Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 4th Oct.. 1887.
I LOMBARD BONNEVILLE of 22 Chaussée d'Antin, Paris France Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention relates to a class of sewing machines used for sewing out-soles to
boots and shoes and it consists in embodying in such a machine, novel mechanism
whereby a lock stitch is obtained. Heretofore the circularly curved needles used in
machines of this description, have been of the hooked or barbed type, to the exclusion
of all others. In my improved machine, I make use of an eye-pointed needle which
works in connection with a shuttle to form the lock stitch. In combination with said
elements are placed a circularly curved awl, a pull up, a take up, an adjustable presser
foot, a work support and feed and tension devices, all of which is more fully pointed
out in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a sole sewing machine constructed according
to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same.
fig. 2.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section in the plane
Fig. 4 is a similar section in the plane y y fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section in the plane z = fig. 2.
Fig. 6 is a similar section in the plane ¹¹ fig. 2.
Fig. 7, 8, and 9 are elevations illustrating the movements of the shuttle and the
needle in forming the stitch.
Fig. 10 is an end view of the shuttle.
Fig. 11 is a similar view taken from the opposite side.
Fig. 12 is a face view thereof.
Fig. 13 is a face view of the thread case.
Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the shuttle driver.
Fig. 15 is an end view thereof.
Fig. 16 is a perspective of the needle guide.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: In these drawings the letter A designates a base which sustains two posts A' A'
having bearings for the main shaft A2 of the machine to which shaft a rotary motion
in the direction of arrow 1 is imparted by any suitable means. The base A also
carries two standards B B' at the front of the machine and a standard B at the rear
which support the smaller moving parts. The main shaft A' carries hubs CDEFG
(fig. 2) having proper projecting and depressed portions and grooves to actuate the
various parts of the machine to produce the lock stitch.
The work or shoe is held by the margin of the sole, with the bottom of the sole
downward, between a work support S* which is securely affixed to the standard Bl
and a presser foot P which can be adjusted according to the variation or difference in
the thickness of the material or sole that is being sewed, as will be hereinafter fully
described.
The shuttle J is located beneath the work support S* and in the example shewn in
the drawing I have made use of a shuttle consisting of a discoidal body having a
projecting nose or hook j which takes the thread from the needle.
In the body of
the shuttle is formed a cavity or thread place, which extends completely through
the same and receives the removable thread case (shown separately in fig. 13) which
moves with the shuttle and contains a bobbin or cop. This thread from the bobbin
or cop is led to the centre of the shuttle J and passes out at the rear or left hand face
of the same. The thread case is provided with any usual means of producing a
tension on the shuttle thread. The shuttle is provided with a circular ledge or guide j*
and is arranged to oscillate in a race k formed in a case or plate K that is secured to
the standard B so as to project forward and said shuttle is actuated to a reciprocating
rotary motion by a driver L consisting of a circular plate on the end of a short shaft ?,
which plate is provided with a projecting ledge or follower that impinges upon the
shuttle from its rear, but a space or threading is left between it and the shuttle for
the passage of the loop. The shuttle driver L is actuated from the hub C (fig. 4)
us follows:
A pinion L' is secured to the shaft. I between its bearings in an attached yoke,
which pinion is engaged by a toothed segmental arm L³ which is pivoted at 12 to the
standard B and is oscillated about its pivot by a link or connecting bar L³ which is
pivoted at one end to the segmental arin L. The other end of the bar L³ is slotted
or bifurcated to straddle a hub or sleeve on the shaft over which it slides between
suitable guides. This connecting bar L³ carries a roller stud which enters a cam
groove c in the face of the hub C. By observing the course of this cam groove c, the
motion of the shuttle is apparent, viz: the motion of the cam being in the direction
of arrow 1 (fig. 4) the shuttle first moves back in a direction opposite to which its
nose points, to the position shown in fig. 7, remains stationary for a short period,
then advances in the direction in which its nose points, to take the loop (fig. 8),
remains stationary, and finally resuming its motion, comes in a proper position to
discharge the loop, (fig. 9).
The needle M (fig. 3 especially), is of a short curvature and is provided with an
"eye point" through which eye the wax thread from the spool is passed. This
needle M is secured in a needle carrier M' which is mounted so as to be capable of
oscillation upon a stud m which is secured in the standard B. The needle carrier is
operated by a lever M' that is pivoted at m', to the standard B2 and is connected with
the said carrier by a curved link M². The lever M³ carries a roller stud m² which
engages with a cam groove d in the face of the hub D, whereby said lever is vibrated
and the needle carrier is moved to cause the needle to enter the material and withdraw
at the proper intervals as will be hereinafter more fully explained.
The awf N (fig. 5 especially) has the same curvature as the needle M, moving in a
plane parallel to the same, and punctures the material from the opposite direction.
The awl is secured in the carrier N¹ which is independent of the needle M and
oscillates about a stud n which is opposite the stud m of the needle carrier and in the
same axial line but is also independent of the said stud m.
The awl carrier N' consists of a toothed segment which is engaged by a rack n', ai

page_text: the end of lever N which lever is pivoted at n² to the standard B2 and carries a roller
stud. This roller stud enters à cam groove e in the face of the hub E whereby
said awl lever N2 is vibrated as the hub rotates. The stud » about which the awl
carrier N oscillates is firmly secured in a pendent arm o of a carriage O which
latter is provided with a slide o, fitted in ways formed in a rigid housing 01 that
constitutes part of the standard B'. This carriage O is adapted to move back and
forth in the ways in line with the axis of the awl and carries the awl with it. The
awl being in the material at the time the carriage is fed forward, the material is fed,
stitch by stitch, and the awl is caused to act as a feeding device. The throats of the
presser foot P and the work support S are elongated so as to allow this motion of
the awl.
The linear reciprocating motion of the carriage O to feed the material through the
medium of the awl is produced by means of a lever 0 (figs. 1, 2 and 6) which is
pivoted to the housing O' at o" and is provided at one end with a roller stud of which
engages with a cam groove g, in the periphery of the hub G whereby said lever is
vibrated about its point of pivoting. The lever 03 is slotted at and near its central
portion (fig. 2) to embrace a stud of, the lower end of which is extended into a groove
or bifurcated block (fig. 2) that is rigidly attached to the carriage O. It will be
observed that as the hub G rotates in the direction of arrow 1 (figs. 1 and 6) the
lever 02 is moved through a complete vibration for each revolution of said hub, and
consequently the carriage is moved back and forth at each revolution of the machine.
When sewing about the shank of the boot or shoe it is desirable to make the
stitches longer than when sewing about the ball of the foot and toe. To be able to
quickly change from the maximum to the minimum length of feed and insure like
length of stitches on all the work of certain sizes, the stud of in the slotted lever 02
is placed under the control of a slotted feed regulator 03 which is pivoted at o to the
carriage so that the stud of may be caused to traverse the slot in the lever 02 by
moving said regulator and be placed at a greater or less distance from the fulcrum o
according as the feed is to be long or short.
Beneath the regulator 03 is a plate 05 (fig. 2) which is provided with holes o in
any of which may be placed adjusting pins of two being used a greater or less
distance apart, so that the regulator 03 resting against the pin o³ or feed stop, the
feed will be short, and against pin o³ long.
The presser foot P (figs. 1, and 5) is secured to a shank or carrying lever P" which
is secured to a rock shaft p extending through the frame B. The upper arm of this
carrying lever P³ is provided with a notched or toothed surface pl which is engaged
by pawls p² p², carried by a detent lever 1 which is pivoted at p to a support on the
standard B2 and is vibrated by depressed cam surfaces el e² on the hub E which act
on a roller stud p', secured to the said lever. A spring p* between the detent lever P²
and the standard B' constantly keeps the roller stud of said lever against the hub E.
It will be observed that the presser foot is intermittently locked fast to resist the
upward thrust of the awl and the strain of the thread in drawing in the stitch and
that it is unlocked and free to be moved twice for each revolution of the machine,
first when the work is to be inserted as in fig. 5, and second when the awl feeds the
material forward so that all pressure is removed from said material. In order to
elevate the presser foot P for the insertion or removal of work when the machine is
in the proper position for such removal a hand lever P3 (figs. 1 and 6) is provided
which is secured to the rock shaft p of the carrying lever P, such rock shaft extending
through the standard B' as before stated. By drawing this hand lever outward the
presser foot is elevated and on releasing said hand lever a spring p attached to the
same causes the presser foot to clamp the work against the support St. The tension
regulator at the rear of the machine may be of any approved construction, and in the
example shewn in this drawing I have made use of the following construction. From
the rear of the base A projects upwardly a hanger which supports a spindle '.
Upon a cylindrical portion of this spindle is mounted, so as to rotate freely a tension
wheel H around which the needle thread t, from a wax pot (not shown in the drawing)

page_text: is encircled. The spring 2 (figs. 2 and 5) encircling the spindle ' abuts against the
tension wheel, and the pressure of this spring upon the former is varied by hand, by
turning the adjusting nuts h³ and lock nut according to the degree of tension
required. The spindle has upon the portion to right hand side of the tension
wheel H a square shank on which can slide a hub H' having an inclined face which
is engaged by a similar hub H2 that can rotate on the spindle h. This latter hub H²
has an arm provided with a series of holes ³ (fig. 6) by which to adjustably attach
the said arm with a connecting rod H which is attached to the hand lever P³ of the
presser foot carrying lever P. As the hub H2 is turned more or less by the connecting
rod H³, actuated by a change in the position, higher or lower, of the lower end of the
presser foot P by reason of variations in the thickness of the material under said
presser foot, the hub H' by reason of the inclined surfaces thereon is made to move
longitudinally so as to bear with more or less force or pressure against the tension
wheel H which is operated upon by the spring 2, whereby the rotation of the said
wheel is more or less restricted producing an increase or decrease of the tension
independently of the hand adjustment before described. In general the tension is to
be automatically lessened as the stock or material passing under the presser foot.
increases in the thickness, and vice versa.
The mechanism for adjusting the tension by hand when the machine is about to
sew is set to hold the thread as taut as desirable; according to said thickness and
nature of the material, so when the thickness is increased, besides the regular tension,
there is added the extra tension due to drawing the thread through more stock, which
is very considerable with a waxed thread of a size to well fill the awl holes. By
automatically lessening the tension according to increase of thickness of stock it is
possible to set the stitches more uniformly in the work and materially improve the
quality of sewing and the durability of the stitching.
The needle thread t after passing around the tension wheel H (fig. 4) is guided by
two pulleys II' located respectively at the rear and front of the machine and is led to
a pulley I that is pivoted to the carriage O (fig. 1. especially) from which it passes
through an eye i, and thence to a take up lever R which is provided with a suitable
eye for the passage of the thread and is secured to a rock shaft R¹ having bearings in
the standard B and the carriage O (figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4). From this rock shaft projects
rearwardly an arm which is pivoted to one arm of a bell crank lever R2 pivoted
at to the standard B (see fig. 3) and the free arm of said lever carries a roller stud
in contact with a depressed cam surface (figs. 3 and 4) on the periphery of the hub D,
so that when the roller stud enters the depression d' the take up lever R is depressed.
A spring R³ connected with the bell crank lever R2 and a rigid arm or hanger R¹
keeps the roller stud constantly pressed against the hub D. Stops and (figs. 4
and 5) respectively above and below the take up lever R limit the motion of the
latter.
This take up lever R is intended to control the slack below the point of the needle
which it does by its downward motion from the position shown in fig. 5 but it is
lifted to relieve the thread of strain before tightening the stitch.
The thread is passed from the take up lever Rover a pulley carried by a pull
up" lever S, and from thence through a needle guide U to the needle.
The pull up lever S is secured to one end of a rock shaft S¹ having bearings in a
hanger S secured to the standard B', and to the other end of said shaft is attached an
arms which carries a roller stud 1 (figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6) which enters a groove in the
face of the hub F whereby a vibratory motion is imparted to said pull up lever (fig. 5).
This lever S descends to supply thread as the needle descends and also supplies thread
as the shuttle opens the loop to pass through it and then draws the loop from the
shuttle to and into the work.
The needle guide U is loosely mounted on the same stud m with the needle
carrier M and is actuated to keep behind the point of the needle as the same enters
the work and to support it when tightening the thread. It consists (see fig. 16) of a
hub and shank having an attached portion u provided with two eyes or perfora-
tions u, u², one for the needle and the other to permit the passage of the needle

page_text: thread and guide the same to the eye of the needle and thus becomes a combined
needle and thread guide. A toothed segment extending inwardly from the hub of
the needle guide is engaged by a pinion (figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4) that is secured on one
end of spindle ³ extending through the standard B, and on the outer end of said
spindle is secured a split pinion . This pinion is engaged by a toothed lever U¹
that is pivoted at to the standard B and carries on its free end a roller stud uª
(fig. 4) which is held in constant engagement with the periphery of the hub C by a
spring U stretched between the said lever and the arm or hanger R. A depressed
cam surface c¹ on said hub vibrates the lever as the hub rotates.
The adjustment and operation of the parts for sewing are as follows:
In the drawings the parts are represented in their respective positions when the
machine is ready to begin a new cycle, that is, the formation of a stitch. The roller
stud p of the detent lever Plies within a depression e' of the hub E, so that the
presser foot P is unlocked and can be raised by the hand lever P³ for the insertion of
the work between it and the work support. After the said hub has rotated through a
small angle the detent lever P2 locks the presser foot since the roller stud thereof is
thrown out of the depression e¹. The presser foot remains locked until the material is
required to be fed forward when a second depression e² on the hub E is brought to the
roller stud p of the detent lever and unlocks the foot, holding it thus until the work
is fed etc. The shaft A² in its rotation in the direction of arrow 1 (fig. 5) causes the
cam groove e in the hub E to depress the awl lever N2 and the awl N is forced upward
and into the material which it pierces. When the awl is well into the material the
cam groove g in the hub G vibrates the lever 02 and the carriage is moved in its
ways carrying the awl N (now in the material) toward the needle until the perforation
formed by the awl is in line with the needle. The awl withdraws as soon as this feed
is accomplished. As the awl withdraws, the needle M. actuated by the cam groove d
in the hub D moves from the position shown in fig. 3 toward the material, its guide U
keeping close to the point thereof.
The take up lever R (fig. 4) actuated by the depression d' in the hub .D approaching
its roller stud, descends with the needle until it reaches the lower stop and takes
up the slack below the eye of the needle. The stop is so adjusted that said lever R
continues to take up the slack until the needle strikes the work. As the needle pierces
the material, the shuttle J actuated by the cam groove e in the hub C (fig. 4) oscillates
backward from the position shown in fig. 3 to that in fig. 7 to allow the needle to pass
above it spointj. As the needle descends through the material the pull up lever S (fig. 5)
actuated by its cam groove in hub F descends with the needle and supplies thread.
The needle advances a little beyond the position shown in fig. 7 and then slightly
retires to the position shown in fig. 7 whereby the loop is formed. The needle now
momentarily rests while the point or nose of the shuttle advances in direction of
arrow 2, and enters the loop, remaining in the position shown in fig. S until the needle
is withdrawn from the work. When the eye of the needle is above the material, that
is, clear of the same, the shuttle continues its motion in the direction of arrow 2 until
it comes to the position shown in fig. 9, where it remains stationary. In this position
the heel of the shuttle is about opposite the throat of the work support and the thread-
way between the shuttle and its driver L is above the edge of the race plate or
casing K.
As the needle rises or retires from the position shown in fig. 7 the pull up lever S
also rises slightly to take up the slack above the needle, and when the shuttle takes up
the loop from the needle, said take up lever descends to supply thread and finally it
rises to its extreme height thereby first pulling the loop through the shuttle and
continuing, draws the thread up tightly and finishes the stitch.
The take up lever R in the meantime has descended as previously described, until it
strikes the lower stop from which position it rises with the needle to its upper
position against the stop *.
With the completion of one revolution of the shaft A the shuttle has returned in
the direction of arrow 3 fig. 9 to its original position as shown in fig. 3 and the machine
is ready for the next stitch.

page_text: The shuttle thread t' being entwined by the loop of the thread from the spool a lock
stitch is formed.
The arrangement of the shuttle race and the shuttle driver L (figs. 1. and 3) with
the absence of anything to hide the shuttle, leaves it exposed so as to be accessible
from the rear as well as the front, whereby the thread case though always inserted
from the front may be readily removed by pushing it out from the rear, and to
facilitate this an opening or hole & may be made in the disc of the driver L. Fig. 4.
The shuttle J (fig. 12) is provided with a flange J¹ on its outer or rear face against
which the thread case abuts on inserting, and on the other side or front of the
shuttle the case is held by a spring or any well known catch, so that it can be
readily removed without disturbing any surrounding part of the mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
a
1. The combination of an oscillating circularly curved, eye-pointed needle,
circularly curved awl, means for moving the needle and awl in opposite directions to
enter the work from opposite sides and a shuttle for producing a lock stitch, substantially
as described.
2. The combination of an oscillating circularly curved, eye-pointed needle, a
circularly curved awl, means for moving the needle and awl in opposite directions to
enter the work from opposite sides and an oscillating discoidal shuttle for producing a
lock stitch, substantially as described.
3. A circularly curved eye-pointed needle in combination with an oscillating dis-
coidal shuttle operating in a plane parallel with the plane of the needle substantially as
shown and described.
4. In a lock-stitch mechanism, the combination of a circularly curved, eye-pointed
needle having an oscillatory motion with a discoidal shuttle having an oscillatory
motion around its own axis in a plane parallel or nearly so to the plane of the needle,
substantially as shown and described.
5. In a lock-stitch sewing mechanism, the combination of a circularly curved, eye-
pointed needle having an oscillatory motion, with a discoidal shuttle having an
oscillatory motion in a plane parallel, or nearly so, to the plane of the needle, and a
nose or hook, formed on the shuttle for taking up the loop formed by the needle,
substantially as shown and described.
6. The circularly curved eye-pointed needle and awl working in opposite directions
in combination with an oscillating discoidal shuttle working in a plane parallel, or
nearly so, with the plane of the needle and awl, substantially as shown and described.
7. The combination with the work support and the circularly curved eye-pointed
needle and awl moving in opposite directions of a discoidal shuttle located beneath the
work support and oscillating in a plane parallel with the plane of the needle and awl,
substantially as shown and described.
8. In a sewing mechanism the combination with the work support, and presser foot
and circularly curved eye-pointed needle, of a discoidal oscillating shuttle and
an awl constructed and operating as a feeding device, substantially as shown and
described.
9. The combination of a work support, a presser foot, an oscillating circularly
curved, eye-pointed needle, an oscillating circularly curved awl, means for moving the
needle and awl in opposite directions, a shuttle for producing a lock stitch and means,
substantially such as described, for moving the awl laterally when in the work to feed
the latter for the purpose set forth.
10. The combination of an oscillating, circularly curved, eye-pointed needle, an
oscillating, circularly curved awl, means for moving the needle and awl in opposite
directions, an oscillating shuttle working in a plane substantially parallel with the
plane of the needle and awl, and means for shifting the awl laterally while in the work
to feed the latter, substantially as described.
11. The combination of the work support, the presser foot, a circularly curved eye-

page_text: pointed needle, a circularly curved awl, a carriage connected with the awl and means
for reciprocating the carriage to move the awl laterally while in the work to feed the
latter, substantially as described.
12. The combination of the pivoted oscillating needle carrier, the circularly curved
eye-pointed needle, secured thereto, the link pivoted to the carrier, the lever pivoted
to the lower end of the link, a cam for vibrating the lever in a vertical plane and a
shuttle working in plane substantially parallel to the plane of the needle, substantially
as described.
13. The combination of the awl carrier, the needle carrier, the circularly curved awl,
and the circularly curved needle, with a driving shaft, vibrating levers arranged side
by side at one side of said shaft, a cam for vibrating each lever mounted on the shaft,
a link pivotally connecting one lever with the needle carrier and a rack and segment
connection between the other lever and awl carrier, substantially as described.
14. The combination of a circularly curved, eye-pointed needle with the combined
needle and thread guide U having two eyes, one for the needle and the other for the
thread, and oscillating concentrically with the needle, substantially as described.
15. The combination of the needle carrier, the circularly curved, eye-pointed needle,
mechanism for oscillating said carrier, a needle guide hung concentrically with the
needle carrier, and mechanism independent of the needle operating mechanism for
oscillating said guide to keep it near the needle eye when the needle eye penetrates
the work, substantially as described.
16. The combination of a stud m, a needle carrier oscillating on said stud and
carrying an eye pointed needle, and the needle guide U, loosely hung and oscillating
on the same stud as the needle carrier, substantially as described.
17. In a lock stitch sewing mechanism, the combination with a circularly curved,
eye-pointed needle having an oscillatory motion, of a discoidal shuttle having an
oscillatory motion around its own axis in a plane parallel to the plane of the needle
and a pull up lever for drawing the loop from the shuttle, substantially as shown
and described.
18. In a sewing mechanism the combination with a discoidal shuttle, and a
circularly curved needle of the pull up lever S, for supplying thread and drawing the
thread from the shuttle and a supplementary or take up lever R, substantially as
shown and described.
19. The case or plate K having a circular race accessible from both sides, in
combination with a shuttle J oscillating in the race and having a circular ledge or
guide adapted to a seat in the race and an internal flange or stop, a detachable
thread case retained in the shuttle on one side by said flange or stop, and on the
other side by a catch, substantially as and for the purpose described.
20. The combination with a circularly curved eye-pointed needle and a discoidal
shuttle oscillating in a plane parallel to the plane of the needle, an adjustable presser
foot, and a tension device for the needle thread, automatically adjusted by the level of
the presser foot, substantially as shown and described.
21. The combination with the shuttle J adapted to move in a race of the follower L,
engaging the shuttle a gear L' on said follower, a toothed lever L' engaging said gear, a
connecting rod L³ attached to the lever and engaging a cam for actuating the shuttle,
substantially as shown and described.
22. The combination of the presser foot carrying lever P' having a toothed surface p',
the detent lever P2 and a cam for actuating the detent lever to engage and release said
toothed surface, whereby the presser foot is free to be moved or rigidly held,
substantially as shown and described.
23. The combination of the presser foot carrying lever P¹, a detent lever P2, a cam
for actuating the same to engage or release the lever P¹, substantially as shown and
described.
24. The combination of the presser foot carrying lever Pla detent lever P³, engaging
the lever P and an actuating cam for the lever P for unlocking the lever Piwice
for each revolution of the cam, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 25. The combination with an adjustable presser foot of the tension wheel H, inclined
hubs H and H acting on the tension wheel, and a rod H³ connecting the hub H²
with an attached portion of the presser foot, substantially as shown and described.
26. The combination with a curved needle and a discoidal oscillating shuttle of a
pull up lever S for the needle thread, a thread eye i, a supplementary or take up
lever R between the pull up lever and the thread eye, and means for actuating the pull
up and take up levers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Sixteenth day of July 1887