A LACE CLIPPING MACHINE
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "A LACE CLIPPING
MACHINE which Invention has been communicated to me from Abroad by The
Willcox and Gibbs Sewing Machine Company of New York in the United States
of America Sewing Machine Manufacturers to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the clipping from lace and other fabric of the loose
threads or floats which connect the figures with each other-Heretofore this has
been done by raising the floats or loose threads from the fabric, and then cutting
the same as close as may be to the ends where they are connected with the fabric.
In the present Invention a new mode is adopted-The floats are cut at any
intermediate point (say at the middle) leaving the connection at the ends with the
fabric intact and then the threads, now fastened at one end only, are mowed off.
It is evident that a variety of means more or less differing in detail could be
used for cutting the floats in the first instance and also for mowing off the other
threads afterwards It is preferred, however, to use the following instrumentalities,
which themselves make part of the Invention.
First A reciprocatory picker inserts itself between the float and the fabric, and
thus separates the former from the latter. One or more cutters then act upon the
raised Hoat at or near where it is bent over the picker. The picker supports the
float against the action of the cutters cooperating with them in cutting the thread
-In this respect the picker differs from that described in the Specification to
British Patent granted to J. Range dated March 7th 1883 N° 1214 wherein the
picker did not assist in cutting the thread.
Second The reciprocatory picker, cooperating with one or more cutters as just
explained, is given a rising and falling, as well as a back and forth movement.
Third The picker is provided with a blade or cutter which assists in cutting
the floats.
Fourth The picker is moved against the cooperating cutter or cutters to sever
the float, the said cooperating cutters being held stationary.
Fifth A series of reciprocatory pickers is used, the several pickers acting
simultaneously upon a number of rows of the floats instead of on a single row, as
in the apparatus described in the Specification of aforesaid British Patent.
Sixth The series of reciprocatory pickers are divided into gangs which act
from the centre towards the edge of the fabric so that there is no danger of the

page_text: point of any picker catching the edge of the fabric. The arrangement is also
advantageous in that the pickers assist in keeping the fabric smooth.
Seventh Further to assist in smoothing the fabric, the pickers are provided
with brushes which bear upon the fabric and are moved outwardly with the
pickers, as these take up or lift the floats.
Eighth For mowing off the cut floats, a ledger blade is combined with a rotary
knife which is revolved faster than the fabric is fed.-The two cooperate very like
the knife and ledger blade of the ordinary lawn mower.
Ninth In order to make the cut floats stick out from the fabric so as to be.
more constantly acted upon by the mowing apparatus, the fabric immediately in
front of the ledger blade is bent over the edge of a plate or bar.
Tenth The ledger blade and rotary knife extend the full width of the machine
so as to mow off at one time the several rows of floats previously cut by the
pickers and cutters.
The Invention further comprises the combination of the foregoing elements with
each other, and with other parts of the machine as hereinafter set forth.
The following is considered to be the best mode of applying the principle of the
Invention.
To the frame of the machine is fastened by means of screws, the picker plate in
which are slots into which the lace is depressed by the action of the pickers, so
that they may get under the floats and separate them from the body. of the lace.
To the frame is also attached by means of stud standards the picker frame in
which is journalled a horizontal shaft provided at one end with a grooved band
pulley for receiving motion from any suitable prime mover and with a gear wheel
for transmitting motion to other parts of the machine. Between the two bearings
carrying this shaft and fast thereon are a number of bevelled gears engaging with
corresponding bevelled pinions keyed upon the outer ends of a corresponding
number of shafts of unequal lengths which are journalled to the picker frame at
right angles to the first mentioned shaft.-The forward end of each of the last
mentioned shafts is turned down or reduced so as to form an eccentric-These
eccentrics extend into slots in the picker carriers, and give thereto a back and
forth, and also an up and down motion. At the lower ends of the picker carriers
are attached the cutting pickers.
These picker carriers are provided at their upper ends with a slot allowing them
to move vertically upon stud screws; the downward movement of the said picker
carriers being effected by spiral compression springs, which bear at their upper ends
against the stud screws and at their lower ends against the picker carriers-When
it is desired to put the pickers out of action, eccentric lifters attached to the upper
end of the picker carriers are lifted into a vertical position so that the eccentrics
on the horizontal shafts herein before referred to merely produce a sidewise, but no
end wise movement of the pickers.
This arrangement is provided in order to prevent the action of the pickers upon
the lace at any desired point, or in case the lace is narrower than the machine to
avoid unnecessary wearing of the cutting edges by their acting together when
there is no necessity for their so doing.
The pickers and the stationary blades which act in connection with them, are
Bo arranged that they stand in zig zag or diagonal lines, beginning at the centre of
the machine and running forward and towards each side-By this arrangement
combined with the crosswise movement of the pickers the whole surface of the lace
is in succession covered by the action of the pickers and the same surface is acted
upon one or more times in succession by the pickers, according to the speed with
which the fabric is fed through the machine-A slow feed is preferred, so as to
give the pickers more than one chance to get under and separate the floats from
the lace before it has passed beyond them.
The pickers move when in action in an elliptical course with the longest axis
horizontal and as the picker advances to take up a float, the upper or cutting
surface thereof passes about even with, or slightly below the upper surface of the

page_text: picker plate-This action bends the body of the lace down into the slot in the
picker plate, and by drawing the lace tends to bow the float up and away from
the lace and allow the picker to get under it. The continued forward and upward
movement of the picker brings the float in contact with the upper stationary blade
and severs it. The stationary blades are each attached rigidly to a face plate on
the picker frame by means of two screws, one of which is used to spring the blade
into proper contact with the corresponding picker.
The rotary knife for shearing the cut floats is journalled in bearings which are
adjustable in a slot in the frame of the machine and is driven by means of gearing
from the main shaft as herein before described A pair of feed rolls are driven at
the required speed from the shaft of the rotary cutter by means of suitable
gearing. One of these feed rolls is journalled in holes in the frame of the machine
and the other is journalled in swinging bearings one on each side of the machine.
These swinging bearings are suspended from stud screws in the frame of the
machine and the rolls are held in contact with each other by means of spiral
tension springs or their equivalents.
The rotary cutter or knife acts against a ledger blade which is kept in contact
with the rotary cutter by bow springs arranged one on each side of the machine.
The ledger blade or stationary knife is pivotted by means of conical pointed screws
to adjustable hanging pieces which are attached by screws to the frame of the
machine. The rotary knife and ledger blade are arranged in relation to each other
and to the corner of the frame of the machine, over the edge of which the lace
is drawn in its passage to the feed rolls (the said edge being slightly in advance
of the mowing mechanism) so as to cause the several floats as they pass over
the edge of the frame to project out substantially at right angles to the surface of
the lace and so be thrown over the edge of the ledger blade between it and the
rotary knife.
As it is desired to pass the lace slowly through the machine so that the pickers
may have several opportunities to pick up each float, the feed rolls are made
to turn quite slowly by the arrangement of gearing employed as hereinbefore
described.
The rotary knife or cutter can be adjusted nearer to or further from the corner
of the frame near which it works by means of adjusting screws acting on the
journal boxes in which it turns.
To each picker carrier is attached an arm carrying a brush which is intended to
assist in keeping the lace stretched out flat, being moved outward with the pickers.
These brushes can in some cases be dispensed with; they are fastened in place by
screws so as to be readily removable.
The arrangement of bevelled gears and pinions herein before described which
move the picker shafts is such that the said shafts on each side of the centre are
driven in opposite directions so that the pickers are caused in their downward
movement to work from the centre towards the edge of the lace.
The front end of the picker frame and the face plate secured thereto are made in
a succession of steps, so that space is left between the two for the action of the
picker carriers and at the same time the face plate supports on its outer face the
stationary blades against which the pickers work.
The lace or fabric to be acted upon is passed under a heavy roller, the journals
of which are held in vertical slots in brackets or uprights on the frame of the
machine so that the said roller will press upon the lace.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.

page_text: クラ
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "LACE CLIPPING
MACHINE which Invention has been communicated to me from abroad by The
Willcox and Gibbs Sewing Machine Company of New York in the United States
of America Sewing Machine Manufacturers, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to the clipping from lace and other fabric, of the loose
threads or floats which connect the figures with each other. Heretofore this has
been done by raising the floats or loose threads from the fabric and then cutting
the same as close as may be to the ends where they are connected with the fabric.
In the present Invention a new mode is adopted. The floats are cut at any
intermediate point (say at the middle) leaving the connection at the ends with
the fabric intact and then the threads now fastened at one end only are mowed off.
It is evident that a variety of means more or less differing in detail could be
used for cutting the floats in the first instance, and also for mowing off the other
threads afterwards It is preferred however to use the following instrumentalities
which themselves make part of the Invention.
First. A reciprocatory picker inserts itself between the float and the fabric and
thus separates the former from the latter. One or more cutters then act upon the
raised float at or near where it is bent over the picker. The picker supports the
float against the action of the cutters co-operating with them in cutting the thread.
In this respect the picker differs from that described in the Specification to British
Patent granted to J. Range dated March 7th 1883 No 1214 wherein the picker did
not assist in cutting the thread.
Second. The reciprocatory picker co-operating with one or more cutters as just
explained is given a rising and falling as well as a back and forth movement.
Third. The picker is provided with a blade or cutter which assists in cutting
the floats.
Fourth. The picker is moved against the co-operating cutter or cutters to sever
the float the said co-operating cutters being held stationary.
Fifth. A series of reciprocatory pickers is used the several pickers acting simul-
taneously upon a number of rows of the floats instead of on a single row as in the
apparatus described in the Specification of aforesaid British Patent.
Sixth. The series of reciprocatory pickers are divided into gangs which act from
the centre towards the edge of the fabric so that there is no danger of the point of
any picker catching the edge of the fabric. The arrangement is also advantageous
in that the pickers assist in keeping the fabric smooth.
Seventh. Further to assist in smoothing the fabric the pickers are provided with
brushes which bear upon the fabric and are moved outwardly with the pickers as
these take up or lift the floats.

page_text: Eighth. For mowing off the cut floats a ledger blade is combined with a rotary
knife which is revolved faster than the fabric is fed. The two co-operate very like
the knife and ledger blade of the ordinary lawn mower.
Ninth. In order to make the cut floats stand out from the fabric so as to be
more effectually acted upon by the mowing apparatus, the fabric immediately in
front of the ledger blade is bent over the edge of a plate or bar.
Tenth. The Ledger blade and rotary knife extend the full width of the machine
so as to mow off at one time the several rows of floats previously cut by the pickers
and cutters.
The Invention further comprises the combination of the foregoing elements
with each other and with other parts of the machine as hereinafter set forth.
The following is considered to be the best mode of applying the principle of the
Invention Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a plan view of a machine
constructed in accordance with the Invention Figure 2 a front elevation Figures 3
and 4 views in elevation of the opposite ends of the machine and Figures 5 to 12
are detail which will be hereinafter referred to.
To the frame A of the machine is fastened by means of screws a a the picker
plate E in which are slots t¹ into which the lace is depressed by the action of the
pickers, so that they may get under the floats and separate them from the body of
the lace. To the frame A is also attached by means of the four stud standards D
the picker frame B in which is journaled a horizontal shaft F. This shaft carries
at one end a grooved band pulley G for receiving motion from any suitable prime
mover and with a gear wheel for transmitting motion to other parts of the
machine.
Between the two bearings carrying the shaft F and fast on the said shaft are a
number of bevelled gears 6 engaging with corresponding bevelled pinions c keyed
upon the outer ends of a corresponding number of shafts d of unequal lengths,
which shafts are journaled to the picker frame at right angles to the shaft F The
forward end of each of the shafts & is turned down or reduced so as to form an
eccentric d' as seen in figures 2 and 6. These eccentrics extend into slots du in
the picker carriers e, and give thereto a back and forth and also an up and down
motion. At the lower ends of the picker carriers are attached the cutting pickers t
These picker carriers are provided at their upper ends with a slot allowing them to
move vertically upon stud screws h the downward movement of the said picker
carriers being effected by spiral compression springs i which bear at their upper'
ends against the stud screws h and at their lower ends against the picker carriers
so as to cause the carriers to descend with the eccentrics d¹. When it is desired to
put the pickers out of action the eccentric lifters j attached to the upper end of the
picker carriers are lifted into a vertical position so that the eccentrics merely
produce a sidewise but no endwise or vertical movement of the pickers.
This arrangement is provided in order to prevent the action of the pickers upon
the lace at any desired point, or in case the lace is narrower than the machine, to
avoid unnecessary wearing of the cutting edges by their acting together when there
is no necessity for their so doing. The frame B is held to the standards D by
means of the nuts D' at the back end and at the forward end by the countersunk
screws DII
In figure 2 a portion of the front plate C., to which is attached the stationary
blades g by means of the screws g', is broken away so as to show the construction
and action of the picker carriers in relation to the eccentrics and springs as before
described. The pickers and the stationary blades which act in connection with
them, are so arranged (as seen in plan figure 1) that they stand in zigzag stepped
or diagonal lines beginning at the centre of the machine and running forward and
towards each side. By this arrangement combined with the crosswise movement
of the pickers the whole surface of the lace is in succession acted upon by the
pickers and the same surface is acted upon one or more times in succession by
the pickers according to the speed with which the fabric is fed through the machine.

page_text: A slow feed is preferred so as to give the pickers more than one chance to get
under and separate the floats from the lace before it has passed beyond them.
The pickers move when in action in an elliptical course with the longest axis
horizontal and as the picker advances to take up a float the upper or cutting
surface thereof passes as shewn in figure 11 about even with or slightly below the
upper surface of the picker plate. This action bends the body of the lace down
into the slot t¹ as seen in figure 12 and by drawing the lace tends to bow the float
up and away from the lace and allow the picker to get under it. The continued
forward and upward movement of the picker brings the float in contact with the
upper stationary blade g and severs it. The stationary blades are each attached
rigidly to the face plate C. by means of two screws g' one of which videlicet the
lower one is used to spring the blade into proper contact with the corresponding
picker t. For the shape of the stationary cutters see figure 8.
The rotary knife or cutter J for shearing the cut floats is journaled in bearings
which are adjustable in a slot in the frame A of the machine and is driven by
means of the gearing I. H from the main shaft F.-O and P are a pair of feed rolls
driven at the required speed from the shaft of the rotary cutter by means of the
gearing K L M and N at the right hand end of the machine. At the left hand end
of the machine the two feed rolls are geared together by the spur gears O¹ P¹.
One of these feed rolls O is journaled in holes in the frame A. of the machine and
the other feed roll P is journaled in swinging bearings QQ one on each side of the
machine These swinging bearings are suspended from stud screws q q in the frame
of the machine and the rolls are held in contact with each other by means of spiral
tension springs q q¹ or their equivalents.
The rotary cutter or knife J acts against a ledger blade S which as shewn in
dotted lines in the two side elevations figures 3 and 4 is kept in contact with
the rotary cutter by bow springs s s arranged one on each side of the machine-
The ledger blade or stationary knife S is pivotted by means of conical pointed
screws SS1 see figure 9 to adjustable hanging pieces S₁ which are attached by
screws to the frame of the machine-The arrangement of the rotary knife and
ledger blade in relation to each other and to the corner of the frame of the machine
over the edge of which the lace is drawn in its passage to the feed rolls O and P is
clearly shown in figure 12. The effect of bending the lace over the edge of
frame A as therein shown is to cause the severed floats as they pass over the edge
of the frame to project out substantially at right angles to the surface of the lace
and so be thrown over the edge of the ledger blade between it and the rotary
knife.
As it is desired to pass the lace slowly through the machine so that the pickers
may have several opportunities to pick up each flont the feed rolls are made to turn
quite slowly by the arrangement of gearing shown, where pinion K upon the cutter
shaft J¹ engages the gear wheel L to which is firmly attached the pinion M both
turning upon the stud M¹ attached to the frame of the machine-The pinion M in
turn engages the gear wheel N attached directly to the feed roll O.
The rotary knife or cutter J can be adjusted nearer to or further from the
corner of the frame A near which it works by means of adjusting screws / acting
on the lower half of the journal boxes in which it turns The upper part m of
the box is adjusted in contact with the cutter shaft J' by means of the screws m¹.
To each picker carrier e is attached an arm carrying a brush e¹ which is
intended to assist in keeping the lace stretched out flat-These brushes can in some
cases be dispensed with, they are fastened in place by screws so as to be readily
removeable.
The arrangement of bevelled gears and pinions hereinbefore described which
move the picker shafts is such that the said shafts on each side of the centre
receive a movement in opposite directions as shown by the arrows so that the
pickers are caused in their downward movement to work from the centre towards
the edge of the lace,

page_text: The front end of the picker frame B is made in a succession of steps and the face
plate C is arranged in the same manner so that space is left between the two for
the action of the picker carriers e and at the same time the face plate C supports
on its outer face the stationary blades g.
The lace or fabric to be acted upon is passed under a heavy roller R the journals
of which are held in vertical slots in brackets or uprights on the frame of the
machine (see figures 2 and 3) so that the said roller will press upon the lace.
Having now fully described the said Invention and the manner in which the
same is or may be carried into effect what I claim is
First. The combination with fabric supporting and feeding mechanism, of means
for operating devices movable over said fabric for lifting and cutting the loose
threads thereon independently of the feed movement, and mechanism for mowing
off the cut threads substantially as described.
Second. The combination with mechanism for supporting and feeding lace or
other fabric, of mechanism, comprising reciprocatory pickers and cutters for cutting
the floats or loose threads, and mechanism for mowing off the pieces of said
threads so cut which remain attached by one end to the fabric substantially as
described.
Third. The combination with one or more reciprocating pickers for separating
the floats from the lace or other fabric, of one or more cutters co-operating with
said pickers to cut the said floats substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination with one or more reciprocatory pickers and one or
more cutters co-operating with said pickers to cut the said floats, of mechanism for
giving a rising and falling, as well as a back and forth movement to the said
pickers substantially as described.
Fifth. In a lace clipping machine, a cutting picker, consisting of a picker for
lifting the floats out from the fabric, provided with a shear cutter or cutting edge
in the plane of one of its sides for severing the thread, substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination of the cutting picker, with mechanism for moving the
said picker and the stationary co-operating cutter, substantially as described.
Seventh. The combination with means for supporting and feeding lace or other
fabric, of a series of reciprocatory cutting pickers and their co-operating cutters
supported in a row across the line of feed, and mechanism for operating said pickers
simultaneously so as to lift away from the fabric and cut a series of floating threads
substantially as described.
Eighth. The combination with means for supporting and feeding lace or other
fabric, of a series of reciprocating pickers, divided into gangs, the pickers of each
gang having the fingers which take up the floats directed away from the centre,
and operating mechanism for moving the pickers in the two gangs separately,
substantially as described, so that the pickers in each gang, in getting under the
floats, move from the middle of the fabric towards the edge.
Ninth. The combination of the brushes with the series of pickers and operating
mechanism, substantially as described.
Tenth. The combination with the series of pickers and their carriers supported
across the machine, the series of shafts of unequal length, the eccentrics at the
ends of said shafts for operating said picker carriers, the main cross shaft and the
gearing for operating the series of shafts from said main shaft substantially as
described.
Eleventh. The combination with the series of pickers, and the mechanism for
operating the same, of the slotted picker plate, substantially as described.
Twelfth. The combination of the machine frame picker plate, picker frame,
pickers, picker carriers, springs for forcing down the picker carriers, series of
parallel shafts, eccentrics on said shafts fitting in slots in said carriers and
mechanism for revolving said shafts, substantially as described.
:

page_text: Thirteenth. The combination of the following elements, machine frame, picker
plate, picker frame, series of cutting pickers, operating mechanism, series of co-
operating stationary cutters, mowing mechanism, comprising rotary knife and
mechanism for revolving the same, and ledger blade, feed rolls and mechanism for
revolving the said rolls to feed slowly the lace or other fabric, substantially as
described.
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