IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAW BRAIDED FABRICS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR MATERIAL
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of
Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES TO BE USED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAW BRAIDED FABRICS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
SIMILAR MATERIAL."-A communication from abroad by Nathan
Adolphus Baldwin, of Milford, in the County of New Haven, in the
1
J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas Hughes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th May 1874.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent
Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES TO BE USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STRAW BRAIDED FABRICS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
SIMILAR MATERIAL," a communication to me from abroad by Nathan

page_text: Adolphus Baldwin, of Milford, in the County of New Haven, in the
State of Connecticut, United States of America, to be as follows
-
In the Drawings Figure 1 represents a front view of the head of the
machine; Figure 2 a side view; Figure 3 a section on line x, x ; Figure
3ª a detached view; Figures 4 and 5 detached views; and Figures 6 and
7, diagrams illustrating the operation of the first part of the Invention;
and in Figures 8 and 9, diagrams illustrating the second part of the
Invention; Figure 10, two braids stitched together; Figure 11 a section
through the line of stitches.
This Invention relates to an improvement in sewing machines
designed to be used in the manufacture of head coverings from narrow
strips of braid or like material, but applicable to the sewing of like
material for other purposes, parts of which are applicable to that class of
sewing machines generally which employ a vertical needle bar.
The peculiar stitch which this machine is designed to make in the
sewing of straw braid or similar material consists in turning the one line
of braid that is being stitched to another out of the path of the needle
for one or more stitches, then bringing the braid back again for a single
stitch or more through both braids, thus leaving the principal portion of
the thread between the two braids, the stitch which secures the braids
appearing only over the edge of the outside braid. This is illustrated in
Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 6 showing the two braids Y, Y', as drawn apart
laterally, o, o, being the stitches which are taken through the under
braid Y only, and 2, the stitches which are taken through both braids;
but when in their natural position the work has the appearance as seen
in Fig. 7, the stitches all being in the same line, the thread from stitch 2
passing directly over the edge and back under to the stitch o.
This is
produced by turning the outside braid Y' out of the path of the needle
so soon as the stitch is made as denoted in broken lines, Fig. 7, so that
the needle in passing down for the next stitch will not take the outside
braid.
The first part of this Invention by which this peculiar stitch is made
consists in combining with the presser foot and stitching mechanism a
holder or guide for the line of braid, to which a transverse reciprocating
or vibratory movement is imparted to present the braid in the path of
the needle at the proper time for the stitch, and to take it away so soon
as the stitch or the required number of stitches shall be made through it,

page_text: and hold it out of the path of the needle until the stitch or the required
number of stitches have been made through the under or other braid,
thus presenting the braid into the path of the needle for alternate
stitches.
.
The second part of the Invention which relates to the movement of
the needle bar designed to give it a stand-still at or near the lower
extreme, consists in combining with a vertically guided arm a pitman by
which the said arm is connected to a crank pin, the said crank pin
working in a slot in the pitman combined with a cam groove around the
said crank pin in which a stationary stud on the pitman runs,
the said
cam groove and crank pin together operating to give the desired stand-
still for the needle bar at or near its lower extreme as more fully herein-
after described.
The third part of this Invention consists in a head covering made
from straw or similar braid united by a series of stitches, one stitch
taken through both braids, the next one or more through the under or
inside braid only, then again through both, and so on alternating, the
thread from the single stitch to the next passing over the edge of and
under the upper braid. A is the head within which the vertical-
reciprocating needle bar B is arranged in substantially the usual manner,
carrying the needle C at its lower end; D is the presser foot bar
arranged in substantially the usual manner, and carrying on its lower
end the presser foot E; F is a vertical shaft hung in bearings F¹
attached to the presser foot E, so that when the presser foot is raised this
shaft will rise with it. The upper end of this shaft F extends into a
sleeve G, the sleeve hung in a bearing H² which is secured to the head,
the sleeve G having only a rotary movement, and that axially with the
,shaft F, which is splined into the sleeve G so as to turn with the said
sleeve but so as to have also a vertical movement. An arm H of this
sleeve extends forward, and on. this a spring H' bears tending to press
the arm toward the needle. On the head forward of the arm H a cam I
is hung which works against this arm H of the sleeve, the projections of
the cam serving to force the arm H away from the needle and turn the
shaft F accordingly. The depressions in the cam allow the arm H. to
5 fall toward the needle and the shaft turned accordingly. To the lower
end of the shaft F the mechanism for carrying the braid to be stitched is
attached, and this turning of the shaft F is designed to present and take
away the braid at the proper times. To do this an intermittent move.

page_text: ment is imparted to the cam I by means of a ratchet L and a pawl P
actuated through a lever P¹ hung above in a bearing P² by a cam P³ on
the driving shaft. The motion of the lever P' is vibratory from the
bearing P², and at cach revolution of the shaft makes one full vibration,
and consequently turns the ratchet L one notch, and with it the cam I.
As here represented the cam is made with three projections and three
depressions or escapements, and the stitch to be produced is two
in the under braid only and the third to take also the upper braid or
braid being stitched, then two stitches in the under braid, and the next
in both, and so on, alternating; therefore two reciprocations of the lever
P will be required for each projection and one for each escapement, as
shown. The projections being concentric with the axis of the cam the
shaft F will stand still while the arm H is being passed, which is the
position shown in Fig. 1, and which holds the braid Y¹ away from the
needle, as seen in Fig. 4, but so soon as the cam presents the escapement 1
or depression the arm falls off and turns the shaft, accordingly bringing
the braid Y into the line of the needle, as seen in Fig. 5.
It will be understood that the number of projections and escapements
on the cam may be varied, as also their extent, according to the nature
of the work to be done.
The holder which carries the braid is shown in plan view, Fig. 3, and
as turned out of the path of the needle the line of braid denoted in
broken lines. From the shaft F an arm F2 extends forward, and has
upon its forward end a transverse arm F³, seen in Fig. 3, the inside end
of the arm F3 turning down as at a. Beside the arm F2 is a-spring F',
its forward end lying below the arm F³ (represented as forked on to the
arm F³), and between the downward projection a and the end of this
spring F the braid is placed, and over the presser foot as denoted in
broken lines, Fig. 1. The body of the braid to which this braid is to be
stitched runs below the presser foot in like manner as work in ordinary
sewing. This arm F turns with the shaft F so as to present and remove
the braid as before described.
To adjust the movement toward the needle so that the needle may
take a greater or less distance on to the braid, an adjusting screw d is
attached to the arm F2 to strike the presser foot when it has reached the
desired point beneath the needle.
It is desirable to form a bearing for the outside edge of the braid
around which it may be turned so as not to disturb the already formed

page_text: stitches. For this purpose an arm f is attached to the presser foot, or at
some point stationary thereon, extending down and turned transversely
as at 6, Fig. 3, so as to lie against the outer edge of the braid, and
around which the braid will be bent as denoted in broken lines and is
made adjustable for different widths of braid, as shown in Fig. 3, or
other convenient manner. The usual take up M or any other for the
thread is employed. This completes the first part of this Invention.
I will now procced to the description of the second part of this
Invention which is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9; P is a disc which is
attached to the driving shaft and revolves with it; R is the crank pin
made stationary in the said disc, and from this a connecting rod S
extends and is hung at e to the needle bar B. The crank pin works in a
slot T in the connecting rod, so that between the two extremes of the
slot the said crank pin will impart no movement to the needle bar.
Around the crank pin is a cam groove P¹ in which a stud P² denoted in
broken lines, stationary on the connecting rod runs, the revolution of the
disc P denoted by the arrow, and the position in Fig. 8.is the highest
and that in Fig. 9 the lowest extreme movements of the needle bar.
Starting from the highest point, Fig. 8, the disc revolving the crank pin
carries the connecting red over to the right, the stud P2 at the same
time following the inside groove of the cam runs down in advance of the
movement of the connecting rod by so much as the eccentricity of the
cam around the crank pin, thus making the descent of the needle bar
rapid until arrived at the lowest point, when a short turn is made in the
groove and the stud P2 passes into the groove outside the crank pin.
This groove, if perfectly concentric with the axis of the shaft around
which the disc P revolves, would hold the needle bar stationary until
the stud had reached the other extreme, but it is desireable that a slight
rise should be given to the needle so as to open the thread loop for the
passage of the shuttle, and there remain substantially stationary for a
time, hence I make the groove P¹ of the cam outside of the crank pin
with a slight depression as at t, this depression being the extent to which
it is desired to raise the needle. The disc P continuing its revolution
the stud P² still follows the groove and rises only to the extent of this
depression in the cam, and then continues its course substantially con-
centric with the axis of the disc P to the other extreme of the cam, that
is, stationary or substantially so, then it passes to the other side of the
cam and rises quickly to the other extreme, as seen in Fig. 8, thus the

page_text: movement of the needle up and down is made so very quick that time is
given for the free passage of the shuttle.
I have represented the crank pin as attached to or forming part of the
cam disc, but they may be separate and on opposite sides of the con-
necting rod, but they must move together and be substantially one.
The third part of this Invention is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 and
represent portions of two braids only; Fig. 10, an outside view; and
Fig. 11, a section through the line of stitches; A¹ is the under or inside
braid, and B¹ the outside or upper braid to be stitched to A¹. Suppose 1,
Fig. 11, to be a stitch already taken through both braids, the upper braid
B¹ is now turned or bent to one side as denoted in broken lines, Fig. 10,
so far that the next descent the needle will escape the upper braid B¹
(and pass only through the lower braid A¹ and make stitch 2, the upper
.or needle thread running over the edge of the upper braid B¹ and down
to stitch 2 on the under braid. Stitch 3 is also made through the under
braid; then the upper braid B' is again brought into the line of the
needle and over the stitches 2, 3, and the needle in its next descent
takes both braids and makes stitch 4; the needle thread from stitch 3
running out from between the braids and up over the edge of the upper
braid B¹ and to stitch 4; then the upper braid is again turned away and
stitches 5 and 6 made in the under braid only; then the upper braid
brought again into line of the needle and stitch 7 made through both as
before, and so continuing that portion of the thread only appearing upon
the surface which runs back and forward from the stitch made through
.both over the edge, as denoted by the solid black line, Fig. 10. Between
these stitches which appear the thread lies between the two braids as
seen in Fig. 11.
The number of stitches taken in the under braid only and the
stitches which take both braids may be more or less, but I find two as
described to produce the most satisfactory result.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, 'for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special
licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES TO BE USED IN THE MANUFActure
OF STRAW BRAIDED FABRICS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER,' a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Nathan Adolphus Baldwin, of Milford, in
the County of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Thomas Hughes, 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.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a front view of the head
5 of the machine; Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3, a section on line x, x;
Fig. 3, a detached view,
'

page_text: and 9, diagrams illustrating. the second part of the Invention.
Fig. 10, two braids stitched together.
Fig. 11, a section through the line of stitches.
This Invention relates to an improvement in sewing machines designed
to be used in the manufacture of head coverings from narrow strips of
braid, or like material, but applicable to the sewing of like material for
other purposes, parts of which are applicable to that class of sewing
machines generally which employ a vertical needle bar. The peculiar
stitch which this machine is designed to make in the sewing of straw
braid, or similar material, consists in turning the one line of braid that
is being stitched to another out of the path of the needle for one or
more stitches, then bringing the braid back again for a single stitch, or
more, through both braids, thus leaving the principal portion of the
thread between the two braids, the stitch which secures the braids
appearing only over the edge of the outside braid. This is illustrated in
Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 6 showing the two braids Y, Y', as drawn apart
laterally, o, o, being the stitches which are taken through the under
braid Y only, and 2, the stitches which are taken through both braids ;
but when in their natural position the work has the appearance as seen
in Fig. 7, the stitches all being in the same line, the thread from
stitch 2 passing directly over the edge and back under to the stitch o.
This is produced by turning the outside braid Y¹ out of the path of the
needle so soon as the stitch is made, as denoted in broken lines, Fig. 7,
so that the needle in passing down for the next stitch will not take the
outside braid.
The first part of this Invention, by which this peculiar stitch is made,
consists in combining with the presser foot and stitching mechanism a
holder or guide for the line of braid, to which a transverse reciprocating
or vibratory movement is imparted to present the braid in the path of
the needle at the proper time for the stitch, and to take it away so soon
as the stitch or the required number of stitches have been made through
the under or other braid, thus presenting the braid into the path of
the needle for alternate stitches.
The second part of the Invention, which relates to the movement of

page_text: the needle bar designed to give it a stand-still at or near the lower
extreme, consists in combining with a vertically guided arm a pitman ·
by which the said arm is connected to a crank pin, the said crank pin
working in a slot in the pitman combined with a cam groove around the
said crank pin in which a stationary stud on the pitman runs, the said
cam groove and crank pin together operating to give the desired stand-
still for the needle bar at or near its lower extreme, as more fully herein-

page_text: revolution of the shaft makes one full vibration and consequently turns
the ratchet L one notch and with it the cam I. As here represented the
cam is made with three projections and three depressions or escapements
and the stitch to be produced is two stitches in the under braid only,
and the third to take also the upper braid or braid being stitched, then
two stitches in the under braid and the next in both, and so on.
alternating, therefore two reciprocations of the lever P will be required
for each projection, and one for each escapement, as .shewn. The
projections being concentric with the axis of the cam the shaft F will
stand still while the arm H is being passed, which is in the position
shown in Fig. 1, and which holds the braid Y¹ away from the needle, as
seen in Fig. 4, but so soon as the cam presents the the escapement or
depression the arm falls off and turns the shaft, accordingly bringing the
braid Y into the line of the needle, as seen in Fig. 5.
It will be understood that the number of projections and escape-
ments on the cam may be varied, as also their extent, according to the
nature of the work to be done. The holder which carries the braid is
shewn in plan view, Fig. 3, and as turned out of the path of the needle,
the line of braid denoted in broken lines. From the shaft F an arm F³
extends forward and has upon its forward end a transverse arm F³, seen
in Fig. 3, the inside end of the arm F³ turning down as at a. Beside
the arm F is a spring F, its forward end lying below the arm F³
(represented as forked on to the arm F³), and between the downward
projection a and the end of this spring F the braid is placed and over
the presser foot, as denoted in broken lines Fig. 1. The body of the
braid to which this braid is to be stitched runs below the presser foot in
like manner as work in ordinary sewing. This arm F2 turns with the
shaft F so as to present and remove the braid as before described. To
adjust the movement toward the needle, so that the needle may take a
greater or less distance on to the braid, an adjusting screw d is attached
to the arm F to strike the presser foot when it has reached the desired
point beneath the needle.
"
It is desirable to form a bearing for the outside edge of the braid
around which it may be turned so as not to disturb the already formed
stitches. For this purpose an arm fis attached to the presser foot, or at
some point stationary thereon, extending down and turned transversely,
as at 6, Fig. 3, so as to lie against the outer edge of the braid, and
around which the braid will be bent, as denoted in broken lines, and is

page_text: made adjustable for different widths of braid, as shewn in Fig. 3, or
other convenient manner. The usual take up M, or any other, for the
thread is employed. This completes the first part of this Invention.
I will now proceed to the description of the second part of this Inven-
tion, which is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. P is a disc which is attached
to the driving shaft, and revolves with it; R is the crank pin made
stationary in the said disc, and from this a connecting rod S extends and
is hung at e to the needle bar B. The crank pin works in a slot T in
the connecting rod, so that between the two extremes of the slot the said
Around the
crank pin will impart no movement to the needle bar.
crank pin is a cam groove P¹, in which a stud P² denoted in broken lines
stationary on the connecting rod runs the revolution of the disc P
denoted by the arrow, and the position in Fig. 8 is the highest, and that
in Fig. 9 the lowest extreme movements of the needle bar. Starting
from the highest point, Fig. 8, the disc revolving the crank pin carries.
the connecting rod over to the right, the stud P2, at the same time
following the inside groove of the cam, runs down in. advance of the
movement of the connecting rod by so much as the eccentricity of the
cam around the crank pin, thus making the descent of the needle bar
rapid until arrived at the lowest point, when a short turn is made in the.
groove and the stud P2 passes into the groove outside the crank pin.
This groove, if perfectly concentric with the axis of the shaft around
which the disc P révolves, would hold the needle bar stationary until
the stud had reached the other extreme, but it is desirable that a slight
rise should be given to the needle so as to open the thread loop for the
passage of the shuttle, and there remain substantially stationary for a
time;
hence I make the groove P¹ of the cam outside of the crank pin,
with a slight depression as at t, this depression being the extent to which
it is desired to raise the needle. The disc P continuing its revolution,
the stud P² still follows the gooove and rises only to the extent of this
depression in the cam, and then continues its course substantially con-
centric with the axis of the disc P to the other extreme of the cam,
that is, stationary or substantially so, then it passes to the other side of
the cam and rises quickly to the other extreme, as seen in Fig. 8%; thus
5 the movement of the needle up and down is made so very quick that
time is given for the free passage of the shuttle.
:
:
en attached to an
forming nont of the

page_text: Third. In combination with a stitch-forming mechanism the guide F³,
a, having a reciprocating or vibratory movement to and from the path
of the needle, and the spring F to accomodate different widths of strips
carried by said guide, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. In combination with a stitch-forming mechanism the vertical
shaft F upon which the guide F³, a, is hung, the said shaft having an
intermittent oscillating movement to alternately present the said guide
to & remove it from the path of the needle, substantially as set
forth.
Fifth. In combination with a stitch-forming mechanism the vertical
shaft F upon which the guide F³, a, is hung, the cam I having an inter-
mittent movement imparted to it from the moving parts of the machine
to turn the said shaft and guide to and from the path of the needle,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth. In combination with a stitch-forming mechanism the vertical
shaft F upon which the guide F³, a, is hung, the cam I having an inter-
mittent movement imparted to it from the moving parts of the machine
to turn the said shaft ang guide to and from the path of the needle, the
sleeve H which engages the said shaft, as described, and the spring H',
substantially as set forth.
Seventh. In combination with the guided needle bar I claim the
slotted connecting rod S, crank pin R, and cam groove P¹ around the
crank pin, and stud P2 on the connecting rod, running in said groove,
substantially as specified.
Eighth. As an article of manufacture a head covering made of straw
or equivalent braid united by a series of stitches, substantially such as
herein described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have here-