Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
We, WILLIAM KEMPTON, of 5 Woodvale Road, Belfast, Mechanic, and
DUNCAN MACRAE, of 13 Camden Street, Belfast, 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 :-
This invention relates to sewing machines and it has mainly for its object to
provide mechanism whereby plain or zig-zag stitching and also button hole stitching
can be done on the same machine without the addition thereto of attachments and
such like or the alteration of any of the parts.
"
The mechanism, which makes a complete button-hole similar to the "Thomas
machine can be applied to the "Wheeler & Wilson," " Bradbury," "Jones,"
"Standard" and like machines having top and bottom revolving shafts.
The mechanism can be combined with a "Wheeler & Wilson" or like zig-zag
stitch machine, so that as desired either plain, zig-zag, or button-hole stitching can
be done on the same machine.
The features of novelty constituting our invention are pointed out in the claims :--
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have
hereunto appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon:-
2
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of Wheeler & Wilson" zig-zag
stitch machine having our improvements attached thereto.
Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of the machine Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line x-x Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 to 13 are detail views.
On the drawings, the same reference numerals wherever repeated indicate the
same parts.
The mechanism as applied to the "Wheeler & Wilson" machine Figs. 1, 2, and 3
consists of a rocking cradle 1 which is pivotted at each side (see plan view at
Fig. 6) in upwardly projecting lugs 2, made in one with a plate 3 secured to the
upper side of the arm 4 of the machine. This cradle is provided with an upwardly
projecting weighted lever or ball handle 5 and with two screws 6 which are capable
of adjustment so as to regulate the amount of movement or rock of the cradle.
7 are two bevelled studs on the plate 3 against which the screws 6 rest or bear.
The rearward part of the plate 3 has two upwardly projecting Ings 8 in holes in
which is carried a cross spindle 9 having attached to it at one end a straight arm 10
and at its other end a curved arm 11. A bent link 12 connects the rear end of the
cradle with the curved arm 11. A straight link 13 is, at its upper end, hooked to
a pin 14 on the outer end of the lateral arm 20 of the cradle, and, at its lower end,
it is pinned to the block 15 which slides in the grooved vibrating quadrant 16 of
the machine. When the pin 14 is slackened the booked end of link 13 can be
disengaged from it and when the pin is tightened the link can be firmly secured in
place. 17 is the usual lever for connecting the slide block 15 with the needle
bar 18.
The quadrant 16, as usual in "Wheeler & Wilson" zig-zag stitch machines, is
vibrated by cams on the horizontal driving shaft 19. 21 is the usual cover plate.
22 is a vertical bar which is secured, at its upper end, to the arm 10 by means
of a small thumb screw 23 passed through a slot 24" in the bar, and, at its lower
end, to the feed slide block 24 working in a grooved feed quadrant 25 fitted at one
end of a short horizontal shaft or spindle 26 (see also detail views Figs. 4 and 5)
carried in bearings 28, on the underside of the bed plate 27 of the machine. This

page_text: +
short shaft 26 has on it a crank 29 provided with a friction roller 30 which runs on
the periphery of a double or combination cam 31 fitted at one end of a secondary
shaft 32 carried in bearings 33 secured to the bed plate 27 and having a two to one
gear 34 driven from the main shaft 35. A spiral spring 36 tends to pull the
crank 29 against the surface of the cam 31 and keep the roller 30 in contact
therewith.
a
The combination cam, as shown more particularly at Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, consists
in reality of two cams 37 and 38 which are joined together and are secured by
keyway and feather to the secondary shaft 32 on which they are capable of sliding
laterally. One of the cams 37 is a two throw cam and the other 38 is a four throw
cam. The boss 39 of the cam 37 is made with a circumferential groove 40 in
which a fork 41 on one end of a cross lever 42 enters. This lever, which is
fulcrumed at or about its centre on a screw 43 (see Fig. 2) entering a hole in the
bed plate 27, has, at its other end, a bar 44 pinned to it and this bar is secured to
the lower end of the shank of the controlling button 45 which is capable of sliding
laterally in the slot 46.
:
The feed and shuttle mechanism is the same as that on the ordinary " Wheeler &
Wilson" machine. 47 is the feed shaft the arın 50 of which is actuated from the
feed quadrant 25 by means of the connecting link 48 secured to the slide block 24.
49 are the usual connecting rods.
When the button 45 is moved in one direction the cam 37 is, as shown, brought
under the roller 30 and the machine is caused to feed but once in every two
revolutions, but, when the button is moved in the opposite direction, the cam 38 is
brought under the roller 30 and the machine is caused to feed at every revolution.
The link 48 is connected with the arm 51 of the usual stitch regulating
spindle 2 by the rod 53. 54 is the thumb lever for turning the spindle 52.
In working with the machine, if it is desired to do plain stitching the hooked
link 13 is disconnected from the pin 14 of the cradle so as to throw the cradle
mechanism out of gear and the slide block 15 is brought to the centre of the
vibrating quadrant spindle so as not to vibrate the lever 17 and is clamped in
position by the screw 15*. The button 45 is moved to the right so as to bring the
cam 38. under the roller 30. In this case the machine acts like any ordinary plain
'stitching machine.
If so desired to do zig-zag stitching the slide block 15 is moved the desired
distance down the grooved quadrant 16, according to the width of the zig-zag
stitch desired, and, as a consequence, when the machine is set in motion the
vibrating quadrant causes the lever 17.to vibrate and impart a lateral movement to
the needle bar 18 and needle.
When it is desired to do button holes the hooked lever 13 is engaged with the
pin 14 and the cradle mechanism thrown into gear. The button 45 is also moved
to the left so as to throw the cam 37 into gear. Now, presuming the mechanism is
in the position shown in full lines at Fig. I, the machine will, when actuated, do the
stitching at the side of the button hole, but when the lever handle 5 is thrown over
to the dotted position the lateral movement of the needle bar will be increased and
the feed will be stopped so that the continued movement of the needle will bar
the button hole.
The stopping of the feed mechanism is attained in the following manner :- When
the lever 5 is moved to the left or dotted position the arm 10, is caused to press
down the slotted bar 22 and force the feed slide block 24 and with it the bar 48
down to the centre of movement of the vibrating feed quadrant 25 so that no
movement will be imparted by the quadrant to said bar 48, and, as a consequence,
the feed shaft 47 and feed mechanism will be stopped.
The length of side bite of the button hole stitch is regulated by the right hand
screw 6 of the cradle 1 and the length of bar stitch by the left hand screw 6.
The length of stitch can be regulated by moving the vertical bar 22 up or down
and clamping it in position by the screw 23. This vertical movement of the bar 22
regulates the position of the slide block 24 in the vibrating feed quadrant 25 so as
J

page_text: to increase or decrease the movement of said block and with it the bar 48 and
thereby control the feed movement.
In factories where the machine is to be used for button hole work alone it may be
advisable to insert a pin or equivalent 55 (see Figs. 11, 12, and 13) in the lower
end of the bar 22. With this arrangement when the bar 22 is pressed down by
turning over the lever 5 to the dotted or barring position Fig. 1 the pin 55 bears
on the edge of the feed quadrant 25 and presses it back (see Fig. 13) to an extent
sufficient to throw the roller 30 out of contact with the cam 31 thereby effectually
preventing any feed movement. This arrangement obviates the necessity for a
careful adjustment of the length of the bar 22.
The Figs. 11, 12 and 13 show the lever 22 and slide block 24 in different
positions.
It is to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact construction
of mechanism shown as it may be modified or altered in its details to suit the class.
of machine to which it is to be applied. The mechanism, which we have shown by
way of illustration, is suitable for a machine constructed on the "Wheeler &
Wilson" principle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. The combination with a plain or zig-zag stitch sewing machine, of button-hole
mechanism constructed and operating substantially as herein before described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
2. The rocking cradle and its attachments, substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. The combination with the vibrating feed quadrant 25 and feed block sliding
therein, of an adjustable bar (22) connected to said feed block and operated from
the rocking cradle, substantially as herein before described with reference to the
drawings annexed.
4. In combination, the horizontal shaft or spindle 26, having a feed quadrant at
one end and a crank or its equivalent at the other end, the double cam or its
equivalent 31 and means for moving said cam, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the drawings annexed.
5. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the mechanism,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 12th day of March 1894
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.