US524997A - Carpet holding and sewing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

no N E L .lu A B. R

GARBET HOLDING AND SEWING APPARATUS. No. 524,997.

Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

dfiez/e1 ms PETER: eo.. rnomuwo., wnsumofon n c 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Patented'Aug. 28,' 1894.

E. B, ALLEN. CARPET HOLDING AND SEWING APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

e f E.B.ALLEN. CARPET HOLDING AND SEWING APPARATUS.

No. 524,997. Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

6 Sheets-Sheet `4.

(N Model.)

E. B. ALLEN. GARPET HOLDING AND SEWING APPARATUS. No. 524,997.

"l'lll llllllli J5@ VCA/Earn Patented Aug. 28, 18.94.

(No Model.) 6 sheets-s119955.

E. B.ALLEN.

CARPET HOLDING?` AND SEWING APPARATUS.

No. 524,997. Patented Aug'. '28, 1894.4

(No Moae1.) '6 sheets-sheets.

- E. B. ALLEN.

CARPET HOLDING ANDSEWING APPARATUS.

. No.1524,997. Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

UNITED STATES- l PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD'B. ALLEN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW ERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OE NEW JERSEY.

CARPET .HOLDING AND l'SEWING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICAT-ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,997, dated August 28, 1894. Application filed January 2, 1894:.l Serial No. 495.391. (No model.)

` citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet Holdingand Sewing Apparatus, of which the following isa specil fication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide a convenient apparatus for stretching, holding v and sewing long sections of carpets or other heavy fabrics which are to be held in such manner that their edges may be readily evened for the sewing operation and so that patterns or figures of the carpetsmay be con# Veniently matched by the operator as the sew-v ingprogresses, or so that the fabrics may be' stretched,- matched and held preparatory to the sewing operation. i

To this end my improved apparatuscomprises a suitable support which sustains stretching and holding devices or clamps for the fabrics and also a suitable track or guideway on which a traveling sewing machine, by which the fabric edges are to be united, is to move. rlhe fabric holding devices are preferably'so disposed that the carpets or other fabrics to be united will be supported'edgewise vertically so that the different sections thereof may be more easily moved relative to each other, (to even their edges or match the patterns or figures) than would be possible were the fabric sections superposed or laid tlatwise horizontally on each other, as in the" latter position the weight of the fabrics and the frictional or clinging nature of the contiguous faces of heavypile fabrics renders the adjustment of one fabric section on anrics is preferably effected bya positive feeding mechanism havinga positive engagement with a rail or bar placed parallel tothe track or guide-way on which the sewing machine travels. The clamps by whiehthe fabrics to be united are held are preferably of such construction that as the jaws thereof are closed together on the fabrics they will stretch the said fabrics which are grasped between them, to place the fabrics under suitable tension so as to hold their edges taut ,and smooth, said clamps being thus stretching as well as holding clamps; and, movable lwith the said clamps, as the latter are closed and opened, are start 'and stop-motion devices, or what may be termed governing devices of such a character that should the traveling sewing machine arrive at the end of a fabric section which has been matched, stretched and clamped, in readiness for the sewing operation, before the next'fabric section has been with the closing and opening clamps co-operating with the start and stop-motion devices of the machine to effect these operations.

The adjustment of the fabric edges in preparing for the sewing operatioh is facilitated by stationary guides which determine their height as they are placed in the clamps, and imp'aling pins carried by pivoted arms movable independently of the clamping arms are provided to assistin the operation of handling the heavy fabrics. The stretching and holding clamps are normally movable independently of each other in opening and closing, but connecting latches, whereby all the clamps of a series may be opened by operating one clamp or clamp section, are provided;thus enabling the finished work to be quickly released. The traveling machine vis preferably returned toits starting position by an endless return belt running in a direction opposite to the driving belt, and the latter is preferably so arranged that both the forwardly moving and return section-s thereof will run in the same horizontal plane and thus both parts of IOO said belt may be utilized to drive sewing ma'- chines in opposite directions at the Sametime, the tracks or gui'deways for the machine and the clamping and holding devices for the fabrics, being, to this end, provided in duplicate.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is av partial side elevation of a carpet sewing apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the saine.' Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on lines 3--3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a partial plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the apparatus shown near the lower right hand corner of Fig. 2. Figs. 6 and '7'are detail views of the clamping devices. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the releasing or tripping device for the locking dog of the return belt grip. Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are detail views to show the operation of the releasing latches for the clamps. Fig. 13 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, on line 1`3-13, Fig. 2. Fig. 14 is a full plan View of the traveling sewing machine. Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are detail views of the clutch and starting'and stopping mechanisms of the said machine, and Fig. 18 is a detail view of the return-belt gripping-device.

In the form in which I have herein illustrated my invention I provide standards A at the upper parts of which are brackets a. having upper and lower horizontally extending arms which support rods b and b which latter form the track'orfguideway for the traveling sewing machine B, the latter having lower y grooved wheels b2 engaging the lower rod b and upper grooved wheels b3 engaging the upper rod h', the said wheels b3 being preferably pressed upward by suitable springs placed beneath them so as to have yieldingy contact with said rod b. C is a rack-bar the teeth of which are engaged by suitable feedingl devices of the traveling sewing machine to move the same positively forward intermittingly. c

Journaled in the outeriends of the upper arms of the brackets@ are rods d to which the clamping arms E are attached, said arms carrying at their lower ends pivoted clamping and stretching levers e provided with jaws e co-operating with similar pivoted, clamping and stretching levers e2 supported by blocks ctat the lower ends of the arms of the said brackets a and furnished with jaws es, the said jaws being forced inward or toward eachother by springs e4 Fig. 7 acting on said levers. The movements of the levers e under the iniiuence of their springs e4 are limited by stop-pins or projections e5'on the arms E engaged by tail piecescon said levers e, and thev movements of the levers e2 under the stress' of their spri11gs4'are limited by stops or projections 0.2 on the blocksa co-operatin g with the tail pieces clon the said levers e2. In'closing the clamps the jawseand e3 of the levers e and e2 are first brought'into engagement with the Opposite sides of the fabrics which are placed between said jaws and the A rfurther downward or closing movements of e2` on their pivots thus causing said jaws c and e3 to move forward somewhat in the direction ofthe length' of the fabrics thereby stretching the latter and drawing them taut. This stretching operation of the clamping jaws will be readily understood by reference to Fig. '7 in which the first grasping and the final stretching and holding positions of the clamp jaws are denoted by full and dotted lines, respectively. The arm E farthest to the left (Figs. 1` and 2) has a plain or nonstretching clamp-jaw cooperating with a similar plain clamp-jaw on the frame-work of the apparatus, as, this first clampmerely holds the ends of the fabrics, and is therefore of any ordinary or suitable construction. The arms E are operated' by hand levers f fulcrumed at f to the upper arms of the brackets a. and connected to the short arms e8 of the arms or levers E by links f2, the latter and the inner end portions of the leversf forming toggles which areI straightened out just before the outer ends of the handlevers fare depressedv to their lowest positions to close the clamping and stretching jaws together; the center point of a toggle just passing a central longitudinal line drawnl through the toggle when said jaws are as fully closed as is desired and when the further descent of the hand lever is arrested by a suitable stop; and as the toggle center isv thus just past said central line when the jaws are in clamping position any tendency of the said jaws to open is overcome and the said jaws are locked, as i will bev understood.

The rods d are provided at their ends, opf posite to where the arms E are attached, with g collars d from which, ou the sides of the rods l d opposite to the arms E, are extended arms d2 provided with weights or counterpoises D i sufliciently'heavy to overbalance the arms E and thus hold the jaws of the clamps apart and the clamps open when not in use. The weights Dare each provided with a depending lug or projection diarranged to be in the path of a tripping arm on the machine, to stop the latter, should the clamp arm Ewith which said weight and projection are connected (through rod d) not be closed, andeachcollar d is furnished witha cam d4 arranged to engage a starting and stopping lever on the machine as theV clamp with which said cam is connected is closed, and thus the traveling machine,` which has been stopped by a lug d3, will again be set into operation when the ma- 1 terial is ready. Thus the lugs d3 and cams d, co-operating with the st'op-and-start-motion devices (to be hereinafter described) of the traveling machine, are what may be termed governing devices as they control the movement of the machine in such a manner as to cause it to stop when the material ahead is not ready and to start when such material has been clamped landstretehed in readiness for sewing. The collars d are provided with luOs d5 placed beneath the hand levers and vb q the arms Ewil-l then turn said levers e and IOO IIO

ing the stops for said levers hereinbefore mentioned.

impaling pins g which, when said arms are in their lowered or closed positions enter holes h formed in the lower arms of brackets h similar in form to the brackets a and snpported by strengthening cross-heads H braced to the standards A by rods h2 and serving to steady the track or guideway rods b and b and the rack bar C all of which are attached The rods d are provided t to said brackets h. with collars d6 having notches Z7 to be entered by hooks or lugs t' formed at the upper or inner ends of latches or hand levers t pivoted tothe arms g and beneath which are placed springs i2 to hold the lugs or hooks t in contact with the collars d6 or to force said lugs or hooks into said notches @t7 when said arms g are lifted to cause said lugs or hooks to register with said notches. When said lugs or hooks are entered in said notches the arms g will be held elevated with theirimpaling pins g withdrawn from the work, even when the clamps are closed, and said arms g will be further lifted to be wholly out of the way when the clamps are opened.

Placed closely adjacent to each set of clamping and stretching jaws is a stationary gage j to be engaged by the upper edges of the fabrics and thus determine the height to which the fabrics should be lifted before the clamps are closed on the same. The gages j are so placed as to be outside of the line of movement of the traveling machine B, the fabrics, after being positioned as to height by the said gages, being moved inward to sewing po.- vsition by clampsas thelatter are closed. The gages j are attached to the rod b', the rods d passing freely through the upper parts i thereof.

The traveling sewing machine B is preferably driven by an endless belt L receiving movement from any suitable source of power, as from a driving pulley K which may be operated by an electric motor or otherwise, said belt running over pulleys 7c supported at the opposite ends of the track or guideway on which the machine runs. The driving belt L is preferably so arranged that both the forwardly moving and return sections thereof will run in the same horizontal plane so that both4 parts of said belt may be utilized to drive sewing machines in opposite directions at the Sametime, the tracks or guideways for said machines, and the stretching and holding Pivoted on the rods d are arms g Acarrying pulley and said wheelisA placed a shoe m2 acted on by a cam n seated in said wheel and provided with an arm 'n' having a lug fn? against which presses a coil spring m3 to cause the cam n to force said shoe m2 into holding contact with the pulley M to give the latter a driving engagement with the wheel fm. The endless driving belt L is held in contact with the pulley M by pulleys beneath which said belt runs.

Pivoted to a post B forming part of the frame of the machine B is a stopping and starting lever O having a depending arm ov at the lower end of which is a shoulder o to engage the upper edge of the clutch arm n and turn the cam n slightly, in opposition to the action of the spring m3, when the shoe m2 is to be disengaged from the pulley M to per! mit the latter to run free; said arm 'n' having at its end a hook or projection n3 to engage said arm o and thus positively stop the wheel 'm' and the main shaft of the machine with which said wheel is connected. The arm 0 is provided, below the shoulder o with a brake o2 having a friction surface of raw hide 0r other suitable material, to engage the side or face of the clutch arm 'n' to arrest or slacken the movement of the wheel m', after ithas been disengaged from the pulley M and before it is positively stopped by contact of the hook n3 with the arm o; thus avoiding any injurious shock by the positive stop. The lever O is tilted, to bring the arm o into contact with the arm n', by a spring o3 seated in the post B and pressing against the said arm o.

The lever O is provided with an arm o4 rigidly attached thereto and having at its end a projection o5 to be acted on by any one of the cams d4 movable with the clamps, the action of the cams d4 on the arm o4 being to depress the end of the lever O to which said arm is attached and thus remove the arm o from contact with the arm n and thereby cause the clutch above described to engage the wheel m with the pulley M and set the machine in motion. To prevent accidental starting of the machine when the latter is being run idly backward to commence a new seam the lug or projection o5 is pivoted to the arm o4 and is yieldingly held in its operative position by a spring of which will permit it to be turned to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 17, should any of the clamps not be opened when the machine is running backward, the cams d4 being in position to be engaged by said lug or projection o5 only when the clamps, with which cams are connected, are closed.

The stopping and starting lever O isjpro vided with a tail piece 07 beneathwhich, to hold the arm 0 of saidV lever out of engagement with the arm n of the clutch device, extends a lugp formed on a dog P pivotedon the shank of the screw p', so as to turn horizontally, and acted on by al torsional spring p2 to hold said lug p beneath the said tail piece 0 7. ,The dog P is provided with a trip- -IIO ping arm 193 soplaced as to engage any one of the stoppin glugs d3 on 'the weights D should the clamp, with which any one of said weights and' lugs are connected, not be closed; the engagement of a tripping arm p3 with a lug d3, when the machine is traveling forward, caus ing the dog P to be turned to remove thelug p from beneath the nail piece oT of the lever` O, thus leaving said lever free to be moved into position by its springo3 to uncouple the clutch and stop themachine. When the dog P is thus tripped the tail piece o7 of the lever O descends slightly so that the lug p, by engagement with a vertical face of said tailpiece, is held aside in an inoperative position.

As the clamps will be open when the machine is to-be run backward to its starting point,

and as the lug-s d3 will thus bein thek path of the tripping arm 103, the latter, although so connected with the locking dog P as-to move the said dog positively when tripping it to stop the machine, is yieldingly connected with said dog by the spring p5 so as to move idly to the positiony shown in dotted lines,

Fig. 16, when passing said lugs d3 on thebackward or return movements of the traveling machine.

L is an endless returning belt run ning, in

a direction opposite to the-belt L, over pulleys lc at the opposite ends of the track or guideway on which the traveling machine moves.

The said machine is provided with a gripping device to engage the said returning belt so as tovbe moved therewith, said gripping device, asherein shown, consisting of agrooved block or lug q between which and a gripping leverQ said returning belt runs. A spring q normally holds the gripping part of the said lever lifted out of contact with the said belt, and whenl the machine is to be returned the operator depresses the handle end q2 of the said lever to cause the latter to grip the said belt, said lever being held in gripping position by'a toothed locking dog R pi'voted on aV screw fr and forced by a torsional spring fr' into engagement with a toothed portion g3 of said lever Q. When the locking dog Ris released from the said lever Q the spring q releases saidlever from the returning belt.

r.Fo-prevent themachine from overrunning its track or guide-way at its ret-urn movement I provide, near the starti-ng point of the machine, a kreleasing devicel forV the locking dog R, said releasing device consisting of an arm /rl supported by a hanger r3-and placed in the'path of movement of said dog to trip the latter on the return movement of themachine and thus automatically ungrip the returnbelt, said arm being yieldingly held by a spring t5 in. such a manner that it will be swung out of the way, when engaged by said dog, on the forward movement of the machine.

In practice my improved fabric stretching 'and holding apparatus and the track or guideway for the traveling machine are of considerable length and comprise quite a large the clamps holding the fabrics which have been sewed may be released by operating a single hand lever f by which the clamps are closed andopened, and thus avoid the delay which would be occasioned were said hand levers all to be separately operated to open the clamps. To thus open all of the clamps by that one of the hand levers f which is at the end of the seam last completed I mount on the collars d adjacent to the clamp arms E and hand levers f pivoted releasing latches s the upper ends' of which are pressed by springs s toward said levers f and the latter are provided with inclines ft preferably vformed at the bottoms of notches f5 formed in said levers, the said latchess being provided near their tops with shoulders s2. Thus when a clamp is to be closed by depressing its operating hand leve:l f and the clamp which is next ahead (or to the right, Fig.'l) is open,

- (aswill always be thecase in practice, as the clamps are successively closed froml one end of the fabric sections to be sewed to the other) the latch s connected with the open clamp will be in such position (see Figs. 9, 1l and 12) that the incline on the lever f will permit said lever, as the-latter is lowered in closing its clamp, to pass by the shouldered portion of the latch s, but when the clamp with which said latch is connected lis closed the latch will be turned to the position shown in Fig. lO to bringits shoulder .s2-beneath the lever f contiguous thereto andwhichy is on the next clamping section and thus engage said latch with said lever so that when the clam-p with which the latch is connected is opened the turning movement of the collar d on which the latch is mounted (and which is connected with the clamp through the rod d) will lift the said latch and cause the latter to raise the lever f with which said latch isv now engaged far enough to throw out the toggle, formed by the inner end of said lever and the link f2, and thus permit the overbalancing weight D connected with the clamp rod d to entirely open the clamp. As all of the clamps of a series will, when closed, be connected toi gether through the releasing latches s it will be obvious that by raising the operating hand lever of the clamp last closed, to open said clamp, the latchconnected with the clamp first released or opened will open the next clamp, and so on successively through the entirev series of clamps, running back to the iirst stretching clamp near the starting point of the machine.' With regard to this releasing operation of the clamps it should be borne in mind that the lever f, shown in Figs. 9 and 10, is on a dierent clam-p section from that with which the releasing latch s, shown in said figures, is to be connected, and that the operating lever f with which said releasing latch s is connected is represented by the op- IIO erating lever farthest to the right at the lower side of Fig. 2, while the operating lever f, shown in said Figs. 9 and 10 is represented by the middle one of the operating levers shown at the lower side of Fig. 2. In other words, it should be borne in mind, for a clear understandingof the operation of the releasinglatches, that a releasing latch of one clamp section operates to throw up the lever ro f of the next adjoining clamp section, and so on'through the entire series of clamps. As 1t 1s objectionable (except when a carpet has been entirely sewed by uniting the last two breadths thereof) to permit the heavy fabrics to fall to theioor when the clamps are all opened, as above indicated,'owng to the labor which would be required to again lift the heavy fabrics, the arms g are lowered to engage their impaling pins g with the fabrics before the clamps are opened, said pins thus holding the fabrics from falling.

The traveling sewing machine B has an in-l termittent feeding movement on its track or guide-way, this feeding movement being ef-` fected by suitable feeding and holding devices engaging the teeth of the rack-bar C. This feeding mechanism is fully set forth in my application, Serial No. 495,390, filed J anuary 2, 1894, simultaneously herewith, and

therefore need not be further described herein.

In the use of my invention and with the endless driving belt L running in the direction denoted by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2, if the front track or guideway shown at the lower side of Fig. 2 be in use, the traveling sewing machine will be placed at the left hand end of the said track or guide-way with the projection o5 on the arm o4 of the starting and vt the left.

' cam d4 to act on the said projection o5 on the arm o4 of the starting and stopping lever O,

thus withdrawing the stopping arm o of said lever from the clutch arm n and permitting the clutch to engage the wheel m with the driving pulley M, and thus start the machine, the said pulley, it being understood, running continuously with the driving belt L. When the traveling machine arrives at the end of the clamped and stretched fabrics if the next set of clamps be not closed the stopping lug d3, connected with the open clamp, will be in the path of the tripping arm p3 of the locking dog P, and the engagement of said arm with said stopping lug d3 will cause the locking lug p `0f said dog to be withdrawn from beneath the tail-piece o7 of the lever O, thus permitting the latter to be tilted by its spring o3 to uncouple the clutch and stop the machine, the said machine being again set into operation bya cam d4, when the next stretching clamp is closed, as above described. Should all of the clamps of a series be closed, or, in other words, should lengths of carpet sections to be united be matched, stretched and clamped, before the machine is started, of course the entire lengths will be sewed without stopping the machine; and the sewing operation of carpet sections extending the full length of the holding and stretching apparatus and of the track or guideway will also be continuous if the clamps be successively closed, as the machine advances,before the machine reaches the respective governing devices represented by the stopping lugs d3 and starting cams d4 which are placed opposite to each other, these governing devices, it being understood, being for the purpose of. preventing the machine from running into unclamped and unprepared fabric sections; and also to provide for starting the machine simultaneously with the operation of closing the clamps, without requiring any special care on the part of the operator who has only to attend `to adjusting and clamping the fabrics. The edges of the carpets are held above the clamps, and the arms E o f the latter are curved outward, and the traveling machine can thus move freely past said arms and clamps without interference therewith, a suitable guide on the traveling machine bringing the edges of the fabrics in proper position relative to the needle of the machine and holding said edges during the sewing operation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon and provided with a stop-motion device, of clamps disposed along said track or guideway and serving to hold the fabrics to be sewed by said machine, `and stopping devices movable with said clamps and so arranged as to be brought into position to stop the machine when the clamps are open but to be in such position as not to interfere with the machine when the clamps are closed.

2. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon and provided with start and stop-motion devices, of clamps for holding the fabrics to be sewed by said machine, and starting and stopping or governing devices movable with said clamps and cooperating-with the start and stop motion devices of the machine: vwhereby the latter will be set into operation when a clamp is closed or will be stopped by a governing device if the clamp with which the latter is connected beopen.

3. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon and provided with a pulley having a IOO I Way and a traveling sewing machine to run of the machine, to set the latter into opera thereon, of an endless driving belt for moving the machine forward, means for operatively connecting said belt with the driving shaft tion, an independent endless returning belt for running the machine back to its starting. position, and a gripping device on the ma-` chine for engaging the latter with the saidv returning belt.

5. The combination with a track or guide-- way and a traveling sewing machine to run.

Agaging sald thereon, of an endless driving belt for moving the-machine forward, means for operatively connecting said belt with the driving shaft of the machine to set the latter into opera-- tion, an independent endless returning belt for running the machine back to its starting. positiona gripping device on the machine for engaging the latter with the said returning belt, and a releasing device, placed near the starting point of the machine, for disen-y gripping device from said returning belt.

6. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run. thereon, of a fabric-holding apparatus com prising means for holding one end of the fabrics and one or more clampsv each of which consists of two opposing spring-pressed jaws.

which, after having been brought intoen gagement. with the. opposite sides of the fabrics,

in closing, are constructed and arrangedy to have a horlzontal or forward movement to stretch the fabrics longitudinally, and means for closing the clamps against the fabrics.

7. The combination with a track or guide- .way anda traveling. sewing machiner to run thereon, of4 a series of independent, combined stretching and holdin gclamps disposed along said trackor guide-Way and each clamp having opposing spring-pressed jaws to engagel the opposite sides of thefabrics to be united Aby said machine, each of said independent4 clamps being adapted to be opened andclosed without disturbing theothers.

8.. Thecombination witha track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine adapted to run thereon, of a series of clamps arranged to hold the fabrics to be sewed parallel with the said track or guideway, each of said clamps comprising a spring-pressed clamp arm or lever pivoted to a stationary support Vand provided with a clamping jaw, and a spring-pressed clamp arm or lever pivoted to aY movable support or carrying arm and also provided with a clamping jaw, the' jaw-portions of said clamp arms being yieldingly pressed toward each other by their springs, so that when said jaws are forced against the opposite sides of the fabrics, in clamping,-

vers to form toggles which straighten out as the clamp-jaws are closed together.

10. The combination witha track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, of a fabric-holding apparatus comprising a series of clamps ,disposed alongsaid `track or guide-way, said clamps being independent of eachother, and being thus adapted to be successively closed on the fabrics, arms or levers by means of which said clamps may be opened, and releasing devices or llatches `by which said arms or levers may be operated to open the clamps, when desired, said'r'eleasing devices or latches serving, when the last clamp of the series of clamps isopened, to successively open the preceding clamps .of the series. n i

11.V A fabric holding apparatus comprising a series of clamps, combined with impaling p pins for assisting in handling the fabrics,.and pivoted arms, movable independently of the clamps,.by which saidpinsare carried.

12.l A fabric holding apparatus comprising a series of clamps, combined with impaling pins for assisting in handling the fabrics, pivoted arms, movable independently of the clamps, by which said pins are carried, and means for connecting said arms. with said clampsso that,.when desired, the said arms `may be raisedto lift said pins5, when the clamps are opened.A

13.v The combinationwith a track orguid'eway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, said sewing machine being provid-ed with a stop-motion device,,of clamps 'compris- -ing. themovable clamp-carrying arms E, the rods d, by which said arms are carried, and

stopping'devicesas lugs-d-,movable with said rods and clamp-carrying arms, said stopping devices being, so constructed and arranged as to be in the path offmovement of some portion of the said stop-motion device of the Inachine when the clampsare. open,but to be in such position Yas not to operate the stop-motion device when the. clamps are closed.

14. The combination with a track or guideway and a travel-ing sewing machine to run thereon, and provided. with start and stop-motion devices,of clamps comprising the mov- IOO ITO

able clamp-carrying arms E, the rods d by which said arms are carried, starting devices, as cams d4, and stopping devices, as lugs d3, movable with said rods and arms, and so arranged relative to the start and stop motion devices of the machine as to stop the machine if the clamps be open, and to start themachine when the clamps are closed.

15. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, of clamps comprising the clampcarrying arms E, the rods d by which said arms are carried, the lugs d3 and the cams d4 movable with said rods and arms, the stopping and starting lever O having an arm a part of whichis arranged tobe engaged by a cam d4 to start the machine, and the dog P serving to lock the said starting and stopping lever in an inoperative position when the machine is in operation, said dog having a tripping arm p3 to be engaged by one of the said lugs d3 when aclamp is open, andthe machine is to be stopped.

l 16. The combination with the traveling sewing machine having the driving shaft lm., of the wheel m fixed to said shaft, the driving pulley M loose relative to said shaft, the shoe mzinterposed between said wheel and pulley,

the clutch cam n seated in said wheel and having a spring-pressed arm by which it is caused to act on said shoe to couple the said pulley M with the said wheel m', when desired, and a starting and stopping lever O having a spring-pressed arm o to disengage the said clutch devices, and ,having also the tail-piece 07 and the arm oAx which latter,when pressed upon,will permit the clutch to act to couple the driving pulley M with the said wheel m', and the spring-pressed locking dog P having a lug p arranged to engage said tailpiece o7, to hold the said arm o out of engagement with the clutch devices.

17. The combination with the traveling sewing machine having the driving shaft m, of the1 wheel m fixed to said shaft, the driving pulley M loose relative to said shaft, the shoe m2 interposed between said wheel and pulley, the clutch cam n seated in said wheel and having a spring-pressed arm by which it is caused to act upon the said shoe to couple the said wheel with the said pulley, the starting and stopping lever O provided with4 the arm o having a shoulder o to engage the edge of the said spring-pressed arm,and thus release the said shoe from binding contact with the said pulley, said arm o having also a brake portion to bear against the face of the spring-v pressed clutch arm to arrest the movement of the said wheel fm', the spring o3 for operating said starting and stopping lever in one direction, the locking dog P to hold the said lever O in an inoperative position when the machine is running, and the arm o4 carried by the said lever O and which, when pressed upon, releases the arm o from the clutch and permits thelatter to act to start the machine.

18. The combination with the traveling sewing machine having the driving shaft m, of the wheel mf fixed to said shaft, the driving pulley M loose relative to said shaft, the shoe m2 interposed between said wheel and pulley, the clutch cam n seated in said wheel and having a spring-pressed arm by which it is caused to act upon the said shoe to couple the said wheel with the said pulley, the starting and stopping lever O provided with the arm 0 having a shoulder 0 to engage the `edge of the said spring-pressed clutch arm, and thus release the said shoe from binding contact with the said pulley, said arm ohaving alsoabrake portion to bear against the face of the springpressed clutch arm to arrest the movement of the said wheel m', the spring o3 for operating said starting and stopping lever in one direction, the locking dog Pto hold the said lever O in an inoperative position when the machine is running, and the arm o4 carried by the said lever O and which, when pressed upon, releases the arm o from the clutch and permits the latter to start the machine, said arm o4 being provided with a spring-pressed pivoted lug or projection o5 which is adapted to yield in one direction so that-the machine will not be set into operation when being returned to its starting position.

` 19. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon and provided with a starting and stopping lever, of a locking dog by which the said starting and stopping lever is held in an inoperative posit-ion when the machine is running, but which is provided with a tripping arm to release the said lever when the machine is to be stopped, said tripping arm having positive connection with said dog in one IOO direction but being yieldingly connected with Y the said dog so that `it may be moved freely in an opposite direction, when the machine is running backward to be returned to its starting position, without operating said dog.

20. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, of an endless driving belt for moving the machine forward, means for operatively connecting said belt with the driving pulley of the machine, to set the latterin operation, an independent endless returning belt for running the machine backward to its starting position, and a gripping device for the said returning belt consisting of the block q on the machine and the lever Q having a gripping portion to engage the said returning belt and force it against the said block q, and a spring-pressed locking dog R for holding the said lever Q in gripping position.

21. vThe combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, of an endless driving belt for moving the machine forward, means for operatively connecting said belt with the driving pulley of the machine, toset the latter in operation, an independent endless returning belt for running the machine backward to its starting position, and a gripping device for the vbeing placed near the f pivoted` lever, as e,

said returning belt, said gripping device conslstlng of the block g yon the machine and' the lever Q having a gripping portion to engageV the said returning belt and force it against the said block q, a spring pressed locking dog R for holding the said lever Q in grlpping position, and a releasing device for the said locking dog, Said releasing device starting point of the machine.

22. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, of an endless driving belt for moving the machine forward, means for operatively connecting said belt with the driving pulley of the mach-ine, to set the latter in operation, an endless driving belt for running the machine backward to its starting position, and a gripping device for the said returning belt, said gripping device consisting of the block q on the machine and the lever Q having a gripping portion to engage the said returning belt and force it against the said block q, a spring-pressed. locking dog Rfor holding the said lever Q in gripping position, and a releasing device for the said locking dog, said releasing device being placed near the starting point of the machine, and consisting of a spring-pressed arm frA and the hanger r3 by which said arm is carried.

23. An apparatus for holding fabrics to be sewed by a traveling sewing machine and comprising a series of clamps each composed of a spring-pressed pivot lever, as e2, supported by a stationary part of the apparatus, and a swinging arm E carrying a spring-pressed said levers being provided at their outer or free ends with gripping jaws.

24. The combination with a track or guideway and a traveling sewing machine to run thereon, of a fabric holding apparatus comprisingthe pivoted rods d provided with arms E carrying spring pressed clamp levers e, spring-pressed clamp-levers e2, supported by stationary parts of the apparatus, to co-operate with the said levers eand hold the fabrics, the arms es movable with the said arms E and rods d, the operating leversf and the links f2 connecting the said levers with the said arms e8.

25. In a fabric clamping and holding appa- 'ratus the combi-nation with the rods d and the clamp-carryin g arms L movable therewith, of the arms d2 rigidly attached to said rods and provided with counterbalancing Weights D serving to throw out the said clamp-carrying arms E when the latter are released.

26. In a fabric clamping and holding apparatus the combination with the rods dand the clamp-carrying arms E supported thereby and movable therewith, of the arms g carrying the impaling pins g and pivoted on said rods d, and means for connecting said arms g with the said rods when desired.

27. In a fabric clamping and holding apparatus the combination with the rods d and the clamp-carrying armsE supported thereby and movable therewith, of the arms g pivoted on said rods and provided withimpaling pins g', the notched collars d6. attached to said rods, and the spring-pressed locking levers i having lugs or hooks t' to engage said notched collars and thus connect said arms g with the said rods, when desired.

28. The combination with the clamps comprising the swinging arms E carrying suitable clamping devices and co-operating clamping devices on a stationary part of the apparatus, of the'levers f by which said arms E are operated to open or close the clamps, connections between said arms and levers and springpressed releasing latches s movable with the said arms E and arranged to engage the said levers fand lift the latter to open the clamps.

29. The combination with the rods d provided With the arms E and the collars d', of the leversfconnected with the said arms E and provided with inclinesf, clamps which are closed and opened by the movements of said levers, spring-pressed releasing latches s mounted on said collars andhaving shoulders s2 to engage the said levers f, said shoulders being overridden by the inclines on the said levers f when the latter are brought down to close the clamps, but being brought beneath the said levers, to be in position to lift the latter, as thevsucceeding clamps of the series are successively closed.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD B. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

HENRY CALvER, J. F. JAQUITH.

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