IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, SALES CARDETS AND FOR OTHer like PurPOSES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Webster, of San Francisco, in the County of
San Francisco, one of the United States of America, and now temporarily
residing at New Wortley, Leeds, in the County of York, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS,
SALES CARDETS AND FOR OTHer like PurPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Webster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1880.
WILLIAM WEBSTER, of San Francisco, in the County of San Francisco, one of
the United States of America, and now temporarily residing at New Wortley,
Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES. FOR
STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, SHIPS' SAILS, CARPETS, AND
PURPOSES.'
FOR OTHER LIKE
My Invention has reference to sewing machines of the kind described in the
Specification to Letters Patent granted to me A.D. 1875, No. 4140, and hereafter
referred to as "my former Specification."
"
My improvements consist in, 1st, an improved self-acting intermittent serrated
endless chain or spike feed motion, which is actuated from the driving shaft of the
machine by any suitable means, such as a crank or eccentric, link, lever, or pawl
and ratchet wheel, whereby motion is given to a nog wheel," the projections on
which take into corresponding notches in the said endless chain, and by means of
which a more certain and regular movement of the material to be operated upon
is effected. 2nd. An improved method of moving the needle carriage or discs, which.
movement I obtain from the said crank or eccentric by means of the said link and
lever, and a second pawl actuating a ratchet wheel upon a screw revolving in
suitable bearings; attached to the needle carriage or disc is a lever carrying a
nut or box which takes into the threads of the said screw, thus causing an inter-
mittent motion as desired. The above named screw is hollow, and the shaft which
gives motion to the "nog wheel" for the chain feed passes through and takes its
bearing therein. If desired the above named shaft and screw may be mounted in
separate bearings. 3rd. An improved method of actuating the curved needle

page_text: which moves in a groove or track in the carriage or disc, as described in my former
Specification. The needle has two or more driving notches on its inner surface,
and is actuated by two or more arms, dogs, or drivers, so mounted in a revolving
disc as to be capable of swinging upon a centre formed at the inner end of each
arm, dog, or driver, and of being brought to or from the said driving notches in
the needle, and engaging therewith or disengaging therefrom by the action of a
suitably formed fixed face cam.
The said arms, dogs, or drivers are each provided at their hooked or driving ends
with a stud and roller for taking into and being governed by the said fixed cam.
The form of the cam is such that the arms, dogs, or drivers are alternately drawn
out of contact with the driving notches of the needle as it is passed into and
through the material or article under operation and through the needle plate. Onc
or more of the arms, dogs, or drivers is or aro in contact with the needle at all
times, thus ensuring its continuous circular or revolving motion. .4th. Arranging
the fixed cam outside of the thread cylinder (instead of inside, as described in
my former Specification), so that lighter arms, dogs, or drivers may be used and
easier movement thereof by the cam obtained, thereby reducing wear and tear.
5th. Making the "take-up" cylindrical (instead of a conical or bevilled drum, as
described in my former Specification) and "telescopic" of two or more parts in
such wise-that-when-extended-to-its full length it shall be equal to the length
of "travel" of the needle carriage or disc. The relative surface speed of this take-
_up_cylinder and that of the needle I make such as to take up the slackness of the
thread in the operation of stitching. The thread-is-coiled-round-the-cylinder_and_
through the material-as-it-and-the-needle-revolve, and_slips_off_the outer end one
coil at a time as the needlo enters the material or article operated upon, and the
loop thus slipped off is subjected to a sufficient degree of tension for producing a
tight stitch by a suitably formed brush fixed at the end of and revolving with the
telescopic cylinder. The said brush I use in lieu of tho elastic band for the same
purpose, as described in my former Specification. As is obvious my present
improvements may be carried out in various forms without departure from the
essential characteristics of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
March 1881.
WILLIAM WEBSTER, of San Francisco, in the County of San Francisco, one of
the United States of America, and now temporarily residing at New Wortley,
Leeds, in the County of York, England. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
FOR STITCHING SACKS, BAGS, SHIPS' SAILS, CARPETS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE
PURPOSES."
This Invention has reference to sewing machines of the kind described in the
Specification to Letters Patent granted to me A.D. 1875, No. 4146, and hereafter
referred to as "the former Specification."
The present improvements consists in, 1st, an improved self-acting intermittent
serrated endless chain or spike feed motion, which is actuated from the driving
shaft of the machine by any suitable means, such as a crank or eccentric, link, lever
or pawl and ratchet wheel, whereby motion is given to a "nog-wheel," the
projections on which take into corresponding notches in the said endless chain, and
by means of which a more certain and regular movement of the material to be
operated upon is effected. 2nd. An improved method of moving the needle carriage
or disc, which movement is obtained from the said crank or eccentric by means of
the said link and lever, and a second pawl actuating a ratchet wheel upon a screw
revolving in suitable bearings. Attached to the needle carriage or disc is a levor
carrying a nut or box, which takes into the threads of the said screw, thus causing
an intermittent motion as desired. The above named screw is hollow, and the
shaft which gives notion to the "nog-wheel" for the chain feed passes through and
takes its bearing therein. If desired, the above named shaft and screw may be
mounted in separate bearings. 3rd. An improved method of actuating the curved
needle which moves in a groove or track in the carriage or disc, as described in "the
former Specification." The needle has two or moro driving notches on its inner
surface, and is actuated by two or more arms, dogs, or drivers so mounted in a revolving
disc as to be capable of swinging on a centre formed at the inner end of each arm,
dog, or driver, and of being brought to or from the said driving notches in the
needle, and engaging therewith or disengaging therefrom by the action of a suitably
formed fixed face-cum. The said arms, dogs, or drivers, are each provided at their
hooked or driving ends with a stud and roller for taking into and being governed
by the said fixed face-cam. The form of the cam is such that the arms, dogs, or drivers
are alternately drawn out of contact with the driving notches of the needle as it
passes into and through the material or article under operation and through tho
needle plate. One or more of the arms, dogs, or drivers is or are in contact with
the needle at all times, thus ensuring its continuous or revolving motion.
4th. Arranging the fixed face-cam outside of the thread cylinder instead of
inside, as described in "the former Specification," so that lighter arms, dogs,
or drivers may be used, and easier movement thereof by the cam obtained,
thereby reducing wear and tear. 5th. Making the take-up cylindrical instead
of a conical or bevilled drum, as described in "the former Specification," and
telescopic, of two or more parts, in such wise that when extended to its full
length, it shall be equal to the length of travel of the needle carriage or disc. The
relative surface speeds of this take-up cylinder and that of the needle are made such
as to take up the slackness of the thread in the operation of stitching. The thread
is coiled around the cylinder and through the material as it and the needle revolve,
and is cast or slips off at the outer end of said cylinder one coil at a time, at or
about the time that the needle enters the material or article operated upon, and tho
loop thus cast or slipped off is subjected to a sufficient degree of tension for producing
a tight stitch by a suitably formed brush fixed at the end of and revolving with the

page_text: said telescopic cylinder. The said brush is used in lieu of the clastic band for the
same purpose, as described in "the former Specification." As is obvious, the present
improvements may be carried out in various forms, without departure from the
essential characteristics of the Invention. In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is an
elevation of the driving or left hand end; Figs. 3, 3ª, shew respectively a face view
and a sectional elevation of the fixed face-cam, which also forms part of the needle
disc, and has an inner groove or track in which the needle revolves; Figs. 4, 4º,
shew respectively an elevation and plan of the curved needle; Fig. 5 is a plan of the
machine partly in section; Fig 6 is an elevation of the right hand or delivery end of
the machine, showing the needle carriage or disc; Fig. 7 is a detached elevation of
the needle carriage or disc, and the fixed face-cam, and shews the driving mechanism
for actuating the needle. Fig. 8 is an edge view of the arms, dogs, or drivers
marked D3, D4, and D 5, in Fig. 7. A is the bed of the machine; B, B1, the
needle carriage or disc and the fixed face-cam, having a horizontal sliding movement
(lengthwise) upon the bed A and the shaft C. D is the driving pulley mounted
upon and fixed to the sleeve D1 which carries the driving disc D 2 (and which
may be formed of one piece with the sleeve), in which disc are mounted the arms,
dogs, or drivers D3, D4, and D 5, the hooked ends of which engage with the
notches or shoulders d. d, d, of the curved needle, and give to-it-a-continuous:..
rotary motion in the groove or track of the needle carriage or disc. Each of the
said-arms, dogs,-or-drivers, is furnished_at_its_hooked end with a pin and roller E, EL,
_and_E 2, see Fig. 8. These rollers take into and are guided by the fixed face-
cam B1, and by it are respectively in turn withdrawn-from-contact-with-their-
respective notches of the needle, previously to each notch passing through the
material operated upon, and by the said fixed face-cam are caused to re-engage
with the needle soon after it has passed through the said material, so that there is
imparted a positive and continuous rotary motion to the needle. F is the telescopic
cylindrical take-up, its extension being effected by the spiral spring F1. The
relative surface speed of this take-up to that of the needle is effected by the train
of gearing H, I, J, K. The wheel H is fixed or connected to the eccentric M, and
revolves with it and the driving pulley D, the two being connected by the finger or
pin N, and the wheel K is fixed to and drives the shaft C and the cylindrical
telescopic take-up F in the same direction as the needle, and at each revolution, as
the material advances quicker (longitudinally) than the needle carriage or disc,
causes a coil of the thread or twine to be slipped off the end of the take-up F one
loop at a time, which being acted on by the revolving brush O, and again taken up
by the end of the take-up cylinder, imparts a sufficient amount of tension for
producing the requisite tightness of the stitch. The eccentric M is for giving
motion to the feeding arrangement of the material, and also to advance the needle
carriage or disc, the former of which operation is effected by or through the link P,
lever Q, and pawl R acting on the ratchet wheel S on the shaft T, on the other end
of which is the bevil pinion U taking into and driving the wheel V, on the back of
which is the "nog-wheel" V 1, which gives motion to the endless serrated chain W
for moving the material along at each stitch. The motion for advancing the needle
carriage or disc is derived from the aforesaid eccentric M, link P, lever Q, by a
second pawl R1 actuating ratchet wheel S 1 on the screw T1, the nut X of which,
and the hand lever Y, are attached to the needle carriage or disc so as to move it
along. L is a "foot" pressing on the material being operated upon, so as to cause
the serrated chain to have sufficient hold upon it to move it along at each stitch.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that what I consider to be
novel and original, and claim as my Invention is,―
1st. In a sewing machine, the use of an intermittent serrated chain feed
movement or its equivalent, with mechanism for actuating the same, substantially
as herein described and shewn.
2nd. In a sewing machine causing intermittent movement of the needle carriage

page_text: or disc by means of a screw, hand lever, nut, or box, and other actuating mechanism,
combined, arranged, and operating substantially as hereinabove described and
shown.
3rd. The use in combination of the swinging arms, dogs, or needle drivers for
actuating the circular needle, and a fixed face-cam for controlling their action,
substantially as herein described and shown.
4th. The use for controlling the action of the swinging arms, dogs, or needle
drivers in a sewing machine, of a fixed face-cam arranged outside of the thread
cylinder, instead of inside as heretofore, and in close proximity to the path of the
needle, substantially as herein described and shewn.
5th. In combination with the mechanism of a sewing machine, the telescopic
cylindrical thread controller and take-up, extensible by a spring or its equivalent,
and having a parallel surface throughout to hold and deliver the thread, and having
a continuous rotary motion in the same direction as the needle, substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described.
6th. In a sewing machine, the elastic tension brush combined with the telescopic
cylindrical take-up for controlling the loops of thread in producing a tight stitch,
substantially as herein-above described and shewn.
7th. Constructing sewing machines, substantially as herein-before described and
shewn in tho Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, tho said William Webster, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this First day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
W. F. SOMMERVILLE, Jute Merchant,
8, Panmure St., Dundee, Witness.
A. R. O. PATTERSON, Jute Merchant,
8, Panmure St., Dundee, Witness.
WILLIAM WEBSTER. (L.S.)