Improvements in Sewing Machines which may be Used for Producing Stitches for Ornamenting the Edges of Leather Bands or other Articles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 22nd May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
Improvements in Sewing Machines which
may be Used for
Producing Stitches for Ornamenting the Edges of Leather
Bands or other Articles.
1. ROBERT POTTAGE, of 25, Baxter Streot, George Street, Hulme, Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Mechanic, do hereby declare tho nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a construction of sewing machine suitable for the
duction of ornamental sewings upon the edges of leather or other material, and which
can be used with advantage in the ornamentation of hat trimmings and the like
forming a bead or chain stitch along the edges thereof.
A needle and a looper are arranged so that the needle passes through the material
to be sewn and the looper passes clear of the edge of the material, or vibrating loop
taker carries the thread below the cloth plate of the machine from the needle to the
looper, and a hook with a reciprocating and angular vibrating movement above the
cloth plate alternately engages and releases the thread. An arrangement of machine
according to my invention may be constructed as follows:-The needle and looper
are attached to a cominon needle arm so that they move together in their descending
motion, the looper passes through the cloth plate outside the edge of the material, and
the needle passes into the material to be sewn at a distance from the edge equal to the
required width of the sewing and through it to the under side of the cloth plate. The
eye of the needle is slightly above the level of the top of the looper the needle enters
the material when the top of the looper enters the plate, when the eye of the needle
has entered the work the presser foot is raised, when the needle has passed nearly to
the bottom of its stroke the presser foot descends with a spring, when the needle is
at the bottom of its stroke, a vibrating loop taker underneath the cloth plate engages
with the thread and passes it in an inward direction on to the looper so as to engage
with it as the looper commences the upward part of its stroke. When the needle
is at the top of its stroke, a hook situated above the presser foot engages with the
thread and draws the same backwards but in a slightly curved direction so as to
cause the thread to press against the looper.. A feed action now comes into play and..

page_text: causes the material to advance the distance between the last stitch and the one to
follow. The looper in descending is thus caused to pass in advance of the thread
forming the last stitch. The looper is free of thread as it descends. The above
mentioned hook holds the thread drawn back as described until the looper again
commences to rise when the hook again moves forward and allows enough of the
thread to run loose for the proper formation of the loop in the stitch. When the
looper is fully above the plate the hook comes forward with a quicker movement and
disengages the thread.
The presser foot also acts as a feed appliance; it is fitted on a sliding forked or
slotted foot holder or lever pivotted in a slotted hole which allows it to have an
oscillating movement controlled by a spring and at the same time an up and down
movement. The oscillating movement by which the feed is actuated is produced by
a side lever worked by a cam on the main shaft of the machine. On this cam is a
pin or stud which actuates the long end of a top lever, the shorter end of which is
pressed by means of a spring upon the top of the sliding foot holder or lever carrying
the presser foot. A stud on this sliding foot holder or lever is connected by a spring
with the end of the top lever above mentioned. The action of this combination of
foot holder levers, cam, and stud is as follows:--As the cam rotates, it presses against
the long arm of the side lever and causes the presser foot to oscillate in a lateral or
backward direction, thus drawing the work along and actuating the feed of the
machine. Whilst the presser foot is still held in the same position, other parts
(hereinafter referred to) of the mechanism cause the needle to enter the work which
is thereby held or prevented from sliding backwards or forwards when the presser
foot is raised. The stud on the before mentioned cam now comes into operation by
depressing the longer arm of the upper lever, thus relieving the pressure from the
sliding foot holder or lever carrying the presser foot. The spring connecting the said
sliding foot holder or lever with the end of the upper lever now draws up the former
thus raising the presser foot clear of the work a further movement of the cam
releases the long arm of the side lever which in turn allows the work holder to come
into its normal line ready to descend upon the work. At a slightly further advance
in the position of the cam the stud disengages with the long arm of the top lever and
allows the spring to come into play which draws the presser foot down again upon the
work. The hook above the cloth plate of the machine and which alternately engages
with the thread draws it back and then again releases it in the manner described,
receives its motion from a slide being fixed on an arm attached to such slide which
receives an oscillating or reciprocating motion by means of a small roller fixed
beneath it which works in a cam groove formed in the surface of a cylinder or drum
fixed on and rotating with the main shaft of the machine. The slightly curved motion
given to the hook is caused by a pin on the arm that carries it being caused to work
in a curved slot or cam groove formed in a plate of metal adjustably attached to the
bed of the machine above the level of the cloth plate.
The vibrating loop taker underneath the plate of the machine is fixed at right angles
to a cross bar that is supported at its ends by pointed screws working in centre holes
at right angles to the cross bar and also at right angles or thereabouts with the loop
taker is a small transverso bar fixed to the cross bar. This bar is fitted with a small
roller rotating freely in a direction at right angles with its axis. A spring suitably
fixed holds the loop taker away from the work when in its normal position.
On the end of the main shaft of the machine are two cans fixed at right angles or
thereabouts to each other, and when the shaft is rotated these cams act on the roller
on the small bar at right angles to the cross bar and by depressing it cause the loop
taker to move forward. One of these cams is larger and longer than the other, and
it produces the motion necessary to cause the thread to engage upon the looper. The
second or smaller cam causes afterwards a slight subsidiary motion of the finger
enough to cause it to disengage the thread when the looper is withdrawn above the
level of the cloth plate.
The tension of the thread is maintained by a suitable device such as an ordinary
arrangement of tension discs bold by a spring regulated by a screw; the thread is

page_text: passed through a fixed loop and also through a loop on a spring wire situated some
distance above and a little in front of the needle. The needle arm has a reciprocating
movement communicated to it by a vibrating arm working on an eccentric on the
main shaft of the machine, or by other equivalent means. Upon the vibrating arm
working on the eccentric on the main shaft of the machine is a spring wire loop
fastened by a screw, which may be called an adjustable thread lifter. The thread is
passed through the loop on this wire on its way to the needle. As the vibrating arm
rises, bringing with it the thread lifter, it draws off a certain amount of thread, and
before it gets quite to the top, it draws the thread so tight that the spring wire is
slightly bent; this movement ensures the stitches being well drawn up.
It is to be noted that my improvements may be used together or otherwise, and
that I do not limit myself to the exact construction indicated above, as the same is
susceptible of modification without departure from the nature of my invention.
By substituting for the before mentioned hook a device in the form of a bent arm
with a tubular part at right angles to its one end altering the position of the cam
grooves and using another bobbin of silk or worsted mounted on.a separate support,
and the silk or worsted being passed through a separate tension arrangement, a
different kind of work can be produced, in which in addition to the bead stitches
formed along the edges of the leather or other material, the silk or worsted from the
second bobbin is laid in a zig-zag manner on the surface of the leather or other
material, and is caught at each turn by the thread forming the bead stitches in such
a manner as to form a kind of braiding on the surface of the leather or other
material.
Although I bave indicated a general arrangement of machine according to my
invention, machines embodying my improvements or some of them may be constructed
in various forms.

page_text: Improvements in Sewing
Machines which may he Used for
Producing Stitches for Ornamenting the Edges of
Bands or other Articles.
Leather
I, ROBERT POTTAGE of 25 Baxter Street, George Street Hulme, Manchester,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,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 a construction of sewing machine suitable for the produc-
tion of ornamental sewings upon the edges of leather or other material and which can
be used with advantage in the ornamentation of hat trimmings and the jike, forming
a bead or chain stitch along the edges thereof.
According to this invention the needle and a looper (hereinafter called a loop
holder) are so arranged that the needle passes through the material to be sewn whilst
the loop holder passes clear of the edge thereof and a vibrating loop taker (herein-
after called a looper) located below the cloth plate of the machine carries the thread
from the needle to the loop holder whilst a hook having a reciprocating and angular
vibrating movement above the cloth plate alternately engages with and releases
the thread.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of an arrangement of machine
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 a front elevation.
Fig. 3 a sectional plan in line A B Fig. 1; and
Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 7 are detail views.
The needle 1 and loop holder 2 are attached to a common needle bar 3 so that
they move together in their reciprocating motion. The loop holder 2 (Figs. 1 and 4)
which is adjustable sideways relatively to the needle passes through the cloth plate 4
outside of the edge of the material and the needle passes into the material to be
sewn at a distance from the edge equal to the required width of the sewing. The
eye of the needle is slightly above the level of the top of the hook of the loop
holder. When the needle is at the bottom of its stroke a vibrating looper 7 under-
neath the cloth plate engages with the thread and passes it in an inward direction
on to the loop holder 2. When the needle arrives at the top of its siroke a look 8
(fig. 1. 3 and 7) moving above the presser foot engages with the thread and
draws the same backwards but in a slightly curved direction so as to cause the
thread to pass below the loop holder 2. A feed action now comes into play and
causes the material to advance the distance between the last stitch and the one to
follow. The loop holder 2 in descending is thus caused, to pass in advance of the
thread forming the last stitch. The loop holder is in the course of being freed of
thread as it descends. The hook 8 holds the thread drawn back as described until
the loop holder again commences to rise whereupon the hook again moves forward

page_text: and allows enough of the thread to run loose for the proper formation of the loop
in the stitch.
The presser foot 5 also acts as a feed appliance. It is fitted on a sliding bar 9
pivotted by a slotted hole which allows it to have an oscillating movement and at the
same time an up and down movement. The forward and the upward movement of
the bar are both caused by the spring 10 which acis upon an inclined part 9 a on the
bar. The backward movement of the presser foot 5 is produced by a lay shaft 11
operated by an arm 11 a worked by a cam 12 (Fig. 5) on the main shaft 13 of the
machine.
On this cam is a pin or stud 14 which actuates one end of a bent lever 15. The
other end of this lever is pressed by means of the spring 6 upon the top of the
sliding presser bar 9. 11 is a screw by which the feed may be regulated. The
action of this combination of the presser foot 5, with its bar 9, lay shaft 11, arm 11 a,
bent lever 15, cam 12, stud 14, and spring 6 is as follows:-
As the cam rotates it presses against the arm 11 a and causes the presser foot
io oscillate in a backward direction thus drawing or feeding the work along.
During the backward movement the spring 10 acting on the inclined part 9 a
slightly raises the bar. On the forward movement the spring 6 causes the bent
lever 15 which is then free of the pin 14 to press on the top of the bar 9 and
force the foot on to the work.
Before the presser foot is raised to make its return or non-acting stroke the
needle enters the work which is thereby held or prevented from sliding backwards
or forwards when the presser foot is raised. The hook S receives its motion from
a slide 16 and is fixed on an arm 17 pivotted to such slide. This slide receives
reciprocating motion by means of a roller 18 fixed beneath it and working in a
cam groove 19 formed in a cylinder or drum 20 (fig. 6) fixed on and rotating
with the main shaft of the machine. The slightly curved motion given to the
hook is obtained by a pin or roller 21, on the arm 17 working in a curved slot
or cam groove 22 formed in an adjustable bracket 23 fixed to the table of the
machine.
The vibrating looper 7 is fixed on a rocking shaft 24 supported at its ends on
pivots. This rocking shaft is moved in one direction by an arm 25 fitted with a
Small roller 26 and in the other direction by a spring 24 a. This roller 20 bears
against and is operated by a cam 27 on the end of the driving shaft 13. A second
cam 28, in front of the cam 27 operates a sliding frame 29, in opposition to the
spring 30. Attached to this frame is a plate 31, the object of which is to enable
the thread to be disengaged when the loop holder is withdrawn above the level of
the cloth plate.
The needle bar 3 receives its reciprocating motion from an eccentric 32 on the
driving shaft 13, in a way which is well understood, through the arm 33. Upon
this arm is a spring wire thread lifter 34. The thread is passed through the loop
on this wire on its way to the needle.
As the arm 33 rises bringing with it the thread lifter, it draws off a certain
amount of thread, and before it quite reaches the top of its stroke it draws the
thread so tight that the spring wire is slightly bent; this movement ensures the
stitches being well drawn up.
By a simple modification of the hook S, and an adjustment of the cam 20 in a
rotary sense on the shaft 13 a different kind of work can be produced, in which in
addition to the bead stitches formed along the edges of the leather or other material,
silk, worsted or other suitable thread from a second bobbin is laid in a zig-zag manner
on the surface of the leather or other material, and is caught at each turn by the
thread forming the bead stitches in such a manner as to produce a kind of braiding
on the surface of the leather or other material.
Fig. 7 shews the modified hook S*. This hook has a tubular part 35 at right
angles to its shank. Through this tubular part there is passed the braiding thread.
It is drawn from a bobbin mounted on a separate support and is passed through a
separate tension arrangement. To enable the barrel cam 20 to be correctly adjusted

page_text: on the shaft it is secured by a screw 20ª and is provided with a pin or projection 20
which takes into one or other of two holes 20° (according to the work to be produced)
formed in a collar 20d secured to the driving shaft 13. Although I have indicated a
general arrangement of machine according to my invention, machines embodying my
improvements or some of them may be constructed in various forms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a sewing machine the combination with a needle, a loop holder arranged to
pass at the edge of the material to be sewn, and a looper to convey a loop of thread
from the needle to the said loop holder, of a hook with a reciprocating and angular
movement for the purpose of passing the thread under the loop holder substantially
as described.
2. In a sewing machine having a needle and a loop holder attached to one needle
bar, an adjustable slide whereby the distance between the needle and the loop holder
can be varied substantially as described.
3. In a sewing machine in which the thread is looped over the edge of the material
the combination with a hook having a reciprocating movement for carrying the loop
of thread to the edge of the material, of a cam path which guides the said hook in its
course substantially as described and shewn.
4. In a sewing machine the use of a spring thread lifter such as 34 raised and
lowered by the mechanism that reciprocates the needle bar substantially as described
for the purpose specified.
5. In a sewing machine the combination with a needle; a loop holder arranged at
the edge of the material to be sewn and a looper to carry a loop of thread from the
needle to the said loop holder, of a hook S (Fig. 7.) substantially as described and
shewn.
6. The application and use of the adjustable cam 20 substantially as described for
the purpose specified.
7. The improved sewing machine for ornamenting the edges of leather bands and
other articles, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 91st day of May 1888
ROBERT POTTAGE.