IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHMENTS TO SEWING MACHINES.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Meshach Hopkins, of 23, Rue de Bavière,
Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, at present residing at
Camden Grove North, St. George's Road, Peckham, in the County
of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHMENTS TO
SEWING MACHINES.".
Sealed the 10th February 1874, and dated the 13th August 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION-left by the said Meshach Hopkins at
-the-Office-of-the-Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th August 1878.
-
I, MESHACH HOPKINS, of 28, Rue de Bavière, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, at present residing at Camden Grove North,
St. George's Road, Peckham, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACH-
MENTS TO SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
In sewing machines as ordinarily constructed the action of the feed
or movement for advancing the fabric which is to be stitched is in the
proportion of "one to one" or movement for movement with the
-

page_text: 66
SE
"
of
movement of the needle, whilst in order to effect the "herring-bone
or zig-zag" stitch the movement of the feed is as one to two
the needle bar as the feed alternates with the movement of the needle.
This movement has hitherto been produced by means of cog wheels,
which are generally placed in fixed positions, and are not easily
changeable for the purpose of producing the ordinary stitch without
an expensive and complicated gearing.
By the present Invention the results which are obtained by cog
wheels are effected by adding a double-ended crank or lever to the
ordinary crank, disc, or eccentric, which forms a necessary part of
all sewing machines, and which double-ended crank or lever is actuated
by the ordinary crank, disc, or eccentric, and by placing the same out
of the centre line of the crank, disc, or cccentric, a "two-to-one"
movement necessary for the "herring-bone" or "zig-zag" stitch is
obtained, whilst the movement is easily changed to "one to one” for
the ordinary stitch.
A bracket is fixed to the ordinary bracket of the machine by means
of a screw or stud, a double-ended crank or lever being fixed to a
rotary spindle which passes through the first-mentioned bracket. A
cam or crank or eccentric is fixed to the said rotary spindle, and a
jaw lever fixed on a moveable centre to the first-mentioned bracket.
The ordinary crank shaft of the machine and the before-mentioned
rotary spindle are placed upon different centres, so that the latter makes
one revolution to two revolutions of the former, thus producing the
alternating movement necessary for the "herring-bone" or "zig-zag"
stitch, and by changing or moving the centre of the rotary spindle
(as will be well understood) the first-mentioned bracket is transferred,
or nearly so, to the same centre line as the ordinary shaft, thus enabling
the ordinary stitch to be produced.
The before-mentioned jaw lever is arranged so as to vibrate or slide
on a centre, and gives motion to the feed gear by being connected above
or below the said centre, and may be set at any angle most suitable to
the construction of the machine, and may be also connected to the
needle bar, or slides, or presser foot.
Different feed movements may be produced by modifications of the

page_text: dispensed-with, and the double-ended lever cönnected directly with the
feed gearing, needle bar, or slides, or presser foot:
The “attachments before described are applicable to every kind of
sewing machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Meshach Hopkins in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th February 1874.
TO' ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MESHACH
HOPKINS: of 28;: Rue de Bavière, Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
at present residing at Camden Grove North; St. George's Road, Peckham;.
in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the.
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Meshach Hopkins, Her special
licence that I, the said Meshach Hopkins, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or stich others as E, the said Meshach Hopkins; my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and- no-others; from time to time and at all times therefter during
the term therein expressed, should and lay might make, use,
exercises and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and-
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention-for. "Ima
PROVEMENTS IN ATTACHMENTS TO SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Meshach Hopkins,- my executors or
administrators, by an instrument 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 months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: J
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :-
In sewing machines as ordinarily constructed the action of the
"feed"
or movement for advancing the fabric which is to be stitched
is in the proportion of " one to one or "movement for movement'
with the movement of the needle, whilst in order to effect the "herring-
"> <
"
"
"
bone," zig-zag," or wave" stitch the movement of the feed is as
one to two of that of the needle bar as the feed alternates with the
movement of the needle. This movement has hitherto been produced
by means of cog wheels, which are generally placed in fixed positions,
and are not easily changeable for the purpose of producing the ordinary
stitch without an expansive and complicated arrangement of mechanism.
By my present Invention the results which have previously been
obtained by means of cog wheels are effected by adding a double-ended
crank or lever to the ordinary crank, disc, or eccentric which forms a
necessary part of all sewing machines, and which double-ended crank
or lever is actuated by the ordinary crank, disc, or eccentric, and by
placing the same out of the centre line of the crank, disc, or eccentric,
a "two-to-one" alternating movement necessary for the "herring-bone,”
zig-zag," or wave "stitch is obtained, whilst the movement is easily
changed to " one to one "for the ordinary stitch.
"
66
A bracket is fixed to the ordinary bracket of the machine by means
of a screw or stud, a double-ended crank or lever being attached to a
rotary spindle which passes through the first-mentioned bracket. A
cam or crank or eccentric is fixed to the said rotary spindle, and a
"jaw lever." fixed on a moveable centre to the first-mentioned bracket.
The ordinary crank shaft of the machine and the before-mentioned
rotary spindle are placed upon different centres, so that the latter makes
one revolution to two revolutions of the former, thus producing the
alternating movement which forms the essential feature of this In-
vention, and which is necessary for the "herring-bone," "zig-zag,"
and " wave stitch, and by changing or moving the centre of the
rotary spindle (as will be well understood) the first-mentioned bracket
is transferred or nearly so to the same centre line as the ordinary shafts,
thus enabling the ordinary stitch to be produced.
"
The before-mentioned "jaw lever" is arranged so as to vibrate or slide
on a centre, and gives motion to the feed gear by being connected above

page_text: or below the said centre, and may be set at any angle most suitable to
the construction of the machine, and may be also connected to the
needle bar, or slides, or presser foot.
Different feed movements may be produced by modifications of the
"jaw lever," as will be well understood, or the "jaw lever" may be
altogether dispensed with, and the double-ended lever connected directly
with the feed gearing, needle bar, or slides, or presser foot, or to any
other suitable part of the machine.
The attachments and arrangements of mechanism herein-before
described are applicable to every description of sewing machine.
Having thus declared and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe
in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the combination of mechanism whereby
the alternating or "two-to-one" motion is produced, substantially as and
for the purposes herein-before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Meshach Hopkins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, Eleventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
MESHACH HOPKINS. (L.S.)