IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEWING SADDLERY AND OTHER LEATHER OR STRONG MATERIALS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SEWING SADDLERY AND OTHER LEATHER OR STRONG
MATERIALS." A communication from abroad by Auguste Jacques Hurtu
and Victor Joseph Hautin, Merchants, both of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris.
-
Sealed the 6th December 1867, and dated the 20th June 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th June 1867.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEWING SADDLERY AND OTHER LEATHER OR STRONG
MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus more especially applicable for sewing
leather, saddlery, harness, and other similar work with waxed thread. In
machines bitherto employed for this purpose the leather has been previously
prepared by piercing holes at equal distances apart, through which the machine.
needle is passed, or two needles have been used operated simultaneously by
the machine, the one being an awl for piercing the holes, and the other, or

page_text: needle proper, carrying the thread which enters the holes after they have been
made by the awl.. One disadvantage attending these machines, rendering it
impossible to use waxed thread, is that the shuttle by passing continually
through the loops formed by the said thread becomes coated with the wax,
and in course of time offers such resistance to the thread as to prevent its
slipping over the shuttle.
movement.
1st. In the improved apparatus of this Invention two needles are employed,
the one serving as an awl and the other carrying the thread; the two needles
have at the same time a vertical movement and also an adjustable horizontal
The needles are operated alternately so that the needle may pass
the thread through the hole made just previously by the awl before the leather
has been moved forward. By this means the sewing may be carried on with
great regularity, and the material be turned in any direction in order to
execute small designs.
2ndly. The Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of the
shuttle whereby it is caused to pass through the loops formed by the waxed
thread without touching it.
These improvements are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1
of which shows a side elevation of the apparatus on the line 1, 2, Figure 2,
the latter being a front view of the same on the line 3, 4, Figure 1; Figure 3
shows a back view of the machine; Figure 4 a view of the shuttle mechanism
on a larger scale; Figure 5 a plan, Figure 6 a longitudinal section, and
Figure 7 an end view of same; Figure 8 shows a part detached; Figure 9
is an end view of the shuttle; Figure 10 separate view of one of the two
needle carriers, while Figure 11 shows in plan the arrangement of the two
needle carriers in the head of the machine. The same letters serve for all
the Figures.
a, foot of the machine carrying the arm b, at the end of which is the head c;
d, driving shaft mounted at the back end of the foot a carrying a fly wheel
not shown, and receiving rotary motion either from a treadle, crank, or strap.
f. 9, needle and awl carriers working up and down in the head c, and having
cranked ends f', 9', in which are fixed the awl h and needle i carrying the
waxed thread. The parts f, g, are fitted to turn in parts j, which are guided
vertically in openings made laterally in the head c. m, disc keyed on the
driving shaft d and provided with a cam groove on its lateral surface in which
works a stud o carried on the end of a lever p jointed at point r for communi-
cating oscillating movement thereto. The other end of said lever is connected
to the slide by a connecting links for imparting a continuous up-and-down
_motion to the awl carrier; the needle carrier is also operated in the same

page_text: manner.
vice versa.
t, disc keyed on the driving shaft. d having a cam groove on its
lateral surface for operating a lever u oscillating on point r on the other side of
the machine arm for working the needle carrier, it being connected by a link
thereto. The driving cams are combined in such manner that the awl carrier
may be at the highest position while the needle carrier is at its lowest, and
Besides the up-and-down motion of the two parts f and 9 they
have also partial rotary motion in a horizontal plane for the purpose of
ensuring the awl and needle penetrating the leather at the same point one
after the other. This motion is obtained by the aid of grooves a, Figure 10,
in the needle and awl carrier in which are received the frictional studs y fitted
in the head c. The grooves x are so arranged that the piercer may first make
the hole in the leather and then rise, after which the needle will perform the
same motion, but in an inverse sense, so as to pass the thread through the
hole so made. The arrangement of needle and piercer operating exactly in
the manner of hand work is one of the chief points of the Invention..
The thread is furnished from a bobbin 1 rotating in a fork at the back of the
machine arm, the thread passing over guide pullies 2, 3, 4, and thence to the
needle from the tension regulator 5, which is fitted to work up and down in
the head c, and is governed by a lever 6 receiving oscillating motion from a
cam groove made in the lateral face of disc t. 7, work presser of the same kind
as ordinarily used.
I will next describe the arrangement for operating the shuttle combined
in such manner that the latter may pass through the loop formed by the
thread without effecting contact therewith. 8, part seen separately in front
view at Figure 8, having a semi-cylindrical space made in it, and a ring 8¹
with a space 82; 9, cylindrical part fixed at the end of part 8, but leaving a
space between for the passage of the needle and awl; 10, cylindrical shuttle
enclosing the reel or ball of thread and passing alternately from part 8 to
part 9 by the aid of driving parts, which I will now proceed to describe.
11, ring sliding on part 10 and provided with a hook 11'. This ring is fixed
to the stem 12 of a grooved coupling 13 and pinion 14 fitted to slide on a
spindle 15. 16, semi-cylindrical part embracing ring 11 and held in position
by an arm 17 fixed below part 8; 18, cam keyed on the driving shaft d for
producing the oscillating motion of a shaft 19 turning in bearings 20 by the
aid of a lever 21, Figure 3, mounted at one end of said shaft; the other end!
of this shaft 19 carries a lever 22 for imparting rectilinear motion to two
arms 23, 24, embracing the front and back ends of the shuttle so as to cause
it to move alternately from right to left in parts 8 and 9. 25, groove made
in the periphery of disc m acting as a cam for oscillating a shaft 26 by the

page_text: aid of a lever 27, Figure 3, keyed on one end of same. At the other end of
this lever is keyed a lever 28, Figure 2, having a friction roller running in
the groove of part 13 for operating the sliding movement of the ring. 11 on
the cylindrical part 9, the part 16, always remaining fixed. The hook 11' and
ring, 11 have both rotary motion imparted from a lever 29 having a rectilinear
sliding motion.. For this purpose, the lever is guided in its motion by a cam
groove 30 made in the lateral face of disc m producing the oscillation of a
toothed segment 31, Figure 1, gearing with pinion 14.
The whole being arranged as described, the following is the action of the
shuttle, and the mode of forming the stitch, without the said shuttle, being
brought in contact with the loop of the waxed thread:-The needle i descends
in the space between the parts 8 and 9 and forms a loop; at this moment the
lever 28 slides the ring 11 along so as to cover the space, and the hook 111
seizes the loop, first turning in the direction of the arrow 32, Figure 7, and
then rotating in the opposite direction, so as to coil or adapt the needle thread
to the periphery of said ring 11; the shuttle then passes from part 8 to
part 9 through the ring, the waxed thread being kept on its exterior surface;
after the shuttle thread has passed through the loop the latter is disengaged
from the ring 11 by a backward movement of the ring in the direction of the
arrow 38, while the part 16 being fixed retains the thread during the move-
ment of the ring; the thread on being released then rises by the action of the
tension regulator 5 in order to form the stitch. The material being sewn is
.fed by a claw 34, the rectilinear and upward movement of which is, produced
by a lever 35 oscillating and sliding a part 34 to which the claw is fitted in a
downward direction. The lever 35 receives motion from disc t by the aid of
the projecting cam surfaces 36, 37, oscillating said lever in two directions at
right angles to each other. The disc t also acts on a lever 38, one end of which
bears against the bobbin 1 at the time the tension regulator is in operation
to prevent the thread from being unwound and for tightening the stitch.,
The Invention thus consists, 1st, in the combined action of two needles,
the one for piercing the holes and the other for carrying the waxed thread
through them immediately after in the manner of hand work, it being
understood that the mode of operating the parts may be varied as desired;
2ndly, in the arrangement of the shuttle for the purpose of preventing contact
of the thread therewith.
"
Other means may be employed for operating the foot presser and other
parts of the machine, while the shuttle may also be made to work parallel
with the arm of the machine, or in other position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed"
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on"
the 17th December 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. I. ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
.
เ
I
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord; One,
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,"
did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alexander Melville Clark, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Melville, Clark, 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 "IMPROVE-}
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEWING SADDLERY AND OTHER LEATHER OR STRONG
MATERIALS," a communication to me from abroad by Auguste Jarques Hurtu
and Victor Joseph Hautin, Merchants, both of 29, Boulevart, St. Martin, Paris,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and.
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
+
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the two Sheets of Drawings
bereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
This Invention relates to apparatus more especially applicable for sewing
leather, saddlery, barness, and other similar work with waxed thread. In
machines hitherto employed for this purpose the leather has been previously
prepared by piercing holes at equal distances apart, through which the machine
needle is passed, or two needles have been used operated simultaneously by

page_text: the machine, the one being an awl for piercing the holes, and the other, or
needle proper, carrying the thread which enters the holes after they have been
made by the awl. One disadvantage attending these machines, rendering it
impossible to use waxed thread, is that the shuttle by passing continually
through the loops formed by the said thread becomes coated with the wax, and
in course of time offers such resistance to the thread as to prevent its slipping
over the shuttle.
movement.
First, in the improved apparatus of this Invention two needles are employed,
the one serving as an awl, the other carrying the thread; the two needles
have at the same time a vertical movement and also an adjustable horizontal
The needles are operated alternately, so that the needle may
pass the thread through the hole made just previously by the awl before the
leather has been moved forward. By this means the sewing may be carried
on with great regularity, and the material be turned in any direction in order
to execute small designs.
Secondly, the Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of the
shuttle whereby it is caused to pass through the loops formed by the waxed
thread without touching it.
These improvements are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings,
Figure 1 of which shows a side elevation of the apparatus on the line 1, 2,
Figure 2, the latter being a front view of the same on the line 3, 4, Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 shows a back view of the machine; Figure 4 a view of the shuttle
mechanism on a larger scale; Figure 5 a plan; Figure 6 a longitudinal
section, and Figure 7 an end view of same; Figure 8 shows a part detached;
Figure 9 is an end view of the shuttle; Figure 10 separate view of one of
the two needle carriers, while Figure 11 shows in plan the arrangement of
the two needle carriers in the head of the machine; the same reference letters
and figures serve for all the Figures.
a, foot of the machine carrying the arm b, at the end of which is the
head c; d, driving shaft mounted at the back end of the foot a, carrying a fly
wheel not shown and receiving rotary motion either from a treadle, crank, or
strap; f, g, needle and awl carriers working up and down in the head c, and
having/cranked ends f¹, 9', in which are fixed the awl h and needle i carrying
the waxed thread. The parts f, 9, are fitted to turn in parts j, which are
guided vertically in openings made laterally in the head c; m, disc keyed
on the driving shaft d, and provided with a cam groove on its lateral surface,
in which works a stud o carried on the end of a lever p jointed at point r for
communicating oscillating movement thereto. The other end of said lever is
connected to the slide j by a connecting links for imparting a continuous up-

page_text: and-down-motion to the awl carrier; the needle carrier is also operated in the,
same manner. t, disc keyed' on the driving shaft d, having a cam groove on.
its lateral surface for operating a lever u oscillating on point r on the other
side of the machine arm for working the needle carrier, it being connected by
a link thereto. The driving cams are combined in such manner that the awl
carrier may be at the highest position while the needle carrier is at the
lowest, and vice versa; besides the up-and-down motion of the two parts f, g,
they have also partial rotary motion in a horizontal plane for the purpose of
ensuring the awl and needle penetrating the leather at the same point one
after the other; this motion is obtained by the aid of grooves x, Figure 10,
in the needle and awl carriers, in which are received the frictional studs y,
Figure 11, fitted in the head c. The grooves are so arranged that the
piercer may first make the hole in the leather and then rise, after which the
needle will perform the same motion, but in an inverse sense, so as to pass
the thread through the hole so made.
.
The arrangement of needle and. piercer operating exactly in, the manner of
hand work is one of the chief points of the Invention. The thread is furnished
from a bobbin 1 rotating in a fork at the back of the machine arm, the thread
passing over guide pullies 2, 3, 4, and thence to the needle from the tension
regulator 5, which is fitted to work up and down in the head c, and is governed
by a lever 6, Figure 3, receiving oscillating motion from a cam groove made in
the lateral face of disc t. 7, work presser of the same kind as ordinarily used.
I will next describe the arrangement. for operating the shuttle combined
in such manner that the latter may pass through the loop formed by the thread
without effecting contact therewith. 8, part seen separately in front view'at
Figure 8, having a semi-cylindrical space made in it and a ring 8¹ with a
space 82; 9, cylindrical part fixed at the end of part 8, but leaving a space
between for the passage of the needle and awl; 10, cylindrical shuttle enclosing
the reel or ball of thread, and passing alternately from part 8, to part 9 by the
aid of suitable driving parts; 11, ring sliding on part 10, and provided with a
hook 11'. This ring is fixed by the stem :12 of a grooved coupling 13 and
pinion 14 fitted to slide on a spindle 15. 16, semi-cylindrical part embracing
ring 11 and held in position by an arm 17 fixed below part 8; 18, cam
keyed on the driving shaft d for producing the oscillating motion of a shaft 19
turning in bearings 20 by the aid of a lever 21, Figure 3, mounted at one
end of said shaft, the other end of this shaft 19 carries a lever 22 for imparting
rectilinear motion to two arms 23, 24, embracing the front and back ends of
the shuttle so as to cause it to move alternately from right to left in parts 8
and 9; 25, groove made in the periphery of disc m, acting as a cam for

page_text: oscillating a shaft 26 by: the aid of a lever: 27, Figure 3, keyed on one end of
same. At the other end of this lever is keyed a lever 28, Figure 2, having a
friction roller running in the groove of part 13 for operating the sliding move-
ment of the ring 11'on the cylindrical part 9, the part 16 always remaining
fixed. The hook '11' and ring 11 have both rotary motion imparted from a lever
29 having a rectilinear sliding motion. For this purpose the lever is guided
in its motion by a cam groove 30 made in the lateral face of disc m, producing
the oscillation of a toothed segment 31, Figure 1, gearing with pinion 14...
The whole being arranged as described, the following is the action of
the shuttle, and the mode of forming the stitch, without the said shuttle
being brought in contact with the loop of waxed thread: The needle
descends in the space between the parts 8 and 9 and forms a loop, at this
moment the lever.28 slides 'the ring 11 along so as to cover the space; and
the hook 11' seizes the loop, first turning in the direction of the arrowis2,
Figure 7, and then rotating in the opposite direction sotas, to coil or adapt
the needle thread to the periphery of said ring 11; the shuttle then passes
from part 8 to part 9 through the ring, the waxed, thread being kept on its
exterior surface; after the shuttle thread: 'bas passed through the loop the
latter is disengaged from the ring. 11. by a backward movement of the ring in
the direction of the arrow 33 while the part:16 being fixed retains, the thread
during the movement of the ring; the thread on being released then 'rises
by the action of the tension regulator 5 in order to form the stitch. The
material being sewn is fed by a claw 34, the rectilinear and upward movement
of which is produced by a lever 35 oscillating and sliding a part 34, to which
said claw is fitted in a downward direction: The lever 35 receives motion
from disc t by the aid of the projecting cam surfaces 36, 37, oscillating said
lever in two directions at right angles to each other. The disc t also acts
on a lever 38, one end of which bears against the bobbin Lat the time the
tension regulator is in operation to prevent the thread from being unwound
and. for tightening the stitch.
It has been stated at the commencement of this Specification that two
needles have already been used, but the improvement of this Invention consists
in the combined action of two needles, one of which carrying the thread passes
the latter through the hole just previously pierced by the second needle, while
in the arrangements before referred to several holes intervene between the
two needles. **
Further in the system of this Invention two needles are never in the leather
at the same time so that the material may be readily turned as on a pivot
according to the form of pattern required. Any other mode of operating the

page_text: needle so as to cause them to enter the same hole may also be adopted
instead of by the grooves before described.
It will also be understood that I reserve the right of varying the mode of
transmitting motion and the relative positions of the parts of the apparatus
described and illustrated without departing from the principle thereof.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention of improvements in
sewing machines for operating on leather and similar work with waxed
thread to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent.
is,-
First, the application of two needles, the one forming an awl and the other
carrying the thread, to which a combined vertical and horizontal motion are
imparted for the purpose of causing them to enter the material at the same
point, all in the manner described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly, I claim the combination and arrangement of parts comprising
the shuttle for the purpose of causing the latter to pass its thread through the
loop of waxed thread formed by the needle without bringing said thread in
contact with the shuttle, in the manner and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.