IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas and Frederick Sugden. of Oldham. in the
County of Lancaster. Machinists and Tool Makers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas and Frederick
Sugden at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 16th April 1857.
We, THOMAS and FREDERICK SUGDEN, of Oldham, in the County of Lan-
caster, Machinists and Tool Makers, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
Our said improvements relate to those machines which form the chain
stitch. Instead of employing a partially circular or straight needle for the
under thread, we employ a bent needle, somewhat resembling the letter L.
which has a to-and-fro motion imparted to it either transverse or parallel with
the advance of the work. The said needle consists of two parts, one resembling
the other, with the exception of the eye, which is only in one of the parts.
One of the parts is fixed to the shaft and the other slides upon it. so that the
said parts may be either close to each other or slightly open. At each stroke
of the machine when a stitch is formed, our improved under needle enters the
loop formed by the thread of the upper needle; the sliding half or part of
the under needle then moves out, opening out the loop of the upper needle
and also the loop of the under needle, carrying the under thread round the
vertical needle, which as it moves downwards forms the stitch. The sliding
Price 8d.]

page_text: motion is given to the moveable hall of our improved needle by connecting it
with a sliding rod, to which motion is given by a cam on the driving shaft.
We also apply an improved feeding motion, consisting of a beam or lever
vibrating on a pin at about the centre, and placed under the upper plate of the
machine, one end of the lever being actuated by a cam on the driving shaft
and the other connected to the feeding plate. We also have an improved
arrangement for giving to the vertical needle a backwards and forwards or
lateral motion in addition to its usual vertical motion. the needle bar being
fixed on a moveable slide, having motion given to it by means of a lever and
cam, the under needle having a corresponding movement at the same time, so
as to enter the loop formed by the vertical needle at whatever position it may
be. Just below the plate of the frame, at or about the position of the loop of
the vertical needle, we place a spring with a rounded front, against which the
vertical needle presses as it moves downwards: the said spring causes the loop
to be placed so that the under needle enters it with certainty.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas and Frederick Sugden in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we. THOMAS
and FREDERICK SUGDEN, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster. Machinists
and Tool Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April. in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Thomas and Frederick Sugden, Iler special license that we. the said
Thomas and Frederick Sugden, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Thomas and Frederick Sugden, our 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," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas and Frederick Sugdeh, by
an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or the hand and seal
of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
mi
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas and Frederick Sugden, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-
Our Invention relates to those sewing machines which form the chain stitch.
Instead of employing a partially circular or straight needle for the under
thread, we employ a bent needle, somewhat resembling the letter L. having an
Oscillating or 10-and-fro motion imparted to it either transversely or parallel
with the advance of the work. The said needle consists of two parts. one
resembling the other. with the exception of the eye, which is only in one of
the parts. The said needle is placed upon a shaft, the part with the eye being
fixed, and the other fitting so that it may slide to and fro in order that the
parts of the needle may be alternately close to each other or slightly open..
At each stroke of the machine, when a stitch is being made. the under needle
enters the loop formed by the thread of the upper needle, the sliding half or
part of the under needle then moves out. opening the loop of the upper needle
and also the loop of the under needle, carrying the under thread round the
vertical needle, which as it moves downwards forms the stitch. The sliding
motion is given to the moveable half of the under needle by means of a cam
on the driving shaft of the machine. We have an improved feeding motion,
consisting of a beam or lever vibrating on a pin and placed under the upper
plate of the machine, one end of the lever being actuated by a cam on the
driving shaft and its other end connected to the feeding plate. Below the
plate of the frame, at or about the position of the loop of the vertical needle,
we attach a spring with a rounded front, against which the vertical needle
presses as it moves downwards, so that the loop may always be placed in
such. a position that the under needle enters it with certainty. We also
apply to circular needle machines an improved arrangement for giving the
vertical needle a lateral or forward and backward motion, the needle bar
being fixed on a moveable slide, having motion given to it by means of a
lever and cam.
The under or circular needle has at the same time a cor-
responding movement so as to enter the loop formed by the vertical needle
at whatever position it may be.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom-
panying two Sheets of Drawings with the figures and letters of reference
thereon. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of our improved sewing machine;

page_text: Fig. 2, a transverse elevation; Fig. 3. a plan of the under side: and Fig. 4.
another longitudinal clevation of the same. Fig. 5 shews the application of
our improved under needle to the ordinary Lancashire sewing machines: and
Fig. 6 represents our improved arrangement for giving the vertical needle a
lateral as well as a vertical movement. In Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. a repre-
sents the framing of the machine, which is fitted to a table of any suitable
form; b, the main or driving shaft; c. the fly wheel grooved for the purpose
of being acted upon either by the foot or power, and d the handle for giving
motion by hand. The fly wheel has an internal cam. which gives motion to
the levere and vertical needle holder /. which is fitted to the framing. Our
improved under needle is composed of two parts g and h; the part is fixed to
the shaft i, supported in the bearings k, and the part is loose upon the shaft,
fitting a squared part for the purpose of maintaining its proper position. Con-
nected to the shaft i is the crank I. having a pivot or stud working in the
cam m on the driving shaft, which as it revolves gives a to-and-fro motion to
the under needle, the sliding or opening part of which is moved as required
by its being connected to one end of the rod p. the other end of the said rod
fitting the cam q. which as it revolves moves the rod and under needle, giving
the sliding part of the latter a backward and forward motion for the purpose
of opening the loop of the vertical needle and also the loop of the under needle.
The loop of the vertical needle is guided and maintained in its proper position
by means of the rounded spring r. The feeding plate is shewn at & attached
to the lever vibrating on the pin , in which are the two centre pins », for
allowing the lever and feeding plate to move up and down by the action of
the cam . and backwards and forwards by the cam .
In Figure 5. shewing the application of our improved under needle to the
ordinary Lancashire sewing machines, is the framing: 6', the driving shaft;
the groove of the cam for giving motion to the vertical needle: and ', the
groove, shewn by the dotted lines. for oscillating the shaft e, upon which are
the parts and g' of the under needle, which is employed for the same purpose.
and opens the loops in a similar manner to that in the machine before
described. The shaft e' is supported upon the centres h'. The sliding or
opening motion of the part g' of the needle is caused by its connection with
the arm or lever m', which is moved backwards and forwards by the cam n'
on the driving shaft b'.
In Figure 6, representing the arrangement for giving the vertical needle a
lateral or to-and-fro motion, o' is part of the framing of the machine: p', the
driving shaft; and g', the fly wheel; r is the needle holder, raised up and
down by a bell crank in the usual manner. The groove or frame s' in which

page_text: the needle holder is placed is attached to or forms part of a slide to which
the crank or lever a' is connected, the said crank working on the stud and
its end placed in the groove of the cam, which as it revolves gives a
lateral movement to the slide t, groove or frame : and needle holder r',
thereby obtaining the lateral as well as the vertical movement of the needle.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention. and the manner
in which the same is to be performed. we desire it to be distinctly understood
ihat we do not confine ourselves to the exact details herein set forth. as such
may be varied or modified without departing from the principle thereof: but
we claim as our Invention, and which, to the best of our knowledge and belief,
has not been hitherto used within the realm.-
Firstly, the peculiar formation and construction of the needle used for the
under thread.
Secondly, the improved feeding motion.
Thirdly, the improved arrangement for giving a lateral or forward and
hackward motion to the vertical needle used in the ordinary circular, needle
machines.
Fourthly, the application of our improved under needle to other sewing
machines.
And, fifthly. the arrangement and combination of the various parts of
machinery or apparatus for working or actuating the several separate improve-
uents, as all such are herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying
two Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas and Frederick Sugden. have
hereunto set our hands and seals. this Fifteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
THOMAS SUGDEN.
(L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Thomas and Frederick Sugden, in
the presence of
E. J. IlUGHES, Patent Agent.
Manchester.
FREDERICK SUGDEN. (L.S.)