IMPROVE- MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Slater, of No. 130, St. John's Road, Hoxton,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 8th October 1867, and dated the 11th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Slater, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
April 1867.
I, GEORGE SLATER, of No. 130, St. John's Road, Hoxton, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
The said improvements relate to that class of sewing machines in which a
thread carried by a needle descends through the fabric and is secured therein
by another thread carried by a shuttle thrown to and fro below the said
fabric.
The said improvements consist chiefly in the employment of two vibrating
shafts, one of which is provided with an arm or lever to operate the shuttle
carrier, and the other with a cam for operating the feed bar. Each of these

page_text: vibrating shafts is operated by a separate excentric on the driving shaft, and
the shaft that operates the shuttle is by preference made hollow or tubular
from end to end, the other shaft being passed through the same.
The said improvements also consist in the employment of a plate attached
to the needle and formed with a V-shaped groove, whose apex is rounded or
curved to produce a slight return movement of the needle at the commence-
ment of its up-stroke, in order to facilitate the passage of the shuttle across
the needle thread.
The said improvements also consist in the employment of a taking-up
device for the needle thread, which consists of a lever pivotted in front of the
needle bar, which lever has an eye on each side of its pivot for the thread to
pass through, and is actuated by the needle bar in its upward stroke to take
up the slack of the needle thread as each stitch is formed.
The said improvements also consist in attaching the feed bar to one side of
the shuttle race instead of to the under side of the cloth plate.
The said improvements consist further in the employment of a curved
cushion, which is attached to a spring and arranged within the shuttle to
maintain the proper tension of its thread.
The frame of the machine is made of cast-iron or other suitable material
and of any convenient form and size, and is provided with a base or foot by
which the machine is attached to a table or bench. Bearings are formed in
the upper part of the said frame to carry the driving shaft. The front end of
the latter carries a crank, which is provided with a pin or stud at its outer
extremity; this pin is fitted to work in a V-shaped groove formed in a block
attached to the needle bar, the point or apex of the said groove being
downward and rounded or curved to correspond with the radius of the crank.
The object of forming the said groove in this manner is to cause a slight
stoppage and return movement of the needle immediately after the commence-
ment of its upward stroke, which return, movement produces a curve or bow
in the needle thread under the fabric and allows the shuttle to pass freely
across the same. The form of the groove may be varied in any way which
will cause it to impart this peculiar, motion to the needle. The rear end of
the driving shaft is furnished with two excentrics, each of which by means
of a suitable rod operates one of the vibrating shafts, the latter being provided
with cranks or discs with pins for the excentric rods to take hold upon. The
vibrating shaft for operating the shuttle is supported in suitable bearings
formed in the frame. This shaft is by preference made hollow or tubular
throughout, and large enough to allow the other shaft to pass freely through

page_text: its centre; the outer shaft is bushed or swaged down at each end, and
bearings are formed therein for the inner shaft to work in. The arm or lever
for operating the shuttle carrier is provided with a pin or stud, which is fitted
to work freely in a vertical aperture or slot formed in a plate projecting
downward from the said carrier. The latter is formed with two arms on its
upper portion, and holes are formed in the said arms to fit a guide rod, which
extends across the under side of the cloth plate parallel with the shuttle race.
The said shuttle race is a groove or channel extending from side to side below
the surface of the cloth plate. A longitudinal aperture is formed on one side
of this channel to admit two fingers or claws extending from the shuttle
carrier, and the shuttle lies between these fingers and is carried between theni
as the carrier is thrown to and fro by the vibrations of the crank arm. The
device for taking up the needle thread consists of a lever which has two arms
and is supported to vibrate freely upon a pivot or fulcrum about midway
between the same, the said pivot being secured in a plate attached to the end
of the frame in front of the needle bar guide. One of these arms or a third
arm is arranged to come in contact with an adjustable projecting stud or
finger attached to the needle bar or to the plate on the same. The thread is
brought from a reel or bobbin through a tension device of the usual con-
struction and is passed through guides attached to the frame just above the
needle bar. From these guides the thread passes through an eye in each arm
of the vibrating lever, and thence through another guide to the needle. The
said vibrating lever and stud for operating the same are so arranged that the
arm nearest the needle is thrown up by the said stud as each stitch is formed,
the thread at the same time passing freely through the eyes in the two arms
of the said lever. The feeding device consists of a vibrating lever, which is
operated by a cam and regulated by a screw in the usual manner. The said
lever is supported at one end by a pin or stud which passes through a longi-
tudinal slot in the lever, and is secured in the side of the shuttle race. The can
has two projections, one of which imparts a longitudinal motion and the other
a vibrating motion to the feed bar, which is kept down upon the cam by a
spring attached to the under side of the cloth plate. A spring is secured
inside the shuttle and is provided with a curved cushion which bears upon the
thread on the reel or bobbin and assists in producing the proper tension ou
the same.
The machine is provided with a winding apparatus for filling the reel or
bobbin of the shuttle. A grooved pulley may be secured upon the driving
shaft, or may be fitted to turn upon a pin or stud and provided with a toothed

page_text: pinion geared into another pinion on the said shaft; this pulley has a handle
and can be driven either by hand or by a band passing over its periphery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Slater, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SLATER, of No. 130, St. John's Road, Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Slater, Her special licence that I, the said George Slater, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Slater, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Slater, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Slater, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings forming a part
of this Specification:―
The said improvements relate to that class of sewing machines in which a
thread carried by a needle descends through the fabric and is secured therein
by another thread carried by a shuttle thrown to and fro below the said fabric.
The said improvements consist chiefly in the employment of two vibrating
shafts one of which is provided with an arm or lever to operate the shuttle

page_text: carrier and the other with a cam for operating the feed bar. Each of these
vibrating shafts is operated by a separate eccentric on the driving shaft, and
the shaft that operates the shuttle is made hollow or tubular from end to end,
the other shaft being passed through the same.
The said improvements also consist in the employment of a plate attached
to the needle bar or slide, and formed with a V-shaped groove, whose apex
is rounded or curved, the object being to produce a slight return movement
of the needle at the commencement of its up stroke in order to facilitate the
passage of the shuttle across the needle thread.
The said improvements also consist in the employment of a taking up
device for the needle thread, consisting of a lever pivoted in front of the
needle bar, which lever has an eye on each side of its pivot for the thread
to pass through, and is actuated by the needle bar in its upward stroke to
take up the slack of the needle thread as each stitch is formed.
The said improvements further consist in attaching the feed bar to one side
of the shuttle race instead of to the under side of the cloth plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my improved sewing machine; Figure 2
is a side elevation of the said machine; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the
same; Figures 4 and 5 represent detached portions of the said machine;
Figures 6, 7, and 8, represent a shuttle of ordinary construction. Like
letters indicate the same parts in each Figure.
driving shaft B.
The frame A of the machine is made of cast-iron or other suitable material,
and of any convenient form and size. It is provided with a base or foot A¹
by which the machine may be secured to a table or bench. Bearings A² are
formed in the upper part of the said frame to support the
The front end of the latter carries a crank C, which is provided with a pin or
stud C¹ at its outer extremity. This pin is fitted to work in a V-shaped
groove D¹ formed in a block D attached to the needle bar E, the point or
apex of the said groove being downward and rounded or curved to correspond
with the radius of the crank C. The object of forming the said groove in
this manner is to cause a slight stoppage and return movement of the needle F
immediately after the commencement of its upward stroke, which return
movement produces a curve or bow in the needle tbread under the fabric and
allows the shuttle to pass freely across the same. The form of the groove
may be varied in any way which will cause it to impart this peculiar motion
יע
to the needle F. The rear end of the driving shaft B is furnished with two

page_text: eccentrics G, H, each of which
means of a suitable rod I operates one of
the vibrating shafts J, K, the said shafts being provided with cranks or
dises G, H, with pins for the eccentric rods I to take hold upon. The
vibrating shaft J for operating the shuttle M is supported in suitable bearings
formed in the frame A. This shaft is made hollow or tubular and large
The
enough to allow the other shaft K to pass freely through its centre.
outer shaft J is bushed or swaged down at each end J¹, and bearings are
formed therein for the inner shaft K..
The arm or lever N for operating the shuttle carrier O is provided with a
pin or stud n', which is fitted to work freely in a vertical aperture or slot P¹
formed in the plate P projecting downward from the said carrier. The latter
is formed with two arms O¹ on its upper portion and holes are formed in the
said arms to fit a guide rod Q which extends across the under side of the
cloth plate R parallel with the shuttle race R¹. The said shuttle race is a
groove or channel extending from side to side below the surface of the cloth
plate R. A longitudinal aperture is formed on one side of this channel to
admit two fingers or claws 0% extending from the shuttle carrier O, and the
shuttle M lies between these fingers and is carried with them as the carrier
is thrown to and fro by the vibrations of the crank arm N.
The device for taking up the needle thread is clearly shown in Figure 3.
The lever S, which has two arms s', s, is supported to vibrate freely upon a
pivot or fulcrum T about midway between the said arms, this pivot being
secured in a plate U attached to the end of the frame in front of the needle
bar guide A³. One of these arms or a third arm ³ is arranged to come in
contact with an adjustable projecting stud or finger e' attached to the needle
bar E or to the plate e on the same. The thread is brought from a reel or
bobbin V through a tension device of the usual construction, and is passed
through guides attached to the frame just above the needle bar guide A³.
From these guides the thread passes through an eye in each arm of the
vibrating lever S and thence through another guide v¹ to the needle. The
vibrating lever S and stud e for operating the same are so arranged that the
arm s is thrown up by the said stud as each stitch is formed, the thread at the
same time passing freely through the eyes in the two arms s¹, s, of the said
lever.
The feeding device consists of a vibrating lever Z, which is operated by a
cam a and regulated by a screw 6 in the usual manner. The said lever is
supported at one end by a pin or stud c, which passes through a longitudinal
slut Z in the lever Z, and is secured in the side of the shuttle race R'. The

page_text: cam a has two projections, one of which a' imparts a longitudinal motion,
and the other a² a vibrating motion to the feed bar Z which is kept down upon
the cam by a spring d attached to the under side of the cloth plate R.
The shuttle M, shown detached in Figures 6, 7, and 8, is provided with a
spring e and a curved cushion f which bears upon the thread on the reel or
bobbing and assists in producing the proper tension on the same. This shuttle
does not form part of my Invention, as a similar one has been previously used
in sewing machines.
The machine may be provided with a winding apparatus for filling the reel
or bobbin 9 of the shuttle M. The grooved pulley h may be fitted to turn
upon a pin or stud i and be provided with a toothed pinion geared into another
pinion on the shaft B, or the pulley h may be fixed upon the end of the
shaft B. The said pulley has a handle h', and can be rotated either by hand
or by a band passing over its periphery.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Slater, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
0
GEORGE SLATER. (LS.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W. C.