CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOOP SKIRTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Caesar Neumann, of the City of New York, in the
County of New York, U. S. A., for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOOP SKIRTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 30th April 1861, and dated the 6th November 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Caesar Neumann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
November 1860.
I, CAESAR NEUMANN, of the City of New York, in the County of New York,
State of New York, U. S. A., do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOOP SKIRTS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in the mode of constructing a skeleton hoop skirt, so
as to adopt machinery in such manufacture, and in machinery employed
therefor. The skirt is composed of a series of hoops, which run around, and
are connected and held in place by the series of cords, which are affixed to the
belt, and extend down to the lower hoop, the said hoops being fastened to the
cords, as hereafter explained. For these purposes I take a sufficient number
of strands, and affix them at certain points on the belt, two or more of these
strands being attached at each point to form a cord when twisted; these strands
are twisted tightly, so that by their counter twist they are laid into a cord.

page_text: When a proper length of cord has thus been formed from each of the points in
the belt from which they start a hoop of steel or other proper material is
inserted between the strands or into a bight therein, and the process of laying
the cord is continued until a second hoop is inserted, and so on throughout
until the proper number of hoops are attached, and then the skirt is completed
by fastening the cord at the lowest hoop. It is obvious, that instead of
beginning at the belt, the construction can be commenced at the bottom and
worked upward to the belt. Again, it will be possible to form this skirt of
strands already laid, by putting the hoops into bights formed in the cord, but
it is not so cheap or perfect a mode as the one first described. The machinery
employed is constructed and operated as follows:-The base is formed of a
circular iron casting (although the particular form or material is not material);
from the centre of this base a standard projects upward to a sufficient height;
I place a large spur-gear wheel which runs near the base above the spur-gear
wheel, a former is put upon the standard. This former consists of a series of
iron wires or bars bent into the form of a skirt, with their lower ends brought
or bent inward. The upper and lower ends of these wires are properly affixed
to circular metal flanches having bosses at their centres through which the
standard passes. There is a pulley at the top of the standard, and a cord
attached by one end to the upper flanch; it passes up over said pulley and
thence down to a small drum below; this drum is on a horizontal shaft that
extends out beyond the periphery of the spur-gear wheel and the former, at
which point it bears a worm wheel, into which a worm on an upright driving
shaft gears, the said upright shaft being by bevel gear connected with a hand
crank. The gearing of the worm wheel can be coupled or uncoupled by a
sliding outer bearing, and when out of gear it can be turned by a hand wheel
on the end of the shaft, so as to quickly raise or lower the former by winding
or unwinding the cord around the drum; when the worm wheel is in the
gear
former is slowly raised, so as properly to lay the cord from the twisters, which
are formed as follows:-Sliding pieces are made so as to traverse the cords of
the former as it is raised, as before described, the sliding pieces form the upper
bearings of a series of twisting rods or shafts, and their upper ends are
enlarged into a hollow head, two notches being made in the cap. Over the
said heads on opposite sides there are slits throughout the sides of the upper
hollow parts of the twisting rods and corresponding slits through slide or
bearing pieces, when the twisting rods are in position to receive the strands to
be twisted. Each slit has a crosscut at the bottom, so as to carry one of the
strands on the opposite side from its entrance. On a level with the upper
surface of the cap there are guides or directing shields affixed to the slide

page_text: pieces; they are for the purpose of properly directing the spring hoop when it is
inserted; they stand out in a tangential line, and catching the end of the hoop
as it is thrust forward bend it around and guide it between the strands of the
cord, the twisting rod at that time being in a position to have a strand on each
of the hoops. The twisting rods extend down to the connections with the
pinions below. The pinions are placed in permanent bearings, and just above
the said bearings I connect the twisting rod with the said bearings; I connect
the twisting rod with the axis of the pinion by a universal joint of any of the
known convenient constructions, and just above the universal joint are flyer
frames or spool carrier frames into which two or more spools are put, on which
the strands to form the cords are wound; these strands are led up through the
opening in the twisting rods near their upper ends into the hollow centre
thereof, and are there spread one on each side of the cap, above which they
are twisted together into a cord. To produce the proper friction on the spools
for the necessary and equal tension of the strands in delivering them therefrom,
I apply to the surface of the spools a curved friction plate, the two ends of
which bear on the two spools, the centre being drawn inward by a loop of
india-rubber, or its equivalent, affixed in the flyer frame on the opposite side.
I find this arrangement efficient to produce an exactly equal strain upon the
two spools aforesaid, whether there be more or less upon them, and however
much their diameters may differ.
It is obvious the exact form of the apparatus may be varied while it remains
substantially the same, its purpose being to produce exact equality of tension
on the strand from both spools under all circumstances. The twisting rods
are revolved by the large spur-gear wheel. The operation of making skirts by
this machine is as follows:-The spools are put into the flyer frames with the
friction apparatus properly adjusted, and the strands therefrom are led up
through the slit in the upper ends of the twisting rods, which for this purpose
are brought into the position opposite a similar slit in the sliding piece; the
two strands are then parted in the hollow head, and brought into the notches
on the opposite sides of the cap; the ends of the cap are then brought together
and affixed to a belt on the upper flanch of the former, or otherwise affixed at
that point, the former at this time being in its lowest position with the upper
ends of the twisting rods near the said upper flanch of the former. The twisting
apparatus is then turned until a sufficient length of cord is twisted to receive
the first hoop, the former being gradually raised by the cord, in manner before
described, so as to keep the cords being formed extended properly. The
twisting rods are then turned so as to bring the caps into position with the
notches in said caps on opposite sides of a circular line drawn through their

page_text: centres, and thus cause a loop made by the strands to stand open, through
which the end of a hoop is inserted, between the first and second loops, and
being thrust forward is caught by tangent guides and bent inwards and guided
through the succeeding loops entirely around the circle. The hoop being thus
inserted between all the strands the twisting and elevating apparatus are again
put in motion, and another length of each of the cords is twisted sufficient for
the distance between the first and second hoops. When the twisting apparatus
is again stopped in proper position, and a second hoop is introduced. When the
twisting again commences, this is repeated until all the hoops are inserted
and the skirt is completed; the strands are then fastened at the lowest hoop;
the ends of the strands are severed, the skirt removed, and the former lowered
into its first position, when a second skirt is commenced, but in this case the
time and labour for inserting the strands into the hoisters is saved, as they are
continuously supplied from the spools until they are exhausted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Caesar Neumann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
May 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CAESAR
NEUMANN, of the City of New York, in the County of New York, State of
New York, U. S. A., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of
Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Caesar Neumann, Her special licence that I, the said Caesar
Neumann, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Caesar Neumann, 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, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HOOP SKIRTS, AND IN THE MACHINERY
EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Caesar
Neumann, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: 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 Caesar Neumann, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, in which reference is had to the accompanying Drawings, in
which Sheet 1, Fig. 1, is a view of the skirt complete; Fig. 2 shows the
details thereof.
Sheet 2, Fig. 1, is a vertical section of my machine for the manufacture of
said skirt; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan of the
machine looking down; Fig. 4 is a plan of the gearing; Fig. 5, plan of the
frame and elevating drum; Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the twisting appa--
ratus; Fig. 7 is a modified construction of machinery, showing the reversed.
mode of making the skirt, beginning at the bottom hoop.
My Invention consists in the mode of constructing a skeleton hoop skirt, so
as to adopt it to manufacture by machinery, and the machinery necessary for
its construction, by which I am enabled to cheapen. and rapidly contruct the
article for the market; the skirt is composed of a series of hoops which run
around it as seen at a, a, a, Fig. 1, connected and held in place by the series-
of cords b, b; b, which are affixed to the belt and extend down to the lower
Loops fastening the said hoops in their proper places, as will more clearly
appear. To make my said skirt I take a suflicient number of strands,.
affixing them at proper points on the belt all around, two or more of the
strands being attached at each point on the belt to form the complete cord..
The strands are twisted tightly, so that by their counter twist they are
laid into a cord; when a proper length of cord has thus been formed from each
of the points in the belt from which they start a hoop of steel or other
proper material is inserted between the strands or into a bight therein, and
the process of laying the cord is continued until a second hoop is inserted,
and so on throughout until the whole number of hoops proper are inserted,
and the skirt is completed by fastening the cord to the lowest hoop; it is.
obvious that instead of beginning at the belt the construction can be com-
menced at the bottom, and worked upward to the belt; again it will be
possible to form this skirt of strands already made by putting these hoops
into bights formed in the cord, but it is not so cheap or perfect a mode
as the one first described.
To form the skirts by machinery, I construct and operate the machine as
follows: The base a, Sheet 2, is formed of a circular iron casting (although

page_text: the particular form is not material) from the center of this base a standard A
of iron projects upward to a sufficient height as indicated in the Drawing. I
place a large spur gear wheel b, which runs near the base, as clearly seen in
the elevation and section, Figs. 1 & 2, above the wheel 6; the former c is put
upon the standard A; this former consists of a series of iron wires or bars c¹
bent into the form of a skirt with their lower ends brought inward. The
upper and lower ends of these wires c¹ are properly affixed to circular metal
flanches c having bosses at their centers through which the standard A passes.
There is a pulley a' at the top of the standard, and a cord c² attached by one
end to the upper flanch c, passes up over said pulley, and thence down to a
small drum d below, which drum is on a horizontal shaft that extends out
beyond the periphery of the gear wheel 6 and the former, at which point it
bears a worm wheel d' into which a worm on an upright driving shaft e gears,
said upright shaft being by a bevil gear connected with a hand crank at f¹.
The gearing of the worn wheel can be coupled or uncoupled by a sliding
outer bearing, and when out of gear it can be turned the hand wheel d³ on
the end of the shaft so as to quickly raise or lower the former by winding or
unwinding the cord c² around the drum d; when the worm wheel is in gear
the former is slowly raised so as properly to lay the cord from the twisters
hereafter described.
The twisting apparatus is formed as follows:-Sliding pieces h are made so
as to traverse the cords of the former as it is raised as before described; the
sliding pieces h form the upper bearings of a series of twisting rods or shafts i,
an enlarged view of one pair of which with the slide piece h is seen in Fig. 6,
and their upper ends are enlarged into a hollow head, two notches being made
in the cap over the said heads on opposite sides (more clearly seen in Fig. 3);
there are slits throughout the sides of the upper hollow part of the twisting
rods, as seen at 2, and corresponding slits through the bearing in piece h; when
the twisting tubes are in position to receive the strands to be twisted, as in
Figs. 1 & 6, this slit has a cross cut at the bottom, so as to carry one of the
threads to the opposite sides of its entrance on a level with the upper surface
of the cap ; there are guides and directing shields g affixed to the slide pieces h,
the form of which is sufficiently shown in Figs. 6 & 3, they are for the purpose
of properly directing the spring hoop; when it is inserted they stand out in a
tangential line, and catching the end of the hoop as it is thrust forward bend it
around and guide it between the strands of the cord, the twisting rods i at that
time being in the position seen in Fig. 3, with a strand on each side of the
spring as indicated by the notches or holes in the cap i¹; the twisting rods i
extend down to the connections with the pinions below; I place the pinion

page_text: in permanent bearings, as seen in the several Figures, and just above said
bearings I connect the rod i with the axis of the pinion by a universal joint of
any of the known convenient constructions, as seen in the Drawing at k; by this
improved construction I obtain greater steadyness of motion, and a more
perfect and easy action connected with the twisting rods near their lower ends
and just above the universal joint are flyer frames or spool carrier frames, shown in
Figs. 1 & 2 into which two or more spools are put on which the strands to
form the cords are wound (said cords being shown in red lines in the Drawings);
these strands are led up through the opening heretofore described in the rods i
near their upper ends into the hollow thereof, and are there spread one on
each side of the cap 2, above which they are twisted together into a cord, as
clearly shewn in Fig. 6. To produce the proper friction on the spools for the
necessary and equal tension of the strands in delivering them therefrom, I
apply to the surface of the spools a curved friction plate m (see Figs. 1 & 2)
the two ends of which bear on the two spools 2, the center being drawn inward
by a loop of india-rubber or its equivalent affixed in the flyer frame on the
opposite sides at n. I find this arrangement efficient to produce an exactly
even strain on the spools aforesaid, whether there be more or less cord upon
them, and however much their diameter may differ. It is obvious the exact
form of the apparatus may be varied, while it remains substantially the same,
its purpose being to produce exact equality of tension on the strands from both
spools under all circumstances. The twisting rods are revolved by the large
gear wheel b, that is driven by the gear pinions b', 62, 63, that connect it with
shaft e.
The operation of making skirts by this machine is as follows:-The spools >
are put into the flyer frames i, with the friction m properly adjusted, and
the strands therefrom are led up through the slit in the upper end of the
twisting rods, which for this purpose are brought together into the position
shown in Figs. 1 & 6, with the slit opposite a similar slit in piece h; the
two strands are then parted into the hollow head and brought into the notches
on the opposite sides of the cap; the ends of the strands are then brought
together and affixed to a belt around the upper flanch c of the former, or other-
wise affixed at that point, the former at this time being in its lowest position,
as in Figs. 1 & 2, with the upper ends of the twisting rods near the said upper
flanch c of the former. The twisting apparatus is then turned until a
sufficient length of cord is twisted to receive the first spring or hoop, the
former being gradually raised by the cord c² in manner as before described
so as to keep the cords being formed extended properly. The twisting rods
are then turned so as to bring the cap into the position in Fig. 3, with the

page_text: notches in said caps on opposite sides of a circular line drawn through their
centers, and thus cause a loop made by the strands to stand open, through
which said circular line runs; the end of a spring is then inserted between the
first and second loops, and being thrust forward is caught by the tangent
guides g and bent inward and guided through the succeeding loops entirely
around the circle. The spring being thus inserted between all the strands,
the twisting and elevating apparatus are again put in motion and another
length of cord is twisted sufficient for the distance between the first and
second hoop, when the twisting apparatus is again stopped in proper position,
and a second spring introduced in the way as the first, when the twisting
apparatus again commences; this is repeated until all the springs are inserted
and the skirt completed; the strands are then fastened at the lowest spring, the
end severed, the skirt removed, and the former lowered into its first position,
and a second skirt is commenced, but in this case the time and labour for
inserting the strands into the hoisters is saved, as they are continuousely
supplied from the spools until they are exhausted; this is an important
improvement as a saving of time and labor over my former machines.
Having thus fully described my Invention, what I claim as new and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is the combination of a series of twisting apparatus
for the purposes of forming a hoop skirt substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
I also claim, in combination with the twisting apparatus, the elevating
apparatus and its appendages, and the mode of operating the same, as
described.
I also claim the guide rods i for guiding the twisting apparatus and deter-
mining the size and shape of the skirt, as set forth.
I also claim collapsing the guides to form different sized skirts, and to deliver
the same, as specified.
I also claim moving the guides up and down to determine the position of the
twisting apparatus.
I also claim simultaneously twisting a series of cords for the purpose of
forming a hoop skirt, substantially as herein described.
I also claim the twisting apparatus constructed substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth, consisting of a spool holder, tension apparatus,
as described, and strand guides or head and cap, all as specified.
I also claim the head and cap ¹, as described, however combined in the
manufacture of skirts.
I also claim the flyer frame and tension apparatus, constructed and applied
as set forth in the manufacture of hoop skirts by machinery.
'

page_text: I also claim the guides g for guiding the springs or hoops into place in the
manufacture of hoop skirt by machinery, however made, so as to insert a
spring by one end, and push it around into place without being guided by
hand into the curve, all as specified.
I also claim the skeleton hoop skirt composed of hoops and cords sub-
stantially as described.
CAESAR NEUMANN. (L.S.)