IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND ORNAMENTATION OF GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES COMPOSED OF TEXTILE OR OTHER FABRICS OR MATERIALS, ALSO IN THE MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Nicoll, of Regent Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Shirt Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE AND ORNAMENTATION OF GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES
COMPOSED OF TEXTILE OR OTHER FABRICS OR MATERIALS, ALSO IN THE MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 29th November 1864, and dated the 24th June 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Nicoll at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th June 1864.
I, BENJAMIN NICOLL, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, Shirt
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND ORNAMENTATION OF GARMENTS AND
OTHER ARTICLES COMPOSED OF TEXTILE OR OTHER FABRICS OR MATERIALS, ALSO IN
THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS. EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has reference more particularly to the manufacture of shirt
fronts, collars, and wristbands, and is partly applicable to the manufacture of
other articles, whether of wearing apparel or otherwise, requiring to be stitched
or ornamented.
The various processes employed in the manufacture of such articles are
effected by a combination of machinery consisting of several parts, but these
are all worked by the same prime mover and from a common shaft.

page_text: The various shaped pieces required in the formation of garments and other
articles must, in the first place, be cut out of the cloth, and this I effect by
the apparatus which I term the cutting machine. This machine is so arranged
The fabric to be cut
as to cut a number of thicknesses of fabric at one cut.
out is laid in the form of a pile of several layers or thicknesses upon a table,
which may be provided with regulating or register pins for keeping the several
layers even with each other. This table is made to slide horizontally under-
neath the cutters by means of a rack and pinion motion or any other suitable
or well-known contrivance. The cutters are formed with knife edges, and
These cutters are
are of the exact size and shape of the piece to be cut out.
secured to a curved or cylindrical surface carried by an overhead rocking shaft,
and provided with flanges or guards on the under surface, which bear upon a
roller on the axis of the pinions, which drive the table and prevent the edge
of the cutters from coming into actual contact with the surface of the table,
thus preserving the cutting edge. After one or more piles of fabric have been
placed on the table the machine is set in motion, whereupon the table and
the curved or cylindrical surface which carries the cutters move simulta-
neously together, the cutters which are curved to conform to the curved
surface which carries them commencing to cut through the pile at one end
thereof, and gradually work onwards until they complete the cut; the pieces
cut out remain in the cutter, and are expelled by springs or removed by hand.
In the manufacture of shirts and collars, and other garments and articles of
dress, it is required in some cases to turn over the edges of the fabric after it
has been cut out and before stitching the same, and this operation I propose
to accomplish by a machine, which I shall now proceed to describe. This
machine is placed alongside the cutting machine, and is actuated by the
same shaft; it consists of a hot plate or table heated by steam, gas, or other-
wise, and having a shallow matrix or sunk part on its surface corresponding
in size and shape with the shirt collar, wristband, or other article to be
produced. The piece of fabric or blank previously cut out to the proper
shape and damped is laid upon the matrix in the hot plate and a thin pressing
plate is then brought down upon it, such plate forcing the fabric into the
matrix and causing the edges to turn up slightly; these edges are then folded
down and over the edge of the pressing plate by a series of lateral slides,
which are caused to approach simultaneously on all sides, and thereby press
or fold down the edges of the fabric. Guide pins may be fitted to the slides
for the purpose of facilitating the accurate adjustment of the blank in its
place. Two of these slides are actuated by a right and left handed screw
spindle and nuts whilst the others may receive their motion from these two

page_text: slides by means of inclined slots and a pin in the slides to be moved; but I do
not confine myself to any particular arrangement of mechanism for moving the
several slides. After each piece of fabric has been operated upon in the
manner above described, the pressing plate with the piece of fabric thereon is
elevated and the piece removed. The next operation is to unite and press
together two pieces of fabric whose edges have been turned over so as to form,
for example, the two sides of the collar or wristband, and prepare the article
for stitching. For this purpose I place the two pieces with their turned-in
edges face to face into a mould or matrix of the exact size and shape of the
pieces to be operated upon, uniting the two pieces with a little starch whilst
in the mould. This mould may or may not be heated, and a pressing plate
also heated or not, is brought down upon the two pieces of fabric, such plate
fitting accurately inside the mould; by this means the edges of the fabric
are pressed and flattened and brought evenly together in readiness for the next
process, namely, that of stitching, which may be accomplished by the improved
machinery herein-after described, or by any other sewing machine. The
machinery which I prefer to use for this purpose is that which I proceed to
describe. It is actuated by the same shaft as the machinery herein-before
described.
According to one arrangement of my improved sewing machinery I propose
to combine together in one main framing or support a number of sewing
machines in such a manner that they shall all be worked simultaneously and
in concert, the object being to stitch a number of articles at one and the same
operation. This is accomplished in the following manner :- Upon a smooth
or polished bed plate or table is bolted a long vertical bracket or standard
provided with a cam and cam shaft at the top and bottom thereof, both these
shafts being driven simultaneously and in concert by bevel gearing or other
contrivance. These two cams give motion to three parallel bars, which extend
from top to bottom of the main vertical standard above referred to. At
regular intervals are cast one above the other, and in two vertical parallel
rows on the front of the main standard, a number of projecting lugs or
brackets, to each pair of which is screwed the table or cloth plate of any
suitable arrangement of sewing machine, so that a number of such tables
will be arranged in tiers one above the other. The needles for these several
sewing machines are all carried by one and the same needle bar (being fitted
thereto at different heights), such bar being the middle one of the three
vertical parallel bars herein-before referred to, and receiving its up-and-down
reciprocating motion from the upper one of the two cams before mentioned.
The feeding device of each sewing machine is worked from the second parallel

page_text: vertical bar, which serves as the general feed actuating bar for the whole of
the machines, such bar receiving the motions requisite for the feed employed
from special feeding cams on the two cam shafts, and consequently all the
feeders receive motion simultaneously, and by thus working in concert propel
the different pieces of fabric along through each of the several sewing
machines at the same uniform rate, and with the same length of stitch, the
feed being regulated from the main feeding bar and not from each foot sepa-
rately. The shuttle or the looper or other suitable or well-known instrument
employed for carrying a second thread, or for completing and securing the
stitch when a single thread is employed, is worked from the third vertical bar
herein-before referred to; when shuttles are used the drivers are attached
directly to such bar, but when any of the looper arrangements are employed
then a corresponding attachment is fitted to the bar capable of imparting the
desired motion to the looper. It will thus be seen that any number of sewing
machines may be arranged arranged one above the other, in which machines
all the needles, feeders, and shuttles, or loopers are respectively worked from
three bars common to all the machines, and actuated from two cam shafts only.
The work to be stitched, as, for example, a dozen collars or wristbands is
carried in clamps of any suitable construction, fitted one above another on
brackets attached to a vertical support standing upon and capable of sliding
free any direction over the smooth or polished bed plate herein-before
referred to, the several clamps being so disposed that the work in each shall
rest upon and move over the bed plate or table of the sewing machine
opposite to it; in order that the several pieces of work may be all in the same
relative position, pins are fitted into one of the jaws of each clamp, such pins
passing through holes made by corresponding register pins in the pressing
machine herein-before described. Each clamp consists of two jaws of hard
wood having their holding surfaces roughened or scored, so as to give a firmer
hold on the cloth placed between them. These two jaws may be pressed
together by U-shaped or other springs or clips. At the top and bottom of the
upright, which carries the several clamps, there may be fitted, if desired,
metal template or pattern of the exact contour of the line of stitches to b
put into each piece of work, such templates or pattern surfaces bearing a
their edges against a fixed or adjustable guage or stop secured to any con
venient fixed portion of the main vertical standard of the machine. Thes
two templates consequently control the course of the whole of the differen
pieces of work, and by adjusting the stops or guages the stitching in eac
piece of work will be nearer to or further from the edge of the fabric. Eac
of the several sewing machines is also provided with an adjustable guage

page_text: against which the edge of the work passes as it is propelled or drawn along
by the feeders. When stitching straight or nearly straight seams the upright
which carries the clamps will follow the course of the seam guided by the
templates, assisted by the hand of the attendant,. if required, the dragging
action of the several feeding feet being sufficient to slide the upright support
over the smooth bed plate or table. If desired, a plate of polished glass may
be laid on the metal bed plate or table, so as to present the smoothest surface
possible for the upright to slide along.
The tension apparatus which I propose to employ in the several sewing
machines herein-before described, and which is equally applicable to any other
sewing machine working separately in the usual manner, consists in imparting
a variable or adjustable friction to the thread lifter, such friction being applied
to the periphery of a friction disc on the axis of the lifter: Upon the edge of
this disc rests a lever having a portion curved out so as to fit the periphery of
the disc. The lever works on a fixed centre at one end, and is held down at its
free end by an india-rubber or other spring or elastic band, which passes over
a screw nut adjustable along the lever nearer to or further from its centre,
the other part of the band being looped round a fixed arm. By adjusting the
nut nearer to or further from the fulcrum of the lever the friction against the
lifter will be diminished or augmented, and consequently the stitches will be
looser or tighter as the case may be. A precisely similar lever and friction
disc are employed for giving more or less tension to the thread on leaving the
bobbin, the friction disc being fixed on the spindle or axis of the bobbin,
which axis turns with the bobbin.
Another part of my Invention consists of a novel mode of finishing the
edges of shirt collars and cuffs or wristbands, and parts of garments and
other articles which are suited to receive binding. In finishing or binding
edges according to my improved method, I first stitch a narrow slip of colored
or plain fabric on to the edge of the article, bringing the edge of the article
and the edge of the strip or binding even with each other, or nearly so. The
opposite edge of the strip or binding is turned over in the form of a half hem,
and when the strip has been thus attached I fold or turn back the strip from
the line of stitching already made, and bring it over the edge of the article;
I then introduce a second line of stitches through the article and through the
underneath portion of the binding which has just been turned under, taking
care that these stitches be as close as possible to the upper edge of the binding
without catching it. The apparatus which I prefer to adopt for partly
accomplishing the novel mode of binding or finishing above described, and
which apparatus may be used either in the compound sewing machinery

page_text: herein-before referred to, or in any ordinary single sewing machine, consists
of a curved guide for laying or turning over the edge of the strip or binding
as it passes along such guide, forming one side of a channel, which gradually
diminishes in width towards the forward end thereof. Inside this channel
there is fitted a pressing plate or flat tongue of thin metal, which keeps the
strip or binding flat whilst the edge thereof.is being turned over by the com-
bined action of the curved guide above referred to and the forward travel of
the material as it is being stitched. The strip or binding is supplied from a
reel direct to the finisher or binder, and the whole should be so adjusted or
placed in the sewing machine that the flat or unturned edge of the binding
sball coincide with the edge of the article to be bound or finished. The
operation is completed by turning the binding over the edge of the article by
hand, and then introducing the second line of stitches.
According to another part of my Invention I propose in order to ensure a
perfectly true edge when stitching or hemming round a curved surface to
employ patterns or templates, the edges of which are curved to correspond
exactly with the curved line of stitches required. When using these templates
in the compound sewing machinery herein-before described, I place one near
the top and another near the bottom of the upright which carries the work,
and cause their curved edges to bear against a fixed or adjustable stop or
guage attached to the machine. The work to be hemmed is accurately
adjusted on a flat plate, the edge of which is curved to correspond to the curve
of the hem; needle points are provided near the curved edge for the purpose
of holding the fabric in its proper position, namely, with its edge concentric
with but projecting slightly beyond the curved edge of the holding plate. A
series of these plates may be fitted one above another on the upright, and
opposite to the several sewing machines. It will thus be obvious that by
keeping the edges of the templates against the stops or guages during the
stitching action a perfect curve will be stitched. When hemming, the folding
or turning of the hem may be effected by any of the well-known hemmers
now in use, or by the peculiar hemmer herein-after described, fitted to each
of the several sewing machines of the series. When a large segment of a
circle is to be stitched then the templates may be dispensed with, and the
upright made to turn upon a fixed centre, the distance of such centre from
the needle being the radius of the curve to be stitched. The improved
hemmer which I prefer to employ for hemming curved or straight edges
consists of a hook curved downwards, through which the end of the fabric is
passed after being turned or coiled by the finger and thumb. Immediately
behind this hook there is a curved plate or strip of metal, the end of which is

page_text: also curved downwards, but not so far as the hook, its object being to keep
the edge of the cloth turned well under as it leaves the hook or curler.
Another part of my Invention consists of a peculiar mode of combining and
working together any number of sewing machines disposed in one or more
horizontal rows, whereby several different or duplicate pieces of work may be
stitched at one and the same time. In this machine one or more horizontal
rows of separate sewing machines of any well-known or other suitable con-
struction are combined together, the needles, feeders, and shuttles, or loopers
of the several machines in each row being connected to and worked simul-
taneously by special horizontal parallel bars extending along each row, and
common to all the machines therein. Each of these bars receives the motions
required to be given to the parts in connection therewith from a cam operating
upon each, extremity of the bar, in lieu of having a special cam in each
machine. The bar which carries or actuates the needles has a rising and
falling motion. imparted to it by a suitable cam surface acting thereon at each
extremity. The shuttle drivers or the loopers (as the case may be) derive
their requisite movements from a second bar and a cam at each extremity
thereof, and the feeders (which I prefer to be of the "four-motion" description)
obtain their movements either entirely from one special bar, to which the
required horizontal and vertical or other movements are imparted by any well-
known arrangement of feeding cams acting on each extremity thereof, or when
the four-motion feed is used the horizontal motion may be derived from one
bar and the vertical motion from another, thus using two separate bars in lieu
of one for actuating the feeders. These several parts are mounted on a con-
venient frame or standard provided with the usual arrangements for driving
either by hand or power. The work to be stitched is held in position by
means of needle points carried on straight bars or baster plates, and these
plates are attached to the sides of carriages in which the bulk of the article
or piece of work is confined. These carriages and baster plates are supported
on grooved or other running wheels, or upon slides which run along metal rails
or guides fixed to the main framing of the machine, and are drawn forward
by the feeders of the sewing machines acting on the work itself.
I prefer
to arrange the sewing machines in pairs, and to pass the carriage containing
the work between each pair of machines, by which means two machines in the
row may be made to operate upon the work contained in one carriage. In
some cases where it is desired to have a number of rows of stitching close
together, as, for example, in the manufacture of padding or sheeting for
garments and other purposes, I cause the work to proceed onwards from the
first row of machines to a succeeding row, the needles of which are in different

page_text: vertical planes to those of the preceding row, and thus two or more rows of
stitches may be simultaneously introduced into one piece of work according to
the number of rows of stitching machines employed. Of course when several
rows of stitching machines are employed a suitable arrangement of gearing is
used in order that each row may work in concert with the others. The
machine above described with one or two additions made thereto, which I
shall herein-after mention, may be employed in the seaming or uniting of the
two edges of a piece or pieces of cloth. In making this seam only two lines
or rows of stitches are required. The two pieces of fabric or the edges to be
joined are laid one over the other, the two raw edges being perfectly parallel
to each other. The upper raw edge is made to overhang slightly or project
beyond the lower raw edge, in which position the two edges are maintained
by the pins of the baster plate above referred to, or otherwise. A line of
stitches is then introduced through the two thicknesses of fabric near to the
edge of the lower fabric. The projecting or overhanging raw edge of the
upper fabric is then turned or folded under, and, the two portions of the fabric
which were previously laid together are opened out or separated, the lower
one being drawn back to the line of stitches, and brought up to the already
turned-under edge of the upper piece of fabric, which edge is stitched
down on to the lower piece of fabric by a line of stitches parallel to the first,
but a little on one side thereof, the stitches being introduced as close as
possible to the turned-in edge.
or
When seaming or uniting fabrics in this manner in the machine last referred
to, it is necessary to employ an instrument which I term an " opener
"separator," which is attached to the bed plate of some or each of the second
row of sewing machines. Such "opener" consists of a horizontal bar, the
front end of which extends nearly up to the line of needles of the first or front
row of sewing machines. This bar is tapered horizontally and vertically
towards its front end, and has fitted to this extremity two parallel wires
forming a continuation of the bar itself. On the upper surface of this bar a
longitudinal ridge is formed, extending from the point back to beyond the
needles of the second row of sewing machines. One edge of each of the cloth
plates of the front row of machines lies parallel with and near to the side of
the longitudinal ridge above referred to, sufficient space being left between the
contiguous surfaces for a single thickness of fabric to pass through. The
turner for turning under the raw edge of the upper fabric may be similar to
an ordinary hemmer, but in place of giving two turns to the edge, it only folds
it once under. The work having been placed in its carriage, and properly
adjusted and fixed at its edge by the pins of the baster plate, it is introduced

page_text: into the machine, care being taken that the nearest of the two parallel wires
above referred to be inserted between the two thicknesses or folds. As the
work is drawn forward by the feeders of the front row of sewing machines the
upper raw edge is turned under by passing through the turner on the front
end of the cloth plate, and a row of stitches is introduced a slight distance
from the under raw edge, so as to unite the two fabrics. As fast as the work
passes the front set of needles the under fabric is stripped from off the needle
points of the baster plate by means of the parallel wires above mentioned,
which are curved downwards slightly for that purpose, and as the work is fed
onwards to the second row of sewing machines by the feeders of the front row,
(which feeders are made longer than usual to take a firmer hold of and guide
more accurately the work,) the under fabric is separated or opened back from
the upper fabric to the line of stitches by passing over the tapered or wedge-
like end of the "opener," and is brought into a horizontal position so as to
come in contact with the turned-under edge of the upper fabric. In this
condition the work proceeds to the second row of sewing machines, the ridge
on the surface of the "opener" bearing immediately against the line of stitches
already made, and thus keeping the under fabric well drawn or opened back
to such line of stitches. The turned-under edge is stitched down on to the
single thickness of the under fabric by the second set of sewing machines, the
needles of which are in a different vertical plane to the front one, so that the
second line of stitches will be made close to the turned-under edge, and
parallel to the first line of stitches. In order to press down or flatten slightly
the seam immediately before the second line of stitches is inserted, I cause the
work to pass under a spring pressing plate placed in front of each of the
second row of needles..
When it is desired to produce ornamental stitching or embroidery in this
machine, I add thereto two carriages running upon wheels, the one carriage
moving longitudinally on fixed rails, and the other moving laterally upon rails
carried on the first carriage, the two combined movements enabling the fabric
which is stretched on the upper carriage to be moved in any desired direction
according to the pattern to be produced. To the upper carriage is also fitted
a horizontal pattern plate, having grooves cut therein conforming to the desired
pattern, and in these grooves work fixed antifriction rollers secured to the
under side of some or each of the several sewing machines. The feeder of
each machine is carried by a cylindrical stem, to which a horizontal lever arm
is fitted, and the whole of these arms in each row are connected to one
horizontal bar, which carries at one or both ends an antifriction roller working
in a straight longitudinal slot in a plate attached to the top carriage. By

page_text: imparting a longitudinal motion to this bar it is obvious that the whole of the
feeders connected therewith will be turned more or less on their stems or
vertical axes, and will tend to feed the cloth in different directions, according
to the direction in which the feeders work. The bottom carriage is moved
forward stitch by stitch by means of an adjustable cam and ratchet motion,.
according to the length of stitch required. The forward motion thus imparted
to the pattern plates causes them also to move in a lateral direction by the
action of the fixed antifriction rollers in the pattern grooves, and thus the
upper carriage and cloth will move in the direction of such grooves, the several
feeders which assist this motion being turned in the proper direction for that
purpose by the arrangement above described.
Another part of my Invention relates to the stitching of button holes, which
may be accomplished either in the machine last described (but without the
.embroidering appliances) by having special appliances herein-after described
fitted therein for that purpose, or these same appliances may be adapted, if
preferred, to any existing sewing machines. In stitching a button hole
according to this Invention I employ two parallel vertical needles carried by
one slide or lever arm in combination with what may be termed a "six-motion
feed." The work to be operated upon is held stretched between the forked
jaws of a spring clamp, which moves both forward and laterally as herein-after
described. The claw of the feeding foot is hinged to stem, so as to swivel
or turn in a lateral as well as a longitudinal direction, and it receives a longi-
tudinal forward and backward horizonal motion as well as a to-and-fro lateral
horizontal motion combined with a vertical or up-and-down motion.
When a
number of machines are worked simultaneously in a horizontal row, as herein-
before described, one horizontal bar common to all the machines imparts the
longitudinal horizontal feed motion to the claw, the return stroke being
accomplished by a spring acting against each foot. This bar is worked by a
feed cam at each extremity, and receives a lateral vibratory motion only. The
to-and-fro lateral motion of the claw is allowed for by hinging the foot to the
lower end of the stem, and is obtained from a second horizontal bar common
to the whole of the machines in the row, which bar is connected to the bottom
of the foot in each machine of the series, and is moved to-and-fro longitudinally
by a special cam at each end thereof, which cams I hereafter call the "half-
time" cams. The object of this lateral motion of the claw is to move the button
hole sideways sufficiently to produce the desired length of "bar" in the button
hole stitch. The vertical or up-and-down motion of the claw is obtained from
a third horizontal bar common to all the machines in the row, which bar
receives a rising motion from a cam at each end, so as to elevate the whole of

page_text: the claws, and when the bar descends again the claws are each pressed down.
on the work by separate springs carried by the bar itself. The clamps which
hold the work are carried by the horizontal bar, which is moved by the "half-
time" cams, and which gives the lateral motion to the claws, the clamp being
arranged to slide across the bar laterally, and to receive a to-and-fro motion
with the bar itself, the lateral motion of the clamp being in the direction of
the length of the button hole, and is obtained solely from the feeding claw.
during its forward motion. The to-and-fro motion which the clamp receives.
from the bar itself, assisted by the, lateral feed motion of the claw, is at right
angles to the length of the button hole, and is intended to produce what is.
known as the "bar" of the button hole stitch. In combination with the two
vertical parallel needles work two shuttles or loopers, carrying each a second
thread, and when the needles are brought down one of them is made to pass
through the fabric, and the other through the cut or slot; the filling threads
are then passed through the loops of the needle thread, and the needles rise
again. The work is now fed forward and laterally by the combined forward.
and lateral motions of the claw, which has the effect not only of advancing the.
work, but of changing its position as regards the two needles, the slit or cut
being now brought under the needle which last passed through the fabric,.
whilst the needle which previously passed through the cut or slit now passes.
through the fabric, and these operations are repeated, the stitching being
produced simultaneously on both sides of the button hole, and the necessity.
for turning the work is thus obviated. In order to finish off the ends of the.
button hole, a few stitches may be. continued beyond the cut or slit, or they
may be secured and finished by tying the two ends of the top thread. By
varying the timing of the feed cams in relation to the needle cams, it is
obvious that different patterns of stitching may be produced by this
mechanism.
Another part of my Invention consists of a novel mode of forming the plaits
of shirt fronts, which plaits I term hereafter "false plaits." The false plait
consists of a narrow strip of fabric the longitudinal raw edges of which are
turned under and stitched down upon a plain piece of fabric which forms the
foundation or body of the front, the stitches being made at a slight distance
inside the turned-down edge, so as to leave the actual edge loose, and thus
give the appearance of a plait. By this mode of forming plaits considerable
economy in time, labour, and material is obtained compared with the ordinary
method of folding the several plaits from one and the same piece of fabric.
In order to produce these improved or false plaited shirt fronts in an expeditious
manner, I employ the following machinery, which I combine with the

page_text: compound sewing machinery herein-before described. In front of the main
framing are fitted a pair of beams or rollers, one above the other, and on to
the upper roller are wound the strips of fabric to form the false plaits, whilst
the lower roller carries a web or piece of cloth, on to which the plaits are to be
stitched side by side perfectly parallel to each other. A guide roller extends
along the front and back of the first row of sewing machines, over which
rollers the work passes on entering and leaving the machines. The raw edges
of the strips are turned under by an apparatus similar to that herein-before
described for turning under the raw edge of the strip employed in my system
of binding, but as in this case both the raw edges are required to be turned
under simultaneously, the apparatus is simply made double, being fitted with
two curved guides, one on each side of the tongue piece. These guides are
made adjustable, so as to produce plaits of any desired width, and the tongues
are removable to admit of different widths being introduced to suit the width
between the curved guides. By having several sewing machines working side
by side, and in concert, a number of plaits can be simultaneously stitched
down on to the web of cloth, and as fast as the work proceeds it is taken up or
wound on to a cloth or work beam or roller situate at the back of the main
framing of the machine, and is then ready to be cut up into shirt fronts of any
desired size, with the plaits ready formed and stitched thereon. When more
than one row of stitching is required along each side of the plaits, the work
may be made to pass through the second row of sewing machines before
referred to. The feed or passage of the work through the several sewing
machines is assisted by imparting any well-known "take-up" motion to the
cloth beam, similar to those employed for the cloth beams of looms for
weaving. In stitching down the false plaits they may be either arranged
to overlap each other on one side, so that one row of stitches will secure the
edges of two adjoining plaits, or their edges may be made to meet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Nicoll in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3
24th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
NICOLL, of Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex, Shirt Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Nicoll, Her special license that I, the said Benjamin Nicoll,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Benjamin Nicoll, my executors, administrators, or 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE AND ORNAMENTATION OF GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES COM-
POSED OF TEXTILE OR OTHER FABRICS OR MATERIALS, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THESE PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Benjamin Nicoll, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one
of them, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, 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 Benjamin Nicoll, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention has reference more particularly to the manufacture of
shirt fronts, collars, and wristbands, and is partly applicable to the manufac-
ture of other articles, whether of wearing apparel or otherwise, requiring to be
stitched or ornamented.
The various processes employed in the manufacture of such articles are
effected by a combination of machinery consisting of several parts and
subordinate combinations, but they are all capable of being worked by the
same prime mover and from a common shaft.
The improvements consist,-
Firstly, of a peculiar cutting machine for cutting out into various shapes
the pieces of fabric or material required in the formation of garments and
other articles.
Secondly, of a machine for turning over the edges of the fabric after it has
been cut out, and before stitching the same.
Thirdly, of a machine for uniting and pressing together two pieces of fabric
after they have had their edges turned over by the machine last referred to.

page_text: Fourthly, of certain peculiar arrangements and combinations of machinery
or apparatus for sewing, stitching, and embroidering fabrics or materials,
wherein several sewing machines are combined together and actuated and
driven simultaneously from one set of cams common to all and from one
common driving shaft.
Fifthly, of a novel mode of and apparatus for finishing the edges of shirt
collars, cuffs, or wristbands, and parts of garments and other articles which
are suited to receive binding.
Sixthly, of an improved mode of and apparatus for ensuring a perfectly
true edge when stitching or hemming round a straight or curved surface.
Seventhly, of an improved hemmer.
Eighthly, of an improved mode of and apparatus for uniting together the
edges of fabrics by what is known as "seaming."
Ninthly, of an improved mode of and apparatus for embroidering or
ornamenting fabrics.
Tenthly, of an improved mode of and apparatus for stitching button holes.
Eleventhly, of an improved mode of and apparatus for forming plaits for
shirt fronts and other garments.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Fig. I on Sheet 1 of my Drawings represents a longitudinal vertical section
of my improved cutting machine; Fig. 2 is a corresponding front elevation of
the same; and Fig. 3 is a plan thereof.
A is the main framing of the machine, upon which is bolted the table B,
and C is the main driving shaft which may be driven either by hand through
the intervention of a winch handle or by steam or other power. A pinion D
is keyed on to one end of the shaft C and gears into a spur wheel or toothed
segment E fast on the rocking shaft F, which works in bearings in the upper
part of the main framing. This shaft F carries a drum or segment of a
drum G, on the surface of which are secured in any convenient manner, so as
to be readily removeable therefrom, the cutters H. These cutters which are
curved to conform to the curved surface which carries them are knife-edged,
and their contour corresponds to the desired shape of the piece to be cut. A
sliding table or plate I is placed upon the fixed table B, and slides freely
between the guiding strips a, a, which are fixed to the table B, the edges of
the strips and the sliding plate I being bevelled so as to form dovetails whereby

page_text: the plate I is kept down upon the table B. Upon each edge of the plate I
there is secured a rack 6 which gears into corresponding circular or segmental
racks c, c, secured to each end of the drum or segment G, and consequently
as this drum reciprocates on its centre F it imparts a to-and-fro horizontal
sliding motion to the plate I which carries the fabric to be cut. The fabric
is laid upon the plate I in the form of a pile composed of several thicknesses or
layers of fabric, such pile being maintained in its place upon the plate I by
means of register pins fixed in the plate with their points' upwards, but which
pins I have not considered it necessary to show in the Drawings. The pile
is adjusted upon the plate I when it is run out to its full extent, and so soon
as the cutter drum commences to turn it draws the plate I with the pile upon
it underneath the cutter or cutters, which begin their cut at one end and
terminate it at the opposite end thereof, the entire pile being completely.
cut through by the time it has passed under the cutters and has been brought
to the opposite side of the drum. At this point the remains of the pile are
removed from the plate I to be replaced by a fresh pile, and the articles or
pieces cut out by the last operation of the cutters are expelled from the
cutter or cutters by springs contained inside the cutters or removed therefrom
by hand; the fresh pile having been adjusted, the return or reverse move-
ment of the machine will effect the next cut and so on, the machine being
driven backwards and forwards alternately. In order to protect the edges
of the cutters from injury by coming into forcible contact with the surface of
the plate I, there are guards or flanges d, d, formed upon each end of the
drum which bear upon the periphery of a roller K fast on the driving shaft,
such flanges and roller being so disposed that the edges of the cutters shall
only just touch the surface of the plate I. In order to allow of the roller K
working against the flanges or guards d, a slot or opening is made across the
fixed table B of the machine above the roller, which arrangement also affords
a means of supporting that portion of the plate I immediately under the centre
of the drum by causing it to rest upon and travel over the surface of the
roller, as shewn clearly in Fig. 1. e is one of a pair of adjusting screws for
adjusting the height of the roller K. It is obvious that various other arrange-
ments might be employed for actuating the drum in lieu of reversing the
gearing at each cut, for example, the well-known contrivance of "mangle
wheel and pinion" or reciprocating racks might be advantageously employed
whereby the driving motion may be continuous in one direction only.
In the manufacture of shirts and collars and other garments and articles
of dress it is requisite in some cases to turn over the edges of the fabric after
it has been cut out and before stitching the same, and this operation I propose

page_text: to accomplish by the aid of the machine represented in plan and transverse
vertical section at Figs. 4 and 5 respectively. This machine consists of a hot
plate or table A, heated by steam, gas, or otherwise, and having a shallow
matrix or sunk part a on its surface corresponding in size and shape with the
finished shirt collar, wristband, or other article to be produced. The piece of
fabric or blank previously cut out to the proper shape and damped slightly is
laid upon the matrix in the hot plate, and a thin pressing plate B is then
brought down upon it, thereby forcing the fabric into the matrix and causing
the surrounding edges which overlap the sides of the matrix to turn up
slightly. The pressing plate B may be conveniently carried by a pair of bent
arms C hinged at D to the edge of the hot plate, so that the pressing plate may
be readily turned back and brought into the matrix. This plate moreover
should correspond in shape to that of the matrix, which it should fit easily, so
as to allow for the thickness of the fabric between its edges and the inner
sides of the matrix, it should also be made sufficiently thin to permit of the
passage of the slides D, D', over it when in the matrix. The raised edges of
the piece of fabric are folded down and over the edges of the pressing plate by
the slides D, D', which are caused to approach simultaneously on all sides of
the matrix, and thereby press or fold down the edges of the fabric. Two of
these slides D, D, are actuated by a right and left handed screw spindle E and
nuts F fixed to the slides, whilst the other slides D¹, D¹, may receive their
motion from the slides D, D, by means of the inclined slots 6 in the plate c
secured to the slides D working over corresponding pins fixed in the slides D³,
as shewn clearly in Fig. 4. In order to facilitate the accurate adjustment of
the piece of fabric over the matrix, register pins may be fitted to the surfaces
of the slides, which when in their outward position will be accurately placed
for the reception of the piece to be operated upon. The several slides, which
are represented in their closed position in Fig. 4, are guided in their move-
ments by dovetailed guides d screwed to the table A, and in order to vary
slightly the size of the matrix I make this table in two or more parts, so that
by withdrawing them slightly the size of the matrix may be increased.
are slots and screws for fixing the parts of the table A in any desired position
on the main stand G of the machine, in which they are free to be adjusted.
The screw spindle E is actuated by hand through the intervention of the hand
wheel H, or by power in any convenient manner capable of imparting the
desired forward and backward rotatory motion of the screw. After each piece
of fabric has been operated upon in the manner above described, the pressing
plate B with the piece of fabric held thereon is elevated from the matrix and
the folded piece is removed and a fresh piece placed in the machine.
e, e,

page_text: The next operation is to unite and press together two pieces of fabric
whose edges have been turned over so as to form, for example, the two sides
of a collar or wristband, and prepare the article for stitching. Fig. 6 repre-
sents a plan of a mould or matrix (shewn open) which I employ for this
purpose; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same when closed; and Fig. 8
is a transverse section thereof. .open. I place the two pieces of fabric
with their turned-in edges face to face in the matrix A, which is of the exact
size and shape of the pieces to be operated upon. I prefer to unite the two
pieces by a little starch whilst in the mould, so as to keep them together
when removed therefrom and whilst undergoing the operation of stitching.
This mould A may or may not be heated, but I prefer to heat it: B is a
pressing plate which may also be heated or not as preferred; it is conveniently
fitted to the lid or cover C; which is hinged to the mould so as to be readily.
closed down and pressed upon the pieces of fabric when adjusted in the matrix ;
by this means the edges of the pieces are pressed and flattened, and brought
evenly together in readiness for the next process, namely, that of stitching,
which may be accomplished by the improved machinery herein-after described,
or by any other sewing machine. In order to accommodate pieces of various
sizes, I prefer to make the matrix A in two or more parts, as shewn, and to
adjust these parts nearer to or further from each other in a groove or channel a
in the body b of the apparatus, set screws or other well-known contrivances
being employed for keeping the several parts in their proper positions; in.
such case the pressing plate B, which should always fit accurately inside the
matrix, may also be composed of two or more adjustable parts as shewn. c, c,.
are the handles for facilitating the opening and closing of the apparatus.
Figure 1 (Sheet 2) represents a front elevation of a compound sewing
machine wherein are combined together in one main framing or support a
number of sewing machines situate one above another, and so arranged that
they shall all be worked simultaneously and in concert, the object being to stitch
a number of articles at one and the same operation; Figure 2 is a side
elevation of the same; and Figure 3 is a plan of the apparatus for carrying.
or supporting the work. The rest of the Figures on this Sheet are details.
which I shall herein-after fully refer to. A is a smooth or polished bed plate or
table which may consist either wholly or partly of metal, glass, or other suitable
material. This bed plate may be either cast in one piece with or have bolted
thereto a long vertical bracket or standard B provided with a cam shaft C.
and C at its upper and lower end, both these shafts being driven simul-
taneously and in concert by bevil gearing or other suitable mechanical con-
trivance. In the Drawing I have shewn a bevel wheel D, D', keyed on the

page_text: back end of each shaft, and gearing into a corresponding bevel wheel E, E³,
both fast on a vertical second-motion shaft F working in bearings G, G¹,
attached to the back of the main vertical standard B. Motion is commu-
nicated to the vertical shaft F by means of a bevel wheel H sliding along
a feather on the first-motion or driving shaft I actuated by a strap and fast-
and-loose driving pullies K, K', or otherwise. The boss of the bevel wheel H
may be grooved to receive the end of a clutch lever, whereby this wheel may
be thrown out of gear at any moment, and so stop the entire series of sewing
machines. Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of a disc L, which is keyed on to
the upper cam shaft C, shewing the inner face thereof; and Figure 5 is a
similar view of a disc L', which is keyed on to the lower can shaft C. In
the inner face of the upper disc there are formed two cam grooves a and b,
and in the lower disc a single cam groove b' only is provided, such groove
corresponding in every respect with the groove b in the upper disc. The
object of the cam groove a is to give motion to the needle bar M, which
extends from the bottom to the top of the standard. This bar is guided and
steadied laterally by guide lugs cast on the front of the standard, through
some of which lugs are passed pins which work in slots in the needle bar.
This bar is provided at its upper end with a pin or friction bowl, which
works freely in the cam groove a, so that as the cam rotates it will impart an
up-and-down positive motion to the needle bar M. To this bar are fitted in
any convenient manner the whole of the needles for the several sewing
machines, such needles being placed at suitable distances above each other
so as to coincide with the different sewing machines carried on the vertical
standard B. In the Drawing I have represented this standard as capable of
receiving twelve machines, but of course this number may be varied as desired.
As each sewing machine is an exact counterpart of the other, I have only
represented one machine in my Drawing, and I may here observe that
although I describe and illustrate a certain type of sewing machine, I do not
confine or restrict myself to such type, as any number of other well-known or
improved sewing machines may be combined together so as to work in accord-
ance with my said Invention. At regular intervals are cast one above the
other, and in two vertical parallel rows on the front of the main standard B, a
number of projecting lugs or brackets N, N, to each pair of which horizon-
tally is screwed the table or cloth plate O of a sewing machine, so that a
number of such tables will be ranged in tiers one above the other. In the
Drawing two of these tables are represented in their places on the brackets N.
The feeding devices of the several sewing machines are all worked from the
vertical bar P, which is parallel with the needle bar M. This feeding bar is

page_text: guided in brackets Q, Q, at the upper and lower end, bolted to the standard B.
In the upper end of the feeding bar there is a pin or stud c, which fits into a
slot in the bent lever R, working on a fixed centre S. The elbow d of this
lever rests upon the cam or wiper T on the upper cam shaft C (shewn
detached from the machine on an enlarged scale at Figure 6), the effect of
which arrangement is to elevate the feeding bar P at each revolution of this
cam or wiper, whilst the india-rubber or other spring U attached to the free
end of the bent lever R and to the adjustable hook in the fixed lug V tends
constantly to draw down or depress the feeding bar, keeping the lever R
always in contact with the can or wiper T. A lateral to-and-fro motion is
imparted to the feeding bar by means of two cams or eccentrics W (one of
which is shewn at Figure 6), respectively carried by the upper and lower cam
shafts C, C, and acting against the side of the feeding bar P, which is free to
play in its guiding brackets Q, Q. X, X, are springs for keeping the side
of the bar P in contact with the periphery of the cams W. These feeding
cams T and W may either be cast in one piece with the cam discs L, L³, or
fitted separately upon their respective cam shafts. By attaching rigid arms P¹
at suitable distances above each other to the feeding bar P, and by providing
each arm with a feeding foot, it is obvious that the several feeding feet will
receive the motions requisite for such feed simultaneously from the common
feeding bar, and will propel the work along in each of the sewing machines
simultaneously, and at the same speed, with the same length of stitch, the work
performed in the several sewing machines being uniform. The feeding foot
which I prefer to employ is jointed to the lower end of the arm P¹, and is
acted upon by a spring p', which allows of a slight yielding action in the foot.
Although I prefer to employ the "four-motion feed," I do not confine or restrict
myself thereto, as other suitable or well-known feeding devices may be used, but
in all cases the movement is to be derived from a feeding bar common to the
several sewing machines. The length of stitch is regulated from the main
feeding bar P by means of the adjusting screws Y, Y, carried thereby, and
striking against the fixed stops Z, Z, on the main standard B. In my Drawing
I have represented a top feed which requires to be lifted each time the work
is removed or replaced, and this I accomplish by elevating the levere upon
which the feeding bar P rests at its lower ends, whereby the whole of the
feeding feet will be lifted simultaneously from off the work, and held up by
causing the lever e to enter a retaining notch in the fixed guide f. The
several shuttles, loopers, or other suitable or well-known instruments employed
for carrying a second thread, or for completing and securing the stitch when a
single thread only is employed, are worked simultaneously and in concert

page_text: from the third parallel vertical bar g. When reciprocating shuttles are
employed, the several drums are attached directly to this bar, but when any
of the well-known looper arrangements are used, then suitable attachments,
which will be readily understood by a practical sewing machine maker, are to
be fitted to the bar 9 so as to be capable of imparting the desired motion
or motions to the loopers. In all cases however the several shuttles or
loopers receive their movements from one common driving bar, the use of
which constitutes one of the essential features of this part of my Invention.
The bar g is rigidly connected at the top and bottom to two bent arms h, h¹,
respectively, the parts i, i, of such bent arms working in guides secured to the
standard B, and being provided each with a stud or bowl k, k¹, which work in
the cam grooves b, b', respectively made in the discs L, L'. It will thus be
seen that by placing or setting the cams b, b', in the same positions and
imparting a rotatory motion thereto the bar 9 will receive a to-and-fro
parallel lateral motion, being guided therein by the parts i, i, of the arms
h, h', working in their fixed guides. The bar g is further guided and steadied
in its movements by the pins 1, 11, part of the arms h, h', and working through
guide holes in brackets m, m', bolted to the side of the standard B. It will
thus be seen that any number of sewing machines may be arranged one above
the other, in which machines all the needles, feeders, and shuttles, or loopers,
as the case may be, are respectively worked from the three bars M, P, and g,
which are common to all the machines, and which are actuated from two cam
shafts only. The work to be stitched, as, for example, a dozen collars or
wristbands, is carried in clamps n (one of which is shewn in plan and end
elevation at Figures 7 and 8 respectively). These clamps may be of any con-
venient construction, and are fitted one above another on brackets or arms o
attached to a vertical support p (Figures 2 and 3) standing upon and capable
of sliding freely in any direction over the smooth or polished bed plate A
herein-before referred to, the several clamps being so disposed that the
work in each shall rest upon and move over the cloth plate or table of the
sewing machine opposite to it. In order that the several pieces of work may
be all in the same relative position, pins are fitted into one of the jaws of each
clamp, such pins passing through holes made by corresponding register pins
in the pressing machine herein-before described. Each clamp may consist of
two jaws of hard wood having their holding surfaces roughened or scored so
as to give a firmer hold on the cloth placed between them. These two jaws
may be pressed together by U-shaped or other springs or clips q (Figures 7
and 8).
At the top and bottom of the upright p, which carries the several
clamps, there may be fitted, if desired, a metal template or pattern, the lower

page_text: one only of which is shown at r, (Figure 2,) of the exact contour of the article
to be stitched, such templates or pattern surfaces bearing at their edges against
a fixed or adjustable guage or stop secured to any convenient fixed portion of
the machine; these two templates consequently control the course of the whole
of the different pieces of work, and by adjusting the stops or guages the
stitching in each piece of work will be nearer to or further from the edge of
the fabric. Each of the several sewing machines is also provided with an
adjustable guage, against which the edge of the work passes as it is propelled
or drawn along by the feeders. One of these last-mentioned adjustable
guages s is shown in enlarged detail side elevation and plan at Figures 9 and
10 respectively, and on a smaller scale attached to the machine in Figure 1.
In my Drawings I have represented one guage of the series only, but they
are all arranged in a precisely similar manner, and this arrangement may also
be applied, if required, to the guages for the templates herein-before referred
to. A notched stem t is fitted to or formed upon each guage s, which stem
euters a socket t¹ in the end of a bracket t" rigidly secured to the end of
the arm u fast on a vertical spindle v, which is supported in brackets w at the
side of the standard B; these arms u are adjustable to any height along the
spindle by means of set screws, as shown in my Drawings. A nick is made
across the socket which holds the stem of the guage, and in this nick
enters a hinged plate x which also enters one or other of several nicks made
across the stem, by which arrangement the guage may be set to any desired
position and there retained by the hinged plate x. It is obvious that other
well-known appliances may be used for adjusting or setting the several guages.
Should the guages not be required, they may be all removed or turned out of
the way by turning the spindle v in its bearing brackets. When stitching
straight or nearly straight seams, the upright p which carries the clamps will
follow the course of the seam guided by the templates, assisted by the hand of
the attendant, if required, the dragging action of the several feeders being
sufficient to cause the three supporting feet p¹ of the upright p to slide over
the smooth bed plate or table A in the direction required. I propose to
employ in the several sewing machines a peculiar tension apparatus, which is
equally applicable to any other shuttle machine working separately in the
usual manner. According to this part of my Invention, I impart a variable
or adjustable friction to the thread lifter y, shewn at Figure 1, and in enlarged
detail at Figure 1, this lifter being raised at each stroke by a stud on the
needle bar. The friction is applied to the periphery of a friction disc, or
the axis of the lifter. Upon the edge of this disc rests a lever 1, having a
portion curved out so as to fit the periphery of the disc. This lever works on

page_text: a fixed centre 2 at one end, and is held down at its free end by an india-
rubber or elastic band 3, which passes over the lever 1 or over a screw nut
working along a screwed portion of that lever so as to approach towards or
recede from the fulcrum or centre of the lever on being rotated. The other
part of the band 3 is looped round a fixed arm 4. It will thus be obvious
that by turning the nut so as to adjust it nearer to or further from the fulcrum
of the lever 1, the friction against the disc on the axis of the lifter y will be
diminished or augmented accordingly. The needle thread is first passed
through a guide eye in the free end of an adjustable arm y¹, and thence passes
through a guide eye in the end of the lifter y, from which it passes through
another eye in the needle carrier and thence through the eye of the needle.
As the shuttle is entering and expanding the loop, the lifter y is drawn down
on to the stud on the needle carrier; the greater the friction on the lifter
the tighter will be the stitch.
A similar arrangement of lever 1, friction disc z, and spring 3 are employed
for giving more or less tension to the thread on leaving the bobbin, the
friction disc being fixed on the spindle or axis of the bobbin, which axis
turns with the bobbin; but in lieu of curving the lever to fit the disc, a piece
of leather may be fitted thereon.
Another part of my Invention, illustrated by Figures 11, 12, and 13
(Sheet 2), consists of a novel mode of finishing the edges of shirt collars and
cuffs or wristbands, and parts of garments and other articles which are suited
to receive binding. In finishing or binding edges according to my improved
method, I first stitch a narrow strip a of coloured or plain fabric on to the
edge of the article 6 to be bound, bringing the edge of the article and the
edge of the strip or binding even with each other, or nearly so, as shewn at
Figure 11. In this condition I unite the strip to the article by a line of stitches
near the edge thereof, and fold or turn over the opposite edge of the strip a in
the form of a half hem, as shewn in Figure 12. When the strip has been
thus attached and folded, I turn it over the edge of the article from the line of
stitches just under, and introduce a second line of stitches through the article
and through that portion of the binding only which has been turned under,
taking care that these stitches be as close as possible to the upper edge of the
binding without catching it, as shewn in the view of the finished binding at
Figure 13. The apparatus which I have invented, and which I prefer to
adopt for partly accomplishing this novel mode of binding or finishing the
edges of fabrics, is represented in front elevation and corresponding plan at
Figures 14 and 15 (Sheet 2) respectively. a is a curved guide for laying or
turning over the edge of the strip or binding as it passes along, such guide

page_text: being formed from a curved plate which is secured to the main plate 6 of the
apparatus. This curved plate forms one side of a channel which gradually
diminishes in width towards the forward end thereof, the opposite side of such
channel being formed by the plate c which serves as the stem of the apparatus
whereby it is secured to the end of the arm u (Figures 9 and 10) herein-
before referred to. Inside this channel there is fitted a pressing plate or flat
tongue d of thin metal attached to a curved arm e, which is secured by screws
to the plate b. The object of this tongue d is to keep the main portion of the
strip or binding flat whilst the inner edge thereof is being turned cvar to form
the half hem before referred to, by the combined action of the turned portion
of the curved guide a and the forward travel of the strip as it passes through
the guide. The strip or binding is supplied from a reel or bobbin f fitted on
to a pin in the arm u (Figures 9 and 10) direct to the finisher or binder, and
the whole should be so adjusted or placed in the sewing machine that the flat
or unturned edge of the binding shall coincide with the edge of the article to
be bound or finished. The operation is completed by turning the binding
over the edge of the article by hand and then introducing the second line of
stitches. This binder is equally applicable to any ordinary single sewing
machine.
According to another part of my Invention, I propose, in order to insure a
perfectly true edge when stitching or hemming round a curved surface, such,
for example, as the rounded flaps of shirts, to employ patterns or templates,
the edges of which are curved to correspond exactly with the curved edges of
the article to be stitched. In the compound sewing machinery herein-before
described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 (Sheet 2), I place one near
the top and another near the bottom of the vertical support or upright p
(Figures 2 and 3), which carries the work and cause their curved edges to
bear against fixed or adjustable stops or guages attached to any convenient
fixed portion of the machine, or disposed as herein-before described. The
curved work to be stitched or hemmed is accurately adjusted upon a flat
plate or open frame 5 (two of such plates or frames being shewn in Figure 3)
fitted to the upright p by suitable supports 6 and 7. The support 6 may
consist of a bar of angle iron secured horizontally at a proper elevation on the
upright p, and having its face grooved to receive one edge of the frames 5.
A pin 8 is fitted into this edge of each frame, which pin enters one of a series
of holes in the bar 6, so as to retain the frames at the proper distance apart;
the overhanging portions of the frames 5 are supported by the bar 7, carried
on the arms O¹ secured to the upright; this bar may be provided with grooves
to receive the arms of the frames, as shewn in the Drawing, or it may consist

page_text: simply of a plain supporting bar. The two frames 5 are braced together by
means of the bar 9, which passes through their adjoining sides and is provided
with numerous holes for the purpose of enabling the frames 5 to be set at any
desired distance apart, pins passing through these holes and through corre-
sponding holes in the frames 5 serving to fix the frames when once adjusted.
Needle points are provided near the curved edges of the frames 5 for the
purpose of holding the fabric in its proper position, namely, with its edge con-
centric with but projecting slightly beyond the curved edge of the holding
frame. A series of these frames 5 may be fitted one above the other on the
upright p, and opposite to the several sewing machines. It will thus be
obvious that by keeping the edges of the templates against the stops or guages
during the stitching action a perfect curve will be stitched. When a large
segment of a circle is to be stitched, then the templates may be dispensed
with, and the upright p made to turn upon a fixed centre or pin 10 (Figure 2)
carried in a bar 11, and pressed down by a spring 12 into a hole in the bed
plate A. There are several holes in the bar 11, in any of which the pin may be
adjusted, the distance of such pin from the vertical line of the needles being
the radius of the curve to be stitched. When performing the operation of
hemming, the folding or turning of the hem may be effected by the peculiar
hemmer which I shall now proceed to describe, such hemmer being attached
to the end of each of the arms u (Figures 9 and 10); it may, however, be
employed in any ordinary single sewing machine. Figure 16 (Sheet 2) is a
side elevation of my improved hemmer detached; Figure 17 is a correspond-
ing plan of the same; Figure 18 is a front end view of the hemmer looking
towards the side at which the fabric first enters; and Figure 19 is a view of
the opposite side thereof. This hemmer consists of a narrow hook a curved
downwards, through which the end of the fabric is passed after being turned
or coiled by the finger and thumb; immediately behind this hook there is a
curved plate or strip of metal b, the end of which is also curved downwards
but not so far as the hook, its object being to keep the edge of the cloth
turned well under as it leaves the hook or curler; these hooks are attached
to a plate c secured to a. stem d, which fits into the socket t', herein-before
referred to, carried by the arm (Figures 9 and 10). The stem d is nicked
so as to be capable of adjustment in the socket-t', and of being retained in its
place therein by the hinged plate a, herein-before referred to. According to a
modified form of this hemmer, shown in side elevation, plan, and end view, at
Figures 20, 21, and 22 (Sheet 2) respectively, I unite the hook and curved
plate in one, as shewn at a, and either make this part in one piece with or
attach it to the plate c connected with the stem d; the curved piece a is

page_text: flattened at the exit end so as to flatten and lay down the turned over hem.
In both arrangements an upright guide plate e may be situated at one side of
the hemmer, which will serve to turn up the edge of the fabric and so guide
it into the hemmer. As this improved hemmer is made much narrower than
those hitherto employed, it is equally well adapted for hemming round sharp
curves as for straight work, which is not the case with existing hemmers.
Figure 1, on Sheet 3 of my Drawings, represents a transverse vertical
section of a machine for stitching and ornamenting several pieces of work at
one and the same time, several sewing machines being combined therein in
one or more horizontal rows, each row of machines being worked by one set
of cams at each end of the row, and the whole being actuated from one
common driving shaft; Figure 1, on Sheet 4, is a general plan of the same.
The rest of the Figures on Sheets 3 and 4 are enlarged details of the working
parts, which I shall herein-after more fully describe and refer to. In all
these Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is the driving shaft for the front row of sewing machines, fitted with two
loose driving pullies B, B', and working in bearings carried in the main
framing C of the machine, and in a bracket or standard D. This shaft
extends from end to end of the machine, and carries a spur pinion E in one
piece with or fast to the driving pulley B, which pinion gears with a carrier
wheel or pinion F in gear with another pinion G loose on the second shaft H.
This shaft also works in bearings in the main framing C, and in a bearing I in
the support D, and extends from end to end of the machine. K, K', are two
sliding clutches worked by the lever handles L, L³, so as to be thrown in or
out of gear with the pinions E and G, as desired; M, M, are cams fixed on
to the driving shaft A for working the whole of the needles simultaneously
and in concert in the front row of sewing machines, of which I have shewn
two pairs only at N, N, (Figure 1, Sheet 4). One of these cams is shewn in
edge view and in inside elevation on an enlarged scale at Figures 2 and 3
(Sheet 3). O is the needle bar common to the several sewing machines in
the front row; it extends from end to end of the machine, and works in
vertical slots in the end standards. A bowl or antifriction pulley is fitted on to
each end of this bar, which works in the cam groove a, and consequently
receives an up-and-down motion therefrom. The several needles for the row
of sewing machines are secured at the proper intervals in any convenient
manner to this bar.
In my Drawings I have represented the front row of sewing machines as
working with a single thread only supplied from the bobbins 6 carried on the
needle bar, but I do not confine or restrict myself to this class of machine, as

page_text: any other suitable or well-known type of sewing machine may be employed.
The several loopers c of these machines are all secured to a horizontal bar P,
which is actuated by a cam Q on the shaft A, operating on each end thereof.
One of these cams is shewn in enlarged detail edge view, face view, and plan
respectively at Figures 2, 3, and 4 (Sheet 3). The bar P works in guides
or clips at each end in the standards of the machine, and receives a forward
and backward oblique motion from the combined action of the cams or
wipers and springs d, and fixed studs or pins e fitted to the under side of
the bar P, and working in inclined slots or grooves made across the bar i, as
shewn at Figure 4 (Sheet 3). The object of giving this oblique motion to
the loopers c is to enable them to present the loop to the needle, and ensure
its opening with greater certainty. The feeders of the several sewing
machines N are all carried by and worked from one common horizontal
feeding bar R, such bar being fitted at each end into a slide S (Figures 2
and 3, Sheet 3), which works in a vertical slot in each of the end standards
of the machine.
The feed I have represented in my Drawings is that known as the top
four-motion feed, and in order to give the requisite movements to the feeding
feet I employ 2 cams, T and U, fast on the shaft A, and operating upon the
bar R at each end thereof simultaneously. The vertical motion of the
feeders is obtained from the cam T, which acts against a lever V working on
a centre W. Upon this lever rests the lower end of an arm X attached to
each end of the bar R, so as to allow that bar to pivot or turn therein slightly.
The forward and backward movements of the feeding feet are obtained by the
combined action of the cams U and a spring or weight. These cams act
against the lower end of an arm Y suspended from the bar R, which arm on
being pushed forward by the projecting part of the cam causes the bar R to
turn slightly on its centres in the slides S, and as the feeding feet project
some distance below this bar they consequently receive a forward motion,
which feeds the cloth along. The backward motion may be produced either
by a spring acting upon the arms Y, or in any other well-known manner.
Z is an adjusting screw carried by the arm Y, for the purpose of regulating
the length of stitch, such screw striking against the fixed stop f at each
backward stroke of the arm. The cloth plates g of the front row of sewing
machines are supported by the brackets h fast on the longitudinal bar i, which
extends from end to end of the entire machine. The front end of one of these
cloth plates is shewn in detail plan and side elevation, full size, at Figures 5
and 6 (Sheet 3) respectively. In these Figures the cloth plate is shewn as
provided with attachments herein-after referred to for making my improved

page_text: seam, but such attachments are dispensed with when plain sewing is being
produced.
I shall now proceed to describe tho second row of sewing machines, which
are here represented as shuttle machines, although any other variety of
machine may be employed. k is the bar for communicating the up-and-down
motion to the needle slides; it extends horizontally between the two main
end standards C of the machine, and works at each end in vertical slots
therein. This bar is connected to the whole or any number of the needle
slides in the second row of sewing machines, and receives a rising and falling
motion from the cam grooves / in the two discs m (Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 4)
secured to the second shaft. H, a friction bowl at each extremity of the
bar k, working in the cam grooves referred to. The bobbins n for supplying
the several needles are carried in brackets secured to the longitudinal bar o,
and the tension of the thread is obtained in the manner herein-before described
and illustrated at Figure 1, on Sheet 2, of my Drawings. The shuttles of the
several machines work in their respective shuttle races p fixed to the projecting
arms or fixed brackets q cast on the plate r, which is bolted to the longitudinal
bar s, extending from end to end of the machine. t, t, are arms or drivers
attached to the several shuttle carriers, and secured to the longitudinal
bar บ: this bar is attached at each extremity to a bar v, which bars v slide
to and fro longitudinally in guides on the end standards C, and carry at their
ends an antifriction bowl, which works in the cam groove w in the discs m
(Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 4), herein-before referred to. A top four-motion
feed is also shewn in these machines, but in place of deriving the requisite
movements from a single feeding bar, as herein-before described in reference
to the first row of machines, I have represented two bars x and y for giving
the vertical and horizontal motions to the feeding feet z. The bar is slotted
longitudinally, and through this slot is passed the upper end of the stem of
the feeding foot, a pin passing transversely through the stem above the bar
serving to lift the foot. An india-rubber or other spring carried by the bar x
tends to keep the stem down, but allows it to adjust itself to various thick-
nesses of material; a rising and falling motion is imparted to the bar x in
guides 1 bolted to the top of the standards C by means of cams 2 on the
shaft H (Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 4) operating upon each end of the bar
simultaneously. A suspended arm 3 is carried upon each end of the bar x,
each of which arms rests upon a lever 4 centred at 5, and bearing upon the
cam or wiper 2. The horizontal motions of the feeding feet are obtained
from the bar y working in slots in the standards C, and actuated at each
end by a cam or eccentric 6 on the shaft H (Figures 2 and 3, Sheet 4)

page_text: this cam acts upon the tail of a vertical lever 7, working on a fulcrum 8
in each of the standards C, the upper ends of such levers bearing
against projections 9 at the ends of the bar y. An adjusting screw 10
is fitted into the lower end of the lever 7, which bears against a stop 11, and
affords facility for regulating the length of stitches; springs 12 bearing
against the bar y, and fixed to the standard C, serve to bring back that bar
during its return stroke. The bar y is connected with the stems of the
several feeding feet by means of hooks 13, which embrace the stems and
draw them back with the bar; small springs 14 behind the stems tend to
The several stems are each
keep them forward against the hooks 13.
contained in a vertical groove in the front side of the longitudinal fixed bar o,
and are each slotted, as shown, and have a pin passing through such slot and
into the sides of the grooves, so as to hold the stems in their proper positions.
The several needle slides work in guides on the front of the bar o, covering
the grooves which contain the stems of the several feeders, and in some cases
I make provision for working either the whole or a portion of the needles
simultaneously at will. This may be accomplished, as shewn by the detail
plan, Figure 7 (Sheet 3). by connecting some only of the needle slides 15
direct to the bark by pins 16, the remainder being coupled with a second
bar 17 when required for use. This bar 17 has an up-and-down motion in
common with the bar k, but is free to be slid to or from such bar in guides 18
attached thereto; pins 19 are fitted to the bar 17, which pass through holes
in the bar k, and when slid forward enter corresponding holes in the needle
slides, which slides will then work with the rest.
The work to be stitched is placed in trays or troughs 20 (shewn in Figure 1,
Sheets 3 and 4, and in detail end view on a larger scale at Figure 8, Sheet 3);
these troughs are mounted on wheels 21, which run along rails 22 extending
from the front to the back of the machine. The wheels are carried on studs
in a bent bar 23, passing under each end of the trough and attached thereto;
these bars 23 serve to carry the baster plates 24, situate one on each side of
the trough, and provided with pins or sharp points to which the edge of the
work is secured, as shewn by the red lines in Figure 8 (Sheet 3). Each
trough travels between two sewing machines in each row as shewn in
Figure 1, Sheet 4, and the work it contains is consequently operated upon two
edges simultaneously by the needles of the adjoining machines. The work
should be made to project sufficiently beyond the baster plates to admit
of its lying upon the cloth plates of the sewing machines, and of being
caught by the feeding feet, the action of which draws the trays or troughs
along stitch by stitch. The feeding feet of the front row of machines are

page_text: made sufficiently long to continue to act upon the material until it comes
within the range of the feeders of the second row of sewing machines, as
shewn at Figure 1, Sheet 3. The second set of feeders then come into
action, and the work is propelled through the second row of sewing machines.
The needles in this second row should be so situate with regard to those of
the front row that they will make a separate line of stitches near to but
parallel with the stitches produced by the front row. When such double stitch-
ing however is not required, the second row of machines may be thrown out
of action by the clutch hercin-before referred to, or the second row of
machines may be worked without the front row by throwing out of gear
the clutch K. The compound sewing machine herein-before described
may with one or two additions thereto, which I shall herein-after mention,
be employed in the seaming or uniting of the two edges of a piece or
pieces of cloth in a novel and peculiar manner. In making this improved
seam, Diagrams of which are given at Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 5 of my
Drawings, only two lines or rows of stitches are required. The two pieces or
edges a, b, of the fabric are laid one over the other, the two raw edges
being perfectly parallel to each other; the upper raw edge a is made to
overhang slightly or project beyond the lower raw edge 6 (Figure 1), in
which position the two edges are maintained by the pins of the baster
plate 24 berein-before referred to, or otherwise. A line of stitches is
introduced through the two thicknesses of fabric near to the lower edge b,
and the projecting or overhanging raw edge a is turned or folded under,
as shewn in Figure 2, and the two portions of the fabric which were
previously laid together are opened out or separated, as shewn in Figure 3,
the lower portion being drawn back to the line of stitches and brought up to
the previously turned-under edge of the upper portion, which edge is stitched
down on to the lower portion by a second line of stitches parallel to the first,
the stitches being introduced as close at possible to the turned-in edge, as
shewn in the view of the seam complete at Figure 3. When seaming or
uniting fabrics in this manner in the machine last described, it is necessary
to employ an instrument which I term an" opener or separator," shown in
full-sized detail side elevation, plan, and cross section at Figures 9, 10, and 11
(Sheet 3), which is attached at 25 to the front end of the bracket arm q,
Figure 1, Sheet 3. This "opener consists of a horizontal bar 26, the
point or front end of which extends nearly to the line of needles of the first
or front row of sewing machines. This bar is tapered horizontally and
vertically towards its front end, and has fitted to this extremity a wire 27,
forming a continuation of the bar itself.
و"
On the upper surface of this bar

page_text: a longitudinal ridge 28 is formed, extending from the point 29 (which should
be of steel) to the opposite end of the bar, and being thence continued on the
cloth plates 30 of the sewing machine in the second row back to beyond the
line of needles in that row. One edge of each of the cloth plates g of the
front row of machines lies parallel with and near to the side of the longi-
tudinal ridge 28 above referred to, as shewn in the transverse sectional
detail, Figures 11, Sheet 3, sufficient space being left between the contiguous
surfaces for a single thickness of fabric (shewn by a red line) to pass through.
The turner for turning under the raw edge of the upper fabric is shewn at 31
in Figures 5 and 6 (Sheet 3); it may be similar to an ordinary hemmer, but
in place of giving two turns to the edge, it only folds it once under. This
instrument is to be fixed to the front end of the cloth plate g of one or more
of the machines in the front row. The work having been placed in its tray
or trough 20 before referred to, and properly adjusted and fixed at its edge
by the pins of the baster plates 24, it is introduced into the machine, care
being taken that the wire 27 on the end of the "opener" 26 be inserted
between the two thicknesses or folds, as shewn in the Diagrams, Figures 1
and 2 (Sheet 5). The upper raw edge is turned under by passing it through
the turner 31, and a row of stitches is introduced a slight distance from the
under raw edge by the front set of machines, so as to unite the two fabrics.
As fast as the work passes the front set of needles the under fabric is stripped
from off the needle points of the baster plate 24 by the wire 27 on the end of
the opener, which wire is curved downwards slightly at 32 for that purpose,
and as the work is fed onwards to the second row of sewing machines by the
feeders of the front row, the under fabric is separated or opened back from
the upper fabric to the line of stitches by passing over the tapered or wedge-
like end of the "opener," and is brought into a horizontal position so as to come
in contact with the turned-under edge of the upper fabric; in this condition
the work proceeds to the second row of sewing machines, the ridge 28 on the
surface of the opener bearing immediately on the line of stitches already
made, and thus keeping the under fabric well down and opened back to such
line of stitches; the turned-under edge is stitched down on to the single
thickness of the under fabric by the second set of sewing machines, the
needles of which are in a different vertical plane to the front ones, so that
the second line of stitches will be made close to the turned-under edge
and parallel to the first line of stitches.
When it is desired to produce ornamental stitching or embroidery in the
compound sewing machine herein-before last described, I add thereto two
carriages 33 and 34, running upon wheels 85, the one carriage 33 moving

page_text: longitudinally on fixed rails 36, and the other carriage 34 moving laterally upon
rails 37 carried on the first carriage, the combined movements enabling the
fabric which is stretched on the upper carriage 34 to be moved in any desired
direction, according to the pattern to be produced. To the upper carriage is
also fitted a pattern plate 38, a portion of which is shewn in enlarged detail
elevation and plan respectively at Figures 4 and 5 (Sheet 5). In this plate
grooves 39 are cut, conforming to the desired pattern, and in each of these
grooves works a fixed antifriction roller 40 secured to the under side of some or
each of the bed plates of the several sewing machines, and immediately under
the centre of the needle; the feeder of each machine is replaced by one having
a cylindrical stem, as shewn at 41 (Figure 4, Sheet 5). To the lower end of
this stem is jointed the presser foot 42, to which is connected a link 43, and the
whole of these links in each row are jointed to one horizontal bar 44, which
carries at one or both ends an antifriction roller 45 working in a straight
longitudinal slot 46 in the pattern plate 88 before referred to. By imparting a
longitudinal motion to the bar 44 it is obvious that the whole of the feeders
connected therewith will be turned more or less with their stems or vertical
axes 41, as shewn by the red lines in Figure 5 (Sheet 5), and will tend to
feed the cloth in different directions, according to the direction in which the
feeders work. The bottom carriage 33 (Figure 1, Sheet 3) is moved forward
stitch by stitch by means of a tappit or wiper 47 acting upon a lever 48,
centred at 49, and carrying at its lower end a pall 50, which takes into the
teeth of a ratchet wheel 51 working on a stud centre 52. A pinion 53
revolving with the ratchet wheel gears into a spur wheel 54, which carries a
pinion 55 gearing into a rack 56 on the lower carriage. The length of stitch
is regulated by the ordinary regulating screw 57 in the lever 48. The forward
motion thus imparted to the pattern plates causes them also to move in a
lateral direction by the action of the fixed antifriction rollers 40 in the pattern
grooves 39, and thus the upper carriage and cloth will move in the direction
of such grooves, the several feeders which assist this motion being turned in
the proper direction for that purpose by the arrangement above described.
Another part of my Invention relates to the stitching of button holes, which
may be accomplished either in the machine last described (but without the
embroidery appliances) by having special appliances, herein-after described,
fitted therein for that purpose; or these same appliances may be adapted, if
preferred, to any existing sewing machine.
Figure 6 (Sheet 5) represents a front elevation detached of these appliances;
Figure 7 is a transverse vertical section, and Figure 8 a plan thereof.
In stitching a button hole according to this Invention, I employ two parallel

page_text: vertical needles a, a', (Figures 6 and 7); these needles are both carried by
one slide or lever arm b, and are used in conjunction with what I term a "six-
motion feed." The work c to be operated upon is held stretched between' the
forked jaws of a spring clamp d (shown in detail front and side view at Figures 9
and 10), which moves both forward or in the direction of the slit of the button
hole, and laterally thereto, as herein-after described. The claw e of the feeding
foot is hinged at f and f¹, to the stem G, the joint pins being at right angles
to each other, which stem is also pointed at h, whereby the foot is free to
swivel or turn in a lateral as. well as a longitudinal direction, receiving a
longitudinal forward and backward horizontal motion, as well as a to-and-fro
lateral horizontal motion, combined with a vertical or up-and-down motion.
When a number of machines are worked simultaneously in a horizontal row, as
herein-before described, the horizontal feeding bar y (Figure 1; Sheet Three)
imparts the longitudinal feed motion to the claws by acting on the hooked
wire 13, the return stroke being accomplished by a spring acting against the
stem of each claw or foot. The to-and-fro lateral motion of the claw is allowed-
for by the joint or hinge at h in the stem G, and is obtained from a second
horizontal bar i common to the whole of the machines in the row, which bar i
is notched on one side to receive the lower end of the stem of each feeding
foot or claw of the series, and is moved to and fro longitudinally by a special
cam k, shewn in detail at Figure 11 (Sheet 5), operating at one end thereof,
which cam I hereafter call the "half-time cam." This "half-time" cam is
secured to the web of a spur wheel l, turning freely on a stud m attached to one
of the end standards C of the machine (Figure 1, Sheet 3), and gearing into
a pinion n, half its size, fast on the end of the shaft H of the said machine, and
consequently the cam k makes one revolution for two revolutions of the shaft H.
A rise is made at k in the side or face of the cam, which extends half round
it, and this rise by acting directly against a projection on the end of the bar i
imparts a longitudinal or shogging motion to such bar at each second revolu-
tion of the shaft H, and holds that bar in position during the whole of a
revolution of the said shaft, or so long as is required for the formation of a
stitch, after which the bar is returned again to its former position by a spring o
on the end furthest from the cam, such spring acting against the standard of
the machine; P, p, are clips secured to one of the cross bars which connect
the standards of the machine for supporting the bar i; the length of this
shogging motion may be regulated by the adjusting screw q and stop r, and
hence the length of the "bar" in the button-hole stitch is also regulated.
The object of this lateral motion of the claw is to move the button hole side-
ways sufficient to produce the desired length of "bar" in the button-hole

page_text: stitch. The vertical or up-and-down motion of the claw is obtained from the
bar & already described and referred to in reference to Figure 1 (Sheet 3).
The clamps d which hold the work are carried in dovetailed grooves on the
under side of the bar i, which is moved by the "half-time cam," and which
gives the lateral motion to the claw, the several clamps being so arrange as
to slide across the bar i laterally, and to receive a to-and-fro motion with the
bar itself at right angles to their sliding motion in the bar, such sliding motion
being in the direction of the slit of the button hole, and is derived solely from
the action of the feeding claw during its longitudinal or forward motion; the
to-and-fro motion which the clamp d receives from the bar is, assisted by the
lateral feed motion of the claw is at right angles to the length of the button
hole, and is intended to produce what is known as the "bar" of the button-
hole stitch. In combination with the two vertical parallel needles a, a', work
two shuttles or loopers s, s', carrying each a second thread, and when the needles
are brought down, one of the said needles is made to pass through the fabric
and the other through the cut or slit; the shuttle or filling threads are then
pressed through the loops of the two needle threads, and the needles rise again.
The work is now fed forward and laterally by the combined forward and
lateral motions of the claw and the longitudinal motion of the bar i, which
motions have the effect not only of advancing the work, but of changing its
position as regards the two needles, the slit or cut of the button hole being
now brought under that needle which previously passed through the fabric,
whilst the needle which had passed through the cut or slit now passes through
the fabric, and these operations being repeated, the stitching is produced
simultaneously in both sides of the button hole in a zig-zag manner, as shewn
in the Diagram plan of a button hole so stitched at Figure 12 (Sheet 5), in
which Figure I have exaggerated the stitches, so as to shew more clearly the
different positions of the points of entrance of the needles.
As the stitching
is produced simultaneously on both sides of the button hole, the necessity for
turning the work at each end of the slit is obviated. In order to finish off
the ends of the button hole, the stitches may commence a little before, and
be continued a little beyond the ends of the cut, or they may be secured
and finished by tieing together the two ends of the top threads. By simply
varying the timing of the feed cams in relation to the needle cams, it is obvious
that different patterns of stitching may be produced by this mechanism.
Another part of my Invention consists of a novel mode of forming the plaits
of shirt fronts, which plaits I herein-after term "false plaits." The "false
plait" consists of a narrow strip of fabric a (Figure 13, Sheet 5), the longi-
tudinal raw edges of which are turned under and stitched down on to a plain

page_text: piece of fabric b, which forms the foundation or body of the shirt front. The
stitches are made at a slight distance inside the turned-down edge, so as to
leave the actual edge loose and thus give the appearance of a plait. By this
mode of forming plaits considerable economy in time, labor, and material is
obtained compared with the ordinary method of folding the several plaits from
one and the same piece of fabric. In order to produce these improved or
false plaited shirt fronts in an expeditious manner, I employ the following
machinery, which I combine with the compound sewing machinery herein-
before described and illustrated on Sheets 3 and 4 of my Drawings. In front
of the main framing of the said machine are fitted a pair of beams or rollers
58 and 59, pone above the other, and on to the upper roller 58 are wound the
strips of fabric a to form the "false plaits," whilst the lower roller 59 carries
the web or piece of cloth b, on to which the plaits are to be stitched side bý
side perfectly parallel to each other. The piece of cloth and the strip are
guided to the front row of sewing machines by suitable guide rollers, care
being taken that the several strips are so placed on their rollers as to be
delivered opposite to or in a direct line with the sewing machines which stitch
them down. The strips as they are drawn off the roller 58 are caused to pass
through an instrument which turns under their raw edges before they enter
upon the cloth plates of their respective sewing machines. This instrument is
shewn in detail front view at Figure 14 (Sheet 5), and
Figure 15; it consists of two curved guides or turners c, c, which are similar
in their construction and action to the curved guides a of the binder, herein-
before described and illustrated at Figures 14 and 15, Sheet 2, of my
Drawings; these guides c are fitted on to the under side of a fixed bar d,
which extends along the front of the cloth plates of the front row of stitching
machines. In the machine herein-before described and illustrated at Figures 1
on Sheets 3 and 4 of my Drawings, the guides c are adjustable on the
bar d, so as to take strips of different widths. Within and between the guides
is fitted a tongue or strip of metal e, which is attached to a bar f parallel to
and secured at its ends to the bar d, such bars being fixed in slots in the
standards C of the machine; the strips a are introduced between the guides c
and over the tongue e, and as they move forward their edges are turned under
in readiness to be stitched down. The piece of cloth or main fabric 6 passes
underneath the bars d and f, being guided by suitable rollers, and joins or comes
in contact with the prepared strips as they arrive at the cloth plates of the
several sewing machines, as shewn by the detail Figure 16 (Sheet 5), the
trays and rails herein-before referred to for carrying the work being removed
from the machine. Any desired number of plaits may thus be stitched down
partly in plan at

page_text: upon one piece of fabric, and the work as fast as it leaves the sewing machines
is guided by the roller 60 to the work beam or roller 61 above it, such roller
being provided with any convenient or well-known "take-up motion" for
winding on the work as fast as it leaves the machines. The piece of cloth
with the plaits ready stitched thereon may then be cut up into shirt fronts of
any desired size, the plaits for each front being ready prepared. When more
than one row of stitches is required along each side of the plaits, the work
may be made to pass thro' the second row of sewing machines, and then pass
under the guide roller 62 on its way to the work bean 63, which is also
provided with a take-up motion. In stitching down the false plaits they may
éither be arranged to overlap each other on one side, so that one line of
stitches will secure the edges of two adjoining plaits, or their edges may be
made to meet; should it be desired to stitch a cord inside the edges of the
false plaits, the strips may be carried on the roller 64, and the roller 65 is
provided with the cords to be introduced inside the folded edges of the plaits,
such cords passing along with the strips through the curved guides c and on to
the bed plates of the sewing machines, where they are stitched in their
places.
The whole of the various machines herein-before described, although
capable of being driven separately from independent driving shafts of their
own, may also be worked by the same prime mover and from a driving shaft
common to the several machines. This mode of driving is illustrated in plan
on Sheet 6 of my Drawings, where I have represented the cutting machines,
the machine for turning over the edges, the horizontal sewing and embroidery
machine, and the vertical sewing machine as being all driven from the
shaft A, which corresponds to the shaft A in Figure 1 on Sheets 3 and 4 of
my Drawings. Upon one end of the shaft A, I fit loosely a long boss or
collar a, which has secured or cast upon it the driving pulley B and pinion E,
the pulley B runs loose upon the boss a, which boss also carries a bevil
pinion 6, capable of sliding along a feather in the boss a, so as to be thrown
in or out of gear as desired with the bevil pinion E' on the lower end of the
upright shaft F of the vertical sewing machine, herein-before described and
illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings. The pinions E, F, and G, and the
clutches K, K', correspond to the pinions and clutches marked with the same
letters in Figures 1 on Sheets 3 and 4, but on the shaft H of the horizontal
sewing machine I mount an additional pinion c, which gears into a large spur
wheel d fast on a second motion shaft e; this shaft is carried in bearings f,f,
at a convenient height above the floor, and is provided with two crank pins g
and h, which transmit motion respectively to the cutting machine and to the

page_text: machine for turning over the edges of the fabric herein-before described.
Each of these machines are driven by means of a sliding rack i connected by
a rod k to the crank pins 9, h; the racks i work in longitudinal guides 1, 1,
and gear the one into a pinion m fast on the screw spindle E of the machine
for turning over the edges, and the other into the pinion D on the shaft c of
the cutting machine. It will thus be seen that the requisite reciprocating
circular motions may be imparted to these two machines in common with the
continuous rotatory motion of the horizontal and vertical sewing machines.
The pinion c, herein-before referred to, is made to slide on a feather on its
shaft H, so as to be thrown in or out of gear with the pinion G, already
referred to, so that the cutting and turning-over machines may be worked or
not, as desired, with the two sewing machines.

page_text: stitched and sliding in any required direction along the surface of a polished
bed plate or table, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated on
Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
7th, the use of pattern plates or templates working against fixed or adjust-
able guages in combination with an upright or support carrying the work and
sliding along a polished bed plate or table, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
8th, the application and use to and in the stitching and hemming of curved
work, of curved plates or frames carrying the work to be stitched or hemmed,
and fitted to an upright or support sliding along a polished bed plate or
table, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of
my Drawings.
9th, the imparting of a variable or adjustable friction to the thread lifters
of sewing machines, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
10th, the means for regulating the tension of the thread on leaving the
bobbin of a sewing machine, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
11th, the peculiar mode of and apparatus for finishing the edges of shirt
collars, cuffs, or wristbands, and parts of garments and other articles which
are suited to receive binding, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
12th, the peculiar construction of hemmers, as herein-before described and
illustrated on Sheet 2 of my Drawings.
13th, the combination in one main framing of one or more horizontal rows
of sewing machines the moving parts of which are actuated in concert, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and
illustrated on Sheets 3, 4, and 5 of my Drawings.
14th, the application and use of travelling trays or carriages combined
with baster plates for the purpose of holding and conveying the work to the
several sewing machines, as herein-before described and illustrated on Sheets 2
and 3 of my Drawings.
15th, the peculiar mode of and apparatus for seaming or uniting together
the edges of fabrics, substantially as herein-before described.
16th, the application and use of two travelling frames or carriages and
grooved pattern plate with one or more rows of sewing machines, the whole
being operated, arranged, and combined together, for the purpose of em-
broidering or ornamenting fabrics, substantially as herein-before described and
lustrated on Sheets 3, 4, and, 5 of my Drawings.

page_text: 17th, the peculiar mode of and apparatus for stitching button holes, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
18th, the peculiar mode of and apparatus for forming and applying what
I call "false plaits" for shirt fronts.
19th, the constructing of shirt fronts with separate false plaits stitched
thereon in lieu of making the plaits from one and the same piece of fabric
which forms the body of the shirt front.
20th, the general construction, arrangement, and combination of machinery
or apparatus for the manufacture and ornamentation of garments and
other articles composed of textile or other fabrics, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the several Sheets of Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Nicoll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.
B. NICOLL. (L.S.)