IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING AND EMBROIDING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention
of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING AND EMBROIDING MACHINES."-A commu-
Sealed the 31st March 1864, and dated the 17th October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
October 1863.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING AND EMBROIDERING MACHINES," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in sewing and embroidering
machines, which improvements, consist 1st, in a plain and easy mode of
causing the machine to operate, which permits of the needle being put in
or out of action instantaneously without stopping the motion of the
machine, which is therefore always ready to commence or leave off
working.
2ndly, in a peculiar arrangement of the parts which allows of the cloth
presser acting in the desired direction according to the design to be executed
without the cloth requiring to be turned round to follow the contour of said
design.

page_text: These improvements are illustrated in the annexed Drawings, where
Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the machine, the covering plates being
taken off in order to show the working of the various parts; Fig. 2 is a
front view of the end plate carrying the various parts producing the motion
of the cloth presser; Fig. 3 shows a transverse section of the base plate
through the line 1, 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a back view of the plate shown at
Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the sleeves or sockets through
which the motion of the machine is imparted to the working parts; Fig. 6
is a plan of the working parts; Fig. 7 shows a section through line 3, 4,
Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a detail; and Fig. 9 shows details of the motion of the
cloth presser. In all the Figures the same letters of reference represent the
same parts where they recur.
a, foundation plate of the machine provided with projections b which
'serve to secure the said machine to the work table; c, bracket, formed or cast
on the foot plate a carrying the various working parts; d, plate, Figs. 2 and 4,
'secured to the end of bracket c, the supports of the working parts sliding
on the inside thereof; e, driving shaft of the machine, one end turning in
bracket c, and the other end in a bearing f; g, fly wheel fitted on shaft e; h,
pulley cast with the fly wheel g and receiving rotary motion from a wheel
operated by means of a treadle as in ordinary sewing machines; i, shaft forming
an extension of shaft e, both shafts being independent of each other, and con-
nected only through the medium of the coupling, which I claim as one of the
improvements above mentioned, and which will be berein-after described. At
the end of the shaft i are fixed the arms which transmit motion to the various
working parts.
The arrangement of coupling above mentioned is as follows:-, sleeve fitted
on shaft i; k, sleeve fitted on shaft e provided with a circular groove / and an
opening m, n, spring carried by ring oon shaft i. The two sleeves or
sockets j and k and spring n constitute what I term the connector.
As the
spring is received in an opening p made in sleeve j, and its end q enters the
groove of sleeve k, it is evident that the latter will not turn the sleeve j,
unless the end g leaves the groove 7 and enters the opening m.
The parts
remain thus disconnected so long as an arm bearing on spring n maintains it
in the groove. In order to disconnect the sleeves the operator bears with
his left foot on the treadle, which through the medium of a rod r causes the
levers to oscillate; the flat bar t is also raised by the action of the levers, being
guided in its motion by studs u, u; v, plate oscillating on a centre x and
mounted on the bracket c below the shaft i; y, lever, oscillating at z on the
moveable plate v. On raising this lever by means of the rod t, its appendage 1

page_text: is brought up to the sleeve j, the cam surface 2 of which in its motion draws
back the appendage 1, causing the plate v to oscillate, while a vertical arm 3 is
brought to bear upon the spring n. By this movement the spring is disengaged
from the opening m, and maintained in the groove l, or in other words, the
shaft will not turn so long as the operator's foot is kept on the treadle. By
this arrangement, as the needle makes but one stitch for each revolution of the
shaft, the desired quantity of stitches may be taken by engaging or disengaging
the parts at will.
I will now proceed to describe the movement of the working parts. 4, piece
sliding on the plate d in guides 5, 5, and provided with a forked bracket 6;
6', ring oscillating in fork 6, where it is, maintained by the pivot screws 7;
this ring supports the arm 8, at the end of which the cloth presser 9 is fitted;
10, spring placed inside the plate d, and acting upon an appendage 11 in con-
nection with the part 4, and thus operating the downward motion of arm 8.
The lifting of the arm is operated by a lever 12, bearing on the under surface of
the appendage 11 inversely to the spring, which is operated by a cam 13 fitted on
the end of shaft i; 14, part sliding on the plate d in a guide 15, and imparting
an upward and downward motion to a cone 16 for the purpose described
herein-after; 17, spring placed inside the plate d and acting upon an appendage
18 in connection with the part 14, and thus operating the upward motion of
the cone 16. The downward motion of this cone is operated by a lever 19 bearing
on the upper surface of appendage 18 inversely to the action of spring 17.
The lever 19 is operated by a cam 20 fitted on the end of the shaft i; 20',
screw serving to regulate the spring more or less, and consequently to give the
cone more or less motion in case it should be desired to increase or diminish
the length of the stitch; 21, piece sliding in a dovetail groove formed in the
plate d, said piece being provided with a bracket 22 which supports the socket
23; 24, needle carrier extending the whole length of the plate d, to the end
of which is attached the upper needle and maintained in the socket by a
jet screw 25; 26, Fig. 4, hollow cam in connection with the part 21, having
in its interior a fixed pin which acts eccentrically on the end of shaft i, thus
operating the upward and downward motion of the needle.
I will now describe the movement of the lower needle or hook:-27, bevil
pinion keyed upon the driving shaft e; 28, bevil pinion keyed on the upper
end of the vertical shaft 29, and receiving its movement from the pinion 27;
30, crank secured on the lower end of the vertical shaft 29, and imparting a to-
and-fro motion to a connecting rod 31.
Shifting of the cloth presser. When the direction of the cloth presser is to
be-shifted, the crank handle 32* placed beneath the work-table is turned in the

page_text: one or the other direction. This crank operates the pinions 33, 34, 35, 36,
and 37; 38, toothed wheel keyed upon the rotating axis of pinion 37; 39,
toothed wheel fixed on a socket 40, upon which the cone 16 slides in its
upward and downward motion; 41, endless chain uniting the two toothed
wheels 38 and 39, the plate d being furnished with apertures 42, for the
purpose of allowing the chain to pass through it. Through the medium of
crank 32 rotary motion is also imparted to socket 40; 43, Fig. 9, bracket
secured on arm 8; 44, rectangular opening formed in bracket 43, through
which the socket 40 enters, it being made square at that end for the purpose;
45, small lever oscillating in a slot formed on a sleeve 46; this lever is
secured to the socket by a set screw 47. The sleeve is placed beneath the
cone 16, besides which the lower end of the lever 45 enters an opening 46 in
bracket 43. With the above arrangement and the opening 44 being formed
larger than the squared section of the socket the oscillation of the cloth
presser is effected in the following manner :-On its being lowered the cone
draws back the upper end of the lever 45, whilst the other end engaged in the
bracket 43, causes it to advance together with the arm connected therewith.
When the cone re-ascends a small spring 48 returns the bracket to its former
position and so forth. The extent of motion of the cloth presser is a little
greater than necessary, so that the needle is always placed somewhat
eccentrically with regard thereto, from which it ensues that the thread cannot
get out of the needle, and that this is prevented from entering the same
place again, which might otherwise be the case. The squared part of the
socket causes a collar 49 to turn, and the cone still having its upward
and downward motion acts upon the lever in the same way, but upon
another point of its surface. From what precedes it will be easily under-
stood that the stitch may be regulated by the greater or less motion given
to the cone, or by using a cone the surface of which is more or less inclined,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3
12th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my 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 Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING AND EM-
BROIDERING MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad by Autoine Bonnaz,
Mechanician, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors 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 William Clark, 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 follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereou (that is to
say):-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in sewing and embroidering
machines, which improvements consist, first, in a simple and easy arrangement
of parts whereby the needle may be thrown in or out of action instantaneously
without stopping the driving gear of the machine, the needle is therefore free
to suspend its action at any moment desired; secondly, in a peculiar arrange-
ment of the parts to allow of the cloth presser acting in any desired direction,
according to the design to be executed, without requiring the cloth to be
turned round to follow the contour of said design. These improvements are
illustrated in the annexed Drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of
the machine, the covering plates being removed in order to show the arrange-
ment of the various parts; Fig. 2 is a front view of the end plate carrying the
various parts producing the movement of the cloth presser; Fig. 3 shows a
transverse section of the foot plate through the line 1, 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a
back view of the plate shown at Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of
the connecting sockets through which the motion of the machine is imparted
to the needle mechanism; Fig. 6 is a plan of the connecting gear; Fig. 7

page_text: shows a section of same on line 3, 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 8 also shows a detail of
the connecting gear; and Fig. 9, details of the motion of the cloth presser.
In all these Figures the same letters of reference represent the same parts
where they recur.
a, base plate of the machine provided with cheeks or flanges b, which serve
to secure the said machine to the work table; c, arm or bracket formed or
cast on the foot plate a carrying the various working parts; d, plate seen in
Figs. 2 and 4 secured to the end of bracket, the supports of the working parts
sliding on the inside thereof; e, driving shaft of the machine, one end
turning in bracket c, and the other end in a bearing f; g, fly wheel keyed on
shaft e; h, pulley cast on the fly wheel 9 and receiving its rotary motion from
a wheel operated by means of a treadle, as in ordinary sewing machines; i,
shaft forming an extension of shaft e, but independent thereof, and connected
only by the aid of the socket or coupling before mentioned, forming one of
the improvements of this Invention. At the end of shaft i are fixed the
cams which transmit motion to the various working parts. The arrangement
of coupling above mentioned is as follows:-j, sleeve fitted on shaft i; k, sleeve
fitted on shaft e, provided with a circular groove and an opening m; n, spring
carried by a ring oon shaft i; the two sleeves or socket couplings j, k, and
spring n constitute what I term the "connector." The spring n is received in
an opening p made in sleeve j, while its end q enters the groove 1 of sleeve k;
it is thus evident that the latter will not turn the sleevej unless the end g
leaves the groove and enters the opening m. The shafts remain thus uncon-
nected so long as an arm bearing on spring n maintains it in the groove 7.
In order to disconnect the sleeves the operator bears with his left foot on a
treadle, which, through the medium of a rod r, causes the lever s to oscillate;
this action of lever s raises a flat bar t, being guided in its motion by studs
2, u, running in grooves; v, plate oscillating on a centre a and mounted on
the bracket c below shaft i; y, lever, oscillating at z on the movable plate v;
on raising this lever by the rod t its appendage 1 is brought in contact with
sleeve; this latter has a tooth or projection 2, Fig. 7, which, in its rotation,
presses back the appendage 1, causing the plate v to oscillate, while a vertical
arm 3 is caused to bear on the spring n. By this movement the spring is
disengaged from the opening m and maintained in the groove ; or in other
words, the shaft i cannot turn so long as the operator's foot is kept on the
treadle. By this arrangement, as the needle makes but one stitch for each
revolution of the shaft, the desired number of stitches may be produced by
connecting or disconnecting the parts at will.
I will now proceed to describe the movement of the working parts. 4,

page_text: piece sliding on plate d in guides 5, 5, and provided with a forked bracket 6;
6', ring oscillating in fork 6 by the aid of screw pivot 7. This ring carries
the arm 8 at the end of which the cloth presser 9 is fitted. 10, Fig. 4, spring
mounted on the inside of plate d and acting on an appendage 11 in con-
nection with the part 4 for operating the downward motion of the arm 8. The
arm is raised by a lever 12 bearing on the under surface of appendage 11 in
opposition to the spring; this lever is operated by a cam 13 keyed on the end
of shaft i; 14, part sliding on the plate d in a guide 15, and imparting an
upward and downward motion to a cone 16 for the purpose herein-after
described; 17, spring placed inside the plate and acting upon an appendage
18 of the part 14 for effecting the upward motion of cone 16; the downward
motion of this cone is operated by a lever 19 bearing on the upper face of
appendage 18 inversely to the action of spring 17. The lever 19 is operated
by a cam 20 fitted on the end of shaft i. 20¹, screw, serving to regulate the
tension of the spring more or less, and consequently to give the cone more or
less motion in case it should be desired to increase or diminish the length of
the stitch; 21, piece, sliding in a dovetail groove formed in the plate d, said
piece being provided with a bracket 22, carrying socket 23; 24, needle
carrier extending the whole length of plate d, to the end of which is attached
the upper needle, and held in socket 23 by a set screw 25; 26, Fig. 4, hollow
cam connected with part 21, on the inner surface of which a pin, fixed eccen-
trically on the end of shaft i, acts for effecting the upward and downward
motion of the needle.
I will now describe the movement of the lower needle or hook. 27, bevil
pinion keyed on the driving shaft e; 28, bevil pinion keyed on the upper end
of the vertical shaft 29 and receiving its movement from the pinion 27;
30, crank keyed on lower end of the vertical shaft 29 and imparting a to-and-
fro motion to a connecting rod 31; 32, lower needle box receiving its motion
from rod 31..
Shifting the cloth presser.-When the position of the cloth presser is to be
changed the crank 32 placed beneath the work table is turned in the one or
the other direction. This crank operates the pinions 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37;
38, first toothed wheel keyed on the rotating axis of pinion 37; 39, toothed
wheel fixed on a socket 40, upon which the cone 16 slides in its upward and
downward motion; 41, endless chain uniting the two toothed wheels 38 and
39, the plate & being furnished with apertures 42 for the purpose. The
crank 32 also imparts rotary motion to socket 40; 43. Fig. 9, bracket secured
on arm 8; 44, rectangular opening formed in bracket 43, through which the
socket 40 enters, it being made square at the end for the purpose; 45, small

page_text: lever oscillating on a projection formed on sleeve 46; this lever is secured to
the socket by a set screw 47. This sleeve is placed below the cone 16, besides
which the lower end of lever 45 enters an opening 46' in the bracket 43.
With the above arrangement of parts, and the opening 44 being formed larger
than the squared section of the socket, the oscillation of the cloth presser is
effected in the following manner :-On the cone being lowered it forces back
the upper end of the lever 45, whilst the other end, engaging in the bracket 43,
causes it to advance together with the arm connected..therewith. When the
cone re-ascends a small spring 48 returns the bracket to its former position
and so forth. The extent of motion of the cloth presser is a little greater than
necessary, so that the needle is always placed somewhat eccentrically with
regard thereto, the advantage of which is that the thread cannot get out of
the needle, while the latter is prevented from entering the fabric twice at the
The direction of the cloth
same place, which might otherwise be the case.
presser is changed by rotating socket 40, to which the lever 45 above men-
tioned is connected. The squared part of the socket causes a collar 49 to
turn, and the cone, still having its upward and downward motion, acts on the
lever in the same manner, but at another point of its surface. From the
foregoing it will be readily understood that the stitch may be regulated by the
greater or less motion given to the cone, or by using a cone the surface of
which is more or less inclined.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First, the method of connecting or disconnecting the working parts instan-
taneously.
Secondly, I claim the method of changing the position and direction of the
cloth presser at will, as also the arrangement of parts connected therewith.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)