Improvements in Feed and Presser Apparatus for Sewing Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed and Presser Apparatus for Sewing Machines.
I, LEWIS WOOD TRACY, of 521 Bainbridge Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A., Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a feeding device to act as an over-table
feed and to act independently of the presser-foot, both of these devices and their
operating mechanisms being attached to the head of the machine, or that part which
lies over the table and carries the needle-bar, and both of them are actuated by the
needle-bar, the mechanisin in the presser-foot being such that it is lifted and held clear
of the goods, and is allowed to press on and hold the goods during the backward
novement of the feeding.device and while the needle is passing through the goods.
The means for raising the presser-foot consist of a small lever pivoted on a pin
projecting from the presser-foot bar through a slot in the head. A stud or lug
projects from the head, on which rests a short arm or tappet of the lever. A stud
or lug projects from the side of the-needle-bar in such manner as to act on the bent
upper end of the lever when the needle-bar is moving into its upper position,
thereby lifting the presser-foot and holding it up when the needle is raised, by reason
of the tappet hearing upon the lug. When the needle descends, the lug moves awa
from the lever and allows the presser-foot to be depressed by its spring.
The feeding device, having a serrated under surface to act on the goods, is
supported at two points, one at its central part by a pivotal connection to the lower
end of a lever, and the other at its end, which is offset from the serrated part, by a
horizontally arranged sliding connection to the lower end of a bar depending from the
upper part of the presser-foot bar. The lever is arranged to rook on a stud or other
bearing projecting from the head, and its upper end is provided with an adjustable pin or
slide, arranged to play in a slot of a plate, attached pivotally to the head, and adapted
to be actuated thereby. This plate is adapted to rock, and on its edge adjacent to
the needle-bar is formed an upper projection and a lower inclined face, against which
projection and face the stud or lug, extending from the side of the needle-bar, works
when the needle-bar is reciprocated.
During the lower part of the movement of the needle-bar, or when the needle is
in the goods, the lug is neting against the face of the plate, and through the inedium
of the lever inoves the feed backwardly for a fresh grip on the material, the feed being
at this time raised clear of the material by the depression of the bar depending from the
presser-foot bar, which is carried down by a dog bearing on the top of said bar by a
spring.
Dated this 15th day of August 1890.
PERCY R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Feed and Fresser Apparatus for Being
I, LEWIS WOOD TRACY, of 521 Bainbridge Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A., Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described aud ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the invention is to provide a feeding device for sewing machines that
embodies all the essential operating features of a perfect feeding device--that is one
acting rectilinearly on the goods to feed thein under the needle, noving away from
and backwardly clear of the goods, and then coming again in contact with the
goods, and is simple in construction, inexpensive to make, and adapted for use in
the cheaper kinds of machines and hand-driven machines. This I accomplish by
constructing the feeding device to act as an over table feed and to act independently
of the presser foot, both of these devices and their operating mechanisms being
attached to the head of the machine, or that part which lies over the table and carries
the needle bar, and both of them are actuated by the needle bar, the improvements
in the presser foot mechanism being such that it is lifted and held clear of the goods
while the feeding device is moving the goods, and is allowed to press on and hold the
goods during the backward inoverment of the feeding device and while the needle is
passing through the goods.
The invention also embraces simple means for raising the feeding device and the
presser foot away from the table for the admission and reinoval of the goods to and
from the machine.
All of these and other improvements will be hereinafter described by reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which :--
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a band-power sewing machine embodying my
improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, partly in section, on the
line 2-2 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of the head taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2,
shewing the presser foot mechanism with the presser foot down. Fig. 4 is a similar
view shewing the presser foot raised from the table. Fig. 5 is a view shewing the
other side of the head and the feeding nechanism with the feeding device raised.
Fig. 6 is a similar view shewing the feeding device down. Fig. 7 is a vertical section
of the bead shewing the presser foot; and Fig. 8 is an underneath view of the lower
thread carrying and looping machine.
While the class and style of machine shewn in the drawings is one well adapted to
have my improvements applied thereto, it will be understood that the said
improvements may be easily applied to and properly perform their functions on any
class or style of sewing machine having a reciprocating needle bar.
In the machine shewn a represents the bed or table provided with a clamp a¹, by
which the machine may be attached to a bench or other suitable place. In a
dependent bracket a is fitted the shaft b, provided with a crank handle band having
the eccentric be, which actuates the eccentric rod b. On the side of the eccentric b
This bar c is
is a grooved cam in which works a roller attached to the sliding bar c.
joined at one end by a pivotal connection to the short arm of the lever c¹ which is
fitted to rock on the stud c, projecting from the under side of the table a. A
link connects the other end of the lever c¹ to the rocking arm d which carries
the curved needle d, arranged to play by the side of the needle when it passes through
the hole a in the table, and so form the stitches with the thread carried by the
needle aud the thread carried by itself. This latter thread is supplied from the
spool d

page_text: The head e is carried by or forms part of the arm or frame e', and in a groove e,
formed on its rear side, (seo Fig. 7) is fitted to slide the needle bar f, to which a
needle is clumped in an ordinary manner. This bar f is provided with a slot in
which works a pin on the end of the rocking arm g and is caused to be reciprocated
thereby, said arin g being pivoted at g' to the table a and pivoted to the upper end of
the eccentric rod 6 the thread for the needle is supplied from the spool . As
shewn in the drawings the presser foot & and feeding device i are side by side
and both above the table a, the end of the presser-foot being in the path of the
needle and perforated or slotted for the needle to pass through it. The presser
foot is carried by the bar & fitted to slide, by its enlarged lower end, in a vertical bore
in the head e and, by its upwardly extending rod in the bridge piece e. On this rod
is placed the compression spring h, acting between the enlarged part of A¹ and the
bridge piece e' to press the foot down. Around the rod of the har A' and resting on
the bridge piece is a spring j, somewhat weaker than the spring 4, and on the
top of this spring; rests the horizontally bent end of the bar, which is held on the
side of the head e by screws in such manner as to have vertical play thereon. To the
side of the upper end of the rod of the bar A is pivoted the dog or lever k whose side
rests on the top of the beat end of the bar j, as shewn in Figs. 2, 5, and 6.
The means for raising the presser foot consist of a small lever l, pivoted at on a
pin projecting from the bar hi through a slot in the head e, a stud or lug m projecting
from the head and shewn adjustably attached thereto, on which rests the small arm
or tappet of the lever, and a stud or lug m projecting from the side of the
needle bar in such manner as to act on the bent upper end of the lever when
the needle bar is moving into its upper position, thereby lifting the presser foot
and holding it up when the needle is raised, as shown at Fig. 4, by reason of the
tappet bearing on the lng n. When the needle descends, the lug m' moves away
from the lever l'and allows the presser foot to be depressed by its springs &, is shown
at Figs. 5.
The feeding device i formed as ebewn, having a serrated or roughened under
surface to act on the goods, is supported at two points, one at its central part by a
pivotal connection to the lower end of the lover a, and the other at its end, which is
off set from the serrated part, by a horizontally arranged sliding connection to the
lower end of the bar . The lever a is fitted to rock at a on a stud or other bearing
projecting from the head e, and its upper end is provided with an adjustable pin or
slide o arranged to play in a slot formed in the plate p and he netuated thereby.
This plate pin fitted to rock on the bearing or stud p', projecting from the head
about in line over the stud or bearing n' and on its edge adjacent to the needle bar
is formed an upper projection pt and a lower inclined face p³, against which projection
aud face the stud or lug 9, extending from the side of the needle bar /, works when
the needle-bar is reciprocated.
During the lower part of the movement of the needle bar f, or when the needle
is in the goods, the lug q is acting against the face p of the plate p, and through the
medium of the lever a moves the feed & backwardly for a fresh grip of the gooils, the
feed i being at this time raised clear of the goods by the depression of the bar j¹
which is carried down by the dog & bearing on the top of the bar, as at this
time the presser foot is depressed by its spring A, as shewn at Fig. 5.
9
When the needle bar fis moving into its upper position with the needle out of the
goods, the Ing q acts on the projection pt of the plate p and so moves the feed i
forward it now being pressed down on the goods as the bar jis raised by its spring j
the presser foot A being at this time lifted up, as before described, as shewn at Fig. 6.
The length of the feed is regulated by the adjustment of the pin or slide o. Now
when a piece of goods is to be placed in position for action of the machine or to be
removed therefrom, tho handle of the dog k is raised, which first depresses the bar,
thereby lifting the feed í, and brings the upper end of the bar in contact with tho
head e as the spring; is weaker than the spring h, and then raises the presser foot, h,
or the presser foot will be held up if the needle bar is in its highest position, thus
leaving a clear space between the table and the feeding device and presser foot.

page_text: It will be observed that the construction of these improved feeding and presser foot
mechanisms is such that these devices will properly perform their functions
whichever way the driving shaft is turned, as their action depends solely on the
reciprocation of the needle bar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of ny said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) In a sewing machine the combination of a reciprocating needle bar, the
head of the inachine in which the needle bar is fitted to work, means for actuating
the needle bar, a lever pivoted to the head, a feeding device pivoted at its central
part to the lever and having teeth or serrations ou its underside at one end and
a horizontal slot at the other end; a bar fitted to slide vertically on the head
and having a pin or stud embraced by the slot of the feeding device, a spring
holding this bar in its upward position; and means for actuating the lever from
the needle-bar.
(2) In a sewing machine the combination of a reciprocating needle bar, the head
of the machine in which it works, means for actuating it, a feeding device serrated
on its lower side at one ond and having a slot at its other end, a pin or stud ou
which the slot works, a lever pivoted to the head, and to which the feeding device is
attached, and means for actuating the lever from the needle-bar, consisting of a plate
pivoted to the head having projecting and inclined edges, a stud on the needle-bar
arranged to work against said edges and an adjustable pin or slide connecting the
lever and the plate.
(3) In a sewing machine, the combination of a vertically spring actuated presser
foot, a lever pivoted thereto a fixed lug on which one end of the lever bears, a
reciprocating needle-bar, a stud carried thereby arranged to act on the other end of
the lever to raise the presser foot, and means for actuating the needle bar; the head
of the machine in which the presser foot and needle bar work and a plate adjustably
attached to the head and carrying the lug, whereby the height that the presser foot
is raised by the needle-bar may be varied.
(4) In a sewing machine, the combination of a reciprocating needle-bar, the head
of the machine in which it works, ineans for actuating it, a feeding device serrated on
its lower side and carried by a lever pivoted to the head, and means for actuating the
lever from the needle-bar; a spring actuated presser foot, a lever pivoted thereto, a
lug attached to the head on which one end of the lever bears, and a stud carried by
the needle-bar arranged to act on the other end of this lever and raise the presser
foot.
(5) In a sewing machine, the combination of the head, a presser foot having an
upwardly extending rod passing through the head, a spring acting to press the
presser foot down, a bar fitted to slide vertically on the head with its upper end
embracing the rod of the presser foot, a spring acting to hold this bar up, a dog
pivoted to the rod of the presser foot, and arranged to act on the upper end of the
sliding bar to depress it and also to raise the presser foot, a feeding device held at
its central part, on a swinging pivot, serrated at one end on its under side and
connected by a slot and pin at its other end and to the lower end of the vertically
sliding bar.
(6) In a sewing machine, the combination of the head, a presser foot having an
upwardly extending rod passing through the head, a spring acting to press the presser
foot down, a bar fitted to slide vertically on the head with its upper end embracing
the rod of the presser foot, a spring acting to hold this bar up, a dog pivoted to the
rod of the presser-foot and arranged to act on the upper end of the sliding bar to
depress it and also to raise the presser foot, a feeding device held at its central part
on a swinging pivot, serrated at one end on its under-side and connected by a slot
and pin at its other end to the lower end of the vertically sliding bar, a
reciprocating needle, means for actuating it, connections between the needle bar

page_text: and the presser foot for raising the presser foot and allowing the serrated face of
the feeding device to fall, and means for moving the swinging pivot of the feeding
device from the needle bar.
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.