Improvements in Sewing-machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JACOB BOPPEL, of Newark, New Jersey. United
States of America, Machinist, postal address, Newark, N.J., U.S.A.]
Improvements in Sewing-machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of sewing machines
adapted to employ the ordinary spool, with cotton or thread thereon, such as is
cominonly found in the open market in lieu of a specially prepared bobbin, the
general object being to reduce the cost of construction, to enable the machine to
work smoothly and effectively at a greater speed, and to enable the parts to he
manipulated with increased convenience.
The invention consists in the improved sewing machine, and in the arrangements
and combinations of parts thereof, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth und
finally embodied in the clauses of the claim.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the
improved machine, the bed-plate being shown without a certain depending rib or
flange to enable the working parts to be more clearly seen; Figure 2 is a bottom plan
view of the same; Figure 3 is a section taken on line 2, Figure 1; Figure 4
illustrates the spool and its tension device in section; Figure 5 is a plan showing the
looper in detail.
In said drawings a indicates the bed-plate of the machine, having the usual hollow
arm & with the main shaft c extending through the upper part thereof, and having the
ordinary belt wheel and hand or fly wheel e thereon.
The main shaft operates a reciprocating needle-bar and needle g in any usual or
peculiar manner. Upon the upper shaft c is arranged a series of cams or excentrics, i, j,
adapted to give reciprocating motion to the connecting rod or bars k, l, m, two of
which m and are pivoted at m² and k¹ to the frame the rod being adapted to be
moved up and down by the excentric i. The said rods k l m extend downward through
the vertical part of the hollow arm b to the mechanism for looping the thread,
reciprocating the spool, and feeding the goods forward, lying beneath the bed-plate of
the machine.
The rod k engages the forked end n' of the lever n, which is fulcrummed at o, to the
bod-plate a, and connects with a reciprocating shaft p, which latter is arranged to lie
approximately parallel with the main shaft c, or longitudinally beneath the bed-plate,
the end thereof opposite the lever n preferably sliding in bearings 1, secured to or
formed beneath the said bed-plate.
To regulate the movement of the shaft p, and thus increase or diminish the pivotal
vibration or reciprocation of the looper, and thus enlarge or wake smaller the size
of the loop, I have made the lever n in part, one adjustable on the other, and
the part being extensible so that the arm of the lever to which the shaft p is
connected, may be lengthened; said part n² may be slotted, as at n³, and secured to
the body of the lever by set-screws n² or said arm of the lever may be extended in any
other suitable manner.
The reciprocating shaft p engages a sleeve u on a stationary spool-pin r, secured to
the bed-plate a, and causes the said sleeve to make a partial or about of a revolution,
to then stand stationary while the spool passes through the loop, then to make a return
motion, substantially as will be hereinafter described.

page_text: This movement of the sleeve u may be transmitted from the shaft P, in any suitable
manner, but I prefer to form a rack or a series of teeth son said shaft, as indicated in
Figure 1, which engage with a cog-wheel on the sleeve of the spool pin.
By this method I secure a more positive movement at a limited expense of
construction than by any of the other methods or plans of construction of which I am
at present aware.
To the sleeve u is secured a looper v, shown in detail in Figure 5; said looper
consists of a disc or end-plate », a looping ring, through which the spool passes,
and a connecting rod or bare, the three parts being rigidly connected and adapted
to move reciprocally and together under the influence of the sleeve u with which the
looper is connected.
The said looping ring ³ is formed of flat metal, so as to present a sufficiently
broad peripheral face for the thread to rest on in forming the loop, and is provided
with a projecting tit or hook w, to catch the looping thread after the needle forces it
through the fabric being sewed, and cause it to pass onto the periphery of said ring
and form a large loop for the spool to pass through.
The spool pin extends through the disc or end-plato v¹, to a point at or near the
diametric contre of the looping ring, leaving a space between the parts and 2.
After forming the loop, and then the stitch, the spool is forced back along the
spool-pin or spindle, under the influence of a spool reciprocator w, onto a spool
carrier 2.
I prefer to have the spool carrier 2 formed of a rod, which is twice bent as at 3, 3,
and is so pivotally arranged on the bed-plate or other suitable bearings, that the spool
carrying end tends to throw the spool upward to or through a passage in the bed-
plate so as to enable the operator to readily or conveniently grasp the spool and
withdraw the same from the holder or to arrange the spool on said holder.
The said spool holding portion of the carrier 2 moves upward automatically, under
the influence of a spring 4, when the slide 5 of the bed-plate is withdrawn.
To hold the spool holding portion of the carrier down from the slide 5, in line
with, or in proper cooperating relation to the pin or spindler, I have provided the
said carrier with a pin or stud 6, shown in concealed line in Figure 2, the said stud
lying back of the spool holding portion of the carrier so as not to interfere with the
movement of the spool.
The spool reciprocator consists of a lever 7 which is fulcrummed as at 8, and
receives its motion from rod m, the said rod laving a ball-bearing on said lever, as
will be understood.
On the opposite end of said lever, the same is provided with a fork or arm 9,
to engage the opposite ends of the spool, the inner edges or faces of said arms being
rounded as at 10, to allow for the vibration of the lever.
The forked or armed piece is preferably separate from the body of the lever, to
allow of regulation or adjustment. The two parts may, however, be of one single or
integral piece.
The vibration of the lever is sufficient to force the spool through the loop in the
thread made by the looper and to throw the said spool back from the spool-pin or
spindle back onto the carrier.
After the loop has been formed and the spool carried therethrough, I have
provided means for forcing the thread from the face of the looping ring so that
it is free to form the lock-stitch, under the influence of an ordinary take-up 11,
Figure 1.
The preferred construction by which I am enabled to secure this result, is shown
in Figure 2, where 12 illustrates a small lever, fulcrummed on the bed-plate, one end of
which is adapted to engage the face of the ring to force the looped thread
therefrom, and the other is free to be operated upon after the spool has passed through
said loop.
The preferred method of moving said lever to throw the thread from the ring,
13 being a pin extending from the reciprocator to into engagement with the free end
of the lever, the pin being so disposed as to move the lever so as to push the

page_text: thread laterally so that it will, when the take up is rising, pass between the pins or
spindles and the ends of the spool and the arm 9, to form the lock-stitch. A return
movement is given to the lever by means of a spring 14.
The feed-mechanism for forcing the fabric forward while being sewed, receives its
power from the connecting rod 1, the toothed feed 15 being secured to a vertically
and horizontally moving bar 16, sliding in bearings 17, on the bed-plate.
The said bar 16 receives its motion from a lever 18, having a universal movement
on suitable hearings 19, that is to say, having a two fold movement the one vertical
and the other horizontal. The said lever is loosely connected to the rod 1. whereby it
is given the desired movement.
In operating the machine to form the desired stitch the needle is brought down
through the fabric by any desired mechanism connected with the driving or main
shaft, so that the thread is brought into the path of the hook or tit w', the thread
passing into a notch w³, Figure 5.
In forming the loop, the thread is first caught by the hook was it is forced down
through the fabric by the needle in the usual way, and, because of the oscillating
movement of the ring, is drawn on to the peripheral face of the ring and thus
a loop is formed of sufficient size to allow the spool to pass through to form the stitch;
after this, the spool thread is pushed from the face of the ring by the small lover 9
and the threads drawn in by the take up in the usual way to make the stitch
complete.
The mechanisins for operating the looper and the cooperating parts are so 'timed,
that as the said looper is being given its first partial revolution, the thread is forced
on the flat peripheral face of the ring 2, and a loop is formed of a size large enough
to allow the passage therethrough of an ordinary spool from the spool holding portion
of the carrier 2 to the spindle under the influence of the spool reciprocator w.
After the spool and the thread carried thereby has passed through the loop, the.
pin 13 engages the lever 12, and the latter forces the looped needle thread from the
face of the ring, when the take-up arm acts to draw the needle thread and take up
the slack and entirely free the loop from the face of the looper ring, and thus
complete the stitch.
To prevent the spool from revolving too freely on the spindle, I have provided
a tension device which is shown in Figure 4. This consists of two discs 20, 20, of
sheet metal, connected by a cross-bar 21.
The discs are centrally perforated as at 24, to receive the spindle and holder »
and 2, and around the central perforations are formed bearings 22, 22, which press
against the ends of the spool and extend a little into the central passage 23, in
said spool, the ends of the said spool being countersunk, as indicated at 24. The
spring action of the discs on the bar 21 allows the spool to be inserted there
between.
The bar 21 is perforated as at 25, Figure 4, to allow the thread to pass therethrough
to where it is held by the last stitch made in the fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my 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, In a sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating looping ring v², having
a broad peripheral face to receive the thread and form a loop, and a hook or tit w² to
catch the said thread, and means as described for reciprocating said looping ring,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2, In a sewing machine, the combination with the needle bar and needle, of a
reciprocating looping ring, a spool reciprocator, and a spool spindle, all arranged and
adapted to operate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3, In a sewing machine, the combination with a main shaft and connecting rods, of
a shaft p, reciprocating under the influence of one of said connecting rods, a fixed
spindle, a reciprocating looper working on said spindle, and a spool reciprocator w,

page_text: .
adapted to move the spool back and forth through said looping ring, and a needle, all
said parts being arranged and operating, substantially as set forth.
4, In a sewing machine, the combination with a needle, of a reciprocating looper,
a fixed spindle carrying said looper, a spool carrier 2, adapted to receive the spool
from said spindle, and a spool reciprocator, all said parts being arranged and combined,
as and for the purposes set forth.
5, In a sewing machine, the combination with a needle, of a spool spindle upon
which the spool may revolve. a carrier to receive the spool from the said spindle in
its reciprocal movement, a looper arranged to move on said spindle, and a spool
reciprocator, all said parts being arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
6, In combination in a sewing machine with a suitable needle operated in connection
with the main shaft, a connecting rod k, lever n, reciprocating rod p, fixed spindle
sleeve u, looper fastened to said sleeve, and a spool reciprocator, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
7, In a sewing machine, the combination with a spool reciprocator and a bed-
platea, having a passage therethrough, of a carrier 2, adapted to throw the spool
toward said passage, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8, In a sewing machine, the combination with a spool spindle and a reciprocator
arranged beneath the bed-plate of a spool carrier bent as at 3, and a spring, said
parts being arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
9, In a sewing machine, the combination with the bed plate a, having a slide 5,
of a spool carrier bent as at 3, 3, and provided with pin or stud 6, and a spring,
all said parts being arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
10, In combination with a fixed spindle and a rociprocating looper and a spool
reciprocator, a spool carrier arranged in line with the spindle, and bent as at 3, 3, and
arranged pivotally in suitable bearings and adapted to raise the spool to a point
convenient for grasping, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
11, In combination with a flat reciprocating looper, a lever 12, for throwing the
thread from said looper, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
12, In combination with a fixed spindle r, a looper arranged thereon and having a
looping ring, a spool reciprocator, and a lever actuated by said reciprocator,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
13, Iu combination, with a spindle and a looper revolving thereon, and a hooked
ring, of a lever for throwing the said thread from said ring, and a reciprocator
provided with a pin 13, adapted to engage the said lever, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
14, In combination with a bed-plate a, having a hollow arm b, and a main shaft c,
adapted to operate the needle bar and needle, and having cams thereon, connecting
rods k, m, lever rod p, having teeth thereon, a fixed spindle, a sleeve having a cog-
wheel t, and a looper v, a lever 7, having arms 9, and a spool holder adapted to receive
the spool from the spindle, and means as described for throwing the looped thread
from the looper, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
15, In a sewing machine, the combination with a spindle r, a wheel t, and looper
attached to said cog wheel, and reciprocated thereby, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
16, In a sewing machine, the combination with a fixed spool spindle, a reciprocating
sleeve u, and a looper having a disc v', a looping ring 2, hooked as at o³, and a
connecting rod or bar ³, all arranged and adapted to operate, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
17, In a sewing machine, the tension device herein described, consisting of the
perforated discs 20, adapted to engage the ends of the spool, and a connecting rod or
bar 21, perforated as at 25, to receive the spool thread, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.

page_text: 18, In a sewing machine, the tension device herein described, combining the discs 20,
having bearings 22, around the central perforation 24, and a connecting bar 21,
arranged to receive the spool thread, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.