An Improved Device or Apparatus for Pleating, Crimping, Kilting, or the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
An Improved Device or Apparatus for Pleating, Crimping, Kilting,
or the like.
We, ERNST AUGUST JAHNCKE of Jahncke Limited, of Canonbury Works,
Dorset Street, Islington London, Metallic Box Manufacturers, WILLIAM PEYTON
MASON and DARIUS LAMONT ASPINWALL both of No. 436 Plainfield Street,
Olneyville State of Rhode Island U.S.A. Manufacturers of Dress Makers'
Supplies 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say':—
This invention relates to an improved device or apparatus for pleating, crimping,
kilting, or the like, in a simple and effectual manner, the fabric to be operated
upon being held therein in such a way as to permit of the pleats, or the like, being
ironed to cause them to retain their shape after removal from the apparatus.
Our improved device or apparatus consists of a slotted or grid-like metallic plate,
the bars or grids of which are stamped or pressed out of the plate itself, by any
suitable machine, and are of inverted U or channel shape in transverse section.
The fabric to be operated upon is forced down in loops between the bars, by means
of a special knife or blade, and remains held therein in loops by the edges of
the bars.
And in order that our invention may be readily understood, we will'describe the
same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device or apparatus.
Fig. 2 a longitudinal section thereof, to a larger scale, on the line, x, of
Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3, a corresponding section on the line y, y, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents, in perspective, the knife or blade by which the fabric is forced
through the slots or spaces in the plate.
a is the slotted or grid-like plate which is formed out of a single sheet of tin, and
has its edges a' turned down at a suitable angle to form rests or supports and to
allow sufficient space beneath the plate to permit of the formation of the loops or
pleats.
b are the bars between which the loops or pleats are formed. These bars, which
are an integral portion of the plate, are stamped or pressed out of the sheet a, and
are left rough or burred at their edges. In cross section they are of the shapes
shown in Figs. 2 and 3; the former shows their shape for a distance of about
one inch from the end so as to facilitate the withdrawal of the fabric after being
operated upon, and the latter shows their shape for the remainder of their length.
The shape shown in Fig. 2 is the original shape of each bar immediately after
being stamped or formed. The shape shown in Fig. 3 is afterwards imparted to
the bars by giving them a slight cant or inclination, by means of a suitable tool.
The result of this cant or inclination is that the edge of one side of each channel
shaped bar is raised somewhat higher than the other edge, as shown, and projects
towards the next bar for the purpose hereinafter mentioned.
Instead, however, of the bars being canted or inclined for a portion of their
length, they may be made originally of such a form, in cross section, that one edge
normally projects to the desired amount.
c is the knife or blade by which the fabric is forced down in loops between the
bars 6, and its length is approximately that of the canted or inclined portion of
the bars. This knife or blade consists of a strip of metal (tin) having an upwardly

page_text: bent portion e¹, and a downwardly bent portion c², one of these, say c², being
deeper than the other so as to enable pleats of different size to be made at will.
The mode of using the device or apparatus is indicated at Fig. 3, in which the
dotted line represents the piece of fabric in the course of being pleated. The right
side of this fabric is always to be kept uppermost. The loops or pleats are formed
by forcing the fabric through the spaces or slots between the bars, by means of the
one or other edge of the knife or blade, as shown. The slightly raised or projecting
burred edges of the canted or inclined portion of the bars, serve to engage with the
loops already formed, and prevent the drag or strain, due to the forcing down of
the succeeding loops or pleats, pulling them out of the spaces or slots between the
bars. After the required number of pleats has been formed, the apparatus is
turned upside down so as to bring said pleats uppermost, a damp cloth is then laid
over them, and a hot iron is passed over this cloth, thereby flattening the pleats
and causing them to retain their shape after removal from the apparatus. In the
case of fluting however, the iron is passed over the fabric on the front of the plate,
the fabric having been previously damped.
Various patterns of pleating may be produced by employing first one edge of the
knife or blade and then the other; and, if necessary, skipping a slot; or by laying
the fabric at an angle or bias across the plate.
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. A device or apparatus for pleating, crimping, kilting, or the like, consisting
of a slotted or grid-like plate having a series of inverted U or channeled bars
formed integrally therewith, and between which bars the fabric to be operated on
is forced by means of a blade or knife, substantially as set forth.
2. In a device or apparatus, as above claimed, inverted or channeled bars
inclined for a portion of their length to bring one of their edges higher than the
other, and which edges are left rough or burred, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. Our improved device or apparatus for pleating, crimping, kilting, or the like,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown with reference to the annexed
drawings.
'
PUSH
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.