Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Charles Culley, of 126 Manning
Avenue, Toronto, Canada, Shoemaker, John Mabbat Denton, of 372 Richmond
Street, London, Canada, Merchant Tailor, Joseph Sanderson, of 154 Mutual Street,
Toronto, Canada, Brush Maker, and Barbara Muirhead, of 402 Bloor Street,
Toronto, Canada, Lady), and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved sewing machine for sewing shoes with
metallic wire or with wax thread, and the object of the invention is to provide a
machine for sewing those particular classes of shoes known as "turns" and "welt
work" with metallic wire or wax thread. Metallic wire being considerably stronger
than the materials heretofore in use the durability of the shoe will be increased
almost proportionally.
I attain the foregoing object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings, in which similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts
throughout, and—
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the machine, and a portion of the stand
on which it is mounted.
Figure 2 represents a side elevation of the same to more fully illustrate the
mechanism.
Figure 3 represents a detail of a portion of the mechanism around the needle to
more fully illustrate the same, the needle being in the raised position and the other
parts changed accordingly from that shown by Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the parts shown by the foregoing figure.
Figure 5 represents a rear elevation of the machine to show the gripping device
to secure the rest bar.
The main frame, 1, has suitable support by which it is secured to a stand of
convenient height.
On the upper extremities 2 of the frame 1 are provided bearings, 3, to support
the main shaft, 4, to revolve therein.
The main shaft, 4, supports a number of cams hereinafter referred to in detail,
and a driving-wheel, 5, on the rear end by which it is driven by a belt, 6, from a
pulley, 7, having the ordinary friction clutch, operated by the foot through the
medium of a pedal and connecting-rod, the latter partly shown.
Between the bearings, 3, on the main shaft, 4, is secured a grooved-cam, 8, which
operates a bell crank lever, 9, by means of a roller, 10, secured on the vertical arm
of said lever, and engaging said cam.
The lever, 9, is secured to vibrate on a pin, 11, and at the other extremity from
the roller, 10, and the connecting-rod, 12, is adjustably secured in a slot, 13, formed
in said lever and on a radius equal to the length of the connecting-rod, 12, which
is jointed at its lower end to the needle-lever, 14, to operate it to vibrate on its
fulcrum-pin, 15, secured in a bearing formed on the main frame, 1.
The said needle lever, 14, is divided at its lower end and adapted to carry the
curved needle, 16, secured therein by a clamping screw, 17, securing the needle
between the divided portions of the end of said lever.
The needle support, 18, is a small lever having a hole through its lower extremity
to admit the needle, 16, and is supported on the same fulcrum-pin, 15, and between
the halves of said lever, 14, which are saddled over it. The upper extremity of
said needle support, 18, has a spiral spring, 19, secured to it and to the frame, 1,

page_text: for the purpose of keeping the lower end of said support, 18, depressed to
support the needle, 16, near the point on entering the work.
The face cam, 20, secured on the main shaft, 4, conveniently outside the
bearings, 3, is for the purpose of operating the work along from one stitch to
another.
The lever, 21, supported at its lowest extremity on a pin, 22, to vibrate by
contact of the roller, 23, carried in its upper extremity, with the cam, 20, has a
spiral-spring, 24, around the pin, 22, to maintain said lever, 21, in close contact
to operate the commecting-rod, 25, secured at one end in the slot, 26, in said
lever, 21, and at its opposite end it is secured by a joint, 27, to the work-piece, 28,
dovetailed to slide on the main-frame, 1, as shown by Figs. 2, 3, and 4.
The slot, 26, is curved on a radius equal the length of the connecting-rod, 25,
as a means to regulate the throw of the work-piece, 28, for the length of stitch.
Between suitable lugs, 29, extending from the top of the work-piece, 28, is hinged
a curved lever, 30, having the presser-foot, 31, secured thereto and terminating in
bifurcated ends between which the needle, 16, passes after piercing the work, to
which the said presser-foot, 31, forms a back stop. To the lower extremity of the
curved lever, 30, is hinged the jointed connecting-rod, 32, connected to and
operated by the lever, 33, supported to vibrate on the pin, 34, secured in the
main frame, 1, and at its upper end it engages the cam, 35, carried on the main
shaft, 4, and by which the said lever, 30, is operated back and forth, while the
cam, 20, through its connections operates the lever, 30, laterally.
At the upper
extremity of the lever, 30, another lever, 36, is maintained in contact by a small
spring, 37, secured as shown to each of said levers, 30, and, 36.
The lever, 36, is pivoted on the pin, 38, secured in the frame 1, and slides.
laterally with the work-piece 28, on said pin 38, and has a feed point, 39, adjustably
secured to its lower extremity. The feed-point, 39, is curved to operate close to
and on a level with the presser-foot, 31, but on the front side of the work, while
the foot, 31, is on the rear, and when the presser-foot, 31, engages the work in
rear the feet-point, 39, acts in conjunction with it and engages it at the front side,
and during the engagement the cam, 20, operates the work-piece, 28, to move the
work another stitch space.
On the main frame, 1, close to the needle lever, 14, is secured by screws the
work guide, 40, curved as shown and terminating close to said needle lever, 14, and
the needle support, 18, when they are depressed.
The toe or point of the guide, 40, is adapted to engage the channel cut in the
work for the sewing to be performed in, so that the point of said guide is
necessarily on the same level as the needle when at the lower end of its movement.
The guide, 40, remains fixed, but the presser-foot, 31, and the feed-point, 39,
operate laterally when the needle, 16, is disengaged from the work, but they
remain steady when the needle is engaged, as the needle lever, 14, has no lateral
motion.
On the main shaft, 4, is also carried the looper-cam, 41, which projects forward
and laterally about equally at, 42. The looper-lever, 43, hinged to the main-
frame, 1, by swivelled lugs, 44, secured therein supports suitable anti-friction
rollers, 45, and 46, at its upper end to bear against the said looper-zam, 41. The
spring, 47, secures the lateral contact of roller, 46, and another spring, 48, secures
contact of the roller, 45, backward against said looper-cam, 41. The action of the
said cam, 41, operates the lower extremity of the looper-lever, 43, on which is
carried the looper, 49, of the round form shown, having a hollow axis at the end
which terminates on the rear side a slight distance from the extremity.
The looper, 49, is for the purpose of carrying the wire (carried by the hollow
axis therein) around the needle, 16, when it has penetrated the work by the action
of the looper-cam, 41, actuating the looper, 49, in a circumscribing course about
the needle, 16, so that the hook usual on all needles for this purpose will draw the
wire through the work on its return movement.
The normal relative position of the looper, 49, to that of the needle, 16, at

page_text: depression is on the upper right side, from which it moves in a downward left
course and returns by the reverse side of the needle, 16, or to the upper side
and to the right.
Below the presser-foot, 31, is situated the spring cushioned rest, 50, the bar or
shank, 51, of which rest, 50, is carried in brackets, 52, suspended from the under-
side of the main frame, 1, and secured to reciprocate forward by a spring, 53,
spirally encircling the shank or bar, 51, and pressing against an adjustable
collar, 54, on the shank, 51, at one end and against the rear bracket, 52, at its
opposite end.
On the rear extremity of the bar, 51, is provided a clutch lever, 55, having a
half round therein to engage the bar, 51.
The clutch-lever, 55, has a fulcrum-pin, 56, near its centre to secure it to the rear
bracket. 52, and at its opposite extremity is connected to a vertical rod, 57,
guided in bearings, 58, on the main frame, 1, and adjustably connected to the
clutch-lever. 55.
On the main shaft, 4, and outside the rear bearing, 3, is secured the clutch-
cam, 59, (similar to cam, 20) for the purpose of securing the bar, 51, clutched
rigidly through its contact with the roller, 60, on the end of the rod, 57.
When the machine is in operation the shoe or work bears against the rest, 50,
and compresses it according to the outline or form of the shoe, and at the instant
the work is being pierced by the needle, 16, the cam, 59, grips the shank or
bar, 51, and secures it against yielding or giving way.
On the front end of the main shaft, 4, is secured a hand wheel, 61, as a
means to operate for adjustment, and in setting the machine. The supply of
wire is carried as shown by Figs. 2 and 5 on spools supported in rear and the
wire is used double which is practicable on account of its flexibility, and for
the purpose two spools are used, having a simple tension device to hold them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In combination, the grooved-cam on the main shaft the bell-crank lever
secured on the main frame and engaging said cam by its vertical arm, the
connecting-rod connected to the bell-crank lever at one end and to the needle
lever at its opposite extremity, the means in the said bell-crank lever to adjust the
throw of the needle lever, the needle lever supported to vibrate on its fulcrum-pin
in the main frame, and the needle support carried on the fulcrum-pin with the needle
lever saddled over it, substantially as shown and described.
2. In combination, the cam on the main shaft to operate the work-piece, the
lever supported on the main frame at its lower end, a spring to maintain the upper
end of said lever engaged with said cam, the connecting bar secured at one end to
said lever and to the work-piece at its opposite end, the work-piece dovetailed to
slide on its bearing on the main frame, the front lever having the feed-point at its
lower extremity and pivoted in the main frame to operate with the said work-piece,
the rear curved lever supported pivoted to the top of said work-piece and the
presser-foot carried by said lever, substantially as shown and described.
3. In combination, the grooved-cam on the main shaft to operate the presser-foot,
the lever secured centrally to the main frame and engaging said cam at its upper
end, the jointed connecting-bar connected to the lower end of said lever, and said
jointed connecting-bar connecting said lever with the curved lever carrying the
presser-foot thereon, substantially as shown and described.
4. In combination, the looper-cam carried on the main shaft, and the looper-
lever supported medially by a swivel-bearing on the main frame, the springs
securing the upper end of said lever in contact with the cam, and the looper on
the lower end of said lever and having a hollow axis therein to carry the wire,
substantially as shown and described.
5. In combination, the clutch cam on the main shaft and in rear of the main

page_text: frame, the vertical rod carried in bearings on said main frame and in contact at
its upper end with said cam, the clutch lever pivoted medially to the main frame
and adjustably connected to the lower end of said vertical rod, and the rest bar
supported from the main frame and engaged by said clutch lever at its rear end
and having a spring to actuate it as specified and a rest on its front end substantially
as shown and described.
6. In combination with a machine for the purpose specified the fixed pulley
supported on a shaft in rear of the machine, the loose pulley in juxtaposition
with the fixed pulley on the same shaft, and the means as specified to operate the
same by frictional contact by a foot lever, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 1st day of July 1891.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.