Improvements in Sewing Machines for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
CUMIT LEIE DIEUIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by STEAM HEATED HORN COMPANY, of 103 Summer
Street, Boston, in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United
States of America.]
Improvements in Sewing Machines for Boots and Shoes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a wax-thread shoe-sewing machine employing a horn on
which the shoe is supported while its outer sole is being stitched to the upper and
inner sole, the needle passing through the outer sole from its exterior into the
interior of the shoe, where it enters a chamber or cavity in the tip of the horn, and
there receives the waxed thread from a thread-presenting device. The invention
consists in certain improvements relating to the looper of a machine of this character,
and to the wax-pot and means for heating the wax-pot and horn, all of which I will
now proceed to describe and claim. .
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,―
Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a sewing-machine horn provided
with my improvements.
Figure 2 represents a section on line 2-2, Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a sectional view of the upper portion of the horn.
Figure 4 represents a view similar to Figure 2, the heating device and wax-pot
being removed.
Figure 5 represents a section on line 5-5, Figure 4.
Figures 6, 9, and 11 represent views of different forms of looper embodying my
invention.
Figure 7 represents a section on line 7-7, Figure 6.
Figure 8 represents a section on line 8-8, Figure 6.
Figure 10 represents a section on line 10-10, Figure 9.
Figure 12 represents a section on line 12-12, Fig. 11.
Figure 13 represents a sectional view of a looper embodying certain features of my
invention, as hereinafter described.
Figures 14 and 15 represent modifications hereinafter referred to.
Figs. 16, 17 show the preferred looper-operating mechanism..
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures. In the
drawings,
a represents a fixed tubular bearing, which occupies a substantially vertical position
on the frame of a shoe-sewing machine. b represents a tubular spindle mounted to
rotate in said bearing and supporting the horn 62, said spindle being provided at its
upper end with a horizontal flange.or head b¹, to which the base of the horn is affixed.
c represents an annular steam-chamber, which surrounds the upper portion of the
spindle b above the bearing a, and is located under the flange b¹. Said chamber may
be supported in a fixed position in any suitable way, and is here shown as supported

page_text: "
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by means of steam-pipes c¹ c¹, which are suitably attached to the bearing a, one of
said pipes connecting a source of steam-supply, while the other conducts away the
exhaust steam. The pipes c¹ c¹ are preferably vertically adjustable by means of
screws c² c² engaged with tapped lugs on the bearing a, the upper portions of
The vertical
the pipes being movable in ears or guides cc on said bearing.
adjustability of the pipes c¹ c¹ enables the chamber c to be raised into contact with
the head 6 at the commencement of the operation of the machine, thus quickly
heating the horn, it being a fact that the horn is heated more quickly when the
chamber c is in contact with the head b¹ than when the chamber is separated from
said head. After the horn is sufficiently heated, the chamber c may be lowered to
remove it from contact with the head ., sufficient heat being radiated from the
chamber across the intervening crevice to keep the horn at the desired temperature.
The flange b' has a depending skirt or extension b³, to the lower edge of which is
attached a horizontal plate or shelf 6' hereinafter referred to as the wax-pot-holder.
As here shown, the plate b has an enlarged opening b' (see Figures 4 and 5)
surrounding the spindle b, the pipes c¹ c passing through said opening, so that the
horn rotates freely, without obstruction by the steam-pipes. The plate or shelf b
projects considerably from one side of the annular heating-chamber, and on its pro-
jecting portion is located a wax-pot d, which is movable upon the shelf or holder b+
toward and from the chamber c, so that the wax-pot, the inner side of which is pre-
ferably recessed to conform to the curvature of the chamber c, can be moved toward
and from said chamber, to vary the heat of the wax. Means are provided for
adjusting the wax-pot in its holder, and for positively securing it at any point to
which it may be adjusted. Said means as here shown comprise a projection
the bottom of the wax-pot, extending downwardly through a slot 6' in the wax-pot
holder, said projection. being adapted to receive an adjusting-screw e which is
journalled in a socket e¹ formed on the plate or holder. b. By turning the milled
heade² of the adjusting-screw, the wax-pot can be moved toward or from the
chamber c, as will be readily seen. The wax-pot may be adjusted inwardly into
contact with the chamber c, until the wax is sufficiently heated, and then outwardly to
The shelf 64 is
prevent rubbing.contact between the wax-pot and the chamber c.
heated by the chamber c, and conducts heat to the wax-pot.
on
By making the wax-pot movable toward and from the heater, I am enabled to
adjust the wax-pot first into actual contact with the heating device, for the
• immediate melting of the wax,, and then to.a position more or less distant from the
heating device, to regulate the heat continuously supplied to the wax-pot during
the operation of the machine. It is desirable to melt the wax quickly when preparing
for operation, but the degree of heat which is desirable to quickly melt the wax is
undesirably high for continuous use thereafter, because of the liability of over-
heating the wax and causing it to boil over.
m represents a tubular shaft journalled in bearings in the upper portion of the
horn, and arranged in an inclined position at an obtuse angle with the path of the
needle 8. The shaft m may be rotated by any suitable mechanism, and the rotating
mechanism may comprise a plurality of shafts, one journalled in the horn-spindle, and
another in the horn, the shafts being connected by gears.
The thread which passes through the wax-pot is suitably guided to the lower end
of the shaft m, and passes through said shaft to the looper n, which is affixed to the
upper end thereof. I have here shown a tension-wheel.w and an idle pulley w
journalled in the horn and arranged to guide the thread, as shown in Figure 1.
The looper, which is an important part of my invention, is constructed with three
general ends in view, namely: first, to guide the thread outwardly from the shaft m,
below and around the point of the needle, and protect it from contact with said point;
secondly, to.allow the thread to pass from the looper to the needle in a direction which
is approximately parallel with the path of the needle, or so nearly parallel as to enable
the thread to pass easily through the looper with the minimum.of frictional resistance
and strain; thirdly, to reduce to the minimum the diameter of the circular path of
the looper, where it revolves around the needle, so that the horn may be made of the

page_text: smallest practicable cross-sectional area at this point. Another end which I have had
in view in constructing the looper in the preferred form shown in Figures 3, 6, 9,
and 11, is to give the looper such form as that injurious contact between the looper
and the needle in case of the springing or displacement of either part will be
practically impossible, and the catching or engagement of the looper with the lining
of the boot or shoe will also be impossible. I will first describe the preferred construc-
tion of the looper, as shown in Figures 3, 6, 9, and 11.
Said construction embodies an annular arm 2, which is concentric with the shaft m
and is provided at its inner portion with means for engagement with said shaft, such
means being, for example, a sleeve 3 formed to surround the outer end of the shaft,
as shown in Figures 3 and 4, or a shank 4 formed to enter the shaft, and engaged
therewith by a set-screw 5 or other suitable means. The arm 2: has its maximum
diameter at its inner portion, and is contracted or tapered from its inner to its outer
portion, so that the longitudinal section of the annular arm is inclined relatively, to the
axis of the shaft m, the arm surrounding a cavity adapted to receive the point of
the needle, as shown in Figure 3, the cavity being enlarged at its inner end to permit
the entrance of the needle, and contracted at its outer portion to reduce to the
minimum' the width of the opening required in the horn for the reception of the
outer portion of the arm. On the outer portion of the annular arm 2 is formed an
annular face 6, which is of sufficient width to permit the formation in it of a thread-
guiding eye 7 located outside of the needle-receiving cavity, the form and arrange-
ment of the said face being such that the said eye extends at an angle to' the axis of
the shaft m, and in a direction approximately parallel to the path of the needle, when
said eye is in its lowest position, as shown in Figure 3.
In the construction shown in Figures 3 and 6, the collar 3 of the looper is provided
with a thread-guiding channel 13, communicating with a slot 14 in the shaft m, said
slot and channel permitting the thread to pass from the interior of the shaft m to the
exterior of the arm of the looper, at a point below the point of the depressed needle.
The channel 13 is arranged so that the thread passes directly from it along the exterior
of the arm of the looper, through the eye 7. In the construction shown in Figure 9,
the shank 4 of the looper is provided with a longitudinal thread-channel 15, which com-
municates with a slot 16 formed in the outer portion of the shaft m, the channel 15
and slot 16 constituting a thread-guide from which the thread passes to the 'delivering
eye 7.
The shank 4 is a more efficient conductor of heat to the looper than the open
sleeve 3, said shank practically filling the interior of the shaft m. For this reason, I
prefer the shank as a connection between the looper and its shaft. It, will be seen
that in each of the above-described constructions the thread passes from the shaft m
at a point below the needle-receiving cavity in a looper.
It will be seen that the formation of a thread-guiding eye outside the cavity of the
looper permits the thread to be deflected outwardly from the axis of the shaft m, at a
point below the extremity of the depressed needle, and then inwardly toward said axis
and toward the needle, to the end face 6, and to pass from the latter to the needle at
such an angle as will reduce to the minimum the frictional strain on the thread, the
thread being protected from contact with the point of the needle.
In Figures 6 and 9, said cavity has a closed bottom, which'in Figure 6 is a
diaphragm or partition 16, while in Figure 9 it is a continuation of the shank 4:
In Figure 3, I show a groove 17 formed in the outer surface of the arm of the
looper, extending from the channel 13 to the thread-eye 7, for the partial reception of
the thread passing along the exterior of the arm. In Figure 6, I show a removable
casing. 18 surrounding the sleeve, arın, and lip of the looper, and separated from the
arm by an annular space through which the thread passes from the slot 13 to the
guiding eye 7, said casing serving to prevent any possible contact between the lining
of the boot or shoe and the thread.
In Figures 11 and 12, I show the annular arm provided with orifices or outlets 19
formed to permit the escape from the needle-receiving cavity, of lasting-tacks, which
are occasionally forced downward by the needle. Said outlets 19. are formed above
the closed bottom of the looper cavity, so that they permit the tacks entering said

page_text: cavity to escape laterally, the said closed bottom preventing the tacks from finding
their way into the thread passage.of the looper-operating shaft. The tacks are thus
prevented from contact with the sticky surface of the. waxed thread, so that they
cannot adhere to said thread and pass upwardly with it.
The annular forin of the looper-arm and lip, whereby a needle-receiving cavity is
formed, so that when the needle is depressed it is surrounded by the looper, not only
prevents the possibility of injurious contact between the looper and needle in case
either part, and particularly the needle, is deflected or sprung out of its intended
_position, but also prevents the looper from catching or engaging the lining of a boot
or shoe being operated upon, as it might do if the looper were a narrow arm revolving
about the needle, instead of being of angular form and surrounding the needle. The
inward inclination of the shank of the looper from the end of the shaft m toward a
prolongation of the axis of said.shaft locates the lip n at the minimum distance from
the axis of the shaft and from the path of the needle, which path intersects the axis
of the shaft, within the cavity of the looper.
My., invention is. not. 'limited, however, to the annular form of looper above
described, as some of the advantages above enumerated may be secured by the use of
a looper such as would be made by cutting away the annular arm until, instead of
being of annular form, the said arm would simply project from one side of the device
by which it is connected with the shaft m, as shown in Figure 13. A looper thus
constructed is similar to the looper previously describéd, in that it is adapted to guide
the thread outwardly from the shaft m, below and around the point of the needle,
and protect it from the point of the needle.
The looper formed as shown in Figure 13 may be provided. with a casing 18, as
shown in Figure 14...
I do not limit. myself to the formation of the end face 6 on a lip projecting from
the arm of the looper, as the arin may be thickened, as shown in Figure 15, so that
its outer end forms an annular end face of sufficient width. to surround the thread-
guiding-eye...
In Figures 16 and 17 I show the preferred means for rotating the looper at a
varying speed, it being necessary that the rotary motion of the looper be alternately
retarded and accelerated. The vertical shaft s, which extends through the horn-
spindle 6 and is geared at its upper end to the intermediate shaft s¹, whereby motion
is communicated to the looper-carrying shaft m, is geared to a horizontal shaft u
journalled in bearings on the frame of the machine. u is a vertical shaft also
journalled in bearings on the frame, and geared at its lower end to the horizontal
shaft, and at its upper end to a horizontal shaft u, which is connected in any
suitable way with a driving-shaft. The bevel-gears v v¹ which connect the shafts u u¹,
and the bevel-gears v2, v3 which connect the shafts u¹ u², are elliptical, and are
relatively arranged as shown in Figure 17, the relative arrangement being such that
the retardation and. acceleration of the motion of the looper are produced conjointly
by the two pairs of elliptical bevel-gears. The said elliptical gears constitute a simple
and desirable means for imparting a varying speed to the looper. They are preferably
adjustably secured to their shafts by set-screws, so that the variations of the speed of
the looper may be timed as desired by adjusting said elliptical gears.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed support,
a horn rotatively mounted thereon, a wax-pot revoluble with the horn, and a fixed
heating device arranged to act simultaneously on the horn and wax-pot, whereby
continuous fixed connections may be employed between the heating device and its
source of supply, the wax-pot being revoluble with the born and in a path adjacent to
the fixed heating device.
2. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed
support, a fixed annular beating device thereon, a horn having a spindle rotatively

page_text: connected with said support and passing through the annular heating device, and a
wax-pot holder located at one side of the heating device, and a wax-pot movable on
said holder toward and from the heating device.
3. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed
support, a steam-chamber thereon, a horn rotatively mounted on said support and
provided with a wax-pot holder, a wax-pot adjustably mounted on said holder,
and means for adjusting the said wax-pot relatively to the steam-chamber, and for
positively holding the wax-pot at any position to which it may be adjusted.
4. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed
support, a fixed annular heating device thereon, a horn having a spindle rotatively
connected with said support and passing through the annular heating device, and a
shelf located at one side of the heating device, a wax-pot movable on said shelf and
having a projection on its bottom, and an adjusting-screw on the shelf engaged with
the said projection.
5. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed
support, a horn rotatively mounted thereon, a movable steam chamber below the
horn, and means for adjusting said steam-chamber relatively to the base of the horn,
and for holding it at any position to which it may be adjusted.
6. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a fixed
support, a horn rotatively mounted thereon, a fixed heating device, a heat-conducting
waxpot-holder revoluble with the horn and arranged to receive heat from the heating
device, and projecting therefrom, and a wax-pot supported by the projecting holder
and acted on by heat conducted through the holder.
7. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a rotary horn,
a looper-operating shaft within the horn arranged at an obtuse angle with the path of
the needle, and a looper engaged with said shaft and having an internal enlargement,
a contracted portion above said enlargement, and a thread-guide formed to deflect the
thread outwardly from the axis of the shaft below the point of the needle and below
the internal enlargement in the looper, and then inwardly toward the said axis and
toward the shank of the needle at the said contracted portion, the deflected portion
of the thread being positively held by the looper out of contact with the point of the
needle.
8. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a needle, a
horn, and a looper supported in the horn and having its axis arranged at an obtuse
angle with the path of the needle, the portion of the looper below the point of the
depressed needle extending outwardly from the axis, while the portion above the point
of the depressed needle extends inwardly toward said axis, the looper having means for
directing the thread first outwardly from and then inwardly toward its axis, said
looper having an end face in which is formed a thread-delivering orifice located in close
proximity to the barb of the needle.
9. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a needle, a horn,
a thread-guiding looper-operating shaft located in said horn and at an obtuse angle to
the needle, and a looper on said shaft having a portion below the point of the depressed
needle extending outwardly from the axis, and a portion above said point extending
inwardly toward said axis, said looper having also a partition or barrier whereby the
admission of tacks to the shaft is prevented.
10. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a needle, a
rotary horn, a thread-guiding looper-operating shaft within the horn arranged at an
obtuse angle with the path of the needle, and an annular looper formed to receive and
surround the point of the needle, said looper being contracted at its outer end and
having an annular end face provided with a thread-delivering eye which is located in
close proximity to the barb of the needle by the contraction of the end of the looper,
the looper having means for directing the thread first outwardly from and then
inwardly toward its axis.
11. An annular looper having a needle-receiving cavity closed at its inner end, and
also having one or more tack-outlets.

page_text: 12. An annular looper contracted at its outer end, and having an annular end face
provided with a thread-delivering eye and provided at its inner end with means for
engagement with an operating device, said looper being formed to receive and
surround the point of the needle.
13. A looper supported by a thread-guiding shaft and formed to guide the thread
outwardly from the axis of the shaft below the point of the needle, and then inwardly
toward said axis, and toward the shank of the needle, combined with a removable
annular casing formed to cover the exterior of the looper and extending from below
the point where the thread passes outwardly from the axis of the shaft and above the
point where the thread passes inwardly toward the shank of the needle, whereby con-
tact between the thread and the work is prevented, the removability of the casing
facilitating the threading of the looper.
14. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a steam-chamber heater, of a wax-
pot support, a wax-pot adjustably mounted thereon and movable toward and from the
heater, and means for positively holding the wax-pot in adjusted position, whereby
the wax-pot may be adjusted first to position for the immediate melting and heating
of its contents, and then to position for maintaining the wax in a suitable condition
for use without continuous over-heating.
15. The combination with the rotary looper, and suitable associated parts co-
operating therewith, of mechanism for rotating said looper, said mechanism including
two pairs of elliptical bevel-gears relatively arranged to conjointly impart a varying
motion to the looner.
Dated this 15th day of February 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.