IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING AND BUTTON HOLE MACHINES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Tolhausen, of 149, Boulevart Magenta,
Paris, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
AND BUTTON HOLE MACHINES."-A communication from Emil Cajar and
Charles Sichel residing of New York in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Tolhausen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th July 1866.
I, FREDERICK TOLHAUSEN, of 149, Boulevart Magenta, Paris, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING AND BUTTON HOLE MACHINES," a communication from Emil Cajar
and Charles Sichel, two persons resident at New York, in the United States of
America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, first, in a stitch regulator which is secured to a
rising and falling slide occupying the place of the presser foot in ordinary
sewing machines, and which acts in conjunction with the needle thread in such
a manner that the feed of the fabric to be sewed is produced by the action of
the needle thread, and that the ordinary feed mechanism can be dispensed

page_text: with. Second, in the arrangement of two longitudinally sliding bobbins, one
of which carries the lower thread and the other the gimp, in combination with
a hook or looper and with suitable spool holders in such a manner that by
the combined action of the hook and spool holders the loop of the needle thread
is first drawn over one and then over the other bobbin, and the lower thread
and the gimp are interlaced with the loop of the needle thread, forming a
stitch of great firmness and durability. Third, in the arrangement of a cam
groove and double crank in combination with the looper and with the bobbins
in such a manner that the required motion is imparted to the looper to carry
the loop of the needle thread successively over the two bobbins. Fourth, in
the arrangement of 'a case or barrel surrounding each bobbin and provided
with a central screw which turns in the case together with the bobbin, and
which is provided with a tension spring and with two centres, one in each end,
in such a manner that the bobbin is fully protected by the case, and, further-
more, the winding up of the thread on the bobbin is materially facilitated.
Fifth, in the arrangement of a sliding yoke in combination with the bobbins
and with three spool holders in such a manner that by said yoke the desired
reciprocating motion is imparted to the bobbins. Sixth, in the arrangement of
an oscillating arm in combination with the needle, the looper, and one or two
bobbins in such a manner that a positive strain is exerted on the needle
thread at the proper moment for the purpose of drawing up the surplus
thread. Seventh, in a slide which moves transversely to the direction of the
feed motion imparted to the fabric 'to 'be 'sewed in such a manner that in
sewing button holes the needle is caused to pass down alternately through
the fabric or edge of the button hole and through the hole itself, and a stiech
is produced similar to the stitch of hand-made button holes. Eigth, in the
arrangement of a longitudinally sliding and revolving cloth holder in com-
bination with the transversely moving slide, and with the cloth plate of the
cloth holder a
sewing machine, in such a manner that by means of said
revolving motion can be imparted to the fabric to be sewed,' and the eyelets
or round parts of the 'button holes can be sewed as well as the rectilinear
"parts thereof, 'and, furthermore, button holes of any desired length can be
sewed without requiring any change in the mechanism. Ninth, in a new and
improved method of producing a stitch by passing the loop of the needle
thread first over one bobbin, which carries the gimp, and then back
over the other bobbin carrying the lower thread in such a manner that the
two threads are interlaced with the needle thread, and a firm and durable
"stitch is produced.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Tolhausen in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
TOLHAUSEN, of 149, Boulevart Magenta, Paris, Patent Agent, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July; in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,.
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frederick Tolhausen,. Her special licence that I, the said Frederick
Tolhausen, 'my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING AND BUTTON HOLE MACHINES," a communication to me from Emil
Cajar and Charles Sichel, two persons resident at New York, in the United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick
Tolhausen, 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 I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement:-
:
This Invention consists, first, in a stitch' regulator: which is secured to a
rising and. falling slide occupying the place of the presser foot in ordinary
sewing machines, and which acts in conjunction with needle thread in such a
manner that the feed of the fabric to be sewed is produced by the action of
the needle thread, and that the ordinary feed mechanism can be dispensed
with. Second, in the arrangement of two longitudinally sliding bobbins, one
of which carries the lower thread and the other the gimp, in combination
with a hook or looper and with suitable spool holders in such a manner that
by the combined action of the hook and spool holders the loop of the needle

page_text: thread is first drawn over one and then over the other bobbin, and the lower
thread and the gimp are interlaced with the loop, the needle thread forming a
stitch of great firmness and durability. Third, in the arrangement of a cam
groove and double crank in combination with the looper and with the bobbins
in such a manner that the required motion is imparted to the looper to carry
the loop of the needle thread successively over the two bobbins. Fourth, in the
arrangement of a case or barrel surrounding each bobbin, and provided with
a central screw which turns in the case together with the bobbin, and which
is provided with a tension spring and with two centres, one in each end, in
such a manner that the bobbin is fully protected by the case, and, furthermore,
the winding up of the thread on the bobbin is materially facilitated. Fifth,
in the arrangement of a sliding yoke in combination with the bobbins and
with three spool holders in such a manner that by said yoke the desired
reciprocating motion is imparted to the bobbins. Sixth, in the arrangement
of an oscillating arm in combination with the needle, the looper, and one or
two hobbins in such a manner that a positive strain is exerted on the needle
thread at the proper moment for the purpose of drawing up the surplus
thread. Seventh, in a slide which moves transversely to the direction of the
feed motion imparted to the fabric to be sewed in such a manner that in
sewing button holes the needle is caused to pass down alternately through
the fabric or edge of the button hole and through the hole itself, and a stitch
is produced similar to the stitch of hand-made button holes. Eighth, in the
arrangement of a longitudinally sliding and revolving cloth holder in com-
bination with the transversely moving slide and with the cloth plate of the
sewing machine in such a manner that by means of said cloth holder a
revolving motion can be imparted to the fabric to be sewed, and the eyelets
or round parts of the button holes can be sewed as well as the rectilinear
parts thereof, and, further, more button holes of any desired length can be
sewed without requiring any change in the mechanism. Ninth, in a new and
improved method of producing a stitch by passing the loop of the needle
thread first over one bobbin, which carries the gimp, and then back over
the other bobbin carrying the lower thread in such a manner that the two
threads aré interlaced with the needle thread, and a firm and durable stitch is
produced.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1
represents a sectional side elevation of this Invention; Fig. 2 shows the cloth
plate of the machine turned up so as to expose the mechanism attached to its
under surface; Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are transverse sections of the same shewing
the stitch mechanism in different positions; Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams

page_text: illustrating the stitch produced by this sewing machine; Fig. 8 is a plan or
top view of the feed mechanism required in sewing button holes; Fig. 9 is a
central section of the bobbin or spool with its barrel; Fig. 10 is a plan or top
view of the same; Fig. 11 is a detached plan or top view of the spooling or
winding mechanism.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A represents the cloth plate of this sewing machine, which is made of iron
or any other suitable material, and connected to the legs B by means of hinge
joints, so that the same can be turned up to the position shewn in Fig. 2 of
the Drawing, and that convenient access can be had to the mechanism, which
is secured to the lower surface of the cloth plate. From the cloth plate rises
the standard C, the outer end of which forms the bearing for the needle
slide D and for the slide E, to the lower end of which is secured the stitch
regulator F. A reciprocating motion is imparted to the needle slide by an
arm a, which extends from a rock shaft b that has its bearings in two lugs
extending from the standard C, and which receives its motion from an
excentric c mounted on the main shaft G of the machine, and connecting with
the rock shaft b by a rod d and arm e, as shown particularly in Fig. 1 of the
Drawing. As the arm a rises it comes in contact with a nose f projecting
from the inner surface of the slide E, thus carrying up said slide together with
the stitch regulator at the proper intervals. A spring 9 which is connected
to the regulator slide E depresses the same as soon as the arm a releases the
nose f. The stitch regulator F occupies the place of the ordinary presser
foot, but it is raised after every stitch from the position which it occupies in
Figs. 3 and 4 to that which it occupies in Fig. 5. This motion of the stitch
regulator produces the feed motion of the fabric to be sewed in the following
manner: At the moment just before the stitch regulator begins to rise the
needle thread extends from the eye of the needle across the shuttle carrier to
the looper, as shown in Fig. 4, and when the needle and the stitch regulator
have reached their highest position the needle thread runs as shown in Fig. 5.
During this motion that portion of the needle thread which passes through
the fabric advances from the point where a perpendicular line drawn through
the extreme point of the stitch regulator (in Fig. 5) meets the fabric to the
point where the needle thread passes down through the fabric, and in advancing
the needle thread causes the fabric to advance the same distance. The length
of the stitch can thus be easily seen in Fig. 5, and said length can be regulated
by moving the point of the stitch regulator closer to or further from the
needle, said stitch regulator being connected to the slide F in such a manner.
that it can easily be adjusted towards or from the needle. The closer it is

page_text: brought up to the needle the finer the stitch will be, and by bringing it closer
and closer the stitch can be reduced more and more until finally the feed
motion ceases and the needle passes up and down through the same hole in
the fabric. In order to permit this feed motion the hole g through which the
needle passes down is oblong, as seen in Fig. 8. The stitch is produced by
the combined action of the looper Land of the needle n, the looper being so
arranged that it carries the loop of the needle thread in its forward motion
over the shuttle or bobbin S¹ containing the gimp, and in its backward motion
over the shuttle or bobbin S containing the lower thread. The looper
consists of a hook which is hinged to an arm h extending from a rocking
thimble which has its bearings on a pin fastened in a bracket j that is
secured to a pendant k on the under side of the cloth plate, a rocking motion
being imparted to the thimble i by an arm which connects by a rod m with
an excentric wrist pin secured in a disc o that is mounted on the end of the
main shaft G. The arm however is longer than the distance of the
excentric wrist pin from the centre of the disc o, and consequently the
thimble i, instead of making a complete revolution, rocks back and forth
through an arc of about 90 degrees (more or less). The looper L is provided
with a roller stud p which projects from its inner surface and catches in a cam
slot in a bracket H which is secured to the under side of the cloth plate, as
seen in Figs. 1 and 3. By the peculiar form of the cam slot, and by the
rocking motion of the arm h, the looper moves first a short distance in a recti-
linear direction towards the needle, which at that moment has slightly ascended
from its lowest position so as to form a loop of its thread; this loop is caught
by the point of the looper, which immediately afterwards descends in the cam
slot, and passing the lowest point thereof rises on the opposite side to the
position in which it is shown in Fig. 4. It then recedes nearly to the lowest
point of the cam slot, as shown in Fig. 5, at which point the arm h has reached
its lowest position. As this arm rises the looper advances once more to the
position which it occupies in Fig. 4, and then it rapidly recedes until it reaches
again the rectilinear portion of the cam slot ready for the next succeeding
stitch. As the looper advances it carries the loop of the needle thread over
the bobbin S', which contains the gimp. This bobbin is contained in a case or
barrel (see Figs. 9 and 10), and it is mounted on a centre pins which is
provided with a square fitting nicely in one of the heads of the bobbin, and
which is so arranged that it revolves freely in the head of the barrel. A
suitable nutt and tension spring u serve to regulate the friction of the pin s in
its bearing, and consequently the tension of the thread contained in the
bobbin. The barrel r containing the bobbin S' is placed loosely in a stationary

page_text: spool holder I, which is secured to the under surface of the cloth plate, and
the edges of which are chamfered off so that the loop of the needle thread will
slip over it without difficulty. On the inside of the bobbin S¹ and close to it
is the bobbin S (see Fig. 1) which contains the lower thread, and which is
constructed precisely like the bobbin S', being enclosed in a similar case or
barrel, and if the bobbin S occupies the spool holder I the bobbin S¹ is
supported by the additional spool holder I', but if the bobbin S is moved into
the spool holder I the bobbin S passes in a socket 1" in the bracket H, which
is provided with the can slot q. The two bobbins are held close together by
two discs v, vl, which are secured to the ends of pins w projecting from a
yoke J which straddles the several spool holders I, I, I", and is secured to a
rod x to which a reciprocating motion is imparted by a lever a³ and cam
groove 62 (see Fig. 1). This cam groove is cut in the circumference of a
drum that is mounted on the main shaft G, and it is so shaped that the
bobbin S¹ will occupy the spool holder I until the looper L has passed the loop
of the necille thread over said spool holder and has reached its highest point
in the cam slot q; at that moment the bobbins are moved so as to bring the
bobbin S into the spool holder, and as the looper recedes the loop of the
needle thread passes back over the bobbin S, while the needle keeps ascending
and the stitch is drawn tight by the shape of the spool holder. On reaching
the lowest point of the cam slot the looper drops the loop of the needle thread
on a shoulder c formed on the bottom part of the spool holder, and it then
ascends a second time, leaving the loop on said shoulder, until an arm K,
through which the needle thread passes on its way from the spool S* to the
eye of the needle, begins to rise, causing the loop of the needle thread to slip
back over the spool holder I, and to draw up the surplus thread. By these
means the loop of the needle thread is caused to pass over the gimp contained.
in the bobbin S¹ in one direction, and over the bobbin S containing the lower
thread in the opposite direction, and a stitch is formed such as shown in
Figs. 6 and 7, Fig. 7 representing a single stitch, and Fig. 6 a succession of
stitches. From these Figures it will be seen that the lower thread and the
gimp are interlaced with the needle thread, and if the stitch is drawn tight
the needle thread is caused to twist in the fabric, and a stitch is produced of
great firmness, and applicable particularly for button holes. The arm K
which draws in the surplus thread extends from a shaft M which has its
bearings in suitable lugs projecting from the side of the standard G, and it
runs parallel to the rock shaft c which imparts motion to the needle slide and
to the stitch regulator. A rocking motion is imparted to the shaft M by a
cain d on the main shaft. G, which acts on a lever d*, from which extends a

page_text: rod to an arm f2 secured to the end of the shaft M, and the cam is so
shaped that it imparts to the arm K the required motion. For the purpose
of sewing button holes the fabric in which the button hole is cut is
secured to a circular cloth guide N which is provided with points 9 which
serve to retain the fabric, and with a pear-shaped slot h³ by means of which
it can be slipped over a segmental projection which is shown in dotted lines
in Fig. 8, and in section in various Figures. This projection is situated under
a disc that rises from the cloth plate A, being rigidly connected to the same
by a ring k², both the disc and ring being perforated with an oblong hole g to
let the needle pass down and allow the needle thread to produce the feed
motion as previously described. The segmental projection passes freely
over the ring ³, and it is provided with an oblong slot so as to allow said
projection to move back and forth in a direction at right angles to the ordinary
feed motion of the fabric to be sewed. The reciprocating motion of the
segmental projection is produced by a slide m³, to one part of which it is
firmly connected, said slide being attached to a rod n³ to which a reciprocating
motion is imparted by means of a cam o². This cam is mounted on a vertical
shaft p, to which a revolving motion is imparted by a level gear g³, r², from
the driving shaft, and said cam acts on two arms s, t, one of which is adjustable
on the rod n by a set screw u³, while the other is set in the desired position
by a regulating screw which is connected to the rod n³ and to the arm t² in
such a manner that by its action said arm is caused to slide on the rod, and
it is brought closer to or further from the centre of the vertical shaft p. By
means of the regulating screw therefore the throw of the slide m and
consequently that of the parts attached thereto can be adjusted, and if desired
said throw can be reduced to nothing, leaving the slide m² stationary. By
thus imparting to the circular cloth guide N a reciprocating motion in
the direction at right angles to the ordinary feed motion of the fabric to be
sewed the needle is caused to pass down alternately through the button hole,
and then again through the fabric, and a stitch is produced imitating closely
the ordinary hand stitch for button holes. For sewing a button hole the
operation is commenced at the point thereof, the fabric being attached
to the circular cloth guide in such a position that the same is free to
move with the cloth guide in the direction of the ordinary feed motion
just far enough to allow of sewing up to the eye of the button hole. At
that point the circular part of the slot in the cloth guide has come close up to
the segmental projection i, and it can now be turned together with the fabric
attached to it for the purpose of sewing round the eye of the button hole.
This turning motion is produced partly by hand and partly by the feed motion

page_text: of the needle thread, or if desired a suitable mechanism may be applied to
produce the same. By this arrangement the sewing of a button hole is
rendered easy and simple, and the sewing machine can be readily changed from
doing plain or ornamental sewing, or for making button holes, simply by
turning the regulating screw v³. The spool S* which contains the needle
thread is an ordinary spool and requires no re-winding, but the lower thread
and the gimp contained on the bobbins S, S¹, have to be wound thereon from
a common spool, and in order to facilitate this operation the centre pins of
each bobbin (see Fig. 9) is provided with concave centres, so that the same,
together with its bobbin and barrel, can be placed between the centre
points x, y. These centre points have their bearings in a U-shaped bracket
or head O, which is secured to the back part of the cloth plate, and a detached
plan of which is shown in Fig. 11. The centre y revolves in its bearing, and
it carries a disc or face plate w², which also forms a pulley, the periphery of
which is made of india-rubber or other elastic material, and so adjusted that it
bears against the circumference of the driving pulley P on the main shaft G,
thus imparting to said disc wa rapid revolving motion. From this "dise
projects a stud Z³, which is intended to catch in a hole a³ in the exposed head
of the bobbin (see Figs. 9 and 10), so that said bobbin is compelled to revolve
with the disc. The centre a slides back and forth in its socket, being subjected
to the action of a spring b³ which has a tendency to force the same in towards
the centre ys. The centre is intended to sustain that end of the centre pin s
which revolves in the bead of the barrel r, and the barrel is provided with an
oblong aperture c³ in its circumference, through which the thread passes into
the bobbin. If the end of the thread is secured to the core of the bobbin, and
the disc w is caused to revolve, a large quantity of thread can be wound on
the bobbin quite easily and in a short time, and by having the aperture c³
extend the full width of the bobbin the thread can be wound evenly and
act
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Junction WICH
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2. The arrangement of two longitudinally sliding bobbins S, S', in combination
with the looper L, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. The cam groove q and double crank h, l, in combination with the looper
L, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The barrelr surrounding the bobbin S or S', in combination with the central

page_text: tension screws which is provided with concave centres, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
5. The sliding yoke J with discs v, v, in combination with the bobbins S, S',
and spool holders I, I, I", constructed and operating substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
6. The oscillating arm K, in combination with the two bobbins S, S', spool
holder I, needle n, and looper I, constructed and operating substantially as and
for the purpose described.
7. The slide m² in combination with the plate supporting the fabric to be
sewed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
8. The longitudinally sliding and revolving cloth holder N, in combination
with the slide m² and with the cloth plate A, constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purpose described.
9. The method herein described of producing a stitch by. passing the loop
of the needle thread first over one bobbin and then in a reverse direction
over another bobbin by means of the looper L and sliding bobbins S, S¹,
or by any other equivalent means which will produce a like effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Tolhausen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
F. TOLHAUSEN. (L.S.)