Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1887
Complete Left, 5th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th Apr., 1888
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
We, HUGO SOMMERFELD, of 10, Long Lane, in the county of Middlesex, Importer
and Manufacturer's Agent, and FRANZ HENSEL, of 29 Muskauerstrasse, Berlin, in
the Empire of Germany, Sewing Machine Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines having oscillating
shuttles.
In carrying out the invention the driving-shaft of the shuttle has fixed thereto a
shuttle-carrier which oscillates in a fixed shuttle-box having a suitable cover and
holds the shuttle with the spool in position and operates them through the oscillating
movement of the shaft.
An uniform pressure of the shuttle on the box-cover is maintained by means of a
spiral spring mounted on the shaft, so as to always press forward the shuttle-carrier
and shuttle. The bearing of the shaft is provided with an adjusting screw by means
of which the shuttle-box can be adjusted so as to press lightly against the box cover;
the box cover moves on a spring hinge and allows of the shuttle being readily placed
in and removed from the box.
To allow the loop formed by the thread to be caught and enlarged in the ordinary
manner by the point of the shuttle and to pass over the shuttle and form the stitch
the cover is slightly concaved or hollowed out in such a manner that the outer edge
of the shuttle lies close against the cover but will not prevent the passing of the thread
forming the loop in the centre part of the cover.
The oscillation of the driving shaft and the shuttle is communicated by the balance
wheel through an arrangement of mechanism in the following manner :-
On the end of the driving shaft is fixed a crank having a pin which works in a
slotted lever pivotted to the frame of the machine.
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines having oscillating
shuttles.
In carrying out the invention the driving-shaft of the shuttle has fixed thereto a
shuttle-carrier which oscillates in a fixed shuttle-box having a suitable cover and
holds the shuttle with the spool in position and operates them through the oscillating
movement of the shaft.
An uniform pressure of the shuttle on the box-cover is maintained by means of a
spiral spring mounted on the shaft, so as to always press forward the shuttle-carrier
and shuttle. The bearing of the shaft is provided with an adjusting screw by means
of which the shuttle-box can be adjusted so as to press lightly against the box cover;
the box cover moves on a spring hinge and allows of the shuttle being readily placed
in and removed from the box.
To allow the loop formed by the thread to be caught and enlarged in the ordinary
manner by the point of the shuttle and to pass over the shuttle and form the stitch
the cover is slightly concaved or hollowed out in such a manner that the outer edge
of the shuttle lies close against the cover but will not prevent the passing of the thread
forming the loop in the centre part of the cover.
The oscillation of the driving shaft and the shuttle is communicated by the balance
wheel through an arrangement of mechanism in the following manner :-
On the end of the driving shaft is fixed a crank having a pin which works in a
slotted lever pivotted to the frame of the machine.

page_text: In the slot of the lever also works a pin on an arm of a bell crank pivotted to the
frame of the machine; the other arm of the bell crank is provided with a pin which
works in the cam groove in the face of the balance-wheel.
The cam groove is so formed that one rotation of the balance wheel will cause the
lever and cranks to oscillate whereby an oscillating movement is communicated to the
shaft and the shuttle, the point of the shuttle always describing a semi-circle in
the shuttle box.

page_text: Improvements in Sewing Machines.
We, HUGO SOMMERFELD, of 10 Long Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Importer
and Manufacturer's Agent, and FRANZ HENSEL, of 29, Muskauerstrasse, Berlin, in
the Empire of Germany, Sewing-machine Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines having oscillating
shuttles.
In order to enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe how it can
be carried into practico by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of part of a sewing machine constructed according to
our invention, the section being taken through one of the bearings of the driving
shaft and through the shuttle box and needle plate of the machine.
Figure 2 is an end view of figure 1, the cover of the shuttle box being removed in
order to show the shuttle-carrier and spool in the interior of the box, and the said
parts being shown in the position they occupy when the shuttle is about to catch the
loop to enlarge the same.
Figure 3 is a similar view to figure 2 but showing the shuttle carrier with the
shuttle and spool in the position they occupy when the loop has been caught and
enlarged.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the shuttle box cover.
Figure 5 is an elevation of part of the frame of the machine carrying the balance
wheel and mechanism for operating the driving shaft.
Figure 6 is a face view of the said balance wheel and mechanism illustrating their
position when the shuttle is in the position shown in figure 2.
Figure 7 is a similar view of the mechanisin illustrating the position of the parts
when the shuttle is in the position shown in figure 3, the balance wheel not being
shown.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar parts.
In carrying out the invention the driving-shaft a of the shuttle has fixed thereto a
shuttle-carrier 6 which oscillates in a fixed shuttle-box chaging a suitable cover d and
holds the shuttle e with the spool fin position (as shown in figures 1, 2, and 3), and
operates them through the oscillating movement of the shaft a.
An uniform pressure of the shuttle e on the box-cover d is maintained by means of
a spiral spring 9 (figure 1) mounted on the shaft a and having one of its ends bearing
on the face of the shuttle-carrier and its other end bearing against the face of a
recess in the bearing i of the shaft a so as to always press outwards the shuttle-
carrier b and shuttle e. The bearing of the shaft a is provided with an adjusting
screw (shown in dotted lines in figure 1.) bearing against a boss k formed on the
shuttle-box the said boss on the shuttle box can be moved in the recess and be
thereby adjusted so that the spring shall press the shuttle e lightly against the box

page_text: cover d, the screw j serving to fix the box when it has been moved into the
required position; the box-cover d moves on a spring hinge and allows of the
shuttle e being readily placed in and removed from the box c. m is the spring of
the hinge l.
To allow the loop formed by the thread to be caught and enlarged in the ordinary
manner by the point of the shuttle e and to pass over the shuttle and form the stitch,
the cover d is slightly concaved or hollowed out in such a manner that the outer edge
of the shuttle e lies close against the cover but will not prevent the passing of the
thread forming the loop in the centre part of the cover.
The oscillation of the driving shaft a and the shuttle e is communicated by the
balance wheel n through an arrangement of mechanism shown in figures 5, 6 and 7
in the following manner.
On the end of the driving shaft a, is fixed a crank o having a pin p which works in
a slot
formed in a lever pivotted at s to the frame A. of the machine.
In the slot of the lever also works a pint on one arm of a bell crank
pivotted at to the frame A of the machine; the other arm u¹ of the bell crank is
provided with a pin w which works in the cam groove in the face of the balance-
wheel n.
The cam groove a is so formed that each rotation of the balance wheel n will cause
the lever and cranks o and u, u to oscillate, whereby an oscillating movement is
communicated to the shaft a and shuttle e, the point of the shuttle always describing
a semi-circle in the shuttle-box c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a sewing machine having an oscillating shuttle, a spring cover for closing the
shuttle box and allowing the shuttle to be easily and quickly removed from the box
and replaced therein, the said cover being slightly concaved, so as to allow the thread
forming the loop to pass over the surface of the cover without depriving the shuttle
of the necessary support, substantially as herein before described.
2. In a sewing machine having a shuttle operating substantially in the manner set
forth, the employment of an adjusting screw whereby the position of the shuttle box
on the driving shaft can be adjusted in combination with the spring serving to press
the shuttle lightly on the box cover, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. The arrangement of mechanism in combination with the cam groove in the
balance wheel for communicating an oscillating movement to the driving shaft and
shuttle so that the shaft performs only half a revolution in each direction, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
4. The improved sewing machine herein before described with reference to the
various figures of the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 5th day of March 1999
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicants.