IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GUIDING, STRAIGHTENING, AND EVENING FABRICS
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
52 Chancery Lane, London, in the county of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GUIDING,
STRAIGHTENING, AND EVENING FABRICS," communicated to me from abroad by
Anna Marcelus Arnold, of the city, county, and State of New York, United
States of America, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Heretofore much difficulty has been experienced, in uniting some kinds of
fabrics by machine sewing, in accurately presenting the edges thereof to the
stitch-forming mechanism of the machine so that the needle, at each descent, would
uniformly penetrate the fabrics close to their edges. This difficulty has been more
particularly encountered in the manufacture of garments in which it was desirable
to sew close to the edges of the fabrics so that the ridge or welt, incidental to the
seam, would be as small as possible, to present a neat appearance and cause the
wearer little or no discomfort; and the greatest trouble of this kind has occured
with hosiery, or knit goods, as these are soft and very flexible and are liable to curl
at their edges.
To avoid this difficulty, in the manufacture of knit goods different plans
have been tried. The better classes of these goods have been mostly sewed on
what are known as "turning off" machines, in which the loops at the edges of the
fabrics are first placed on pins or points from which they are taken up by the
sewing needle which is thus enabled to pass uniformly through the loops. This
plan, although resulting in good work, is necessarily slow and expensive, and the
task of placing the loops of the fabrics on the points of the machines is very trying
to the eyes of the operator. With lower grades of goods the seans have been
formed at such distances from the edges of the fabrics as might be convenient,
without special care on the part of the operator, in presenting the goods to the
needle; but such sewing resulted in unsightly seams which were bulky and
uncomfortable to the wearer, besides being wasteful of the fabrics. More recently
D
71

page_text: these seams have been improved by trimming off the surplus material outside of
the line of sewing, but this work has required specially constructed and costly
machines and, moreover, does not avoid the waste.
The object of my invention is to provide means whereby fabrics may be
straightened and evened and their edges guided and accurately presented to the
stitch-forming mechanism of sewing machines, without special care on the part of
the operators.
By reason of the automatic action of my apparatus, after a length of fabric has
been started into the sewing machine by the operator and the feeding device of the
machine has taken hold of the work, a single person is able to keep two or more
sewing machines in continuous operation. This continuous sewing will, moreover,
result in seams having the least possible welt or ridge, as the evened goods will
always be so securely held and so accurately presented to the sewing mechanisms
that the needles thereof will uniformly pass through the fabrics in as close
proximity to their edges as may be desired.
In carrying out my invention I employ two guide plates arranged edgewise one
above the other with their adjacent or guiding edges a distance apart about equal
to the thickness of the fabric or fabrics to be straightened, evened and guided
when said fabric or fabrics are somewhat compressed. These guide plates are, in
practice, several feet in length and are preferably provided on their adjacent edges
with longitudinal ribs sinking slightly into the fabrics and thus having a tendency
to prevent the lateral displacement of the latter, while not interfering with their
longitudinal movement.
To uncurl or straighten the edges of the fabrics a straightener is employed, said
straightener consisting of two metallic plates arranged flatwise and parallel to each
other a distance apart about equal to the thickness of the fabric or fabrics to be
sinoothed out, these straightening plates having pointed ends extending in the
direction from which the goods will be moved, the slopes of the said pointed ends
being inclined at angles of about 45° to the line of movement of the goods.
While this straightener may, in some cases be used independently of the guide
plates, by being applied directly to the bed-plate of the sewing machine, it is
preferably attached to the said guide plates so as to co-operate immediately
therewith.
The straightened fabrics are properly directed to the line in which they are to
be guided to the sewing mechanism by one or more guides or deflectors which are
inclined in a direction opposite to the direction of inclination of the sloping ends
of the straightening plates between which latter the deflectors are placed.
When two pieces of fabrics are to be straightened, evened and guided a divider
or separator plate is arranged between the straightening plates, said divider pro-
jecting beyond or formed of said plates in the direction from which the goods
will move, and in connection with this divider two inclined deflectors, arranged
on opposite sides of the divider and both in the same vertical plane, are used.
These two deflectors or, as they may be termed, this double deflector, constitutes
an evener, as it brings the edges of the straightened fabrics into exact line with
each other, in which position they will be securely held by the guide plates in their
passage to the needle.
To enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to fully
understand the same, I will now proceed to describe it in connection with the
accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation showing portions of my guide plates with the straightener,
divider and evener attached thereto in operative position.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with part of the top guide plate broken away
and the top plate of the straightener removed.
Fig. 3 is a section (somewhat enlarged) in line 3-3 Fig. 1, looking towards the
straightener and evener.
Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the straightener and evener showing the parts
thereof detached,

page_text: Fig. 5 is a similar view of the straightener, without the divider and with a single
deflector.
Figs. 6 and 7 show modified forms of the straightening and evening device
adapted for attachment to the work-plate of a sewing machine.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of my invention.
Fig. 9 is a plan view showing my guide plates in operative relation to the
work-plate of a sewing machine, and
Fig. 10 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 11 is a cross-section, showing a modified form of my guide plates with a
yielding connection.
Fig. 12 is a side view, somewhat enlarged, of the parts of the guide plates to
which the straightening and evening device is attached.
The guide plates A and A¹ are arranged edgewise to and one above the other
with a guiding space between them, the distance of separation of the said plates
being equal to the thickness of the fabric or fabrics to be guided when said fabrics
are slightly compressed.
The adjacent edges of these guide plates are preferably provided with longitudinal
ribs a which sink into the fabrics and thus serve to hold the latter from lateral
displacement without impeding their longitudinal movement. One rib on each
plate, as shown in Fig. 3 will be sufficient for most kinds of work, while for some
uses a plurality of these ribs on each plate (as in Fig. 11) will be preferable.
For guiding very thin goods the ribs may be dispensed with altogether.
These guide plates will, in practice, be several feet in length, and for convenience
in handling and transporting may consist of sections adapted to be connected
together or to be used connectedly by placing the ends of the sections contiguous to
each other so as to form continuous guiding ways of proper length. The forward
ends of the guide plates will usually be arranged relative to the work-plate B of
a sewing machine as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10; that is to say, the forward end
of the lower guide plate A' will be placed adjacent to the work-plate with its upper
edge on a line with the upper surface of the latter, while the upper guide plate A
will project over the work-plate with its forward end adjacent to the needle hole b,
the work-plate thus serving as a continuation of the lower guide plate.
The guide plates are preferably connected together by brackets or arches C
spanning the open space between said plates and having flanges or flattened bases c
through which pass set screws c¹ for securing the arches and plates together. By
slotting the holes for one set of these screws, as indicated for the screws in the
upper plate in Fig. 1, one plate may be adjusted nearer to or farther from the other
to vary the distance between them and thus adapt them for use with fabrics of
different thicknesses. The arches C are preferably provided with shanks c² by
which they may be attached to a suitable supporting rail or table which, in practice
will be provided for the guide plates.
The connecting arches may be rigid, so as to hold the guide plates a fixed or
determined distance apart, or they may be binged or jointed, as shown in Fig. 11,
in which case springs d² will be placed in sockets in said arches, said springs
having a tendency to press one guide plate towards the other. The guide plates
will thus be yieldingly connected together.
D is a bracket or arch by which the upper guide plate is attached to the work-
olate B of the sewing machine, both sets of holes in the flanges & and of said
bracket being preferably slotted to permit the position of said plate to be changed
lightly both vertically and horizontally to accommodate varying thicknesses of
material and also to vary the distance of the stitching from the edges of the
fabrics.
Instead of using two guide plates arranged edgewise to and one above the other,
s hereinbefore described, for some classes of work a single guide plate, placed
dgewise above a flat surface, as a flat plate or table, and supported a suitable
listance from the latter so as to form a guiding space, will serve a very good
urpose, and I do not therefore wish to be understood as limiting my invention to

page_text: two guiding plates both of which are arranged edgewise to each other, although I
consider that this latter form of my apparatus is the best.
My straightening or uncurling device consists of two thin plates E arranged
parallel to each other a distance apart about equal to the thickness of the fabrics to
be smoothed out. The forward ends e of the straightening plates are preferably
sloping or inclined to form points, these points being arranged towards the body of
the goods and about in the line into which the straightened edges of the fabrics are
to be brought, these forward ends of the plates increasing in width rearwardly or
in the direction of the movement of the passing fabrics. These inclined ends e of
the straightening plates are preferably beveled or rounded off on their outer faces
to facilitate their operation, and the points extend in the direction from which the
fabrics are to move in passing between said plates. From the construction and
arrangement of the straightening plates just above described it results that the
pointed ends thereof will receive the curled fabrics between them, and as the
fabrics are moved along the plates the inclined edges, incidental to their increasing
width, will effectively smooth out the curled or wrinkled edges of the fabrics. The
edges of the fabrics when thus smoothed out are at some little distance laterally
from the line in which they are to travel to the needle of the sewing machine, and
to bring these uncurled edges to this line one or more inclined guides or deflectors F,
are employed. For one thickness of fabric a single inclined guide or deflector, as
shown in Fig. 5, is employed, said deflector being placed between the straightening
plates E and its direction of inclination being the reverse of that of the sloping or
inclined forward ends of said plates. The deflector F is preferably held in place by
a pivot pin fso that its angle of inclination and the position of its inner or free
end may be adjusted, as may be required by a regulating screw f¹ against which
the deflector is held by the friction of the passing fabrics. When two pieces of
fabric are to be simultaneously smoothed out and their edges evened or brought
into the same vertical plane a divider or separator plate G is preferably employed.
This divider is arranged between the straightening plates and in connection with
the divider I employ an inclined guide or deflector F which, when constructed in
the form shown in Figs. 1 and of the drawings, extending on both sides of the
divider, thus presenting two guiding edges or deflectors which are both in the same
vertical plane. These deflectors may each consist of a separate piece of metal
attached to the divider and the latter with the two deflectors or double deflector
constitutes an evener for bringing two edges of fabric into exact line with each
other.
Instead of making the evener in the manner just above described it may be
differently constructed as by attaching an inclined guide or deflector, similar to F,
to the lower straightening plate E and cutting away the outward rear corner of the
divider G and of the upper straightening plate so that they may fit closely against
the deflector. The straightening plates and the divider will all be provided with
laterally extending arms (somewhat like the attaching arm of the evener shown in
Fig. 6) the arms being sufficiently elastic to permit the divider and the upper
straightening plate to spring up and down slightly and the deflector being thick
enough so that the upper straightening plate will not rise above the top thereof.
By this construction a yielding evener, adapted for use with fabrics of varying
thickness and to be attached to the bed-plate of a sewing machine, will be
produced.
The divider G is an important element of my straightening and evening
apparatus, as, by its use, each of the two pieces of fabric to be straightened and
evened will have smooth metallic surfaces on both of its sides between which it
may pass, with comparatively little friction. Thus one piece of fabric may readily
be shifted relative to the other by its deflector to cause the edges of the two pieces
to register accurately.
This automatic action would be difficult, if not impossible, if the two pieces of
fabric were in frictional contact with each other, as, in such case, one could not
easily move on the other

page_text: My straightening plates with their interposed inclined guides or deflectors, with
or without the divider, may be adapted for attachment directly to the work-plates
of sewing machines by constructing them in the form shown by Figs. 6 and 7 of
the drawings, but I prefer to use this part of my invention in connection with the
guide plates herein before described, the plates E, having flanges H, provided with
holes for attaching screws h, the holes in one of the said flanges being preferably
Blotted to admit of the adjustment of its contiguous guide plate in varying the
width of the guiding space between the guide plates for fabrics of different
thicknesses; but when this variation of the fabrics is considerable interchangeable
deflectors, of varying thicknesses, corresponding to the fabrics, will be employed,
the distance apart of the straightening plates being equal to the interposed single
or double deflector. The yielding evener, hereinbefore described and adapted for
use with fabrics of varying thickness may be used without the guide plates.
The ribs a on the guide plates are cut away at a¹ opposite the forward end of
the inclined guide or deflector F (see Fig. 12) to allow the edges of the passing
fabrics to be slightly compressed laterally by the said end of the deflector to bring
the fabrics into proper position. The guide plates are also preferably recessed at a³
to permit the points of the straightening plates to project within the said guide
plates and thus obviate any tendency of the fabrics to catch on said points.
The operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing.
If the straightener, with the single or double deflector, is to be used independently
of the guide plates the fabrics to be uncurled and evened will be passed through
the same directly to the sewing mechanism of the machine; but when the
straightener and its adjuncts are to co-operate with the guide plates the mode of
operation will be as indicated by Fig. 8 of the drawings. In such case the guide
plates will be connected with the sewing machine and will be sustained by any
suitable support, as a bench, rail, stand or table to which the shanks c² of the
arches C, in the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 8, may be connected.
The straightening and evening device which is attached to the guide plates
between the ends thereof divides said plates into two sections which may be
termed preparatory and guiding sections, respectively. The fabrics are introduced
into the preparatory section by the operator and are moved along to the
straightener which smooths out the edges, and these uncurled edges are moved
laterally by the inclined guides or deflectors and are thus brought into the line in
which they are to be guided to the sewing mechanism.
When there are two pieces of fabrics, as in Fig. 8, the double deflector, or evener,
will of course be employed, and the two edges will thereby be brought into exact
register with each other in which position they will be securely held by the guiding
section of the guide plates until they are presented to the sewing needle, the latter
being indicated by n in Fig. 8. When the feeding device of the machine (which
will preferably be a positive feed as a feeding wheel placed adjacent to the needle)
has once taken hold of the fabrics the latter will be drawn along by the action of
the former and will thus be automatically straightened out, evened and accurately
guided to the sewing mechanism without further care on the part of the operator
whose time and attention may then be devoted to introducing other fabrics into
another set of guide plates, with their attached straightening devices, for another
sewing machine, while the section of fabrics introduced into the first machine is
being sewed. It will be understood that before the sewing of one section or length
of fabrics is completed another will have been introduced by the operator and
moved along the guide plates in readiness to be pushed to the feeding device of
the machine close after the preceding section so that the machine may be kept in
continuous operation.
Thus by use of my apparatus one operator will be enabled to attend to two or
more power driven machines, and seams, running close to the edges of the fabrics,
may be formed with the greatest accuracy in the classes of goods which have
heretofore been most difficult to manipulate, as well as in fabrics more easily
nanaged.

page_text: 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
1st A fabric guiding apparatus consisting of two plates extending lengthwise in
the direction in which the fabrics are to be guided, one of the said plates being
arranged edgewise to and above the other, with an open guiding space between
them, substantially as herein before set forth.
2nd A fabric guiding apparatus consisting of two connected guide plates
extending lengthwise in the direction in which the fabrics are to be guided and
arranged edgewise to and one above the other with an open guiding space between
them, with or without ribs on their adjacent edges, substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
3rd A fabric guiding apparatus consisting of two guide plates arranged edgewise
relative to each other and extending lengthwise in the direction in which the
fabrics are to be guided, one of the said plates having a yielding connection with
the other, as set forth.
4th A fabric guiding apparatus consisting of two guide plates arranged adjacent
to each other, with an open guiding space between them, combined with arched
supports for connecting said plates together, substantially as hereinbefore set
forth.
5th A fabric guiding apparatus consisting of two guide plates extending length-
wise in the direction in which the fabrics are to be guided and supported adjacent
to each other with an open guiding space between them, combined with the
work-plate or other part of a sewing machine with which said plates may be
connected, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
6th A fabric straightening or uncurling device consisting of two flat plates E
placed adjacent to each other with an open guiding space between them, sub-
stantially as set forth.
7th A fabric straightening and guiding apparatus consisting of two flat plates,
arranged parallel to each other, or approximately so, and an inclined guide or
deflector co-operating with said plates, substantially as herein before set forth.
8th The combination with two straightening or uncurling plates placed adjacent
to each other of an interposed separating plate or divider and a double deflector or
evener having an inclined guiding edge on each side of said divider, substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
9th The combination with two guide plates arranged adjacent to each other, with
an open guiding space between them, of two straightening or uncurling plates
having a space between them registering with the space between the said guide
plates, and an inclined guide or deflector interposed between said straightening
plates, substantially as herein before set forth.
10th The combination with two guide plates arranged adjacent to each other
with an open guiding space between them, of two straightening plates having a
space between them registering with the space between the said guide plates, a
separator plate or divider, interposed between said straightening plates, and
a double deflector or evener having an inclined guiding edge on each side of said
divider, substantially as herein before set forth.
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