AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
. Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES."—A
communication from abroad by John James Thompson, of Goschen,⚫
Now Vonk Tinited States of America Clergyman'
Sealed the 4th August 1874, and dated the 17th June 1874.
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 17th June 1874, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED.
ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to

page_text: grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it
has been communicated to me from abroad by John James Thompson, of
Goshen, New York, United States of America, Clergyman.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming
a part of this Specification :-
This device is designed for use upon or in connection with a sewing
machine of any ordinary or suitable construction, for simply "cording” or
for "ruffling," or for simultaneously "cording" and "ruffling," as fre-
quently required in the fabrication of garments and the manufacture of
other articles from woven or other fabrics.
'
device, and so
The said Invention consists in a device formed to subserve either or .
both of the operations herein-before named, and made of a single piece:
of sheet metal shaped and folded to the requisite form. Also in the
combination with a device for cording, or ruffling, or both, of an elastic
pressure fender, the tendency of which is to project below the under
surface of the device itself, and thereby be held in contact with the bed
plate or surface supporting the device and the fabric in hand, so as to
keep the latter from slipping underneath the former during the operation
of "cording" or "ruffling," or both, as the case may be. Also in a groove
formed in the under side of the presser plate of a
arranged as to hold the cord in position in the welt while passing to the
needle during the operation of "cording" as aforesaid. Also in a tube
provided upon a suitable holding spur formed upon one of the fingers,
between which the welt passes toward the needle during the operation of
"cording," and so as to serve the double purpose of guiding the cord and
of folding the welt over it during the passage of the two to the needle,
this arrangement moreover permitting the cord to move loosely through
the aforesaid, tube, thereby enabling a larger cord to be used than has."
hitherto been practicable. Also in a novel combination of parts, whereby
the most efficient operation and facile manipulation of the device for
cording" and "ruffling" or both are secured.
$6

page_text: Figure 1 is a pian of a sewing machine attachment made according to
this Invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the
line x, x, Figure 1, looking from the right; and Figure 3 is a like view
on the same line looking from the left; Figure 4 is a transverse
sectional view inverted on the line y, y, Figure 1; Figure 5 is an edge
or lateral view of one portion of Figure 1, looking from the right;
Figure 6 is a plan of a portion of the sheet-metal blank from which the
said device is made; and Figure 7 is an ond view of the said device
inverted.
In the manufacture of this improved attachment for sewing machines
I provide a blank of sheet metal cut to shape preferably by suitable dies.
The contour of this blank is such that when bent into specific shapes
and in a certain manner folded upon itself it will provide the attachment
or device complete as herein-after set forth. The larger or as it may be
termed the main portion of the said device comprises the plate A
provided with a slot a for the passage of the screw, whereby it is attached
to the bed plate of the sewing machine. The position of the plate A, when
thus affixed in position for use, is such that the needle shall play up and
down through the notch a' in the presser plate B. In the under side of
this presser plate is provided transversely a groove c, and projecting
upward from the inner or back portion of the said presser plate is a fixed
stud or guide b, the presser plate with its immediate adjuncts just
described being formed upon the outermost portion of a tongue A',
provided by slitting the metal as shewn from 6 to c³, in Figure 1. The
metal is furthermore slit as from 6" to c", in the same Figure, to form
another elastic tongue C, which is bent up at an angle to the plate A, as
represented more fully in Figure 3, and the outer or free extremity of
which is bent at an acute angle to its main length to provide a fender D,
the purpose of which will herein-after fully appear. Upon the side of
the fender D opposite that at which the presser plate B is situate, are two
fingers B¹, C'. Of these fingers the lower one C₁ throughout projects its
main length in about the same plane as the plate A, but the finger B¹
formed in one piece of metal with the other part set forth, is brought
over and above the other, as shewn more plainly in Figure 2, being
connected with the plate A at its edge, as indicated at ƒ in Figures 1
and 4. The two fingers extend parallel and at a slight distance apart,
as represented in Figure 2 throughout their main length, but are curved

page_text: as shewn at e¹, and thence flared as at f¹, the acute angle of each
⚫ between its curve and flare touching the corresponding angle of the
other as represented in the same Figure. The uppermost finger B¹ is
cut or punched to provide a spur g, the free end of which is bent to
circular or cylindrical form to provide a cord tube r, this cord' tube being
in the same vertical plane as the groove c in the presser plate. At the
outer edges of the fingers is provided the fixed guide n, the vertical
portion n¹ of which is in the same vertical plane as the guide 6.
It must be borne in mind that the aforesaid parts are all formed in
one, that is to say, from one piece of metal of uniform thickness, and
before shaping into the finished device cut or stamped into a blank of
the requisite contour, even the thickening of the outermost portion a¹¹ of
the presser plate, as shewn more fully in Figure 3, in order to provide
for the formation of the groove c of said plate being accomplished by
providing upon the blank a lateral spur m², as represented in Figure 6,
and which is folded flat upon the under side of the presser plate.
presser
foot
In using the said improved device, the same is fixed upon the bed
plate of the sewing machine, as herein-before set forth, so that the
needle of such machine may play through the notch a¹ in the presser
plate B of the device, the said plate being situate under the
of the machine, and capable of being pressed down or released thereby.
When thus put in place the elastic fender D, having a tendency as
indicated in Figure 3, to be thrust beyond the plane of the lower
surface of the plate A, rests snugly and firmly upon the surface of the
bed plate to which the device is affixed, and being held thereto by the
continuous and elastic pressure of the tongue C upon which it is formed,
effectually prevents the fabric in hand during "cording" or "ruffling'
or both, from slipping edge wise under the plate A, and interfering with
the easy management or manipulation of said fabric and the rapid and
facile operation of the device.
In the use of the said device thus attached upon the sewing machine
for "cording," the cord is passed from the left hand side of the device, as
the same is represented in Figure 1, through the cord tuber. The welt is
passed in the same direction between the fingers within the curve e',
folding over the outer side or surface of the cord tube, as it passes
between the same and the adjacent surface of the curves e¹. The welt is

page_text: inserted between the flaring extremities f¹ of the fingers, which yield to
permit such insertion. The welt passing over and upon the outer
rounded surface of the cord tube, the simultaneous passage in the same
direction of the cord and welt fold the latter upon the former, as the two
issue toward the notch a¹, or in other words toward the needle of the
machine. Simultaneously with this the upper layer of fabric to be corded
passes over the uppermost finger B', and the lower layer of said fabric
passes underneath the lowermost finger C¹. The two layers of fabric, the
welt and the cord all pass beneath the presser plate B, the latter being
depressed by the usual depression of the presser foot of the machine.
Thé cord being enclosed causes a linear protuberance of the whole, and
this protuberance or swelling caused by the presence of the cord passes
longitudinally through or within the groove c in the pressure plate;
which last is somewhat elastic, the welt and the layers of fabric as well
being by these means guided direct to the needle in such manner that
the seam is sewn in the exact position desired with reference to the cord,
with only the slightest attention on the part of the attendant or operator.
The fabric, the cord, and welt, are of course simultaneously fed to the
needle by the usual action of the feeding devices of the machine, the
guides 6 and gauging more or less the inward thrust of the edges of
the fabric during its movement just described.
In order to both ruffle and cord the fabric the upper layer of fabric,
the welt and the cord inclosed therein are caused to pass over the
pressure plate, the lower layer of fabric alone passing below. The direct
action of the feed upon the latter by giving it a movement much more
rapid than that allowed to the parts above flute or ruffle it during the
formation of the seam, the cord, its enveloping welt, and the upper
layer of fabric remaining straight or even. In order to simply ruffle one
layer of fabric upon another the two layers are caused to pass to the
presser plate in the same manner as in cording and ruffling the cord, its
welt being dispensed with.
By making the said device in one piece from a blank suitably shaped,
not only is it rendered capable of manufacture at a greatly reduced
expense, but it is also rendered much stronger than would otherwise be
the case, and furthermore the upper finger being connected with the
plate A by the sheet metal connection f, continuous with both, the said
upper finger may be bent and adjusted to regulate or adjust with the

page_text: provided with the groove c on its under side, the whole arranged for use,
substantially as described and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)
Witness,
.
HENRY JAMES NOONE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.