A Thread-stitching or Book-binding Machine.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 7th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Thread-stitching or Book-binding Machine.
We, FRANZ ROBERT KAHNES, Locksmith, and WILHELM SCHUMANN, Merchant,
both of 2 Brühl, Leipzig, in the Kingdom of Saxony, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :—
Our thread-stitching machine differs from those hitherto known principally by the
method of stitching, which is as follows:-
The folded sheet is stabbed perpendicularly through the back by a row of straight
needles, preferably three in number, each of which carries a thread. The loop of the
first needle is then seized and guided through the loops of the other needles.
Subsequently, the loop of the first needle is seized by means of a barbed needle and
drawn back through the sheet, after which the loop is sewn fast or drawn tight by
means of a separate shuttle thread. The machine, therefore, imitates the ordinary
method of sewing or stitching the sheets by hand.
The motion of the different working parts is preferably derived from a horizontal
driving shaft carrying 4 grooved discs or cams.
The two inner discs are placed symmetrically right and left of the row of straight
needles. These discs are grooved alike on their inner face. The outer face of one of
these discs has also a curved groove or cam for propelling the barbed needle.
The two outer and larger discs are grooved on their inner face, and impart motion
to the sheet feeder or the frame which supplies the sheets to be stitched. One of the
two outer discs has on its circumference, a curved guide, which imparts a short motion
to the shuttle, while the other disc carries on its circumference a toothed segment
which 'serves to set in motion the device that seizes the thread of the first needle, in
order to take it through the loops of the other needles towards the barbed needle.
After the sheet carrier has laid a fresh sheet on the saddle, so that one half of the
sheet occupies a vertical position with the fold at the top, the row of straight needles
descends so as to pierce the back, whereupon they make a short return motion,.so
that each needle thread forms a loop. The thread feeder now begins to act. It
consists of a long round needle guided in a horizontal sleeve or tube. This needle has
at its front end, a pair of jaws and a perforation at a right angle to the plane of the
jaws. One of the jaws is moveable on a hinge joint, and has a rear extension which
is pressed upwards by a spring, which tends to close the jaw. This rear arm is held
down and therefore the jaw held open, until the sleeve which encloses the round
needle has been passed and the loop of the first straight needle has been seized, after.
which the jaw is closed by the spring (which presses the rear arm of the moveable.
jaw into a longitudinal groove of the saddle supporting the sheets), until the jaw
arrives at the loop of the second needle, so that the loop of the first needle is carried
through those of the second and third needles. Before the thread feeder arrives in its
extreme position, it must make a turn of 90°, so that the loop held in the jaw will.
arrive in the plane of the hook of the barb needle. ..
1. T
As soon as the thread feeder has been turned 90° by means of a pin projecting from
the same and guided in a curved slot of its sleeve, the barbed needle begins to move,
and passes through the sheet into the perforation of the thread feeder (which
perforation is situated immediately behind-the jaw and at a right angle to the same,
as mentioned above), in order to catch the loop held in the same, and to carry it
upward when receding through the sheet. During the further up motion of the
barbed needle, the loop formed by the thread of the first needle is enlarged, so that
the shuttle may be carried through it.
1
5
In this operation the barbed needle makes a slight forward motion, in order to
thod after which the thread feeder (now empty) recedes rapidly;
:

page_text: and at the same time the straight needles and the shuttle move backward, so as to
tighten the loops..
The needle bar of each straight needle and that of the barbed needle is guided by a
cover plate which serves to carry the bobbins and the thread tension regulator.
The separate sheets are sewn to strips of backing, one for each straight needle,
each strip being clipped at one end to a wooden cross beam guided in a groove of the
machine frame. The displacement from sheet to sheet is regulated by a suitable drag
spring, according as the sheets are to be placed more or less close to each other.
Dated this 12th day of June 1889.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Thread-stitching or Book-binding Machine.
We, FRANZ ROBERT KAHNES Locksmith, and WILHELM SCHUMANN Merchant,
both of 2 Brühl, Leipzig, German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this 1
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to a thread stitching or fastening machine the
arrangement and operation of which are essentially different from the thread
stitching or fastening machines known heretofore.
In the machine hereinafter described the operation is the same as in stitching
or fastening by hand; but the machine works faster and in a more reliable.
manner.
The stitching or fastening is effected substantially as follows:-
The sheet to be stitched or fastened is first pierced by two or more needles provided. 2
with thread. Hereupon the loop of the first thread is seized, drawn through the
loops of the other threads and then by means of a hooked needle drawn over
the sheet where it is, by means of a looper, looped around a thread situated on the
sheet.
The tightening of the loop is effected by means of the formation of the next 3
stitching or fastening. Furthermore, there can be used in combination with this
method of stitching or fastening with the machine, bands which are attached to the
back of the sheet by means of a special thread; such bands serving to hold the
sheets better together and at the same time to afford a good means of connection when
pasting-in in the covers of the binding. The needles and the band sewing device are 3
adjustable so that sheets of all sizes can be stitched or fastened by means of the
machine.
A machine constructed according to the present invention is illustrated in the
accompanying sheets of drawings.
In Figs. 1 to 4 in cross section, in side elevation, in plan, and in front elevation 4
respectively;
Fig. 5 illustrates the sheet feeding device in its lowest position;
Figs. 6 to 9 illustrate the device for the formation of the stitches for the stitching
or fastening proper.
Figs. 10 to 12 the device for sewing on the bands;
14
Figs. 13 to 16 the needle for seizing the first thread of the loop, in two
modifications;
Figs. 17 to 21 a modification of the arrangement for fastening the loop of the first
thread;
Figs. 22 and 23 shew details.
In the framing of the machine is arranged the main driving shaft A which carries
two similar cam discs D with the curves D¹; the latter effect the upward and the
downward movements of the frame g that carries the needles a.
On one of the cam discs D is further arranged a curve / which serves for the

page_text: movement of the hooked needle h. There is further arranged on each of the two fly
wheels or discs B, a curve B' for operating the sheet feeder C.
On the outer surface of one of the fly wheels B is further provided a toothed
wheel E which engages with the spur teeth of a wheel E¹ the bevel teeth of which
engage with the bevel wheel E. On the latter is a curve O which effects the to and
fro movements of the needle P. The latter serves to engage with the loop of the
thread of the first needle in order to draw the said thread' through the loops of
the other needles a. The looper Qis operated by means of a tappet R arranged on
one of the fly wheels B and adapted to act on a toothed rod or rack n that is under
the influence of a spring n¹. The said rack n engages in the toothed wheel arranged
on the casing n³. This casing n³ is connected with the looper Q and bobbin in the
ordinary way, and the looper Q receives its movements from the pins n³ of the
casing.
The operation of the working parts of the machine is as follows, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings;
In Fig. 5 the sheet feeder C is in its lowest position for the reception of the
sheet C. The latter is raised and brought into the position shewn in Fig. 1. As
soon as the sheet feeder has, by the action of the curve B¹, assumed its position of
rest, there begins the downward movement of the needles a which is caused by the
action of the curves D' upon the needle carrier g.
All the needles a pierce through the sheet C¹ (Figs. 6 and 7) and then have a short
backward movement so that a loop is formed by each needle.
The action of the seizing needle P now begins. The latter consists of a round
needle which is guided in a sheath or casing F and which is provided at its forward
end with a mouth or jaw and with an opening 9 arranged at right angles to this
jaw. The said jaw is formed by a movable leg P1 (Figs. 8, 13 and 14). It is acted
upon by a spring. The said leg is held open by its rear arm engaging the casing
that is to say, the mouth or jaw is opened until its rear arm passes into the groove Fl
formed in the casing F, after the loop of the first needle a on the left has been seized.
The mouth is then kept closed until the loop of the first needle has been guided
through the loops of the other needles.
However before the seizing needle has assumed the extreme right hand position,
it must perform a rotation through 90° in order that the loop situated in the mouth
of the seizing needle may pass into the plane of the book of the hooked needle /.
This is effected by the aid of a pin p that is formed on the seizing needle and which
works in a curved slot p¹ of the casing F.
Shortly before the seizing needle P has reached its end position the hooked needlo
begins its downward movement and pierces the sheet C¹ and passes into the opening
of the seizing needle, in order to seize the loop of the first needle (Fig. 8) and draw
the same in its upward movement through the back of the sheet (Fig. 6). The loop
becomes larger in consequence of this upward movement so that now the point of the
looper Q can pass into the same, and in consequence of the action of the tappet R
(that now takes place) upon the rack n, rotating the casing (n'), the looper point
moves the said loop backwards in order to place the same around the thread a' of the
bobbin (Fig. 9), so as to form a lockstitch.
Meanwhile the hooked needle moves forward to a slight extent in order to release
the loop of the first needle, whereupon the seizing needle P that has now become
empty, moves back quickly and there takes place at the same time by the backward
movement of the needles a, a tightening of the loops and thus a thoroughly secure
fastening of a sheet is effected. It may also be stated that the sheet is not cut either
at its upper or its lower end, nor is it damaged in any way.
In Figs. 15 and 16 is shewn a seizing needle P which is normally closed and is
opened only by the pressure of an internal spring when the seizing needle is to seize
the loop of the first needle a, the latter operation being effected by means of a
recess provided in the casing F on the opposite side to the loop. As soon as
the mouth of the seizing needle has passed beyond this recess the mouth closes
again.

page_text: The bobbin b¹ (Figs. 3 and 4) for the thread of the first needle is arranged in an
inclined manner on the framing of the machine in order that the thread of the same
may run off better whilst the bobbins 6 for the other needles may be arranged in any
desired manner. The thread a of the bobbin b' is provided with a special take-up
and braking device (fig. 22). This braking device consists of a bent lever r. which
is operated by means of a pin 1 of the cam disc D and thus draws up the thread a
for the purpose of tightening the loop that is held at its looped end by the locking or
closing thread a¹.
1
a
Now as soon as the pin ¹ acts upon the lever r the thread a is 'pressed against
spring provided below the lever whereby the thread is braked so that the latter
will not be wound off the bobbin by the tightening of the loop.
The threads a of the other needles are tightened by means of a lever d (Figs.
and 6) which is pivotted to the framing of the machine, and to which an oscillating
'movement is imparted by means of a pin provided in the needle frame or carrier g……...
e are the guides on which the needle holders are adjustable (Fig. 6); they are
fixed on the frame or carrier g. The hooked needle h with its holder h' moves up and
down in guides i, 1, (Fig. 23).
In order to press the several sheets more or less together, a block M is provided,
arranged so as to be capable of moving in grooves N of the framing of the machine,
and the harder or easier working of which in the groove N is capable of regulation
by means of a bent spring. In order that the sheets shall not swell up in the middle
in consequence of being pressed together by the block M.there is provided a bent
presser fi (Figs. 1 and 10) the position of which, relatively to the edge of the sheet,
can be regulated by means of screws.
.
The sewing of the bands k¹ that serve to connect with a binding cover the stitched
sheets is effected as follows:-The bands k¹ are fed by rollers k and are, by means of
pairs of needles a situated in juxtaposition (as shewn in Figs. 6, 7 and 11) during
the herein before described stitching or fastening of the sheet connected with the said
sheet, in such a manner that the additional threads m³ are placed in a sinuous manner
behind and in front of the two threads a situated in juxtaposition and passed through
the sheet, as illustrated in Fig. 12, and thus secure firmly the bands k¹ on the back
of the sheets. The threads m¹ are supplied from the bobbins m (Fig. 1) and pass
through the holes of the connecting rod L to which a to and fro movement is
imparted from the main shaft A. This is effected by means of a chain wheel H
mounted on the shaft A and connected by a chain with a second chain wheel H¹
(Figs. 2 to 4). The chain wheel His furnished with a semi circular projection K
against which bears a roller carried by a lever connected with a rod L and which thus
transmits a to and fro movement to the rod L;. the two needles a pass through the
first sheet behind and through the next sheet in front of the thread m', whereupon
the thread m¹ which has been drawn in one direction, is now moved in an opposite
direction.
.
The looper illustrated in Figs. 17 to 20 is provided with a point Q and a hook Q¹
inclined to the latter. The loop of the thread a is taken by the point Q out of the
hooked needle h (Fig. 18), and stripped off in a forward direction (Fig. 19).. Mean-
while the hook Q¹ has seized the locking or closing thread a and draws, the same
through the loop of the thread a (Fig. 20) whereupon the tightening, is effected,,in
the manner herein before described and the closing fastening illustrated. in Fig. 21
is effected, the hook needle in its next descent passing through the loop a¹ to form a
double-loop stitch.
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
0.18
1. A thread stitching or fastening machine in which the stitching or, fastening is
effected by means of two or more needles furnished with threads, in such a manner
that the loop of the outermost needle that has pierced the sheet, is seized and is
carried through the loops of the other needles to a hooked needle (piercing the sheet

page_text: at one or the other end of the back of the sheet), and is drawn by the said hooked
needle again through the sheet, and is secured by means of a locking thread.
2. In a stitching or fastening machine, the combination of the device referred to
in claim 1, with a device for sewing on bands or cords for binding, comprising a
connecting rod to which a to and fro movement is imparted from the main shaft, and
by means of which a thread m¹ is placed in a sinuous manner in front and behind
the threads of the stitching or fastening proper, which latter threads m¹ enclose
between them the binding band.
3. In a thread stitching or fastening machine the combination of the devices
referred to in claims 1 and 2, with a looper Q' Q' which, by means of its point Q',
takes a loop out of a hooked needle and throws it off, whereupon there is drawn
through this loop a second loop formed by the hook Q1 of the looper.
4. Thread stitching or fastening machinery constructed arranged and operating as
shewn in and described with reference to the annexed drawings.
R. KAHNES,
Per L. W.
W. SCHUMANN,
Per L. W.
R. KAHNES,
Per L. W.
W. SCHUMANN,
Per L. W.