BRITISH  PATENT  77 - 1857

77    John Henry Johnson, Lincoln's Inn Fields London, improvements  in machinery or apparatus for sewing or uniting and ornamenting fabrics. A communication from Pierre Chevolot and Jean Francois Ligney, of Paris. This invention relates to a peculiar construction and combination of   mechanism for embroidering or ornamenting fabrics by stitches, which   mechanism may also be employed in the operation of sewing or uniting fabrics together and also to certain combinations of mechanism for preparing designs of various kinds to be embroidered on fabrics. In the machine which forms the first part of the present invention the following operations are effected: Firstly, a reciprocating motion is imparted to two needle carriages, which are caused to approach to and recede from each other, in order to pass the needles which are carried by them and which are of the ordinary description used in hand-sewing through the fabric, the motion or traverse of the carriages gradually decreasing as the threads are used up in the operation of embroidering or sewing.   Secondly, the passage of the needles through the fabric. Thirdly, the reception of the needles In holding pincers arranged on the carriages above referred to. Fourthly, the drawing of the entire needle full of thread through the fabric. Fifthly, the retention or holding of the slack of the thread behind the fabric during its passage therethrough in order to prevent it becoming entangled. Sixthly, the turning of reversing of the needles previous to passing them back again through the fabric. Seventhly, the moving of the frame which carries the fabric in any required direction, according to the particular pattern desired to be produced. The whole of the movements of the machine are derived from a main driving-shaft, fitted with a pair of ordinary fast and loose driving pulleys and carrying also a fly-wheel. The reciprocating motion of the carriages is derived from screw spindles, which work in nuts fitted to the carriages. The screw spindles are driven by suitable gearing from the main-shaft. A reversing clutch and gear is employed for reversing the motion of the screws, producing the reciprocating movements of the carriages. On a motion shaft in the machine is fitted a small arm, against which strikes a bent sliding stop piece fixed under the front carriage of the machine. The stop is drawn in or pushed out by means of a screw and handle. according to the distance of traverse to be given to the carriages, such distance diminishing with the decreasing length of the needlesful of threads. An arrangement of stopping mechanism is used for the purpose of instantly stopping the movements of the machine by a lever handle within convenient reach of the attendant. The inner  limits of the traverse of the carriages are adjusted by moveable stops connected with a vibrating reversing rod. The needles, after being pushed through the fabric, are reversed by reason of their holders being caused to make a half revolution horizontally; this is effected by a cord and pulley in connexion with each holder. The needles are held by suitable pincers or nippers arranged on the carriages and so disposed as to seize each one a needle on its being pushed through the fabric and draw its thread through by the return of back stroke of the second carriage. On the internal face of each carriage is fitted a long rod, which carries a number of bent arms serving to stretch or give the final pull to the threads. The frame which carries the fabric is connected with two wooden supporting beams and is placed, of course, between the two needle carriages, the whole being supported on rollers carried by bent levers. These bent levers are fixed upon axes, working in suitable bearings attached to the main standards of the machine. The two horizontal arms of each of these levers carry at their extremities a wrought cylinder or roller, upon which rests the apparatus for holding the frame. The vertical arms of these three levers are forked and are jointed to a rod, which unites the levers, and allows them to oscillate freely. 

Petition recorded                                                                January  9, 1857