IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PLAITING OR KILTING FABRICS, TO BE USED AS AN ATTACHMENT TO SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Smith, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PLAITING OR KILTING
FABRICS, TO BE USED AS AN ATTACHMENT TO SEWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Smith at the Oflice of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th May 1876.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
JAMES SMITH, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster.
APPARATUS FOR PLAITING OR KILTING FABRICS, TO BE USED AS AN ATTACHMENT TO
SEWING MACHINES."
This apparatus is intended to be used as an attachment to ordinary sewing
machines, and consists principally of a framing to be fixed by screws or otherwise
to the head of the machine, and carrying a blade to which a suitable movement is
given to carry the fabric operated upon in plaits beneath the presser foot.
The movement of this blade is accomplished as follows:-In the framing is fixed
a central stud, which serves as the fulcrum for a lever having at its extremity a slot
which fits as a yoke over the screw which tightens the needle in the needle bar.
Centred upon the same stud is a ratchet wheel kept in position by a pawl attached
to the framing and having on its face an S shaped cam. Another pawl carried by
the above-mentioned lever also acts upon the ratchet wheel, and so it will bo
evident that at each stroke of the needle bar one or more teeth of the ratchet will
be taken up by the second pawl and retained by the first. A second lever having
its fulcrum at the top of the framing and extending downwards carries at its lower
extremity the plaiting blade, the edge of which rests upon the fabric to be operated
upon. Through this lever passes a set screw, which is kept tightly pressed against
the S shaped cam by means of a spring. Thus, as the ratchet wheel and con-
sequently the cam is turned round the blade is slowly carried back by the lever
until, as the set screw passes over one end of the cam, the lever is brought suddenly
forward by the spring and the blade carries a plait of the fabric beneath the presser
foot, the length of which plait can always be varied by manipulating the set screw.
In this arrangement the pawl acts upon the ratchet wheel as the needle bar
ascends.
In a modification of this Invention the teeth of the ratchet wheel are reversed,
so that the pawl acts as the needle bar descends; two pins are substituted for the
Davis cal

page_text: S shaped cam and a projection or finger (adjustable by means of a slot) is used
instead of the set screw. This arrangement is preferable for two reasons; firstly,
the plaiting blade does not commence to move for the second plait until the machine
has made three or four stitches since the last plait was formed; and secondly, in
machines with a "bottom feed" the feed surface is down below the surface of the 5
work plate when the knife advances to make the plait.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th November
1876.
JAMES SMITH, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster.
APPARATUS FOR PLAITING OR KILTING FABRICS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This apparatus is intended to be used as an attachment to ordinary sewing
machines, and consists principally of a framing to be fixed by screws or otherwise
to the head of the machine, and carrying a blade to which a suitable movement is
given to carry the fabric operated upon in plaits beneath the presser foot.
The movement of this blade is accomplished as follows:-In the framing is fixed
a central stud, which serves as a fulcrum for a lever having at its extremity a slot
which fits as a yoke over the screw which tightens the needle in the needle bar.
Centred upon the same stud is a ratchet wheel kept in position by a pawl attached
to the framing and having on its face an S shaped cam. Another pawl carried by
the above-mentioned lever also nets upon the ratchet wheel, and so it will be
evident that at each stroke of the needle bar one or more teeth of the ratchet will
be taken up by the second pawl and retained by the first. A second lever having
its fulcrum at the top of the framing and extending downwards carries at its lower
extremity the plaiting blade, the edge of which rests upon the fabric to be operated
upon. Through this lever passes a set screw, which is kept tightly pressed against
the S shaped cam by means of a spring; thus, as the ratchet wheel and con-
sequently the cam is turned round the blade is slowly carried back by the lever
until as the set screw passes over one end of the cam the lever is brought suddenly
forward by the spring and the blade carries a plait of the fabric beneath the presser
foot, the length of which plait can always be varied by manipulating the set screw.
In this arrangement the pawl acts upon the ratchet wheel as the needle bar
ascends.
In a modification of this Invention the teeth of the ratchet wheel are reversed,
so that the pawl acts as the needle bar descends; two pins are substituted for the
S shaped cam and a projection or finger (adjustable by means of a slot) is used
instead of the set screw. This arrangement is preferable for two reasons; firstly,
the plaiting blade does not commence to move for the second plait until the machine
has made three or four stitches since the last plait was formed; and secondly, in
machines with a "bottom feed" the feed surface is down below the surface of the
work plate when the knife advances to make the plait.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed
or carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference, corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
The modification (which I consider preferable) is illustrated by the annexed
Drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front view; Fig. 2, a back view; Fig. 3, a plan; and
Fig. 4, a side elevation of the intended kilting apparatus. a, a, is part of the head
of the sewing machine, to which the bracket or framing b, b, is fixed by the screw c, c.
This bracket carries a centre stud d, d, on one end of which works loosely the

page_text: forked lever c, c, which fits as a yoke on to the head of the screw ff, which holds
the needle g, g, in the needle bar h, h; on the same stud also is fitted a ratchet
wheel i, i, having a holding ratchet k, k, fixed to the frame and actuated as the
needle bar h, h, ascends and descends by the working ratchet l, l, which is attached
to the lever e, e. The bracket b, b, also carries an upper stud, on which is hung the
curved lever m, m, the lower end of which carries the kilting blade n, n, and to the
centro of this lever is fixed the adjustable finger or projection o, o. At the back of
the ratchet wheel i, i, are the scrows or pins p, p, (sec Fig. 2), and as the rising
and falling of the needle bar h, h, causes the ratchet wheel i, i, to revolve one of
these screws or pins comes against the finger o, o, and carries the plaiting or kilting
blade n, n, gradually back, till it assumes the position shown at Fig. 2, pressing on
to the surface of the material. As soon as the pin passes the point of tho
finger o, o, it releases the lever m, m, and the spring g, g, throws it suddenly
forward, causing the plaiting or kilting blade n, n, to form the material into a plait
and force it under the presser foot r, r, ready to be stitched.
•
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention, the plaiting or
kilting apparatus to be attached to and worked by a sewing machine, and con-
structed and operating substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Smith, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.