IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING BOOTS AND SHOES."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Beck, of Number 139, Cannon Street, in
the City of London, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Beck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th July 1876.
WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of Number 139, Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING
BOOTS AND SHOES."
My Invention relates to improvements especially applicable to apparatus con-
structed with a barbed and pointed sewing instrument or needle of circular
segmental form operated by holders or pincers, which impart to it a step-by-step
motion as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Auguste Destouy,
bearing date the 16th day of June 1869; but parts of such improvements are also
applicable to other kinds of sewing apparatus in which needles or hooks are operated
by holders or pincers.
The object of the Invention is to obtain a more perfect and certain action of the
sewing instrument than has been obtained by the means heretofore employed; it
consists,―
Firstly. In a novel arrangement of apparatus for operating the holders or pincers
carrying the sewing instrument, wherein, instead of effecting the number of move-
ments of the holders or pincers necessary to produce the requisite number of
step-by-step motions of the sewing instrument, and the necessary rest or dwell in
the motion thereof, to allow of the feeding forward of the work for another stitch,
by means of large and necessarily somewhat complicated cams mounted on the
main cam shaft of the machine, I employ cranks, eccentrics, or cams formed or
mounted on a shaft or axis separate from but working in unison with the main cam
shaft in such manner that a single revolution of each such crank, eccentric, or cam
effects by preference only one movement forward and backward of its corresponding
holder or pincer. The shaft carrying the said cranks, eccentrics, or cams, and which
for the sake of distinction I call the pincer driving shaft, is connected with the

page_text: aforesaid main cam shaft by a clutch and toothed gearing in such manner that at
the times when the sewing instrument is required to rotate the said pincer driving
shaft is in gear with the said main cam shaft, being caused to revolve the number
of times necessary to effect a complete revolution' or movement of the sewing
instrument, after which the latter being required to remain stationary, in order to
allow of the feeding forward of the work, the pincer driving shaft with its cranks,
eccentrics, or cams, is put out of gear with the main cam shaft by means of the clutch,
and is held motionless during the required time by means of a locking apparatus
governed by the motion of the main cam shaft.
The clutch may be connected with and disconnected from the pincer driving
shaft by means of a clutch lever operated by a cam on the main cam shaft.
Instead of the pincer driving shaft being disconnected from or thrown out of
gear with the main cam shaft when the sewing instrument is required to remain
stationery the said pincer driving shaft with its cranks, eccentrics, or cams, may
continue to revolve, the rods connecting them with the holders or pincers being
disconnected from the latter during the requisite time by means of an arrangement
analogous to the link or gab and guard motion applied to the valves of a steam
engine.
Secondly. In the employment, in connection with the holders or pincers, of hinged
clicks or pawls acted upon by springs to take into the driving notches in the sewing
instrument instead of the spring teeth described in the Specification of the Patent
of Auguste Destouy aforesaid.
Thirdly. In the employment of what I call a detector instrument for the purpose
of arresting or causing the stoppage of the machine automatically in the event of
the failure of the holders or pincers to bring the sewing instrument into the proper
position, so as to be clear of the work at the moment when the latter is to be fed
forward for a fresh stitch to be taken, whereby breakage of the sewing instrument or
injury to the work is prevented. In order to effect this I employ an instrument,
which may be called a feeler, so adapted in relation to the sewing instrument that
if the latter arrives at its proper position at the proper time the said feeler is free
to pass into the space between the point and hinder end of the said sewing
instrument, thereby preventing the action of stopping mechanism connected with
it. If on the contrary the sewing instrument does not arrive at its proper position
at the proper time the said fecler cannot enter the said space in the sewing
instrument, and the stopping mechanism is allowed to act to arrest the motion of
the machine before injury is done to the sewing instrument or to the work. This
part of the Invention is generally applicable to sewing machines in which the
sewing instruments are operated by holders or pincers.
Fourthly. In an improved looper instrument for taking the loop of thread from
the barb of the sewing instrument and opening it for the latter to pass through at
the next succeeding stitch. This improvement consists in forming the looper of two
steel blades, the front ends of which are pointed and brought close together, but
are not connected; the hinder parts of the steel blades are bent outwards, so as to
form a wide pear-shaped loop, and are firmly connected together. The pointed ends
of the looper pass easily through the loop of thread and the hinder pear-shaped
part open it out, holding it extended for the sewing instrument to pass through at
the next succeeding stitch. In passing through the loop of thread so opened out
the sewing instrument also passes through the pear-shaped loop of the looper
instrument, which then retires, the points separating to allow it to disengage itself
from the sewing instrument, after which they spring together again ready to enter
the loop of the thread next drawn through by the sewing instrument.
Fifthly. In an improved arrangement of hot water circulating apparatus for
softening the part of the waxed thread which is about to be used for a stitch. To
effect this I employ a conical or cylindrical plug working in a shell after the manner
of a cock or tap, such plug carrying the hollow thread carrier arm through which
the thread is conducted to the sewing instrument. The conical or cylindrical plug

page_text: is provided with grooves on its surface which are respectively in communication on
the one hand with the inlet and outlet pipes, from and to the water heating
apparatus, through the aforesaid shell, and on the other respectively with passages
formed in the hollow thread carrier arm, whereby the hot water is caused to
circulate through such hollow thread carrier in close proximity to the part of the
thread about to be used, notwithstanding the partial rotary motion of the said
thread carrier.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Beck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
January 1877.
WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of Number 139, Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING
BOOTS AND SHOES."
My Invention relates to improvements especially applicable to apparatus con-
structed with a barbed and pointed sewing instrument or needle of circular
segmental form operated by holders or pincers, which impart to it a step-by-step
motion, as described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Auguste Destouy,
bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, 1869, but parts of such improvements are
also applicable to other kinds of sewing apparatus in which needles or hooks are
operated by holders or pincers.
The object of the Invention is to obtain a more perfect and certain action of the
sewing instrument than has been obtained by the means heretofore employed; it
consists,-
Firstly. In a novel arrangement of apparatus for operating the holders or pincers
carrying the sewing instrument, wherein, instead of effecting the number of move-
ments of the holders or pincers necessary to produce the requisite number of
step-by-step motions of the sewing instrument, and the necessary rest or dwell in
the motion thereof, to allow of the feeding forward of the work for another stitch
by means of large and necessarily somewhat complicated cams mounted on the
main cam shaft of the machine, I employ cranks, eccentrics, or cams, formed or
mounted on a shaft or axis separate from but working in unison with the main cam
shaft in such manner that a single revolution of each such crank, eccentric, or cam
effects by preference only one movement forward and backward of its corresponding
holder or pincer. The shaft carrying the said cranks, eccentrics, or cams, and which
for the sake of distinction I call the pincer driving shaft, is connected with the
aforesaid main cam shaft by a clutch and toothed gearing in such manner that at
the times when the sewing instrument is required to rotate the said pincer driving
shaft is in gear with the said main car shaft, being caused to revolve the number
of times necessary to effect a complete revolution or movement of the sewing
instrument, after which the latter being required to remain stationary, in order to
allow of the feeding forward of the work, the pincer driving shaft with its cranks,
eccentrics, or cams, is put out of gear with the main cam shaft by means of the
clutch, and is held motionless during the required time by means of a locking
apparatus governed by the motion of the main cam shaft.
The clutch may be connected with and disconnected from the pincer driving
shaft by means of a clutch lever operated by a cam on the main cam shaft.
Instead of the pincer-driving shaft being disconnected from or thrown out of
gear with the main cam shaft when the sewing instrument is required to remain
stationary, the said pincer driving shaft with its cranks, eccentrics, or cams, may
continue to revolve, the rods connecting them with the holders or pincers being
disconnected from the latter during the requisite time by means of an arrangement

page_text: analogous to the link or gab-and-guard motion applied to the valves of a steam
engine.
Secondly. In the employment in connexion with the holders or pincers of hinged
clicks or pawls acted upon by springs to take into the driving notches in the sewing
instrument instead of the spring teeth described in the Specification of the Patent
of Auguste Destouy, aforesaid.
Thirdly. In the employment of what I call a detector instrument for the purposo
of arresting or causing the stoppage of the machine automatically in the event of
the failure of the holders or pincers to bring the sewing instrument into the proper
position, so as to be clear of the work at the moment when the latter is to be fed
forward for a fresh stitch to be taken, whereby breakage of the sewing instrument
or injury to the work is prevented. In order to effect this I employ an instrument,
which may be called a feeler, so adapted in relation to the sewing instrument that
if the latter arrives at its proper position at the proper time the said fecler is free
to pass into the space between the point and hinder end of the said sewing
instrument, thereby preventing the action of stopping mechanism connected with
it. If on the contrary the sewing instrument does not arrive at its proper position
at the proper time the said feeler cannot enter the said space in the sewing
instrument, and the stopping mechanism is allowed to act to arrest the motion of
the machine before injury is done to the sewing instrument or to the work. This
part of the Invention is generally applicable to sewing machines in which the
sewing instruments are operated by holders or pincers.
Fourthly. In an improved looper instrument for taking the loop of thread from
the barb of the sewing instrument and opening it for the latter to pass through at
the next succeeding stitch. This improvement consists in forming the looper of two
steel blades, the front ends of which are pointed and brought close together, but
are not connected; the hinder parts of the steel blades are bent outwards, so as to
form a wide pear-shaped loop, and are firmly connected together. The pointed ends
of the looper pass easily through the loop of thread and the hinder pear-shaped
part opens it out, holding it extended for the sewing instrument to pass through at
the next succeeding stitch. In passing through the loop of thread so opened out
the sewing instrument also passes through the pear-shaped loop of the looper
instrument, which then retires, the points separating to allow it to disengage itself
from the sewing instrument, after which they spring together again ready to enter
the loop of thread next drawn through by the sewing instrument.
To
Fifthly. In an improved arrangement of hot water circulating apparatus for
softening the part of waxed thread which is about to be used for a stitch.
effect this I employ a conical or cylindrical plug working in a shell after the manner
of a cock or tap, such plug carrying the hollow thread carrier arm through which
the thread is conducted to the sewing instrument. The conical or cylindrical plug
is provided with grooves on its surface which are respectively in communication on
the one hand with the inlet and outlet pipes from and to the water heating
apparatus through the aforesaid shell, and on the other respectively with passages
formed in the hollow thread-carrier arm, whereby the hot water is caused to
circulate through such hollow thread carrier in close proximity to the part of the
thread about to be used, notwithstanding the partial rotary motion of the said
thread carrier.
In the Drawings Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent respectively side, front, and back
elevations; and Figure 4, a plan of a boot sewing machine of the kind herein-
before referred to, but having certain of my said improvements applied thereto.
Similar letters refer to like parts in each of the Figures.
A is the frame of the machine; B, the cam shaft, having mounted on it the cams
which effect or regulate the movements of the various operative parts of the
machine; C, the pincer driving shaft formed with two cranks C and C², which by
means of the connecting rods D, D₁, impart the necessary reciprocating motion to the
levers E, E¹, of the holders or pincers F, F¹, carrying the barbed and pointed

page_text: sewing instrument or needle G. The pincers F, F, oscillate on a pin H carried at
the front end of the lever I, the hinder end of the said lever I being held by a
cam J on the cam shaft B, and operated thereby so as to lower the front end of the
lever I, and with it the pincers F, F¹.
When it is required to release the loop of thread from the hook G₁ of the needle
G, in a manner similar to that described in the before-mentioned Specification of
Auguste Destouy, K is the feed bar, and K' the feed foot attached thereto. The
vertical movement of the feed bar is effected by the lever L operated by the cam M,
and the horizontal movement by means of the lever N operated by the cam O;
P is the detector instrument; Q, the looper; and R, the thread carrier and hot
water apparatus, herein-before referred to; S, the thread tension apparatus, which
may consist of one or more V shaped rollers with tension springs and pressure
screws, as shewn, or it may consist of any other suitable known thread tension
apparatus, and it may be placed in any suitable position on the machine, for example,
behind the cam shaft, as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 1; T is the bobbin or
spool carrying the supply of thread.
Having thus explained the general arrangement and action of the machine, I
will now proceed to describe more in detail the parts which embrace the various
improvements forming the subject matter of my present Invention.
As regards the first part of the Invention, in the machine illustrated by the
Drawings the needle is caused to rotate by six successive step-by-step motions,
that is to say, by three alternate reciprocating movements of each of the two pincers.
It is then required to remain stationary as regards circular movement, whilst the
loop of thread is cast off from its hook, and whilst the feeding forward of the work for
a fresh stitch takes place. In producing these movements and the necessary dwell
by means of cams on the main cam shaft acting directly upon each pincer, and
making a single revolution for each cycle of operations, certain inconveniences arise.
which it is the object of this part of my Invention to obviate.
One method I employ to effect this object is the following:-The pincer driving
shaft C with its cranks C1, C2, is mounted in bearings separate from the cam shaft
B, but is connected to the said cam shaft by means of tooth gearing B1, B2, which
in the case illustrated is arranged in the proportion of 1 to 4. The pinion B¹ is
not keyed directly to the pincer driving shaft C, but to a sleeve C, in which the
end of the said shaft C revolves, as seen more clearly in Figure 5, the sleeve C³ being
provided with a journal C turning in the bearing in the frame. On the outer end
of the sleeve C³ is keyed the driving pulley and fly wheel 05, by which motion
may be given to the machine (or if preferred motion may be given direct to the
cain shaft B); on the other end of the sleeve Cs is adapted a clutch C sliding on a
feather C7 fixed to the sleeve C. This clutch has a recess Cs adapted to take over
the side of the crank C¹, see Fig. 5, so that when the side of the crank C is in the
recess Cs of the clutch rotary motion given to the sleeve C³ will cause the shaft C
to revolve also. The clutch C is moved in and out of gear with the crank C¹ by
means of a forked lever C, which is acted on to withdraw the clutch from the
crank by means of the cam or tappet C on the cam plate W, the clutch Co being
drawn into gear with the crank C¹ when the recess C³ in the clutch again comes
round, so as to coincide with it by means of the spring C". Instead of the clutch
taking on to the crank C¹ it may be adapted to engage with a suitable projection
or clutch plate fixed on the shaft C.
It will now be understood that by placing the cranks C¹ and C opposite to each
other, that is 180° apart, cach semi-revolution of the said cranks causes one of the
pincers to move in one direction, turning the needle one step forward, and the other
pincer lever in the opposite direction in readiness to turn the needle another step
forward during the next semi-revolution of the said cranks. Six semi or three
complete revolutions of the crank shaft therefore produce the six step-by-step miove-
ments necessary for effecting a complete rotation of the needle; the tappet Ce then
comes to act upon the clutch Co, disengaging it from the crank C₁, and thereby the

page_text: sleeve C3 from the nipper driving shaft; and the latter, and, consequently, the
nippers and needle come to rest in the position, shown in Fig. 1, suitable for the
casting off of the loop of thread from the needle, and for the feeding forward of the
work. The sleeve C³ being connected to the cam shaft B by the gearing B¹ and
B, the cam shaft revolves uniformly and continuously in proportion as the sleeve
Crevolves, so that after the nipper driving shaft has made its three revolutions,
and stops the sleeve C³ makes a fourth revolution, which brings into action the
appropriate cams on the cam shaft B for effecting the operations of casting off the
loop of thread, and feeding the work forward for another stitch.
It will be obvious that instead of cranks for operating the pincer levers, eccen-
trics may be employed on the pincer driving shaft, and if preferred cams such as
those shown at Fig. 6 may be used instead of either cranks or eccentrics.
It will be observed that in the clutch shown one side is formed of a spiral
shape or inclined, the object of this is, that as the clutch revolves after its dis-
engagement from the crank C₁ the action of the spring C" shall draw it gradually
towards the crank C¹, so that by the time the clutch has approached the position
in which it should engage with the crank the square edge C₁ of the clutch recess C³
shall come against the crank C¹, and thus secure the engagement of the clutch with
the crank at the proper moment.
In order to prevent the crank shaft C from revolving whilst the clutch C is dis-
engaged from the crank C¹ I employ a locking apparatus shown in Figs. 3, 4, and
5, but more clearly at Fig. 7. C is a disc keyed on the pincer driving shaft, and
having a portion of its edge cut away from C¹ to C. The position of this cut
away portion is so adjusted that at the moment when the pincer driving shaft is
thrown out of gear with the clutch the projecting fillet C17 on the cam plate U
enters the space between the points C5 and C6, as shown in Fig. 7, whereby the
disc C, and consequently the pincer driving shaft C, are prevented from turning
until the point of the fillet C travels round so as to be clear of the point C16 on
the disc, which occurs at the moment when the clutch C again engages with the
crank C¹.
Instead of disconnecting the pincer driving shaft from the cam shaft when the
needle is required to remain stationary the rods connecting the cranks, eccentrics,
or cams on it with the pincers may be disconnected from the latter by an arrange-
ment of gabs and guards, such as that shown at Figs. 17, 18, and 19, in which
D, D¹, represent the ends of the two connecting rods, which are provided with
notches or gabs G, G¹, which take on to the pins H, H¹, of the pincer levers E, E¹;
I, I, are two arms of a forked lever I, each arm being formed with a segmental
slot J, J, of the same radius as the pincer levers; K, K¹, are slide blocks passing
over studs L, L, fixed to the connecting rods D, D¹, and working respectively in
the segmental slots J, J¹, of the lever arms I, I'; M is a guide or guard formed or
fixed on the arm I, and M¹ is a similar guide or guard on the arm I. It will now
be understood that if the lever I with its arms is held by a suitable cam in the
position shown in the Figures the movements of the connecting rods D, D¹, back-
wards and forwards will cause the nipper levers E, E¹, to operate the nippers, the
slide blocks K, K³, traversing the segmental slots J, J, and holding the notches or
gabs G, G¹, of the connecting rods D, D', on the pins H, H¹, of the pincer levers
E, E¹. If however at the proper moment the arms I, I', of the lever I are raised
by the aforesaid cam the slide blocks K, K¹, will raise by means of the pins L, L¹,
the ends of the connecting rods D, D¹, so as to disengage the notches or gabs G, G¹,
from the pins H, H', and to engage the latter between the guides or guards M, M³,
of the arms I, I¹; the nipper levers will thereby be held stationary, while the ends
of the connecting rods D, D¹, being liberated from the pins H, H¹, do not act upon
the latter, but are suspended to the arms I, I, by the studs L, L, and slide blocks
K, K¹, which are free to move backwards and forwards in the segmental slots J, J¹,
in accordance with the motion of the ends of the connecting rods D, D¹. After the
necessary dwell the arms I, I', are lowered by the cam, and the notches in the con-

page_text: necting rods D, D¹, again engaged with the pins H, H¹; or, instead of the last
described arrangement, a combination of levers and links may be employed, such as
that shown by the skeleton diagram, Fig. 20, in which E represents one of the
pincer levers. C, one of the cranks on the pincer driving shaft; D, a connecting
rod coupled at one end to the said crank, and at the other end pin jointed to the
upper end of the vibrating curved link G, the lower end of which is pin jointed to
the frame; H is a connecting rod jointed at one end to the upper end of the pincer
lever E, and at the other end adapted to slide up and down the vibrating link G in
a manner similar to that employed in the reversing links of steam engines; I is a
link jointed at one end to the connecting rod H, and at the other to one end of the
lever J, which is centred at K, and is acted on at the other end by a suitable cam
on the cam shaft. It will now be understood that when the links, rods, and levers
are in the positions shown in full lines in the Figure the revolution of the crank C
will impart motion to the pincer lever E through the vibrating link G, but when
by the action of the cam upon the lever J the parts are made to assume the positions
shown in dotted lines the revolution of the crank will impart little or no motion to
the pincer lever E.
As regards the second part of the Invention, Figs. 8, 9, and 10 show an arrange-
ment of the needle operating pincers, in which hinged clicks or pawls F2, F³, are
employed to take into the driving notches of the needle, the said clicks or pawls
being kept up to their places by springs Ft.
As regards the third part of the Invention, in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, P represents
the detector instrument or feeler, which consists of a curved finger forming one end
of a lever centred at P¹, the other end P2 of the lever being caused to press by the
action of a spring P³ against the cam surface P' of the cam plate U. Near tho
end P² of the lever is fixed a stud P³, and on the cam plate U a finger P. In the
cam surface P occurs a recess P7, into which the end P of the lever is drawn by
the action of the spring P³ each time the said recess P7 arrives opposite to it,
provided that the needle is at that moment at rest in the position shown in the
Drawings, that is, with the opening between the pointed and barbed ends of the
needle opposite the end of the feeler P, so that the latter can pass into the said
opening in the needle, and in this case the end P of the lever enters the recess P7,
the stud Ps on the end P2 of lever thus passing clear of the finger P on the cam
plate U. If however the opening in the needle is not in the proper position when
the recess P' comes opposite the end P of the lever the end of the feeler P comes to
bear against the side of the needle, and the end P of the lever is prevented from
entering the recess P. When this happens the finger P on the cam plate U comes
against the stud P5 on the end P2 of the lever, and further motion of the machine is
prevented. It is obvious that instead of the finger P and stud Ps being caused to
effect the stoppage of the machine suddenly by their contact the finger Po might be
hinged and adapted so as to liberate a weighted or spring brake, and thus stop the
machine more gradually.
As regards the fourth part of the Invention, in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, and 12. Q
represents the improved looper instrument which is formed of two steel blades Qi
and Q Their front ends are pointed and brought close together, but are not con-
nected; the hinder parts of these blades are bent outwards so as to form a wide
pear shaped loop, and are firmly connected together and to the front end of the
lever Q3 which is centred at Q'; the hinder end of the lever Q3 takes by means of
a friction bowl into the groove of the cam Q5, by means of which the pointed ends
of the looper blades are made to pass at the proper time through the loop of thread
drawn through the work by the barb of the needle, the hinder pear shaped part of
the looper opening out the loop and casting it off from the barb of the needle as
soon as the latter has been lowered down for that purpose. It then holds the loop
extended or open in readiness for the needle to pass through at the next succeeding
As the next loop of thread is being drawn through the last loop of thread
and through the looper the latter retires by the action of the cam Q³, the points of
stitch.

page_text: the blades separating to allow them to disengage themselves from the needle and
from the loop last formed so as to allow the stitch to be tightened up; the points
of the blades then spring together and are passed through the loop of thread last
formed, opening it out and holding it open as before in readiness for the next
stitch.
As regards the fifth part of the Invention, in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 R represents
the thread carrier and hot water circulating apparatus; and Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16
represent detailed views of the arrangement. Similar letters refer to like parts in
all the Figures. R¹ is a conical plug working in the shell R3; R³ is the inlet pipe
for hot water into the shell R from a suitable boiler; and R* the outlet pipe from
the shell R³ back to the said boiler; the inlet pipe R³ communicates with a groove R³
formed in the plug R¹, and the outlet pipe R with another groove R formed in the
plug R; R' is the thread carrier arm through a hollow tube R8, in which the
thread is conducted from the tension apparatus to the needle; the hollow tube R³
is contained in a passage Rº in the thread carrier arm; one end of the said passage R
communicates by passages R1 and R with the groove R³ in the plug R¹, and
thereby with the inlet pipe R³; the other end of the passage R communicates by
passages R¹² and R¹³ with the groove Re in the plug R¹, and thereby with the outlet
pipe R. By these means a circulation of hot water is obtained from the boiler
through the passages R3, R5, R1, R¹ into Rº (thus heating the thread tube R³),
and of cooled water from R by passages R12, R13, R, R*, back to boiler.
The thread may be conducted from the tension rollers S at the upper part of the
machine through the hole R¹, through the tube R³, and thence to the needle; or
(which is sometimes preferable), from the tension rollers S at the back of the
machine, see dotted lines in Fig. 1, under the friction roller V, through the tension
spring X, and thence direct to the thread tubo R³ without passing through the
hole R¹
In some cases I prefer to suppress the curved part of the tube R³ and to sub-
stitute therefor a conducting cyc R15, see Fig. 1, and to place a tension spring R16
between the end of the thread tube R8 and the said conducting eye. A partial
rotary motion alternately in opposite directions is imparted to the thread carrier at
the proper time by means of two sets of pins R1 and R's fixed respectively on the
two cam plates U and W; such sets of pins act alternately on the two sets of pins
R1 and R20 fixed in the disc R2 keyed on the stem of the plug R' (seen more
clearly at Figs. 14 and 15), in such manner that the thread carrier being partially
rotated alternately to opposite sides of the needle the thread is carried partly round
the latter and delivered to the barb thereof; the thread carrier is retained in
position after each partial rotation by means of a spring R taking into notches on
the edge of the disc R21, as shown.
Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to or may be performed, I would have it understood
that what I claim as my Invention is,-
First. The various arrangements and combinations of apparatus for effecting the
rotation and rest or dwell of the sewing instrument or needle by means of cranks,
eccentrics, or cams mounted on a shaft distinct from the main cam shaft, such
rotation and rest or dwell of the sewing instrument being effected by the alternate
connection of the said shaft with, and its disconnection from, the main cam shaft,
or by the alternate connection of the nipper levers with the cranks, eccentrics, or
cams on the said shaft, and their disconnection therefrom, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in reference to the first part of my Invention.
Second. The employment of hinged clicks or pawls in connection with the
holders or pincers, as herein-before described and illustrated in reference to the
second part of my Invention.
Third. The detector instrument arranged, combined, and applied substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated, and for the purpose set forth in reference
to the third part of my Invention.

page_text: Fourth. The improved looper instrument constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in reference to the fourth
part of my Invention.
Fifth. The arrangement of hot water circulating apparatus in connection with
the thread conductor, constructed, applied, and operated substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in reference to the fifth part of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Beck, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W. H. BECK. (L.S.)