AN IMPROVED SPRING PRESSURE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, for the
Invention of " AN IMPROVED SPRING PRESSURE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Edward White, of Brooklyn,
in the State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 24th April 1878, and dated the 4th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1878.
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. "AN IMPROVED SPRING PRESSURE
ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES." [A communication from abroad by Edward
White, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America.]
The Invention consists in a novel, simple, and light spring presser attachment
adapted to admit of its being easily attached to and detached from the presser
bar or other fixed portion of an ordinary sewing machine, and organized to be
relieved by the action of the needle carrier from pressure on the material as the
needle is withdrawn from the latter, and so to permit the movement of the cloth or
material by hand in various directions and to any desired distance, as the varying
nature of the work to be done in mending, darning, embroidering, or fancy stitching
may require:
The spring presser consists of a vertical rod sliding in an adjustable guide
(attached, say, to the presser bar) and terminates at its lower end in an eye or ring,
which forms the pressing surface. This ring is so arranged with respect to the
needle that it will form a guide for the latter and support it against a lateral drag
of the sewing thread. The stem of the presser is surrounded by a coiled spring,
which serves to hold the presser down to its work, and yield to allow the presser to
be lifted.
"
The stem of the presser carries at its upper
path of
stud projecting from the needle bar.
end a tappet, which stands in the
The relative position of these parts

page_text: in the machine is such that as the needle leaves the work the stud will strike the
under side of the tappet and lift the spring presser clear of the work. This presser
it is proposed to use in lieu of the ordinary presser foot, which is to be removed or
displaced when the machine is required to be used for embroidery and fancy
stitching.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
August 1878:
ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman. "AN IMPROVED SPRING PRESSURE
ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Edward
White, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention consists in a novel, simple, and light spring presser attachment
adapted to admit of its being easily attached to and detached from the presser bar or
other fixed portion of an ordinary sewing machine, and organized to be relieved by
the action of the needle carrier from pressure on the material, as the needle is with-
drawn from the latter, and so to permit the movement of the cloth or material by
hand in various directions and to any desired distance, as the varying nature of the
work to be done in mending, darning, embroidering, or fancy stitching may
require.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures 1 and 2 represent elevations of the needle
and a part of the needle bar of a sewing machine, with the improved attachment
applied to the presser foot bar of the machine, and in different positions respectively
with the throat plate or cloth bed of the machine.
A represents the cloth bed, and b the cloth under operation, on or over the same;
B is the needle bar, and c the usual or any suitable eye pointed needle. D is the
presser foot bar, to which the improved attachment is or may be applied. Said
attachment is represented as consisting of an independent presser carrier and guide
E, having an eye piece d, provided with a set screw, by which said frame is slipped
on to or over the presser foot bar D, and secured thereon, also of a vertical rod f
arranged to slide up and down through said frame, and provided with a collar or
presser proper G at its lower end.
A spring g, attached at its lower end to the rod f of the presser, and bearing at
its upper end against the presser carrier, and guide E induces a downward action
of the presser G on the material under operation over the throat plate of the
machine.
(1.
The vertical rod f is provided at its upper end with a tappet h, against which a
stud or protuberance i on the needle bar strikes as said bar rises, and compressing
the spring g lifts the collar or presser G from off the material under operation.

page_text: Said stud or projection i might be the head of the screw used to secure the
needle.
The tappet h may be constructed by simply bending over the upper end of the
rod f, or in any other suitable manner.
The operation is as follows:-Supposing the improved attachment to be carried
by the presser foot bar D, instead of being attached to some other fixed portion of
the machine, then the ordinary presser foot is eitlier removed or raised, and locked
from contact with the cloth; and the presser G, which operates differently from an
ordinary presser foot, is made to take its place by securing the carrier E of the
attachment, through its eye piece d to the presser foot bar, and so that the eye or
opening through the collar or presser G is in line with the needle c.
The normal position of the collar or presser G is down on the material under
operation, by reason of the action of the spring g. Said collar or presser G remains
down upon the material during the descent of the needle through the latter, and
during the ascent of the needle till it is clear of the material, or nearly. so, when or
at which point in the action the stud i strikes the tappet h, and lifting the rod f
compresses the spring g and raises the presser G from off the material, as shewn at
Fig. 2, thus affording an opportunity for the operator to manipulate or feed the cloth
by hand to any desired distance, and in various directions, as the varying
nature of the work to be done in fancy stitching, embroidering, mending, or darning
may require.
The presser G or G,f, also serves as a guide for the needle to steady and support it
when out of the cloth, and so that when shifting the latter by hand on or over the
table the needle will be supported laterally by said presser and guide against any
pull on it by the needle thread.
To keep the rod f from turning and the collar or presser G in line with the
needle, the rod f is constructed with a longitudinal groove k, and the presser carrier
and guide E with a guide entering said groove, or any equivalent means may be
used to prevent the presser from turning.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved Spring
Presser Attachment for Sewing Machines," as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,
the arrangement of presser carrier or guide and presser and needle guide (which is
held down to the work by a spring) substantially as above described, the said presser
being capable of attachment to a sewing machine, and of being operated by the
action of the needle carrier on a tappet carrier by the stein of the presser, as herein
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the First day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
°
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)