IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR SEWING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
SEWING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS."-A communication from abroad by
Abram Myers Loryea, of Portland, Oregon, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th July 1873.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
SEWING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the adaptation to well-known sewing

page_text: machinery of mechanism which will properly manipulate a book or
pamphlet and cause the same to be properly sewn.
Above the table of the machine and immediately below the vertical
needle a carrier is provided to receive the folded sheets intended to be
sewn. This carrier is capable of receiving an endway motion which
enables it to traverse the sheets under the needle in the line to be sewn,
and it has also a lateral motion for the purpose to be presently mentioned.
The carrier has a central longitudinal slot for the passage through it of
the needle in the act of sewing, and it is provided with partition pieces
(one of which acts as a knife) for the folded sheet to butt against.
The carrier is intended to receive sheets on opposite sides of these
partitions, which by the lateral shifting of the carrier will be brought
successively under the action of the needle. The sheets are held down
by a clamp which is operated upon by cams through the intervention of
a rock lever and rock shaft. A coiled spring gives this clamp always a
tendency to rise from the work. A pressuer foot is also provided which
on the return motion of the carrier will hold down the sewn book on to
the bed of the machine, in order that by the next action of the clamping
plate it may be clamped in a new position to present the thread to the
knife of the carrier, and thus by the severance of the thread allow the
book to be freed from the machine.
The motions of the carrier are derived from a slowly moving star
wheel which is driven by a crank from the main driving shaft. This
wheel is formed with a double groove on its periphery, and the grooves
are connected by a switch. In the groove works a bowle carried by a
rocking arm on a fixed fulcrum, and by means of a link this arm is
connected with a pair of rocking arms which form bearings for the rock
shaft of the carrier. The shifting therefore of the rock shaft from one
groove to the other will impart the lateral motion to the carrier. The
rock shaft is capable of sliding in its bearings and by means of a cam
groove on the side of the slow moving wheel and segment racks a
rocking motion is given to an arm which is linked to one of the arms of
the carrier. By this means the cam groove controls the latéral motion of
the carrier, and arrests it as desired to enable the needle to pierce the
book at any given points.

page_text: The table is fitted with an adjustable cranked gauge plate, the
shoulders of which are intended to receive the edges of the book. The
gauge is provided with a yielding spring which enables it to allow for a
slight backward motion of the carrier and of the books carried thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in tho
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR SEWING BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS," being a
communication to me from abroad by Abram Myers Loryea, of Portland,
Oregon, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
This Invention relates to the adaptation to well-known sewing
machinery of mechanism that will automatically present folded sheets of
printed paper in the form of books or pamphlets to the action of the
sewing mechanism for the purpose of stitching the same after the
manner of pamphlet stitching.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 represents the improved
machine in side elevation, a portion of the driving gear being in section
the better to explain its construction.
Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the machine.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation, as seen in the plane 1, 2, of Fig. 1, and
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the opposite end of the machine.
The Invention is illustrated in connection with sewing mechanism,
similar in arrangement to that commonly found in the sewing machines.
manufactured by the "Singer Sewing Machine Company," that is to
say, there is a vertical needle operated directly from a horizontal driving
shaft, and a shuttle working transversely below the bed or table for
locking the needle thread, the shuttle being driven through the aid of
spur gearing from the main shaft, which gearing transmits motion to a
horizontal shaft below the table, and carrying a crank pin connected by
a link with the shuttle driver.
A, A, is the table of the machine to which is fixed the bracket arm B
carrying at its front end the guides for the vertical needle bar C. This
bracket arm carries the main shaft D which is extended rearwards and
has for its bearing the standard E; F and F' are fast and loose pulley
for receiving a driving band. The driving pulley F is mounted loosely on
the shaft D, and the pulley F¹ is mounted loosely on an extension of the
boss of the pulley F. F is a sliding collar on the shaft D and carrying
a finger f, which extends through the boss of the pulley F and lies
parallel with the shaft D. In advance of this boss the shaft D is

page_text: provided with a pin d, which when the finger f is moved into the
position shewn at Fig. 1 will be carried round together with its shaft D
when the driving pulley is in action, and thereby driving power will be
imparted to the machine.
In the collar F is an annular groove made to receive a fork of a bell-
crank lever G, which is connected one limb to a spring G¹ and the other
to a treadle G³. By depressing the treadle the pulley F is locked to the
driving shaft, and when the pressure on the treadle is removed the
spring & by drawing back the sliding collar F, and its finger ƒ will
disengage the pulley F from the shaft D. This arrangement is intended
to throw in and out of action with facility the machinery which I will
now proceed to describe and with it the sewing mechanism.
The books or pamphlets to be sewn are placed within a clamp of
peculiar construction, which clamp is intended to contain two pamphlets
at a time and to present them alternately to the action of the vertical
needle. This clamp consists of two main parts H and I, the latter of
which has an independent vertical motion while both are caused to
travel together in a lateral and longitudinal direction as will be hereafter
explained. These plates are both connected by means of supporting
arms with the shaft K which is capable of receiving an endway motion
in its bearings.
The plate H is slotted centrally and longitudinally, as shewn best at
Fig. 5, Sheet II., and through this central slot projects a strip of
metal which forms an abutting piece for the pamphlets to be sewn.
This abutting piece h is intended to move with the plate H through its
lateral motions, but to remain quiescent while it is effecting its endway
movements. The like remark applies to a knife h¹ which is intended
to sever the thread on the completion of the stitching operation whilo
its sheath acts also as an abutting piece for the pamphlets. To give
both the knife sheath h¹ and the abutting piece h this stationary
character they are each provided with a projection on their under sides
(see the longitudinal section Fig. 6, and the transverse section Fig. 7),
which projections enter slots formed in the table A of the machine and
running transversely of the plate H; when therefore this plate receives
an endway motion cross grooves in the table A will retain the parts h, h¹,
in a fixed position. A. motion however of the plate H in a line with
these slots will cause the parts h, h¹, to move with the plate H for the

page_text: purpose to be hereafter explained. The upper or clamping plate I of
the clamp has an independent up-and-down motion to permit of the
books or pamphlets to be sewn being placed beneath it, and to enable it
to impart pressure thereto for the purpose of holding the work firmly
under the action of the needle and while the clamp is being shifted.
For this purpose the arms from which the plate I depends are made fast
to a sleeve shaft I', which is capable of sliding on its supporting shaft K.
Between the sleeve shaft I¹ and one of the arms of the plate H a coiled
spring i is inserted, its ends being so secured as to enable it to impart an
axial motion to the sleeve shaft, and thereby to raise the clamping plate
from the work projecting from a boss upon the sleeve shaft is a
finger which bears upon a cam carried by a rock shaft L, which rock
shaft is itself carried by extensions of the arms of the plate H. The
shaft L therefore will always follow the movements of the clamp and by
means of the cam which it carries the clamping plate I will be put into
and retained in action. The shaft K which carries the clamp has its
bearings in a pair of rocking arms K¹ having for their fulcrum a
transverse rod K2 below the table of the machine. One of these arms is
connected by a link K³ with an arm K' that rocks on a fixed fulcrum
and carries at its upper end a stud pin. This arm K* stands by the side
of a cam M on the back of which is formed a star wheel N (see Fig. 3),
for working the same intermittently. The face of this cam is formed as
shewn best at Fig. 8, and from it are derived the motions for working the
clamping plate I, and also the presser O to be hereafter more particularly
referred to. In the periphery of this cam two annular grooves are
formed, and they are united at one point by means of a self-acting
.switch m.
In these grooves works the stud pin of the arm K*, the
shifting of which pin from one groove to the other (by its coming
in to contact with the self-acting switch) causes the arms K¹ to rock, and
thereby to impart a lateral motion to the clamp. This lateral motion
occurs when it is desired to shift one book or pamphlet from under the
needle, and bring up the other book or pamphlet contained in the clamp
under its action. The position and length of the link K³ are made
adjustable so as to adapt the lateral transverse motion of the clamp to
the work in hand.

page_text: fitted with a bolt which serves to connect it with an arm P of a rock
shaft P¹. This shaft P¹ which is carried in bracket bearings is fitted at
one end with a segment rack p into which gears a segment rack p¹
pivotted at p, and carrying at a tail extension (see Fig. 8), a stud pin
which enters a cam groove p³ of the cam M. As therefore the cam M
is rotated the shaft P¹ will through the segment racks be caused to rock
in it bearings, and thereby through the hanger H¹ with which it is
connected by the arm P to slide the clamp to and fro across the bed of
the machine or in the line of traverse of the shuttle, the form of the
cam groove p³ is such (in this case) as to adjust the clamp to three
different positions during the stitching of a pamphlet, and thereby to
ensure the needle piercing the book or pamphlet at a central point and
two points equidistant therefrom. To permit of these distances being
varied to suit varying sizes of work, the arm P is made capable of
longitudinal extension, it being composed of two parts held together by
a clamping bolt and nut. I have stated that the clamping plate I is
held down on its work by means of a cam on the rock shaft L bearing
against a finger 2 of the cam shaft.
I will now explain the manner of bringing this cam into_action.
The rock shaft L is grooved at one end (sco Fig. 2), to receive a stud
pin carried by a rocking arm the hub of which has its bearing in one
of the rocking arms K'. Projecting laterally from this arm is a pin /
which enters a slot in a cranked tumbler piece Q, pivotted on a stud
projecting from a bracket Q₁ on the main framing and shewn best in
the detached view, Fig. 9. This tumbler stands opposite a portion of
the face of the cam M on which are situate two concentric pro-
jections m³, m³ (see Fig. 8) whose office is to tip the tumbler in opposite
directions, which tumbler by reason of its toggle connection with the
shaft L will rock that shaft and retain it in the rocked position until
shifted by the next movement imparted to the tumbler.
The projection m³ which first comes into action is intended to act on
the lower end of the tumbler, and thereby tip it into the dotted position
of Fig. 9. By this action of the tumbler the cam of the rock shaft L
will be depressed or thrown out of action, and the coiled spring i will
consequently be free to lift the clamping plate I from the work. This
will allow of the removal from the clamp of the book or pamphlet,
the stitching of which has been just completed and the substitution

page_text: therefor of a fresh pile of folded sheets. As the cam continues to turn
the projection m³ which is set nearer the centre of the cam than the
projection m¹ will strike the upper end of the tumbler and tip it to the
drawn position of Fig. 9. The cam will thereby be raised and be
caused to put a downward pressure upon the clamping plate I which
pressure will be maintained for some three quarters of a revolution of
the cam M or until the sewing of a second book or pamphlet is
completed.
When the clamp is open for the removal of a finished pamphlet
and for the insertion of another to be sewn, it is necessary to prevent
the second pamphlet contained in the clamp from being accidentally
shifted, for this purpose the presser O is employed. This presser
consists of a curved bar which is pivotted to the bracket arm B, and
extends down into the slot of the clamping plate so that it may press
the work both beside and around the needle. The rear end of this bar O
terminates in a tail piece which lies within the path of a cam pro-
jection o on the face of the cam M. and followed by an incline recess o¹.
A spring o serves to keep this tail piece in contact with the cam face.
When therefore the projection o is presented to the tail piece the
presser O will be brought into action, but when the projection has passed
the tail piece the recess o¹ will allow the spring o³ to lift the presser out
of action.
The manner in which the necessary intermittent motion is imparted
to the cam M will be readily understood on an inspection of Fig. 3.
In this Figure it will be seen that an arm D¹ keyed on the driving
shaft D is fitted with a stud pin, which entering the radial slots in the
star wheel N in succession will force round the wheel in a step by step
motion. A cam shaped boss of this arm serves (as is usual in this class
of gearing) to lock the wheel when the pin is disengaged from the
radial slots, and thereby prevent its slipping out of position.
Having now described the construction of the mechanism for adapting
a sewing machine to the stitching of books and pamphlets, and traced
in detail the action of the several working parts, I will now follow
out the course of procedure in sewing two pamphlets by the machine
as exhibited in Sheet I. of the Drawings. I have stated that the
clamp is intended to hold two pamphlets at a time. These are not

page_text: however both sewn simultaneously but are together present in the
machine for the purpose of enabling the needle as it finishes the
sewing of one pamphlet to take over the thread to the other pamphlet
and secure it well in the folded sheets before it is presented to the knife
to be severed.
In Sheet III. of the Drawings I have shewn four diagrams
illustrating the course of the sewing, two pamphlets being contained in
the clamp.
In Fig. 10, the sewing of the pamphlet marked 1 is supposed to be
complete with the exception of the last stitch. At this time the
clamping plate I is raised to admit the sheets of the pamphlet No. 2,
within the clamp as shown, and the presser is bearing upon the
pamphlet 1 to hold it in position. The plate I now descends and the
presser is raised to allow for the lateral traverse of the clamp to bring
the pamphlet No. 2 under the needle. Before however this takes place
the needle descends and completes the sewing of the pamphlet No. 1. ·
Immediately the needle has risen clear of the work the lateral traverse
of the clamp takes place to bring pamphlet No. 2 under the action of
the needle. This movement is illustrated at Fig. 11 where 'the needle
thread is shewn to have crossed over to pamphlet No. 2. The needle
now descends and the loop which it forms below the pamphlet is
caught by the shuttle thread. It then descends again and the shuttle
is again passed through the same loop, thus a coil of shuttle thread is
laid in the loop sufficient to prevent the needle on its rising from
drawing its own thread out of the work.
The next operation is to move the clamp in the direction of the
arrow Fig. 11, to the position relatively to the needle as shewn in
Fig. 12. The needle will now in its next descent lay a long stitch in the
work which stitch will be secured by the shuttle thread below. The
clamp next traverses back to the position shewn at Fig. 11, and again
pierces the pamphlet at the middle hole. This second stitch being in
like manner secured the clamp continues to move in the opposite
direction to the arrow Fig. 11, until is assumes the position with respect
to the needle shewn at Fig. 13, to allow the needle to descend and form
a stitch on the opposite side of the middle hole. In making this
traverse the clamp will carry the threads which extend from one.

page_text: pamphlet to the other up to and past the cutting edge of the knife h¹,
which will sever the threads and leave the pamphlet No. 1 ready for
removal from the machine. The needle will now descend and form a
long stitch on the opposite side of the middle hole which stitch will be
secured by the shuttle thread. When this is effected the clamp will
bring the middle hole of the pamphlet again under the needle which
will then descend and form another stitch. When this is secured by
the shuttle thread the presser foot will be depressed on to pamphlet No. 2,
and the clamping plate I will be raised. The pamphlet No. 1 is then
to be removed from the machine and replaced by another set of folded
sheets, the backs of the same being brought into contact with the stop
pieces h, h¹; the clamp is then closed and a fastening stitch is given to
the pamphlet No. 2 by the descent of the needle into the middle hole.
When the stitch is secured the clamp and its contents are shifted to the
position shewn at Fig. 10, so as to bring the pamphlet just fed to the
machine into the proper position for commencing the stitching of the
same.
The operations above described are then repeated until in due course
the pamphlet No. 2 is released by the cutting of its threads and the
subsequent opening of the clamp.
The diagram Fig. 14 shews two pamphlets connected together by the
sewing thread as they would appear immediately before being cut.
From the above explanation it will be understood that any desired
variation in the distribution of the stitches may be effected by simply
modifying the form of the cam groove p³ and readjusting the step by
step motion of the star wheel to suit the action of the cam groove. It
may also be remarked that when thick pamphlets are sewn it may be
desirable to use an adjustable spring gauge, such as that shewn at R
in Sheet I. of the Drawings for the end of the pamphlet to but against.
By allowing the gauge to yield to the end pressure of the traversing
clamp short stitches may be thrown in to ensure the more firm sewing
of the work.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improved
Machinery for Sewing Books and Pamphlets," as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part
recited Letters Patent I claim,-

page_text: First. Adapting to sewing machines the arrangement of mechanism
above described for presenting books and pamphlets to the action of the
sewing instruments.
Secondly. The holding clamp and its fittings constructed and operating
as above described.
Thirdly. The means above described whereby the automatic severing
of the sewing threads is ensured.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Seventh day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.