IMPROVE- MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Spencer Mort and George Browning, of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, Tool Makers and Engineers, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 21st January 1879, and dated the 24th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Spencer Mort and George
Browning at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July
1878.
7
SPENCER MORT and GEORGE BROWNING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Tool Makers and Engineers. IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
"
"
This Invention relates chiefly to improvements in the feed mechanism of sewing
machines, the feed being known as a top feed, and capable of being set to traverse
the work in any desired direction.
The head of the machine is fitted to receive a sleeve shaft, which carries the
presser and feeding foot, and is capable of adjustment axially, so as to present the
feeding and presser foot to the work at any desired angle with respect to the table
or work supporter.
:
Through the centre of this sleeve shaft passes the vertical needle bar, which is
made hollow to allow of the thread being passed down it to the needle. This needle
bar is operated by a crank pin on the horizontal cam shaft taking into a slotted
cam plate carried by a rod, which is connected to the needle bar by a cross head,
and is set parallel therewith externally of the sleeve shaft, through which the needle
bar passes freely.
This sleeve shaft has recessed into it the presser foot bar, to which is connected a
lifting spring secured to the upper end of the sleeve shaft. This bar is slotted lon-
gitudinally near its lower end to receive an adjustable pin, which couples it to a
slotted forked rock lever pivotted to the lower end of the sleeve shaft.
Fitted to the head of the machine is a sliding bar carrying projecting pins,
between which lies the end of a spring that is made fast to the bracket arm that

page_text: supports the head of the machine. This sliding bar carries at its upper end a
bracket extension, which surrounds the needle bar, and serves to press upon the
top end of the feed bar in whatever position that may stand with respect to the .
work table. By this means the requisite pressure is applied to the feeding foot for
holding down the work.
In order to rock the presser foot while it is in contact with the work, and thereby
to feed the work forward under the needle, the slotted forked rock lever is brought
into action by the following means:-The short horizontal arm of this lever is
embraced by a horizontal ring, which is capable of sliding vertically, it being pro-
vided with guide pins for that purpose, which enter guides formed in the head of
the machine. This ring is embraced by and held fast in the forked end of a bell-
crank lever by means of pivot screws, such forked lever being hinged to the head of
the machine.
A bowle on the upper end of this forked lever enters a cam groove in the crank
plate of the needle bar, and when the smaller radius of this cam comes into action
the lever will be rocked and the ring which it carries will be caused to depress the
horizontal arm of the slotted lever, and thereby through its connection with the
presser bar force the foot of the presser bar forward a distance equal to the length
of a stitch.
When this has been effected it will be necessary to take the pressure off the foot
to permit of its being returned to its starting position. To this end a lever is pro-
vided, which overlies a cam on the cam shaft, and underlies the presser spring
before mentioned. As the cam comes in contact with this lever it will be lifted,
and it will thus take off the pressure of the spring from the presser bar. The small
spring on the sleeve shaft which is connected with the presser bar being now free
to act will lift the bar and thus raise the presser foot clear of the work. The con-
tinued rotation of the grooved cam will now return the presser foot to its starting
position, and the pressure spring being left free to act will again bear down the
presser bar, and hold the presser foot firmly in contact with the work.
The screw which couples the presser bar with the slotted rock lever is carried by
a sliding clip provided with a spring, against which a clamping screw bears, for the
purpose of holding the coupling screw in its adjusted position, the object of adjusting
it being to obtain any desired variation in the feed or length of stitch. This
clamping screw being elongated serves as a handle for turning the sleeve shaft, and
thereby determining the direction of the feed. .
The head is notched to receive the head of a spring locking pin, which is fitted
into the sleeve shaft for the purpose of securing the same in its adjusted
position.
As a modification of this improved feed we use a central cone for rocking the
presser foot bar, and giving the feed motion thereto. The presser foot is held in contact
with the work by means of a spring attached to the bracket arm of the machine, as
in the first-described arrangement, and the pressure of this spring is taken off (to
allow of the presser foot returning to its starting position) by means of a cam acting
upon a sliding bar attached to the cross head of a cylindrical slotted casting on the
cam shaft. In this arrangement the spring presses upon a cross head carried by a
cylindrical slotted casting, in which slides a tube which surrounds the needle bar,
and carries at its lower end a cone for transmitting the feed motion to the presser
foot. Below this cylindrical casting is a sleeve, which is so mounted in the head of
the machine as to permit of its turning freely therein.
Fitting a vertical groove in the outer periphery of this sleeve is a sliding bar,
which carries the presser foot; this bar projects somewhat above the sleeve, and it
is held by means of a spring in contact with the under surface of a flange formed
on the bottom of the cylindrical casting before mentioned. When therefore pressure
is put upon this cylinder that pressure will be transmitted to the presser foot. The
needle bar and the tube surrounding it slide freely through the collar in which the
presser foot bar is carried.
In a line with this bar the inner periphery of the collar is slotted at its lower

page_text: end to receive a horizontal sliding piece, which embraces the bar and projects
inwards in the path of the sliding cone-ended tube; this piece is caused to project
inwards by the pressure of the spring upon the presser foot bar, such pressure
being transmitted through a wedge-shaped piece bearing upon an incline formed on
the bar.
When the tube with the coned extremity descends it will strike the projecting
sliding piece, and force back the presser foot, thereby giving. it the requisite feed
motion. This conical-ended tube terminates at its upper end in a cross bar, which
slides freely through the cylindrical slotted casting, and serves to carry a hinged
lever which is fitted with a friction bowle for receiving the pressure of the feed
cam. Against the under side of this lever bears a cone-pointed screw, by turning
which the bowle may be raised or lowered, and thus the feed may be proportionately
increased or diminished.
A spring surrounding this tube presses against the under side of the cross bar of
the cone tube, and being confined between the collar carrying the presser bar and
the cross head before mentioned will serve to keep the friction bowle of the cross
head in contact with the feed cam.
For changing the direction of the feed it is only necessary to turn the collar in
its bearing, for which purpose a handle is provided at the lower end of the
collar.
Another improvement consists in making the throat plate to swivel in its seat,
and to present when desired an open part or skeleton frame to the shuttle in addition
to the usual solid cover.
This skeleton frame will serve to retain the shuttle in place, and at the same time
allow the attendant to examine its working.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Spencer Mort and George Browning in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th January 1879.
SPENCER MORT and GEORGE BROWNING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
Tool Makers and Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
This Invention relates chiefly to improvements in that class of feed mechanism
of sewing machines known as a universal top feed or a feed which is capable of
being set to traverse the work in any desired direction, the object being to simplify
their construction and to improve the action of such feeds.
In Sheets I and II. of the accompanying Drawings we have shewn one
arrangement of mechanism for carrying out the objects of the first part of our
Invention.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the head of a sewing machine, with our improvements
applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, a portion of the arm
for carrying the work being also shewn in both Figures.
Fig. 3. is a sectional elevation of the head of the machine taken on the line 1, 2;
of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the head taken on the line 3, 4, of
Fig. 1. :
In these Figures A is the bracket arm carrying the hollow cylindrical head A' of
the machine; and B is the arm on which the work is supported, and in which the
circular shuttle carrying the locking thread is fitted.
The head A¹ of the machine is bored out vertically to receive a sleeve shaft C,
which carries the presser and feeding foot D; this sleeve shaft is capable of adjust-
ment axially in the socket of the head A, so as to present the feeding and presser
foot to the work at any desired angle with respect to the table or work sup-
porter B.
Through the centre of this sleeve shaft passes the vertical needle bar E, which is
free to slide up and down therein; through this needle bar a hole is drilled longi-
tudinally to allow of the thread being passed down it to the needle. This needle
bar is operated by a crank pin e projecting from the face of a cam on the
horizontal cam shaft F. This pin e takes into a slotted cam plate carried by a
rod E¹ pendant from a cross head, which connects it rigidly with the needle bar.
This rod E slides in a guide in the head A', and as it rises and falls under the
action of the crank pin e it will impart the like motion to the needle bar.
The sleeve shaft Ċ has recessed into it the presser foot bar D, which is connected
at its upper end with a lifting spring d bearing on the top of the sleeve shaft; this
bar D, shewn detached in side and edge views at Figs. 5, is slotted longitudinally
near its lower end, as at d, to receive an adjustable pin d², Fig. 4, which couples it
to a slotted forked rack lever D', pivotted to the lower end of the sleeve shaft D,
and shewn detached in side and plan views at Figs. 6.
Fitted to the head of the machine is a sliding bar D2, carrying projecting pins,
between which lies the end of a strong spring D³, which is made fast to the bracket
arm A, and is intended to impart a downward pressure to the pressing and feeding
foot. The sliding bar D2 carries at its upper end a bracket extension, which
surrounds the needle bar and serves to press upon the top end of the feed bar in
whatever position that bar may stand with respect to the work table. By this
means the requisite pressure is applied to the feeding foot for holding down the
work.
In order to rock the presser foot while it is in contact with the work, and thereby
to feed the work forward under the needle, the slotted forked lever D¹ is brought
into action by the following means:-The short horizontal arm of this lever is
embraced by a horizontal ring G situated below the head A, and concentric there-
with.. This ring is capable of sliding vertically, it being provided with guide pins Q¹
for that purpose, which enter guides formed in the head of the machine. This ring
1

page_text: is embraced by and held fast in the forked end of a bell-cranked lever G2 by means
of pivot screws, which lever is hinged to horns projecting from the head of the
machine.
A bowle on the upper end of this forked lever enters a cam F', which carries
the crank pine before mentioned. When therefore the smaller radius of this cam
comes into action upon the bowle the lever will be rocked, and the ring which it
carries will be caused to depress the horizontal arm of the slotted rock lever D₁,
and thereby through its connection with the presser bar force the foot of the presser
bar forward a distance equal to the length of a stitch.
When this has been effected it will be necessary to take the pressure off the foot
to permit of its being returned to its starting position. To this end a lever H,
shewn detached at Fig. 7, is provided; this lever has its fulcrum at h at one side
of the head, and passing through the head, which is recessed for that purpose, it
extends over a cam F2 on the cam shaft, and dips under the pressure spring D³, as
shewn best at Fig. 1. As the cam F2 comes in contact with the lever Ĥ the latter
will be lifted, and with it the pressing end of the spring D³; thus the bar will
be relieved from the downward pressure of the spring D.
i
The small spring d on the sleeve shaft, which is connected with the presser bar,
being now free to act, will lift the bar, and thus raise the presser foot clear of the
work. The continued rotation of the grooved cam F will now return the presser
foot to its starting position, and the pressure spring D³ being left free to act will
again bear down the presser bar, and hold the presser foot firmly in contact with
the work.
The screw d², which couples the presser bar with the slotted rock shaft, is carried
by a sliding clip d³ provided with a spring dª, against which a clamping screw bears
for the purpose of holding the coupling screw in its adjusted position, the object of
adjusting it being to obtain any desired variation in the feed or length of stitch.
This clamping screw being elongated constitutes a handle d³, which serves for
turning the sleeve shaft and thereby determining the direction of the feed.
The head A¹ near its lower end (see Fig. 3) is notched to receive the head of a
spring locking pin c, which is fitted into the sleeve shaft for the purpose of securing
the same in its adjusted position.
In Sheet III. we have shewn a novel arrangement of universal top feed, in which
a central cone is used for rocking the presser foot bar, and giving the feed motion
thereto. Fig. 1 is a front view of the head of the sewing machine, with the
detachable cover removed to shew the arrangement of internal parts as modified
according to our Invention; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the
centre of the head at right angles to Fig. 1; the arm for carrying the work is also
indicated in both Figures.
In these Figures A is the bracket arm cast with a semi-cylindrical recess at its
extremity, with lugs to receive screws for connecting a semi-cylindrical cap piece or
cover A¹ thereto, and thus completing the case of the head. This case is fitted at
its lower end with a cylindrical block B, which is bored centrally to receive a
reciprocating tube, through which the needle bar C passes.
The upper end of this needle bar slides through the upper end of a casting D,
which fits in the surrounding casing so as to have a free endway or vertical motion
therein. This casting is held down by the pressure of a spring E, made fast to the
bracket arm and resting on the head of a pin D₁, which is embraced by a forked
projection of the casting D.. This pin slides in a guide formed for it in the bracket
arın, and rests upon a lifting cam F on the cam shaft F..
The form of the web of the casting D; which unites the top and bottom is semi-
cylindrical, and slotted to act as a guide for the cross head H'; the casting D ter-
minates at bottom in a circular disc, which presses upon the pendant arm a presser
bar G in any position in which the arm G may be turned by the block B.. The
casting D or presser disc is lifted at every revolution of the cam F' acting on the
cam spindle D¹
In the block B an annular groove is turned to receive a rib or annular projection -

page_text: on the inner periphery of the casing of the head. This rib, shewn at a, serves to
maintain the cylindrical block B in position vertically, while it leaves it free to be
turned axially. A vertical slot is made in this block B to receive the pendant arm G
which carries the presser foot; this arm is supported and kept in contact with the
presser disc D in the vertical slot of the block B by means of a coiled spring g, which
rests in the block and bears on the under side of a cross pin in the arm. The arm G
is enlarged at its upper end by rounded extensions reaching to the full depth of the
slot in the cylindrical block B to allow of its rocking as on a ball joint without
interfering with its vertical motions.
A hollow handle B' attached to the bottom of the block B, and projecting hori-
zontally therefrom, enables the attendant to turn the block B in its bearing, and
thus to point the feed foot in any desired direction.
The needle bar is operated in the well-known manner by means of a crank pin
projecting from a cain F3 on the cam shaft, working into a cam plate C¹ made fast
to the needle bar.
The tube which surrounds the needle bar C terminates in a cone H, the use of
which is to give the feed motion to the presser foot; this it does by pressing on
the chamfered end of a sliding piece h, which embraces the presser foot and works
in horizontal guides formed in the block B. The cone tube H depends from a cross
head H¹, which slides in vertical guides formed for it in casting D.
A coiled spring surrounding the cone tube and resting on the block B bears on
the under side of this cross head, and thus gives the cone tube a tendency to rise
when not held down in contact with the slide h by the means to be presently
explained.
Hinged to the top of this cross head H' is an arm H2, which carries a bowle that
underlies the cam F2. The position of this bowle with respect to the cross head H
is determined by an adjusting screw H³, which works in the end of the cross head
H', and bears through its conical point on the under side of the hinged arm H2. The
turning of this screw will slightly raise or lower the arm H2, and thus determino
the amount of depressing motion which the cam shall impart at every rotation to
the cone tube.
It will be understood that as the lever H2 is raised or lowered in relation to the
cross head H¹, by means of the regulator screw H³, the cone tube H comes more or
less in contact with the sliding piece h, and thus the feed motion and consequently
the length of stitch produced by the machine will be increased or diminished.
The screw is fitted with a clamping nut to maintain the adjustment of the
screw.
.
When the pressure of the cone tube is taken off the slide h it will be necessary to
return the feed and presser foot to its back position. This is effected by means of
a sliding pin fitted in the hollow handle B', and bearing on the front of the arm G
under the pressure of a coiled spring contained in the hollow handle.
For lifting the presser foot from the work a cam lever I is provided, the same
being pivotted to the side of the sliding casting D, and bearing on the top of the
casing A. The lifting of this lever will cause the casting D to rise and with it the
arm Ğ, which is attached thereto, by an elastic connection, as already explained.
Our last improvement consists in making the throat plate to swivel in its seat,
and to present when desired an open part or skeleton frame to the shuttle in place
of the usual solid cover.
This improvement is illustrated in plan view at Fig. 1a, Sheet I., and also in edge
view at Fig. 1.
In these Figures x is the throat plate pivotted to the work supporting arm at y,
and capable of turning on that pivot to bring either end of the plate under the
vertical needle. Equidistant from this pivot are two holes for receiving a snap
stud which is attached to the arm, and by projecting into a hole in the plate
secures the same in position.
A modification of this arrangement is shewn at Figures 2 and 2ª, Sheet III.,
where instead of the snap stud projecting through the plate a pin carried by a

page_text: pressure spring locks the plate in position by entering holes on the under side
thereof.
This skeleton frame will serve to retain the shuttle in place and at the same
time allow the attendant to examine its working.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention of " Improvements in Sewing
Machines," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it
to be understood that with reference to Sheets I. and II. of the Drawings we
claim,―
First. In combination with the sleeve shaft C (which carries the presser bar, and
is free to turn axially for changing the direction of the feed) the needle bar E and
the rod E¹ connected therewith for transmitting the requisite reciprocating motion
to the needle bar, as above explained.
Secondly. The universal feed arrangement consisting of the sleeve shaft C carrying
the slotted forked lever D¹, which is rocked by a horizontal ring & surrounding it,
and receiving motion from a reciprocating fork lever G2, such rock lever D' serving
to carry the presser foot bar D by means of an adjustable fulcrum pin d², which bar
is recessed into the sleeve shaft C, and turns therewith.
Thirdly. In combination with the sliding clip d³, which carries the fulcrum pin d²,
the friction spring d and clamping screw do, as and for the purpose above
explained.
With reference to Sheet III. of the Drawings, we claim,-
Fourthly. In combination with the cone tube H carried by the cross head H' the
sliding piece h, which acts on the feeding foot bar, and the hinged arm H² supported
by the adjusting screw H³, as and for the purpose above explained.
Fifthly. In combination with the presser disc or casting D the pendant pin D¹
for transmitting motion thereto from the cam shaft, as and for the purpose above
explained.
Sixthly. The swivel throat plate x formed with a skeleton end, as and for the
purpose above explained.
In witness whereof, we, the said Spencer Mort and George Browning, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty-first day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
SPENCER. MORT
"
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