IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Hill at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1882.
JAMES HILL of New Oxford Street London in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
My improvement relates to means for stitching or sewing the edges of cloth or
other material with an uniform length of stitch and making the seam straight at
the same time. Also in making or forming button holes of an uniform size and
according to any desired pattern, also an improved mode for holding buttons while
being sewn to the material.
My improved machine is composed of two plates of metal or other suitable
material about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide more or less, which I term
clamping plates and are united together by means of a spring of sufficient strength
to hold them in contact one of the edges of each of these plates are made straight
and provided with indentations or saw teeth notches to be employed in hemming or
sowing the material being worked on.
The material to be hemmed is placed between these clamping plates and properly
adjusted to the notched or teethed edges. The hemming or sewing is then done by an
ordinary sewing needle and thread. The needle and thread being inserted to and
fro through the material to be hemmed opposite each notch in the clamping plates,
and, thereby an uniform length of stitch is made, as well as a straight scam.
notches in the clamping plates may be made of uniform or varying length to suit
the requirements of the work or sewing to be done.
The
The second portion of my improvement for making button holes consists in
providing each of the clamping plates with openings of the required shape of the
button hole so that the hole in each of the plates come opposite each other. The
material in which the hole is to be formed is placed between the clamping plates
and in proper position and the button hole in it is then made or formed by sewing
or stitching through the material with an ordinary sewing needle provided with
thread care being taken to do the stitching close to the edge of the pattern holes
nade through the clamping plate. After the stitching is completed through the
cloth or material it is then removed from the machine or clamping plates, and the
cloth or material is cut out inside the stitching and thereby completes the button-

page_text: hole. This method of forming the hole always ensures uniformity of size according
to any desired pattern, and a superior class of work with comparative unskilled
labor.
The other portion of my improvement consists in means for firmly holding
buttons in position while being sewn to the cloth or other material. This is effected
by making holes through each of the clamping plates near their edges. The
material to which the button is to be sewn is placed between the plates in proper
position, the button is then laid on the hole and held in place by a spring attached to
the top of the clamping plates, the end of this holding spring that rests on the button
has a hole of proper size made through it for the passage of the needle and thread.
With the cloth and button then placed and held in proper position it is sewn to
the material by an ordinary thread and needle. Slots are made in the edges of
the clamping plates communicating with the holes made in them for the passage of
the needle and thread in order to remove the material from the machine after
sewing on the button. By the use of my improvement there is no danger of the
button being moved out of position in the process of sewing it on, and it can be
done by comparative unskilled labour.
My machine may be made of any size to suit the work required to be done.