IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, MORE ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR STRAW BRAID WORK
Year: 1876

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, MORE ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR
STRAW BRAID WORK." A communication from abroad by Mary Permellia
Carpenter, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, MORE
ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR STRAW BRAID WORK." A communication.
This Invention more especially relates to that class of sewing machines for sewing
straw braid, in which an eye-pointed needle of curvilinear or circular form, and
having a curvilinearly reciprocating motion is used, said needle operating in con-
junction with other devices, including a hook for catching the loop to produce a
single thread chain stitch.
The said Invention consists in the combination with an eye-pointed circular
needle and a work feeder of the loop catching and spreading hook and operative
mechanism, whereby three distinct motions are imparted to said hook, namely, an
oscillating motion on its own axis, a vibratory motion in a transverse relation with
the feed, and a reciprocating motion in the direction of the feed.
The said Invention also consists in an oscillating feeder, which is combined with
an oscillating needle having its shank or carrier arranged to pass through the feeder,
and to work or oscillate between the centre of motion of the feeder and its feeding
surface.
The said Invention further consists in a work table and presser foot supporter or
carrier combined with the main frame carrying a feeder and sewing mechanism, said
supporter or carrier being hung at its rear end to the rear portion of the main frame,
whereby the work supporting and holding devices and the work itself inay
together be thrown up or back without interfering with or disturbing the sewing
and feeding devices.
The said Invention further consists in the combination of a shaft or carrier

page_text: carrying an oscillating piercing needle, and constructed with a screw with a cam
and shaft arranged parallel with the said shaft or carrier and a lever working
as an ut on said screw, whereby the proper oscillating motion is given to said
needle.
The said Invention further consists in the combination of a presser foot, a lever
carrying the presser foot, and a roller guide.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st September 1876.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, MORE
ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR STRAW BRAID WORK." A communication from abroad
by Mary Permellia Carpenter, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
This Invention more especially relates to that class of sewing machines for sewing
straw braid, in which an eye-pointed needle of euvilinear or circular form, and having
a curvilinearly reciprocating motion is used, the said needle operating in conjunction
with other devices, including a hook for catching the loop to produce a single thread
chain stitch.
The said Invention consists in the combination with an eye-pointed circular
needle and a work feeder of the loop catching and spreading hook and operating
mechanism, as described, whereby the three distinct motions are imparted to said
hook, namely, an oscillating motion on its own axis, a vibratory motion in a
transverse relation with the feed, and a reciprocating motion in direction of the
feed.
The said Invention further consists in an oscillating feeder, which is combined
with an oscillating needle having its shank or carrier arranged to pass through the
feeder, and to work or oscillate between the centre of notion of the feeder and its
feeding surface.
The said Invention further consists in a work table and presser foot supporter or
carrier combined with the main frame carrying a feeder and sewing mechanism, said
supporter or carrier being hung at its rear end to the rear portion of the main frame,
whereby the work supporting and holding devices and the work itself may together
be thrown up or back without interfering with or disturbing the sewing and feeding
devices.
The said Invention further consists in the combination of a shaft or carrier car-
rying an oscillating piercing needle, and constructed with a screw with a cain and
shaft arranged parallel with the said shaft or carrier, and a lever working as a nut
on said screw, whereby the proper oscillating motion is given to said needle.
The said Invention further consists in the combination of a presser foot, a lever
carrying the presser foot, and a roller guide.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.

page_text: Figure 11 is a front view of like devices in different positions; and Figures 12
and 13 are plans or diagrams of the needle and hook in different positions.
Figure 14 is an under side view of the forward portion of the presser foot.
A is the base portion or main frame of the machine; and B, the revolving main
or driving shaft receiving its motion from a pulley C or otherwise; D is the work
table and pressor foot carrier or supporter, which is hinged at its back b to the
main frame, and passes over the top of the latter and down in front of it, forming a
work table D¹, over and across which in the direction indicated by the arrow x, in
Figures 4 and 6, the braid or strips of braid c, c', lapping one over the other are fed,
said table being provided with any suitable adjustable back guide for the back or
inner strip of braid c', while the other or front strip travels in front of and is guided
by a free wheel or roller E. Said strips of braid aro introduced under a front lip,
and from thence under a presser foot F to and under a rising and falling back
clamp G. H is a swinging clamp or lover pivoted at e for holding down the work
table and presser foot carrier D to its place, subject to adjustment by a screw f in
an up or down direction or relatively to the feeder I and needle J. The front lip
under which the braid is introduced, the guide wheel or roller E, and the presser
foot F are all carried by a lever K pivoted at g to the work table carrier D, which
lever is held down to its place by a spring subject to a general adjustment by a
screw, and a special adjustment of the presser foot by a screw . L is a cam lever
by which the lever K with its attachments, including the presser foot, are raised
when it is desired to introduce or remove tho goods to be stitched. The rising and
falling clamp G is formed by a lever pivoted at to the work table carrier D; this
clamp serves to hold in a firm or positive manner, and independently of the presser
foot, the work down to its place from slipping or moving backward while the curved
needle J is being passed through the goods in a reverse direction to the feed, but
which clamp is released when the needle is out of the goods, and the feed is being
made. The clamp G is thus operated or made to rise and fall alternately by means
of a spring lifter M controlled by a cam N on the main shaft B, or by any other
suitable devices.
O is the needle carrier, which is formed of an oscillating shaft arranged to extend
backward parallel with the shaft B, but above it, and which projects sufficiently in
front of the main frame A by which it is carried to provide for the attachment of
the needle J in proper relation with the presser foot F, and in front of the
oscillating feeder I. To thus arrange the needle in relation with the oscillating
feeder, which works on a centre at m, and is of a curved or arc shape on its feeding
surface, the needle carrier O or needle shank, which virtually forms an extension of
said carrier, is arranged to work between the centre of oscillation m of the feeder
and the feeding surface or portion of the latter. The arc-shaped feeding portion of
the feeder is connected either by an arm at its one end, or by arms at its opposito
ends, with the centre boss or portion of the feeder, thus providing for the passage
of the needle carrier or needle shank through the feeder. The needle carrier or
shaft O is primarily operated by means of a grooved cam P on the main shaft B,
and which is constructed to give the requisite intermittent oscillating motions to
the needle through a lever Q, pivoted at n, and in roller gear with said cam. This
lever Q carries two pins or studs 7, r, arranged to cross the shaft or carrier O on
opposite sides of its axis, and to fit or gear with a quick screw 8 on the shaft O,
thus making the lever Q as it is moved to and fro by the cam P to act as a
sliding nut on the screw 8, and so oscillate the needle carrier or shaft O as required.
The oscillating feeder I, which is a four-motion feeder, is operated as follows:-
R is a lever pivoted at t to the main frame A, and forming a bearing for the pivot m
of the oscillating feeder I. The pivot or shaft t of this lever R is controlled by a
spring, which operates in concert with a cam S on the main shaft to give the
alternate necessary rise and fall to the feeder I to provide for the feeder I rising
and taking hold of the goods when making the feed, and of its falling and being
released from the goods at other periods. Another cam T on the main shaft B
operates in alternate relation with a spring u on the pivot m of the feeder to actuate

page_text: i
a bell-crank lever U fast to the feeder I, for the purpose of oscillating the feeder in
the direction of the feed and back again in appropriate relation with the rise and
fall of the feeder to effect the feed, as in other four-motion feeds. V is an adjustable
stop, against which the lever U works to regulate the length of feed.
The needle I is eye pointed of curvilinear or circular form, and has a curvilinearly
reciprocating or oscillating motion, as described, and works, as it passes with its
thread a during each stroke, first up through the goods, and then down through
them and back again, that is, supposing the parts connected with the sewing
mechanism to be arranged in relation with each other as described, and whereby
only a short or small neat stitch is formed on the upper or exposed side of the goods
for a comparatively long stitch on its under side. Said parts which are connected
with the sewing mechanism might however be reversed, and the fair line of stitching
be on the reverse side of the goods. The thread a¹ is taken from a spool A¹ on the
main frame, and from thence through suitable guides and one or more tension
devices and take-ups to the needle, passing within the groove in the back of the
latter, and through the eye in the point of the curved needle. To provide for the
proper passage of said needle with its thread through the portion of the goods held
down by the presser foot, the latter is constructed with a longitudinal groove b¹ in
the under side of its face or forward bearing portion, within which groove the
needle is free to move as it is oscillated from its centre or pivot m.
B is the hook which catches the loop, and in conjunction with the curved
needle J and feeding devices does the necessary sewing. Prior to describing the
action of this hook and the means by which it is operated, it will here be observed
that said hook, together with its operating devices, as also the feeder and needle
and their operating devices, or in other words the sewing mechanism generally, are
all carried by the main frame A, while the work table D' and the presser F are
carried by the hinge piece or supporter D, so that on releasing the latter by
swinging back the lever clamp H, said supporter with its attachments, and with the
work or braid still in its place, may all be swung or thrown back from the hinge b
as a centre of motion to facilitate adjustment or repair of the sewing mechanism,
or of arranging the thread in case it should become snarled, or for any other purpose
or purposes that may be necessary.
The action of the hook B₁ is as follows:-The hook which occupies an upright
position in front of the feeder I and needle J has its shank d arranged to oscillate
in a socket c¹ of a horizontal lever C₁, having its fulcrum f¹ on the under side of.
the main frame, and which is not only free to rock on said fulcrum, but also by
means of a slotted construction of said lever is capable of being moved longi-
tudinally in direction of its length. Thus, referring more particularly to Figures 7,
8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, of the Drawing, supposing the curved needle J to have
completed its forward stroke through the goods, and to have commenced to retire
or make its back stroke, as shewn in Figures 7 and 8 of the Drawing, leaving an
exposed portion of the needle thread for the look to take hold of, the hook B¹
then, or rather shortly before the needle J commences its back stroke, moves
together with its lever C¹ horizontally backward, so as to enter between the needle
thread and needle, after which the needle makes its back stroke out of the goods,
and the hook B' is turned by the cam E¹ on or by its shank ', and is moved by
the vibration of its lever C in direction of the feed to spread or turn and adjust
the loop into a suitable position for the next passage of the needle with its thread
through it, as shewn in Figures 9 and 10 of the Drawing. After this the hook B¹
is turned by the cam E on or by its shank in a reverse direction, and moved
borizontally outward by the forward longitudinal sliding of the lever C", so as to
carry it out of its loop and adjusting the hook in relation with the needle, as repre-
sented in Figure 12. The lever is then vibrated in a reverse direction to the
feed, to bring the hook into its normal position after the needle has again passed
through the goods, and before the hook is slid backward to enter again between the
needle thread and needle, as represented in Figure 13 of the Drawing. The
feed of the goods of course takes place when the needle is out of the goods, and

page_text: when the hook B¹ is travelling in direction of the feed. The means for accom-
plishing these several movements of the hook in relation to the needle may be
varied, but the devices here shown consist of a cam E' on the forward end of the
main shaft B operating on a toe g¹ as against a spring to oscillate the hook, and
an eccentric F and cam groove therein on said shaft B to vibrate, and to give the
lever C its requisite longitudinal movements, the spring h¹ serving to keep both
the toe g in contact with the cam El and the lever C in contact with its grooved
eccentric F
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
that I claim,
First. The combination with the eye pointed circular needle and a work feeder of
the loop catching and spreading hook and operating mechanism, whereby three
distinct notions are imparted to said hook, namely, an oscillating motion on its
own axis, a vibratory motion in a transverse relation to the feed, and a reciprocating
motion in the direction of the feed, as above specified.
Second. The oscillating feeder in combination with the oscillating needle, having
the shank or carrier arranged to pass through the feeder, and to work or oscillato
between the centre of motion of the feeder and its feeding surface, as above
described.
Third. The work table and presser foot support or carrier in combination with
the main frame carrying the feeder and sewing mechanism, said supporter or carrier
being hung at its rear end to the rear portion of the main frame, whereby the
work supporting and holding devices and the work itself may together be thrown
up or back without interfering with or disturbing the sewing and feeding devices,
as above specified.
Fourth. The combination of parts comprising the shaft or carrier carrying the
oscillating piercing needle and constructed with a screw, the cam and shaft
arranged parallel with said shaft or carrier, and the lever working as a nut on said
screw, whereby the proper oscillating motion is given to said needle, as above set
forth.
Fifth. The combination of the presser foot, the lever carrying the said presser
foot, and the roller guide, as above described.
Sixth. A machine for sewing straw braid and for similar purposes, consisting of
the various devices and combination of parts shewn in the accompanying Drawing,
aud operating as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
W ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)