an eccentric 2 to adjust or move the
slide, so as to vary the throw of the crank. The eccentric is moved by a lever ³
which is bent upwards at its outer end to receive a handle or pin k which extends
through the lever and bears against the periphery of the crank disk k. The extent of
movement of lever ³ is limited by two adjustable latches or stops k, (one on each
side,) on the periphery of the disk k, so that the crank throw may be changed
instantly by the operator from one extreme to the other by simply moving the
eccentric lever from one latch or stop to the other. By shifting the adjustable
latches, the length of the travel of the eccentric, and therefore the distance of the lines
of stitching one from the other may be varied, or they may be brought nearer to, or
further from the marginal line. (It will be observed of course that this particular
adjustment affects only the end or transverse axis of the oval.) To prevent the
ratchet shaft being turned or moved except by the designed action of the pawl, and in
the proper direction, so that the feeding shall always advance, and to insure against
slipping or over feeding. A friction pad or friction brake is provided (Figure 6).
The pad is represented at 4 and may be made of leather rubber or other material
which will slide easily, and yet produce the necessary friction. It is arranged to bear
upon the top of the crank disk k, and is mounted upon the arm K in a bent or
angular support secured to said arm by a fulcrum screw as at k³.
At is an
adjusting screw, the unturning of which will increase the pressure of the pad upon
the disk and therefore increase the friction, as will be readily seen. To reduce the
friction, the screw has only to be unturned to the proper degree. A crank pin k
is attached to the slide k¹, and connected with this crank pin, preferably by a ball
and socket joint as shown, is the feed lever L, which is mounted upon an adjustable
moveable fulcrum a little removed from the centre, and nearest the free end of the
feed lever. The fulcrum is represented at. l. The feed lever has two movements
about this fulcrum, one a longitudinal reciprocating movement, in which the centre of
movement is continually changing throughout each degree of the stroke or movement
of the lever, the second an axial or pivot movement about the fulcrum or centre.
The end of the feed lever opposite the crank connection, being free, receives a
movement such that any point of it will describe an oval, or ellipse. The fulcrum
is also provided with means for adjusting it longitudinally or in the direction of the
axis of the feed lever, so that the width or conjugate axis of the oval described by the
free end of the lever may be instantly changed-in this case in order to pass from one
line of stitching to a parallel line of stitching, and it (the fulcrum) is also made

page_text: adjustable, so that the distance between the rows of stitching may be varied or
regulated at pleasure, but the adjustment might be changed with each alternate
stitch, which would make zig-zag sewing, and if this was extended over the edge of
the fabric it would constitute over seaming, either or all of which may be desirable
under various circumstances. To accomplish the adjustments of the fulcrum, the
fulcrum block is made to fit in and to slide in a longitudinal slot, formed in
the underside of the feed lever L, and the fulcrum block has a journal projection
which enters a bearing formed for it in a second block called an adjusting block.
The adjusting block is fitted into a slot cut for it in the bed plate I in a line drawn
between the vertical ratchet shaft K' and the needle.
An eccentric made movable about a stud rigidly attached to the bed plate I
is fitted in a recess formed for it in the adjusting block 2, so that when the eccentric 1³
is moved by a projecting handle as rigidly secured thereon, the adjusting block is
moved longitudinally in the slot of the bed plate backwards and forwards according
to the direction the handle is moved, carrying the centre of the fulcrum nearer to
or further from the crank, and thereby changing the lateral throw of the opposite
or free end of the feed lever, and the conjugate axis of the oval. Adjustable
stops are provided and secured to the bed plate I by screws, which stops limit
the throw of the eccentric handle 1, one being on each side of the handle, and they
serve to regulate according to their distance from each other the distance between the
rows of stitching or the distance between the peripheries of the ovals. By suitably
adjusting these stops upon the bed plate the distance of the outer row of stitching
from the folded edge of the glove hole, can be regulated. Other means, as a lever
extending across the sliding adjusting block may be substituted for the eccentric for
adjusting and changing this fulcrum centre, but for accuracy and convenience the
eccentric is preferred.
The free end of the sliding feed lever L is provided with one rigid ear m, and one
movable latch ear m³, for engaging and securing the clamp plates, and guiding them by
movement of the lever in corresponding ovals. In the rigid and movable latch
ears m and m² are pivot screws which register and engage with the adjustable
screws gg in the cars g, g of each of the clamp plates H. The latch car ne is
pivoted in a slot in one side of the free end of the feed lever L, and a spring as m²
bearing against the latch handle m³ and against the feed lever L. (or some projection
thereon) serves to keep the latch closed, or the pivot screw therein in bearing with the
pivot screws on the clamp plate. By pressing on the handle m³ of the latch, the
spring m² is compressed, and the latch is opened to receive or release the clamp plate.
The adjustable pivot screws serve to locate the clamp plates centrally or in proper
line and to render them interchangeable.
It will be apparent that as the machine is operated the ratchet feed will move the
clamp attached to the free end of the feed lever a degree for each revolution of the
driving shaft depending upon the length of the ratchet tooth, and as the needle is
operated through one reciprocating movement at each revolution of the driving shaft,
it follows, that, as each succeeding stitch is made, the clamp plate will be moved a
degree with each stitch, and will change its direction of movement with each stitch.
As the direction of movement is an oval the path of the stitching will be an oval of
such axis as is determined by the length of the crank radius, and the position of the
fulcrum of the feed lever. If it be desired to change the length of the stitch, a
new oval plate with ratchet teeth of proper length can easily be substituted for the
one previously used, and the throw of the pawl regulated thereto. It is not desired
to confine the feed movement to the oval form of ratchet plate above described, or to
the particular mechanism by which the feeding is accomplished, for other well
known means may be substituted for describing an oval at the free end of a lever.
The feed lever might be made to slide in a sleeve, and the sleeve adjusted longi-
tudinally to change the leverage or the conjugate axis of the oval, and by well known
devices the path of the stitching can be modified by slight changes in the form of
the novel sliding feed lever; for instance, the path described by the free end of the
feed lever might be made to reciprocate by connecting the end of the feed lever L

page_text: to the crank pin n (figure 18) by a transverse slot n¹ formed in the feed lever, said
lever being free to slide in a rigid sleeve as n², and still embody the novel features of
the sliding feed lever. Also the eccentric might be made to change the movement of
the fulcrum centre or sleeve case transversely to the line of sliding, instead of longi-
tudinally, in which case any irregular curve or form could be followed by the stitching.
The automatic feeding attachment is preferably attached to the sewing machine
shown in the before mentioned U.S. Patent granted to the communicator, but it may
be applied to any ordinary sewing machine, and has for its object the receiving of
the clamp plates after the work or glove has been prepared and secured thereon, and
for automatically guiding and feeding the prepared glove (or work) and clamp plates
relative to the needle, so that the stitching will be made automatically in the
desired line or lines, and describe desired curves or forms, and so that the stitches
shall be at the desired distance apart. The clamp plates are for this purpose made
detachable from the sliding feed lever, but if the clamp plates were to be used to hold
or carry pieces of fabric with ornamental designs, one could he rigidly secured to the
sliding feed lever, and the pattern plate clamped thereon without removing the plate, and
still embrace the novel features of the combined clamp plate and sliding feed lever.
The clamp plates may be used independently of the sliding feed lever, or inde-
pondently of this machine, and ornamented designs on fabrics can be stitched by use
of such plates. The clamp plates guided by hand could be turned readily between
the feed and presser foot of an ordinary sewing machine, and with some fabrics in
skilful hands even without the feed or presser foot. So it will be seen that the novel
features of these clamp plates are independent of any feed movement.
To operate the folder and sewing machine with its attachments, the former handles
of the folder are swung back. A clamp plate is then placed upon the top of the
folder frame, so that the opening in the plate will register with the clamp register
plate of the folder. The finger arms of the clamp plate are raised, and the glove is
placed on the folder, so that the thumb hole cut in the glove is central with the size
place. The former handles being closed and latched are then brought down upon the
glove, and the opening in the former plate being somewhat larger than the hole in the
glove, encircles it, and as this opening registers closely with the size plate, but is
large enough to go over and pass around the size plate, it will, by presence of its
margin upon the glove, crump or bend the edge of the glove in a line and curve
corresponding to the line, curve and form of the size plate. The edge of the fabric
is thus upturned at right angles to the flat or horizontal body of the glove, and needs
then to be forced over and about the margin of the sewing in the former plates, to
complete the fold of the edge. For this purpose the shovers are made to slide out
by moving the cam by its lever, which in turn moves the six slides in the folder
frame outwards, carrying the shovers by the intermediate adjustable elevating block.
When the shovers are fully out the folder latch engages the cam lever, and holds it,
and through it the shovers in the place or places to which moved. The shovers may
be raised or lowered, for adapting them to varying thicknesses of fabrics, by use of
the adjustable elevating blocks. When the shovers are adjusted to the proper height
they pass over the margin of the opening in the former plates with an intervening space
between them sufficient to easily admit the thickness of the fabric, and they force the
edge of the fabric out over the former plates in all directions, and complete the
necessary folding, the former plates being interposed between the folded edge
and the body of the fabric. To remove the former plates the former latch is
released and the former handle swung apart horizontally on the swivel screw
axis, and when separated sufficiently to clear the folder edge and the shovers
they are swung back on the horizontal pivot axis and out of the way. The
shovers being held outwards by the cam lever latch, they will cover and hold the
folded edge of the fabric in the position to which it is fixed. The thumb piece of the
glove (preferably sewed and made ready for insertion) is placed upon the shovers so
that the portion to be joined to the folded edge lies over the corresponding portion
of the folded edge. A quarter section for convenience is prepared at a time, and the
proper finger arm is brought down so that the spring finger shall hold the section so

page_text: prepared. Another quarter section is then prepared and held also by its correspond-
ing presser finger, and then the third quarter section is prepared and held or clamped,
and finally the fourth. The finger arms, assisted by the hand of the operator, press
down sufficiently to permit the withdrawal of the shovers without danger of the
folded edge flying back. The cam lever latch being then released, the slide springs
will quickly cause the shovers to return to their normal positions. As they slide in
from over the folded edge the finger arms will be slightly depressed, and will bring
the marginal edge of the thumb in close contact with the folded edge of the glove.
The four cam studs at the corners of the clamp plate should then be turned by their
respective handles, when the cams on top of the studs will be brought to bear against
the overhanging projections on the finger arms and will cause the fingers on the ends
of the arms to be pressed forcibly down against the edge of the clamp-plate
opening, and the two superposed edges of fabric will be securely clamped and held
between the fingers and clamp plate.
The detachable clamp plate is then lifted from the folder and holds the thumb and
glove in the proper relative positions for being united by sewing, and may be
attached to the feeding attachment by placing the ears of the clamp plate between
the cars of the feed lever the movable latch on the feed lever being opened to admit
them and released or closed to secure them. The clamp plate having been centrally
adjusted by the adjusting screws in the ears, the edge of the oval opening in the
clamp plate will register with the sewing needle so that as the needle punctures
the superposed edges to be united to form a stitch, the cam on the worm wheel is
moved so as to move the ratchet plate through the medium of the pawl and connec-
tions by one tooth which represents or corresponds with the length of a single stitch.
This feed motion imparted to the ratchet is transmitted through the vertical
ratchet shaft to the crank and from the crank to the feed lever to move in a segment
of an arc or oval according to the relative positions of the crank pin and the fulcrum
centre. The clamp plate being free to niove correspondingly with the free end of
the feed lever upon which it is mounted partakes of the movement of said lever and
as successive punctures are made by the needle the clamp plate is moved by the feed
lever successive steps in an are or oval same as described by the free end of the feed lever.
The eccentrics controlling the adjustable fulcrum-centre and the crank-pin-centre
being placed in such positions as to cause the clamp plate to move in an are or oval
corresponding with that of the folded edge of the thumb hole and to describe a
similar path, the vertically reciprocating needle must make its successive punctures in
the desired are or oval. To change the stitching to a parallel oval or to a second
line the handles of the eccentrics are simultaneously moved by the operator from
one stop to the other. The needle will then puncture the edge in a concentric oval
smaller or larger than the previously described oval accordingly as the eccentrics
are moved. The folded edge will be securely united to the thumb base by two
parallel rows of stitching with perfect regularity as to the parallelism of the stitching
and the margin between the folded edge and the first line of stitching may be very
narrow without danger of over stitching or running off the edge and the sowing
completed more perfectly than by hand work because the clamp plates hold the
edges securely without danger of slipping.
The former which shapes the folded edge is a true or regular oval and the guiding
mechanism is oval and the resultant stitching is consequently a true oval. The
appearance of the stitching and character of the work is better than that done by
hand and is more uniform throughout.
After the stitching is finished the clamp plate is released and removed from the
attachment.
The finger arms are released and turned up or back and the glove taken out completed.
In using two clamp plates two operators are preferable one to fold and one to sew.
While the operator who does the folding is preparing one clamp plate the stitcher is
sewing with a clamp plate previously prepared, and thus the machine can be kept
continuously sewing except during the moment of detaching the clamp plate and
introducing another made ready for the purpose.

page_text: Much more and better work can be accomplished by the automatic guiding feeding
and sewing mechanism than by hand, for the guiding being automatic the operator
can run the machine at full speed without any attention to the guiding whereas in
hand work all the guiding is done by hand and eye of the operator and the speed is
necessarily very limited.
A great gain in rapidity is also secured by use of the automatic folder as by a few
successive movements of the folder by the operator the edge of the thumb hole is
turned or folded at once, whereas by the process heretofore followed the operator
has by hand to successively fold short sections of the thumb hole edge and this
cannot be done with any degree of accuracy approaching that of the machine
folding.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. In an apparatus for folding a former adapted to form or shape the edge of the
piece to be folded combined with means substantially as described for turning and for
holding and clamping the folded edge.
2nd. In an apparatus for folding a former substantially as herein described made in
two parts arranged to be held closed together while forming the edge of the piece to
be folded and to be opened or separated for removal or withdrawal.
3rd. In an apparatus for folding the former as herein described having an oval
opening registering with a size plate of corresponding oval and means for turning
and clamping the material substantially as shown.
4th. In an apparatus for folding, the former consisting of two handles jointed at
one end and secured to a block pivotally supported on a frame said handles carrying
the former plates which register with a size plate secured to the same frame substan-
tially as shown.
5th. In an apparatus for folding, a former adapted to shape, crease and form the edge
to be folded combined with shovers to crowd the edge of the material so formed
over the edge of the former, and means substantially as explained to adjust the
shovers to conform to varying thicknesses of fabric.
6th. The combination with a former or apparatus for folding the edges of goods or
fabrics, of a removable clamp plate adapted to secure the folded edge in position and
to transfer the work substantially as for the purposes set forth.
7th. The combination with a folder having a former to shape and define the edge to
be folded, of a clamp plate corresponding with the shape of the folder and arranged
to clamp and transfer the prepared peice from the folder to the sewing mechanism to
be finally secured substantially as explained.
8th. The herein described method of uniting pieces of goods or fabric, the same
consisting in first securing or clamping the prepared goods or pieces upon a portable
but rigid plate, then transferring the plate to the sewing machine, automatically
guiding and feeding the plate and the goods thereon and stitching in the desired lines
or curves.
9th. An automatic feeding device substantially as herein described arranged to
receive the detachable clamp plate on which the fabric or pieces are prepared and
clamped and to automatically guide and feed the same to or in connection with a
sewing machine.
10th. In a machine for sewing, an automatic feeding and guiding device arranged
substantially as described to automatically feed and guide the prepared pieces of fabric
in an oval path for the purposes set forth.
11th. In a feeding mechanism for guiding and feeding fabrics to be sewed in a
curved path, means substantially as described for changing from one path or line
of sewing to another concentric or parallel with the first for the objects named.
12th. In a feeding mechanism for guiding and feeding fabrics to be sewed in
parallel paths means substantially as described for adjusting or regulating the distance
between the parallel lines or paths of sewing.

page_text: 13th. In a machine for sewing a feed lever combined with an adjustable fulcrum
centre and means for reciprocating said lever, substantially as explained.
14th. The clamp for clamping and securing fabrics or pieces, consisting of a plate
for supporting the pieces, fingers or clamp arms supported upon said plate and cams
bearing against the clamp arms and combined therewith to clamp the goods between
the fingers and plates substantially as shown and described.
15th. In combination with the clamp plate the clamp arms having yielding fingers
for pressing the fabric against the plate substantially as explained.
16th. The clamp plate having a chamfered edge and clamp fingers combined with
said plate and arranged to press the goods or material against the edge substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
17th. A clamp plate having an opening in the centre and one or more clamping
arms arranged around said opening substantially as shown and described.
18th. The herein described clamp plate made in two parts viz. ; a supporting frame
and a second plate attached to said frame the second plate being chamfered or
bevelled to an edge to afford the requisite strength and desired thin edge for the
purpose of admitting the clamped fabric near to the lower surface of the plate as set
forth.
19th. In combination with the clamp plate the clamping arms pivotally supported
upon the plate and means for pressing the arms or the fingers thereon firmly against
the fabric which means also admit of the arms being turned back out of the way for
removing the fabric as set forth.
20th. The herein described clamp plate adapted to secure and clamp fabrics while
being sewed, the same having an opening or edge of the form or curve desired to be
stitched and arranged for supporting the fabric close to the line of stitching, as set
forth.
21st. A sliding feed lever means for guiding and feeding the lever and a clamp
plate adapted to clamp and hold the fabric, the parts being combined as set forth the
plate being held guided and fed by the sliding feed lever substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
22nd. In combination with a sliding feed lever arranged to carry the fabric to be
sewed a feed mechanism for feeding the sliding lever and a guide for guiding said
lever substantially as shown and described.
23rd. In combination with a sliding feed lever holding the clamped fabric to be
sewed, a feeding device for feeding said lever, a guide for guiding said lever and
means for changing the guiding from one path or line of sewing to another substan-
tially as shown and described.
24th. A feed shaft moved by a pawl and ratchet, a sliding feed lever operated by
the feed shaft and a friction pad applied and arranged to prevent movement of the
shaft except as driven by the designed action of the ratchet, the parts being combined
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
25th. In a machine for sewing, a pawl, a ratchet plate or feed, a ratchet shaft, a
sliding feed lever, and a friction brake combined and arranged to operate substantially
as set forth.
26th. In a machine for sewing, a pawl and ratchet feed in which the ratchet plate
is now circular in form and in which the ratchet teeth are located on longer and shorter
radii substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
27th. In a machine for sewing, the ratchet feed plate having removable pins applied
thereto and combined therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
T'S
1 1
Ր
1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
Agents for the Applicant.