Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, DAVID RICHARDS, of 85 Southampton Row, London, W.C. Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
•
My invention relates to improvements in sewing machines, and has for object to
afford a greater supply of thread to the spool, or lockstitch mechanism, than can be
wound upon the ordinary bobbin; and in accordance therewith means are provided
whereby a second reel of cotton or thread is made use of for the supply of the
underneath thread or cotton; or alternatively a bobbin may be employed capable of
holding a sufficiency of thread. The advantages to be derived from such a system
being that the machine may run a much longer time without stopping for the
purpose of replacing the empty spool or bobbin with a full one, or of winding
fresh cotton or thread upon the bobbin than has heretofore been possible with the
ordinary shuttles of lockstitch machines, upon the bobbins of which only a very
few yards can be wound. And, again, by this invention a very high speed may be
obtained without fear of breaking the top thread, as friction thereupon is reduced
to a minimum.
Now, in accordance with this invention I have a novel and simple arrangement of
bobbin and lockstitch mechanism, whereby the advantages above enumerated are
obtained, and whereby additional advantages such as economy, less liability of
accident and likelihood of breaking thread or needle, as well as a capability of
working at a greatly increased speed than are possible with that class of machine
now known as two reel sewing machines.
In carrying out this invention I have, beneath the bed plate of the machine, a
revolving cylinder formed at its front, or needle, end with a suitably shaped hook or
looper. As the needle descends this hook or looper in revolving takes the thread,
and spreads same around the periphery of the cylinder, and thus forms a loop.
Centrally (and longitudinally therewith) inside the cylinder aforesaid I have a
projecting pin or rod. This pin or rod extends from the back of the cylinder
and terminates at, or slightly within, the front end of the cylinder. Supported in
a suitable bearing formed at the front end, and underneath the bed plate, of the
machine I have a second pin or rod which is in line with the first mentioned pin or
rod within the cylinder, and extends nearly thereto, a small space being left between
the two ends to allow of the thread or loop passing when drawn up. These two
ping or rods form the spool race or guides. Sliding upon the aforesaid pins I have
a sleeve or bush which carries a reel of cotton. This bush or "reel carrier " I
form at one of its ends with a suitably shaped head in which takes a projecting
finger of its actuating arm or lever, which latter may be worked by cam or cams
or other suitable mechanism or gearing, and from which the cotton reel receives a
reciprocating motion upon the spool race or guide pins before described. Suitable
leaders and tensions for the under thread may be applied if desired or preferred.
In its normal position the locking thread or cotton reel is in front of the needle,
and when said needle descends, the hook or looper upon the revolving cylinder
takes the needle thread and spreads it around the cylinder, when the actuating
arm or lever aforesaid draws the locking thread carrier along the spool race from
the first pin to the second pin within the cylinder, and it passes through the loop
formed by the needle thread. The loop is then released and is drawn up, in the
needle's upward movement, between the two ends of the pins forming the spool
guide or race, and the stitch is completed. A suitable take-up may be provided

page_text: .
on the head of the machine or in other convenient position to enable a complete
stitch to be performed at every stroke of the needle.
The cylinder with hook as above described may have either a rotary or an
oscillating or reciprocating, motion imparted to it, or a combined rotary and
reciprocating motion may be applied if preferred.
To take off the reel when empty and replace with a full one a convenient method
is to form the bed plate of the machine with a sliding portion over the front end
of the spool race, and to pivot the front guide pin of the race in its bearing. When
the sliding portion of the bed plate is withdrawn the front pin may be turned
upwards when the reel or bobbin can be removed, and another one substituted.
For convenience where a reel at hand is too large to work within the cylinder
the "carrier" may be formed with a removable head at its free end, and the cotton
be wound from the reel directly-upon-the sleeve or bush forming the carrier.
These improvements are adapted for use on either top or bottom feed machines,
and from the construction of the revolving cylinder and its hook or looper it may
be placed immediately under the bed plate of the machine thereby enabling a short
needle to be employed-a great advantage when working at high speed.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1893
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE DI MUITIVATIO
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I DAVID RICHARDS, of 85 Southampton Row, London, W.C. 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 improvements in sewing machines, and has for object to
afford a greater supply of thread to the spool or bobbin of the lockstitch mechanism
than can be wound upon the ordinary bobbin, and in accordance therewith meaus
are provided whereby a second reel of cotton or thread is made use of for the
supply of the under thread or cotton, and which second reel itself performs the
function of a shuttle, insofar as it carries the under or locking thread through
the loop formed in the upper thread; or alternatively a bobbin, as hereinafter
'described, may be employed capable of holding a sufficiency of thread. The
advantages to be derived from such a system being that the machine may run a
much longer time without stopping for the purpose of replacing the empty spool or
bobbin with a full one, or of winding fresh cotton or thread upon the bobbin,
than has heretofore been possible with the ordinary shuttles of lock stitch
machines, upon the bobbins of which only a very few yards can be wound. And,
again, by this invention a very high speed may be obtained without fear of
breaking the top thread, as friction thereupon is reduced to a minimum.
Now, in accordance with this invention, I have a novel and simple arrangement
of bobbin and lock stitch mechanism whereby the advantages above enumerated
are obtained, and whereby additional advantages-such as economy, less liability
of accident, as well as a capacity of working at a greatly increased speed,-are
secured, than are possible with that class of machine now known as the two reel
sewing machines.
:
And in order that this my invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will now proceed to describe same with particular reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 shews in side elevation my improvements as applied to a sewing
machine; Figure 2 is a front sectional elevation of the same through line A B
Figure 1 and Figure 3 is an inverted plan.

page_text: In carrying out this invention I have beneath the bed plate of the machine a
revolving cylinder a formed at its front, or needle, end with a suitably shaped hook
or looper a¹. This cylinder a is carried upon the shaft x and revolves with the
same; y is a bearing for the shaft .. As the needle c descends the hook or
looper a in revolving takes the thread from the needle and spreads the same
around the periphery of the cylinder a and thus forms a loop. A second hook or
curved extension a' on front end of cylinder a acts as a guide for the under thread,
and prevents same being drawn into the hook at and being carried around with the
top thread.
Centrally (and longitudinally therewith) inside the cylinder a aforesaid I have
a projecting pin or rod b which extends from the back of the cylinder and
terminates at, or slightly within, the front end of the cylinder. Supported in a
suitable bearing d formed at the front end of, and underneath, the bed plate e of
the machine I have a second pin or rod f which is in line with the pin or rod b
and extends nearly thereto, a small space being left between the two ends to allow
of the passage of the thread or loop after the lock stitch is formed. These two
pins or rods of form the spool race and are made of solid metal as and for the
purposes hereinafter described.
g
Sliding upon the aforesaid pins or spool race bf I have a sleeve or bush
(shewn separately in Figure 5, and also seen in Figures 1, 3, 4, and 6,) which
carries a reel of cotton or thread h, this bush or reel carriage 9 I form at one of
its ends with a suitably shaped head i, that is to say with a groove or shoulder into
or against which the projecting finger k of the arm or lever is inserted or takes.
From this arm or lever with its projecting finger k, worked by a cam or cams or
other suitable mechanism or gearing, the cotton reel receives a reciprocating
motion upon the spool race bf. Though not shewn suitable leaders may be applied
for the underthread if desired. The actuating arm or lever / may be given a
slightly oscillating movement as well as the reciprocating motion aforesaid in such
manner that at intervals the finger k may be raised from between the flanges or
from against the shoulder formed upon the carriage g and thus allow a free passage
of the needle or upper thread, but when in position the finger k fits well within
the flanges on the head of the reel carriage 9 and backlash and consequent rattling
is entirely prevented.
In Figure 6 which is an inverted plan of my improvements as applied to a sewing
machine will be plainly seen the action of the reel carriage 9 upon the guide pins
or spool race bf. A portion of the cylinder a in this figure is shewn broken away
for facility of illustration. The actuating arm is jointed at to the lever s which
is pivotted at to the underside of the bed plate e. On the levers there is a
projecting stud or roller t, shewn in dotted lines, which travels in a cam groove
formed upon the periphery of the drum u fixed upon, and revolving with, the
shaft x.
At the commencement of the stroke the reel h upon the carriage g is at
the front end of the machine as shewn in full lines in the drawing and the finger k
of the actuating arm is placed in the groove formed in the head i of the
carriage g. Upon the descent of the needle the hook a¹ of the revolving
cylinder a takes the thread from the needle and spreads it around the cylinder and
a loop is thus formed through which the cotton reel and carriage may pass. As
the drum u revolves the stud t on levers travels in the cam groove upon the
periphery of same, and draws the levers (which is pivotied at s' as aforesaid)
and with it the arm and reel carriage g to the position shewn in dotted lines, the
cotton reel and carriage passing through the loop of the upper thread and entering
the cylinder a as shewn, sliding off the pin f on to the pin b. A suitable "take up
(not shewn) provided upon the head of the machine, or in any other convenient
position draws the thread upwards between the ends of the pins bf and thus
completes the stitch at every stroke of the needle. The reel and carriage g are
then drawn back and resume the position shewn in full lines, and are ready for the
next descent of the needle when the operation is repeated.
To take off the reel when empty and replace with a full one a convenient

page_text: method is to form the bed plate e of the machine with a sliding portion m (see
Figures 1 and 3) over the front end of the spool race, and to pivot the front pin f
of the spool race as at n so that when the sliding portion of the plate is with-
drawn the front pin f may be turned up, and the reel or bobbin can readily be
removed and another substituted. Figure 4 shews the sliding portion m of the
bed plate e removed and the front pin turned up for removal of the reel h; the
end of the pin fis let into the tilting block o which latter upon being depressed
turns upon the pivot n and raises the pin f and reel as shewn through the
opening caused by the removal of the sliding plate m and allows the reel h to be
taken off. p is a spring fixed at the top of tilting block o which when in position
is pressed upon by the sliding plate m and tends to keep the front guide pin of
the spool race true. (See also Figure 1.) For convenience where a reel at hand
is too large to pass within the cylinder a the carriage 9 may be formed (see
particularly Figure 5) with a removable head r at its free end, such free end being
screw threaded or otherwise for its reception; the cotton or thread may then be
wound from the reel on to the carriage 9 which will thus form a bobbin. Fixed
to the sleeve or bush g I may have a spring 9, as shewn in Fig. 5, which when
the sleeve or bush g is passed through the aperture in the cotton reel will tend to
hold same firmly in position.
When the bobbin hand carriage g are carried from the stationary pin f to the a
revolving pin b (this latter being formed in one with the cylinder a revolves in
consequence therewith) the friction between said pin b and carriage 9 is inclined
to carry the sleeve g around with the pin b and thereby draw the thread into the
fabric and thus is formed an automatic tension for the underthread. It must be
particularly understood that the reel must be placed on the carriage g in such way
that its revolving with pin b will tend as it were to wind the thread on the reel
and not off. When the reel h and sleeve g are drawn back upon the pin it allows
the thread to escape freely. The curved extension or guide a formed upon the
cylindrical looper a as aforesaid causes the upper or needle thread to leave same
at the proper time for forming the stitch and dispenses with the use of the separate
or independent mechanism for the purpose hitherto necessary.
For the spool race as herein before described prefer to use two solid guide
pins bf; the advantage of these over slotted pins or tubes being very great. For
instance greater durability is obtained and the manufacture of same is rendered
very simple and consequently expense is saved.
The above described improvements in sewing machines are adapted for use or
employment on either top or bottom feed machines at present in use; and from
the construction of the revolving cylinder a and its book or looper a¹ it may be
placed immediately under the bed plate of the machine, thereby enabling a short
needle to be employed-always a great advantage when working at a high speed.
It will be observed that the shuttle now generally used is, by this my invention,
entirely dispensed with, the hook or looper on end of the cylinder spreading the
thread and forming the loop and the cotton reel being in its reciprocations passed
through the loop when so formed, hence a great saving in expense is obtained and
friction or tension upon the top thread is reduced, the only strain thereon being
the weight of a portion of the under or locking thread, and not as heretofore has
been the case in two reel sewing machines having to bear a portion at least of the
weight of the shuttle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. The general arrangement, construction, and combination, of parts forming
my improvements in sewing machines; substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described and shewn in the drawings.
2. The pin or rod b, forming portion of the spool race, made in one with or
attached to the cylinder looper a and revolving therewith for the purpose of

page_text: providing as herein before set forth an automatic tension for the under- or locking-
thread substantially as shewn and described.
3. In sewing machines the sleeve or bush 9 formed with head i at one end to
receive the finger k of the actuating rod or lever and travelling upon the guide
pins or spool race bf, and either with or without the detachable head r at the
other end; acting as the cotton or thread reel carriage or as a bobbin at will:
all substantially as herein before described and shewn.
4. In sewing machines the cylinder a formed with hook or looper a' and guide
or curved extension a' at its front end and internally with the solid pin b; the
solid pin f; the sleeve or bush g with or without detachable head r; the tilting
block o and spring p with sliding portion m of the bed plate e; the actuating
arm or lever formed with projecting finger k, and the pivotted levers or its
equivalent actuated from cam u or other suitable gearing or mechanism: all
combined, arranged, and operating, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 2nd day of January 1894.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.