IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Martin, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Martin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st November
1864.
I, WILLIAM MARTIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention has reference to the guides used in sewing machines to
regulate the width of the rows of stitching, and the present improvements
therein are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which a portion of
a Thomas' machine is shewn, with one of my improved forms of guide
attached. The Invention, with very trifling modification, is applicable to
other descriptions of machines besides Thomas'. The parts shewn in outline
only represent the old and well-known portions of the machine. To the head
of the machine (a) Figure 1) is secured a bracket (6) shewn separately in
Drawings Figures 2 and 3. This bracket carries the slide (c), which ter-
minates in a foot and roller (d), the pressure of the roller (d) upon the
surface of the work is governed by a spring (e). The adjusting screw (f) is
for the purpose of advancing or withdrawing the guiding roller (d) from the

page_text: needle, thus regulating the widths of the rows of stitching. Once adjusted
to the desired position, it is there retained by a locking contrivance seen
at (9). When the guiding roller is not required, and to prevent its being in
the way, it can with the slide be suspended by the small spring (h) attached
to the permanent bracket engaging in a notch upon the slide. For the
purpose of ensuring greater accuracy and regularity in the widths of the rows
of stitching, a scale or index (k) Figure 3) is formed upon the top of the
bracket. This index represents integral rows, whilst for half or quarter
spaces an index (2) is formed round the adjusting screw.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a modified form of guide to suit machines in
which that last described might be inconvenient. In this the whole of the
guiding apparatus is fixed under the head of the machine, being secured
thereto by the bracket (m). It is represented in the Drawings in dotted
lines when in action, and in strong lines when free. The pressure of the
guiding roller is; in this instance, governed by a flat spring (n), and regu-
lating and adjusting apparatus may be employed as in the form last described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th May 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MARTIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Martin, Her special licence that I, the said William Martin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Martin, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Martin, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in

page_text: 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 William Martin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed;
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention has reference to the guides used in sewing machines to
regulate the width of the rows of stitching, and the present improvements
therein are illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which a portion of a
Thomas' machine is shewn with one of my improved forms of guide attached..
The Invention, with very trifling modification, is applicable to other descrip-
tions of machines besides Thomas.' The parts shewn in outline only repre-
sent the old and, well-known portions of the machine. To the head of tho
machine (a, Figure 1,) is secured a bracket (6), shewn separately in Drawings
Figures 2 and 3. This bracket carries the slide (C), which terminates in a
foot and roller (d), the pressure of the roller (d) upon the surface of the
work is governed by a spring (e). The adjusting screw (f) is for the purpose.
of advancing or withdrawing the guiding roller (d) from the needle, thus
regulating the widths of the rows of stitching. Once adjusted to the desired
position it is there retained by a locking contrivance seen at (g). When the
guiding roller is not required, and to prevent its being in the way, it can with
the slide be suspended by the small spring (h) attached to the permanent
bracket engaging in a notch upon the slide. For the purpose of ensuring
greater accuracy and regularity in the widths of the rows of stitching, a scale
or index (k) Figure 3) is formed upon the top of the bracket. This index
represents integral rows, whilst for half or quarter spaces an index (l) is
formed round the adjusting screw.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a modified form of guide to suit machines in
which that last described might be inconvenient. In this the whole of the
guiding apparatus is fixed under the head of the machine, being secured
thereto by the bracket (m). It is represented in the Drawings in dotted
lines when in action, and in strong lines when free. The pressure of the
guiding roller is, in this instance, governed by a flat spring (n), and
regulating and adjusting apparatus may be employed as in the form last
described.
Figures 6, 7, 8, shew a modification of the form of guide seen in Figures 1,
2, 3. The bracket (0) carrying the guiding roller, or as it may more pro-

page_text: perly be called the edged runner (p) is formed with a block (9) tapped with
à female screw, through which works the male screw (r), by which the runner
is advanced or withdrawn to regulate the width of the rows of stitching. The
slotted plate (s) by which the apparatus is secured to the machine has the
scale (t) cut on its edge, the block (9) having an index pointer (v) cut in it,
so that having adjusted the width for the stitching by shifting the pointer (v)
by means of the thumb-piece (w) opposite the required line upon the scale (t),
the parts are firmly fixed by tightening the set screw (a). The spring
governing the pressure of the runner (p) upon the surface of the work is, in
this case, enclosed in a tubular chamber (y) upon the bracket (o), and the
runner is hung upon a cranked foot (1) formed on a spindle (2), collared as
at (3) for the coiled spring which surrounds the spindle to butt against; a
small flat spring (4) is secured to the tube (y), which spring has on its lower
end a beak or catch engaging in the counterpart (5) upon the edge of the
foot (1), so that when it is required to release the runner or suspend its
working, it is pushed up by the hand until these two parts engaging hold it
suspended (as indicated by the dotted lines Figure 8) until released by with-
drawing the pressure of the spring (4), when the coiled spring upon the
spindle (2) acts upon the runner and keeps it down upon the surface of the
work in the position shewn by the strong lines Figure 8.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed I claim without limiting myself to these
precise details, the several improvements in sewing machines by which I am
enabled to regulate the width or distances of rows of stitching substantially
as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Martin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
MARTIN
(2.6.) 3
MIDTEN