IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STITCHING OR ORNAMENTING AND UNITING FABRICS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Muir, of the City of Montreal, in the
Dominion of Canada, at present residing at 63, Pentonville Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STITCHING OR ORNAMENTING AND UNITING
FABRICS"
Sealed the 28th January 1868, and dated the 27th August 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Muir at the
Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
August 1867.
I, WILLIAM MUIR, of the City of Montreal, in the Dominion of Canada,
at present residing at 63, Pentonville Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STITCHING OR ORNAMENTING AND UNITING
FABRICS," to be as follows: -
This Invention relates to a peculiar combination and arrangement of:
mechanism constituting a multiple sewing machine, whereby any desired
number of rows of stitches forming any required pattern or design may be
produced simultaneously-by-the aid of suitable pattern.cams_or_surfaces.
working in conjunction-with-the-stitching mechanism
In carrying out my Invention I employ a number of needles arranged side.
by side at suitable intervals along a horizontal needle bar to which they-may.

page_text: be secured in the ordinary or other convenient manner; a vertical or up-and-
down motion is imparted to this needle bar directly from two cams situate on
opposite ends of the driving shaft. In conjunction with these needlesIemploy
a corresponding number of shuttles each reciprocating horizontally in a race
of its own; these shuttles are carried in supports at the heel and point
respectively, such supports being fixed to a carriage running on rollers and
receiving a horizontal reciprocating motion from two shuttle cams alsofast on
each end of the driving shaft; thus all the needles and all the shuttles work
simultaneously and in concert, the needle and shuttle cams being properly
"timed" to each other. The presser foot consists of a long curved steel bar
common to the several needles and extending across the machine; this bar is
held in position by rods which pass through leys in.the back of theneedle bar,
each rod being surrounded by a helical spring which serves to press down the
pressure foot. As the needle bar rises, and by the time the point of the needles
are clear of the cloth, the, presser foot, rises with the needle bar, being lifted
thereby, and consequently leaves the cloth free to be fed along; as the needle
bar descends again the presser foot also descends with it.. Each shuttle is
separated from its neighbour by a thin plate or partition carried by a fixed
frame which I call the "shuttle frame," and which forms the cloth plate or table
of the machine; metal slides or moveable covers are provided above each
shuttle in order to facilitate access to any one of them when requisite. The
threads for the several needles aresupplied from corresponding bobbins placed
on pins in a stationary bobbin frame at the back of the needle bar, and the
tension of each thread is regulated by the aid of any convenient or well-known
tension apparatus mounted side by side on a stationary tension frame in front
of the rows of bobbins. A rocking spindle extending across the machine is
carried in bearings on the tension frame, the caps of such bearings being
provided with pinching screws in order to impart a certain amount of friction
to the spindle in its bearings; to this spindle there are connected two or more
lever arms carrying a lifting bar, through a row of holes in which the threads
pass on their way to the needle eyes; this lifting bar is elevatedand depressed
by the rising and falling of the needle bar, and therefore serves as a thread
"take up" to tighten or draw up the stitches. The material to be stitched
or ornamented, which may be in long lengths or "pieces," is contained in a
folded form on shelves disposed at the back of the machine; and when
making quilting in the "piece" I place the lining, the wadding, and' the
fabric intended to form the face in folds on three distinct shelves one above
another in lieu of using rollers or cloth beams. Each of these materials is
directed over and under suitable guide rollers which guide them on to a table

page_text: in the proper order or position for stitching, the lining, for example, being
placed above the wadding, and the wadding above the face fabric. In this
order the three materials are fed through the machine and stitched or quilted
together in any desired pattern by the aid of suitably shaped pattern cams, as
herein-after described. In this machine the pattern or desired course of the
rows of stitches is is obtained by imparting a duplex step-by-stepmovement to
the fabric, which not only moves forward or longitudinally, but also laterally,
and by combining these two movements in different ratios, or by using one or
other alone, I am enabled to obtain any pattern required. The forward move-
ment is obtained from a pair of fluted or roughened feed rollers situate in
front of the needles, between which rollers the fabric is nipped, and by them
drawn forward as required; these feed rollers, as also a tension roller for
giving a certain amount of drag or resistance to the fabric, are carried in a
frame extending across the machine and supported at each end on antifriction
rollers. By imparting a lateral motion to this frame the fabric will obviously
be fed in a lateral direction, and if the feed rollers and frame operate together
the result will be an oblique feed of the cloth. Should the lines of stitches be
required to be straight,either longitudinally or transversely, then in the former
case the feed rollers alone will operate, and in the latter case the frame would
be moved laterally, whilst the feed rollers would cease to revolve. The upper
one of the two feed rollers is driven by spur gearing from the lower one, and
is capable of being elevated by clan passing over pulleys situate overhead and
descending to a hand lever, the depression of which by the attendant will
elevate the top roller when required for the purpose of lifting the fabric in
order to get at the shuttles or other parts beneath the cloth plate. The lower
roller is driven by a spur pinion fast on the end of a short shaft at one side of
the machine, which shaft carries loose upon it a ratchet wheel from which it
receives its motion through the intervention of an enlarged and elongated
boss, also fast on the shaft, provided with two feathers which work into
grooves suitably arranged in a boss projecting from one side of the wheel;
this shaft is free to move longitudinally through the ratchet wheel in order to
follow the lateral motion of the frame, herein-before referred to; an inter-
mittant motion is imparted to the said ratchet wheel by a multiple catch or
series of palls which divide the teeth, and consequently enable the ratchet
wheel to be rotated if desired through a space equal to the fractional part of
a.tooth. The object of the enlargement of the boss is to reduce the backlash
and consequent loss of motion which might arise in the action of the multiple
catch on the ratchet wheel which imparts the forward feed movement to the
feed rollers; the multiple catch receives a reciprocating motion from a çam

page_text: on the end of the driving shaft, and the extent of each forward movement of
the catch is regulated by a wedge which is made to protrude more or less as
required through a slot in the reciprocating bar which carries the several
palls or catches. The action of this wedge controlls the back stroke of the
clutch, and consequently the number of teeth taken in the ratchet wheel
according to the amount of forward feed to be given to the fabric for the next
stitch. The motion of the forward feed regulating wedge above described is
governed in accordance with the pattern by a special pattern cam shapes to.
produce the required' design, which cam is mounted on a cam shaft beneath
the table of the machine; this cam actuates a slide which carries a rigid arm,
to the upper end of which the wedge is attached; and in order that the.
position of the wedge may be properly adjusted I prefer to make it slotted.at
the part where the connecting bolts pass through. The lateral movement or.
feed of the fabric is derived from a separate pattern cam connected by a rod
and lever with the lateral traversing fram; this cam is also cut to suit thie
particular patterns to be produced, and may be mounted either on a shaft of
its own, or which I prefer on the same shaft as the other pattern.cam, both
cams being in the case rotated together by the aid of bevel. or other gearing
driven from a ratchet wheel, the pall of which is worked by a cam on the end
of: the driving shaft. As fast as the material is stitched it is wound upon a
take up" roller or cloth beam driven by a hand and pulleys from the short
shaft which imparts the forward feed motion to the feed rollers. Provision is.
made for lifting this cloth beam or roller out of the way and depositing it in
overhead supports in order to afford access to the shuttles, the top feed roller,
being previously lifted, as herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Muir in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MUIR, of the City of Montreal, in the Dominion of Canada,at present residing
at 63, Pentonville Road, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself,, Her heir and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: me, the said William Muir, Her special license, that I, the said William
Muir, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Muir, my executors, administrators, or 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 MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR STITCHING OR ORNAMENTING AND UNITING FABRICS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Muir, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 calender mouths next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Muir, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists of a peculiar combination and arrangement of
mechanism herein-after described constituting an improved multiple sewing
machine, whereby any desired number of rows of stitches forming any required
pattern or design may be produced simultaneously by the aid of suitable
pattern cams or surfaces working in conjunction with the stitching mechanism.
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 (Sheet 1) represents a front elevation of my improved machine;
Figure II. represents a corresponding side elevation of the same; Figure [II.
(Sheet 2) represents an enlarged longitudinal section through machine;
Figure 4 represents a plan of a portion of the shuttle carriage; Figure 5
represents cross section of the same; and Figure 6 represents a view of the
needle and shuttle cams.
a is a frame, which may be constructed of iron or other suitable material,
and of a size commensurate with the machine to be built, its object is to hold
or retain the various parts in place, and may be varied in form to suit cir-
cumstances; is the driving shaft and pulley for giving motion to the
machine; c, c, are cams placed on the driving shaft at each end, but on the

page_text: inside of the frame; these cams are for the purpose of giving motions to
the shuttle carriage and needle bar, and are so formed or shaped as to give
the required time motion to make the stitch; d is a cam also placed on the
outer end of the shaft and rotated by it; the object of this cam is to give
motion to the pattern discs d¹ by means of the rod d² communicating motion
to the ratchet wheel d³ attached to the shaft d by suitable bevelled wheels №5;
e is a second cam placed between the cam d and the frame a on the shaft b,.
and rotated by it; the object of this cam is to communicate motion to the
ratchet wheel e¹ by means of.a slotted rod e2, which is connected to the back of
a multiple catch e³. The ratchet wheel e¹ is placed on the end of a shaft e
communicating motion to the said shaft by means of an enlarged and elongated
boss e; this boss is provided with feathers which work into grooves suitably
arranged in the boss of the wheel e¹. The object of the enlargement of the
boss e is to prevent lost motion or back lash in the action of the multiple
catch e3 working on the wheel e¹. It is also elongated and attached to the
nioveable frame f, by which arrangement a lateral motion is provided for the
boss of the ratchet wheel e¹, thus allowing the shaft e to have a combined
rotatory and longitudinal movement. At the inner end of the shaft e4 there is
placed a small pinion e for the purpose of giving motion to the. feed
rollers e, e, with cloth passing between; es is a brake placed on the ratchet
wheel e¹ to prevent the rapid motion of the cam e sending the ratchet wheel e¹
further forward than intended; e is a skeleton ring with a handle and catch
placed on the inside and over the boss of the ratchet wheel e¹ as a haud feed.
Returning to the cams c, c, on the main shaft b, these cams may be cast in
one piece or separately as required. The inner cam of the two which moves
the shuttle carriage does not differ in shape from one already in use for
moving a single shuttle. The outside one however is of such peculiar shape
as to give the stroke of the needle bar at the proper time and return the same
rapidly. The peculiar shape of this cam will be seen in Figure 6. f is a
frame moving laterally on the rollers f¹, which rest in grooves on suitable
brackets attached to the main frame a; this frame f consists of two
main pieces extending across the machine, and connected together by two
braces f3, 3, and carries the whole of the material required to be sewed, also
its tension rollers f4, feed rollers e7, e', wood frame for supporting the
material f5. The lateral motion is communicated to this frame by the move-
ment of the inner pattern disc g driven by the shaft d+, previously mentioned.
The disc g moves the sliding bar g¹, which in turn moves the slotted lever g²
suspended from the shuttle frame. From g³ motion is communicated by the
rod g³ attached to the brace f³ on the lower side of the inner frame f. The

page_text: outer pattern disc d in its revolution gives motion to the wedge by means
of the sliding rod /, kept in position by a weight, spring, or other analagous
contrivancé. On this sliding rod is a fixed arm 2, to the upper end of which
is attached the slotted wedge h, by which means the wedge may be adjusted.
as required. The outer point of this wedge enters a slot prepared for it on
the slotted rod e², to which is attached the multiple catch e³. The object of this.
wedge is to regulate the length of the forward stitch by its movement; thus
when the wedge is in.the slot at its smallest point it permits the slotted rod e
to touch the cam e at its smallest diameter, thus making the longest stitch.
The reverse of this operation by pushing the wedge outward' will give the
shortest stitch. Any medium variation of the wedge will vary the length of the.
stitch. The wedge is regulated in its passage through the aperture in the
frame a by adjustable guides; h³ is a brace supporting the sliding rod at its
one end; while the other end of the sliding rod-passes through an aperture in
frame a; g is a supporting brace for the sliding rod g' with its outer end
working in the frame a; both of these sliding rods are provided with friction
rollers at their ends where bearing against the revolving discs. Returning
again to the inner cams c, c, these cams communicate motion to each end of.
the shuttle carriage i, which travels back and forth on suitable carrying
rollers,, running on fixed plates 2, 2, ou each side, and attached to the
frame a by suitable brackets. This motion is communicated from the cam c
to the shuttle carriage by a small friction roller at each end working in a
groove of the cam. The carriage itself consists of two end frames 23, ³, con-.
nected together transversely by angle irons 14, 4, on each side of the carriage,
and stiffened in the centre by an iron plate. On the top face of the angle irons
are screwed brass supports,, for the support of the shuttles; % is the
shuttle frame, composed of two castings, A, extending nearly across the
machine, and attached to the framework a by suitable brackets. At the
required distances in this shuttle frame are placed division plates 2, k³, for,
separating the shuttles, having on them small springs 3, 3, for the purpose of
holding the shuttles against one face of the division plates prior to the shuttle
entering the loop. In or about the centre of the left-hand face of these
division plates are cutigrooves A, let, perpendicularly for the needles to pass in
their.downward movement clear of the shuttle. Slots 5 are also cut through
the grooves in the division plates to admit of the slack of the thread passing.
outwards and remaining in position until the shuttle passing through the loop
-on-the opposite side of tho needle draws up this slack. On the top side of the
shuttle-frame--are placed cover plates, of any suitable number; the
back half are screwed fast to the shuttle frame, the front half are dropped

page_text: over stud pins 7, 7. The cover plates protect the shuttles and form part of
the table over which the cloth moves. The shuttles 8, 8, are of the ordinary
form. The needle bar is a flanged plate of metal extending across the
machine, and held in position at the ends by guides 1, 1, attached to the
frame a; an additional guide is also provided in the centre of the bar and
attached to the tension frame. A vertical movement is communicated to the
needle bar by antifriction rollers 12, 12, at each end. These rollers are con
nected to the needle bar by suitable connecting rods 13, 13. The rollers work
in grooves on the outside of the cams c, c. The needles m, m, are made
expressly for this machine, being provided with a longer and stronger shank,
and are attached to the needle bar in the usual manner by set screws and
clamps. The presser foot may be of the ordinary construction, but I prefer to
make it after the manner of a pair of spring jaws, as shown at m¹ (Figure 3).
The lower jaw is a stationary bar extending across the machine and attached
to the moveable frame f. The upper jaw consists of an angle iron bar also
extending across the machine, so as to rest upon the lower jaw. It is attached
at each end to a blade spring m³, the pressure of which is regulated by the
adjusting screw m3. Behind the needle bar and extending between the main
frames a, a, is the tension frame n for the purpose of supporting the whole of
the friction tension arrangement on the threads in their passage from the spools
to the needles. The frame in question is bolted to the main frame and
supported on a bracket at each end; at each end of this frame is raised a
small friction bearing '; extending between these bearings is a shaft n². The
caps for these bearings are attached by screw bolts, one of which in each
bearing has a spring between the head and the cap; by this arrangement the
required amount of frictional pressure can be applied to the shaft. From this
shaft n² are four lifting rods n³, n³, for the purpose of supporting the lifting
bar n' through which pass the threads from the spools 5 to the needles. The
course of the threads from the spools to the needles is shewn by a red line in
Figure III. The required motion is given to the lifting bar by small
brackets no, no, attached to the needle bar on its upper side, and so arranged
as to give the power of regulating the lift. The spool rack o is supported on
small brackets attached to the tension frame, and supplied with pins on its
upper side for the reception of the required number of bobbins. Between
the spool rack attached to the top side of the tension bar and the friction
shaft, but below it, are placed friction loop wires 7, 17, one for each thread;
P is a feed roller, but lifted out of its working position, for the purpose of
enabling the operator to change the shuttles and to obtain access to the shuttle
frame and carriage. It is moved out of position by chains p¹, 2, passing over

page_text: suitable pulleys. One end of the chain is attached to a hand lever near the
floor beside the machine; q is a take-up roller for the cloth when finished
driven by a cord passing over a grooved pulley q¹ attached to the end of the
elongated boss e, and over friction or carrying rollers q²; the driving cord
for this purpose is shewn by a red line.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is.-
First. The general combination and arrangement of machinery or apparatus
for stitching or ornamenting fabrics, as herein-before described and illustrated
by the Drawings annexed.
Second. The peculiar construction and mode of operating the shuttle
carriage of multiple needle sewing machines, as herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Third. The combination of a shuttle carriage mounted upon wheels or
rollers with the peculiar stationary shuttle frame provided with removeable
plates or covers and partitions for separating or dividing the several shuttles
from each other, the whole being arranged and operating in the manner
herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Fourth. The peculiar combination, arrangement, and mode of operating
the mechanism for imparting a forward and lateral feed or movement to the
fabric, as herein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Fifth. The obtainment of a variable forward and lateral feed motion of
the fabric by the use of pattern discs or cams, substantially as herein-before
described.
Sixth. The use of the adjustable wedge h and slotted rod e2 for regulating
the feed-motion, as herein-before described.
Seventh. The combination with a multiple needle sewing machine of a
series of shelves and guides for supporting in a folded condition the materia]
to be stitched, and directing it through the machine in the order of arrange-
ment required in lieu of winding the same ou rollers or beams, substantially
as berein-before described and illustrated by the Drawings aunexed.
Eighth. The use of the self-acting "take-up" roller or work bean driven
froin the feed rollers for the purpose of winding up the stitched fabric as fast
as it passes through-the-sewing machine, as herein-before described and
illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
Ninth. The peculiar arrangement of stationary
"bobbin frame" carrying

page_text: the thread tension and "take-up" apparatus, as herein-before described
and illustrated by the Drawings annexed.
Teuth. The system or mode of lifting or elevating the upper feed roller,
and the means for effecting the same with a view to afford better access to
parts of the machine, as herein-before described and illustrated by the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Muir, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
WILLIAM MUIR. (L.S.)