IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Greenwood of Leeds in the County of York
Machine Maker and John William Ramsden of the same place, Mechanic for
an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Greenwood and
John William Ramsden at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
3rd June 1882.
ARTHUR GREENWOOD of Leeds in the County of York, Machine Maker and
JOHN WILLIAM RAMSDEN of the same place, Mechanic, " IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINERY."
This invention relates to improvements in Sewing machines for producing a lock
stitch with waxed threads; the chief object being to simplify the action and
increase the precision of the working parts, and thereby provide for their being
driven at a high speed.
To this end we provide a stationary thread case and an instrument combining
the advantages of a "divider" and "spreader," which latter serves to take the
successively formed loops of waxed thread from the hooked needle, and pass them
over the stationary thread case to receive the locking thread.
As the stitches are formed they are drawn into the work by a stitch tightener.
The form of thread or cop case which we prefer is oval or nearly so in plan view,
its depth being sufficient to carry the cop of waxed thread. This case we mount
in a holder above the table and give it a pointed end or lip to facilitate its entering
the loop of the shuttle thread. The case may be open at top or be fitted with a
lid for the insertion of the cop and its upper edge forms an incline with the base
the highest point being near the pointed end or lip. The case is pierced centrally
at its base for the withdrawal of the thread from the interior of the cop, and
provision is made for securing the requisite friction on the locking thread. The
body of the case with its open end upwards and its point facing the barb of the
needle hook, stands opposite and as near as possible to the needle.
The case may be mounted at the side, but is preferably placed in front of the

page_text: needle. It is supported (at a convenient distance above the table) between the
prongs or arms of a forked bracket bolted to the frame of the machine, and it
rests upon a round wire stretched across the underside of the prongs or arms.
These arms which partly embrace the the body of the case, leave space for the escape
of the loop of needle thread after it has been passed over the case.
The instrument for 'dividing" the loop of waxed thread brought up from
below the work by the hooked needle, opening the loop and carrying the opened
loop backwards over the point and body of the thread case, consists of a pointed
stem slotted longitudinally to allow of the hooked needle dipping into and through
the stem to lay its loop thereon. Between the point and the rear end of the slot,
a shoulder is formed on the stem for preventing the needle thread loop from
slipping off the stem during the back motion, which enables this instrument to
draw the opened loop over the stationary thread case.
In order to reciprocate this instrument in a nearly horizontal plane across the
path of the needle, and allow of its following the inclined upper edge of the thread
case (or dipping within it) in its backward movement, this instrument is adjustably
mounted on the front end of a slotted lever arm, whose rear end is pivotted to a
vertically swinging lever carried upon the frame of the machine.
A bowle carried by an adjustable quadrant or lever enters the curved slot in the
reciprocating arm and serves to guide the instrument as motion is imparted to the
arm which carries it.
Motion is communicated to the vertical swinging lever to which the slotted arm
is pivotted through a bell crank lever and link from a cam on the vertical cam
shaft of the machine.
The pointed loop opener, after receiving the loop from the needle hook passes
backwards and downwards over the top of the open case, first pulling the loop over
the point, and then over the widest part of the case, and as it nears the end of
its motion, it passes over a "pusher" or thin piece of metal fixed upon the forked
bracket at the back of the thread case. This "pusher" enters the slot in the loop
dividing instrument as it moves down, and lifts the loop over the shoulder of
that instrument. The loop is then free to be drawn down between the case and
its supporting arms, by means of a stitch tightener below the table, for the purpose
of tightening the stitch in the work. When constructing the machine to use the
heavier or thicker kinds of thread, we propose if necessary to fit the outer portions
of the forked prongs carrying the case with grippers to hold the case in position
while the loop is being entered, and to impart motion to these grippers from a
cam on the cam shaft.
We have described the lock thread case as situate above the work but it may
be applied below the work, the compound dividing and spreading instrument
having its position correspondingly changed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Greenwood and John William Ramsden in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd December 1882.
ARTHUR GREENWOOD of Leeds in the County of York, Machine Maker, and
JOHN WILLIAM RAMSDEN of the same place Mechanic "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINERY"
This Invention relates to improvements in Sewing Machines for producing a
lock stitch with waxed threads; the chief object being to simplify the action and
increase the precision of the working parts, and thereby to provide for their being
driven at a high speed
To this end we employ a stationary thread case which serves the purpose of a
shuttle, and also an instrument combining the advantages of a
"
divider" and
spreader," which instrument serves to take the successively formed loops of waxed
thread from the hooked needle, and pass them over the stationary thread case to
receive the locking thread. As the stitches are formed, they are drawn into the
work by a stitch tightener.
"
Sheet I of the accompanying drawings shows at Fig: 1 in side elevation a
'post" machine constructed according to our invention, and Fig: 2 is a front view
of the same. Figures 3 and 4 Sheet II are sectional plan views taken on the lines
1. 2. and 3. 4 respectively of Fig: 2.
A is the framing serving to carry the working parts of the machine cast in one
piece. Bolted to the base of this framing is a bracket casting, forming the hollow
post A¹, and furnished at top with the usual plate a. serving as a support for the
work. Between the arms of the bracket casting A', below the plate a. work the
ends of the levers carrying the looper B, the pricker feed C, and the stitch
tightening lever D. Fitted to the vertical portion of the framing A is the guide
box A' for receiving the needle bar E and presser bar F as usual.-Bolted also to
this vertical portion of the framing A is a forked bracket A³ which serves to
support the stationary thread case G and also to carry a pointed instrument H
which is intended to perform the duty of a divider and spreader of the loop of the
needle thread. I is a vertical shaft mounted in bearings in the back part of the
framing A, and fitted with cams for actuating the several working parts of the
machine as will be hereafter more particularly explained.
The form of thread-or cop case which we prefer to employ is oval in plan view;
its depth being sufficient to carry the cop of waxed thread. This case is shewn
detached and in full size in plan and side view at Figures 5 Sheet III, and in place
in its holder at Figures 6. 7 and 8; Fig: 6 being a side view of the forked
bracket A; Fig: 7 a front view partly in section, and Fig: 8 a sectional plan on
the line 1. 2 of Fig: 6. The thread case we provide with a lip to facilitate its
entering the loop of the hooked needle thread. It is open at top for the insertion
of the cop, and its upper edge forms an incline with the base, the highest point
being at the lip. The case it will be seen is pierced centrally at its base for the
withdrawal of the thread from the interior of the cop, and provision is made, as in
ordinary shuttles for securing the requisite friction on the locking thread.-The
body of the case with its open end upwards and its lip presented to the barb of the
needle hook, stands opposite, and as near as possible to the needle. It is supported
(at a convenient distance above the table) between the arms of the forked
bracket As, and it rests upon a round wire stretched across the underside of the
arms. Between these arms, which partly embrace the body of the case, space is
provided for the escape of the loop of the needle thread after it has been passed
over the case.
Figures 9 shew in side and plan views the instrument H for dividing the loop of
waxed thread brought up from below the work by the hooked needle, opening the
loop, and carrying the opened loop backwards over the lip and body of the thread
This instrument, which is shewn attached to its holder at Fig: 10, consists of
саве.

page_text: a pointed stem slotted longitudinally as at h. to allow of the hooked needle dipping
into and through the stem to lay its loop thereon. Between the point and the
rear end of the slot, a shoulder h¹ is formed on the stem for preventing the needle
thread loop from slipping off the stem during the back motion, which enables this
instrument to draw the opened loop over the stationary thread case.
The divider and spreader H fits into a socket in a rock lever H' which is formed
with a cam-shaped slot, h², to allow of its riding over a bowle h³ mounted in the
forked bracket A³. The rear end of this rock lever H¹ is jointed to a pendent
link H2 and a connecting link H³ which latter is jointed to the pendent arm of a
bell crank lever H pivotted, like the link H2, to the framing A.
Fitted to the other arm of the bell crank lever is a bowle which works in a
grooved cam H³ on the cam shaft I. By this means the loop divider and
spreader H receives a reciprocating to-and-fro motion, controlled so as to give it a
slight up-and-down motion during its traverse.
Immediately in rear of the cop case G stands up from its holder a stud h*
suitably shaped to enter the slot h. of the divider H, as that instrument completes
its back motion. The use of this stud is to receive the needle thread loop from the
divider as the divider receives it from the hooked needle, and thereby to allow the
loop, as the divider point is dipped, to slide over the point of the divider, and drop
to the rear of the cop case. This release of the loop will be better understood
when the action of the divider is traced by means of a series of diagrams hereafter
referred to.
-
The machine illustrated in the drawings is intended. to be used in connection
with heavy or thick thread which requires that ample space shall be left between
the cop case G and its holder for the free passage of the needle thread loop over
the cop case. Under these circumstances it is desirable that the cop case should be
steadied in its holder, and for this purpose we employ a pair of grippers g. g.
which form virtual extensions of the arms of the forked bracket A³. These
grippers are carried by stems g¹ which pass through horizontal sockets in the arms
of the bracket, and are connected at the back of the bracket by a cross bar.
Projecting rearwards from this cross bar is a link rod g² which connects with the
pendent arm of the bell crank lever G pivotted to the main framing. Fitted to
the other arm of this bell crank lever is a bowle which enters a groove of a cam G³
on the cam shaft I. This cam is so timed that it will rock the crank lever, and
thereby cause the grippers g to grip the cop case and hold it firmly while the lid
of the case is entering the opened loop of the needle thread. When however the
loop is fairly on the case, the cam G² will release the grippers g. and leave space for
the loop to pass off at the rear of the cop case under the drag of the stitch-tightening
mechanism. When constructing machines in which a fine thread is to be used, the
gripping mechanism just described may be dispensed with.
In Sheet IV we have shewn the several cams carried by the shaft I as laid out,
their relative positions being preserved in the drawing. B', is the cam for
operating the reciprocating looper B, which serves to place the needle thread in the
book of the needle.-C' C2 are the cams for imparting the traversing and the
up-and-down motions to the pricker feed C-D' is the cam for operating the
stitch-tightening lever D which carries a bowle at its extremity for working in
the groove of the cam.-E³ is the cam for operating the needle bar E through the
intervention of a rock lever E2 which is pivotted to the bar and carries at its rear
end a bowle which enters the groove of the cam.-F is the cam for putting
pressure on the presser-foot bar F through the rock lever F2, and locking the bar
through the clamping lever F3 in the usual manner. G² is the cam for operating
the grippers g, and H³ is the cam for operating the divider and spreader H.
Sheet V represents a series of diagrams which illustrate the action of the
instrument, H, in connection with the hooked needle and cop case.-Diagram I
shews the position of the sewing instruments when the needle, hook has brought
up a loop of thread and the point of the divider has entered it by moving forward
in a nearly horizontal line immediately below the needle point. Diagram II shows

page_text: the opened loop resting upon the divider, the hooked needle having passed down
through the slot h. of the divider to release the loop from the hook of the needle.
Diagram III shews the divider on its return motion, the needle having risen clear
of the divider, and the loop of the thread abutting against the shoulder h¹. of the
instrument H, which is now acting as a "spreader" in pulling the loop over the
thread case. Diagram IV shows the loop of needle thread pulled over the thread
case, the point of the divider having dipped in its back movement to allow of the
fixed stud h projecting through the slot h. of the divider, and lifting the loop
above the shoulder h¹. Diagram V shews the loop of needle thread released from
the divider and spreader and partially drawn down by the stitch-tightening lever.
The continued downward movement of this lever will draw the loop clear of the cop
case and its holder, at which time it will be caught by the locking thread of the
cop case as indicated by dots in Diagram V.
As a modification of the means for working the divider and spreader, we propose,
in some cases, to give this instrument a curved form and to mount it on a rock shaft
which receives motion from the bell crank lever H and cam H. This modification
is illustrated in Sheet VI, Fig: 11 being a view of so much of the machine as will
serve to explain this improvement, and Fig: 12 a front view of the same parts. In
these figures H is the divider and spreader carried by a rock shaft H' which
serves as the holder for the instrument. This rock shaft is mounted in bearings
in the bracket A³ and it is fitted with a pinion which gears into a sector rack
forming the termination of a pendent arm H2 pivotted to the main framing.-Jointed
to this arm is a link H³ which serves to operate the rack through its connection
with its bell crank lever and cam, H H³, above referred to. As the sector rack H2
is reciprocated, it will through the pinion in gear with it impart an axial motion
to the spindle H¹ which, carries the divider, and thus cause the divider to advance
and retire in the manner described with reference to the diagrams in Sheet V.
For the purpose of lifting the loop off the divider, which by reason of its swinging
motion, could not be adapted to the fixed stud h of the first described arrangement,
we employ a forked piece h* which allows the divider to move between its prongs
(see the detached view Fig: 11º) and thereby present the loop to the forked piece,
which is curved at its extremities to receive the loop; and retain it until the
divider has released itself from the loop. The stitch tightening lever will then
come into action and by putting a drag on the thread, draw down the loop as
explained with reference to Diagram V.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect we wish it to be understood that We claim, with
reference to Sewing Machines having a hooked needle and using a locking thread
situate above the work, the cop case G formed with a lip at its front to facilitate
its entrance into the loop of the needle thread, and carried by a fixed holder as
described, such cop case being used in combination with a reciprocating pointed
instrument for dividing and spreading the loop, the same being slotted to receive
the hooked needle and furnished with a shoulder for retaining the loop of the
needle thread, and working in conjunction with a fixed projection for supporting
the loop of the needle thread just prior to the release of the divider and spreader
from the loop.
In witness whereof We the said Arthur Greenwood and John William
Ramsden have hereunto set our hands and seals the twentyeighth day of
November in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
ARTHUR GREENWOOD
(L.S.)
JOHN WILLIAM RAMSDEN (L.S.)