Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
A communication from HARRIET RUTH TRACY, of 3, Rue Auguste Vacquerie, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Gentlewoman.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this 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 relates to revoluble shuttles or loop takers for sewing machines,
its object being the construction of a revoluble shuttle to produce different kinds of
stitches.
In carrying out the invention the shuttle is constructed with six loop-receiving
openings in its periphery each opening being provided with a loop engaging hook,
these hooks alternating in direction so that the hook of each opening is opposed
in direction to that of its neighbour, the openings thus forming two sets, adapted,
the hooks of one set to engage the loop of the needle thread when the shuttle is
rotated in one direction, to form one kind of stitch, and the hooks of the other set
to engage the loop of the needle thread when the shuttle is rotated in the
opposite direction to form another kind of stitch.
The periphery of the shuttle may be curved recessed or slotted as desired to
afford needle and thread openings of the required shape, and means to retain, a
bobbin or spool in position and a tension device for the thread may be provided
in the shuttle; the tension device may have two or more arms appropriated to
different thread guide openings.
The circumference of a shuttle provided with such a large number of loop
receiving openings is greater than in other types of shuttle, so that a larger
bobbin than has hitherto been practicable can be put in the centre of the shuttle.
Conveniently the bobbin can be received in a dished central portion of the shuttle
whence it is readily removable.
The loop openings of one serie may be unequally spaced with relation to the
loop openings of the other series by a difference in spacing equal to the distance
that the loop taker may be moved when the needle bar is at its highest point
without imparting motion to the latter.
Any usual form of mechanism may be employed to simultaneously operate
the shuttle and needle bar at the desired velocity ratio, the driving mechanism of
the shuttle being furnished with reversing gear. These devices however form no
part of the invention and need not therefore be described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is an end elevation, and
၈
Fig. a side elevation of a circular shuttle constructed according to this inven-

page_text: Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detached views of the loop-taker and needle in
operative relation to a piece of fabric being stitched, showing, respectively in
order of time, successive positions of the aforesaid parts during operation of form-
ing a lock-stitch, the direction of rotation, of the loop-taker being denoted by the
arrow in the respective figures;
Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are views similar to Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive,
illustrating the successive operations of the parts in forming a chain stitch.
Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 are successive operative views showing the loop-
taker and needle in operative relation of a piece of fabric and displaying respec-
tively, in order of time, successive positions and operation of said parts in forming
a lock-chain stitch.
The loop-taker C consists of an annularly recessed or cup-shaped member 8
which constitutes the loop-taker proper (or cop or bobbin-receiving case) and has
an annular inward projecting stem or hub c9; the cap or lower thread-guide 10
having a cylindrical hub c, revolubly-carried upon the stem c³, and the detent
pin extending into the hub co, and removably-holding the parts assembled.
This detent or cap-securing device is shown in the nature of a pin fixed at one
end to the member 8, concentric with the stem c³, and split longitudinally, as
at c3, at the headed opposite end thereof, to form resilient holding-arms adapted
for impinging or friotionally-engaging the outer end of the hub of the member cs,
the head of the pin being adapted for engaging the cap co near the outer face
thereof, and for holding the said cap against longitudinal movement upon the stem
or hub c, while leaving the same free for rotation, independent of the movement
of the loop-taker or cup-shaped member 8, as will be readily understood by
reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings. The lower thread-carrying bobbin C (or
the cop or spool, as the case may be) is revolubly- and removably carried upon
the hub of the removable cap co. This cap is transversely-perforated at
opposite sides of the axis thereof, as shown in Figs. 4 et seq., to form independent
guide-openings and c, respectively, through one or the other of which the lower
thread may be passed, the thread being usually extended through the guide-
opening e, when the loop-taker is to be rotated in the direction indicated by the
arrow, Figs. 4 to 9, to form a lock-stitch, and through the guide-opening c, when
the loop-taker is to be rotated in the opposite direction as indicated by the
arrows in Figs. 16 to 20, inclusive, to form a lock-chain stitch.
The loop-taker C has an annular, or substantially annular, needle-receiving
groove c¹6, formed in the periphery thereof, at one side of the track c, which groove
is adapted for receiving the point of the needle during the reciprocations of the
needle-bar.
As a means for adapting the loop-taker C for effective operation to take the loop
of the needle-thread when rotated in either direction; or, in other words, to adapt
the loop-taker to form a lock-stitch when rotated in one direction, or a chain-stitch
or a lock-chain stitch, when rotated in the opposite direction, said loop-taker is pro-
vided peripherally with two sets or two series of loop-engaging hooks, the hooks of
one set, designated by e, and c³, respectively, being oppositely-disposed relatively
to and alternating with the hooks of the other set, designated by ct, c³ and 6,
respectively, each hook of both sets of hooks having a loop-receiving space or
opening contiguous thereto and in advance thereof, the loop-receiving spaces
adjacent the hooks of the same set being, preferably, equidistantly disposed relatively
to one another. The hooks c, and c³, which constitute one set of hooks, are
adapted for engaging the successive loops of the needle-thread 63, when the loop-
taker is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive,
to form a lock-stitch; and the hooks 4, and c, which constitute the other set of
hooks, are adapted for engaging the successive loops of the needle-thread when the
loop-taker is rotated in the opposite direction, or in the direction indicated by the
arrows in Figs. 10 to 15, inclusive, to form a chain-stitch or in the direction
indicated by the arrows in Figs. 16 to 20, inclusive, to form a lock-chain stitch.

page_text: In practice, it has been found advantageous to have one set of loop-receiving
openings in the periphery of the loop-taker' for receiving, and one set of hooks
formed by the walls of said openings for engaging, successive loops of the needle-
thread, when the loop-taker is rotated in one direction to form one kind of stitch,
and to have an independent set of loop-receiving openings and loop-engaging hooks
for performing a like function, when the loop-taker is rotated in the opposite direc-
tion to form another kind of stitch, and, for this purpose, it is desirable that
opposing hooks and their respective loop-receiving openings should be a consider-
able distance apart. The opposing hooks of the improved loop-taker are separated
from each other by an intervening track-segment or zone, designated by c². The
opposite walls (one of which constitutes the loop-engaging hook) of each loop-
receiving opening, are inclined or tapered at their adjacent edges or ends, as shown
at e7 and e, in parallel planes obliquely to the peripheral line of the loop-taker, or
substantially so, (one wall of each loop-receiving opening, i.e., the wall which
constitutes the loop-engaging hook, being pointed inward toward the needle-
receiving groove 16 and the opposing wall of this said loop-receiving opening
being pointed outward, in opposition to the loop-engaging hook, as will be readily
understood by reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings. The object of this particular
disposition of the adjacent ends of the walls of the loop-receiving openings is, to
obviate the accidental engagement of the loop of the needle-thread by any wall of
any loop-receiving opening other than the one which constitutes the loop-engaging
hook, or by any hook other than the proper one, irrespective of the direction of
rotation of the loop-taker.
Referring to Figs. 4 to 20, inclusive, which figures illustrate various positions
of the needle and loop-taker, in the operation of forming different kinds of stitches,
it is desired to state that, while the successive positions of the loop-carrying hook
are substantially correct, the configuration of the loops of the needle-thread is
slightly modified, more clearly to show opposite portions of said loops.
As a preamble to the description of the operation of the machine, in forming
the different kinds of stitches, it is deemed desirable to state that, with the organiza-
tion of the loop-taker actuating-mechanism and needle-actuating mechanism, herein
shown and described, the loop-taker and needle-bar are so timed in their move-
ments, relatively to one another, that the ratio of movement thereof is as two is
to three, the loop-taker making but two complete revolutions to three complete
reciprocations of the needle-bar. It will thus be seen that at each complete upward
or downward stroke of the needle-bar, the peripheral travel of the loop-taker is
substantially equal to one-third of the entire circumference of said loop-taker, and
in consequence of the equidistant peripheral disposition of the three loop-receiving
openings or spaces of each set of hooks, relatively to each other, and their peculiarly
operative arrangements, relatively to the reciprocations of the needle, as repre-
sented in Figs. 4 to 20, inclusive, the needle will, at each descent or at each
complete downward stroke of the needle-bar, come into close proximity of, but
slightly into advance, of a loop-receiving opening, and in position to insure the
engagement of the loop, formed by said downward stroke of the needle, by the
loop-engaging hook constituting the wall of said loop-receiving opening; and it
will be further observed that at each complete reciprocation, or upon each upward
or each downward movement of the needle, one of the loop-receiving openings and
its loop-engaging hook will be carried past a loop-engaging position, and the suc-
cessive loops formed by the needle be successively engaged by the several hooks
of the operating set of hooks, in the alternating order of their rotation.
In Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, are shown, respectively successive positions of the loop-
taker and needle, in the operation of forming a lock-stitch, in which it is to be
assumed that the parts are in the first position, illustrated in Fig. 4, with the
needle at its lowest point; the loop-engaging hook c of the series or sets of lock-
stitch hooks in the position shown; and the loop-taker being rotated in the direction.
of the arrow on Fig. 84. The loop-engaging hook c is first carried forward to its

page_text: loop engaging position, illustrated in Fig. 5, at which point the hook engages
the loop 3 of the needle-thread, carrying the same partially around the loop-taker
to the position illustrated in Figure 6. At this point in the rotation of the loop-
taker, the preceding loop is released from the preceding hook and is drawn
upward out of the path of movement of the successive hooks of the loop-taker and
into engagement with the lower thread 2, and in close proximity to the fabric M.
The continued rotation of the loop-taker C carries the hook c, together with the
loop:b, to the position illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, taking up the slack
of the preceding loop.b and drawing said preceding loop into closer relation with
the fabric, and continued rotation of the loop-taker carries the loop-engaging
hook c, first to the position illustrated in Fig. 8, at which point the loop 63 is fully
drawn out, and the preceding loop is drawn taut, or approximately so, with the
fabric M, and the needle & has descended with its eye through the throat-plate and
fabric, and in position to form another loop to be engaged by another hook of the
loop-taker, and next upon a futher rotation of the loop-taker to the position
illustrated in Fig. 9. The preceding loop b is at this point drawn taut to the
fabric to complete the first stitch, and the needle b is in approximately its lowest
position, having formed a loop to be engaged by the preceding hook c³ on the loop-
taker, which hook engages said newly-formed loop of the needle-thread and the
successive cycle of movements of the part herein before-described is then repeated
to form successive stitches, as will be readily understood by reference to the
operative views, Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive.
In forming a lock-stitch, the lower thread 23 is extended to the guide-
opening in the cap of the loop-taker and underneath, and is impinged by the
resilient arm of the tension-device C³, as will be understood by reference to
Figs. 4 to 9.
In the operation of forming a plain chain-stitch, as illustrated in Figs. 10 to 15,
inclusive, the lower thread is dispensed with, and the loop-taker is rotated in the
direction of the arrow in said figures, or in the direction opposite to the direction
of movement of said loop-taker, designated by the arrow in Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive.
In this operation, the so-called chain-stitch hooks e, c³, and cº are operated and
alternately engage the successive loops of the needle-thread, the succeeding loops
of the needle-thread being carried, by the succeding alternate hooks, through
preceding loops of said needle-thread, as will be understood by reference to said
Figs. 10 to 15.
The operation of forming the plain chain-stitch is, in so far as the taking up of
the loop of the needle-thread is concerned, substantially the same as the operation
described in connection with Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, the only difference in the
operation of forming a chain-stitch, over that of forming a lock-stitch being in
the reversal in the direction of rotation of the loop-taker, so that one loop of the
needle-thread, instead of being carried around and engaged with a lower thread,
will be carried through and be engaged by a preceding loop of said needle-thread,
the lower thread being dispensed with; the taking up of the slack of preceding loops
of the needle-thread in forming a chain-stitch being accomplished by the drawing
out of the succeeding loops of said needle-thread, in their travel around the loop-
taker, in substantially the same manner as that described in the operation of
forming a lock-stitch."
In the operation of forming a lock-chain-stitch, as illustrated in Figs. 16 to 20,
inclusive, and for which my improved loop-taker is especially adapted, the lower
thread, which is employed in the formation of this stitch, is extended through
the guide-opening e, in the cap of the loop-taker and is carried underneath, and
is impinged by the resilient arm of the tension-device C³ of said loop-taker, the
end of the said thread being extended along said throat-plate, as illustrated in
Fig. 16, in position to be engaged by the loop of the needle-thread, when the same
is carried completely around the loop-taker and is released therefrom. This
operation of forming a lock-chain-stitch is substantially the same as the operation

page_text: of forming the plain chain-stitch, with the exception that the lower thread 3 is
employed and is engaged by the succeeding loops of the needle-thread, as the same
are released from the hooks of the loop-taker carrying said loops.
In the operation of forming the lock-stitch, the loop-taker is rotated in the
direction of arrow in Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, and the lock-stitch hooks or the set of
hooks designated by c, 2 and 3, respectively, are operative; whereas, in the opera-
tion of forming the chain-stitch, and the lock-chain stitch, the loop-taker is
rotated in a direction opposite to that necessary to form a lock-stitch, and the so-
called chain-stitch hooks, or the set of hooks designated by e, c³ and c6 are
operative.
་
By the construction and organization of the loop-taker herein shown and
described, it will be seen that the two sets of oppositely-disposed hooks each have
an independent function, one set being operative for the formation of a lock-stitch,
and the other being operative for the formation of a chain-stitch, or a lock-chain-
stitch, and said sets of hooks are so disposed, as to preclude interference, one
with the other, in the operation of forming one or the other kind of stitch, that
is to say, the lock-stitch hooks are so constructed and arranged as to pass the loop
of the needle-thread without interference or engagement therewith, when the
chain-stitch hooks are opposite, and the loop-taker is rotated in the direction to
form a chain-stitch or a lock-chain-stitch, and vice versa, with regard to the chain-
stitch hooks, when the lock-stitch hooks are operative.
تش
In practice, the loop-receiving openings contiguous to the chain-stitch hooks ct,
and will be of greater area than the loop-receiving spaces contiguous to the
lock-stitch hooks c, and 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is;-
1. In a sewing-machine, a revoluble loop-taker having two sets or two series of
loop-engaging hooks the hooks of one set being oppositely-disposed relatively to
the hooks of the other set, and each hook of each set having a separate and inde-
pendent loop-receiving opening contiguous thereto substantially as described.
2. In a sewing machine, a revoluble loop-taker having two sets or series of
peripheral and oppositely disposed loop-engaging hooks, each of which hooks has
a separate and independent loop-receiving opening contiguous thereto, and the
hooks of one set alternating with those of the other set, and adapted, the hooks
of one set for engaging the loop of the needle-thread when, the loop-taker is rotated
in one direction, to form one kind of stitch, and the hooks of the other set for
engaging the loop of the needle-thread when the loop-taker is rotated in the opposite
direction, to form another kind of stitch, substantially as described.
3. The herein-described loop-taker for sewing machines consisting of an
annularly-recessed revoluble member, having its periphery substantially con-
centric to the axis thereof, and having two sets or two series of peripheral
oppositely-disposed loop-engaging hooks, each hook of each set being separated
from the adjacent hook of the same set by a pair of track-segments, which track-
segments are, in turn, separated from each other by the formative recess of a hook
of the opposite set, substantially as described.
4. In a sewing machine a revoluble loop-taker having a peripheral needle-
groove, substantially as described and having two sets or two series of hook-forming
openings in the periphery thereof, the adjacent ends of the walls of each open-
ing of which are remote from one another, and are inclined or tapered at their
points in parallel planes obliquely to the peripheral line of the loop-taker, one
of said walls pointing inward toward the loop-receiving groove, and the adjacent
wall pointing outward in opposition to the first named wall, substantially as
described.
J
5. In a sewing machine a loop-taker having two sets or two series of oppositely-
disposed loop-engaging hooks substantially as described the hooks of one series

page_text: being unequally spaced with relation to the hooks of the other series, the difference
in spacing between the two series being equal to the distance the loop-taker may
be moved when the needle is at its highest point without imparting motion to the
latter.