IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING-MACHINES FOR STITCHING PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Webster, of San Francisco, in the County of
San Francisco and State of California, one of the United States of America,
and now temporarily residing at New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of York,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING-MACHINES FOR STITCHING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Webster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th August 1881.
WILLIAM WEBSTER, of San Francisco, in the County of San Francisco and State
of California, one of the United States of America, and now temporarily residing
at New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, SHIPS' SAILS, CARPETS, AND FOR OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES."
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 3725 of 1880, I
described a sewing machine for stitching sacks, bags, ships' sails, carpets, and for
other like purposes with an intermittent serrated chain feed movement for the
material under operation, and with a screw feed for the needle carriage, both
actuated by means of an eccentric, a link, and pawls, and ratchet wheels.
Now according to my present Invention I effect the intermittent movement of
the material under operation, and also the feet of the needle, by the use in combi-
nation with the spiked feeding chain and the needle carriage above referred to of a
tangent or worm wheel and a suitably formed cam, which may be placed upon any
shaft of the machine having the same number of revolutions per minute as the
rotating needle. This cam is of the nature of what is well known as the "drunken
screw or screw of varying pitch, and takes into the teeth of a tangent or worm-
wheel. The thread or cam, which for a portion of its length lies in a plane perpen-
dicular to the axis of the shaft, imparts no motion to the wheel for a considerable
part of its revolution, until its inclined portion comes into operation, and then it
causes the said tangent or worm wheel to move forward one tooth. This movement
""

page_text: "
is communicated to the "nog wheel" of the endless feed chain, and also by toothed
gearing causes the advancement of the needle carriage through the
nut," referred to in my former Specification, No. 3725 of 1880.
screw and its
To actuate the curved needle described in my former Specification I now make
the said needle to pa-s around and exterior to a path or guiding groove, and of a
sufficient length to cover about two thirds of the circumference thereof; this groove
is in depth about half the breadth of the needle, that is, about half the distance
between its inner and outer peripheries. On the portion of the needle projecting
beyond the path or groove I provide teeth extending over half its circumference or
thereabouts, and on each side of the path of the needle I mount a revolving
toothed wheel or segment, having by preference a corresponding number of teeth
to those in the needle, and by the action of these wheels or segments the needle is
propelled around its path and through the material under operation. The teeth in
the periphery of the needle may be sunk in the centre of its width, so as to be
guarded by a shield or shroud on each side, and thus the needle may present a
smooth exterior; or the teeth may be formed on one side thereof, in each of which
cases the needle may be of much lighter construction than heretofore. By this
improved method of mounting and actuating the needle I dispense with the
driving disc," the "arms," " dogs or drivers," and the cam " for controlling the
same, described in my former Specification, No. 3725 of 1880, and am thus enabled
to work the machine at a greater speed and with less power.
"
"
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved construction of and
method or means of mounting the pressure foot described in my former Specifi-
cation, which I now mount upon a stud at the back of the machine, and provide
with an arm reaching forward for carrying the foot proper; the said pressure foot
is actuated by a torsional or helical spring around the stud, and is provided with a
spring or other conveniently arranged handle and latch for lifting and holding the
same while new work is being placed in the machine.
The advantages of this pressure foot are that it is perfectly free from interference
with the take up cylinder and the coils of thread thereon, and that it affords better
facility for the operator attending to the same.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th February 1882.
WILLIAM WEBSTER, of San Francisco, in the County of San Francisco and State
of California, one of the United States of America, and now temporarily residing
at New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, SHIPS' SAILS, CARPETS, AND FOR OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES."
"
"
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 3725 of 1880 (and
hereafter referred to as "my former Specification"), I described a sewing machine
for stitching sacks, bags, ships' sails, carpets, and for other like purposes, with an
intermittent serrated chain feed movement for the material under operation, and with
a screw feed for the needle carriage, both actuated by means of an eccentric, a
link, and pawls, and ratchet wheels. Now according to my present Invention
I effect the intermittent movement of the material under operation, and also the
feed of the needle carriage, by the use in combination with the spiked feeding
chain and the needle carriage above referred to of a tangent or worm wheel and
a suitably formed cam, which may be placed upon any shaft of the machine having
the same number of revolutions per minute as the rotating needle. This cam is of
the nature of what is well known as the
drunken screw," or screw of varying
pitch, and takes into the teeth of a tangent or worm wheel. The thread or cam,
which for a portion of its length lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the
shaft, imparts no motion to the wheel for a considerable part of its revolution until
its inclined portion comes into operation, and then it causes the said tangent or
worm wheel to move forward one tooth. This movement is communicated to the
nog-wheel" of the endless feed chain, and also by toothed gearing causes the
advancement of the needle carriage through the "screw and its nut," referred to in
my former Specification, No. 3725, of 1880. To actuate the curved needle described
in my former Specification I now make the said needle to pass around and exterior
to a path or guiding groove, and of a sufficient length to cover about two-thirds of
the circumference thereof; this groove is in depth about half the breadth of the
needle, that is, about half the distance between its inner and outer peripheries. On
that portion of the needle projecting beyond the path or groove I provide teeth
extending over balf its circumference or thereabouts, and on each side of the path
of the needle I mount a revolving toothed wheel or segment, having by preference
a corresponding number of teeth to those in the needle, and by the action of these
wheels or segments the needle is propelled around its path, and through the
material under operation. The teeth in the periphery of the needle may be sunk
in the centre of its width so as to be guarded by a shield or shroud on each side,
and thus the needle may present a smooth exterior, or the teeth may be formed on
one side thereof, in each of which cases the needle may be of much lighter
construction than heretofore. By this improved method of mounting and actuating
the needle I dispense with the "driving disc," the "arms," dogs, or drivers," and the
cam for controlling the same described in my former Specification, No. 3725, of
1880, and am thus enabled to work the machine at a greater speed and with less
power.
Another part of my Invention relates to an improved construction of and
method or ineans of mounting the pressure foot described in my former Specification,
which I now mount upon a stud at the back of the machine, and provide with an
arm reaching forward for carrying the "foot proper;" the said pressure foot is
actuated by a torsional or helical spring around the stud, and is provided with a

page_text: spring or other conveniently arranged handle and latch for lifting and holding the
same while new work is being placed in the machine. The advantages of this
pressure foot are that it is perfectly free from interference with the take-up
cylinder and the coils of thread thereon, and that it affords better facility for the
operator attending the same.
In the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate like parts, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is a plan of a machine according to
my Invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an elevation of the
driving end, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the working end of the machine; Fig. 5
is a cross sectional elevation at the line a, b, looking from the driving end and
shewing the feeding mechanism; Figs. 6 and 7 shew in detail to an enlarged scale
a front and end view of the curved needle and the toothed driving segments; and
Figs. 8 and 9, in front and end elevations the part containing the path or guiding
groove of the needle. A is the bed of the machine; B is the needle carriage
having a horizontal sliding movement lengthwise upon the bed A, and carries the
driving wheels C, C², and C, and the toothed segments D and D' for propelling
the needle E; F is the driving pulley mounted upon the sleeve G, and actuates all
the various movements of the machine as follows, namely, that of the needle being
effected by the shaft H which passes through and is connected to the sleeve G.
On the other end of this shaft is the upper toothed segment D for propelling the
needle through one half of its revolution. On the said shaft H is mounted the gear
wheel C for giving motion through the intermediate pinion C¹ to the gear wheel C"
on the shaft I, on the other end of which is the lower toothed segment D¹ for propelling
the needle through the remaining half of its revolution; continuous rotary motion
is thus imparted to the needle so long as the machine is in operation. On the
aforesaid sleeve G is the gear wheel J which actuates the wheel K on the shaft L
of the take-up cylinder M; this last named gearing is so arranged as to give to the
take-up cylinder M a somewhat quicker speed (circumferentially) to that of the
needle, in order to take up any slackness of thread thereon (over which it is passed)
in the operation of stitching. Also on the said sleeve G is the gear wheel N which
actuates the wheel O on the sleeve P; to this latter wheel is attached the cam or
"drunken screw Qwhich causes an intermittent motion to be imparted to the
worm wheel R on the shaft S. On this shaft is mounted the "nog-wheel" T for
actuating the endless serrated or spike chain U for feeding the material to be
operated upon. On the said shaft S is mounted the bevil wheel V which takes
into the pinion W on the feed screw X, which is connected by the lever and nut X¹
to the needle carriage B, and thus imparts the requisite intermittent movement to
the same during the operation of stitching; Y is the pressure foot mounted on the
stud Z at the back of the machine; Z¹ is the torsional or helical spring for causing
it to press upon the material under operation; Z is the handle for lifting the said
foot when new work is being placed in the machine; Figs. 10 and 11, Sheet 2,
shew a modification of the needle E, in which the teeth are sunk in its outer
periphery, and with a shield or shroud on each side thereof so as to form a smooth
exterior, and the toothed segments D and D¹ arranged for taking into and
propelling the same; Figs. 12 and 13 shew another modification of the needle E
having the teeth formed on one side thereof, and toothed segments D and D'
corresponding therewith for propelling the same.
"
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which it is to be or may be carried into practical effect, I would have it
understood that what is considered to be novel and original, and therefore
claimed as secured to me under the Letters Patent herein before first in part
recited is, in a sewing machine for stitching sacks, bags, ships' sails, carpets, and
for other like purposes,-
1. Effecting the positive intermittent movement of the material under operation,
and also the feed of the needle by the use in combination with the spiked feeding
chain and the needle carriage of a cam and a tangent or worm wheel, arranged
and operating substantially as hereinabove described.

page_text: 2. Actuating the circular rotating needle by the use in combination therewith of
toothed wheels or segments gearing with teeth on the said needle, and so arranged
that one at least of the said toothed wheels or segments is always in gear with the
teeth on the needle, substantially as described.
3. The arrangement and construction of pressure foot, substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 4 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Webster, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentysixth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness to the signature of
the said William Webster,
THOS. E. CRAVEN, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
24, Victoria Chambers,
South Parade,
Leeds.
WILLIAM WEBSTER. (L.S.)