Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug:, 1887
Complete Left, 9th May, 1888
.
Complete Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
JAMES HAMMETT 18 Westmoreland Place City Road N. London in the County of
Middlesex Machinist do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is to prepare Fabric to receive Embroidery or Stitching
on edge of Fold or Pleat formed in a vertical position quicker and in a far superior
manner than by means hitherto employed.
Fabric has hitherto been prepared for this purpose by the aid of a chart or other
similar appliance to mark regular distances on the Fabric which were then gathered
with a needle & thread into Folds or Pleats of a vertical position for Embroidering or
Stitching on edge of same. This process is slow neither does it produce a Fold or
Pleat of a true & permanent character but simply holds the Fabric in position while
the Embroidery or Stitching is placed on edge of Fold or Pleat.
My Apparatus consists essentially of a suitable frame and a detached ironing board
within this frame are arranged two series of metal blades placed in a vertical position
one series being permantly attached to the sides of the frame at their two opposite
ends with spaces left between them while each blade of the other series is arranged in
one of the spaces between the blades in the first series and is hinged on a rod at one
end so that it can be lifted from between the first blades and turned back. The two
series of blades are arranged alternately, that is to say first a stationary blade and then
a movable blade from end to end of the frame. The second series or movable blades
are slightly shorter than the stationary blades so that their free ends can pass between
the latter.
The operation of the machine is as follows the frame is placed on the ironing board
and the second series or movable blades are turned back on the hinge joint at one end the
Fabric to be folded or pleated in a vertical position to receive Embroidery or Stitching
on edge of same is then placed over the stationary blades and the movable blades
turned down one by one by hand, and as they pass in succession into the space between

page_text: the stationary blades, they carry the Fabric down with them thus folding it over the
top edge of each stationary blade and under their own bottom edges. A clamp is now
secured over the ends of the movable blades so as to prevent them from falling out
from between the stationary blades when the frame is reversed or turned over on the
ironing board thus retaining the Fabric in the required position for ironing which is
now done with an ordinary flat iron. The frame is then reversed or turned over on
the ironing board so as to bring its opposite side uppermost and the ironing repeated
on this side also, when the preparation of the Fabric for Embroidering or Stitching on
edge of Fold or Pleat is completed.

page_text: JAMES HAMMETT 18 Westmoreland Place City Road N. London in the County of
Middlesex "Machinist" do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
Fabric has hitherto been prepared to receive embroidery or stitching on edge of
fold or pleat formed in a vertical position by the aid of a chart of perforated card
board or other similar appliance to mark regular distances on the fabric for gathering
with a needle and thread by hand into folds or pleats of a vertical position to receive
the stitching or embroidery on edge of said fold or pleat.
This process is slow neither does it enable the fold or pleat to be made permanent
but simply holds the fabric in position to receive the embroidery or stitching required.
My apparatus consists essentially of a suitable frame and a detached ironing board
as shown by Fig. 1 of accompanying drawing within this frame are arranged two
series of blades preferably of metal placed in a vertical position so that their edges rest
on the ironing board one series being permanently attached to the sides of the frame
at their two opposite ends with spaces left between them while each blade of the other
series is arranged in one of the spaces between the blades in the first series and is
hinged on a rod at one end so that it can be lifted from between the first blades and
turned back as shewn by Fig. 2 of accompanying drawing.
The two series of blades are arranged alternately that is to say first a stationary blade
and then a inovable blade from end to end of the frame.
The second series or movable blades are slightly shorter than the stationary blades so
that their free ends can pass between the latter.
The operation of the machine is as follows the frame is placed with that face resting
on the ironing board which will bring the edges of the movable blades when between
the stationary blades below the edges of the latter and the movable blades are turned
back on the hinge joint at one end.
The fabric to be folded is then placed over the stationary blades and the movable
blades turned down one by one by hand and as they pass in succession into the spaces
between the stationary blades they carry the fabric down with them as shewn by Fig. 3
of accompanying drawing thus folding it over the top edge of each stationary blade
and under their own bottom edges.
The ends of the movable blades are now secured to prevent them from falling out
from between the stationary blades when the frame is turned over or reversed on the
ironing board by the means of a slide or clamp as shown by Fig. 4 of accompanying

page_text: drawing thus retaining the fabric in the required position for ironing which is now done
with an ordinary flat iron. The frame is then reversed or turned over on the ironing
board so as to bring its opposite side uppermost and the ironing operation repeated on
this side also.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The arrangement of blades in a vertical position alternatly fixed and movable
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