IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINE SHUTTLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emanuel Shepherd, Fred Rothwell, James
Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, all of Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINE SHUTTLES."
Scaled the 14th March 1876, and dated the 18th September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emanuel Shepherd,
Fred Rothwell, James Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on
the 18th September 1875.
WC, EMANUEL SHEPHERD, FRED ROTHWELL, JAMES EDWARD HOUGH,
and TOM ROTHWELL, all of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINE SHUTTLES," to be as follows:-
According to this Invention two small flat tension springs are screwed
at one end to the fore or other convenient part of the shuttle, the cud
nearest the shuttle point being left loose. These tension springs have a
hole formed in them in front of the screw, through which holo a pin

page_text: formed on or attached to the shuttle passes for the purpose of keeping
the thread whilst passing between the tension springs from coming into
contact with the screw, and also of ensuring the requisite degree of
pliability in the springs at that part. An indentation is made on each
side of the shuttle where the loose ends of the springs are, for the
purpose of facilitating the placing of the thread between them, the end
of the upper spring being slightly-turned up for the same purpose.
When it is desired to thread the shuttle the thread is passed from the
spool or bobbin contained therein through the holes ordinarily placed
or formed in one side thereof, and from thence between the tension
springs round the before-mentioned pin to the slot or holes in the other
side of the shuttle, the threading then being completed. It will thus
be seen that by screwing or unscrewing the before-mentioned screw the
friction will be increased or diminished as desired, and consequently any
requisite amount of tension may be obtained on the thread.
It will be well understood by persons conversant with such matters
that one tension spring may be employed instead of two as herein-before
described with the same result.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Emanuel Shepherd, Fred Rothwell, James 2
Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, EMANUEL
"SHEPHERD, FRED ROTHWELL, JAMES EDWARD HOUGH, and TOM
ROTHWELL, all of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturers, 2
-send-greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and-8
successors, give and grant unto us, the said Emanuel Shepherd, Fred
Rothwell, James Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, Her special
licence that we, the said Emanuel Shepherd, Frod Rothwell, James

page_text: Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Emanuel Shepherd, Fred
Rothwell, James Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, our 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 SEWING MACHINE SHUTTLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Emanuel Shepherd, Fred Rothwell, James Edward
Hough, and Tom Rothwell, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Emanuel Shepherd, Fred
Rothwell, James Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say :-
According to our Invention two small flat tension springs are screwed
at one end to tho forc or other convenient part of the shuttle, the ond
nearest the shuttle point being left loose. These tension springs have a
hole formed in them in front of the screw, through which hole a pin
formed on or attached to the shuttle passes for the purpose of keeping
the thread from coming into contact with the screw whilst passing
between the tension springs, and also of ensuring the requisite degree of
pliability in the springs at that part. An indentation is made on each
side of the nose of the shuttle in order to facilitate the placing of the
thread between the springs, the end of the upper spring being slightly
turned up for for the same purpose.
When it is desired to thread the shuttle the thread is passed from the
spool or bobbin contained therein, through the holes ordinarily placed or
formed in one side thereof, and from thence between the tension springs
to the slot or holes in in the other side of the shuttle. It will thus be seen

page_text: that by adjusting the screw holding the tension springs the friction
between the same can be regulated, and any desired amount of tension
obtained on the thread.
It will be well understood by persons conversant with such matters,
that one tension spring only may if desired be employed, the shuttle
itself being made to take the place of the lower spring.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would observe in
conclusion that what we consider novel and original and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part:
recited Letters Patent is, the construction of sewing machine shuttles
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set forth and described
or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Emanuel Shepherd, Fred Rothwell,
James Edward Hough, and Tom Rothwell, have hereunto set our :
hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
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