IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING-MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the naturo
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING-MACHINES" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in sewing-machines and comprises means
operated by the thread of the machine for throwing the power device out of gear
with the sewing-machine upon the breaking of the thread, or upon the passago of
a knot in the said thread, whereby the said machine is automatically stopped, all
as hereinafter described.
According to the said invention the table upon which the sewing-machine is
secured has a standard at the side extending downwardly.
A lever is connected by means of a wire with any suitable devices below, which,
by the movement, up or down, of the said lever will be thrown into or out of gear
with the sewing machine. For this purpose the driving shaft may carry a large
friction-wheel. In a stand are mounted so as to oscillate therein small bearing-
blocks in which is journalled a transverse shaft. This shaft carries a small
friction-wheel, and a pulley from which a belt extends to the driving wheel of
the sewing-machine. A small lever is attached to one of the rocking bearing
blocks and to the end of this lever a wire from the first lever is secured. A spring
is attached to the small lever and to tho stand and operates to draw down upon
the said lever, thus rocking the bearing-blocks and holding the small friction
wheel away from the large friction-wheel, in which case motion is not transmitted
to the sewing machine. This effect of the spring can only take place when the
said wire is slackened by the lowering of the first lever, but when the said lever
is raised the wire draws up the small lever, rocks the bearings, and forces the
small friction-wheel against the large one, and thus transmits motion to tho
sewing-machine.
Pivotted in the top of the said standard is an arm, the long end of which.
extends toward, and above, the presser and needle arms of the machine, but
under the thread. Its short-end projects beyond the standard a short distance.
The said arm is jointed near one end which is slotted. The thread of the sewing
machine passes through this slot.

page_text: A weight is guided in the standard which is slotted for that purpose. The
upper end of the weight is adapted to be hung on the short end of the said arm,
and to facilitate its engagement I secure a slotted spring-strip, in the top of the
weight. This strip, besides suspending the weight from the arm, renders it easy
to suspend it from a stationary pin in the top of the standard while the said arm
is being adjusted. The weight, being fixed in guides, cannot move outwardly to
be hung over the arm or pit; but the spring-strip can easily be pressed out
to engage with either. The lower end of the weight is bevelled.
A ratchet-lever is pivotted to the standard. Its upper end lies under the weight
and receives it when dropped. Because of the bevel of the said weight, the top
of the ratchet-lever, when the weight is dropped, is forced to one side. The lower
end of this lever is provided with teeth, with which a pin on the first lever
engages to hold the said lever up. A spring holds the ratchet-lever to its
engagement, and a small stop limits its movement when released from the pin.
The operation of the devices described is as follows: The tension of the thread
when the machine is in operation is sufficient to hold the long end of the arm
down, and thus the said arm supports the weight which is suspended from its
short end, but when the thread breaks, the arm being relieved trips the weight,
which drops down upon the upper end of the ratchet-lever forcing it to one side.
When a knot in the thread approaches the arm, failing to pass through its !
slotted end, it forces the jointed end of the arm until it so shortens it as to enable
the thread to slip out of the slot, whereupon the arm being relieved, trips the
weight which drops down upon the ratchet-lever as before stated.
This movement throws its lower or ratchet end in an opposite direction
whereby it becomes disengaged from the pin, and the first lever thereupon falls
down, slacking the wire and, as before explained, throws the power device out
of gear with the machine, which is thus stopped. A spring returns the arm to
a straightened position, upon raising the first lever again the pin travels up an
inclined edge of the ratchet-lever, forcing it to one side until it engages with its
teeth, whereupon the machine is started again, and the thread is returned to the
slotted end of the arm. The first lever in dropping is received upon a buffer.
It is necessary at times to stop the machine for other causes than the breaking
of the thread, and if no other provision were made it would be difficult to release
the pin from the ratchet-lever simply by moving the first lever. To accomplish
this I pivot the end of the said lever in such manner that it may be moved in a
horizontal as well as in a vertical direction. For this purpose an eye bolt passes
through a cross-base of the standard. The end of the first lever is slotted on the
eye of the said bolt, and is pivotted thereon by a small pin. The eyebolt, which
is a pivot, provides for the vertical movement of the lever, while the small pin
provides for its side or horizontal movement. In this way the first lover may be
released from the ratchet-lever by a side motion when desired. Having such a
motion, it becomes necessary to hold the said lever normally against the side of
the standard in order to cause its pin to engage with the ratchet-lever. This is
done by a bolt which passes through the lever and through a slotted bearing or
guide on the side of the standard. It has a spring on its end, which operates
against the back of the guide, and a nut on the bolt to hold the first lever in
position.

page_text: the same is to be performed, to de particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in sewing-machines; and comprises
means operated by the thread of the machine for throwing the power device out of
gear with the sewing-machine upon the breaking of the thread, or upon the passage
of a knot in the said thread, whereby the said machine is automatically stopped,
all as horeinafter 'described.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine provided with improvements
according to this invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are views of details hereinafter referred to.
Figure 4 is a view showing the means by which the machine is stopped by the
attempted passago of a knot.
Figure 5 shews a power device which is adapted to be thrown into or out of
gear.
A is a table upon which the sewing-machine B is secured and C is a standard
secured to the side of the table A, and extending downwardly.
D is a lever connected by means of a wire d with any suitable devices below,
which by the movement up or down of the said lover D will be thrown into or out
of gear with the sewing-machine. In Figure 5 a device of this character is illus-
trated in order to show more perfectly the effect of this invention upon the lever D
and sewing-machine.
Z is the driving shaft carrying a large friction-wheel z, and Y is a stand in
which are mounted so as to oscillate therein the small bearing-blocks y in which is
journalled the shaft X. This shaft carries a small friction-wheel and a pulley T
from which a belt t extends to the driving-wheel of the sewing-machine.
A lever is attached to one of the rocking bearing-blocks y, and to the end of
this lever the wire d from the lever D is secured. A spring u is attached to the
lever and to the stand Y, and operates to draw down the said lever, thus rocking
the bearing-blocks y and holding the friction-wheel away from the friction-
wheels, in which case motion is not transmitted to the sewing-machine. This
effect of the spring can only take place when the wire d is slackened by the
lowering of the lever D above; but when said lever is raised the wire d draws up
the lever v, rocks the bearings y and forces the small friction-wheel against the
large one, and thus transmits motion to the sewing machine.
Pivotted at a in the top of the standard C is a lever E, the long arm of which
extends toward and above the presser and needle arins of the machine, but under
the thread b as shewn in Figure 1; the short end projects beyond the standard a
short distance.
This arm E is jointed at e' as shewn in Figure 4, its outer end having a slot,
through which the thread h of the amine machine ma

page_text: W is a weight sliding in the standard C, which is slotted for that purpose, as
seen in Figure 2. The upper end of the weight is adapted to be hung upon the
short arm of the lever E, and to facilitate its engagement I secure a slotted spring-
strip win the top of the weight. This strip, beside suspending the weight from
the lever, renders it easy to suspend it from a stationary pine in the top of the
standard C while the arm E is being adjusted. The weight, being fixed in guides,
cannot move outwardly to be hung over the arm or pin; but the spring-strip can
easily be pressed out to engage with either. The lower end of weight W is
bevelled, as shown.
F is a ratchet-lever pivotted at f to the standard C. Its upper end lies under
the weight so that the latter impinges against it when dropped. By reason of the
bevel of the said weight the top of the ratchet-lever, when the weight is dropped,
is forced to one side. The lower end of this lever is provided with teeth as shown,
with which a pin d on the lever D engages to bold the said lever up. A spring G
holds the ratchet lever F to its engagement, and a small stop 9 limits its movement
when released from the pin d'.
The operation of the devices described is as follows: The tension of the thread b
when the machine is in operation is sufficient to hold the long end of the arm E
down, and thus the said arm supports the weight W which is suspended from its
short end, Figure 1; but when the thread breaks, the arm E being relieved trips
the weight, which drops down upon the upper end of the ratchet-lever F, forcing it
to one side.
When a knot in the thread approaches the arm, failing, to pass through its slotted
end, it forces the jointed end of the arm until it so shortens it as to enable the
thread to slip out of the slot, whereupon the arm being relieved, trips the weight,
which drops down upon the ratchet lever F as before stated. A spring e' returns
the arm E to a straightened position. This movement of the lever F throws its
lower or ratchet end in an opposite direction, whereby it becomes disengaged from
the pin d, and the lever D thereupon drops, slackening the wire d, and; as before
explained, throwing the power device out of gear with the machine, which is thus
stopped. Upon raising the lever D again, the pin d' travels up an inclined edge f¹
of the ratchet lever F, forcing it to one side until its pin engages with its teeth,
whereupon the machine is started again, the thread b being roturned to the slotted
end of the arm or lever E. The lover D in dropping, is received upon a buffer H,
na shewn.
It is necessary at times to stop the machine for other causes than the breaking
of the thread, and if no other provision were made it would be difficult to release
the pin d¹ from the ratchet-lever simply by moving the lever D. To accomplish
this. I pivot the end of the lever D in such manner that it may be moved in a
horizontal as well as in a vertical direction. This is shewn in Figures 1 and 3.
An eyebolt I passes through a cross-base c of the standard C. The end of the
lever D is slotted on the eye of the said bolt, and is pivotted theroon by a small
pin i. The eyebolt, which is a pivot, provides for the vertical movement of the
lever, while the small pin provides for its side or horizontal movement. In this
way the lever D may be released from the ratchet-lever by a side motion when
desired. Having such a motion it becomes necessary to hold the said lever
normally against the side of the standard in order to cause its pin & to engage
with the ratchet-lever. This is done by a bolt J Figure 3, which passes through
the lever and through a slotted bearing or guide on the side of the standard C.
It has a spring K on its end, which operates against the back of the guide j and a
nut on the bolt to hold the lever D in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. In a sewing-machine, a lever by the operation of which a power device is
thrown into and out of gear with the said sewing-machine, in combination with an
175

page_text: guides and tripped by the release of said arm upon the breaking of the thread, and
means affected by the falling weight for operating said lever to throw the power
device out of gear with the sewing-machine, substantially as herein described.
Second. In a sewing-machine, a lever by the operation of which a power device
is thrown into and out of gear with said sewing-machine, in combination with an
arm held in position by the thread of the sewing-machine, a vertically-sliding
weight tripped by the release of said arm upon the breaking of the thread, and a
swinging ratchet-lever engaging with the power-lever and operated by the falling
weight to disengage and release said power-lever to throw the power device out of
gear with the sewing-machine, substantially as described.
Third In a sewing-machine, the pivotted lever D having a pin d', and connected
with the power device and operating to throw said power device into and out of
gear with the sewing-machine, in combination with the standard C, the arm E
pivotted in its top and having one end extending under the thread of the machine,
the sliding weight W in the standard, adapted to be suspended from the other end
of said arm, and having a bevelled lower end, and the pivotted ratchet-lever F
adapted to receive the weight W upon its upper end and to engage with tho
pin d' of lever D with its lower end, substantially as, and for the purpose, heroin
described.
Fourth In a sewing-machine, the power-lover D, and slotted standard C having
apin e at its top, in combination with the pivotted arm E, the weight W having
a slotted spring-strip w whereby it is suspended from the pin e or arm E at will,
and the pivotted ratchet-lever F, all arranged and operating substantially as, and
for the purpose, herein described.
Fifth In a sewing-machine, the standard C, and the power-lever D having pin a,
the horizontal pivot I, and the vertical pivot i, in combination with the ratchet-
lover F, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein described.
Sixth In a sewing-machine, the standard C having the slotted guide j, and the
power-lever D having the pin d', the horizontal pivot I and the vertical pivot i,
the bolt J, passing through said lever and slotted guide and having a spring K,
in combination with the ratchet-lever F having the spring G and the stop g,
substantially as, and for the purpose, herein described.
Seventh In a sewing machine, mechanism by which a power device is thrown
into or out of gear with said sewing machine, in combination with mechanism
dependent upon the thread of the machine and affected by the attempted passage
of a knot in said thread to operate the mechanism by which the power device is
operated, to throw said device out of gear, with the sewing machine, substantially
as herein described.
Eighth In a sewing machine, a lever by the operation of which a power device
is thrown into and out of gear with said sewing machine, in combination with an
arın held in position by the thread of the sewing machine, and mechanism operated
by the release of said arm upon the attempted passage by said arm of a knot in
the thread for operating said lever to throw the power device out of gear with the
sewing machine, substantially as herein described.
Ninth In a sewing machine, mechanisin by which a power device is thrown into
or out of gear with said sewing machine, in combination with the pivotted jointed
arm E having a slotted end through which the thread of the sewing machine
passes, and mechanism operated by the release of said arm from the thread upon
the attempted passage by said arm of a knot in the thread, for operating the
mechanism by which the power device is operated to throw said device out of gear
with the sewing machine, substantially as berein described.
Tenth In a sewing machine, a lever by the operation of which a power device
is thrown into and out of gear with said sewing machine, in combination with the
pivotted jointed arm E having a slotted end through which the thread of the
sewing machine passes, a weight tripped by the release of said arm from the thread
upon the attempted passage by said arm of a knot in the thread, and means affected

page_text: by the falling weight, for operating said lever, to throw the power device out of
gear with the sewing machine, substantially as herein described.
Eleventh In a sewing machine, a lever by the operation of which a power device
is thrown into and out of gear with said sewing machine, in combination with the
pivotted jointed arm E having a slotted and through which the thread of the
sewing machine passes, a weight tripped by the release of said arm from the thread
upon the attempted passage by said arm of a knot in the thread, and a swinging
ratchet lever engaging with the power lever, and operated by the falling weight to
disengage and release said power lever, to throw the power device out of gear
with the sewing machine, substantially as herein described.
Twelfth In a sewing machine, the pivotted lover D having a pin and con-
nected with the power device and operating to throw said power device into and
out of gear with the sewing machine, in combination with the standard C, the
jointed arm E pivotted in its top, and having one end slotted, through which slotted
end the thread of the sewing machines passes, the sliding weight W in the
standard adapted to be suspended from the other end of said arm E and having a
bevelled lower end, and the pivotted ratchet lover F adapted to receive the
weight W upon its upper end, and to engage with the pin of lever D with its
lower end, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.