IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES OR MACHINES USED FOR THE SEWING OF WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, OR OTHER FABRICS, OR IN THE MAKING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Lomax, of Over Darwen, in the County
of Lancaster, Tailor and Draper, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES OR MACHINES USED FOR THE
SEWING OF WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, OR OTHER FABRICS, OR IN THE MAKING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Lomax at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd September 1868.
I, HENRY LOMAX, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Tailor
and Draper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES OR MACHINES USED
FOR THE SEWING OF WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, OR OTHER FABRICS, OR IN THE MAKING
OF GARMENTS OR PARTS OF GARMENTS THEREFROM, OR OTHER LIKE WORK," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly, to the foot presser, which I construct
of two parts, an outer frame or skeleton foot being constructed around

page_text: the sides and front of the internal one. The outside foot has by tappet
and levers a rising and falling motion imparted thereto. The internal
foot is worked as above by tappet and lever, and has a traversing
motion as usual. The tappets and levers are so arranged that the outer
frame or skeleton foot descends on the material just before the needle
pierces the material and holds the same securely. The tendency to drag
and render unequal is obviated, and materials of varying thicknesses are
more readily and evenly sewed.
Secondly, this Invention relates to means and apparatus for forming a
"knot" stitch, which I effect by means of a pin or hook placed near the
line of the shuttle's traverse, so that on the shuttle passing the thread is
caught by the pin or hook and forms a loop; on the return of the
shuttle it passes through the ordinary loop of the needle thread and
through the loop formed of its own or shuttle thread, and thus forms
a knot stitch.
Thirdly, I place a small toothed or spiked wheel within the shuttle,
the shuttle thread is passed between these teeth or spikes, so as to obtain
the desired tension on such thread, the revolution of the wheel being
governed by means of a spring acting thereon.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Lomax in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
LOMAX, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster, Tailer and Draper,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Lomax, Her
special licence that I, the said Henry Lomax, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Lomax,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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
"IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SEWING MACHINES OR MACHINES USED
FOR THE SEWING OF WOOLLEN, COTTON, SILK, OR OTHER FABRICS, OR IN THE
MAKING CP GARMENTS OR PARTS OF GARMENTS THEREFROM, OR OTHER LIKE WORK,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Lomax,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Lomax, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 an improved construction of those parts of
the sewing machine which press and move the material operated upon
by means of what is usually termed a presser foot. I employ a presser
foot of a novel and improved construction, consisting of two parts, an
outer frame and an inner foot that presses and moves the material, the
whole being constructed and arranged as herein-after more particularly
described and shewn in the annexed Drawings.
In the Provisional Specification which I caused to be filed with my
petition for the said Letters Patent I referred to means and apparatus
for forming a "knot" stitch, as constituting the second part of my
Invention, and as a third part of such Invention the use of a toothed or
spiked wheel for regulating the tension; but since filing the said Pro-
visional Specification I have discovered that the said second and third
parts are not in all respects new and are besides not of such public
utility as at the time of filing my said Provisional Specification as aforesaid
I verily believed them to be. I do not therefore include those parts
in my description of my Invention, and make no claim to either of such
parts.
In order that the nature and object of my Invention, and the means
of performing it may be distinctly understood, I will now proceed par-
ticularly to describe the same, and I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of

page_text: letters of reference, the same letter referring to the same part in the
various views, so as to enable any person acquainted with sewing
machines of the character herein-after described to carry my Invention
into effect.
Figure 1 is a front elevation; Figure 2 a side elevation, in which A
shews an eccentric, the swell a of which acts on the arm B, forcing it
outwards as the arm is hinged at d to the rod or lever C, the bottom of
which forms the outer frame or skeleton presser D, the lower end of
the arm B is connected by the link d¹ to the guide d', in which the
lever or rod E works, the bottom of which forms the inner foot F, which
presses and moves the material operated upon. The arm B being forced
outward by the swell a will raise the rod or lever C and its foot D clear
of the material being operated upon, while the rod or lever E and
guides d' are depressed. The swell a' on the eccentric acts on the lever G
forcing the same outward, the lower end thereof coming in contact with
the end of the set screw H on the rod or lever E forcing the same
outwards and giving the desired traverse to the internal foot for carrying
or moving the material onward, the said set screw also determines the
length of stitch. The swells a, a, having passed the lever C, on which
is the outer frame or skelton presser, will instantly fall on the material,
holding the same securely for the passage of the needle. Another
revolution of the eccentric will again raise the lever C, and the outer
frame or skeleton presser D, the lever E being depressed and forced
outward at the same moment moves on the material, which it will be
seen is thus never left loose on the bed plate of the machine, because
as one foot or presser is raised the other is depressed; this prevents
"puckering" or uneven work. At J is shewn a spring for returning the
lever E soon as the swell on the eccentric has passed. K, a spiral spring
for raising the internal foot presser F clear of the material as soon as its
traverse is completed; L is a spiral spring for depressing the lever C
and its outer frame or skeleton presser soon as the swell of the eccentric
is passed; the levers E, G, and guides d are jointed or hinged as shewn
at M, and are connected with the lever C by means of the link N.
Figure 3 shews in detail the levers and pressers; Figures 4, 5, and 6
are plan views of the under face of the internal and external pressers.
The compound presser constructed and arranged as above described may
be used with or without an under feed motion.

page_text: At Figures 8 and 9 is shewn another arrangement of levers for
actuating my compound presser. A is the eccentric, the swell a on
which acts on the arm B forcing it outwards, the projection 6 acting
on the end of the set screw H, the loop through which the set screw
works is connected with the lever C, on which is the outer presser D;
the external foot in this case is toothed and employed for moving
forward the material. The internal presser F on the lever E is depressed
by means of the motion of the link N through the action of the lever B,
which is hinged thereto, as shewn at M. L is a spiral spring for
depressing the lever E and presser F, and K for raising the lever C.
This arrangement is intended to be worked in connection with an
under feed.
Motion may be imparted to the eccentric by means of a treadle or
driving band and pulley P actuating the shaft R, on which the eccentric
is placed, the latter also giving motion to the needle bar and needle S;
these parts are old and well understood, and I do not lay any claim
thereto; but what I do claim and believe to be new is,―
Firstly. The combination of external presser and internal presser and
mover forming a compound presser, as shewn in Figures 1 to 6, and the
modification thereof, as shewn in Figures 8 and 9.
Secondly. The arrangement of the levers for actuating my improved
compound presser, as herein described.
Lastly. The general construction, combination, and arrangement
of the compound presser and levers for actuating the same, as above
described and shewn in the Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Lomax, have hereunto
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
set my
Witness,
JAMES BENTLEY,
Over Darwen.
HENRY LOMAX. (L.S.)