AUTOMATIC, SECTIONAL, BOOK-STITCHING, AND FOLDING, MACHINE
Year: 1884

page_text: We SILAS HENRY HALL of 30, Northfield Square Leeds in the County of York
Mechanician and SAMUEL GEE of 26, Albion Street Leeds in the same County,
Tailor do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "AUTOMATIC, SECTIONAL,
BOOK-STITCHING, AND FOLDING, MACHINE to be as follows:-
This invention is for stitching books in Sections, and for folding the sheets
to form the said Sectious, and carry them forward to the Stitching arrangement
ready to be stitched.
We construct the Machine into three divisions,-two Folders and one Stitcher.
The central division is the Stitcher and the two Folders we place right and left
of it. To these Folders we attach a carrying arrangement which delivers the
Sections when folded under the needle of the Stitcher.
For the purpose of Stitching by this machine we use thread of suitable thickness
but no wire.
We construct the stitching arrangement of this machine on the principle of an
ordinary lock-stitch sewing machine with suitably sized needle and shuttle carrying
a spool of thread, all the parts being arranged for the special work of the machine.
We make a carriage to move backwards and forwards across the needle. This
carriage contains a descending table or receiver automatically arranged to drop the
thickness of each Section after being stitched, thereby making room, for the
following sections to pass under the needle at the proper level to undergo the same
process until the whole of the Sections are stitched to complete the Book.
To the above named carriage we attach an arrangement for carrying the
Webbing Cord or other material intended to be stitched in with each Section,
which arrangement delivers sufficient material to overlap the back of each book as
is requisite for the firm binding of the same.
The Folding Process, we get by having a Fulder at each end of the Stitcher;
which Folders contain each a rising table or receiver to hold the sheets to be folded
and stitched; which receivers we make adjustable to the various sizes of books to
be stitched, and arrange them to rise, measure, fold and deliver a sufficient
thickness of sheets as will form the desired Section, which is then carried on to the
Stitcher by a carrying device to be stitched, which done, the opposite Folder
repeats the same operation.
The great advantages, of this machine will be that it will stitch books with
thread in Sections, which operation has hitherto been done only by hand.
It will also fold its own sheets into Sections and carry them on to the stitching
arrangement a process which has not been done before by any Book stitching
machine.
Dated this first day of January one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four.

page_text: We SILAS HENRY HALL of 30 Northfield Square Leeds in the County of York
Mechanician and SAMUEL GEE of 26 Albion Street Leeds in the same county
Tailor do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "AN AUTOMATIC
SECTIONAL BOOK STITCHING AND FOLDING MACHINE" and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement.
This Invention is for stitching books in sections, and for folding the sheets to
form said sections and carry them forward to the stitching arrangement ready to
be stitched. We construct the machine into three divisions, two folders and one
stitcher.
The central division is the stitcher, and the two folders we place right and left
of it. To these folders we attach a carrying arrangement, which delivers the
sections when folded under the needle of the stitcher.
For the purpose of stitching by this machine we use thread of suitable thickness
but no wire. We construct the stitching arrangement of this machine on the
principle of an ordinary lock stitch sewing machine, with suitably sized needle and
shuttle carrying a spool of thread, all the parts being arranged for the special work
of the machine.
We make a carriage to move backwards and forwards across the needle. This
carriage contains a descending table or receiver, automatically arranged to drop the
thickness of each section after being stitched, thereby making room for the
following section to pass under the needle at the proper level, to undergo the same
process until the whole of the sections are stitched to complete the book.
To the above named carriage we attach an arrangement for carrying the webbing
or cord or other material intended to be stitched in with each section, which
arrangement delivers sufficient material to overlap the back of each book as is
requisite for the firm binding of the same.
The folding process we get by having a folder at each end of the stitcher, which
folders contain each a rising table or receiver to hold the sheets to be folded and
stitched, which receivers we make adjustible to the various sizes of books to
be stitched, and arrange them to rise, measure, and fold, and deliver a sufficient
thickness of sheets as will form the desired section, which is then carried on to the
.stitcher by a carrying device to be stitched, which done, the opposite folder repeats
the same operation.
The great advantage of this machine will be, that it will stitch books with
thread in sections, which operation has hitherto been done only by hand. It
will also fold its own sheets into sections and carry them on to the stitching
arrangement, a process which has not been done before by any book stitching
machine.
And in order that our Invention may be more completely understood, reference is
given to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig 1 is a front elevation, Fig 2 is a back elevation, and Fig 3 is a plan looking
on the top of the machine. Fig 4 is a longitudinal section on line A B Fig 3. Fig
1

page_text: placed in the centre
left of the stitcher. The folder to
a is the frame of the machine, b is the main driving shaft, c is an intermediate
cross shaft for imparting motion to the shaft d. The stitcher
of the frame a, and the folders to the right and
the right of the stitcher only is shewn in the drawings.
The folder consists of a rising table e (on which are placed the sheets to
be folded,) and of the knife f. The table e is arranged to slide in the guides g, and
is raised intermittently the thickness of the sheets forming a section in the manner
hereafter described. As each section is folded it is delivered by the carrier on to
the carriage i, by which it is traversed along under the needle 22 of the stitcher..
The carriage i is provided with a falling table l, on which each section is supported
during and after stitching. After traversing in each direction the table l is
arranged to drop the thickness of a folded section, preparatory to receiving the
next unstitched section from the adjoining folder.
For the purpose of raising
The papers to be folded are laid upon the table e.
the table e intermittently, we provide the cross shaft k, which carries the two
pinions m. m. These pinions gear into the racks n, n, attached to the underside of
the table e, and are rotated intermittently by means of the ratchet wheel o, pawl p,
and lever q. The lever is moved forward by means of the adjustable stop r on
the travelling bar 8. The lever q is pulled back by means of the spring t, the
ratchet wheel o being prevented from slipping back by the fixed pawl u.
In order that the sheets may be laid and kept in position on the table e, we
provide four vertical guides vv at the corners of the sheets. By means of the
longitudinal slides w w and the cross slides xx, the vertical guides can be adjusted
to suit the size of the sheets to be folded.
The knife for folding the sheets is divided into two halves which are hinged
together as shewn at fl, and is provided with an entering point or blade f2. After
the table e has been raised the thickness of one section, the folding knife f is
brought forward by means of the traversing carriage i to which it is connected by
the bracket y, connecting rod z, lever 1, connecting rod 2, lever 3, link 4, and
bracket 5. When the knife ƒ has passed between the sheets, the back half of the
knife is turned over on to the front half, folding the sheets forming the section on
the carrier h. The carrier h with the sheets is then moved forward towards the
stitcher by means of the long lever 6, the carrier h being connected to the lever 6
by means of the rod 7.
The sheets are prevented slipping off the carrier h by the
stop 8 (also shewn in cross section at Fig 10) which consists of two flat springs, the
free ends of which are connected together by a short strip of leather g, or other
flexible material. The springs close together when the knife f is folded over the
carrier h, but open immediately the knife f unfolds, and the leather g catching
against the edge of the folded sheets prevents the sheets from slipping off the
carrier h as it is moved forward towards the stitcher. The turning over of the back
half of the knife f is effected by means of the stud 10, fork lever 11, pinion 12,
rack 13, lever 14, connecting rod 15, and lever 16. The lever 16 (see Fig 8) is
moved in the direction indicated by the arrow at the proper moinent from the
The lever 6 also is
vertical shaft 17 in the manner to be hereafter described.
5 actuated from the vertical shaft 17 as is hereafter mentioned.
The carrier h brings forward the folded section whilst it is held by the grippers 18.
The grippers 18 are caused to advance and lay hold of the sheets by means of the
lever 19, the short arm of which as the carriage i moves forward catching against
the plate 20 is retarded moving forward the long arm and with it the grippers 18.
0 The grippers 18 bring the sheets into position for stitching, the sheets are then fixed
and held by the presser 21 of the stitching arrangement.
For the purpose of stitching by this machine we use thread of suitable thickness
but no wire. When it is intended to stitch the full length of each section, we
construct the stitching arrangement on the principle of an ordinary lock stitch
5 sewing machine with suitably sized needle 22 and shuttle carrying a spool of thread.
The shuttle carrier is actuated from the intermediate cross shaft c by means of the

page_text: eccentric 23, bell crank lever 24, and connecting rod 25. The shuttle race is shewn
in cross section at 20 Fig 7. When it is desired to stitch the section at the webbing
only, the stitcher is arranged as follows. The needle bar 22 works within the
hollow presser bar 21, being actuated from the heart cam 27, by means of a sliding
bar 28. On the end of the needle bar is provided the hinged lever 29, which drops
into a notch on the upper part of the sliding bar. A worm 30 on the shaft d
rotates the wheel 31, on the upper surface of which are provided the raised
sections 32, these passing under the hinged lever 33, raise the lever 29, thereby
stopping the motion of the needle bar. By varying the length of the raised
sections and of the spaces between them, the stitching can be made to correspond
to the width of the webbing or cord and to the distance at which the webbing or
cord is placed apart.
The to and fro motion of the carriage i is obtained from the vertical shaft 17,
through the pinion 34, mangle rack 35, rack and pinion 36 and 37, shaft 38, and
rack and pinion 39 and 40. To facilitate the motion of the carriage i we mount it
on runners or wheels 41.
The webbing or cord or other material intended to be stitched in with the sections
is mounted on the rod 42 carried from the carriage i. The webbing or cord is
drawn through the tension boxes 43 as the table i is lowered.
As each section is stitched, the table is lowered the thickness of a folded
section by means of the stops 44, escapement arm 45, wheel 46, shaft 47,
pinions 48, and racks 49; the racks being bolted to the underside of the falling
table . In order to keep the sections pressed down firmly together as they are
being stitched, we provide two pressing wheels or rollers. These are fitted on a
triangular plate, such plate being centred on the back of the shuttle race just
above the hole for the needle. By means of adjustable stops on the carriage, the
triangular plate is tilted to one side just before the carriage i reverses its motion,
so that when travelling in either direction the sections are pressed by one or other
of the rollers.
The lever 16 which works the knife folding arrangement, is actuated from the
vertical shaft 17 by means of the cam 50, lever 51, bell crank lever 52, whenever
the end of the lever 51 is in gear with the notch or slot in the bell crank lever 52.
In order however that the lever 16 shall not be actuated except at the proper
moment, the bell crank lever 52 is held out of gear with the lever 51 by the
spring 53. The lever 51 and the bell crank lever 52 are brought into gear with
each other by means of the lever 54, (attached to and centred on the mangle
rack 35). One end of the lever 54 is pushed back by the pinion 34, whenever
the corresponding end of the mangle rack traverses past the pinion 34.
On one end
end of the
The opposite
The lever which moves forward the carrier h is actuated from the vertical
shaft 17, by means of the cam 55, cam plate 56, bar 57, rack 58 pinion 59 and 4
vertical shaft 60. In order however that this movement shall only take place
at the desired moment, we provide the arrangement shewn in Fig 9.
of the mangle rack is fitted the raised piece 61, which raises one
lever 62, as such raised piece is carried beneath it by the rack 35.
end of the lever 62 pushes back the sliding plate 63, in which is provided a notch 4
allowing the hinged bar 64 to drop, and with it the locking piece 65.
The hinged
bar 64 is pulled down by the spring 66. The lower end of the locking piece 65
passes through a hole in the cam plate 56, and through a corresponding hole in
the sliding bar. The sliding bar is then compelled to move with the cam plate 50,
carrying with it the rack 58, and actuating as above described the lever 6. When 5
the sliding bar 57 is at the end of its stroke, the hinged bar 64 is clear of the
sliding plate 63, which is pulled forward by the spring 66. When the reverse
motion of the sliding bar 57 begins, the incline on the hinged bar 64 passing over
the sliding plate 63, is raised, lifting with it the locking piece 65; then the cam
plate 56 moves backwards and forwards without imparting its motion to the 5
sliding bar 57.
°

page_text: laving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
ention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
claim is
The folding blade f and rising table e, together with the parts for actuating
the same, for folding sheets in sections substantially as herein set forth and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
The carrier h and means employed for actuating the same, for transferring
the folded sections from the folder to the stitcher substantially as herein
set forth and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
° The traversing carriage i and folding table 7 (for supporting the folded
sections during and after the stitching operation and traversing the same
past the needle 22) and the means for actuating the same substantially as
herein set forth and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
° The application of the hinged lever 29, wheel 32. with raised sections or
segments and mechanism connected therewith in combination with the
needle and shuttle arrangements for stitching the sections to the webbing
or cord substantially as herein set forth and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
The general arrangement and combination of the various parts forming our
automatic sectional book stitching and folding machine for folding and
stitching books in sections with thread substantially as herein set forth
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.