IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF "FRENCH VEIN" OR HEM-STITCH
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES HEGGAN of Dromore, County Down, Ireland, Mechanic do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF "FRENCH VEIN" OR HEM-STITCH to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in sewing machinery for the
production of "French vein" or hem-stitch and relates to a novel combination,
construction and arrangement of parts whereby I am enabled to run the machine
at a greater speed, to reduce the wear thereof, to dispense with the use of shuttles
and to simplify and facilitate its use thereby enabling learners readily to obtain a
knowledge of the same.
In carrying uy Invention into effect I dispense with a cam for operating the
needle slide and employ in lieu thereof an eccentric which operates a rod or link
connected by a universal joint with the lever working the needle slide, I also
dispense with the use of a shuttle and employ in lieu thereof a bobbin and rotating
hook to carry and operate the under thread, such rotating hook being provided
with a tail piece which at the required time acts to hold the bobbin thread away
from the needle thread and thereby facilitates the entrance of the nose of the hook
into the loop thrown out by the needle thread.
The bobbin according to my Invention works in a space formed on one side by
a recess in the rotating hook and on the other by a saucer acted upon by a spring
holder to hold the edge of the saucer against the face of the recess in the rotating
hook thereby allowing greater freedom to the bobbin and preventing the possibility
of its being bound between its supports. The spring holder is mounted on an
axis of motion at its lower end and is provided with a spring catch to hold it in
position or release it when required.
By the employment of the bobbin and rotating hook in lieu of a shuttle in this
class of machinery I am enabled to employ a rotating shaft to operate the under
thread in lieu of a lever and cam as heretofore required to operate a shuttle.
The rotary hook, the needle slide and the thread handler are operated by a
counter shaft which receives its motion from the driving shaft by suitable gearing.
The thread handler consists of a lever mounted near one end on an axis of
motion carried either by the arm of the machine or by the shifting part of the head
CDC17

page_text: of the machine hereinafter referred to and it is connected to a rod which is operated
by a cam, (preferably grooved) on the counter-shaft.
The rotary hook has its motion accellerated and retarded at the required times
by similar means to those employed in the Wheeler and Wilson straight needle
machine.
An under feed is employed to give all the required motions to the material being
sewn; the feed lever is operated by cams fixed on the driving shaft and is provided
with a pulley resting on the top of one of such cams whilst the pressing foot has
no motion given to it, but is always pressing upon the feed foot so as to keep the
feed lever always against its cam and at the same time prevent vibration and in
order to enable the pressing foot to adapt itself to different thicknesses of material
under different parts thereof, I divide the pressing foot longitudinally into two
parts, or rather, I employ two comparatively narrow pressing feet side by side
operated by a spring or springs so as to enable each to act independently of the
other.
In order to afford facility for regulating the length of stitch, I mount a lever on
an axis of motion carried by the under side of the work-plate, one end of such
lever acts to regulate the amount of motion given to the feed foot by the cam and
the other to indicate the length of stitch, or the number of stitches per inch.
The counter shaft with the fixings thereon, the bobbin holder, that part of the
head of the machine containing the needle slide, and the arm for giving motion to
the needle, are, at the required times, moved to and fro end wise of the counter-
shaft, in order to give the required traverse to the needle and other parts. This I
obtain by mounting the needle arm on an axis carried by the upper end of a
sliding standard which is also connected to the moving part of the head carrying
the needle slide, and the lower end of which is forked, and acts in combination
with a clutch on the counter-shaft to give motion to the latter.
The sliding standard is moved in one direction by a cam on the driving shaft
acting upon suitable levers on a cross shaft, a spring moving it in the contrary
direction, and in order to facilitate the regulation of the traverse of the needle and
other parts, I provide the lever bearing against the cam with adjustable means, so
as to regulate the amount of motion given by the cam.
The spring bobbin holder is carried by a sliding plate which has a vertical
portion acted upon by the back of the rotating hook to move it in one direction,
whilst a spring acts to move it in the contrary direction.
In order to ensure the needle loop being thrown out in proper position to be
taken by the rotating hook, I fix to the underside of the work plate a forked guide
through which the needle and thread pass, by which means the loop as it is thrown
out from the needle is compelled to travel within the space of the fork which is
arranged at right angles to the plane of rotation of the rotating hook.
Dated January 3rd 1884

page_text: I JAMES HEGGAN of Dromore, County Down, Ireland, Mechanic, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY
FOR THE PRODUCTION OF "FRENCH VEIN" OR HEM-STITCH and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in sewing machinery for the
production of "French vein" or hem stitch and relates to a novel combination,
construction and arrangement of parts whereby I am enabled to run the machine
at a greater speed, to reduce the wear thereof, to dispense with the use of shuttles.
and to simplify and facilitate its use thereby enabling learners readily to obtain a
knowledge of the same.
In carrying my Invention into effect I dispense with a cam for operating the
needle slide and employ in lieu thereof an eccentric which operates a rod or link
connected by a universal joint with the lever working the needle slide, I also
dispense with the use of a shuttle and employ in lieu thereof a bobbin and
rotating hook to carry and operate the under thread, such rotating hook being
provided with a tail piece which at the required time acts to hold the bobbin
thread away from the needle thread and thereby facilitates the entrance of the
nose of the hook into the loop thrown out by the needle thread.
The bobbin according to my Invention works in a space formed on one side by
a recess in the rotating hook and on the other by a saucer acted upon by a spring
holder to hold the edge of the saucer against the face of the recess in the rotating
hook thereby allowing greater freedom to the bobbin and preventing the possibility
of its being bound between its supports.
The spring holder is mounted on an axis of motion at its lower end and is
provided with a spring catch to hold it in position or release it when required.
By the employment of the bobbin and rotating hock in lieu of a shuttle in this
class of machinery I am enabled to employ a rotating shaft to operate the under
thread in lieu of a lever and cam as heretofore required to operate a shuttle.
The rotary hook, the needle slide and the thread handler are operated by
a counter shaft which receives its motion from the driving shaft by suitable
gearing.
The thread handler consists of a lever mounted near one end on an axis of
motion carried either by the arm of the machine or by an arm connected to the
shifting part of the head of the machine, hereinafter referred to, and it is connected
to a rod which is operated by a cam, (preferably grooved) on the counter-shaft.
The rotary hook has its motion accelerated and retarded at the required times
by similar means to those employed in the Wheeler and Wilson straight needle
machine.
An under feed is employed to give all the required motions to the material being
sewn; the feed lever is operated by cams fixed on the driving shaft and is provided
with a pully resting on the top of one of such cams whilst the pressing foot has
no motion given to it but is always pressing upon the feed foot so as to keep the
feed lever always against its cam and at the same time prevent vibration and in
order to enable the pressing foot to adapt itself to different thicknesses of material
under different parts thereof, I divide the pressing foot longitudinally into two
parts, or rather I employ two comparatively narrow pressing feet side by side
operated by a spring or springs so as to enable each to act independently of the
other.

page_text: In order to afford facility for regulating the length of stitch, I mount a lever on
an axis of motion carried by the under side of the work plate, one end of such
lever acts to regulate the amount of motion given to the feed foot by the cam and
the other to indicate the length of stitch or the number of stitches per inch.
The counter shaft with the fixings thereon, the bobbin holder, that part of the
head of the machine containing the needle slide, and the arm for giving motion to
the needle are at the required times moved to and fro end wise of the counter-shaft
in order to give the required traverse to the needle and other parts.
This I obtain by mounting the needle arm on an axis carried by the upper end
of a sliding standard which is also connected to the moving part of the head
carrying the needle slide, and the lower end of which is forked, and acts in
combination with a clutch on the counter-shaft to give motion to the latter.
The sliding standard is moved in one direction by a cam on the driving shaft
acting upon suitable levers on a cross shaft, a spring moving it in the contrary
direction and in order to facilitate the regulation of the traverse of the needle and
other parts I provide the lever bearing against the cam with adjustable means so
as to regulate the amount of motion given by the cam.
The spring bobbin holder is carried by a sliding plate which has a vertical
portion acted upon by the back of the rotating hook to move it in one direction,
whilst a spring acts to move it in the contrary direction.
In order to ensure the needle loop being thrown out in proper position to be
taken by the rotating hook, fix to the underside of the work plate a forked guide
through which the needle and thread pass, by which means the loop as it is thrown
out from the needle is compelled to travel within the space of the fork which is
arranged at right angles to the plan of rotation of the rotating hook.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the soma
Figure 1 is a side view.
Figure 2 is a front view, and Figure 3 is a plan or
top. view of sewing machinery constructed according to my invention, for the
production of "French vein or hem-stitch. Figures 4to 11 are detail views of
various parts drawn to the same scale as Figures 1, 2 and 3. and Figures 12 to 25
are detail views of various parts drawn full size.
a is the frame of the machine; a¹ is the work plate and a² is the arm of the
machine carrying the fixed part a³ of the head and the moveable part a' thereof
which latter has screws a fixed therein and working in slots formed in the
part a³.
bis the main shaft and c is a counter shaft, the shaft bis driven by a strap or
band passing around the pulley b₁ and communicates motion to the shaft c through
the toothed wheel b2 and toothed pinion c¹.
d is the needle slide which is operated by an eccentric d¹acting upon a rod or
link d² which is connected by a universal joint with the lever d³ working the
needle slide d. I also dispense with the use of a shuttle and employ in lieu thereof
a bobbin e and rotating hook f to carry and operate the under thread, such rotating
hook f being provided as shown at Figures 12, 13, 14 and 17 with a tail piece f
which at the required time acts to hold the bobbin thread 2. away from the needle
thread 1. and thereby facilitates the entrance of the nose f¹ of the hook finto the
loop thrown out by the needle thread 1.
The bobbin e according to my invention works in a space formed on one side by
a recess f³ in the rotating hook fand on the other by a saucer g acted upon by
a spring holder g' to hold the edge of the saucer g against the face of the recess ƒ³
in the rotating hook f thereby allowing greater freedom to the bobbin and
preventing the possibility of its being bound between its supports.

page_text: The spring holder g₁ is mounted upon an axis of motion g² at its lower end and
is provided with a spring catch g³ to hold it in position or release it when required,
a short lever g* being employed to act upon the spring catch g³ to release the
bolder g' when required.
By the employment of the bobbin e and rotating hook f in lieu of a shuttle in
this class of machinery I am enabled to employ a rotating shaft to operate the
under thread 2. in lieu of a lever and cam as heretofore required to operate a
shuttle.
The rotary hook f, the needle slide d and the thread handler h are operated by
the counter shaft c.
an axis of
The thread handler h consists of a lever mounted near one end on
motion carried by the arm a fixed to the shifting part at of the head of the
machine hereinafter referred to, and it is connected to a rod h² which is operated
by a cam ³ (preferably grooved as shown) on the counter shaft c.
The rotary hook f has its motion accelerated and retarded at the required times
by similar means to those employed in the Wheeler and Wilson straight needle
machine; these means are shown in their proper position in the machine in
Figures 1 and 3 and in detail at Figures 8, 9 and 10 and are as follows. The
counter shaft c is made in two separate parts c, c*, and the part c is provided at
its end with a stud or pin c³ projecting from the boss of cam hs; this stud c² enters
a radial slot in an eccentrically mounted disc c³ and a stud c¹ projecting from a
disc c fixed on the end of the shaft c* enters another radial slot on the opposite
side of the disc c³, by these means rotary motion is communicated from the shaft c
to the shaft c✶ but the latter is driven at the variable speeds required to be given
to the rotary hook f.
An under feed is employed to give all the required motions to the material being
sewn; the feed lever i is operated by cams j. j. fixed on the driving shaft b and is
provided with a pulley i resting on the top of the cam j whilst the pressing
foot has no motion given to it but is always pressed downward and presses
upon the feed foot is so as to keep the feed lever i always against its cam ; during
the formation of each set or group of stitches and at the same time prevent
vibration. And in order to enable the pressing foot to adapt itself to different
thicknesses of material under different parts thereof, I divide the pressing foot h
longitudinally into two parts or rather I employ two comparatively narrow
pressing feet side by side operated by a spring or springs k¹ so as to enable
each to act independently of the other.
In order to afford facility for regulating the length of stitch, I mount a lever l
on an axis of motion carried by the underside of the work plate a¹; one end of
such lever acts to regulate the amount of motion which is given to the feed foot i²
by the cam acting upon the pulley 23 and the other to indicate the length of
stitch or the number of stitches per inch for which purpose the outer end of the
lever is formed with a suitable scale and an index or pointer m is fixed to the
work plate a¹. A nut acts to fix the lever in any required position. It is
evident that the arrangement of these parts may be reversed as the scale may be
fixed to or formed on the work plate a¹ and the outer end of the lever / may
be formed as an index or pointer.
The counter shaft c with the fixings thereon, the bobbin holder g¹, the part a*
of the head of the machine containing the needle slide d, and the arm d³ for
giving motion to the needle are at the required times moved to and fro end wise
of the counter shaft c in order to give the required traverse to the needle and
other parts.
This I obtain by mounting the needle arm on an axis d' carried by the upper
end of sliding standard n which is also connected by the arm a³ to the moving
part a of the bead carrying the needle slide d and the lower end n¹ of which is
forked and acts in combination with a clutch n² on the counter-shaft c to give
motion to the latter in the following manner.

page_text: The sliding standard n is moved in one direction by a cam n³ on the driving
shaft b acting upon a crank lever n' which is pin jointed to a lever o¹ on a cross
shaft o which latter by a forked lever o² acts to move the standard n in one
direction, a spring n³ moving the latter in the contrary direction; and in order to
facilitate the regulation of the traverse of the needle and other parts I provide the
lever bearing against the cam n³ with a screw no acting in combination with
a slot in the lever o¹ in order to facilitate adjustment of such parts in relation to
each other, and thereby regulate the amount of motion given by the cam n³.
The spring bobbin holder g¹ is carried by a sliding plate g which has a vertical
portion g acted upon by the back of the rotating hook f to move it in one direction,
whilst a spring g' acts to move it in the contrary direction.
In order to ensure the needle loop being thrown out in proper position to be
taken by the rotating hook f, I fix to the underside of the work plate a¹ a forked
or slotted guide p through which the needle and thread pass, by which means the
loop as it is thrown out from the needle is compelled to travel within the space of
the fork or slot which is arranged at right angles to the plane of rotation of the
rotating hook f.
I would here remark that I make no claim to the separate parts herein herein
shown and described, generally considered, as most of the same are well known as
applied to various classes of sewing machinery.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;
"
First The general combination and arrangement of sewing machinery for the
production of French vein" or hem-stitch substantially as herein shown and
described.
Second Forming the rotating book ƒ with a tail piece ƒ³ substantially as herein
shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Third: The method of supporting the bobbin e by spring holder gl and saucer g
in combination with a recess in the rotating hook f substantially as herein shown
and described.
Fourth The employment of two pressing feet le capable of separate action
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Fifth Giving endwise motion to the counter shaft c with the fixings thereon,
the bobbin holder g¹ and other parts in order to give the required traverse to
the needle and parts connected therewith, substantially as herein shown and
described.
:
Sixth The peculiar arrangement of feed apparatus substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated.
Seventh The method of operating the thread handler substantially as herein
shown and described and
Eighth The forked or slotted guide p substantially as herein shown and
described, and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1884.