IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES. AND IN TABLES FOR THE SAME, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Edwin Phillips, of Grantham, in the
Conuty of Lincoln, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES. AND IN TABLES FOR THE SAME, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY."
Sealed the 29th October 1869, and dated the 5th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Edwin Phillips
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th May 1869.
I, JAMES EDWIN PHILLIPS, of Grantham, in the County of Lincoln,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES, AND IN TABLES FOR THE SAME. PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVE.
MENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates, firstly, to that class of sewing machines in
which a revolving shuttle is employed. For this purpose I employ
two shafts or axes, one above and one below the cloth plate of the
machine, and give motion thereto by means of toothed pinions fixed on
the ends of such shafts or axes, and driven by an internal toothed ring
TD 017

page_text: or wheel, as is now common with some descriptions of sewing machines,
but according to this part of my Invention I employ upon the outer
end of the top axis a heart-shaped groove for the crank pin to work in
to give motion to the needle slide, and upon the end of the lower axis
I fix a revolving shuttle carrier; at the back of the shuttle driver I
employ a cam to give motion to the feed lever. By this arrangement a
superior hand machine is obtained.
The Invention also consists in a novel mode of employing india-
rubber gutta percha, or compounds thereof in the construction of the
gearing of sewing and other machinery in the following manner :-For
the toothed pinions 1 first cast a boss or foundation wheel in metal,
with a ring or suitable projections thereon; I then place such boss or
foundation wheel in a mould having suitable cavities formed therein
for the teeth, and I fill the space in the mould not already occupied by
the boss or foundation wheel with india-rubber, gutta percha, or com-
pounds thereof, and submit it to the action of heat to "cure" it, and
cause the compound to adhere firmly to the boss. For the internal
toothed wheel or ring I first cast a plain ring of metal, and then apply
or form the teeth therein in a somewhat similar manner to that above
described. Or if desired for wheels of, coarse pitch or for large teeth,
I first cast the wheels in metal with smaller teeth than those required,
and I then apply a coating of india-rubber thereto in a similar manner
to that above described; or in some cases I place a band of india-rubber,
gutta percha, or compounds thereof around the teeth, and draw it down
between the teeth by means of suitable bolts and nuts, or by other
suitable means.
The Invention also consists in the application of an improved under
feed to chain stitch machines. For this purpose I form the feed lever
with an opening in which an eccentric works, such eccentric having a
crank pin fixed therein to give motion to the hook or looper, which is
mounted on a fixed axis below the lower shaft of the machine. The
feed lever has a fork or opening formed at the lower part thereof to
embrace the axis of motion of the hook or looper. Thus the requisite
motions are given to the feed lever to feed the work to the needle by
the eccentric, whilst a spring operates it in the opposite direction, a
cam, eccentric, or other suitable means being employed to regulate the
amount of motion given to the feed lever. În sewing machines in
which treadles, levers, and cranks are used as drivers with pin joints, 1

page_text: place around each pin between the pin and the hole through which it
passes a band of india-rubber, gutta percha, or compounds thereof.
The Invention also relates to that description of sewing machines in
which the shuttle is caused continuously to revolve around an axis, and
consists in twisting the thread whilst it is being wound on to the shuttle
bobbin in a contrary direction to that in which it will be twisted by the
rotary action of the shuttle. The mode in which I prefer to give this
twist to the shuttle thread whilst passing on to the bobbin is by
mounting the reel from which the thread is drawn upon a pin carried
by an axis, to which motion is given as such thread is wound on to the
shuttle bobbin; this twisting action renders the thread more pliable,
and it is more perfectly drawn up into the material. The reel supplying
thread to the needle I mount in a box to prevent its thread becoming
entangled with other parts of the machine, and I mount the tension
discs on such box, and lead the thread from the reel through an eye on
the box to the tension discs, whence it is lead through an eye fixed on
the framing of the machine close to the needle slide. And in order
that a sufficient quantity of thread may be drawn off from the reel at
each action of the needle to permit of the shuttle passing therethrough,
I fix a plate to the needle slide, such plate having a hole therein,
through which passes the stud having the eye for the thread formed
therein.
The Invention also relates to means for actuating the shuttle in such
manner that whilst it is caused to work around an axis of motion it is
also retained with the same side uppermost. For this purpose according
to one arrangement I connect the shuttle carrier to a crank pin by
which it is operated, whilst a rod or tail piece from such shuttle carrier
passes through a hole formed in a pivotted stud; or the shuttle carrier
may be connected to a bar which is carried at each end by a crank,
and thereby controlled to operate in the desired path. When using a
reciprocating shuttle to this class of machine I form in the shuttle
carrier a slot long enough for the crank on the lower axis to give the
necessary motion by a pin entering such slot.
The Invention also consists in combining an ordinary presser foot with.
a bevilled edge presser wheel, and making a hole through the presser
foot so as to enable it to be used as a guide for braid.
The Invention also relates to tables or stands made to carry machines.
I make the table with a turnover board in the top, so that when the

page_text: machine is not wanted for use it may be turned over, and the table used
for ordinary purposes.
The Invention also relates to giving motion to sewing machines.
Instead of the ordinary treadles I place a suitable spring below the
surface of the table to give motion to the machine by frequent winding
up, and in this case I drive the machine by frictional gearing, by pre-
ference india-rubber, so that the operator shall give by the pressure
of his foot the necessary amount of friction to set it in motion or to
stop it. This mode of communication is also applicable when driving by
steam or other power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Edwin Phillips in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
EDWIN PHILLIPS, of Grantham, in the County of Lincoln, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Fifth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Edwin Phillips, Her special
licence that I, the said James Edwin Phillips, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Edwin
Phillips, 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, AND IN TABLES FOR THE SAME. PARTS
OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ABE APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY,"
upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Edwin Phillips, 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

page_text: 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 James Edwin Phillips, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
The Invention relates, firstly, to that class of sewing machines in
which a revolving shuttle is employed. For this purpose I employ
two shafts or axes, one above and one below the cloth plate of the
machine, and give motion thereto by means of toothed pinions fixed
on the ends of such shafts or axes, and driven by a toothed ring or
wheel as is now common with some descriptions of sewing machines;
upon the end of the lower axis I fix a revolving shuttle carrier; at the
back of the shuttle driver I employ a cam to give motion to the feed
lever. By this arrangement a superior hand machine is obtained.
The Invention also consists in a novel mode of employing india-
rubber, gutta percha, or compounds thereof in the construction of the
gearing of sewing and other machinery in the following manner;-For
the toothed pinions I first cast a boss or foundation wheel in metal with
a ring or suitable projections thereon; I then place such boss or founda-
tion wheel in a mould having suitable cavities formed therein for the
teeth, and I fill the space in the mould not already occupied by the boss.
or foundation wheel with india-rubber, gutta percha, or compounds
thereof, and submit it to the action of heat to "cure" it and cause the
compound to adhere firmly to the boss. Or if desired for wheels of
coarse pitch or for large teeth, I first cast the wheels in metal with
smaller teeth than those required, and I then apply a coating of india-
rubber thereto in a similar manner to that above described; or in some
cases I place a band of india-rubber, gutta percha, or compounds thereof
around the teeth and draw it down between the teeth by means of bolts
and nuts or by other suitable means..
The Invention also relates to that description of sewing machines in
which the shuttle is caused continuously to revolve around an axis,
and consists in twisting the thread whilst it is being wound on to the
shuttle bobbin in a contrary direction to that in which it will be twisted
by the rotary action of the shuttle. The mode in which I prefer to give
this twist to the shuttle thread whilst passing on to the bobbin is by

page_text: mounting the reel from which the thread is drawn upon a pin carried
by an axis to which motion is given as such thread is wound on to
the shuttle bobbin; this twisting action renders the thread more pliable
and it is more perfectly drawn up into the material. The reel supplying
thread to the needle I mount in a box to prevent its thread becoming
entangled with other parts of the machine, and I mount the tension
discs on such box and lead the thread from the reel through an eye on
the box to the tension discs, whence it is lead through an eye fixed
on the framing of the machine close to the needle slide. And in order
that a sufficient quantity of thread may be drawn off from the reel
at each action of the needle to permit of the shuttle passing there-
through, I fix a plate to the needle slide, such plate having a hole therein
through which passes the stud having the eye for the thread formed
therein.
The Invention also relates to means for actuating the shuttle in such
manner that whilst it is caused to work around an axis of motion it
is also retained with the same side uppermost.
For this purpose
according to one arrangement I connect the shuttle carrier to a crank
pin by which it is operated, whilst a rod or tail piece from such shuttle
carrier passes through a slot formed in the front plate; or the shuttle
carrier may be connected to a bar which is carried at each end by a
crank and thereby controlled to operate in the desired path.
The Invention also consists in combining an ordinary presser foot
with a bevilled edge presser wheel, and in making a hole through the
presser foot so as to enable it to be used as a guide for braid.
The Invention also consists in the application of an improved under
feed to chain stitch machines. For this purpose I form the feed lever
with an opening in which an excentric works, such excentric having a
crank pin fixed therein to give motion to the hook or looper, which is
mounted on a fixed axis below the lower shaft of the machine. The
feed lever has a fork or opening formed at the lower part thereof to
embrace the axis of motion of the hook or looper. Thus the requisite
motions are given to the feed lever to feed the work to the needle whilst
a spring operates it in the opposite direction, a cam, excentric, or
other suitable means being employed to regulate the amount of motion
given to the feed lever.
The Invention also relates to tables or stands made to carry machines.
I make the table with a turnover board in the top, so that when the

page_text: machine is not wanted for use it may be turned over and the table used
for ordinary purposes.
The Invention also relates to giving motion to sewing machines.
Instead of the ordinary treadles I drive the machine by frictional gear-
ing, by preference india-rubber, so that the operator shall give by the
pressure of his foot the necessary amount of friction to set it in motion
or to stop it. This mode of communication is applicable when driving
by steam or other power.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying
Drawings more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional side view, and Figure 2 is a front view of a
sewing machine having some of my improvements applied thereto.
In the various Figures of the Drawings the parts for giving motion to
the needle slide are such as are now well known and form no part of my
present improvements, I have therefore not thought it necessary to give
any description thereof. On the end of the lower axis a is mounted a
revolving shuttle carrier b, which causes the shuttle continuously to
revolve around the axis a. At the back of the shuttle carrier b is fixed
a cam c to give motion to the feed lever d. The toothed pinions on the
shafts a, a', I form as shown in section at Figure 1. I first cast a boss
or foundation wheel e in metal with a ring e' or other suitable pro-
jections thereon; I then place such boss or foundation wheel in a mould
having suitable cavities formed therein for the teeth, and I fill the spacc
in the mould not already occupied by the boss or foundation wheel with
india-rubber, gutta percha, or compounds thereof and submit it to the
action of heat to "cure" it and cause the compound firmly to adhere to
the boss, whereby a ring e with teeth formed thereon is produced.
For wheels of coarse pitch or with large teeth I first cast the wheels in
metal with smaller teeth than those required, and I then apply a coat-
ing of india-rubber thereto in a similar manner to that above described,
or in some cases I place a band of india-rubber, gutta percha, or com-
pounds thereof around the teeth, as shown at Figure 3, and draw it
down by means of bolts and nuts f' or by other suitable means The
modes above described of forming toothed pinions and wheels is also
applicable to other machinery. The reel is mounted in a box q',

page_text: whence the thread is conducted through a hole in the box to the tension
discs mounted thereon, whence it is conducted to the eye and thence
through the eye i in the top of the needle slide to the needle, a plate or
loop surrounding the eye h being fixed to the needle slide, so that in
the upward motion thereof the plate or loop j shall draw off a sufficient
length of thread from the reel or bobbin g.
At Figures 1 and 2 I have shown an ordinary presser foot k in
combination with a bevelled edge presser wheel k', and in making a
hole in the presser foot k to enable it to be used as a guide for braid.
At Figure 4 I have shown a side view of apparatus such as 1 prefer
to employ for putting a twist on the shuttle thread in a contrary
direction to that in which it will be twisted by the rotary action of the
shuttle when worked in a similar manner to that shown at Figures 1
and 2. I is a bobbin or reel, which is mounted on a pin m' carried by
an axis m to which motion is given by a band n passing partly around
the pulley o and acted upon by the fly wheel of the machine or by any
other suitable means. The band n also passes partly around the
pulley p to give rotary motion to the shuttle bobbin. The thread from
the reel is passed through a hole formed through the axis m and
thence passes to the shuttle bobbin
Figure 5 is a front view, and Figure 6 is a sectional side view of parts
of a sewing machine showing the mode in which I carry out another
part of my Invention, and in which, although the shuttle carrier is
operated by a crank pin, it is nevertheless controlled to work with the
same side at all times uppermost. a is the shuttle carrier which works
against the front plate b; c is a crank disc with a slot c¹ formed therein,
and d is a plate with a cam groove d' formed therein (shown by dotted
lines in Figure 5). Upon the shuttle carrier are mounted two small
trucks or pulleys a', a, the truck a' working in the slot c' and cam
groove d', and the truck a working in the slot 6'. The tail a³ of the
shuttle carrier may pass through a pivotted stud, or as I prefer, and as
shown in the Drawings, I mount a truck a² thereon and cause it to
work in the slot b¹ in the front plate b. Or the shuttle carrier may be
connected to a bar carried at each end by a crank and thereby con-
trolled to work in the desired path, motion being given thereto by a
crank pin, as will be readily understood.
Figure 7 is a front view, and Figure 8 is a side view showing my
improved under feed for chain stitch machine. a is the feed lever with

page_text: an opening therein in which an eccentric 6 mounted on the lower shaft
or axis works. The eccentric b has a crank pin c fixed therein to give
motion to the hook or looper d, which is mounted on a fixed axis d'.
The feed lever a has a fork or opening a' formed at the lower part
thereof to embrace the axis of motion d' of the hook or looper d; thus
the requisite motions are given to the hook or looper and to the feed
lever to feed the work to the needle, whilst a spring e operates it in the
opposite direction, the amount of motion given to the feed lever being
regulated as shown, or by any other suitable means.
At Figures 9 and 10 I have shown a slight modification of this part
of my Invention, similar parts being marked with similar letters of
reference to those employed in Figures 7 and 8. In this case the feed
lever a has a slot a' formed therein above the lower axis to work on a
fixed pin, whilst the hook or looper d has a slotted opening formed in
the lower end thereof to work on the fixed pin d'.
Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of a table for sewing machines
constructed according to another part of my Invention, the nature of
which is clearly shown by the Drawing. The top of the table is made
with a turnover board a mounted on pins or axes a', so that when the
machine is being used the board a is by suitable catches or stops held
in the required position, and then when the machine is not required for
use the board a with the machine is turned over on the axes a' and the
be used as an ordinary table.
table may
Figure 12 shows one mode of communicating motion to sewing
machines when driving by steam or other power. a is a pulley around
which passes a strap or band 6 to give motion to the machine; c is a
frictional wheel or pulley mounted on the axis of the pulley à and
receiving motion from the frictional wheel or pulley & mounted on the
axis of the pulley e receiving motion by a strap or band from any
suitable power. And in order that the machine may be worked and
stopped at pleasure I mount the frictional wheel or pulley d on an
axis
g at one end of a lever h mounted on the axis h', the other end of
which is by a link connected to the treadle i. Thus by the operator
pressing on the treadle i sufficient friction will be given to communicate
motion to the machine, and by relieving the treadle i from pressure the
wheel dis allowed to fall away from the wheel c and thereby cease
giving motion to the machine.

page_text: At Figure 13 I have shown a slight modification of this part of my
Invention, similar parts being marked with similar letters of reference
to those employed in Figure 12. In this case the wheel d instead of
being underneath the wheel c, as in the last Figure, it is at the back
thereof, and the lever his suspended from an axis hat the upper end
thereof.
In my Provisional Specification I described a mode of giving motion
to the needle slide and to the shuttle carrier, as also a mode of driving
sewing machines by springs and the interposition of india-rubber bands
between the pins and sockets of certain parts, but since the filing thereof
I have discovered that such arrangements were not new, I therefore
desire to disclaim such parts, and I do hereby disclaim such as any part
of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein shown and de-
scribed; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The novel combination and arrangement of the parts of
sewing machines, substantially as shewn and described with respect to
Figures 1 and 2.
Secondly. The mode of constructing toothed gearing for sewing and
other machines, substantially as shown and described with respect to
Figures 1 and 3.
Thirdly. I claim putting a twist on the shuttle thread, in manner and
for the purpose substantially as herein shown and described with respect
to Figure 4.
Fourthly. I claim the novel combinations for giving motion to the
shuttles of sewing machines, substantially as herein shown and described
with respect to Figures 5 and 6.
Fifthly. I claim the novel combinations of parts forming improved
under feeds to chain stitch sewing machines, substantially as shown and
described with respect to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10.
Sixthly. I claim the novel construction of sewing machine tables,
substantially as shown and described with respect to Figure 11.

page_text: And, lastly. I claim the modes herein described for communicating
motion to sewing machines when steam or other power is employed,
substantially as shewn and described with respect to Figures 12 and 13.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Edwin Phillips, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
J. E. PHILLIPS. (L.S.)