IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Bland, of Stuart Street, Luton, in the County
of Bedford, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Bland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th June 1862.
I, HENRY. BLAND, of. Stuart Street, Luton, in the County, of Bedford, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The improvements which constitute this Invention consist, first, in con-
structing sewing machines horizontal instead of vertical, that is to say, the
work to be sewn is held vertical, whilst the needles pass horizontally through
same, and is designed especially for sewing leather or other material, edge to
edge, without turn down or seam. I propose to use two needles, one at each
side of the machine so disposed as to cross each other at an angle in passing
through the work; each needle holder slides freely between guides and 'turns
on a pivot so that as each holder aforesaid comes into contact with a small
roller the needles will be pushed forward and thus advance the work another
stitch forward, and so on in succession: In connection with the foregoing
parts I propose to employ a "looper" or hook to extend the loop and ensure
its passing the point of the opposite needle.
Secondly, in constructing sewing machines upon the principle lastly above

page_text: described, but vertical instead of horizontal, and in adapting thereto a simple
feeding apparatus worked by a cam on the main driving spindle of the
machine, the aforesaid feeding mechanism works between collars on the main
driving spindle and the length of stitch may be adjusted by a pin passing
through a slot in the feeder rod. Both needles are worked by one cam.
Thirdly, in constructing sewing machines as follows:-I employ two straight
needles, each connected to a holder, also conuected to bent or curved arms
or levers jointed together, one extending above the bed plate of the machine
and the other below said bed plate, so that each needle in passing through
the work to be sewn describes an arc of a circle, but as the point of each
needle inclines outwards it follows, therefore, that after said points have passed
through the work, and in consequence of each needle being inclined, the effect
is to cause said needles to press or force the work forward or away from the
points of the needles, and thus the needles become feeders of the work thereto.
'I propose in conjunction with the above to employ a holder for keeping the
work steady as the needles pass through same. An important feature in this
arrangement consists in attaching the aforesaid curved arms of the uppermost
needle holder to the outside of the bed plate of the machine, and in so
curving or bending same that their opposite ends meet together at the centre
of said bed plate, where they are connected together and to the needle holder
'which may be adjusted to any desired angle by a thumb screw. A screw may
be also employed to adjust the lowermost needle holder and needle. The
several parts are operated upon by a cam. If desirable an ordinary feeding
bar may be employed and worked in conjunction with the needles for advancing
the work.
Lastly, these improvements relate to a new and improved mechanical
arrangement or contrivance for regulating or adjusting with certainty the
proper degree of tension upon the sewing material employed. Hitherto in
sewing machines the workman has had no guide whereby to determine what
amount of tension the sewing material should have according to the number
or size of said sewing material, and to obviate this objection I propose to
employ the following arrangement:-Through a hole I. pass a screw, in the
end whereof, and about three-eighths of an inch deep, I drill a small hole
which comes out at the side of said screw, through this hole. I pass the sewing
material from the bobbin to the needle, coiling the sewing material around
and between some of the threads of the screw, an index or pointer being fixed
to the piece of metal, through which the screw passes, and immediately under
the said screw I fix a thin plate the edge whereof is serrated and corresponds
with the pitch of the thread of the aforesaid screw. From the points of cach

page_text: serration I engrave a line and beneath numbers beginning at the point of the
screw with No. 10, next 20, then 30, 40, and so on in succession; I also
'engrave numbers 0 to 9 on the head of the screw aforesaid, these numbers
being the units between the numbers on the serrated plate aforesaid; so that
suppose the sewing material to be coiled round five threads of the screw and
the serrated index to indicate 50 for example, I know that in using one size
of sewing material I have only to coil it around the screw until the last coil
comes opposite to No. 50, and I have the right degree of tension. I employ a
set screw the point whereof may be tightened upon the plain barrel of the
aforesaid screw and thus hold it firmly in the desired position, and by slacken-
ing said set screw the other screw may be turned round and adjusted as
desired; and upon this plan I propose to construct a tension index divided in
accordance with the size of the sewing material.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Bland' in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BLAND, of Stuart Street, Luton, in the County of Bedford, send greeting...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Bland, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Bland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Bland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,.
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Bland, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Bland, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
The improvements which constitute this Invention consist, first, in con-
structing sewing machines horizontal instead of vertical, that is to say, the
work to be sewn is held vertical whilst the needles pass horizontally though
same, and is designed especially for sewing leather or other material, edge to
edge, without turn down or seam. I propose to use two needles, one at each.
side of the machine, so disposed as to cross each other at an angle in passing
through the work. Each needle holder slides freely between guides and turns
on a pivot so that as each holder aforesaid comes into contact with a small
roller, the needles will be pushed forward, and thus advance the work another
stitch forward, and so on in succession. In connection with the foregoing
parts, I propose to employ a "looper" or hook to extend the loop and insure
its passing the point of the opposite needle.
Secondly, in constructing sewing machines upon the principle lastly above
described, but vertical instead of horizontal, and in adapting, thereto a simple
feeding apparatus worked by a cam on the main driving spindle of the machine.
The aforesaid feeding mechanism works between collars on the main driving
spindle, and the length of stitch may be adjusted by a pin passing through a
slot in the feeder rod. Both needles are worked by one cam.
Thirdly, in constructing sewing machines as follows:-I employ two straight
needles, each connected to a holder, also connected to bent or curved arms or
levers jointed together, one extending above the bed plate of the machine,
and the other below said bed plate, so that each needle in passing through the
work to be sewn describes an arc of a circle, but as the point of each needle
inclines outwards, it follows, therefore, that after said points have passed
through the work, and in consequence of each needle being inclined, the
effect is to cause said needles to press or force the work forward or away from
the points of the needles, and thus the needles become feeders of the work
thereto. I propose; in conjunction with the above, to employ a holder for
keeping the work steady as the needles pass through same. An important
feature in this arrangement consists in attaching the aforesaid curved arms of
the uppermost needle holder to the outside of the bed plate of the machine,
and in so curving or bending same that their opposite ends meet together at the
centre of said bed plate where they are connected together, and to the needle
holder which may be adjusted to any desired angle by a thumbscrew. A screw
may be also employed to adjust the lowermost needle holder and needle. The

page_text: several parts are operated upon by a cam. If desirable, an ordinary feeding
bar may be employed and worked in conjunction with the needles for advancing
the work.
Lastly, these improvements relate to a new and improved mechanical
arrangement or contrivance for regulating or adjusting with certainty
the proper degree of tension upon the sewing material employed. Hitherto,
in sewing machines, the workman has had no guide whereby to determine
what amount of tension the sewing material should have according to the
number or size of said sewing material; and to obviate this objection I propose
to employ the following arrangement:-Through a hole I pass a screw, in the
end whereof, and about three-eighths of an inch deep, I drill a small hole which
comes out at the side of said screw; through this hole I pass the sewing
material from the bobbin to the needle, coiling the sewing material around and
between some of the threads of the screw, an index or pointer being fixed to
the piece of metal through which the screw passes; and immediately under the
said screw I fix a thin plate, the edge whereof is serrated and corresponds
with the pitch of the thread of the aforesaid screw. From the points of each
serration I engrave a line, and beneath numbers beginning at the point of the
screw with No. 10, next 20, then 30, 40 and so on in succession; I also
engrave Numbers 0 to 9 on the head of the screw aforesaid, these numbers
being the units between the numbers on the serrated plate aforesaid; so that
suppose the sewing material to be coiled round five threads of the screw, and
the serrated index to indicate 50, for example, I know that in using one size of
sewing material, I have only to coil it around the screw until the last coil
comes opposite to No. 50, and I have the right degree of tension. I employ
a set screw, the point whereof may be tightened upon the plain barrel of the
aforesaid screw, and thus hold it firmly in the desired position, and by
slackening said set screw, the other screw may be turned round and adjusted
as desired, and upon this plan I propose to construct a tension index, divided
in accordance with the size of the sewing material.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of
Drawings accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters
of reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-

page_text: same; Figure 3, a longitudinal section through the line A, B, at Figure 2.
At Sheet 2, Figure 4 is an end elevation of the machine, at A, Figure 2;
Figure 5, a bottom plan view of the machine; Figure 6, shews a modification
of the needle holders; Figures 7, 8, 9 respectively exhibit a plan view and
side and'end'elevations of the mechanical arrangements or instruments, for
regulating and adjusting the tension of the thread or sewing material.;
Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, shew side and end views of modifications of Figures
7, 8, 9. At each of the foregoing Figures, I employ similar letters of reference,
to denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear, or can be seen at
each of such said Figures and Sheets of Drawings respectively. At Sheet 1,
A is the cast-iron frame or bed plate of the machine working with two needles;
B, B¹ are two brackets, cast to the bed-plate A, for carrying the spindle C, on
which is fixed the driving pulley D, put in motion by an endless cord or other
suitable means. An one end of the spindle C is keyed the fly-wheel E, and at
the other end of said spindle the double cam F, F¹, which works the feeding
mechanism and also actuates the vibrating bent arms or levers G, H, for
giving the required movements to the needles I, J. The upper needle I is fixed
by a set screw K to the needle holder L, working on a pivot M in the upper
arm G. The holder L may be placed, when required, in the position shewn
by dotted lines Figure 1, Sheet -1, and is held in its proper place for sewing by
the spring N pressing against the upper part, and by the recess formed by the
angular piece N¹, Figure 2, formed at the extremity of the arm G. The lower
needle J is fixed by a screw O to the holder P, under the bed plate A. This
holder is fixed to the bent arm H by a small screw bolt P¹ passing through
the slot Q, by which it may be adjusted as desired. The arm H receives a
reciprocating motion by means of the connecting rod R'attached by a pin R
to the cam F. The opposite end of this arm or lever being fixed to the
transverse shaft or spindle S also causes the upper arm G to receive a similar
movement for working the needle I. The lower needle holder P is kept in
its proper vertical position by the slotted tie rod T working on the pivot T¹ in
the bracket U, screwed to the bed plate A. The slot T" allows a slight play
of the needle I when at work, and which is kept in its original position by the
steel spring U. V is the presser, the arm V¹ of which is bent in a similar
manner to the needle arm G, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, to
allow of the material to be sewn being. passed along without meeting with
any obstruction from the machine, and this arrangement forms an important
feature of my Invention herein-before described under the third head of my
improvements. The arm V₁ is fixed to the end of a transverse axis or
spindle W, and is kept pressed down on the material to be sewn by the strong

page_text: helical spring X on the axis W. The curved plate V of the presser has a
slot X, Figure 2, formed in it to permit the needles passing through when in
action. When it is required to raise the presser the lever Y working on a pin
or fulcrum Y¹ on the bracket Z is pressed down in the position as shewn by
dotted lines at Figure 1.. The opposite end of the lever Y being formed with
a cam projection Z causes the plate V to be raised as shewn at Figure 1 by
dotted lines. At Figure 3 of Sheet 1, a is the feeder actuated by the
cams F, F¹. One end of this feeder is formed with a projection b, which
is pressed on the cam F by the steel spring c, so that as the cam F revolves
it raises the feeder a against the material, which is then moved forward a
stitch by the cam F¹ coming in contact with the vibrating arm d working on
a pin or fulcrum e in the cast bracket f. This arm d is formed with a slot g
which allows the length of stitch to be regulated at will. The projection
on the arm d is kept in contact with the cam F¹ by the india-rubber
spring and connecting rod j. The opposite end of the feeder a is formed
with a projecting piece k, to which is fastened the spring i and rod j, and is
supported by the bracket U, in which it moves backwards and forwards;
I is the upper bobbin placed on the screwed rod m for supplying the upper
needle with thread or sewing material; n is the bobbin for supplying tbread
or sewing material to the lower needle J; o, p, are two sliding plates.
Figure 6 represents a modification of the needle holders L, P. In this
arrangement the holders are supported on pivots 9', r³, and are adjusted so as
to give the desired angle to the needles by the set screws s¹, t¹, and further, by
this arrangement the needles become feeders of the work thereto as before stated
under the third head of my Specification. The action of the machine is as fol-
lows: Supposing the machine to be placed in the position shewn at Figure 1.
of Sheet 1, the upper needle I is raised into the position shewn by the dotted
lines 9 at Figure 1, .the lower needle holder J being placed as represented by
dotted lines at Figure 3; the cloth, leather, or other material to be sewn is
then placed under the presser V, which is raised by the lever Y. This being
done the needle holder J is placed in its original position, and the presser a is
allowed to press upon the material. Motion is then imparted to the machine
by. turning the wheel E by hand or other motive power, by which means a
reciprocating motion is given to the needles, and whilst the needle I is
descending the cloth is moved a stitch, the lower needle just having passed
through the material, as shewn by the dotted lines at Figure 3; said needle
in ascending passes through the cloth a stitch in advance, and will thus form
the stitch shewn at Figure 14 of Sheet 2. length of stitch is adjusted
by raising or lowering the rod j in the slot g.. The dotted lines g² represent
The

page_text: the thread as it passes from the bobbins through the guides q³ and spring q to
the needles, the spring q' being employed to take up the down slack. I would
here remark that although I have described and represented two curved arms,
each holding a straight needle, I do not intend, in all cases to use two curved
arms and needles, but in some instances I use only the upper curved arm and
straight needle. For example, in constructing a shuttle machine, and when
this is the case the feeder motion before referred to and described may be
dispensed with, the needle serving the purpose of a feeder as before described
with reference to Figure 6 of Sheet 2, and it is only for heavy work that the
feeder bar is required to be used with the curved arms aforesaid to take the
strain off the needles.
The mechanical arrangement or contrivance for regulating the proper
tension of the thread of sewing machines is as follows:-At Sheet 2, Figure 7
is a plan view of said arrangement or contrivance; Figures 8 and 9 are side
and end views of the same. r is the metal frame, which may be fitted by
screws to any convenient part of a sewing machine. Through the blocks a
hole is formed, through which passes loosely the screw t, having a small hole u
drilled at its extremity, and which comes out at the side of said screw.
Through this hole the sewing material is passed from the bobbin to the needle,
coiling it round. and between some of the threads of the screw; an index or
pointer v. being fixed to the blocks, and immediately under the said screw
I fix a thin plate w marked with lines or serrated, as at Figure 12 of Sheet 2.
These lines are numbered, beginning at the point of the screw with 0 to 120,
or other suitable numbers. I also engrave Numbers 0 to 9 on the head of the
screw aforesaid. These numbers being the units between the numbers on the
index plate w.
Supposing the sewing material to be coiled round five
threads, and the serrated plate w indicates 50, it is only necessary to coil it
around the screw until the last coil comes opposite to No. 50, and the right
degree of tension is obtained. x is a set screw, which holds the screw t firmly
in the desired position.
Figures 10 and 11 are side and end views of a modification of the above
instrument. In this construction the screw is provided with a travelling
index x¹, formed with a portion of a thread corresponding to the thread of the
screw, and is also formed with a groove, which allows it to slide along the
index plate w.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of "Improvements in Sewing Machines," together with the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would. remark in conclusion, that I disclaim those parts of my Provisional

page_text: Specification herein recited under the first and second heads of my said Speci-
fication, and described as constituting portions of my said Invention of
improvements in sewing machines, and I hereby declare that what I claim as
of my said Invention as described under the third head of my Provisional
Specification, is as follows:-
I claim, first, the curved arms G, H, and V', in combination with straight
needles I, J, and presser V, as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 4, of
Sheets 1 and 2, whereby the use of a separate feeder in sewing machines used
for light work is dispensed with, the needles acting as feeders by advancing
the work, as above stated.
Secondly, I claim the curved arm G and straight needle I in the con-
struction of sewing machines working with a shuttle, or otherwise, as above
stated, for the purpose of dispensing altogether with the feeder bar, before
mentioned.
Thirdly, the general combination and arrangement of parts, above described
and represented by the Drawings as constituting improvements in sewing
machines.
Fourthly and lastly, I claim the arrangements, above described, with
reference to Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, for regulating or adjusting the
proper degree of tension of the sewing material used in sewing machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Bland, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
HENKI BLAND. (L.S.)