IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOT AND SHOR SEWING MACHINERY
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOT AND SHOR
SEWING MACHINERY."-A communication from abroad by Michael
Joseph Stein, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
Sealed the 17th October 1868, and dated the 4th August 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton-
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th August 1868.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for l'atents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Iuveution for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOT AND
SHOE SEWING MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved arrangement of machine in
which the last is supported on a carriage that is free to slide ou a table,
[Price 8d1

page_text: which is itself capable of receiving a vertical adjustment to suit lasts of
different sizes and curvature.
The sewing instruments and the parts in immediate connection there-
with (for working them) are mounted ou an oscillating plate or frame,
which has for its fulcrum the cam shaft of the machine. The object
of this ar.angement is to permit of the mechanism resting by its weight
on the sole of the boot or shoe to be sewn while the work is being fed,
and thus to follow the undulations of the sole. The list holder or
carriage is free to slide in any direction on the table, and if desirable its
friction may be relieved by the use of wheels or rollers. The last is
carried by a vertical pin from the carriage entering a socket at the ankle
and by an adjustable crutch that embraces the toe. A handle which
through a cam lifts the crutch serves also to lock to the carriage a base
block that carries the socket. This base block is adjustable on the
carriage. The machine is intended to form the common crochet stitch,
and to this end it is provided with a barbed needle, the barb. of which
is covered by a pointed shield at proper times to allow of the formed
loops being cast off. The needle vibrates on a fulcrum and it is therefore
curved to allow of its entering the work without tearing or unduly
straining it. The forward end of this plate is guided in its movement
up and down by the vertical side pieces of the main frame of the machine,
and it is suspended when the machine is out of action by a strap and
pulley. The sole when fitted to the last in the usual way is pressed up
against a guide, its edge sliding past the guide as the feed proceeds
under the action of a feeding pawl, which consists of a rock lever
modified in its motions by a cam plate. The guide is made adjustable.
(by a screw and nut) relatively to a rest which enters the inner chanue!
cut in the leather forming the sole to be sewn.
The machine is provided
with two such rests, one at either side of the needle. One of these rests,
which are self-adapting, rides on the sole of the slive or boot that is being
sewn and bears against the bottom of the inner channel cut in the
leather to resist the pull of the needle, and the second rest is so formed
that it shall rest and ride on the surface of the sole, but some distance
back of the bottom of the inner channel of the sole, that in sewing it
may not interfere with the loop of thread. These rests are jointed to
opposite ends of a rocking beam, and they are thus caused to operate
in connection with the needle alternately. The curved needle is so
made and mounted that its inner curved surface is concentric with its

page_text: axis of vibration and excentric on its outer surface, and the pointed
shield or cast-off has its outer surface excentric, the contiguous surfaces
of the cast-off and the needle being flat. Both these instruments are
mounted so that they may work in close contact. In order that the
upper may be drawn into the angle of the outer channel of the sole
without too great a strain on the parts an instrument is employed, which
may be termed a depresser and holder. This consists simply of a short
lever that vibrates on a fulcrum pin in the lower part of the guide arm,
and is so formed that its acting end when depressed will bear on and not
only depress the edge of the sole in close proximity with the needle, and
just before the needle advances, and hold it down until the needle has
completed its back motion, but which also forces and holds the upper
in the channel way in the position required. To keep the self-adapting
plate to which the sewing mechanism is attached in a fixed position
at the time the needle enters the sole, and for liberating it that it may
be self-adapting to the undulations of the sole during the feeding motion,
as described, the following arrangement is adopted-A segment rack
permanently attached to the frame of the machine extends down through
a mortice in the plate, and the cogs of this rack engage the cogs of a
pinion on the shaft of a stop or brake wheel mounted in suitable bearings
in the plate. When the stop wheel is locked or held so that it cannot
turn, the plate cannot be moved either up or down, but when the wheel
is unlocked the plate will be free to move. The brake wheel is locked
by a spring bolt, but as the plate must be free to move during the
feeding motion that it may take position for the next succeeding stitch
the lever which gives motion to the feeding pawl is connected with the
sliding spring bolt, so that when the feeling motion takes place the
holt will be withdrawn and will liberate the stop wheel, and so soon as
the feeding lever returns the wheel will be again firmly locked and
caused to hold the plate.
For heating the wax thread it is usual to use a lamp. In this case
the lamp and its cap and the flue through which the thread passes are
attached to the moveable plate which carries the sewing mechanism,
and thus the means for heating and guiding the thread will be always
in the sarae relative positions.
It has been stated that the feeding pawl is controlled in its movements
by a slotted cam. This is for the purpose of spacing the stitches equally
while it is acting on the undulating surface of the sole. To this end the

page_text: pawl is fitted with a pin which works over a cam surface as the pawl
lever is oscillated, and by increasing or diminishing the dip of the pawl
lever enlarges or contracts its action on the work.
To adapt the machine to the sewing of welted shoes or boots there is
combined with the sewing mechanism a welf guide, which consists of
a mortice of sufficient size to receive and permit the welt (which is a
strip of leather) to pass through. The arm of this guide is placed by
the side of the sewing mechanism and às near to the needle as the other
parts of the machine will permit. It is hinged so as to be self-adapting
in position.
After the welt has been introduced and the first stitch
taken the strip of welt will be drawn through the guide mortice as
wanted by the feeding motion applied to the sole. As it is hinged to
the machine as before stated when the machine is used for sewing
turned shoes it is turned up out of the way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence
that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or, such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOOT AND SHOE SEWING MACHINERY," being a communication to me from
abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument

page_text: 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
mouths next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
This Invention relates to improvements on machinery for sewing the
uppers to the soles of shoes and boots.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the
machine; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a top view; Figures 4 and 5
are a side and bottom view, drawn full size, of the needle and cast-off
with their stocks connected; Figures 6, 7, and 8 represent side, front,
and back elevations, drawn full size, of the rests for guiding the needle
represented in connection with the guide and the stock by which they
are connected with the sewing mechanism; Figures 9 and 10 represent
an elevation and section of the flue and thread guides; Fig. 11 is a
diagram shewing the curve of the sole on which the rests act, and
Figures 12 and 13 are plan and side elevations of the last holder. The
same letters indicate like parts in all the Figures.
a represents a suitable frame, and a movable table on which the last
holder crests and moves; this table is flat and fitted to slide up anil
down on the vertical posts of the frame and rests on four excentric
rollers d, d, d, d, arranged in pairs on two parallel shafts e, e, one near
the front end and the other near the back of the said table. The
two excentrics on the front shaft are connected by joint links f, ƒ,
with the two excentrics on the rear shaft, so that when the front
shaft is turned by a crank handle or other suitable means, the two
will turn in unison and set the table either higher or lower as desired.
The object of having the table adjustable in height is not ouly to suit
shoes and lasts of different sizes, but also lasts of different curvature on
the surface of the sole, as it is important that the needle should enter the
leather of the sole at the bottom of the inner channel g, see Fig. 6, and

page_text: come out at the angle of the outer channel h, and heuce as lasts of
different curvature and height are put into the machine the height of the
table relatively to the sewing mechanism must be so adjusted that the
needle will enter the leather of the sole at the bottom of the inner
channel and come out at the bottom or angle of the outer channel. In
some instances the leather for the sole is not prepared with an outer
channel, such as represented in the Drawings. but in such cases it is
equally important that the needle should come out at a proper and like
distance between the upper and lower surfaces. The last. holder c is a
carriage which rests on the surface of the table b, so as to slide thereon
in any direction required, and if desirable to relieve friction it may be
provided with rollers or small wheels. There is a hole made in the
upper part of the last to fit a perpendicular stud j; this pin j is fitted to
and secured in a socket in an adjustable base 4 (Fig. 13) by a set screw
but it may be permanently secured. The base a is fitted to the
surface of the carriage so that it can be shifted and secured at different
distances from the end to suit large and small lasts. Towards the other
end the carriage is provided with ways 64, in which a base block c4 can
slide towards or from the pin j. A crutch k of a suitable shape to bear
up against the inverted instep of the last is formed with a cylindrical
stem fitted to slide up and down in a socket in the base block c4, and
a projection et from the sides of this stem bears on the periphery of a
cam on a short arbor g₁ mounted in the base block, and provided with
a handle 4, so that the operator by turning the arbor causes the cam f+
to lift the crutch, and thus force it up against the instep of the last, and
as the last is fitted on to the pin j, before described, the last by so
forcing the toe end becomes firmly secured to the carriage. To secure
the base block of the crutch at any desired distance from the pin ;, there
is another cam 4 (Fig. 12) on the arbor g4, which acts on the upper end
of a spring clip c" (see Fig. 1) to force it down into contact with the
upper surface of the carriage, and the form of the two cams f4 and.i4,
and their position on the arbor should be such that by the turning of
the arbor g the base block is first secured in position before the crutch /
is forced up against the instep of the last. The whole of the sewing me-
chanism is mounted on a plate 7, the rear part of which is free to vibrate
on the cam shaft m, which is to be rotated in the direction of the arrow
by any suitable motor. The forward end of this plate is guided in its
movements up and down by the vertical side pieces of the frame, and it
is suspended by a strap n (shown also by red lines in Figures 6 and 7) to

page_text: the periphery of a wheel o (see dotted lines in Fig. 1) on a short shaft p
provided with a crank handle q, which is held by a spring catch when
the mechanism is to be held up for a shoe to be removed and another
substituted, but after a shoe and last holder are put into the machine
the spring catch r is pushed back to liberate the crauk handle, and
permit the mechanism to rest by its weight on the sole of the boot or
shoe to be sewn that it may be free to follow the undulations thereof.
A metal stocks (see Figures 6 and 7 and 8) is firmly secured to the
plate l, and so formed as represented to extend down some distance below
the under surface of the said plate. To the front part of this stock is
hinged the upper end of an arm t, and the inner face of the lower
end of this arm forms the gauge u, against which the edge of the sole
of the shoe to be sewn is pressed to guide it relatively to the needle
as it is moved along by the feeder (see Fig. 6). This guide has a hole »
through it for the passage of the point of the needle, and another hole for
the passage of a threaded stem w, which projects from the stock s, and
which is provided with a nut a, by means of which the said gauge can be
adjusted relatively to a rest y to be presently described to suit the distance
between the bottom of the channel and the outer edge of the sole.
This adjustment can be effected by turning the nut with the fingers,
but a more convenient means is to have a bevil cog wheel on the body
of the nut, and a like bevil wheel on a shori arbor m', provided at the
other end with a thumb and finger wheel n, and this arbor is mounted
in suitable bearings projecting from the front edge of the plate and in
an inclined position, so that the thumb and finger wheel will be in a
convenient position to be operated
the attendant while he rests his
hand on the corner of the plate to insure its proper movements up and
down as the guides follow the undulations of the sole. There are two
rests and (see Fig. S) fitted to slide vertically one on each side of
the said stocks, they are hinged at their upper ends to a cross balance
lever a that is free to vibrate on the fulcrum pin secured to the stock,
so that when either of the rests rises or descends the other must move
to an equal extent in the opposite direction. The lower ends of these
rests are formed to rest on the sole c¹ (see Fig. 6) of the shoe to be sewn,
so that it can slide under them, and as they rest on the sole and are
borne down by the weight of the plate and the mechanism attached
thereto (which may be assisted by the hand of the operator) as the sole
passes under them they will adapt themselves to the undulations of the
sole, and as the needle, to be presently described, works midway between

page_text: the two, and in the plane of their under surface in any position which
they may assume in following the undulations of the sole they effectually
guide the needle so that it shall at all times be at the required elevation
to enter the leather of the sole at the right place, which is the bottom
of the inner channel y previously formed in the sole. If both guides
were formed like the one y to enter, and with their bevilled edges to
bear against the bottom of the inner channel g of the sole, and to
perform in addition to the duty above described the further offices of
keeping the channel open and of resisting the pull of the needle in
tightening the stitch during its back movement they would present the
following difficulties:-To admit of sewing around the usual curves at
the heel and toe the two rests require to be within a short distance of
each other, for if placed too far apart the curved parts of the sole could
not pass between them and the gauge, and when placed within a
practical distance to avoid this difficulty the one on the off side conflicts
with the loop of thread which connects the last-formed stitch with the
one which is being formed. Two such instruments are indispensable to
the guiding of the needle that its point may enter at the bottom of the
channel in following the undulations of the sole, but for all other
purposes one only is necessary. They are so formed and located that
one of them y fits into and bears against the bottom of the channel g,
and the other z on the off side stands back some distance from the bottom
of the channel, but so that it shall rest on the surface of the sole. In
this way it is made to answer the purpose of a balance to the one which
rests against the bottom of the channel, that the point of the needle
may be properly guided along to follow the undulations of the sole,
whilst at the same time it avoids all conflict with the loop of thread,
and admits of sewing along any curve, however small, and even around
an angle as in sewing square-toed shoes. The needle e¹ is curved and
made concentric on its inner concave face and excentric on its outer face,
and therefore thicker towards the stock than towards the point. The
object of this is manifold; in the first place, a needle of such form cau
be made of the required strength to act as an awl in piercing the leather.
In the second place the body of the needle in passing into the leather
enlarges the hole to the size required for the free passage of the needle
hook with its new loop of thread on the return motion, and this is
effected without serious strain to the needle. In the third place it
avoids the straining of that part of the leather under which the needle
passes, as no part of the leather can be strained which is above the

page_text: needle, no part of its inner curved surface being at a less distance
from the axis of vibration than the point, and hence the hole must be
enlarged by the outer or excentric surface of the needle compressing the
body of the leather. And, lastly, on the back motion of the needle, the
previously formed loop of thread lies under the convex surface of the
needle, and if the said loop should be gripped between the needle and the
leather the back motion of the needle would fail to draw the stitch
tight, but by making the needle with its outer surface excentric as it
moves back the loop of thread is liberated thereby, permitting the stitch
to be drawn tight. The needle is made flat and in the plane of motion
on the side of the cast-off f, and the cast-off is made of like form that
the faces of the two may work in contact, but without any interlocking
tongue and groove, so that in tightening the stitch the needle may spring
independently of the cast-off. The said cast-off is pointed, that when
it advances to cover the hook of the needle it may enter the leather
casily to close the hook before it (the hook) on the back motion of the
needle reaches the loop which is to be cast off, and as this loop is at the
time lying on the surface of the sole and below the needle and cast-off
it is important that the cast-off should be brought to a point from the
under side, otherwise in advancing to close the hook of the needle its
point would be liable to catch on to the thread of the loop, particularly
in sewing along the up grade as on one side along the shank of the
sole from the heel part forward where the surface of the sole inclines
upwards. The needle e' is secured by having the rear end of its shank
inserted in a hole in a stock g' (see Fig. 5) and there secured by a temper
screw, and the cast-off fis in like manner secured to a similar stock i¹.
The needle stock and the cast-off stock are both mounted on a fulcrum
pin so as to vibrate thereon, and the inner faces of both the needle
and the cast-off are concentric with this fulcrum pin, and their outer
surfaces excentric, and the contiguous faces of both are flat and
more in contact one with the other; these two stocks g' and are
received in a recess in one arm of a bent lever and connected therewith
by the fulcrum j', and the bent lever is mounted in two hangers 11, 14,
the axis of vibration being back of the fulcrum pin and a little below
the horizontal plane thereof for a purpose to be presently described. The
in and out motions of the needle are derived from an eccentric m' on the
shaft m. The rod n¹, see Figure 2, from the eccentric is connected with
one arm of a lever o', and the other arm of the said lever is connected
with the needle stock g' by a connecting rod p¹. The motions of the

page_text: cast-off are derived from a cam groove q¹, see dotted black lines in
Figure 2, on the same shaft, which cam acts on one arm of a lever >¹, the
other arm of which is connected with the stock of the cast-off by
means of a connecting rod s¹. The periods of the relative molions of the
needle and cast-off are determined by the form of the cam groove q¹ and
its position relatively to the eccentric m³, and these are such as repre-
sented, that the needle advances a certain distance while the cast-off
stands still to allow the loop to get out of the hook of the needle, and
then the cast-off follows the needle in its forward motion to get between
the loop so liberated and the hook, and that its point may enter tho
leather a short distance and there stop the needle in its continued
forward motion, then passes through the leather until its hook is carried
sufficiently through the material and the hole in the outside gauge u
.to receive the thread which is delivered into the hook by the thread
carrier; the needle then moves back, drawing the thread through the
material, and as soon as the hook is covered by the cast-off the two
move together to the end of the back motion. The new loop of thread
being enclosed by the cast-off in the hook of the needle it is drawn
through the previously formed loop, which by the continued back motion
is drawn in to tighten the previously formed; stitch. As the needle
passes in and through the leather its point has what may be termed a
depressing motion, that is to say, as it advances its axis of vibration is
depressed, and on the return motion lifted. To effect this motion the
rear arm u¹ of the bent lever before described is hinged to the short
arm of a lever v¹ (see Figure 6) that works on a fulcrum pin w', and the
other arm is provided with a pin fitted to a cam groove, see dotted red
lines in Figure 2, in the face of a cam wheel on the shaft m, the said
cam groove being formed and located on the shaft, as represented in red
lines in Figure 2, so that the fulcrum pin on which the stocks of the
needle and cast-off vibrate will be depressed as the point of the needle is
passing through the leather, and elevated as the needle is returning.
The thread fpasses through an eye in the thread carrier yl (see Figure 7)
which vibrates on a fulcrum pin on the guage u, before described,
through which the thread also passes, and the office of this carrier is to
carry the thread so that it may be caught by the hook of the needle. To
do this the carrier is vibrated to pass from one side of the needle under
it and around to the other side a short distance above the needle as the
needle is advancing that the thread may enter the hook of the needle,
and then it moves back again. To accomplish this the carrier is con-

page_text: nected by a rod a with a vertical slide 6, the upper end of which is
connected by two joint links with one arm c² of a rock shaft & which
has another arm with a pin fitted to a cam groove e¹ in the cam wheel q¹
on the cam shaft before described. The thread f from a spool g' mounted
on the plate passes around a tension wheel and down through a
flue attached to, that it may move with the plate 7 and around another
guide (see Figure 10) at the lower end of this flue, and from this to
and through the eye of the thread carrier before described. The front
plate of this flue is hinged to give access to the thread. It is preferred
to make this flue of a gradual taper and with the lower end considerably
enlarged. From the lower end of this flue is suspended a lamp ³ with
a conical cap over the burner, this cap having two branch pipes m³,
one to direct the heat into the flue to gradually heat the wax on the
thread as it is descending, and the other to direct the heat to the eye of
the thread carrier y' to prevent the wax from clogging the said eyo,
which is a matter important to the practical working of the machine.
To adapt the machine to the sewing of welted shoes or boots there is
combined with the sewing mechanism a welt guide 2 (see Figure 8),
which consists of a mortise of sufficient size to receive and permit the
welt (which is a strip of leather v²) to pass through. The arm of this
guide is placed by the side of the sewing mechanism and as near to the
needle as the other parts of the machine will permit. It is hinged by
its upper end to the stock s so as to be self-adapting in position.. After
the welt has been introduced and the first stitch taken the strip of welt
will be drawn through the guide mortise as wanted by the feeding
motion applied to the sole. As it is hinged to the machine as before
stated when the machine is used for sewing turned shoes it is turned
up out of the way. If the feeding pawl acted on the surface of the sole
on the last with its undulations in the usual manner of a feeding pawl,
it would result in making the stitches of unequal length. When acting
on a surface inclining upwards back of the feeding pawl the feeder would
impart a shorter motion than when acting on a level surface, and when
ncting against a reverse inclined surface it would give a greater feeding
motion than when acting on a level surface. This would be a serious
defect which it is now proposed to avoid by the following contrivance :-
A feeding pawl q is provided (see Figure 7) with pins 2 or equivalent
projections on the sides thereof, not far from the place where the pawl
is hinged to the lever 8, from which it receives its reciprocating motion.

page_text: These projecting pins work in cam-like slots 2 in the lower end of a
hanger us, the slots being of such form that when the pawl acts on, an
upward inclination approaching as at (see Figure 11) it will act on
the sole through the whole throw of its acting lever. When it acts on a
level part of the sole, as at w², in moving back and forth the pins ride
part of the way on the lower part of the cam slot so that the acting
point of the pawl clears the sole for a part of the throw of the lever,
and after the required range of lost motion has been attained the pawl
then acts on the sole and continues so to act, giving the required extent
of motion to space the stitch; and in acting on a reversed inclined
surface, as at a, during the back and forward motions the pins ride on
the bottom of the slot for a greater portion of the throw of the lever
that there may be more lost motion. In this way by the form of the
cam slots the pawl is made to act on the sole through the whole of
the range of motion when acting up grade to lose part of its motion
in working on the level snrface, and to lose still more when acting on a
reversed or down grade, thereby spacing the stitches equally along
the whole of the undulating surface of the sole. The upper end
of the lever & which actuates the feeding pawl q is hinged to a
standard 3 of the plate l, and this lever is connected by a rod z
with one arm of a lever a³, see Fig. 1, which vibrates horizontally
on a fullcrum pin attached to the under side of the plate 1, the other
arm of the said lever being acted upon by a cam groove 3, see Fig. 3
on the shaft m, and as this lever receives at all times an equal range of
motion, and it is desirable at times to vary the spacing of the stitches,
the rod z instead of being hinged to the lever a³ passes through a hole
in the said lever and is provided with an adjusting nut c, so that the
lever gives the feeding motion to the paw] by striking the nut c³ on
the rod, see Fig. 1, and the feeding pawl is drawn back by a spring ³,
so that the range of feeding motion can be regulated by the set of the
nut c. It is also important to be able to adjust the position of the
feeding pawl relatively to the cam slots that the range of lost motion
and the position of the point of the pawl relatively to the rest may be
adjusted. To accomplish this the said cam slots are formed in the
lower end of the hanger which is hinged by its upper end to the
same standardy to which the lever () is hinged, and that end of the con-
necting rod which is hinged to the lever which operates the feeding
pawl is slotted to embrace the hanger u. In rear of the hanger u there
is a set screw e³, see Fig. 7, which acts as a stop to the back motion of

page_text: the hanger. When the spring d pulls back the feeding haud the
hanger is drawn back at the same time (by the back of the cam slot
being struck by the pin 12 on the pawl) until stopped by the set screw e³,
so that the range of the lost motion of the feeding pawl can be
adjusted by one set screw and the range of direct motion adjusted by
the nut 3. To prevent the feeding pawl from riding on the sole
when moving back, which would have the tendency to fill the teeth
and thus prevent them from taking a good hold for feeding, it is
lifted clear of the sole before the back motion begins, and is let down
at the end of the back motion to be ready for the next forward
feeding motion. This is effected by a cam of (see Fig. 3) on the cam
shaft, which cam at the time required operates a lever p', the other
end of which is connected with the feeding pawl by a joint link q',
see Fig. 7. On the back movement of the needle and the tightening
of the stitch the tendency is to lift the edge of the sole, and if so lifted
the needle in making its next penetration in passing through the leather
would come out too near that surface of the sole next to the last; and
when the needle has passed through the sole and comes in contact with
that portion of the upper through which the stitching is to be made, the
point of the needle pushes it back against the outside gauge. From this
it follows that the needle passes through the upper so near to the outer
edge of the sole that on the back motion of the needle in drawing
the stitch the upper cannot be drawn into the angle of the outer
channel without too great a strain on the parts. To avoid these
difficulties a depresser and holder is employed, which consists simply
of a short lever 7 (see Fig. 8*) that vibrates on a fulcrum pin t5 in
the lower part of the arm t, and is so formed that its acting end when
depressed will bear on and not only depress the edge of the sole in
close proximity with the needle, and just before the needle advances,
and hold it down until the needle has completed its back motion, but
will also force and hold the upper in the channel way in the position
required for sewing it, so that when the stitches are drawn tight the
upper will not be strained. The outer end of this depresser and holder
is connected by a joint link s, Fig. 1; to the arm of a rock shaft t',
the other arm of which is connected by another link u with a spring v*,
Fig. 2, attached to the arm of the rock shaft d² before described, so
derived therefrom, and the sole purpose
of interposing the spring is that it may yield instead of breaking or
straining the parts if at any time there should be some impediment.
that the required motions are

page_text: As pressure is made against the sole to keep it down and all the sewing
mechanism is attached to the plate which rides on the sole there is
a tendency to lift the plate. It is important to prevent this tendency
to lift before and at the time the needle is entering the leather, other-
wise the needle will be liable to enter the leather at too high a point.
To prevent this it is found important to lock the plate just before the
presser and holder makes pressure on the edge of the sole. The special
mechanism to effect this important result consists of a segment rack w
permanently attached to the frame, and extending down through a
mortise in the plate 1, and the cogs of this rack engage the cogs of a
pinion (see Fig. 2) on the shaft of a stop or brake wheel y mounted
in suitable bearings in the plate 1. The periphery of this wheel is
made by preference with fine teeth, but a rough surface may be sub-
stituted. It will be seen that when the stop wheel is locked or held so
that it cannot turn, the plate I cannot be moved either up or down, but
when the wheel is unlocked the plate 7 will be free to move. The
brake wheel is locked by a bolt (sec Fig. 3) which is forced into
the teeth or against the roughened surface by the tension of a spring a³,
but as the plate must be free to move during the feeding motion that
it may take position for the next succeeding stitch, the lever a3 which
gives motion to the feeding pawl is connected by a rod 5 with one arm
of a bell crank c³ (see Fig. 3), the other arm of which is in turn con-
nected with the sliding spring bolt z', so that when the feeding motion
takes place the bolt will be withdrawn and will liberate the stop wheel,
and so soon as the feeding lever returns the wheel will be again firmly
locked and caused to hold the plate. It is desirable that the operator
should have control of this mechanism, as he will frequently have
occasion to lift the plate to take off a finished shoe and put in
another, and for other purposes; as it may be necessary to do this when
the feeding lever a³ is in the position required for locking the stop wheel,
means have been provided to meet such emergencies. The connection
of the feeding lever a³ with the rod 5 is by a pin, which is free to slide
in an elongated slot, as at d³ (see Fig. 3), and the strap n by which the
plate can be lifted by the attendant has a branch e, Fig. 6, connected
with one arm of a bell crank f³, the other arm of which is connected
with the rod 65, so that in the very act of turning the wheel o to lift
the plate the lock bolt 2 is drawn back to liberate the stop or brake
wheel.
Having described and represented the mode of construction deemed

page_text: by my communicant the best for sewing soles to the uppers of shoes
and boots which are to be turned after being sewn, and also as adapted
to the sewing of the upper and welt to an inner sole for boots and shoes
which are not to be turned, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit my claim of Invention to such specific mode of construction, as
that may be changed without departing from the characteristic features
which distinguish the present Invention from all other things before
known; what I claim under the above in part recited letters Patent is,
First. The means herein-before described for securing the last to the
carriage, consisting of the combination of the crutch, its base block,
adjustable in ways on the carriage, and the mechanism for operating
the crutch and securing its base block in any desired position on the
carriage to suit lasts of different sizes, substantially as described; and
these I also. claim in combination with the pin which enters a hole in
the last, and the base of which is adjustable longitudinally on the
carriage for different lengths of lasts, as described.
Second. In combination with the needle and the self-adapting rost
which is to rest and ride on the sole of the shoe or boot that is being
sewn, and which is to bear against the bottom of the inner channel cut
in the leather to resist the pull of the needle, a second rest so formed
that it shall rest and ride on the surface of the sole, but some distance
back of the bottom of the inuer channel of the sole, that in sewing it
may not interfere with the loop of thread, the two being connected and
having a mode of operation in connection with the needle, substantially
as herein described.
Third. In combination with the guide for guiding the edge of the sole
the means herein described to enable the operator to adjust its position
with the thumb and finger while his hand rests on the movable plate
to which the sowing mechanism is attached, as herein described.
Fourth. The curved needle when made and mounted so that its inner
curved surface is concentric with its axis of vibration and eccentric on
its outer surface, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The pointed shield or cast-off with its outer surface eccentric in
combination with the needle, the contiguous surfaces of the two being
flat, and both being mounted so that they shall work in contact, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The depresser and holder, substantially as described, for de-

page_text: pressing and holding down the edge of the sole and upper in the
required position, during the stitching operation, as described.
Seventh. In combination with the self-adapting plate to which the
sewing mechanism is attached the mechanism substantially as herein
described, for holding the said plate in a fixed position at the time the
needle enters the sole, and for liberating it that it may be self-adapting
to the undulations of the sole during the feeding motion.
Eighth. Attaching the lamp and its cap and the flue through which
the thread passes to the moveable plate which carries the sewing
mechanism, substantially as described, that the means for heating and
guiding the thread may be always in the same relative positions, as
set forth.
Ninth. The feeding pawl with its pins or projections working in cam-
formed recesses, or the equivalent thereof, having a like mode of
operation for spacing the stitches equally while acting on
dulating surface of the sole, as set forth.
Tenth. The welt guide, substantially such as described, in combination
with the curved needle, substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)