IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Francis Bradbury and Thomas Chadwick,
of the Firm of Bradbury & Co., of Oldham, in the County of
Lancaster, Sewing Machine Manufacturers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN SEWING MACHINES."-A
communication from abroad by Thomas Antoney Macaulay, of
New York, United States of North America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Francis
Bradbury and Thomas Chadwick at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 6th February 1868.
We, GEORGE FRANCIS BRADBURY and THOMAS CHADWICK, of the
Firm of Bradbury & Co., of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
Sewing Machine Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN SEWING
MACHINES," a communication from abroad by Thomas Antoncy
Macaulay, of New York, United States of North America, to be as
follows:-
The object of the Invention is to make the Wheeler and Wilson class
of sewing machines by a simple change capable of producing the chain
stitch with one thread, and the Invention consists in the use of a ring
which fits into the recess in the face of the ordinary rotating hook in

page_text: the place which the ordinary spool occupies; this ring having a projection
from one edge that passes across its diameter and terminates in a hook
which turns towards the ordinary rotating hook. The needle passes
between the ring hook and the ordinary rotating hook. The ring hoop
spreads the loop last formed by the ordinary rotating hook, so that when
the needle next descends it passes through this loop, and while it is
down the ordinary rotating hook catches the needle loop, and when the
needle is withdrawn the loop then beginning to be formed is drawn
through the loop previously mado, which is drawn tight by the loop
then in the act of being formed by the ordinary rotating hook.
In producing the chain stitch by the above means the little brush
which acts upon the edge of the ordinary rotating hook is adjusted to
hold the loop back longer than when making the lock stitch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Francis Bradbury and Thomas Chadwick
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th July 1808.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, GEORGE
FRANCIS BRADBURY and THOMAS CHADWICK, of the Firm of Bradbury
and Company, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Sewing
Machine Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Francis Bradbury and
Thomas Chadwick, Her special license that we, the said George
Francis Bradbury and Thomas Chadwick, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Francis Bradbury
and Thomas Chadwick, our 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 Islo
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN
SEWING MACHINES," a communication from Thomas Antoney Macaulay,

page_text: of New York, United States of North America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said George Francis Bradbury and
Thomas Chadwick, by an instrument in writing under our 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 we, the said George Francis Bradbury and
Thomas Chadwick, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :—
The object of the Invention is to make the Wheeler and Wilson class
of sewing machines by a simple change capable of producing the chain
stitch with one thread, and the Invention consists in the use of a ring
which fits into the recess or cavity in the face of the ordinary rotating
hook in the place which the ordinary spool occupies; this ring having
a projection from one edge that passes across its diameter and terminates
in a hook, which turns towards the ordinary rotating hook. The needle
passes between the ring hook and the ordinary rotating hook. The ring
hook spreads and holds back one side of the loop last formed by the
ordinary rotating hook, so that when the needle next descends it passes
through this loop, and whilst it is down the ordinary rotating hook
catches the needle loop, and when the needle is withdrawn the loop
then beginning to be formed is drawn through the loop previously
made, which is drawn tight by the loop then in the act of being formed
by the ordinary rotating hook.
In producing the chain stitch by the above means the small brush
which acts upon the edge of the ordinary rotating hook is raised a
little higher to hold the loop back longer than when making the lock
stitch in same machine.
Fig. 1 shows a front view of the ring hook, and Fig. 2 an edge view
of the same; Fig. 3 is a front view of the ring hook as it is placed
within the ordinary hook when at work, and Fig. 4 is an edge or side
view of the same.
a is the ring; a', the part passing nearly in a lino accross the diameter,
and terminating in a hook, it is soldered or otherwise secured to the

page_text: ring (a); b is the ordinary rotating hook; c, the part which serves to
keep the ordinary spool in its place, and which also serves to keep the
ring hook (a) within the cavity of the ordinary hook; d is the ordinary
small brush for detaining or holding the loop; e, part of the needle.
When the ring hook is used one side of the loop formed by the ordinary
hook (6) passes on the outside, the other on the inside of the ring
hook (a), same as on the outside and inside of the ordinary spool. The
bar part a' of the ring hook is made to come about parallel to the
edge (6) of the ordinary hook, (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 a front view,) so
that the inside of the loop will be detained in the position as shown by
the double lines in Fig. 5, until the point of the needle (e) has descended
below that part of the loop marked (f), the inside of the loop being
detained by the friction of the surfaces with which it is in contact, and
the friction between the edge of the bar (a') and the edge of the
part (6) of the ordinary hook, but this friction should not greatly exceed
what is necessary for detaining the inside of the loop as above explained.
The needle (e), as before stated, passes between the ordinary hook (b)
and the ring hook (a'), as shown in Fig. 4, and there is space between
the ring hook (a¹) and the bottom of the cavity in the ordinary hook
for the thread to pass. The best position for the brush (d) will be
ascertained by a few trials; it will be found to be from one quarter to
half an inch higher than when making the ordinary lock stitch.
We have now particularly described the nature of the Invention
communicated to us, and the mode of carrying it into effect, and
claim the ring hook (a, a',) when used in the Wheeler and Wilson class
of sewing machines, in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
explained.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Francis Bradbury and
Thomas Chadwick, have hereunto set our hands and seals this
Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
GEORGE F. BRADBURY. (L.S.)
THOMAS CHADWICK.
(L.S.)