IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING, MACHINES."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Joel Livsey, of the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent.
Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING, MACHINES."―.
A communication from abroad by Thomas Antoney Macaulay,
of Northampton, in the County of Hampshire, in the State of
Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 27th April 1869, and dated the 12th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Joel Livsey at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th November 1868.
·I, PETER JOEL LIVSEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES,"
a communication from abroad by Thomas Antoney Macaulay, of
Northampton, in the County of Hampshire, in the State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, to be as follows:-

page_text: crank motion (whereby greater durability is obtained) for which,
amongst other improvements, Letters Patent for Great Britain and
Ireland were granted to the Inventor, Thomas Antony Macaulay,
Numbered 2, and dated the Second January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five. In this improved arrangement
the disc plate has a projection from it to carry the ends of the pivots
upon which the two links are jointed, which links are also jointed with
the crank part, and the lower end of the pitman or connecting rod is
jointed with the needle bar by means of a clip closed by a screw.
Secondly. In a peculiar arrangement of lever and link in combination
with the needle bar of a sewing machine and two stationary guides, by
which the thread is controlled in making stitches and the quantity is
regulated to suit thick and thin goods. The fulcrum of the said, lever
is adjustable upon the presser bar or it may be fixed on the face plate,
and the said link is jointed to the lever and needle bar. The thread to
be regulated passes through a hole in the end of the lever.
Thirdly. In an arrangement of the shuttle driving mechanism,
whereby greater durability, simplicity, and economy of construction is
obtained. Motion is taken from the rear end of the upper shaft to give
oscillations to a shaft below the table, upon the front end of which shaft
there is an arm having a rod socketed in it with a partially round end
that fits a part in the shuttle driver which slides in a straight race and
is kept down by a plate secured by screws.
Fourthly. In an improved manner of suspending the feed wheel or
device, and of raising and lowering the same when it is desired to sew
thick or thin material, which is accomplished by mounting the feed
wheel or device upon a crank shaft having a lever or arm on it by
moving which in one direction the feed is raised for thick material and
in the other direction it is lowered for thin material.
Fifthly. In a new method of constructing stitch changing mechanism
whereby short and long stitches aro made at the will of the operator.
This is done by means of a cam on the oscillating shaft below the table
herein-before mentioned, which acts upon a lever jointed upon an arm
actuating the propeller, which is moved in one direction by the cam and
is brought back by a spring. The arm carries a screw for adjusting the
space between the arm and lever and thus the length of the stitches.
Sixthly. In constructing a needle bar with bevelled edges and a
bevelled groove in the face, by which means greater strength and

page_text: lightness are obtained, also in inserting the needle bar wholly in the face
plate and in placing a gib in the bevelled groove of the bar at each end
of the same, each gib being furnished with a screw to take up the slack
or wear...
Seventhly. In making the bearing or attachment of the face plate at
one side of the pitman or connecting rod for the needle bar instead of at
both sides as is commonly done, by which arrangement economy of
construction is obtained.
Eighthly. In an elongation of the needle hole in the throat plate
which permits the thread to lock more freely.
Ninthly. In a "hemmer" constructed with spring tongues, all of it
of thin. sheet metal, to give elasticity for varying thicknesses of
material..
Tenthly. In a "feller" so construeted as to give elasticity for varying
thickness and permit several folds of cloth forming the "fell" to be
brought so far under the presser foot as to ensure certainty in feeding.
This is done by turning the fell. underneath instead of over. By this
means the body of the fell is brought under the presser foot and is sure
to be fed along continuously.
Eleventhly. In an improved manner of attaching the presser foot to
the presser bar whereby greater nicety of adjustment may be obtained.
This is done by forming the foot, with a "clip" and screw to close it.
upon the end of the presser bar..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
filed by the said Peter Joel Livsey in the Great Seal. Patent Office
on the 29th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
JOEL LIVSEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster;
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight; in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Peter Joel Livsey; Her special license that
I, the said Peter Joel Livscy, my executors; adininistrators, and assigns,

page_text: or such others as I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, 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
SEWING MACHINES," a communication from abroad by Thomas Antoney
Macaulay, of Northampton, in the County of Hampshire, in the State
of Massachusetts, United States of America,) upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Peter Joel Livsey, 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 and the accompanying Drawings (that is
to say):-
Firstly. The improvements consist in an improved manner of con-
structing the combination crank motion (whereby greater durability is
obtained) for which, amongst other improvements, Letters Patent for
Great Britain and Ireland were granted to the Inventor, Thomas
Antoney Macaulay, Numbered 2, and dated the Second day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred, and sixty-five. In
this improved arrangement the disc plate has a projection from it to
carry the ends of the pivots upon which the two links are jointed, which
links are also jointed with the crank part, and the lower end of the
pitman or connecting rod is jointed with the needle bar by means of a
clip closed by a screw.
Secondly. In a peculiar arrangement of lever and link in combination
with the needle bar of a sewing machine and two stationary guides, by
which the thread is controlled in making stitches and the quantity is
regulated to suit thick and thin goods. The fulcrum of the said lever
is adjustable on the presser bar, or it may be fixed in the face plate,
and the said link is jointed to the lever and needle bar. The thread
to be regulated passes through a hole in the end of the lever.

page_text: Thirdly. In an arrangement of the shuttle driving mechanism whereby
greater durability, simplicity, and economy of construction is obtained.
Motion is taken from the rear and of the upper shaft to give oscillations
to a shaft below the table, upon the front end of which shaft there is an
arm having a rod socketed in it, with a partially round end that fits a
part in the shuttle driver which slides in a straight race and is kept down
by a plate secured by screws.
Fourthly. In an improved manner of suspending the feed wheel or
device, and of raising and lowering the same when it is desired to sew
thick or thin material, which is accomplised by mounting the feed
wheel or device upon a crank shaft having a lever or arm on it by
moving which in one direction the feed is raised for thick material, and.
in the other direction it is lowered for thin material.
Fifthly. In a new method of constructing stitch changing mechanism
whereby short and long stitches are made at the will of the operator.
This is done by means of a cam on the oscillating shaft below the table
herein-before mentioned, which acts upon a lever jointed upon an arm
actuating the propeller, which is moved in one direction by the cam and
is brought back by a spring. The arm carries a screw for adjusting the
space between the arm and lever and the the length of the stitches.
Sixthly. In constructing a needle bar with bevelled edges and a
bevelled groove in the face, by which means greater strength and
lightness are obtained, also in inserting the needle bar wholly in the
face plate, and in placing a gib in the bevelled groove of the bar. at each
end of the same, caclı gib being furnished with a screw to take up the
slack or wear.
Seventhly. In making the bearing or attachment of the face plate at
one side of the pitman or connecting rod for the needle bar instead of
at both sides as is commonly done, by which arrangement economy of
construction is obtained.
Eighthly. In an elongation of the needle hole in the throat plate
which permits the thread to lock more freely.
Ninthly. In a lienumer with spring tongues constructed of thin sheet
metal to give elasticity for varying thicknesses of material.
Tenthly. In a feller so constructed as to give elasticity for varying
thicknesses, and permit several folds of cloth forming the "fell" to be
brought so far under the presser foot as to ensure certainty in feeding..

page_text: This is done by turning the fell underneath instead of over. By this
means the body of the fell is brought under the presser foot and is sure
to be fed along continuously.
Eleventhly. In an improved manner of attaching the presser foot to
the
presser bar, whereby greater nicety of adjustment may be obtained.
This is done by forming the foot with a clip and screw to close it upon.
the end of the presser bar.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings illustrate the manner in which
my improvements are carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical view showing my improved manner
of constructing the disc (a), the shuttle driving mechanism (j, k, and l),
the stitch changing mechanism (o, p, q, r, and 2), the crank (8),
shaft (n), and lever (t) for raising and lowering the feed device, and a
side view of the thread controlling mechanism (u, v, x,) and stationary
guides (a and a), the thread passing in the direction shown by the
peculiar dotted line; Fig. 2 is a vertical or plan view of the disc
plate (a), showing its projection (a*) for carrying the studs (c) of the
links (6); Fig. 3 is a face view of the same showing the studs (c), sup-
ported by the wings (a*), and carrying the links (6), the crank (e), and
pitman (d), the crank and pitman being firmly secured together by the
pin (d); Fig. 4 shows a face view of the thread controlling lever (u)
jointed with the link (v) at one end and with the needle bar (¹) at the
other end, the lever (u) having its fulcrum adjustable upon the presser
bar (61).
The fulcrum of the lever (u) may be fastened to the face
plate (f), but by connecting it with the presser bar (6¹) more thread is
delivered to the shuttle when the presser bar is raised by thick goods.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the face plate (f) showing the link (v),
the form of the needle bar (n¹), and the position and manner of applying
the gibs (9); Fig. 6 is a side view of the crank (e) (see Figs. 1 and 3)
showing the pin (d'); Fig. 9 is a side view of the pitman (d); Figs. 7
and 8 are sectional views of the links (6) with the studs (c); Fig. 10 shows
my improved manner of attaching the presser foot (f) to the
bar (6), whereby a more accurate adjustment may be made; Fig. 11
shows a section of the needle bar (n'), the needle bolt 3, and nut n²;
Fig. 12 is a top or plan view partly in section of a portion of the
frame (B) and other parts; Fig. 13 is a rear elevation showing the
balance wheel (E), driving pulley (F), shaft (A), pitman (P'), for giving
oscillating motion to the lower oscillating shaft (D) and parts of the
presser

page_text: frame. (B and C); Fig. 14 is a horizontal view of a portion of the
frame (c) showing the shuttle race (a¹), the shuttle driver (k), the
cap (c), set screws (c), the elongated needle hole (h), the set screw (m)
the lever (t) (see Fig. 1); Fig. 15 is a view of the shuttle driving
mechanism (j, l, k); Fig. 16 is a view of my improved hemmer and
feller showing the elastic tongues of the hemmer (1, 2,) and those of
the feller (h³, h*,) made from thin sheet metal. The hemmer and feller
are here shown in one and on the same frame (H). Figs. 17, 18, 19,
and 20 are views showing parts of the hemmer (h¹, h,) and those of
the feller (, h,) when detached. Both the hemmer and feller may be
made from a single piece of metal instead of each in two pieces as here
shown. Fig. 16 is to be fastened to the frame of the machine by an
ordinary thumbscrew at (a²), Fig. 14; Fig. 4 shows in peculiar dotted
lines the bearings of face plate (f) according to the seventh part of the
Invention.
I have now particularly described the nature of the Invention and the
manner in which it may be carried into effect, and claim as the
Invention,―
Firstly. The construction of the disc (a) with its projections or
wings (a) whereby the studs (c) are supported at each end, as shown
and described.
Secondly. The construction of a thread controlling device consisting
of lever (u), link (v), guides (a* and a³), and fulcrum (y), substantially
as shown and described.
Thirdly. The construction of the shuttle driving mechanism, as shown
and described.
Fourthly. The construction of mechanism for raising and lowering
the feed, as shown and described.
Fifthly. The construction of stitch changing mechanism, substantially
as shown and described.
Sixthly. The construction of the needle bar and manner of gibbing
the same, as shown and described.
Seventhly. The manner of supporting the face plate (f), as shown
and described.
Eighthly. The construction of the needle hole in the throat plate, sub-
stantially as shown and described.

page_text: Ninthly. The construction of a hemmer, as shown and described.
Tenthly. The construction of a feller, as shown and described.
Eleventhly. The construction of the presser foot, as shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, have here- t
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
PETER J. LIVSEY. (L.S.)