IMPROVEMENTS IN STRAW HAT SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STRAW HAT SEWING MACHINES" which Invention has been communicated to me
from abroad by The Willcox and Gibbs Sewing Machine Company of New York
in the United States of America Sewing Machine Manufacturers and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This Invention has reference to means for enabling the user of a straw hat
sewing machine to set the plait guide at a definite distance from the needle and to
replace it in the same position after having removed it from any cause.
It consists in a special construction arrangement and combination with the plait
guide of the machine, of a pointer or index finger and a graduated plate.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a straw
hat sewing machine provided with the improvements, and Figure 2 a detail view
partly in section and partly in elevation.
The machine shown, is itself well known being the ordinary Willcox and Gibbs
straw hat Sewing machine and need not therefore be particularly described.
The plait guide A is attached to the base B of the machine frame, by means of
the tongue C on the machine frame, fitting within a groove in the body of the
guide A, and the screw D passing through a slot in the guide. The guide pin Ę
which passes through a hole in the flange F of the plait guide, is at the inner end
(the right hand end in Figure 1) provided with a plate G. The screw D passes
through a hole in this plate and retains the guide pin E in place.
A spring washer H is placed under the head of the screw between it and the
plate Ġ.
So far the construction is that usual in the machine before referred to.
According to the present Invention the plate G is provided with a pointer or
index finger I and there is a graduated plate K fastened on the plait guide A and
so arranged thereon that when the plait guide is adjusted the graduations
successively pass the end of the pointer I. The said pointer is made în one piece
with the plate G or is otherwise attached thereto,

page_text: The attachment of the pointer I to the plate G or to the inner end of the guide
pin is the best form of the invention, but it will be obvious that the invention is
not limited to this position of attachment.
In the arrangement shewn the pointer is retained in place by the same screw
that holds the sliding plait guide and the guide pin in position and the pointer is
permanently attached (through the plate G which may be regarded as part of the
pointer or of the guide pin) to the guide pin E. Of course the graduations could
be directly on the guide instead of on an attached plate.
I am aware that a pointer opposite a graduated surface has been used in con-
nection with sewing machine guides otherwise than as herein before described and
therefore I do not claim broadly the use of a pointer and graduated surface
otherwise than as hereinafter stated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
'
In straw hat Sewing machines the combination with the plait guide of a
graduated plate or surface and a pointer or index finger substantially as and for
the purposes herein before described.