Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1893—Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
We, GEORGE HELLIAR COLLEY, of Jackson, Michigan, U.S.A., Machinist,
and THE WEEKS COLLEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a Corporation organized
and existing under the laws of the State of Michigan, U.S.A., and having its
principal place of business at Jackson, in said State, Manufacturers, 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:-
This invention relates to sewing machines, but more particularly to two-needle
or multiple-needle machines of the rotating shuttle type.
One object of the invention is to provide means for readily introducing an
extra needle or needles in an ordinary two-needle or multiple-needle rotating shuttle
machine having the usual double or multiple shuttle-race.
Another object is to provide means for multiplying the number of needles that
may be actuated by a single driving shaft as ordinarily employed in one and two-
needle machines.
A further object is to provide means for combining a plurality of shuttles and
needles without circumscribing or limiting the relative positions of the needles or
the number that may be employed in a particular machine.
These several objects may be attained by the mechanism illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, in which we have shown two species of the invention
applied to a Singer two-needle machine, and in one of which the shuttle-race for
the introduction of the third shuttle is formed in separate arcs with a removable or
hinged section and means for securing the same in proper position, while in the
other a number of shuttle-races or separable circular sections of a multiple-race
and needles are combined in such manner as to permit a greater or less number to
be employed and the spacings between the shuttles and needles to be adjusted as
may be desired. Other forms may, however, be employed and various changes
may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts, according to require-
ments, and to adapt the invention to other types of machines employing rotating
shuttles.
The invention will first be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, which form a part of this Specification, and then pointed out in the
claims at the end of this description.
Referring to the drawings by figures and letters of reference,
Figure represents a front end elevation of so much of a sewing machine as is
necessary to illustrate the application of this invention.
Figure 2 is a bottom plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a side elevation.
Figure 4 is a detail sectional view, the section being taken on the line IV-IV
of Figure 1, with the shuttle in the position shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5 is a side view of the shuttle-race detached; and
Figure 6 is a rear view of the same.
Figure 7 is a detail side elevation illustrating a modification of the invention.
Figure 8 is a side view of the race-way shown in Figure 7; and
Figure 9 is a detail plan of the needle-holder.
A, denotes the work-plate of the sewing machine; B, the overhanging arm of
the frame or goose-neck which supports and guides the needle-bar C, and presser-
foot bar D; c, c, are the needles, and d, the presser-foot, carried by the bars C,
and D, respectively.

page_text: E, denotes the usual shuttle driving shaft; F, the feed-rocker-arm; G and G',
the feed-rocker shafts; H, the feed-dog; I, a circular interiorly grooved casing
forming the race-way, and K, the rotary shuttles working in said grooves or races
and carrying the usual bobbins.
The parts as thus far described are of the usual and well known construction
in rotating shuttle machines, and may be operated in the usual way and therefore
further description thereof herein is not deemed necessary.
In the ordinary two-needle machine there are two races formed in a single
casting or casing and in the multiple-needle machine a series of races in which the
shuttles are confined and guided in their movements; a fixed number of needles
and shuttles being employed and working in positions which are relatively
unchanging; and it is often times desirable to introduce another needle or
needles, but this cannot be done with machines as ordinarily constructed. To
accomplish this result in an ordinary two-needle machine we provide an inter-
mediate shuttle-race or races ¹, between the usual races i, i, by dividing the
race-way casing vertically or forming an elongated circumferential slot I', therein,
to receive a segment 12, the curved inner face of which is grooved to coincide
with the groove in the stationary portion of the race-way and form a guide or
race for a third shuttle. The segment 12, may be secured in position in any
proper manner, but for convenience in opening and closing it so as to permit the
insertion or removal of the shuttle, the segment is preferably hinged as at 3, and
provided with a knob or handle, for turning it upon its hinge so as to open or
close the shuttle race. When closed the segment I may be locked by a spring-
pressed locking pin or bolt L, which slides in a bracket M, underneath the work-
plate in position to enter an opening, in the race-way casing, which opening
registers with a corresponding opening, in the segment. The pin L, is provided
with a thumb-piece or milled head 1, having a peripheral notch, which is engaged
by and slides along a pin or stud m, projecting from the bracket M, so that the
locking pin is prevented from turning until the notch passes the outer end of the
stud, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 4, whereupon, by a slight rotary
movement of the locking pin, the notch in the head will be turned out of the
path of the stud so as to cause the latter to hold the locking pin disengaged from
the segment. Thereupon the segment may be drawn out to the position shown in
dotted lines in Figure 4, and in full lines in Figure 5, by a pull upon the knob 13.
Instead of dividing the race-way into separate arcs as thus far described, with
removable or hinged sections for introducing the third or greater number of
shuttles, the race-way may consist of two or more separate circular sections or a
combination of races 13, 14, as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. The section or
race 1, is stationary and provided with pins 1º, which engage openings through the
adjustable sections 1', which may be adjusted along said pins and secured at any
desired distance apart thereon or with reference to the stationary section, by
means of set screws iº, or in any proper manner. To adapt the needles to be corre-
spondingly adjusted, we provide means for securing the needles in any desired
position with reference to the positions of the shuttles and shuttle-races, as
illustrated in Figure 7. This may be done in a number of ways, but we preferably
provide an arm or needle-holder C¹, having the usual needle sockets and socketed
head to receive the needle-bar with a lateral extension C', off-set as at c³, so as to
set the needles carried thereby in line with the needles in the usual needle-sockets,
and secure upon said extension sliding clips C³, C', having sockets and set screws
therein as shown for the attachment of the needles. The clips may be secured at
any desired point along the supporting bar by set screws c³.
To remove the intermediate shuttle in Figures 1 to 6, the driving wheel of the
machine should be turned toward the operator until the needle-bar is at its lowest
point, whereupon the bolt L, may be drawn out and given a slight turn whereby it
will be locked so as to prevent it from being forced inward by the recoil of the
spring. Then by a downward pull upon the knob i³, the section or segment 12, of
the shuttle-race may be brought to the position shown in dotted and full lines in

page_text: Figures 4 and 5, respectively, in which position the shuttle K, may be easily opened
for changing bobbins or removal entirely. Figures 1, 2 and 4, show the shuttle-
race closed, and Figures 5 and 6, show the race opened for refilling. The dotted
lines in Figure 7 show the combination shuttle-race closed. The full lines show the
race opened by sliding the outer section 14, along on the bars 15, to permit easy
access to the intermediate shuttle or shuttles either for removal or refilling with
bobbins.
It will be understood, of course, that the invention in either form is not restricted
to the use of three needles, but additional needles may be introduced by making
similar combinations of shuttle-races and needles corresponding ad libitum.
Figure 7 illustrates the adaptability and scope of this plan of multiplying needles
and rendering the same adjustable so as to change the spacing of the needles to
correspond with the spacing of the shuttles which is a very desirable feature of the
invention.
By providing the needle-holder with adjustable needle-sockets, as illustrated in
Figure 7, it is adapted to be used interchangeably with a needle-holder of ordinary
construction, as illustrated in Figure 3, and also in connection with multiple shuttles
of different widths, requiring the needles to be placed at different distances apart;
provision being made for setting the needles to correspond with the distance
between the shuttles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1st. In a rotating shuttle sewing machine, the combination of a race-way casing
provided with a plurality of guide-grooves or shuttle-races, and a supplementary
race and means for opening and closing the latter independently of the other races,
so as to permit the introduction or removal of a supplementary or additional
shuttle without disarranging other parts of the machine, substantially as described.
2nd. In a rotating shuttle sewing machine, a multiple race comprising a rigid
race-way casing having a plurality of circular guide-grooves or races therein to
receive a fixed number of shuttles, and a sectional supplementary race and means
for opening and closing the same so as to permit the introduction or removal of
an additional shuttle at will, substantially as described.
3rd. In a rotating shuttle sewing machine, a multiple race comprising a race-way
casing provided with a plurality of interior circular guide-grooves or races and
with an intermediate elongated circumferential slot, a segment fitting said slot and
provided with a guide-groove coinciding with an intermediate groove in the casing
so as to form a supplementary race, and means for securing said segment in said
slot, substantially as described.
4th. In a rotating shuttle sewing machine, a multiple race comprising a race-
way casing provided with a plurality of interior circular guide-grooves or races
and with an intermediate elongated circumferential slot, a hinged segment fitting
said slot and provided with a guide-groove coinciding with an intermediate groove
in the casing so as to form a supplementary race, and means for securing the
segment in said slot, substantially as described.
5th. In a rotating shuttle sewing machine, a multiple race comprising a race-way
casing provided with a plurality of interior circular guide-grooves or races and
with an intermediate elongated circumferential slot, a hinged segment fitting said
slot and provided with a guide-groove coinciding with an intermediate groove in
the casing so as to form a supplementary race, and a spring-pressed pin for locking
said segment within the slot, substantially as described.
6th. In combination with the race-way casing provided with a plurality of
interior circular guide-grooves or races and an elongated circumferential open slot
intercepting one of said grooves, the segment fitting said slot and having a groove
therein struck on the arc of the circle described by said intercepted groove, so as
to form a sectional supplementary race, the latter being adapted to be opened and

page_text: closed independently of the other races, and means for securing the segment in said
slot, substantially as described.
7th. In combination with the race-way casing provided with a plurality of
interior circular guide-grooves or races and an elongated circumferential open slot
intercepting one of said grooves, the hinged segment fitting said slot and having a
groove therein struck on the arc of the circle described by said intercepted groove,
so as to form a sectional supplementary race, the latter being adapted to be
opened and closed independently of the other races to permit the insertion or
removal of an additional shuttle, and the sliding pin adapted to lock said segment
when closing said slot, substantially as described.
8th. In a rotating shuttle sewing machine, the combination of a multiple shuttle
race-way casing provided with a supplementary race and means for opening and
closing the latter to permit the insertion or removal of an additional shuttle,
together with the needle-bar and the needle-holder supporting the adjustable needle-
sockets, and means for securing the latter in various positions, whereby the number
of needles employed and the spacing of the same may be varied to correspond with
the number and spacing of the shuttles, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of September A.D. 1893.
GEORGE HELLIAR COLLEY.
WEEKS COLLEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY,
By EUGENE JAMES WEEKS, President.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.