Improvements in Machinery for Sewing Boot-soles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
.Improvements in Machinery for Sewing Boot-soles and the like.
I, HIRAM GUSTAVUS FARR, of 10, Mount Vernon Street, Winchester, in' the State
of Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment :-
This invention has for its object the production of a novel sewing machine for
sewing boot-soles and the like, it presenting a horn provided with means to supply. a
thread to a hooked needle, said needle drawing the needle thread above the top of the
horn to form a loop to be entered by a shuttle containing a second or shuttle thread
to thus make a lock-stitch, said stitch being used to sew together soles of shoes
placed on the horn in usual manner.
In my improved machine the horn is provided with a suitable take up to act on
and take up the loop of needle thread as required, and this take up operates equally
well in whatever position the horn may be placed in the sewing operation.
.
So also in this my invention. I have shown one of the usual shafts for rotating. the
usual whirl of the horn as adapted to slide in addition to its usual rotation, it being
thereby adapted to cooperate with the take up herein shown.
To enable the loop of needle thread to be cast quickly from the hook of the needle,
I have grooved the needle bar and placed a pin or stud in said groove to impart a
quarter turn to the said bar and its attached needle as they approach the upward
extremity of their movement, thus freeing the needle loop and letting it escape froin
the hook and pass off the heel of the shuttle.
Fig. 1 is a partial front elevation of a sewing machine embodying any invention,
some of the parts being broken out to more clearly illustrate other parts;
Fig. 1 is a detail showing part of the thread clamp ;
Fig. 2 is a right hand side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a right hand side view and section of the lower part of the frame of the
machine and devices supported upon it removed from Fig. 2;
Fig. 3 is a detail showing a part of one of the shafts instrumental in rotating the
usual whirl, and also employed to actuate the usual take up'; .
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail elevation chiefly to show the shuttle race, and means
for moving the shuttle and the shuttle thread pusher;
Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 5, a detail view of the shuttle thread pusher h³ and its carrying bar;
Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show different positions of the shuttle in making the stitch; and
Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the bobbin case.
The frame-work, the head composed of the top and bottom plates y, d, separated
by columns z, used for the support of the main shaft x, the rising and falling presser
foot g¹, the feeding device e¹, the needle bar d20 and needle f, (except as hereinafter
described) the horn e, having a hollow shank e20, and a whirl ex in its tip to supply
the hooked needle with thread, the shafts in the rotating horn to rotate the whirl,
the toothed segmental lever f* engaging the pinion f¹ on the lowermost shaft of the
series of shafts for moving the usual whirl, the link 2, elbow lever f³, rod f, lever f³,
"

page_text: are and may be all substantially as in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 2113
dated August 27th 1864, which Specification illustrates a type of machine now well
known as the McKay sewing machine for sewing soles to boots and shoes.
In said Patent Specification the lever fo was shown moved directly by a cam on the
main shaft, but herein the cam fo for actuating said lever has been shown as
separated from said shaft, said cam being formed in the side of a toothed gear
mounted on a suitable fixed stud and actuated by a pinion f fast on said shaft x.
This cam and pinion are, however, old-and were in use prior to this invention.
To the underside of the plate d, I have attached by a screw d', shown in Fig. 4, a
shuttle race d², the same occupying, as shown, an inclined position, see also Fig. 2,
the lower part d³ of the said race terminating a little above the work lying on the top
or tip of the usual horn.
The shuttle race has (see Figs. 2, 4 and 5) a cap d kept in place by suitable
screws d³, (see Fig. 5) said cap keeping the shuttle 62 in the said race.
The shuttle shown has a long nose or beak 63 and is open at b* to receive a bobbin
case 6 provided with a suitable tension device 6º, shown as a spring, to bear on the
shuttle or second thread t¹ contained therein.
This shuttle is engaged by a driver c fast on a shaft c¹ supported by a long
bearing c*, shown as extended backwardly from the shuttle race, and provided with
a pinion c², and a grooved cam c³, said pinion being engaged by a rack-bar c
actuated by a link c6 and lever c7, said lever being provided with a roller or other
stud which enters a cam groove a²* of a cam a fast on the shaft x.
The reciprocation of the said rack c5 imparts an oscillating motion to the shuttle so
that it passes through the loop drawn by the needle f from the tip of the horn and
then moves backwardly to its starting point preparatory to again entering and passing
through a second loop of needle thread.
The whirl e, shown partially by dotted lines in the tip of the horn, has, as usual, a
hole through which is passed the thread t which is supplied to the hooked needle, and
this thread, on its way to the whirl, is passed through a clamping device f**, it being
shown as composed of a stationary jaw 10 and a inovable part 12 under the control
of a spring f, and from thence the thread passes about a sheave f** back under a
roll f, through an eye in a spring acting take up f** and thence over a sheave fon
the end of a take up lever f10, and thence under a sheave f*, and against the side of a
sheave to the whirl in the tip of the horn.
The take up lever f10 is pivotted at f¹¹ on an arm or bracket 12 extended from a
part of the usual rotating horn, the said lever f10 having connected to it, by a link ₤13,
a socket f, which receives a screw (15, see Fig. 3*, said screw being inserted in a
rod f1, so that said rod may turn freely in said socket, the lower end of said rod being
extended down through the hollow shank e20 of the horn where it is provided with a
grooved collar f17, said groove receiving the forked end of a lever f18 pivotted at fand
having connected to its opposite end a rod f, see Fig. 3, the upper end of of which is
attached to a lever 21 pivotted at 2 and having a roller or other stud f which
enters a cam groove 90 shown only in dotted lines Fig. 2, said groove being made in
the inner side of the usual driving or balance wheel 10, which is removed from Fig. 2,
to better show working parts of the machine.
The cam referred to, through the lever fl, raises and lowers the rod f10 and actuates
the take-up f10 so that its sheave f° draws upon the needle thread to take up the loop
of needle thread after the shuttle has been passed through it.
The rod fe is provided with a longitudinal groove f24, see Fig. 3A, in which enter
suitable pins 96, 97, carried by the gears f¹ and g³, so that said gears may rotate with
said shaft f16 to rotate the whirl in usual manner and also let the said rod slide up and
down in said gears when it is necessary to actuate the take up, the said shaft fethus
performing two duties.
The cam ca on the shaft c¹ receives a roller or other stud g² on a slide g³ adapted to
be reciprocated in a guide way g* secured to the bearing for the shaft, the forward
end of said slide having fixed to it a shuttle thread pusher h³, which, after the needle
has drawn up a loop of needle thread and preparatory to the beak of the shuttle

page_text: entering said loop, moved forward or to the left in Figs. 2 and 4 to act on the
shuttle thread at a point between the shuttle and the surface of the work to push the
said shuttle thread aside out of the path of movement of the beak of the shuttle, so
that said beak cannot by any accident catch the shuttle thread..
Immediately after the beak of the shuttle gets into the loop of needle thread, said
pusher is retracted out of the way of the shuttle.
The shuttle thread is marked t¹ and the work or stock w.
The shuttle has imparted to it an oscillating movement.
Fig. 6 shows the shuttle in its starting position, and Fig. 8 shows said shuttle as
having reached the end of its movement, the loop of the needle thread through
which the shuttle has just passed having been cast off the said shuttle and drawn up
by the take-up.
As the shuttle enters the loop of needle thread, the bobbin case approaches the
work, and in so doing gives up thread to the loop of needle thread, as the latter is
being drawn back through the work by the take-up, the shuttle thread so supplied
being sufficient to reach from one to the next stitch, and as the shuttle returns from
its position Fig. 8 backwardly into its starting position Fig. 6 the bobbin case is
moved away from the work which results in tightening the stitch and also in pulling
off a small quantity of shuttle thread for the next stitch.
This invention is not limited to the exact form of shuttle shown, nor to the
particular tension device connected with it, nor to the particular construction of the
take up.
Instead of the usual whirl to be herein used and common to the well known
McKay sewing machine for sewing soles to boots and shoes I may use any other
thread presenting mechanism to supply the hooked needle with needle thread, and
hence in the claims I shall designate the said whirl as the needle thread presenting
device.
The part 12 of the thread clamp is shown as a plunger having a notch see
Fig. 14, to be entered by the short arm of a lever 15 pivotted at 16, said lever being
struck by the take-up in its descent to lift the part 12 and release the needle thread
to supply thread to the rising needle.
The part 12 is normally kept closed on the thread by the spring f** in the tube 13,
said spring being made adjustable by a suitable screw 14.
The needle f, shown in Fig. 6, is represented as having drawn the needle thread
to form a loop thereon for the beak of the shuttle to enter, and this needle
continues to rise and hold, draw and enlarge the said loop as the shuttle is passing
through it but just before the needle reaches its highest position, an inclined part n³
(see Fig. 5) of a groove n² in the needle bar reaches the pin or stud n¹ held by the
plate d and causes the said needle bar and its needle to be turned quarter way
around which turns the hook of the needle aside and frees the loop of needle
thread from it, so that said loop is left free to pass onto and then be discharged
from the shuttle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a machine for sewing boot-soles and the like the use of the following
instrumentalities, viz. :-a hooked needle, means to actuate it, a rotating horn; a needle
thread presenting device; a take up lever mounted on said horn, a rod extended
through the shank of said horn and loosely connected with the said take-up lever,
a gear keyed on said rod to actuate said needle thread presenting device, a shuttle
and means to actuate said shuttle to pass it through the loop of said needle thread,
substantially as described.
2. In a machine for sewing boot-soles and the like the use of the following
instrumentalities, viz.: a hooked needle, means to move it; a rotating horn, a
needle thread presenting device; a take-up carried by said horn; means to actuate
said take up, and said needle thread presenting device, a shuttle, and means to

page_text: actuate said shuttle to pass it through the loop of said needle thread and a pusher to
act on the shuttle thread and push it aside to prevent the point of the shuttle from
catching said shuttle thread, substantially as described.
.
3. In a sewing machine for boot, soles and the like, the use of a hooked, needle,
means to move it, a rotating horn provided with thread presenting mechanism, a take
up lever mounted on said horn, a rod connected therewith loosely and extended
through the shank of the horn, and means to reciprocate said rod in said spindle to
actuate said take up lever, combined with a shuttle race, occupying a diagonal position
above and at the rear of the tip of said rotating horn, a shuttle and means to actuate
it in said race, substantially as described..
.
4. In a sewing machine for boot-soles and the like, the use of the rotating, horn
having a hollow shank, a thread presenting device or whirl in the tip of said horn, a
rod inside the shank of the horn, means to rotate and slide said rod, a gear splined
on said rod, gears and shafts intermediate the gear loose on said rod, and the whirl to
rotate the latter, combined with a take up lever connected loosely to one end of said
rod, whereby the said rod is adapted to not only operate the take-up but also the
whirl, substantially as described.
5. In a sewing machine for boot-soles and the like, the use of the hooked needle,
means to actuate it, the rotating horn having a thread presenting device to cooperate
with said needle, and a shuttle race located at one side and above the centre of motion
of the tip of said horn, a shuttle in said race, a driver having an attached shaft
provided with a pinion and a grooved cam, means to rotate said driver shaft, and a
shuttle thread pusher, combined with means between said grooved cam and said
pusher to actuate the latter, substantially as described.
ted the 4th day of Uctober 1897.,
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.