IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNITING BY SEWING TOGETHER OR SEAMING PARTS OF LOOPED, KNITTED, OR OTHER FABRICS." PROAL SPATION
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Jones, of No. 9, Bedford Street, Lough-
borough, in the County of Leicester, in the Employment of the
Nottingham Manufacturing Company (Limited), for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNITING BY SEWING TOGETHER OR
SEAMING PARTS OF LOOPED, KNITTED, OR OTHER FABRICS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th December 1873.
I, WILLIAM JONES, of No. 9, Bedford Street, Loughborough, in the
County of Leicester, in the Employment of the Nottingham Manufac-
turing Company (Limited), do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNITING BY SEWING TOGETHER ·
OR SEAMING PARTS OF LOOPED, KNITTED, OR OTHER FABRICS," to be as
follows:-
Heretofore various apparatus have been arranged for uniting by sewing.
together parts of looped or knitted fabrics, and the kind of sewing

page_text: adopted has been that generally known as the chain stitch, in effecting
which the sewing thread after being taken through the fabric is caught
by a hook and held in a looped form opposite the part of the next
entering of the needle, which passes first through the fabric and then
through such previous loop, to have its thread again taken and held in a
looped form for that loop to be again passed through by the needle and
so on. This sewing as obtained being composed of simply straight and
transverse lines is very rigid, and the thread when broken is readily
drawn out, opening the seam.
The object of the Invention is to obtain a more elastic seam, and
one the sewing thread of which is not so readily removed on breakage
of it, whilst far less ridge is produced to the seam. For this purpose the
loops at or near the edges of fabrics to be united are placed on holding
points, which may be applied to the peripheries of rings or circles of the
character described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
Thomas Bevan, dated the 15th of January, 1872, No. 119; or the fabric to
be united may be held in straight frames by other suitable means, and the
sewing needle in taking its thread through the loops to be united may be
operated as heretofore, but in place of the loop taken from it being held
on the same side for the point of the needle with its thread to pass
through it, after the next passage of that needle through the fabric to
be united, that loop is by its looping instrument brought over the edges
to be united or seamed and laid on to a holding point in position to be
passed through by the sewing needle at the next re-entering of that
needle, but before that needle again passes through the parts to be
united, and so on; the loops in the sewing thread are in succession
formed on one side of the fabric, and then brought over to be passed
through by that thread on the opposite side of the fabric for the
succeeding loop.
A method of operating the parts which we adopt consists in employing
for effecting the looping of the sewing thread an instrument which is
recessed or grooved on one side, and has a projection or catch formed on
it a short distance from its point. This looping instrument is affixed as
an arm to an axis, to which partial rotation is given by a pinion thereon
actuated by a rack, so that the point of this instrument may pass
between the needle and the thread taken by it through the work, and
hold that thread whilst the needle recedes for a re-entry. This looping
instrument then makes a partial rotation, and an endway motion is also

page_text: given to the axof it, by which the loop of sewing thread is laid on to the
next holding point, when the looping instrument retires, leaving the loop
of the sewing thread ready for the sewing needle to pass through that new
loop of the sewing thread loop before passing through the loops of the
work to be united. The projection or catch on the looping instrument
regulates the extent of loop obtained by preventing it from running up
that instrument too far. Springs aid the motions of the cams or tappets,
and variations may be made in the operating parts.
The improvements are particularly adapted to seaming the selvages of
looped or knitted fabrics, and are also applicable to uniting by sewing or
scaming other fabrics than those produced by looping or knitting.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Jones in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
JONES, of No. 9, Bedford Street, Loughborough, in the County of
Leicester, in the Employment of the Nottingham Manufacturing Com-
pany (Limited), send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date. the Fourth day of December, 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 William Jones, Her
special license, that I, the said William Jones, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Jones, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR UNITING BY SEWING TOGETHER OR
SEAMING PARTS OF LOOPED, KNITTED, OR OTHER FABRICS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Jones, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one

page_text: 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 William Jones, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
Heretofore various apparatus have been arranged for uniting by sewing
together parts of looped or knitted fabrics, and the kind of sewing
adopted has been that generally known as the chain stitch, in effecting
which the sewing thread after being taken through the fabric is caught
by a hook, and held in a looped form opposite the part for the next
entering of the needle, which passes first through the fabric and then
, through such previous loop, to have its thread again taken and held in a
looped form for that loop to be again passed through by the needle, and
so on. This sewing as obtained being composed of simply straight and
transverse lines is very rigid, and the thread when broken is readily
drawn out, opening the seam.
The object of the Invention is to obtain a more elastic seam, and one the
sewing thread of which is not so readily removed on breakage of it, whilst
far less ridge is produced to the seam. For this purpose the loops at or
near the edges of fabrics to be united are placed on holding points or
means which may be applied to the peripheries of rings or circles of the
character described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to
Thomas Beven, dated the 15th January, 1872, No. 119; or the fabric
to be united may be held in straight frames by other suitable means, and
the sewing needle in taking its thread through the loops to be united
may be operated as heretofore, but in place of the loop taken from it
being held on the same side for the point of the needle with its thread
to pass through it, after the next passage of that needle through the
fabric to be united that loop is by its looping instrument brought over
the edges to be united or seamed and laid on to a holding point in
position to be passed through by the sewing needle at the next re-
entering of that needle, but before that needle again passes through the
parts to be united, and so on; the loops in the sewing thread are in

page_text: succession formed on one side of the fabric, and then brought over to be
passed through by that thread on the opposite side of the fabric for the
succeeding loop.
A method of operating the parts which we adopt consists in employing
for effecting the looping of the sewing thread an instrument which is
recessed or grooved on one side, and has a projection or catch formed on
it a short distance from its point. This looping instrument is affixed as
an arm to an axis, to which partial rotation is given by a pinion thereon
actuated by a rack, so that the point of this instrument may pass
between the needle and the thread taken by it through the work, and
hold that thread whilst the needle recedes for a re-entry. This looping
instrument then makes a partial rotation, and an endway motion is also
given to the axis of it, by which the loop of sewing thread is laid on to
the next holding point, when the looping instrument retires, leaving the
loop of the sewing thread ready for the sewing needle to pass through
that new loop of the sewing thread loop before passing through the
loops of the work to be united. The projection or catch on the looping
instrument regulates the extent of loop obtained by preventing it from
running up that instrument too far. Springs aid the motions of the
cams or tappets, and variations may be made in the operating parts.
The improvements are particularly adapted to seaming the selvages of
looped or knitted fabrics, and are also applicable to uniting by sewing or
seaming other fabrics than those produced by looping or knitting.
But that the Invention may be fully understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me
me into effect.

page_text: in the Specification of Thomas Beven's Patent above referred to, the
edges of the fabric laid on to the points of the circle a are transferred to
those of the circle b, which then takes both edges of fabric and holds
then in position to be sewn together by a thread e carried by the
needle f. The needle f having taken its thread through the two-thick-
nesses of fabric to be united, and thereby formed a loop on that side of
them opposite to that on which the needle entered them, the point of
another instrument g, carried by the axis g³, is then brought round to
enter the loop thus formed by the passage of the needle, as indicated by
the separate full size views, Figures 5 and 6, when the axis g¹ is caused
to make a partial rotation in the direction of the arrow in order to its
taking the new loop over the work to the side of it for the re-entering of
the needle, and so as to lay that new loop of thread over a point 6¹, as
indicated by the separate views, Figures 7 and 8, by which the needle
will next enter the fabric, and in doing so pass through that loop as well
as through the fabric, the points each by their hollow upper surfaces
acting as guides to facilitate the correct passage of the needle. The
hook g is formed with a notch 9* to prevent the loop taken by it from
passing too far down its stem, and it is also formed hollow or divided in
order that its two sides may embrace each of the points b' in succession,
and thereby insure the laying of each new loop over such points.
The movements to the various parts are obtained as follows:-h is the
main framing; i is the main or driving axis, which receives rotary
motion in the direction indicated by the arrows by a gut or band from a
steam engine or other suitable power acting on the pulley ; applied on
that shaft, or this rotary motion may be otherwise obtained. This
pulley j is formed with a neck j¹, which is entered by the projecting
end of the lever j³, which is capable of turning on the stud ♬³, and of
being readily acted upon at its end j*, to cause a sliding of the pulley j
on the main shaft i, in order that it may at one time run freely thereon,
and at another time by clutch connection give motion to that shaft i.
The needle fis carried by the outer end of the arm f¹, and it is held
therein with capability of adjustment by means of a set screw f³. This
arm f' is supported to rock on the fixed stud f³, and it is connected by
a pin to the slide f*, which is applied to traverse in the eccentric a
groove f³ formed for it in one side surface of the cam wheel fº, so as to
give the necessary to-and-fro motion to the needle. The needle arm ƒ¹
also by pin joint carries one end of the bar f', which towards its other

page_text: end is supported to slide in a stationary bearing f³, and has a notch
formed in the end of it to receive and act on the thread in its passage to
the needle for the purpose of effecting a tension on the loop last formed
by the passage of the needle through the work after that loop has been
taken by the hooked point of the instrument g, and whilst the needle f
is retiring. The axis 9¹ of the instrument g is supported in a rocking
frame g³ from the shaft or axis 93, and this frame 92 is provided with a
stud g* to rest against the cam side surface 9 of the wheel f, and it is
borne to that cam surface by the spring 9º in order to give the slight
endway motion to the axis g¹.
The rocking motion to the axis g¹ is effected by the cam 97 affixed on
the main axis i acting on the roller 98, which is supported with capability
of freely turning on the axis 9¹, and this axis 9¹ is at the same time
borne with its roller 98 to the cam 97 by 'a spring 9º.
11
The partial rotary motion to the axis g¹ is effected by the teeth of a
pinion 9 on that axis g¹ being taken into by the teeth of a rack 9"
which is connected to the arm 9½, and the arm g¹ is provided with a
stud 918, which is borne by spring pressure to and acted upon by the
cam or tappet g¹ on the shaft or axis i.
The axes or spindles a² and 62 of the circles a and b are supported to
revolve freely in the stationary bearings a³, 63, and they have applied to
their upper ends tooth wheels a¹ and 6, by which they are geared
together, while the teeth of the wheel * also take into the screw thread
or worm k on the axis k¹, which is supported to turn freely in stationary
bearings from the main framing, and has applied to one end of it a hand
wheel k², whilst upon the other end is affixed the ratchet wheel k³, the
teeth of which are taken into to give it a step-by-step movement by
means of the driver / carried by the arm ks, which is capable of rocking
on the axis k³, and is operated for that purpose by the stud k in the face
of the plate k taking into one end of the link k³, the other end of which
is by pin joint connected to the rocking arm.k³. k is a spring stop to
prevent the return of the axis k¹.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt for
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise arrangement of parts as shown and
described, and although I have described the parts working in con-
nection with circular feeding means, the work may be applied to points

page_text: or combining means or apparatus whereby the loop of the sewing or
seaming thread may be taken from the needle after it has passed
through the fabric, and be laid in a position for the needle to pass
through it on the entering side for the needle at each passage of the
needle, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Jones, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.