Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1894
Complete Sonnifination Is 2014
.
1005
27th
Ann
4005
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, HENRY SARGENT of 15 Dace Road, Old Ford in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby a lock-stitch sewing
machine may be rendered capable of producing a lock-stitch, a chain-stitch, or
a locked chain-stitch, at will, without adding to, taking away, or changing any of
the parts, and the invention consists chiefly in the application to an ordinary lock-
stitch sewing machine, of a reciprocating axially moving instrument destined to
enter the needle thread loop as it leaves the shuttle or loop opener, and hold it
open in the path of the needle, so that the needle may pass through it at its next
descent, when it is desired to make a chain-stitch or a locked chain-stitch.
In carrying out this invention, the axially moving instrument is preferably tubular,
cut away at its upper part for a short distance down, the end being splayed
out or half bell shaped, with a slightly projecting nose or point to enter the loop.
This instrument is mounted in socket bearings in the line of the axis of the
needle, and projects upwards into and through a recess formed in the wall of the
shuttle race.
Axial motion is communicated to this instrument by a toothed sector, or rack,
gearing into a pinion on the instrument, and which receives a vibratory or recipro-
cating motion from a cam on the vertical shaft of the machine, or in any other
convenient manner.
As the instrument rotates, the nose or point enters the needle thread loop before
it leaves the opener, and the loop is held on the underside of the splayed out
portion, until the needle again descends through the open loop, when the loop is
jerked off the instrument, on its return motion, by the take-up.
In this way a chain stitch is produced, the shuttle thread being removed for
the purpose, or, if the shuttle thread be retained, the locked chain or embroidery
stitch will be produced.
When making the lock stitch, the instrument is thrown out of action in any
convenient manner.
The axially moving instrument may also be applied to a chain stitch machine, to
hold the loop open for the needle at its next descent.
Date this 27th day of April 1894
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, HENRY SARGENT of 15 Dace Road, Old Ford, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby a lock-stitch sewing
machine may be rendered capable of producing a lock stitch, a chain stitch, or

page_text: a locked chain stitch, at will, without adding to, taking away, or changing any of
the parts, and the invention consists chiefly in the application to an ordinary lock-
stitch sewing machine, of a reciprocating axially moving instrument destined to
enter the needle thread loop as it leaves the shuttle or loop opener, and hold it
open in the path of the needle, so that the needle may pass through it at its next
descent, when it is desired to make a chain stitch, or a locked chain stitch.
•
In carrying out this invention, the axially-moving instrument is preferably
tubular, cut away at its upper part for a short distance down, the end being
splayed out or half bell-shaped, with a slightly projecting nose or point to enter the
loop.
This instrument is mounted in socket bearings in the line of the axis of the
needle, and projects upwards into and through a recess formed in the wall of the
shuttle race.
Axial motion is communicated to this instrument by a toothed sector, or rack,
gearing into a pinion on the instrument, and which receives a vibratory or recipro-
cating motion from a cam on the vertical shaft of the machine, or in any other
convenient manner.
As the instrument rotates, the nose or point enters the needle thread loop, before
it leaves the opener, and the loop is held on the underside of the splayed out portion
until the needle again descends through the open loop, when the loop is jerked off
the instrument, on its return motion, by the take-up.
In this way a chain-stitch is produced, the shuttle thread being removed for the
purpose, or if the shuttle thread be retained, the locked chain, or embroidery stitch
will be produced.
When making the lock-stitch, the instrument is thrown out of action in any
convenient manner.
The axially-moving instrument may also be applied to a chain stitch machine, to
hold the loop open for the needle at its next descent.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1, Sheet I, is a front elevation of the loop-holding instrument.
Fig. 2 is a back elevation ; and
Figs. 3 and 4 are corresponding plan views.
The remaining figures are in the nature of diagrammatic views showing the
instrument as applied to a machine known as the Singer vibrating shuttle machine, with
the different positions of the shuttle and instrument while making one stitch of the
character now known as the embroidery stitch, or a locked chain stitch. Thus,
Figs. 5 and 6, Sheet I, are plan views, the shuttle moving forward, and Figs. 7 and 8,
Sheet II, are similar views with the shuttle returning while Figs. 9 and 10, Sheet I,
and Figs. 11 and 12, Sheet II, are corresponding sectional elevations.
The loop-holding instrument consists of a tube A, formed with a shoulder a,
which acts as a bearing, and rests on the top of a socket B, conveniently secured
to the underside of the table of the machine.
The portion of the tube above the shoulder a is cut away for half its diameter,
and the outer end is splayed out. One corner, b, of the cut-away portion is shaped
so as to take the form somewhat of a small hook, which at the right moment will
enter and catch the needle thread loop c.
The lower part of this instrument may carry a pinion D, to gear with a rack
which receives a reciprocatory movement from a crank, a cam, or excentric, on the
vertical shaft, and so will give a reciprocating axial motion to the instrument.
It will, however, be obvious, that given the necessity for producing such move-
ment of the instrument, the particular means for producing the same are of
secondary importance.
Fig. 5 shows the shuttle S just after it has entered the loop of the needle thread
with the recessed portion s opposite the instrument A; and
C,
Fig. 6 shews the shuttle leaving the loop, d representing the bobbin thread,
which is retained in the shuttle while making the embroidery or locked chain
stitch.

page_text: In Fig. 5, the instrument is just beginning to move, to enter and take hold of
the loop, and in Fig. 6 it has moved an entire rotation, and holds the loop under
its splayed head, the rising needle tightening the loop on the instrument. The
rotation takes place during the time that the recessed portions of the shuttle S is
passing the instrument A, which is mounted in a vertical semi-circular recess in the
shuttle race.
A projection on the underside of the throat plate, prevents the thread from
jumping off the instrument.
The shuttle now commences to return, and the feed takes place.
In Fig. 7, the instrument has male a quarter turn back, so as to present the loop
open in the path of the needle, which has commenced its descent; and in
Fig. 8 the needle is through the loop; the instrument has made half a turn back,
and the loop is just slipping off the instrument onto the needle. The instrument
then completes its backward rotation, to get clear of the shuttle, and the movements
proceed again as before.
When the simple chain stitch is required, the bobbin thread is removed from the
shuttle.
The needle, it will be seen, descends inside the looper instrument.
When a lock-stitch is required, the instrument is thrown out of action in any
convenient manner, say, for instance, by raising the pinion D on the stem, out of
gear with the rack. No means are shown for effecting this operation, as such
means do not constitute any part of the invention, and any competent mechanic
could devise several ways of carrying out the desired object, many such devices
having already been described in Specifications of patented inventions.
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, an axially-moving looping instrument mounted vertically
below the table of the machine in a line with the vertical axis of the needle, and
adapted to take the needle thread loop from a loop opener, and present it open in
the path of the needle at its next descent, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A looping instrument for a sewing machine, consisting of a stem to be mounted
in a vertical bearing, and carrying a pinion or other means by which axial motion
may be communicated thereto, and a vertically extending arm provided with
a splayed-out head, or overhanging portion, with which is formed a short nose or
hook, as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination with a looping instrument of the
character described, of means for preventing the loop jumping off the looper, such
as a lump or projection on the underside of the throat plate, as set forth.
4. In a sewing machine adapted to be converted, at will, into a lock stitch,
a chain stitch, or an embroidery stitch machine, the combination with a vertically
reciprocating needle and a loop opening device, of an axially-moving loop-holding
instrument, and means for throwing the same in and out of action, as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of January 1895.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.