IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING SAILS AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas William Gilbert, of Limehouse, Sail
Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING SAILS AND
OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 28th November 1858, and dated the 10th September 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas William
Gilbert at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th September 1858.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM GILBERT, of Limehouse, Sail Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
SAILS AND OTHER ARTICLES" to be as follows:-
Heretofore sewing machines have been fixtures in regard to the
fabrics sewed thereby, the fabrics being moved through the machine.
Now
my Invention consists of making sewing machines to move step
by step according to the rapidity of the stitches, the fabrics being held
stationary; for which purpose the machine is supported on a frame of
such dimensions as will allow of the extent of movement required, and
the machine is made to slide or move on such frame by a ratchet

page_text: or other step by step movement, the machine making a stitch or
stitches cach time of moving. And in order to obtain increased facility
for manufacturing sails and other articles where two or more rows of
stitches are required, two or more sewing machines are combined and
caused to move together. To flatten the stitches rollers are applied to 5
the sewing machine, and are caused to act on and press the rows of
stitches as the sewing machine makes its return movement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas William Gilbert in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS WILLIAM GILBERT, of Limehouse, Sail Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas William Gilbert,
Her special licence that I, the said Thomas William Gilbert, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas William Gilbert, 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING SAILS AND OTHER
ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
William Gilbert, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, 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 I, the said Thomas William Gilbert, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
Now my Invention consists of making sewing sewing machines to
move step by step according to the rapidity of the stitches, the fabrics
being held stationary; for which purpose the machine is supported on
a frame of such dimensions as will allow of the extent of movement
required, and the machine is made to slide or move in such frame by a
ratchet or other step by step movement, the machine making a stitch
or stitches each time of moving. And in order to obtain increased
facility for manufacturing sails and other articles where two or more
rows of stitches are required, two or more sewing machines are com-
bined and caused to move together. To flatten the stitches rollers are
applied to the sewing machine, and are caused to act on and press the
rows of stitches as the sewing machine makes its return movement.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner of perfecting the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a side elevation, and Fig. 2, a transverse section of so
much of apparatus arranged according to my Invention as will enable
me to describe the same. The arrangement shown is for working with
machinery for making a single row of stitches, but, if desired, the
sewing parts of two machines may be combined in one machine, so as
simultaneously to produce two rows of stitches, the needles being at
such a distanco apart, and in advance of one of the others, as to be able
to work clear of each other, and capable of producing two parallel
rows of stitches. I would state, however, that I make no claim
to the construction of sewing machines, but use any suitable arrange-
ments of sewing machines; and I would state that, according to my
present experience, I prefer the Lancashire sewing machines; and I
would also state that my improvements are not in sewing machines.
themselves, but in their use in combination with other apparatus so

page_text: arranged that the sewing machine or machines employed may be
caused to move stop by step or stitch by stitch, whilst the fabric re-
nains stationary, in place of the sewing machines remaining stationary.
as heretofore, and having the fabric moved to them, which movement
of the sewing machines is very important where the fabrics to be
sewed are heavy, such as sail cloth and others. In the Drawing only
the framing and some of the moving parts of Lancashire sewing
machines are shown, the other or sewing parts thereof being well
known. a, a, is the framing of the sewing machines, which have
flanched wheels b, b, applied thereto, by means of which the sewing
machines are enabled to be moved along and be guided by rails c, c.
The arrangement shown is the transverse section, Fig. 2, is for two
independent sewing machines which may be used for working on
different fabrics, or they may be used at the same time in making the
one sail. Motion is preferred to be given to the sewing machines by
hand, as a workman may readily give motion to the machine by the
handle d, by one hand, and keep the fabrics which are to be sewed
together adjusted to each other by the other hand. By turning the
handle d, motion will be given to the axis e, on which there are two
cams f, g, which actuate the sewing parts of the machine, as is well
understood. The sewing machines used may be moved by any suitable
gearing or apparatus suitably arranged for obtaining a progressive
motion to the machine, (equal to that necessary for the distance the
stitches are apart, a convenient arrangement for this purpose being
shown by the Drawings,) which deriving motion from the axis e,
causes the wheels to progress a distance step by step corresponding
with the successive stitches produced by the sewing machine. On the
axis e, is a pinion h, which takes into and gives motion to the cog
wheel, on the axis j, on which is fixed a cone k, which by a strap 7,
gives motion to the cone m, on the axis n. On the cone m, is a
pinion o, which, when the machine is at work, is in gear with the
cog wheel p, on the axis of two of the running wheels. but the pinion
can be put out of gear by means of the lever 9, as shown. The
position of the strap on the cones is adjusted by the forks r, s, which

page_text: can be fixed in any desired position on the bars t; hence it will be
evident that each step of movement made by the machine for cach
revolution of the axis e, will depend on the length of stitch desired to
be made, and this will be governed by the position of the driving
band or strap on the two cones, which being once adjusted, the
machine will move a step commensurate with the length of two stitches
cach revolution of the axis, the cams being arranged to make two
stitches for each revolution of the axis c. It will, however, be evident
that in place of the means shown and described, the machines, in place of
being mounted on wheels may be made to slide, and they may be moved
step by step or stitch by stitch by ratchets or otherwise, as is well under-
stood. In the arrangement shown there are two long tables or counters
, u, with a space between them at 2, for the work of the two machines
to fall to the floor when the width and extent of the sales or other
articles which are being made require to do so in order to be out of
the way. The fabrics which are to be sewed are fastened to a bar u',
and the parts of the fabrics which extend beyond the table, and under
which the machine moves, are supported by projecting arms w', hinged
to the tables or counters, and which stand out at right angles to the
sides of the tables till the machines approach them, when they are in
succession to be folded back against the side of the tables or counters
to admit of the sewing machines passing then when they are again to
be moved out to support the fabrics; as the machines are caused to
progress in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, the workman
giving motion to a machine will with his other hand adjust the fabrics,
so as to come correctly to the sewing machinc, which it is to be under-
stood works as heretofore in regard to the sewing, but it moves step by
step or stitch by stitch, the bed of the machine being under the fabrics.
,, are two prossing rollers pressed together by springs of vulcanized
india-rubber; these rollers press the stitches, and work smooth as the
machines move.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what
I claim is, the arranging sewing machines in combination with

page_text: apparatus in such manner as to admit of the sewing machines being
moved as the stitches are progressively made whilst the fabrics remain
stationary.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas William Gilbert, have
hercunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four
Witness,
ROBERT TAPLIN.
T. W. GILBERT. (L.S.)