the fibres composing other fabrics, stitches, or loops of silk, cotton, or other threads or yarns, for the purpose of producing upon such fabrics embroidered patterns or devices, in stripes, zig-zags, Grecian borders, scroll work, vandykes, and various other running or continuous ornamental forms.

The adaptation of mechanism employed for this purpose, is the same in principle as that described in the Specification of a Patent granted the same inventor by His present Majesty, bearing date at Westminster, the 3d day of October, 1831, for an invention of " certain improvements in the machinery used for the making of bobbin or twist lace net, whereby net and other fabrics may be produced,” (see the first Vol. of our conjoined Series. page 381.)

By the former invention just alluded to, the Patentee interwove with the net as the meshes were formed in the machine, stitches or loops of silk, cotton, or other threads or yarns, producing the net and its embroidered pattern simultaneously; in the present instance, however, the embroidery is worked upon lace net, or other fabric, after the fabric has been made and finished by the ordinary means, by first rolling the said fabric tightly and smoothly upon a beam, and then placing the said beam in the upper part of the present embroidering machine, and bringing down the fabric evenly at intervals, in parallel movements by a series of points or conductors, which draw the successive rows of meshes of the net or interstices of other fabric opposite to the points of the needles and guides, which enable the threads or yarn to be passed through the fabric, and to be secured by looping or stitches in the manner explained hereafter.

The machine about to be described for accomplishing this object, is peculiarly adapted for operating on bobbin or other lace net; but as the application of the same mechanism to work upon other fabrics will be sufficiently obvious, its operation upon net only is described.

In Plate I, fig. 1, represents a front elevation of the machine; fig. 2, an elevation of that end of the machine which is toward the left hand; and fig. 3, a transverse section through the middle of the machine. The same letters of reference applying to similar parts in the several figures.

Motion is communicated by means of a strap, from any first mover to the rigger a, to which is affixed a pinion taking into a toothed wheel on the horizontal shaft B, thereby causing it to revolve. On this shaft B, are fixed the different cams or tappet wheels, and other contrivances for giving suitable movements to the various parts of the machine.

The net to be wrought upon is wound on the roller c, extending along the upper part of the machine; from this roller it is carried through a series of tension rods a, a, a, over a bar D, called the facing bar, to another roller E, which is intended to receive the work when finished.

The silk, cotton, or other threads or yarns to be interwoven with the net for the purpose of producing the embroidering, is wound upon the rollers L, and м, from whence it is conducted through the perforated bar o, o, to the guides and needles. The interweaving or combining of these threads with the net takes place immediately below the facing bar D, the particular method of effecting which will be best understood by reference to the enlarged figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The needles used for this purpose, shown at F, F, are furnished with beards or spring hooks, similar to those used in warp frames, and are mounted in leads. These leads of needles are screwed upon a bar G, called the needle bar, extending along the back of the machine. The bar G, is supported by links c, upon the horizontal shaft н, which turns upon bearings, and is intended to communicate a vibrating movement to the needle bar. Between the needle bar and the net is fixed another bar 1,

extending also along the machine at the back, (see fig. 3.) On this bar there are screwed a series of combs K, K, which consist of pieces of brass, with slits or grooves cut across them at regular distances, seen detached in two positions in figs. 12 and 13, on a larger scale.

These combs K, K, are intended to act as supports and guides to the needles F, F, which slide when at work within the grooves of the combs; and as the grooves of the combs are to guide the needles through the meshes of the net, it is obvious that the distance between them must correspond with the lateral distance of the meshes of the net to be acted upon. Immediately above the needle bar G, is situate a bar u, supported by means of links d, from the shaft w, which shaft is capable of turning upon its bearings, fixed to the back of the standards, and of imparting a vibrating movement to the bar u. On this bar u, are screwed leads containing a series of points v, v. One of these leads, is shown detached in two positions, on an enlarged scale in figs. 10 and 11. The use of these points is to bring down the net, and also to conduct the needles with regularity and exactness through the line of meshes of the net, as they come opposite to the ends of the needles. In order to effect this with precision, the under sides of the said points, at those parts next the needles, have grooves or hollow channels in them, as seen at fig. 11, so that when they occupy a row of meshes in the net, the needles may be advanced, and by sliding along their grooves or channels, may respectively enter the same mesh of net that is occupied by the point under which it acts.

When the needles have thus entered the meshes, the points are drawn back out of them, and the bar u, being raised, the points are protruded through the row of meshes next above those last occupied ; a slight downward motion is then communicated to the point bar u, which causes the

point v, to force down the work or net which has been embroidered towards the work roller E, and also to bring down a fresh row of meshes to be entered by the needles.

The rollers L, M, are furnished with the yarns intended to to supply the needles, and which is to be worked upon the net. These yarns pass up through the apertures in the perforated bar o, o, to the guides and needles. Figs. 14 and 15, represent one of the guides detached in two positions. The guides are mounted in leads, and these leads are screwed upon a bar P, called the guide bar, which extends along the front of the machine nearly opposite to the needle bar. From the under side of the guide bar P, two arms Q, R, descend, which are perforated at their lower ends, and turn upon studs s, s; these are fixed in arms extending from the horizontal shaft T. This shaft is mounted upon bearings attached to the side frames, and is intended to communicate a vibratory movement to the guide bar P.

Between the guides and the needles, extending along the middle of the machine, is the bar o, called the presser bar, formed by one long brass bar, or a connected series of plates of brass. Apertures are made in this brass plate or bar o, along its entire length, as seen in fig. 1, leaving a complete straight edge at the top of it, about the eighth of an inch deep, of which the use will be shortly explained. The bar x, is by its links e, e, supported upon another bar y, which turns upon pivots in arms ƒ,ƒ, extending from the shaft z, mounted in suitable bearings at the back of the machine.

Having given the general features of the machine; the Specification proceeds to describe the manner in which the needles F, points v, guides J, combs к, and presser bar o, perform so as to produce and secure the stitches or loops upon the fabric in the act of embroidering; reserving the des

cription of the manner of moving the parts collectively, until the objects of their particular moving are seen.

In order to explain the operation, the figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, are drawn on a larger scale, shewing in five different positions in section, the points, needles, and guides in their relative situations, at different stages of the work. In fig. 9, it will be seen that the points v, v, stand in an advanced position through the meshes of the net, and through the apertures of the presser bar o, whilst the needles F, F, are drawn back clear of the net upon the combs K, K. The guides J, J, which conduct the threads or yarns to the needles, are at this time stationary, just below the points and needles. In commencing the operation at this stage, the needles F, F, are made to advance along the grooves or channels under the points v, v, through the meshes of the net, and through the apertures of the presser bar o, until they occupy the position shown in fig. 5. The thread guides J, J, are then elevated to the place which they are seen to occupy in the said fig. 5; and after having been made to move laterally over the beards of the needles F, F, by a side movement of the bar P, which carries them, they are again depressed to their former situation, as shown in fig. 6.

M,

By these movements, the threads or yarns of silk, cotton, or other material, coming from the rollers L, and м, have been conducted and doubled over the needles, in order that when the needles recede, they may form those portions of the threads into loops, and draw them through the net. The thread guides J, J, are now shifted back to the place they occupy in fig. 7, for the purpose of tightening the threads, and securing them under the beards of the needles, after which the needles are made to retire. The needles in entering the meshes of the net, were passed through the apertures under the edge of the presser bar o, and now as they retire, the bar o, is depressed, which forces the beards