IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Ford, of Shooter's Hill, in the County
of Kent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."--
A communication from abroad by Gordon McKay, of Boston, and
Robert Henry Mathies, of Manchester, both in the United States
of America.
Sealed the 18th July 1862, and dated the 16th April 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Ford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th April 1862.
I, JOHN WILLIAM FORD, of Shooter's Hill, in the County of Kent, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements on the sewing mechanism patented
by Lyman Reed Blake, on the 3rd day of May 1859 (No. 1111), which
Invention however is advantageously applicable in some of its parts to other
sewing mechanisms, chiefly such as are used on heavy material and for
manufacturing purposes, rather than those designed for family use.
The first of these improvements consists in so constructing and arranging
the arm or horn (which is the bed which supports the work against the thrust
of the needle, and which contains the looper and thread passage) that it can

page_text: be rotated under the other parts of the sewing mechanism, upon or around a
prolongation of the axial line passing through the needle. By making the
horn capable of rotation, the same results upon the material to be sewed may
be produced that are now attained by rotating the needle, and the feed and
presser devices, and the mechanism relating to relative change of position
of the needle, and the work operated on is simplified, and rendered more
durable.
The second improvement consists in making the stroke of the needle
automatically adjustable in extent from a constant lowest point of descent, by
and in accordance with the thickness of the material to be sewed, at or near
the place the needle is operating on, so as to provide more or less length of
thread for each stitch, according as the material varies in thickness, more
length being required in thick than in thin stock.
The third improvement consists in lifting automatically the presser foot a
slight distance from the surface of the stock or material, no matter what its
thickness, when or just before the needle begins. to rise, and retaining it in
said position during the time that thread is drawing through the stock, this
being for the purpose of freeing the thread from the pinch it would have
between the bed or horn, and the under side of the stock, the result being that
the seam is made tighter, and with less risk of breakage to the thread, because
of diminished friction thereon, than where the presser foot rests or presses
upon the stock while the thread is drawing through and under it.
The fourth improvement consists in clamping or fixing the presser foot
during the time that the needle is acting, to pull the stock against it. This
is to secure the drawing in of each stitch, which is done only in an inferior
degree when the resistance offered by the presser foot is of a yielding
character, like that of a spring. The mechanism employed in this improve-
ment is such as to fix the foot after it has been lifted slightly, to allow the
thread to slip freely between the top of the horn and the lower side of
the stock, and to retain it in position till the needle has ceased to draw the
thread, when the presser foot is released from the holding mechanism, and is
then controlled by other devices, in the manner best calculated to facilitate the
other operations connected with the sewing. The mechanism by which the
presser foot is clamped is arranged to operate when the foot is lifted a certain
distance from the surface of the stock, without reference to its thickness.
The fifth improvement consist in so arranging and combining the looper,
thread carrier, or whirl that it retains its relative position to the needle
without regard to the position which the horn is made to assume, and also its
rotation or partial rotation around the needle, in the exercise of its function.

page_text: Other improvements involved in this Invention consist in mechanical
arrangements and combinations of parts employed in the operations of feeding.
the work along and forming the stitches. A general description of the
mechanism involved in this Invention is as follows:-
A tripod framework at its top supports the cam shaft, and all the moving.
parts except the horn and its immediate connections, which are supported by.
the lower part of the frame. The horn is an inclined arm, terminating with
a small end, the centre of which is in the axial line of the needle, about which
it can be rotated, and in which end is the rotating whirl, looper, or thread
carrier. The horn is connected with a hollow vertical shaft, which is held in-
suitable bearings by a horizontal arm, forming part of or a continuation of the
inclined part of the horn. Within the hollow shaft of the horn is a small
vertical shaft, to which rotation is given by any convenient means from a cam
on the cam shaft. On the upper end of this small shaft is a bevil gear which
drives a pinion on a shaft located in the horizontal part of the arm, and this
gear and pinion have the number of their teeth in direct proportion to the
number of teeth on the whirl and its pinion. This pinion is on a shaft in the
inclined part of the horn, which shaft and the horizontal shaft before spoken
of are geared together, so that they receive the same angular motion. The
gear on the vertical shaft has its teeth over those of the pinion on the horizontal
shaft, and the teeth of the bevil gear of the whirl are under those of
the pinion on the inclined shaft. The result of. this gearing is, that if the
vertical shaft is held still, while the hollow shaft and horn are rotated, the
whirl will stand still, notwithstanding the inclined and horizontal shafts rotate,
and when any rotation is given the small vertical shaft from the cam shaft,
the whirl will rotate round the axial line of the needle. On the cam shaft are
fixed a cam to work the feeder, an eccentric to operate the needle, a cam to
work the presser foot, and the cam before-mentioned, which operates the whirl.
The needle is operated from the eccentric through the intervention of a lever,.
which is pivotted at its centre to a moveable fulcrum bar, one end of 'the'
lever being connected to the needle bar by a link. This fulcrum bar passes-
through two horizontal plates, which are fixed on the top of the frame, at
some distance apart, and serve as guides to the reciprocating parts of the.
mechanism, and to secure other parts thereto. On the lower end of the
fulcrum bar a check or stop is placed to prevent too great movement of it
in an upward direction, and this check is so adjusted that in the upward throw
of the eccentric, which makes the downward throw of the needle it strikes the
under side of the lower plate, and brings the point of the needle when this
is perfectly set in its. bar to the bottom of the whirl. On the fulcrum bar

page_text: between the plates thère is an arm which projects over a shoulder formed on
the presser foot rod so as to rest thereon in the downward stroke of the
eccentric, which gives the upward throw to the needle. Now the position of
this shoulder forms a variable base line, from which the npward throw of the
needle begins, the variation corresponding with the variations in the thickness
of the stock, on which the presser foot rests. Though the throw of the
eccentric is constant the throw of the needle is variable because the fulcrum
of the lever is moveable, and a portion of the throw of the eccentric is lost
purposely by the movement of the fulcrum bar, as the needle does not move
upward till the movement of the fulcrum bar is checked by the contact of the
arm thereon with the shoulder on the presser foot bar or rod. Any change in
the vertical position of this shoulder changes the throw of the needle twice as
much as the change of the shoulder, because the needle lever is supported at
its centre, and any change of the position of this doubles at the needle rod
end. The friction of the needle in the stock, and the resistance of the thread
in the needle, makes the fulcrum move under the control of the eccentric
instead of the needle end of the lever till the fulcrum is prevented from further
movement by the presser foot rod shoulder, which compels the needle bar end
of the lever to move as controlled by the eccentric. The presser foot and the
feeder are both located so as to act directly in front of the needle, and upon the
stock at that point through which the needle will pass in its next stroke. The
feeder and presser foot may be said to act in combination, inasmuch as while
the forward and backward movements of the feeder are caused by a cam on the
Icam shaft its movement into and out of the stock or its vertical movements
are caused by inclines connected with the presser foot, which are made operative
by the forward and backward movements of the feeder. By adjusting the
presser foot nearer to the needle the feed is shortened, and it is lengthened by
a reverse adjustment. The feeder always moves forward to a fixed point, which
is preferably directly in the axial line through the needle, so that the puncture
.by the feeder is made a perforation by the needle. The presser foot is worked
by a lever, which is pivotted at its centre to a stand or hanger on the uppe
plate, said lever having one end operated by a cam on the cam shaft, and the
other having a nut so arranged that it can have no motion independent from
the lever, except a rotary one round its own axis, and a reciprocatory one
sufficient to compensate for the deviation of the end of the lever in the move
ment from a straight line. The connection between the lever and the presse
foot bar is formed by means of the nut, which has quick screw threads forme
within it corresponding to the threads cut on the upper end of the rod. Th
nut has a ratchet wheel formed on the outside, and is prevented from turning

page_text: except in one direction, by the action on the ratchet of a spring pawl, as long
as this is permitted to act, so that when the end of the lever carrying the nut
is raised the presser foot rod is raised with it, till the pawl is stripped by contact
with an adjustable stop during the continued upward movement of the said
end of the lever. This lets the spring round the presser foot rod, force it
down, rotating the nut in its descent till the presser foot strikes the stock on
the horn. Downward motion of the lever rotates the nut in the direction
permitted by the pawl, which is freed from the control of the stop by move-
ment away from it, and any upward movement again given to the lever by the
cam will through the nut be imparted to the presser foot, till the pawl is
again tripped. The "cast off" or instrument, which closes the hook or eye
of the needle, is worked by a lever, which is hung on the fulcrum pin of the
needle lever. This cast off lever is operated by a link from a pin in the
excentric strap arm by means of a slot and a catch spring so as to accompany
the needle and keep its hook covered except at the top of the needle stroke
where the cast off moves faster than the needle leaving the hook open so as
to let the loop of thread drawn up thereby come out of the hook, and so as to
let the needle pass between the parts of the loop in descending again through
the stock into the whirl in the horn, there again to receive a new loop to be
drawn up through that first formed. The cast off at the first part of this
downward movement moves faster than the, needle, till the eye or hook.is
covered, and then the cast off moves with the needle till the cast off strikes
the surface of the stock, further movement of its lever acting only to compress
a spring, through which it is connected with its lever. Movement of the
needle, the whirl, the feeder, and the presser foot, which may be termed the
operative instruments of the machine, take place as follows:-First the needle
descends through the stock into the whirl, which then rotates, and lays the
thread in the hook of the needle; the presser foot at this time being down
rises up a little to relieve the stock from pinch between it and the horn,
while the needle is drawing up the loop of thread; when the needle is at its
highest stroke the presser foot is further elevated to let the stock move-
freely between it and the horn, and then the feed- acts to move the stock
forward, and before the feeding instrument returns the presser foot is lifted
fully up so that the nut is released from the hold of the pawl, when it drops
upon and holds the stock, while the feeder returns, and while the needle is
again descending to enter the whirl to obtain a new hold upon the thread
for a new loop. The whirl which had a partial rotation round the needle
when down may at once upon the first part of the upward movement of the
needle rotate back to its first position, or it may not do this till just before

page_text: the needle enters the whirl on its next downward stroke. As the thread drawn
up by the needle is used in the formation of the next stitch, it is plain that
the adjustment of the stroke of the needle by the presser foot, operating
immediately in front of the needle, is exactly what is required to adapt the
length of the loop for the thickness of the stock in which the next stitch is
to be taken. If the stock thickens, the shoulder on the presser foot stands
higher, so that the fulcrum of the needle lever will. sooner rest thereon, and
less of the throw of the excentric will be lost, consequently the stroke of the
needle will be longer; but if the stock grows thinner the position of the
shoulder will be lower, more of the throw of the eccentric will be lost, and
consequently the stroke of the needle will be shorter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John William Ford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th October 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM FORD, of Shooter's Hill, in the County of Kent, send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
. Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John William Ford, Her special licence that I, the said John William Ford, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John William
Ford, 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES," a communication to me from abroad by Gordon McKay, of Boston,
and Robert Henry Mathies, of Manchester, both in the United States of
· America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John William
Ford, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John William Ford, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and other references thereon marked (that is
to say):-
:-
.
This Invention comprises improvements upon the sewing mechanism
Patented to Lyman Reed Blake, on the 3rd of May 1859, which Patent is
numbered 1111, and was sealed on the 14th of June of said year. Some of
these improvements are applicable to other sewing mechanism than that just
referred to as Patented, as, for example, that comprised in the Patent num-
bered 483, dated February 25th 1861, which exhibits some improvements in
a sewing mechanism, designed for sewing the soles of boots or shoes to their
uppers, the same purpose for which the said Blake's Patented mechanism was
designed. Some of these improvements are also applicable to sewing me-
chanisms designed chiefly for other manufacturing purposes." In Blake's
aforesaid Patent the seam was made to conform to curves and angles, not by
turning the work or stock, but by turning the needle, and the feeder with the
needle, thus changing the direction of the feed. This is found to be objection-.
able and inconvenient for various reasons, and as in sewing the soles to boots.
and shoes, the work cannot be turned conveniently for this purpose on. its
support, termed the arm or horn, said horn has been made by the first part of
this Invention capable of rotation on or around the prolongation. of the axial
line of the needle, carrying with it the work or stock, and the thread bobbin.
and tension device, while the relative position to the needle of the rotatory.
thread carrier or whirl in the projecting end of the horn is not changed by
the rotation of the horn, the rotation of this being entirely independant. of the
rotatory or thread carrying movement of the whirl..
The second part of this Invention consists in the arrangement of parts-
substantially such as are herein-after described, by which the relative relation
or position of the thread hole in the whirl is maintained to the hook of the-
needle, while the horn containing the whirl is made capable of rotation, and
while the whirl itself has a rotatory movement around the needle to lay the
thread into the hook or eye of the needle. In the aforesaid Patent, No. 483,
means are shewn for varying the throw of the needle by manipulation, so as
to draw off from the spool a length of thread equal to what is required in the
formation of a stitch in the average thickness of the stock where the sewing
is to be performed.
The third part of this Invention consists in automatically adjusting the

page_text: stroke of the needle to the thickness of the stock, and in automatically
varying the stroke of the needle by the variation in the thickness of the stock
at or near the place where the stitch is making, so that more or less length of
loop of the thread is drawn up by the needle at each stroke conformably with
the thickness of the stock at said place, thick stock requiring more length of
loop, and consequently more stroke of the needle, than thin stock, the stroke
of the needle, however, remaining constant and proportioned to the thickness
of the stock when this is of uniform thickness. This part of the Invention is
of great importance in sewing on the soles of boots and shoes, because of the
considerable variations of thickness through the stock in the line of the seam
around the sole. If the stock is kept pressed upon its support while the
thread which forms the stitch is drawing up by the action of the needle, this
pressure tends to prevent the stitch from being closely set in the work, on
account of too great friction on the thread, occasioned by binding or clamping
the thread between the surface of the support and the lower surface of the
stock. In some sewing mechanisms, a groove or slot has been cut in the bed
or support to prevent the under surface of the stock from pressing the thread,
but as in this mechanism the horn rotates, no such groove can be formed on
its supporting surface to avoid pinching the thread.
The fourth part of this Invention consists in making the presser foot to lift
automatically a fixed amount from the surface of the stock, no matter what its
thickness, for the purpose of relieving the pinch or friction on the thread when
it is drawn through the stock by the needle. It is also a matter of import-
ance to lift the presser foot a fixed distance from the surface of the stock
before the feeding action takes place, and to retain it at a determined distance
from the same surface during the feeding movement, because the action of the
needle in puncturing the stock, and the pressure of the presser foot in holding
and compressing the stock, is apt to embed the narrow end of the support or
horn to some extent in the stock, and it often occurs that the amount of lift
which is sufficient to relieve the thread from pinch is not enough to let the
stock be moved freely over the end of the horn by the action of the feeder.
To meet this contingency, an additional lift is given to the presser foot before
the feeder acts, which lift is automatically given to a fixed distance from the
surface of the stock. This lift makes a division in the third part of this
Invention, and should not be confounded with lifting of the presser foot found
in other sewing mechanisms before feeding which is constant and relative to
the surface of the bed, or with the lifting of the presser foot caused by the
action of some feeding instruments. In most sewing mechanisms the stitches
are drawn up, and are tightened against a presser foot, which resists the pull

page_text: on the thread by the action of a spring, which may be termed a yielding
pressure. But in heavy work this yielding resistance to the pull upon the
thread is found to be insufficient to insure the stitches being well drawn or
set into the work, and some sewing mechanisms have been reversed, so that
the needle worked from beneath the support to the work and drew the stitches
into the stock against the unyielding resistance of the bed or support. But
in the arm or horn used in the Patents, and for the purpose before alluded to,
it is impossible to work the needle from below and to secure the advantage
of a rigid resistance to the pull upon the thread when drawn through the stock
by the needle, is the fifth part of this Invention, which consists in automati-
cally transferring the resistance to the upward movement of the needle to the
presser foot, which is so arranged, connected, and operated, that the reaction
of the strain on the needle cannot depress the presser toward the horn, but
affords a rigid resistance, against which the upward pull of the needle tightens
the stitches. In the aforesaid Patent, No. 483, the thread carrier, whirl, or
looper has two rotatory movements, one with the needle, when this rotates
round its own axis, and one around the needle, the latter movement being for
the purpose of laying the thread into the hook or eye of the needle, and the
former being for the purpose of maintaining the relative relation or position
to each other of the hook of the needle and the thread hole in the thread
carrier or whirl. In the Patents before referred to, and in some other
Patents illustrating sewing mechanisms, which use the hook or crochet needle,
an instrument is employed which at certain times covers the eye or hook of
the needle to prevent the loop previously formed from catching in the hook
as this draws through the stock, a new loop tightening the loop previously
formed. In this sewing mechanism is the same instrument which I term &
slide used for the same purpose, and the sixth and seventh parts of this In-
vention consist in so operating it that it moves with the needle with a variable
stroke corresponding to the variations in the stroke of the needle, and so
also that it moves relatively to the needle at or before the termination of its
upward stroke, and at or before the termination of its downward stroke, by
having an increased velocity and extent of movement imparted to it, so that
the needle hook or eye is opened and closed by or before the termination of
the strokes of the needle. The needle eye or hook thus remains open during
the downward stroke till the needle enters the stock, when the slide will rest
on the surface thereof, and will there remain till in the next upward stroke of
the needle its book has passed the end of the slide so that this covers the
hook or eye to prevent the previously formed loop from catching therein, and
then the slide will partake of the upward movement of the needle till at or

page_text: near the termination of its upward stroke, when the slide will move relatively
to the needle, uncovering the hook or eye as before stated. In some sewing
mechanisms using the slide to cover the hook of a crochet needle, the slide
and the needle move to the extreme of the up stroke with the slide covering
the book, and this is opened to discharge the loop of the thread by the down-
ward movement of the needle, which as the slide remains stationary, opens the
eye or hook for the escape of the loop. The thread used is often waxed,
which renders it liable to stick in the hook, and the resistance of the thread
to overcome this sticking and to escape from the hook is greater where the
loop is straight than where it is bent. In this Invention the loop is straight
when the eye is open, but in the other sewing mechanisms referred to the loop
is crooked or bent by the downward movement of the needle, which is required
to open the eye or hook, and sometimes remains therein to the derangement
of the sewing process, and in said mechanisms the stroke of the slide has to be
changed by manipulation whenever the stroke of the needle is changed.
The eighth part of this Invention consists in the arrangement of the presser
and feeder in proximity to the needle, directly in front of it, and in the line
of the direction of the movement of the feeder and above the stock to be sewed.
The ninth part of this Invention consists in so combining the feeder and
presser that while separate in their functions and operating at different times
by different motors they are lifted together by one movement from the horn
so as to be clear of the work or stock when placing it on or when discharging
it from the horn.
The tenth part of this Invention consists in so combining the feeder and
presser that the length of the stroke of the former, which operates on the
work or stock to feed it along, shall be governed by the position of the presser
which is set nearer the needle and feeder point for shorter stitches and further
from said parts for longer stitches. The feeder has a downward movement
to puncture the stock to obtain hold thereon, and then a forward one to move
the stock. This puncture is made by the feeder while the stock rests on the
top of the horn under the compressing action of the presser, and the forward
movement of the feeder is not imparted to the stock till this is raised from
the horn by the retraction of the needle, the lifting of the presser permitting
the stock to rise and lifting the feeder with it so that the point of the feeder is
not disturbed in its position in the puncture.
The eleventh part of this Invention consists in so operating the feeder in
connection with the movement of the needle and presser foot, that the puncture
of the feeder is made against the unyielding resistance of the bed, and before
the needle begins to draw up a loop of thread and so that the advance move-

page_text: ment of the feeder is made when the presser is raised, and while the needle is
out of the stock. It will be seen that some of the advantage gained by lifting
the presser from the stock while the needle is drawing up the loop would be
lost if the feeder were allowed then to puncture the stock, as this would then
be pressed down on the horn by the puncturing action of the feeder, and would
prevent the loop of thread from drawing freely through the stock, and if the
puncturing action were to take place when the stock is raised from the horn
the puncture would be lessened and the hold of the feeder on the stock would
thereby be rendered uncertain while the stock would be depressed, so as to
bear upon the horn and cause unnecessary resistance to the pulling of the loop
through the stock.
The twelfth part of this Invention consists in the manner of making the
length of the stroke of the needle adjustable by manipulation of the operator
to accord with changes in the length of the stitch; viz., by making the rest or
stop of the needle lever fulcrum changeable on the fulcrum slide or rod. The
fulcrum of the lever operated from the excentric (which lever operates the
.needle bar) being made free to move it is clear that part of the throw of the
excentric or crank may be expended in moving the fulcrum instead of the
needle, and so that thus (the lever having equal arms) the crank end may
move further than the needle bar end. Now if the moveable fulcrum be
hindered from moving then the needle bar must move, and if there is a pro-
jection connected with the fulcrum which can be changed so as to strike some
fixed impediment, it is manifest that the throw of the needle will be greater
or less according as said projection strikes said impediment sooner or later,
and it will also be manifest that if said impediment is made moveable by
variations in the thickness of the stock, the stroke of the needle may be varied
automatically by said variations, and it is upon this automatic change of this
impediment to the movement of the needle lever fulcrum that the second part
aforesaid of this Invention rests. The instruments which are immediately
operative in forming the seam are the needle, the slide, the feeder, the presser,
and the whirl, and their movements with relation to each other are very nearly as
follows All of these instruments being operated from the rotation of the cam
shaft may have their times of movement and the relation of their movements
to each other referable to some part of the whole rotation of the shaft, and the
circle which represents its rotation may for convenience be supposed to be
divided into twenty equal parts, by twenty radial lines on No. 20, of which
the eccentric is at its up throw, and the needle is at its lowest stroke, and at
No. 10 the excentric is at its down throw and the needle at its highest stroke.
The machine illustrated and embodying this Invention is adapted to sew stock

page_text: varying in thickness from three-sixteenths to five-eighths inches, and with
stitches varying in length from one to two eighths inches. When sewing the
thickest stock the needle commences to rise just before line No. 4, and when
sewing the thinnest stock just after No. 6. The highest point of stroke is
reached at 10 and the end of the down stroke is reached both with thick and
thin stock at 20. The presser lifts to release the thread from pinch at 4, and
rests at the height to which it is lifted till the needle gets near the top of its
stroke, when it again lifts at about 10, so as to let the feeder act freely. Or
the presser having lifted at 4 can be raised gradually to the lift required at 10
for the operation of the feeder, and in either case the presser drops or is
brought down upon the stock so as to pinch or clamp it to the horn at 13,
where it remains till again lifted as described at 4. The feeder moves forward,
or gives its feeding motion from about 10 to 11, and returns in from 12
to 13, where it remains resting on the presser foot away from the stock till 16,
when it is forced into the stock and punctures it ready for the next feed
movement, which takes place from 10 to 11 as before stated. The move-
ment of the looper to throw the thread into the eye of the needle begins
in 17, and terminates at 3½, where it begins its return movement which is
terminated at 9.
Of the Drawings there are eight Sheets. On Sheet 1 is shewn a front
elevation of a machine embodying this Invention. On Sheet 2 is shewn
a side elevation of said machine. On Sheet 3 is shewn a plan of the top part
of the machine with the top plate y, which is shewn by dotted lines, removed;
there is also shewn on this Sheet a view of the cam shaft with the excentric
cams and driving wheel thereon. On Sheet 4 views of the horn and parts
connected therewith and plans of the top and bottom plates of the head are
shewn; and on Sheets 5, 6, 7, and 8, parts of the machine are shewn in detail.
In all the Drawings similar letters refer to similar parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
a, is the framework of the machine, which supports in suitable bearings
the horn shaft b, the treadle c, and the lower plate d of the head of the
machine. The horn itself is represented by e projecting upward on any
suitable angle toward the needle f from the horizontal arm g, which supports
the horn and connects it with the shaft b, on which it rotates. The horn e,
has a whirl h, constructed as shewn in detail on Sheet 4, which is rotated
by the bevel pinion shaft i, and this shaft i is rotated from the horizontal
shaft in the arm g, and the shaft j is rotated by the vertical shaft k,
which is made to rotate in the centre of 6 by a movement communicated

page_text: from the cam shaft a, by means herein-after described. The number of
teeth in the bevel gear on k, and in the pinion on j, into which said gear
meshes must have the same proportion to each other that the teeth on the
whirl have to the teeth of the pinion which meshes into the whirl. This
arrangement of gearing holds the whirl still with relation to the needle while
the horn is rotated with 6, the axial line of which and of the whirl are in the
prolongation of the axial line of the needle, it being understood that the bevel
gears connecting i and have the same number of teeth and simply change
the direction of rotation; it will be seen that rotatory movement can be
given in either direction to the whirl through the shaft while the horn is
moved by the operator in either direction, and that the rotation of the whirl
and the rest or position of the whirl relative to the needle or any fixed.
part of the machine are entirely free from connection with the movement of
the horn though the whirl is enclosed and supported by the horn. The thread
spool, or bobbin m is provided with a tension device and is supported on 9, the
thread passing over a spring n and leader pulley o into a thread channel
formed in the horn to and through the small side hole in the whirl. The
function of the spring n is to yield and give a little thread to the first pull
of the needle so as to cause the bobbin to start with less of a jerk in giving
off the amount of thread needed at each stroke of the needle. At the lower
front part of the machine a treadle c is fixed on a rocker, shaft q, which is
supported in suitable bearings in the frame. This treadle, worked by foot, may
be made to rotate the cam shaft x, or it may be made as shewn in the Drawings
to operate binder pullies u, to control the operation of the belt v on the
driving wheel w;r is an arm on rocker shaft q; s, a link from 9 to a rocker
arm t, which is attached to and vibrates on the upper rear part of the
frame, and which carries the two loose binder pullies u, one of each of which
operates on one part of the belt v, which is shewn passing over the fly wheel
w on the cam shaft x, the belt being driven from a pulley beneath the
floor not shewn. When "power" is not accessible the pullies u are dispensed
with, and a link connects a crank pin in w with the stud in the vibratory end
of t, and the machine is then worked by the operator by means of the treadle.
The upper plate y of the head is supported and held from d by suitable
posts z, in two of which are bearings for the cam shaft a. This shaft bas
fixed upon it the excentric a', which operates the needle and the cams b¹, c¹,
and d', which respectively operate the feeder e', the whirl h, and the presser g¹.
The presser g¹ terminates in a facet slightly roughened, of the form shewn,
and so arranged as to. be operated by the presser bar in close proximity to
the needle directly in front of it or on its hooked side and in the line of

page_text: "
the feeding vibrations of the feeder. The presser g¹ is so connected with the
presser bar h¹ that it can be set thereon by the operator nearer to or further
from the needle so that the inclined surface of the presser nearest the needle
shall operate on the feeder in its vibrations to cause it to feed the stock for
short or long stitches as may be desired. On the upper end of the presser bar
a very quick screw thread is cut fitting a nut i', which is held in the piece
, which piece is made to vibrate by means of the lever k¹, worked by the
presser cam d¹. The nut i¹ has a ratchet wheel formed on its periphery, upon.
which the pawl operates at certain times to prevent the nut from rotating
in that direction, which would lower the presser foot and bar, the pawl being
pivoted to . The bent lever m¹ is also pivoted to, so that when is
raised to a certain fixed height the short arm of m¹ strikes against a screw n¹
which is adjustable in the plate y over the said short arm, and further
upward movement of causes m² to trip the pawl when the spring o' forces.
the presser down upon the stock rotating the nut ¹ in so doing while the pawl is
kept clear from contact with the ratchet teeth. As k¹ moves downward, rota-
ting the nut in the direction opposite to that in which it was rotated by the
fall of the presser, or in the direction in which the ratchet wheel can turn.
under the pawl, the short arm of m¹ is released from contact with n' and a
spring which acts against the pawl throws it against the teeth of the ratchet.
It will be seen that the arrangement described and shewn of the quick
screw, the ratchet nut, and the pawl, with other parts therewith connected,
renders downward motion of the presser impossible, except when the pawl
is thrown out of gear with the ratchet by the action of n', as described, so
as to let the presser drop upon the stock, rotating the nut in so doing, or
except when the operator while sewing pulls the pawl out of gear by operating.
the long arm of m', which is fashioned into a handle for that purpose. It will
also be seen that the presser rests upon the stock with the pressure of
spring o¹ at once after the pawl is tripped, and that it remains on the stock
in front of the needle compressing it till lifted by the cam d¹, just as the
needle begins to rise; also that the presser cannot be moved downward
except by throwing the pawl out of gear, unless by turning the cam shaft
backwards, which is not contemplated in this Specification. It will also be
plain that the presser is constantly lifted and let fall upon the stock, so that
where the stock, as it is made to move under the presser, varies in thickness,
any projection like that shewn at p¹ will when the presser is on the stock rest.
at various heights from the surface of the bed or horn. This varying position
of p¹ is made operative in the automatic change of the stroke of the needle, as
will be herein-after explained. The presser foot can be lifted by hand to

page_text: place stock under it, or to remove stock from the horn, means for this being
shown in the link q', which is connected to h¹, and in the hand lever. The
feeder is connected with the presser bar by a link s¹, which is slotted at its
upper end to permit vertical movements. A pin t¹ is fixed in the link s', and
moves in angular grooves formed on the side of the presser bar, so that part
of the reciprocatory movements of the links ¹ cause the feeder and link s¹ to
rise and fall, as well as to move horizontally. The pin v³, by which the
links u¹ take hold upon the feeder, forms the hinge upon which the feeder
swings on the link 8, in drawing up on the front inclined surface of the
presser in the backward movement of the feeder, and also in its forward move-
ment till the projection w¹ on s¹ strikes a shoulder of the feeder, making a
kind of stop hinge, by which the liuk sand feeder are made rigid in the
feeding movement, but capable of bending in the backward movement of the
feeder, so that the point of the feeder can be raised on the inclined front of
the presser out of the stock. The small spiral spring a operates to keep the
point of the feeder close upon the front inclined surface of the presser, so
that the feeder point shall puncture the stock close to the presser, and said
spring also acts to draw the point of the feeder back on its return stroke.
The rocker shaft y¹ receives motion from the cam b', through a rocker arm,
and transmits the motion through another rocker arm to the links w¹, which
give through the mechanism described the proper motions and times, of
motion to the feeder. The feeder being connected with the presser is raised
from the horn with it, as before described, and the length of stitch is regu-
lated by adjusting the distance of the presser from the needle. When the
links u¹ are so moved as to straighten the feeder and the link s¹ like a toggle
joint, the point of the feeder is forced into the stock by the action of the side
inclines on the pin t¹, and further straightening movement is prevented, the
action of w¹ on the feeder rendering the link 8' and feeder rigid, then the feeder
moves forward. The feeder operates best by so adjusting the cam b' length-
wise of the shaft x that its point comes on its extreme forward throw under
the axial line of the needle, so that the puncture of the feeder aids the
perforation of the stock by the needle in its next stroke. It is well to arrange a
retaining stop to restrain the feeder from being moved by any accident beyond
its intended forward terminal point of stroke. Rotation is given to the shaft k
by means of a cord 2¹, which after being secured to the screw-formed guide
drum a², fixed on k, and being wound round a³, passes over guide pulleys b² to
the ends of the lever c, which is operated by the whirl cam c¹. Instead of
a³ a pinion may be fixed on k, which may be operated from the whil cam by
suitable rigid connections.. The needle is secured on the bar d³, which is

page_text: reciprocated from the eccentric a¹ by the intervention of the eccentric strap
and arm e³, the lever f³, and the link g. The simple ordinary operation of
similar parts is modified by making the fulcrum of the lever movable, and
so as to be checked at a fixed point in the upward throw of the eccentric,
which gives downward movement to the needle, and at variable points in the
downward throw of the eccentric, which gives upward movement to the
needle. The pin ha, which is the lever fulcrum, is fixed to the bar is, which
is arranged to slide in bearings in d and y. It is plain that when the needle is
performing work the fulcrum, if free to move, will reciprocate instead of the
needle when the eccentric is rotated. If now the excentric is on the upward
throw the termination of the downward stroke of the needle, and the place
at which its point will arrive, will depend upon the amount of upward move-
ment allowed to the fulcrum. This is regulated by the adjustable check
nuts j³, which strike against the under side of plate d, preventing further
upward movement of the fulcrum, and causing the continued upward throw
of the eccentric to be expended in moving the needle downward. It will be
seen that the position of the check nuts j determines the lowest position at
which the point of the needle can arrive, without regard to the whole amount
of the stroke of the needle. In this mechanism the throw of the eccentric
is greater than the greatest movement which it is ever intended to impart to
the needle. It is desirable to vary the movement when the stock varies in
thickness; and to do this automatically in accordance with the thickness of
the stock where operated on by the needle. In a chain stitch sewing
mechanism, the length of thread required to form a stitch is equal to the
sum of three times the length of the stitch, added to twice the thickness of
the stock with a slight amount added to this for length of thread taken up
in doubling one loop round the next. From this it will be seen that the
amount which the throw of the needle should be varied to have the thread
drawn off by it, proportioned to the variations of the thickness of the stock,
is double either the increase or the diminution of the thickness of the stock.
As the lever f' is pivotted in the centre any change in the position where
this becomes fixed will be accompanied with a change twice as great in the
movement of the needle. On the bar is there is an arm & adjustable on i³,
which projects over the shoulder p¹, formed on the presser bar, and this
shoulder acts as a stop to check downward movement of the fulcrum. The
higher the shoulder p' is placed the less will be the lost movement of the
needle, or, in other words, the eccentric end of the lever f* moving constantly
would impart its movement to the needle if the fulcrum did not move, and
the sooner the movement of the fulcrum is stopped, the greater will be the

page_text: movement imparted to the upward stroke of the needle. It will now be seen
that the thickness of the stock operates through the mechanism described to
change the throw of the needle automatically. As the needle at each upward:
stroke pulls from the spool enough thread to form the next stitch to be made,
and as the presser operates on the stock about the distance of one stitch
ahead of. the needle, it will appear that the presser in falling upon the stock.
makes provision to correctly adjust the length of the thread for the stitch
passing through the stock at the place where the presser then rests. The
length of the feed and consequently the length of the stitches is uniform, but
when changed by adjustment of the presser, as before described, the amount
of upward movement of the needle must be varied to the amount of three
times the change in the length of the stitch. This is done by manipulation
of the operator, who moves the arm downward on the fulcrum bar i³ when
the stitch is lengthened, or moves it up when shortened to the amount
requisite. When the stroke of the needle is so adjusted as to take from the
spool at each up stroke the amount of thread before named as requisite to
the formation of a chain stitch, there will be no slipping of the thread in or
through the hook or eye of the needle, or "rendering," as it is termed. When
the stroke of the needle is either too long or too short the thread "renders
through the needle; this frays the thread, and causes it to break, and breakage
from this cause is avoided by the automatic variation of the stroke corre-
sponding with the requirements of the varying thicknesses of the material.
The spiral spring 12 operates to balance the weight of the vibratory parts
connected with the needle..
In this sewing mechanism, as in all others using the hook or crochet
needle, it is necessary in order to form a seam to prevent the previously
formed loop from catching in the hook of the needle as this draws up the
next loop. This is effected by a slide p which covers the hook as it emerges
from the stock, the slide resting on the surface of the stock while the needle
passes through it to receive the thread beneath. The slide is a short tube
or nipple surrounding the needle inserted in a stem or rod n³, and operated
by a lever m², which is pivotted to the moveable fulcrum h³. The stem n³
of the slide is connected to a link o in such a manner by the interposition.
of a spring, that the slide will rest on the surface of the thinnest stock when
the needle perforates it, or on the surface of the thickest stock, in which
latter case the spring is compressed while the lever m² vibrates with the
needle lever f.. On the excentric end of the needle lever a spring p² is
fixed, which has two retaining notches, into one or the other of which the detent
pin 2 catches when m³ is moved relatively to f, said pin being always in

page_text: one or the other of said notches, causing m² to vibrate with f³; m² being hung
on the same fulcrum with f, with one end connected thereto by p³ and q²,
it is plain that the other end of m² must move the cast off as much as the
needle is moved, but as this movement alone would always keep the eye of
the needle open or closed according as the parts were first adjusted, it is
necessary to apply a means for moving the lever m² relatively to g² to cover
and uncover the hook or eye of the needle. This is done by connecting the
detent pin with a pin in by a link s, which is slotted so that 6³ can
have some movement in the slot without moving m³. As the eccentric
rotates, giving its upward throw, the pin moves in the slot of the link
till it strikes the upper end of the slot, and as in the continued rotation of
the excentric, the distance between pins q² and would be decreased, the
detent is pushed out of the lowest notch in the spring på into the upper notch
which moves m² relatively to g², and moves the slide on the needle to cover
the hook, and this closing movement is effected about as the excentric passes
the upper centre so that the needle is at its lowest throw. Continued rotation
of the excentric toward the lower centre raises the needle and slide without
changing their relative rotation till as the distance between 9 and is
increased on the approach of the excentric to the lower centre, moves in
the slot in c till it strikes the lower end of the slot, and said distances still
tending to increase with the continued rotation of the excentric, the detent
is shifted from the upper notch of the spring p³ changing the relation of m
and g and opening the needle eye before the needle begins to descend. This
mechanism when made to move without the introduction of stock and the
employment of thread does not operate in all of its parts as it does when
employed in sewing. When employed in sewing, the operation of the machine
is as follows: When the needle is elevated considerably above the horn,
but on the down stroke, and premising that the thread is properly drawn
through the whirl to the upper surface of the horn, leaving an end of a
few inches in length which is pulled toward the left hand of the operator
as he stands facing the machine, the feeder and presser are raised by
operating and the stock, or the boot or shoe is placed on the horn
so that the needle comes over the spot where it is desired to have the
seam commenced. By operating the lever m¹. the feeder and presser are
lowered, the latter holding the stock on the horn. Rotation being then
given to w, in the direction indicated, the needle approaches the stock and
the feeder moving down the incline of the presser punctures the stock. The
needle continues to move downward, going through the stock, but the slide p
is checked and rests on the surface, the continued movement of the lever

page_text: which operates the slide being expended in compressing the spring. As
the needle arrives at its lowest point of stroke the whirl is operated and
makes about two-thirds of a rotation about the needle, winding the thread
into the hook, and when the needle ascends a little the whirl rotates back
to its first position. Just about as the needle completes its down stroke the
lever m³ receives an additional motion by means before described, which as
the slide p is resting on the surface of the stock is expended in compressing
spring 1, but this motion of m² has its effect made manifest by the slide covering
the hook of the needle as this emerges from the stock in the up stroke.
Continued rotation now brings the end of k upon the shoulder p³ of the
presser bar the needle remaining down till this occurs, being held by the
resistance offered by the thread and friction of the needle in the stock, but
when said end and shoulder meet then the needle rises till at its up stroke
the slide receives its additional and an accelerated movement which uncovers
the eye of the needle. But as the needle begins to rise the presser and
feeder are both lifted a little to free the thread from pinch, and now just
before the needle descends, and before the feeder moves forward, an additional
rise is given to the presser and feeder, and the latter moves to push the work
along so that the stock may receive the next perforation of the needle in
the proper place, the distance of one stitch from the last perforation. When
this feed movement is effected the feeder and presser are both dropped and
as the needle descends the feeder retreats from beneath it, leaving the presser
resting on the stock to hold it in position while the needle is approaching
the stock and while the feeder is rising upon the incline of the presser foot.
The needle continuing to approach, again penetrates the stock, and receiving
the thread as before described, draws a new loop of it through the previously
formed loop, tightens this, and takes enough thread from the spool to form the
next stitch.
What I claim as the improvements in this Invention is,―
First, so arranging and combining with a sewing mechanism the projecting
bed or horn which encases and conveys the whirl or looper, and which
supports the stock that said horn can be rotated with the stock upon it in
reference to the needle and feeder, when it is desired to have the seam conform
to curves or angles instead of turning the stock upon the horn, or of turning
the needle and feeder with reference to the horn. Also combining with the
rotating horn, so as to rotate with it the thread, spool, or bobbin, and also the
tension device which acts upon the thread.
Second, combining a rotatory whirl or looper with a rotating horn, sub-
stantially in the manner described, so that while the whirl has an intermittent

page_text: rotatory movement with relation to the needle, the horn can be rotated without
changing the relative rotation of the whirl and needle to each other, or in
other words, so that rotation of the horn shall not rotate the whirl though
supported by and held in the horn.
Third, adjusting or varying the lengths of the loops drawn by the needle
from the spool, so as to conform to varying thicknesses of stock, by auto-
matically adjusting or varying the stroke of the needle by the thickness of the
stock at or near the point where the needle is operating, by substantially the
means described or any equivalents thereof.
Fourth, so operating the presser foot as to lift it a fixed amount from the
surface of the stock, no matter what its thickness, to relieve the thread from
pinch between the bed and the under surface of the stock while the thread is
drawing through the stock, substantially by the means described or any
equivalent therefor.
Fifth, so combining the presser foot with the needle and the parts con-
nected therewith, substantially by the means described, or by any equivalents
therefor, that the resistance offered to the upward movement of the needle
reacts upon the presser to prevent it from being forced upward from the
needle, the presser being prevented from downward motion substantially
as shewn.
Sixth, so combining the closing slide of the needle and the needle, substan-
tially by the means described, or by any equivalents therefor, that the stroke
of the slide shall be increased or diminished automatically as the stroke of the
needle is increased or diminished.
Seventh, so combining the closing slide of the needle with the needle,
substantially by the means described, or by any equivalents thereof, that said
slide is so placed as to cover the eye or hook of the needle while emerging
from the stock, and to move with the needle, keeping its eye or hook covered
till at or near the termination of the upward stroke of the needle, when the
slide moves relatively to the needle uncovering its eye, and then by moving
downward with the needle keeps its eye uncovered till the needle punctures
the stock.
Eighth, the arrangement of the presser and feeder directly in front of the
hook of the needle in proximity to the needle in the plane of the vibrations of
the feeder, and above the stock to be sewed, so as to operate on the upper
surface thereof.
Ninth, so combining the feeder and presser that they can be lifted together
to facilitate placing the stock upon or taking it from the horn, substantially as
described.

page_text: Tenth, controlling the extent of the feeding action of the feeder by making
the presser adjustable toward and from the needle, and by constructing the
presser with an inclined surface next the feeder, substantially as shewn.
Eleventh, in combination with the needle bar of a sewing mechanism,
a lever which reciprocates said bar when its fulcrum is so arranged as to
be made moveable for the purpose of changing the throw of said bar.
Twelfth, the means described for varying the stroke of the needle to
conform to change in the length of the stitch, the same consisting of a stop
made adjustable on the fulcrum bar to vary the distance between said stop
and the fulcrum.
Thirteenth, the combination and arrangement of the spring 1 with the parts
connected with the needle lever, so as to counterbalance the weight of said
parts, so as to retain the needle at its up stroke till the check ² operates on
the plate d.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Ford, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN WILLIAM FORD. (L.S.)