IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
-A communication from abroad by Benjamin Porter Howe, of the
City and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 11th February 1870, and dated the 1st October 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st October 1869.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to
be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to mechanism for operating the
presser or presser foot in such manner that the presser foot may be
temporarily raised to remove or reduce its pressure at a suitable stage in
the operation of the needle in order that the material being sewn may

page_text: be easily turned to vary the direction of the stitch, and consists in a
novel arrangement of lifting lever, upon which the vibrating needle arm
of the machine is made to act direct in a smooth, easy, and positive
manner upon the lever or its attachment so as to temporarily lift the
presser, and during its return stroke to leave the presser at liberty to
close down again upon the cloth; and also an adjustable cam plate
or attachment pivotted to the lifting lever. The lifting lever is pivotted
at the back of the guide box or head of the machine; one arm of the
lever is slotted to receive a pin which projects from the presser rod; the
opposite arm of the lifting lever is so shaped or arranged relatively to
the vibrating needle arm that towards the close of the descent of the
needle the vibrating arm bears directly (preferably by a side action)
upon the lever, causing the latter to lift the presser, and during the carly
portion of the ascent of the needle to retain it lifted. To vary the extent
or duration of such temporary lift an adjustable cam plate is pivotted to
the lifting lever, which by means of a segmental slot and tightening
screw may be set in or out as a projection from the lever for the needle
arm to act against sooner or later or for a longer or shorter period, at
the will of the operator. The presser may be locked when raised or may
be raised by the lifting lever and locked by turning a cam-shaped lever
pivotted to the head of the machine, which is arranged to bear against
the under side of the lifting lever..
The second part of the Invention relates to that description of feed
motion known as the "four-motion feed," and consists in means
whereby close contact is maintained between the operating parts of the
feed lever and the cam during all lengths of feed, and a noiseless,
smooth, and easy action obtained. A spring lever or bearing piece is
pivotted upon the lower and forward end of a horizontal feed bar which
is free to slide and rock at its back or upper end in a socket formed on
the under side of the table of the machine; the socket being adjustable
may be used as a stop for the back throw of the bar. The feed claw or
roughened surface is attached to the feed bar in an adjustable manner.
A spiral spring occupying an oblique position relative to the line of feed
serves to give to the feed bar the requisite downward and backward
motions. One arm of the spring lever forms the bearing surface for the
operating cam, and the other when feeding rests against an adjusting
screw mounted upon the feed bar. This arm of the lever is also acted
upon by a spring attached to the feed lever in such manner as to cause its

page_text: opposite or bearing end to follow up and always remain in close contact
with the cam which gives the forward or feeding stroke, although no
feeding action will be communicated through the lever till it strikes the
feed regulating screw which serves to adjust the feed by limiting the
play of the lever.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in thé
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence
that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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," being a communication to me
from abroad by Benjamin Porter. Howe, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
The first part of this Invention relates to the operation of the presser
or presser foot that bears down upon the cloth or material being sewn
to hold it to its place on the table in such manner that the presser is
temporarily raised to remove or reduce its pressure at a suitable stage in
the operation of the needle in order that the material may be easily
turned to vary the direction of the stitch. In this connection the
Invention consists, firstly, in a novel management of the lifting lever of
the presser relatively to the needle arm, whereby the latter is made to
act directly and in a smooth or easy but positive manner upon the lever
or attachment thereto so as to temporarily lift the presser, and during
its return stroke or action afterwards to leave the presser at liberty to
close down again upon the cloth. And the Invention in such connection
further consists in a combination of an adjustable cam plate or attach-
ment to the lifting lever with the needle arm arranged for operation on
the cam piece to temporarily lift the presser, as described, and whereby
the extent or duration of such lift may be regulated at will, or as
the thickness of the material being sewn or other circumstances may
require.
The second part of the Invention relates to the feed motion for move-
ment of the cloth on or over the table, and more particularly to a
well-known description of feed motion designated .a "four-motion feed,"
in which the claw or dog that bites upon the cloth is first projected into
or against the latter, then moved forwards to effect the feed, afterwards
withdrawn from contact with the cloth, and subsequently moved back-
wards. In this connection the Invention consists in a peculiar con-
struction of the feeding devices and combination therewith of a spring-
borne lever or attachment connected with the main bar or lever of the
feed for operation by the cam which gives the forward or feeding stroke
and adjusting screw or its equivalent to vary the length of the stitch,
whereby during all lengths of feed close contact is maintained between
the cam and spring-borne lever both when the feed is off the work and
when it is in contact with it, thereby producing a smooth, noiseless,
easy, and efficient action through the spring-borne lever as a bearing
surface or device for effecting the feed by the action of the cam.

page_text: Having thus specified the object or objects and nature of the Invention
its description will be proceeded with in reference to the accompanying
Drawing.
Fig. 1 represents a partial side elevation of a sewing machine with the.
Invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken as indi-
cated by the line x, x, in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front clevation of the lower
portion of the machine in illustration of the feed motion; and Fig. 4 is
a side view on an enlarged scale of the lifting lever and adjustable
attachment thereto for raising the presser by the action of the needle
arm.
The improvements which constitute the Invention are applicable to
various kinds of sewing machines, and it will not be necessary here to
describe in particular other than those parts of the machine with which
the improvements are immediately connected. A represents the cloth
bed or table, B the needle arm or lever, and C the rod which carries the
needle a, all of which may be of the ordinary or any suitable construction.
D is the presser or presser foot arranged to bear down upon the cloth by
the action of the spring 6 wound around its rod c and capable of being
lifted by hand through a lever E, which lever is pivotted as at d, and is
in gear with the rod c through a pin arranged to project from the rod
and made to fit a slotted arm or fork e connected with or forming part
of the lever E. The presser may be locked when raised or may be raised
and locked by suitably turning a cam-shaped lever F which is arranged
to bear against or under the lever E or fork e, or it may be otherwise
disposed for said purpose. The lifting lever E is here so shaped or
arranged relatively to the needle arm B that towards the close of its
descent and that of the penetration of the needle through the cloth the
arm is made to bear directly, preferably by a side action or pressure,
upon the lever E in such manner as to cause the latter to lift the presser,
and during the early portion of the ascent of the needle and needle arm
to retain it lifted, which temporary lift of the presser while the needle is
in the cloth admits of the cloth or material under operation being ad-
justed on the table as required from the needle as a centre of motion to
change the direction of the stitch. To vary the extent or duration of
such temporary lift there is shown pivotted to the lever E, as at f, an
adjustable cam plate or attachment G for the needle arm B to operate
upon, as described, such attachment being in screw and slotted con-
nection, as at g, with the levor E, or being otherwise connected in an

page_text: adjustable manner therewith so that it may be set in or out as a pro-
jection from the lever E for the needle arm to act against sooner or
later or for a longer or shorter period, at the will of the operator, to vary
the extent or duration of the temporary lift of the presser, accordingly
as the thickness of the material or other circumstances may require. In
this way the direct action of the needle arm upon the lifting lever of the
presser accomplishes the end sought to be attained in a simple, smooth,
and efficient manner.
Referring in the next instance to the four-motion feed, H is the shaft
that may be the main one, on whch are arranged the cams I, J, that in
connection with a spring K serve to give the necessary movements to
the feeding claw or dog L, which works as usual through a slot in the
table A. This dog L is shewn as connected in a rigid but adjustable
manner by a screw and sloth and locking screw i to the main bar or
lever M of the feed, and by its adjustable connection therewith may be
.set to give more or less grip as required. The bar or lever M is free to
slide and rock at its back or upper end in a socket or bearing k, which
may be made adjustable to limit its position as a stop in the back throw
of the bar. This main bar or lever M is caused to rest at its bent and
lower or forward end on the cam J, which in connection with the
spring K gives the necessary up-and-down motion to the feed so as to
cause the dog L to grip the cloth when commencing and during the
feed, and afterwards to drop or retire when the bar M makes its back
stroke. The spring K. is set to occupy an oblique position relatively to
the line of feed, so that in its pull on the bar or lever M it not only
serves to give to the bar the requisite down or relieving action to the
dog L from contact with the cloth, but also the necessary back stroke to
the dog after it has been relieved from gripping the cams I and J, giving
in due course the requisite up and forward strokes or actions to the dog.
The cam I which gives the forward stroke or feed does not act directly
upon the bar or lever M, but through the intervention of a secondary
lever N which is pivotted to the main lever as at m, and the one arm of
which forms the bearing surface for the cam I, while the other arm
thereof rests when the feeding stroke is being given against a screw O
that is carried by the lever M, and which serves to adjust the feed or
length of stitch by limiting or regulating the play of the lever N as
acted upon by the cam I before that lever comes in contact with the
screw as a stop that gives to the lever N a fixed character as it were

page_text: with the main bar or lever M, so that the cam I then acts upon the
lever N as if it were an integral portion of the bar M, and consequently
gives the requisite forward or feeding stroke to the bar and its dog L.
To provide against the rattle or noise however which would be con-
sequent upon such an arrangement or combination by reason of the
difference in length of feed requisite under various adjustments of the
same as compared with the full throw of the cam I the secondary lever N
is acted upon by a spring n in such manner as to make the lever follow
up the cam and always remain in close contact with the same, although
no feeding action will be communicated through the lever till it strikes
the feed regulating screw O. A feed motion thus constructed and
operating is at once noiseless, smooth, or easy, and simple and efficient
in its action.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in Sewing Machines," as communicated to me from abroad, and ex-
plained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I
claim,―
First. The arrangement above described whereby the needle arm is
caused to lift the presser, in the manner and for the purpose specified.
Secondly. The four-motion feed for sewing machines, constructed
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the First day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.