Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895

page_text: groove of which a pin h (Figure 2) travels and is connected with the needle bar N
by means of a stirrup i.
By the rotation of the above mentioned groove cam the ordinary reciprocating
movement of the needle bar is produced.
(2.) THE SHUTTLE BOX.
In
The shuttle box may, as already stated, be arranged in any suitable manner.
the accompanying drawing it is shown as arranged in front of the needle and
outside the machine. The annular holder for the shuttle itself is arranged inside
the box k and carries at the rear outside of the box, a small spur wheel which
engages a second spur wheel m. On the spindle of the wheel m another wheel n
is arranged which is operated by means of a rack o (see Figures 2 and 6). This
latter which works in suitable guides uu is connected by means of an eye r with an
elbow lever p q arranged on the arm of the frame A. The longer arm q of this
elbow lever is provided towards its end with a roller s which also engages in an
ordinary cam groove t. If then this cam be moved the elbow lever p q will make
an oscillating movement and cause the rack bar o to execute an up-and-down motion
in the guides u u. This movement being conveyed to the cog-wheels m n°7, the
ordinary reciprocating movement of the ring shuttle takes place. It may also be
noted that the shuttle box, together with the parts therein contained, is made
revoluble by means of a screw (Figures 3 and 4), so that it is at any time
possible to move the entire shuttle box outwards in the direction of the arrow I,
it being only necessary to bring the shuttle-check or stopping device w (Figure 6)
into the position shown in dotted lines, whereupon the entire body of the shuttle
may be revolved by hand on the point in the direction of the arrow.
The shuttle box when in a drawn out condition is shown in dotted lines in
Figure 2. This moving out has for its object to afford before the hat is gripped
in the machine sufficient space to conveniently arrange the hat in a suitable
position. A slide y is arranged on the rear part of the shuttle box, which slide
travels in guides 22 and may be adjusted to suit various practical requirements by
means of a micrometer screw 7. The lower part of this slide y has an adjustable
spring guide-piece 8 (Figures 3 and 6) which can be moved to the right or left by
means of an eccentric lever 9.
This guide piece serves for receiving the sweat
leather and may be moved away from the hat, or pressed on the same, by means of
the eccentric lever 9. In order that the leather may always be brought into the
correct position, this guide piece 8 is slotted and has an adjustable jaw or cheek 10
underneath., Above the same a small spring 11 (Figure 8) is arranged, which has
a tendency to always press the leather upwards. If different widths of leather are
to be sewn the screw 12 (Figures 6 and 3) is simply slackened and pushed up the
slot until the spring 11 rests again on the leather. The remaining arrangement of
the shuttle box itself, is the same as in the ordinary ring-shuttle machines. The
needle sews through the cover 13 which may be removed from off the box in the
ordinary manner. A circular opening 14 is provided through which the needle
projects in order to be able to form a suitable loop. Figure 6 is a front view of
the shuttle box, on reference to which the other operating parts of the same may
be clearly seen.

page_text: after each stitch to move it a little forward. It must also have the usual arrange-
ment for enabling it to be thrown in or out of gear by hand. A hollow arm C is
arranged on the machine frame B, which arm has at its front end an opening 15
(Figures 3 and 5) through which the needle works, and which also serves as a guide
for the same. Two angle pieces 16 and 17 (Figures 2, 3 and 4) are arranged one
on each side of this arm C, on which angle pieces 16 and 17 the brim of the hat
rests as shown, along with the feed presser foot pressed down by means of the
ordinary cam lever 18 (Figures 2 and 5). This arrangement is present in all sewing
machines (material feeding presser feet), and does not need to be further explained
here.
The device for moving the presser foot itself is however peculiarly constructed.
As already hereinbefore mentioned the presser foot must first move the hat a little
forward automatically and hold it fast during the sewing of the leather. It must
thus carry out a fourfold movement, namely, an up-and-down one and also one to
the left and right. For this object it is arranged as follows:-
A slide 19 is arranged on the frame arm A, which, as may be seen in Figure 7,
carries a pin 20 and has on its under side the toothed presser foot d. The pin 20
serves on the one hand as a bearing point for the eccentric lever 18, in order to
enable the entire slide 19 to be raised or lowered by hand, and on the other hand as
a point of rotation for the whole slide 19. An opening 22 is arranged in the lower
part of the slide 19, in which opening an elbow lever revolubly arranged on the.
frame arm D engages by one of its arms 23. The second arm 24 of this elbow
lever is operated by means of a cam 25 mounted on the shaft f. If this cam be set
in operation the arm 23 will impart to the slide 19 an up-and-down movement.
The movement sideways, that is to say, the adjustment after each stitch, is effected
in the following manner-
A spindle 26 is suitably arranged on the rear part of the frame D (Figure 3),
which spindle has a small crank 27 on its front end which engages by means of a
pin 28 in a slot 29. The rear part on the other hand is provided with an elbow
piece 30 on which an arm 31 is attached. The latter arm carries in the usual
manner at its lower end a small roller 32 which travels on a spiral cam 33
(Figures 3 and 4). By the rotation of the latter an oscillating movement is
imparted to the spindle 26 and consequently the crank 27 must make the same
movement, and this renders it possible for the slide 19 with the toothed conveyor 21
to take a suitable movement to the right or left corresponding to Figure 5. The
pressing down of the presser foot may be accelerated by means of a spring 35 which
rests partly on the frame arm A and partly on the bar 19.
As regards the working of the machine, this may be explained as follows:-
Firstly with reference to the feed of the needle thread:
The needle thread is fed from the bobbin S (Figure 2) through an ordinary
tension device 42 to a lever 44 revoluble on a pin 43 and which is subjected to the
pressure of a spring, and from there by means of a thread guide 45 to the eye of the
needle 46. The above mentioned lever 44 is passed through the slotted needle
bar N so that on the movement of the needle bar, the lever is carried with it, in
order to loosen or tighten in this manner the sewing thread according as the needle
thread is required.
If the sweat leather is to be stitched into a hat, the whole shuttle box is first
turned or moved outwards in the direction of the arrow I and the hat is then
placed in the correct position on the angle pieces 16 and 17. The presser foot is
then pressed down in the well known manner by means of the eccentric lever 18
(Figure 3) so that it rests firmly on the arm C, its bearing on this arm being
assisted by the pressure of a spring 35 (Figure 3). The shuttle box is then
returned to its original position, the shuttle check device w (Figure 6) being again
pushed forward. A suitable piece of leather with the seam upwards (Figure 6) is
then inserted in the leather-guiding device or holder, and pressed on the hat by
means of the eccentric lever 9, and the sewing on may be commenced. After the
hat has been stitched the shuttle check or stop device w is again pushed back, the

page_text: shuttle box moved in the usual manner in the direction of arrow I, the presser foot
raised, and the hat may then be conveniently lifted out.
When it is considered that this machine sews two hats per minute, it will be seen
that its delivery exceeds all the machines on this system hitherto known.
Figure 9 shows a separate form of construction of the needle bar N such as may
be employed if the shuttle box be situated behind the sewing needle, or on the
machine frame. The needle bar N has an arm 36, which carries the actual needle
bar 37 at its front end, the latter being movable on a hinge and may be prevented
from falling back by means of an ordinary check or stop device 38.
If whilst placing the hat in the machine, it be desired to push back the needle, it
is only necessary to push away the check device 38 from the needle bar N, and to
turn it in the direction of the arrow II so that in this manner a free space is
afforded for inserting the hat.
The well known reciprocating movement of the needle bar itself is produced in
the ordinary manner.
Two separate forms of construction of the leather holder are shown in Figures 10,
11, 12 and 13. The one shown in Figures 10 and 11 consists of a peculiarly bent
piece of sheet metal 39 which may be screwed into the carrying arm by means of a
pin 40.
In the inside of this sheet metal piece the sweat band 41 rests. It is
evident that various sized holders must be employed for the various widths of
leather, and for this reason these holders must be removable.
The leather holders shown in Figures 12 and 13 consist of a slotted holder or
case in which a clamp 46, standing under the pressure of a spring 45* may be
adjusted. This jaw projects by means of the screw 43" to the outside of the slot of
the holder. Two curved arms 42" are arranged on the projecting screws, which arms
serve for receiving the sweat leather. The arms 42 are always held up by the
pressure of the spring 45*, and thus the leather is always kept in the proper position.
The sheet metal guide piece 8 is arranged as already herein before mentioned.
It is evident from the preceding that only such hats as have a soft brim can be
sewn or stitched with the herein before described machine. The following
combination is employed for stitching hats with stiff curled brims, such for instance
as "silk" hats.
A bracket 56 is arranged on the machine frame B (Figures 14-16) the upper
part of which bracket has a round head 58 on which the brim of the hat is placed.
As regards the sewing devices employed, in this case the needle is placed outside
the machine frame somewhat as shown in Figure 9. Instead of the shuttle, an
ordinary catcher 55 is employed, which makes an up-and-down, and a right and
left movement. This movement is obtained by means of a double cam 50 and 51
arranged on the driving shaft f, which cam imparts an up-and-down movement to
the lever mechanism 53 54 and also to the gripper (catcher) 55 by means of the
cam 51 on which a pin 52 travels, whilst the spiral cam 50 causes the above
mentioned lever mechanism and catcher to oscillate to the left and right. When
being stitched the hat is first placed with its brim on the head 58 of the bracket 56.
After the needle has passed through the hat the catcher makes a small movement
to the left, (that is as far as the needle) at the same time that it moves with its
point 57 downwards, thus taking a loop from the eye of the needle. After the
point 57 of the catcher 56 has caught a loop, the presser foot commences its action
and pushes the hat forward in the usual way to the length of a stitch. The catcher
then moves a small way upwards holding the loop so that the needle at the next
stitch engages the loop held by the catcher and so forms the ordinary chain-stitch.
The gripper (catcher) then moves downwards and the needle moves out of the hat
and the operation commences afresh.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A machine for sewing sweat bands into hats and other like head coverings.

page_text: characterized by the hat and the already previously stitched sweat band being
sewn together with a Singer stitch, with the assistance of a ring-shuttle in such a
way that the needle passes through the stitch loop of the leather without injuring
the leather substantially as described.
2. In the machine described in Claim 1, a removable shuttle box characterized
by the same being operated by an elbow lever (p q) and by the shuttle receiving a
reciprocating circular movement from a rack by means of suitable gearing with
the object of enabling the needle thread to be fed at a suitable moment when the
needle passes through a loop, substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In the machine described in Claim 1, an adjustable, removable, sweat-band
feeding-mechanism arranged on the shuttle box, and characterized by the same
being always moved to the desired height and extent by means of an adjustable
device (12) and a spring (11) in order to render it possible for the needle to always
stitch through the previously formed loops, substantially as described and
illustrated.
4. In the machine described in Claim a feed presser foot, capable of moving
up and down and to right and left, characterized by the same receiving first a
movement to left and right from a spiral cam and suitable intermediate parts, in
order after each stitch to shift the needle to a further point which is to be sewn
and further by its receiving an up-and-down movement by means of an elbow
lever (23-24) operated by a cam (25) in order to again release the brim of the hat
after the sewing is completed and to allow it to be further moved to the left, after
the next successive left movement, substantially as described and illustrated.
5. In the sweat band feeder described in Claim 3, a special form of construction
consisting in the leather being always retained in the right position by means of an
adjustable clamp acted on by a spring, with the assistance of two arms (42"), or in
the feeder having removable holders (39) in order to provide for various widths of
leather, and to hold and guide the hat at both sides in a gripped position,
substantially as described and illustrated.
6. In the machine described in Claim 1, a modification of the needle bar
consisting in the same being constructed so as to be capable of being moved
outwards in order to facilitate the insertion of the hat when the shuttle box itself
is arranged behind the needle or on the machine frame, substantially as described
and illustrated.
7. In the machine described in Claim 1, a movable catcher (56 and 57) combined
in such a way that the shuttle being dispensed with, hats with stiff curled brims
may also be sewn, the stitching needle passing through the hat and producing in
concert with the catcher, a chain stitch, in order in this way to enable a leather to
be sewn into hard hats substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 27th day of March 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.