IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66; Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Robert Whitehill,
of the City and State of New York United States of Americe
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd October 1872.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention, although applicable in part to other sewing machines,
is more especially designed for lock stitch or double thread machines, in
which a reciprocating double-nosed shuttle is used and caused to form a
loop with the needle thread at each point of the shuttle, thus making

page_text: two lock stitches during each double movement of the shuttle, that is,
each travel of the shuttle in its two or opposite directions, whereby the
shuttle to complete a certain amount of work in a given time or for a
given number of strokes of the needle only requires to travel at half the
velocity of a single-nosed shuttle.
The Invention consists in a double-nosed shuttle arranged to re-
ciprocate in a straight path at right angles to the feed of the fabric, and
having only half the number of strokes of the needle for passage
alternately from its opposite ends through successive loops of the needle
thread, when said needle is actuated by a dwell movement to form the
loop, and the shuttle moves with an accelerated velocity as it passes
through the loop.
The Invention also consists in a combination with the needle bar or
with an arm operating the same of a compound crank movement for
operating the needle, and giving to the latter what is known as the
"dwell motion," in which the needle first moves down to its extreme
depth, then partly rises to form the loop, then dwells or stands still for
the shuttle to pass through, and finally completes its ascent to form the
stitch. These motions are obtained by connecting the needle bar through
a link to the pin of a crank, the axle of which is mounted in a rotating
frame made fast to the main driving shaft. A sleeve on this shaft
carries a pinion which gears into a pinion on the crank axle, and the
sleeve shaft is made fast to the framing. On the rotation therefore of
the driving shaft the pinion on the crank axle will be rotated by the
fixed pinion while it is carried around that pinion by the rotation of its
framing.
The Invention likewise consists in a peculiar shuttle driving motion
for the purpose of causing the shuttle to move more rapidly as it passes
through the needle thread loop than when it approaches and leaves the
latter, thereby reducing the length of the needle's pause and timing the
action of the shuttle to a rapid motion of the needle. This result is
obtained by transmitting the motion to the shuttle driver through a
crank rod which is connected by a pin with a slotted rock lever working
on a fixed fulcrum, and coupled at its other end by means of a short
connecting rod with the shuttle driver. In the slot of this rock lever
slides the pin which couples the lever with the crank rod, and as the

page_text: rod vibrates through the action of the crank the coupling pin traverses
the slot from end to end.
The Invention also consists in a novel construction and attachment to a
double-nosed reciprocating shuttle of a spring for hold on the thread of
the shuttle in both directions of the travel of the latter.
This tension spring extends the length of the shuttle or thereabouts,
and is bent at its ends so as to enter within the shuttle, both ends being
free to move outwards as the shuttle thread is alternately passed between
the shuttle and the spring towards opposite ends of the former. To
make the hold on the thread by the spring uniform at these points, and
to provide for attachment of the spring to the shuttle, one end of the
spring is controlled by a secondary spring within the shuttle, whereby
an elastic action is obtained for the main spring at both of its ends.
Furthermore, the Invention consists in an axially reciprocating needle
thread controller arranged in proximity to the needle bar, and preferably
deriving its motion directly from the latter, said controller being
provided with an eye at any suitable distance from its centre of motion,
and arranged in relation with a combined thread guide and stitch
tightener, situated in axial line with said centre of motion or thereabouts,
whereby the controller has a positive action, and delivers the thread at a
proper time and in a proper amount without forming unnecessary slack,
and the needle thread is drawn tightest when the stitch is formed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd April 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFred
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven=
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," being a communication to me
from abroad by Robert Whitehill, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention, although applicable in part to other sewing machines,
is more especially designed for lock stitch or double thread machines in
which a reciprocating double-nosed shuttle is used and caused to form a
loop with the needle thread at each point of the shuttle, thus making
two lock stitches during each double movement of the shuttle, that is
each travel of the shuttle in its two or opposite directions, whereby the
shuttle to complete a certain amount of work in a given time or for a
given number of strokes of the needle only requires to travel at half the
velocity of a single-nosed shuttle.
The Invention consists in a double-nosed shuttle arranged to recipro-
cate in a straight path at right angles to the feed of the fabric and
having only half the number of strokes of the needle for passage

page_text: alternately from its opposite ends through successive loops of the needle
thread, when said needle is actuated by a dwell movement as hereafter
described to form the loop, and the shuttle moves with an accelerated
velocity while passing through the loop.
The Invention also consists in a combination with the needle bar or
with an arm operating the same, of a compound crank movement for
operating the needle, and giving to the latter what is known as the
"dwell motion," in which the needle first moves down to its extreme
depth, then partly rises to form the loop, then dwells or stands still for
the shuttle to pass through, and finally completes its ascent to form the
stitch.
The Invention likewise consists in a peculiar shuttle driving motion
for the purpose of causing the shuttle to move more rapidly as it passes
through the needle thread loop than when it approaches and leaves the
latter thereby reducing the length of the needle's pause, and timing the
action of the shuttle to a rapid motion of the needle.
The Invention also consists in a novel construction and attachment to
a double-nosed reciprocating shuttle of a spring for hold on the thread
of the shuttle in both directions of the travel of the latter.
Furthermore, the Invention consists in a curvilinearly reciprocating
needle thread controller arranged in proximity to the needle bar, and
preferably deriving its motion directly from the latter, said controller
being provided with an eye at any suitable distance from its centre of
motion, and arranged in relation with a combined thread guide and
stitch tightener situated in axial line with said centre of motion or
thereabouts, whereby the controller has a positive action and delivers the
thread at a proper time and in a proper amount without forming
unnecessary slack, and the needle thread is drawn tightest when the
stitch is formed.
Having thus specified the object and nature of the Invention its
description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying
Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of a double thread
sewing machine having the improvements applied; Fig. 2 is an under
view or inverted plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a partly sectional front
view at the line y, y, in illustration of the action of the needle thread

page_text: controller; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the front portion of the
machine at the line x, x; Fig. 5 is a top view upon a larger scale of
the shuttle, and its driver in part; Fig. 6 is a front view of the shuttle;
Fig. 7 is a front elevation also upon a larger scale of a compound crank
movement for operating the needle. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts throughout the several Figures.
A represents the cloth bed of the machine, and B the main driving
shaft here shown as arranged horizontally in the upper portion of the
machine, but which when a needle arm is used may be arranged below
the bed. This driving shaft gears by a bevil pinion C with a bevil
wheel D in the rear, of twice the diameter of the pinion and fast to a
vertical shaft E for the purpose of giving only half the number of
strokes to the shuttle that the needle has, the latter taking its motion
from the more rapidly revolving driving shaft B, while the shuttle is
actuated by the shaft E of the wheel D, which makes but half the
number of revolutions in a given time. F is the needle bar arranged in
front of the forward end of the shaft B, and having attached to its foot
the needle b. This bar is reciprocated up and down by a compound
crank movement which may be constructed as follows:-G is a stationary
or fast sleeve here shewn as arranged around the forward portion of the
shaft B. On this stationary sleeve is a fixed pinion H, and fast to the
front end of the revolving shaft B is a box I carrying an excentrically
arranged pinion J, which is free to rotate on its own axis c, as well as to
revolve in common with the box I and shaft B, and which has its axial
motion given it by its gear with and travel around the fixed pinion H,
the two pinions H and J being of the same diameter or thereabouts.
Upon the forward end of the spindle c of this pinion J is a crank or
disc K having an excentric wrist or crank pin d, which is connected by
a rode with the needle bar F. By these means a compound crank
movement is produced for operating the needle which will give a steady
down motion to the needle, then a slight rise to form the loop, after that
a pause for the shuttle to pass through the loop, and consequently a
finished ascent of the needle to form the stitch. Thus in Fig. 7 of the
Drawing, supposing the shaft B and box I to be rotating in direction of
the arrow z, and the crank pin d of the disc K to be in the position
represented for it by full black lines, then the needle 6 will have passed
its pause or dwell action and continue to ascend till the crank pin d

page_text: assumes the position shown by dotted black lines, after which the needle
descends till the pin d reaches the position shown for it by full red lines.
From thence to its position in blue lines the crank pin d rises and
needle with it to form the loop as indicated by the dotted straight
lines s, s, and as said pin further moves slightly forward to the position
shewn for it by red dotted lines, it exerts no lifting action upon the
needle, but causes the latter to dwell for the shuttle to pass through the
lines 8, s, and as said pin further moves slightly forward to the position
shewn for it by red dotted lines, it exerts no lifting action upon the
needle, but causes the latter to dwell for the shuttle to pass through the
Toop.
The needle thread (see Figures 1 and 3) passes from the spool L
around or through any suitable tension device M to the needle thread
controller N, and from thence to the needle. This controller is a curvi-
linearly reciprocating one arranged in front of the needle bar on the
front of the frame, and with its centre of motion to one side of the bar,
whereby said controller may be operated in a positive manner directly
from the needle bar by a rack f on the bar gearing with a pinion g
on the arbor of the controller. The needle thread k is passed from the
tension device M of the machine to and up through a guide i below the
controller, and from thence through and over an outer eye on the con-
troller at any suitable distance from the axis of the latter; it is then
continued down through the guide i to the needle. P is a bar forming
a combined thread guide and stitch tightener constructed and arranged
to project in line with the centre of motion of the controller, or nearly
so, according to the thickness of the material under operation, and
which may be attached in an adjustable manner to the front plate to
regulate its position relatively to said centre. Both lines of the needle
thread in the run of the latter from the guide i to and through the
eye of the controller and back down again to the needle, pass on the
same side of the bar P, or rather that portion m of said bar which lies
in or approximate to the axial line of the controller, and constitutes
the acting portion of the bar. The swinging or reciprocating action of the
eye 7 (see more particularly Fig. 3) is also on the same side of the bar,
excepting as the needle completes its up stroke or commences a new
down one, when the eye 1 of the controller works at the back or other
side of the portion m of the bar P. The two extreme positions of the
controller.N at the ends of the up and down stroke of the needle are
indicated by red and blue lines in Fig. 3. It is important that when
the needle eye gets down to the cloth the controller N should have

page_text: moved from its back position shewn in blue lines to the position for it
by black lines, when the eye is immediately over or in the act of
passing to the front of the acting portion m of the bar P, and from which
point till the controller N reaches its lowest position shewn by red lines,
and which is when the needle has completed its descent the necessary
double feed or supply of the needle thread relatively to the distance
travelled by the needle to provide for the passage of the shuttle through
the loop has been given out, after which as the needle ascends the con-
troller N in returning to its normal position in black lines at first slowly
and afterwards more rapidly takes up the slack of the needle thread,
giving ample time for the passage of the shuttle through the loop of
said thread without forming unnecessary slack, and as said controller
works to the back again of the acting portion m of the bar P as shewn
by blue lines in Fig. 3, the stitch is tightened by the pull of the
thread over the portion m of said bar, but this latter action does not
commence till the eye of the needle is clear of the cloth just as in the
reverse stroke of the controller, the latter does not commence to give
out slack till the eye of the needle is down to the cloth, thereby doing
away with any possibility of entanglement.
The double-nosed shuttle Q, which is straight, reciprocates horizontally
within a race, R transversely to the feed of the fabric, and has its
thread n supplied from the reel within it through any one of a central
group of upper eyes and under or between the upper side of the shuttle,
and a longitudinal tension spring S for hold on the thread in both
directions of the shuttle's travel.
The shuttle Q is reciprocated once for every two stroke of the needle
as follows:-On the lower end of the vertical shaft E (see Figures 1, 2,
and 3) is a disc T, on which is excentrically pivotted a rod U, which as
said crank revolves rocks a lever V, or instead of the disc a crank may
be used. This lever V which rocks on a pivot a¹ and is supported by a
guide arranged to work through a slotted portion or way c¹ is pro-
vided at its outer end with a wrist pin g', which is extended to enter a
slot in a lever W that has its fulcrum at e¹, and the outer end of
which is connected to the shuttle driver, A¹ by a connecting rod ƒ¹. By
this combination of devices it will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that
the connecting rod f¹ when starting from the position shown for it by
black lines has a slow motion in consequence of the angular position

page_text: relatively to each other of the levers V and W, and the position of the
wrist pin g' in the outer end of the slot d¹ of the lever W, but as said
levers approximate a position in straight lines with each other as shewn
by red lines in said Figure, then the pin g¹ being at the inner end of
the slot d and in its closest proximity to the fulcrum of the lever W,
the rod and shuttle driver A¹ move at the highest velocity; this is
when the shuttle is passing through the loop of the needle thread, con-
sequently the shuttle travels slowly at starting, but with an accelerated
velocity as it enters and passes within or through the loop, and with a
gradually slower velocity as it leaves the loop by reason of the levers V
and W, again flexing on the opposite side of the position shown for
them by red lines in Fig. 2, and the removed disposition of the wrist
pin g' again along the slot d¹ from the fulcrum of the lever W. Such.
arrangement admits of a rapid motion of the machine free from all
liability of the shuttle catching or failing to pass with its thread through
the loop of the needle thread.
The shuttle driver A¹ (see more particularly Fig. 5) is made with two
reversely oblique or outwardly spreading horns h², h², arranged to strike
correspondingly sloping heel pieces or edges ¹, i, produced by depres-
sions on the upper portion of the shuttle near its ends, and which
while they form efficient driving surfaces offer no interference to the
clearance or passage of the thread in forming the stitch. The one h
of these horns is hinged in the rear at k¹ to the shuttle driver so
that by raising the same the shuttle may be removed or replaced as
required.
The tension spring S of the shuttle (see Figures 5 and 6) extends the
length of the shuttle or thereabouts, and is bent at its ends so as to enter
within the shuttle, both ends being free to move outwards as the shuttle
thread is alternately passed between the shuttle and the spring S towards
opposite ends of the former. To make the hold on the thread by the
spring S uniform at these points and to provide for attachment of said
spring to the shuttle the one end of such tension spring is controlled
by a secondary spring m within the shuttle, whereby an elastic action is
obtained for the mainspring at both of its ends, said secondary spring
forming as it were an elastic fulcrum for the main or tension spring S.
B' is the presser foot for holding the material under operation to its
place on the cloth bed. This device may be of the usual or any suitable

page_text: construction. C¹ is the cloth feeding device which consists of a lever
having a cross or double fulcrum at n', o¹, to admit of its having a four-
motion action, that is up towards the cloth, then in direction of the feed
afterwards down from the cloth, and finally back to its first position,
said lever having such movements communicated to it by cams r¹, s¹,
on the shaft E, acting conjointly with a spring t, and an adjustable
stop u¹ serving to regulate the length of feed or stitch.
construction. C¹ is the cloth feeding device which consists of a lever
having a cross or double fulcrum at n', o¹, to admit of its having a four-
motion action, that is up towards the cloth, then in direction of the feed
afterwards down from the cloth, and finally back to its first position,
said lever having such movements communicated to it by cams r¹, s¹,
on the shaft E, acting conjointly with a spring A, and an adjustable
stop a serving to regulate the length of feed or stitch.
The machine may be driven by any suitable power applied either
directly or indirectly to the shaft B.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Sewing Machines," as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,―
First. The combination with the needle of a double-nosed shuttle,
having only half the number of strokes of the needle for passage alter-
nately from its opposite ends through successive loops of the needle
thread, when said shuttle is arranged to reciprocate in a straight path
transversely to the feed of the fabric, and to move with an accelerated
velocity as it passes through the needle loop, and the needle is actuated
by a dwell motion, substantially as specified.
Second. The combination with the needle bar of a compound crank
movement, essentially as herein described, for communicating to the
needle its dwell motion.
Third. The combination with the shuttle or its driver A' of the
revolving crank or disc T, the lever V, the rod U, the slotted lever W,
and the rod or connection f¹, to give to the shuttle an accelerated
velocity while passing through the needle loop, essentially, as described.
Fourth. The double-nosed shuttle Q provided with a longitudinal
thread tension spring S connected with the shuttle, so as to be free.
throughout its length, and retained in place at its one end by a secondary
spring or elastic fulcrum m³, substantially as specified.
Fifth. The curvilinearly reciprocating needle thread controller N
formed with an eye in combination with the stationary bar Por

page_text: portion m thereof, the whole being arranged in relation with each other,
and with the needle bar for operation as described.
Sixth. The needle bar F arranged to gear with and operate in a direct
or positive manner the curvilinearly reciprocating thread controller N
in combination with the bar P or portion m thereof, for action in relation
with the needle, essentially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.