Improvements in Over-edge Stitching Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 23rd July, 1898
Improvements in Over-edge Stitching Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to sewing machines adapted to bind the edges of knit or
other fabrics to prevent them froin ravelling or fringing, and the objects thereof
are to provide a machine which is simple in construction and operation and which.
therefore may be run at a very high speed up to 3500 revolutions per minute.
My invention cousists firstly of novel stitch-forming mechanism, comprising a
stitch-needle-arm oscillating in two directions a stitching needle thereon for the
upper thread, a thread carrying looper and a loop-spreader, all operated by suitable
mechanism from the main shaft to form a lock-stitch with two threads over an
edge of the fabric, secondly of feeding devices in connection with the said stitch-
forming mechanism and thirdly of tension devices for the two threads also in
connection with the stitch forming mechanism; and my invention further consists
of the improvements hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the
claims.
A machine embodying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings
forming part of this Specification, in which:
Fig. 1 is a top view of my improved sewing machine, showing the needle armi,
presser foot, cloth plate, etc., and also a trimmer..
Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved sewing machine having the cloth plate,
throat plate and presser-foot removed, to better illustrate the improved devices.
Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation of the machine.
Fig. 4 in an end view of the same.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are transverse sections on the lines 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7
respectively of Fig. 2.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show in perspective views the various relative positions of
stitch-need thread carrying looper and loop spreader.
Fig. 11 is a top view, and
Fig. 12 an elevation of an improved tension device.
Referring now to the drawings for a further description of my invention. A is
the base of the machine having bearings a for journalling the main shaft B with
its driving pulley b and various eccentrics for operating the stitch forming
mechanism, feed, triminer and take up, as will be more fully described.

page_text: The stitch forming mechanism comprises the stitching needle c, the thread
carrying looper d and the loop spreader e, whose operation will be described in
connection with Figs. 6 to 10 after the mechanism has been explained with
reference to Figs. 1 to 7.
The needle c mounted on the arm c¹ receives two motions first an up and down
or oscillating motion with respect to the pivotal end c² of the arm c¹, and a back
and forward motion to aid the feeding of the fabric to be sewed, so that an uniform
and even overseamed edge is produced.
The arm c¹ is trunnioned at c² to a plate c³ which is pivoted at ct on the base A of
the machine, and the plate c³ together with the trunnion c² receives oscillatory
motion from the main shaft B, by the eccentric and eccentric rod c Fig. 7; and
the latter is adjustably held to the plate c³, so that the throw of the free edge of
the plate i.e. the trunnion c², may be increased or decreased.
The needle c on the arm c¹ receives its up and down or rather swinging move-
ment about the trunnion c² from the eccentric c' of the main shaft B and eccentric
rod c, which is connected at c to the arm c¹ as will be readily seen from the
drawings especially Figs. 2 and 5.
The feed is moved in synchronism with the fore and backward movement of
the needle c and the bar f¹ thereof is secured to the eccentric-strap 2 (Fig. 5),
which is hinged at f³ to the plate c³, while the up and down motion of the feed is
attained by the eccentric f4 on the main shaft B and strap f
The thread carrying looper d is journalled at d¹ on a rock shaft d2, which latter
receives its motion from the eccentric d³ and its strap d Figs. 2 and 6; the rock
shaft being journalled in the standards a¹ and a² of the machine-bed. The
oscillatory movement of the thread arm d is derived from an eccentric ds. on the
main shaft B and strap de hinged to the standard a³ of the bed A, which strap d
has its free end pivotally attached to the link d, connected at 18 to the arm d
(Fig. 3). The latter not only turns about its pivot d, but its free end d is so
operated by means of the rock shaft as to lay or hold the lower thread in certain
positions, as will be more fully described.
The loop spreader e before mentioned, like the looper d is journalled at e¹ on a
rock shift e held in bearings e³ and at, and the shaft e2 is operated from the main
shaft B by an eccentric e" and strap et, while the oscillatory movement of the loop
spreader e about its pivot el is effected, from the main shaft B, by the eccentric es
and strap e, the latter being hinged to the post as of the machine bed A, and
having its free end pivotally connected to the link e7 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which
connects with the loop spreader e at es so that the free and crotched end of the
latter is moved in two directions, i.e. in one direction by the rock shaft e² and in
the other around the pivot e', to properly engage the lower threadand to push the
looper d on one side for a purpose to be explained.
The cloth plate i is provided with the usual throat plate i¹ provided with slots
for the feed f and the usual tongue 2 (Figs. 8, 9, & 10) which is necessary for the
formation of the stitches, as will be more fully described.
The presser foot p is of usual construction with the tongue p¹ and is held on an
arm p² secured to a rod p³, to which one end of the spiral spring p4 is secured,
the other end being in contact with the cloth-plate i and so as to force the presser
foot on to or towards the throat plate and feed f, g, g¹, g², g3, g and g5 are thread
eyes to direct the upper thread and lower thread to the various devices.
G, is a rotary take-up, for the thread, of usual construction secured to the main
shaft B, and operated to take up the slack of the thread in forming the stitches.
H, H are tension devices Figs. 2, 4, 7, 11 and 12 of my preferred form or
construction which comprises a spindle h with forked arms h² carrying a ring 2;
on top of this ring he is mounted a disc h³, which is pressed on to the ring by means
of the spring ht, adjustable by the thumb nut 5. The object of providing the
ring h² below the disc h³, instead of using two discs as heretofore employed, is to
perinit the fuzzles of the thread which abrade by passing between the ring h² and
disc h³ to fall away and so as not to affect the proper tension, which latter was

page_text: generally disturbed by the accumulation of such fuzzles between the two discs as
before used.
K is a trimming device for trimming the edge of the fabric before it is sewed in
by the over seam stitches produced by the machine.
Although I lay no claim to the trimmer I think it desirable to briefly state the
construction and operation shown thereof, and remark that any other suitable device
may be employed.
This trimmer comprises the bracket secured to the cloth plate, an adjustable
blade k secured by means of a screw to said bracket k and a movable blade k².
The latter is adjustably secured to an arm 3 fastened to the rock shaft k, so that
as the latter rocks to and fro the blade 2 is operated to act with the stationary
blade, as a pair of scissors. The rock-shaft is journalled in the studs k³ of
the cloth plate i and operated through its arm k from the main shaft B by means
of eccentric k and eccentric strap hinged at one end to the studs aⓇ of the
base A; a spring / is employed to keep the plate k² at all times in contact with the
blade, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.
The operation of the stitch forming mechanism i.e. the needle c, thread carrying
looper & and loop spreader e to form the overseam stitches with the two threads u
and as illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10 is as follows. The upper thread u is led from
a spool to the thread eye g then to the tension device H¹, eye g¹, aperture c¹ of the
pivot c' in the arın c¹, which here serves as a take-up and to the eye g³ and stitching
needle (Fig. 1). The lower thread is led from a spool to the eye g*, tension
device H, take-up G, eye o³ to the thread carrying looper d (Fig. 2).
In Fig. 8, the needle c is in its upper position, and the thread thereof held
at one end to the edge of the fabric is held over the thread carrying looper d
and passes underneath the tongue 22 to the needle c, while the lower thread /
is held by the edge of the fabric and around such thread u and is led to the
eye in the fore end of the looper d, the loop spreader e being in position
that in moving the same in the direction of the arrow x will engage the thread
and push it over the edge of the fabric and the outside edges of the tongue i²
of the throat plate ¹, and the edge of tongue p' of the presser foot p and beliind
the needle c as shown in Fig. 9, so that when the parts have moved in position
as shown in Fig. 9 the needle c is ready to secure the lower thread on the top
of the fabric.
As the needle c is moving downward the looper and loop spreader e move
in the direction indicated by the arrows a¹ and 2, and come in positions as
shown in Fig. 10. The needle c as shown in this figure, is on its upward move
and forms a loop u' of the upper thread u, and when the looper d moves in the
direction of the arrow ³, while the needle moves upward and the loop spreader
in the direction of the arrow x4, the looper d passes into this loop u and holds
the thread u below the tongue 2 of the throat-plate ', when again the looper d
and loop spreader e are brought into position as shown in Fig. 8. The stitch
formed in this manner is fully shown in the Figs. 8 to 10 and as it is well known
need not be further described herein.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art to which my invention
appertains that modifications may be made in the detail construction of the
machine without departing from the spirit of the invention, and;
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an over seam sewing machine, having a reciprocating thread carrying
stitching needle and its complimental actuating and feed mechanism, the
combination with a thread carrying looper and loop spreader, of mechanism
substantially as set forth for reciprocating said looper from the back of the
needle and at an inclination to the travel of the work, and for reciprocating said
loop spreader from the front of the needle in an inclined path, that intersect

page_text: the path of the said looper, whereby said looper and loop spreader are caused
to pass each other in close proximity substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. In an over seam sewing machine, having a reciprocating thread carrying
stitching needle, its complimental actuating and feed mechanism and tongued
presser foot and throat plate, the combination with a thread carrying looper and
loop spreader having a crotched free end, of mechanism substantially as set
forth for reciprocating said looper from the back of the needle and at an inclination
to the travel of the work, and for reciprocating said loop spreader from the front
of the needle in a path that intersects the path of the said looper, whereby said
looper and loop spreader are caused to pass each other in close proximity, so
that the free and crotched end of the loop spreader engages the thread of the
loops carried by the looper and carries the same over the top of the presser
foot, where it will be secured by the needle, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
3. In a sewing machine, in combination with a suitable feeding device, a
reciprocating thread carrying stitching needle moving in the direction of and
with the feed, a throat plate and a presser foot, a tongue on each of said throat
plate and presser foot, of a thread carrying looper, means for moving the said
looper on one side of the stitching needle only, said looper adapted to enter
and hold a loop formed by the stitching needle below the tongue of the throat
plate, a loop-spreader arranged independently of the said looper, means for
moving the said loop-spreader in front of the stitching needle, said loop-spreader
adapted to engage the thread from the thread carrying looper and bring it over
the tongue of the throat plate and presser foot, so as to be fastened by the
upper thread on top of the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
4. In a sewing machine, in combination with a main shaft, a suitable feeding
device, a reciprocating thread carrying stitching needle moving in the direction
of and with the feed, a throat plate and a presser foot each having a tongue,
of a lower rightangular thread carrying looper having its thread carrying
extremity moving in an arch and in back of the stitching needle; a rock shaft d²
to which said looper is hinged, a loop spreader arranged independently of the
thread carrying looper a rock shaft e² for said loop spreader, and means such
as eccentrics e³ ³ on the main shaft and eccentrics es d³, straps e do and
links ed for oscillating the thread carrying looper and loop spreader about
their pivotal connection with their respective rock shafts, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
5. In a sewing machine a tension device for the sewing thread comprising
a spindle carrying a ring h², a disc surrounding said spindle, and laying on
top of the ring, a spring and adjusting nut on the spindle for regulating the
tension of a thread placed between the ring and disc, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
This worn way of Apr 1990.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.