IMPROVE- MENTS IN OVERHEAD SEWING, AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of 28, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OVERHEAD SEWING, AND APPARATUS FOR THAT PURPOSE" A com
munication from abroad by Louis Bollmann and Josef Bollmann, both of
Penzing, near Vienna, Austria.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th August 1879.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVERHEAD SEWING, AND APPARATUS
FOR THAT PURPOSE" [A communication from abroad by Louis Bollmann and Josef
Bollmann, both of Penzing, near Vienna, Austria.]
.
This Invention relates to means of effecting that kind of sewing which is known
as "overhead sewing," the stitches being worked over the edge of the fabric, or of
the two or more pieces of fabric that have to be sewn together, as at the edges of
sacks, and in the seams of gloves. The overhead stitch is, according to this Inven-
tion, effected by the combined action of three instruments, a shuttle which moves
horizontally in a continuous circular path under the fabric, a peculiar needle which
moves up and down through the fabric, and a hook which has three sets of recipro-
cating movements longitudinally, laterally, and vertically above and over the edge
of the fabric. The peculiarity of the needle is, that instead of a closed eye, it has à
hook like that of a crochet needle near its point, and is fitted with a slide which, at
certain times, leaves the hook open, so that the thread can be withdrawn from it,
and at other times closes the gap of the hook, so that the thread is retained as in
the eye of a needle. The vertical reciprocating movements of the needle and the
three sets of reciprocating movements of the hook are communicated by levers and
rods from four suitably shaped cams on a continuously revolving horizontal shaft
under the table of the machine. The same shaft, by mitre gearing, drives a vertical
shaft which gives motion to the shuttle driver. The slide which closes the eye of
the needle is worked by a small spring lever mounted on the needle arm, arranged
in such manner, that by the movement of the arm, it is brought against fixed stops,

page_text: causing the required movements of the slide to open and close the needle eye.
Above the table of the machine is a bracket carrying a spring presser of ordinary
construction, and in the table is a four motion feed, also of ordinary construction
worked by cams on the horizontal shaft. The operation of the machine in effecting
the overhead stitch is as follows:-The needle being in its lowest position, has its
eye open, having engaged therein a loop of the shuttle thread. As it rises, the eye
is closed by the spring acting on the slide of the needle, and the needle carries up
through the fabric the loop of thread. The hook seizes this loop, extends it out-
wards beyond the edge of the fabric, and then brings it again inwards under the
edge of the fabric while the needle descends. The shuttle passes through the thread
loop, and the eye of the needle being now opened, the loop is cast off it, and a fresh
loop is engaged in its eye; also the hook having its loop cast off, reascends, where-
upon the operation is repeated, the fabric being fed onwards. The successive
stitches thus formed are tightened up partly by the action of the needle and hook,
but principally by a variable tension, and take up action in the shuttle which
contains the spool of thread. The thread passes from the spool through a hole,
across which moves a wedge shaped pin. At certain points of the revolution of the
shuttle, this pin is moved so as to release the thread by a spring lever which
revolves with the shuttle round a stationary cam; at other parts of the revolution
the pin is moved so as to wedge the thread tightly in the hole, the tension being
thus varied. For take up, the thread is carried partly round the periphery of a
small pulley mounted in the shuttle. This pulley is worked by a clutch from a
vertical axis in the shuttle driver, the clutch being so formed as to permit passage
through it of the thread loop through which the shuttle passes; on this vertical
axis is a pinion gearing with a toothed segment on a lever which is carried along
with the shuttle driver round a stationary cam, so shaped, as at certain parts of each
revolution, to cause the winding up of the thread on the take up pulley and its un-
winding therefrom. The shuttle is of rectangular section, shaped with its front end
sharp to enter the thread loop, swelling out towards and beyond the middle of its
length to hold the take up pulley and spool, and tapering again to its back end or
tail which extends sufficiently far to hold the thread loop on it for somewhat more
than a quarter of a revolution. The shuttle is driven in its circular path by several
upright pins standing up from the revolving shuttle driver, and entering recesses in
the under side of the shuttle. These pins are capable of sliding up and down in the
driver, and at their lower ends they have T heads which travel through a cam
groove on the shuttle race, so shaped, that each of the driver pins is successively
drawn downwards to allow the thread loop to pass clear between its top and the
underside of the shuttle. To prevent the shuttle from being raised out of the race,
the latter has projecting inwards from its cylindrical periphery a circular lip which
enters a groove formed in the exterior surface of the shuttle. The framing of the
machine is mounted on trunnions so that it can be turned up to examine, cleanse,
or repair the mechanism under the table. Although a shuttle moving continuously
round in a circular path, has been described above as a simple and convenient
arrangement, a reciprocating shuttle might be employed, or a stationary spool with
a revolving hook, as in sewing machines of the kind known as Wheeler and
Wilson's.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd February 1880.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OVERHEAD SEWING, AND APPARATUS
FOR THAT PURPOSE." A communication from abroad by Louis Bollmann and Josef
Bollmann, both of Penzing, near Vienna, Austria.
This Invention relates to means of effecting that kind of sewing which is known
as "overhead sewing," the stitches being worked over the edge of the fabric, or of
the two or more pieces of fabric that have to be sewn together, as at the edges of
sacks and in the seams of gloves. The overhead stitch is, according to this Inven-
tion, effected by the combined action of three instruments, a shuttle which moves
horizontally in a continuous circular path under the fabric, a peculiar needle which
moves up and down through the fabric, and a hook which has three sets of recipro-
cating movements longitudinally, laterally, and vertically. These instruments, and
the means of giving them their respective movements, as well as the accessary parts
for feeding the fabric, and for the tension and take up of the one thread employed,
namely, that delivered from the shuttle, will be described with reference to the
accompanying Drawings. Fig. I. is a plan looking from above; Fig. II. is a longi-
tudinal section partly in elevation, and Fig. III. is a plan looking from below of an
overhead stitching machine according to this Invention; the other Figures from IV.
to XVIII. inclusive shew parts.thereof in detail, which will be hereafter referred to,
and the remaining Figures from XIX. to XXIX. inclusive are diagrams explanatory
of the stitching operation. In all the Figures, similar reference letters and Figures
are employed to indicate corresponding parts. The table or main frame of the
machine is conveniently made in two pieces A, A, secured together by bolts a, and
in order to give ready access to the parts below, it may be mounted on a stand by
trunnions A., so that it can be turned up as on hinges. In bearings below the table
is mounted the revolving shaft K₁, which may be driven by a belt or otherwise
from any suitable motor. On this shaft are fixed a series of cams K, K₂, K, K, G
and T, and a mitre wheel W by which motion is imparted to the various parts. On
the table A is fixed a bracket B carrying the sliding presser rod b, which is pressed
downwards by a spring, and can be raised and held up by a lever c, as in other
sewing machines. The presser plate d is made of sufficient length and breadth to
hold the fabric firmly under it, and it is fixed to the presser rod by a set screw d,
so that it can be changed. The presser plate d is notched at its right edge to give
passage for the needle through it, and at the side of the needle aperture the notch
is made with a nose like projection which bears a part in the formation of the stitch,
as will hereafter be explained. E is the needle plate which is sunk into and secured
in the table. It is slotted for the passage through it of the serrated feed plate F,
and it is notched for the passage of the needle, the notch being made with a nose-
like projection, as shewn in the part plan, Fig. V. The feed slide F works flat
against the vertical face of the table A within guide pieces f, as shewn in Fig. V.
and in Fig. IV., which shews an elevation of the feed mechanism. A spring indi-
cated by the arrow a in Fig. IV., presses the feed slide downwards against the cam
G, and laterally against a roller h, on one arm of a lever H, a roller on the other
arm of which bears against the cam T. By means of the cams G and T, and the
spring a, the feed receives its four motions as in other sewing machines, upwards
and forwards, downwards and backwards, these motions being by the setting of the
cams on the shaft K, properly timed to the other movements of the machinery. As
the feeding mechanism above described forms no essential part of this Invention, it
may be constructed and arranged in any other known and suitable manner.
Ċ is the needle arm in the form of a bell crank lever pivotted on the centre
Screws C., C. One arm of this lever has a roller e engaged in the curved path of

page_text: the barrel cam K, which gives it reciprocating motion; the other arm carries the
needle, which is curved, and is made with an open eye somewhat like the hook of a
crochet needle, as shown in Fig. XVIII. For the purpose of automatically closing
the hook while the needle passes through the fabric, and opening it, so that when
clear of the fabric it can receive and release a loop of the thread, there is employed
certain mechanism, which is shewn separately in Figs. XIII. to XVII. inclusive ;
this mechanism being, however, unnecessary when leather or other non-fibrous
material is operated on, in which case the needle hook might always remain open.
The mechanism referred to is as follows:-In the needle holder is fitted a sliding
piece L, held by screws passing through holes slotted so as to permit of its up and
down movement. This sliding piece has its upper end formed as a pin, which
works in a groove in the side of the needle, and which, when slid up relatively to
the needle, closes the eye thereof, and when slid down leaves the eye open as a hook.
The sliding piece L has rack teeth engaging with teeth on one arm of a bent
lever N, which is pivotted on the needle arm C, and has its other arm drawn by a
spring, so that when it is free it causes the sliding piece L to be thrust upwards,
closing the needle eye. There are, however, fixed to the table stops, one of which, α,
is shewn in Fig. II., so placed that when, by the stroke of the needle arm C, the
needle hook is raised above the fabric or brought down below it by the part 1 of
the lever N coming against the one stop in the upstroke of the needle, and by the
part 2 of the lever N coming against the other stop a, in the downstroke of the
needle the lever N in both cases is moved in opposition to the spring so as to
draw the pin end of the slide L downwards, leaving the needle hook open. D is
the thread hook, which has a blunt end, and on the side opposite to the hook a
short barb. This hook is fixed on an arm g, which is double jointed at g₁ to one
arm of a lever i, the opposite arm of which carries a roller engaged in the groove
of the barrel cam K, from which the hook 1) receives a longitudinal reciprocating
movement. The arm g is connected by the rod o, ball jointed at each end to one
arm M of a bell crank lever above the table, the other arm of which M below the
table' has a roller engaged in the groove of the barrel cam K,, whence the hook D
receives a reciprocating lateral movement. The arm g is also connected by a rod m,
ball jointed at each end, to one arm of a bell crank lever n, the other arm of which
has a roller engaged in the groove of the barrel cam K, whereby the hook D
receives a reciprocating vertical movement. The three reciprocating movements
of the hook perform functions in the formation of the stitch, which will hereafter
be explained.
The shuttle race is formed in a cylindrical hollow of the table A₁, the bottom of
the hollow having a cover A, screwed on. Part of the side of the hollow is open
to give space for the working of the needle and hook and of the feed. In a recess
in the hollow is fitted a ring V, having an inwardly projecting lip, which entering
a chase in the lower exterior edge of the shuttle prevents the shuttle from rising or
descending while it revolves. In the centre of the shuttle race is mounted the
vertical spindle R₁ of the shuttle driver R, supported at its lower end in a bracket
projecting down from the table, which bracket also has a bearing for the end of
the shaft K. The spindle R, passes through a stationary sleeve, on which is fixed
a cam S. There is also a stationary cam path Q2 formed in the bottom of the
cylindrical hollow. The shuttle driver R is worked by the mitre gear W and R.
The manner in which the shuttle driver R imparts motion to the shuttle Y, so as
to permit passage of the shuttle through a loop of thread, is shewn by the part
elevation Fig. VI. and part plan Fig. VII. A number of pins having rectangular
rounded ends q are fitted to slide vertically in holes in the shuttle driver R. The
upper ends of those pins project above the surface of the shuttle race, and enter
recesses in the underside of the shuttle Y, so that as these pins are carried round
with the driver R the shuttle is necessarily carried round with it also. The lower
ends q of the pins bearing upon the plate a, these pins are kept up engaging with
the shuttle during the greater part of their revolution, but at one part thereof
they are caused to move down along a cam path q formed under a piece a

page_text: and the upper ends of the pins are thus successively withdrawn from the
recesses in the bottom of the shuttle, permitting the passage of the thread loop
under the shuttle. As only one or two of the pins are withdrawn at a time
the others that remain engaged with the shuttle maintain its continuous motion.
The shuttle Y is shewn in plan in Fig. I,, in side view in Fig. VI., and in plan
with its cover removed at Fig. VIII. A transverse section on the line E, E, of
Fig. VIII. is shewn at Fig. IX., and a transverse section through the take-up reel 12
which the shuttle contains is seen in Fig. II.
About the middle of the shuttle, in the line E, E, is a cylindrical recess for the
reception of a flat ball or spool of thread, and the whole shuttle is covered by a
plate in which are the thread holes. The front point of the shuttle is so formed as
readily to enter a thread loop, and its back end tapers to a point, being extended
sufficiently far to hold the loop till the stitch is tightened. For the proper formation
of the stitch, as will be hereafter explained, it is necessary to provide in the shuttle
means for retarding or holding the thread by a drag so as to give it the necessary
tension and permit of its free delivery from the ball or bobbin only at certain times,
and also means for taking up slack at certain times. The drag mechanism will be
understood by reference to Figs. I. and VIII., and to Figs. X., XI., and XII., which
shew certain details of it. The thread from the interior of the ball is threaded down-
wards through a short tube 2, and then threaded upwards through a hole 3 in a
lug 10 projecting from the side of the ball or spool cavity. When a spool is used
instead of a ball the short tube 2 is unnecessary, and the position of the hole 3 is
modified. A small lever 4 is acted on at one end by an adjustable spring 5 so that
its other end bears against a stop 6. The thread on its way from hole 2 to hole 3
passes between the end of 4 and the side of 6 (both of which are on the underside
of the shuttle), and is thus subjected to a drag giving a tension which may be varied
as desired by the adjustment of the spring 5. In the lug 10 there is a slot in which
a wedge ended rod 7 can work to and fro, its inclined edge bearing against a pin
fixed in the lug, and its opposite edge bearing against the thread passing through
the hole 3. The end 8 of the rod 7 has a gab receiving one arm of a bell crank
lever 9 which is acted on by a spring 11 so as to draw the rod 7, causing its wedge
end to pinch the thread at 3, and so prevent its delivery. At a certain part of each
revolution, when the thread has to be delivered, this pinch is relieved in the
following manner :-On the shuttle driver R (see Fig. I.) is mounted a lever S₁, one
end of which has a roller travelling round the stationary cam S, its other end bears
against the head of a rod S which is urged by a spring S, under compression. The
end of the rod S bears against the long arm of the lever 9 (see Fig. VIII).
Thus at the time that the roller of the lever S, is passing the full part of the.cam S
the rod S and the long arm of 9 are pushed in opposition to their springs, and the
wedge part of the rod 7 being thus thrust backward, the thread passing through
the hole 3 is relieved from the pinch and can be freely delivered. The rod S is
shewn in Fig. I. as having its end thrust into the body of the shuttle, being then
acted on by the full part of the cam S. This cam is so formed however that
throughout the greater part of a revolution the rod S is withdrawn by its spring S
from the shuttle, permitting free passage of the shuttle through the loop of thread.
The take up of slack thread is effected as follows:-A small reel 12 (see Fig. II.)
is mounted on a vertical axis in the shuttle and is fixed to a disc 14 which is below
the reel and immediately above another disc fixed on a vertical axis 18 which is
mounted in the shuttle driver R. The faces of the two discs are formed with
hollows and projections so that they clutch each other, the reel 12 being thus caused
to revolve when the axis 18 revolves, but these hollows and projections are so
rounded that the thread can freely pass between the two discs. On the axis 18.is
fixed a toothed pinion gearing with a toothed segment on one arm Q of a lever, the
other arm Q of which has a roller engaged in the sunk stationary cam-path Q
As the lever Q, Q, is mounted on the shuttle driver R it is caused by the travel of
its roller in the cam path Q, to oscillate, and thus by the gearing of Q to impart to
the axis 18 and to the reel 12 a reciprocating rotary motion in each revolution of

page_text: the shuttle. The thread from the hole 3 is threaded downwards through a hole 16
over the centre of the reel 12, thence through a hole 15 in the rim of the reel, and
up again through a hole 17 in the shuttle cover, whence it passes to the fabric.
Thus as the reel 12 is caused, as above described, to revolve backwards and forwards
during the revolution of the shuttle. The slack of the thread is drawn up by it or
let out as determined by the form of the cam path Q₂, by which the rotation of the
reel 12 is governed.
The action of the apparatus in forming stitches is illustrated diagrammatically
by Figs. XIX. to XXV. inclusive, and the character of the stitching produced is
shewn by the plans Figs. XXVI. and XXVII, and the sections Figs. XXVIII. and
XXIX. In Fig. XIX. the shuttle is indicated in three different positions, a₁, a₂, as,
the hook being shewn in its attitude corresponding to the position as of the
shuttle. Assuming stitches to have been already formed the thread coming out of
the last stitch hole above the fabric has been brought round the nose-like projection
of the notch in the presser plate and down past the edge of the fabric and under it
to the shuttle, and the needle has brought down through the fabric a loop which is
entered by the point of the shuttle in its position as. The shuttle moves onwards
to a₁, the loop being drawn tight by its motion and by the action of the take up,
and at the same time the fabric being fed onwards, so that the last stitch hole is
removed from above the needle. The shuttle thread lying now as indicated in
Fig. XX., and the serrated feed having descended, the book having descended
moves, as indicated by the arrow, under the needle plate and above the serrated
feed plate; it then moves sideways, as indicated in Fig. XXI., and catches the
thread below the fabric, it then retreats, as indicated in Fig. XXII., and as the
shuttle has meanwhile moved onwards to the position a, the previous stitch is
drawn tight, also the drag on the thread by the wedge rod 7 being relieved a length
of thread is drawn out for the next stitch. The hook now rises to its highest
position, as shewn at D, Fig. II., and also advances, as shewn in Fig. XXIII., over
the fabric, and the needle rising through the fabric enters the hollow of the hook,
throwing out of it the thread loop, which is now caught by the barb of the hook,
so that the needle enters the loop. The hook now performs a small circular move-
ment round the needle, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. XXIV., causing the loop
to engage in the eye of the needle, which is at this time open. The hook
re-engaging the loop of thread then moves, as indicated by the arrow in Fig.
XXV. and begins its descent; the needle also descends, drawing the loop which it
holds down through the stitch hole. The needle eye opens and the shuttle enters
the loop, which is held by a point of the ring V where it is cut at the side of the
needle. The hook now returns to the position indicated in Fig. XIX. and the cycle
of operations is repeated, producing a series of overhead stitches, as shewn in Figs.
XXVI. to XXIX. inclusive. The linkings together of the loops shewn in Fig.
XXVII. may be brought more or less near the stitch holes by a more or less rapid
take up.
It is obvious that many of the constructive details herein described and shewn
in the Drawings might be varied without departing from the essence of the Inven-
tion. For example, the shuttle might be driven in a different manner, or instead
of a shuttle there might be employed a revolving book to lay the thread loop round
a stationary bobbin, as in sewing machines of the Wheeler and Wilson type.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents,
I claim in respect of overhead sewing and apparatus for that purpose,-
First. Forming each stitch by passing the thread ball or bobbin through a loop
of the thread delivered from the same ball or bobbin, the said loop having been
passed from one side of the fabric over its edge to the other side and drawn through
the fabric, substantially as herein described.
Second. The combination of a shuttle or its equivalent with a needle and a hook,
arranged and operating substantially as herein described.
Third. Driving the shuttle in its horizontal race by vertical pins that are

page_text: successively withdrawn from engagement with the shuttle by the travel of their
ends along a cam path, so as to permit free passage of the shuttle through the
thread loop, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The apparatus herein described for subjecting the thread to an inter-
mittent drag by means of the wedge ended rod 7 actuated from the stationary
cam St.
Fifth. The apparatus herein described for taking up and letting out the thread
by means of the reel 12 actuated from the stationary cam path Q
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.