SEWING CLOTH, LEATHER, AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William H. Johnson, of the Town of Granville,
in the County of Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, Machinist,
for the Invention of "SEWING CLOTH, LEATHER, AND OTHER MATERIALS."
Sealed the 21st June 1853, and dated the 21st April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William H. Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st April 1853.
I, WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "SEWING CLOTH, LEATHER, AND OTHER MATERIALS" to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists in the making of what I denominate "the
belaying double loop stitch," with a single thread, by the employment
of one needle used in connection with a double spring hook, over which
the loops are formed, the needle working vertically, and having a
vibratory side motion, so that each time it passes through the cloth or
other material to be sewed, the material is moved forward a sufficient
distance for the succeeding perforation, thus constituting a machine
which forms the seam by means of a single thread, and feeds by its

page_text: own operation. A further improvement consists in attaching the
spool holding the supply of thread to the extremity of the vertical
needle bar, so that in all positions of the needle the distance between
the spool and needle eye shall be constant, permitting the thread to
be delivered without jerk, which could not be done by any other position
of the spool, where the needle performs the functions that it does in
this machine.
The principal points of novelty in my improved sewing machine
are,―
1st, the making of a seam with a single thread, by the combination
of a single needle, forked hook, and expanding lever.
2nd, the forming or making of a seam from a single thread, by
the running of a loop of the thread through the material to be sewn,
the running of a second loop through the material and putting the
first loop through it, the running of a third loop through the material
and through the first-named loop, the carrying of a fourth loop through
the material and putting the third through it, and so on, putting the
first loop through the second and around the third, the third loop
through the fourth and around the fifth, and so on, forming the belay-
ing double loop stitch herein described.
3rd, the belaying double loop stitch formed from a single thread by
the combination of a needle, forked hook, and expanding vibrating
lever, working together.
4th, the combination of a forked hook, and vibrating expanding
lever, in making a seam.
5th, the feeding of the material to be sewn by means of a vibrating
piercing instrument, by which the material is moved along as required
for the stitch.
6th, the giving to the spindle or needle carrier a vibrating or side
movement, for the purpose of feeding the cloth for forming the stitch.
7th, the attachment of the spool to the double moveable needle
carrier, as described for the purpose specified.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William H. Johnson, in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 21st October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM H JOHNSON, of the Town of Granville, in the County of
Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William H Johnson, Her
special licence that I, the said William H
Johnson, my ex-
ecutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William H Johnson, 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 "SEWING CLOTH, LEATHER, AND OTHER MATERIALS,"
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William H
upon
Johnson,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
Johnson, do
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William ·H
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
This Invention for sewing cloth, leather, and other materials, consists

page_text: in the making of what I denominate the belaying double loop stitch,
with a single thread; by the employment of one needle used in con-
nection with a double.spring hook over, which the loops are formed,
the needle working vertically, and having a vibratory side motion, so
that each time it passes through the cloth or other material to be sewed,
the material is moved forward a sufficient distance for the succeeding
perforation, thus constituting a machine which forms the seam by
means of a single thread, and feeds by its own operation."
.
A further improvement consists in attaching the spool holding the
supply of thread to the extremity of the vertical needle bar, so that in
all positions of the needle, the distance between the spool and
needle's eye shall be constant, thereby, permitting the thread to. be
delivered without jerk, which could not be done by any other position
of the spool where the needle performs the functions that it does in this
machine.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1, represents a plan of the
machine; Fig. 2, is a side élevation of the same, some of the parts being
drawn in section through the line a, y, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is an
elevation of the back end of the machine; Fig. 4, is an elevation of
the front end of the machine.
A, is the needle bar, which moves vertically in the guide B, by reason
of the alternate elevation and depression of the arms of the beain C,
caused by the connection of the arm D, with the excentric E, through
the connecting rod F, the beam being connected with the slides H, H,
by the socket joints a, and the needle bar A, attached to the slide H,
by the screw 6, fasteneil to the bar, and having its head c, working
loosely in the slide H. The guide B, is attached to the upright G,
at d, about which point it has a vibratory side motion, because of its
connection with the slotted lever I, the long arm of which is connected
by the joint e, with the horizontal slide J, which has an alternate lateral
motion, because of the arm f, of the slide J, moving in the slot h, of
the connecting rod F, the amplitude of the oscillation of the guide B,
being governed by the position of the fulcrum i, which is moveable in
the slot k, of the lever I. The movements of the guide B, are steadied
by the plate y, which embraces its lower extremity.

page_text: Connected with the upright G, is the vertical bar B', which is
capable of vertical notion, and is held down upon the table A', by
the action of the spring C¹, and is raised by the pressure of the stud F,
of the beam C, upon the extremity of the lever H", so that the pressure
upon the table is relieved each time the needle bar A, is forced down
by the beam C; this forins the holding arrangement which keeps the
material in position while the needle is making the perforation, and'
rises to permit the feed during the side vibration of the needle. ...
On the under side of the table. A', is the lever L, carrying in its long
arm the spring hook n, upon which the loops are formed. This lever
is moveable about the fulcrum 7, by means of the cam M, on the shaft N,
against which the projecting stud O, presses, being held in position by
the spring P. The long arm of the lever L, is formed of two parts,
one moving longitudinally upon the other, under the straps f¹, by
reason of the cam Q, on the shaft N, which acts against the stud p, to
throw forward the moveable portion f; the spring q, withdraws the
piece f, and preserves it in position during the time it is free from the
action of the cam Q. The operation of this expanding lever will be
shewn fully hereafter.
The operation of the machine is as follows The thread r, passes
from the spool i, through the eyer, of the spring guide I, and
eye
on the needle bar A, to the eye of the needle m, through which it is
passed from the outside. The spool F", is suspended between the arms
J1, attached to the upper extremity of the needle bar A, by an arrange-
ment of plates, screws, and springs, which regulate the unwinding. of
the thread, while the position of the spool prevents the distance
between it and the eye of the needle from changing during the opera-
tion of sewing, thus preventing jerks, and diminishing the risk of the
breaking of the thread. After adjusting the thread apparatus, the
material to be sewed is placed upon the table A¹, under the point of
the needle m, and the cloth-holder B, which is raised by the stud A"
(Fig. 4,) to admit the thickness. Power may then be applied in any
convenient manner to the shaft N, which is thereby made to rotate,
and through the cog wheels S, and T, gives motion to the excentric' E,

page_text: thus operating the needle bar A, so as to give it a compound vertical
and vibratory motion, by means of the beam C, slides H, and H, and
slotted lever I, arranged and working as above described.
The descent of the needle perforates the cloth, and by the action of
the stud, upon the lever H", the pressure of the holder upon it is
relieved, permitting the vibration of the needle, as above described, to
move forward the cloth a sufficient distance for the succeeding perfora-
tion; the spring C', acting as the needle bar rises, so as to keep the
cloth from slipping when the needle descends and again perforates it.
The stitch which, as before stated, is formed of a single thread, by
means of a single needle m, at the extremity of the needle bar A, and
a hook inserted in an expanding lever, will be readily understood by
reference to the detached Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, which shew
it in the several steps of forwardness; the various positions which the
needle, hook, and thread assume being represented by the separate
Figures drawn to a large scale
Fig. 5, shews the first step in the formation of the stitch. Fig. 6,
shews the first loop left on the hook when the needle has withdrawn.
Fig. 7, shews the needle after the second perforation. Fig. 8, shews
the position of the hook after shooting into the second loop.
shews the position of the parts after the third perforation of the needle.
Fig. 10, shews the position of the loops after the hcok has left the
thread. Fig. 11, shews the formation of the stitch on a large scale.
Fig. 9,
As above described, the needle m, passes through the cloth, and
carries with it the thread ; and, as it begins to withdraw, a loop is
formed on it, into which shoots the forked hook n, by the action of the
cam M, as shewn in Fig. 5. As the upward action of the needle bar
continues, the needle m, rises from the cloth, leaving the loop on the
hook », as seen, in Fig. 6. The vibration of the needle during the first
perforation feeds forward the cloth, and permits the needle, in its second
descent, to assume the position shewn in Fig. 7, forming a loop as
the needle rises, through which shoots the hook n, carrying the first
loop with it, and assuming the position shewn in Fig. 8; the loops
being cressed and kept from slipping by the notches on the under side

page_text: of the hook. During the second descent of the needle, the cloth is
fed forward as before; and as the needle again descends, making a new
hole, the cam Q, commences its action by pressing against the stud p,
and expanding the lever L; so that the needle, in its third descent,
passes between the forks of the hook n, and also between the two loops
upon it, as seen in Fig. 9. The hook then slips from the thread, leaving
the stitch as shewn in Fig. 10, formed of three loops; the first passed.
through the second, and over the third. As the needle rises, the hook n,
shoots into the loop formed on the needle below the loop x, (in Fig. 10.)
which is left upon it, as the first loop in Fig. 6, when the same opera-
tion, above described, is gone through with making the third loop pass
through the fourth and around the fifth, and forming the seam, as
shewn fully in Fig. 11, each alternate loop holding the preceding to
the cloth, and making what I denominate "the belaying double loop
stitch."
It is thus seen that the feeding action of this machine is performed
in the operation of sewing by the vibrating movement of the guide B,
and with it the bar A, causing the material to be moved forward after
it is peforated, the holder B', relaxing for that purpose; the distance
which it is moved being regulated by the position of the fulcrum of
the lever I. The feeding and perforating arrrangement I design for
making the holes in leather and other heavy work, while the needle
following behind forms the seam.
On the advantages of this machine it will be needless to enlarge, as
its merits will be obvious to any one in any degree acquainted with
machines of this character. The formation of a strong scam by a
single, thread forms a decided improvement in sewing machines, while
the simple and effectual manner in which the feed is regulated sur-
passes any other method of performing that part of the operation, and
renders the machine applicable to the sewing of leather and other
heavy materials. The attachment of the spool to the extremity of tho
needle bar permits the needle to perform functions which no other
position of the spool would with like advantage admit of, (viz.) per-
forating the cloth, and furnishing the feed of the machine.

page_text: In connection with the machine is the rotary concave clamp wheel X,
formed of two skeleton discs, for holding the material to be sewed when
the seams are to be on edges of different curvatures. The shaft a', rests
in the socket y and revolves with the feeding action of the machine,
as before described. The upper disc is raised for adjusting the work,
and secured by the wedge ¹, passed through the shaft. The great
advantage of this wheel, is the facility of holding work, and the case
with which the seam is formed around its perimeter.
What I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters
Patent, is,
First, the making of a seam with a single thread, by the combination
of a single needle, forked hook, and expanding lever.
Second, the forming or making of a seam from a single thread, by
the running of a loop of the thread through the material to be sewn,
the running of a second loop through the material, and putting thic first
loop through it, the running of a third loop through the material and
through the first named loop, the carrying of a fourth loop through the
material, and putting the third through it, and so on, putting the first
loop through the second, and around the third, the third loop through
the fourth, and around the fifth, and so on, forining the belaying
double loop stitch herein described.
Third, the belaying double loop stitch, formed from a single thread,
by the combination of a needle, forked hook, and expanding vibrating
lever working together.
Fourth, the combination of the forked hook ?, and vibrating expand-
ing lever L, in making a seam.
Fifth, the feeding of the material to be sewn by means of a
vibrating piercing instrument by which the material is moved along, as
required for the stitch.
Sixth, the giving to the spindle or needle carrier a vibrating or
side. movement, for the purpose of feeding the cloth for forming the
stitch.
.7

page_text: Seventh, the attachment of the spool to the double moveable needle
carrier, as described for the purposes specified.
Johnson, have
In witness whereof, I, the said William H
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
WH. JOHNSON. (L.S.)
In presence of A. L. CURTISS.