Improvements in or applicable to Sewing Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or applicable to Sewing Machines.
We, CHARLES WELCH, Engineer, and CHARLES WELCH, Junior, Engineer,
both of 14, Talbot Street, Moss Side, Manchester, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in or applicable to sewing machines
and has for its object to provide means for joining by means of connecting
stitches two pieces of cloth or other fabric while lying side by side with an
intervening space of any desired width.
According to our said invention we provide the machine with two or more
needles and two presser feet, the outer presser foot being adjustable by means of
a hinged part controlled by a set screw and spring to suit fabrics of different
thickness or folds. In order to stitch two pieces of fabric lying side by side
with their adjacent edges apart and parallel or approximately parallel to each
other we apply to the needle plate a distance piece which lies between the two
pieces of fabric to be joined and serves as a fence guide or gauge to keep them
apart. To prevent the edges of the fabric being drawn together by the pull
of the stitch we apply a corresponding distance piece or fence to the serrated
face of the feeder.
In combination with the presser feet and distance piece we sometimes use a
folder to fold over the raw edges of the fabric before reaching the needles.
The thickness of the distance pieces or fences on the needle plate and on the
feeder determine the width of space and the length of the connecting cross
stitches.
In some cases as for instance where a greater space and consequently longer
cross stitches are desired between the two pieces of fabric we employ one or more
intervening needles for applying one or more threads to the cross stitches them-
selves so as to bind or strengthen them.
'
Improvements in or applicable to Sewing Machines.
We, CHARLES WELCH, Engineer, and CHARLES WELCH, Junior, Engineer,
both of 14, Talbot Street, Moss Side, Manchester, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be par-
Price 8d1

page_text: ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
accompanying drawings to which reference is hereinafter made:-
Our said invention relates to improvements in or applicable to sewing machines
and has for its object to provide means for joining by means of connecting
stitches two pieces of cloth or other fabric while lying side by side with an
intervening space of any desired width.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 1ª is a corresponding plan of the needle plate
and feeder. Fig. 1b is a corresponding plan of the needle plate showing in
dotted lines the work being performed by the machine.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation seen in the direction of the feed.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan showing the details of the parts which operate
the presser feet.
Fig. 3 is a back elevation in a direction opposite to that of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively side elevation and plan of a modification in
which the distance piece is mounted at the foot of the presser instead of on the
needle plate.
Figs. 6 and 6ª are respectively sectional elevation and plan of a modification
in which the feeder is also provided with a distance piece.
According to our said invention we apply to a sewing machine two or more
needles aa and two independent presser feet either or both of which is or are
automatically adjustable by means of a spring to suit fabrics of different thick-
nesses or number of folds or layers.
The presser bar or plunger 6 which controls both presser feet is so far as the
upper part is concerned constructed in the usual manner. The lower end is
however cut away at the sides forming shoulders. The thin end below the
shoulders passes between the ends 63 of two levers which are mounted so as
to swing on a shaft carried by a bracket 6 or are secured to the shaft which
then rotates in bearings in the bracket . To the bottom end of the presser
bar is secured a plate having lateral extensions which form bearings or
stops for the lever ends . The presser feet 6 are attached to the lever ends b
by the screws 613 so as to move therewith. When therefore the presser bar b¹
is lifted the levers and the presser feet 6 will rise therewith. When the
presser bar is lowered the springs 6 bearing on the levers 64 cause the presser
feet to be pressed on the fabric. These springs which are in compression mounted
on suitable guide stalks bear upwards against fixed stops 610 and downwards
against stops 1 on the levers 6 so that one or both of the presser feet may be
subjected to an independent pressure. The shouldered part of the presser bar
is made sufficiently long to allow at 12 an upward play of the levers 6. This
enables each presser foot to automatically accomodate itself to the particular
thickness of fabric under it. Set screws or nuts may be provided to regulate
the pressure of the springs 6º in case unusual ranges of thickness are to be dealt
with in a single machine.
In order to unite two pieces of fabric lying side by side with their adjacent
edges parallel or approximately parallel to each other as indicated for example
in dotted lines at cc in Fig. 1b we use a distance piece c¹ of a thickness corre-
sponding to the width of the interval it is desired to leave between the connected
fabrics. This distance piece serves as a fence guide or separator to keep the two
edges of the fabric apart while being connected together by the sewing needles
and determines the length of the connecting stitches. It is to be understood that
the parallel loops formed by the two needles in the separate fabrics are con-
nected by a common shuttle or its equivalent so as to form the connecting thread
work as indicated at the left hand side of Fig. 1b which illustrates the finished
. work as it leaves the needles.
The distance piece may be applied to the needle plate itself is shown in
Figs. 11 and 1b or it may be applied to the presser, feet in the form of plates

page_text: such as in Fig. 4, in which case corresponding grooves or slits c³ are formed
in the needle plate to receive them. When the presser feet are down such
plates would have the same effect and function as if applied direct to the needle
plate. The object is in both cases to provide something in the nature of fences
to keep the two edges apart while the sewing is proceeding. In some cases
to prevent the last stitch formed from dragging in the edges towards each other
an accessory distance piece is applied to the feeder forming when the feeder
is up a continuation of the other distance piece.
Where the raw edges of the fabrics to be joined need folding over so as to
present even margins we may use a folder or folders of the usual construction
to fold the edges prior to them reaching the needles.
Although only two needles are shown in order to render the description clear
it is to be understood that where a great intervening space is to be left and
consequently longer stitches are necessary one or more intervening needles may
be used for, applying binding or strengthening threads to the cross stitches.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In combination with a sewing machine the herein before described means
for uniting at their edges two parallel pieces of cloth with an intervening space
substantially as set forth and shown.
2. The combination in a sewing machine of two needles two independently
pressed presser feet and a distance piece or fence for keeping the edges of the
fabric apart substantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
3. In a sewing machine the combination of two independent hinged or swing-
ing presser feet acted on by separate springs so that each presser foot may
exert pressure on the fabric passing under it regardless of the thickness of that
passing under the other presser foot substantially as set forth and shown.
4. In a sewing machine for uniting the edges of parallel fabrics the com-
bination with a distance piece for placing and maintaining the edges at a given
distance apart of an accessory distance piece on the face of the feeder substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth and shown.
Dated this 24th day of August 1900.
E. T. WHITELOW, A.M.Inst.C.E.,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicants.