the shuttle carriers
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1890
Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a sectional view of quilting being formed with one cloth.
Figure 8 is a plan view of quilting, the cloth being left after sewing without
straightening as in Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a detail view of arms for the shuttle carriers.
Figure 10 is a detail view of a modification.
In this drawing the letter A indicates a frame having guides a for the needle bars b,
reciprocated by the arms c mounted on shafts B. The shafts B have arms < connected
by rods ef and bell crank levers g with excentrics or pins h. The pins are shown in
the drawing supported by gear wheels n on the shafts C. As will be noticed, there
are two gangs or sets of needle bars, the bars of one gang or set alternating with
or being intermediate to those of the other gang or set, and each set of needle bars
having its driving arm c and shafts BC. The shafts C are not rotated simul-
taneously as will be hereinafter explained so that the two sets of needle bars are
actuated intermittently or at different periods instead of simultaneously.
The shafts Chave excentrics connected by the links j to arms k. The shaft D carries
the arms actuating the shuttle carriers m.
l
The arms are connected to the arms k
(Figure 9). The shuttle carriers m with their driving mechanisms are arranged in
two sets to correspond in movement to the movements of the two sets of needle bars.
Of course, in place of these special needles and shuttle operating devices, any suitable
operating devices may be employed for this purpose, and if desired the needles and
shuttles need not he arranged in differently timed sets, but all the needles and shuttles
could be operated simultaneously.
The quilting material may consist of two cloths H with wadding or batting between
them as shown in Figures 1 and 5, or such quilting material may consist of only one
cloth with batting as shown in Figure 7. The cloths, if two are used, are fed from
suitable rolls E to the pressure plates G and about said pressure plates passing
between said plates and between the feed rollers F. At the point where the cloths are
doubled about the plates G, said cloths meet the hatting which is fed into the machine
from a different direction than the cloths. Said batting is fed by the rollers I
carrying a belt or apron J supporting the batting. The batting being thus free and
exposed to view during its feed, said batting can be accurately watched and guided so
that neat work will be obtained.
The plates G have throats or recesses for the passage of the needles as seen in
017

page_text: Figures 4, and 7, and the needies unite the cloth and batting at the place of meeting
by stitches formed at the doubled portions of the cloth (Figures 5 and 7). After the
cloth and batting are united the doubled portions of the cloth may be straightened
(Figures 5 and 6) or said doubled portions may be left without straightening as shown
in Figures 7 and 8. The stitches formed by one set of needles are indicated in
Figures 6 and 8 by 1 and the stitches of the other needle set by 2. By operating the
needle sets at different tinics as stated, the stitches of one needle set will be formed in
advance of the stitches of the other needle set as seen in Figures 6 and 8. The pres-
sure plates G as indicated in Figure 4 may be ridged or toothed so as to spread the
cloth and keep it spread so that no wrinkles will occur in the work.
The gears n of the shafts C receive motion from the gears o.
Each of said gears o
is actuated by a segmental or mutilated gear on the wheels K, there being one such
wheel K with a mutilated gear on each side of the machine. Each segmental gear
causes its wheel to rotate during a part of the rotation of the wheel K, while
allowing said wheel o to remain at rest during the remainder of the rotation of
the wheel K.
Each
Each wheel K has a rim P and a starting groove M and stopping groove N for
respectively starting and stopping the rotation of the respective wheel o
wheel o has two pins 00. When the wheel K, which in Figure 1 is towards the
spectator, turns in the indicated direction, the starting groove M engages one of the
pins O and starts the rotation of the wheel o and the mutilated gear on the wheel K
imeshing into the wheel o will cause said wheel to continue rotating until the toothed
part of the mutilated gear bas passed the wheel o. The stopping groove N then
engages the pins 00 and stops the rotation of the wheels o. After the stopping
groove N has passed the pins 0 0, said pins rest on the rim P so as to prevent rota-
tion of the wheel o until the starting groove M again comes into play to start said
wheel. Each wheel K is arranged to start the respective wheel o and axle C at a
different time from that when the other wheel K starts its corresponding wheel o and
axle C, so that the different sets of needles and shuttles are actuated at different times
as already stated.
The wheels K are mounted on a shaft L receiving motion from any suitable source
such as a belt and pulley. The shaft L carries three sets of eams Q R S. The
cams Qoperate the feed. Said cams Q oscillate swinging arms T which reciprocate
the links U and bell cranks V. Dogs W convey motion from the bell cranks to the
gear wheels X meshing into gear wheels on one of the feed rollers I, which rollers
are connected to one another by gears. The oscillations of the dogs W thus impart
a step by step motion to the feed rollers. By connecting the links and bell cranks V
by an adjustable connection such as a pin and slot connection, the throw of the bell
crank and the consequent amount of the feed can be regulated. A belt Y connects
one of the gear wheels X with one of the rollers I so as to impart an intermittent
or step by step feed motion to the endless belt or apron J. in harmony with the inter-
mittent motion of the feed rollers.
The cams R reciprocate the upper pressure plate G and the cams S the lower
pressure plate. During the sewing operation of the needles, the plates Gare
approached or brought near to one another to clamp the quilting or work, while during
the feed of the quilting or work, the plates G are separated to allow free passage or
feed of the quilting or work. The cains Roscillate swinging arms r, imparting motion
to the rods Z supporting the upper pressure plate. The cams $ oscillate swinging
arms (Figure 2) imparting motion to the rods p supporting the lower pressure plate.
The cams RS are respectively arranged to alternately separate and approach the
plates G to and from one another.
The arms also oscillate the links t so as to actuate the tensions. The tensions
may be of any suitable construction. By arranging a series of excentrics on a shaft u
and causing the links to oscillate said shaft so as to alternately press the excentrics
against spring plates and leave a space between the excentrics and spring plates an
automatic tension is obtained which at times clamps the thread and at other times
leaves the thread free to advance.

page_text: In case no lower cloth is used as in Figure 7, the lower pressure plate G can be
omitted and its place supplied by a fixed throat plate 9 of any suitable well known
construction. In that case the actuating mechanism of the lower pressure plate can
be omitted, and the upper pressure plate can be made at suitable intervals to clamp
the quilting or work against the throat plate q.
In case the cloth is to be straightened after sewing as in Figures 5 and 6 the
stitches are made loose enough to allow of such straightening. By tightening the
stitches sufficiently, straightening of the cloth is prevented so that the cloth remains
as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The tightening of the stitches can be regulated by
suitable means such as by adjusting screws we made to act on the spring plates v.
The drawing shows a machine having several needles adapted for quilting, but of
course the machine can be made as a sewing machine, that is with but one needle in
which case the machine can be used for sewing such goods for example as ruchings.
As noticed in Figures 5 and 7 the stitches are formed so that the greater part of
the thread remains inside of the work or between the cloths or cloth and batting so
that the thread is protected and also to a greater extent or entirely hidden from view
thus giving a neat appearance to the work when finished. If the cloth is straightened
as in Figure 5 a small part of the thread is exposed to view (Figure 6) but if the
cloth is not straightened (Figure 7) the thread remains hidden (Figure 8). As seen
in Figure 6 the stitch in each case has a doubled thread or each thread is doubled at
the stitch so as to make a strong and durable stitch, while between the stitches each
thread is single so that no waste of thread occurs. The stitches can of course be made
at any desired suitable distance apart, the thread between the stitches being inside the
cloth or between the cloths so as to be protected and hidden.
It is evident that the work produced on the machine can be varied. For example,
two cloths with batting between them can be sewed together as in Figure 5 or but
one cloth with batting may be used as in Figure 7 or if desired two cloths without
any batting or other material may be sewed directly to one another. If desired, one
cloth without batting or other addition may be ornamented by stitches so as to assume
the appearance of Figure 6 or of Figure 8 whereby a single cloth such as a light bed
cover may be given an ornamental or quilt-like appearance.
By having the arms of the shuttle carriers mall mounted on a common shaft D
(Figure 9) the arms of the two shuttle sets will have the same swing or move through
like arcs.
The mechanism can thus be more easily adjusted than if said sets of arms
swung on different shafts or turning points. An easy way of arranging the two sets
of arms is to fix one set of arms to the shaft D and to leave the other set free to
turn about said shaft. Each arm of the loose set is provided with an arm, said
arme being connected to a rod or bar y to which is fixed one of the arms k. The
other arm is fixed to the shaft D and as said last named arm oscillates the shaft D,
the arms fixed to said shaft will oscillate therewith, and as the other arm k oscillates
the rod y the arms sitting loose on the shaft D will be oscillated. Thus two sets of
arms are accommodated on one shaft D, thereby cheapening and simplifying the
construction and operation of the machine.
In place of two shafts B for the arms (Figure 1) of the needle carriers b but one
bar B (Figure 10) can be employed. The arms c of one set of needle bars can be
fixed to the shaft B and the other set of arms can be loose on said shaft. The
shaft B has an arm d connected to the rod e and as the rod e oscillates the arm d and
shaft B, the fixed arms c are oscillated. The loose arms c each have an arm d
connected to the rod having an arm A¹³ connected to the rod e and as the rod e
oscillates the arm A' and the rod z, the loose aruis care oscillated. The arms c can
thus be made to swing about a cominon turning point.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of two presser plates each

page_text: movable towards and from the other for clamping the material, means for simul-
taneously moving the presser plates away from each other and also towards each other
and an intermittent feed for feeding the material between the two presser plates,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of two presser plates each
movable towards and from the other for clamping the material, means for simul-
taneously moving the presser plates away from each other and also towards each other,
intermittently rotating feed-rollers for feeding one portion of the work between the
presser-plates and an intermittently moving endless apron for carrying the other
portion of the work towards the feed-rollers, substantially as described.
3. The combination in a quilting or sewing machine of two independent gangs of
needles, one gang moving to the work while the other gang stands stationary, with
means substantially as described, for alternately actuating the two gangs at uniforin
intervals, two indepondent gangs of shuttle carriers, and means for independently
operating the two gangs of shuttles in congruity of action with the alternate operation
of the needle gangs, substantially as described.
4. The combination in a quilting or sewing machine of stitch forming devices
comprising needles (one or more) a feed for feeding the material, a pressor-plate for
clamping the material, a tension, a mutilated gear for intermittently actuating the
needles and cams for actuating the feed, the presser bar and the tension, all of said
cams being mounted directly on the shaft of the mutilated gear, substantially as
described.
5. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, comprising two independent
gangs of needles and shuttles for each gang, of a set of swinging actuating arms for
each gang of needles, a shaft common to both sets of swinging arms and constituting
a centre on which the arms turn, a set of driver-arms for each set of shuttles, a shaft
common to both sets of driver-arms and constituting a centre on which they turn,
and means for swinging the needle actuating and the shuttle driver-arms, substantially
as described.
6. The combination of stitch forming mechanism comprising two independent
gangs of needles and a set of shuttles for each gang, of a set of swinging actuating
arms for each gang of needles, a shaft on which the sets of actuating arms are,
respectively, loosely and rigidly mounted, a set of shuttle driver-arms for each set of
shuttles, a shaft on which the sets of driver-arms are, respectively, loosely and rigidly
mounted, and means for swinging the needle actuating and the shuttle driver-arms,
substantially as described.
7. The combination in a quilting or sewing machine, of stitch forming mechanism,
a presser plate provided with edge recesses to allow the needles to pass through the
bight of material turned round the said plate, means for actuating the presser plate,
and feed rollers E, F, operating to carry the material first towards the needles, then
round the recessed edges of the plate and then away from the needles, substantially as
described.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.