IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SEWING BY MACHINERY
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsinan,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS
TO BE USED IN SEWING BY MACHINERY."-A communication from abroad by
Charles Fredrick Bosworth, of Milford, New Haven County, State of
Connecticut. United States of America.
Sealed the 12th January 1864, and dated the 31st August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 31st August 1863.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SEWING BY MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention is especially applicable to the manufacture of straw hats,
bonnéts, or in any other manufacture in which braids are sewn together, or to
other material. Such work is commonly performed by hand, and the stitch
commonly employed is a long one, and of such a character that little or none
of the thread appears upon what is usually termed the right side, and the
sewing machinesheretoforeused without some additions are practically useless
for the purpose, as they sew a seam showing upon the right side a stitch
reaching from one to another of the punctures made by the needle the whole
length of the seam.

page_text: The first improvement consists in a new stitch, the distinguishing cha-
racteristics of which are, that a double thread or bight of thread passes into
one surface of a layer or piece of braid or other material, then out again
through the same surface, and then through another layer or piece, and is
then secured either by another thread as in a shuttle stitch, by a loop of
another thread, as in what is known as the double-looped stitch, or by a loop
of its own thread, as in a crochet stitch.
The second part of the Invention consists, first, in the combination of a
roller or its equivalent with the needle of a sewing machine and the feeding
apparatus thereof, in such manner that a turn or bend is produced in one
layer or piece of braid or other material to enable the needle to pass into one
surface of it and out again through the same surface.
The third part of the Invention consists in the combination of a sewing
machine needle, a roller, or bending surface, such as is above mentioned, and
a contrivance for guiding the needle itself at some points above the material
being sewed, thus forcing the needle to pierce the braid or other material at
a proper distance from the roller or bending surface.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the employment in a sewing
machine in combination with a roller or bending surface, such as herein-before
mentioned, and with any appropriate feeding apparatus of a needle having a
vibrating movement toward and from the said roller, for the purpose of
piercing and carrying the thread through the braid or other material at
various distances from the said roller or bending device.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said. Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS TO BE USED IN SEWING
BY MACHINERY," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do heroby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention is especially applicable to the manufacture of straw hats
and bounets, and to those manufactures in which braids are sewn together, or
to other material. Such work is commonly performed by hand, the stitch
employed being a long one, and of such a character that little or none of the
thread appears upon what is usually termed the right side. The sewing
machines heretofore used with some additions are practically useless for
the purpose, as they sew a seam shewing upon the right side a stitch reaching
from one to another of the punctures made by the needle the whole length of
the seam.
The first improvement consists in a new mode of stitching fabrics by
machinery, the distinguishing characteristics of which are, thata double thread
or bight of thread passes into one surface of a layer or piece of braid or other
material, then out again through the same surface, and then through another
layer or piece, and is then secured either by another thread as in a shuttle
stitch, by a loop of another thread, as in what is known as the double-looped
stitch, or by a loop of its own thread, as in a crochet stitch.
The second part of the Invention consists, first, in the combination of a
roller or its equivalent with the needle of a sewing machine and the feeding
apparatus thereof, in such manner that a turn or bend is produced in one
layer or piece of braid or other material to enable the needle to pass into one
surface of it and out again through the same surface.
The third part of the Invention consists in the combination of a sewing

page_text: machine needle, a roller, or bending surface, such as is above mentioned, and
a contrivance for guiding the needle itself at some points above the material
being sewed, thus forcing the needle to pierce the braid or other material at a
proper distance from the roller or bending surface.
The fourth part of the Invention consists in the employment in a sewing
machine in combination with a roller or bending surface, such as herein-before
mentioned, and with any appropriate feeding apparatus of a needle having a
vibrating movement toward and from the said roller, for the purpose of
piercing and carrying the thread through the braid or other material at
various distances from the said roller or bending device.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a sectional view of two layers of
braid, and of the roller or bending device, illustrating the manner in which the
double thread or bight of thread is carried through them by the sewing
machine needle. Figures 2, 3, and 4 are similar sectional views illustrating
modifications of the stitch. Fig. 5 is a front view of a sewing machine with
the improvements embraced by the second, third, and fourth parts of the
Invention attached. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the additional parts
applied to the machine for carrying out the improved mode of stitching fabrics.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figu es.
k, k³, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, represent two pieces or layers of braid; g represents
the needle, which is of the kind commonly used in sewing machines, viz.,
having an eye near its point; c represents the roller or bending device, over
which the upper braid k¹is bent to enable the needle to enter it on one side
and pass out again on the same side, and then through the lower piece k, as
shown in Fig. 1, carrying its thread which is shown in red color through the
two pieces of braid in the form of a loop, which is secured by passing the other
thread which is shown in blue color in Figures 2, 3, 4, or a loop of thread
through it. When the needle is retracted the braid is drawn tight, and as
the braid is carried forward by the feed movement its upper piece is drawn
down upon the lower one. A bend in a new spot is then to be made in the
upper braid, and another stitch taken.
The stitch when completed presents
the appearance shown at u¹ in Fig. 2. The needle and thread may pass into
the braid from one side or sui face thereof, and out again on the same side,
without perforating the other surface, as shown at w, w, Figures 1 and 2, or it
may in its passage perforate the other surface, so that when it is withdrawn
the thread shall appear thereon as shown at w in Fig. 4, the object of the
Invention being to sew braids together without any thread or with very little
thread appearing on one surface of one of the braids, each braid being united
to the other by a double thread at the point where the needle perforates both

page_text: the braids. In sewing braids together it is not necessary that they should be
attached to each other at frequent intervals, but it is necessary, or at any rate
expedient, in order to avoid the fraying of the stitch on the side that the under
or locking thread appears upon, that the latter thread should be caught
and held at frequent intervals, it may therefore be desirable at times to pass
the needle through the lower braid only, as shown at y, y, in Figures 3 and 4,
and to make one or more interlockings of thread as there shown in the lower
piece of braid only. These interlockings serve to confine the lower thread,
or the thread that appears below the lower braid, and such interlockings must
alternate with interlockings uniting both braids, as shown at w, w.
The
machine best adapted for making this stitch is the ordinary shuttle sewing
machine, having applied to it this roller or bending device c, which constitutes
the second part of this Invention, and also the devices which constitute the
third and fourth parts of the Invention, which are fully illustrated in Figures
5 and 6. In these Figures the shuttle and its operating mechanism are not
shewn, as those parts of the machine require no alteration from ordinary
constructions, and only those parts are represented which are necessary to
illustrate the Invention; a is the needle bar; g, the needle; b', the take up
apparatus; c', the table or surface upon which the goods to be sewn are
supported; b, the presser foot for holding the work to the feed apparatus
and the table, all of which parts may be constructed in the usual manner.
To the presser foot bar 63, or to some other convenient part of the machine,
there is attached a frame c³ which carries the roller c herein-before mentioned,
the axis of which is at right angles or nearly so with the progression or feed
movement of the goods. The upper piece of braid k¹ passes over this roller,
then under it, and thence over the other piece of braid k, and the roller holds
the one piece down upon the other. In order to keep the upper braid in
position laterally there is an adjustable gauge d, which may be attached to
the frame c², and in order to make the upper braid apply itself closely to the
roller c there is supported in the frame, or attached to the presser foot, another
bar or roller e, which rests upon the surface of the said braid. It is preferred
to attach this bar or roller e to a slide e', clasping the presser foot bar b³, and
adjustable thereon by a set screw, so that the said bar or roller may be set
to adapt itself to different thicknesses of braid. In order to guide the under
piece of braid there may be attached to the table a guidej. In sewing with the
contrivance as thus far described a single piece of braid k, or the braid on the
edge of a number of pieces already stitched together, is to be introduced under
the presser foot b as shewn in Fig. 6, and another piece of braid / is to be
passed under the bar or rollere, and thence over and under the roller c. If

page_text: o be properly set with reference to the needle, the needle will pass into and
out of the upper braid and through the lower one in the manner illustrated
by Figures 1 and 2, and according to the distance at which the roller is set
from the line of motion of the needle the thread will appear on the upper
surface of the upper braid as shown in Fig. 4, or will be invisible on the said
surface as shown in Figures 2 and 3. When the loop has been passed
through the two braids, and secured below the lower one by the locking or
shuttle thread, and the needle has risen out of both pieces, the feed will
advance both braids, and in so doing will carry the upper one over the
bending roller so that it may be pierced at a different spot on the next
descent of the needle, the feed and roller by their combined action presenting
the upper braid properly. The above operation would not however be as
certain as desirable,owing to the springing of the needle, without a contrivance
for guiding the needle. The needle is therefore set so that it will not pierce
the upper piece of braid at all unless it be bent or spring over toward the
roller on its descent, and there is applied to the presser foot or other
convénient support a guide such as is shown at f, which springs the needle
over toward the roller when the needle enters the said guide. A bent
piece of metal with a conical hole in it, or a simple surface standing nearly
upright, but inclining away from the needle at its upper edge, answers the
purpose well,
The guide shown in Figures 5 and 6 of the Drawing has two surfaces
meeting at an angle or apex, through which the needle passes. By means of
this addition the needle is forced to pierce in the desired line, and the operation
of sewing is rendered certain. The loops of the needle thread passed through
the lower braid are confined by the shuttle thread shown in the Drawings in
blue color, or may be by a looped thread or by a loop of the upper thread,
as in crochet stitch machines,and the stitch is drawn tight when it has passed
or just as it is passing away from the roller. As the seam is stronger when
the thread protrudes through the upper surface of the upper braid, and as it is
desirable that it should show only at long intervals further apart than can be
conveniently fed or sewn in a sewing machine in the interval between one
stitch and another it becomes desirable that there should be a contrivance by
the use of which some of the stitches will be made in the lower braid only.
In order to do this the needle is set as before, and the guide is mounted upon
aspring arm f,which tends to press it against the roller c, while an adjustable
stop 7 (see Fig. 5) regulates the distance to which it shall approach the
roller. Upon the presser foot bar there is mounted, so that it can turn
freely, an irregularly polygonal plate p,having secured to it a ratchet wheel n,

page_text: provided with a detaining pawl n', and with an actuating pawli, pivoted to h
lever h, which is attached by its fulcrum pin h' to the bar 62. A pin s attached
to the needle bar and the lever hare so arranged relatively to each other that
each stroke of the bar shall reciprocate the pawli, and consequently turn the
plate 2. The arm f' bears against the perimeter of the plate-p, and is pressed
with the attached needle guide more or less. toward the roller c; according
as a more or less prominent side of the plate:is: presented toward it. By
shaping the plate p properly the position of the guide may be so regulated and
varied that the needle may be caused to pierce the upper piece of braid aţ
every other stitch, or at every second, third, or greater number of stitches, as
desired, so that seams may be sewn like those in Figures 3 and 4, or by proper
shape and adjustment of the parts seams may be sewn presenting the upper
thread at intervals above the upper surface of the upper braid, and at other
intervals merely catching into the upper braid; or a scam may be sewn having
some stiches showing on the upper surface of the upper braid, others catching
into the upper braid, and not shewing, and others still which do not touch the
upper braid at all. In sewing such seams the needle springs away from 'the
roller, and is drawn toward it at the time and to the extent desired by the
spring guide, the latter being governed by the plate p.
The apparatus above described is one for vibrating the needle to and fro in
the direction of the line of the seam, and any contrivance that will cause the
needle to so vibrate as to pierce or not pierce the upper braid as desired may
be substituted for the apparatus specially described.
Where a vibrating needle as thus described is used the feed apparatus feeds
both the upper and lower braids, and presents both braids in such manner by
the aid of the roller c that the needle may either puncture both braids or one
only, depending upon the line in which the needle descends. The roller c may
rotate or be stationary, but it is preferable that it should rotate, and the bar e
and guide d might be dispensed with, and the braid kept in position by the
fingers of the operator, the gist of the Invention being to hold one piece of
braid in reference to the braid or other material to which it is to be stitched,
and in relation to the needle in such manner that the needle shall enter and
leave the upper braid on the same side thereof, and shall afterward pierce the
lower braid or piece of stuff to which the upper braid is to be sewn. As before
stated, any proper feeding apparatus may be used, but either that commonly
known as the four-motion roughened surface feed or the wheel feed is
preferred. As the braids to be sewn are sometimes of considerable thickness,
aud as one lies on the top of the other, the upper one will be held slightly
above the table or platform of the machine. An ordinary feeding bar will

page_text: therefore act most effectually if not entirely on the lower braid, but as the
sewing, owing to the great length of the stitches, will be better if the feeding
device acts upon both braids, it may be better to use two independent feeding
devices, one for each braid, and when using a four-motion feed to split the
feeding bar at or about the line of junction of the braids, thus making two
feeding bars, and to apply a set screw or some equivalent device so that
the two bars may have their relative heights or levels adjustable the one to the
other, thus causing that bar which acts upon the upper braid to work at the
highest level, so that this braid may be as effectively fed as the lower one. In
sewing hat brims,and other curved work, one braid, viz., that nearest the centre
or body of the hat must of necessity move through a less distance than the
other, and in order to make the feed adapt itself to both so as not to wrinkle
either, and in order also to regulate the curvature of the seam, one feed should
be made to move at each stitch through a greater distance than the other.
This object may be obtained most casily by advancing two feeding bars by the
same cam, and by regulating their retreating motion by separate stops, one or
both of which may be adjustable and acting like the adjustable feed regulators
well known to constructors of sewing machines.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Mode of and Apparatus to be used in Sewing by Machinery, and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim sewing by machinery
with the aid of a roller or guide for guiding the fabric, substantially in the
manner and for the purpose above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)