IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Simon Willard Wardwell, junior, of
St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
Sealed the 10th September 1872, and dated the 23rd July 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 23rd July 1872, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for

page_text: the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Simon Willard Wardwell, junior, of
St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming
a part of this Specification :-
The said Invention consists in forming the "lock stitch with two
ordinary spools, thus saving any re-winding of thread in forming it on
the one-loop principle, and though dispensing with a vibrating shuttle
or its equivalent, completing one and the same stitch at each throw of
the needle; in having a take-up so arranged that it will draw the upper
thread tight enough to complete the stitch while the vertical needle is
moving a short distance; and in having a universal feed and a self-acting
needle.

page_text: .
A is the bed plate, having a fixed hollow arm B slotted to receive the
vibrating arm C, which balances on the pivot a on which it is hung.
On the inner end of the vibrating arm is a pitman D terminating in a
slotted plate E provided with a pin b, which engages with the cam in
the plate wheel F on the shaft G, which shaft also passes through the
slot in the plate E. The shaft G has its bearings in the brackets beneath
the bed plate, as seen clearly in Figures 1 and 3. The belt wheel H is
on this shaft, and also the fly wheel J. The arm C acts as the take-up,
and for this purpose has upon its inner end the curved plate k, Figures 1
and 2, provided with eyelets c, c¹, c², the two former of which pass up
through the slots of the plate d, Figure 2, placed across the opening in
the holder arm B. From the end of this plate d rises the curved arm L;
provided at its end with an ordinary tension disce (the arm being split
to receive the disc) and a thumbscrew g to regulate its pressure. The
upper thread, as seen in Figure 1, passes from the spool arranged on the
table at any convenient place in the rear of the machine through the
tension disc, and thence in and out of the openings in the plate d and
the eyelets in the plate k, as seen clearly in Figure 1, and through the
eyelets h, h', h², on the vibrating arm, and y on the needle barrel to the
upper needle as seen. It is evident that each time the needle rises the
action of the arm will be to take up the thread by reason of the de-
pression of its inner end, the arrangement and number of the slots in the
plate d and the engaging eyelets on the vibrating arm and needle barrel
being such that the length of thread taken up shall be just sufficient to
complete the stitch. On the end of the shaft G is a spur wheel M
engaging with a pinion 'N on the end of the arbor O, which carries on
its other extremity the spool case holder P; this connection it is evident
being such that the arbor and the spool holder have a regular motion,
which is at the same time almost noiseless. This spool case consists of
substantially two parts, an outer casing R and an inner case S, Figures 5
and 8, the inner case fitting within the case R and having a groove kl,
which receives the ring T screwed to the outer case, as shown. If
preferred, this ring T and case R may be made in one piece, and the
inner case "sprung" into it. This ring also constitutes the hook for
catching the upper thread, the hook o being shaped, as seen clearly in
the above Figures. The inner case S has a hinged oval cover V, which
is kept closed by the spring n. From the upper edge of this cover
projects the curved arm W, having an eye, as shewn in Figure 5, and a
forked point v, as shewn in Figures 5 and 11. The spool p, which is an

page_text: ordinary wooden one, is placed on a rod having a head on either end, one
of them being a screw nut, so that the spool may be held firmly whatever
its size, and is then inserted in the case S, the ends of the rod finding
bearings in hooks 8, s¹. The under thread passes from the spool p
through the eye in W, and thence through the point v. A tension
plate W¹ acts upon this thread, and is regulated by a set screw, as seen.
The forked point venters the hole z in the end of the arm X, thus pre-
venting the case S from revolving with the case R, and also keeping it
in place when the cloth plate of the machine is removed:
The feeding device consists of two small wheels x, x¹, having
roughened or serrated surfaces and attached to an arbor 2 having
its bearings in the cloth plate 3, one end of the arbor having a pinion 4,
Figure 14, gearing with the teeth in the upper face of the wheel 5,
The wheel 5 and the cloth plate 3, which is made to revolve at pleasure
by the thumbscrew 6, thus making a universal feed, are so united as to
leave a slot between their edges to receive the edge of the bed plate,
which thus affords a bearing for the wheel and plate. The union
between these parts is such that the cloth plate may be revolved
without affecting the plate wheel 5, which is the driver of the feed
wheels, and the plate 5 when acting to move the feed wheels will not
disturb the cloth plate, this latter being kept securely in the desired
position by the thumbscrew 6, the head of which is attached to its body
by a screw and spiral spring, as seen clearly in Figures 4 and 19, the
head having a stud on the lower edge, which by drawing out the head
is made to engage or disengage with corresponding slots in the bed
plate. Gearing with the wheel 5 is the wheel 9 on a cylindrical
shaft 10, having on its other end the plate 11, which has two rings on
its face with a channel 12 between them.
Inside of the cylindrical shaft 10 is another cylindrical shaft 13,
having attached to its upper end the lever 14, while to its lower end
is attached the gear wheel 15, which works between the arms of the
slotted lever 16, one arm of which is a rack, as seen in Figure 12.
A rod 17 passes through this last shaft, and is secured by a screw 18
passing through the plate 19, the one pin or rod thus holding all the
parts together. In the slot 20 of the lever 16 is the pin 21 of the
dog 22, while on the other end of the dog is a stud 23, which works
in the channel 12 of the plate 11, while attached to the plate 19 is a
dog 24, also working in the same channel, as seen clearly in Figure 13.

page_text: To each of these dogs is attached a spring, as seen in Figure 13, the free
ends of which play in opposite directions, so that the dogs may bite
alternately, as will be seen. On the end of the lever 16 is a slotted
vertical arm 25 in which plays the ball of the diagonal crank pin 26 on
the end of the driving shaft G, which as the shaft G revolves gives a
reciprocating lateral motion to the lever 16, and through it gives an
intermittent motion to the feed wheels. The dog 22 is arranged to bite
the plate 11, causing it to move with the lever in its forward stroke,
while the dog 24 prevents the return stroke of the lever from affecting
the plate, its spring as stated being arranged to hold the plate for the
second bite of dog 22. By means of the lever 14 the gear wheel 15 is
made to act upon the slotted lever 16, giving it a longitudinal movement
in the line of the machine, causing the pin of the dog 22 to move in
the opposite direction in the slot 20 of the lever, thus increasing or
diminishing the length of the stitch, which as has been explained is
made by the action of the dogs on the plate 11. The under side of
the lever 14 has a tooth which engages with a rack 27, as seen in
Figure 1.
Attached to the fixed arm B are two cylinders 28 and 29. In the
former is the piston of the presser foot 30, which has the ordinary
spiral spring or catch 34 to lift it, as seen in the Drawing, while in
the latter is the piston 31 carrying the straight grooved eye pointed
needle 32, the piston being connected by a rod 33 to the vibrating arm.
The needle 32 is made with a hooked head, as seen in Figure 20, while
the inner faces of the jaws on the end of the piston are made to slightly.
approach each other at the point 35, while the inner faces of the points
have a channel to receive the needle. To insert the needle I pass it
between the jaws above the pin 36 in the manner shewn, with the point
of the hook down, I then draw it through till the hook and pin engage,
the head being too large to pass through, I then draw the piston up into
the cylinder, and the needle is set as soon as it is "sprung" into the
channel between the points of the jaws.
The article to be sewn being now placed on the cloth plate in the
usual manner, and power applied to the machine, the downward thrust
of the needle carries the upper thread through the cloth and into the
depression 37 in the case S, directly behind the arm W, when the hook o,
as the needle rises catches the upper thread, the case being so adjusted
on its shaft that just before the eye of the needle is withdrawn from the

page_text: depression 37 the hook shall pass above the eye between the needle and
thread and catch and carry the thread' with it: As the thread is carried
along by the hook the case S'divides the thread, one part of the loop
passing outside of the oval cover V while the other passes between the
cases S and R, there' being sufficient space between the two cases to
admit of this, and the flange on the face of S being partially cut out
from the point 38 to 39 to leave a space between the edge of the ring T
and the case S during the whole revolution of R, there being also a
space between the ends of the ring T, as seen. As the case R revolves
the under side of the loop assumes successively the positions indicated
by the dotted lines 40, 41, Figure 5, the position indicated by 41 being
that at which the take-up begins to act, and the position of the hook at
the top of the Figure being that at which the thread is drawn up and
from the hook to complete the loop.
A stitch is made at every alternate revolution of the hook, as the
gearing is such that the hook makes two revolutions to each revolution
of the driving shaft of the needle arm, the take-up being so adjusted as
to draw the stitch tight before the needle reaches the cloth to commence
a new stitch. The feed wheels being arranged on either side and a little
in front of the needle draw the cloth through and from the needle'
instead of pushing it through, thus obviating the liability to wrinkling
incident to the other mode of feeding.
Instead of the spool case and holder above described I may use
another of a different construction, as now to be explained, the remaining,
parts of the machine being identically the same as already described.
The spool case 42 is made in two parts d, d³, Figure 26, connected by a-
hinge e, and a catch not shewn. There is a slot in the line of union'
of the parts of the case extending from the hinge to the point 6, ás
shewn clearly in Figures 23 and 24. One edge of the slot is cut so as to
form a hook g on the side d.
The manner of attaching this case to the shaft so that while revolving
with the same it may catch the upper thread, make a loop, and pass
through it to make the stitch is as follows:-A metal plate 43 is keyed
to the end of the shaft, and on the face of this is a loose disc 44 having
two notches o, o¹, shown more clearly in Figure 25. This disc is united
loosely to the spool case by two flanges 8, 8, on the face d of the spool
case. The disc turns freely in either direction on the arbor. A curved

page_text: arm Z forming a part of the plate 43 has on its end a ratchet pinion 45; -
which enters a slot in the face of the spool case, thus causing the shaft
in its revolution to carry with it the spool case.
The device for holding the under spool 46, which may be the ordinary
wooden one, consists of four curved arms p, p', p², p². To p is hinged
a rod v having on its other end a moveable head r, which rests in a slot
in the top of p. This head being removed the spool is slipped on the
röd, the head replaced, and the rod returned to its former position. Two
pivots, one on p¹ and the other on p³, find bearings in the side of the
spool case, so that the spool and holder swing freely in it and do not
revolve with the case. The arm p' has an eye h,' shown clearly in
Figure 22, while beneath the spool is a rod a connecting p and p². A
hooked spring is attached by a set screw t to p¹ so that its pressure is
upon pi; in other words the tension of the under thread may be.
regulated by the screw..
The thread is carried from the spool around the rod r, under the hook"
of the spring; and then through the eye h, as seen in Figure 22, out"
through an opening in the side of the spool case. The operation of
this case is as follows:-The downward thrust of the needle carries the
upper thread through the cloth and into the slot of the spool case so
far that, the point of the hook g shall catch the thread on the upward
stroke of the needle, the spool case being so adjusted on the shaft, that
just before the eye of the needle is withdrawn from the slot the hook
shall pass above the eye between the thread and needle and catch the
thread and carry it around with it.
i
As the thread is carried along by the hook the spool case divides the
loop, passes through it, and forms the stitch as follows:-The hook.
revolving carries with it the loop, which gradually opens, allowing the
case to enter it till reaching the position shewn in Figure 23 one side
of the loop drops between the disc 44 and the case, as shewn. Up to
this point the disc revolves with the case; but now as the case continues
to revolve the loop draws against the notch o¹, causing the disc to:
revolve in the opposite direction, as indicated by the arrows, till the case.
assumes the position shown in Figure 24, when the thread slipping-
from notch o¹ enters notch o, which is just in position to receive it,
at this point the "take-up" requires to act, and drawing on the loop
causes the disc to revolve in the other direction, as indicated by the

page_text: arrows, thus releasing the thread from the disc and then drawing the
loop through the ratchet wheel 45 up into the cloth, thereby completing
the stitch, the take-up being so adjusted as to draw the stitch tight
before the needle reaches the cloth in its second downward thrust.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood I am aware that a vertically rotating hook
has been already used for the purpose of forming a loop in the upper
thread, and that a single roughened wheel for moving the cloth and a
partially revolving cloth plate are not new, therefore I do not claim such
a device, but I claim,-
First. The spool case 42 formed in two parts, having a hook on its
periphery and containing within it a device for holding an ordinary
wooden spool and giving tension to its thread, the spool remaining still
while the case revolves, and having united with such case a loose disc 44
and plate 43 with an arm Z and pinion 45 in combination with a
vertical eye-pointed needle carrying the thread of another ordinary spool
and a take-up arranged as shown, all constructed in combination with
suitable operating mechanism to make stitches, substantially as herein
specified.
Second. A spool case constructed to contain within it an ordinary
spool and a device for giving tension to the thread, and provided with a
loose disc and fixed plate so constructed that the case will when moved
by suitable mechanism operate in connection with a vertically vibrating
eye-pointed needle carrying a thread, to seize such thread, form it into a
loop and gradually spread' such loop till the case and its enclosed spool
has passed completely through the same, in combination with a suitable
take-up device to draw the loop tight as the case leaves it, thus
completing the stitch, the various parts being constructed and combined
substantially as herein specified.
Third. The spool case 42 consisting of two parts d, d¹, one of which
has a hook on its periphery, a loose disc 44, and plate 43, the several
parts being constructed and combined substantially as and for the
purpose herein specified.
Fourth. The combination of the spool case 42 with a loosely swinging
spool holder composed of four arms, one of which is provided with a

page_text: hooked tension spring z and eyelet h, the case being connected rigidly
with a horizontal shaft and suitable operating mechanism to rotate in a
vertical or nearly vertical plane with reference to the bed plate of the
machine, and while so rotating seizing, spreading, and passing com
pletely through a loop of thread brought down by a vertically
vibrating needle, such upper thread being acted upon by a suitable
take-up to draw the loop tight immediately upon its passing from the
spool case, and the various parts being arranged and combined
substantially as herein specified.
Fifth. Feeding by mechanism substantially as herein-before described,
and consisting of two small wheels revolving intermittently and having
roughened or serrated surfaces, the shaft to which they are attached
having fixed bearings and being so arranged in relation to the cloth
plate that the needle shall pass between the wheels which in combination
with a downward yielding pressing surface operate by and during their
rotary motion to draw the cloth through and from the clamping surfaces;
the various parts being constructed and operating substantially as herein
set forth.
Sixth. Combining with the bed plate of a sewing machine a com-
pletely and continuously revolving plate to support the cloth, such
revolving plate giving support to a rotary feed device consisting of two
small wheels with roughened or serrated surfaces and a wheel plate
communicating motion to the said feed wheels by gearing on the upper
surface of said wheel plate engaging with a pinion on the arbor of said
feed wheels, the various parts being combined, constructed, and operating
substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
Seventh. The holder R having a hook o on its periphery, spool case S
having a hinged cover V, tension plate W and hooks 8, 8¹, for supporting
an ordinary wooden spool, the spool and its case S being held stationary
by an arm X while the holder revolves in combination with a vertical
eye-pointed needle carrying the thread of another ordinary spool and a
take-up device on the vibrating and fixed arms, all arranged in com-
bination with suitable operating mechanism to make stitches substantially
as herein described.
Eighth. A spool case holder having connected with it a spool case
fitted to hold an ordinary spool and having a device for giving tension to
the thread of the same, the holder and case being so combined that

page_text: plate k, and its eyelets c, c², c³, vibrating arm C, and the eyelets, h, h¹, y,
all combined and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifteenth. A needle holder for a sewing machine, consisting of a
cylinder 29, piston 31, having jaws 35 and a pin 36, all combined and
constructed substantially as set forth.
Sixteenth. The combination of the needle holder above described
with a hook-headed needle 32, substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.
Witness,
CHAS. J. GOOCH.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)