IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENT FOR PLAITING, FOLDING, FRILLING, RUFFLING, AND GATHERING WOVEN OR OTHER FABRICS AND MATERIALS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Taylor, of Great Driffield, in the County of
Yorkshire, Sewing Machine Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENT FOR PLAITING, FOLDING, FRILLING,
RUFFLING, AND GATHERING WOVEN OR OTHER FABRICS AND MATERIALS."
Sealed the 27th September 1878, and dated the 19th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Taylor at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1878.
WILLIAM TAYLOR, of Great Driffield, in the County of Yorkshire, Sewing
Machine Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR
PLAITING, FOLDING, FRILLING, RUFFLING, AND GATHERING WOVEN OR OTHER
FABRICS AND MATERIALS."
This Invention has for its object the arrangement and construction of apparatus
applicable to the production of plaited, folded, frilled, ruffled, and gathered work from
fabrics, woven or otherwise, or other suitable material or materials, or such as are
capable of being operated on to enable such results to be produced whereby a
simpler and more durable apparatus may be obtained and at a less cost, and which
will enable a novel or different kind of work to be manufactured than has hitherto
been brought out or accomplished by the apparatus at present in use.
In carrying out my Invention when arranged for producing what are known as
"box plaits," I employ a suitable framework to carry the parts, and use two
adjustable plates or blades as folders to which a reciprocating motion is communi-
cated, and each of which instead of working against the other in order to form the
plait, works against or upon a stationary surface inclined or horizontal, or placed in
J

page_text: a convenient or suitable position according to the arrangement and position of the
other parts of the apparatus, and these after forming the plait deliver the same to
the "taking off" part of the apparatus, which may be heated if desired in any
suitable or convenient manner by which it is held during the withdrawal of each
plate or blade, and from which it receives the required pressure to cause the plaits
to retain their shape.
The plates or blades are connected with or to and adjustable on or with a part
working in the framing which receives a reciprocating or up-and-down movement
from a revolving shaft actuated by hand or other suitable power, or is caused to
reciprocate by other convenient means, the movement of which gives an alternate
advance and retreat to each plate or blade, causing the fabric or material to be
formed in the desired manner, and passed to the "taking-off" part where it is held
and pressed until each plate or blade has been withdrawn, and a fresh plait takes its
place by the advance of the next plate or blade.
•
The platos or blades have their travol adjusted by stops which can within certain
limits be set to the desired size or width of plait, and the stops can be readily
regulated by screws or other suitable means, so as to ensure the continuous pro-
duction of the desired plait, a work for which it is adjusted, and the plates or blades
are or may be arranged to rise on their folding edge by the act of withdrawal, and
be pressed down on the folding edge by the act of forming the plait, or caused to do
so before withdrawing from or forming the plait, and turn on pivots or their
equivalents, being suitably guided or provided with suitable guiding arrangements
for this purpose.
Where required means for readily adjusting the various parts of the apparatus,
both for wear, the kind of work or other purposes, may be provided, and springs or
their equivalents employed wherever necessary.
In the apparatus arranged for working with a single adjustable plate or blade,
I cause the same to work on a surface either stationary or moveable, and to deliver
the fold, plait, or other work to the "taking-off" part which holds the same whilst
the plate or blade is withdrawn, and where the moveable surface is used the same
travels with the "taking-off" part, which removes the plait from the plate or blade
to a second "taking-off" part; by which it is held whilst the first returns to receive
the next plait.
This arrangement of feed is also adaptable to either the single or double blade
machines.
The plates or blades in the single plate or blade machines may be actuated in a
similar manner to those in the double machine for box plaits, or a modification of
the plan used therein may be employed. Either or both the "taking-off” parts
may be heated in any convenient manner, or if preferred the surface or surfaces
below the same in both single and double folding plate or blade machines may be
heated instead, or both surfaces and taking-off parts may be heated as desired or
preferred.
The plates or blades are or may be arranged so as to have a springy pressure,
either constant or intermittent, applied to them, and these parts used for this
purpose as well as the others in the apparatus may have any movement that may
be required for the work given to them by means of cams, levers, connecting rods,
or other suitable means actuated by a convenient part or parts of the apparatus, so
as to ensure the desired results, and screw or other suitable adjustments are or may
be applied as necessary.
The "taking-off" parts may be caused to rise and fall vertically on or in guides
or their equivalents, or to turn, oscillate, or vibrate in bearings or pivots, and be
actuated by cains, levers, connecting rods, or their equivalents, or in any other
suitable or convenient manner that will produce the required action of receiving the
work, and holding and removing it from the blade or plate, and the pressure
required to cause the proper action of the "taking-off" part or parts may be given
by a spring or springs, weight or weights, lever or levers, or by a suitable, com-
bination of the same as desired or preferred.

page_text: I also arrange the "taking-off" part so as to consist or be formed of two
segmental rollers or parts working in bearings or on pivots, to which a partially
rotary or vibrating or oscillating motion is given by means of suitablo levers and
connections, and cause them to be operated by means of a toggle joint, and so as to
be separated to receive the material, and brought together to take it off the plate or
blade when the plait is made, a second "taking-off" part operated also by the same
prime mover taking it away from the segments when they open to receive a fresh
plait; one, both, or either of these segments may be caused to rise and fall whilst
opening and closing on the material, and the material may be acted on by the plate
or blade whilst either on a stationary or moveable surface.
Suitable springs or their equivalent are used where necessary, and means for
giving the requisite tension of the material whilst passing to and being acted on by
the plate or blade are provided.
The tension arrangement may consist of an adjustable plate or part placed below
the plate or blade, and between which and the plate or blade the material to be
operated on passes, which may be set to give the required tension by means of a
spring or springs, or by means of a screw or screws as desired or preferred, the same
being capable of ready adjustment, and suitable guides are provided to ensure the
material passing properly through the apparatus, and in the manner required.
In order that my apparatus may produce the new kind of work in puffing or
ruffling the material, I employ a stationary part, or which may be attached to or
form part of the apparatus, over, under, or between which the material is caused to
pass, whereby in place of the plait extending across the width of the material
operated on it is caused to be at the edges, the intermediate part being ruffled or
puffed, and thus a new kind of work is produced by my arrangement.
A suitable spring or springs or a means of providing a yielding resistance may be
employed in connection with this arrangement where necessary, and the same inay
be provided with means of adjustment.
These parts or one of them may be arranged so as to be applied to other
machines of this kind where the arrangement of the parts will admit of their
application.
All the "taking-off" parts in my apparatus may be arranged so as to be heated,
and where gas or flame from petroleum, spirits, or other inflammable materials is or
are used for heating, in order to prevent the concentration of the heat from each jet
or flame in the part immediately over or near it, I by preference distribute the
heat equally over the surface to be heated by causing it to pass through wire
gauze, a stratum of asbestos, or other suitable material or materials or combination
of the same, interposed between the surface to be heated and the flame or heat
employed for heating.