IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS
AND SHOES." A communication from abroad by Gordon McKay of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st October 1876, and dated the 25th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1876.
-
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication.
This Invention relates to improvements in the machines for sewing boots and
shoes described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, bearing date the 27th
day of August A.D., 1864, No. 2113.
The said improvements are designed to simplify the construction of the said
machines, to give increased strength and durability to some of the parts thereof, and
to diminish their liability to breakage or other derangement of such parts.
The said Invention relates, first, to improvements in the mechanism for operating
the cast-off or closing slide of the needle. The movement of the said cast-off or
slide is the same as in the machine described in the said former Specification, but
the means for producing this movement are greatly simplified. In the former
machine the cast-off was operated by a lever arranged to rock or vibrate on the
same fulcrum as the needle lever, and having its rear extremity connected by a
slotted piece to a pin on the arm of an excentric strap. The upper end of the said
slotted piece was so formed and arranged in combination with a projection on the
said lever that operated the cast-off, and so arranged and combined with the other
parts of this mechanism as to produce the required action of the cast-off in relation
to the movement of the needle; but according to my present Invention I dispense
with the aforesaid rocking or vibrating lever, and actuate the cast-off directly by
or from the needle bar. For this purpose 1 fix or form on the said needle bar a
collar or washer; the cast-off rod passes through a notch formed in one side of this
collar, and has two stops or dogs, one above and one below the said collar. The

page_text: needle bar is grooved or channelled longitudinally, and the cast-off rod has a small
block fitted to slide in the groove or channel of the needle bar, and the said cast-off
rod is provided with a spiral spring, as in the said former machine. On the top
plate of the machine is a small guide block, through which the upper end of the
cast-off rod works. The aforesaid collar acting on the stops or dogs of the cast-off
rod impart an up-and-down motion to the same, and the said dogs are placed and
secured on the cast-off rod at such a distance apart as to permit the required lost
motion of the cast-off, that is to say, the above described mechanism ensures the
proper movement or action of the cast-off in relation to the needle as described in
the said former Specification. The small dogs on the cast-off are made adjustable
so that their distance apart may be varied if required.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the mechanism for raising the
presser foot to place the work being sewn under the samo, or to remove the work.
from the horn. In the machine described in the aforesaid Specification a lifting
lever is pivoted to a small lug or projection on the lower or base plate of the machine,
and is connected by pivoted links to the presser bar, but according to my present
Invention I dispense with the said pivoted connecting links, and fix or form upon the
presser bar a ring or collar, under which the nose or point of the said lever projects.
The said lever is so arranged that by depressing its free or outer end its nose acting
on the said collar lifts the presser bar, and permits the work to be placed under it
or removed, as above described. The spring for causing the downward pressure of
the said bar, the ratchet, nut, and pawl and parts connected therewith are the same
as in the said former Specification.
Another part of this Invention relatos to the thread " take-up," that is to say,
the device for taking up the slack of the thread in the working of the machine, and
thereby maintaining a uniform tension of the same, this device has hitherto con-
sisted of a small pulley mounted on a bracket termed the thread truck, and fitted to
slide upon the horn plate in combination with a spring carrying a guide loop or
ring for the thread, but according to my present Invention I employ a rocker arm
or bar pivoted or fulcrumed at or near its centre to a small plate fitted upon the
said horn plate. The said small plate has a tongue, which projects down into a
slot in the horn plate, and a pin is so passed through this tongue below the horn.
plate that the said small plate is fastened down upon the horn plate, but is free to
rock slightly thereon. One side of the slot in the horn plate has a notch, into
which the end of the said tongue projects, and these parts are kept in this position
by a small pin passed, down through the said lever plate into the slot. By taking
out this pin the said tension and take-up device may be removed from the horn
plate.
One end of the aforesaid rocker arın carries the leader or guide pulley, and is
provided with an eye or guide, through which the thread from the spool is taken
over the said pulley. The latter is fitted to rotate freely upon a pin or rod passed
adjustably through the end of the rocker arm, which is provided with a set screw
or other suitable means, whereby the said pin or rod is made fast. A small pin is
also arranged in front of the pulley, and extends across its periphery to keep the
thread in place on the same. The other end of the rocker arm or bar is formed
with a socket, in which is placed a small spiral or other spring so arranged that it
gives the said rocker arm an elastic take-up action, whereby the proper tension of
the thread is ensured at all times while the machine is working.
The wheel and pinion for operating the looper gearing are the same as in the
said former machine, except that I make the said wheel and pinion stronger than
heretofore, and use a bracket with double jaws, by and between which the said
wheel is supported.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
Fobruary 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltino, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication from abroad by
Gordon McKay, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in the machines for sewing boots and
shoes described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, bearing date the 27th
day of August, A.D. 1864, No. 2113.
The said improvements are designed to simplify the construction of the said
machines, to give increased strength and durability to some of the parts thereof,
and to diminish the liability to breakage or other derangement of such parts.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a machine
embodying this Invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a
plan or top view; and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the take-up mechanism of the
said machine; Figure 5 is an under side view of part of the same; Figure 6 is a
plan; and Figure 7 is a side elevation of the parts for operating the looper mechanism
of the said machine.
Figures 3 to 7 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
The said Invention relates, first, to improvements in the mechanism for operating
the cast-off or closing slide of the needle The movement of the said cast-off or slide
is the same as in the machine described in the said former Specification, but I
now employ far more simple means for producing this movement. In the former
machine the cast-off was operated by a lever arranged to rock or vibrate on the
same fulcrum as the needle lever, and having its rear extremity connected by a slotted
picce to a pin on the arm of an excentric strap, the upper end of the said slotted
piece was so formed and arranged in combination with a projection on the said
lever that operated the cast-off, and so arranged and combined with the other parts
of this mechanism as to produce the required action of the cast-off in relation to
the movement of the needle; but according to my present Invention I dispense
with the aforesaid rocking or vibrating lever, and actuate the cast-off directly by or
from the needle bar. For this purpose I employ the devices shewn in Figures
1 and 2, that is to say, I fix or form on the needle bar a collar or washer b; the
cast-off rod c passes through a notch formed in one side of this collar, and has two
stops or dogs d, e, one above and one below the said collar. The needle bar is
grooved or channeled longitudinally, as shown in dotted lines at a¹, and the cast-off
rod c has a small block ƒ fitted to slide in the groove or channel a¹ of the needle
bar, and the said cast-off rod is provided with a spiral spring g, as in the said
former machine. On the top plate of the machine is a small guide block h, through
which the upper end of the cast-off rod c works. The aforesaid collar b acting on the
stops or dogs d, c, of the cast-off rod c imparts an up-and-down motion to the same;
the said dogs are placed and secured on the cast-off rod c at such a distance apart
as to permit the required "lost motion" of the cast-off, that is to say, the abovo
described mechanism ensures the proper movement or action of the cast-off in
relation to the needle, as described in the said former Specification. The small
dogs d, e, in the cast-off rod c are made adjustable, so that their distance apart may
be accurately regulated or varied if required.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the use in combination with the
other parts of the machine of a simplified form of the mechanism for raising the
presser foot to place the work being sewn under the same, or to remove the work
from the horn. In the machine described in the aforesaid Specification a lifting
lever is pivotted to a small lug or projection on the lower or base plate of the

page_text: machine, and is connected by pivotted links to the presser bar; but according to
my present Invention, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, I dispense with the said
pivotted connecting links, and fix or form upon the presser bar a ring or collar i,
under which the nose or point of the said lever projects, as shewn at j. The said
lever is so arranged that by depressing its free or outer end j¹ its nose jacting on
the said collar i lifts the piesser bar k, and permits tho work to be placed under it
or removed, as above described. The spring j³ for causing the downward pressure
of the said bar, the ratchet nut, and pawl, and parts connected therewith, are
arranged and operate in the same manner as in the machine described in the said
foriner Specification.
Another part of this Invention relates to improvements in the thread take-up,
that is to say, the device for taking up the slack of the thread in the working of
the machine, and thereby maintaining a uniform tension of the same
This device
has hitherto consisted of a small pulley mounted on a bracket termed the thread
truck, and fitted to slide upon the horn plate in combination with a spring carrying
a guide loop or ring for the thread, but according to my present Invention
employ the mechanism shewn in Figures 3, 4, and 5, which I will now describe.
A rocker arm or bar is pivotted or fulcrummed at or near its centro to a small
plate m fitted upon the horn plate n; the said small plate m has a tongue m³,
which projects down into a slot o in the horn plate n, and a pin p is so passed through
this tongue below the horn plate, as shown in Figure 5, that the said small plate m
is fastened down and held upon the horn plate, but is free to rock slightly thereon.
One side of the slot o in the horn plate has a notch o¹, into which the end of the
said tongue m¹ projects, and these parts are kept in this position by a small pin m³
passed down through the lever plate m into the slot o. By taking out this pin m²
and the pin p the said tension and take-up device may be removed from the hoin
plate.
A
One end of the aforesaid locker arm / carries the leader or guide pulley l¹, and is
provided with an eye or guide P, through which the thread from the spool m³ is
taken over the said pulley; the latter is fitted to rotate freely upon a pin or rod 13
passed adjustably through the end of the rocker arm l, which is provided with a
set screw or other suitable means, whereby the said pin or rod is made fast
small pin 74 is also arranged in front of the pulley, and extends across its periphery
to keep the thread in place on the same. The other end of the rocker arm or bar l
is formed with a socket 5, in which is placed a small spiral or other spring 1° so
arranged that by its elasticity it tends to elevate the end of the rocker l, under
which it is placed, and so depress the pulley . The operation of this mechanism
is such that as the thread is diawn from the spool, and with the tension properly
regulated, the take-up pulley is held up against the action of the spring by the
pressure of the passing thread, but when during the progress of the sewing the
draught or pull on the thread is relaxed the spring depresses the pulley, and causes
it to take up the slack of the thread, and so ensure the proper tension of the thread
at all times while the machine is working.
r
The wheel and the pinion for operating the looper gearing are the same as in
the said former machine, excopt that I make the said wheel and pinion stronger
than heretofore, and use a brackets, with double jaws s¹, by and between which the
wheel is supported.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim, the improvements in sewing machinery for the manufacture of boots
and shoes, comprising,―
First. The improvements in the mechanism for operating the cast-off or closing
slide, as above set forth
Second. The improvements in the thread "take-up" or device for taking up the
Black of the thread, as above set forth
Third. A machine in which the mechanism for operating the cast-off or closing

page_text: slide, the thread take-up device, and the mechanism for raising the presser foot are
constructed, arranged, and operated in combination with the other parts of the
machine, as shewn in the Drawings, and as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W. ROB. LAKE. (LS.)