IMPROVEMENTS ON SEWING MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, CARPETS, AND FOR Other Like
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Howard Pratt Garland and Andrew Jackson
Gove, of San Francisco, State of California, one of the United
States of America, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS ON
SEWING MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, CARPETS, AND FOR Other Like
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Howard Pratt Garland
and Andrew Jackson Gove at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition and Declaration, on the 9th December
1874, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law Amendment
Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, HOWARD
PRATT GARLAND and ANDREW JACKSON GOVE, of San Francisco, in the
County of San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United
States of America, Engineers, send greeting.
WHEREAS we are in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
ON SEWING MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, CARPETS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE

page_text: end of a short cylinder D, which is broken away for convenience in
threading the needle herein-after explained. From the outer point of
the cylinder D the case is cut away in a plane with the bed plate of the
frame, which forms an extension U shaped groove B' in which the needle
travels as it is caused to move from the slotted case. Across the groove
is placed diagonal pins a, a, between which the spirals of the needle
pass, and by which the needle makes regular progression to the ond of
the machine.
The spiral needle E is independent in itself, and a groove d of
sufficient depth to receive and hold the thread is made around the edge
of the spirals. The needle moves freely back and forth in the slotted
case on a feathered stem b, until arrested by coming in contact with the
head or end of the slot.
The device for holding the thread in the point of the needle consists
of an elongated eye c cut diagonally in one of the coils near the point.
The lips or lids of the eye are made thin and brought near together, so
that a narrow split is formed enlarged at its lower point for receiving
and holding the thread.
The groove d around the spirals of the needle is not continuous, but is
broken by a bar or off-set d', in order to throw off the thread at a
certain point, the object of which will be more fully explained herein-
after.
For holding the fabric to be served in position a clamp F is provided
which is moved vertically by means of a hand screw G through the
cross head G. To the lower end of the screw is attached a cross bar H,
which is held between the two lugs E, E, and slotted plate f, so that
the clamp be made to slide back and forth on the bar, it being guided
by the said bar, vertical posts 9, 9, and slots g¹, g', in the clamp
plate.
Instead of the set screw an eccentric lever may be employed having
an arm and knuckle joint.
Pins are arranged along the lower front face of the clamp, which
enter countersunk holes h, h, in the bed plate to press and hold the
fabric firmly when the clamp is lowered in the operation of sewing.
Oblong sight holes i, i, are made through the plate for adjusting the
position of the cloth, and a bent rod or arm j is attached to the right-

page_text: hand corner as a guide in placing the cloth for the initial or starting
point of the needle.
A flat-faced guide K is placed upon an elevated portion of the frame,
which guide is raised to a vertical position when laying the cloth, and
which is movable on the rod E, so that the cloth may be made to lici
perfectly flat on the table, and a straight edge be preserved as it is
carried under the clamp for sewing.
In operating with our machine the thread from the spool is placed
under the spring m, which spring provides sufficient tension for tho
thread and the case containing the needle turned so as to bring the eye
of the needle c up to the opening in the short cylinder D, in which
position the end of the thread is inserted. The cloth is then placed
under the flat guide, and the edge carried forward to a point a little
beyond, midway over the diagonal pins a, a, when the clamp is brought
forward and pressed down by the set screw, in which position of the
cloth the needle is set in motion by turning the crank toward the
operator, when the needle will commence to enter the cloth from its
point, and take on the thread in the groove d as it progresses, until it
reaches the off-set d, when the thread will be deflected or thrown off
from the groove, and the first stitch will be formed and tightened, and
so on at each turn of the needle until the end of the seam is reached.
Tho slack of the thread is taken up by the vibration of the needle, which
causes the edge of the seam to be turned over at each stitch, by which
the tightening is effected, while the last turn of the needle will draw
the thread from the eye, and by reversing the motion the needle can
be withdrawn from the cloth with great facility.
It should here be observed that in the operation of the spiral needle
the diagonal pins a, a, act not only as a guide but serve as well to keep
the edge of the cloth from being pressed downward, and causing the
stitches to drop, and to draw the needle forward in regular progressive
steps, stitch by stitch, the point of the needle as it progresses making:
one turn between each rod at every revolution until the end is reached.
It is evident in this connection that a spiral groove might be made in
the lower half of the interior of the case to receive the spirals and draw
the needle forward, but we prefer the device as shown, it being more
convenient and less expensive.

page_text: Having thus described our Invention, what we claim and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. A spiral needle for stitching or over seaming, having a groove
or retaining guide of sufficient depth around the circumference of its
spirals for receiving the thread, substantially as shown and described.
Second. A spiral needle moving independently in a slotted case upon
a feathered stem attached to the end of the needle, when the case is
caused to revolve and the coils of the needle to engage the diagonal
rods a, a, substantially in the manner as herein set forth and specified.
Third. The combination of a spiral needle having a groove around its
periphery or spirals, and operating in a case B with the rods a, a, sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth and specified.
Fourth. The spiral needle having a retaining eye c and off-set d', as
and for the purpose specified.
I
Fifth. The retaining clamp F movable on the bar H, and posts 7 in
the slots g, g, operated by the hand screw G in the cross head G', as set
forth and specified.
Sixth. The bent guide rod j and oblong slots i of the clamp F, as and
for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The flat smoothing and guiding clamp K movable on the
rod b, as set forth and specified.
Eighth. In combination with the diagonal rods a, a, the U shaped
groove B' in the frame A, in which the needle is caused to travel in its
progress through the cloth, in the manner as specified and set forth.
Ninth. Forming an over stitch, by means of a spiral needle, sub-
stantially in the manner as herein described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Howard Pratt Garland and Andrew
Jackson Gove, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third
der of November AD 1874.