Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1894-Accepted, 1st Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan and Co., of
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. London Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by the Goodyear
Shoe Machinery Company, of 158, Summer Street, Boston, in the State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, 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, and principally to that class which
employs a circular curved awl and hooked circular needle, and which are intended
for use in attaching welts to the insole and upper of shoes, by means of thread,
usually waxed thread, and the improvements are specially designed to make use of
two waxed threads, and to form what is generally known as a lock-stitch.
The improvements are also adapted to what is known as turn-work, in which
the shoes after being sewn inside out are turned or reversed so as to bring the
outside sole to its proper position for wear.
In these classes of work the shoc is sewn while stretched upon the last and as
the width and shape of the last varies according to the different sizes of shoes,
numerous difficulties have hitherto been experienced in arriving at any practical
result with the lock stitch, although machines which sew the chain stitch are in
extensive use, and are for example fully described in Letters Patent of the United
States, No. 412,704 dated October 8th 1889 to French and Meyer.
Such of the features of this class of machinery as are employed in sewing the
chain stitch are so well known that no extensive description of them, so far as they
are employed in this present invention, is necessary. In general appearance, and
method of mounting the operating parts, I follow the chain stitch machine as
described in said Letters Patent, modifying and adapting the same to their new
requirements.
In the drawings accompanying this Specification
Figure 1 represents a top view, looking from above vertically down;
Figure 2 represents a front view;
Figure 3 represents a view from the shuttle side :
Figure 4 represents a view from the drive wheel side from within the drive
wheel;
Figure 5 represents the needle with its attachment to the needle segment and the
connection of this to the segment carriage, with the operating cam and levers:
Figure 6 shows a portion of the same, with the needle segment moved up to its
extreme of motion, showing the superposition of the needle segment over the
segment carriage;
Figure 7 shows in detail the connections and operation of what is hereafter
termed the loop carrier, and the loop detaching hook or arin;
Figure 8 shows the motive cam and lever operating the rack which works into
the loop carrier shaft gear;
Figure 9 shows the motive cam and connecting levers operating the circular
curved awl;
Figure 10 shows the cam and levers operating the shuttle drivers, and
Figures 11 to 18 inclusive show details of construction and operations of various
parts, hereinafter referred to;
Figure 19 shows the details and mounting of the looper or thread eye, and
Figure 20 the double cam operating or controlling its movements.

page_text: Figures 21 and 22 similarly show the details, mounting and controlling can or
the thread arm or hooker.
Figures 23, 24, 25 and 26 show the details of operation of the shuttle and the
action of the shuttle detent, and
Figure 27 shows three enlarged views of the peculiarly grooved circular
neelle.
It will be seen from Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, that the machine is mounted at a
height convenient to the operator, on the top or head of a suitable tubular standard.
The principal cams and motive parts are mounted on the central main shaft. X, to the
drive wheel of which power is applied. Certain levers hereafter described are
mounted on a secondary rock shaft Y at the rear; the sewing devices are in front,
and the shuttle to the right as the operator faces the machine. The details of
this construction can of course, be altered without changing the nature of the
invention.
As stated, the invention has for its object the sewing of welts and turn work,
with a lock stitch, the shoe being upon the last while being operated upon.
Among the difficulties to be overcome, are (1) the necessity of having room or
space enough to hold the shoe with the last up to the sewing devices continuously
while yet giving sufficient space for the shuttle and the sewing devices and for the
devices which draw out the loop of thread through which the shuttle must pass;
(2) the difficulty of obtaining a loop long enough through which to pass the shuttle
without the thread rendering through the hook of the needle and while retaining
the advantages of a houked circular needle of short radius of motion, the use of a
needle with a large radius of motion being practically impossible: (3) the difficulty
of so forming a loop of thread as to be able to remove it with ease from the needle
hook, without fraying or cutting the thread, and with certainty; (4) the difficulty
of carrying over the loop from the needle to the shuttle with certainty and without
undue friction, which would tend to break the thread while operating at a high
speed; and (5) the difficulty of arranging the sewing devices so that in their
motions the thread aim, thread eye, needle and awl will not come into collision
with each other, or with the raised irregular folds or bends of the upper as it is
tacked or fastened on the last.
By the construction hereinafter described room or space enough is obtained to
enable the shoe with its last to be held continuously up to the work by means of a
peculiarly placed shuttle box, or race which is located at the side of the needle,
and inclines at an angle, so that the shuttle box is substantially parallel with the
shank of the shoe as it is ordinarily held while being sewn.
A loop of thread is obtained which is long enough to enable the shuttle freely to
pass through it by causing the needle first to complete its entire motion, drawing
out all the thread it is possible to obtain throngh the circular motion of the needle,
and then moving the needle with its connected parts bodily, thus drawing out a
further quantity of thread while the needle is without motion of its own and is
simply being translated from one position to the other and meanwhile acting as a
hook by which to draw out the thread, the remainder of the loop required being
drawn out by the "loop carrier" after the sewing thread is removed from the
needle.
The devices used accomplish the result that, when the needle has once caught
hold of the thread, there is substantially no further rendering or reeving of the
thread through or across the hook of the needle, either while the needle is drawing
down the first part of the loop or while the needle is being bodily moved with its
connected parts to draw out the second and final portion.
This is secured by the peculiar motion given to the thread arm or hooker, which
enables it to draw down or out suflicient thread for the loop up to the stage at
which the loop is removed from the needle, and transferred to the loop carrier, so
that when the needle hook or barb acquires control of the sewing thread, it does so
at the practical centre or bight of the loop to be formed, the thread arm and the
take up lever moving down as the needle moves up and back, so as to enable the

page_text: needle to carry up the loop without however drawing a further supply of thread
through the tension roll, the motions of the thread arm and the take-up lever being
so timed as to keep just sufficient tension on the sewing thread to prevent it slipping
out of the barb of the needle.
The difficulty of removing the loop from the needle hook is overcome by the
use of a needle in which a groove or thread recess from the hook of the needle
towards the point is placed entirely on the side of the needle nearest to the shuttle,.
by which means the loop of thread never crosses the needle and in no way becomes
entangled with it or has to be removed from around it, but while lying along the
groove, is held substantially in the groove only and on the shuttle side during all
stages of operations, by which means when the loop has to be removed from the
hook of the needle there is absolutely no obstruction and all cutting or fraying of
the thread is avoided. By means of the peculiar groove employed in my needle
the further advantage is obtained that the loop of thread while being drawn out is
kept apart or open at the end held by the needle, so as to afford an easy access
to the devices which remove the loop from the needle and carry it over towards the
shuttle.
In order certainly to remove and carry over the loop, a loop-carrier is employed,
which has a projecting loop or tongue which is caused to enter the loop while the
needle is being translated backwards and upwards, before the termination of the
formation of the entire loop. By this means the carrier is enabled to enter
the loop while the loop is still guided by and held in the groove at the point of the
needle, and while the two arms of thread are thereby held apart, and while there is
sufficient tension on the thread, by reason of the continuing formation of the loop,
to hold both arms of the thread taut or stiff, so that all possibility of collision of
the carrier with the wrong thread is avoided.
In conjunction with the carrier a small arm or finger the "loop detainer" is
employed which is caused to move close up behind the carrier, and which takes the
loop of thread from and out of the barb or hook of the needle without, however,
pulling out more thread, and retains and holds it while the loop is being carried
over and extended for the shuttle to pass through it.
By means of this loop detainer any rendering of the thread at the bight of the
loop is avoided and the thread is enabled to slip off casily, whereas, if it were
retained by the look of the needle, it would be almost impossible to get it out of
the hook.
In order to obtain a continuous tension upon the thread, the use of the devices
now commonly employed by which the thread is pulled or drawn out and measured
off for the succeeding stitch is avoided and a direct tension is used which is
continuous and operates directly to tighten the stitch, so that the stitches are sewn
tight, the degree of tension regulating the tightness of the stitch. One such tension
is employed for the shuttle thread and one for the sewing thread.
Various devices employed in combination and conjunction with these already
mentioned will be better understood by a more detailed description and explanation
of the machine.
As mentioned, two threads are used the sewing and the shuttle thread. The
sewing thread is lead from a supply ball, in the usual manner through a wax pot
(not shown in the drawings) which is attached to the upright or standard on which
the entire machine is mounted. This wax pot is heated in any of the usual well
known ways so as efficiently to wax the thread which is led from the wax pot over
a guide roll and from thence into a tension roll A, Figures 3 and 4, around which
the thread is wound, the tension upon the thread thus held in the tension roll being
regulated by spring pressure according to the judgment of the operator.
From
the tension roll the sewing thread is led over a small guide roll B Figure 3, and
from thence to an auxiliary take-up C Figure 3, in the usual manner.
The
function of the auxiliary take-up, which is operated by independent spring pressure,
is to keep the sewing thread slightly taut while it is being carried around the hook
or barb of the needle in operation. From the auxiliary take-up the thread passes

page_text: through and around the roll D Figures 3 and 4, of the principal take-up, which
consists of a lever d', having its axis of motion, on the frame of the machine and
operated by a rocker shaft and levers d³, d', d, connected with or jointed at d to
lever d' fulcrumed at d and actuated by a positive or any suitable cam at d. The
function of the principal take-up is by its upward motion to draw up the sewing
thread, thereby tightening the stitch.
It will thus be seen that the spring tension upon the tension roll above the wax
pot regulates and controls the entire tension of the thread. In sewing on welts, by
reason of the varying thickness of the stock operated upon, the length of thread for
a stitch necessarily varies, the upper being bunched ur crowded at the toe, and
being of a single thickness only, at the shank, and it is therefore impractical to
measure off an unvarying length of sewing thread for a stitch and then to lock the
supply thread to prevent a further delivery. The take-up in moving up from the
work, draws up thread from the supply, and the tension, being continuous, over
the take-up roll, is exerted to tighten the stitch in the stock, by the same movement.
The take-up having thus drawn out sufficient supply thread moves down later on,
to supply thread without unnecessary tension, to the thrend arm hereafter described,
in its movement up and back, and then again moves down, further, to supply thread,
similarly to the needle as it is moved up and back, and lastly again to supply thread
to the thread carrier as the carrier carries over one arm of the thread beyond the
shuttle, thus in all these movements preventing any abrasion of the thread by unde
tension, which would exist if the take-up did not freely surrender the thread
required for these movements.
From the principal take-up the thread is led down to and is threaded through
the eye
of what is generally known as a looper or thread eye shown in detail in
Figures 19, 20 and 22. The thread eye, E is mounted upon a lever e, whose
pivot is on the frame of the machine, and which has a double or swivel motion so
as to enable it to be moved by its governing cam (see Figures 19 and 20) not only
to and from the operator but also around the needle when placing the sewing
thread into the barb or hook of the needle. This double motion of the thread eye
lever is secured by the use of a cam the surface of which controls the movements
of the lever to and from the operator, while a suitable curved groove cut in the
cam controls the side motions. (See e', '.) The looper or thread eye, with the
thread passing through it, is held stationary, away from the paths of the needle
and awl, until the thread arm, soon to be described, has almost completed its
upward and backward motion, drawing out the required loop of sewing thread.
Just before the completion of this movement of the thread arm, the looper or
thrend eye, by means of its governing cam and attached levers, is moved at right
angles to the plane of motion of the needle, (Fig. 18) from the side away from the
shuttle towards the shuttle, so as to place the thread across the path of the needle.
When the needle moves forward up through the stock, the thread thus held by the
thrend eye in position, springs into the barb of the needle, the thread eye mean-
while being moved forward, to the front of the needle, and across around it,
passing away from the shuttle side, to ensure the needle obtaining a sure hold o
the thrend thus laid around it. As the needle moves down, through the stock,
drawing a loop of thread by means of its barb, the thread eye is moved across the
front of the needle, towards the shuttle side, so that the loop of thread drawn down
by the needle lies entirely on the shuttle side of the needle, round the barb and
along the needle groove, soon to be described, so that the thread is in no way
twisted round the needle, and can be easily removed from the barb when required,
(Fig. 17). When the needle has passed down through the stock, the thread arm
moves back to its position of rest ready for its next series of movements. The
movement of the thread eye to the shuttle side of the needle, after the needle has
been threaded is most valuable in practice, as it avoids the use of subsequent
appliances with separate cams to place the thread in position for release and
carriage to a shuttle thus located at one side which would crowd the working parts,
and tend to great complication.

page_text: From the thread eye, the thread after the completion of a stitch passes down
directly to the last stitch hole in the stock, its position or line from this last
stitch hole to the take-up being called the position or line of the standing
thread.
In order to prevent the sewing thread from rendering or reeving through the
hook of the circular needle while the needle is drawing the sewing thread through
the stock or leather or during the subsequent movements of the needle, use is
made of what is generally known as a thread arm or hooker F, see Figures 21
and 22.
The use of such a device, broadly, is not new but, on the contrary is well known,
and the peculiarity of the device employed consists in its special movements and
mounting. The thread arm F, is attached to a small cross shaft, turning in a
hole in the frame of the machine and thence by suitable levers */ /* connecting
with a positive cam 7. The thread arm F, consists of a short curved arm or
lever having a broad open U-shaped termination. All the movements of the thread
arm are in the arc of a circle away from and towards the operator and directly
across or at right angles to the path of motion along which the shoe travels and
substantially parallel with the plane of motion of the needle. The object of this
is to avoid all lateral motion which while the shoe is being sewn at the shank, would
tend to bring the thread arm in collision with the sole of the shoe, which is there
curved upwards both towards the ball and the heel. So also, while sewing at the
toe, where the upper is crowded and over-lapped in a rough irregular short quick
rounded curve which projects far above the insole, lateral motion would cause
collision of the thread arm and projecting upper. At the shank, the two seams are
close together, and the edges of the upper, as tacked to the last, closely approximate,
and in sewing the sole has to be raised, on the side towards the operator and
lowered at the side being sewn, in order to enable the needle properly to enter the
stock.
The thread arm is therefore so shaped see Figure 21, as to curve it upwards from
its U-shaped termination, so as to clear the sole so far as possible, and the moving
cam is shaped and the axis of revolution, (, of the thread arm fixed so that the
thread arm is at its lowest point when in position to move and control the sewing
thread, so that it is raised from the sole when moved either way from this position,
which is almost directly over the seam to be sewn. So also to enable the thread
arm to clear the ridge or projection of the upper around the toe more particularly,
or wherever it may exist along the sole, the axis of revolution of the thread arm is
so placed as to cause the thread arm to rise rapidly after coming in contact with
the sewing thread.
The thread arm is thus moved up and away from the path of operation of the
thread eye or looper, giving it a clear field for its varied movements, and by
locating the thread arm on the side of the needle, and away from the shuttle, anil
by mounting its axis to the front of the machine, crowding the parts within the
interior is avoided and space is afforded for the devices which transfer the thread
to the shuttle. The plane of motion of the thread arm being parallel to that of
the needle and awl, no collision between these parts is possible. The position of
rest of the thread arm is directly in front of the standing thread, and so no
movement of the thread eye is necessary to place the thread in position to be caught
or held by the arm, and thus all unnecessary movements are avoided.
Thread arns having a motion to and from the operator, without lateral motion,
have been used in other machines; but such thread arins have had a motion
substantially horizontal or with a slight rise and fall, and have been moved back
into the interior of the machine. In sewing out-soles, the work is substantially
even, and when a chain stitch is made use of, the motion of the thread arm is small;
but in constructing the new lock-stitch welting machine, it was necessary to give to
the thread arm an extended movement, in order to draw down a long loop for the
needle movement necessary with a lock-stitch, and this caused collision, as before
explained, and to overcome this, the quick upward movement of the thread artu

page_text: was devised to clear the ridge of the upper, and the thread arm was mounted so as
to enable this upward movement to be given.
In order to give as long a loop as possible, the thread arm is caused to come down
into contact with the standing thread by means of the U-shaped termination of the
thread arm, the thread arm being moved back away from the operator and up
almost to its extremity of possible motion. This movement would bring the thread
arm in collision with the needle segment or block upon which the circular needle is
mounted, and in order to avoid this and at the same time to enable the thread arm
to draw out as much thread as possible, this segment is cut away underneath into a
hollow G, Figures 19 and 21, which will enable the thread arm to move up into
it without collision.
The thread arm F having thus drawn out a loop of thread, the thread eye or
looper E is caused to move. (its motion beginning before the termination of the
entire movement of the thread arm), towards the shuttle side of the machine, to
place the trend on the shuttle side of the needle, the movement of the thread eye
or looper being then continued so as to place the sewing thread actually around the
needle, so as to ensure the catching of the thread by the crochet hook or barb of
the needle when the needle is subsequently moved back, as already described. So
soon as this object is attained and the needle has started on its backward movement,
having control and hold of the sewing thread, the thread eye or looper is caused to
move in the reverse direction towards the shuttle so as partially to unwind the
thread from the needle and to bring it directly upon the shuttle side of the needle
so that no twist of the thread around the needle shall remain.
This movement of the thread eye or looper towards the shuttle is continued until
the thread is laid into a groove (see Figure 27, a, b, c) which extends from the hook
or barb of the needle along the shuttle side of the needle and is cut along the
convex curve or outer edge of the needle, almost up to the point of the termination
of the needle, the groove there passing from the convex edge to the concave edge
and there terminating. This groove is so shaped or cut that it is entirely on one
side of the needle, the shuttle side, the same side on which the barb or honk of
the needle is cut and so that the groove holds or retains the thread substantially in
the same line as the line of motion of the needle. By this means the hight of
thread which is held by the needle is held apart at the needle end of the loop (sce
Figure 27, a,) the portion held by the needle forming in fact, a short side of a
triangle of thread which is entirely on the shuttle side of the needle and which
does not require to be unwound or disentangled from the needle by a separate
device, in order to enable it to be removed to the shuttle. When the needle is
withdrawn, pulling the loop of thread with it, through the stock, the two arms of
the loop are in close approximation, and may be called parallel; but as the needle
is moved up and back, the loop being held at the barb and at the termination of the
groove, which forms a semi-circular dent or socket in the needle, is spread and opened
until removed towards the shuttle. In other words, the needle itself, by its own motion
and by its holding the thread at two separate points placed at a suitable distance,
acts as a "spreader," and avoids the necessity of any separate device to open and
spread the loop for safe entry of the device which carries it over to the shuttle.
This part of the invention can be used in any machine where it is of advantage to
spread or open the loop of sewing thread. In the hooked needles hitherto
employed in waxed thread sewing machines, the loop is held, when drawn through
the stock, by the barb only, and in consequence is separated or spread by the
thickness of the needle only, so presenting a difficulty to the safe entry of any
device to remove the loop. And in welt sewing machines, by reason of the
irregular thickness of the material sewn and drawn together by the machine,
there is no positive invariable point in space from which the thread leaves the
stock, and the angle from the horizertal, at which the thread runs to the needle
varies according as the stock is thick or thin at that particular stitch, and it,
therefore, becomes exceedingly important to secure as wide an opening of the loop
as possible, so that the devices carrying over this lower arm of the sewing thread

page_text: [loop may never catch the upper arm, or miss the lower one, by reason of this
varying inclination or angle.
The needle continues its upward and backward movement thus drawing with it
and opening the loop of sewing thread, the thread eye or looper remaining
stationary, while the thread arm moves down and towards the operator thus giving
up its hold or control of the loop of thread originally drawn by it, the take-up also
coming down and giving up thread to avoid undue tension on the needle, or rendering
or reeving of the thread around the barb.
As already stated, the limit of possible rotary motion which can be given to a
circular needle of short radius is very slight and is wholly insufficient to draw out
a sufficient loop of thread to enable a shuttle to pass through it.
The circular needle II therefore is mounted on a segment, so that it revolves
on a shaft, moving in a hole bored in a segment of metal 2, which is itself
mounted so as to be capable of being revolved independently of the motion of the
needle while at the same time carrying the needle and the needle shaft with it.
This main segment or carriage 2, has its axis of motion at ³, and is connected by
link to suitable levers, so as to be controlled in its motions by a positive
cam, on the main shaft of the machine. An independent rocking link and
lever, connected to a separate cam P, on the same main shaft controls the
movements of the needle segment to which the needle is directly attached. When
the needle segment carrying with it the needle H has moved up and back to its
extreme of motion, the cam operating the main segment or carriage 2, then causes
the levers attached to this segment so to operate as to carry up the main segment,
and with it the needle segment, in order that the needle holding the sewing thread
within its barb or hook may draw out the sewing thread until a sufficient loop of
the sewing thread is formed and until the entire slack or loop of the thread formed
by the motion of the thread arm F has been taken up. The essence of this part
of my invention is to translate the needle bodily, beyond the point possible to be
reached by its own motion of oscillation so as to draw out a larger loop than the
circular needle motion could give of itself, and it is evident that the main segment
or carriage may be arranged in a variety of ways, so long as its movement results
in thus carrying and transporting the needle bodily; but the means just described
are found to be preferable and most advantageous. By these means the use in a
lock-stitch welting machine of a circular needle and awl of small radius is retained
with the advantages of entering the stock close to the point of exit, as is the case
with the shoemakers hand awl.
To give the needle two separate movements, one of oscillation and one of
translation is broadly not original, but these movements, prior to this invention,
were not made for the same purpose, or in the same combination as in the present
invention.
In the machine constructed according to this present invention the needle is
relieved from all strain by the movements of the take up and thread arm in
following and giving up thread to the needle, so as to avoid all rendering or reeving
of the thread, and all undue strain on the delicate needle. Whatever the
combination of devices controlling the thread, whether take-up, thread-arm or
thread-eye, it is of the essence of this part of the invention that their movements,
by suitable cams, be regulated so that the rotary needle catches the sewing thread
at the central point of the bight or loop to be formed by the motion of the needle,
and that the thread controlling or supplying devices move so as to give up thread
to the needle, to avoid rendering or reeving of the thread round the needle barb in
all its movements either of oscillation or translation. The function of the needle
in its movement of translation being to carry up a loop for the shuttle, and the
function of the take up, thread arm or thread eye, to surrender thread as this loop
is formed. The peculiar movements of the take-up, thread arm and thread eye,
represented in the drawing may be varied, so long as the movements do not interfere
with these two functions just described.
While the segment is being thus moved up and back carrying with it the neelle

page_text: and the loop of sewing thread, the loop carrier K, Figure 7, is caused to be brought.
forward and to be placed between the two arms of the loop of thread. This
carrier K consists, substantially of a small rocker shaft, the rocking arm of which
is divided and bent over so as to form a broad thin tongue or lip, (see Figures 3, 7,
11, 12, 13) which may be compared in cross section to a letter V the one leg of
which, the upper leg as it is situated in the machine, is prolonged until it is three
or four times the length of the lower leg. The object of this prolongation of the
upper tongue or lip of the carrier is to enable the carrier to enter between the two
arms of the loop of sewing thread with certainty before the arms of the loop are
brought in too close contact by the upward and backward motion of the main
segment, which motion has the effect of causing the sewing thread to drop out of
the guiding groove at the point of the needle and to remain held simply by the
barb or hook of the needle. The long lip or tongue of the carrier enters the loop
while the loop is still distended by reason of its still remaining in the groove at
the needle point as in Figure 27 d. The motion of the carrier is continued, the
tongue or lip entering Letween the upper and lower arm of the loop until the lower
arm of the loop is securely placed in the groove of the carrier. While the carrier
is thus being moved towards the shuttle and thus caused to enter the loop of sewing
thread, the motion of the segment is continued, carrying with it the needle, which
with its needle groove pulls or keeps the loop distended. By this means the
carrier enters the loop without danger of collision with either arm of the loop and
with certainty. The carrier K, is operated by a rack and gear motion,
Figure 7 the gear being attached to the thread carrier shaft. at 4, and being
operated by arack, moving in a slot in the shuttle block, the rack being
operated up and down in this slot by a lever connection, fulcrumed to the
shaft Yat, at the back of the machine and working in the cam groove at 4º, see
Figure S. As the thread carrier K moves over, the take up D moves down,
yielding and supplying thread as required.
While the carrier K is thus moving to obtain control of the loop, the device
which removes the sewing thrend from the hook or barb of the needle is brought
up and forward. This device consists of a little lever L. Figure 7, with its
operating eam, which is mounted on the thread carrier shaft k. The point or end
of this arm or finger L is bent up hook-shaped, at right angles to the body of the
arm, and so soon as the motion of the carrier K has tended to remove the loop of
thread partially from the needle towards the shuttle, and so soon as there is thereby
space enough obtained between the needle and the carrier to enable this arm to be
operated, the arm L is caused to more up between the carrier and the needle and
into the bight of the sewing thread, (see Figure 13), removing the sewing thread
entirely from the hook of the needle and retaining it, (see Figure 12), during the
further motion of the thread carrier soon to be described.
This arm may be called a "cast-off," for it removes or casts off the thread from
the needle, but I prefer to call it the loop retainer, because it obtains control of
the loop of thread, and holds it in place, acting as a post or retainer round
which the upper arm of the sewing thread loop passes, the loop for the shuttle
running from the stock up to this loop retainer, thence to the inner and thence to
the outer edge of the loop carrier, from whence it runs down to the stock operated
проп. As the thread carrier carries over the lower arm of this loop, there is no
rendering or sawing of the thread around this loop retainer, which simply acts as a
post during this operation. The thread carrier K now continues its movement
carrying over with it the under arm of the loop of sewing thread, across and
through the shuttle race (see Figures 11, 12, 13, Figure 3) and either above or
below the shuttle M, according to the position of the shuttle in the race or box at
the time. In order to enable the carrier K to move through and across the shuttle
race the shuttle box is cut out about its middle, the upper F, and lower P, portions
(Fig. 3) of the shuttle box being each of substantially equal length and sufficient
either of them, to contain the shuttle M according to its motions, so as to enable a
double nosed shuttle to be used.

page_text: When the loop carrier has carried the lower arm of the sewing thread fully
across the shuttle race and across the point of the shuttle (see Figures 11, 12) the
shuttle is shot or shoved within the shuttle box along the shuttle race, either up or
down as the case may be, by means of two drivers placed one at either end of
the shuttle box, the drivers being mounted or attached to a bar P, of suitable
length according to the size of the shuttle, which bar moves in a dove-tailed slot
which is parallel to the line of motion of the shuttle and is cut in the shuttle block,
see Figure 23. These drivers, see Figure 10, are operated by being connected at
the lower end of the bar to a rocking lever and link, which is pivoted at 1³, on
the rocking shaft at the back of the machine, already mentioned as being the same
rocking shaft which gives motion to the thread carrier. This rocking lever 1, is
operated by a cam 1, mounted in the frame of the machine, the periphery of
which gears into and is operated by a smaller gear wheel P, on the main shaft.
After the shuttle has been shot through the loop of sewing thread, the thread
carrier is released from the sewing thread and moves back into position for its next
operation, the little thread retainer which holds the bight of the thread, at the
same time moving down and in place for its next operation in its original position.
By this means the take up D is permitted to operate freely by a direct pull upon
the sewing thread, thus taking up the entire slack of sewing thread which has been
formed by the preceding operations, and drawing in the shuttle thread into the
stitch hole. Figure 14 shows the position of the thread during this operation.
In order to give room or space for the shoe with its last, the shuttle box 11, or
shuttle race is arranged so that it is inclined in a plane substantially parallel to the
plane of motion of the needle and at an angle of about 45 degrees from the perpen-
dicular, which angle is substantially the saine angle which is made by the shank of
the shoe when the sole is held horizontally nuder the machine by the operator as
is usual in operation. This inclination of the shuttle box or shuttle race thus
enables the shoe to be brought up close to the sewing devices, and as these devices
are necessarily crowded and have a limited field of operation, this is a great
advantage in practical work. It is not absolutely essential that the shuttle box or
race should be straight; it may be curved or semi-circular, and yet retain this
advantage, but in order to give room to the sewing devices, it is most important
that the race or box be at some distance from the plane of motion of the needle,
and that the shuttle mechanism be independent of the needle. The arc of the
shuttle's motion has in other wax thread sewing machines being so arranged that
the shuttle passed upward through the loops of sewing thread obliquely to the
surface of the work. But in such machines, sec Letters Patent of the Unite
States of America to Mills No. 127,423, the shuttle race has closely approximated
to the plane of motion of the needle, and the point or nose of the shuttle was made
to project towards the needle, to reach the needle and to act as a "cast-off" by
taking the sewing thread loop out of the barb of the needle, and by reason of the
percussive driving of the shuttle and its necessary freedom within the shuttle box
or race-way and consequent irregular motion, such a device was impractical, and in
addition crowded up the machine at the place where spare is most needed, the
sewing point, and such machines were therefore impractical and have never gone
into commercial use. But by removing all parts of the shuttle and shuttle race
or box away from the plane of movement of the needle, the advantage of the
inclined race-way, is retained and all the room required is obtained for the use of
a long shuttle and shuttle bobbin, and all collision of any part of the moving shuttle
with the sewing thread when held by the needle is avoided.
In order so to distend or spread the loop as absolutely to prevent collision of the
shuttle with any part of the loop, the loop carrier is constructed so that its breadth
from front to back is substantially the same as the breadth of the shuttle or shuttle-
race, so that the carrier, by its breadth alone, sufficiently spreads the loop to enable
the shuttle to pass through it without contact with that portion of the loop which
is controlled by the carrier. So also, the point at which the loop retainer moves
up to catch and arrest the loop of sewing thread is located so that the angle formed
B

page_text: by the thread as it runs from this loop retainer to the back edge of the carrier is
substantially a right angle with the portion held under the groove of the carrier.
By this means the advantage is secured that the two arms of the loop cannot
possibly come in contact with the shuttle in its motion. This is shown in Fig. 12,
which is slightly diagrammatic.
A double-nose shuttle M running within the inclined shuttle or race way is
used, each shot or movement of the shuttle up or down making one shuttle stitch,
and thus saving unnecessary motion. The inclination of the race way and its
position away from the needle, enable a double nose shuttle to be used most
conveniently, because there is sufficient room for the necessary shuttle motions
without interfering with the other operating parts, while, nevertheless, the centre
of the race-way is situated conveniently for the motion of the loop carrier K and in
sufficiently close proximity to the line of movement of the needle. The line of
motion of the shuttle and the plane of the race-way is substantially parallel to the
plane of the needle. It is evident, that if desired, an ordinary single nosed shuttle
can be used, the shuttle driving cam and the shuttle drivers being modified and
timed accordingly, but a double nosed shuttle is preferable.
The necessary tension upon the shuttle thread extending from the stock or work
to the shuttle is such as to draw the shuttle forcibly against the opposite driver
either up or down, as the case may be. In order to enable the sewing thread to be
carried across the line of motion of the shuttle between the shuttle and the driver,
without contact with either, the shuttle is caused to be held up or down as the case
may be away from the opposite driver, by means of a detent operated as shown in
Figures 23 to 26. Upon the slide bar Figure 24, to which the two drivers,
are attached are three studs or pins, n, n', which as the drive slide bar is recipro-
cated strike against the shuttle detents N N, Figures 23 and 25. These detents
are short latches or levers ordinarily held down, by spring pressure, so as to project
into the race way and beyond the cap or end of the shuttle, see Figures 23, 25
and 26. When as in Figure 26, the lower detent N is struck by the stud a' on its
downward motion, the detent is forced under and against the cap of the shuttle,
and there held, so retaining the shuttle, against the lower driver l', until on the
reverse movement of the drive slide, the stud n' strikes back the detent, as shown
by the dark full lines in Figure 23, and holds the detent back until the return
stroke releases it. The distance apart of the studs n n', ', is regulated to the
length of stroke of the drivers. The recess holding the detents is shown at
Figures 23 and 26. The top and bottom of the shuttle is slightly curved in order
to lessen the shock of any possible collision between the loop carrier K and the
shuttle, and the lip and back of the loop carrier are also so curved as, if necessary,
to act as cams to raise or lower the shuttle. The object is to obtain a space
between the shuttle and the driver, sufficient to enable the loop of sewing thread to
pass freely.
in
In order to get a more direct pull or tension of the shuttle thread from the work
to that portion of the shuttle bobbin from which it is being unwound, a slit is cut
in the upper and lower parts of the shuttle box or race, such slits being in the line
of motion of the shuttle and on the side nearest the needle, see Figures 11 and 13
and 15 at m'. The function of these slits is to catch the shuttle thread as it slips
back across the line of the shuttle and then to hold it, preventing the thread from
springing over towards the needle away from the shuttle box and coming in collision
with any of the other working parts, and in addition, securing a more direct pull of
the shuttle thread from the work to the bobbin and against the side of the shuttle
box or race-way, and thus tending to free the shuttle from the drivers against
which it would otherwise be forcibly drawn, so rendering it harder for the loop
carrier, in its passage to clear the shuttle. This direct pull is well shown in the
Figures 11, 13 and 15.
The double nosed slittle holds a bobbin constructed in any well known manner.
The thread leaves the shuttle at the central aperture m. Figures 11, 13, 15, 16,
thus assisting a direct tension. In addition to the curved needle, a circular awl is

page_text: shown) attached to and revolving with the toothed wheel 2 on the axist. To this
axis is attached one end of the spring t the other end being fastened to the toothed
wheel at . Into the teeth of t, works the spring pawl t. The shoc support
is thus held forward normally by the spring and is pressed back by the operator
holding up the shoe against T.
At the moment that the back gauge slide is locked by the lever as described,
the shoe support slide is also locked in the same manner, and by the same lever,
but by its second or lower arm, the same motion of the lever locking and unlocking
both slides through the spring pawls ts.
The general operation of the machine is as follows: The operator holds up the
shoe, on its last against the back gauge or rest T, sole upward, the awl descends
piercing a stitch hole from the insole towards the upper and the channel guide
descends into the channel while the back gauge moves forward on the opposite side,
the stock being thus gripped and compressed at and opposite the channel. The
feed slide then carries over the work or shoe, one stitch to the line of action of the
needle, the awl is withdrawn, and the needle enters the stock from the opposite side,
passing through from the upper and between substance through the insole. The
thread arm having drawn down the necessary loop of sewing thread, the thread eye
loops or threads the needle, and the channel guide is removed from the channel.
The needle is then moved back, out from the work, the thread arm coming down to
supply thread as it is drawn through from the insole through and out of the upper.
The oscillating movement of the needle being completed, the needle is further
swung or carried back by the movement of the needle segment carriage, the loop
carrier enters the loop and begins to carry over one arm across the shuttle patli,
the loop detainer enters the loop, detaching it from the needle hook, the loop arm
is carried across the shuttle path, the shuttle with its bobbin of thread is shot
through the loop of sewing thread, the loop carrier and the loop detainer resume
their original positions thus releasing the sewing thread, and the take-up is
operated, drawing the sewing thread tight, and pulling in the shuttle thread into
the stitch hole, completing the stitch. The minor movements will be better
understood from the previous detailed description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is:
1. In a waxed thread sole sewing machine, a hooked circular needle, an inclined
shuttle box with its contained shuttle, located away from and at the side of the
needle, and means as the loop detainer and the loop carrier, to detach the loop of
sewing thread from the needle and spread it for the passage through it of the
shuttle substantially as described.
2. In a waxed thread sole sewing machine, a hooked circular needle, means to
oscillate the same, means to carry the needle bodily beyond the point of extreme
oscillation, an inclined shuttle box with its contained shuttle, located away from
and at the side of the needle, and means, as the loop detainer and the loop
carrier, to detach the loop of sewing thread from the needle and spread it for the
passage of the shuttle, substantially as described.
3. In a waxed thread sole sewing machine the combination of an inclined shuttle
box, located away from and at the side of the needle, and cut or divided at or
about its middle, to permit the passage across the shuttle of a loop distending
device, as the loop carrier K; the shuttle operated and contained therein and the
loop carrier operating, substantially as described.
4. In a waxed thread sole sewing machine, the inclined shuttle box, located
away from and at the side of the needle, and cut or divided crosswise at or about
its middle, a double nosed shuttle, means to operate the same, and a loop
distending device as the loop carrier K to spread the loop of sewing thread across
the line of motion of the shuttle, substantially as described.
5. In a waxed thread sole sewing machine, an inclined shuttle box with its

page_text: used shown in Figure 9, reference being also had to Figures 1, 2 and 3 in the usual
manner. The awl P' mounted on the arm p p Figure 9, is oscillated on the axis p,
on the feed slide p, by means of the awl lever p p (Figures 9 and 2), which has
its axis at p' and works into the controlling awl camp on the main shaft. The awl
is thereby caused, at the proper time to move down, piercing a hole in the channel
in the in-sole through the chamfer, and then is withdrawn, the needle following
directly upon the awl, piercing through the upper into the hole already bored by
The awl. As stated, the awl has its axis of oscillation on the feed slide, which is a
stout sliding bar, moving to and fro across the machine in the feed block or race-
way.
ig
In Figure 3, the right hand end of this sliding bar is shown at p, the block
or race way at p, and the feed slide retaining plates at pp. This slide bar
controlled by the feed cam p', Figures 1 and 2, by means of the feed lever p", the
fulcrum of which is at p which is on the rigid plate bolted to the machine frame.
The feed lever connects at p with the feed slide bar p (see Figure 2). When the
awl has moved down, and has pierced a hole through the insole, the feed lever,
nctuated by the feed cam, causes the feed slide to move from right to left the
distance of one stitch within its race-way, carrying with it the awl still in the stock,
and the shoe, thus compelled to move with the awl. By this means the awl hole is
brought directly into the line of action of the needle, and the work is thus fed up.
The needle having entered and been withdrawn, the feed slide is now similarly
moved in the reverse direction, to carry back the awl ready to pierce the next
stitch hole. The connection of the awl tever to the feed arm is shown at p
Figure 9. To the same feed slide is attached the channel guide, R Figure 2 which
is a flat blunt arm sufficiently large to feed into the channel cut along the insole.
By reason of its attachment to the feed slide, this channel guide travels with the
slide and awl; but in addition a suitable lever connection to a positive cam r',
cut on the opposite side of the same block in which the spreader lever cam surface
is formed, and mounted on the main shaft, moves or lifts the channel guide out of
the channel, towards the operator, as soon as the needle has pierced through the
stitch hole and while it is being threaded by menus of the thread eye or looper.
By this means, there is no friction or contact with the channelor stuck while the
channel guide is being moved from left to right with the feed slide, preparatory
to the awl piercing a new stitch hole. The feed motion being completed, the
channel guide is caused again to move down into and so as to grip the stock in
the channel.
In addition to the channel guide, a back gauge is used, Figures 4 and 21, which
is a small arm S mounted on a long slide bars which slides in grooves in the main
frame, to and from the operator.
In turn work, the back gange is employed, but in sewing on welts the back gauge
is screwed from the slide bar and the usual welt guide is substituted, the motions
of the two being identical.
The slide bars is moved to and fro, by means of a rock lever s', operated by the
back gauge cam on the main shaft X. This rock lever, is not attaclied directly to
the back gauge slide bar, but has a spring connection to it, to allow for the
unevenness and inequality in the material. The tension of the back gauge tends
to compress the material and this compression is regulated by the strength of the
spring.
To the back of the slide bars is attached a small ratchet tooth bars, into the
teeth of which a pawl s' is drawn by spring tension thus locking the slide bar at the
point during the time while the needle is entering the stock.
This pawl is operated by a separate cam surface, s, and by one arm of the
lever.
By these means the back gauge is moved forward, and compresses against the
channel guide, thus relieving the needle, in the usual manner.
T is a shoe support, Figure 4 which is a curved support or bar attached to a
horizontal slide which moves to and fro in slides in the main frame. This shoe
support has screwed to it a ratchet bar, into which runs a small gear wheel, (not

page_text: contained shuttle located away from and at the side of the needle, and cut or
divided crosswise at or about its middle, and with slits or cuts along its length,
extending up and down from this middle division, to permit a direct tension from
the shuttle through these slits to the work, and a take-up, as D, to tighten the
stitch substantially as described.
6. In combination: A hooked circular needle; a needle segment; means to
oscillate this segment with its needle; a carriage on which the needle segment is
mounted; means to operate this carriage so as to carry the needle with the sewing
thread bodily beyond its extreme of oscillation; and thread supplying devices as
the thread arm and the take-up, with means to operate the same to yield thread to
the needle during these movements of oscillation and translation, substantially as
described.
7. In combination: A hooked circular needle; a needle segment; means to
oscillate this segment with its needle; a carriage on which the needle segment is
mounted; means to operate this carriage so as to carry the needle with the sewing
thread bodily beyond its extreme of oscillation; thread supplying devices, as the
thread arm and the take-up with means to operate the same to yield thread to the
needle during these movements of oscillation and translation; means to detach
the thread loop from the needle barb, as the loop detainer L; and means to carry
over one arm of the thread loop, as the loop carrier K, to afford space for the
passage through the loop of the shuttle, substantially as described.
8. In a waxed thread sole sewing machine, the inclined shuttle box located away
from and at the side of the needle, and cut or divided crosswise at its middle; a
shuttle; means to operate the same, and shuttle detents as N N operating to hold
the shuttle up and down so as to keep the cross-cut in the shuttle box clear for
the passage of the loop carrier, substantially as described.
9. In a sewing machine, a hooked circular needle, having a thread retaining
guiding groove cut along its convex curve or outer edge, from the barb or hook
towards the point, substantially as described.
10. In a sewing machine, a hooked circular needle, having a thread retaining
guiding groove cut along its convex curve or outer edge, from the barb or hook
towards the point, and entirely on the same side or half of the needle as the barb
or hook, substantially as described.
11. In combination the loop distending devices, consisting of the hooked
circular needle with its thread re:aining groove, and means to oscillate the needle,
substantially as described.
12. In combination, the hooked circular needle with its thread retaining groove;
means to oscillate the needle; the thread eye, with means to operate the thread
eye to place the thread across the path of, and wind it around the needle, and
then partially to unwind the thread until it is held in the needle groove entirely.
on the shuttle side of the needle, substantially as described.
13. In a waxed thread sewing machine, the thread eye, with its actuating
mechanisms as the cams e³, et, and the connecting lever, to place the thread across
the path of the oscillating needle, then wind it around the needle, and then
partially unwind the thread until it is held entirely on the shuttle side of the
needle, operating and constructed substantially as described.
14. In a waxed thread sewing machine, the oscillating thread arm F, moving in
the are of a circle, substantially parallel to the plane of motion of the needle, and
with its axis of revolution centered so that it rises rapidly to clear the work
immediately after coming in contact with the sewing thread, with means
operate the same, substantially as described.
to
15. In a waxed thread sewing machine the oscillating thread arm F, and means
to operate the same, first to engage the standing thread, second to draw out
sufficient thread to supply one arm of the loop formed by the needle in its extreme
backward motion, and third to move back surrendering this thread to the needle,
not only in its movement of oscillation, but also of translation, substantially as
described.

page_text: 16. In a waxed thrend sewing machine the loop carrier K, with means to
operate the same first to enter the loop of sewing thread while the loop is
distended upon the needle, second to carry over and hold one arin of the loop
beyond the path of the shuttle, third to return releasing the sowing thread after
passage of the shuttle, substantially as described.
17. The loop carrier K, having its breadth substantially equal to that of the
shuttle, so that its breadth alone spreads the loop for the passage of the shuttle,
with means to operate the same substantially as described.
18. A loop carrier K, having thin upper projecting lip, to enter the loop of
sewing thread and divide the two arms of the loop, before the transfer or carrying
over of the loop to the shuttle begins operating and constructed substantially as
described.
19. The loop detainer L, with means to operate the same, first to enter the loop
of sewing thread, second to act as a thread detaining post substantially at the
point previously held by the barb of the needle, third to release the loop, after the
passage of the shuttle, substantially as described.
20. The means for detaching the loop of sewing thread from the needle, and
carrying over one arm of the loop for the passage of the shuttle, consisting of the
loop detainer L, and the loop carrier K, with means to operate the same,
substantially as described.
21. The take-up D, with means to operate the same first to take up or tighten
the previous stitch, second to move down to supply thread to the thread arin for
one arm of the loop to he formed by the needle, third, to move down further to
supply thread for the second arm of the loop formed by the needle; fourth to
move down further to supply thread to the loop carrier on its journey across the
path of the shuttle, as the levers d', dd, and cam P, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of June 1894.
:
H. J. HADDAN.