Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1890-Accepted, 21st June, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I. ERNEST CHARLES LEA, Engineer, of Silverdale, Kingston-on-Thames, in the
County of Surrey, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, and consists of
mechanism operated on by the plunge or downward stroke of the point of the
needle, to throw the shuttle from right to left, and left to right in order to form the
lock stitch.
And in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed
to describe the accompanying drawings thereof, reference being had to letters and
figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 represents the front elevation of the combination of the mechanism below
the table a; with dotted lines to indicate the fall of the shuttle for passing the thread
or cotton to form the stitch. The shuttle carrier e with the shuttle d is in its normal
position, and the outline of the needle described by dotted lines to show the mode
of the point n of the needle b, striking against the plunger / to throw the shuttle from
right to left as indicated by dotted lines.
Figure 2, denotes the sido elevation of figure 1, and the support with a vertical
face plate h, in section, supported on the bed and broken off for want of space.
Figure 3, is the plan of the top m of the plunger 7 working in the cylinder k.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on line A, B, of figure 3.
My invention is constructed with two pieces of steel m, m, in a convex form con-
verging towards the centre, fixed rigidly in a tube stopped up at the bottom as in
figure 3, and 4, and herein terined the plunger 1, which slides freely up or down in
the cylinder; this cylinder is secured to the standard as shown in figure 1. The
plunger is held in its normal position by the cam o on the socket, the said cam o
being held by a spring j, (the spring may be of any shape, and fixed in any other
position than what is described on figure I provided the spring is attached or butts
against the cam o for the same object as hereinbefore described), fixed in any con-
venient position. To the socket r I fix the lever arm with the shuttle carrier e, with
a loop or staple in order to hold the shuttle d, which said shuttle is pressed against
the face plate by the spring e with a V point; the shuttle carrier e has the point p
turned outward in order to prevent the carrier catching the thread as it moves
backward. The socket r works on the pivots and is held in position by a nut i.
It will be understood that the foregoing is given by way of illustration only, and
that the shapes, materials, and proportions of the various parts may be varied in many
ways within the scope of my invention.
The object of this invention is to operate with an eye-pointed needle by its down-
ward stroke on the plunger to throw the shuttle in order to form a perfect lock stitch;
also the formation of the convex forms m, m, converging towards the centre permits
the needle to strike the blow near the point without injuring the said point, and the
plunger working loosely the action of needle will always place the centre of the
convex forins m, m, directly under the point of the needle.
1 am aware that prior to my invention sewing machines have been made with
vertical reciprocating needles, driving shaft, gear wheels, levers crank-handle, slides,
arms, etc. I therefore do not claim such a combination as my invention, although the
vertical needle is worked by such mechanism.

page_text: Having now pufieularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
First The combination of the convex vertical piece of stend m, m, fixed in a tube
or box 7, herein med the plunger, to slide up or down, or to revolve in the
cylinder k, substantially as herein described and according to figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Secondly: The combination of the spring j, and the camo on the socket r, and tho
shuttle carrier and arm fixed to the socket, and the pivots, substantially as herein
described and according to figures 1 and 2.
:
Thirdly The combination of the mechanism geared to be worked by the point of a
needle placed vertical, horizontal, or in any other position substantially as herein
described.
Fourthly: The mouth of the convex vertical portion of the plunger to revolve in
the cylinder, for the purpose to prevent the needle point from being injured or
otherwise damaged when delivering the blow, substantially as herein described and
according to the accompanying drawings.
Dat thi
1900
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicant.