Improved Bobbin or Spool Attachment for Holding and Outting Thread.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
CUM DIE DIMOLTIVATION.
Improved Bobbin or Spool Attachment for Holding and Outting
Thread.
We, HENRY OAKES, of Silver City, in the County of Grant, and Territory of
New Mexico, and BEN OAKES, of Chicago, in the County of Cook and State
of Illinois all in the United States of America, Gentlemen, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
This invention relates to that class of devices known as "thread-holders and
cutters" and the object of the same is to produce an improved device of this
character capable of being readily attached to and detached from an ordinary
spool of thread and whereby the spool may be then easily held and the thread cut.
The invention consists in the specific details of construction hereinafter more
fully described and claimed, and as illustrated on the sheet of drawings wherein :
Fig. 1 is a general perspective view, showing the manner in which a spool of
thread with this device applied is held in one hand while the thread is pulled across
the knife with the other hand.
and
Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the attachment alone.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of the blank which comprises the body of the attachment,.
Fig. 4 a similar view of the holder and finger-socket detached from the body.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the center of the complete attachment.
Referring to the said drawings, the letter S designates a spool of thread, to
which the improved cutting attachment C is adapted to be applied. The said
attachment consists of a body B and a socket F constructed and connected in the
following manner :
The blank from which the body B is made is best seen in Fig. 3, wherein the
dotted lines represent the lines upon which the metal is to be bent. The body
proper comprises a circular plate having two slits or openings O, between which is
another O' at right angles thereto, and from one edge of this plate projects the
knife K, while from the edge at a point about ninety degrees distant projects a
tongue T. In the finished article, as seen in Fig. 2, the knife K is bent at right
angles to the plane of the body and sharpened at its lower edge, while the tongue T
is also bent at right angles to the same side of the plane of the body and is then
bent upon itself to form a thread-clamp. The finger socket F is a small metallic
socket having projecting rearwardly from its body three tongues t, t, and t¹, the
first two being so located that they may be passed through the openings O and bent
against the back of the body to hold the socket in place, and to the tongue t¹ which
projects through the opening O' is secured or may be formed integral therewith the
holder H, which is a strip of spring metal bent as shown.
In operation, the attachment C is brought into place opposite the end of the
spool S, the holder H inserted in the hole in the spool, and pressure applied to the
finger-socket F to push the holder into the spool. The attachment being thus
removably secured to the spool, with the tongue T and the knife K passing slightly
over one end of the spool, when it is desired to cut the thread the same is passed
through the jaws of the tongue and drawn between them, whereby it is clamped by
their springing force, and the thread is then passed under the knife and drawn
across the edge of the same, whereby it is cut. That portion of the thread between
the point where the cut is made and the point where it is held in the tongue may be
grasped by the operator when it is desired to draw a new piece from the spool.
The thread is then moved outwardly, so as to disengage it from the tongue T, and
then drawn upon to cause the spoof to revolve, after which the above operation is

page_text: repeated. During all this time the index finger of the left hand rests in the finger
piece F, and the tip of the thumb in the lower end of the hole through the spool,
whereby not only is the attachment held firmly against disconnection but the
spool and attachment are afforded a bearing, so that they can turn as may be
necessary.
As the attachment is connected to only one end of the spool the latter may be
used on sewing-machines with the attachment on the upper end thereof, and the
shortness of the tongue T and the knife K will not interfere with the feeding of the
thread. It is well known that dyed threads are to a certain extent poisonous and
that the customary severing thereof with the teeth often produces sore lips and
tongues, as well as chipping the teeth or cracking the enamel, and before the
seamstress can find her scissors she naturally bites the thread if it be too strong to
break; but with the above-described device the exercise of a little self-control will
soon break up this habit and the improved cutter will be found serviceable and
valuable. Moreover, the thread when severed by the improved knife has a cut wherein
the strands are broken at different points, because the thread is drawn across the
knife edge rather than the knife being drawn across the thread. The result is that the
end can be twisted between the thumb and finger to form a very fine point, such as
can be passed through the eye of a needle more easily than the end of a thread
which is squarely cut off.
The device may be made in tin or light sheet metal, suitably painted, japanned,
nickeled, or otherwise ornamented, and is preferably of a number of sizes, to
accommodate spools of different diameters, although the holder will be of the same
size in all sizes of the attachment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The hercindescribed attachment for spools, the same comprising a body
consisting of a circular plate having at its edge an inwardly-bent knife and a
tongue bent inwardly and then outwardly upon itself, and a finger-piece secured to
the center of said plate on its outer face and having a spring-holder projecting
through the plate, as and for the purpose set forth.
2.. The herein described attachment for spools, the same comprising a body con-
sisting of a circular plate having therethrough near its center parallel openings,
with another opening between and at right angles to the parallel openings, and also
having at its edge an inwardly-bent knife and an inwardly-bent clamping-tongue,
and a socketed finger-piece having three tongues, two of them passing through said
parallel openings and being bent against the back of the plate and the third passing
through the remaining opening, and a strip of spring metal bent at its center and
having one of its ends secured to said tongue as and for the purpose hereinbefore
Bet forth.