Improvements relating to the Formation of Chain Stitches in Sewing, and to Machines therefor.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LINCOLN SEWING MACHINE Co., of Exeter.
New Hampshire, United States of America.]
Improvements relating to the Formation of Chain Stitches in
Sewing, and to Machines therefor.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is first a new method of making a chain stitch which consists in
drawing a loop of thread through the work, shortening that loop to make it the
proper length for the stitch, and pulling off thread from the thread supply, (thereby
affording slack thread on both sides of the hook of the needle) aud drawing a new
Joop through the work and the preceding loop and setting the stitch; all so that
there will be no rendering of the thread under strain through the hook of the
needle, until the needle has nearly completed its back stroke, when the thread on
both sides of the hook of the needle will be drawn taut, one leg of the loop
extending to the last needle hole but one, and the other leg of the loop extending
through the last needle hole, and thence through the looper, guides, pull off
mechanism, and tension to the thread supply. The result of this method is to
reduce the rendering of the thread when under strain to a minimum; so the thread
is slack on both sides of the hook of the needle until the needle has nearly
completed its back stroke when the thread becomes taut upon both sides of the
hook of the needle and stitch is set by the pull of the needle, just as the needle
completes its back stroke; the thread rendering slightly in the hook of the needle,
while under the strain of the tension, as the stitch is set.
In ordinary hook needle chain stitch sewing machines the stitch is made by first
drawing a loop of thread through the work, and shortening that loop; and that
loop provides slack thread on one side of the needle; but there has heretoforc
been no provision for supplying slack thread on the other side of the needle in
chain stitch machines, and the result has been that the thread rendered in the hook
of the needle to an extent which was detrimental. In a well known turn and welt
chain stitch sewing machine the evil is remedied by a method which consists in a
preliminary tightening of the stitch by a take up mechanism which shortens the
loop by pulling it taut about the needle while the needle is in the work, and which
take up mechanism also acts as a pull off mechanism, for when the thread extending
from the tension to the work is pulled taut to shorten the loop and tighten it about
the needle in the work, some thread is also pulled off from the thread supply
through the tension; the mechanism acting as a take up until the thread is drawn
taut between the work and the tension, and thereafter acting as a pull off. As the
loop is drawn taut in this method before the next loop is drawn through it, it is
essential that a special thread slacking mechanism shall be provided to supply slack
thread between the work and the needle; aud indeed the method is wholly different
from mine, as will be clear to all skilled in the art.
Another feature of my invention is a sewing machine for sewing turned shoes
and welted shoes, and generally making the chain stitch by my method above
mentioned, the novel feature of which is the combination of a tension, a pull off,

page_text: a thread brake, a looper and a hook needle, with a device for preventing slack
thread between the brake and the work during a portion of the operation of the
needle.
In this machine the needle at the end of its back stroke sets the stitch, by
drawing the thread tight from the last needle hole but one to the hook of the
needle, and also tight from the hook of the needle or the other side through the
last needle hole, and thence up to the tension; and the needle then makes its
forward stroke to pierce the stock. While the needle is making its forward stroke
the thread brake clamps the thread and the pull off acts between the thread brake
and tension to pull off the proper length of thread from the thread supply through
the tension. The thread remains tant between the thread brake and work until
the looper has slightly shortened the loop through which the needle extends, (but
not pulled it tight as that loop is the slack supply for one side cf the needle) and
until the looper is about to lay the thread into the hook of the needle. The thread
brake is not released until the movement of the looper has shortened the loop and
is about to thread the needle in order to enable it to draw a new loop through the
work and through the preceding loop; and the device for taking up slack thread
acts between the looper and the thread brake. All the elements of my combination
are well known, but taken together they make a new mechanism, which is of much
practical advantage, not only for the reason that it supplies slack thread to both
sides of the hook needle and reduces the rendering of the thread when under strain
to the minimum, but also because the brake and the device for preventing slack
thread enable the pull off mechanism to do its work at any portion of a revolution
except when the needle is drawing a loop, for without these two devices the pull
off mechanism must do its work while the loop is held taut by the needle, as in my
machine next to be described.
A third feature of my invention is a chain stitch sewing machine especially
adapted for turned shoes and welted shoes but generally applicable for making the
chain stitch by our method; and this feature of my invention consists in the
combination with the tension, pull off, looper and hook needle, of mechanism for
actuating the pull off and mechanism for actuating the needle organized to pull off
thread from the thread supply through the tension while the needle holds a loop
under strain in its hook; and thus supply slack thread for the next stitch when the
pull off and needle make their forward strokes. In this machine the loop supplies
slack thread at one side of the needle and the pull off at the other side, as above
explained, and the advantages are not only that the rendering of the thread when
under strain through the hook of the needle is reduced to a minimum, but in
addition the mechanism is much simpler and better in many respects than any
before known.
A fourth feature of my invention is a new feed mechanism for sewing machines
more particularly designed for sewing on welts in the manufacture of welted shoes,
but equally applicable to turned shoes. In that class of work the threads of the
stitch do not pass entirely through the inner sole, but only through a portion of
the inner sole and the welt and upper, or a portion of the inner sole and the upper,
in turned shoes; and that part of the work held in the chain stitch has long been
well known as the "between substance."
This feature of my invention is the combination with the needle and its actuating
mechanism, of a stabber or feeding point and mechanism for actuating it to cause
it to move endwise and penetrate the between substance in a path at right angles
to the path of the needle; and mechanism to move the feed point sidewise after it
has penetrated and while it is in the between substance for feeding the work,
leaving the work free to be turned upon the feeding point as an axis during the
feeding operation.
This feature of my invention is especially applicable to sewing shoes with
pointed toes, or with any sharp curve in outline of sole.
A fifth feature of my invention is the combination with the welt guide of a
carriage having a double motion, and a guiding mechanism by which the welt

page_text: guide when it is moved with relation to the needle to suit variations in the work,
has one point always held in the path of the needle.
It is usual to groove welts near one edge, and to so form welt guides that that
groove shall always be in the same relation with the guide groove of the welt
guide, the object being to have the point of the needle always penetrate the bottom
of the small groove in the welt; but when the welt guide is movable in one line
only, the groove in the welt is brought into exactly the right position when the
guide is in one position only, and a position a little to either side of its correct
position brings the groove in the welt a little out of place. But with my doubly
moving and automatically guided welt guide the groove in the welt is always in the
path of the needle when the welt guide is in place, for a point in the welt guide is
automatically kept always in the path of the needle by reason of the fact that the
welt guide can move cross wise of its main line of motion, and is so guided, by a
cam groove or the like, that when it is moved slightly in either direction in its
main line of motion it is automatically moved crosswise of that line, slightly indeed,
but yet sufficiently to compel it to keep the groove of the welt always in the path
of the point of the needle.
Sha
+1 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Formation of Chain Stitches in
Sewing, and to Machines therefor.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
The invention is first a new method of making a chain stitch which consists in
drawing a loop of thread through the work, shortening that loop to make it the
proper length for the stitch, and pulling off thread from the thread supply, (thereby
affording slack thread on both sides of the hook of the needle) and drawing a new
loop through the work and the preceding loop, and setting the stitch; all so that
there will be no rendering of the thread under strain through the hook of the
needle, until the needle has nearly completed its back stroke, when the thread on
both sides of the hook of the needle will be drawn taut, one leg of the loop
extending to the last needle hole but one, and the other leg of the loop extending
through the last needle hole, and thence through the looper, guides, pull-off
mechanism, and tension to the thread supply.
The new result of this new method is to reduce the rendering of the thread
when under strain to a minimum, so the thread is slack on both sides of the hook
of the needle until the needle has nearly completed its back stroke when the thread
becomes taut upon both sides of the hook of the needle and a stitch is set by the
pull of the needle, just as the needle completes its back stroke; the thread
rendering slightly in the hook of the needle, while under the strain of the tension,
as the stitch is set.
Another feature of the invention is a sewing machine for sewing turned shoes and
welted shoes, and generally making the chain stitch by the method above mentioned,
the novel feature of which is the combination of a tension, a pull off, a thread
brake, a looper and a hook needle, with a device for preventing slack thread
between the brake and the work during a portion of the operation of the needle.
Another feature of the invention is a chain stitch sewing machine especially

page_text: adapted for turned shoes and welted shoes but generally applicable for making the
chain stitch by the method above described; and this feature of the invention
consists in the combination with the tension, pull off, looper and hook needle, of
mechanism for actuating the pull off and mechanism for actuating the needle
organized to pull off thread from the thread supply through the tension while the
needle holds a loop under strain in its hook; and thus supply slack thread for the
next stitch when the pull off and needle make their forward strokes.
Another feature of the invention is a new feed mechanism for sewing machines
more particularly designed for sewing on welts in the manufacture of welted shoes,
but equally applicable to turned shoes. In that class of work the threads of the
stitch do not pass entirely through the inner sole, but only through a portion of
the inner sole and the welt and upper, or a portion of the inner sole and the upper,
in turned shoes; and that part of the work held in the chain stitch has long been
well known as the "between substances."
This feature of the invention is the combination with the needle and its actuating
mechanism, of a stabber or feeding point and mechanism for actuating it to cause
it to move end wise and penetrate the between substance in a path at right angles
to the path of the needle; and mechanism to move the feed point sidewise after it
has penetrated and while it is in the between substance for feeding the work,
leaving the work free to be turned upon the feeding point as an axis during the
feeding operation.
This feature of the invention is especially applicable to sewing shoes with pointed
toes, or with any sharp curve in outline of sole.
The following is a complete description of the invention, reference being made
to the accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of so much of a hook needle sewing machine as is
necessary to illustrate the main features of the invention; a thread brake being
necessary in the form of machine shown in Figure 1, to prevent the pull off
mechanism from shortening the loop of thread drawn through the work by the hook
needle.
Figure 2 is an elevation of a device for taking up slack thread, shown in
connection with a well known form of looper.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the pull off device which is shown in side
elevation in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an elevation showing the main parts in another position from that
shown in Figure 1.
These four figures illustrate a curved hook needle sewing machine for sewing
turned shoes and welted shoes, with the chain stitch, but applicable, of course, to
other work than shoes.
Figure 5 is an elevation of a machine like the machine illustrated in Figures 1, 2
3 and 4, but lacking a thread brake for the reason that the pull off mechanism
operates when the loop is held by the hook needle; the needle being shown
retracted and the pull off mechanism about to operate in Figure retracted.
Figure 6 shows the main parts of Figure 5, in another position from that shown
in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an elevation of so much of a hook needle sewing machine as is
necessary to illustrate the new feed mechanism; the machine shown in Figure 7,
being like the machines shown in the other figures, except that they are needle
feed machines, and also the looper is revolved in Figure 7, by a segmental rack
instead of by a straight rack, as in Figures 1 to 6; and the thread handling devices
shown fully in Figures 1 to 6, are not shown in Figure 7.
Figure 8 is a plan, on a larger scale than Figure 7, of a portion of the feed
mechanism.
Figure 9 is a front elevation on the same scale as Figure 8, and showing the
same parts.
Figures 10 and 11 are details illustrating the relations of the needle and the
feeding instrument.

page_text: In ordinary hook needle chain stitch sewing machine the stitch is made by first
drawing a loop of thread through the work, and shortening that loop; and that
loop provides slack thread on one side of the needle.; but there has heretofore been
no provision for supplying slack thread on the other side of the needle in chain
stitch machines, and the result has been that the thread rendered in the hook of
the needle to an extent which was detrimental. In a well known turn and welt
chain stitch sewing machine the evil is remedied by a method which consists in a
preliminary tightening of the stitch by a take up mechanism which shortens the
loop by pulling it taut about the needle while the needle is in the work, and which
take up mechanism also acts as a pull off mechanism, for when the thread extending
from the tension to the work is pulled taut to shorten the loop and tighten it about
the needle in the work, some thread is also pulled off from the thread supply through
the tension; the mechanism acting as a take up until the thread is drawn taut
between the work and the tension, and thereafter acting as a pull off. As the loop
is drawn taut in this method before the next loop is drawn through it, it is essential
that a special thread slacking mechanism shall be provided to supply slack thread
between the work and the needle; and indeed the method is wholly different from
ours, as will be clear to all skilled in the art.
In machines embodying the main feature of the invention the pull off mechanism
acts while a loop of thread extends from one side of the work, but the operation of
the pull off mechanism is prevented from shortening that loop as heretofore; for
the main object of the invention is to pull off thread from the tension while main-
taining the supply of thread in the loop already drawn ; so that when the needle is
drawn back to form a new loop, the thread for the new loop is provided partly by
the thread in the preceding loop and partly by the thread drawn from the tension
by the pull off mechanism.
Two ways are shown for accomplishing this result, namely by the use of a thread
brake between the work and the pull off to hold the thread when the pull off
operates, as in Figures 1 to 4; and by the use of the hook needle to hold the loop
in its hook when the pull off operates as in Figures 5 and 6.
In the machine shown in Figures 1 to 4, the needle at the end of its back stroke
sets the stitch, as in other hook needle chain stitch sewing machines, by drawing
the thread tight from the last needle hole but one to the hook of the needle, and
also tight from the book of the needle on the other side through the last needle.
hole, and thence up to the tension, and the needle then makes its forward stroke to
pierce the stock. While the needle is making its forward stroke the thread brake
clamps the thread and the pull off acts between the thread brake and tension to
pull off the proper length of thread from the thread supply through the tension.
The thread remains taut between the thread brake and work until the looper has
slightly shortened the loop through which the needle extends, (but not pulled tight
as that loop is the slack supply for one side of the needle) and until the looper is
about to lay the thread into the hook of the needle. The thread brake is not
released until the movement of the looper has shortened the loop and is about to
thread the needle in order to enable it to draw a new loop through the work and
through the preceding loop; and the device for taking up slack thread acts between
the looper and the thread brake.
All the elements of this combination are well known, but taken together they
make a new mechanism, which is of much practical advantage, not only for the
reason that it supplies slack thread to both sides of the book needle and reduces
the rendering of the thread when under strain, to the minimum, but also because.
the brake and the device for preventing slack thread enable the pull off mechanism
to do its work at any portion of a revolution except when the needle is drawing a.
loop, for without these two devices the pull off mechanism must do its work while.
the loop is held taut by the needle, as in the machine next to be described.
In the machine shown in Figures 5 and 6 the pull off mechanism operates while
the needle is at the end of its back stroke, and is pulling on the loop to set the
stitch, and no thread brake is required. In this machine the loop supplies slack

page_text: thread at one side of the needle and the pull off at the other side, as above
explained, and the advantages are not only that the rendering of the thread when
under strain through the hook of the needle is reduced to the minimum, but in
addition the mechanism is much simpler and better in many respects than any
before known.
In the drawings, A, represents a tension device of well known construction,
through which the thread passes from any proper thread supply, over a guide
truck b, which is preferably adjustable, as shown, and back of the pull off truck B,
through the brake D, d, shown as applied by its spring d', acting on the moving
member D, when that member is released from stop d, on the arm 6', which carries
pull off truck B. Arm b¹, is adjustably connected to lever 2, which is oscillated
by its cam roll and cam B', as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4.
The machine shown in Figures 5 and 6, has all the parts above described, except
the thread brake Dd, but the mechanism for actuating the needle and the mechanism
for operating the pull off truck so co-operate that the needle acts to hold the
thread against the action of the pull off; thereby making a better and simpler
machine for practising the new method of making the chain stitch. The position
of the parts when the stitch is set is shown in Figure 5; that is the needle is at
the end of its back stroke and the last stitch has been set and the thread drawn
taut from the hook of the needle through the last needle hole in the work, through
the looper, over truck 64, under the slack taking truck F, over truck, in front of
trucks and b, and in rear of pull off truck B, to tension A.
The needle is thus holding the thread, so that when the pull off truck B, is
moved back by its cam B¹, acting through lever 12, and arın 1, the thread will be
pulled off from the thread supply through tension A; and cam B1 is about to cause
pull off truck B to make its pull off stroke, while the needle holds the thread under
strain in its hook.
In Figure 6, the pull off truck B has made its back stroke, the looper has acted
to shorten the loop and lay the thread in the hook of the needle and the slack
truck F has taken up the slack, but its spring f¹ is so light that the slack is taken
up only sufficiently to ensure the proper operation of the looper, in laying the
thread in the hook of the needle. As the needle makes its back stroke, drawing a
new loop of thread through the stock and the preceding loop, the pull off truck B
makes its forward stroke, leaving the thread slack on the thread supply side of the
needle, the preceding loop furnishing slack thread on the stitch side of the needle ;
but when the needle has nearly reached the end of its back stroke the thread
becomes taut on both sides of the needle, so that the needle sets the stitch just as it
reaches the end of its back stroke, and the thread then renders slightly through the
hook of the needle, and under the strain of the tension; this rendering under
strain being reduced to the minimum by the proper adjustment of pull off truck B.
All the parts not lettered in the drawings are too well known to require
description.
In the machine shown in Figures 7 to 11, the feeding instrument penetrates the
work substantially at right angles to the needle hole, as clearly shown in Figures 10
and 11 and where H is the needle and G the feeding instrument; the last C, sole C¹,
and upper C2, being shown in section, and the channel guidé J, in elevation.
The feeding instrument G has a motion endwise to penetrate the sole at right
angles to its surface, and is then moved sidewise, carrying the work with it, the
length of one stitch; when the feeding instrument is withdrawn, and moved back
to its first position; that is the feeding instrument has the usual four motions but
its penetrating and withdrawing motions are at right angles to the needle holes
instead of being parallel or in line with the needle holes as heretofore; and the
result of this new arrangement of these parts, the needle and the feeding instrument
crosswise of the needle hole, is that machines of this class can be readily used,
without extra pains or skill, on the sharpest toed shoes made, or can be used readily
to sew about the sharpest curve or any angle required in practice.
The feeding instrument is mounted on a lever vibrated by cam g¹ and spring g³

page_text: and moved sidewise by the usual feed slide K, whose bracket k serves as the fulcrum-
of lever g.
The channel guide J, and its connections are as usual, and this is also true of the
needle H and its connections and of all other parts of the machine not lettered,.
including the mechanism for actuating the feed slide K; all these matters being
familiar to all skilled in the art.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In hook needle chain stitch sewing machines a mechanism for pulling off
thread from the thread supply combined with means for maintaining the loop of
thread which has been drawn through the work by the hook needle; and to resist.
the tendency of the pull off mechanism to shorten that loop substantially as above-
explained.
Second. The improved feed mechanism with the characteristics described.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..