IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Emerson Baker, of Cannon Street West,
T:
!.
in the City of London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES."-A communication.
1-
Sealed the 9th November 1855, and dated the 16th August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION_left by the said William Emerson Baker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th August 1855.
I, WILLIAM EMERSON BAKER, of Cannon Street West, in the City of
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES" to be as follows:-.
This Invention has for its object improvements in sewing machines, which
are as follows:-Instead of supporting the table or plate of the machine on a
stand or frame as heretofore, the table or plate of the machine is hinged to
the lower one of two parts of a box, so as to form a division in the interior of
the box when shut; by this means, the machine when out of use, and the
box shut, will be kept free from dirt and dust; it will also be less liable to
injury when being transported from place to place. And in order. to reduce
the dimensions of the box employed, the handle or crank pin on the fly wheel
is so applied, that when in use it may project from the outer surface of the fly
wheel, but when out of use it may pass through. the fly wheel; for which
purpose the inner end of the crank pin is formed with a screw, which fits a

page_text: female screw in the fly wheel; the diameter of the outer parts of the crank
pin being made less than the screw, will pass back through the female screw
when the machine is put out of use. In order to keep the sewing thread
in a state of tension, there is a coiled spring used outside of a rod or spindle.
The drag on the thread constantly tends to contract the length of the spring,
and the reaction of the spring constantly takes up the slack of the thread.
When making two rows of stitches two needles are used, each having its
sewing thread, and the needles make their rows of stitches parallel; but in
place of using two threads on the other side of the fabric, as heretofore, when
employing two needles and threads, only one is used, which is caused to pass
through the loops and fasten the threads of both needles. To facilitate the
winding of the sewing thread on to bobbins the rotation of the fly wheel of
the sewing machine is used; a bobbin is mounted in a hand frame. One end
of the bobbin is supported in the frame by a point, and the other end of the
bobbin is supported on studs of a revolving disc or chuck, the edge or peri-
phery of which is formed with a spiral thread or worm, which takes into a
toothed wheel, which by a link gives motion to a distributing arm, which has
notches at the end for the passage of the thread; hence, by holding one wall
or flanch of the bobbin against the fly wheel of the sewing machine, rotation
of the bobbin will be obtained, and a winding and distributing of the thread on
the barrel of the bobbin will be accomplished.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Emerson Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EMERSON BAKER, of Cannon Street West, in the City of London, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Emerson Baker, Her special licence that I, the said William
Emerson Baker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Emerson Baker, 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

page_text: 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 SEWING MACHINES," (a communication,) upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Emerson Baker, 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 William Emerson Baker, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in sewing machines, which
are as follows:-Instead of supporting the table or plate of the machine on
a stand or frame, as heretofore, the table or plate of the machine is hinged to
the lower one of two parts of a box, so as to form a division in the interior
of the box when shut; by this means, the machine when out of use and the
box shut, will be kept free from dirt and dust; it will also be less liable to
injury when being transported from place to place. And in order to reduce
the dimensions of the box employed, the handle or crank pin on the fly wheel
is so applied, that when in use it may project from the outer surface of the
fly wheel, but when out of use it may pass through the fly wheel; for which
purpose the inner end of the crank pin is formed with a screw, which fits a
female screw in the fly wheel; the diameter of the outer parts of the crank
pin being made less than the screw, will pass back through the female screw
when the machine is put out of use. In order to keep the sewing thread in a
state of tension, there is a coiled spring used outside of a rod or spindle. The
drag on the thread constantly tends to contract the length of the spring, and
the reaction of the spring constantly takes up the slack of the thread. When
making two rows of stitches two needles are used, each having its sewing thread,
and the needles make their rows of stitches parallel; but in place of using
two threads on the other side of the fabric, as heretofore, when employing two
needles and threads, only one is used, which is caused to pass through the loops
and fasten the threads of both needles. To facilitate the winding of the sewing
thread on to bobbins the rotation of the fly wheel of the sewing machine is
used; a bobbin is mounted in a hand frame. One end of the bobbin is sup-
ported in the frame by a point, and the other end of the bobbin is supported

page_text: on studs of a revolving discs or chuck, the edge or periphery of which is
formed with a spiral thread or worm, which takes into a toothed wheel, which
by a link gives motion to a distributing arm, which has notches at the end
for the passage of the thread; hence, by holding one wall or flanch of the
bobbin against the fly wheel of the sewing machine, rotation of the bobbin will
be obtained, and a winding and distributing of the thread on the barrel of the
bobbin will be accomplished.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same...
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a plan, Figure 2 a side view, partly in section, Figure 8 a
transverse section, Figure 4 is a left-hand end-view, Figure 5 is an under
side view, of a sewing machine in its box or stand; and Figure 6 is a Diagram,
on an enlarged scale. The sewing machinery shown is when moving only
one needle, such as have before been used, and in place thereof other arrange-
ments of sewing machinery may be used with part of the improvements
herein described. Figures 7 and 8 shew two views of the apparatus for
winding the thread on to bobbins by the working of the sewing- machine.
a, a, is the lower part of the box or stand of the sewing machinery, to which
the base plate or table of the machinery 6 is hinged in. such manner as
to be supported by the lower part of the box a as a stand; a' is the top or
cover of the box or case of the sewing machinery. By this arrangement the
sewing machine is composed of its box or case, and the sewing machinery
applied to the base plate or table b, and by thus making the box or case the
stand of the machinery, great convenience is obtained when transporting the
machine from place to place, and at the same time dust is prevented getting
to the works when the box or case a, a', is closed. In order to reduce the
dimensions of the case or box, which, as above described, also constitutes the
stand or frame of the sewing machinery, the crank pin or handle d is made
capable of passing inwards when out of use-by-forming the outer part of less
diameter than the inner end, where the male screw is formed, by which the
crank pin or handle d is fixed to the wheel e on the driving shaft of the
machine.
The crank pin is intended to be worked by a connecting rod and treadle, as
heretofore, but which is not shewn, and the crank pin or handle d is made
long enough to admit of the shaft or axle e" being turned by hand. is a
small door at the right-hand end of the machine, in order to admit of the
crank pin or handle rotating with its wheel when at work; g is a drawer to

page_text: contain needles, winding apparatus, and other articles. In order to keep the
sewing thread in a state of tension, the coiled wire h is placed around a rod or
spindle i, as shewn, and there is a slot through the rod or spindle through
which the thread is conducted, so that the coiled wire spring will at all times
tend. to press the thread to the upper part of the spindle or rod, but the spring
by its elasticity will when there is tension on it give way, and by such action
the thread will be kept in tension. I would remark that I do not claim the
use of a spiral wire spring for such purposes, but only the combination thereof
around a split or slotted rod or spindle, as above described. Heretofore, when
using two needles on the front side of the fabrics to make two rows of
stitches, two threads have been used to fasten the same at the back; but in
the arrangement shown in the Drawing at Figure 6, one thread only is used
at the back to fasten the two rows of stitches produced by the two needles,
and this fastening is performed by the under thread, in precisely the same
manner as what has heretofore been done in respect to the stitches of only
one needle, the under thread in present instance being in each instance
passed through the loops of the two sewing threads; in other respects the
sewing machine is similar to what has been before constructed for sewing or
stitching with one needle and one back thread. It is very desirable that a
sewing machine should have apparatus capable of being applied thereto for
winding thread on to the machine bobbins. Figures 7 and 8 shew apparatus
for this purpose. j is a handle or frame. The bobbin k is held in such
frame by a point l at one end, and by a disc m with studs at the other end.
The periphery of this disc or chuck m is formed with a spiral thread or worm,
which takes into a worm wheel n, which by a link o gives motion to the
distributing arm p, through a notch in which the thread is conducted from the
bobbin g on the stem r, as shewn; or the winding may be from a bobbin or
from a skein otherwise held. By applying this apparatus to a sewing machine
in such manner that one of the ends or walls of the bobbin k presses against
the fly wheel of the machine, the friction between the surfaces of that wheel
and the wall or end of the bobbin k will cause the bobbin to revolve, and at
the same time with it the disc, and thus will the distributing arm receive
motion.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any
of the mechanical parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the precise
details; but what I claim is,
First, the making the stands or frames of sewing machines in the form of a
box or case, as herein described.

page_text: Secondly, I claim the arrangement of and manner of applying the crank
or handle as described.
Thirdly, the combined apparatus for keeping the sewing thread in a state
of tension.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of securing two rows of stitches by employing
only one retaining thread at the back.
And, fifthly, I claim the winding apparatus applied to sewing machines, above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Emerson Baker, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year
of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
GEO. RT. CHITTENDEN.
J. CRACROFF.
WILLIAM EMERSON BAKER. (L.S.)