IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR STITCHING, BACKSTITCHING, AND RUNNING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Douglass, of Norwich, Silk Manu-
facturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR STITCHING,
BACKSTITCHING, AND RUNNING."
Sealed the 19th December 1853, and dated the 15th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Douglass
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th August 1853.
I, ARCHIBALD DOUGLASS, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR STITCHING, BACKSTITCHING,
AND RUNNING," to be as follows:-
In nearly all the sewing or stitching machines hitherto invented, the
fabrics or materials to be connected together by sewing or stitching are
so connected by means of a thread or threads which is or are passed
through the said fabrics in a totally different manner to that usually
practised in sewing by hand. In fact, to connect fabrics together by
means of a stitch similar to that practised and used in hand sewing
has hitherto been considered such an extremely difficult if not impos-
sible task, that the ingenuity of inventors has generally been directed

page_text: to the discovery of another kind of stitch that would as effectually
secure the fabric or materials.
In some cases apparently very new and strong work has been pro-
duced by carrying a needle partly through the fabric, and hooking up
a thread that is fed from underneath, and which thread in the form of
a loop is again passed down through the fabric, and through another
loop. Sewing in this manner may be done very expeditiously, but it has
one great and fatal objection, and that is, that the thread when broken
at any part may easily be drawn out of the fabric, and therefore will
be practically useless to hold together fabrics that are subjected to any
wear. This difficulty has been combated by some inventors by the
addition of another thread, which will prevent the first from being
drawn out so easily. This, however, considerably complicates the
mechanism, and does not effectually secure the thread.
The object of the present Invention is by mechanical means to
imitate as closely as possible the ordinary hand-sewing operation. This
can only be effected by causing the needle to pass entirely through the
fabric, then to draw the thread tight, after which it may be passed
through again. Instead of mounting, fixing, or securing the needle in
a holder, as has hitherto been the case, I make use of a separate needle,
which is pointed at both ends, and is provided with two eyes at the middle.
The needle also has a groove made therein, in order to receive the
thread while the needle is passing through the fabric. The needle is
held by a pair of fingers, which, by suitable mechanical contrivances,
are made to rise and fall, and in so doing to pass through the fabric
and carry with it the thread. The needle is received on the other side
of the fabric by a similar pair of fingers, which act in a precisely
similar manner, the motions of both pairs being suitably timed. When
the needle has carried the thread through the fabric, the thread is
laid hold of by a reciprocating finger, which immediately runs back,
and draws the thread tight, in a similar manner to the hand and
arm of a seamstress when at work. The "work," or fabric or mate-
rials to be operated upon, is placed upon a table which is shifted each
time the needle passes through. As the motions of the table may be
varied at pleasure it will be understood, that in order to stitch and

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Archibald Douglass in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ARCHIBALD DOUGLASS, of Norwich, Silk Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Archibald Douglass, Her special license that I,
the said Archibald Douglass, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Archibald Douglass, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR
STITCHING, BACKSTITCHING, AND RUNNING," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Archibald Douglass, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Archibald Douglass, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
Before entering upon an explanation of the construction and
operation of my improved machinery for stitching, backstitching, and
running, I would observe that in nearly all the sowing or stitching
machines hitherto invented the fabrics or materials to be connected
together by sewing or stitching are so connected by means of a thread
or threads which is or are passed through the said fabrics in a totally
different manner to that usually practised in sewing by hand. In fact,
to connect fabrics together by means of a stitch similar to that
practised and used in hand sewing has hitherto been considered such
an extremely difficult if not impossible task that the ingenuity of
inventors has generally been directed to the discovery of another kind
of stitch that would as effectually secure the fabric or materials, the
movements to produce which may be more easily effected.
In some cases, apparently very good and strong work has been pro-
duced by carrying a needle partly through the fabric and hooking up a
thread that is fed from underneath, and which thread, in the form of a
loop, is again passed down through the fabric, and through another loop.
Sewing in this manner may be done very expeditiously, and present
a very neat appearance; but it has one great and fatal objection, and
that is, that the thread, when broken at any part, may easily be drawn
out of the fabric, and therefore will be practically useless to hold
together fabrics that are subjected to hard wear or rough usage. This
difficulty has been combatted by some inventors by the addition of
another thread, which will prevent the first from being drawn out
so easily. This, however, considerably complicates the mechanism,
and does not effectually secure the thread.
The object of the present Invention is by mechanical means to
imitate, as closely as possible, the ordinary hand-sewing operation.
This can only be effected by causing the needle to pass entirely
through the fabric, then to draw the thread tight, after which it may be
passed through the fabric a second time, and so on. Instead of mounting,
fixing, or securing the needle in a holder, as has hitherto been the case,

page_text: I make use of a separate needle, which is pointed at both ends, and is
provided with two or more eyes at the middle, through which the
thread is passed. The needle also has a groove made therein, in order
to receive the thread, and protect it from unnecessary wear while the
needle is passing through the fabric. The needle is held by pairs of
fingers or clamps, one pair of which is placed on each side of the
fabric, and by suitable mechanical contrivances these fingers or clamps
are made to advance and recede alternately, and, in so doing, to pass
the needle through the fabric, and cause it to carry with it the thread.
The needle, when passed into or through the fabric, is received on the
other side by a similar pair of fingers or clamps, which act in a
precisely similar manner to the fingers or clamps above mentioned, the
motions of both pairs of fingers being suitably timed in respect to each
other. When the needle has carried the thread through the fabric,
the thread is laid hold of by reciprocating, vibrating, or rotating
fingers, which are attached to the end of long arms. Immediately
that one of these vibrating or rotating fingers lays hold of the thread,
the arm is moved back or caused to turn on its axis and draw the
thread tight, in a similar manner to the hand and arm of a seamstress
when at work. The "work," or fabric or material to be operated
upon, is placed between a pair of jaws or clamps attached to a table,
which is shifted longitudinally each time the needle and thread passes
through. As the motions of this table may be varied at pleasure, it
will be understood that in order to stitch and backstitch, the table
must be alternately moved the length of a stitch forward, and then
half the same distance backward, then the length of a stitch forward
a second time, and so on.
When simply "running" a thread only the single movement is
required, that is, the simple forward motion of the table.
Sewing machines are usually worked by hand, but I propose to actuate
my improved machines by means of a treadle lever or other suitable
contrivance, whereby both the hands may be left at liberty; or, if
preferred, my improved machinery may be actuated by steam or other
motive power.
Having now briefly explained the general construction and principal

page_text: feature of my improved machine, I will now proceed to describe more
in detail the construction, arrangement, and operation of the working
parts, as shewn in the accompanying Drawings; in which Fig. 1, is a
sectional plan view of the machine, some of the upper parts having been
removed in order that those beneath may be more clearly seen.
'Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the machine complete. Fig. 3, is a
transverse section of the same, shewing the principal working parts.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 12, are detached views of some of the
principal working parts, drawn full size.
The main horizontal framing of the machine is shewn at a, a, a, a,
and may be made either of wood or iron. On the top of this framing
is placed a strong vertical gallows frame b, b, Fig. 3, to which are
firmly bolted or secured the bearings of the driving shaft c, on which
'is fixed the small pulley d, whereby motion is communicated to the
shaft from any prime mover. A moderately slow motion is trans-
mitted from the shaft c, by means of the band or strap e, to the
shaft f, which I shall call the "finger shaft." On each end of this
shaft f, is mounted a bevil wheel 9, which gears into and drives a
similar wheel on the upper end of the vertical shafts h, h. On
the lower end of the shafts h, h, are bevel pinions i, i, which gear
into and drive similar pinions j, j, connected with the mechanism for
actuating the table, as will be presently explained. A half wheel k,
Figures 1, and 2, (that is, a wheel with teeth on half its circumference
only,) is mounted near the lower end of each of the vertical shafts h,
for the purpose of actuating the mechanism, whereby the needle holders
or clamps are moved to and fro. A long horizontal table 1, 1, 1, 1,
(Fig. 1,) of any convenient length, and provided with anti-friction rollers
beneath, is mounted on rails m, m, (Figures 1, & 3,) so that it may be
moved horizontally thereon with facility: The rails m, m, are secured
to the side bars of the horizontal frame a, a, as shown in Figures 1,
and 3. The table is by preference made of wood, and is divided lon-
gitudinally down the centre, whero a pair of clamps or jaws n, are
placed, as shewn in Fig. 3, for the purpose of holding the work. One
side of the table is hinged, as shewn at 1, so that the clamps or jaws
n, may be opened when required. When any work is to be placed

page_text: in the machine the moveable jaw or clamp must be lifted up, and
the work placed between the jaws n, where it will be firmly held by
pushing down the moveable jaw or clamp, and causing it to press
the work, a narrow strip of which will project above the jaws between
the needle holders. It has been said that for stitching and back-
stitching the table l, must be moved one stitch forward and half
a stitch backward alternately, in order to produce the required stitch.
This is effected by means of the mechanism contained in the box A;
and shewn in the plan view, Fig. 1, and also in the detached plan
view, Fig. 6, which is drawn upon an enlarged scale. The means of
actuating the bevil wheel j, has been already explained; and on the
shaft of the wheel j, is a toothed wheel 0, which gears into a similar
wheel o. A spindle p, and p*, is inserted in a socket made in the
respective hubs of the two wheels o, o, in such a manner as to admit
of their being slightly moved therein when required to be adjusted, as
will be hereafter explained. These spindles p, and p*, are each pro-
vided with one tooth p², p; and the opposite ends of the spindles p,
and p*, are inserted in the moveable adjustable pieces or slides
which are capable of adjustment by means of the screws k³. Between
the spindles p, p, is mounted the barrel r, on the axle of which are
fixed the two tooth wheels s, and s*, which are alternately actuated by
the single tooth p², or p³, of the spindles p, p; it will therefore be seen
that as the spindles p, and p*, must rotate in opposite directions, the
barrel r, will be made to turn on its axis alternately in opposite direc-
tions, when the teeth p², or p³, will in turn actuate the wheels s, or s*.
The amount of rotation given to the barrel r, and consequently the
distance the table 1, (Fig. 1,) is moved forward, is regulated by moving
the spindles p, and p*, nearer to or further from the wheels s, s*, so
that these latter may be acted on by the teeth p, p, to a greater or
less extent, according to the length of stitch required. The motions of
the barrel, are transmitted to the table by means of a cord t, t, which
passes round the barrel, and is fixed at each end to the under side of
the table.
,
...Having explained the means whereby the table, with its clamps, and
consequently the work fixed or held therein, is actuated, I will now

page_text: proceed to describe my improvements in the construction of the needle,
and the mechanism for operating the same, and passing it through the
work; also the means for taking up the slack of and tightening the
thread at every stitch of the needle.
The improvements in the needle consists simply in making two or
more eyes or holes at or near the middle of the needle, and also in
making a groove or indentation along the body of the needle, on one or
both sides, for the purpose of receiving the thread, and protecting it from
friction or hard wear when passing through the work. The mechanism
whereby the first of these operations is effected is shewn in Figures 1,
2, and 3, and upon an enlarged scale in Figures 4, and 5; Fig. 4,
being a plan view, and Fig. 5, a side view, of one of the needle clamps
and its mechanism, one of the sides of the box containing the same being
removed in order that the arrangement of the parts may be more
clearly seen. The clamp for holding the needle and passing it through
the cloth or fabric has two jaws, a fixed jaw a¹, and a moveable jaw a²,
which is mounted on a pin b', as a centre. The jaws are kept closed
by means of a spring c¹, which presses on the under side of the tail of
the moveable or upper jaw, and keeps the clamp closed, except when
forcibly opened for the purpose of allowing the needle to be withdrawn
or placed therein. The inner faces of the jaws are indented or pro-
vided with teeth, and the lower one has a channel cut longitudinally
therein for the purpose of receiving the body of the needle, and pre-
venting it from shifting laterally. The form of the jaws will be best
seen by reference to the cross section Fig. 5. One of these clamps
is mounted on each side of the machine, as shewn in the plan
view Fig. 1, and the cross section Fig. 3; and these clamps have
a reciprocating or backward and forward motion communicated to
them for the purpose of passing the needle through the work, as will
be presently explained. It has been said, that on the lower part of
each of the vertical shafts h, h, is a half wheel k. This wheel is
vided throughout half its circumference only with teeth, and gears into
and drives a bevil pinion on the spindle u, on the opposite end of which
is a small toothed wheel v, which drives the wheels w, and a. On the
spindles of these wheels w, and a, are two toothed wheels w¹, and a¹,
pro-

page_text: which are provided with teeth on a portion of their circumference only,
for the purpose of taking into and driving the racks w², and a², on the
under side of the lower jaw a¹, of the needle clamps. It will be seen,
on referring to Figures 3, and 5, that this lower jaw a', of the needle
clamps moves in guides or sockets a", which are attached to the framing;
and when motion is communicated from the shaft h, Figures 2, and 3,
to the pinion of the shaft , this latter will be actuated during one
half of the rotation of the shaft h, and by so doing will drive the
wheels w, and a, and also their fellow wheels w¹, and a¹. By means
of the rack w, the needle clamp will be moved forward so as to bring
the mouth of the clamp up to the work, and open the jaws to receive
the needle, which will have been placed in the work by the other pair
of clamps. The toothed part of the wheel a¹, will at that moment
come into gear with the rack, and will immediately draw back the
needle clamp (with the needle and thread) into its former position. In
the meantime the table 1, Figures 1, and 3, with the work fixed
therein, will have been shifted longitudinally in the manner and by the
means above explained; the wheels w, and a, by continuing to rotate,
will a second time bring forward the clamp with the needle in its jaws,
and passes the said needle into the work, from which it will be drawn
out on the other side by the other clamp or pair of jaws. It should be
understood that all these motions of each pair of clamps take place
during a semi-revolution of the vertical shaft h. In other words, the
teeth of the half wheel k, by means of the gearing just described, causes
the needle clamp to move forward to receive the needle, move back to
draw the same out of the work, and insert it a second time; and when
this has been done that needle clamp or pair of jaws will remain station-
ary, while the other needle clamps perform the same operations. When
the needle clamp goes forward to receive the needle its jaws must be
opened to allow the needle to enter; this is effected by means of a
tooth y, on the boss of the wheel w¹, being brought against a stud y³,
on the vertical guide rod z, which carries at its upper end a roller z¹.
The moveable jaw a², of the clamp passes under this roller; and when
the guide z, and its roller, z¹, is drawn down, it will of course open the
jaws for the needle, and keep the jaws open, as shewn in Fig. 3,

page_text: .
while the clamp on the opposite side. of the work is performing its
functions.
The needle having been passed through the cloth or work, as above
explained, the thread is taken up by the rotating or vibrating fingers
ff, which are mounted on the "finger shaft" f, (Figures 2, and 3.)
This shaft being kept in continual rotation by the band e, from the
driving shaft will carry round the arms ff, when the fingers at the
end of the arms will catch hold of the thread and draw it tight in the
,cloth. The construction of these fingers will be best understood by re-
ferring to the views, Figures 7, and 8, in which they are drawn detached
and upon an enlarged scale. The finger f', at-the end of the arms f²,
is mounted on a pin or stud 1, and is held steady by the flat spring 2,
behind. It is also provided with a roller 3, to receive or catch hold
of the thread. It will now be understood that as the arms f¹, rotate,
the thread will be caught up by the roller 3, at the end of the fingers,
and will be thereby drawn through the cloth, and when drawn tight the
spring 2, will yield to the slight drag of the thread, which will cause
the finger to turn on its pin, and allow the thread to escape from the
roller 3. When this takes place the thread will fly back, and if pre-
.cautions are not provided it would be liable to get entangled in some
parts of the machinery; to prevent this, however, a brush or wiper 4,
is fixed at the back of cach of the arms f2, and will catch the thread
when it escapes from the finger, and prevent it from flying back.
.
It will be seen on referring to Fig. 3, that the arms f, are mounted
separately on the shaft f, and are so arranged thereon that one of the
fingers and arms may be made to act on and take up the thread on one
side of the cloth, the other finger and arm being suitably placed to act
on the thread when it is passed through to the opposite side. Although
these arms and fingers are shewn as being kept in continual rotation in
one direction, a similar effect may be produced by causing them to
vibrate to and fro, but I do not consider that such an arrangement
would be so convenient as that shewn in the Drawings.
. When the thread is drawn tight by means of the rotating fingers,
as above explained, there would be a tendency to pull the needle out
of the clamp unless provision be made to prevent it. This is effected

page_text: by means of what I call the thread clamps, into the jaws of which
the thread is carried when it is passed through the work, and is
held therein while the thread is being drawn tight by means of the
fingers f. These thread clamps are shewn in the plan view Fig. 1,
and also detached and upon an enlarged scale in Figures 9, and 10.
Fig. 9, is a side elevation, and Fig. 10, a plan view of one of these
clamps, which consists of a fixed and moveable jaw. The whole clamp
is secured to a fixed part of the framing by means of a pin or stud 5,
on which the clamp may turn horizontally, when required. These
clamps are mounted by the side of the needle clamps (as shewn in
Fig. 1); and when the needle clamps move back with the needle in
them a stud or roller 6, (Figures 4, and 5,) comes in contact with the
tail of the upper jaw 7, of the thread clamp, and opens the same so as
to allow the thread to enter between the jaws, which when they close
and hold the thread firmly while it is being drawn tight; the curved
wire guard 8, is only to prevent the thread from becoming entangled
in the mechanism. When the needle clamp moves back, a projecting
stud 9, (Fig. 4,) fixed thereon is brought against a cam piece 10, at
the tail of the thread clamp, as seen in Fig. 10, and thereby causes
the clamp to move round on its centre pin or stud 5, and slacken the
thread to allow the needle to recede. It will of course be understood
that when the needle clamp moves forward again the roller 6, will
again open the jaws of the thread clamp, and a ow the thread to he
taken out. The same motion will of course take place on the other
side of the cloth with the other clamps.
The machine above described is only calculated to stitch in a straight
line, or nearly a straight line; but as, in making garments and other
articles, curved lines or seams are frequently required, I have shewn
in Figures 12, 13, and 14, various views of a machine constructed
according to my improvements for the purpose of stitching in a
curved line or a circle. Fig. 12, is a side elevation of a machine
for the above purpose; Fig. 13, is a transverse sectional view,
shewing merely those parts of the machine which are connected with
the table; Fig. 14, is a plan view of the same. The motions of
the needle clamps, the rotating fingers, the thread clamps, and the

page_text: mechanism for moving the clamps which hold the work, are precisely
similar to those already described; but instead of holding the cloth
or work on a straight flat table, (as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3,)
the cloth is secured in a sector clamp 1, 1, which is constructed of
two parts, so as to admit of being separated in order to allow the
cloth or work to be placed between them, after which they may be
brought together and secured by screw nuts *, *, whereby the work
may be tightly held between the jaws. This clamp is mounted on a
centre pin or stud m, and is actuated by a cord t, t, as in the former
instance, this cord being passed from the barrel r, over pullies n, n,
secured to the side framing, as shewn in the plan view. In Fig. 15, I
have shewn a somewhat different arrangement to that above described
for actuating the needle clamps. In Fig. 15, a considerable portion of
the wheel work is dispensed with, and in place thereof a cam w, is
made to act against two arms, which are attached to the under side of
the lower jaw a', of the clamp. By causing the cam w, to rotate by
means of the gearing shewn in the Figure the clamps will be moved
back and forth as in the former instance. The jaws a', a', of the
clamp are opened by means of a cam or tappet y, which is mounted
on the shaft of the cam wheel w, and is brought by the rotation of
the latter against the stud y, on the vertical rod z, as in Figs. 4, and 5.
Having now described my improvements in machinery for stitching,
backstitching and running, and the best means with which I am at
present acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I would observe, in
conclusion, that I am aware that needles with an eye in the middle, and
pointed at both ends, have been heretofore used for similar purposes to
those above described; I do not, therefore, claim the use of such
needles; nor do I intend to confine myself rigidly to the precise
arrangement or construction of parts herein shewn and described, as
they may, perhaps, be varied without departing from the nature and
object of my improvements But that which I consider to be new, and
therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent as aforesaid, is,-
First, the general arrangement of the parts herein shewn and
described, or any mere modification thereof.

page_text: Second, the use of a moveable table or clamp, as shewn, for hold-
ing the work, and moving it forward in either direction, as may be
required.
Third, the use of a needle pointed at both ends, and having two or
more eyes in the middle, with a groove or indentation on one or both
sides for the purpose of receiving the thread, and protecting the same
from unnecessary wear or friction.
Fourth, I claim the construction and arrangement of apparatus
herein shewn and described, or any mere modification thereof, for hold-
ing the needle firmly, and actuating the same, or passing it to and fro
through the cloth when required.
Fifth, I claim the use of rotating fingers for taking up the thread
after it has been passed through the cloth or work, and also the various
contrivances for preventing the thread from flying back when the
fingers release it.
Sixth, I claim the use and application of the thread clamps for hold-
ing one end of the thread, while the fingers are drawing it through the
work or cloth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Douglass, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
ARCH DOUGLASS. (L.S.)