AN IMPROVED BRAKE FOR SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes and
-Son, Patent Agents, 128, Chancery Lane, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED BRAKE FOR SEWING MACHINES."-A communication from
abroad by John Augustus Minor and Robert Bowman, of Middletown,
- in the County of Middlesex, State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
Senled the 27th August 1867, and dated the 28th February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th February 1867.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BRAKE FOR SEWING MACHINES," a communica-
tion to me from abroad by John Augustus, Minor and Robert Bowman, of
Middletown, in the County of Middlesex, State of Connecticut, United States
of America," to be as follows:-
In several of the sewing machines in general use it is necessary at times to
turn the machine backwards, as in the machine known as the "Wheeler and

page_text: Willson " sewing machine, in which this is necessitated whenever the looper
gathers upon it a quantity of thread, as it frequently will do if not properly
adjusted, therefore any rigid or positive arrangement which will prevent the
reversal of the machine is objectionable, and yet such a stop when the machine
is in working order is extremely desirable, expecially to operators learning to
work the machine.
The object of this Invention is to produce a brake which constitutes a positive
stop to prevent the machine from being accidentally turned backward, and yet
so that the operator may be enabled at pleasure to relieve the brake so as to
reverse the action of the machine; and this Invention consists in the arrange-
ment of a cam hung relatively to the fly wheel, so that while it in nowise
interferes with the forward movement of the wheel it cannot be accidentally
turned backwards, and yet arranged so that the operator may at pleasure relieve
the wheel from the action of the said cam.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1 is an end view of the brake,
Fig. 2 is an under side view of same, and Fig. 3 a detached edge view
of the cam.
A is the table upon which the sewing machine is placed; B, the fly wheel
upon the shaft, through which power is communicated to the machine; C is a
cam hinged or pivoted to a plate D at a, and the said plate secured to the
under side of the said table in such relative position to the wheel that the cam
when free will lie upon the periphery of the wheel, as seen in Fig. 1. The
face of the said cam it is preferred to cushion with india-rubber or other
elastic or flexible material, yet such face is not positively essential to the
Invention. When the wheel is turning in the proper direction to run the
machine, as denoted by arrow, the wheel moves freely, the cam simply riding
upon its surface, yet if perchance the movement of the wheel is reversed the
friction of the wheel upon the face of the cam turns the cam down on to the
wheel so as to instantly block and stop the wheel. If occasion require that
the wheel should be turned backward place the finger upon the cam and raise
it, as denoted in red, Fig. 1, and the wheel may be freely turned.
:
In Fig. 3 is shewn what is believed to be the best construction of the
cam, in which E is an india-rubber or flexible cushion partially encircled by a
case formed in the cam, and yet so as to leave a portion of the material E
projecting beyond the surface of the cam.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward, Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 27th August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as
I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, administrators; and 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 Invention for "Ax
IMPROVED BRAKE FOR SEWING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad
by John Augustus Minor, and Robert Bowman, of Middletown; in the
County of Middlesex, State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my
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 per-
formed, 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 Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
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 (that is to say) :-
In several of the sewing machines in general use it is necessary at times to
turn the machine backwards, as in the machine known as the " Wheeler &
Wilson sewing machine," in which this is necessitated whenever the looper
gathers upon it a quantity of thread as it frequently will do if not properly
adjusted, therefore any rigid or positive arrangement which will prevent the

page_text: reversal of the machine is objectionable, and yet such a stop when the machine
is in working order is extremely desirable, especially to operators learning to
work the machine.
The object of this Invention is to produce a brake which constitutes a
positive stop to prevent the machine from being accidentally turned backward,
and yet so that the operator may be enabled at pleasure to relieve the brake
so as to reverse the action of the machine; and this Invention consists in
the arrangement of a cam hung relatively to the fly wheel, so that while it
in nowise interferes with the forward movement of the wheel it cannot be
accidentally turned backwards, and yet arranged so that the operator may at
pleasure relieve the wheel from the action of the said cam.
For the better understanding of the construction and use of this Invention
the followng description is made, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, on which Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3
a detached side view of the cam.
A is the table upon which the sewing machine is placed; B, the fly wheel
upon the shaft, through which power is communicated to the machine; C is a
cam hinged or pivoted to a plate D at a, and the said plate secured to the
under side of the said table in such relative position to the wheel that the
cam when free will lie upon the periphery of the wheel, as seen in Fig. 1.
The face of the said cam it is preferred to cushion with india-rubber or other
elastic or flexible material, yet such face is not positively essential to the
Invention. When the wheel is turning in the proper direction to run the
machine, as denoted by arrow, the wheel moves freely, the cam simply riding
upon its surface, yet if perchance the movement of the wheel is reversed
the friction of the wheel upon the face of the cam turns the cam down
on to the wheel so as to instantly block and stop the wheel. If occasion
require that the wheel should be turned backward, place the finger upon
the cam and raise it, as denoted in red, Fig. 1, and the wheel may be freely
turned.
. In Fig. 3 is shown what is believed to be the best construction of the cam,
in which E is an india-rubber or flexible cushion partially encircled by a case
formed in the cam, and yet so as to leave a portion of the material E projecting
beyond the surface of the cam. Thus is constructed a brake, which while it
instantly stops the machine when accidentally reversed, yet permits the reversal
of the machine whenever the operator desires it.
Having thus fully described this Invention as communicated to me, what is
claimed as new and useful and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is, the

page_text: cam C hinged in such relative position to and in combination with the wheel B
as to operate substantially in the manner herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of August, 1867.
E. T. HUGHES. (L.B.)