IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Fairweather of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Machinist, for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR
APPLICABLE TO SEWING MACHINES
"3
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Fairweather at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1882.
WILLIAM FAIRWEATHER, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinist, "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO SEWING MACHINES,"
My Invention is applicable to chain stitch and double chain stitch or clastic
stitch" sewing machines particularly to such as those for which Letters Patent
were granted to me No. 4504 and dated the 13th day of November 1878.
My Invention relates to the tension arrangement for the straight needle thread
and is a simple and effectual substitute for the spring usually worked by a cam
surface on the needle slide bar, and commonly termed the tension "pad"
My Invention consists in arranging eyes upon the needle slide bar through
which eyes the thread passes and in causing the thread as it is thus noved up and
down by the needle slide to come and rub against a bent.piece of wire or metal
secured to the "head" for the needle slide.
When the needle slide descends to its lowest position the thread is clear of the
bent wire, but when it ascends it begins (at the required position) to come in contact
with the bent wire which takes up the slack which is again given out as it gets
near to its highest position, these actions upon the thread being reversed on the
descent of the needle slide. The thread comes from the spool, through an eye,
then passes between the tension discs through an eye on the arm, through the said
two eyes and then to the eye of the needle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Fairweather in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th December 1882.
WILLIAM FAIRWEATHER, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster
Machinist, IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO SEWING MACHINES,"
"
33
My invention is applicable to chain stitch and double chain stitch or clastic
stitch sewing machines, particularly to such as those for which Letters Patent
were granted to me No. 1594 and dated the 13th day of November 1878.
My Invention relates to the tension arrangement for the straight needle thread
and is a simple and effectual substitute for the spring usually worked by a cam
surface on the needle slide bar and commonly termed the tension "pad," My
Invention consists in arranging eyes upon the needle slide bar through which eyes
the thread passes and in causing the thread as it is thus moved up and down by
the needle slide to come and rub against a bent piece of wire or metal secured to
the head for the needle slide.
When the needle slide descends to its lowest position the thread is clear of the
bent wire, but when it ascends it begins (at the required position to come in
contact with the bent wire which takes up the slack which is again given out as it
gets near to its highest position, these actions upon the thread being reversed on
the descent of the needle slide.-The thread comes from the spool through an eye
then passes between the tension discs through an eye on the arm, through the said
two eyes and then to the eye of the needle.
Fig 1 is a side elevation of a chain stitch sewing machine of the Wilcox and
Gibbs type having my improvements applied and Fig 2 an elevation in front of the
needle and presser slides and Fig 3 illustrates a modification.
a is the framing of the machine; b the rotary shaft; c the rod receiving motion
from the excentric on the shaft that actuates the arm c¹ having its fulcrum at c³,
this arm giving up and down movement to the needle slide d.
e is the presser slide; the spool from which the needle thread is drawn, which
passes through a guide eye f' and tension discs f2.
The parts above referred to by letters of reference are ordinary and well known
parts of sewing machines
My Invention consists in combining with the parts above referred to a piece of
metal with a curve on its edge; in the illustration it is a bent piece of wire y
placed parallel to the needle slide d, and fitting a groove in the side of the head for
the needle slide and secured thereto by the bead of a screw g₁ though it may be
secured and adjusted in any other convenient manner Secured by a screw to the
needle slide d is a piece of metal with two arms having eyes at their ends one
coming on each side of the needle slide and the bent wire g or this piece of metal
is or may be formed out of wire and the eyes formed in it by curls so that the
thread can be got into both eyes through curls without "threading" or passing the
end through the eyes.
The thread from the spool passes through the guide eye f¹ then between the
ordinary tension dises, then through the guide eye c³ on the arm, then through
the two eyes or curls on the needle slide d, and between the latter and the bent
wire g and then passes to the eye of the needle 'the thread passing from the
spool to the needle d' as shown by peculiar dotted line a.
The bend in the wire g is shown in Fig 2 and it is of such extent and in such
position, that the thread will be brought by the eye curls has the needle slide
lifts, against the curved surface, to take up the slack and give it out again as
required.

page_text: The curve wire g begins to act upon the thread to take up slack when the
needle slide has made about one fifth of its lift and has taken up the greatest
amount of slack thread when it has made about four fifths of its lift giving out
the thread taken up during the remainder of the lift-On the descent of the needle
the order is reversed as it begins immediately to take up slack thread and has
taken up
the greatest quantity after about one fifth of its descent and gives back
again all its slack at about four fifths of its descent.
The time and extent of action will have to be arranged to suit the sewing
machine to which it is to be applied and the explanation and illustration
hereinbefore given will be sufficient to enable the mechanic skilled in sewing
machines to apply my Invention.
For heavy fabrics I some times arrange a pair of tension discs ; on a stud
carried by a collar j¹ secured upon the lower end of the needle slide d (sufficient
space being arranged for the purpose on the needle slide) and cause the thread from
the curl eyes to pass between these discs j before going to the eye of the
needle d
One of these tension discs j is pressed against the other by a small helical spring
on the screw stud.
I have now particularly described the nature of my Invention and the mode of
carrying the same into effect and claim as my Invention.
Firstly In single or double chain stitch sewing machines, the combination of a
stationary curved surface or wire with eyes carried on the needle slide to take up
and give out thread supplied to the straight needle substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The combination of a stationary curved surface or wire against which
the thread is worked when passed through eyes or curls attached to and moving
with the needle slide to take up and give out thread supplied from a spool and
passing through a disc tension or other arrangement to the straight needle
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings
Thirdly The combination of the arrangement forming the subject of my first
and second claims with double chain stitch sewing machines having a curved
needle, and a stationary projection or point (f) according to the Specification of
Letters Patent Numbered 4574 and dated the thirteenth day of November 1878.
Fourthly. The combination of tension dises carried on the needle slide with the
arrangements forming the subject of my first and second claims, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said William Fairweather have hereunto set y
hand and seal this thirteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
W. FAIRWEATHER (S.)