IMPROVE MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Moore Clements, of Birmingham, in the.
County of Warwick, Tailor and Draper, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 14th November 1865, and dated the 22nd May 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Moore Clements
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd May 1865.
I, JAMES MOORE CLEMENTS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Tailor and Draper, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention has reference mainly to machines of the class employed for
working or stitching button and eyelet holes for embroidery and other like
work, though capable of being employed as ordinary sewing machines if
required. It comprises improvements upon a former Invention of mine for
machinery of the same description, for which Her Majesty's Royal Letters
Patent, bearing date the 31st day of March 1862, No. 901, have already
been granted to me, and it consists chiefly in an arrange:nent of mechanical
appliances constituted to turn the cloth automatically as the needle is
required to work the eyelet hole, or the circular head of a button hole,
instead of requiring the cloth to be turned by hand.
The button hole having been worked as far as the commencement of the
circular end, I bring into action a vertical bar or spindle, with a slightly
CD Q77

page_text: cranked foot, and having an oscillatory motion vertically as well as horizontally
through an arc in a plane parallel with the cranked foot or other similar piece
of mechanism calculated to turn the cloth upon the needle as a centre. It is
requisite to overcome the crowding of the stitches around the head of the button
hole by giving extra motion to the ordinary feeder. This I affect by forming
an inclined plane upon the lower end of a slide working vertically in a groove
in the ordinary feeder taking its action from a bell-cranked lever, having its
centre on the frame near the needle slide; this lever carries a second cranked
lever to actuate the circular feed motion, the second lever working under a pin
upon the needle slide and above a stud upon the circular feed motion, upon
the head of which motion a set screw regulates its traverse, so that both these
levers being thrown simultaneously into action automatically by the machine,
or at the will of the operator, by a pendent lever attached to the frame, it
follows, that first, the circular feed motion shall give the necessary turn to the
work upon the needle, and secondly, the ordinary cloth feeder shall carry the
work, the necessarily increased distance for the next entrance of the needle by
reason of the introduction of the inclined plane between the ordinary feed
motion and the lever by which it is actuated. To put an increased tension
upon the reel, and alter the position of the needle thread at the finishing of the
stitches, I connect the tension band to the bell-cranked lever, and introduce
an extra hook moving in a contrary line to the thread lever. The circular
feed motion can be employed through the bed plate of the machine instead of
upon the needle slide if requisite, and it may be actuated by cams from the
driving shaft, but preferably by the needle lever, or by the lifting lever.
For the purpose of supplying the silk into the barbed hook, which works
np through the bed of the machine, and closing the barb that it shall not
catch the silk or work in its downwward motion, I provide a pendulous bar
with a foot or crank, in which foot are cut two indentations, in one of which
the barbed hook enters on its upward motion and descends down the other,
the silk having been previously laid in a groove on the upper surface of the
foot. To the bed plate of the machine is attached a plate pierced with an
aperture, through which the barbed hook works; this aperture is furnished
with a collar or flange round one portion of its edge, upon which collar or
flange the foot of the pendulous bar rests. This bar has a to-and-fro rocking
motion from a centre on the frame immediately behind the needle slide,
and is actuated by a lever from a cam on the main shaft, and is capable of
being lifted for the purpose of removing the work.
My next improvement consists in the motions of the shuttle to finish off the
work; the stitch being finished, the needle now descends, enters the cloth

page_text: upon its return motion, the loop it leaves is taken up by a circular hook,
the shuttle which was to the right of the needle now passes to the left,
whilst the barbed hook is forming the first loop necessary for the shuttle to
pass through to the right hand. The barbed hook now forms the second
loop, the shuttle passes through to the left, and immediately returns, thereby
pulling up the purl or interlooping of the threads perfectly upon the upper
and under edge of the button hole.
The next improvement lies in the formation of the shuttle, which I make
with a sinking upon its upper and under sides, so sunk and slotted as to take
off the silk from the ends of the bobbin, and do away with the lateral drag
upon the silk, and so that the shuttle shall completely occupy the race in
which it travels, thereby lessening noise and the liability to miss the loop.
My next improvement consists in rendering the position of the needle
adjustable to suit varying widths of work, which I effect by attaching a sliding
plate to the needle slide, somewhat after the manner of the slide rest of a
lathe, and fixing the position of the needle by an adjusting screw and lock nut.
All these improvements may be applied to other sewing machines than
those of my Invention, rendering them capable of working any design upon
the fabric, although in this description I have for the sake of brevity alluded
only to the working of button holes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Moore Clements in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MOORE CLEMENTS, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Tailor and
Draper, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,the
said James Moore Clements, Her special licence that I, the said James Moore
Clements, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Moore Clements, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and

page_text: Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said James Moore Clements, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Moore Clements, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
:-
This Invention has reference mainly to machines of the class employed for
working or stitching button and eyelet holes, as well as for en:broidery and
other like work, though parts of these improvements are capable also of being
applied to ordinary sewing machines, and it. comprises improvements upon a
former Invention of mine for machinery of the same description, for which
Her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of
March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two,
have already been granted to me, its peculiar adaptability for working button
holes, eyelet holes, and for embroidery being obtained by an arrangement of
mechanical appliances constituted to turn the fabric automatically as the
needle is required to work the eyelet or the circular head of a button hole
instead of requiring the fabric to be turned by hand, and also to make the
stitches with a purl upon the edges of each side of the material by a lock
stitch.
The annexed Drawings represent in (Figure 1) a front elevation of the
machine; (Figure 2) an end clevation; (Figure 3) a plan seen from above;
(Figure 4) a portion of the elevation of the back of the head of the machine;
(Figure 5) detached views of levers (i to i). All these Drawings are repre-
sented half full size. (Figure 6) is a detail of a portion of the head as seen
from above; (Figures 7 and 8) a plan and front elevation of the shuttle race;
(Figure 9) a view of the detacbing hook carried on slide (g); (Figure 10) a
view of the circular hook (d³), with its recess, in which the silk lies;
(Figure 11) is the pendulous bar and pierced plate for the purpose of sup-
plying the silk into the barbed hook; (Figure 12) the automatic actuator of
the circular feed motion, by which the head of the button hole is worked.
All these Drawings represent the parts full size. (Figures 13, 14, 15,)

page_text: represent the stitching produced, but upon a considerably enlarged scale, and
(Figure 16) shews a button hole; (Figure 17) represents the cams cut upon the
face of the wheel (6'),and (Figure (18) those upon the face of the corresponding
wheel (6). These cams are for convenience shewn one quarter full size.
I will now proceed to describe the parts of the machine and its several
motions.
(a) is the casting carrying a shaft (6), upon which are keyed the cam
wheels (1, 2) and a smaller one (4), with a pulley (5), by which the shaft
(b) receives its motion. These cam wheels actuate all the moving parts of
the machine. (c) is the needle lever working through a fulcrum (c¹) actuated
by a cam groove (c²) on the wheel (¹), and giving motion to the vertical
slide (3); (d) is a slide working in the groove (d¹), and receiving motion
from a cam groove (d) in the face of the wheel (,) and actuating a circular
hook (d) working upon a centre (d), shewn detached at (Figure 10);
(e) is a lever, called the barbed hooked lever, working on its fulcrum (e¹),
receiving its motion from the cam (e) on the wheel (62) and actuating the
vertical slide (c) and barbed hook (6); (f) is the shuttle driven by the
shuttle driver (f), sliding in a groove parallel with and at the back of (d'),
and receiving its motion from a cam groove (f) in the wheel (7); (g) is a
slide for actuating the detaching hook (g") working in the front of the groove
(d), and receiving its motion from the cam groove (g¹) on the wheel (b¹).
This slide carries the lever (g) centred on a pin (g"), which lever (g²) has a
curved detaching hook shewn separately at (g), which is held in its position
by a set screw (9') and a spring (95). These parts are all carried on the
slide (g). (h,, h³, and h³,) are the parts by which the slack silk is taken up ;
(2) is a lever working upon a pin (¹), and receiving its motion from the cam
groove (2)
on the wheel (62), and actuating through the connecting link (3),
the bell crank (*), and the double hook (and ); (k and m) are two shafts,
having pendent arms at both ends, the one marked (m) working within that
marked (), and both hung on common centres (¹). These two shafts are
called rocking levers, the rocking lever (%) receiving its motion from the cam
groove () on the cam (), and actuating the pendulous hooked bar (½³)
hanging from the centre (/) in the slot (5); the rocking lever (m) takes its
motion from the cam (m¹) on the wheel ("), and actuates the mover (m2) on
its centre (m³); (") is a lifting lever working on a pin (¹), and receiving
its motion from a cam (n) on the wheel (), and bearing on the top of the
mover (m2) to hold the cloth in position; (o) is a lever hanging on a centre
as shewn. This lever carries a second lever (o'), which actuates the circular
feed motion (02); (0³) being the centres upon which (0%) works; (0") is a

page_text: spring affording a pressure upon the material with a sliding and revolving
motion; (o) is another lever, forming together with the lever (o) a bell
crank, the two levers (o and o4) being on opposite sides of the casting, but set
on the same arm; (04) actuating the slide (5), which works between the mover
(m²) and the end of the rocking shaft (m), as seen in (Figure 2); (0,
Figure 6) being a continuation of the lever (o'), receiving its motion fro ma
hollow revolving shaft (o') rolling upon the rocking shaft (); the shaft (o')
Figure 12) receives its motion from a slide and segment (68), sliding on a
bar (0°), held over the shaft (b); (010) being a right-and-left handed screw,
so formed at the ends as to cause the segment (08) to travel up and down the
screw (o); (0¹¹) is a hollow cap set upon the shaft (b) by the set pin (012),
the cap being made adjustable to cover more or less of the screw according to
the traverse required by the segment slide (08); (013) is a second hollow cap,
a counterpart of (o"), and doing similar duty; (7) is the plate upon which
the needle slide (c) and its cheeks are carried, this plate hanging upon a pin
() and being adjustable by a set screw and lock nut (2), for the purpose of
regulating the width of the material covered by the stitching; (s) is the bed
plate pierced with an oblong hole, one edge of which is turned up into
a flange to support the foot of the pendulous bar (³).
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the machine, and for this
purpose I shall take, as an example, the working of a button hole which by
this machine is worked with a purl edge on both sides of the material, the
same description applying to embroidery or the working of eyelets. The
parts of the machine are represented in the position shewn at the lowest
elevation of the needle. The cam wheels revolving in the direction of the
arrow for a short distance, the needle on the needle slide (c) is slightly
elevated, forming a small loop of silk on the inside of the shuttle box, which
loop is taken hold of by the circular hook (d'), and formed into a loop, as
shewn detached at (Figure 20); this loop is the identical one seen at (a)
(Figure 15), being in the under side of the material, the course of the cam
wheel continuing until the needle is at a sufficient elevation; the shuttle (f)
will have assumed the position indicated in dotted lines (f³) (Figure 7), the
barbed hook (e) is being elevated at the same time through the loop formed
by the circular hook (3) Figure 20) through the bed plate and the material
into a position shewn at (g) (Figure 11), and taking hold of the silk held by
the double hook (5 and 2) (Figure 5), and the bar (3) (Figure 11), which
at this moment has a slight forward movement, carrying the silk into the
barbed hook. At its return motion the barbed hook takes the silk which
has been released by the double hook (5 and 2), the pendulous bar (k³)

page_text: returning and the double hook assuming the position shewn by the dotted
lines (, Figure 5), and form it into a loop shewn at (Figure 21) for the
shuttle to enter, which passing through resumes its original position, leaving
its silk in the loop. When the shuttle (f) is about four-fifths of its traverse
through the loop the detaching hook (93) (Figure 9) passes over the top of
the barbed hook (4) in the same direction as the shuttle, and is immediately
followed by an upward movement of the barbed hook, thereby releasing the
loop which it held; a slight upward movement is now given to the slide (c³),
by which means the pin (2) elevates the thread lever (h¹) through the lever
(h), the spring(3) preventing the levers from twisting while they pull the silk
tight, and draw as much silk off the reel as may have been used in forming
the stitch. At the same time that the upward movement of the slide (c³)
commences, the shuttle (f) is given a slight return movement as far as the
dotted lines (f), for the purpose of slackening the shuttle silk and bringing
it to the surface of the button hole by the needle silk. At this point the
double hooks (5 and 6) resume the position shewn in the Drawings, passing
the line occupied by the needle silk which it carries with them, as shewn in
(Figure 5); the needle slide then returns to its before-named position. The
operation thus far has completed one half of the stitch, the upward movement of
the barbed hook (et) performs the same duties as before named, the detaching
hook (93) in its return movement passing outside the barbed hook by means
of its flexible joint (g); the course of this hook is indicated by the dotted
lines and arrows in (Figure 9). The shuttle now resumes its original position,
and afterwards passes backwards through this second loop formed by the
detaching hook into the position shewn at (f 3) Figure 7). This second
movement of the barbed hook (e), the double hooks (15 and 1º), the pendulous
bar (3), the detaching hook (93), the needle slide (c³), and thread lifter (¹),
being a repetition of their former described movement. The slide (d) has a
backward movement withdrawing the hook (3) from out of the loop, the
double hook (5 and 2) now advances into the position shewn, carrying with
it the needle silk. (The object of these hooks (15 and 1º) sliding open is to
hold around them silk sufficient for the passage of the shuttle on the back-
ward side of the needle.) The slide (h¹) being retained at its greatest height
the double hook (5 and 2) must necessarily draw the loop tight that has been
retained round the circular hook (3), the shuttle (f) being at the position
shewn in the Drawing, and the shuttle silk at its greatest tension, it is together
with the needle silk held in a line at right angles with the line of stitching in
a horizontal plane, by which means the shuttle silk is drawn into the position
marked (o) Figures 13, 14, 15). At this moment the mover (m2) is

page_text: actuated feeding the cloth forward one stitch, and there is a simultaneous
down stroke of the needle and slide (c³). When the needle has entered
the material a quick upward movement is given to the lever (n), taking the
pressure off the work, the mover (m) lifts upwards and forwards, and is
immediately pressed down by the lever (n) in its position shewn in the
Drawings. This completes the stitch, and after a sufficient number of stitches
has been made to work the straight side of the button hole the circular feed
motion is brought into operation. At the time when the needle slide (c³) is in
its upward position, the lever (o) being pressed inwards by the finger into
the position indicated bythe dotted lines will bring into operation the lever (o¹)
which has upon its lower edge an incline or wedge operating upon the set
screw carried on the lever (02), the slide (c³) will carry with it in its down-
ward movement the lever (02) until its lower end is pressed upon the material
by the spring (014), the slide (c³) continuing its downward movement until the
wedge at the top comes in contact with the lever (0¹); the wedge shape of
which lever entering underneath the set screw carried on the lever (0), will
give it a twisting or revolving motion upon its fulcrum (03); the operation
of this circular feeder takes place at the time that the mover (m²) is not
pressing upon the work. The lever (o') remaining beneath the set screw
carried on (02), until the needle slide (c³) has withdrawn the lever (02) from
pressing on the material, it then assumes its former position, the feeding of
the work at the eye of the button hole has, as it were, a double motion for
every stitch, the one for the division of the stitches, the other for turning
the material on the needle into a proper position for the next entry of the
needle. To overcome the crowding of the stitches around the eye of the
button hole, I introduce between the rocking lever (m) and the mover (m²) a
slide (0) shewn detached at (Figure 4), and connected to the lever (o) by
the lever (o), by which means I increase the traverse of the mover (m2) only
during the time that the circular feed motion is put in work by the lever (o).
This completes the eye of the button hole, the other straight side being worked
by a repetition of all the former described operations, it remains only to work
the end, this is effected by shifting the cloth into the required position, and
causing the barbed hook to work up through the material instead of through
the slit of the button hole as in working the sides. (Figure 22) shews two
forms of the barbed hook, the one pointed as at (a) to work the button
hole if the end is to be worked, the other form (6) I prefer to use if the end
is not to be worked. The circular feed motion above-named may also be
worked from the bed of the machine if preferred, the means by which this
is effected being shewn at (Figure 19); (05) is a slide carrying a pin, and

page_text: working in the same groove, in which the shuttle slides (f¹) works, and
actuated by a cam groove in the wheel (62), but not shewn; (616) is a small
slotted lever with a serrated stud or pin (6") working in a corresponding slot,
in the bed plate (Figure 11), and against the under side of the bar (³), and
partly revolving on a collar (0¹8) formed around the needle hole. I would
remark that the several mechanical parts herein described and illustrated
may be used separately or collectively with sewing machines of the ordinary
kind requiring merely in their adaptations such slight modifications as would
occur to the makers or users of such machines.
Figures 23 shews a modification of certain parts of the head of the machine,
vidclicit, the parts marked (0, 0¹), and an addition in the shape of the part
marked (x), which represents arod with a curved foot pierced for the silk to pass
through, this rod is secured to the face plate, and is for the purpose of holding the
"bar" or guimpe which is worked in around the edge of the button hole (020)
isa serpentine jointed notched leveradded to the lever (o),and having its fulcrum
at. (o), it is for the purpose of supporting the circular feeding bar (02), pre-
venting it from touching the cloth whilst working down the straight part of
the button hole. An eccentric lifting lever working on the pin (022) raises
through the plate (023), and the pins (024, 025), the parts marked (x, m, and k,)
simultaneously for the purpose of putting in or removing the work.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim without limiting myself to
these precise details,―
Firstly, causing the shuttle to assume the six positions requisite for properly
forming the stitch, and drawing it into its proper position, and also the curved
slot in the shuttle case for the purpose of equalizing the tension of the shuttle
silk.
Secondly, I claim the double sliding and partially revolving hook (5, 20)
for the purpose of drawing the needle silk into a horizontal position, and
withdrawing through the eye of the needle, the requisite length of silk or
any mere equivalent for such sliding hook, by which the same operation
may be performed.
Thirdly, I claim the circular grooved hook (d³), by which the needle loop
is held in position for the passage of the barbed hook (e').
Fourthly, I claim the detaching hook (g³).
Fifthly, I claim the pendulous bar () together with the plate upon which
it rests, the rocking bar (k) and cam (2), or their equivalents for feeding the
silk into the barbed book, and holding the work under operation.
Sixthly, I claim all the parts marked (0) or their equivalents, producing

page_text: circular movement of the cloth during the operation of stitching, and for
increasing the divergence of the stitches when working round the eye of
the button hole.
Seventhly, I claim the parts marked (r), which govern the width of the
stitching.
Eighthly, I clain the modifications of the parts of the head of the machine
shewn in (Figure 23).
Ninthly, I claim the form of shuttle with curved sunk slotted sides as
described.
And, lastly, I claim the arrangement and combination of the several
mechanical paris herein described and illustrated, or their mere equivalents,
forming improved machinery to be employed for sewing, stitching, or embroi-
dery, substantially as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Moore Clements, have hereunto
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
JAMES MOORE CLEMENTS. (L.S.)