IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR LINKING, JOINING, TURNING OFF, CLEARING, AND SEAMING OR STITCHING LOOPED OR KNITTED AND OTHER FABRICS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Campion, of Roden Street, in the Town
& County of the Town of Nottingham, Machinist and Sewing
Machine Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR LINKING, JOINING, TURNING OFF, CLEARING,
AND SEAMING OR STITCHING LOOPED OR KNITTED AND OTHER FABRICS."
Sealed the 3rd May 1872, and dated the 19th February 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Campion at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 19th February 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CAMPION, of Roden Street, in the Town and County of the Town
of Nottingham, Machinist and Sewing Machine Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS FOR LINKING, JOIning, Turning oFF, CLEARING,

page_text: AND SEAMING OR STITCHING LOOPED OR KNITTED AND OTHER FABRICS," and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have
made solemn Declaration that I am the true and first Inventor thereof,
and that the same is not in use by any other person or persons to the
best of my knowledge and belief.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Campion, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists of four several modifications of machinery or
apparatus.
The first and second modifications consist of certain machinery added
to and apparatus operated by a stitching machine, which is fully
described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me for the Inven-
tion of "Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Linking, Joining,
Turning off, and Clearing Looped or Knitted Fabrics, Applicable also to
Stitching Machines," dated 15th December 1866, No. 3305, and sealed
the 14th of June, 1867; such machinery and apparatus is shewn in this
my present Patent at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
The third and fourth modifications consist of apparatus applied to and
working in conjunction with certain improved sewing machines employ-
ing one thread, shewn at Figures 7, 8, and 9.
The first modification is shewn in plan at Figure 1, a side view at
Figure 2, and a front view of certain parts hereafter named at Figure 3,
and consists of a two-armed bracket D secured by one arm to the
bracket G of the stitching machine described in my former Patent above
referred to; the other arm is supported by a plate B', attached to one of
the bearings B of the machine. The arm forms a bearing for the axle
of a rocking lever D' lying in front of the bracket D; the lower end of
the lever carries an axle on which a driver Dº moves; the end of the
driver engages successively with the teeth, which are cut in the lower
under edge of certain point bars hereafter referred to, such engaging
being ensured by a spring D³ pressing upon the lower side of the driver.
The axle of the lever D¹ projects over the cam shaft C, and has secured

page_text: on it a lever D³ carrying a stud which is held close to the face of a cam
E by a spring D' attached near the lower end of the lever D', and also to
a pin in the lower edge of the bracket D. By this arrangement the cam
E during one portion of each revolution of the cam shaft C causes the
driver to move the point bar F one notch to the right for each stitch
made by the machine; the point bar is held in the position it is placed
by the driver by means of a spring catch or stop D', shewn by dotted
lines in Figure 3. The lower part of the bracket D on the back or inner
side projects somewhat; such projection and an adjustable plate near the
lower edge forms a groove the length of the bracket in which the
projection on the point bar F slides. The points carried by this bar pass
just under, but project beyond the inner edge of a bracket G, which is
secured to the top edge of the lower part of the bracket D. The central
part of the top flange of the bracket G is cut away to admit of the
to-and-fro movements of the needle carried by the lower end of the lever
O', and also to allow room for the movements of the hook Q; the front
of the bracket G affords support for the edges or selvages of the fabric to
be stitched.
The apparatus I employ for supplying the machine with the fabrics to
be stitched is shewn at Figures 4 and 5, Figure 4 being a sectional end
view, and Figure 5 a front view of portion of the apparatus, which
consists of a platform or plate A of any required length, which is free to
turn on a pin B at its centre screwed into the table or bench upon which
the apparatus is placed. This platform carries a standard C near each
end, to each of which is screwed a slotted plate D; these slots receive
the ends of a point bar F seen in section at Figure 4. The points in
this bar are recessed on their upper side to receive the points of ticklers
hereafter referred to, and lie in slots cut in the side and top of the bar,
being firmly held therein by clamping plates, each of which are secured
to the bar by two screws as seen at Figure 5. The standards at their
lower ends form bearings for an axle rod G, which carry two levers H
connected at their upper ends by a second axle rod I, which has secured
on it at each end a bracket K, to which the ends of a tickler bar L is
secured. The ticklers are recessed on their under side to receive the
points carried by the point bar F, the ticklers being secured in recesses
cut in the side and top edge of the bar by clamping plates as described
for the point bar.

page_text: tickler bar, I may prefer to make the levers H somewhat longer, and
attach the tickler bar to their upper ends; in cither case I so arrange
the apparatus that when the ends of the tickler bar rest upon the rounded
portions of the standards in front of the point as shewn at Figure 4, as
the bars are made to approach each other the ends of the ticklers will lie 5
in the recesses of the upper side of the points, and the points project into
the recesses on the under side of the ticklers, the ticklers covering the
the recesses on the under side of the ticklers, the ticklers covering the
points.
The apparatus being so adjusted, the workwoman or other operator
lowers or moves away the tickler bar from the front of the point bar,
taking care that the point bar and tickler bar are both of the same
guage. If a looped fabric of thirty guage is to be operated upon, there
being only one loop at each edge or selvage for every two courses of
work made, the point and tickler bars will only require to be fifteen
guage, and so on in proportion, each being one-half the guage of the
looped fabric to be operated upon. The platform is turned to allow the
points in the bar F to be towards the operator, who runs on the fabric
loop by loop on each successive point for the required length, the face of
the fabric being inward; the tickler bar L is then raised and placed in
the position shewn at Figure 4, or it may be nearer to the point bar, and
then the opposite edge or selvage is run on the ticklers in like manner,
the tickler bar is moved towards the point bar, and the ticklers being
placed upon the points, the edge or selvage on the ticklers is pressed or
pulled on to the points in the bar F; the tickler bar is then moved away
from the point bar which is lifted out of the slotted plates D, and placed
in the groove of the bracket D, see Figures 1, 2, and 3. The bar F being
pushed along the bracket until the first pair of loops on the points are
opposite to the point of the needle held by the lever O¹, the machine
being then started the point of the needle will come forward and be
lowered into the eye or recess of the point, and be passed through the
loops; the needle then slightly rises, and on its backward movement a
loop will be formed by the thread carried by the needle, such loop being
taken by the hook Q and held in such a position that after the bar F has
been racked one notch, the needle will again come forward and pass
through the succeeding pair of loops of the fabric, and also through the
loop held by the hook Q, which releases the previous loop and secures a
fresh one at each revolution of the shaft C, such movements being
repeated the length required. It is evident that several operators and

page_text: sets of point and tickler apparatus will be required to keep one stitching
machine fully employed, still by employing apparatus as above described,
and separating the operations of running on and stitching, a very con-
siderable saving will be effected in consequence of the speed attained,
independently of the stitching being more effectively performed than
heretofore, as each succeeding pair of loops is secured with certainty.
My second modification consists in traversing the point bars F along
the bracket D by the apparatus shewn at Figure 6. In this arrangement
the bracket D differs in shape to the one above described, and is secured
at one end to the bracket G of a stitching machine described in my
former Patent above referred to, and the other end to the outer bearing
B of the cam shaft C; this end also forms a bearing for one end of a
short shaft D'. Instead of the lower under edge of the point bars being
toothed to receive a driver%; the bars have each a toothed rack F¹
secured to the back below the clamping plates; in this rack the teeth
of a wheel F gears. This wheel is secured on a shaft D', having its
opposite end carried by a bearing attached to the bearing B of the
machine; the shaft has a pinion wheel D³ secured on it which is driven
by a cam wheel D³ on the outer end of the cam shaft C, such arrange-
ment doing away with a driver, spring catch, rocking lever, cam, &c., and
ensuring a smoother movement and greater certainty in the apparatus,
the pinion D and worm wheel D³ being in such proportion as to move
the point bar F the required length to ensure the needle entering each
succeeding pair of loops. In every other respect the machine and
apparatus is the same as described for the first modification.
My third modification is shown in plan at Figure 7; and a front view
at Figure 8 consists of a sewing machine and apparatus attached thereto
constructed as follows:-A bed plate A, a main standard A', and bearings
A and A³, supporting a main driving shaft B, on which is secured an
excentric which operates the connecting rod attached to the rocking
lever C, which gives the up-and-down movements to the needle rod D,
the upper end of which slides in a swiveled bearing D', carried by two
axle screws in the upper part of the head of the standard A¹. The lower
portion of the needle rod is made square, and slides up and down and
to and fro in the lower bearing, which is slotted as shewn by the dotted
lines at Figure 8. The lower end of the needle rod carries a pin or stud
which slides up and down in the slot of a plate D³ which is secured to
one side of the lower bearing. By this arrangement in the downward

page_text: movement of the rod the needle it carries will enter the recess or eye of
the point hereafter referred to, and pass into the loops carried by said
point; then the needle will be moved slightly to the right away from the
point, thereby causing the loops to press upon the thread carried by the
needle, and cause it during the upward movement of the needle to form
a loop which will be taken hold of by the tumbler hook at the left end
of the driving shaft B, such movements being repeated at each revolution
of the driving shaft. Between the standard A' and bearing A² is a
driving pulley and gear of the usual construction for starting and
stopping the machine. Between the standard A¹ and bearing A³ is an
excentric E secured on the driving shaft B, which excentric operates a
racking lever E³, carried by an axle secured in a stud E* at the back of
the machine. The lever E' carries at its front end a driver E³ which
takes into the teeth of a ratchet wheel G, which it moves forward one
tooth at each revolution of the driving shaft. The wheel is prevented
from moving back by a spring catch E secured to the bed of the
machine. The wheel G is held fast on a short shaft H, supported by the
standard A' and bearing A³. On one end of this shaft a toothed wheel I
is secured, the teeth of which gear into the teeth of a rack on the under
side of a point bar F, the wheel being kept in gear with the rack by a
spring K lying between the wheel and the bearing A³. When a point
bar is inserted, or has to be withdrawn, the wheel I may be thrown out
of gear with the rack by raising the handle of an excentric lever L,
which bearing against the flanged boss of the ratchet wheel G will cause
the shaft H to slide in its bearings a sufficient distance to clear the rack.
The point bar F has saw gates cut in its under side and right edge, as
shewn at Figure 8, to receive points which are recessed on the side next
the sewing machine needle, the points being held in position by clamping
plates on the under side of the bar, which is supported by and slides upon
a bracket M bolted to the bed of the machine; the bar is held down on
the bracket by a cap or plate N by screws passing through it into
the bracket, the cap being capable of adjustment by means of the
screws N¹.
The two edges or selvages of a fabric having been run on the points in
the bar by the operator in the same manner as described in the first 35
modification, the bar with the fabric upon it is inserted in the machine
as shewn in Figure 8, the machine is started, and each pair of loops
on the points are in turn secured by the thread of the machine needle.

page_text: as above described.
My fourth modification consists of apparatus attached to and working
in conjunction with a sewing machine similar to that described in my
third modification, by which I am enabled to cause the machine needle
to pass into the looped or other fabric near the edges or selvages when
making one stitch, and outside clear of such edges or selvages at the
next succeeding stitch in the fabric and out of the fabric alternately;
this I effect by passing the lower end of the needle rod D through a
plate which slides in a recess in the under side of the slotted lower
bearing of the standard A¹, the plate being held in the recess by a cap E
screwed to the bearing. This sliding plate is hinged at its outer end to
a pendant lever F working on an axle pin at its upper end secured in the
standard A. The lower end of the lever carries a stud which takes into
a groove G cut in the boss on one side of a toothed wheel H; the 'boss
on the other side of the wheel has a cam groove cut in it in which the
pin of an adjustable stud H¹ takes. The toothed and double grooved
wheel is free to revolve on a short shaft B¹ supported by bearings
A³, A. The space between the grooved wheel and bearing A is filled
by a collar held fast on the shaft B' by a set screw. Between the
grooved wheel and the bearing A' on the short shaft is secured a toothed
wheel I driven by a similar wheel K on the driving shaft B, which
carries an excentric to operate the needle rod lever C, and is provided
with a driving pulley, and starting and stopping gear like that described
in my third modification, but not shewn in the Figure. The wheel K at
each revolution causes the shaft B¹ to revolve once; on the driving shaft
is also secured a toothed wheel L half the diameter of the wheel H, in
which it gears; the wheel H revolves once to two revolutions of the
driving shaft. At the left end of the shaft B' a hook is secured by a set
screw; this hook secures a loop of thread supplied to the needle as
before described. By this arrangement the grooved wheel H during
one-half of its revolution holds the needle rod in the position shewn for
passing into the fabric, and the hook in position for securing the needle
thread; the needle rod is then traversed to the right the distance shewn
by the dotted line, so as to pass clear of the fabric (i. e., when edges or

page_text: selvages are being sewn), the hook being also traversed to the right at
the same time; the other half of one revolution of the grooved wheel H,
the point bars, and other parts of the machine employed in this modifi-
cation are the same as and are operated in the same manner as described
in the third modification.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim the general
arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
machinery and apparatus as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Campion, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
WILLIAM CAMPION. (L.S.)