A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR 'MOUNTING' OR PLACING FLOWERS,' FEATHERS, AND OTHER PROAL
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Louis Liebmann Lewinsohn, of Berlin, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
MACHINE FOR 'MOUNTING' OR PLACING FLOWERS,' FEATHERS, AND OTHER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Louis Liebmann
Lewinsohn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 1st October 1875.
I, LOUIS LIEBMANN LEWINSOHN, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW
OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR 'MOUNTING' OR PLACING FLOWERS, FEATHERS, AND
OTHER ANALOGOUS MATERIALS UPON THEIR STEMS OR STALKS," to be as
follows:-
The object of this machine is to "mount" or fix feathers, buds,
grasses, and other materials used in the manufacture of feathers and
flowers on their stems, that is to say, to tie or bind them upon a metal
wire,

page_text: The ordinary method of "mounting" is to take a small piece of wire,
say about two or three inches in length, firstly to twist the thread
around the end of this wire, then to place the feather against this part
of the wire, and finally to wind the thread around both by turning the
opposite end of the wire.
When a lasting join is required this work occupies considerable time,
and is more or less difficult according to the thickness of the wire used,
and it is in most cases very fine wire.
The accompanying Drawing shews a machine embodying my Inven-
tion; Figures 1 and 2, being front and side views drawn to a scale
of th, and Figures 3 and 4, shewing the spinning apparatus drawn
half size.
The essential part of this machine for "mounting" is a spinning or
thread winding apparatus, such as is often used in a gimp mill. To the
block C on the bench D is screwed a tube B which is open at one end,
while the other carries a short tube K with a very small opening.
Around the tube B turns a wooden disc carrying with it by friction a
reel or bobbin L with the thread for binding or winding as in gimp mills.
The wire Z to which the objects are to be tied is wound upon a
bobbin F; from this it passes through the tube B, and then at a certain
distance over two guide pulleys M and N, and is stretched by a
weight R. This tension is counterbalanced by a cord S tied around a
grooved disc forming part of the bobbin F. The two ends of this cord
carry two weights P and Q hung upon levers. Of these weights Q is
the heaviest, P being only of sufficient weight to produce upon the disc
of the bobbin F the friction required for the suspension of the weight Q
directly the wire Z is pulled. The weight R is equal to the difference
existing between P and Q, the result being that a perfect equilibrium
of the two forces stretching the wire Z is obtained. In order to preserve
this equilibrium even when the radial arm of the weight R lessens with
the decreasing diameter of the bobbin F, this bobbin carries a number
of discs gradually decreasing in size, the largest being of a diameter
equal to that of the filled bobbin, and the smallest of the diameter of
the empty bobbin. Thus the weights P, Q, R, being properly adjusted
when the bobbin is filled, equilibrium will be established each time that
the workwoman carries the tension cord from one disc to the other,
according to the lessening diameter of the bobbin F. It will be seen

page_text: that the wire Z may be very casily drawn to and fro, while the friction
on the bobbin F permits its being gradually unwound according to
requirement.
The process of "mounting" or wiring is as follows:-By setting the
spinning apparatus in motion by means of the hand wheel G, a short
length of thread from the bobbin L is twisted round the wire Z by
drawing the wire forward (in the direction of the arrows). The feather or
other object is then put to this thread covered part of the wire and the
spinning takes place forward until the wire has attained the desired
length, and finally the spinning is operated backward for a short
distance to form the place where the next feather is to be attached.
When in this manner the wire mounted with feathers becomes of a
length equal to the depth of the descent of the weight R, it will be cut
and the weight R will be raised again and fixed to the cut end of the
wire; by now cutting the wire at the places where the feathers are
attached the feathers are obtained perfectly mounted. That which in
working by hand is the first layer of thread is produced in the machine
by the backward spinning, and the effect is so far superior that a double
layer results which strengthens the fastening.
I must here mention the support E over which the wire passes, and
which is essential to the working of the machine. This piece is removed
in front view, Fig. 1. The thinness of the wire on the one hand,
and the tension of the thread or bobbin on the other hand (which is
necessary for obtaining a secure fastening) would, although the wire is
very powerfully stretched cause it to be pulled by the thread from the
bobbin from one side to the other in front of the small tube K in so
violent a manner as to cause the operation to fail, but by the aid of the
support E, and by pressing with the hand both the wire and feather,
complete control is obtained over the short piece of wire to be spun
with thread between E and K. It should be observed that hitherto
this work has been dono exclusively by hand.
By the use of the means above described, cach workwoman may

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Louis Liebmann Lewinsohn in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
LIEBMANN LEWINSOHN, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Louis Liebmann Lewinsohn, Her
special licence that I, the said Louis Liebmann Lewinsohn, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Louis
Liebmann Lewinsohn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, tho Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MACHINE FOR
" MOUNTING OR PLACING
FLOWERS, FEATHERS, AND OTHER ANALOGOUS MATERIALS UPON THEIR STEMS OR
STALKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Louis
Liebmann Lewinsohn, my executors or adminstrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Louis Liebmann Lewinsohn, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
-
"
The object of this machine is to " mount or fix feathers, buds,
grasses, and other materials used in the manufacture of feathers and
flowers on their stems, that is to say, to tie or bind them upon a metal
wire.

page_text: The ordinary method of mounting is to take a small piece of wire, say
about two or three inches in length, firstly to twist the thread around
one end of this wire, then to place the feather against this part of the
wire, and finally to wind the thread around both by turning the opposite
end of the wire.
LITWINSVILID Improved machine for Mounting Flowers, Feathers, go.
The ordinary method of mounting is to take a small piece of wire, say
about two or three inches in length, firstly to twist the thread around
one end of this wire, then to place the feather against this part of the
wire, and finally to wind the thread around both by turning the opposite
end of the wire.
When a lasting join is required this work occupies considerable time,
and is more or less difficult, according to the thickness of the wire used,
and it is in most cases very fine wire.
The accompanying Drawing shows a machino embodying my Inven-
tion; Figures 1 and 2, being front and side views drawn to a scale of
th; and Figures 8 and 4 showing the spinning apparatus drawn half
size.
The essential part of this machine for "mounting" is a spinning or
thread winding apparatus, such as is often used in a gimp mill. To the
block O in the bench D is screwed a tube B, which is open at one end,
while the other carries a short tube K with a very small opening.
Around the tube B turns a wooden disc carrying with it by friction a
reel or bobbin L with the thread for binding or winding as in gimp
mills. The wire Z to which the objects are to be tied is wound upon a
bobbin F; from this it passes through the tube B, and then at a certain
distance over two guide pulleys M and N, and is stretched by a
weight B. This tension is counterbalanced by a cord S tied around a
grooved disc forming part of the bobbin F. The two ends of this cord
carry two weights P and Q hung upon levers. Of these weights Q is
the heaviest, P being only of sufficient weight to produce upon the disc
of the bobbin F the friction required for the suspension of the weight Q
directly the wire Z is pulled. The weight R is equal to the difference
existing between P and Q, the result being that a perfect equilibrium
of the two forces stretching the wire Z is obtained. In order to preserve
this equilibrium even when the radial arm of the weight R lessens with
tho decreasing diameter of the bobbin F, this bobbin carries a number
of discs gradually decreasing in size, the largest being of a diameter
equal to that of the filled bobbin, and the smallest of the diameter of
the empty bobbin. Thus the weights P, Q, R, boing properly adjusted
when the bobbin is filled, equilibrium will bo establisbcd each time that
the workwoman carries the tension cord from one disc to the other,
according to the lessening diameter of the bobbin F. It will be soen

page_text: that the wire Z may be very easily drawn to and fro, while the friction
on the bobbin F permits its being gradually unwound according to
requirement.
The process of "mounting" or wiring is as follows:-By setting the
spinning apparatus in motion by means of the hand wheel G, a short
length of thread from the bobbin L is twisted round the wire Z by
drawing the wire forward (in the direction of the arrows), this piece of
the wire is then retwisted with thread by drawing the wire backward
(in the contrary direction to that indicated by the arrows). The feather
or other object is then put to this thred covered part of the wire, and
the spinning takes place forward until the wire has attained the desired
length, and finally the spinning is operated backward for a short
distance to form the place where the next feather is to be attached.
When in this manner the wire mounted with feathers becomes of a
length equal to the depth of the descent of the weight R, it will be cut
and the weight R will be raised again and fixed to the cut end of the
wire; by now cutting the wire at the places where the feathers are
attached, the feathers are obtained perfectly mounted; that which in
working by hand is the first layer of thread is produced in the machine
by the backward spinning, and the effect is so far superior that a double
layer results which strengthens the fastening.
I must here mention the support E over which the wire passes, and
which is essential to the working of the machine. This piece is removed
in front view, Fig. 1. The thinness of the wire on the one hand, and
the tension of the thread or bobbin on the other hand (which is
necessary for obtaining a secure fastening) would, although the wire is
very powerfully stretched, cause it to be pulled by the thread from the
bobbin from one side to the other in front of the small tube K, in so
violent a manner as to cause the operation to fail. But by the aid of
the support E, and by pressing with the hand, both wire and feather
complete control is obtained over the short piece of wire to be spun with
thread between E and K. It should be observed that hitherto this
work has been dono exclusively by hand.
By the use of the means above described, cach workwoman may
mount about ten times as many objects as by hand.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I claim as secured

page_text: to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, the use
of a machine for mounting feathers, flowers, and analogous articles,
combining, spinning, counterbalancing, and wire supporting apparatus,
substantially as herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Liebmann Lewinsohn, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.