IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FACILITATING THE ADJUSTMENT OF SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES IN THEIR BARS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mothersill, of Redcliffe Villas, Surbiton,
in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MEANS FOR FACILITATING THE ADJUSTMENT OF SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES IN
THEIR BARS."
Sealed the 23rd December 1875, and dated the 29th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mothersill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 29th October 1875.
I, ROBERT MOTHERSILL, of Redcliffe Villas, Surbiton, in the County
5 of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FACILITATING THE ADJUSTMENT OF SEWING
MACHINE NEEDLES IN THEIR BARS," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means for facili-
tating the adjustment of sewing machine needles in their bars.

page_text: With an ordinary sewing machine needle and needle bar it is a difficult
matter for persons to quickly place the needle accurately in position as
to height in the needle bar, and it frequently happens that a novice will
place the needle groove facing the wrong way.
'
Now my Invention consists in an improved mode of constructing the
needle and needle bar so as to render it impossible for the needle to be
placed in any other than its proper position. For this purpose I make a
saw cut or indent in the bottom end of the needle bar right through from
side to side, and I form on the needle projections to take into such saw
cut or indent, by which means when the needle is pushed up to the
extremity of the saw cut or indent in the needle bar, and the ordinary
set screw screwed home, the needle is accurately adjusted in height for
work.
In some cases instead of continuing the saw cut or indent right
across the needle bar, I make it partly through only, and form the pro-
jection on one side only of the needle to correspond therewith, by which
means the needle may be readily and accurately adjusted in height, as
well as ensuring the groove thereof being placed in the proper direction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Mothersill in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
MOTHERSILL, of Redcliffe Villas, Surbiton, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Mothersill, Her special
license, that I, the said Robert Mothersill, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Mothersill, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,

page_text: 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR FACILITATING THE ADJUSTMENT OF SEWING
MACHINE NEEDLES IN THEIR BARS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Robert Mothersill, my exccutors 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 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 Robert Mothersill, 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 :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means for facili-
tating the adjustment of sewing machine needles in their bars.
With an ordinary sewing machine needle and needle bar it is a
difficult matter for persons quickly to place the needle accurately in
position as to height in the needle bar, and it frequently happens that a
novice will place the needle groove facing the wrong way.
Now my Invention consists in an improved mode of constructing the
needle and needle bar so as to render it a matter of absolute certainty to
place the needle in its proper position, both as to height and as to the
direction of its groove.
My Invention is represented in its preferred form in the accompanying
Drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 represent two sectional elevations
of my improved needle bar and needle; Figure 3 is a sectional plan
thereof on the line 1, 1, of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the lower end of the needle bar separately;
and Figures 5 and 6 are two side elevations of the needle separately.
In all the Figures the parts are drawn to a scale double that of the
real size.

page_text: On reference to the Drawings it will be seen that I make a saw cut or
indent a in the bottom end of the needle bar a on one side thereof
opening into the socket for the needle b, and I form on the needle ba
projection to take into such saw cut or indent a', by which means
when the needle is pushed up with the projection b' to the extremity of
the saw cut or indent a¹ in the needle bar, and the ordinary set screw a³
screwed home the needle will be found to be accurately adjusted both
in height and position for work.
It will be seen by the Drawings that the projection 6' on the needle
is somewhat narrower than the saw.cut or indent a'. This is the arrange-
ment I prefer, as by such means I am enabled to obtain that slight
adjustment of the needle which is sometimes found necessary to ensure
the proper throwing out of the loop.
I would here remark that I am aware that it has been heretofore
proposed to make an annular projection, shoulder, or collar on the shank
of the needle to ensure the correct adjustment as to height of the needle
in the needle bar, but such projection, shoulder, or collar was simply
pressed up to the under side of the needle bar, and could not adjust the
needle with respect to the position of its groove.
I would also remark that the saw cut or indent a' and the projection 61
may be made longer or shorter and of other shape than those shown in
the Drawings; or the indent or groove a' may consist of a groove or
chase cut in the side of the needle socket, but not extending to
the exterior of the needle bar without departing from the peculiar
character of my Invention.
I would further remark that the arrangement described in my
Provisional Specification of forming a projection on each side of the
needle shank to act in combination with a cut or indent formed entirely
across the end of the needle bar does not possess such an amount of
utility as to render it advisable to make a claim thereto, as unless such
projections and cuts or indents are of different forms or dimensions the
adjustment as to position of the groove could not be obtained; I there-
fore disclaim such arrangement.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is, forming a projection a¹ on one side of the needle a, and

page_text: a saw cut, indent, or groove b¹ in the lower end of the needle bar 6 for
the purpose of securing the correct adjustment of the needle, both as to
height and direction of its groove, substantially as herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mothersill, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.