IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINE
NEEDLES." A communication from abroad by Patrick H. Newbill,
of Los Angelos, California, United States of America.
Sealed the 11th March 1870, and dated the 5th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th November 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINE NEEDLES," a communication, to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to improvements in needles for sewing
machines; it consists in certain details of construction herein-after
described, and has for its objects economy of time and the facilitating of
the operation of threading the needle.

page_text: My needle differs from ordinary sewing machine needles in having
in addition to the eye at or near the point another and a much larger
eye in the upper portion of the needle above the "thrust,' these two
eyes being connected together by a slit, split, or passage extending from
one side of and below the top of the lower eye to the under side of the
upper or larger eye. The small eye at the point may be of the usual
size and form and in the same position as in ordinary sewing machine
needles, or the eye may be made much smaller, as the case requires.
When in use this needle will have the passage or slit connecting the
two eyes closed, but by applying force it can be easily sprung open.
The slit may extend below the eye into the point to avoid too great
pressure of the sides in passing the thread from the upper to the lower
eye, yet ordinarily I do not think this manner of construction essential.
In threading the needle the end of the thread is first passed through
the upper or large eye, and at some part of its length is forced down
through the slit to the small eye, making its way in passing by causing
the opposing sides of the needle to separate or open till it enters the
small eye; the sides then close or spring together again by their
elasticity and prevent the escape of the thread from the small or
working eye.
The slit is preferably extended below the top of the lower or small
eye and enters the same at one side, so that when the needle is in
operation the thread is kept from being forced up the slit or split as
the thrusts are made in the fabric, and so as to form a hook.
It will be readily observed that by constructing the needle in this
manner with two eyes and connecting them by a slit, split, or passage,
the threading of the needle is rendered very easy, and can be much
more quickly performed than by the ordinary method of passing the end
of the thread through the small eye. Moreover, by this construction the
needle is not weakened but is made stronger and more elastic than
ordinary needles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES," a communication to me from abroad by
Patrick H. Newbill, of Los Angelos, California, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, 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 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 William Robert Lake, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
The said Invention relates to improvements in needles for sewing
machines; it consists in certain details of construction herein-after
described, and has for its objects economy of time and facility in the
operation of threading the needle.

page_text: In the said Drawing Figures 1 and 2 are side views of my improved
needle; Figure 3 is an edge view of the same. Like letters refer to
the same parts in each of the Figures.
It will be seen by reference to these Figures that the said needle
differs from ordinary sewing machine needles in having in addition to
the eye a at or near the point another and a much larger eye 6 in the
upper portion of the needle above the "thrust," these two eyes being
connected together by a slit, split, or passage c extending from one side
of and below the top of the lower eye to the under side of the upper or
larger eye. The small eye a at the point may be of the usual size and
form and in the same position as in ordinary sewing machine needles, or
may be made much smaller, as the case requires.
When in use my improved needle will have the passage or slit c
connecting the two eyes closed, as shewn in Figure 1, but it can be
easily sprung open, as shewn in Figure 2. The slit c may extend
below the eye towards the point to avoid too great pressure of the sides
in passing the thread from the upper to the lower eye, yet ordinarily
I do not think this manner of construction essential.
In threading the needle the end of the thread is first passed through
the eye b either by the fingers or by the aid of a small hook, and some
part of its length is forced down through the slit c to the small eye a,
making its way in passing by causing the opposing sides of the needle
to separate or open till it enters the small eye, after which the sides
close or spring together again by their elasticity and prevent the escape
of the thread from the eye a.
The slit c preferably enters the lower or small eye a at one side of
the top of the same, so that when the needle is in operation the thread
is kept from being forced up the slit or split c as the thrusts are made
in the fabric. By thus cutting the slit a little at one side of the upper
end of the lower eye such upper end forms a hook and ensures the
retention of the thread in the eye even if the pressure of the two sides
of the needle should not be found sufficient for that purpose.
It will be readily observed that by constructing the needle in this
manner with two eyes, and connecting them by a slit, split, or passage,
the threading of the needle is rendered very easy, and can be more
quickly performed than by the ordinary method of passing the end of
the thread through the small eye a. Moreover, by this construction the

page_text: needle is not weakened but is made stronger and more elastic than
ordinary needles.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. The opening or eye b above the "thrust" of a sewing machine
needle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The slit or split c forming a passage from the upper to the
lower eye and communicating with the two eyes, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
5
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. TEARE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings,
London.