IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR EMBROIDERING
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 172, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR EMBROIDERING."-
A communication from abroad by Moriz Nicolai, of St. Gallen,
Switzerland.
Sealed the 3rd May 1872, and dated the 7th November 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mew-
burn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th November 1871.
I, JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 172, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR EMBROIDER-
ING," to be as follows:-
The machines constructed according to this Invention consist of a frame
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page_text: lengthways, and one above the other.
Around these rollers the fabric to
be embroidered, say muslin or tulle, is laid; the rollers are then turned
by means of a crank so as to stretch the fabric; there are thus formed,
as it were, four floors over each other consisting of the stretched fabric.
In order to hold the fabric not only in front and behind by the said
rollers, but also at the two sides, I arrange at the left and right of each
floor of the fabric bars which are bored so as to form tubes, and which
have a slit for their whole length facing the fabric. Before stretching
the fabric a string is put through at each side, and this string lies in the
tube during the stretching. The slit in each tube is large enough to
allow the fabric to pass freely through, but not wide enough for the
string to pass through. It is necessary to hold the fabric on all four
sides for this reason that if it was only held in front and behind by
the rollers it would stretch too much lengthwise, and have therefore to.
be restretched frequently, and the design embroidered would be distorted.
Behind the frame which has the four floors of stretched fabric there
is a standard on which a rectangular frame with a centre above and
below is movably arranged, and at the front side of the said frame is
likewise movably arranged, with a centre above and below, a column to
which five needlo arms are firmly screwed. The frame with the needle
arms is thus movable, as would be a second door hinged to an open door.
Under each floor of the fabric a needle arm extends into the frame like
finger posts fixed one over the other; the lowest one carries in front at
the point a needle directed upwards; the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th carry cach a
needle directed upwards, and a catch hook directed downwards, and the
top one carries a catch hook directed downwards. All the needles and
hooks can turn on their axes, and are connected together by means of
small bevel wheels and connecting rods, so that when the attendant
turns the top hook all the other hooks and needles turn likewise.

page_text: arm, each with a bell-crank lever and connecting rod, the needles are on
cach "floor" pushed up and down, and the catch hooks swing backwards
and forwards, whereby a chain stitch is produced.
On commencing to embroider the attendant is seated in front of the
machine; the top floor of the fabric has previously had the design to be
embroidered printed on it; she then takes hold of the top catch hook,
and guides it according to the design, and what the top hook embroiders
that do the others on the lower floors also, so that the same design is
worked on all four floors. When she wishes to leave off she draws
a cord at the top hook, which throws the motion out of gear. All
the needles fall back under the fabric, and the last thread loop
remains on the hook. On each needle arm there is in front a pair of
shears between the hooks and the fabric, and all four pairs are connected
together. If now the thread is to be cut off the attendant draws
forward a rod at the top hook, which rod leads to the shear con-
nections, and all the four shears close, but first draw or tighten the
last loop but one so that it cannot get loose again, and immediately
afterwards the thread is cut off. Simultaneously with the closing of
the shears a short length of thread is wound off the spool by means
of a rod which is pushed a little forward between the spool and the
needle; thus after the last loop is cut off sufficient thread may still
be left on the needle to be able to begin embroidering afresh at
another place. When the attendant has embroidered the whole fabric
so far as she can reach with the needle arm, which is movable to the
right and left and up and down, she pushes the frame which holds
the fabric and which runs on rails a little to one side, and then has
fresh unembroidered fabric before her to continue the work. When
the whole surface has been under the needle arm then she turns the
rollers and the embroidered part goes off. at one side by the rollers, and
a fresh portion of fabric is stretched on them. Thus she continues until
the whole of the fabric is embroidered.
The chief features of novelty in the machine above described are :—
The arrangement over each other of 4 or more needles which
embroider the same design; the stretching of the fabric on all 1
sides, viz., in front and behind by rollers, and at the sides by the hollow
ASA
hold hu manns
of the

page_text: strings, the working of the needles and hooks by means of levers, these
levers do not gear directly with the needle arms, but are movable
vertically on small adjoining slides which receive the side pressure from
the levers, and thus prevent any injury to the needle arms; the shears
for cutting off; the arrangement for drawing or tightening the preceding
loop, and the arrangement for drawing the thread off the spool; and
lastly, the transmission of the motive power to the needles and hooks by
means of a universal joint and the double-armed levers suspended
against each other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 172, Fleet Strect, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Clayton Mewburn, Her special licence
that I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, my
executors, administrators, and 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 MACHINES FOR EMBROIDERING," (a communication from
abroad by Moriz Nicolai, of St. Gallen, Switzerland), upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe

page_text: 13772
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 John Clayton Mewburn, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :—
•
The machines constructed according to this Invention consist of a
frame, on which at about a foot apart 4 or more pairs of rollers are
arranged lengthways and one above the other. Around these rollers the
fabric to be embroidered, say muslin or tulle, is laid; the rollers are then
turned by means of a crank so as to stretch the fabric; there are thus
formed, as it were, four or more floors over each other consisting of the
stretched fabric. In order to hold the fabric not only in front and behind
by the said rollers, but also at the two sides, I arrange at the left and right
of each floor of the fabric bars which are bored so as to form tubes, and
which have a slit for their whole length facing the fabric. Before stretch-
ing the fabric a string is put through at each side, and this string lies in
the tube during the stretching. The slit in each tube is large enough to
allow the fabric to pass freely through, but not wide enough for the
string to pass through. It is necessary to hold the fabric on all four
sides, for this reason that if it was only held in front and behind by the
rollers it would stretch too much lengthwise, and have therefore to
be restretched frequently, and the design embroidered would be distorted.
Behind the frame which has the four floors of stretched fabric there
is a standard on which a rectangular frame with a centre above and
below is movably arranged, and at the front side of the said frame is
likewise movably arranged with a centre above and below a column to
which-five needle arms are firmly screwed. The frame with the needle
arins is thus movable, as would be a second door hinged to an open door.
Under cach floor of the fabric a needle arm extends into the frame like
finger posts fixed one over the other; the lowest one carries in front at
the point a needle directed upwards; the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th carry each a
needle directed upwards, and a catch hook directed downwards, and

page_text: the top one carries a catch hook directed downwards. All the needles
and hooks can turn on their axes, and are connected together by
means of small bevel wheels and connecting rods so that when the
attendant turns the top hook all the other hooks and needles turn
likewise.
The machine may be worked by steam or other power. On the
standard before mentioned is a shaft to which power is transmitted,
and from which the motion is carried to the needle arm and changed
into a reciprocating motion from a rotary motion.
'
By means of double-armed levers suspended against each other, and
which are arranged in a line above each other at the back on the needle
arm, each with a bell-crank and connecting rod, the needles are on
each floor pushed up and down, and the catch hooks swing backwards
and forwards whereby a chain stitch is produced.
On commencing to embroider the attendant is seated in front of the
machine; the top floor of the fabric has previously had the design to be
embroidered printed on it; she then takes hold of the top catch hook
and guides it according to the design, and what the top hook embroiders
that do the others on the lower floors also, so that the same design is
worked on all four floors. When she wishes to leave off she draws
a cord at the top hook, which throws the motion out of gear. All
the needles fall back under the fabric, and the last thread loop
remains on the hook. On each needle arm there is in front a pair of
shears between the hooks and the fabric, and all four pairs are con-
nected together. If now the thread is to be cut off the attendant
draws forward a rod, which rod at the top hook leads to the shear
connections, and all the four shears close, but first draw or tighten
the last loop but one so that it cannot get loose again, and im-
mediately afterwards the thread is cut off. Simultaneously with the
closing of the shears a short length of thread is wound off the spool
by means of a rod which is pushed a little [forward between the spool
and the needle; thus after the last loop is cut off sufficient thread may
still be left on the needle to be able to begin embroidering afresh at
another place.

page_text: and up and down, she pushes the frame which holds the fabric, and
which runs on rails, a little to one side, and then has fresh unembroidered
fabric before her to continue the work. When the whole surface has
been under the needle arm then she turns the rollers and the embroidered'
part goes off at one side by the rollers, and a fresh portion of fabric is
stretched on them. Thus she continues until the whole of the fabric is
embroidered.
This Invention will be fully understood on reference to the annexed
Drawings, which represent a machine with four needles one over the
other. Figure 1 is a general view of the machine in front elevation (as
seen from the side that the attendant sits or stands), the framing being
in section. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine as seen from the
left side. Figure 3 is a plan. Figure 4° represents a part of the needle,
arm with the gear for working the needles and catch hooks. Figure 4b
shews some needle and catch hook mechanism, as seen from the right
side. Figure 5 shews the spindles and pinions on the needle arm,
serving to transmit the rotary motion of the catch hook and needle to the
lower needle systems. Figure 6 is a plan of a pair of shears or scissors
for cutting the threads. Figure 7 is a plan of the needle and catch hook
gear. Figure 8 represents a stretching, bar, and Figure 8ª and Figure 8°
shew part of the same in full size.
The following Figures are also drawn full size :-Figure 9 shews the
motive mechanism for the first or uppermost and the second needle bar
seen from the right side. Figure 10 shews in front elevation the first
and second catch hooks and the first needle, together with their motive
mechanism and a bell and hammer or striker hereafter described.
Figure 11 is a plan of the same. Figure 12 is a side elevation as seen
from the left side. Figure 13 is a plan of a pair of shears. Figure 14
shews a clutch arrangement for throwing out of gear.
.
'
The object of the machine is, as before explained, to produce 4 like
pieces of embroidery by means of 4 needles and catch hooks arranged.
vertically over each other in four floors.
When the fabric is to be fastened to the machine it is laid round the
pairs of rollers D at the front and back of the frame M (see Figure 2);
it is then stretched by turning the ratchet wheels E by hand, and what-
ever is over in front or behind is wound round the rollers F. Before
'

page_text: stretching a string is laid along each edge of the fabric and eventually
woven in, and into the stretching bars G (see Figure 8). The fabric is
thus held on all four sides before and behind by the rollers D, and on
both sides by the stretching bars G, and when a fresh part has to be
stretched and embroidered the rollers D are turned while the fabric
travels along, the sides being held by the string in the groove of the bar
G, always at the same width and equal in all four floors, as all the bars G
are vertically over each other (see Figure 1). As the fabric, such as tulle
and muslin, used for curtains stretches very easily it would without the
stretching bars G bo. pulled out of shape, and the design be distorted.
The frame M carries the rollers D and rests on four wheels H (see Fig. 2)
which run on rails J, Figures 1 and 2. The upright or standard K
(Figure 1) carries the movable needle arm and is fastened to the floor;
when the attendant has embroidered one portion of the fabric she pushes
the frame which carries the rollers D along the rails to the right or to
the left in order to get parts not yet embroidered under the needles.
The bars G are so arranged that they can be shifted on the roller L
(Figure 3) nearer together or further apart, according to the width of
the fabric operated upon. The needle arm N is hung on the centres P
on the swing frame O (Figure 1), and the latter again on the centres
R on the standard K, so that the attendant on taking hold of the needle
arm at S can guide it right or left and backwards and forwards. When
turning at S all the catch books and needles turn in their bearings V
(Figures 2 and 10) round their own axes, by means of the bevel pinions
T and the connecting bar u.
'
.
To set the machine going the power (either hand or machine) is trans-
mitted to the pulley W, from which it is transmitted by a cord up the
standard K (Figure 1) over the two pulleys Z to the pulley X, and
thence by an endless band to the pulley a on the spindlo b, which runs
on centres at P. The spindle 6 has bevel. wheels d, gearing with pinions
on spindles e (Figures 4 and 4') which carry crank discs g; the latter by
means of the connecting rods impart an up-and-down motion to the
slides i (Figures 9 and 10), which take hold of the needle bar u (Figure 10),
and the catch hook w (see the cross sectional view at Figure 10), and
thus draw the needles on all four floors up and down, and cause the
catch hooks to swing backwards and forwards, whereby the chain stitch
is formed.

page_text: To stop the machine the attendant draws the cord 9 at S a little
forward, and hangs the eye q¹ (Figure 10) on the fore part of it on to a
peg the clutch pulley n (Figure 14) on the spindlo 6 is thereby drawn
up, and the pulley a begins to run loose, thus stopping the stitching
motion of the catch hooks and needles. The clutch pulley n is by means
of a keyway fastened to the spindle 6 in such a manner that it may.
.be
drawn up or down, but cannot turn except with its spindle.
If the attendant wishes to continue embroidering she lets the cord q
at the peg go back a little; the spring m (Figure 14) then depresses
the clutch pulley n, and the pegs on the bottom of the same then find
their places in the corresponding holes in the pulley a, dragging it with
it together with the spindle 6 and the catch hooks and needles.
When the attendant wants to cut off the thread she stops the stitching
by means of the cord q, and tho last loop remains on the catch hook
while the needles have gone down below the fabric; she then pulls
the rod a¹ (Figure 2), which at the back is connected to one end of the
double-armed levers b¹; these latter are connected together by pins and
have each at their lower ends a draw bar c¹ (Figure 6), carrying a cross
piece d' with two oval holes through which the shanks e¹ of the shears
shewn on Figure 6 pass; on drawing the rod a' forward the draw bars c¹
with the cross piece d' go back, thereby closing the shears and cutting
off the threads under the catch hooks. This is however only possible
when the latter are in the position shewn by Figures 10 and 12. The
pendant part of the loop is then caught by the long fork-shaped end of
the shears, whereby the loop formed before is drawn sufficiently tight
to keep it from undoing, and then only will the thread hanging down
from the other side of the hook be cut off. By pushing back the rod a¹
the shears will reopen. The levers 6' have each their fulcrum in the
middle and have at their upper end each a connecting rod f¹, and while
the draw bar & goes back the rod f¹ is pushed forward (see Figures 2
and 6) till it pushes against the thread between the tightening
pulley t and the needle bar u, whereby about an inch or more of thread
is wound off the spool or bobbin. When the thread is cut off by the
shears the end of it is still in the last chain loop; the needle arm is then
swung a little on one side by the attendant, whereby the inch or portion
of thread wound off the spool runs through the needle eye and a thread
end is thus formed at the eye; hence the needle can at once form a new