A NEW AND USEFUL SEWING MACHINE
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
R. ROBINSON, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,
of the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Queen Victoria, by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of
Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifth day of February,
A.D. 1851, in the
year of Her reign, did give and grant unto
me, the said Robinson, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial license,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Robinson, my
exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Robinson, my
exors, adiiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Islands of
Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all the Colonies and
Plantations abroad belonging to the Government of Great Britain, my Inven-
tion of "A NEW AND USEFUL SEWING MACHINE;" in which Letters Patent there
is contained a proviso that I, the said Frederick R. Robinson, shall particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument of writing under my hand
and seal, to be deposited in the High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Frederick R. Robinson, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which it is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following instrument of writing, and the accompany-
ing Drawings, letters, figures, and references thereof.
Of the said Drawings; Figure 1 denotes a top view of my sewing machine;
Figure 2, a side elevation of it; Figure 3, a front elevation of it. Figure 4 is
a vertical section of the two thread guides, the pressers, the supporting plate,
and the rotary cloth holder. Such other Figures as may be necessary to a
full and complete description of the Invention will be herin-after referred to
and described.
The object of my Invention is to produce either what is generally
termed stitch and backstitch sewing, or ordinary stitching. By "ordinary
stitch and backstitch" sewing, I mean that in which a thread, after being
carried through a piece of cloth, from its front to its rear side, is moved back-
wards the width of the stitch, is next again carried through from the rear
side to the front side of the cloth, is next carried forwards laterally double
the width of the stitch, or some other suitable distance greater than the width
of the stitch, and is next passed through the cloth from its front side to its rear
side; such operation being successively repeated in the formation of the stitches.
By ordinary stitching" I mean that in which a thread is passed through the
'cloth from its front side to its rear side, is next moved forwards the width of the
stitch, is carried backwards through the cloth from its rear side to its front
'side, is next carried forwards the width of the stitch, and is again passed
through the cloth from its front side to its rear side, and so on. This is
frequently called the running or basting stitch.
"
Although the elements which constitute the combination of my machine
may be adapted to the production of either of the above kinds of sewing, and
this by slight changes in the mechanical contrivances, by which the motions
are produced and regulated, they may be also adapted by proper changes to
the production of the ordinary cordwainer's stitch, which is produced by two
threads which cross one another every time they are passed through the cloth.
It is to be understood, however, that the movements of such elements, in order
to produce the cordwainer's stitch, must be effected and regulated by suitable
mechanical contrivances applied to them, the application of such mechanical
contrivances, as well as their selection or adoption; being the work of the mechanic
who constructs the machine, and not, generally speaking, one of invention.
In Figures 1 and 2, A represents a circular base plate, table, or stand, on
which the operative parts of the machinery are supported by means of three
or any other suitable number of columns B, C, D, raised vertically thereon.
E is the driving shaft, which carries a fly-wheel F. 'It has an excentric G on

page_text: one end, and a cam H on its other, the said shaft being put in motion by
means of power applied to a crank I, or in any other suitable manner. The
eccentric operates in connection with the surrounding band K and its connect-
ing rod L to give a reciprocating or pendulous motion to the needle frame M,
which is arranged as seen in the Drawings, and is supported upon a horizontal
shaft N that projects from the column or pillar D, as seen in the Drawings.
The said needle frame is composed of two bars a and b, united together at
their upper ends, and connected together at about one third their entire length
below their place of connection by a circular curved bar or arc O. The lower
end of each of the legs a,
of such frame carries a curved needle R or S,
such needle being made to extend from the inner side of the leg, as seen in
the Drawings. Each needle is constructed as represented in side view in
Figure 5, on an enlarged scale; that is to say, it is provided with a long eye e,
which has a spring of fixed to one end of it, and forming a part of the needle,
as seen in said Figure 5. Each needle, during the movements of the needle
frame, passes through a slot i made through the flanch k, which is erected
vertically upon the base plate, and which serves to support a circular hoop P,
which I denominate the cloth-holder, and which I shall herein-after more
particularly describe. The slot or passage i may be about a half an inch in its
horizontal length, or it may be of a greater or less length, as circumstances
may require. Its width vertically should be sufficient to receive each needle,
and allow it to freely play through it. The said slot, on its front and rear
sides, is provided with a flaring mouthpiece or presser Q or U, which is formed
in its vertical section, as seen in Figure 4. In its horizontal length the
flaring mouthpiece should be about that of the slot. That mouthpiece which
is on the rear or inner side of the flanch which supports the cloth-holder is
fastened to the base plate, whereas the one on the outer side of the flanch
projects from an arm g, which extends down from a frame h screwed to the
post D by means of a screw k³. The front mouthpiece is made through a
part of a projection V, which is arranged in front of the flanch and cloth-
holder, and is intended to prevent the cloth from being drawn off the points
a, x, x, of the cloth-holder during the operations of the outer needle S, as well
as those of the inner needle R.
Figure 6 represents a front view, and Figure 7 an end view, of the pro-
jection V, the same being drawn on an enlarged scale. In such figures it
will be seen, that the said projection is provided with a passage way, of a
sufficient depth to receive the points of the cloth-holder, and to permit the
free horizontal rotation of the whole series of them on their horizontal passage
through the said contrivance. The arm g is hinged at its upper end to the
frame h, and in such manner as to enable it to be freely moved either

page_text: towards or away from the cloth-holder, its distance from the cloth-holder
being regulated by an adjusting screw v, which is screwed horizontally through
the lower end of an arm v¹, which extends downwards from the frame h, and
so as to bring the adjusting screw directly in front of the arm g. Each
mouthpiece should be so made as to cause the spring of the needle, when it
The thread
passes through the mouthpiece, to close entirely downwards.
guides which are seen at ward X, are two bent bars of metal, arranged in
the positions as seen in Figures 2 and 3; both of these bars are adapted to the
frame h, in such manner as to be capable of being freely and separately moved,
not only upwards and downwards, but in lateral directions in planes, which
may be said to be at right angles to the plane of movement of the needle frame.
Fig. 8 represents a front side view of the outer thread guide X, as it
appears when detached from the rest of the machinery. Each of the said
thread guides is provided with a slot y, through which a fulcrum pin Z
passes, the position of said pin being seen in Figures 2 and 3; each of the
said thread guides has one end of a retracting spring a', attached to it, as
seen in Figures 2 and 3, the other or upper end of the said retracting spring
being fastened to the frame h, such spring being so arranged and made to
operate as to lift the thread guide upwards when necessary. The upper arm
or part of one of the thread guides is arranged on one side of the curved
are O, while the upper arm or part of the other thread guide is disposed on
the opposite side of the said arc, both thread guides being connected at their
upper ends by a helical spring ', which draws said ends towards one another.
The lower end of each thread guide is forked; the prongs or sides c, d, of
such fork being springs, and made respectively to contain two vertical friction
rollers e, f, see Figures 9 and 10 respectively, vertical and horizontal
sections of the lower end of the thread guide, and exhibiting the thread
plates g, h, which are fastened to one of the springs d', and project by
the other c. Each of the said thread plates has a hole made through it
for the passage of the needle, which passes through the plates and between
the vertical friction rollers. As soon as either needle enters the cloth, that
thread guide through, which said needle does not pass or extend should have
a lateral motion imparted to it, far enough to carry it out of the way of the
point of the needle. Such lateral motion is given to it by means of one of two
cams ', or, arranged upon the side of the are O, as seen in the Figures 11,
12, and 13; Figure 11 being a. top view of said arch; and Figures 12 and
13 being respectively views of its opposite sides. The lateral movement
aforesaid of the thread guide being completed, the said thread guide should
immediately have a slight downward movement imparted to it, which move-
ment is effected by a cam l¹ or arranged upon the arch, as seen in Figures

page_text: 11, 12, and 13; the cams k³, k, l, P, being made to work against suitable
shoulders or bearing faces formed upon the upper arms of the thread guides.
Figure 14 represents an under side view of the arch O, while Figure 15 is
a cross section of it, showing the formation of the upper arms of the thread
guides and their application to the arc O. On each side of the arch there
is a small cam m³ or m², arranged as seen in Figures 12, 13, and 14; the
lower side of the arc, between these two cams being a circular arc, such as
will produce no vertical motion of either thread guide while it is moving in
contact with it. To cach cam m² or m² is applied a continuation o¹, o³, of the
circular arc or portion between the said cams m¹ or m²; this continuation
operating to produce no vertical movement of one thread guide during such
time as the other thread guide is depressed a short distance by the cam m¹
or m², which is immediately annexed to it. We will now suppose one of the
thread guides moved downwards into its lowest position, or that in which
it should be to allow the passage of its needle through it. As soon as the
needle commences to enter the thread guide, the cam m¹ or m² connected
with the arm of the other thread guide, moves by such arm so as to allow
the retractive spring of the thread guides to which said arm belongs, to
elevate the thread guide so as to carry the thread which extends through said
thread guide, above the path of the needle, so that when the thread guide is
next moved laterally, the needle may pass directly under that part of the
thread which is between the thread guide and the cloth. Next, such lateral
movement of the thread guide takes place sufficient to carry said portion of
the thread laterally across and over the path of the needle; this having
been accomplished by the action of one of the cams which produced the
lateral movements as before described. Next, the thread guide is depressed
a short distance by one of the cams 1, 1, and so as to fairly lay the thread
upon the needle, and behind the rear end of the spring f thereof, and
so as to cause the thread on the retraction or return movement of the
needle to be drawn under the spring and into the eye of the needle and
through the cloth by the needle. By inspection of the Drawings it
will be seen that during each back movement of the needle through
the cloth the spring of the needle is closed down by one of the mouth-
pieces or pressers immediately before the said spring is drawn back through
the cloth. The mouthpiece or presser becomes necessary when the needle
is formed with a spring; but when said needle is made as represented on
an enlarged scale in Figures 16 and 17, the former being a top view of the
needle and the latter a side view of it, such mouthpiece or presser is not
essential to the operation of such needle. The needle, as exhibited in the
two last-named Figures, is formed with a round or elongated eye extending

page_text: through it, which eye has a diagonal passage-way made into it, as seen in top
view in Figure 16. In sewing with this machine we do not make use of a
continuous thread unwound from a bobbin, as do those machines which pro-
duce a chain stitch; but we make use of a short piece of thread, such as a
person uses when sewing by hand with an ordinary sewing needle, and on
commencing to sew, we simply pass one end of the thread between a spring
and the arm g, against which said spring bears, and we extend the thread
and lay it over the back needle after it has passed through the cloth, and in
such manner as to enable the needle to receive the thread into its eye when
the needle is drawn back. The said needle during its retraction will draw the
thread through the cloth and the back thread guide, and continue to draw
upon the thread until that end of the thread which was not held by the spring,
as before mentioned, has been drawn entirely through the cloth and the inner
thread guide. The front needle in the meantime has advanced and passed
through the outer thread guide, and entirely through the cloth, and to the
extent of its motion inwards. During such advancement a lateral movement
of the inner thread guide towards the right causes the thread to be laid over
the said needle. The needles next are moved forward, and during such move-
ment the thread passes into the eye of the outer needle, is drawn through the
cloth and the front thread guide, and entirely out of the other needle which
passes through the cloth as before and under the thread which, by the natural
movement of the outer thread guide, has been laid or left over it ready for the
next back movement of the needle. The circular motion of the cloth-holder
is to be regularly intermittent, each movement of it being a sufficient distance
to produce the length of each stitch as required to be made in the cloth. In
order to produce the stitch and backstitch, or forward and backstitch sewing,
the two needles must not be arranged in the same vertical plane; but they
should be arranged respectively in two vertical parallel planes situated or supposed
to be at a distance apart from one another equal to the length of a stitch, the
other needle being placed on the right of the other. The cloth-holder is to be
moved forward only during each outward movement of the needle frame, and such
motion should take place while the needles are out of the thread guides or cloth.
The machinery which produces the intermittent circular motion to the
metallic hoop or cloth-holder is as follows:-The upper surface of the cloth-
holder has a series of ratchet teeth formed entirely around it. One or more
pawls or ratchets s', jointed to the lower end of a lever t', works into said
ratchet teeth. The said lever t¹ moves upon a fulcrum at u, as seen in
Figures 2 and 3, and is moved in one direction by the action of the cam I,
and in an opposite direction by a retractive spring v affixed to it and to a
stationary arm w¹, arranged as seen in the Drawings.

page_text: In the adaptation of my machine to the production of ordinary stitching, that
is to say, stitching without a backstitch, the two needles must be arranged in
the same plane with each other, while a forward movement of the cloth-holder
should take place during each movement of the two needles either outward or
inward. The cloth-holder has a series of points projecting from its outer
surface, and close to its lower, edge, and at suitable distances apart from one
another. The cloth to be sewed is placed upon these points, as represented
at A² by dotted lines. The friction rollers of the lower ends of the thread
guide arc sprung together by the springs, so as to firmly hold the thread when
passed between them. Each thread guide has a stop-screw a² or y applied
to it, as seen in Figure 3, the two stop-screws being screwed respectively
through projections, as, the whole being arranged in such manner as to
enable the screws to serve as rests or stops for their respective thread guides
to bear against under the draft of the connecting spring at the upper. ends of
the thread guides.
Although I have described my Invention under certain forms and arrange-
ments of its different parts as exhibited in the Drawings, yet I do not intend
to confine it always thereto, as I mean to make use of any others which may
be adopted to advantage, while I do not essentially change the principle or
character I claim as new.
What I claim as my Invention is, the combination of two needles, two
thread guides, and a cloth-holder, made to operate together substantially in
the manner and for the purpose as herein-before set forth..
And I also claim the improvement of making the needles with springs, and
applying mouthpieces or pressers to them, and on each side of the flanch of
the base plate, the whole being substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick R. Robinson, have hereunto
cat my hand and cool this Twenty fourth day of Manal D 10-1
FREDERICK R. ROBINSON. (L.S.)
Taken and acknowledged by Fredererick
R. Robinson, party hereto, the Twenty-
fourth day of March, 1851, at the
British Consulate for the State of

page_text: This is the Specification referred to in the Affidavit of Samuel Carpmael,
sworn before me, this 29th day of April, 1851.
R. CROSBY.
Samuel Carpmael, of Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, maketh oath and saith, that he has been informed and
believes that the signature "William Elliott," Her Britannic Majesty's Acting
Consul for the State of Massachusetts, in the United States of America, set,
subscribed, or written at the foot of the Specification hereunto annexed and
marked with the letter A., and dated the Twenty-fourth day of March now last
past, and purporting to be executed and acknowledged by Frederick Robinson,
of Boston, in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts aforesaid,
before the said William Elliott, on the said Twenty-fourth day of March, is of
the proper handwriting of the said William Elliott.
Enrolled the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-one.