IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SEAMING OR STITCHING TOGETHER THE SEAMS OF LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Campion, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Sewing Machine Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SEAMING OR STITCHING
TOGETHER THE SEAMS OF LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS, AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE."
Sealed the 6th August 1872, and dated the 17th June 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Campion at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 17th June 1872.
I, WILLIAM CAMPION, of the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham, Sewing Machine Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF
SEAMING OR STITCHING TOGETHER THE SEAMS OF LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS, AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSE," to be as
follows:
The Invention has for its object improvements in the mode of seaming
or stitching together the seams of looped or knitted fabrics, and in
machinery or apparatus to be employed for such purpose.

page_text: The mode in which I seam or stitch together the scams of looped or
knitted fabrics is to "run" the loops of each side of the seam or edge of
the fabric on to a row of grooved "points," one row of "points" to cach
edge of the article to be "seamed." These bars of "points" are
mounted on axes of motion at their lower ends so as to enable them to
be opened out away from each other to facilitate the running of the
loops of each edge of the fabric on to each bar of points. After the loops
are run on to these bars of "points," the bars are turned on their axes
so as to bring the rows of " points" within a very short distance of each
other. The "points" in each bar are not placed opposite to each other
but intermediate, and the needle is caused to work between the bars of
points and to traverse from one bar to the other so as to pass alternately
through a loop of each edge of the fabric, a rotary or reciprocating hook
being employed to take the loop from the needle and hold it until the
needle again descends, as is well understood. Instead of causing the
needle to traverse from one bar of points to the other the rows of points
may be arranged in one line, whereby the needle would be enabled to
work in fixed guides. The bars of points are mounted on a slide which
is capable of traversing upon a suitable frame projecting from the
machine in the shape of an arm or sleeve so as to enable the article to
be "scamed" to pass around it, and a step-by-step motion is given by a
screw and rack or other suitable means to the slide carrying the bars of
points" to bring each loop in succession under the needle.
"
By these means the seam is made on the right side of the fabric, and
the stitches traverse diagonally from a loop of one edge to a loop of the
other edge of the fabric being seamed, whereby a superior appearance
and more clastic scam is produced, than by the means heretoforc
employed.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Campion, Her special
license that I, the said William Campion, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Campion,
my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agrec
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SEAMING OR STITCHING TOGETHER THE SEAMS OF
LOOPED OR KNITTED FABRICS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
FOR SUCH PURPOSE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Campion, 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 William Campion, 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 :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in the mode of seaming
or stitching together the seams of looped or knitted fabrics, and in
machinery or apparatus to be employed for such purpose.
The mode in which I seam or stitch together the seams of looped or
knitted fabrics is to " run "the loops of each side of the seam or edge of
the fabric on to a row of grooved "points," one row of "points" to each
edge of the article to the "seamed." These bars of "points" are
mounted on axes of motion at their lower ends so as to enable them to be
opened out away from each other to facilitate the running of the loops
of each edge of the fabric on to each bar of points. After the loops are
run on to these bars of "points," the bars are turned on their axes so as
to bring the rows of "points" within a very short distance of each other.

page_text: means.
The points a, a, in cach bar are not placed opposite to each
other but intermediate.
The axes of motion of the bars b, b, are carried by a slide c, which is
capable of being traversed in or on guides fixed to the frame or arm d,
in the following manner:-Within the frame or arm & is mounted in
suitable bearings a shaft or axis e on which is formed or fixed a worm or
screw e which takes into a rack c¹ formed or fixed on the under side of
the slide c. On one end of this shaft or axis e is fixed a ratchet
wheel e which is operated by a click or clawker f' carried by the
leverf, which is mounted loosely on the shaft or axis g, and receives a
reciprocating motion by means of a crank piu ' fixed in the crank
disc mounted on one end of the shaft or axis h. On the other end of
the shaft is mounted a rotary book which, in combination with the
needle acts to form the stitches as is well understood. The shaft or
axis h is mounted in bearings formed in the main frame of the machine
and in the outer end of an arm or bar * fixed to such frame, thereby
supporting the shaft / close up to the hook i. The needle j is carried by
the needle slide j¹ which is operated in the usual manner by a crank
pin ¹ carried by a shaft k. The shafts and h receive rotary motion
by means of toothed pinions and ³ gearing with a toothed wheel g' on
the shaft which is rotated by means of a band passing around a
grooved pulley g³ mounted thereon. This pulley g² has a clutch pin 9*
fixed on one side thereof to act in combination with a clutch wheel g*, and
when in the position shown in the Drawings, motion will be given to the
shaft and thence to the other parts of the machine, but when the
pulley is moved away from the clutch wheel g* by means of the lever
9, the pulley g² will be capable of rotating loosely on the shaft or axis g
without giving motion thereto.
As the points a, a, with the work thereon are traversed under the
needle the needle is caused in the following manner to traverse from
one row of points to the other so as in its descent to enter cach loop of
each selvage or edge of the fabric, first one loop of one edge of the fabric
and then the next loop of the other edge of the fabric, and so on. On the
shaft or axis is mounted a bar or frame which at one end has fixed
thereto or formed thercon an arm or lever / which is operated by a cam
or tappet g fixed on the shaft or axis g. On the other end of this bar or
frame is formed or fixed an arm or lever F, the lower end of which is
provided with checks or is otherwise formed to act as a guide to the lower

page_text: end of the needle slide j', which to permit of the necessary traverse
of the needle is pin jointed at j' to the upper part of the slide, as shown.
In order to be enabled quickly to return the slide c and bars to the
position for recommencing work after they have been fully traversed
out, I employ a shaft or axis m, on one end of which is mounted a hand
wheel m by which rotary motion can be given thereto. On this shaft or
axis m is also fixed a toothed pinion m² which, when pushed into gear
with the toothed pinion e³ is capable of giving rapid rotary motion
thereto, and consequently to the shaft or axis e, whereby the slide c will
be quickly traversed back; then by placing the shaft m and toothed
wheel m² in the position shown in the Drawing, the machine can be
operated without giving motion to the shaft or axis m, a catch lever m³
being employed to retain the shaft in this position, and a spring me being
employed to force the shaft m to the left hand, and place the toothed
wheel m³ in gear with the toothed pinion e³ on the shaft e.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The work is "run on to
the rows of grooved points a, when it is traversed step by step so as to
bring each point a in successsion under the needle ; which, in addition
to its ordinary up-and-down motion, receives a sideway or traversing
motion from one bar of points a to the other, so as to cause it to pass
through a loop on a point a of one bar and then through a loop on a
point a of the other bar, thereby forming a stitch to each loop and
traversing the thread diagonally from one loop to another of each selvage
or edge of the fabric being seamed.
I would here remark that the form of the slide c and bar or frame d
may be varied, as may also the mode of giving a step-by-step motion to
the slide c without departing from the nature of my Invention, and I
would further remark that in my Provisional Specification I referred to
a mode of working in which the needle would not require to receive a
traversing or sideway motion, but that arrangement does not possess
such an amount of utility as to render it advisable to give any further
description thereof.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First. The peculiar mode of seaming or stitching together the seams

page_text: of the fabric on to bars of points which are traversed step-by-step under
a needle receiving a traversing motion from a "point" of one bar to a
point" of the other bar, and thereby forming a stitch to each loop of
the article being seamed, in manner substantially as herein described.
And, Secondly. I claim the peculiar arrangement and combination of
machinery or apparatus for seaming or stitching together the seams of
looped or knitted fabrics, such combination of machinery consisting of
bars of points a, needle j, and rotary hook i, arranged and operated
in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Campion, have hercunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.