IMPROVEMENTS IN KILTING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Newton Wilson, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KILTING MACHINES."
Sealed the 8th November 1878, and dated the 11th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Newton Wilson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th May 1878.
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILTING MACHINES."
My improvements consist in simplifying and cheapening the construction of
kilting machines by novel arrangements for actuating and regulating the action of
the knife.
On the centre of the driving shaft is fixed an excentric connecting with an
extended arm, slotted vertically and horizontally, the horizontal slide working
freely over a pin attached to a rocking urn, carrying at its lower side the plaiting
knife.
The forward motion of the knife is regulated by the action of a hinged lever in
the vertical slot, the throw of which adjusted by a screw piece the width of plait,
while the degree of backward motion, which regulates the amount of underlap, is
adjusted by a screw at the end of the slotted arm acting upon the central pin of the
rocking lever.
Two cams at the ends of the main shaft acting on small levers connected with the
knife relieve its pressure during the backward movement.
The machine is so constructed as to be heated by gas, by heaters, or by an ordinary
oil or spirit lamp, at pleasure.
The work is fed by the knife between an elastic fluted or serrated bar and the
bed plate of the machine, which is also fluted or serrated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Newton Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th November
1878.
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN KILTING MACHINES."
My said improvements consist in simplifying and cheapening the construction of
kilting machines by the use of novel arrangements for actuating the knife and
regulating its action.
On the centre of the driving shaft I fix an eccentric connected with an extended
arm, which is slotted vertically and horizontally, the horizontal slot working freely
over a pin attached to a rocking arm, carrying at its lower end the plaiting
knife.
The back or return motion of the knife, which regulates the amount of underlap,
is adjusted by the action of a hinged lover in the vertical slot, the throw of which
is controlled by a screw on the eccentric strap.
The degree of forward motion, which regulates the width of plait, is adjusted by
a screw at the end of the slotted arın acting upon the central pin of the before-
mentioned rocking arm, or the same result can be obtained by a peculiar combina-
tion of adjustable eccentrics herein-after described.
One or more cams on the main shaft may be used to act on small levers con-
nected with the knife to relieve its pressure during the backward movement.
The machine is so constructed as to be heated by gas, by heaters, or by an
ordinary oil or spirit lamp, at pleasure.
The work is fed by the knife between a yielding or elastic presser bar and the
bed plate of the machine, the said presser bar being by preference composed of a
series of elastic steel strips or tongues disposed side by side.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same
lotters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a vertical section taken transversely through
the knife and presser bar of my kilting machine, shewing one form of my peculiar
arrangement for actuating the knife and regulating its action; Figure 2 is a modified
arrangement for the same purpose; Figure 3 is a partial plan of the same; and
Figure 4 is a detail plan of one end of the divided elastic presser bar.
A represents a portion of one of the two side standards of the machine, between
which there is suspended on centres a, a, the rocking arm B, carrying at its lower
extremity, upon other pivots or centres b, b, the back of the plaiting knife C, the
edge of which rests upon the smooth plaiting surface or bed plate D. The pressure
of the knife is effected by the springs c, c, and arms d, d, and this pressure is
regulated by the screw e, which increases or reduces the tension of the springs as
required. is a finger lever for lifting the knife by hand, a small hinged catch
being used for maintaining it elevated when requisite. E is the main driving shaft
worked by hand or power, and carrying a fly wheel and an eccentric F for imparting
the necessary to-and-fro inotion to the rocking arm B. The eccentric strap carries
the extended arm G, having vertical and horizontal longitudinal slots made therein.
Through the vertical slot works the spring lever g, pivotted at h to a lug on the
eccentric strap, whilst the horizontal slot i plays freely over a pin k attached to the
rocking arm. is an adjusting screw in the end of the extended arm G for regu-
lating or controlling the forward throw of the knife by striking sooner or later
against the pink in the rocking arm, a second adjusting screw m serving to adjust
the position of the lever g towards or from the opposite side of the said pink,
thereby regulating or controlling the back or return stroke of the knife; thus I

page_text: obtain in a more simple manner than heretofore a perfect control of the width of
plaits, as well as of the amount of underlap.
The plaiting surface, between which and the pivotted presser bar or plate H the
plaits are formed, is heated in any well known or convenient manner, and as fast
as each plait is made another is fed forward by the action of the knife alone. The
presser bar is of sufficient width to cover two or more plaits, and it is pressed down
thereon by springs n arranged in any convenient manner. o, o, are the tension
guide bars for the entering fabric, and pare adjustable sliding pieces for guiding
the work laterally. A lifting cam lever is employed for elevating the presser bar
when required.
In the modified arrangement, shewn at Figures 2, 3, and 4, I dispense with the
hinged lever g and slotted arm G, and employ an adjustable eccentric on the driving
shaft E, the said shaft carrying an eccentric boss q, round which is adjusted tho
eccentric r, and which is fixed at any degree of eccentricity by the set screw a in
the boss of the said eccentric (see Figure 3). This eccentric revolves within the
eccentric ringt, which is again adjustable round the interior of the eccentric strap u,
and capable of being fixed in any desired position by the set screw ; the eccentric
strap is coupled by the arm w direct to the rocking arm B, which carries the
plaiting knife C. is a cam or tappet adjustable round the driving shaft E, and
acting upon the lever arm y attached to the back of the knife, in order to lift the
same at the return or back stroke, the time of such lift and depression being
regulated by adjusting the tappet round the shaft, and fixing it by the set screw Z.
The knife is pivotted, as before, to the lower end of the rocking arm, and its pressure
upon the fabric is regulated by the springs c, the ends of which are adjustable along
the arm & in order to vary the tension.
The presser bar His pivotted at 1, and is composed of a number of tongues or
short lengths of steel 2, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, in lieu of being made in one rigid
piece, as heretofore. By the use of a flexible yielding presser bar of this description
any variation either in whole or in part in the thickness of the work can be accom-
modated without interfering with the perfect action of the machine. 3 (Figure 4)
is the arm or pin, beneath which the lifting lever 4 of the presser acts, and n are
the springs adjustable by the screws 5 for regulating the pressure of the presser
bar.
The plaiting surface or bed plate D may be heated, as previously mentioned, in
any well-known manner, and both machines may be made of various sizes or widths,
according to the nature of the work to be performed.
I also propose to apply the peculiar elastic spring presser bar, composed of strips
or tongues of steel, to the smallest kilters or plaiters, which I propose to make in
a simple and economical manner by dispensing with the driving shaft, and fitting n
handle on to the back of the knife, which is pivotted into the lower end of the
rocking arm, so that the knife is worked by hand direct. The front and back strokes
of the said knife may be controlled or regulated by adjustable pins in one of the
side standards, between which pins the rocking arm vibrates. The elastic spring
presser bar is pivotted in the said rocking arm, and is provided with a separate
handle for lifting the bar from off the work when required.
In adapting my improved kilters to the finer classes of work, such as strips of fine
muslin, lace, and like fabrics, 1 attach a guide plate to the front of the inachine,
such plate being slotted transversely nearly across its entire length, in which may
be adjusted any number of hemming or folding instruments, which will serve to
fold or turn over the edges of the fabrics as fast as they pass under the action of the
plaiting knife.
To the back of the kilter I also attach a frame carrying any required number of reels
of cotton, from which reels the thread is conducted through a bath of liquid starch,
and thence after being pressed so as to remove superfluous moisture is passed through
guide holes made in the back or raised part of the sectional spring presser bar shewn
in Figures 3 and 4, so as to guide and lay the thread or threads upon the plaited
fabric at one and the same operation.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First. The peculiar combination and arrangement of parts constituting my
improved kilting machine, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated
by my Drawings.
Second. The peculiar combination and arrangement of apparatus for regulating tho
forward and backward throw of the plaiting knife, as herein-before described, and
illustrated by Figures 1 and 2.
Third. The application and use of an adjustable cam or tappet and lever for regu-
lating and timing the lift of the plaiting knife during its receding movement,
substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by Figures 2 and 3 of my
Drawings.
Fourth. The application and use to and in plaiting or kilting machines of a
prosser bar composed of a number of clastic yielding tongues or strips of metal, as
herein-before described, and illustrated by Figures 2, 3, and 4 of my Drawings.
Fifth. The combination with a plaiting or kilting machine of the peculiar arrange-
ment for turning the edges of the fabric as fast as it enters the plaiting or kilting
machine, and for laying a thread or threads upon the surface of the plaits as fast as
they are formed, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nowton Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
AntoMAN KILTNAM