AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SHUTTLE FOR SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Gardner, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, for the
Invention of ". AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SHUTTLE FOR SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Richard Mott Wanzer, residing
at Hamilton, Ontario, Dominion of Canada.
Sealed the 3rd May 1878, and dated the 6th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Gardner at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1877.
HENRY GARDNER, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
SHUTTLE FOR SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Richard Mott
Wanzer, residing at Hamilton, Ontario, Dominion of Canada.
This Invention relates to an improved construction of shuttle for sewing.
machines, and consists in making them of skeleton form. The belly of the shuttle
is made of metal, in bar form, with the ends turned up, one of which serves to
attach by a hinge or pin joint a top open plate, and the other for retaining the top
plate in position by a spring or clip arrangement, in the blade of which is a hole or
indent for receiving one end of the bobbin axle. The shuttle is, so as to speak, a
three-barred cage, within which the bobbin is held securely while the shuttle is at
work.
:
The advantage of a shuttle constructed of a skeleton form is, the parts may all be
stamped from sheet metal, preferably steel, and tempered to resist wear. They may
be also made very light, and yet strong and lasting under constant usage, making
little noise in running, and less friction than the solid shuttle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th May
1878.
HENRY GARDNER, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
SHUTTLE FOR SEWING MACHINES." (A communication from abroad by Richard Mott
Wanzer, residing at Hamilton, Ontario, Dominion of Canada.)
This Invention relates to an improved construction of shuttle for sewing machines,
and consists in making them of skeleton form. The belly of the shuttle is made of
metal, in bar form, with the ends turned up, one of which ends serves to attach by a
hinge or pin joint a top open plate, and the other for retaining the top plate in
position by a spring. or clip arrangement, in the blade of which is a hole or indent
for receiving one end of the bobbin axle. The shuttle is, so to speak; a three-
barred cage, within which the bobbin is held securely while the shuttle is at
work.
My Invention will be. clearly understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1'is a plan; Figure 2, a side view; Figure 3, a cross section; and Figure
4, a perspective view of a shuttle constructed according to my Invention.
A is the shuttle frame, consisting of the two pieces B and C. These pieces are
cut and bent to form a triangular three-bar cage, and are hinged together at D, so
that they may be opened to admit the reel E. When closed, the pieces are held in
place by a snap fastening at F. The spindle of the reel at one end is supported in
a notch c sunk in the inner face of the end of the piece C, while the other end is
pivotted on a spring bar G attached to the piece C, and extending upwardly, as
shewn ;
H and I are the tension parts, which parts may be varied in construction
as may be desired. The bars at one end meet in a point, and are rounded at the
other end.
Figures 4a to 8 inclusive show a modification of the above, and the one which I
prefer for general use.
Figure 4a is a top plan; Figure 5, a side view; Figure.6 is an opposite side view
to that shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a bottom plan; and Figure 8 shows the
shuttle in perspective.
The shuttle, as before, consists of a top plate a and bottom bar,b, rivetted or other-
wise fastened together, so as to form a closed triangular three-bar cage; the
pivoted spring tension piece c when opened, as seen in Figures 7 and 8, enabling
the reel or bobbin to be placed in the shuttle, and assisting in regulating the
tension. The pivot of the reel is carried in a small hole in the forward end of the
shuttle, as shown in dotted lines at d, whilst the other end of the reel is carried in a
recess é formed in the opposite end of the cage or shuttle. The reel is prevented
from falling out of the shuttle by the lip f on the spring tension piece c when the
latter is fastened in place, and the bobbin closed.
The top plate a is formed with grooves leading to holes g, g, so as to enable the
thread, when passed through the said holes, to lie below the surface of the top plate,
and thus avoid any risk of obstruction in the working of the shuttle.
When the shuttle is in use, the thread is led first through the hole h in the spring
tension piece c, then through the hole g in the top plate, across which it is passed, as
seen in Figure 4ª, and led through the hole g', whence it finally passes between the
guard plate i and thread spring k. On the under surface of that side of the top
plate to which the spring tension piece c is pivotted, and immediately opposite the
hole h in the said spring tension piece (when closed) a small hollow 7 (Figure 7) is
formed to allow for any kinks or irregularities in the thread.
The spring tension piece c may be bent upwards or downwards to increase or
diminish the tension of the thread on the bobbin, as desired.

page_text: Shuttles, as heretofore constructed, have been generally manufactured from blocks
of malleable cast iron, which have to be hollowed out by machinery to receive the
bobbin. The process is of course expensive, and the shuttle produced is weighty,
generating friction and noise in running.
The advantages of a skeleton shuttle, constructed as described, are that it is
cheaply and easily constructed, being stamped from sheet metal, preferably
steel, and tempered to resist wear. It is a light running shuttle, and all its parts
are readily accessible.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim anything
peculiar in the material used, or in the dimensions of the respective parts, as in these
respects my shuttle may be the same as other shuttles now known, but what I do
claim is,
First. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting my
triangular three-bar cage skeleton shuttles for sewing machines, as herein-before
described, and substantially as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. I claim the modified form of my triangular three-bar cage shuttles for
sewing machines, as described with reference to Figures 4ª to 8, inclusive of the
annexed Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Thirdly. I claim forming shuttles for sewing machines in skeleton form instead of
solid, substantially in the manner herein-before described and shown in the an-
nexed Drawings:
In witness whereof; I, the said Henry Gardner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight.
HENRY GARDNER. (L.S.)