Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1893-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
I, FREDERIC OLDERSHAW JERRAM, of 14, Lower Breck Road, Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, Foreman Tailor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, the object of these
improvements being to provide a sewing machine in which two or more parallel
rows of stitches may be sewn at the same time, and at any suitable distance
apart, also, to enable the needle bar or bars to be thrown in or out of gear to
facilitate turning corners, or to enable the machine to be employed as a single
needle machine.
In carrying my invention into effect as applied to two-needle machines, I provide
two separate needle bars, one of these needle bars being arranged in such a manner.
as to be adjustable as regards its distance from the other needle bar. This is
accomplished by providing a suitably shaped sleeve or guide in which the movable
needle bar vertically reciprocates. The sleeve is so mounted within the head of
the machine frame that it can be moved transversely towards or away from the
fixed needle bar in order to adjust the distance between the two parallel rows of
stitches, at the same time retaining the needle bar truly vertical and parallel to
the other needle bar. The sleeve is mounted on and secured to the end of a spindle
which is capable of sliding horizontally in the frame, but is not rotatable. By
screwing the end of a rotatable (non-sliding) spindle, into the end of this sliding
spindle, a sliding motion can be imparted to the latter by simply rotating the
former, and thus the needle bar is moved towards or away from the fixed needle
bar, as may be required.
I provide two shuttles which are carried in cradles in any suitable manner. One
of these cradles is secured to the frame and is immovable, the other is secured to a
carrier adapted to slide in guides in a direction at right angles to the rows of
stitches. A convenient way of imparting the requisite motion to the sliding carrier
is to provide a horizontal rod, the end of which is screwed into a nut fixed in the
carrier. By rotating this rod, the requisite motion is imparted to the carrier.
This shuttle cradle carrier and the needle bar sleeve are so arranged that they can
be simultaneously moved in the same direction, whereby the position of the
movable shuttle relatively to the movable needle bar can be adjusted to a nicety.
This is accomplished by gearing the rotary rod operating the carrier, with the
rotary spindle operating the needle bar sleeve. A convenient way of gearing them
together is by a vertical rotary rod, geared at top and bottom to the horizontal
spindles aforesaid by bevel wheels. By rotating this vertical bar by means of a
hand wheel or square ended key the horizontal spindles are also simultaneously
rotated and the adjustable needle bar and shuttle carrier can thus be adjusted to a
nicety by means of the screw threads.
The two needle bars are driven together from the usual crank and connecting
rod, the two bars when both are being used being coupled together with a
horizontal sliding link or coupling to which the connecting rod is secured. When
it is desired however to take either of the needle bars out of gear, all that is
necessary is to disconnect the bar from this link by the use of a small lever above
which turns the needle bar to an angle of 45°, which thus releases the needle bar
from the pin in the link, and allows the pin to slide up and down a suitable groove
cut in the needle bar. The needle bar thus released, is kept stationary by a

page_text: similar pin fixed in the slide in the top of the machine and which retains the
needle bar in position when out of action.
The needle plate is made in two parts, one part being conveniently fixed and
the other part adjustable. The former has in it the usual throat through which
the needle passes, and is fixed permanently below the needle. The other needle
plate is movable in the same direction as that in which the movable needle bar
is adjustable and is provided with a needle throat through which the needle may
pass. This needle plate is a part of and moves with the movable shuttle cradle,
and therefore always remains in the same position relatively to the adjustable
needle bar.
The feed plate is made to feed at front, back and sides, and for this purpose
it is made open, and the needle plates located within it. The shuttle driver is
made to extend to the full width that the needle bar and shuttle races are capable
of being adjusted.
I have mentioned one way in which my invention may be carried into effect when
applied to two needle machines, but it is obvious that having once given the general
idea, various other ways may be designed for the purpose. For example, rotating
hooks may be employed instead of shuttles and the means for simultaneously
operating the needle bars and shuttle cradles may be modified.
Moreover, it will be understood that by lengthening the sliding link, any number
of needle bars may be employed, the link being driven by one or more cranks.
The hereindescribed means for adjusting the needle bars and shuttle races and
throwing the needle bars out of gear are in such cases suitably multiplicated. The
head of course would have to be lengthened to correspond with the distance apart
of the needle bars. Any suitable take up may be employed.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
I, FREDERIC OLDERSHAW JERRAM of 14, Lower Breck Road, Liverpool in
the County of Lancaster, Foreman Tailor, 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 relates to improvements in sewing machines, the object of these
improvements being to provide a sewing machine in which two or more parallel
rows of stitches may be sewn at the same time, and at any suitable distance apart;
also to enable the needle bar or bars to be thrown in or out of gear to facilitate
turning corners, or to enable the machine to be employed as a single needle
machine.
The invention will be best understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a front elevation (partly in section) of a sewing machine constructed
in accordance with my invention, parts being partially broken away to show the
mechanism more clearly:
Figure 2, an inverted plan of the machine :
Figure 3, a cross section through the head:
Figure 4, an enlarged view of part of one of the needle bars:
Figures 5 to 11 inclusive, views of parts of the machine detached from the
residue :
Figures 12 and 13, side elevations showing how several needle bars may be
applied for sewing parallel rows of stitches: and
Figure 14, the cam u for operating the rock shaft V..

page_text: In order that the invention may be fully understood, a representation of the
principal parts of a sewing machine is shown on the drawings aforesaid.
The general form of the machine, which I have depicted to enable me to
describe my invention, does not differ materially from that of many shuttle
machines in common use, and it will be readily understood that my improvements
may be applied to various other types of machines working on the shuttle or
rotating hook principle.
Referring to Figures 1 to 11 inclusive of the drawings:
A, is the bed plate: B, a strong arm to support the needle bars C C' above the
cloth plate D: E, a driving shaft extending through the needle arm B to drive the
needle bars; and F, the head of the needle arm. Motion is imparted to the needle
bars CC from the driving shaft E through the intervention of a crank pin G and
connecting rod g, also the cross head or link H to which one end of the connecting
rod is coupled. The needle bar C is arranged to work up and down in one uniform
position, like a single needle machine, but the other, C', is arranged in such a
manner as to be adjustable as regards its distance from the fixed needle bar and to
sew a line of stitches at any required distance within certain limits from the line of
stitches sewn by the needle bar C. This is accomplished by providing a suitably
shaped sleeve or guide I (Figures 1, 3 and 9) in which the movable needle bar C¹
can move up and down vertically.
The sleeve is so mounted within the head F that it can be moved transversely
towards or away from the fixed needle bar C in order to adjust the distance between
the parallel rows of stitches, at the same time retaining the needle bar truly vertical
and parallel to the other needle bar. The sleeve I is mounted on and secured at
right angles to the end of a non-rotatable rod J, which is capable of sliding hori-
zontally in suitable bearings in the arm B. K is a (non-sliding) rotary spindle, the
end of which is screwed into the end of the rod J, and L is a vertical rotary spindle
gearing with the horizontal spindle K by means of bevel wheels. By rotating L by
means of a hand wheel, or keys placed on the square shank l, a sliding motion is
imparted to the rod J, and thus the sleeve I, with its needle bar C', is moved towards
or away from the fixed needle bar C, as may be required. The cross link H aforesaid,
which is shown in plan in Figures 6 and 10 (and also in Figure 7 hereafter described)
and in other positions in Figures 1, 3 and 4, is adapted to slide up and down by the
motion of the crank pin G and connecting rod g, and is guided by the guide bar H¹;
is the shank to which the connecting rod is coupled, the hole for receiving the
guide bar H¹; and the holes for receiving the needle bars C C¹
It will be noticed that the slide in which the hole is formed is mounted on the
cross link H in such a manner as to be adjustable as regards its distance from the
hole ', without interfering with the means for driving the cross head and needle
bars up and down. The needle bars are each made with slots c c running
perpendicularly their entire length or nearly their entire length, these two
slots being adapted to receive the projecting pins in the holes.
Near the top of each needle bar, I form a small slot ca intersecting
(and at right angles to) the longitudinal slots. The cross slot in the
needle bar is so made as to engage, when required, the stationary pin c in the
sleeve I, and the cross slot in the needle bar C a stationary pin located in the head.
Near the bottom ends of both needle bars, I form similar cross slots c', but running
in the opposite direction to those at the top. Now it will be seen that, by slightly
revolving the needle bars C or C¹, the pins c in the cross link engage the cross
slots in the needle bars, and the needle bars and cross link are thus coupled
together so as to move, simultaneously up and down, being operated by the
connecting rod to which the cross link is connected. When it is desired, how-
ever, to take either of the needle bars C C out of gear, all that is necessary
is to disconnect them from the cross link by slightly rotating the needle bar so
as to disconnect, the pins from the cross slots c. For the purpose of facilitating
this movement, small levers M are employed at the top of the head, through which
levers the needle bars pass, and they are each provided with a pin (Figure 8)

page_text: which engages the slots in the needle bars. By these levers M, either needle bar
can be rotated in an arc of 45 degrees, by which means the needle bars can be
released from the pins c in the cross links, and simultaneously engaged by means
of the stationary pins e falling into the slots e². The result is that the cross link
slides up and down on the needle bars without actuating the latter (the pins c³ sliding
idly in the groove c). Both needle bars can be thus released, or one needle bar
only may be liberated, while the other one is operated by the cross link H.
The two shuttles are carried in races in any suitable manner. In the example
shown, circular shuttle races N N₁ are constructed with internal peripheral
grooves n' to receive and guide the rims of the shuttles, and a segment of the front side
of these shuttles is constructed to turn edgewise upon a hinge so as to facilitate the
insertion and removal of the spools. One of these races, N, is secured to the frame A
and is immovable, the other, N¹, is secured to a carrier O, adapted to slide in
guides o in a direction at right angles to the rows of stitches. A convenient way
of imparting the requisite motion to the sliding carrier is to provide a horizontal
rod P, the end of which is screwed into a uut p, fixed in the carrier O. By
rotating this rod P, the requisite motion is imparted to the carrier.
The shuttle race carrier O and the needle bar sleeve I are so arranged that they
can be simultaneously moved in the same direction, whereby the position of the
movable shuttle race N', relatively to the movable needle bar C', can be adjusted
to a nicety. This is accomplished by gearing the rotary rod P operating the
carrier O, with the rotary spindle K operating the needle bar sleeve I by means
of the vertical spindle L hereinbefore described. By rotating this vertical
spindle L, therefore, the horizontal spindles are both simultaneously rotated and
the adjustable needle bar C' and shuttle race N' are thus adjusted to a nicety by
means of the screw threads in spindles K and P.
The needle plate (Figures 1 and 11) is made in two parts, one part, R, being
conveniently fixed, and the other part, R', being adjustable. The former has in it
the usual throat, through which the needle passes, and is fixed permanently below
the needle, the other part, R', is movable longitudinally in the slots of the needle
plate R, in the same direction as that in which the movable needle bar C¹ is
adjustable, and is provided with a needle throat through which the needle may
pass. The portion R₁ of the needle plate forms a part of the movable shuttle
race N1, and it is adjustable with it, and, therefore, always remains in the same
position relatively to the adjustable needle bar.
The feed plate S (Figures 1 and 11) is made to feed at the front, back and
sides, and, for this purpose, it is made open and the needle plate R and R¹ placed
within it.
The shuttle driver T (Figures 12 and 3) is made to extend the full width that
the needle bar C² and shuttle race N' are capable of being adjusted. It is driven
by the rock shaft U, which receives its rocking motion in any suitable manner.
The lifting motion for the feed S is given by this rocking shaft, which has, for
this purpose, a cam u upon it. The cam operates the arm W on the shaft w, and
so gives a rocking motion to the feed S. The means employed for giving the to
and fro motion to the feed S consist in connecting the shaft w with rock shaft V
by arms or in other suitable manner, and the vibration of these arms, caused by
the rocking motion of the shaft U, produces the longitudinal movement of the
feed S. The two rock shafts U and V support the shaft w and feed S between
them.
I have described one way in which my invention may be carried into effect, but
I wish it to be understood that it may be applied to almost any type of sewing
machine, also that a feather c (Figure 7) may be applied to the needle carrying
bars, instead of the slot c (Figure 6), this feather being merely a mechanical
equivalent of the slot. In this Figure 7, H is the cross link in which is formed a
slot H for the bar C₁ to slide transversely; and C, the other needle bar. In the
position shown, the cross link H has engaged the feathers, the latter being cut
away at one part to enable this to be done, the needle carrying bars are, therefore

page_text: driven up and down by the motion of the cross link. By rotating one or both of
the needle bars 45 degrees, the feathers c are released from engagement with the
cross link H but are simultaneously engaged by the pin e³ in the sleeve I and the
corresponding pin in the head herein before described, whereby the needle carrying
bars are held stationary and the cross link slides up and down by the motion of
the crank pin and connecting rod.
It will be obvious that my invention is equally well adapted for sewing more
than two rows of stitches, if desired, by merely adding one or more needle
carrying bars and shuttle races and adding to, or duplicating, the various other
parts of my invention.
Figures 12 and 13 show how this may be done, c' being four needle carrying
bars: H, the cross link for driving the same: I, the sleeves and .J', sliding rods
on which the said sleeves are mounted. Two of these sliding rods are in front of
the arm B, and two are behind, and the eyes on the sleeves for receiving the rods
are arranged to correspond. Each rod is connected with its shuttle race in a
similar manner to that before described, so that, as each needle carrying bar is
adjusted, it simultaneously adjusts its shuttle race. Figure 12 shows the needle
bars arranged to sew rows of stitches near together, Figure 13 shows the needle
bars adjusted to sew rows of stitches further apart. The various other parts of
this four needle machine are substantially duplicates of the two needle machine
hereinbefore described, and do not therefore need further detailed description.
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 for sewing two or more parallel rows of stitches at a
time, a needle bar working in one uniform position and one or more needle bars
working parallel to the other in combination with mechanism in the head of the
machine, carrying the same, whereby the horizontal distance between the needles
can be exactly adjusted to any required distance within considerable limits sub-
stantially as described.
2. In a sewing machine for sewing two or more parallel rows of stitches at a
time, the arrangements substantially as set forth for so adjusting the movable
needle bars in a horizontal direction as to enable the distance between the two
lines of stitches to be varied.
3. The arrangements substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6
and 7 for throwing the needle bars in and out of gear whereby the needles may be
worked in unison or singly.
4. In a multiple needle sewing machine, the combination with the needle bars C
and C¹ having longitudinal and cross slots as described, of the cross link H for
driving the needle bars by the motion of a crank pin and connecting rod, and means
for throwing the needle bars in or out of gear with the cross link H, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
5. A sewing machine for the purpose described, having a shuttle race operative
with the fixed needle bar, and a shuttle race or races operative with the movable
needle bar or bars, together with actuating mechanism by which the movable
needle bars and the movable shuttle races are simultaneously adjusted transversely
to the rows of stitches, substantially as described.
6. In a sewing machine of the kind mentioned, and in combination, the fixed
shuttle race N, stationary slotted needle plate R, attached thereto, movable
shuttle race or races N¹ and needle plate or plates R', the latter being attached to
the said movable race or races, and adjustable with them in a horizontal direction
within the slot in the fixed needle plate, substantially as described.
7. In a multiple needle sewing machine, the combination, with the fixed needle
plate R, adjustable needle plates R' sliding within a suitably constructed slot in
the fixed needle plate, and the apertured feed plate S entirely surrounding the
needle plates on all sides, substantially as described.

page_text: 8. In. combination with the shuttles and shuttle races N N', the elongated
driver T extending the full width that the needle bars C¹ and shuttle races N' are
capable of being transversely adjusted, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
9. The special construction and arrangement of parts forming my improved'
sewing machine for sewing one, two or more rows of stitches at a time, substantially.
as set forth.
1.
1009
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents..