Improvements in Sewing Machines
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1888
HERBERT AKROYD STUART Bletchley Iron & Tin Plate Works Bletchley Bucks
Mechanical Engineer" do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to Improvements in Sewing Machines, but more particularly
to the Mechanism for feeding the material to be sewn, and the said Mechanism may
either be used in conjunction with a rotating Hood or Shuttle & Shuttle Carrier.
In carrying the said Invention into practice a suitable Frame is constructed to
which is attached the necessary Mechanisin, consisting of two shafts working parallel
to each other one of which is used to give the desired motion to the needle and feed
arrangement and the other to give motion to a Rotating Hook with or without a
spocl in connection therewith or if desired to a Shuttle & Shuttle Carrier and these
shafts may be driven by gearing in the usual manner.
The necessary feeding of the material may be produced by the needle, or by the
pressure foot as desired.
One of the shafts before mentioned has attached at one end thereof a cam disc,
into which is fitted a pin (at the proper radius), which works into a transverse
slot in the needle bar for the purpose of giving the needle its proper rise
and dip.
A suitable slotted link carrying bearings or supports for the needle bar to work
in is hinged to the Machine Frame, and this link is kept by means of a spring
or otherwise, against the periphery of the said cam or disc which is such a shape as to
produce the desired rocking movement or feed to the link, and the needle bar being
attached thereto also receives a similar movement.
When a pressure foot feed is employed it receives its motion from the disc or cam
& slotted link.
By the means of banging the needle bar on a pivoted rocking lever, and arranging
the needle bar out of the center of such pivoted lever, a vertical dip is thus given to

page_text: the needle whilst entering the cloth. the rocking movement or feed is produced
when the needle is at its lowest point, after which the needle retires vertically
from the cloth or material. Ready means are provided to alter the size of
stitch.
By swinging or hanging the needle bar central with the pivoted link an angular dip
may be given to the needle bar & needle if desired.
1000
1, HERBERT AKROYD STUART, of the Bletchley Iron and Tin Plate Works,
Bletchley, Buckinghamshire 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 :-
My invention relates to that class of sewing machines in which the material is
fed by the action of the needle, the object being mainly to provide improved
mechanism for effecting the said feed in a noiseless manner and for regulating the
length of the stitch.
In carrying out my invention, I provide a suitable frame in which are mounted
two shafts working parallel with each other. One of the said shafts is for the purpose
of giving the required motion to the needle and feed mechanism and the other shaft
serves to give motion to a rotating hook with a spool or, if required, to a shuttle and
shuttle-carrier. The shafts are driven by suitable gearing. The necessary feed of
the material may be caused either by the needle or by the presser foot and in the
former case it is effected in the following manner :-
One of the shafts before mentioned has attached at one end thereof a cam disc in
which is fitted at the required distance from the centre a crank pin working in a
transverse slot in the needle bar for the purpose of giving the needle its proper rise
and dip. A suitable slotted link or circular lever carrying bearings or guides, in
which the needle-bar works, is pivotted to the machine frame and between this lever
and the disc is a small roller kept always in contact with both the dise and the lever
by means of a spring. The said cam disc is of such a shape as to give the desired
movement to the link or lever, and, the needle and needle bar being attached thereto,
also receives a similar motion. When a presser foot feed is employed, it receives its
motion from the cau dise and slotted link or lever.

page_text: The axis or centre line of the needle bar is situated out of the vertical axial or
centre line of the lever pivot or of the cam disc whereby a vertical dip is given to the
needle whilst it is passing through the material being operated on.
The horizontal feed is produced when the needle has reached its lowest point of
travel, after which the needle ascends vertically or nearly so.
Simple means are provided for regulating the length of the stitch.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure is a longitudinal elevation of a sewing machine constructed according to
my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan, and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 4 is a front elevation drawn to an enlarged scale, of part of the machine
frame or the feed-head with the cover removed.
Figure 5 is a section through the feed-head drawn to a like scale.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar parts.
a is the frame of the machine and b, c are the two shafts mounted therein and
working parallel with each other.
d is the driving wheel carrying a toothed wheel e which gears with pinions and g.
so arranged as to turn the shafts b and c in the same direction.
The shaft oporates the needle and feed mechanism in the manner hereinafter more
particularly described.
his the rotating hook and i is the spool operated by the shaft c.
The spool is secured in position by means of a spring rod and disc
adapted to
be moved by operating the button when requiring to remove and replace the
spool.
Z is the needle bar and m is the feed head or frame of the feed mechanism.
n is the cam disc attached to one end of the shaft band o is the crank pin fitted in
the disc n at the required distance from the centre. The pin o carries a sliding block
which works in the transverse slot or guide in the needle bar for the purpose of
giving the needle the proper rise and dip.
is the slotted link or circular lever having guides s and t for the needle bar l
to work in, and u is the pivot on the frame m upon which pivot the lever »
works.
?'
is the roller between the lever and the disc n, the roller being carried by a bent
lever a hereinafter described.
frame m.
w is the spring serving to keep the roller always in contact with both the
disc and the lever », the said spring being located between the lever and the
By reference to figure 4, it will be clearly seen how the needle bar is arranged
with its vertical axial or centre line away from the centre of the cam whereby a
vertical dip is given to the needle a whilst passing through the material.
2'
In order to regulate the length of the stitch the bent lever a¹ is placed at the back
of the disc on the shaft & which serves as a pivot for the lever. The lever is slotted
at one end, as shown at y, to receive the roller and is secured at its other end by a
set screw working in a slot c¹ in the frame m. By raising or lowering the end of
the lever a with the roller the extent of travel of the circular lever will be
proportionately increased or diminished, and the length of stitch will be regulated
accordingly.
The action is as follows:-
The driving wheel & being operated by means of its handle it will, through the
medium of the toothed wheels e, f, and g, rotate the shafts and c and thereby
revolve the cam disc n and the hook and spool in the same direction. The
cam disc in rotating gives the necessary up-and-down movement to the needle
bar and needle, and at the same time causes the link or lever to oscillate on its
pivot u and, as the guides of the needle bar are on the said link or lever, it
follows that a horizontal movement is given to the needle and the feed of the

page_text: material is thereby effected. The cam disc and link or lever are so arranged that
the horizontal feed takes place when the needle is at its lowest point after which
the needle ascends vertically or nearly so. The small roller v between the cam disc n
and ink or lever renders the movement noiseless.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
(1.) In a sewing machine of the class hereinbefore referred to, the combination of
parts forming the improved feed mechanism, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
(2.) In a sewing machine, the arrangement for regulating the length of the stitch,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 3, 4, and 5 of the
accompanying drawing.
(3.) The general arrangement and construction of sewing machine herein before
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
The L
11000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.