IMPROVEMENTS IN FRINGING FABRICS AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS THEREFOR, PART OF WHICH IMPROVE- MENTS IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF FRINGE AND PART TO ORDINARY SEWING MACHINES.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, Consulting Engineer, and William
Lees, Sewing Machinist, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FRINGING FABRICS
AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS THEREFOR, PART OF WHICH IMPROVE-
MENTS IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF FRINGE AND PART TO
ORDINARY SEWING MACHINES.
"
ealed the 15th May 1874, and dated the 25th March 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies and
William Lees at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 25th March 1874.
We, GEORGE DAVIES, Consulting Engineer, and WILLIAM LEES,
Sewing Machinist, both of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FRINGING FABRICS AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS THEREFOR, PART
OP WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF FRINGE AND
PART TO ORDINARY SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
-
This Invention consists principally in a novel method of and apparatus

page_text: for working or forming a twisted or bullion fringe on to the edge or
border of a fabric by means of the sewing machine.
The sewing machine (if no heading is required to the fringe) may be
used with one needle only, that is, like an ordinary single sewing
machine, but by preference two needles are used, both attached to one
needle bar, and working simultaneously, carrying two sewing threads,
and in connection with any ordinary looping apparatus beneath tho
fabric, or with any known shuttle, or other similar contrivance, working
two or more parallel seams of chain stitch, or lock, or other stitch near
to the edge of the fabric, which latter is fed or moved forward inter-
mittently by any ordinary suitable feeding motion, what is known as the
"top feed" being preferred.
The cord or thread of which the fringe is to be made passes through
a guide, to which such a motion is given as will lay this thread
alternately behind the needles (which will then make the stitch and
bind the fringe thread to the edge of the fabric), and then carry the said
thread over or beyond the edge and round a looping pin, or under a claw
placed at such a distance from the edge of the fabric as will form the
length of loop required for the breadth of the fringe, then back again
behind the needles, which then make another stitch, and so on
alternately.
:
The bobbin, which contains the fringing thread, is mounted upon a
spindle or in a flyer, and caused to revolve rapidly in the direction of
the twist of the thread, so as to impart to the latter a considerable.
amount of additional twist as it is being worked; and in order to prevent
it from "snarling" such a curvilincar motion must be given to the
fringing thread guide as will keep the said thread at full stretch whilst
the loop is being formed.
The looping pin (or the claw) is not a fixture, but is acted upon by
a cam or other equivalent contrivance in such a way that as soon as the
loop has been formed and stitched firmly to the edge of the fabric the
pin or claw is withdrawn from the loop, and immediately the loop is
thus released the reaction of the extra twist will cause the loop to twist
round itself in the opposite direction, and thus a twisted fringe will be
formed.
With some kinds of yarn it is sufficient instead of revolving the
bobbin, which carries the fringing thread, to impart the additional twist

page_text: to the yarn before or at the time of winding it on to the bobbin, a
sufficient amount of drag being given to the bobbin to prevent it from
snarling till the loop has been formed and released.
If the reaction of the twist given to the thread should not be sufficient
to give the full amount of twist required to the loop when released, the
loops may be further twisted by passing between two friction surfaces
moving in opposite directions, or one stationary and the other moving,
so as to roll or twist the loop as it passes between them. In most cases
however it is preferable not to trust to the reaction of the extra twist to
give the reverse twist to the loop but to substitute a reciprocating hook
for the thread guide above referred to, and to cause this hook to advance
and catch the fringing thread just in front of the needles, and then
recede, drawing the loop out to the required length, the hook then
previously to releasing the loop makes a certain definite number of turns
on its own axis, and thus gives the reverse twist to the loop. The hook
then releases the twisted loop and again advances to draw out another
loop as before. Whilst this operation is proceeding a small guide close
to the needles lays cach thread in succession beneath the presser foot of
the sewing machine, which holds it in position whilst the needles stitch
it on to the edge of the fabric.
.
It will be evident that the above described apparatus is also applicable
for weaving fringe apart from any fabric if the sewing machine is
dispensed with and a warp worked by healds in the ordinary manner is
substituted therefor, the twisting hook drawing the loops through the
shed of the warps which are caused to cross between each loop.
. As previously mentioned any known form of "looper," shuttle, or
other similar instrument may be employed beneath the fabric to form
the stitch in the fringing machine, but we prefer to employ a peculiar
and novel kind of looper formed of a combination of a revolving hook
and scroll, which takes the loop of sewing thread from the needle, draws
it forward, opens and twists it, and then takes a second loop, draws it
through the first, and releases the latter, then opens and twists the
second, and so on. This form of looper is also applicable to all kinds of
sewing machines adapted to work with a single thread and form a chain
stitch, is simple and more economical to make, and is less likely to miss
stitches than the revolving loopers hitherto employed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Davies and William Lees in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 25th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, GEORGE
DAVIES, Consulting Engineer, and WILLIAM LEES, Sewing Machinist,
both of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Davies and William Lees, Her
special license that we, the said George. Davies and. William Lees, our:
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
George Davies and William Lees, 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 FRINGING FABRICS AND IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF APPARATUS THEREFOR, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE
ALSO TO THE MANUFACTURE OF FRINGE AND PART TO ORDINARY SEWING MACHINES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George Davies
and William Lees, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our, or one of our, 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 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 Davies, (on behalf of a
myself and the said William Lees,) 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 state-
ment and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists principally in a novel method of and apparatus a
for working or forming a twisted or bullion fringe on to the edge or
border of a fabric by means of the sewing machine.

page_text: Such being the nature and object of our said Invention, we 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 we have annexed here.
unto 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 sewing machine (if no heading is required to the fringe) may
be used with one needle only, that is, like an ordinary single sewing
machine, but by preference two needles are used, both attached to one
needle bar, and working simultaneously carrying two sewing threads,
and in connection with any ordinary looping apparatus beneath the
fabric, or with any known shuttle working two or more parallel scams.
of chain stitch, or lock or other stitch near to the edge of the fabric,
which latter is fed or moved forward intermittently by any ordinary
suitable feeding motion, what is known as the "top feed" being
preferred.
Fig. 1 in the annexed Drawing is a side clevation of a fringing
machine made according to our Invention, wherein the twist is given
by the direct action of an intermittently revolving hook, the bed plate
of the machine being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a vertical section
through about the line A, B, in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal
section through about the line C, D; Fig. 4 is a detached view of part
of the apparatus.
:
Figs. 5 to 14 illustrate the construction of a revolving "looper"
which is applicable also to ordinary sewing machines, and Fig. 15 is
a plan view of the bed plate of a sewing machine shewing the adaptation
thereto of an oscillating thread guide to which a peculiar curvilinear
motion is given for a purpose herein-after described. With reference
to this latter Figure, a, a, is the bed plate; b, b, is the arm which
supports the machine head; and c, c, is the cam shaft of the sewing
machine.
.
The cord or thread of which the fringe is to be made, which is shown
by a red line, passes through a guide d, d, to which such a motion is
given as will lay this thread alternately behind the needles-e, e, (which
will then make the stitch and bind the fringe thread to the edge of the
fabric), and then carry the said thread over or beyond the edge and

page_text: round a looping pin, or under a claw f, f,. placed at such a distanco
from the edge of the fabric as will form the length of loop required for
the breadth of the fringe, then back again behind the needles e, e, which
then make another stitch, and so on alternately.
The fringe thread guide d, d,. is mounted upon a stud at g fixed in a
slide h, h, working between two slips i, i, screwed to the bed plate. A
stud underneath this slide carries a bowl which works in the groove j, j,
of a revolving cam keyed on the cam shaft c, c, beneath the bed plate.
This groove j, j, is so formed as to give merely a to-and-fro motion to
the guide d, d, with a dwell at each end. The machine makes one
stitch during each "dwell," and it will readily be understood that the
fringing cord or thread would by these means be alternately laid behind
the needles e, e, and drawn over the edge of the fabric so as to form
a loop, the looping pin or claw f, f, rising so as to allow the thread
to be laid beneath its end, and falling so as to hold the loop whilst
the guide d, d, again advances and lays the fringe cord or thread
behind the needles, which then make another stitch, and so on:
This movement however would only form an ordinary looped fringe,
and in order to form a twisted or bullion fringe an extra amount of
twist is given to the fringe cord, which (if the thread guide had only
a to-and-fro motion given to it) would cause the thread to " snarl,"
and thus spoil the work. But in order to prevent this snarling of the
cord whilst the loop is being made, it is necessary to cause the end of
the guide d, d, to move in a curved direction, as shown by the dotted
semicircle, the cord being brought from a bobbin above and through
an cye k, k, above the centre of this curve, by which means the cord
is always kept at full stretch, and is not allowed to snarl or double
upon itself whilst the loop is being formed. It will be seen that the
guide d, d, is provided with a tail piece d*, a pin at the end of which
works in a slot in the piece 1, 1. This piece 1, 1, is fixed upon a pivot
or pin at m, and to the other end of this pin beneath the bed plate is
keyed a lever carrying a bowl which works in the second groove j*, j*,
of the cam.
The action is as follows:-Supposing the cord to have been drawn
out to the length of the loop and laid beneath the claw f, f, as shown
in the Figure 15, the needles having made a stitch fastening the first
side of the loop to the fabric, the groove j*, j*, of the cam then comes
into action and draws the tail piece d* in the direction of the arrow,

page_text: moving the guide d out of the straight line to about the position * on
the curved line. The first groove j, j, then comes into operation
throwing the slide and guide forward, which combined with the action
of the pin at the end of the tail piece d* working in the slot of the
piece 7, 7, will carry the guide round the curved dotted line to about
the position
染 *, when the reverse side of the groove j*, j*, will come
into operation so as to throw the guide round the remainder of the curvo
>
and lay the cord at the back of the needles, which then make another
stitch, the guide recedes as before and the operation is repeated.
The claw ff, may be made to rise and fall so as to hold and release
the loop at the proper intervals by means of a cam or other well known
mechanical equivalent, or a looping pin rising and falling through the
bed plate at stated times will answer the same purpose.
The bobbin, which contains the fringing thread, is mounted upon a
spindle or in a flyer, as shown at Fig. 2, and caused to revolve rapidly
in the direction of the twist of the thread so as to impart to the latter a
considerable amount of additional twist as it is being worked; and in
order to prevent it from " snarling a curvilinear motion, as above
described, is given to the fringing thread guide to keep the said thread
at full stretch whilst the loop is being formed.
"
The looping pin (or claw) ff, as before mentioned, is not a fixture.
but is acted upon by a cam or other equivalent contrivance in such a
way that as soon as the loop has been formed and stitched firmly to tho
edge of the fabric the pin or claw f, f, is withdrawn from the loop, and
immediately the loop is thus released the re-action of the extra twist
will cause the loop to twist round itself in the opposite direction, and
thus a twisted fringe will be formed as illustrated at Fig. 16.
With some kinds of yarn it is sufficient, instead of revolving tho
bobbin which carries the fringing thread, to impart the additional twist
to the yarn before or at the time of winding it on to the bobbin, a
sufficient amount of drag being given to the bobbin to prevent it from
snarling till the loop has been formed and released.
If the reaction of the twist given to the thread should not be sufficient
to give the full amount of twist required to the loop when released the
loop may be further twisted by passing between two friction surfaces
moving in opposite directions, or one stationary and the other moving, so
as to roll or twist the loop as it passes between them, as will be readily

page_text: understood by any competent mechanic. In most cases however it is
preferable not to trust to the reaction of the extra twist to give the
reverse twist to the loop, but to substitute a reciprocating hook for the
thread guide above referred to, and to cause this hook to advance and
catch the fringing thread just in front of the needles and then recede
drawing the loop out to the required length, the hook then, previously
to releasing the loop, makes a certain definite number of turns on its
'own axis and thus gives the reverse twist to the loop. The hook then
releases the twisted loop and again advances to draw out another loop as
before. Whilst this operation is proceeding a small guide close to the
needles lays each thread in succession beneath the presser foot of the
sewing machine which holds it in position whilst the needles stitch it on
to the edge of the fabric.
"
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 the fringing apparatus is shown as adapted to
that class of chain-stitch sewing machine wherein the needle bar n, n,
and presser foot o, o, (which acts as a "top feed") are actuated by an
upper shaft p, p, passing through the arm q, q, receiving its motion
from the main driving or cam shaft c, c, by means of bevil gearing r, r,
the only variations necessary in the sewing arrangements of the machine
being the needle bar is provided with two needles, and there are two
revolving loopers 8, 8, beneath the bed plate (one being left-handed) so as
to make two rows of stitching at the same time, but as before-named for
some purposes one row of stitching only may be used. In order also that
cach side of each loop may be separately stitched the bevil gearing r, r,
which drives the top shaft p, p, and the spur gearing t, t, which drives
the revolving loopers 8, s, are so arranged that the machine makes two
stitches for each revolution of the cam shaft c, c, that is, two stitches to
each loop. In this case the loop is formed and twisted by means of a
hook u, u, which is carried in the slide h, h, being so mounted that it
can revolve, and having at its backward end a small conical bowl v, v, by
means of which it is at intervals caused to revolve rapidly by the friction
of contact with the disc wheel w, w, keyed on the cam shaft c, c. Tho
slide h, h, carrying thic hook u, u, is caused to traverse to and fro across
the edge of the fabric so as to catch the fringing thread or cord and
draw it into a loop of the desired length by means of the cam j, j,
and lovers a, x². One lever a carrics a bowl which runs in the groovė
of the cam, and the other lever is attached to the under side of
the slide h, h, by means of a link, 2. The two levers are connected

page_text: together by a second link ¹, a¹, and by altering the position of this link
the throw of the slide h, h, oan be altered so as to increase or diminish
the length of the loop without altering the throw of the cam j. j.
The action of the hook u, u, is as follows:-As the slide h, hi, advances
the barb of the hook u, u, first passes the needle e, e, and then the
fringing cord or thread which is presented to it by a thread guide d, d;
herein-after described. As the slide and hook recede the latter catches
the fringe cord or thread and draws it out into a loop of the desired'
length, and as soon as it reaches the end of its backward throw the
bowl v, v, comes into contact with the disc wheel w, w, as shown at
Fig. 1. The hook immediately revolves rapidly and twists the loop
which has been formed, the bowl of the lever x remaining in the
"dwell", j, of the cam for about three quarters of the revolution,
whilst during the remaining quarter of the revolution the part j*, j*,
of
the cam rapidly takes the hook to and fro to form another loop. The
revolution of the hook u, u, stops the moment that the bowl v, v, leaves
the disc wheel w, w, and simultaneously the twisted loop escapes from
the barb of the hook; but as the hook may stop revolving in any position
and it is necessary that it shall be in a certain particular position (that
is, with the barb downwards) when it catches the fringe cord or thread
there is a small bowl 1 attached to the spindle of the hook, which as the
latter advances comes against a fixed scroll or cam 2 which directs the
said bowl 1 always upwards into the slot 3 and holds it in that position
till the hook t, u, has begun to draw out the loop. To prevent the
possibility of the bowl 1 from ever coming "dead" into contact with
the point of the fixed scroll or cam 2 thero is a second bowl 4 attached
to the spindle of the hook at right angles to the bowl 1, and if ever the.
look should advance in such a position that the bowl 1 would strike
dead on to the point of the scroll or cam 2, then the bowl 4 comes
against the inclined face of a lever 5 which turns it aside, and thus the
position of the hook is assured at all times and under all circumstances.
Each time that the hook advances the fringing thread or cord is pre-
sented to it in the proper position for the barb to catch it without
failure by means of a small thread guide d, d, mounted on a stud 6 and
actuated by a lever 7 which is held by a coiled spring 8. against a.
cam 9 actuated by the top shaft p, p, but as this guide is required to.
move once only for each revolution of the cam shaft (that is, for each.
two revolutions of the top shaft) it is driven by a spur wheel and pinion,

page_text: as shown by red circles in Fig. 2. This part of the apparatus will also
be seen more clearly on reference to Fig. 4, which is a detached view of
part of the reverse side of the machine to that shown at Fig. 1.
In order that the twist which is given to the loops by the hook u, u,
may be permanent it is necessary that a double amount of twist should
be imparted to the fringe cord or thread, and that the loop when doubled
should be twisted back in the reverso direction. In some cases the
double amount of twist may be given to the cord or thread before it is
wound on to the bobbin as above mentioned, but it is found preferable to
give the extra twist to each length of fringe, cord, or thread as it is being
looped or worked into fringe. For this purpose we mount the bobbin 10,
which carries the fringing cord or thread in a flyer 11, which is driven
at the required speed by means of a band 12 from a pulley 13 on the
cam shaft. The speed of this flyer is regulated so as to give about twice
as many turns to the single thread as the hook gives to the doubled
thread in the opposite direction, and thus the twisting of the doubled
loop is quite permanent at the same time that the cord or thread retains
as near as possible its orginal amount of twist. In order to accommodate
the number of twists to the length of the loops required for the fringe,
the flyer 11 has three different sized grooved pulleys, the tension of the
cord or band 12 being increased or diminished by adjusting the carrier
pulley 14. The number of turns given to the twisting hook u, u, may
also be varied by removing one or more sections of the disc wheel w, 20,
(soc Fig. 2).
It will be seen that the arms of the flyer 11 are provided with vanes
or wings 15, and that the flyer and bobbin are enclosed in a case 16.
The purpose of this is twofold; firstly, to prevent the possibility of
accidental injury to the attendant from contact with the rapidly
revolving arms of the flyer; and; secondly, to obtain a current of air
which is driven down the tube 17, and blows cach twisted loop of the
fringe as it is released out of the way of the advancing hook, and thus
prevents any possible entanglement of the loops.
It will be evident that the above described apparatus is also applicable
for weaving fringe apart from any fabric if the sewing machine is dis-
pensed with, and a warp worked by healds in the ordinary manner is
substituted therefor, the twisting hook drawing the loops through the
shed of the warps which are caused to cross between each loop.

page_text: Fourthly. We claim mounting the bobbin which carries the fringing
_cord or thread in a flyer for the purpose of giving additional twist to the
said fringing cord or thread as it is drawn off to form the loops..
Fifthly. We claim the use of the herein-before described fringing
apparatus apart from the sewing machine, and in combination with
warp actuated by healds for weaving twisted or bullion fringe.
Sixthly. We claim the peculiar form of revolving looper herein.
described and shown on the Drawings for making a chain stitch in
ordinary or other sewing machines.
And, Seventhly. We claim the general novel construction, arrange-
ment, and combination of apparatus comprising a combined fringing
and sewing machine for forming and sewing a twisted or bullion fringe
on to a fabric at one operation, substantially as herein-before described
and illustrated by the annexed Drawings or any mere modification or
imitation thereof, constructed and operating in substantially the same or 1
a similar manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, (on behalf of myself
and the said William Lees,) have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.