IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Browning of Glasgow in the County of Lanark
North Britain for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED
WITH SEWING MACHINES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Browning at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1882.
GEORGE BROWNING of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SEWING MACHINES"
This Invention which relates to certain improvements in and connected with
Sewing Machines has reference in the first place to that part of the Sewing Machine
commonly known as the presser foot and in the second place to mechanism for
varying or regulating the speed at which such machines are drivon.
The object of the first part of the Invention is to enable the presser foot to be
used either as what is ordinarily known as a "fixed" presser foot that is to say a
presser foot which is constantly pressed down on the work by the presser spring;
or as a "vibrating" presser foot; or as a "trailing" presser foot-that is to say a
presser foot from which tho pressure of the spring is released without lifting the
foot itself and leaving the said foot free to return to its normal position after it has
been carried out of that position by the action of the feed acting upon the cloth.
In carrying out this part of the invention a face cam is fixed to the driving
shaft at the hinder part of the machine and this cam in the course of its revolution
bears upon an antifriction roller carried upon a stud in a vertical lever pivotted at
its lower end to a bracket or other suitable fastening on the body or arm of the
sewing machine. At the upper part of this lever, an eye is formed through which
there passes loosely a horizontal rod provided with a head and whose opposite
extremity is coupled to a bell-crank lever, the upper arm of which actuates the
presser bar, that is to say by its action in one direction lifts the presser bar, and by
its action in the opposite direction applies the pressure to the said bar by means of
a spring whose pressure is transmitted to the vertical lever hereinbefore mentioned.--
Upon the horizontal rod herein before mentioned an adjustable stop piece is carried

page_text: "fixed" presser
and when it is desired that the presser foot should be operated as a
foot, one end of the spring is removed from the vertical lever and caused to bear
upon the stop piece which is then set or adjusted upon the horizontal rod at
such a distance from the head on the rearward end of that rod as to allow the
face cam to revolve without communicating through the vertical lever any motion
to the said rod.
"
When it is desired that the presser foot should be operated as a "vibrating
presser foot, the stop piece is adjusted so that the eye piece or upper end of the
vertical lever may be brought to bear upon it to produce the requisite lift of the
presser foot.
When it is desired to operate the presser foot as a "trailing" presser foot the
stop piece is then removed at such a distance from the eye or head of the vertical
lever that the said lever cannot act upon it and the moveable end of the said spring
is removed from the stop piece to act directly upon the vertical lever, and thus by
means of the head on the said rod the vertical lever imparts pressure only to the
foot without lifting it, the said pressure being withdrawn during the time that the
face cam forces back the eye or bead of the lever out of contact with the head of
the end of the horizontal bar.
The presser foot and its connections may form a separate attachment carried by
a bracket piece at the lower end of the presser end or bar.-This attachment consists
of a hollow bracket piece into the upper part of which the presser bar or rod enters
and by a set screw in which it is clamped to the said bar or rod.-The stem of the
presser foot is jointed to and guided by the two parallel sides forming a vertical
opening in the said bracket which is otherwise so constructed as to contain a spring
which forces the presser foot into its forward position against a check or stop
leaving the presser foot free to be moved backward by the action of the feed upon
the Cloth as herein before mentioned; and when it is desired to use the presser foot
as a "fixed" presser foot an adjustable wedge piece carried at the back of the stem
of the presser foot is raised and fixed by means of a screw between the stem of the
presser foot and the back of the hollow in the said bracket.
The object of the second part of this Invention is to enable the speed of Sewing
Machines to be instantaneously varied from time to time as required.-The mechanism
constituting this part of the improvements consists of three hand pulleys, the two
outer of which are driven at different speeds and the inner of which communicates
notion to the sewing machine.-The central pulley is provided with a long tubular
boss projecting at either side and upon each such boss the hub of one of the outer
pulleys is placed and in a normal condition is free to rotate upon the said boss,
whilst the bosses of the central pulley are free to rotate upon the stud or bolt
which carries them in a main bracket.-There are placed, between the faces of the
central pulley and the faces of the outer pulleys, friction washers and accordingly as
the shaft on which the central pulley rotates forces the central pulley by means of
its head at one end, or a collar fixed on its opposite end in contact with the driving
washer of either of the side pulleys so the speed of the central pulley is varied
accordingly. This pressure of the central pulley against either of the side pulleys
is effected by means of a bell-crank lever carried upon a bracket which may be
attached to the main bracket aforesaid.-The short end of this bell crank lever is
attached to the stud or bar on which the central pulley revolves and the outer
end of which is attached to a treadle by means of which the attendant can raise or
lower the said lever so as to bring the central pulley in contact with either of the
said side pulleys as deshul
Another feature in this part of the said improvements is that the Linket which
carries the aforesaid bell-crank lever is so mounted that it may be moved radially
so as to bring the bell-crank lever into a vertical plane irrespective of the angle at
which the main bracket carrying the entire apparatus is or may be placed in.
"
It is to be understood the details of the whole apparatus herein before mentioned
may be varied without departing froin the essential nature of the invention

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Browning in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th April
1883.
GEORGE BROWNING of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SEWING MACHINES"
My said Invention which relates to certain improvements in and connected with
Sewing Machines has reference in the first place to that part of the Sewing
Machine commonly known as the " presser foot" and in the second place to
mechanisin for varying or regulating the speed at which such machines are driven.
The object of the first part of the invention is to enable the " presser foot" to
be used either as what is ordinarily known as a "fixed" presser foot that is to say
a presser foot which is constantly pressed down on the work by the pressor
spring; or as a "vibrating" presser foot, or as a "trailing" presser foot, that is to
saya presser foot from which the pressure of the spring is released without
lifting the foot itself and leaving the said foot free to return to its normal position
after it has been carried out of that position by the action of the feed acting upon
the cloth.
In carrying out this part of the Invention, a face cam is fixed to the driving
shaft at the hinder part of the machine and this cam in the course of its revolution
bears upon an anti-friction roller carried upon a stud in a vertical lever pivoted at
its lower end to a bracket or other suitable fastening on the body or arm of the
sewing machine. At the upper part of this lever an eye is formed through which
there passes loosely a horizontal rod, provided with a head and whose opposite
extremity is coupled to a bell-crank lever, the upper arm of which actuates the
presser bar, that is to say by its action in one direction lifts the presser bar and
by its action in the opposite direction applies the pressure to the said bar, by
means of a spring whose pressure is transmitted to the vertical lever hereinbefore
mentioned.-Upon the horizontal rod herein before mentioned an adjustable stop
piece is carried and when it is desired that the presser foot should be operated as
a "fixed" presser foot, one end of the spring is removed from the vertical lever and
caused to bear upon the stop piece which is then set or adjusted upon the
horizontal rod at such a distance from the bead on the rearward end of that rod as
to allow the face cam to revolve without communicating through the vertical lever
any motion to the said rod.
When it is desired that the presser foot should be operated as a "vibrating".
presser foot, the stop piece is adjusted so that the eye piece or upper end of the
vertical lever may be brought to bear upon it to produce the requisite lift of the
presser foot.
When it is desired to operate the presser foot as a "trailing" presser foot the
stop piece is then removed at such a distance from the eye or head of the vertical
lever that the said lever cannot act upon it and the moveable end of the said
spring is removed from the stop piece to act directly upon the vertical lever and
thus, by means of the head on the said rod the vertical lever imparts pressure only
to the foot without lifting it, the said pressure being withdrawn during the time
that the face cam forces back the eye or head of the lever out of contact with the
head of the end of the horizontal-bar..

page_text: The presser foot and its connections may form a separate attachment carried
by a bracket piece at the lower end of the presser rod or bar.-This attachment
consists of a hollow bracket piece into the upper part of which the presser bar or
rod enters and by a set screw in which it is clamped to the said bar or rod.-The
stem of the presser foot is jointed to said bracket which is otherwise so constructed
as to contain a spring which forces the presser foot into its forward position
against a check or stop leaving the presser foot free to be moved backward by the
action of the feed upon the cloth as hereinbefore mentioned; and when it is desired
to use the presser foot as a "fixed" presser foot, an adjustable piece which may
a wedge or collar is fixed by means of a screw between the stem of the presser
foot and the said bracket.
be
The object of the second part of this Invention is to enable the speed of Sewing
Machines to be rapidly varied from time to time as required.-The mechanism
constituting this part of the improvements consists of three band pulleys, the two
outer of which are driven at different speeds and the inner or intermediate pulley
of which series communicates motion to the sewing machine.-The central pulley is
provided with a long tubular boss projecting at either side and upon each auch
boss the hub of one of the outer pulleys is placed and in a normal condition is
free to rotate upon the said boss whilst the bosses of the central pulley are free to
rotate upon the stud or bolt which carries them in a main bracket.-There are
placed between the faces of the central pulley and the faces of the outer pulleys,
friction washers and accordingly as the shaft on which the central pulley rotates,
forces the central pulley by means of its head at one end or a collar fixed on its
opposite end in contact with the driving washer of either of the side pulleys, so the
speed of the central pulley is varied accordingly. This pressure of the central
pulley against either of the side pulleys is effected by means of a bell-crank lever
carried upon a bracket which may be attached to the main bracket aforesaid.-The
short end of this bell-crank lever is attached to the stud or bar on which the central
pulley revolves and the outer end of which is attached to a treadle by means of
which the attendant can raise or lower the said lever so as to bring the central
pulley in contact with either of the said side pulleys as desired.
Another feature in this part of the said improvements is that the bracket which
carries the aforesaid bell-crank lever is so mounted that it may be moved radially
so as to bring the bell-crank lever into a vertical plane irrespective of the angle
at which the main bracket carrying the entire apparatus is or may be placed in.
It is to be understood the details of the whole apparatus hereinbefore mentioned
may be varied without departing from the essential nature of the Invention.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the Letters and Figures marked thereon, that is to
Bay:
Figure 1, is a side elevation (with a part in section) of a sewing machine fitted
with mechanism constructed according to and constituting the first part of my
present Invention.
Figure 2, is a plan of the same.
Figure 3, is an elevation of the front or middle end of the same.
Figure 4, is a side elevation of mechanism constructed according to and
constituting the second part of my present Invention.
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 6, is a longitudinal section of the same.
In carrying out the first part of my Invention, I fix the face cam a, to the driving
shaft of the sewing machine in any convenient manner and this cam a, in the
course of its revolution bears upon the anti-friction roller b, carried upon the stud c,
in the lover d, which is pivoted at e, to the bracket f, or to any other suitable fastening
on the body or arm g, of the sewing machine.At the upper part of the lever d, the

page_text: eye h, is formed, through which eye h, théro passes loosely the horizontal rod i, pro-
vided at its extremity with the head j, and whose other extremity is secured by the
socket piece and screw k, to the bell-crank lever l, the upper end of which actuates
the presser bar m, that is to say by its action in one direction. lifts the presser.
bar m, and by its action in the opposite direction applies the pressure to the said
bar by means of the spring n, whose pressure is transmitted to the lever d, as
hereinafter set forth.-The connection between the bell-crank lever l, and the
presser bar m, is effected by means of the bracket-piece o, which is secured to the
presser bar m, by the screw p, the in-turned end 9, of the bell-crank lever l, being
free to slide between the guides r, formed upon the bracket piece o, in its upward
or downward motion in which it is also guided by the pin 8, secured to the plate t,
carrying the arm u, to which the bell-crank lever is pivoted. The plate t, is
secured to the face of the machine by the screw v, or in any other suitable manner.―
Upon the rod i, herein before mentioned the adjustable stop w, is carried, and when
it is desired that the presser foot x, should be operated as a "fixed
presser foot
the end y, of the spring n, is removed from a recess formed in the lever d, as a
receptacle for the same, and is placed in the recess s, formed in the side of the
adjustable stop-piece .-The stop-piece w, is then adjusted by means of tho
screw a', upon the rod i, at such a distance from the head j, as to allow the face
cam a, to revolve without communicating through the lever d, any motion to the
said rod i.
"
When it is desired that the presser foot x, should be operated as a "vibrating
presser foot, the stop-piece w, is adjusted so that the eye h, or upper end of the
lever d, may be brought to bear upon it to produce the requisite lift of the presser
foot.
When it is desired that the presser foot x, should be operated as a "trailing"
presser foot, the stop-piece w, is adjusted upon the rod i, at such a distance from
the eye h, or upper end of the lever d, that the said lever d, cannot act upon it, and
the moveable end y, of the herein before mentioned spring n, is caused to bear
directly upon the lever d, and thus by means of the head j, on the said rod i, the
lever d, imparts pressure only to the foot x, without lifting it, the said pressure
being withdrawn during the time that the face cam a, forces back the eye h, or
upper end of the lever d, out of contact, with the head j, of the rod i.—It is in this
position for operating the presser foot x, as a "trailing" presser foot that the
mechanism is represented on the accompanying drawings.
The presser foot x, and its connections may (as shewn) form a separate attach-
ment carried by a bracket or shoe piece b', at the lower end of the presser bar m.—
This attachment consists of the hollow shoe-piece b', into the upper part of which
the lower end of the presser bar m, enters, and by the screw c', is clamped to the
said bar m.-The stem of the presser foot x, is pivoted by the screws d', to the two
parallel sides forming a vertical opening in the said bracket or shoe-piece b', which
is constructed to carry the spring e', which forces the presser foot x, in a forward
direction until checked by the stop f', when it has arrived at its normal position.―
By this means the presser foot x, is free to move backward by the action of the
feed upon the cloth as herein before mentioned.
When it is desired that the presser foot x, should be operated as a "fixed"
presser foot, an adjustable wedge piece or collar e³, carried by the bracket b', is
adjusted and fixed by means of a screw e³, between the stem of the presser foot x,
and the bracket or shoe piece b³, so as to prevent the horizontal motion of the
presser foot x.
The holes a*, are provided to enable the tension of the spring n², to be increased
or decreased as desired by removing the end of the same from one to another of
the holes.
The object of the second part of my Invention is to enable the speed of sewing
machines to be rapidly varied from time to time as required.-In carrying this
part of my Invention into practice I provide the three band pulleys g, h, and i¹, the

page_text: two outer ones g', and ', of which are driven at different speeds and the inner one
h', of which communicates motion to the sewing machine.-The central pulley h¹,
(as shewn more particularly in section at Figure 6) is provided with the long
tubular bossos j', projecting at either side of the saine, and upon each such boss ¹,
the hub of one of the outer pulleys is placed and in a normal condition is free to
rotate upon the said boss j, whilst the bosses of the central pulley h³, are free to
rotate upon the stud or bolt k¹, which carries them in the main bracket -
Between the faces of the central pulley h', and the faces of the outer pulleys g', and
, there are placed the friction washers m¹, of cardboard or any other suitable
material and accordingly as the stud or bolt k', on which the central pulley h',
rotates, forces, by means of its head n', at its one end or by the collar o', secured by
the screw p', to its opposite end, the central pulley h', in contact with the friction
washer m, of either of the outer pulleys g, and i, so the speed of the central
pulley h, is rapidly varied according to the speed of either of the pulleys g², or i,
with which it is brought into contact. The pressure of the central pulley h', 1
against either of the friction washers m', of the side pulleys g', or ', is effected by
means of the bell-crank lever q', pivoted to the bracket r, which has an adjustable
connection with the bracket, (the purpose of which is hereinafter more fully
explained) or it may be carried in any other suitable manner.-The short arm of
the bell-crank lever ql, is attached to the stud or bolt k', on which the central
pulley ', revolves and the long arm of which is connected to a treadle by means
of a link from the eye s', in the long arm of the bell-crank lever q'.-By means of
connections (not represented on the accompanying drawings) the attendant can by
moving the treadle raise or lower the said bell-crank lever q¹, so as to bring the
central pulley ³, in frictional contact with either of the washers m³, of the outer
pulleys g, or, as desired.
With reference to the adjustable connection of the bracket ; to the main bracket
1, (hereinbefore referred to) it will be seen that the bracket r, is carried and is
capable of being adjusted upon the projection or boss t, formed in the main bracket
2, the adjustment being effected by the set-screw u³, so that at whatever angle :
the main bracket 1, may be secured to the sewing machine table, the bell-crank
lever g', can be brought into a vertical plane..
It is to be understood that I may vary the details of the whole apparatus
berein before mentioned without departing from the essential nature of my
Invention.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system, mode or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
First. For operating the presser foot of sewing machines, the mechanism
consisting of the face cam a, lever d, rod i, bell-crank lever l, spring n, bracket
piece o, plate t, adjustable stop w, and their attachments or the mechanical
equivalents of all or any one of the said parts substantially as and for the purposes
namely of operating the presser foot as a " vibrating" or "trailing" presser foot or
for allowing the presser foot to act as a "fixed" presser foot as hereinbefore set
forth with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second. For sewing machines, the presser foot attachment consisting of the
bracket or shoe piece b¹, the moving foot x, the spring e', the wedge piece or collar
e, and their commctions or the mechanical equivalents of all or any of these parts
either separate from or in combination with the mechanism claimed in the preceding
claiming clause substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth with
reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Third. For varying or regulating the speed at which sewing machines are driven,
the mechanisin represented at Figures 4, 5, and 6, of the accompanying drawings
whereby pulleys driven at different speeds are rapidly brought into frictional

page_text: contact with the pulley from which the speed and driving force are to be transmitted
to the sewing machine, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
those Figures.
In witness whereof I the said George Browning have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty-seventh day of April in the year of Our Lord.
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.