IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Riddell and Thomas Bletcher, both of
Bishopsgate Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 21st September 1869, and dated the 27th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Riddell and
Thomas Bletcher at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 27th March 1869.
We, WILLIAM RIDDELL and THOMAS BLETCHER, both of Bishopsgate
Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates mainly to machines wherein either a vibrating
or a rotating hook is employed in combination with a vertically
reciprocating needle to form and secure the stitches in the cloth or
fabric.

page_text: The nature of the said Invention consists, firstly, in the peculiar
devices for operating the vibrating hook in a machine for making what
is called a chain stitch.
The said Invention consists, secondly, in the peculiar construction of
a rotating hook for a chain stitch machine.
And, thirdly, in the peculiar means whereby the same machine can
be adjusted to form either the "chain stitch" or "lock stitch."
The said Invention consists, fourthly, in the novel devices for pro-
ducing the reciprocating action of the needle bar.
Fifthly, in a novel method of supporting and securing the shuttle
of a lock stitch machine.
And, sixthly, in constructing the cloth plate and also the front plate
which covers the needle bar of materials not hitherto used for such
purpose, which materials render the said plates superior in cleanliness
and less costly of manufacture than the ordinary metal plates, and
diminish the noise of the machine in working.
In the sewing machine which makes the chain stitch the thread is
carried by the needle through the fabric, and each loop is held by the
hook while the needle descends through it, and is then drawn tight as
the needle ascends.
We construct the vibrating hook or looper with a long point, which is
properly formed to enter the loops at the side of the needle to take them
from the needle, and to hold each loop open for the needle to pass the
succeeding loop through it.
The said hook in one arrangement of the parts of our Invention has
a flat portion extended downward from and nearly at right angles to its
point, and this flat portion is cither formed or fixed on an elbow piece
which is fitted to work upon a stud or pin.
The said hook is operated from a shaft (which also operates the feed
bar) in the following manner :-On the end of the said shaft is a crank
to which is connected one end of a rod, whose other end is connected to
a pin projecting from the side of the elbow of the hook, or otherwise so
arranged that a line drawn from the centre of the crank to the centre
of the said pin would be at right angles or nearly so to another line
drawn from the centre of the pin to the centre of the stud on which the
looper vibrates.

page_text: In a modification of our Invention instead of connecting the hook to
the crank by a rod we form a slot or long aperture in the flat part of
the hook, and fit the crank pin to work in the said slot. We do not,
however, consider this latter method of operating the hook so good as
the first described method, as the motion communicated to the hook by
the connecting rod is the same throughout its stroke, or nearly so,
whereas with the crank pin working in the slot the motion of the
hook is accelerated at one part and retarded at another part of its
stroke.
A difficulty which frequently occurs with the vibrating hooks or
loopers is their liability to throw off the loop before the needle takes it,
and to prevent this difficulty in our machine we attach to the crank a
small brush or a pad of rubber or other suitably soft material. The
said brush or pad is arranged in such a manner that it will brush or
press gently on the inside of the hook from the point inward, and will
check or hold back the loop and keep it on the hook until the needle
has descended fairly within the loop.
In another modification of our Invention instead of giving to the hook
a vibrating or rocking motion we fix the same on the end of a shaft, and
rotate it continuously in one direction. The form of the hook in this
arrangement must be such as to allow the loops to slip over the back of
the hook as in other machines where a similar device is used, but our
hook bas a peculiarity of construction by which the stitch is tightened
when the needle is drawn out of the work, which is not the case in other
sewing machines. This peculiarity of action, which prevents the breaking
of the thread so frequently caused by the tightening of the stitch before
the needle is drawn up, is effected by forming on the inside of the hook
at a slight distance from its extremity a notch or spur, whereby each
loop is drawn downward by the rotating book as the preceeding loop
leaves the same. This notch also by carrying the loops forward places
each loop in a favorable position for the descent of the needle with
the next loop.
To adapt our machine to the formation of the "lock stitch" ве
insert within the space enclosed by the rotating hook a thin bobbin for
carrying the under thread. As is well known to those familiar with
this subject, in a lock stitch machine the stitches are formed by passing
the under thread through the loops of the needle thread, the loops of

page_text: needle thread not being inserted one into the other as in chain stitch
work.
In order, therefore, to form the lock stitch in our said rotating hook
machine we have to provide the same with means which will cause the
rotating hook to work without interlooping the needle thread. We
accomplish this object by combining with the other parts of the
mechanism in the said machine a two-armed vibrating lever pivoted to
the under side of the cloth plate or frame, which lever is actuated by
the feed cam or by a separate cam on the same shaft in such a manner
as to turn aside the successive loops of needle thread, so that the needle
passes outside of instead of through them. The said vibrating lever
is so arranged that by means of an adjusting screw or other suitable
device it is readily thrown into and out of connection with its operating
cam.
In a machine which has a shuttle carried by a vibrating hook, and in
other shuttle machines, it is desirable that the shuttle should be held in
such a manner as to allow the thread to pass between the shuttle and
the holder, and should be readily released and secured. Springs have
heretofore been employed for this purpose, but by our Invention we
secure the shuttle by means of a pin which passes through the holder
under the nose of the shuttle; the said pin is fitted so as to turn freely
in the holder, and has one side cut away or made concave. When the
round side is turned into contact with the shuttle the same is secured
in the holder, but when the concave side is turned up the shuttle can be
removed therefrom.
In sewing with thread of different thicknesses it is important that more
or less freedom should be given to the shuttle in the holder, and for this
purpose we employ a plate which is attached to the holder by a screw
passing through a slot, so that the plate can be adjusted to leave
more or less space between the back of the shuttle and the inside of the
holder.
In our said rotating hook machine the motion of the operative parts
is derived from a wheel which may be driven by hand or otherwise.
On this wheel, in one arrangement of our Invention, is fixed a toothed
wheel which is geared into a smaller wheel or pinion fixed on the end of
the shaft which actuates the needle bar. The said needle bar has a
plate with a groove or channel extending across the same, and by the
action of the crank pin in this groove the rotating motion of the shaft is

page_text: caused to produce the reciprocating action of the bar.
We prefer,
however, to obtain this reciprocating action from a rocking shaft arranged
at one side of the frame, on which shaft is fixed an arm whose outer end
is formed with jaws which fit over a pin on the needle bar, the said piu
either projecting from the side of the bar or being fixed in a slot formed
through the same. The rear end of this rocking shaft also carries an
arm which is connected to an excentric on the shaft which operates the
feed cam, the latter shaft being provided with a small toothed pinion
geared with the toothed wheel on the driving wheel.
We construct the cloth plate of papier maché, carton pièrre, vulcanite,
or prepared india-rubber or gutta percha, or other substances analogous
to either of these materials which are not sonorous like the ordinary
metal cloth plate, and which therefore diminish the noise of the working.
These substances, as well as glass and porcelain, which we also use, are
cheaper than the metal plates, are more cleanly in use, and may have
a very ornamental appearance. The front plate may also be formed of
either of these materials..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said William Riddell and Thomas Bletcher in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th September 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
RIDDELL and TпоMAS BLETCHER, both of Bishopsgate Street, in the City
of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS IIer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said William Riddell and Thomas
Bletcher, Her special licence that we, the said William Riddell
and Thomas Bletcher, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said William Riddell and Thomas Bletcher,
our 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,

page_text: 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 we, the said William Riddell and Thomas Bletcher, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or
their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them,
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 William Riddell, on behalf of
myself and the said Thomas Bletcher, 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 accompanying Drawings forming a
part of this Specification :-
Our Invention relates mainly to machines wherein either a vibrating
or a rotary hook is employed in combination with a vertically reci-
procating needle to form and secure the stitches in the cloth or fabric.
The nature of the said Invention consists, firstly, in the peculiar
devices for operating the vibrating hook in a machine for making what
is called a chain stitch.
The said Invention consists, secondly, in the peculiar construction of
a rotating hook for a chain stitch machine.
And, thirdly, in the peculiar means, whereby the same machine can
be adjusted to form either the "chain stitch" or "lock stitch."
The said Invention consists, fourthly, in the novel devices for pro-
ducing the reciprocating action of the needle bar.
Fifthly, in a novel method of supporting and securing the shuttle of
a lock stitch machine.
And, sixthly, in constructing the cloth plates and also the front plate
which covers the needle bar of materials not hitherto used for such
purpose, which materials render the said plates superior in cleanliness
and less costly of manufacture than the ordinary metal plates, and
diminish the noise made by the machine in working.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a chain stitch machine to which our
said improvements are applied; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the parts
shewn in Figure 1; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, are similar views illustrating
modifications in the said improvements; Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11,
illustrate further modifications of our Invention which relate more
especially to lock stitch machines. Like letters indicate the same parts
throughout the Drawing.
A is the stand or base of the machine, A' is the frame, C is the
cloth plate, and D the front plate which covers and protects the needle
bar. In sewing machines which makes a chain stitch the thread is
carried by the needle a through the fabric, and each loop is held by the
hook 6 while the needle descends through it, and is then drawn tight as
the needle ascends. We construct the vibrating hook or looper b with a
long point which is properly formed to enter the loops at the side of
the needle a to take them from the needle and to hold each loop open
for the needle to pass the succeeding loop through it.
The said hook in the arrangement of the parts of our Invention
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 has a flat portion 6ª extended downward
from and nearly at right angles to its point b', and this flat portion b³ is
either formed or fixed on an elbow piece c which is fitted to work upon
a stud or pin d. The said hook is operated from a shaft e in the
following manner :-On the end of the said shaft is a crank g to which
is connected one end of a rod h, whose other end is connected to a
pin c' projecting from the side of the elbow c of the hook b, or otherwise
so arranged that a line drawn from the centre of the crank g to the
centre of the pin c' would be at right angles or nearly so to another line
drawn from the centre of the said pin to the centre of the stud d on
which the looper 6 vibrates.
In the modification of our Invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4
instead of connecting the hook b to the crank g by a rod, we form a slot
or long aperture in the flat part of the hook and fit the crank pin g' to
work in the said slot. We do not, however, consider this latter method
of operating the hook 6 so good as the first described method, as the
motion communicated to the hook by the connecting rod h is the same
throughout the stroke or nearly go, whereas with the crank pin working
in the slot the motion of the hook
retarded at another part of its stroke.
is accelerated at one part and
A difficulty which frequently

page_text: occurs with the vibrating hooks or loopers is their liability to throw off
the loop before the needles takes it; to prevent this difficulty in our
machine we attach to the crank a small brush or pad of rubber or
other suitably soft material as shewn in Figure 3. The said brush i or
pad is arranged in such a manner that it will brush or press gently on
the inside of the hook & from the point inward, and will check or hold
back the loop and keep it on the hook until the needle has descended
fairly within the loop.
In another modification of our Invention instead of giving to the
hook a vibrating or rocking motion we fix the same on the end of a
shaft and rotate it continuously in one direction. This arrangement of
parts is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. The form of the hook b in this
arrangement must be such as to allow the loops to slip over the back
of the hook as in other machines where a similar device (that is a
rotating hook) is used, but our hook has a peculiarity of construction
whereby the stitch is tightened when the needle is drawn out of the work,
which is not the case in other sewing machines. This peculiarity of
action which prevents the breaking of the thread so frequently caused
by the tightening of the stitch before the needle is drawn up, is effected
by forming on the inside of the hook at a slight distance from its
extremity a notch or spur b', whereby each loop is drawn downward
by the rotating hook as the preceding loop leaves the same. This
notch also by carrying the loops forward places each loop in a
favourable position for the descent of the needle a with the next loop.
To adapt our machine to the formation of the lock stitch we insert
within the space enclosed by the rotating hook ba thin bobbin for
carrying the under thread. As is well known to those familiar with
this subject in a lock stitch machine, the stitches are formed by passing
the one thread through the loops of the other thread, the loops of needle
thread not being inserted one into the other as in chain stitch work.
In order, therefore, to form the lock stitch in our said rotating hook
machine, we have to provide the same with means which will cause
the rotating hook to work without interlooping the needle thread.
We accomplish this object by combining with the other parts of the
mechanism in the said machine a two-armed vibrating lever, pivotted
to the under side of the cloth plate or frame, which lever is actuated
by the feed cam, or by a separate cam on the same shaft in such a
manner as to turn aside the successive loops of needle thread, so that

page_text: the needle passes outside of instead of through them. The said vibrating
lever is so arranged that by means of an adjusting screw or other
suitable device it is readily thrown into and out of connection with its
operating cam.
In a machine which has a shuttle carried by a vibrating lever, and in
other shuttle machines, it is desirable that the shuttle should be held
in such a manner as to allow the thread to pass between the shuttle and
the holder, and should be readily released and secured. Springs have
heretofore been employed for this purpose, but by our Invention we
secure the shuttle by more convenient means.
In the arrangement of parts illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 we use a
pinj which passes through the carrier or holder k, and under the nose
of the shuttle ; the said pin which is fitted to turn freely in the holder
khas one side cut away or made concave as shown at j. When the
round or uncut side is turned into contact with the shuttle the same
is held securely in the holder k, but when the concave side is turned
up the shuttle can be removed therefrom.
In the arrangement of parts illustrated in Figures 9, 10, and 11 we
have shewn another and still better device for releasing and securing
the shuttle in the carrier or holder. In this case the carrier is formed
of two parts, one of which is fitted to slide upon the bars / while the
other part is jointed or pivotted to the part k at , the end of the
part opposite to the free end of the part is provided with a small
pin m projecting laterally therefrom and fitted to enter a hole in the
part .
A small spring is placed under the head of the pin, which
spring when the part is properly adjusted to secure the shuttle forces
the part into close contact with the part k, so that the pin enters the
hole in the said part, the part is also provided with a stop to insure
the proper adjustment of the pin with regard to the whole when the part
is raised as in Figure 10. The spring allows a slight lateral movement
of the part A, when it is desired to release the shuttle, and the said part
is then turned downward on its pivot as in Figure 11. In sewing
with thread of different thicknesses it is important that more or less freedom
should be given to the shuttle in the holder, and for this purpose we
employ a plate which is attached to the holder by a screw passing through
a slot, so that the plate can be adjusted to leave more or less space between
the back of the shuttle and inside of the holder. In our machine which
we have shewn provided with a rotating hook the motion of the
operative parts is derived from a wheel arranged in the usual manner at

page_text: the rear of the frame, which wheel may be driven by hand or otherwise.
On this wheel in the arrangement of our Invention illustrated in Figures
1 and 2 is fixed a toothed wheel which is geared into a smaller wheel or
pinion fixed on the end of the shaft n, which actuates the needle bar
a. The said needle bar has a plate a³ with a groove or channel a
extending across the same, and by the action of the crank pin o in this
groove the rotating motion of the shaft n is caused to produce the
reciprocating action of the bar a'. We prefer, however, to obtain this
reciprocating action from a rocking shaft p arranged at one side of the
frame A, as shewn in Figures 5 and 6. On this shaft is fixed an arm q
whose outer end is former with jaws q' which fit over a pin a* on the
needle bar a', the said pin either projecting from the side of the bar or
being fixed in a slot formed through the same as shewn in Figure 6.
The rear end of this rocking shaft p also carries an arm which is
connected to an excentric on the shaft r, which operates the feed cam 8,
the latter shaft being provided with a small toothed pinion geared with
a toothed wheel turning with the driving wheel.
Cloth plates and front plates for sewing machines have heretofore been
constructed of metal, the cloth plate being commonly of an oblong form,
with its upper surface made flat and smooth to allow the work to pass
freely across the same. The front plate is usually a thin plate of steel or
iron. I have discovered, however, that such plates may be advantageously
constructed of certain materials which are superior to metal in point of
cleanliness, cheaper of construction, and which give the machine a more
ornamental appearance. Many of these substances, moreover, possess the
property of diminishing the noise of the working of the machine, and I
thus effect in a very simple manner a result which has been the aim of
niany previous attempts. The substances of which I prefer to construct
my improved plates are " papier maché, carton pierre, real or artificial
ivory, parkesine, vulcanite, or other prepared or hard india-rubber, gutta
percha, glass, and porcelain. I may also use other non-metallic strong
and durable substances obviously analogous to those above enumerated,
or possessing such properties as will render them suitable for the purposes
of my Invention. I do not propose to make any departure from the
ordinary forms of the plates, nor to the method of attaching them to the
machine, except so far as is rendered necessary or desirable by the peculiar
nature of the substance used. As herein-before stated one of the
advantages secured by my Invention is the superior cleanliness of the plates.
It is well known that metal surfaces however clean they are kept will soil

page_text: the work, and the hands of the operator, and if neglected for any length of
time will be injured and disfigured by oxidation. This superiority in
point of cleanliness is very important, and will be appreciated by ladies
and others familiar with the use of sewing machines. It is also very
desirable, especially when the machines are used in private houses, to
diminish the disagreable noise of the machine, which is due in a great
measure to the sonorous nature of the metal of which the plates are
constructed, and this object I effect by making the plates of such materials
as are but very slightly sonorous, as above specified. The plates made
of papier maché, ivory, and porcelain, and some other of the substances
which I use are capable of very superior ornamentation at a slight expense.
Some of such substances are more sonorous than others, the glass and
porcelain for instance, but their sound is softer than that of the metal,
while in point of cleanliness and economy they will be found highly
advantageous. Many of the well-known sewing machines now in use
such as the so called "Wheeler and Wilson" Machine and others require
no change in any part to adapt them to our improved cloth plates, but
others will require the addition of a supporting frame C' on which to
secure the plate C, as shewn in Figures 9, 10, 11.
Having thus fully described our said improvements and shewn how
the same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice,
we claim,
First. The improvements in the operative parts of sewing machines
and the combination of such parts, substantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth.
Second. Cloth plates and front plates for sewing machines manu-
factured of materials not heretofore used for the purpose, and such as
are herein specified, or others of a nature analogous to such materials, for
the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Riddell, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine
WILLIAM RIDDELL. (L.s.)