IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, PART OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES, PART OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."-A com-
munication from abroad by The Singer Manufacturing Company
(Incorporated) of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th January 1868.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES, PART OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
The Invention consists of certain improvements in sewing machines,
part of which are applicable to other purposes.

page_text: The object of the first improvement is to enable a round needle bar
to be guided (so that it will not turn on its axis) without materially
increasing the cost of the machine. This improvement consists in
securing the needle bar to a broad cam block which is formed to
slide over the cap of the needle arm. Thus the cam block and cap
perform respectively the functions of slide and guide for the needle
bar in addition to their regular functions. An advantage incidental
to this combination and arrangement is that the needle bar is sustained
by the guide and slide against the strain of its driving mechanism,
and consequently the needle bar wears less rapidly at the parts which
traverse its bearings in the needle arm.
The object of the next improvement is to enable the needle to be
adjusted relatively to the face of the shuttle, that although the shanks of
needles vary in size the side of the needle applied to the machine may
be placed in the proper position relatively to the shuttle or other instru-
ment that operates in combination with the needle to form the stitch.
This improvement consists in applying to the needle bar (or other
needle carrier) a needle clamp that is adjustable upon the needle bar
in a direction transversely of the traverse of the shuttle. The needle
bar is slotted, and by means of a clamping screw or its equivalent
the clamp is secured in the desired position to bring the needle
into the required position for ensuring the entrance of the shuttle
into the loop of the needle thread. The adjustable needle clamp
carries an eye guide (for the needle thread), so that when the needle
clamp is adjusted to change the position of the needle the eye guide
is moved correspondingly.
The object of the next improvement is to improve the operation of
a turning wire thread tension. To obviate the difficulty attendant on
the use of the ordinary arrangement of tension wire, it is now pro-
posed to combine with the turning wire thread tension a slight pressure
spring which is placed between the thread tension and the spool
standard or other support for the spool, so that however slack the
thread may become at the spool it is always kept in contact with
the wire thread tension by the action of the pressure spring, and
consequently the tension imparted by the turning wire thread tension
is practically uniform. The turning wire thread tension is fitted into a
spring bracket which performs the combined functions of holding the
wire thread tension in its place and of a friction brake to keep the

page_text: said tension wire from turning on its axis after it has been adjusted to
regulate the tension upon the thread.
The next improvement has reference to the means of moving the
shuttle, and consists of a compound shuttle driver and slide which holds
and carries the shuttle in its race. This instrument is formed in one
piece and does not therefore contain any parts which might become
loose by the incessant changes of movement to which the shuttle drivers
of sewing machines are subjected. The slide is a flat plate which works
in a horizontal slot provided to receive it, and the driver which projects
from the front edge thereof is a kind of cradle having horns which
serve to embrace the shuttle. A pin projecting horizontally from this
instrument receives a link bar which is jointed to an arm on the rock
shaft that gives motion to the driver. This shaft is connected with
the rotating driving shaft (which extends through the needle arm and
operates the needle bar) by means of a crank and a connecting rod
pendent therefrom.
The object of the next improvement is to render the tension upon
the shuttle thread practically uniform. It has been customary to
produce the requisite tension upon the shuttle thread by passing it
through several eyes formed in the shuttle so as to make friction upon
it, but difficulty has been experienced from the variation in the friction
and consequently in the tension by the slacking of the thread at the
spool in the shuttle. In order to obviate this defect the shuttle and
its tension eyes are combined with a slight pressure spring so arranged
as to press upon the thread and hold it from slacking in the tension
eyes, so that the friction and consequently the tension are practically
uniform however the thread may slack at the spool.
The next improvement has for its object the driving of the feed
wheel or other instrument to which an intermittent rotary motion is
to be imparted by a reciprocating instrument. This improvement
consists of a forked clamp driver composed of a forked clamp and a
cam or excentric combined together, so that the hub of the instrument
to be driven is gripped at three points while the forked clamp driver
is moved in the direction in which the said hub is to be moved
circularly, and is released while the clamp is moving in the reverse
direction. Motion is imparted to the reciprocating forked clamp
through a lever arm secured to the cam or excentric. This lever arm
performs the two functions of turning the cam or excentric on its
A 2

page_text: axis (to grip and release the hub of the wheel on which it operates)
and of moving the forked clamp to and fro. The regulation of the
extent to which the feeding instrument is moved in a sewing machine,
and consequently the regulation of the length of the stitch sewed, is
effected by the combination of the feeding instrument with a rock
shaft that imparts motion to it with an expansible cam, whose projection
from the rock shaft may be varied to change the extent of movement
of the feeding instrument. The acting cam surface is formed with
a hinged extension, which by means of a retaining spring and an
adjusting screw acting in opposite directions will regulate the amount
of action of the cam as desired. To prevent a retrograde movement
of the feed wheel of a sewing machine an excentric spring pawl is
applied to the hub of the feed wheel, which paul nips or gripes the
said hub when the latter tends to retrograde.
The next improvement has reference to the means of imparting
motion to the revolving driving shaft of the machine, and consists in
applying to the belt pulley of the driving shaft a jacket of india-rubber,
which being soft does not slip within the driving belt, even though
the latter be tolerably slack, hence the belt may be run slacker than
is expedient when no such jacket is used, and consequently the strain
and friction upon the shafts of the belt pulleys will be diminished.
The next improvement has reference to the means of connecting the
bed plate of a sewing machine with the table or stand that supports it,
its object being to permit the hinge connections between the bed
plate and the said table to be concealed beneath the bed plate when
it is in the position for sewing. This part of the Invention consists
of the combination of the bed plate of a sewing machine with the
table of the support by means of double centred hinges, which permit
the bed plate to be moved laterally as well as to be turned up and
down.
The remaining improvements have reference to the means of imparting
the required rotary movement to the feed wheel of sewing machines,
and are applicable also to other instruments to which a rotary movement
is to be imparted from a reciprocating driver. The first of these
improvements consists in fitting the hub or rim of the instrument
to be driven with a divided ring, in the division of which is socketed
a rocking cam or a wedge, the action of which is to cause the ring
to gripe the hub or rim when moving in one direction and to release

page_text: it when moving in the opposite direction. The rocking cam or wedge
carries a lever arm which when raised or depressed (as the case may
be) performs the two functions of rocking the cam on its axis (for
the purpose of expanding or contracting the ring) and of imparting
the reciprocating movement to the ring. For driving in opposite
directions two sets of divided friction rings, rocking cams or wedges
may be arranged within the recess of the feed wheel, the same being
intended to operate alternately. In place of a ring or rings, the
like effect may be produced by fitting within the rim of the wheel
to be driven a divided disc with a recess formed therein to receive
two cams or wedges which are to be actuated by a lever arm.
Another mode of arranging the friction ring and rocking cam is
to surround the hub of the wheel to be driven by the ring, and to
construct the cam so as to effect the gripe by drawing the adjacent
ends of the split ring together. The rocking cam may be made hollow
or as a shell for the purpose, and may be caused to embrace circular
projections secured to the adjacent ends of the split ring. In place of
a rocking cam a wedge operated by a lever of elbow form may be
used to expand the ring, the lever being pivotted to one extremity of
the ring, and the wedge being connected with the shorter arm of the
lever and inserted in the slot of the ring. The rocking of the lever
will then force the wedge to and fro in the slot, and the wedge will
be the equivalent of the cam before described, as the cam has the
form of a wedge wound partially around an axis.
The last improvement consists in applying to the hub or rim of the
instrument to be driven a reciprocating forked clamp fitted with two
rocking cams and two slotted levers projecting at the same side of
the hub for the purpose of operating the cams. By the action of one
lever the forked clamp is caused to drive the hub in one direction,
while by the action of the other lever the direction of driving is reversed.
For setting these levers in action a reciprocating driver fitted to a
pivotted reversing slide is used, which driver may be engaged with
either of the two slotted levers, so that the direction of movement of
the hub may be reversed by transferring said driver from one lever
to the other. The pivotted reversing slide acts as a transferrer to the
driver, which is also connected with a gauge for determining the distance
to which the reciprocating driver is moved when transferred from
one cam lever to the other. Thus the amount of reversed movement

page_text: imparted to the hub after transference may be made equal to that
imparted before the transference of the driver. For holding the driver
in the position in which it is placed a rocking cam is used, so that
when the driver is set to impart a certain movement to the hub the
driver will be held in the position in which it is so set, and the motion
imparted will remain unchanged until some alteration is made by the
operator.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special
licence, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
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, PART OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES," being a communication to me from The Singer Manufacturing
Company (Incorporated) of the City and State of New York, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):-
The object of the first improvement is to guide a round needle bar
and prevent its turning on its axis without materially increasing the
cost of the machine. This improvement consists in securing the needle
bar to a broad cam block, which is formed to slide over the cap of the
needle arm. Thus the cam block and cap perform respectively the
functions of slide and guide for the needle bar in addition to their
regular functions. An advantage incidental to this combination and
arrangement is that the needle bar is sustained by the guide and slide
against the strain of its driving mechanism, and consequently the needle
bar wears less rapidly at the parts which traverse its bearings in the
needle arm.
The object of the next improvement is to enable the needle to be
adjusted relatively to the face of the shuttle, so that although the
shanks of needles vary in size the side of the needle applied to the
machine may be placed in the proper position relatively to the shuttle
or other instrument that operates in combination with the needle to
form the stitch. This improvement consists in applying to the needle
bar (or other needle carrier) a needle clamp that is adjustable upon the
needle bar in a direction transversely of the traverse of the shuttle.
The adjustable needle clamp carries an eye guide (for the needle thread),
so that when the needle clamp is adjusted to change the position of the
needle the eye guide is moved correspondingly.
The object of the next improvement is to improve the operation of
a turning wire thread tension. These thread tensions can be constructed
at a low cost, but their use so far has been attended with the defect
that the tension of the thread is not uniform, the variation being due
to the slackening of the thread by the overrunning of the spool, and
whenever such slackening takes place the friction upon the tension
wire is reduced and the tension of the thread varies. In order to obviate
this difficulty the turning wire thread tension is combined with a slight
pressure spring arranged between the thread tension and the spool
standard or other support for the spool, so that however slack the thread

page_text: may become at the spool it is always kept in contact with the wire
thread tension by the action of the pressure spring, and consequently
the tension imparted by the turning wire thread tension is practically
uniform. The turning wire thread tension is fitted into a spring bracket
which performs the combined functions of holding the wire thread
tension in its place and of a friction brake to keep the said tension wire
from turning on its axis after it has been adjusted to regulate the
tension upon the thread.
The next improvement has reference to the means of moving the
shuttle, and it consists of a compound shuttle driver and slide which holds
and carries the shuttle in its race, and which being formed in one piece
does not contain any parts which might become loose by the incessant
changes of movement to which the shuttle drivers of sewing machines
are subjected. The shuttle driver is connected with the rotating driving
shaft (which extends through the bracket arm and operates the needle
bar) by means of a rock shaft (extending parallel with said rotating
driving shaft), a crank and a connecting rod, arms on the rock shaft,
and a connecting link extending from one of said arms to the shuttle
driver.
The object of the next improvement is to render the tension upon
the shuttle thread practically uniform. It has been customary to
produce the requisite tension upon the shuttle thread by passing it
through several eyes formed in the shuttle so as to make friction upon
it, but difficulty has been experienced from the variation in the friction
and consequently in the tension by the slackening of the thread at the
spool in the shuttle. In order to obviate this defect the shuttle and
its tension eyes are combined with a slight pressure spring so arranged
as to press upon the thread and hold it from slackening in the tension
eyes, so that the friction and consequently the tension are practically
uniform however the thread may slacken at the spool.
The next improvement has for its object the driving of the feed
wheel or other instrument to which an intermittent rotary motion is
desired to be imparted. This improvement consists of a forked clamp
driver composed of a forked clamp and a cam or excentric combined
together, so that the hub of the instrument to be driven is gripped at
three points, while the forked clamp driver is moved in the direction
in which the hub is to be moved circularly, and is released while the
clamp is moving in the reverse direction. Motion is imparted to the

page_text: reciprocating forked clamp through a lever arm secured to the cam or
excentric. This lever arm performs the two functions of turning the
cam or excentric on its axis (to gripe and release the hub of the wheel
on which it operates) and of moving the forked clamp to and fro. The
regulation of the extent to which the feeding instrument is moved in
a sewing machine, and consequently the regulation of the length of the
stitch sewn, is effected by the combination of the feeding instrument
with a rock shaft that imparts motion to it with an expansible cam,
whose projection from the rock shaft may be varied to change the extent
of movement of the feeding instrument. To prevent a retrograde
movement of the feed wheel of a sewing machine an excentric spring
pawl is applied to the hub of the feed wheel, which pawl nips or gripes
the said hub when the latter tends to retrograde.
The next improvement has reference to the means of connecting the
bed plate of a sewing machine with the table or stand that supports
it, its object being to permit the hinge connections between the bed
plate and the table to be concealed beneath the bed plate when it is
in the position for sewing. This part of the Invention consists of the
combination of the bed plate of a sewing machine with the table of
the support by means of double-centered hinges, which permit the bed
plate to be moved laterally as well as to be turned up and down.
The remaining improvements have reference to the means of imparting
the required rotary movement to the feed wheel of sewing machines,
and are applicable also to other instruments to which a rotary or axial
movement is to be imparted from a reciprocating driver. The first of
these improvements consists in fitting the hub or rim of the instrument
to be driven with a divided ring, in the division of which is socketed
a rocking cam or a wedge, the action of which is to cause the ring
to gripe the hub or rim when moving in one direction and to release
it when moving in the opposite direction. The rocking cam or wedge
carries a lever arm, which performs the two functions of rocking the
cam on its axis (for the purpose of expanding and contracting the ring)
and of imparting the reciprocating movement to the ring. For driving
in opposite directions two sets of divided friction rings and rocking cams
or wedges are arranged to operate in alternate succession.
The last improvement consists in applying to the hub or rim of the
instrument to be driven a friction clamp, two rocking cams, and two
levers projecting at the same side of the hub and operating the cams,

page_text: so that by operating one lever the friction clamp is caused to drive the
hub in one direction, while by operating the other lever the direction of
driving is reversed. For setting these levers in action a reciprocating
driver fitted to a pivotted reversing slide is used, which driver may be
engaged with either of the two levers, so that the direction of movement
of the hub may be reversed by transferring the driver from one lever to
the other. The pivotted reversing slide acts as a transferrer to the driver
which is also connected with a gauge for determining the distance to
which the reciprocating driver is moved when transferred from one
cam lever to the other. Thus the amount of reversed movement imparted
to the hub after transference may be made equal to that imparted before
the transference of the driver. For holding the driver in the position
in which it is placed a rocking cam is used, so that when the driver is
set to impart a certain movement to the hub the driver will be held
in the position in which it is so set, and the motion imparted will remain
unchanged until some alteration is made by the operator.
The first eight of the above improvements are embodied in the shuttle
sewing machine represented in Sheets I. to IV. inclusive of the
accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 being a side view of the said machine
with portions of the wooden stand or table in section and with the side
plate of the bracket arm removed; Figure 2 being an end view of the
machine; Figure 3 being a transverse section of it; Figure 4 being. a top
view of the needle clamp and its appurtenances enlarged; Figure 5 being
a section of the belt pulley on the driving shaft of the machine;
Figure 6 being a side view of an expanding cam with the cam spring
arranged differently from that represented upon the machine in Figure 3;
Figure 7 being a view of the spring clip or bracket of the thread tension
and its connections; Figure 8 being a longitudinal section of the shuttle;
Figure 9 being a top view of part of the bed plate of the machine with
one of the sliding covers of the shuttle race partly withdrawn; Figure 10
being a view of one of the hinge connections of the bed plate and stand
or table; Figures 11 to 14 being detached parts of the machine showing
the construction of the shuttle driver and its connections; and Figures
15 and 16 being similar views showing the needle bar and its
connections.
The moving portions of the machine are connected with the bed
plate A, to which the bracket arm B. (that holds the needle bar C
and presser foot D) is secured. The needle bar C and stem d of the

page_text: presser foot D are fitted to slide vertically in the head 6 of the bracket
arm, and the needle bar is caused to rise and descend by means of a
revolving crank pin f which works in the cam slot of a cam block E
that is secured to the needle arm. This cam slot is of the proper form
to impart the required movements to the needle. The crank pin fis
secured to the driving shaft F, which is constructed to revolve in bearings
in the bracket arm B and is fitted with a fly wheel G and with a
pulley H that receives the round belt proceeding from the treadle motion
beneath. The needle operates in connection with a shuttle I, which
is moved to and fro in a shuttle race J formed in the bed plate of the
machine. The needle bar is round, that being the form which can be
made at the lowest cost, and in order that it may not turn on its axis
the cam block E is so constructed as to perform the two functions of cam
block and slide, while the cap 61 of the arm B forms a guide to the
cam block E, that block being made broad enough to bear upon the
edges of the cap b'. The side of the cam block E adjacent to the
is planed to fit the edges of the latter and slide upon them, and thus
the needle bar (which carries the cam block) is prevented from turning.
cap
The adjustable needle clamp is arranged at the lower end of the
needle bar which is flattened at one side to receive it; it is formed
by preference (see Figure 4) of two plates g, g', one of which (g)
is connected with the other by a clamp screw a, and is held in
its proper relative position by means of a tongue e that enters a nick
in the plate g¹. The two plates are held to the needle bar by
means of a clamp screw a¹ that passes through a slot in the needle
bar and screws into the clamp plate g' that is next the needle bar,
and the slot in the needle bar is larger horizontally than the body
of the clamp screw a¹, so that the needle clamp can be moved laterally
to the needle bar and transverseley to the track of the needle and to
the shuttle race to adjust the needle to the path of the shuttle I.
The flatted end of the needle bar has a shallow groove formed in it
and a corresponding tongue e¹ is formed upon the adjacent clamp
plate g' to slide horizontally in said groove and thus preserve the needle
clamp in its proper vertical position relatively to the needle bar. The
inner clamp plate g¹ is grooved to receive the shank of the needle, which
is made fast in the clamp by tightening the clamp screw a.
The clamp
plate g of the needle clamp has an eye guide i formed in it for the
needle thread, so that the said eye guide is adjustable with the needle

page_text: clamp, and consequently always preserves its proper relative position
to the needle however it may be adjusted by moving the needle clamp.
The needle thread is drawn from a spool standard K. which is erected upon
the arm B of the machine. On its way to the needle the thread is
passed through a turning wire thread tension L'and beneath a slight
pressure spring h, the thread being preserved in its place relatively to
such pressure spring by an adjacent eye guide through which the
thread is passed. The wire thread tension has a tubular eye is in its
end, which end is arranged to turn in a boss j fixed to the head of the
needle arm. The thread tension is held near its upper end by a spring
clip M constructed of a steel plate bent into the form shewn at Figure 7,
and received in a socket in the cap b¹ of the arm B. The thread tension
is passed through the open eye of the spring clip, and the closed eye
is received in the socket, which being slightly smaller in size than
the exterior of said eye causes the spring clip to bind on the stem of
the thread tension and prevent its turning under the strain of the
thread. The spring clip thus performs the two functions of bracket to
hold the thread tension and of friction brake to prevent its turning.
The pressure spring his a slight spring, which bearing with a constant
force upon the thread between the thread tension and the spool prevents
the thread from slackening upon the thread tension and thereby
escaping its action however the thread may unwind from the spool.
The shuttle I as before stated is constructed to move in a shuttle race,
and it is driven to and fro therein by means of a shuttle driver N,
which is a specics of cradle having horns that partially embrace the
rounded side of the shuttle and also a projecting slide n that is received
in and guided by a guide slot m formed between the adjacent faces of a
projection at the under side of the bed plate and a guide plate w².
The shuttle driver with its horns and slide is formed of one piece of
metal, so that there is nothing to work loose by the incessant changes
of direction in movement to which the shuttle drivers of shuttle sewing
machines are subjected. This compound shuttle driver and slide is
caused to reciprocate by connecting it by means of a link bar k with
an arm that projects from a rock shaft P beneath the bed plate A,
the bent link bar being applied at one end to a pivot formed
upon the shuttle driver and at the other to a pivot projecting from
the hub at the end of the arm k¹. The rock shaft P is supported
in suitable bearings, and is caused to rock in correspondence with
the movement of the needle by means of a crank O in the driving

page_text: shaft F, which crank operates upon the rock shaft through the
intervention of a connecting rod and an arm k² secured to the rock
shaft P. The shuttle I is provided with a spool to hold the thread, and
the thread is conducted from it to the delivery eyes to and fro through
one or more eyes 81, 81, 81, so as to give it the requisite tension. In order
that the slackening of the thread on the spool may not affect the tension
a slight spring is interposed between the tension eyes and the spool,
so that the thread is constantly pressed with slight force before entering
the eye and can never be slack in the tension eyes, hence the tension
must be practically uniform. The feed mechanism of the machine is
secured to the bed plate, and consists of a toothed feed wheel Q and the
appurtenances by means of which it is moved the required extent and
is prevented from retrograding. The feed wheel is moved by means of
a reciprocating clamp driver which gripes the feed wheel when moving
in one direction and releases it when moving in the opposite direction.
This clamp driver consists of a jaw clamp plate R and a cam S which is
operated by a lever arm T; the clamp plate has two jaws 1, 2, which
partially embrace the hub q of the feed wheel, and the cam S is arranged
at the fork of the jaws in a recess in the jaw plate, so that when by
turning it is caused to bear against the hub the extremities of the
jaws,, are drawn against the hub q, and the latter is gripped at
three points which are the two extremities 1, 2, of the jaws and the
side of the cam S in contact with the hub of the feed wheel. The
cam is moved (to gripe and release the hub) by moving the lever arm T
up and down, and the same lever arm is used for imparting motion to
the clamp (for the purpose of moving the feed wheel) from a rocking
cam U that is secured to and rocks with the rock shaft P, and acts upon
a pint projecting from the side of the lever arm T. The upward
movement of the clamp by the rocking cam U commences the moment
the lever arm has been moved far enough upward to cause the cam S
to clamp the hub q. The downward movement of the clamp is effected
by a spring h², which bearing on the lever arm T forces it downwards
as soon as the oscillation of the rocking cam U permits this movement.
The first portion of this downward movement turns the gripping cam S
sufficiently to relax the pressure on the hub q, and when the hub is
thus freed the under side of the lever arm T comes in contact with the
adjacent side of the hole in the clamp plate R through which the lever
arm protrudes, so that the latter part of the movement of the lever arm.

page_text: depresses the clamp to the lowest required position permitted by the
rocking cam U. The clamp driver consisting of the forked clamp and
cam may be used for imparting motion to other instruments than the
feed wheel of the sewing machine by combining the forked clamp and
cam with the hub of such instrument requiring an intermittent axial
motion. In order that the length of the feed may be readily adjusted
so as to vary the length of the stitch sewed the rocking cam U is made
expansible; to this end the portion which acts upon the pin of the
lever-arm T of the feed is hinged to the remainder, so that its end may
be set to protrude more or less from the axis of the rock shaft P on
which the cam rocks as a centre, the hinged portion or expanding toe
as it may be called is pressed towards the axis of the rock shaft by a
spring w, and a screw V is screwed through the solid portion of the cam
to force the cam toe away from the axis of the rock shaft. When the
screw has been moved until the periphery of the expanding toe v is
concentric with the axis on which the cam rocks, no movement is
imparted to the lever arm T, and consequently the feed ceases; but if
the screw be moved so as to set the expanding toe excentric to the axis
of the shaft the lever arm T is moved by the cam in its rocking motion
and feed takes place, the extent of movement and of feeding depending
upon the position of the expanding toe as determined by the adjusting
screw V. In order that the feed wheel may not retrograde when the
clamp retrogrades a spring friction pawl X is provided to act upon the
hub g of the feed wheel and nip it when it tends to retrograde. The
outer end of this pawl is supported in a notch made in a fixed arm Y
that depends from the bed plate of the machine, and the face of the pawl
which bears against the hub is slightly excentric to the axis of the
notch, so that the movement of the hub for feeding in the direction of the
arrow (in Fig. 2) tends to relieve the pressure against the hub, while
the movement of the hub in a contrary direction causes the pawl to
gripe or jam the spring h³, always holding the pawl in a proper position
for that purpose. Hence the pawl permits movement for feeding but
prevents motion in the opposite direction. The machine is driven by
means of a belt which encircles the pulley H secured to the revolving
shaft F, and in order that the belt may drive the shaft even when
somewhat slack, the belt pulley is encircled by a friction ring of
vulcanized india-rubber Z (Fig. 5). The bed plate of the machine is
applied to the table A' of the treadle motion or other support, and in

page_text: order that the machine may be readily turned up for inspection, or
adjustment, or oiling the bed plate is connected with such table by
means of double centered hinges consisting of two fixed brackets B², B³,
and a connecting link C3; one of the brackets B2 is secured to the bed
plate A, and the other B³ to the table A', and the link C is connected.
with the brackets by hinge pivots a³, a³. This mode of connection
permits the machine to be moved laterally when it is turned upward
and downward, consequently the hinges may be entirely concealed
beneath the bed plate of the machine when it is in the position for
sewing.
Sheet V. of the accompanying Drawings shews three arrangements
of gripping apparatus applied to the feed wheels of sewing machines
similar to the feed wheel of the machine herein-before described.
Fig. 1 representing a side view of one arrangement of feed wheel
driver; Fig. 2 is a similar view with driving levers removed;
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same; Figures 4 and 5*
represent in side and sectional views a more simple form of driver
applied to a feed wheel; and Fig. 6 representing a side view of a
feed wheel with a modification of the friction driving apparatus applied
) to it.
The hub Q of the feed wheel, represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3*
has a hollow rim q, within which the friction ring R is fitted. This
ring is turned off of slightly less diameter than the interior of the rim
to which it is to be applied, and is slotted through at one side, so that
it may be expanded by opening the slot and be thereby compelled to
gripe the rim q by frictional contact. The part of the split ring at
which the slot is made is broad enough to form bearings for the rim
of the cam $ which is arranged to rock in its bearings. Each bearing is
circular, so that the rocking cam will turn readily in it, but the two
bearings and the corresponding portions of the cam are excentric to
each other, so that when the cam is rocked in the direction indicated by
the arrow a the slot is opened and the ring is expanded, while the
rocking of the cam in the reverse direction to the arrow a permits
the ring to contract and lose its gripe upon the rim of the hub. The
rocking cam is fitted with a lever arm T, by means of which it
rocked, and the cam is provided with a bill & which coming in contact
with the adjacent side of the slot when the cam has been rocked
may
bc

page_text: sufficiently to loose the ring stops the rocking of the cam, and causes
the ring to move with the cam and with the lever T that is fast to the
cam. In order to ensure the rocking of the cam for the purpose of
causing the ring to gripe a spring &¹ is provided to rock the cam the
moment the movement of the lever T permits, and the spring is arranged
to act upon a pin projecting from the face of the cam. Thus far I have
described the arrangement as shewn in its simplest form at Fig. 4, but
to enable the wheel to be driven in opposite directions the rim g of the
wheel, shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is fitted with a second split
friction ring R' which is provided with a rocking cam S¹ and operating
lever T, such cam being reversed in position so that the gripping and
releasing are effected by moving it in directions the opposite of those
in which the cam of the first ring (R) is moved for the same purposes.
Hence if the two operating levers T, T', be alternately connected with
the same reciprocating instrument the hub Q of the wheel will be moved
either in one direction or the other according to which of the two levers
is so connected. This result of the combination is advantageous as it
enables the direction in which the wheel is turned to be readily reversed.
The second cam S¹ is connected with its operating lever T through the
intervention of a hub and a spring similar to that (81) first described
is applied to ensure the rocking of the cam S' on its axis. The operating
levers are conveniently secured to their respective cams by screws and
steady pins, and when two rings are used for the purpose of driving the
hub in opposite directions it is expedient to connect the rings by a
pivot a³, so that the one while moving forward carries the other with it.
The double ring and cam arrangement may be used with advantage in
cases in which the wheel is to be driven in the same direction at each
movement of the reciprocating instrument by arranging the rocking
cams to effect gripping when they are both turned on their axes in the
same direction and by connecting both operating levers simultaneously
with the reciprocating instrument.
The representation of the single slit ring with its cam and lever
given at Figures 4 and 5* of the Drawings has its parts which correspond
with those in Figures 1, 2, and 3* marked with the like reference
letters.
Another mode of constructing the split friction ring and rocking cam
is represented at Figures 6, where the ring R is split entirely through,

page_text: and the cam is divided into two parts S³, S³, each arranged to turn in
an excentric bearing m³, and each connected by a pivot with the
operating lever T.
Another mode of arranging the split friction ring and rocking cam
is to arrange the split ring to surround the hub of the wheel to be
driven, and to construct the cam so as to effect the gripe by drawing
the adjacent ends of the split ring together. The rocking cam may be
made hollow, or as a shell for the purpose, and may be caused to
embrace circular projections secured to the adjacent ends of the split
ring. In place of a rocking cam a wedge operated by a lever of elbow
form may be used to expand the ring, the lever being pivotted to one
extremity of the ring, and the wedge being connected with the shorter
arm of the lever and inserted in the slot of the ring, the rocking of the
lever will then force the wedge to and fro in the slot, and the wedge
will be the equivalent of the cam before described as the cam has the
form of a wedge wound partially around an axis.
The improvements described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3*, may
be used with advantage for various purposes. Thus, for example, they
may be used for the purpose of communicating motion to the rotating
shaft of a sewing machine from the treadle, in which case the shaft
will be moved with certainty and (provision being made to prevent
retrograding) the shaft will always be started in the proper direction.
The last part of the Invention is represented on Sheet VI. of the
accompanying Drawings as applied to the feed wheel of a sewing
machine similar to that représented in Sheets I. to IV. Fig. 1b
represents a transverse section of the bed plate of a sewing machine
with the improvements applied to the feed wheel thereof; Fig. 2b is
a plan of 'the machine, and Figures 3 and 4 are views of detached
parts of the mechanism. The feed wheel revolves upon a fixed
arbor, and has a hub q to which the friction clamp R is fitted. The
form of friction clamp which is represented is forked, its two arms r¹, r¹,
partially embracing the hub q, and the rocking cam S, S', being
arranged at the crotch of the arms, so that when à cam is borne against
the hub the ends of the arms j, 71, are drawn towards the cam, and the
hub is held at three places where the cam and the extremities of the
arms bear upon it. One of the cams S is arranged to rock in a
circular socket formed in the friction clamp R, the other cam S¹ is
D

page_text: arranged to rock in a circular socket formed in the first cam, so that
two rock upon the same axis, while each has a nipping faces and 8³,
which when the cam is rocked in one direction is borne against the
hub q and nips it. The nipping faces 8, 8, of the two cams are at
opposite sides of their common axis, so that one cam S nips the hub
when rocked in one direction, (as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3),
while the other cam Snips the hub when rocked in the opposite
direction to the first. Each cam is fitted with a lever T and T by
which it is rocked, and a pin a² is projected from the friction clamp
in such a position relatively to the operating levers that each lever
strikes the pin after it has rocked its cam, so as to release the nip on the
hub, and that the continued movement of the lever (after such release)
causes the friction clamp R to turn upon the húb पू to the position
at which it is to gripe the hub preliminary to imparting a succeeding
movement to it. The hub q has a friction brake X fitted to it to
prevent retrograde motion while either lever is rocking its cam to
release the hub and move the friction clamp after such release. One
of the levers (T) is fitted with a spring h that bears upon the
other (T) and causes the two slightly to diverge, so that when one
cam is operating the other may not interfere with its action. In order
that both levers T, T, may be operated by the same driver they are
arranged nearly in the same radial line (to the axis of the hub q) and
are slotted in opposite directions, so that the driver may be moved.
radially out of the slot m of one lever T into the slot m¹ of the other,
and vice versa. The driver consists of a pin which projects from a
slide that is fitted to move in a slotted head U¹, to which an
oscillating movement is imparted by securing it to the end of a rock
shaft P, consequently the driver is caused to reciprocate by the
oscillation of the head U'. The axis of the rock shaft P is arranged
opposite the place at which the adjacent ends of slots m, m¹, of the
operating levers T, T, meet each other, so that when the driver v is on
one side of said axis it operates in connection with one lever T, and
when it is on the other side of said axis it operates in connection
with the other lever T, As the slotted head U₁ is in this example
caused to oscillate to the same extent at all times, the distance
which the driver is moved by any one oscillation depends upon
its radial distance from the axis of the rock shaft, and the greater
the distance the greater the movement; hence by changing the

page_text: distance of the driver from the
axis of the rock shaft the extent
of movement of the lever (upon which the driver acts) the extent
to which the friction clamp R is moved (by the lever) and the extent
to which the hub q is turned (by the movement of the friction clamp)
are all changed.
In order that the driver may be conveniently moved either for
the
è purpose of transferring it from the lever T of one of the cams to
that T' of the other cam, or for the purpose of changing the position
of the driver relatively to the lever it is operating, so as to vary the
extent of movement, a transferrer B' is provided; this transferrer
consists of a link, which is connected at one end with the driver v,
and at the other with a vibrateable handle C', so that by moving the
handle on its pivot d¹ the driver may be moved to the required
position. The distance to which the driver is moved is determined by
a gauge E¹, consisting of a stationary plate with an inclined edge,
against which the end of a screw pin f¹ (that is connected with the
handle C¹) abuts, so as to stop the movement of the handle and trans-
ferer, at the desired place. As the gauge is used for determining the
distance to which the driver is to be moved when transferred from
the slot of one lever T to that of the other T, it has two inclined
edges n', n, presenting a V profile, and as the slot m¹ of one of the
levers T is nearer the axis of the hub q than that of the other T,
and consequently requires a less change in the position of the driver v
than the other slot does to produce an equal difference of angular
movement in the levers, the two edges n¹, n2, of the gauge are inclined
at different angles, so as to correspond with the difference in the extent
to which the driver is to be moved to produce equal angular movements
of the two levers (and consequently of the friction clamp) in opposite
directions. The position of the screw pin f¹ is regulated by turning
the handle C, which also forms the head of the screw, and a pinch
nut g' is provided to secure the screw pin in any desired position.
In order that the transferer B', and consequently the driver
may be held in their positions, a spring locking mechanism is provided;
this mechanism consists of a spring piston H' and a heart-shaped
cam G', the latter being connected with the stock F' of the vibrating
handle C of the transferer B', and the former being secured to the
stock of the gauge E'. The piston H' is pressed towards the axis of
the cam by a spring, and its head is V-formed, so that the cam is.

page_text: forced away from the central line of the piston head, whether the cam
be at one side or the other thereof. The point of the cam G¹ is opposite
the apex of the piston head when the driver is in its central position,
or is opposite the axis of the rock shaft P; hence, when the driver is
at either side of such central position, it is held there by the piston,
which acting upon the cam G¹ holds the screw pin f against the
gauge E¹.
The holding mechanism will perform its function when
used in connection with one lever and one cam without the other
lever and its rocking cam, and may be used advantageously in com-
bination with one lever and one cam when it is not deemed expedient
to have a second rocking cam and lever to reverse the movement of
the feed wheel.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of improvements
in sewing machines, part of which are applicable to other purposes,
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it
to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
I claim,―
The combination and arrangement of the needle bar, cam block,
and cap of the bracket arm, so that the cam block and cap operate
as slide and guide for the needle bar, substantially as before set forth.
Also the combination of the needle carrier and needle clamp and
eye guide, adjustable laterally to the track of the needle, substantially
as before set forth.
Also the turning wire thread tension mounted as above described,
in combination with a pressure spring to hold the thread from slacking
on said tension, substantially as before set forth.
Also the arrangement for driving the shuttle, as above set forth.
Also the combination of the shuttle perforated with tension eyes,
with a pressure spring to hold the shuttle thread from slackening in
said eyes, substantially as above set forth.
Also the forked clamp arrangement described with reference to
Figures 2 and 3, Sheet II. of the Drawings.
Also the combination of the bed plate, stand, and double centered
hinges, substantially as before set forth.
Lastly, the arrangements described with reference to Sheets V. and VI.
of the Drawings, and their described modification for imparting an axial

page_text: motion to feed wheels of sewing machines, and to other instruments
requiring the like motion.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Eighteenth day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-eight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)