IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Lomax, of Over Darwen, in the County
of Lancaster, Sewing Machine Machinist, for the Invention of
'" IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 4th June 1875, and dated the 7th December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Lomax at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th December 1874.
I, HENRY LOMAX, of Over Darwen, in the County of Lancaster,
Sewing Machine Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for actuating and
timing the shuttle carrier and needle bar of sewing machines, and
improved mechanism for regulating the supply of thread to the needle.
The improvements connected with the actuating and timing the
shuttle carrier are specially designed for machines having a vertical
rotary shaft, as in what is known as the "Singer machine."

page_text: The rod or link connecting the shuttle carrier with the crank or disc
on the foot of the vertical shaft on the "Singer machine" has heretofore
been so constructed as to form a direct communication and connection.
between the two.
I connect the shuttle carrier to one end of a link, the other end of
which link is recived on a pin attached to an arm vibrating or working
on a fixed stud, a second link or connecting rod attached to the pin of
the vibrating arm referred to, and to the crank or disc of the vertical
shaft; this combination and arrangement imparts to the shuttle a rapid
movement when passing through the loop; the movement of the link 1
first referred to is nearly parallel with the movement of the shuttle, and
less power is required for working the machine. The fulcrum of the
vibrating arm is adjustable so as to vary or time the movement of the
shuttle, or in lieu of the crank we employ a cam or slotted lever
working on a stud secured to the bed of the machine, the said lever 1
being operated by a runner on a pin attached to a disc or crank on the
foot of the vertical shaft; the fulcrum of the cam or slotted lever is
adjustable so as to time the movement of the shuttle carrier.
The needle thread after passing, through suitable tension apparatus
and through an eyelet is passed through an eye in the end of a light 2
finger working on a fulcrum at the other end; the fulcrum may be
attached to a stationary part of the machine or to the presser bar, so as
to pay out (in the latter case) more or less thread, according to the
thickness of the material.
The cam lever employed for actuating the needle bar has projections 2
thereon which engages with the finger above referred to, so that as the
cam lever moves the needle bar and needle, it will also move the finger
and pay out and take up the thread. A spiral' or other spring attached
to the other end of the finger near its fulcrum pin serves to lift or
recover it as requisite. Motion is communicated from the cam lever to a
the needle bar by means of a slot or opening formed in the said cam
lever, within which slot or opening a lug, lump, or runner, working
loosely on a pin attached to the needle bar is received.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Lomax in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th June 1875.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
LOMAX, of Over Darwen, Sewing Machine Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Lomax, Her special
licence that the said Henry Lomax, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Lomax, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thercafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Lomax, my executors, or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under 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 Henry Lomax, 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, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for actuating and
timing the shuttle carrier and needle bar of sewing machines, and
improved mechanism for regulating the supply of thread to the needle.
The improvements connected with the actuating and timing the
shuttle carrier are specially designed for machines having a vertical
rotary shaft, as in what is known as the "Singer machine."

page_text: The rod or link connecting the carrier with the crank or disc on the
foot of the vertical shaft of the Singer machine has heretofore been so
constructed as to form a direct communication and connection between
the two.
I connect the shuttle carrier to one end of a lnk, the other end of
which link is received on a pin attached to an arm vibrating or working
on a fixed stud, a second link or connecting rod attached to the pin of
the vibrating arm referred to and to the crank or disc of the vertical
shaft; this combination and arrangement imparts to the shuttle a rapid
movement when passing through the loop; the movements of the link
first referred to are nearly parallel with the movement of the shuttle,
and less power is required for working the machine. The fulcrum of
the vibrating arm can be adjusted so as to vary or time the movements
of the shuttle.
The needle thread after passing through suitable tension apparatus
and through an eyelet is passed through an eye in the end of a light
finger working on a fulcrum at the other end; the fulcrum may be
attached to a stationary part of the machine or to the presser bar, so as
to pay out (in the latter case) more or less thread, according to the
thickness of the material.
1
The cam lever employed for actuating the needle bar has a projection
thereon which engage with the finger above referred to, so that as the
çam lever moves the needle bar and needle, it will also move the finger
and pay out and take up the thread. A spiral or other spring attached to
the other end of the finger near its fulcrum pin serves to lift or recover
it as requisite. Motion is communicated from the cam lever to the needle
bar by means of a slot or opening formed in the said cam lever, within
which slot or opening is a lug, lump, or runner working loosely on a pin
attached to the needle bar.
The following description, aided by the Drawings annexed, particularly
and fully describes the Invention.
At Fig. 1 is shewn a plan view of the under side of a bed plate of the
Singer machine class, having my improvements for operating the shuttle
carrier and shuttle. A is the shuttle carrier connected with the link B
by means of the pin a, the other end of the link B is received on a pin b
attached to the arm C vibrating on a stud at c; the second link D is
received on the pin b, and connected at its other end by pin d to the

page_text: crank or disc E, the latter receives rotary motion from the shaft F
(which is the ordinary vertical shaft as will be well understood).. The
fulcrum end of the arm C is capable of adjustment by means of the
screws and slot holes e; e¹, whereby the movement of the shuttle may be
timed and regulated as required.
At Figs. 2, 4, and 5, at D', is shewn a finger for regulating the supply
of thread to the needle. The thread after passing through the ordinary
"tension" apparatus R is to be passed through an eyelet R¹, and then
through the eye of the finger D'at f, the cam lever E¹ is provided with a
projection or lump g which on the downward movement of the cam lever
engages with and bears downwards, the finger D' paying out the thread just
as required both as to time and quantity. When the cam lever E' begins
to rise the finger will follow through the action of the spiral spring F¹
attached to the other end of the finger near its fulcrum h, so taking up
the slack thread; the fulcrum & may be attached to a stationary part of
the machine, (or it. may as shewn in the Drawings) be connected to the
presser bar H by bracket J; when the finger is so connected with the
presser bar it will pay out more or less thread as the
pass over more or less thickness of material being sewn.
shewn at W on the cam lever E' when the said lever reaches near its
highest lift will act on the thread finger D', raising the same slightly
and drawing tight the stitch.
may
presser foot
The projection
At Figs. 2 and 3 I have shewn the means whereby a relatively timed
movement will be transmitted from the cam lever E¹ to the needle bar
K; at L is a recess or slot or opening within which the lump or runner
M on the needle bar is received; m is a pin on which M is free to move
or turn so as to reduce the friction to a minimum.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of this my
said Invention, I would say that the shuttle carrier A, link B, the crank
or disc E, the slotted cam lever, the lump or runner on the needle bar,
and the thread finger, per se, are not new, nor do I lay claim to any of
the parts referred to when considered apart from the special application,
adaptation, and combination, as follows:-
-
Firstly. I claim the arms C and D, Fig. 1, combined and applied as and
for the purpose described and illustrated by Drawing.
Secondly. The use of the thread finger D'applied and operated as and
by the means herein described and illustrated.

page_text: Thirdly. The use of the cam lever E¹ having recess or slot therein for
operating by means of said recess or slot, and lump or runner, the needle
bar of sewing machines.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Lomax, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June, in the year of our 5
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Patent Agent,
Halifax & Blackburn.
HENRY LOMAX. (L.S.)