IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SEWING STRAW BRAID TOGETHER FOR MAKING HATS
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1887.
We, THOMAS LAING KAY, Machinist, and SUMMERFIELD DOUGLAS, Manufacturer
both of the city of Hamilton, in the county of Wentworth, in the Province of Ontario
in the Dominion of Canada, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SEWING STRAW BRAID TOGETHER FOR MAKING
HATS," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:-
Our invention relates to machines for sewing a plait of straw braid upon itself in a
continuous length to form a hat. Our object is to provide a machine for this work
much stronger in construction, fewer in parts, simply adjusted and operated, and not
liable to get out of order.
The general construction of straw braid sewing machines being well understood we
will not describe the same, but will proceed to set forth the improvements and
modifications we have made in them.
Our invention consists first in a newly devised feed motion in which the feed surface
is given the usual movement required to perform the work by means of an eccentric
on the bottom shaft and a small crank on the top shaft which makes a positive motion
independent of springs or other devices, thus simplifying the construction and
operation, and avoiding the loss of motion experienced in the machines now in use;
the feed surface is moved backward and forward by an eccentric on the bottom shaft
being raised and lowered by a small crank on the top shaft, this feed motion having
few parts and wearing surfaces, it can be readily adjusted to any required height by
means of set screws on the end of the feed arm. Secondly in a feed arm which
carries the feed surfaces being connected with the top shaft of the rocker which is
provided with a means of tightening up its bearings when worn. Thirdly in a crank
on the upper shaft which serves to raise and lower the feed surface by means of a
lever attached to the opposite end of the shaft to which the feed arm is attached.
Fourthly, by a connecting rod which moves the feed surface backward and forward
by the eccentric on the bottom shaft, the lever being attached to the rocker which

page_text: works on the bottom shaft, and has its bearing in the bottom of the (machine) frame.
Fifthly, in the needle bar motion which is operated by means of an eccentric on the
bottom shaft and connecting rod which encircles the eccentric and is attached to a
crank on the upper shaft; on the other end of the top shaft there is a crank or lever
which serves to give the needle bar its up and down notion by means of a small link
which is attached at one end by a stud on the end of said crank or lever the other end
being attached to the needle bar. Sixthly, in a presser foot and work guide which is
made in two parts, one of them being fastened on a shaft which is attached to the
presser bar, the other end being made to work freely on the other end of the said
shaft, being held down by a small spring so as to admit of an unequal thickness of
the plait or braid, this being a very desirable attachment in the making of straw hats,
and one of the difficulties experienced with the machines now in use, this part of the
presser foot being also moved by a thumb nut on said shaft, so as to enable the
operator to set it to the different sizes of plait or braid, and to the required seam
while the machine is running.
We will now describe our Improvements so as to enable those skilled in the art to
make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in
which.
Figure 1 is a side view of the machine.
Figure 2 front end view.
Figure 3 vertical section.
Figure 4 front view of presser foot.
Figure 5 rear view, and
Figure 6 plan of same.
In these drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar parts in the several
views.
First. To describe our Improved Feed Motion-the shaft C working in the frame
of the machine has on it the eccentric B which gives the required stroke to the feed
surface A by means of the connecting rod J which encircles said eccentric, and is
provided with means of taking up lost motion; the other end of the rod J is attached
to the rocker H which works backward and forward by the action of the eccentric B;
the shaft G works freely on the rocker H; the feed arm F is attached to the front
end of the shaft G; on the other end is attached a lever W which with the connecting
rod I and crank E on the shaft D gives the vertical motion to the feed; the shaft D
gets its oscillating motion by the eccentric L on the shaft C, and the connecting
rod M which works the crank N on the end of the shaft D.
Secondly. To describe the needle bar motion.
The eccentric L on the shaft C gives motion to the crank or lever O on the shaft D
by means of the connecting rod M; on the needle bar P there is a link working on a
stud at the upper end, the lower end being also attached by a stud to the lever O,
this lever O being operated by the eccentric L as before described gives the up and
down motion to the needle bar P.
Thirdly. To describe our presser foot and work guide.
On the presser bar is fitted a bracket R held by a screw; to the lower part of this
bracket is attached a hub or collar in which the shaft T is secured, on the outer end
of which is secured the front half of the foot plate K; on the other end of the shaft T
is secured the rear half of the foot plate V which works freely on said shaft, and is
moved freely back and forward by means of a thumb nut X and can be adjusted to
the required width of the seam by means of the thumb nut X, the object of this con-
struction being to regulate the width of seam while the machine is in motion; the
rear half V of the presser foot is held down by a small spring Y as shown on
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In the combination in a feed mechanism, with the eccentric B on the shaft C,
and the feed surface A in connection with the shaft G, and the rocker H to give the

page_text: horizontal motion the combination in a feed mechanism with the crank E on the
shaft D with the rod I and lever W in connection with the shaft G and arm F and
rocker H, to give the vertical motion as set forth.
2. The combination in a needle bar motion with the eccentric L on the shaft C,
connecting rod M, crank N on shaft D, and lever O, in connection the link thereto as
described.
3. The combination in a presser foot and adjustable guide, with the bracket R and
shaft T in connection with the front part K of the foot plate and the rear half V of
same with the spring Y in connection with the thumb nut X as shown all operating
substantially as and for the purpose as herein set forth.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of June 1887
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.