IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RUCHING, PLEATING, GOPHERING, CRIMPING, AND MAKING-UP MILINERY AND OTHER TRIMMINGS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Whitehall, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR RUCHING, PLEATING, GOPHERING, CRIMPING, AND MAKING-UP
MILINERY AND OTHER TRIMMINGS."
Sealed the 14th October 1876, and dated the 31st July 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Whitehall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1876.
"
EDWIN WHITEHALL, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Machinist. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RUCHING, PLEATING, GOPHERING,
CRIMPING, AND MAKING UP MILINERY AND OTHER TRIMMINGS."
I employ two standards, which carry or form bearings for two pair of rollers,
round which four chains are passed. One pair of rollers are larger than the other
pair, and are hollow and capable of being heated by either gas and air jets or
steam. These rollers are flanged in the centre of their length, the flanges nearly
touching each other as they revolve, simultaneously being driven by toothed
gearing. The chains run in pairs upon each side of the flanged rollers, each pair
being composed of suitable shaped links for carrying the outer and inner ends of a
number of horizontal rods or wires, upon each of which a brass or other metal
former slides. These formers vary in shape according to the variety of trimming
required. Their are two guides in the rear of the hollow rollers, one above and
the other below the point where the rollers approach each other; these guides
prevent the fabric or material fed to the rollers from passing to the right or left of
the formers as the revolve on each side of the flanges; the formers placing the
fabric or material between them as they pass between the rollers force such fabric
or material into the shape required, such shapes being retained by the heat
employed, and there being many shapes which would be destroyed if the formers
were drawn out at a right ange to the upper and lower surfaces of the fabric or
material. I employ two other pair of inclined guides, the inner ends of which are
about the same width as the breadth of the roller flanges, and lie between the two
rows of formers, which sliding on the sides of the guides withdraw the formers
endways out of the fabric or material and then force the formers close to the
flangers of the rollers successively.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Whitehall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
January 1877.
.
⚫ EDWIN WHITEHALL, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Machinist. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR RUCHING, PLEATING, GOPHERING,
CRIMPING, AND MAKING-UP MILLINERY AND OTHER TRIMMINGS."
I employ two standards, which carry or form bearings for two pair of rollers,
round which four chains are passed. One pair of rollers are larger than the other
pair, and are hollow and capable of being licated by either gas and air jets or steam.
These rollers are flanged in the centre of their length, the flanges nearly touching
each other as they revolve simultaneously, being driven by toothed gearing. The
chains run in pairs upon each side of the flanged rollers, each pair being composed
of suitable shaped links for carrying the outer and inner ends of a number of
horizontal rods or wires, upon each of which a brass or other metal former slides.
These formers vary in shape according to the variety of trimming required. There
are two guides in the rear of the hollow rollers, one above and the other below the
point where the rollers approach each other. These guides provent the fabric or
material fed to the rollers from passing to the right, or left of the formers as they
revolve on each side of the flanges, the formers placing the fabric or material
between them as they pass between the rollers force such fabric or material into the
shape required, such shapes being retained by the heat employed, and there being
many shapes which would be destroyed if the formers were drawn out at a right
anglo to the upper and lower surfaces of the fabric or material I employ two other
pair of inclined guides, the inner ends of which are about the same width as the
breadth of the roller flanges, and lie between the two rows of formers, which
sliding on the sides of the guides withdraw the formers endways out of the
fabric or material and then force the formers close to the flanges of the rollers
successively.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view of a making-up machine constructed according to my
improvements; Figure 2 a plan of the same. Figure 3 a sectional view of portion
of the pressing rollers and upper and lower chains, shewing the relative position of
some of the formers F. Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a plan and side view of
one of the formers, and Figures 6 to 8 are end views of certain other formers
hereafter referred to.
I employ two standards A, A, to which are secured a pair of bearing brackets B¹
at the front of the standards and a similar pair B at the back of the standards.
The latter pair are slotted horizontally so as to be capable of adjustment by means
of set screws B³, each of which are passed through a stud on the side of the
standards. Each of the brackets B1 and B2 carry bearing plates B', the lower ends
of which form bearings for the axles of the lower chains, the upper ends being
slotted to receive the bearings for the axles of the upper chains, such bearings
being adjustable vertically by means of the screws shown at Figures 1 and 2. The
axles B are each provided with four grooved pulleys B³, one flange of each having
six slots to receive wires E¹; as the chains revolve the wires El are carried at each
end by connecting links E, shewn in plan at Figure 2, and in side view at Figure
3; the shape of the links E are varied to suit the width of the formers employed.
Lying between the two pair of axles or rollers B are a larger pair C, which are
hollow and capable of being heated by means of gas and air jets through the
pipes C. The rollers C have flanges C₁ in the centre of their length which nearly
touch each other as they are simultaneously revolved by each roller being provided
with a toothed wheel D2 at one end, the lower one being driven by a train of
wheels D¹ moved by a wheel D on the lower front axle B, the opposite end of both
front axles being provided with a toothed wheel D³, which, gearing into each other

page_text: when moved by the handle shewn at Figures 1 and 2, cause a simultaneous move-
ment of the four chains which run in pairs upon each side of the flanged rollers.
The chains are supported at the top and bottom on both sides by plates I secured
by brackets to the standards; upon the wires of the chains brass or other metal
formers F slide, occupying the relative position to cach other shown at Figure 3.
These formers vary in shape, according to the variety of trimming required. The
formers shown at Figures 3, 4, and 5 will form the ordinary double box pleat; the
formers shown at Figure 6 form an alternately reversed double box pleat; those
shown at Figure 7 will form a shell pattern frill trimming, and one of the same, in
conjunction with that shown in Figure 7A will form an alternate large and small
shell pattern frill trimming, and the formers shewn at Figure 8 will form a variety
of various sized pleatings when employed in the same machine by merely setting
the driving wheel on the axle of the upper chain to gear into the driving wheel on
the axle of the lower chain one or more teeth forward or backward to make the
pleat deeper or shallower. In rear of the rollers there are two guides H capable of
adjustment to or from each other by means of a double reversed screw shewn in
plan at Figure 2, between which the pleated, gophered, crimped, or plain fabric or
material to form the trimming is fed to the rollers, and prevents such fabric or
material from passing to the right or left of the formers as they revolve on each side
of the flanges C¹; the formers placing the fabric or material between them as they
pass between the rollers force it into the shape required, such shapes being retained
by the heat employed. And as there are many shapes which would be destroyed if
the formers were drawn out at a right angle to the upper and lower surfaces of the
trimming when formed, I employ two other pairs of inclined guides G and G¹.
The guides G have their inner ends about the same width as the breadth of the
roller flanges, and lie between the two double rows of formers, which, sliding on
the sides of the guides cause them to be withdrawn endways out of the fabric or
material, the outer guides G¹ successively placing the formers close to the flanges of
the pressing rollers previous to again passing between the rollers. By employing
formers in a machine constructed and operated as above described the fabric or
fabrics to be formed into a trimming are pressed by the flanges of the heated
rollers immediately after they are placed in position by the formers, and before the
withdrawal of such formers.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. For formers shown at Figure 6 working in and operated by a making-up
machine, as above described, to form an alternately reversed double box pleat.
Secondly. For formers shewn at Figure 7 to form a shell pattorn frill trimming.
Thirdly. For the formers shewn at Figure 7 A, to form an alternate large and
small shell pattern frill trimming.
Fourthly. For the formers shewn at Figure 8 to form a variety of various sized
pleatings when operated, as above described.
Fifthly. For pressing a rucked, pleated, gophered, crimped, or plain trimming
after the formers have placed the same in position for pressing previous to the
withdrawal of the formers, and without stopping the machine or having to employ
travelling partitions to support the trimmings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Whitehall, have hereunto set niy
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Nottinghain.
EDWIN WHITEHALL. (L.S.)