IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Hasoltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES" and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of sewing-machines which are known as
rotating hook-machines, and in which it is necessary that the rotary movement of
the hook bear such relation to the movement of the take-up mechanism as to insure
that the loop for the stitch shall pass the centre or axis of the hook, by the time
the take-up mechanism begins to take up the slack to tighten the loop to complete
the stitch,
The said invention is designed to provide mechanism, for accomplishing this
object, which will operate in a most efficient manner, and which will be more
simple in construction and more durable and less liable to get out of order than the
devices heretofore in use for such purpose.
The invention also comprises a novel combination of parts for retaining the
bobbin and bobbin case in their shell during all ordinary conditions, and for
facilitating their removal when desired.
The invention also comprises certain other novel combinations of parts whereby
the sewing of hollow work, such as the uppers of boots and shoes, feed-bags, pocket-
books etc, is greatly facilitated.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a side view partly in vertical longitudinal section of the upper part
of a sewing machine fitted or furnished with the said invention.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower part, the connection
between the upper and lower parts being shown by the dotted lines.
Figure 2 is an inverted plan or an underside of the parts shewn in Figure 1ª and
further illustrating the said invention.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of certain parts of the apparatus taken
in the lines, of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view of a detail, and
Figure 5 is a view illustrating a modification.

page_text: The standard A, the arm B, the driving shafts C and D with their gear wheels
E E¹, the needle and its needle-bar F, and the devices connecting the latter with
the shaft C, the take-up mechanism and its thread G, the hook-carrying standard H
and its shell I for receiving the hook J, said hook J, and the feed-mechanism K,
may be constructed as described in the specification of United States patent dated
June 2nd A.D. 1885 Nº 318,964 or they may be of any other suitable construction
and arrangement.
The hook J, placed in the shell I has a short shaft a which works in a suitable
adjacent horizontal bearing in the upper end of the standard H, and which shaft a
at its extremity, has a bevel gear wheel or pinion b, which gears into a similar
pinion c in the upper end of a vertical shaft L said shaft being supported in suitable
bearings provided by or in the standard H, the latter being preferably made hollow
to receive the said shaft.
The shaft L has upon its lower end a circular spur wheel N, the circumference
of which is eccentric to its axis. Working upon a suitable journal or support f
provided on the base M is a similar spur wheel P, i.e., a spur wheel in which the
circumference is eccentric to the axis. The narrower side of the eccentric spur
wheel P gears into the broader side of the eccentric spur-wheel N, and vice-versa.
The cccentric spur wheel P is provided with a crank-pin or wrist g, on which is
pivotted or attached one end of a horizontal lever R, the opposite end of which is
pivotted on a crank S at the lower end of the shaft D. At or near its middle the
lever R is connected by a pivot p to a slide T, which slide is capable of a recipro-
cating motion in the guides ; formed or provided upon the base M.
The rotation of the shaft D in the normal or usual operation of said shaft, gives a
compound motion to the lever R, this compound motion consisting of a longitudinal
or reciprocating motion and of a pivotal or swinging motion upon the pivot p.
This compound motion of the lever R transmits a rotary motion to the eccentric
spur-wheel P, and thence to the other eccentric spur-wheel N, which latter trans-
mits its own motion through the shaft L and pinions b and c to the shaft a and
hook J.
The shaft D being geared with the shaft C, the mechanism just described as
actuated from the shaft D, operates synchronously with the take-up and other
mechanism operated from the shaft C; and as the eccentric pinion P transmits the
slower motion to the eccentric pinion N as the narrower portion of the former gears
with the broader portion of the latter, and vice versa, it follows that the movement
of the hook J is variable, the hook being made to move with a relatively high
velocity just before the take-up mechanism begins to ascend, so as to bring the
loop, past the axis or centre of the hook by the time the take-up mechanism begins
to act to draw the thread; and relatively slower as required while the needle and
feed devices are performing their special functions.
As a modification of the slide and pivot of the lever R, the latter may be longi-
tudinally slotted at its central part, as shown at a¹ in Figure 5, and the guide may
be composed of a block b¹ pivotted on a fixed pin or stud e¹, which is secured to
the base M the block b¹ being placed within the slot of the lever and the latter
kept from falling by a broad head or cap upon the lower end of the pin or stud c¹
and projecting beyond the edges of the slot in the lever.
In the throat of the shell I which contains the rotating hook J is secured a
curved piece or block m by means of a screw f to the lower part of which block
is attached by a pivot n the lower edge of a circular or semi-circular gate r, which,
when brought inward, holds against the outer surface of the hook and prevents the
bobbin and bobbin case from falling out. To one circumferential edge of this gate
is attached a spring 8, which presses against the adjacent end of a transversely
sliding bolt t resting in suitable bearings formed in the two opposite lateral parts
of the gate. The end a" of this bolt, opposite that against which the spring
presses, is formed to act as a latch, and when the gate is closed, as just set forth,
this end a of the bolt enters a hole 6" in the block m, and thus retains the gate
in its closed position. When it is desired to open the gate to remove or replace

page_text: the hook the bolt is moved backward, preferably by means of a small projecting
handle g¹¹.
The rotating hook J is arranged in a vertical plane within the overhanging shell
or bulb F, and is mounted upon the short horizontal shaft a within said shell or
bulb, said shaft a being geared with the vertical driving or operating shaft L, as
hereinbefore explained. Above and directly over the overhanging shell or bulb is.
a pressing device K, which operates in connection with the feed yoke and its point a
the latter projecting through a suitable slot in the upper side of the shell or bulb
aforesaid, said yoke and point forming a suitable feed-dog.
The construction of these parts may be varied within the limits of fair mechanical
judgement without affecting the character of my invention.
By the means described the operator is enabled to sew the most remote portions
of a piece of work, and the latter may be readily turned to any position which the
exigencies of the seam may require.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. The combination of a lever R, constructed and arranged to have a com-
pound longitudinal movement; the excentric gear wheels N, P; the crank S; the -
hook J; devices for connecting the hook with the excentric gear wheels; and
devices for connecting, the crank S with the shaft from which the take-up
mechanism is actuated, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Second. The combination of a sliding block, guides and pivot, with the lever K,
eccentric gear wheels N, P, crank S, rotating hook J, and devices for connecting
the eccentric gear wheels with the said hook, substantially as, and for the purpose,
herein set forth.
Third. The combination of the gate r, the bolt t, the spring s, and the block m
having the hole or notch b", with the shell I and the rotating hook J, substantially
as, and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourth. In a sewing machine for sewing hollow articles, the combination of a
vertical hollow standard terminating at the top in a hollow side overhanging
bulb F; a rotating hook arranged in a vertical plane upon a horizontal shaft
within said bulb, and operating with the feed-dog to feed the material; and a
vertical operating shaft having a geared connection with the shaft of said rotating
hook and arranged within the standard at the side of the overlapping bulb, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose, herein set forth.
Fifth. In a sewing machine for sewing hollow articles, the combination of a
tubular substantially vertical standard H, constructed with a horizontal and sub-
stantially cylindrical overhanging shell or bulb, having a bearing communicating
with the interior of the said tubular standard; the vertical revolving hook placed
in said bulb in a position transverse to the same; the shaft a, working in the said
bearing of the bulb, and having attached to it the look at one end and the bevel
pinion b at the other; and the shaft L arranged in bearings in the vertical tubular
standard, and having the bevel pinion gearing into the pinion 6 the said parts
being constructed and arranged for joint use and operation substantially as, and for
the purpose, herein set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.