IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: · LETTERS PATENT to Carl Necker, of the Firm of Necker and Co., of 29,
Prinzenstrasse, Berlin, Prussia, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 13th July 1877, and dated the 28th February 1877.
PROVIȘIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Necker at the
Office of the Commissioners, of Patents on the 28th February 1877.
CARL NECKER, of the Firm of Necker & Co., of 29, Prinzenstrasse, Berlin,
Prussia. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in sewing machines, and the im-
provements have reference to sewing machines in which the fabric to be sewn is
nipped and held between the circumference of two horizontal cylinders which are
pressed together, and are mounted at some distance above the bed of the machine.
The needle by which the fabric is pierced is as heretofore a horizontal needle, and
is worked to and fro radially to the axes of the cylinders and over the point at
which the cylinders meet together. It is carried by an arm from a slide to which a
horizontal to-and-fro motion is given from a cam on a cam axis. I make the arm
of a curved form, to pass over and well clear of the feeding cylinder nearest to the
cam axis, and so as to come over the top of the outer feeding cylinder. The needle is
secured to the end of the arm with its point towards the cam axis, so that the
needle pierces the fabric as it moves in a direction towards this axis.
To secure the loops of threads passed through the fabric by the horizontal needle,
loops of another thread are passed through and interlaced with them by a curved
needle which has an oscillating revolving motion given to it, as is well understood,
but in place of this curved needle being upon a spindle at right angles to the.
straight needles, as is usual in other classes of sewing machines, it is upon a spindle
parallel with it. This spindle lies above the top of the cylinder nearest to the cam
axis. To give motion to the spindle I form its rear end with a spiral twist which
is embraced by a nut upon the slide of the straight needle, so that as this slide
moves to and fro in a straight line an oscillating revolving motion is given to the
axis of the curved needle.
The vertical stems of the two feeding cylinders for feeding forward the fabric
both pass down through the bed of the machine, and upon the lower end of each is
ונ..

page_text: a toothed wheel. The two toothed wheels gear together, so that if one spindle is
turned the other turns with it, whereby both cylinders aid to feed the fabric forward.
A step by step revolving motion is given to one of the spindles by.a ratchet acting
upon a wheel on its lower end, the ratchet being actuated from a cam or eccentric
on the cam or driving shaft before mentioned. The lower end of the spindle of one
of the cylinders (the outer one) is carried by the end of a lever below the bed of the
machine;
a spring acts upon this lever to turn it in a direction to force the cylinder,
which it carries up to and against the other cylinder, the axis of which turns in fixed
bearings. The lever is connected to a treadle, so that by depressing the treadle the
moveable cylinder may be moved away from the ot her cylinder and the cylinders be
so caused to release their hold of the work.
In place of securing the loops of thread passed through the fabric by the straight
needle by interlacing with them loops of another thread by means of a curved
needle, as above described, they may be secured by passing another thread through
them by a shuttle. In this case I cause the shuttle to oscillate to and fro in a cir-
cular race situated above the cylinder which is nearest to the cam shaft, and which
has its face close up to the point where the two cylinders meet together. The
shuttle race is in a vertical plane, and the shuttle-driver is carried by a hori-
zontal axis to which a revolving oscillating motion is imparted from the cam
shaft. The axis may for this purpose have a pinion upon its rear end gearing
with a curved toothed rack carried by a horizontal arm which is caused to rock to
fro by a cam or eccentric on the cam axis, the cam axis in this case being placed
vertically.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Carl Necker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th August
1877.
CARL NECKER, of the Firm of Necker & Co., of 29, Prinzenstrasse, Berlin,
Prussia. IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in sewing machines, and the im-
provements have reference to sewing machines in which the fabric to be sewn is
nipped and held between the circumference of two horizontal cylinders which are
pressed together and are mounted at some distance above the bed of the machine.
The needle by which the fabric is pierced is as heretofore a horizontal needle, and
is worked to and fro radially to the axes of the cylinders and over the point at
which the cylinders meet together. It is carried by an arm from a slide to which
a horizontal to and fro motion is given from a cam on a cam axis. I make the arm
of a curved form to pass over and well clear of the feeding cylinder nearest to the
cam axis and so as to come over the top of the outer feeding cylinder; the needle
is secured to the end of the arm with its point towards the cam axis, so that the
needle pierces the fabric as it moves in a direction towards this axis.
To secure the loops of the thread passed through the fabric by the horizontal
needle another thread is passed through the loops of the shuttle. I cause the
shuttle to oscillate to and fro in à circular race situated above the cylinder which is
nearest to the cam shaft, and which has its face close up to the point where the two
cylinders meet together. The shuttle race is in a vertical plane, and the shuttle
driver is carried by a horizontal axis to which a revolving oscillating motion is in-
parted from the cam shaft. The axis may for this purpose have a pinion upon its
rear end gearing with a curved toothed rack carried by a horizontal arm, which is
caused to rock to and fro by a cam or eccentric on the cam axis, the cam axis in
this case being placed vertically.
The vertical stems of the two feeding cylinders for feeding forward the fabric
both pass down through the bed of the machine, and upon the lower end of each is
a toothed wheel; the two toothed wheels gear together, so that if one spindle is

page_text: turned the other turns with it, whereby both cylinders aid to feed the fabric
forward. A step by step revolving motion is given to one of the spindles
by a ratchet acting upon a wheel on its lower end, the ratchet being actuated from
a cam or eccentric on the cam or driving shaft before mentioned. The lower end
of the spindle of one of the cylinders (the outer one) is carried by the end of a lever
below the bed of the machine; a spring acts upon this lever to turn it in a direction
to force the cylinder, which it carries up to and against the other cylinder, the axis
of which turns in fixed bearings. The lever is connected to a treadle, so that by.
depressing the treadle the moveable cylinder may be moved away from the other
cylinder and the cylinders be so caused to release their hold of the work.
In place of securing the loops of thread's passed through the fabric by the straight
needle by interlacing with them loops of another thread by means of a shuttle as
above described, they may be secured by passing another thread through them by
a curved needle. In this case loops of another thread are passed through and inter-
laced with them by a curved needle, which has an oscillating revolving motion
given to it, as is well understood, but in place, of this curved needle being upon a
spindle at right angles to the straight needle as is usual in other classes of sewing
machines, it is upon a spindle parallel with it. This spindle lies above the top of
the cylinder nearest to the cam axis. To give motion to the spindle I form its rear
end with a spiral twist which is embraced by a nut upon the slide of the straight
needle, so that as this slide moves to and fro in a straiglit line an oscillating revolving
motion is given to the axis of the curved needle.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
more fully the manuer of performing the same.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shown a shuttle sewing machine
arranged as herein-before described.
Figure 1 is a side view of the machine with the cover plate of its left hand por-
tion removed; Figure 2 is a plan view of the same with the top cover of the same
portion of the machine removed; Figure 3 is an under side view of the machine;
and Figure 4 is a front view of a portion of the same.
In these Figures A is the driving axis, which may be driven by a cord from an
axis worked by a treadle, or may be otherwise driven. This axis gives motion
through bevil toothed wheels to an upright axis B, from which motion is given to
the several parts of the machine. On its upper end it carries a crank pin C, which
enters a slot D¹ in a slide D, that carries the needle. It also carries an eccentric E!
which gives a to-and-fro motion to a toothed arc E carried by arms, between which
the eccentric works and which turn on a pin at E². The toothed arc E gives a to-
and-fro motion to a pinion F¹, on an axis F, which at its opposite end carries the
shuttle driver. On the lower end of the axis B is an eccentric G for giving a step-
by-step motion to the feeding cylinders as herein-after described. H, H³, are the
two feeding cylinders between which the work is nipped and held, and which move
the work forward step by step as the stitching progresses. The stem of the cylinder H,
which is nearest to the axis B, is carried down through the bed plate I of the
machine, and has upon it, below the bed plate, a toothed wheel H2, which gears with
a toothed wheel H³, on the stem of the cylinder H¹, so that when one cylinder is
revolved the other revolves with it. The stem of the cylinder His hollow, and is
free to turn upon a rod J¹ fixed in the shorter arm of the lever J. The longer arm
of this lever has bearing upon it a rod J2 pressed downwards by a spring Js, so that
the cylinder H¹ is constantly pressed towards the cylinder H. The longer arm has
also connected to it a rod J which descends to a treadle by which it can be raised,
and when raised it turns the lever J on its fulcrum J5, and so moves the cylinder H¹
The slot in
away from the cylinder H whenever it is desired to set the work free.
the bed plate I through which the stem of the cylinder H descends being sufficiently
large to allow the stem to be thus rocked to and fro. On the lower end of the stem
of the cylinder H is a disc K, against the circumference of which rests a portion of
the ratchet lever L, which turns loosely around the stem..
The end of the lever which bears upon the circumference of the disc K has con

page_text: nected to it a spring L¹, which draws it constantly towards a fixed pin L2, to which
the opposite end of the spring is connected. The opposite arm of the lever L is con-
nected by a link to a rocking lever L3 turning on a fulcrum at LA, and this lever is
rocked by the eccentric G on the lower end of the axis B, as shewn at Figure 3.
By this means a rocking motion is given to the ratchet lever L, and a step by step
revolving motion to the stem of the cylinder H. The disc K has pads K¹ pressed
against it by springs K2, to impede it from moving during the backward motion of
the ratchet lever, but which allows it to turn on the forward movement of the lever,
when it grips against the circumference of the disc, as is well understood. The
amount of movement given to the cylinder H at cach revolution of the eccentric G
can be varied by moving the fulcrum of the rocking lever L³ nearer to or further
from the eccentric. It is for this purpose mounted on a slide Lo, carried by the bed
plate, and which can be fixed in any desired position by a set screw L', shewn at
Figure 2. The above ratchet arrangement for giving a step-by-step movement to
the stem of the cylinder H is what is known as a smooth or silent ratchet, but other
ratchet arrangements might be used.
The slide Ď which carries the needle passes, as shewn, above the top of the
cylinder H, and at its end passes downwards and carries a horizontal needle just
above the top of the cylinder H¹. Its pointed end, which carries a thread as usual,
works to and fro over the point where the cylinders H, H', meet together, and as it
passes over the cylinder Hit enters a small hole formed in the front fixed portion
of the circular shuttle race M, see Figure 4. The shuttle N, carrying the second
thread, lies in the shuttle race, and is rocked to and fro in this race by a shuttle
driver O on the axis F, to which a to-and-fro revolving motion is given, as herein-
before described.
The front face of the shuttle race M is enclosed by a moveable plate M³, which
can be turned aside, as shewn at Figure 4, for the purpose of removing the shuttle.
O¹ is a small spring on the shuttle driver O to bear against the front of the shuttle.
The thread for the horizontal needle passes from the bobbin P, to which any
ordinary friction arrangement is applied, and through an eye P¹, to an eye in a
rocking arm P, which is by a spring moved backwards as the needle moves for-
wards, so as to take up slack thread. The thread also for the same purpose passes
through a slotted rod P³, and rests upon a cap P³, pressed upwards by a spring
around the slotted rod, as shown at Figure 1, it then passes through eyes P5 on
the needle arm to the needle.
As before stated a second thread may be passed through and interlaced with the
loops of the straight horizontal needle by means of a curved needle which has an
oscillating revolving motion given to it, as herein-before described, in place of passing
a thread through the loops of the thread of the straight needle by a shuttle, as above
more particularly described.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that the details of the machine herein-before
described and shewn in the Drawings may be considerably varied, but what I
claim is,-
.
First. The combined arrangement of sewing machine, substantially as herein-
before described.
Second. The combined arrangement of reciprocating arm carrying the straight
needle, together with the feeding cylinders H, H', the needle being carried above
the cylinder H' furthest from the cam axis, and moving towards this axis in its
forward movement, as herein- before described.
Third. Placing the shuttle race in a vertical plane above the feeding cylinder H,
and with the face of the shuttle race close up to the point where the cylinders H, H',
meet together.
Fourth. Mounting the cylinders H, H¹, with their stems passing down through
the bed plate of the machine, and geared together, and with the stem of the
cylinder H carried by a lever below the bed plate, as and for the purpose herein-
before described.

page_text: Fifth. The combined arrangement of curved needle carrying the second thread,
working above the cylinder H, and carried by a spindle parallel with the straight
needle, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Necker, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
CARL NECKER. (L.S.)