IMPROVE- MENTS IN EMBROIDERING MACHINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bernoulli Barlow, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EMBROIDERING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad
by Henry Rieter and John Wehrli, both of Winterthur, in the
Republic of Switzerland.
Sealed the 2nd May 1871, and dated the 3rd December 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bernoulli
Barlow at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd December 1870.
I, HENRY BERNOULLI BARLOW, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBROIDERING MACHINES," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by Henry Rieter and John Wehrli, both
of Winterthur, in the Republic of Switzerland, to be as follows:-
The nature of this Invention consists in mechanical arrangements for
producing embroidery by two continuous threads interlacing and
binding each other at the back of the fabric to be embroidered. For

page_text: this purpose
the fabric to be operated upon is stretched in a frame sus-
pended by antifriction pulleys and moved in a vertical plane by penta-
graph levers as in the common embroidering machines. In the front of
the fabric is a carriage running on suitable rails. To this carriage are
fixed one or more rows of needles which have an eye near the point and
a stem at the back whereby they are clamped in needle holders attached
to the carriage. The threads forming the front side of the embroidery
are wound either on a roller or on separate bobbins, the necessary
friction or drag being produced by any of the contrivances employed for
that purpose in sewing machines or by a faller rod and wire or slides or
other equivalent means. At the back there are rails to receive and
guide the shuttles and the forked carriers which impart motion to them.
The shuttles are made flat on the under side and pointed at both ends;
the interior contains the second or back thread; the drag or friction is
given to the thread by passing through small holes in the lower edges.
of the shuttles or by springs acting on the bobbins or other means.
Opposite to each needle is a narrow slot in the rail constituting the
shuttle race to allow the needles of the front carriage entering. close
under the shuttles and the latter to traverse over the needles. The
shuttle rail is made either stationary or movable.
The machine may be driven either by hand or by power, change
wheels being employed to accomodate the speed to the capacity of the
attendant and the kind of embroidery produced. The front carriage and
also the back or shuttle carriage are moved by levers bearing bowls
which take in eccentrics or cams secured to a main shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st June 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BERNOULLI BARLOW, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, 3
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth

page_text: year of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow, Her special licence
that I; the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others: as I, the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times- thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland'
he Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN EMBROIDERING MACHINES," being a communication to me from abroad
by Henry Rieter and John Wehrli, both of Winterthur, in the Republic
of Switzerland, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Bernoulli Barlow, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):
This Invention refers to machines used for embroidering cotton, linen,
woollen, worsted, silk, leather, and all fabrics or materials suitable to
be embroidered, and it consists essentially in mechanical arrangements for
producing embroidery by two continuous threads of any suitable material
interlacing and binding each other at the back of the fabric or material
to be embroidered. The front of the embroidery is formed by only one
of the threads disposed in stitches of variable length and placed in any
sequence or direction required by the design to be produced.
In the following description the thread forming the front side of the
embroidery is called the front or needle thread, and the thread required
for binding this thread on the back of the embroidery is called the back
or shuttle thread.
Hitherto embroidery needles have been employed with points at both
ends and one eye in the middle, such needles being threaded with com-
paratively short lengths of thread. Any convenient number of such.
needles held by nippers are pushed into the fabric to be embroidered,

page_text: and then set free, whilst they are taken hold of on the other side by a
corresponding series of suitably shaped nippers. The needles are then
drawn through the fabric with the threads to nearly the ends of the
latter, when the position of the fabric being changed the needles are
advanced and passed through again, the consecutive stitches of variable
length forming the embroidery, which is on both sides nearly alike.
latter, when the position of the labric being changed the needles are
advanced and passed through again, the consecutive stitches of variable
length forming the embroidery, which is on both sides nearly alike.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of this improved embroidering
machine; Fig. 2, plan of the same; Fig. 3, end elevation; and Fig. 4,
section through the line X, X.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the principal parts of the
needle and shuttle carriages, the upper row of needles and shuttles only
being shewn in the position when a stitch is completed; Fig. 2, plan of
the same; Fig. 3, a portion of shuttle thread, wound on a ball as generally
used in the shuttles; Fig. 4, side elevation of a shuttle; Fig. 5, end
elevation of the same; Fig. 6, plan of shuttle as seen from above; Fig. 7,
longitudinal section of shuttle and ball; Fig. 8, cross section of the same;
Fig. 9 horizontal section of shuttle shewing the manner the thread is
drawn through the small holes near the lower edge for the purpose of
producing the necessary drag or friction.
On Sheet 3, Fig. 1 is an eccentric for moving the front or needle
carriage; Fig. 2, eccentric for moving the back or shuttle carriage;
Fig. 3, double eccentric for moving the shuttles, the eccentric groove
shewn in full lines being the one for the more usual movement of the
shuttle going one way only every stitch, so that it comes back to the
original position every second stitch, and producing what is called the
plain stitch.
By the dotted lines is represented as far as it does not coincide with
the foregoing the groove from which the other shuttle movement is
derived, in which the shuttle returns every stitch to its original position.
The stitch produced by this groove is called the twisted stitch because
if the fabric could be removed so as to leave only the embroidery
threads they would appear twisted round each other, whilst in the plain
stitch they would be found quite independent of each other. Dig. 4
is the eccentric for working the faller rod, which is made adjustable at
the point where the thread is drawn on a little to form. a small loop on
the top of the needle, as different kinds of thread require being drawn

page_text: on to different degrees. The manner in which this is effected is made
plain by the section of this eccentric as shewn in Fig. 5. The eccentrics
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, consist of grooves in which cylindrical bowls run;
and Fig. 4 is an eccentric on which the bowl is pressed by a weight.
Sheet 4 contains the principal movements drawn separately to make
them more intelligible; Fig. 1, motion of the front or needle carriage;
Fig. 2 motion of the back or shuttle carriage; Fig. 3, motion of the faller
wire; Fig. 4, motion of the shuttles, side view; Fig. 5, motion of the
shuttles, front view; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the plain stitch ;
and Fig. 7 a similar view of the twisted stitch. Similar letters of
reference are put upon corresponding parts in the different Sheets of
Drawings.
The framing consists of two main frames A¹, A³, firmly bolted to two
curved rails B¹, B³, on which are pivoted the counterpoise levers 0¹, Ơ³,
these being at their longer ends connected by toothed segments and
furnished with balance weights, whilst from the forked shorter ends
the cloth frame D is suspended on antifriction pulleys. This cloth frame
on which the fabric to be embroidered is stretched can be moved about
freely within a certain range in a vertical plane by means of the penta-
graph, the pointer of which is guided by the attendant according to
the design, this being reproduced by the embroidery on a reduced scale.
All this is so far done essentially as in other embroidery machines and
forms no part of this Invention. Near the main frame A¹ there is
fastened to the floor a small bed plate E carrying on two pedestals or
bearings a small shaft E', with fast and loose pulleys and a change
pinion E³ on one end, by which the speed of the machine or the number
of stitches performed in a minute can be adjusted according to the kind
of work and the capacity of the attendant. From this pinion motion
is imparted by a carrier wheel running loose on an adjustable stud to
the wheel F, and thus to the shaft F¹, to which are firmly secured the
following eccentrics :-
First. G', G', which give-motion to the front or needle carriage G by
means of the levers G³, G³, and the connecting rods G, G. These work
on two studs at the ends of the carriage G to ensure a steady and regular
movement.

page_text: •
And, thirdly. I used to tighten the front or needle thread, and acting
on the faller rods I', I', by means of the levers I³, and connecting rod I.
These faller rods are thin shafts extending the whole length of the
carriage and carrying by suitably spaced short levers a wire over which
all the threads pass on their way from the bobbins to the needles as
shewn on Sheet 2, Fig. 1. Provision is made that the faller rod of
the lower tier of needles partakes of the motion imparted to the upper
one by a second connecting rod I and corresponding short lever. K is
a wheel running loose on a stud and containing twice as many teeth or
.cogs as the wheel F with which it is in gear. The disk K', which is
made with grooves on both flat faces, and forms therefore a double
eccentric, is fitted on the boss of the wheel K in such a manner that it
is capable of being moved axially to a limited extent and kept in its new
place by the screw K³, a stud K³ fixed to the disk K' and fitting into
a hole in the wheel K causing the disk K¹ to turn with the wheel K.
On each side of the double cam K¹ there is a vertical slide rod L, L,
with a stud and a bowl I³, L³, such slide rods being connected by stays
and capable of vertical movement on suitable guides which are fixed to
the main frame A¹. To the slide rods L, L', vertical movement is
imparted by one of the bowls working in one or the other eccentric
groove of the disk K'. In the position shewn on Sheet 4, Fig. 4, the
bowl of the vertical slide rod L is in the groove nearer to the framing,
which groove is represented on Sheet 3, Fig. 3, in full lines, and is the
one producing the plain stitch. The vertical movement of the slide
rods L, L, is transferred to the shuttles by means of the bell-crank
levers L, L*, pivoted on studs fixed to the frame A¹ and connected with
their curved horizontal arms to studs in the vertical slide rod L³, whilst
the vertical arm carries a rather long stud which takes into a slot of a
bracket fixed to the rail M. This bracket is capable of sliding on the
stud, which is necessary, as it partakes of the to-and-fro motion of the
back or shuttle carriage, but independently of this motion it receives
movement in the direction of the carriage from the grooves of the
cam K³, which it transmits through the rail M and the forked, shuttle
carriers M³ to the shuttles. Both carriages G and H consist of four
-angle irons connected by suitable brackets and running each with four
wheels on suitable rails, which are bolted to the main frames A¹ and A³.
For the purpose of making one rail on each side do for the wheels of
both carriages a suitably curved form is given to the carriage bearers
supporting the wheels. To the front or needle carriage are fixed

page_text: "
suitable rails N to which the needle holders N' are screwed at the proper
distances and positions, so that the needles which are clamped into
V shaped grooves of the needle holders N' by a screw N³ and .washer
stand in a line with the course of the carriages, and in the proper position
for working. These details are made plain by the full size Drawings
on Sheet 2, Fig. 1, where the line Y, Y', represents the fabric being
embroidered. To this carriage G are also fixed the rails for carrying the
bobbins and the rails for the means of giving to the needle. thread the
friction or drag required, as shewn on Sheet 2, Fig. 1.
This part,
however, forms no part of the present Invention and may be modified,
the friction being sometimes applied by a spring acting on the spook; at
other times by the bobbins resting on felt or in various other ways. By
the brackets M¹ the rails M³ are fixed to the back or shuttle carriage H,
these rails being made up of sections of suitable length and furnished
with planed recesses for the shuttle carrier rail M and for the shuttles.
On the side nearest the fabric a narrow plate N³ is attached to the
rails M, such plate being pierced opposite each needle with a small
hole. The rails M³ opposite each needle being furnished with a narrow
transverse slot the needle can be pushed through the small hole in the
plate Mr, and the said slot under the shuttle.
The Drawings represent two rows of needles with corresponding
shuttles, but one or more rows can be employed according to circum-
stances. To the wheel K is attached at convenient points two pins O, O¹,
which lift a small lever O³ that is pivoted on the framing. The other
end of this lever is free to move in the slot of the small bracket O³, on
the end of which it drops when one of the pins O, O', has passed the
straight part of the lever O³, thereby producing a rap or sharp sound,
and thus informing the attendant that a stitch is completed and the
pentograph may be moved.
I will now describe the manner in which the machine works supposing
a stitch to have been just completed. During the next following and
every stitch each needle of the machine is making the following
evolutions; it being understood that the needles are fixed to the needle
carriage and partake of the movement imparted to the latter by the
5 means above described :-
First. The needle advances till the eye is close in front of the fabric
the shuttle carriage being on the other side in contact with the fabric.
The faller wire rises to a certain and always the same extent, and thus
"

page_text: the length of thread required for the stitch to be made is drawn from
the bobbins if such are employed.
Second. The needle proceeds to the end of its course, the shuttle
carriage does the same whereby the eye of the needle projects about one
eighth of an inch beyond the farther edge of the shuttles. The faller
wire releases as much thread as is. necessary.
Third. The needle goes back a little, and so does the shuttle carriage;
the thread is drawn on a trifle so that the knee or bend which has been
formed by the thread in the eye of the needle is drawn into the half
round chain shaped in the under side of the needle. By these means the
thread on the top of the needle forms a small loop and now. The end
of the shuttle enters this loop forming the fourth evolution, and at the
fifth the shuttle remains one moment stationary whilst both carriages
advance again to the full extent of their course.
Sixth. The shuttle passes through the loop of the front thread which is
sufficiently slackened by the faller wire to admit of an adequate enlarge-
ment of the loop.
Seventh. In the moment the front or needle thread is sliding off the
shuttle the forked shuttle carrier makes a slight back motion to allow
the front thread to pass undisturbed between it and the shuttle, the front
thread being all the while successively drawn on by the faller wire.
Eighth. The needle commences going back, and so does the shuttle
carriage; the shuttle carrier again takes hold of the shuttle and the
needle thread is tightened until the eye of the needle is in the fabric. One
end of the thread contained within the shuttle being always attached to
the last stitch of the embroidery made it follows that the shuttle having
passed through the loop of the front thread this cannot be withdrawn
through the fabric with the needle, it being kept back by the shuttle
thread which in its turn forms a loop through which the front thread is
slung, both needle and shuttle thread interlacing and binding each other
at the back of the fabric.
Ninth. The eye of the needle having passed the fabric the needle
thread is gradually slackened till the needle gets in its remotest position,
when the stitch is completed and the rap or sound above referred to
informs the attendant that such is the case.
Tenth. The attendant now shifts the pointer of the pentograph to the
next point of the enlarged design fixed to a board whereby the corre-

page_text: sponding point of the fabric stretched in the frame is brought before the
needles and a new stitch can commence. If in the stitch just completed
the shuttle has been going, say, from right to left, it will be returning
from left to right to its first position during the next stitch in ordinary
embroidery when the eccentric for the plain stitch (shewn in Fig. 6 on
Sheet 4) is in operation, that is, the one represented in full lines on
Sheet 3, Fig. 3. But when the eccentric for the twisted stitch (see
Fig. 7 on Sheet 4), and shewn by partly dotted lines, is employed the
shuttle returns during every stitch to its original position, and all the
stitches therefore are performed in exactly the same manner.
Instead of employing bobbins for the needle thread we sometimes
wind the front or needle threads all on one or more rollers, and in this
case dispense with the faller rod and wire, the tightening and slackening
of the thread being effected by partially turning the rollers one way
or the other, which is effected in a similar way to the working of the
faller rod as described. But instead of the lever which receives motion
from the eccentric being a fixture it is connected to the said roller by a
frictional arrangement which is adjustable so as to admit of the threads
being drawn more or less tight.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 3, 6, 7 and 8, the shuttle thread is represented as
being wound on a small ball, the thread running off from the interior till
nearly all is consumed. Instead of these balls I sometimes employ small
bobbins on which the threads are wound, and for the reception of which
special provision is made in the interior of the shuttle as is well under-
stood. Sometimes a small spring is applied to these bobbins as a brake,
instead of obtaining all the friction required for the shuttle thread by
passing it successively through several or all the small holes along the
lower edge of the shuttle, as shewn on Sheet 2, Fig. 9.
Having thus stated the nature of the Invention communicated to me
by the within named Henry Rieter and John Wehrli, and described the
manner of performing the same, I declare that I claim,―
First. The improvements in embroidering machines shewn and described
or any modification thereof for producing embroidery by two continuous
threads interlacing and binding each other.
Secondly. The combination of one or more rows of needles with corre-
sponding rows of shuttles and a cloth frame connected to and movable
by a set of levers and links known as a pentagraph, for the purpose of
producing embroidery.

page_text: Thirdly. Imparting motion to the needle carriage and the shuttle
carriage at both. ends simultaneously. by a shaft extending about the
whole length of the machine, such shaft being furnished with suitably
shaped eccentrics or cams in the manner described.. Or such shaft may
be:used to impart motion only to the needle carriage or to one or more
rocking shafts giving to-and-fro motion to each needle separately; in
every case working at the same time the faller wires or thread rollers..
-
· Fourthly. Giving motion to such cam shaft by means of a belt acting
on fast and loose pulleys applied either directly to the cam shaft or to
another shaft; such shaft being furnished with change wheels or other
equivalent means to adapt the speed at which the machine is working to
the work in hand and the expertness of the attendant.
And, lastly. Giving notice to the attendant when a stitch is completed
by a rap or sound, by the means described or in any equivalent
manner.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bernoulli Barlow, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of May One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-one.