Improvements in Plaiting Attachments for Sewing Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by CORY W. DUDLEY, of New York, in the State of
New York, in the United States of North America.]
Improvements in Plaiting Attachments for Sewing Machines.
I, SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97 Newgate Street in the City of London, Patent
Agent, (Communicated) do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in plaiting attachments for sewing machines
in which the plaits are folded and sewn during the passage through the attachment,
the seam of each plait serving as a guide for the next succeeding plait.
The prime object of this invention is to produce a plaiting attachment which shall
fold and guide the material during its passage through the attachment, and without
the necessity of previously folding, creasing, or otherwise marking the material.
Another object is to provide a plaiting attachment, by which the width of each
plait, and the distance between any two of them, may be readily determined and
fixed, whereby the uniform width and distance apart of each plait throughout its
length is ensured.
Other objects are to provide certain details of construction necessary to the
successful carrying out of my invention, hereinafter fully described, and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1, represents a perspective view of a plaiting attachment embodying my.
invention; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof; Fig. 3, a detail perspective view of plait
gage and guide; Figs. 4 and 5, detail views illustrating the operation of inserting
the material into the plaiter.
Fig. 6, is a plan view of the bed-plate and some of its accompanying attachments
hereinafter more fully described.
Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the main or
bed-plate of my device, provided with a slot, a, through which works a thumb-screw
for securing the attachment to the bed-plate of the sewing-machine. Projecting
from the forward end of this bed-plate, and beyond a shoulder, b, extending
I'mce 81

page_text: transversely across said plate, is a lip, B, upon which and abutting against the
shoulder normally rests a presser-plate, C, secured to the free end of an over-
hanging arm, D, which projects upwardly a suitable distance from said plate in the
form of a semicircle, and then extends rearwardly in an approximately horizontal
plane nearly to the rear end of the bed-plate A, where it drops in a vertical line to
the bed-plate, with which it is connected by means of a swiveled hinge-connection.
This swiveled hinge-connection consists of a small swivel-plate, E, pivoted at the
rear end thereof to a sliding plate, F, and having turned up on either side thereof,
and near the forward end, ears or lugs cc, to and between which is hinged or pivoted
a hinge-block, d, rigidly secured to the end of the overhanging arm D.
The swivel-plate E is pivoted to the sliding plate F near the forward end of said
plate, which extends rearwardly a suitable distance, and has provided therein a
slot, e, through which works a set-screw, f, for adjustably securing the said plate
to the bed-plate A.
Such a connection as the one just described not only permits the elevation of the
overhanging arm and presser-plate upon the hinge-connection in a line with the
bed-plate but it may be first swung up on the swivel in an approximately horizontal
plane forward or toward the operator and away from under the sewing-machine
head and arm, and then upwardly upon its hinge at an angle to the said arm.
Connected with the bed-plate A, near the rear end thereof and by means of just
such another hinge and swivel connection as has been described, is a folder-plate, G,
adapted and arranged to lie above but approximately parallel to the bed and presser
plates, and to project above the said presser-plate and forward of the shoulder b, by
which it is held free from contact with the said plate; or at least the greater portion
of the weight of said folder plate will be sustained by the said shoulder and the
presser-plate relieved therefrom, for the purposes of reducing friction between the
parts. This folder-plate is employed for gaging and determining the width of each
tuck, in addition to its functions as a folder-plate, and it will be readily understood
by reference to Figs. 4 and 5 that the said plate lies between and, in point of fact,
produces a fold in the material by reason of its projection forward of the shoulder
upon the bed-plate, against which the free end of the presser-plate abuts, under
which latter plate the goods is first passed previously to its being folded back and
over the said folder-plate, and the distance that the said folder-plate projects beyond
the shoulder on the bed-plate regulates and determines the width of each plait, all
as will hereinafter be more fully described.
In addition to the parts previously described in this device, I employ a combined
folder-gage and guide-plate, H, secured to the forward free end of an overhanging
arm, I, similar in shape and construction to the overhanging arm D of the presser-
plate C, projecting rearwardly and adjustably secured to the bed-plate, preferably
between the presser and folder plates, by means of a hinge and swivel connection an
exact duplicate of that previously described as connecting said presser and folder
plates with the bed-plate. This gage and folder-plate rests on top of the main
folder-plate G, and is designed to engage and work against the seam of the tuck
next previously formed, while at the same time it gages the distance between the
plaits, or rather the amount one plait overlaps the other, for in practice the free
end of a plait always overlaps the seam of the plait next to it. Thus it will be seen
the plate I subserves the double purpose of a gage and plait-guide:
By reference to Figs. 4 and 5 the operation of inserting the material into the
plaiter will be readily understood; and it consists, first, in throwing back upon their
several hinge and swivel connections the gage-folder and presser-plate, and then
laying the material face down upon the bed-plate, with the edge or hem projecting
toward the right or rear of the bed-plate, (with reference to the drawings) and
projecting sufficiently over the shoulder thereon. Then bring down the presser-
plate and arm D until it rests upon the bed-plate lip B, with the free end thereof
abutting against the said shoulder. Then fold the material back over the presser-plate
and swing the folder-plate around and down upon it, projecting sufficiently over the
shoulder to form the required width of plait, and the parts will now be in the

page_text: 5
position shown in Fig. 4. Then fold the material again over the folder-plate and
bring down upon it the guide or gage-plate H, with the free end of said plate
engaging or working against the seam of the hem or tuck previously formed, and
the parts will now be in the position shown in Fig. 5, and the material ready for
delivery to the neodle.
The width of each plait is readily determined by the distance the shoulder b
projects to the right of the needle, and the forward edge of the folder-plate should
project just sufficiently beyond the line of the needle to permit the thread to enter
and secure the fold formed by said material to the main body of the material under
the presser-plate. Thus it will be seen that the adjustment of the folder-plate
gages and indicates the width of each plait, and in order to more readily indicate
this width to the operator a suitable scale may be stamped or otherwise formed on
the bed-plate and an index-finger formed on the folder-plate, whereby the exact
width of each plait may be determined, and without the necessity of measuring.
The guide or gage-plate H, which works against the seam of the plait next
previously formed, serves to guide the material through the attachment in a perfectly-
straight line thus insuring a uniform width of each plait, and a uniform relation
between all of the plaits throughout their entire length, and it is designed to be
adjusted so that its operating edge will rest at any point between the shoulder on
the bed-plate and the forward edge of the folder-plate, according to the distance the
plait is desired to overlap the seam of the next plait, and, indeed, if desired, may be
adjusted to the rear of the shoulder, and thus make each plait stand by itself, as is
usual with tucks; but such an adjustment will not be found desirable, for the reason
that plaits, in practice, are especially designed to overlap and conceal the seam.
By the employment of my device the necessity for folding, creasing, or otherwiso
marking the goods to be plaited is entirely avoided, for the plaits herein shown and
described automatically fold the goods, while the gage or guide plate just described
guides the material through the attachment with ease and accuracy, and any novice,
however unskilled in the art of sowing, may readily form the most perfect plaits that
could be desired.
It is obvious that the hinge and swivel connections herein shown and described
might be dispensed with as a hinge connection only, employed especially in connection
with the guide or gage-plate; but is preferable to employ the connection shown
and described as promoting the utility and convenience of the employment of this
attachment.
In
Figure 6 illustrates a modification of my invention showing the device constructed
with a view to accomodate the apparatus to take in and operate upon large and heavy
material. It consists in adjustable fastening the presser-plate C, and guide-plate H,
on to a shaft H*, which is attached to the sewing machine. The folding-plate G
remains the same and is fastened to the base A as described in Figs. 1 and 2.
the example of my Invention illustrated in Figs. 1 & 2 the spaces comprised by the
curvature of the overhanging arms D and I limit the amount of the material that can
be operated upon. The device shown in Fig. 6 obviates this, because the arms are
done away with and the right and left hand side of the plates are free to allow of
the introduction of almost any size or breadth of material without hindering the
operation of the device. The vertical arms (not shown) which suspend the
plates G & H from the rod H may be constructed with universal joints, to allow
the plates to be moved in any direction that the using of then may require.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
as communication to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same
is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, a bed-plate, a presser-plate, and
a folder-plate, in combination with a guide or gage-plate, and a hinge-connection
between said guide or gage-plate and the bed-plate, substantially as described.
2. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, a bed-plate, a presser-plate, and
a folder-plate, in combination with a guide or gage-plate, and a hinge and swivel-

page_text: connection between said guide or gage-plate and the bed-plate, substantially as
described.
3. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, a bed-plate, a presser-plate, and
a folder-plate, in combination with a guide or gage-plate, and an adjustable hinge-
connection between said arm and the bed-plate, substantially as described.
4. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, a bed-plate, a presser-plate, and
a folder-plate, in combination with a guide or gage-plate, an overhanging arm secured
at one end to said plate, and an adjustable hinge and swivel connection between
said arm and the bed-plate, substantially as described.
5. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, the bed-plate, the presser and
folder-plate. and hinge-connections between the said plates and the bed-plate, in
combination with the guide or gage-plate, and a hinge and swivel-connection
between said plate and the bed-plate, substantially as described.
6. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, the bed-plate, the presser and
folder-plate, and an adjustable hinge and swivel connection between the said plates
and the bed-plate, in combination with the guide or gage-plate, and an adjustable
hinge and swivel connection between said plate and the bed-plate, substantially as
described.