IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES." A commuication from
abroad by Lebbens Baldwin Miller and Philip Diehl, both of Elizabeth, in the
State of New Jersey, United States of America.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th July 1879.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by Lebbens Baldwin Miller and
Philip Diehl, both of Elizabeth, in the State of New Jersey, United States of
America.]
The improvements apply, first, to an oscillating shuttle of a sewing machine
having a beak and beak-shank, but they are not restricted to that particular form
of shuttle, as the same may be applied to any oscillating shuttle, or to a shuttle
fitted to move to and fro in a straight shuttle race.
proper
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 2813 in the year 1878,
an oscillating shuttle is described having a beak proper, whose office is to enter the
loop of needle thread and a beak shank which intervenes between the beak
and the bobbin case, and whose office is to hold the said loop while the needle is
rising until the needle eye is clear of the work being sewed, but without material
elongation of the loop, so as to obviate the pulling of the thread downwards through
the needle eye while it is in the work, and the great friction upon the thread incident
to that mode of operation, and also having a bobbin case, the cavity of which is
fitted with a central pivot, upon which the spool or bobbin revolves, the thread
from the bobbin being guided to the thread tension by an internal eye, through
which it passes to the delivery eye.
In the shuttle as now improved the said beak and beak-shank are retained, but
the central pivot and the centre of the bottom of the cavity of the shuttle are
removed, leaving only a narrow rim to form a hearing for the outer edge of the
bobbin, thus forming an aperture through the shuttle and gaining space for a thicker
bobbin or cop.

page_text: In the Specification of the Patent before referred to the delivery eye of the shuttle
is shown as placed at a short distance from the axis of oscillation of the shuttle, so
that when the shuttle is retrograded the delivery eye descends or moves from the
work, exerting a pull upon the shuttle thread to draw it home and finish the stitch.
But as it is desirable to exert a still greater pull on the thread in the act of closing
the stitch, the shuttle as now improved has a projection or raised surface on one of
its sides, so that at a particular juncture of the retrograde movement of the shuttle
the projection or raised surface is brought in contact with the shuttle thread, pressing
it sideways and deflecting it from a straight line, thereby tightening the thread and
so tightening the stitch. In order that the bobbin or cop may be easily placed in
or taken from the shuttle without the necessity of removing the shuttle from the
machine, a swinging bobbin or cop holder is fitted to the shuttle in such a manner
that it may be opened out from or closed into the aperture of the shuttle, bearing
the bobbin or cop with it. When opened out from the cavity the bobbin or cop by
a single movement may be slipped out of the holder or into place as required. A
spring is also provided to retain the bobbin or cop holder in a fixed position both
when closed into the cavity or turned outwards therefrom; or in place of the cop
holder simply a swinging arm and spring acting in the same manner may be used
to retain the bobbin or cop within the aperture in the shuttle.
To further improve the shuttle the internal eye and the delivery eye are each
provided with a slit leading into them, through which the thread can be slipped into
the eye.
The tension spring is sunk, as described in the said Patent, in a recess in the
periphery of the shuttle, and presses the thread between its inner surface and the
bottom of the recess, but the free end of the spring is shaped and adjusted to rest
in the slit of the delivery eye, serving as a guide for the thread into or out from
the delivery eye, and yielding sufficiently to the pressure of the thread to admit it
into the delivery eye, but when the thread is in the eye stopping the slit and
preventing the thread from falling out.
It is obvious that in place of the tension spring serving not only to apply friction
to the thread, but also to close the slit leading to the delivery eye, and so prevent
the thread dropping out from the eye, a separate spring might be used for this latter
purpose.
The extreme point of the beak of the shuttle is also bent or deflected in order to
give room for the needle to pass the beak-shank, and yet permit the point of the
beak to pass close to the needle in the act of catching the loop.
Another improvement on the arrangements described in the Specification before
mentioned is that in place of the shuttle sliding in a groove in the circular shuttle
race there may be a groove along the outer circumference of the shuttle to work
over a corresponding projection on the race.
Also the horn of the shuttle driver, which comes in front of the body of the
shuttle, is formed to project forwards in the direction of the shuttle beak, space
being left for the needle to descend between the prolongation of the horn and the
beak. The prolongation serves to keep the shuttle thread out of the way of the
needle as the needle descends, and also to cause the loop of the needle thread thrown
out from the needle to be properly projected into the path of the beak of the shuttle
to ensure that the beak shall enter the loop.
Also in order to clamp the needle to the needle bar the shank of the needle is
inserted into a longitudinal groove formed at one side of the end of the bar. The
shank of the needle rests in this groove, and projects somewhat beyond the surface
of the bar, and is held in the groove by a ring clamp which embraces the end of
the bar, and is drawn against the shank of the needle by a set screw or similar
device acting against the opposite side of the bar. The shank of the needle is thus
clamped to the bar by a surface bearing extending the whole depth of the clamp ;
this arrangement will permit the use of needles having shanks of various sizes.
The lower portion of the needle bar wherein the groove is formed is cut away on

page_text: one side, so that the groove and needle inserted into it may be in the central line
of the needle bar.
Also in place of giving motion to the rock shaft, by which the lifting motion is
given to the feed bar by means of a cam on the rotary driving shaft of the machine,
motion is given to it from a cam on the rock shaft used to give motion to the shaft
which gives the oscillating motion to the shuttle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sydney Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th January
1880.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Libbens Baldwin Miller and
Philip Diehl, both of Elizabeth, in the State of New Jersey, United States of
America.
The improvements apply, first, to an oscillating shuttle of a sewing machine
having a beak and beak shank, but they are not restricted to that particular form
of shuttle, as the same may be applied to any oscillating shuttle or to a shuttle fitted
to move to and fro in a straight shuttle race.
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me, No. 2813 in the year 1878,
an oscillating shuttle is described having a beak proper, whose office is to enter the
loop of needle thread and a beak shank which intervenes between the beak proper.
and the bobbin case, and whose office is to hold the said loop while the needle is
rising until the needle eye is clear of the work being sewed, but without material
elongation of the loop, so as to obviate the pulling of the thread downwards through
the needle eye while it is in the work, and the great friction upon the thread
incident to that mode of operation, and also having a bobbin case, the cavity of
which is fitted with a central pivot upon which the spool or bobbin revolves, the
thread from the bobbin being guided to the thread tension by an internal eye,
through which it passes to the delivery eye.
In the shuttle as now improved the said beak and beak-shank are retained, but
the central pivot and the centre of the bottom of the cavity of the shuttle are
removed, leaving only a narrow rim to form a bearing for the outer edge of the
bobbin, thus forming an aperture through the shuttle, and gaining space for a thicker
bobbin or cop.
In the Specification of the Patent before referred to the delivery eye of the shuttle
is shewn as placed at a short distance from the axis of oscillation of the shuttle, so
that when the shuttle is retrograded the delivery eye descends or moves from the
work, exerting a pull upon the shuttle thread to draw it home and finish the stitch.
But as it is desirable to exert a still greater pull on the thread in the act of closing
the stitch, the shuttle as now improved has a projection or raised surface on one of..

page_text: its sides, so that at a particular juncture of the retrograde movement of the shuttle
the projection or raised surface is brought in contact with the shuttle thread,
pressing it sideways and deflecting it from a straight line, thereby tightening the
thread and so tightening the stitch. In order that the bobbin or cop may be easily
placed in or taken from the shuttle without the necessity of removing the shuttle
from the machine a swinging bobbin or cop holder is fitted to the shuttle in such a
manner that it may be opened out from or closed into the aperture of the shuttle,
bearing the bobbin or cop with it. When opened out from the cavity the bobbin
or cop by a single movement may be slipped out of the holder or into place, as
required. A spring is also provided to retain the bobbin or cop holder in a fixed
position, both when closed into the cavity or turned outwards therefrom; or in
place of the cop holder simply a swinging arm and spring acting in the same manner
may, be used to retain the bobbin or cop within the aperture in the shuttle.
To further improve the shuttle the internal eye and the delivery eye are each
provided with a slit leading in to them, through which the thread can be slipped
into the eye.
The tension spring is sunk, as described in the said Patent, in a recess in the
periphery of the shuttle, and presses the thread between its inner surface and the
bottom of the recess, but the free end of the spring is shaped and adjusted to rest
in the slit of the delivery eye, serving as a guide for the thread into or out from
the delivery eye, and yielding sufficiently to the pressure of the thread to admit it
into the delivery eye, but when the thread is in the eye stopping the slit and
preventing the thread from falling out.
It is obvious that in place of the tension spring, serving not only to apply friction
to the thread but also to close the slit leading to the delivery eye, and so prevent
the thread dropping out from the eye, a separate spring might be used for this
latter purpose.
The extreme point of the beak of the shuttle is also bent or deflected in order to
give room for the needle to pass the beak-shank, and yet permit the point of the
beak to pass close to the needle in the act of catching the loop.
Another improvement on the arrangements described in the Specification before
mentioned is that in place of the shuttle sliding in a groove in the circular shuttle
race there may be a groove along the outer circumference of the shuttle to work
over a corresponding projection on the race.
Also the horn of the shuttle driver, which comes in front of the body of the
shuttle, is formed to project forwards in the direction of the shuttle beak, so
that the front or outer side of said horn or projection will form a guard to
keep the shuttle thread from interfering with and displacing the loop of
the needle thread as the shuttle point is about to enter said loop, and also to
prevent the said shuttle thread from being thrown over the point of the shuttle
as said shuttle commences its forward motion.. The horn or projection also
prevents the needle from being strained or diverted away from the shuttle, and
it may also be made to prevent the needle from being diverted towards the
shuttle.
Also in order to clamp the needle to the needle bar (the shank of the needle is
inserted into a longitudinal groove formed at one side of the end of the bar. The
shank of the needle rests in this groove, and projects somewhat beyond the surface
of the bar, and is held in the groove by a ring clamp which embraces the end of the
bar, and is.drawn against the shank of the needle by a set screw or similar device
acting against the opposite side of the bar. The shank of the needle is thus clamped
to the bar by a surface bearing extending the whole depth of the clamp. This
arrangement will permit the use of needles having shanks of various sizes. The
lower portion of the needle bar wherein the groove is formed is cut away on one
side, so that the groove and needle inserted into it may be in the central line of the
needle bar.
Also in place of giving motion to the rock shaft by which the lifting motion is
given to the feed bar by means of a cam on the rotary driving shaft of the machine,

page_text: motion is given to it from a cam on the rock shaft used to give motion to the shaft
which gives the oscillating motion to the shuttle.
The above improvements are shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1 is a plan of the shuttle, with the bobbin holder removed; Figure 2 is
an edge view of the shuttle; Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line a, a, Figure 1,
of the shuttle and bobbin holder, and bobbin; Figure 4 is a similar section shewing
the bobbin holder turned out from the aperture in the shuttle, so that the bobbin
or cop can be taken out and a fresh one slipped into the holder; Figure 5 is an
edge view of the shuttle as seen from the direction shown by the arrow, Figure 1;
the bobbin and bobbin holder are in this view also shewn turned out from the
aperture in the shuttle; Figures 6 and 7 are back and front views of the bobbin
holder and bobbin held by it; Figure 8 is a section of the shuttle taken on the
line b, b, Figure 1, with the tension spring removed; Figures 9 and 10 are views of
this spring and Figure 11 shews a screw pin which serves to regulate the tension,
and also serves as an axis for the bobbin holder; Figure 12 is a diagram showing
the point of the shuttle bent or deflected; Figures 13 and 14 shew a shuttle formed
with a groove around the outer circular portion of its circumference to work over
a corresponding projection on the shuttle race; Figure 15 shews a face view of the
shuttle driver, shuttle race, and shuttle working therein; Figure 16 shews a
section of the shuttle race, and also shews the shuttle and shuttle driver by which
the shuttle is caused to oscillate in the circular race; these views shew the horn of
the shuttle driver, which comes in front of the body of the shuttle, projecting
forwards to serve as a guard, as before explained.
;
Figure 16 shews a modified form of the guard in this modification; the guard
serves not only to prevent the needle being strained or diverted away from the
shuttle, but also prevents its being strained or diverted towards the shuttle;
Figures 17 and 18 are views of the lower end of the needle bar to show the way
in which the needle is secured to it; Figure 19 is an underside view of the table or
bed of the machine to shew the way in which the lifting motion is now given to
the feed bar by which the work is moved forwards.
A, Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, and 8, is the shuttle having the beak proper d¹ and the
beak shank d as in the shuttle described in the Patent before mentioned, but
also having an aperture or opening through it, as shewn in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the
central pivot and central part of the back being removed, retaining only a narrow
strip or rim n, Figures 1, 3, and 4, to serve as a bearing for the bobbin or cop.
The shuttle is further cut away near the butt of the beak, as clearly shown in
Figures 1, 3, and 4, to afford space for the introduction and manipulation of the
U shaped bobbin or cop bolder B, Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The extreme point d
of the beak of the shuttle is bent or deflected, as shewn in Figures 5 and 12, in
order to give room for the needle to pass the beak shank, and yet permit the point
of the beak to pass close to the needle n¹ in the act of catching the loop, as shewn
by the dotted line in Figure 12.
At C, Figure 1, the shuttle may be made with a projection or raised surface on
the face for the purpose of exerting by lateral pressure an additional pull upon the
thread to tighten the stitch, as already described. B, Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, is
the shaped bobbin or cop holder formed with a spring V, composed of a slip cut
from the outer limb of the bobbin holder. The holder is adapted to receive and
slightly clip, and so hold the bobbin or cop, and it is pivotted on the tension screw h,
Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, and 11. The spring V bears upon a pin p, as shewn in Figures
3 and 4, so that the holder may be sprung out from the aperture in the shuttle
into the position shewn at Figures 4 and 5, to deliver or receive the bobbin or cop
without the shuttle being removed from the machine, or having received the bobbin
or cop it may be closed into the aperture of the shuttle, as showu at Figure 3. The
inner limb y of the holder supports the bobbin or cop on the interior side, and
carries it out from the aperture when the holder is opened. The end of the
spring V, where it bears upon the pin p, is bent as shewn at Figures 3 and 4, so
เ

page_text: that it retains the bobbin holder in a fixed position either when opened or closed,
as the case may be. In place of the spring V being formed of a slip cut from the
outer limb of the bobbin holder, a spring formed of a separate piece and fixed to the
bobbin holder may be used and be adjusted to bear upon the pin p, substantially in
the same manner as before described.
The delivery eye for the thread is shewn at e, Figures 1, 5, and 8, and the slits
to the delivery eye and to the internal eye are shewn at s¹ and 82, Figures 1, 5,
and 8. The shuttle tension spring 8, Figures 1, 5, 9, and 10, is so shaped that when
the head of the tension screw h is caused to press more or less upon it, the spring
will press more or less upon the thread as it passes from the internal eye to the
delivery eye and put more or less tension upon it. At the same time the free
end e (Figures 1, 5, 9, and 10) of the spring will rest in the slit s¹ of the delivery
eye, closing the same and preventing the thread from falling out.
It is obvious that in place of the tension springs a separate spring may be
adjusted in the slit s¹ of the delivery eye to prevent the thread from falling out of
the eye.
To thread the shuttle it is only necessary to draw the thread through the slot 8³,
Figures 1, 5, and 8, whence it will slip under the tension spring in the slit s¹ and
past the end of the spring e¹ into the delivery eye.
In the Specification of the previous Patent herein before mentioned, I described
a circular shuttle race constructed with an internal peripheral groove to receive
and guide the rim of the shuttle, which shuttle was constructed with a flange or
projection of its rim fitted to run in said groove. In order to reduce the labour
and expense of construction and avoid difficulty which might arise through the
accumulation of dust or bits of fibre in such a groove in the race, the same end is
now accomplished without allowing the rim of the shuttle to touch the bed proper
of the machine by cutting a groove around the exterior curve of the shuttle A as
shewn at Figures 13 and 14, and substituting for the grooved shuttle race a ring
plate X, Figure 14*, the interior edge of which is made to fit the said groove
in the shuttle and form a guide or race on which said shuttle may oscillate.
Figures 15 and 16 show a shuttle such as shewn at Figures 1 to 12 retained by a
ring plate X in its place in a circular race formed as described in the Specification
of the former Patent before mentioned; these Figures also shew the driver Z on a
rock shaft Z', and provided with horns h, h¹, by which the shuttle is caused to
oscillate to and fro in the race, and the Figures also shew the way in which the
horn of this driver is made to project forwards for the purposes hereinbefore
mentioned.
When the shuttle moves forward in the direction of the arrow, Figure 15, it
passes through the loop of thread thrown out from the needle; when the shuttle
moves backwards in the opposite direction, the rear end of the horn h¹ comes
against the shuttle thread where it passes from the delivery eye in the shuttle to
the work, and deflects this thread away from the path of the needle, and the
forward prolongation of the horn keeps the shuttle thread so deflected during the
descent of the needle, and until the point of the shuttle has entered the loop of
the needle thread thrown out from the needle. The horn also serves to prevent
the needle from being strained or diverted away from the shuttle. At Figure 16*
I have shewn how the horn may be made not only to prevent the needle being
strained or diverted away from the shuttle, but also to prevent its being strained
or diverted toward the shuttle. To effect this the prolongation of the horn is
made wider than shewn at Figure 16, and a slot is formed in it for the lower
end of the needle to enter. The slot is made wider at one end as shewn, so that
the needle in descending is sure to enter it, whilst the other end is narrowed, so
that at the time when the shuttle is moving forward and its point is about to
enter the loop of needle thread thrown out from the needle, the lower end of the
needle is supported on both sides and prevented from being strained or diverted t
either towards or away from the shuttle, so ensuring that the shuttle point shall

page_text: not come against the needle, and also ensuring that the loop of thread thrown out
from the needle shall not be moved away from the point of the shuttle, and the
shuttle point so fail to enter the loop.
Figures 17 and 18 show the way in which I now secure the needle of a sewing
machine to the lower end of the needle bar. In these Figures D' is the needle with
its shank D resting in a longitudinal groove formed at one side of the end of the bar ;
E is the ring clamp by which the shank of the needle is forced into the groove in
the bar;
F is a set screw screwing through the clamp and bearing against the
needle bar so as to cause the clamp to press against the shank of the needle.
The shuttle is at the same side of the needle as that which rests against the
needle bar, so that it is evident that a variation in the size of the needle will not
alter the distance between that side of the needle and the shuttle point.
The means herein before described for giving the lifting motion to the feed bar
are shown at Figure 19, which is an underside view of the bed or table of the
machine.
In this Figure G is the bed; H, the shuttle race; I, the rock shaf of the
shuttle driver, having at its end a crank pin I' that enters a slot in an arm K¹ on
the rock shaft K; this shaft K receives its rocking motion from a rod L which
passes from an arm upon it to a crank pin or eccentric on the driving shaft of the
machine as in the Specification herein before referred to. The lifting motion for
the feed bar is now given to it from the shaft K. The shaft K has for this
purpose a short arm or cam upon it which enters a slot in arm L¹ on the shaft L,
and so gives a rocking motion to it; the shaft L has a crank pin upon it which
'enters a slot in the end of the feed bar arm M as in the previous Patent..
The other parts shewn in this Figure relate to the means employed for giving
the to and fro motion to the feed bar; they receive motion from a rod N which
passes to a crank or eccentric on the driving shaft, and are the same as described
in the previous Specification, so that it is unnecessary to describe them.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,--
First. The shuttle for a sewing machine constructed substantially as before set
forth with a projection on its face, whereby at a particular juncture of the retro-
gade movement of the shuttle in addition to the pull exerted from the delivery eye
by the movement of the shuttle, a lateral pressure is exerted on the thread having
the effect to tighten the stitch.
Second. The U shaped bobbin or cop holder constructed substantially as before
set forth and arranged to open out from or close into the aperture of a shuttle for
a sewing machine to deliver the bobbin or cop, or to return it to its place in such
shuttle.
Third. The shuttle for a sewing machine constructed substantially as before set
forth with the circular aperture or opening through it, and having the beak d¹,
beak shank d², and extreme point of the beak bent or deflected.
Fourth. The shuttle for a sewing machine having the circular aperture or
opening through it, and having the beak (, beak shank d³, and bobbin or cop
holder B, or it might be a spring arm for retaining the bobbin in the aperture,
substantially as before set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the U shaped bobbin or cop holder B, the spring V,
and pin p with the body of the shuttle, substantially as before set forth.
Sixth. The shuttle for a sewing machine substantially as before set forth, having
a slit leading into the internal eye, and a slit leading into the delivery eye, and also
having a tension spring & pressing upon the thread as it passes from one eye to
the other.
Seventh. The shuttle for a sewing machine constructed substantially as before
set forth in such manner that the bobbin thread. may be introduced into the
delivery eye and confined therein, either through and by the means of a slit leading
into such eye, or by passing such thread under the free end of a spring which will

page_text: cover the entrance to said eye and keep in the thread, or by a combination of both
such slit and spring.
Eighth. The combination with the body of a shuttle for a sewing machine of a
spring s adjusted in a recess in the periphery of the shuttle body and shaped as
described, so that it will operate as a tension on the bobbin thread, and also as &
stop in the slit of the delivery eye to prevent the thread from falling out.
Ninth. The oscillating shuttle for a sewing machine having the delivery eye at
or near the centre of oscillation, and having a groove along the outer circular
portion of its circumference to work over a corresponding projection on the
race.
Tenth. In the shuttle driving mechanism of a sewing machine the shuttle
driver Z having the horns h, h¹, to drive the shuttle alternately forward and back-
ward, but having the horn h¹ extended forward in the direction of the shuttle
beak d' so as to form a guide to the shuttle thread, substantially in the manner
and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. In the shuttle driving mechanism of a sewing machine, the shuttle
driver Z having the horns h, h', with the horn h¹ extended as specified, but with
a slot cut in such extension as shown in the Drawings, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
Twelfth. The improved means substantially as described for giving the requisite
lifting motion to the feed bar which serves to feed forwards the work.
Thirteenth. In a sewing machine the combination of the needle groove formed
in the centre of a needle bar and the adjustable clamp substantially as described,
whereby needles of various sizes may be used, and the relative adjustment of that
side of the needle next the shuttle and the shuttle-point may be maintained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Pitt, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
SYDNEY PITT. (L.S.)