IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British, Foreign, and
Colonial Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Charles Edward Latimer Holmes,
of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1880.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Charles
Edward Latimer Holmes, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the
United States of America.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in sewing machines, & may be
embodied in a machine specially constructed for the purpose, or in an attachment
adapted to be connected to sewing machines in ordinary use with but little alteration
of the latter. In either case the needle receives not only the vertical movements
required in ordinary sewing, but may also be reciprocated laterally, & thus work
in different lateral positions, & its lateral movements may be varied as desired.
In carrying out this Invention, whatever may be the character of the machine to
which it is applied, there is used in combination with the usual reciprocating bar
or arm-a-carrier, which is capable of being vibrated or moved laterally independently
of the said arm, but is carried vertically therewith, & which is constructed with one
or more sockets to receive one or more needles & hold the same, when necessary,
in line with the needle bar in the position which the needle occupies when attached
directly to the latter..
With this carrier is combined any suitable devices that may produce a regular or
intermittent lateral motion, so that when said devices are in operation the needle
will descend on one moment through the fabric, & after its ascent will be carried
laterally, & on its next movement will descend either opposite the edge of the

page_text: fabric or at some point to one side of that first penetrated, the fabric having been
fed between the two movements, the repetition of which will produce stitches of a
peculiar zig-zag arrangement.
The devices for producing the lateral movements of this character may be con-
structed to vary the extent of this movement to produce stitches of different widths,
the length being regulated by the ordinary feed, & other devices may be employed
for altering the lateral working position of the needle over the fabric, so that the
cross stitching may be carried to, from, or across the same horizontal line.
By these various appliances the position of the needle may be altered to produce
stitches of various characters while the fabric is being fed forward, without deviating
from the same horizontal path.
The needle bar may be extended laterally, forming a bracket, or the latter may
be constructed so as to admit of the ready application to the needle bar of an
ordinary machine, & the carrier may be pivotted by a bolt to the end of the
bracket, the inner end of the carrier supporting the needle in line with the needle
bar.
A rod extends from the outer end of the carrier through an oscillating lug on a
lever pivotted to the head of the machine, & the lever is vibrated by a cam on
the driving shaft which reciprocates a slide connected to the said lever by a
coupling rod.
As the needle must descend first in one position & then in another, it must
receive a different movement from each complete rotation of the shaft; this is
effected by providing the cam with intersecting grooves, into which project the
elongated head of a pin rocking in a slide, the head of the pin travelling first in one
groove & then in the other, remaining in each groove during a complete rotation
of the shaft.
The slide moves between guides upon a plate bolted to the side of the over-
hanging arm.
The coupling rod connected to the said lever has a hooked end, which may be
placed upon a pin projecting from the slide as upon a stationary pin, in which case
the needle is not vibrated laterally, & ordinary straight stitches are produced.
The said lever is slotted to receive a bolt provided with a nut & connecting the
aforesaid rod adjustably to the lever, so that by raising or lowering the outer end
of the rod the width of the stitch may be changed, & the rod may be made in two
parts, screwed or otherwise connected adjustably together, so as to vary the length
of the rod & change the lateral working position of the needle, without necessarily
varying the width of the stitch.
The importance of changing the lateral position of the needle will be obvious
from the following:-If, for instance, the needle is making a narrow button hole
stitch, & it is desired to widen the stitch, the depression of the outer end of the
before mentioned coupling rod would make a wider stitch, but would increase the
movement of the needle on both sides of the edge of the fabric, so that the needle
will descend in the button hole at some distance from the edge, but by depressing
the end of the said rod & simultaneously lengthening the latter the stitch is
widened, while the needle descends as close to the edge as before.
The coupling rod may be moved automatically to vary the width of the stitch
for embroidering & other purposes.
According to one mode of doing this the rod is pivotted to its slide & terminates
in a toothed segment lever adapted to a worm on a shaft turning in brackets in the
slide. At the upper end of this shaft are ratchet wheels, to which are adapted
pawls on the standard of the overhanging arm. A spring may be turned so as to
bear against either pawl & throw it forward to strike its ratchet wheel as the
latter is carried back or forward by the reciprocation of the slide. The shaft thus
turned gradually raises or depresses the segment lever, automatically varying the
stitch. Automatic devices may be used for throwing the pawls alternately in &
out of operation; ratchets having different numbers of teeth may be used, or of

page_text: different diameter, & the angle of the rod may be changed by other means, such
as a cam or adjustable stop bearing upon the rod to raise or depress it.
When two needles are used they may be both set in the same carrier, or one may
be set in the same carrier & the other be passed through a slot in the carrier into
a socket in the needle bar, the two needles in this case producing different lines
of stitching.
It will be seen that the before mentioned bracket in connection with the needle
bar, the lateral vibrating carrier, the lever pivotted to the head of the machine, the
plate bolted to the side of the overhanging arm, the slide, coupling rod, and cam
constitute an attachment which may be sold for application to machines of the
"Singer" class. By slight variations the device may be adapted to other styles of
machines for sewing with one or two threads with reciprocating or rotating shuttles
or hooks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
September 1880.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and British, Foreign, and Colonial Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Charles
Edward Latimer Holmes, of the City, County, and State of New York, in the
United States of America.
The said Invention consists in the method and means hereinaftar fully set forth
for reciprocating the needle of a sewing machine horizontally as well as vertically,
and for altering the horizontal working position to produce and regulate the
position of "cat-stitches," "overseaming stitches," or button hole stitches, thereby
rendering the machine serviceable for embroidery and other fancy work, in addition
to ordinary sewing. This Invention may be embodied in a machine specially
constructed for the purpose, or in an attachment adapted to be connected to
machines in ordinary use, with but little alteration of the latter; in either case the
needle receives not only the vertical movements required in ordinary sewing, but
may also be reciprocated horizontally, and thus work in different horizontal
positions, and its horizontal movements may be varied as desired.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sewing machine similar to a "Singer" machine,
and embodying the Invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation; Fig. 3, a part section on
the line 1-2, Fig. 1; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detached views of attachments that may
be used in applying the Invention to ordinary machines; Figs. 7 and 8, diagrams
illustrating the stitches; Figs. 9 and 10, views illustrating a modification; Figs. 11
and 12, views illustrating a different arrangement for operating the needle; Fig. 13,
a plan view showing the Invention applied to a Wheeler and Wilson machine;
Fig. 14, a front elevation of Fig. 13; Fig. 15, a side elevation of Fig. 13, and
Fig. 16 a detached section.
In carrying out this Invention, whatever may be the charàcter of the machine to
which it is applied, there is used in combination with the usual reciprocating bar
or arm A a carrier C, which is capable of being vibrated or moved horizontally,
independently of said arm, but is carried vertically therewith, and which is
constructed with one or more sockets to receive one or more needles b, b, and hold
the same when necessary in line with the needle bar in the position which the
needle occupies when attached directly to the latter.
With this carrier are combined any suitable devices that may produce a regular
or intermittent horizontal motion, so that when said devices are in operation the
needle will descend on one movement through the fabric, and after its ascent will
be carried horizontally, and on its next movement will descend either opposite the
edge of the fabric or at some point to one side of that first penetrated, the fabric
having been fed between the two movements, the repetition of which will produce
stitches of the character shown at t, Fig. 8.
The devices for producing the horizontal movements of this character may be
constructed to vary the extent of such movements to produce stitches of different
widths, the length being regulated by the ordinary feed, and other devices may be 5
employed for altering the horizontal working position of the needle over the

page_text: fabric, so that the cross stitching may be carried to, from, or across the same
horizontal line.
.
By these various appliances the position of the needle may be altered to produce
stitches of various characters, as shown in Fig. 8, while the fabric is being fed
forward without deviating from the same horizontal path.
The needle bar A may be extended laterally forming a bracket B, or the latter
may be constructed detachable, as shown in Fig. 5, for the ready application to the
needle bar of an ordinary machine, and the carrier C may be pivotted by a bolt a
to the end of the bracket, the inner end of the carrier supporting the needle 6 in
line with the bar A. A rod D extends from the outer end of the carrier C through
a lug on a moveable bar or lever E (a lever being shown) pivotted at y to the
head F of the machine, and the lever is vibrated by a cam L on the driving
shaft M, which reciprocates a slide J connected to the lever E by a rod I.
As the needle must descend first. in one position and then in another, it must
receive a different movement from each complete rotation of the shaft M. This is
effected by providing the cam L with intersecting grooves i, i¹, into which projects
the elongated head 8 of a pin F rocking in the slide J. As seen in Fig. 4 the
head & of the pin will travel first in one groove and then in the other, remaining in
each during a complete rotation of the shaft. The slide J moves between guides e, e,
upon a plate K bolted to the side of the overhanging arm G. The rod I has a
hooked end, which may be placed upon a pin d projecting from the slide or upon a
stationary pin h, in which case the needle is not reciprocated horizontally and ordinary
straight stitches are produced. The lever E is slotted to receive a bolt provided with
a nut H, and connecting the rod I adjustably to the lever, so that by raising or
lowering the outer end of the rod the width of the stitch may be changed; and the
rod may be made in two parts screwed or otherwise connected adjustably together
so as to vary the length of the rod and change the horizontal working position of
the needle without necessarily varying the width of the stitch. The importance of
changing the horizontal position of the needle is illustrated by the diagram, Fig. 7.
If, for instance, the needle is making the button hole stitch 4-4, and it is desired
to widen the stitch the depression of the outer end of the rod I would make a wider
stitch, but would increase the movement of the needle on both sides of the edge of
the fabric so that the needle will descend in the button hole at some distance from
the edge, as at 2-2, but by depressing the end of the rod I and simultaneously
lengthening the latter the stitch is widened while the needle descends as close to
the edge as before, making the stitch in the position 3-3. The rod I may be
moved automatically to vary the width of the stitch for embroidering and other
purposes. One mode of doing this is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, where the rod is
pivotted to the slide J at a, and terminates in a toothed segment I' adapted to a
worm on a shaft N turning in brackets J¹ of the slide J. At the upper end of the
shaft N are ratchet wheels 2, 21, to which are adapted pawls v, vl, on a standard u
of the arın G. A spring w may be turned to bear against either pawl and throw it
forward to strike its ratchet-wheel as the latter is carried back or forward by the
reciprocation of the slide. The shaft thus turned gradually raises or depresses the
lever, automatically varying the stitch. Automatic devices may be used for
throwing the pawls alternately in and out of operation; ratchets having different
numbers of teeth may be used or of different diameter,-and-the-angle-or-length-of-
the rod may be changed by other means (as a cam or adjustable stop bearing upon
the rod) to raise or depress it. When two needles are used they may be both set
in the same carrier, as shown in Fig. 6, or one may be set in the carrier and the
other be passed through a slot x in the carrier into a socket in the needle bar, the
two needles in this case producing different lines of stitching. It will be seen that
the bracket B, carrier C, lever E, plate K, slide J, rod I, and cam L constitute an
attachment which may be sold for application to machines of the "Singer" class;
by slight variations the device may be adapted to other styles of machines
for sewing with one or two threads with reciprocating or rotating shuttles or
hooks.

page_text: In the modification shown in Fig. 11 the needle carrier C is applied to the needle
bar A to slide thereon, and may be operated in any suitable manner. For instance,
a rod D may extend from the carrier through a reciprocating slide or lever K', or
the rod may be secured to said lever and extend through or have its bearings on
the carrier, which will then slide vertically on or with the rod. In either case the
rod (as in Figs. 1 and 2) is the medium of operating the carrier without interfering
with its vertical movement, and in the construction shown in Fig. 11 applies the
power directly to the carrier close to the point where the needle is attached, so
there can be but little, if any, lost motion. The proximity of the rod to the needle bar
protects the rod and avoids interference with the work. The lever K or its equi-
valent may be operated from a swinging lever E vibrated from a cam L arranged
in the shaft M outside the arm G and the connecting rod I may be made extensible
by means of two curved arms m, m, and a screw or other device P for separating or
bringing them together without stopping the machine. In place of the cam before
described a cam like that shown in Figs. 11 and 12 may be used where a switch L'
vibrating on a pin y¹ is intermediate between the grooves i, i, and arranged so
that the pin s passing in one groove strikes the short end or bead e' and tilts the
switch to a position to deflect the pin into the other groove at the next revolution.
The presserfoot has a transverse slot p to permit the movements of the needle yet
press the work closely wherever the needle penetrates it.
The modification in Figs. 13 to 16 illustrates the application of the Invention to
a class of machines, such as the Wheeler and Wilson machines, where the needle is
operated by a vibrating arm A, and a revolving hook V and disk shuttle are
employed. In this case the carrier C slides on the needle arm, being held in place
by two detachable rods f. f, so as to be easily removed and applied. The carrier is
moved horizontally by a slide S carried by the stationary arm G, and having a
groove or slot w₁ to receive the pin of the carrier, and this slide is operated from
a cam cylinder L driven from any moveable part of the machine, but preferably
placed upon the shaft M or on a spindle M' at the end of said shaft. Between the
cam cylinder and slide are any suitable connecting and adjusting devices, as, for
instance, a vibrating lever D¹, extensible rod I, and lever E¹.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The method and means, herein described, of operating the needle of a
sewing machine to impart thereto both a vertical and a horizontal reciprocating
motion.
.
Secondly. The combination with a needle bar and needle of appliances for
reciprocating said needle horizontally in respect to said bar, substantially as set
forth.
Thirdly. The application of a needle carrier directly to the needle bar in
combination with appliances for reciprocating said carrier horizontally, substantially
as set forth.
Fourthly. The combination of the moveable needle carrier and devices whereby
it may be connected directly to the needle bar, substantially as set forth.
Fifthly. The combination of the needle bar, needle carrier, rod D bearing on or
connected to said carrier, and appliances for reciprocating said rod horizontally,
substantially as set forth.
Sixthly. The combination of the needle devices for reciprocating the same
vertically and horizontally, and appliances for altering the horizontal working
position of the needle, substantially as set forth.
Seventhly. The combination with a sewing machine of a needle carrier supported
by the needle. bar, and a cam and connecting devices for operating said carrier,
substantially as set forth.

page_text: Eighthly. The carrier constructed to carry two or more needles, substantially as
set forth.
Ninthly. The combination with the needle bar and its needle of a carrier carrying
one or more needles, substantially as set forth.
Tenthly. The combination of the needle bar, needle carrier, operating cam, and
extensible rod I, substantially as set forth.
Eleventhly. The combination of the needle bar, having a bracket or extension
and carrier pivotted thereto, substantially as set forth.
Twelfthly. The combination of the carrier slide, cam, and extensible rod, and
connecting devices, substantially as set forth.
Thirteenthly. The combination with the carrier applied to the needle bar of
devices for reciprocating it and for automatically varying the extent of the
reciprocating movement, substantially as set forth.
Fourteenthly. The combination with the rod I of devices for automatically
adjusting it, substantially as set forth.
Fifteenthly. The combination with the needle bar and needle carrier of a
reciprocating slide supported by the fixed arm G and bearing upon the carrier,
substantially as set forth.
Sixteenthly. The combination with the needle bar of the carrier lever K. and
operating devices, substantially as set forth.
Seventeenthly. The cam constructed with grooves i, ¹, and switch L³,
substantially as set forth.
Eighteenthly. The combination of the needle devices for reciprocating it
horizontally and presser foot having a slot at right angles to the line of feed,
as set forth.
Nineteenthly. The carrier carried by the needle bar in combination with
operating devices applied to the carrier adjacent to the needle, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
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