IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hilton, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hilton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th September 1876.
JOHN HILTON, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster.
SEWING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My Invention relates to sewing machines of the "Singer" class, and to other
sewing machines, having in each case a horizontal shaft working within the arm
and actuating the needle bar, and has for its object to simplify the construction of
such machines and to add to their efficiency.
In machines of the Singer class the said horizontal shaft is connected by bevil
gearing with a vertical shaft which gives motion to a lever which actuates the
shuttle driver.
.
In lieu of this arrangement I, in the first place, fix a cam upon the said horizontal
shaft, and I mount a lever upon a fulcrum fixed in the arm casting, the upper end
of the said lever being acted upon by the cam.
The lower end of the said lever is
connected by a rod or link with the shuttle driver. The said cam is suitably formed.
to impart the desired movements to the shuttle. When the actuating parts are so
arranged the shuttle is caused to travel in the direction of the length of the arm,
which is more suitable for certain classes of work than the ordinary direction of
motion. In the second place I employ the aforesaid rod or link to actuate the feed-
ing foot in cases wherein a bottom feed is employed. The said rod or link is fitted.
or formed with an incline or wedge shaped piece or part which acts upon the said
feeding foot or upon the part to which the said foot is fixed or on which it is formed,
and imparts the necessary movement to the said foot. I may employ two cams or
tappets in place of the single cam herein-before mentioned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the Conditions of the Letters Patent, filed by
the said John Hilton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th March 1877.
JOHN HILTON, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES."
My Invention relates to sewing machines of the "Singer" class and to other
sewing machines, having in each case a horizontal shaft working within the arm and
actuating the needle bar, and has for its object to simplify the construction of such
machines and to add to their efficiency.
In machines of the Singer class the said horizontal shaft is connected by bevil
gearing with a vertical shaft which gives motion to a lever which actuates the
shuttle driver.
In lieu of this arrangement I, in the first place, fix a cam upon the said horizontal
shaft, and I mount a lever upon a fulcrum fixed in the arm casting, the upper end
of the said lever being acted upon by the cam. The lower end of the said lever is
connected by a rod or link with the shuttle driver. The said cam is suitably formed
to impart the desired movements to the shuttle. In the second place I employ the
aforesaid rod or link to actuate the feeding foot in cases wherein a bottom feed is
employed. The said rod or link is fitted or connected with an incline or wedge-
shaped piece or part which acts upon the said feeding foot or upon the part to which
the said foot is fixed or on which it is formed, and imparts the necessary movement
to the said foot.
-And-in-order-that my said-Invention may be fully understood I have appended
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, corresponding marks
indicating the same parts in the various Figures.
Referring to the said Drawings, Fig. 1, drawn about half the full size, represents
a side elevation of the improved sewing machine; and Fig. represents a plan
of the under side of the same machine as it would appear when turned bottom
upwards.
In the said Figures the needle bar and other parts not necessary to the illustration
of my Invention are omitted. In the said Figures a is the main shaft, which is
fitted to revolve within the arm of the machine, and is actuated by means of the
grooved pulley b in the usual manner. The said shaft actuates the needle bar by
ordinary or suitable means. On the said shaft is fixed a cam c, and within the arm
casting is mounted a lever d. This lever is mounted upon a stud e which is fixed
within the said casting below the said cam, and the upper end of the said lever is
provided with a bowl which works in the groove of the said cam.
The lower end
of the said lever is connected by means of a link f with the sliding carriage or driver
g which carries or gives motion to the shuttle, this part being of an ordinary or of
any suitable construction. The groove in the said cam is made suitable in form to
impart the necessary movements to the shuttle. The arrangement causes the shuttle
to travel in the direction of the length of the arm which is more suitable for certain
classes of work than the ordinary direction of motion.
The arrangement for actuating the feeding foot is represented in Fig. 2, and also
by the remaining Figures, which are drawn about the full size. Upon a rod h a part
¿ is fitted to slide and is connected with the shuttle carriage g, so that as the said
carriage slides to and fro the said part also slides upon the rod h. The part i is
formed with two inclined faces, one of which is seen in Fig. 4, and the other in Fig.
5, Fig. 4 being an enlargement of part of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is taken at right angles
to Fig. 4, and on the same vertical plane as Fig. 1. The incline seen in Fig. 4 acts
upon a leg which is formed on the feeding foot represented by k, and by acting on
the said leg as the said part slides past pushes the feeding foot forwards and thereby.
feeds the fabric forwards.
The backwards or return movement of the said foot is effected by the action of a
spring . The incline seen in Fig. 5 acts a little earlier upon the feeding foot and
raises it a little, as is usual in this class of feeding apparatus. The arrangement

page_text: may be varied by forming or fixing the two inclines on a rod which is connected
with the link f, and is thereby caused to slide to and fro, or by connecting the part
i by means of a link with the link f. A sliding wedge or incline m is employed to
regulate the length of stitch. This incline is formed on the end of a rod or bar n
which extends towards the back end of the machine. A screwed projection on the
end of the barn passes upwards through a slot in the base plate, and is furnished
with a tightening nut o as seen in Fig. 3. By slackening the said nut and sliding
the said bar in one direction or the other the length of stitch may be regulated as
desired.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it to be
understood in conclusion that I claim,-
First. The employment of the cam c, the lever d, and the link f, in the manner
and for the purposes set forth and indicated herein-before and in the accompanying
Drawings.
And, lastly. The arrangements for actuating the feed substantially as set forth
herein-before and in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hilton, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed and sealed by the said
John Hilton,
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
Agent to the Patentee,
3, Princess Street,
Manchester.
JOHN MILION. (LS.)