Year: 1887

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 27th day of August 1887, amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents, Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
I, MORRIS LACHMAN, residing at No. 1810, Laguna Street, in the City and County
of San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United States of America,
Merchant, 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 :-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in sewing machines, and it is especially
lapted to of that class of machines which are designed for over-seaming or sewing
bags and similar goods, and in which it is desirable to unite the edges by this
particular form of stitch.
It consists of in the combination with a vertically-moving reciprocating needle,
carrying a thread in the usual manner, and in combination therewith of a semi-
circularly shaped and angularly placed looper needle carrying a second thread from
below the table, and means for uniting these threads to form a stitch, or of a hook or
looper corresponding with the curved needle and used in place of it so as to form a
stitch with the single thread of the vertical needle, and with thise hook or the curved
needle, a peculiar mechanism by which it is moved about its axis, and certain details
of construction, all of which will be more fully explained by reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which.
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the table of the machine, showing the
driving-shaft and the operating parts below the table, and also the operating parts
above the table.
Figure 2 is an end view of that portion a partial end elevation of the machine,
above the table showing the presser foot, needle carrying bar and guide, and thread
and tension, the view being taken in the section line 1, 2 of Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a side view of the mechaniom by which the feed is operated.
mechanism.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, & are views showing the relative position of the vertical
thread-carrying needle and the hook, or looper from the commencement to the
termination of the stitch.
Figures & shew in side and back view the construction of the curved needle, and the
manner of effecting the interlocking of the two threads.
A is the table of the machine, and B is the driving a horizontal shaft by which
the various mechanisms are driven for operating the machine, sewing instruments.

page_text: C is the vertically-moving needle, which is actuated by the arm D, connecting with
the needle-guide, and extending downward through the table to the crank E, by of
the crank shaft B. By the operation of which this crank the needle is caused to
reciprocate.
F is an eccentric or cam, fixed to the shaft B, and it actuates the thread-tension
through the vertical arm or rod G, and the lever-arm H, which is fulcrumed within
the case above the table, its outer end extending through the end of the case and
being perforated to allow the thread to pass through it from the tension devices H',
which are similar in general construction to those in ordinary use.
The rod or bar G moves in guides, and its lower end is provided with a roller G¹,
which travels in contact with the eccentric or cam F, so that the rod is forced upward
as the larger part of the cam arrives beneath it, and when the cam recedes, the rod is
carried downward so as to keep the roller in contact with its periphery by means of
the spiral spring G2 which surrounds the rod.
I is the feed-plate by which the goods are advanced beneath the needle and the
stitches-are-made, C, the movement being what is termed the four-motion feed. The
necessary movements for the advance of the goods are effected by means of a cam or
eccentric J, and a crank M, acting upon an arm J, which carries the feed plate I,
the vertical movements being produced by the eccentric J, and the horizontal
movements by the crank M, through the rod N, the lever K, and the short connecting
link K'.
The cam J revolves rotates in a box or coller which slides in a horizontal slot made
in the front end of the arm J, and the opposite end of this arm has pivot or fulcrum-
pins m, which slide in horizontal slots in the arms or hangers o beneath the table,
such sliding motion being derived from the throw of the crank M of the shaft B.
A fork or branch of the arm J's-extends upward-above the end which is moved by
the-eccentric-or cam J, and this fork-carries the feed-plate I, which is mised-and
depressed by the movement of the cam; the horizontal movements are produced by
the crank M, which has a pitumen N connecting it with the lower-end of the lever K,
The lever K which transmits this motion is centrally fulcrumed to a hanger beneath
the table.
The upper end of the lever is connected with the arm-', near its sliding or fulerum
end by a link-K', so that by this connection By this means, the combined movements
necessary to raise, advance, depress, and retract the feed-plate are produced. by the
mechanism above described.
Beneath the table is journaled a short shaft O, so as to rotate it being so mounted
(see Fig. 2) as to reciprocate at an angle with the plane of the table.
This shaft has a semi-circular or curved needle-or hook or looper P fixed upon it,
so that which as the shaft is caused to partially rotate in one direction, and the other;
this hook is drawn back beneath the table while the vertical needle is passing
downward, and is then. The looper is then carried forward so as to engage the thread
of this vertical needle, and carry the loop thus formed above the table se-as-to-be
again-engaged where the loop is caught and secured by the vertical needle as it passes
down the-second-time after the feed has taken place through the edge of the fabric to
be stitched, thus forming repeat the stitch. with either one or two threads, as the
ense-may be.
When the lower hook or needle looper is designed to carry a thread it for inter-
locking with the thread of the vertical needle, it becomes virtually a curved needle, and
is made with a groove or channel in its outer circumference, (see Figs. 8) within
which the lower thread is led after passing through the tension-loops in the usual
A hole is made through one side of the point of the needle, and through
this the thread passes out to the work.
manner.
Upon Referring now to Figs. 4 to 7, which illustrate the working of the looper, it
will be seen that upon the back of the needle looper, and a short distance from the
point, is formed a notch or projection p which acts to engage the thread of the
vertical needle as the point of the hook passes through the loop under the table, and
carry it up so as to make a stitch. The position of this needle or hook looper with

page_text: respect to a line drawn through the axis of the vertical needle is such that when it is
rotated so that the point is drawn back below the line of the shaft O, it will also be
at one-side the back of the vertical needle C, and when the shaft has been rotated so
as to carry the point of the semi-circular-hook or needle looper above the table, it
will stand at the other or front side of the vertical needle.
This allows the vertical needle-to-pass-through-the-loop formed by the curved needle
below the table, and when the enrved needle or hook has arrived at-a-point-above-the
table-it will be upon the other side of the line of the travel of the vertient needle, so-as
to allow the latter to pass through the loop before entering the fabric. When-this
curved hook, which is fixed-to-the shaft O, does not carry a thread, the notch or
fork Qat the end When the looper is at its depressed position, as shewn at Fig. 4, its
notch p takes the loop formed by the thread of the vertical needle at the bottom of
its travel below the table, and carries it around to a point above the table where it
will be engaged by the vertical needle, which has made an upward stroke and is again
descending at this time. The loop being left at this point by the hook looper, the
stitch will be formed.
In order to produce the semi-rotation of the shaft O, which carries the curved hook
or needle P, a pinion U is fixed upon the shaft O, and a rack-bar S, sliding in a guide
just beneath this pinion, engages with the teeth of the pinion, so that when the rack-
bar is pushed in one direction it will rotate the pinion and shaft and cause the curved
hook or needle P (as the case may be) to be carried from the point below the table
around in an are of a circle to a point above the edge of the fabric which is being
sewed sewn, and when moved in the other direction it will again be retracted to a
point below the table.
In order to reciprocate this rack-bar S, an end-eccentric T is employed, which is
fixed to the driving-shaft B, so as to be rotated with it. A strap fits this eccentric and
connects it with an arm V, which extends upward and has upon its upper end a ball-
joint, as shown at W, the ball fitting in a socket connected with the rack-bar S, so that
it allows the arm V to twist from side to side; and the peculiar form of the eccentric
gives it a sort of tumbling movement, while at the same time moving the rack-bar
from end to end of its travel.
The ball is formed upon the end of a short spindle which slides in a chamber socket
in the end of the arm V, so that the ball will travel in a straight line with the
reciprocation of the arm S, its shaft sliding in the socket of the arm V, so as to
compensate for the motion which the latter makes in the are of a circle.
It will be manifest that various devices may be employed to produce this semi-rotary
motion of the hook or needle below the table, such as a curved rack engaging directly
with the pinion upon the needle-shaft, and operated by mechanism connected with an
eccentric upon the main shaft, but I prefer the devices which I have shown and
described.
The notch or fork Q, upon the curved hook or needle serves to hold the loop formed
by the thread of the vertien! needle, and prevent its slipping around or over the back
of the semi-circular needle, thus retaining it in place until the loop has been brought
above the surface of the fabric for the needle to again pass through it, the stitch-being
finally completed as shown in Figure 5:
a is a hook-shaped arm which passes over the point of the semi-circular hook or
needle P, moving transversely about it as shown, after the vertical needle C has
passed downward, and the hook has passed through the loop which is formed beneath
the table.
This arm a holds the loop upon the point of the hook so as to insure its being carried
around above the fabric, and the vertical needle passing down through the loop which
has thus been brought above the edge of the fabric, forms the stitch either with the
single thread as already explained or with the double thread, as may-be-desired.
hereafter described.
The shaft of the hook a slides through a loosely oscillating stud c, and the lower
end of this shaft is attached to the strap of an eccentric or crank upon the shaft -b
6 that B. As this eccentric moves, it gives the hook a a sort of a rotary motion

page_text: which alternately carries it over the curved-needle thread loop taken up by the looper
and retracts it so as to release the thread after the stitch has been completed. loop
from pressure and allow the stitch to be completed.
The operation for forming the stitch will then be as follows: The hook-or-needle
looper P, being drawn backward beneath the table, the vertical needle C descends with
its thread, and as it begins to ascend, it forms a loop through which the point of
the hook looper passes, and the notched end p takes this loop, as shown in Figure 4,
and carries it forward, as shown in Figure 5. when The arm a is then advanced by
the operation of its eccentric so as to pass above the loop and hold it in place, forming
a bight as the vertical needle rises, while the curved hook looper is also passing
upward through the table and over the upper edge of the fabric, as shown in
Figure 6.
The vertical needle then descends, as shown in Figure 7, passing through the end of
the loop which has been carried above the table, as in Figure 6, and the end of the
arm a is then withdrawn from the loop, while the vertical needle descends, as shown-in
Figure, pussing continues its descent through the loop which has been brought above
the fabric. The looper now returns to its most depressed position, and advancing
The vertical
therefrom, as at Fig. 4, enters another loop of the vertical needle thread.
needle now rises up through the fabric and tightens the loop which was last held at
tension by the looper, thus forming a stitch hook, and it is then tightened up after
being released from the arm-a-so as to form the-stitch, the operation-being repented
in ench ense. It will be seen that this operation is similer whether When two
threads or one-thread be are used, the stitch being somewhat will different in form,
from that produced by one thread. The movements, however, of the curved needle P will
be precisely like those of the looper. The shoulder pis set somewhat further back on the
needle than on the looper, to prevent the presentation of the loop which it brings up from
below to the vertical needle (see Fig. 8).
In this arrangement, a loop formed by the thread of the curved needle is brought up to
the face of the fabric for the needle C to enter, and on the return motion of the curved
needle P, the loop of the vertical needle thread which it carried up, and which has been
held at tension against the shoulder p by the hook a, as before explained, drops off the
curved needle, and is taken up by the ascent of the needle C, as it rises to complete the
stitch. It is during this rise of the needle, on its clearing the work, that the feed takes
place.
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,
1. The vertically-reciprocating thread-carrying needle above, and a semi-circular
or curved hook or needle fixed to a shaft beneath the table, a pinion upon said shaft, a
horizontally-reciprocating rack engaging said pinion so as to cause it and the shaft to
rotate backward and forward, in combination with the eccentric T, the arm V, and the
ball and socket joint connection with the rack-bar S, and the hook or arm a with the
shank sliding through the stud e, so as to oscillate, substantially as described with
reference to the Drawing.
2. The feed-mechanism, consisting of the forked arm J¹, having one end fulcrumed
so as to slide horizontally, the feed-plate fixed to one branch of the opposite end of the
fork, while the other branch is connected with a crank or eccentric, in combination
with a second crank or eccentric with its links or connecting rods, & and a fulcrummed
lever by which it is united to the fulcrum so as to impart a secondary for obtaining
the compound feed motion, substantially as described.

page_text: I, MORRIS LACHMAN, residing at No. 1810, Laguna Street, in the City and County
of San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United States of America,
Merchant, 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:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in sewing machines, and it is especially
adapted to that class of machines which are designed for over-seaming or sewing bags
and similar goods, and in which it is desirable to unite the edges by this particular form
of stitch.
It consists of a vertically-moving reciprocating needle, carrying a thread in the
usual manner, and in combination therewith of a semi-circularly shaped and angularly
placed needle carrying a second thread from below the table, and means for uniting
these threads to form a stitch, or a hook corresponding with the curved needle and
used in place of it so as to form a stitch with the single thread of the vertical needle,
and with this hook a peculiar mechanism by which it is moved about its axis, and
certain details of construction, all of which will be more fully explained by reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the table of the machine, showing the
driving-shaft and the operating parts below the table, and also the operating parts
above the table.
Figure 2 is an end view of that portion of the machine above the table showing the
presser-foot, needle-carrying bar and guide, and thread and tension.
Figure 3 is a view of the mechanism by which the feed is operated.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views showing the relative position of the vertical
thread-carrying needle and the hook, from the commencement to the termination of
the stitch.
A is the table of the machine, and B is the driving-shaft by which the various
mechanisms are driven for operating the machine. C is the vertically-moving needle,
which is actuated by the arm D, connecting with the needle-guide, and extending
downward through the table to the crank E, by the operation of which the needle is
caused to reciprocate.
F is an eccentric or cam, fixed to the shaft B, and it actuates the thread-tension

page_text: through the vertical arm or rod G, and the lever-arm which is fulcrumed within the
case above the table, its outer end extending through the end of the case and being
perforated to allow the thread to pass through it from the tension devices H³, which
are similar in general construction to those in ordinary use.
The rod or bar G moves in guides, and its lower end is provided with a roller G¹,
which travels in contact with the eccentric or cam F, so that the rod is forced upward
as the larger part of the cam arrives beneath it, and when the cam recedes, the rod is
carried downward so as to keep the roller in contact with its periphery by means of
the spiral spring G which surrounds the rod.
I is the feed-plate by which the goods are advanced beneath the needle and the
stitches are made, the movement being what is termed the four-motion feed. The
necessary movements for the advance of the goods are effected by means of a cam or
eccentric J, and a crank; the vertical movement being produced by the eccentric J.
and the horizontal movement by the crank M, through the rod N, the lever K, and
the short connecting link K¹.
The cam J revolves in a box or collar in the end of the arm J, and the opposite end
of this arm has pivot or fulcrum-pins m, which slide in horizontal slots n in the arins
or hangers o beneath the table.
A fork or branch of the arm J, extends upward above the end which is moved by
the eccentric or cam J, and this fork carries the feed-plate I, which is raised and
depressed by the movement of the cam; the horizontal movements are produced by
the crank M, which has a pitman N connecting it with the lower end of the lever K,
centrally fulcrumed to a hanger beneath the table.
The upper end of the lever is connected with the arm J¹, near its sliding or fulcrum
end by a link K', so that by this connection the combined movements necessary to
raise, advance, depress, and retract the feed-plate are produced by the mechanism above
described.
Beneath the table is journaled a short shaft O, so as to rotate at an angle with the
plane of the table.
This shaft has a semi-circular or curved needle or hook fixed upon it, so that as the
shaft is caused to partially rotate in one direction and the other, this hook is drawn
back beneath the table while the vertical needle is passing downward, and is then
carried forward so as to engage the thread of this vertical needle, and carry the loop
thus formed above the table so as to be again engaged by the vertical needle as it
passes down the second time through the edge of the fabric to be stitched, thus forming
the stitch with either one or two threads, as the case may be.
When the lower hook or needle is designed to carry a thread, it is made with a
groove or channel in its outer circumference, within which the lower thread is led after
passing through the tension-loops in the usual manner. A hole is made through one
side of the point of the needle, and through this the thread passes.
Upon the back of the needle, and a short distance from the point, is formed a notch
or projection which acts to engage the thread of the vertical needle as the point of the
hook passes through the loop, and carry it up so as to make a stitch. The position of
this needle or hook is such that when it is rotated so that the point is drawn back below
the line of the shaft O, it will also be at one side of the vertical needle C, and when
the shaft has been rotated so as to carry the point of the semi-circular hook or needle
above the table, it will stand at the other side of the vertical needle.
This allows the vertical needle to pass through the loop formed by the curved needle
below the table, and when the curved needle or hook has arrived at a point above the
table it will be upon the other side of the line of the travel of the vertical needle, so as
to allow the latter to pass through the loop before entering the fabric. When this
curved hook, which is fixed to the shaft O, does not carry a thread, the notch or
fork at the end takes the loop formed by the thread of the vertical needle at the
bottom of its travel below the table, and carries it around to a point above the table
where it will be engaged by the vertical needle, which has made an upward stroke and
is again descending at this time, the loop being left at this point by the hook, the
stitch will be formed.

page_text: In order to produce the semi-rotation of the shaft O, which carries the curved hook
or needle P, a pinion U is fixed upon the shaft O, and a rack-bar S, sliding in a guide
just beneath this pinion, engages with the teeth of the pinion, so that when the rack-
bar is pushed in one direction it will rotate the pinion and shaft and cause the curved
hook or needle P to be carried from the point below the table around in an are of a
circle to a point above the edge of the fabric which is being sewed, and when moved
in the other direction it will again be retracted to a point below the table.
In order to reciprocate this rack-bar S, an end-eccentric T is employed, which is
fixed to the driving-shaft B, so as to be rotated with it. A strap fits this eccentric and
connects it with an arm V, which extends upward and has upon its upper end a ball-
joint, as shown at W, the ball fitting in a socket connected with the rack-bar S, so that
it allows the arm V to twist from side to side; and the peculiar form of the eccentric
gives it a sort of tumbling movement, while at the same time moving the rack-bar
from end to end of its travel.
The ball is formed upon the end of a short spindle which slides in a chamber in the
end of the arm V, so that the ball will travel in a straight line with the reciprocation
of the arm S, its shaft sliding in the socket of the arm V, so as to compensate for the
motion which the latter makes in the are of a circle.
It will be manifest that various devices may be employed to produce this semi-rotary
motion of the hook or needle below the table, such as a curved rack engaging directly
with the pinion upon the needle-shaft, and operated by mechanism connected with an
eccentric upon the main shaft, but I prefer the devices which I have shown and
described.
The notch or fork Q, upon the curved hook or needle serves to hold the loop formed
by the thread of the vertical needle, and prevent its slipping around or over the back
of the semi-circular needle, thus retaining it in place until the loop has been brought
above the surface of the fabric for the needle to again pass through it, the stitch being
finally completed as shown in Figure 5.
a is a hook-shaped arm which passes over the point of the semi-circular hook or
needle, moving transversely about it as shown, after the vertical needle has passed
downward, and the hook has passed through the loop which is formed beneath the
table.
This arm a holds the loop upon the point of the hook so as to insure its being carried
around above the fabric, and the vertical needle passing down through the loop which
has thus been brought above the edge of the fabric, forms the stitch cither with the
single thread or with the double thread, as may be desired.
The shaft of the hook a slides through a loosely oscillating stud c, and the lower
end of this shaft is attached to the strap of an eccentric or crank upon the shaft b, so
that as this eccentric moves, it gives the hook a sort of a rotary motion which alternately
carries it over the carved needle thread and retracts it so as to release the thread after
the stitch has been completed.
The operation for forming the stitch will then be as follows: The hook or needle P,
being drawn backward beneath the table, the vertical needle C descends with its thread,
and as it begins to ascend, it forms a loop through which the point Q of the hook
passes, and the notched end takes this loop, as shown in Figure 4, and carries it
forward, as shown in Figure 5, when the arin a is advanced by the operation of its
eccentric so as to pass above the loop and hold it in place, forming a bight as the
vertical needle rises, while the curved hook is also passing upward through the table
and over the upper edge of the fabric, as shown in Figure 6.
The vertical needle then descends, as shown in Figure 7, passing through the end of
the loop which has been carried above the table, as in Figure 6, and the end of the
arma is then withdrawn from the loop, while the vertical needle descends, as shown in
Figure 8, passing through the loop which has been brought above the fabric by the
hook, and it is then tightened up after being released from the arm a so as to form the
stitch, the operation being repeated in each case. It will be seen that this operation
is similar whether two threads or one thread be used, the stitch being somewhat
different in form.

page_text: 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,
1. The vertically-reciprocating thread-carrying needle above, and a semi-circular
or curved hook or needle fixed to a shaft beneath the table, a pinion upon said shaft, a
horizontally-reciprocating rack engaging said pinion so as to cause it and the shaft to
rotate backward and forward, in combination with the eccentric T, the arm V, and the
ball and socket joint connection with the rack-bar S, and the hook or arm a with the
shank sliding through the stud e, so as to oscillate, substantially as described.
2. The feed-mechanism, consisting of the forked arm J, having one end fulcrumed
so as to slide horizontally, the feed-plate fixed to one branch of the opposite end of the
fork, while the other branch is connected with a crank or eccentric, in combination
with a second crank or eccentric with its links or connecting rods, a lever by which it
is united to the fulcrum so as to impart a secondary motion, substantially as described.