Improvements in Machines for Sewing Thatch.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 29th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1887.
Improvements in Machines for Sewing Thatch.
I, FREDERICK CROMPTON LAKE, of Rayne Foundry, Rayne, in the county of Essex,
Agricultural Implement Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows:-
11
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of machines for sewing
thatch, such as are substantially described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to George Onley Gooday, and dated the 21st of September 1866 No. 2419,
whereby the desired. object is effected in a more convenient and economical manner.
In thatch sewing machines constructed substantially in accordance with the invention
described in the said specification the needles have always been arranged to work
downwards through the straw and the sewn thatch as it comes from the machine is
rolled up into bundles but owing to the position of the needles the stitches have been
so formed as to cause the lengths of thatch as they come from the machine to be rolled
up in a direction contrary to that which would leave the right side uppermost when
unrolled for use. It has consequently been necessary in order to have the thatch
ready for immediate use to reroll the lengths in the reverse way.
The improvements constituting this Invention consist in reversing the position of
the needles and the hooks or what are termed in the said Specification the "lower
needles," that is to say, the needles and the shaft actuating the same are arranged
below the bed plate of the machine so that the former pass upwards through the straw
to be sewn, whilst the hooks and shaft carrying them are arranged above, the machine
being constructed substantially in the following manner.
The frame is formed in any suitable manner and the shaft actuating the needles and
that carrying the hooks are respectively arranged below and above the bed plate, the
straw is fed to the needles in the usual manner and is compressed, and the thickness
of the thatch regulated by suitable plates, a reciprocating motion is communicated to
the needles by the action of the shaft and when the needles have passed upwards
through the straw and have commenced to return the string or cord loops and the
looks moving forward catch and retain it, the loops thus formed are placed and held
so that the needles on their next upward movement pass through them, they are then

page_text: released by the reverse movement of the hooks, which subsequently move forward and
again catch the string as the needles commence to return thus forming fresh loops
and so on.
The shafts carrying the needles and hooks are connected by means of
eccentrics and rods with the driving shaft in such a manner, as will be well understood,
that the desired reciprocating up and down movement of the needles, and the forward
and backward movement of the hooks, are produced.
The band for carrying forward the sewn thatch is constructed, arranged and actuated
in any known and suitable manner. By means of the improvements hereinbefore
described the sewing of the thatch is so effected that the bundles formed by rolling it
up as it comes from the machine are so rolled as to assume the proper position for
thatching as they are unrolled, whereby a considerable economy in time and labour is
effected.

page_text: ப
2355,
I, FREDERICK CROMPTON LAKE, of Rayne Foundry, Rayne, in the County of Essex,
Agricultural Implement Maker, 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 :-
My said invention relates to improvements in the construction of machines for
sewing thatch, such as are substantially described in the Specification of Letters.
Patent granted to George Onley Gooday, and dated the 21st of September 1866,
No. 2419.
In thatch sewing machines constructed substantially in accordance with the invention
described in the said specification the needles have always been arranged to work
downwards through the straw and the sewn thatch as it comes from the machine is
rolled up into bundles, but, owing to the position of the needles, the stitches have been
so formed as to cause the lengths of thatch as they come from the machine to be rolled
up in a direction contrary to that which would leave the right side uppermost when
unrolled for use. It has consequently been necessary in order to have the thatch
ready for immediate use to reroll the lengths in the reverse way. In addition to
obviating the disadvantage lastly referred to, the said improvements allow of a clearer
observation of the formation of the stitches, thus enabling the attendant at once to
perceive any irregularity in the working of the machine.
I will now proceed to describe my said invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which the same letters of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1. is a front view, Figure 2. a back view, and Figure 3. an end view. The
frame A. of the machine is constructed in any suitable manner, but is, by preference,
of the form shewn in the said drawings. Within suitable bearings at the upper part
of the frame is arranged a spindle B. which carries the hooks C. for completing the
stitches, as hereinafter described, the said hooks are pivoted to levers attached to
sockets keyed on to the said spindle, a spring is arranged between the said lever and
the upper end of the hook, above the pivot, in order to facilitate the taking of the loop
of string from the needle and the retaining of the same until the time arrives for its
release. At the lower part of the frame are arranged the bearings for the needle
shaft D. The needles E. are connected with the top ends of a T piece F. the lower
end of which is connected to a lever G. on the shaft D., H. are guide rods for
the T piece F., I. are feed drums or rollers; over each pair of which is passed an
endless spiked band, which bands are caused to travel by the revolutions of the drums
or rollers, so that the spikes projecting through the table plate J. will force the straw
and sewn thatch forward when the needles are clear of the same, the said drums
or rollers are mounted on the shafts K. and L. In some cases, I also employ the
drum I, which is driven by the shaft L., in order to further regulate the feed as
shown in Figure 3. N is the driving shaft which is actuated by any desired and
suitable power, the said shaft is mounted in the bracket n. On the shaft N. is the

page_text: .
dise O. or other equivalent contrivance which is connected to the arm or lever P. on
the needle shaft by the connecting rod R. in order to effect the desired reciprocal
motion of the said shaft. To a lever attached to the strap of the eccentric S. is con-
nected an arm or crank on the spindle B. in such a manner that on the shaft N. being
revolved the spindle B. will be caused to rock. Also on the said shaft N. is mounted
the eccentric T. to the strap of which is attached a lever the opposite end of which is
pivoted to the link U., a pawl on the latter causes the ratchet V. to be revolved at
intervals. X. is a contrivance for obtaining the proper tension of the string. Y. are
plates between which and the table plate J. the straw is pressed when being sewn, the
needles passing through apertures in the said plates. Figures 4. and 5. are detached
views of the tension contrivance X. which is constructed as follows:-To a plate a. in
which are formed a number of perforations, are attached two pins al on each of.
which is mounted a collar a" which is pressed against the said plate by the action of
a spring arranged between it and a nut at the end of the pin, the force with which the
said collar is pressed against the plate being regulated by screwing or unscrewing
the nut. In arranging the string in connection with the said tension device, it is first
passed through two or more apertures in the plate . and then between the latter and
the collar all, whence it passes to the needle.
The action of machines constructed as hereinbefore described is as follows:-
The string having been suitably arranged on the tension contrivance is passed
through the eyes of the needles.
On the shaft N. being revolved a rocking motion is transmitted to the spindle D.
whereby the needles are moved upwards through the table plate J. and the straw
between the same and the plates Y. and through the apertures in the latter, the.
spindle D. then begins to rock in the opposite direction thereby causing the needles
to return, and the string at the sides thereof loops out at this movement, the shaft B.
is rocked so as to bring forward the hooks C. which respectively catch one of the
loops formed by the needles, being assisted in so doing by the guido springs z., tho
hooks then move back and the needles descend below the table plate J., the shafts K.
and L. are then revolved sufficiently to advance the straw the distance of a stitch and
the needles again move upwards and pass through the loops which have been released
from the hooks thus forming fresh stitches.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
First. In machines for sewing thatch, the arrangement of the hook spindle B.
carrying the hooks C. above the table plate J. and of the needle spindle D. carrying
the needles E. below the said table plate, the said shafts being so connected with the
driving shaft N, that they receive the desired rocking motion substantially as, and for
the purposes, hereinbefore described and set forth.
And Secondly. In the construction of machines for sewing thatch, the combination
and arrangement of parts, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 29th day of December 1886