IMPROVEMENTS IN "MACHINES FOR TURFING FABRICS
Year: 1885

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We MATTHEW FRANKLIN CONNETT Jr, and HORATIO BARDWELL BUCK residing at
the corner of Second and Mason Streets and 606 South Fourth Street respectively
in the City of Springfield County of Sangamon and State of Illinois in the United
States of America, gentlemen do hereby declare the nature of the invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN "MACHINES FOR TURFING FABRICS" and in what manner the
same is to bo performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the machine as in operation Fig. 2 a sectional
view in side elevation showing the parts as in position before the needle has been
thrust through the fabric Fig. 3 a view in side elevation of the machine with the
parts as in position after the needle has been thrust down through the fabric.
Fig. 4 a detail view of the needle bar removed. Fig. 5 a similar view of the needle
and Fig 6 a similar view of the needle throw regulating sleeve.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus or machine for
turfing fabrics and to this end it consists in the construction arrangement and
combination of parts as hereinafter specified. In the drawings A designates the
fabric to be turfed which is stretched over a suitable frame B in the ordinary and
well known way. C designates a tube within which slides the tubular needle bar D.
Where the machine is to be driven by power this tube is to be attached to a
supporting arm in the same way as the needle guide and presser foot of a sewing
machine and the needle bar is to be connected in any suitable way with a
vibrating needle arm. The tube as shown in the drawings has a longitudinal slot E
in its rear side open at its lower end and extending well up the tube. The lower
end of the tube C is provided at its sides with downwardly extending ears or
lugs F F which extend parallel with each other and are rounded on their forward
and rear ends so as to permit the free passage of the fabric under them while they
rest in contact with it.
Upon the tube, just above these ears, is a sleeve G capable of being rotated about
the tube as desired This sleeve is at one point slotted from end to end the slot H
being of a width corresponding with slot E in the tube.
When then the sleeve is rotated so that the two slots are in coincidence there is
& clear passage throughout the extent of slot E: The upper end of the sleeve is cut
away to different depths so as to leave portions g g¹ g²of different heights forming

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steps. The sleeve is so formed for a purpose hereinafter to be described. The
tubular needle bar D is provided near its lower end with a lug I projecting through
and moving in the slot E as the bar is reciprocated within tube C. The upper end
of this lug is made abrupt so as to act in connection with the upper end of the slot
as a stop to limit the upward movement of the bar. The outer face of the lug is,
as shown, inclined inward and downward from its upper to its lower end. Just
below this lug, a portion of the rear side of the tube of the needle bar is cut away
and a slot K is cut in the remaining portion at right angles to the axis of the tube.
The needle L is tubular and at its lower end is brought to a penetrating point by
being cut away obliquely or at an angle on its rear side. The upper end of the
needle is formed with a flange L₁ adapted to fit in the slot K in the end of the
needle bar.
This flange is made of such shape as to just slide and fit within the tube C when
the needle bar is drawn upward within such tube It is also made slightly thinner
towards its rear side than at its front, so that the needle while attached to and
carried by the tubular bar as described above is capable of being vibrated slightly
to carry its point to the rear. For the purpose of giving the needle this motion so
as to form a needle feed, on the rear side of the needle is the fixed lug or ear M
projecting out through and guided in the slot E in tube C.
The lower end of the lug is on its inner side cut away to leave a downwardly
projecting portion M¹ having its inner face inclined upward and inward as shown.
This portion as the needle bar is thrust downward within its tube, rides upon the
sleeve G so that the needle is swung rearward to make the feed.
The main portion of the lug M. coming in contact with the upper edge of that
portion of the sleeve which is turned across slot E limits the downward movement
of the needle bar and needle. By turning the sleeve so that different portions of
it shall be brought across the slot E the throw of the needle can obviously be
regulated as desired.
Attached to the rear side of tubular needle L and extending parallel with it is
the needle N whose point stands in rear of and just above the lower end of the
needle L
To swing the needle forward again into position after the inclined projection M¹
on its lug has passed up out of engagement with the sleeve we provide the spring P
attached at one end to the lug on the needle and at the other bearing against the
inclined outer face of the stop-lug on the needle bar The edges of the obliquely
cut away end or point of the tubular needle are not left sharp but are rounded as
shown to prevent cutting the fabric.
If desired the hollow needle can be provided with a solid point, an opening being
made near the point for the passage of the yarn from the inside of the needle.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The fabric to be turfed is stretched
on the frame B and the needle is supplied with yarn or similar material which is
passed down through the needle bar and needle and out at the point of the latter
The bar and needle being pulled back the tube C is held with its bottom ears or
lugs against the fabric. The needle bar is then thrust down so that the needle
carrying the yarn is forced through the fabric until the lug on the needle strikes
the sleeve on tube C. Just before this, as the end of the stroke of the needle is
neared the riding of the inclined inner face of the projection on this lug swings
the needle to the rear. As the needle is confined in the goods or fabric this move-
ment of it causes the machine to move forward. The needle being now withdrawn,
a loop is formed of the yarn on the opposite side of the goods operated upon As
the needle is thrust down again through the fabric the sharp supplemental needle
impales the yarn in the rear of the needle and so prevents the loop just made from
being pulled out by the movement of main needle L As this latter moves down-
ward the yarn is compelled to feed down through the needle bar and tubular
needle The length of the stroke of the needle and consequently the size of the
loops made can be regulated as desired by turning the sleeve on the tube to bring
higher or lower portions of it over the slot. The spring P keeps the needle in its

page_text: normal position as shown in Figs 1 and 2 and returns it to such position after it
has been swung rearward to make the feed by the means already described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. In a machine or apparatus for turfing fabrics, in combination with the needle
for carrying the yarn down through the fabric, means substantially as described
moving in the same direction with the needle, adapted to hold the yarn at a point
between the needle and the loop last formed so that such loop shall not be pulled
out by the movement of the needle substantially as shown and described.
2 In combination with the needle adapted to carry the yarn through the fabric,
to form loops, the supplemental needle adapted to impale and hold the yarn between
the needle and the last formed loop as the needle passes through the fabric,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In combination with the tubular needle for turfing fabrics having the yarn fed
through it the supplemental needle carried with the tubular one and adapted to
impale the yarn between the loop last formed and such tubular needle substantially
as and for the purpose described.
4. In a machine or apparatus for turfing fabrics a needle for carrying the yarn
through the fabric in combination with the impaling needle arranged parallel to
the other and traveling in the same direction with it substantially as shown and
described.
5. In combination with the hollow needle bar adapted to allow of the passage
and feed of the yarn or thread down through it, the hollow needle attached to the
bar having its bore connecting with or forming a continuation of the bore of the
needle bar, and at its lower end cut away at an angle to form a penetrating point
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. The hollow needle bar, provided at its lower end with a slot substantially at
right angles to its axis, in combination with the hollow needle provided with the
flange adapted to fit the slot in the needle bar substantially as shown and
described.
7. The hollow needle bar provided at or near its lower end with a slot
substantially at right angles to its axis and open at one side of the bar and the
needle having at its upper end a flange adapted to fit in such slot and be flush with
the outside of the bar in combination with tubular sheath surrounding the bar
substantially as shown and described.
8. In combination with the tubular sheath provided with the longitudinal slot
the needle bar within the sheath provided with a lug guided in the slot the needle
carried by the bar having the lug extending out through the slot in the sheath and
the stop sleeve around the latter substantially as and for the purpose described.
9. In combination with the slotted sheath and the needle carried by the bar
within the sheath and provided with a lug projecting through the slot, the rotary
sleeve on the sheath cut away to form steps of different heights for engagement of
the lug on the needle to limit the movement of the latter substantially as and for
the purpose described.
10. In a machine or apparatus for turfing fabrics, in combination with the needle,
means for regulating its throw, consisting of a lug or stud on the needle and an
adjustable stop for engaging the same substantially as and for the purpose
described.
11. In combination with the needle the lug thereon provided with a projection
or lip inclined on its inner side and a fixed lug or stop on the machine adapted to
be struck and engaged by the lip and lug at the lower end of the stroke of the
needle substantially as and for the purpose described.
12. In combination with the needle bar the needle attached thereto so as to be
capable of swinging thereon and means as a lug and stop adapted to swing the
needle to the rear at the lower end of its stroke substantially as and for the purpose
described.

page_text: 13. In combination with the needle bar the needle carried thereby so as to be
capable of a swinging motion thereon, a spring attached to the needle and bearing
against the inclined face of a lug on the bar and adapted to keep the needle
normally in one position and the inclined lip or projection carried by the needle
adapted to come in contact with and ride over the upper edge of the sleeve on the
needle bar sheath as the needle approaches the lower limit of its throw substantially
'as and for the purpose specified.
14. In combination with the slotted needle bar sheath the needle having a lug
projecting out through the slot in the sheath and the stop sleeve on the lower end
of said sheath provided with a longitudinal slot adapted by rotation of the sleeve 1
to be brought into coincidence with the slot in the sheath to allow the needle to be
removed substantially as and for the purpose specified.