IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes &
Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."-A communication from abroad
by Nathan Adolphus Baldwin, of Milford, in the County of New Haven,
State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 3rd December 1867, and dated the 7th June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th June 1867.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes & Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," a communication to me
from abroad by Nathan Adolphus Baldwin, of Milford, in the County of New
Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America; to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of sewing machines in
which the needle is moved in a vertical slide, and consists first, in the peculiar
construction of the mechanism which operates or moves the needle; second,
in the peculiar construction and arrangement of a positive take-up; and, third,
in an improvement in the shuttle carrier whereby the shuttle is more steadily
held than in carriers of common construction.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a side view of the needle arm;
Fig. 2 is a front view of same; Figs. 3 to 10 inclusive illustrate the con-
struction and operation of the mechanism for moving the needle; Figs. 11
& 12 illustrate the take-up, and Figs. 13, 14, & 15, the shuttle carrier.

page_text: A is the arm within which is arranged in proper bearings a shaft B driven
in the usual manner to impart motion to the needle slide C. Upon the end
of the shaft B is fixed a plate D, see Fig. 3, also seen in section as denoted in
blue, Fig. 10. A recess E is formed in the face of the plate D into which a
second plate F is fitted, and within the recess E and beneath the plate Fa
second recess G is formed, as seen in Fig. 10, and centrally through the
recess G is formed a slot H, also seen in Figs. 3 & 10, and through the
plate F is formed a slot I eccentric to the centre of the plate F, as denoted
in Fig. 4, and the said plate F is placed into the recess E of the plate D, as
seen in Figs. 5 & 10, so that the slot I in the plate F crosses the slot II, as
seen in Fig. 5; the needle carrier C is arranged to move vertically within a
guide J in the usual manner. A connecting rod K is attached to the needle
bar C, denoted in broken lines Fig. 2, and seen detached in Figs. 9 & 10, is
pivoted to the bar at L. A plate M is formed so as to lie in the space G
between the two plates F & D, as seen in Figs. 2 & 10, a stud a is fixed to
the plate M so as to pass through the slot H, and upon the outside of the
plate F to the said stud the connecting rod is firmly fixed so as to practically
make the plate M a fixed part of the rod K; upon the opposite side of the
plate M, and in line with the point of connection L and stud a is pivoted
at da shoe N, see Figs. 9 & 10, which said shoe fits into the slot H and so
as to turn freely on its pivot d.
The operation of the needle driver, thus constructed, is illustrated in
diagrams Figs. 6, 7, & 8, as in Fig. 6 it is represented as the needle at its
lowest point, the shoe being denoted by the blue line, the slot H in broken
lines, and the slot I in solid lines, the plate M also in broken lines. Revolving
in the direction denoted by the arrow the slot I rises slowly toward the centre
to the position denoted in Fig. 7, the shoe being carried over upon its pivot d
by the slot II, thus passing through about one-third of its full revolution, and
rising only so much as the slot I approaches the centre of motion of the
plate D, giving sufficient time for the passage of the shuttle through the loop,
the slight raising of the needle being given for the purpose of opening the
loop for the ready passage of the needle therethrough. From this point (that
is as denoted in Fig. 7) the plate continuing its revolution causes the stud a
to be carried up, and the operation of the shoe in the slot H when arrived at
the point denoted in Fig. 8 raises the needle to its highest point, and in such
movement the operation of the shoe in the slot H is to advance the needle
faster than the velocity of the plate, so that the stud a when in the position
denoted in Fig. 8 stands in the centre of the slot I, thus making the
movement up very quick and continuing its revolution is in like manner

page_text: quickly moved down, the stud a quickly advancing to the slot I, as seen in
Fig. 6.
It will be observed that a stud at d to move in the slot H would answer
the same purpose as the shoe N, yet the operation of the shoe turning upon
the pivot is much more nearly perfect than could be obtained by the stud.
This construction gives to the needle the most perfect and easy movement,
starting slowly from its lowest point to rise, and rising in advance of the
velocity of the machine it passes easily over its upper dead centre and down to
its lowest point, also in advance of the velocity of the machine, and resting
Dearly or quite stationary while the shuttle passes through the loop. This
completes the first part of this Invention.
The second part of this Invention, which relates to the take-up, is illustrated
in Figs. 1, 2, 11, & 12. Upon the shaft O arranged in proper bearings P on
one side of the guide J is fixed an arm extending across the face of the
guide and having in its opposite end an eye e.
The shaft O extends back so
that an arm R, see Fig. 1, attached to the other end of the shaft O extends
inward and bears against a cam S on the shaft B. The said cam is shewn
detached in Fig. 11, and is formed so that when the shaft B revolves to
operate the needle, as before described, the cam will give to the take-up the
necessary movement to slacken or tighten the thread as required. The take-
up is illustrated in Fig. 12; starting from the same point as described for the
movement of the needle, the lowest point of the needle is represented at 1
in blue, the take-up in blue, the eye being at 2. The needle rises as the
stud a passes through the slot I to the position at 3 denoted in black broken
lines, and whilst the needle is moving this short distance the take-up rises to
the position denoted at 4, also denoted in broken black lines, in order to give
sufficient thread for the free passage of the shuttle; the loose thread being.
denoted by broken black lines; the needle then quickly rises to its highest
position denoted in black, the take-up falls to the position denoted at 6 which
draws up the thread, from this point the needle and take-up move at nearly,
equal velocity to the position denoted at 7 of the needle and 8 of the take-up,
where the take-up rests until the needle arrives at its lowest point 1. During
this last portion of the descent of the needle the take-up raises slightly to the
position denoted at 2 sufficient to ensure the opening of the loop, thus by the
peculiar formation of the cam S, and the take-up working rigidly thereon a
positive and fixed tension is ensured which cannot be attained by dependence
resting upon a spring to operate the take-up. This completes the second part
of this Invention.
The third part, which relates to the construction of the shuttle carrier, is

page_text: shewn in Figs. 18, 14, & 15, Fig. 13 being a top view, Fig. 14 an edge view,
the shuttle being denoted in red, and Fig. 15 an end view looking from the
rear. In this class of machines a great difficulty is experienced from the
inclination of the shuttle to tip up when the thread is drawn taut, and more
particularly is it so when a strong tension is required. To overcome this
difficulty is the object of this part of the Invention. T is the shuttle carrier
plate having its driver f at the rear, its supporting tongues h, h, extending
from the plate below the shuttle and the return tongue i formed in the usual
manner. From the plate T, I extend over the shuttle in the rear of the point i
another tongue m so as to form a fulcrum under which the shuttle bears
when the thread is drawn taut, as denoted in blue, Fig. 14, the point of the
shuttle resting upon the return tongue as the weight, under the tongue m
as the fulcrum, therefore as the weight and fulcrum are both rigid the power
of tension of the thread fails to raise the heel of the shuttle,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Sou, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad by
Nathan Adolphus Baldwin, of Milford, in the County of New Haven, State
of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their

page_text: 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of sewing machines in
which the needle is moved in a vertical slide, and consists, first, in the peculiar
construction of the mechanism which operates or moves the needle; second, in
the peculiar construction and arrangement of a positive take-up; and, third,
in the peculiar construction of the shuttle carrier, whereby the shuttle is more
steadily held than in carriers of common construction.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the needle
arm; Fig. 2, a front view of the same; Figs. 3 to 10 inclusive illustrate the
construction and operation of the mechanism for moving the needle; Figs. 11
and 12 illustrate the take-up; and Figs. 13, 14, and 15 represent the shuttle
carrier.
A is the arm within which is arranged in proper bearings a shaft B driven
in the usual manner to impart motion to the needle slide C; upon the end of
the shaft B is fixed a plate D, see Fig. 3, also seen in section in Fig. 10; a
recess E is formed in the face of the plate D into which a second plate F is
fitted, and within the recess E and beneath the plate F a second recess G is.
formed, as seen in Fig. 10, and centrally through the recess G is formed a
slot H, also seen in Figs. 3 and 10, and through the plate F is formed a slot I
eccentric to the centre of the plate F, as denoted in Fig. 4, and the said plate F
is placed into the recess E of the plate D, as seen in Figs. 5 and 10, so that
the slot I in the plate F crosses the slot H, as seen in Fig. 5. The needle
carrier C is arranged to move vertically within a guide J in the usual manner;
a connecting rod K is attached to the needle bar C, denoted in broken lines,
Fig. 2, and seen detached in Figs. 9 and 10 is pivoted to the bar at L A
plate M is formed so as to lie in the space G between the two plates F and D,
as seen in Figs. 2 and 10. A stud a is fixed to the plate M so as to pass
through the slot H, and upon the outside of the plate F to the said stud the
connecting rod is firmly fixed so as to practically make the plate M a fixed
part of the rod K. Upon the opposite side of the plate M and in line with
the point of connection L and stud a is pivoted at d a shoe N, see Figs. 9:

page_text: and 10, which said shoe fits into the slot H and so as to turn freely on its
pivot d.
The operation of the needle driver, thus constructed, is illustrated in
Diagrams, Figs. 6, 7, and 8. In Fig. 6 the needle is represented at its lowest
point, the shoe being denoted by the blue line, the slot H in broken lines, and
the slot I in solid lines, the plate M also in broken lines. Revolving in the
direction denoted by the arrow the slot I rises slowly toward the centre to the
position denoted in Fig. 7, the shoe being carried over upon its pivot d by the
slot H, thus passing through about one-third of its full revolution and rising
only so much as the slot I approaches the centre of motion of the plate D,
giving sufficient time for the passage of the shuttle through the loop, the slight
raising of the needle being given for the purpose of opening the loop for the
ready passage of the needle therethrough. From this point (that is, as denoted
in Fig. 7), the plate continuing its revolution causes the stud a to be carried
up, and the operation of the shoe in the slot H, when arrived at the point
denoted in Fig. 8, raises the needle to its highest point, and in such movement
the operation of the shoe in the slot H is to advance the needle faster than
the velocity of the plate, so that the stud a when in the position denoted in
Fig. 8, stands in the centre of the slot I, thus making the up movement very
quick, and continuing its revolution is in like manner quickly moved down the
stud a, quickly advancing to the slot I, as seen in Fig. 6. It will be observed
that a stud at d to move in the slot H would answer the same purpose as the
shoe N, yet the operation of the shoe turning upon the pivot is much more
perfect than could be attained by the stud. This construction gives to the
needle the most perfect and easy movement, starting slowly from its lowest
point to rise, and rising in advance of the velocity of the machine it passes
easily over its upper dead centre and down to its lowest point, also in advance
of the velocity of the machine, and resting nearly or quite stationary while
the shuttle passes through the loop. This completes the first part of the
Invention.
The second part of the Invention, which relates to the take-up, is illustrated
in Figs. 1, 2, 11 and 12. Upon the shaft O, arranged in proper bearings P
on one side of the guide J, is fixed an arm Q extending across the face of the
guide and having in its opposite end an eye e. The shaft O extends back, so that
an arm R, see Fig. 1, attached to the other end of the shaft O extends inward
and bears against a cam S on the shaft B; the said cam is shewn detached in
Fig. 11, and is formed so that when the shaft B revolves to operate the
needle, as before described, the cam will give to the take-up the necessary
movement to slacken or tighten the thread as required. The take-up is

page_text: illustrated in the Diagram in Fig. 12. Starting from the same point as
described for the movement of the needle the lowest point of the needle is
represented at 1 in blue, the take-up in blue, the eye being at 2; the needle
rises as the stud a passes through the slot I to the position at 3, denoted in
black broken lines, and whilst the needle is moving this short distance the
take-up rises to the position denoted at 4, also denoted in broken black lines,
in order to give sufficient thread for the free passage of the shuttle, the loose
tbread being denoted by broken black lines; the needle then quickly rises to
its highest position, denoted in black, the take-up falls to the position denoted
at 6, which draws up the thread, from this point the needle and take-up move
at nearly equal velocity to the position denoted at 7 of the needle and 8 of the
take-up, where the take-up rests until the needle arrives at its lowest point 1 ;
during this last portion of the descent of the needle the take-up rises slightly
to the position denoted at 2 sufficient to insure the opening of the loop, thus
by the peculiar formation of the cam S, and the take-up working rigidly
thereon, a positive and fixed tension is insured, which cannot be attained by
dependence resting upon a spring to operate the take-up. This completes the
second part of the Invention.
The third part, which relates to the construction of the shuttle carrier, is
shewn in Figs. 13, 14, and 15, Fig. 13 being a top view, Fig. 14 an edge
view, the shuttle being denoted in red, and Fig. 15 an end view, looking from
the rear.
In this class of machines a great difficulty is experienced from the
inclination of the shuttle to tip up when the thread is drawn taut, and more
particularly is it so when a strong tension is required; to overcome this.
difficulty is the object of this part of the Invention. T is the shuttle carrier
plate having its driver fat the rear, its supporting tongues h, h, extending
from the plate below the shuttle, and the return tongue i formed in the usual
manner. From the plate T I extend over the shuttle in the rear of the point i
another tongue m so as to form a fulcrum under which the shuttle bears when
the thread is drawn taut, as denoted in blue, Fig. 14, the point of the shuttle
resting upon the return tongue i as the weight, under the tongue m as the
fulcrum, therefore, as the weight and fulcrum are both rigid the power or
tension of the thread fails to raise the heel of the shuttle, and this difficulty
is entirely overcome and the object of the third part of the Invention
accomplished.
Having thus fully described the Invention, what I claim as new and useful,
and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,
First, the combination of the slot 1 in the one plate, and the slot H in the

page_text: other, with a connecting rod K constructed with its two bearings a and d so as
to operate substantially in the manner herein.set forth.
Second, the arrangement of the positive take-up Q with its cam S formed
relatively to the movement of the needle so as to operate in the manner
specified.
Third, the arrangement of the tongue m upon the shuttle carrier in the
position relative to the return tongue i so as to operate as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, 1867.