IM- PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of 166, Fleet Street, in
the City of London, E.C., Patent Agent, for the Invention of,, IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."-A communication from J. P. Pirsson
residing in New York.
Sealed the 26th July 1859, and dated the 1st February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st February 1859.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, E.C., Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," (communicated to me by
a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference, firstly, to an improved method of constructing
the feeding parts, whereby the length of stitch can be regulated with the
greatest readiness, and the feed be given with certainty; and, secondly, to an
improved method of forming the stitch itself, whereby the loop is drawn with
certainty into the path of the looper or shuttle; the improvements being alike
applicable to a double or a single thread machine.
The improvement in the feeding parts is thus constructed :-At a, in the
accompanying Drawings, is shown a bar curved at the lower end toward the
needle, in the manner represented in Figure 2. This bar has a vibratory
motion upon a pin b near its upper end, and its lower end is drawn out into
the form of a blunt chisel, as shown. The pin. b passes through a vertical slot

page_text: in the said bar, in order that the bar may have also reciprocating motions.
The vibratory motion to withdraw the foot of the bar away from the needle,
and thereby give the feed, is effected by means of a cranked lever c, one arm
of which c', rests against the upper end of the bar a, the other arm c", being
acted on by a cam d, on the shaft E. Thus, when e" is thrown up by the
cam, the upper end of the bar a will be pressed inward by the arm c', and the
lower end withdrawn accordingly. So soon as the cam gets clear of the
arm c", that drops, and the return motion of the bar a is caused by a spiral
spring within the casing, which acts to throw the upper end of a outward, but
is not shown in the Drawings, being a common device. The upward recipro-
cating motion is given by a bell crank f, one arm f¹ of which takes into the
head of a link piece 9, screwed upon the side of the bar a. The other arm f" is
acted upon by a projection h upon the back of the driving crank for the needle
bar, as shown in Figure 1, and when this projection gets clear of the arm f",
the bar a is at liberty to drop. This alone would not be sufficient to secure
the amount of pressure necessary for giving a feed, and this is obtained by a
spring i, coiled upon the shaft f of the crank, and operating to force the
arm f¹ down. The operation of this part of the Invention will be as follows:-
It will be seen that the lower end of the bar a is not placed vertically beneath
its pin b, but is curved toward the needle, as shown in Figure 2. When the
cam d is not lifting the arm e", the foot of the bar a will rest upon the cloth
at the side of the needle, being pressed down upon it by the spring i, and when
the said cam comes into action, the motion of the lower end of a would, if
permitted, be to describe an arc, all of which, from the starting point, would
necessarily be below the surface of the cloth, and this insures a due pressure
to give the feed; although in consequence of the foot being unable actually to
go below the surface, the bar a must rise a little against the force of the
spring i, as the said foot is carried outward in giving the feed. The cams d
and are so timed to each other, and to the motions of the needle, that so
soon as the extent of feed has been given, the arm f¹ shall be thrown up,
raising thereby the bar a. The arm c¹¹ is then clear of its cam d, and conse-
quently the lower end of a is free to return toward the needle. The cam h
now passes by f, permitting the bar a to come down again upon the cloth to
serve as a stripper for the needle, while that is rising out of the cloth, and to
be again moved out for another feed, the distance to which it will be so moved
out being governed by a set screw in c', as shown. From this it is obvious
that whatever be the thickness of the cloth at the place where the foot comes
upon it, the operation of feeding will be effected with the sanie certainty.
The improvement in the parts for forming the stitch will be described as in

page_text: connection with a machine which forms a chain stitch by the interlocking of
two threads on the reverse side of the cloth. In Figures 3 and 4 the looping
hook which carries the second thread to be interlocked with the needle thread
is shown at n, and is moved by the arm o, operated from the main driving
shaft. It is well known that the loop from the needle thread does not always
bow out with certainty, so that the looper must inevitably enter, and many
devices, such as grippers, pincers, &c. have been resorted to in order to ensure
that the loop shall bow out on the proper side of the needle; as well as be so
spread open that the looper must pass into it. The Inventor accomplishes
this by employing a curved piece of metal as ", which is placed either just
above or below the path of the looper, and so as not to be struck by it. This
curved piece is set on an arm s, which is contred at s'. The curve of the out-
side face of the piece 7, from its point to about midway of its length, is a true
circle struck from s', but for the remainder it falls back of the line, and the
curved piece is so set, that the part near the point shall rub lightly upon the
needle as the said piece vibrates on its centro s'. The part of ", near to the
arm s, need not touch the needle at all. On the face of r is a finger spring t,
curved in the manner shown, and made to bear upon r at about one-third of
the distance from its point, as seen in the Figures. In Figure 3 the looper is
about to be withdrawn, and the needle and curved piece to advance for the
new stitch. As the needle comes down, the face of the end of r strikes it, and
at the time the curved piece has advanced so as to bring the point of contact
of its finger spring up to the needle, that will have come so far through that it
will force the spring open as 7 continues on, thus bringing the needle within
the open part between 1 and t. The needle now begins to retreat, throwing
out a loop, and as the piece 7 also retreats, its face rubbing against the needle,
renders it certain that the loop will be formed in one direction only, while the
finger spring holds the loop out so that the looper shall enter, as clearly shown
in Figure 4. If a shuttle be employed, the piece may be placed between it
and the under side of the table.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st August 1859.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, E.C.,

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Archibald Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Archibald Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," (communicated to me by
J. P. Pirsson residing in New York,) upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 Richard Archibald Brooman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being bad to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference, firstly, to an improved method of constructing
the feeding parts, whereby the length of stitch can be regulated with the
greatest readiness, and the feed be given with certainty; and, secondly, to an
improved method of forming the stitch itself, whereby the loop is drawn with
certainty into the part of the looper or shuttle; the improvements being alike
applicable to a double or a single thread machine.
The improvement in the feeding parts is thus constructed :-At-a, in the
accompanying Drawings, is shewn a bar curved at the lower end towards the
needle, in the manner represented in Figure 2. This bar has a vibratory
motion upon a pin 6 near its upper end, and its lower end is drawn out into
the form of a blunt chisel, as shewn. The pin b passes through a vertical slot
in the said bar, in order that the bar may have also reciprocating motions.
The vibratory motion to withdraw the foot of the bar away from the needle,
and thereby give the feed is effected by means of a cranked lever c, one arm
of which c¹, rests against the upper end of the bar a, the other arm c" being

page_text: acted on by a cam d on the shaft E; thus, when c is thrown up by the cam,
the upper end of the bar a will be pressed inward by the arın c', and the lower
end withdrawn, accordingly so soon as the cam gets clear of the arm c", that
drops, and the return motion of the bar a is caused by a spiral spring within
the casing, which acts to throw the upper end of a outward, but is not shown
in the Drawings, being a common device. The upward reciprocating motion
is given by a bell crank f, one arm fl of which takes into the head of a link
piece g, screwed upon the side of the bar a; the other arm f" is acted upon
by a projection h upon the back of the driving crank for the needle bar,
as shown in Figure 1, and when this projection gets clear of the arm f", the
bar a is at liberty to drop.. This alone would not be sufficient to secure the
amount of pressure necessary for giving a feed, and this is obtained by a spring
i, coiled upon the shaft f of the crank, and operating to force the arm f¹ down.
The operation of this part of the Invention will be as follows:-It will be
seen that the lower end of the bar a is not placed vertically beneath its pin b,
but is curved toward the needle, as shown in Figure 2. When the cam d is
not lifting the arm c", the foot of the bar a will rest upon the cloth at the side
of the needle, being pressed down upon it by the spring i, and when the said
cam comes into action, the motion of the lower end of a would, if permitted,
be to describe an arc, all of which, from the starting point, would necessarily
be below the surface of the cloth, and this insures a due pressure to give the
feed, although in consequence of the foot being unable actually to go below.
the surface, the bar a must rise a little against the force of the spring i, as the
said foot is carried outward in giving the feed. The cams d and h are so
timed to each other, and to the motions of the needle, that so soon as the
extent of feed has been given, the arm f¹ shall be thrown up, raising thereby
the bar a. The arm c¹ is then clear of its cam d, and consequently the lower
end of a is free to return toward the needle. The cam h¸now passes by f",
permitting the bar a to come down again upon the cloth to serve as a stripper
for the needle while that is rising out of the cloth, and to be again moved
out for another feed, the distance to which it will be so moved out being
governed by a set screw in c³, as shewn. From this it is obvious, that what-
ever be the thickness of the cloth at the place where the foot comes upon it,
the operation of feeding will be effected with the same certainty.
The improvement in the parts for forming the stitch will be described as in
connection with a machine which forms a chain stitch by the interlocking of
two threads on the reverse side of the cloth. In Figures 3 and 4 the looping
hook which carries the second thread to be interlocked with the needle thread
is shewn at n, and is moved by the arm o, operated from the main driving

page_text: shaft.
It is well known that the loop from the needle thread does not always
bow out with certainty, so that the looper must inevitably enter, and many
devices, such as grippers, pincers, &c. have been resorted to in order to ensure
that the loop shall bow out on the proper side of the needle, as well as be so
spread open that the looper must pass into it. The Inventor accomplishes
this-by-employing-a.curved piece of metal as ", which is placed either just
above or below the path of the looper, and so as not to be struck by it. This
curved piece is set on an arm s, which is centred at s¹. The curve of. the out-
side face of the piece », from its point to about midway of its length, is a truc
circle struck from s¹, but for the remainder, it falls back of that line, and the
curved piece is so set that the part near the point shall rub lightly upon the
needle as the said piece vibrates on its centre s'. The part of " near to the
arms need not touch the needle at all. On the face of is a finger spring t,
curved in the manner shewn, and made to bear upon r at about one-third of
the distance from its point, as seen in the Figures. In Figure 3 the looper is
about to be withdrawn, and the needle and curved piece to advance for the
new stitch; as the needle comes down, the face of the end of strikes it, and
at the time the curved piece has advanced so as to bring the point of contact
of its finger spring up to the needle that will have come so far through, that it
will force the spring open as continues on, thus bringing the needle within
the open part between ? and t. The needle now begins to retreat, throwing
out a loop, and as the piece r also retreats, its face rubbing against the needle,
renders it certain that the loop will be formed in one direction only, while the
finger spring holds the loop out so that the looper shall enter, as clearly shewn
in Figure 4. If a shuttle be employed, the piece may be placed between it
and the under side of the table.
?"
A modification of this Invention consists in the application of a needle
stripper and a cloth holder combined in one instrument, and made to operate
in connection with the feed foot and needle in such manner as to be made to
rest upon the cloth with different degrees of pressure at different times, so that
while the feeding foot is lifted off the cloth to take a new feed, and the needle
is being withdrawn, the pressure shall be greatest, and shall be least at the
moment of the feed being given. Thus, although the cloth at the time of
feeding is allowed to be moved with least resistance, it is still pressed
sufficiently to keep it smooth in the path of the needle and feed.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate this modification, only so much of the sewing
machine being represented as is necessary to exemplify the improved parts, all
omitted being of known construction. A represents the head or end of the
bracket overhanging the table; the needle stock is seen at B, and works in a

page_text: guide hole in A' as usual. This hole is enlarged in the under part sufficiently
to allow of the introduction of the tubular piece C to which the presser foot is
attached, and which picce also surrounds the needle stock and forms the guide
hole in continuation with that bored at the top so as to fit the stock. The
présser foot is attached by a rod to the tube C, as seen at D. This foot is
made to press hard upon the table by a spiral spring above the tube C, as
shewn at the letter e. The tube C has a slot c cut throughout its whole
length, for the purpose of allowing à pin i on the needle stock to play. This
pin is so placed, that when the stock is at its up-stroke, it will strike the coiled
spring e, and compress it, and thus taking its pressure at that moment off from
the presser foot, as shewn in Figure 6, but without raising the said foot from
the table upon which it will then rest by its weight only. This is the position
of the parts when the feed of cloth is to take place, and the feeding foot G is
seen to be also on the bed or table in position for gripping the cloth before
giving the feed, as the next movement of G will be for that purpose. The
cloth not being then held down by any greater pressure than the mere weight
of D resting upon it is easily drawn along, while at the same time it is kept
smooth, and also prevented from shifting its position before the needle enters:
The shape of the cams which drive the needle arm and the feeding foot is such
as to cause the needle to be held up until the feed is given, hence there is no
necessity for any greater pressure upon the cloth than the weight of the
pressure foot, as above-named, but when the needle has entered, and is about
to be withdrawn, the pressure of the spring comes into play for the double
purpose of a stripper and to keep the cloth in place while the feed foot is lifted.
for returning to give the next feed. This pressure is applied by the spring
being allowed to come upon the head of C as the needle stock B descends.
The operation of these parts is as follows:-First turn the driving wheel until
the needle stock B is raised to its full height; this lifts the spring from the
presser D, which can then be raised by the finger piece H so that the foot will
stand clear of the table; it will remain up by the friction of the tube part in
the bracket head. The feeding foot must also be held up; this is done by
turning the arm I round so as to come under a pin on G, as seen in Figure 5.
The cloth can then be run under these pieces, and be placed in proper position
for sewing. The thread being in the eye of the needle, and all other parts in
order as usual, the sewing will go on by setting the machine in motion. The
needle as it is forced down by B enters the cloth through a split in the foot D,
so that the latter embraces it on both sides, and close to the hole in the table,
the spring e forcing the foot down hard upon the cloth as the pin c¹ retreats
from under it. Turning the arm I will release the feed foot, which is driven

page_text: down by the force of its spring pressure upon the cloth, and so soon as the
needle stock has risen to.such height as to again compress the spring e, the
feed foot gives its lateral movement, and takes the cloth along the distance for
spacing the stitch. This order of movements goes on continuously, effecting
the sewing as usual. When the cloth is to be removed, the presser and the
feed foot are to be raised, as already described, and the cloth thereby released.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the mode of constructing and operating the feeding mechanism, as set
forth herein.
Secondly, the curved piece r, constructed and operating substantially as set
forth, in combination with the needle and with the thread carrier or looper.
Thirdly, the presser foot, in combination with its spring and with the needle
stock, when so arranged that by the operation of the latter the force of the
spring will be taken from the presser foot at the time the feed of cloth is to be
given, that is while the needle is out of the cloth, but without raising the said
presser foot from the cloth, in the manner and for the purpose substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.