IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MAKING A LION THEREWITH."
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Newton Wilson, of 144, High Holborn, in
the County of Middlesex, Sewing Machine Manufacturer, for the Inven
LION OF IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MAKING
A
LION
THEREWITH."
MPROVEMENTS IN SEWING M
KINDS AND ATTARATUS CONNECTED
Scaled the 25th March 1862, and dated the 28th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Newton Wilson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th September 1861.
1, WILLIAM NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Sewing Machine Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
The first part of my improvements consisis in the combination of a looper
with a stationary shuttle or spool case. To one extremity of the axis of the
looper is fixed a worm, which is driven by another worm fixed upon the axis
of the driving shaft of the machine. The worm on the driving shaft is so con-
structed as to perform the double function of carrying the looper forward and
reversing its action. When the needle has pierced the cloth, the looper takes
the loop and carries it over the point of a stationary spool case containing a
reel, and formed so as to open the loop, which is then drawn tight by the
needle bar acting in combination with two fixed guides.
[Price 8d.]
A Break is applied

page_text: to the surface of the driving or driven wheel, consisting of a hinged lever in
the form of a segment of such wheel, and acting on its periphery by means of
a lining of india-rubber or other suitable material, so as to prevent any back-
ward motion of the machine.
The second part of my improvements applies to machines used in hosiery,
and consists in substituting a small tube through which the needle shall operate
for the ordinary pointed wire at present in use, and on which the fabric is
hung while being stitched, and by which means I am enabled to lay the sewing
on the edge of the fabric.
The third part of my improvements applies to machines using a circular
needle for looping and securing the upper thread, and consists in substituting
for the ordinary nipper springs which hold the upper thread while the loop is
being formed, a small pillar resting upon a spring fixed in a tube or socket
connected with the fixed arm of the machine. By a suitable fixing on the needle
arm of the machine, the thread is pressed upon the top of the pillar before
described, and held there till the loop is completely formed, when the needle
arm rising it is again released.
The fourth part of my improvements applies to machines for producing the
lock stitch, and may in part be also applied to other machines.
The first improvement consists in the arrangement of feed and its operation,
and is as follows:-The left extremity of the cam shaft forms a compound
eccentric, one part of which propels and the other raises the feed lever, which
is in form similar to a three-pronged fork, the two outer prongs sliding into
bearings as the butt end is operated on by the eccentric, while the centre prong
in a divergent line passes through a spring which is compressed in the forward
motion, and in its reaction gives the backward motion to the feed lever. The
whole action somewhat resembles the parallel motion used in the steam engine.
The length of the stitch is regulated by a small eccentric lever, against which
the butt of the feed lever presses at its backward movement. The shuttle in
this machine is in the form of a segment of a circle, corresponding exactly with
the curve of the shuttle race. By the combination of a segmental curve in
the bobbin holder of this shuttle with a similar segmental slot in the shuttle,
the strain on the thread is equalised along the entire length of the hobbin.
The fifth part of my improvements applies to machines in which an upper
instead of a lower feed is employed, and which consists in arranging the whole
_of_the_parts_constituting the feed mechanism in connection with a moveable
head, so that the feed shall at pleasure be made to act in any direction to the
extent of one complete half of a circle, radiating outward from the extremity of
the needle arm.

page_text: My improvements in apparatus consist, first, in an improved binder, the
principal feature of which consists in fixing the clips to the body of the binder,
while the back is made in one separate piece to slide up to the work within
the clips, so as to lay the binding tight upon the fabric, whatever the width of
the binding used.
My second improvement in apparatus consists in that used in the driving of
sewing machines, but is applicable also to other machinery. Instead of the
ordinary crank motion, I apply rotary motion, obtained as follows: Attached
to the end of the driving shaft instead of a crank is a small smooth-faced wheel;
on each side of this wheel, moveably connected with the shaft, is a bridle, having
its further end extended above the wheel sufficiently to support between them
a small cam, one side of which is attached to the connecting rod. By the
downward pressure of the treadle this cam is made to impinge on the periphery
of the small wheel and produce a rotary motion. A spring may be used to
return the cam to its former position, but the shaft continues to revolve, and
the renewed action of the treadle and cam give an accelerated speed to the
wheel, and thence to the machine, to any extent that may be desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Newton Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Oflice on
the 28th March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Sewing
Machine Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Newton Wilson, Her special license that I, the said
William Newton Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Newton Wilson, my executors, administrators,
or 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 SEWING MACHINES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEEEWITH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William

page_text: Newton Wilson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should parti-
cularly 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 William Newton Wilson, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to. the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists, firstly, in the combination of a peculiar looper
with a stationary shuttle or spool case. To one extremity of the axis of the
looper is fixed a worm which is driven by another worm fixed upon the axis
of the driving shaft of the machine. The worm on the driving shaft is so
constructed as to perform the double function of carrying the looper forward
and reversing its action. When the needle has pierced the cloth, the looper
takes the loop and carries it over a stationary spool case containing a reel, and
formed so as to open the loop, which is then drawn tight by the needle bar
acting in combination with two fixed guides. A break is applied to the
surface of the driving or driven wheel or pulley, consisting of a hinged lever in
the form of a segment of a portion of the periphery of such wheel and acting
on its circumference by means of a lining of india-rubber or other suitable
material, so as to prevent any backward or reverse motion of the cam shaft of
the machine.
The second part of my improvements is applicable to sewing machines used
in hosiery, and consists in substituting a small tube or trough through which
the needle operates for the ordinary pointed wire at present in use, and on
which the fabric is hung while being stitched and by which means I am enabled
to lay the sewing closer to the edge of the fabric.
The third part of my improvements applies to machines for producing the
lock stitch, and may in part be also applied to other machines. The first
improvement consists in the arrangement of feed, and its operation and is as
follows: One extremity of the cam shaft forms a compound eccentric, one
part of which propels and the other raises the feed lever which is in form
similar to a three-pronged fork, the two outer prongs sliding in bearings, as
the butt end is operated on by the eccentric, whilst-the-centre_prong in a
divergent line passes through a spring which is compressed in the forward
motion, and in its reaction gives the backward and downward motion to the

page_text: feed lever. The length of the stitch is regulated by a small eccentric lever,
against which the butt of the feed lever presses at its backward movement.
The shuttle in this machine is in the form of a segment of a circle corres-
ponding exactly with the curve of the shuttle race, or it may be made straight.
By the combination of a segmental curve in the bobbin holder of this shuttle
with a similar segmental slot in the upper side of the shuttle the strain on the
thread is equalised along the entire length of the bobbin.
My improvements in apparatus to be used in connection with sewing
machines consist, first, in an improved binder, the principal feature of which
is the fixing of the clips to the body of the binder whilst the back is made in
a separate piece and capable of adjustment, so as to slide up to the work
within the clips thereby laying the binding tight upon the fabric whatever
the width of binding may be. My second improvement under this head,
consists of a peculiar mode of driving sewing machines, but is applicable also
to other machinery. Instead of the ordinary crank motion, I apply rotatory
motion obtained as follows:--Attached to the end of the driving shaft
is a small smooth faced wheel, and on each side of this wheel moveably
connected with the shaft is a bridle or lever having its outer end extended
above the wheel sufficiently to support between them a small cam, one side of
which is attached to the connecting rod. By the downward pressure of the
treadle this cam is made to unhinge on the periphery of the small wheel
and produce a rotatory motion. A spring may be used to return the cam to
its former position, but the shaft continues to revolve, and the renewed action
of the treadle and cam give an accelerated speed to the wheel, and thence to
the machine to any extent that may be desired.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corres-
ponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a transverse section of the front end
of a portion of a sewing machine, constructed according to my Invention,
and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan thereof; A is the cloth plate, and Bone
of the supporting standards; C is the bracket which carries the needle
slide D and presser foot E; F is the needle, and G the spool case. The
spool case is held between the moveable arms H and I, the arm I being
jointed at a to the arm H, and is pressed against the back of the spool case,
so as to hold it securely against the arm H by the spring b. The arm H is
fitted to the standard B by a pin at c, and is held in its proper position

page_text: by the tightening screw d, which passes through a curved slot e made in the
lug of the arm, such slot admitting of the arm being turned down into the
position shown in red lines when the spool case is to be removed, thereby
greatly facilitating the changing of the same; K is the looper, to which a
partial rotatory reciprocating motion round the under side of the spool case
is imparted by means of the worm or spiral L, formed on the shank of the
looper acted upon on opposite sides alternately by the duplex worms M, M²,
fitted on to the front end of the cam shaft, by which means an alternating
or reciprocating motion is transmitted to the looper; is a small incline,
formed on the face of the jointed spool holder I, which is acted upon by the
head of the looper each time it advances to the position indicated in red lines
in Figure 1, so as to open the holders slightly at that period, and thereby
allow of the free passage of the loop over the spool case. On the retreat
of the looper, the arm I closes again and holds the spool firmly until the passage
of the next loop over it; N is a spiral spring, contained on a slotted pin in the
top of the main bracket, beneath which spring the thread passes on its way to
the eye of the needle after leaving the tension apparatus; by this contrivance
I am enabled to dispense with the usual nippers for holding the thread during
the tightening of the stitch.
Figure 3 represents a side elevation of the break which I propose to apply
to the driving or driven wheel of a sewing machine. A is a wheel or pulley
fitted on to the cam shaft, against the periphery of which bears a segmenial
break lever B, hinged at C to any convenient support, and lined on its under
curved surface with india-rubber or other suitable material, shown at a, a.
By the use of a break or check lever of this description the turning of the cam
shaft in the wrong direction is effectually prevented. If the surface of the
break wheel be roughened slightly the action of the break lever upon it will
be rendered more certain.
Figure 4 represents a plan of a portion of a sewing machine employed in
sewing hosiery, and constructed according to my Invention. A is the ordinary
horizontal wheel provided at its periphery with half tubes or troughs B in lieu
of the usual pointed wires. One of these half tubes is shown in transverse and
longitudinal section at Figure 5 on an enlarged scale. They are pointed at
their outer ends to receive the outer row of loops in the goods; and the sewing
needle C, in place of working below the holding points, as heretofore, works
within the half tubes, as shown clearly in the details at Figure 5.
Figure 6 represents-a-transverse-section of a portion of a sewing machine
having my improved fixed bar attached thereto; and Figure 7 is a plan of the
under side thereof. A is the table or bed plate of the machine, and B the

page_text: cam shaft. The feed bar is composed of three prongs or arms C, C, and D, the
arms C, C, being parallel and in the same plane, whilst the central arm D
inclines downwards from the rear towards its front end, and is surrounded by
a helical spring, as shown, for the purpose of reacting upon the feed after it
has been acted upon by the eccentrics E and F formed on the end of the cam
shaft. The rear ends of the three arms C, C, and D, work frecly in guide
apertures made for that purpose in the fug G, whilst the front end of the bar
rests upon the eccentric E. A lug or projection a is formed upon the under
side of the feed bar and is acted upon by the eccentric F. It will thus be seen
that the upward motion of the feed is derived from the eccentric E, and the
forward horizontal motion from the eccentric F, whilst the downward and
backward or return stroke is obtained from the helical spring, before referred
to, acting at an angle to the axial line of the feed bar; H is an eccentric lever
for regulating the length of stitch.
Figure 8 represents an inner side elevation of my improved shuttle for lock
stitch sewing machines, and Figure 9 is a corresponding plan thereof. The
essential feature of novelty in this shuttle is the use of a curved slot or opening
a made in the upper side of the body of the shuttle in combination with a
curved bar formed in the inner side thereof or on a hinged support c carrying
the spool (the support, in the Drawings, is shown open for the removal of the
spool). The thread, on leaving the spool, passes below the curved bar b,
thence through two or more of the holes in the upper part of the support,
whence it passes out through the curved slot or opening a in the upper side of
the shuttle, the inner curved edge of which guides the thread as it passes out.
By the combination of the two curved surfaces above referred to the strain on
the thread is equalized along the entire length of the bobbin or spool.
Figures 10 and 11 represent respectively a longitudinal section and plan of
my improved binder, in which the back a is made separate from the clips b, b,
and is adjustable nearer to be further from them, thereby affording facility for
the application of bindings of various width by one apparatus, as shown by the
red lines.
.
Figure 12 represents a side elevation of an improved combination of me-
chanism for driving sewing machines in lieu of the ordinary crank motion.
A is a pulley fast on the cam shaft B of the machine, and C represents one of
a pair of levers situate one on each side of the pulley and working freely upon
the shaft as a centre. These levers extend slightly beyond the circumference
of the pulley and carry at their outer ends a cam D, which is hung on a centre
pin a, and situate between the two levers and immediately opposite the rim of
the wheel. To the outer end of this cam is attached one end of a connecting

page_text: rod E, the lower end of which is connected to a treadle of the ordinary con-
struction; F is a helical or other spring attached to the upper part of the
cam and to the under side of the machine or other convenient fixed point, its
object being to raise the levers and treadle after being depressed by the foot.
The form of the cam next the periphery of the wheel is eccentric, so that when a
rising the spring will tend to remove it from contact with the periphery of
the wheel; but when depressed by the action of the treadle the cam will be
brought in contact with the periphery and impart a rotatory motion to it by
mere frictional contact therewith. Thus the cam is alternately in and out of
contact with the wheel during its downward and upward motions respectively.
In lieu of the cam acting upon the periphery of the wheel it may, by a slight
modification, be made to act against the inside of a projecting rim on the
wheel, or against the outer side of a circular groove or channel cut in the face
or side of the wheel, the principle in both cases being identical, inasmuch as
the rotatory motion of the wheel and its shaft is due to the contact of the cam
therewith when moving in one direction and to its release from contact when
making the return or back stroke. In some applications, as for example, in
a steam engine, where the crank is replaced by this mechanism, the upper
portion of the piston rod may be made flexible by means of joints similar to
those shown in Figure 13, and attached to the cam at the jointed end, thus
allowing the jointed part to pass over (but without touching) the top of the
wheel, whereby a longer stroke may be obtained than with a rigid connection.
The joints employed should be constructed on the principle of the rule joint,
and the butts of each joint on the inner side should be so disposed as to prevent
the joints from closing entirely, as will be understood on referring to Figure 13.
The flexible portion of the connexion will thus be prevented from coming in
contact with the circumference of the wheel.
Although I have more particularly described this mode of driving in
connection with sewing machines it is obvious that it may be equally well
applied to the driving of other light machinery where a quick rotatory motion
is desired.
Figure 13 represents a modification adapted to the transmission of motion
from one shaft to another or throughout a series of shafts. A is the wheel or
pulley fast on the first motion shaft B, and A' is the corresponding wheel or
pulley fast on the second motion shaft B'. Each shaft carries a pair of levers
C, C, and an eccentric cam D, D', the levers being connected to cach other
by the rod E, made flexible or jointed-at-each end, as herein-before described.
A catch is required for holding the cam D out of working position whilst the
rod E is being returned to its working position or starting point. For this

page_text: purpose a lateral projection a is made on the tail b of the cam D; which pro-
jection is caught and held down by a lateral projection or tooth on the spring c
fixed to the lever C and working through a slot therein. This engagement of
the catch a is produced by the striking of the edge of the cam against the end
of the spring d on arriving at the bottom of its stroke, this having the effect
of turning the cam partly and so locking the catches, which remain in that
condition until released again by the end of the upper spring e, when the cam
will be brought in contact again with the wheel and impart motion thereto at
its next stroke. When it is required to stop the motion suddenly a break may
be fixed to the connecting rod E of the treadle (see Figure 12), which, by
elevating the treadle, may be made to press against the driving wheel, and so
effect the instantaneous stoppage of the machine.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Newton Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
W. N. WILSON. (L.S.)