improvements in sewing machines
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec, 1886]
Complete Left, 27th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 29th Nov., 1887
I, JAMES STEWART EDWARDS of Beechwood, Compton Place Road, Eastbourne,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object "improvements in sewing machines."
The frame of my improved sewing machine consists of an upright with projections
upon it by means of which it may conveniently be clamped upon the edge of a table
so as to stand a short distance away from the edge. Pinch screws are provided for
this purpose passing through the lower projections. In the upright there are
bearings for three axes, one over the other; the centre axis is fitted with a crank
handle by turning which the machine is worked. The same axis also carries a spur
wheel, and this spur wheel gears with and drives two spur pinions, the one upon the
upper and the other upon the lower axis. The projection from the upright which
bears upon the upper surface of the table to which the machine is clamped is
immediately below the axis of the crank handle; it takes the form of a rectangular
frame and it receives upon or within it a box containing the shuttle, the shuttle
driver and the shuttle race. Partitions within the box also serve as guides for the
feed lever, by which the work which rests on a plate covering the box, is fed forward
towards the needle. The guide or the needle slide is fixed to the top of the upright;
it has two limbs one horizontal fixed to the upright, the other parallel to the upright
and at a short distance from it. The upper pinion gives motion to the needle slide
and is situate between the upright and the guide. A pin projects from the side
of the pinion and this enters a suitably formed slot or recess in the back part of
the needle slide, which also is between the upright and the guide. The front
part of the needle slide which is received into a vertical slot in the guide is con-
nected with the back by screws, and has lips on either side which embrace the
guide so that the slide is free only to rise and fall vertically. The needle is fixed to
this slide and as the slide rises and falls it passes through the fabric and through a
hole in the surface that supports the work; this surface being the cover of the box in
which the shuttle is contained. On the needle guide there is also a socket which
receives the stem of a presser, and a coiled spring holds this presser down upon the

page_text: surface of the work. The under face of the presser is provided with teeth which are
so inclined as to admit of the work passing forward beneath the presser whilst the
teeth hold the work steady and prevent any return movement. The bobbin to supply
the needle is carried upon the top of the upright and the thread passes from it through
a spring guide and a tension regulator to the eye of the needle.
The shuttle is of the ordinary description and is embraced in the ordinary way by
the shuttle driver. The shuttle driver is provided at the back with a pair of horns
which receive between them the upper end of a lever to which a rocking motion is
imparted about a stud fixed into the upright at its lower end below the axis of the
lower pinion.
The lever has a slot formed in it, and this slot receives a pin projecting from the
side of the lower pinion. The form of the slot in the lever is such that the lever
receives the movement necessary to drive the shuttle. The work is propelled past the
needle by a feed lever, the upper end of which is serrated; it bears upon the under
side of the work, projecting up through a hole in the surface upon which the work
rests. The feed lever passes through a guide at some distance down from its upper
end and this guide serves as a fulcrum about which the lever rocks. The guide also
allows the lever to move vertically; the guide is adjustable up and down in order to
vary the length of the stitch. The requisite movement is given to the feed lever
by a cam driven by the lower pinion; this cam as it revolves raises the feed
lever into contact with the work, then causes it to advance and afterwards to fall and
retire.
Sometimes in place of using a feed lever beneath the work I mount this lever above
the work, and I give motion to it from an additional axis provided for the purpose
above the upper pinion. This additional axis carries a cam and imparts to the feed
lever the movement already stated..
Dated this 28th day of Decembar 1000

page_text: I, JAMES STEWART EDWARDS of Beechwood, Compton Place Road, Eastbourne,
Gentleman 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in sewing machines.
The frame of my improved sewing machine consists of an upright with projections
upon it by means of which it may conveniently be clamped upon the edge of a table
so as to stand a short distance away from the edge. Pinch screws are provided for
this purpose passing through the lower projections. In the upright there are bearings
for three axes, one over the other: the centre axis is fitted with a crank handle by
turning which the machine is worked. The same axis also carries a spur wheel, and
this spur wheel gears with and drives two spur pinions, the one upon the upper and
the other upon the lower axis. The projection from the upright which bears upon
the surface of the table to which the machine is clamped is immediately below
upper
the axis of the crank handle; it takes the form of a rectangular frame and it receives
upon or within it a box containing the shuttle, the shuttle driver and the shuttle race.
Partitions within the box also serve as guides for the feed lever, by which the work
which rests on a plate covering the box, is fed forward towards the needle. The guide
for the needle slide is fixed to the top of the upright; it has two limbs one horizontal
fixed to the upright, the other parallel to the upright and at a short distance from it.
The upper pinion gives motion to the needle slide and is situate between the upright
and the guide. A pin projects from the side of the pinion and this enters a suitably
formed slot or recess in the back part of the needle slide, which also is between the
upright and the guide. The front part of the needle slide which is received into a
vertical slot in the guide is connected with the back by screws, and has lips on either
side which embrace the guide so that the slide is free only to rise and fall vertically.
The needle is fixed to this slide and as the slide rises and falls it passes through the
fabric and through a hole in the surface that supports the work; this surface being
the cover of the box in which the shuttle is contained. On the needle guide there is
also a socket which receives the stem of a presser, and a coiled spring holds this
presser down upon the surface of the work.
The under face of the presser is
provided with teeth which are so inclined as to admit of the work passing forward
beneath the presser whilst the teeth hold the work steady and prevent any return
movement. The bobbin to supply the needle is carried upon the top of the upright and
the thread passes from it through a spring guide and a tension regulator to the eye of
the needle.
The shuttle is of the ordinary description and is embraced in the ordinary way by
the shuttle driver. The shuttle driver provided at the back with a pair of horns
which receive between them the upper end of a lever to which a rocking motion is

page_text: imparted about a stud fixed into the upright at its lower end below the axis of the
lower pinion.
The lover has a slot formed in it, and this slot receives a pin projecting from the
side of the lower pinion. The form of the slot in the lever is such that the lever
receives the movement necessary to drive tho shuttle. The work is propelled past the
needle by a feed lever, the upper end of which is serrated; it bears upon the under
side of the work, projecting up through a hole in the surface upon which the work
rests. The feed lever passes through a guide at some distance down from its upper
end and this guide serves as a fulcrum about which the lever rocks. The guide
also allows the lever to move. vertically; the guide is adjustable up and down in
order to vary the length of the stitch. The requisite movement is given to the feed
lover by a cam driven by the lower pinion; this cam as it revolves raises the feed
lever into contact with the work, then causes it to advance and afterwards to fall and
retire.
In order that my said invention may be more fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation, and
Figure 3 a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is a plan with the upper parts removed and also without the cover plate or
table.
Figure 5 is a section on the line 5, 5, in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a section on the line 6, 6, in Figure 5.
Figures 7 show the needle slide separately.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the feed lever with its cam.
Figure 9 shows the shuttle driver.
A is the upright of the frame. A¹ and A2 are projections upon it, they take the form
of rectangular frames and the lower one A2 is provided with pinching screws for
clamping the machine to the table on which it is to be used. B, C and D are
axes carried upon the upright A. On the axis C a crank handle C' is fitted. C' is a
spur wheel on the same axis and this wheel engages with other wheels B¹ and D'
on the axes Band D. E is a rectangular box mounted over the frame A', it is provided
with partitions E1, E2, and E³. The shuttle F, which is of the ordinary description
works between the partitions E', and E2; it is carried by a shuttle holder G which is
fixed by studs passing through the slot in the partition E₁ to a back plate G¹, and to
this plate a pair of horns G³, G2, are pivotted.
The end of the shuttle driver H projects up between the horns G². The upper end
of the feed lever I is armed with teeth of the usual form; it terminates at its lower
end in a rectangular frame I' within which is the cam J. The feed lever I is received
between the partitions E2 and E3, and it is able to move freely between them, both
longitudinally and up and down. The feed lever I receives these movements from the
cam J fixed upon an axis J on which is also the spur wheel J engaging with a
similar wheel B on the axis B. This wheel J³ is also employed for winding the
bobbins; the end of its axis J' is formed with a small indentation or cavity, and the
bobbin marked K shown in Figure 2, is pressed up to it by the spring holder L. The
shuttle driver H is also mounted upon the axis J' but so as to be able to turn
freely upon it; it has in it, a slot H' and a pin mounted on the face of the
wheel B enters this slot and imparts to the shuttle driver and shuttle the requisite
movements.
At the top of the standard A, the angular piece L is fixed by screws; it has a
vertical slot in the limb parallel to the standard A, and this slot serves to guide the
needle slide M. M is the needle clamped to the needle slide M in the usual manner,
and M² is a slotted plate fixed to the needle, slide on the inner side between the vertical

page_text: limb of the piece Land the standard A. This plate serves to hold the needle slide in
its place, and the slot in it receives a pin fixed in the face of the wheel D¹; this pin
working with the slot, imparts to the needle slide when the wheel D¹ revolves, the
requisite movements. N is a pin to receive the bobbin, from which the needle thread
is drawn. The thread passes from the bobbin through a guide at O, thence between
the tension discs P mounted upon the piece L; then up through the eye of the spring
lever and so to the eye of the needle M. R is a socket upon the needle guide L,
it contains a spiral spring which presses downwards a spindle S. This spindle at its
lower end, carries a presser S¹ of the ordinary sort, which keeps the work down against
the teeth of the feed foot or upper end of the feed lover I. S is a stud on the stem S
by which the presser S¹ can be lifted from the work, and to retain it the stem is then
turned partly round and the stud S2 passes into a horizontal part of the slot, in which
it works. T is a bridle fixed to the needle slide M; the spring lever passes
through it. The bridle serves to depress the lever as the needle reaches its lowest
position, and it allows it to rise again immediately the needle commences its upward
course.
The stem 1 of the feed foot is held in a guide U, and this is pivotted to the end of
an arm U¹ which has a T end or head U2, in which are longitudinal slots. V, V, are
clamping screws passing through these slots and entering the projecting frames A¹, A²,
to which they serve to clamp the parts U, U₁ and Us but in such a way as admits of
the guide U being readily raised and lowered. By this means the length of the stitch
is adjusted.
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 a sewing machine, the combination substantially as described consisting of
the standard A; the projecting frames A¹ A² on the standard, the lower frame provided
with pinching screws; the angular piece L fixed on the top of the standard and
forming the guide for the needle slide; and the box E with its guiding partitions; the
whole constituting the frame of the machine.
2. In a sewing machine, the combination substantially as described consisting of
the axis C; the axes B and D below and above the axis C; the gear wheels C B₁
and D¹, on these axes; the pins in the faces of the wheels B' and D₁ and the slots in
the shuttle driver H and in the needle slide M the whole constituting the gear by which
the sewing parts are actuated.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination substantially as described consisting of
the feed lever I and the frame I' at the lower end of the stem; the cam J contained
within the frame; the axis J' and the spur wheels J³ and B' by which the axis is
driven;
the adjustable guide U U and U; the whole together with the presser S¹
constituting the feed mechanism.
4. A sewing machine substantially as described and represented in the annexed
drawings.
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