IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING LACE AND OTHER FARRICS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller, both of the
Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Gentlemen, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING LACE AND OTHER
FARRICS"
Sealed the 2nd December 1856, and dated the 23rd June 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Atkin and Marma-
duke Miller at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 23rd June 1856.
We, ISAAC ATKIN and MARMADUKE MILLER, both of the Town and County
of the Town of Nottingham, Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING LACE AND OTHER
FABRICS," to be as follows:-
The machine consists of two fluted or toothed rollers gearing together, which
corrugate the fabric and pass it in stitches on to the needle; a narrow groove
is cut in each roller at right angles to the flutes or teeth. These grooves are
cut of such a depth as to allow of the point of a needle being placed between
them when the rollers are brought into gear.
A needle is used which is straight, except near the hinder end, where it is
bent into the segment of a circle. Instead of an eye (as in the ordinary
sewing needle) a beard or hook is formed, the point of which is bent down
into a nick made in the substance of the needle. This hook facilitates the
threading of the needle and the throwing off or unthreading.

page_text: A needle holder is employed, the object of which is to maintain the point
of the needle correctly between the fluted rollers, at the samo time allowing
the fabric to be freely drawn off the needle in a continuous run. This needle
holder consists of a plain roller fitting the bend in the needle; over this roller
the needle is placed, and is properly held by two smaller rollers, which press
the bend of the needle on to the periphery of the larger roller.
It will be understood, that if a fabric be introduced between the fluted
rollers to face the needle, and the rollers be caused to revolve toward the
needle point, the fabric will be corrugated and passed on to the needle, and be
passed along the whole length of the needle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd December 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ISAAC
ATKIN and MARMADUKE MILLER, both of the Town and County of the Town
of Nottingham, Gentlemen, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord
Ono thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, IIer heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller, Her special licence that we, the said
Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller,
our 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 MACHINERY FOR SEWING. LACE
AND OTHER FABRICS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and
seal of one of us or them. should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the snid 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Isaac Atkin and Marmaduke Miller,
lo 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:-.
The machine consists of two fluted or toothed rollers gearing together, which
corrugate the fabric and pass it in stitches on the needle; a narrow groove is
cut in each roller at right angles to the flutes or teeth. These grooves are cut
of such a depth as to allow of the point of a needle being placed between
them when the rollers are brought into gear.
A needle is used which is straight, except near the binder end, where. it is
bent into the segment of a circle. Instead of an eye (as in the ordinary
sewing needle) a beard or hook is formed, the point of which is bent down
into a nick made in the substanco of the needle. This hook facilitates the
threading of the needle and the throwing off or unthreading.
A needle holder is employed, the object of which is to maintain the point
of the necille correctly between the fluted rollers, at the same time allowing
the fabric to be freely drawn off the needle in a continuous-run. This needle
holder consists of a plain roller fitting the bend in the needle; over this roller
the needle is placed, and is properly held by two smaller rollers, which press
the bend of the needle on to the periphery of the larger roller.
It will be understood, that if a fabric be introduced between the fluted
rollers to face the needle, and the rollers be caused to revolve toward the
needle point, the fabric will be corrugated and passed on to the needle, and be
passed along the whole length of the needle.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a machine, combined and constructed
according to our said Invention; Figure 2 is a plan thereof. A, A, standard
for grooved rollers; B, B, grooved rollers, which are similar to rollers before
used for conducting fabrics on to a stationary needle; C, pulley for driving
the pulley J; D, handle to give motion to grooved rollers and other parts of
the machine; E, standard for needle holder; F, large roller driven by the
pulley J; G, G, two smaller rollers, to keep the bend of the needle down on
the larger roller F; H, II, II, H, needle, the point of which is shown by the
dotted lines between the grooved rollers B, B; I, the hook or beard of the
needle, answering for an eye; K, K, a belt; I, a notch or groove cut across
the flutes of the rollers, and of such depth as to allow the point of the needle to

page_text: come a little beyond the centres of the rollers when in gear. The notches in
each roller are set exactly together. The lace or other fabric to be stitched is
entered into the machine between the grooved rollers B, B, the flutes of
which successively bend, fold, or corrugate the material, and pass it on to the
point of the needle II, which is held in the needle groove L in a stationary
position by the rollers G, F, G. It will be seen, that the object of the grooved
rollers is to form a proper bend in the fabric to receive the stitch, and to pass
the fabric on to the needle point. The rollers F and G, G, hold the needle
and pass the work along the needle nearly to I, the needle beard, to which
the thread is attached, and from which the work may be drawn in any con-
venient manner.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, we would have it understood that we make no claim
to the mechanical parts separately; but what we claim is, the combination
herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Isaac Atkin & Marmaduke Miller,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
YENT
Witness,
JOHN HARRISON,
George St., Nottingham.
TALL
(2.0.)
MARMADUKE MILLER. (L.S.)