AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FEATHER TRIMMINGS AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1884

page_text: for that Purpose.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane
in the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FEATHER
TRIMMINGS AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE," to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved manufacture of feather trimmings in
continuous band form, whereby the down or beard of the feathers is maintained in
its parallel position forming a flat ribbon that does not become entangled and which
is thus rendered applicable with advantage to a great variety of purposes of dress
and ornament.
The invention consists in arranging the feathers end to end and in two or more
layers overlying each other, placing the stems exactly in line and one upon the
other, in which position they are then sewn together in continuous lines on each
side of the stem. The down is then cut between the stem, and the line of sewing,
thus forming two continuous lengths of parallel feather down without stem, which
can readily be applied to dress.
For arranging the feathers readily in the above described position and then
sewing them, the following apparatus is employed. Upon a table or board, are
arranged two parallel flat bars, the contiguous edges of which are each provided
with a row of vertical spikes. The one bar is fixed while the other can move in
guides to and from the fixed bar, being urged away from the latter by springs. and
moved towards the same by a lever connected to the moveable bar by a link. The
lever moves over a toothed support, whereby it is kept in whatever position it is
moved into. The movement of the bar may also be effected by other known
mechanical devices, and in some cases both bars may be made moveable to and from
each other, and their separation be effected by moveable inclined planes or wedges
at the ends.

page_text: Upon the said bars is first laid a light metal frame having a longitudinal slot,
through which the before-mentioned spikes pass, the slot being sufficiently wide to
permit of the said motion of the bar or bars to and from each other. Upon this
frame are then laid the feathers to be sewn, the stems thereof being placed between
the spikes, which pass through the beard. Upon the feathers are then placed two
boards or a second slotted frame, and after moving the spiked bars towards each
other, so as to bring the stems of the feathers all in a straight row between the
spikes, the upper and lower frames are secured together by screws or cramps, so as
to hold the feathers in position, whereupon the frames with the feathers are
removed to a sewing machine having two needles at such a distance apart as to sew
The table
a line of stitching through the down or beard on each side of the stem.
of the sewing machine is provided with suitable guides for the frames to slide
between as the sewing proceeds. After. the lines of sewing have been formed, the
frames with the feathers are removed to another sewing machine having two
needles slightly farther apart than those of the first machine, so that two other
lines of sewing are formed outside the first ones. If desired a strip of fabric may
at the same time be sewn on the feathers as a backing. The down or beard is
then separated from the stem as first described.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION,
An Improved Manufacture of Feather Trimmings and Apparatus
for that Purpose.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF FEATHER
TRIMMINGS AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
"
This invention relates to an improved manufacture of feather trimmings in
continuous band form, whereby the down or beard of the feather is maintained in
parallel position, forming a flat ribbon that does not become entangled, and which
is thus rendered applicable with advantage to a great variety of purposes of dress
and ornament.
The invention consists in arranging the feathers end to end and in two or more
layers overlying each other, placing the stems exactly in line and one upon the
other, in which position they are then sewn together in continuous lines on each
side of the stem. The down is then cut between the stem and the line of sewing,
thus forming two continuous lengths of parallel feather down without stein which
can readily be applied to dress.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews a plan of the apparatus employed
for carrying out the above described improved manufacture of feather trimmings
Fig. 2 shews a cross section.
For arranging the feathers readily in the above described position and then
sewing them the following arrangement is employed.
Upon a board or table A are arranged two parallel flat bars B B¹ the contiguous
edges of which are each provided with a row of vertical spikes a a a.
The one
bar B is fixed, while the other B¹ can move in guides b to and from the fixed bar,
being urged away from the latter by springs c c and moved towards the same by a
lever C connected to the moveable bar by a link F. The lever moves over a
toothed support G whereby it is kept in whatever position it is moved into. The
movement of the bar may also be effected by other known mechanical devices, and
in some cases both bars may be made moveable to and from each other, and their
separation be effected by moveable inclined planes or wedges at the ends.
Upon the said bars is first laid a light metal frame D having a longitudinal slot
through which the beforementioned spikes a a pass, the slot being sufficiently wide
to permit of the said motion of the bar or bars to and from each other. Upon
this frame are then laid the feathers to be sewn, the stems thereof being placed
between the spikes, which pass through the beard. Upon the feathers are then
placed two boards or a second slotted frame E, and after moving the spiked bars
towards each other so as to bring the stems of the feathers all in a straight row
between the spikes, after which the bars are separated again; the upper and lower
frames E and D are then secured together by screws or cramps v so as to hold the
feathers in position, whereupon the frames with the feathers are removed as shewn

page_text: at Fig. 3, in order to be placed on a sewing machine having two needles at such a
distance apart as to sew lines of stitching through the down or beard on each side
of the stem. The table of the sewing machine is provided with suitable guides
for the frames to slide between as the sewing proceeds. After the lines of sewing
have been formed, the frames with the feathers are removed to another sewing
machine having two needles slightly farther apart than those of the first machine,
so that two other lines of sewing are formed outside the first ones. If desired a
strip of fabric may at the same time be sewn on the feathers as a backing. The
down or beard is then separated from the stem as first described, as shewn at Fig. 4;
the second line of sewing prevents the cut edge of the feather from fraying.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The manufacture of feather trimmings by placing two or more layers of
feathers one upon the other so that the stems lie all in one and the same line, and
then sewing them together by a line of stitching on each side of the stem, from
which the beard is then separated by cutting, substantially as herein described.
2. The herein described apparatus whereby the feathers are secured together with
their stems in line with each other preparatory to their being placed on a sewing
machine to be sewn as set forth in the preceding claim.
012 1
100
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.