IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Clegg, of 31, Finsbury Place, in the
Parish of Saint Luke's, Middlesex, Manufacturer of Sewing Machines,
for the invention
ΟΓ
IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Clegg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th February 1871.
I, ARTHUR CLEGG, of 31, Finsbury Place, in the Parish of St. Luke's,
Middlesex, Manufacturer of Sewing Machines, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to
be as follows:-
My Invention relates to that class of sewing machines known as
elliptic machines, in which the stitches are produced by the combination
of two threads by the joint action of a vertically reciprocating needle
and a hook operated by a rotating shaft below the cloth plate.

page_text: In the elliptic sewing machines as hitherto constructed the work is
fed in a line with the shaft which operates the hook; but according to
my Invention I so arrange the hook and feed mechanism that the work
may be fed at a right angle to the said shaft, whereby greater certainty
of operation is obtained, and also more command over the garment or
other work being sewn.
The general construction of my machine is similar to that of the so-
called "Wilcox and Gibbs " machine, wherein the stitches are formed
from a single thread by a rotating looper or hook which takes the thread
from a needle as it passes through the work, and my machine is as
simple and compact and as easily understood as that machine, with the
further advantage of having in place of the "Wilcox and Gibbs" looper
an elliptic hook and spool case. By this combination a lock stitch is
produced, which consists of two threads interlocked in such a manner
that the stitches cannot be unravelled, whereas the said "Wilcox and
Gibbs" machine will only make a loop or chain stitch that will unravel
very readily.
My improved machine has a frame with a fixed arm forming the
greater portion of a circle which carries the operative parts. The needle
is fitted in the end of a reciprocating bar which is operated by a vibrating
arm whose fulcrum is a pin projecting from the side of the aforesaid
fixed arm. The said vibrating arm is operated by an excentric on a
horizontal shaft that extends lengthwise from the rear to the front of
the machine below and parallel with the vibrating needle arm, and
carries under the cloth plate a circular plate or disc. On the front of
this disc is a pin or stud which passes through and operates the looping
hook. The said hook is fixed or formed on an arm which is jointed to a
vibrating bar arranged parallel with the plane of the disc but below the
same, and whose fulcrum is attached to the under side of a projecting
part of the frame or stand of the machine. The feed bar is operated by
cam projections behind or upon the aforesaid disc, and moves to and fro
transversely or at a right angle to the horizontal shaft and vibrating arm,
so that the work instead of being fed towards the back of the machine in
a line with the shaft is fed transversely across the cloth plate. The said
cam projections are arranged to give the feed bar the ordinary to-and-
fro and up-and-down movements, and the length of the feed is regulated
by a small excentric or other contrivance in the usual manner. In front
of the looping hook I place a ring or circular frame for holding the

page_text: bobbins from which the under thread is taken. This ring has a foot
whereby it is secured to the frame of the machine, and in its construction
and arrangement is similar to the bobbin ring used on the aforesaid
elliptic machine.
1
My improved machine may be operated by hand or by means of a
17
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Arthur Clegg in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 12th August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ARTHUR
CLEGG, of 31, Finsbury Place, in the Parish of St. Luke's, Middlesex,
Manufacturer of Sewing Machines, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Arthur Clegg, Her special
licence, that I, the said Arthur Clegg, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Arthur Clegg, my exccutors,
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 Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Arthur Clegg, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their 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 I, the said Arthur Clegg, do hereby declare
Tution and in what mannor the sama in to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
forming a part of this Specification:-
My Invention relates to that class of sewing machines known as
elliptic machines, in which the stitches are produced by the combination
of two threads through the joint action of a vertically reciprocating
needle and a hook operated by a rotating shaft below the cloth
plate.
In the elliptic sewing machines as hitherto constructed the work
is fed in a line with the shaft which operates the hook; but according
to my Invention I so arrange the hook and feed mechanism that the
work may be fed at a right angle to the said shaft, whereby greater
certainty of operation is obtained, and also more command over the
garment or other work being sewn.
The general construction of my machine is similar to that of the so-
called "Willcox and Gibbs" machine, wherein the stitches are formed
from a single thread by a rotating looper or hook, which takes the
thread from the needle as it passes through the work, and my machine
is as simple and compact, and as easily understood as that machine,
with the further advantage of having in place of the "Willcox and
Gibbs " looper, an clliptic hook and spool case, by which combination
a lock stitch is produced which consists of two threads, interlocked in
such a manner that the stitches cannot be unravelled, whereas the said
"Willcox and Gibbs" machine will only make a loop or chain stitch,
that unravels very readily.
My improved machine has a frame with a fixed arm forming the
quarter of a circle which carries the operative parts. The needle is
fitted in the end of a reciprocating bar which is operated by a vibrating
arm, whose fulcrum is a pin projecting from the side of the aforesaid
fixed arm. The said vibrating arm is operated by an excentric on a
horizontal shaft which extends lengthwise from the rear to the front
of the machine below and parallel with the vibrating needle arm and
carries under the cloth plate a circular plate or disc. On the front of
this disc is a pin or stud to which the looping hook is connected. The
said hook is fixed or formed on an arm which is jointed to a vibrating
bar arranged parallel with the plane of the disc, but below the same,
and whose fulcrum is attached to the under side of a projecting part of
the frame or stand of the machine. The feed bar is operated by cam

page_text: projections behind or upon the aforesaid disc, and moves to and fro
transversely or at a right angle to the horizontal shaft and vibrating arm
so that the work instead of being fed towards the back of the machine
in a line with the shaft is fed transversely across the cloth plate. The
3 said cam projections are arranged to give the feed bar the ordinary
to and fro and up and down movements, and the length of the feed is
regulated by a small excentric or other contrivance in the usual manner.
In front of the looping hook I place a circular case or frame for holding
the bobbin from which the under thread is taken. This case has a
0 foot whereby it is secured to the frame of the machine and in its
construction and arrangement is similar to the bobbin ring used on an
ordinary elliptic machine.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved sewing machine;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a plan of the
portion of the said machine below the cloth plate. Like letters indicate
the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a is the fixed arm; 6 is the needle bar; c, the needle; d, the vibrating
arm which operates the needle bar; d is the fulcrum pin of the said
vibrating arm; e is the excentric for operating the same; f is the shaft
which carries the said excentric, and also the disc g under the cloth
plate h; g¹ is the pin of the said disc; is the elliptical looping hook;
jis the jointed arm of the said hook; and j¹ is the fulcrum pin of the
said arm; k is the feed bar; k¹, k², are the cam projections for operating
it; ³ is the regulating excentric; is the circular frame or case in
front of the looping hook; is the foot; and & is a screw for securing
it to the frame of the machine; m is the bobbin inside the said
frame.
My improved machine may be operated by hand or by means of a belt
applied to the pulley o on the aforesaid shaft f.
Having thus fully described the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I claim a sewing
machine of the general construction herein-before described, provided
with an elliptical looping hook and feed mechanism so arranged together
that the work is moved or fed forward at a right angle to the shaft

page_text: which operates the said hook, and with a bobbin frame or spool case in
combination with the said hook for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Clegg, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
W. ROBT. LAKE.
ARTHUR CLEGG. (L.S.)