Improvements relating to the Driving of Ring Shuttles of Sewing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application. 14th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
Date of Application. 14th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Driving of Ring Shuttles of Sewing
Machines.
1 REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of
18 Buckingham Street Strand W.C. London, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad by Felix Engel
of Graskeller 21 Hamburg in the Empire of Germany, Civil Engineer and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of lockstitch sewing machines in which a loose
revolving body termed a ring shuttle, is rotated by a driver so as to draw a loop in
the upper thread and pass the said loop around the shuttle or spool carrier containing
the underthread. The object of the invention is to improve the shuttle driver
and the method of engaging the ring shuttle so that the loop of thread may be drawn
around the ring shuttle without requiring to pass between the shuttle and the 'driver
at any part where the latter is at the time of the passage of the thread in driving
contact with the former. The improvements thus avoid the compression of the
thread, tending to abrasion and damage thereto and heretofore necessitated by
passing the thread between the surface of the shuttle and that of the driver in
acting contact therewith.
The invention consists in construction of the parts so that a shifting contact
exists between the driver and the ring shuttle the method of contact being such
that as the thread in the act of looping moves around the 'course of the shuttle the
driving contact during the first part of the revolution is in front of the loop and
before the thread arrives at this point of contact, the contact ceases at this point
and is replaced by a contact at a point behind the loop so that the action of the
driver on the shuttle does not cease during the revolution.
The improved construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 being a side elevation of the ring shuttle and parts surrounding the same:
Fig. 2 a sectional front elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 a sectional front elevation of the same parts with the under thread holder
removed.
Figs. 4. 7 and 8 are side elevations showing the ring shuttle in successive positions
of its rotation.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation and Fig. 6 a front elevation of the shuttle driver.
Dis the driver and S the ring shuttle which revolves in the circular track or
bearing in the frame of the machine. The driver situated on the end of the
shaft W is provided with three projecting arms d d d by which it engages the ring
shuttle. Of these, the arm d serves solely for driving the shuttle in a backward
direction when the machine is reversed, the arms d' d serve alternately for driving
the shuttle in the forward direction, the arm & being in engagement with the
This alternate engagement of
shuttle when the arm d' is disengaged and vice versa.
the arins d'and d is for allowing free passage for the loop of thread and is provided
for and caused by placing the axis of revolution of the ring shuttle slightly out of
line with the axis of revolution of the shuttle driver as shown in Fig. 5 where y is
the centre of revolution of driver D and y' that of the ring shuttle.
The arm d lies within the recess under the points of the shuttle but lies out of
contact with the shuttle except when brought into contact by and during backward
movement of the machine.
During forward movement of the machine the loop drawn in the thread has
always free passage at this point.
The arm d¹ operates against the heel of the ring shuttle and the arm d² against
=

page_text: the wall of a recess or opening in the sole of the ring shuttle at a point preferably
opposite to the heel on or near the circumference of the shuttle. Fig. 1 illustrates
the points of the shuttle just after engagement with the loop, as the space between
this points and the loop drawing edge of the shuttle is quite free, the loop meets
with no resistance in sliding along the point s. On further turning of the shuttle
which during this part of the movement is being driven by the contact the loop
drawn by the edge i passes freely between the arm and the shuttle, the latter arm
being out of contact as in Fig. 4. The loop having passed this point, the arm d
closes up to the shuttle and drives it slightly ahead of the arm di (Fig. 7) so that
the loop sliding up as in (Fig. 8) can now pass freely between the arm d'and the
shuttle.
After this is done and before commencement of a fresh loop, the arm will have
closed up upon the heel and the arm d will be left slightly behind so that the
passage is free for the next loop as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In a ring shuttle sewing machine.
1. The combination with the ring shuttle of a driver engaging therewith
alternately on at least two points in the manner described whereby the loop of
thread has at all times free passage between the shuttle and driver without
requiring to pass between the one and the other at any point where the said shuttle
and driver are in contact.
2. The combination with the ring shuttle S of a driver D the axis of revolution
of which lies out of line with the axis of revolution of the said shuttle, the said
driver having arms d' d' adapted to alternately come into temporary contact with
the said shuttle as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with the ring shuttle S of a driver D, the axis of revolution
of which lies out of line with the axis of revolution of the said shuttle, the said
driver having an arm d lying before the loop drawing edge of the shuttle, an
arm d lying behind the heel of the shuttle and an arm d² lying within a recess or
opening in the sole of the shuttle, the said arms adapted to engage with the shuttle
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
1
1001
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.