Improvements in Stitches for Over-seam Work applicable for Hat Leathers or Sweats.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stitches for Over-seam Work applicable for Hat
Leathers or Sweats.
I, THOMAS WEBB, of Waterloo Road, Stockport, in the County of Chester,
Manufacturer, (a communication to me from abroad by Thomas W. Bracher, of,
New York, U.S.A., Manufacturer,) do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows
The object of this invention is to provide a new or improved stitch for over-seam
work composed of two threads and which shall form a more perfect lock than has
been the case with stitches heretofore employed for this purpose.
One of the threads which constitute this improved stitch is made to form two
loops, one loop passing over the edge of the article to be stitched and the other
loop passing through the article and through the first loop, and the other thread
passing through the second loop across the bight of the first loop and thus locking
the two loops together.
The thread which I call the loop thread is carried by the needle and the thread
which I call the locking thread is carried by the shuttle.
The loop thread forms two distinct loops, the first of which is carried over the
edge of the article to be stitched to such a distance on the underside of the article
that the second loop when passing through the article to be stitched, necessarily
passes through the bight of the first loop.
The locking thread is then passed through the bight of the second loop and when
the threads are drawn taut they produce a perfect lock stitch, the locking thread
being firmly grasped by the bight of the second loop, the first loop being held in
position by the second loop and the locking thread.
A neat appearance on the upper side of the seam is produced as the two threads
which pass over the edge lie close together, and run in substantially parallel lines.
so that they present very much the appearance of a single thread.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1890.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,.
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stitches for Over-seam Work applicable for Hat
Leathers or Sweats.
I, THOMAS WEBB, of Waterloo Road, Stockport, in the County of Chester,
Manufacturer, (a communication to me from abroad by Thomas W. Bracher, of
New York, U.S.A., Manufacturer) do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in.what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described-and-
ascertained-in-and by the following statement:-
The object of the invention is to provide a new or improved form of stitch for
over-seam work (such as hat leathers) composed of two threads forming a more
perfect lock than has been the case with stitches hitherto employed for this purpose.
By this invention I produce an overhand seam with a double thread lock stitch
that will not travel out and with the interlocking of the threads at the back of the
article and out of sight, giving on the front side the appearance of single thread
hand sewing.
One of the threads comprised, in this improved stitch is made to form two distinct
loops one loop to pass over the edge of the article to be stitched and the other loop

page_text: It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, suitable
mechanism for forming the stitch being illustrated, which forms the subject matter
of my application for Letters Patent No. 21,029 of even date.
Fig. 1, is a top or back view of over-seam made with my improved stitch (enlarged
to an exaggerated scale).
Fig. 2, is the underside of same.
Fig. 3, side elevation of improved stitching mechanism showing the loop former
above the bed plate.
Fig. 4, side elevation with the loop former below the bed plate.
Fig. 5, end elevation.
The stitch is formed on the edge of the material A by two threads-the loop
thread B and the locking thread C and may if desired be formed by hand though
it is preferred to use the mechanism shown in the drawings in conjunction with a
shuttle sewing machine of ordinary construction.
The loop thread B is carried by the needle D of the machine and the locking
thread C is carried by the shuttle.
The loop thread B is formed into two distinct loops a and b the first loop a is
carried over the edge of the material A. by a loop former E to such a distance on
the underside thereof that the second loop 6 when passed through the material
with the needle necessarily passes through the bight of the first loop.
The locking thread C is then passed through the bight of the second loop bin the
loop thread B formed around the needle eye and when the threads are drawn taut
they produce a perfect lock stitch the locking thread C being firmly grasped by the
bight of the second loop (as shown in Fig. 2) and the first loop a being held in
position by the second loop and the locking thread C.
The loop former E is carried in a head or bracket F affixed to the bed plate or
table G of the machine which in the example shown is provided with a revolving
presser foot a revolving feed I and a revolving shuttle J which carries the
locking thread C the loop thread B being carried by the needle D. K is the
These parts are of ordinary construction and are operated in the usual
needle bar.
way.
The head or bracket F of the loop former E is fastened to the bed plate or table G
and carries the loop former mounted on one end of the oscillating shaft e
The
movement of the loop former E should be about half a revolution in a semi-circular
path first in one direction and then in the opposite direction as the loop former
must pass beyond the vertical line of the needle both above and below the bed
plate G above to engage with the loop thread 13 and take it from the needle D and
below to carry the loop a thus formed in the thread below the material A. and to a
position where the needle and the second loop formed at the needle eye can pass
through it.
Motion is given to the oscillating shaft e through a crank or arm L affixed to its
outer end affixed to which on a small stud is a roller or sliding block 1. The
roller engages with a slot m in a swinging arm or lever M pivoted at f to the head
or bracket F. The arm M is connected to and receives motion from the driving
gear of the machine by a connecting rod which moves to and fro and is connected
thereto by the stud N.
The distance of the centre of the roller or sliding block from the centre of the
oscillating shafte should be about half the length of the pivoted arm M from the
pivot to the lower end of the slot.
As the pivoted arm M is moved to and fro the roller / slides up and down in the
slot m and the desired movement is thereby communicated to the oscillating shaft e
and loop former E.
Various mechanism for connecting the oscillating shaft e with the driving gear so as
to produce the desired amount of swing may be employed but at present prefer

page_text: the mechanism shown in the drawings though instead of the sliding roller and block !
working in conjunction with the slot in the pivoted arm M links or a rack and
pinion or other similar means may be employed to give the oscillating movement to
the shaft e of the loop former E.
In operation the mechanism works as follows:-
The material A. being inserted between the presser foot H and feed mechanism I
the machine is started and the needle with its thread begins to descend. The loop
former E catches the thread B before the needle enters the material and by its
movement carries a loop a of the thread under the bed plate G in advance of the
needle D and holds the loop in the path of the descending needle. The needle and
its loop & pass through the material and through the loop a formed by the looper
then offering the needle loop to the point of the revolving shuttle which opens the
needle loop and carries the thread round the bobbin so that the shuttle thread C
passes through the needle loop. The slack is now taken up by the take up
mechanism in the ordinary manner the needle returning to its initial position
followed by the looper.
A neat appearance on the upper side of the scam is produced as the two threads
which pass over the edge lie close together and run in substantially parallel lines,
so that they present very much the appearance of a single thread.
It will be evident that the improved stitch may be made by hand sewing and
also that other mechanism may be designed which will produce it in a sewing
machine but at present I consider that the mechanism illustrated and described and
which forms the subject matter of my Letters Patent No. 21029/90 of even date
herewith will be found the best for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I make no claim in this Specification for the mechanism described as that forms
the subject matter of my Patent No. 21029 of 1890 but I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improved lock stitch for over-seam work composed of two threads one thread
being formed into two loops one loop passing over the edge of the material and the
other loop passing through the material and through the first loop and the other
thread passing through the second loop at the back of the material across the hight
of the first loop thus locking the two loops together substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Dated this 17th day of September 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.