Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 9th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 12th July, 1887.
I, WILLIAM HENRY STEEL 116a Clapham Park Road, London, S.W. Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is an improvement in the construction of small sewing
machines, and relates especially to those machines which may be easily carried from
place to place and affixed to a table or otherwise as desired: but, in order that my
invention may be clearly understood, I will now describe the nature and general
construction of a said sewing machine in the following manner: The frame is
constructed in the form of an oblong, square or conical shaped frame, the interior of
which contains most of the parts necessary for working said machine; a circular or
suitable hole is made on one side of frame, to the outside of which I fix guides or
bearings suitable for receiving needle bar, (near the top of which is fixed an arm
which carries the needle) the said needle bar being constructed with a transfer
variable slot, through which a fixed pin travells in order to effect the necessary motion
for working same, the fixed pin passing through slot of needle bar is allowed to
project out from place of same, for the facility of fixing any suitable handle necessary
for the driving or working of machine, the said pin being fixed to the outside of a
round plate or disc suitably placed just inside frame and revolving upon small stud
pin, which is fixed to opposite side of frame by a nut or otherwise as desired; on the
inner side of plate or disc, there is a tappet or cam which revolves inside a vibrating
shuttle frame, the said shuttle frame being pivotted a suitable distance below cam or
tappet, but I also use if convenient a shuttle frame sliding in suitable guides above
cam or tappet, but both shuttle frames obtain the necessary reciprocating motion
(required for passing shuttle to and fro) by the action or working of the said cam or
tappet; I also obtain the power from the aforesaid revolving plate or disc by which
the foot or cloth presser is made to produce a suitable motion required for holding
cloth or material in position while the needle is passing through same, and also
necessary for the feeding or conducting of said material or cloth in the working of
said machine. The bobbin which contains the upper thread is sometimes conveniently
placed on a pin fixed near top of needle bar, from which the thread passes through
necessary tension holes into the needle, the aforesaid bobbin and thread travelling
up and down with the needle bar, thereby dispensing with the thread tightening
apparatus or striking bar, but both may be used if required.

page_text: I WILLIAM HENRY STEEL of 116a Clapham Park Road in the County.of Surrey
Mechanic 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:-
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have appended the
following drawings.
Figure 1 is a front view of the entire machine showing the needle at its lowest.
point.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same and
Figure 3 the back view but with the moving parts removed.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a front and side view of the Shuttle frame e and
the cam c for actuating the same with the Shuttle in position.
Figures 6 and 7 are the side and front views of the Cloth presser h and the frame f
to which it is attached and the disc d which actuates the same.
Figure 8 shows the method of attaching the handle to the disc d and other
working parts when multiplying gear is not used.
When the handle shewn in Figure 1 is rotated in the direction shewn by the arrow
the pin p moves to the right and causes the needle bar b to rise in its bearings a, a,
carrying the needle n with it and thus forming a loop below the fabric. At the same
time the Cam c Figures 4 and 5 begins to bear against the shuttle frame e and to
cause it to move to the left in Figure 1 so as to pass the shuttle through the said loop.
About the time when the needle bar b has reached the top of its stroke the cam c
comes into contact with the opposite side of the shuttle frame e and pushes it and the
shuttle back to their original position on the right of Figure 1 before the needle has
advanced far on its downward course.
The frame fto which is attached the cloth presser his actuated by a boss on the
disc d. Figures 6 and 7 which at the proper moment raises the frame f with cloth
presser h moves it to the left allows it to drop upon and take hold of the fabric to be
sewn and then feeds it to the right.
I am aware that sewing machines have already been made which can be screwed on
to a table worked by hand and I make no claim to such machines generally but what
I do claim is.
1. The construction and manufacture of sewing machines substantially as described.
2. Operating the needle bar, the shuttle frame and the Cloth presser by means of
suitable cams and bosses revolving round the same axis.
Dated this on day of June 1887.
LAST & SONS,
Albert Buildings, 49, Queen Victoria Street,
London, E.C.,
Agents for William Henry Steel.