Improvements in Sewing Machines."
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec.,
1897
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines."
We, WILLIAM HARRIS BOYER, of 47 Leonard Street, New York City
Mechanician, and THE AMERICAN SPECIAL MACHINE Co. LTD., Wool Exchange
Bldgs Corner West Broadway and Franklin Street, New York City, U.S.A. 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in sewing machines and particularly to
that class known as chain and double chain machines wherein an under looper
or loopers carrying or not carrying an under thread co-operates with a thread
carrying needle to form stitches.
The object of the present invention is especially to provide an improved
mechanism for operating the looper, one which is adapted for high speed, is easily
and quickly reinoved, can be applied to flat bed or cylindrical bed machines,
whether feeding transversely or longitudinally of the arm and which is capable
of adjustment to vary the time of the looper, that is, to make it catch the needle
loop quickly or slowly, and which is capable also of adjustment to vary the length
of the forward and backward movement and also the amount of the sidewise
movement, one of said movements being an oscillating movement of the looper
on a suitable axis and the other being a sliding movement preferably at right
angles to the line traversed by the loeper in its other movement, one of said move-
ments, preferably but not necessarily the former, being a loop taking and loop
leaving movement and the latter a needle avoiding movement.
Another object is to provide such a mechanism and adjustments too therefor
that may be useful not only for operating an under thread manipulating looper,
but a spreader and overseaming hook or crochet hook or any device requiring to
be manipulated in a manner similar to the looper herein shown and described.
The invention consists in the matters hereafter described and referred to in
the appended claims.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a partial sectional side elevation of a portion of a cylindrical bod
sewing machine, illustrating my invention, the feed operating mechanism being
omitted for the sake of clearness;
Figure 2 is a plan view in section, of the end of the bed plate, a portion of the
looper carrier being broken away;
Figure 3 represents three detail views of the looper carrier supporting shaft;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the looper carrier its trunnions or supporting shaft
being shown in dotted lines;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the same partly in section;
Figure 6 is a side elevation partly in section of a flat bed machine showing my
invention applied thereto;
Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the looper mechanism;
Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the means for attachment
of the looper rod or shaft whereby it may be adjusted;

page_text: Figure 9 is an end view showing the means for adjusting the throw of the
looper;
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 9 with the parts broken away to show the
tongue and groove connection;
Figure 10 is a cross section of the main shaft and collar to which the looper
rod is secured, the said figure showing means for adjustment of the collar around
the shaft to vary the time of the looper;
Figure is a sectional side view showing a modified form of connection
between the looper rod and the main shaft;
Figure 12 is a plan view showing a series of loopers arranged on the carrier;
Figures 13 and 14 are similar views showing arrangements of loopers to he
used with needles arranged diagonally to each other respecting the line of
feed; and
Figure 15 represents a side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine in which
the inclined looper rod instead of being connected by a universal joint with the
end of the driving shaft is fulcrumed in a block or post set into the looper carrier.
In these drawings it has not been thought necessary to show the feed operating
mechanism as there are many forms of such now in use which might be readily
applied to machines having the herein described looper movement, though it
will be understood that in connection with a machine such as shown in Figures 1,
6 and 11 a feed moving transversely of the bed plute must be used, while in the
construction shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14 the feed might be transversely of or
longitudinally of the bed plate, it being understool at the outset that the looper
mechanism as far as its broad features are concerned is adapted to sewing
machines generally without limitation to the form or arrangement of the work
support, or to the direction of movement of the feed, nor whether the oscillating
or reciprocating movement of the looper carrier be the loop taking and loop
leaving movement.
In these drawings and referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 6. A represents the
upright standard of a sewing machine herein shown as of the Union Special type
and having the goose-neck B, needle arm C, needle bar D. presser bar E, presser
foot a belt wheel 4, connecting rod c and needles d.
In Figure 1 the needles are shown arranged as in a vamping machine and the
machine has a cylindrical bed plate e, white in Figure 6 the needles are arrange
side by side as in the Twin Needle Machine and the bed plate or work support fis
flat. As herein shown F represents the main shaft of the machine, but it will
be understood that this may not necessarily be the main shaft but that the latter
may be transversely arranged, this shaft F being simply the driving shaft for
the looper, hence it is designated in the claims as a driving shaft.
As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7 this shaft has an enlarged head G on its
outer end and is provided with an eccentrically placed socket g, for the reception
of a bal, this fall being held in its socket by means of the plate leaving an
opening to allow of the passage of the pin bar or shaft to which the ball is
secured, this plate i being attached to the head G by means of a screw or screws k.
The rod, pin or bar II call the looper rod and as herein shown is a straight
pin having the universal joint connection with the driving shaft by means of the
all and eccentric socket g so that when properly fulcrummed it has imparted to
it a gyratory movement.
Journalled in fixed bearings in the machine frame is a transverse shaft. I hav-
ing side play in said bearings to allow of a sliding movement.
This shaft is pre-
ferably mounted so that its longitudinal axis is at right angles to but in the same
horizontal plane as the longitudinal axis of the driving shaft and is provided
with a central opening through which passes and in which snugly fits the
looper rod EE, the latter being fulcrumed therein and adapted as the driving shaft.
rotates, to impart an oscillating as well as a sliding movement to the shaft 1.
The sides of this opening m may be flared to allow slight play of the looper rod
to prevent binding. Secured to this shaft. I, preferably by being sleeved, around

page_text: it is a block or carrier K having a socket », in which the shank of the 100per
is fixed by the screw p, this block or carrier, at its inner edge where it surrounds
the shaft, having an opening to correspond with the opening m, and having upper
and lower extending parts q. q. on its opposite side forming a fork in which the
forward end of the looper rod bears. Instead of the shaft I extending continu-
ously from one side of the frame to the other it may be supported otherwise as
on standards arranged in any suitable position, and instead of the looper carrier
being sleeved on said shaft or otherwise attached thereto it may be formed with
trunnions and the central opening m' and the integral fork pieces g.
While the figures referred to illustrate the looper arranged with its longitu-
dinal axis arranged longitudinally of the bed plate and the feeding movement trans-
versely thereof and the oscillating movement of the looper the loop taking move-
ment, it will be understood that as far as the purposes of the present invention
are concerned the looper may be arranged so that its longitudinal axis is directly
in line with the feed, or diagonal thereto. and when the direction of the feed is
toward that side of the looper upon which the needle comes down, it will be
advisable to use some means for spreading the loop.
Furthermore, it is immaterial for the purposes of this invention whether the
feed be transversely of or longitudinally of the bed plate, whether the needles
be in the same vertical pane or set diagonally to each other with respect to the
line of feed, whether the feed be up the arm and the longitudinal axis of the
looper across the arm, or whether the oscillating or sliding movement of the
shaft I gives the looper its loop taking movement.
In Figures S, 9 and 10, we have shown means for adjusting the looper mech-
anism to vary the time when the looper catches the needle loop and to vary the
amount of the longitudinal and sidewise motion of the looper.
Referring first to Figures S and 10, the head G on the end of the main shaft
is provided with a rearwardly extending sleeve which embraces the end of the
main shaft and is attached thereto by screws s, sl, the main shaft being provided
with sockets r, flared on one wall, the openings in the wall of the sleeve being
threaded for the reception of the said screws and by the arrangement shown by
turning in on one screw and loosening the other the collar or sleeve will be shifted
around on the shaft and the time when the looper catches the needle loop will be
varied. In Figure 8 and also in Figure 9 is shown an arrangement whereby
the distance of the ball and socket h,, may be adjusted toward and from the
center of the main shaft thus varying the amount of throw of the looper both for-
ward and backward and sidewise.
In this arangement the ball is supported in the socket which socket is
formed in a piece G³ having a tongue sliding in a groove U formed in the face
of the head G and adjustable across the face of said head G in the groove li
means of set screws r, the ball being held in the socket by the piece w
screw-threaded into the head GP as shown in Figure 9.
In Figure a slightly modified arrangement for connecting the looper rod to
the main shaft is shown, in which a collar is secured upon the end of said
shaft and has a projecting portion y having a socket for the reception of the ball
end of the looper rod. This collar may be made adjustable on the end of the
driving shaft in the manner above described in connection with Figure 10.
In Figure 12 the looper carrier is shown as provided with three sockets for the
reception of loopers, and in Figure 18 three looper sockets are shown arranged
diagonally to each other with respect to the transverse shaft, and designed to be
used in connection with a diagonal arrangement of needles as, for instance, in corset
work. In Figure 14 a similar arrangement of needles is shown but the looper
sockets instead of being arranged diagonally to each other are in line but the
loopers are of varying lengths.
In Figure 15 a modification of the arrangement shown in the remaining figures
of the drawing is illustrated in which the inclined pin. rod or bar is rigidly
fixed to a projection on the forward end of the driving shaft and passes through

page_text: the looper carrier between the plates or flanges which form a fork and is fulcrumed
in the block pin or post set into the looper carrier and having an opening through
which the pin, rod or bar extends. This block is pivoted to oscillate on a vertical
axis and by this arrangement all danger of binding is avoided.
Various minor modifications and changes in construction may be made without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
We do not claim to be the inventors of the broad combination in a sewing
machine of a thread carrying looper having oppositely extending journals movable
in fixed bearings, with complemental stitch forming mechanism and mechanism for
imparting to the looper a positive loop taking movement in the are of a circle and a
positive needle avoiding movement in a right line, whereby drag on the needle
thread is prevented and liability of the looper striking the needle avoided, nor do
we claim to be the first to have invented a carrier for a sewing machine looper
provided on its opposite sides with journals mounted to slide and to rock in bear-
ings with means for positively sliding and rocking said carrier in such bearings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
wo claim is:
1. A sewing machine comprising a bed plate and a driving shaft extending
lengthwise thereof, a looper carrier supporting a thread carrying looper journaled
in the bed plate in advance of the forward end of said shaft, means for oscillating
the looper longitudinally and for positively vibrating the same laterally bodily,
said means consisting of an inclined crank engaging the looper carrier and con-
nected with the driving shaft, and means for actuating the driving shaft:
substantially as described.
2. A suwing machine comprising a bed plate and a driving shaft extending
lengthwise thereof, a looper carrier supporting a thread carrying looper journaled
in the bed plate in advance of the forward end of sail shaft and means for
oscillating the looper longitudinally and for positively vibrating the same laterally
bodily, said means comprising an inclined crank engaging the looper carrier, recen-
trically connected at one end with the driving shaft and having its other end
extending inward toward the axis of the driving shaft, whereby said inclined
crank gives all the respective looper movements, and means for actuating the
driving shaft substantially as described.
5. A sewing maching comprising a bed plate and a driving shaft, a looper
carrier comprising a thread carrying looper journaled in the forward end of
the bed plute, means on the forward end of the driving shaft for oscillating the
looper longitudinally and laterally vibrating the same, said means comprising an
inclined crank engaging the looper currier and recentrically connected by a
universal joint with the driving shaft, and means for actuating the driving shaft:
substantially as described.
4. In a sewing machine a looper operating mechanism comprising a driving
shaft, a looper mounted to slide and rock in hearings, one of suid movements
heing bodily in a line across the line traversed by the looper in its other move-
ment, a rod or arm operatively connected with the looper and having universal
joint connection at one end of the driving shaft: substantially as described.
5. A looper operating mechanism for sewing machines comprising a driving
shaft having an eccentrically arranged socket on its outer end, a rigid bar or arm
having a ball fitting said socket and held in place therein, a looper carrier
mounted on an axis transverse to the axis of the driving shaft and free to slide
and rock, said rigid bar or arm operatively engaging the looper carrier, whereby
in the rotation of the driving shaft. forward and backward and sliding movements
are given to the looper carrier, one of said movements being bodily in a right
line üeross the line traversed by said carrier in its other movement; substantially as
described.
- 6. A sewing maching comprising a driving shaft, a looper carrier with its axis

page_text: transverse to the axis of the driving shaft, a looper supported by said carrier
having its longitudinal axis at an angle to the axis of its carrier, and means com-
prising an inclined crank on the forward end of the driving shaft extending from
its point of connection with said shaft in a direction toward the plane of the central
axis of said shaft and operatively connected with the looper carrier for giving a
loop taking movement in the direction of the length of the looper and a positive
bodily needle avoiding movement in a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis
of said looper; substantially as described.
7. A looper operating mechanism for sewing machines comprising a driving
shaft, a rigid rod or arm eccentrically connected to one end thereof, a looper
mounted to slide and to rock in bearings and operated by said rod or arm and
means for varying the distance of the point of attachment of said rod or arm from
the center of the driving shaft whereby the amount of throw of said looper may
bo varied; substantially as described.
8. In a sewing machine, a looper operating mechanism comprising a driving
shaft having flaring sockets, a collar supported on said shaft and having screws
passing therethrough into said sockets whereby the position of the collar on the
shaft may be shifted circumferentially, and a looper rod eccentrically connected
to the collar; substantially as described.
9. A looper operating mechanism for sewing machines comprising a driving
shaft, a head secured to the outer end thereof and having a diametric groove, an
annular piece having a tongue adjustable in said groove and a looper rod connected
at one end to the annular piece; substantially as described.
10. A looper operating mechanism for sewing machines comprising a driving
shaft, a heal secured to the outer end thereof and having a diametric groove, an
annular piece having a tongue adjustable in said groove and having a socket, a
rod or arm having a ball on one end fitting within said socket, a sliding and rock-
ing shaft carrying a looper, and with which sliding and rocking shaft the rod or
arm is operatively connected; substantially as described.
1. A sewing machine comprising a bed plate, a driving shaft, and means for
actuating the same; a looper carrier, journalled in the bed plate, a looper sup-
ported thereon; means on the driving shaft for oscillating the looper in the
direction of its length and for positively vibrating the same laterally, bodily,
said means consisting of a single crank connected and inclined with respect to
the driving shaft and operatively engaging the looper carrier; substantially as
described.
12. In a sewing machine a looper operating mechanism comprising a driving
shaft, a looper carrier, a looper supported thereon, means carried by the driving
shaft for oscillating the looper in the direction of its length and for positively
vibrating it laterally, said means consisting of an inclined crank eccentrically
mounted at one end on the forward end of the driving shaft and directly engaging
the looper carrier; substantially as described.
13. In a double chain-stitch sewing machine, a driving shaft and means for
actuating the same, a looper carrier, a looper supported thereon, means on the
5 driving shaft for oscillating the looper in the direction of its length and for
positively vibrating the same laterally, said means consisting of a single crank
connected and inclined with respect to the driving shaft and operatively engaging
the looper carrier: substantially as described.
14. In a double chain-stitch sewing machine, a driving shaft and means for
0 actuating the same, a looper carrier, a looper supported thereon, means on the driv-
ing shaft for oscillating the looper in the direction of its length and for positively
vibrating the same laterally, said means consisting of a single crank connected and in-
clined with respect to the driving shaft and operatively engaging the looper carrier,
said crank being carried on the outer end of the driving shaft forward of its
5 front or outer bearing: substantially as described.
15. A looper operating mechanism comprising a driving shaft, a straight looper
pin rigidly fixed eccentrically to the driving shaft, a looper carrier having a

page_text: fork embracing the pin, and a pivotal black supported by said looper carrier
having an opening through which the looper pin passes; substantially as
described.
Dato this 11th day of October 1807
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.