IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES.
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Webb, of Cross Street, Newington Butts,
in the County of Surrey, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES.'
Sealed the 81st December 1867, and dated the 22nd October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Webb at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd October
1867.
I, THOMAS WEBB, of Cross Street, Newington Butts, in the County of
Surrey, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed to simplify the construction and cost of sewing
machines, and the principal features of novelty in these improvements consist,
first, in the mode of driving the shuttle; secondly, in the mode of working
the needle bar and the "feed ;" and lastly, in the general combination and
arrangement of the mechanism of the several parts of the machine.
The following is an example of the means by which I propose to effect
these improvements:-Under the first head I connect to the shuttle carrier a
bar in the form of a cross, the ends of the said bar being supported by and
guided in rectangular shaped holes or pieces fixed to or formed upon the under
side of the bed plate of the machine and crosswise thereof. The middle

page_text: portion of the said bar has a long slot or opening formed therein into which
a pin takes, the said pin being fixed in a disc of metal fastened on to a spindle
mounted in bearings and revolves at right angles to the shuttle bar before
mentioned underneath the bed plate of the machine; I connect this bottom
motion with another spindle or top motion for actuating the needle bar, and
feed either by means of pulleys and an endless band or a train of wheels.
The needle bar is worked by a pin fixed in a cam or excentric fastened on
the top spindle, and the said pin takes into a slot of a heart shape, or somewhat
resembling that shape, and formed near the upper end of the needle bar, so
that as the before mentioned disc of metal revolves the pin therein will lift up
and force down the needle bar and needle at the proper times, the shape of the
heart shaped slot being such as to allow the needle bar to pause whilst the
shuttle is passing through the loop of the stitch. The cam or excentric above
mentioned is also employed to work the feed bar for advancing the work to
be sewn, and for holding the work firmly whilst it is being sewn and to release
it at the proper time; or the feed bar may be worked from the bottom motion
if desirable. The machine may either be worked by a treddle or by hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Webb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WEBB, of Cross Street, Newington Butts, in the County of Surrey, Machinist,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, 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 Thomas Webb, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Webb, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Webb, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Webb, my executors or administrators, by an instrument.

page_text: in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Thomas Webb, 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,
that is to say-
This Invention is designed to simplify the construction and cost of sewing
machines, and the principal features of novelty in these improvements consist;
first, in the mode of driving the shuttle; secondly, in the mode of working
the needle bar and the "feed," and lastly, in the general combination and
arrangement of the mechanism of the several parts of the machine.
The following is an example of the means by which I propose to effect
these improvements:-Under the first head I connect to the shuttle carrier
a bar in the form of a cross, the ends of the said bar being supported by and
guided in rectangular shaped holes or pieces fixed to or formed upon the
under side of the bed plate of the machine and crosswise thereof. The middle
portion of the said bar has a long slot or opening formed therein into which
a pin takes, the said pin being fixed in a disc of metal fastened on to a spindle
mounted in bearings, and revolves at right angles to the shuttle bar before
mentioned underneath the bed plate of the machine; I connect this bottom
motion with another spindle or top motion for actuating the needle bar and
feed either by means of pulleys and an endless band or a train of wheels.
The needle bar is worked by a pin fixed in a cam or excentric fastened on.
the top spindle, and the said pin takes into a slot of a heart shape, or some-.
what resembling that shape, and formed near the upper end of the needle bar,
so that as the before-mentioned disc of metal revolves the pin therein will
lift up and force down the needle bar and needle at the proper times, the-
shape of the heart-shaped slot being such as to allow the needle bar to pause-
whilst the shuttle is passing through the loop of the stitch. The cam or
excentric above mentioned is also employed to work the feed bar for advancing
the work to be sewn, and for holding the work firmly whilst it is being
sewn, and to release it at the proper time, or the feed bar may be worked
from the bottom motion if desirable. The machine may either be worked
by a treddle or by hand.
And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible I
now proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying

page_text: the same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and
letters of reference marked thereon respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure represents a side elevation of a sewing machine constructed
according to my said Invention; Figure 2, an end elevation at Z, Figure 1, of
the said machine, some of the parts being represented detached at Figures 3,
3, 4, 5, 6, in order to explain more fully the construction and arrangement
of my said improvements; Figure 7, a top plan view of a portion of the bed
plate shewing the arrangement of my improved shuttle carrier or holder. At
each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denote
corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of
such said Figures respectively.
A marks a casting to which are connected the following parts; B, C,
horizontal spindles working in suitable bearings fixed to or formed in the
casting A; each of the spindles B, C, has toothed wheels D, E, fixed upon
one end thereof, the said wheels taking into the teeth of a driving wheel G
into which a handle H is fixed for imparting rotatory motion to the several
wheels D, E, G, the spindle D is employed for imparting reciprocating motion
to the needle bar I, and the spindle C for imparting reciprocating motion to
the shuttle carrier K which may be effected by the following means :-L, M,
are discs of metal respectively fixed upon the ends of the spindles B, C, as at
Figures 1 and 2, the construction of the disc L will be better understood by
referring to Figure 3 where a marks a roller working loosely upon a pin
fixed in the disc L, 6 a pin fixed in the back of the said disc; the roller a
takes into the heart shaped slot c formed in the needle bar I as at Figure 2,
for imparting reciprocating motion to such said bar, and the needle d, affixed
thereto by the screw e and the pin 6 is for raising and lowering the foot f
employed for holding the work securely whilst the needle and sewing material
are passing through it. The foot fis fixed upon the lower end of a bent
bar N, the fulcium of which is a screw 9 passing through a slot form.ed in
the upper end of the bar N. It will be seen more clearly upon referring to
Figure 4 that the bar N is formed with an arm or projection h against ti.e
under and curved edge i whereof the pin 6 takes as the disc L rotates, and
by these means the foot fis raised from the work after the needle has been
lifted out of the work and directly after the lifting of the foot the bar N will
be pushed outwards by the action of the disc L against the curved part 2 of
the said bar, during this time the spring i will be forced up and as the pin b

page_text: descends in its rotation and the excentric part of the disc L comes out of
contact with the part 2 of the bar N, the spring i exerting its force upon the
end of the bar N will press the upper end of the said bar outwards and the
foot at the other end inwards, thus "feeding" or pushing the work forward
ready to receive another stitch and so on in succession. o is a screw, the end
whereof being advanced against or withdrawn more or less from the edge of
the bar N adjusts the length of the stitch as required.
I now proceed to describe the arrangement of the mechanism represented
at Figure 7 and the mode of driving the shuttle as follows:- It will be seen
upon referring to Figure 2 that the disc M has a pink fixed therein, this
pin takes into the slot 3 in the bar P, and thus as the said disc rotates it
will produce reciprocating motion of the bar P, and shuttle held thereby
between the prongs 4, 4; 1, 1, are plates for holding and guiding the bar P in a
borizontal position in its respective guide slots.
The several parts above described must of course be adjusted to perform
in regular order of succession, and which being well understood by sewing
machine makers requires no further explanation. I would also remark that
any suitable arrangement may be employed for causing tension upon the
sewing material employed. Q is a fixed piece of metal having a hole therein
for the needle to pass through, and at R, R, are sliding pieces to cover the
slot or opening in which the shuttle traverses.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my
said Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Sewing Machines,"
together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I hereby declare my
Invention to consist in and I claim as follows:-
I claim, first, the bar P and disc M for driving the shuttle.
Secondly. The spring i for working the feed.
And, lastly, I claim the foregoing parts in combination with the other
parts of the machine and the general arrangement of the whole as con-
stituting "Improvements in the Construction of Sewing Machines."
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Webb, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
THOMAS WEBB. (L.S.)