IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR USE IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES." [A communication from abroad by
John H. Moule, of Paris, France.]
Sealed the 24th May 1878, and dated the 27th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, CHIEFLY
DESIGNED FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES." [A commu-
nication from abroad by John H. Moule, of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, chiefly designed for
use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and is designed to provide a machine by
neans of which considerable thicknesses of leather may be sewn through, and
regular, and secure stitches will be produced.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a machine having a frame
rising from a cast-iron table fixed at a suitable height on another table. An inclined
thread carrying support presents its top to the needle, and serves as a support for
the leather which has to be sewn.
The said machine comprises various other details of construction herein-after
described.
Motion is given by a pedal to a horizontal shaft placed at the side and at the
lower part of the said frame. This shaft is provided with several excentrics and a
cam. There is a rod extending upwards from one of these excentrics, the upper end
of which rod is above the top of the machine, and actuates a lever at its centre.
The point of attachment of this lever is supported in such a manner that at each
revolution of the shaft it has a slight movement. To weaken the effect of the dead
point of this lever, a spiral spring pressing on a shoulder fixed to its attaching rod,

page_text: "
tends to cause the lover to take its upper position at each revolution. The other
end of the lever is attached to the neck of a tube which serves as a guide for the
needle. This part receives a rising and falling motion, varying according to the
thickness of the leather in contact with the needle.
In the interior of the said tube is a rod which controls a closing device placed
parallel to the needle, and the object of which is to cover the notch of the latter
when it rises, and prevent the stitch which has just entered the leather from
being carried beyond to the following stitch.
A central rod receives motion from an oscillating lever. A bell-crank motion
receiving pressure from a tail piece causes the said lever to descend. The said
closing device is caused to rise again by the top of the head of the needle carrier
which strikes against a false shoulder fixed on the central rod.
A revolving head is placed in a hollow part provided above the junction of two
arched arms forming the frame. A small toothed fly wheel keyed on the same axis
as the said revolving head causes the said head to rotate.
This part of the said machine may be driven by hand or automatically, its object
being to produce the rotation of the looper in a constant ratio to the rotation of the
needle while introducing the thread into the notch. This arrangement allows of
sewing in a circular direction and continuously, this advantage being very important
in the manufacture of boots and shoes for the navy.
On the aforesaid horizontal shaft there is an excentric, the rod of which controls
a lever furnished with a small claw which catches into a toothed sector. This
sector is attached to the extremity of another lever, the fork of which causes an
upper ring on said revolving head to slide. The other end of the said lever rests
on a fixed collar on a vertical rod, which rod serves to regulate the height of the
needle carrier, according to the thicknesses of the leather. The said ring mounted on
an internal rod which serves as its guide is caused to follow the movements of the
whole of the mechanism.
A second ring is fitted like the one above named, with an internal rod which
unites it with the revolving head, and causes it to rotate with the same.
The descending movement imparted to a lever controlling this ring causes the
latter to descend and meet with its internal rod a small spring tappet, striking
on the back of a foot which is carried very near to the closing device of the
noedle. The first-named ring raises or lowers the said foot, and the second ring
causes it to advance towards the needle.
It will be readily understood that when the point of this foot on descending meets
the leather and penetrates it slightly; the forward movement taking place imme-
diately the leather is brought under the needle to the point of the desired stitch.
The hand of the attendant has merely to hold the sole or other piece, and to guide
it according to the seam to be sewn. When the ring rises again, it carries with it
the rod of the tappet, and the foot takes its former position.
In order to keep the article to be sewn firmly against the thread-carrying
support, a second foot is fixed to the first one by which it is actuated, its point
coming behind the needle.
The aforesaid small claw is disengaged by means of a bell-crank motion connected
to the rod of an excentric fixed on the aforesaid horizontal shaft. A small spring
brings the claw into contact with the teeth of the said toothed sector. On
the end of the said shaft is fitted a cam controlling a jointed motion which has for
its object the production of a to-and-fro movement of a toothed piece or rack. This
rack controls a pinion, being part of gearing mechanism, the function of which is
herein-after described.
The thread-carrier support is traversed throughout its length by a rod connected
to the said gearing mechanism. The upper part of this rod is toothed and takes
into a small piece which forms the looper. The thread brought from a bobbin
traverses the said looper excentrically.
At each revolution of the machine the needle descends, makes its stitch, and
raises the loop of the following stitch. At the same time the rack has operated and

page_text: has caused the rod which controls the small looper to make one complete rotation ;
the said looper has one-third more teeth than the small wheel or toothed upper end
of the rod, so that it may not make more than two-thirds of a turn at each revolution
of the said small wheel.
The rack in returning to its original position turns in the opposite direction, the
gearing which it controls, and the toothed rod, and the looper operated by the same
movement, have likewise their direction of rotation changed. This alternate motion
is designed to present the thread guided by the looper in the position which it ought
constantly to occupy with reference to the notch of the needle, so that this thread
may not be disarranged.
From the above description it will be seen that the looper acts with the move-
ment of the other parts of the machine; but it is essential to be able to actuate it
also with the hand, that is to say, to impart a rotation co-ordinate with all the
motions of the said revolving head, which is moveable on its axis, and can with the
aid of the aforesaid fly wheel, which is above it, turn at the will of the operator, so
as to follow the sinuosities of the seam. The relation of the movement of the said
revolving head to the gearing of the rod is maintained by means of a Vaucauson
chain. The said fly wheel is toothed on the exterior of its periphery, and it trans-
mits to an intermediate chain pinion the rotation imparted. This pinion is sur-
mounted by an ordinary gear wheel, engaging with a sinall wheel fixed on a vertical
shaft which it operates. A bevelled pinion fixed on the lower end of this vertical
shaft actuates gearing mechanism, comprising the following parts, that is to say :-
A conical plate, the lower socket of which is prolonged by two straight wheels cast
together. The last of these two wheels receives its rotation from the aforesaid rack.
The wheel which is above it takes into a small pinion placed excentrically under the
said conical plate, and by the said vertical axis transmits its motion above the said
plate, so as to move the central rod of the thread carrier support, the lower part of
which is fixed to the pinion. The useful position of the rod is therefore obtained in
an invariable manner, whether the said revolving head is worked automatically or
by hand, and even if the two movements should take place simultaneously. The
proportion of the teeth of the parts composing the mechanism is so arranged that
any failure in the operations is rendered impossible.
In a modification of the said Invention, I construct the machine as follows, that
is to say-The said vertical shaft connecting together the lower and upper motions
is terminated at its upper end by a bevel wheel, taking into another bevelled wheel
at the end of a horizontal shaft. The other end of this shaft has also upon it a
small bevelled wheel, actuated by a wheel three times as large, the latter replacing
the wheel with endless chain herein-before described. By means of this arrange-
ment, when the needle has penetrated into the leather, the looper turns the latter
during about a quarter of a turn of the rotation of the driving shaft, and then places
the thread in the notch of the needle, then remains in position during the completion
of the rotation of the shaft. In the same time the needle has performed its motion
of ascent and has then come down again. The looper moves round a quarter of a
turn, places the thread again in the notch of the needle, and remains in position
till the latter has risen and come down once more to make the following stitch.
I modify the motion of the levers as follows, that is to say:-A cam imparts
the necessary course to a bell-crank motion, one of the branches of which is connected
to a vertical rod. A jointed part controls the lever connecting the lower ring.
The end of the said rod carries a claw, engaging with a toothed sector or rack,
which terminates the lever connected with the other ring. In its motion the rod
moves the said claw, and this in descending catches into the toothed sector. This
end of the lever descends and the other end rises, raising the foot which is connected
with it by the upper ring. When the rod from one of the excentrics, and which
extends upward to the top of the machine, has reached the bottom of its course, it
catches, by means of a peg on an arm of another lever attached by one arm to a rod,
and causes the claw to be detached.

page_text: The lever connected with the upper ring rises and descends through the action of
the said claw and a spring. The foot attached to the said upper ring, which
is embraced by the end of its lever, is thereby pressed upon the work and raised
from the same.
The aforesaid vertical rod, to which one of the branches of a bell-crank motion
is connected, serves also to determine the length of stitch of the seam. The move-
ment of the foot necessary to this result is obtained by means of the lever com-
municating with the lower ring connected to the rod at the aforesaid jointed part
of the other end, embraces the lower ring which actuates by a lever a small spring
tappet striking on the back of the foot.
1
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
September 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, CHIEFLY
DESIGNED FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES." A communi-
cation from abroad by John H. Moule, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, chiefly designed for
use in the manufacture of boots and shoes.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, which I will
now proceed to describe.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on the line x, x, Figure 1, portions of the
mechanism being removed.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the said machine.
Figures 4, 5, 6, illustrate modifications of my Invention, herein-after described.
The said machine has a frame or support A rising from a cast-iron table B, which
may be fixed at a suitable height on another table, not shewn in the Drawings.
An inclined thread-carrying arm or horn C presents its upper extremity to the
needle and serves as a support for the leather to be sewn.
▲ horizontal shaft D, to which motion is given by a pedal, is placed at the side
and at the lower part of the frame or standard A. This shaft is provided with
several excentrics and a cam, herein-after described. The rod E* of one of these
eccentrics E extends to the top of the machine and actuates a lever E', to which it
is attached at or near its centre in such a manner that at each revolution of the
said shaft the said lever has a slight movement.
The said lever is fulcrummed to the upper end of a rod E2; a spiral spring Es
pressing on a shoulder fixed on the said rod returns the end E* of the lever E¹ to
its highest point at each revolution of the shaft D. The other end of this lever

page_text: works in a collar attached to the neck of a tube F, which serves as the needle bar.
This tube receives a vertical reciprocating motion, varying in extent according to
the thickness of the leather through which the needle has to pass.
In the interior of the said tube is a central rod G, which controls a cast-off
device F¹ placed parallel to the needle, and the object of which is to cover the hook
of the latter when it rises in such a manner that the loop just formed will not be
caught in the hook of the needle.
The central rod G receives motion from an oscillating lever H, which is connected
by a link with a two-armed lever I, one arm of which is in contact with a tail
piece E' on the rod E, and is thereby pressed down. The raising of the said closing
device or cast-off is effected by the top of the needle bar, which strikes a shoulder G¹
fixed on the central rod G.
A revolving head K is placed in a recess formed above the junction of the two
arched sides of the frame A, and a toothed wheel K' keyed on the shaft or axis of
the said revolving head serves for effecting the rotation of the same.
This part of the said machine may be operated by hand, or automatically, its
object being to maintain the relative position of the whirl or looper with regard to
the needle while introducing the thread into the hook. This arrangement allows
of sewing in a continuous circular direction, and is very advantageous for the
manufacture of boots or shoes in sewing the toes and heels of the same.
On the aforesaid horizontal shaft D there is another excentric L, the rod L¹ of
which controls a link M, furnished or connected with a small claw or pawl M³,
which engages with a toothed sector N. This sector is attached to the extremity
of a forked lever O, the fork of which acts on the upper ring P on the revolving
head K, and gives the same a vertical sliding movement. The other end of the
lever O rests on a fixed collar E³ on the rod E², which rod serves to regulate the
height or extent of upward movement of the needle bar, according to the thicknesses
of the leather. The ring P is mounted on a rod inside the head, which rod guides
it and ensures its operation in the proper relation to the movement of the other
parts of the mechanism.
A second ring Q is fitted like the ring P on an internal rod, which unites it with
the revolving head and causes it to rotate with the same.
A lever R is connected with and controls this ring Q, and the descending move-
ment imparted to the said lever causes the descent of the said ring and the meeting
of its internal rod with a small spring tappet that strikes the back of a feed dog S,
which is in close proximity to the aforesaid cast-off device.
By these means the first ring P raises or lowers the foot S, and the second ring Q
causes this foot to advance toward the needle.
It will be readily understood that the point of the feed dog S in descending meets
the leather and penetrates it slightly, the forward movement of the said dog then
taking place immediately. The point in the leather in which the next stitch is to
be made is thus brought under the needle, and the attendant has merely to hold the
sole or other piece and to guide it according to the direction of the seam or line of
stitching. When the said ring rises again it carries with it the rod of the said
tappet, and the feed dog S resumes its former position.
To keep the piece to be sewn firmly against the tip of the horn Ca presser foot T
is fixed to the feed dog S which controls and actuates the said foot so that its point
comes behind the needle.
The disconnection of the aforesaid small claw or pawl M³ with the toothed
sector N is effected by means of a bell-crank lever M, connected to the rod L' of
the eccentric L, fixed on the aforesaid horizontal shaft D. A small spring M³ acts
to cause the engagement of the said claw with the toothed sector N. The disengage-
ment of the pawl from the sector at each stitch permits the automatic adjustment
of the machine to different thicknesses of leather,
On the end of the shaft D is fitted a cam U, which through the medium of the
jointed levers U¹ imparts a to-and-fro movement to a toothed segment or rack V.

page_text: This rack controls a pinion, which forms part of gearing mechanism, whose purpose
is herein-after described.
The horn C is traversed throughout its length by a rod C³, connected by the said
gearing with the rack V. The upper part of this rod is toothed and forms a small
pinion, gearing with the whirl or looper W in the tip of the horn C. The thread
is brought from a bobbin or spool arranged in any convenient position to the said
looper. The said looper has one-third more teeth than the small pinion or toothed
upper end of the rod C¹, so that it cannot make more than two-thirds of a turn in
each revolution of the said rod.
At each revolution of the machine the needle descends, forms a stitch, and raises 1
the loop of the following stitch; at the same time the rack V causes the rod which
controls the said whirl or looper to make the necessary rotation; then the rack V
in returning to its normal position turns in the opposite direction the gearing
through which it operates the toothed rod and the looper, which thus have imparted
to them a to-and-fro or reciprocating motion. This reciprocating or alternate 1
motion ensures the presentation of the thread guided by the whirl to the needle in
the position which it ought constantly to occupy with reference to the hook of the
said needle.
"
From the above description it will be seen that the whirl W, by means of its
actuating devices, is caused to act automatically in the proper relation to the other
parts of the mechanism. But it is necessary that the whirl should be capable of
adjustment with the said revolving head to maintain the proper relation or relative
position of the said whirl to the needle. The connection of the said revolving
head K with the gearing of the rod C¹ is maintained by means of a "Vaucauson
chain. The said wheel K' is toothed on its periphery, and the rotation imparted to a
it is transmitted by the said chain to the intermediate chain pinion K². The said
pinion K is surmounted by a toothed wheel that gears with a pinion K³ fixed on a
vertical shaft K, and thereby operates the said shaft. A bevelled pinion Ko fixed
on the lower end of this vertical shaft K' actuates the aforesaid gearing, which
comprises a bevelled wheel 1, below whose boss are placed two spur wheels 2, 3, cast
together and running independently of the rod C. The wheel 2 receives its
rotation from the aforesaid seginent or rack V. The other spur wheel 3 gears into
a small pinion 4 placed excentrically under the said bevelled wheel, and transmits
its motion through the bevelled wheel, by means of the spindle 4*, to the pinion 5,
which gears with the pinion 6 on the central rod C' of the horn C.
The proper relative position of the whirl to the needle is therefore ensured in an
invariable manner.
In the modification of the said Invention, illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6, of the
Drawings, I provide for varying the position of the whirl or looper by simpler
mechanism than that above described.
Figure 4 is a front elevation, Figure 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, and
Figure 6 is an under side view of the said machine.
In this modification the to-and-fro motion imparted by the rack V to the
gearing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, is employed as in the machine first herein described. The
vertical shaft K' has fixed on its upper end a bevelled wheel 7 geared into another 4
bevelled wheel 8 at the end of a horizontal shaft a. The other end of this shaft
has on it a small bevel wheel 9 actuated by a wheel K' three times as large. The
said shaft and wheels replace the endless chain and chain wheels shown in Figures 2
and 3. By means of this arrangement when the needle has penetrated the leather
the whirl or looper W turns round the latter and the thread is placed in the hook of 5
the needle; then the whirl or looper remains in this position during the completion
of the rotation of the shaft D; at the same time the needle has risen and again
descended, the whirl or looper W returns to its normal position, places the thread
again in the hook of the needle, and remains in this position till the latter has risen,
and again descends to make the following stitch.
A cam 6 imparts the required motion to a bell crank c, one of the arms of which

page_text: is connected to a vertical rod d. This rod is jointed at d to the lever e fulcrumed
to the frame of the machine at e¹, and connected with the lower ring Q. The end
of the said rod carries a pawl f engaging with the toothed sector or rack N on the
extremity of the lever O. In its motion the said rod moves the pawl f, which in
descending engages with the toothed sector N. This end of the lever O descends
and the other end rises, carrying with it the foot or feed dog 8, which is connected
with it by the ring P, as in the machine first above described.
The lever E¹ is actuated by the excentric on the shaft D through the medium of
the rod E, and thereby imparts the required movements to the needle bar, as above
described.
When the excentric rod E reaches the lower extremity of its stroke or movement
its stud or pin E comes in contact with one arm of the lever h, whose other arm is
attached to the rod i, and thereby effects the disconnection of the said pawl from
the rack or sector N.
The lever O connected with the upper ring P rises and descends by the action of
the said pawl and its spring. The foot S attached to the said upper ring P, which
is embraced by the end of the aforesaid lever, is thereby alternately pressed upon
the work and raised from the same, as herein-above described.
The rod & serves also to determine the length of the stitches. The movement of
the foot S necessary to this result is obtained by means of the lever connected with
the said lower ring Q, and to the rod d at d. The said lower ring, through the
medium of the arm i, actuates the small spring tappet striking on the back of the
foot S, and as in the machine first above described the cranked rod which controls
the cast-off device is jointed to the lever O at O¹, as shown.
The said improved machine may be advantageously employed not only in the
manufacture of boots and shoes for the sewing of leather in various other manu-
factures; for instance, in carriage builders' work, and the making of harness,
travelling bags, and the like.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim the improvements in sewing machinery, illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 of
the Drawings, that is to say,-
The mechanism comprising the feed dog and presser foot arranged in combination
with the upper and lower rings and their actuating devices, and operating in the
manner and for the purpose specified.
Also the peculiar arrangement of wheel gearing and mechanism connected there-
with for imparting a reciprocating motion to the whirl or looper, and for effecting
the adjustment of the same with regard to the needle, and whereby such adjustment
may be effected without interfering with the operation of the said whirl, as above
set forth.
Also the mechanism for controlling the action of the needle bar comprising the
excentric on the horizontal shaft, the excentric rod, the vertical rod and spring, the
lever engaging with the collar on the tube or needle bar, and the other parts of such
mechanism, arranged and operating as above set forth.
Also the combination of parts comprising the cast-off device and the mechanism
for maintaining its proper relation to the needle through the medium of the upper
lever, so that the cast-off point may cover and uncover the book of the needle at
the proper times, as above set forth.
Also the apparatus comprising the toothed sector on the forked lever that connects
with the upper ring of the revolving head, the pawl carried by the other lever, and
the mechanism for effecting the engagement and disengagement of the same,
combined and operating as and for the purpose specified.
Also the two rings fitted on the revolving head or tube in such a manner that
they will slide or move vertically but cannot turn independently upon the same, as
and for the purposes specified.

page_text: I also claim the modifications of the said improvements, as illustrated in Figures
4, 5, 6 of the Drawings, and operating as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WM ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)