AN IMPROVED EMBROIDERING MACHINE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in. the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED EMBROIDERING MACHINE."-A communication from
abroad by François Michalet and Pascal Bourget, both of Lyons,
France.
Sealed the 25th March 1875, and dated the 5th October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 5th October 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED EMBROIDERING MACHINE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved embroidering machine, designed
more especially for working on fabrics of light texture, such as tulle, net,
tarletan, or muslin. By means of this machine not only may all kinds
of embroidery be executed in accordance with given patterns, but it

page_text: may also be made to correctly follow the outlines of the most com-
plicated groundwork designs produced in weaving or otherwise. This
decorative effect has never hitherto been obtained except by hand, and
then but imperfectly and at great expense.
plicated groundwork designs produced in weaving or otherwise. This
decorative effect has never hitherto been obtained except by hand, and
then but imperfectly and at great expense.
The machine consists,―
1st. Of the embroidering mechanism, working with two threads (upper
and under), and operated by two distinct sets of gearing, separated by
the fabric to be embroidered, but mounted on the same frame in relation
one with the other.
2ndly. Of an arm termed the embroidering arm, by which the
mechanism operating the upper and under threads is supported, said
arm being forked and mounted on a vertical pivot, so that it may be
moved in a horizontal plane freely in every direction under the guidance
of the operator, by whom it is made to follow the pattern. Motion is
imparted to the embroidering mechanism from the driving shaft through
gearing on the axis on which the embroidering arm is pivoted.
3rdly. Of a movable frame on which the fabric is stretched, mounted
on rollers to allow of the fabric being moved laterally so as to present
any point of its width to the embroidering mechanism, the fabric being
wound lengthwise on beams, from which it is unrolled in order to shift
it as the work proceeds. These movement of the fabric in one or other
direction take place between the upper and lower branches of the em-
broidering arm, and without coming in contact therewith.
4thly. In the gearing for transmitting motion to the embroidering
· mechanism, operated from a treadle or otherwise.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1
of which shows a front elevation, and Figure 2 a side clevation of the
machine.
The means of imparting motion to the various parts illustrated in the
Drawing are those which are preferred for the purpose, although other
mechanical equivalents may be employed in lieu thereof. A, fly wheel
on crank shaft C; B, framing; D, connecting rod from treadles E, e;
F, oscillating band wheel; G, bearings of same; H, bearings of fly
wheel spindle; I, frame supporting embroidering arm J; K, pivot of
suspension rod L; M, band pulley; N, band; P, jointed head carrying

page_text: needle mechanism; Q, needle carrier; R, link; S, eccentric; T, presser
foot; V, work plate; X, shuttle driver; Y, shuttle carrier; Z, shuttle.
1, movable portion of work plate; 2, guide handle; 3, thread; 4, tension
device; 5, bevel pinions by which motion is transmitted to needle and
shuttle; 6, treadle band; 7, movable frame or carriage; 8, rollers;
9, fabric.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, 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 Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED EMBROIDERING MACHINE," a communication to mo
from abroad by François Michalet and Pascal Bourget, both of Lyons,
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander
Melville Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, 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 statement, reference being had to the two
Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to embroider on all kinds of fabrics,
and more especially fabrics of light texture such as tulle, net, tarlatan,
and muslin. By means of this Invention not only may all kinds of
embroidery be executed in accordance with given patterns, but the
outlines of the most complicated groundwork designs produced in
weaving or otherwise may also be correctly followed. This decorative
effect has never hitherto been obtained except by hand, and then but
imperfectly and at great expense.
The improved machinery of this Invention consists,―
1st. Of the embroidering mechanism proper, working with two threads
(upper and under), and operated by two distinct sets of mechanism,
separated by the fabric to be embroidered, but mounted in the same
frame and in relation the one with the other. These two sets of
mechanism, working with two threads, one above and the other bencath
the fabric, which interlock at each stitch, are similar or analogous to
those of sewing machines using two threads, and are adaptable to the
embroidering mechanism with but little or no alteration.
2ndly. Of an arm called the embroidering arm, by which the mechanism
which works the upper and under threads into the interposed fabric is
supported, said arm being forked and mounted on a vertical fivot so that
it may be moved in a horizontal plane freely in every direction under the
guidance of the operator, by whom it is made to follow the contour of
the pattern by means of a small guiding handle on the embroidering arm.
Motion is imparted to the embroidering mechanism from the driving
shaft through gearing on the axis on which the embroidering arm is
pivoted.
3rdly. Of a movable frame in which the fabric is stretched, said frame
being mounted on rollers to allow of the fabric being moved laterally so
as to present any point of its width to the embroidering mechanism, the

page_text: Tabric being wound lengthwise on beams, on which it is roued and
unrolled in order to shift it as the work progresses. The fabric is thus
moved in either direction between the upper and lower branches of the
embroidering arm without coming in contact therewith.
4thly. In the gearing for receiving and transmitting motion.
embroidering mechanism, said motion being imparted from a treadle or
otherwise.
5thly. In the method of suspending the embroidering arm so that it
may be turned freely in any direction and placed in any position and yet
transmit the motion it receives to the embroidering mechanism without
any strain or irregularity.
The above-described improvements thus combine to produce a self-
acting embroidering machine, by which the most complicated designs
and patterns may be followed out by the machine with as much ease as
in tracing with a pencil.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1
of which shows a front elevation and Figure 2 a side clevation of the
machine. In these two Figures the same letters of reference indicate the
same parts.
The means illustrated in the Drawing of imparting motion to the
various parts are those which are preferred for the purpose, although
other mechanical equivalents may be employed in lieu thereof. A, fly
wheel on crank shaft C; B, framing; D, connecting rod from treadles E, e;
F, oscillating band wheel; G, bearings of same; H, bearings of fly wheel
spindle; I, frame supporting embroidering arm J; K, pivot of sus-
pension rod L; M, band pulley; N, band; P, jointed head carrying
needle mechanism; Q, needle bar; R, link operating same; S, eccentric;
T, presser foot; U, eccentric operating presser foot; V, work plate;
X, shuttle driver; Y, shuttle carrier; Z, shuttle. 1, movable portion of
work plate; 2, guide handle; 3, thread spool; 4, tension device; 5, bevel
pinions by which motion is transmitted to needle and shuttle; 6, treadle
band; 7, movable frame or carriage on rollers 8; 9, fabric.
In Figure 3, 4, and 5 is shown a modification and improvement on the
machine above described whereby better results are obtained. Figure 3
shows a front clevation of this modified and improved embroidering

page_text: 10 C110 three figures the same reference letters indicate the same
parts.
The modifications made in the before-described machine relate more
particularly to the great freedom of motion given to the embroidering
arm A by an improved method of suspending said arm. This embroidering
arm A is fitted at d to a rod B, hung from any convenient support C, to
which it is connected in such a way as to be free to turn easily in every
direction, in order that the embroidering arm A may be readily guided
by hand and caused to follow the curves of the design to be produced.
A tie rod h attached at one end to shaft B and at the other to arm A
to 6¹ serves to prevent or reduce the vibration which may be produced
by the alternate motion of the needle bar. The suspension rod B is
made in two parts connected by a right and left handed screw coupling D,
by which the length of B and consequently the height of arm A rela-
tively to the fabric may be adjusted as required. The embroidering arm
when sustained by a single suspension remains in the same horizontal
plane, that is to say, the work plate E describing a circle whose radius
is the distance of the needle from the centre of the rod passing through
the centre of gravity of the whole. Beyond this circle the plate E varies
in inclination relatively to the horizontal plane, and in conformity with
the tangent of a circle described by the embroidering arm, whose radius is
the distance of the plate E from the point of suspension, the result of
which is that the fabric is slightly raised up by the plate. To avoid this
objection, if it be one, the following method of suspending the em-
broidering arm is adopted :-The rod Bis hung at C from a ring F, which
is itself suspended at C, and is free to turn upon the shaft G as a centre.
In order to reduce the friction to a minimum antifriction balls or rollers g
are introduced as shown. With this arrangement of double suspension
it will be seen that the embroidering mechanism is free to be moved
through a considerable area, the plate E always maintaining its horizontal
position, the extent of which area depends upon the radius of ring F
and the length of the embroidering arm.
Another important improvement relates to the frame carrying the
fabric, which is constructed as shown in the Drawing. The frame H,
on which is mounted the crank shaft I. is driven by treadles I through

page_text: connecting rods K. At one end of said shaft is a fly wheel L, which
serves to equalize the motion of the mechanism. At the other end of
said shaft is a band wheel M, having two grooves of different radius (on
one or other of which, according to the speed desired) runs the band by
which the embroidering arm is operated. O, tie bars; P, frames uniting
the two side frames H. The fabric is carried on a frame consisting of
two side frames Q connected by tie rods R, R, and S, S, the last-named
pair resting on grooved rollers T mounted on frames H, upon which the
frame U is free to be moved in the direction of its length. Two rollers S¹
mounted on frames P prevent said frame tilting when it is supported by
the two rollers of one frame only. These rollers S¹ may be thrown up
so as to leave the frame free when required by oscillating their supports,
which are jointed for the purpose, having first shifted the locking pieces
or plates V by which the rollers are maintained in the position shown ;
X, Y, arc two beams mounted in end frames Q as shown, the fabric to be
embroidered being wound on the first, whence it is unwound and wound
on the other as the work proceeds. The fabric passes from beam X over
the tie bars R as shown, between which it is stretched out flat. It is
upon this portion, comprised between bars R, that the embroidering
mechanism works. As the extent of fabric comprised within the sweep
of the embroidering arm is less than the whole width of the fabric it is
only necessary to run the frame U along its friction rollers to bring any
part of the fabric under the action of the embroidering mechanism.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 show another method of arranging and suspending
the embroidering arm. Figure 6 is a vertical elevation of this improved
arrangement, while Figures 7 and 8 are front and side views of the
embroidering arm detached on a larger scale. The same letters of
reference serve for the three Figures. A, main frame, the upper arm of
which carries at B the mechanism for operating the needle bar C, con-
sisting of a heart-shaped cam D fixed to the needle bar and a friction
roller E on a crank stud on disc F, said roller working in a slot in the
cam of such form as will ensure the proper action of the needle c, and
the disc I receiving rotary motion from shaft G driven by a pulley H
on said shaft. This rotary motion of shaft G is converted by means of
the slot in cam D into a reciprocating motion of needle bar C, which
motion is regulated as before mentioned both as regards extent and
speed. The disc F has two cams on its periphery, one f for operating

page_text: the presser foot I by means of a follower, which is caused to bear thereon
by a spiral spring 9, whereby an intermittent up-and-down motion
is imparted to the presser foot I, regulated according to the movements
of the needle bar C. The second cam is for operating the lever J
for taking up the slack of the thread. This lever J is pivoted at j, and t
embraced a forked rod K carrying a friction roller or follower k in contact
with cam cam h; L is a spring acting on the tail of lover J to keep the
follower down on the cam h, which imparts to the lever J an inter-
mittent up-and-down movement, which is also adjusted in accordance
with the motion of the needle bar C. The needle bar C, presser foot I, 1
and take up J thus all receive their motion from disc F, which is driven
as before mentioned by pulley H. The lower arm of the frame carries
at its extremity the shuttle mechanism, consisting of a rock shaft M
receiving alternate circular motion through and connecting rod O jointed
to a crank pin on the fly wheel H and to an arm N on shaft M. Pis
the shuttle carrier fixed on shaft M, the shuttle being located between
the two horns p, p, and held up against the curved plate Q by a spring.
On this plate is fixed the horizontal circular work plate R.
The above-described combination of parts constitutes the embroidering
arm, which is suspended by rods V from the extremity of a beam S
mounted to turn on a vertical axis on the top of a pillar T. The sus-
pension rods V are united at their top ends by a cross piece v, which is
connected to the frame S by a bolt U, which also serves as an axis for
the embroidering mechanism to turn freely upon. The opposite end of
the beam S is weighted at X to counterbalance the weight of the em-
broidering mechanism. By this means the embroidering mechanism can
be readily moved and guided in any direction by the handle a.
Figure 9 shows a transverse vertical section of the frame on which the
fabric is stretched; Figure 10 is a longitudinal elevation of the same, as
also of the treadle motion; while Figure 11 shows a transverse section
of the latter. The same letters of reference serve for these three
Figures.
The frame or carriage is composed of two end frames A, A, connected
by tie-rods B, B', and mounted on casters C to enable it to be readily
shifted. On the frame is mounted a beam D, on which is wound the
fabric to be embroidered. The fabric is drawn off this beam and carried

page_text: over the tie-rods B, B, to the beam E. Each beam is provided with a
ratchet and pawl to keep the fabric stretched, to which end the fabric is
attached to cross rods F, F, having forked ends sliding on rods B, B.
The portion of the fabric stretched between tie-bars B, B, is that on
which the embroidering is effected by means of the embroidering
arm.
The whole of the sewing and other mechanism is operated by a treadle
motion mounted on frames G, G, connected by tie-bars H, H, and con-
sisting of treadles L, L, pivoted at 1, connecting rods M, and cranked
shaft I, carrying a fly wheel J and band wheels K for imparting motion to
the embroidering mechanism by a band passing round guide pulleys, as
shown in Figure 1, to the pulley on the embroidering arm. The
mechanism may also be operated by steam or other power transmitted in
any suitable manner. The form and construction shown may be varied
without departing from the principle of the embroidering arm, the
modifications specified serving to to extend its action by the combination
of a suspension arrangement with a movable frame or carriage in which
the fabric is stretched.
The embroidering arm as thus improved entirely fulfils the objects set
forth at the commencement of this Specification, viz., to embroider on
all kinds of fabrics, and more especially on fabrics of light texture, such
as tulle, net, tarlatan, and muslin, not only in accordance with given
patterns, but also made to correctly follow the outlines of the most com-
plicated designs produced in weaving or otherwise, which effect has never
hitherto been attainable except by hand work, and then but imperfectly
and at much greater expense.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
1st. For embroidering, that is to say, for mechanically sewing with
two threads in any kind of fabric around the outlines of even the most
complicated patterns, I claim the employment of the double mechanism
operating the needle and shuttle (or their equivalent in double thread
machines), when so arranged as to work on the fabric held stationary
between the two branches of a movable arm, in whose extremities the
said mechanisms are carried, all substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: 2ndly. Rendering the embroidering arm and the mechanism carried
by the same adjustable in all directions under the guidance of the
operator, so that it may follow the design with perfect ease, by sus-
pending said arm from a fixed point where the motive power is also
received and transmitted for operating the mechanism, all as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five