IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Birkbeck, of the Firm of Tongue
.
and Birkbeck, of 84, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agents and Engineers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLES."-A Communication from abroad by Thomson
Hankey Alexander, of Washington City, in the District of Columbia, in
the United States of America.
Sealed the 21st February 1862, and dated the 12th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Birkbeck
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th September 1861.
I, GEORGE HENRY BIRKBECK, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, of
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agents and Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the peculiar formation of the eyes of needles for
the purpose of preventing the thread or other sewing material from slipping
therein whilst the needle is in use. This is accomplished by forming the eye
of wedge shape, or by nearly closing the sides of the eye towards the upper
end thereof, so that when the sewing thread is drawn into this narrow part of
the eye, it is securely retained thereby from slipping during the working up

page_text: of the length of thread contained in the needle, at the same time by drawing
it back into the wider part of the eye, the position of the thread can be readily
changed, if desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Henry Birkbeck in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY BIRKBECK, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck, of 34, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents and
Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-ouc, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, tho
said George Henry Birkbeck, Her special licence that I, the said George
Henry Birkbeck, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, 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, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLE]," a communication to me from abroad by
Thomson Hankey Alexander, of Washington City, in the District of Columbia,
in the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others), that I,
the said George Henry Birkbeck, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or thoir, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in the peculiar formation of the eyes of needles,
for the purpose of preventing the thread or other sowing material from slipping

page_text: therein whilst the needle is in use. This is accomplished by forming the eye
of wedge shape, or by nearly closing the sides of the eye towards the upper
end thereof, so that when the sewing thread is drawn into this narrow part of
the eye, it is securely retained thereby from slipping during the working up of
the length of thread contained in the needle, at the same time by drawing it
back into the wider part of the eye, the position of the thread can be readily
changed, if desired.
And in order that the Invention may be distinctly understood and readily
carried into practice, reference is made to the annexed Drawing, which
shews enlarged views of two forms of needle eyes in accordance with the
Invention.
Figure 1 shews an eye of wedge shape, the point of the wedge being
towards the head of the needle; Figure 2 shews another form of eye, which
is formed with a narrow elongation towards the head of the needle. The
thread or other sewing material after being passed through the widest part of
such eyes may be readily drawn into the wedge or narrow end thereof, where
it will be securely retained, and thus prevented from slipping whilst the needle
The position of the thread or sewing material can be readily
changed, if desired, by drawing it back into the wider part of the eye again,
and by this means the thread or sewing material can be used up to the shortest
possible length.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Birkbeck, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
G. H. BIRKBECK. (L.8.)