Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
I, HENRY ALFRED OLDERSHAW of No. 38 Highcross Street Leicester in the County
of Leicester Engineer and Machine Builder do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines the object of which is to
provide an automatic contrivance for lifting, or vibrating the foot bar vertically so
that whatever thickness, or uneven thickness of work is being sewn the foot bar is
properly regulated.
For this purpose I employ a clutch arrangement to grip the foot bar either at top,
or at any other part of the bar, the said clutch can be actuated by a bell crank lever
or its equivalent; which may be mounted on a suitable pivot, and operated by a cam
either from the driving shaft, or from any other part of the machine so that the lever
is moved to operate the clutch to grip or release the foot bar, that whatever thickness
of material is placed under the foot bar it will vibrate vertically one predetermined
height from the work and so allow the operator to freely turn the work on the needle
plate in the direction required using the needle while in work as a pivot.
By the means now employed for vibrating the foot bar vertically while the work is
moved or turned round, the foot bar is caused to lift only a certain height from the
needle plate consequently when running the machine from thick to thin work, or
vice versa, the foot bar does not vibrate always at one height, or at a predetermined
height from the work as in the present invention for example; when the foot bar is
set for vibrating vertically a certain height upon thin material, and then runs on a
thicker part of the material, the vibration is lost, and the work cannot be turned
freely, and if the foot bar is set to vibrate sufficiently on a thick material, and comes
on a thin part of the material the vibration becomes excessive. By this my invention
the vibration of the foot bar vertically is automatically adjusted to the different thick-
ness of material at the time running in the machine, and is applicable to all sewing
machines which requires the foot bar to be vibrated vertically to facilitate the moving
about or turning round of the work during the sewing operation.
Dated thin 17th dore of Fabe 1890
W. B. MAXFIELD,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Sewing Machines.
I, HENRY ALFRED OLDERSHAW of No. 38 Highcross Street Leicester in the County
of Leicester Engineer and Machine Builder 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines the object of which
is to provide an antomatic contrivance for lifting or vibrating the foot bar vertically
so that whatever thickness or uneven thickness of work is being sewn the foot bar ís
properly regulated.
For this purpose I employ a clutch arrangement to grip the foot bar at top or it
may be at any other part of the bar, the said clutch being actuated by a bell crank
lever or its equivalent; mounted on a suitable pivot and operated by a cam either from
the driving shaft as shown in the drawings, or from other parts of the machine so
that the lever is moved to operate the grips to cause the clutch to grip or release the
presser foot bar, that whatever thickness of material is placed under the foot bar it
will vibrate vertically one predetermined height from the work and so allow the

page_text: operator to freely turn the work on the needle plate in the direction required using
the needle while in the work as a pivot. By the means now employed for vibrating the
foot bar of a sewing machine vertically while the work is moved or turned round
the foot bar is caused to be lifted only a certain height from the needle plate conse-
quently when running the machine from thin to thick work or vice versa, the foot
bar does not vibrate always at one height, or at a predetermined height from the
work as in the present invention for example: when the foot bar is set for vibrating
vertically a certain height upon thin material, and then runs on a thicker part of
the same the vibration is lost, and the work cannot be turned freely, and if the foot
bar is set to vibrate sufficiently on a thick material the vibration becomes excessive
when on thin work.
By this my invention the vibration of the foot bar vertically is automatically
adjusted to the thickness of material at the time running in the machine, and the
invention is applicable to all makes of sewing machines requiring the foot bar to be
vibrated vertically to facilitate the moving about, or the turning round of the work
during the sewing operation.
That this invention may be well understood reference is made to the drawings
annexed in which
Figure 1. is a side elevation partly in section of the overhanging arm and head of a
sewing machine A showing the presser foot bar B, and driving shaft C, which
carries the cam D, that comes into contact with the roller e¹, on the lower or outer
end of the bell crank, or other lever E, the clutch arrangement F, and grips G, hinged
to the collar H, the said grips being put into action so that the upper portion thereof
binds the foot bar B, by the forked end I, of the aforesaid lever E. In this figure the
grips G, are shown at rest just before the cam D, strikes against the roller e', the
adjusting screw N fitted into the collar H, rests on the head of the machine and when
it is turned to the right it raises the collar H, and grips G, and with them the forked
end I of the bell crank or other lever E, thus bringing the bottom end clear of the
cam D, and placing the whole out of action, the spring bringing the clutch down
again to its work.
Figure 2. is a sectional view through the clutch F, showing the action of the grips G
when the forked end of the lever E is down.
When the fork rises, the grips G, expand and the upper portion thereof grips the
foot bar and carries it up with it.
Figure 3. is an end view of the head of a sewing machine A, in this case the clutch F
is thrown in gear by depressing the eccentric lever J, and put out of gear by raising
it, being a substitute for the screw N in Figure 1.
Figure 4. is a side view of the head and part of the overhanging arm of a sewing
machine A, the clutch F, in this case being raised out of action by aid of the thumb
nut N, at the top of the collar H, when screwed down on to the top of the pin K,
resting on the head of the machine the clutch is raised out of action.
Figure 5. In this case instead of having the forked end I of the bell crank lever E
tapered or bevelled as shewn in the previous figures it is left plain I', and a turned
cone L encircles the collar H, thus when the lever is raised the cone rises and the
grips G, are opened out, the upper arm of the bell crank E, instead of being in one
piece is divided at the pivot M, so that when the set screw N, is screwed down it
catches on the limb or projection O, of the lower arm of the bell crank and opens
the angle of the said lever thus forcing the roller e¹, on to the cam D, the coiled
spring, pressing on the collar H, takes it back to its lower position, the spring being
held on the bar B by the screw P.
Figure 6, is another side elevation of the head and part of the overhanging arm of
a sewing machine A, the clutch F in this case being provided with only one grip G,
the inner end of which shown in dotted line g', fits in the foot bar B, and when the
free end g³, is raised by the upper arm of the bell crank or other lever E, it grips the
bar and carries it up with it, the adjusting screw N, fitted to the free end of the grip g³,
when screwed down forces the roller e, on to the cam D, the spring j', bringing
the clutch F down to its work again.

page_text: Figure 7. is a plan top view of the previous figure.
Figure 8. is another side elevation showing the split cone L, which is split vertically
at 1, that when the collar H, is raised by the double forked end I of the divided
bell crank lever E, it compresses the split cone on to the foot bar thus holding it and
carrying it up with it, the screw N is the same as shown in Figure 5, the coiled
spring j, in this case being held down by the bracket P encircling the bar B, instead
of the screw P shown in Figure 5.
Figure 9 is a plan top view of the previous figure with spring j³, removed to shew
the split cone L, with its collar H, and method of jointing the bell crank lever at
its pivot M.
Figure 10. In this case I adjust or regulate the clutch F, that no matter in what
position the eccentric lever J, is placed it remains by means of indents or teeth, in
the concentric part of the said lever, the spring catch, being screwed to the head
of the machine works freely on the pins, the spring j, instead of being attached at
its lower end to the front of the head of the machine as in the preceding figures is
attached to the hooked end of the catch j*, thus answering for keeping the latch up
at the same time as holding the clutch down to its work.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the bell crank but
can use any other shaped lever that will give the same action to the clutch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a sewing machine a clutch arrangement that holds the foot bar having two
grips operated by a lever in the manner specified and shown in Figure 1.
2. In a clutch of the character described the employment of an adjusting screw to
regulate the vibration of the presser foot bar.
3. In a clutch arrangement of the character described and shown in Figure 4,
the upper part threaded and a nut put thereon for the purpose of throwing the clutch
in and out of action.
4. A clutch arrangement for the purpose specified having one grip or lever and
adjusting screw as seen in Figure 6.
5. A clutch arrangement for the purpose described provided with an eccentric lever
for throwing it in and out of gear as seen in Figure 3.
6. A clutch arrangement for the purpose described provided with a divided or
jointed bell crank lever as shown in Figures 5, 8 and 9.
7. A clutch arrangement for the purpose described having an eccentric lever with
ratchet and spring movement as shown in Figure 10 or its equivalent for the purpose
of regulating the vibration of the presser foot bar.
8. A clutch arrangement of the character described actuated by a cone and coiled
spring as seen in Figure 5.
9. A clutch arrangement of the character described actuated by a split cone or grip
encircled by a collar as seen in Figures 8 and 9.
10. Improvements in or relating to sewing machines consisting of a clutch to
grip the presser foot bar for regulating the vibration of the same according to
the thickness of work to be sewn, substantially in the manner as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 20th day of Annet 1890
«
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
The Central Patent Office," No. 19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester,
Agent for the Applicant.