Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 24th Nov., 1894
[Communicated from abroad by "JONES SPECIAL MACHINE Co.," of Portland,
Maine, United States of America, a Corporation organised under the laws of
the State of Maine.]
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to a machine for embroidering, overseaming and fancy
stitching.
In carrying the invention into practice the main shaft of the machine operates
directly the needle-bar, the take-up and the thread drawing and gripping mechanism.
A shaft below the bed plate of the machine operates the cloth feeding device, the
rising and falling throat and the shuttle. It is connected with the main shaft by a
crank and pitman lever. In the bed of the machine is a recess of a size to receive
the feed bar.
This feed bar is pivoted at its rear end by a pin to a lever beneath the bed of
the machine and has reciprocating and oscillating movements imparted to it by
cam grooves in the cam wheel. The cam wheel has upon its under edge a bevel
gear, and a bevel gear upon the under shaft engages the first mentioned bevel
gear. The upper cam groove or the one which imparts the oscillating movement
to the feed bar is connected with it by the movable block, arranged to slide in a
transverse slot in the machine bed and having a pin which enters a slot or recess in
the feed bar and link, and a lever connected at one end with the link, and at the
other end by a cam pin with the upper cam groove.
The connection between the lower cam groove and the feed bar comprises a
lever, pivoted to the bed of the machine, having at one end a cam pin, to enter the
cam groove and at the other end a swivelling block which slides in a slot in an
adjusting piece. This adjusting piece is carried by a lever which is pivoted to the
bed of the machine and is connected at its other end with the feed bar by the pin.
The adjusting piece is adapted to be turned upon this lever to change the angle of
the slide way and to be fastened to the lever in any desired position.
This is accomplished by means of the slot in the adjusting piece and a clamping
washer and clamp screw which extends through the slot and screws into the
aforesaid lever. By loosening the clamping screw, the adjusting piece is turned
upon the lever to any desired angle and is then locked in its new position by
tightening the clamping screw. This mechanism provides a simple and efficient
means of adjusting the throw of the lever and consequently the extent of
reciprocating movement of the feed bar and feed dog.
The feed dog has the reciprocating and oscillating movements of the feed bar
and also rising and falling movements, the rising and falling movements being
imparted to it by means of the cam on the lower shaft, the rocker shaft having one
arm connected with the cam to be operated by it and another arm connected with
the lever which imparts the rising and falling movements to the feed dog. The
feed dog is open at its centre and works around the needle throat.
The throat consists of a short tube, fastened to the end of a lever. This lever
is pivoted to the shuttle ring and is connected to a lever by a pin, which enters a
hole in the lever

page_text: This manner of holding the throat and operating it causes the throat to be moved
downward upon the upward movement of the feed dog, or while the fabric is
clamped between the presser-foot and the feed dog is being fed, and is thereby
removed or disengaged from the fabric sufficiently to relieve it from friction and to
prevent threads catching upon the throat; at the end of the feeding movement of
the dog it is returned to its original or sewing position, the feeding dog then
falling. These movements of the throat are obtained from the feed dog lifting
lever, as the lever carrying the throat is so connected with said lever that upon its
upward movement the throat is moved downward while upon its downward
movement the throat is lifted.
The presser foot, is carried at the lower end of a movable presser bar, which is
supported by a head and is lifted and lowered by a lever which is connected with
the presser-bar in the ordinary way. The presser-foot comprises a flat plate of
considerable area having an upwardly rounded edge extending entirely about it.
The plate is of such a size as to cover the feed dog and its range of movement.
It may be made of glass or other suitable material. I prefer that it be made of
glass or other transparent material in order that the work may be seen through it.
On account of size and for other reasons, it is necessary that it have a universal
adaptability given it to automatically conform or vary its angle or bearing upon
the material or fabric as the stitching proceeds.
To give it this adaptability of automatic adjustment it is mounted upon an arm
which attaches it to the lower end of the presser-bar by two concentric rings. The
outer ring is preferably formed integral with the aforesaid arm but not
necessarily so.
The inner ring is connected with the outer ring by pivots or pins, and the presser
plate is secured in turn to the inner ring by means of pins which extend from said
inner ring at right angles to the pins into studs extending upward from the upper
surface of the presser-plate. This provides practically a universal joint between
the presser plate and the arm. The presser plate is provided with a hole through
which the needle plies and a slight teat on the under side of the presser plate about
the hole. This is for the purpose of enabling the throat to co-operate with the
presser plate in holding the needle and shuttle threads.
The needle bar is supported by a head and carries at its lower end the eye
pointed needle. It is reciprocated by means of a crank pin upon the disc at the
end of the main shaft and the lever which is pivoted to the head and which has a
long angular slot formed therein. The lever is pivoted at one side of the crank
disc. It is connected with the needle bar by a pitman which is attached by a pivot
to the outer end of the said lever. The result of this construction is that the
movement of the needle is variable, that is, it is moved upward more rapidly than
it is moved downward, the crank pin then approaching the fulcrum of the lever,
while upon the downward movement of the needle bar the crank pin moves away
from the fulcrum.
The take-up is duplex in character, that is, it is obtained or effected by the action
of two take-up arms. The upper arm being curved downwardly and having a hole
for the passage of the needle thread and the other arm being substantially straight,
shorter than the upper arm and having holes for the needle thread.
The upper arm is pivoted to the aforesaid head and the lower arm is also pivoted
to said head and the arms are connected with each other so that an impulse given
to one of them is transmitted to both. This connection is obtained by providing
each of the arms with integral shorter connecting arms. The short arm attached
to the upper arm extends beyond or overlaps the short arm on the lower arm and
has a pin which enters a long recess extending inward from the end of the short
arm. This connects the two arms so that the outer ends of both arms approach
each other simultaneously or move away from each other simultaneously. In lieu
of the pin and recess each of the short arms may be provided with a sector-gear
to intermesh.
To move the arms at the proper interval of time, there is located on one of the

page_text: short arms a cam pin. This cam pin enters a cylinder cam groove in the edge of a
disc and the rotation of the disc causes the cam to move the two arms of the take-
up as will be hereinafter specified.
The thread drawing or pull-off and gripping or checking mechanism comprises a
pull-off lever pivoted to a bracket attached to the upper surface of the arm
adjacent to the head. The said lever extends along the right side of the upper
part of the bracket between it and the thread guide. Movement is imparted to
the lever by means of the edge of a cam, which is formed on the back of the
disc aforesaid. The lever has a cam roll which rests on the edge cam and at
the desired interval of time, the lever is moved downward between a part of the
bracket and the thread support, and serves to draw thread from the spool. The
thread is led from the spool through a support and also through guides, extending
upward from the bed formed on the bracket and through a tension and a thread
holder or guide upon the side of the head, to the duplex take-up. To check and
hold the thread at stated intervals as will hereinafter appear, there is used in
connection with the bed a movable nipping arm or lever. This lever is pivoted to
the bracket in a manner so as to permit the under surface of the arm to close upon
the upper surface of the bed. This said lever has a downwardly extending arm
which carries a cam roll arranged to bear against the operating surface of a cam
on the thread drawing or pull lever said nipping arm being normally held against
said bed by a spring.
The aforesaid cam is so shaped that upon the upward movement of the lever,
the nipping arm is lifted by said cam against the stress of a spring, from the bed
and upon its downward movement it is held upon said bed by said spring to nip
the thread.
The lever is lifted, as above stated, by a cam. It is held in contact with the
cam and depressed by means of a coil spring, which surrounds the stud forming
the pivot of the lever, one end of the spring being attached to the stud and the
other to the bracket.
The tension is comprised of two discs mounted upon a screw stud, the stud
having a hole through which the thread passes. This hole has a threading passage
or opening by means of which the thread is introduced to the hole. The hole is
between two disks situated in line with the bed.
One of the discs is forced against the other disc and the thread by the spring and
adjusting nut. Between the take-up and the needle throat is a thread retainer or
check tension for exerting a light stress upon the thread.
This thread retaining device or check tension comprises a plate which is fastened
to the outside of the face plate in such a manner as to provide a narrow space
between it and the said face plate, and a spring the lower end of which is curved
outwardly and extends through a hole in the face plate to bear against the inner
surface of the plate, the thread passing between the curved surface of the spring
and the inner surface of said plate.
The operation of the machine is as follows:
The work is placed upon the work plate and the presser foot moved down upon
it and the machine being started, the throat is raised and the needle moves
downward through the material and throat to present its thread to the shuttle.
Meanwhile the feed dog lowers and moves backward preparatory to feeding, the
needle, presser-foot, and the throat holding the material during this backward
movement of the feed dog. The needle then lifts from the material, the throat
falls and the feed dog rises and then moves in the direction in which it is desired
that the material be fed.
The action of the needle thread and its operating devices, namely, the needle,
thread pull-off, thread check, tension and take-up during the operation of the
machine, is as follows: Upon the feeding of the material by the feed dog, the
take-up operates to give off the thread by the movement of the two arms of
the take-up towards each other, it being understood that the thread passes from
the tension through the hole in the lower arm of the take-up to the hose in the

page_text: upper arm of the take-up and thence to the check tension and the needle. This
giving off of the thread must take place each time that the material is moved by
the feed dog, in order that the thread may not draw during such feed movement of the
material; this gives the thread the least possible tension during such feed movement
of the material; the tension at such time being by the thread retainer or check
tension and not by the main tension. Inasmuch as the feed movements of the
material vary in extent, and are, as a rule, quite long compared with the ordinary
feeding of material in straight line stitching, it is especially desirable that the
thread be given off by the take-up during the feeding movement, and in the
stitching of very light, thin and elastic fabrics like gauze underwear, it is also
necessary during the feeding movement that the thread be retained by the very
lightest tension.
The said tension must not exceed the resistance of the material to the draft of
the thread and it is for this reason also that the take-ups give off thread during the
feeding movement of the material and that the thread is held in restraint only by a
very light auxiliary or check tension which in fact is not the tension device of the
machine but simply a thread retainer offering the very lightest resistance to the
draft of the needle possible.
Before the setting of the stitch it is necessary not only to take up the thread but
at the same time to give to the take-up the amount of thread which has been given
out to the stitch during the feed movement of the material. It must be borne in
mind that the extent of thread used in this feed movement of the material varies,
sometimes being short and at other times long, according to the nature or design of
the stitch which is being sewed. I give the take-up this additional and variable
extent of thread automatically, immediately upon the completion of the feed
movement of the material, and just after the needle has penetrated the material and
thus indicated the length or amount of thread that it is necessary to give to the
take-up from the spool, by causing the take-up arms to separate and the nip upon
the thread to be released so that the thread is free to be drawn, by the separation
of the take-up arms, from the spool; the take-up arms draw in this way enough
thread to compensate for the length that has been given out to the last stitch sewed
or between it and the next stitch which is about to be sewed. The take-ups then
immediately again give off thread, the needle moving downward to present a loop
of the needle thread to the shuttle, and immediately upon the release or giving off
of the thread by the take-up, the thread is gripped between the take-up and the
spool by the automatic nipping arm or lever which shuts upon the thread and holds
it fast during the passage of the shuttle through the loop of the needle thread and
tightening the stitch by the take-ups.
There is no thread drawn from the spool by the take-up during the passage of
the shuttle through the loop and this enables me to govern the length of thread
drawn from the spool, the thread being then positively held upon the spool side of
the take-up causes all the thread which is used in the stitch to be drawn during and
immediately after the feeding of the fabric, and before the eye of the needle bas
passed through the work. The nipping arm operates to hold the needle thread
until the take-up has reached or very nearly reached its original position. While
the nipping arm is holding the needle thread, the thread pull-off by its side,
between it and the spool, operates by its downward movement to draw thread from
the spool, the action of this thread pull-off being simply to furnish loose thread on
the spool side of the nipping arm. The main tension operates upon the thread
during the interval that the take-ups are drawing thread from the spool.
The rising and falling throat effects two purposes. First, it clamps the needle
thread on the stitch side during the engagement of the shuttle with the loop so that
the sudden shock of the engagement of the shuttle with the loop is not com-
municated to the part of the thread between it and the last stitch sewed and the
material is not puckered or wrinkled. Second, it is withdrawn from contact with
the under surface of the material during its feeding movement and from the threads
on the under surface thereof so that they cannot catch upon it as they pass over it.

page_text: The various features of my invention may be employed upon any sewing machine
or in connection with any mechanism for giving or imparting to them the movements
herein specified.
I prefer that there be attached to the lever which imparts the lifting movement
to the feed dog a thin plate having a hole through which the throat rises and falls.
This clears the throat from anything which may lodge upon it, or in other words,
said plate serves as a stripper for the rising and falling throat.
I also prefer to mount upon the feed bar a thin plate to surround the feed dog
and having a hole in which the feed dog plays up and down; this furnishes a
moving support for the fabric outside of the feed dog.
The shuttle has a holder for a cop or bobbin and which is unwound from its
interior, the holder having a central bearing upon a cone carried by the shuttle.
The cop holder is held in the cavity of the shuttle, the shuttle having a spindle
which supports the cop holder, forming a central bearing for it.
The cop holder preferably comprises one section having a closed end and wall,
and in the closed end at its centre is a throat, the other section of the cop holder
carries a cone which has a hole of a size to receive the shuttle spindle. This section
is secured to the first-named section by arms which extend into recesses of the first-
named section. The cop is of cylindrical form, having a central cavity, and the
thread is drawn from its inside and it is led from its holder to the hole in the side
of the shell beneath a curved flat spring fastened to the outer surface of the shell,
and the thread passing between the spring and the cop holder to the groove.
The cone furnishes in connection with the shuttle pin or spindle a central
support for the cop holder and a long bearing for it, while its outer surface acts as
a thread controller and guide and prevents its becoming tangled while it is being
unwound and serves to guide the thread towards the throat.
Dated this 8th day of May 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 invention relates to a machine for embroidering, over-seaming and fancy
stitching.
In the drawings,
Figure is a view in side elevation of a machine having the features of my
invention.
Figure 2 is a view in front elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a view of the machine in section and elevation.
Figure 1 is a view in plan, illustrating the feed dog, its surrounding movable
plate, the throat and the throat clearing plate.
Figure 1 is a detail view to illustrate the throat and operating devices, the feed
dog and throat clearing plate being removed.
Figure 1 is a view in elevation to further illustrate the parts shown in
Figure 1B.
Figure 1 is a sectional view further illustrating these parts.
Figure 4 is a view enlarged of a portion of the machine inverted to show the
form of connection between the feed-bar and its operating-cam.

page_text: Figure 5 is a view in sectional elevation of parts represented in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the lower portion of the front of the left end
of the machine, representing the throat and other operative parts in one position.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the same parts representing them in another
position.
Figure 8 is a view in plan of the presser-foot.
Figure 9 is a sectional view thereof.
Figure 10 is a view in elevation of the head of the machine from the left end, the
face plate being removed to show the parts beyond.
Figure 11 is a view in elevation of the head of the machine from the front, the
front wall of the head being removed.
Figure 12 represents in end elevation, and
Figure 13 in side elevation the two members of the take-up.
Figure 14 represents in front elevation the cam for operating the take-up. Also
the cam for operating the thread drawing and gripping devices.
Figure 15 is a view in rear elevation to show the cam for operating the thread
drawing and gripping devices and the operation of the connecting mechanism.
Figure 16 is a view in rear elevation of the thread drawing and gripping
devices.
Figure 17 is an elevation thereof from the front side of the machine.
Figure 18 is a view in plan of said devices.
Figure 18 is a detail view of the stud on which the tension discs are mounted.
Figure 19 is a view in elevation from the front end of the machine showing the
drawing and gripping devices in one position, that is, in the position of drawing
the thread and gripping it.
Figure 20 represents the same parts in a different position from that shown in
Figure 19, the thread being released and the drawing arm being lifted preparatory
to again drawing the thread.
Figure 21 is a view in elevation of the thread check lever from the right end of
the machine, and
Figure 22 a view in end elevation thereof.
Figure 23 is a view in elevation showing still another position of the parts shown
in Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 24 is a detail view to show more especially the movable throat and the
way it is supported and operated.
Figure 25 is a view in plan of the parts below the feed dog to still further
illustrate the manner of operating the movable throat.
Figure 26 is a view in plan of the same parts, a part of the plate upon which the
feed dog rests being removed to show in plan the arm or lever to the end of which
the movable throat is attached.
Figure 27 is an underside view of my improved machine.
Figure 28 is a top view of the work-plate thereof.
Figure 29 is a detail elevation of the presser-foot, and
Figure 30 a detail view of the check tension.
Figure 31 illustrates a slight modification of the take-up.
Figures 32-40 inclusive relate to the shuttle and cop holder of the machine.
A is the arm of the machine, a is the bed, a' the head. A' is the main shaft of
the machine, which operates directly the needle-bar, the take-up and the thread
drawing and gripping mechanism. A' is a shaft below the bed plate of the
machine and it operates the cloth feeding device, the rising and falling throat and
the shuttle. It is connected with the shaft A', by a crank a³ and pitman lever a*.
In the bed of the machine is a recess B of a size to receive the feed bar b.
This feed bar is pivoted at its rear end by a pin 6' to a lever c beneath the bed
of the machine and has reciprocating and oscillating movements imparted to it by
cam grooves 62, 63 in the cam wheel 6. The cam wheel has upon its under edge a
bevel gear 6 and a bevel gear 6 upon the under shaft A engages the said bevel
gear. The upper cam groove or the one which imparts the oscillating

page_text: movement to the feed bar is connected with it by the movable block ', arranged to
slide in a transverse slot in the machine bed and having a pin 6 which enters a
slot or recess 618 in the feed bar à Figure 28 and link 68 and a lever 69 connected at
one end with the link and at the other end by a cam pin with the upper cam groove
Figure 27.
The connection between the lower cam groove and the feed bar comprises a
lever C, pivoted to the bed of the machine at c, having at one end a cam pin c, to
enter the cam groove 63 and at the other end a swivelling block which slides in a
slot in the adjusting piece c. This adjusting piece is carried by the lever e
which is pivoted at co to the bed of the machine Figure 27, and is connected at its
other end with the feed bar b by a pin b. The adjusting piece is adapted to be
turned upon this lever to change the angle of the slide way e Figure 4 and to be
fastened to the lever in any desired position.
This I have represented as accomplished by means of the slot c' in the adjusting
piece and the clamp washer and clamp screw c which extends through the slot
and screws into the lever c. By loosening the clamping screw, the adjusting
piece is turned upon the lever co to any desired angle and is then locked in its
new position by tightening the clamping screw. This mechanism provides a
simple and efficient means of adjusting the throw of the lever c³ and consequently
the extent of reciprocating movement of the feed bar and feed dog. Figure 4.
D is the feed dog which has the reciprocating and oscillating movements of the
feed bar and also rising and falling movements, the rising and falling movements
being imparted to it by means of the cam d'on the lower shaft A³, the rocker
shaft d' Figure 27 having one arm connected with the arm to be operated by it
and another arm d³ connected with the lever which imparts the rising and
falling movements to the feed dog. The feed dog D, Figure 28 is open at its
centre and works around the needle throat.
The throat consists of short tube e, fastened to the end e' of the lever e² (see
Figure 24). This lever e² is pivoted at e to the shuttle ring e and is connected
with the lever d by a pin e, which enters a hole in the lever (see Figures 6, 7, 23, 24
and 25).
This manner of holding the throat and operating it causes the throat to be
moved downward upon the upward movement of the feed dog, (see Figure 6) or
while the fabric clamped between the presser-foot and the feed dog is being fed,
and thereby removed or disengaged from the fabric sufficiently to relieve it from
friction and to prevent threads catching upon the throat; at the end of the feeding
movement of the dog it is returned to its original or sewing position, (see Figure 7),
the feeding dog then falling. These movements of the throat are obtained from
the feed dog lifting lever d', as the lever carrying the throat is so connected with
said lever that upon its upward movement the throat is moved downward while
upon its downward movement the throat is lifted.
D' is the shuttle and D2 the cop holder contained therein. They are operated in
a well known manner. F is the presser foot which is carried by the lower end of
the movable presser bar f, Figure 3 supported by the head a and is lifted and
lowered by the lever Figures 2, 3 and 10 which is connected with the presser-
bar in the ordinary way. The presser-foot comprises a flat plate f² of considerable
area having an upwardly rounded edge f³ extending entirely about it. The plate
is of a size to cover the feed dog and its range of movement.
It may be made of glass or other suitable material. I prefer that it be made of
glass or other transparent material in order that the work may be seen through it.
On account of size and for other reasons, it is necessary that it have a universal
adaptability given it to automatically conform or vary its angle or bearing upon
the material or fabric as the stitching proceeds.
To give it this adaptability of automatic adjustment it is mounted upon the
arm which attaches it to the lower end of the presser-bar by two concentric
rings The ring f is preferably formed integral with the arm but not
necessarily so.

page_text: The inner ring f' is connected with the outer ring by pivots or pins f' (see
Figure 8), and the presser plate F is secured in turn to the inner ring by means of
pins which extend from said inner ring at right angles to the pins into studs f
extending upward from the upper surface of the presser-plate (see Figure 9). This
provides practically a universal joint between the presser plate and the arm f*.
The presser plate has the hole 10 through which the needle plies and a slight
teat on the underside of the presser plate about the hole 10 (see Figure 9).
This is for the purpose of enabling the throat e to co-operate with the presser plate
in holding the needle and shuttle threads.
G is the needle bar. It is supported by the head a² and carries at its lower end
the eye pointed needle g. It is reciprocated by means of the crank pin g¹ (see
Figure 10) upon the disc g² at the end of the main shaft, A¹ and the lever g3 which
is pivoted to the head a² at 9 and which has the long angular slot g³ formed
therein. The lever is pivoted at one side of the crank disc. It is connected with
the needle bar G by the pitman y which is attached by a pivot to the outer end of
the lever. The result of this construction is that the movement of the needle is
variable, that is, it is moved upward more rapidly than it is moved downward, the
crank pin g¹ then approaching the fulcrum of the lever, while upon the
downward movement of the needle bar the crank pin g' moves away from
the fulcrum g².
The take-up is duplex in character, that is, it is obtained or effected by the
action of the two take-up arms H H. The upper arm H is curved downwardly
and has the hole h for the passage of the needle thread and the arm H¹ is
substantially straight, shorter than the arm H and has the holes 2 for the needle
thread.
The arm H is pivoted at ³ to the head a² and the arm H' is pivoted at /* to said
head and the arms are connected with each other so that an impulse given one of them
is transmitted to both. I have shown this connection as obtained by providing each
of the arms with integral shorter connecting arms, the arm H having the short
arm h³ and the arm H¹ the short arm 16. The arm ³ extends beyond or overlaps
the arm and has a pin which enters a long recess extending inward from the
end of the short arm (see Figures 11, 12 and 13). This connects the two
arms H H¹ so that the outer ends of both arms approach each other simultaneously
or move away from each other simultaneously. In lieu of the pin and recess *
each of the arms 15 h may be provided with a sector gear H2 to intermesh (see
Figure 31).
To move the arms H H at the proper interval of time, there is located on the
arm a cam pin h (see Figures 12 and 13). This cam pin enters the cylinder
cam groove in the edge of the disk g Figure 14 and the rotation of the disc
causes the cam to move the two arms of the take-up as will be hereinafter
specified.
The thread drawing or pull-off and gripping or checking mechanism comprises a
pull-off lever M pivoted at m to a bracket m' Figure 3 attached to the upper
surface of the arm A adjacent to the head a². The lever M extends along the
right side of the upper part m³ of the bracket between it and the thread guide m
(see Figures 17, 18 and 19). Movement is imparted to the lever M by means of
the edge cam m³ (see Figures 14 and 15) which is formed on the back of the
disc g. The lever has a cam roll me which rests on the edge cam and at the desired
interval of time, the lever M is moved downward between the part m³ of the
bracket m' and the thread support m², as represented in Figures 17 and 18, aud
serves to draw thread from the spool. The thread is led from the spool, through a
support m and also through guides m', extending upward from the bed m³ formed
on the bracket m' and through the tension N and a thread holder or guide upon
the side of the head a², to the duplex take-up. To check and hold the thread at
stated intervals as will hereinafter appear, there is used in connection with the
bed m³ a movable nipping arm or lever m¹0. This lever is pivoted at m" to the
bracket m¹ in a manner to permit the under surface m¹ of the arm m¹0 to close upon

page_text: the upper surface of the bed m³ (see Figure 19). The lever m⁰ has a downwardly
extending arm m¹s which carries the cam roll m¹ arranged to bear against the
operating surface of the cam m¹ on the thread drawing or pull lever M, (see
Figure 19), said nipping arm mo being normally held against said bed by a
spring m
This cam m¹³ is so shaped that upon the upward movement of the lever M, the
nipping arm mo is lifted by said cam m" against the stress of the spring m", from
the bed ms and upon its downward movement it is held upon said bed by said spring
to nip the thread.
The lever M is lifted, as above stated, by the cam m³. It is held in contact with
the cam and depressed by means of a coil spring m¹, (see Figure 18) which sur-
rounds the stud m" forming the pivot of the lever M, one end of the spring being
attached to the stud and the other to the bracket m¹.
The tension N is comprised of two discs n n' mounted upon the screw stud², the
stud having a hole n³, (see Figures 18 and 18*) through which the thread passes. This
hole has a threading passage or opening n (see Figure 184) by means of which the
thread is introduced to the hole. The hole is between the two discs n n' in line
with the bed m³.
The disc n¹ is forced against the disc n and the thread by the spring n³ and
adjusting nut n (see Figures 16 and 18). Between the take-up and the needle
throat is a thread retainer or check tension (see Figures 1 and 30) for exerting a
light stress upon the thread.
This thread retaining device or check tension comprises the plate o which is
fastened to the outside of the face plate a' in a manner to provide a narrow space
between it and the said face plate, and a spring O the lower end o₁ of which is
curved outwardly and extends through a hole o² in the face plate to bear against
the inner surface of the plate o, the thread passing between the curved surface of
the spring and the inner surface of said plate.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The work is placed upon the work plate and the presser foot moved down upon
it and the machine being started, the throat e is raised and the needle moves down-
ward through the material and throat to present its thread to the shuttle.
Meanwhile the feed dog lowers and moves backward preparatory to feeding, the
needle presser-foot, and the throat holding the material during this backward
movement of the feed dog. The needle then lifts from the material, the throat falls
and the feed dog rises and then moves in the direction in which it is desired that
the material be fed.
The action of the needle thread and its operating devices, namely, the needle,
thread pull-off, thread-check, tension and take-up during the operation of the
machine, is as follows:-Upon the feeding of the material by the feed dog, the
take-up operates to give off the thread by the movement of the two arms of the take-
up towards each other, it being understood that the thread passes from the tension
through the hole in the lower arm of the take-up to the hole in the upper arm of
the take-up and thence to the check tension and the needle. This giving off of the
thread must take place each time that the material is moved by the feed dog, in
order that the thread may not draw during such feed movement of the material;
this gives the thread the least possible tension during such feed movement of the
material; the tension at such time being by the thread retainer or check tension
and not by the main tension. Inasmuch as the feed movements of the material vary
in extent, and are, as a rule, quite long compared with the ordinary. feeding of
material in straight line stitching, it is especially desirable that the thread be given
off by the take-up during the feeding movement, and in the stitching of very light,
hin and elastic fabrics like gauze underwear, it is also necessary during the feeding
movement that the thread be retained by the very lightest. tension.
The said tension must not exceed the resistance of the material to the draft of the
hread and it is for this reason also that the take-ups give off thread during the

page_text: feeding movement of the material and that the thread is held in restraint only by a
very light auxiliary or check tension which in fact is not, the tension device of the
machine but simply a thread retainer offering the very lightest resistance to the
draft of the needle possible.
Before the setting of the stitch it is necessary not only to take up the thread but
at the same time to give to the take-up the amount of thread which has been given
out to the stitch during the feed movement of the material. It must be borne in
mind that the extent of thread used in this feed movement of the material varies,
sometimes being short and at other times long, according to the nature or design of
the stitch which is being sewed. I give the take-up this additional and variable
extent of thread automatically, immediately upon the completion of the feed move-
-ment of the material, and just after the needle has penetrated the material and thus
indicated the length or amount of thread that it is necessary to give to the take-up
from the spool, by causing the take-up arms to separate and the nip upon the thread
to be released so that the thread is free to be drawn, by the separation of the take-up
arms, from the spool; the take-up arms draw in this way enough thread to
compensate for the length that has been given out to the last stitch sewed or
between it and the next stitch which is about to be sewn. The take-ups then
immediately again give off thread, the needle moving downward to present a loop
of the needle thread to the shuttle, and immediately upon the release or giving off
of the thread by the take-up, the thread is gripped between the take-up and the
spool by the automatic nipping arm or lever which shuts upon the thread and holds
it fast during the passage of the shuttle through the loop of the needle thread and
tightening the stitch by the take-ups.
There is no thread drawn from the spool by the take-up during the passage of
the shuttle through the loop and this enables me to govern the length of thread
drawn from the spool, the thread being then positively held upon the spool side of
the take-up causes all the thread which is used in the stitch to be drawn during and
immediately after the feeding of the fabric, and before the eye of the needle has
passed through the work. The nipping arm operates to hold the needle thread
until the take up has reached or very nearly reached its original position. While
the nipping arm is holding the needle thread, the thread pull-off by its side, between
it and the spool, operates by its downward movement to draw thread from the spool,
the action of this thread pull-off being simply to furnish loose thread on the spool
side of the nipping arm. The main tension operates upon the thread during the
interval that the take-ups are drawing thread from the spool.
The rising and falling throat effects two purposes, First, it clamps the needle
thread on the stitch side during the engagement of the shuttle with the loop so that
the sudden shock of the engagement of the shuttle with the loop is not communi-
cated to the part of the thread between it and the last stitch sewed and the material
is not puckered or wrinkled. Second, it is withdrawn from contact with the under
surface of the material during its feeding movement and from the threads on the
under surface thereof so that they cannot catch upon it as they pass over it.
The various features of my invention may be employed upon any sewing machine
or in connection with any mechanism for giving or imparting to them the move-
ments herein specified.
I prefer that there be attached to the lever which imparts the lifting movement
to the feed dog the thin plate E¹ having a hole E' through which the throat e rises
and falls, see Figures 1ª, 1B, 1º, 1º. This clears the throat from anything which
may lodge upon it, or in other words, said plate E' serves as a stripper for the
rising and falling throat.
I also prefer to mount upon the feed bar a thin plate E to surround the feed dog
and having a hole in which the feed dog plays up and down; this furnishes a
moving support for the fabric outside of the feed dog.
The shuttle has a holder for a cop or bobbin which is unwound from its interior,
the holder having a central bearing upon a cone carried by the shuttle.

page_text: B is the cop holder which is held in the cavity a" of the shuttle A*. The
shuttle has a spindle a¹ which supports the cop holder, forming a central bearing
for it.
The cop holder preferably comprises the section B* having the closed end ¿¹ and
wall 6, and in the closed end at its centre is the throat 63. 6* is the other
section of the holder. It carries a cone 67* which has a hole 68* of a size to
cop
receive the shuttle spindle. This section is secured to the first-named section by
arms 6 which extend into recesses 610* of the first-named section. The cop is of
cylindrical form, has a central cavity, and the thread d* is drawn from its inside
and it is led from its holder to the hole d2* in the side of the shell beneath a curved
flat spring d³ fastened to the outer surface of the shell, and the thread passing
between the spring and the cop holder to the groove.
The cone furnishes in connection with the shuttle pin or spindle a central support
for the cop holder and a long bearing for it, while its outer surface acts as a thread
controller and guide and prevents its becoming tangled while it is being unwound
and serves to guide the thread towards the throat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :—
1. In a sewing machine the combination with the rotary needle-bar actuating
shaft A' and the shaft A2 connected thereto to rotate therewith, of a cam wheel
geared to said shaft A' to have a slower movement than the latter, and having the
cam groove 63, the lever C having a pin engaging said cam groove, the feed bar
adapted to slide lengthwise of the machine, the lever c connected to said feed bar
to move the same lengthwise, and the piece c' to which the lever C is connected
and which is adjustably attached to the said lever c³ so as to form an adjustable con-
nection between said lever c and said lever C.
2. In a sewing machine, the combination with the stitch forming devices and a
presser-foot, of a feed dog arranged beneath the work-plate of said machine,
mechanism for operating said feed dog, a needle throat and mechanism for imparting
rising and falling movements to the said needle throat.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch forming mechanism and a
presser-foot, of a feed dog arranged beneath the work plate of the machine,
mechanism for operating said feed dog, a needle throat, a lever by which said
needle throat is carried, and mechanism connected with the feed bar operating
mechanism for imparting a rising and falling movement to said throat in a manner
to simultaneously lift the throat when the feed dog is depressed and vice versa.
4. In a sewing machine, the combination with the stitch forming devices thereof
of the feed bar & provided with the feed dog D, operating mechanism for vibrating
and reciprocating said feed bar, an arm or lever d by which the said feed dog is
lifted at proper intervals, a throat e the lever e² by which the said throat is carried
and which is pivoted between the ends at e³ to a stationary part of the machine and
connected by a pin e at its end opposite to said throat to said arm or lever d* ;
whereby the said throat will be lifted as the feed dog is lowered and vice versa.
5. In a sewing machine, the combination with the feed lever provided with the
feed dog D, operating mechanism for reciprocating and vibrating said lever, the
arm or lever d' by which said feed dog is lifted, operating mechanism for said arm
or lever d', the plate E¹ carried by said arm or lever d and provided with an
opening, the needle throat e operating through said opening, the lever e² by which
said needle throat is carried, and which is connected to the said arm or lever d* to
be operated thereby so that the said throat will be lifted when the feed bar is
lowered, and vice versa.
6. In a sewing machine, a presser foot comprising a flat plate of considerable
area, having entirely around it an upwardly rounded edge f³, and connected with
the presser bar by a universal joint, as and for the purposes described.
7. In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser-foot bar, of the presser-

page_text: foot, secured by pivots to a ring, said ring being secured by pivots, at right angles
to those attaching the plate to the first named ring, to another ring carried at the
end of the presser-bar, substantially as described.
8. In a sewing machine, the combination of the feed dog arranged beneath the
work plate of the machine, mechanism for operating said feed dog, a presser bar
and a presser foot having a universal joint connection with said presser bar,
whereby it is fitted to automatically adapt itself to all of the movements of the
said feed dog.
9. In a variable stitch sewing machine, the combination with the stitch forming
devices thereof, of a feed dog, mechanism for imparting variable feed movements
to the said feed dog, a take-up, means for operating said take-up to cause it to
slacken the needle thread during the movement of the feed dog, and to take up
said thread to tighten the stitch after the needle has entered the material and
before the next stitch in order is formed, a thread nipping device arranged to grip
the thread between the take-up and the spool during the time the stitch is being
tightened, and a pull-off operated to draw thread from the spool during the time of
the feeding movement and when the take-up has slackened the thread, to permit
the work to be fed without any considerable drag upon the thread or threads
running thereto.
--
"
10. In a sewing machine, the combination with the stitch forming mechanism
thereof, of a presser-foot, a feed dog, mechanism for imparting variable feeding
movements to said feed dog, and a device arranged beneath the said presser-foot
and timed to nip the needle thread against the said presser-foot during the time
when the shuttle is expanding a loop of needle thread, so that when a loop is
expanded for the passage of the shuttle the thread will be drawn entirely from the
take-up side of the needle and a puckering draft upon the thread at the stitch side
of the needle be avoided, substantially as set forth.
11. In a sewing machine, the combination with the stitch forming mechanism
thereof, of a presser-foot, a feed dog, mechanism for imparting variable feed
movements to said feed dog, a rising and falling throat plate arranged to nip the
needle thread against the said presser foot during the time when the shuttle is
expanding the loops of thread; whereby the thread for the said loops will be
drawn entirely from the take-up side of the needle and puckering draft upon the
.thread running to the work be avoided.
12. In a sewing machine of the character specified, the combination with the
stitch forming devices thereof comprising a needle and a shuttle and their operating
mechanism, of a feed dog, mechanism for imparting variable feeding movements to
said feed dog, a take-up, and means for operating said take-up to impart two
releasing and two taking-up movements thereto during a complete reciprocation of
the needle, the parts being timed to cause one of said releasing movements to
occur to let off the thread during the feeding movement, and to take it up at the
end of the operation of the feed and to cause the other releasing movement to
occur to let off the thread during the time when the shuttle is expanding and
passing through a loop and to then take up the thread to tighten the stitch,
substantially as set forth.
13. In a machine of the character specified, the combination of the stitch forming
mechanism, a feed dog, means for imparting variable feed movements to the said
feed dog, a take-up timed to slacken the threads while the shuttle is taking a loop,
an automatic thread gripping device to nip and hold the thread between the take-np
and the spool during the slackening movement of the take-up, and a pull-off also
timed to draw thread from the spool during the slackening movements of the
take-up while the thread is nipped by the said gripping device.
14. The combination in a machine of the character specified, of the stitch forming
devices, the feed dog, the presser-foot, the take-up, and means to operate it and
give off thread during the engagement of the shuttle with the loop, a nipping
device such as the throat and presser-foot, to nip the needle thread on the stitch
side during the giving-off movement of the take-up, and a thread nipping device

page_text: or stop to operate upon the thread, and check it between the take-up and the spool
as and for the purposes described.
15. The combination with the driving shaft A' provided near its forward end
with a cylinder having the cam groove ho, the take-up bell crank lever H, having
the arm provided with the pin or stud h³, the take-up lever H' having the arm
operatively connected with the said arm to receive movement from the latter,
the said take-up levers being both pivoted to the head or forward part of the arm
of the machine, to operate substantially as described.
16. In a sewing machine, the thread check comprising the bed m³ and the
lever m⁰ to shut upon said bed and nip the thread between its under surface and
the upper surface of the bed, substantially as described.
17. The combination of the bed m³, the thread guides m', and the nipping
lever m10, substantially as described.
18. The combination of the bed m³, the beut lever in 10 pivoted at m", having an
arm m¹³ and a cam roll m" thereon, with the lever M pivoted at m and having the
cam m¹s to co-act with the cam roll m" on the lever m10, and the cam m* upon the
shaft A' which co-acts with the cam roll me, as and for the purposes described.
19. The combination of the bed m³, the bent lever m10 pivoted at m", having an
arm m³, and a cam roll thereon, with the lever M pivoted at m and having the
cam roll me and cam m15 to co-act with the cam roll m¹ on the lever mo, the
cam m upon the shaft A', which co-acts with the cam roll me and a spring me for
holding the cam roll me in contact with its operative cam, as and for the purposes
described.
20. The combination of the needle-bar, the take-up, the thread check and thread
drawer or pull-off with a disc upon the shaft A' having upon its face a crank pin
connected with the needle-bar, in its periphery a cam groove connected with the
take-up, and upon its edge a cam connected with the thread check and thread
drawer, as and for the purposes described.
21. The cop holder consisting of a circular shell having in its outer face a central
thread delivery hole or throat.
22. The cop holder consisting of a circular shell in two sections fitted together,
one of which has a central hollow spindle to receive a shuttle pin, the said hollow
spindle extending into and nearly across the cavity of the cop holder, and the other
section of the cop holder having a centrally arranged thread delivery throat
opposite the end of the hollow spindle.
23. The cop holder for sewing machines comprising a circular shell having a cop
holding cavity and an interior hollow spindle nearly across the cavity and a tension
device attached to the periphery of the case.
24. The combination of a sewing machine shuttle having a post or spiudle with
a cop holder having a cop holding space and an interior hollow spindle to fit upon
the shuttle post or spindle and extending nearly across the cavity of the cop holder,
and a thread delivery hole or throat in the cop holder opposite the end of the
hollow spindle.
C
1004
Dated this Com uby
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.