Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM HENRY HARRAP, of Richmond Street, Salford, Manchester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements are more particularly applicable to that type of sewing machine
employed for temporarily sewing together piece ends for bleaching, dyeing or
printing purposes. The ordinary sewing machine leaves a free edge & thickness
of cloth which is disadvantageous, but by placing the pieces end to end, and over-
lapping them sufficiently, two rows of stitches may be arranged so as to catch the
free edge of one piece and hold to the cloth of the other piece, while in no part
will there be more than two thicknesses of cloth. My improvements allow this
double stitching to be carried out in a simple manner, and without interfering
with the advantages of a rotary feed capable of dealing with heavy goods.
The machine consists of a suitably formed body part on the end of which is
bolted an L shaped arm carrying the needle slide. The said needle slide is prefer-
ably square in shape, and has a suitable projection for holding two needles side
by side. In a convenient position near the needle slide is provided a presser bar
on the end of which is the presser foot having two grooves in it to allow the passage
of the two rows of pins on the feed rings hereinafter described. The said presser
foot is also pierced for the two needles and may be raised or lowered in any usual
well known manner. The intermittent feed motion is produced by means of
internally toothed rings, on the external face of which are pins, preferably about
one-eighth of an inch apart, carrying the cloth to the needles. The cloth is made
to leave the pin points by means of a two pronged stripper, fixed to the body, and
pressing against the rings as they revolve. A rising guard may be provided to
relieve the cloth from the pins when it is required to remove said cloth after sewing.
The aforesaid feed rings are carried in suitable grooves or rims fixed to the body
of the machine or they may be mounted on rollers. The machine is provided with
a top shaft carried in suitable bearings in the L shaped arm. On one end of the
top shaft is fixed a radial arm engaging with the needle slide, on the other end is
also fixed a radial arm actuated by a connecting rod, and eccentric on the bottom
shaft. The machine is driven by suitable handwheels or belt pulleys on the said
bottom shaft. The feed rings are driven by toothed pinions engaging with the
internal teeth on said rings. These toothed pinions are attached to a spindle on
which is also fixed a ratchet wheel driven by a pawl which is carried in a suitable
case or box rocking on the aforesaid spindle. The said case or box is actuated
by the end of a lever, the other end of which is operated by a connecting rod and
eccentric on the bottom shaft. The lever is provided with an adjustment so as
to produce varying stitches. The loopers to make the chain stitch are right and
left handed, facing one another, and revolving in the same direction. Motion is
transmitted from the bottom shaft to the spindles which carry the loopers by means
of suitable mitre and pinion wheels on intermediate vertical and horizontal shafts.
Each looper may be driven independently by spur pinions operated from a hori-
zontal shaft immediately below the spindles. The feed motion is arranged to stop

page_text: the moment the needle enters the cloth, and recommences as soon as said needle
leaves the cloth in the usual manner. The bobbin holders are fixed at the back
part of the head of the machine, and the cotton is led therefrom through suitable
tensions, and eyes, to the needle. The ordinary guard to the front of the machine
may be provided.
Dated thin Thifth day of T1007
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM HENRY HARRAP, Engineer, of Richmond Hill, Blackfriars Street,
Salford, Manchester, and Harefield House, The Priory, Higher Broughton,
Manchester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My improvements are more particularly applicable to that type of sewing
machine employed for temporarily sewing together piece ends for bleaching, dyeing,
finishing, manufacturing or printing purposes. The ordinary sewing machine
leaves a free edge and thickness of cloth, which is disadvantageous, but by placing
the pieces end to end, and overlapping them sufficiently, two rows of stitches may
be arranged so as to catch the free edge of one piece and hold to the cloth of the
other piece, while in no part will there be more than two thicknesses of cloth.
My improvements allow this double stitching to be carried out in a simple
manner, and without interfering with the advantages of a rotary feed capable of
dealing with heavy goods.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood, I have caused to
be attached hereto one sheet of drawings in which similar letters refer to similar
parts.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine with parts in section.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the feed driving mechanism.
A, the body of the machine, is carried on suitable standards B B. To the body A
is attached an L shaped arm C formed into a box shaped end D carrying the needle
slide E, which is provided with a suitable projection for holding two needles side
by side.
The head D also carries the presser bar F, which may be raised or lowered
in any well known manner. The foot of presser bar F must be pierced for the two
needles and be provided with suitable grooves to allow of the passage of the feed
ring pins as hereinafter described, or I may employ rollers G to suit the said pins.
Two internally toothed rings HH, which revolve in suitable grooves or on rollers
attached to the stationary drum K are provided, for feeding the cloth to the machine,
a suitable inter-mittent motion being imparted to them as hereinafter described.
The feed rings H H are fitted with pins on their external faces, about one-eighth
of an inch apart, to give them a sufficient hold on the cloth, grooves being turned
in the rollers G of the presser foot, to allow the pins to pass under them. Serra-
tions or teeth may, if preferred be formed on the outer face of feed rings HH,
instead of the pins, in which case the presser foot rollers G are provided with
corresponding serrations.
A two pronged stripper L attached to the body A of the machine and press-
ing against the feed rings H H is provided, for the purpose of removing
the cloth from the pins or serrations. A rising guard may be pro-

page_text: vided to relieve the cloth from the pins when said cloth is to be removed from the
machine after the sewing is completed. The first motion or lower shaft M is driven
either by handwheel N or by means of a belt or cord on pulley O.
An eccentric P is keyed to the said shaft M and imparts a vibrating motion to
top shaft Q by means of connecting rod R and crank S. Another crank T is
keyed on the other end of top shaft Q and gives the necessary up and down motion
to the needle slide E. A second eccentric Ü (Fig. 3) is keyed to the aforementioned
shaft M, and is connected by rod V to one end of lever W which turns on pivot X,
the other end of lever W being slotted and connected by an adjustable pin 1 to a
similarly slotted lever 2 which turns about shaft 3 and in so doing moves the pawl
box 4, which carries a pawl engaging with the teeth of ratchet wheel 5. The said
ratchet wheel 5 is keyed on shaft 3, and by means of spur pinions 6, 6, also keyed
on shaft 3, gives the required movement to feed rings H H. The length of stitch
is regulated by the position of the pin 1 in the slots of levers W and 2. The feed
motion is intermittent and is arranged to stop the moment the needles enter the
cloth and recommences as soon as said needles leave the cloth in the usual manner.
The loopers 7, 7, may be right and left handed and mounted on separate
spindles 8 and 9, facing each other, and caused to rotate by spur wheels 10, 10,
driven by shaft 11 which receives motion from the aforementioned shaft M, through
the vertical shaft 12, and the two pairs of mitre wheels 13 and 14. It will be
readily understood that any of the usual well known methods may be adopted
for driving the loopers and if desired ordinary reciprocating hooks may be employed
instead of said loopers.
A bobbin holder 15 may be attached to arm C as shown and the cotton passes
through suitable tensions 16, and eyes, to the needles.
The ordinary guard 17 may be provided to the front of the machine if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In piece end sewing machines, the use of two needles side by side to make two
rows of stitches simultaneously, as and for the purposes herein described.
2. In piece end sewing machines having two needles the feed rings H H, pro-
vided with pins or serrations on the outer face and fitted with internal teeth as and
for the purposes herein described.
3. In piece end sewing machines having two needles the method of driving the
said feed rings H H, by means of eccentric U, levers W and 2 with the adjustable
pin 1, pawl box 4, ratchet wheel 5 and pinions 6, 6, as and for the purposes herein
described.
4. In piece end sewing machines having two needles the method of driving
the loopers by means of bevel wheels 13 and 14, spur pinions 10, 10 mounted on
shafts 11 and 12 as and for the purposes herein described.
5. In piece end sewing machines the combination of the various parts to form
a complete sewing machine as herein described.
Dated this Fourth day of March 1898.