IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by Jeremiah Keith, of the State of Rhode
Taland Titri Sadan of Amonias.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th October 1880.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Jeremiah Keith, of the
State of Rhode Island, United States of America.
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The Invention consists in a sewing machine provided not only with an eye
pointed needle, and with a shuttle or its equivalent to operate therewith, in order
to perform "lock stitch" sewing, by the thread of the shuttle being passed through
the loops formed by the needle, but with a "looping hook" and a cast off," and
mechanism for operating them, so as to enable them with the needle, and without
the aid of the shuttle, to perform "chain stitch" sewing. The Invention further
consists in the combination of the looper and cast off with means of raising and
depressing them relatively to the needle and the shuttle, in order for the shuttle,
while in operation, to play free of the looper, and the latter when the shuttle is
out of its race to be adjusted to operate with the needle to perform chain stitch
sewing.
The Invention further consists in the combination of a groove in the wall or side
of the shuttle race with the looper and cast off, and the needle to operate there with,
such groove being for retaining the loop in a proper position while the looper and
cast off may be advancing for the looper to seize the thread for the formation of the
next succeeding loop.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
March 1881.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Jeremiah Keith, of the
State of Rhode Island, United States of America.
Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, a front end view (partially in section),
and Figure 3, a bottom view of a sewing machine provided with this Invention in
part.
Figure 4 is an underside view, and Figure 5 an edge view of the looping hook
and cast off and their support plate.
Figure 6 is a view showing the relative positions of the looping hook, cast off,
the shuttle and its driver, and the needle, to be hereinafter described.
Figure 7 is a top view, and Figure 8 an edge view of the looping hook and its
notched plate; while Figure 9 is a top view, and Figure 10 an edge view of the
cast off; Figures 11, 12, and 13 will be hereinafter explained.
The remaining Figures relate to a machine embodying the main principles of that
shown in the aforementioned Figures, that is, a looping hook and a cast off, and
mechanism for operating them, in combination with an eye pointed needle having
mechanism for operating it; the said remaining Figures however represent the looper
and cast off as provided with means of raising and depressing them relatively to
the needle and the shuttle, in order for the latter, while in operation, to play free
of the looper, and the latter, when the shuttle is out of its race, to be adjusted to
operate with the needle. These last mentioned Figures also show the combination
of a groove in the wall or side of the shuttle race with the looper, cast off, and
needle, such groove being in close proximity with the needle recess, and for the
purpose of retaining the loop in proper position while the looper and cast off may
be advancing for the said looper to seize the thread for the formation of the next
loop.
Of the said remaining Figures, Figure 14 is a top view, Figure 15 a front end
elevation, Figure 16 an underside view, and Figure 17 a longitudinal and vertical
section of a machinc embodying this Invention.
Figure 18 is a side view of its looper and cast off and friction brake, to be
hereinafter explained.
Figure 19 is a top view of part of the shuttle race, and of the looper and cast
off as arranged therewith.
Figure 20 is a transverse section of the looper and cast off, their supporter and
friction brake, and its adjusting screw.
Figure 21 is a section of the shuttle race showing the looper and cast off as
drawn entirely back and down on the race so as to be out of the way of the
shuttle, which with the needle is represented in the said Figure.
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The machine constituting this Invention is for the purpose of performing the
sewing of cloth or other material, either by what is terined "lock stitch"
"chain stitch" sewing, the lock stitch being mainly produced by the combined
operation of a needle, a presser, a feeder, and a shuttle, having mechanism for
duly actuating them.
"
In carrying out this said Invention I have combined with a "lock stitch sewing
machine" certain mechanism by which it may be made to perform "chain stitch
sewing, in which case, preparatory to the machine being used for such purpose, its
shuttle is to be or may be removed from its driver, and the additional mechanism
to be switched into action. So in order to prepare the machine for the production

page_text: of "lock stitch" sewing the additional mechanism is to be switched out of action,
and the shuttle, if out of its driver, is to be restored to its place therein.
In the Drawings of Figures 1 to 13 inclusive, the needle is shown at a, its bar or
carrier at A; B is the feeder; C, the presser; D, the shuttle, and E, the shuttle
driver; such devices being provided as in most, if not all, "needle and shuttle
sewing machines" with mechanism for properly operating them.
The sewing machine exhibited in the Drawings, with the exception of the parts
I have added to it, is the well known "Singer sewing machine," and consequently
it becomes unnecessary for ine to describe the mechanism for operating each of its
essential elements, as hereinbefore mentioned, other than the eye pointed needle a.
I therefore, with such exception, confine myself to explaining the additional
mechanism for the production of the chain stitch sewing, which is accomplished by
the said additional mechanism operating in conjunction with the eye pointed
needle, the feeder, and the presser, or such, and the usual "take up."
The said additional mechanism consists in part of a "looping hook" and a
" cast off."
Figure 12 is a front view, and Figure 13 a longitudinal section of a needle
bar A and its operative mechanism, the latter consisting of a cranked wheel or
disc a (fixed on the front end of the main driving shaft 61), and also of a slotted
cain c fixed to the rear side of the needle carrier or bar A, the said cranked disc
having a friction roller on its wrist to enter the slot e¹ of the cam. In each
revolution of the driving shaft a reciprocating rectilinear and vertical moverment
will be imparted to the needle bar to cause its needle to pass down into and up
out of the material to be sewed, all of which is well understood by persons skilled
in the construction and use of needle and shuttle sewing machines of the kind
mentioned.
The looping hook of the additional mechanism is represented at F as having its
shank adapted and arranged to slide rectilinearly in a groove in a support piece
or plate G. There projects from the said shank a plate b, which extends across
the shank of the "cast off" H, and is notched, as shown at c, to receive a stud d
projecting from the said shank, which also is adapted to the support plate, or
arranged in the groove therein so as to move rectilinearly therein.
The point or front end of the cast off is arranged directly in rear of the barb e
of the looping hook. There extends from the notched plate of the looping hook
a stud f, which enters a hole near one end of a connecting rod g (see Figure 3)
whose opposite end is jointed to a bent lever h, arranged as shown, and provided
with a spring to move it, the said lever, forward. The rear arm of the lever
carries a friction roller which bears against a cam m fixed upon the vertical
shaft n of the shuttle driver operative mechanism. By means of the said cam and
the spring applied to the bent lever, the looping hook has imparted to it the
necessary forward and back movements and intervals of rest, the cast off being
moved at the proper time by the action of the looping hook notched plate upon
the stud projecting from the sliank of the said cast off.
The cam revolves with its shaft, and with the crank o projecting from said
shaft and jointed to the connection rod p for actuating the shuttle driver, or
imparting to it its rectilinear movements.
The operation of the mechanism for forming the chain stitch sewing may be
thus described -Immediately after the needle carrying the thread may have
passed down through the cloth and risen a short distance, as it does, in order to
enable the shuttle to pass between the thread and the needle, the looping hook
advances or moves forward and seizes the thread and draws it back in the form of
a loop, the barb in the meantime being retracted to the point of the "cast off" in
order to prevent the loop from becoming detached from the barb. Until the next
descent of the needle through the cloth, both the looping hook and the cast off
remain stationary. The needle having thus again passed down through the cloth,
the looping hook advances a little to allow the loop to pass upon the "cast off,"
which, during such advance, remains stationary. The looping hook and cast off

page_text: are next moved simultaneously forward, the loop slips upon the cast off, and the
looping hook again seizes the thread and draws it back, as before, and through the
loop first formed, which is next drawn off the "cast off" by the "take up" during
the next succeeding rise of the needle. The operation being continued in like
manner, the "chain stitch" sewing will result, the interlooping of the loops there-
of being against the under side of the cloth.
Preparatory to using the machine for the production of the chain stitch sewing,
the needle, if standing too low therefor, may be set up or properly adjusted in its
carrier.
The support and guide plate of the looping hook and "cast off" may be fastened
in place in or to the base plate of the machine by any suitable means so as to
be readily removable therefrom, as circumstances or occasion may require.
There is applied to the bent lever a stud r, which extends upward from it
through a slot 8 formed in the bed plate of the machine in manner as shown at x,
in Figure 11, which is a top view of the switch for actuating the bent lever for the
purpose of throwing it out of engagement with its operative cam. This switch
consists of a cammed lever t pivoted to the bed plate, and formed as shown, in
order that on the lever being turned into the position represented by the dotted
lines in the last mentioned Figure, it shall so act against the stud as to move it in
a manner to cause the bent lever to be pushed so far away from its operative cam,
that such cam, during its revolution, shall not actuate the lever. This movement
of the switch is made preparatory to the machine being used for the performance
of the lock stitch sewing.
In the process of making a garment it often times becomes desirable to sew or
baste certain of its parts together by a stitch that can afterwards easily be pulled
out, all of which can be accomplished by sewing them by the "chain stitch," they
or other parts being sewed or to be sewed by lock stitch sewing, all of which it
will readily be seen can be performed by a lock stitch sewing machine as and
provided with additional mechanism, as hereinbefore explained.
In the machine shown in Figures 1 to 13 inclusive, the looper and cast off are
represented as arranged horizontally over the shuttle race, in which case they have
no other than horizontal movements. With this machine the needle to operate to
the best advantage with the shuttle may require, when down, to stand at a different
attitude from what it should have when working with the looper. Such adjust-
ments of the needle in its carrier are avoided or rendered unnecessary by the
construction exhibited in the remaining Figures of the Drawings, which show the
looper and the cast off differently arranged as to the shuttle race, and adapted and
provided with means of raising and depressing them relatively thereto and to the
needle, in order for the shuttle, while in operation, to play or move over the looper
and the cast off without hindrance therefrom, and such looper and cast off, on the
shuttle being withdrawn from its race and shuttle carrier, to be moved up within
the shuttle race to a suitable position for them to properly operate with the needle
for the performance of the "chain stitch" sewing.
Furthermore, I provide that face of the shuttle race against which the shuttle
works or bears while in movement, not only with the usual needle receiving recess,
but with another or groove arranged in close proximity therewith, it being for
the purpose of retaining the loop in proper position while the looper and cast off
may be advancing for the looper to seize the thread for the next loop.
In the Figures 14 to 21 inclusive the needle is shown at a, and its bar or carrier
at A; B is the shuttle race, of which b and c are the side plates or walls thereof,
while d and e are its removable cap plates; C is the bed or base plate, and D the
arm of the machine.
F is the looping hook; G, its supporter; and H, the "cast off," the said
supporter being a projection from the side wall c of the shuttle race. A screw f
going through a curved slot g, arranged in the looper as represented, screws into
the supporter G, the nicked head of the screw having a diameter greater than the
width of the said slot in order for the screw to aid with the said supporter in

page_text: properly sustaining the looper and allowing it to move forward and back, and up
and down, as may be required. The "cast off" is held to the looper by a clasp
fastened to the latter, and arranged as shown, the said cast off at its rear end being
provided with a projection i to enter a recess in the looper.
The friction spring of the looper is shown at 7, and its pressure adjusting screw
at m.
There extends back from the looper a curved bar n, which is properly connected
to the looper and carries a friction roller o, against which the cam p for effecting
the back movement of the looper works. The bar n extends through and rests on
a staple g projecting from the base plate, as shown in Figure 3. The bar can tilt
on the staple so as to enable the looper to be moved upward and downward, as
may be required.
bar n.
The forward movement of the said looper is effected by a spring applied to the
base plate C, and to bear against a stud s projecting up from the rear part of the
There extends up from the said bar n, through a slot t in the base plate,
a stud u. A switch or lever v pivoted to the base plate, and arranged with the
studs w, as shown, serves to effect a rearward movement of the looper sufficient to
cause it by its support screw f and slot g to be suitably depressed in the shuttle
race, so as to be out of the way of the shuttle when therein and in movement.
The rear arm of the switch or lever is a spring or elastic, to enable it while in
movement to be sprung over a projection or stud w extending up from the base
plate, such stud serving as a stop to hold the lever in position so as to cause the
looper to be held back until it may be desirable to allow it to move forward and
upward to its proper place to operate with the eye pointed needle.
In Figures 17 and 19 the groove herein before mentioned for retaining the loop.
in proper position while the looper and cast off may be advancing for the looper
to seize the thread or next loop is shown at x, such groove being made vertically
on the inner side of the plate or wall b of the shuttle race and close to the recess
in which the needle moves.
On the advance of the looper the loop on it will expand into the groove, and be
held by it while the cast off advances through the loop. Were it not for the
groove the loop would be liable to twist or be moved out of its proper position for
the advance of the cast off.
What I claim is as follows:-
1. In a sewing machine provided with an eye pointed needle, and a shuttle or
its equivalent to operate therewith, in order to perform lock stitch sewing by the
thread of the shuttle being passed through the loop formed by the needle, I claim a
looping hook" and a "cast off" and mechanism for operating them, as explained,
to form with the needle chain stitch sewing.
"
2. The combination of the looper and the cast off, with means of raising and
depressing them relatively to the needle and the shuttle, substantially as set forth,
in order for the shuttle while in operation to play free of the looper, and the latter
when the shuttle is out of its race to be adjusted to operate with the needle, as
explained.
3. The combination of the groove x in the wall b of the shuttle race with the
looper and cast off and the needle to operate therewith, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of March, A.D. 1881.