IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR WAXING THE THREADS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
MECHANISM FOR WAXING THE THREADS IN SEWING MACHINES." A commu-
nication from abroad by Solomon Bradford Ellithorp, of Rochester, in the
County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 8th June 1880, and dated the 24th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent
"IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR WAXING THE THREADS IN SEWING
MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by Solomon Bradford Ellithorp, of
Rochester, in the County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to mechanism arranged beneath the plate of a sewing
machine for automatically applying wax to so much of the needle and shuttle
threads as is required to form the stitch, such application being made just previous
to the formation of each stitch. I make use of two arms carrying sponges, which
are moved reciprocally by the operating mechanism of the machine in such manner
that they pass over melted wax held in any suitable receptacle so as to take up a
quantity thereof, and at the proper time are rubbed and clasped against the two
threads carried by the needle and shuttle. According to this Invention the main
shaft of the machine which carries the cam or other device for giving motion to the
needle bar, shuttle, and feed also carries a cam roller having two cam-grooves for
giving motion to the waxing devices by means of lazy tongs, which are supported
at the rear end by a pivot passing through the two arms where they cross each
other, and fixed in the base plate of the machine. At the opposite end the tongs
are supported by a pivot connecting the two arms where they cross, which pivot is
fixed in a block that is secured in a grooved way made in the underside of the bed.
This slide way extends in line with the needle, and is of sufficient length to perinit
the movement of the waxing device to the point where the stitch is formed by the
action of the needle and shuttle. Pads, preferably of sponge, aro secured on the
free ends of the arms at the front end of the machine, and beneath the moving ends
of the tongs, and so placed as to cover the movement of the arms carrying the

page_text: sponges, is fixed a wax receptacle consisting of a box having an inclined bottom so
placed that its deeper part is under the sponges when the tongs have reached their
extreme backward movement, while its more shallow portion is just under the
needle. Studs which engage with the grooves of the cam are fixed to the free ends
of the arms at the rear, and the movement of the cam opens and shuts the two
arms, thus alternately expanding and contracting all the arms of the tongs, with a
resultant alternate shortening and lengthening of the same. The operation is as
follows: The cam communicates a reciprocating motion to the lazy tongs, and at
the forward motion the ends of the arms carrying the sponges are brought together,
and the return movement opens them. When the needle moves up, leaving a loop
for the shuttle to pass through, thereby forming a stitch, is the moment the tongs
are extended, the sponges pass over the prepared wax in the box, taking up a
sufficient quantity, and are clasped around the stitch, the slight movement of the
needle giving the stitch a rubbing action against the sponges by which the stitches
are waxed. Before the stitch is drawn tight the sponges withdraw, so as to avoid
interference with the further movement of the needle and shuttle. It will be
understood that the mechanism moving the needle bar and shuttle must be so timed
with that moving the waxing device that the result described shall be effected
without interference of the parts, which may be readily done.
I do not limit myself to the use of the lazy tongs and cam for operating the
waxing device, as any mechanical movement may be used in place thereof.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
June 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVED MECHANISM FOR WAXING THE THREADS IN SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Solomon Bradford Ellithorp, of
Rochester, in the County of Monroe, State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to mechanism arranged beneath the plate of a sewing
machine for automatically applying wax to so much of the needle and shuttlo
threads as is required to form the stitch, such application being made just previous
to the formation of each stitch. For this purpose two arms carrying sponges are
employed, which are moved reciprocally by the operating mechanism of the machine
in such manner that they pass over melted wax held in any suitable receptacle so
as to take up a quantity thereof, and at the proper time are rubbed and clasped
against the two threads carried by the needle and shuttle.
The construction and operation will be more particularly described with reference
to the accompanying Drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the
bed of a sewing machine baving the improvements applied thereto. Figure 2 is a
longitudinal section on line a, z, of Figure 1. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
A is the bed of the sewing machine of usual character fitted with the driving
shaft a that is supported in suitable bearings b, b. The shaft a carries the cam or
other device for giving motion to the needle bar, shuttle, and feed, and also a cam
roller D having two cam grooves c, c, for giving motion to the waxing devices, as
hereafter described. B represents the lazy tongs by which motion is transmitted to
the waxing device. At the rear end these tongs are supported by the pivot d
passed through the two arms e, e, of the tongs where they cross each other and
fixed in the bed plate A. At the opposite end the tongs are supported by the pivot
fconnecting the two arms g. 9, where they cross, which pivot is fixed in the block
h that is secured in the grooved way i made in the underside of the bed A. This
alide way i extends in line with the needle k, and is of sufficient length to permit
the movement of the waxing device to the point where the stitch is formed by the
action of the needle and shuttle. On the free ends of arms g are secured pads
1, 2, preferably of sponge, and beneath the moving ends of the tongs, and so placed
as to cover the movement of the arms carrying the sponges, is fixed a wax receptacle
C consisting of a box having an inclined bottom so placed that its deeper part is
under the sponges l, l, when the tongs have reached their extreme backward move-
ment, while its more shallow portion is just under the needle k. To the free ends
of the arms e of the tongs are fixed studs m, n, which engago the grooves c of cam
D in such manner that the movement of cam D opens and shuts the two arms e, e,
thus alternately expanding and contracting all the arms of the tongs with a resultant
alternate shortening and lengthening of the same. This being a well known
mechanical movement will be readily understood.
The operation is as follows:-The cam D communicates a reciprocating motion
to the lazytongs, and at the forward motion the ends of arms g carrying the sponges
2 are brought together, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, and the return move-
ment opens them, as shown by full lines in the same Figure. When the needle
moves up, leaving a loop for the shuttle to pass through, thereby forming a stitch,
is the moment the lazytongs are extended, and the sponges pass over the prepared
wax in box C, taking up a sufficient quantity, and are clasped around the stitch,
the slight movement of the needle giving the stitch a rubbing action against the
sponges by which the stitches are waxed. Before the stitch is drawn tight the

page_text: sponges withdraw, so as to avoid interference with the further movement of the
needle and shuttle. It will be understood that the mechanism moving the needle
bar and shuttle must be so timed with that moving the waxing device that the
result described shall be effected without interference of the parts, which may be
readily done.
I do not limit myself to the use of the lazytongs and cam for operating the waxing
device, as any other suitable mechanical movement may be used in place thereof.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
.
1st. The combination with the needle and the wax receptacle placed beneath the
same of sponges, carriers, or arms and mechanism for reciprocating said arms in a
horizontal plane, whereby the sponges are carried over the surface of the wax toward
and from the needle, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. The combination with the bed plate of the wax receptacle C, the recipro-
cating sponges, the lazytongs B attached to and suspended from the bed plate and
having said sponges applied, as shown, and the double grooved cam D for operating
the lazy tongs, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.