IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY, PARTLY APPLI- CABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Stephens, of Buchanan Street, Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, Manager for the Howe Machine Company (Limited),
for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY, PARTLY APPLI-
CABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY."
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 20th July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Stephens at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th July 1877.
WILLIAM HENRY STEPHENS, of Buchanan Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Manager for the Howe Machine Company (Limited). IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINERY, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY."
My Invention relates more especially to sewing machines used for a class of work
which necessitates an adjustment of the feed mechanism to work in any direction
required across the material being sewn or stitched. This class of work comprises
the stitching of side springs or clastics in boots and shoes, the repairing of various
parts of boots or shoes, and making and repairing various parts of garments, and
wherever the work requires seams of stitching in various directions for which it is
very desirable to have a rapid and easy adjustment.
These machines, instead of the usual flat cloth plate, have a long arm or bar
whose extremity lies under the needle, and contains a shuttle working in a small
circular cavity or race, the top plate or cover of which forms the work support.
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel construction and combination of
parts whereby the feed mechanism of such machines may be made universal, that is
to say, it may be adjusted or set to commence at any point in the three hundred
and sixty-five degrees of the circumference of a circle concentric with the needle, so
that it will act in any direction across a plane enclosed by this circle. Heretofore
these machines have had their feed motion capable of adjustment around a portion
only of the circle's circumference, so that the leather, cloth, or other material being
sewn or stitched has had to be re-adjusted one or more times before the work is
finished.

page_text: The feed mechanism of these machines is enclosed in a cylinder or box above the
work-support, and consists of an adjustable pivoted presser bar arranged in combina-
tion with a cone or conical cam surrounding the needle bar, and provided with a spring.
The said cone is moved by a lever arm operated by a cam on the main shaft, and
thereby actuates the presser foot in one direction against the force of the spring, and
the spring in the other direction, and thereby imparts to the presser foot the required
feeding movement.
In the machines at present in use the feeding presser bar is carried in a piece
consisting of two circular heads and an upright bar, which piece is fitted to turn
within the said cylinder, its axis being the axis of the needle bar. The arm that
actuates the said cone projects through the side of the said cylinder and between the
two heads of the said supporting piece or carrier of the presser bar, and lifts the cone
by acting on its under surface. It is therefore obvious that the said supporting
piece or carrier can only rotate through a part of the circle around the needle bar,
its rotation being limited by the aforesaid arm. This incapability of a complete
rotation of the feed or presser bar carrier is the cause of very great inconvenience in
many cases. I have therefore sought to overcome this defect, and for this purpose
have devised the improved mechanism forming the subject of this Invention, and
which I will now describe.
I use the presser bar for effecting the feed movement of the work, this presser bar
being mounted in a carrier in the cylinder above the work-support, as above
specified. But in order to render the said carrier capable of complete rotation
around its axis without impairing the efficiency of any of the parts of the machine,
I modify the above-described arrangement as follows:-Instead of arranging the
arm that raises the feed cone or cam to extend through the side of the said cylinder
or box, I arrange it above the top of the latter. I place below the said cone a small
plate, which is connected by vertical side rods with a disc above the cylinder, and
the said lever projects under the said disc and acts on the latter to raise the said
cone; therefore this lever offers no obstruction to the rotation of the said carrier,
which is free to turn completely around its vertical axis, that is to say, around the
needle bar.
A small handle similar to that heretofore used in these machines is attached to
the carrier below the said cylinder, and serves for effecting the axial adjustment
or rotation of the same.
I use the ordinary spring for assisting the feed movement, and the arm for
effecting the vertical adjustment of the presser bar.
Another part of my Invention relates to a novel manner of securing the handles
in the driving wheels of sewing machines and other machines. The said handles
are adjustable, that is to say, they are capable of being either set rigidly in the
usual projecting position occupied by such handles, or of being folded or turned
down close to the side of the wheel. This capability of adjustment of the handle is
obtained by the following contrivance :-I drill a hole through the rim of the wheel,
and fit within the same a small bolt. The outer extremity of this bolt fits between
jaws formed on the end of the handle, and the said handle is pivoted or pin-jointed
to the said bolt. The part of the handle forming the said jaws and enclosing the
end of the bolt is turned to fit within the said hole. The said bolt is provided with
a spring, which, when the said handle is turned up into its working position, forces
the said bolt inward, and the turned portion of the handle entering with the said
bolt is thereby securely held, and the handle may be manipulated like an ordinary
fixed handle; but by drawing the handle outward so that its joint is clear of the
hole, the said handle may be folded or turned down close to the side of the wheel.
This contrivance is very advantageous with regard to the packing of sewing
machines, as it reduces the space required in the packing cases to an extent propor-
tionate to the length of the handles. It moreover renders the said machines more
convenient in cases where it is desired to use the same machine both as a land and
treadle machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Stephens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
January 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY STEPHENS, of Buchanan Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, Manager for the Howe Machine Company (Limited). " IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINERY, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY."
My Invention relates more especially to sewing machines used for a class of work
which necessitates an adjustment of the feed mechanism to work in any direction
required across the material being sewn or stitched. This class of work comprises
the stitching of side springs or "elastics" in boots and shoes, the repairing of various
parts of boots or shoes, and the making and repairing various parts of garments and
other articles wherever the work requires seams of stitching in various directions,
and for which it is very desirable to have a rapid and easy adjustinent.
These machines, instead of the usual flat cloth plate, have a long arm or bar
whose extremity lies under the needle, and contains a shuttle working in a small
circular cavity or race, the top plate or cover of which forms the work-support.
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel construction and combination of
parts whereby the feed mechanism of such machines may be made universal, that is
to say, it may be adjusted or set to commence at any point in the three hundred
and sixty-five degrees of the circumference of a circle concentric with the needle, so
that it will act in any direction across a plane enclosed by this circle. Heretofore
these machines have had their feed motion capable of adjustment around a portion
only of the circle's circumference, so that the leather, cloth, or other material being
sewn or stitched has had to be re-adjusted one or more times before the work is
finished.
The feed mechanism of these machines is enclosed in a cylinder or box above the
work-support, and consists of an adjustable pivotted presser bar arranged in com-
bination with a cone or conical cam surrounding the needle bar, and provided with
a spring. The said cone is moved by a lever arin operated by a cam on the main
shaft, and thereby actuates the presser foot in one direction against the force of a
spring, and the spring moves it in the other direction, and thereby imparts to the
presser foot the required feeding movement.
In the machines at present in use the feeding presser bar is carried in a carrier
consisting of two circular heads and an upright bar, which carrier is fitted to turn
within the said cylinder, its axis being the axis of the needle bar. The arm that
actuates the said cone projects through the side of the said cylinder and between
the two heads of the supporting piece or carrier of the presser bar, and lifts the
cone by acting on its under surface. It is therefore obvious that the supporting
piece or carrier can only rotate through a part of the circle around the needle bar,
its rotation being limited by the aforesaid arm. This incapability of a complete
rotation of the feed or presser bar carrier is the cause of very great inconvenience in
many cases.
I have therefore sought to overcome this defect, and for this purpose
have devised the improved mechanism forming the subject of this Invention, and
which I will now describe by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine to which my Inven-.
tion is applied.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position.
Figure 3 is a plan of the top of the same.
Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
The remaining Figures are herein-after described.
A is a part of the fixed arın which supports the machine head, wherein the needle.
bar and other parts are arranged; B is the end of the work-supporting arm enclosing
the shuttle carrier; a is the needle bar, which has imparted to it a vertical to-and-
fro motion in the usual manner through the lever b; c is the presser bar, and d the

page_text: foot thereon; e is an excentric or cam for raising the said presser foot from the
work.
I use the presser bar c for effecting the feed movement of the work, this presser
bar being mounted in a carrier g in the cylinder above the work-support B, as above
specified. The said carrier consists of the two discs or circular parts g', which are
united by a vertical bar or piece g²; the said discs gl are fitted to turn freely in
bearings in the cylindrical box or head h. But in order to render the said carrier
capable of complete rotation around its axis without impairing the efficiency of any
of the parts of the machine, I modify the above-described arrangement of mechanism
as follows:-Instead of arranging the lever or arm i that raises the feed cone or
cam to extend through the side of the said cylinder or box h, I arrange it above
the top of the latter, as clearly shewn in Figure 1, and I connect the said cone j by
means of vertical rods / attached to the sides thereof with a disc above the cylinder,
and the said lever i projects under the said disc 7, and acts on the latter to produce
the lift or rise of the cone j.
In some instances, instead of attaching the vertical rods to the said cone j, I place
a plate or disc below the said cone, and attach the vertical rods to this plate and to
the disc. The return or depression of the cone after each rise or lift of the same
is produced by the spiral spring j¹, which surrounds the needle bar, as shewn.
It will be seen that with the above-described arrangements of parts the lever i
will offer no obstruction to the rotation of the carrier g, which is therefore free to
be turned completely around its vertical axis, that is to say, around the needle
bar a.
A small handle m similar to that heretofore used in these machines is attached to
the carrier g below the said cylinder or box, and serves for effecting the axial adjust-
ment or rotation of the carrier and the adjustment of the feed mechanism, as above
described.
The presser bar c has on it an inclined or other suitable surface c', which rests in
or nearly in contact with the cone or cam j in whatever position or part of the
aforesaid circle the said carrier may be set or adjusted, the said bar being pressed
towards the cone by a spring c² fixed on the said carrier. It is the action of the
cam j in its vertical to-and-fro movement upon this inclined surface c¹ that produces
with the aid of the spring c² the feed movement of the presser foot; and it will be
obvious that by reason of the above-described arrangement of the mechanism,
whereby the said presser bar remains always in engagement with the said cam or
cone, that the feed mechanism will act in the required and proper manner in all
directions across the path of the needle. The said presser and feed bar c is forked
at its upper end to pass over a pin c³, which keeps it in place in the carrier; its
upper extremity is kept by the spring c in contact with the ring n¹ formed on the
end of the lever n. The said lever and spring impart to the presser bar the required
up-and-down movement for the feed.
Another part of my Invention relates to a novel manner of securing the handles
in the driving wheels of sewing machines. The said handles are adjustable, that is
to say, they are capable of being either set rigidly in the usual projecting position
occupied by such handles, or of being folded or turned down close to the side of the
wheel. This capability of adjustment of the handle is obtained by the contrivance
shewn in Figures 5 and 6, and which I will now proceed to explain.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of a sewing machine wheel with its handle
adjusted for working it by hand.
Figure 6 is a similar section showing the said handle adjusted or turned down
against the face of the wheel.
I drill a hole through the rim or any other convenient part of the wheel, and fit
within the same a small bolt o. The outer extremity of this bolt fits between
jaws p¹ formed on the end of the handle p, and the said handle is pivotted or jointed
to the said bolt by a pin q passing through the said jaws. The part of the handle
forming the said jaws and enclosing the end of the bolt o is turned to fit within the
said hole. The said bolt is surrounded by a spiral spring ", which bears against a

page_text: shoulder in the hole and a head or flange o' on the end of the bolt. This spring,
when the said handle is turned up into its working position, as shewn in Figure 5,
forces the said bolt inward, and the turned portion of the handle entering with the
said bolt is thereby securely held, and the handle may be manipulated like an
ordinary fixed handle; but by drawing the handle outward so that its joint is clear
of the hole, the said handle may be folded or turned down close to the side of the
wheel, as shewn in Figure 6. This contrivance is very advantageous with regard to
the packing of sewing machines, as it reduces the space required in the packing
cases to an extent proportionate to the length of the handles. It moreover renders
the said machines more convenient in cases where it is desired to use the same
machine both as a hand and treadle machine.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. Providing a sewing machine with feed mechanism which can be set or
adjusted to operate in any required direction across the centre line or path of the
needle by arranging the presser bar to act as the feed bar, and in combination with
an actuating cone or conical cam and with an operating arm or lever so arranged as
to permit the complete rotation or revolution of the said presser or feed bar around
the axis of the needle while keeping the presser bar in contact with the said
actuating cam, as above set forth.
Second. The combination of parts comprising the carrier, the needle bar working
through the same, the cone or conical cani arranged concentric with the said needle
bar, the presser or feed bar resting in contact with the said cone, the connection of
the latter to the plate or disc above the top of the carrier, the lever or arm outside
of and above the said carrier, and which is so arranged as to operate the said cone
or car without causing any obstruction to the complete revolution of the said
carrier, all as above set forth, and for the purpose specified.
Third. In a sewing machine wheel the handle jointed or rivetted to a bolt fitted
within a hole in the said wheel, and held therein by a spring which permits the
adjustment of the said handle, as above set forth and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Stephens, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. H. STEPHENS. (L.S.)