Improvements in or Applicable to Sewing Machines and the Attachments therefor, Adapting the same for the Production of Embroidery.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in or Applicable to Sewing Machines and the
Attachments therefor, Adapting the same for the Production
of Embroidery.
I EDUARD FRANKENBERG, Manufacturer, of Hannover in the German Empire, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE
TO SEWING MACHINES AND THE ATTACHMENTS THEREFOR, ADAPTING THE SAME FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF EMBROIDERY," to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :---
In order to adapt sewing machines for the production of embroidery it has hitherto
been.requisite to make expensive alterations in such machines as, firstly, the presser-
foot has to be raised from the cloth or other material when the needle leaves the
material to be embroidered so as to release the same and as, secondly, the usual
pantograph arrangement, or the embroidery frame where such is used, had to receive
independent guidance upon the table of the sewing-machine.
The present invention has for its object to obviate all these difficulties. According
to this invention a device is placed upon the presser bar which effects that the needle-
bar causes the presserfoot to be raised at the proper time without requiring any
reconstruction in the machine. Moreover a pantograph-mechanism is used for causing
the parallel motion of the embroidery frame which mechanism can be used without
being connected with the sewing machine and at the same time admits, not only that
extended surfaces may be embroidered but also that, if several sewing machines be
used, the same pattern may be simultaneously enlarged and reduced, or reproduced
in the size of the original.
In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 3 show a sewing machine with an
embroidery frame and parallel motion mechanism in elevation and top-view respectively,
whilst Figure 2 shows the device for operating the presserfoot.
Figures 47 show details of the parallel motion mechanism (hereinafter for short-
ness called the parallel-movement) and of the frame for the fabric or material to be
embroidered hereinafter called the cloth frame or embroidery frame.
In order to impart to the presser bar the up and down motion requisite in
embroidery machines a tubular carrier P (see fig. 2) is slipped upon the same the

page_text: nosc of which extends over the head of the needle bar. A spring is also slipped
upon the presser bar and is put under tension when the presser-bar is raised. This
carrier P is so adjusted that the needlebar raises the same and with it the presser-
foot, as soon as the needle leaves the fabric. When the needle descends again, the
spring a carries the presser bar down and the latter fulfils its proper functions. It
will readily be seen that no alteration of the sewing machine is required for the
application of this device.
If a slight alteration is not objected to, then the nose v may assume the shape of a
tongue engaging with a slot in the needle-bar or the carrier may be provided upon
the needle-bar and its nose engage with a projection on the presser-bar or in a slot
in the latter.
These variations do not however present any advantages over the form first
described and this latter is therefore preferable.
With the sewing machine so adapted for embroidering is combined the mechanism
for causing the parallel motion (with the reduction or enlargement of the motion
produced) as well as with multiplication of the motion. To this end a frame carrying
the operating mechanism, and formed by two angles, an outer one A and an inner
one B (Fig. 1) is fixed upon a separate table brought close to the sewing machine
only when the latter is to be used for embroidering.
The pantograph or parallel movement consists, as is well known, of two jointed
parallelograms a b c d and a 'c''d¹ (Fig. 2) so jointed together that, when the pin
or stud fixed upon the head-bar F moves both parallelograms are moved under
similar angles.
The fixed centres of motion D E of the parallelograms are provided upon the
framing A B; the centre of motion. D) of the parallelogram abcd is provided on a
small upright or pillars depending from the upper arm of the outer angle A, whilst
the fixed centre of rotation E is provided on a small upright or pillars which stands
upright upon the arm of the inner angle B. The two fixed centres of motion D
and E are however not placed in the same horizontal plane, but the former is at a
higher level than the latter so as to allow the two parallelograms to move without
interference. For the same purpose the connection of the two parallelograms (which
takes place at the centres 1, 2, 3, 4) is not effected by straight bars, but by angle-
pieces G H in such a manner that the separate bars forming the parallelogram, and
the joint-pins or studs may freely pass under or over the angle piece. A third angle
piece is formed by the head-bar or guide bar F and establishes connection between
the parts b and 61.
The entire parallel movement is supported by a spring Q (Fig. 1) jointed at one
end and attached by a bar r to the bar a so that the mechanism requires no further
support. One of the angle-pieces H is shown on an enlarged scale in Figures 4 and 5
and in these figures the novel and special manner of jointing the rods and angle
pieces together is also illustrated.
Hitherto this connection was effected by supports mounted on rollers and carrying
screw-nuts and these worked loose when the bar operated. It will not do to joint the
parts by riveting as the connection must be capable of being loosened for adjustment
so as to allow the apparatus to be set for various rates of transmission.
The novel joint however can not become loose by reason of the working of the
apparatus, whilst yet permitting the bars to be easily separated and fitted together
again when occasion requires.
A pin K inserted in a tubular head I (Figs. 4 and 6) in combination with a
washer L (Figs. 4 and 7) of peculiar construction effects the said desirable
connection.
In the tubular head I and surrounding pin K there is a spring M which when
compressed (Fig. 4) is entirely within the head I whilst, if freed it will project
somewhat beyond the said head. That end of the pin K which projects beyond
the head is recessed at the sides whilst the washer or locking disc L has in its
central aperture two projections y y corresponding, with said recesses z.
The extremity of the pin K is cylindrical and of even thickness so that the two

page_text: projections y y retain the disc L when the same is slipped upon the pin K. To
allow this to be done the locking disc L is provided with a second excentric
aperture (Figs. 4 & 7) which is connected with the central aperture.
Now, say the angle piece H is to be connected with the two bars d'e¹. Then
the pin K is pushed into the apertures or holes of the rods c d and angle piece H,
suitable washers W (Fig. 4) having first been interposed. The head I is then
firmly pressed against the other parts.
This compresses the spring M and the recesses z in the pin K are cleared by
the angle-piece H. The locking disc L is now (by its excentric aperture a) so
passed over pin K that the projections yy lay in the direction of the recesses z 2.
By a slight and easy motion of the locking disc Is the projections y y are made
to engage with the recesses 2 (Fig. 4 left side) and if the head I is now
released the spring M pushes the same downward and the pin K holds the locking
disc in place without however impeding the proper motion of the parts connected
in this manner.
On the angle-piece H which forms the prolongation of the head bar which effects
the requisite reduction of the pattern followed by the tracer (, a vertically adjustable
slide bar N is secured (see Fig. 4) upon which the embroidery frame O or any other
convenient device for carrying the material to be embroidered may be secured and is
adjustable in a horizontal direction by the slide t. By the use of this slide-bar N the
work is made capable of adjustment both vertically and horizontally as required for
the operations without affecting the parallel movement. This arrangement is of
particular importance for sewing machines which are to be used indiscriminately for
ordinary work and for embroidery. The application of the embroidery apparatus to
the sewing machine as heretofore done was difficult and required special guides for
the embroidery frame to be provided on the platen or table of the sewing machine
whilst when the above described parallel movement with the slide t and slide-bar N
are used, the embroidery frame can readily be brought into the requisite position.
The embroidery frame O is first adjusted to the proper height (Fig. 4) by fixing the
slide bar N higher or lower upon the angle piece H then the embroidery frame is
adjusted and fixed in place horizontally upon the bar N.
The application of the slide t results in the further considerable advantage that
faulty stitches may be corrected. Hitherto a faulty stitch could not be corrected, as
it is impossible to re-adjust the fabric once removed from the embroidery frame in
such a manner that the needle will take up exactly the stitch it left off with. The
slide t allows this to be accomplished. The slide is fitted with a lug t¹ (Figs. 4 & 5)
which engages with a recess in the cloth frame t¹¹ (Fig. 3) or bears thereon and is
firmly connected with the same by, say, two screws. Now if a stitch is defective or
faulty in execution the screws h are released, the entire embroidery frame O (Fig. 3)
is removed and the defect amended.
When the embroidery frame is again fitted to the slide, recess and the holes for
the screws cause the needle to take up the work in the precise place where it had
been interrupted.
If the reduction is to be carried out several times simultaneously a number of
sewing, machines must be used which are simply placed side by side whilst a longer
slide bar N fitted with an appropriate number of embroidery frames is attached to
the angle piece H (see the dotted lines in Fig. 3). If repetitions are to be carried
out at the same time in the full size of the original an appropriate guide bar F
extended beyond the bar b, is fitted to the parallel movement (on the bars 6 b') and
carries the requisite embroidery frame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :
1) A carrier P constructed and operating substantially as set forth and attached to
or fitted upon a sewing machine, as and for the purposes hereinabove specified and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2) In pantograph or parallel-motion arrangements connected with or applicable to

page_text: sewing machines, adapting the latter to the production of embroidery, the joint for
connecting the several bars forming the pantograph or parallel motion, the said joint
consisting of the pin K the cap I the locking disc Land the spring M all constructed,
combined and operating as set forth and as shown in the drawings.
3) The combination of the bar N carrying one or more embroidery frames with
the means allowing vertical and horizontal adjustment of the work, and with a
parallel motion or pantograph arrangement applied to a sewing machine or connected
therewith, all as set forth and shown.
4) The connection of the embroidery frame O with the slide t in such a manner
that the frame carrying the work may be removed and readily replaced in exactly its
original position, substantially as set forth and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 7th day of November 1887.
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.