IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING CARPETS OR THE LIKE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
"
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING CARPETS OR THE
LIKE."–
A communication from abroad by Albert Neustadt, of San Francisco,
California, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th June 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING
CARPETS OR THE LIKE. A communication from abroad by Albert Neustadt of
San Francisco, California, United States of America.
This invention relates to an improved sewing machine which is adapted to roll
or travel upon the edges of two strips of carpeting or other fabric stretched
between suspending books or supports, and while travelling from one end of the
material to the other end lays over its frayed or ravelled edges and sews the two
pieces together. The main novel features of the said machine consist in a sewing
machine frame provided with flanged rollers which revolve upon the edges of the
carpet while the frame slides in relief above and along the sides of the same; also
in a frame provided with rollers having a V-shaped circular projection, or its
equivalent, on the tread of its periphery between the flanges; also in a gripper
whereby the machine is intermittently, or at the completion of each stitch fed
along, that is to say fed along the distance of a stitch, stopped until the stitch is
made and then again fed along the distance of another stitch, and so on until the
seam is completed; also in the mechanism for operating the said gripper; also in
the combination of stitch-forming mechanism, gripper feeding mechanism, and a
sewing machine frame provided with flanged roller-supports for rolling the machine
over the edges of the carpet or other fabric; and also in the combination of the
stitch-forming mechanism, the gripper feeding mechanism, the frame of the sewing
machine provided with rollers for supporting and rolling it on the edges of the

page_text: carpet or other fabric, one of the rollers having a V-shaped circular projection
between its flanges, a crank-handle, suitable speed regulating gearing, and a steadying
handle, all as hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a side view of my improved machine and,
Figure 2 is a front view of the same showing portions of two carpet strips in
section as they appear in the front supporting roller.
Figure 3 is a view in detail of one side of the feed-lever and gripping mechanism,
with its operating cam in section, and,
Figure 4 is a view of the other side of the upper portion of the same.
Figure 5 is an edge view of the gripper when open, and
Figure 6 is a similar view of the same when closed.
Figure 7 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section, shewing the
gripper-operating cam, and lever-arm with the spring-slide.
Figure 8 is a vertical section, in detail showing the looping hook and a portion
of one of its operating lever-arms in elevation..
Figure 9 is an elevation partly in vertical section shewing the lever-arms, the
loop-forming bar, the connecting rod of the lever arms, a part of the frame and the
steadying handle.
Figure 10 is an end view of the loop-forming hook, and its bar and bearing.
Figure 11 represents in plan a part of the frame, the supporting rollers, the
carpet-strips, the needle and the loop forming hook, and in horizontal section the
gripper.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing.
A represents a vertical plate forming part of the frame to which the main parts
of the machine are attached; B is the cam-wheel for operating various parts of the
machine C is the needle-bar and D D¹ are supporting rollers.
To the plate A. the cam-wheel B is attached by means of a pivot b. This cam-
wheel has three different cam-formations for producing three distinct operations,
namely the operation of the needle, the operation of the gripping device, and its
feed motion. For the first purpose the said cam-wheel B is provided with a doubly
inclined continuous groove 6' in which an antifriction-roller 6' travels, which roller
is attached to the needle-bar C. The lower end c of the said needle-bar is T-shaped
and is pivoted between the pointed ends of two adjustable set-screws c² suitably
supported in lugs c³ upon the frame-plate A and steadied by set-screws c* in the
said lugs. The upper end of the needle-bar is, by means of a connecting rod c³
connected to the upper end of a lever-arm E. The lower end of this lever-arm E is
pivoted at e to a rigid arm f connected to a bar F which is fastened by a nut f¹ to
the plate A. A similar bar F¹. is fastened by another nut f¹ to the said plate,
and the two ends of the said bars F F are united by a cross-bar f2 in any suitable
manner; the parts F F'f with the plate A constituting a suitable frame for my
improved machine.
To the extreme lower end of the arm and to the bar F' a suitable handle at G
is attached, whereby the operator may with his left hand steady and hold the
machine in the proper position while sewing.
A crank-handle G. of suitable construction is attached to the cam-wheel B to
enable the same to be operated. In order to steady the movements of the machine
a balance-wheel G³. is provided and suitably supported by the plate A; this wheel
is driven from the cam-wheel B by means of a grooved pulley 68 a belt or cord g
and a grooved pulley g' attached to, or forming part of the said balance-wheel.
The arm F is provided with a flanged roller D which has a central V-shaped
projection or ridge d¹ of much less thickness than the width of the space between
the Banges d d of the said roller and while the pulley is riding upon the edges of
the carpet-strips, the said roller D by its flanges & prevents the carpet-strips from
parting, while the ridge d¹ enters between the faces of such carpet-strips and
deflects the woollen facing downward out of the range of the needle C'. imme-
diately before the feel-gripping plates I, I, of the machine take hold of the thus

page_text: prepared edges of the carpet-strips. A flanged roller D¹. not having a ridge, and
with its flanges nearer to each other than the flanges of aforesaid roller D is
provided upon the arm F. in line with the said roller Ď and the two rollers serve
to guide and hold the machine as it rolls over the carpet-strips. As an equivalent
of the continuous V-shaped ridge d. a series of separated segmental projections
might be adopted, or a series of separate and suitably shaped hooks might be placed
between the flanges of the roller D for the same purpose as the said continuous
V-shaped ridge d¹; moreover if desired the transverse sectional form of the ridge d²,
or of the equivalents therefor herein mentioned, might be varied, so that they will
be rounded instead of tapering, and still perform the desired work of laying over
the frayed edges out of the range of the needle. The gripping device is an adjunct
to, and forms a part of the feeding or propelling device which consists of a longitu-
dinally vibrating bar herein denominated the feed-lever H. This feed-lever is
pivoted at to the frame-plate A. and the upper portion of the said feed-lever
moves back and forth the length of the respective stitches in a horizontal slot a of
a stepped upper portion a¹ of the said frame-plate A. By forming the said plate
with the slotted stepped portion a¹ the upper portion of the lever, H can be passed
through this plate so that part of it occupies a position on that side of the plate A
where the rollers D D¹ are located, and on which side the two flat-gripping plates
I, I, of the gripping device are pivoted at i to the upper end of the lever H at a
suitable distance above the edges of the carpet. The gripping plates I are provided
with arms i. which are connected by means of pivot pins 2, and oblong slots, to
the head J of a sliding bar -The lower end of this sliding bar jis provided with
a foot-plate j³ having a vertical central slot through it which permits a set-
screw . to pass into the lever H and thus hold the slide-barj to the said lever.
A spring k suitably fastened to the lever H and having one of its ends inserted in
a notch j³ of the said foot-plate serves to draw the slide down and simulta-
neously open the gripping plates, and keep them open during the time the gripper
is being moved back to take a new bite for feeding the machine along. The lower
end of the said sliding barj rests upon a lever J¹. which is pivoted at 1 to the
plate A and bears upon a cam 63. upon the cam-wheel B; the proper motion is thus
given to the sliding head J and the gripper-plates I as. hereinafter described.
The lever H is provided with a cam-formation h¹ opposite a cam 6* upon the
cam-wheel B, in order that the said lever may be moved forward a distance equal
to the required length of stitch, and with a spring 6 suitably fastened to the
plate A and bearing against the said lever H so as to keep the cams h¹ and 6ª in
working contact and also to cause a return movement of the lever H with the
gripper attached, to a position for producing a new feed of the machine at the
moment the needle has receded to its starting position.
This construction gives the proper propelling or feed motion to the gripping
plates as will be understood from the following description.
In order to allow the needle C¹. to freely enter the carpet-strips, the plate A is
provided with a hole a² the lever H with a horizontal slot h², and the gripping
plates I with horizontal slots i³. Opposite the needle, on the other side of the
plate A a looping hook K is provided which is fastened to a vibrating bar k*
suitably hung upon the bar f2 and a bearing k' on the bar F-The said bar k* has
two spiral twists or threads as at k³, formed on it, and over these threads k³. two
parallel lugs e' one on the arm E and the other on a branch arm ³ pass backward
and forward with the needle-bar. By this construction the looper-hook K. is
properly vibrated backward and forward with each backward and forward move-
ment of the needle, and forms the loop of a double chain-stitch in the ordinary
well known manner. The hook K and the needle c'. are each supplied with
thread from spools L and L' suitably attached to the plate A and arm ƒ.
Inasmuch as it is not desired to confine this invention to any specific mechanism
for forming stitches, but it is purposed to employ any other known stitch forming
mechanism which can be practically applied for use in connection with the aforesaid
gripper-feed-mechanism, flanged rollers and rolling suspended supporting frame and

page_text: other parts employed as adjuncts thereto; I will without further description of
such mechanism, now proceed to describe the several stages of operation of the
feed, or gripping and propelling mechanism with respect to the special stitch forming
mechanism shown; namely a reciprocating eye-pointed needle, and a vibrating
perforated or thread-carrying looper.
The machine above described having been placed upon the edges of the suspended
carpet-strips or other pieces of fabric to be united, the operator places his left hand
on the handle to steady it and turns the actuating cam with his right hand applied
to the crank-handle. As the machine moves along, the roller D lays aside, or
down, the frayed or loose wool edges of the carpet, the gripping plates I grip the
carpet-strips thus prepared by the said roller D the whole sewing machine is
caused by the grippers to roll forward the distance of the required stitch, it
swinging on the pivot h of the lever H and rolling on the rollers D D'; the
threaded needle now passes through the plate A; the lever H, and one of the
gripping plates, - the carpet-strips, and then through the other gripping plate;
the needle now recedes, and thereupon the threaded looper is set in motion and
caused to take the loop of the needle which it retains in proper relation to its own
thread until the needle again advances, when by a reverse movement of the looper
the loop is freed from it and the stitch is tightened or completed upon the fabric
at the next receding movement of the needle. Previously to the above mentioned
second advance of the needle, the gripper-plates I I are opened and swung back by
the spring & drawing down the slide and are made to bite upon the carpet and to
feed the machine along the distance of another stitch by the cam 6' acting on the
lever H and while these operations are proceeding the needle maintains its starting
position outside the plate A; but as soon as the feeding of the machine forward
the distance of a stitch is accomplished the needle makes the aforesaid second
advance, the looper casts off its loop and assumes a position for taking the loop
about to be formed by the backward movement of the needle; and the stitch as
before stated, is tightened or completed during the subsequent operation of the
parts, and thus the operation proceeds until the seam is completed.
j
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim.
First. In combination with stitch forming mechanism, a suspended frame having
one or more supporting flanged rollers which travel upon the edges of the carpet
strips or pieces of other fabric to be united, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Second-In combination with a sewing machine-frame and stitch-forming
mechanism, the suspending and supporting flanged roller D¹. and the suspending
and supporting roller D having a projection or ridge d' substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
Third A gripper feeding device applied to the sewing machine above and on
each side of the edges of the carpet or other fabric, opened out from the sides and
closed against the sides of said edges, and having its feed-lever H pivoted to the
frame A below the needle, in combination with stitch-forming mechanism mounted
on a frame which is suspended upon, supported by, and moved on, the edges of the
carpet strips, substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
:-
Fourth In a machine for uniting the edges of carpets or other fabrics, the
combination of suitable actuating mechanism, the gripping plates I, pivoted to the
feed bar H at i and to the head J of the slide the spring k, the lever J¹, and!
the cam 63 substantially as, and for the purpose specified.
Fifth A gripper feeding device consisting of pivoted and perforated plates I
which are connected to a feeding lever H, in combination with the frame-plate A
of a machine for uniting carpets and other fabrics, which plate has a perforation
through it for the passage of a horizontally vibrating needle, substantially as, and
for the purpose, specified.
Sixth The combination of stitch-forming mechanism, gripper feeding mechanism,

page_text: a sewing machine frame, and flanged rollers D D' which roll upon the edges of the
carpet or other fabric to be united, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Seventh-The combination of the stitch-forming mechanism, the frame, the
gripper mechanism, the vibrating lever H and the means for operating such
mechanism, substantially as, and for the purpose specified
Eighth The combination of the stitch forming-mechanism, the gripper feeding
mechanism, the sewing machine frame having the supporting flanged rollers D. D¹
one of which has a V shaped central ridge d². the crank handle G¹. suitable speed
regulating gearing and a steadying handle G substantially as, and for the purpose
specified.
Ninth A sewing machine provided with means by which it is rolled over and
supported on the edges of a suspended fabric, and while being thus rolled along
sews together the edges of the fabric, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
X17M DODT TAZZE