IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Guthrie, of the City of Manchester, Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 29th April 1878, and dated the 15th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Guthrie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th November 1877.
HERBERT GUTHRIE, of the City of Manchester, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES."
Firstly. An improved shuttle and reel. The shuttle, instead of having the usual
hollow centres or small indentations for carrying the reel, will have projecting
centres. In most straight shuttles, such as those known as the Singer, Howe, and
Thomas machines, the centre at the heel will be fixed, that at the point will be on
a spring, but in such shuttles as those used in the circular or universal machines,
and the Hatting machines, the centre at the point will be fixed, while that at the
heel may be on a hinge or lock bolt; the reel will be made of any cheap material,
such as wood, paper, or composition, and will have hollow centres or small indenta-
tions by which they will be held with the raised centres of the shuttles.
Should a
soft material be used for their manufacture hollow metal centres may be pressed
into their ends, or the reel may be made of metal entirely in the following manner,
that is to say-By cutting off small tubing for the body of the reels, and squeezing
on to the ends of these tubes, punched flanges, together forming a strong, cheap,
and light reel, with centred or hollow ends ready for insertion into the shuttle.
Secondly. An improved automatic winder, by which shuttle reels may be wound
by the operator or worker of the machine at the same time as sewing; this winder
is attached to the band guard of the machine, a boss or projection being cast thereon
to allow of the swinging arm of the winder being hung thereto in a position parallel
with the shaft carrying the balance wheel; this arm has two parallel centres a
short distance apart. The one before described as attaching it to the band guard is
a turned spindle working through the boss of the band guard, an arm going off at

page_text: the one end carrying the boss for the friction wheel and winding spindle, and at
the other end a spring with raised centre for holding the reel against the cup end
of the revolving spindle, the other for holding the reel, which is arranged in the
following manner:-The revolving spindle or stud has upon its outer end the
winder wheel with friction ring, and on the other end a cup for holding the recl;
upon the top of the boss through which this spindle runs is a latch for holding the
friction wheel against the balance wheel of the machine when winding; the latch
spring is attached to the band guard just above the winder, and has a small pro-
jection upon it reaching over the reel centre, so that the accumulating thread presses
it up, and when sufficient is wound raises the spring of the latch and allows the
winder to fall away from the balance wheel driving it, the reel being held until
required and released by the operator.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Guthrie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th May
1878.
HERBERT GUTHRIE, of the City of Manchester, Engineer.
SEWING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
Firstly. An improved shuttle and reel whereby cotton manufacturers' reels may
be used, saving the sewer all winding; a further object is to obtain a more perfect
tension, together with a mode of preparing the shuttle for work without any
threading or passing of the cotton through holes, the shuttle instead of having the
usual hollow centres or small indentations for carrying the reel will have projecting
centres. In most straight shuttles, such as those known as the Singer, Howe, and
Thomas machines, the centre at the heel will be fixed, that at the point will be on
a spring; but in such shuttles as those used in the circular or universal machines
and the Hatting machines, the centre of the point will be fixed while that at the
heel may be on a hinge or lock bolt; the reel will be made of any cheap material,
such as wood, paper, or composition, and will have hollow centres or small indenta-
tions by which they will be held with the raised centres of the shuttles. Should a
soft material be used for their manufacture hollow metal centres may be pressed
into their ends, or the recl may be made of metal entirely, in the following manner,
that is to say-By cutting off small tubings for the body of the reels, and
squeezing on to the ends of these tubes punched flanges, together forming a strong,
cheap, and light reel, with centred or hollow ends ready for insertion into the
shuttle. The improved tension is obtained by affixing a long light spring along the
outside of the shuttle to serve the double purpose of tension and guard; this spring
is secured at the point of the shuttle, inside the shell, in the solid part of the point,
by a small screw coming through the greater part of the solid end and passing
through the end of the spring. That part that goes through the spring is slightly
reduced so as to form a shoulder to bear against the spring whereby the tension is
regulated. The spring, after passing along the inside of the shell into the hollow
part of the shuttle is bent outwards and passed through the shell to the outside, and

page_text: This
from thence along the whole length to the heel; at the heel it is bent again into the
body of the shuttle, a small cavity being made there for that purpose; this cavity,
at the same time that it prevents the end of the spring from slipping away out of
its place, does not prevent the cotton from passing under it when desired.
spring is so adjusted that when pressed against at the one end of the screw before
named it bears against the inside of shuttle by the first edge of the slot, through
which it passes to the outside, forming a fulcrum, and causing a reverse motion on
that part of the spring outside, thus allowing the pressure to be altered at pleasure
by the tightening or slackening of the screw bearing upon the end inside to facilitate
the preparation of the shuttle for working; a second slit or slot is made in the side of
the shuttle, close to the slot, through which the spring passes, but not to so great an
extent, so that the cotton has only to be passed under the end of the spring bent
into the heel of the shuttle, and drawn along towards the point till it slips into the
slot made for that purpose.
Secondly. An improved automatic winder, by which shuttle reels may be wound
by the operator or worker of the machine without having to hold the cotton or
attend to it in any other way than to put it into gear and set it in motion; this
winder is attached to the band guard of the machine. a boss or projection being
cast thereon to allow of the swinging arm of the winder being hung thereto in a
position parallel with the shaft carrying the balance wheel; this arm has two
centres on a line parallel with the before-named swinging joint, between which the
shuttle reels are held, the one centre being fixed while the other is pressed against
the reel by a spring holding the reel firmly upon its axis, but leaving it free to turn
round by the friction or pin at the other end, in any of the various ways commonly
adopted with small spindle, sheave, and rubber ring, for obtaining the necessary
motion from the balance wheel of the machine; upon any part of the boss or bosses
of this reel centre I form a small projection whereby this swinging arm may be
held by a latch against the balance or fly wheel before named. This latch is hung
swinging upon the band guard parallel and a little above the first-named joist, upon
which the swinging arm is fixed and reaches over, and is pressed down by a spring
upon the before-named projection upon the reel centre formed for that purpose;
this latch has a projection upon it for rubbing flat, or laying the cotton while
being wound upon the reel, and rises with the cotton till the reel has a sufficient
amount wound upon it, the catch being made of just sufficient length to hold the
arm against the balance or fly wheel to this point, but at this point to let it slip and
allow the arm to drop away from the balance wheel, upon which it immediately
stops winding and is ready for use. The arm has two paralel centres a short
distance apart, the one before described as attaching it to the band guard is a turned
spindle working through the boss of the band guard, an arm going off at the one
end carrying the boss for the friction wheel and winding spindle, and at the other
end a spring with raised centre for holding the reel against the cup end of the
revolving spindle, the other for holding the reel, which is arranged in the following
manner: The revolving spindle or stud has upon its outer end the winder wheel,
with friction ring, and on the other end a cup for holding the reel; upon the top
of the boss through which this spindle runs is a latch for holding the friction wheel
against the balance wheel of the machine; when winding the latch spring is attached
to the band guard just above the winder, and has a small projection upon it,
reaching over the reel centre, so that the accumulating thread presses it up, and
when sufficient is wound raises the spring of the latch and allows the winder to fall
away from the balance wheel driving it, the reel being held until required and
released by the operator.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, and described the working of the
same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the details given
so long as the particular character be retained, and would observe in conclusion that
which I claim to be novel and original, to be,—
Firstly. The formation of raised centres in the shuttle, whereby hollow ended
reels-may be held, substantially as herein-before recited.

page_text: Secondly. The obtaining of an adjustable tension by a spring, serving at the same
time as a guard spring, regulated by a long screw passing through a slot in the side
of the shuttle, taking its fulcrum there and passing along the outside over the
second slot in which the thread is placed to the heel, substantially as herein-before
recited.
J
Thirdly. The swinging arm in which the reels are held, in conjunction with the
self-acting stop raised by the cotton layer, substantially as herein-before
recited.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Guthrie, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
HERBERT GUTHRIE. (L.S.)