Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 26th Oct., 1888
WILLIAM W. NEEL, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Book Binder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to a method of binding books by means of stitches which
connect the signatures in a firm and reliable manner and which permit the book to be
opened flat without liability to break, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.
In carrying my invention into practice I pass the binding thread through the first
signature near the end thereof and form a long loop on the back thereof. In the
present case too such loops may be formed on the back of said signature or if desired
only one loop is formed.
The thread is then passed on the inside of the signature to the end thereof, and
again through the signature to the back thereof, and knotted after which it is passed
through the adjacent signature, and into the latter and run along the same until it
reaches the point where it is passed outwardly and interlaced with the loop of the first
signature, and again passed into the second signature whereby the two signatures are
connected.
The same operation is repeated so as to connect the two signatures at the other loop
of the first signature, and the thread is next passed out to the back of the second
signature knotted with the end of the thread on the first signature. The thread is
then passed into the third signature and run along the inside thereof towards the
place of connection of the first and second signatures and passed outwardly, and then
run through and interlaced with the two loops of said signatures, whence it is again
passed into the third signature and tightened, thus firmly binding the three signatures.
The thread is run along the inside of the third signature then passed out of the same
and interlaced with the remaining loops of the first and second signatures, after which
it is run to the end of the signature, passed out of the same and knotted with the
thread at the end of the second signature, then passed into the fourth signature, after
which the manipulation is similar to that hereinbefore described, excepting that the
thread is interlaced with the loops of the second and third signatures it being noticed

page_text: that as the threads are alternately run to the right and left in adjacent signatures, the
interlacing of the thread with the loops is alternately to the right and left, so that
the signatures are firmly connected, and the body of the book securely bound; the
book being also adapted to be opened to the full extent without the liability of
breaking.
I do not limit myself to interlacing the loop of one signature with the loops of two
adjacent signatures, as it is evident I may interlace the loops of contiguous signatures,
or the loops of three or more signatures, the latter however, not being desirable as it
causes considerable strain on the thread.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: L, WILLIAM W. NEEL, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Book binder, 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 consists in the method of sewing together the signatures of books as
hereinafter fully set forth whereby the book may he opened without the liability of
breaking the connection of the back.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a view of the body of a book taken from the back thereof
embodying this invention.
Figures 2 to 7 inclusive are enlarged views representing various steps of book binding
embodying the said invention.
Figure 8 represents a perspective view of the book, on an enlarged scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
Referring to the drawings, A. represents the signatures of a book, and B the binding
thereof.
In carrying out the said invention I pass the binding thread, knotted at its end,
through the first signature at the back thereof near its end to the inside, and then
along the same, passing it out through the back so as to form the long loop a on the
back thereof. In the present case two such loops a are formed on the back of said
signature in Figure 1 and one loop in Figure 8. The thread is then passed on the
inside of the signature to the end thereof, and again through the signature to
the back thereof and knotted as at after which it is passed through the adjacent
signature and passed into the latter and run along the same until it reaches the
point e where it is passed outwardly and over and around the thread of the loop a of
the first signature
as shown in Figure 4 and again passed into the second signature
as at d whereby the two signatures are connected, it being noticed that the thread
forming the loop of the second signature after passing through the loop of the first
signature is passed over the thread as passed out of the opening C before entering the
second signature at d.
The same operation is repeated so as to connect the two signatures at the other
loop of the first signature, and the thread is next passed out the back of the second
signature and passed through the knot on the end of the thread of the first signature
at 6 from the under side. The thread is then passed into the third signature and run
along the inside thereof toward the place of connection of the first and second
signatures and passed outwardly, and then run through and interlaced with the two
loops of said signatures, whence it is again passed into the third signature and
tightened, thus firmly binding the three signatures. The thread is run along the
inside of the third signature, then passed out of the same and interlaced with
the remaining loops of the first and second signatures after which it is run to the end

page_text: of the signature, passed out of the same, and knotted with the thread at the end of
the second signature, and then passed into the fourth signature, after which the
manipulation is similar to that hereinbefore described, excepting that the thread is
interlaced with the loops of the second and third signatures (see Figure 6) it being
noticed that as the threads are alternately run to the right and left in adjacent
signatures the interlacing of the thread with the loops is alternately to the right and
left (see Figures 7 and 8) so that the signatures are firmly connected and the body of
the book securely bound, the book being also adapted to be opened to full extent
without liability of breaking.
I do not limit myself to interlacing the loop of one signature with the loops of two
adjacent signatures. As it is evident, I may interlace the loops of contiguous signatures
or the loops of three or more signatures the latter, however, not being desirable as it
causes considerable strain on the thread.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First The method of sewing signatures, consisting in passing the thread in at the
back of the signature then carrying the thread along the interior thereof, and then
passing it out to the back, returning it to the interior at a point on the back beyond
its point of exit, thus forming a loop on the back of the signature then carrying the
thread along the interior of the signature and then passing it out through the back of
the said signature and into the back of the next signature, then along the interior
thereof and then out, interlocking it with the loop on the first signature then into
the back of the said second signature in such a manner as to form a loop on the back
thereof then carrying it along the interior of the second signature, and then out, and
after knotting the thread with the thread at the adjacent end of the first signature
passing it into the back of the third signature then forming a loop on the back
thereof interlocking with the loop on the back of the first signature, substantially as
described.
Second The method of sewing signatures, consisting in passing the thread in at the
back of the signature near one end thereof, then carrying the thread along the interior
of the signature toward the centre, passing the thread out to the back and returning
it at a point on the back beyond the point of exit, thus forming a loop on the back of
the signature, then carrying the thread along the interior of the signature and passing
it out near the other end, then passing the thread into the interior of the next
signature and along the same then out and interlocking it with the loop on the first
signature, then into the second signature in such a manner as to form a loop on the
back thereof and then passed out, and after knotting it with the thread at the adjacent
end of the first signature, into a third signature forming a loop on the back thereof in
a similar manner interlocking with the loop of the first signature then forming loops
in a similar manner on the backs of other signatures the loop of each signature
interlocking with those of the last two signatures and the threads at the ends of each
signature being knotted with the threads of the adjacent ends of the previous signatures,
substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.