IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonso Keats, of Newcastle under Lyne, in the County
of Stafford, Boot Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND
SHOES."
Sealed the 10th October 1879, and dated the 28th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphonso Keats at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1879.
ALPHONSO KEATS, of Newcastle under Lyne, in the County of Stafford, Boot
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
The Invention relates to improvements on boot and shoe sewing machines,
and particularly that class wherein the shuttle is above the work.
To permit of a more rapid action of the machine and also to provide for the
insertion of a large supply of shuttle thread I employ a novel construction of
shuttle, the movements of which will be so limited as to render its action very
rapid. This shuttle may be described as a short cylinder with a coned end,
terminating in a knife edged nose forming a divider for the loop. The knife edge
takes a segment form receeding rearwards and terminating in a shoulder. This
knife edge is slightly inclined from a vertical towards the plane of motion of the
needle. The end of the cylinder is closed by a sliding cover, the removal of which
admits of the insertion of the cop. The tbread is drawn out from the shuttle
through a central hole in this cover, and passed through one or more eyes
projecting from the cover to put the requisite drag on the thread.
The nose of the shuttle is pierced transversely to receive a pin or bolt for the
purpose to be presently explained. The shuttle is mounted in and operated by a
rocking forked frame, the axis of motion of which will be at the extremity of the
fork, and in about the same vertical plane as that in which the needle works.
This forked frame is fitted with a gripper so shaped, that when moved towards
the shuttle it will fit against the lower part thereof, and press it tightly against
an elastic bearing piece, thereby gripping it firmly in the rocking frame. The
ocking frame receives its motion in any convenient manner from the cam shaft,

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonso Keats, of Newcastle under Lyne, in the County
of Stafford, Boot Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND
SHOES."
Sealed the 10th October 1879, and dated the 28th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphonso Keats at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1879.
ALPHONSO KEATS, of Newcastle under Lyne, in the County of Stafford, Boot
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
The Invention relates to improvements on boot and shoe sewing machines,
and particularly that class wherein the shuttle is above the work.
To permit of a more rapid action of the machine and also to provide for the
insertion of a large supply of shuttle thread I employ a novel construction of
shuttle, the movements of which will be so limited as to render its action very
rapid. This shuttle may be described as a short cylinder with a coned end,
terminating in a knife edged nose forming a divider for the loop. The knife edge
takes a segment form receeding rearwards and terminating in a shoulder. This
knife edge is slightly inclined from a vertical towards the plane of motion of the
needle. The end of the cylinder is closed by a sliding cover, the removal of which
admits of the insertion of the cop. The thread is drawn out from the shuttle
through a central hole in this cover, and passed through one or more eyes
projecting from the cover to put the requisite drag on the thread.
The nose of the shuttle is pierced transversely to receive a pin or bolt for the
purpose to be presently explained. The shuttle is mounted in and operated by a
rocking forked frame, the axis of motion of which will be at the extremity of the
fork, and in about the same vertical plane as that in which the needle works.
This forked frame is fitted with a gripper so shaped, that when moved towards
the shuttle it will fit against the lower part thereof, and press it tightly against
an elastic bearing piece, thereby gripping it firmly in the rocking frame. The
rocking frame receives its motion in any convenient manner from the cam shaft,
-

page_text: aud when lifted it will present the nose of the shuttle to the loop of the needle
thread, and cause the. ttle to enter therein, advancing until the loop is caught
against the shoulder of e knife edge. At this time the hook of the needle being
disengaged from the loop. he shuttle will be free to pass completely through the
loop. For this purpose th àuttle is disengaged from the gripper, and the shuttle is
now secured to the frame by means of the pin or bolt before mentioned passing
through the hole in the nose of the shuttle. The back motion of the forked frame
will cause the shuttle to pass through the loop, which result will be facilitated by
the forward motion of the work; the action of the bolt and of the gripper will be
effected by means of cam plates into which enter bowles connected with these
instruments, and receiving a traverse motion in the groove cams through the
rocking of the forked frame.
As an improvement on the top feed for which Letters Patent have been granted
to John Keats, bearing date 1st January 1879, No. 12, in which the presser bar
is held by a gripper to a reciprocating guide box.
I now propose to give a positive motion to the gripping lever, instead of relying
on a spring for putting the pressure on the lever; the result of this modification
will be a silent feed, the releasing tappet hitherto used being dispensed with.

page_text: thought it well to describe in combination with my improved shuttle, as it is specially
adapted for use therewith for drawing the needle loop from the shuttle, and
tightening the stitch within the work; no claim however is here made for this
arrangement, as it forms no part of the present Invention.
The tension pulley before mentioned is shewn at F' as carried by a rock lever F,
which underlies the lever D' and rocks on a fulcrum-pin carried by the hollow
base. The thread which is led from the guide pulley E* to the pulley F1 passes
up through the centre of the whirl, which by its axial motion lays the thread in
the hook of the needle in the usual manner. The rock lever F carries at its rear
a bowl which enters a groove in the periphery of a cam F on the cam shaft B,
and by the rotation of this cam it receives the requisite rocking motions for
following the needle in its descent, and drawing down the slack thread, tightening
the stitch, and taking off a fresh supply of thread from the bobbin E, which for
this purpose is for the moment released from the pressure of a friction brake as will
be hereafter explained.
G is the shuttle, the construction of which is clearly shown at Figures 7, Sheet IV.
This shuttle C may be described as a short hollow cylinder closed at bottom and
terminating at its other or upper end in a knife-edged nose g which forms a divider
for the loop of the needle thread. This nose takes a segmental shape, receding
rearwards from the point, which point is in line or nearly so with the under side of
the cylindrical part of the shuttle when the shuttle is in a horizontal position.
This segmental shaped divider terminates at its broadest part in a shoulder which
is formed by making a transverse semicircular recess g¹ between it and the cylin-
drical part of the shuttle. The upper or back edge of the divider is recessed
longitudinally at its rear, as at g³, to permit of the hooked needle entering the
shtttle and thereby disengaging itself from the needle thread, as will be hereafter
more fully explained.
The shuttle is made to open to receive the shuttle thread cop (Fig. 7*, Sheet IV.)
by the removal of the upper part from the lower part, the two parts fitting together
like the lid and body of a pounce box. The thread is drawn out from the shuttle
through a hole g³ formed in the under side thereof. The nose of the shuttle is
pierced transversely, as at g, to receive a sliding bolt by which the shuttle is at
times hold in suspension. This bolt and the gripping apparatus which forms part
of the shuttle carrier are the instruments by which the shuttle is operated and
caused to enter and pass through the loop of the needle-thread.
I have said that the shuttle carrier is mounted in a pendant bracket A³. This
carrier, without its fitting, is shown detached in several views in Sheet V., in plan
view at Fig. 8, in sectional elevation at Fig. 9, and in end view at Fig. 10. In
Sheet IV. the carrier is shewn with its fittings attached, viz., with the gripper for
halding the shuttle, and with the bolt for suspending the shuttle. Fig. 11 is a side
view of the carrier complete, with the shuttle in place and shewing also the position
of the needle at the time the shuttle is hanging from the bolt. Fig. 12 is a front
view and Fig. 13 a plan of the shuttle carrier complete. Fig. 14, Sheet V., is a
vertical central section of the carrier, showing the mode of mounting the same in a
fixed cam, which serves to operate the suspending bolt and the gripper; G₁ is a
trunnion which works in a bearing formed for it in the fixed cam H attached to
the bracket A¹. On the front end of this trunnion is a disc G which is flanged
rearwards, as at G³. This flange G³ serves to carry a sliding bolt Q which enters
the hole g made through the nose of the shuttle for the purpose of supporting the
same at certain parts of its motions. From this flange projects a forked piece G³
which carries a pivot pin for connecting it with the arm of a rock shaft Gª mounted
on dead centres at the side of the bracket arm A. This rock shaft receives through
a second arm a rocking motion from the cam G' on the cam shaft B for the purpose
of imparting a reciprocating axial motion to the shuttle carrier. From the face of
the disc G³ projects a horn or abutting piece G³, against which the shuttle G is held
fast by means of the gripper Go, shewn detached at Figs. 15, Sheet IV., pivotted
to a lug standing up from the flange G. By reference to Figs. 8, 9, and 10, it

page_text: will be seen that the parts marked C, G, GP, G³, and G constitute one casting.
The disc G³ is slotted to permit of a bowl attached to the gripper Centering & groove
in the face of the fixed cam H, which is shewn detached at Figs. 16, Sheet V.
By means of this cam the gripper (when the shuttle carrier is turned in its bearings)
will be caused to close upon the rear end of the shuttle or to release its grip there-
from, as required. Immediately below the bolt G the flange G³ is slotted to permit
of a bowl which depends from the bolt entering a groove in the periphery of the
fixed cam H. This groove is so formed as to ensure the advance of the bolt to
engage with the shuttle and the withdrawal of the bolt from the shuttle at the
required moment, so that the shuttle may be held thereby when released from the
pressure of the gripper GP and withdrawn when the shuttle is on the point of
entering the loop of the needle thread. To prevent the shuttle from slipping off
the bolt a finger Go is provided, which is hinged to the horn Gs and is free to be
shifted out of position when the shuttle is requred to be removed. This finger is
shewn detached at Figs. 17 (Sheet IV). The motions of the bolt G' as well as
those of the gripper will be produced by the action of the cam H as the shuttle
carrier is moved around it by the pendant arm of the rock shaft Gº. The varying
positions also of the shuttle for entering the loop and passing through the loop when
it is disengaged from the hooked noedle, more particularly referred to hereafter, are
also obtained from the reciprocating action of the shuttle carrier.
I is the presser-foot carried by the presser bar I', which is held down by a
helical spring I as usual. This presser foot by a modification of the second head of
my Invention (to adapt the same to machines having an under feed) is enabled to
resist the upward pull of the needle thread by means of a reciprocating bar or rock-
lever I', a pin from the forward end of which overlies a projection on the side of
the presser-bar. This rock lever is carried by a fulcrum-pin on the bracket-arm,
and is fitted at its rear end with a bowl, which is operated by a tappet cam I on
the cam-shaft B. This cam is so shaped as to hold the forward end of the lever
down at the moment the upward pull of the needle thread takes place, and im-
mediately this action has passed the presser foot will be free so as to permit of the
feed of the work under it. The Drawings show an underfeed, but a top feed
might be employed if thought desirable; in this particular class of machine K is the
feed bar which stands up in the post A¹, and projects through the slotted cap or
cover thereof to bear against or reach the work. This bar is pivotted to a slide
which is free to work up and down in guides formed to receive it in a fixed
bracket K¹, attached to the base of the machine. The lower end of this feed bar is
connected by a ball-and-socket joint to a rock-lever K³, the pivot-pin of which is
carried by a vertical pin K³ fitted within the base A, and terminating at its upper
end in a sleeve through which the pivot pin passes. By thus mounting the rock-
lever K, it is free to move horizontally as well as vertically under the action of a
double-acting feed-cam K4, mounted on the cam shaft B. The rear end of the rock
lever K is forked, and each prong of the fork is fitted with an anti-friction bowl,
the one to bear upon the periphery of the cam K, and the other to enter a groove
in the periphery of this cam. As this arrangement for obtaining the feed is well-
known no further description thereof will be necessary.
It has been stated above that at a certain stage of the operation of sewing the
bobbin E which carries the needle thread delivers a supply of thread. This it is
prevented from doing at other times by means of a brake lever, the intermitted
action of which is obtained by means of a tappet-cam on the shaft B. This
brake arrangement, it should be remarked, constitutes no part of the present Inven-
tion as it is included in the application above referred to. The bobbin E (see Fig. 4,
Sheet III) I mount upon an adjustable frame E, from which stands up two pins,
the one to receive the bobbin, and the other an elastic pressure finger E. This
frame is carried by a fixed stud E projecting from a lug on the base of the
machine, and it is held fast to the base by means of an adjusting screw E. The
elastic finger E serves merely to put the requisite tension on the thread.

page_text: For holding the bobbin fast the brake lever E³ is provided. This lever is
pivotted upon the stud pin E, and is formed with three limbs, the shortest of which
is shaped so as to fit against the periphery of the bobbin and form a friction brake.
Another of the limbs terminates as a handle, and the third carries at its extremity
a bowl which, by means of a tension spring E, is held in contact with the brake
cam E. The timing of this cam is such that it will come into action and release
the bobbin from its brake as the rock lever F is completing its downward move-
ment. Thus the bobbin is left free to give off a fresh supply of thread as the
tightening of each stitch is effected. The various parts of the mechanism consti-
tuting my improved sewing machine having been described, it only remains now
briefly to explain the action of the sewing instruments.
Supposing it is required to sew 2 pieces of leather together these are placed upon
the post A, and the hooked-needle Ċ being caused to descend will pierce the work,
and passing down into the centre of the whirl D will receive its thread therefrom.
The needle then rising through the work will present its loop to the shuttle G to
receive a locking thread therefrom. The shuttle carrier will then be caused to
rock forward in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and thereby advance the nose of
the shuttle, causing it to enter the loop and to take a horizontal or nearly horizontal
position therein, as shewn at Figures 18, Sheet V. When the shuttle carrier com-
mences its rocking motion, to bring the shuttle into this position, the shuttle will be
held both by the gripper G³, against the abutting piece G³, and by the bolt G+, but
so soon as the nose of the shuttle commences to divide or open the loop the bolt G*
will, by the action of the fixed cam H, be withdrawn from the shuttle, leaving it
free to take the horizontal position. When this position of the shuttle is attained
the needle will descend into the recess cut in the back of the segment shaped ter-
mination of the shuttle to a depth sufficient to release the loop from its hook and
leave it resting upon the shuttle, as shewn at Figs. 18. At this moment the rock
lever F, below the base of the machine, will be caused to put a tension on the needle
thread, the result of which will be to make the loop slip back to the bottom of the
recess g and out of the line of motion of the needle. It will be understood that
any well known tension contrivance will serve the purpose so far as the present
Invention is concerned, but I have thought it desirable to introduce into this
Specification the contrivance which I consider best suited for effecting in connec-
tion with the present Invention, leather sewing of the best class.
The loop having slipped out of the plane of motion of the needle the needle will
then be free to rise, and when it is moved up above the path of the shuttle the
further movements of the shuttle will take place.
For this purpose the shuttle carrier is rocked backwards by means of the arm on
the rock-shaft Go, actuated by the cam G7, as before explained, and during this
back movement of the carrier the cam H will be caused to advance the bolt G'
and thrust it into the hole g' in the nose of the shuttle. The further back motion
of the shuttle-carrier will cause the cam H to release the gripper Gº, and thereby
leave the shuttle suspended on the bolt. The continued downward movement of
the rock lever F will, by putting a tension on the needle thread draw the loop off the
shuttle (its release being assisted by the tendency of the shuttle to move in the
direction of the pull of the thread), and the loop will then be caught by the shuttle
thread. The continued downward movement of the rock-lever F will draw the stitch
tight, and before this rock lever has completed its descent it will draw off, as already
explained, a fresh supply of thread from the bobbin E. The pressure of the break
lever being momentarily withdrawn for that purpose.
The next operation of the machine is to feed the work forward the length of a
stitch. This is done by means of the feed bar K in the usual manner, and so soon
as that operation is effected, the needle which is meanwhile making its descent will
pierce the work, pass into the whirl, and receive thread therefrom, as before. The
needle will then rise to draw a fresh loop through the work, and as it rises the
rocking lever F will follow its movement in order to give out such a supply of

page_text: thread as will prevent any undue strain being put upon the loop. So soon as the -
needle commences to rise the shuttle carrier will commence a forward rocking
motion, and it will thereby cause the cam H to close the gripper G on to the beel
of the shuttle and withdraw the bolt from the nose thereof The shuttle will then ·
be caused to repeat the various movements traced out above for the purpose of
entering the loop brought up by the needle releasing the loop from the needle, and -
by passing through that loop to deliver its locking thread into the loop of the
needle thread.
The work it will be understood is held by the presser foot during the operations
above enumerated, it being enabled to resist the upward pull of the needle thread
by means of the retaining pin of the reciprocating bar or lever 1³ resting on the
shoulder of the presser bar.
In Sheet VI. of the accompanying Drawings I have shewn my improvements on
the feed-bar and presser-foot, which, according to the Patent granted to John Keats,
dated First January, One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine, is enabled to
resist the upward pull of the needle thread. In that Patent the presser and feed-
bar is described as held by a gripper to a reciprocating guide box, the gripper
being actuated by the tension of a spring upon a rock-lever under the action of a
tappet-cam. I now propose to give a positive motion to the gripping lever instead
of relying on a spring for putting the pressure on the lever. The result of this
modification will be a silent feed, the releasing tappet hitherto used being dispensed
with.
Fig. 19 is a side elevation of so much of a sewing machine, modified according to
my Invention, as will serve to explain the nature of the improved top feed, and
Fig. 20 is a sectional plan of the same.
A is the framing of the machine standing up from the bed plate; B, B, is tho
hollow head for receiving the vertical needle-bar (not shown in the Drawings), and
also the pressing and feed bar C. This bar slides in a guide box D which is free to
move both vertically and laterally in the hollow head B. This guide box D is
supported by pins projecting from the prongs of a forked swivel termination of a
rock-lever E having its fulcrum upon the stud pin e. This rock lever is actunted
by the cam F on the vertical cam-shaft G.
The forked head of the lever E is so connected to its lever as to permit of the
guide box D receiving a lateral rocking motion for the purpose to be presently
explained. Pivotted to the guide box D is a pendant hinged piece & forming a
friction gripper for the feed bar C. Against the back of this hinged piece d bears
a bowl carried on the end of a rock lever H, having its fulcrum h on a stud pin in
the framing of the machine. The pendant hinged piece thus hangs between the
bowl of the rock-lever H and the back of the presser and feed bar C. The rear
end of the lever H carries a bowl that enters the groove of a cam I By the
positive motion of this cam the rock-lever will be caused to press with its anti
friction bowl on the pendant gripper d and hold the presser and feed bar O firmly
in the guide-box D, while the needle rises clear of the work.
J is a rock-shaft turning in bearings projecting from the framing. Pendant from
the forward end of this rock shaft is an arm which is bent down and projects in
front of the guide box for the purpose of imparting a forward rocking motion
thereto; a second arm at the rear of this shaft carries a bowl which underlies the
cam I, and is acted upon at the proper time by a tappet formed thereon for the
purpose of rocking the shaft J, and thereby giving to the guide-box D and the feed-
bar contained therein the tipping motion requisite for feeding forward the work.
The return motion is obtained from the flat spring K (see the plan view). The
vertical motion of the presser and feed bar is regulated as described in the Specifi-
cation of the before mentioned Patent by the varying thicknesses of the work, and
the presser and feed bar being always held fust to the guide-box during its rise the
feed foot will be lifted sufficiently high to meet any extra thickness of work that it
may be required to act upon. When the guide-box has risen to its highest position
the bowl of the rock lever H will be eased by the cam I from the pendant gripper,
"

page_text: which, then hanging loose, will allow the feed bar C to drop on to the work and
take a position for repeating the feed action.
This bar receives, as usual, a downward impulse from a slight spring d' sufficient
to hold the work on the post or horn.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Sewing
Machinery to be Used in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes," and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The application to sowing machines in which a hooked needle and whirl
are employed of a rocking shuttle supported on and operated by a carrier (above
the work), to which a reciprocating axial motion is imparted, such shuttle being
formed with a divider, as and for the purpose above described.
Secondly. The arrangement above described for gripping the presser and feed
bar, and thereby enabling it to resist the upward pull of the needle upon the
work.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphonso Keats, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.