IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCK-STITCH SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Fum of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, Pans, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCK-STITCH SEWING MACHINES" A communication from abroad by Charles
Fiederick Hollis, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Ofhce of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th February 1877
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte,
Palis "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCK-STITCH SEWING MACHINES" A communication
from abroad by Charles Frederick Hollis, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States
of America
This Invention of improvements in lock-stitch sewing machines relates to im-
provements in sewing machines making the lock-stitch, and consists in the
combination of the following instrumentalities, viz -Two perforating eye-pointed
needles to penetrate the material, two shuttles or thread carriers adapted to pass
their spools or bobbins of thread through the loops of needle thread, and a feed
adapted to engage the fabric at the right-hand side of one and at the left-hand side
of the other needle hole to move the material, so that each needle and its corie-
sponding under thread caller will sew two parallel seams, as herein-after set
forth
Also in the combination with two shuttles running face to face of a con-
necting device to operate the auxilliary or second shuttle carrier from the main
carrier
Also in the combination with two shuttles running face to face of a single feeding
device extended across the two shuttles and shuttle races, the thickness of the
feeding device and the position to which it is lowered being such as to allow the
shuttles to move under the feeding device without injurious abrasion.
Also in the combination with two perforating needles and two thread carriers to
гр

page_text: make two parallel lock-stitch seams, as described, of two rolling pressers geared
together substantially as set forth, so that as the main presser on the usual piessei
bai is turned away from the needle next to it the other presser through the con-
necting gear will be simultaneously tuined away from the other needle
Also in a throat plate provided with two needle holes and with a depressed
portion between the noedle holes for the reception of the edges of the material pro-
jecting beyond a seam previously inade in an articlo in which the two parallel
scams are to be sewn parallel thereto, or to which a stay strip is to be stitched, as
herein-after set forth
In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is customary in the better class of work
to sew parallel scams, specially where the vamp and quarter unite with the top
of kid or other material, and also at the seams at the side of the shoe, uniting
the vamps and quarters In shoe work, after the two edges of two pieces of
material, leather, or cloth are sewn together (the two pieces of material lying face
to face) it is customary to open the material, beat out the seam, and then sew two
seams, one each side the closing seam, and parallel therewith. In the same class
of work, instead of sewing the two finishing parallel seams, as just stated, a narrow
stay strip of leather is ficquently applied over the closing scain, and a narrow seam
When these
18 sewn along each edge of the stay stip and into the shoe material
seams are sewn separately, as now practiced, it is in many cases quite difficult or
almost impossible to sew the two seains parallel, and more than twice the amount
of time is icquned to sew two seams simultaneously than is requned to sew the
two scams simultaneously
The Invention may be embodied in several different systems of sewing machinery,
wherein the lock-stitch 19 made both by reciprocating shuttles and rotating hooks
and bobbins for the lower thread
The work support is provided with an arm having a head in which moves the
needle bar, it being reciprocated by a vibrating aim pivotted and operated by
a cam hub on a main shaft The main shuttle driver that moves the inain
shuttle is reciprocated by a horizontally vibrating shuttle lever operated by a cam
grooved hub The main presser bai is provided with a rolling piessel, and is held
down by a suitable sping and is adapted to be lifted and tuined aside from the main
needle by means of a lifter The shaft at its forward end is provided with two
cains, one to act upon the pendent aim of the usual feed bu, and the other upon
the lever pivotted on the feed bar The parts so far descubed are all substantially
as in the well known Howe sewing machine An auxiliary shuttle race is adjustably
arranged parallel with the usual shuttle ince, and in it is placed an auxiliary shuttle,
its face being arranged opposite the face of the main shuttle
Attached to the main shuttle driver actuated from the hub through the usual
lever is an auxiliary hoin elevated at its centre to extend over the walls consti-
tuting the vertical faces of the two races and to engage the auxiliniy shuttle, it
being thereby moved from the main diver A space for the passage of the horn is
left between the tops of the walls and the under side of the work support A four-
motioned feeding device attached to the ordinary feeding bar is constructed to
extend across the walls of the shuttle laces, and substantially across both shuttles
and shuttle races Portions of the 1ough surface of this feeding device are adapted
to engage the material, sewn at the right-hand side of one needle hole, and at
the left-hand side of the other needle hole, the latter being the hole for the auxiliary
needle This feeding device is received in the recess of the throat plate The notch
at the back of the feeding device receives the adjustable needle throat block attached
to a plate by a screw, and provided with two holes for the passage of the needles
The holes in the throat block will be separated from each other the distance it is
desued, the two parallel seams to be separated, and the auxiliary race walls will be
adjusted to correspond with the block being used This block is grooved between
the needle holes to receive the edges of two pieces of material stitched at the edges,
and opened out to be subsequently stitched parallel with and on each side of such
seam, usually called a "closed seam This groove between the holes permits the
"

page_text: work to be pressed down flat upon the throat by the pressers, and the edges of the
closed seam running in the groove assist in guiding the material so as to sew the
two extra seams parallel with the first scam
The needle bar is provided at its lower end with a needle holder adapted to hold
a man needle and an auxiliary needle somewhat separated therefiom Blocks of
different sizes will be employed to hold the needles separated at the proper distance
to enter the holes in the block and work with the shuttle, each shuttle passing only
through the loop of thread carried by the needle ananged to operate with it The
main presser bai carries a collar oi pinion provided with teeth to engage the teeth
of a like colla pinion on the shank of the auxiliary picsser provided with teeth.
to engage the teeth of a like collar oi pinion on the shank of the auxiliary piesser
provided with a roller adapted to rest upon the work at the night of the main
needle or that one working with the main shuttle race and shuttle The force
with which tho presseis bear upon the work is regulated by a screw that passes
through an aim that bears upon the usual spring surrounding the shank, the lower
end of the screw entering the fixed block When the shank and piesser are elevated
and turned aside, as usual, the pinion acting on the collar or pinion lifts the auxiliary
piesser and shanks, and turns it in an opposite direction
To sew parallel scams, as described, on the Wheeler and Wilson system, wherein
each loop of needle thread is spread by a rotating hook and passed about a disc
bobbin, another construction is employed
The
The main shaft is provided as usual, with the "variable motion" mechanism, to
impart to the Wheeler and Wilson hook its variable speed This hook contains a
bobbin, and has the ordinary thread tension device for the lower thread, and operates
in connection with the needle of the needle bai, all in the usual way The small
shaft of the hook is usually connected directly with the disc In this case the disc
18 provided with a tubular sleeve provided with a bevel pinion that engages a
level pinion on the shaft of the auxiliary hook arranged to rotate in unison with
the hook, and pass the loop of thread canied by the needle about its bobbin
shaft of the hook is adjustably connected with the part, so that it may be moved
honzontally toward or from the hook to enable the parallel seams to be more or
less separated The connection between the end of the shaft and the part is in
this instance made by slotting the end of the shaft to receive a pin, or the end of
the shaft may be square or of other irregular form to enter a coresponding hole.
To this part is attached a cam that during each rotation stakes the end of an
adjustable screw in the short arm of an auxiliary tension lever pivoted at its longer
end, being thereby pressed down temporarily against the auxiliary bobbin within the
auxiliary hook to hold it at the proper time in the formation of the stitch
auxiliary tension level is provided with a suitable sping to always press its
longer end against the bobbin with sufficient force to prevent it from rotating too
easily
This
The operation of the Wheeler and Wilson machine and its hook is too well known
and understood to herei need special description By the arrangement of the hooks
and then shafts, as described, it is possible to sew parallel scams closely together
with the Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine, it being specially adapted to sewing
leather for shoc work, because of the stitch Both the upper thi cads are mani-
pulated, as is the simple upper thread in the new Wheeler and Wilson The usual
feeding bai is provided with two sets of teeth, one to engage the material near each
needle hole, as before described
The tension upon the thread of the bobbin may be valued by an adjusting screw,
and upon the thread of the lower bobbin by a lover.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
August 1877
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, t
Panis "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCK-STITCH SEWING MACHINES" A communication
from abroad by Charles Frederick Hollis, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States
of America
This Invention of improvements in lock-stitch sewing machines relates to
improvements in sewing machines making the lock-stitch, and consists in the 1
combination of the following instrumentalities, videlicit -Two perforating eye-
pointed needles to penetrate the material, two shuttles or thread caners adapted
to pass then spools or bobbins of thread through the loops of needle thread, and a
feed adapted to engage the fabric at the night-hand side of one and at the left-hand
side of the other needle hole to move the material so that each needle and its cor- ]
responding under thread carry will sew two parallel seams, as heıcın after set
forth
Also in the combination with two shuttles running face to face of a connecting
device to operate the auxilliary or second shuttle carrier from the main carrier
Also in the combination with two shuttles running face to face of a single feeding
device extended across the two shuttles and shuttle races, the thickness of the
feeding device and the position to which it is lowered being such as to allow the
shuttles to move under the feeding device without injurious abrasion
Also in the combination with two perforating needles and two thread carners to
make two parallel lock-stitch seams, as described, of two rolling pressers gonied
together substantially as set forth, so that as the main presser on the usual piessers
bar is turned away from the needle next to it the other presser through the con-
necting gear will be simultaneously turned away from the other needle.
Also in a throat plate provided with two needle holes and with a depressed
portion between the needle holes for the reception of the edges of the material
projecting beyond a seam previously made in an article in which the two parallel
seams are to be sowed parallel thereto, or to which a stay strip is to be stitched, as
herein-after set forth
In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is customary in the better class of work
to sew two parallel seams, specially where the vamp and quarter unite with the top
of kid or other material, and also at the seams at the side of the shoe uniting the
vamps and quarters In shoe work after the two edges of two pieces of material,
leather, or cloth are sewn together (the two pieces of material lying lying face to
face) it is customary to open the material, beat out the seam, and then sew two
In this same class of
seams, one each side the closing scam, and parallel therewith
work, instead of sewing the two finishing parallel seams as just stated a narow
stay stup of leather is frequently applied over the closing seam, and a seam is sewn
When these seams are
along each edge of the stay strip and into the shoe material
sewn separately, as now practiced, it is in many cases quite difficult or almost
impossible to sew the two seams parallel, and more than twice the amount of time
is requued to sew two seams separately than is requued to sew the two seams
simultaneously
⚫ The Invention herein described is embodied in several different systems of sewing
machinery, wherein the lock-stitch is made both by reciprocating shuttles and
rotating hooks, and bobbins for the lower threads
Figure 1 represents the Invention applied to the Howe system, such Figure being
a side view of a machine made in accordance with this Invention
Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure One, showing but a portion of the
machine

page_text: Figure 3, a detail of the shuttle races, with the feed exttuwing
same
Figure 4, a view of the pressers from the back of Figure 1
Figure 5, a top view of the throat plate removed, Figure 6, an under side view
thereof, and Figure 7, an edge view
Figure 8 represents the Invention applied to a machine wherein the main shuttle
carrier or driver is moved from a rotating shaft below the work supporting surface,
Figure 9, an under side view thereof, and Figure 10, a detail of the feed
Figure 11 illustrates the Invention applied to the Wheeler and Wilson system,
such Figure showing the main and auxiliary hooks and bobbins, the work support
being removed, and Figure 12 is a section of Figure 11, with a portion of the needle
bai, needles, and work supporting surface in place
Refering to Figures 1 to 7, the work support a is provided with an arm b, having
a head c, in which moves the needle bar d, it being reciprocated by the vibrating
arin fpivoted at g, and operated by the cam grooved hub h on the main shaft 2
The main shuttle driver; that moves the main shuttle 2 is reciprocated by the
horizontally vibrating shuttle lever operated by the cam grooved up The main
piesser bar e is provided with a rolling presse 4, is held down by a suitable spring,
and is adapted to be lifted and turned aside from the main needle 6 by means of a
lifter m
The shaft at its forward end is provided with two cams, one to act
upon the pendent aim n of the usual feed bai, and the other upon the lever q
pivoted on the feed bar The parts so far described are all substantially as in the
well known Howe sewing machine An auxilliary shuttle race s is adjustable,
arranged parallel with the usual shuttle race r, and in it is placed an auxilliary
shuttle 3, its face being arranged opposite the face of the main shuttle 2
Attached to the main shuttle diiver actuated from the hub through the usual
level is an auxilliary horn t, elevated at its centre to extend over the walls 10, 11,
constituting the vertical faces of the two races, and to engage the auxilliary shuttle
3, it being thereby moved from the main driver A space for the passage of the
horn is left between the tops of the walls 10, 11, and the under side of the work
support The four-motioned feeding device 12 attached to the ordinary feeding
bar 13 is constructed to extend across the walls of the shuttle races, and substan-
tially across both shuttles and shuttle races, as shown in Figure 3, and in dotted
lines, Figure 1 Portions of the rough surface of this feeding device are adapted to
engage the material, being sewn at the night-hand side of one needle hole 14, and
at the left-hand side of the other needle hole 15, the latter being the whole for the
auxilliary needle 6 This feeding device is received in the recess 16 of the throat
plate w The notch at the back of the feeding device receives the adjustable needle
throat block attached to plate w by a screw 17, and provided with two holes, as
shewn in Figures 5, 6, for the passage of the needles 6, 7. The holes in the throat
block will be separated from each other the distance it is desired, the two parallel
seams to be separated and the auxilliary ace wall will be adjusted to correspond
with the block being used This block is grooved between the needle holes, as
shewn in Figures 5 and 7, to receive the edges of two pieces of material stitched at
the edges, and opened out, to be subsequently stitched parallel with and on each
Bide of such seam usually called a "closed seam This groove between the holes
permits the work to be pressed down flat upon the throat by the pressers, and the
edges of the closed seam running in the groove assist in guiding the material, so as
to sew the two extra seams parallel with the first seam
"
The needle bar & is provided at its lower end with a needle holder adapted to
hold a main needle 7 and an auxilliary needle somewhat separated therefrom
Blocks of different sizes will be employed to hold needles separated at the proper
distance to enter the holes in the block x, and work with the shuttle, each shuttle
passing only through the loop of thread carried by the needle arranged to operate
The main presser bar e caires a collar oi pinion 18 provided with teeth
to engage the teeth of a like collai or pinion 19 on the shank 20 of the auxilliary
with it

page_text: The
pressure provided with a roller 5, adapted to rest upon the work at the right of the
main needle, or that one working with the main shuttle race and shuttle 2
force with which the pressers bear upon the work is regulated by the screw 21 that
passes through an aim 22 that bears upon the usual spring surrounding the shank e,
the lower end of the sciew entering the fixed block 23 When the shank e and
piesser are clevated and turned aside, as usual, the pinion 18 acting on the collar
or pinion 19 lifts the auxilliary presser and shank, and turns it in an opposite
direction
To sew parallel seams, as described, on the Wheeler and Wilson system, wheroin
each loop of the needle thread is spread by a rotating hook, and, passed aout, a disk
bobbin, the construction shewn in Figures 11 and 12, is employed The portions
of the Wheeler and Wilson machine omitted from these two Figures is supposed to
be exactly as the parts of the new Wheeler and Wilson machines, 4, leather work,
and known as the No. 6
The main shaft 40 is provided, as usual, with the "variable motion mechanism,"
47, 48, 49, to impart to the Wheeler and Wilson hook 50 its variable speed, this
hook contains a bobbin, and has the ordinary thread tension device 51 for the lower
thread, and operates in connection with needle 6 of the needle bai, all in the usual
way
The small shaft of the hook 50 is usually connected directly with the disk
49 In this case the disk is provided with a tubular sleeve 52, provided with a
bevel
pinion 53 that engages a bevel pinion 54 on the shaft 55 of the auxilliary
hook 36, arranged to rotate in unison with the hook 50, and pass the loop of thread
carried by the needle 7 about its bobbin 57 The shaft 58 of the hook 50 is
adjustably connected with the part 49, so that it may be moved horizontally toward
or from the hook 56 to enable the parallel scams to be more or less separated
connection between the end of the shaft and the part 49 is in this instance made by
slotting the end of the shaft to receive a pin in part 49, or the end of the shaft may
be square or other regular form to enter a corresponding hole in part 49 To the
part 49 is attached a cam 60, that during each rotation of part 49 stakes the end
of an adjustable screw 61 in the short aim of an auxilliary tension lever 62, pivoted
at 3, its longer end being thereby pressed down temporally against the auxilliary
bobbin 57 within the auxilliary hook 56 to hold it at the proper time in the for-
mation of the stitch This auxilliary tension level is provided with a suitable
sping to always press its longer end against the bobbin 57 with sufficient force to
prevent it from rotating too easily
The
3
The operation of the Wheeler and Wilson machine and its hook is too well known.
and understood to herein need special description
hooks and their shafts, as described, it is possible to sew parallel seams closely
By the arrangement of the
together with the Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine, it being specially adapted
to sewing leather for shoe work, because of the stitch Both the upper threads are 4
manipulated, as is the single upper thread in the new Wheeler and Wilson
usual feeding bar 65 is provided with two sets of teeth, one to engage the material
nca each needle hole, as before described The tension upon the thread of the
bobbin 57 may be varied by adjusting the screw 18, and upon the thicad of the
lower bobbin by the lever 64
The
4
In Figures 8 and 9 the main rotating shaft of the machine below the usual cloth
support is provided with a crank 27 adapted to be connected by a link of any usual
construction with the main shuttle driver or caire 28 in a race way 30, and
provided with a shuttle 29 This shuttle caer 28 is provided with a toothed
tack that engages teeth of a pinion 32 supported on a stud 33, and such pinion 5
in engagement with a rack 34 on the auxilliary shuttle driver or canier 35
operates the auxillary shuttle driver and shuttle 36 as the main shuttle driver
moves.
The two carers and shuttles are placed with such relation to each other, and
are so moved that the points of the two shuttles 29, 36, moving in opposite directions 55
and parallel with each other, simultaneously enter the two loops formed by two

page_text: needles (there being one needle for each shuttle), and passing through such loops in
opposite directions, the two stitches in the two parallel seams are simultaneously
tightened and completed in the usual way practised with each single stitch in shuttle
machines
When two shuttles move simultaneously in the same direction one needle thread
is in a measure untwisted, but when the two shuttles move in opposite directions
simultaneously the twist is not changed, as in the other plan The faces of the two
shuttle races 70, 71, the two needle holes, and the two feed openings in the throat
plate are shown in Figure 8
The wall 71, its needle hole, the auxilliary shuttle caer 35, and feed 42 are to
bo made laterally adjustable in any usual way, and in such case the pinion 32 will
be changed for one of proper size to engage both racks, this adjustment is to provide
for scams at different distances apart The cover plate m² is made adjustable to suit
the adjustment of the feed The feed bar 45 is to be constructed substantially as m
the well known weed machine
The Diawing shows but one feed bai, but in practice the machine will be provided
with two, one for each shuttle, and needle and line of stitching The feed bar shewn
is the one to be used with the auxilliary shuttle The rough surfaced portion of the
feed is formed on an adjustable feed device 42, as shown at Figure 10, shaped to
extend across the shuttlo race wherein the stem 43 extends, through the bar 45,
and is held by a set screw 44
It is not desued to limit this Invention to the exact devices shewn for moving
the shuttles summultaneously in opposite directions, as other devices might be employed
to operate the two shuttles in an equivalent mannel Each shuttle carrier might be
operated separately from a separate crank
Instead of shuttle carriers shuttle drivers may be used, and by the term carriers it
is intended to include a drive as its equivalent
Instead of adjusting the devices, as above descubed, for seams of different widths
the ace face 71 may be moved away from the face 70, and the metallic shuttle
carrying plate 38 be moved back on the carrier or driver 35, the plate being held
at each end by a sciew working in a slot, as at 39, Figure 8
It is obvious that in this way a multitude of shuttles may be operated in parallel
lines without the employment of a crank and connecting rod for each shuttle Such
a machine would answer for quilting, &c
Having now described the nature of the said Invention I would have it under-
stood that I claim,―
The combination in a sewing machine of the following instrumentalities, vizt
Two perforating eye-pointed needles to penetrate the material, two shuttles or thread
carriers adapted to pass their spools or bobbins of thread through the loops of needle
thread, and a feed adapted to engage the fabric at the right-hand outer side of one,
and the left-hand outer side of the other needle hole to move the material, so that
each noedle and its corresponding under thread carrier will sew two parallel seams,
as herein set forth
Also the combination with two shuttles running face to face of a connecting
device to operate the auxilliary or second shuttle cailer from the main carier
Also the combination of two shuttles running face to face of a single feeding device
extended across the two shuttles and shuttle laces, the thickness of the feeding
device and the position to which it is lowered being such as to allow the shuttles to
move under the feeding device without injurious abrasion
Also the combination with two perforated needles and two thread carriers to
make two parallel lock-stitch seams, as described, of two rolling pressers geared
together substantially as set forth, so that as the main presser on the usual presser
bai is turned away from the needle next to it the other pressel through the
connecting geal will be simultaneously turned away from the other needle
Also a throat plato provided with two needle holes, and with a depressed portion
between the needle holes for the reception of the edges of the material projecting

page_text: beyond a seam previously made in an article in which the two parallel seams are to
be sewn parallel thereto, or to which a stay strip is to be stitched, as herein set
forth
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Loid One 5
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (LS)