IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Reid, of the City of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Shirt Manufacturer, for the
16
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SEWING
MACHINES."
Sealed the 12th March 1875, and dated the 15th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Reid at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1875.
I, William REID, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Shirt Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH SEWING MACHINES,"
to be as follows :—
This said Invention has reference to new or improved modes and
means of winding and using a stationary hollow cop of thread within
the shuttles of sewing machines, and to other special or suitable fittings
connected therewith (all instead of the ordinary revolving spool or
Pris &.1

page_text: bobbin of thread and its fittings), whereby sewing machines fitted with
these improvements are rendered more uniform. efficient, and durable in
their action than they have been as heretofore constructed and used,
while the use of the cop, containing as it does a much larger quantity
of thread than the ordinary bobbin, will effect considerable economy of
labour and enable a greater amount of sewing to be done in a given
time. And the nature and novelty of the Invention or improvements
consist in the winding of the thread to be used in the form of a cylin-
drical cop from the foundation upon a small portable spindle for the
purpose, fitted and driven by a square end or fixed head or disc in the
ordinary winding apparatus of the sewing machines (instead of the usual
metallic spool or bobbin with its centres), preferably with a loose collar
or collars for determining or forming the hollow cop (and removing it in
an unbroken state from its said spindle) of a proper length and diameter
to fill and retain its shape and position by its own elasticity within the
hollow space of the shuttle, which has a light closing-in lid, preferably
hinged to the lower side a little within the flush of the vertical open side
next the needle, all so that the thread is wound off from the inside of
the hollow cop through a small hole in a line therewith in the front eud
of the shuttle, coming out at the side near the point, and led back in a
groove to and along the outside of the said enclosing lid under a light
tension spring, and round a pin at its back end laterally to the ordinary
tension holes, slit, and spring at the upper side of the shuttle, where a
little part of the edge of the new lid may be cut away to allow the
thread to thus pass out through these holes. The reversing and tension
slits on the lower side of the shuttle are therefore not required, so that
this side of it is thereby strengthened, and the rubbing action of the
thread is avoided; and as the usual loose revolving bobbin and holding
spring centre are also dispensed with the bobbin canuot now drop out or
catch the needle or side of the race, which was a cause of frequent
derangement.
Although this new cop is described and preferred to be wound ofl' from
the inside as a hollow cop it might also be put on to a spring spindle in
the shuttle, as in the shuttles of looms for weaving, and be wound off
from the outside of these at the one end, all otherwise as described in
reference to the hollow cop, only that the lid and its outside tension
spring might be dispensed with by conducting the thread direct from
the hole at the point to the side tension holes, in this case being wound

page_text: cops
on and off conically as for loom shuttles. In this way of unwinding the
from the outside they might be formed or wound conically on paper
cops or on light pirns, as retaining centres or cores, and in either case
these cops, whether hollow or with cores, might be wound in special
winding machines for the purpose (as weft cops or pirns are wound for
weaving), and assorted and supplied for the different sizes of shuttle
sewing machines and for the different kinds of work ready for sale and
use so as to save the sewers the laboar and loss of time in winding those
sewing threads, which has heretofore been an obstruction in sewing
operations.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Reid, in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 14th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
REID, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Shirt Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Reid, Her special licence that I,
the said William Reid, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Reid, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter daring the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH
SEWING MACHINES," upou the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Reid, wy executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Reid, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
two Sheets of Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say :—
-
My said Invention consists generally of a new or improved mode and
means of winding the under threads for and of using them within the
shuttles of sewing machines, that is, as regards the thread, in the modes
and means of winding it into hollow cops, and of placing and using
these stationary within the shuttles so as to uncoil or unwind the thread
from the inside of the new, or improved cops; and also of special im-
provements in the construction of the shuttles and the fittings connected
therewith and suitable therefor, whereby sewing machines fitted with
these improvements are more easily attended and more expeditiously and
efficiently worked, with fewer breakages of the thread and stoppages
than heretofore. And the nature and novelty of the Invention or im-
provements consist in the winding of the thread to be used in the form
of a nearly cylindrical cop from the foundation upon a small portable
spindle for the purpose, which may be fitted and driven by a square end
or fixed head or disc in the ordinary winding apparatus of the sewing
machines (instead of the usual metallic spool or bobbin with its centres),
preferably with a loose collar or collars for removing the hollow cop in
an unbroken state from its said spindle, and for determining or forming
it of a proper length and diameter and firmness between the discs to fill
and retain its shape and position within the hollow space of the shuttle,
which has a light closing-in lid, each hinged and fitted portably a little
within the flush of the vertical open side next the needle, all so that the
thread is wound off from the inside of the hollow cop through a small
hole in a line therewith at one end of the shuttle, coming out at the
side, and led along the outside of the said enclosing lid under a new
tension or kink-removing spring, and round a piu at its one end laterally
to the ordinary tension holes, slit, and spring at the upper side of the
shuttle, where a little part of the edge of the new lid may be cut away
to allow the thread to thus pass out through these holes. The reversing
and tension slits on the lower side of the shuttle are therefore not
required, thus leaving this side of the shuttle stronger, and preventing
the usual rubbing action on the thread; and as the ordinary loose

page_text: revolving bobbin and holding spring centre within the shuttle are also
dispensed with, the frequent derangement caused by the dropping out of
the bobbin is by these improvements avoided.
These new or improved cops of thread may either be wound as herein
described, or in special winding machines for the purpose, and assorted
and supplied for the different sizes of shuttle sewing machines and for
the different kinds of work ready for sale and use so as to save the
sewers the labour and loss of time in winding these sewing threads in
their portable winders attached to the sewing machines, which has
‣ hitherto seriously retarded sewing operations.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my
said Invention may be properly understood I shall now proceed to
describe the several Figures on the two Sheets of Drawings which I
have herennto appended for that purpose, the same reference numerals
5 and letters indicating the same or like parts in all the Figures where
shown.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 on Sheet 1 are respectively a back elevation, plan,
and end view of an arrangement of mechanism or machine for winding
the thread by motive power in factories into the new or improved cops a
for shuttles in large numbers for supplying the trade; and Figure 4
shows an elevation of one of the finished cops; and Figure 5 is a side
and end view of one of the portable spindles 6 detached from the machine
and on which the cops are wound.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 on Sheet 2 are respectively a front and an end
elevation and a plan of a simple winding machine to a scale of half the
full size suitable for winding two of the improved cops a for the interior
of the shuttle at a time, and which might be attached to the table of
any ordinary sewing machine and driven by the cord 1 passed over a
pulley fast on one of its driving shafts.
Figure 4 shows full sized elevations of two of the new or improved
cops a as wound and finished in the said machine (Figures 1, 2, and 3,
Sheet 2) ready for use in shuttles; and Figure 5 shows a full sized side
and end elevation of the new portable winding spindle on which the
shuttle cops are so wound.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are respectively a front elevation, a plan, and a
horizontal central section of an improved shuttle A titted with the new

page_text: or improved cop a, and its retaining cover b, and spring c, and tension
and new kink-removing spring d, all ready for use, with the end of the
thread passed through the usual differential tension holes B and under
the retaining top spring C; and Figures 9, 10, and 11 are a front view,
edge section, and inner face view of the retaining cover or lid 6 detached
from the shuttle A for holding and protecting the cops a within it.
Figures 12 and 13 are a front and horizontal section of the shuttle A
constructed and fitted so that the thread is taken away from the front
end of the shuttle and cop instead of from the back, as shown in Figures
6, 7, and 8, and with the tension and kink-preventing spring & reversed
for that purpose; and Figures 14 and 15 show a front and an under side
view of the shuttle A, substantially the same as shown in Figures 6, 7,
and 8, but with a special improved spring f, f¹, for retaining the cover b
in the shuttle instead of using the end C¹ of the ordinary thread guiding
and retaining spring C for that purpose.
Referring to these Figures, 1 to 3, on Sheet 1, the driving cord or
band 1 is passed from a drum on any first motion shaft of the machine,
over the fast and loose pulley 2, 21, mounted on the driving spindle 3
carried in the bosses 4 of the standards 41 formed on or secured to the
basement frame 5 secured by the flanges and screws at 5' to the main
frame of the machine. The spindle 3 carries and actuates the cop
winding spindle 6 by its tapered stem 6' inserted into a corresponding
socket 3¹ in each overhanging end of the spindle 3. The machine as
here shown is suitable for winding two cops a at a time, one on each of
the said spindles 6 between its head or washer 7 and the end 71 as a disc
on the boss 8 of the standard 81, and which steadies the point of the
spindle 6 while it is revolving and being filled, when the standard 8 is
then drawn back by the links 9 and hand levers 91 in the angled slotted
guides 511 on the ends of the frame 5, so that the cops can be removed
from their spindles by the hand of the operator, and the standards be
shifted in again, as shown in the Drawings, for winding a fresh cop.
The thread is taken from the large piru, bobbin, or other equivalent 10
on the stem 10¹ placed in front of each spindle 6, up, through, and over
and under the guide eyes 11, to, and through, between the thumbscrew
and spring tension discs 12, thence through the eyes 13 in the upper
arms of the reciprocating levers 14, which are actuated by a connecting
rod 14ª attached their lower arms and to the slotted guide reciprocating
bar 15 actuated by the antifriction pulley 15' and the heart cam 15" on

page_text: the lower end of the upright spindle 15 carried in journal bearings
at 15% of the frame 5 and standard 4' and actuated by the screw and
screw wheel 16, 16', the former of which is fixed on the centre of the
spindle 3, and the latter on the upper end of the vertical shaft 15", all
so that the eyes 131 in the upper arms of the levers 14 lay or build the
thread. regularly from the foundation in a crossing spiral form from end
to end of the spindle 6 and cop a by the said reciprocation of these
levers 14, as shown more particularly in the complete cop. Figure 4.
The hand fly wheel 3" keyed on the spindle 3 serves both to regulate its
speed and also to stop or hold it by the hand of the operator for the
removal of the cops, which is assisted by the slight taper on the
spindles 6; or these cops might be removed automatically by a sliding
disc at the head or end 7 of the spindle 6 actuated by a lever or other
equivalent from the motion of the standards 8'.
In commencing to wind the cops the attendant draws the loose end of
the thread some distance through the eye 13 in the building or laying-
on lever 14, and fixes it in one of the slits 7* of the head 7 of each of
the two cop-winding spindles 6 (as seen in Figure 5), and then shifts
the band 1 on to the fast pulley 2 of the driving spindle 3 by the
handle 111 of the bell-cranked fork lever 11, which as soon as the spindle 3
revolves a sufficient number of times for the laying-on levers 14, 14,
to have filled and completed the two cops a on their spindles 6, then it
automatically shifts the band 1 on to the slack pulley 2, through the
screw 17 on the vertical spindle 15' working into the screw counter-
wheel 17' revolving loosely on the stud 18 fixed to the bracket 18' all so
that the lateral stud 17×˝in the one side of the wheel 17' comes round
and strikes the pin 1* in the horizontal arm of the fork lever 1' at the
proper time to shift the band 1 on to the slack pulley 21, as stated; then
the spindles 3 and 6 are stopped by the tension on the thread, or by the
hand of the attendant on the fly wheel 3", or they might be stopped
automatically by the same movement of the fork lever 11 tilting a brake
upon the fly wheel 3", when the cops would then be removed by hand
or automatically, as before stated.
af.
Although in this machine, Figures 1 to 3, on Sheet 1, only one driving
spindle 3 is shown, there might be two or more, as many as-it.was found
an attendant could work or attend to, and they might, be made to stop
at different intervals to allow the attendant to remove the cops from the
winding spindles 6. 6. of one while the others were-filling

page_text: Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 2, the cord 1 driven from a
first motion pulley, as before stated, is passed over the fast and loose
pulleys 2, 21, on the centre of the driving spindle 3 carried in journal
bearings at the top of the two standards 4' projecting up from the
middle of the light sole plate 5 of this winding machine, secured by
screws or otherwise to the table of the sewing machine (or other suitable
frame), the band 1 being shifted on to the fast or loose pulley 2 or 2¹ by
the hand lever 11. The stocks or bosses 3 at the end of the spindles 3
have a recess in them for receiving the head G₁ of the new portable
spindle 6 (Figure 5) so as to drive two of them, as shown in Figures 1
and 2, between these stocks 31 and the spring spindles & carried in the guide
heads 9 of the standards 91 secured to and projecting up from the ends
of the sole plate 5, the small end 6" of the spindle 6 being retained in
the small recess in the front ends of the spindles 8 by the force of the
light springs 81, in the guide heads 9, all so that the two spindles 6, 6,
revolve smoothly and securely between their driving stocks 3' and these
spring spindles S, and yet be easily removable, each with a large loose or
stationary washer 7 at their head, and a smaller one 7' at their point, all
in front of the ordinary bobbin or reel 10 mounted on the knee stud 11,
fitted with tension thumbscrews 12 or other equivalent to allow the
thread to be wound off these bobbins 10 with a nearly uniform tightuess
or tension on to the spindle 6 between the collars 7 and 7' at their lead
and point respectively, as seen in Figures 3 and 5, to form the cops a
sufficiently compact for handling and use. In order to give firmness to
the cops the layers of thread are preferred to be wound across each other
at a considerable angle, as shown at a, a, Figure 3 to assist their
removal when finished from the spindles 6 by hand with the collar 71,
or it might be with the collar 7 when that is made loose, the spindles 6
being made slightly tapered to assist the removal. The regular winding
of the two cops a from the ordinary bobbins of thread 10 is effected by
passing each thread through the guide slits and eyes in the studs 13
and 13 projecting up from each end of the reciprocating bar 14, guided
by slots in it and pins 141 fixed in the stationary rail 15 secured to the
studs or brackets 16 projecting from the middle standards 4'.
When winding by hand, as here indicated, the bar 14 is reciprocated
by the handle 14", so as to carry the two threads regularly to and fro
from end to end of the spindles 6 between their collars 7, 74, and build
the cops regularly for a few rows, and then preferably gradually larger

page_text: or slightly conical towards the finishing of them (as shown at "in the
completed cop, Figure 4) until they are fully wound, when they may
rub upon the two gauges or pressers 17 (secured behind the spindles 6
and cops a, being wound to the longitudinal bar 17' fixed at the back to
the standards 4') so as to stiffen and harden the cops to the diameter
desired, and admit of a portion of each being left as a retaining shell
within the shuttle to near the last at the larger or front end a" from
which the thread are being removed from the inside, but the cops a
might be wound parallelly, as shown at a*, Figure 4, and yet have the
latter part wound on in crossing augular rows, as indicated by the dotted
lines at a', in Figures 4 and 5, to allow the thread to be removed from
the innermost end a of the cop first, and leave an outer retaining part
at the parts a', a", to the last, as stated, whether wound in a tapered or
parallel manner. The arrows in the several Figures 1 to 3 on Sheets 1
and 2 of the Drawings indicate the direction of the thread and the motion
of the spindles in the act of winding the cops from the under side in
Sheet 1, and from the upper side in Sheet 2, but the parts might be so
driven as to wind the cops from the opposite sides, and yet be equally
well adapted for use in the shuttle.
Referring to Figures 6 to 11, the new or improved construction of the
shuttle A, and its fittings and mode of inserting and holding the cop
therein, consist all as follows:-The shuttle A is made with a plain
recess, rounded at the ends and back, with a small hole in the solid part
of the point to receive the pin 6 of the retaining cover b, Figures 9
to 11, which is made of thin sheet metal with semicircular ends 6", 6",
projecting towards the inside for receiving and holding one of the new
cops a (Figure 4) by these ends when inserted, as shown in Figure 8,
after passing the thread from the inside of the cop a through a sınall
hole in the centre of the back end 6 of the holder b, the cover b with
its cop being held in by the end C³ of the spring C bent in through the
side of the shuttle as a sneck at C', shown in Figures 6, 7, and 12; but
this might be effected by the bent sneck end fr of a special spring f
fitted on the under side of the shuttle for that purpose, as shown in
Figure 14, or other equivalent, such as a spring or catch on the inside.
A spring e on the inside of the cover & may be used to press and retain
the cops a gently against the back of the shuttle, so that when reduced
to a thin annular layer or shell it will retain its cocoon-like shape to
the last, and not fall in and get entangled with the escaping thread,

page_text: which, as shown in Figure 6, is drawn off through a hole and nick at
the back end of and over the outside of the cover b. and under the
spring presser d round the pin at d', so as to put a tension on the
thread and take out any kinks which may run out of the cop to the
spring d, the thread then passing laterally off in a usual manner through
the tension holes B in the upper side of the shuttle, and out below the
spring C.
Referring to Figures 12 and 13 the shuttle A, and mode of inserting
and holding the cop a by its cover b and springs C, C¹, c, are substan-
tially the same as shown and described in reference to Figures 6 to 11,
except that the cop a is reversed, and has the end a", from which the
thread is withdrawn, inserted next the pin 6', so as to pass out through
a hole in it up through a lateral hole e in the solid face part of the
shuttle, and along the front of the cover 6 round the piu d' under the
tension and kink or loop-preventing spring d, which in this case may
be reversed from the position shown in Figure 6 for that purpose,
and may have the spring f.f¹, shown in Figures 14 and 15, or other
equivalent, for retaining the cover b.
Having thus particularly described the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be performed, I have to state
that I do not desire to claim every detail which I have had occasion to
describe and show in the Drawings, nor the mere principle of using cops
or hollow balls in the shuttles of sewing machines, except in connection
with the improved mechanism herein described; but what I consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The modes and means of winding and forming cops of thread,
and of using them within the shuttles of sewing machines, all substan-
tially as herein-before described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The general construction and arrangement of the parts of the
apparatus or mechanism with a portable spindle 6 for winding the cops
of thread in the form and for use in the shuttles of sewing machines,
substantially as described in reference to and shown in Figures 1 to 5 on
Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification :
thereof.

page_text: Third. The general construction and arrangement of the parts of
shuttles for the use of cops of thread in sewing machines, all substan-
stantially as herein described in reference to and shown in Figures 6 to 14
on Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The construction and use of the cover b, and mode of fixing
the same for holding or retaining a cop of thread in the shuttles of
sewing machines, substantially as herein described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Fifth. The construction and use of a tension or kink removing
spring or presser d for the shuttle and thread of sewing machines,
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Reid, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMBON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
WILLIAM REID. (L.s.)