IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR TRANSMITTING MOTION TO THE SAME
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marshall Henry Pearson, of Leeds, in the County of York,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN THE
MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR TRANSMITTING MOTION TO THE
SAME."
Sealed the 15th December 1876, and dated the 20th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marshall Henry Pearson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1876.
MARSHALL HENRY PEARSON, of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR TRANS-
MITTING MOTION TO THE SAME."
The object of my Invention is to make all shuttle sewing machines capable of
sewing with hard waxed or bees' waxed thread.
Hitherto the main difficulties in this have been the passage of the waxed threads
through the eye of the needle and round the shuttle on account of the frictional
tendency of the wax.
My Invention surmounts the above difficulty in a very simple and effective
manner, and is as hereafter described.
Instead of waxing the threads before they are passed to the needle or shuttle I
use the threads "dry" or free from wax, and make the needle dip into a small cup
of hot wax after it (the needle) has passed through the material being sewn.
The arrangement of the parts for producing this result are as follows:-Below
the lowest point of the needle when at its extreme dip I place a bath of wax in
such a position that when it is full of wax the surface of the wax is well below the
surface of the point of the needle. The wax is kept melted by means of a jet of
gas or other equivalent means. I place a lever, carrying on its end a small cup;
to this lever is imparted motion from any convenient source, so as to lift a supply
of molten wax in the small cup from the bath below. This is done the time the
needle is standing for the passage of the shuttle, thus surrounding the needle
up to within a short distance of its eye with wax. The object of this being to fill
the grooves of the needle with hot wax. The needle then rises into the leather,
and the wax in its grooves is removed by friction and left in the leather. The
threads being now drawn into the same are perfectly waxed, and the hole also filled
with wax.
As soon as the needle begins to lift the lever carries its small cup into
[Price 6d.]

page_text: the bath below and deposits it into a recess at the bottom thereof, and as close to
the flame as convenient; in this position it is replenished with hot wax.
The arrangement of the herein-before mentioned bath is such that all the wax it
contains drains into the recess at the bottom, by which means the whole of the
wax may be used up. The lift of the lever carrying the small cup may be made
adjustable, so as to regulate the supply of wax.
Another arrangement is to provide a bath of fluid wax, so arranged that the wax
may circulate through a small opened top cup placed under the needle as follows:―
A gas jet or lamp is placed under a cup below the needle to melt the wax con-
tained therein, to this cup is connected a copper tube leading to a pool or tank
of wax, which is kept semi-melted by the heat transferred to it by conduction of
the copper tube; this arrangement causes the cup below the needle to be kept full,
and is so arranged that any overflow may pass off into a receptacle below, which
may at pleasure be returned to the pool or tank.
My improvements further consist in transmitting motion to sewing machines.
I employ two foot plates pivotted at the heel, and attach them to a "two-throw
crank," on the fly-wheel shaft by means of suitable connecting rods. By this
arrangement the machines may be worked with greater facility by the attendant,
and requiring less power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Marshall Henry Pearson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
December 1876.
MARSHALL HENRY PEARSON, of Leeds, in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR TRANS-
MITTING MOTION TO THE SAME."
The object of my Invention is to make all shuttle sewing machines capable of
sewing with hard waxed thread.
Hitherto the main difficulties in this have been the passage of the waxed threads
through the eye of the needle and round the shuttle on account of the frictional
tendency of the wax.
My Invention surmounts the above difficulty in a very simple and effective
manner, and is as hereafter described.
Instead of waxing the threads before they are passed to the needle or shuttle
I use the threads "dry" or free from wax, and make the needle dip into a small
cup of hot wax after it (the needle) has passed through the material being sewn.
The arrangement of the parts for producing this result are as follows:-Below
the lowest point of the needle when at its extreme dip I place a bath of wax in
such a position that when it is full of wax the surface of the wax is well below
the surface of the point of the needle. The wax is kept melted by means of a jet
of gas or other equivalent means. I place a lever carrying on its end a small cup,
to this lever is imparted motion from any convenient source, so as to lift a supply
of molten wax in the small cup from the bath below. This is done the time the
needle is standing for the passage of the shuttle, thus surrounding the needle up
to within a short distance of its eye with wax. The object of this being to fill
the grooves of the needle with hot wax. The needle then rises into the leather,
and the wax in its grooves is removed by friction and left in the leather. The
threads being now drawn into the same are perfectly waxed and the hole also
filled with wax. As soon as the needle begins to lift the lever carries its small
cup into the bath below, and deposits it into a recess at the bottom thereof,
and as close to the flame as convenient, in this position it is replenished with
hot wax.
The arrangement of the herein-before mentioned bath is such that all the wax
it contains drains into the recess at the bottom, by which means the whole of the

page_text: wax may be used up. The lift of the lever carrying the small cup may be adjust-
able so as to regulate the supply of wax.
Another arrangement is to provide a bath of wax, so arranged that the wax
may circulate through a small opened top cup placed under the needle as follows:-
A gas jet or lamp is placed under a cup below the needle to melt the wax contained
therein; to this cup is connected a copper tube leading to a pool or tank of wax
which is kept semi-melted by the heat transferred to it by conduction of the copper
tube; this arrangement causes the cup below the needle to be kept full, and is so
arranged that any overflow may pass off into a receptacle below which may at
pleasure be returned to the pool or tank.
My improvements further consist in transmitting motion to sewing machines.
I employ two foot plates pivotted at the heel, and attach them to a "two-throw
crank"
on the fly-wheel shaft by means of suitable connecting rods.
arrangement the machines may be worked with greater facility by the attendant
and requiring less power.
By this
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood, reference
is given to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters and marks
Figure 1 is a part side elevation and section shewing the first part of my
Invention as applied to a sewing machine. Figure 2 is a sectional plan of same
through A, B.
Below the lowest point of the needle when at its extreme dip I place a bath a
of wax, its position being so arranged that when it is full of wax the surface of
the wax is well below the point of the needle. In order to keep the wax in a
molten state I provide the gas jets b or their equivalents; these may be regulated
by any ordinary means, but in order not to burn the wax I provide between the
bath a and jets ba tank c containing water, from which the steain passes away
at d;
is a lever which is carried on the stud f on the bed of the sewing machine;
on one end of it is provided the small cup g. To the lever e is imparted a radial
movement, this being obtained from the side lever h (or from any other convenient
source) through adjustable rod i, which may be varied in length by means of the
nut J. The motion given to the lever e is to lift the cup g from the bath a, which
cup g has previously received a supply of wax therefrom by being dipped into
the bath a. This cup g is lifted sufficiently high that the needle passes into the
wax contained therein up to within a short distance from its eye, which on being
withdrawn, a portion of the wax adheres to it, filling the grooves thereof with
hot wax.
The needle then rises into the leather and the wax in its grooves is
removed by friction and left therein. The threads being now drawn into the
same are perfectly waxed, and the holes are also filled with wax. As soon as the
needle begins to lift the lever e carries its small cup g into the bath a below to
be replenished with hot wax. The rod is varied in length to suit the quantity
of wax in the bath a.
Another modification of my Invention is shewn at Figures 3 and 4, of which
Figure 3 is a part side elevation and section and Figure 4 a sectional plan through
c, d, Figure 3. In this case I provide a bath a of fluid wax, which I supply thereto
through tube b from tank c. The wax is kept heated by a light from gas
or other convenient means as shown at d, the overflow of molten wax passes off
through a tube e into a receiver f. I provide an external shell which contains
the tube b and tank c, whereby the heat is conveyed from the light & through the
full length and out at h, retaining the wax by this means in a molten stato in
the tank c and tube b as well as in the bath a. In this arrangement the needle dips
into the molten wax to the same extent as that described in my first arrangement.
Further modifications are shewn at Figures 5 and 6, in which Figure 5 is a part side
elevation and section, and Figure 6 a sectional plan through e, f, Figure 5. This

page_text: arrangement is very similar to that described in the first part of my Invention,
but instead of having a cup at the end of the lever as shewn at Figure 1, I provide
a small ram a which is worked by means of the lever b within the cylinder c
and arranged in a similar manner to a small ordinary pump provided with necessary
valves. Movement being given thereto, draws the molten wax from the tank or
receiver d and deposits it in the cup or bath e into which the needle dips in the
manner herein-before described. The other parts are similar to those described in
the first part of my Invention.
My improvements further consist in the means or apparatus employed for
transmitting motion to sewing machines, and is shewn in perspective at Figure 7.
I employ two foot plates a and b pivoted or mounted in suitable bearings at their
heels c, and couple them to the cranks d on the fly-wheel shaft c by means of the
connecting rods f coupled at g. By this arrangement the machine may be worked
with great facility by the attendant and requires less power.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and shewn by Drawings
how the same may be carried into practice, I would have it understood that I do not
limit myself to the exact limits, details, or configuration of the various parts I have
explained and shewn, as the same may of course be varied or modified without in
any way departing from my Invention, but I what I do claim and desire to be
secured to me by Letters Patent is-
First. The arrangement, construction, and application of the means or apparatus
employed for dipping the needle of sewing machines] into molten wax substantially
as described and shewn at Figures 1 and 2 with modifications of the same shown at
Figures 3 and 4, 5, and 6, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. The arrangement and combination of cranks & with foot plates a and b,
these being pivoted or otherwise mounted in bearings at the heel substantially as
and for purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marshall Henry Pearson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
MARSHALL HENRY PEARSON. (L.S.)