Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st Jan, 1892-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I THOMAS WARR of 40 Wisteria Road, Lewisham in the County of Kent
Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows :-
My invention relates to machines in which hitherto a single thread has been
used for effecting the sewing, seaming or embroidering for which the machine is
designed such for instance as the Willcox and Gibbs chain stitch machine, the
Hague machine, the Blake boot soleing machine and the Cornely embroidery
sewing machine. All these machines have hitherto sewn with a single thread
making a plain or twisted chain or tambour stitch.
The object of my invention is to provide such machines with means whereby the
unravelling of the sewing in the event of a stitch breaking or being severed is
prevented. According to my invention I add to machines of the Willcox and
Gibbs or of the Hague type for example a second needle mounted in proximity to
or secured to the ordinary needle so that it is tandem therewith that is so that its
line of work on the material being sewn is the same as that of the ordinary needle.
The additional needle should be mounted at such a distance behind the other needle
that it will enter the loop just made by the thread from the ordinary needle. This
will be secured if the distance between the two needles is slightly greater than the
length of feed made by the machine for each stitch. The additional needle carries
an additional thread which may if desired be provided with distinct tension regulating
devices, guides, takers up and the like. For different lengths of stitch I may
provide pairs of needles set at the requisite different distances apart or I may make the
one needle adjustable in distance from the other. By reason of the second needle and
the thread carried by it passing through the loops made by the leading needle and
thread the sewing is locked in such a manner that it does not unravel if a stitch
should be broken or severed. In machines such as the Blake machine or the
Cornely embroidery machine wherein a hook and thread are used I add an.
additional hook and thread after the manner herein before described with regard to
the needles.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the ordinary chain or tambour stitch will
be locked by the additional thread whilst the sewing is strengthened thereby.
The parts necessary for the purposes of my invention can be readily added to
existing machines and the said machines can be used with or without my locking
thread as may be required for variations in the work.
Dated this 1st day of April 1891.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
1 THOMAS WARR of 40 Wisteria Road Lewisham in the County of Kent
Commercial Traveller do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to machines in which hitherto a single thread has been
used for effecting the sewing seaming or embroidering for which the machine is

page_text: designed such for instance as the Willcox & Gibbs chain stitch machine the
Hague machine the Blake boot soleing machine and the Cornely embroidery
sewing machine.
All these machines have hitherto sewn with a single thread making a plain or
twisted chain or tambour stitch.
The object of my invention is to provide such machines with means whereby the
unravelling of the sewing in the event of a stitch breaking or being severed is
prevented. According to my invention I add to machines of the Willcox & Gibbs
or of the Hague type for example a second needle mounted in proximity to or
secured to the ordinary needle so that it is tandem therewith that is so that its
line of work on the material being sewn is the same as that of the ordinary needle.
The additional needle should be mounted at such a distance behind the other
needle that it will enter the loop just made by the thread from the ordinary needle.
This will be secured if the distance between the two needles is equal to or slightly
greater than the length of feed made by the machine for each stitch. The
additional needle carries an additional thread which may if desired be provided
with distinct tension regulating devices guides takers up and the like. For different
lengths of stitch I may provide pairs of needles set at the requisite different
distances apart or I may make the one needle adjustable in distance from the other the
second needle and the thread carried by it passing through the loops made by the
leading needle and thread the sewing is locked in such a manner that it does not
unravel if a stitch should be broken or severed. In machines such as the Blake
machine, or the Cornely embroidery machine wherein a hook and thread are used 1
add an additional hook and thread after the manner hereinbefore described with
regard to the needles.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine shewing the tension and take up
devices and thread guides in duplicate in order to permit threads of different
sizes being used with the respective needles. The needles are shewn in their
highest position.
Figure 2 shews the position of the twin needles as they penetrate the material
the rear needle passing into the hole previously made by the leading needle.
Figure 3 shews the revolving looper entering the loops of the threads from the
twin needles.
Figure 4 shews the needles ascending and the two loops of thread therefrom
twisted on the revolving looper and about to be cast off ready to be drawn by the
rising needles into the material the looper being in the position to engage the next
loops of thread from the needles and to pass them through the loops about to
be cast off.
Figure 5 shews this stitch when fully drawn up.
Figure 5 shows the stitch produced by two hooks as in an embroidery or in a
boot sewing machine.
Figure 6 shows a means of joining or clamping the twin needles or hooks
together so as to ensure them being set correctly in line one with the other.
A A² are the twin needles joined together by solder or otherwise at a distance apart
suited to the length of stitch. A being the ordinary and leading needle and As the
additional and rear needle. To enable the needles to be adjusted in their correct
positions with reference to each other there may be provided in the stem or shank
of one of the needles a slot or recess as shewn at a in Figure 6 for the reception of
a rib or projection 6 formed on the stern or shank of the other needle the two
needles when adjusted in position being secured by solder, or as shewn in Figure 6
by means of a strap e surrounding the needles and provided with a screw d for
holding the two needles in close contact. The eye of the rear needle A' is

page_text: preferably arranged below that of the leading needle A so as to ensure the looper D
engaging with the loops of both needle threads at each forward movement of the
looper.
When eye pointed needles and a looper are employed (either revolving or
reciprocating) the loop of the leading needle thread passes into the loop made by
the rear needle thread the rear needle thread thereby surrounding the loop of the
leading needle thread and forming an additional bind and adding to its security.
When two hooks are employed in place of the eye pointed needles the stitches
formed by one of the hooks lie on or over those formed by the other hook without
any twisting of one loop around the other as when needles are employed. B B² are
the take ups for the two threads and CC are the tension devices. If the two
threads are of equal size one tension device is sufficient for both threads provided
suitable guides are used to prevent the threads crossing in the tension device or
from becoming entangled as they pass towards the needles.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that the ordinary chain or tambour
stitch formed by the ordinary or leading needle A will be locked by the thread of
the additional or rear needle A' and the sewing is consequently strengthened
thereby. The parts necessary for the purposes of my invention can be readily
added to existing machines and the said machines can be used with or without my
locking thread as may be required for variations in the work.
It is obvious also that this improved stitching may be made by machines such as
the Blake boot sewing machine with twin hooks the hooks and threading devices
being so arranged that the additional or rear hook and thread enter each time into the
loop formed by the leading hook. It is also obvious that the invention is applicable
to embroidery machines such as Cornely's and to machines using the "tambour" or
"chain" stitch for over casting, such as the "Hague" hosiery seaming machines
which may have an additional needle and a second thread to fasten or lock stitches
formed by the leading needle and thread as herein before described.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :- -
First. In sewing machines which make the tambour or chain stitch means for
producing stitching substantially as hereinbefore described the improved stitching
being illustrated by Figures 5 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Second. The combination, in a machine designed for producing by means of an
ordinary eye pointed needle and a looper or a hooked needle and a threading device,
what is known as the tambour or chain stitch, of an additional needle or hook
arranged tandem to the ordinary needle or hook and carrying a locking thread
through the loops formed in the thread of the ordinary needle or hook substantially
asiand for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Third. In machines of the kind hereinbefore described the employment of twin
needles mounted or connected together tandem that is one behind the other at a
distance apart equal to or about equal to the length of stitch to which the machine
is set so that the two needles will each carry a loop of thread through the two loops
previously made by the needles substantially as herein before described.
Fourth. In machines of the kind hereinbefore described the employment of twin
needles or hooks connected together, a recess or groove being provided in the shank
of one of the needles or books in which a projection on the shank of the other
needle or hook enters so as to ensure the two needles or hooks being correctly
adjusted in position relatively to each other substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. In machines of the kind hereinbefore described the combination with a
loop retaining device or looper of two needles arranged tandem that is one behind
the other in the direction of the feed the eye of one of the needles being arranged
below the eye of the other needle so that the loops formed in the threads of both

page_text: needles shall be presented in proper position to be engaged both at the same time
and retained by and cast off' from the loop retaining device or looper substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Sixth. In a machine of the kind hereinbefore described the combination of two
needles A Aa looper or loop retaining device D thread take up B B2 and either
one or two tension devices C C² according to whether the two threads employed be
the same size or not substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 1st day of January 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Agents.