Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 29th Mar.; 1890
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
A communication from JULIUS Wilhelm von PitTLER, of Gohlis-Leipzig, in the
Empire of Germany, Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :―
This machine the construction of which is illustrated in figs. 1 to 30 of the
accompanying drawings mainly differs from well known types of sewing machines in
the peculiar construction of the combined bobbin carrier and loop taker and the
novel arrangement of such carrier in combination with a new device adapted to
impart to it a rocking or a rotary motion. In all other respects the construction of
this machine is similar to that of the ordinary double lock-stitch sewing machine.
One advantage derived from the employment of this machine is that more time is
gained for moving the embroidery frame than in any of the machines hitherto
known; while on the other hand both in embroidering and in ordinary sewing with
this machine the upper.thread is much less liable to wear by friction than in
other systems and consequently does not break so frequently; in addition to which
the loop taker can be so arranged in this machine that at each stroke of the needle
or in other words at each stitch-no matter what the direction of motion of the cloth may
be a knot-shaped loop is formed which knot is completed with two stitches. This
enables the thread ends occurring both in embroidering and in ordinary sewing to be
cut off close to the knot without endangering, unstitching or unravelling of the work.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 represent the whole of the machine which in fig. 1 for convenience
is shown broken away and figs. 3 to 30 show detached parts of the same on an
enlarged scale.
The carrier g which forms the main novel feature of this invention is provided with
a bent hook or loop taker h. Upon the said carrier y under the bobbin case k a small
bobbin vis located and the case is held in position upon the carrier 9 i.e. between
the edges of the same, by a hinged lever o capable of being locked in front of
the bobbin case by means of a spring m as shown in figs. 3 and 4. To enable the
case to be carried loosely in carrier g the lever o may be so adjusted by the screw &
as to leave a short distance between it and the case.
Within the bobbin case k at its centre a cylindrical projection is provided as shown
in fig. 12 which is a section of Fig. 11 on the line A B; on this projection and
capable of revolving thereon is a slit tube i. It is furnished at one end with springs »
and held in position by means of a screw u. The bobbin is placed upon this
slit tube i and owing to the tendency of the latter to expand laterally firmly adheres
to the same.
Thus the bobbin turns on the central projection of the case & together
with the tube i. By tightening the screw u the springs r of the tube i may be forced
against the inner surface of the case k and thereby retard the rotary motion of the
said tube i so as to exert on the thread wound upon bobbin v the desired degree of
tension.
k
The manner in which the stitch is formed both for embroidery and ordinary
sewing, is clearly illustrated by figs. 3 to 12 which show various views and positions
of the carrier g with its bobbin and case k. In figs. 3 and 4 the needle n is
supposed to have descended below the plate p behind the carrier g and to be about to
move up again so that the upper thread is seen in the act of forming a loop which
is caught by the loop taker h of carrier g. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show the carrier g at the
moment when having performed part of revolution in the direction of the arrow it.

page_text: As it continues its
the carrier
which
while
has carried away with it the loop caught in by loop taker h.
circular movement one part of the loop, is engaged by part 1 of
part is slightly bent in the direction of needle n as shown in fig. 5 and by this means
the said portion of the loop is made to pass between the bobbin and carrier g
the remaining part of the loop slips across the outer surface of the case in the
manner indicated in figs. 8 and 9 the upper thread (passed through the needle)
being for this purpose only made to advance as far as is required by the dimensions
of the case k. The moment the carrier assumes the position shown in figs. 10 and 11
the loop of the upper thread slips off the case leaving at the same time the loop
taker and is withdrawn by the take-up (fig. 2) whereupon the under thread from
the bobbin and the upper thread form half a knot.
Figs. 13 to 16 and 25 to 30 show four modifications of the combined loop taker
and carrier which, however, do not materially differ from the construction of the
carrier herein before described.
In figs. 13 and 14 the carrier g is so arranged that the loop taker catches the
loop of the upper thread behind the needle n instead of in front of the said needle
as in the first arrangement. And for this purpose the point of the loop taker is
extended sufficiently far for the needle which moves within the said loop taker h to be
able to rise again without being caught by it.
In figs. 15 and 16 the needle a moves in front of hobbin v instead of behind it and
cup k is here replaced by a thread guide ¹. The hook of catcher 9 catches the loop
of the upper thread across needle n and no knot is formed.
In the modifications illustrated by figs. 25 to 30 needle n also moves in front of
bobbin and the loop taker / seizes the loop of the upper thread across the bobbin v
で
and in front of the needle n.
The arrangement shown in Figs. 27 and 29 only differs from those described above
in this particular that the carrier g in addition to the loop taker h also carries a
tongue parallel to it which is adapted to keep off the bobbin thread so as to prevent
it from being seized by the loop taker.
31
Figs. 28 and 30 on the other hand represent an arrangement differing from
those previously described in the peculiar manner of fitting the bobbin v in carrier
it being so situated as to project from, instead of lying deeply imbedded in,
the said carrier; and being retained in position not by the edges which project from
the circumference of the carriers as before described (and which are here dispensed
with) but by means of a cover firmly retained in the centre of the carrier and
enclosing the bobbin v. This bobbin need not necessarily be situated in the centre
of the carrier as shown but may, if preferred, be carried therein eccentrically.
By the combined loop taker and carrier arrangements herein described the loop of
the upper thread is formed and withdrawn from the loop taker in less time than is
taken up by these operations in the machines hitherto known so that not only more
time may be devoted to moving the embroidery frame but the loop is also enabled to
leave the bobbin carrier without its being subjected to any appreciable friction in the
carrier or loop taker.
Besides the employment of a carrier and loop taker of this description permits the
formation of the smallest possible loops with the shortest possible thread ends; inas-
much as the thread which forms the loop does not during this operation, rest upon the
carrier as is the case where carriers or loop takers of ordinary construction are used
but directly passes over the bobbin v or case k. In consequence of the facility with
which the shortest lengths of thread are enabled to form loops the upper thread is not
moved through the eye of the needle as much as in ordinary machines and therefore is
less subject to wear and tear.
The before described arrangement is moreover very valuable for stitching oblong or
tongue shaped figures (languettes) such as will afterwards be formed into button holes
for one stitch will be made inside and two stitches outside the button hole (languette)
each set of threads forming half a knot inside and a complete knot outside which
enables the seam or button hole to be cut in any part without risk of the stitches
coming undone.

page_text: In figs. 17 and 18 is shown a contrivance the object of which is to cause the
needle after each forward movement of the stuff to pass two or more times through the
same hole and the loop taker and carrier to form two or more loops with the assistance
of the bobbin thread which loops are tied together into one or more knots and thus
eventually form a practically indestructible stitcb. This contrivance exemplified by
figs. 17 and 18, mainly consists of the wheels e and the diameters of which bear to
each other the relation of 2 to 1. Of these the wheel is mounted on the carrier
shaft while the wheel e is fitted upon the shaft y by each revolution of which
the cloth feeding device is set in operation so that it causes the cloth to move one
step.
Through the medium of the wheels e and the rotary motion of the carrier shaft b
is transmitted to the shaft y in such a manner that the shaft 6 performs two revolutions
while the shaft y only completes one. And as the number of revolutions of the shaft a
figs. 3 and 4 actuating the needle bar is the same as the number of revolutions of the
shaft the needle makes two stitches at each movement of the stuff so that two loops
are in each instance formed with the assistance of the bobbin thread; which loops,
being closed one after the other eventually form a complete knot.
In figs. 19 to 24 is shown a peculiar mechanism whereby the carrier g described
above receives an irregular rotary motion or an irregular rocking motion while at the
same time it enables the loops to be more readily taken off.
Fig. 19 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a machine provided with this
mechanism, figs. 20 and 21 are cross sections thereof on the line CD of fig. 19 and
figs. 22, 23 and 24 are diagrams illustrating the nature of the motion imparted by the
mechanism in question to the carrier and loop taker.
In figs. 19 and 20 the connecting rod n³ is seen in its lowermost and in fig. 21 in
its uppermost position.
This mechanism for operating the carrier and loop taker consists of a crank-pin
fixed to wheel a connecting rod n³ pivotted on such pin l, a guide i, a link o³, and
a crank o firmly connected to the bobbin carrier shaft b..
The guide receives the rod n³ between the cheeks
upright by the pin so that it may accommodate itself to
the rod n performs in various directions.
and is pivotted to the
the movements which
One end of the link o' is pivotted to the lower end of the rod by means of the
pin a while its other end is similarly pivotted to the crank o by the pin n².
Motion is transmitted to the mechanism from the wheel at a uniform rate of
speed. As shown in figs. 19 to 21, the said wheel 12 in revolving imparts by means
of pin a longitudinal motion to the rod n³ which in turn operates the link o' and
cranko by means of pins n' and n³, and crank o communicates its motion to the
carrier g to which it is connected by the shaft b.
Figs. 22 to 24 show three different arrangements of this mechanism, the circle s¹
indicating the path travelled over by the crank pin on wheel . Each of the lines n³
indicates one of the positions assumed in succession by the rod n³ and k² indicates the
position of the pivot of the guide i¹. The egg-shaped line indicates the path
followed by the pin n'. Each of the dotted lines connecting various points in the
paths with corresponding points in the path indicates one of the positions succes-
sively assumed by the link o¹; while each of the radial lines within the circle
indicates one of the various positions of the crank o and the circle indicates the path
of the pin n.
Upon the line s¹ indicating the path of pin are marked twelve positions of the
latter at equal intervals apart and numbered from 1 to 12 and the corresponding
positions of the pins n' and n³ respectively are indicated by like numbers in
paths s² and s³
The only difference between these three arrangements lies in the positions occupied
in each instance by the pin 2, the position of pin k as shown in figs. 22 and 23
being such as to ensure a rotary motion of the crank o while when the pin
position represented in fig. 24 the crank o receives an oscillating motion.
is in the

page_text: In order to utilize such oscillating and rotary motion for the operation of
the loop taker it is only necessary to connect the latter with crank o in a suitable
manner.
Figs. 22 to 24 enable both the paths and the velocity of motion of the pins l¹ n³
and at each revolution of the wheel 1 to be readily ascertained. Owing to the
arrangement of the pin n¹ being such that when it corresponds to two exactly opposite
positions of the rod n³ the distances between it and the axis of the shaft bare different
in each case and also owing to the action of the guide ³ motion is transmitted from
the said rod n. to link of and crank o with unequal speed; and by altering the
position of the guide pivot k² or varying the distance between pin n¹ and the
axis of shaft b both the speed of the crank o and the order in which it performs
its various movements in traversing its path at each revolution may be regulated
at will.
While pin n' on its path 82 travels from position 8 to position 9 fig. 22, or from
7 to 9 fig. 23, crank o moves a little way back and the position of shuttle
carrier in relation to the said crank o is such that the short backward motion
of this crank takes place precisely at the moment when the loop leaves the loop
taker h.
The result obtained by the short backward motion of the bobbin carrier 9 is
two-fold, in the first place it enables the loop to leave the hook much easier and
in much less time and secondly the distance which the carrier has to travel from
the point at which the loop leaves the loop taker h to that at which this loop taker
catches a fresh loop is increased, so that more time is available for moving along
the cloth.
The arrangement shown in figs. 3 and 4 in which the bobbin is movably attached
to the carrier may be replaced by the arrangement represented in figs. 25 and 26
whereby in addition to a similar attachment of the said bobbin the desired tension of
the bobbin thread is ensured.
This device consists of a part ¹ fixed to the body of the sewing machine and
provided with the spring c¹ and screw u¹. The free end of the spring c¹ bears against
the centre of the bobbin while the screw a passing through part presses against.
the flat side of spring c¹.
By tightening or loosening the screw within the spring c¹ is caused to exert
more or less pressure upon the bobbin v, and thereby more or less friction is opposed
to the motion of this bobbin within the carrier g.
Thus by means of the spring e¹ the bobbin v is firmly held though capable of revolving
within the carrier g; and besides the said spring enables the required degree of
tension to be applied to the bobbin thread a greater or less amount of friction check-
ing the rotation of bobbin within carrier g in the manner last described while the
thread is being wound off.
For the purpose of thus keeping the bobbin in position within the carrier g
and of obtaining the desired degree of tension for the thread wound on such
bobbin an electro-magnetic device may be employed, an electro-magnet being
used on the catcher shaft and the bobbin being made of brass and provided with
a magnetic iron core.
In conclusion I would mention that darning and crochet work may if required
also be done with a double-lock stitch sewing machine provided with a carrier
and loop laker arranged as herein before described. For crochet work the designs it
is desired to reproduce should be stitched on paper which is to be removed when the
work is completed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
1. In a lock stitch sewing machine such as described the employment of a rotary
carrier such as 9 with an inwardly turned loop taker' such as whereby the

page_text: loop of the upper thread is seized, extended and immediately passed on to the
lower or bobbin thread substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a lock stitch sewing machine the arrangement whereby the needle after
each step or movement of the cloth or stuff operated upon, enters the same hole
two or more times in succession, so that the loop taker also passes two or more loops
round the bobbin thread or in other words two or more consecutive knots are tied for
the purpose of preventing the same from coming undone substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a lock stitch sewing machine the shuttle carrier and loop taker operating
mechanism consisting of a rod such as n³ moving in a guide such as and
deriving its motion by means of a crank eccentric or equivalent from the same shaft
that operates the needle or upper parts performing the stitching proper and a link such
as o and crank o mounted on the shaft 6 which operates the carrier and loop taker such
link and crank being suitably connected with the connecting lever rod n³ for the
purpose of imparting to the carrier an irregular rotary motion substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a lock stitch sewing machine the shuttle carrier and loop taker operating
mechanism consisting of a rod such as n³ moving in a guide such as k² and deriving
its motion by means of a crank eccentric or equivalent from the same shaft that
operates the needle or upper parts performing the stitching proper and a link such
as. o and crank o mounted on the shaft b which operates the shuttle carrier
and loop taker such link and crank being suitably connected with the connecting
lever rod n for the purpose of imparting to the carrier an irregular oscillating
or rocking motion substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 17th day of December 1889.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.