IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Norris Parmly Stockwell, of Queen Victoria Street, in
the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by the Howe, Machine Company
(Incorporated), of Bridgport, Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 12th April 1876, and dated 25th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Norris Parmly Stockwell at
the Office of the Cominissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1876.
NORRIS PARMLY STOCKWELL, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication.
My said Invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, whereby I am
enabled to adapt the same for performing various kinds of work which cannot be
performed by ordinary sewing machines, and which no mechanism heretofore known
has effected in a satisfactory manner. The said improvements will render the
machine very efficient and convenient for sewing or stitching in all cases where the
shape or make of the article to be sewn or stitched requires the stitching to be
varied in its direction, but will not permit it to be turned around or adjusted into
various positions to follow the direction of the feed, as is necessary in ordinary
sewing machines.
The peculiar and novel features of my said machine comprise a long narrow fixed
arm or bar for supporting the work, a small shuttle which has a semi-rotative
movement within the extremity of the said bar imparted to it by a rack and
pinion and peculiar feed mechanism, which can be adjusted to act in any required
direction.
The aforesaid long narrow arm is fixed or formed on the stand or base of the
machine, and is of a convenient shape to be inserted into a boot or the sleeve of a
garment, or other like article. The extremity of this arm lies immediately below
the needle and presser foot, and is provided with a small circular recess or cavity,
which forms the shuttle race. The shuttle carrier is a small arm, which moves to
and fro with the shuttle in the arc of a circle of small radius whose centre is a
vertical axis extending up through the bottom of the said chamber or cavity. The
said shuttle carrier axis has fixed on it at the under side of the said arm, and fitted
in a recess therein, a small toothed pinion which is covered by a small disc or plate,
[Price 6d.]

page_text: and which gears with a rack that has a longitudinal reciprocating or to-and-fro
motion. The said rack is formed on the end of a long bar, which extends through
a groove or channel in the under side of the said fixed arm to the rear of the
machine. The said rack bar receives its to-and-fro motion through a lever from a
cam on the driving shaft, and thereby imparts the required semi-rotative or recipro-
cating circular motion to the shuttle carrier and shuttle. The latter is curved to
adapt it to the shape of the said cavity or race. It carries on a pin inside it a small
reel or bobbin from which the under thread is taken, and the said shuttle has a
tension clip and pin, which ensure a very even and uniform tension of the under
thread.
My improved feed mechanism comprises a feed bar or lever, which is enclosed
within a channel or groove in the upper side of the said fixed arm, and which is
fitted to vibrate or oscillate, and also to move end wise upon a vertical pin or stud
fixed in the bottom of the said groove or channel. The forward end of this feed bar
is provided with a feed plate or feeder, which lies below the needle, and is roughened
in the usual manner to enable it to take hold of the work properly. The rear end
of the said feed bar is connected with novel and peculiar mechanism, whereby the
feed movement of the said bar can-be-adjusted to any direction, and to any
required extent across the plane of the top of the said arm.
This peculiar mechanism is as follows:-A circular block or disc is fitted in a
circular eye or hole formed in the end of the said feed bar, these two parts being
fitted together like an ordinary excentric and its strap. The said block or disc is
fitted upon a vertical rod or spindle, which has a reciprocating sliding motion
through the said block. The latter has a long aperture or slot through which the said
rod or spindle passes, so that the said block is capable of lateral inovenient to the
extent of the slot upon the said rod or spindle, but it is kept from vertical move-
ment or displacement therein by means of small links or. rods which extend down-
ward, and connect the said disc with the base or frame of the machine. The feed
motion of the said lever or feed bar is effected by giving to the said block or disc.
a lateral movement upon the said rod, and this lateral movement is produced by
the vertical to-and-fro movement of the said rod in the slot of the block or disc.
For this purpose the vertical sliding rod is provided with an inclined or wedge-
shaped piece on one side, and a stationary guide piece on the opposite side. The
said wedge-shaped piece has a cam-like action on the end of the said slot, and
thereby actuates the said lever, the return, movement being caused by a spring
placed between the said guide piece and the end of the slot. To permit the
length of the feed to be varied or regulated as required this wedge-shaped piece'
is made adjustable, and for this purpose is pivoted within a recess in the said
vertical rod or spindle in combination with a small screw pin, which is inserted
through the upper end of the said rod, and whose end is in contact with the said
wedge-shaped piece. By screwing this pin down or up the said wedge-shaped
piece is caused to project more or less from the side of the rod, and thereby the
extent of movement imparted to the disc and lever is varied. To permit the
variation of the direction of the feed the said vertical rod or spindle is made capable
of adjustment or turning on its axis. The said disc or block turns with the said
rod, and it is obvious that the direction of the lateral movement imparted to
the said disc by the sliding of the said vertical rod therein will correspond with
the position occupied by the slot and wedge-shaped piece. I prefer that the
disc should be provided with spring pins or other stops to hold it in a certain
number of positions, so that the feed may be adjusted with certainty to corre-
sponding directions, say forward, backward, to both sides, and in four intermediate
directions. The reciprocating vertical movement of the said rod or spindle is
derived through a lever from a cam on the driving shaft. The lower end of the
said rod is fitted to slide freely through brackets formed or fixed on the frame or
base of the machine.
The slight up-and-down motion of the feeder for causing it to properly take
hold of the work at its forward stroke, and release it on its return stroke, is effected

page_text: by a sliding wedge or inclined piece fitted in a groove in the arm below the feed
bar or lever. This wedge has a small rod which extends to the rear of the
machine, and is connected to a lever which receives a reciprocating motion from
another cam on the said main driving shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Norris Parmly Stockwell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
July 1876.
NORRIS PARMLY STOCKWELL, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication to me from abroad by
the Howe Machine Company (Incorporated), of Bridgport, Connecticut, United
States of America.
The said Invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, whereby the
same may be adapted for performing various kinds of work, which cannot be per-
formed by ordinary sewing machines, and which no mechanisin heretofore known
has effected in a satisfactory manner. The raid improvements will render the
machine very efficient and convenient for sewing or stitching in all cases where
the shape or make of the article to be sewn or stitched requires the stitching to be
varied in its direction, but will not permit it to be turned around or adjusted into
various positions to follow the direction of the feed, as is necessary in ordinary
sewing machines.
The peculiar and novel features of my said machine comprise a long narrow fixed
arm or bar for supporting the work projecting from the base or stand of the
machine, a small shuttle for supplying the under thread, and which has a semi-
rotative movement within the extremity of the said arm or bar imparted to it
through a rack and pinion enclosed within the said arm and actuated by a suitable
cam, novel and peculiar mechanism in combination with the feed bar, whereby the
latter can be adjusted to act in any required direction, and various details of
construction and arrangement of these parts herein-after described.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of a sewing machine pro-
vided with my improvements.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the aforesaid fixed arm or bar and parts con-
nected therewith.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, are transverse sections of the said arm or bar on the lines
x, x, x¹, x, y, y, z, 2.
Figures 7 to 13 shew portions of the said machine detached.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a is the stand or base of the machine formed of cast iron or other suitable
material; b is the needle, and e is the presser foot. The aforesaid long narrow arm d
is fixed or formned on the stand or base a, and is of a convenient shape to be inserted
into a boot or the sleeve of a garment, or other article of a tubular or similar
form. The extremity of this arm lies immediately below the needle and presser
foot c, and is provided with a small circular recess or cavity d', which forms the
shuttle race.
The shuttle carrier e is a small arm, which moves to and fro with the
shuttle f in the arc of a circle of small radius, whose centre is a vertical axis e
extending up through the bottom of the said chamber or cavity d. The said
shuttle carrier axis has fixed on it at the under side of the said arm or bar d, and
fitted in a recess therein, a small toothed pinion g (see Figures 4 and 7), which is
covered by a small disc or plate gl, and which gears with a rack / that has a
longitudinal reciprocating or to-and-fro motion. The rack his formed on the end
of a long bar l', which extends through a groove or channel 2 in the under side
of the fixed arm & to the rear of the machine, as clearly shewn in Figures 1 and 2.

page_text: The said rack bar h' receives its to-and-fro motion through a lever i from a cam i¹
on the driving shaft j, and thereby imparts the required semi-rotative or recipro-
cating circular motion to the shuttle carrier cand shuttle f. The latter is curved,
as shewn in Figures 2 and 12, to adapt it to the shape of the said cavity or race;
it carries on a pin f¹ inside it a small reel or bobbin f, from which the under
thread is taken, and the said shuttle has a tension clip and pin, which ensure a very
even and uniform tension of the under thread.
My improved feed mechanism comprises a feed bar or lever k, which is enclosed
within a channel or groove in the upper side of the fixed arm d, and which is fitted
to vibrate or oscillate, and also to move end wise upon a vertical pin or stud k¹
fixed in the bottom of the said groove or channel, as shown in Figure 6. I prefer
to provide this pin or stud with a bearing block *, as shewn in Figures 6 and 11.
The forward end of this feed bar is provided with a feed plate or feeder k, which
lies below the needle b, and is roughened in the usual manner to enable it to tako
hold of the work properly. The rear end of the said feed bar is connected with
novel and peculiar mechanism, whereby the direction of the movement of the
said bar can be varied as required, so that the work may be moved forward or
backward to oither side, or in any intermediato direction, and the length of tho
stitches may be regulated.
This peculiar mechanism is as follows, that is to say :—A circular block or disc
is fitted in a circular eye or hole formed in the end of the said feed bar, whose form
and construction are best shown in Figures 8 and 9; these two parts (that is to say
the disc and eye) being fitted together, like an ordinary excentric and its strap
(see Figures 1 and 9). The said block or disce is fitted upon a vertical rod or
spindle m, which has a reciprocating sliding motion through the said block. The
latter has a long aperture or slot &, through which the rod or spindle m passes, so
that the block or disc is capable of lateral movement to the extent of the length
of this slot upon the said rod or spindle m, but it is kept from vertical movement
or displacement thereon by means of small links or rods n, which extend downward
and connect the feed bar through the bracket o' with the base or stand a of the
machine, and by means of a spring a passing through a hole in the arm d, and
connected with the feed bark at one end and a pin n fixed in the said arm at the
other, as clearly shewn in Figure 5. The feed motion of the said lever or feed bar
is produced by giving to the said block or disc la lateral movement upon the
rod m, and this lateral movement is produced by the vertical to-and-fro movement
of the said rod in the slot of the block or disc L. For this purpose the vertical
sliding rod m is provided with an inclined or wedge-shaped piece m² on one side,
and a stationary guide pieco o on its opposite side. The said wedge-shaped piece m¹
has a cam-like action on the end of the slot 1, and thereby actuates the said lever,
the return movement being caused by a spring p placed between the guide piece o
and the end of the slot. To permit the length of the feed to be varied or regulated
as required this wedge-shaped piece is made adjustable, and for this purpose is
pivoted within a recess in the said vertical rod or spindle m in combination with a
sinall screw pin q, which is inserted through the upper end of the said rod, and
whose point or extremity is in contact with the said wedge-shaped piece m¹. By
screwing this pin 9 down or up the wedge-shaped piece m¹ is caused to project more
or less from the side of the rod m, and thereby the extent of movement imparted to
the disc and lever is varied. To permit the variation of the direction of the
feed the said vertical rod or spindle m is made capable of adjustment or turning on
its axis. The disc or block / turns with the said rod or spindle m; and it is obvious
that the direction of the lateral movement imparted to the said disc by the sliding
of the said vertical rod therein will correspond with the position occupied by the
slot and wedge-shaped piece m². I prefer that the disc / should be provided with
aring pin 7, or other stop entering notches in the feed bar, to hold it in a
certain number of positions, so that the fed may be adjusted with certainty to
corresponding directions, for instance forward, backward, to the right or left, and to
four intermediate directions. The reciprocating vertical movement of the said rod

page_text: or spindle m is derived through a lever s from a cam s¹ on the driving shaft. The
lower end of the said rod is fitted to slide freely through the brackets a¹ formed or
fixed in the frame or base a of the machine, as shewn in Figure 1.
The slight up-and-down motion of the feeder for causing it to properly take hold
of the work at its forward stroke, and release it on its return stroke, is effected by
a sliding wedge or inclined piece t working on an inclined surface in the fixed
arm d, and guided in a groove t* in the arm below the feed bar or lever ; this
wedge t has a small rod t, which extends to the rear of the machine, and is con-
nected to a lever, which receives a reciprocating motion from the cam s¹ on the
said main or driving shaft.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as comunicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. A sewing machine constructed with a narrow arm or bar for supporting
the work or material to be stitched or sewn, which arm or bar is formed with a
circular shuttle race at the extremity of the arm that lies immediately under the
needle, as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Second. The small shuttle for supplying the under thread mounted upon a radial
carrier, which has a semi-rotative or vibratory motion within the said recess imparted
to it through the agency of the rack and pinion or other suitable operating
mechanism, as above specified.
Third. In and forming part of a sewing machine the aforesaid narrow arm or
bar projecting from the base or stand of the machine, and enclosing the shuttle and
its operative mechanism and the feed bar and its adjuncts in the proper positions in
relation to the needle and presser foot, as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. The variable feed mechanism consisting of the circular block or disc
combined and connected with the feed bar, and fitted upon the vertically. recipro-
cating rod or spindle, and provided with devices as above specified, and so arranged
and operating that by simply turning the said rod or spindle upon its axis, and
without otherwise moving or adjusting the feed bar the direction of the feed is
changed, as above set forth.
Fifth. The additional devices for regulating the length or extent of the feed
motion, consisting of the aforesaid wedge-shaped piece and adjusting screw pin
fitted in or upon the said vertical rod or spindle, and operating in such a manner
that the feed may be thereby set or adjusted to any desired length of stitch
without changing the direction or angle of the feed motion, as above set forth.
Sixth. In a sewing machine the aforesaid narrow arm or bar projecting from
the stand or base of the machine, and enclosing the shuttle in a recess immediately
under the needle, the shuttle and shuttle carrier and devices for operating them,
and the variable feed motion arranged and operating together and in combination
with the other parts of the machine, as above set forth and for the purposes
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Norris Parmly Stockwell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
N. P. STOCKWELL. (LS.)