Improvements in Hem-stitch Sewing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
[Communicated from abroad by EMANUEL MEYER-NÄGELI, of Herisau, Conton of
Oppenzell, Republic of Switzerland, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Hem-stitch Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster,
and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention consists of a hem stitch sewing machine
which is much simplified and improved in comparison with those hitherto in
use.
In this machine the material to be hemmed instead of being placed upon a
special transporting band, provided with roughened surface, lies directly upon
the stitching plate, which is roughened for the purpose of securing a better
hold of the material, and possesses a slot into which a transporter is
inserted.
The presser foot is constructed of several parts in order to secure its fitting better
to the material, and each of these parts is separately adjustable and regulatable.
The needle holders are adjustable so that the needles can be placed nearer to one
There is
another or further apart, whereby various widths of hem can be sewn.
also a guide provided for the shuttle thread, consisting essentially of a pro-
jection at the under side of the sewing plate close to the needle hole, which
serves to guide the shuttle threads within reach of the needle threads or
ribbons.
The machine is constructed as far as the general arrangements are concerned
It has consequently two
in the manner usual in hem-stitch sewing machines.
movable needles and a fixed perforator on each side of which is placed one of the
needles, which needles in order to form the inner hem stitch (acting before and
after the transport of the material) place themselves against the perforator, and
for the production of the outer sidewise stitches, can be adjusted parallel, or
approximately parallel to the perforator.
The stitch plate of the machine upon which the material to be hemmed rests
directly, is roughened at its upper surface in order to obtain a more perfect
adhesion of the material thereof: and this surface may be so roughened by forming
grooves or hatchings directly in the material of the stitch plate, but in place thereof
an india-rubber surface can be secured upon the stitch plate. In this plate there
is formed a hole for the acting part of the transporter which part is shaped like
a horseshoe, or approximately so, in order that the two heels of the shoe may
project before and behind the stitch hole. This transporter is actuated by suitable
mechanism in such a manner that in the period in which the motion takes place
(when the needles rise close together for the first time) it is first raised, and then
pushed forward. The rising motion is received by the transporter from a

page_text: mechanism, the finger of which placed beneath the plate acts upon the projection
at one end of the transporter. The finger is fixed upon a revolubly supported and
suitably actuated shaft at the lower side of the ground plate.
The downward motion of the transporter, after it has effected the displacement
of the material is then effected by means of a spring. The displacement of the
transporter is effected by a mechanism, which has an eccentric link on a shaft
revolubly supported on the underside of the frame, which link acts upon a part of
the transporter. The said shaft by means of suitable connections is so revolved
that the eccentric part of the link is moved against the projecting part and thereby
the transporter is pushed forwards. The end of the transporter is provided with
a slot which moves between two projections or flaps placed upon the bed plate,
and engages by means of its slot over a pin which passes through two pieces thus
effecting the proportional guidance of the transporter.
The return motion of the transporter, after moving the material, is effected
automatically by means of a spring which is stretched by the forward motion of
the transporter.
The return motion of the shaft is effected by means of another spring.
The relatively narrower part of the transporter possessing the projection slides
in a groove on the lower part of the stitch plate, whilst the other relatively wider
part, which possesses a buffer is guided in a groove. The side motions of the
needles are effected in the well known manner.
The needle holders are constructed in the well known manner with two clips
pressed together by means of a set screw so that the needles are held between two
sloping surfaces of the clip. This manner of attachment enables an adjustment of
the needle holders to the angle arms, or an adjustment of the holders with regard
to one another, and consequently therefore the adjustment of the needles with
regard to one another, so that the needles can be secured nearer or further apart,
and thereby various widths of hem can be produced.
As is well known the material which is to be hemmed is usually the edge or hem
folded over, so that the material is twice as thick upon the one side of the hem as
upon the other. Consequently, in the machines hitherto in use in which the
presser foot is in a single piece, the material is consequently only firmly held on
one side of the hem, whilst on the other side it lies more or less loose whereby mis-
placement and tangles can easily occur. In order to prevent such irregularities
as far as possible, and to obtain an exact operation of the presser foot, I construct
the same in several parts, preferably as a two-part or as a four-part apparatus, each
separate part being adjustable and regulatable.
The machine has corresponding to the number of the needles two shuttles which
shuttles work in separate shuttle tracks and separated the one from the other by
means of a plate.
The actuation of these shuttles, and the motion of the gear supporting the same
is effected in the usual manner.
The form of the stitches, and the interweaving of the needle threads with the
shuttle threads is exactly the same as in all sewing machines with longitudinal
shuttles.
In order, however, to secure a more certain guidance of the shuttle threads in
connection with the needle threads and thereby secure the exact interweaving of
the threads there is provided for the shuttle threads a guide. This guide consists
of a projection placed on the under side of the stitch plate close to the stitch hole,
preferably on the right hand side near the stitch hole: the regulation of the shuttle
threads on the other side is effected automatically.
Total the Tronto first day of June 1898

page_text: Improvements in Hem-stitch Sewing Machines.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster,
and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer,
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:
The object of the present invention consists of a hem stitch sewing machine
which is much simplified and improved in comparison with those hitherto in
use.
In this machine the material to be hemmed instead of being placed upon a
special transporting band, provided with roughened surface, lies directly upon
the stitching plate, which is roughened for the purpose of securing a better
hold of the material, and possesses a slot into which a transporter is
inserted.
The presser foot is constructed of several parts in order to secure its fitting better
to the material, and each of these parts is separately adjustable and regulatable.
The needle holders are adjustable so that the needles can be placed nearer to one
There is
another or further apart, whereby various widths of hem can be sewn.
also a guide provided for the shuttle thread, consisting essentially of a pro-
jection at the under side of the sewing plate close to the needle hole, which
serves to guide the shuttle threads within reach of the needle threads or
ribbons.
In the accompanying drawing a hem-stitch sewing machine of this kind is
illustrated by way of example in one constructional form, in which
Figure 1 shews the machine in front elevation.
Figure 2 shews the same in side view, the bed plate with the shuttle tracks
being shewn in section.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine.
Figure 4 is a view from beneath.
Figure 5 is an elevation from behind of the machine several parts being
omitted.
Figure 6 shews the stitch plate with the transporter in plan view.
Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a view from beneath of the stitch plate without transporter.
Figure 9 shews the transporter in front view.
Figure 10 the same part in plan.
Figures 11 to 13 illustrate a variation of a presser (four-part) in front and side
elevation, and in plan respectively.
Figure 14 shews the needle holder with the needle and the perforator in front
elevation.
Figure 15 is a side view of Figure 14, partially in section on the line y y
Figure 14.
Figure 16 shews the needle holder in horizontal section.
Figure 17 shews the shuttle tracks with the shuttle.
of
Figures 18 and 19 shew the operation of the guide in two positions of the
shuttle.
The machine is constructed as far as the general arrangements are concerned
in the manner usual in hem-stitch sewing machines. It has consequently two
movable needles n¹, n³ and a fixed perforator n, on each side of which is placed one

page_text: of the needles, which needles in order to form the inner hem stitch (acting before
and after the transport of the material) place themselves against the perforator,
and for the production of the outer sidewise stitches, can be adjusted parallel, or
approximately parallel to the perforator.
The stitch plate P of the machine (Figure 6) upon which the material to be
hemmed rests directly, is roughened at its upper surface in order to obtain a
more perfect adhesion of the material thereto, and to keep the work steady during
the action of the needle without preventing the advance of the material, and in the
case illustrated this surface is roughened by forming grooves or hatchings directly
in the material of the stitch plate, but it could equally well be arranged that in
place thereof an indiarubber surface can be secured upon the stitch plate. In this
plate there is formed a hole p for the acting part of the transporter T, which
part is shaped like a horseshoe, or approximately so, in order that the two heels
of the shoe may project before and behind the stitch hole p. This transporter is
actuated by suitable mechanism in such a manner that in the period in which the
motion takes place (when the needles rise close together for the first time) it is
first raised, and then pushed forward. The rising and falling motion is received
by the transporter from a mechanism, the finger s of which placed beneath the
plate G acts upon the projection t' at one end of the transporter. The finger s is
fixed on a revolubly supported and suitably actuated shaft
of the ground plate G, which shaft by means of the rods
from an eccentric the cam of which so acts upon the roller
arms of the double armed levers so, s7, and thereby receives at
an amount of turning that the finger s¹ and consequently the transporter is
raised.
at the lower side
567 is actuated
placed upon one
a given time such
The downward motion of the transporter, after it has effected the displacement
of the material is then effected by means of a spring s engaging on the bar s
which removes the finger s¹ from contact with the projection t¹. The horizontal
displacement of the transporter is effected by a mechanism, which has an eccentric
arm u on a shaft u revolubly supported on the underside of the frame, which arm
acts upon a part 2 of the transporter T. The said shaft by means of the
rods u³uuuu receives from an eccentric placed immediately behind the
eccentric s³ upon the shaft support the cam 10 of which eccentric acts upon the
roller 8 of the arm of the double armed lever u, u² such motion at a given
time that the eccentric part of the arm u² is moved against the projecting part
and thereby the transporter is pushed forwards. The end 3 of the transporter is
provided with a slot which moves between two projections or flaps g¹g placed
upon the bed plate G, and engages by means of its slot 1 over a pin g
which passes through two pieces g g thus effecting the guidance of the transporter.
The forward motion of the transporter, after insertion of the material is effected
automatically by means of a spring engaging on the one hand with the part
and on the other hand with the arm g³ fixed upon the bed plate, which spring is
stretched by the backward motion of the transporter.
The return motion of the shaft u¹ is effected by means of a spring u engaging
on the bar u
The
In Figures 6 and 7 the transporter is shewn in the raised position.
relatively narrower part of the transporter possessing the projection t¹ slides in a
groove on the lower part of the stitch plate, whilst the other relatively wider
part, which possesses the buffer 2 is guided in a groove p2. The side motions of
the needles are effected in the wellknown manner by means of the bars o¹ of the free
ends whereof each respectively engage with the bars m³ or m', which latter rest
upon the oscillating angle levers m² m² having the needle holders n³ and n⭑.
The bars of os, whereof the one is actuated by the cam o on the spur wheel r¹
of the gearing rr revolving the shaft 3, are connected together by means of the
double armed reversing levers o³o. These needle holders n³n are constructed in
the wellknown manner with two clips of which the one 12 is pressed to the other
one by means of a set screw 18 (Fig. 15 and Fig. 16) so that the needles are

page_text: held between two sloping surfaces of the clip. These holders n³n are again
each revolubly secured by means of the screw fixed on the clip to the
respective angle levers m¹m³. This manner of attachment enables an adjust-
ment of the needle holders to the angle arms, or an adjustment of the holders,
with regard to one another, and consequently therefore the adjustment of the
needles with regard to one another, so that the needles can be secured nearer
or further apart, and thereby various widths of hem can be produced.
As is wellknown the material which is to be hemmed has usually the edge or
hem folded over, so that the material is twice as thick upon the one side of the
hem as upon the other. Consequently in the machines hitherto in use in which the
presser foot is in a single piece, the material is consequently only firmly held on
one side of the hem, whilst on the other side it lies more or less loose whereby
displacement and tangles can easily occur. In order to prevent such irregularities
as far as possible, and to obtain an exact operation of the presser foot I construct
the same in several parts, and the Figs. 1 and 2 shew the improved presser foot
constructed in two parts, and Figs. 11. . . 13 the same organ constructed in
four parts.
With regard to the first mode of construction the two parts and 2 of the
foot are hinged to the lower arms and 3 of the respective angle levers 2³i³ or 25 20.
These angle levers are secured revolubly upon a supporting piece i placed upon the
presser bar J, and their upper arms 2 and 28 stand under the control of the
springs which latter effect the pressing of the foot parts upon the material,
and the tension of which can be regulated by means of the screw nuts which are
screwed upon the threaded bars holding the springs, and placed upon side
projections of the presser bar. Each foot division or angle lever has its own con-
trolling spring so that the adjustment and regulation of these parts can be effected
independently of one another.
In like manner as the above described two part presser foot, the four part presser
foot illustrated in Figs. 11. 13 is constructed. The four parts
each
form a quadrant and when placed together form a circular plate. They are hinged
to angle levers jo je 17 jª from which corresponding to the position of the parts
and the parts the levers and on the one hand, and the levers 7 on
the other hand of the supporting piece J are revolubly attached. Each of these
parts or angle levers has again its special pressure spring the tension whereof
can be regulated by the nut 10 so that each part is adjustable and regulatable
separately.
The machine has corresponding to the number of the needles two shuttles S¹
and S (Figure 17) which shuttles work in separate shuttle tracks S3 and S*
separated the one from the other by means of the plate S.
The actuation of these shuttles, and the motion of the suport K upholding the
same is effected in the usual manner from the vertical shaft w by means of a
crank mechanism k¹³.
The form of the stitches, and the interweaving of the needle threads with the
shuttle threads is exactly the same as in all sewing machines with longitudinal
shuttles.
In order, however, to secure a more certain guidance of the shuttle thread f
during the to and fro motion of the shuttle and prevent the entanglement thereof
with the other shuttle thread f¹ and thereby secure the exact interweaving of the
shuttle threads with the needle threads, there is provided for the shuttle thread få a
guide in the track of the shuttle S³. This guide consists of the projection p³ placed
in front of the stitch hole po on the under side of the stitch plate P. On the
backward movement of the shuttle, the shuttle thread with its loop is wound
round about this projection. In this manner the tangling of the loose threads f
and fis prevented (Figure 18). In the forward movement of the shuttle the
threads can easily free themselves from the projection (Figure 19). The pro-
jection can be cast on the stitch plate, or be screwed or otherwise attached
thereto; it can also be placed on the bridge S.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of mv said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: -
1. A hem-stitch sewing machine having a stitching plate roughened for the
purpose of obtaining a better adhesion of the material to its surface, and having
a horse-shoe shaped piece cut out, in which a suitable transporter is inserted in
such a manner that the two heels of the transporter are on the two sides respectively
of the stitch hole.
2. A hem-stitch sewing machine, the presser-foot of which is constructed, in
several parts, and which in one modification is hinged in two parts (i and 2) to
the lower arm (23) or (2³) of an angle lever, said angle levers rotating on a stationary
support (i) fixed to the presser bar (J) and the upper arms of which (1, 2) are
actuated by a spring in such a way that the foot parts (1, 2) press on the material,
and the tension can be regulated by means of nuts (20), substantially as described.
3. A hem-stitch sewing machine, the presser foot of which is constructed in
several parts, and in one modification in four parts, said parts forming together
a circular plate and hinged to angle levers, and in which each part has its own
regulatable pressing spring for the purpose of obtaining special adjustability and
easy regulation, substantially as described.
4. A hem-stitch sewing machine having a thread guide for the thread from the
shuttles running on both sides of the shuttle race together in the same direction,
said thread guide consisting of a projection placed in the track of the one shuttle
near the stitch hole, round which projection the loose thread loop can wind itself
during the backward movement of the respective shuttle, thereby preventing any
entanglement of the two threads, substantially as described.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.