IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Mabson, of the Town and County of the Town
of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES."
Sealed the 19th November 1867, and dated the 21st May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Mabson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
21st May 1867.
on the
I, JOHN MABSON, of the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
My first improvement in sewing machines consists in constructing that
portion of the cloth plate in which the needle hole is made movable, or in the
form of a slide preferably tapered, the inner end being the narrower; this slide
can be taken out and replaced, or another substituted with a different sized
needle hole, as may be required; the slide is fastened by a bolt underneath.
My next improvement refers to a tucking gauge, the chief novelty of which
is that it has a square pin projecting therefrom, which may be used to receive
and hold a broad hemmer either in sets or adjustable, or to receive and hold
sets of binders for various widths and thicknesses of braid, or a creaser used
when stitching one tuck, in creasing for the next, or a friller and gatherer for
(Price 8d.1

page_text: gathering a frill and stitching on a band at the same time. The tucking gauge
is adjusted by slots therein and screws in the cloth plate.
The next part of my Invention relates to a U-shaped guide, open at the
bottom for the braid to enter; on the upper side is a slide, which is movable
in a cut, and is fastened by a screw. This part of the Invention also relates
to a novel slide adjustable on two front screws of the cloth plate. The slide
has guides or forks attached thereto for regulating the braid on the under
side of the cloth when binding: it can be used separately for putting on
edging under a piece of work which is being hemmed by the machine. The
U-shaped guide has a socket to fit over the square pin of the tncking gauge,
as before referred to.
The next improvement relates to an adjustable broad hemmer, the novelty in
which consists in two slides, which together form the convolution of the hemmer
or of the hem; the upper slide moves on and is fastened by a screw, while the
under slide moves in and is fastened to the upper slide by a screw. The frame
of the hemmer has a socket to fit over the square pin of the tucking gauge.
The next improvement consists of a new creaser. Uprights support a bar or
rod, on which an elastic or spring piece of metal or other material slides;
this elastic piece is attached to the bar or rod by a screw, and at the end of
the piece is a wheel grooved or otherwise, which is caused to press on the
cloth by a screw passing through a threaded hole in a leg of the bar and
reaching the cloth plate; the pressure of the wheel is increased or decreased
by the screw as required. The remainder of this appliance consists of a slide
fastened by a screw to an arm which supports it, and which is secured by the
screw that fastens the machine to the table, and of a rod or bar with a some-
what sharp edge, on which the wheel turns and creases the work or cloth.
The next improvement consists of a new frliler or gatherer. This consists
of an upright, having a slit or slot to receive the ends or axes of three cogged
rollers, the bottom one of which has a serrated wheel, say, twice the diameter
or circumference of the rollers, so that while the band which passes between
the two upper rollers moves half a yard the piece to be gathered which passes
under the serrated wheel moves a yard, and is gathered by the feed of the
machine and stitched to the half yard of band; by having serrated wheels of
different sizes the gathering may be increased or decreased. A screw passing
through a frame on the upright regulates the pressure on the cogged rollers. A
socket is added to the above parts to enable this friller to be placed on the pin
of the tucking gauge.
The next improvement consists of a new cloth presser spring, which is
fastened to a frame or bracket secured to the cloth presser arm by being

page_text: turned under the arm like a hook and by a screw above the arm; a slide is
free to move on the frame or bracket, and its end rests on the top of the cloth
presser; a threaded pin is fastened to the frame or bracket, and depends from
it, and on this pin are a nut and a volute spring resting on the end of the
slide; by raising or lowering the nut the spring causes greater or less pressure
to be put on the article which is being stitched, some goods requiring a very
light and others a strong pressure. An arm for holding reels is dropped into
a socket on the frame or bracket.
The next improvement consists of an embroiderer, which is new as regards
both its construction and working. A frame is secured at the bottom of the
cloth presser by a screw passing through the presser foot, and at the top by a
collar which rests on the piston of the cloth presser, and is held on by a
thumb cap nut. A shaft with a cog wheel at the top and a cam at the bottom
is held to the frame by a pin or axle at the bottom of the cam, and by a collar
fastened to the top of the frame; a toothed lever fastened by a screw or pin
to the needle arm as the needle arm descends causes the cog wheel and the
cam to make half a revolution, and as the needle arm again rises the toothed
lever is drawn back, the shaft with the cog and cam being prevented making
a backward movement by a catch; as the cam revolves the thread guides are
opened and closed, and in both cases they carry the embroidery threads under-
neath the point of the needle and to the right of it, so that on the descent of
the needle the embroidery threads are stitched to the work or cloth. An arm
supports the reels of the embroidery thread on upright spindles; the reels
have weights or a spring pressing upon them to give tension to the embroidery
threads; there is a horizontal spindle, over which the embroidery threads pass,
and between this and the upright spindles is a weight of proper size to prevent
the threads slackening between the reels and the needles, but not heavy enough
to draw the threads off the reels themselves; as the narrow or small part of
the cam passes between the thread guides two springs cause the thread guides
to open, and the broad part of the cam closes the guides one over the other by
opening these springs. The lever before described as a toothed lever may be
connected with a crank fastened to the embroiderer frame, the shaft of the
crank being cogged to work the cog wheel, each révolution of the cogged
crank shaft making the cog wheel and cam to turn only half round.
The next part of the Invention relates to a quilting gauge, the novelty
consisting in its having two gauges and gauge bars, which slide on a metal-
picce of the cloth presser; they are fastened by a screw passing between these
slide bars; they may be used separately or in conjunction when quilting can
be done without stitching off the goods or cloth backwards and forwards.

page_text: The next part of the Invention relates to a trimmer for putting on braid,
and the novelty consists in this, that by raising tongues of the trimmer a braid
can be stitched on either side or down the middle; in going round a mantle
the braid can be stitched on one edge and then on the other by raising the
tongues on one side and lowering them on the other, as circumstances require
it. Instead of tongues two studs running between the bars or two slides
running on the bars may be used. The trimmer drops on the same piece of
metal as the quilting gauge, and is fastened with the same screw.
Another part of the Invention consists of a noiseless cam movable on the
shaft of the rotary hook by means of a nut which turns on a thread on the
shaft to shorten or lengthen the stitch; that part of the shaft on which the
cam slides is cogged. The cam may be immovable, in which case the end of
the feed bar has a screw running into it for lengthening or shortening the
stitch.
Another improvement consists in the employment of a shield to prevent the
oil spurting from the rotating parts on the operator; this shield is secured by
a screw or otherwise..
The next improvement consists of a new contrivance for starting the machine
above the table in the right direction; this consists of a rod or shaft above
the table, attached to a spring fastened under the table; by pressing down the
rod it comes upon and starts the fly wheel, and the spring returns the rod to
.its normal position.
contrivance for tightening the
This consists of a frame or
The next improvement consists of a novel
belt and preventing its backward movement.
plate, fastened to the table by screws or otherwise, and of a tongue which is
opened by the belt in passing down, but is instantly closed when the belt
ascends by the end of a crooked rod seeking its centre of gravity; nuts hold
the tongue and the mouth piece in which it fits to the frame or plate; by
loosening the nuts the apparatus can be moved backwards or forwards to act
properly on the belt, this movement taking place on pins which pass through
the frame, and upon one of which the tongue turns; the slide of this belt
tightener has attached thereto a roller between two bars or prongs, and is
fastened by a screw to the frame or plate. The bend of the crooked rod
brings it to the front part of the belt, so that when a backward movement is
desirable the rod can be raised by hand, and the belt be at the same time
drawn back; this will be found useful, as it is often necessary to make a
slight reversal of the rotary hook.
Another improvement consists in the employment in sewing machines of
two or other convenient number of rods or a frame for supporting heavy goods

page_text: or work at the front of the machine which it is not desirable should rest on
the knees of the operator; these rods or this frame are or is made to slide in
and out as required.
Another improvement consists in an adjustable guide for the needle. The
hole through which the needle passes is formed in a disc, which is free to turn
on a thread or screw, the hole not being quite in the centre of the disc, so
that the needle can be drawn to any side desired. The disc or guide is
fastened to the needle arm by a nut, and is useful in getting the needle into
its right position for working properly.
Another improvement consists in a scissor-like appliance for embroidering.
The scissor blades are bent so as to cross cach other, and the points have holes
to form thread guides; when the blades are opened the threads come together
or to a point; the passing down of the needle then stitches the embroidery
threads; on closing the blades the threads again cross each other, and are
stitched by the needle passing down. The scissors are actuated by the left
hand of the operator, the braider arm before described being used in con-
junction with them to hold the embroidery threads and to put a tension on
them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Mabson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MABSON, of the Town and County of the Town of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, 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 John Mabson, Her special licence that I, the said John Mabson, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Mabson, 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," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John

page_text: Mabson, 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 1, the said John Mabson, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My first improvement in sewing machines consists in constructing that
portion of the cloth plate in which the needle hole is made moveable, or in the
form of a slide preferably tapered, the inner end being the narrower; this
improvement is represented in Figures 1 and 2, Figure 1 being a plan of a
portion of the cloth plate, and Figure 2 a section through the line 1, 2, of
Figure 1. a is the moveable portion or slide containing the needle holes b;
this slide can be taken out and replaced or another substituted with a
different sized needle hole as may be required; the slide is fastened by a bolt c
underneath.
My next improvement refers to a tucking gauge represented in plan at a;
Figure 3, the novelty of which is that it has a square or other shaped pin b
projecting therefrom, which may be used to receive and hold a broad hemmer
either in sets or adjustable, or to receive and hold sets of binders for various
widths and thicknesses of braid, or a creaser used when stitching one tuck in
creasing for the next, or a friller and gatherer for gathering a frill and stitching
on a band at the same time; the tucking gauge is adjusted by slots c, c, therein,
and screws d, d, in the cloth plate.
The next part of my Invention relates to a U-shaped guide, shown at a in
Figure 4, open at the bottom at b for the braid to enter; on the upper side is
a slide c, which is moveable in a cut d, and is fastened by a screw e.
This part
of the Invention also relates to a novel slide adjustable on two front screws
of the cloth plate; this slide is shown at f; it is adjustable by its slots g on
the screws h. The slide has guides or forks. i attached thereto for regulating
the braid on the under side of the cloth when binding, one edge of the braid
bears against the forks while the other enters the opening b, and takes the
bend of the U-shaped guide as far as the slide c, the fabric on which the braid
is to be sewn passes through the middle of the U guide. The slide with
its forks i can be used separately for putting on edging under a piece of work

page_text: which is being hemmed by the machine. The U-shaped guide has a socket
to fit over the pin b of the tucking gauge, Figure 3. Figure 5 represents a
broad hemmer, the frame a of which has a socket b to fit over the pin of the
tucking gauge.
The next improvement consists of a new creaser, shown in plan in Figure 6.
and in side view in Figure 7. a is a bar on which a piece of metal or other
material b slightly elastic slides; this piece b is attached to the bar a by a screw c,
and at the end of the piece b is a wheel d, grooved or otherwise, which is
caused to press on the cloth by a screw e passi g through a threaded hole in a
lug of the bar a, and reaching the tucking gauge g (which is that shown at
a, Figure 3) or the cloth plate, the pressure of the wheel d is increased or
decreased by the screw e as required. The remainder of this appliance consists
of a slide held by a screw à to an arm i which supports it and which is
secured by the screw I that fastens the machine to the table, and of a projecting
and somewhat sharp edge m on which the wheel d turns and creases the work
or cloth. n is a guide pin or projection for the slide h.
The next improvement consists of a new friller or gatherer, shown in
Figure 8; this consists of an upright a having a slit or slot b to receive the
ends or axes of three cogged rollers c, d, e, the bottom one c of which has a
serrated wheel f, say, twice the diameter or circumference of the rollers, so
that while the band which passes between the two upper rollers d, e, moves
half a yard the piece to be gathered, which passes under the serrated wheel f
and causes it and the rollers c, d, e, to rotate, moves a yard, and is gathered by
the feed of the machine and stitched to the half yard of band, by having
serrated wheels of different sizes the gathering may be increased or decreased.
A screw h passing through a frame g on the upright regulates the pressure on
the cogged rollers by means of a spring 1, the ends of which are turned inwards
to bear upon the axes of the top roller e. A socket m is added to the above
parts to enable this friller to be placed on the pin of the tucking gauge. The
portions of the rollers d, e, which receives the band is roughened or chequered.
The next improvement consists of a new cloth presser spring arrangement
shown in Figure 9. The spring a is fastened to a frame or bracket b secured to
the cloth presser arm c by being turned under the arm like a hook, and by a
screw d above the arm; a threaded pin e is fastened to the frame or bracket b
and depends from it, and on this pin are a nut f and the spring a resting on
the top of the cloth presser bar g by raising or lowering the nut f the spring a
causes greater or less pressure to be put on the article which is being stitched,
some goods requiring a very light and others a strong pressure. An arm for
holding reels may be dropped into a socket on the frame or bracket b.

page_text: A modification of my new cloth presser spring arrangement is represented
in vertical section in Figure 10, and in elevation in Figure 11; in this modi-
fication the nut f instead of being screwed upon a pin depending from a bracket,
as in Figure 9, is screwed into the head of the machine.
The next improvement consists of an embroiderer, which is represented in
elevation in Figure 11, and is new as regards both its construction and
working. Figure 12 is a plan of the embroiderer, and Figure 13 a plan of
the parts for working it. A frame is secured at the bottom part of the
cloth presser by a screw passing through the presser foot k, a shaft I with a
ratchet wheel m at the top, and a cam n at the bottom is held to the foot k by
a pin or axle at the bottom of the cam. A lever o is provided with a paul p,
which is connected to plates q, to which one end of the lever is jointed; the
lever is fastened at its opposite end by a screw or pin to the needle arm, and
as the needle arm ascends the lever causes the wheel m and the cam n to
make part of a revolution, and as the needle arm is again depressed the lever
is drawn back, the shaft being prevented making a backward movement by
a catch 7. As the cam n revolves the thread guides s in the ends of the frame i
are opened and closed, and in both cases they carry the embroidery threads
underneath the point of the needle, and to the right of it, so that on the descent
of the needle the embroidery threads are stitched to the work or cloth. An
arm supports the reels of the embroidery thread on upright spindles;
the reels have weights or a spring pressing upon them to give tension to the
embroidery threads; there is a horizontal spindle over which the embroidery
threads pass, and between this and the upright spindles is a weight
of proper size to prevent the threads slackening between the reels and the
needle, but not heavy enough to draw the threads off the reels themselves, as.
the narrow or small part of the cam n passes between the thread guides s a
spring t causes the thread guides to close one over the other so as to cross
the threads, and the broad part of the cam opens the guides by overcoming
the power of the spring.
The next part of the Invention relates to a quilting gauge, shown in plan
in Figure 14, as opened out for broad quilting, and in Figure 15, in plan, as
contracted for narrow quilting; Figure 16 is a side view. The novelty con-
sists in its having two gauges a, b, and two gauge bars c, d, which slide on
a metal piece e of the cloth presser; they are fastened by a screw f passing
through slots in the slide bars c, d; they may be used separately or in conjunction
when quilting can be done without stitching off the goods or cloth backwards
and forwards. g is the needle hole formed in the piece e. For quilting two
widths I reverse the position of one of the gauges, as shown in Figure 16.

page_text: The next part of the Invention relates to a trimmer, represented in plan in
Figure 17, in section in Figure 18, and inside view in Figure 19; this
trimmer is employed for putting on braid, and the novelty consists in this,
that by raising tongues a of the trimmer a braid can be stitched on either side
or edge or down the middle, that is to say, that some of the tongues a are
raised at one part or another according to the width of braid and distance of
the stitch from the edges. The tongues are centred loosely on a bar b con-
nected to the frame c; this frame c is slotted at d to adjust it by a screw e on
a piece, formed with the needle hole; g, h, are two bars forming a guide for
the braid; the bar h is adjustable in the side frames c; in going round a mantle
the braid can be stitched on one edge and then on the other by raising the
tongues on one side and lowering them on the other as circumstances
require it. Instead of tongues, two studs running on or between the bars
g, h, or two slides running on the bars may be used; the trimmer drops on
the same piece of metal as the quilting gauge, and is fastened with the same
screw.
- Another part of the Invention consists of a noiseless cam, represented at a,
Figure 20, movable on the shaft b of the rotary hook by means of a nut c,
which turns on a thread on the shaft b to shorten or lengthen the stitch. d is
a piece hinged to the side framing, against which piece the end of the feed
rod e is kept by a spring ; as the cam a comes round it presses against the
piece d and moves the feed 'rod e, and the spring f returns this rod to its
normal position.
Another improvement consists in the employment of a shield, as represented
at o, Figure 7, to prevent the oil spurting from the rotating parts on the
operator; this shield is secured by the screw or otherwise.
The next improvement consists of a new contrivance for starting the
machine above the table in the right direction; this is represented in Figure 21,
and consists of a rod or shaft a above the table b attached to a spring c fastened
under the table, by pressing down the rod a it comes upon and starts the fly
wheel d, and the spring c returns the rod to its normal position..
The next improvement consists of a novel contrivance for tightening the
belt and preventing its backward movement; this contrivance is represented
in .vertical section in Figure 22; it.consists of a. frame a. or. plate. fastened to
the table by screws or otherwise, and of a tongue b which is opened by the
belt in passing down, but is instantly. closed-when the belt ascends by the end
of a weighted crooked rod c seeking its centre of gravity, pins d .hold the
tongue to the frame a, and the -mouth piece e in which it fits is held by other
pins to the frame by loosening or adjusting a screw g; the mouth piece e can

page_text: be moved backwards or forwards to act properly on the belt, this movement
taking place in guides or slots h in the frame. When a backward movement
is desirable the rod c can be raised by hand and the belt be at the same time
drawn back; this will be found useful, as it is often necessary to make a slight
reversal of the rotary hook. The belt tightener consists of a roller i fitted
between two bars or prongs k, the leg of which is connected by a pin or
screw m to the front end of the frame a; the degree of tension on the belt can
be regulated by an adjusting screw n.
Another improvement consists in the employment in sewing machines of
two or other convenient number or rods, as represented at a, Figure 23, for
supporting heavy goods or work at the front of the machine which it is not
desirable should rest on the knees of the operator; these rods are made to
slide in and out as required, and are fitted in the table b of the machine.
Another improvement consists in a scissor-like appliance for embroidering,
and is represented in Figure 24. The scissor blades a, a, are bent so as to
cross each other, and the points have holes b, b, to form thread guides; when
the blades are opened the threads come together or to a point; the passing
down of the needle then stitches the embroidery threads; on closing the blades,
as in the Figure, the threads again cross each other and are stitched by the
needle passing down. The scissors are actuated by the left hand of the
operator, the ordinary braider arm being used in conjunction with them to hold
the embroidery threads and to put a tension on them.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Sewing Machines,-
First, constructing that portion of the cloth plate in which the needle hole
is made movable or in the form of a slide, as and for the purpose herein-before
described and represented in Figures 1 and 2.
Second, constructing the tucking gauge with a projecting pin, as herein-
before described and represented in Figure 3, to receive and hold a hemmer,
a binder or other parts required.
Third, the U-shaped guide represented in Figure 4, and herein-before
described.
Fourth, the adjustable slide represented at f, i, in Figure 4, and herein-
before described.
Fifth, the creaser, constructed and acting substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figures 6 and 7.
Sixth, the friller or gatherer, constructed and acting substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figure 8.

page_text: Seventh, the cloth-pressing arrangement, constructed and acting substantially
as herein-before described with reference to Figures 9 and 10.
Eighth, the embroiderer, constructed and acting substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figures 11, 12, and 13.
Ninth, the quilting gauge, constructed and acting substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figures 14, 15, and 16.
Tenth, the trimmer, constructed and acting substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figures 17, 18, and 19.
Eleventh, the noiseless cam, constructed and acting substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figure 20.
Twelfth, the employment of a shield, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described with reference to Figure 7.
Thirteenth, the arrangement or contrivance, substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figure 21, for starting the machine above the
table in the right direction.
Fourteenth, the arrangement or contrivance, substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figure 22, for tightening the belt.
Fifteenth, the arrangement or contrivance, substantially as herein-before
described with reference to Figure 22, for preventing the backward movement
of the belt.
Sixteenth, the scissor-like appliance for embroidering, constructed and acting
substantially as herein-before described with reference to Figure 24.
Seventeenth, the employment of two or other convenient number of rods, as
represented in Figure 23, for supporting heavy goods at the front of the
machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Mabson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-seven.
JOHN MABSON. (L.S.)