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In the operation of quilting or embroidering on a large scale, a frame is required to hold the cloth or material that is to be worked upon quite tight, so that it shall not yield much from the accidental pressure of the hand while working. Such work is very tedious and tiring to the hand and arm, and consequently a rest is required on which the elbow or other portion of the arm can rest while the hand is over the cloth operating the needle. This quilting frame—the invention of Alanson Brown, of Rochester, N.Y.—provides in a convenient and portable form, all the desired requirements, as will be seen from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying illstrations, Fig. 1 being a perspective view. A are two upright posts, to which are pivoted at D, cross pieces, B, that serve as feet to the frame. These cross pieces, B, are kept at right angles by pins, b, passing through holes in B and A, and these being withdrawn will allow B to be placed parallel with A, when it is packed up. C are two cross pieces pivoted to A by pivots, c, on which they are capable of turning to any angle, and they can be secured in their position by the pins, a. Between C two rollers, E, move, as in journals, and on each roller is a ratchet wheel, F, which is held by a pawl, f, secured to the cross piece, C. The cloth or fabric, G, to be quilted is tacked or sewed to the rollers, and it can be brought off one roller on to the other, as the work progresses, and always kept properly tight. There are two bars, 11, that run from one cross piece, C, to the other, and on these the rest, H, can be secured in any position by the screw nut, J, seen in Fig. 2. The cord at the top serves to hold spools when quilting, or as an additional rail when the frame is used as a clothes' dryer, to which purpose it can be applied by removing the cloth, G. It will be seen that the upper surfaces of B are curved, so that by turning these round they can be made to serve as rockers, and the frame converted into a cradle or small bed. Thus, if it is not wanted for one purpose it answers well for another, and forms, in a small space, a very convenient frame "to have about a house." It was patented June 15th, 1858, and any further particulars can be obtained by addressing the inventor as above.
