IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."-A communication from
abroad by Albert Francis Johnson, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
80th June 1864.
I, WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," communicated to me
from abroad by Albert Francis Johnson, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk,
and State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America, to be as
follows:-
The improvements relate particularly to means for facilitating the employ-
ment of waxed threads for uniting leather or other heavy fabrics, such as
boots, shoes, harness, and parts of carriages, but they are applicable also
when uniting lighter goods or employing other threads. By these improve-
ments in sewing machinery in lieu of an eye-pointed needle, a puncturing awl
and an open-eyed hooked needle are employed, and with these is combined a
shuttle for causing the formation of a lock stitch. To obviate the necessity of

page_text: take-up" is
allowing the needle to remain in the fabric while the stitch is being tight-
ened, which is fatal to practical sewing with a waxed thread, a "
employed, which operates independently of the movement of the needle, and
in such a manner that while the thread is being conveyed through the fabric
it shall be slack and subject to no tension. The improvements are further
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side view of the improved
sewing machine; Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken through the
line A, B, Figure 7; Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken through
the line C, D, Figure 7; Figures 4, 5, and 9 are detail views; Figure 6 is a
longitudinal vertical section; Figure 7 is a plan or top view; and Figure 8
shows detail views of the shuttle.
a, a, represents the framework of the machine; b, the driving wheel turning
upon a horizonal shaft c. Attached to the driving wheel b, and revolving with
it, is a pinion d, the teeth of which take into the teeth of a wheel e on the
horizontal shaft f, having bearings at 9 and h. Near one end of the shaft f,
and forming a part of the same, is a crank i, attached to which is a vertical
shaft j, the upper end of which is secured to the arm or crank k on one end of
a horizontal shaft 1. The shaft turns in bearings m, m, of the standard n.
At one end of the horizontal shaft is a crank disc o, to one side of which the
upper end of a short connecting rod p is secured, the other end of the same
being fastened to a vertical awl bar 9 moving in suitable bearings of the
vertical arm r, the awls being arranged in a vertical position at the lower
end of the said bar q. The above arrangement of means is for operating and
moving the awl up and down in a vertical plane for puncturing the fabric to
be sewn, the operation of which in connection with the other parts of the
machine will be herein-after explained. t is the shuttle moving in a hori-
zontal groove or way u of the platform w, and below its upper surface. At
each end of the shuttle t, and abutting against the same, are two projecting
arms v, v, of the horizontal plate x, guided by a groove y in the platform w.
To the under side of the plate x the upper end of the curved arm z is secured,
the other end, by means of a connecting rod a', being attached to and receiving
motion from the outer end 6¹ of a crank or arm c¹ on the main shaft f. The
means thus arranged and connected with the driving wheel serve to impart at
the proper times the desired reciprocating movements to the shuttle placed
longitudinally within, and in the centre of the shuttle t is a spood d³, turning
on a shaft e¹, to receive the thread or other material used. The thread passes
out of the said shuttle through the opening f¹ in the periphery thereof (see
Figure 7), and is then laid along the groove g¹ of the same in its proper

page_text: position; h¹ is a crank attached to the crank arm c¹, before referred to, and
to a connecting rod i¹, the other end being secured to the lower portion of the
vertical needle shaft j¹. This needle shaft moves in bearings k³, and within
the same is another shaft l', in the upper end of which and eccentric there-
with (see Figure 9) the needle m¹ is inserted. In the periphery of the shaft
¹ is a vertical stop n¹ straight to the point o¹, but then passing spirally around
the said shaft for about one-third of its periphery (see Figure 9), in which
groove bears a stud p¹ of the bearings k, k¹. By the above arrangement as
the driving shaft revolves an up-and-down movement is given to the needle,
and its shaft is also caused to partially rotate. q' is a spool, around which is
wound the thread r³, and which turns on a spindle s³, fastened in the standard
n. This thread is then passed from the said spool to and around the guiding
pulley of the standard t, thence through the openings v, vl, of the swivel
box v¹, turning on a shaft a¹, and around a pulley w within the box v², the
shaft being a prolongation of the vibrating arm y¹, secured rigidly to the
crank o, before referred to, which arm by its reciprocating motion in connection
with the box v¹ and pulley w¹ slackens and tightens threads in forming the
stitch in a peculiar and novel manner to be herein-after explained; thence
from the pulley w¹ it is passed to and through the opening or eye z¹ of the
curved thread carrier a", with bearings at 6", ". This eye is placed a
little below the horizontal plane of the hook c¹ of the needle m¹ when at its
highest position (see Figure 1), and is also made to partially revolve in a
horizontal plane around the needle by means of the stud d" of the awl bar q,
travelling in the curved slot c¹¹ in the said thread carrier a". The fabric to
be sewn having been placed in its proper position on the platform, and the
two threads arranged in the manner stated, the driving wheel being turned
the awl s descends, puncturing the fabric, and at the same time feeding it
along till the aperture thus made is in the proper position for the needle to
pass through the same in its upward movement. While the awl is thus
descending the needle also descends and passes down through the aperture
made in the fabric by the previous descent of the awl, carrying with it the
thread 1, which had been first placed around and within its hook c' by means
of the thread carrier a¹. This needle continues to descend until it has
entirely passed through the fabric, when, by means of the groove ¹ and the
stud pl, the needle is made to revolve, making about oue-third of a revolution
for the purpose of bringing the loop formed by its hook and carried by the
fabric into the path of the shuttle. During the downward movements of
both the awl and the needle the shuttle t travels in its guiding way across the
machine to the position indicated by red lines in Figure 7, when as the

page_text: needle and awl commence to ascend it moves forward, passing through the
loop of the thread left in its path by the hooked needle. This movement of
the shuttle continues until the awl and needle both have reached t eir upper-
most position, the needle having passed upwards through the aperture just
punctured by the awl. The needle and awl then again, descend and the
movements above referred to take place as before. But in order to tighten
the loop carried through the fabric by the hooked needle, and interlock with
it the shuttle thread, there is provided the following arrangement, consisting
of the vibrating arm y¹, swivel box v¹, and pulley w¹. The operation of these
in connection with the movements of the needle and awl is as follows:---As
they are descending the vibrating arm moves from its upper position indicated
in black lines in Figure 2, to the position indicated by red lines in the said
Figure, drawing the, thread from the spool and feeding it along in a slack
condition to the needle, but as they ascend the arm travels back into its
original position, and so on until the machine is stopped. By this forward
and backward movement of the arm it will be observed that during the whole
time occupied by the needle in its descent the arm is drawing the thread from
the spool and feeding it to the needle, thereby keeping the thread always
slack while being pulled through the fabric; but that as the needle ascends
the arni then, by travelling back to its starting point, draws up and tightens
the loop in the fabric. To obviate the liability of the thread being detached
from the pulley of the vibrating arm as it moves backward and forward, the
same is enclosed within the box v', which box swivels on its shaft, and thus
prevents friction of the thread in the apertures v", "; g" is a rod hung on a
pivot h of the awl bar; in the lower end of the rod g" is the awl s; ¹¹ is a
spring, which bears against the rod g, and as the awl descends throws it
away from the line of travel of the needle, its length of motion being regu-
lated by the set screw m"; n" is another adjustable screw placed in a lower
plane than the screw m", and which bears against the inclined surface o¹¹ of
the rod g¹¹ as it passes down by the same. These two screws are so adjusted
with regard to each other that while the first will allow of the swinging
movement of the awl arm g", the other will cause the said arm to be gradually
brought back to its original position, thereby at the same time feeding along
the fabric to the hooked needle; this swinging movement of the awl takes
place as it descends, and it is obvious that the awl can be so operated upon by
the proper abjustment of the set screws as to vary the length of the stitch as
may be desired.
It is not necessary that the under thread should be carried
by a shuttle, and so pass through the loop of the upper thread; but the loop
of the upper thread may be passed over or around the under thread. The

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Brookes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th December 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer
and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Brookes, Her special licence that I, the said William Brookes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Brookes, 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, communicated to me from abroad by Albert Francis Johnson,
of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, in the
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Brookes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seal, 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 inmediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Brookes, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-.
The improvements relate particularly to means for facilitating the employ-
ment of waxed threads for uniting leather or other heavy fabrics, such as
boots, shoes, harness, and parts of carriages, but they are applicable also
when uniting lighter goods or employing other threads. By these improve-

page_text: ments in sewing machinery, in lieu of an eye-pointed needle a puncturing awl
and an open-eyed hooked needle are employed, and with these is combined a
shuttle for causing the formation of a lock stitch. To obviate the necessity
of allowing the needle to remain in the fabric while the stitch is being tight-
ened, which is fatal to practical sewing with a waxed thread, a "take-up" is
employed, which operates independently of the movement of the needle, and
in such a manner that while the thread is being conveyed through the fabric
it shall be slack and subject to no tension.
But that the improvements may be better understood I will, by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings, proceed more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a side view of the improved sewing machine; Figure 2 is
a transverse vertical section taken through the line A, B, Figure 7; Figure 3
is a transverse vertical section taken through the line C, D, Figure 7; Figures
4, 5, and 9 are detail views; Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section;
Figure 7 is a plan or top view; and Figures 8 show detail views of the shuttle.
a, a, represents the framework of the machine; b, the driving wheel, turning
upon a horizontal shaft c. Attached to the driving wheel b, and revolving
with it, is a pinion d, the teeth of which take into the teeth of a wheel e on
the horizontal shaft f, having bearings at 9 and h. Near one end of the shaft
f, and forming a part of the same, is a crank i, attached to which is a vertical
shaft j, the upper end of which is secured to the arm or crank k on one end
of a horizontal shaft. The shaft turns in bearings m, m, of the standard
n. At one end of the horizontal shaft is a crank disc o, to one side of which
the upper end of a short connecting rod p is secured, the other end of the
same being fastened to a vertical awl bar q moving in suitable bearings of
the vertical arm 7, the awl s being arranged in a vertical position at the lower
end of the said bar g. The above arrangement of means is for operating and
moving the awl up and down in a vertical plane for puncturing the fabric to
be sewn, the operation of which, in connection with the other parts of the
machine, will be herein-after explained. t is the shuttle moving in a horizontal
groove or way u of the platform w, and below its upper surface. At each
end of the shuttle t, and abutting against the same, are two projecting arms
v, v, of the horizontal plate x, guided by a groovey in the platform w. To
the under side of the plate x the upper end of the curved arm z is secured,
the other end, by means of a connecting rod a', being attached to and
receiving motion from the outer end 6' of a crank or arm c¹ on the main shaft f.
The means thus arranged and connected with the driving wheel servo to

page_text: impart at the proper times the desired reciprocating movements to the shuttle.
Placed longitudinally within and in the centre of the shuttle t is a spool d',
turning on a shaft e¹, to receive the thread or other material used. The thread
passes out of the said shuttle through the opening f' in the periphery thereof
(see Figure 7), and is then laid along the groove g₁ of the same in its proper
position. h' is a crank attached to the crank arm c', before referred to, and to
a connecting rod, the other end being secured to the lower portion of the
vertical needle shaft. This needle shaft moves in bearings k¹, and within
the same is another shaft /, in the upper end of which and eccentric there-
with (see Figure 9) the needle m' is inserted. In the periphery of the shaft
is a vertical slot or groove n', straight to the point o', but then passing
spirally around the said shaft for about one-third of its periphery (see Figure
9), in--which groove bears a stud p¹ of the bearings k¹, k¹. By the above
arrangement as the driving shaft revolves an up-and-down movement is given
to the needle, and its shaft is also caused to partially rotate. q' is a spool
around which is wound the thread r¹, and which turns on a spindle s¹, fastened
in the standard n. This thread is then passed from the said spool to and
around the guiding pulley u¹ of the standard ; thence through the openings
v, v, of the swivel box v¹, turning on a shaft and around a pulley w¹
within the box v¹, the shaft a being a prolongation of the vibrating arm y',
secured rigidly to the crank o, before referred to, which arm, by its recipro-
cating motion in connection with the box v¹ and pulley w¹, slackens and
tightens the threads in forming the stitch in a peculiar and novel manner to
be herein-after explained; thence from the pulley w' it is passed to and through
the opening or eye z¹ of the curved thread carrier a", with bearings at 611, 611.
This eye ¹ is placed a little below the horizontal plane of the hook c¹ of the
needle m' when at its highest position (see Figure 1), and is also made to
partially revolve in a horizontal plane around the needle by means of the
stud d" of the awl bar q, travelling in the curved slot c¹ in the said thread
carrier a¹¹.
Having thus in detail specified the arrangements and connection of the
various parts, I will now proceed to explain the general manner in which they
operate to form a stitch in the fabric to be sewn.
The fabric to be sewn having been placed in its proper position on the plat-
form, and the two threads arranged in the manner stated, the driving wheel
being turned, the awl s descends, puncturing the fabric, and at the same time
feeding it along till the aperture thus made is in the proper position for the
Leedle to pass through the same in its upward movement. While the awl is
thus descending the needle also descends and passes down through the

page_text: aperture made in the fabric by the previous descent of the awl, carrying with
it the thread r', which had been first placed around and within its hook c¹ by
means of the thread carrier a". This needle continues to descend until it has
entirely passed through the fabric, when by means of the slot or groove n¹ and
the stud p¹ the needle is made to revolve, making about one-third of a
revolution for the purpose of bringing the loop formed by its hook and carried
through the fabric into the path of the shuttle. During the downward move-
ments of both the awl and the needle the shuttle t travels in its guiding way
across the machine to the position indicated by red lines in Figure 7, when as
the needle and awl commence to ascend it moves forward, passing through the
loop of the thread left in its path by the hooked needle. This movement of
the shuttle continues until the awl and needle both have reached their upper-
most position, the needle having passed upwards through the aperture just
punctured by the awl. The needle and awl then again descend, and the
movements above referred to take place as before. But in order to tighten
the loop carried through the fabric by the hooked needle, and interlock with
it the shuttle thread, there is provided the following arrangement, consisting
of the vibrating arm y', swivel box v', and pulley w¹. The operation of these
in connection with the movements of the needle and awl is as follows:-As
they are descending the vibrating arm moves from its upper position, indicated
in black lines in Figure 2, to the position indicated by red lines in the said
Figure, drawing the thread from the spool, and feeding it along in a slack
condition to the needle, but as they ascend the arm travels back into its
original position, and so on until the machine is stopped. By this forward
and backward movement of the arm it will be observed that during the whole
time occupied by the needle in its descent the arm is drawing the thread from
the spool and feeding it to the needle, thereby keeping the thread always slack
while being pulled through the fabric, but that as the needle ascends the arm
then by travelling back to its starting point draws up and tightens the loop in
the fabric. To obviate the liability of the thread being detached from the pulley
of the vibrating arm as it moves backward and forward, the same is inclosed
within the box v³, which box swivels on its shaft, and thus prevents friction of
the thread in the apertures v, vll; g¹¹ is a rod hung on a pivot h" of the awl
bar; in the lower end of the rod g¹¹ is the awl s; " is a spring, which bears
against the rod. 91, Land, as the awl descends throws it away from the line of
travel of the needle, its length of motion being regulated by the set screw m¹¹;
n is another adjustable screw placed in a lower plane than the screw m", and
which hears against the inclined surface o" of the rod g" as it passes down by
the same.
These two screws are so adjusted with regard to each other that

page_text: while the first will allow of the swinging movement of the awl arm 9", the
other will cause the said arm to be gradually brought back to its original
position, thereby at the same time feeding along the fabric to the hooked
needle. This swinging movement of the awl takes place as it descends, and
it is obvious that the awl can be so operated upon by the proper adjustment of
the set screws as to vary the length of the stitch as may be desired. It is not
necessary that the under thread should be carried by a shuttle, and so pass
through the loop of the upper thread, but the loop of the upper thread may be
passed over or around the under thread. The hook or crotchet needle may
be used as the piercing instrument, feeding the fabric by that or by other
feeding means.
Having thus described the means and apparatus according to the Invention
as communicated to me, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First, forming a seam or series of stitches by pulling a thread through the
fabric by means of a hook needle, and passing another thread through the
loop of the former by means of a shuttle or its equivalent, when used in
combination with the feeding mechanism of a sewing machine.
Second, I claim in combination with a sewing mechanism operating as
described, I claim keeping the thread slack or free from tension while being
drawn through the fabric by the hook needle, substantially as described, so as
to prevent the great friction and stain that would otherwise occur.
Third, I claim an arrangement of devices or "take-up" for tightening the
stitch and supplying the needle as will operate independently of the hook
needle or of its motion, so as to avoid the necessity of drawing the thread
through the fabric to tighten the stitch by means of the hook needle itself, as
set forth.
Fourth, I claim giving the needle both an eccentric and rotary movement
for the purpose specified.
Fifth, I claim the combination of an awl or other device for puncturing the
fabric, an open-eyed or hook needle for seizing and pulling the thread through
the fabric, and a shuttle or other device for interlocking one thread with
another, the whole operating together substantially as described.
Sixth, I claim the combination of an awl or perforating device, open-eyed
or hook needle, shuttle, or other device, and such an arrangement of devices
or "take-up" for tightening the stitch as accomplishes its purpose by operating
independently of the action of the hook needle.
Seventh, I claim the combination of the vibrating arm and guiding pulley,
or their equivalents, the whole operating together, so as to form a "take-up"
which acts independently of the needle, substantially as described.

page_text: Eighth, I claim the arrangement of the pulley w¹ and swivel box v¹ for the
purposes specified.
Ninth, I claim placing the awl in a swinging arm of the awl bar in com-
bination with set screws m, n, or other equivalent adjustable devices
respectively for regulating the length of stitch, and for feeding the fabric to
the needle.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brookes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.8.)