IMPROVEMENTS IN RACES FOR OSCILLATING SHUTTLES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JOHN MORTON, and WILLIAM URIE MORTON, of 11 Bothwell Circus,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Sewing Machine Manufacturers,
and JOHN STRATHEARN, of the same place, Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RACES FOR OSCILLATING SHUTTLES
"to be as follows that is to say :-
OF SEWING MACHINES
Our said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of the races
for the shuttles of sewing machines which work with oscillating shuttles combined
with vertically reciprocating needles.
In machines of this class the throat hole through which the needle descends is
in a fixed position so that the proper position of the shuttle relatively to the needle
has to be obtained by suitably placing the shuttle or rather the race which carries
the shuttle. The mode of fixing this race which has been hitherto adopted has not
only required excessive nicety of fitting to render the adjustment accurate at the
outset but has been such that readjustment afterwards to compensate for wear
could not be conveniently effected without a fresh fitting process. By this Inven-
tion the annular piece of metal in which the shuttle race or guide groove is formed
or partly formed is made with two lugs at its back to fit up against horizontal
surfaces on lugs formed on the under side of the horizontal plate of the machine.
The lugs on the race piece are fixed to the lugs of the plate by screws the screw
holes being elongated to allow of the race piece being at any time easily adjusted
horizontally.
For the proper action of the shuttle its rib has to fit very accurately in the race
or guide groove, whilst being capable of moving therein with the least possible
friction. In consequence of the unavoidable wear of the parts the shuttle
ultimately becomes too loose in the race; and another part of this Invention
consists in constructing the race in an improved manner admitting of accurate
adjustment at any time. The circumferential part of the guide groove and the
inner side of that groove are formed in the race piece which is fixed as herein-

page_text: before described whilst the outer side of the guide groove is formed by the inner
edge of an annular plate which is fixed to the front of the race piece in a manner
admitting of easy and accurate adjustment. The annular front plate is fixed by
three or more screws passing through it and screwing into the race piece, there
being placed on the shank of each screw a small helical spring to keep the front
plate out as far as the adjustment of the screws allows; or instead of the com-
bination of screws and springs two screws may be used at each point of attachment
one larger one screwed through from the back of the race piece and a smaller one
screwed through the front plate into the end of the larger screw.
Dated this thirtieth day of October 1884.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We, JOHN MORTON, and WILLIAM URIE MORTON of 11 Bothwell Circus,
Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Sewing Machine Manufacturers,
and JOHN STRATHEARN, of the same place, Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN RACES FOR OSCILLATING SHUTTLES
OF SEWING MACHINES," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement that is
to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of the races
of the shuttles of sewing machines. which work with oscillating shuttles combined
with vertically reciprocating needles.
In machines of this class the throat hole through which the needle descends is
in a fixed position, so that the proper position of the shuttle relatively to the
needle has to be obtained by suitably placing the shuttle or rather the race which
carries the shuttle. The mode of fixing this race which has been hitherto adopted
has not only required excessive nicety of fitting to render the adjustment accurate
at the outset, but has also been such that readjustments afterwards to compensate
for wear could not be conveniently effected without a fresh fitting process.
Our Invention comprises an improved mode of fixing the race, which with other
improvements is shown on the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings.
Figure, 1, of these drawings is a side elevation of the horizontal plate of the
machine, figure, 2, being a corresponding front end elevation and figure, 3, a
transverse vertical section with a back view of the race. Figure, 4, is a plan of
the horizontal plate of the machine as inverted; and figures, 5, 6, and 7, are
enlarged detail views of the race. In these drawings the same reference numerals
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
By our Invention the annular or segmental-annular piece of metal, 8, in which
the shuttle race or guide groove, 9, is formed, or partly formed is made with one
or two lugs at its back. We find that two lugs as first proposed are not required,
and that one lug, 10, is sufficient. This lug, 10, is shaped to fit up against a
horizontal surface on the bottom of a lug, 11, cast on the underside of the horizontal
plate, 12, of the machine. This lug, 11, also serves for one of the bearings for the
rocking shaft which drives the shuttle a hole being bored through it for that shaft.
The lug, 10, of the race piece, 8, is fixed to the lug, 11, of the plate, 12, by a
screw, 13, the hole in the lug through which the screw passes being slightly elongated
to allow of the race piece, 8, being at any time easily adjusted horizontally. To
secure steadiness the race piece, 8, is formed with small projections, 14, which enter
between counterpart projections formed on the underside of the plate, 12.
For the proper action of the shuttle its rib or keel has to fit very accurately in
the race or guide groove, 9, whilst being capable of moving therein with the least
possible friction. In consequence of the unavoidable wear of the parts the shuttle
ultimately becomes too loose in the race; and another part of this Invention
consists in constructing the race in an improved manner admitting of accurate

page_text: adjustment at any time. The circumferential part of the guide groove, 9, and the
inner side of that groove are formed in the race piece, 8, which is fixed as herein-
before described, whilst the outer side of the guide groove is formed by part of the
inner face of an annular or segmental-annular plate or cover, 15, fixed to the front
of the race piece in a manner admitting of easy and accurate adjustment. The
annular front plate or cover, 15, is fixed by three (or other suitable number of)
screws, 16, passing through it and screwing into the race piece, 8, as shown in
figure, 5, there being placed on the shank of each screw a small helical spring to
keep the front plate, 15, out as far as the adjustment of the screws, 16, allows.
Or instead of the combination of screws and springs two screws, 16, 17, may, as
shown in figure, 7, be used at each point of attachment, one larger one, 17, screwed
through from the back of the race piece, 8, and a smaller one, 16, screwed through
through the front plate, 15, into the end of the larger screw, 17.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1 The mode of fixing the race piece of a sewing machine working with an
Oscillating shuttle, in which one or more lugs or projections on the back of the
racę piece is or are shaped to fit up against and to be screwed to one- or more
horizontal surfaces formed on the underside of the horizontal plate of the machine.
substantially as herein before described.
::2-The mode of fixing the front plate or cover of the race piece by screws
and springs combined or by pairs of combined screws substantially as hereinbefore
described.