Improvements in Sewing-machine Shuttles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of
New York, in the United States of America, Sewing Machine Manu-
facturers.]
Improvements in Sewing-machine Shuttles.
I, ALEXANDER ANDERSON, Manager of The Singer Manufacturing Company's
Works, Kilbowie, Dunbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :―
In that class of oscillating and rotating sewing machine shuttles in which the
bobbins are concentric with the notions of the shuttles the latter are not usually
removed from the machine when they are to be newly supplied with thread the
bobbin case and bobbin only being removed for this purpose.
This invention has for its object to provide sewing machine shuttles of the class
referred to, with bobbin cases which can be conveniently and readily removed from
the shuttles or inserted in place, and when in working position will be securely
locked relative to the shuttles. To this end the central bobbin case supporting pin
of the improved shuttle has near its outer end an annular recess forming a neck
outside of which is a head the outer face of which is preferably conical or tapering.
The outer face of the bobbin case is recessed for the reception of a spring pressed
latch having an opening to permit of the passage of the head of the said pin and
a smaller part to receive the neck of the pin when the said head has passed through
the said latch and the latter is forced by its spring into holding engagement with
the pin. The outer face of the bobbin case is also preferably provided with a
thumb nail notch or recess and the latch is preferably undercut at its side or end
opposite said recess to receive a finger nail so that the operator can conveniently
get hold of said bobbin case and latch to release the hole of the latter in removing
the bobbin case from the shuttle, and can also readily hold the bobbin case when
removed or when inserting it in place in the shuttle when the latter is in the
machine.
The invention also comprises improvements in the construction of the shuttle
which is built up of a half ring of T-section to the inner web of which are screwed
or rivetted the needle thread guard on one side and the back plate carrying the
bobbin supporting pin on the other. This construction has the advantage that any
one of the several parts of the shuttle can be renewed or replaced when worn out
whilst the form of the shuttle proper permits of its being easily machined and
produced at low cost.
In the drawings
Figure 1 is an outer face view of one modification of the shuttle with the bobbin
case in place.
Figure 2 is a cross section of the same on line 2-2, of Figure 1, and
Figure 3, is a detail view of one form of the locking latch and its spring.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are similar views to Figures 1, 2, and 3, respectively showing
the improved shuttle and also another form of the locking latch and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the body of the shuttle.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, A, denotes the holy of the shuttle and a, is the bobbin
case supporting pin provide near its outer end with an annular recess a', forming
amck outside of which is the head a. The outer face of said head is preferably
tapered by being formed frustro-conical as in Figures 1 and 2 or ronnded as in
Figures 4 and 5.
13, is the bobbin case having a central sleeve b, fitting over the pin a, of the

page_text: shuttle said bobbin case having in its outer face a recess c, to receive a locking slide
or latch d, provided with an opening e, of proper size to permit of the passage of
the head a² of the said pin a. the said opening being made smaller at one end so
as to engage the neck or reduced part of the pin a, formed by the annular
groove a
By forming the head a², of the pin a, tapering as above described the bobbin case
after its sleeve 6, has been entered by said pin, may he forced into position simply
by pressure on its outer face such pressure causing the spring, to yield and the
latch to ride over the tapered head until it is in position to snap into the recess a²,
of the said pin and thus lock the bobbin case in place.
The pin a, is at the centre of the oscillating or rotating movements of the shuttle
and the bobbin case is held stationary in the ordinary manner by the engagement
of the horn or projection m, on the said bobbin case with some stationary part o"
the bed plate or shuttle race of the machine the bobbin (not shown) being an
ordinary dise bobbin closely fitting the bobbin case and turning on the sleeve b, u×
its thread is unwound.
The recess, receiving the slide or latch d, is underent as denoted by dotted
lines in Figure 1, to hold the said slide or latch in place, and the latter is
preferably pressed outward or into engagement with the pin a, by the small coil
spring housed in a recess in the outer or fare wall of the bobbin ease and
pressing on a lug or projection . of the said slide or latch; the movement of
the latter being limited by a small stop pin or screw h, and a hole or slot ', in
the outer face wall of the bobbin case. This stop screw thus retains the said
slide or latch in place when the bobbin case is removed from the shuttle.
A thumb-il notch or recess j, is preferably formed in the outer face of the
bobbin case opposite the inner end of the slide or latch d, and the outer end of
the latter is preferably undercut at 7, to receive a finger nail so that the operator
by inserting the thumb nail in the notch j. and the finger nail at the underent
point can press back the latch against its spring and disengage it from the
head of the pin a, and can then pull the bobbin case out of the shuttle and is also
enabled to readily hold it at all times in removing or inserting it.
Instead of making the locking latch in the form of a slide as above described,
it may be a pivoted latch, as Figures 4, 5 and 6, which would be an obvious
equivalent for the sliding latch, the said latch d', being secured in place by and
pivoted on the screw n. In this example the extent of movement of the latch is
limited by a projecting lug or stop piece 7. formed on it and travelling in a
recess, in the bobbin case.
The improved form of shuttle represented in Figures 45 and 7, is composed of
the segment of a ring A, of T-section, which is suitably pointed and to which a
guard. A, for the needle thread made in a separate piece is attached by screws as
shown or by rivetting to one side of the central web whilst to the other side of
said web is similarly attached a back plate A³, having formed or fitted on it the
pin a, for supporting the bobbin case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated to me)
I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The combination of a sewing machine shuttle having at its centre of rotation
or oscillation a pin provided near its outer end with an annular recess of a bobbin
case supported by said pin and having in its outer face a recess and a locking
latch to engage the said pin, said Intel being located bodily in said recess and
movable crosswise of the pin's face.
2. The combination with a sewing machine shuttle having at its centre of rotation
or oscillation a bobbin case supporting pin provided near its outer end with an
annular cess forming a neck and outside of said recess a head having a tapered
outer face of a bobbin case supported by said pin and having in its outer face a
recess and a lorking lateh located bodily in said recess and having an opening for

page_text: the passage of the head of the said pin, said opening being smaller at the one end
than at the other to fit the said neck.
3. The combination with a shuttle A, having a pin a, provided near its outer end
with an annular recess a' of a bobbin case having in its outer face a recess c, and a
thumb nail notch, and a spring pressed locking latch arranged in said recess c.
4. The combination with a shuttle A, having a pin a, provided near its outer end
with an annular recess a', of a bobbin case having in its outer face a recess c, and a
thumb nail notch j, and a spring pressed locking latch arranged in said recess c, and
having an undercut outer side or end k.
5. The combination with the shuttle A, having a pin a, provided near its outer
end with an annular recess a', of the bobbin case B, having an undercut recess in
its outer face and a spring pressed locking latch d, or d', arranged in said recess
and provided with a stop, as pin or screw h, or lug h².
6. A sewing machine shuttle composed of a segmental piece of T section having
screwed or rivetted to it a thread guard on one side and a plate carrying the bobbin
case supporting pin on the other substantially as described.
7. A sewing machine shuttle composed of the segment A, of T section and the
separable pieces A' and A², screwed or rivetted thereto substantially as described.
8. In a sewing machine shuttle the pointed shuttle piece A, made of a segment
of T-section having a web or flange as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Bighth love of Santamber 1800
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Strect, Glasgow, Agents.