Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1886
Complete Left, 19th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1887.
I, FREDERICK NESFIELD COOKSON, of Eva Villa, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton,
in the County of Staffordshire, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, and is more particularly
applicable to that type of machine described in my specification, No. 10297, dated
August 11th, 1886.
It consists in an improved means for returning the shuttle, as well as for actuating
the cloth traverser.
In the machine described and illustrated in my above mentioned specification, the
shuttle remains stationary until the slot and pin connecting the links behind the
standard are in contact again after the down stroke of the crosshead.
According to my present invention, I provide for the shuttle being returned before
this contact takes place, by forming a notch in the edge of the upper link at the back
of the standard, which notch receives and engages with the nose of a bell lever
connected to the lower link and having its fulcrum upon the standard.
I form an extension on the shank of the cloth traverser, the outer face of which is
engaged by a spring detent as the traverser rises, and held there until the shank
is released by the lever next mentioned.
This lever embraces the shank of the traverser by a forked end. Its other end is
pivotted to a plate behind the standard which has a reciprocating lateral motion upon
suitable guides. A serpentine slot is cut in this plate in which works a stud on the
upper link. As the stud ascends it engages with an incline on the edge of the slot.
The traverser is, consequently, moved outwards, after which it is raised by the crosshead
and the extension released from the bar spring as the stud descends. The stud next
bears against an opposite incline in the serpentine slot and, consequently, returns the
traverser to its position as cloth presser.
Dated this 10th day of September 1886.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Sewing Machine.
I, FREDERICK NESFIELD COOKSON, of Eva Villa, Waterloo Road, Wolverhampton,
in the County of Staffordshire, Manufacturer, 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 lock-stitch sewing machines, and is more
particularly applicable to small and portable hand-machines, although I wish it to be
distinctly understood that my invention is not confined to the latter class of sewing
machines.
The invention consists in improved methods, Firstly, of actuating the shuttle with
an intermittent motion from a cross-head having a regular reciprocating linear motion;
Secondly, of actuating the cloth-traverser; and Thirdly, of adjusting the length of
stitch by regulating the traverse of the cloth-traverser.
I attain the objects of my said invention by means of the mechanisms illustrated in
the following figures in which like parts are marked throughout with the same
reference letter.
Figure 1 is a left hand side elevation showing the needle as on the point of piercing
the cloth.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation corresponding with Figure 1, but without the cramping
device.
Figure 3 is a right hand side elevation.
Figure 4 is a right hand side elevation-the horizontal traversing plate having been
removed showing the position of the parts when the shuttle is on the point of makings
its return stroke preparatory to making a stitch.
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the shuttle, shuttle-case, shuttle-spring
and bell-lever.
Figure 6 is a plan taken on the line Y-Z of Figure 3.
Figures 7 and 8 are, respectively, left hand side and rear elevations of my improved
sewing machine fitted with an alternative traversing gear, the crank being a little in
advance of the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 are, respectively, left hand side elevation; rear elevation ;
plan taken on the line X-Y of Figure 9, and right hand side elevation of a modified
form of the invention, illustrating a shuttle making a horizontal instead of an arc-
shaped stroke, an alternative traversing device, and stitch-adjusting device. The spool
is omitted from Figure 10 for the sake of clearness of illustration.
I wish to point out that the figures illustrate my invention as applied to a small
hand machine, and that although this is the type of sewing machine to which the
invention is more particularly applicable with the greatest advantage, it is not confined
to the type of machine illustrated, inasmuch as the novelties of construction
constituting my invention may be advantageously applied to lock-stitch sewing
machines of any size and kind.

page_text: A is the standard of the machine.
Two lateral extensions, a, a', project from the lower part of the rear edge of the
standard and constitute, with the thumb screw a², a convenient means by which the
machine can be cramped to a table. This method of fixing the machine may be replaced
by a base of any convenient kind, but it is one that is peculiarly suitable as a means of
holding the machine, made as illustrated, in a working position. A variant method is
described in connection with Figures 9 to 12.
B is the cloth plate, C, a plate in a parallel plane therewith and conveniently
strengthened by two brackets c, c'. The adjacent faces of these two plates are (referring
to Figures 1 to 8) grooved to receive a slide D, which forms one side of the shuttle-
race and in the inner face of which the needle groove d is formed.
E is a bracket from which the spool-peg e projects.
F is the first motion wheel capable of rotation upon an axis projecting from the
standard, and gearing with its pinion G, the shaft g of which works in a journal g¹
formed for that purpose on the top of the standard.
H is a half crank fast on the opposite end of the pinion shaft, making junction by
means of the connecting rod with a cross-head I which receives therefrom a
reciprocating linear stroke in the vertical guide slot in the standard A.
i
Jis the needle carried by the cross-head I and to which the thread e¹ is led from the
top spool through any convenient or suitable tension-device.
K is the cloth-presser-and-traverser carried by the lower extremity of the stem k.
The presser, (according to the construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2), is raised
by a stud on the cross head engaging with a corresponding projection k¹
upon the
upper extremity of the stem k and returned by a spiral spring ². Two guides, k³, kt
are provided to serve as guides for the stem.
L is a link fixed to the cross-head I by a set screw, and having a vertical slot l
formed in its lower half which slot receives a stud m projecting from the upper part of
the face of a second link M which works in a groove m cut in the back face of the
standard A. The accuracy of the travel of the second link M is guaranteed by the
rectilinear groove in which it works, and the stud m and slot act as a guide for
the link L. The length of the slot is about three quarters of the length of the stroke
of the needle.
N is a bell crank having its axis upon a stud n projecting from the front face of the
standard.
The shorter arm n¹ of the bell crank is connected to the lower extremity of the
second link M by a pin n². A quadrantal slot n³ is cut in the standard, and a
horizontal one in the link M to allow of the throw of this pin.
O is the shuttle case, fixed upon the extremity of the longer arm of the bell lever N,
o, the shuttle; and o' the spring to press the shuttle up to the inner face of the slide D.
I wish to point out that in a sewing machine constructed according to this present
invention, the shuttle can be and always is considerably larger and therefore capable
of carrying a larger spool than it has hitherto been possible to put into machines of a
corresponding size.
P is a bent link, having its axis upon p a stud projecting from the top of the link M.
A screw pin p' passing through a curved slot p² into the standard A prevents the
link P being moved otherwise than by the link L.
Upon the side of the link I. I form a projection l the lower edge 12 of which can
engage with the nose 3 of the link P as the link L descends, thereby compelling it to
enter the notch in the edge of the link L from which it is expelled by the bottom
edge 13 of said notch as the said link Lascends. During its ascent or upstroke the
straight edge p of the link L is in close contact for the whole of its length with the
edge of the link.
Q (referring to Figures 3, 6 and 8) is a plate receiving a reciprocating horizontal
movement from the stud which projects from the link L into a twice bent or serpentine
slot formed in said plate, and which bears against the opposite faces of said slot
alternately as the link L makes its up and down strokes respectively I provide two

page_text: studs passing through two guide slots q² qª for the purpose of keeping the motion
of the plate truly horizontal.
R is a lever having its fulerum in the bracket A, or in a stud depending therefrom.
One end of it is connected to the plate Qby means of a knuckle joint or its
equivalent, while the other end is forked and embraces the stem k of the cloth-
presser.
S is a bar spring always bearing against a projection on the stem of the cloth
presser. A smooth notch is cut in the edge of this projection, into which the spring
engages when the presser is raised to the top of its stroke, for the purpose of holding
it there for a moment. The projection is released from the hold of the spring S by
the lever R as the latter is moved by the down stroke of the stud . The projection k³
is also used as a thumb-piece for raising the cloth-presser.
In Figures 7 and 8 I illustrate an alternate device for raising the cloth-presser
which may replace the two projections, on the cross-head and cloth-presser stem
respectively illustrated in Figure 1, and described in reference thereto.
I use a cranked lever having its fulerum in the standard A at t. One arm T of the
lever lies upon the top of the guide ³. Its extremity t¹ bent at a right angle is
immediately under an enlargement upon the end of the presser stem k. The other
arm 3 is bent forwards so that a pin g projecting from the pinion can engage with it
as the pinion revolves.
As the pinion revolves the pin 2 therefore bears against the arm t² at the moment
when the presser is required to begin to rise, and pushes the arm 2 before it. The
extremity of the armi T moves through a corresponding are, and consequently raises
the stem by lifting the enlargement 7. As soon as the presser has been raised as
high as required the pin g² releases the arm 2, and the lever and cloth presser are
returned by the spiral spring k².
A lock stitch sewing machine constructed according to my invention operates as
follows.
As the needle descends, and when has made about five-eighths of its down stroke
the projection on the link L bears upon the nose p³ of the bent link P, causing the
latter to turn upon its axis and to drive the link M downwards. As soon as the
link M is set in motion the shuttle is thrown to the front of the shuttle-race by means
of the pin and the bell crank lever N. This throw is accomplished by the time the
needle has reached the end of its stroke. The needle at once commences its upstroke
looping the top thread in the shuttle-race in the well known way. The shuttle
commencing its travel through the loop at the selfsame moment, the lower edge 3 of
the notch begins to bear against the straight edge p4 of the nose p³, which straight
edge p contacts fully with the adjacent edge of the link L by the time the shuttle has
just completed its travel through the loop. The stitch is locked by the completion of
the upstroke of the needle.
When however the crank is about 50° from the vertical, the stud bears against
the upper edge of the serpentine part of the slot q in the plate Q causing it to move
on the studs q¹ towards the front of the machine. This motion is communicated to the
cloth-traverser K, through the lever R, and the cloth is moved over the cloth plate B
the distance of stitch.
I make the relative lengths of the two arms of the lever R adjustable for the purpose
of regulating the length of the stitch.
After the completion of the traverse, the stud on the cross head I bears against
the projection on the top of the stem k and lifts the cloth presser K, whereupon the
spring Sengages the notch 4 thereby keeping the presser up after the stud has
freed the projection k¹.
The needle has now commenced another down stroke and the stud 1 bears against
the lower edge of the serpentine slot q, whereupon the lever R is moved a little and the
notch thereby released from the hold of the spring S, when the presser K is brought
down upon the cloth by the spring 2 in time to hold the cloth steady when the needle
has penetrated it.

page_text: With reference to the bent link P and its function as the inter mediary between
the two links L and M I wish to point out that the slot t and stud m will throw the
shuttle backwards and forwards, but the use of the intermediary link P, causes the
shuttle to be thrown through the loop in the top thread quicker than it would be by
the operation of the slot and the stud m only; and that in addition to the acceleration
of the throw of the shuttle, it prevents irregularities of motion on the part of the latter
which might be occasioned by the weight of the bell-lever N, the shuttle case O, and
the shuttle o during the time the stud m, is out of contact with either end of the slot 1,
and the link M is kept always under the control of the link L. When the slot / and
the stud mare relied on for the actuation of the shuttle, the length of the former
should be about three quarters that of the stroke of the needle.
The machine illustrated in Figures 9 to 12 operates substantially as above described,
to the extent of the modifications being as follows:-
1. The shuttle case makes a horizontal instead of an arc shaped stroke. To effect
this horizontal action on the part of the shuttle, the case is connected to the longer arm
of the bell-crank-lever in a non rigid manner and a horizontal shelf is provided upon
which it can slide backwards and forwards.
B' is a shelf which with the adjacent face of the standard A, the under face of the
cloth plate B, and the inner-face of the race cover D¹ when the latter is closed from
the shuttle race. The shuttle case O¹ is fixed by its back to a light and preferably
hollow packing piece 0%, and has its lower edge extended to contact with the inner
face of the cover D'. It therefore bears against all four sides of the race at once.
The upper extremity of the lever arm N passes through a slot in the bottom of the
packing piece to which it is connected by (preferably) a small crosshead * passing
through a vertical slot in the said lever arm. As the diameter of the cross head is
equal to the width of the vertical slot and the latter is too long to prevent the former
from pushing or pulling at either of its extremities, the shuttle case travels smoothly
backwards and forwards within its race.
The sliding cover D, is replaced by a hinged door D'. The hinge d¹ is of substantial
construction. A spring bolt d with a suitable thumb bit is provided for keeping the
door closed. I prefer the hinged cover D' to the sliding cover D before described and
illustrated therewith, because the needle groove is always brought up into its true
position on account firstly, of the long hinged bearing of the door, and secondly, the
spring bolt, whereas with a sliding door it is very easy for the user to start the machine
with the needle groove just a hairs-breadth (enough to bend or break the needle)
short of home. prefer that the cover should drop when the race is opened although
I do not confine myself to this.
2. The plate Q before described as actuating the traverse through the lever R,
itself receiving motion from a stud is replaced by the lever Q having its fulcrum atq3
on which it oscillates in a vertical plane out side the arm T of the cranked lever by
which the cloth-presser is raised. The lower extremity of the lever Q' engages with
the adjacent end of the lever R, for the sake of actuating it as rigidly as the difference
of plane in which they respectively work permits. The lever Q, is oscillated in one
direction by a study projecting from the face of the pinion G (but not far enough to
engage the arm T) and in the other by the action of the spiral spring ².
3. My improved stitch-adjusting device is shewn in detail in Figure 11. R' is a
lever having its fulcrum at in the guide . A vertical extension is formed upon
the lever which can be adjusted nearer to or farther from the stem & by means of a set
screw. The extension also serves as a rest for the ring upon the presser-stem
when the latter is raised by the user to admit of the work being taken from the
machine.
The variant method of fixing the machine constructed as illustrated in Figures 9 to 12
consists in adapting the lower part of the standard by means of a toe a³ and the
extension a¹ to engage with and be firmly fixed to and held by a metal plate screwed
to the top or one end of the machine-box, which latter will therefore form a suitable
table, and allow the sewn work to fall away from the cloth plate,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a sewing machine, and for the purpose of imparting an intermittent to-and-fro
motion to the shuttle, the combination of a bell-crank-lever carrying the shuttle at the
extremity of its longer arm and making a loose connection at the extremity of its
shorter arm by means of a stud and slot with the extremity of a link receiving a
corresponding intermittent but linear reciprocating motion from a second link, with
both of said links; said second link receiving a reciprocating linear motion of the
same length as that of the needle from a cross-head common to both last mentioned
link and needle, both links and needle travelling in parallel planes and the connection
between the two links being by means of a slot in one of them which receives a stud
upon the other; substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a sewing machine, and for the purpose of quickly imparting an intermittent
to-and-fro motion to the shuttle thereof, and of preventing the weight of the parts
connected with tho shuttle occasioning any accidental irregularity of motion on the part
of the shuttle, the combination of two links, one of which has a reciprocating linear motion
equivalent to that of the needle, which motion is communicated to the second link (fixed to
travel in a plane parallel with that of the first) and to which second link the shuttle is
connected by means of a bell-crank lever through an intermediary bent link having its
axis upon the said second link, and a fixed guide independent of both its own motion and
of that of either of the aforesaid two links, said bent link having one straight edge which
contacts with the adjacent edge of the link upon which it has not its axis, and in so
doing preventing the link upon which it has its axis from moving so long as such
contact is maintained between said straight edge and edge of link substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In a sewing machine, and for the purpose of actuating the cloth-presser with a
traversing motion over the cloth-plate, the combination of a lever one end of which is
connected to or embraces the stem of the presser while the other is loosely connected
to a plate to which a reciprocating motion proper for actuating the traverser in both
directions is communicated by a pin in a reciprocating link said pin engaging in a
serpentine slot in said plate, substantially as described with reference to the accom-
panying figures 1 to 8.
4. In a sewing machine, the combination of a bar-spring with a notch in the end of
a projection on the cloth-presser-stem into which notch the end of the spring engages
when the presser has been raised to the top of its stroke, for the purpose of retaining
the presser at that point for a moment, substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying figures 1 to 8.
5. In a sewing machine and for the purpose of raising the cloth-presser, the
combination of one of the gear wheels having a stud projecting from its face with a
bent lever with which the said stud engages and during such engagement raises the
presser to the end of the stem of which presser the nose of the lever is connected for
that purpose, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying figures 7
and 8.
6. In a sewing machine and for the purpose of actuating the cloth-traverser, the
combination of a vertical lever intermittently actuated by a stud on the face of the
pinion with a horizontal lever one end of which connects with the lower end of the said
vertical lever and the other embraces the cloth-traverser stem substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying figures 9, 10 and 12.
7. In a sewing machine and for the purpose of actuating the shuttle in a horizontal
plane, the combination with a shelf or its equivalent upon which the shuttle can ride,
of a slot-and-pin (or equivalent) connection between the end of the longer arm of a
bell-lever actuated indirectly from the cross-head of the machine and suitable extensions
of the shuttle case, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
figures 9, 10 and 12.

page_text: 8. In a sewing machine the shuttle of which is actuated by a bell-lever, connecting
the cover of the shuttle-race to the frame of the machine by a hinge for the purpose of
securing the truthful closing of the cover so as to bring the needle-groove always into.
its exact position substantially as above described with reference to the accompanying
figures 9, 10 and 12.
9. In a sewing machine and in combination with a traverser actuated by a lever in
a horizontal plane, the hereinbefore described stitch-adjusting device consisting of an
adjustable stop-lever by which the length of the traverse of the cloth-traverser can be
adjusted substantially as described with reference to the accompanying figure 11.
Dated this 19th day of February 1887.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Patent Agents,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.